A vehicle safety system comprising a series of lights. One set of lights in a prominent turn indicator device indicates to the driver in a more prominent way whether the driver has indicated a turn. The turn indicator lights are either heads-up on a windshield, visible to the driver atop the dashboard or on an interior vehicle pillar, and away from vehicle instrument clusters. Another set of lights on a seatbelt compliance light device indicate to motorists external to the vehicle whether one or more occupants of a vehicle is in seatbelt. Each light system can be used to improve both the safety of the driver, pedestrians, surrounding vehicles, and vehicle occupants.

Present systems and methods are directed to a passenger restraining system, which includes a restraint and a locking mechanism, and a lighting system, which includes a variety of light sources. At least a portion of the variety of light sources is integrated with the restraint. Furthermore, the lighting system receives an indication of a configuration of the locking mechanism, executes a first light scheme via the plurality of light sources when the indication is of an unlocked configuration, and executes a second light scheme via the plurality of light sources when the indication is of a locked configuration.

Methods, systems and apparatuses may provide for technology that conducts an automated vision analysis of image data associated with an interior of a vehicle cabin, determines a state of a child restraint system (CRS) based on the automated vision analysis, and generates an alert if the state of the CRS does not satisfy one or more safety constraints. In one example, the technology identifies the safety constraint(s) based on a geographic location of the vehicle cabin.

Buckle assemblies having electronic engagement indicating devices for use with child seats and other restraint systems are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, a restraint system for use with a child seat can include first and second web connectors which each have a corresponding tongue, and a buckle assembly including a housing that encloses a latch configured to engage the tongues. The buckle assembly can further include a magnet operably coupled to the latch, and an electronic switch operably positioned in the housing. The latch is configured to move between a first latch position in which the latch is disengaged from the tongues, and a second latch position in which the latch is engaged with the tongues. Movement of the latch from the first latch position to the second latch position moves the magnet relative to the electronic switch. In some embodiments, the electronic switch can include a Hall effect sensor that outputs a signal in response to movement of the magnetic field that is indicative of the engagement status of the latch.

The vehicle system includes an output device, a plurality of rear seats, a plurality of belt buckle sensors provided on each of the plurality of rear seats, a plurality of seat belt reminder (SBR) sensors provided on each of the plurality of rear seats, and a controller. The controller is configured to determine one rear seat on which a passenger or an object having a weight equal to or less than a predetermined weight is located based on an output value of the SBR sensor, determine whether a seat belt corresponding to the determined rear seat is worn based on an output value of the belt buckle sensor, and control the output device to output a warning message when the vehicle is turned off and a door of the rear seat is not opened or closed in a state in which the seat belt is worn.

A seat belt status determining system and method for a vehicle that evaluate a seat belt and determine if it is buckled and if it is properly routed on a passenger. In order to evaluate the seat belt status, the system and method use seat belt sensors and cameras inside the vehicle cabin to generate data that is then analyzed in conjunction with machine learning techniques (e.g., supervised machine learning techniques implemented through the use of neural networks) to classify the seat belt status into one or more categories, such as: passenger not present, passenger present/seat belt not being worn, passenger present/seat belt being worn improperly, passenger present/seat belt being worn properly, and blocked view.

A system and method for detecting seatbelt routing in a motor vehicle safety restraint system. The system includes a seatbelt buckle sensor, an occupant sensor, a seatbelt payout sensor, and a control module. The method includes sensing a presence of a seatbelt latchplate in the seatbelt buckle. Further, the method determines whether the seatbelt is buckled. Additionally, the method includes sensing a presence of occupant in a vehicle seat. Moreover, the method further includes determining whether the occupant is detected in the vehicle seat. The method senses a seatbelt payout length and compares the seatbelt payout length to a first seatbelt payout length threshold. Thereafter, the method determines seatbelt routing based on whether the seatbelt is buckled, an occupant is present, and a seatbelt payout length has exceeded the first seatbelt payout length threshold.

A reminder device includes a frame-shaped base defining an opening and configured to be mounted over and around an operational button/handle located in a vehicle or in a home; a lid coupled to the frame-shaped base and configured to close over said frame-shaped base, covering said opening and blocking access to said operational button/handle; a circuit configured to product an audible message upon receiving a trigger signal, said circuit being located in at least one of said framed-shaped base and said lid; and a switch including a first component located on said frame-shaped base and a second component located on said lid and so configured that when said first component and second component are separated from each other by a predetermined distance, when the lid is opened, the switch causes the creation of said trigger signal and the production of said audible alarm.

A safety system for a vehicle that can remind the driver of the vehicle about the presence of a child in the rear seat of the vehicle. The safety system can trigger the alarm if the rear doors of the vehicle are not opened within a predetermined duration after the opening of the driver-side door and the front seats are empty.

Locating systems and methods for wireless seat belt monitoring in vehicles with removable or reconfigurable seats are provided herein. An example device includes a first transceiver associated with a seat belt buckle, the first transceiver having a processor and memory for storing instructions that include a first unique code identifying the first transceiver and a first orientation value of the seat belt buckle to a vehicle receiver, the first orientation value indicating a location of the seat belt buckle on a seat, the processor executes the instructions to transmit the first unique code and the first orientation value to a vehicle receiver.