Abstract: The present invention relates to an electronic mechanical protector system for vehicle door latches during crash conditions, vehicle door equipped with such a system, and methods for operating the system.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for estimating a center-of-gravity height h of a motor vehicle while the vehicle is in motion. A controller is operatively coupled with a left wheel load sensor, a right wheel load sensor, a lateral acceleration sensor, and a roll rate sensor. The controller determines a left wheel load FL based upon input from the left wheel load sensor, determines a right wheel load FR based upon input from the right wheel sensor, determines a lateral acceleration ay of a vehicle body based upon input from the lateral acceleration sensor, determines a body roll angle ? based upon input from the roll rate sensor, and estimate a center-of-gravity height h in real-time using the calculated values of FL, FR, ay, and ?.

Abstract: A motor vehicle blind-spot detection system has a remote sensor covering a rear-quadrant blind spot sensing zone and a forward-quadrant side impact sensing zone. A control module receives signals from a side impact sensor and the blind-spot detection sensor, calculates an approach vector of an object in the side impact sensing zone and/or the blind spot sensing zone, determines that the object will impact the vehicle, initializes a side impact algorithm controlling activation of an occupant safety device, detects an impact on the side of the vehicle and determines a magnitude of the impact, compares the magnitude of the impact with a threshold value established at least in part based upon the magnitude of the approach vector, and activates the occupant safety device if the magnitude of the impact exceeds the threshold value.

Abstract: A motor vehicle blind-spot detection system has a remote sensor covering a rear-quadrant blind spot sensing zone and a forward-quadrant side impact sensing zone. A control module receives signals from a side impact sensor and the blind-spot detection sensor, calculates an approach vector of an object in the side impact sensing zone and/or the blind spot sensing zone, determines that the object will impact the vehicle, initializes a side impact algorithm controlling activation of an occupant safety device, detects an impact on the side of the vehicle and determines a magnitude of the impact, compares the magnitude of the impact with a threshold value established at least in part based upon the magnitude of the approach vector, and activates the occupant safety device if the magnitude of the impact exceeds the threshold value.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an electronic mechanical protector system for vehicle door latches during crash conditions, vehicle door equipped with such a system, and methods for operating the system.

Abstract: Vehicles normally equipped with safety airbags in the steering wheel and dashboard can be modified by deleting the airbags. A method for ensuring that the modifications are properly made, involves the use of an indicator light on the vehicle instrument panel and an electrical circuit that turns the indicator light off when the airbag deletion hardware is properly installed. The electric circuit includes light energizer circuits in the steering wheel and dashboard, and a shorting bar in each energizer circuit.

Abstract: A control circuit (46) for an air bag disabling system (16,22) includes a resistive test load (66) arranged in parallel with the resistive elements of the air bag (48) and in some embodiments includes a fuse (64) in series with the resistive test load (66), the resistive test load providing for the operation of the vehicle air bag system independent of the disabling effected by the disabling system and the fuse providing indication of operation of the air bag disabling system.