Abstract: A vehicle includes an eye tracker for tracking a gaze of an occupant of the vehicle. The vehicle has a processor to use gaze direction data to determine if the occupant is gazing at a nearby vehicle sensed by a vehicle-detecting sensor, e.g. a camera, LIDAR or RADAR. The processor determines an identification of the nearby vehicle by optically recognizing characters of a license plate of the nearby vehicle using the camera, or by detecting an identification beacon broadcast by the nearby vehicle using a short-range vehicle-to-vehicle transceiver. The vehicle includes a radiofrequency cellular transceiver to transmit a message to a server to look up the identification of the vehicle and to receive a communication-availability reply message indicating either a communication availability or communication unavailability of the nearby vehicle. The radiofrequency cellular transceiver or the short-range vehicle-to-vehicle transceiver initiates a voice communication with the nearby vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicle includes an eye tracker for tracking a gaze of an occupant of the vehicle. The vehicle has a processor to use gaze direction data to determine if the occupant is gazing at a nearby vehicle sensed by a vehicle-detecting sensor, e.g. a camera, LIDAR or RADAR. The processor determines an identification of the nearby vehicle by optically recognizing characters of a license plate of the nearby vehicle using the camera, or by detecting an identification beacon broadcast by the nearby vehicle using a short-range vehicle-to-vehicle transceiver. The vehicle includes a radiofrequency cellular transceiver to transmit a message to a server to look up the identification of the vehicle and to receive a communication-availability reply message indicating either a communication availability or communication unavailability of the nearby vehicle. The radiofrequency cellular transceiver or the short-range vehicle-to-vehicle transceiver initiates a voice communication with the nearby vehicle.

Abstract: An autonomous vehicle includes a sensor detecting an object in a vicinity of the autonomous vehicle, a processor coupled to the sensor to receive sensor data from the sensor, wherein the processor is configured to process the sensor data to recognize that the object is a pedestrian or cyclist. The processor cooperates with the sensor to track the pedestrian or cyclist. The processor determines if the pedestrian or cyclist satisfies a notification criterion and, upon determining that the pedestrian or cyclist satisfies the notification criterion, the processor outputs an illumination signal. A light projector receives the illumination signal and projects a beam of light onto a portion of a road on which the pedestrian or cyclist is currently situated to visually notify the pedestrian or cyclist that the autonomous vehicle is presently tracking the pedestrian or cyclist.

Abstract: A vehicle has an automatically tiltable seat, a plurality of seat actuators fully supporting the automatically-tiltable seat to enable the automatically tiltable seat to pitch or roll to compensate for motion of the vehicle, and a processor to predict the motion of the vehicle and to control the plurality of seat actuators. The plurality of seat actuators automatically adjusts the pitch or roll of the automatically tiltable seat in response to the motion of the vehicle. The seat actuators also provide shock absorption.

Abstract: An electric vehicle includes a chassis, a battery in a battery compartment supported by the chassis and a dual underside battery cooling system to transfer heat from the battery by drawing hot air from the battery compartment via air outlets. The dual underside battery cooling system includes a left fan for generating a left airflow along a left underside path of the vehicle and a right fan for generating a right airflow along a right underside path of the vehicle, the left and right airflows expelling the hot air from the battery compartment toward a rear of the vehicle. The processor independently controls the left fan and the right fan to selectively generate a differential downforce on left and right wheels of the vehicles when cornering to thereby compensate for centrifugal roll and to generate an equal downforce on the left and right wheels when accelerating in a straight line.

Abstract: An autonomous vehicle includes a sensor detecting an object in a vicinity of the autonomous vehicle, a processor coupled to the sensor to receive sensor data from the sensor, wherein the processor is configured to process the sensor data to recognize that the object is a pedestrian or cyclist. The processor cooperates with the sensor to track the pedestrian or cyclist. The processor determines if the pedestrian or cyclist satisfies a notification criterion and, upon determining that the pedestrian or cyclist satisfies the notification criterion, the processor outputs an illumination signal. A light projector receives the illumination signal and projects a beam of light onto a portion of a road on which the pedestrian or cyclist is currently situated to visually notify the pedestrian or cyclist that the autonomous vehicle is presently tracking the pedestrian or cyclist.

