A computer-implemented process for controlling a vehicle interior includes detecting a previously defined situation that relates to an undesirable environmental condition of the vehicle interior, and assessing both a risk level and an urgency level, based on a vehicle sensor input. The process also includes generating a vehicle command based upon the detected previously defined situation, the assessed risk level, and assessed urgency level, and executing the generated vehicle command to control at least one of an engine, a window, and a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) unit to modify an environmental condition of the vehicle interior.

A system and method for robust automatic control of an air-conditioning system in a vehicle includes at least one sensor configured to continuously capture technical driving parameters of the vehicle. The system has a computing unit configured to determine a current air quality from the captured technical driving parameters by way of a suitable algorithm. The system has a control unit configured to control the air-conditioning system in the vehicle, wherein the control of the air-conditioning system includes activating the recirculation circuit of the air-conditioning system and/or activating the fresh-air circuit of the air-conditioning system with reference to the determined air quality.

A method, system and apparatus for detecting dangerous levels of carbon monoxide and alert the occupants of a vehicle is disclosed. In various embodiments, the ambient air gaseous composition detector warns the occupants of the vehicle once the carbon monoxide composition of the vehicle's ambient air reaches a level deemed dangerous. Additionally, the device locates the closest fire department central stations or emergency company stations and sends notifications to the fire department. The device also has a locator service, which directs the emergency responders to the location of the vehicle.

A system for providing allergen information includes an allergen sensor located on a vehicle designed to detect allergen data corresponding to levels of at least one allergen in an environment of the vehicle. The system further includes a network access device located on the vehicle and designed to transmit the allergen data to a remote server and to receive an allergen map from the remote server, the allergen map being based on the allergen data from the vehicle and from additional vehicles, and indicating the levels of the at least one allergen at various locations on the allergen map. The system further includes an output device designed to output data. The system further includes an electronic control unit (ECU) coupled to the allergen sensor, the network access device, and the output device and designed to control the output device to output the allergen map received from the remote server.

A method for natural ventilation of a vehicle interior includes steps of: determining, by a controller, formation of an interior negative pressure in an interior space while driving of a vehicle is maintained as an internal air mode, determining, by the controller, an over-production of a harmful gas in an exhaust gas using an air-to-fuel ratio or an Accelerator Position Scope (APS), in an air conditioning system; regarding satisfaction of the formation of the interior negative pressure and satisfaction of the over-production of the harmful gas as an entry condition and mixing an exterior air into the interior space so as to mitigate the interior negative pressure in the internal air mode; and after mixing the exterior air, regarding the non-satisfaction of the over-production of the harmful gas as a cancellation condition and blocking the exterior air.

A system for protecting an occupant of a vehicle comprises a vehicle having an interior, an exterior and a portal. An HVAC system circulates air in the vehicle. A source of electromagnetic radiation disposed in the HVAC system reduces contaminant in air. Sensors monitor adjacent air quality and air pressure. A controller is connected with the sensors.

A method of protecting an occupant of a vehicle an interior, an exterior and a portal through which air passes. The method includes monitoring quality and pressure of air on the interior and exterior of the vehicle. It is determined if air on the interior or the exterior has lower contaminants. Air pressure is adjusted on the interior to create a pressure differential between pressure of air on interior and pressure of air on the exterior to determine direction of movement of air through the portal.

Methods and apparatus are provided for active vehicle cabin occupant detection system. The method includes predicting the presence of a vehicle occupant during operation of a vehicle in response to a door sensor indicative of a door opening, a carbon dioxide level and a pressure sensor in a passenger seat indicative of the vehicle occupant in the passenger seat, detecting the presence of the vehicle occupant using a vehicle cabin motion detector in response to the vehicle being shutdown, confirming the presence of the vehicle occupant using an infrared camera to detect a thermal signature of the vehicle occupant in response to the predicted presence of the vehicle occupant, and transmitting an alert via a wireless transmitter indicative of the presence of the vehicle occupant.

In a method for protecting vehicle occupants in the passenger compartment of a vehicle, particularly a motor vehicle. It is provided as essential to the invention that at least one structure-borne sound signal is captured by at least one structure-borne sound sensor, the captured structure-borne sound signal is evaluated by at least one evaluation device, the structure-borne sound signal can be produced by at least one person located in the passenger compartment of the vehicle, and after the capture and evaluation of the structure-borne sound signal at least one control signal is sent to a triggering device of an air supply device to introduce air into the passenger compartment of the vehicle.

A vehicle cleaning system for cleaning a vehicle including a processor and a memory including computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations. The operations include determining that a passenger compartment of the vehicle requires cleaning and identifying a type of cleaning required. The operations also include that at least one of a fragrance system, a dry particulate removal system, and a wet particulate removal system is activated in response to the type of cleaning required.