Wheelchair systems and methods to follow a companion

A wheelchair system comprising:

• a wheelchair operable to detect a companion, the wheelchair comprising:
• a frame,
• one or more wheels coupled to the frame,
• at least one actuator coupled to the one or more wheels,
• a plurality of sensors, and
• a control unit,
• wherein the control unit controls the wheelchair between a standard mode and a companion control mode such that in the companion control mode, the control unit actuates the at least one actuator to drive the one or more wheels to follow a movement of the companion,
• wherein the actuation of the at least one actuator to drive the one or more wheels to follow the movement of the companion is an autonomous control,
• the control unit further configured to detect an undesirable object in a path of movement of the wheelchair and inhibit the autonomous control of the at least one actuator.

A method of operating a wheelchair, the method comprising:

• receiving, by a control unit, an input from a user, the input corresponding to a request for a companion control mode;
• determining, by the control unit, a companion;
• determining, by the control unit, a movement of the companion;
• actuating, by the control unit, at least one actuator to drive one or more wheels of the wheelchair to follow the movement of the companion;
• detecting, by the control unit, an undesirable object in a path of movement of the wheelchair;
• and
• inhibiting, by the control unit, the autonomous control of the at least one actuator.