Abstract: A motor vehicle includes imaging apparatus comprising at least one camera. The apparatus is operable to provide a wade image to an occupant of the vehicle being an image of at least a portion of an exterior surface of the vehicle that is exposed to liquid when wading. The wade image is arranged to allow the occupant to determine whether the level of the liquid is below a prescribed level. Embodiments of the invention are advantageous over known wade aid devices such as ultrasonic sensor arrangements in that a driver is able to view directly a level of liquid such as water in which the vehicle is wading. Furthermore embodiments of the invention have a reduced settling time when switched on compared with ultrasonic sensor arrangements.

Abstract: A motor vehicle includes imaging apparatus comprising at least one camera. The apparatus is operable to provide a wade image to an occupant of the vehicle being an image of at least a portion of an exterior surface of the vehicle that is exposed to liquid when wading. The wade image is arranged to allow the occupant to determine whether the level of the liquid is below a prescribed level. Embodiments of the invention are advantageous over known wade aid devices such as ultrasonic sensor arrangements in that a driver is able to view directly a level of liquid such as water in which the vehicle is wading. Furthermore embodiments of the invention have a reduced settling time when switched on compared with ultrasonic sensor arrangements.

Abstract: An apparatus for monitoring one or more target objects in an environment external to a host vehicle by means of at least one sensor, the apparatus being arranged to trigger at least one action responsive to the detection of prescribed relative movement between the host vehicle and the one or more target objects. The apparatus is arranged to determine whether the at least one sensor is correctly aligned with respect to the host vehicle whereby, when the apparatus commences monitoring of the environment, the apparatus is arranged not to trigger the at least one action until the apparatus has determined that the at least one sensor is correctly aligned.

Abstract: An apparatus for monitoring one or more target objects in an environment external to a host vehicle by means of at least one sensor, the apparatus being arranged to trigger at least one action responsive to the detection of prescribed relative movement between the host vehicle and the one or more target objects. The apparatus is arranged to determine whether the at least one sensor is correctly aligned with respect to the host vehicle whereby, when the apparatus commences monitoring of the environment, the apparatus is arranged not to trigger the at least one action until the apparatus has determined that the at least one sensor is correctly aligned.

Abstract: An adaptive cruise control device (1) provides a mechanism for re-engaging adaptive cruise control after a vehicle has been brought to a halt automatically. A “blip” on the throttle pedal when the driver wants to proceed is detected by a throttle position sensor (3) and in response, the device (1) instructs the adaptive cruise control system to re-engage. A safety feature inhibits re-engagement if the gap between the vehicle and one in front is below a preset range.

Abstract: An adaptive cruise control module (1) for automatically bringing a vehicle to a halt behind a target vehicle includes a look-up table (8) holding pre-computed brake demand values for given target ranges and vehicle speeds. A controller (7) applies an appropriately selected brake demand value to the vehicle's braking system (4) until the vehicle comes to rest. The look-up table (8) values are computed such that the rate of deceleration and rate of change of deceleration closely match those applied by a typical driver when manually stopping a vehicle. A further refinement allows the vehicle to creep along behind the target vehicle in a slowly-moving queue of traffic by providing the look-up table (8) with throttle demand values for given target ranges for application to a throttle control system (5, 6).