US 12,291,147 B2
Utilizing HMI with distracted driver
Daniel S. Glaser, Novi, MI (US); Joseph F. Szczerba, Grand Blanc, MI (US); Yi Guo Glaser, Novi, MI (US); Sri Krishna Divya Pemmaraju, Plymouth, MI (US); and Michael Alexander Wuergler, Clarkston, MI (US)
Assigned to GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC, Detroit, MI (US)
Filed by GM Global Technology Operations LLC, Detroit, MI (US)
Filed on Sep. 21, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/471,566.
Prior Publication US 2025/0100447 A1, Mar. 27, 2025
Int. Cl. B60Q 9/00 (2006.01)
CPC B60Q 9/00 (2013.01) 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of utilizing human machine interfaces within a vehicle to engage at least one passenger within the vehicle when a driver of the vehicle is distracted, comprising:
modifying, with a system controller in communication with a plurality of passenger human machine interfaces (HMI), a display screen of a front seat passenger HMI to make the display screen of the front seat passenger HMI visually unclear to a driver of the vehicle;
monitoring, with an occupant monitoring system in communication with a plurality of onboard sensors within the vehicle and the system controller, the driver of the vehicle and the at least one passenger within the vehicle;
determining, with a distracted driver algorithm within the system controller and data from the occupant monitoring system that the driver of the vehicle is distracted, and, when the driver of the vehicle is distracted, actuating the plurality of passenger HMIs to engage the at least one passenger and encourage the at least one passenger to engage with the driver of the vehicle;
determining, with the distracted driver algorithm within the system controller and data from the occupant monitoring system that the driver of the vehicle is distracted by the display screen of the front seat passenger HMI; and
when the driver is distracted by the display screen of the front seat passenger HMI, modifying audio output from the front seat passenger HMI to reduce the driver's ability to hear the audio output from the front seat passenger HMI.