Abstract: For a vehicle at a first location, a blind zone is defined that is outside fields of view of available vehicle sensors. A path is determined that avoids the blind zone and moves the vehicle away from the first location. The path includes a straight portion having a first end at the first location, and a turning portion starting at a second end of the straight portion. The straight portion is defined such that, at the second end of the straight portion, the fields of view encompass the blind zone. The vehicle is determined to operate along the turning portion based on obtaining sensor data from the blind zone upon reaching the end of the straight portion.

Abstract: A system for a vehicle includes a vehicle processor disposed to control a drive system, and a memory for storing executable instructions. The vehicle processor is programmed to execute the instructions to determine, via the vehicle processor, a localization of a mobile device using a tethered wireless connection between the mobile device and the vehicle, receive, via the processor, an absolute heading of the mobile device, determine, via the vehicle processor, based on the localization of the mobile device, a relative bearing angle from the mobile device to the vehicle. The system may use the tethered wireless connection and the relative bearing angle from the mobile device to the vehicle to determine that a user is actuating a Human Machine Interface (HMI) element indicative of user attention to a remote parking maneuver and complete the remote parking maneuver.

Abstract: The disclosure is generally directed to systems and methods for receiving from a mobile device that is optically tethered to a vehicle for remote driver assistance, an estimate of a speed of the vehicle, an orientation of the vehicle and a trajectory of the vehicle, comparing the estimate of the speed, orientation and trajectory received from the vehicle with a measured speed determined by one or more vehicle sensors, and preventing vehicle motion if a threshold difference from the comparison is exceeded. Another method is directed to determining at a mobile device an estimate of a speed of a vehicle, an orientation of the vehicle, a trajectory of the vehicle and a time stamp, transmitting the data to the vehicle, and untethering from optical tethering if the data are outside of a threshold or if the data indicate that the mobile device is tethered to an unintended vehicle.

Abstract: A system includes a first computer and a second computer. The first computer is programmed to receive a request from the second computer to move a vehicle from a first location to a second location and synchronize a timer stored in each of the computers. The first computer determines a route including waypoints from the first location to the second location and determines predicted travel times for legs of the route. The predicted travel times include a first predicted travel time for a first leg defined from the first location to a first waypoint included in the waypoints and the first computer transmits the route and the travel times to the second computer. The second computer is programmed to determine an elapsed time of travel and predict a location of the vehicle based on the elapsed time of travel and the first predicted travel time.

Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for mobile device tethering for a remote parking assist system of a vehicle. A vehicle includes a camera and a body control module. The body control module sends an instruction to a mobile device and captures, with the camera, an image of the mobile device. The body control module also analyzes the image to determine an initial location of the mobile device relative to the vehicle, and based on the initial location, performs dead reckoning on the mobile device to track the mobile device. When the mobile device is within a threshold distance, the body control module enables autonomous parking.

Abstract: A computer, including a processor and a memory, the memory including instructions to be executed by the processor to acquire a first image by illuminating a first object with a first light beam, segment the first image of the first object to determine regions that correspond to a first surface material and determine a first measure of pixel values in regions of the first image that correspond to the first surface material. The instructions include further instructions to perform a comparison of the first measure of pixel values to a second measure of pixel values determined from a second image of a second object, wherein the second image is previously acquired by illuminating the second object with a second light beam and when the comparison determines that the first measure is equal to the second measure of pixel values within a tolerance, determine that the first object and the second object are a same object.

Abstract: Systems and methods for operating a vehicle during a remote trailer parking operation include receiving, via a processor, a control instruction from a first mobile device indicative of a first curvature command providing directional control of a vehicle, and a first user engagement indicator. The processor may receive, from a second mobile device, a second control instruction from a second mobile device, the second control instruction can include a second user engagement indicator. The system may determine, based on the first user engagement indicator that first user engagement meets a threshold, and determine, based on the second user engagement indicator that second user engagement meets a threshold.

Abstract: The disclosure generally pertains to systems and methods for directing a parked autonomous vehicle to travel autonomously from a parking spot to a pickup spot. In one example scenario, a user of a user device such as a smartphone, may launch a software application in the smartphone for summoning the autonomous vehicle that is parked in a parking lot or a road, for example. The software application displays a graphical rendering of the parking area together with an icon that can be dragged and dropped by the user at any convenient pickup spot in a valid drivable area shown on the graphical rendering. The user places the icon upon a desired pickup spot and the smartphone transmits a command to the autonomous vehicle to travel to the pickup spot. A real-time representation of a progress of the autonomous vehicle towards the pickup spot may be displayed on the user device.

Abstract: A system includes a first computer and a second computer. The first computer is programmed to receive a request from the second computer to move a vehicle from a first location to a second location and synchronize a timer stored in each of the computers. The first computer determines a route including waypoints from the first location to the second location and determines predicted travel times for legs of the route. The predicted travel times include a first predicted travel time for a first leg defined from the first location to a first waypoint included in the waypoints and the first computer transmits the route and the travel times to the second computer. The second computer is programmed to determine an elapsed time of travel and predict a location of the vehicle based on the elapsed time of travel and the first predicted travel time.

