A rear lamp includes a reverse light, a direction indicator light, a brake light and a taillight, which are provided inside a lamp case. The rear lamp includes left and right rear lamps and has a peripheral area and a center area. The peripheral area is disposed on the outer side of the center area. The reverse light, the brake right and the taillight are positioned in the center area. The direction indicator light is positioned in the peripheral area and is formed as an LED array in the shape of a “C” or “inverted-U”. The left rear lamp has a U-turn indicator light and a left turn indicator light. The right rear lamp has a right turn indicator light. When the U-turn indicator light activates, the entire LED array turns on. When the left turn indicator light activates, only a part of the LED array turns on.

A school bus stop sign assembly for enhancing safety of children entering and exiting a school bus includes a hinging unit that is coupled to an outer wall of a school bus. The hinging unit is actuated into a deployed position and a stored position. A member is coupled to the hinging unit and the member extends outwardly from the school bus when the hinging unit is actuated into the deployed position. Thus, the member extends across a roadway on which the school bus is driving to inhibit a vehicle from passing the school bus thereby enhancing safety for children entering or exiting the school bus. A pair of video cameras is each coupled to the member to capture imagery of the environment around the member.

A self-contained illuminated sign for mounting on a vehicle is disclosed. The sign includes a front panel, a rear panel situated opposite and substantially parallel to the front panel in spaced relation therefrom to define a space therebetween, and a light source comprising a plurality of LEDs. The light source is positioned between the front and rear panels and is configured to emit light that emanates from the front panel. The front panel is thus backlit to display indicia. A system for supporting a self-contained illuminated sign on a vehicle is also disclosed. The system includes the sign and a separate mounting frame mountable on a vehicle. The mounting frame is configured to removably receive the sign and, when the sign is received in the mounting frame, to surround a perimeter of the sign while permitting visibility of the front display area. Related methods are also disclosed.

A signaling device for defining a space between parked vehicles. The signaling device comprises a vehicle attachment component, an extendable component, and a warning component. The vehicle attachment component is configured to engage a vehicle window. The extendable component comprises rotatable and telescoping arms for defining the space between the vehicles when the rotatable and telescoping arms are extended. The warning component alerts others of the defined space. A method of using the signaling device to define a space between parked vehicles is also disclosed.

A device for use with a vehicle that includes a cabinet having a plurality of sidewalls that can define at least a portion of an interior region of the cabinet. A display screen is coupled to a portion of the cabinet, at least one side of the display screen being positioned to face outwardly away from the interior region and have indicia that is visible from a location remote from both the cabinet and the vehicle. A light source can be positioned within the interior region adjacent to the display screen that is configured to selectively illuminate at least a portion of at least one of the display screen and the indicia. The device can further include a controller that is electrically coupled to the light source and a trigger assembly. The controller can be configured to initiate operation of the light source in response to receipt of a communication from the trigger assembly that is indicative a change in status of the vehicle.

An image projection apparatus that can be attached to a vehicle and can be effectively utilized for acquisition of road surface condition information, detection of a hidden vehicle, and the like is provided. The image projection apparatus that projects an image includes: an acquisition unit that acquires information related to a vehicle; an image projection unit that projects an image based on the information acquired by the acquisition unit; and imaging means that acquires an image outside the vehicle, the image projection unit projects light in a wavelength band centered on a wavelength of 1.4 μm and the imaging means provides the information related to the vehicle by imaging an image projected based on the light in the wavelength band centered on the wavelength of 1.4 μm.

A vehicle includes a combined display-lighting unit. The combined display-lighting unit has, combined in a single component, an electronic paper display device forming an information zone and a lighting unit forming an illumination zone.

Information related to a vehicle can be displayed by projecting an image based on the information on a road surface or the like. An image projection apparatus that projects an image includes: an acquisition unit that acquires information to be displayed; and an image projection unit that projects the image based on the information to be displayed acquired by the acquisition unit.

A vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly includes a mirror reflective element subassembly having a mirror reflective element, a mirror reflector coating, a mirror back plate, and indicator element. The indicator element includes a circuit board and a light source. The indicator element includes a diffuser that diffuses light emitted by the light source. An icon is established through a metallic reflector coating disposed at the glass substrate. The icon includes a light-transmitting aperture. With the vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly attached at the vehicle, and when the light source is activated, light emitted by the light source passes through a light-transmitting portion of a heater pad and through the light-transmitting aperture of the icon. With the vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly attached at the vehicle and when the light source is activated, the icon is illuminated and is viewable by the driver of the vehicle.

Systems and methods for improving the brightness of a transparent display are disclosed herein. One embodiment collects ambient light using an array of diffraction gratings disposed on an external surface of a vehicle to produce filtered ambient light; collects internal light from the vehicle's headlights; filters the internal light to produce filtered internal light; generates primary-source light using a light-emitting-diode (LED) light source; and injects, into a transparent edge-lit liquid crystal waveguide display deployed in at least a portion of a window of the vehicle, the primary-source light, the filtered ambient light, and the filtered internal light in a color-synchronized manner. The filtered ambient light and the filtered internal light improve the brightness of the transparent edge-lit liquid crystal waveguide display.