Provided is a vehicle lamp unit that enables a user to perceive a detection range of a sensor. A vehicle lamp unit 1 includes: a sensor 4 mounted at a lower part of a vehicle 90; and an irradiation device 30 configured to irradiate a vehicle outer plate 95 present at a position corresponding to a detection range of the sensor 4.

A vehicular exterior door handle assembly includes a handle portion and an illumination module having an illumination source that emits light when electrically powered. With the exterior door handle assembly mounted at a door handle region of a vehicle door and when the illumination source is electrically powered to emit light, light emitted by the illumination source illuminates the door handle region of the vehicle door. The illumination module is located and oriented at the vehicular exterior door handle assembly such that, when the illumination source is electrically powered to emit light, a hand grasping the handle portion to open the vehicle door does not block light emitted by the illumination source so that illumination is maintained at the door handle region of the vehicle door.

A vehicular exterior door system includes a door handle assembly configured for mounting at a door handle region of a vehicle door of a vehicle. The door handle assembly includes a pocket lighting module comprising at least one light emitting diode operable to emit light to illuminate a pocket region of the door handle region. The door handle assembly includes a plurality of touch sensors linearly arranged along a handle portion and generating sensor data based on detection of touch at the respective touch sensor. The vehicular exterior door system, with the door handle assembly mounted at the door handle region, and responsive to processing at the processor of the sensor data generated by individual touch sensors of the plurality of touch sensors, determines a touch event at the door handle assembly and, responsive to the determined touch event, unlocks the vehicle door.

A vehicle operation detection device includes sensors laid out in a vehicle along an axis in an opening-closing direction of a door of the vehicle. When the user moves a part of a body toward the sensors and a motion of moving the part of the body along the axis is detected, the sensors detect an opening-closing operation for the door. The vehicle operation detection device further includes light-emitting members laid out in the vehicle along the axis in the opening-closing direction and an operation direction indicator configured to drive the light-emitting members in sequence in a first direction in a fully-closed state of the door and drives the light-emitting members in sequence in a second direction in a fully-open state of the door.

An illumination system and method of ground and other illuminating that comprises a plurality of sensors that scan/detect the exterior area around the vehicle and at least one controller, the system selectively turning on/off a series of lighting elements placed strategically around the vehicle to allow light to be directed to at least one ground or other surface at the persons at all times or any predetermined time. A controller is provided to activate ground lighting in coordination with sensor signals identifying where an individual or object are located in predetermined proximity to the vehicle.

A system and method of controlling a surrounding lamp system of a vehicle are provided. The method includes sensing an approach of the user to the vehicle acquiring an image of the user with respect to a vehicle body, when the user approaches the vehicle body. A motion of the user, the motion having directionality with respect to the vehicle body is determined from the image and a surrounding lamp is then operated based on the motion having directionality with respect to the vehicle body.

An embodiment system for illuminating a charging port of an electric vehicle is provided. The charging port is provided in a vehicle body for supplying electrical power to a vehicle driving battery, and the system includes a charging port door configured to open and close the charging port, and a lamp device disposed on the charging port door and configured to illuminate the charging port.

An illuminations system placed on a rear cargo van door providing auxiliary lighting to improve safety. Light modules are attached to the rear cargo van doors so that when the doors are opened an amber warning light is illuminated along the edge of the open cargo van door pointing rearward. A task light preferably is incorporated in the light modules to provide downward task lighting. The lighting modules are attached adjacent edges of the rear cargo van doors without permanent modification to the cargo van.

The invention provides an automotive lighting device with a circuit support, an optics support, a holder support and a microlenses support. The optics support includes optical elements, each one being arranged in front of one of the solid-state light sources of the printed circuit board. The optics support further includes positioning protrusions configured to fit the positioning housings of the circuit support. The holder support includes a plurality of opaque walls, a first coupler and a second coupler. Each opaque wall is located between two optical elements. The microlenses support includes a plurality of groups of microlenses, each group having a plurality of microlenses arranged to receive the light projected by one optical elements. The first coupler is configured to couple the holder support to the circuit support. The second coupler is intended to retain the microlenses support.

A vehicular exterior door handle assembly includes a base portion configured to mount at an exterior door handle region of a vehicular door of a vehicle, a handle portion, and a sensing module that includes a light emitter and a light sensor. With the base portion of the handle assembly mounted at the exterior door handle region of the vehicular door, the light emitter is episodically energized to emit light. When the light emitter is not energized to emit light, the light sensor senses ambient light at the handle portion, and when the light emitter is energized to emit light, the light sensor senses emitted light emitted by the light emitter. The sensing module determines presence of a person's hand at the handle portion based at least in part on a difference between the sensed ambient light and the sensed emitted light being below a threshold light level.