Abstract: A vehicular camera system includes a black-out layer disposed at an upper central region of a windshield as installed in a vehicle, an attachment member configured for attachment at the upper central region of the windshield where the black-out layer is disposed, and an accessory module including a camera. The accessory module is configured to detachably mount at the attachment member at the windshield such that the lens of the camera is spaced from the windshield, and such that the camera views forward of the vehicle through an aperture in the black-out layer via a tapered structure that is widest at the windshield and that tapers from the windshield towards where the lens of the camera is located. The tapered structure is at an acute angle relative to the vehicle windshield. The camera captures image data for a driver assistance system of the equipped vehicle.

Abstract: A vision system for a vehicle includes a driver-side exterior mirror assembly having a driver-side camera for capturing driver-side image data and a passenger-side exterior mirror assembly having a passenger-side camera for capturing passenger-side image data. A video display disposed at the vehicle displays video images derived from image data captured by the driver-side and passenger-side cameras. The video display includes a driver-side display portion and a passenger-side display portion. The driver-side display portion of the video display displays video images derived from driver-side image data captured by the driver-side camera and does not display video images derived from any passenger-side image data captured by the passenger-side camera. The passenger-side display portion of the video display displays video images derived from passenger-side image data captured by the passenger-side camera and does not display video images derived from any driver-side image data captured by the driver-side camera.

Abstract: A vision system for a vehicle includes a forward viewing camera. Responsive at least in part to processing by an image processor of image data captured by the forward viewing camera, at least one road characteristic of a road along which the vehicle is traveling is detected. Responsive at least in part to processing by the image processor of image data captured by the forward viewing camera, other vehicles exterior the equipped vehicle are detected. Responsive at least in part to processing by the image processor of image data captured by the forward viewing camera, road curvature of the road along which the vehicle is traveling is determined. Data derived from image data captured by the forward viewing camera may be wirelessly communicated from the vehicle to a remote data receiver located remote from the vehicle.

Abstract: An exterior rearview mirror assembly configured for mounting at an exterior portion of a vehicle includes a mounting arm configured for attachment at the vehicle, a mirror head disposed at an outboard end of the mounting arm and movable relative to the mounting arm, and an actuator operable to move the mirror head relative to the mounting arm. The mirror head includes a mirror casing and a frameless mirror reflective element fixedly attached at the mirror casing, with no part of the mirror casing disposed over the front surface of the mirror reflective element. The actuator is operable to move the mirror head relative to the mounting arm to vertically and horizontally adjust a rearward field of view of the driver of the vehicle who is viewing the mirror reflective element with the exterior rearview mirror assembly mounted at the vehicle.

Abstract: A temperature sensor system for a vehicle includes a temperature sensor assembly having a thermally insulating body, a temperature sensing element thermally insulated within the body, and a thermally conductive contacting element exposed externally of the body and in thermal communication with the temperature sensing element. The thermally conductive contacting element is urged into contact with an interior cabin side of a windshield of the vehicle for sensing the temperature of the vehicle windshield. A controller, responsive to the temperature sensing element and another temperature sensing element and a humidity sensing element of the vehicle, is operable to calculate an ambient dew point and to control a cabin climate control system of the vehicle responsive to the calculated ambient dew point. The other temperature sensing element is mounted in the vehicle away from the vehicle windshield.

Abstract: A driver active safety control system for a vehicle includes a plurality of image capture sensors, a video display screen, a central driver active safety control module and at least one non-imaging sensor. The control module at least includes an image processor, a vision core and a fusion core. The image processor processes image data captured by and received from at least a forward viewing image capture sensor for at least one of (i) automatic headlamp control, (ii) lane departure warning and (iii) traffic sign recognition. The vision core is operable to manipulate image data captured by and received at least from rearward and sideward viewing image capture sensors to form video images for displaying on the video display screen. The fusion core is operable to process inputs received to enhance control by the control module of a driver assistance system of the equipped vehicle.

