A SMART SEAT CONCEPT AS AN AID TO VEHICLE SECONDARY SAFETY

The logical extension of existing seatbelt and airbag secondary safety systems for passenger vehicles is to provide intelligent control thereof. The work shown in the paper demonstrates the need for discrete driver/passenger information in order to provide optimal control of: (1) seatbelt pre-tensioning; (2) seatbelt reel - out (post crash pulse); (3) air bag inflation timing and/or rate. System modelling and statistical crash data have shown that such information as occupant mass and position with respect to vehicle interior and steering wheel are important parameters in the optimal control of the above integrated systems. (A) For the covering abstract see IRRD 883972.