Abstract: An autonomous vehicle comprises a chassis, a plurality of wheels rotationally mounted to the chassis, wherein each wheel is characterized by a camber angle and a caster angle. The vehicle includes a vehicle dynamics prediction module for predicting a vehicle dynamics condition and for generating a control signal based on the vehicle dynamics condition and a wheel geometry adjustment mechanism connected to each of the wheels for automatically adjusting one or both of the camber angle and the caster angle in response to the control signal.

Abstract: A mobile device has a memory storing a name of a user of the mobile device, an audio output interface for outputting an audio signal to earphones worn by the user of the mobile device and a microphone configured to receive a sound signal external to the earphones. A processor is communicatively connected to the microphone to process the sound signal to recognize speech in response to the processor detecting that the audio output interface is outputting the audio signal to the earphones. The processor is configured to determine if the speech includes the name of the user stored in the memory of the mobile device. The processor is configured to generate and provide a volume control signal to the audio output interface to lower a volume of the earphones in response to determining that the speech includes the name of the user.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a trunk defining an enclosure for storing an object, a camera to capture an image of the object prior to being placed into the trunk and a processor to execute a machine-vision module to process image data to identify the object. The processor outputs a thermal control signal to a thermal controller to control a temperature of the trunk compartment by setting a setpoint temperature.

Abstract: An autonomous vehicle comprises a chassis, a pair of front wheels rotationally mounted to the chassis, a steering mechanism connected to the front wheels, wherein the steering mechanism is characterized by a steering geometry, a vehicle dynamics prediction module for predicting a vehicle dynamics condition and for generating a control signal based on the vehicle dynamics condition, and a steering geometry adjustment mechanism connected to the steering mechanism for automatically adjusting the steering geometry in response to the control signal.

Abstract: An autonomous vehicle includes a sensor detecting an object in a vicinity of the autonomous vehicle, a processor coupled to the sensor to receive sensor data from the sensor, wherein the processor is configured to process the sensor data to recognize that the object is a pedestrian or cyclist. The processor cooperates with the sensor to track the pedestrian or cyclist. The processor determines if the pedestrian or cyclist satisfies a notification criterion and, upon determining that the pedestrian or cyclist satisfies the notification criterion, the processor outputs an illumination signal. A light projector receives the illumination signal and projects a beam of light onto a portion of a road on which the pedestrian or cyclist is currently situated to visually notify the pedestrian or cyclist that the autonomous vehicle is presently tracking the pedestrian or cyclist.

Abstract: A vehicle has an automatically tiltable seat, a plurality of seat actuators fully supporting the automatically-tiltable seat to enable the automatically tiltable seat to pitch or roll to compensate for motion of the vehicle, and a processor to predict the motion of the vehicle and to control the plurality of seat actuators. The plurality of seat actuators automatically adjusts the pitch or roll of the automatically tiltable seat in response to the motion of the vehicle. The seat actuators also provide shock absorption.

Abstract: A vehicle recharging system recharges a partially depleted battery of a moving electric vehicle. The system includes a dispatch server receiving a route from the electric vehicle as well as first and second segments along the route where the electric vehicle is to be recharged first and second times. First and second unmanned autonomous recharging vehicles (UARV's) receive from the dispatch server first and second rendezvous locations along the first and second segments of the route. The dispatch server determines an adjusted second rendezvous location for the second UARV in response to determining that the first UARV is delayed and determines if the second UARV still has sufficient range to recharge the electric vehicle when commencing at the adjusted second rendezvous location. The dispatch server transmits the adjusted second rendezvous location to the second UARV to intercept the electric vehicle at the adjusted second rendezvous location.

