Vehicle sensor systems include modular sensor kits having one or more pods (e.g., sensor roof pods) and/or one or more bumpers (e.g., sensor bumpers). The sensor roof pods are configured to couple to a vehicle. A sensor roof pod may be positioned atop a vehicle proximate a front of the vehicle, proximate a back of the vehicle, or at any position along a top side of the vehicle being coupled, for example, using a mounting shim or a tripod. The sensor roof pods can include sensors (e.g., LIDAR sensors, cameras, ultrasonic sensors, etc.), processing units, control systems (e.g., temperature and/or environmental control systems), and communication devices (e.g., networking and/or wireless devices).

An obstacle warning apparatus in a vehicle specifies a position of an obstacle relative to the vehicle based on a detection result by an obstacle sensor. A warning determination section determines whether a warning about the obstacle needs to be executed, based on the specified position of the obstacle. The warning determination section determines that the warning about the obstacle does not need to be executed when an overlap determination section determines that a vehicle range overlaps with a range where the obstacle exists.

The ultrasonic sensor includes a wave transmitting and receiving device and a cover. The wave transmitting and receiving device has a front surface including a wave transmitting and receiving surface and is configured to transmit and receive an ultrasonic wave through the wave transmitting and receiving surface. The cover covers the wave transmitting and receiving device so as to expose the wave transmitting and receiving surface. The cover is constituted by multiple portions, and the multiple portions are individually made of multiple materials different from each other.

An ultrasonic sensor device including a plurality of ultrasonic sensors and a control unit for operating the ultrasonic sensors, the control unit being configured to activate selectively either a first group of the ultrasonic sensors or a second group of the ultrasonic sensors at the same time, so that the activated ultrasonic sensors emit an ultrasonic signal, each ultrasonic sensor of the first group being situated adjacent to at least one ultrasonic sensor of the second group and each ultrasonic sensor of the second group being situated adjacent to at least one ultrasonic sensor of the first group, and the control unit being configured to operate adjacent active ultrasonic sensors using different frequency-modulated excitation patterns.

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.

An ultrasonic sensor is provided with an ultrasonic element that converts between an electrical signal and an ultrasonic vibration and an element accommodating case having a bottomed cylindrical shape and accommodating the ultrasonic element inside thereof. The element accommodating case includes a side plate portion formed in a cylindrical shape that surrounds a directional center axis, and a bottom plate portion that closes one end side of the side plate portion in an axial direction which is parallel to the directional center axis. The ultrasonic element is attached to the bottom plate portion. The bottom plate portion includes at least one protrusion. The protrusions vibrate together with the bottom plate portion when the bottom plate portion vibrates as an ultrasonic vibration.

An object detection device that detects an object existing around a moving body moving on a road surface by a TOF method, the object detection device includes: a first acquisition unit that acquires target information including distance information of a detection target on the basis of a comparison result between a signal level of a reflected wave and a first threshold value; a second acquisition unit that acquires road surface information including distance information of the road surface on the basis of a comparison result between the signal level of the reflected wave and a second threshold value; and a setting unit that sets the second threshold value so that an amount of the distance information acquired within a predetermined period does not exceed a predetermined amount.

A mounting structure for a vicinity information detection sensor, comprising: an apron upper member arranged along a vehicle front-and-rear direction at a vehicle width direction outer side of a vehicle front portion; and a vicinity information detection sensor equipped with a detection unit that detects vicinity information of the vehicle, the vicinity information detection sensor being mounted to the apron upper member, directly or via a bracket, such that the detection unit is oriented to the vehicle outer side.

An ultrasonic sensor includes: an ultrasonic element provided to transmit or receive an ultrasonic wave propagating along a directional axis; and an element housing case that includes a case diaphragm having a thickness direction along the directional axis. A resonant space is defined between the case diaphragm and the ultrasonic element for the propagating wave, by housing the ultrasonic element while separating the ultrasonic element from the case diaphragm. A horn shape is defined in the element housing case in which a width of the resonant space in a direction orthogonal to the directional axis is reduced as the resonant space extends in an axial direction parallel to the directional axis.

Systems and techniques are described that provide automated parking assistance for a vehicle. In some implementations, a parking assistance apparatus includes a frequency generator configured to generate a first frequency and a second frequency, and generate at least one synthesized frequency that is synthesized from the first frequency and the second frequency. The apparatus also includes a piezoelectric converter configured to, using piezoelectric effects, transmit ultrasonic waves having the at least one synthesized frequency, and receive reflected ultrasonic waves that result from the transmitted ultrasonic waves being reflected by an object. The apparatus also includes a filter unit configured to detect a predetermined frequency from the reflected ultrasonic waves.