A method of mounting a lidar sensor within a vehicle assembly

Abstract

A method of mounting a lidar sensor within a vehicle assembly 10 with the lidar comprising a housing defining an outer surface of the lidar sensor 50. The lidar sensor being positioned in a volume bet

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to a method of mounting a lidar within a vehicle assembly. Aspects of the invention relate to a method of mounting a lidar within a vehicle assembly and to a method of assembling a vehicle. BACKGROUND It is known to provide vehicles, such as passenger cars, with a variety of sensors for improving the situational awareness of a driver and / or for enabling automatic or autonomous control of vehicle subsystems. Such sensors include ultrasonic sensors, cameras, and radar sensors. Sensors may be used, for example, to provide a parking assistance function, which warns the driver of the proximity of objects in the vicinity of the vehicle during low speed manoeuvres, or a cruise control function, for controlling the speed of the vehicle automatically in dependence on the proximity of other road users. Camera sensors are generally good at determining the lateral separation between objects but may be less accurate at determining the distance from a host vehicle to a detected object. Conversely, radar sensors are typically good at detecting the distance of an object to a host vehicle but may be less accurate at determining the lateral separation between two detected objects. In order to aid the accurate detection and monitoring of objects and obstacles in the environment around a host vehicle, one or more lidar sensors may be employed instead of or in addition to the other types of sensor discussed above. Lidar sensors emit laser light of a particular wavelength and detect light scattered off objects in order to image an environment. A lidar sensor that emits light at a wavelength in the near-infrared range (NIR), i.e. from about 700nm to 2500nm, is particularly suitable for automotive applications. This is because the emitted light is not visible to a driver of the host vehicle or other road users. Typical wavelengths for NIR lidar sensors are 905nm and 1550 nm. One known technique for mounting a lidar sensor on a vehicle is to provide a hole in a vehicle panel which forms the exterior surface of the vehicle and to mount the lidar sensor within the hole such that laser light can be emitted from and detected by the lidar sensor via the hole without being obstructed. A disadvantage of installing a lidar sensor like this, however, is that it may be detrimental to the aesthetics of the vehicle. This is also the case where a lidar sensor is mounted in a separate sensor module which is attached to an exterior surface of a vehicle, such as on the roof, wing, or bonnet. Additionally, the aforementioned installation techniques each have the risk that the lidar sensor may be damaged, for example, by stones or other debris on the road impacting the lidar sensor. Moreover, the lidar sensor is a relatively expensive component. Accordingly, where such a sensor is visible from the outside of the vehicle, there is an increased risk of theft. It is an aim of the present invention to address one or more of the disadvantages associated with the prior art. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Aspects and embodiments of the invention provide a method of mounting a lidar within a vehicle assembly and to a method of assembling a vehicle as claimed in the appended claims According to an aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of mounting a lidar sensor within a vehicle assembly, the lidar sensor comprising a housing defining an outer surface of the lidar sensor, the method comprising: positioning the lidar sensor in a volume defined between a support member and a panel member, the panel member forming an exterior surface of the vehicle when the vehicle assembly is attached to the vehicle; securing the lidar sensor to the support member; and sealing the volume by performing at least one of: sealingly attaching the panel member to the support member; and sealingly attaching a cover member to the periphery of an opening formed in a surface of the support member. Advantageously, by mounting the lidar sensor within a sealed volume, the lidar sensor is better protected from stones, dust and other road debris during driving of a vehicle to which the vehicle assembly is mounted. Furthermore, by mounting the lidar sensor within the volume enclosed by the panel member and the support member, the lidar sensor is less visible from the outside of the vehicle. Accordingly, risk of theft of the lidar sensor is reduced. The above-described mounting method may also facilitate manufacture and / or servicing of the vehicle on which the vehicle assembly is mounted. In particular, the lidar sensor can be mounted in the vehicle assembly at a location remote from a main vehicle assembly line and delivered to the vehicle assembly line only when required. With this arrangement, there is less risk that the lidar sensor is damaged during installation on the vehicle because it is delivered to the vehicle assembly line already in a sealed vehicle assembly and is therefore not handled directly during vehicle assembly. Sealingly attaching the panel member to the support member may comprise sealingly attaching the panel member to the support member to form a watertight seal therebetween. Sealingly attaching the cover member to the periphery of the opening formed in the surface of the support member may comprise sealingly attaching the cover member to the periphery of the opening formed in the surface of the support member to form a watertight seal therebetween. Advantageously, providing a watertight seal (such as a seal meeting the IP68 ingress protection standard) protects the lidar sensor during a wading event, i.e. when a vehicle to which the enclosure is mounted is driven through water. Sealingly attaching the panel member to the support member may comprise applying an adhesive around the periphery of the support member and / or an inner face of the panel member. Advantageously, using an adhesive may provide a convenient way to seal the panel member to the support member which is lower cost and less time consuming than other methods. Sealingly attaching the panel member to the support member may comprise positioning a gasket therebetween and securing the panel member to the support member using one or more mechanical fasteners. Advantageously, the use of mechanical fasteners and a gasket to seal the panel member to the support member may allow for easier disassembly of the panel member from the support member. Sealingly attaching the panel member to the support member may comprise heating an interface therebetween so as to form a weld. Advantageously, welding may provide a convenient method for sealing the panel member to the support member in which no specific attachment features are required to be provided on each member except for respective flat surfaces at which the welds are formed. Sealingly