METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING A SAFETY DEVICE OF A VEHICLE, AND SAFETY SYSTEM FOR A VEHICLE

A method for controlling a safety device of a vehicle. The safety device reacts to an imminent collision of the vehicle with a collision object by an intervention in a longitudinal and/or lateral guidance of the vehicle. The method includes reading in environment data and trip data regarding the collision object and the vehicle, and intervention data regarding the intervention of the safety device; ascertaining a first expected impingement point of the collision object on the vehicle using the environment data and the trip data, and a second expected impingement point of the collision object on the vehicle using the environment data, the trip data, and the intervention data; executing an evaluation of a location of the first expected impingement point and of a location of the second expected impingement point relative to subregions referred to the vehicle, using reference data; and generating a control signal for the safety device.