Zoox, Inc.

James Michael Eccleston

Andrew Frank Raczkowski

Goutham Shanmuga Sundaram

Chang Gi Samuel Hong

Andrew Mark Stieber

Anthony Iannone

Daniel Scott Armagost

A vehicle seat with an embedded occupancy detector system and manufacturing method for same, and an occupant protection system including an occupancy detector system embedded in a vehicle seat as described herein. Examples include a molded vehicle seat with one or more inserts including an occupant detection system with one or more sensor pads. A gap housing one or more sensor pads of an occupant detection system may be provided between a surface of an insert and a recessed surface of the molded vehicle seat.

Vehicle seat with an embedded occupancy detector system and occupant protection system including same

A system for disinfecting an autonomous vehicle includes a light assembly having LEDs configured to emit UVC light into a passenger compartment of the autonomous vehicle. The light assembly includes a heat sink to dissipate heat generated by the LEDs. In examples, the heat sink is disposed in the path of forced air associated with a climate control system of the vehicle. The climate control system may be controlled based on a temperature proximate the LEDs and/or the heat sink. In some examples, the light assembly is integrated into the ceiling of the vehicle and can further include visible light emitters and/or other features.

Vehicle with UVC light emitters

Methods and system for disinfecting an autonomous vehicle includes one or more LEDs coupled to the autonomous vehicle to emit UVC light into a passenger compartment of the autonomous vehicle. The autonomous vehicle can include sensors to confirm that the passenger compartment is empty and can be configured to prevent ingress of passengers into the passenger compartment while the UVC light is being emitted. Moreover, visible light indicators in the vehicle can be controlled to provide different visual indicators during the disinfecting cycle and when the vehicle is available to a passenger. In examples, the disinfecting cycle can be performed while the autonomous vehicle is in use, e.g., while the autonomous vehicle is traversing to a location to retrieve a passenger. The methods and systems can provide improved cleaning and disinfection of autonomous vehicles without the need to take the vehicles out of operation.

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Foster City, CA, United States of America

James Michael Eccleston