A steering wheel that includes optoelectronic components, each specific optoelectronic component including a light projector projecting light out of the steering wheel at two different angles, denoted a1 and a2, a light sensor detecting reflections of the light projected by neighboring optoelectronic components by an object above the steering wheel, a lens oriented relative to the light sensor such that the light sensor receives maximum intensity when light enters the lens at either of two particular angles, specifically, when light enters the lens at a particular angle b1, and at a particular angle b2 different than b1, wherein angle b1 views reflections of light projected at angle a1 by the optoelectronic component neighboring the specific optoelectronic component on one side, and angle b2 views reflections of light projected at angle a2 by the optoelectronic component neighboring the specific optoelectronic component on the side opposite the one side.

The present invention relates to a vehicle head lamp driving apparatus and a vehicle provided with the same. The vehicle head lamp driving apparatus of the present invention comprises: a light output unit to output structured visible light to the front of a vehicle; a light receiving unit to receive reception light corresponding to the structured visible light; and a processor to calculate a distance to and a location of an object positioned in front of the vehicle, on the basis of the received reception light and structured visible light, wherein the light output unit comprises: a laser diode to output structured visible light having a first color; a light conversion unit for converting, into structured visible light having second and third colors, at least a part of the structured visible light having the first color; and a light diffusing unit for diffusing and outputting the structured visible light having the first to third colors to the front of the vehicle. Therefore, the distance to the object in front of the vehicle can be detected on the basis of visible light.

A vehicle human interface assembly has an interior trim portion of a vehicle, a flexible membrane, and a frame defining an opening. The flexible membrane extends over the opening such that the flexible membrane is in tension and is capable of being depressed by a user to form a depression in the membrane in a range of locations within the opening. One or more flexible membrane sensors are configured to determine the location at which the flexible membrane has been depressed by the user and provide a signal indicating the location at which the flexible membrane has been depressed. A controller is configured to control one or more systems of the vehicle based on the signal from the one or more flexible membrane sensors. The frame is provided in the interior trim portion such that the flexible membrane and a surrounding surface of the interior trim portion are substantially flush.

A vehicle user interface apparatus for a vehicle including a light emitting unit configured to emit light; a touch sensor configured to sense a touch; a processor configured to control the light emitting unit to emit the light in response to an event, activate the touch sensor when the light is emitted, and provide a signal to control a vehicle device corresponding to a touch input received through the activated touch sensor; and a cover covering the light emitting unit, the touch sensor, and the processor, the cover configured to transmit the light into a passenger compartment with a specific shape when the light is emitted.

A vehicular driver monitoring system includes an interior electrochromic rearview mirror assembly and a camera disposed at the interior electrochromic rearview mirror assembly behind and viewing through an electrochromic mirror reflective element into the interior cabin of the vehicle. Supplemental sources of near infrared illumination are integrated into the mirror assembly that, when powered to emit near infrared light, illuminate at least a front seating area within the interior cabin of the vehicle. Presence of the camera is not readily apparent to an occupant sitting in the interior cabin of the vehicle. The interior electrochromic rearview mirror assembly includes a processor that processes image data captured by the camera. The camera at least views a driver-side front seating area of the vehicle and, via processing at the processor of image data captured by the camera, the driver seated at the driver-side front seating area is monitored.

The invention relates to a control device for a motor vehicle, comprising: a tactile surface (2) for detecting the contact of the finger of a user and the movement of the finger on the tactile surface; and a haptic and/or acoustic feedback module (4) designed to make the tactile surface (2) vibrate and/or to generate an acoustic feedback for the user, in response to contact on the tactile surface (2); characterised in that it comprises a management unit (5) designed to manage the haptic feedback and/or acoustic feedback module (4) in order to generate a haptic and/or acoustic feedback pattern when a movement of the finger is detected on a border (6) separating two areas (Z1, Z2) of the tactile surface (2). The invention also relates to a control method.

A display panel with a pixel matrix has control circuitry designed to actuate at least one pixel element of the pixel matrix for displaying at least one graphic display object. The display panel is flexible and is movably supported by a controllable supporting arrangement. An electronic control unit can adjust a position of the display panel as a function of a position signal between a first position, where the display panel can cover at least one portion of a vehicle roof, and a second position, where the display panel can cover at least one portion of a windscreen.

Methods for the operator control of electronic appliances and appropriately set-up electronic appliances in which an input of at least one letter is captured independently of an input request, and a volume of data is displayed on a screen of the electronic appliance on the basis of the captured letter. The input may be made by handwriting or by voice input, for example.

A touch input device includes a mounting unit in which a mounting groove is formed at an inner side of the mounting unit, and a touch unit accommodated in the mounting groove and installed to be detachable from the mounting unit, wherein the touch unit comprises a first touch portion and a second touch portion, which are provided on different surfaces of the touch unit and allow a user to input a touch gesture, and the touch unit is selectively coupled to the mounting unit to allow the first touch portion to face an upper side or to allow the second touch portion to face the upper side.

A system and associated methodology that controls a vehicle component as a function of a user input. The system stores a plurality of functions associated with a plurality of touching gestures, receives the user input, determines, based on the user input, a user gesture wherein the user gesture corresponds to one of the plurality of touching gestures, determines a function associated with the user gesture, determines a feature of the user gesture, determines an operational parameter of the function based on the feature. Then, the system controls the vehicle component associated with the function as a function of the operational parameter.