Configurable rental vehicle

摘要

A rental vehicle has features that can be activated or deactivated wirelessly. Additional features can be purchased and activated after a customer has paid for an initial set of features and started to use the vehicle. Configuration of the vehicle is automated by transmitting a configuration message to the vehicle.

主权项

1. A method of wirelessly configuring a vehicle for enabling use by a user of a specified function for a specified time period, comprising:
receiving a request at a control center from the user to configure the vehicle, the request specifying at least one function which the user wishes to have available, and generating a configuration message for wireless communication to the vehicle in response to the request, the configuration message specifying a time period for activation of the specified function; and wirelessly receiving the configuration message at a control unit of the vehicle and activating the specified function of the vehicle for the specified time period in response to the configuration message.