Methods and systems for autonomous vehicle recharging or refueling are disclosed. Autonomous vehicles may be automatically refueled by routing the vehicles to available fueling stations when not in operation, according to methods described herein. A fuel level within a tank of an autonomous vehicle may be monitored until it reaches a refueling threshold, at which point an on-board computer may generate a predicted use profile for the vehicle. Based upon the predicted use profile, a time and location for the vehicle to refuel the vehicle may be determined. In some embodiments, the vehicle may be controlled to automatically travel to a fueling station, refill a fuel tank, and return to its starting location in order to refuel when not in use.

A disconnection detection device for an in-vehicle device having a load circuit, is provided with a second wire harness which is arranged along at least a part of the first wire harness, a current circuit which supplies a current for disconnection detection to the second wire harness, and a disconnection determination circuit which monitors an output voltage of the current circuit so as to determine presence or absence of disconnection of the second wire harness. Disconnection of the second wire harness is detected as the disconnection of the first wire harness based on disconnection determination of the disconnection determination circuit.

In various embodiments, methods, systems, and vehicles are provided. In certain embodiments, a vehicle includes a sensor and a processor. The sensor is configured to at least facilitate detecting when a user is disposed within the vehicle. The processor is coupled to the sensor, and is configured to at least facilitate: identifying the user; retrieving, from a memory, a sequence of inputs that is associated with the identified user as a trigger for a customized silent alarm feature for the user; monitoring for the sequence of inputs while the user is disposed within the vehicle; and providing instructions for taking an action when the sequence of inputs is detected while the user is disposed within the vehicle.

A method for operating a motor vehicle with at least one exterior camera includes detecting whether the motor vehicle is put into operation before a driver gets into the motor vehicle, determining whether there is any contamination of the at least one exterior camera, in particular of a lens and/or a cover of the exterior camera, and outputting at least one signal in the event of certain contamination and detected start-up. A motor vehicle includes a control or regulating device designed to carry out the method.

Aspects of the disclosure relate to enabling roadside assistance to a vehicle that requires assistance having an autonomous driving mode. For instance, a technician may be assigned to the vehicle that requires assistance. A signal corresponding to user input at a remote computing device requesting a change to a state of the vehicle may be received. The signal may be based on details of the assigned technician. Based on the validation, an instruction may be sent to the vehicle to change the state of the vehicle.

A system for a system for controlling a vehicle fuel-level display includes one or more processors and a memory communicably coupled to the one or more processors and storing a fuel-level display control module. The module includes computer-readable instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to, responsive to generation of a control signal, control operation of the vehicle so as to cause the fuel-level display to display a predetermined false low-fuel level.

A vehicle lock includes a locking mechanism with a rotary latch and a pawl for latching the rotary latch when the vehicle lock is in a closed state, a receiver for receiving a reference code, a code transfer interface for obtaining an access code and a control unit which is configured such that the vehicle lock assumes an unlocked state when the obtained access code matches the reference code. The locking mechanism is used in a method for access-controlled loading and/or unloading of a vehicle. A high degree of automation of an access-controlled process for loading and/or unloading a vehicle can thus be achieved substantially with the aid of the vehicle lock.

A vehicle control system (VCS) in a passenger compartment interfaces with underhood components using a Bluetooth® link. The underhood components include a siren assembly with a sound generator and backup battery. The battery enables the siren assembly to function after the vehicle's battery is disabled. The siren assembly includes a Bluetooth® transceiver for establishing the link with the VCS. The siren assembly monitors the hood of the vehicle through a hood sensor, to detect unauthorized opening. In response to such opening, the siren assembly transmits an alarm to the VCS, which transmits an alarm to a user's mobile device and/or a security service. The sound generator may also be activated, by itself or under control of the VCS. The siren assembly connects to the engine computer/ignition module, to allow the VCS to monitor engine speed, and facilitate proper start of the engine when the VCS receives a remote start command.

A system, the system including one or more sensors arranged to detect an area in a proximity of a vehicle and a controller communicatively coupled to the one or more sensors. The controller is configured to determine that an ignition switch of the vehicle is turned off, determine that a user within the proximity of the vehicle based on data from the one or more sensors, determine that an object is approaching the vehicle based on the data, and alert the user of the object.

A vehicle control system (VCS) in a passenger compartment interfaces with underhood components using a Bluetooth® link. The underhood components include a siren assembly with a sound generator and backup battery. The battery enables the siren assembly to function after the vehicle's battery is disabled. The siren assembly includes a Bluetooth® transceiver for establishing the link with the VCS. The siren assembly monitors the hood of the vehicle through a hood sensor, to detect unauthorized opening. In response to such opening, the siren assembly transmits an alarm to the VCS, which transmits an alarm to a user's mobile device and/or a security service. The sound generator may also be activated, by itself or under control of the VCS. The siren assembly connects to the engine computer/ignition module, to allow the VCS to monitor engine speed, and facilitate proper start of the engine when the VCS receives a remote start command.