A refrigeration system for a vehicle is provided and includes inside and outside condenser circuits. The inside condenser circuit includes a first valve receiving a first portion of refrigerant out of a compressor, and a cabin condenser receiving and condensing the first portion from the first valve while heating an interior of a cabin. The outside condenser circuit includes: a second valve receiving a second portion of the refrigerant out of the compressor; an outside condenser receiving and compressing the second portion from the second valve; a reservoir downstream from the cabin condenser and the outside condenser receiving the first and second portions; a heat exchanger downstream from the reservoir; and a bypass valve connected in parallel with the heat exchanger. The heat exchanger and the bypass valve receive portions of the refrigerant from the reservoir. A control module controls positions of the first, second and bypass valves.

A method and system for utilizing environmental data are described. The method includes receiving external environmental data and receiving in-cabin environmental data. A mitigation action for an in-cabin environment of a vehicle is provided. The mitigation action is based on the external environmental data and the in-cabin environmental data.

A vehicle thermal management system including a refrigerant circuit, a coolant circuit, a chiller, and a controller is provided. The refrigerant circuit may include an electric air conditioning (eAC) compressor and a pressure sensor. The coolant circuit may include a high-voltage battery. The chiller selectively thermally links the circuits. The controller may be programmed to, responsive to receipt of a sensor signal indicating refrigerant pressure exiting the eAC compressor is greater than a high threshold, output a pressure sensor fault error indicating the pressure sensor is faulty. The system may further include a timer to monitor operational timing of the eAC compressor. The controller may be further programmed to direct the system to operate without monitoring the eAC compressor responsive to the timer indicating the eAC compressor has been off for a time-period less than a time threshold reflective of the eAC compressor not being in an at rest state.

A vehicle air conditioner which introduces a sufficient amount of primary air without providing a guide, and possible to install an aspirator in a large area in a downstream region of an air-mixing damper while avoiding interference with a mode-switching damper or the like and includes a case main unit of an air conditioning unit, an aspirator that introduces air circulating in an air channel at an interior of the case main unit as primary air and that sucks in air in a vehicle cabin as secondary air via an installation portion of an indoor temperature sensor, the case main unit is provided with a boss portion that communicates with the air channel at the interior of the case main unit and protrudes diagonally outward so as to face an air-circulation direction, and a primary-air introducing unit of the aspirator is installed by being diagonally inserted into the boss portion.

An occupant detection system includes a state detection unit that detects a state of an object, a detection position changing unit that changes a position of a detection region, the detection region being a region in which state is detected by the state detection unit, and a controller that controls an operation of the detection position changing unit. In this occupant detection system, a position of the detection region is set to a predetermined initial position during a period of time from when a start switch provided in the vehicle is turned off until when the start switch is turned on.

A method according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, detecting a battery fault of a battery of an electrified vehicle, activating a HVAC system ON, commanding the HVAC system to a fresh air mode, communicating fresh air into a passenger cabin, and expelling battery vent byproducts from the passenger cabin through at least one air extractor vent during key-on or key-off states.

A method for operating a climate-control system of a vehicle using an initial ambient (outside the vehicle) air temperature calculated based upon a current air temperature measured by a temperature sensor located on a side-mirror of the vehicle. A previous air temperature is stored at or before an engine shut-down time. At a subsequent engine start time: a) the temperature sensor on the side-mirror determines the current air temperature; b) a solar radiation on the vehicle is measured; and c) a duration since the previous air temperature was stored is determined. If, at the engine re-start time; a) the duration exceeds a threshold value; and b) the current air temperature is higher than the previous air temperature, then the initial air temperature is calculated from: a) the current air temperature, b) the previous air temperature, and c) the solar radiation. The climate-control system is operated using the calculated initial temp.

A detection system for a vehicle comprises at least one detection device configured to detect conditions in a passenger compartment of the vehicle and a controller. The controller is in communication with the at least one detection device. The controller is configured to monitor data from the at least one detection device prior to an entry of an occupant. Based on the data from the at least one detection device, the controller is further configured to identify at least one change in the passenger compartment of the vehicle. The at least one change in the passenger compartment indicates at least one of an item left behind in the passenger compartment, damage to the vehicle, and contamination of the vehicle.

Described herein is a system and method for detecting malodor within a cabin of an autonomous vehicle, wherein initiation of a remediation system and/or dispatch of the autonomous vehicle to a service hub for mitigating the malodor is based upon sensor signals that monitor the cabin of the autonomous vehicle. The remediation system can include devices such as an HVAC system or a window, which are operated to reduce the concentration of airborne molecules in the cabin of the autonomous vehicle when the concentration of airborne molecules exceeds an air quality threshold. A dispatch protocol may be initiated to dispatch the autonomous vehicle to a service hub when the malodor is associated with certain predefined incidents or when remediation fails to reduce the concentration of airborne molecules below the air quality threshold.

An air quality system for a vehicle comprises a chemical detection apparatus comprising a plurality of nanofiber chemical sensors for sensing a plurality of airborne materials in a compartment of the vehicle. The plurality of nanofiber chemical sensors are configured to adjust a characteristic electrical signal in response to changes in the presence of the plurality of airborne materials. The chemical detection apparatus further comprises a processor coupled to the nanofiber chemical sensor, wherein the processor is configured to monitor the characteristic electrical signals from the nanofiber chemical sensors and generate a detection signal in response to a changes in the characteristic electrical signals. The processor is in communication with a controller configured to control at least one vehicle system in response to the detection of one or more of the airborne materials.