An interactive system for use in connection with recreational vehicle usage includes a server system, including an off-road trail database containing trail data, trail condition information, and points-of-interest information, as well as a trip mapping system accessible by any of a plurality of riders, allowing a rider to create a route based on the data in the off-road trip database. The server system further includes a trail maintenance interface accessible by users affiliated with an authorized group to edit the trail data, trail condition information, and points-of-interest information associated with the authorized group. The server system includes a location data management system configured to receive location data, allowing a rider to publish location information to one or more other riders, and a user feedback interface configured to receive trip data from riders for publication, including information describing an actual route and user data associated with that route.

A control panel comprising a proximal wall, a pair of opposing sidewalls attached at a proximal edge thereof to and extending distally from the proximal wall, a distal wall attached to a distal edge of the pair of opposing sidewalls, and a panel wall attached to an upper portion of and carried by at least one of the proximal wall, one of the opposing sidewalls, and the distal wall. The panel wall comprises at least one aperture formed therein configured to receive a control device.

A head-up display device projects display light from a display including a backlight unit and a liquid crystal display element on a viewpoint area of a viewer via projection means and causes an image by the display light to be visually recognized. The backlight unit includes: a light source emitting light for illuminating the liquid crystal display element; a lens array including a plurality of lenses, and dividing the light from the light source and generating a plurality of images of the light source; and light gathering means which gather the light from the images of the light source such that the light corresponds to a display area of the liquid crystal display element, wherein the lens array is configured such that the light distribution angles of the lenses at the periphery thereof are different from the light distribution angles of the lenses at the center thereof.

A lighting device is provided for controlling the photometric distribution of light emitted by two or more LEDs. The lighting device may be integrated with a control system of the vehicle and may be controlled by a remote controller. The lighting device may be capable of being operated in one or more modes of operation based on operating conditions, user input, or both. Operating conditions may include vehicle conditions, environmental conditions, and user conditions. The controller may operate a software application to enable the user to modify, control, or otherwise regulate any mode of operation or other feature of the lighting system.

An operating device having an optical finger navigation module for installation in a steering wheel of a motor vehicle, which allows for secure operation and can be produced at low cost, is disclosed. The operating device has a mounting frame, in which a first light guiding element and the optical finger navigation module is held by a light sealing element. The light sealing element is mounted by a snap connection on the mounting frame. The mounting frame has at least one guide element with which a movement of the mounting frame can be guided.

A vehicle illumination apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus comprises at least one aperture disposed in a panel of the vehicle. A light source is disposed proximate the aperture and configured to emit a first emission having a first wavelength. A first photoluminescent portion is disposed proximate the panel substantially within the aperture and configured to emit a second emission having a second wavelength in response to receiving the first emission.

The present invention is directed to a steering apparatus for a vehicle having a including a light element providing indication and warning light signals to the user of the vehicle. The light element can be associated with a PCB mounted to the steering wheel grip for controlling the operation of the light element.

The operating device for a vehicle is provided with a housing having a front face with a receiving opening being delimited by an opening edge, and having a rear wall, and with an operating element being arranged in the receiving opening at a distance from the opening edge thereof and having an operating surface, said operating element having a front face provided with the operating surface, a rear face, and a delimiting edge region. The operating device further comprises a holding element having a bottom wall and support parts which protrude from the bottom wall and end below the delimiting edge region of the operating element and are mechanically coupled to the operating element in the delimiting edge region. The bottom wall of the holding element has a central region which is spaced from the support parts and within which the bottom wall of the holding element is supported against the rear wall of the housing. A manual actuation of the operating element is detected by multiple actuation sensors which are arranged between the bottom wall of the holding element and the rear wall of the housing within the surrounding region that surrounds the central region of the bottom wall of the holding element and is arranged at a distance from the rear wall of the housing. An evaluation unit receives the signals from the actuation sensors and evaluates said signals for the purpose of detecting a manual actuation of the operating element performed with a predefinable minimum pressing force.

A method and a system for influencing an optical output of image data on an output device in a vehicle. A viewing direction of a driver of the vehicle is determined. If the determined viewing direction is directed to the output device, the optical output of the image data is faded down with an average fading out rate DOWN. The fading out rate DOWN defines a temporal decrease in the optical perceptibility of the output image data by a human. If the determined viewing direction is directed towards the output device and is directed away from the output device, the optical output of the image data is faded up with an average fading in rate UP. The fading in rate UP defines a temporal increase of the optical perceptibility of the output image data by a human.

A display including a liquid crystal layer, a light source, and a wall. The liquid crystal layer includes a first display area, a second display area, and a transition area therebetween. The light source is configured to generate light of a first intensity to illuminate the first display area with light of the first intensity, and generate light of a second intensity that is greater than the first intensity to illuminate the second display area with light of the second intensity. The wall is opposite to the transition area and is configured to permit passage of light of the first intensity and light of the second intensity to the transition area such that at the transition area there is a gradual transition from light of the second intensity proximate to the second display area to light of the first intensity proximate to the first display area.