The present invention relates to an occupant monitoring method and apparatus therefor. A monitoring apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention may include a camera obtaining an image in a vehicle and a processor processing the image. Moreover, the processor may include a detecting module separating each region in which an object exists from the image, a classifying module classifying the object existing in the each separated region and a recognizing module recognizing a pose of an occupant if the object corresponds to the occupant.

The present invention relates to an occupant monitoring method and apparatus therefor. A monitoring apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention may include a camera obtaining an image in a vehicle and a processor processing the image. Moreover, the processor may include a detecting module separating each region in which an object exists from the image, a classifying module classifying the object existing in the each separated region and a recognizing module recognizing a pose of an occupant if the object corresponds to the occupant.

A roof airbag for vehicles and a control method to deploy the roof airbag are proposed. The roof airbag, which protects occupants by minimizing reduction of internal pressure of the airbag in an accident event in which a vehicle rolls over several times in sequence, includes: a main inflator and sub-inflator which generate gas; and a controller configured to ignite the main inflator to deploy an airbag cushion when a rollover accident of a vehicle occurs, and configured to ignite the sub-inflator to increase internal pressure of the airbag cushion when a secondary accident occurs following the primary rollover accident of the vehicle.

According to one aspect, an overall airbag system of an autonomous vehicle uses a combination of sensors to deploy one or more external airbags in advance of a collision or as a collision occurs, for the purpose of protecting vulnerable persons. By using sensor data, combined with perception and prediction algorithms, an autonomous driving system may deploy a substantially optimal combination of external airbags for a given the size of a vulnerable person, vehicle speed, and/or collision timing. In addition to cushioning impact during a collision, the deployment of multiple external airbags may also control kinematics of vulnerable persons, as for example by addressing brain injuries in pedestrians due to rotational kinematics.

A vehicle includes: a sensor for measuring a relative position and a relative speed between an obstacle and the vehicle; an injector for injecting a deforming material which is solidified during injection to absorb an impact and enhance coupling strength at a portion to which the deforming material is attached; and a controller configured to determine a collision probability with the obstacle based on the measured relative position and the measured relative speed, to determine a predicted collision position when the collision probability reaches a reference collision probability, to determine an injection direction of the injector based on the predicted collision position, and to control the injector to inject the deforming material in the determined injection direction.

An inflatable blanket for a vehicle includes a first blanket layer, a second blanket layer coupled to the first blanket layer, and an airbag disposed between the first blanket layer and the second blanket layer. The airbag has a deflated configuration and an inflated configuration to protect a vehicle occupant when the vehicle is subjected to an external force.

One general aspect includes a deployable containment system for a vehicle roof panel, the system including: a pair of guide channels proximate to an opening through the vehicle roof panel, each guide channel of the pair having a first end and a second end; a housing mounted to the first end of the pair of guide channels. The deployable containment system also includes a shield configured to deploy from the housing and travel along the pair of guide channels so as to cover at least a portion of the opening. The deployable containment system also includes an actuator disposed proximate to the pair of guide channels, the actuator configured to deploy the shield from the housing after a deployment event.

An impact detection system for a vehicle and an impact detection method therefore are provided. The impact detection system includes an impact value calculator that determines an impact value corresponding to a magnitude of an impact applied to a vehicle, an impact location estimator that estimates a location to which the impact is applied in the vehicle and generates an impact location signal including a parameter value corresponding to the estimated location, and an effective impact determining device that compares the impact value with an impact detection reference value for each location of the vehicle, corresponding to the parameter value.

Methods and systems for deterring rear collisions and/or mitigating the damage caused therefrom are provided. When the host vehicle is slowing down, coming to a stop, or stopped, and the system senses that an external vehicle in the rear is approaching at an unsafe speed, an external warning system can be activated to attempt to gain the attention of the driver of the external vehicle. If the external vehicle continues to approach at an unsafe speed such that a collision seems likely or inevitable, a brace sequence within the host vehicle can be activated to reduce injury to occupants of the host vehicle.

A system and method for detecting seatbelt routing in a motor vehicle safety restraint system for a motor vehicle seat. The system includes a seatbelt buckle sensor, a seatbelt payout sensor, an occupancy sensor, an automatic locking retractor sensor and a control module. The method includes sensing a presence of a seatbelt latchplate in a seatbelt buckle. Further, the method includes sensing a seatbelt payout length. Additionally, the method includes comparing the seatbelt payout length to a first seatbelt payout length threshold. Moreover, the method includes determining seatbelt routing based on whether seatbelt latchplate is present in the seatbelt buckle and the seatbelt payout length is greater than the first seatbelt payout length threshold.