United States Department of Transportation
i
Performance Assessment of Prototype Seat Belt Misuse Detection System
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2018-10-01
[PDF-3.62 MB]
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Edition:Final Report
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Abstract:Seat belt interlock systems may be an effective means of increasing seat belt use in light vehicles. A seat belt interlock system determines if a vehicle occupant is not wearing the seat belt properly and, if seat belt misuse is detected, takes some action to limit the operation of the vehicle. In 2016, NHTSA funded a project to develop a prototype system that could accomplish the seat belt misuse detection function of a seat belt interlock system. This report describes the testing of the resultant prototype seat belt misuse detection system to assess its performance in detecting improper seat belt use and summarizes the results. The prototype system was tested by having a set of 34 individuals sit in the front driver and passenger seats and manipulate the seat belts in specific ways while the system response was observed and recorded. The prototype system correctly identified seat belt misuse in 95 percent of trials on average across multiple common seat belt misuse scenarios. Five percent of misuse trials were incorrectly identified as proper seat belt use. Correct identification of proper seat belt use (M0) was seen in 97.5 percent of trials overall, or 100 percent of passenger seat trials and 95 percent of driver seat trials. A minor difference in performance was seen between the driver seat and front passenger seat and was attributed to differences in prototype parts that would be remedied in a production system. It is reasonable to believe that system performance could be improved through additional testing with additional occupants of various sizes to further develop the algorithms used to determine seat belt misuse. It is surmised that modifications to the system’s algorithm logic could also be implemented to increase the system’s ability to identify seat belt misuse and occupant attempts to defeat a seat belt interlock system. Existing compliance test procedures for brake transmission shift interlock systems and low-speed vehicles can be adapted for application to seat belt interlock systems. A possible test procedure approach was outlined in this report.
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Content Notes:Mazzae, E. N., Baldwin, G. H. S., & Andrella, A. T. (2018, October). Performance assessment of prototype seat belt misuse detection system (Report No. DOT HS 812 593). Washington, DC: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
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