A vehicle travel control apparatus includes an actuator and an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to determine whether a driver of a vehicle is in an abnormal state where the driver loses an ability of driving the vehicle. The electronic control unit is also configured to stop the vehicle at an abnormality determination time point onward, and control a vehicle speed by using the actuator such that the vehicle speed does not become lower than a lower limit vehicle speed in a period from the abnormality determination time point to a time point when the vehicle is stopped. The lower limit vehicle speed is set in accordance with a road shape influencing timing when a driver of another vehicle traveling behind the vehicle visually recognizes the vehicle.

A device may receive vehicle operation data associated with operation of a plurality of vehicles, and may process the vehicle operation data to generate processed vehicle operation data. The device may extract multiple features from the processed vehicle operation data, and may train machine learning models, with the multiple features, to generate trained machine learning models that provide model outputs. The device may process the multiple features, with a feature selection model and based on the model outputs, to select sets of features from the plurality of features, and may process the sets of features, with the trained machine learning models, to generate indications of driving behavior and reliabilities of the indications. The device may select a set of features, from the sets of features, based on the indications and the reliabilities, where the set of features may be calculated by a device associated with a particular vehicle.

A method for operating a driver assistance system of a vehicle, in which interventions activated by the driver assistance system in a travel mode of the vehicle are at least partially suspended for a predetermined time window when an override intent of a driver of the vehicle is recognized.

A method for mitigating powertrain abuse on a grade can include determining the grade a machine is on, the machine including an impeller clutch located between an engine and a powertrain so as to connect and disconnect engine power from the powertrain; and if the grade is over a threshold, a controller ignores any operator input to the impeller clutch such that machine speed retarding is utilized to keep the machine at a proper speed.

The vehicle (1) provides its identity to the portable electronic device (5) of a user not driving the vehicle, the portable electronic device displays visible features of the vehicle, the user selects the vehicle on the display to provide a signal to the wireless communication unit of the emergency stop system of the vehicle. In case of a terrorist attack, signals from a plurality of portable devices cause the vehicle to stop or slow down.

There is provided a method to stop or slow down a vehicle in an emergency, the method involving a vehicle comprising an emergency stop system which is able to cause the vehicle to stop or slow down, said emergency stop system comprising at least one microphone for detecting sounds in the vicinity of the vehicle, and a sound analysis unit for analysing sound, the method involving the steps: a) the microphone of the emergency stop system receiving a sound and sending a signal representing the sound to the sound analysis unit, b) the sound analysis unit of the emergency stop system determining that the received sound is a predetermined sound or a predetermined sound pattern, and c) the emergency stop system causing the vehicle to stop or slow down.

A controller and method for activating adaptive cruise control systems are presented. The controller includes an input for receiving a speed of the host vehicle and a processor having control logic. The control logic determines the system is inactive, determines if the vehicle speed is at or above a minimum speed, determines if a predetermined time has passed and activates adaptive cruise control without a driver intervention.

A travel control apparatus is provided. The travel control apparatus includes: a travel control unit that controls the travel of the vehicle in the control state of one of the manual travel control state and the automatic travel control state in accordance with a selection by the driver; a concentration disturbing matter detection unit that detects an occurrence of a predetermined concentration disturbing matter set as a matter which disturbs a concentration of the driver with respect to the driving operation; and a control state switching unit that switches the control state from the manual travel control state to the automatic travel control state when the occurrence of the concentration disturbing matter is detected while the control state is the manual travel control state.

Methods and systems for monitoring use, determining risk, and pricing insurance policies for a vehicle having one or more autonomous or semi-autonomous operation features are provided. According to certain aspects, with the customer's permission, a vehicle operator in an autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle may be determined by a sensor disposed within the autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle or a mobile computing device associated with the vehicle operator. A determination may be made as to whether the vehicle operator is authorized to operate the vehicle based upon the determined identity of the vehicle operator; and if the vehicle operator is not authorized, an alert may be generated and/or the vehicle may be caused to not operate. Alternatively, autonomous operation features may be automatically engaged to automatically drive the autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle to a safe location when the operator is not authorized. Insurance discounts may be provided based upon the anti-theft functionality.

Methods and systems for monitoring use, determining risk, and pricing insurance policies for a vehicle having one or more autonomous or semi-autonomous operation features are provided. According to certain aspects, a computer-implemented method for responding to damage to an autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle relating to a collision or other loss may be provided. With the customer's permission, an indication of damage to the autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle, and/or operating data regarding operation of the vehicle during (i) a time period without the damage to the autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle, and (ii) a time period with the damage to the autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle may be received. Repairs associated with the damage may be determined based upon the operating data, as well as an expected cost associated with the repairs. Insurance discounts may be provided to risk averse customers that timely repair damaged vehicles or features that impact vehicle safety.