The present disclosure relates to a method for collision impact force reduction for a vehicle. The method comprises determining a smallest relative distance (D) between a head of a driver of the vehicle and a steering wheel assembly comprising an airbag of the vehicle, obtaining information of an imminent collision, the collision being at least partly frontal, comparing (300) the smallest relative distance (D) to a pre-defined threshold, and, when said smallest relative distance (D) is equal to or less than said pre-defined threshold, initiating a forward displacement of a driver seat of the vehicle and a retraction of the steering wheel assembly comprising an airbag, preferably a retraction along the steering column of the steering wheel assembly.

A method and a device for a motor vehicle of adapting safety mechanisms of a vehicle safety system. The method includes acquiring (s101) data to create a representation (113) of a current vehicle surrounding (110), comparing (s102) the created representation to pre-stored representations of vehicle surroundings, with a risk assessment measure (R) associated with it which stipulates whether to trigger the safety mechanism of the vehicle safety system. If there is correspondence between the created representation and one of the pre-stored representations; detecting (s103) a vehicle behavior associated with the current surrounding, and determining (s104), whether to adjust triggering of the safety mechanism associated with the at least one risk assessment measure of the pre-stored representation of the current vehicle surrounding for which there is a match with the created representation.

A vehicle system for mitigating the effects of rear or front collisions includes a vehicle seat having a vehicle seat cushion and a vehicle seatback. The vehicle seatback is rotatable relative to the vehicle seat cushion. An actuation system adjusts the position of the vehicle seatback relative to the vehicle seat cushion or the vehicle seat cushion relative to the vehicle seatback. Characteristically, the vehicle system also includes a profile selector that receives vehicle seat contextual data and determines an actuation travel profile that is applied to the vehicle seatback via the actuation system in response to the vehicle seat contextual data indicating a collision triggering event.

An assembly for a vehicle includes an upper steering shaft and a lower steering shaft. A pivot joint is between the upper steering shaft and the lower steering shaft. The upper steering shaft is pivotable in a cross-vehicle direction about the pivot joint. A pin is connected to the upper steering shaft and the lower steering shaft. The pin is releasable from at least one of the upper steering shaft and the lower steering shaft.

A pedestrian protecting device according to one aspect of the present invention includes a right air bag device, a left air bag device, G sensors (collision position detector), a vehicle speed sensor (vehicle speed detector), a steering angle sensor (steering angle detector), and an ECU (controller) configured to control operations of the air bags. The air bags and include respective tip end portions which vertically overlap each other at a middle portion of the vehicle when the air bags and are deployed. The ECU estimates a movement direction of a pedestrian who has collided with the vehicle. Based on a result of this estimation, the ECU determines an operation target from the air bag devices and an operation timing of the operation target. Based on a result of this determination, the ECU controls operations of the air bag devices.

A safety apparatus for a vehicle includes a structure, an inflator, a collision position detector, and a deployment controller. The structure extends along an outer periphery of the vehicle, and includes a plurality of partial structures. The inflator is configured to supply gas into the structure. The collision position detector is configured to detect or predict a collision position the vehicle upon colliding against an object. The deployment controller is configured to control gas supply from the inflator to the structure, based on a collision position detected or predicted by the collision position detector. The deployment controller causes the inflator to supply the gas to a partial structure corresponding to the collision position to deform at least the corresponding partial structure outward in a vehicle width direction.

Aspects of the disclosure relate to adjusting a shear pin to minimize an impact force felt by an object in a collision with a vehicle. For example, one or more second computing devices may receive, from one or more first computing devices, information indicating that an impact with an object is imminent. In response to the received information, the second computing devices may determine a first shear force for a first shear pin, wherein the first shear force is a desired amount of shear force necessary to break the first shear pin. The second computing devices may send a triggering signal to activate an actuator prior to an impact with the identified impact target. The actuator, in response to receiving the triggering signal, may adjust the first shear pin in a first pinhole, so the first shear pin will break at the first shear force.

An instrument panel assembly includes a support beam and an exterior panel. The instrument panel assembly includes an energy absorbing device between the support beam and the exterior panel and having a variable crush resistance based on a temperature of the energy absorbing device. The instrument panel assembly includes a heater operatively coupled to the energy absorbing device.

A vehicle hazard alert assembly for increasing safety during an automobile accident includes a plug is electrically coupled to an OBD-II port in a vehicle. A motion sensing unit is electrically coupled to the plug and the motions sensing unit includes an accelerometer. Thus, the motion sensing unit can sense acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle. Moreover, the motion sensing unit communicates an alert signal to the plug when the motion sensing unit senses motion of the vehicle that is consistent with collision avoidance maneuvers. The plug communicates the alert signal to the computer module thereby facilitating the computer module to turn on the hazard lights of the vehicle. In this way the motion sensing unit alerts oncoming motorists of a potential collision hazard.

A vehicular safety system includes a rearward-viewing camera, a forward-viewing camera, a left side sideward-viewing camera and a right side sideward-viewing camera. A control includes an image processor for processing image data captured by the cameras to detect a vehicle exterior of the equipped vehicle and to determine if a collision between the detected vehicle and the equipped vehicle is pending. When reverse gear is not engaged, and responsive to determination of the pending collision, a safety feature of the equipped vehicle is triggered before impact occurs. The triggered safety feature includes a triggered reversible feature of a seat of the equipped vehicle. If actual impact does not occur, the triggered safety feature returns to its condition that existed prior to the determination of the pending collision between the detected vehicle and the equipped vehicle.