An airbag device for a front passenger seat includes a front passenger seat airbag main body, a center airbag portion, an actuator and a control section. The actuator is configured to switch a strap between a first state and a second state. In the first state, the center airbag portion is retained in a folded state. In the second state, the other end portion of the strap is released and the center airbag portion is allowed to inflate and expand. The control section sets the actuator to the first state when there is a full overlap frontal collision, and sets the actuator to the second state when there is a collision that is any of an oblique collision against a driver seat side of a vehicle front portion or a small overlap collision.

A vehicle diagnostic and communication system includes a controller with computer executable instructions configured to diagnose operational capability of vehicle operating systems in response to a recognized collision event. The controller is further configured to determine a severity of damage to the vehicle operating systems based on the diagnoses and generate a communication signal based on the determined severity of damage to the vehicle for transmission. The system determines which of a plurality of service providers to send the communication signal based on the severity of damage to the vehicle.

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 vehicle occupant positioning system includes at least one inflatable bladder structured and positioned so as to urge a portion of the body of the vehicle occupant in a predetermined direction when the bladder is inflated.

Vehicular control method to avoid collisions in which a smartphone is coupled to the vehicle while in a vehicular compartment. Data is generated from vehicle-resident sensors about operation of the vehicle and transferred from the vehicle to the smartphone while the smartphone is coupled to the vehicle. A communications network with another vehicle is established using the smartphone and the data transferred from the vehicle to the smartphone and data from sensors on the smartphone is transmitted via the smartphone and established communications network to other vehicle, the data including data about location and movement of the vehicle. Then, while the smartphone is coupled to the vehicle, a vehicular operational function is controlled based in part on data transmitted using the smartphone and established communications network to cause movement of the vehicle to change in order to avoid a collision with the other vehicle.

A method and system to determine angle of arrival of a target include one or more transmitters, one or more receivers, and one local oscillator to provide a local reference signal each in two or more transceiver nodes. The system also includes a controller to determine obtained phase differences for each of the two or more transceiver nodes. Each of the obtained phase differences is between a signal transmitted by one of the one or more transmitters and received by one of the one or more receivers of a same one of the two or more transceiver nodes. The controller estimates the angle of arrival of the target based on the obtained phase differences determined for the two or more transceiver nodes.

A safety and emergency-assistance system (1) for vehicles, constituted by at least one bracelet (E), a means for radio/telecommunication of the alarm signal (R1), a black box (BB), a plurality of sensors (S1, S2, S3, S4), and means (X) for remote automatic driving and management of the vehicle (A). In the case of emergency, with the driver/passenger present (A) and unwell while the vehicle is stationary with the engine off and without the key inserted into the ignition, or with the key inserted and the instrument panel off. The system (1) also enables automatic and autonomous activation of the devices present on board the vehicle, e.g. airbags, power window, and air-conditioning system.

System and method for obtaining and recording information about cargo includes a frame defining a cargo-receivable compartment, a position determining system at least partly on the frame and that allows for determination of position of the frame, an identification system on the frame that obtains information about cargo when present in the compartment, a memory component that receives and records information about position and movement of the frame, and the obtained information about cargo when present in the compartment in association with a unique identification of the frame, and a communications system on the frame to enable communication of information to and from the memory component.

A system for detecting a vehicular collision (i) receives occupant data from at least one internal sensor; (ii) receives external data from at least one external sensor; (iii) determines positional information for at least one occupant of a vehicle; and (iv) generates a virtual reconstruction of the vehicle collision. The virtual reconstruction indicates a severity of vehicle damage and a severity of injury to the at least one occupant caused by the vehicle collision. The system may also utilized vehicle occupant positional data, and internal and external sensor data to detect potential imminent vehicle collisions, take corrective actions, automatically engage autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle systems, and/or perform at least one action to reduce a severity of a potential injury.

A restraint system includes an instrument panel. The restraint system includes an airbag coupled to the instrument panel and having an impact panel facing away from the instrument panel when the airbag is inflated. The impact panel has a left half and a right half. A left tether is releasably coupled to the instrument panel and to the left half of the impact panel. A right tether is releasably coupled to the instrument panel and to the right half of the impact panel. A controller is programmed to selectively release one of the left and right tethers based on an impact angle.