attaching the cover member to the periphery may comprise attaching the cover member to the periphery of the opening using one or more mechanical fasteners. Advantageously, the use of one or more mechanical fasteners to seal the cover member to the support member may allow for easier servicing of the lidar sensor once the vehicle assembly is installed on a vehicle. Moreover, the one or more mechanical fasteners may conveniently simultaneously secure the lidar sensor to the support member when the cover member is attached to the support member. A gasket may be positioned around the periphery of the opening prior to attaching the cover member thereto. Conveniently, attachment of the cover member to the support member compresses the gasket thereby providing a seal therebetween. Securing the lidar sensor to the support member may comprise engaging a locating feature of the housing of the lidar sensor with a correspondingly shaped locating feature of the support member. Advantageously, respective locating features serve to align the lidar sensor correctly within the support member prior to the lidar sensor being attached to the support member, e.g. by one or more mechanical fasteners and / or with adhesive. The housing of the lidar sensor may comprise a hole for receiving a mechanical fastener and securing the lidar sensor to the support member may comprise inserting a mechanical fastener through a hole in the support member such that it is received within the hole in the housing of the lidar sensor. Conveniently, securing the lidar sensor to the support member with mechanical fasteners ensure the lidar sensor aligned correctly with respect to the support member prior to installation of the vehicle assembly on a vehicle. The method may comprise positioning the lidar sensor in the volume via an opening formed in a rear surface of the support member. Conveniently, alignment of the lidar sensor within the support member is facilitated by virtue of an opening formed in the rear surface of the support member. Positioning the lidar sensor may comprise inserting the lidar sensor into the volume via the opening in the rear surface of the support member after the panel member has been sealingly attached to the support member. Advantageously, this allows for the panel member to be attached to the support member prior to the lidar sensor being mounted to the support member. Accordingly, the risk of any damage occurring to the lidar sensor during attachment of the panel member is reduced. The method may comprise positioning the lidar sensor in the volume via an opening formed in a lower surface of the support member. Conveniently, alignment of the lidar sensor within the support member is facilitated by virtue of an opening formed in the lower surface of the support member. Positioning the lidar sensor may comprise inserting the lidar sensor into the volume via the opening in the lower surface of the support member after the panel member has been sealingly attached to the support member. Advantageously, this allows for the panel member to be attached to the support member prior to the lidar sensor being mounted to the support member. Accordingly, the risk of any damage occurring to the lidar sensor during attachment of the panel member is reduced. The method may comprise connecting the lidar sensor to a sealed socket disposed in the recessed portion of the support member for providing power to the lidar sensor. Advantageously, power can be provided to the lidar sensor without compromising the integrity of the sealed volume. According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of assembling a vehicle comprising: mounting a lidar sensor within a vehicle assembly in accordance with the method of any one of the preceding aspects; and attaching the support member to a structural member of a vehicle. Advantageously, by virtue of the above-described method, the lidar sensor can be mounted in the vehicle assembly at a location remote from a main vehicle assembly line and delivered to the vehicle assembly line only when required. With this method, there is less risk that the lidar sensor is damaged during installation on the vehicle because it is delivered to the vehicle assembly line already in a sealed vehicle assembly and is therefore not handled directly during vehicle assembly. Within the scope of this application it is expressly intended that the various aspects, embodiments, examples and alternatives set out in the preceding paragraphs, in the claims and / or in the following description and drawings, and in particular the individual features thereof, may be taken independently or in any combination. That is, all embodiments and / or features of any embodiment can be combined in anyway and / or combination, unless such features are incompatible. The applicant reserves the right to change any originally filed claim or file any new claim accordingly, including the right to amend any originally filed claim to depend from and / or incorporate any feature of any other claim although not originally claimed in that manner. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS One or more embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the vehicle assembly shown in Figure 1; Figures 3A and 3B are respective views of first and second major faces of a panel member of the vehicle assembly shown in Figure 1; Figure 4 is a perspective view of a support member of the vehicle assembly shown in Figure 2; Figure 5 is a reverse perspective view of the vehicle assembly shown in Figure 1; Figure 6 is a perspective view of a bumper bracket of the vehicle assembly shown in Figure 2; Figure 7 is a perspective view of a lidar sensor suitable for being enclosed in the vehicle assembly shown in Figure 2; Figure 8 is a flow diagram for a method of manufacturing the panel member of Figures 3A and 3E3 by means of an over-moulding process; Figure 9 is a flow diagram for a method of manufacturing the panel member of Figures 3A and 3B by means of a two-shot moulding process; Figure 10 is an enlarged perspective view of the vehicle assembly of Figure 1 with some elements omitted; Figure 11 is a reverse perspective view of a panel member of the vehicle assembly shown in Figure 1; Figure 12 is a cross-sectional side view of the vehicle assembly shown in Figure 1; Figure 13 is an enlarged view of an interface between a lidar sensor and the support member of the vehicle assembly shown in Figures 1 and 2; Figure 14 is a bottom view of the support member of the vehicle assembly shown in Figure 2 with a cover member attached thereto; Figure 15 is an enlarged cross-sectional side view of the vehicle assembly shown in in Figure 1, showing the attachment of a bumper panel thereto; Figure 16 shows a vehicle in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 17 is a reverse perspective view of the vehicle assembly shown in Figure 1 showing a sensor region of a lidar sensor enclosed within the vehicle assembly; and Figure 18 is a cross-sectional side view of an alternative embodiment of a vehicle assembly in accordance with