An automated driving enabled vehicle includes a travel controller, an automated driving indicator lamp, and a lamp controller. The travel controller controls travel of the vehicle while switching a travel control state between automated driving and manual driving. The automated driving indicator lamp is switched on perceptibly from outside the vehicle on the occasion of the automated driving. The lamp controller makes a control to switch on the automated driving indicator lamp to indicate that the travel control state is the automated driving, during execution of the automated driving in which the travel controller controls the travel of the vehicle by the automated driving. The lamp controller changes, during the execution of the automated driving, a lighting state of the automated driving indicator lamp in response to a change in the travel control state or a change in travel environment, or both.

An IR illuminator used during the operation of autonomous vehicles, which provides improvement in the performance of cameras used in the vehicle at night time. An optical design of an outer lens of the IR illuminator is selected so that the outer lens forms a beam pattern for the output light from the IR light source, and also acts as a light guide for light emitted from a secondary visible light source, which is located in the same module as the IR light source, and which may be positioned on the same or a different printed circuit board as the IR light source. The material of outer lens is opalescent including scattering bodies. The optical design of the outer lens allows for improved field of view of the IR illuminator.

A method, system and non-transitory computer readable medium which monitor a road user in order to move the external position of the vehicle intent notification (eHMI) to another external position that can be seen by the road user based on the gaze direction of the road user. In some aspects, the eHMI notification displays the vehicle intent for a single autonomous vehicle. In another aspect, a group eHMI notification displays the trajectories for a plurality of autonomous and non-autonomous vehicles. Based on the gaze direction of the road user, the eHMI notification can be displayed on a single external position or on multiple external positions. Different eHMI notifications can be displayed at different external positions on the autonomous vehicle to provide information to more than one road user.

An emblem for a vehicle comprises: (a) a light source configured to emit visible light; (b) a cover assembly disposed over the light source, the cover assembly having an inner surface, an outer surface, and a transparent portion that is transparent to the visible light, the visible light being incident to the inner surface, and the visible light that the light source emits transmitting through the transparent portion out of the outer surface to an external environment beyond the emblem; and (c) one or more surface relief patterns disposed on the cover assembly, the one or more surface relief patterns configured to manipulate (i) the visible light that the light source emits, (ii) visible light from the external environment, or (iii) both (i) and (ii).

A vehicle may have vehicle controls that are used in steering, braking, and accelerating the vehicle. The vehicle may have sensors that gather information on vehicle speed, orientation, and position. The sensors may also gather information on relative speed between the vehicle and a following vehicle, information on risks of a collision between a vehicle and an external object, and other vehicle status information and vehicle operating environment information. Control circuitry may use light-based devices to display braking information, information on vehicle speed, the relative speed between a vehicle and a following vehicle, autonomous driving mode status information, custom brake light information or other user-selected information, or other information on vehicle status and the operating environment of a vehicle.

A method of delivery robot operation, preferably including: navigating the robot to a location of a user; authenticating the user; initiating a transaction with the user; determining a user interaction with a compartment of the robot; and determining a termination event. A delivery robot, preferably including: a compartment, preferably including a door and defining a lumen; a cargo sensor; a communications module; one or more outputs: one or more inputs; a control module; and a drive module.

Method and apparatus are disclosed for mobile device tethering for a remote parking assist system of a vehicle. A vehicle includes a camera and a body control module. The body control module sends an instruction to a mobile device and captures, with the camera, an image of the mobile device. The body control module also analyzes the image to determine an initial location of the mobile device relative to the vehicle, and based on the initial location, performs dead reckoning on the mobile device to track the mobile device. When the mobile device is within a threshold distance, the body control module enables autonomous parking.

A method, system and non-transitory computer readable medium for suppressing autonomous vehicle external human machine interface (eHMI) notifications to prevent confusion or distraction of a road user. The suppression conditions are based on situations where the eHMI notification is redundant, not necessary, can be simplified or should be modified due to weather or light intensity. The eHMI notifications can be suppressed on selected displays and enhanced on others. The eHMI notifications can include text and icons, flashing lights, color or light patterns, which can be modified or suppressed based on the determination that the eHMI notification will confuse or distract the road user. At a four-way stop intersection, the eHMI notification can be suppressed until the autonomous vehicle has the right-of-way. The autonomous vehicle can form a mesh network with connected vehicles at the intersection and broadcast a group eHMI while requesting that the connected vehicles suppress their eHMIs.

A method, system and non-transitory computer readable medium for multi-stage communication between an autonomous vehicle and a road user. The autonomous vehicle uses vehicle external cameras, a LiDAR sensors and radar sensors to image the surrounding environment. Image processing circuitry is used to develop a view of the surrounding environment from the sensed images and the view is combined with stored map data. Road users, which may include pedestrians, bicyclists, motorcyclists and non-autonomous vehicles are identified on the view and it is determined whether the movement of the road user will intersect the trajectory of the autonomous vehicle. The autonomous vehicle performs a vehicle behavior modification as a first stage signal to alert the road user of its intent. If the road user does not react to the first stage signal, the autonomous vehicle activates additional external lighting as a second stage signal to alert the road user.

Systems and methods for assisting a user to hail a vehicle using a gesture or application. In one aspect, when a vehicle detects a user hails it with a gesture, it calculates a route and moves to the user autonomously. In another aspect, after a vehicle receives a message from a remote facility, it starts searching for a user nearby and moves to the user autonomously when the user hails it via a gesture or application.