Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Taylor Hawley

Jeremy Lerner

Scott Huggins

Xingping Chen

Jason Joseph Woo

Ali Abdallah

Danielle Rosenblatt

Mohammad Abouali

Joseph Gifford

Ryan Jones

Timothy D Zwicky

Jae Hyung Lim

Navid Tafaghodi Khajavi

Nicholas Frazier

Perry Robinson Macneille

Fling Finn Tseng

Nitendra Nath

Alexander Groh

Andrea Bowes Chowanic

Jochen Schubert

Joseph Wisniewski

John Michael Galan Ferrer

Xiangrui Zeng

Prashant Rao

James Issac

Clifton Thomas

Paige Wong

Md Nahid Pervez

Andrew Edward Toy

Nahid Pervez

Natalie Arguello

Dina Tayim

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

A system comprises a computer having a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor to access sensor data of a first sensor of a vehicle while an adaptive cruise control feature of the vehicle is active, detect, based on the sensor data of the first sensor, a stationary object located along a path of travel of the vehicle, wherein the stationary object is located outside of a range of a second sensor of the vehicle, determine a presence of an intersection within a threshold distance of the stationary object that is along the path of travel of the vehicle, and responsive to a determination that the stationary object is a stopped vehicle of the intersection, adjust, by the adaptive cruise control feature, the speed of the vehicle.

Adaptive cruise control with non-visual confirmation of obstacles

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

Methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture to extend brake life cycle are disclosed herein. An example vehicle disclosed herein includes a brake including a rotor and a brake pad and a brake controller to detect a request to determine a wear level of the brake pad, activate the brake to cause contact between the brake pad and the rotor, and determine, based on a latency between the activation of the brake and the contact between the brake pad and the rotor, the wear level.

Methods and apparatus to determine brake pad wear

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

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

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

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 server includes a processor, programmed to receive a vehicle location from a vehicle, receive a weather condition of the vehicle location from a cloud server, responsive to receiving a calendar of a user including an event, calculate a departure time based on the vehicle location and a location of the event, responsive to receiving a desired cabin temperature of the user from a mobile device, calculate a minimum time for the vehicle to reach the desired cabin temperature based on the weather condition, calculate a vehicle start time using the departure time and the minimum time, and send an instruction to the vehicle to start at the vehicle start time.

Crowdsourced remote start for vehicle

A system is disclosed that may comprise: one or more processors of a center node, wherein the center node is a vehicle computer; and memory of the center node, wherein the memory stores instructions executable by the one or more processors, the instructions comprising to: determine a first network comprising the center node and a plurality of member nodes based on a mesh network of the center node and the plurality of member nodes; add at least one virtual node to the first network; and using the first network, exchange cryptographic data between the at least one virtual node, the center node, and the plurality of member nodes.

Vehicle blockchain transactions

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

Dearborn, MI, United States of America

Taylor Hawley