Method and apparatus are disclosed for a wake alarm for vehicles with an autonomous mode. An example disclosed vehicle includes a sensor and a camera to monitor a state of a driver, and a transition manager. The example transition manager, at a first transition location, provides notification to the driver and restores vehicle interior settings from autonomous mode preferences to manual mode preferences. Additionally, the example transition manager, at a second transition location, when the state of the driver indicates that the driver is alert, transfers control of the vehicle to the driver.