System, methods, and other embodiments described herein relate to adaptively communicating notices to passengers within a vehicle. In one embodiment, a method includes in response to receiving a notice about an occurrence of an event, determining a viewing orientation of a passenger in the vehicle according to at least one electronic input that indicates information about a physical position of the passenger within the vehicle. The event is an incident associated with the vehicle for which the passenger is to be informed. The method also includes selecting at least one alerting device from available communication devices in the vehicle according to the viewing orientation by determining which of the available communication devices correspond with the viewing orientation of the passenger. The method further includes controlling the at least one alerting device to communicate the notice to the passenger about the occurrence of the event.

Systems and methods for driver identification using vehicle approach vectors are disclosed. An example disclosed vehicle includes a plurality of beacons configured to connect to a first mobile device and a second mobile device. The example vehicle also includes a plurality of ultrasonic sensors. The example vehicle includes a driver identifier configured to predict trajectories for the first and second mobile devices based on information received from the plurality of beacons and the plurality of ultrasonic sensors, and determine which one of the mobile devices is associated with a driver based on the predicted trajectories.

Disclosed are active vehicle seat assemblies, methods for making and using such seat assemblies, and vehicles with active seat assemblies for counteracting unwanted inertial forces. An active vehicle seat assembly is disclosed that includes an occupant chair with interconnected seat and backrest portions. A motion sensor detects motion of the occupant chair and outputs signals indicative thereof. An automated platform movably mounts the occupant chair to the vehicle body. The platform includes: a pitch plate that pivots about two lateral axes; a pitch actuator that selectively pivots the pitch plate; a roll plate that pivots about two longitudinal axes; and a roll actuator that selectively pivots the roll plate. An on-board controller responds to signals from the motion sensor indicative of inertial motion disturbances to the chair by transmitting control signals to the pitch and/or roll actuators to pivot the pitch and/or roll plates to thereby counteract the inertial disturbances.

A system for reconfiguring a vehicle geometry is disclosed. The system includes a configuration system configured to alter the vehicle geometry, a communication system, and a controller in communication with the configuration system and the communication system, the controller configured to receive a configuration signal from the communication system, determine a configuration control signal, and automatically control the configuration system based on the control signal.

Various systems and methods for providing an occupant profiling system are described herein. A system for profiling a vehicle occupant includes a vehicle control system, comprising: a sensor fusion circuit coupled to a plurality of sensors installed a vehicle seat, the sensor fusion circuit to: determine that a human occupant is seated in the vehicle seat; sample a backrest sensor arrangement and a base cushion sensor arrangement of the vehicle seat to obtain backrest sensor data and base cushion sensor data, when the human occupant is determined to be seated in the vehicle seat; sample, when the human occupant is determined to be seated in the vehicle seat, a height sensor to obtain a height sensor value; and statistically determine from the backrest sensor data, the base cushion sensor data, and the high sensor data, whether the human occupant matches a reference profile.

A method for classifying an occupant and providing the occupant classification for a safety device in a motor vehicle. The method includes reading in a first piece of information that indirectly describes the occupant; reading in a second piece of information that directly describes the occupant; classifying the occupant, taking the indirect and direct information into account; and providing the occupant classification to an interface to the safety device for the vehicle. A corresponding device is also described.

A system for improving safety of an occupant by a vehicle seat belt, which can provide adaptive protection for an occupant in different seat positions and different sitting postures is provided. A method for improving safety of an occupant by a vehicle seat belt is also provided, along with a computer-readable medium. The a system for improving safety of an occupant by a vehicle seat belt includes an in-vehicle observation system, an active seat belt system, and an integrated safety domain control unit. The integrated safety domain control unit formulates a vehicle seat belt protection strategy based on received data from the in-vehicle observation system, and a slack state of an active retractor and a positional state of an active lift buckle in the active seat belt system, to implement selective tightening or loosening of the active retractor and/or selective lifting or lowering of the active lift buckle.

A system comprising: a heater located within a steering wheel and a heater located within a vehicle seat; wherein the steering wheel is a first plate and the vehicle seat is a second plate and a shift in a signal is monitored from the first plate, the second plate, or both so that a presence and absence of an occupant is detected, and wherein the heater in the steering wheel and the heater in the vehicle seat are a sensor.

Systems and methods for human scanning for interior preference setup are disclosed. An example disclosed vehicle includes a target lamp on a side view mirror of the vehicle. The example vehicle also includes a scanning module. Additionally, the example vehicle includes an active scanning system configured to instruct the target lamp to project a position indicator a known distance from the vehicle, determine a joint structure based on an image of a person standing at the position indicator received from the scanning module, and adjust interior preference settings based on the detected joint structure.

Systems and methods for human scanning for interior preference setup are disclosed. An example disclosed vehicle includes a target lamp on a side view mirror of the vehicle. The example vehicle also includes a scanning module. Additionally, the example vehicle includes an active scanning system configured to instruct the target lamp to project a position indicator a known distance from the vehicle, determine a joint structure based on an image of a person standing at the position indicator received from the scanning module, and adjust interior preference settings based on the detected joint structure.