Abstract: A restraint system for a vehicle includes a floor, a platform, and a deployable device. A hinge couples the platform to the floor. The deployable device is inflatable from an uninflated position to an inflated position. A material forming the platform is stiffer than a material forming the deployable device.

Abstract: A system includes a roof and an airbag supported by the roof. The airbag is inflatable away from the roof to an inflated position. The airbag includes an apex adjacent to the roof. The airbag includes a first leg inflatable away from the apex to an end, and a second leg inflatable away from the apex to an end spaced from the end of the first leg. The airbag includes a bottom portion spaced from the apex and inflatable to the inflated position. The bottom portion extends from the end of the first leg to the end of the second leg.

Abstract: A collapsible vehicular armrest substrate includes load-bearing strips extending across a gap defined within a support frame. A first tunable element secures the load-bearing strips in a support position on the support frame. A first tension-adjusting portion sets a predetermined first tension limit of the first tunable element. The load-bearing strips disengage from the support position when the first tunable element experiences an actual tension greater than the predetermined first tension limit.

Abstract: A computing device in a vehicle can be programmed to receive an occupant position measurement from at least one of an acoustic and a light sensor, determine an estimated occupant size based on occupant weight, estimate a vehicle seat position based on the occupant position measurement, and, control a vehicle occupant safety device based on the estimated occupant size and estimated vehicle seat position.

Abstract: A restraint system includes a housing, a spool rotatably coupled to the housing, a pinion fixed to the spool, a rack engaged with the pinion, and a piston attached to the rack and the housing. The piston is filled with a resilient material. The resilient material may be a heterogeneous mixture of a liquid and hydrophobic, nanoporous particles.

Abstract: A seatbelt retractor includes a base, a spool, a cylinder and a cylinder lock. The spool is rotatably coupled to the base and has a piston portion. The cylinder is engaged with the piston portion and therewith defines a first chamber. The piston portion is movable from a first position yielding a first chamber volume to a second position yielding a second chamber volume. The cylinder lock in a first condition rotatably fixes the cylinder to the base. Damping fluid is disposed in the chamber.

Abstract: A seat including a seat bottom, a seatback, and a device. The device supports the seatback on the seat bottom. The device includes a housing supported on the seat bottom and a rotor supported on the housing. The device includes a helical interface between the housing and the rotor. The rotor is moveable relative to the housing along the helical interface. The housing and the rotor define a cavity therebetween, and a resilient material is disposed in the cavity. During a vehicle impact, the rotor may move relative to the housing and compress the resilient material in the cavity. In this situation, the resilient material may absorb energy from the vehicle impact.

Abstract: A restraint system includes a housing and a rotor engaged with the housing. The housing and the rotor define a cavity therebetween. A resilient material is disposed in the cavity. A helical interface is between the housing and the rotor. The rotor is moveable relative to the housing along the helical interface. A seat belt buckle is connected to and moveable relative to one of the housing and the rotor. During a vehicle impact, the seat belt buckle may cause the rotor to move along the helical interface towards the housing. In this situation, the resilient material may be compressed between the rotor and the housing.

Abstract: A seatbelt retractor includes a base, a spool, a cylinder, a sleeve and a cylinder lock. The spool is rotatably coupled to the base and has a piston portion. A smaller initialization piston extends from the piston portion. The cylinder is engaged with the piston portion and therewith defines a first chamber. The sleeve is within the cylinder and receives the initialization piston. The sleeve and the initialization piston define an initialization chamber. The cylinder lock in a first condition rotatably fixes the cylinder to the base. Damping fluid is disposed in the chamber.

Abstract: A seatbelt retractor includes a base, a spool, a cylinder, a transfer plate, and a cylinder lock. The spool is rotatably coupled to the base and has a piston portion. The cylinder is engaged with the piston portion and therewith defines a chamber. The piston portion is movable from a first position to a second position. The transfer plate is translateably disposed in the first chamber. The cylinder lock in a first condition rotatably fixes the cylinder to the base. Damping fluid is in the chamber.

