A drive assist apparatus, for vehicle, includes a position detector, a storage, a display, an operation unit, and a controller. The position detector acquires own vehicle position information on the basis of a position signal received from positioning satellites. The storage stores road map information. The display displays a symbol representing the own vehicle at a position indicated by the own vehicle position information acquired by the position detector, and displays the road map information around the own vehicle information acquired by the position detector. The operation unit receives a relative moving operation. The relative moving operation allows the symbol representing the own vehicle and the road map information both displayed on the display to move relative to each other in a vehicle width direction. The controller corrects the own vehicle position information in accordance with the relative moving operation received by the operation unit.

An operation input device includes a touch detector configured to detect an operation state to an operation unit of a steering wheel of a vehicle, a controller configured to determine an operation command by fingers of an operator to the touch detector based on a touch state of the fingers of the operator to the touch detector and to operate an operation target device, and a notification unit for notifying the operator based on the operation command by the fingers determined by the controller.

Various implementations of a track pad system include an array of force sensors disposed between a base surface and a touch interface plate. The touch interface plate passes touch forces incident on an upper surface thereof to one or more of the force sensors in the array. At least one light source is disposed adjacent the touch interface plate such that the light from the light source is directed through the touch interface plate to illuminate at least a portion of the upper surface of the touch interface plate. One or more icons may be disposed adjacent the illuminated portion of the touch interface plate.

A driving system for an automated drive for a motor vehicle has an indicator for marking regions on the steering wheel, in particular on the steering wheel rim. The indicator is preferably an optical steering wheel display which is integrated into the steering wheel rim for example. During an automated drive, the driving system is designed to ascertain that the vehicle has approached an end of the automated drive lying ahead in such a manner that a first approach condition has been satisfied. If the system has ascertained that the vehicle has approached the end of the automated drive in such a manner that the approach condition has been satisfied, the indicator for marking regions on the steering wheel are actuated in response thereto such that a left and a right marking region on the steering wheel are marked. The driver is thus prompted to position their hands on the marked regions of the steering wheel in order to take over the task of driving.

A driving system for an automated drive for a motor vehicle includes a steering wheel display with a lighting strip structure. The lighting strip structure of the steering wheel display is luminous in a defined lighting color for a duration which can be modified according to the actuation. The driving system is designed to control the steering wheel display such that the lighting strip structure is luminous in the lighting color over a starting length during the automated drive. Upon approaching an end of the automated drive lying ahead, the driving system determines that the vehicle has approached an end point of the automated drive lying ahead in such a manner that a specified approach condition has been satisfied. In response thereto, the steering wheel display is actuated such that the lighting strip structure is luminous in the lighting color with a successively decreasing length starting from the starting length as the distance to the end point of the automated drive decreases successively in order to prepare the driver to completely or at least partly take over control of the vehicle again.

The present invention relates to automotive interface systems and methods. In one embodiment, an automotive interface system includes a steering wheel and an integrated interpolated variable impedance array that comprises a grid of sensing elements. The sensing elements are configured to power on simultaneously and to simultaneously generate multiple currents along multiple current paths in response to sensing a touch wherein the amount of current generated by a sensing element of the grid is directly proportional to the force applied by the touch. The automotive interface system also includes an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) and a processor communicatively coupled to the interpolated variable impedance array that are configured to receive the multiple currents along multiple current paths and determine a location, a duration, an area, and a force of the touch from the multiple currents along multiple current paths.

A riding lawn care vehicle may include a steering assembly and an indicator system may be incorporated into a portion of the steering assembly. The steering assembly, which may be, for example, a steering lever on a zero-turn vehicle, is coupled to a mechanism to move at least one wheel, and the indicator system may includes at least one illuminating element and/or display device that is configured to visually communicate information to an operator in response to detection of a predetermined trigger or condition occurring.

Steering wheel assembly intended for being built into a vehicle dashboard and including a steering wheel and a mounting element which is stationary relative to the dashboard and the steering wheel being movable in rotation with respect to the dashboard. The steering wheel includes a plurality of light-emitting sources spaced apart so that at least one of the light sources cannot be concealed by a hand or by a portion of a hand of a driver of the vehicle. The steering wheel assembly includes a first plurality of sensors capable of picking up the light emitted by at least one light-emitting source, the light-emitting sources and the sensors being configured to form a continuous communication channel between the steering wheel and an instrument panel mounted on the dashboard.

A display control device for a vehicle includes a memory, and at least one processor connected to the memory. The processor displays, on a display portion provided at a front side of a driver's seat, plural icons corresponding to a steering switch group that has a touch-sensor-type first switch and a non-touch-sensor-type second switch. The plural icons include a first icon corresponding to the first switch and a second icon corresponding to the second switch. In a case in which a touch operation of the first switch is sensed, the processor displays both the first icon and the second icon, and, in a case in which a non-touch operation of the second switch is sensed, the processor sets both the first icon and the second icon in non-displayed states.

A display control device for a vehicle includes a memory, and at least one processor connected to the memory. The processor displays, on a display portion provided at a front side of a steering wheel, plural icons corresponding to a steering switch group, and sets aspect ratios of the icons such that a proportion of a width in the aspect ratio of the icon is large as compared with a proportion of a width in a width-to-height ratio of a corresponding operation region of the steering wheel.