A driving authorization system for a vehicle includes a connectivity unit for communication at least with a key and a keyless access authorization system. A server has an access lock, which can be activated or deactivated by the key and/or the keyless access authorization system. The keyless access authorization system is an application on a mobile device, further having an immobilizer. The immobilizer is designed in such a way that it is activated when the access lock is activated by the application and is deactivated again in this case only when the access lock is deactivated by the application.

This disclosure relates to a motor vehicle including a heater for an exterior interface. An example assembly includes a human-machine interface adjacent an exterior of the motor vehicle, and a heater configured to selectively thermally condition the human-machine interface. The heater includes a conductive polymer. A method is also disclosed.

A vehicle control device controls a vehicle including an occupant door and an opening and closing member for a shareable space. The vehicle control device is configured to control switching between a locked state and an unlocked state of an inlet, and to execute first control. In the first control, the inlet is switched to the unlocked state when the opening and closing member for the shareable space is unlocked by a user while the inlet is in the locked state. The inlet is not switched to the unlocked state when the opening and closing member for the shareable space is unlocked by a third person while the inlet is in the locked state.

Systems, methods, and apparatuses for implementing a vehicle safety lock assembly are described herein. For example, according to one embodiment there is a vehicle safety lock assembly system including a sensor of a docking unit to sense a nearby mobile device, in which the docking unit is coupled with a vehicle having an electronic control unit, an ignition system, and a first relay, in which the first relay is to signal from the electronic control unit to the ignition system to start the vehicle's ignition; the docking unit to request a first inhibitory signal from a cloud service and to forward the first inhibitory signal to the electronic control unit to inhibit the first relay; a transmitter to send a docking signal to the cloud service indicating that the mobile device has been docked at the docking unit; a receiver to receive a registration confirmation signal indicating that the mobile device is registered with the cloud service; the docking unit to send a second inhibitory signal, responsive to receiving the registration confirmation signal to restrict functionality of pre-selected features on the mobile device when the mobile device is docked; the docking unit to send an authentication request to the cloud service requesting authentication for the mobile device; the docking unit to receive authentication from the cloud service and to forward the authentication to the electronic control unit, in which the electronic control unit is to authenticate the mobile device based on the authentication; and the docking unit to transmit a releasing signal through the electronic control unit upon authentication to start the vehicle's ignition. Other related embodiments are disclosed.

A car sharing system includes a car sharing device that actuates an onboard device by performing communication with an electronic key system through ID verification when a user operates the onboard device in an authentication completion state in which key information has been authenticated through wireless communication with the portable terminal, a radio wave checker that checks radio waves transmitted from the electronic key system in accordance with a state of a vehicle power supply when the onboard device is operated with the portable terminal and a key control request corresponding to the operation with the portable terminal is transmitted from the portable terminal to the car sharing device so that the car sharing device actuates the electronic key system, and a warning controller that issues a warning indicating that one has forgotten to stop the vehicle power supply in accordance with a checking result of the radio wave checker.

A driving authorization system for a vehicle includes a connectivity unit for communication at least with a key and a keyless access authorization system. A server has an access lock, which can be activated or deactivated by the key and/or the keyless access authorization system. The keyless access authorization system is an application on a mobile device, further having an immobilizer. The immobilizer is designed in such a way that it is activated when the access lock is activated by the application and is deactivated again in this case only when the access lock is deactivated by the application.

Systems, methods, and apparatuses for implementing a vehicle safety lock assembly are described herein. For example, according to one embodiment there is a vehicle safety lock assembly system including a sensor of a docking unit to sense a nearby mobile device, in which the docking unit is coupled with a vehicle having an electronic control unit, an ignition system, and a first relay, in which the first relay is to signal from the electronic control unit to the ignition system to start the vehicle's ignition; the docking unit to request a first inhibitory signal from a cloud service and to forward the first inhibitory signal to the electronic control unit to inhibit the first relay; a transmitter to send a docking signal to the cloud service indicating that the mobile device has been docked at the docking unit; a receiver to receive a registration confirmation signal indicating that the mobile device is registered with the cloud service; the docking unit to send a second inhibitory signal, responsive to receiving the registration confirmation signal to restrict functionality of pre-selected features on the mobile device when the mobile device is docked; the docking unit to send an authentication request to the cloud service requesting authentication for the mobile device; the docking unit to receive authentication from the cloud service and to forward the authentication to the electronic control unit, in which the electronic control unit is to authenticate the mobile device based on the authentication; and the docking unit to transmit a releasing signal through the electronic control unit upon authentication to start the vehicle's ignition. Other related embodiments are disclosed.

A method for actuating a locking mechanism on a container, the method including receiving, at a computing device associated with the container, a policy for actuating the locking mechanism; determining, at the computing device, that conditions within the policy have been met; and actuating the locking mechanism.

A method of restricting usage of a vehicle includes: storing usage information of the vehicle on a server, the usage information corresponding to usage of the vehicle based on a type of user using the vehicle; determining with a processor whether a user of the vehicle is an owner user or non-owner user of the vehicle; retrieving usage parameters of the vehicle based on whether the user is determined to be the owner user or the non-owner user; and transmitting usage instructions to a control module of the vehicle based on whether the user is the owner user or the non-owner user.

A valet key operable as a vehicle key when lending a vehicle to a third person includes a state determination unit configured to determine whether or not the valet key is operable as the vehicle key when the valet key transmits a radio wave. The valet key further includes a communication subject setting unit configured to set a communication subject to which the valet key transmits the radio wave based on the determination result of the state determination unit.