Abstract: A vehicular control system includes a rear backup camera viewing at least rearward of the vehicle. With a trailer hitched to the vehicle, and based at least in part on image processing of captured image data during a backing-up maneuver, the image processor determines a distance between an axle of the trailer and the hitch of the vehicle and determines a trailer angle of the trailer hitched to the vehicle. During the backing-up maneuver of the trailer hitched to the vehicle, the vehicular control system determines a path of the trailer responsive to (i) a steering angle of the vehicle, (ii) the determined trailer angle of the trailer and (iii) the determined distance between the axle of the trailer and the hitch of the vehicle. The vehicular control system displays information to assist the driver in backing up the trailer hitched to the vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicular camera includes a circuit board having an imager disposed at a first side of the circuit board. A lens barrel includes a lens assembly having a plurality of lens elements spaced apart along the lens barrel by respective lens spacers, each lens spacer formed of a material having a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of 10 ppm/° C. or less. The circuit board is positioned at the lens holder, and the lens barrel is positioned at a lens holder so as to optically align the lens and the imager. The lens barrel is formed of a material having a CTE that matches within ten percent of the CTE of the material that forms the lens holder, with the CTEs of the lens barrel and lens holder materials being greater than the CTE of the material of the lens spacers.

Abstract: A vehicular camera assembly includes a camera housing, a circuit board having an imager and a first electrical connector. A rear portion of the camera housing includes an attachment portion having an aperture, and includes a first electrically conductive element at the aperture. A second electrical connector is attached at the rear portion of the camera housing. The second electrical connector includes (i) a connector portion for connecting to a vehicle wire harness, (ii) a connecting end for connecting to the first electrical connector, and (iii) a second electrically conductive element for electrically connecting to the first electrically conductive element. As the second electrical connector is attached at the rear portion of the camera housing, the first electrically conductive element engages the second electrically conductive element to establish and maintain electrically conductive connection between the first and second electrically conductive elements.

Abstract: A vehicular trailer angle detection system includes a rear camera, a left-side camera, a right-side camera and a control having an image processor. With a trailer hitched at a vehicle, and while the vehicle is driven in a forward direction and towing the trailer, image data is captured by at least one of the cameras. The vehicular trailer angle detection system determines an expected location of the portion of the trailer based on provided vehicle-trailer parameters as the vehicle is driven forward and towing the trailer. The vehicular trailer angle detection system determines an actual location of the portion of the trailer via processing of captured image data as the vehicle is driven forward and towing the trailer. Responsive to an offset between the determined actual location of the portion of the trailer and the determined expected location, the vehicular trailer angle detection system accommodates the offset.

Abstract: A vehicular camera is configured to be disposed at a vehicle. The camera includes a circuit board and a lens holder having a lens barrel accommodating a lens. The circuit board has circuitry disposed at a circuit board substrate. The circuitry includes an imager disposed at a first side of the circuit board substrate. The circuit board substrate has a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) that is different from the CTE of the lens holder. The circuit board substrate is attached at the structure of the lens holder via a fastener that passes through an oversized hole in the circuit board substrate, with a cross dimension of the oversized hole being greater than a corresponding cross dimension of the fastener. The vehicular camera, via movement of the fastener within the oversized hole, allows for temperature-induced expansion or contraction of the lens holder relative to the circuit board substrate.

Abstract: A vehicular driver monitoring system includes an illumination source that emits non-visible light that illuminates at least a portion of a driver of the vehicle, a reflector disposed at the vehicle and within a line of sight of the illuminated portion of the driver, a camera disposed in the vehicle and having a field of view that encompasses the reflector, and a control having an image processor that processes image data captured by the camera. The reflector reflects at least some non-visible light and allows visible light to pass through. The camera captures image data representative of the non-visible light emitted by the illumination source that reflects off the illuminated portion of the driver of the vehicle and reflects off the reflector so as to be directed toward the camera. The control, responsive to processing of image data captured by the camera, monitors the illuminated portion of the driver.

Abstract: A vehicular camera module includes a front housing member, a rear housing member, an imager, and a circuit board. With the circuit board accommodated within a cavity formed by the mated front and rear housing members, the imager is closer to a first side of the circuit board than to a second side of the circuit board. The rear housing member includes an electrical plug connector that is configured to plug into an electrical socket connector at the second side of the circuit board when the front and rear housing members are being mated together during assembly of the vehicular camera module. With the vehicular camera module mounted at a vehicle, electrical power is provided from the vehicle to the electrical circuitry of the circuit board via the connection made by the electrical plug connector of the rear housing member plugged into the electrical socket connector of the circuit board.