Abstract: A multi-camera vision system for a vehicle includes a plurality of cameras viewing exterior the equipped vehicle and at least one non-visual sensor sensing exterior of the equipped vehicle. Captured image data and sensor data are provided to a central data processor. At the central data processor, image data is fused with sensor data and processed in order to detect vehicles that are present external the equipped vehicle. The central data processor includes a digital signal processor operable to process data at a data processioning speed of at least 30 MIPS. Via processing at the central data processor of image data and sensor data, a potential hazard present exterior the equipped vehicle is determined to exist. The potential hazard arises from presence of rear-approaching traffic in at least one of (i) a side lane to the equipped vehicle and (ii) a rear lane to the equipped vehicle.

Abstract: A park-aid system for a vehicle includes a forward-viewing color video camera and at least three other color video cameras, with a first one of the three other color video cameras having a field of view at the driver-side of the vehicle and a second one of the three other color video cameras having a field of view at the passenger-side of the vehicle. A video display screen is viewable by a driver of the vehicle. During a parking maneuver of the vehicle, images derived, at least in part, from image data captured by at least the forward-viewing camera are displayed by the video display screen to assist the driver in operating the vehicle. At least one indication may be provided to the driver of the vehicle during the parking maneuver.

Abstract: A vision system for a vehicle includes a forward-viewing camera located behind and viewing through the vehicle windshield, a rear backup camera located at the rear of the vehicle, and a common image processor operable for processing captured image data. A video display screen is located within the interior cabin of the vehicle viewable by a driver of the vehicle. Responsive to the vehicle being shifted into a reverse gear and while the driver is executing a reversing maneuver, video images derived from image data captured by at least the rear backup camera are displayed on the video display screen. When the vehicle is travelling forward, the common image processor processes image data captured by the forward-viewing camera for a lane departure warning system of the vehicle and for a headlamp control system of the vehicle and/or a traffic sign recognition system of the vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicular vision system includes a rearview video camera and a video processor operable to process captured video image data that includes at least a left zone image data set, a middle zone image data set and a right zone image data set. A single video display screen displays video images and includes a left display region at a left portion, a right display region at a right portion, and a middle display region between the left and right display regions. The display screen is operable to use each display region to display video images derived from the respective zone image data set. When the display screen is displaying video images at the right or left display region that are derived from the respective zone image data, the single video display screen does not display video images representative of the other zone image data at the other display region.

Abstract: A video mirror system for a vehicle includes an interior rearview mirror assembly including a mirror case and a reflective element, and a video display device disposed in the mirror case and operable to display video images that are viewable by the driver of the vehicle. The reflective element includes a transflective mirror reflector and the video display device is fixedly disposed to the rear of the reflective element. The interior rearview mirror assembly includes an on-screen display controller operable to receive a video signal from a camera disposed at the vehicle. The on-screen display controller is operable to overlay a graphic overlay onto a video signal received from the camera such that a video feed generated by the on-screen display controller includes the graphic overlay. The video display device comprises a metallic enclosure that is electrically grounded when the interior rearview mirror assembly is mounted at the vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly includes a mirror reflective element having a glass substrate with a planar front surface and a circumferential edge along the periphery of the glass substrate. A mounting element is disposed at the rear of the mirror reflective element and includes a pivot element that is configured to pivotally mount the mirror reflective element at the vehicle. A plastic molding receives the mirror reflective element therein such that a portion of the plastic molding is circumferentially disposed about the circumferential edge of the glass substrate without overlapping onto the front surface of the glass substrate. The portion of the plastic molding provides a curved rounded transition from the front surface of the glass substrate to a side surface of the plastic molding. The plastic molding includes at least a portion of a mirror housing of the interior rearview mirror assembly.

Abstract: A variable reflectance exterior mirror reflective element suitable for use in a vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly a front substrate and a rear substrate and an electrochromic medium disposed therebetween. A mirror reflector is disposed at a third surface of the rear substrate. A perimeter layer is disposed at a second surface of the front substrate proximate a perimeter edge and generally conceals the perimeter seal from view by a person viewing through the front substrate. Light that reflects off of the mirror reflector and passes through the electrochromic medium and the front substrate exhibits a substantially non-spectrally selective reflectance characteristic when no voltage is applied to the electrochromic medium. A display is disposed proximate a fourth surface of the rear at a light-transmitting portion of the mirror reflector established by laser ablation. The display is configured to be operated responsive to a blind spot detector of the vehicle.

