Huf North America Automotive Parts Manufacturing Corp.

Robert J Campbell

Lynn D Da Deppo

Khalid Kamal

James Sanborn

Mansour Ashtiani

Yipeng Tang

A method and apparatus for hands-free activation of vehicle functions such as accessing doors and windows, and establishing driver preferences such as seat positions is disclosed. A capacitive sensor is embedded in a non-metallic portion of the vehicle such as a tail light, window, or cladding on the vehicle. The capacitive sensor is in communication with a vehicle control unit, which can detect the proximity of a user or a specific gesture to activate a predetermined vehicle function.

Gesture controls for remote vehicle access systems

A door handle arrangement for vehicles including an electrically insulating cover having an outer actuating surface for a user characterized by at least one metal actuating electrode disposed on the inner side of the cover that is on the side of the cover facing away from the actuating surface. The cover is elastically deformable by an actuation in the area of the actuating surface. The arrangement includes at least one sensor electrode that is disposed at a distance from the actuating element and opposite the inner side of the cover, wherein the sensor electrode lies opposite the actuating electrode at least in certain sections so that the distance between actuating electrode and sensor electrode is variable during deformation of the cover in the region of the actuating surface. The arrangement also includes a control and evaluation device which is coupled at least to the sensor electrode to detect a capacitance between sensor electrode and actuating electrode.

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Farmington, MI, United States of America

Robert J Campbell