A vehicle cargo area door control system for a vehicle including at least one cargo area and at least one cargo area door. The control system includes one or more processors and a memory communicably coupled to the processors for storing a cargo area door control module. The door control module operates to, responsive to the generation or receipt of an instruction which will cause the vehicle to start moving, determine if all vehicle cargo area doors are closed. If at least one cargo area door is not closed, command(s) are generated to close the at least one cargo area door.

A method includes predicting an environmental condition at a location to which a vehicle is travelling, the environmental condition including at least one of water, dust, and pollution, determining that an object within the vehicle is at a distance greater than a threshold distance from an unobstructed window of the vehicle, and then actuating the unobstructed window to a closed position based on the environmental condition and the object being at the distance from the window greater than the threshold distance.

A method includes predicting an environmental condition at a location to which a vehicle is travelling, the environmental condition including at least one of water, dust, and pollution, determining that an object within the vehicle is at a distance greater than a threshold distance from an unobstructed window of the vehicle, and then actuating the unobstructed window to a closed position based on the environmental condition and the object being at the distance from the window greater than the threshold distance.

An apparatus can be used to control a door for a vehicle. A sensor unit is provided in the door and is configured to sense an object adjacent to a region outside of the door. A controller is configured to calculate a distance at which the object is positioned based on a signal received from the sensor unit and to control the door to be opened while the distance to the object is gradually reduced in a state where the door is closed, such that the object is sensed within a predetermined range.

An apparatus can be used to control a door for a vehicle. A sensor unit is provided in the door and is configured to sense an object adjacent to a region outside of the door. A controller is configured to calculate a distance at which the object is positioned based on a signal received from the sensor unit and to control the door to be opened while the distance to the object is gradually reduced in a state where the door is closed, such that the object is sensed within a predetermined range.

A bus includes a vehicle body, a plurality of doors, a weather seal, at least one sensor disposed inside the weather seal, wherein the at least one sensor capacitively couples to an electrically conductive moving object proximal to the weather seal such that the capacitance of the at least one sensor changes, and a controller coupled to the at least one sensor, the controller analyzing the sensing by the at least one sensor and being configured to alert an operator of the bus when the obstruction is present.

A bus includes a vehicle body, a plurality of doors, a weather seal, at least one sensor disposed inside the weather seal, wherein the at least one sensor capacitively couples to an electrically conductive moving object proximal to the weather seal such that the capacitance of the at least one sensor changes, and a controller coupled to the at least one sensor, the controller analyzing the sensing by the at least one sensor and being configured to alert an operator of the bus when the obstruction is present.

A parking assistance device includes: a traveling assistance control unit that causes a vehicle to automatically travel to a designated parking area and park the vehicle; a detection unit that detects whether or not a passenger carrying a terminal device enabling traveling control of the vehicle has performed a getting on and off action at a driver's seat of the vehicle; and an authority determination unit that determines whether a traveling control authority of the vehicle is to be attributed to the traveling assistance control unit or the passenger based on a detection result of the detection unit.

A parking assistance device includes: a traveling assistance control unit that causes a vehicle to automatically travel to a designated parking area and park the vehicle; a detection unit that detects whether or not a passenger carrying a terminal device enabling traveling control of the vehicle has performed a getting on and off action at a driver's seat of the vehicle; and an authority determination unit that determines whether a traveling control authority of the vehicle is to be attributed to the traveling assistance control unit or the passenger based on a detection result of the detection unit.

An automatic disengaging linkage system including a housing operably connectable to a garage door trolley and a garage door arm. The housing can define a main bore configured to receive a portion of the garage door arm. A ball can be receivable in a ball bore defined in the housing. A biasing member can be configured to force the ball in engagement with the garage door arm or an arm pin associated with the garage door arm. The ball or the biasing member can be configured to disengage with the garage door arm with the housing when a predetermined pulling force is applied to the housing. The garage door arm can automatically be disengaged with the housing upon encounter a sufficient pulling force that retracts the ball into its ball bore thereby allowing the garage door arm to move freely out from the main bore.