An electronic parachute deployment system includes an electronic actuator, a control module, a deployment actuator, and a release mechanism. A parachute is positioned on a payload device, such as a racecar, to slow or stop the payload upon receipt of an electronic deployment activation signal. The electronic deployment signal is verified, including determining proper voltage and source. The deployment system includes multiple redundancies including mechanical deployment redundancy, remote deployment redundancy, and power supply redundancy. The control module responsible for monitoring deployment includes indicators and sensors to indicate a status, operation, or mode relative to the operability of the payload device, relative to components of the release mechanism, and relative to the parachute deployment.

System, methods, and other embodiments described herein relate to isolating a compartment. In one embodiment, a method includes isolating airflow to an occupant by actuation of a partition in response to a signal indicating a risk and the partition utilizes an inflatable bladder to seal an area of a compartment in a vehicle. The method also includes communicating a precaution associated with the actuation to occupants.

An assembly for a vehicle includes a vehicle roof and a panel rotatably connected to the vehicle roof. The panel is rotatable away from the vehicle roof from a stowed position to a deployed position. The assembly includes an airbag supported on the panel. The airbag is inflatable from the panel in a vehicle-forward direction when the panel is in the deployed position.

There is provided a system for improving safety of an occupant by an airbag, which can provide adaptive protection for occupants in different seat positions and different sitting postures. Further, there is provided a method for improving safety of an occupant by an airbag. Further, there is provided a computer-readable medium. The system for improving safety of an occupant by an airbag includes an in-vehicle observation system, an inflatable restraint system, a collision prediction system, and an integrated safety domain control unit. The integrated safety domain control unit formulates a deployment strategy based on data transmitted from the in-vehicle observation system, the inflatable restraint system, and the collision prediction system, to selectively inflate at least one airbag assembly and control an inflation volume for the airbag assembly to be inflated.

An electronic module assembly (EMA) for use in controlling one or more personal restraint systems. A programmed processor within the EMA is configured to determine when a personal restraint system associated with each seat in a vehicle should be deployed. In addition, the programmed processor is configured to perform a diagnostic self-test to determine if the EMA and the personal restraint systems are operational. In one embodiment, results of the diagnostic self-test routine are displayed on a display included on the electronic module assembly. In an alternative embodiment, the results of the diagnostic self-test routine are transmitted via a wireless transceiver to a remote device. The remote device can include a wireless interrogator or can be a remote computer system such as a cabin management computer system.

An assembly for a vehicle includes a vehicle roof and a panel rotatably connected to the vehicle roof. The panel is rotatable away from the vehicle roof from a stowed position to a deployed position. The assembly includes an airbag supported on the panel. The airbag is inflatable from the panel in a vehicle-forward direction when the panel is in the deployed position.

A pre-crash seat actuator system for moving a vehicle seat includes an occupant protection control system that determines a collision is imminent and provides a trigger signal and an enable signal. A vehicle seat controller receives the trigger signal and determines a moving the vehicle seat to a desired position to mitigate severity of a collision. In response to the trigger signal, the vehicle seat controller provides a fast mode voltage for moving the vehicle seat in a fast mode. A smart control adapter determines whether the fast mode voltage and the enable signal are both received, to provide the fast mode voltage to a vehicle seat electric drive. In another embodiment, the vehicle seat controller receives the trigger signal and a collision signal to provide fast mode voltage, and the seat is returned to an original position when a crash does not occur.

An occupant protection apparatus to be applied to a vehicle includes a contact detector, a control processor, and a lifting mechanism. The contact detector detects frontal contact of the vehicle. The control processor includes a contact determination unit determining whether the frontal contact of the vehicle is underride contact based on a result of detecting by the contact detector. The lifting mechanism includes a lifting member and a lifting driver. The lifting member is disposed below a rear end part of a hood in a downward direction of the vehicle. The hood is disposed on a frontal part of the vehicle. The lifting driver transmits a driving force to the lifting member. When the contact determination unit determines that the frontal contact is the underride contact, the rear end part of the hood is lifted by the lifting mechanism.

In various examples, systems and methods are disclosed that accurately identify driver and passenger in-cabin activities that may indicate a biomechanical distraction that prevents a driver from being fully engaged in driving a vehicle. In particular, image data representative of an image of an occupant of a vehicle may be applied to one or more deep neural networks (DNNs). Using the DNNs, data indicative of key point locations corresponding to the occupant may be computed, a shape and/or a volume corresponding to the occupant may be reconstructed, a position and size of the occupant may be estimated, hand gesture activities may be classified, and/or body postures or poses may be classified. These determinations may be used to determine operations or settings for the vehicle to increase not only the safety of the occupants, but also of surrounding motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians.

A restraint system includes a seat and a linear guide adjacent the seat. The linear guide has a base fixed relative to the seat and a lifter moveable relative to the base. An airbag has a mounting connection. The mounting connection is supported by and fixed to the lifter of the linear guide.