the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to Figures 1 and 2, a vehicle assembly 10, which is an enclosure for a lidar sensor 50, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention will now be described. The vehicle assembly 10 generally comprises a panel member 20, a support member 30 and a bumper bracket 40. As shown in Figure 2, the panel member 20 comprises first and second portions 21,22. A heating element 23 is disposed between the first and second portions 21,22 of the panel member 20. The support member 30 comprises a cover member 31 and a seal member 32. The vehicle assembly 10 further comprises a wiring harness 60 and a breather port membrane 70. Referring to Figures 3A and 3B, the panel member 20 will now be described in more detail. In its assembled state, the panel member 20 has a generally rectangular form with first and second opposing major faces 20a, 20b, shown respectively in Figures 3A and 3B. The first major face 20a of the panel member 20 comprises a substantially planar region 25. When installed on a vehicle, the planar region 25 of the first major face 20a of the panel member 20 defines an exterior surface of the vehicle as will be explained in more detail later. The planar region 25 extends in the direction of the major axis of the panel member 20, which corresponds to a width wise direction of the vehicle when installed thereon. A channel 26 is disposed below the planar region 25. The channel 26 extends parallel to a lower edge of the planar region 25, i.e. in the width wise direction of the vehicle. The channel 26 is defined by an elongate recess formed in the second portion 22 of the panel member 20. A lip 27 projects from the second major face 20b of the panel member 20. The lip 27 defines the boundary of a sealed volume of the vehicle assembly 10. As will be explained in more detail later, the lip 27 serves as an attachment means by which the panel member 20 is attached to the support member 30. The lip 27 is formed in the second portion 22 of the panel member 20. A sensor window 28, in the form of an aperture formed in the second portion 22 of the panel member 20 is disposed within the region of the second potion 22 bounded by the lip 27. The first portion 21 of the panel member 20 is formed from a material which is transparent to the wavelength of the light emitted from the lidar sensor 50. In the presently described embodiment, the lidar sensor 50 operates at a wavelength in the NIR range and, therefore, the first portion 21 is formed from a material which is transparent to NIR radiation. In the present embodiment, the first portion 21 is formed from polycarbonate (PC). The polycarbonate from which the first portion 21 is formed may be transparent to visible wavelengths of light. In the present embodiment, however, the material forming the first portion 21 is opaque to visible light. This may serve to improve the aesthetics of a vehicle on which the vehicle assembly 10 is installed. The second portion 22 is formed from a material which is selected so as to provide a suitable degree of structural rigidity to the panel member 20. The sensor window 28 is disposed within the planar region 25 of the panel member 20. Within the sensor window 28 the panel member 20 comprises only material which forms the first portion 21. Thus, the sensor window 28 is an area of the panel member which is transparent to the NIR light emitted by the lidar sensor 50. Further apertures 29 are provided in the second portion 22 of the panel member 20 in order to reduce the amount of material required to form the second portion 22, which serves to reduce weight and cost. As shown in Figure 2, the heating element 23 is disposed between the first and second portions 21,22 of the panel member 20. In the presently described embodiment, the heating element 23 is sized so as to extend across the whole of the area of the sensor window 28. The heating element 23 comprises a thin film of plastic material, such as Polycarbonate (PC), which is coated with an electrically resistive element (e.g. formed from carbon nano tubes (CNT)). The materials of both the plastic film and the resistive element are selected so as to be transparent to NIR light emitted by the lidar sensor 50. Other materials are also suitable. Referring to Figures 4 and 5, the support member 30 is a generally elongate member. The support member 30 has a major axis which, when the vehicle assembly 10 is installed on a vehicle, is aligned with the width wise direction of the vehicle. The support member 30 has first and second major opposing faces 30a, 30b. When installed on a vehicle, the first major face 30a faces in a forward direction, i.e. in the primary direction of travel of the vehicle, and the second major face 30b faces in a rearward direction. The first major face 30a curves through approximately 90 degrees at an upper portion thereof so as to define an upper surface 30c. A channel 33, defined by a pair of concentric projections, extends around the periphery of the first major face 30a of the support member 30. The channel 33 is arranged so as to receive the lip 27 of the panel member 20 therein when the panel member 20 is attached to the support member 30. The support member 30 further comprises a recessed portion 34 formed in the first major face 30a thereof. The recessed portion 34 is disposed within the boundary defined by the channel 33. The recessed portion 34 is sized so as to receive the lidar sensor 50 therein. The recessed portion 34 has an opening 35 formed in a base thereof. The base of the recessed portion 34 is provided with a plurality of holes 36 for receiving respective mechanical fasteners. The upper surface 30c of the support member 30 comprises attachment means 37 in the form of a plurality of flanges. Each flange 37 is provided with a hole for receiving a mechanical fastener therein. The attachment means 37 serve to attach the vehicle assembly 10 to a structural element of a vehicle as will be described in more detail later. The second major face 30b of the support member 30 is provided with locating means 38 in the form of a plurality of projections. An opening 39 is provided in the support member 30, on the first major face 30a of the support member 30. The opening 39 is disposed at a position within the boundary defined by the channel 33. The opening 39 provides a breather port as will be described in more detail later. Referring to Figure 6, the bumper bracket 40 is an elongate member. The bumper bracket 40 extends substantially the same distance in the width wise direction of the vehicle, when installed thereon, as the panel member 20. The bumper bracket 40 has first and second opposing major faces 40a, 40b. Bumper panel attachment means 41, in the form of a U-shaped channel, is disposed along the upper edge of the first major face 40a of the bumper bracket 40. Referring to Figure 7, the lidar sensor 50 comprises a housing 51. The housing 51 defines the outer surface of the lidar sensor 50. As mentioned above, in the presently described embodiment, the lidar sensor 50 operates in the