Abstract: A vehicle includes a tank configured to store washing liquid, a washing device configured to wash a first washing target portion and a second washing target portion, and a control device configured to perform manual washing in which the washing device is caused to wash at least the first washing target portion when a washing request is made by an occupant of the vehicle, determine whether the second washing target portion is dirty or not, and perform automatic washing in which the washing device is caused to wash at least the second washing target portion when a determination is made that the second washing target portion is dirty. The control device is configured not to perform the automatic washing even when a determination is made that the second washing target portion is dirty in a case where a stored amount is equal to or smaller than a predetermined threshold amount.

Abstract: A fuel cell vehicle includes an electric motor that generates a drive force, a fuel cell that generates electric power to be supplied to the electric motor, a water storage tank that stores generated water, a water quantity detector that detects the quantity of the generated water in the water storage tank, a generated water injection nozzle connected to the water storage tank via a pipeline and disposed so as to face a cleaning object, a pump that supplies the generated water in the water storage tank to the generated water injection nozzle, and a pump control device that controls the pump such that the generated water is supplied to the generated water injection nozzle and injected toward the cleaning object when the pump control device determines that the water quantity detected by the water quantity detector has become equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold water quantity.

Abstract: A fuel cell vehicle includes: a fuel cell; a water storage tank; a spray nozzle connected to the water storage tank via water supply pipes and opposed to a to-be-cleaned object; a first pump configured to send the fuel-cell generated water in the water storage tank to the spray nozzle via the water supply pipes; and at least one electronic control unit configured to determine, based on an operating condition and an outside air temperature of the fuel cell vehicle, whether there is a possibility that the fuel-cell generated water inside the water storage tank and the water supply pipes will freeze within a predetermined time and cause the first pump to operate to spray the fuel-cell generated water from the spray nozzle to the to-be-cleaned object when it is determined that there is no possibility that the fuel-cell generated water will freeze within the predetermined time.

Abstract: A photographing device for a vehicle includes: an imaging element configured to receive a photographing beam passing through a beam transmission section of a window section; a heater constituted by a heating wire; a section to be heated to which the heater is fixed, the section to be heated being opposite to an inner side surface of the beam transmission section; a switch element configured to switch electrical connection state to the heater; and a current limiting element disposed at the section to be heated and being configured such that current flowing through the heater becomes zero or is reduced when the electric circuit is short-circuited such that power is supplied to the heater while bypassing the switch element and a temperature of the current limiting element become equal to or higher than a predetermined value.

Abstract: The photographing apparatus for vehicle includes image pickup device which is disposed inside of a window part provided in a vehicle and receives photographing luminous flux passing through a light transmissive portion, a heater, composed of heated wire, generates heat when being supplied electrical power from electric power source, a heated portion, fixed to the heater, faces an inner surface of the light transmissive portion and gives radiant heat to the light transmissive portion when receiving heat from the heater. The heated portion is a plate having a polygonal shape. Both ends of the heater are positioned at two different corner portions of the heated portion.

Abstract: An attachment structure for an in-vehicle camera includes a first bracket and a second bracket. The first bracket is fixed to an inner surface of a windshield. The second bracket holds an in-vehicle camera when the second bracket is attached to the first bracket at an attachment position. The first bracket includes a support portion and a first one-way engagement portion. The second bracket includes a pressing portion and a second one-way engagement portion. The pressing portion presses a pressed portion of the in-vehicle camera against the support portion and holds the pressed portion between the pressing portion and the support portion when the second bracket is at the attachment position. The second one-way engagement portion cooperates with the pressing portion to inhibit the second bracket from moving with respect to the first bracket when the second one-way engagement portion is engaged with the first one-way engagement portion.

Abstract: The photographing apparatus for vehicle includes image pickup device which is disposed inside of a window part provided in a vehicle and receives photographing luminous flux passing through a light transmissive portion, a heater, composed of heated wire, generates heat when being supplied electrical power from electric power source, a heated portion, fixed to the heater, faces an inner surface of the light transmissive portion and gives radiant heat to the light transmissive portion when receiving heat from the heater. The heated portion is a plate having a polygonal shape. Both ends of the heater are positioned at two different corner portions of the heated portion.

Abstract: A photographing device for a vehicle includes: an imaging element configured to receive a photographing beam passing through a beam transmission section of a window section; a heater constituted by a heating wire; a section to be heated to which the heater is fixed, the section to be heated being opposite to an inner side surface of the beam transmission section; a switch element configured to switch electrical connection state to the heater; and a current limiting element disposed at the section to be heated and being configured such that current flowing through the heater becomes zero or is reduced when the electric circuit is short-circuited such that power is supplied to the heater while bypassing the switch element and a temperature of the current limiting element become equal to or higher than a predetermined value.

Abstract: An attachment structure for an in-vehicle camera includes a first bracket and a second bracket. The first bracket is fixed to an inner surface of a windshield. The second bracket holds an in-vehicle camera when the second bracket is attached to the first bracket at an attachment position. The first bracket includes a support portion and a first one-way engagement portion. The second bracket includes a pressing portion and a second one-way engagement portion. The pressing portion presses a pressed portion of the in-vehicle camera against the support portion and holds the pressed portion between the pressing portion and the support portion when the second bracket is at the attachment position. The second one-way engagement portion cooperates with the pressing portion to inhibit the second bracket from moving with respect to the first bracket when the second one-way engagement portion is engaged with the first one-way engagement portion.

