Method and apparatus are disclosed for transferring control of one or more vehicle functions from a driver HUD to a passenger HUD. An example vehicle includes a driver HUD, a passenger HUD, and a processor. The processor is configured for enabling control of one or more vehicle functions via the driver HUD responsive to determining that the vehicle speed is below a threshold. The processor is also configured for transitioning control of the one or more vehicle functions from the driver HUD to the passenger HUD responsive to determining that the vehicle speed has increased above the threshold.

Method and apparatus are disclosed for passenger heads-up displays for vehicles. An example vehicle includes a passenger seat, a passenger heads-up display (HUD) to present a virtual interface in front of the passenger seat, and a controller. The controller is to identify a mode selection for the passenger HUD and determine, based on the mode selection, the virtual interface and an apparent distance of the virtual interface for a passenger. The controller also is to present, via the passenger HUD, the virtual interface at the apparent distance for the passenger.

A user interface system for a vehicle includes: at least one display unit provided in the vehicle; a detachable interface apparatus configured to be detachably attached to any one of the at least one display unit provided in the vehicle; at least one processor; and a computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform operations that include: in a state in which the detachable interface apparatus is attached to a selected display unit among the at least one display unit of the vehicle, determining a first user menu corresponding to the selected display unit; and displaying, on the selected display unit or on the detachable interface apparatus, the first user menu corresponding to the selected display unit.

In a vehicle having a display mounted forward of a passenger seat on a dashboard and angled toward a driver seat adjacent the passenger seat, the display is moveable from the angled position to a position flush with the dashboard, and an airbag system is configured to deploy an airbag cushion that displaces the display from the angled position to the position flush with the dashboard to ensure that the airbag cushion has an adequate backup or support surface.

An applique is mounted over one or both B-pillars of an autonomous vehicle and includes a display, speaker, touch input, and microphone. The applique may include a curved cover mounted over a printed circuit board (PCB) having LED arrays mounted thereto. A diffuser defines windows for the LED arrays and has a planar surface interfacing with the PCB and a curved surface interfacing with the curved cover. A controller of the vehicle detects proximity to a passenger to be picked up and displays the passenger's name at a first proximity, outputs a spoken message at a second, closer, proximity, and outputs a visible and audible prompt to enter an access code at a third proximity closer than the second proximity.

The disclosure generally pertains to systems and methods for identifying a location of an occupant in a vehicle. In an example method, a processor deconvolves a vocal utterance by an occupant of a vehicle and also determines an angle of arrival of the vocal utterance. The location of the occupant in the vehicle is then identified by the processor based on evaluating the deconvolved vocal utterance and the angle of arrival of the vocal utterance. Deconvolving the vocal utterance can involve applying a cabin impulse response to the vocal utterance for eliminating undesirable effects that may be imposed upon the vocal utterance by acoustic characteristics of the cabin of the vehicle (echo, sound reflections, sound damping, reverberation etc.). In some applications, the processor may refer to a lookup table to estimate a location of the occupant in the vehicle.

A communication system for a vehicle for a vehicle includes a display device having a screen disposed in a passenger compartment. The display device is in communication with a user interface. The system further includes an authentication system having at least one scanning apparatus configured to capture a biometric data. A communication circuit is configured to communicate with a remote server. A controller is configured to capture the biometric data of a first potential passenger with the at least one scanning apparatus and access a first passenger information comprising a first identification profile from the remote server via the communication circuit. The controller is further configured to authenticate the first potential passenger as at least one of a confirmed passenger and an operator of the vehicle based on the identification profile.

The technology involves an in-vehicle communication system with a console that is positioned within the cabin of the vehicle, for instance between the front seats so that passengers in the second row can view and access it. The console is configured to provide contextual information to passengers. The console includes a monitor assembly that has a display screen and a notification region. The notification region includes one or more displayable icons and at least one receptacle for a communication device of a passenger. The notification region has a first section comprising an outer cover layer with a first series of masking, diffuser and illuminating layers to selectively illuminate the one or more displayable icons. The notification region has a second section comprising the outer cover layer with a second series of masking, diffuser and illuminating layers to selectively illuminate the at least one receptacle for the communication device.

Disclosed are a display apparatus and an in-vehicle display device. The display apparatus includes at least two display modules. The display modules are arranged in sequence along a first direction and includes at least one user front-view display module and at least one user side-view display module. A difference between a luminous angle of each user side-view display module and a viewing angle of the user side-view display module is within a preset difference range. The viewing angle is formed by a second direction and a normal direction of a corresponding display module, the second direction being from a point on the corresponding display module toward the user position; the luminous angle is formed by an emission direction and a normal direction of the corresponding display module; for each user side-view display module, an angle formed by the second direction and the emission direction is within a preset angle range.

A switchable backlight for a switchable privacy display apparatus comprises a collimated waveguide, first and second light sources and an optical turning film comprising elongate prismatic elements with facet orientations that pupillate the output of the waveguide in two orthogonal directions for each of first and second light sources. High luminance uniformity is achieved for a head-on user in privacy and public viewing modes and high uniformity of security factor is achieved for off-axis snoopers, with increased speed of privacy switch-on in privacy mode.