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.

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 system to locate seat controls and belt buckles includes a vehicle having at least one seat. A seat belt system is provided with the at least one seat having a seat belt, a belt latch and a seat belt buckle. A haptic device is provided with the seat belt system, the haptic device generating a haptic signal.

A child safety seat device is provided and includes a child safety seat, a trigger mechanism and a driving portion. The child safety seat is for a child to be seated therein. The child safety seat includes a buckle assembly. The trigger mechanism is switchable between an open state and a closed state. When the buckle assembly is buckled, the driving portion is operated to switch the trigger mechanism from the open state to the closed state. The trigger mechanism of the child safety seat device is switchable between different states by buckling and unbuckling operations of the buckle assembly for preventing a dangerous scenario where the child is left in the car.

The techniques of this disclosure relate to a vehicle occupancy-monitoring system. The system includes a controller circuit that receives occupant data from an occupancy-monitoring sensor of a vehicle. The controller circuit determines an occupancy status of respective seats in a cabin of the vehicle based on the occupancy-monitoring sensor. The controller circuit indicates the occupancy status of the respective seats on a display located in a field of view of occupants of the vehicle. The display is integral to one of a roof light module, a door panel, or a headliner of the cabin. The system can improve passenger safety by alerting the operator and other occupants about the occupancy status of the passengers.

An apparatus for proper application of a seat belt in a vehicle. The apparatus includes the seat belt and a seat belt buckle which is assigned to it and which is provided with a measuring device, arranged for measuring a tensile force exerted on the seat belt buckle. The apparatus further relates to an evaluation device for evaluating the measured tensile force. At the same time, it is provided that the apparatus is also equipped with a tightening device for applying a tightening force to the seat belt, as well as with a detection device for detecting the applied tightening force. The evaluation device compares the tensile force to the tightening force and determines based on a corresponding comparison result whether the seat belt has been properly placed and secured in the seat belt buckle.

A vehicle control system includes variable maneuvering limits based at least in part on whether the vehicle is carrying cargo (i.e., passengers or other cargo). The system can include a cargo classification system comprising one or more internal sensors, an imager, and an image interpreter. The cargo classification system can determine if the vehicle is carrying cargo and classify the cargo (e.g., passengers or other cargo). Based at least in part on this classification, the vehicle control system can set various vehicle maneuvering limits. When the vehicle is empty, the vehicle control system can maneuver the vehicle at, or near, the actual maneuvering limits for the vehicle (e.g., maximum longitudinal acceleration, braking and lateral acceleration that can be generated by the vehicle). When the vehicle is carrying cargo, the vehicle control system can maneuver the vehicle at a lower threshold to prevent passenger discomfort and/or cargo damage or discomfort.

Example illustrations herein are directed to systems and methods for determining whether a vehicle driver meets a seat belt criteria based upon a detection of each of a set of seat belt conditions. In an example, the set of conditions includes at least the vehicle driver occupying a driver seat of the vehicle, expiration of a minimum delay time after the vehicle driver is occupying the driver seat, and an engagement of a driver's seat belt latch with a corresponding buckle after the expiration of the minimum delay time, and a positioning of a driver's seat belt on a shoulder of the vehicle driver. The method may also include enabling a first vehicle feature if the vehicle driver meets the seat belt criteria. The first vehicle feature may be disabled if the vehicle driver does not meet the seat belt criteria.

A system includes an in-cabin sensor, a seatbelt routing zone module, and a seatbelt routing classification module. The in-cabin sensor is operable to generate an image of an occupant in a vehicle seat. The seatbelt routing zone module is configured to generate a seatbelt routing zone based on at least one of a size of the occupant in the image and a shape of the occupant. The seatbelt routing classification module is configured to determine whether a seatbelt is routed properly around the occupant based on whether the seatbelt is at least partially within the seatbelt routing zone.

An occupancy sensor for a seating component of a child transportation system is disclosed. A pair of conductors couple to capacitive sensors. The pair of conductors are coupled to the seating component in the region where the torso of a child would be located when a child was occupying the seating component. The conductors are unshielded in the area near the child's torso and are shielded elsewhere. The conductors can be run on either side of a wall of the seating component, and may be run in recessed channels in the wall. Various signal processing operations can be performed to improve occupancy sensing performance.