A fire detection system includes a heat detector configured to monitor a fire detection volume; a smoke detector configured to monitor the fire detection volume; and an occupancy sensor configured to detect the presence of at least one person within the fire detection volume. The fire detection system is configured to monitor for the presence of a fire within the fire detection volume using the heat detector and the smoke detector responsive to determining, using the occupancy sensor, that the fire detection volume is unoccupied. The fire detection system is configured to monitor for the presence of a fire within the fire detection volume using the heat detector and not using the smoke detector responsive to determining, using the occupancy sensor, that the fire detection volume is occupied.

Methods and systems are provided for diagnosing temperature sensors of a vehicle. In one example, a method may include, at a duration after an engine-off event, determining that an intake air temperature measured by an intake air temperature sensor of the vehicle is greater than an ambient air temperature measured by an ambient air temperature sensor of the vehicle. In response to the determining, the method may include flowing ambient air across the intake air temperature sensor, and indicating the ambient air temperature sensor is functional responsive to the intake air temperature converging to the ambient air temperature during the flowing.

In some examples, a system receives data relating to an environment of a vehicle. Based on the received data, the system initiates a vehicle preparation action by actuating an adjustable component of the vehicle, the vehicle preparation action to ready the vehicle for a user prior to operation of the vehicle.

A method for detecting a special operating state of a motor vehicle which differs from a normal operating state of the motor vehicle, in which a noise emitted by the motor vehicle during operation of the motor vehicle is captured in the interior of the motor vehicle using a mobile apparatus which is separate from the motor vehicle, and the noise is compared with a plurality of reference noises provided by the mobile apparatus, the noise being assigned to a most similar reference noise of the plurality of reference noises on the basis of the comparison if a minimum similarity value is exceeded, and the special operating state being detected by the assignment which has been carried out.

An example method is disclosed, the method comprising: (i) detecting, via a first sensor of an alert system configured for use with a vehicle, a living being inside the vehicle; (ii) measuring, via a second sensor, an environmental feature inside the vehicle; (iii) based at least on the detection of the living being and the measured environmental feature, determining, an alert condition inside the vehicle; (iv) selecting a first computational action based at least on the determined alert condition; (v) transmitting an instruction that causes a component of the vehicle to perform the selected first computational action; (vi) selecting a second computational action based at least on the determined alert condition; and (vii) transmitting, via a network interface, to at least one computing device that is remote from the alert system, an instruction that causes at least one remote computing device to perform the selected second computational action.

An example method is disclosed, the method comprising: (i) detecting, via a first sensor of an alert system configured for use with a vehicle, a living being inside the vehicle; (ii) measuring, via a second sensor, an environmental feature inside the vehicle; (iii) based at least on the detection of the living being and the measured environmental feature, determining, an alert condition inside the vehicle; (iv) selecting a first computational action based at least on the determined alert condition; (v) transmitting an instruction that causes a component of the vehicle to perform the selected first computational action; (vi) selecting a second computational action based at least on the determined alert condition; and (vii) transmitting, via a network interface, to at least one computing device that is remote from the alert system, an instruction that causes at least one remote computing device to perform the selected second computational action.

A fire detection system includes a heat detector configured to monitor a fire detection volume; a smoke detector configured to monitor the fire detection volume; and an occupancy sensor configured to detect the presence of at least one person within the fire detection volume. The fire detection system is configured to monitor for the presence of a fire within the fire detection volume using the heat detector and the smoke detector responsive to determining, using the occupancy sensor, that the fire detection volume is unoccupied. The fire detection system is configured to monitor for the presence of a fire within the fire detection volume using the heat detector and not using the smoke detector responsive to determining, using the occupancy sensor, that the fire detection volume is occupied.

A method and a device for generating a signal which indicates the imminent formation of slipperiness on a roadway (2) before this arises on the roadway, wherein radiation reflected from the roadway, or from a point adjacent to the roadway, is evaluated, which radiation emanates from at least one reference surface (11) arranged in or on the roadway or the adjacent point, which reference surface is formed by a material different from the roadway covering material. The reference surface is selected from a material on which slipperiness is formed earlier than on the road surface material. The signal (13) is emitted when the evaluation shows that slipperiness has formed on the reference surface (11).

Methods and systems for efficient power management of a finite power storage unit that provides a finite amount of power to a vehicle accessory are provided. The method includes receiving an input parameter. The input parameter includes one of a desired runtime for the vehicle accessory and a desired condition setting for the vehicle accessory. The method also includes receiving an environment data. Also, the method includes a processor determining an output parameter based on the input parameter and the environment data. The output parameter includes one of an acceptable condition setting for the vehicle accessory and a predicted runtime for the vehicle accessory. Further, the method includes providing the output parameter to a display for displaying the output parameter.

A system and method of providing an immersive media experience to a user through utilizing one or more vehicle system modules (VSMs) included in a vehicle, wherein the method includes: establishing a connection with a media control device, wherein the media control device includes a display; determining whether the media control device is authorized to control the one or more VSMs as a part of the immersive media experience; receiving an immersive media control request from the media control device, wherein the immersive media control request includes a request from the media control device to perform one or more vehicle functions using the VSMs during playback of immersive media content, and wherein the playback of the immersive media content includes visually perceptible media content that is displayed using the display of the media control device; and controlling the one or more VSMs according to the received VSM control requests.