Abstract: A system includes a source vehicle and a destination vehicle. The destination vehicle is configured to determine that the source vehicle and the destination vehicle are suitably close to exchange data through a wireless communications channel, compare current version numbers in the destination vehicle with approved version numbers in the source vehicle, approve an update for one or more current software components in the destination vehicle in response to one or more criteria, receive one or more approved software components at the destination vehicle from the source vehicle via the wireless communications channel in response to the current version numbers of the current software components approved for the update being different from corresponding ones of approved version numbers of the approved software components, and update the one or more current software components in the destination vehicle with the one or more approved software components received from the source vehicle.

Abstract: A system for creating vehicle lighting atmosphere of a vehicle is provided. The system includes ambient lighting including a plurality of lights configured for illuminating an interior of the vehicle or an exterior of the vehicle with a selectable light color. The system further includes a computerized vehicle lighting controller, including programming to monitor an input useful to select an ambient lighting theme, select an ambient lighting theme based upon the input, and generate a command to control the ambient lighting based upon the ambient lighting theme.

Abstract: Presented are adaptive operator assistance systems for motor-assisted manually powered (MMP) vehicles, methods for making/using such systems, and electric scooters equipped with such systems. A method of operating an MMP vehicle using a handheld mobile computing device (MCD) includes the handheld MCD receiving path plan data for the MMP vehicle and then receiving, based on this path plan data, MMP-specific ambient data that is aligned with the vehicle's present location and contains surrounding environment data particular to the MMP vehicle. A wireless location device of the handheld MCD tracks the MMP vehicle's real-time location, and a sensing device of the handheld MCD detects MMP-specific threat data that is aligned with the vehicle's real-time location and contains user danger data particular to the MMP vehicle. The handheld MCD then commands a resident subsystem of the MMP vehicle to execute a control operation based on the MMP-specific ambient data and/or threat data.

Abstract: A system includes a source vehicle and a destination vehicle. The destination vehicle is configured to determine that the source vehicle and the destination vehicle are suitably close to exchange data through a wireless communications channel, compare current version numbers in the destination vehicle with approved version numbers in the source vehicle, approve an update for one or more current software components in the destination vehicle in response to one or more criteria, receive one or more approved software components at the destination vehicle from the source vehicle via the wireless communications channel in response to the current version numbers of the current software components approved for the update being different from corresponding ones of approved version numbers of the approved software components, and update the one or more current software components in the destination vehicle with the one or more approved software components received from the source vehicle.

Abstract: A system for managing a set of fleet vehicles includes a central command unit having a processor and tangible, non-transitory memory on which instructions are recorded. The fleet vehicles have one or more respective electronic components and respective vehicle controllers adapted to perform self-diagnosis of their respective electronic components. The central command unit is adapted to receive notification of the self-diagnosis and classify the respective electronic components as working ones and non-working ones. The central command unit is adapted to perform component matching, including polling inventory across the fleet vehicles. Working ones of the respective electronic components are selectively redistributed for reuse across the fleet vehicles. In some embodiments, at least one of the fleet vehicles is designated as a master vehicle and the central command unit is stored in the master vehicle. In other embodiments, the central command unit is stored in a cloud computing service.

Abstract: A system and method to integrate metric collection with vehicle request fulfillment include obtaining a vehicle request from a vehicle requestor, the vehicle request including one or more vehicle criteria, and obtaining a data request from a data requestor, the data request including one or more data criteria corresponding with vehicle metrics. The method includes suggesting to the vehicle requestor one or more suggested vehicles from a fleet of vehicles based on their match with the one or more vehicle criteria and the one or more data criteria. The method also includes obtaining the vehicle metrics based on usage of one of the one or more suggested vehicles by the vehicle requestor, and providing the vehicle metrics to the data requestor.

