Methods and apparatus are provided for active vehicle cabin occupant protection system. The method includes detecting a vehicle cabin temperature using a cabin thermal sensor, engaging a vehicle fan and opening a vehicle outside air ventilation duct in response to the vehicle cabin temperature exceeding a first threshold temperature, and starting a vehicle engine and engaging a vehicle air conditioning system in response to the vehicle cabin temperature exceeding a second threshold temperature wherein the second threshold temperature is greater than the first threshold temperature.

A vehicle climate control assembly for modulating a temperature of a passenger compartment includes a solar panel, a battery, a heating and cooling unit, a temperature sensor, and a controller, all of which are mountable to a vehicle. The battery is operationally engaged to the solar panel, which is mountable to an exterior surface of the vehicle. The heating and cooling unit is in fluidic communication with the passenger compartment of the vehicle and is operationally engaged to the battery. The temperature sensor and the controller are mountable within the passenger compartment. The controller is operationally engaged to the solar panel, the battery, the heating and cooling unit, and the temperature sensor. The temperature sensor measures a temperature of the air in the passenger compartment, positioning the controller to selectively actuate the heating and cooling unit to modulate the temperature within the passenger compartment.

An air conditioning unit for a recreational vehicle including a first heater and a second heater, and configured to initiate a heating operation including analyzing an interior temperature and an exterior temperature, determine an operating mode of the air conditioning unit, and controlling the first heater and the second heater according to the determined operation mode.

This disclosure relates to a system and method for isolating an interior of a motor vehicle from poor outdoor air quality. More particularly, this disclosure relates to a system and method configured to identify conditions associated with poor outdoor air quality and to respond to those conditions by isolating the interior of the motor vehicle from the outdoor environment. An example system includes a selector configured to permit a user to select a drive mode of the motor vehicle, a location system configured to detect a location of the motor vehicle, and a controller configured to issue one or more commands to isolate an interior of the motor vehicle from an environment outside the motor vehicle based on either a selected drive mode or a detected location.

A method for defogging a window of a vehicle includes steps of determining a risk of window fogging and automatically selecting a climate control system operating mode according to that determined risk of window fogging. The climate control system operating mode is selected from: an outside air mode, an air-conditioning mode, and a defrost mode. A controller determines the risk of window fogging according to one or more inputs, and the same or a different controller may automatically select the climate control system operating mode.

An air conditioning control device acquires environmental measurement information, acquires an action schedule of a user of a host vehicle on the basis of past or future schedule table information of the user, and estimates a boarding time at which the user gets on the host vehicle, a destination, and a route based on the action schedule. The control device then derives an instruction value pattern that includes a first instruction value for the air conditioning device at the boarding time, a second instruction value for the air conditioning device in a travel route toward the destination, and a third instruction value for the air conditioning device in a case that the user gets on after getting off the vehicle, based on the environmental measurement information. An air conditioning controller controls an air conditioning device of the host vehicle based on the instruction value pattern.

A vehicle HVAC system includes a compressor, a first heat exchanger for exchanging heat between the refrigerant outside air, a first check valve set, a first expansion device for decompressing a first portion of the refrigerant, a second heat exchanger for exchanging heat between the first portion of the refrigerant and a second portion of the refrigerant, a second expansion device for decompressing the second portion of the refrigerant, a second check valve set, a third heat exchanger for exchanging heat between the refrigerant and inside air, and a selector valve for switching between a heating mode and a cooling mode. The first check valve set and the second check valve set together maintain a constant flow direction through the first expansion device, the second heat exchanger, and the second expansion device in the heating mode and the cooling mode.

An outdoor heat exchanger is installed in a refrigerant circuit and has a heat exchange core portion providing refrigerant flow paths different in a cooling operation and a heating operation. A flow path switching device switches the flow path of the refrigerant in the heat exchange core portion of the outdoor heat exchanger between a cooling mode flow path during the cooling operation and a heating mode flow path during the heating operation. The refrigerant flows down in one direction in the heating mode flow path. The refrigerant flows in one direction and then flows down in an opposite direction in the cooling mode flow path.

A system and method of temperature optimization in a passenger vehicle when transporting perishable items, includes a passenger vehicle having predetermined storage compartments, an in-vehicle computer network connected to a plurality of sensors; and a display device in communication with the in-vehicle computer network. The display device obtains information about perishable items. The display device is configured to estimate time that the perishable items may be maintained in the vehicle. The conditions for perishable items may be optimized by determining parking locations and movement of the vehicle between parking locations in order to minimize temperature fluctuations in the vehicle. The display device is configured to update the user on the status of the perishable items and changed parking locations.

A cooling system control method for an autonomous driving controller may include detecting the temperature of the autonomous driving controller by the controller when a vehicle is driving; determining whether a current temperature of the autonomous driving controller is lower than a target temperature by the controller; and terminating the controlling of the cooling system if the condition is satisfied in determining whether the current temperature of the autonomous driving controller is lower than the target temperature.