Abstract: A vehicular lidar sensor module includes a laser unit, a sensor unit, and a cover unit. The laser unit includes a housing, a laser printed circuit board, laser collimators and a first tension spring that urges the laser collimators against respective reference surfaces of the housing. Laser emitters are located at an end of respective laser collimators, which collimate light emitted by the respective laser emitters. The sensor unit includes a holder, receiver tubes, and a second tension spring that urges the receiver tubes against respective reference surfaces of the holder. The sensor unit includes sensors disposed at an end of the receiver tubes and attached at the holder via respective flexible attaching elements. With the flexible attaching elements attached at the holder, the sensors are aligned relative to the respective laser collimators via the respective flexible attaching elements and are fixed in their aligned positions.

Abstract: A lidar sensing system for a vehicle includes a sensor module having a laser unit, a sensor unit, and a cover unit. The laser unit includes a housing with reference surfaces machined thereat for positioning laser tubes. The laser unit includes a tension spring that urges the laser tubes against the reference surfaces of the housing. The sensor unit includes a holder with reference surfaces machined thereat for positioning receiver tubes. The sensor unit includes a tension spring that urges the receiver tubes against the reference surfaces of the holder. The holder is attached at the housing and the cover unit is attached at the housing. An output of the sensor module is communicated to a control that, responsive to the output of the sensor module, determines the presence of one or more objects exterior the vehicle and within the field of sensing of the sensor module.

Abstract: A method for assembling a vehicular camera includes providing a housing having a metal front housing portion and a metal rear housing portion. The front housing portion includes a lens barrel, and the rear housing portion includes a connector portion configured to connect to a vehicle wire harness. An imager circuit board is positioned at the front housing portion with an imager aligned with the at least one lens. The connector circuit board is retained via a spring element at a location spaced from the imager circuit board, with circuitry of the connector circuit board electrically connected to circuitry of the imager circuit board. The rear housing portion is joined with the front housing portion and the spring element engages the rear housing portion and the second side of the imager circuit board to retain the connector circuit board at the location spaced from the imager circuit board.

Abstract: A stationary vision system at a road along which vehicles travel includes an imaging sensor disposed at the road and having a field of view that encompasses a portion of the road. A wireless communication device is operable to wirelessly communicate with vehicles traveling along the road. A control includes a data processor operable to process image data captured by the image sensor. The control is operable to communicate with vehicles traveling along the road via the wireless communication device. The control, responsive to processing of image data captured by the imaging sensor, generates a three dimensional (3D) model of the portion of the road encompassed by the field of view of the imaging sensor. The control transmits the 3D model to vehicles traveling along the road.

Abstract: A vehicular display system includes a camera that is disposed in a vehicle and that views a hand of a driver of the vehicle. A heads up display system establishes a heads up display viewable by the driver and derived at least in part from image data captured by the camera. The heads up display includes (i) information representative of user actuatable inputs for controlling at least one accessory of the vehicle and (ii) images representative of at least a part of the driver's hand. The images representative of at least a part of the driver's hand are derived at least in part from image data captured by the camera. The images representative of at least a part of the driver's hand are partially transparent so the information representative of the user actuatable inputs are viewable through the images representative of at least a part of the driver's hand.

Abstract: A method for assembling a vehicular camera includes providing a housing having a metal front housing portion and a metal rear housing portion. The front housing portion includes a lens barrel, and the rear housing portion includes a connector portion configured to connect to a vehicle wire harness. An imager circuit board is positioned at the front housing portion with an imager aligned with the at least one lens. The connector circuit board is retained via a spring element at a location spaced from the imager circuit board, with circuitry of the connector circuit board electrically connected to circuitry of the imager circuit board. The rear housing portion is joined with the front housing portion and the spring element engages the rear housing portion and the second side of the imager circuit board to retain the connector circuit board at the location spaced from the imager circuit board.

