A vehicle infotainment system is provided. The vehicle infotainment system includes a display screen, a touchpad remote from the display screen, and a controller communicatively coupled to the display screen and to the touchpad. The controller is configured to virtually divide the touchpad into a main menu configuration. The controller is also configured to display a main menu of indicators corresponding to inactive applications, wherein the main menu occupies the entire display screen. The controller is also configured to receive a user input indicating selection of a first indicator. The controller is further configured to display selectable items associated with the first application in an interactive region of the display screen, and at least a second indicator in a non-interactive region of the display screen, and associate the touchpad with only the interactive region of the display screen.

A touch knob which can transmit user touches above to a touch-sensitive surface below includes a base, a rotating shaft, and a rotating cap. The rotating cap defines a receiving groove facing the base, and the rotating shaft extends into the receiving groove and is connected to the rotating cap. The rotating cap is configured to rotate to transmit user touches in a bounded circular area, at least one conductive touch head is located on the rotating cap and in the receiving groove, and moves as the rotating cap moves. The disclosure avoids the need to cut or form any opening in the cover of the touch-sensitive surface or panel for buttons to be installed. A device using the above touch knob is also provided.

A vehicle interior component providing a user interface for an occupant is disclosed. The component may comprise a base; a cover comprising a surface; an intermediate layer comprising a foam material; and a sensor to detect an electrical signal in response to input at the user interface, contact at the surface of the cover, or compression of the foam material. The foam material may comprise electrical properties, conductivity, resistance, compression-responsive electrical properties, or variation in voltage. The foam material may comprise an additive, an additive material, a conductive material, a conductive additive, conductive particles, carbon particles, carbon black particles, carbon dust, carbon particles in a substrate, or carbon particles interspersed with a non-conductive substrate. The foam material may comprise foam with conductive particles, carbon foam, carbon additive foam, polyurethane foam, or polyurethane with carbon particles. The cover may comprise a non-conductive material, leather, vinyl, textile, or fabric.

An operating system includes a display device having at least two planar display regions, which are arranged one behind the other in a viewing direction of an operator and extend transversely to the viewing direction. The operating system can be used to control a plurality of apparatuses of a vehicle.

A switch assembly comprising a housing configured to operably couple to a trim panel and defining a cavity, a feedback device operably coupled to the housing and positioned within the cavity, a printed circuit board operably coupled to the feedback device, a proximity sensor operably coupled to a connector and configured to actuate the feedback device, and a light source operably coupled the printed circuit board and configured to luminesce in response to actuation of the proximity sensor. The trim panel comprises a panel substrate operably coupled to a backup layer, an icon layer positioned within the cavity and operably coupled to the backup layer, an outline positioned about a periphery of the backup layer, and a translucent panel skin bonded to a foam layer positioned over the panel substrate, wherein the panel skin stretches over the panel substrate and the backup layer.

An operating device for a motor vehicle, having a touch-sensitive operating element with a frame element and a central region. The touch-sensitive operating interface has a predetermined operating region at each of at least two predetermined touch positions for activating an operating function assigned to the respective operating region. The operating element is arranged to be displaceable at least partially along a translation axis that intersects the operating interface. The operating device has only one detection element, which is arranged facing an inner side of the touch-sensitive operating element that faces away from the touch-sensitive operating interface, and which is arranged to detect a displacement of each operating region along the translation axis.

A touch sensor device includes a calibration processor that calibrates capacitance of each of a plurality of capacitance sensors. The calibration processor calculates an initial calibration value when the touch sensor device is activated, and maintains the initial calibration value when a calibrated capacitance calculated with the initial calibration value exceeds a touch determination threshold value. If the calibrated capacitance calculated with the initial calibration value does not exceed the touch determination threshold value even after a specified period elapses subsequent to calculation of the initial calibration value, the calibration processor obtains a value equal to or approximate to a minimum value of the capacitance that changes in accordance with a re-touch as a recalibration value when the calibrated capacitance represents an anomaly of the initial calibration value.

The operating device for a vehicle comprises a capacitively operating touch panel having an upper face with a touch sensitive surface, and an operating unit having a movable operating element which can be grasped manually and has an electrically conductive surface and a plate shaped holding element, provided with an upper face and a lower face facing away from the upper face, on which the operating element is movably arranged and which for its part is arranged on the touch-sensitive surface of the upper face of the touch panel. The operating element comprises at least one wiper, electrically connected to the electrically conductive surface of the operating element, sliding along a sensing path of the upper face of the holding element when the operating element is moved. The holding element comprises alternately successively arranged first sections and second sections along the sensing path. The upper and lower face of the holding element are connected to each other in an electrically conductive manner in each of the first sections and are electrically insulated from each other in each of the second sections.

In an embodiment, movement-data is gathered with one or more sensors (e.g., accelerometers, GPS receivers, etc.) during a driver's driving session. A score may be calculated for the driving session, and the driver's progress is evaluated by a driver-evaluation system. A driving session report or graphical user-interface (GUI) is generated with a computer processor and displayed at a display device. The displayed report or GUI includes a graphic representing the driver's progress relative to historical data.

An operating element for a vehicle interior is integrated in a flexible material and comprises an electroluminescent layer arranged between a first conducting layer and a second conducting layer. The arrangement of the first conducting layer, the second conducting layer and the electroluminescent layer is configured to be operable as a capacitive sensor.