Abstract: 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.

Abstract: Embodiments related to systems and methods for determining an identity of a trailer coupled to a vehicle are provided herein. The system includes one or more trailer lamps, a trailer lamp current sensing device electrically coupled to the one or more trailer lamps, one or more processors, one or more data storage devices, one or more memory modules communicatively coupled to the one or more processors and storing machine readable instructions that cause the system to perform at least the following when executed by the one or more processors: receive a sensed current signal from the trailer lamp current sensing device, determine whether an amperage level of the sensed current signal is associated with a trailer identification stored within the one or more data storage devices, and notifying a user of the trailer identification stored in the one or more data storage devices for the trailer connected to the vehicle.

Abstract: System, methods, and other embodiments described herein relate to improving the safety of a vehicle in relation to occurrences of smoke and fire. In one embodiment, a method includes acquiring, from a radar of a subject vehicle, radar data about a passenger cabin of the subject vehicle. The method includes determining a current state of the passenger cabin according to the radar data. The method includes, responsive to identifying that the current state indicates smoke is present within the passenger cabin, controlling the subject vehicle to generate a response to the smoke.

Abstract: An electrothermal plasma production device is presented. The plasma production device includes: a plasma production chamber; an RF antenna external to the plasma production chamber; a propellant tank and flow regulator external to the plasma production chamber and in communication with the plasma production chamber; and a plenum disposed between the propellant tank and the plasma production chamber. The RF antenna, in combination with an AC power source, is configured to provide an RF energy to an interior region of the plasma production chamber and to an interior region of the plenum with sufficient power to ionize at least some of the propellant in the plenum. The plasma production chamber is configured to include a propellant injector for receiving propellant at a first closed end of the plasma production chamber.

Abstract: A method of displaying a message associated with a likelihood of an animal appearing within a proximity of vehicle is provided. The method includes detecting, using a sensor of a vehicle, an animal warning sign in an area external to the vehicle at a particular time. The method further includes accessing in real time, using a computing device, a database including data associated with the animal depicted on the animal warning sign, determining in real time, using the computing device of the vehicle, a likelihood of the animal appearing within a proximity of the vehicle based on the accessed data, and displaying in real time, on a user interface associated with the computing device of the vehicle, a message based on the likelihood of the animal appearing within the proximity of the vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicle includes an automotive staged diagnostic system including: one or more components of the vehicle, a user interface, and a control unit configured to receive a signal identifying at least one malfunctioning component of the vehicle. The system may automatically identify a diagnostic procedure for the malfunctioning component from a plurality of diagnostic procedures, initiate and execute the steps of the identified diagnostic procedure by: soliciting information from a user, issuing instructions to the user, executing branching logic steps, and checking electrical pathways upstream and downstream of the malfunctioning component. The control unit is further configured to initiate repair or replacement of the malfunctioning component based on a user action received via the user interface, and recommend service options if the diagnostic procedure is unable to return the malfunctioning component to working order.

Abstract: A method of displaying a message associated with a likelihood of an animal appearing within a proximity of vehicle is provided. The method includes detecting, using a sensor of a vehicle, an animal warning sign in an area external to the vehicle at a particular time. The method further includes accessing in real time, using a computing device, a database including data associated with the animal depicted on the animal warning sign, determining in real time, using the computing device of the vehicle, a likelihood of the animal appearing within a proximity of the vehicle based on the accessed data, and displaying in real time, on a user interface associated with the computing device of the vehicle, a message based on the likelihood of the animal appearing within the proximity of the vehicle.

Abstract: A method of controlling an operating condition of a seat belt warning mechanism and a power window of the vehicle is provided. The method, implemented by a computing device of the vehicle, includes detecting, using a sensor of the vehicle, an animal in an interior of the vehicle, activating, automatically and without user intervention, an operating mode for the vehicle responsive to detecting the animal, and controlling, based on the operating mode, an operating condition of a seat belt warning mechanism of the vehicle and an operating condition of a power window of the vehicle.

Abstract: A method for displaying information from a vehicle including determining whether an occupant is within the vehicle, determining whether the vehicle is in a disengaged mode, and in response to determining that an occupant is not within the vehicle and determining that the vehicle is in the disengaged mode, directing a display positioned on at least one window of the vehicle to increase an opacity of the display.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing meter time notifications to a user are disclosed. The system includes a display, a receiver that receives one or more signals from one or more parking meters via a vehicle-to-infrastructure communication system, the one or more signals including an identification of an occupied parking space and an amount of time remaining before the occupied parking space must be vacated, and a processing device communicatively coupled to the display and to the receiver. The processing device is configured to receive the one or more signals from the receiver, determine the amount of time remaining for one or more occupied parking spaces based on the one or more signals received via the receiver, and cause the display to display an indicator of one or more occupied parking spaces and the associated amount of time remaining.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing meter time notifications to a user are disclosed. The system includes a display, a receiver that receives one or more signals from one or more parking meters via a vehicle-to-infrastructure communication system, the one or more signals including an identification of an occupied parking space and an amount of time remaining before the occupied parking space must be vacated, and a processing device communicatively coupled to the display and to the receiver. The processing device is configured to receive the one or more signals from the receiver, determine the amount of time remaining for one or more occupied parking spaces based on the one or more signals received via the receiver, and cause the display to display an indicator of one or more occupied parking spaces and the associated amount of time remaining.