Abstract: A display system of a vehicle includes a display device disposed in the vehicle and operable to display heads up information for viewing by a driver of the vehicle. The display device includes a mirror, a display screen and a cooling device. The mirror is pivotally mounted at a base plate and is pivotable via a pin of a mounting arm of the mirror moving along a spiral groove of a gear element when the gear element is rotated. The pin is urged towards a side wall of the spiral groove to limit play of the mirror relative to the base plate.

Abstract: A vehicular camera includes a housing having a front housing portion and a rear housing portion, with the front housing portion including a lens barrel accommodating a lens assembly, and with the rear housing portion including a connector portion configured to connect to a wire harness of a vehicle. An imager circuit board is disposed in an inner cavity of the housing, with an imager disposed at a first side of the imager circuit board and in optical alignment with the lens assembly. The imager circuit board is retained in the inner cavity by a spring element that engages the rear housing portion and urges the imager circuit board relative to the rear housing portion in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the lens assembly and in a direction toward the lens barrel and the lens assembly.

Abstract: A vehicular display system includes a camera that is disposed in a vehicle and that views a hand of a driver of the vehicle. A heads up display system establishes a heads up display viewable by the driver and derived at least in part from image data captured by the camera. The heads up display includes (i) information representative of user actuatable inputs for controlling at least one accessory of the vehicle and (ii) images representative of at least a part of the driver's hand. The images representative of at least a part of the driver's hand are derived at least in part from image data captured by the camera. The images representative of at least a part of the driver's hand are partially transparent so the information representative of the user actuatable inputs are viewable through the images representative of at least a part of the driver's hand.

Abstract: A sensing system for a vehicle includes a sensor module configured to be disposed at the vehicle. The sensor module includes a sensor disposed in a housing, which includes a mounting portion and a cover portion. The mounting portion is configured to attach at a portion of the vehicle such that the cover portion is at an exterior of the vehicle. The cover portion is removably attached at the mounting portion and includes tamper resistant attaching elements such that an attempt to remove the cover portion or sensor module damages the sensor module. The sensor module may include a washer nozzle for directing pressurized fluid or spray onto a window of the sensor module. Responsive to an output of the sensor, a control determines the presence of one or more objects exterior the vehicle and within the field of sensing of the sensor.

Abstract: A vision system for a vehicle includes a camera and a control. The control determines information on traffic signs and determines whether an indicated speed limit is for the lane being traveled by the vehicle. The vision system determines whether the indicated speed limit is for the lane being traveled by the vehicle responsive to a determination that the sign is at the left side of the lane and has an indicator representative of the right side of the lane and leaves the field of view at its left side, determination that the sign is at the right side of the lane and has an indicator representative of the left side of the lane and leaves the field of view at its right side, or determination of a speed limit sign at both sides of the road being traveled by the vehicle with both signs indicating the same speed limit.

Abstract: A display system for a vehicle includes an interior camera disposed in an interior cabin of a vehicle and having a field of view interior of the vehicle that encompasses an area at or near a user input for an accessory, with the user input being accessible by a driver of the vehicle when the driver is normally operating the vehicle. A display device is viewable by the driver when the driver is normally operating the vehicle. The display device is operable to display images derived from image data captured by said interior camera. The display device displays images depicting the driver's hand as the driver's hand approaches the user input for the accessory for actuating the user input to adjust or control the accessory.

Abstract: A vehicular camera includes a housing having a front housing portion and a rear housing portion, with the front housing portion including a lens barrel accommodating a lens assembly, and with the rear housing portion including a connector portion configured to connect to a wire harness of a vehicle. An imager circuit board is disposed in an inner cavity of the housing, with an imager disposed at a first side of the imager circuit board and in optical alignment with the lens assembly. The imager circuit board is retained in the inner cavity by a spring element that engages the rear housing portion and urges the imager circuit board relative to the rear housing portion in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the lens assembly and in a direction toward the lens barrel and the lens assembly.

