A travel assistance method and a travel assistance device identify a driver by learning driving characteristics for a driver and using the driving characteristics during manual driving by a driver and executes travel control corresponding to the identified driver, in a vehicle capable of switching manual driving by a driver and autonomous-driving.

Computer-implemented methods, systems and computer program products for facilitating operationally customized access to smart vehicles are provided. Aspects include receiving request to access a smart vehicle. Aspects also include receiving vehicle operation constraints associated with the smart vehicle using a processor. Aspects also include generating a vehicle policy based at least in part on the request to access the smart vehicle and the vehicle operation constraints using the processor. The vehicle policy includes rules for operation of the smart vehicle. Aspects also include transmitting the vehicle policy to the smart vehicle. Aspects also include moderating the operation of the smart vehicle based on at least in part the vehicle policy.

Methods are introduced for customizing and legalizing a self-driving motor vehicle by personalizing and/or disciplining before and during a self-driving motor vehicle is practically used, with human knowledge, preferences and experiences, to provide a more personal service and overcome some hurdles in legalization of self-driving motor vehicles, serving as a bridge in the transition from a human driving world to a personized autonomous freeway.

The present invention is directed toward an automatic connected vehicle subsequent owner method and system for automatically wiping personal data from the vehicle, transitioning remote services access to a subsequent owner, and delinking the vehicle from their smartphone or other interactive communication link. In one more embodiments, a computer implemented method provides for delinking customers and deregistering vehicles from original owners where those vehicles have been subsequently sold, discontinued, or otherwise transferred for the customer's ownership.

A driving assistance apparatus determines, based on an instantaneous indicator which is an instantaneous value of a parameter regarding steering of the own vehicle, whether a driver has started a collision avoidance operation for avoiding a collision between a target and the own vehicle. When it is determined that the collision avoidance operation has been started, a support start timing for starting driving assistance for avoiding the collision or reducing collision damage is set to be a timing later than when the collision avoidance operation has not been started. The support start timing during a collision avoidance time period which is a time period until a predetermined set time has elapsed after it is determined that the collision avoidance operation has been started is set based on a time-dependent indicator for steering indicated by the instantaneous indicator at timings during the collision avoidance time period.

In one embodiment, a wearable device comprising one or more sensors is presented that receives one or more physiological parameters of a user sensed by the one or more sensors and causes adjustment of one or more vehicle parameters based on the one or more physiological parameters.

A vehicle control module is provided and includes a hybrid memory and a processor. The hybrid memory includes: application memory that stores application code; boot memory that stores a first RMTS code, where the first RMTS code includes first risk functions; and ETM that temporarily stores a second RMTS code. The second RMTS code includes second risk functions. The processor: based on an operating mode of the vehicle control module, executes the application, first RMTS and second RMTS codes; erases the ETM prior to installation of the vehicle control module in a vehicle or delivery of the vehicle; and based on the first RMTS code, permits execution of the first RMTS code prior to and subsequent to installation of the vehicle control module in the vehicle and the second RMTS code prior to installation of the vehicle control module in the vehicle or delivery of the vehicle.

A system, vehicle and method are provided that automatically activate and deactivate a driver assistance system. The automatic activation and deactivation depend on predefined criteria such as brake or gas pedal release, current vehicle velocity, and the presence of a lead vehicle.

Methods and devices for determining speed control management settings are provided. A vehicle configuration is obtained, specifying at least a transmission, including a number of gears present in the transmission. One or more speed control management modules, such as progressive shift and/or gear down protection modules, are selected by a customer. One or more default progressive shift limits and a default gear down protection limit are calculated, along with gears for which they are active. Performance of the vehicle using the default speed control management settings is simulated and compared to typical vehicle performance. The customer may alter the speed control management settings within dynamically determined valid ranges. The speed control management settings are used in the manufacture or other configuration of the vehicle for the customer.

A distributed system for monitoring and control of a vehicle includes a supervisory controller with a first computer readable storage media for monitoring and storing a plurality of operational parameters regarding a physical system of the vehicle. The supervisory controller communicates with a server via two different communications networks. Method steps are provided for characterizing and predicting functional details of a system state of the physical system using the model parameters and at least one operational parameter of the physical system, and for using values obtained by the server regarding a plurality of different vehicles in order to improve the monitoring and control of the vehicle. A method is also provided to determine and report any operational parameters miss a corresponding performance target. A method is also provided for changing the storage or transmission of operational parameters based on their relative importance.