Abstract: A seatbelt apparatus includes a first pretensioner for winding a webbing to a retractor by a predetermined tension, a second pretensioner for applying a tension to the webbing in an emergency to restrain a passenger finally, a brake-pedal stroke sensor for detecting a manipulated amount of a brake pedal, a laser radar for detecting an obstacle in front of a vehicle and a first controller for controlling the tension by the first pretensioner in accordance with at least one of a tension control based on the detection data by the brake-pedal stroke sensor and another tension control based on the detection data by the laser radar. In operation, under the tension control based on detection data by the brake-pedal stroke sensor, the first controller allows the first pretensioner to always operate when it is judged that the vehicle is braking in an emergency. Under the tension control based on detection data by the laser radar, the first controller allows the first pretensioner to operate selectively.

Abstract: A seatbelt apparatus includes a deceleration detecting sensor for detecting a decelerating state of a vehicle and a controller for controlling the drive of a motor for the seatbelt apparatus corresponding to a detected value of the deceleration detecting sensor. The controller is provided with a correcting unit for correcting the detected value of the deceleration detecting sensor in anticipation of the future so as to advance the operational timing of the motor. By advancing the judgment timing for urgency so that the operational timing of the motor is hastened, it is possible to restrain a passenger's body in an emergency certainly without enhancing a restraining force of a webbing unnecessarily.

Abstract: A seatbelt apparatus is provided to apply a proper restrictive feeling on passengers, corresponding to traveling condition of a vehicle. In the seatbelt apparatus, on receipt of detection signals from a fore-and-aft acceleration sensor 97 and a left-and-right acceleration sensor 99, a controller 101 controls respective tensions of seatbelts for driver seat and assistant driver's seat individually. Owing to the controller 101, it is established at a vehicle's breaking to make a seatbelt tension of the assistant driver's seat larger than that of the driver seat. When the vehicle is turning, it is carried out to make a seatbelt tension of the driver seat larger than that of the assistant driver's seat.

Abstract: A wheel suspension arrangement for a wheel carrier including a suspension spring and a hydraulic actuator has a valve controlling the actuator. A stroke sensor detects the position of the wheel carrier relative to the vehicle body, and an acceleration sensor detects the vertical component of acceleration of the vehicle body adjacent the wheel and provide signals to a controller, which derives force components acting on the vehicle body by the suspension spring and actuator, respectively. The controller derives a modified combined force acting on the body out of the force components and determines a force counterbalancing the modified combined force, and controls the valve to cause the actuiator to vary the force acting between the associated wheel carrier and the vehicle body by the force counterbalancing the modified combined force.

Abstract: An apparatus for estimating vibration input to be transferred from a road surface to a suspension device of a vehicle. The apparatus converts stroke displacement values (S.sub.FL, S.sub.FR) detected by stroke sensor (27FL, 27FR) arranged on locations near the front wheels into stroke speed values (S.sub.VFL, S.sub.VFR) by differentiating circuits (41a, 41b) including a high-pass filer whose cutoff frequency (f.sub.HC) is set at substantially twice the spring-bottom resonance frequency (20 Hz, for example). The apparatus further converts body work vertical acceleration values (Z.sub.GFL, Z.sub.GFR) detected by vertical acceleration sensors (28FL, 28FR) arranged on locations near the front wheels into spring-top speed values (Z.sub.VFL, Z.sub.VFR) by integrating circuits (41c, 41d) including a low-pass filter whose cutoff frequency (f.sub.LC) is set at nearly one sixth of the spring-top resonance frequency (0.2 Hz, for example).