Optimizing performance of an autonomous vehicle (AV) includes acquiring information pertaining to a plurality of factors associated with the AV. The plurality of factors includes a route to be traversed by the AV for a ride, a type of a road included in the route, a real-time location of the AV, a time of travel, and a weather condition at the time of travel. An optimal configuration is selected based on the acquired information for operating components of the AV. The components are configured in real time to operate at the optimal configuration. When the components operate at the optimal configuration, a power consumed by the components is reduced and a durability of the components is increased relative to when the components operate at a first configuration that is different from the optimal configuration.

A vehicle climate system includes a blower and a controller. The controller is configured to, responsive to input of a particular user selected climate setting, operate the blower with an initial power having a predetermined value corresponding to the climate setting provided that cabin temperature is outside a predetermined range. The controller is also configured to operate the blower with an initial power having a value less than the predetermined value provided that the cabin temperature is within the predetermined range.

Coolant flowing from a compressor passes through a heat exchanger and opening-degree adjustable type of expansion valves for heating, and an external heat exchanger. The coolant passing through the external heat exchanger is capable of passing through an expansion valve and a heat exchanger for cooling, and an expansion valve and a heat exchanger for cooling a battery. A grille shutter to change an introduction state of traveling air is provided in front of the external heat exchanger. When pressure of the coolant (particularly, pressure of the coolant at a timing after the coolant passes through the external heat exchanger) is a specified pressure or lower, the grille shutter is closed, whereby the heat-exchange performance of the external heat exchanger is lowered.

The vehicle air conditioning device includes a compressor, a radiator, an outdoor heat exchanger, and an air conditioning controller, and a cabin is, air conditioned with power supplied from a battery. The air conditioning controller can perform air conditioning operation that causes a refrigerant from the compressor to radiate heat in the radiator, decompresses the refrigerant, causes the refrigerant to absorb heat in the outdoor heat exchanger so as to heat the cabin, and defrosting operation that causes the refrigerant from the compressor to radiate heat in the outdoor heat exchanger so as to defrost the outdoor heat exchanger, and determines whether it is possible to perform the defrosting operation on the basis of outside humidity.

An air handling system of a vehicle comprises a housing defining an inlet section. The inlet section includes a recirculation inlet in fluid communication with a passenger compartment of the vehicle and a fresh air inlet in fluid communication with an ambient environment. An air distribution door is disposed in the inlet section for controlling a distribution of air entering the inlet section through the recirculation inlet and the fresh air inlet. A baffle door is disposed in the inlet section for selectively reducing a flow area through the fresh air inlet to accommodate a ram air pressure induced by motion of the vehicle relative to fresh air of the ambient environment.

The invention controls a power cinching function of a motor vehicle door latch in order to improve door seal performance under conditions wherein vibrations could otherwise reduce seal effectiveness. With the door latched closed in a flush condition, the vehicle speed is compared to a slow-speed threshold. When the vehicle speed is greater than the slow-speed threshold, then a vehicle vibration parameter is compared to a vibration threshold. When the vibration parameter is greater than the vibration threshold, then the power cinching function is activated to move the door to to a subflush condition which increases a compression of the seal between the door and a vehicle door frame. When the door is in the subflush condition, the vehicle speed continues to be compared to the slow-speed threshold, and when the vehicle speed is less than the slow-speed threshold then the door is released back to the flush condition.

A thermal management system for an electric vehicle includes an interior air conditioning part including an air inflow part, an air discharge part, a cooling core, a heating core arranged between the cooling core and the air discharge part, and an adjustment door for selectively adjusting whether air having passed through the cooling core flows into the heating core; and a heat transfer line having first and second sides respectively connected to an electric part core and the heating core to be heat-transferrable, so that heat of the electric part is transferred to the heating core, thereby allowing the electric part to heat-dissipate through the heating core.

A method for controlling a heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system of an autonomous vehicle includes determining a vehicle operating status and operating the HVAC system according to the determined vehicle operating status. A control module comprising a sensor array and at least one controller operatively coupled to the sensor array and to the HVAC system controls operation of the HVAC system according to the determined vehicle operating status. The vehicle operating status is selected from one of vehicle occupied-in use, vehicle unoccupied-use requested, and vehicle unoccupied-standby. The HVAC system is operated at an operating setting providing a reduced energy consumption in a vehicle whose operating status is vehicle unoccupied-standby. The reduced energy consumption operating setting is determined according to a constant offset value or according to a variable offset value determined by inputs provided by the sensor array.

A vehicle operation input apparatus that detects whether a vehicle is stopped, and controls a display to display a level setting display representing a setting of levels of a device installed in the vehicle in the first position on the display surface in mutually different display aspects depending on whether the vehicle is stopped.

An air-conditioning control apparatus is mounted in a vehicle that is capable of unmanned travelling. The apparatus has a determining section and an output section. The determining section determines whether an occupant is in the vehicle and whether the vehicle is traveling. The output section performs an air-conditioning control including temperature adjusting using a radiator through heat exchange with air outside the vehicle. The output section performs the air-conditioning control when the vehicle is in an unmanned state and a travelling state, and refrains from performing the air-conditioning control when the vehicle is in the unmanned state and a stop state.