A method of using a directional sensor for the purposes of detecting the presence of a vehicle or an object within a zone of interest on a roadway or in a parking space. The method comprises the following steps: transmitting a microwave transmit pulse of less than 5 feet; radiating the transmitted pulse by a directional antenna system; receiving received pulses by an adjustable receive window; integrating or combining signals from multiple received pulses; amplifying and filtering the integrated receive signal; digitizing the combined signal; comparing the digitized signal to at least one preset or dynamically computed threshold values to determine the presence or absence of an object in the field of view of the sensor; and providing at least one pulse generator with rise and fall times of less than 3 ns each and capable of generating pulses less than 10 ns in duration.

A structure securely attaches a component to an opening portion in a plate-shaped member without stripping or turning over the member. Each of a pair of mount members includes a first engagement portion engaged with a rear surface of the plate-shaped member and a second engagement portion engaged with the component. The component includes projecting portions to be fitted between the mount members, thus the component can be fixed against coming off by engagement of the second engagement portion and the component. The projecting portions inhibit the mount members engaged with the opening portion from moving, thereby preventing the mount members from coming off the opening portion. Since the fitting member is fitted between the second engagement portions, the fitting member inhibits the second engagement portions from moving to come closer to each other, and from disengagement from the component, thereby more securely preventing the component from coming off.

Systems for altering vehicle functions are provided. A system for altering a vehicle function includes one or more processors, one or more memory modules communicatively coupled to the one or more processors, and machine readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules. When executed by the one or more processors, the machine readable instructions may cause the system to determine a presence of a roof mounted article on a vehicle and disable at least one movable roof member function in response to the determination. In some embodiments, in response to determining that the vehicle is proximate a structure and determining the presence of the vehicle mounted article on the vehicle, the system may generate a notification pertaining to the vehicle mounted article. In some embodiments, the system may provide navigation assistance based on the determination that the vehicle mounted article is present on the vehicle.

Systems, methods and apparatuses are disclosed for assessing whether a vehicle will make contact with an obstacle. The systems, methods, and apparatuses may include an obstacle sensing component configured to determine a location and a dimension of an obstacle, a vehicle sensing component configured to determine a height of a point of the vehicle relative to the ground, and a notification component configured to provide an indication of a presence of the obstacle to assist a human driver or an automated driving system in parking the vehicle without making contact with the obstacle.

A rear closure obstacle detection system is provided for a motor vehicle. The rear closure detection system includes an obstacle detector, an indicator and a controller. The controller is configured to activate the rear obstacle detection system and detect an obstacle to the opening of the rear closure while the motor vehicle is actively being parked.

A driving assistance system includes a drive detection component, a presence component, and a notification component. The drive detection component is configured to determine that a vehicle or driver is exiting or preparing to exit a parking location. The presence component is configured to determine, from a drive history database, whether a parking barrier is present in front of or behind the parking location. The notification component is configured to provide an indication that the parking barrier is present to a human driver or an automated driving system of the vehicle.

A method and system of providing information and directions to truck drivers in relation to the availability of specifically marked parking places within a certain highway truck stop area is provided. Such a method includes the utilization of properly placed sensors working in combination with a particular algorithm to provide reliable information in terms of actual availability of such spaces as well as indications as to the actual size of the vehicles parked within such spaces at specific times. As such, this system accords a manner of properly notifying truck drivers of the availability of parking spaces along a highway from a distance, as well as the potential to reserve such spaces on demand. Additionally, then, the ability to indicate the presence of a smaller vehicle that attempts to utilize such a parking space in unauthorized fashion may be handled within a remote platform.

A method and system are provided for controlling parking. The method includes measuring a road surface friction coefficient or an inclination angle of a road surface and detecting a parking braking force by a parking motor of a parking system. A minimum parking braking force necessary for the parking is calculated using at least one of the road surface friction coefficient, the inclination angle, and a vehicle weight. The parking braking force and the minimum parking braking force are then compared to determine whether the parking is possible.

There is provided a parking aid control system (110) and method (600) for a vehicle (200). The control system (110) is configured to receive proximity data (125) indicative of a location of one or more objects (400) in an environment of the vehicle. The control system (110) is configured to output, to a parking aid interface (500) of the vehicle, parking aid data (135) indicative of the location of at least some of the one or more objects (400). A cancellation signal (155) is received indicative of a user input for inhibiting the parking aid interface (500). A gear change signal (145) is received, the gear change signal (145) being indicative of a change in a gear selection of the vehicle. The control system (110) is configured to suppress the inhibition of the parking aid interface in dependence on the gear change signal (145).

A control system and method for a vehicle having a warning function are provided. The system includes a control device that is configured to determine whether an amplifier is installed within the vehicle based on an occurrence of an alert situation. The control device is configured to transmit an alarm sound to an amplifier when the amplifier is installed therein and transmit the alarm sound to a cluster speaker when the amplifier is not installed within the vehicle. The amplifier is configured to transmit amplifier installation information to the control device and output an alarm sound received from the control device and the cluster speaker is configured to output the alarm sound received from the control device.