6: Passenger Seat Occupancy Detector

R50, R52, R53
Seat-Occupancy Detector, Passenger

Installation location
The seat occupancy detector is located in the seat cushion of the passenger seat.

Seat Occupancy Mat:

Key Explanation
1 Seat-occupancy mat with pressure sensors

Construction
The seat occupancy mat is integrated into the seat cushion of the passenger seat. The seat occupancy mat consists of conductors and pressure sensors. The conductors are connected to the electronic evaluation unit.

How it works
The seat-occupancy mat used for the seat-occupancy detector is able to distinguish between a child seated in a rearward-facing child seat (as defined by law) from a light, grown-up person.
The pressure sensors in the conductors can be individually read. An increased mechanical load on a sensor reduces the electrical resistance. The measurement current changes.
An evaluation of the individual sensors generates an image of the area occupied and local centres of gravity. The distances between the areas and centres of gravity indicate whether the seat is occupied by a person or a child seat.

Person Vs Child Seat:

Key Explanation
1 Surface pressure created by a person
2 Surface pressure created by a child seat

The electronic evaluation unit sends a message to the MRS control unit (via the K-bus).