A vehicle includes an engine, a generator driven by the engine to generate an electric power, and a high-voltage battery charged with the electric power. An air heating in a vehicle interior is implemented by waste heat of the engine through which a heat medium is circulated and heated, and an air heating in the vehicle interior is implemented by a heat pump device consuming the electric power of the electric storage device. A hybrid ECU performs air conditioning control, and includes a determination device that determines whether to implement the air heating by the waste heat or the air heating by the heat pump device based on an engine body temperature, and a heating control device that selectively implements the air heating by the waste heat and the air heating by the heat pump device based on a determination result of the determination device.

An electronic control unit for a heat-generating electrical device of a vehicle, that includes a microcontroller configured to control the operation of the heat-generating electrical device in dependence on a temperature signal of at least one temperature sensor thermally coupled with the heat-generating electrical device; and at least one electronic thermal protection circuit configured to at least temporarily interrupt the control of the operation of the heat-generating electrical device in dependence on the temperature signal of the at least one temperature sensor thermally coupled with the heat-generating electrical device.

A climate control system for a vehicle includes an infrared sensor disposed within a passenger compartment of the vehicle. The infrared sensor is configured to receive infrared radiation from a skin surface of a vehicle occupant. The climate control system further includes a controller configured to receive a signal indicative of a detected temperature detected at the skin surface. In response to the detected temperature deviating from a baseline temperature, the controller is configured to automatically control an HVAC system to add conditioned air into the passenger compartment and to control a thermoelectric device configured to adjust a seat surface temperature.

A vehicle includes an engine, a generator driven by the engine to generate an electric power, and a high-voltage battery charged with the electric power. An air heating in a vehicle interior is implemented by waste heat of the engine through which a heat medium is circulated and heated, and an air heating in the vehicle interior is implemented by a heat pump device consuming the electric power of the electric storage device. A hybrid ECU performs air conditioning control, and includes a determination device that determines whether to implement the air heating by the waste heat or the air heating by the heat pump device based on an engine body temperature, and a heating control device that selectively implements the air heating by the waste heat and the air heating by the heat pump device based on a determination result of the determination device.

A heater device includes: a distance specifying portion that specifies a distance between a sensing subject, i.e., an occupant and a heater main body as a sensed distance; and a moving mechanism that moves the heater main body. The heater device further includes a heater position control portion that controls the moving mechanism such that the distance between the sensing subject, i.e., the occupant and the heater main body is adjusted to a target distance based on the sensed distance, which is specified by the distance specifying portion.

A radiant heating system includes a radiant heating element, a steering wheel position monitoring device and a controller configured to control the radiant heating element in response to steering wheel position data received from the steering wheel position monitoring device. A method of controlling operation of a radiant system.

A refrigeration system includes a primary evaporator that cooperates with a compressor, which compresses first refrigerant containing lubricant oil, to form a refrigeration cycle that circulates the first refrigerant. At the primary evaporator, the first refrigerant absorbs heat from second refrigerant and is thereby evaporated. The refrigeration system further includes a condenser, at which the second refrigerant releases heat to the first refrigerant and is thereby condensed. The refrigeration system also includes a secondary evaporator that cooperates with the condenser to form a refrigerant circulation circuit, in which the second refrigerant is circulated. At the secondary evaporator, the secondary evaporator absorbs heat from a primary cooling subject and is thereby evaporated. A refrigerant flow passage of the primary evaporator and a refrigerant flow passage of the condenser are independently formed, so that the refrigeration cycle and the refrigerant circulation circuit are independently formed.

A vehicle heating system includes a fuel-operated heater (16) with a burner area (18), with a combustion air blower (20) for feeding combustion air to the burner area (18). A fuel pump (26) feeds fuel to the burner area (18). An actuating device (40) actuates the combustion air blower (20) and the fuel pump (26). The actuating device (40) is configured to actuate the combustion air blower (20) and the fuel pump (26) to carry out a fording operation upon receipt of a fording state information.

A climate control system for a vehicle includes an infrared sensor disposed within a passenger compartment of the vehicle. The infrared sensor is configured to receive infrared radiation from a skin surface of a vehicle occupant. The climate control system further includes a controller configured to receive a signal indicative of a detected temperature detected at the skin surface. In response to the detected temperature deviating from a baseline temperature, the controller is configured to automatically control an HVAC system to add conditioned air into the passenger compartment and to control a thermoelectric device configured to adjust a seat surface temperature.

A radiant heating system includes a radiant heating element, a steering wheel position monitoring device and a controller configured to control the radiant heating element in response to steering wheel position data received from the steering wheel position monitoring device. A method of controlling operation of a radiant heating system is also disclosed.