Anti fog housing for automotive sensor

A vehicle vision sensor system comprising:

• at least one vision sensor having a housing defining a void and a sensing element disposed within the void, a voltage controlled heating element including a plurality of resistive heating coils with each resistive heating coil being wrapped around the housing, a local temperature and humidity sensor disposed exterior to and proximate the housing and the local temperature and humidity sensor being configured to sense a temperature and relative humidity within the void;
• and
• a controller in communication with the local temperature and humidity sensor and an outside air temperature sensor, the controller including a memory storing instructions for causing the controller to perform a process of identifying a dew point within the void, comparing a temperature of the void to the dew point and supplying a voltage to the voltage controlled heating element in response to the temperature of the void being below the dew point;
• wherein comparing a temperature of the void to the dew point and supplying the voltage to the voltage controlled heating element in response to the temperature of the void being below the dew point comprises identifying a difference between a dew point of the void and a temperature of the void and determining a magnitude of the voltage based on the difference.