A vehicle includes a controller, programmed to responsive to identifying a first user via a mobile device, load a first non-person entity associated with the first user from the mobile device to configure vehicle settings, the first non-person entity including a driver setting, a first entertainment setting and a second entertainment setting; and responsive to identifying a second user entering the vehicle, switch from the first entertainment setting to a second entertainment setting.

A method of unlocking a vehicle of a user having a handheld device based on visual domain and radio frequency (RF) domain technologies is provided. The method comprises activating an on-board apparatus of the vehicle when the handheld device of the user is within a threshold distance from the vehicle. The method further comprises comparing a visual domain position of the user based on visual domain data with an RF domain position of the user based on RF domain data by a first equation, |d.sub.visual.sup.t.sup.i(X)−d.sub.RF.sup.t.sup.i(X)|<ε.sub.d and a second equation, |φ.sub.visual.sup.t.sup.i(X)−φ.sub.RF.sup.t.sup.i(X)|<ε.sub.φ. The method further comprises validating the user when the first and second equations are true and unlocking the vehicle after the user is validated.

A method of unlocking a vehicle of a user having a handheld device based on visual domain and radio frequency (RF) domain technologies is provided. The method comprises activating an on-board apparatus of the vehicle when the handheld device of the user is within a threshold distance from the vehicle. The method further comprises comparing a visual domain position of the user based on visual domain data with an RF domain position of the user based on RF domain data by a first equation, |d.sub.visual.sup.t.sup.i(X)−d.sub.RF.sup.t.sup.i(X)|<ε.sub.d and a second equation, |φ.sub.visual.sup.t.sup.i(X)−φ.sub.RF.sup.t.sup.i(X)|<ε.sub.φ. The method further comprises validating the user when the first and second equations are true and unlocking the vehicle after the user is validated.

A shared vehicle authenticates a holder of a driver's license prior to the holder accessing and operating the shared vehicle. Previously captured biometric data of at least one biometric feature of the holder of the driving license is obtained from the driver's license. Newly captured biometric data of a corresponding biometric feature of the holder is detected when the holder wants to operate the shared vehicle. The previously captured biometric data and the newly captured biometric data are compared to verify the holder is authorized to operate the shared vehicle. When the biometric data match, the shared vehicle is released for use by the holder. In some instances, biometric data of the driver of the shared vehicle is captured at select times while the shared vehicle is operated to confirm the driver is the holder of the driver's license.

A shared vehicle authenticates a holder of a driver's license prior to the holder accessing and operating the shared vehicle. Previously captured biometric data of at least one biometric feature of the holder of the driving license is obtained from the driver's license. Newly captured biometric data of a corresponding biometric feature of the holder is detected when the holder wants to operate the shared vehicle. The previously captured biometric data and the newly captured biometric data are compared to verify the holder is authorized to operate the shared vehicle. When the biometric data match, the shared vehicle is released for use by the holder. In some instances, biometric data of the driver of the shared vehicle is captured at select times while the shared vehicle is operated to confirm the driver is the holder of the driver's license.

A vehicle unlocking device, including: a memory; a processor connected to the memory; and a reception section configured to receive identification information assigned to respective vehicles, from a terminal carried by a person present at a periphery of a specific vehicle that is one of the respective vehicles, the processor being configured to: acquire an image captured by an imaging section provided at the specific vehicle, and unlock a lock unit of the specific vehicle in a case in which the identification information that has been received is identification information corresponding to the specific vehicle and an image of the person has been acquired.

A vehicle unlocking device, including: a memory; a processor connected to the memory; and a reception section configured to receive identification information assigned to respective vehicles, from a terminal carried by a person present at a periphery of a specific vehicle that is one of the respective vehicles, the processor being configured to: acquire an image captured by an imaging section provided at the specific vehicle, and unlock a lock unit of the specific vehicle in a case in which the identification information that has been received is identification information corresponding to the specific vehicle and an image of the person has been acquired.

An information processing apparatus has a controller configured to identify a driver of a vehicle on the basis of at least one of the results of first authentication based on a first part of the living body of a user and second authentication based on a user device. The controller gives higher priority to the result of first authentication than the result of second authentication in the processing of identifying the driver of the vehicle. The user device may include a first communication terminal capable of functioning as an electronic key of the vehicle and a second communication terminal incapable of functioning as an electronic key of the vehicle. The controller gives higher priority to the result of authentication of the first communication terminal than the result of authentication of the second communication terminal.

An information processing apparatus has a controller configured to identify a driver of a vehicle on the basis of at least one of the results of first authentication based on a first part of the living body of a user and second authentication based on a user device. The controller gives higher priority to the result of first authentication than the result of second authentication in the processing of identifying the driver of the vehicle. The user device may include a first communication terminal capable of functioning as an electronic key of the vehicle and a second communication terminal incapable of functioning as an electronic key of the vehicle. The controller gives higher priority to the result of authentication of the first communication terminal than the result of authentication of the second communication terminal.

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.