Abstract: A camera for a vehicle vision system includes a housing having a front housing portion with a lens barrel and lens assembly, and a rear housing portion with a connector. The front and rear housing portions are mated together to establish an inner cavity in the housing. An imager circuit board is disposed in the inner cavity of the housing, with an imager disposed at the imager circuit board and optically aligned with the lens assembly. When the front and rear housing portions are mated together, perimeter flanges of the front and rear housing portions may be curled to have multiple folds to seal the front housing portion relative to the rear housing portion. The imager circuit board may be held in the inner cavity by a spring element that urges the imager circuit board in a direction toward the lens assembly.

Abstract: A vision system of a vehicle includes a camera configured to be disposed at a vehicle so as to have a field of view exterior of the vehicle. A tag or retroreflective element is disposed at another vehicle. With the camera disposed at the vehicle and when the tag element is present in the camera's field of view, an image processor is operable to process captured image data to determine a pattern of the tag element present in the field of view of the camera. The image processor compares the determined pattern of the tag element to a database of patterns and classifies the tag element at least in part responsive to determination that the determined pattern of the tag element generally matches a pattern of the database. The pattern of the tag element disposed at the other vehicle includes information pertaining to a type of the other vehicle.

Abstract: A stationary vision system at a road along which vehicles travel includes an imaging sensor disposed at the road and having a field of view that encompasses a portion of the road. A wireless communication device is operable to wirelessly communicate with vehicles traveling along the road. A control includes a data processor operable to process image data captured by the image sensor. The control is operable to communicate with vehicles traveling along the road via the wireless communication device. The control, responsive to processing of image data captured by the imaging sensor, generates a three dimensional (3D) model of the portion of the road encompassed by the field of view of the imaging sensor. The control transmits the 3D model to vehicles traveling along the road.

Abstract: A display system of a vehicle includes a camera disposed at a vehicle and having a field of view interior of the vehicle that encompasses a head region of a driver of the vehicle. An image processor is operable to process image data captured by the camera to determine a location of both eyes of the driver of the vehicle. A display device is operable to display or project a first image and a second image for viewing by the driver of the vehicle. A first reflector element that is adjusted, responsive to image processing by the image processor of image data captured by the camera, to reflect the first and second images so that a left eye of the driver views the reflected first image and a right eye of the driver views the reflected second image.

Abstract: A lidar sensing system for a vehicle includes a sensor module having a laser unit, a sensor unit, and a cover unit. The laser unit includes a housing with reference surfaces machined thereat for positioning laser tubes. The laser unit includes a tension spring that urges the laser tubes against the reference surfaces of the housing. The sensor unit includes a holder with reference surfaces machined thereat for positioning receiver tubes. The sensor unit includes a tension spring that urges the receiver tubes against the reference surfaces of the holder. The holder is attached at the housing and the cover unit is attached at the housing. An output of the sensor module is communicated to a control that, responsive to the output of the sensor module, determines the presence of one or more objects exterior the vehicle and within the field of sensing of the sensor module.

Abstract: A camera assembly process for assembling a camera for a vehicle vision system includes aligning and affixing an imager PCB at a lens holder so as to align an imager with a lens. A connector PCB is electrically connected to the imager PCB. The lens holder, the connector PCB and the imager PCB are inserted into a housing portion, and a cage retains the connector PCB at the housing portion. A connector assembly is disposed at a rear portion of the housing, and electrically conductive terminals of the connector assembly electrically conductively connect to electrically conductive terminals of the connector PCB at a rear opening at the rear portion of the housing. The lens holder and the connector assembly are movable along a longitudinal axis of the camera assembly relative to the housing portion and adhesively retained thereat.

Abstract: A vision system for a vehicle includes a camera and a control. The control determines information on traffic signs and determines whether an indicated speed limit is for the lane being traveled by the vehicle. The vision system determines whether the indicated speed limit is for the lane being traveled by the vehicle responsive to a determination that the sign is at the left side of the lane and has an indicator representative of the right side of the lane and leaves the field of view at its left side, determination that the sign is at the right side of the lane and has an indicator representative of the left side of the lane and leaves the field of view at its right side, or determination of a speed limit sign at both sides of the road being traveled by the vehicle with both signs indicating the same speed limit.