System, methods, and other embodiments described herein relate to improving identification of available parking spaces in congested zones. In one embodiment, a method includes, responsive to receiving trajectory information about movement of a searching vehicle, estimating a search time spent by the vehicle seeking parking in a location. The method includes aggregating, when the search time satisfies a time threshold, the search time with observed times associated with additional entities parking in the location. The method includes updating a parking map according to the observed times when the observed times satisfy a parking threshold indicating a lack of available parking in the location. The parking map identifies active regions where parking is presently lacking. The method includes providing the parking map with the active regions to identified vehicles proximate to locations associated with the active regions.

An object is to provide a technique allowing reduction in the occurrence of a traffic jam to be caused by autonomous driving by an autonomous driving vehicle. A traveling plan preparation apparatus includes a traveling plan preparation unit that prepares an autonomous driving traveling plan on the basis of traveling cost including convenience cost. The traveling plan preparation unit increases the convenience cost as a congestion level becomes higher, and performs at least one of a process of increasing the convenience cost with a smaller margin of time and a process of reducing the convenience cost with greater closeness of a road to a pick-up position.

A method for aiding finding of available parking areas of a street section includes receiving data corresponding to parking areas situated in a street section, the data including information ascertained by an ascertaining vehicle driving through the street section and information received from a server, determining an instantaneous occupancy estimate of the street section based on the received data, calculating a forecasted occupancy estimate based on the instantaneous occupancy estimate using a timer series forecasting model, and generating a display representation of the calculated forecasted occupancy estimate. The method includes receiving the data and determining the occupancy estimate, for example, each time an ascertaining vehicle drives through the street.

A system and method to determine a driver task includes creating an itinerary for a user to travel between a source site and a destination site, identifying a task for the user to complete based on a user profile, identifying a location for the user to complete the task, wherein the location is along a route determined based on the itinerary, presenting a suggestion on a user interface of the user to complete the task at the location, receiving an indication from the user that the user has completed the task in response to presenting the suggestion, and updating the user profile to reflect that the task has been completed upon receiving the indication from the user.

The present invention discloses a system and method to reserve and park a vehicle in a parking lot via an application through a smartphone. The system comprises a parking meter installed at the parking lot to prevent unauthorized access of vehicle to the reserved parking lot. The parking meter could communicate to a server via a wireless communication for reserving a parking lot. The application could identify the user's location and allows the user to communicate or engage the parking meter at the parking lot via the navigation system. The parking meter comprises a housing, a camera, a chip reader, displays, a plurality of backlight panels, NFC, and ultrasonic sensor. The parking meter authorizes the vehicle's number and provides access to the parking lot. The user could pay for the usage of the parking lot via the application or the chip reader or NFC of the parking meter.

A method for the assisted driving of a vehicle. A setpoint trajectory for the vehicle to be followed in a parking facility being ascertained as a function of a type of the vehicle. The ascertained setpoint trajectory is transmitted to the vehicle via a communication network. A digital map of the parking facility is transmitted to the vehicle via the communication network. The vehicle may autonomously drive in the parking facility based on the setpoint trajectory and the digital map. Additionally, the vehicle may be monitored with the aid of a vehicle-external monitoring system while it is driving autonomously in the parking facility. A device for the assisted driving of a vehicle, a method and a device for operating a vehicle, a parking system for vehicles, a vehicle, and a computer program, are also described.

A vehicle system includes a communication interface and a processing device. The processing device determines a proximity of a host vehicle to a target location. When the proximity to the target location is less than a predetermined value, the processing device commands the communication interface to transmit the target location to a parking server. In response, the processing device receives a message identifying at least one parking zone from the parking server.

Generating parking area statistics for identifying parking areas within a geographic region. Navigation support for reaching a top-ranked parking area according to collected parking area data, user preferences, parking feedback, and real-time traffic conditions. Selection of a top-ranked parking area and monitoring progress during a parking event improve future identification and ranking of parking areas.

The present disclosure relates to a method performed by a content selection system and a user device including at least a portion of the content selection system for selectively enabling a user device on the move to utilize digital content associated with one or more entities located ahead of the user device. The system determines a current position and travel direction of the user device and derives foresight conditions input including time availability indicating parameter(s). The system defines a geographical limiting zone extending in front of the user device, based on the position, travel direction, and a first time availability indicating parameter of the foresight conditions input. The system compares the limiting zone to a first stored geographical location of at least a first entity, and enables content associated with the first entity to be utilized by the user device, when the first location is within the limiting zone.

The present invention has an object to provide a technique capable of appropriately determining whether a vehicle has entered a facility range. A navigation apparatus includes a storage, a position detector, and an entry determining unit. The storage stores map information including a facility range. The position detector detects a position of an own vehicle. The entry determining unit determines that, in a case where the position of the own vehicle detected by the position detector has entered an entry determination range associated with the facility range, the own vehicle has entered the facility range.