Abstract: A vehicle recharging system recharges a partially depleted battery of a moving electric vehicle. The system includes a dispatch server receiving a route from the electric vehicle as well as first and second segments along the route where the electric vehicle is to be recharged first and second times. First and second unmanned autonomous recharging vehicles (UARV's) receive from the dispatch server first and second rendezvous locations along the first and second segments of the route. The dispatch server determines an adjusted second rendezvous location for the second UARV in response to determining that the first UARV is delayed and determines if the second UARV still has sufficient range to recharge the electric vehicle when commencing at the adjusted second rendezvous location. The dispatch server transmits the adjusted second rendezvous location to the second UARV to intercept the electric vehicle at the adjusted second rendezvous location.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a divisible trunk defining an enclosure for storing a first object and a second object, a camera to capture first and second images of the first and second objects prior to being placed into the divisible trunk and a processor to execute a machine-vision module to process first and second image data to identify the first and second objects. The vehicle includes a trunk divider to divide the trunk into first and second trunk compartments and an actuator to displace the trunk divider from an inoperative position to an operative position. The processor outputs a divider signal to the actuator to displace the divider to divide the trunk into the first and second trunk compartments. The processor outputs a thermal control signal to a thermal controller to control first and second temperatures of the first and second trunk compartments by setting first and second setpoint temperatures.

Abstract: A vehicle comprises a chassis, wheels rotationally mounted to the chassis, each wheel being disposed within a respective wheel well, and a tire mounted to each wheel. A tire sensor disposed within the wheel well senses a tire condition and generates and outputs a tire condition signal indicative of the tire condition. A repair controller receives the tire condition signal from the tire sensor and processes the tire condition signal to determine whether to repair the tire. The repair controller is configured to generate and output a tire repair signal. A 3D printing device disposed in the wheel well and communicatively connected to the repair controller receives the tire repair signal and 3D prints an additive reparation to the tire by drawing a tire repair compound from a supply container within the vehicle and by depositing the tire repair compound on the tire to repair the tire.

Abstract: A vehicle comprises a chassis, wheels rotationally mounted to the chassis, each wheel being disposed within a respective wheel well, and a tire mounted to each wheel. A tire sensor disposed within the wheel well senses a tire condition and generates and outputs a tire condition signal indicative of the tire condition. A repair controller receives the tire condition signal from the tire sensor and processes the tire condition signal to determine whether to repair the tire. The repair controller is configured to generate and output a tire repair signal. A 3D printing device disposed in the wheel well and communicatively connected to the repair controller receives the tire repair signal and 3D prints an additive reparation to the tire by drawing a tire repair compound from a supply container within the vehicle and by depositing the tire repair compound on the tire to repair the tire.

Abstract: An autonomous electric vehicle comprises a battery electrically connected to the electric motor for powering the electric motor and a battery status prediction module to predict, based on event data from a mobile device of a user of the vehicle, whether the vehicle will be parked at a destination and a time period when the vehicle will be parked. The battery status prediction module predicts a predicted battery status at the end of the time period based on a temperature profile for the time period obtained from a remote weather server. The battery status prediction module determines if the predicted battery status at the end of the time period will have at least a minimum battery capacity to travel a distance to a charging station determined by the battery status prediction module from the destination and a location of the charging station.

Abstract: A vehicle comprises a chassis, wheels rotationally mounted to the chassis, each wheel being disposed within a respective wheel well, and a tire mounted to each wheel. A tire sensor disposed within the wheel well senses a tire condition and generates and outputs a tire condition signal indicative of the tire condition. A repair controller receives the tire condition signal from the tire sensor and processes the tire condition signal to determine whether to repair the tire. The repair controller is configured to generate and output a tire repair signal. A 3D printing device disposed in the wheel well and communicatively connected to the repair controller receives the tire repair signal and 3D prints an additive reparation to the tire by drawing a tire repair compound from a supply container within the vehicle and by depositing the tire repair compound on the tire to repair the tire.

Abstract: A vehicle comprises a chassis, wheels rotationally mounted to the chassis, each wheel being disposed within a respective wheel well, and a tire mounted to each wheel. A tire sensor disposed within the wheel well senses a tire condition and generates and outputs a tire condition signal indicative of the tire condition. A repair controller receives the tire condition signal from the tire sensor and processes the tire condition signal to determine whether to repair the tire. The repair controller is configured to generate and output a tire repair signal. A 3D printing device disposed in the wheel well and communicatively connected to the repair controller receives the tire repair signal and 3D prints an additive reparation to the tire by drawing a tire repair compound from a supply container within the vehicle and by depositing the tire repair compound on the tire to repair the tire.