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 restraint system (10) for helping to protect an occupant (60) of a vehicle (20) having a roof (32) and a cabin (40) with a seat (50) for the occupant (60) includes an airbag (70) mounted to the vehicle roof (32). The airbag (70) has a stored condition and is inflatable to a deployed condition. The airbag (70), when deployed, extends from an upper end (90) connected to the vehicle roof (32) to a lower end (92) positioned adjacent the occupant (60). The airbag (70) has a U-shaped configuration including a first leg (104) and a second leg (106) pivotable relative to the first leg (104) in response to occupant (60) penetration into the second leg (106). A tether (120) has first and second ends (122, 124) each connected to the airbag (70) for limiting pivotal movement of the second leg (106) relative to the first leg (104).

A multi-frontal airbag for a vehicle and an airbag deployment system using the same are provided. The system includes a sensing unit that collects the state information of a seat. A first airbag module is disposed within the vehicle and includes a first cushion that is deployed toward the front of a passenger and a first inflator that supplies gas to the first cushion. A second airbag module is disposed within a roof above the passenger and includes a second cushion that is deployed downwards and a second inflator that supplies gas to the second cushion. A controller receives the state information of the seat from the sensing unit, and adjusts the operations or operation timings of the first airbag module and the second airbag module.

A restraint system for a vehicle is disclosed. The restraint system includes a seat shaped to accommodate an occupant, wherein the seat includes a seat back and an energy absorption member that expands from a stowed position and into a deployed position. The energy absorption member fills a volume of space behind the seat back when in the deployed position to absorb energy that would otherwise be imparted towards an occupant of the seat during an impact involving the vehicle. The restraint system also includes an impact sensing device generating an impact signal in response to detecting the impact involving the vehicle is imminent. The impact signal indicates an orientation and magnitude of the impact involving the vehicle. The restraint system includes a control module in electronic communication with the energy absorption member and the impact sensing device.

A system includes an airbag including a first lobe, a second lobe, a first tether connected to the first lobe, and a second tether connected to the second lobe, a seat rotatable relative to the airbag from a first position to a second position, and a computer programmed to, based on whether the seat is in the first position or the second position, release one of the first tether or the second tether.

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.

A computing device in a vehicle can be programmed to receive an occupant position measurement from at least one of an acoustic and a light sensor, determine an estimated occupant size based on occupant weight, estimate a vehicle seat position based on the occupant position measurement, and, control a vehicle occupant safety device based on the estimated occupant size and estimated vehicle seat position.

A system includes a rail including a capacitive transmitter, a computer programmed to send an actuation identifier code along the capacitive transmitter, and a plurality of seats supported by the rail, each seat including a seat controller communicatively connected to the capacitive transmitter. Each seat controller is programmed to actuate a safety device when a device identifier code corresponding to the safety device matches the actuation identifier code.

Techniques are described with respect to addressing vehicular seat component risk. An associated method includes identifying any risk factor associated with a physical configuration of a vehicular seat component within a vehicle, identifying any risk factor associated with health of an occupant of the vehicular seat component, and identifying any risk factor associated with compatibility of the occupant of the vehicular seat component. The method further includes transmitting to at least one entity associated with the vehicle at least one alert addressing one or more of the identified risk factors. In an embodiment, transmitting the at least one alert includes creating the at least one alert including a calculated sum of risk level values assigned to each identified risk factor and information related to one or more identified risk factors based upon risk level value in the context of at least one predefined risk threshold value.

A system includes a bulkhead, a seat in a rearward-facing position facing away from the bulkhead, and a plurality of airbags supported by the seat. Each airbag is inflatable in a direction away from the bulkhead to an inflated position.