Abstract: A system for determining and executing an autonomous-vehicle vehicle travel route, including a hardware-based processing unit and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. The storage medium includes an input-interface module that, when executed by the hardware-based processing unit, obtains factor data indicating factors relevant to determining a vehicle travel route. The storage medium also includes a route-generation module comprising a route-complexity sub-module. The route-complexity sub-module determines, based on the factor data, route-complexity indexes corresponding to respective optional routes. The route-generation module determines the vehicle travel route based on the route-complexity indexes. The storage in various embodiments includes other sub-modules associated with other elements, such as autonomous-driving safety, comfort, stress, pollution, scenery, or infrastructure-accessibility, for determining and executing an autonomous-driving travel route.

Abstract: Adaptive seatbelt systems and methods are provided for adjusting the position of a seatbelt relative to an occupant. An adaptive seatbelt system for a vehicle includes a seat. A belt is configured to restrain an occupant in the seat. An anchor point along the belt is provided at an elevated position. An actuator raises or lowers the anchor point relative to the seat. A controller receives an input signal containing occupant identifying information and biometric data corresponding to occupant identification data. A processor compares the occupant identifying information to occupant identification data to verify an occupant's identity. The processor may determine an optimal comfort height or an optimal restraint height for the third anchor point based on the biometric data. The actuator adjusts the anchor point to the optimal comfort height or to the optimal restraint height in response to signals from the processor.

Abstract: A kit for securing cargo within an interior of a vehicle is provided. The vehicle has an occupant restraint system including a coupling member. The kit includes a harness having at least one connecting ring. The harness is configured to hold the cargo. The kit includes a first strap having a first connector at a first end releasably coupled to the coupling member and a second connector at a second end coupled to the at least one connecting ring. The kit includes an energy absorbing element defined on the strap between the first end and the second end. The energy absorbing element is deformable to absorb a force acting on the cargo.

Abstract: Adaptive seatbelt systems and methods are provided for adjusting the position of a seatbelt relative to an occupant. An adaptive seatbelt system for a vehicle includes a seat. A belt is configured to restrain an occupant in the seat. An anchor point along the belt is provided at an elevated position. An actuator raises or lowers the anchor point relative to the seat. A controller receives an input signal containing occupant identifying information and biometric data corresponding to occupant identification data. A processor compares the occupant identifying information to occupant identification data to verify an occupant's identity. The processor may determine an optimal comfort height or an optimal restraint height for the third anchor point based on the biometric data. The actuator adjusts the anchor point to the optimal comfort height or to the optimal restraint height in response to signals from the processor.

Abstract: A kit for securing cargo within an interior of a vehicle is provided. The vehicle has an occupant restraint system including a coupling member. The kit includes a harness having at least one connecting ring. The harness is configured to hold the cargo. The kit includes a first strap having a first connector at a first end releasably coupled to the coupling member and a second connector at a second end coupled to the at least one connecting ring. The kit includes an energy absorbing element defined on the strap between the first end and the second end. The energy absorbing element is deformable to absorb a force acting on the cargo.

Abstract: A system implemented at a user structure, to monitor a tracked object using a three-body arrangement including the user, a tracked object, and a controlling apparatus. The system has a data storage device including user-presence module code causing a processor to determine, based on wireless sensing, whether the user has entered a first space having a boundary external to the user structure, or has left the space. Object-presence module code causes the processor to determine, based on tracked-object-presence data, whether the tracked object is within a second space. And the storage device includes alert-module code to, in response to determining that, depending on the embodiment, (i) the user entered or exited the first space and (ii) the tracked object is or is not present within the second space, initiate provision of a system-user alert communication to indicate that the tracked object is not present within the second sensed space.

Abstract: A system for determining and executing an autonomous-vehicle vehicle travel route, including a hardware-based processing unit and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. The storage medium includes an input-interface module that, when executed by the hardware-based processing unit, obtains factor data indicating factors relevant to determining a vehicle travel route. The storage medium also includes a route-generation module comprising a route-complexity sub-module. The route-complexity sub-module determines, based on the factor data, route-complexity indexes corresponding to respective optional routes. The route-generation module determines the vehicle travel route based on the route-complexity indexes. The storage in various embodiments includes other sub-modules associated with other elements, such as autonomous-driving safety, comfort, stress, pollution, scenery, or infrastructure-accessibility, for determining and executing an autonomous-driving travel route.

Abstract: A system implemented at a user structure, to monitor a tracked object using a three-body arrangement including the user, a tracked object, and a controlling apparatus. The system has a data storage device including user-presence module code causing a processor to determine, based on wireless sensing, whether the user has entered a first space having a boundary external to the user structure, or has left the space. Object-presence module code causes the processor to determine, based on tracked-object-presence data, whether the tracked object is within a second space. And the storage device includes alert-module code to, in response to determining that, depending on the embodiment, (i) the user entered or exited the first space and (ii) the tracked object is or is not present within the second space, initiate provision of a system-user alert communication to indicate that the tracked object is not present within the second sensed space.

Abstract: A system and method for optimizing various vehicle safety systems, such as airbags and seat belt load tensioning limiters, for a particular occupant of a vehicle seat, such as the vehicle driver or passenger, based on the weight of the occupant and the fore-aft position of the seat. The method senses the mass of the occupant and the position of the seat and classifies the combination of the mass and position. The method then determines the optimized setting of the safety systems for that combination classification, and automatically sets the safety systems to that setting. The method can also determine the optimized setting of the safety systems based on whether the occupant is wearing a seat belt.

