Abstract: Disclosed is a device which is mounted on a vehicle, and captures a rear region of a vehicle and a blind spot region outside of a viewing range of a side mirror adjacent to the rear region of the vehicle. A captured image is subjected to image processing so that the blind spot region on the captured image is compressed. The image after subjected to the image processing is displayed so as to be visible to a driver. The blind spot region on the captured image is compressed so that a sudden change of position of a object in a horizontal direction on the captured image is suppressed, as against a change of distance from the vehicle to the object. Compression is performed so that the ratio of transition of position of the object in the horizontal direction on the captured image to transition of distance from the vehicle to the object is substantially the same as the ratio of transition of position of the object in the horizontal direction in the side mirror to transition of distance from the vehicle to the object.

Abstract: A driving assistance device includes: an image capturing part configured to image-capture a rear lateral area of a host vehicle and a dead angle area; a display part configured to display a video image captured by the image capturing part; and a blinker switch configured to make a signal of a movement of the host vehicle to a first side or a second side. The display part displays the video image according to a turn on of the blinker switch indicating a movement of the vehicle to the second side, turns off the display of the video image when a predetermined amount of time elapses after the blinker switch is turned off, and turns off the display of the video image before the predetermined amount of time elapses when it is predicted that the host vehicle moves to the first side within the predetermined amount of time.

Abstract: A vehicular imaging device is formed by housing a camera, which takes an image of one side and rearwardly of a vehicle body, in an interior of a minor housing of the door mirror. Since an objective lens of the camera is disposed further inside than the outer surface of the mirror housing, it is possible to prevent raindrops or snow flowing from top to bottom along the outer surface of the mirror housing by virtue of gravity or raindrops or snow flowing from front to rear along the outer surface of the mirror housing due to being pushed by air flow from adhering to the objective lens of the camera, thereby enabling the image taking function of the camera to be maintained.

Abstract: A control apparatus of a vehicle is provided. In the control apparatus, an unable-to-drive state of the driver of the vehicle is detected or determined. The unable-to-drive state is a state where the driver is unable to drive the vehicle. When the emergency that the driver has become the unable-to-drive state is detected or determined, the detection or determination result is notified to the outside. A leading vehicle which is adapted to leading the vehicle based on the notification, is recognized. Automatic follow-up running control is performed wherein the vehicle is made to automatically follow the leading vehicle.

Abstract: A display control element of a driving assistance device is equipped with a function of displaying a detailed guide information of navigation information to an indicator, in a case where a current position of a vehicle is inside a detailed guide zone, and a function of displaying the captured image of side-rearward to the indicator, in a case where a course change of the vehicle is detected in case the current position of the vehicle is outside the detailed guide zone, and also maintains the display of the detailed guide information without relying on a detection of the course change of the vehicle, in case where the current position of the vehicle is inside the detailed guide zone.

Abstract: An indication control unit 11 indicates a side-rearward image of a vehicle 1 captured by a left-rearward camera 2L and a right-rearward camera 2R mounted on the vehicle 1, after superimposing guidelines showing a guide of a distance from the vehicle 1, to a left-rearward indicator 3L and a right-rearward indicator 3R. A road shape recognizing unit 13 recognizes a shape of a road on which the vehicle is traveling. When it is recognized by the road shape recognizing unit 13 that the vehicle 1 is traveling on the road of a predetermined shape, the indication control unit 11 sets the guidelines to non-display, or sets an indicating position of the guidelines according to the shape of the road recognized by the road shape recognizing unit 13.

Abstract: Disclosed is a device which is mounted on a vehicle, and captures a rear region of a vehicle and a blind spot region outside of a viewing range of a side mirror adjacent to the rear region of the vehicle. A captured image is subjected to image processing so that the blind spot region on the captured image is compressed. The image after subjected to the image processing is displayed so as to be visible to a driver. The blind spot region on the captured image is compressed so that a sudden change of position of a object in a horizontal direction on the captured image is suppressed, as against a change of distance from the vehicle to the object. Compression is performed so that the ratio of transition of position of the object in the horizontal direction on the captured image to transition of distance from the vehicle to the object is substantially the same as the ratio of transition of position of the object in the horizontal direction in the side mirror to transition of distance from the vehicle to the object.

