Central control hub for semi-autonomous electric vehicles
AssigneePanasonic Automotive Systems Company of America, Division of Panasonic Corporation of North America
InventorsBenjamin David Sweet, Padmanaban Kanagaraj
Life of this patent
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Abstract
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.
Claims21
A motor vehicle, comprising:
- a plurality of seats, each seat being configured to receive a respective human occupant of the motor vehicle;
- a movable driver control interface configured to enable a human occupant to drive the motor vehicle;
- and
- a positioning mechanism coupled to the driver control interface and configured to enable 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, wherein the positioning mechanism includes a closed loop track.
A motor vehicle, comprising:
- a plurality of seats, each seat being configured to:
- receive a respective human occupant of the motor vehicle;
- and
- face toward a center of a passenger compartment of the motor vehicle;
- a movable driver control interface configured to enable a human occupant to drive the motor vehicle;
- and
- a positioning mechanism coupled to the driver control interface and configured to enable 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.
A method of enabling a motor vehicle to be driven, the method comprising the following steps:
- providing a plurality of seats within a passenger compartment of the motor vehicle, each seat being configured to receive a respective human occupant of the motor vehicle;
- providing a movable driver control interface within the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle, the movable driver control interface being configured to enable a human occupant to drive the motor vehicle;
- and
- enabling 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, wherein the enabling step includes enabling the human occupant to move the driver control interface along a closed loop track.
A method of enabling a motor vehicle to be driven, the method comprising the following steps:
- providing a plurality of seats within a passenger compartment of the motor vehicle, each seat being configured to receive a respective human occupant of the motor vehicle, wherein the seats can be turned so that they face toward a center of the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle;
- providing a movable driver control interface within the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle, the movable driver control interface being configured to enable a human occupant to drive the motor vehicle;
- and
- enabling 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.
A motor vehicle, comprising:
- a plurality of seats, each seat being configured to receive a respective human occupant of the motor vehicle;
- a movable driver control interface configured to enable a human occupant to drive the motor vehicle;
- and
- a closed loop track coupled to the driver control interface and configured to enable 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.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.