A process (100) and apparatus (20) for control of a deployment of an airbag (28) for a seat (30) in a motor vehicle (22). Upon issuance of a deployment request (R.sub.D) by a vehicular computer (24) intended for a deployment activator (26), a processor (36) intercepts the deployment request (R.sub.D). The processor (36) then receives a load mass (M), a load temperature (T), and a load height (H) from a mass sensor (38), a thermal-imaging sensor (52), and a proximity sensor (54), respectively. The processor (36) adjudicates the load mass (M), load temperature (T), and load height (H), to determine a deployment status (S.sub.D). A deployment status (S.sub.D) of pass (S.sub.P) is adjudicated when the load mass (M) is greater than or equal to a reference mass (M.sub.R), the load temperature (T) is greater than or equal to a reference temperature (T.sub.R), and the load height (H) is greater than or equal to a reference height (H.sub.R). A deployment status (S.sub.D) of inhibit (S.sub.I) is adjudicated otherwise. The processor (36) then passes or inhibits the passage of the deployment request (R.sub.D) accordingly.