Panasonic Automotive Systems Company of America, Division of Panasonic Corporation of North America

Padmanaban Kanagaraj

Katherine Freund

Garrett Laskowski

Maria Rohrer

Katherine Wilbert

John Qiu

Benjamin David Sweet

Shantha Kumari Rajendran

A motor vehicle includes at least one camera capturing images of an environment outside of the motor vehicle. A proximity sensor detects an object disposed adjacent to the motor vehicle. An electronic processor receives the images captured by the at least one camera, and receives a proximity signal from the proximity sensor. The proximity signal is indicative of whether an object is disposed adjacent to the motor vehicle. The electronic processor determines, based upon the images captured by the at least one camera and the proximity signal, whether the motor vehicle is disposed within an enclosure. The electronic processor receives an engine start request signal that has been wirelessly transmitted by a user. In response to receiving the engine start request signal, the electronic processor causes the engine start system to start an engine of the motor vehicle when the motor vehicle is not disposed within an enclosure.

Vehicle remote start prevention alert

A motor vehicle includes a plurality of seats. Each seat receives a respective human occupant of the motor vehicle. A movable driver control interface enables a human occupant to drive the motor vehicle. A positioning mechanism is coupled to the driver control interface and enables a human occupant to move the driver control interface to a position in front of any one of the seats such that any one of the human occupants may use the driver control interface to drive the motor vehicle.

Central control hub for semi-autonomous electric vehicles

A vehicle includes a camera capturing an image of a road sign associated with a road that the vehicle is traveling on. A first processing device is communicatively coupled to the camera and recognizes text characters in the captured image. A second processing device is communicatively coupled to the first processing device and converts the recognized text characters into an electronic speech signal. A loudspeaker is communicatively coupled to the second processing device and converts the electronic speech signal into audible speech that can be heard by the driver of the vehicle.

Road sign announcer

A trunk inventory detection arrangement for a motor vehicle includes a camera positioned to capture images of objects within a trunk of the motor vehicle. A weight detection device is positioned to detect a weight of the objects in the trunk. An electronic processing device is communicatively coupled to each of the camera and the weight detection device. The electronic processing device causes a user of the vehicle to be informed of the objects in the trunk based on signals received from the camera and the weight detection device.

Trunk inventory detector

An audio control arrangement for a motor vehicle includes a camera capturing images of a passenger of the motor vehicle. A processor is communicatively coupled to the camera and determines, based on the captured images, whether the passenger is at least partially asleep. An audio system is communicatively coupled to the processor and reduces a volume of an audio signal in response to the processor determining that the passenger is at least partially asleep. A loudspeaker is communicatively coupled to the audio system and emits sounds based on the audio signal.

Automatic vehicle occupant audio control

A motor vehicle includes a loudspeaker, a voice recognition module, and a microphone producing a microphone signal based upon words uttered by a human passenger within a passenger compartment of the motor vehicle. An electronic processor is communicatively coupled to the microphone, the loudspeaker, and the voice recognition module. The electronic processor receives the microphone signal and communicates with the voice recognition module to thereby ascertain the words uttered by the human passenger. The electronic processor retrieves Karaoke music corresponding to the ascertained words uttered by the human passenger, and plays the Karaoke music on the loudspeaker.

Growing community of inventors

Farmington Hills, MI, United States of America

Padmanaban Kanagaraj