A window wiper system includes a wiper assembly, a window moisture sensor, a wiper torque sensor and a control module. The control module is responsive to the window moisture sensor and the torque sensor to control the operation of the window wiper assembly.

An exterior rear-view assembly for a vehicle has at least one reflective element and at least one camera fixedly secured to a backing plate and movable therewith. A heating device having at least one heatable element is between the backing plate and the reflective element. The heatable element is divided into first and second regions, wherein the first and second regions are subjected to different heating output over time. At least one information element and at least one window for electromagnetic radiation are disposed in the second region and are visible before the entire reflective element is defrosted.

A climate control system having a housing with an air inlet, a cooling element for providing cooled air, a heating element located downstream of the cooling element, a cold air duct for directing cooled air located downstream, a bypass duct for directing cooled air located downstream of the cooling element, a hot air duct for directing heated air, a first mixing chamber for mixing cooled air from the cold air duct and heated air from the hot air duct into blended air, a second mixing chamber located downstream of the bypass duct and downstream of the first mixing chamber for mixing cooled air from the bypass duct and blended air from the first mixing chamber, an air outlet located downstream of the second mixing chamber for delivering air to a passenger compartment, and an air deflector device is located downstream of the bypass duct.

A motor vehicle windshield wiper system includes a windshield wiper and a controller. The controller is configured, in response to a threat of freezing precipitation, to park the windshield wiper in a parked position with a first end of the windshield wiper oriented toward a top edge of the windshield and a second end of the windshield wiper oriented toward a bottom edge of the windshield. A related method of minimizing ice and snow buildup on a windshield wiper is also disclosed.

A method and apparatus for detecting an obstructed surface are provided. The apparatus includes: at least one memory comprising computer executable instructions; and at least one processor configured to read and execute the computer executable instructions. The computer executable instructions cause the at least one processor to: detect a current draw from a generator; determine that a surface including a conductive coating is obstructed in response to the current draw being greater than a predetermined threshold; and output a signal to perform a function in response to determining that the surface is obstructed.

A cleaning device for cleaning a see-through area of a motor vehicle, the cleaning device having at least one supply line and at least one cleaning nozzle configured to be fed with a cleaning fluid via the at least one supply line. The cleaning device has a flow energy converter configured to generate electrical energy and/or heat as the cleaning fluid flows across and/or through it.

Electroacoustic device (5) comprising: an ultrasonic wave transducer (15) comprising a piezoelectric substrate (10) and first (30) and second (35) electrodes in contact with the piezoelectric substrate, and a carrier (10), the transducer being attached to the carrier and acoustically coupled to the carrier, and the first and second electrodes being sandwiched, at least partly, between the piezoelectric substrate and the carrier, the device being configured to generate an ultrasonic surface wave (W) propagating through the carrier at a distance from the transducer when an electric current passes through the first and second electrodes.

A roof module for forming a vehicle roof on a motor vehicle, the roof module having a panel component, whose outer surface forms at least sections of a roof skin of the motor vehicle, the roof skin acting as an outer sealing surface of the roof module, the roof module having at least one environment sensor which sends and/or receives electromagnetic signals for charting the vehicle environment via a see-through area and having at least one cleaning apparatus by which the see-through area is cleaned. The cleaning apparatus may have an essentially oblong nozzle body having a plurality of ejection nozzles and/or flow guiding contour formed by the panel component or by the environment sensor.

A stereo camera includes a first lens and a second lens, a first light shield unit and a second light shield unit respectively provided at front sides of the first and second lenses to shield light incident on the first and second lenses, a first fan and a second fan respectively provided at the sides of the first and second lenses to defrost a windshield of a vehicle, and a front case in which the first and second light shield units are provided at both sides of a main body. The first and second light shield units are attachable to or detachable from the front case, a width of the first light shield unit is less than a length thereof and is greater than a height thereof, and a distance between the first and second lenses is greater than the width of the first light shield unit.

Methods and apparatus for ultrasonic lens cleaner using configurable filter banks are disclosed. In certain described examples, the methods and apparatus can expel fluid from a droplet on an optical surface using an ultrasonic transducer mechanically coupled to the optical surface and having first and second resonant frequency bands.