GM has filed a patent application for a vehicle climate control system capable of detecting and compensating for occupant clothing level.
The GM patent filing has been assigned application number US 2022/0219506 A1 with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and was published on July 14th, 2022. The patent was originally filed on January 11th, 2021, and lists several Michigan-based engineers as the inventors, including Taeyoung Han, Alok Warey, Shailendra Kaushik, Bahram Khalighi, and Paul E. Krajewski.
The patent describes a climate control system that incorporates a memory system, a compensation module, and climate control module, with the memory system storing a series of images captured by onboard sensors. The compensation module will then evaluate the images captured to estimate a “clothing level” for the first occupant to enter the vehicle cabin. Alternatively, the module can receive a set clothing level from an edge computing device or cloud-based network. From this data, the system can then determine an optimal cabin temperature set point and adjust onboard climate control parameters and zones as appropriate.
Although the system described seems somewhat complex, the end result appears to be added convenience and simplicity for the vehicle occupants. Based on the clothing worn, the onboard climate control system can then automatically adjust to suit the needs of the occupants. Presumably, this means raising the temperature if the occupants are wearing several layers of clothing, or lowering the temperature if the occupants are wearing light clothing.
While this “smart” system should make things even more convenient, it also has potentially significant implications for an electric vehicle. In order to set the appropriate climate control parameters, the system could conceivably adjust to the clothing worn by the occupants. For example, higher levels of cooling or heating may not be needed to achieve a comfortable cabin temperature depending on the clothing worn by the occupants, conceivably saving energy and extending the range of the EV in question.
Notably, the patent images also show passengers in what is likely a fully autonomous vehicle, which indicates that the technology could also be used for a self-regulating climate control system that adjusts to the needs of multiple passengers in a self-driving robotaxi application, like the Cruise Origin, without the need for passenger input.
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Comments
Don’t they mean “raising the temperature if the occupants are wearing less clothing”?
No. If it’s hot and you’re wearing light clothing, the vehicle would lower and cool the temperature not raise it otherwise you’d be hot.
It all depends on the outside temperature to raise or lower the inside temperature.
Absolutely becoming ridiculous more to pay more to break instead actually it is ridiculous
Coming soon to a Cadillac near you. “I’m sorry Dave, but I can’t you be seen in public with that shirt. “
The more TECHICAL DUDA’S the more problems. I say again Mary needs to go!
The more TECHICAL DUDA’S the more problems. I say again Mary needs to go!
You can say THAT again!
:-{)}}}
Too many expensive farkles. More Orwellian monitoring that we do not need.
How about English instead of what you wrote.
More crap that is not needed how about concentrating on building reliable vehicles and quit jacking prices
What a waste of time and money. Overkill to say the least. It’s doing something just to be doing it. GM has to many serious issues to solve verses something this frivolous.
HOW TRUE. The problem with vales, etc. on the the system that drops 4 cylinders to meet the Federal MPG figures. So many unhappy customers over this problem.
General Motors’ philosophy, instead of making a sedan that competes with Toyota Camry or Honda Accord, General Motors surrendered and opened the way for other companies. Do you think a young person would buy a Yukon Denali or an Escalade or a pickup?
GM still makes two sedans that are better than imports. One is the Cadillsc CT5. The other is the Chevy Malibu. I have driven the Malibu and I like it very much.
So now our vehicles will be continually recording us while inside?
Had to laugh when reading “when the first passenger enters”… thinking about the typical couple always arguing over the thermostat setting at home. No more helping the spouse get in first. Now it is: every man / women for themselves. Basically: “ready, set, go!”…in the race to be first to enter the vehicle and win “climate control” round one.
I just hope this don’t affect the Henway if the Henway breaks it’s all over. Hopefully GM will take this into consideration and make a more robust Henway by stuffing it with extra wings.
What a waste of money especially when it fails. All I need is a simple fan speed switch and a manual temp control period. Another reason why the luxury car market values fall so fast is the cost of repairing all the bells and whistles when they fail.
So how more chips will be needed? Still too much black interiors that suck up heat if you live anywhere in the sunbelt. This week over 100 degrees in the Midwest. Hard work for any ac system.
Big corporations like GM, IBM, etc. live and die for patents. If a patent is issued it doesn’t mean it will be implemented, but if any other manufacture designs a similar system, patent protection is there and it becomes a bargaining chip for access to other patents by that company, or it can be licensed. Done everyday.
So, if it detects that you are too warm but are not wearing a lot of clothes, will it assume you’re sick and shuttle you to the nearest emergency room? Or what happens if you step into the vehicle and you’re all wet and cold because you’ve been in the rain? It’s 85 degrees outside and the car will attempt to warm you up? I can see 100 ways this goes wrong…
Does it detect the presence of perfumes, or fragrances (shampoos)?
That will cost you $1999.95 and $19.95 a month if you want it to work
GM Authority replies: GM doesn’t innovate anymore. This company is losing ground in new tech to everyone!
Also GM Authority replies: GM is wasting its time innovating with new technology! We need to bring back Pontiac and Oldsmobile!!
A rose by any other name would smell as sweet. Too many brands were a problem in the past and would be again in the future.
if GM spent more time and money in producing good cars and trucks and less time on silly @ss junk, we would be dollars and time ahead. no body seem to have any common sense any more in manufacturing. just get it out worry about quality later.
What is not said here is that GM is working on new environment systems that will keep the passengers comfortable but not drain the battery.
Every mfg is in hyper drive to come up with better systems to work with electric.
Also, having a patent on an invention and the market financial analysis of how it will affect the consumer are entirely different. So don’t jump to conclusions. (Although the comments so far are very valid in generality.)
Can this be configured to let the driver know on the dash screen which passengers, if any, are not wearing underwear? And possibly even what type of underwear. If so, they might be onto something here…otherwise, they should prob just scrap it…
Seriously, this is dumb tech.
These engineers need to come up with all this CRAP so they can keep their jobs.
The anti-tech Luddites here have little or no understanding of how computerized cars and trucks are today, including the HVAC system. Do y’all miss the manual engine crank and wood wheels?
I got a smart thing call a dial…. New technology, you should look into it
How true, if it is not broken no need to fix.