An apparatus for protecting a passenger in a vehicle and a control method thereof. The apparatus includes a collision detection unit that detects a predicted collision state and a collision state of a vehicle; a seat belt driving unit that adjusts tension of a seat belt according to an operation mode; an airbag driving unit that deploys each of a plurality of airbags according to a driving signal; a capturing unit that captures images of an interior of the vehicle; an image processing unit that extracts passenger information by processing images inputted from the capturing unit; and a control unit that recognizes a passenger type and a seating position based on the passenger information, operates the seat belt driving unit by setting the operation mode, adjusts deployment time points of the plurality of airbags, and outputs the driving signal to the airbag driving unit.

A vehicle seat to be mounted on a vehicle includes a seat cushion and a seat surface lowering mechanism. The seat cushion includes a seat surface on which a waist of an occupant of the vehicle is to be placed. The seat surface lowering mechanism is configured to lower the seat surface in response to either one of an occurrence of a rear-end collision of the vehicle or a sign of the occurrence of the rear-end collision.

Disclosed herein is a system for recognizing a tilt angle through detection of torque variation in a vehicle. The system includes a steering unit including a steering wheel steered by a driver and a steering shaft connected to the steering wheel, a torque detection unit configured to detect a torque variation according to a change in tilt angle of the steering shaft, and a control unit configured to calculate a torque variation using pre-stored data for a joint angle of the steering shaft and a plane angle of the steering shaft according to the change in tilt angle of the steering shaft, and to derive data for a tilt angle of the steering shaft by matching the calculated torque variation with the torque variation detected by the torque detection unit.

An airbag unit includes a seat, a pair of side airbags, a seat state detector, and an airbag deployment controller. The seat is reversely rotatable in a front-rear direction of a vehicle. The pair of side airbags are expansive and deployable, and incorporated in the seat on respective sides of the seat in a width direction of the vehicle. The seat state detector detects a rearward-oriented state of the seat, i.e., a state in which the seat is rearward-oriented in the front-rear direction. The airbag deployment controller performs a deployment control of the pair of side airbags, on a condition that the seat state detector detects the rearward-oriented state of the seat. The airbag deployment controller performs the deployment control in a reverse sequence from a deployment control in a frontward-oriented state of the seat, i.e., a state in which the seat is frontward-oriented in the front-rear direction.

The invention relates to a seat, in particular a vehicle seat, with an operating device for setting seat parameters, wherein the operating device comprises at least one multifunction operating element having at least one selection element, by means of which at least two operating levels can be selected, wherein the multifunction operating element is movable in at least five switching directions, wherein each switching direction can be assigned to a specific function which is associated with the selected operating level and changes a seat parameter.

A seat includes a seatback. The seat includes a seat bottom extending away from the seatback in a seat-forward direction to a front of the seat bottom distal to the seatback. The seat bottom has a top surface defining an occupant-leg area. The seat includes an airbag supported by the seat bottom at the front of the seat bottom and inflatable from an uninflated position to an inflated position. The airbag in the inflated position extends away from the seat bottom in the seat-forward direction and includes an uppermost surface positioned below the occupant-leg area of the seat bottom.

A sensor system for detecting an adjustment position of a vehicle seat, the sensor system having a Hall sensor and a first preloaded magnet, and it is free of flux concentrators and shielding sheets. The Hall sensor and the first preloaded magnet are arranged along a longitudinal extension of the upper rail that is movable lengthwise such that during adjustment of the upper rail, passage of a free longitudinal end of the stationary lower rail will be monitored and result in a change of an output signal of the Hall sensor.

The present disclosure relates to an airbag system which is operable to deploy in a vehicle crash event. The airbag system includes an airbag having an upper chamber, a lower chamber, an actuator, a tether, and an actuatable pin. In one example, the tether has a predetermined length and extends between the actuator and the lower chamber. The actuator is disposed at a predetermined lateral distance from the lateral chamber and is configured to inflate the upper chamber and the lower chamber to a predefined pressure. Furthermore, the actuatable pin is configured to maintain the tether in an indirect path when the airbag is not deployed and the actuatable pin is configured to allow the tether to have a direct path between the actuator and the lower chamber when the airbag is deployed.

Aspects of the disclosure relate to reducing the likelihood of injury to a passenger in a collision. In one example, a computing device may determine that an impact between a vehicle and an object external to the vehicle is imminent. The computing device may determine a protection range for a vehicle's airbag based on characteristics of the passenger, including the passenger's seating location within the vehicle. An airbag extension system may position an airbag package, including the vehicle's airbag, such that the vehicle's airbag is within the protection range of the passenger's seating location.

An electronic control unit for a restraint control module comprises a PSI5 communications interface configured to communicate with a remote sensor using a current-modulated signal with PSI5 compliance upon a two-wire interconnection. The PSI5 communications interface includes a signal driver configured to apply a signal voltage to a first signal terminal for driving current to the remote sensor via the two-wire interconnection. The PSI5 communications interface also includes a second signal terminal providing a return path for the current; and a resistor within the return path of the PSI5 communications interface. Several different alternative impedance balancing and damping circuits are provided to provide the resistor. The alternative impedance balancing and damping circuits include passive and active resistors. The impedance balancing and damping circuit may also provide current protection against damage due to fault currents. A method for operating a PSI5 communications interface of a restraint control module is also provided.