Control arrangement for triggering a restraint device in a vehicle during a side impact

A sensor device (3) comprising at least two acceleration sensors (31, 32) and fitted, together with a trigger circuit (4), in one control unit (1) produces a longitudinal acceleration signal (x(t)) and a transverse acceleration signal (y(t)). The trigger circuit (4) produces an output signal (a(t)) which is dependent on the longitudinal acceleration signal (x(t)) as well as on the transverse acceleration signal (y(t)) and thus ensures the reliability of any decision to activate the restraint system (5), despite the weakness of the transverse acceleration signal (y(t)) due to the central location of the sensor device (3). The output signal (a(t)) is compared with a threshold value.