NIR portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. Laser light of a particular NIR wavelength, e.g. 905nm or 1550nm, is emitted through a planar face 52 of the housing 51. The planar face 52 of the housing 51 is oriented in the forward direction of the vehicle when the lidar sensor 50 is installed thereon. The housing 51 comprises a pair of lateral flanges 53 (only one of which is visible in Figure 7) disposed on opposing side walls of the housing 51. Each flange 53 comprises a hole therethrough for receiving a mechanical fastener therein. Each side wall of the housing 51 comprises a recess 54 (only one of which is visible in Figure 7) for use in positioning the lidar sensor 50 within the support member 30 as will be discussed in more detail later. Referring to Figures 8,10 and 11, a method of manufacturing the panel member 20 will now be described. As mentioned above, the panel member 20 comprises first and second portions 21,22. In the presently described embodiment, the first portion 21 is made from a first material and the second portion 22 is made from a second material, the second material having a different composition to the first material. As mentioned previously, the first material is a polycarbonate (PC) selected so as to be transparent to the operating wavelength of laser light of the lidar sensor 50 to be mounted within the vehicle assembly 10. In other embodiments, the first material may another type of material which is transparent to NIR light emitted by the lidar sensor 50, such as Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). In accordance with the method of Figure 8, the panel member 20 is formed by an over-moulding process. In step S10, the second portion 22 of the panel member 20 is formed by injection moulding the second material into a mould. In step S12, the heating element 23 and an electrical connector 24 are positioned on the second portion 22. As shown in Figure 10, the heating element 23 is positioned over the sensor window 28 on a first major face 22a of the second portion 22. The heating element 23 comprises a pair of busbars 23a which extended laterally across the first major face 22a of the second portion 22 and which are coupled to the electrical connector 24 at one end thereof. At the other end, the busbars 23a diverge so as to extend along opposed edges of the plastic film. With this configuration, when a potential difference is applied to the respective busbars 23, via the electrical connector 24, current flows across the resistive CNT layer of the heating element 23. The electrical connector 24 is likewise placed on the first major face 22a of the second portion 22 and overlies a socket aperture (not shown in Figure 10) via which connection to the wiring harness 60 is made, as will described in more detail later. In step S14, the second portion 22 is placed in a further mould and first material is injected into the further mould so as to form the first portion 21. As shown in Figure 11, the first portion 21 of the panel member 20 overlies the first major face 22a of the second portion 22, i.e. the first portion 21 is over-moulded onto the second portion 22. By this method, the panel member 20 is formed as a unitary body comprising first and second portions 21,22, having respective first and second material compositions. As discussed previously, the planar region 25 of the first portion 21 forms the exterior surface of a vehicle when the complete vehicle assembly 10 is installed thereon. Accordingly, the first material is advantageously selected so as to be opaque to visible light. This means that the lidar sensor 50 will not be visible through the sensor window 28 when viewed by a person looking at the exterior of the vehicle. Furthermore, the second material may by a plastics material which is selected so as to provide the second portion 22 with suitable structural rigidity to support the first material of the first portion 21. In particular, by virtue of the fact that features such as the channel 26 and the lip 27 are formed as part of the second portion 22, the first portion 21 is formed as a layer having substantially uniform thickness. This serves to provide an improved aesthetic appearance by reducing the likelihood of blemishes forming in the first portion 21 as the first material cools and hardens. Referring to Figure 9, an alternative method of manufacturing the panel member 20 will now be described in which the panel member 20 is formed by a two-shot or dual injection moulding process. In step S20, the heating element 23 and electrical connector 24 are located in a mould. In step S22, second material is injected into the mould so as to form the second portion 22 of the panel member 20. In step S24, the second portion 22 may be shifted so as to re-align it within the mould and first material is injected so as to form the first portion 21 of the panel member 20. The two-shot injection moulding method of Figure 9 has the advantage that the manufacturing process is quicker, because it is not necessary to remove the second portion 22 from a first mould and place it in a second mould as with the over-moulding process of Figure 8. Referring to Figures 12, 13 and 14, the enclosure of the lidar sensor 50 within the vehicle assembly 10 will now be described. Assembly begins with the lidar sensor 50 being mounted to the support member 30. This is achieved by insertion of the lidar sensor 50 into the recessed portion 34 of the support member 30 in the direction of arrow A in Figure 12. Conveniently, an assembler may put their hand through the opening 35 in the base of the recessed portion 34 so as to support the lidar sensor 50 from beneath as it is guided into position. As shown in Figure 13, as the lidar sensor 50 is moved in the direction of arrow A, each of the pair of recesses 54 in the respective sides of the sensor housing 51 engages with a respective protrusion 34a formed on each of the side walls of the recessed portion 34 of the support member 30. Each protrusion 34a and each recess 54 have corresponding ramped surfaces which slide over one another as the lidar sensor 50 is guided into position. The reaction force imparted to the sensor housing 51 serves to urge the sensor housing 51 against the base of the recessed portion 34 of the support member 30. It will therefore be appreciated that each recess 54 in the side wall of the housing 51 of the lidar sensor 50 serves as a locating feature which cooperates with a correspondingly shaped locating feature of the support member 30, namely the protrusions 34a, in order to align the lidar sensor within the recessed portion 34 of the support member. 