A vehicle input device including: a cover configured to include a touch sensor portion that is flexible and that detects operation by an occupant, the cover covering a main body portion of an arm rest that supports an arm of the occupant; and a control unit that outputs an operation signal to an on-board instrument on the basis of a signal detected by the touch sensor portion.

Systems and methods are provided herein to simplify the functional offerings of vehicle control settings to those most frequently used by drivers. A virtual image of the switch set is depicted in the large information display of a vehicle showing the appropriate, context-based control functions for the task at hand. With the function graphics/instruction shown in the display, the graphics may be removed from the switch itself allowing for the user to interact with multipurpose controls that are easily understood and not limited by hard graphics printed on a switch. The use of the display may help a driver stay focused on the road.

An integrated manipulation apparatus for autonomous vehicles and a control method are provided. When a driving mode is switched from an autonomous driving mode to a manual driving mode, a user manipulates the integrated manipulation apparatus, which is portable, to perform chassis functions, such as steering, speed change, acceleration, and braking of a vehicle, and to perform general functions, such as lamp on/off, honking, and turn indication, as needed. A steering dial switch and a speed change slide switch are different in manipulation manner from an acceleration button switch and a braking button switch.

A computer-implemented remote starting method includes instructing the remote start of a vehicle using a wireless device. The method also includes inputting, to the wireless device, a desired vehicle interior temperature. The method further includes sending a remote start instruction to a vehicle from the wireless device, including at least the desired temperature and monitoring a current temperature of the vehicle. The method additionally includes outputting, on the wireless device, the current vehicle temperature.

Methods and devices assist in a parking maneuver of a vehicle. The vehicle includes a parking aid that produces a first signal. The first signal is perceptible in an interior of the vehicle during a parking maneuver. A signal property of the first signal is adapted to a currently prevailing distance of the vehicle from a parking obstruction. The first signal is converted into a second signal that is perceptible by an operator located outside the vehicle. The second signal is transmitted to the operator disposed outside the vehicle during a remotely-controlled performance of the parking maneuver.

A steering system for an autonomous vehicle includes an autonomous driving assist steering system for controlling steering of the autonomous vehicle in a primary steering mode. Also included is an alternate steering mechanism controlling steering of the autonomous vehicle in a secondary steering mode, wherein the alternate steering mechanism is not a steering wheel.

Some embodiments are directed to hierarchical based computer implemented methods and systems for controlling predetermined vehicle operations upon receiving requests from vehicle occupants. The methods and systems include identifying vehicle occupants regardless of their location within the vehicle, and matching an identified vehicle occupant who has entered a request with one profile of a hierarchy of stored profiles. Each profile can correspond to at least one of the occupants who has been identified, and provides authorization to control certain of the predetermined operations. The methods and systems also include accepting the request to control the requested operation if the matched profile provides authorization to control the requested operation, rejecting the request to control the requested operation if the matched profile does not provide authorization to control the requested operation, and enabling implementation of the requested operation if the request has been accepted based on the matched profile providing authorization.

A lighting device of a vehicle includes at least one lighting device for a road scene in front of the vehicle arranged to form a first light beam defined by a first lighting. A device for generating a second light beam defined by a second lighting is configured to superimpose the second beam on the first light beam. A sum of the first lighting and of the second lighting is greater than the first lighting, the second light beam forms driving assistance information.

A speech recognition system, which continuously recognizes speech uttered by at least one user and controls a navigation system on the basis of a recognition result, includes: a speech-operation-intention determination unit for determining—whether or not the user has made a recognized speech with the intention of operating the navigation system through speech; and a control mode altering unit for changing, when the speech-operation-intention determination unit determines that the user has no operation intention, the control mode of the navigation system in such a manner that the user is less aware of or pays less attention to the control mode than the case in which the speech-operation-intention determination unit determines that the user has an intention of operating the navigation system.

Various aspects of a device and method to manage interaction with one or more control circuits in a vehicle and one or more wearable devices are disclosed herein. The device comprises one or more circuits configured to receive a first set of input values from the one or more wearable devices associated with a first user. The one or more wearable devices are communicatively coupled to the device used in the vehicle. A second set of input values is received from one or more vehicle sensors embedded in the vehicle. An operating mode of the device is determined based on the received first set of input values and the second set of input values. One or more functions of the vehicle are controlled based on the determined operating mode of the device.