Description:TECHNICAL FIELD
[001] This disclosure relates generally to vehicular safety systems, and more particularly to a method and a system for providing safety to an occupant of a vehicle.
BACKGROUND
[002] Sunroofs have become a popular feature in modern vehicles, offering occupants the opportunity to enjoy natural light and fresh air while traveling. However, the use of sunroofs presents safety risks, particularly when occupants engage in unsafe behaviors such as protruding their bodies through a sunroof opening while the vehicle is in motion.
[003] It is a common occurrence to witness individuals, including children, poking out of sunroofs while the vehicle is being driven at high speeds. This practice poses significant dangers, as occupants exposed through sunroofs are at risk of sustaining severe injuries in the event of collisions or crashes. Impact forces during such incidents may cause occupants to be ejected from the vehicle or suffer traumatic injuries to their body and faces due to contact with external objects.
[004] Existing safety measures for sunroofs typically rely on manual intervention by occupants or driver vigilance to ensure safe usage. However, these approaches are often ineffective in preventing risky behaviors, as occupants may disregard safety precautions or fail to recognize hazardous situations.
[005] Therefore, there is a requirement to enhance safety measures for occupants by implementing disclosed method and system that automatically detect occupant at the sunroof and provide safety to mitigate the risks associated with sunroof usage.
SUMMARY
[006] In one embodiment, a method for providing safety to an occupant of a vehicle is disclosed. The method may include detecting a presence of the occupant in a sunroof area of the vehicle. The method may further include determining, upon detecting the presence of the occupant, one of: a first condition, comprising a speed of the vehicle being greater than a first threshold limit, a second condition, comprising the speed of the vehicle being greater than a second threshold limit, a third condition, comprising the speed of the vehicle being greater than a third threshold limit. Further, the method may include performing one of: generating warning to a driver, upon determining the first condition, activating a safe driving mode, upon determining the second condition, or switching-OFF an engine, upon determining the third condition.
[007] In another embodiment, a system for providing safety to an occupant of a vehicle is disclosed. The system may include a controller and a memory coupled to the controller. The memory may store a set of instructions, which, on execution, may cause the controller to detect a presence of the occupant in a sunroof area of the vehicle. The controller may further determine, upon detecting the presence of the occupant, one of: a first condition, comprising a speed of the vehicle being greater than a first threshold limit, a second condition, comprising the speed of the vehicle being greater than a second threshold limit, a third condition, comprising the speed of the vehicle being greater than a third threshold limit. Further, the controller may perform one of: generate warning to a driver, upon determining the first condition, activate a safe driving mode, upon determining the second condition, or switch-OFF an engine, upon determining the third condition.
[008] In yet another embodiment, a vehicle comprising a controller is disclosed. The vehicle may further include a memory coupled to the controller. The memory may store a set of instructions, which, on execution, may cause the controller to detect a presence of the occupant in the sunroof area of the vehicle via a sensor. The controller may further determine, upon detecting the presence of the occupant, one of: a first condition, comprising a speed of the vehicle being greater than a first threshold limit, a second condition, comprising the speed of the vehicle being greater than a second threshold limit, a third condition, comprising the speed of the vehicle being greater than a third threshold limit. Further, the controller may perform one of: generate warning to a driver, upon determining the first condition, activate a safe driving mode, upon determining the second condition, or switch-OFF an engine, upon determining the third condition.
[009] It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[010] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this disclosure, illustrate exemplary embodiments and, together with the description, serve to explain the disclosed principles.
[011] FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of a system for providing safety to an occupant of a vehicle, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[012] FIG. 2A illustrates a perspective view of a sunroof of a vehicle when no occupant is detected, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[013] FIG. 2B illustrates a perspective view of a sunroof of a vehicle when occupant is detected, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[014] FIG. 3 is a flow diagram of a method for providing safety to an occupant of a vehicle, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[015] FIG. 4 is a functional flow diagram for providing safety to an occupant of a vehicle, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[016] The foregoing description has broadly outlined the features and technical advantages of the present disclosure in order that the detailed description of the disclosure that follows may be better understood. Additional features and advantages of the disclosure will be described hereinafter which forms the subject of the claims of the disclosure. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and specific embodiments disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying other devices, systems, assemblies, and mechanisms for carrying out the same purposes of the present disclosure. It should also be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the scope of the disclosure as set forth in the appended claims. The novel features which are believed to be characteristics of the disclosure, to its device or system, together with further objects and advantages will be better understood from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying figures. It is to be expressly understood, however, that each of the figures is provided for the purpose of illustration and description only and is not intended as a definition of the limits of the present disclosure.
