Patent ID: 8417421

Claim:
An electronic system in a vehicle having a radio, for inducing to induce the occupants of the vehicle to fasten seat belts, said electronic system comprising the radio of the vehicle having a volume control, with the electronic system being configured to: determine an alert condition indicating that a seat belt has not been fastened or has not been properly fastened by at least one occupant of the vehicle; allow the vehicle radio to operate even when said alert condition is present; and for as long as said alert condition persists, control the volume of the vehicle radio so that it does not exceed predetermined low volume level regardless of attempts to set the volume control higher than said predetermined low volume level, with control of the volume to no more than the predetermined low volume level comprising a condition of at least one of: a) if the vehicle radio is on and the volume of the vehicle radio is higher than the low volume level, the control comprising lowering the volume of the vehicle radio to said low volume level; b) if the vehicle radio is on and the volume of the vehicle radio is lower than or equal to said low volume level, the control comprising limiting an increase of the volume of the vehicle radio by a user above said low volume level; c) if the vehicle radio is off, the control comprising setting the volume of the vehicle radio to the low volume level when the vehicle radio is turned on by the user; d) if the vehicle radio is on, the control comprising inhibiting any adjustment of the volume of the vehicle radio by the user; and e) if the vehicle radio is on, the control comprising allowing the user to lower the volume of the vehicle radio, and limiting an increase of the volume of the vehicle radio by the user above said low volume level.