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.

A method of enabling operation of an ignition system for outdoor power equipment may include monitoring status of a plurality of switches associated with respective components of the equipment where at least one of the respective components corresponds to one or more binary start fault operators, and setting a start enabling status for the one or more 5 binary start fault operators responsive to actuation of a start fault clearance operator.

A system for communicating the sobriety of a user that includes a testing device that generates a substance content signal comprising a mouthpiece and a user identification device, wherein the substance content signal comprises at least one substance information, wherein the user identification device generates user identification data in response to a user's breath and transmits it from the testing device to a monitoring station, and wherein the testing device further comprises at least one of a LCD screen or a LED; a transceiver unit; a receiving station; and a supervisory monitor.

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.

Methods and systems for activating electric vehicles are provided. One method includes, in response to a first command to activate the vehicle, transitioning the vehicle from an inactive state to a wake state where a controller of the vehicle is activated and the vehicle is prevented from being propelled by an electric motor of the vehicle. The method also includes, in response to receiving a second command to activate the vehicle after receiving the first command, transitioning the vehicle from the wake state to a ready state where the vehicle is permitted to be propelled by the electric motor.

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.

A system for authorizing a user to operate a vehicle comprises first and second image capturing devices disposed inside and outside the vehicle to capture first and second images of the user, respectively; an identification device to compare the first image with a first stored user image, generate a first output, and upload the first image to the database as a second stored user image if a matching degree of the first image with the first stored user image is greater than a first threshold. The identification device further compares the second image with the second stored user image and generates a second output if a matching degree of the second image and the second stored user image is larger than a second threshold. The system further comprises first and second operation execution devices to perform first and second vehicle operations upon the first and second outputs, respectively.

Provided are methods for controlling the operation of an autonomous vehicle based on detect passenger behavior, which can include receiving, by one or more processors, sensor data from one or more sensors regarding a passenger compartment of a vehicle; determining, by the one or more processors, and based on the sensor data, that an object entered a zone of the passenger compartment while the vehicle is in motion; and causing, by the one or more processors, a modification to an operation to the vehicle based on the determination that the object entered the zone of the passenger compartment while the vehicle is in motion. Systems and computer program products are also provided.

Provided are methods for controlling the operation of an autonomous vehicle based on detect passenger behavior, which can include receiving, by one or more processors, sensor data from one or more sensors regarding a passenger compartment of a vehicle; determining, by the one or more processors, and based on the sensor data, that an object entered a zone of the passenger compartment while the vehicle is in motion; and causing, by the one or more processors, a modification to an operation to the vehicle based on the determination that the object entered the zone of the passenger compartment while the vehicle is in motion. Systems and computer program products are also provided.

According to an embodiment, there is provided A vehicle assistance apparatus including: a communication unit for receiving a remote start request; a sensor unit for sensing an object around the vehicle; and a processor for detecting a remote start restriction element among the objects around the vehicle, and controlling the remote start request to be restricted and performed according to the detected remote start restriction element.