Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed for vehicles configured for performing a self-parking operation without a human operator. The vehicle includes an on-board computer for receiving a wireless signal from a portable device. The wireless signal is configured to instruct the on-board computer to perform the self-parking operation. The on-board computer of the vehicle is configured for processing instructions to communicate with sensors of the vehicle, and the sensors are located along a front and a rear of the vehicle, and the sensors along the front and the rear include a combination of one or more cameras and ultrasonic sensors. The on-board computer is configured for receiving data from the combination of said one or more cameras and said ultrasonic sensors. The on-board computer is configured for determining that a space in front of said vehicle is clear to enable movement of the vehicle using said data from the combination of said camera and said ultrasonic sensors from said front of the vehicle.

Abstract: A cloud system is configured to execute method operations for communicating with connected vehicles of users having user accounts with the cloud system. One example method includes receiving a signal from of an electric vehicle that is associated to a user account. The signal of the electric vehicle is received in response to the electric vehicle parking over a charging pad of a charging unit, and the charging unit is one of a plurality of charging units located in various geo-locations. The method includes sending instructions to the charging unit to enable initiation of charge transfer to a battery of the electric vehicle upon the cloud system confirming that the user account for the electric vehicle is enabled for automatic charging upon parking over said charging pad of the charging unit.

Abstract: A system of a vehicle is provided. The system includes a wireless communication device for providing the vehicle with access to a network for exchanging vehicle condition information with a server. An on-board computer of the vehicle is configured for interfacing with vehicle systems and said wireless communication device. The on-board computer is configured to process input received from at least one vehicle interface of the vehicle and processing output via at least one vehicle output of the vehicle. The on-board computer is programmable to access a user account that is used to interface with said server. The wireless communication device is configured to send vehicle data, based on settings in the user account, to the server over the network for vehicle status information. The vehicle status information is for one or more vehicle systems of the vehicle.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided. One method includes receiving a request, at a server, to define an advisor account for a vehicle associated with a user account. The request identifies an advisor entity, a vehicle aspect to be assigned to the advisor entity, and privileges assigned to the advisor entity for the vehicle aspect. The method further includes generating the advisor account for the advisor entity as a sub-account of the user account that is associated with the vehicle. The method includes sending instruction data to the vehicle from the server, wherein the instruction data defines that the vehicle aspect is associated with the advisor account. The method also includes receiving data updates, at the server, from the vehicle for the vehicle aspect, from time to time. The data updates are displayable on a user interface that is accessible to the advisor entity, the user interface being rendered by the server that provides access to the advisor account.

Abstract: An electric vehicle including an electric motor is provided. The electric vehicle having a receptacle slot integrated in the electric vehicle, and the receptacle slot providing a connection for providing power to the electric motor. A battery is configured for sliding into the receptacle slot to enable electrical engagement of the battery with the connection when in the receptacle slot. The battery is further configured for sliding out of the receptacle slot to remove the battery from electrical engagement with the connection. The battery is configured to store and supply charge to power the electric motor of the electric vehicle. The battery is replaceable by sliding the battery out of the receptacle slot and sliding in another battery into the receptacle slot to further supply charge to power the electric motor of the electric vehicle with said another battery.

Abstract: Systems of a vehicle for sharing vehicle controls are provided. One system includes an on-board computer that is part of the vehicle and communications circuity having connection to the on-board computer. The communications circuitry is configured to interface with a wireless network for accessing the Internet. The on-board computer is configured to execute instructions for enabling wireless connection to portable devices that enter the vehicle and are provided with access to said wireless connection. Vehicle electronics are interfaced with one or more vehicle systems and the on-board computer. The on-board computer is configured to provide access to at least one graphical user interface to the portable device via the wireless connection. The at least one graphical user interface includes input options that enable control for features of a vehicle system of the vehicle.

