VEHICLE CONTROL APPARATUS AND VEHICLE CONTROL METHOD

1 . An apparatus for assisting driving of a host vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

a plurality of pressure sensors mounted in a driver's seat of the host vehicle; and

a controller electrically connected to the plurality of pressure sensors, and

wherein the controller is configured to:

receive an output signal of the plurality of pressure sensors,

determine whether a child is seated in the driver's seat based on the output signal, and

control a wireless communication module of the host vehicle to transmit an alarm to a user device registered in the host vehicle based on determining that the child is seated and the child inputs an input for starting the host vehicle.

2 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of pressure sensors comprises:

a first pressure sensor mounted in front of a seat body of the driver's seat;

a second pressure sensor mounted at a rear of a seat body of the driver's seat;

a third pressure sensor mounted on a lower side of a backrest of the driver's seat; and

a fourth pressure sensor mounted on an upper side of a backrest of the driver's seat.

3 . The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to determine that a child is seated in the driver's seat based on a pressure being not applied to at least one of the first pressure sensor, the second pressure sensor, the third pressure sensor, and the fourth pressure sensor.

4 . The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to:

estimate a weight of a driver seated in the driver's seat based on a pressure applied to the first pressure sensor, the second pressure sensor, the third pressure sensor, and the fourth pressure sensor, and

determine that a child is seated in the driver's seat based on the comparison between the estimated weight and a reference weight.

5 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to control a display or a speaker or a seat vibration module of the host vehicle to output an image message, sound message, or tactile message that induces a child to get off.

6 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to prevent starting of the host vehicle based on determining that a child is seated in the driver's seat while a starting of the host vehicle is turned off.

7 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to turn off a starting of the host vehicle based on determining that a child is seated in the driver's seat while a starting of the host vehicle is turned on.

8 . A vehicle including the apparatus of claim 1 .

9 . An apparatus for assisting driving of a host vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

a camera module configured to photograph a driver's seat of the host vehicle; and

a controller electrically connected to the camera module, and

wherein the controller is configured to:

receive an image data of the camera module,

determine whether a child is seated in the driver's seat based on the image data, and

control a wireless communication module of the host vehicle to transmit an alarm to a user device registered in the host vehicle based on determining that the child is seated and the child inputs an input for starting the host vehicle.

10 . The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the camera is mounted on an interior ceiling or a rear view mirror of the host vehicle, and configured to acquire an image data comprising a driver seated in the driver's seat.

11 . The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to:

recognize a face of a driver seated in the driver's seat based on the image data, and

determine that a child is seated in the driver's seat based on the recognized coordinate of the face being below the reference position.

12 . A vehicle including the apparatus of claim 9 .

13 . An apparatus for assisting driving of a host vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

a touch screen configured to acquire a touch input of a driver of the host vehicle; and

a controller electrically connected to the touch screen, and

wherein the controller is configured to:

receive a touch input of the touch screen,

determine whether a child is seated in the driver's seat based on the touch input, and

control a wireless communication module of the host vehicle to transmit an alarm to a user device registered in the host vehicle based on determining that the child is seated and the child inputs an input for starting the host vehicle.

14 . The apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the controller is configured to:

determine a distance between an uppermost end and a lowermost end of the touch input based on the touch input, and

determine that a child is seated in the driver's seat based on that the distance is less than the reference distance.

15 . A vehicle including the apparatus of claim 13 .