A controller of a vehicle detects persons that are approaching the vehicle and uses sensors to collect data regarding the persons to determine whether a security risk exists. In one approach, the collected data is used to determine whether each person is associated with the vehicle. In response to determining that at least one of the persons is unknown, a security risk is evaluated based on data from monitoring of the environment of the vehicle. In response to determining that a security risk score exceeds a threshold, one or more actions for the vehicle are performed to make the vehicle more secure.

Various methods enable a processor of a robotic vehicle to determine when the robotic vehicle has been stolen so that a self-recovery operation may be performed. Determining whether the robotic vehicle has been stolen may include evaluating, by a processor of the robotic vehicle, unauthorized use indicia, and determining that the robotic vehicle is stolen in response to determining that unauthorized use indicia exceed a threshold. Evaluating unauthorized use indicia may include determining whether an Integrated Circuit Card Identifier of a Subscriber Identify Module matches a stored value, determining whether a paired controller is different from a usual controller, determining whether the operator's skill has changed, and evaluating one or more trust factors that are observable features of normal operation.

An automobile identification system utilizes fingerprint sensors disposed an exterior and interior of an automobile to obtain fingerprint images. By means of the reference fingerprint image stored in the database and the determination of the processor, the automobile identification system determines whether the person who attempts to enter the automobile is a driver or not. The automobile identification system does not need the conventional key to open the door of the automobile and activate the engine of the automobile.

A vehicle configured to operate in a remote access mode is disclosed. In some examples, a camera at the exterior of the vehicle can capture one or more images of its surroundings, including the face of a person attempting to access the vehicle. A primary operator (e.g., owner or lessee) of the vehicle can receive the one or more images at a mobile device and send an input, via a user interface of the mobile device, to grant or deny access to the vehicle. In response to wirelessly receiving the input to allow access, the vehicle can be unlocked and started in the remote access mode. In some examples, the remote access mode can have a set of permissions and/or restrictions associated therewith.

In accordance with an aspect of disclosure, the vehicle includes a first sensor configured to measure a distance to an object; a second sensor configured to measure a temperature of the object; a camera configured to acquire an image of the object; and a controller configured to activate the second sensor when the distance to the object measured by the first sensor satisfies the condition for performing heat detection, and activate the camera when the temperature of the object measured by the second sensor satisfies a condition for performing facial recognition.

An embodiment vehicle control system includes a drinking measurement terminal provided in a vehicle, a user terminal including a photographing unit, and a server configured to determine whether to approve a key authority for the vehicle to a user based on a facial image of the user, in response to a key authority request for the vehicle and the facial image of the user being received from the user terminal, generate a door control signal for the vehicle based on whether the key authority for the user has been approved, determine whether the user meets driving suitability requirements based on a drinking measurement result provided by the drinking measurement terminal and the facial image of the user received from the user terminal, and generate a driving control signal based on whether the user meets the driving suitability requirements.

An embodiment vehicle includes a camera and a controller configured to determine a similarity score based on a comparison of a face image of a user acquired by the camera with a reference image, determine that a face authentication process is successful based on the similarity score being greater than a threshold, and change the threshold based on a user input for changing the threshold, location information of a smart key, or environment information around the vehicle.

A vehicle includes: a camera disposed on left and right sides of an exterior of the vehicle and configured to acquire image data by photographing a surrounding area of the vehicle. A controller is configured to, upon a touch of a user on a door handle of a driver door being identified based on image processing on the image data, determine a height of the user based on the image processing on the image data and to adjust positions of a driver's seat, a steering wheel, and a head up display (HUD) to correspond to the determined height of the user.

In order to enhance security of a parked vehicle, an image transmitting device to be mounted on a vehicle includes: a checking unit that checks, at a parking place of the vehicle, communicability with an external device outside of the vehicle, that is, whether an image can be transmitted from the parking place to the external device; a providing unit that provides notification information based on a result of the checking by the checking unit; a capturing unit that captures an image while the vehicle is parked; and a transmitting unit that transmits the image captured by the capturing unit to the external device.

A system for monitoring an interior of a vehicle, comprising an identification device adapted to be carried by an individual, a vehicular unit adapted for mounting within the vehicle, and a controller adapted for remote wireless communication with the unit. The unit will activate a camera and a microphone when a person is detected within the vehicle. The unit will search for the identification device and, if the identification device is not detected, the unit will activate an alarm. If the identification device is detected, the unit will compare an access code from the identification device with authorized access codes. If the access code is not found within the authorized access codes, the unit will activate an alarm. The controller is operable to display images, broadcast sounds, and display the alarm status from the unit to a user in possession of the controller.