The invention relates to a user interface for a vehicle adapted to present visible information; the user interface comprises a two-dimensional display for displaying information on a display portion, and an optical faceplate comprising a contact surface, a three-dimensional display surface for displaying information, and an optic light guide material provided between the contact surface and the three-dimensional display surface; wherein the two-dimensional display comprises a pixel arrangement and a cover layer covering the pixel arrangement; wherein the contact surface contacts the display to transmit information from the pixel arrangement to the three-dimensional display surface; wherein the faceplate is integrated into the display. The invention also relates to a vehicle.

Systems and methods associated with modular computing environments are provided. For instance, a modular computing environment can include a control entity including one or more processing devices. The modular computing environment can include one or more modular components directly or indirectly coupled to the control entity. The one or more modular components can be configured to receive a module specifying one or more instructions to be performed by an external device. The one or more modular components include one or more processing devices. Each modular component is configured to determine state data associated with the modular component based at least in part on the received module and to provide the state data to the control entity. The state data includes an identification signature of the received module and a configuration context of the modular component within the modular computing environment.

Systems and methods associated for providing haptic feedback are provided. For instance, data indicative of a feedback scheme associated with an input mechanism can be accessed. The feedback scheme includes one or more feedback points associated with a position of a moveable portion of the input mechanism. The input mechanism is configured to change positions responsive to an actuation of the input mechanism by a user. One or more positions of the moveable portion of the input mechanism can be determined as the input mechanism is actuated by the user. Operation of one or more feedback motors can be controlled to provide feedback to the user in accordance with the feedback scheme based at least in part on the determined one or more positions of the input mechanism.

A display apparatus includes multiple display portions each of which displays a content different from one another, a decoration member which decorates one of the multiple display portions, an actuator which moves the decoration member, and a control portion which controls the actuator to move the decoration member to a position at which the decoration member decorates one display portion selected among the multiple display portions.

A metallic decorative part for a vehicle display device includes a substrate body molded from a synthetic resin, a metal thin film that is formed of metal and deposited on a surface of the substrate body, and a plurality of grooves deposited on a surface of the metal thin film in accordance with a shape of the surface of the substrate body. The grooves are formed so that a width is larger than 0 and equal to or smaller than 3.0 m, and a height is larger than 0 and equal to or smaller than 1.0 m. Accordingly, the metallic decorative part for a vehicle display device can properly secure a metallic texture recognized by a viewer with a configuration in which the metal thin film is deposited on the surface of the substrate body made of resin.

A display apparatus includes multiple display portions each of which displays a content different from one another, a decoration member which decorates one of the multiple display portions, an actuator which moves the decoration member, and a control portion which controls the actuator to move the decoration member to a position at which the decoration member decorates one display portion selected among the multiple display portions.

A vehicle instrument device includes a housing for attaching a dial plate, a light guide plate housing recess formed in the housing, a light guide plate that is housed in the light guide plate housing recess, and guides illumination light to the dial plate, a claw that fixes the light guide plate to the housing, and a press-fitting rib that is provided in a side surface of the light guide plate, and extends toward a side wall of the light guide plate housing recess. The press-fitting rib includes a tapered portion for increasing a height from a back side to a front side of the light guide plate housing recess and a tapered portion for decreasing a width from the back side to the front side of the light guide plate housing recess.

The disclosure is directed to methods and systems for modifying a vehicle periphery. These methods and systems include receiving a notification that an attachment is placed on the vehicle, detecting, with one or more sensors located in or on the vehicle, the location and size of the attachment on the vehicle, forming an attachment periphery of the attachment's size and location, forming a representation of the attachment periphery relative to the vehicle periphery and monitoring, with the one or more sensors, the surroundings of the vehicle to determine if an obstacle is within a predetermined distance of the attachment periphery or the vehicle periphery.

In an instrument panel, a LED backlighting device has at least one LED source, the optical axis of which corresponds to the direction in which the intensity of the emitted light is maximum. The light of the LED source is reflected onto a graphic area by a first and a second reflecting surface. The first surface defines a first cavity and is aligned with the graphic area along an illumination axis spaced apart from the optical axis, while the second surface is aligned with the LED source along the optical axis and defines a second cavity communicating with the first cavity through an aperture. The second surface is a cylindrical surface, defined by an elliptical generatrix and configured so as to block the light rays that would be directed from the LED source onto the graphic area.

A radial line dial plate includes: a substrate body made of resin on which a radial line mark region is molded by a die mark-molding-face of a molding die; a plurality of fine grooves that extend radially outward in a radial direction from a center of the radial line mark region without intersecting with each other and are formed such that a distance therebetween is 1 ?m or less at an outermost peripheral end to give a radial line pattern to the radial line mark region; and a metal thin film that is deposited to at least the radial line mark region of the substrate body.