[017] The terms “including”, “comprises”, “comprising”, “comprising of” or any other variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusions, such that a system or a device that comprises a list of components or steps does not include only those components or steps but may include other components or steps not expressly listed or inherent to such setup or device. In other words, one or more elements in a system or apparatus proceeded by “comprises… a” does not, without more constraints, preclude the existence of other elements or additional elements in the system or apparatus.
[018] Reference will now be made to the exemplary embodiments of the disclosure, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, same numerals have been used to refer to the same or like parts. The following paragraphs describe the present disclosure with reference to FIGs. 1 - 4. It is to be noted that the system disclosed may be employed in any automobile vehicles including, but not limited to, a passenger vehicle, a utility vehicle, commercial vehicles, and any other transportable machinery. For a sake of clarity, vehicle is not shown.
[019] When it comes to automotive safety, the increasing number of vehicles that have sunroofs has raised serious questions about passenger safety, especially when the sunroof is operating while the vehicle is in motion. The conventional practice of individuals, including children, poking their heads through sunroofs while driving presents a risk of serious injury in the event of an accident or an abrupt manoeuvre. The present disclosure provides a solution to aforementioned safety problem by detecting a presence of occupants in the sunroof area and implementing proactive safety measures to prevent accidents. By integrating sensor technology in the vehicle sunroof, the present disclosure offers real-time monitoring of a vehicle speed and occupant presence, enabling timely warnings and speed restrictions to ensure the safety of occupants while utilizing the sunroof.
[020] Referring now to FIG. 1, a block diagram of a system 100 providing safety to an occupant of a vehicle is illustrated, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The system 100 may include a safety device 102 and a sunroof 108 of the vehicle. The safety device 102 may be responsible for providing safety to the occupant of the vehicle. More particularly, the safety device 102 may be configured to detect the occupant in a sunroof area and automatically control speed of the vehicle for occupant safety. The occupant may be a passenger poking out of the sunroof while the vehicle is in motion.
[021] The safety device 102 may include a controller 104 and a memory 106. In some embodiments, the controller 104 may be an Engine Management System Electronic Control Unit (EMS ECU) of the vehicle. The sunroof 108 may include a sensor 110 and a sliding mechanism 112. The sensor 110 may be, for example, but may not be limited to, an IR (Infrared) sensor, a proximity sensor, a sonar sensor, a piezoelectric sensor, a thermal imaging sensor or a Hall-effect sensor. The sliding mechanism 112 may be a ball roller sliding mechanism.
[022] The controller 104 may be electrically connected to the sensor 110 and the sliding mechanism 112 via the communication link 114. The communication link 114 may be an intra vehicular communication network that may include, but may not be limited to, CAN (Controlled Area Network), CAN FD (Controlled Area Network Flexible Data-Rate), LIN (Local Interconnect Network), local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), Ethernet, and the like.
[023] In an embodiment, the memory 106 may store instructions that, when executed by the controller 104, cause the controller 104 to provide safety to the occupant of the vehicle with a sunroof 108. The memory 106 may be a non-volatile memory or a volatile memory. Examples of non-volatile memory may include, but are not limited to a flash memory, a Read Only Memory (ROM), a Programmable ROM (PROM), Erasable PROM (EPROM), and Electrically EPROM (EEPROM) memory. Examples of volatile memory may include but are not limited to Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM), and Static Random-Access memory (SRAM). The memory 106 may also store various data received from the at least one sensor (for example, data related to a presence of the occupant, current speed of the vehicle, speed threshold values, etc.,) that may be captured, processed, and/or required by the system 100 for providing safety to the occupant of the vehicle.
[024] In order to provide safety to the occupant of the vehicle, the controller 104 in communication with the sensor 110 may initially detect a presence of the occupant in a sunroof area of the vehicle. The sensor 110 may be integrated with the sliding mechanism 112 to detect the presence of the occupant.
