Abstract: A control apparatus, which controls a headlight unit, repeatedly performs a process of measuring brightness ahead of the own vehicle using a luminance sensor. For example, when a curved road region is present ahead of the own vehicle, measurement is made of the brightness of a road surface or a guardrail of a specified region (region to which light from a headlight unit of a forward vehicle is emitted) in the road region. Then, a variation (?) in a measurement value of the brightness from a previous measurement value is calculated. When the variation (?) is equal to or more than a threshold TH, a vehicle yet to emerge is predicted to emerge in a forward view of the own vehicle to thereby switch a lighting mode for the light emitted from the headlight unit to another mode so that the emergence area is darkened.

Abstract: A control apparatus, which controls a headlight unit, repeatedly performs a process of measuring brightness ahead of the own vehicle using a luminance sensor. For example, when a curved road region is present ahead of the own vehicle, measurement is made of the brightness of a road surface or a guardrail of a specified region (region to which light from a headlight unit of a forward vehicle is emitted) in the road region. Then, a variation ? in a measurement value of the brightness from a previous measurement value is calculated. When the variation ? is equal to or more than a threshold TH, a vehicle yet to emerge is predicted to emerge in a forward view of the own vehicle to thereby switch a lighting mode for the light emitted from the headlight unit to another mode so that the emergence area is darkened.

Abstract: In a gas concentration measuring apparatus, a measurement substrate is provided. A conductive pattern portion is formed in the measurement substrate. The conductive pattern portion includes a signal input pattern constituting the signal processing circuit and electrically connected to the connection terminal, said signal input pattern having direct current impedance with respect to the connection terminal, said direct current impedance being 10 percent or less of the input impedance of the connection terminal; a different potential pattern having a potential difference of 2 V or over from a potential of the signal input pattern; and a guard pattern having a substantially constant potential and a potential difference of less than 0.5 V from the potential of the signal input pattern, said guard pattern being arranged on at least a portion of the measurement substrate, said at least portion of the measurement substrate being located between the signal input pattern and the different potential pattern.

Abstract: A gas concentration sensor includes a sensor element consisting of a pump cell, a monitor cell, and a sensor cell. These cells are heated by a heater and maintained in an activated condition. A sensor control unit measures a weak element current flowing in a sensor element in accordance with the concentration of a specific gas component and intermittently supplies electric power to the heater. The sensor control unit is electrically connected via electric cables to the gas concentration sensor. The weak element current cables and the heater cable are banded together. The electric cables have a shielding layer that is provided outside a core wire through which the element current flows and is fixed to the ground potential.

Abstract: In a gas concentration measuring apparatus, a measurement substrate is provided. A conductive pattern portion is formed in the measurement substrate. The conductive pattern portion includes a signal input pattern constituting the signal processing circuit and electrically connected to the connection terminal, said signal input pattern having direct current impedance with respect to the connection terminal, said direct current impedance being 10 percent or less of the input impedance of the connection terminal; a different potential pattern having a potential difference of 2 V or over from a potential of the signal input pattern; and a guard pattern having a substantially constant potential and a potential difference of less than 0.5 V from the potential of the signal input pattern, said guard pattern being arranged on at least a portion of the measurement substrate, said at least portion of the measurement substrate being located between the signal input pattern and the different potential pattern.