Signals are received from a plurality of sources, representing aspects of the vehicle, a vehicle operator, and an environment surrounding the vehicle. An alertness factor and a readiness factor are developed based at least in part on the signals. Control of the vehicle is transitioned between levels of autonomous control based at least in part on the alertness factor and the readiness factor.

Signals are from a plurality of sources representing aspects of the vehicle and an environment surrounding the vehicle. An autonomous confidence factor is developed based on component confidence levels for at least one of the signals. Control of the vehicle is transitioned between levels of autonomous control based at least in part on the autonomous confidence factor.

Signals are received from a plurality of sources, representing operating characteristics of a vehicle and an environment surrounding the vehicle. A plurality of operational factors are developed based on the signals. The vehicle is controlled according to one of at least three levels of control, including an autonomous, a semi-autonomous, and a manual level of control, based on the operational factors.

At least one object having a risk of collision with the vehicle is detected. Levels of autonomous control are transitioned in response to detection of a potential collision based at least in part on an autonomous peril factor which includes a probability of collision and a magnitude of possible damage in the event of a collision.

A method is provided for monitoring a driver of a vehicle, the method receives a state of the driver; receives one or more objects of a real environment model of the vehicle; generates one or more objects of an envisioned environment model of the driver based on the one or more objects of the real environment model of the vehicle and the state of the driver, wherein, if the state of the driver indicates that at least one sense of the driver sensed a particular object of the real environment model, the particular object of the real environment model is added to the envisioned environment model; and updates the one or more objects of the envisioned environment model based on the state of the driver, wherein the one or more objects of the envisioned environment model are updated by a physics engine if the state of the driver indicates that the driver is prevented from sensing the one or more objects of the real environment model.

A vehicle control system for operating an automated vehicle in a fashion more conducive to comfort of an occupant of the automated vehicle includes a sensor, an electronic-horizon database, vehicle-controls, and a controller. The sensor is used to determine a centerline of a travel-lane traveled by a host-vehicle. The electronic-horizon database indicates a shape of the travel-lane beyond where the sensor is able to detect the travel-lane. The vehicle-controls are operable to control motion of the host-vehicle. The controller is configured to determine when the database indicates that following the shape of the travel-lane beyond where the sensor is able to detect the travel-lane will make following the centerline by the host-vehicle uncomfortable to an occupant of the host-vehicle, and operate the vehicle-controls to steer the host-vehicle away from the centerline when following the centerline will make the occupant uncomfortable.

An interaction system for a vehicle includes a human machine interface controller coupled to a plurality of interface components that communicate information to a driver of the vehicle. The interaction system also includes a situational awareness module coupled to the human machine interface controller. The situational awareness module is configured to monitor driver and vehicle conditions, generate a comprehensive driving conditions status, and communicate the comprehensive driving conditions status to the human machine interface controller using a specified protocol.

In embodiments of mobile device safe driving, a mobile device can display a device lock screen on an integrated display device, and transition from the device lock screen to display a driving mode lock screen. The transition to display the driving mode lock screen occurs without receiving a PIN code entered on the device lock screen. The mobile device implements a safe driving service that is implemented to activate a safe driving mode of the mobile device, and disable features of the mobile device while the safe driving mode is activated.

A confusion degree determining unit determines a degree of confusion of an occupant by using occupant state information acquired by an occupant state acquiring unit. A recognition degree determining unit determines a degree of recognition of the occupant, with respect to surrounding conditions and automatic control of a vehicle, by using surrounding condition information and control information acquired by a host vehicle status acquiring unit and the occupant state information acquired by the occupant state acquiring unit. An information generation unit generates information to be provided to the occupant by using the surrounding condition information and control information acquired by the host vehicle status acquiring unit, the degree of confusion determined by the confusion degree determining unit, and the degree of recognition determined by the recognition degree determining unit.

Among other things, techniques are described for screening and monitoring the health of a vehicle user including receiving sensor data produced by a sensor at the vehicle, processing the sensor data to determine at least one health condition of the user of the vehicle, and in response to determining the at least one health condition, executing a vehicle function selected from a plurality of vehicle functions based on the at least one health condition.