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.

An operating system for a motor vehicle has a steering wheel (10) comprising a steering-wheel rim, a first input device (14) assigned to the steering wheel (10), a second input device (16) assigned to the steering wheel (10), and a processing unit (18) which is connected in a signal-transmitting manner to the first input device (14) and to the second input device (16). The operating system is characterized in that the first input device (14) is spatially separated from the second input device (16), the first input device (14) being assigned to a first side of the steering wheel, and the second input device (16) being assigned to a second side of the steering wheel opposite to the first side, the first input device (14) and the second input device (16) being operatively coupled to the processing unit (18) such that a main function (38) can at least be preselected via the first input device (14), and a subfunction (44) assigned to the main function (38) being adapted to be controlled via the second input device (16).

A driver is enabled to, even if a range selected by the driver and an actual range of the vehicle are different from each other, correctly recognize the actual range of the vehicle without occurrence of disagreement between an indicated range and the actual range of the vehicle. A display means is capable of indicating a range irrespective of a rotation operation of a shift member, and a range of the vehicle is capable of being switched to the range irrespective of the rotation operation of the shift member; and an instruction to the display means and an instruction to switch the range of the vehicle are provided from either one of first control means for indication control or second control means for vehicle range switching control.

A control element, in particular a mechatronic control element of a motor vehicle, for an electronic component, includes a sensor integrated in the control element. An electronic component having such a control element, and a motor vehicle with such an electronic component, are also provided.

A method of controlling a vehicle uses a detachable knob. The method includes detecting whether the detachable knob is attached to a first display of an audio video navigation (AVN) system. The first display includes a number of regions. Information on a controlled function corresponding to one of the regions to which the detachable knob is attached is transmitted from the AVN system to the detachable knob. A first user interface corresponding to the information the controlled function is output on a second display of the detachable knob. Result information according to an operation of the detachable knob is transmitted from the detachable knob to the AVN system. The controlled function is controlled based on the result information in the AVN system.

A switch device includes a switch body, which is attached to and rotated integrally with an irregularly-shaped steering unit, and a lever unit, which is held pivotally about a switch body. The lever unit includes a lever shaft including a base, which extends in a direction intersecting the steering shaft, and an arm, which is formed integrally with the base and extends in a direction that differs from the direction in which the base extends. The lever unit also includes a lever head at the distal end of the lever shaft, and the lever head extends from the lever shaft in the width direction, which intersects an axial direction.

A system for initiating and executing an automated lane change maneuver in a vehicle may include a steering wheel interface having a display; and a monitor to detect a viewing direction of the user. The interface may detect a first predetermined gesture by the user; in response to the first predetermined gesture, transmit a first signal to the vehicle instructing the vehicle to prepare for the automated lane change maneuver; display a status of the automated lane change maneuver; display a prompt for the user to visually confirm safety of the automated lane change maneuver. The monitor may continuously detect the viewing direction of the user; and in response to the viewing direction of the user changing, transmit a second signal to the vehicle instructing the vehicle to execute the automated lane change maneuver.

A switch device includes a switch body, which is arranged at the back side of a steering unit, and a lever unit, which is attached to the switch body to allow for switching by a pivotal operation about a first axis, which extends in the axial direction of a steering shaft. The lever unit includes a lever shaft, which extends in a direction intersecting the first axis of the pivotal operation, a lever head, which is arranged at the distal end of the lever shaft and has a larger dimension than the diameter of the lever shaft, and a push operation unit, which allows for switching by a push operation. The push operation unit is arranged so that the operation direction of the push operation is directed toward the first axis.

A user interface for an infotainment system of a motor vehicle includes a rectangular display screen and a rotatable ring having a central circular viewing window through which the display screen is visible. The rotatable ring includes a plurality of rotational positions relative to the display screen. An optical switch is disposed between the rotatable ring and the display screen and detects the rotational position of the rotatable ring. An electronic processor is communicatively coupled to the display screen and to the optical switch. The electronic processor controls an image presented on the display screen dependent upon the rotatable position of the rotatable ring as detected by the optical switch.

A rotary shifter having a cylindrical shaped knob with an inner circumferential surface defining an open interior and exhibiting a detent profile. A stationary inner housing is positioned within an open interior of the knob and supports outwardly biased pawls establishing an interface with the detent profile in a selected rotational position. The inner housing supports a rotating spur gear having an end secured magnet positioned above a sensor incorporated into a printed circuit board (PCB), rotation of the knob resulting in the sensor to communicate to a processor component of the PCB a given rotational position designating a given shift or mode selection. The knob includes an illuminating surface for presenting menu options of the shift or mode selection.