Abstract: A vehicular camera includes a camera housing having front and rear camera housing portions. An imager is disposed at a printed circuit board. A lens assembly is disposed at the front camera housing portion and accommodates at least one lens. The front camera housing portion is formed of a material having a first Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (CTE). At least two attachment elements are disposed at the front camera housing portion and are formed of a material having a second CTE that is less than the first CTE of the front camera housing portion and that is less than 10 ppm/° C. The printed circuit board is mounted at the attachment elements via fasteners threadedly engaging respective ones of the at least two attachment elements. The front camera housing portion and the attachment elements cooperate to decrease temperature-induced movement of the printed circuit board relative to the at least one lens.

Abstract: A vehicular camera module includes a front housing, a printed circuit board housed by the front housing, an imager at the printed circuit board, a rear housing joined with the front housing, and a coaxial connecting element. With the rear housing joined with the front housing, an inward-extending portion of the coaxial connecting element extends inward of the rear housing towards the front housing and electrically connects with circuitry at the printed circuit board. With the rear housing joined with the front housing, a plurality of spring tabs make electrical connection between the circuitry at the printed circuit board and the rear housing. An outward-extending portion of the coaxial connecting element is configured for coaxial electrical connection to a vehicle connector.

Abstract: A method for assembling a vehicular camera includes providing a housing a circuit element. A first housing portion includes a lens holder and a second housing portion includes a connector portion configured for connecting to wiring of a vehicle. A plurality of electrical connector elements are disposed at the connector portion of the second housing portion, each having (i) a first end portion configured for electrically connecting to circuitry of the circuit element and (ii) a second end portion configured for electrically connecting to the vehicle wiring. The first end portions have a thickness that is less than a thickness of the second end portions. When mating the first and second housing portions, the first end portions engage with the circuitry of the circuit element and the electrical connector elements flex as the first end portions engage the circuitry and make electrical connection with the circuitry.

Abstract: A vehicular camera module includes a camera housing, an imager printed circuit board and a processor printed circuit board. An imager is disposed at a first side of the imager printed circuit board. A heat transfer element is accommodated in the camera housing and is in thermal conductive contact with an active cooling element and with a second side of the imager printed circuit board or the processor printed circuit board. Circuitry of the camera module is electrically connected to electrical connecting elements that electrically connect to a wire harness of a vehicle when the vehicular camera module is disposed at the vehicle. With the electrical connecting elements electrically connected to the wire harness of the vehicle, heat generated by operation of the vehicular camera module is drawn from the imager printed circuit board to the camera housing via the heat transfer element.

Abstract: A vehicular camera includes a housing having a front housing portion and a rear housing portion mated together to form a cavity within the housing. A circuit board is attached at the front housing portion and has at least one front electrical connector in electrical connection with an imager. The rear housing portion has at least one rear electrical connector. With the rear housing portion mated with the front housing portion, the rear electrical connector electrically connects with the front electrical connector. The rear housing portion has a connector portion that is configured to electrically connect the rear electrical connector to a vehicle wire harness. The front electrical connector and the rear electrical connector cooperate to allow for misalignment of the electrical connectors in a direction parallel to the rear side of the circuit board when the rear housing portion is mated with the front housing portion.

Abstract: A vehicular camera module includes (i) a lens holder formed of a first material, (ii) a lens barrel accommodating a lens and formed of a second material, (iii) an imager printed circuit board having an imager, and (iv) a processor circuit board having an image processor. The imager printed circuit board is attached at the lens holder with the imager aligned with the lens accommodated in the lens barrel. The processor printed circuit board has circuitry that is electrically connected to circuitry of the imager printed circuit board. The coefficient of thermal expansion of the second material forming the lens barrel is lower than the coefficient of thermal expansion of the first material forming the lens holder. Circuitry of the vehicular camera module includes connecting elements that are configured to electrically connect to a wire harness of a vehicle equipped with the vehicular camera module.

