Systems and methods for establishing a seat parameter may include determining one or more physical characteristics of an operator using one or more sensors. The one or more sensors sense an operator, and, using the output of the one or more sensors, the one or more physical characteristics of the operator are determined. One or more seat parameters are determined using the physical characteristics of the operator, and a seat of a vehicle or machine is automatically configured based on the determined seat parameters.

One variation of a method for renting a vehicle includes: receiving a signal from a fleet manager, the signal specifying a current availability of the vehicle for rent; updating a visual indicator arranged on the vehicle according to the signal, the visual indicator visually detectable from outside the vehicle; receiving identification information of a user proximal the vehicle; enabling access to the vehicle for the user in response to verification of the user as a driver of the vehicle; determining, through a sensor arranged within the vehicle, that the user is seated in a driver's seat within the vehicle; and enabling ignition of the vehicle for the user in response to determination that the user is seated in the driver's seat.

A method of adjusting a vehicle seat includes detecting one of a current position of a vehicle occupant in a vehicle seat with one of a pressure sensitive fabric, a sound transmitter and transducer, and an electromagnetic field transmitter and transducer. A comfortable position is determined of the vehicle occupant. The vehicle seat is adjusted from the current position to the comfortable position. A vehicle seat assembly is also disclosed.

An autonomous vehicle seat positioning system includes a seat controller connected to a autonomous vehicle controller and a positioning mechanism of a seat assembly. The seat controller is configured to operating the positioning mechanism such that with the autonomous vehicle controller operating the vehicle in a self-driving mode and the vehicle operator's seat assembly being in a reclined setting: in response to the autonomous vehicle controller detecting an emergency condition requiring a change to the manual driving mode, the seat controller operates the positioning mechanism to move the operator's seat assembly from the reclined setting to the upright setting in an emergency re-positioning mode, and in response to the autonomous vehicle controller detecting a non-emergency condition requiring a change to the manual driving mode, the seat controller operates the positioning mechanism to move the operator's seat assembly from the reclined setting to the upright setting in a non-emergency re-positioning mode.

Systems, devices, and techniques are provided for occupancy assessment of a vehicle. For one or more occupants of the vehicle, the occupancy assessment establishes position and/or identity for some or all of the occupant(s).

An infant safety car seat seamlessly and permanently integrated into the bench seat between two adult seats or replacing the adult seats if more than one is incorporated into the vehicle. The child seat is sunken or not below and behind the vehicle bench and seat and safety harnesses are permanently installed to secure an infant in the safety seat. The seat adjusts to allow forward or rearward facing configurations suitable to different ages of the infant, from zero to eight years old. Security features are internally integrated to prevent the incidence of leaving an unbuckled and/or an unattended infant in a vehicle that includes some combination of a scale, hasps sensors in display and video monitor of cameras in screen.

A method for performing an evasive maneuver of a motor vehicle in the event of an imminent collision with at least one collision object comprising at least the following: a) detecting that a collision with the at least one collision object is imminent, b) analyzing the at least one collision object and detecting whether a particularly sensitive upper region of the motor vehicle would be at least partially affected by the collision, and c) outputting a signal for initiating an evasive maneuver if a collision of the motor vehicle with the at least one collision object is imminent by which the particularly sensitive upper region of the motor vehicle would be at least partially affected.

A method of calibrating an in-vehicle inductive sensing apparatus to the dimensions and/or posture of a user seated in the vehicle. An array of inductive sensing coils is mounted in a fixed position relative to a geometry of the seat in which the user is received. From the spatial pattern or distribution of inductive sensing signals, it is determined which subset of coils is positioned most appropriately, e.g. which is closest, to an anatomical body of interest. A biological measurement pertaining to the anatomical body of interest is computed using data from only the selected subset of coils.

A vehicle has multiple alternative driving positions, with one or more visual displays assigned to each driving position for depicting content required to drive the vehicle. A selection device identifies a vehicle occupant as a driver, determines a location of the driver within the vehicle, and designates as the active driving position whichever of the alternative driving positions the driver occupies. A processing unit transfers video relevant to vehicle operation to one or more of the displays visible from the active driving position and enables control of the vehicle from the active driving position. The selection device may also check whether the vehicle occupant meets one or more conditions required to be designated as the vehicle driver, and may determine an identity associated with the driver so that the displayed video is customized or personalized in accordance with that identity.

The present disclosure relates to an apparatus and a method for evaluating a seat by using body pressure distribution. The apparatus includes: a body grid generator to generate body grids corresponding to body pressure data, which is measured while a driver is seated on a seat of a vehicle, based on the body pressure data and body information of the driver; a pressure analyzer to divide the body grids to a plurality of body grid areas based on body areas of the body pressure data and analyze the body pressure data included in the body grid areas; and a pressure evaluator to evaluate a body pressure for the seat based on the analyzed body pressure data of the body grid areas, and evaluate a hugging feeling of the driver for the seat based on the evaluated body pressure.