An automotive lighting device includes a housing and at least one optical sensor disposed in the housing. The at least one optical sensor is configured to emit an optical signal and generating a data signal in response to a received reflected optical signal.

A connector for connecting wiring of a towed vehicle lighting system to wiring of a towing vehicle lighting system so that lights on the towed vehicle are activated when corresponding lights on the towing vehicle are activated. The connector includes a plurality of terminals for connecting to the wiring of the towed vehicle and configured for coupling with terminals on a mating connector on the towing vehicle; a ground terminal for connecting to a ground wire on the towed vehicle and configured for coupling with a ground terminal on the mating connector on the towing vehicle; ground fault detection circuitry for detecting when the connector is not properly grounded to the towed vehicle; and an indicator coupled with the ground fault detection circuitry for indicating when the connector is not properly grounded to the towed vehicle.

A LIDAR system is provided. The LIDAR system may include at least one processor configured to: control at least one light deflector to deflect light from a plurality of light sources towards a region in a field of view while the at least one light deflector is in a particular instantaneous position; control the at least one light deflector such that while the at least one light deflector is at the particular instantaneous position, light reflections from the field of view are received on at least one common area along a plurality of return paths to at least one sensor; and receive from at least one of a plurality of light detectors included in the at least one sensor, signals associated with beam spots of the received light reflections, wherein each of the beam spots impinges on more than one of the plurality of light detectors.

A lighting device for a vehicle is provided. The lighting device includes a light source with which at least one of useful light or assist light can be emitted into the surroundings, a sensor with which at least one of useful light or assist light reflected by the surroundings can be at least partially detected, and an electronic unit for evaluating at least one of the useful light or assist light sensed by the sensor.

Provided is a vehicle control device mounted on a vehicle including headlights. The vehicle control device includes an environment recognition unit, an image generation unit, an image display unit, and an illumination range detector. The environment recognition unit acquires surrounding environment formation around the vehicle. The image generation unit generates, on a basis of the surrounding environment information, an environment image that includes forward environment information on environment forward of the own vehicle. The image display unit displays the environment image. The illumination range detector detects an illumination range, in which the illumination range is illuminated by the headlights. The environment image solely includes information acquired inside the illumination range.

A light source assembly with default safety function includes a laser source, an optical splitter, a fluorescent layer, an optical-electrical converter, and a voltage controller. The optical splitter has first solid portion, a second solid portion, and an optical transition. The fluorescent layer can absorb a laser and convert it into visible light. The optical-electrical converter receives a portion of the visible light and converts it into an electrical signal. The voltage controller applies a voltage to the optical splitter when no electrical signal converted from visible light is received. Refractive indexes of the first and second solid portions are equal when no voltage is applied to the optical splitter but refractive index of the first solid portion increases when voltage is applied to the optical splitter, thereby causing total reflection of the laser beam.

Various embodiments may relate to a lighting device, including at least one primary light source for generating primary light, a phosphor volume spaced apart from the at least one primary light source and serving for at least partly converting the primary light into secondary light having a different wavelength, at least one light sensor for detecting light generated by the at least one primary light source, and an evaluation unit for determining a case of damage of the phosphor volume on the basis of sensor data of at least one light sensor. The lighting device includes at least one additional light source for irradiating the phosphor volume, and is designed to operate the at least one additional light source, the at least one light sensor and the evaluation unit with the primary light source switched off

A reflector unit may behave as a retroreflector to reflect light of a selected color. The reflector unit may comprise a first reflector having a first color, a second reflector having a second color, and a mask that either allows incoming light to reach the first reflector and not the second reflector or allows incoming light to reach the second reflector and not the first reflector. An active light unit may emit light of a particular color in response to receiving light. In this fashion, the active light unit may simulate the operation of a reflector. The reflector unit and the active light unit may operate on a bi-directional vehicle.

There is set forth herein in one embodiment a system for detecting physical objects within a perimeter. The system can include one or more sensors configured to be supported by a motor vehicle. The system can include a processing system and the processing system can be configured to detect a physical object moving within the perimeter based on an output of the one or more sensors. The processing system can be configured to transmit a notification responsive to detecting a person approaching the motor vehicle.

A method for generating an output for controlling a vehicular function of a vehicle includes providing (i) a vehicular sensing device having at least one illumination source operable to backlight a plurality of icons, each icon representative of a respective vehicle function, and (ii) a plurality of sensors, each sensor having a respective field of sensing associated with a respective icon of the plurality of icons. With the vehicular sensing device disposed at a vehicle, and with the at least one illumination source activated to backlight the plurality of icons, the backlit icons are viewable at an exterior portion of the vehicle, and the sensors sense movement of a person's hand or foot in a field of sensing of one of the sensors, and a controller generates an output to control the vehicular function that is represented by the respective backlit icon associated with that sensor.