A vehicular operation detecting apparatus includes: sensors provided side by side in a vehicle, and individually outputting detection signals that change when a detection target comes into contact with or approaches the sensors; a computing unit computing a ratio value which is a value of a ratio of a first detection signal to a second detection signal, which are detection signals of a first sensor and a second sensor that are one and another one of the sensors, respectively; an operational direction detection unit detecting a direction of movement of the detection target from the first sensor toward the second sensor if the computed ratio value decreases, and detecting the direction of movement from the second sensor toward the first sensor if the computed ratio value increases; and a drive control unit controlling the driving of an opening and closing body in accordance with the detected direction of movement.

A control device and method for a vehicle having an automatically opening and/or automatically closing flap includes an operating switch which can be operated contactlessly in the form of a proximity sensor and a programmable functional module. The method includes the following steps: firstly, an operating requirement signal is generated upon recognition of a predetermined proximity pattern consisting of the raw sensor signal of the proximity sensor for output of a resulting control signal to an unlocking and locking mechanism for the actual automatic opening or closing the valve, secondly, it is determined whether a predetermined absolute limit value of the raw sensor signal is exceeded, and thirdly, when the predetermined limiting value is exceeded, the output of the control signal is also suppressed when the operating requirement signal is generated, wherein this provision is also designated in short below as suppression mode.

An operation input detection device includes: a side-surface proximity sensor that is provided at a lower side surface portion of a vehicle; and an operation input detection portion that detects an operation input based on a sensor output of the side-surface proximity sensor, wherein the operation input detection portion determines that the operation input is performed in a case where when a change in the sensor output indicating proximity of a detection object is detected, after a first peak is detected in an acceleration of the sensor output, a second peak is detected in the same direction as that of the first peak at a first predetermined interval that is set in advance.

In a state that an engine is started up by using a mobile device from outside a vehicle, a power mode changeover switch is switched from a fixed contact OFF to a fixed contact START while avoiding a fixed contact ACC and a fixed contact ON, and the power mode changeover switch is maintained at the fixed contact START even after the engine is placed in an operation state. When an electric power is not supplied through the fixed contact ACC, a detection unit places itself in a state in which a detection operation is possible, and when the electric power is supplied, the detection unit places itself in a detection operation prohibition state.

A vehicle door opening/closing device includes a front door configured to open and close a front left opening of a vehicle body, a rear sliding door configured to open and close a rear left opening of the vehicle body, a vehicle door opening/closing device main body configured to automatically open and close the rear sliding door, a detection unit configured to detect the presence of the left foot of a user, and a control unit (detection ECU, door lock ECU, sliding door driving ECU). If the front door is in an opened state at the time when the detection unit detects the presence of the left foot, the control unit does not put the rear sliding door into a closed state.

Methods and systems are provided for an automated door system for a vehicle. In one example, the automated door system may include a set of manual actuating devices and a set of hands-free actuating devices for automatically unlocking and opening the doors of a commercial vehicle used for transporting cargo. The manual and hands-free actuating devices may be used in response to the operating state of the vehicle.

A method for operating a closure panel of a vehicle, comprising: using a processor, determining whether a first proximity sensor and a second proximity sensor located on a periphery of the vehicle have been sequentially activated to indicate an object moving across the first proximity sensor and the second proximity sensor; and, controlling the closure panel to open or close when the first proximity sensor and the second proximity sensor have been sequentially activated.

The inventive relates to a method for external operation of an actuator of a vehicle having an optical sensor. The following steps are provided: obtaining an approach of a person in an approach area of the optical sensor; determining, within an obtaining area of the optical sensor, a targeted approach of a person's steps towards an operating area of the optical sensor; and operating the actuator when a step made into the operating area of the optical sensor is determined. It is the object of the invention to simplify the operation of an actuator of a vehicle by a gesture.

A vehicle door opening and closing control device opens or closes a door of a vehicle according to a kicking motion of a leg detected by a kick sensor. A threshold is set for output from the kick sensor. Motion duration time until the output from the sensor falls below the threshold after the output from the sensor exceeds the threshold in a kicking motion is measured. Motion completion estimated time until the kicking motion is completed is calculated according to the motion duration time, for example, by assuming that motion completion estimated time=motion duration time/2. When the elapsed time after the output from the sensor falls below the threshold reaches the motion completion estimated time, opening operation or closing operation of the door starts.

An actuating apparatus for adjusting a first vehicle door which can be automatically adjusted between a closed position and an open position is used in a vehicle. To this end, the actuating apparatus has a capacitive distance sensor for detecting a movement of a person who is in the vicinity of the vehicle, and also has a control and evaluation unit. The control and evaluation unit is configured to identify a first door actuation request on the basis of the detected movement, and to trigger adjustment of the first vehicle door when the first door actuation request is identified. In this case, a sensor electrode of the capacitive distance sensor is arranged in a vehicle corner region which is associated with the rear of the vehicle.