As reported by InsideHook and WomenonWheels, Toyota recently filed a patent application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office for its “car wash judgment system”, a feature that will enable driverless vehicles to sense when they are dirty and subsequently drive to a nearby car wash.
The application describes the technology as follows;
“When a vehicle that has transmitted traveling information is an automated driving vehicle capable of performing automated driving and when the traveling information of the automated driving vehicle satisfies the car wash condition, a car wash instruction unit transmits an instruction signal for moving the automated driving vehicle to a car wash station.”
The system utilizes a set of parameters and different sensors to determine when the vehicle requires a car wash. For instance, inclement weather, mucky or unpaved roads, and winter slush will prompt the vehicle that it is due for a cleaning.
Once the “car wash condition” is triggered, the vehicle will alert the car wash through a remote server. The car wash will promptly respond, letting the vehicle know when it can come in for a cleaning. The remote server will also enable the car wash to have access to the vehicle’s navigation system, which will provide live updates regarding the vehicle’s arrival time and the type of cleaning required.
According to WomenonWheels, Toyota’s car wash judgment system addresses an inevitable issue that will arise in a future where vehicles are fully autonomous and private car ownership is overtaken by ride-sharing services.
As reported by the Associated Press, Columbia Sportswear has sued Columbia University, claiming that the university infringed the sportswear company’s trademark and breached an agreement between the…
Verizon and Headwater Research LLC have reportedly agreed to settle a patent infringement lawsuit that ended with a $175 million USD jury verdict against the telecom giant. Headwater, a…
In a recent copyright infringement case, the Jiangsu High Court ruled in favor of Nintendo, awarding the company approximately $28,000 USD, or 200,000 RMB, and an injunction against an unnamed…
Recent tariff measures affecting pharmaceutical products and ingredients have introduced new compliance and cost considerations for manufacturers, distributors, and importers operating in Canada and…
As reported by Reuters, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that Roger Hodgson, the former Supertramp singer and songwriter, must compensate three former band members for a share of…
As reported by Reuters, three former employees of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company ("TSMC") were charged with violating security law and other offences in Taiwan. The prosecutors have…
