A seat belt system for a vehicle comprises a first seat belt buckle mounted at a first location, a second seat belt buckle mounted at a second location and a seat belt retractor mounted at a third location, a seat belt and a circuit. The third location is spaced along a seat for an occupant from the second location. The seat belt is extendable from the seat belt retractor and has a tongue. The seat belt is extendable to connect the tongue to the first seat belt buckle or the second seat belt buckle. The circuit interconnects the first seat belt buckle, the second seat belt buckle and the seat belt retractor. The circuit is configured to change an operating mode of the seat belt retractor when (1) the seat belt tongue is removed from the first seat belt buckle and/or (2) the seat belt tongue is removed from the second seat belt buckle. An optional indicator can be provided to indicate to the vehicle operator that the operating mode of the retractor has been changed.

A vehicle interlock system includes a wheelchair fixing device configured to fix a wheelchair to a vehicle, a seatbelt device having a seatbelt configured such that, an occupant seated in the wheelchair wears the seatbelt, and a control unit. The control unit is configured to limit at least one of an upper limit traveling speed and an upper limit acceleration of the vehicle or output a warning signal, or to output a warning signal while limiting at least one of the upper limit traveling speed and the upper limit acceleration of the vehicle depending on at least one of the following conditions: whether the wheelchair is fixed to the vehicle with the wheelchair fixing device; whether the occupant is wearing the seatbelt; and so forth.

Systems and methods are provided for monitoring seatbelt usage by an occupant of a vehicle. The method includes, by a processor: receiving sensor data generated by at least one sensing device of the vehicle, determining a seatbelt gaming activity has occurred based on the sensor data, wherein the seatbelt gaming activity occurs when a seatbelt of the vehicle is latched while the occupant is not secured to a corresponding seat with the seatbelt, performing a persistence check to compare a frequency of the seatbelt gaming activity over a period of time to a minimum seatbelt gaming activity threshold, determining a classification of seatbelt gaming activity attributed to the occupant based on the persistence check, and generating record data that includes the classification of seatbelt gaming activity attributed to the occupant.

A seatbelt ignition interlock system. The system includes a plurality of sensor devices each including a housing, a latch configured to removably engage the latch receiver of a vehicle seatbelt system, a latch receiver configured to receive and removably engage the latch of the vehicle seatbelt system, a latch sensor, a temperature sensor, and a power source. Each sensor device is in electrical communication with a vehicle ignition interlock circuit, and the vehicle ignition interlock circuit is in electrical communication with an ignition of a vehicle. The vehicle ignition interlock circuit is configured to prevent the vehicle ignition from being started when a combination of temperature sensors and latch sensors determine that occupied seats have unfastened seatbelts.

A system for detecting improper usage of a seatbelt of a vehicle includes a vehicle seat having a seat cushion and a seat back. A shoulder belt and a lap belt are intended to restrain an occupant sitting on the vehicle seat. The system includes a sensor module associated with the shoulder belt and the lap belt. The sensor module generates signals indicative of at least one parameter associated with the vehicle seat, the shoulder belt, and the lap belt when the occupant is sitting on the vehicle seat. The system also includes a controller that receives the signals indicative of the at least one parameter associated with the seat back, the shoulder belt, and the lap belt. The controller analyzes the received one or more signals, and determines whether the seatbelt is being used improperly by the occupant, based on the analysis.

A seat belt system for a vehicle comprises a first seat belt buckle mounted at a first location, a second seat belt buckle mounted at a second location and a seat belt retractor mounted at a third location, a seat belt and a circuit. The third location is spaced along a seat for an occupant from the second location. The seat belt is extendable from the seat belt retractor and has a tongue. The seat belt is extendable to connect the tongue to the first seat belt buckle or the second seat belt buckle. The circuit interconnects the first seat belt buckle, the second seat belt buckle and the seat belt retractor. The circuit is configured to change an operating mode of the seat belt retractor when (1) the seat belt tongue is removed from the first seat belt buckle and/or (2) the seat belt tongue is removed from the second seat belt buckle. An optional indicator can be provided to indicate to the vehicle operator that the operating mode of the retractor has been changed.

A seat belt system for a vehicle comprises a first seat belt buckle mounted at a first location, a second seat belt buckle mounted at a second location and a seat belt retractor mounted at a third location, a seat belt and a circuit. The third location is spaced along a seat for an occupant from the second location. The seat belt is extendable from the seat belt retractor and has a tongue. The seat belt is extendable to connect the tongue to the first seat belt buckle or the second seat belt buckle. The circuit interconnects the first seat belt buckle, the second seat belt buckle and the seat belt retractor. The circuit is configured to change an operating mode of the seat belt retractor when (1) the seat belt tongue is removed from the first seat belt buckle and/or (2) the seat belt tongue is removed from the second seat belt buckle. An optional indicator can be provided to indicate to the vehicle operator that the operating mode of the retractor has been changed.

A vehicle includes an engine, an input device for controlling a speed of the engine, a seat for an occupant of the vehicle, a seat belt for securing the occupant in the seat, and a seat belt sensor for detecting when the seat belt is buckled. A controller may be operatively connected to the seat belt sensor and the engine for controlling the vehicle in a first mode when the seat belt is buckled and a second mode when the seat belt is unbuckled. The controller may perform various different functions, such as cutting fuel to the engine when the vehicle speed is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold while operating in the second mode, or receiving input indicating that the input device is released before switching the vehicle to the first mode when the seat belt is buckled while the vehicle is operating in the second mode.

A seatbelt ignition interlock system. The system includes a plurality of sensor devices each including a housing, a latch configured to removably engage the latch receiver of a vehicle seatbelt system, a latch receiver configured to receive and removably engage the latch of the vehicle seatbelt system, a latch sensor, a temperature sensor, and a power source. Each sensor device is in electrical communication with a vehicle ignition interlock circuit, and the vehicle ignition interlock circuit is in electrical communication with an ignition of a vehicle. The vehicle ignition interlock circuit is configured to prevent the vehicle ignition from being started when a combination of temperature sensors and latch sensors determine that occupied seats have unfastened seatbelts.

A child transportation system is disclosed. The system includes a seating component and various other modules. The system can check whether a seating component is located in a vehicle, whether the seating component is a proper component given the weight and height of the child in the seat, that the seating component is properly secured in the vehicle, and that the system is operating correctly. The system can monitor various conditions of the seat and the environment, and can provide alarms to users when cheks are not completed or dangerous environmental conditions are present, or when a child is left behind in a vehicle.