Abstract: A latch assembly for an access door of a storage compartment in a vehicle, includes a locking bar configured to move into an engaged configuration which enables the access door to be placed and held into a closed position and a disengaged configuration which permits the access door to be placed into an opened position; and an automatic locking mechanism including a shape memory alloy (SMA) actuator configured to be coupled to the access door, and further including a locking feature operably coupled to a portion of the locking bar, and configured to engage and disengage the SMA actuator which is electrically energized to move into a locked position to prohibit the locking feature from moving. A latch assembly for an access door of a storage compartment in a vehicle includes an SMA actuator configured to move the locking bar into the disengaged configuration with the storage compartment.

Abstract: The disclosure refers to a method for correcting stitching problems in a rearview system, said rearview system comprising at least two cameras mounted on at least one external camera wing of a vehicle, with the at least one camera wing being configured to be moved between an operating position, in which each camera has a rearview for capturing an image, and at least one folding position, and at least one display configured for displaying at least one of the images captured by each of the at least two cameras as a composite image and a menu for correcting stitching problems, the method comprising the steps of determining a change from the at least one folding position to the operating position of the at least one camera wing; opening the menu for correcting stitching problems; and closing the menu either after correction or after receiving a signal to skip correction.

Abstract: A method of operating one or more output means for a motor vehicle that includes providing one or more sensors and the one or more output means, detecting an input based on at least one of a position and movement of a passenger body part using the one or more sensors, and controlling power consumption of the one or more output means based on the detected input where this detecting includes detecting one or more inputs, the one or more inputs comprising at least one of a proximity of the body part relative to the one or more output means and a trajectory of the body part relative to the one or more output means.

Abstract: The disclosure refers to a method for correcting stitching problems in a rearview system, said rearview system comprising at least two cameras mounted on at least one external camera wing of a vehicle, with the at least one camera wing being configured to be moved between an operating position, in which each camera has a rearview for capturing an image, and at least one folding position, and at least one display configured for displaying at least one of the images captured by each of the at least two cameras as a composite image and a menu for correcting stitching problems, the method comprising the steps of determining a change from the at least one folding position to the operating position of the at least one camera wing; opening the menu for correcting stitching problems; and closing the menu either after correction or after receiving a signal to skip correction.

Abstract: The present disclosure refers to a latch assembly including a locking bar configured to be movable into (i) an engaged configuration with a storage compartment which enables an access door to be placed and held into a closed position and (ii) a disengaged configuration with the storage compartment in a vehicle to be placed into an opened position and a shape memory alloy (SMA) actuator. The SMA actuator comprises an SMA wire guided around a conductive pulley, and the SMA actuator is configured to move the locking bar into the disengaged configuration and permit the access door of the storage compartment in the vehicle to open. The present disclosure also refers to vehicle storage compartment with such a latch assembly and a method of activation and deactivation of such a latch assembly.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for controlling at least one drive assistance system of a motor vehicle, a device for carrying out the steps of this method and a system including such a device. The disclosure also relates to a motor vehicle including such a device or such a system.

Abstract: An object detection device for detecting at least one moving object, provided by a vehicle occupant or in form of at least a part of the vehicle occupant, in the interior of a motor vehicle, includes a camera system comprising at least one sensor for converting electromagnetic radiation into electrical signals and a lighting device with at least one light source and an optic system, and a control or regulating device which is designed to receive one or more of the electrical signals from the camera system or data from at least one sensor, at least one further device or at least one device of the motor vehicle, to generate control commands and to transmit them to the camera system, the at least one further device or the at least one device of the motor vehicle.

Abstract: An air vent for a vehicle includes a housing with an air inlet, an air outlet, and an air channel between the air inlet and the air outlet; a rigid air directing body arranged within the air channel and pivotably arranged within the housing by being affixed to a first axis; an actuator arranged within the housing in order to act on the rigid air-directing body to determine a direction of an air stream exiting the air outlet, the actuator comprising a transmission element affixed to a second axis and pivotable around the second axis.

Abstract: A camera wing system to a vehicle comprising such camera wing system and a method to operate such a camera wing system comprising at least one camera to record a scenery in a field of view of the camera and an illuminating system to emit light to illuminate the field of view of the camera, the camera being sensitive to the light emitted by the illumination system, wherein the illuminating system provides light to the scenery in one or more emission cones (EC), where the one or more emission cones are adaptable in emission direction (ED1, ED2) and/or cone angle (CA) depending on the driving situation (DS) of the vehicle in order to illuminate the scenery in the field of view being of interest for a driver due to the detected driving situation.

Abstract: A camera wing system, a vehicle comprising such camera wing system, and a method to operate such a camera wing system are provided, comprising a camera to record a field of view of the camera in a scenery at least around a rear part of the vehicle, where a presented view is provided to a driver of the vehicle as a part of the field of view, wherein the camera wing system is adapted to automatically panning the presented view of the camera to another presented view different from the previous presented view in order to keep a point of interest of the rear part of the vehicle within the presented view provided to the driver regardless of a driving situation of the vehicle.