Abstract: A multiple vehicle launch system for an automobile vehicle includes a vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communication system to track performance data of a vehicle launch event of a first and a second automobile vehicle and coordinate getting the first and second automobile vehicles to a driving area to conduct the vehicle launch event. A vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication system provides direct communication between the first and second automobile vehicles at the driving area to coordinate a simultaneous launch of the first and second automobile vehicles. A driver enable setting permits a first operator to elect to conduct the vehicle launch event. A readiness identifier is actuated in the first and second automobile vehicles and the vehicle launch event is initiated after the first operator and a second operator of the second automobile vehicle signify readiness by actuating the readiness identifier. An autonomous launch may also be conducted.

Abstract: A system and method to integrate metric collection with vehicle request fulfillment include obtaining a vehicle request from a vehicle requestor, the vehicle request including one or more vehicle criteria, and obtaining a data request from a data requestor, the data request including one or more data criteria corresponding with vehicle metrics. The method includes suggesting to the vehicle requestor one or more suggested vehicles from a fleet of vehicles based on their match with the one or more vehicle criteria and the one or more data criteria. The method also includes obtaining the vehicle metrics based on usage of one of the one or more suggested vehicles by the vehicle requestor, and providing the vehicle metrics to the data requestor.

Abstract: A system and method of executing a user-defined notification task, and wherein the method includes: receiving a user-defined notification task at the vehicle via one or more user interfaces, wherein the user-defined notification task specifies a trigger event and a notification action, the trigger event being selectable from the plurality of predefined trigger events via the one or more user interfaces, and the notification action being configurable via selection of one or more notification settings via the plurality of notification settings; in response to receiving the user-defined notification task at the vehicle, configuring one or more vehicle system modules to monitor for an occurrence of the trigger condition of the user-defined notification event; and in response to detecting the occurrence of the trigger event of the user-defined notification task, executing the notification action so that a vehicle user is notified of the occurrence of the trigger event.

Abstract: One general aspect includes a method of calculating an ideal travel route based on air quality, the method including: receiving, at a processor, a vehicle location; receiving, at the processor, a destination; identifying, via the processor, a plurality of travel segments based on the vehicle location and destination; receiving, via the processor, one or more air quality index (AQI) markers associated with each travel segment; and calculating, via the processor, the ideal travel route based on the one or more AQI markers associated with each travel segment.

Abstract: A system and method of executing a user-defined notification task, and wherein the method includes: receiving a user-defined notification task at the vehicle via one or more user interfaces, wherein the user-defined notification task specifies a trigger event and a notification action, the trigger event being selectable from the plurality of predefined trigger events via the one or more user interfaces, and the notification action being configurable via selection of one or more notification settings via the plurality of notification settings; in response to receiving the user-defined notification task at the vehicle, configuring one or more vehicle system modules to monitor for an occurrence of the trigger condition of the user-defined notification event; and in response to detecting the occurrence of the trigger event of the user-defined notification task, executing the notification action so that a vehicle user is notified of the occurrence of the trigger event.

Abstract: A system and method of communicating with a vehicle through use of a publish-subscribe messaging protocol, wherein the vehicle includes a wireless communications device that is capable of carrying out data communications with a remote server or system through use of a messaging broker according to the publish-subscribe messaging protocol, the method including: establishing at least one connection with a messaging broker using the wireless communications device, wherein the connection is established using the publish-subscribe messaging protocol, and wherein each of the at least one connection is established by sending a connection request message from the vehicle to the messaging broker; obtaining vehicle information from at least one vehicle system module (VSM) of the vehicle; generating a publish message at the vehicle, wherein the publish message includes the obtained vehicle information; and sending the publish message from the vehicle to the messaging broker using the publish-subscribe messaging protocol

Abstract: A system and method for coordinating wireless cellular communications for a plurality of cellular devices at a wireless coordination device. The method comprises establishing a data connection between the wireless coordination device and the plurality of cellular devices, wherein the cellular devices are configured to connect to at least one cellular network via wireless cellular communications; determining whether each cellular device is currently connected to a cellular network; determining at least one performance metric for each of the plurality of cellular devices that are currently connected to a cellular network; evaluating the performance metric(s) for each of the plurality of cellular devices; selecting one of the plurality of cellular devices based at least in part on one or more the evaluations; and configuring each of the plurality of cellular devices to carry out wireless cellular communications through the selected cellular device.

