Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Scott Huggins

Jeremy Lerner

Taylor Hawley

Xingping Chen

Ali Abdallah

Mohammad Abouali

Danielle Rosenblatt

Jason Joseph Woo

Navid Tafaghodi Khajavi

Paige Wong

Ryan Jones

Jochen Schubert

Timothy D Zwicky

Daniel Sullivan

Nitendra Nath

Andrea Bowes Chowanic

Jae Hyung Lim

Joseph Walter Neal

James Issac

Md Nahid Pervez

Nahid Pervez

Natalie Arguello

A vehicle includes one or more sensors and engages at least one of the one or more sensors to evaluate at least one of a count or location of vehicle occupants prior to an incident. The vehicle determines that an incident has occurred and that at least one of an evaluated count or location of at least one vehicle occupant has changed following the incident. Also, the vehicle engages at least one of the one or more sensors to detect a presence of a prior occupant outside the vehicle following the incident, responsive to determining that the at least one of the evaluated count or location of the at least one vehicle occupant changed and, responsive to detecting the presence of the prior occupant outside the vehicle following the incident, reports the presence to a 3party response entity.

Responder assistance for vehicular events

A system comprises a computer having a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor to monitor a position of a vehicle while an adaptive cruise control feature of the vehicle is set to operate in a standard operation mode, identify, based on the position of the vehicle and on visibility zone information, a limited visibility zone in a route of travel of the vehicle, and cause the adaptive cruise control feature to operate in a modified operation mode while the vehicle is in the limited visibility zone, wherein during operation in the modified operation mode, the adaptive cruise control feature operates in accordance with one or more modified operating parameters.

Adaptive cruise control based on information about low visibility zones

Transportation-based service share systems and methods are disclosed herein. An example method can include receiving a request from a service provider to reserve a ridehail vehicle for a ridehail having a time frame, the request specifying a service provided by the service provider; determining the ridehail vehicle for the service provider based on the service; and dispatching the ridehail vehicle, the service provider rendering the service during the ridehail.

Transportation-based service share systems and methods

The disclosure generally pertains to systems and methods to predict a vehicle preference of a customer of a rental vehicle agency. An example method to do so involves a computer executing a prediction procedure to obtain and evaluate information associated with a customer. The information can include vehicle ownership history and/or monitoring data obtained from vehicles used by the customer (a personal vehicle, a taxi, and/or a ride share service vehicle, for example). The information may be evaluated by the computer to determine a personal profile of the customer. The personal profile can include items such as physical attributes of the customer, family size, driving characteristics, and/or past vehicle ownership. The personal profile of the customer may then be used by the computer to predict a type of vehicle preferred by the customer and to select, from a vehicle fleet, a vehicle that matches the preferred type of vehicle.

Systems and methods to predict rental vehicle preference of a customer

A vehicle determines that a stop is upcoming along a route and determines that the upcoming stop will place the vehicle within range of a wireless transceiver. The vehicle approximates a predicted transfer rate of the wireless transceiver and determines if data onboard the first vehicle is to be uploaded, based on at least a size of the data, a priority assigned to the data and the predicted transfer rate. Additionally, the vehicle determines a predicted duration of communication between the vehicle and the transceiver based on the route and the upcoming stop, allowing the vehicle to determine a first predicted amount of data able to be transferred. The vehicle designates first data for upload, based on the first data having a size that is below the first predicted amount and begins transferring the designated data responsive to establishing communication with the wireless transceiver.

Connected vehicle data offload management

Enhancing operation of powered tools is provided. Access permissions for tools and access devices are stored to in vehicle memory. Presence of a tool within proximity to the vehicle is detected. Presence of access devices configured to provide access to the vehicle are detected utilizing passive access functionality of the vehicle. Access to an auxiliary power source of the vehicle is allowed for powering the tool responsive to the access permissions granting access due to the presence of the access devices.

Vehicle connectivity for enhancing powered tool operation

Example embodiments described in this disclosure are generally directed to using a vehicle to identify a status of a garage door, such as, for identifying whether the garage door is fully closed, fully open, or partially open. The identification may be carried out in response to an inquiry from an individual, such as, a driver of the vehicle that has exited through the garage door. A detection apparatus such as an image capture system or an ultrasonic sensor that can be a part of a vehicle security system may be used for identifying the status of the garage door. The image capture system may capture and store an image of the garage door when the vehicle is exiting the garage. Upon receiving an inquiry from the driver, the garage door status detection system may display the image on a smartphone of the driver or an infotainment system in the vehicle.

