A radar antenna assembly suitable to mount atop a vehicle as part of a radar system for the vehicle includes a horizontal array and a vertical array. The horizontal array is configured to preferentially detect objects in a forward area and a rearward area about the vehicle. The vertical array is configured to preferentially detect objects in a leftward area and a rightward area about the vehicle. The horizontal array and the vertical array cooperate to detect an object in a panoramic area that surrounds the vehicle.

A vehicle sensor system includes a first sensor pod mounted to a pillar structure of the vehicle and a second sensor pod mounted to the pillar structure. A sensor pod deployment mechanism is operatively coupled to the first sensor pod and to the second sensor pod for deploying the first and second sensor pods from the pillar structure. The deployment mechanism is operable to move the first sensor pod between a stowed position and a deployed position of the first pod, and operable to move the second sensor pod between a stowed position and a deployed position of the second pod.

Example embodiments relate to range calibration of light detectors. An example method includes emitting a first light signal toward a first region of a calibration target having a first reflectivity and detecting a reflection of the first light signal. The detected reflection of the first light signal has a first intensity. The example method further includes emitting a second light signal toward a second region of the calibration target having a second reflectivity and detecting a reflection of the second light signal from the second region of the calibration target. The detected reflection of the second light signal has a second intensity. Still further, the example method includes determining a first apparent range based on the detected reflection of the first light signal, determining a second apparent range based on the detected reflection of the second light signal, and generating walk-error calibration data for the detector.

Automotive radar methods and systems for enhancing resistance to interference using a built-in self-test (BIST) module. In one illustrative embodiment, an automotive radar transceiver includes: a signal generator that generates a transmit signal; a modulator that derives a modulated signal from the transmit signal using at least one of phase and amplitude modulation; at least one receiver that mixes the transmit signal with a receive signal to produce a down-converted signal, the receive signal including the modulated signal during a built-in self-test (BIST) mode of operation; and at least one transmitter that drives a radar antenna with a selectable one of the transmit signal and the modulated signal.

A roof module for forming a vehicle roof on a motor vehicle may have a panel component whose outer surface at least partially forms a roof skin of the vehicle roof; at least one environment sensor configured to send and/or receive electromagnetic signals for detecting the vehicle environment and disposed at least partially below the roof skin formed by the panel component; and a cooling feature configured to discharge waste heat emitted by the environment sensor and/or externally introduced heat from the environment sensor. The cooling feature may have at least one cooling channel in which at least two cooling fans are disposed, the cooling fans being connected to at least one controller of the cooling feature.

A sensor assembly includes a housing including an outlet. The sensor assembly includes a sensor window, the sensor window fixed relative to the housing, and the outlet aimed across the sensor window. The sensor assembly includes a flap rotatably coupled to the housing at the outlet. The sensor assembly a deflector covering the flap, the flap disposed between the outlet and the deflector and rotatable toward and away from the deflector.

Vehicles can include systems and apparatus for performing signal processing on sensor data from radar(s) and LiDAR(s) located on the vehicles. A method includes obtaining and filtering radar point cloud data of an area in an environment in which a vehicle is operating on a road to obtain filtered radar point cloud data; obtaining a light detection and ranging point cloud data of at least some of the area, where the light detection and ranging point cloud data include information about a bounding box that surrounds an object on the road; determining a set of radar point cloud data that are associated with the bounding box that surrounds the object; and causing the vehicle to operate based on one or more characteristics of the object determined from the set of radar point cloud data.

Various embodiments of the invention provide methods, systems, and computer program products for monitoring a landscape surrounding an object such as a vehicle and signaling neighboring objects, such as other vehicles or pedestrians, as to whether it is safe or not to move around the object. Specifically, a portion of landscape surrounding an object is monitored using a network of object recognition devices that are capable of recognizing objects against the portion of landscape. A first object is detected by one of the devices and a determination is made as to whether the first object is at a distance to allow a second object to move safely around the object and avoid the first object. Upon determining the first object is not at such a distance, a message is displayed that can be viewed by the second object conveying to the second object not to move around the object.

Vehicle body panels and systems are described. A vehicle body panel may include at least one layer of material defining the vehicle body panel and one or more than one electronic device, where a portion of each electronic device is embedded within one or more than one of the at least one layer of material. Each electronic device may communicate with a control system or a vehicle control unit of the vehicle to support an advanced-feature functionality of the vehicle. At least one electronic device may include a first portion embedded within the one or more than one of the at least one layer of material. The first portion may be couplable to a second portion, not embedded within the material, where the first portion upon being coupled to the second portion communicates with the control system or the vehicle control unit of the vehicle to support the advanced-feature functionality.

In accordance with various embodiments, methods, systems, and vehicles are provided for determining an environment of vehicles. In one embodiment, a vehicle includes a body, a plurality of sensors, and a processor. The plurality of sensors are disposed onboard the vehicle, and is configured to at least facilitate transmitting signals from a vehicle and receiving return signals at the vehicle after the transmitted signals have contacted one or more objects. The processor is disposed onboard the vehicle, and is coupled to the plurality of sensors. The processor is configured to at least facilitate identifying one or more parameters of the return signals; comparing the one or more parameters with historical data stored in a memory; and determining an environment of the vehicle based at least in part on the comparison of the one or more parameters with the historical data.