A vehicular vision system includes an underbody camera disposed at an underside of a body of a vehicle and viewing a ground surface under the body of the vehicle and being traveled on by the vehicle. The underbody camera captures image data as the vehicle is moving. An illumination source, when operated to emit light, emits near infrared light illuminating the ground surface under the body of the vehicle. An electronic control unit (ECU) is disposed at the vehicle and includes an image processor that processes image data captured by the underbody camera. The underbody camera views at least forward towards a front portion of the underside of the body of the vehicle. The vehicular vision system, via processing at the ECU of image data captured by the underbody camera, determines presence of an object forward of the underbody camera and having height greater than a threshold height.

A knee airbag configured to rapidly restrain the knees of a passenger and reduce the risk of injury to the passenger by changing a deployment angle of the airbag depending on a seated state of the passenger, the knee airbag including an airbag module coupled to a hinge structure inside a cockpit and configured to rotate around the hinge structure to change a deployment direction of a cushion, a driving unit configured to provide rotational force to the airbag module, and a controller configured to adjust a rotation angle of the airbag module by operating the driving unit based on the seated state of the passenger.

A knee airbag configured to rapidly restrain the knees of a passenger and reduce the risk of injury to the passenger by changing a deployment angle of the airbag depending on a seated state of the passenger, the knee airbag including an airbag module coupled to a hinge structure inside a cockpit and configured to rotate around the hinge structure to change a deployment direction of a cushion, a driving unit configured to provide rotational force to the airbag module, and a controller configured to adjust a rotation angle of the airbag module by operating the driving unit based on the seated state of the passenger.

A vehicular vision system includes an underbody camera disposed at an underside of a body of a vehicle and viewing a ground surface under the body of the vehicle and being traveled on by the vehicle. The underbody camera captures image data as the vehicle is moving, An illumination source, when operated to emit light, emits near infrared light illuminating the ground surface under the body of the vehicle. An electronic control unit (ECU) is disposed at the vehicle and includes an image processor that processes image data captured by the underbody camera. The underbody camera views at least forward towards a front portion of the underside of the body of the vehicle. The vehicular vision system, via processing at the ECU of image data captured by the underbody camera, determines presence of an object forward of the underbody camera and having height greater than a threshold height.

A method for adapting a triggering algorithm of a personal restraint device of a vehicle on the basis of a detected vehicle interior state of the vehicle. The method comprises detecting of key points of a vehicle occupant by an optical sensor device, ascertaining a vehicle occupant posture of the vehicle occupant based on the connection of the detected key points to a skeleton-like representation of body parts of the vehicle occupant, wherein the skeleton-like representation reflects the relative position and orientation of individual body parts of the vehicle occupant, predicting a future vehicle occupant posture of the vehicle occupant based on a predicted future position of at least one of the key points, and modifying the triggering algorithm of the personal restraint device based on the predicted future posture of the vehicle occupant. A control device for adapting a triggering algorithm of a personal restraint device is also disclosed.

Vision-based airbag enablement may include capturing two-dimensional images of a passenger, segmenting the image, classifying the image, and determining seated height of the passenger from the image. Enabling or disabling deployment of the airbag may be controlled based at least in part upon the determined seated height.

There is provided a system for improving safety of an occupant by an airbag, which can provide adaptive protection for occupants in different seat positions and different sitting postures. Further, there is provided a method for improving safety of an occupant by an airbag. Further, there is provided a computer-readable medium. The system for improving safety of an occupant by an airbag includes an in-vehicle observation system, an inflatable restraint system, a collision prediction system, and an integrated safety domain control unit. The integrated safety domain control unit formulates a deployment strategy based on data transmitted from the in-vehicle observation system, the inflatable restraint system, and the collision prediction system, to selectively inflate at least one airbag assembly and control an inflation volume for the airbag assembly to be inflated.

The system and method provide for identification of dynamic objects in an enclosed space and the presence of a component in a primary location. The system uses an active electro-optical 3D sensor, such as a three-dimensional time of flight camera, to identify the presence or absence of a reflected pulse, to determine, for example, proper placement of a seat belt, or a change in characteristics of a reflected pulse to determine a change in location, and thus possible movement, of a living creature in a vehicle, for example.

For example, even when an occupant is seated offset in a left-right direction, an airbag is reliably expanded and deployed. An airbag device contains: an airbag that protects at least a side portion of a shoulder region, upper arm region, and chest region of an occupant seated on a vehicle seat; and an inflator that supplies gas to the airbag. The airbag has a pair of side part protection chambers that are housed on at least both left and right sides of the vehicle seat. The side part protection chambers, when expanded and deployed, expand and deploy forward independently from both left and right sides of the vehicle seat. A pair of the inflators are provided to allow gas to be supplied to each side part protection chamber, and the ignition timing of the inflators can be controlled separately.

A vehicle occupant detection system includes a housing. A microprocessor is mounted in the housing and is programmed to detect an engine engagement status of a vehicle. A camera is mounted on the housing and is directed forward of the housing. The camera electrically coupled to the microprocessor is programmed with facial recognition software to compare facial images against images captured by the camera. A motion sensor mounted on the housing detects motion forward of the housing. The camera captures an image when the motion sensor detects motion. A first condition is defined when the motion sensor detects motion, the camera captures an image prompting a facial recognition match and the microprocessor detects the vehicle is parked. A sound emitter is mounted on the housing and is electrically coupled to the microprocessor and emit a low decibel sound when the first condition is first attained.