EP2624221A1 - Safety kit for a motor vehicle to be shared by a plurality of users and system for managing the operation of a vehicle provided with such a kit - Google Patents

Abstract

The kit has a set of safety units (13-17) comprising a data emission unit (18) that includes a telegraphic connection that is provided to communicate with a management unit (1) that is utilized for management of operation of a car. The data emission unit provides data regarding presence of a safety equipment e.g. replacement bulb. A man-machine interface e.g. display unit, is utilized for delivering information regarding user and an identification reader. A set of badges is equipped with chips or transponders that communicate with the management unit. An independent claim is also included for a car operation management system.

Description

The invention relates, in general, to the control of the presence of safety equipment placed on board motor vehicles, in particular electric traction, intended to be shared by several successive users, which will be called car-sharing use. .

But the invention also applies to the control of the presence of safety equipment on board motor vehicles of a fleet of rental vehicles.

Carsharing is a process in which a company, an association or a group of individuals makes available to a certain number of users one or more motor vehicles.

A motor vehicle user intended to be used in car-sharing has a vehicle only for the duration of his need. The rest of the time, the same motor vehicle is used by other people. Motor vehicles with electric traction, that is to say operating only from an electric battery, offer the best solutions for carsharing. Indeed, car sharing is mainly dedicated to use for short trips, not requiring a significant driving autonomy.

A motor vehicle with electric traction therefore lends itself perfectly to the realization of such a path, and reduces the pollutant emissions compared to a motor vehicle with a combustion engine.

All vehicles traveling on public roads must be equipped with various types of safety equipment. These include safety triangles, safety vests, fire extinguishers, spare bulbs, puncture-resistant bombs, etc.

The public authorities require vehicles to be permanently equipped with this equipment, the owners of these vehicles being verbalizable if they are absent. These are elements so-called security, but especially products required by the legislator and mandatory to determine the responsibilities in the event of a material or bodily accident.

With regard to rental vehicles, including car-sharing vehicles, rental companies must, at each location, prepare vehicles and ensure the presence of safety equipment and, in the event of absence, replace them. In the event of an accident, resulting in property damage or worse, bodily injury, if the customer does not have this equipment, the renter is held responsible.

In view of the foregoing, the object of the invention is therefore to allow a check of the presence of safety equipment in vehicles operating in carsharing or to be rented.

It therefore has, according to a first aspect, a security kit for motor vehicles intended to be used for carsharing or to be rented, comprising a set of security elements, each security element comprising data transmission means. intended to communicate with a management box for the operation of the vehicle on board the vehicle.

For example, the data includes presence data of the equipment.

This data may also include equipment type identification data.

In one embodiment, the data transmission means comprise a wire link.

Alternatively, the data transmission means may comprise a wireless link.

The invention also relates, in another aspect, to a system for managing the operation of a motor vehicle intended to operate in carsharing or to be rented, comprising a management box on board the vehicle and communicating with an interface man / machine for delivering information to a user or receiving information entered by a user, and with an identification reader, this management system comprising a security kit as defined above.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the system comprises means for managing the rental cost of the vehicle, to adjust the cost of the rental according to the presence or absence of security elements.

The system may further include telecommunication means for transmitting messages to the user.

• la figure 1 est une vue schématique d'un véhicule automobile doté d'un système de gestion conforme à l'invention ;
• la figure 2 illustre le fonctionnement d'un kit selon l'invention ainsi que son fonctionnement.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the following description, given solely by way of nonlimiting example, and with reference to the appended drawings in which:

• the figure 1 is a schematic view of a motor vehicle with a management system according to the invention;
• the figure 2 illustrates the operation of a kit according to the invention and its operation.

On the figure 1 , there is shown a motor vehicle V electric traction, for use in carsharing.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, and in no way limiting, the vehicle V is provided with a conversion kit for conversion of a conventional vehicle for use in carsharing.

