Methods of assessing driver behavior include monitoring vehicle systems and driver monitoring systems to accommodate for a driver's slow reaction time, attention lapse and/or alertness. When it is determined that a driver is drowsy, for example, the response system may modify the operation of one or more vehicle systems. The systems that may be modified include: visual devices, audio devices, tactile devices, antilock brake systems, automatic brake prefill systems, brake assist systems, auto cruise control systems, electronic stability control systems, collision warning systems, lane keep assist systems, blind spot indicator systems, electronic pretensioning systems and climate control systems.

Embodiments are directed towards controlling uncontrolled release of ammonia from an engine of a vehicle. An estimated status of the engine is determined prior to an event, such as an estimated load on the engine prior to the vehicle going up a hill. A predictive model of uncontrolled ammonia release is generated for the estimated status. At least one engine-related countermeasure is selected based on the predictive model. If the predictive model of uncontrolled ammonia release with the selected countermeasures satisfies a threshold condition, then the selected engine-related countermeasure is employed.

Embodiments are directed towards controlling uncontrolled release of ammonia from an engine of a vehicle. An estimated status of the engine is determined prior to an event, such as an estimated load on the engine prior to the vehicle going up a hill. A predictive model of uncontrolled ammonia release is generated for the estimated status. At least one engine-related countermeasure is selected based on the predictive model. If the predictive model of uncontrolled ammonia release with the selected countermeasures satisfies a threshold condition, then the selected engine-related countermeasure is employed.

Methods and systems for monitoring use, determining risk, and pricing insurance policies for a vehicle having autonomous or semi-autonomous operation features are provided. According to certain aspects, a computer-implemented method for generating or updating usage-based insurance policies for autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicles may be provided. A request to generate an insurance quote may be received via wireless communication, and with the customer's permission, risk levels associated with intended usage by the customer of an autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle may be determined. An insurance policy may be adjusted based upon the risk levels and the intended vehicle usage. The insurance policy may then be presented on the customer's mobile device for review and approval. In some aspects, the vehicle may be rented, and the intended vehicle usage is measured in distance or duration of vehicle operation. Insurance discounts may be provided to risk averse vehicle owners based upon low risk levels.

A system includes an acquisition unit that acquires an operation amount or a duration count, and a switching unit that switches a driving state. The switching unit switches the driving state to the cooperative driving state when the operation amount is equal to or greater than an intervention threshold and less than a start threshold or the duration count is equal to or greater than a first threshold and less than a second threshold during the autonomous driving state, switches the driving state to the autonomous driving state when the operation amount is less than the intervention threshold or the duration count is less than the first threshold during the cooperative driving state, and switches the driving state to the manual driving state when the operation amount is equal to or greater than the start threshold or the duration count is equal to or greater than the second threshold.

Examples described may enable provision of remote assistance for an autonomous vehicle. An example method includes a computing system operating by default in a first mode and periodically transitioning from operation in the first mode to operation in a second mode. In the first mode, the system may receive environment data provided by the vehicle and representing object(s) having a detection confidence below a threshold, where the detection confidence is indicative of a likelihood of correct identification of the object(s), and responsive to the object(s) having a confidence below the threshold, provide remote assistance data comprising an instruction to control the vehicle and/or a correct identification of the object(s). In the second mode, the system may trigger user interface display of remote assistor alertness data based on pre-stored data related to an environment in which the pre-stored data was acquired, and receive a response relating to the alertness data.

A driver assist analysis system includes a processing system and a database that stores vehicle data, vehicle operational data, vehicle accident data, and environmental data related to the configuration and operation of a plurality of vehicles with driver assist systems or features. The driver assist analysis system also includes one or more analysis engines that execute on the processing system to determine one or more driving anomalies (e.g., accidents or poor driving operation) based on the vehicle operational data, and that correlate or determine a relationship between the driving anomalies and the operation of the driver assist systems or features. The driver assist analysis system then determines an effectiveness of operation of one or more of the driver assist systems or features as a statistical measure based on the determined relationship and the driver assist analysis system notifies a user or receiver, such as a manufacturer or an insurance company of the statistical measure.

A vehicle control handoff system includes a controller comprising a processor and a non-transitory computer readable memory, one or more environment sensors and an imaging device communicatively coupled to the controller, and a machine-readable instruction set stored in the non-transitory computer readable memory of the controller. The machine-readable instruction set causes the system to: receive image data from at least one imaging device, receive one or more signals corresponding to an environment of a vehicle from the one or more environment sensors, define a gaze pattern comprising a first gaze direction corresponding to a first location within the environment of the vehicle, determine a first gaze based on the image data of the driver, determine whether the first gaze corresponds to at least one gaze direction of the gaze pattern, and transfer control of a vehicle operation from control by the controller to the driver in response to determining that the first gaze corresponds to the gaze pattern.

Methods and systems for monitoring use, determining risk, and pricing insurance policies for a vehicle having one or more autonomous or semi-autonomous operation features are provided. According to certain aspects, a computer-implemented method for operating an autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle may be provided. With a vehicle owner's permission, a vehicle operator identity may be determined; and operating data regarding the autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle may be received from one or more vehicle-mounted sensors. Based upon the received operating data, (i) autonomous operation risk levels associated with autonomous vehicle operation; and (ii) operator risk levels associated with autonomous vehicle operation by the vehicle operator may be determined. Based upon a comparison of the autonomous operation versus vehicle operator risk levels, the autonomous features may be engaged if it is safer for the vehicle to travel autonomously. Insurance discounts may be provided to risk averse vehicle owners having this safety functionality.

An apparatus and a method are described for monitoring the activity of a driver of a vehicle, which apparatus has a device for monitoring several driver activities, by way of which various driver activities at the actuator for influencing vehicle motion are detected; and a device for evaluating the driver activity intensity level is provided, by way of which the intensity of the respective driver activity with regard to the urgency of the respective vehicle reaction is evaluated and is outputted as an intensity of the driver intervention; one of several different system reactions being selected depending on the intensity of the driver intervention, and the selected system reaction being executed.