Provided is a vehicle air conditioning controller including a memory and a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the processor determines whether or not an occupant in a cabin of a vehicle is applying makeup to herself/himself and, in a case in which it has been determined that the occupant is applying makeup, changes at least one of an air direction or an air volume of conditioned air that is generated by an air conditioning system installed at the vehicle and is supplied to the occupant from an air outlet provided in the cabin.

The present disclosure provides a system for controlling a temperature of a computer disposed in an enclosed compartment of a vehicle. The system includes at least one temperature sensor associated with the computer, the at least one temperature sensor for providing temperature data in connection with the computer to a control module; at least one air vent provided in a surface of the enclosed compartment, wherein the at least one air vent is positioned to direct air flow to a designated area of the computer; an air conditioning system for generating air at an air temperature specified by the control module based at least in part on the temperature data provided by the at least one temperature sensor; and at least one duct for conducting the air generated by the air conditioning system into the enclosed compartment via the at least one vent.

When the temperature of a device that is constituted by an electric component or an electronic component and that is arranged below a rear seat exceeds a predetermined value during air-conditioning operation in an internal-air circulation mode, an air-conditioning switching action by which a rear air-conditioning unit is switched from the internal-air circulation mode to an external-air introduction mode is performed, and thereby ventilation of the vehicle cabin is performed. Therefore, before the surrounding temperature of an occupant significantly rises due to heat generated by the device and the occupant feels uncomfortable, by restraining the surrounding temperature from rising through external-air introduction to avoid a situation in which occupant feels uncomfortable, it is possible to maintain comfortableness in the vehicle cabin.

An interior ventilation system for a motor vehicle includes an air measurement chamber, into which outdoor air of the motor vehicle can be fed via an outside air supply line and vehicle interior air of the motor vehicle can be fed via an inside air supply line, air quality sensors for measuring a harmful-substance content in air located in the air measurement chamber, and a measurement air control unit, which is designed to selectively supply outdoor air and/or vehicle interior air to the air measurement chamber. A motor vehicle includes such an interior ventilation system.

A method and system capable of variably adjusting an indoor temperature of a vehicle according to characteristics of an object to be protected in the vehicle when a driver has turned off the engine and exited the vehicle are provided. The method includes determining whether a current indoor temperature of the vehicle exceeds a predetermined allowable temperature of an object to be protected and switching an IG terminal of a key box of the vehicle to an ON state. A sustainable time of indoor temperature control of the vehicle is calculated in response to determining that the current indoor temperature of the vehicle exceeds the predetermined allowable temperature of the object to be protected. The indoor temperature of the vehicle is adjusted to be within a predetermined allowable temperature range or indoor air of the vehicle is circulated according to the sustainable time.

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.

A heater device includes a heat generating part that generates heat by energization, and a detection unit. The detection unit detects whether or not a distance between an object around the heat generating part and the heat generating part is equal to or less than a first detection distance with a first detection sensitivity, and whether or not the distance between the object around the heat generating part and the heat generating part is equal to or less than a second detection distance shorter than the first detection distance with a second detection sensitivity that is less sensitive than the first detection sensitivity.

A vehicular driving assist system includes a camera disposed at a vehicle equipped with the vehicular driving assist system and viewing forward of the vehicle, the camera capturing image data. An electronic control unit (ECU) includes electronic circuitry and associated software. The electronic circuitry of the ECU includes an image processor for processing image data captured by the camera. The ECU, responsive to processing by the image processor of image data captured by the camera, determines presence of a leading vehicle traveling in front of the equipped vehicle and in the same traffic lane as the equipped vehicle. The ECU, responsive to determining presence of the leading vehicle, determines presence of a pothole in front of the vehicle and in the same traffic lane as the equipped vehicle.

A disclosed vehicle sensing system includes an optic fiber disposed adjacent to a vehicle panel, a transmitter/receiver disposed at an originating end of the optic fiber, the transmitter/receiver configured to emit a beam through the optic fiber at a defined originating frequency, and a reflector disposed at a terminal end of the optic fiber for reflecting the beam back through the optic fiber to the transmitter/receiver. Dimensional changes to the optic fiber change the originating frequency reflected back to the transmitter/receiver and the change in the originating frequency is indicative of a physical change in the vehicle panel.

A system and method are provided for an air vent system in, for example, a vehicle. The air vent system is configured to direct air flow to a point relative to a user's position in the vehicle. A camera may capture a view of the user and processing circuitry may analyze the captured information to determine a position of the user in the vehicle and control the direction of air flow based on the determined position of the user.