A system for monitoring a transport refrigeration device of a vehicle that is external to a cab of the vehicle and provides cooling to another portion of the vehicle separate from the cab includes a refrigeration controller associated with the refrigeration device and configured to control operation of the refrigeration device. A communication module is associated with the refrigeration controller. A display situated in the cab is configured to provide a first visual representation of information regarding the refrigeration device and at least one second visual representation of at least one other type of information. The display obtains the information regarding the refrigeration device from the refrigeration controller through communications with the communication module.

Systems and methods for using multiple control displays to control displaying applications on a dashboard screen in a vehicle are described. The applications can be non-driving-critical applications running in an operating system installed on a computing device embedded in the vehicle. The computing device is connected to the dashboard screen, a first control display and a second control display. A controlling application in the operating system can populate the first control display and the second control display with different menus, and display one or more of the non-driving-critical applications in a single display area or multiple display areas depending on user inputs from the first control display and the second control display. In an embodiment, the first control display is positioned within a driving wheel of the vehicle and the second control display is positioned between two front seats in the vehicle.

Systems and methods for outputting to a vehicle dashboard screen from multiple operating systems are described in this disclosure. The systems and methods use a computing device to host different types of applications in the operating systems. A first of the operating systems runs driving-critical applications, and a second of the operating systems can run non-driving-critical applications. The first operating system has direct access to display hardware on the computing device, and can include security features to prevent it from being compromised. Outputs generated by the non-driving-critical applications in the second operating system are sent to the first operating system, where the outputs are combined with outputs from the driving-critical applications, to create a series of composite images for display on the dashboard screen. Either the first operating system or the second operating system can control the whole dashboard screen based on predetermined configurations.

Systems and methods for selecting a control mode to launch an application in a vehicle are described. For one embodiment, a system for selecting control modes for launching applications in a vehicle with a dashboard screen can include a computing device embedded in the vehicle, the computing device connected to the dashboard screen and a control display; and an operating system installed on the computing device, the operating system running a multi-display controller and one or more applications. The multi-display controller is to receive a request from the control display for launching an application, determine a control mode used to launch the application based on an integration level indicator of the application, and launch the application in the determined control mode. A metabar and a global widget can be created on top of the dashboard screen. The metabar is permanently displayed across the dashboard screen, and can contain environmental and driving-related information. The global widget appears contextually in response to a state change of a system component in the vehicle.

A vehicle is provided that includes a bio-signal sensor configured to measure a bio-signal of a user and a feedback device configured to interact with the bio-signal of the user. A controller determines a current emotional state of the user based on the bio-signal and adjusts an output signal of the feedback device based on the current emotional state. The output signal leads to a target emotional state in which the degree of excitability is a reduced emotional state.

An instrument panel for motor vehicles includes an information device which is configured to display information visible at various locations on the instrument panel for the driver of the motor vehicle. The information device is made up of a plurality of mechanical information elements which are movable independently of one another and are distributed over the instrument panel. The information elements are movable on a surface of the instrument panel and are arranged in such a way that in a first position the information elements project beyond the surface of the instrument panel and in a second position the information elements terminate substantially flush with the surface of the instrument panel.

An attention attracting device for a vehicle includes an electronic control unit configure to: detect a plurality of types of attention information around an own vehicle; apply vibration, by using a vibrator, to a vehicular seat; display, using a display, an attention information content corresponding to each of the plurality of types of attention information; when the information detection unit detects attention information, operate the vibrator when the attention information is detected and cause a display to display the attention information content corresponding to the detected attention information when the attention information is detected.

An information processing apparatus is provided with a controller comprising at least one processor. The controller is configured to execute: displaying presentation information to be presented to a user of a vehicle at an inside or an outside of a window formed in a vehicle; switching over between displaying and non-displaying of the presentation information displayed at the inside of the window according to an instruction received from the user; and displaying the presentation information at the outside of the window in cases where the vehicle is located in a specific place.

An electronic controller of a vehicle is in electronic communication with lamp cover condition sensors, a headlamp switch, an off-road lamp switch and an electronic display. The electronic controller is configured to turn on the off-road lamp device in response to the off-road lamp switch being switched to the on condition and further in response to each of a plurality of predetermined conditions being met, the electronic controller further being configured to prevent the off-road lamp device from turning on in response to the off-road lamp switch being switched to the on condition and further in response to at least one of the plurality of predetermined conditions not being met, the predetermined conditions including at least a determination that the removable lamp cover of the off-road device has been removed, and a determination that the headlamp switch is in the second operating condition.

Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed for categorization of vehicle loading and display thereof. An example method includes comparing a summation of first load data and second load data to a threshold, the first or second load data associated with input from a vehicle sensor or a user interface, sorting the first and second load data into one or more categories, each of the categories based on input associated with the first load data or the second load data, the load data including vehicle load data or external vehicle load data, and displaying the sorted load data.