A knee airbag apparatus for an autonomous vehicle, wherein a first cushion and a second cushion are deployed toward the knees of a passenger and a third cushion is deployed toward the feet and shins of the passenger according to a collision mode (head-on collision, offset collision or oblique collision) and a position (normal position or relaxation position) of a seat.

A covering member is attached to a case body, on which an actuator detachably holding the other end portion of a tether having one end portion connected to an airbag is mounted, and covers the actuator. The covering member includes an opposing portion that opposes at least a part of the actuator in an attachment direction D to the case body.

The covering member includes a side surface portion that is formed to extend from the opposing portion in the attachment direction D and is locked and held by being pushed into the case body in the attachment direction D.

An inflation assembly for use within a vehicle. The inflation assembly is configured to deliver gas from a pressure source to the one or more inflatable devices. The inflation assembly includes a fitting that engages with the pressure source and receives gas from the pressure source. The fitting includes outlet ports that are oriented to direct the gas away from the fitting and into hoses that lead to one or more inflatable devices. The outlet ports are configured to release gas in outward directions such that reactive forces that are applied to the fitting by the released gas are neutralized. This prevents the pressure source from moving and potentially injuring a person or damaging the vehicle.

An airbag assembly according to the present disclosure includes an elongated cushion and a restraint. The elongated cushion is configured to deploy from an interior side wall of a vehicle into a passenger compartment of the vehicle to resist upward motion of a leg of an occupant of the vehicle. The restraint is configured to prevent the elongated cushion from rotating upward and toward the side wall when the leg of the occupant contacts an underside surface of the elongated cushion.

An inflation assembly for use within a vehicle. The inflation assembly is configured to deliver gas from a pressure source to the one or more inflatable devices. The inflation assembly includes a fitting that engages with the pressure source and receives gas from the pressure source. The fitting includes outlet ports that are oriented to direct the gas away from the fitting and into hoses that lead to one or more inflatable devices. The outlet ports are configured to release gas in outward directions such that reactive forces that are applied to the fitting by the released gas are neutralized. This prevents the pressure source from moving and potentially injuring a person or damaging the vehicle.

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.

In an airbag comprising at least one aperture (14) which is provided in an airbag shell (12) and to which a closure element (16) is attached a tether (34) via which the closure element (16) can be maintained in a closed position acts on the closure element (16). The invention moreover relates to a method of operating a vehicle occupant protection system.

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.

In an airbag comprising at least one aperture (14) which is provided in an airbag shell (12) and to which a closure element (16) is attached a tether (34) via which the closure element (16) can be maintained in a closed position acts on the closure element (16). The invention moreover relates to a method of operating a vehicle occupant protection system.

A vehicle airbag device is provided, the vehicle airbag device including (1) an airbag that is folded and stowed inside an airbag case, the airbag being inflated and deployed on being supplied with gas, (2) a mid-collision gas supply section that supplies gas into the airbag during a vehicle collision, and (3) a pre-collision gas supply section that, in a case in which it has been determined prior to a vehicle collision that a vehicle collision is unavoidable, supplies gas into the airbag at a lower temperature than a temperature of gas supplied into the airbag from the mid-collision gas supply section.