Patent ID: 7997374

Claim:
A vehicle occupant safety system, comprising: at least one restraint device ( 12 , 14 ) having at least one adjustable parameter, a vehicle seat ( 16 ) having at least one seat sensor ( 20 a - g ) detecting the sitting position of a vehicle occupant ( 42 ), and a weight shift on the part of the vehicle occupant ( 42 ), a seatbelt system ( 22 ) having at least one belt extension sensor ( 30 ) detecting the belt extension length (LG), and a control unit ( 34 ) determining from the values of the sitting position and weight shift of the vehicle occupant from the seat sensor ( 20 a - g ) and a change in the belt extension length (LG) from the belt extension sensor ( 30 ) whether a vehicle occupant ( 42 ) is in a forward-leaning position, the control unit ( 34 ) specifying the value of the adjustable parameter of the restraint device ( 12 , 14 ) as a function of a forward-leaning position of the vehicle occupant ( 42 ).