A vehicle proximity warning system, installed in a primary vehicle having a front, a rear, a front bumper, a rear bumper, a horn, a front windshield, and a rear window, and an associated smartphone. Sensor bars are mounted near the front and rear bumpers for determining a proximity distance of a secondary vehicle as it approaches, each sensor bar having an accelerometer and a camera for detecting a collision with the secondary vehicle and acquiring images thereof that are wirelessly shared with the smartphone. Indicator bars are located in the front windshield and rear window and each have indicator LEDs that are successively illuminated as the proximity distance decreases, to provide a visual indication that can be seen by the secondary vehicle. When the proximity distance falls below a predetermined danger threshold, the system sounds the horn, flashes the indicator LEDs, and activates the camera.

A method includes using sensory data produced by at least one onboard sensor of a witness vehicle to predict an imminent collision in an environment of the witness vehicle, the predicted imminent collision involving at least one participant vehicle; and alerting the least one participant vehicle to the predicted imminent collision, wherein the alerting is performed by the witness vehicle and prompts the at least one participant vehicle to perform at least one action to mitigate the predicted imminent collision.

Systems for altering vehicle functions are provided. A system for altering a vehicle function includes one or more processors, one or more memory modules communicatively coupled to the one or more processors, and machine readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules. When executed by the one or more processors, the machine readable instructions may cause the system to determine a presence of a roof mounted article on a vehicle and disable at least one movable roof member function in response to the determination. In some embodiments, in response to determining that the vehicle is proximate a structure and determining the presence of the vehicle mounted article on the vehicle, the system may generate a notification pertaining to the vehicle mounted article. In some embodiments, the system may provide navigation assistance based on the determination that the vehicle mounted article is present on the vehicle.

Alarm indications of objects (431, 631) in spaces (113) subject to vehicle movements are provided using a scanner unit configured to provide indications of directions and distances of objects within a scan area. A computer compares the signal output from a scanner unit (121) and resolves the signal output to a pattern of the indications of directions and distances, and further resolve multiple instances of the indications over time to resolve the pattern of indications and distances to movement corresponding to the movement of the objects (431, 631). The indications are compared to render an indication of objects (431) partially blocked by other ones (631) of the objects from line-of-sight of the scanner unit (121). Predetermined relative movements of the objects (431, 631) as resolved by the computer render predetermined indicator or alarm signals (341, 342, 345).

Systems, methods and apparatuses are disclosed for assessing whether a vehicle will make contact with an obstacle. The systems, methods, and apparatuses may include an obstacle sensing component configured to determine a location and a dimension of an obstacle, a vehicle sensing component configured to determine a height of a point of the vehicle relative to the ground, and a notification component configured to provide an indication of a presence of the obstacle to assist a human driver or an automated driving system in parking the vehicle without making contact with the obstacle.

A proximity alert system includes a truck. A sensing array is coupled to the truck and the sensing array detects an object behind the truck when the truck is driven rearwardly. The sensing array emits an audible alarm when the sensing array detects the object. The audible alarm communicates a distance between the truck and the object. Thus, the sensing array inhibits the truck from striking the object when the truck is driven rearwardly.

Alarm indications of objects (431, 631) in spaces (113) subject to vehicle movements are provided using a scanner unit configured to provide indications of directions and distances of objects within a scan area. A computer compares the signal output from a scanner unit (121) and resolves the signal output to a pattern of the indications of directions and distances, and further resolve multiple instances of the indications over time to resolve the pattern of indications and distances to movement corresponding to the movement of the objects (431, 631). The indications are compared to render an indication of objects (431) partially blocked by other ones (631) of the objects from line-of-sight of the scanner unit (121). Predetermined relative movements of the objects (431, 631) as resolved by the computer render predetermined indicator or alarm signals (341, 342, 345).

A method for computer-supported processing of the vicinity of a vehicle includes detecting the surroundings of a vehicle and providing surroundings data by a sensor system. The surroundings data may be processed to ascertain, for pre-specified sections of the surroundings of the vehicle, a specific distance to objects detected by the sensor system. A collision probability between one of the detected objects and the vehicle is ascertained depending on a predicted and/or actual vehicle movement determined using odometric data. Moreover, the surroundings of the vehicle are depicted on an output unit where, for at least one of the pre-specified sections, distance information between such at least one pre-specified section of the surroundings and the detected object is output using at least one of a graphic element and an acoustic element that includes collision information about a collision probability.

Generating an audio signal with a configurable distance cue includes the following: receiving an input audio signal that has at least one signal characteristic that contributes to a listener's auditory distance perception; receiving a distance control signal; and changing at least one characteristic in accordance with a distance control signal that is representative of the perceived distance.

The disclosure relates to a rear-view device comprising at least one indication unit configured to provide an indication of a state of one or more systems of a vehicle based on a state of the vehicle, wherein the rear-view device is associated with the vehicle.