Second row priority seating for vehicles

US9855860B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Waymo LLC · US

Inventors

• YooJung Ahn · Mountain View, US
• David Tse-Zhou Lu · Menlo Park, US
• Min Li Chan · San Francisco, US
• Brian Douglas Cullinane · Palo Alto, US
• Adam Lee Frost · San Jose, US
• Philippe Robert Agostino Holland · Coventry, GB
• Hassan Rashid Mir · Mainz, DE
• Marcos Aniceto Villalón Caro · London, GB
• Isaac Lopes Nogueras · Badalona, ES

Key dates

• Filing date: May 19, 2016
• Grant date: Jan 2, 2018
• Expiry date: May 19, 2036

Classification

• Technology area (CPC B): Performing Operations; Transporting
• CPC primary: B60R2011/0007
• WIPO field: Transport
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

Aspects of the disclosure relate to vehicles capable of autonomous driving. These vehicles may include seats for accommodating different numbers of passengers. In some cases, the seats may be reconfigurable. For instance, a vehicle may include a first row of seating having a first, passenger use configuration. The first row may allow a passenger to sit in a seat of the first row of seating and access user input controls for the vehicle. The first row of seating may also have a second, folded configuration where the first row is in a folded configuration and no longer usable for passenger seating. The vehicle may also have a second row of seating. When the first row of seating is in the second, folded configuration, the second row of seating may still be usable for seating and may include additional legroom for the passenger as compared to when the first row of seating is in the first passenger use configuration.