A proximity sensor installed inside a vehicle can include: an outer frame formed of a first non-conductive substance and including a first metal layer; an inner frame formed of a second non-conductive substance, including a second metal layer, and disposed in an interior of the outer frame; a sensor electrode contacting the second metal layer; and a sensor Integrated Circuit (IC) connected to the sensor electrode and configured to detect an approach or a contact of a user's hand. The first metal layer can be connected to the ground (GND) so as to confine a sensing field of the sensor electrode to the interior of the outer frame.

Respective movements and positions of traffic participants arranged within a monitoring range surrounding a motor vehicle are captured on the front side, on the rear side, and/or laterally, by several sensors of the motor vehicle. One characteristic value per traffic participant is established which quantifies a collision probability of the motor vehicle with the respective traffic participants in dependency on the captured movements and positions of the traffic participants and the movement and position of the motor vehicle. At least one warning message is issued with respect to the traffic participants, for which the established characteristic values reach a predetermined collision probability value, wherein the warning message is signaled in which direction of the motor vehicle the respective collisions are impending.

A parking assistance system for a motor vehicle includes a monitoring unit for detecting an object in the vicinity of the vehicle and a light system connected to the monitoring unit and configured to emit light into the area surrounding the motor vehicle. The monitoring unit is configured to sense the bearing of an object and to control the distribution of the light emitted from the light system as a function of the sensed bearing.

A method for vehicle parking assistance during a parking maneuver of the vehicle includes detecting an obstacle in a detection space outside the vehicle. Successive measurements are taken of the distance or distances separating the vehicle and the obstacle and the position or positions of the obstacle relative to the vehicle. Depending on the results of the measurements, human speech voice messages are generated that provide parking assistance. The voice messages are broadcasted in the passenger compartment of the vehicle.

A system is described for providing forward maneuvering information of a vehicle to avoid obstacles that may damage the vehicle. The system includes a microprocessor configured to execute instructions stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium. The microprocessor is coupled to a sensor, a monitoring sensor, and a head-up display (HUD). The sensor receives information of surroundings of the vehicle. The monitoring sensor determines an angle of a steering wheel. The microprocessor receives the information and the angle, determines a guided path for the vehicle based on the information and the angle, and transmits the guided path to the HUD.

A method for inhibiting a vehicle side door from opening into an oncoming traffic lane includes sending a remote door open command to the vehicle and detecting if a location of the transmitting device is greater than a predetermined distance from the vehicle to verify safe conditions to execute the command. If the transmitting device is determined to be at a location greater than a predetermined distance from the vehicle to verify safe conditions then GPS and on-board compass information is used to identify which vehicle doors should be inhibited from fully opening in the traffic lane to prevent causing damage to the vehicle.

A method for vehicle parking assistance during a parking maneuver of the vehicle includes detecting an obstacle in a detection space outside the vehicle. Successive measurements are taken of the distance or distances separating the vehicle and the obstacle and the position or positions of the obstacle relative to the vehicle. Depending on the results of the measurements, human speech voice messages are generated that provide parking assistance. The voice messages are broadcasted in the passenger compartment of the vehicle.

In a speech recognition device according to one embodiment, a microphone detects sound and generates an audio signal corresponding to the sound, an adjustment processor adjusts a threshold to be a value less than a first volume level of first input audio signal generated by the microphone, and registers the adjusted threshold, a recognition processor reads the registered threshold, compares the registered threshold with a second input audio signal, discards the second input audio signal when a second volume level of the second input audio signal is less than the registered threshold, and performs a recognition process as the audio signal of a user to be recognized when the second volume level of the second input audio signal is greater than or equal to the registered threshold.

The present disclosure relates to a motor vehicle, comprising an illumination device, which comprises a plurality of light sources and a control device for illuminating an illumination region which can be simultaneously illuminated and which completely covers the surroundings of the motor vehicle in the circumferential direction. The illumination region is divided by the control device into illumination segments, which are controllable independently for illumination as part of at least one light function, in particular an assisting light function, of a vehicle system, wherein the illumination region of the illumination device has at least two illumination segments, one following the other in a spacing direction from the motor vehicle.

A trailer alignment system is provided. The system comprises a sensor disposed within a housing. The system also comprises a processor configured to determine a location of a vehicle on a trailer based on data received from the sensor and in response to the vehicle location determination, the processor generates a notification. The system further comprises a notification element configured to display the generated notification to a driver of the vehicle.