A vehicle control device includes a controller configured to execute: receiving a remote signal containing a target temperature in a cabin and an expected traveling start time of a vehicle from a remote controller used by a user of the vehicle; calculating a catalyst warming period which is an estimated period required to warm, to an active temperature, an electrically heated catalyst; calculating a pre-air conditioning period which is an estimated period required to adjust a temperature in the cabin to the target temperature; and starting pre-air conditioning of the cabin by starting an internal combustion engine after completion of warming of the electrically heated catalyst when a sum of the catalyst warming period and the pre-air conditioning period is equal to or shorter than a starting time margin from a time of reception of the remote signal to the expected traveling start time.

A temperature regulating system for interior surfaces of a vehicle includes a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system. An air register assembly is operably coupled to the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system to direct air to an interior compartment. The air register assembly includes an actuation assembly for adjusting a position of the air register assembly. A target feature having a contact surface is disposed within the interior compartment. A temperature sensor is coupled to the target feature and senses a surface temperature of the contact surface. A controller communicates a notification with temperature information. A remote start device is communicatively coupled with the controller. The controller adjusts the position of the air register assembly to direct air across the contact surface of the target feature in response to a remote start signal from the remote start device.

A solar powered vehicle temperature control assembly for solar powered vehicle temperature control includes a solar panel positioned on the top surface of a roof a vehicle. The solar panel provides power to the solar powered vehicular temperature assembly. A plurality of weight cells positioned in the vehicle seat send readings to a control module. A thermal sensor reads the internal temperature within the interior of a vehicle and sends readings to the control module. The control module determines if the temperature reading falls within a set range of temperature. The control module is in electric communication with the vehicle air conditioning unit and heating system and can turn either on depending on the temperature reading. If the temperature reading is above the set range, the control module turns on the air conditioning unit. If the temperature reading is below the set range, the control module turns on the heating system.

A vehicle HVAC system includes: a casing to direct air from outdoors into the interior of a passenger compartment, an air blower blowing the air into the casing, an evaporator disposed in the casing, a heater core disposed downstream of the evaporator, and front and rear seat side temperature doors disposed between the evaporator and the heater core. A method for controlling the HVAC system includes: determining, by a controller, whether a required temperature for cooling rear seats is set to be lower than a required temperature for cooling front seats after an outdoor condition of a vehicle meets a reference high temperature condition; and lowering, by the controller, a target temperature of the evaporator based on the set required temperature for cooling the rear seats when the required temperature for cooling the rear seats is set to be lower than the required temperature for cooling the front seats.

A heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system of a vehicle. The HVAC system includes: an air-conditioning unit including a blower, a heater unit, and a cooling unit, and a temperature adjustment door making conditioned-air pass through the heater unit or the cooling unit; and an air-conditioning channel unit including a plurality of discharge channels, through which the conditioned-air is discharged from the air-conditioning unit to specific seats or interior air is returned to the specific seats. The air-conditioning channel unit further includes doors disposed in the plurality of discharge channels so as to control discharging of the conditioned-air to the specific seats and returning of the conditioned-air from the specific seats to re-circulate.

Provided are a seat temperature control system and a control method thereof comprising a sensor unit collecting integrated information including vehicle information on vehicle environment, seat information on a state of a seat, and occupant information on a state of an occupant; an air conditioning device regulating airflow volume and temperature of an indoor space or a seat of the vehicle; and a control unit having a prioritizing criterion on the priority among a plurality of pieces of integrated information, prioritizing the plurality of pieces of integrated information according to the prioritizing criterion, setting target temperature of the output from the seat or the air conditioning device according to the plurality of prioritized pieces of integrated information, and controlling the air conditioning device in order for the temperature of the output from the seat or the air conditioning device to reach the target temperature.

The present disclosure generally relates to managing and using an electronic key. In some embodiments, the electronic key is utilized to cause a vehicle to unlock one or more doors of the vehicle when a computer system that includes the electronic key is positioned within a first threshold distance of the vehicle. In some embodiments, a user interface object associated with the electronic key is displayed in a first position of an accounts user interface when a computer system that includes the electronic key is positioned within a second threshold distance of the vehicle.

Methods and systems are provided for heat sanitizing a vehicle. In one example, a method may include, responsive to receiving a request for sanitization of a vehicle interior, activating an ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) system and operating a heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system to heat the vehicle interior above an upper threshold temperature for a threshold duration. In this way, the HVAC system may be advantageously used to expose the vehicle interior to temperatures that kill or inactive microbes while the UVGI system may supplement the heat sanitizing.

Methods and systems are provided for heat sanitizing a vehicle. In one example, a method may include, responsive to receiving a request for cleaning an interior of a vehicle, adjusting a position of a sun shade based on at least one of an ambient temperature outside of the vehicle and a sun load of the vehicle, and operating a heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system to heat the interior above an upper threshold temperature for a first threshold duration. In this way, the HVAC system may be advantageously used to expose the vehicle interior to temperatures that kill or inactive microbes.

Provided are a seat temperature control system and a control method thereof comprising a sensor unit collecting integrated information including vehicle information on vehicle environment, seat information on a state of a seat, and occupant information on a state of an occupant; an air conditioning device regulating airflow volume and temperature of an indoor space or a seat of the vehicle; and a control unit having a prioritizing criterion on the priority among a plurality of pieces of integrated information, prioritizing the plurality of pieces of integrated information according to the prioritizing criterion, setting target temperature of the output from the seat or the air conditioning device according to the plurality of prioritized pieces of integrated information, and controlling the air conditioning device in order for the temperature of the output from the seat or the air conditioning device to reach the target temperature.