Abstract: An autonomous vehicle includes a display interface. The vehicle includes a controller configured to execute commands to transport a passenger from a pickup location to a destination and display a brand name or logo associated with a brand identifier during at least a portion of the transport. The execution is responsive to a request for transportation service including the brand identifier, the pickup location, and the destination.

Abstract: A size of collected data to swap is identified, over vehicle-to-vehicle communication between first and second vehicles. A first segment of data of the size stored to the first vehicle is swapped with a second segment of data of the size stored to the second vehicle over the vehicle-to-vehicle communication between the first and second vehicles. The swapped data received from the second vehicle is sent from the first vehicle to a server.

Abstract: An infotainment system in a vehicle includes at least one processor configured to, in response to occurrence of a trigger condition defined by an invitation from a source remote from the vehicle and identifying media content and to acceptance of the invitation, select a medium carrying the media content to play the media content. The trigger condition may be a current location of the vehicle matching a specified location, a weather condition at a current location of the vehicle matching a specified weather condition, a current speed of the vehicle exceeding a specified speed, a current date matching a specified date, or a current time of day matching a specified time of day. Alternatively, the trigger condition may be a signal indicating presence of a passenger or presence of a connection with a mobile device.

Abstract: A user destination is identified based on received location information from a user. A first seat in a vehicle is assigned to the user based on the user destination. At least one of the first seat and a second seat in the vehicle is moved upon user entry until a distance between the first seat and the second seat is greater than a distance threshold.

Abstract: Information about a device may be emotively conveyed to a user of the device. Input indicative of an operating state of the device may be received. The input may be transformed into data representing a simulated emotional state. Data representing an avatar that expresses the simulated emotional state may be generated and displayed. A query from the user regarding the simulated emotional state expressed by the avatar may be received. The query may be responded to.

Abstract: A system for allowing control of vehicle features includes a computer programmed to wirelessly connect to first and second user devices authorized to access, respectively, first and second sets of vehicle features. The first and second sets of vehicle features differ by at least one feature. The computer is further programmed to actuate a feature from the first set of vehicle features upon receipt of a first device command, and to actuate a feature from the second set of vehicle features upon receipt of a second device command.

Abstract: A computer that is programmed to: receive a request from a communication module in a vehicle to communicate with an ant-sized radio (ASR) device in the vehicle; in response to the request, concurrently steer two different radio frequency (RF) beams onto the ASR device; and based on steering the beams: transmit an instruction to the ASR device, or provide sensor data received from the ASR device to the module.

Abstract: A system includes a processor configured to approve an application vehicular-system-access request based on a temporary key and device ID transmitted with the access request matching a stored temporary key and device ID pair previously stored by the processor. This can assist in ensuring that only validated devices and/or applications are requesting access to a vehicle system.

Abstract: A method includes generating by a controller autonomous commands for the vehicle with an altered route such that the destination is maintained and the repeated segment is replaced with an alternate segment having unobserved tour content for the occupant. The generation is responsive to receiving a route having a destination of a vehicle and a repeated segment previously traversed by an occupant where tour content was presented to the occupant while the repeated segment was traversed.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a powertrain. The vehicle includes a controller configured to operate the powertrain according to the heading based speed limits such that, for a predefined region of a particular road, a maximum speed allowed by the heading based speed limits is less for headings toward a specified crowd density location than for headings away from the specified crowd density location. The powertrain operation is responsive to being within a crowd density defined geofence having heading based speed limits.

Abstract: A system includes a processor configured to receive a data transfer request including a data transfer constraint. The processor is also configured to receive a vehicle route. The processor is further configured to determine wireless network availability along the route based on known wireless network locations. Additionally, the processor is configured to determine a route window where wireless network availability indicates that a wireless network is available that meets the data transfer constraint and schedule data transfer to occur during the route window.

Abstract: A system includes a processor configured to predict an upcoming stop. The processor is further configured to select content for playback during the stop, responsive to predicting the upcoming stop. The processor is additionally configured to detect a vehicle stop corresponding to the predicted upcoming stop and responsive to the detected stop, play the selected content.

Abstract: A storage maintains coefficients that map histogram data elements to tire wear, the coefficients being trained based on a correlation of histogram data to measured tire wear. A processor is programmed to receive a wear data histogram from a vehicle, utilize the coefficients to translate the wear data histogram into a measure of physical tire wear; and send an alert message indicating the estimated tire wear.

Abstract: A system comprises a processor configured to subscribe to a broadcast of vehicle-related state changes. The processor is also configured to detect at least one vehicle-related state change in the broadcast that triggers an application launch and launch an application corresponding to the detected vehicle related state change.

Abstract: Example vehicle inspection systems and methods are described. In one implementation, a method activates an unmanned aircraft inside a vehicle to capture images of the vehicle interior. The method accesses a flight path for the unmanned aircraft and receives data associated with the vehicle's current movement. The method adjusts the flight path of the unmanned aircraft to compensate for the vehicle's current movement.

Abstract: A system that includes a computer and an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is described. The computer may be programmed to receive, from the UAV, image data of a vehicle parking region; to process the data by identifying an actuation of a UAV indicator that occurs within a predetermined interval of a response of a vehicle in the region; and based on the identification, to determine a location of the vehicle.

Abstract: A system includes a processor configured to predict an upcoming stop. The processor is further configured to select content for playback during the stop, responsive to predicting the upcoming stop. The processor is additionally configured to detect a vehicle stop corresponding to the predicted upcoming stop and responsive to the detected stop, play the selected content.

Abstract: An autonomous vehicle includes a display interface. The vehicle includes a controller configured to execute commands to transport a passenger from a pickup location to a destination and display a brand name or logo associated with a brand identifier during at least a portion of the transport. The execution is responsive to a request for transportation service including the brand identifier, the pickup location, and the destination.

Abstract: A survey system enabling one or more processors to output a survey in a vehicle while allowing a vehicle occupant to engage in the survey. The survey system may communicate with a vehicle computing system enabling one or more processors to receive input representing one or more occupants in a vehicle. They survey system may receive an input representing a current location. The system may determine a workload value for the one or more vehicle occupants and output a survey to the one or more vehicle occupants when the workload value is below a predefined threshold. The system may output a survey related to the one or more occupants and current location. The system may collect survey results and relay the survey results to a remote server for processing. The system may provide a digital reward to the one or more occupants participating in the survey.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a communication channel administered by a vehicle manufacturer and a communication channel administered by a vehicle owner. The vehicle includes a controller programmed to transfer manufacturer data over the vehicle-owner administrated communication channel, accumulate a count indicative of an amount of manufacturer data transferred over the vehicle-owner administrated communication channel, generate an incentive amount based on the count, and, responsive to a redemption request, transfer the incentive amount for redemption.