A decoration panel used as an operation button includes a decoration section between a front translucent member and a rear translucent member, and the decoration section includes a counter reflection layer superposed on a rear face of a light-shield layer. A rear reflection layer is provided between the rear translucent member and a translucent member for illumination. The decoration section is displayed as if floating at an intermediate position in a depth direction. In addition, a surface of the decoration section oriented to the rear side constitutes a counter reflection surface.

The invention relates to an automated driving system for a motor vehicle including a visual communication interface (30) intended for informing the driver about the state of said driving system and comprising a luminous indicator (31A, 31B) capable of emitting luminous signals on the steering wheel of said vehicle; characterized in that said visual communication interface (30) also includes a heads-up display capable of displaying other luminous signals (33) in the field of view of the driver beyond the dashboard of said vehicle.

An operator control apparatus, in particular for a motor vehicle, having an operating surface for manual action by an element, particularly the finger of a human hand. A sensor interacts with the operating surface such that the sensor generates a signal when the element approaches the operating surface and/or when the operating surface is touched by the element and/or when pressure is applied to the operating surface by the element. The signal is used for switching and/or triggering a function in the style of a switching signal. The actuator is operatively connected to the operating surface, such that a haptic event is producible for the operating surface by means of actuation of the actuator. The actuator is driven electrically and operable by a PWM (pulse width modulation) actuation signal, such that the operating surface is movable in a preselectable manner within a preselectable displacement and/or time.

Static vehicle infotainment system method to capture and transmit vehicle route data for a defined geo-fenced area. Collects and transmits vehicle data to cloud server and maps geo-fenced area using GPS coordinates to produce report and vehicle route onto infotainment screen. Collective summery report and graphical display for all vehicles within a defined GPS Geo-Fenced area can also be displayed. Additional methodology includes GPS Proximity Based Advertising and Infotainment System Advertising. GPS Proximity Based Advertising defines radius around a GPS location, displaying advertisement when vehicle enters the radius. Infotainment System Advertising receives advertisement via software or firmware, onto the infotainment system memory. Additional methodology includes receiving and displaying emergency alert emanating from integrated public alert and warning system compliant common alert protocol alert origination tool onto static infotainment system, touchscreen, audio and video control module, vehicle radio or holographic touch interface to display an image, picture, video or hologram.

A proximity sensor is provided. The proximity sensor has an exposed exterior surface formed of a metal material to improve the aesthetics thereof. The proximity sensor mounted within a vehicle includes a frame formed of a nonconductive material and a metal layer that covers an exterior surface of the frame. A sensor electrode contacts the metal layer and a sensor integrated circuit (IC) connected to the sensor electrode to sense an approach or a contact of a user on the metal layer.

A driver can intuitively and conveniently perform an operation for instructing passing to a vehicle. In a driving support device, an image output unit outputs, to a display unit, an image containing an own vehicle object representing an own vehicle and an another vehicle object representing another vehicle in front of the own vehicle object. An operation signal input unit receives an operation of a user for changing the positional relationship between the own vehicle object and the another vehicle object in the image displayed on the display unit. A command output unit outputs, to an automatic driving control unit, a command for instructing the own vehicle to pass the another vehicle when the positional relationship between the own vehicle object and the another vehicle object is changed such that the own vehicle object is positioned in front of the another vehicle object.

A method for making available a user interface, in particular in a vehicle, in which one or more graphic objects are displayed on a display with a touch-sensitive surface, an operator controlled intention which can be assigned to an operator controlled area of the display is determined in a contactless fashion in a space in the viewing direction in front of the display, and an operator controlled action is implemented by touching one of the graphic objects in the operator-controlled area of the display. Three-dimensional graphics data are calculated for a graphic object in the operator-controlled area of the display, and that when the operator-controlled intention has been determined, the graphic object in the operator-controlled area is emphasized visually in that the display of the graphic object which can be perceived over an area in the plane of the display is changed into a display which can be perceived spatially.

A user interface for a vehicle, including a steering wheel for the vehicle, including a grip, a sensor operable to detect objects at a plurality of locations along the grip, and an illuminator operable to illuminate different portions of the grip, a processor in communication with the sensor, with the illuminator and with a controller of vehicle functions, and a non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions which cause the processor to identify, via the sensor, a location of a first object along the grip, to illuminate, via the illuminator, a portion of the grip, adjacent to the identified location, to further identify, via the sensor, a second object being at the illuminated portion of the grip, and to activate, via the controller, a vehicle function in response to the second object being at the illuminated portion of the grip.

User interface and process to support a user in the operation of a touch-sensitive control unit. A presence of a means of input, such as a finger of the user, is detected in a predefined first area relative to the control unit. In response to the detection, an acknowledgement may be produced via a predefined first audio output including a first sound sign, which is associated in a context-specific manner with a button displayed on the control unit.

In a motor vehicle having a plurality of display devices, a gaze direction of a driver of the motor vehicle is detected and used to check whether the driver has directed his gaze to a display region of the display devices for at least a predefined gazing duration. If the gaze has been directed to one of the display regions of one of the display devices for at least the predefined gazing duration, an interaction mode of an operating device for controlling the relevant display device is activated. An extended gazing duration which is longer than the predefined gazing duration is predefined for at least one of the display devices and for this display device, the interaction mode is activated only if it has been detected that the gaze of the driver has been directed to the display region of this display device for at least the extended gazing duration.