Abstract: Methods and systems for determining an emotion of a human driver of a vehicle and using the emotion for generating a vehicle response, is provided. One example method includes capturing, by a camera of the vehicle, a face of the human driver. The capturing is configured to capture a plurality of images over a period of time, and the plurality of images are analyzed to identify a facial expression and changes in the facial expression of the human driver over the period of time. The method further includes capturing, by a microphone of the vehicle, voice input of the human driver. The voice input is captured over the period of time. The voice input is analyzed to identify a voice profile and changes in the voice profile of the human driver over the period of time. The method processes, by a processor of the vehicle, a combination of the facial expression and the voice profile captured during the period of time to predict the emotion of the human driver.

Abstract: Systems of a vehicle for sharing vehicle controls are provided. One example system includes an on-board computer that is part of the vehicle and communications circuitry of the vehicle usable by the on-board computer. The communications circuitry is configured to make connections with a wireless network for accessing a server. The on-board computer is configured to execute instructions for enabling portable devices that enter the vehicle to make a wireless connection with the vehicle. Vehicle electronics are interfaced with one or more vehicle systems and the on-board computer. The on-board computer is configured to provide access to at least one graphical user interface viewable via the portable device using the wireless connection. The at least one graphical user interface includes input options that enable control for features of said vehicle systems of the vehicle. A location for the portable device within the vehicle is identified.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for cloud processing data streamed from a vehicle and a home (e.g., any location) associated with a user account. One method includes receiving a data stream from the vehicle entity, where the data stream from the vehicle entity includes metadata from one or more data producing objects of the vehicle entity. And, receiving a data stream from the home entity, where the data stream from the home entity includes metadata from one or more data producing objects of the home entity. The method includes accessing action conditions associated with a user account. The action conditions identify a position where at least one or more states of the metadata from each of the home entity and the vehicle entity intersect. And, each action condition identifies a type or types of control information to be processed. The method includes processing the received metadata from the vehicle entity and the home entity.

Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed for managing personal security of a user of a vehicle. The vehicle has a plurality of active sensors. The active sensors include one or more of a first type of sensors that collect data and one or more of a second type of sensors that produce actions. The method includes receiving a first remote request at the vehicle to activate a first level of security. The first remote request is an override signal to actively inform said vehicle to set said first level of security for approaching said vehicle by said user. The method includes recording an area proximate to the vehicle using one of said first type of sensors and illuminating said area proximate to the vehicle using one of said second type of sensors in response to activating the first level of security and the recording producing a media file. The method includes transmitting the media file to Internet storage associated with an account of the user of the vehicle.

Abstract: Systems and methods for charging an electric battery of a vehicle are provided. The vehicle includes a battery for powering an electric motor of the vehicle. A controller of the vehicle is provided to interface with a battery and to enable control of charging of the battery. The vehicle includes a communications interface for enabling wireless communication with a server, and the server is configured to manage a plurality of user accounts for users. The server is one of a plurality of servers, and the servers providing access to cloud services regarding vehicle use and metrics.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided. One method includes receiving a request, at a server, to define an advisor account for a vehicle associated with a user account. The request identifies an advisor entity, a vehicle aspect to be assigned to the advisor entity, and privileges assigned to the advisor entity for the vehicle aspect. The method further includes generating the advisor account for the advisor entity as a sub-account of the user account that is associated with the vehicle. The method includes sending instruction data to the vehicle from the server, wherein the instruction data defines that the vehicle aspect is associated with the advisor account. The method also includes receiving data updates, at the server, from the vehicle for the vehicle aspect, from time to time. The data updates are displayable on a user interface that is accessible to the advisor entity, the user interface being rendered by the server that provides access to the advisor account.

Abstract: Systems of a vehicle for sharing vehicle controls are provided. One system includes an on-board computer that is part of the vehicle and communications circuity having connection to the on-board computer. The communications circuitry is configured to interface with a wireless network for accessing the Internet. The on-board computer is configured to execute instructions for enabling wireless connection to portable devices that enter the vehicle and are provided with access to said wireless connection. Vehicle electronics are interfaced with one or more vehicle systems and the on-board computer. The on-board computer is configured to provide access to at least one graphical user interface to the portable device via the wireless connection. The at least one graphical user interface includes input options that enable control for features of a vehicle system of the vehicle.

