Abstract: An autonomous delivery vehicle including locking storage containers may be used for item deliveries, rejections, returns, and/or third-party fulfillment. A delivery vehicle or robot may include a number of locking storage containers, an authorization interface, and one or more sensors to receive delivery requests, detect and authorize users, and control locker access at various delivery locations to allow users to receive delivered items, and reject or return items. The vehicle may also include a passenger compartment to transport one or more passengers. The vehicle may be reconfigurable to accommodate different combinations of lockers and/or passenger seats. An item delivery system may receive delivery requests and determine routes for delivery vehicles, including centralized delivery locations and/or direct deliveries to recipients.

Abstract: An autonomous delivery vehicle including locking storage containers may be used for item deliveries, rejections, returns, and/or third-party fulfillment. A delivery vehicle or robot may include a number of locking storage containers, an authorization interface, and one or more sensors to receive delivery requests, detect and authorize users, and control locker access at various delivery locations to allow users to receive delivered items, and reject or return items. The vehicle may also include a passenger compartment to transport one or more passengers. The vehicle may be reconfigurable to accommodate different combinations of lockers and/or passenger seats. An item delivery system may receive delivery requests and determine routes for delivery vehicles, including centralized delivery locations and/or direct deliveries to recipients.

Abstract: A system and method for determining whether a passenger is seated in a seating area and, based at least in part on detecting the passenger, engaging or disengaging a flap in a headrest. Such a headrest may span multiple seats so that a single headrest is used by multiple passengers. Each of one or more flaps in the single headrest may then be configured by the passenger to provide each passenger with their own privacy and comfort. By actively controlling the state of the flap, a uniform passenger experience may be created so that the flap is in the same state upon a passenger entering the vehicle. Further, examples of the headrest are designed and configured to couple directly, or indirectly, to a vehicle body, such that the headrest does not couple directly to a seat or passenger seating area.

Abstract: A lighting system of a vehicle may include light units and controllers for operating the light units. Each light unit is multifunctional in that the light unit may operate in various modes, which may be invoked at different times under varying circumstances. A light unit on the first end of a vehicle may operate as a headlight if the first end is the front end of the vehicle. On the other hand, the light unit may operate as a tail light if the first end is the rear end of the vehicle. Furthermore, the light unit may operate as a turn signal in either direction or brake light while the first end is the rear end of the vehicle. The light unit includes a lens array positioned to receive light from various light sources. The lighting system may operate in a fashion that allows for lighting redundancy on each end of the vehicle in the event of a lighting controller failure.

Abstract: A lighting system of a vehicle may include light units and controllers for operating the light units. Each light unit is multifunctional in that the light unit may operate in various modes, which may be invoked at different times under varying circumstances. A light unit on the first end of a vehicle may operate as a headlight if the first end is the front end of the vehicle. On the other hand, the light unit may operate as a tail light if the first end is the rear end of the vehicle. Furthermore, the light unit may operate as a turn signal in either direction or brake light while the first end is the rear end of the vehicle. The light unit includes a lens array positioned to receive light from various light sources. The lighting system may operate in a fashion that allows for lighting redundancy on each end of the vehicle in the event of a lighting controller failure.

Abstract: A system and method for determining whether a passenger is seated in a seating area and, based at least in part on detecting the passenger, engaging or disengaging a flap in a headrest. Such a headrest may span multiple seats so that a single headrest is used by multiple passengers. Each of one or more flaps in the single headrest may then be configured by the passenger to provide each passenger with their own privacy and comfort. By actively controlling the state of the flap, a uniform passenger experience may be created so that the flap is in the same state upon a passenger entering the vehicle. Further, examples of the headrest are designed and configured to couple directly, or indirectly, to a vehicle body, such that the headrest does not couple directly to a seat or passenger seating area.

Abstract: A lighting system of a vehicle may include light units and controllers for operating the light units. Each light unit is multifunctional in that the light unit may operate in various modes, which may be invoked at different times under varying circumstances. A light unit on the first end of a vehicle may operate as a headlight if the first end is the front end of the vehicle. On the other hand, the light unit may operate as a tail light if the first end is the rear end of the vehicle. Furthermore, the light unit may operate as a turn signal in either direction or brake light while the first end is the rear end of the vehicle. The light unit includes a lens array positioned to receive light from various light sources. The lighting system may operate in a fashion that allows for lighting redundancy on each end of the vehicle in the event of a lighting controller failure.

Abstract: A system for charging a battery carried by a vehicle may include a charging box for coupling to a vehicle chassis and including interface electrical contacts electrically coupled to the battery. The system may also include a charge coupler including coupler electrical contacts for electrically coupling to the interface electrical contacts from under the vehicle and configured to be coupled to an electrical power supply. The charging box may include an interface activation surface, and the charge coupler may include a housing for enclosing the coupler electrical contacts and including a base for supporting the coupler electrical contacts, a coupler activation surface opposite the base, an opening, and a door configured to open the opening to expose the coupler electrical contacts as the interface activation surface contacts the coupler activation surface and moves the coupler activation surface toward the base.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to a vehicle for maneuvering a passenger to a destination autonomously. The vehicle includes a computing system and a set of user input buttons for communicating requests to stop the vehicle and to initiate a trip to the destination with the computing system The vehicle has no steering wheel and no user inputs for the steering, acceleration, and deceleration of the vehicle other than the set of user input buttons. In order to safely test the vehicle, a removable manual control system may be used. The system may include a housing having an electronic connection to a computing system of the vehicle. The housing includes a steering input configured to allow a passenger to control the direction of the vehicle. The system also includes one or more computing devices configured to receive input from the steering input and send instructions the computing system.

Abstract: A system for detecting a classifying objects in a vehicle can comprise one or more sensors for detecting the presence of an object, other than a passenger, on the vehicle. The system can classify the object as, for example, a personal object or trash. The system can provide a series of escalating reminders for the passenger to take the object with them when they exit the vehicle. When a personal object is left in the vehicle after the passenger has exited the vehicle, the system can communicate with a computing device of a central control or the passenger using additional communication channels such as, for example, e-mail, text, or the Internet. When trash is left in the vehicle, the vehicle can automatically contact, or return to, a maintenance facility for servicing. This can prevent the use of unclean vehicles for new passengers, among other things.