Abstract: Provided is an in-vehicle camera shield state determination device which determines a shield state of an external camera of a vehicle, the device determines whether or not shield is detected by image processing of a captured image, determines whether or not an object is close to the vehicle in an imaging direction of the external camera, based on a detection result of an external sensor of the vehicle, determines whether or not the external camera is in the shield state, based on a detection result of a shield detection unit and a determination result of a proximity determination unit, and even if shield is detected by image processing of the captured image, when it is determined that the object is close to the vehicle in the imaging direction of the external camera, it is not determined that the external camera is in the shield state.

Abstract: According to the present invention, in a heating apparatus having a viscous heater using viscous fluid for heating cooling water, when an engine rotational speed is lower than a set rotational speed relative to a temperature of viscous fluid, a viscous clutch is turned on to transmit a rotational driving force of the engine to a rotor of the viscous heater. In this way, a shearing force is applied to the viscous fluid in the heat-generating chamber, and the circulating cooling water is heated by generated heat of the viscous fluid to improve the heating capacity. When the engine rotational speed is higher than the set rotational speed relative to a temperature of viscous fluid, a viscous clutch is not turned on. Therefore, the rotational driving force of the engine is not transmitted to the rotor of the viscous heater, so that the shearing force is not applied to the viscous fluid to prevent the oil temperature of the viscous fluid from increasing excessively higher than 200.degree. C.

Abstract: A method is provided for the control of servo hydraulic pressure in an automatic transmission. Servo hydraulic pressure is adapted to engage or release first and second frictional engagement elements arranged in such a relationship that, upon shifting from one particular speed stage to another, one of the first and second frictional engagement elements is released while the other is engaged. The servo hydraulic pressure, engaging one frictional engagement element, is linearly lowered in a torque phase during a shift so it releases the one frictional engagement element, responsive to a rise in the servo hydraulic pressure to the frictional engagement element to be engaged, to maintain an inversely proportional relationship between the servo hydraulic pressure being raised and that being released.