Method and apparatus are disclosed for accelerometer-based external sound monitoring during low speed maneuvers. An example vehicle includes accelerometers affixed to windows of the vehicle, speakers located inside the vehicle, and an infotainment head unit. Each of the speakers is uniquely associated with one of the accelerometers. The infotainment head unit, when a speed of the vehicle satisfies a threshold, selects a zone corresponding to a direction of travel of the vehicle. Additionally, the infotainment head unit plays signals captured by the accelerometers associated with the selected zone on the corresponding speakers.

Method and apparatus are disclosed for systems and method to detect blocked vehicles. An example vehicle includes range detection sensors and a body control module. When the vehicle is parked, the body control module (a) scans, with the range detection sensors, the area around the vehicle to detect objects, (b) based on positions of the objects, determines whether the vehicle is able to maneuver out of its current parking spot, and (c) when the vehicle is not able to maneuver, sends an alert to a mobile device of a driver of the vehicle.

A self-driving work vehicle including a traveling apparatus, a vehicle body supported by the traveling apparatus on ground, a variable traveling power supply apparatus configured to supply rotational drive power to the traveling apparatus, a travel operation interface configured to adjust a rate of the rotational drive power, a parking brake provided for a transmission shaft of the variable traveling power supply apparatus, a rotation detector configured to detect rotation of the traveling apparatus or the transmission shaft, and a controller. The controller is configured or programmed to control the parking brake to a braking state or a non-braking state by a parking brake control module, and manage the braking state or the non-braking state as a vehicle body state by a condition management module. The braking state and the non-braking state are operating states of the parking brake.

A method for vehicle parking assistance during a parking maneuver of the vehicle includes detecting an obstacle in a detection space outside the vehicle. Successive measurements are taken of the distance or distances separating the vehicle and the obstacle and the position or positions of the obstacle relative to the vehicle. Depending on the results of the measurements, human speech voice messages are generated that provide parking assistance. The voice messages are broadcasted in the passenger compartment of the vehicle.

Embodiments include a vehicle comprising an end facing an external object, at least one vehicle light positioned adjacent to the end and projecting a light pattern onto the object, a window adjacent to the end, and at least one proximity indicator coupled to the window at a predetermined position corresponding to an expected location of the light pattern on the object when the end is located a predetermined distance from the object. The proximity indicator can be removably adhered to the window. The light pattern can be visible through the window from a vehicle interior. In some embodiments, the object is positioned adjacent to a rear end of the vehicle and the at least one vehicle light is a rear vehicle light. In other embodiments, the object is positioned adjacent to a front end of the vehicle and the at least one vehicle light is a front vehicle light.

A system of enhanced visual parking space safety indicators for assisting drivers of automobiles or operators of other vehicles to position their vehicles in parking spaces. First rear safety indicators are positioned on a vertical barrier, such as a wall or structure, located at a rear of the parking space, and demarcate a rear limit and an associated depth dimension, left and right limits and an associated width dimension, and a center of the parking space. Second upper safety indicators are positioned on an upper barrier, such as a ceiling, located above the parking space, and demarcate an upper limit and an associated height dimension, the left and right limits and the associated width dimension, and the center of the parking space. The enhanced visual parking space safety indicators may supplement or replace conventional safety surface line markings located on a lower surface of the parking space.

System for assisting in driving a bicycle by sending a haptic feedback to a cyclist having means for detecting the current value of a target quantity (q, v); and a memory module configured for supplying an optimal value of the target quantity (q.sub.max; v.sub.max) corresponding to the current spatial position (x) of the bicycle along the predetermined path or corresponding to the current instant (t). A comparator module is configured for determining a quantity representative of the error (e.sub.q; e.sub.v) between said current value of the target quantity (q, v) and said optimal value of the target quantity (q.sub.max; v.sub.max) supplied by the memory module. An actuator is applicable to a portion of the bicycle (100), suitable for generating vibrations. A control module is configured for determining a vibration frequency (f) of the actuator based on the error (e.sub.q; e.sub.v), wherein the said vibration implements the haptic feedback to the cyclist.

The present technology relates to an information processing device that enables to perform parking according to a desired parking method, and relates to an information processing method, and a program. For respective modes corresponding to parking methods of automatic parking that automatically parks a vehicle, the information processing device calculates respective required times until the automatic parking is completed, and controls displaying of the respective required times corresponding to the modes, thereby enabling to perform desired parking according to the required time until the automatic parking is completed. The present technology can be applied to, for example, an automatic parking system that is incorporated as a part of an automatic driving system with which a vehicle capable of performing automatic driving is provided.

A vehicle-positioning aid includes a field unit and a cab unit. The field unit is configured to generate a vehicle-contact signal when contacted by a vehicle and to wirelessly transmit a signal indicative that the field unit has be contacted by a vehicle. The cab unit is configured to provide the vehicle operator with an indication that the vehicle has contacted the field unit; for example, by emitting a particular sound pattern. The operator places the vehicle-positioning aid at a desired location on, for example, a work site, and is able to position the vehicle at the desired location by moving the vehicle until it contacts the field unit. Thus, the operator is able to position the vehicle at a desired spot without the need for other workers (spotters) to monitor the blind spots and relay information to the operator.

With a method for at least partially automatically controlling, in particular automatically parking a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, provision is made according to the invention for the movement of the vehicle to be predicted, for the position of a body outside the vehicle to be detected, for a possible spatial and/or time-related contact area between the vehicle and the body on the outer shell of the vehicle to be predicted, for a structure-borne sound measurement to be taken in the predicted spatial and/or time-related contact area and for a warning signal to be issued to the control unit if a previously specified criterion is met by the measured structure-borne sound signal.