Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Abraham G Phillip

Mahmoud Yousef Ghannam

Thomas Lee Miller

Richard W Smith

Kam Hage

Rene A Whelan

A monitoring system for a vehicle having a seat and a restraint with seatbelt webbing includes a webbing length sensor coupled with the restraint, a position sensor, and a processor. The processor is in communication with the webbing length sensor and the position sensor and is programmed to output a signal based on a determination that an extended webbing length is outside an acceptable range of webbing length for an occupant size category assigned using the position sensor.

System and method for seatbelt use monitoring

Restricted operating modes are provided for a motor vehicle when driven by a secondary driver (such as a less experienced driver). A seat occupancy sensor detects the presence of at least one rear seat passenger. A controller includes a memory storing rules defining a restricted operating mode containing a plurality of limitations to be applied to operation of various vehicle accessories in conjunction with the secondary driver. The controller selectively controls the operation of at least one of the accessories according to one of the rules in response to simultaneously detecting the secondary driver and the presence of at least one rear seat passenger. Use of the rules may also depend on whether the rear seat passenger has an unbuckled seat belt.

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Rochester Hills, MI, United States of America

Abraham G Phillip