A method of controlling an airbag inflator, may include determining, when an occupant is accommodated on a seat, whether the weight of the occupant is in which of first to fourth weight ranges sequentially allocated by a controller, performing a first logic for operating an inflator at the lowest one of three intensities by the controller when it is determined that the weight of the occupant is in the lightest first weight range, and performing a second logic for operating the inflator at the intermediate intensity or a third logic for operating the inflator at the highest intensity by the controller, according to conditions such as a position of a seat, a state of operation of a recliner, a collision condition, a collision pulse, and wearing of a belt, when it is determined that the weight of the occupant is in the third or fourth weight range.

A method, a device and a computer program for activating a secondary function of an occupant protection system, a vertical acceleration and a lateral acceleration being detected and evaluated and an instantaneous position of the vehicle being determined based on the vertical acceleration and the first lateral acceleration. In the process, a lifting-off of the vehicle and/or an impact of the vehicle on its wheels is detected. A secondary function is activated if an impact of the vehicle on its roof and/or if an impact of the vehicle on one side or an impact of the vehicle on its wheels is detected.

A vehicle safety system includes an actuatable restraint for helping to protect a vehicle occupant and a controller for controlling actuation of the actuatable restraint in response to a vehicle rollover event. The controller is configured to execute a discrimination algorithm comprising at least one classification metric that utilizes at least one of vehicle pitch rate (P_RATE) and vehicle roll acceleration (D_RATE) to discriminate at least one of a ramp rollover event and a soil rollover event from an embankment rollover event. The discrimination algorithm determines a classification of the vehicle rollover event as one of a ramp rollover event, a soil rollover event, and an embankment rollover event. The controller is also configured to select a deployment threshold for deploying the actuatable restraint. The deployment threshold corresponds to the classification of the vehicle rollover event.

A vehicle safety system for helping to protect a vehicle occupant in the event of a frontal collision includes a controller, one or more crash sensors for sensing a frontal collision, and an active sensor for detecting objects in the path of the vehicle. The controller is configured to implement crash discrimination metrics that detect the occurrence of a frontal collision in response to signals received from the crash sensors. The crash discrimination metrics implement thresholds for determining whether the signals received from the crash sensors indicate the occurrence of a frontal collision. The controller is configured to implement an algorithm that uses information obtained from the active sensor to detect an object in the path of the vehicle and to select the thresholds implemented in the crash discrimination metrics in response to detecting the object.

A method for controlling the actuation of an actuatable restraint to help protect a vehicle occupant in response to a rollover event is implemented in a controller of a vehicle safety system that includes the actuatable restraint. To implement the method, the controller is configured to execute a roll discrimination metric that discriminates the occurrence of a ramp rollover event or an embankment rollover event in response to a vehicle roll rate (R_RATE) having a magnitude that exceeds a predetermined threshold roll rate (R_RATE). The controller is also configured to execute a switching metric that is operative to reduce the predetermined threshold roll rate (R_RATE) in response to a vehicle pitch rate (P_RATE) having a magnitude that exceeds a predetermined threshold pitch rate (P_RATE).

An airbag control apparatus includes: an airbag, an airbag driver that deploys the airbag, and a processor that estimates a vehicle momentum and a crash progress degree based on a longitudinal acceleration and a vehicle speed upon a vehicle crash, determines deployment of the airbag based on the vehicle momentum and the crash progress degree and controls the airbag driver when the deployment of the airbag is determined.

A device for triggering at least one external protection function for a motor vehicle for the protection of external road users in particular need of protection, in particular for the protection of pedestrians, includes a control unit for evaluating sensor data from a first sensor system for sensing collision objects and for outputting a first trigger signal for the at least one external protection function, as well as an auxiliary control unit for evaluating sensor data from a second sensor system for sensing collision objects and for directly outputting a second trigger signal for the at least one external protection function if a collision object was detected, the auxiliary control unit being adapted such that the control unit is bypassed when the second trigger signal is output.

A seatbelt retractor device includes a pre-tensioner section, and a force limiter section that can change a magnitude of a load at which to start reducing tension of the retracted seatbelt. A seatbelt control ECU activates the pre-tensioner section when a deceleration G detected by a floor sensor exceeds a first threshold, and acquires a collision velocity from a radar device and sets a second threshold value to a lower value the greater the collision velocity. The seatbelt control ECU controls the starting load for tension reduction by the force limiter section to be a high load when the deceleration G has exceeded the second threshold within a determination time period after activation of the pre-tensioner section, and controls the starting load for tension reduction to be a low load when which the deceleration G has not exceeded the second threshold within the determination time period.

An adaptive force vehicle airbag (AFVA) system includes airbag(s) stowed in a compressed state within an interior of a vehicle. An impact sensor detects a change in motion of the vehicle indicative of a collision. Selectable force gas generator(s) (SFGGs) gas-generating propellant cells that are individually fired. The SFGGs have conduit(s) that receive gas from fired gas-generating propellant cells and direct the gas to inflate at least one of the airbag(s). A controller is communicatively coupled to the inflation initiating component and the gas-generating propellant cells of the SFGGs. The controller enables the AFVA system to: (i) receive an inflation signal from the impact sensor; and (ii) fire a selected number of the gas-generating propellant cells to at least partially inflate the at least one airbag.

One example method of operation may include identifying a vehicle collision event via one or more sensors disposed in one or more sensor circuits affixed to a vehicle body of a vehicle via one or more multi-layered removable stickers, responsive to identifying the vehicle collision event, identifying vehicle collision event data including a geolocation of the vehicle and a timestamp of the vehicle collision event, and storing, in a wirelessly accessible memory of the one or more sensor circuits, the vehicle collision event data received during the vehicle collision event.