To provide an occupant detection device which can judge the existence/absence and physique of an occupant sitting on the front passenger's seat of an automobile surely.
A high frequency oscillation circuit is connected to six antenna electrodes 29a-29f buried in the seatback of a front passenger's seat and an output current streamed when a human body appoaches to these antenna electrodes 29a-29f is detected. By detecting the position of the head, neck and shoulder of an occupant by comparing the pattern of the output current in response to these six antenna electrodes 29a-29f with first/second threshold values, it is judged whether the occupant is an adult or a child. When the occupant is the child with a low sitting height, the operation of an airbag device is prohibited at the vehicular collision time and also a warning lamp is turned on so that the occupant is moved to a rear seat.
OSHIRODA NOBUHIRO
INO TAKASHI
ISONAGA KAZUMASA
