Skoda has applied for a patent for the world's first illuminated seat belt buckle, which is designed to "eliminate the hassle and tedium of trying to fasten your seat belt at night." As part of the company's "Simply Clever" feature, the buckle glows red until it turns green when the belt is buckled.
This system uses a clear plastic button instead of the traditional red, while internal LED lights illuminate the belt buckle. A crystal pattern in the plastic diffuses light so that the entire button appears to glow, and the clasp can be programmed with an animated welcome sequence to help passengers identify it in the dark.
When a passenger sits on the seat, the weight sensor on the seat base will recognize the presence of the passenger and the red LED light will light up. This indicates that passengers should fasten their seat belts, but it also shows very clearly if a passenger forgets to fasten their seat belt or does not buckle it correctly.
Once the button is fastened, the green LED light will signal that it has been fastened successfully, and then the light will turn white. This will also help passengers see the seat belt buckle when trying to unbuckle it at the end of the journey.
The smart seat belt buckle is one of many features created by ?KODA under the "Simply Clever" program to make the lives of owners and drivers easier, safer and more enjoyable. In 2019, the company filed 94 patent applications.
The list of patent-protected ?KODA innovations has now been expanded to include carpet mats made from hollow fiber fabric. This material is designed to be easier to clean and hide any dirt better. Likewise, Skoda has patented a "flexible cargo snake" that can be used to secure boxes, crates and other items more securely along with other luggage.
And these patents are not just designed for use in cars. The company has also patented a series of innovations for its factories, including a production line camera system that can precisely align body parts before welding. This system uses four cameras to determine the position of the car body and adjust the path of the welding robot, aiming to make the entire welding process faster and more accurate.
"The buckle is just one of many features designed, engineered and engineered in-house at Skoda," a company statement reads. "Every year, the brand submits a large number of patent applications for ideas and systems to make the lives of car owners and drivers easier, safer and more enjoyable."
This article comes from the author of Autohome Chejiahao , does not represent the views and positions of Autohome.