The present disclosure relates to a vehicle control apparatus for safety of a vehicle occupant, a vehicle system including the same, and a method thereof. An exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure provides a vehicle control apparatus, including: a processor configured to recognize information related to occupants in a vehicle using a radar and to generate information for air conditioning control and airbag control depending on the occupant information; and a communication device configured to transmit the information for the air conditioning control and the airbag control depending on the occupant information to an air conditioning control device and an airbag control device.

An electronic controller of a restraint control system for a vehicle comprises an electronic control unit including a first serial interface. The electronic controller also comprises a communications controller including a second serial interface and a plurality of PSI5 (Peripheral Sensor Interface 5) digital communications interfaces. Each of the first and second serial interfaces are Serial Peripheral Interfaces (SPI) in direct communications with one another, and the digital communications interfaces are each configured to communicate with a remote sensor. The communications controller is configured to transmit a voltage sync pulse to each of the remote sensors via the PSI5 digital communications interfaces in response to a synchronization command received from the electronic control unit via the serial interconnection. The voltage sync pulses on each of the PSI5 interfaces may be staggered and non-overlapping to reduce EMI production and to reduce the current load of the electronic controller.

A vehicle control device activates a safety device for suppressing a collision between a host vehicle and an oncoming vehicle that is traveling straight along an oncoming traffic lane, when the host vehicle changes from traveling straight along its own traffic lane to making a right or left turn to cross the oncoming traffic lane. The vehicle control device includes a judgement unit and a control unit, where the judgement unit judges when the host vehicle is in a right or left turning condition prior to crossing the oncoming traffic lane, and if is determined that the host vehicle is in the right or left turning condition, the control unit activates the safety device based on a time to lateral collision. The time to lateral collision is obtained by dividing a lateral distance by a lateral velocity, where the lateral velocity is the velocity of the host vehicle in a lateral direction orthogonal to the straight travel direction of the oncoming vehicle, and the lateral distance is the distance, in the lateral direction, from the host vehicle to a predetermined vehicle traffic area defined along the straight travel path of the oncoming vehicle.

A vehicle includes a door sensor configured to detect opening and closing of a door; a radar provided in the vehicle and configured to acquire radar data regarding an object in the vehicle; a seatbelt sensor configured to detect a state of a seat belt provided on each seat of the vehicle; a seatbelt indicator configured to provide a notification regarding fastening of the seat belt; and a controller configured to control the radar in response to the opening and the closing of the door, perform a first check regarding the state of the seatbelt, check an occupancy and an occupied position of the object based on the radar data, identify a type of the object in the vehicle based on the radar data, and determine an operating state of the seatbelt indicator based on the type of the object and the occupied position of the object.

A vehicle seat occupancy classification system having at least one weight-responsive sensor, including a supporting plate, a collecting plate, a hinge member mechanically connecting the supporting plate and the collecting plate, at least one elastic spring member, and a position sensor that is configured to determine a gap dimension between the supporting plate and the collecting plate. The occupancy seat classification system includes an evaluation unit that is configured to receive the output signal from the position sensor and to provide a seat occupant classification based on a level of the received output signal and at least a first pre-determined threshold value of the output signal.

A vehicle occupant notification apparatus provides a notification to a vehicle occupant by retracting a seatbelt of a vehicle and includes an operation-amount measuring instrument, an arithmetic controller, and a retraction device. The operation-amount measuring instrument measures a measurement seatbelt operation amount when the vehicle occupant sits on a seat of the vehicle and fastens the seatbelt. The measurement seatbelt operation amount is either one of a measurement seatbelt pull-out amount and a measurement seatbelt pull-out angle. The arithmetic controller determines whether the measurement seatbelt operation amount is larger than or equal to a predetermined value. The retraction device varies a retraction amount in the retraction of the seatbelt when the notification is to be provided by retracting the seatbelt based on a command from the arithmetic controller. The command indicates that the measurement seatbelt operation amount is larger than or equal to the predetermined value.

A vehicle with an occupant protection function includes an occupant protection device and an occupant monitoring device. The occupant protection device is provided in the vehicle and configured to perform protection operation of supporting, with a seatbelt, an occupant in the vehicle upon collision of the vehicle. The occupant monitoring device is provided in the vehicle and configured to monitor the occupant in the vehicle. The occupant monitoring device is configured to determine whether the occupant in the vehicle is aware of the collision of the vehicle. The occupant protection device is configured to, in a case where the occupant monitoring device determines that the occupant is unaware of the collision of the vehicle, increase tension of the seatbelt gradually as compared with a case where the occupant monitoring device determines that the occupant is aware of the collision.

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.

An electronic controller of a restraint control system for a vehicle comprises an electronic control unit including a first serial interface. The electronic controller also comprises a communications controller including a second serial interface and a plurality of PSI5 (Peripheral Sensor Interface 5) digital communications interfaces. Each of the first and second serial interfaces are Serial Peripheral Interfaces (SPI) in direct communications with one another, and the digital communications interfaces are each configured to communicate with a remote sensor. The communications controller is configured to transmit a voltage sync pulse to each of the remote sensors via the PSI5 digital communications interfaces in response to a synchronization command received from the electronic control unit via the serial interconnection. The voltage sync pulses on each of the PSI5 interfaces may be staggered and non-overlapping to reduce EMI production and to reduce the current load of the electronic controller.

A vehicle seatbelt device includes a ratchet wheel rotatable together with a spool in an integrated manner, and an engagingly locking portion. When the spool is rotated in a drawing direction at an angular acceleration larger than a predetermined angular acceleration, the engagingly locking portion is displaced radially outwardly so as to be engagingly locked by an engagingly locked portion. Hereby, rotation of the spool in the drawing direction is locked. Here, a control rod is placed axially outward of the engagingly locking portion. The control rod is displaced in the radial direction along with movement of the locking-inhibition movable portion. Along with the displacement of the control rod, a collar member is displaced axially to a restriction position. At the restriction position, the collar member enters a rotation raceway of the engagingly locking portion so as to restrict the engagingly locking portion from being displaced radially outwardly.