Personal safety system

A method of operating a personal safety system including a vehicle, comprising:

• automatically detecting that a smartphone is within a communication range using a first wireless communication system of the vehicle;
• monitoring a position of the detected smartphone relative to the vehicle with a second wireless communication system of the vehicle;
• detecting an unsafe condition or a safe condition based on the monitored position using the controller of the vehicle or the smartphone;
• starting an approach time period when the unsafe condition is detected;
• sending checkup data from the vehicle to the smartphone using the first wireless communication system when the smartphone fails to arrive at the vehicle prior to the approach time period elapsing;
• and
• triggering an emergency response by the vehicle and/or the smartphone when the vehicle fails to receive a response to the checkup data from the smartphone within a response time period,
• wherein detecting the unsafe condition includes detecting that the position of the smartphone is substantially stationary relative to the vehicle, and
• wherein detecting the safe condition includes detecting that the position of the smartphone is approaching the vehicle.

A personal safety system, comprising:

• a wireless communication system of a vehicle configured to automatically detect that a smartphone is within a communication range of the wireless communication system;
• and
• a controller operably connected to the wireless communication system, the controller configured to:
• start an approach time period when the smartphone is detected by the wireless communication system;
• send checkup data from the vehicle to the smartphone using the wireless communication system when the smartphone fails to arrive at the vehicle prior to the approach time period elapsing;
• and
• trigger an emergency response by the vehicle and/or the smartphone when the vehicle fails to receive a response to the checkup data from the smartphone within a response time period.