Motor vehicle with driving safety feature

• US 9,527,407 B2
• Filed: 04/05/2012
• Issued: 12/27/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Inventors: Erlacher, Markus, Berger, Christian, Krger, Torsten
• Primary Examiner(s): Alharbi, Adam
• Application Number:
  US13/440,439
• Publication Number:
  US 20130096779A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,727 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0276 reaction to emergency situations, e.g. crash
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/015 including means for detecting the presence or position of passengers, passenger seats or child seats , and the related safety parameters therefor, e.g. speed or timing of airbag inflation in relation to occupant position or seat belt use
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/48 Control systems, alarms, or interlock systems, for the correct application of the belt or harness

Abstract

A motor vehicle including at least one driving safety system which provides a safety feature during travel, and a control device, wherein the control device is configured to determine a first information commensurate with the proper functioning of the at least one driving safety system and to actuate at least a driver side device for adjusting the seat position and/or at least a driver side belt tensioner when the at least one driving safety system malfunctions.

Claims

1. A motor vehicle, comprising:

a driving safety system providing a motor vehicle driving safety feature;

a control device for determining a first information commensurate with a proper operation of the driving safety system; and

an adjustment device for adjusting a driver and/or a passenger seat position and/or belt tensioner in the motor vehicle,

wherein said control device being configured to actuate the adjustment device, when determining a malfunction of the driving safety system,

wherein said adjustment device being configured to adjust the seat position and/or belt tension, when being actuated by the control device;

wherein the control device is configured to determine a second information commensurate with the presence of an engaged gear or engaged transmission stage and to actuate the adjustment device by additionally considering the second information; and

wherein the control device is configured to actuate the adjustment device in response to the first information indicating a malfunction of the driving safety system and to the second information indicating that a gear or transmission stage is engaged.

2. The motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein the control device is configured to determine a third information commensurate with a driving state of the motor vehicle and to actuate the adjustment device by additionally considering the third information.

3. The motor vehicle of claim 2, wherein the control device is configured to actuate the adjustment device in response to the first information indicating a malfunction of the driving safety system and to the third information indicating the driving state.

4. The motor vehicle of claim 3, wherein the driving state involves forward driving.

5. The motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein the control device is configured to determine a fourth information commensurate with the presence of a possible obstacle in vicinity of the motor vehicle and to actuate the adjustment device by additionally considering the fourth information.

6. The motor vehicle of claim 5, wherein the control device is configured to actuate the adjustment device in response to the first information indicating a malfunction of the driving safety system and to the fourth information indicating the presence of a possible obstacle.

7. The motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein the control device is configured to determine a fifth information commensurate with the presence of a current or prospective potentially hazardous climatic condition in relation to an actual position of the motor vehicle and to actuate the adjustment device by additionally considering the fifth information.

8. The motor vehicle of claim 7, wherein the climatic condition involves slippery road surface, snowfall, rain in relation to an actual position of the motor vehicle.

9. The motor vehicle of claim 7, wherein the control device is configured to actuate the adjustment device in response to the first information indicating a malfunction of the driving safety system and to the fifth information indicating the potential of a hazardous climatic condition.

10. The motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein the driving safety system includes an antilock device, electronic stability program, and active steering.

17. The motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein the control device is configured for determining a plurality of informations of different priorities commensurate with a proper operation of the driving safety system, and for actuating the adjustment device, when determining a malfunction of the driving safety system of a higher priority.

11. A method for adjusting a position of a seat and/or a belt tensioner of a motor vehicle, comprising:

determining a first information commensurate with a proper operation of a driving safety system of the motor vehicle providing a motor vehicle driving safety feature;

with a control device of the motor vehicle;

actuating an adjustment device of the motor vehicle for adjusting a driver and/or a passenger seat position and/or a belt tensioner in the motor vehicle, by the control device when the control device indicates a malfunction of the driving safety system;

adjusting the position of the seat and/or the belt tensioner by the adjustment device when the adjustment device is actuated by the control device;

determining a second information commensurate with the presence of an engaged gear or engaged transmission stage, wherein the second information is taken into account when adjusting the position of the seat and/or the driver-side belt tensioner; and

wherein the adjustment device is actuated by the control device when the second information indicates that a gear or transmission stage is engaged.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising determining a third information commensurate with a driving state of the motor vehicle, wherein the third information is taken into account when adjusting the position of the seat and/or the driver-side belt tensioner.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the driving state involves forward driving.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising determining a fourth information commensurate with the presence of a possible obstacle in vicinity of the motor vehicle, wherein the wherein the fourth information is taken into account when adjusting the position of the seat and/or the driver-side belt tensioner.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising determining a fifth information commensurate with the presence of a current or prospective potentially hazardous climatic condition with regard to a current position of the motor vehicle, wherein the fifth information is taken into account when adjusting the position of the seat and/or the driver-side belt tensioner.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the climatic condition involves slippery road surface, snowfall, rain in relation to an actual position of the motor vehicle.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising determining a plurality of information of different priorities commensurate with a proper operation of a driving safety system of the motor vehicle, actuating an adjustment device of the motor vehicle for adjusting a seat position and/or a belt tensioner by the control device when the control device indicates a malfunction of the driving safety system of a higher priority.