[025] Upon detecting the presence of the occupant, the controller 104 may further map the detected occupant with a current speed of the vehicle. It should be noted that the current speed of the vehicle may be determined through various means, including but not limited to, EMS ECU of the vehicle or any state-of-the-art speed sensor. The mapping may allow the controller 104 to determine a set of conditions. For example, the controller 104 may determine a first condition i.e., the speed of the vehicle being greater than a first threshold limit. Further, the controller 104 may determine a second condition i.e., the speed of the vehicle being greater than a second threshold limit. Additionally, the controller 104 may determine a third condition i.e., the speed of the vehicle being greater than a third threshold limit.
[026] Upon determining the first condition, the controller 104 may generate warning to a driver of the vehicle. In particular, when the speed of the vehicle may exceed the first predefined threshold than the controller 104 may generate warning to alert the driver regarding risky scenario. The warning may be audible warning or visual warning that may be generated on an infotainment unit 114 and an instrument cluster 116. The warning may be, for example, “Please slow down, there is a person sticking out from the sunroof”.
[027] After a certain period of time, if the driver fails to reduce the speed below the first threshold limit, and the second condition is determined i.e., the speed of the vehicle being greater than the second threshold limit, the controller 104 may further activate a safe driving mode (e.g., a limp home mode) of the vehicle. In the safe driving mode, the speed of the vehicle may be reduced to a safe level and further increase of speed may not be allowed. In some embodiments, the speed of the vehicle may be controlled and brought to the safe level via the EMS ECU of the vehicle.
[028] Additionally, in extreme scenario when the speed of the vehicle may exceed the third threshold limit, the controller 104 may switch-OFF an engine of the vehicle to prevent the occupant from an accident. In case when no occupant is detected in the sunroof area, then the vehicle may be operated at a regular speed without any restrictions.
[029] Now referring to FIG. 2A, a perspective view of a sunroof 200A of a vehicle without a presence of an occupant is illustrated, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The sunroof 200A (analogous to the sunroof 108) may include a frame 202 and a sunroof glass 204 mounted on the frame 202. The sunroof 200A may further include a ball roller sliding mechanism 206 (analogous to sliding mechanism 112) mounted on the frame 202 of to facilitate opening and closing of the sunroof glass 204.
[030] Additionally, the sunroof 200A may include a sensor 208 (analogous to the sensor 110) integrated with the ball roller sliding mechanism 206. More specifically, the sensor 208 may be accommodated in the ball roller sliding mechanism 206 at each corner to detect a present of the occupant within the sunroof area.
[031] In an embodiment, the sunroof glass 204 may be in an open state, and continuous monitoring for the occupant detection may be facilitated by the sensor 208. The sensor 208 may offer enhanced accessibility for detecting the presence and exact position of occupant within the entire length of the frame 202 of the sunroof glass 204. The sensor 110 may consist of a transmitter and a receiver, where the transmitter continuously emits light energy over a range equal to or greater than the length of the sunroof glass 204. The receiver, typically a photodiode, gets activated by the transmitted energy, and its resistance varies based on the energy received. The receiver then detects the reflected light with specific intensity from a particular distance.
[032] As shown in present FIG. 2A, if no reflection is detected by the receiver, indicating an absence of the occupant within the area of the sunroof glass 204, then the vehicle may remain operated at a regular speed without any restrictions. This may allow driver of the vehicle to freely runs the vehicle at its desired speed without encountering any restrictions. Thus, the present configuration allows for seamless operation when no occupant is present in the area of the sunroof glass 204.
[033] Now referring to FIG. 2B, a perspective view of a sunroof 200B of the vehicle when occupant is detected is illustrated, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. In vehicles, there is a high risk of having serious accidents or injuries to passengers poking outside of the sunroof glass 204, particularly when the vehicle runs at a high speed. Therefore, the present disclosure provides a safety system that may be capable of ensuring passenger safety under such situations.
[034] In the illustrated FIG. 2B, an exemplary scenario is depicted where an occupant 210 may be detected by the sensor 110 in the area of the sunroof glass 204 while the driver is operating the vehicle. In such scenario, when the driver exceeds the speed of the vehicle above a first threshold limit, then the controller 104 of the safety device 102 may generate a warning in order to reduce the chances of an accident. The generation of the warning may serve as an indication to alert the driver about the presence of the occupant 210, prompting the driver to reduce the speed of the vehicle.
[035] Moreover, if the driver remains on increasing the speed and reaches above the second threshold limit, the controller 104 may further activate a safe driving mode (also referred to as a limp home mode). In this mode, the speed of the vehicle may be reduced to a safe level and further increase in the speed may not be allowed.
[036] In worst scenario, when the speed of the vehicle exceeds a third predefined level, the controller 104 may further switch-OFF of the engine of the vehicle to prevent from any accident.
