There is provided a method for actuating a component of a vehicle. The method may include applying an initial force to the component to actuate the component, and generating a movement indicator based on whether the component moves in response to the initial force. Moreover, the method may include receiving a freezing indicator associated with a likelihood of the component being immobilized due to freezing. If the movement indicator is negative and the freezing indicator is affirmative, the method also includes applying an adjusted force to the component to mobilize the component.

An embodiment system includes an actuator mounted in a housing and configured to be operated in response to a connection state of a charging cable, a lever arm rotatably provided outside the housing and configured to be rotated in conjunction with operation of the actuator, a debris removal unit configured to remove debris on the lever arm, and a controller configured to control the operation of the actuator in response to the connection state of the charging cable being a connected state or a released state and to control the debris removal unit to remove the debris on the lever arm in response to an operational state according to the operation of the actuator deviating from a normal range.

A motor-driven cover device for covering and releasing a charging port arranged on the vehicle body of an electric vehicle with respect to a vehicle exterior. A cover plate can cover the charging port in a closed state, a motor can be operatively connected to the cover plate for driving an opening movement and a closing movement of the cover plate. A force transmission device can transmit a motor power for carrying out the opening movement and closing movement of the cover plate. A guide element can guide the cover plate along a movement path during the opening and closing movement of the cover plate. The cover plate can be moved along the vehicle body in a motor-driven manner during the opening and closing movement, the vehicle body covering the cover plate at least partially with respect to the vehicle exterior in an open state of the cover device.

An actuating apparatus for a flap which is mounted on a component for movement has a first actuating element, fastenable fixedly to the flap so as to rotate with it, and a second actuating element, fastenable to the component, and rotatable about a first rotational axis, the second actuating element has a first end and a second end, the first end configured to interact with a drive, the second end has a first locking or release geometry, the first actuating element has a second locking or release geometry, the second actuating element can be rotated between a first orientation and a second orientation, wherein the first and second locking or release geometry are configured to interact such that, in the first orientation, the first actuating element is locked to the second actuating element and, in the second orientation, the first actuating element is released from the second actuating element.

The invention relates to an assembly module (20) for a motor vehicle (1), comprising an optical sensor system (30) which can be used a) to monitor a detection area (150) on the outside of the motor vehicle (1) in order to determine the proximity of a user (10), b) to emit a flash of laser light within the detection area (150), c) to detect a reflection of the flash of laser light (122) from the user (10) and d) to release a signal for carrying out an action on the motor vehicle (1) in the event a user (10) is detected in a predefined actuation area (180) within the detection area (150).

A charging connection device for an electrically powered vehicle with two adjacently arranged charging connections having one of the charging connections being a combined DC-AC charging connection with two types of contact elements and a further charging connection is a DC charging connection or an AC charging connection or as a further DC-AC charging connection. The two adjacently arranged charging connections are electrically coupled via a common electrical path. The charging connection device includes at least two movably mounted charging connection covers, each assigned to one of charging connections. The charging connection covers each cover the corresponding charging connection in at least one covering position and at least partially release contact elements of the corresponding charging connection in at least one releasing position.

The present disclosure provides a charging port or fueling port cover assembly, including: a housing, a cover, and a linkage mechanism, wherein the housing has a working area and a linkage mating area; the cover is movable relative to the housing and has an open position and a closed position, the cover covers the working area in the closed position, and the cover exposes the working area in the open position; the linkage mechanism passes through the linkage mating area to be connected to the cover, and the linkage mechanism is movable in the linkage mating area to drive the cover to move between the open position and the closed position; and wherein the cover is translatable from one to the other of the open position and the closed position. The charging port or fueling port cover assembly in the present disclosure has a small thickness.

An operation input detection device includes: a side-surface proximity sensor that is provided at a lower side surface portion of a vehicle; and an operation input detection portion that detects an operation input based on a sensor output of the side-surface proximity sensor, wherein the operation input detection portion determines that the operation input is performed in a case where when a change in the sensor output indicating proximity of a detection object is detected, after a first peak is detected in an acceleration of the sensor output, a second peak is detected in the same direction as that of the first peak at a first predetermined interval that is set in advance.

Vehicle assemblies are provided that include movable door assemblies. Examples of vehicle assemblies with movable door assemblies include charge port housing assemblies and fuel fill housing assemblies. An exemplary vehicle assembly may include an override retainer. The override retainer may include a flexible flap or clip that is configured to deflect or otherwise distort to release a latching assembly from the door assembly when a manual override force is applied to the door assembly.

A vehicle includes an image acquisition unit, a cap provided on a body of the vehicle and configured to open and close a replenishing port for replenishing an energy source, a driving unit allowing the cap to be separated or connected from/to the body, and a controller configured to determine an intention of a user to replenish the energy source on the basis of an image acquired by the image acquisition unit, and control the driving unit such that the cap is automatically separated from the body in response to determining that the intention of the user to replenish the energy source exists.