An augmented safety restraint system includes a first restraint operable to secure a first passenger. The first restraint has an exposed surface facing away from a body of the first passenger. A gesture-sensing device is disposed on the exposed surface of the first restraint and is operable to receive an input from the first passenger.

An illuminator assembly for use in a conventional safety seat belt buckle is provided. In a preferred embodiment, the illuminator assembly comprises a base including a substrate mountable internally of the buckle housing. A light source is mounted on the substrate. The light source has a light emitting surface for emitting incoherent, visible optical radiation or light rays when the light source is energized. A lens has a light-transmissive input surface aligned to receive light rays emitted from the light emitting surface of the light source. A light-transmissive output surface is configured to be placed proximate an opening slot in the buckle housing. A waveguide is intermediate the input surface and the output surface. The waveguide may be configured to guide or direct light rays to the output surface in a direction generally orthogonal to the direction of the light rays emitted by the light source.

An illuminator assembly for use in a conventional safety seat belt buckle is provided. In a preferred embodiment, the illuminator assembly comprises a base including a substrate mountable internally of the buckle housing. A light source is mounted on the substrate. The light source has a light emitting surface for emitting incoherent, visible optical radiation or light rays when the light source is energized. A lens has a light-transmissive input surface aligned to receive light rays emitted from the light emitting surface of the light source. A light-transmissive output surface is configured to be placed proximate an opening slot in the buckle housing. A waveguide is intermediate the input surface and the output surface. The waveguide may be configured to guide or direct light rays to the output surface in a direction generally orthogonal to the direction of the light rays emitted by the light source.

In one embodiment, a system of detecting seat belt operation in a vehicle includes at least one light source configured to emit a predetermined wavelength of light onto structures within the vehicle, wherein at least one of the structures is a passenger seat belt assembly having a pattern that reflects the predetermined wavelength at a preferred luminance. At least one 3-D time of flight camera is positioned in the vehicle to receive reflected light from the structures in the vehicle and provide images of the structures that distinguish the preferred luminance of the pattern from other structures in the vehicle. A computer processor connected to computer memory and the camera includes computer readable instructions causing the processor to reconstruct 3-D information in regard to respective images of the structures and calculate a depth measurement of the distance of the reflective pattern on the passenger seat belt assembly from the camera.

In one embodiment, a system of detecting seat belt operation in a vehicle includes at least one light source configured to emit a predetermined wavelength of light onto structures within the vehicle, wherein at least one of the structures is a passenger seat belt assembly having a pattern that reflects the predetermined wavelength at a preferred luminance. At least one 3-D time of flight camera is positioned in the vehicle to receive reflected light from the structures in the vehicle and provide images of the structures that distinguish the preferred luminance of the pattern from other structures in the vehicle. A computer processor connected to computer memory and the camera includes computer readable instructions causing the processor to reconstruct 3-D information in regard to respective images of the structures and calculate a depth measurement of the distance of the reflective pattern on the passenger seat belt assembly from the camera.

An illuminated seat belt buckle for a seat belt. The seat belt buckle has a buckle housing, a locking mechanism, an insertion slot for a belt latch of the seat belt, an actuating button for release purposes, and an illuminating device which has at least one light source and is arranged in the seat belt buckle. The buckle housing has a light-permeable and annularly closed light outlet opening from which the coupled-in light provided by the illuminating device emerges. The light outlet opening surrounds the actuating button and/or the insertion slot in an encircling manner.

An illuminated seat belt buckle for a seat belt. The seat belt buckle has a buckle housing, a locking mechanism, an insertion slot for a belt latch of the seat belt, an actuating button for release purposes, and an illuminating device which has at least one light source and is arranged in the seat belt buckle. The buckle housing has a light-permeable and annularly closed light outlet opening from which the coupled-in light provided by the illuminating device emerges. The light outlet opening surrounds the actuating button and/or the insertion slot in an encircling manner.

A belt buckle for a vehicle safety belt, comprising a housing (3) which is formed by at least two housing shells (1,2) joined together and in which a locking mechanism (4) is arranged, and a pushbutton (22), provided on said housing, for operating the locking mechanism (4), wherein at least two housing shells (1,2) are joined together at their shell rims and that elongated cover strips (8,9) made of solid material and covering the mutually abutting rims (17,18) of the housing shells (1,2) are fixed to the joined housing shells (1,2).

A belt buckle for a vehicle safety belt, comprising a housing (3) which is formed by at least two housing shells (1,2) joined together and in which a locking mechanism (4) is arranged, and a pushbutton (22), provided on said housing, for operating the locking mechanism (4), wherein at least two housing shells (1,2) are joined together at their shell rims and that elongated cover strips (8,9) made of solid material and covering the mutually abutting rims (17,18) of the housing shells (1,2) are fixed to the joined housing shells (1,2).

The disclosure relates to an interior trim part of a motor vehicle, which includes a support layer (10), a cover layer (14) on a front side of the support layer and an illumination unit (16-26) on an opposite rear side of the support layer. The support layer includes a perforation (12), which forms an illuminated structure when the illumination unit emits light through the perforation.