One embodiment includes an engine block heating system. The engine block heating system includes a battery bank. The battery bank is configured to supply at least 2.25 KWatt-hours of energy before needing to be recharged. The battery bank is configured to be mounted in a vehicle comprising an engine block heater. The system further includes interface configured to connect to electrical connections of the engine block heater. The interface comprises an inverter is configured to supply at least 1500 Watts of power to the engine block heater. The engine block heating system is configured to selectively supply power from the battery bank to the engine block heater. The system further includes control circuitry coupled to the interface. The control circuitry stores a user-defined schedule to selectively control when the interface electrically connects the battery bank to the engine block heater.

A motor vehicle includes at least one camera capturing images of an environment outside of the motor vehicle. A proximity sensor detects an object disposed adjacent to the motor vehicle. An electronic processor receives the images captured by the at least one camera, and receives a proximity signal from the proximity sensor. The proximity signal is indicative of whether an object is disposed adjacent to the motor vehicle. The electronic processor determines, based upon the images captured by the at least one camera and the proximity signal, whether the motor vehicle is disposed within an enclosure. The electronic processor receives an engine start request signal that has been wirelessly transmitted by a user. In response to receiving the engine start request signal, the electronic processor causes the engine start system to start an engine of the motor vehicle when the motor vehicle is not disposed within an enclosure.

An access system for an object with a transmission unit arranged in the object and a transponder unit arranged in a portable device. The transmission unit emits request signals at regular intervals. The transponder unit, in response to a triggering event, stores a current position of the object and determines its own position at regular intervals. The transponder unit deactivates the transmission unit when the transponder unit detects, based on the determined position, that the transponder unit has left a first zone, wherein the first zone is arranged around the object, and wherein the transmission unit does not emit any request signals while the transmission unit is deactivated. The transponder unit furthermore activates the transmission unit when the transponder unit detects, based on the determined position, that the transponder unit has entered an adjusted first zone, wherein the adjusted first zone is arranged around the object.

An assembly for an engine includes a control module including a controller operable to control at least certain aspects of the operation of the engine, a display including an input connected to the controller, and a wireless receiver connected to the controller. The wireless receiver is arranged to receive a signal from a wireless device to cause the controller to send an engine start signal to cause starting of the engine and wherein the input when actuated causes the controller to send an engine start signal to cause starting of the engine. In at least some implementations, no keyed ignition switch is provided to start the engine and the engine is started only via the wireless device or the input.

A motor vehicle includes at least one camera capturing images of an environment outside of the motor vehicle. A proximity sensor detects an object disposed adjacent to the motor vehicle. An electronic processor receives the images captured by the at least one camera, and receives a proximity signal from the proximity sensor. The proximity signal is indicative of whether an object is disposed adjacent to the motor vehicle. The electronic processor determines, based upon the images captured by the at least one camera and the proximity signal, whether the motor vehicle is disposed within an enclosure. The electronic processor receives an engine start request signal that has been wirelessly transmitted by a user. In response to receiving the engine start request signal, the electronic processor causes the engine start system to start an engine of the motor vehicle when the motor vehicle is not disposed within an enclosure.

A control device is configured to control a vehicle in which an engine is able to be started in response to a request signal transmitted from the outside of the vehicle. The control device includes a controller. The controller acquires the result of detection about the vehicle state of the vehicle from a first sensor group including one or more sensors able to detect the vehicle state of the vehicle before the engine of the vehicle is started in response to the request signal, starts the engine in a case where the vehicle state satisfies a first condition including a condition relating to a range of a transmission of the vehicle, and does not start the engine in a case where the vehicle state does not satisfy the first condition.

Methods and systems for operating an engine with an electrically heated catalyst and an electrically driven compressor are described. In one example, the electrically driven compressor and the electrically heated catalyst are activated before an engine start so that vehicle emissions may be reduced more efficiently at engine starting and thereafter.

A method of controlling operation of an engine includes providing power to a control module and/or a controller included in the control module, providing an engine start input where the engine start input is communicated with the controller, determining or detecting actuation of the engine start input, sending a signal from the controller to begin an engine starting procedure to start the engine, providing multiple engine operating mode inputs via the module, determining or detecting actuation of one of the engine operating mode inputs, and controlling the engine in accordance with one or more predetermined engine control instructions associated with the engine operating mode that is associated with the actuated engine operating input.

In response to a triggering event, changing a vehicle remote engine start system from a first state to a second state. In the first state a remote engine start mode, a drive engine of the vehicle and a plurality of vehicle functions are deactivated. In the second state the remote engine start mode, at least one of the plurality of vehicle functions and the drive engine of the vehicle are activated. After activating the remote engine start mode, a timer is incremented or decremented from a predetermined start value. If the timer has not elapsed and the presence of a user is detected, the remote engine start system changes to a third state in which the last timer value and the current state of the remote engine start mode are stored and then the remote engine start mode and the timer are stopped, wherein the drive engine remains switched on.

A system and method for controlling the remote starting of a vehicle are provided to determine whether the remote starting is possible by comparing a parking lever operating force measured by a sensor with a reference parking lever operating force corrected in consideration of the durability degradation of a parking system. The method includes sensing a driving distance of the vehicle, operating times of a parking lever, a road inclination, and a parking lever operating force, when the vehicle is parked. Whether the remote starting is possible is determined by comparing a magnitude of the parking lever operating force with a magnitude of a reference parking lever operating force.