In-vehicle communication through mobile device

Abstract

Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer readable media may be configured to facilitate communication with a passenger of a vehicle. A communication event for a passenger inside a vehicle may be detected. Responsive to a detection of the communication event, communication with the passenger may be facilitated via a mobile device of the passenger.

1 . A system, comprising:
 one or more processors; and   a memory storing instructions that responsive, at least in part, to execution by the one or more processors, cause the system to perform operations comprising:
 detecting a communication event associated with a passenger of a vehicle; and 
 causing one or more communication functionalities of a mobile device of the passenger to become enabled for communication with the passenger via the mobile device. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein causing the one or more communication functionalities of the mobile device to become enabled comprises providing an instruction to the passenger to launch an application on the mobile device that has access to and that is authorized to use the one or more communication functionalities of the mobile device. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the application is a first application, and wherein the instruction instructs the passenger to switch from a second application currently executing on the mobile device to the first application. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the instruction is provided via an output functionality of the vehicle. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the output functionality of the vehicle is a speaker or a display of the vehicle. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein causing the one or more communication functionalities of the mobile device to become enabled comprises remotely controlling the mobile device to enable the one or more communication functionalities of the mobile device. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more communication functionalities comprise a button functionality enabled by one or more physical or virtual buttons of the mobile device, and wherein the mobile device is configured to associate a respective response with each of the one or more buttons to a question presented to the passenger via an output functionality of the vehicle or an output functionality of the mobile device. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more communication functionalities of the mobile device include one or more of a microphone functionality, a speaker functionality, or a display functionality. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , the operations further comprising curtailing operation of one or more communication devices of the vehicle. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein curtailing operation of the one or more communication devices of the vehicle includes at least one of lowering a volume of at least one of one or more communication devices, muting the at least one of the one or more communication devices, or turning off the at least one of the one or more communication devices. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the communication event comprises one or more of: a change in route being taken by the vehicle, the vehicle not following a planned route for a trip, a delay in the trip, another passenger entering the vehicle, a road obstruction that affects movement of the vehicle, an emergency situation inside the vehicle, a remote person or a remote intelligent system indicating a desire or need to contact the passenger, or the passenger indicating a desire or need to contact the remote person or the remote intelligent system. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein detecting the communication event associated with the passenger comprises determining, based at least in part on at least one of information related to the vehicle or information related to the passenger, that one or more conditions are present that indicate occurrence of the communication event. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more communication functionalities comprise at least one output functionality and at least one input functionality that together enable two-way communication with the passenger via the mobile device. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more communication functionalities comprise at least one input functionality through which input is received from the passenger, and wherein information is outputted to the passenger via an output functionality of the vehicle. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein causing the one or more communication functionalities of the mobile device to become enabled comprises sending a notification to the mobile device that, responsive to selection by the passenger, enables communication with the passenger via the one or more communication functionalities of the mobile device. 
     
     
         16 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:
 detecting a communication event associated with a passenger of a vehicle; and   causing one or more communication functionalities of a mobile device of the passenger to become enabled for communication with the passenger via the mobile device.   
     
     
         17 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 16 , wherein causing the one or more communication functionalities of the mobile device to become enabled comprises providing an instruction to the passenger to launch an application on the mobile device that has access to and that is authorized to use the one or more communication functionalities of the mobile device. 
     
     
         18 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 16 , wherein causing the one or more communication functionalities of the mobile device to become enabled comprises remotely controlling the mobile device to enable the one or more communication functionalities of the mobile device. 
     
     
         19 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 16 , wherein the one or more communication functionalities comprise a button functionality enabled by one or more physical or virtual buttons of the mobile device, and wherein the mobile device is configured to associate a respective response with each of the one or more buttons to a question presented to the passenger via an output functionality of the vehicle or an output functionality of the mobile device. 
     
     
         20 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 16 , wherein detecting the communication event associated with the passenger comprises determining, based at least in part on at least one of information related to the vehicle or information related to the passenger, that one or more conditions are present that indicate occurrence of the communication event.