An apparatus for operating a reciprocating arm vehicular safety device with a
magnetized element for preventing inadvertent deployment of the reciprocating arm.
The apparatus has a magnetized element on the arm and an electromagnet on a vehicle
bumper, the magnetized element and electromagnet disposed so as to engage the arm
in a retracted position. When the reciprocating arm is moved to an extended position,
current is passed through the electromagnet to repel the magnetized element, thereby
allowing the arm to move to the extended position by a motor.
