A vehicle passenger locator and identifier system and method is provided herein. Once a vehicle is within a certain vicinity of an intended passenger via conventional mobile device geolocation or geofencing, and/or via a conventional camera-based technology, a plurality of microphones listen for the passenger to utter a predetermined word or phrase. Optionally, this predetermined word or phrase has been uttered to a mobile application used to summon the vehicle such that an accurate voice comparison can be made by the vehicle. Alternatively, the same or a different mobile device can be used to emit an auditory beacon that is detected by the vehicle. Once this word, phrase, or auditory beacon is detected, the passenger can be triangulated, located, identified, and even authorized for pickup. All of this is carried out via an onboard vehicle processor and software and/or a processor and software residing in the cloud.

An example operation includes providing an alert related to an event based on a difference related to a speed and an angle of an element exiting in a first zone around a transport and entering a second zone within the first zone, if the difference is above a threshold.

Methods and systems for communicating between autonomous vehicles are described herein. Such communication may be performed for signaling, collision avoidance, path coordination, and/or autonomous control. A computing device may receive data for the same road segment from autonomous vehicles, including (i) an indication of a location within the road segment, and (ii) an indication of a condition of the road segment. The computing device may generate, from the data for the same road segment, an overall indication of the condition of the road segment, which may include a recommendation to vehicles approaching the road segment. Additionally, the computing device may receive a request from a computing device within a vehicle approaching the road segment to display vehicle data. The overall indication for the road segment may then be displayed on a user interface of the computing device.

The invention discloses an electronic sound signaling system that generates warning sounds in the forward and reverse mode of operation of a vehicle. The signaling system incorporates an electronic circuit with a standard automotive horn or alarm device in place of mechanical contacts or circuit breakers. The electronic circuitry includes electronically powered programmable microcontroller, a horn driver circuit, voltage sensing circuit, on a printed circuit board (PCB) Assembly and one or more sensors. The sound signaling system uses the standard automotive horn device to generate warning sounds in response to one or more sensor signals. The system also performs multiple functions and is compatible to operate in different voltage ranges. The system has many advantages, including increased reliability, increased operating voltage range, reduced circuit complexity, reduced cost and reduced ambient noise.

An affixable device can include a locking mechanism, a force-limiting mechanism, and a sensing mechanism. The locking mechanism can include an engagement component configured to disable the locking mechanism. The force-limiting mechanism can be configured to limit a locking force of the locking mechanism. The sensing mechanism can be coupled to the engagement component, and can be configured to determine that the force-limiting mechanism has limited the locking force of the locking mechanism. In response to determining the force-limiting mechanism limiting the locking force, the sensing mechanism can cause the engagement component to disable the locking mechanism.

Provided in this disclosure is an antitheft system for an automotive catalytic converter including a wire loop for conducting a current to establish an electrical circuit. One or more hose clamps are provided for securing some or all of the wire loop alongside a vehicle exhaust system including the catalytic converter. A monitoring circuit is in electrical communication with the wire loop, for monitoring the electrical circuit established in the wire loop. A detector circuit is connected to the monitoring circuit, for detecting a discontinuity in the electrical circuit indicative of a disconnection of the wire loop. An alarm circuit is connected to the detector circuit, for activating an alarm upon detection of the discontinuity in the electrical circuit. An arming circuit includes a detection circuit for detecting insertion of a removable key, and another detection circuit for detecting insertion of the wire loop which establishes the electrical circuit.

Methods and systems for autonomous and semi-autonomous vehicle control, routing, and automatic feature adjustment are disclosed. Sensors associated with autonomous operation features may be utilized to search an area for missing persons, stolen vehicles, or similar persons or items of interest. Sensor data associated with the features may be automatically collected and analyzed to passively search for missing persons or vehicles without vehicle operator involvement. Search criteria may be determined by a remote server and communicated to a plurality of vehicles within a search area. In response to which, sensor data may be collected and analyzed by the vehicles. When sensor data generated by a vehicle matches the search criteria, the vehicle may communicate the information to the remote server.

A vehicle including powered door locks, a motor for positioning the powered door locks between a locked position and an unlocked position, one or more sensors for detecting an unauthorized event around the vehicle, and a controller configured to operate the motor to repeatedly move the powered door locks in a predetermined pattern based on speed in response to the one or more sensors detecting an unauthorized event around the vehicle.

The invention relates to a device for monitoring a motor vehicle, in particular a motorcycle (2), configured to be connected to an interface (3) of the motor vehicle (2), the device comprising:—a processor (1a) associated with a memory (1b),—a geolocation module (1c),—a vibration detection module (1d) and/or a fall detection module (1f),—a mobile application module (1g) for exchanging information on the vehicle with a mobile application server (4),—a silent alert module (1i) via the mobile application server (4) according to vibration detection module data (1d) or fall detection module data (1f), characterized by:—a mobile internet network connection module (1i),—an audible alarm (5), and in that the mobile application module (1g) is configured to remotely control the audible alarm (5).

Methods and systems for assessing, detecting, and responding to malfunctions involving components of autonomous vehicles and/or smart homes are described herein. Malfunctions may be detected by receiving sensor data from a plurality of sensors. One of these sensors may be selected for assessment. An electronic device may obtain from the selected sensor a set of signals. When the set of signals includes signals that are outside of a determined range of signals associated with proper functioning for the selected sensor, it may be determined that the selected sensor is malfunctioning. In response, an action may be performed to resolve the malfunction and/or mitigate consequences of the malfunction.