According to one aspect, driver management is provided. One or more speech segments of a driver of an autonomous vehicle may be recorded. A position, a destination, or a previous destination of a driver or an autonomous vehicle may be tracked. An estimated state of the driver may be determined based on one or more of the speech segments, the position, the destination, or the previous destination, and a calendar event associated with the driver or a passenger of the autonomous vehicle. Autonomous driving features may be automatically enabled, disabled, or operation of the autonomous vehicle may be enabled or disabled in different modes based on the estimated state of the driver. Additionally, notifications may be displayed, rideshare applications may be launched, or warnings may be sent based on the estimated state of the driver.

One general aspect includes a memory configured to include a program and a processor configured to execute the program, where the program enables the processor to: after a first vehicle ingress/egress event, activate a sensor to capture a reference image of a portion of a vehicle body; after a second vehicle ingress/egress event, activate the sensor to capture a test image of the portion of the vehicle body; determine whether the test image includes one or more objects not found in the reference image; and release the door from the body or produce a notification or prevent vehicle movement or some combination thereof, based on the determination of whether the test image includes one or more objects not found in the reference image.

A method for monitoring the environment of a vehicle includes evaluating physical measurement data obtained from the environment of the vehicle to determine whether at least one person is approaching the vehicle, how many people approach the vehicle may also be recorded. The method includes evaluating physical measurement data obtained from the environment of the vehicle to determine whether at least one person is moving away from the vehicle and, if appropriate, the number of people that are moving away from the vehicle is also recorded. The method further includes carrying out a check as to whether the number of people that have moved away from the vehicle corresponds to the number of people that have previously approached the vehicle. In response to the check resulting in a difference, it is determined that the vehicle is in an unsafe state.

A method for monitoring the environment of a vehicle includes evaluating physical measurement data obtained from the environment of the vehicle to determine whether at least one person is approaching the vehicle, how many people approach the vehicle may also be recorded. The method includes evaluating physical measurement data obtained from the environment of the vehicle to determine whether at least one person is moving away from the vehicle and, if appropriate, the number of people that are moving away from the vehicle is also recorded. The method further includes carrying out a check as to whether the number of people that have moved away from the vehicle corresponds to the number of people that have previously approached the vehicle. In response to the check resulting in a difference, it is determined that the vehicle is in an unsafe state.

A vehicle is disclosed which includes a controller having at least one of a vehicle security module and a playback module. The vehicle security module may operate in a secure once mode of operation or in a secure all mode of operation. The playback module records ride information associated with the vehicle. The ride information may be provided to an external device.

A vehicle is disclosed which includes a controller having at least one of a vehicle security module and a playback module. The vehicle security module may operate in a secure once mode of operation or in a secure all mode of operation. The playback module records ride information associated with the vehicle. The ride information may be provided to an external device.

A vehicle control device includes a recognizer configured to recognize at least a surroundings situation and an in-vehicle situation of a vehicle, and a driving controller configured to perform at least one of speed control and steering control of the vehicle on the basis of a recognition result of the recognizer, the recognizer is configured to recognize an object to be loaded including at least any one of an occupant candidate present outside the vehicle and scheduled to board the vehicle and a baggage candidate present outside the vehicle and scheduled to be loaded into the vehicle, and to recognize that the object to be loaded has been loaded into the vehicle, and the driving controller is configured to permit start of travel of the vehicle in a case where the recognizer has recognized that all of the objects to be loaded have been loaded into the vehicle.

An emergency stop system includes a hazard switch that is a momentary switch, an automatic stop controller that performs automatic stop control for causing a vehicle to automatically stop when a predetermined condition is met, and a hazard light controller that controls hazard lights. While automatic stop control is not being performed, the hazard light controller switches the hazard lights between a flashing state and a turned-off state each time a user presses the hazard switch. The hazard light controller brings the hazard lights into the flashing state upon start of the automatic stop control, and turns off the hazard lights (i.e., transitions the hazard lights to the turned-off state) upon depression of the hazard switch while the hazard lights are flashing during execution of the automatic stop control.

An emergency stop system includes a hazard switch that is a momentary switch, an automatic stop controller that performs automatic stop control for causing a vehicle to automatically stop when a predetermined condition is met, and a hazard light controller that controls hazard lights. While automatic stop control is not being performed, the hazard light controller switches the hazard lights between a flashing state and a turned-off state each time a user presses the hazard switch. The hazard light controller brings the hazard lights into the flashing state upon start of the automatic stop control, and turns off the hazard lights (i.e., transitions the hazard lights to the turned-off state) upon depression of the hazard switch while the hazard lights are flashing during execution of the automatic stop control.

A system includes a unit to obtain starting prohibition information including first user identification information and vehicle identification information; a prohibiting unit to, when a first user identified by the first user identification information is a user permitted to prohibit a vehicle from starting, prohibit a vehicle identified by the vehicle identification information in the starting prohibition information from starting; a unit to obtain prohibition cancel information including second user identification information and vehicle identification information; and a unit to, when a second user identified by the second user identification information is a user permitted to cancel prohibition of starting of a vehicle and a vehicle identified by the vehicle identification information in the prohibition cancel information is the vehicle prohibited by the prohibiting unit from starting, cancel the prohibition of the starting of the vehicle identified by the vehicle identification information in the prohibition cancel information.