A front trunk (frunk) delivery system is disclosure for a vehicle. For one embodiment, the delivery system includes a vehicle trunk at a front portion of the vehicle. The system includes a vehicle trunk lid covering the vehicle trunk. The system includes a bar code at the vehicle. The bar code is to be captured by a mobile device of a first user to remotely operate the vehicle trunk lid for the vehicle trunk to deliver or retrieve (for returns) a delivery parcel/package. The first user can be a third party delivery operator such as a USPS or an Amazon delivery operator.

An apparatus for outputting platooning information by a platooning vehicle in a platooning group may include: one or more lamps configured to project light onto a road; a communication circuit; a controller configured to control a platooning operation of the vehicle; and a control circuit electrically connected with the one or more lamps, the communication circuit, and the controller. The control circuit may be configured to: control the one or more lamps so as to output on the road a distance range between the platooning vehicle and an outside vehicle that is not part of the platooning group when a request from the outside vehicle to join the platooning group is approved by the platooning vehicle or a leading vehicle of the platooning group. The distance range may be a distance required to join the platooning group.

A vehicle control system applied to a column traveling system includes: a communication unit that is disposed in a host vehicle, and configured to be able to transmit/receive communication information to/from another vehicle in a column that travels while being included in the column as a group together with the host vehicle; an output unit that is disposed in the host vehicle, and configured to be able to output a visual system output related to the sense of sight to the outside of the host vehicle; and a controller configured to be able to perform intra-column cooperation processing of controlling the output unit to cause a plurality of the visual system outputs to cooperate with each other in the entire column based on the communication information. As a result, the vehicle control system applied to the column traveling system enables appropriate column traveling to be performed.

An annunciator system annunciates a mode of a platoon operation being performed between first and second platooning vehicles travelling cooperatively in accordance with a selected mode of the platoon operation. First and second visual indicators generate first and second visual signals having different colors based on visual indicator command signals generated by an annunciator control unit that operates to generate the first and second visual indicator command signals based on a determined mode of the platoon operation being performed between the associated first and second platooning vehicles. The visual annunciator system may be installed on the rear of platooning capable commercial vehicles in an unambiguous location so that it is not confused with other vehicle lamps, and is of a low intensity that does not shine directly at following traffic. The annunciator system generates two different visual colors that may be illuminated and/or flashed to encode the platoon operating mode.

A digital license plate supporting both access and analysis of vehicle relevant information is disclosed. The digital license plate includes sensors that provide status data to a processor in the digital license plate. A power path control module can initiate power state changes and adjust power depending on system state as determined by at least one the multiple sensors. In some embodiments a temperature control module is connected to a temperature sensor and configured to modify heat relevant display parameters as critical temperatures are approached.

An illumination device provided in a vehicle capable of traveling in an automatic driving mode is provided with: an illumination unit configured so that light is emitted toward the outside of the vehicle; and an illumination control unit configured so that, on the basis of an illumination control signal transmitted from another vehicle capable of traveling in an automatic driving mode and provided with an illumination unit, the illumination state of the illumination unit corresponds to the illumination state of the illumination unit.

Vehicle mounted exterior displays and digital license plates able to operate over a wide temperature range are disclosed. In one embodiment, heat relevant display parameters can be modified as critical low temperatures are approached. If decreasing temperature is determined to be likely to interfere with display switching operation, legally required information is displayed and potentially interfering content is eliminated.

A method includes, by a central computing device, receiving instructions to provide access to an autonomous vehicle of multiple autonomous vehicles in a parking area, identifying one or more blocking autonomous vehicles of the multiple autonomous vehicles to be moved to provide access to the autonomous vehicle, and causing each of the blocking autonomous vehicles to perform a pre-computed movement based on a determined state of the blocking autonomous vehicle, wherein the blocking autonomous vehicle performing the pre-computed movement allows the first autonomous vehicle to be accessible.

An illumination device installed in a vehicle capable of traveling in an automatic driving mode is provided with an illumination unit configured so as to radiate light outward from the vehicle, and an illumination control unit configured so as to control the illumination unit, on the basis of an illumination control signal sent from transportation infrastructure, which is provided with a light-emitting body for radiating light outward, in order to make the illumination state of the illumination unit correspond to the illumination state of the light-emitting body.

A method includes receiving, by a computing device of an autonomous vehicle of multiple autonomous vehicles, instructions to travel to a target location, determining, by the computing device of the autonomous vehicle, that the autonomous vehicle is blocked from traveling to the target location by one or more blocking autonomous vehicles of the multiple autonomous vehicles located at one or more blocking locations, and causing, by the computing device of the autonomous vehicle, coordinated movements by the autonomous vehicle and the one or more blocking autonomous vehicles to be performed to allow the autonomous vehicle to travel to the target location, wherein the coordinated movements include at least one of the blocking autonomous vehicles returning to its respective blocking location after allowing the autonomous vehicle to travel to the target location.