A new optimization problem for the solution of decision problems with applications to passenger occupation detection in cars

In this paper a new optimization problem for decision support is presented and motivated with statistical interpretations. This research was motivated by a real world example from automotive industry. Namely, the problem of passenger occupation detection in cars. It is of fundamental importance to detect the possible occupation of a front seat with a child in order to eventually disarm the corresponding airbag. The main goal of this contribution is to motivate the solution of this problem as an optimization problem and in the next step to reformulate the optimization problem as a convex problem. Some comments on the application to the above mentioned problem will conclude the paper. Due to legal restrictions the application is not outlined in detail but the authors hope that sufficient material is presented in order to show the relevance of this approach.