Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Adam Carlson

Stuart C Salter

Benjamin Solomon Richer

Peter Phung

Hussein H Berry

Annette Lynn Huebner

David Brian Glickman

A vehicle component is identified based on a gaze direction of an occupant in a vehicle seat. A first direction of the vehicle seat is determined relative to a forward-facing direction of a vehicle. A second direction is determined from the vehicle seat to the vehicle component. Then, the vehicle seat is rotated based on an angle between the first direction and the second direction.

Vehicle component identification system

A storage module connects to a frame forming a door opening of a vehicle. The storage module includes a housing conforming to the door opening and extending into the compartment in an installed configuration. The storage module further includes an exterior panel disposed on a first side of the housing. The exterior panel conforms to an exterior surface of the vehicle enclosing the door opening. At least one storage compartment is disposed inside the housing and the compartment in the installed configuration. The storage compartment includes an access panel forming a portion of the exterior surface and forms a first storage volume.

System and method for modular vehicle storage

A method for controlling a vehicle includes determining, via a processor disposed in communication with a sensory device disposed in an interior surface of a cargo bin of a delivery vehicle, that a first package is loaded in the cargo bin, causing to scan, via the processor, a bar code disposed on an exterior surface of the first package, causing to measure, via a RADAR sensory device disposed in the cargo bin, dimensional information associated with the first package, determining, based on the dimensional information, that the cargo bin is loaded at full capacity, causing to illuminate an output device indicative that the cargo bin is loaded at full capacity, determining, via the processor, a cargo bin door closed status and generating, via the processor, an output indicating whether the vehicle is ready for delivery.

Autonomous vehicle cargo bin loading

A smart container for transporting items in transportation vehicles, e.g., an autonomous vehicle (AV), having heating/cooling capabilities, security features, unloading/loading assistance, and/or GPS cellular tracking for positional awareness, and methods of use thereof, are provided. The smart container includes an inductive charging module for receiving power from the vehicle. The container may provide information to facilitate delivery. When the vehicle arrives at a delivery destination, the customer may be provided a map of containers within the vehicle, and a specific container may provide an indication that it is the correct container. The customer may then provide a code to access the container. If a container is improperly removed, an alarm may be triggered and a notification may be provided to a third party.

Systems and methods for smart containers configured for moving goods

Ridehail seat reservation enforcement and user direction systems and methods are disclosed herein. An example method can include receiving a ridehail request that includes a seat selection of a first seat of a ridehail vehicle, the first seat being access through a first door of the ridehail vehicle, activating an external notification feature of the vehicle prior to a user entering the ridehail vehicle when the user attempts to enter the ridehail vehicle on a side of the vehicle associated with the first seat, and activating an internal notification feature of the ridehail vehicle when the user attempts to sit in a second seat that is not the first seat.

Growing community of inventors

Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America

Adam Carlson