Abstract: A driving assistance system may include a device for obtaining an image of an area behind and next to the present vehicle, the area including a lane other than the present lane; a device for displaying the obtained image so that it is visible to the driver; and a device for superimposing a mark on the image, which indicates degree of danger with respect to another vehicle running on the other lane when the present vehicle enters the other lane. The system may include a mirror for reflecting such an area behind and next to the present vehicle in a manner such that the area is visible to a driver of the present vehicle; and a device for displaying a mark on the mirror, wherein the mark indicates a degree of danger with respect to another vehicle running on the other lane when the present vehicle enters the other lane.

Abstract: A driving support apparatus includes: an image sensing device that photographs side region of a vehicle and rearward region of a vehicle while altering an angle of view; a display unit that displays video images photographed by the image sensing device so as to be visible to a driver of the vehicle; a display determination device that determines a running state of the vehicle, and determines whether or not an alteration of the display angle of view is required; and an angle of view adjustment device that switches the angle of view of the image sensing device, in accordance with a display method decided by the display determination device, between either one of a wide angle that enables the side region and the rearward region to be photographed, and a narrow angle that only allows the rearward region to be photographed.

Abstract: A driving support apparatus includes: an image sensing device that is provided in a vehicle, and is able to photograph a rearward region of the vehicle, and a dead angle region that is adjacent to the rearward region and cannot be perceived by a driver with a side mirror; and a display unit that displays video images photographed by the image sensing device so as to be visible to the driver, wherein a predetermined region of the video image photographed by the image sensing device is displayed in an enlarged form.

Abstract: A driving support apparatus includes: an image sensing device that photographs side region of a vehicle and rearward region of a vehicle while altering an angle of view; a display unit that displays video images photographed by the image sensing device so as to be visible to a driver of the vehicle; a display determination device that determines a running state of the vehicle, and determines whether or not an alteration of the display angle of view is required; and an angle of view adjustment device that switches the angle of view of the image sensing device, in accordance with a display method decided by the display determination device, between either one of a wide angle that enables the side region and the rearward region to be photographed, and a narrow angle that only allows the rearward region to be photographed.

Abstract: A driving assistance system may include a device for obtaining an image of an area behind and next to the present vehicle, the area including a lane other than the present lane; a device for displaying the obtained image so that it is visible to the driver; and a device for superimposing a mark on the image, which indicates degree of danger with respect to another vehicle running on the other lane when the present vehicle enters the other lane. The system may include a mirror for reflecting such an area behind and next to the present vehicle in a manner such that the area is visible to a driver of the present vehicle; and a device for displaying a mark on the mirror, wherein the mark indicates a degree of danger with respect to another vehicle running on the other lane when the present vehicle enters the other lane.

Abstract: A brake system for a steered vehicle includes: a brake pedal having a tread face, the brake pedal being disposed on the left side relative to the position of a steering axis for being operated by a driver's left foot; and a foot rest for supporting the driver's left foot and having a tread face, wherein a difference in level between the tread face of the brake pedal at a rest position thereof and the tread face of the foot rest is substantially zero. Thus, it is possible to reduce the changeover time required to move the left foot placed on the tread face of the foot rest to the tread face of the brake pedal, thereby improving the operability and the responsiveness. Moreover, since the left foot placed on the tread face of the foot rest can be placed on the tread face of the brake pedal simply by moving the left foot laterally, it is possible to prevent a sudden braking, which is unpleasant for a passenger, due to the brake pedal being depressed more strongly than expected at the instant of changing over.