[037] To elaborate, consider a scenario of a family who is on a road trip in their vehicle equipped with the safety system 100. One of a children in the back seat decides to poke their head out of the sunroof to enjoy the breeze. The sensor 110, integrated with the ball roller sliding mechanism 206, detects the presence of the child in the sunroof area.
[038] The controller 104, which is in communication with the sensor 110, maps the detected presence of the child with the current speed of the vehicle. Suppose the vehicle is moving at a speed that exceeds the first predefined threshold limit. The controller 104 then immediately generates a warning to alert the driver about the risky situation. The warning may be, “Please slow down, a person is outside from the sunroof,”. An audible warning is issued through the infotainment unit 114, followed by a visual warning on the instrument cluster 116.
[039] Despite the warning, if the driver fails to slow down the vehicle to below the first threshold limit after a certain period, and the vehicle’s speed exceeds the second threshold limit, the controller 104 activates a safe driving mode. In this mode, the speed of the vehicle is automatically reduced to a safe level, and further speed increase is not permitted to prevent serious risks associated with high-speed travel while the child is poking out of the sunroof glass 204.
[040] In rare cases where the driver continues to drive recklessly, exceeding the third threshold limit, the controller 104 takes decisive action. It initiates engine shutdown to prevent any mishaps and ensure child safety. However, if the child withdraws from the sunroof area, the vehicle may be driven at regular speed without any restriction.
[041] Referring now to FIG. 3, a flow diagram of a method 300 for providing safety to an occupant of a vehicle is illustrated, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. It should be noted that the steps 302 – 312 may be performed by the controller 104 of the safety device 102. At step 302 of the method 300, the controller 104 in conjunction with the sensor 110 may detect a presence of the occupant in a sunroof area of the vehicle. In an embodiment, the sensor may be integrated with a sliding mechanism of the sunroof area to detect the presence of the occupant. In some embodiments, when no occupant is detected in the sunroof area the vehicle may be operated at a regular speed.
[042] At step 304, upon detecting the presence of the occupant, the controller 104 may determine a first condition that may include a speed of the vehicle being greater than a first threshold limit. Upon detecting the presence of the occupant, the controller 104 may further determine a second condition that may include the speed of the vehicle being greater than a second threshold limit, at step 306. Upon detecting the presence of the occupant, the controller 104 may further determine a third condition that may include the speed of the vehicle being greater than a third threshold limit, at step 308.
[043] At step 310, upon determining the first condition, the controller 104 in conjunction with the sensor 110 may generate warning to a driver. The warning may be generated to alert the driver when the speed of the vehicle exceeds the first threshold limit.
[044] At step 312, upon determining the second condition, the controller 104 may further activate a safe driving mode. It should be noted that, in the safe driving mode, a speed limit may be set at a predefined level. At step 314, upon determining the third condition, the controller 104 may further switch-OFF an engine.
[045] Referring now to FIG. 4, a functional flow diagram 400 for providing safety to an occupant of a vehicle is illustrated, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The process may begin with the sensor, such as an occupant detection sensor, sensing the presence of an occupant in the sunroof area, at step 402.
[046] At step 404, the controller (for example, ECU) may map the speed of the vehicle with the occupant in which it may determine a speed of the vehicle. At step 406, if speed of the vehicle is found to be greater than a first threshold value, then a warning may be generated to the driver through an infotainment system, at step 410. If speed is found to be less than the first threshold limit, then the vehicle may run normally without any hindrance, at step 408.
[047] At step 412, if speed of the vehicle is found to be greater than a second threshold value, then a limp mode may be activated, at step 414. At step 416, if speed of the vehicle is found to be greater than a third threshold value, then an engine may be switched-Off, at step 418.
[048] As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the method and system described in the various embodiments discussed above are not routine, or conventional or well understood in the art. The method and system discussed above may be capable of offering several advantages. Firstly, the method and system provide proactive safety measures to mitigate risks associated with occupants poking out or standing in the sunroof area while the vehicle is in motion. By detecting potential hazards and implementing speed control mechanisms, the system helps to prevent accidents and minimize injuries to occupants. With the ability to continuously monitor occupant presence and vehicle speed, the system may immediately respond to changing conditions on the road. This real-time monitoring allows for timely warnings and safety interventions, ensuring prompt action to address safety concerns. Further, the method and system allow for the customization of safety thresholds based on specific vehicle requirements and safety standards. This flexibility enables manufacturers to modify the system operation to meet varying safety needs and regulatory requirements across different regions. Further, the method and system seamlessly integrate with existing vehicle systems, such as the engine management system and infotainment unit, to provide a safety solution.
