The present invention provides a light emitting wheel, characterized in that, a light emitting device is attached to the light emitting wheel, the light emitting device is composed of a bulb, a first elastomer, a second elastomer, a power supply, a conducting wire and a protective cover. When a vehicle is started, the on-off state of the bulb can be controlled by a switch, the bulb will move towards a direction away from the center of the wheel hub, and a ring of light will be formed due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision. The higher the speed of the vehicle is, the larger the diameter of the ring of light is, so that the vehicle is driven with rich dynamic effect.

A vehicle wheel illumination assembly includes a light source located on the body of a vehicle near the wheel well and oriented to direct light onto a wheel assembly having a tire. A tire pressure indicator detects tire pressure of the tire. The light source illuminates the wheel assembly with a desired color to indicate a tire pressure status based on the detected tire pressure. A photoluminescent material is located on the wheel assembly and configured to luminesce in response to excitation by the light assembly.

An illumination apparatus for a vehicle is disclosed. The illumination apparatus comprises at least one light source disposed in a portion of a side mirror assembly of the vehicle. The light source is configured to emit an excitation emission at a first wavelength substantially along a side portion of the vehicle. The illumination apparatus further comprises a photoluminescent portion disposed on a surface of the vehicle. The excitation emission is configured to excite the photoluminescent portion to emit an output emission corresponding to a different color of light than the first excitation emission.

A wheel illumination apparatus is disclosed. The wheel illumination apparatus includes a diffuser ring set behind wheel of a motor vehicle with a lighting source disposed behind the diffuser to illuminate the wheel. The light source is carried in a channel ring that is positioned on an inboard side of the diffuser ring. The light source may be an LED lighting strip. The light strip may be electrically coupled to an electrical system of the motor vehicle or may have a rechargeable battery. The lighting system of the present invention creates a visual impression where the wheels themselves seem to glow, rather than the wheel well or other areas on a vehicle.

The present disclosure is directed to retroreflective articles to increase visibility of a vehicle, wherein the retroreflective article comprises one or more retroreflective markings arranged in a given pattern and at least a portion of the article has a curvature.

Systems, methods, tangible non-transitory computer-readable media, and devices associated with the operation of a vehicle are provided. For example, a wheel unit system can receive vehicle data including information associated with states of a vehicle. Further, the vehicle can include wheel wells associated with wheel units that are configured to generate indications associated with the states of the vehicle. The wheel unit system can also determine indications to generate on the wheel units based at least in part on the vehicle data. Furthermore, the wheel unit system can generate the indications on the wheel units. The indications can, for example, include visual indications or auditory indications.

A peripheral image generation device acquires a plurality of camera images obtained from a plurality of cameras each of which captures a periphery of the vehicle. The peripheral image generation device stores a traveling direction camera image that is a part or all of images included in the plurality of camera images and captured at least in a traveling direction of the vehicle. The peripheral image generation device generates an underfloor transparent image that is a composite image transmitting a bottom of the vehicle based on the plurality of camera images and the traveling direction camera image.

Among other things, techniques are described for expressive vehicle systems. These techniques may include obtaining, with at least one processor, data associated with an environment, the environment comprising a vehicle and at least one object; determining an expressive maneuver including a deceleration of the vehicle such that the vehicle stops at least a first distance away from the at least one object and the vehicle reaches a peak deceleration when the vehicle is a second distance away from the at least one object; generating data associated with control of the vehicle based on the deceleration associated with the expressive maneuver; and transmitting the data associated with the control of the vehicle to cause the vehicle to decelerate based on the deceleration associated with the expressive maneuver.

A selectively-illuminable lug nut assembly includes a lug nut body portion and an illumination subassembly housed within a containment portion at an upper end of the lug nut body. The lug nut main body portion may have a multi-faceted exterior and a threaded aperture extending into a lower end for threading engagement with a threaded vehicle wheel stud. At an upper end, the lug nut body defines a containment portion for housing the illumination subassembly. The assembly may incorporate a light and/or motion sensor for automatically biasing the assembly between ON and OFF states. Furthermore, a printed circuit board having LEDs mounted thereon may be in communication with a remote control device enabling a user to selectively bias the assembly between the ON and OFF states.

A vehicle assembly includes, among other things, a replaceable outer body panel having an illuminatable portion, and at least one step within the replaceable outer body panel. The at least one step provides a step platform. A vehicle illumination method includes emitting light from a phosphor material of a replaceable outer body panel, and providing at least one step platform within the replaceable outer body panel.