Abstract: A method and system for recognizing and verifying the identity of a driver and front seat passenger of a vehicle. A vehicle owner uploads profile data for several individuals who may be a driver or passenger to a database in the vehicle. When a driver or passenger enters the vehicle, the system uses the profile data—which can include height, weight, and gender information about the individual—along with vehicle data such as seat position, to identify the driver or passenger from the database. The profile data for the known individual is then used to adjust the position of the seat and other components in the cockpit. The profile data is also used by various safety and convenience systems onboard the vehicle.

Abstract: A system and method for optimizing various vehicle safety systems, such as airbags and seat belt load tensioning limiters, for a particular occupant of a vehicle seat, such as the vehicle driver or passenger, based on the weight of the occupant and the fore-aft position of the seat. The method senses the mass of the occupant and the position of the seat and classifies the combination of the mass and position. The method then determines the optimized setting of the safety systems for that combination classification, and automatically sets the safety systems to that setting. The method can also determine the optimized setting of the safety systems based on whether the occupant is wearing a seat belt.

Abstract: A system and method for detecting the position of the head and/or eye of a driver of an automobile and automatically adjusting the position of the steering wheel based on the head and/or eye position in order to provide the driver with an optimized view of the instrumentation panel and road. The system and method utilizes the vehicle parameters, driver parameters, and various settings to determine the proper position of the steering wheel including the height, proximity to driver, and tilt angle of the steering wheel. The system may also adjust the height and/or length of the steering column in order to adjust and provide the proper position of the steering wheel.

Abstract: A vehicle hood assembly includes a first panel member, a second panel member, and a third panel member disposed between the first panel member and the second panel member. The third panel member includes a corrugated body. The third panel member defines a plurality of panel perforations extending through the corrugated body in order to attenuate kinetic energy imparted to the hood assembly.

Abstract: A vehicle hood assembly includes a first panel member, a second panel member, and a third panel member disposed between the first panel member and the second panel member. The third panel member includes a corrugated body. The third panel member defines a plurality of panel perforations extending through the corrugated body in order to attenuate kinetic energy imparted to the hood assembly.

Abstract: An airbag assembly includes an housing, an inflator mounted in the housing, and an airbag. A vent opening is provided in the wall of the housing for venting inflation gas from the housing. A vent cover closes the vent opening so that inflation gas does not reach the vent opening. A valve member also closes the vent cover and is selectively moveable by an electric actuator to adapt the valve member to a selected degree of closure in response to sensed conditions of the occupant and the vehicle. A tether is connected to the airbag and to the vent cover to suddenly open the vent cover as the airbag reaches a certain stage in its deployment, so that the rate at which inflation gas is vented from the housing through the vent opening will be determined by the previously established selected degree of closure of the vent opening.

Abstract: A method and system are provided for planning a route for a vehicle from a starting point to a destination. The method includes the steps of generating a plurality of routes based on a non-safety factor; evaluating the plurality of routes based on a safety factor; selecting a first route from the plurality of routes based on the safety factor; generating driving instructions based on the first route; displaying the first route on a display device.

Abstract: A system and method for classifying the optimization of safety features on a vehicle for a driver of the vehicle based on the height and mass of the driver. The method includes determining a number of basic driver sizes based on driver height and mass and determining a driver's seat position for each basic driver height. The method also identifies a set of tunable design variables that are used to adjust the safety features of the vehicle and performs design optimization analysis to identify an optimal design for the vehicle safety features for each of the basic driver sizes. The method then identifies the design from the optimal designs that provides the best performance for randomly selected reference drivers and classifies all drivers into a predetermined number of classifications where each classification represents a particular optimal design.

Abstract: A system and method for detecting the position of the head and/or eye of a driver of an automobile and automatically adjusting the position of the steering wheel based on the head and/or eye position in order to provide the driver with an optimized view of the instrumentation panel and road. The system and method utilizes the vehicle parameters, driver parameters, and various settings to determine the proper position of the steering wheel including the height, proximity to driver, and tilt angle of the steering wheel. The system may also adjust the height and/or length of the steering column in order to adjust and provide the proper position of the steering wheel.

Abstract: An airbag assembly includes an housing, an inflator mounted in the housing, and an airbag. A vent opening is provided in the wall of the housing for venting inflation gas from the housing. A vent cover closes the vent opening so that inflation gas does not reach the vent opening. A valve member also closes the vent cover and is selectively moveable by an electric actuator to adapt the valve member to a selected degree of closure in response to sensed conditions of the occupant and the vehicle. A tether is connected to the airbag and to the vent cover to suddenly open the vent cover as the airbag reaches a certain stage in its deployment, so that the rate at which inflation gas is vented from the housing through the vent opening will be determined by the previously established selected degree of closure of the vent opening.

Abstract: A vehicle includes at least one reconfigurable system having a plurality of selectively variable parameters, and a controller that is operatively connected to the at least one reconfigurable system to control the values of the plurality of selectively variable parameters. The controller is also configured to receive data indicative of physical characteristics of a person from at least one data storage medium, and configured to determine values of the selectively variable parameters according to a predetermined algorithm based on the data indicative of physical characteristics of a person. The controller is also configured to cause the selectively variable parameters to assume the determined values.