[049] With respect to the use of substantially any plural and/or singular terms herein, those having skill in the art can translate from the plural to the singular and/or from the singular to the plural as is appropriate to the context and/or application. The various singular/plural permutations may be expressly set forth herein for sake of clarity.
[050] It will be understood by those within the art that, in general, terms used herein, and especially in the appended claims (e.g., bodies of the appended claims) are generally intended as “open” terms (e.g., the term “including” should be interpreted as “including but not limited to,” the term “having” should be interpreted as “having at least,” the term “includes” should be interpreted as “includes but is not limited to,” etc.). It will be further understood by those within the art that if a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is intended, such an intent will be explicitly recited in the claim, and in the absence of such recitation no such intent is present. For example, as an aid to understanding, the following appended claims may contain usage of the introductory phrases “at least one” and “one or more” to introduce claim recitations. However, the use of such phrases should not be construed to imply that the introduction of a claim recitation by the indefinite articles “a” or “an” limits any particular claim containing such introduced claim recitation to inventions containing only one such recitation, even when the same claim includes the introductory phrases “one or more” or “at least one” and indefinite articles such as “a” or “an” (e.g., “a” and/or “an” should typically be interpreted to mean “at least one” or “one or more”); the same holds true for the use of definite articles used to introduce claim recitations. In addition, even if a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is explicitly recited, those skilled in the art will recognize that such recitation should typically be interpreted to mean at least the recited number (e.g., the bare recitation of “two recitations,” without other modifiers, typically means at least two recitations, or two or more recitations). Furthermore, in those instances where a convention analogous to “at least one of A, B, and C, etc.” is used, in general such a construction is intended in the sense one having skill in the art would understand the convention (e.g., “a system having at least one of A, B, and C” would include but not be limited to systems that have A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, and/or A, B, and C together, etc.). In those instances where a convention analogous to “at least one of A, B, or C, etc.” is used, in general such a construction is intended in the sense one having skill in the art would understand the convention (e.g., “a system having at least one of A, B, or C” would include but not be limited to systems that have A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, and/or A, B, and C together, etc.). It will be further understood by those within the art that virtually any disjunctive word and/or phrase presenting two or more alternative terms, whether in the description, claims, or drawings, should be understood to contemplate the possibilities of including one of the terms, either of the terms, or both terms. For example, the phrase “A or B” will be understood to include the possibilities of “A” or “B” or “A and B.” Ranges can be expressed herein as from “about” one particular value, and/or to “about” another particular value. When such a range is expressed, another aspect includes from the one particular value and/or to the other particular value. Similarly, when values are expressed as approximations, by use of the antecedent “about,” it will be understood that the particular value forms another aspect. It will be further understood that the endpoints of each of the ranges are significant both in relation to the other endpoint, and independently of the other endpoint.
[051] In addition, where features or aspects of the disclosure are described in terms of Markush groups, those skilled in the art will recognize that the disclosure is also thereby described in terms of any individual member or subgroup of members of the Markush group.
[052] While various aspects and embodiments have been disclosed herein, other aspects and embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The various aspects and embodiments disclosed herein are for purposes of illustration and are not intended to be limiting, with the true scope and spirit being indicated by the following claims.
, Claims:1. A method (300) for providing safety to an occupant (210) of a vehicle, the method (300) comprising:
detecting (302), by a controller (104), a presence of the occupant (210) in a sunroof area of the vehicle;
determining, by the controller (104) and upon detecting the presence of the occupant (210), one of:
a first condition (304), comprising a speed of the vehicle being greater than a first threshold limit,
a second condition (306), comprising the speed of the vehicle being greater than a second threshold limit, and
a third condition (308), comprising the speed of the vehicle being greater than a third threshold limit; and
performing, by the controller (104), one of:
generating (310) warning to a driver, upon determining the first condition,
activating (312) a safe driving mode, upon determining the second condition, or
switching-OFF (314) an engine, upon determining the third condition.

