The operating device for a vehicle component, in particular a human machine interface (HMI) for vehicles, is provided with a housing, comprising a front wall having a front face in particular with a display surface and a rear face facing away from the front face, and an operating element unit which is positioned and/or can be positioned on and/or in front of the front wall of the housing for manually triggering operating functions and/or for manually adjusting parameters of operating functions for a vehicle component. The operating element unit comprises at least one operating element, a display element and/or a display device, an evaluating and control unit assigned to the at least one operating element and to the display element or the display device, and an energy supply unit. In order to supply electric energy to the energy supply unit of the operating element unit, at least one first coil is arranged so as to face the rear face of the front wall, wherein at least one second coil, which is inductively coupled to the at least one first coil and is connected to the energy supply unit, is arranged in and/or on the operating element unit.

A method performed by a vehicle settings adjustment system for facilitating user adjustment of vehicle settings of a vehicle via a display of the vehicle. The vehicle settings adjustment system determines occurrence of user interaction with a physical control interface of the vehicle, user interaction with the physical control interface affecting a therewith associated predetermined vehicle function. The vehicle settings adjustment system further provides on the display a user selectable shortcut adapted to, upon user selection thereof, provide on the display a subset of user selectable setting options enabling adjustment of one or more user adjustable vehicle settings associated with the predetermined vehicle function.

A method includes displaying information via a first display, displaying information via a second display, controlling the information displayed via the first display and the second display with a controller, and receiving a first input from a user through a user interface. The first input includes a command to change a setting of the first display or the second display and/or the information being displayed via the first display or the second display. The method also includes generating a first haptic effect to confirm receipt of the first input.

Content display device for a road vehicle; the content display device comprises a support element configured to be centrally mounted in the area of a dashboard of the road vehicle; at least one screen mechanically connected to the support element and configured to be visible to a passenger and/or to a driver while driving; the support element comprising a perimeter portion surrounding the screen; the device comprising tactile controls, which are arranged in the area of the perimeter portion and are flat relative to the portion.

Devices and methods in a configurable human machine interface (HMI) for multiple vehicle display devices are disclosed. An example of the method includes, in the HMI control unit for a plurality of vehicular display devices, receiving action input data from a configurable application input module in a first operational mode. In the first operational mode a first vehicular display device operates as a master vehicular display device relative to a second vehicular display device. The second vehicular display device is mirrored to the first vehicular display device. When action input data indicates a transition from the first operational mode to a second operational mode, the method continues by generating a control message based on the action input data. The control message indicates that the second vehicular display device operates as the master vehicular display device and that the first vehicular display device provides mirrored feedback relating to a subsequent action input data affecting a corresponding graphic user element of the second vehicular display device.

A touch sensitive screen is provided as a frame element for a component of a comfort system of a motor vehicle, to wholly or partly frame the component.

A displaying and operating device having a display unit and at least one proximity sensor, wherein a penetration of an object into at least one monitoring space can be detected by the proximity sensor, wherein at least one representation on the display unit is changed as a function of a penetrating object, wherein the displaying and operating device has a unit wherein a chronological sequence of receive signals from the proximity sensor is evaluated by the unit, wherein a constant receive signal is detected and stored within a predetermined time interval and, for subsequent operating, is ignored as a static receive signal of the display unit, wherein a change in the representation is carried out only if a subsequent receive signal exceeds the static receive signal by a predetermined value. Also disclosed is a method for operating a displaying and operating device.

Vehicle system information is communicated to a vehicle occupant by thermal haptics. A heat transfer device, such as a Peltier device, is used to locally control the temperature of an interaction area along an outer surface of a vehicle interior panel. A temperature differential between the interaction area and an adjacent area indicates the current status and/or the location of a control for the system. Multiple heat transfer devices can be used to provide a temperature gradient along the outer surface of the panel to provide the occupant with a thermally perceptible indicator of an available range of temperatures and/or a temperature setpoint for the vehicle system.

The invention provides an instrument control panel that is easily customized and reconfigured, and yet provides the familiar tactile sensation of physical knobs, sliders, and buttons. The instrument control panel comprises one or more interface components that are removably coupled to an interface display wherein the interface components communicate with one or more control components disposed behind the interface display. The present invention lends itself particularly well to an instrument panel.

The invention provides an instrument control panel that is easily customized and reconfigured, and yet provides the familiar tactile sensation of physical knobs, sliders, and buttons. The instrument control panel comprises one or more interface components that are removably coupled to an interface display wherein the interface components communicate with one or more control components disposed behind the interface display. The present invention lends itself particularly well to an instrument panel.