30 In other embodiments, the housing 51 of the lidar sensor 50 could be provided with one or more protrusions and the support member 30 could be provided with one or more correspondingly shaped recesses for receiving the protrusions of the lidar sensor housing 51 therein in order to locate the lidar sensor 50 within the support member 30. Other arrangements are also envisaged. Next, the lidar sensor 50 is fixed in place by virtue of attaching the cover member 31 to the support member 30 in the direction of the arrow E3. The seal member 32 is placed around the periphery of the opening 35 and the cover member 31 is aligned with the holes 36 in the support member 30. A mechanical fastener 72, e.g. a suitably sized threaded bolt, is inserted into each of the holes 36 in the support member 30 through a correspondingly positioned hole at each corner of the cover member 31. Tightening of the mechanical fasteners 72 secures the cover member 31 to the support member 30. The seal member 32 is compressed between the cover member 31 and the support member 30 so as to seal the opening 35. In the presently described embodiment, the seal member 32 forms a watertight seal between the cover member 31 and the support member 30. Respective holes in the flanges 53 of the lidar sensor 50 are aligned with the pair of holes 36 proximal to the first major face 30a of the support member 30. Accordingly, mechanical fasteners 72 engage with the flanges 53 and serve to secure the lidar sensor 50 to the support member 30. In other embodiments, the lidar sensor housing 51 may not be provided with flanges 53 and instead there may be one or more holes formed within the base of the housing 51 for receiving a respective mechanical fastener. In the presently described embodiment, the cover member 31 is made of metal and is provided with a heat sink in the form of a plurality of cooling fins 31a disposed on an outer surface thereof when attached to the support member 30. With this configuration, the cover member 31 serves to regulate the temperature of the lidar sensor 50 during operation. In particular, the engagement between the recesses 54 and the protrusions 34a and the engagement of the fasteners 72 with the flanges 53 serves to hold the lidar sensor 50 against the base of the recessed portion 34 of the support member 30. Accordingly, the base of the lidar sensor housing 51 is held in contact with the cover member 31 which provides for a good thermal contact therebetween. Once the lidar sensor 50 is mounted to the support member 30, the panel member 20 is attached to the support member 30. This is achieved by applying a suitable adhesive along the length of the channel 33 of the support member 30. The panel member 30 is then offered up to the support member 30 in the direction of the arrow C such that the lip 27 of the panel member 20 is received within the channel 33. In this way, a seal is formed between the panel member20 and the support member 30. In the present embodiment, this seal is a watertight seal such that water ingress between the panel member 20 and the support member 30 is prevented. The breather port membrane 70 is attached to the second major face 30b of the support member 30. The breather port membrane 70 overlies the aperture 39 formed in the support member 30. The breather port membrane 70 is formed from a gas permeable, liquid impermeable material. With the addition of the breather port membrane 70, a volume 75 defined between the panel member 20 and the support member 30 within which the lidar sensor 50 is enclosed is made watertight. The degree to which the volume 75 is sealed against the ingress of liquid and dust particles is therefore determined by the material of the breather port membrane 70, the material of the seal member 32 and the adhesive for attaching the panel member 20 to the support member 30. In the present embodiment, the volume 75 is sealed such that it meets the International Electromechanical Commission’s IP68 rating for ingress protection, i.e. dust-tight and protected against the effects of continuous immersion in water. Next, the bumper bracket 40 is attached to the support member 30. As best shown in Figures 10 and 12, the bumper bracket 40 is positioned such that the U-shaped channel which forms the bumper panel attachment means 41 is received within the channel 26 of the panel member 20. The bumper bracket 40 is then attached to the support member 30 using suitable fixings, such as mechanical fasteners or welds. Assembly of the vehicle assembly 10 is completed by the attachment of the wiring harness 60. A first connector 61 of the wiring harness 60 is connected to the electrical connector 24 via an aperture 24a formed in the second portion 22 of the panel member 20 as shown in Figure 11 for providing power to the heating element 23 of the panel member 20. A second connector 62 of the wiring harness 60 is connected to a socket integrated into a wall of the recessed portion 34 of the support member 30 for providing power to the lidar sensor 50. The second connector 62 and its corresponding socket in the support member 30 are specified to be a sealed connector in order to maintain the ingress protection (IP) rating of the volume 75. An intermediate wiring harness (not shown) is provided within the recessed portion 34 to connect the lidar sensor 50 to the second connector 62 via the sealed socket integrated into the support member 30. A connector 63, e.g. an inline connector, disposed at a free end of the wiring harness 60 can be coupled to a wiring harness of a vehicle when the vehicle assembly 10 is installed thereon. With the configuration described above, the vehicle assembly 10 forms an enclosure for the lidar sensor 50. Installation of the vehicle assembly 10 on a vehicle 1 will now be described with further reference to Figures 15, 16 and 17. The vehicle assembly 10 is attached to a front end structure of the vehicle 1 by the attachment means 37. Firstly, however, the vehicle assembly 10 is positioned with respect to the front end of the vehicle 1 using the locating means 38 formed on the second major surface 30b of the support member 30. In more detail, the locating means 38 comprise a plurality of projections which are received within respective apertures of a vehicle support structure, such as a bumper beam or similar. In this way, the locating means 38 serve to locate the vehicle assembly on the vehicle 1. When correctly located on the vehicle 1, each flange of the attachment means 37 of the support member 30 aligns with a respective hole on a support structure of the vehicle 1. The support member 30 is then secured to the vehicle 1 by respective mechanical fasteners inserted through the hole in each flange of the attachment means 37 for engagement with the vehicle structure below. With the vehicle assembly 10 mounted to the vehicle 1, a bumper panel 80 can be attached to the front end of the vehicle 1. The bumper panel 80 is a generally planar member having first and second opposing major faces 80a, 80b. The first major face 80a of the bumper panel 80 forms an exterior surface of the vehicle 1 when attached thereto. The upper edge of the bumper panel 80 is formed as a flange portion 81 which projects in the rearward direction of the vehicle 1 when mounted thereon. The flange portion 81 is arranged so as to be received within the U-shaped attachment means 41 of the bumper bracket 40. By pressing the bumper panel 80 against the bumper bracket 40 in the direction of arrow D in Figure 15, the