Abstract: An active actuator is interposed between the unsprung mass and the sprung mass of a vehicle, and a controller selectively extends and retracts the actuator at a prescribed acceleration so as to selectively apply an additional contact load to the wheel by making use of the inertial force of the sprung mass and/or the unsprung mass of the vehicle. A particularly advantageous result can be achieved by increasing the tire contact load when the wheel is about to lock up when braking. The present invention can thus reduce the braking distance for the given road condition.

Abstract: An active actuator is interposed between the unsprung mass and the sprung mass of a vehicle, and a controller selectively extends and retracts the actuator at a prescribed acceleration so as to selectively apply an additional contact load to the wheel by making use of the inertial force of the sprung mass and/or the unsprung mass of the vehicle. Thus, the tire contact load of each wheel can be increased at will and independently from the other wheels so that the gripping force available to each wheel can be increased as required by appropriately operating the corresponding actuator. Therefore, the braking performance and the accelerating performance for the given road condition can be improved. Additionally, even when a frictional coefficients for the right and left wheels differ from each other, by appropriately applying an additional contact load to the wheel travelling over the more slippery part of the road surface, the stability of the vehicle can be also substantially increased.

Abstract: An active actuator is interposed between the unsprung mass and the sprung mass of a vehicle, and extended and retracted in a cyclic manner so as to apply a prescribed reaction to the unsprung mass during an extending stroke of the actuator. Thus, the additional contact load is applied to the tire in a cyclic manner over a desired period of time so that the gripping force of the tire can be increased over a desired period of time. Although the increase in the tire contact load and the reduction in the tire contact load occurs in an alternating, cyclic manner, it is possible to achieve an overall advantage for instance in reducing the braking distance by intermittently increasing the tire contact load of the rear wheels by detecting the braking action of the vehicle with a suitable acceleration sensor or the like.

Abstract: An active actuator is interposed between the unsprung mass and the sprung mass of a vehicle, and a controller selectively extends and retracts the actuator at a prescribed acceleration so as to selectively apply an additional contact load to the wheel by making use of the inertial force of the sprung mass and/or the unsprung mass of the vehicle. A particularly advantageous result can be achieved by increasing the tire contact load according to the judgment of the vehicle operator who would, for example, actuate a switch at a desired or appropriate time such as when braking the vehicle, turning a curve or accelerating on a slippery road surface.

Abstract: A pair of discharge pipes interconnect outlet ports of a plurality of batteries such that the first discharge pipe interconnects the outlet ports of some of the batteries and the second discharge pipe interconnects the outlet ports of the remaining batteries. The discharge pipes have rear ends connected respectively to atmospheric discharge units and other ends connected by joint pipes. Since the rear ends of the discharge pipes are connected to the atmospheric discharge units, even if one of the discharge pipes is closed or blocked for some reason, a gas emitted from the batteries is discharged from the other discharge pipes and hence is prevented from being trapped in the batteries. Additional pairs of discharge pipes a employed in the same manner for an additional plurality of batteries. The atmospheric discharge units include a backfire check member or valve and/or baffles for inhibiting ignition of the gas emitted from the batteries.

Abstract: To minimize temperature differences between batteries and also between battery cells for effectively cooling the batteries uniformly, a fan structure is disposed on one side of a box assembly of a battery box and four of six surfaces of each of the batteries which are box-shaped are covered with thermally insulating members. When a motor of the fan structure is energized, the fan structure introduces cooling air forcibly into the box assembly to cool the two exposed surfaces of each of the batteries. The battery box with the fan structure is relatively simple in structure, lightweight, economical, and can easily be inspected and serviced for maintenance.

Abstract: A battery box has a center frame extending between two rows of batteries housed in the battery box. The center frame has an array of upwardly projecting locking pins. A central holder bar is installed on the locking pins of the center frame. The battery box also has an inner frame including a left straight frame with locking pins and a right straight frame with locking pins. A left holder bar and a right holder bar are installed respectively on the locking pins of the left straight frame and the right straight frame. The central, left, and right holder bars are fastened in position by nuts that are tightened over the locking pins, thereby holding the batteries firmly in the battery box.