The present invention generally relates to a system for creating a consumer market for gasoline enabled by a computerized (smart) fuel gauge that will communicate via an Internet connection with participating near-by gasoline stations to purchase specific amounts of gasoline using pre-loaded funds. Gasoline stations can broadcast their rate (price) for gasoline and/or provide individual vehicles with a custom rate depending on the amount and quality of gasoline requested. Vehicles will also be able to request a custom rate and the gasoline station has the option to accept it. Vehicles can set their interest in accepting offers based on the level of their current gasoline supply.

A pointer assembly includes a guide, a helical drive member supported in the guide, a motor for axially rotating the helical drive member, a follower carried by the helical drive member, and a pointer coupled to the follower and movable relative to the guide for indicating a measured value, wherein axial rotation of the helical drive member in a clockwise rotation causes the follower and the pointer to move in a first direction relative to the guide and axial rotation of the helical drive member in a counterclockwise rotation causes the follower and the pointer to move in a second direction relative to the guide.

A resin molded product that is applied to a vehicle display device has a surface on which a plurality of fine irregularities having surface roughness of equal to or larger than 1.0 m and equal to or smaller than 10.0 m and an array pitch of equal to or larger than 3.0 m and equal to or smaller than 18.0 m are molded. In other words, the resin molded product has the surface on which the fine irregularities causing a gloss value at an incident angle of 85 to be equal to or lower than 2 are molded. This configuration provides an effect that the resin molded product and the vehicle display device can lower gloss of the surface.

A wireless gauge, system, and method are provided for use in a vehicle. The system includes a transmitting device that transmits information about a vehicle wirelessly to one or more gauges. The system and method may be implemented such that it is unnecessary to cut through or otherwise extend additional wiring through a vehicle's firewall, but instead use an existing vehicle data port. Further, the add-on gauges do not necessarily require additional wiring from the vehicular data port or from the individual vehicle sensors unless desired. A computing device may also be included to configure the add-on gauge, such as by modifying the illumination, alarms, alarm set points, and the like.

A method for a fuel system comprises receiving a first indication of inconsistency in a fuel level indicator output during a fuel consumption cycle, receiving a second indication of inconsistency in a fuel level indicator output during a refueling event, and indicating electrical degradation of the fuel level indicator responsive to the first and second indications of inconsistency indicating coincident ranges of inconsistency for the fuel level indicator output. By gauging the consistency of a fuel level indicator output during both upward and downward travel, electrical degradation may be distinguished from mechanical degradation. In this way, a range of inconsistency may be determined, and a reported fuel level adjusted while the fuel level indicator output is within the range of inconsistency.

A pointer device, an instrument cluster, and a display for an instrument cluster are described herein. The pointer device includes a pointer with a stem and paddle. The instrument cluster includes a technique to display a bar graph based interface with a mechanically driven pointer. The display allows for a dual representation employing multiple pointers, with one pointer dedicated to a dial-based display, and another pointer dedicated to a bar graph display.

A first user operation unit includes a top surface and a first wall part extending downward from an outer side of the top surface. A press-down operation in the top surface allows the first user operation unit to move in a vertical direction. A holder supports the first user operation unit from below and includes a circuit board on a bottom surface of the holder. An outer wall part of the holder extends upward from an outer side of the circuit board and is provided outside the first wall part of the first user operation unit. Eaves of the first user operation unit extend outward from the first wall part and covers the outer wall part of the holder from above.

A method of autonomously maneuvering a vehicle using environment sensors comprises calculating first coordinate data based on information received from environment sensors mounted on a first portion of the vehicle; determining, based on the first coordinate data, a first target at a first location; determining a path to maneuver the vehicle to the first location; determining and transmitting commands to autonomously control the vehicle to maneuver to the first location; calculating second coordinate data based on information received from environment sensors mounted on a second portion of the vehicle; determining based on the second coordinate data, a second target at a second location, determining a path to maneuver the vehicle from the first location to the second location; and determining and transmitting commands to autonomously control the vehicle to maneuver from the first location to the second location. Suitably configured vehicles (e.g., tractor units) are also described.

The electric vehicle is adapted to change the torque output by an electric motor to simulate the rotational speed-torque characteristic of a virtual rotating machine in response to driver operation. The electric vehicle comprises a display device and a control device. The control device displays on a display screen of the display device an indicator representing a virtual rotational speed of the virtual rotating machine. In a rotational speed range below the redline rotational speed of the virtual rotating machine, the control device continuously or discretely moves the indicator within a first display area of the display screen according to the magnitude of the virtual rotational speed. In a rotational speed range higher than the redline rotational speed, the control device moves the indicator to a second display area outside the first display area, and limits the movement of the indicator within the second display area.