A sensor protection device is configured to protect an environmental sensor of a vehicle. The sensor protection device includes a protector that is disposed to face the environmental sensor and configured to be movable with respect to the environmental sensor and includes a movement mechanism configured to provide power to the protector. The movement mechanism has a structure to move the protector.

Energy management techniques for heating or cooling a surface of a component of a vehicle comprise determining a heating lag time indicative of a lag time for a surface element of the vehicle component to heat to a first target temperature in response to a power on-off or power off-on modulation of a heat transfer component, determining a cooling lag time indicative of a lag time for the surface element to cool to a second target temperature in response to a power on-off or power off-on modulation of the heat transfer component, and controlling power-on and power-off times of the heat transfer component based on the determined heating and cooling lag times so as to not require a temperature sensor for feedback-based temperature control.

The invention relates to a cleaning device (20) for a lens glass (10) in particular of a vehicle, with an optically transparent lens glass (10), with a hydrophobic and dirt-repelling, optically transparent coating (25), which is applied on an outer side (11) of the lens glass (10), with at least one vibration element (21), which is coupled with the lens glass (10), wherein the at least one vibration element (21) can be activated by a control device (40), and with an optically transparent anti-fog device (30), which is arranged at an inner side (12) of the lens glass (10). Furthermore, a vehicle with at least one cleaning device (20) is specified within the scope of the invention.

A method for determining a cleaning strategy for cleaning a surface to be cleaned of a motor vehicle. The surface to be cleaned is selected in dependence of a cleaning mode. A sensor is operatively connected to the surface to be cleaned. The sensor exhibits an actual availability. The cleaning strategy exhibits a control quantity setpoint defining a cleaning process for the surface to be cleaned. Moreover, the method relates to a cleaning method, a use of a cleaning strategy, a cleaning system and a motor vehicle.

A vehicle sensor device (1) includes an outer cover (12), a sensor unit (20) that transmits and receives an electromagnetic wave through the outer cover (12) and outputs a signal related to the electromagnetic wave incident on an inner side of the outer cover (12), a heater (30) that is provided in the outer cover (12) and heats a transmission region (AR) of the outer cover (12) through which the electromagnetic wave emitted from the sensor unit (20) passes, and a control unit (CO). The control unit (CO) outputs a detection signal of an object located outside the outer cover (12) based on the signal from the sensor unit (20) in at least a part of a period in which the heater (30) is OFF, and stops outputting of the detection signal in at least a part of a period in which the heater (30) is ON.

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.

A self-cleaning sensor system of a motor vehicle includes an object sensor having a lens surface facing a region located external to the motor vehicle. The object sensor generates a signal associated with an image or a video of the region. The system further includes multiple lens treatment devices for applying remedies for removing an obscurity formed on the lens surface. The system further includes a computer having one or more processors and a computer readable medium storing instructions. The processor is programmed to determine a classification of the obscurity, in response to the processor receiving the signal from the object sensor. The processor is further programmed to generate an actuation signal, and the associated lens treatment device applies the remedy, in response to the associated lens treatment device receiving the actuation signal from the processor.

A method of keeping a viewing area through a transparent element of an optical monitoring device clear, comprising: forming a closed film of a liquid on the transparent element, and coupling ultrasonic waves into the transparent element. The loosening of contaminations and/or adhesions to the transparent element is promoted by the ultrasonic waves coupled into the liquid film and/or the transparent element.

A method of keeping a viewing area through a transparent element of an optical monitoring device clear, comprising: forming a closed film of a liquid on the transparent element, and coupling ultrasonic waves into the transparent element. The loosening of contaminations and/or adhesions to the transparent element is promoted by the ultrasonic waves coupled into the liquid film and/or the transparent element.

A vehicle includes: a front camera configured to capture an image in front of the vehicle through a windshield of the vehicle; a front visibility recognition unit configured to recognize a degree of deterioration of front visibility through the windshield based on captured image of the front camera; a foreign object removing unit configured to remove a surface abnormality of a rear window that deteriorates rear visibility through the rear window of the vehicle; and a rear visibility control unit configured to operate the foreign object removing unit to remove the surface abnormality of the rear window based on the degree of deterioration of the front visibility.