flange portion 81 is retained in the attachment means 41. In more detail, the U-shaped channel of the attachment means 41 is provided with one or more press-fit features which cooperate with correspondingly shaped features provided on the flange portion 81 of the bumper panel 80. For example, the flange portion 81 may comprise at least one tab extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the front face 80a of the bumper panel 80 which tab is configured to engage with the respective one or more press-fit features of the U-shaped channel of the attachment means 41. In this manner, the upper edge of the bumper panel 80 is attached to the bumper bracket 40. When attached to the bumper bracket 40, the first major face 80a of the bumper panel 80 is substantially flush with the planar portion 25 of the first major surface 20a of the panel member 20. Furthermore, a first major face 40a of the bumper bracket 40 is contoured so as to substantially match that of the portion of the bumper panel 80 which overlies the bumper bracket 40. In this way the bumper bracket 40 provides support to the bumper panel 80. Referring to Figure 16, the vehicle 1 has a bonnet 2. The bonnet 2 has a downturned edge which forms a front face 2a thereof. When the vehicle assembly 10 is installed on the vehicle 1, the planar portion 25 of the first major face 20a of the panel member 20 is substantially flush with the front face 2a of the bonnet 2. The planar region 25 of the first major face 20a of the panel member 20 thus defines a frontal region of the vehicle, which region is disposed below a front face 2a of the vehicle bonnet 2 and above the front bumper panel 80. First and second vehicle headlights 3, 4 are disposed on opposite sides of the planar portion 25 of the panel member 20 of the vehicle assembly 10. Referring to Figure 17, during use, the lidar sensor 50 emits light from the planar face 52 of the housing 51. Light emitted from the lidar sensor 50 passes though the sensor window 28 of the panel member 20 and is projected ahead of the vehicle 1 in a sensor region 55. Accordingly, objects disposed within the sensor region 55 can be detected and imaged by the lidar sensor 50 which can enable various vehicle functionality, e.g. autonomous vehicle control. The vehicle assembly 10 of the foregoing embodiment provides an enclosure for a lidar sensor 50 which has a number of advantages over known techniques for mounting a lidar sensor on a vehicle as explained in more detail below. By sealing the volume 75 within which the lidar sensor 50 is mounted, the lidar sensor 50 is better protected from stones, dust and other road debris during driving. With some prior art arrangements, a portion of the lidar sensor housing is exposed through an opening in a vehicle body panel. With such an arrangement, the lidar sensor could be damaged by stones or other road debris directly impacting the lidar sensor housing during driving. In contrast, with the above-described embodiment of the present invention, the lidar sensor 50 is protected by being mounted within the sealed vehicle assembly 10. In particular, when installed on a vehicle 1, the lidar sensor is mounted rearward of, and spaced apart from, the panel member 20. Thus, any road debris which impacts the panel member 20 is less likely to cause damage to the lidar sensor 50 itself. Furthermore, by providing a watertight seal (such as a seal meeting the IP68 ingress protection standard), the lidar sensor 50 is protected from water ingress such as may occur during a vehicle wading event. Furthermore, by mounting the lidar sensor 50 within in the volume 75 enclosed by the panel member 20 and the support member 30, the lidar sensor 50 is not visible from the outside of the vehicle 1. Accordingly, risk of theft of the lidar sensor 50 is reduced. Additionally, the positioning of the lidar sensor 50 behind the panel member 20 serves to protect the lidar sensor 50 from damage in the event that vehicle 1 is involved in a front end collision. The above-described embodiment of the vehicle assembly 10 may also facilitate manufacture of the vehicle 1 and servicing of the vehicle. In particular, the lidar sensor 50 can be mounted in the vehicle assembly 10 at a location remote from a main vehicle assembly line and delivered to the vehicle assembly line only when required. With this arrangement, there is less risk that the lidar sensor 50 is damaged during installation on the vehicle 1 because it is delivered to the vehicle assembly line already in an enclosure and is therefore not handled directly during vehicle assembly. A further advantage of the above-described embodiment is that the same parts of the vehicle assembly 10, i.e. panel member 20, support member 30 and bumper bracket 40, can be used for vehicles which are specified without a lidar sensor 50. Accordingly, vehicle manufacturing costs are reduced because common, i.e. non-derivatised, parts can be used to construct the vehicle 1 irrespective of whether a lidar sensor 50 is provided. This also allows for easy retrofitting of a lidar sensor 50 to the vehicle 1 in the event that a subsequent owner of the vehicle 1 wishes to benefit from vehicle functions, such as autonomous vehicle features, which require a lidar sensor in order to be implemented. Another advantage of the above-described embodiment is that, by virtue of the channel 26 in the panel member 20, installation of the vehicle assembly 10 on a vehicle 1 does not require any change to the design of the bumper panel 80. In more detail, the channel 26 is shaped so as to accommodate the U-shaped attachment means 41 of the bumper bracket 40 and allows the bumper panel 80 to be attached to the attachment means 41 via a press-fit as described above. As best shown in Figure 15, the channel 26 provides a space or pocket to accommodate the flange portion 81 of the bumper panel 80 without the bumper panel 80 intruding into the sealed volume 75. As described previously, the embodiments of the manufacturing methods of the panel member20 provide the advantage that the first and second portions 21, 22 are formed via injection moulding respective first and second materials. By forming the first portion 21 as a layer of first material which has substantially the same thickness across the entirety of the planar region 25 thereof, it means that a high-quality finish can be obtained. In particular, the uniform thickness of the planar region 25 reduces the risk of blemishes forming as the first material cools. This is beneficial because the planar region 25 of the panel member 20 forms the exterior surface at the front end of the vehicle 1 when installed thereon. At the same time, the second material can be selected such that the second portion 22 provides sufficient rigidity to the finished panel member 20 so as to ensure that the panel member 20 is suitably resistant to warping or bending during assembly of the vehicle assembly 10 and / or installation of the vehicle assembly 10 on the vehicle 1. Furthermore, as discussed above, the first material can be selected such that it is