Abstract: Embodiments related to systems and methods for determining an identity of a trailer coupled to a vehicle are provided herein. The system includes one or more trailer lamps, a trailer lamp current sensing device electrically coupled to the one or more trailer lamps, one or more processors, one or more data storage devices, one or more memory modules communicatively coupled to the one or more processors and storing machine readable instructions that cause the system to perform at least the following when executed by the one or more processors: receive a sensed current signal from the trailer lamp current sensing device, determine whether an amperage level of the sensed current signal is associated with a trailer identification stored within the one or more data storage devices, and notifying a user of the trailer identification stored in the one or more data storage devices for the trailer connected to the vehicle.

Abstract: Embodiments herein are directed to a system that includes a user interface and a vehicle. The vehicle includes an electronic control unit communicatively coupled to the user interface. The electronic control unit includes one or more processors, one or more memory modules, and machine readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules that cause the electronic control unit to perform at least the following: transmit a plurality of vehicle security options to the user interface, the plurality of vehicle security options selectable by a user to actuate one or more of the security components of the vehicle security system, receive an input from the user interface indicative of at least one selected option of the plurality of vehicle security options to be actuated, and enable the security system with the at least one selected option to be actuated when the vehicle security system is activated.

Abstract: A system that includes a vehicle horn can reduce noise pollution caused by vehicles. The system can include a vehicle horn that has a signal-based mode and a sound-based mode. In the signal-based mode, the vehicle horn can output an electronic signal. In the sound-based mode, the vehicle horn can output an audible signal. The system can select one of the signal-based mode and the sound-based mode for the vehicle horn based on the driving environment data acquired by one or more sensors. Upon receiving a horn command, the system can cause the vehicle horn to output a signal based on the selected mode.

Abstract: Disclosed is a vehicle accessory calibration and reset module that includes a sensor associated with a vehicle component, and configured to detect a malfunction of the vehicle component, and generate a signal to indicate the malfunction. The vehicle accessory calibration and reset module also includes a control unit configured to receive the signal indicative of the malfunction, automatically identify a diagnostic procedure for the vehicle component, initiate the diagnostic procedure, determine whether a calibration or reset is indicated as part of the diagnostic procedure, initiate an automatic calibration or reset of the vehicle component, initiate a test of the vehicle component, and recommend service options to a user if a result of the test indicates a continuing malfunction status of the vehicle component.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for trailer safety is provided. The method includes: receiving a request to perform a trailer safety check, wherein the request is associated with a vehicle and a trailer; in response to the request, providing a trailer safety checklist, wherein the trailer safety checklist includes a plurality of user-interface elements, and at least one of the user-interface elements corresponds to a light component of the trailer; receiving a first signal indicating that an operator has selected the user-interface element corresponding to the light component of the trailer, wherein the operator is located outside of the vehicle; and in response to the first signal, causing the light component of the trailer corresponding to the selected user-interface element to turn on.

Abstract: Camera systems for allowing a rider (e.g., a driver, a passenger or an owner of a vehicle) to view all or a portion of a rider compartment or a storage compartment of a vehicle. The images from the cameras may be provided on a display for view by one or more of the riders. The display may be provided on a dash or mobile communication device of the rider. The view of the cameras shown on the display may be varied by the rider to view various portions of the rider compartment or the storage compartment. The systems, methods, and devices may be utilized with ride hailing services, and may be utilized with semi-autonomous or autonomous vehicles.

Abstract: Methods and systems for synchronizing navigation destination between a plurality of vehicles. The system includes an input/output unit of a first vehicle configured to receive a destination from a user of the first vehicle. The system includes an ECU of the first vehicle configured to communicate the destination to all other vehicles in the plurality of vehicles. The system includes a transceiver of a second vehicle in the plurality of vehicles configured to receive the destination from the transceiver of the first vehicle. The system includes an input/output unit of the second vehicle configured to provide a prompt to a user of the second vehicle regarding the destination of the first vehicle and whether to accept or reject the destination. The system includes an ECU of the second vehicle configured to determine navigation directions to the destination when the user of the second vehicle accepts the destination.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for trailer safety is provided. The method includes: receiving a request to perform a trailer safety check, wherein the request is associated with a vehicle and a trailer; in response to the request, providing a trailer safety checklist, wherein the trailer safety checklist includes a plurality of user-interface elements, and at least one of the user-interface elements corresponds to a light component of the trailer; receiving a first signal indicating that an operator has selected the user-interface element corresponding to the light component of the trailer, wherein the operator is located outside of the vehicle; and in response to the first signal, causing the light component of the trailer corresponding to the selected user-interface element to turn on.

Abstract: A vehicle includes an automotive staged diagnostic system including: one or more components of the vehicle, a user interface, and a control unit configured to receive a signal identifying at least one malfunctioning component of the vehicle. The system may automatically identify a diagnostic procedure for the malfunctioning component from a plurality of diagnostic procedures, initiate and execute the steps of the identified diagnostic procedure by: soliciting information from a user, issuing instructions to the, executing branching logic steps, and checking electrical pathways upstream and downstream of the malfunctioning component. The control unit is further configured to initiate repair or replacement of the malfunctioning component based on a user action received via the user interface, and recommend service options if the diagnostic procedure is unable to return the malfunctioning component to working order.