An assembly for a vehicle includes a seatbelt buckle, a seatbelt retractor, and webbing retractably extendable from the seatbelt retractor and releasably engageable with the seatbelt buckle. The webbing is extendable from the seatbelt retractor from a fully retracted position toward an extended position. The assembly includes a vibration motor on the seatbelt buckle. The assembly includes a computer having a processor and memory including instructions executable by the processor to activate the vibration motor in response to movement of the webbing from the fully retracted position toward an extended position. The vibration motor provides haptic guidance to an occupant to engage the clip with the seatbelt buckle.

Systems and methods of automatically controlling the application of a magnetic field based on certain sensed conditions and/or environmental considerations are provided. Sensed conditions may be vehicle operational characteristics and environmental considerations may be from V2X communications, which may be utilized to determine the current vehicle speed and the distance between a vehicle and an obstacle. When speed and distance meet certain thresholds, the magnetic components present on front, rear, and/or side panels of the vehicle may be activated to prevent or mitigate collision impact. The magnetic components may be activated with a determined amount of current for a specific repel force.

Systems and methods of automatically controlling the application of a magnetic field based on certain sensed conditions and/or environmental considerations are provided. Sensed conditions may be vehicle operational characteristics and environmental considerations may be from V2X communications, which may be utilized to determine the current vehicle speed and the distance between a vehicle and an obstacle. When speed and distance meet certain thresholds, the magnetic components present on front, rear, and/or side panels of the vehicle may be activated to prevent or mitigate collision impact. The magnetic components may be activated with a determined amount of current for a specific repel force.

An assembly for a vehicle includes a seatbelt buckle, a seatbelt retractor, and webbing retractably extendable from the seatbelt retractor and releasably engageable with the seatbelt buckle. The webbing is extendable from the seatbelt retractor from a fully retracted position toward an extended position. The assembly includes a vibration motor on the seatbelt buckle. The assembly includes a computer having a processor and memory including instructions executable by the processor to activate the vibration motor in response to movement of the webbing from the fully retracted position toward an extended position. The vibration motor provides haptic guidance to an occupant to engage the clip with the seatbelt buckle.

A belt tightener for a safety belt system in a motor vehicle comprises at least one electric actuator. A decentralized, independent electric energy store designed to store a sufficient amount of electric energy for operating the actuator is dedicated to the belt tightener.

A seatbelt assembly includes a seatbelt retractor, a support spaced from the seatbelt retractor, and a webbing retractably engaged with the seatbelt retractor. The webbing is moveable relative to the support. The seatbelt assembly includes a magnet and a conductive material adjacent the magnet. One of the magnet and the conductive material is fixed to the support, and the other of the magnet and the conductive material is moveable by the webbing relative to the support.

A seatbelt retractor includes a housing and a spool rotatably supported by the housing. A torsion bar has a first end and a second end. The first end of the torsion bar is fixed to the spool, and the second end of the torsion bar is fixable relative to the housing. The seatbelt retractor includes a magnet and a rotor disposed adjacent the magnet. One of the magnet and the rotor being fixed relative to the spool and the other of the magnet and the rotor being rotatable relative to the spool. The rotor includes a conductive material.

A seatbelt assembly includes a seatbelt retractor, a support spaced from the seatbelt retractor, and a webbing retractably engaged with the seatbelt retractor. The webbing is moveable relative to the support. The seatbelt assembly includes a magnet and a conductive material adjacent the magnet. One of the magnet and the conductive material is fixed to the support, and the other of the magnet and the conductive material is moveable by the webbing relative to the support.

A seatbelt retractor includes a housing and a spool rotatably supported by the housing. A torsion bar has a first end and a second end. The first end of the torsion bar is fixed to the spool, and the second end of the torsion bar is fixable relative to the housing. The seatbelt retractor includes a magnet and a rotor disposed adjacent the magnet. One of the magnet and the rotor being fixed relative to the spool and the other of the magnet and the rotor being rotatable relative to the spool. The rotor includes a conductive material.

In a load limiting device (10), especially for a seat belt in a vehicle, comprising a controllable braking device (16) which has a fluid-filled compartment (24) including a conduit (34) through which the fluid (23) can flow, an element to be decelerated (32) which is coupled to the seat belt, at least one sensor (18) for detecting vehicle operating data, especially an acceleration sensor, a sensor (20) for detecting the webbing extension, and a controller (22) for controlling the braking power of the braking device (16) as a function of the vehicle operating data measured and the webbing extension measured, the fluid (23) is a magnetorheological fluid and a control magnet is provided which is adapted to generate a variable magnetic field inside the conduit (34) and to vary the viscosity of the magnetorheological fluid inside the conduit (34).