A vehicle control device is configured to control a vehicle equipped with (i) an optical sensor configured to acquire a reflected light image by sensing reflected light of irradiated light and (ii) a sensing camera configured to acquire a camera image according to intensity of outside light in a sensing area which overlaps with a sensing area of the optical sensor. The vehicle control device includes an extraction unit configured to extract an unmatched pixel group by comparing the reflected light image with the camera image, and a control unit configured to instruct the vehicle to control according to a water-related substance estimated to correspond to the unmatched pixel group.

A vehicle control device is configured to control a vehicle equipped with (i) an optical sensor configured to acquire a reflected light image by sensing reflected light of irradiated light and (ii) a sensing camera configured to acquire a camera image according to intensity of outside light in a sensing area which overlaps with a sensing area of the optical sensor. The vehicle control device includes an extraction unit configured to extract an unmatched pixel group by comparing the reflected light image with the camera image, and a control unit configured to instruct the vehicle to control according to a water-related substance estimated to correspond to the unmatched pixel group.

A sensor unit for a vehicle includes an external sensor, a cleaning nozzle and a housing. The external sensor is configured to obtain information of an external environment, and to have a sensing area being set forward in a travel direction of the vehicle through an exposed surface exposed to the external environment. The cleaning nozzle has an injection port that is located in front of the exposed surface to inject a cleaning fluid to the exposed surface from above of the exposed surface in a yaw axis direction of the vehicle to clean the exposed surface. The housing is provided to hold the external sensor therein. The housing is configured to define a recess that is recessed toward a rearward in the travel direction from the exposed surface below the exposed surface in the yaw axis direction.

A sensor unit for a vehicle includes an external sensor, a cleaning nozzle and a housing. The external sensor is configured to obtain information of an external environment, and to have a sensing area being set forward in a travel direction of the vehicle through an exposed surface exposed to the external environment. The cleaning nozzle has an injection port that is located in front of the exposed surface to inject a cleaning fluid to the exposed surface from above of the exposed surface in a yaw axis direction of the vehicle to clean the exposed surface. The housing is provided to hold the external sensor therein. The housing is configured to define a recess that is recessed toward a rearward in the travel direction from the exposed surface below the exposed surface in the yaw axis direction.

A gas ejection apparatus ejects gas by use of a compressor that compresses the gas, and the gas ejection apparatus includes a detector and a microcomputer. The detector detects a signal relating to an ejection target device. The microcomputer controls the compressor to change a number of times of ejection of the gas in accordance with an amount of time elapsing between a detection of the signal by the detector and a next detection of the signal by the detector.

A gas ejection apparatus ejects gas by use of a compressor that compresses the gas, and the gas ejection apparatus includes a detector and a microcomputer. The detector detects a signal relating to an ejection target device. The microcomputer controls the compressor to change a number of times of ejection of the gas in accordance with an amount of time elapsing between a detection of the signal by the detector and a next detection of the signal by the detector.

A roof module for a motor vehicle roof having a panel component whose outer surface at least partially forms the roof skin of the vehicle roof and serves as an outer sealing surface of the roof module, at least one environment sensor configured to send and/or receive electromagnetic signals through a see-through area for detecting a vehicle environment around an optical axis of the environment sensor, and at least one cleaning nozzle configured to clean the see-through area. Viewed in the direction in which the optical axis of the environment sensor points, the at least one cleaning nozzle is disposed in such a manner in an area of the panel component in front of the see-through area that the at least one cleaning nozzle can be adjusted between a retracted position and a deployed position by means of at least one drive kinematics unit.

A roof module for a motor vehicle roof having a panel component whose outer surface at least partially forms the roof skin of the vehicle roof and serves as an outer sealing surface of the roof module, at least one environment sensor configured to send and/or receive electromagnetic signals through a see-through area for detecting a vehicle environment around an optical axis of the environment sensor, and at least one cleaning nozzle configured to clean the see-through area. Viewed in the direction in which the optical axis of the environment sensor points, the at least one cleaning nozzle is disposed in such a manner in an area of the panel component in front of the see-through area that the at least one cleaning nozzle can be adjusted between a retracted position and a deployed position by means of at least one drive kinematics unit.

An air conditioning device for a vehicle includes: a side vent valve (first valve) to open/close a first air outlet opening to a unit case; a side defrost valve (second valve) to open/close a second air outlet opening to the unit case; a cam body having a substantially cylindrical shape and axially supported so as to be rotatable about a central axis; a side vent cam mechanism (first cam mechanism) linking with a side surface of the cam body and the side vent valve, to open/close a side vent air outlet (first air outlet) in conjunction with the cam body being rotated; and a side defrost cam mechanism (second cam mechanism) linking with an end surface of the cam body and the side defrost valve, to open/close a side defrost air outlet (second air outlet) in conjunction with the cam body being rotated.

A visibility enhancement system for a vehicle with heating conduit and a method of making a windshield wiper system where a wiper blade is configured to wipe windshield of the vehicle, a wiper blade assembly holds at least one end of the wiper blade, a motor is configured to move the wiper blade upon activation of the visibility enhancement system, and a heating conduit warms the surface of the windshield of the vehicle. The visibility enhancement system may include a wiper blade to wipe a side window of the vehicle, a pair of wiper blades to wipe a side rearview mirror. The heating conduit may comprise of any of the following: heating filaments that warms the wiper blade; heating filaments running within the windshield; an air vent that runs inside the wiper blade; and an air vent that runs parallel to the wiper blade.