A method for activating a pre acclimatization system of the passenger compartment of a vehicle includes monitoring an operational state of the vehicle, including a first state in which the vehicle is on and a second state in which the vehicle is off. In the second state, the method includes monitoring a plurality of conditions, the conditions selected from a group including current time and date, a driver appointment schedule, a historical database, wherein said monitoring step is performed by a system controller incorporated into the vehicle. The method further includes determining the most probable time of departure of the vehicle from a present location based on said plurality of conditions monitored by said system controller, suggesting time of departure to driver, monitoring reply from driver, setting timer for activating said pre acclimatization according to reply from driver, and activating sleep mode for the vehicle systems.

There is provided a passenger compartment structure that can save power while ensuring thermal comfort of an occupant. The passenger compartment structure allows control of thermal comfort of the occupant in a posture seated on a seat. The passenger compartment structure includes a layered structure constituting at least part of an interior member disposed at a position where the interior member is able to face a lower leg of the occupant. The layered structure disposed in each of a front middle portion, a front lower portion, a frontal lower portion, and a right surface front upper portion having a high geometric factor for the lower leg includes a surface layer, a structural parent layer, and a temperature control mechanism layer interposed between the surface layer and the structural parent layer.

Heating and/or cooling a vehicle interior, and in particular a steering wheel, may include receiving a heating/cooling request, automatically directing heated/cooled air from an HVAC duct through louvers adjacent to a steering wheel into a passenger compartment, and automatically rotating the steering wheel back-and-forth to change the location where the heated/cooled air is blown onto the steering wheel. This may include automatically telescoping and automatically tilting the steering wheel as well. Moreover, an infrared camera may be employed to determine where best to rotate the steering wheel for heating/cooling.

A climate-controlled hand grip assembly that uses one or more air jets or air channels directed at a tangent to an outer surface of the hand grip assembly. The outer surface may be curved and the air flow path may bend with the curve to provide a film of conditioned air along the outer surface that spreads beyond the point of origin of the air flow path. An exemplary embodiment of a steering wheel device with a rim and spokes is disclosed wherein the outer surface of the rim, spokes or both can be enveloped with conditioned air using a Coanda Effect.

A vehicle temperature control system includes: an air conditioning unit configured to cool and heat an interior of a vehicle; a first thermoelectric module mounted in a steering wheel of the vehicle and configured to be selectively heated or cooled; a second thermoelectric module mounted in a seat of the vehicle and configured to be selectively heated or cooled; and an integrated control unit configured to integrally control the air conditioning unit, the first thermoelectric module, and the second thermoelectric module, thereby obtaining an advantageous effect of improving temperature control efficiency and energy efficiency.

A vehicle compartment temperature control device includes: a first interior member including a temperature control mechanism layer that can adjust the temperature of a leg of the occupant in a first region, that is, a front portion and the like. The vehicle compartment temperature control device also includes a second interior member disposed above the first interior member and including a temperature control mechanism layer in a second region, that is, a steering and the like that can adjust the temperature of a part above the leg and is different from the temperature control mechanism layer in the first region. The vehicle compartment temperature control device also includes an ECU. The ECU performs control such that the temperature of the temperature control mechanism layer in the first region is higher than the temperature of the temperature control mechanism layer in the second region.

A heating apparatus for a vehicle includes an air heating unit configured to heat air conditioning air to be sent into a vehicle cabin, a contact heating unit configured to heat a member that is in contact with a body of an occupant in the vehicle cabin, and an electronic control unit. A heat source of the air heating unit and a heat source of the contact heating unit each are supplied with an electric power from one or more batteries. The electronic control unit is configured to decrease an electric power that is supplied to the heat source of the air heating unit when the heat source of the contact heating unit is on as compared to an electric power that is supplied to the heat source of the air heating unit when the heat source of the contact heating unit is off.

A steering-wheel ventilation device for a vehicle includes a steering wheel, a ventilation device which is arranged behind the steering wheel and has a ventilation duct which has a first outlet for discharging an air flow directly towards a vehicle occupant sitting in front of the steering wheel and a second outlet for discharging a diffuse air flow. The ventilation duct is configured to discharge an air flow either via the first outlet and/or the second outlet.

A steering module includes a steering wheel which is provided in front of a driver seat, a column cover which is provided on a vehicle front side of the steering wheel, extends in a forward and rearward direction of a vehicle, and has a functional component mounting region in at least one of an inner inside and an upper portion thereof, and a meter member which is formed integrally with the column cover and includes a main display portion disposed at a position spaced apart from the column cover.

A steering wheel for a motor vehicle is provided, wherein the steering wheel includes a steering-wheel rim, a steering-wheel center, at least one steering-wheel spoke connecting the steering-wheel rim and the steering-wheel center, and an air duct. The air duct is designed to duct an air flow, generated by a ventilation system of the motor vehicle. The air duct comprises at least one air outlet, which is designed in such a way that in the fitted state of the steering wheel the air flow emerging from the air outlet meets a windshield of the motor vehicle. A motor vehicle having the steering wheel is furthermore provided.