A vehicle control apparatus includes a vehicle communication control unit performing communication with a mobile terminal, a distance measuring unit measuring a vehicle-terminal distance, a distance measurement control unit executing distance measurement repeat processing causing the distance measuring unit to repeatedly measure the vehicle-terminal distance when communication between the mobile terminal and the vehicle communication control unit is established, and a distance measurement continuation determining unit, if a predetermined condition based on the vehicle-terminal distance is satisfied while the distance measurement repeat processing is being executed, finishing execution of the distance measurement repeat processing or increasing intervals of measurements of the vehicle-terminal distance in the distance measurement repeat processing.

A vehicle control apparatus includes a vehicle communication control unit performing communication with a mobile terminal positioning within an out-vehicle communication area, a distance measuring unit measuring a vehicle-terminal distance, the vehicle-terminal distance being a distance between a vehicle and the mobile terminal, and a distance measurement control unit measuring the vehicle-terminal distance by switching, based on a predetermined condition, between a first distance measurement mode repeatedly measuring the vehicle-terminal distance by the distance measuring unit without depending on reception of measurement instruction information transmitted from the mobile terminal and a second distance measurement mode measuring the vehicle-terminal distance by the distance measuring unit in response to reception of the measurement instruction information when communication is established between the vehicle communication control unit and the mobile terminal.

A vehicle immobilization system includes a detection element operable to detect a level of an intoxicant in a user's breath. A control module is operable to receive a signal from the detection element indicating the level of intoxicant in the user's breath, and to selectively restrict operation of a vehicle based on the level of intoxicant in the user's breath exceeding a threshold. A wireless relay is operable to replace a standard relay in the vehicle, and to wirelessly communicate with the control module such that the control module is operable to control the wireless relay to selectively restrict operation of the vehicle.

A method and system are disclosed and include, in response to a user being located within a vehicle associated with the vehicle-sharing request, obtaining, using a processor configured to execute instructions stored in a nontransitory computer-readable medium, image data corresponding to the user from a camera. The method also includes determining, using the processor, whether the image data corresponds to an image associated with a vehicle-sharing account of the user. The method also includes in response to determining the image data corresponds to the image, enabling, using the processor, the user to activate the vehicle.

Disclosed is a method and apparatus for controlling vehicle systems. The method may be performed by a mobile device and a vehicle, and may include capturing motion data generated by one or more sensors of the mobile device. The method may also include generating a motion signature, indicative of a motion of the mobile device, from the captured motion data. Furthermore, when the generated motion signature matches a predefined motion signature stored in a memory of the mobile device, the method may include transmitting a motion based gesture command associated with the predefined motion signature to a vehicle. Additionally, the method may include operating one or more of the vehicle systems in response to a processor of the vehicle executing the received motion based gesture command.

The present application generally relates to battery powered door unlock mechanisms. More specifically, the application teaches an unlock system including a door unlock mechanism, a capacitive circuit having a first time response, a resistive-capacitive circuit having a second time response wherein the second time response is longer than the first time response, a battery for coupling a battery charge to the capacitive circuit and the resistive capacitive circuit in response to a door unlock authentication signal, and a relay for coupling a first charge from the capacitive circuit to the door unlock mechanism in response to the relay being activated by a second charge from the resistive-capacitive circuit after the second time response.

A vehicle control device includes a processor including hardware, the processor being configured to: stop a smart key function of a vehicle when a first state in which an intensity of a radio wave received from a predetermined wireless communication device is a threshold or more has continued for a predetermined time.

A vehicle control apparatus includes a vehicle communication control unit performing communication with a mobile terminal positioning within an out-vehicle communication area, a distance measuring unit measuring a vehicle-terminal distance, the vehicle-terminal distance being a distance between a vehicle and the mobile terminal, and a distance measurement control unit measuring the vehicle-terminal distance by switching, based on a predetermined condition, between a first distance measurement mode repeatedly measuring the vehicle-terminal distance by the distance measuring unit without depending on reception of measurement instruction information transmitted from the mobile terminal and a second distance measurement mode measuring the vehicle-terminal distance by the distance measuring unit in response to reception of the measurement instruction information when communication is established between the vehicle communication control unit and the mobile terminal.

A vehicle control apparatus includes a vehicle communication control unit performing communication with a mobile terminal, a distance measuring unit measuring a vehicle-terminal distance, a distance measurement control unit executing distance measurement repeat processing causing the distance measuring unit to repeatedly measure the vehicle-terminal distance when communication between the mobile terminal and the vehicle communication control unit is established, and a distance measurement continuation determining unit, if a predetermined condition based on the vehicle-terminal distance is satisfied while the distance measurement repeat processing is being executed, finishing execution of the distance measurement repeat processing or increasing intervals of measurements of the vehicle-terminal distance in the distance measurement repeat processing.

A user identification system includes: a detection unit that detects prescribed motions of a person when the person boards or alights from a vehicle; an acquisition unit that acquires types of boarding information indicating that one of users boards or is on board the vehicle when one of the motions is detected; a memory that stores association information in which identification information of the users is associated with the types of boarding information corresponding to the users; a probability calculating unit configured to calculate a probability that each of the users boards or is on boarded the vehicle based on the types of boarding information and the association information; and an identification unit that identifies a user who boards or is on boarded the vehicle among the users based on the probability calculated by the probability calculating unit.