A control apparatus for a vehicle includes an input signal detector and a processor. The input signal detector detects an input signal that is based on a predetermined switch operation of a switch in the vehicle. The processor controls a defroster of the vehicle and an idle reduction, on the basis of the detection of the input signal performed by the input signal detector. The input signal detector includes a first detector that detects rising of the input signal that is based on the switch operation, and a second detector that detects falling of the input signal that is based on the switch operation. The processor drives the defroster on the basis of the detection of the input signal performed by the first detector, and prohibits the idle reduction on the basis of the detection of the input signal performed by the second detector.

In a defroster structure, a first guide member is provided further toward a vehicle front side than a front-rear partitioning wall and at a vehicle transverse direction outer side, at an interior of a blow-out port. A second guide member is provided further toward a vehicle rear side than the front-rear partitioning wall and at the vehicle transverse direction outer side, at the interior of the blow-out port. The first guide member and the second guide member respectively extend toward the vehicle transverse direction outer side from a vehicle lower side toward a vehicle upper side.

An autonomous driving system for a vehicle (e.g. a racing car) is installed in the space normally allocated to a human driver and is attached to the pre-existing anchor points used for structures that are no longer needed once a human is no longer required, such as the crash protection anchor points. The autonomous driving system enables AI and robotics technology to be seamlessly integrated into existing high-performance race car designs without requiring significant design modifications to the vehicle. This invention enables a new era of motorsport, where for example human drivers in a Formula One car can compete against the same car controlled by an autonomous driving system, because the design integrity of all cars remain identical.

Examples of the present disclosure relate to techniques for headlamp heater control. In examples, a headlight assembly comprises a heater, which is used to prevent or remove condensation/precipitation on a lens of the headlamp assembly. Given it may be difficult for an individual to know when to manually turn the headlamp heater on, an electronic control unit (ECU) may evaluate a set of rules to determine when to automatically enable or disable the headlamp heater. The rules may be associated with atmospheric conditions outside the vehicle, the state of the vehicle (e.g., whether windshield wipers are turned on, whether windshield defog is enabled, whether a mirror heater is turned on, etc.), and/or user input received by an ECU of the vehicle, among other examples.

A mirror cleaning system, an improved mirror for a vehicle having the system installed thereto, and a method of cleaning the improved mirror using the system. The system includes a housing attachable to a vehicle side mirror, a heating element operably connected to a power source, a wiper, and a spray nozzle fluidly connected to a cleaning fluid source. The system is designed to de-ice and de-frost the improved mirror, spray cleaning fluid thereon, and wipe debris and fluids to improve driver visibility.

A vehicle external region imaging apparatus to be mounted inside a vehicle is configured to perform imaging of a region outside the vehicle through a glass of the vehicle. The vehicle external region imaging apparatus includes a light receiver and a front part. The light receiver is configured to receive light to be transmitted through the glass. The front part is provided on a light incident side of the light receiver and configured to block reflected light that is to be reflected by an inner surface of the glass and enters the light receiver, and has a blowing path provided between the front part and the inner surface of the glass and configured to allow a wind to flow therethrough. The front part has, at an inlet of the blowing path, a curved surface bulging toward the inner surface of the glass and a curved surface bulging toward the blowing path.

Relative humidity or dew point temperature depending on changes in barometric pressure is measured without using any barometric pressure sensor. A humidity measuring device includes an elevation obtaining unit configured to obtain elevation of a humidity measurement point, a barometric pressure calculating unit configured to calculate barometric pressure at the humidity measurement point from a calculation formula into which a value of the elevation obtained by the elevation obtaining unit is input, and a humidity correcting unit configured to correct humidity on a basis of a barometric pressure value calculated by the barometric pressure calculating unit.

A mirror cleaning system, an improved mirror for a vehicle having the system installed thereto, and a method of cleaning the improved mirror using the system. The system includes a housing attachable to a vehicle side mirror, a heating element operably connected to a power source, a wiper, and a spray nozzle fluidly connected to a cleaning fluid source. The system is designed to de-ice and de-frost the improved mirror, spray cleaning fluid thereon, and wipe debris and fluids to improve driver visibility.

A lens assembly includes a lens, a lens barrel, and a heater element. The lens has an inner surface and an outer surface. The lens barrel supports the lens and defines an optical axis, the lens arranged along the optical axis such that the inner surface of the lens is within the lens barrel and the outer surface of the lens is outside the lens barrel. The heater element is in intimate mechanical communication with the inner surface of the lens and has a heater element electrical lead extending radially therefrom to provide power to the heater element. Lens heating methods are also described.

An apparatus for soldering a terminal to which a solder alloy is attached on window glass for a vehicle, includes a terminal to which the solder alloy is attached; a coil unit including a coil which generates induction heat; a gripper which grips and releases the terminal and is configured to be movable upward and downward relative to the coil unit in a state of gripping the terminal; and a ferrite core unit including a ferrite core which is configured to be surrounded by the coil unit to receive the induction heat, and is configured to be movable upward and downward relative to the coil unit, wherein the solder alloy attached to the terminal, in a state of being in contact with the window glass, is melted by the induction heat from the coil unit and the ferrite core unit such that the terminal is attached to the window glass.