Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Matthew J Dalebout

Thomas Lee Miller

John Robert Van Wiemeersch

Brian Bennie

Kevin Thomas Hille

Ronald Patrick Brombach

Anthony Dwayne Cooprider

Karl Wojcik

Terry Thomas Cwik

Andrew D Sarkisian

Scott Alan Watkins

Lawrence Daniel Cepuran

Aaron Lewis Mills

Shimul Bhuva

In at least one embodiment, an apparatus and a method for transmitting at least one of an audio signal and a video signal based on driver status and an occurrence of a predetermined vehicle event is provided. The apparatus comprises an entertainment device. The entertainment device is configured to receive a key identification signal from a key indicative of the driver being one of a primary driver and a secondary driver and to receive a vehicle status signal to detect the occurrence of the predetermined vehicle event. The entertainment device is further configured to disable the transmission of the at least one of the audio signal and the video signal in response to the key identification signal indicating that the driver is the secondary driver and to detecting the occurrence of the predetermined vehicle event.

System and method for controlling an entertainment device in a vehicle based on driver status and a predetermined vehicle event

A system and method is provided for controlling the operation of notifying drivers of the fluid level. Primary and secondary keys are adapted to be associated to primary and secondary drivers. A key ignition device is positioned on the primary and secondary keys and generates driver status signals. A fluid level sensing device is operable to generate a fluid level signal indicative of the fluid level. A controller is coupled to the fluid level sensing device and the key ignition device. The controller determines whether the driver of the vehicle is the primary or secondary driver in response to the driver status signals. The controller notifies the primary or secondary driver of the fluid level in response to the fluid level signal. The controller selectively controls the operation of notifying the primary or the secondary driver based on whether the driver is the primary or secondary driver.

System and method for controlling early low fuel warning based on driver status

A system and method for controlling the operation of stabilizing the movement of a vehicle between primary and secondary drivers is provided. A primary key is adapted to be associated to the primary driver. A secondary key is adapted to be associated to the secondary driver. A key ignition device is positioned on the primary and secondary keys and is configured to generate driver status signals indicative of whether the driver is a primary or secondary driver. The controller is adapted to determine whether the driver of the vehicle is the primary driver or the secondary driver based on the driver status signals. The controller is further adapted to stabilize the movement of the vehicle. The controller is further adapted to selectively control the operation of stabilizing the movement of the vehicle in response to the driver status signals.

System and method for controlling electronic stability control based on driver status

In at least one embodiment, a device for controlling one or more vehicle features for a primary driver and a secondary driver is provided. The device comprises at least one controller that is configured to receive at least one driver status signal indicative of the driver being one of the primary driver and the secondary driver and to determine whether the driver of the vehicle is the one of the primary driver and the secondary driver based on the at least one driver status signal. The controller is further configured to control one or more vehicle features and to prevent the one or more vehicle features from being disabled in response to determining that the at least one driver status signal indicates that the driver of the vehicle is the secondary driver.

System and method for controlling one or more vehicle features based on driver status

A system and method is provided for controlling the operation of notifying drivers of the fluid level. Primary and secondary keys are adapted to be associated to primary and secondary drivers. A key ignition device is positioned on the primary and secondary keys and generate driver status signals. A fluid level sensing device is operable to generate a fluid level signal indicative of the fluid level. A controller is coupled to the fluid level sensing device and the key ignition device. The controller determines whether the driver of the vehicle is the primary or secondary driver in response to the driver status signals. The controller notifies the primary or secondary driver of the fluid level in response to the fluid level signal. The controller selectively controls the operation of notifying the primary or the secondary driver based on whether the driver is the primary or secondary driver.

A system and method for notifying primary and second drivers about a status of a safety restraint in a vehicle is provided. A primary and secondary keys are adapted to be associated to the primary and secondary drivers. A key ignition device is positioned on each of the primary key and secondary keys. The key ignition device is adapted to generate driver status signals indicative of whether the driver the primary driver or the secondary driver. A controller is adapted to determine whether the driver of the vehicle is the primary driver or the secondary driver based on the driver status signals. The controller is further adapted to generate restraint status signals indicative of the status of the safety restraint. The controller is further adapted to selectively control the operation of generating the restraint signals based on whether the driver of the vehicle is the primary or secondary driver.

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Canton, MI, United States of America

Matthew J Dalebout