A system for controlling operation of a vehicle includes a millimeter-wave radar sensor, a processor, and a memory communicably coupled to the processor. The memory stores a sensor control module configured to automatically control operation of the radar sensor to perform at least one radar scan of at least a portion of an interior of the vehicle. The sensor control module is also configured to determine, using information acquired by the at least one radar scan of the vehicle interior, at least one characteristic of a child car seat positioned in the interior. The sensor control module is also configured to compare the at least one determined characteristic of the child car seat with child car seat comparison information and, responsive to the comparison of the at least one determined characteristic with the child car seat comparison information, control an operation of the vehicle.

A vehicle diagnostic and communication system includes a controller with computer executable instructions configured to diagnose operational capability of vehicle operating systems in response to a recognized collision event. The controller is further configured to determine a severity of damage to the vehicle operating systems based on the diagnoses and generate a communication signal based on the determined severity of damage to the vehicle for transmission. The system determines which of a plurality of service providers to send the communication signal based on the severity of damage to the vehicle.

One general aspect includes a deployable containment system for a vehicle roof panel, the system including: a pair of guide channels proximate to an opening through the vehicle roof panel, each guide channel of the pair having a first end and a second end; a housing mounted to the first end of the pair of guide channels. The deployable containment system also includes a shield configured to deploy from the housing and travel along the pair of guide channels so as to cover at least a portion of the opening. The deployable containment system also includes an actuator disposed proximate to the pair of guide channels, the actuator configured to deploy the shield from the housing after a deployment event.

A method and apparatus for protecting a passenger during a crash comprises a moveable seat with an energy absorber (EA) that allows the seat to stroke a finite distance to decelerate the passenger in a controlled manner. The seat is designed so that one of a plurality of fixed profile EA's can be selectively engaged to provide a tailored EA composite profile adapted to the occupant's weight and anticipated crash environment. The tailored EA composite profile applies a frequency matched, low onset force to the seat, which substantially eliminates problems associated with dynamic overshoot of the passenger's spine.

A method for a seat belt system (10) in a vehicle (14), the seat belt system (10) comprising a control unit (36) and at least one seat belt (18) with an extendable webbing (20) and a webbing extension measuring device (30), includes the steps of: a) determining whether a vehicle seat (16) is occupied, b) determining whether the webbing (20) is in a storage position, if the vehicle seat (16) is not occupied, and c) outputting a warning signal, in particular via an output device (34), if the webbing (20) is not in the storage position. Moreover, the invention provides a seat belt system (10) for a vehicle (14) comprising an extendable seat belt (17, 18) as well as a vehicle (14) comprising a seat belt system (10).

A central locking device for door locks of a motor vehicle includes a control device and, connected thereto, locking couplings in the door locks. An accident detection device is provided for determining an accident situation of the motor vehicle and for transmitting an accident signal to the control device. Upon receiving the accident situation signal, the control device is set up to switch the locking couplings to the locked status for a defined period of time and then to switch them to the unlocked status. This prevents disturbances that may occur in the region of the door handle during an acute accident phase, since the door handles are not functional during the defined period of time.

A method is provided for determining a collision characteristic of a vehicle collision for triggering safety means of the vehicle. The method has a step of an ascertainment of at least one determination-relevant time segment of a sensor signal representing the vehicle collision before a triggering time for a safety means. The method also has a step of a comparison of at least two features of the sensor signal in the at least one time segment with one another in order to determine the collision characteristic.

An assembly includes a vehicle seat including a seat back, a first track mounted to the seat back, an upper airbag movable along the first track, a second track mounted to the seat back, a lower airbag movable along the second track, and a mechanical assembly configured to simultaneously move the upper airbag along the first track and the lower airbag along the second track in opposite directions.

A method for triggering a plurality of actuators of a safety system of a motor vehicle from an energy source, wherein, by using sensor signals, the requirement for triggering and the desired triggering time period are determined and a maximum group size of actuators to be triggered within a time window is predefined. For successive time windows, individual, at least partly different, maximum group sizes are respectively predefined and the maximum group size for the respective time window is determined adaptively by using the actuators already actually triggered in preceding time windows. Here, it is preferably also possible to take account of the situation in which different triggering time periods are predefined for actuators.

A method for triggering a plurality of actuators of a safety system of a motor vehicle from an energy source, wherein, by using sensor signals, the requirement for triggering and the desired triggering time period are determined and a maximum group size of actuators to be triggered within a time window is predefined. For successive time windows, individual, at least partly different, maximum group sizes are respectively predefined and the maximum group size for the respective time window is determined adaptively by using the actuators already actually triggered in preceding time windows. Here, it is preferably also possible to take account of the situation in which different triggering time periods are predefined for actuators.