A safety device is for a vehicle having a plurality of vehicle seats in an interior space arranged on at least two rows of seats, and a plurality of sensor modules that are arranged/can be arranged in the interior of the vehicle to detect a seat occupancy of the vehicle seats. The safety device includes at least one sensor module operating in a contact-free manner assigned to each row of seats. The sensor modules are arranged from an inner wall of the vehicle facing the interior space in order to detect the seat occupancy of the vehicle seats.

A passenger occupancy detection system is provided that implements a sensor-connected passenger detection method. The system includes that a sensor controller that reads a sensor value using an ESC as an acceleration sensor when a vehicle is stopped and distinguishes an in-vehicle passenger with a vehicle acceleration change by the sensor value. The operations of a rear-seat passenger notification system 200 and a passenger-seat occupant classification advanced airbag system 300 are connected by the distinguishing the in-vehicle passenger, enhancing the sensor reliability by providing Fail-Safe together with increasing the accuracy of the passenger detection utilizing longitudinal/lateral accelerations/yaw rate information.

A method for triggering an airbag situated in a position-adjustable steering wheel of a motor vehicle, including: a) ascertaining the relative spacing between a driver of the motor vehicle and the steering wheel, b) establishing a triggering event which necessitates the triggering of the airbag in the motor vehicle, c) establishing a trigger time and/or a firing strategy for the airbag, the relative spacing ascertained in step a) being taken into account, d) triggering the airbag at the established trigger time and/or using the established firing strategy. A trigger circuit for triggering an airbag is also described which is situated in a position-adjustable steering wheel of a motor vehicle, at least one measuring unit for establishing the position of the steering wheel or the relative spacing of the steering wheel from a driver being provided, and the trigger circuit includes an input for processing signals from this measuring unit.

A passenger occupancy detection system is provided that implements a sensor-connected passenger detection method. The system includes that a sensor controller that reads a sensor value using an ESC as an acceleration sensor when a vehicle is stopped and distinguishes an in-vehicle passenger with a vehicle acceleration change by the sensor value. The operations of a rear-seat passenger notification system 200 and a passenger-seat occupant classification advanced airbag system 300 are connected by the distinguishing the in-vehicle passenger, enhancing the sensor reliability by providing Fail-Safe together with increasing the accuracy of the passenger detection utilizing longitudinal/lateral accelerations/yaw rate information.

An airbag control device and a control method thereof are provided. The airbag control device includes a sensor, a controller and a signal interceptor. The sensor is configured to sense a preset inflation space of an airbag. The controller is coupled to the sensor. The controller is configured to determine whether the preset inflation space is in a barrier free status. When the preset inflation space is not in the barrier free status, the controller outputs a control signal. The signal interceptor is coupled to the controller. The signal interceptor is configured to disable the airbag according to the control signal.

A sensor assembly for use in association with non-integrated, ground-based collision avoidance systems for aircraft, including (a) a sensor; and (b) a frame sub-assembly, wherein the sensor is releasably securable to the frame sub-assembly.

An occupant detection apparatus includes a wave motion sensor and an controller. The wave motion sensor provided to be upper than the seat in the vehicle, performing transmission of wave motion towards a predetermined range which includes a head part of the occupant at least, performing reception of the wave motion that is reflected. The controller calculates, as a result value, at least either a first value or a second value based on the transmission and the reception of the wave motion by the wave motion sensor; the first value is a receiving intensity and the second value is either a period of time or a distance. The controller determines either (i) that the seat is occupied by the occupant or (ii) that the seat is empty or occupied by a physical body other than the occupant, based on comparison of the result value with a threshold value.

Vehicular control method to avoid collisions in which a smartphone is coupled to the vehicle while in a vehicular compartment. Data is generated from vehicle-resident sensors about operation of the vehicle and transferred from the vehicle to the smartphone while the smartphone is coupled to the vehicle. A communications network with another vehicle is established using the smartphone and the data transferred from the vehicle to the smartphone and data from sensors on the smartphone is transmitted via the smartphone and established communications network to other vehicle, the data including data about location and movement of the vehicle. Then, while the smartphone is coupled to the vehicle, a vehicular operational function is controlled based in part on data transmitted using the smartphone and established communications network to cause movement of the vehicle to change in order to avoid a collision with the other vehicle.

A computing device in a vehicle can be programmed to receive an occupant position measurement from at least one of an acoustic and a light sensor, determine an estimated occupant size based on occupant weight, estimate a vehicle seat position based on the occupant position measurement, and, control a vehicle occupant safety device based on the estimated occupant size and estimated vehicle seat position.

System and method for obtaining and recording information about cargo includes a frame defining a cargo-receivable compartment, a position determining system at least partly on the frame and that allows for determination of position of the frame, an identification system on the frame that obtains information about cargo when present in the compartment, a memory component that receives and records information about position and movement of the frame, and the obtained information about cargo when present in the compartment in association with a unique identification of the frame, and a communications system on the frame to enable communication of information to and from the memory component.