It thus essentially comprises a management system comprising a management box 1 communicating with a set of functional elements and, in particular, a man / machine interface I intended to provide the driver with information relating to the use of the vehicle or to receive information entered by a user, and comprising a display screen 2 advantageously tactile, speakers 3a and 3b, a microphone 4 and an indicator 5 for informing the driver of the opening of the doors, an odometer 6 and an indicator 7 of vehicle autonomy according to the state of charge of the battery.

The management box 1 also communicates with a badge reader 8 intended to cooperate with a badge worn by the user, when the vehicle is taken over or when it is returned, as well as a GPS location-based receiver 11.

In the example shown, it also communicates with a window regulator device 9, a sensor 10 for detecting the opening of the access hatch to a charging socket of the vehicle, and with a geolocation system 11 (GPS ).

Referring also to the figure 2 , the management box 1 is also equipped with telecommunication equipment capable of communicating via a telecommunication network R with a central station C, so that the operator operator of a fleet of vehicles V is permanently able to locate the vehicles it manages, and permanently know their operating status, including their overall condition, speed, battery charge level, condition of doors, windows, or hatch access to the charging socket, namely open or closed. The remote monitoring center C is also capable of remotely controlling the housing 1 so as to issue remote commands, for example closing the doors and windows, folding the mirrors, or locking the vehicle.

As we see on the figure 1 the vehicle V is furthermore equipped with a safety kit K comprising, for example, a safety vest 13, a puncture-resistant bomb 14, a fire extinguisher 15, a warning triangle 16, a housing 17 with bulbs of signage, ...

These safety elements 13, ... 17, are intended to remain permanently in the vehicle.

As seen in these figures, each of these elements is provided with a badge, such as 18, capable of communicating, remotely, with the management box 1, via a transmitter / receiver 19.

These badges are equipped with chips or transponders, and communicate with the management box 1 to provide information regarding the presence of each security element.

For example, badges are based on RFID technology.

According to this technology, the management box 1 can, for example, during the return of the vehicle, interrogate the badge of each of the security elements supposed to be present in the vehicle, to which the badge responds.

When at least one of the security equipment is missing, this information is thus acquired by the management unit 1 which can subsequently retransmit it to the management center C. The operator can then send a message to the customer. user, for example by SMS ("Short Message System"), sent to the mobile phone T of the user inviting to restore the missing item.

In this regard, the management system may include means for managing the rental cost of the vehicle in order to adapt the pricing according to the absence or presence of each element.

It will be possible to incorporate these means of managing the rental cost in the housing 1 or at the central monitoring station.

It should be noted that the invention is not limited to the embodiment described above, in which the security elements communicate with the casing 1 by waves, for example radiofrequency.

Alternatively, any other type of technology enabling the badge 18 to communicate with the management box 1 could be used.

One could also use a simple presence sensor or, alternatively, provide to communicate each of the security equipment with the management unit 1 by a wired link.

Claims (8)

Motor vehicle safety kit intended to be used for carsharing or for hire, characterized in that it comprises a set of security elements (13, 14, 15, 16, 17), each security element comprising a means data transmission device (18) for communicating with a management box (1) of the operation of the vehicle, embarked on board said vehicle. Kit according to claim 1, characterized in that the data comprise presence data of the equipment. Kit according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the data comprises identification data of the type of equipment. Kit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the data transmission means comprise a wire link. Kit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the data transmission means comprise a wireless link. System for managing the operation of a motor vehicle (V) intended to be used for carsharing or to be rented, comprising a management box (1) on board the motor vehicle and communicating with a man / machine interface (2) intended to be used delivering to a user information or retrieving information entered by a user and with an identification reader, characterized in that it comprises a security kit according to any one of claims 1 to 5. System according to claim 6, characterized in that it comprises means for managing the rental cost of the vehicle to adjust the rental cost according to the presence or absence of the security elements. System according to one of claims 6 and 7, characterized in that it comprises telecommunication means for transmitting a message to the user.

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