A number of techniques are disclosed for making it more convenient and efficient for customers to conduct various rental vehicle transactions. As an example, a technique for performing an automated pickup of a rental vehicle using a mobile device is disclosed. As another example, a technique for performing an automated return administration of a rental vehicle using a mobile device is disclosed. As another example, a technique for permitting customer to select a particular rental vehicle for a rental vehicle transaction using a mobile device is disclosed. Also disclosed is a technique for permitting a customer to keylessly start a rental vehicle using a machine-sensible item such as his/her mobile device without requiring the customer to possess a smart key.

A vehicle control system includes an in-vehicle device, a mobile terminal, and one or more processors. The in-vehicle device is mounted on a vehicle. The in-vehicle device controls a lock mechanism that locks and unlocks a door of the vehicle. The in-vehicle device causes the lock mechanism to unlock the door in response to a predetermined condition being satisfied. The mobile terminal communicates with the in-vehicle device. The one or more processors determine whether the mobile terminal is present inside a vehicle compartment. The one or more processors detect whether the mobile terminal is used. The one or more processors control the vehicle control system not to satisfy the predetermined condition in response to determination that the mobile terminal is present inside the vehicle compartment.

A vehicle theft-prevention apparatus can include at least one computing device couple to a plurality of sensors and a wireless transceiver. The plurality of sensors can be configured to sense measurements proximate to a vehicle. The at least one computing device can be configured to read a plurality of first measurements of a first sensor of the plurality of sensors. Based on the plurality of first measurements from the first sensor, the at least one computing device can determine that a key fob moved outside of a range of the first sensor. In response to the key fob moving outside of the range of the first sensor, the at least one computing device can transition to an armed state. The at least one computing device can read a plurality of second measurements from a subset of the plurality of sensors. Based on the plurality of second measurements, the at least one computing device can determine that a person has entered the vehicle.

A vehicle system may include a plurality of wireless transmitters carried by a vehicle and configured to transmit wireless signals, at least one indicator carried by the vehicle, and a portable device moveable relative to the vehicle and configured to receive the wireless signals from the plurality of wireless transmitters. The system may further include a controller carried by the vehicle and configured to wirelessly communicate with the portable device, and determine a predicted zone the portable device is located in adjacent to the vehicle based upon the received wireless signals, with the predicted zone being one of a plurality of different zones adjacent the vehicle having respective vehicle functions associated therewith. The controller may be further configured to cause the at least one indicator to provide an indication that the portable device has entered the predicted zone, and enable the respective vehicle function associated with the predicted zone.

Novel techniques are described for usage tracking for shared dockless personal transport vehicles (PTVs) over one or more communications networks. Features encourage desired interactions between consumers and PTVs, such as by encouraging consumers to park the PTVs in a desirable condition and in desirable locations. For example, embodiments obtain location data from at least one sensor (e.g., a camera of a smart phone) indicating a parked location of a PTV of a fleet of shared PTVs. A set of parked location attributes is computed in accordance with the obtained location data, and an arbitration determination is computed indicating whether the set of parked location attributes meets a stored set of acceptance criteria. In accordance with a favorable computed arbitration determination, embodiments can output lock control data for a vehicle lock of the PTV (e.g., to lock the PTV in its parked location).

Disclosed is a door lock device. The door lock device comprises: a communication unit for receiving location information of an electronic device and a key from the electronic device; a location information reception unit for receiving location information of the door lock device; a door lock unit having a locked state or a released state; and a control unit electrically connected with the communication unit, the location information reception unit, and the door lock unit, wherein the control unit determines a distance between the electronic device and the door lock device on the basis of the location information of the electronic device and the location information of the door lock device, and determines whether to release the door lock unit on the basis of information of the distance.

A vehicular security system includes a remote device with a first biometric sensor. An electronic control unit (ECU) of a vehicle processes data captured by the first biometric sensor to determine whether an identity of the user of the remote device matches an authorized user of the vehicle. The ECU, responsive to determining that the user is authorized to use the vehicle, unlocks a door of the vehicle to allow the identified authorized user to access the vehicle. The system includes a second biometric sensor disposed in the vehicle and, with the identified authorized user in the vehicle, the ECU, via processing data captured by the second biometric sensor, determines whether the identity of the identified authorized user of vehicle matches an authorized operator of the vehicle. The ECU, responsive to determining that the user is an authorized operator of the vehicle, allows operation of the vehicle.

A vehicle remote control system includes a vehicle and a server configured to remote-control the vehicle via a communication device. The communication device comprises: an acquisition unit configured to acquire control information representing a control state of the vehicle from a control device configured to control the vehicle and voltage information from a power supply device configured to supply power to the vehicle; a transmission unit configured to transmit the control information and the voltage information to the server; a warning unit configured to, if the voltage information cannot be acquired, transmit a warning for notifying an abnormality of the vehicle to the server; and a processing suppression unit configured to, if the vehicle is in a maintenance state, suppress processing of the warning unit such that the warning is not transmitted.

A disclosed system includes a mobile application operative on a mobile device to receive user selected options for limiting drive access to a vehicle when the user is not physically present with the vehicle but wishes to allow service personnel access and limited drive functions. The disclosed system allows user selection of the options, then generates an instruction set for controlling one or more drive capabilities of the vehicle based at least in part on the user selected options. The system establishes an encrypted channel between the mobile device and a telematics control unit of the vehicle. The system controls drive capabilities of the vehicle via the encrypted channel such that the mobile application user can provide remote access for locking, unlocking, ignition, and further restrict drive functions based on time, date, distance, geo-fence options, and other criteria.

Methods, apparatus, and systems for passenger authentication and entry for autonomous vehicles are disclosed. A vehicle receives information over a first communication channel from a first mobile device. The information specifies a geographical location. The information causes the vehicle to arrive at the geographical location. The vehicle transmits a first message to a second mobile device indicating that the vehicle has arrived at the geographical location. The first message includes a graphical icon representing the vehicle. The graphical icon is for display on a user interface of the second mobile device. The vehicle receives a second message from the second mobile device over a second communication channel. The second message indicates that the graphical icon was dragged across the user interface into a graphical receptacle displayed on the user interface. Responsive to receiving the second message, at least one door of the vehicle is unlocked.