A vehicle is provided that stores limit(s) on third party vendor communications associated with a user in the vehicle. The limit(s) restrict financial transactions of the user with third party vendors. The vehicle determines that the user desires to interact with a third party vendor, based on the limit(s), determines if the vehicle can send a first communication to the third party vendor (the first communication being related to initiating or completing a financial transaction with the third party vendor), when allowed by the limit(s), automatically sends the first communication to the third party vendor for the user, and when not allowed by the limit(s), does not send the first communication to the third party vendor for the user.

A vehicle is provided that determines a need for communication with a third party vendor, retrieves the user rule from the memory (the user rule defining to which third party vendor the vehicle can send a first communication to address the need and defining a geographic location of the third party vendor relative to a current location of the vehicle, a monetary amount the vehicle can pay to a third party vendor for a product or service to address the need, and a time limit for the third party vendor to provide the product or service to address the need), based on the user rule, selects a third party vendor from among multiple possible third party vendors, and when determined by the user rule, automatically sends the first communication to the selected third party vendor to order the product or service and provides an authorization to the selected third party vendor to complete the order. The vehicle uses different communication protocols to provide the first communication and authorization to the selected third party vendor.

A vehicle is provided that, while the vehicle is in motion, receives a plurality of transaction options from a plurality of vendors (each transaction option comprising an offer for an occupant to purchase a good or service), in response and based on user preferences, pre-filters the plurality of transaction options to identify which of the plurality of transaction options to present to the occupant by a user interface, in response to identifying a transaction option to present to the occupant, renders the user interface for the display to request authorization from the user to allow a communication to the vendor associated with the identified transaction option, receives user input associated with the identified transaction option regarding authorization of the associated transaction, and based on the user input and while the vehicle is in motion, automatically sends, by a secure session, a first communication to the vendor on behalf of the user. The first communication provides sensitive user information to the vendor to complete the transaction.

A vehicle is provided that stores user information associated with a user in the vehicle and vehicle information associated with the vehicle (the vehicle information comprises a vehicle identification number of the vehicle, an electronic serial number associated with the vehicle, and/or an engine code of the vehicle), determines the user desires to interact with a third party, retrieves the user and vehicle information from the memory, combines the user information and the vehicle information into a first communication for the third party, and automatically sends the first communication to the third party for the user to authenticate the user to the third party.

A vehicle is provided that determines a first triggering event in predetermined triggering event information has occurred, in response to a first event, automatically forwards a first communication to a selected third party vendor to preorder a product or service of the selected third party vendor in connection with a transaction with the user, determines a second triggering event in the triggering event information has occurred, and in response to the later second event, automatically sends an authorization to complete the transaction by providing financial information to the selected third party vendor.

A vehicle is provided that determines a need for communication with a third party vendor, retrieves a user rule from the memory (the user rule defines to which third party vendor the vehicle can send a first communication to address the need and defines a geographic location of the third party vendor relative to a current location of the vehicle, a monetary amount the vehicle can pay to a third party vendor for a product or service to address the need, and a time limit for the third party vendor to provide the product or service to address the need), based on the user rule, selects a third party vendor from among multiple possible third party vendors, and when determined by the user rule, automatically sends the first communication to the selected third party vendor to address the need. The first communication is associated with an order for the product or service, and the processor provides an authorization to the selected third party vendor to complete the order. The vehicle uses different antennas positioned at different physical locations on an exterior of the vehicle to provide the first communication and authorization to the selected third party vendor.

A vehicle includes an on board microprocessor that is programmed to receive and transmit multiple authentication factors or a key derived therefrom to a remote server to authenticate the vehicle or a vehicle occupant to a remote server. The multiple authentication factors comprise a plurality of an electronic address of a portable communication device of the occupant sensed by an on board sensor, a wireless remote signal description sensed by an on board sensor, a vehicle-related identifier, a vehicle parameter sensed by the on board processor, an environmental parameter sensed by the on board processor, and a passcode received by the microprocessor from the remote server.

Technologies and techniques directed to a multifunctional operating device for a motor vehicle and a motor vehicle equipped with such a device. The operating device includes a multifunctional operating element for operating a plurality of predefined functions. These predefined functions include setting a volume for an acoustic output through a loudspeaker device and setting a driving experience. A driving operation mode and an ambience mode of the motor vehicle can be set using the operating element to customize the driving experience.

The invention concerns an operating element (100, 100, 100) for a vehicle interior, comprising an at least partially transparent cover layer (200) having at least one tactilely detectable raised and/or recessed area (210) on an upper side (201) of the cover layer (200) facing the vehicle interior, a light source (300) configured to emit light toward an underside (202) of the cover layer (200) opposite the upper side (201), a non-transparent mask layer (400) arranged between the light source (300) and at least a portion of the cover layer (200), and an actuating element (500), that can be activated by touching the upper side (201) of the transparent cover layer (200), configured to output an operating signal when activating the actuating element (500).

An external control device configured for interaction with a modern vehicle and activation of different functions in a non-distracting manner, and to a system comprising such external control device. The external control device includes a housing with at least one rotary encoder, at least one display, at least one shortcut button, a control unit with a control logic module, and a power module. Each shortcut button activates a pre-configured feature of the vehicle when pressed. Once a feature is selected by a shortcut button, the rotary encoder allows the user to adjust the selected feature by clockwise and counterclockwise rotation.