Systems and methods for restricting the use of vehicle operator's electronic device are provided. In a method a telematics server determines that a vehicle's engine is running, and that the operator registered with the vehicle is in the driver's seat. In response, the telematics server sends a message to the vehicle operator's terminal for changing the configuration thereof. A system including a telematics device, telematics server, and operator terminal may carry out the method. The system and method can be used to restrict the use of electronic devices by drivers sitting in a vehicle with the engine running in accordance with laws in certain jurisdictions.

An apparatus and a method for controlling motion of a vehicle to improve turning motion performance are provided. The processor determines a riding position of a user, receives information about a steering angle of the vehicle, and outputs a vehicle control signal with regard to turning motion performance according to at least one of a phase difference between a yaw rate and lateral acceleration or a lateral slip angle with respect to the riding position, based on the received steering angle. A controller controls the vehicle in accordance with the vehicle control signal. The apparatus provides a passenger of the vehicle with optimal turning motion performance.

Redundant vehicle controls based on user presence and position are disclosed herein. A method can include determining a presence and a position of a driver in a sensing zone of a vehicle using a sensor platform integrated into the vehicle. The sensing zone is associated with a primary driving interface of the vehicle. Determining when the position of the driver indicates that the driver is not in a fully-seated position relative to a driver's seat of the vehicle, and that the vehicle is in a non-seated drive mode where the driver is permitted to operate the vehicle while not being in the fully-seated position. Activating a secondary driving interface of the vehicle when the driver is not in a fully-seated position and the vehicle is in the selected driving mode. The secondary driving interface can be used in combination with the primary driving interface.

Various systems and methods are provided for determining a posture of an occupant of a vehicle. In one embodiment, a method comprises capturing images of an occupant in a vehicle via a vehicle camera, determining a current posture of the occupant and a recommended posture for the occupant based on the captured images and body measurements of the occupant, and outputting a guidance based on a difference between the current posture and the recommended posture. In this way, a comfort of the occupant may be increased by guiding the occupant toward a more ergonomic posture.

Provided is a vehicle control system and vehicle control method. The vehicle control system includes: one or more image sensors disposed on a vehicle to have a field of view of an inside of the vehicle and configured to capture image data and process the captured image data; and a controller configured to control the vehicle according to a state of a child existing in the vehicle on the basis of the image data.

A system for controlling one or more functions of a vehicle responsive to a cognitive state of a vehicle user comprises one or more controllers configured to receive cognitive state data indicative of a cognitive state of the user of the vehicle and context data indicative of a context of one or both of the user and the vehicle. The one or more controllers are configured to control the one or more functions of the vehicle in dependence on the received indication of the cognitive state of the user and the context data. The controllers are configured to output control data for controlling the one of more functions of the vehicle.

A computer-implemented method for determining an estimate of the capability of a vehicle driver to take over control of a vehicle, wherein the method comprises: determining at least one estimation parameter, the at least one estimation parameter representing an influencing factor for the capability of the vehicle driver to take over control of the vehicle; and determining an estimate on the basis of the at least one estimation parameter by means of a predefined estimation rule, the estimate representing the capability of the vehicle driver to take over control of the vehicle.

An approach is provided for using a passenger-based driving profile. The approach involves detecting an identity of a user of a vehicle. The approach also involves retrieving a passenger profile of the user based on the identity. The passenger profile is generated based on sensor data indicating a reaction of the user to at least one vehicle driving behavior previously experienced by the user as a vehicle passenger. The approach further involves configuring the vehicle based on the passenger profile.

The invention relates to an energy management system for a motor vehicle, comprising a monitoring device adapted to monitor a position and/or a movement of a driver inside the motor vehicle, a driver's intention determination device adapted to determine the intention of the driver to use predetermined energy consuming devices of the motor vehicle based on the monitored position and/or movement of the driver, and an activating/deactivating device adapted to activate, and respectively deactivate, specific energy consuming devices among the predetermined energy consuming devices of the motor vehicle based on the determined driver's intention.

A system for controlling operation of a vehicle includes a millimeter-wave radar sensor, a processor, and a memory communicably coupled to the processor. The memory stores a sensor control module configured to control operation of the radar sensor to acquire data for determining and updating a number of occupants in the vehicle. Upon receiving a control command whose execution will result in movement of the vehicle, a pre-movement radar scan of the vehicle interior is performed. using information acquired by the pre-movement scan, the sensor control module determines if an excessive occupant condition exists in the vehicle interior. Responsive to a determination that an excessive occupant condition exists, the sensor control module may control an operation of the vehicle other than executing the control command.