Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha

Tomohiro Tanaka

Kohei Morotomi

Syuji Hirakata

Ichiro Hosotani

The vehicle notification apparatus comprises: an operation element operated by a driver to activate a turn signal indicator; an information obtaining device that obtains information on an object around the vehicle; an auditory notification device configured to give an auditory notification; a visual notification device configured to give a visual notification; and a control unit. The control unit is configured to: perform a both-notification to let both of the auditory and the visual notification devices perform the respective notifications, until a both-notification completion condition becomes satisfied from when it is determined for the first time that the obstacle is present in a period where the signal indicator is being activated; and perform a single-notification to let the visual notification device perform the notification without activating the auditory notification device, when the obstacle is determined to be present after the both-notification completion condition becomes satisfied, in the above-described period.

Vehicle notification apparatus

A hydrogen using system for installation in a vehicle has a methanol tank that stores methanol as a source material of hydrogen, which is a fuel of the hydrogen using system, a water tank that stores water, a methanol reformer that produces a hydrogen fuel from methanol and water, a first electromagnetic valve provided in a first channel connecting the methanol tank to the reformer, a polymer electrolyte fuel cell stack that generates power from the hydrogen fuel supplied from the reformer, a second electromagnetic valve provided in a second channel connecting the reformer to the fuel cell stack, an electronic control unit that controls various portions of the hydrogen using system, etc. When an impact occurs on the vehicle, the electronic control unit shuts the first channel and the second channel by forcibly closing the first and second electromagnetic valves based on a detection signal from the impact sensor. This hydrogen using system curbs reactions of hydrogen at the time of an accident or the like, thereby further improving safety of the system.

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Nisshin, Japan

Tomohiro Tanaka