A garnish includes a heating element, a base member, and a circuit board. The heating element is configured by stacking first and second sheet materials and interposing a heater wire in between. The circuit board includes a power source line and is fixed to a back surface of the base member. The heating element includes a main body portion and an extending portion. The extending portion includes a power source connection portion for connecting the heater wire to the power source line and extends to the back surface of the base member. The main body portion of the heating element is fixed to a laying surface of the base member by fixing the second sheet material to the base member. The heater wire is exposed in the power source connection portion without stacking the second sheet material on the first sheet material.

A self-contained illuminated sign for mounting on a vehicle is disclosed. The sign includes a front panel, a rear panel situated opposite and substantially parallel to the front panel in spaced relation therefrom to define a space therebetween, and a light source comprising a plurality of LEDs. The light source is positioned between the front and rear panels and is configured to emit light that emanates from the front panel. The front panel is thus backlit to display indicia. A system for supporting a self-contained illuminated sign on a vehicle is also disclosed. The system includes the sign and a separate mounting frame mountable on a vehicle. The mounting frame is configured to removably receive the sign and, when the sign is received in the mounting frame, to surround a perimeter of the sign while permitting visibility of the front display area. Related methods are also disclosed.

An electronic display device includes: a chassis including a plurality of mounting elements and a controller, and a media player; and a display panel comprising at least one display module mounted to the mounting elements, wherein each display module includes a video display on a front surface of the display module and is positioned relative to the chassis using one or more locating pins located on a back surface of the display module that cooperate with one or more receiving holes in a front surface of the mounting elements and is secured to the chassis; wherein the controller causes the media player to display media content on the display panel.

A front trunk (frunk) delivery system is disclosure for a vehicle. For one embodiment, the delivery system includes a vehicle trunk at a front portion of the vehicle. The system includes a vehicle trunk lid covering the vehicle trunk. The system includes a bar code at the vehicle. The bar code is to be captured by a mobile device of a first user to remotely operate the vehicle trunk lid for the vehicle trunk to deliver or retrieve (for returns) a delivery parcel/package. The first user can be a third party delivery operator such as a USPS or an Amazon delivery operator.

An assembly includes a common parts sub-assembly, an actuator, a physical appendage, and a mounting bracket. The common parts sub-assembly includes a rotor bracket and a housing. The actuator is connected to the rotor bracket to cause the rotor bracket to rotate during actuator actuation. The actuator and the rotor bracket connected thereto are housed within the housing. The mounting bracket connects the physical appendage to the rotor bracket whereby the physical appendage moves between stowed and deployed positions during actuator actuation. The actuator is either an electric motor actuator or a pneumatic actuator that are substitutable with one another to assemble the assembly without modification to the common parts sub-assembly or the physical appendage. The physical appendage may be either a stop sign or a crossing guard arm that are substitutable with one another to assemble the assembly without modification to the common parts sub-assembly or the actuator.

A system has a display device attached to an automobile, with a display screen visible outside the automobile. Workstations specify location-based rules regarding image content to be displayed in specified geographic areas at specific times, and further specify a predetermined threshold of a number of automobiles that display a given threshold-limited image. An application server determines from the location-based rules a dynamic content schedule of image content to display at the display device when the automobile is in the given geographic region at a given display time. When the predetermined threshold of the number of automobiles displaying the threshold-limited image in the given geographic region is reached, an update to the dynamic content schedule is generated including a different image in place of the threshold-limited image, and a current image corresponding to the updated dynamic content schedule is displayed.

The abandoned vehicle messaging sign comprises a housing, a control circuit, a display surface, and a vehicle. The control circuit and the display surface mount in the housing. The housing mounts on the vehicle. The abandoned vehicle messaging sign displays an image of indicia indicating a sentiment that the vehicle has been abandoned. By abandoned is meant that the vehicle has been left temporarily unattended. The sentiment indicated by the abandoned vehicle messaging sign is customizable to the specific circumstances regarding the abandonment of the vehicle.

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a immersive digital advertising system and method thereof for providing one or more local merchants the ability to expand their advertising outreach to local and nearby consumers via digitally displayed advertisements, the system having an electric pod cargo trailer and an electric tow bicycle coupled to the electric pod cargo trailer for hauling the electric pod cargo trailer along a predetermined Ad pedestrian route.

Methods, apparatus, and a system for protecting privacy of license plate and/or other information are described. In some embodiments a controllable LCD filter is placed over a surface, such as the surface of a license plate, and used to selectively block the information which is visible through the controllable filter when the filter is not in an opaque state. In various embodiments the system includes a list of license plates whose owners have requested privacy and the system prevents the reporting or dissemination of information, including location information, reported to the system about the license plate. Users can register their license plate number, request privacy with collected plate information then being treated in accordance with the license plate owners wish. While license plate information can be protected other types of information can also be and sometimes are protected using the described techniques and/or apparatus.

A self-driving vehicle with an external advertising platform, such as video display signage, designed to provide on-demand video ever-changing advertising. The audiences of such advertisements would include those individuals that were in proximity to the self-driving vehicle as it traversed a geographic area. A large fleet of such self-driving vehicles could constantly move between targeted areas, including suburban neighborhoods to reach a maximum audience, without the need of a human operator.