Adjusting interior configuration of a vehicle based on external environment data

Abstract

A system and method are provided for controlling an interior configuration of a vehicle. The system may include an interior vehicle component, an actuator component configured to adjust a physical configuration of the interior vehicle component, an external communication component configured to collect driving environment data representing an external environment of the vehicle, and one or more processors configured to receive driving environment data and detect, by processing the driving environment data, an external driving condition. When the one or more processors detect the external driving condition, the one or more processors may cause the actuator component to adjust the interior vehicle component from a first physical configuration to a second physical configuration, or may cause the actuator component to restrict movement of the interior vehicle component to a predetermined range of physical configurations.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A system for controlling an interior configuration of a vehicle, the system comprising:
 an interior vehicle component, wherein the interior vehicle component includes one or more of: a steering wheel, a mirror, window, a door, a hardtop convertible roof, a soft-top convertible roof, a floor panel, a visor, a partition, a sunroof, a sky roof, a storage module, a beverage holder, a foot rest, a bed, a seatbelt, a desk, or a work surface;   an actuator component configured to adjust a physical configuration of the interior vehicle component; and   one or more processors configured to cause the actuator component to adjust the interior vehicle component from a first physical configuration to a second physical configuration based on an external driving condition.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an external communication component configured to collect data representing an external environment of the vehicle, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:   receive driving environment data that includes, or is derived from data that includes, the data collected by the external communication component, and   detect, by processing the driving environment data, the external driving condition.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the external communication component is a sensor interface configured to collect sensor data from one or more sensors positioned on or in the vehicle; and   the driving environment data includes, or is derived from data that includes, the sensor data.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the external driving condition is an impending collision between the vehicle and one or more objects external to the vehicle. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to:
 detect the impending collision at least by (i) determining a closing speed between the vehicle and one or more objects external to the vehicle and (ii) determining a distance between the vehicle and the one or more objects.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to:
 detect the impending collision at least by determining a predicted trajectory of the vehicle and a predicted trajectory of one or more objects external to the vehicle.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the external communication component is a transceiver configured to collect data from one or more sources external to the vehicle. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the external driving condition is at least one of a particular type of vehicle traffic, a particular type of weather, or a vehicle speed limit. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the actuator component is configured to adjust an orientation of the interior vehicle component from the first physical configuration to the second physical configuration at least by adjusting at least one of a yaw angle, a pitch angle, or a roll angle of the interior vehicle component. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the actuator component is configured to adjust the interior vehicle component from the first physical configuration to the second physical configuration at least by moving the interior vehicle component in at least one of a forward, backward, upward, downward, clockwise, counterclockwise, or lateral direction relative to the vehicle. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second interior vehicle component;   a second actuator component configured to adjust a physical configuration of the second interior vehicle component; and   wherein the one or more processors cause the second actuator component to adjust the second interior vehicle component from a third physical configuration to a fourth physical configuration when the one or more processors detect the external driving condition.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
 receive passenger data that is generated by, or is derived from data generated by, one or more passenger sensors positioned in the vehicle; and   determine, by processing the passenger data, the second physical configuration of the interior vehicle component.   
     
     
         13 . A method for controlling an interior configuration of a vehicle, comprising;
 detecting, using the one or more processors, an external driving condition; and   causing, via an actuator component, an interior vehicle component to adjust from a first physical configuration to a second physical configuration when the one or more processors detect the external driving condition, wherein the interior vehicle component includes one or more of: a steering wheel, a mirror, window, a door, a hardtop convertible roof, a soft-top convertible roof, a floor panel, a visor, a partition, a sunroof, a sky roof, a storage module, a beverage holder, a foot rest, a bed, a seatbelt, a desk, or a work surface.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 receiving, via one or more processors, driving environment data that is generated by, or derived from data generated by, an external communication component, wherein detecting the external driving condition is based on processing the driving environment data, and wherein:   the external communication component is a sensor interface configured to collect sensor data from one or more sensors positioned on or in the vehicle; and   the driving environment data includes, or is derived from data that includes, the sensor data.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the external driving condition is an impending collision between the vehicle and one or more objects external to the vehicle. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to:
 detect the impending collision at least by (i) determining a closing speed between the vehicle and one or more objects external to the vehicle and (ii) determining a distance between the vehicle and the one or more objects.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to:
 detect the impending collision at least by determining a predicted trajectory of the vehicle and a predicted trajectory of one or more objects external to the vehicle.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the external communication component is a transceiver configured to collect data from one or more sources external to the vehicle. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the actuator component is configured to adjust an orientation of the interior vehicle component from the first physical configuration to the second physical configuration at least by adjusting at least one of a yaw angle, a pitch angle, or a roll angle of the interior vehicle component. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the actuator component is configured to adjust the interior vehicle component from the first physical configuration to the second physical configuration at least by moving the interior vehicle component in at least one of a forward, backward, upward, downward, clockwise, counterclockwise, or lateral direction relative to the vehicle.