A lighting system enables a lighting pattern to be displayed on a vehicle when the vehicle is in motion. A lighting pattern may include lights that fluctuate (with respect to luminosity) or lights that stay, that is, are solid, at the same luminosity. The length of time that a light, such as an LED lamp, is powered on may vary. Similarly, the amount of time between two adjacent lights are powered off and powered on may also vary. As such, the lighting sequence is flexible and can be customized so that all lights are not on for the same length of time and the time between two lights being powered may vary. A vehicle front alert system allows for improved perception of speed of an approaching vehicle, human, or object.

The vehicular notification device comprises luminescent devices provided on the roof of a vehicle and a notification control device configured to control the luminescent devices to emit light when a person existing around the vehicle is detected. The luminescent devices are provided so as to extend in the vehicle's front-back direction on both sides in the vehicle's width direction of the roof.

A vehicle lighting system includes an illuminated grille assembly. The illuminated grille assembly includes a plurality of grille bars each having at least one light source. A control system is configured to control the illuminated grille assembly to emit combinations of lighting effects from the plurality of grille bars for indicating a plurality of visually distinctive operating behaviors of the vehicle.

A vehicle illumination device which is provided in a vehicle capable of travelling in an automatic driving mode includes an illumination unit configured to display stop warning information forewarning stop of the vehicle toward a front of the vehicle, and an illumination controller configured to control the illumination unit such that the stop warning information is displayed toward the front of the vehicle.

The vehicular notification device comprises luminescent devices provided on the roof of a vehicle and a notification control device configured to control the luminescent devices to emit light when a person existing around the vehicle is detected. The luminescent devices are provided so as to extend in the vehicle's front-back direction on both sides in the vehicle's width direction of the roof.

A vehicle collision warning system includes a first sensor that generates a first signal indicating a traffic condition. The system includes an external warning signal system that emits an external warning signal to warn nearby traffic about a hazard condition. The external warning signal system includes a warning device configured to emit the external warning signal, and a processor. The processor receives the first signal from the first sensor, detects the hazard condition based on the first signal, and generates a control signal to cause the warning device to emit the external warning signal.

Systems, apparatus and methods implemented in algorithms, software, firmware, logic, or circuitry may be configured to process data and sensory input to determine whether an object external to an autonomous vehicle (e.g., another vehicle, a pedestrian, a bicyclist, etc.) may be a potential collision threat to the autonomous vehicle. The autonomous vehicle may include a light emitter positioned external to a surface of the autonomous vehicle and being configured to implement a visual alert by emitting light from the light emitter. Data representing a light pattern may be received by the light emitter and the light emitted by the display may be indicative of the light pattern. The light pattern may be selected to gain the attention of the object (e.g., a pedestrian, a driver of a car, a bicyclists, etc.) in order to avoid the potential collision or to alert the object to the presence of the autonomous vehicle.

A communication system for a vehicle comprises a mechanism for sensing a braking of the vehicle and a control device for sending a signal to a headlight activation circuit to modulate the vehicle's headlights based upon the braking of the vehicle. In particular, a headlight of the vehicle is able to be modulated based upon an application of one or both of a front brake and a rear brake. The headlight activation circuit is able to modulate the headlight between an on position and an off position or modulate the headlight between a high beam position and a low beam position. Consequently, the vehicle is better seen as it approaches likely congestion areas such as intersections and slowing or stopped traffic and attempts to enter traffic.

An indicator system and method for a vehicle is provided that uses forward-directed indicators to signal to pedestrians when the vehicle is yielding to crossing pedestrians. The system monitors the vehicle brakes and the speed of the vehicle. One or more sets of indicator lights are deployed along the forward portion of the vehicle. When the vehicle brakes are applied, one set of indicator lights is energized. When the vehicle speed slows below a defined speed to indicate yielding, either a second set of indicators illuminate or the first set is pulsed. The second set of indicators is a different color than the first, and can pulse or energize statically. The indicator lights are preferably green in color when energized to indicate yielding to pedestrians, providing a positive signal that it is safe to cross the road in front of the vehicle.

A light assembly for a vehicle. The light assembly includes a housing having a front side and a rear side, wherein the rear side is removably securable to a vehicle. The front side of the housing includes a perimeter light, a center light, and a platform light, wherein the lights can alert vehicles approaching a stopping vehicle. The perimeter light is disposed around a perimeter of the housing and can produce an amber color. The center light includes an indicia in a non-colored transparent material and the platform light, disposed between the perimeter light and the center light, that produces a red color. In one embodiment, the light assembly is operably connected to remote control, allowing a user to activate and deactivate the light assembly.