A headlight control apparatus that controls an illumination state of a headlight that illuminates an area ahead of a vehicle includes an illuminance sensor that detects luminance around the vehicle, an illumination control section that switches on or off the headlight in accordance with the luminance detected by the illuminance sensor, a forward detection sensor that detects an object that is present within a predetermined distance ahead of the vehicle, and a dimming control section that dims the headlight when the forward detection sensor detects an object after start of the vehicle.

A driver assistance system for a vehicle includes a camera that, when disposed at the vehicle, views through a windshield of the vehicle. The camera is disposed at a windshield electronics module attached at the windshield of the vehicle. The camera captures image data of a scene forward of the vehicle. A control includes an image processor that processes captured image data. The control, responsive to the image processor processing captured image data, detects an object of interest external to the vehicle. The control utilizes a blockage detection algorithm and, responsive to the image processor processing captured image data, is operable to detect at least a partial blocking condition at the camera.

Various embodiments include methods and vehicle processing systems implementing such methods for protecting vehicles from dangers caused by animals on or near the roadway. In various embodiments, a vehicle processing system may perform a recognition process to identify an animal detected in proximity to the vehicle, perform a plurality of simulations of outcomes for the vehicle and other vehicles resulting from stimulating the identified animal using multiple different stimuli modes of the vehicle signal devices in which each different stimuli mode is predicted to elicit different animal behaviors, select one of the different stimulus modes to be performed by vehicle signal devices to elicit a behavior of the identified animal based on the plurality of simulated outcomes for the vehicle and other vehicles, and control signal devices of the vehicle to perform the selected stimulus.

A headlight control apparatus 1 that controls an illumination state of a headlight 10 that illuminates an area ahead of a vehicle includes an illuminance sensor 21 that detects luminance around the vehicle, an illumination control section 31 that switches on or off the headlight 10 in accordance with the luminance detected by the illuminance sensor 21, a forward detection sensor 22 that detects an object that is present within a predetermined distance ahead of the vehicle, and a dimming control section 32 that dims the headlight 10 when the forward detection sensor 22 detects an object after start of the vehicle.

A vehicular vision system includes an image processor and a camera that views through the windshield of the vehicle. The camera captures image data as the vehicle travels along a road, and the image processor processes image data captured by the camera. The vehicular vision system, responsive at least in part to processing by the image processor of image data captured by the camera, determines when the vehicle is at a construction zone. Responsive to determining that the vehicle is at the construction zone, the vehicular vision system adjusts a vehicular driver assistance system of the vehicle. The vehicular vision system determines that the vehicle exits the construction zone based at least in part on processing by the image processor of image data captured by the camera.

Aspects of the disclosure relate to light output that can include light that is outside the visible spectrum to enhance a driver's awareness of the environment. Such light can be output, and reflections thereof can be captured to perform object detection. Outputs can be provided by a display or other output device of the vehicle to supplement and enhance the view of the environment. Such light output and detection can be provided with or in the absence of light that is within the visible spectrum, thereby allowing the driver and/or an autonomous system to avoid excessive reflection of visible light. Aspects of the disclosure can help to improve illumination by a vehicle and provide additional outputs to help a driver and/or an autonomous system safely operate the vehicle.

A method and a device for the automated adaptation of a brightness of at least one light for a vehicle. The method includes a step of determining a position and/or a moving direction of the vehicle relative to a first and/or second national territory; a step of ascertaining data that represent a brightness requirement for the at least one light as a function of the position and/or moving direction of the vehicle; and a step of the automated adaptation of the brightness of at least one light as a function of the ascertained data.

There is provided a lighting device arranged to produce a controllable light beam for illuminating a scene. The device comprises an addressable spatial light modulator arranged to provide a selectable phase delay distribution to a beam of incident light. The device further comprises Fourier optics arranged to receive phase-modulated light from the spatial light modulator and form a light distribution. The device further comprises projection optics arranged to project the light distribution to form a pattern of illumination as said controllable light beam.

A vehicle control device includes a plurality of lamps provided on a vehicle; a sensing unit configured to sense information related to the vehicle; and at least one processor. The at least one processor is configured to, based on a determination, through the sensing unit, that at least a portion of the vehicle has entered a first area that is adjacent to an available parking space, activate, in a first illumination mode, at least one lamp among the plurality of lamps that has entered the first area that is adjacent to the available parking space.

A lighting system for a vehicle is described, which includes a first hybridized device, a second hybridized device and a controller. The first hybridized device includes a first array of light emitting devices that illuminate a roadway on which the vehicle is located when operating. The second hybridized device includes a second array of light emitting devices that illuminate the roadway on which the vehicle is located when operating. The controller is electrically coupled to the first and second hybridized devices. When operating, the controller causes the first hybridized device to selectively project a first patterned light on to an object on the roadway, causes the first hybridized device to selectively project a second patterned light on to the object on the roadway, and causes a first camera to capture an image of the first patterned light projected on the object and the second patterned light projected on the object.