Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.

Visteon Global Technolgoies, Inc.

Christopher Lee Rovik

Donald Anthony Restauri, Iii

Charan Singh Lota

Eric Randell Schmidt

Daniel Charles Folick

Erik Anthony Wippler

Luke Alan Rippelmeyer

Nicholas Scott Sitarski

Earnee Jones Gilling

Michael Lambert

Eric John Zielinski

Wesley Richard Corrion

Fred Lupton, Iii

Tuhin Diptiman

Ricardo Hernandez

Adrian G Gheorghiu

Kristen Andrea Tabar

Embodiments of systems and methods of operating a vehicle include operating at least one fuel cell stack, whereupon a heat exchanger for the at least one fuel cell stack counter-balances heat therefrom with heat rejected therefrom, and operating a water system to pump water from the at least one fuel cell stack into a water reservoir. Moreover, in response to high water levels in the water reservoir, the embodiments include increasing electrical energy loads on at least one battery operable to store electrical energy from the at least one fuel cell stack, operating the at least one fuel cell stack for higher output, whereupon the heat exchanger under-balances heat therefrom with heat rejected therefrom, and operating the water system to apply water from the water reservoir onto the heat exchanger, whereupon the heat exchanger restoratively counter-balances heat therefrom with heat rejected therefrom.

Fuel cell vehicle with a water system

A vehicle includes at least one fuel cell stack, a water reservoir housed higher than the at least one fuel cell stack, a first water pump, a second water pump and a control module. The at least one fuel cell stack is operable to generate electrical energy and water. The water reservoir is operable to store water. The first water pump is operable to pump water from the at least one fuel cell stack into the water reservoir against gravity. The second water pump is operable to dispense water from the water reservoir under assistance from gravitational potential energy of water in the water reservoir. The control module is configured to operate the second water pump on an on-demand basis, and operate the first water pump on a time-selective basis.

A computing device for a vehicle is provided. The computing device includes one or more processors for controlling operation of the computing device, and a memory for storing data and program instructions usable by the one or more processors. The one or more processors are configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to determine when a vehicle is approaching a toll facility; locate available information relating to the toll facility; determine a type of toll payment desired; determine if, based on the available information, the vehicle can be autonomously driven into a payment lane that is in accordance with the type of toll payment desired; and if the vehicle can be autonomously driven into a payment lane that is in accordance with the type of toll payment desired, autonomously drive the vehicle into a payment lane that is in accordance with the type of toll payment desired.

System and methods for autonomous and semi-autonomous toll facility navigation

A vehicle includes a body, a fuel cell stack supported by the body for tilting relative thereto, a pivoting system and at least one control module. The fuel cell stack includes a fuel cell operable to generate electrical energy using fuel and exhaust water as a byproduct, and an exhaust water drainage port in fluid communication with the fuel cell. The pivoting system is mechanically connected between the body and the fuel cell stack, and operable to selectively tilt the fuel cell stack relative to the body. The at least one control module is communicatively connected to the pivoting system, and configured to operate the pivoting system in response to an inclination event associated with the body being tilted away from the exhaust water drainage port. By the operation of the pivoting system, the fuel cell stack is tilted relative to the body toward the exhaust water drainage port.

Operating fuel cell vehicles during inclination events

The indication of a fuel level in a vehicle is disclosed herein. The vehicle can monitor the ignition switch to determine whether the vehicle is on or off. Also, the vehicle can determine a fuel level when state of the vehicle changes (e.g., switches from on to off, and vice versa). When the fuel level at the on state (e.g., ignition-on fuel level) is different from the fuel level at the off state, the vehicle can determine whether the vehicle is located at a fueling station. If the vehicle is located at the fueling station, the vehicle can generate an indication of the ignition-on fuel level within a user interface.

Fuel level indication in a vehicle

A navigation system (NAV system) may provide a variety of information and may be integrated with a variety of on-board vehicle systems or features. The NAV system may provide various route guidance options between a present location and a desired destination. The route guidance options may be based on a high level of user preferences. The high level of user preferences may be selected by the user in advance or at the time of requesting route guidance. The NAV system may provide various route options based on key geographical features along the route. The NAV system may provide various route options based on personal points of interest. The NAV system may provide various route options based on a user's route habits or frequency.

High level instruction for navigational routing systems

A vehicle may communicate with a vendor interaction system of a vendor. The vehicle includes network interface hardware, a processor communicatively coupled to the network interface hardware, and at least one display communicatively coupled to the at least one processor. The processor executes logic to establish a communication link with the vendor interaction system, receive, with the network interface hardware, a vendor data signal from the vendor interaction system, the vendor data signal indicative of vendor information, receive, with the network interface hardware, a user preference data signal indicative of user order preferences for the vendor, display at least one of the user order preferences and the vendor information on the at least one display, and display an order prompt requesting a user to make an order selection from at least one of the vendor information or the user order preferences displayed on the at least one display.

