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 way of 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 of the vehicle, and intervention data regarding a planned intervention of the safety device; ascertaining a first expected impingement region of the collision object on the vehicle, and a second expected impingement region of the collision object on the vehicle; executing an evaluation of a location of the first expected impingement region and of a location of the second expected impingement region relative to subregions referred to the vehicle, using reference data; generating, depending on a result of the evaluation, a control signal for the safety device.