A method for presenting information upon starting an automotive vehicle includes at least one step in which various parameters associated with the vehicle are verified. Also included is a step in which a particular light beam is projected onto a specific area of the passenger compartment of the vehicle when the state of a plurality of verified parameters allows the vehicle to be started.

A passenger protection method includes obtaining in-vehicle passenger information and in-vehicle environment information; determining an abnormal state type and an abnormality degree based on the in-vehicle passenger information and the in-vehicle environment information; and determining, based on the abnormal state type and the abnormality degree, an emergency measure for reducing the abnormality degree.

An occupant modeling device includes: an acquisition section acquiring an image by imaging a region where there is a probability that a face of an occupant is present; a model fitting section generating a model of the face based on a first image acquired by the acquisition section; a tracking section adapting the model to a second image acquired after the first image; a determination section determining correctness of a facial part position included in the second image to which the model is adapted, by using learned information obtained through learning based on correct information and incorrect information regarding the facial part position; and a processing section determining whether a process in the tracking section is to be continuously executed or a process in the model fitting section is to be executed again according to a determination result in the determination section.

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.

A power supply apparatus acquires peripheral information regarding whether a living body is present outside a vehicle near a power supplying unit, during power supply to the vehicle. The power supply apparatus acquires in-vehicle information regarding whether a living body is present inside the vehicle, during power supply to the vehicle. The power supply apparatus restricts supplied electric power when in-vehicle information indicating that a living body is present inside the vehicle is acquired or when peripheral information indicating that a living body is present near the power supplying unit is acquired. The power supply apparatus changes a restriction amount of the supplied electric power when at least either of in-vehicle information indicating that a living body is present inside the vehicle or peripheral information indicating that a living body is present near the power supplying unit is acquired, compared to that when neither piece of information is acquired.

An occupant monitoring device for a vehicle is configured to monitor an occupant sitting on a seat provided in a vehicle and includes a light projector, an imaging device, and a processor. The light projector is configured to project light toward the occupant sitting on the seat. The imaging device is configured to capture an image of the occupant sitting on the seat. The processor is configured to control the light projector and the imaging device to capture the image of the occupant sitting on the seat. In a case where a collision of the vehicle is predicted, the imaging device captures the image at a higher speed than in a normal case where a collision of the vehicle is not predicted.

A method for determining an adjustment of a vehicle seat in a vehicle having at least one occupant-protection arrangement, in which an occupant type of an occupant is ascertained when the occupant enters the vehicle, and an adjustment of the vehicle seat is determined as a function of the ascertained occupant type, so that the determined occupant type is optimally aligned with respect to the at least one occupant-protection arrangement of the vehicle.

As described above, in a vehicle control system, in a predetermined condition where a vehicle peripheral condition recognizing unit recognizes a condition where a first user who has been in a vehicle leaves the vehicle and where an in-vehicle condition recognizing unit recognizes a condition where a second user is present in the vehicle, an alarm control unit performs alarm processing on at least one of inside the vehicle and outside the vehicle by using a notification function of the vehicle according to a detection result of a door open/close detection unit.

A passenger protection system for a vehicle includes a vehicle sensor control system having at least one processor and computerized memory storing vehicle control software therein, wherein the vehicle control software receives input data from a plurality of vehicle sensors. A digital control sequence is triggered in the software by a presence of at least one occupant other than a driver in the vehicle who is classified as a child, with the digital control sequence activating and de-activating an alert system and a system of electronically programmed interlocks in a vehicle control system. The alert system includes at least one of an audible alert and/or a visible alert and/or a haptic alert to ensure child safety in the vehicle during operation. The interlocks may electronically control numerous vehicle functions including window operation, seat position adjustment, and seat belt position adjustment.

As described above, in a vehicle control system, in a predetermined condition where a vehicle peripheral condition recognizing unit recognizes a condition where a first user who has been in a vehicle leaves the vehicle and where an in-vehicle condition recognizing unit recognizes a condition where a second user is present in the vehicle, an alarm control unit performs alarm processing on at least one of inside the vehicle and outside the vehicle by using a notification function of the vehicle according to a detection result of a door open/close detection unit.