Embodiments herein can determine an optimal route for an autonomous electric vehicle. The system may score viable routes between the start and end locations of a trip using a numeric or other scale that denotes how viable the route is for autonomy. The score is adjusted using a variety of factors where a learning process leverages both offline and online data. The scored routes are not based simply on the shortest distance between the start and end points but determine the best route based on the driving context for the vehicle and the user.

Embodiments can provide an intelligent vehicle that determines that the vehicle interior comprises multiple occupants; identifies the occupants; based on the driving behavior of the vehicle, creates a composite occupant profile associated with the group of plural occupants, the composite occupant profile comprising the identities of the plural occupants and group preferences for various vendor products or services; and, based on the composite occupant profile and received inputs from a user interface, an automatic vehicle location system, and a plurality of sensors in the vehicle, performs one or more actions, such as: (a) proposing one or more vendor products or services for the group of occupants; (b) publishing the vendor products or services selected by the group of occupants, via a social network, to associated or selected associates of the occupants in the group; and (c) presenting advertisement information from a vendor server associated with the proposed or selected vendor products or services to one or more of the occupants in the group.

Embodiments herein relate to an autonomous vehicle or self-driving vehicle. The system can determine a collision avoidance path by: 1) predicting the behavior/trajectory of other moving objects (and identifying stationary objects); 2) given the driving trajectory (issued by autonomous driving system) or predicted driving trajectory (human), establishing the probability for a collision that can be calculated between the vehicle and one or more objects; and 3) finding a path to minimize the collision probability.

Embodiments herein relate to an autonomous vehicle or self-driving vehicle with a vehicle control system. The vehicle control system can determine, prior to and/or during a collision, whether an escape path exits. If an escape path exists, the brakes are disengaged such that at least some of the energy and/or momentum from a colliding vehicle is transferred and a jolt or shock experienced by an occupant is reduced.

Systems of an electrical vehicle and the operations thereof are provided that use object profiles to select autonomous vehicle operations, including acceleration rate, deceleration rate, steering angle, and inter-vehicle spacing.

Embodiments herein relate to an autonomous vehicle or self-driving vehicle. The level of comfort with autonomous driving offered to the user and the parameters of operation of the autonomous vehicle might increase or decrease a driver's comfort (anxiety) with the vehicle. Sensors in the vehicle can detect a user's driving style, comfort level and may propose an autonomy level to the user and/or parameters of operation.

Systems of an electrical vehicle and the operations thereof are provided.

A control apparatus for a vehicle is provided. The vehicle includes an engine, a first electric motor, a rotary member, and a rotation lock mechanism. The rotary member is provided between the engine and the first electric motor. The rotation lock mechanism is configured to prevent a coupling portion of the rotary member on the engine side from rotating in at least one direction. The control apparatus includes an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to learn characteristic associated with an input torque of the rotary member by applying a torque to the rotary member by the first electric motor and measuring a twist angle of the rotary member, with the rotation lock mechanism preventing the coupling portion from rotating.

A primary circuit and a secondary circuit each have a switching element, each operate as a power conversion circuit while the switching element is activated, and each operate as a rectifier circuit while the switching element is deactivated. While a generator provided at the primary side of a first power conversion device is stopped, a controller activates the switching element of the secondary circuit and deactivates the switching element of the primary circuit. Accordingly, the first power conversion device converts electric power input from the secondary side and supplies electric power for causing the generator to operate. While the generator is operated, the controller activates the switching element of the primary circuit and deactivates the switching element of the secondary circuit such that the first power conversion device converts electric power supplied from the generator and outputs the converted electric power to the secondary side.

The present disclosure relates to an electronic caster system for use with a furniture component. The system may have a caster with a body portion, a wheel supported for rolling movement relative to the body portion, and a neck portion. The neck portion may be adapted to be operably coupled to the furniture component to enable swiveling movement of the body portion. A processor may be provided which is supported on the caster. A sensing component may also be included which is carried on the caster for sensing a condition affecting the caster, and generating an output signal in accordance with the sensed condition to the processor.