A vehicle wiper control apparatus monitors whether warpage occurs in a wiper strip made of a rubber-elastic material that is provided in a wiper blade. When a wiper of a vehicle is turned off and the warpage occurs in the wiper strip, the control apparatus controls the wiper mechanism to move the wiper blade to a parking position thereby preventing deformation of the wiper strip and maintaining the performance thereof.

A sensor enclosure comprising a domed cover and a base. The base can be encased by the domed cover. The base comprises an inner frame, an outer frame, one or more wipers, and a powertrain. The inner frame can provide surfaces for one or more sensors. The outer frame, disposed underneath the inner frame, the outer frame includes a slewing ring. The slewing ring comprises an inner ring to which the domed cover is attached and an outer ring attached to the outer frame. The one or more wipers extends vertically from the outer frame, each wiper having a first end attached to the outer frame and a second end attached to a support ring, and each wiper making a contact with the dome cover. The powertrain, disposed within the outer frame, configured to rotate the ring and the dome cover attached to the inner ring.

There is provided a method for actuating a component of a vehicle. The method may include applying an initial force to the component to actuate the component, and generating a movement indicator based on whether the component moves in response to the initial force. Moreover, the method may include receiving a freezing indicator associated with a likelihood of the component being immobilized due to freezing. If the movement indicator is negative and the freezing indicator is affirmative, the method also includes applying an adjusted force to the component to mobilize the component.

An aircraft windshield wiper control system includes an aircraft weather radar system mounted in an aircraft and that detects precipitation in a travel path of an aircraft and an integrated avionics module that receives aircraft weather information from the aircraft weather radar system. The system also includes an aircraft wiper blade motor, a wiper blade motor driver and a wiper control module that receives aircraft weather information from the integrated avionics module and generates a wiper control signal, based on the received information that controls operation of the wiper blade motor drive to cause motion of the aircraft wiper blade motor.

A precipitation index estimation apparatus includes an operation mode data collection unit and an estimation processing unit. The data collection unit is configured to collect operation mode data indicating an operation mode of a windshield wiper, acquired in one or more vehicles positioned in a predetermined area within a predetermined period. The estimation processing unit is configured to estimate a precipitation index indicating an intensity of precipitation in the predetermined area within the predetermined period, based on a proportion of each of a plurality of kinds of operation modes, which is derived from the collected operation mode data.

A precipitation index estimation apparatus includes an operation mode data collection unit and an estimation processing unit. The data collection unit is configured to collect operation mode data indicating an operation mode of a windshield wiper, acquired in one or more vehicles positioned on a predetermined road link within a predetermined period. The estimation processing unit is configured to estimate a precipitation index indicating an intensity of precipitation on the predetermined road link within the predetermined period, based on a proportion of each of a plurality of kinds of operation modes, which is derived from the collected operation mode data.

A precipitation index estimation apparatus includes a data collection unit and an estimation processing unit. The data collection unit is configured to collect rainfall amount data detected by a rainfall amount sensor in one or more vehicles positioned on a predetermined road link within a predetermined period. The estimation processing unit is configured to estimate a precipitation index indicating an intensity of precipitation on the predetermined road link within the predetermined period, based on the collected rainfall amount data.

A processing apparatus includes a data collection unit and a correlation degree derivation unit. The data collection unit is configured to collect operation mode data indicating an operation mode of a windshield wiper, acquired in one or more vehicles. The correlation degree derivation unit is configured to derive a degree of correlation between the operation mode data and precipitation amount data.

Light obstruction can be detected using a light obstruction sensor. In one example implementation according to aspects of the present disclosure, a computer-implemented method includes receiving, by a light obstruction sensor, light being emitted by a light source, a light level being associated with the light, and the light source and the light obstruction sensor being disposed in a light assembly. The method further includes determining, by a processing device, whether the light level exceeds a first threshold. The method further includes, responsive to determining that the light level exceeds the first threshold, determining that the light being emitted by the light source is at least partially impaired by an object. The method further includes validating, by the processing device, the determination that the light source is at least partially impaired by the object to confirm whether the light source is at least partially impaired by the object.

A precipitation index estimation apparatus includes a data collection unit and an estimation processing unit. The data collection unit is configured to collect rainfall amount data that is detected by a rainfall amount sensor in one or more vehicles positioned in a predetermined area within a predetermined period. The estimation processing unit is configured to estimate a precipitation index indicating an intensity of precipitation in the predetermined area within the predetermined period, based on the collected rainfall amount data.