Abstract: A vehicular interior cabin monitoring system includes an interior rearview mirror assembly with a mirror head that accommodates a camera and a plurality of sets of light sources. The system includes a plurality of electronic switches. Each of the electronic switches (i) is connected in parallel across a respective set of light sources and (ii) is connected in series with at least one other set of light sources when at least one other electronic switch operates in its opened state. With each electronic switch operating in its respective opened state, electrical current provided by the current driver passes through the individual light sources of the plurality of sets of lights sources. The system is (i) operable to provide an occupant detection function for detecting an occupant present within an interior cabin of the vehicle and (ii) operable to provide a driver monitoring function for monitoring a driver of the vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicular camera includes a camera housing having a front housing portion and a rear housing portion. The front housing portion includes a plurality of optical elements, a CMOS imager, and an imager printed circuit board. The CMOS imager is at a first side of the imager printed circuit board. The plurality of optical elements is held in position relative to the CMOS imager by an adhesive, whereby the imaging array at the outer side of the CMOS imager is devoid of the adhesive. The adhesive is formed by curing an adhesive material that is curable via exposure of the adhesive material to ultraviolet (UV) light. The adhesive maintains the position of the plurality of optical elements with respect to the CMOS imager during use of the vehicular camera assembly on a vehicle equipped with the vehicular camera assembly. The back housing portion is joined at the front housing portion.

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 accommodated by a lens barrel. A heating device is disposed at an outermost lens element of the lens. The heating device includes a heating element and electrically conductive elements that extend along the lens barrel for electrical connection to circuitry at a printed circuit board. The electrically conductive elements are disposed along respective channels established along the inner surface of the lens holder. An outer end of each of the electrically conductive elements is disposed at and in contact with the heating element. When powered, the heating element heats the outermost lens element. The camera is configured to be disposed at an exterior portion of a vehicle so as to have a field of view exterior of the vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicular trailer guidance system includes an electronic control unit (ECU) and a rear backup camera disposed at a vehicle. A human machine interface (HMI) is operable in (i) a trailer left-backup mode, (i) a trailer straight-backup mode and (iii) a trailer right-backup mode. Responsive to selection by the driver of the trailer left-backup mode or trailer right-backup mode, the ECU sets a desired trailer angle of the trailer tongue leftward or rightward to an angle that is commensurate with a driver-selected setting of an input device. Responsive to selection by the driver of the trailer straight-backup mode, the ECU sets the desired trailer angle to a zero degree angle. The ECU, while the vehicle is backing up the trailer, controls the power steering system of the vehicle to steer the vehicle to back up the trailer to have the determined trailer angle coincide with the set desired trailer angle.

Abstract: A vehicular vision system includes first and second cameras disposed at a vehicle and having respective overlapping fields of view that include a road surface of a road along which the vehicle is traveling. Image data captured by the cameras is provided to an image processor and is processed to determine relative movement of a road feature present in the captured image data. The determined relative movement of the road feature relative to the vehicle in first image data captured by the first camera is compared to the determined relative movement of the road feature relative to the vehicle in second image data captured by the second camera, and at least a rotational offset of the second camera relative to the first camera is determined and the image data are remapped to at least partially accommodate misalignment of the second camera relative to the first camera.

Abstract: A vehicular camera includes a lens barrel accommodating a lens, a lens holder having a passageway therethrough, and an imager printed circuit board (imager PCB) having an imager. The imager PCB is attached at the lens holder. An attaching portion of the lens barrel is positioned at least partially in the passageway of the lens holder with a gap between the attaching portion and the lens holder that at least partially circumscribes the attaching portion. With the attaching portion positioned at least partially in the passageway, a filler material is disposed at least partially within the gap. With the lens aligned relative to the imager, the filler material is heated via non-contact brazing to melt and flow into the gap. The melted filler material hardens upon cooling to secure the lens barrel relative to the lens holder and the imager PCB.