Abstract: A method for dynamically calibrating a vehicular trailer angle detection system includes providing at least a rear camera at a rear portion of the vehicle. A trailer is hitched at the vehicle and the vehicle is driven forward while towing the trailer. The control determines an expected location of a portion of the trailer based on provided vehicle-trailer parameters as the vehicle is driven forward and towing the trailer. An actual location of the portion of the trailer is determined via processing at the control of captured image data as the equipped vehicle is driven forward and towing the trailer. The vehicular trailer angle detection system is calibrated responsive to determination, via processing at the control of captured image data as the equipped vehicle is driven forward and towing the trailer, that the determined actual location of the portion of the trailer is not at the determined expected location.

Abstract: A camera module for a vehicular vision system includes a camera housing having a rear camera housing portion, a front camera housing portion, and a lens barrel at the front camera housing portion. A lens assembly includes a plurality of optical elements arranged along an optical path for focusing images at an imager. The optical elements include barrel-mounted optical elements disposed in the lens barrel and an outermost optical element disposed at a removable cover element. The cover element is removably attached at an outer end of the lens barrel such that, when attached, the outermost optical element is at an appropriate location relative to the barrel-mounted optical elements for focusing by the plurality of optical elements of images at the imager.

Abstract: A vehicular camera assembly includes a front housing portion accommodating a lens, a circuit board having a connecting element, and an electrical connector. The rear housing portion includes a rear attachment portion that has an aperture therethrough. The electrical connector electrically connects a wire harness of the vehicle to the connecting element of the circuit board. The electrical connector includes an electrically conductive element that is electrically conductively connected to a coaxial or shielded wire connecting element of the electrical connector. The rear housing portion includes an electrically conductive element that protrudes through the aperture. As the electrical connector is attached at the rear attachment portion, the electrically conductive element of the rear housing portion engages the electrically conductive element of the electrical connector to establish and maintain electrically conductive connection between the electrically conductive elements.

Abstract: A method of calibrating a multi-camera vision system includes moving a vehicle along a vehicle assembly line having targets at respective side regions, with each target including a longitudinal line and a plurality of tick marks that extend laterally from the longitudinal line. As the vehicle moves along the vehicle assembly line it is equipped with a plurality of cameras and an image processor. As the vehicle moves along the vehicle assembly line, the target at a respective side region of the vehicle assembly line is present within the fields of view of front, side and rear cameras. Image data is captured by the cameras and processed to detect the targets and to determine misalignment of at least one of the cameras. The vehicular multi-camera vision system is calibrated by adjusting processing by the image processor of image data captured by the at least one misaligned camera.

Abstract: A vehicular camera module includes a metal front housing, a printed circuit board housed by the metal front housing, a lens holder disposed at the metal front housing with the lens aligned with an imager at the printed circuit board, a metal rear housing joined with the metal front housing, and a coaxial connecting element. With the metal rear housing joined with the metal front housing, an inward-extending portion of the coaxial connecting element extends inward of the metal rear housing towards the metal front housing and electrically connects with circuitry at the printed circuit board. With the metal rear housing joined with the metal front housing, a plurality of spring tabs make, via spring contact, an electrical connection between the circuitry at the printed circuit board and the metal rear housing. An outward-extending portion of the coaxial connecting element is configured for coaxial electrical connection to a vehicle connector.

Abstract: A vehicular camera includes a metallic front housing member having a circuit board attachment portion, a lens barrel extending outward from the circuit board attachment portion and accommodating at least one lens, and a circuit board having an imager disposed at a first side and a circuit board connector disposed at a second side. With the circuit board attached at the circuit board attachment portion, the at least one lens is aligned with the imager and the lens barrel is retained relative to the metallic front housing member via cured UV curable adhesive. A metallic rear housing member is attached to the metallic front housing member and the circuit board is accommodated in a cavity formed by the attached metallic front and metallic rear housing members. An electrical connector is electrically connected to the circuit board connector and is configured for electrically connecting to an electrical cable of a vehicle.

Abstract: A camera for a vehicular vision system includes a camera housing having a front camera housing portion and a rear camera housing portion. An imager is disposed at a first side of a printed circuit board. A lens assembly is supported at the front camera housing portion and optically aligned with the imager. At least one attachment element is disposed at the front or rear camera housing portion and has a material having a low CTE that is less than a CTE of the front camera housing portion. The low CTE of the material of the attachment element is less than 10 ppm/° C. The printed circuit board is mounted at the attachment element. The attachment element functions to accommodate temperature-induced movement of the printed circuit board relative to the at least one lens.