Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Hubert Szawarski

Manoharprasad K Rao

Mark Anthony Cuddihy

Jialiang Le

Robert William McCoy

Yeruva Satya Reddy

Tyler Glenn

Gyu Myeong Joh

Jun Lin

Carla Ann Gale

Thomas Overbeck

Saed Ehsani

Arlindo Rocha

Craig Pattinson

A vehicle seating assembly comprises a seat including a back having an array of at least two electrodes arranged in the back such that a master electrode has an electric field being greater than an electric field of each of the other electrodes within the array to detect a total change in capacitance from the array. A controller is responsive to a change in capacitance calculated from the master electrode being greater than a first threshold and each of the other electrodes in the array being greater than a second threshold and outputs occupant movement data indicative of a first status of the seat to a vehicle control sub-system.

Occupant position detection with active electric field sensor

A motor vehicle secondary hood latch release mechanism comprises a striker, a primary hood latch, and a secondary hood latch. A remote secondary hood latch release device actuates the secondary hood latch only after a primary hood latch switch provides a signal to the controller indicating that the primary hood latch is in the disengaged position. A hood sensor provides a signal when the hood has been lifted to the open condition. The controller actuates the secondary hood latch to the disengaged position for a prescribed period of time upon actuation of a vehicle system input device, and thereafter the controller actuates the secondary hood latch to the engaged position upon the earlier of expiration of the prescribed time or the hood sensor providing the signal to the controller that the hood has been lifted to the open condition.

Remote secondary hood latch release

A computer is programmed to identify first and second regions of an image representing a seatbelt, actuate an output device to deliver a first output upon detecting an absence of the seatbelt in the first region and in the second region, and actuate the output device to deliver a second output upon detecting an absence of the seatbelt in the first region and a presence of the seatbelt in the second region.

Seatbelt buckling detection

An airbag includes folds with each fold having an apex and limbs. The limbs extend from the apex to the limbs of an adjacent fold. A fastener is fixed to the folds and releasably connects the folds to each other.

Door mounted airbag assembly with concave surface

A vehicle includes a front seating assembly and a rear seating assembly. An occupant sensor senses occupancy of the front seating assembly. A proximity sensor senses an object in a footwell behind the front seating assembly. A rear door sensor senses the opening of a rear door. A controller activates an actuator to move the front seating assembly forward based on the sensed occupancy, a sensed object, and sensed door opening. A method of controlling a vehicle seating assembly includes the steps of: sensing the front seating assembly is unoccupied with the occupant sensor; detecting in the footwell behind the front seating assembly with the proximity sensor; sensing a rear door position with the door sensor; and moving the front seating assembly forward when the front seating assembly is unoccupied, an object is in the footwell, and the rear door is in an open position.

Method of controlling a vehicle seating assembly

A computer that includes memory that stores instructions executable by a processor. The computer may be programmed to: receive image data that includes a vehicle seat and an occupant within a vehicle cabin; determine, using the received data, an orientation of the seat and an orientation of the occupant; and perform a vehicle function based on the determination.

Monitoring a vehicle cabin

A vehicle door assembly includes a primary door body having a receiver, a removable interior door panel and a retainer. That retainer secures the removable interior door panel to the receiver. A related method of enhancing the ease of ingress and egress from a motor vehicle is also disclosed.

Vehicle door assembly with removable door panel for easy ingress and egress

A controller for a vehicle includes a processor and a memory storing processor-executable instructions. The processor of the controller is programmed to receive a side-impact signal representing a collision to a side of the vehicle, receive an occupancy signal indicating that a first rear seat of the vehicle is occupied, and send an output control signal to deploy an airbag between a front seat adjacent the side of the vehicle and a second rear seat adjacent the side of the vehicle in response to the side-impact signal and the occupancy signal only when the second rear seat is unoccupied.

Airbag controller and method

A vehicle driver interface eliminates the need for the direct driver selection of a park mode. Instead, a park mechanism is automatically engaged in response to either a transition into an ignition Off state, or detection of the absence of a driver. The park mechanism is released in response to selection of a drive mode, which can be either a forward drive mode or a reverse drive mode. To permit idling with the driver present, an electronic park brake is automatically engaged when the vehicle comes to a stop in a drive mode, and is automatically released when the driver taps the accelerator pedal. A stay-in-neutral mode overrides the automatic engagement of the park mechanism or the electronic parking brake to permit operations such as towing the vehicle.

Driver interface with inferred park logic

A vehicle and a fuel filler assembly may be provided. The fuel filler assembly may include a housing, a panel assembly, and a sensor assembly. The panel assembly may be carried by the housing and may include a door and a hinge extending from the door. The hinge may have indicia disposed thereon and the sensor assembly may be configured to provide a signal indicative of a location of the indicia relative to the housing.

Vehicle fuel filler assembly

A vehicle system includes a sensor that outputs an impact signal and a processing device that is programmed to calculate an acceleration envelope from the impact signal, determine a number of times the impact signal crosses a predetermined threshold, and determine whether the impact signal represents a pedestrian impact. Whether the impact is a pedestrian impact is based at least in part on the acceleration envelope and the number of times the impact signal crosses the predetermined threshold.

Two dimensional pedestrian impact sensing

A lighted vehicle bin assembly that activates a light source based on motion and recalibrates a sensor is provided. The lighted vehicle bin assembly includes a vehicle storage bin, a light source arranged to illuminate the bin, and a proximity sensor for sensing an object in the bin based on a sensor signal relative to a threshold. The lighted vehicle bin assembly also includes a controller that activates the light source when the sensor signal exceeds a threshold and recalibrates the sensor when the sensor signal exceeds the threshold for a time period.

Lighted vehicle bin assembly and method of calibrating same

A system for detecting an alignment of a sensor mounted on a vehicle and a method of making the same is disclosed. The system includes a vehicle windshield having the sensor mounted thereto at a predetermined location. At least one conductive strip is included having a first and a second end, wherein the conductive strip is attached to the windshield. The system further includes at least one conductive point disposed between the windshield and the sensor and mounted at the first and the second end. The conductive point establishes a closed circuit between the conductive strip and the sensor so long as the sensor is mounted to the windshield at the predetermined location. Upon displacement of the sensor from the predetermined location, an open circuit occurs between the conductive strip and the conductive point. Accordingly, the sensor generates signals indicating the misalignment of the sensor.

Growing community of inventors

Waterford, MI, United States of America

Hubert Szawarski