An agent control device that acquires agent utilization history information for a user, selects one agent from among a plurality of agents that are utilizable inside a vehicle based on the acquired utilization history information, and activates the selected agent.

An autonomous driving apparatus is mounted on a vehicle. The autonomous driving apparatus includes a controller configured to detect that an output timing of route guidance information from a navigation apparatus mounted on the vehicle matches an output timing of route guidance information from the autonomous driving apparatus, acquire an output setting for the route guidance information output from the navigation apparatus, and decide an output setting for the route guidance information output from the autonomous driving apparatus based on the acquired output setting information and the detection.

An agent device includes a microphone configured to collect a speech sound inside a vehicle cabin, a speaker configured to output a speech sound inside the vehicle cabin, and a plurality of agent function elements having different functions. Each of the plurality of agent function elements generates a speech sound of an agent that speaks to an occupant of a vehicle on the basis of a meaning of the speech sound collected by the microphone, causes the speaker to output the generated speech sound of the agent. The agent function element serving as a main agent that has a dialogue with the occupant is switched on the basis of content of the speech sound collected by the microphone.

A display and voice output control system of a vehicle on which automated driving is performed includes a display device, a voice output device and a controller. The controller controls a notification of a recommended behavior by the display device and the voice output device. In the notification control, it is judged whether or not a notification condition of the recommended behavior is satisfied. If it is judged that the notification condition is satisfied, it is judged whether a notification relaxation condition of the recommended behavior is satisfied based on a status of a driver and a driving status of the vehicle. If it is judged that the notification relaxation conditions is satisfied, relaxation notification processing is executed. Otherwise, normal notification processing is executed. In the relaxation notification processing, an output status of the recommended behavior in the voice output device is controlled to an inactive state.

A control device as a driving support device includes a processor configured such that the processor receives respective voice output instructions from an automatic driving device and a car navigation device provided in a vehicle, and when respective timings to output voice from the automatic driving device and from the car navigation device overlap with each other, the processor performs a control to display a content corresponding to a content of the voice output from the automatic driving device for a longer time than a time to display the content of the voice in a case where the timings do not overlap with each other.

Aspects of the technology relate to assisting a passenger in an autonomous vehicle without a driver. For instance, after a door of the vehicle is opened, a predetermined period of time may be waited by processors of computing devices of the vehicle. After waiting the predetermined period of time and when the vehicle's door remains open, a set of instructions for closing the vehicle's door may be played by the processors through a speaker of the vehicle. Once the door of the vehicle is closed, an announcement may be played by the processors through the speaker requesting that the passenger press a first button to initiate a ride to a destination. In response to the first button being pressed, the ride to the destination may be initiated by the processors by maneuvering the vehicle autonomously to the destination.

An agent device receives input information that is input by the user, in a case in which the input information is a question from the user, executes inference processing on the input information to infer an intent of the question in order to acquire a response to the question based on the intent, in a case in which a plurality of the responses are acquired, provides the notification device with option information that includes the plurality of responses as options, in a case in which new input information is received, determines whether the new input information is information requiring the inference processing or is selection information relating to a selection result from selection of the options, and in a case in which the new input information is the selection information, provides the notification device with response information regarding the response associated with the selection result without executing the inference processing.

A driving assistance system for a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, includes a user interface module which is set up for interaction with a driver The user interface module is further set up to: output at least two questions in relation to a driving assistance function to the driver sequentially; and receive a user input of the driver for answering the at least two questions. A control module is set up to activate and/or operate the driving assistance function based on a composition of incorrectly answered and correctly answered questions from the at least two questions, wherein the driving assistance function is activated only when a minimum number of questions and/or a specific subgroup of the at least two questions have been answered correctly at least in part.

A vehicle display apparatus has a display and a control unit. The control unit detects whether or not an error recognizable by users of the vehicle has occurred in an image on the display on the basis of the result of matching between a first error detection code, which is generated on the basis of image data transmitted to a display drive unit, and a second error detection code, which is generated on the basis of the image data received by the display drive unit, to determine whether notification is required or not, and provides notification on deterioration in the reliability of the image on the display by controlling light-emitting elements and sound output units provided on the vehicle display apparatus or by way of a superordinate device.

A user is made immediately and continuously perceive a change of a predetermined situation.

There is provided a control device that includes: a control section configured to control information presentation of a presentation section configured to present information, and in which the control section changes a mode of the information presentation of the presentation section according to a predetermined fluctuation value that can fluctuate. Furthermore, there is provided a tactile presentation system presentation system that includes: a presentation section configured to perform information presentation for a user; and a control section configured to control the information presentation of the presentation section, and in which the control section changes a mode of the information presentation of the presentation section according to a predetermined fluctuation value that can fluctuate under control of the user.