Methods and systems detect motion of a motor vehicle and detect whether the driver, and/or other occupants, are wearing their safety belts. A third party can be notified, in real-time, that the vehicle is being driven without the safety belts engaged. The user can then deliver an audio message to the user, either pre-recorded or live, to remind the user to fasten their safety belts. The third party also has an option of delivering a consequence to the user as a result of the detection of the safety belt not being engaged. Such consequence can include automatically limiting access to certain applications of the driver's smart phone for a certain period of time. The system can include a seat belt application detector, a vehicle motion detector, and wireless communication means to send a signal of safety belt application to the third party.

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.

The invention relates to a functionality limiting system (110) for a motorized vehicle (100) provided with a motion system, comprising: first sensor means (101) adapted to sense if the power is on and providing a first sensing signal; second sensor means (102a-102d) adapted to sense one or several operational parameters relative to at least one part of the vehicle (100) and providing a second sensing signal; deactivation means (103) adapted to verify if a deactivation condition is met and providing a deactivation signal; a control unit (104) in communication with the first and second sensor means (101; 102a-102d) and the deactivation means (103), the control unit (104) receiving said first and second sensing signals and said deactivation signal, the control unit (104) being adapted to control the speed and/or the power supplied by the motion system in response to said first and second sensing signals and said deactivation signal, in such a manner that said speed and/or said power is limited in an activated mode of the system and is not limited in a deactivated mode of the system.

Methods and systems detect motion of a motor vehicle and detect whether the driver, and/or other occupants, are wearing their safety belts. A third party can be notified, in real-time, that the vehicle is being driven without the safety belts engaged. The user can then deliver an audio message to the user, either pre-recorded or live, to remind the user to fasten their safety belts. The third party also has an option of delivering a consequence to the user as a result of the detection of the safety belt not being engaged. Such consequence can include automatically limiting access to certain applications of the driver's smart phone for a certain period of time. The system can include a seat belt application detector, a vehicle motion detector, and wireless communication means to send a signal of safety belt application to the third party.

The disclosure generally pertains to systems and methods for providing a vehicle occupant preparation system for certain acceleration modes. In an example method, sensor data associated with one or more sensors of the vehicle may be generated when a vehicle is in an acceleration mode. Subsequently, an orientation of an occupant in the vehicle relative to a seat or other structure within an interior of the vehicle may be determined using the sensor data. The orientation of the occupant may comprise at least a position of a head of the occupant or a direction the head of the occupant is facing. It may be determined that the orientation of the occupant is not within a predetermined orientation threshold. A notification associated with the orientation of the occupant may then be presented. In some instances, a performance parameter of the vehicle may be adjusted.

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 smart seat buckle is disclosed. The smart seat buckle includes a number of connector elements configured to fasten a user to a seat when the smart seat buckle is in a fastened position, a sensor switch coupled to the connector elements and configured to detect the fastened position of the smart seat buckle, and switch on battery power to a battery powered transmitter when the smart seat buckle is in the fastened position, and the battery powered transmitter configured to transmit a signal to prevent locking of a vehicle door from outside of the vehicle, when the battery power of the transmitter is switched on, in response to the sensor switch detecting the fastened position of the smart seat buckle.

Methods and systems detect motion of a motor vehicle and detect whether the driver, and/or other occupants, are wearing their safety belts. A third party can be notified, in real-time, that the vehicle is being driven without the safety belts engaged. The user can then deliver an audio message to the user, either pre-recorded or live, to remind the user to fasten their safety belts. The third party also has an option of delivering a consequence to the user as a result of the detection of the safety belt not being engaged. Such consequence can include automatically limiting access to certain applications of the driver's smart phone for a certain period of time. The system can include a seat belt application detector, a vehicle motion detector, and wireless communication means to send a signal of safety belt application to the third party.

A seat belt attachment determining unit of a rough terrain vehicle determines whether or not a seat belt is being worn by a vehicle occupant. In the case it is determined by the seat belt attachment determining unit that the vehicle occupant is wearing the seat belt, the ECU switches a transmission gear stage of an automatic transmission using a first speed change mode. On the other hand, in the case it is determined by the seat belt attachment determining unit that the vehicle occupant is not wearing the seat belt, the ECU switches the transmission gear stage using a second speed change mode.

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.