Abstract: An electric vehicle including an electric motor is provided. The electric vehicle having a receptacle slot integrated in the electric vehicle, and the receptacle slot providing a connection for providing power to the electric motor. A battery is configured for sliding into the receptacle slot to enable electrical engagement of the battery with the connection when in the receptacle slot. The battery is further configured for sliding out of the receptacle slot to remove the battery from electrical engagement with the connection. The battery is configured to store and supply charge to power the electric motor of the electric vehicle. The battery is replaceable by sliding the battery out of the receptacle slot and sliding in another battery into the receptacle slot to further supply charge to power the electric motor of the electric vehicle with said another battery.

Abstract: A system for navigating a vehicle automatically from a current location to a destination location without a human operator is provided. The system of the vehicle includes a global positioning system (GPS) for identifying a vehicle location and a communications system for communicating with a server of a cloud system. The server is configured to identify that the vehicle location is near or at a parking location. The communications system is configured to receive mapping data for the parking location from the server, and the mapping data is at least in part used to find a path at the parking location to avoid a collision of the vehicle with at least one physical object when the vehicle is automatically moved at the parking location.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided. One method includes processing communication between a vehicle and one or more connected object. Included is processing geo-location for the vehicle using on-board electronics of the vehicle and data obtained from a global positioning system and determining a heading direction of the vehicle based on changes in the geo-locations of the vehicle. The method receives state information of one or more of connected objects that are located within an area of influence associated with a current geo-location of the vehicle. The connected objects are independent of the vehicle and the state information from the one or more connected objects is processed for the current geo-location of the vehicle and based on the area of influence of the vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicle having communications circuitry for connecting over a wireless network to a server for exchanging vehicle condition information is provided. The vehicle includes an on-board computer for interfacing with vehicle systems and the communications circuitry. The on-board computer is further configured to process input received from at least one vehicle interface of the vehicle and processing output via at least one vehicle output of the vehicle. The communications circuitry is configured to send to the server over the wireless network vehicle data for vehicle status information, the vehicle status information is for one or more vehicle systems of the vehicle. The server accesses at least one database that include diagnostics data for a vehicle type of the vehicle and crowd sourced data for the vehicle type, the crowd sourced data includes comments received from one or more users of vehicles of the vehicle type that relate to the vehicle status information of one or more vehicle systems of the vehicle.

Abstract: Cloud systems executing method operations for communicating with connected vehicles of users having user accounts with the cloud system are provided. In one example, a method includes receiving discounts published by merchants for presentation to a network of charging units (CUs), each of the CUs being associated to a geo-location. The method also includes receiving an identification of an electric vehicle that is associated to a user account. The identification of the electric vehicle is received when the electric vehicle has parked over a charging pad of a particular CU, and the charging pad is at a geo-location of the particular CU. The method also includes identifying at least one discount to be presented to a device of the electric vehicle. The identifying is a result of filtering discounts based on user preferences associated with the user account and a proximity of a merchant location to the particular CU having the charging pad over which the vehicle has parked.

Abstract: Systems and methods for charging an electric battery of a vehicle are provided. The vehicle includes a battery for powering an electric motor of the vehicle. A controller of the vehicle is provided to interface with a battery and to enable control of charging of the battery. The vehicle includes a communications interface for enabling wireless communication with a server, and the server is configured to manage a plurality of user accounts for users. The server is one of a plurality of servers, and the servers providing access to cloud services regarding vehicle use and metrics.

Abstract: Methods, systems and media are provided for managing personal security of a user of a vehicle. The vehicle is provided with a plurality of active sensors. One method includes receiving a first remote request at the vehicle to activate a first level of security. The first level of security activates a first active sensor. The method includes recording an area proximate to vehicle in response to activating the first level of security. The recording produces a media file. The method includes transmitting the media file to Internet storage associated with an account of the user of the vehicle. The method includes setting indicators, such as lighting in and around the vehicle to identify a security level of the vehicle. The lighting can be color illumination, that indicates to a user before the user fully approaches the vehicle if the vehicle has a particular security level, based on prior monitored activity.