Tech Briefs
Safety and comfort on the road

Vehicle-mounted sensors learn and monitor driver behavior and deliver a warning if a driver falls asleep. A series of sensors determine passenger locations, positions, and seatbelt status. A driver can activate the seat's electronic vibrating motors to reduce fatigue through controls that are accessed on the door panel.

In the near future, drowsy drivers may be nudged awake automatically by the vibration of their seats. Parents may check a car's instrument-panel display to ensure that their kids are safely buckled up. All vehicle occupants may get added crash protection thanks to inflatable seatbelts. And once the driver is awake, the kids are safe, and an accident is avoided, the driver's seat may provide a massage.

These features were introduced as part of a concept interior for a specially equipped 2000 Lincoln LS that Johnson Controls debuted at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in January. "With this interior, we show that consumers seeking advanced safety features don't have to compromise on comfort," said Michael Suman, Group Vice President of Advanced Sales, Marketing, and Business Development-Worldwide for Johnson Controls.

On the safety front, the safety-comfort concept vehicle features a driver-drowsiness detection and alert system that uses vehicle-mounted sensors and a microprocessor to learn and monitor driver behavior and deliver a warning if a driver begins to nod off. A variety of alert signals can be used, including lights, sound, and/or seat vibration. The concept's occupant-sensing technology uses a series of sensors in the vehicle to determine occupant locations, positions, and seat-belt status. Data are shown on a video display in the instrument panel and delivered to the vehicle airbag control system.

The vehicle also has PSI, Johnson Control's pressure safety information system that uses radio frequencies to monitor pressure in all four tires continuously. Information is then displayed on the overhead console. If the system detects an out-of-range tire pressure, the driver will receive an audible alert and visible identification of the troubled tire.

Inflatable seatbelts are installed in all three rear-seat positions. A tube within the shoulder portion of each seatbelt inflates upon impact, holding occupants in their seats and offering head, neck, and torso protection. The concept also featured dual-stage airbags for the driver and front-seat passenger as well as "anti-whiplash" seats that absorb energy in a rear-end collision to reduce the risk of whiplash injuries.

For enhanced comfort, the vehicle features a driver's seat with a massage function, four-way lumbar support, and integrated climate control for heating, cooling, and ventilation. The driver's massage seat features a series of electronic, vibrating motors positioned in key areas. A controller delivers massage action on demand. For the front passenger, an "intelligent" self-adjusting comfort seat is offered. It provides four-way lumbar support and a power headrest. The seat relies on computer control to offer automatic contour adjustment in critical comfort zones. Using data from sensors and integrated software, the computer activates a series of strategically located air cells within the seat to optimize comfort, based on the occupant's weight, size, shape, and sitting position.

Designers and engineers at Johnson Controls created the safety-comfort concept vehicle to achieve a fully integrated design. In developing the concept, every aspect of the interior was considered, including acoustics, seating, electronics, sensor devices, airbags, overhead system, instrument panel, door panels, floor consoles, and other interior trim and features.

"This concept interior demonstrates real-world applications of Johnson Controls' products and technologies," said Suman. He added that consumers, and especially buyers of luxury cars, put priorities in both vehicle safety and comfort. Results from the latest J. D. Power and Associates research, the 1999 Automotive Performance and Layout (APEAL) study, indicate that eight of the top 10 features car buyers want in a new vehicle relate to safety. And consumers polled in studies conducted by Johnson Controls consistently have identified interior comfort and safety as major, new-vehicle purchase considerations, according to Suman.

At this year's NAIAS, the safety-comfort concept vehicle was one of five major prototypes exhibited by Johnson Controls. The other concepts focused on electronics integration, flexible vehicle interiors, and acoustics technologies.

Jean L. Broge