The present invention relates a package securing system comprising a package receptacle having an access door, a web-enabled control system, and a securing tether that is attached to the access door. The securing tether is operationally related to the securing tether actuator and repositions the access door in an open or a closed position. Upon receipt of an authorization, the access door transitions to the open position, by way of the securing tether. The open position allows the package to be inserted or removed from the package receptacle. The package is secured by transitioning the access door to the closed position, by way of the securing tether, after the package has been inserted into the package receptacle. An autonomous vehicle equipped with a vehicle web-enabled control system can make package pickups and deliveries. The autonomous vehicle can be a car, truck, drone, or other autonomous vehicles.

An image captured by a far-infrared camera is analyzed to analyze a distribution of a road-surface temperature, and a course of a highest road-surface temperature is determined to be a traveling route. Further, automatic driving along the course of the highest road-surface temperature is performed. Furthermore, a state of the distribution of a road-surface temperature, and a direction of the course of the highest road-surface temperature are displayed on a display section, so that a user (a driver) recognizes them. For example, a state analyzer detects a candidate course travelable for a vehicle, the state analyzer detecting a plurality of the candidate courses, calculates an average value of a road-surface temperature of each of the plurality of the candidate courses, and determines the candidate course having a largest average value of a road-surface temperature to be a traveling route.

A maintenance system can be used with a self-driving vehicle. The maintenance system can include a smoke detection system that is coupled to the self-driving vehicle and is configured to detect smoke inside a passenger cabin of the vehicle, a motor compartment of the vehicle, or a battery compartment of the vehicle.

Apparatus for controlling a brightness of a display of a vehicle includes: an infrared illuminator, configured to emit infrared light in the vehicle; a near infrared (NIR) light sensing unit, configured to capture reflected infrared light; an image data processing unit, configured to analyze the reflected infrared light to generate a feedback; an imaging control unit, configured to adjust, in response to the feedback, one or more of a plurality of properties of the NIR light sensing unit, so that readouts of the NIR light sensing unit are within a first range, wherein the image data processing unit generates a calculated NIR intensity readout under the adjusted properties; a reconstruction unit, configured to reconstruct a human perceived brightness based on the calculated NIR intensity readout; and the display, configured to adjust the brightness. The NIR light sensing unit is a unit of a driver monitoring system (DMS).

A system comprises an autonomous vehicle (AV) and a control device operably coupled with the AV. The control device detects a series of events within a threshold period of time, where a number of series of events in the series of events is above a threshold number. The series of events taken in the aggregate within the threshold period of time deviates from a normalcy mode. The normalcy mode comprises events that are expected to the encountered by the AV. The control device determines whether the series of events corresponds to a malicious event, where the malicious event indicates tampering with the AV. In response to determining that the series of events corresponds to the malicious event, the series of events are escalated to be addressed.

An automated driving apparatus acquires a position relation between a vehicle in front and a host vehicle based on peripheral state data D_info. When an intervehicular distance D1 between the host vehicle and the vehicle in front in a front-and-back direction has a value smaller than a first predetermined value D1ref, it is estimated that a risk of appearance Risk_ap is low compared with a case in which the distance in the front-and-back direction has a value equal to or larger than the first predetermined value D1ref.

A movable carrier auxiliary system includes an environment detecting device, a state detecting device, and a control device. The environment detecting device includes at least one image capturing module and an operation module. The image capturing module captures an environment image in a traveling direction of the movable carrier. The operation module detects whether there is at least one of a target carrier and a lane marking in the environment image captured in the traveling direction for generating a detection signal. The state detecting device detects a moving state of the movable carrier and generating a state signal. The control device continuously receives the detection signal and the state signal, and controls the movable carrier to follow the target carrier or the lane marking according to the detection signal and the state signal upon receiving the detection signal that there is the target carrier or the lane marking in the environment image.

An autonomous vehicle (AV) implements a health protocol that may reduce pathogen transmission between users of the AV. The AV is equipped with a thermal sensor that captures a body temperature of a user. The AV compares the user's temperature to a threshold temperature, and if the user's temperature exceeds the threshold temperature, the AV performs checks to ensure that the user's planned trip follows current regulations or recommendations. For example, the AV confirms that the user is traveling between the user's home and a healthcare facility. If the trip is permitted, the AV enables the user to enter the AV. The AV may include a disinfectant system for disinfecting the passenger compartment or surfaces after the user exits the AV.

Methods for vehicle operation using behavioral rule checks include receiving first sensor data from first sensors and second sensor data from second sensors of the vehicle. The first sensor data represents operation of the vehicle in accordance with a first trajectory. The second sensor data represents at least one object. It is determined that the first trajectory violates a first behavioral rule of operation based on the first sensor data and the second sensor data. The first behavioral rule has a first priority. Multiple alternative trajectories are generated using control barrier functions. A second trajectory is identified that violates a second behavioral rule having a second priority less than the first priority. Responsive to identifying the second trajectory, a message is transmitted to a control circuit of the vehicle to operate the vehicle based on the second trajectory.

An autonomous vehicle is configured to estimate a change in direction of a vehicle that is on a roadway and is proximate to the autonomous vehicle. The autonomous vehicle has a mechanical system, one or more sensors that generate one or more sensor signals, and a computing system in communication with the mechanical system and the one or more sensors. The autonomous vehicle is configured to detect an imminent lane change by another vehicle based on at least one of a computed angle between a wheel of the other vehicle and a longitudinal direction of travel of the other vehicle, a degree of misalignment between the wheel of the other vehicle and a body of the other vehicle, and/or an eccentricity of the wheel of the other vehicle. The mechanical system of the autonomous vehicle is controlled by the computing system based upon the detected imminent lane change.