A vehicle theft-prevention apparatus can include a locking mechanism with an engagement component. The locking mechanism can be engaged via a first action to apply a force on the vehicle when in an engaged state. The locking mechanism can disengage, via a second action, to withdraw the force from the vehicle when in the engaged state. The locking mechanism can maintain a current state of the force in response to the first action and the second action when in a disengaged state. One or more computing devices can receive a command to enable or disable the locking mechanism. In response to receiving the command, the computing device can cause the engagement component to transition the locking mechanism from the disengaged state to the engaged state or from an engaged state to a disengaged state.

A vehicle theft-prevention apparatus can include at least one computing device coupled to a first sensor and a second sensor that are configured to sense a first and a second type of measurement in a vehicle, respectively. The at least on computing device can be configured to read a plurality of measurements of the first type of measurement from the first sensor at a predetermined frequency. In response to one of the plurality of measurements exceeding a predetermined threshold, the at least one computing device can read at least one measurement from the second sensor. Based on the at least one measurement from the second sensor, the at least one computing device can determine that a person has entered the vehicle.

A vehicle theft-prevention apparatus can include a slip clutch mechanism, a locking mechanism, and a cylindrical body including a first portion and a second portion. The first portion can be configured to rotate about the second portion. The locking mechanism can be configured to engage based on rotation of the first portion relative to the second portion in a first direction, and disengage based on a rotation of the first portion relative to the second portion in a second direction. The slip clutch mechanism can be configured to prevent the locking mechanism from further engaging from rotation in the first direction relative to the second portion based on a magnitude of force applied.

A distance measurement system includes communication units arranged in a communication subject. The communication units form different radio wave transmission paths in accordance with a location of a communication device, and are configured such that when one of the radio wave transmission paths is blocked, communication with the communication device is enabled by another one of the radio wave transmission paths. The distance measurement system further includes a distance measurement unit that measures the distance between the communication device and the communication subject using one of the radio wave transmission paths by performing distance measurement communication that transfers a distance measurement signal between the communication units and the communication device.

A fob key for a vehicle. The fob key for a vehicle includes a housing accommodating a printed circuit board mounted with touch switches and electrical parts, buttons arranged on the housing and able to move toward touch switches, and a button-supporting structure elastically supporting buttons in a direction far away from touch switches.

A vehicle door handle circuit coupled to a vehicle control unit includes a transmission antenna circuit, a control circuit and an actuation sensor via which the door handle circuit receives DC voltage for supplying the control circuit or AC voltage for controlling the antenna circuit. The antenna circuit includes a series oscillating circuit with an inductor and a capacitor. A series circuit including a first capacitor and a first rectifier is connected between two contacts and in parallel with the antenna circuit allows part of the AC voltage signal to be used for the voltage supply of the control circuit. A second rectifier connects one of the two contacts to the series circuit. A third rectifier is also provided in order to feed DC voltage to the vehicle control unit.

A system and method for remote control of functionalities of a vehicle, for example a motor vehicle reserved for hire, is provided. The system and method include transmission and receipt of information between a mobile terminal, a remote vehicle management system and a control unit of a vehicle to remotely control, particularly to remotely initiate, particular functionalities of a vehicle which has been selected, particularly reserved, in advance using the vehicle management system. The mobile terminal is identified to the vehicle on the basis of an interchange of identifiers that the vehicle and the terminal have received in advance from the vehicle management system.

A remote vehicle control system includes a vehicle that has a diagnostic system, electric door locks, an electric trunk release, a theft alarm and a first transceiver. A watch is provided and the watch may be worn on a wrist thereby facilitating the watch to display a time of day and a date. A communication unit is coupled to the watch. The communication unit is in electrical communication with the diagnostic unit to notify a user of diagnostic alerts generated by the diagnostic unit. The communication unit controls operational parameters of the electric door locks, the electric trunk release and the theft alarm.

A system and method are provided for obtaining calibration data for a portable device relative to an object in order to facilitate defining a locator for determining a location of the portable device relative to the object. The system and method may obtain calibration data pertaining to a signal characteristic of communications transmitted from the portable device and corresponding to a known location of the portable device (e.g., truth data).

The present disclose is directed to a method for dropping off a shipment in a motor vehicle. In one embodiment, the method comprises: transmission of a digital key to a control device of the motor vehicle, transmission of a piece of authentication information to an authentication element, capture of the piece of authentication information or of a piece of information derived from the piece of authentication information, actuation of a vehicle device to allow access to at least part of the motor vehicle interior by the control device when an authentication condition that evaluates both the piece of authentication information or the derived piece of information and the digital key is met, and actuation of the vehicle device and/or of a further vehicle device to close the motor vehicle following storage of the shipment in the motor vehicle or after a prescribed waiting time.