Abstract: It is checked based on entered information as to whether a vehicle should be decelerated or not (S106). When the vehicle should decelerate, an automatic brake operation is carried out with a braking force being set to be smaller by a predetermined ratio than an estimated maximum braking force estimated based on a road surface friction coefficient ?(S110).

Abstract: A computer of a collision possibility determination device has a pixel position setting section, a travel vector calculating section, a vector direction determining section, and a collision possibility determining section. The pixel position setting section sets a travel direction pixel position in an image of view ahead of a vehicle and a circle with a specific radius from the set travel direction pixel position. The travel vector calculating section calculates a travel vector of an object that exists in the travel direction of the vehicle. The vector direction determining section determines whether an orientation of the travel vector matches a direction toward the inside of the circle. The collision possibility determining section determines a possible collision between the vehicle and the object when the orientation of the travel vector matches the direction toward the inside of the circle.

Abstract: A driving assistance apparatus assists turning operation of a vehicle at an intersection by taking critical variables into account. The apparatus first estimates friction coefficient of a road to determine a suitable acceleration in turning, and then calculates a required period of time to finish turning by using other variables such as a width of the road derived by one of the functions of the apparatus. Based on the comparison with the time that the oncoming vehicle in the opposite lane will take to arrive at the intersection and the required time for turning, driving assistance for the vehicle to turn safely at the intersection can be appropriately provided.

Abstract: A vehicle display system recognizes, from within a color image of a forward scenery of a subject vehicle, an object such as left and right brake lights of a leading vehicle or a halt sign, each of which includes a red light element. Of the recognized object, a given position on a display area in a windshield of the subject vehicle is extracted. The extracted given position is then highlighted on the display area so that a user of the subject vehicle can properly recognize the object including the red light element.

Abstract: A vehicle driving assisting apparatus determines whether a driver is executing a driving operation for stopping a vehicle when a distance up to a halting vehicle exiting in front of the vehicle is shorter than a distance obtained by adding a margin to an estimated braking distance for stopping the vehicle by starting a normal deceleration operation from the present vehicle speed. When the driving operation for stopping the vehicle has not been executed, an alarm is generated for causing the driver's attention in the forward direction. This makes it possible to properly determine the driver's degree of recognition of the traffic environment in front of the vehicle.

Abstract: When a variation amount of a driving operation falls outside of a determining reference, a determining system determines that an awakening degree of a driver is decreased. The determining system changes the determining reference by whether or not a preceding vehicle is existing within a given distance. Therefore, in consideration of peripheral traffic environments such as existence and absence of the preceding vehicle, the awakening degree of the driver is determined, so that determining accuracy of the awakening degree is enhanced more than that of a conventional method.

Abstract: A driving assisting apparatus for preventing a vehicular collision including a camera, a target detector and a processor. The camera takes an image of a predetermined range in front of a vehicle. The target detector detects in the image a target notifying to stop the vehicle to prevent a vehicular collision. In a case that the target detector detects a plurality of the targets, the processor automatically stops the vehicle at a safe position required to prevent the vehicle from colliding with another vehicle.

Abstract: The front scenery of a vehicle is imaged as a picture by a CCD camera. The number of pixels in each horizontal line necessary for traveling of the vehicle is stored, and it is determined whether the vehicle can pass through by a parking vehicle based on a ratio of the number of pixels of the road where no vehicle is parking in the image to the number of pixels of each horizontal line based on the width of the vehicle.

Abstract: A collision-prediction unit for a vehicle including a road condition detector, a maximum deceleration estimator, a forward vehicle detector, a forward vehicle deceleration calculator, and a collision examiner is provided. The road surface detector detects a condition of a road surface on which the vehicle travels. The maximum deceleration estimator calculates a maximum vehicle deceleration for the vehicle on the road surface having the detected condition. The forward vehicle detector detects a moving condition of a forward vehicle located ahead of the vehicle. The forward vehicle deceleration calculator calculates a forward vehicle deceleration based on the moving condition of the forward vehicle. The collision examiner determines whether a collision between the vehicle and the forward vehicle is imminent by comparing the forward vehicle deceleration to the maximum vehicle deceleration of the vehicle.

Abstract: A collision possibility determining unit determines that a subject vehicle has possibility of colliding with a certain vehicle when both the following two determinations are fulfilled. The first determination is that the traveling state of the subject vehicle is proper. The second determination is that a relative position between the subject vehicle and the certain vehicle continues to be maintained at the same relationship for a given period. When the collision possibility is determined to be existing, an alarm generating unit generates an alarm that arouses driver's attention. Thus, collision possibility is determined based on the relative position relationship with another vehicle, so that an alarm relating to another vehicle as an obstacle can be generated at a proper timing.

