A vehicle control apparatus is provided. The vehicle control apparatus comprises a load unit for loading a load; a weight sensor for estimating a position of a center of mass of the load; a drive unit; and a control unit for controlling autonomous travelling of a vehicle by controlling the drive unit, wherein the control unit estimates a position of the center of mass of the load based on a weight measured by the weight sensor, and controls an acceleration rate of the vehicle in accordance with the position of the center of mass.

A tow aid system used while operating a wrecker adapted to tow a vehicle, the wrecker comprising an underlift arm extending rearward from the wrecker, wherein the underlift arm is adapted to lift at least a part of the vehicle for towing. The tow aid system comprises: axle load sensors mounted along different longitudinal positions on the wrecker, the axle load sensors generating signals indicative of loads along the different longitudinal positions; an underlift arm load sensor mounted about the underlift arm, the underlift arm load sensor generating signals indicative of a load applied on the underlift arm while holding the vehicle in a towing position; and a controller processing the signals from the axle load sensors and the underlift arm load sensor to calculate operating limits of the wrecker.

A system and method are provided for dynamically protecting one or more transportable articles in a vehicle. The system may include an interior data collection component configured to collect transportable article data representing one or more transportable articles in the vehicle, a plurality of article protections components configured to protect the one or more transportable articles when deployed, and one or more processors configured to determine, by processing the transportable data, one or more characteristic(s) and/or trait(s) of the one or more transportable articles; select a subset of the plurality of article protection components to deploy based on the one or more characteristic(s) and/or trait(s) of the one or more transportable articles; and deploy the selected subset of the plurality of article protection components to protect the one or more transportable articles.

A detection system for a vehicle comprises at least one detection device configured to detect conditions in a passenger compartment of the vehicle and a controller. The controller is in communication with the at least one detection device. The controller is configured to monitor data from the at least one detection device prior to an entry of an occupant. Based on the data from the at least one detection device, the controller is further configured to identify at least one change in the passenger compartment of the vehicle. The at least one change in the passenger compartment indicates at least one of an item left behind in the passenger compartment, damage to the vehicle, and contamination of the vehicle.

A method for detecting an obstruction vertical clearance associated with an obstruction positioned in front of a vehicle-attachment system is provided. The vehicle-attachment system includes a vehicle and an attachment. The method includes receiving forward sensor data from a forward sensor system having a forward field-of-view. The method includes determining the obstruction vertical clearance of the obstruction based on the forward sensor data. The method also includes receiving rearward sensor data from a rearward-facing sensor system having a rearward field-of-view. Additionally, the method includes determining a vehicle-attachment system height based on the rearward sensor data. The method includes comparing the obstruction vertical clearance and the vehicle-attachment system height. The method also includes transmitting to a user interface, instructions to notify a driver of the vehicle the result of the comparison between the obstruction vertical clearance and the vehicle-attachment system height.

A system for controlling a drive operation of a machine having a payload container. A controller is configured to determine a current payload disposed in the payload container based upon a load sensor and determine a number of completed material loading cycles of a work implement. The controller is further configured to determine an estimated number of material loading cycles required to load the payload container based upon a desired payload, the current payload, and the number of completed material loading cycles, and compare the number of completed material loading cycles to the estimated number of material loading cycles. After the number of completed material loading cycles is one or less than the estimated number of material loading cycles, a shifting operation may begin to shift the transmission into the drive gear.

A system for controlling a drive operation of a machine having a payload container. A controller is configured to determine a current payload disposed in the payload container based upon a load sensor and determine a number of completed material loading cycles of a work implement. The controller is further configured to determine an estimated number of material loading cycles required to load the payload container based upon a desired payload, the current payload, and the number of completed material loading cycles, and compare the number of completed material loading cycles to the estimated number of material loading cycles. After the number of completed material loading cycles is one or less than the estimated number of material loading cycles, a shifting operation may begin to shift the transmission into the drive gear.

A method includes determining, by an electronic control unit, at least one characteristic of cargo that is transported by an autonomous vehicle or a semi-autonomous vehicle. The method also includes determining a driving adaptation based at least on the at least one characteristic. The driving adaptation is selected from the group including a routing adaptation, a driving style adaptation, and an internal control adaptation. The method also includes configuring the vehicle to transport the cargo based at least on the determined driving adaptation.

A vehicle safety lock assembly includes a vehicle that has an ignition system. An electronic device is provided that has a transceiver. A docking unit is coupled to the vehicle, the docking unit is positioned in an interior of the vehicle and the docking unit is electrically coupled to the ignition system. The docking unit is in wireless communication with the electronic device when the electronic device is brought into the vehicle. Moreover, the docking unit senses when the electronic device is positioned therein for storage. The docking unit turns the ignition system off when the docking unit senses the electronic device is brought into the vehicle and the electronic device is not positioned in the docking unit. In this way the docking unit inhibits the vehicle from is driven when the electronic device is available to be manipulated by the driver. The docking unit turns the ignition system on when the electronic device is brought into the vehicle and the electronic device is positioned in the docking unit.

A vehicle safety lock assembly includes a vehicle that has an ignition system. An electronic device is provided that has a transceiver. A docking unit is coupled to the vehicle, the docking unit is positioned in an interior of the vehicle and the docking unit is electrically coupled to the ignition system. The docking unit is in wireless communication with the electronic device when the electronic device is brought into the vehicle. Moreover, the docking unit senses when the electronic device is positioned therein for storage. The docking unit turns the ignition system off when the docking unit senses the electronic device is brought into the vehicle and the electronic device is not positioned in the docking unit. In this way the docking unit inhibits the vehicle from is driven when the electronic device is available to be manipulated by the driver. The docking unit turns the ignition system on when the electronic device is brought into the vehicle and the electronic device is positioned in the docking unit.