Systems and methods for providing in-vehicle communication with a vendor

An auto turn signal system for activating a turn signal of a vehicle includes an electronic control unit, a processor, a non-transitory computer readable memory, a camera and a machine-readable instruction set. The camera automatically captures image data and transmits the image data to the electronic control unit. The machine-readable instruction set causes the processor to receive the image data from the camera, determine at least one of a driver head movement and a driver eye movement based on the image data, predict a change in a lane of travel from a current lane of travel to a predicted destination lane of travel, detect initiation of the change from the current lane of travel to the predicted destination lane of travel, and automatically activate the turn signal in response to detecting the initiation of the change from the current lane of travel to the predicted destination lane of travel.

Auto turn signal initiation based on lane change and driver history

A system and method for use in an automotive vehicle configured to determine an action to be taken as the automotive vehicle approaches a traffic signal. The system and method determines a distance to stop, and processes the state of the traffic signal, and the road surface condition to calculate the action to be taken so as to help the driver make decisions when approaching the traffic signal.

Systems and methods for determining action at traffic signals

A vehicle navigation system for a vehicle that does not provide driving instructions or information to a driver when the driver is traveling along a familiar route, but does provide audible driving instructions or information when a route deviation event includes one or more processors, a vehicle navigation system display, one or more audio speakers, a satellite module, and a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions. The one or more processors are configured to determine if the vehicle navigation system is on a familiar route and execute a Reduced Audible Mode, automatically, when the route is familiar. In addition, the one or more processors are operable to switch the vehicle navigation system from the Reduced Audible Mode to a Full Audible Mode when a route deviation event is detected.

Vehicle navigation systems and methods for presenting driving directions on familiar routes

A method is provided for alerting a driver of a vehicle of an unsafe exterior lighting status. The method includes receiving, at a first vehicle, information sufficient to detect a presence of a second vehicle. Once a vehicle is detected, the method continues to identify a direction of travel of the second vehicle with respect to the first vehicle. The method includes measuring a level of ambient light, and determining the level of ambient light is below a threshold level. The method further identifies any presence of functioning exterior lighting of the second vehicle by detecting a light color and light intensity. When an unsafe exterior lighting status is determined, the method includes alerting a driver of the second vehicle using a vehicle-to-vehicle communication signal. The signal includes a notification suggesting usage of at least one of headlights, parking lights, and hazard lights.

Vehicular headlight warning system

Systems and methods for altering display output based on seat position include a method includes receiving desired frequency response data for a plurality of different audio outputs and a nominal seat position, determining a current seat position of a seat in the vehicle, and implementing a test sequence based on the seat position. Some embodiments include determining from the test sequence received frequency response data for the amplifier to utilize for the seat position, comparing the received frequency response data and the desired frequency response data, and in response to determining that the desired frequency response data does not substantially match the received frequency response data, altering settings on the amplifier such that the received frequency response data substantially matches the desired frequency response data.

Systems and methods for altering display output based on seat position

Apparatuses and methods for adjusting a position of at least one component of a vehicle for a user of the vehicle. A user is identified with a user key associated with the user. The user key and a vehicle identifier associated with the vehicle are transmitted to a server remote from the vehicle. At least one user setting for the vehicle is received from the remote server, with the at least one user setting relating to the user key, the vehicle identifier, and the position of the at least one component. A vehicle system setting is updated with the at least one user setting so as to adjust the position of the at least one component based on the at least one user setting when the vehicle system setting does not correspond with the at least one user setting.

Dynamic geometry support for vehicle components

A system for preventing the illumination of a vehicle check engine light by notifying the driver that the fuel door is not closed. The system includes an interference member, a sensor for detecting the position of a fuel door, and a processor to communicate a detectable signal to the driver. The interference member prevents the fuel door from closing if the fuel cap is not properly seated in the fuel injection port, and the sensor detects the position of the door. The sensor can communicate the position of the door to the processor which in turn can send a detectable signal to the driver that the fuel door is ajar and the fuel cap is loose. Furthermore, in vehicles equipped with power slide doors, the processor can also disable the operation of the power slide door to prevent the power slide door from colliding with the fuel door.

System and method of preventing inadvertent check engine telltale

A system for an electric vehicle for authorizing the utilization of a reserve charge portion of a battery of the electric vehicle for powering the electric vehicle. The authorization system may include a remote device that communicates with the electric vehicle via a telematic link. Upon receipt of one or more data from the electric vehicle (e.g., reserve charge amount of the battery, recharge locations, warranty waiver information, billing information, previous authorization information, etc.) the remote device transmits an authorization signal to the electric vehicle for using at least part of the reserve charge portion of the battery based upon the data. The authorization system may incorporate live personnel for determining whether to authorize the electric vehicle or such authorization may be determined automatically by a processor of the remote device. The authorization system may be entirely local to the electric vehicle such that no remote device is needed.

Growing community of inventors

Canton, MI, United States of America

Christopher Lee Rovik