In a method and apparatus for verifying that an occupant sensing system
reliably classifies vehicle seat occupants as adults or children, a small
number of systems is tested using test objects that have physical
characteristics representative of a lower limit adult and an upper limit
child. Average measured parameter values are calculated for each test
object, as well as standard deviation. Margins are then calculated for
each of the two test objects, using separate statistical formulas. If the
margins for both objects are non-negative, it is concluded that the system
demonstrates a minimum reliability, with a desired confidence level.
