A vehicle control apparatus includes a battery remaining-amount recognizing unit recognizing a remaining amount of a battery and a distance measurement control unit measuring a vehicle-terminal distance by switching, based on the remaining amount of the battery recognized by the battery remaining-amount recognizing unit, between a first distance measurement mode repeatedly measuring the vehicle-terminal distance by a distance measuring unit without depending on reception of measurement instruction information transmitted from a 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 transmitted from the mobile terminal when communication is established between the vehicle communication control unit and the mobile terminal.

Access control equipment for vehicles with an electronic remote key which is accommodated in a housing, includes a controller that is designed for temporary activation of the remote key. The controller has an interface for wireless communication and is designed to cause an activation of the remote key in dependence on a wireless communication. A voltage supply is coupled to the controller and the remote key. The voltage supply, under actuation from the controller, applies an electrical breakdown voltage via at least one contact of the remote key for at least a first predetermined duration, which is greater than a designated operating voltage for the remote key, in order to destroy the remote key by the resulting current flow.

A vehicle key capable of generating electrical energy by itself through energy harvesting, and a method of manufacturing the vehicle key are provided. The vehicle key includes a power generator including an energy generation module configured to generate electrical energy using energy harvesting and an electric condenser configured to store the generated electrical energy; an inputter configured to receive a user input; a communicator configured to communicate with the vehicle; and a controller configured to control the communicator to transmit a control signal corresponding to the received user input to the vehicle. At least one of the inputter, the communicator, and the controller may be configured to receive power from the power generator.

The present invention relates to a driverless vehicle comprising at least two compartments, two opening elements, at least one retractable compartment partition, and an unlocking device comprising an electronic lock for each opening element, which is able to be locked or unlocked depending on the value of an instruction. The vehicle also comprises a control module comprising a sensor for receiving a digital key and an electronic component for authenticating the digital key and generating an instruction signal. The electronic lock comprises means for detecting closure of the opening elements, and the control module comprises digital key generation means able to generate a unique digital key upon each closure of the opening elements, the electronic component being able to authenticate the received digital key through comparison with the generated unique digital key.

A convenient electronic circuit in which a switch is able to be switched through electric power obtained by weak radio waves is provided. An electronic circuit includes: a power supply configured to output direct current (DC) electric power; a switch connected between the power supply and a load driven by DC electric power supplied from the power supply and configured to switch a connection state between the power supply and the load from a non-conduction state to a conduction state; an power input terminal to which electric power obtained by radio waves received by an antenna capable of receiving the radio waves is input; a DC power output terminal configured to output DC electric power, a power conversion circuit configured to convert electric power input to the power input terminal into DC electric power and output the converted electric power from the DC power output terminal; an input terminal connected to the DC power output terminal of the power conversion circuit; an output terminal connected to the switch and configured to control a connection state of the switch; and a control circuit configured to control a connection state of the switch to be in a conduction state when the power conversion circuit outputs DC electric power due to the reception of radio waves by the antenna.

A terminal performs communication with an in-vehicle device to control a vehicle. The terminal includes a controller configured to switch and set a plurality of operation modes, and a vibration detection unit configured to detect vibration of the terminal. The operation modes include a first mode, a second mode different from the first mode, and a third mode where communication with the in-vehicle device is more restricted than in the first mode and the second mode. The controller is configured to, when the first mode is executed, in a case where vibration is not detected in the vibration detection unit for a predetermined time, switch the operation mode to the third mode, and when the second mode is executed, in a case where vibration is not detected in the vibration detection unit for a time longer than the predetermined time, switch the operation mode to the third mode.

A enhanced vehicle key and a method for voice activation, the method may include supplying power to a low power trigger sensor of a enhanced vehicle key, by a power source of the enhanced vehicle key; wherein the supplying of power is preceded by powering the enhanced vehicle key while a part of the enhanced vehicle key is positioned within an ignition switch of a vehicle; detecting, by the low power trigger sensor, a voice trigger; awakening, following the detection, a processor of the enhanced vehicle key; searching, by the processor, for a voice command; and when finding the voice command then executing the voice command.

A enhanced vehicle key and a method for voice activation, the method may include supplying power to a low power trigger sensor of a enhanced vehicle key, by a power source of the enhanced vehicle key; wherein the supplying of power is preceded by powering the enhanced vehicle key while a part of the enhanced vehicle key is positioned within an ignition switch of a vehicle; detecting, by the low power trigger sensor, a voice trigger; awakening, following the detection, a processor of the enhanced vehicle key; searching, by the processor, for a voice command; and when finding the voice command then executing the voice command.

A vehicle-mounted device includes vehicle information detecting unit for detecting an on/off state of vehicle power, relay input/output unit for controlling an external relay configured to make a switch between a starting-disabled state and a starting-enabled state of a vehicle, and vehicle information-associated control unit for controlling the external relay based on a relay control command. The vehicle information-associated control unit controls the external relay based on an elapsed time since a change in the on/off state of vehicle power detected by the vehicle information detecting unit.

A tethered device for prevention and recovery of a vehicle component (e.g., a catalytic converter) is provided herein. The tethered device comprises a housing having an exterior surface and defining an interior cavity. The tethered device further comprises an electronic component disposed within the interior cavity. The tethered device further comprises a plurality of spacers extending from the exterior surface and configured to be adjacent to the vehicle component. The plurality of spacers defines a channel configured to promote airflow between the tethered device and the vehicle component thereby minimizing heat transfer between the tethered device and the vehicle component.