transparent to the operating wavelength of the lidar sensor which is mounted in the vehicle assembly. With the embodiment of the vehicle assembly 10 described above, the heating element 23 can, advantageously, be controlled so as to raise the temperature of the sensor window 28 of the panel member 20 in cold conditions. Accordingly, any frost, ice or snow which has accumulated on the planar region 25 of the panel member 20 can be quickly melted and / or dissipated as soon as a vehicle ignition is turned on. In this way, the sensor window 28 can be cleared quickly at the beginning of a journey so that the lidar sensor 50 can operate unimpaired. Additionally, the provision of the heating element 23 in the panel member 20 allows for a lidar sensor 50 to be specified without an integral heating element built into the lidar sensor housing 51, which may reduce cost. During operation, the lidar sensor 50 generates heat. Advantageously, the temperature of the lidar sensor 50 can be regulated by being in close thermal contact with the cover member 31, which comprises cooling fins 31 a. Advantageously, heat from the lidar sensor 50 serves to drive a convection current within the volume 75. In some embodiments, convection of air within the volume 75 may be further promoted by one or more electric fans disposed within the volume 75. The breather port membrane 70 allows for water vapour to exit the volume 75 whilst ensuring that liquid water cannot enter it. Referring to Figure 18, an alternative embodiment of a vehicle assembly 100 according to the present invention comprises a panel member 200, a support member 300 and a bumper bracket 400. The vehicle assembly 100 is similar to the embodiment of Figure 1, with the exception that an opening 350 in the base of the recessed portion 340 of the support member 300 is sized such that the lidar sensor 50 can pass therethrough. The cover member 310 is sized so as to seal the opening 350 when attached thereto. An advantage of the embodiment of Figure 18 is that, during assembly of the vehicle assembly 100, the panel member 200 can be attached to the support member 300 prior to the lidar sensor 50 being mounted to the support member 300. Accordingly, the risk of any damage occurring to the lidar sensor 50 during attachment of the panel member 200 is reduced. In the embodiment of Figure 18, the lidar sensor 50 is mounted in the vehicle assembly 100 by first attaching the cover member 310 to the base of the lidar sensor housing 51, e.g. using suitable mechanical fasteners and / or adhesive. Next, the lidar sensor 50 is inserted through the opening 350. The opening 350 is then sealed by attaching the cover member 351 to periphery of the opening 350, e.g. using mechanical fasteners. This arrangement therefore has the advantage that servicing of the lidar sensor 50 is made easier. This is because the lidar sensor 50 can be removed from the vehicle assembly 100 simply by unfastening the cover member 310 and lowering the lidar sensor through the opening 350. In a variation of the embodiment described above with reference to Figure 18, the opening 350 may be located in a rear wall of the recessed portion 340 of the support member 300. With this configuration, the lidar sensor 50 may be inserted into or removed from the volume 75 from the rear of the vehicle assembly 100. This may be advantageously in the case that there are packaging constraints of the vehicle within which the vehicle assembly 100 is installed which prevent or hamper the removal of the lidar sensor 50 through an opening in the base of the recessed portion 340. In a further embodiment of the present invention, the recessed portion 34 of the support member 30 by be sized so as to accommodate one or more additional sensors. In this case, the recessed portion 34 may extend further in the width wise vehicle direction and may house one or more further sensors such as an additional lidar sensor and / or radar sensors. Beneficially, all sensors are housed within the sealed volume 75 and are therefore protected from water and dust ingress. In the above-described embodiments, the panel member 20 is sealed to the support member 30 by use of an adhesive. In alternative embodiments, the panel member 20 may be attached to the support member by one or more welds and / or by use of mechanical fasteners. In one embodiment a gasket, such as a rubber gasket, may be interposed between the panel member 20 and the support member 30 and mechanical fasteners may be used to join the panel member 20 to the support member 30 by compressing the gasket therebetween so as to form a seal. With such an embodiment, the lip 27 on the panel member 20 and the channel 33 on the support member 30 may be omitted. In the above-described embodiments, the panel member 20 has a generally rectangular form and the planar region 25 of the first major face 20a of the panel member defines an exterior surface frontal region of the vehicle 1. It will be understood that other shapes of panel member may be used depending on the design of the vehicle in which the vehicle assembly is installed. Additionally, the portion of the first major face of the panel member which forms the exterior (A-surface) of the vehicle need not have a flat planar configuration but could, in some embodiments, have the appearance of a vehicle grille. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art the present invention may extend to embodiments in which the vehicle assembly is installed at a rear of a vehicle or on a side of a vehicle or on a roof of the vehicle. In such embodiments, the bumper bracket 40 may be omitted and the support member 30 and the panel member 20 may be shaped accordingly so as to conform to a mounting location on a vehicle structure. It will be appreciated that various changes and modifications can be made to the present invention without departing from the scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A method of mounting a lidar sensor within a vehicle assembly, the lidar sensor comprising a housing defining an outer surface of the lidar sensor, the method comprising:positioning the lidar sensor in a volume defined between a support member and a panel member, the panel member forming an exterior surface of the vehicle when the vehicle assembly is attached to the vehicle;securing the lidar sensor to the support member; andsealing the volume by performing at least one of:sealingly attaching the panel member to the support member; andsealingly attaching a cover member to the periphery of an opening formed in a surface of the support member.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein sealingly attaching the panel memberto the support member comprises sealingly attaching the panel memberto the support memberto form a watertight seal therebetween and / or wherein sealingly attaching the cover memberto the periphery of the opening formed in the surface of the support member comprises sealingly attaching the cover memberto the periphery of the opening formed in the surface of the support memberto form a watertight seal therebetween.

