A system includes a computer programmed to receive image data of an exterior of a vehicle from an external image device. The computer is further programmed to, upon determining that a difference between the received image data and stored baseline image data exceeds a threshold, actuate the vehicle to navigate to a car wash location.

A lidar sensor may include: a transmitter configured to transmit laser; a receiver configured to receive reflected laser; a mirror rotating unit configured to rotate a mirror in a designated direction, the mirror serving to reflect the transmitted or received laser; a cleaning device driving unit configured to drive a cleaning device to remove foreign matters adhering to the cover of the lidar sensor; a signal processing unit configured to determine when or where the lidar sensor is covered and calculate a distance to an object; and a control unit configured to control the transmitter not to transmit a laser signal or control a rotational velocity or rotation time of the mirror at a point of time that the lidar sensor is covered by the cleaning device, and control detection or utilization of the received signal when the distance to the object is calculated.

A wiper motor having a gearbox housing which comprises a pot-shaped main body for forming a receiving space for a gear mechanism is disclosed. An opening in the main body can be closed by a gearbox cover, and a plurality of latching connections, which act in the direction of a joining direction between the main body and the gearbox cover, are formed between the main body and the gearbox cover. Each comprise an elastically deformable first latching element and a second latching element which interacts with the first latching element in a form-fitting manner, and wherein centring means are provided on the gearbox housing for the play-free positioning of the gearbox cover relative to the main body in a rotational angle position, which extends perpendicularly to the joining direction, between the main body and the gearbox cover.

An arrangement to reduce refreezing of meltable snow includes a wiper arm configured to wipe the meltable snow from an ambient-facing surface of a window positioned on a vehicle. The arrangement also includes a sensor coupled to the wiper arm that is configured to gather and transmit a parameter on the vehicle and environment. The arrangement also includes a processor that is configured to receiving the parameter, determining refreezability of the meltable snow based on the parameter, and defining an action to be performed by the wiper arm.

Embodiments provide vehicle camera cleaning systems used for cleaning foreign matter off of a camera lens, including, for example, a water flow nozzle arranged to eject water flow, an air nozzle arranged to eject air, and a central controller used to control the water flow nozzle and air nozzle. In certain embodiments, a plurality of sensing devices are used for sensing the conditions of the camera lens, such as an infrared water drop sensor, a temperature sensor, a camera sensing sensor, and the like. The central controller may determine whether there are water drops, ice, snow, or other foreign matter on the lens based on signals received from the plurality of sensing devices, and may control the air nozzle and the water flow nozzle to clean the camera lens based on the foreign matter present.

A heater system for clearing moisture (frozen and liquid) from a windshield (14) around a through-windshield vehicle sensor (18) provides a chamber between the sensor and the windshield containing air that may be heated by a chamber supported heating element (30, 51). The warm air within the chamber applies heat over the windshield in the critical viewing area (26) without obstructing the sensor (18).

A vehicle wiper device and vehicle wiper device control method are provided that are capable of changing a position of a wiping range of a wiper arm in a manner that is less distracting. When a switch for an enlarged wiping operation has been switched ON, a microcomputer 58 performs control to change the position of a wiping range by starting rotation of an output shaft of a second motor 12 in a predetermined direction when a rotation angle of an output shaft of a first motor 11 has reached an angle corresponding to a position within a predetermined range in the vicinity of one out of a upper return position P1P or a lower return position P2P. Accordingly, when a front passenger seat side wiper blade 36 changes direction at either the upper return position P1P or the lower return position P2P, a front passenger seat side wiper arm 35 begins to extend, and the position of a wiping range of the front passenger seat side wiper blade 36 is moved upward on a front passenger seat side.

A motor-powered windshield scourer for any type of a motor-powered vehicle and or motor craft. The motorized windshield scourer may have a motor propelled appendages or a singular appendage that have replaceable scouring attachments joined to the appendages. The motor that propels the appendages can be positioned anywhere on or in the motor vehicle/craft, whether under the hood, in the cabin or elsewhere. The motor driven appendages with joined scouring attachments may be mounted on the windshield of the vehicle directly opposite of the windshield wiper blades. When turned on, the motor may move the appendages with joined attachments in a side to side and/or up and down motion across the windshield. The appendages may include an unpliable metal such as: steel, titanium, tungsten, or inconel, and the scouring attachments may include nylon scouring pads or a vinyl coated mesh attached to and covering rubber or foam.

A surround view system for a vehicle includes a plurality of brackets adjacent interior surfaces of windows of the vehicle. A plurality of camera assemblies are provided within the brackets. Each camera assembly includes a lens having a field of view extending through one of the windows for capturing images of a vehicle exterior. The images captured by the lenses through the windows are integrated together to form a 360 view of the vehicle exterior.

A vehicle cleaning system includes a wiper motor, a vehicle wiper, a washer nozzle, a washer pump, and a controller. The wiper motor forwardly and reversely rotates an output shaft. The vehicle wiper is coupled to the output shaft and reciprocally wipes a surface for wiping in accordance with forward and reverse rotations of the output shaft. The washer nozzle is arranged on the vehicle wiper. The washer pump feeds a washer fluid to the washer nozzle. The controller controls the wiper motor and the washer pump. The controller drives the washer pump so that the washer fluid is ejected in a direction in which accumulated snow is present based on a determination that the vehicle wiper is in a constrained state caused by accumulated snow.