Adaptive Vehicle Restraint Suppression for Dynamic Seats
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing restraint systems in vehicles are not adequately configured for dynamic seat configurations and autonomous vehicles, as they assume all seats are forward-facing, leading to potential inefficiencies in collision protection.
Innovation Solution
A system that includes sensors and a processing device to detect potential collisions and adaptively suppress or enable restraint devices based on seat configuration and the likely direction of impact, ensuring only necessary restraint devices are deployed for optimal protection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If restraint systems are designed to deploy for all seat configurations, then collision protection is maximized, but system complexity and false deployment risk increase
Solution Approach 1:
The restraint system transitions from a static deployment design to a dynamic one that automatically adapts to changing seat configurations. Sensors detect seat orientation and dynamically control restraint deployment, allowing the system to optimize protection for each specific configuration without requiring manual intervention or complex mechanical switches.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates sensors that continuously monitor seat configuration and provide feedback to the control unit. This feedback loop enables the restraint system to make real-time deployment decisions based on actual seat positions, ensuring appropriate protection while avoiding false deployments in configurations where restraints are unnecessary or potentially harmful.
2Reliability
If restraint devices are always enabled, then occupant safety is maximized, but energy consumption and system cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of keeping all restraint devices continuously enabled, the system applies partial action by selectively activating only the specific restraints needed for the current seat configuration. This reduces energy consumption and system cost while maintaining adequate safety coverage for the actual occupancy scenario.
3Ease of manufacture
If restraint systems assume forward-facing seats, then system design is simplified, but adaptability to autonomous vehicles and dynamic configurations is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The restraint system is designed with universal adaptability to handle multiple seat configurations including forward-facing, rear-facing, and various autonomous vehicle arrangements. By integrating sensors and a control unit that automatically detect and respond to different configurations, the system eliminates the need for configuration-specific hardware variants while maintaining simplified manufacturing through standardized components.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle has a restraint system with at least two restraint devices. A sensor detects a potential collision object and outputs a signal representing a relative position of the potential collision object to the vehicle. A processing device suppresses deployment of at least one of the restraint devices based at least in part on the signal output by the at least one sensor.