A vehicle communicates with a remote key fob while ensuring an RF environment is sufficient to maintain adequate power from an RF-harvesting power supply that allows the fob to operate without a battery. The vehicle has a receiver adapted to detect a backscatter communication signal from the fob. A harvesting emulator in the vehicle is responsive to ambient RF around the vehicle to duplicate a concurrent response of the fob power supply. A vehicle-powered RF transmitter is activated to broadcast energizing RF radiation around the vehicle when the duplicated response is below a threshold.

A vehicle access system is disclosed having the plurality of system nodes for localizing a target portable device. The plurality of system nodes includes a master ECU that is asymmetrically installed at a predetermined location within the vehicle. The plurality of system nodes includes a plurality of slave system nodes. The plurality of slave system nodes includes an assigned system node that is asymmetrically installed at a predetermined location within the vehicle and a plurality of unassigned system nodes that are installed arbitrarily at any one of a plurality predetermined possible installation locations within the vehicle. The known installation locations of the assigned system node and the master ECU are used to self-learn the unknown installation location of each unassigned system node, for example after manufacturing assembly or repair of the vehicle access system.

A system in a vehicle includes a camera configured to capture images proximate the vehicle. The system also includes a transceiver configured to communicate with a remote server and a processor in communication with the camera and the transceiver. The processor is programmed to send a request to the camera to take one or more images of the delivery driver in response to a location of the delivery driver within a threshold distance from the vehicle, send one or more images of the delivery driver, and send an activation signal to one or more vehicle components to allow access to an area of the vehicle.

A number of techniques are disclosed for making it more convenient and efficient for customers to conduct various rental vehicle transactions. As an example, a technique for performing an automated pickup of a rental vehicle using a mobile device is disclosed. As another example, a technique for performing an automated return administration of a rental vehicle using a mobile device is disclosed. As another example, a technique for permitting customer to select a particular rental vehicle for a rental vehicle transaction using a mobile device is disclosed. Also disclosed is a technique for permitting a customer to keylessly start a rental vehicle using a machine-sensible item such as his/her mobile device without requiring the customer to possess a smart key.

A controller is integrated into a vehicle with the controller coupled to a fob detector and also coupled to a vehicle disabler and/or other vehicle subsystems. Examples of vehicle disablers include a brake transmission shift interlock (BTSI), a transmission shift interlock (TSI) and an air brake or electric parking brake of the vehicle. The fob detector can be provided along with the controller and separate from a mechanical key ignition of the vehicle, or can be a fob detector associated with a keyless ignition of the vehicle. A mobile fob is used as part of the system, carried on the person of an authorized driver of the vehicle. This fob can be provided separately along with the controller, or can be a fob associated with a keyless entry of the vehicle. The controller causes the vehicle disabler or other vehicle subsystems to adjust performance based on fob presence or absence.

This disclosure relates to an access control method for a motor vehicle. The motor vehicle includes a plurality of access elements, which are automatically moveable between a closed position and an open position. Depending on the at least one detected position of the key element, a prediction is made of which of the plurality of access elements the user is likely to use. This access element is automatically opened. If the prediction turns out to be incorrect, the corresponding one of the plurality of access elements for which the use was originally predicted is returned back from the open position to the closed position. This disclosure further relates to an access control system for a motor vehicle.

The invention comprises a system of using small, hidden, machine-to-machine (M2M) chips to track automobiles through the radio emissions of the chips, and to use M2M chips as a defense against theft generally, by tracking potentially stolen items through the radio emissions of M2M chips. Users can monitor potential theft of the different parts of an automobile because the chips embedded into the automobile components will be constantly communicating with each other. Spacecraft and other near-earth objects, and drones, can also be tracked by M2M chips, that can be designed in a manner that makes them extremely difficult to find. The M2M chips can be designed in numerous different shapes, and use very little power. Some of the M2M chips are silicon wafer chips with small logic gates.

Techniques are disclosed for permitting a person to keylessly start a vehicle using a machine-sensible item such as his/her mobile device without requiring the person to possess a smart key.

A vehicle-mounted device includes vehicle information detecting unit for detecting an on/off state of vehicle power, relay input/output unit for controlling an external relay configured to make a switch between a starting-disabled state and a starting-enabled state of a vehicle, and vehicle information-associated control unit for controlling the external relay based on a relay control command. The vehicle information-associated control unit controls the external relay based on an elapsed time since a change in the on/off state of vehicle power detected by the vehicle information detecting unit.

A camera system for vehicles captures panoramic video, has a unique identifier, and has an image processor that compresses the video and detects events. It transmits compressed video with one or more of a timestamp, a unique identifier, a location, and event flags through a network (e.g., cellular) to a server. A GPS device (or the like) may be adapted to determine location. Particular embodiments process the video to detect events, and, upon detecting these events, transmit video at a high data rate while using a low data rate at other times.