Abstract: A computer includes a processor and a memory storing instructions executable by the processor to identify a current location of the vehicle in a map of a stopping area, collect data to calibrate a sensor while the vehicle is moving in the stopping area, calibrate the sensor based on the collected data, and actuate one or more vehicle components to move the vehicle to a stopping location in the stopping area based on the location of the vehicle in the map and data collected by the calibrated sensor.

Abstract: While operating a vehicle on a travel path, a width of the travel path is determined based on a map. Upon detecting a presence or an absence of a target vehicle in the travel path, a lateral position for the vehicle on the travel path is determined based on the width of the travel path and the presence or absence of the target vehicle. The vehicle is controlled to operate according to the determined lateral position on the travel path and a speed of the vehicle that is based on the determined lateral position on the travel path.

Abstract: A vehicle control system includes at least one detection device configured to capture detection data and a controller. The controller identifies a parking space for a vehicle in an operating area based on the detection data and identifies a travel path of the vehicle from a current position to a target position aligning the vehicle with the parking space. In response to the travel path, the controller calculates a travel zone occupied by the vehicle traversing the travel path and determines at least one viewing zone proximate to the travel zone. The controller further determines a location of a user based on the detection data and controls a navigation routine of the vehicle along the travel path in response to the location of the user relative to the at least one viewing zone.

Abstract: Embodiments are directed to a trailer maneuvering assistant system onboard a vehicle to communicate with and receive control instructions from a mobile device app. In one example embodiment, the app interface presents the user with an engagement input area and a curvature command area. The user must provide two types of touch inputs to the user interface portions: a first touch input that includes a complex gesture input in the engagement interface portion. In one example embodiment the complex gesture may be user input of a closed geometric shape such as a circle, oval, rectangle, or some other shape. The input may be complex in that it matches a canonical model for the respective shape. Matching may include an input that is coterminous with the canonical model within a threshold amount of error, and/or meets another guideline or threshold such as being a closed shape, or some other predetermined requirement(s).

Abstract: A computer, including a processor and a memory, the memory including instructions to be executed by the processor to acquire a first image by illuminating a first object with a first light beam, determine a first measure of pixel values in the image and perform a comparison of the first measure of pixel values to a second measure of pixel values determined from a second image of a second object, wherein the second image is previously acquired by illuminating the second object with a second light beam. The instructions include further instructions to, when the comparison determines that the first measure is equal to the second measure of pixel values within a tolerance, determine that the first object and the second object are a same object.

Abstract: A method includes, while detecting a continuous motion input in a first region of a touchscreen of a portable device in communication with a vehicle, detecting a steering input from a second region of the touchscreen, and actuating a steering component of the vehicle based on the steering input.

Abstract: A server includes one or more processors, programmed to responsive to receiving, from a mobile device of a user, a hailing request that identifies the user as requesting to schedule a ride, select a vehicle to respond to the hailing request based on a capacity to accept an encryption key of the vehicle, the hailing request including a user profile, generate an encryption key to authenticate the mobile device of the user with the vehicle, send the encryption key to both the vehicle and the mobile device to schedule the ride.

Abstract: Systems and methods for operating a vehicle during a remote trailer parking operation include receiving, via a processor, a control instruction from a first mobile device indicative of a first curvature command providing directional control of a vehicle, and a first user engagement indicator. The processor may receive, from a second mobile device, a second control instruction from a second mobile device, the second control instruction can include a second user engagement indicator. The system may determine, based on the first user engagement indicator that first user engagement meets a threshold, and determine, based on the second user engagement indicator that second user engagement meets a threshold.

Abstract: The disclosure describes systems and methods including a mobile device for remotely controlling the movement of a vehicle and trailer. The mobile device provides an intuitive interface for controlling the movement of the vehicle and trailer by changing the orientation of a vehicle graphic (e.g., of the vehicle and trailer) according to a position of the mobile device around a periphery of the vehicle and trailer. This allows the user to walk around the vehicle and trailer to determine a best position from which to control the vehicle and trailer depending on a given situation without losing the intuitiveness of the user interface.

Abstract: The disclosure generally pertains to minimizing battery power consumption while employing local wireless communication to activate an operation of an autonomous vehicle. In an example implementation, a vehicle controller of an autonomous vehicle transitions to a powered-down state after the autonomous vehicle is parked at a parking spot that lacks cellular communication coverage. The vehicle controller may transition to a powered-up state at a scheduled time to execute an autonomous operation based on a directive stored in a cloud-based device. In no directive has been stored, the vehicle controller wakes up periodically in a partially powered-up state and transmits a query in a local wireless communications format to the cloud-based device to check for a directive. If no directive is present, the vehicle controller transitions back to the powered-down state. If a directive is present, the vehicle controller transitions to a fully powered-up state to execute the autonomous operation.

Abstract: A system includes a processor configured to receive a user profile responsive to an efficiency determination request for a vehicle model. The processor is also configured to obtain efficiency-affecting data from the user profile. The processor is further configured to compare the efficiency-affecting data to data gathered from drivers of the vehicle model, to determine a correlation between the user profile and similar drivers of the vehicle model. Also, the processor is configured to predict fuel efficiency for the new vehicle model based on efficiency achieved by the similar drivers.