Abstract: A system and method for coordinating wireless cellular communications for a plurality of cellular devices at a wireless coordination device. The method comprises establishing a data connection between the wireless coordination device and the plurality of cellular devices, wherein the cellular devices are configured to connect to at least one cellular network via wireless cellular communications; determining whether each cellular device is currently connected to a cellular network; determining at least one performance metric for each of the plurality of cellular devices that are currently connected to a cellular network; evaluating the performance metric(s) for each of the plurality of cellular devices; selecting one of the plurality of cellular devices based at least in part on one or more the evaluations; and configuring each of the plurality of cellular devices to carry out wireless cellular communications through the selected cellular device.

Abstract: The described method and system provide a connectivity problem resolution mechanism that uses a data mode call in order to diagnose a connection problem while avoiding audible ringing and or inadvertent user pick-up during error diagnosis and correction. The system includes three primary functions and elements including cellular error message recognition, error response handling configured to update and/or maintain processes, and new error message capture. This system is usable both online and offline. Error recognition may be based on error message matching or keyword matching.

Abstract: A method of processing requests to establish wireless communication sessions in a mobile vehicle communications system. The method comprises receiving a request to establish a communication session between a telematics unit of a vehicle and a remote facility, wherein the request takes the form of one or more electrical signals. The method further comprises determining whether less than a predetermined number of requests to establish a communication session between the telematics unit and remote facility have been received from the sender of the request within a predetermined period of time. When it is determined that less than the predetermined number of requests have been received from the sender within the predetermined period of time, the method still further comprises establishing a communication session between the telematics unit and the remote facility. A system for performing or utilizing the above-described methodology is also provided.

Abstract: A method of processing requests to establish wireless communication sessions in a mobile vehicle communications system. The method comprises receiving a request to establish a communication session between a telematics unit of a vehicle and a remote facility, wherein the request takes the form of one or more electrical signals. The method further comprises determining whether less than a predetermined number of requests to establish a communication session between the telematics unit and remote facility have been received from the sender of the request within a predetermined period of time. When it is determined that less than the predetermined number of requests have been received from the sender within the predetermined period of time, the method still further comprises establishing a communication session between the telematics unit and the remote facility. A system for performing or utilizing the above-described methodology is also provided.

Abstract: A system and method of managing a vehicle software configuration includes: receiving from a user both a software package identifier for a software package that will be loaded onto a vehicle during a temporal period that is selected by the user and a vehicle identifier; identifying the software package associated with the software package identifier; wirelessly sending the software package from a central facility to the vehicle associated with the vehicle identifier for use during the user-selected temporal period; and storing the software package at the vehicle during the user-selected temporal period.

Abstract: Vehicle remote start system includes a vehicle power plant (VPP) connected to a starting system (SS) and a geographic location system. Starting system includes a geo-bounded on state electrically enabling the VPP to provide tractive power to a drive wheel as long as the vehicle remains within a predetermined geographical boundary (PGB), a geo-bounded off state electrically disabling the VPP from providing tractive power to the drive wheel or another drive wheel when the vehicle is outside the PGB, and a normal state overriding off and on states to electrically enable the VPP to provide tractive power to the drive wheel(s). Hardware key must be within a predetermined distance of the starting system for the normal state, but is not required for the on state. Starting system enters the on state only in response to an authenticated start command from a smart phone in communication with starting system's authentication system.

Abstract: Vehicle remote start system includes a vehicle power plant (VPP) connected to a starting system (SS) and a geographic location system. Starting system includes a geo-bounded on state electrically enabling the VPP to provide tractive power to a drive wheel as long as the vehicle remains within a predetermined geographical boundary (PGB), a geo-bounded off state electrically disabling the VPP from providing tractive power to the drive wheel or another drive wheel when the vehicle is outside the PGB, and a normal state overriding off and on states to electrically enable the VPP to provide tractive power to the drive wheel(s). Hardware key must be within a predetermined distance of the starting system for the normal state, but is not required for the on state. Starting system enters the on state only in response to an authenticated start command from a smart phone in communication with starting system's authentication system.