A system for deterring and tracking the theft of a vehicle catalytic converter includes sensors, an accelerometer, and a processor. The sensors detect a vibration, a shock, an air pressure disturbance, or an audio frequency disturbance at the catalytic converter. The processor communicates wirelessly with a user mobile device and arms the system if the mobile device is not nearby. The processor determines from the accelerometer whether the vehicle is moving and whether there is a change in orientation of the catalytic converter. If the vehicle is not moving and a disturbance indicative of a theft is detected or there is a change in orientation of the catalytic converter, the processor activates an alarm, causes an onboard camera to capture an image and sends a notice to a server. To avoid false alarms, the processor disarms the system if the vehicle is moving or if the vehicle engine is running.

The vehicle control system/method for adapting a control function based on a user profile may comprise: a gesture recognition module; a user profile module; a function control module; a processor; a non-transitory storage element coupled to the processor; encoded instructions stored in the non-transitory storage element, wherein the encoded instructions when implemented by the processor, configure the system to: identify a user; retrieve a user profile for the identified user; receive at a gesture recognition module, an input indicating a gesture from the user; identify a control function request corresponding to the gesture input; send a verification of the control function request; and receive at a function control module characteristics parsed from the user profile that effect the control function request by the user profile module to adapt a control function command for an adapted control function output by the function control module.

The present teaching relates to method, system, medium, and implementations for detecting sensor tampering. Information is received from an inertial measurement unit (IMU) attached to a structure hosting at least one sensor. The information includes one or more measurements associated with the IMU. The at least one sensor is deployed on a vehicle for sensing surrounding information to facilitate autonomous driving. The one or more measurements are analyzed with respect to pre-determined criteria to detect tampering of the at least one sensor. When the tampering is detected, a response is generated to the event.

A vehicle includes a passenger cabin and a truck bed located rearward of the passenger cabin. The vehicle includes a truck bed cover that is sized to cover the truck bed and is movably attached to one or more walls of the truck bed to allow the truck bed cover to be moved between open and closed positions. The truck bed cover includes a latching device that engages a striker in the closed position. A sensing device is mounted in the truck bed that is configured to provide an indication of an open condition of the truck bed cover to a vehicle locking and security ECU. The locking and security ECU configured to provide an indication using an OEM security system of the vehicle when the open condition is detected.

An apparatus and safety system usable in, responding to an unauthorized possession of a vehicle configured to transport at least one person, including a vehicle safety system associated therewith, the safety system including to at least one of: a) device to generate at least one form of detectable signal and; b) a device to generate an electronic signal; and c) an apparatus which generates an input to cause the system to generate at least one of: i) the at least one form of detectable audible signal that can be sensed by persons in the vicinity of the vehicle; ii) the electronic signal; and iii) the at least one image of a person in/on the vehicle. The system is configured so that at least one of the at least one form of detectable signal, the electronic signal, and the at least one image is generated after a time delay following the generation of the input to the safety system. The device to generate an electric signal and the system are protected in a protective case.

A vehicle can include one or more movably mounted cameras that are able to move to adjust a viewing angle of the camera(s) relative to a body of the vehicle. The camera(s) may be movable by virtue of being coupled to a movable side mirror, such that movement of the side mirror changes a field of view of the camera coupled to the side mirror. For example, the side mirror can be rotated about a rotational axis between a first position in which a field of view of the camera is directed in a first direction (e.g. toward a ground proximate the vehicle), and a second position in which the field of view of the camera is directed in a second direction, different than the first direction (e.g., outward from the vehicle or toward a door of the vehicle).

A method of deactivating a secondary lock feature of a vehicle includes sensing a movement of an interior door handle, and determining a status of the secondary lock feature to ascertain whether the secondary lock feature is active. The method includes starting a timer to measure an elapsed time since sensing the movement of the interior door handle, sensing an environmental condition of an interior passenger compartment of the vehicle with a sensor, and setting an unlock delay time based on the environmental condition. When the secondary lock feature is disposed in an active state and the elapsed time period is greater than or equal to the unlock delay time, the method includes automatically generating a control signal to thereby deactivate the secondary lock feature.

A vehicle theft-prevention apparatus can include a slip clutch mechanism, a locking mechanism, and a cylindrical body including a first portion and a second portion. The first portion can be configured to rotate about the second portion. The locking mechanism can be configured to engage based on rotation of the first portion relative to the second portion in a first direction, and disengage based on a rotation of the first portion relative to the second portion in a second direction. The slip clutch mechanism can be configured to prevent the locking mechanism from further engaging from rotation in the first direction relative to the second portion based on a magnitude of force applied.

A data interruption device (1) is described, between a plurality of control units (2) communicating through at least one communication protocol (6), designed to produce an electromagnetic interference inhibiting a data communication between the plurality of control units (2); moreover, the device (1) is equipped with at least one transformer (3) designed to transfer at least one signal on at least one transmission means (5) of the communication protocol (6), inducing such electromagnetic interference.

A system having a theft event sensor; a primary alarm actuator; a display alarm actuator; and a vehicle security device to: receive a theft event signal from the theft event sensor, transmit a primary alarm signal to the primary alarm actuator, and transmit a display alarm signal to the display alarm actuator.