A control device for a vehicle, comprising: a cleaning mechanism for cleaning an outer surface of a window glass; and a flexible solar cell module capable of generating electricity by being irradiated with sunlight, wherein the solar cell module is deployed along an inner surface of the window glass, and the control device is capable of storing the solar cell module, the control device including a controller for controlling the deployment and storage of the solar cell module and the cleaning mechanism, wherein the controller includes an expansion determination unit for determining that the solar cell module is deployed, and a cleaning mechanism control unit for operating the cleaning mechanism so as to clean the outer surface of the window glass when it is determined that the solar cell module is deployed.

A control device for a vehicle, comprising: a cleaning mechanism for cleaning an outer surface of a window glass; and a flexible solar cell module capable of generating electricity by being irradiated with sunlight, wherein the solar cell module is deployed along an inner surface of the window glass, and the control device is capable of storing the solar cell module, the control device including a controller for controlling the deployment and storage of the solar cell module and the cleaning mechanism, wherein the controller includes an expansion determination unit for determining that the solar cell module is deployed, and a cleaning mechanism control unit for operating the cleaning mechanism so as to clean the outer surface of the window glass when it is determined that the solar cell module is deployed.

A rain sensor system (1) for detecting rain on a window (101) of a vehicle (100), comprising: a camera device (2) configured to capture images (14) of an area surrounding the vehicle (100) which is located in a field of view (103) of the camera device (2); and multiple rain sensors (5) which are arranged on the window (101) and at least partially in the field of view (103) of the camera device (2), each rain sensor (5) comprising: a light guide (7) which is configured to guide light from a light source (6) to a 10 light injection point (8) at which the light is injected into the window (101), and a receiver (9) configured to receive the light injected into the window (101) and guided to the receiver (9) through the window (101), and to guide the received light to the camera device (2).

Systems and methods for estimating wiper friction in a vehicle can include receiving, by a processor, sensor data indicating electrical power input to a wiper motor and a position of a wiper blade coupled to the wiper motor. Calculating, by the processor, an estimated wiper friction based on an energy balance model using the electrical power input and changes an energy of the wiper blade. Determining, by the processor, an average friction power loss over a defined calculation window of wiper blade movement. The method can also include providing, by the processor, the average friction power loss as an input to an automatic wiper control system.

A vehicle includes a front windshield wiper and a front windshield wiper actuator configured to actuate the front windshield wiper to wipe a front windshield of the vehicle. The vehicle includes a rear window wiper and a rear window wiper actuator configured to actuate the rear window wiper to wipe a rear window of the vehicle. A precipitation sensor configured to sense precipitation in front of the vehicle. A control system is configured to control a frequency of the front windshield wiper actuator and a frequency of the rear window wiper actuator based on an output of the precipitation sensor. The frequency of the rear window wiper may be proportional to the frequency of the front windshield wiper with adjustments for inputs such as vehicle speed, camera outputs, and current drawn by the rear window wiper actuator.

A sensor assembly having a radiation receiver and a radiation emitter, and a windscreen wiping device are assigned to the window surface of the motor vehicle. The radiation emitter emits a radiation signal to the window surface and reflected on a boundary surface with the environment surrounding the vehicle. A radiation measurement value of the reflected radiation signal is detected by the radiation receiver. When an increased amount of reflected radiation is detected, this indicates a deposit on the window surface, and the windscreen wiping device is initiated to wipe the window surface. A further radiation measurement value of the reflected radiation is detected after wiping with the windscreen wiping device. The radiation measurement value detected after wiping is compared with the radiation measurement value detected before wiping. If the difference between the radiation measurement values before and after wiping is small enough, it indicates dirt on the window surface.

An autonomous driving sensor cleaning device includes a housing assembly; a bracket disposed inside the housing assembly, connected to at least a portion of the housing assembly, and including a camera seating portion; a sensor assembly mounted in the bracket; a cover disposed apart from the sensor assembly and connected to a portion of the housing assembly; a wiper assembly, wherein at least a portion of the wiper assembly is in contact with the cover; a blower assembly adjacent to the wiper assembly and the sensor assembly and including an outlet disposed adjacent to the cover; and a controller configured to control the wiper assembly and the blower assembly.

A method for processing vehicle camera lens obstructions including obtaining an image from a vehicle camera, generating a first camera lens dirt map according to pixel texture richness and color spectrum levels extracted from the image, obtaining a sequential feed of multiple frames from the vehicle camera, generating a second camera lens dirt map according to at least one salient region extracted from the multiple frames, combining the first camera lens dirt map and the second camera lens dirt map to generate a combined camera lens dirt map, and initiating at least one of automated lens cleaning or a camera lens obstruction signal, according to the combined camera lens dirt map.

A cylindrical member 93 is provided with a pair of slits 93a, 93b extending in the axial direction of the cylindrical member 93. The opening widths of the pair of slits 93a, 93b in the circumferential direction of the cylindrical member 93 are narrower on the outside (opening widths W2, W4) of the cylindrical member 93 than on the inside (opening widths W1, W3) thereof. This makes it possible to prevent rainwater and the like from reaching a communication hole 91 inside the cylindrical member 93 and quickly discharge the rainwater and the like intruded into the inside of the cylindrical member 93 to the outside of the cylindrical member 93. Accordingly, it is possible to effectively prevent the rainwater and the like from intruding into the inside (hollow portion) of a gear cover 80, thereby enabling to improve a water exposure reliability.