3. A method according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein sealingly attaching the panel member to the support member comprises applying an adhesive around the periphery of the support member and / or an inner face of the panel member.

4. A method according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein sealingly attaching the panel member to the support member comprises positioning a gasket therebetween and securing the panel member to the support member using one or more mechanical fasteners.

5. A method according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein sealingly attaching the panel member to the support member comprises heating an interface therebetween so as to form a weld.

6. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein sealingly attaching the cover memberto the periphery comprises attaching the cover memberto the periphery of the opening using one or more mechanical fasteners.

7. A method according to claim 6, comprising positioning a gasket around the periphery of the opening prior to attaching the cover member thereto.

8. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein securing the lidar sensor to the support member comprises engaging a locating feature of the housing of the lidar sensor with a correspondingly shaped locating feature of the support member.

9. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the housing of the lidar sensor comprises a hole for receiving a mechanical fastener and wherein securing the lidar sensor to the support member comprises inserting a mechanical fastener through a hole in the support member such that it is received within the hole in the housing of the lidar sensor.

10. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising positioning the lidar sensor in the volume via an opening formed in a rear surface of the support member.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein positioning the lidar sensor comprises inserting the lidar sensor into the volume via the opening in the rear surface of the support member after the panel member has been sealingly attached to the support member.

12. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, comprising positioning the lidar sensor in the volume via an opening formed in a lower surface of the support member.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein positioning the lidar sensor comprises inserting the lidar sensor into the volume via the opening in the lower surface of the support member after the panel member has been sealingly attached to the support member.

14. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising connecting the lidar sensor to a sealed socket disposed in the recessed portion of the support member for providing power to the lidar sensor.

15. A method of assembling a vehicle comprising:mounting a lidar sensor within a vehicle assembly in accordance with the method of any one of claims 1 to 14; andattaching the support member to a structural member of a vehicle.Application No: GB2415740.6Claims searched: 1 to 15Examiner: Mr Colin WalkerDate of search: 9 April 2025Patents Act 1977: Search Report under Section 17Documents considered to be relevant:Category Relevant to claims Identity of document and passage or figure of particular relevance X 1 to 15 WO2019 / 203177 Al KANAMORI - See figures and abstract X 1 to 15 JP2021162403 A TANAKA - See figures and abstract X 1 to 15 US2019 / 146066 Al KUNZE - See figures 27 and 28 in particular and paragraphs 27 to 31 and 37 X 1 to 15 GB2227839 A LOGGIA - See figures and page 2 line 2 to 29 and page 3 line 3 to page 4 line 13 X 1 to 15 US2022 / 137229 Al HIROSE et al - See figures 9 and 10 and paragraphs 138 to 147 X 1 to 15 US2023 / 202404 Al NAKAYAMA et al - See figures and paragraphs 39 to 44 X 1 to 15 US2024 / 032267 Al TSUCHIYA et al - See figures and paragraphs 39 to 43 and paragraphs 125 to 129 X 1 to 15 US2020 / 101889 Al IWAI et al - See figure 11 and paragraphs 118 to 123Categories:X Document indicating lack of novelty or inventive step A Document indicating technological background and / or state of the art. Y Document indicating lack of inventive step if combined with one or more other documents of same category. P Document published on or after the declared priority date but before the filing date of this invention. & Member of the same patent family E Patent document published on or after, but with priority date earlier than, the filing date of this application.Field of Search:Search of GB, EP, WO &US patent documents classified in the following areas of the UKCX :Worldwide search of patent documents classified in the following areas of the IPC_____________B60W; GO IS_________________________________________________The following online and other databases have been used in the preparation of this search reportSEARCH-PATENTSInternational Classification:Subclass Subgroup Valid From G01S 0007 / 481 01 / 01 / 2006 G01S 0017 / 931 01 / 01 / 2020

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