A vehicle assembly includes a mid-gate assembly disposed between a passenger compartment and a cargo bed of a vehicle. The mid-gate assembly has a pass-through opening and a hatch that is pivotably coupled to the mid-gate assembly at a position vertically above a floor of the cargo bed. The hatch is configured to move back-and-forth between a closed position that closes the pass-through opening and an open position that permits access between the passenger compartment and the cargo bed through the pass-through opening.

A utility vehicle includes a cargo box and a seat device located on the front side of the cargo box. The seat device includes a seat bottom and a seat back that includes a first lateral swinging shaft that extends in a lateral direction, a seat back frame that swings about the first lateral swinging shaft between an upright position and a horizontal position at which the seat back frame overlaps with the seat bottom, and a seat back main body that is attached to the seat back frame. The seat back frame in the horizontal position defines an expansion floor by which the floor of the cargo box is expanded in a forward direction. The seat back main body swings to a hanging orientation with respect to the seat back frame in the horizontal position and is located in front of the seat bottom.

A mounting structure for vehicle equipment includes a vehicle body frame, a bracket attached to the vehicle body frame, and a plurality of vehicle equipment including at least one seat. The bracket and the plurality of vehicle equipment are configured so that the plurality of vehicle equipment each is mounted to the bracket so as to be replaceable with the other vehicle equipment.

A utility vehicle is configured for off-road terrain and may include a plurality of mounting members configured to support a load and/or support the vehicle during transport. The utility vehicle also includes an upper frame assembly which is movable between a first position and second position. The upper frame assembly may be moved to the second position during transportation of the utility vehicle. Further, the utility vehicle includes a plurality of configurations for a rear cargo area, thereby allowing for passengers or cargo to be supported.

A utility vehicle includes a cargo box and a seat device located on the front side of the cargo box. The seat device includes a seat bottom and a seat back that includes a first lateral swinging shaft that extends in a lateral direction, a seat back frame that swings about the first lateral swinging shaft between an upright position and a horizontal position at which the seat back frame overlaps with the seat bottom, and a seat back main body that is attached to the seat back frame. The seat back frame in the horizontal position defines an expansion floor by which the floor of the cargo box is expanded in a forward direction. The seat back main body swings to a hanging orientation with respect to the seat back frame in the horizontal position and is located in front of the seat bottom.

A utility vehicle includes a cargo box and a seat device located on the front side of the cargo box. The seat device includes a seat bottom and a seat back that includes a first lateral swinging shaft that extends in a lateral direction, a seat back frame that swings about the first lateral swinging shaft between an upright position and a horizontal position at which the seat back frame overlaps with the seat bottom, and a seat back main body that is attached to the seat back frame. The seat back frame in the horizontal position defines an expansion floor by which the floor of the cargo box is expanded in a forward direction. The seat back main body swings to a hanging orientation with respect to the seat back frame in the horizontal position and is located in front of the seat bottom.

A method for storing cargo items includes determining characteristics of a cargo space, where the cargo space includes at least one seat and the at least one seat is capable of being moved between a first position within the cargo space and a second position within the cargo space. A set of cargo items including one or more cargo items to be positioned in the cargo space is determined. A configuration of the cargo space is determined based at least in part on the set of cargo items, where the configuration of the cargo space includes the second position of the at least one seat. A layout of the set of cargo items within the cargo space is determined based at least in part on the set of cargo items and the determined configuration, and the at least one seat is moved from the first position to the second position.

When a vehicle body is on board an escalator, a control device makes an ejection determination by use of an external sensor. The control device makes an ejection determination by use of front-wheel rotation sensors. The control device makes an ejection determination by use of an inclination detecting unit. The control device switches a control mode from a boarding control mode to an ejection control mode, when at least one of the above three ejection determinations is affirmatively made.

The present invention is a multi-use dynamically reconfigurable vehicle, used for vehicle/ride sharing with integral yet reconfigurable for optimal passenger or courier service by reconfiguring the vehicle interior space and/or body shape specific to the vehicle service to create additional space respectively for the transport of passengers or cargo/boxes. The vehicle is particularly adept at reconfiguration with compatibility of an external automated process to load/unload its cargo while also enabling a high aerodynamic efficiency while in a driving mode.

A utility vehicle has a frame that is separable at a location passing through an operator compartment of the vehicle into front and rear sections with the seat base and seat assembly of the operator compartment remaining with the rear section and the rest of the operator compartment remaining with the front section. A seat extension kit is provided having a frame extension, a seat module, and a floorboard module that may be inserted between the split front and rear sections with the frame extension being fastened to such sections using pre-existing fastener holes in the vehicle frame and the frame extension. When so inserted, the seat module forms a new front row of seating with the floorboard module extending between the seat module and the original seat base and seat assembly, which now form a rear row of seating. This expands the vehicle seating capacity from two people to four people.