One variation of a method for renting a vehicle includes: receiving a signal from a fleet manager, the signal specifying a current availability of the vehicle for rent; updating a visual indicator arranged on the vehicle according to the signal, the visual indicator visually detectable from outside the vehicle; receiving identification information of a user proximal the vehicle; enabling access to the vehicle for the user in response to verification of the user as a driver of the vehicle; determining, through a sensor arranged within the vehicle, that the user is seated in a driver's seat within the vehicle; and enabling ignition of the vehicle for the user in response to determination that the user is seated in the driver's seat.

A seat adjustment device includes: an authentication unit that is configured to identify plural occupants of a vehicle; an acquisition unit that is configured to acquire information relating to each one of the plural vehicle occupants identified by the authentication unit; a determination unit that is configured to determine relationships between the plural vehicle occupants based on information acquired by the acquisition unit; and a control unit that is configured to control at least one of a position or an orientation of seats mounted in the vehicle based on determination results from the determination unit.

Systems, apparatus and methods implemented in algorithms, hardware, software, firmware, logic, or circuitry may be configured to process data and sensory input to determine whether an object external to an autonomous vehicle (e.g., another vehicle, a pedestrian, road debris, a bicyclist, etc.) may be a potential collision threat to the autonomous vehicle. The autonomous vehicle may be configured to implement interior active safety systems to protect passengers of the autonomous vehicle during a collision with an object or during evasive maneuvers by the autonomous vehicle, for example. The interior active safety systems may be configured to provide passengers with notice of an impending collision and/or emergency maneuvers by the vehicle by tensioning seat belts prior to executing an evasive maneuver and/or prior to a predicted point of collision.

Disclosed herein is a device, methods, and systems for a specialized circuit and alert system for use with any motorized vehicle with an integrated electrical system. The circuit may connect to the vehicle electrical system through any available port. When the voltage in the electrical system is high the signal is deactivated, as is the case when the vehicle motor is running and charging the battery and electrical system. When it is low the signal is actuated. The system is further controlled by a switch connected to a sensor or other detection means, which activates the system based upon the presence or absence of an item. The whole of the system therefore operates to activate the system when an item is present and the engine is running, an alert signal is triggered when the vehicle engine is turned off. In the preferred embodiment a sensor is incorporated into a baby seat, and the circuit plugs into the cigarette lighter port.

The present disclosure provides an apparatus and a method for detecting an object in a vehicle. The apparatus includes a seat location determining device configured to determine whether a location of a front seat is a reference location, a seat location adjusting device configured to adjust the location of the front seat to the reference location depending on whether the seat location determining device determines that the location of the front seat is the reference location, an object detecting device configured to detect the object around a rear seat when the location of the front seat is in the reference location, and a warning controller configured to output a warning when the object detecting device detects the object around the rear seat.

A system includes a first webbing payout sensor and a seatbelt wear condition module. The first webbing payout sensor can detect a first webbing payout of a seatbelt associated with a seat of a vehicle. The first webbing payout is a first length of webbing of the seatbelt dispensed from a first retractor of the seatbelt. The seatbelt wear condition module can identify whether the seatbelt is worn correctly based on the first webbing payout. The system may further include a second webbing payout sensor that detects a second webbing payout of the seatbelt associated with the seat. The second webbing payout is a second length of webbing of the seatbelt dispensed from a second retractor of the seatbelt. The seatbelt wear condition module identifies whether the seatbelt is worn correctly based on the first webbing payout and the second webbing payout.

A vehicle includes a controller programmed to identify a seating position in the vehicle corresponding to each of a plurality of nomadic devices in communication with the vehicle. The controller is configured to receive at least one seating profile from each of the nomadic devices and adjust seating parameters for each of the seating positions according to the seating profile received from the corresponding nomadic device.

A device which detects a child presence in a car seat and communicates an audible and mobile-device reminder to the driver that a child occupant is in the seat is disclosed. The system utilizes internal sensors to monitor various vehicle occupancy conditions to determine when a triggering event has occurred while the car seat occupancy sensor is engaged. Once triggered, the system will immediately notify the driver that the child remains in the car seat inside the vehicle, and will also sent follow-up alerts.

An apparatus for adjusting a driving position of a driver of a vehicle includes: a communication module performing wireless communication with an external terminal of a user; a door module sensing an opening or closing of a door of the vehicle; and a controller receiving, when the door of the vehicle is opened, user information identifying the user from the external terminal via the communication module, retrieving driving position adjustment information corresponding to the user information from a big data server, and adjusting the driving position based on the driving position adjustment information.

A message is received that a mobile device is in proximity to a vehicle. For example, a cloud system may receive a message that the mobile device is in proximity to the car of a specific person. Based on the mobile device being in proximity to the vehicle, sensor information is received from one or more sensors on the vehicle. For example, an array of cameras on the vehicle may be used to detect a gesture. The received information from the one or more sensors on the vehicle is processed to identify one or more actions to implement on the vehicle. One or more commands are then sent to implement one or more actions on the vehicle. For example, the one or more commands may be to open a specific door on the vehicle and to turn on a specific heating system in the vehicle.