A notification device provided in a vehicle including an autonomous driving system which causes the vehicle to travel by autonomous driving and to evacuate the vehicle when a failure occurs, includes a display unit configured to display information toward an outside of the vehicle, and a display controller configured to control the display unit. The display controller causes the display unit to be turned on or flicker when a failure occurs and changes a display of the display unit in at least one of a time when an evacuation starts and a time when an evacuation is completed.

A notification device provided in a vehicle including an autonomous driving system which causes the vehicle to travel by autonomous driving and to evacuate the vehicle when a failure occurs, includes a display unit configured to display information toward an outside of the vehicle, and a display controller configured to control the display unit. The display controller causes the display unit to be turned on or flicker when a failure occurs and changes a display of the display unit in at least one of a time when an evacuation starts and a time when an evacuation is completed.

A disabled vehicle illumination sign including a sign assembly, an electronic assembly and an attaching assembly is disclosed herein. The sign assembly includes a plurality of members being hingedly connected one to each other. The plurality of members form multiple signs of a letter to alert of a disabled vehicle. Each of the multiple signs can be used separately or in conjunction to alert that a vehicle is having engine problems, or medical problems or tire problems. The sign assembly is foldable. The electronic assembly includes a plurality of lights being disposed on a front portion of each member of the plurality of members. The attaching assembly includes an attaching member located on a bottom portion of the sign assembly. The attaching member allows the sign assembly to be removably attached to the disabled vehicle.

The rotating reflective sign for use with a disabled vehicle comprises a mounting base, a telescoping armature, a sign, and an information pouch. The rotating reflective sign for use with a disabled vehicle may be removably coupled to a vehicle and may be adapted to alert oncoming motorists that the vehicle is disabled and/or unattended. The mounting base may couple to a top surface of the vehicle. The telescoping armature may extend upwards from the mounting base and may support the sign above the vehicle. The sign may rotate when actuated by wind. The sign may comprise a plurality of vanes that may reflect light and may thereby increase the visibility of the sign. The information pouch may be adapted to provide information regarding an owner of the vehicle.

A system and method for changing the exterior color of a vehicle is disclosed. The system includes a vehicle with a color change system integrated into the vehicle body of the vehicle. The color change system can change the color of a portion of the vehicle body in response to commands from a color change module running on a computing system within the vehicle. The color change module can detect information about the vehicle's environment to determine an appropriate target exterior vehicle color that contrasts substantially with the vehicle's environment.

A system for implementing strobing of existing vehicle hazard lights including an interface to a vehicle wiring harness configured to receive input to an existing vehicle flasher module, and a strobing circuit that responds to an activation signal from the vehicle wiring harness that is indicative of a hazard flasher deployment event by producing an electrical output through the interface to the vehicle wiring harness that causes a strobing of existing vehicle hazard lamps.

The technology relates to autonomous vehicles suffering a breakdown along a roadway. Onboard systems may utilize various proactive operations to alert specific vehicles or other objects on or near the roadway about the breakdown. This can be done alternatively or in addition to turning on the hazard lights or calling for remote assistance. The disabled vehicle is able to detect nearby and approaching objects. The detection may be performed in combination with a determination of the type of object or predicted behavior for that object, enables the vehicle to generate a targeted alert that can be transmitted or otherwise presented to that particular object. This approach provides the other object, such as a vehicle, bicyclist or pedestrian, sufficient time and information about the breakdown to take appropriate corrective action. Different communication options are available and may be selected based on the particular object, environmental conditions and other factors.

The technology relates to autonomous vehicles suffering a breakdown along a roadway. Onboard systems may utilize various proactive operations to alert specific vehicles or other objects on or near the roadway about the breakdown. This can be done alternatively or in addition to turning on the hazard lights or calling for remote assistance. The disabled vehicle is able to detect nearby and approaching objects. The detection may be performed in combination with a determination of the type of object or predicted behavior for that object, enables the vehicle to generate a targeted alert that can be transmitted or otherwise presented to that particular object. This approach provides the other object, such as a vehicle, bicyclist or pedestrian, sufficient time and information about the breakdown to take appropriate corrective action. Different communication options are available and may be selected based on the particular object, environmental conditions and other factors.

Various embodiments of a combination lamp are provided, which combine a plurality of different lamp functions in a unitary configuration, and can reduce the total amount of space taken up for at least substantially the same amount of illumination produced. The combination lamps can be configured for use on vehicles, light fixtures, free standing lamps, decorative articles, etc. In some embodiments, each lamp component may have a power connection element independent from the other lamp components.

Methods and apparatuses for responding to an emergency situation are disclosed, where the method for responding to an emergency situation includes activating an emergency control mode based on a travel trajectory of a vehicle, stopping the vehicle on a shoulder based on the emergency control mode, outputting an emergency light of the vehicle, and determining whether the emergency control mode is active.