Abstract: A vehicular cabin monitoring system includes a vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly configured for mounting at an interior portion of an equipped vehicle and having a mirror head accommodating an electrochromic mirror reflective element, a driver monitoring camera that is operable to capture image data, and a near infrared light emitter that, when electrically operated to emit near infrared light, illuminates at least the head of the driver. With the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly mounted at the interior portion of the equipped vehicle, and as the equipped vehicle travels along a road, image data captured by the driver monitoring camera is processed at an electronic control unit to detect light emanating from at least one headlamp of at least one trailing vehicle traveling along the road behind the equipped vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicular interior cabin monitoring system includes an interior rearview mirror assembly with a mirror head that accommodates a camera and a plurality of sets of light sources. The system includes a plurality of electronic switches. Each of the electronic switches (i) is connected in parallel across a respective set of light sources and (ii) is connected in series with at least one other set of light sources when at least one other electronic switch operates in its opened state. With each electronic switch operating in its respective opened state, electrical current provided by the current driver passes through the individual light sources of the plurality of sets of lights sources. The system is (i) operable to provide an occupant detection function for detecting an occupant present within an interior cabin of the vehicle and (ii) operable to provide a driver monitoring function for monitoring a driver of the vehicle.

Abstract: A camera sub-assembly for a vehicular camera includes a cylindrical lens barrel and a lens holder. The cylindrical lens barrel is received in a cylindrical lens barrel receiving structure of the lens holder. An axial face of an annular flange of the cylindrical lens barrel is juxtaposed with an axial face at the outer end of the cylindrical lens barrel receiving structure of the lens holder with an adhesive disposed therebetween. An imager is disposed at a first side of an imager printed circuit board, which is attached at the lens holder. With the cylindrical lens barrel held in position relative to the imager by the adhesive, a frontmost optical element of a plurality of optical elements accommodated by the cylindrical lens barrel is distanced further from the imager than any other optical element of the plurality of optical elements. The frontmost optical element may be a glass lens element.

Abstract: A vehicular vision system includes a camera module configured to be disposed at a vehicle. An image processor processes multiple frames of image data captured by the imager of the camera module. With the camera module disposed at the vehicle, the heating device is activated to heat a lens of the camera module responsive to determination of lens occlusion at the lens. Responsive at least in part to determination of lens occlusion at the lens, and via processing of frames of captured image data while the heating device is activated, the vehicular vision system determines a change in degree of lens occlusion occurring between capture of a previous frame of captured image data and capture of a current frame of captured image data. The heating device is deactivated responsive to determination that the change in degree of lens occlusion is less than a threshold amount.

Abstract: A vehicular control system includes a forward-viewing camera disposed at a vehicle and viewing forward of the vehicle, a gaze detection device that views a driver of the vehicle, and an image processor operable to process captured image data. Image data captured by the gaze detection device is processed to detect a gaze direction of the driver of the vehicle. The vehicular control system, via processing by the image processor of captured image data, detects an object present ahead of the vehicle and being gazed at by the driver of the vehicle. The vehicular control system, responsive at least in part to the detected gaze direction of the driver of the equipped vehicle, and via processing by the image processor of captured image data, classifies the detected object as being one selected from the group consisting of (i) a pedestrian, (ii) a live animal and (iii) a dead animal.

Abstract: A vehicular camera monitoring system includes a rearward-viewing camera, a driver-side camera, a passenger-side camera and a dual-mode interior rearview mirror assembly disposed at an interior cabin of a vehicle. The dual-mode interior rearview mirror assembly is operable in a mirror mode and a display mode. With the vehicle traveling along a road, and with the dual-mode interior rearview mirror assembly operating in the display mode, a video display screen displays video images derived at least in part from image data captured by the rearward-viewing camera, the driver-side camera and/or the passenger-side camera. The video display screen displays at least passenger-side video images of a passenger-side region sideward and rearward of the passenger side of the vehicle until a period of time elapses following a passenger exiting the vehicle from a passenger seat of the vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicular cabin monitoring system includes an interior rearview mirror assembly configured for attaching at an interior portion of an equipped vehicle and having a having a mirror head accommodating a driver monitoring camera and first and second near infrared light emitters. When the equipped vehicle is a left hand drive vehicle, a beam of light emitted by the first near infrared light emitters is directed toward a driver-side front seating location of the left hand drive vehicle when the first near infrared light emitter emits near infrared light for a driver monitoring function. When the equipped vehicle is a right hand drive vehicle, a beam of light emitted by the second light emitting element is directed toward a driver-side front seating location of the right hand drive vehicle when the second near infrared light emitter emits near infrared light for the driver monitoring function.