Abstract: A camera-wing-system for a vehicle comprising at least one camera for recording a field of view (FOV) in a scene at least around a rear part of the vehicle, wherein a presented view is provided to a driver of the vehicle as a part of the field of view, the camera-wing-system is adapted to update an image section from the presented view of the at least one camera to another presented view different from the previous presented view to keep a point of interest of the rear part of the vehicle, preferably a trailer as the rear part of the vehicle, within the presented view provided to the driver regardless of a driving situation of the vehicle, and the image section is updated basis on a distance between the at least one camera and a geometric calculation of a triangle between a center of rotation, a salient point, and the at least one camera of the vehicle.

Abstract: An air vent for a vehicle includes a housing with an air inlet, an air outlet, and an air channel between the air inlet and the air outlet; at least one rigid air directing body arranged within the air channel; and an actuator arranged within the housing in order to act on the rigid air-directing body to determine a direction of an air stream exiting the air outlet, where the actuator includes a shape memory alloy element, and the rigid air-directing body is pivotably arranged within the housing by being affixed to a first axis which runs parallel to a second axis to which the actuator is affixed to be pivotably arranged within the housing.

Abstract: A heating device for a lens of a camera includes at least one body including at least one conductive material, the at least one body forming at least one of a transparent coating, a non-transparent coating, a free standing film, a paint, or a bulk composite material, and at least two electrical contacts contacting the conductive mass for applying an electrical voltage to the conductive mass, the at least two electrical contacts being at least one of injection-molded onto the body and injected into the body.

Abstract: A vehicle includes one or more sensors arranged on at least one of a dashboard, a roof, and a center console of the vehicle, or one or more image capturing devices for capturing one or more images from a left side and a right side of the vehicle, an electronic control unit (ECU) configured to communicate with the one or more sensors or the one or more image capturing devices, and at least one of a morphing surface, a windshield display, and one or more displays configured to be controlled by the ECU, where the one or more sensors are arranged under a black panel surface.

Abstract: A detection system for vehicles adapted to record objects within a scenery at least in problematic viewing conditions includes a camera system establishing an optical path from a light entrance aperture via a lens system to an image recording unit with the image recording unit being adapted to record visible and IR light one or more of reflected or emitted from the scenery comprising at least one object, an IR filter arranged within the optical path to block at least a first part of the IR light not being the at least one object related from reaching the image recording unit, and a conversion filter arranged within the optical path to convert at least a second part of the IR light being the at least one object related to visible light of an image enhancing wavelength range.

Abstract: A method for operating a display device for a motor vehicle, in particular for an autonomously or partially autonomously operable motor vehicle, which includes a plurality of display areas, wherein a display area is selected from the plurality of display areas on the basis of a configuration of the motor vehicle that is adjustable by a driver of the motor vehicle. A motor vehicle includes a control device for implementing such a method.

Abstract: An object detection device for detecting at least one object (e.g. moving), in form of a vehicle occupant or in form of at least a part of the vehicle occupant, in the interior of a motor vehicle, includes a camera system comprising at least one sensor for converting electromagnetic radiation into electrical signals and a lighting device with at least one light source and an optic system, and a control or regulating device which is designed to receive one or more of the electrical signals from the camera system or data from at least one sensor, at least one further device or at least one device of the motor vehicle, to generate control commands and to transmit them to the camera system, the at least one further device or the at least one device of the motor vehicle.

Abstract: A latch assembly 1 for an access door 2 of a storage compartment 3 in a vehicle 4, comprises a locking bar 5 configured to be movable into an engaged configuration which enables the access door 2 to be placed and held into a closed position and into a disengaged configuration which permits the access door 2 to be placed into an opened position; and an automatic locking mechanism 8 including a shape memory alloy (SMA) actuator 9 configured to be coupled to the access door 2, the automatic locking mechanism 8 further including a locking feature 10 operably coupled to at least a portion of the locking bar 5, 5?, and configured to engage and disengage the SMA actuator which is electrically energized to move into a locked position to prohibit the locking feature 10 from moving.

Abstract: A method of operating one or more output means for a motor vehicle that includes providing one or more sensors and the one or more output means, detecting an input based on at least one of a position and movement of a passenger body part using the one or more sensors, and controlling power consumption of the one or more output means based on the detected input where this detecting includes detecting one or more inputs, the one or more inputs comprising at least one of a proximity of the body part relative to the one or more output means and a trajectory of the body part relative to the one or more output means.

Abstract: A pivotable interior rearview device for a motor vehicle includes a mirror surface provided by at least one of a reflective element and a display element, a first sensor device suitable for a light propagation time measurement for detecting at least one gesture by a driver of the motor vehicle incidence of light on the mirror surface, a switching device for switching the display element on and off, a pivoting device for pivoting the mirror surface from a normal position into at least one dimming position in which dazzling of the driver by light reflected in the mirror surface is reduced, and a control unit for controlling at least one of the switching device and the pivoting device. A method of using the rearview device is also described.