Methods and systems are provided for using energy harvesting modules as a means for providing energy to power an electrical load and/or as a means for monitoring an operational state of a component or components to which the energy harvesting module is coupled. In one example, a method includes, via a controller, monitoring an actual amount of energy generated by an energy harvesting module attached to a mounting structure that is used to secure a torque-supplying machine to a frame, comparing the actual amount to an expected amount, and indicating degradation of the mounting structure and/or the torque-supplying machine based on the comparing. In this way, the energy harvesting modules may both power electrical loads and simultaneously serve as a monitor for component degradation.

Mappings of keys to actions can automate various vehicle systems. Some automations can provide lane departure warnings. Keys for lane departure mappings can specify vibration patterns expected when a vehicle drives over lane delineators. These vibration-based mappings can include keys with vibration patterns, e.g., defining vibration frequencies or vibration locations. Keys for emergency light mappings can be based on conditions such as (1) the vehicle being on the road, stopped, not in traffic, and not at a stop signal; (2) components of the vehicle having failed; or (3) weather conditions.

A prediction apparatus, comprising an acquisition unit configured to acquire peripheral information of an own vehicle, a determination unit configured to determine, based on the peripheral information, whether a behavior prediction target on a road visually recognizes a predetermined object, and a prediction unit configured to, if it is determined by the determination unit that the behavior prediction target visually recognizes the predetermined object, predict that the behavior prediction target moves across the road in a crossing direction.

A temperature control apparatus of a vehicle of the invention flows a cooling medium in an engine circulation circuit and a battery circulation circuit and an activation of an engine heat exchanging system so as not to perform an engine heat exchanging when an engine temperature is lower than an engine warming end temperature and a battery temperature is lower than a predetermined battery temperature lower than a battery warming end temperature, and flows the cooling medium in the engine circulation circuit and the battery circulation circuit and the activation of the engine heat exchanging system so as to perform the engine heat exchanging when the engine temperature is lower than the engine warming end temperature, and the battery temperature is equal to or higher than the predetermined battery temperature.

A driving assistance system and a driving assistance method are provided. The driving assistance system includes a physiological information sensing system, an external physical symptom detection system, and a processing device. The physiological information sensing system is configured to sense physiological information of a driver. The external physical symptom detection system is configured to detect an external physical symptom of the driver. The processing device is coupled to the physiological information sensing system and the external physical symptom detection system. When the physiological information of the driver and the external physical symptom of the driver are abnormal, the processing device initiates an emergency procedure.

A road surface state determination apparatus includes a plurality of tire-side devices each of which detects vibration applied to corresponding tire and produces road surface data indicative of a road surface state based on data of the vibration, and a vehicle-body-side system that determines the road surface state based on the road surface data.

A parking guidance apparatus provided at a vehicle includes a reception processor receiving a transmission wave transmitted from a ground apparatus through at least two onboard receivers fixedly provided at different positions at the vehicle, the at least two onboard receivers including a first onboard receiver and a second onboard receiver, an estimation processor estimating a position of the ground apparatus relative to a position of the vehicle in accordance with a time difference between a first timing and a second timing, the first timing at which the transmission wave is received by the reception processor through the first onboard receiver, the second timing at which the transmission wave is received by the reception processor through the second onboard receiver, and a guide processor specifying a parking area in accordance with the position of the ground apparatus estimated by the estimation processor and guiding the vehicle towards the parking area.

A periphery recognition apparatus includes: a detection portion that detects an abnormality in at least a third detector from among a first detector, a second a detector, and the third detector; and an estimation portion that performs speed control that is control of traveling speed of a vehicle and uses information obtained from at least one of the first detector or the second detector to estimate whether an object is present in a third area.

During a measurement technique, an electronic device may receive first sensor information associated with a first field of view and a first timestamp, and second sensor information associated with a second field of view and a second timestamp. For example, the electronic device may perform a first measurement using a first sensor and performing a second, different type of measurement using a second sensor. Therefore, the first sensor information and the second sensor information may be associated with different types of sensors. Moreover, the first timestamp and the second timestamp may be concurrent or in close temporal proximity, and the first field of view and the second field of view may at least substantially overlap. Then, the electronic device may store the first sensor information and the second sensor information in memory. In some embodiments, the electronic device stores the first timestamp and the second timestamp in the memory.

A method for determining a beneficial effect of a platoon comprises a leading vehicle and a following vehicle. In a first step, at least one first pressure acting on the leading vehicle is determined by means of an electronic processing unit. In a second step, at least one second pressure acting on the following vehicle is determined by means of the electronic processing unit. In a third step, a difference between the first and second pressures is determined by means of the electronic processing unit. In a fourth step, at least one benefit value is determined on the basis of the difference, by means of the electronic processing unit, the benefit value characterizing the beneficial effect of the platoon on at least one of the vehicles.