A method for operating a safety component in a motor vehicle. The method includes: determining a stored threshold value, which is provided for a comparison with an operating parameter of the safety component to set an error value when the operating parameter reaches the threshold value; ascertaining an error value when the threshold value is reached; collecting threshold-value correction data when the threshold value is reached or when a situation occurs in which it is expected that the threshold value will be reached, and transmitting threshold-value correction data to a central data processor; receiving from a central data processor at least one corrected threshold value for correcting the threshold value during the operation of the safety component, the correction data having been ascertained from error data that were ascertained in identically designed safety components of other motor vehicles; and adopting the corrected threshold as the stored threshold value.

Systems, methods and apparatus to collect sensor data generated in an autonomous vehicle. Sensors of the vehicle generate a sensor data stream that is buffered, in parallel and in a cyclic way, in a first cyclic buffer and a larger second cyclic buffer respectively. An advanced driver assistance system of the vehicle generates an accident signal when detecting or predicting an accident and provides a training signal when detecting a fault in object detection, recognition, identification or classification. The accident signal causes a sensor data stream segment to be copied from the first cyclic buffer into a slot of a non-volatile memory, selected from a plurality of slots in a round robin way. The training signal causes a sensor data stream segment to be copied from the second cyclic buffer into an area of the non-volatile memory outside of the slots reserved for the first cyclic buffer.

A system and method for measuring a capacitance value of a capacitor are provided. In embodiments, a resistor is coupled to a terminal of the capacitor. A difference in voltage at the terminal between a first time and a second time during a discharge routine of the capacitor is measured. The discharge routine includes sinking a current through a discharge circuit coupled to the resistor from first to second. Integration of a difference in voltage at terminals of the resistor during the discharge routine between the first and second times is also measured. The capacitance value is computed based on the measured difference in voltage, the measured integration, and the resistance value of the resistor. The health of the capacitor is determined based on a difference between the computed capacitance value and a threshold value.

A system and method for measuring a capacitance value of a capacitor are provided. In embodiments, a resistor is coupled to a terminal of the capacitor. A difference in voltage at the terminal between a first time and a second time during a discharge routine of the capacitor is measured. The discharge routine includes sinking a current through a discharge circuit coupled to the resistor from first to second. Integration of a difference in voltage at terminals of the resistor during the discharge routine between the first and second times is also measured. The capacitance value is computed based on the measured difference in voltage, the measured integration, and the resistance value of the resistor. The health of the capacitor is determined based on a difference between the computed capacitance value and a threshold value.

A method includes receiving, from a mobile device disposed within a vehicle, a set of sensor measurements collected from an accelerometer of the mobile device during a first time period and converting the set of sensor measurements into a frequency domain. The method also includes filtering the set of sensor measurements to eliminate high frequency sensor measurements and defining a set of contiguous windows based on a remaining sensor measurements in the set of sensor measurements. Each contiguous window of the set of contiguous windows represents a contiguous portion of the remaining sensor measurements. The method further includes generating, for each contiguous window of the set of contiguous windows, a set of features by resampling the remaining sensor measurements of the contiguous window at one or more predefined frequencies and generating an estimated speed of the vehicle during the first time period using the set of features.

An electrical system includes a first electrical device, a second electrical device, a redundant electrical transmission path having two electrical connecting lines, connected in parallel, between the two electrical devices, and means for recognizing an error state of the redundant electrical transmission path). The means encompass a magnetic core having a primary conductor including at least half a winding loop, which is formed by one of the two connecting lines, and a secondary winding having a winding count greater than the number of winding loops of the primary conductor, and a diagnostic device for evaluating an inductance-dependent measurement signal of the secondary winding. The diagnostic device is designed to compare the inductance-dependent measurement signals of the secondary winding to a comparison value, in particular an error threshold value, that can be used to distinguish between the error state and a non-error state of the redundant electrical transmission path.

An ignition resistance test circuit for an airbag is disclosed. The test circuit includes (i) an ignition resistor, (ii) a current source circuit for providing a test current for testing the ignition resistor, (iii) a current drain circuit for receiving the test current, (iv) a differential amplification circuit for differentially amplifying the voltage at the two ends of the ignition resistor, thus obtaining a voltage drop after differential amplification, and (v) an analogue-to-digital conversion circuit for performing analogue-to-digital conversion of the differentially amplified voltage drop to provide to a control unit, enabling the control unit to determine the resistance value of the ignition resistor based on the voltage drop and the test current. An airbag controller and an airbag is also disclosed.

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.

A vehicle safety control system includes: a passive safety device, configured to afford passive safety protection to the vehicle; a fault detection device, configured to detect whether any fault has occurred in the passive safety device and which upon detection of a fault in the passive safety device instructs that fault information informing of such fault in the passive safety device be transmitted to a control device. The vehicle safety system also includes a control device, configured to respond to the fault information that is received, determine a corresponding active safety protection solution and issue a control instruction of such active safety protection solution to an active safety device; and an active safety protection device, configured to respond to control instructions and execute the active safety protection solution.

Systems, methods and apparatus to collect sensor data generated in an autonomous vehicle. Sensors of the vehicle generate a sensor data stream that is buffered, in parallel and in a cyclic way, in a first cyclic buffer and a larger second cyclic buffer respectively. An advanced driver assistance system of the vehicle generates an accident signal when detecting or predicting an accident and provides a training signal when detecting a fault in object detection, recognition, identification or classification. The accident signal causes a sensor data stream segment to be copied from the first cyclic buffer into a slot of a non-volatile memory, selected from a plurality of slots in a round robin way. The training signal causes a sensor data stream segment to be copied from the second cyclic buffer into an area of the non-volatile memory outside of the slots reserved for the first cyclic buffer.