2. The method (300) as claimed in claim 1, wherein activating the safe driving mode comprises:
setting a speed limit at a predefined level upon detecting the occupant (210) in the sunroof area.

3. The method (300) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the presence of occupant (210) in the sunroof area is detected by a sensor (110), and wherein the sensor (110) is integrated with a sliding mechanism of the sunroof area.

4. The method (300) as claimed in claim 1, comprising:
operating the vehicle at a regular speed when no occupant (210) is detected in the sunroof area.

5. The method (300) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the warning is generated to alert the driver when the speed of the vehicle exceeds the first threshold limit.

6. The method (300) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller (104) is implemented as a part of an Engine Electronic Control Unit (ECU) and is in communication with at least one of an infotainment unit (114) and an instrument cluster (116) for required indication to the driver.

7. A system (100) for providing safety to an occupant (210) of a vehicle, the system (100) comprising:
a controller (104) configured to:
detect a presence of the occupant (210) in a sunroof area of the vehicle;
determine, upon detecting the presence of the occupant (210), one of:
a first condition, comprising a speed of the vehicle being greater than a first threshold limit,
a second condition, comprising the speed of the vehicle being greater than a second threshold limit, and
a third condition, comprising the speed of the vehicle being greater than a third threshold limit; and
perform one of:
generate warning to a driver, upon determining the first condition,
activate a safe driving mode, upon determining the second condition, or
switch-OFF an engine, upon determining the third condition.

8. The system (100) as claimed in claim 7, wherein the controller (104) is configured to:
set a speed limit at a predefined level upon detecting the occupant (210) in the sunroof area.

9. The system (100) as claimed in claim 7, wherein the presence of occupant (210) in the sunroof area is detected by a sensor (110), and wherein the sensor (110) is integrated with a sliding mechanism of the sunroof area.

10. The system (100) as claimed in claim 7, wherein the controller (104) is configured to:
operate the vehicle at a regular speed when no occupant (210) is detected in the sunroof area.

11. The system (100) as claimed in claim 7, wherein the controller (104) is configured to generate the warning to alert the driver when the speed of the vehicle exceeds the first threshold limit.

12. The system (100) as claimed in claim 7, wherein the controller (104) is implemented as a part of an Engine Electronic Control Unit (ECU) and is in communication with at least one of an infotainment unit (114) and an instrument cluster (116) for required indication to the driver.

13. A vehicle, comprising:
a sunroof area having a sliding mechanism (206), wherein the sliding mechanism (206) comprises a sensor (110); and
a controller (104) configured to:
detect a presence of the occupant (210) in the sunroof area of the vehicle via the sensor (110);
determine, upon detecting the presence of the occupant (210), one of:
a first condition, comprising a speed of the vehicle being greater than a first threshold limit,
a second condition, comprising the speed of the vehicle being greater than a second threshold limit, and
a third condition, comprising the speed of the vehicle being greater than a third threshold limit; and
perform one of:
generate warning to a driver, upon determining the first condition,
activate a safe driving mode, upon determining the second condition, or
switch-OFF an engine, upon determining the third condition.