Abstract: In a driving support system, a necessary information amount determining section determines the amount of visual information necessary for safe driving. An information acquisition capacity setting section sets an information acquisition capacity of a driver. A comparing section compares the necessary information amount with the information acquisition capacity and determines a difference between the two. If a possibility of collision between an object and a vehicle is determined by a collision possibility determining section, a driving support level setting section sets a level of driving support based on the difference.

Abstract: It is checked based on entered information as to whether a vehicle should be decelerated or not (S106). When the vehicle should decelerate, an automatic brake operation is carried out with a braking force being set to be smaller by a predetermined ratio than an estimated maximum braking force estimated based on a road surface friction coefficient &mgr;(S110).

Abstract: An air bag is folded in such a manner that a first fold-portion of the air bag is folded along a first fold-line approximately parallel to an expanding direction, and then, a second fold-portion thereof is folded along a second fold-line approximately perpendicular to the expanding direction. Accordingly, when the air bag expands, the second fold-portion is stretched out prior to the first fold-portion. As a result, the air bag can expand promptly to securely protect a passenger.

Abstract: A seat belt tensioner includes a wire, a spring retainer connected to a seat belt buckle by the wire, a casing within which the spring retainer is linearly movable, a primary coil spring contacting the spring retainer, a leaf spring for limiting movement of the spring retainer, a secondary coil spring, and a mass body supported relative to the spring retainer through the secondary coil spring in the direction in which an inertial force is applied. The mass body is moved against the action of the secondary coil spring when a predetermined deceleration is applied, the mass body slides and the primary coil spring is released.

Abstract: A seat belt fastening device has a seat belt buckle and a single casing in which a compression coil spring for pulling in slack of the seat belt is positioned between a retainer and a flange of a guide member. An inertial mass member is slidably disposed in the guide member. The coil spring is connected by a wire to a pulley unit through the retainer and guide member. The seat belt buckle is connected to the pulley unit by a wire. The wire is usually wound to the pulley unit which is locked by a control lever. When the inertial mass member moves under excessive deceleration, it drives operation levers and the control lever to unlock the pulley unit. As a result, the wire is pulled out from the pulley unit by the released compression spring. Incidentally, the wire is wound to the pulley unit so that the buckle is retracted into the casing and the slack of the seat belt is reduced.

Abstract: An arresting hook plate extending from a seatbelt buckle is attached to a buckle plate so that it moves freely along a straight line. When inertia force acts on the mass body inside a pull-in section casing, it leaves a lock state and is caused to move by the spring biasing force. The arresting hook plate attached to the mass body by a wire is caused to be pulled in along with movement of the mass body. A pair of locking pawls included on the buckle plate prevent movement of the arresting hook plate in a pull-out direction when they are in a locked position. There is also an locking pawl holder which is used to select and set the locking or release of the locking pawls. If the locking of the locking pawls is released so that the mass body is returned to the origin position against the spring biasing force by means of the arresting hook plate via the wire, the mass body is placed again in a lock state due to the retainer.

Abstract: A tensioning device is provided to realize compactness and simplification of device structure and causes mountability to be improved. A tensioning mechanism to rapidly tension one end of an interconnecting member when deceleration of a vehicle is applied, a reversing-prevention hook plate supported rotatably freely on an arm plate, a buckle joined freely rotatably at a position most proximate to a seat belt in a direction of tension action of the seat belt within a plate surface of the reversing-prevention hook plate, and a reversing-prevention claw to restrict reverse rotation of the reversing-prevention hook plate after the interconnecting member has been pulled out are provided, and a base end of the foregoing arm plate is joined freely rotatably to a frame member.

Abstract: A pre-loader device that quickly tighten a seat belt after a sudden deceleration of a vehicle is detected is disclosed herein. The pre-loader device includes a mass body and a casing housing the mass body with the mass body being movable in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle within the casing. A holder is positioned by a weak coil spring, and a strong coil spring is disposed between a flange part of the mass body and a flange part of the holder. A retainer and the holder hold therebetween stoppers disposed at the tip of plate springs that extend from the rear end of the mass body so as to position the mass body and maintaining the coil spring in a compressed state. A wire connects the rear end of the mass body to a seat belt buckle.