A fog detecting system for a vehicle includes a camera disposed at a vehicle and having a field of view forward of the vehicle, and a non-imaging sensor disposed at the vehicle and having a field of sensing forward of the vehicle. The camera captures image data and the non-imaging sensor captures sensor data. A control includes at least one data processor operable to process image data captured by the camera and sensor data captured by the non-imaging sensor. The control, responsive to processing of image data captured by the camera and processing of sensor data captured by the non-imaging sensor, determines presence of fog ahead of the vehicle and in the field of view of the camera and in the field of sensing of the non-imaging sensor.

A control device for a headlight for emitting light according to a headlight signal corresponding to an adjustable light distribution. The control device outputs the headlight signal, corresponding to the adjustable light distribution, to the headlight. The control device has an evaluation unit that determines object position data of the object when particles are detected using a detection unit and a self-illuminating object is detected, and to determine, as a function of the object position data, a region in which the object is located. The evaluation unit also generates data for the light distribution as a function of the region in such a way that a light intensity in the region is reduced or increased with respect to a light intensity outside this region, and correspondingly to determine and output the headlight signal from the data for the light distribution.

An automated headlight system for vehicles replaces the high and low beam with a continuum of beam patterns, with further variable spatial distribution of intensities and color spectrum. The digital-headlight is comprised of a controller, sensors and multiple, individually-controllable light-sources modified by optical-control elements to form narrow-beams which are then combined to create the overall headlamp beam. Utilizing real-time sensor data regarding beings, objects and vehicles in the way-ahead, as well as optional information on the driver, vehicle and environment, the logical controller dynamically adapts the headlight system's illumination so as to provide vehicle operators with optimal visibility while preventing discomfort-glare from reaching the eyes oncoming traffic or pedestrians.

The invention describes an illuminant for a vehicle headlight comprising a carrier and an electrical driver. Mounted on the carrier are a high-beam LED, a low-beam LED and a vehicle light detector. Additionally, a mechanical interface is included for mounting the illuminant in a corresponding socket of the vehicle headlight in a detachable way, and an electrical connector for supplying electrical power to the electrical driver. The electrical driver is arranged to receive vehicle light detection signals from the vehicle light detector to determine vehicle light by means of the vehicle light detection signals, and to provide a drive current to the high-beam LED or the low-beam LED depending on the determined vehicle light. Illuminant is further arranged to detect ambient light other than the vehicle light, such detection of ambient light influencing electrical driver in controlling the LEDs.

A method for controlling a vehicle that includes at least one camera and a lamp, the method including: controlling the at least one camera to capture at least one image of an area in front of the vehicle; extracting, from the at least one image, a light distribution pattern formed by the lamp in the area in front of the vehicle; and performing at least one control related to the extracted light distribution pattern, based on a comparison result obtained by comparing the extracted light distribution pattern with a reference light distribution pattern.

A vehicular driver assistance system includes a camera that views through the windshield of the vehicle and a control device having an image processor that processes captured image data. Responsive to processing of captured image data by the image processor, the system adjusts a light beam emitted by a headlamp of the vehicle. The control device, responsive at least in part to image data processing by the image processor, determines when the vehicle is at a construction zone. Responsive to determination that the vehicle is at a construction zone, image processing of image data captured by the camera is adjusted to discriminate construction zone signs from taillights of leading vehicles. Responsive to determination of the vehicle exiting the construction zone, the control device adjusts the light beam emitted by the headlamp of the vehicle responsive to determination of headlamps of approaching vehicles and taillights of leading vehicles.

A sensing system for a vehicle includes a sensor disposed at a vehicle and a control that includes a processor for processing sensor data captured by the sensor. A first polarizer is disposed in a light emitting path of at least one light source of the vehicle and a second polarizer is disposed in a light receiving path of the sensor. The second polarizer has an opposite-handed polarization configuration relative to the first polarizer. Some of the polarized light as polarized by the first polarizer impinges precipitation present in the field of sensing of the sensor and returns toward the sensor as refracted-reflected light. The second polarizer attenuates the refracted-reflected light and allows light reflected from objects present in the sensor's field of sensing to pass through to the sensor. The control, responsive to processing of captured sensor data, detects objects in the field of sensing of the sensor.

A vehicle front headlight device includes a light source, a rotating mirror configured by a plurality of mirror bodies, that are rotationally driven about a shaft, and, while rotating, reflecting light emitted by the light source, a lens transmitting light that is reflected by the rotating mirror, a recognition unit configured to recognize a leading vehicle traveling ahead, and a controller controlling a timing at which the light source is switched off and a timing at which the light source is switched on, such that light is not illuminated onto the leading vehicle recognized by the recognition unit and such that an illumination intensity of light illuminated in a vicinity of both ends in a vehicle width direction of the leading vehicle is lower than an illumination intensity of light illuminated at an outer side of the vicinity of the both ends in the vehicle width direction of the leading vehicle.

A pulsed laser may illuminate a scene that is obscured by dense, dynamic and heterogeneous fog. Light may reflect back to a time-resolved camera. Each pixel of the camera may detect a single photon during each frame. The imaging system may accurately determine reflectance and depth of the fog-obscured target, without any calibration or prior knowledge of the scene depth. The imaging system may perform a probabilistic algorithm that exploits the fact that times of arrival of photons reflected from fog have a Gamma distribution that is different than the Gaussian distribution of times of arrival of photons reflected from the target. The probabilistic algorithm may take into account times of arrival of all types of measured photons, including scattered and un-scattered photons.

A vehicular control system includes a camera, a controller having a processor that processes captured image data, and an exterior temperature sensor. Responsive, at least in part, to a temperature input from the temperature sensor, the controller switches processing of captured image data between (a) a normal processing mode and (b) a cold weather processing mode. Responsive to the temperature input being indicative of the exterior temperature being below a first threshold temperature, the controller processes captured image data in the cold weather processing mode to enhance blockage detection of frost or snow or ice at the camera. When the controller is operating in the cold weather processing mode, the controller switches processing of captured image data to the normal processing mode responsive to the temperature input being indicative of the exterior temperature being above a second threshold temperature that is greater than the first threshold temperature.