Abstract: A vision support apparatus of the invention includes a first obstacle detecting part configured to detect an obstacle near a vehicle with a visible light image; a second obstacle detecting part configured to detect the obstacle using an infrared light image, a detection status determining part configured to determine whether it is difficult or impossible for the first obstacle detecting part to detect the obstacle; and an obstacle information providing part configured to provide a driver of the vehicle with information about the obstacle detected by the second obstacle detecting part, if it is determined by the detection status determining part that it is difficult or impossible for the first obstacle detecting part to detect the obstacle, thereby informing the driver of the existence of the obstacle when it is difficult for the driver to visually perceive the obstacle because of insufficient reflection of the visible light from the obstacle.

Abstract: An on-vehicle display device 1 displays a video around a vehicle and travel information of the vehicle on a single display unit 20. The on-vehicle display device 1 includes video display enable/disable input units 11, 12, 13, and 14 inputting display enable/disable of the video around the vehicle, display modification units 30 and 40 modifying the display size of each of a video display section and a travel information display section on the basis of the input video display enable/disable, and an input prediction unit 30 predicting input of display enable/disable of the video around the vehicle. Even when video display disable is input from a video display enable/disable input unit, if the input prediction unit 30 predicts input of video display enable, the display modification units 30 and 40 do not modify the display size of each of the video display section and the travel information display section.

Abstract: A vehicle night vision support system includes an infrared camera that captures an image ahead of a vehicle; a main display that displays the image captured by the infrared camera; a sub-display; and a control unit that controls the sub-display so as to display warning information when it is determined that there is an object in the image displayed on the main display, and controls the sub-display so as to display the warning information when it is estimated or detected that an object that has disappeared from the displayed image is present in the field of view of a driver.

Abstract: A vision support apparatus of the invention includes a first obstacle detecting part configured to detect an obstacle near a vehicle with a visible light image; a second obstacle detecting part configured to detect the obstacle using an infrared light image, a detection status determining part configured to determine whether it is difficult or impossible for the first obstacle detecting part to detect the obstacle; and an obstacle information providing part configured to provide a driver of the vehicle with information about the obstacle detected by the second obstacle detecting part, if it is determined by the detection status determining part that it is difficult or impossible for the first obstacle detecting part to detect the obstacle, thereby informing the driver of the existence of the obstacle when it is difficult for the driver to visually perceive the obstacle because of insufficient reflection of the visible light from the obstacle.

Abstract: A vehicle night vision support system includes an infrared camera that captures an image ahead of a vehicle; a main display that displays the image captured by the infrared camera; a sub-display; and a control unit that controls the sub-display so as to display warning information when it is determined that there is an object in the image displayed on the main display, and controls the sub-display so as to display the warning information when it is estimated or detected that an object that has disappeared from the displayed image is present in the field of view of a driver.

Abstract: An on-vehicle display device 1 displays a video around a vehicle and travel information of the vehicle on a single display unit 20. The on-vehicle display device 1 includes video display enable/disable input units 11, 12, 13, and 14 inputting display enable/disable of the video around the vehicle, display modification units 30 and 40 modifying the display size of each of a video display section and a travel information display section on the basis of the input video display enable/disable, and an input prediction unit 30 predicting input of display enable/disable of the video around the vehicle. Even when video display disable is input from a video display enable/disable input unit, if the input prediction unit 30 predicts input of video display enable, the display modification units 30 and 40 do not modify the display size of each of the video display section and the travel information display section.

Abstract: A second circuit separately extracts a synchronization signal and brightness signal from an image signal output from a camera for capturing an image of a subject. A gamma amplifier produces a gamma correction signal based on a brightness ratio characteristic in which a display brightness increases as the signal level of the brightness signal increases and the display brightness is set using a display brightness correction ratio which is preferably 70 to 90% of an equi-proportional display brightness correction ratio when the signal level of the brightness signal falls in a high-brightness range. A liquid crystal display receives the gamma correction signal and displays an image captured by the camera with the display brightness set in accordance with the brightness ratio characteristic while synchronizing with a drive timing signal output from a first circuit.

Abstract: A vehicle visibility assist device is started up when a switching operation of a switch for an external vehicle light is detected and when it is determined by a brightness sensor that it is darker outside of the vehicle than a predetermined threshold. The visibility assist device projects infrared light to a region outside the vehicle, captures a reflection of the light, processes an image of the region outside the vehicle, and projects the image onto a surface visible to the vehicle operator.

Abstract: A second circuit separately extracts a synchronization signal and brightness signal from an image signal output from a camera for capturing an image of a subject. A gamma amplifier produces a gamma correction signal based on a brightness ratio characteristic in which a display brightness increases as the signal level of the brightness signal increases and the display brightness is set using a display brightness correction ratio which is preferably 70 to 90% of an equi-proportional display brightness correction ratio when the signal level of the brightness signal falls in a high-brightness range. A liquid crystal display receives the gamma correction signal and displays an image captured by the camera with the display brightness set in accordance with the brightness ratio characteristic while synchronizing with a drive timing signal output from a first circuit.

Abstract: A vehicle visibility assist device is started up when a switching operation of a switch for an external vehicle light is detected and when it is determined by a brightness sensor that it is darker outside of the vehicle than a predetermined threshold. The visibility assist device projects infrared light to a region outside the vehicle, captures a reflection of the light, processes an image of the region outside the vehicle, and projects the image onto a surface visible to the vehicle operator.