Motor vehicle with selective airbag suppression based on occupant position and seatbelt usage

A motor vehicle comprising:

• a vehicle body defining a vehicle interior;
• a seatbelt;
• an airbag, wherein the seatbelt and the airbag are positioned in the vehicle interior;
• a sensor suite configured to detect a position of an occupant of the vehicle interior relative to a first airbag suppression zone (ASZ) of the airbag and a second ASZ of the airbag;
• and
• a controller operable for controlling a capacity setting of the airbag, the controller having a first set of inflation logic corresponding to an unbelted status of an occupant of the vehicle interior and a second set of inflation logic corresponding to a belted status of the occupant of the vehicle interior, wherein the controller is programmed to:
• detect a position of the occupant of the vehicle interior relative to a first edge of a first airbag suppression zone (ASZ) of the airbag;
• detect a position of the occupant of the vehicle interior relative to a second edge of a second ASZ of the airbag;
• receive electronic input signals from the sensor suite, the electronic input signals including a seatbelt status signal indicative of a belted/unbelted status of the occupant of the vehicle interior and a position signal indicative of a position of the occupant relative to the ASZ;
• execute the first set of restraint activation logic for the airbag when the occupant is an unbelted occupant and is forward of the first edge relative to the airbag, such that a location of the first ASZ is modified based on the unbelted status and the position of the occupant relative to the first edge;
• and
• execute the second set of restraint activation logic for the airbag when the occupant is a belted occupant and is forward of the second edge relative to the airbag, such that a location of the second ASZ is modified based on the belted status and the position of the occupant relative to the second edge.

A method for controlling an airbag aboard a motor vehicle having a vehicle interior, a sensor suite, and a seatbelt, the method comprising:

• detecting a position of an occupant of the vehicle interior relative to a first airbag suppression zone (ASZ) of the airbag and a second ASZ of the airbag, the first ASZ having a first edge and the second ASZ having a second edge;
• receiving electronic input signals from the sensor suite, the electronic input signals including an occupant position signal indicative of the position of the occupant relative to the first edge and the second edge, and a seatbelt usage signal indicative of a belted/unbelted status of the occupant;
• automatically adjusting a restraint capacity setting of the airbag, via the controller, in response to the electronic input signals such that an airbag deployment decision of the controller is made in a first manner for an unbelted occupant having the unbelted status according to a first set of restraint activation logic based on the location of the occupant relative to the first edge of the first ASZ prior to a predetermined event;
• automatically adjusting a restraint capacity setting of the airbag, via the controller, in response to the electronic input signals such that an airbag deployment decision of the controller is made in a second manner for a belted occupant having the belted status according to a second set of restraint activation logic based on the location of the occupant relative to the second edge of the first ASZ prior to the predetermined event.