A vehicle device for protecting passengers from being thrown out is disposed at an inner side of a window of a vehicle. The vehicle device includes two rail units disposed at two opposing sides of the window and a block unit disposed between the rail units. The block unit is connected with a drive unit. The drive unit is connected with a control unit. When the control unit detects that the vehicle is about to roll, the control unit will actuate the drive unit to drive the block unit so that the block unit is rapidly unfolded to block the entire window. Thereby, when the vehicle is rolling, the vehicle device can effectively protect the passengers from being thrown out of the vehicle, improving the safety of the vehicle greatly.

Aspects of the disclosure relate to deploying safety mechanisms in an autonomous vehicle. As an example, the situational information identifying a potential impact target corresponding to an object with which the autonomous vehicle is predicted to have a collision within a predetermined period of time may be received. This situational information may also include an estimated time when the second computing device will receive an update for the potential impact target from the first computing device. The estimated time may be used to determine when to deploy a set of active safety mechanisms for the potential impact target. Each active safety mechanism may be configured to reduce a likelihood of damage to an object external to the autonomous vehicle caused by a collision. A signal is then sent to activate the set of active safety mechanisms prior to an impact with the object corresponding to the identified potential impact target.

A method for activating a passenger protection device of a vehicle. A relative velocity value, which represents a relative velocity between the vehicle and an object, and at least one correction value are read in. In a further step, a velocity reduction value, which represents a decrease of a velocity of the vehicle when the vehicle collides with the object, is ascertained using the relative velocity value and the correction value. Finally, an activation signal for activating the passenger protection device is generated using the velocity reduction value.

The present disclosure provides a vehicle airbag device including: an airbag that inflates and deploys due to supply of gas, that has a main body and a projection that projects in a vehicle rearward direction, and that has a gap portion, between the main body and the projection, which opens in the vehicle rearward direction; and a coupling portion that couples together a first attachment portion set at the airbag at a front end portion side of the gap portion and a second attachment portion set at a side portion of the projection, and which, when inflation and deployment of the airbag, stretches between the first attachment portion and the second attachment portion, which is positioned further in the vehicle rearward direction than the first attachment portion.

Methods and systems for assessing, detecting, and responding to malfunctions involving components of autonomous vehicles and/or smart homes are described herein. Malfunctions may be detected by receiving sensor data from a plurality of sensors. One of these sensors may be selected for assessment. An electronic device may obtain from the selected sensor a set of signals. When the set of signals includes signals that are outside of a determined range of signals associated with proper functioning for the selected sensor, it may be determined that the selected sensor is malfunctioning. In response, an action may be performed to resolve the malfunction and/or mitigate consequences of the malfunction.

Methods and systems for autonomous vehicle recharging or refueling are disclosed. Autonomous vehicles may be automatically refueled by routing the vehicles to available fueling stations when not in operation, according to methods described herein. A fuel level within a tank of an autonomous vehicle may be monitored until it reaches a refueling threshold, at which point an on-board computer may generate a predicted use profile for the vehicle. Based upon the predicted use profile, a time and location for the vehicle to refuel the vehicle may be determined. In some embodiments, the vehicle may be controlled to automatically travel to a fueling station, refill a fuel tank, and return to its starting location in order to refuel when not in use.

A protective system for a motor vehicle with automatic electrical seat position control and/or automatic electrical steering wheel adjustment is provided. The protective system includes a seat position control unit, a steering wheel adjustment control unit, an accident detection device and a communications connection. The seat position control unit is deactivates the automatic electrical seat position control. The steering wheel adjustment control unit is deactivates the automatic electrical steering wheel adjustment. The accident detection device detects a traffic accident of the motor vehicle. The communications connection connects the accident detection device to the seat position control unit and/or the steering wheel adjustment control unit. The accident detection device outputs at least one accident signal to the communications connection in the event of the detection of a traffic accident of the motor vehicle.

An instrument-panel assembly includes an instrument panel, an airbag housing supported by the instrument panel, an airbag supported by the airbag housing, and a rotatable connection rotatably supporting the airbag housing on the instrument panel. The instrument panel extends along a longitudinal axis. The rotatable connection is rotatable about a rotational axis transverse to the longitudinal axis.

A collision mitigation system makes use of ladar sensors to identify obstacles and to predict unavoidable collisions therewith, and a duplex radio link in communication with secondary vehicles, and a number of external airbags deployable under the control of an airbag control unit, to reduce the forces of impact on the host vehicle, secondary vehicles, and bipeds and quadrupeds wandering into the roadway. A suspension modification system makes use of ladar sensors to identify road hazards, and make adaptations to a number of active suspension components, each with the ability to absorb shock, elevate or lower the vehicle, and adjust the spring rate of the individual wheel suspensions.

A vehicle has a restraint system with at least two restraint devices. A sensor detects a potential collision object and outputs a signal representing a relative position of the potential collision object to the vehicle. A processing device suppresses deployment of at least one of the restraint devices based at least in part on the signal output by the at least one sensor.