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I think you will find that is an occupancy sensor.
+1
I don't have a photo of that sensor but one of the other Occupancy Sensors on my 2005 XK8.
Same design. The photo shows the retaining tab which has to be pressed down to release the sensor without damage. A credit card pushed down between sensor and trim does this easily.
It removes easily. Usually from the other/inside of the A pillar. If you do a search on Youtube a guy nick Rev Sam has done a video on its removal. But it really is straight forward.
Forgive my ignorance, but what does the occupancy sensor actually do, and is it on the right pillar on left hand drive cars? Is it anything to do with security, for instance - and what would happen if it went wrong?
It checks whether the passenger is too close to the airbag for it to be safe to fire it in a crash.
Get your passenger with seat belt on, to lean forward and the airbag light in front of him/her should come on showing it is disabled until they sit back
Similarly, if you connect the passenger seat belt with a lightweight passenger, or no passenger, again the warning light should come on and the airbag is disabled.
Thanks guys - a mystery solved (and I am impressed by this piece of safety design). But don’t you think it would be improved by being hinged and, on occasions, opening for a little cuckoo on a spring to pop out and tweet at you?