Systems and methods are provided for detecting an object in front of a vehicle. In one implementation, an object detecting system includes an image capture device configured to acquire a plurality of images of an area, a data interface, and a processing device programmed to compare a first image to a second image to determine displacement vectors between pixels, to search for a region of coherent expansion that is a set of pixels in at least one of the first image and the second image, for which there exists a common focus of expansion and a common scale magnitude such that the set of pixels satisfy a relationship between pixel positions, displacement vectors, the common focus of expansion, and the common scale magnitude, and to identify presence of a substantially upright object based on the set of pixels.

A vehicular control system includes a camera having an exterior field of view at least forward of the vehicle. During a forward maneuver of the vehicle towing a trailer, the vehicular control system detects an object present exterior of the vehicle which ought not be impacted during the forward maneuver of the vehicle towing the trailer based at least in part on image processing by an image processor of image data captured by the camera. Responsive at least in part to detection of the object, the vehicular control system determines a forward driving path for the vehicle towing the trailer that avoids the detected object so that the trailer does not run over or contact the detected object. The vehicular control system determines the forward driving path at least in part responsive to (i) processing of captured image data and (ii) trailer data pertaining to physical characteristics of the trailer.

A device includes a microprocessor and a computer readable medium coupled to the microprocessor. The computer readable medium includes instructions stored thereon that cause the microprocessor to receive output from at least one sensor monitoring an interior space of a vehicle and determine, based on the received output, a condition of an occupant in the interior space of the vehicle. The instructions cause the microprocessor to determine, based on the determined condition of the occupant, to alter a first presentation of information displayed to a display device of the vehicle to a second presentation of the information displayed to the display device. The instructions case the microprocessor to render the second presentation of the information to the display device of the vehicle to replace the first presentation of the information displayed to the display device of the vehicle.

A vehicle is provided that detects a first presence of a driver in a vehicle, based upon detecting the first presence, provides a user interface for the driver to enter first user information, information, and communicates the first sensitive information to a vendor to authenticate the combines the first user information and the vehicle information to generate the first sensitive driver to enable the vendor to perform a financial transaction with the driver using the first sensitive information while the vehicle is in motion. The processor is programmed to initiate automatically, on behalf of the driver, the financial transaction with the vendor in response to a sensed state or location of the vehicle.

A vehicle, based on user preferences and while the vehicle is in motion: in response to identification of a first event (e.g., a third party resident being in a vehicle location and/or on the route of the vehicle) and based on the user preferences, determines that the user desires to perform a transaction with the third party, automatically sends a first communication to the third party for the user (the first communication being part of a secure session and enabling authentication of the user by the third party), at a second later time and while the vehicle is in motion, and in response to identification of a second event, automatically sends a different second communication to the third party. The second communication is part of the secure session and enables the third party to complete the transaction with the user.

A vehicle is provided that determines a need for communication with a third party vendor, retrieves the user rule from the memory (the user rule defining to which third party vendor the vehicle can send a first communication to address the need and defining a geographic location of the third party vendor relative to a current location of the vehicle, a monetary amount the vehicle can pay to a third party vendor for a product or service to address the need, and a time limit for the third party vendor to provide the product or service to address the need), based on the user rule, selects a third party vendor from among multiple possible third party vendors, and when determined by the user rule, automatically sends the first communication to the selected third party vendor to order the product or service and provides an authorization to the selected third party vendor to complete the order. The vehicle uses different communication protocols to provide the first communication and authorization to the selected third party vendor.

A projection arrangement for a head-up display (HUD) is presented. The arrangement has a vehicle windshield that includes an outer pane and an inner pane bonded to one another via a thermoplastic intermediate layer. The vehicle windshield has an upper edge, a lower edge, and an HUD region. The arrangement also has a projector that is aimed at the HUD region to generate a virtual image perceivable by an observer situated within an eyebox. According to one aspect, the windshield has an HUD reference point, at which a central beam running between the projector and the center of the eyebox strikes the inner pane. According to another aspect, the thickness of the thermoplastic intermediate layer in the vertical course between the upper edge and the lower edge in at least a section corresponding to the HUD region is variable according to a wedge angle.

A rotation rate detecting apparatus that includes a rotation rate calculating unit configured to calculate a rotation rate of a pedal in a riding apparatus having the pedal rotating by pedaling operation of a user, based on sensor information of an acceleration sensor. The rotation rate calculating unit calculates a rotation rate based on information corresponding to acceleration in a traveling direction of the riding apparatus or a roll direction with respect to the traveling direction in association with movement of the user or the riding apparatus.

System, methods, and other embodiments described herein relate to improving situational awareness of occupants of a vehicle. In one embodiment, a method includes analyzing, using at least a processor of the vehicle, scan data from a sensor of the vehicle to detect at least one object within the surrounding environment. The method includes converting the scan data into converted data that represents the at least one object with a reduced quantity of data. The method includes rendering, using the converted data, at least one graphic that is a visual representation of the at least one object. The method includes displaying the at least one graphic within a display of the vehicle at a location within the display that represents a location of the at least one object relative to the vehicle in the surrounding environment.

A head-up display includes an optical system that radiates light forming a projected image toward an eye box. The eye box is a predetermined range in which eyes of an observer are assumed to be present. The optical system includes a Fresnel lens having a bumpy surface having a sawtooth-shaped cross-section. The bumpy surface is formed concentrically around an optical axis, and formed by alternately disposing first surfaces as light condensing surfaces that allow incident light to converge toward a focal point, and second surfaces as wall surfaces that do not allow the incident light to converge toward the focal point. The second surfaces are inclined with respect to the optical axis of the Fresnel lens at an angle to reflect the incident light striking the wall surfaces, in a direction toward outside of a range of the eye box.