FORCE SENSING SEAT BELT SENSOR ASSEMBLY

A seat belt sensor assembly comprises a force sensor coupled to a seat belt webbing. The seat belt sensor assembly utilizes force readings from the force sensor indicating a force level above or below a predetermined threshold to determine if an action needs to be taken to control a vehicle system. Such vehicle systems could include, but are not limited to, an autonomous driving control system, an occupant health system, and a motorized seat belt retractor system. Controlling the vehicle systems could include, but is not limited to, sending audio, visual, and/or haptic warnings to vehicle occupants, including, in one embodiment, that the occupant's respiration rate is indicative of a dangerous health condition. The seat belt sensor assembly may be used in combination with a camera-based occupant monitoring system. In one embodiment, the occupant monitoring system can be used to selectively activate/deactivate discrete activation zones of the force sensor.