Abstract: A vision system for a vehicle includes a forward viewing camera. Responsive at least in part to processing by an image processor of image data captured by the forward viewing camera, at least one road characteristic of a road along which the vehicle is traveling is detected. Responsive at least in part to processing by the image processor of image data captured by the forward viewing camera, other vehicles exterior the equipped vehicle are detected. Responsive at least in part to processing by the image processor of image data captured by the forward viewing camera, road curvature of the road along which the vehicle is traveling is determined. Data derived from image data captured by the forward viewing camera may be wirelessly communicated from the vehicle to a remote data receiver located remote from the vehicle.

Abstract: A vision display system for a vehicle includes a rear backup camera, a driver side camera, a passenger side camera, a front camera, and a display system including a video display screen. Rear backup video images derived from image data captured by the rear backup camera may be displayed by the video display screen for no more than ten seconds after shifting of the vehicle transmission of the vehicle out of reverse gear. Upon the engine of the vehicle being first started after initial ignition on of the vehicle, priority may be given to display by the video display screen of rear backup video images. Within two seconds after shifting of the vehicle transmission of the vehicle into reverse gear, rear backup video images may be displayed by the video display screen.

Abstract: A mirror reflective element sub-assembly for an exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle includes a mirror reflective element, a heater pad, a mirror back plate, and a blind spot indicator module attached at a rear side of the back plate. The heater pad is adhered at the rear of the reflective element with a light transmitting aperture of the heater pad juxtaposed with a light transmitting aperture of the mirror reflector of the reflective element. The heater pad is adhered at the mirror back plate with its light transmitting aperture juxtaposed with a light transmitting aperture of the mirror back plate. Light emitted by the blind spot indicator module passes through a light-transmitting aperture of the mirror reflector to provide an illuminated icon to a driver of the vehicle when a blind spot detection system of the vehicle detects the presence of another vehicle in an adjacent lane.

Abstract: An accessory system for a vehicle includes an attachment member attached at an interior surface of a vehicle windshield and an accessory module configured to detachably mount to the attachment member. The accessory module and attachment member are configured so that when the accessory module mounts to the attachment member, an electrical element of the accessory module is biased toward and against the inner surface of the windshield. The electrical element includes a camera and, with the accessory module mounted to the attachment member, the camera has a forward field of view through the windshield. The camera may be associated with at least one of (i) a headlamp control system, (ii) a lane departure warning system, (iii) an adaptive cruise control system, (iv) a sign recognition system, (v) a night vision system, (vi) a pedestrian detection system and (vii) a pre-crash avoidance system.

Abstract: A cabin monitoring system for a vehicle includes a video display screen disposed in a cabin of the vehicle so as to be viewable by a driver of the vehicle. A camera assembly is disposed at a ceiling of the cabin of the vehicle and includes a camera having an imager and a lens, with the camera having a field of view that encompasses a rear seat area of the vehicle. An illumination device is operable to illuminate the rear seat area encompassed by the field of view of the camera. The illumination device, when operated, illuminates the rear seat area and the camera captures image data representative of the illuminated rear seat area. The image data captured by the camera is provided to the video display screen for displaying video images for viewing by the driver of the vehicle.

Abstract: A forward facing imaging system for a vehicle includes an interior rearview mirror assembly mounted at an interior portion of a vehicle and a camera disposed at the interior rearview mirror assembly. The camera has a forward field of view through a windshield of the vehicle. The camera captures image data and captured image data is recorded by a recording system. During operation of the vehicle, the recording system records image data, as it is captured over a given period of operation of the vehicle, in a closed-loop fashion onto electronic memory. Image data, as captured by the camera, is processed by an image processor in order to determine the presence of at least one object forward of the equipped vehicle.

Abstract: An exterior rearview mirror assembly includes a non-movable portion, a movable portion and a mirror head. The non-movable portion is configured for attachment at an exterior portion of a vehicle and the movable portion is movable relative to the non-movable portion. The mirror head is movable relative to the movable portion, and a mirror reflective element is fixedly attached at the mirror head. A first actuator is operable to move the movable portion relative to the non-movable portion about a first axis and a second actuator is operable to move the mirror head relative to the movable portion about a second axis. The first and second actuators are cooperatively operable to move the movable portion about the first axis and to move the mirror head about the second axis, and the mirror reflective element moves in tandem with movement of the mirror head.