A vehicle collision avoidance assist apparatus executes a collision avoidance control for avoiding a collision of an own vehicle with an object ahead of the own vehicle. The apparatus determines whether a driver of the own vehicle has a collision self-avoidance probability that the driver can avoid the collision of the own vehicle with the object ahead of the own vehicle by carrying out a driving operation to the own vehicle. When the apparatus determines that the driver does not have the collision self-avoidance probability, the apparatus sets a start timing of starting executing the collision avoidance control to a timing earlier than the start timing set when the apparatus determines that the driver has the collision self-avoidance probability.

Methods and systems for monitoring use, determining risk, and pricing insurance policies for a vehicle having autonomous or semi-autonomous operation features are provided. According to certain aspects, a computer-implemented method for generating or updating usage-based insurance policies for autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicles may be provided. A request to generate an insurance quote may be received via wireless communication, and with the customer's permission, risk levels associated with intended usage by the customer of an autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle may be determined. An insurance policy may be adjusted based upon the risk levels and the intended vehicle usage. The insurance policy may then be presented on the customer's mobile device for review and approval. In some aspects, the vehicle may be rented, and the intended vehicle usage is measured in distance or duration of vehicle operation. Insurance discounts may be provided to risk averse vehicle owners based upon low risk levels.

In a control system having at least one electronic control unit for controlling an internal combustion engine in a hybrid vehicle, the control unit is designed in such a way that it evaluates input signals for detecting data for identifying a current situation and for identifying at least one situation forecast in the near future with regard to an expected speed curve and at least the predicted current traffic light phase duration. Depending thereon and on a change in load brought about by a driver interaction, the control unit controls, in a manner that is adaptive to the situation, the restart and shutoff of the internal combustion engine independently of a currently predefined EV mode speed limit and/or EV mode load limit.

In a control system having at least one electronic control unit for controlling an internal combustion engine in a hybrid vehicle, the control unit is designed in such a way that it evaluates input signals for detecting data for identifying a current situation and for identifying at least one situation prevailing in the near future with regard to an expected speed and load curve. The control system controls, in a manner that is adaptive to the situation, the restart and shutoff of the internal combustion engine.

An intelligent dynamic speed limiting system for use with a motor vehicle is disclosed. The system may have a processor, a memory in communication with the processor, a source of map information that provides posted speed limit information for roads in a geographic region, and a speed set control. The speed set control may be configured to enable a user to select a speed increase value by which a speed of the vehicle may exceed a posted speed limit. The processor may read the speed increase value set by the user and limit the vehicle speed to that of a posted speed limit for a road that the vehicle is travelling on, plus an additional speed increment determined by the processor by using the user set speed increase value.

An autonomous driving control device capable of starting an autonomous driving control without an operation of a driver and reducing a possibility that the driver can not start manual driving. An autonomous driving control is switched to manual driving when a determination section determines that the amount of operation by the driver is equal to or greater than a first threshold, before a predetermined time elapses since the autonomous driving control is automatically started. An autonomous driving control is switched to manual driving when the determination section determines that the amount of operation by the driver is equal to or greater than a second threshold that is greater than the first threshold, after the predetermined time elapses.

A control apparatus for a vehicle, which is provided with an engine and drive wheels, is configured, during an inertia running or stop of the vehicle, to execute a control for stopping the engine and/or disconnecting the engine from the drive wheels in each area, depending on whether a condition is satisfied or not. The condition is set based on an information transferred from other vehicle in which the control is executable during an inertia running or stop of the other vehicle. The information includes (a) a location information indicative of the each area and (b) an acceleration representative value representing a required acceleration of the other vehicle required by an operator of the other vehicle in the each area. The acceleration representative value is associated with the location information indicative of the each area.

An environment information acquisition unit 20 acquires an image in which environment around a vehicle has been imaged, information indicating a contact with the vehicle or an impact on the vehicle, surround sounds, approach identification information for enabling an approach of an emergency vehicle to be identified, and the like as surrounding environment information of the vehicle. A vehicle control processing unit 61 recognizes predetermined external stimulation information included in the surrounding environment information, for example, a specific signal or a movement with a specific pattern, a contact to a specific part, and a specific sound. The vehicle control processing unit 61 uses the recognized predetermined external stimulation information as a vehicle brake instruction from outside and starts a vehicle braking sequence to stop the vehicle. Even if an abnormality occurs in an automatically driven vehicle and the like, vehicle brake control is easily applied to a traveling vehicle from outside.

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, it may be detected by sensors that an occupant of the autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle is experiencing a medical emergency. A nearby medical facility may be determined based upon the vehicle location and the detected medical emergency. A route from the current vehicle location to the medical facility may be determined, and the autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle may be automatically directed or routed to the medical facility. A message may also be generated and transmitted to the medical facility to alert them that a person in need of timely medical assistance is on the way. Life and auto insurance discounts may be generated for risk averse customers based upon their vehicles having the emergency response functionality.

When an occurrence of override due to an acceleration/deceleration operation and/or a steering operation is detected by an acceleration/deceleration override detection unit and/or a steering override detection unit, a driving mode is switched by a mode switching unit to a semi-automatic driving mode in which the degree of automatic control is higher than when an occurrence of override due to the acceleration/deceleration operation and the steering operation is detected. According to this configuration, the degree of automatic control can be appropriately regulated in accordance with an override state, so a vehicular behavior not intended by the driver can be prevented. In addition, because the partial automatic control is maintained, the burden of driving can be reduced.