Method and system for obtaining and optionally utilizing information about
an occupant of a vehicle includes a weight sensor system arranged in
connection with a bottom portion of a seat on which the occupant will be
seated to provide data about weight of an occupant, and a spatial sensor
system which monitors a space above the seat in which the occupant would
be situated if seated in the seat to provide data about occupancy of the
space above the seat. Information about the occupant is determined based
on data provided by the weight sensor system and the spatial sensor
system. The weight sensor system is a bladder arranged in the bottom
portion or at least one strain gage mounted on structural members of the
seat.