Abstract: A vehicle component may include a crossbeam, a cylinder, a piston, a panel, and a heterogeneous mixture. The cylinder has a chamber and is fixed relative to the crossbeam. The piston is linearly movable in the chamber. The panel is fixed relative to the piston. The heterogeneous mixture is enclosed by the piston in the chamber. The heterogeneous mixture includes hydrophobic nanoporous particles and a liquid.

Abstract: A seatbelt retractor assembly includes a disk having a cam surface and a cam follower surface. A lever that engages the cam surface when the lever is in a disengaged position and engages the cam follower surface when the lever is in an engaged position. The lever moves from the disengaged position to the engaged position in accordance with rotation of the disc. A Hall effect switch detects whether the lever is in the disengaged position or the engaged position.

Abstract: A vehicle armrest includes a unitary frame defining a horizontal portion having a thinner pliable body and a thicker stiffer perimeter surrounding the body, and first and second vertical portions extending in opposite directions from ends of the horizontal portion. The first vertical portion abuts an inner doorframe, and the horizontal and first vertical portions define a cavity configured to retain a cushion over the body. The vehicle armrest further includes a cover layer over the cushion and frame.

Abstract: A vehicle armrest includes a unitary frame defining a horizontal portion having a thinner pliable body and a thicker stiffer perimeter surrounding the body, and first and second vertical portions extending in opposite directions from ends of the horizontal portion. The first vertical portion abuts an inner doorframe, and the horizontal and first vertical portions define a cavity configured to retain a cushion over the body. The vehicle armrest further includes a cover layer over the cushion and frame.

Abstract: A seat bottom includes a frame, a first thigh support, a second thigh support, and a controller. The first thigh support and the second thigh support are each supported by the frame and are independently movable relative to the frame to adjustable positions. A first deployable device is coupled to the first thigh support, and a second deployable device is coupled to the second thigh support. At least one inflator is in fluid communication with at least one of the first and second deployable devices. The controller is programmed to independently inflate the first and second deployable devices based at least on the adjustable positions of the first and second thigh supports in response to a sensed vehicle impact.

Abstract: A restraint system for a vehicle includes a floor, a platform, and a deployable device. A hinge couples the platform to the floor. The deployable device is inflatable from an uninflated position to an inflated position. A material forming the platform is stiffer than a material forming the deployable device.

Abstract: A plus-two-point belt system is disclosed. The plus-two-point belt system includes a longitudinal webbing anchored at a first end to a seat and fixed at a second end to a retractor. The webbing is extendable from the retractor to allow an occupant to slip their arm under the webbing to provide a supplemental restraint. The webbing includes first and second portions where the second portion is retractably coiled on the retractor and the second portion has at least one conductive marker. A sensor is provided to sense the marker and a processor is provided to set an alarm when the marker is not detected.

Abstract: A controller for a vehicle includes a processor and a memory storing processor-executable instructions. The processor of the controller is programmed to receive a side-impact signal representing a collision to a side of the vehicle, receive an occupancy signal indicating that a first rear seat of the vehicle is occupied, and send an output control signal to deploy an airbag between a front seat adjacent the side of the vehicle and a second rear seat adjacent the side of the vehicle in response to the side-impact signal and the occupancy signal only when the second rear seat is unoccupied.

Abstract: A steering wheel assembly for a vehicle includes a steering wheel and an airbag that is supported by the steering wheel. The airbag is inflatable away from the steering wheel in an inflation direction. An airbag tether includes a first end coupled to the steering wheel, and a second end spaced from the first end and coupled to the steering wheel. The airbag is disposed between the steering wheel and the airbag tether. During a frontal impact of the vehicle, the airbag tether may be positioned independent of steering wheel position to restrict inflation of the airbag adjacent a thorax of a driver of the vehicle.

Abstract: An airbag assembly includes a base, an airbag supported by the base and defining an inflation chamber, an external tether, and an internal tether. The airbag includes a panel and an extension extending transverse to the panel. The panel includes an internal surface facing the inflation chamber and an external surface facing away from the inflation chamber. The external tether extends from the extension to the external surface of the panel. The internal tether extends from the base to the internal surface of the panel. During a vehicle impact, the momentum of the occupant may move the occupant towards the extension. The extension may absorb energy from the occupant and reduce or prevent the head of the occupant from sliding across the panel and/or rotating.