A method includes determining that an autonomous vehicle is in a zone associated with one or more zone rules; causing, in response to determining that the autonomous vehicle is in the zone, the autonomous vehicle to operate in a controlled mode of operation associated with the zone rules; determining that the autonomous vehicle has exited the zone; and releasing, in response to determining that the autonomous vehicle has exited the zone, the autonomous vehicle from the controlled mode of operation.

A notification device includes: a notification-sound output portion provided in a vehicle and configured to output a notification sound toward the outside of the vehicle; a notification display portion provided in the vehicle and configured to output a notification display toward the outside of the vehicle; a notification controlling portion configured to control the notification sound of the notification-sound output portion and the notification display of the notification display portion; and a stop-state determination portion configured to determine whether the vehicle during the automatic driving enters a stop state or not. When the stop-state determination portion determines that the vehicle during the automatic driving enters the stop state, the notification controlling portion outputs a stop-time notification sound as the notification sound by the notification-sound output portion and outputs a stop-time notification display as the notification display by the notification display portion.

A method for communication between autonomous vehicles and personnel can include receiving a signal from a remote computing system, the signal based upon a position of an autonomous vehicle and a first position of a mobile device, wherein the signal identifies that the mobile device is located in a path of the autonomous vehicle, responsive to receipt of the signal from the remote computing system, stopping the autonomous vehicle, receiving an updated signal from the remote computing system, the updated signal based upon a second position of the mobile device, the second position effective to facilitate a determination that the mobile device is no longer within the path of the autonomous vehicle, and responsive to receiving the updated position of the mobile device, resuming operation of the autonomous vehicle along the path. An autonomous vehicle and non-transitory computer-readable medium is also provided.

A device for providing external communication by a vehicle is provided. The vehicle includes a steering wheel having one or more light-emitting elements in a passenger compartment of the vehicle. The device is configured to ascertain external information that needs to be communicated to a user of the vehicle who is arranged outside of the passenger compartment of the vehicle. The device is furthermore configured to prompt the one or more light-emitting elements to generate a light signal in order to display the external information.

Described herein are various systems and processes for vehicles for delivery of real-time, on-demand orders for perishable goods, and operations thereof. The automated delivery vehicle may include a food transport container and various sensors configured to determine the location and/or surroundings of the vehicle. The automated delivery vehicle may further include a display and/or other output source configured to provide outputs to persons surrounding the automated delivery vehicle. Such outputs may include, for example, an information graphical representation (e.g., provided on a display), an audio output, and/or data communicated to a wireless device.

Systems and methods for interactions between an autonomous vehicle and one or more external observers include virtual models of drivers the autonomous vehicle. The virtual models may be generated by the autonomous vehicle and displayed to one or more external observers, and in some cases using devices worn by the external observers. The virtual models may facilitate interactions between the external observers and the autonomous vehicle using gestures or other visual cues. The virtual models may be encrypted with characteristics of an external observer, such as the external observer's face image, iris, or other representative features. Multiple virtual models for multiple external observers may be simultaneously used for multiple communications while preventing interference due to possible overlap of the multiple virtual models.

The purpose of the present invention is to improve visibility of a status display unit while simplifying the installation of the status display unit and preventing damage to the status display unit. The present invention comprises: a work vehicle body capable of traveling automatically; a status detection unit that detects the status of the work vehicle body; and status display units that show a status display according to the status of the work vehicle body detected by the status detection unit. At least one pair of status display units are arranged diagonally across the work vehicle body in plan view.

The present disclosure relates to a vehicle control apparatus disposed in a vehicle and a control method of the vehicle. A vehicle control apparatus according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is a vehicle control apparatus disposed in a vehicle, and comprises: a camera for capturing an image of an object which approaches the vehicle; a seat driving unit for driving a seat disposed in the vehicle; and a processor for sensing information related to the object on the basis of the image captured through the camera and controlling the seat driving unit such that the seat is disposed at a predetermined position, on the basis of the sensed information related to the object.

An automated driving enabled vehicle includes a travel controller, an automated driving indicator lamp, and a lamp controller. The automated driving indicator lamp is switched on perceptibly from outside the vehicle on the occasion of automated driving. On the occasion of switching of a driving state of the vehicle from the automated driving to manual driving, the lamp controller switches off the automated driving indicator lamp after changing a lighting state of the automated driving indicator lamp from a first lighting state during the execution of the automated driving to a second lighting state different from the first lighting state.

A vehicle capable of operating in a self-driving mode includes a self-driving indicator lamp and a controller. The self-driving indicator lamp can turn on so as to be visually recognized from an outside of the vehicle in the self-driving mode. The controller controls a lighting state of the self-driving indicator lamp. The self-driving indicator lamp includes a right indicator lamp and a left indicator lamp respectively disposed in right and left parts of the vehicle. Lighting states of the right indicator lamp and the left indicator lamp can be controlled independently. When the vehicle starts to move in the self-driving mode from a parked or stopped state, the lighting states of the right indicator lamp and the left indicator lamp which have turned off during when the vehicle has been parked or stopped, in a manner similar to each other so as to indicate a frontward or rearward starting direction.