A vehicle start-up mechanism is provided in a vehicle configured to travel while occupants are boarded in a vehicle cabin. The vehicle start-up mechanism includes: a first vehicle start-up switch configured to switch the state of the vehicle between the start-up state and the halt state; and a switch box provided on an outer surface of the vehicle and having the first vehicle start-up switch. The vehicle has an autonomous driving function.

The present disclosure relates to controlling transfer of electrical energy in a coupling between a first vehicle and a second vehicle of a vehicle combination, each of the first and second vehicles having an electric machine and an energy storage system, wherein at least the electric machine of the second vehicle is operable in a traction mode and a generator mode for generating electrical energy during a regenerative braking event of the second vehicle, the method comprising determining an amount of possible excessive energy from the braking event of the second vehicle, determining a total energy level of the second vehicle, determining a total energy level of the first vehicle, comparing the determined amount of possible excessive energy with the determined total energy levels of the first vehicle and second vehicle, and controlling direction of the transfer of electrical energy between the first and second vehicle based on the comparison.

A system and method for providing smart drone mailbox landing pads and charging stations is a component of a drone unmanned system service network. The drone unmanned system service network communicatively connects the smart drone mailbox landing pad and charging station, one or more autonomous drones, and one or more drone service function devices to provide autonomous drone package delivery over a communications network. The smart drone mailbox landing pad and charging station includes a processing node having a processor, memory, a storage device, and a network connection to one or more communications networks, a drone landing pad, an induced charging pad configured to recharge a battery within one of the one or more drones, one or more external webcams, weather equipment, and a package receiving container for accepting a delivered package, while using blockchain harvesting, mining, logging and recording, for the entire process where and as needed.

A public transportation system combines a unique combination of components that includes interoperable electric-powered vehicles, facilities, hardware and software having specifications, standards, processes, capabilities, nomenclature, and concepts of operations that together include a concerted, comprehensive, multi-modal, future system for moving people and goods that is herein named Quiet Urban Air Delivery (QUAD) and in which uniquely-capable, ultra-quiet, one to six-seat, electrically-powered, autonomous aircraft (SkyQarts) fly sub-193 kilometer trips on precise trajectories with negligible control latency and perform extremely short take-offs and landings (ESTOL) with curved traffic patterns at a highly-distributed network of very small, airports (“SkyNests”) that themselves have standardized compatible facilities that interoperate with SkyQarts as well as with versatile, autonomous electric-powered payload carts (EPCs) and robotic delivery carts (RDCs) to provide safe, fast, on-demand, community-acceptable, environmentally friendly, high-capacity, affordable door-to-door delivery of both passengers and cargo across urban, suburban and rural settings across the globe.

A battery management and monitoring system integrated in a battery pack configured for use in electric aircraft. The system includes a sensor suite configured to measure a plurality of battery pack data. The system includes a battery monitoring component configured to detect a first fault in the battery pack and produce a first fault detection response notifying a user of the first fault in the battery pack. The system includes a battery management component configured to detect a second fault in the battery pack and produce a second fault detection response configured to mitigate the second fault in the battery pack. The system includes an interlock component having a first mode and a second mode, configured to enable the battery monitoring component and disable the battery management component when in the first mode and enable the battery management component and disable the battery monitoring component when in the second mode.

In some examples, a method for docking an autonomous mobile robot includes: determining a first effective region, wherein the first effective region is defined by a boundary, and wherein the autonomous mobile robot is located in the first effective region; determining an optimal point from a plurality of candidate points on the boundary of the first effective region, wherein each candidate point defines a respective second effective region centering on the candidate point and overlapping with the first effective region to form a respective overlapping region, wherein the respective overlapping region associated with the optimal point is smallest among the respective overlapping regions associated with the plurality of candidate points; controlling the autonomous mobile robot to move to the optimal point; and repeating the above steps in one or more iterations until the autonomous mobile robot is within a preset distance from a charging station.

Various embodiments are directed to a docking station for a robotic platform. The docking station may include a ramp having a first side and a second side opposing the first side, a base pad, a roller assembly, and a roller backstop assembly. The roller assembly may be coupled to the ramp and the base pad. The roller assembly may be configured to allow a robotic platform being driven towards the ramp to continue powered travel onto the ramp for docking when the robotic platform approaches the ramp within an angle range of 0 and 15 degrees with respect to either of the first and second sides of the ramp. The roller backstop assembly may be coupled to the roller assembly and the base pad. The roller backstop assembly may receive the robotic platform from the roller assembly to dock the robotic platform.

The disclosed technology provides a delivery trailer to be hitched to an autonomous vehicle for autonomous delivery of packages. The delivery trailer can include sensors to provide data to the autonomous vehicle to which it is to overcome limitations caused by any occlusion of sensors on the autonomous vehicle by the trailer. Furthermore, the present technology addresses several challenges related to autonomous package delivery.

A power supply device for a vehicle that includes two or more independent power sources, a simple low-power voltage monitor connected to a fast switch device, an electronic control unit (ECU), and a dedicated standby monitor element. Each power source has a separate path to connect to the load(s). That is to say, a primary path connects the primary power source to the one or more loads, and a backup path connects the backup power source to the one or more loads. Furthermore, each path includes a back-to-back blocking element, which prevents a direct connection between the primary power source and the backup power source. At standby, both or all paths are blocked except the standby monitor, ensuring extremely low quiescent current. When the system is ON, the voltage level of the power system is monitored; if the voltage level drops below a threshold level, then the paths are switched.

A charging pile for sweeping robot including a main body, a storage component, a charging head, a charging cable, and a circuit board. The main body is provided with a first slot. The storage component, provided with a charging interface and an avoidance slot. The charging pile for sweeping robot includes a first mounting post movably connected to the main body. The charging cable is partly wound on the first mounting post, one end of which is detachably connected to the charging interface, and the other surrounds the first mounting post and penetrates through the avoidance slot and is fixedly connected to the charging head. The charging interface is electrically connected to the main body, so the charging cable can be wound on the first mounting post and contained in the first slot, prevented from being scattered on ground, and making the charging pile more beautiful when in use.