Optimizing parking locations

A system for selecting an optimized parking location for a vehicle, comprising:

• a data processor adapted to control the system;
• a human machine interface (HMI) adapted to present a list of parking preference options to a user within the vehicle and to collect, from the user, parking preferences for the user for each of the options presented in the list of parking preference options;
• the data processor further adapted to:
• identifying a destination of the vehicle;
• identifying a current location of the vehicle;
• collect data from a plurality of sensors within the vehicle related to a number of passengers within the vehicle and cargo within the vehicle;
• collect, via a wireless communication module within the vehicle, data from external sources and create a list of potential parking spaces;
• filter the list of potential parking spaces based on availability;
• collect, via the wireless communication module within the vehicle, and the plurality of sensors within the vehicle, data related to environmental and contextual conditions for each of the potential parking spaces;
• access a user model based on historical data of parking events for the vehicle;
• further filter the list of potential parking spaces based on user preferences, data related to environmental and contextual conditions, and the user model and creating a filtered list of potential parking spaces;
• rank each of the potential parking spaces in the filtered list based on the parking preferences of the driver, the data related to environmental and contextual conditions, and the user model;
• select, from the filtered list of potential parking spaces, a sub-set of potential parking spaces based on rank;
• display, via the HMI, the sub-set of potential parking spaces to the user with an explanation for the rankings;
• receive, from the user, via the HMI, a selection of one of the displayed sub-set of potential parking spaces;
• and
• at least one of:
• initiate, via communication with a vehicle controller, autonomous travel to and parking within the selected one of the sub-set of potential parking spaces;
• and
• display, via the HMI, directions to the selected one of the sub-set of potential parking spaces;
• repeat the creating a filtered list of potential parking spaces, the ranking each of the potential parking spaces in the filtered list, the selecting, from the filtered list of potential parking spaces, a sub-set of potential parking spaces based on rank, and the displaying, via the HMI, the sub-set of potential parking spaces to the user at a pre-determined interval until the vehicle has parked;
• collect, via the wireless communication module within the vehicle, data from external sources related to availability of parking spaces within a parking structure at the identified destination;
• and
• one of:
• determine, based on the user model, that the identified destination is familiar to the user, and display a sub-set of potential parking spaces to the user only when the number of available parking spaces at the parking structure at the destination is less than a first pre-determined threshold;
• or
• determine, based on the user model, that the identified destination is un-familiar to the user, and display a sub-set of potential parking spaces to the user only when the number of available parking spaces at the parking structure at the destination is less than a second pre-determined threshold.

A vehicle having a system for selecting an optimized parking location for the vehicle, comprising:

• a data processor adapted to control the system;
• and
• a human machine interface (HMI) adapted to present a list of parking preference options to a user within the vehicle and to collect, from the user, parking preferences for the user for each of the options presented in the list of parking preference options;
• the data processor further adapted to:
• identifying a destination of the vehicle;
• identifying a current location of the vehicle;
• collect data from a plurality of sensors within the vehicle related to a number of passengers within the vehicle and cargo within the vehicle;
• collect, via a wireless communication module within the vehicle, data from external sources and create a list of potential parking spaces;
• filter the list of potential parking spaces based on availability;
• collect, via the wireless communication module within the vehicle, and the plurality of sensors within the vehicle, data related to environmental and contextual conditions for each of the potential parking spaces;
• access a user model based on historical data of parking events for the vehicle;
• further filter the list of potential parking spaces based on user preferences, data related to environmental and contextual conditions, and the user model and creating a filtered list of potential parking spaces;
• rank each of the potential parking spaces in the filtered list based on the parking preferences of the driver, the data related to environmental and contextual conditions, and the user model;
• select, from the filtered list of potential parking spaces, a sub-set of potential parking spaces based on rank;
• display, via the HMI, the sub-set of potential parking spaces to the user with an explanation for the rankings;
• receive, from the user, via the HMI, a selection of one of the displayed sub-set of potential parking spaces;
• and
• at least one of:
• initiate, via communication with a vehicle controller, autonomous travel to and parking within the selected one of the sub-set of potential parking spaces;
• and
• display, via the HMI, directions to the selected one of the sub-set of potential parking spaces;
• repeat the creating a filtered list of potential parking spaces, the ranking each of the potential parking spaces in the filtered list, the selecting, from the filtered list of potential parking spaces, a sub-set of potential parking spaces based on rank, and the displaying, via the HMI, the sub-set of potential parking spaces to the user at a pre-determined interval until the vehicle has parked;
• collect, via the wireless communication module within the vehicle, data from external sources related to availability of parking spaces within a parking structure at the identified destination;
• and
• one of:
• determine, based on the user model, that the identified destination is familiar to the user, and display a sub-set of potential parking spaces to the user only when the number of available parking spaces at the parking structure at the destination is less than a first pre-determined threshold;
• or
• determine, based on the user model, that the identified destination is un-familiar to the user, and display a sub-set of potential parking spaces to the user only when the number of available parking spaces at the parking structure at the destination is less than a second pre-determined threshold.