Analysis of performance degradation of an active pretensioning seatbelt in a real-world vehicle braking test

This study identified that active pretensioning seatbelt (APS) systems installed in vehicles may exhibit inadequate performance during real-world emergency braking scenarios. It is hypothesized that if the active pretensioning function is triggered after braking has initiated, the retractor may already be locked, restricting the spool rotation and preventing the pretensioning motor from further retracting. These findings highlight the necessity for APS suppliers and vehicle manufacturers to carefully design pretensioning configurations and ensure that the system can effectively retract seatbelt webbing during emergency braking.