At least one analog load sensor, such as a force sensitive resistor is situated between upper and lower seat structures to generate a signal correlating with weight placed upon the seat. A vehicle has multiple seats fitted with sensors. Weight related information is communicated to a processor and an optional display, along with seatbelt latch sensor outputs to communicate to an operator if any seats are occupied without seatbelt latched. A weight force threshold for each seat is adjustable in one embodiment to customize the system to accommodate occupants of different weights and non-occupant loads of different weights. Loading information for the vehicle, such as total weight of occupants and/or objects on the seats and location of these loads upon the vehicle can be calculated and utilized to ensure that gross vehicle weight rating and load center of gravity and related parameters are within acceptable ranges.

A buckle switch-and a microcontroller are provided. A power supply is connected to the buckle switch, which switches the connection with the power supply between a connected state and a disconnected state. The microcontroller is connected with the buckle switch and includes a removal switch input port and a removal control port. The removal switch input port detects the state of the buckle switch. The removal control port is connected to the buckle switch-via a pull-down resistance and controls whether the pull-down resistance operates. The microcontroller controls the removal control port such that the pull-down resistance does not operate when the buckle switch is in the connected state and such that the pull-down resistance does operate when the buckle switch is in the disconnected state.

A safety alert system includes a child seat that may be positioned within a vehicle. The child seat has a plurality of belts and each of the belts may restrain a child in the child seat. A remote unit may be retrofitted to a dome light of the vehicle. The remote unit generates an alarm sequence when a door of the vehicle is opened. A base unit is removably coupled to the belts on the child seat and the base unit is in electrical communication with the remote unit. The base unit emits an audible alarm when the remote unit generates the alarm sequence. Thus, the base unit may prevent the child from being inadvertently left unattended in the vehicle.

A plus-two-point belt system is disclosed. The plus-two-point belt system includes a longitudinal webbing anchored at a first end to a seat and fixed at a second end to a retractor. The webbing is extendable from the retractor to allow an occupant to slip their arm under the webbing to provide a supplemental restraint. The webbing includes first and second portions where the second portion is retractably coiled on the retractor and the second portion has at least one conductive marker. A sensor is provided to sense the marker and a processor is provided to set an alarm when the marker is not detected.

Methods and apparatus relating to optimization of vehicular systems for occupant presence and condition are described. In one embodiment, logic circuitry detects presence and/or condition of one or more occupants of a vehicle based on sensor data. Memory (e.g., non-volatile memory) stores information corresponding to one or more functions of the vehicle. The logic circuitry transmits a request to the vehicle to cause an adjustment to the one or more functions of the vehicle. Other embodiments are also disclosed and claimed.

A computer includes a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor to identify a child seat mounted to a vehicle seat and, then, to rotate the vehicle seat to a forward position.

A car seat system for automatically displacing the movable components of the car seat. The car seat including sensors and a computing module to detect the measurements of a child placed in the car seat. The car seat system determines the current position of the movable components and displaces the movable components automatically based on the child's measurements or a desired amount. The car seat system automatically learns child's behaviors when the child is placed in the car seat. The car seat system learns schedules utilized by the child, routes taken by the driver of the car, and other data over a period of time. The behavioral, scheduling, routing, and other data obtained is stored by the car seat system and utilized to enhance the safety and comfortability of the child during a car ride. The car seat system also determines thickness of clothing worn by the child while placed in the car seat and adjusts the shoulder belts to accommodate for the clothing while providing a snug fit of the shoulder belts that fall within safety recommendations. The car seat also auto reclines to a desired angle and also rotates about itself to face the door. The car seat system includes an auto-incident detection mode. In this mode, the system detects an incident, such as an accident, hard braking, or another hazard, and automatically displaces the features in the car seat to make the car seat secure during the crash minimizing the effect of the incident on the child. The car seat also includes pretensioners and motors to release, pull back, and lock the car seat belts.

A child safety seat alarm system includes a child safety seat, an alarming mechanism, a detection mechanism, a trigger mechanism and a driving portion. The detection mechanism is configured to detect whether both states of the alarming mechanism and the detection mechanism meet a predetermined criterion. The trigger mechanism is switchable between an open state and a closed state. The detection mechanism is in a non-working state when the trigger mechanism is in the open state. The detection mechanism is in a working state when the trigger mechanism is in the closed state. When the child is seated in the child safety seat, the driving portion is operated to switch the trigger mechanism from the open state to the closed state so as to switch the detection mechanism to the working state. When the detection mechanism detects the states of the alarming mechanism and the detection mechanism meet the predetermined criterion, the alarming mechanism outputs an alarm signal for alarming. The child safety seat alarm system can remind a user whether or not a child is left in a car, this would prevent a dangerous scenario that the child is left in the car.

A child restraint seat sensing device for a vehicle including a structural element at least partially defining a volume, wherein the structural element is located in a vehicle passenger seat between a seat base and seat back or is located behind the vehicle passenger seat, a stationary anchor in the vehicle, wherein the stationary anchor is located within the volume defined by the structural element, and a sensor mounted to the structural element, wherein the sensor is configured to detect whether a child restraint seat connector is attached to the stationary anchor.

An example embodiment of a system and methods for detecting and reporting whether passengers are seated and secured in their seats within a vehicle may include a passenger sensor configured to provide an output indicative of a presence of a passenger in a seat in a vehicle, a restraint sensor configured to provide an output indicative of a status of a passenger safety restraint associated with the seat, a transmitter configured to be in electronic communication with the passenger sensor and the restraint sensor and to wirelessly transmit data indicative of the presence of a passenger in the seat and the status of the restrain, and a reporting module configured to be disposed proximate a driver of the vehicle. The reporting module may be configured to receive the data from the transmitter, and output a respective status for each of a plurality of seats.