Abstract: A vehicular trailer guidance system includes a human machine interface provided in the vehicle and operable by a driver of the vehicle during a backing up maneuver of the vehicle with a trailer hitched thereto. The human machine interface comprises a freely rotatable rotary knob and operates (i) in a backing up trailer left-backup mode when rotated counter-clockwise, (ii) in a backing up trailer straight-backup mode when the rotary knob is pushed or pulled and (iii) in a backing up trailer right-backup mode when rotated clockwise. Responsive to selection by the driver of the left-backup mode or right-backup mode, the system sets a desired trailer angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle to an angle that is commensurate with a driver-selected setting of the rotary knob. The driver can select the straight-backup mode by pushing or pulling the rotary knob.

Abstract: A vehicular interior cabin monitoring system includes an interior rearview mirror assembly with a mirror head that accommodates a camera and a plurality of light sources. The system includes a plurality of electronic switches. Each of the electronic switches (i) is connected in parallel across a respective light source and (ii) is connected in series with at least one other light source of the plurality of light sources when at least one other electronic switch operates in its opened state. With each electronic switch operating in its respective opened state, electrical current provided by the current driver passes through the light sources. The system is (i) operable to provide an occupant detection function for detecting an occupant present within an interior cabin of the vehicle and (ii) operable to provide a driver monitoring function for monitoring a driver of the vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicular camera includes a camera housing having a rear camera housing and a front camera housing. The front camera housing includes a lens, an imager and an imager printed circuit board. The lens is held in position relative to the imager by a UV-curable adhesive. With the lens held in position relative to the imager by the adhesive, the outer surface of the imager is devoid of the adhesive and an air gap exists between the lens and the outer surface of the imager. With the adhesive disposed in an uncured state on the imager printed circuit board and laterally outboard of the imager, and with the lens positioned relative to the imager, the adhesive is cured from its uncured state to an at least partially-cured state by exposure to UV light. The rear housing portion is joined at the front housing portion.

Abstract: A vehicular control system includes a camera disposed at an in-cabin side of a windshield of a vehicle, the camera viewing forward of the vehicle through the windshield, and the camera capturing image data representative of at least an upcoming road surface of a road ahead of the vehicle. The vehicular control system, via processing at an image processor of image data captured by the camera, determines traction condition of at least a portion of the imaged upcoming road surface that is ahead of the vehicle. The vehicular control system, via processing at the image processor of captured image data, determines a change in traction condition ahead of the vehicle and adjusts an adaptive cruise control system of the vehicle responsive at least in part to the determined change in traction condition ahead of the vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicular camera monitoring system a driver-side camera, a driver-side video display screen disposed at a driver-side cabin region of an interior cabin of the vehicle, a passenger-side camera and a passenger-side video display screen disposed at a passenger-side cabin region of the interior cabin of the vehicle. Upon completion of a parking maneuver of the vehicle, and until a period of time elapses following powering down of the vehicle upon completion of the parking maneuver of the vehicle, the driver-side video display screen displays driver-side video images of a driver-side region sideward of the driver side of the vehicle and rearward of the vehicle and the passenger-side video display screen displays passenger-side video images of a passenger-side region sideward of the passenger side of the vehicle and rearward of the vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicular trailer guidance system includes a human machine interface provided in the vehicle and operable by a driver of the vehicle during a backing up maneuver of the vehicle with a trailer hitched thereto. The human machine interface comprises a rotary knob and operates (i) in a backing up trailer left-backup mode when rotated counter-clockwise, (ii) in a backing up trailer straight-backup mode when the rotary knob is pushed or pulled and (iii) in a backing up trailer right-backup mode when rotated clockwise. Responsive to selection by the driver of the backup mode, the system sets a desired trailer angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle to an angle that is commensurate with a driver-selected setting of the rotary knob. The system controls steering of the vehicle to back up the trailer to have the determined trailer angle coincide with the set desired trailer angle.

Abstract: A vehicular camera includes a lens barrel accommodating a lens, a lens holder having a passageway therethrough, and an imager printed circuit board (imager PCB) having an imager. The imager PCB is attached at the lens holder. An attaching portion of the lens barrel is positioned at least partially in the passageway of the lens holder with a gap between the attaching portion and the lens holder that at least partially circumscribes the attaching portion. With the attaching portion positioned at least partially in the passageway, a filler material is disposed at least partially within the gap. With the lens aligned relative to the imager, the filler material is heated via non-contact brazing to melt and flow into the gap. The melted filler material hardens upon cooling to secure the lens barrel relative to the lens holder and the imager PCB.