Methods and systems for using audio output devices to output audio content are provided. The audio output devices are provided in autonomously controllable vehicles. The vehicles are instructed to move to respective locations based on an audio output mode. For example, the vehicles may be arranged in a first configuration for a stereo sound mode and instructed to play left-channel or right channel audio data according to their location. The vehicles may be autonomously controlled to move into a different configuration for outputting audio content in another audio mode, for example, a surround sound mode. Where the audio output device is provided in a vehicle interior, such as internal speakers in a car, the vehicle may be instructed to, while playing the audio content, open the door and/or window.

An electrical system in a vehicle has a battery is configured to supply electrical current when a driver ignition key is in a Key-Off state. A. A plurality of electrical loads are each configurable to receive the electrical current flowing from the battery during the Key-Off state depending upon predetermined Key-Off-Load (KOL) Modes. A vehicle locator determines a geographic location of the vehicle. A sleep-time database records daily Key-On and Key-Off events according to changes between the Key-On state and the Key-Off state, wherein each Key-Off event is associated with a respective geographic location from the vehicle locator. An analyzer identifies Key-Off events sharing a repetitive time span and a common geographic location. A scheduler activates a timed KOL sequence according to the identified Key-Off events so that repetitive time slots of vehicle usage can be used to reduce battery drain during times when vehicle usage is less likely.

Embodiments may monitor operation of a machine and provide feedback to maintain use within certain parameters. Mobile personal communication device sensors are each configured to monitor at least one machine parameter (speed, acceleration, location, etc.), generate a signal encapsulating the monitored machine parameter, and transmit the generated sensor signals to a control unit of the communication device. The control unit may receive the generated sensor signals, store the received signals, and selectively combine the received signals. The communication device also includes a transmitter coupled to the control unit capable of transmitting the combined signal. A transceiver remote from the machine may determine a current machine condition and compare that condition to received conditions from other machines. Feedback may then be provided to adjust operation of the machine based on the comparison. For example, an operator interface may provide audio and/or visual feedback to the operator of a vehicle.

An active purge system (APS) according to a driving state of a hybrid vehicle includes an active purge unit (APU) configured to pressurize a vaporized gas generated in a fuel tank of the hybrid vehicle and supply the pressurized vaporized gas to an intake pipe, and a control unit configured to control the APU, where the control unit gradually controls a processing amount of the vaporized gas according to the driving state of the hybrid vehicle. The processing amount of the vaporized gas is gradually controlled using the APS according to the driving state of the hybrid vehicle, particularly, a number of places at which slip occurs in a power transmission system of the hybrid vehicle so that degradation of driving ability due to the occurrence of slip is reduced.

A method includes receiving, iteratively over time, sets of data including vehicle dynamics data, image data, sound data, third-party data, and wind speed sensor data, each detected at an autonomous vehicle and associated with a time period. The method also includes estimating a first wind speed and a first wind direction for each time period, in response to receiving the sets of data and based on the sets of data, via a processor of the autonomous vehicle. The method also includes iteratively modifying a lateral control and/or a longitudinal control of the autonomous vehicle based on the estimated first wind speed and the estimated first wind direction, via the processor of the autonomous vehicle and during operation of the autonomous vehicle.

Various technologies described herein pertain to causing presentation on a user interface of an immediate portion of a navigation route of an autonomous vehicle. A computing system of the autonomous vehicle determines whether an object detected by sensor(s) of the autonomous vehicle proximate to the immediate portion of the navigation route are of a type and relative position defined as one of consequential and inconsequential for a human passenger. In response to determining that an object has both a type and relative position defined as consequential, the computing system causes presentation on the user interface a representation of the object relative to the immediate portion of the navigation route to provide a confidence engendering indication that the autonomous vehicle has detected the object. Otherwise if inconsequential, presentation on the user interface of any representation of the object is not caused by the computing system to avoid creating a confusing presentation.

A system and method of controlling components of a vehicle are disclosed. The method includes the steps of sensing a current position of a rear closure panel with a closure panel position sensor, sensing a speed of the vehicle with a speed sensor, and sensing a current environmental condition with an environmental precipitation sensor. The method also includes adjusting a degree of openness of at least one window as a result of the closure panel position sensor indicating that the rear closure panel is in an open position, the speed sensor indicating that a speed of the vehicle is greater than zero kilometers per hour (kph), and the current environmental condition that is indicated by the environmental precipitation sensor.

A vehicular cabin monitoring system includes a radar assembly disposed in a cabin of a vehicle and operable to capture radar data. The radar assembly is housed in an interior rearview mirror assembly of the vehicle and includes at least one radar transmit antenna that is operable to transmit radar waves and at least one radar receive antenna that is operable to receive radar waves. A control includes a data processor for processing radar data captured by the radar assembly. The control, via processing at the data processor of radar data captured by the radar assembly, detects movement of a body part of an occupant present in the cabin of the vehicle. The control, responsive to detecting movement of the body part of the occupant in the cabin of the vehicle, generates a control command associated with at least one operation of the vehicle.

An electrical component control device controls an operation state of at least one electrical component mounted in an autonomous vehicle. The electrical component control device comprises a request determination unit that determines whether a movement request for moving the autonomous vehicle in a state where a user is not in the autonomous vehicle is received; an operation restraining unit that restrains operations of multiple target electrical components representing an electrical component that acts on five senses of the user when the autonomous vehicle is instructed to move in response to the movement request; an operation state recording unit that records operation states of the multiple target electrical components; and a state restoring unit that restores the operation states of the multiple target electrical components to the operation states of the multiple target electrical components recorded in the memory, before the user gets on the autonomous vehicle.

In some examples, a controller receives information of a route of a vehicle, and selects a first parameter set from among a plurality of parameter sets based on the route of the vehicle, the plurality of parameter sets corresponding to different conditions of usage of the vehicle, where each parameter set of the plurality of parameter sets includes one or more parameters that control adjustment of one or more respective adjustable elements of the vehicle. The controller causes application of the first parameter set to control a setting of the one or more adjustable elements of the vehicle.