The disclosure provides an early notification system to alert a driver of an approaching unsafe autonomous or semi-autonomous driving zone so that a driver may switch vehicle to a non-autonomous driving mode and navigate safely through the identified location. In response, to a determination of an upcoming unsafe autonomous or semi-autonomous driving zone, the driver or system may take appropriate actions in response to the early notification.

Among other things, a vehicle having autonomous driving capabilities is operated in a mixed driving mode.

An example method of providing an at least partially automatic driving function and/or a personalized function in a motor vehicle as well as to the motor vehicle may include establishing a communication link between a communication interface of the motor vehicle and a communication interface of a mobile terminal, which is associated with a user of the motor vehicle; receiving terminal data transferred via the communication link in the motor vehicle, which is recorded on the mobile terminal and which describes at least navigation information and/or user information relating to the user; and providing an at least partially automatic driving function of a driver assistance system of the motor vehicle and/or a personalized function in the motor vehicle by evaluating the received terminal data.

A method is disclosed for analyzing historical accident information to adjust driving actions of an autonomous vehicle over a travel route in order to avoid accidents which have occurred over the travel route. Historical accident information for the travel route can be analyzed to, for example, determine accident types which occurred over the travel route and determine causes and/or probable causes of the accident types. In response to determining accident types and causes/probable causes of the accident types over the travel route, adjustments can be made to the driving actions planned for the autonomous vehicle over the travel route. In addition, in an embodiment, historical accident information can be used to analyze available travel routes and select a route which presents less risk of accident than others.

A shift selector device includes an input member, a position setting mechanism and an activation controller. A selection operation of selecting a shift position is input to the input member. The position setting mechanism defines a movable range of the input member while supporting the input member in a displaceable manner. A plurality of the shift positions and at least one activation position linked to an automated travel system are disposed in the movable range. When the activation position is selected by displacement of the input member, the activation controller outputs an activation instruction for instructing a control function of the automated travel system linked to the activation position to be activated.

A shift selector device includes an input member, a position setting mechanism and an activation controller. A selection operation of selecting a shift position is input to the input member. The position setting mechanism defines a movable range of the input member while supporting the input member in a displaceable manner. A plurality of the shift positions and at least one activation position linked to an automated travel system are disposed in the movable range. When the activation position is selected by displacement of the input member, the activation controller outputs an activation instruction for instructing a control function of the automated travel system linked to the activation position to be activated.

A driving assistance apparatus predicts an appropriate operation amount which is an operation amount performed by a driver in correspondence with the external environment, and sets the appropriate operation amount range including the appropriate operation amount, an appropriate operation amount range including the appropriate operation amount, and changes the reaction force characteristics of the operation device when it is determined that the operation amount of the driver corresponding to the prediction time point of the appropriate operation amount is not included in the appropriate operation amount range.

A detection arrangement for detecting a wear status of a chopping knife arrangement of a chopping device provided for processing a product flow, wherein the chopping device has a revolving chopping drum receiving the chopping knife arrangement and at least one shear bar which cooperates with the chopping knives, with a sensor arrangement which has a magnetic exciter arrangement and a flux conducting device magnetically coupled thereto. The sensor arrangement provides a pole arrangement which forms at least one magnetic pole with a pole surface for conducting magnetic flux, wherein at least a portion of the chopping knife passes the pole arrangement during a rotation of the chopping drum. A voltage induced when a chopping knife arrangement passes the sensor arrangement forms the measured magnetic value, which is used by the evaluation unit to determine the state of wear of the chopping knife arrangement.

A control system includes a plurality of request generation devices each of which outputs first and second requests based on a request generated by at least one application, an arbitrator that arbitrates the first and second requests and that outputs a single first request and a single second request, and a control apparatus that controls an actuator based on a final request obtained by arbitrating the first and second requests from the arbitrator and a request made by a driver. The arbitrator specifies the request generation device that has output a request corresponding to the final request based on the final request, the self-output first request, and the self-output second request. The request generation device specified by the arbitrator specifies the application that has generated the request corresponding to the final request based on the self-output first request, the self-output second request, and the request made by the driver.

A control system includes a plurality of request generation devices each of which outputs first and second requests based on a request generated by at least one application, an arbitrator that arbitrates the first and second requests and that outputs a single first request and a single second request, and a control apparatus that controls an actuator based on a final request obtained by arbitrating the first and second requests from the arbitrator and a request made by a driver. The arbitrator specifies the request generation device that has output a request corresponding to the final request based on the final request, the self-output first request, and the self-output second request. The request generation device specified by the arbitrator specifies the application that has generated the request corresponding to the final request based on the self-output first request, the self-output second request, and the request made by the driver.