Occupant Safety-Restraint System and Method for Fully Deploying an Airbag Prior to Occupant Contact

An occupant safety restraint system ("OSR system") ( 10 ) and method for fully deploying an airbag ( 20 ) before an occupant contacts the airbag ( 20 ). In one embodiment, the OSR system ( 10 ) includes a seatbelt restraint system ( 12 ), a variable-output airbag system ( 14 ), and a controller ( 16 ) coupled to the seatbelt restraint system ( 12 ) and the airbag system ( 14 ). The seatbelt restraint system ( 12 ) includes a seatbelt restraint ( 24 ) for restraining the occupant and a seatbelt-tension sensor ( 28 ) for detecting a load or tension in the seatbelt restraint ( 24 ). The controller ( 16 ) utilizes the seatbelt load for determining a current seatbelt-tension rate and actuating the airbag system ( 14 ) to deploy the airbag ( 20 ) at one or more output rates. In other words, the controller ( 16 ) can utilize the seatbelt restraint system ( 12 ) and the airbag system ( 14 ) in combination for regulating the output rate of the airbag system ( 14 ).