An apparatus for helping to protect a driver side occupant of a vehicle having a steering yoke includes an airbag mounted to the steering yoke. The airbag is inflatable from a stored condition concealed in the steering yoke to a deployed condition in which the airbag is positioned between the steering yoke and the occupant. The apparatus also includes an airbag wrap for packaging the airbag in the stored condition. The airbag wrap is configured to bias the airbag to deploy initially in an initial deployment direction transverse to a steering axis of the steering yoke through a deployment opening defined by the airbag wrap and a pleat formed in the airbag wrap and secured with a tear stitch. The pleat is configured to initially reduce the size of the deployment opening, which limits initial deployment of the airbag through the deployment opening. The pleat is further configured to rupture in response to increasing airbag deployment forces to increase the size of the deployment opening for further deployment of the airbag therethrough.

Method for controlling a vehicle including a smartphone-engaging coupling element. Data about operational status of the vehicle is transferred from one or more vehicle-resident systems to a smartphone when the smartphone is engaged with the coupling element. Commands are received by the vehicle from the smartphone when the smartphone is engaged with the coupling element, which commands being based in part on data previously transferred from the vehicle-resident system(s) to the smartphone when the smartphone is engaged with the coupling element. A vehicular system, e.g., seat positioning system, mirror positioning system, passenger compartment temperature control system, route guidance or navigation system, changes its operation in accordance with the commands received by the vehicle from the smartphone when the smartphone is engaged with the coupling element.

An airbag cover can include a sidewall to couple the airbag cover with a housing of an airbag assembly. The airbag cover can further include a panel adjoined to the sidewall at a hinge, and the panel can cover at least a portion of an opening defined by the housing through which an airbag positioned in the housing is deployable when the airbag cover is coupled to the housing. The airbag cover can include one or more tear seams that are breakable by the airbag as the airbag is deployed to form at least a portion of the panel into a door that rotates about the hinge to permit egress of the airbag. The airbag cover can further include a stress-relief region in the sidewall that is laterally adjacent to the hinge, and the stress-relief region can flex as the door rotates about the hinge to inhibit the door from separating from the sidewall during deployment of the airbag.

Decorative emblem assemblies having lighting control features and related airbag modules and methods. In some embodiments, the assembly may comprise a cover comprising a pocket for receiving an emblem assembly therein and an emblem assembly coupled to the cover within the pocket. The emblem assembly may comprise one or more plates configured to engage at least a portion of the pocket and a decorative emblem configured to be coupled with the one or more plates. The assembly may further comprise an LED or other lighting element configured to illuminate at least a portion of the decorative emblem. In some embodiments, the plate may be configured to create a light seal about at least a portion of a periphery of the plate to at least substantially prevent light from exiting the pocket adjacent the at least a portion of the periphery of plate.

An air bag system includes: a pad including a ceiling wall portion which covers an air bag and a side wall portion which extends into a cylindrical shape; a mounting base which holds the pad and holds the air bag by causing an annular retainer; and switch members which make up a horn switch mechanism so that the mounting base is mounted on a steering wheel main body, wherein: the switch members are provided below the air bag; and movable-side members are provided so that a portion at a side facing the inlet opening on an upper side thereof is brought into abutment with the retainer via a circumferential edge of the inlet opening of the air bag and a portion at a side thereof is brought into abutment with a lower surface of the side wall portion of the pad.

An air bag system includes: a pad including a ceiling wall portion which covers an air bag and a side wall portion which extends into a cylindrical shape; a mounting base which holds the pad and holds the air bag by causing an annular retainer; and switch members which make up a horn switch mechanism so that the mounting base is mounted on a steering wheel main body, wherein: the switch members are provided below the air bag; and movable-side members are provided so that a portion at a side facing the inlet opening on an upper side thereof is brought into abutment with the retainer via a circumferential edge of the inlet opening of the air bag and a portion at a side thereof is brought into abutment with a lower surface of the side wall portion of the pad.

The invention relates to a cover element for an airbag module comprising a tear line and at least one hinge area for opening the cover element by swiveling at least one flap which is formed by the tear line when the cover element is opened, wherein at least one stiffening rib having a weakened material portion extends between the tear line and the hinge area. The cover element excels by the fact that the weakened material portion is configured on the side of the hinge area.

A steering device pad is disposed on an upper face of a boss portion in a steering device, and a design portion is disposed in a region of a ceiling wall portion covering the boss portion. The steering device pad includes a pad body and a light source unit disposed on a back face of a ceiling wall portion of the pad body. The ceiling wall portion includes a low translucent portion and a high translucent portion having different light transmittances. The high translucent portion constitutes the design portion so as to be configured to transmit light emitted from the light source unit.

A steering device pad is disposed on an upper face of a boss portion in a steering device, and a design portion is disposed in a region of a ceiling wall portion covering the boss portion. The steering device pad includes a pad body and a light source unit disposed on a back face of a ceiling wall portion of the pad body. The ceiling wall portion includes a low translucent portion and a high translucent portion having different light transmittances. The high translucent portion constitutes the design portion so as to be configured to transmit light emitted from the light source unit.

Locking pieces, such as clips, for decorative emblems and emblem assemblies, along with related methods. In some embodiments, a locking piece for coupling an emblem assembly to an airbag assembly may comprise a tapering slot narrowing in width, at least in part, from a first end of the tapering slot to a second end of the tapering slot defining a first fastener seat configured to engage a first fastener extending from a decorative emblem. The locking piece may further comprise a second fastener seat configured to resiliently engage, such as by way of a resiliently flexible prong, a second fastener extending from the decorative emblem and, in some embodiments, a third fastener seat configured to resiliently engage a third fastener extending from the decorative emblem.