A vehicle and a steering unit can improve safety. A vehicle includes a steering wheel and a touchpad disposed on the steering wheel. The vehicle enables control of a controlled apparatus by a gesture on the touchpad of the steering wheel upon detecting a predetermined pressure on the touchpad of the steering wheel and provides a tactile sensation from the touchpad in accordance with the gesture on the touchpad of the steering wheel.

Interior panels for interiors of vehicles, vehicles, and methods for making interior panels for interiors of vehicles are provided. In one example, the interior panel includes an outer covering having a first surface. A second surface is disposed opposite the first surface. The second surface has a pattern formed therein that is hidden from the first surface. A light source is operative to generate light and is disposed adjacent to the second surface generally aligned with the pattern. When the light source generates light, an illuminated pattern corresponding to the pattern is visible on the first surface. A capacitive sensor is configured to generate a capacitance change signal in response to change in capacitance of the capacitive sensor. A controller is in communication with the capacitive sensor to receive the capacitance change signal and is configured to generate a command signal in response to the capacitance change signal.

A device includes a control unit and a projection surface. The projection surface has at least one first subsection, which is associated with at least one of the functional elements and which covers the at least one functional element toward the interior of the vehicle, so that the at least one functional element is not visible. The control unit and the projection device project an image, a graphic, or an animation according to an item of information associated with the at least one functional element on the at least one first subsection. The projection surface also has at least one second subsection, which surrounds the at least one first subsection. The control unit and the projection device project an image, a graphic, or an animation according to an illumination scenario and/or according to items of information to be displayed on the at least one second subsection.

System including one or more touch-sensitive control surfaces on which control elements, which are arranged next to each other, are displayed. Using a control device with controller software, the control elements can determine amongst themselves via the controller software, when a respective control element should be active or deactivated when touched.

A roof console for a vehicle has at least one touch-slide operating element for controlling functional elements of the vehicle. A touch-slide operating element in the sense of this application is a touch-sensitive operating element with a one-dimensional extent. As a result of the one-dimensional extent, the operating elements can beneficially recognize gestures in the form of tapping and swiping which permits excellent blind operation. The swiping movements can also be detected in both directions of the one-dimensional extent.

A vehicle steering wheel is provided that includes a rotatable rim comprising a core structure, a steering angle sensor sensing an angle of rotation of the rim, and a plurality of proximity sensors located on the rim and spaced apart from one another along an arc length. The vehicle steering wheel also includes a controller processing sensed outputs generated by each of the plurality of proximity sensors and determining operator input commands based on the sensed outputs. The controller assigns a function to each of the proximity sensors that changes as the rim is rotated at an angle such that a given function associated with a proximity sensor remains at the same position in space.

An operation input device including: a first detection section including a first detection surface that detects a position at which a detection target is touching or within a predetermined distance, the first detection section outputting a first signal representing the position; an operation control section that controls a first operation target based on the first signal; an operation determination section that outputs a second signal only when it has determined that the detection target has moved along the first detection surface; and a switching control section that switches the operation control section between an operation enabled state in which control of the first operation target is enabled, and an operation prevented state in which control of the first operation target is prevented, the switching control section switching from the operation prevented state to the operation enabled state in a case in which the second signal has been received.

A panel device includes a concealing portion that allows light to pass and blurs the edge of an opening in a light-blocking layer. The light-blocking layer is arranged at the rear side of a panel unit and forms the black background of the panel unit. The concealing portion of the panel device blurs the contour of the opening in the light-blocking layer when light is emitted from the rear side of the panel device and a representation is displayed on the panel unit.

An image display system includes: an external environment information acquiring device configured to acquire external environment information around a mobile body; a display device configured to display the external environment information; and a control device configured to control a display of the external environment information on the display device, wherein the control device is configured to generate a virtual viewpoint image in which the mobile body and an object around the mobile body are viewed from a virtual viewpoint, cause the display device to display the virtual viewpoint image, move the virtual viewpoint along a trajectory set around the mobile body, set a restricted section in the trajectory such that the restricted section is arranged in front of the mobile body in a plan view, and execute viewpoint restricting control to restrict a display of the virtual viewpoint image from the virtual viewpoint in the restricted section.

A vehicle interior component configured to provide a user interface for interaction with a vehicle system is disclosed. The component may comprise a composite structure comprising a substrate, cover and functional layer. The user interface may comprise a light source/display and an input device comprising a switch and/or control element. The switch may project through a hole in the cover. The functional layer may comprise a soft layer, foam, fleece, fabric, textile, spacer, etc.; the functional layer may comprise a light-transmissive material. The light source/display may provide illumination through a light-transmissive section of the substrate, the functional layer and/or the cover. Illumination may indicate location of the input device. The light-transmissive section of the substrate may comprise illuminated display elements for the light display. Operation of the user interface may comprise an animation effect from illumination of display elements in a sequence.