Using a vehicle to identify a status of a garage door

This disclosure describes systems and methods for determining vehicle parking scores. An example method may include calculating, subsequent to a first vehicle parking within a first parking space of a parking lot and based on first sensor data obtained by the first vehicle, a first vehicle parking score. The example method may also include calculating, subsequent to a second vehicle parking within the first parking space of the parking lot and based on second sensor data obtained by the second vehicle, a second vehicle parking score. The example method may also include calculating a first average vehicle parking score for the first parking space based on the first vehicle parking score and the second vehicle parking score. The example method may also include presenting an indication of the first average vehicle parking score for the first parking space to a third vehicle within the parking lot.

Systems and methods for determining vehicle parking scores

While operating a vehicle, a candidate marker is detected via first image data from a first image sensor. Upon failing to identify the candidate marker, vehicle exterior lighting is actuated to illuminate the candidate marker. Then the candidate marker is determined to be one of a real marker or a projected marker based on determining whether the candidate marker is detected via second image data from the first image sensor. Upon determining the candidate marker is the real marker, the vehicle is operated based on the real marker.

Enhanced vehicle operation

Devices, systems, and methods for boat launching and loading detection and management are disclosed herein. A method may include receiving, by a first device, data associated with operation of a vehicle. The method may include determining, based on the data, that the operation of the vehicle includes at least one of launching a boat into water using the vehicle or loading the boat onto the vehicle. The method may include generating map data indicative of a location associated with the operation of the vehicle. The method may include sending the map data to a second device for presentation.

Enhanced boat launching and loading detection and management system

A system includes a processor and a memory storing instructions executable by the processor to control at least one of a steering system or a propulsion system to operate a vehicle at a speed below a speed threshold. The instructions include instructions to determine whether one or more second vehicles a first distance from the vehicle are traveling below the speed threshold. The instructions include instructions to, upon determining the second vehicles are traveling below the speed threshold, continue to control the steering system or the propulsion system. The instructions include instructions to, upon determining the second vehicles are not traveling below the speed threshold, transition control of the steering system or the propulsion system to a human operator of the vehicle.

Vehicle speed and steering control

Methods and systems are provided for a start/stop feature. In one example, a method includes adjusting start/stop conditions in response to a vehicle operator customizing start/stop conditions. The vehicle operator customizes start/stop conditions for a plurality of different driving conditions.

Methods and systems for start/stop

A vehicle subscribed to an authentication system includes a wireless transceiver; and a controller, configured to responsive to receiving a wireless signal from a device identified as a key fob via the wireless transceiver, obtain history data reflecting time and location of the key fob associated with the vehicle detected via one or more entities subscribed to the authentication system, calculate a sanity value using the history data, such that a distant detection location from the vehicle location at a time before present time results in a lesser sanity value and a nearby detection location from the vehicle location at substantially the same time before the present time results in a greater sanity value, calculate a sanity threshold using at least one of the present time and the vehicle location, and responsive to the sanity value being greater than the sanity threshold, unlock a door of the vehicle.

System for preventing vehicle key fob relay attacks

Disclosed are systems and methods for projecting virtual parking lines in alignment with actual parking lines to facilitate parking within a parking stall defined by the actual parking lines to prevent unnecessary damage to vehicles in an area where the actual parking lines may not exist or be visible. The system identifies the location of the actual parking lines within a defined parking area based on previously recorded actual parking line data as well as localization of the vehicle within the defined parking area relative to the nearby landmarks. Virtual parking lines are generated that correspond with the location of the actual parking lines and are projected in alignment with the actual parking lines to facilitate parking.

Systems and methods of projecting virtual parking lines

A system comprising a computer including a processor and a memory, the memory including instructions such that the processor is programmed to: receive at least one of expected upcoming traffic behavior or actual upcoming traffic behavior corresponding to an upcoming segment of a roadway being traversed by a vehicle; adjust a radiator hysteresis timer based on the expected upcoming traffic behavior or the actual upcoming traffic behavior; and transmit a control signal to an actuator to actuate a radiator fan based on the adjusted radiator hysteresis timer.

Growing community of inventors

Novi, MI, United States of America

Scott Huggins