A vehicle lamp system (100) comprises an illuminance-variable lamp (42), a lamp-mounted camera (44), and a lamp control unit (43). When acquiring positional information of a low-accuracy region from a vehicle control unit (3), the lamp control unit (43) acquires illuminance of the low-accuracy region with reference to information acquired by the lamp-mounted camera (44), controls the illuminance-variable lamp (42) such that the illuminance of the low-accuracy region is increased if the illuminance of the low-accuracy region is less than a threshold value, and/or controls the illuminance-variable lamp (42) such that the illuminance of the low-accuracy region is decreased if the illuminance of the low-accuracy region is the threshold value or more.

The invention relates to a method for assisting a driver of a motor vehicle during an overtaking operation. The method includes determining vehicle data, which relate to a movement of the motor vehicle and determining an intention of the driver to overtake another vehicle using the vehicle data. The method further includes determining a position of the motor vehicle and providing environment data for the position of the motor vehicle. The environment data relate to stationary objects in an environment of the motor vehicle. The method further includes deriving a visual range from the environment data, and, only if the intention of the driver to overtake has been determined either projecting a warning onto a roadway region in the environment or illuminating an overtaking lane by a headlight of the motor vehicle, depending on the visual range.

A vehicle lamp system includes an illuminance variable lamp, a lamp-mounted camera, and a lamp control unit. After acquiring position information of a low accuracy region from a vehicle control unit, the lamp control unit acquires illuminance of the low accuracy region by referring to information acquired by the lamp-mounted camera, controls the illuminance variable lamp so as to increase the illuminance of the low accuracy region if the illuminance of the low accuracy region is less than a threshold, and/or controls the illuminance variable lamp so as to decrease the illuminance of the low accuracy region if the illuminance of the low accuracy region is equal to or greater than the threshold.

The invention relates to a method for assisting a driver of a motor vehicle during an overtaking operation. The method includes determining vehicle data, which relate to a movement of the motor vehicle and determining an intention of the driver to overtake another vehicle using the vehicle data. The method further includes determining a position of the motor vehicle and providing environment data for the position of the motor vehicle. The environment data relate to stationary objects in an environment of the motor vehicle. The method further includes deriving a visual range from the environment data, and, only if the intention of the driver to overtake has been determined either projecting a warning onto a roadway region in the environment or illuminating an overtaking lane by a headlight of the motor vehicle, depending on the visual range.

A vehicle lamp system includes an illuminance variable lamp, a lamp-mounted camera, and a lamp control unit. After acquiring position information of a low accuracy region from a vehicle control unit, the lamp control unit acquires illuminance of the low accuracy region by referring to information acquired by the lamp-mounted camera, controls the illuminance variable lamp so as to increase the illuminance of the low accuracy region if the illuminance of the low accuracy region is less than a threshold, and/or controls the illuminance variable lamp so as to decrease the illuminance of the low accuracy region if the illuminance of the low accuracy region is equal to or greater than the threshold.

A lamp system includes a variable light distribution lamp. The variable light distribution lamp 110 irradiates a beam having a variable light intensity distribution to a road surface. A light distribution controller controls the variable light distribution lamp. In response to the start of a predetermined event, the light distribution controller draws a pattern that corresponds to the event. In response to the end of the event, the light distribution controller extinguishes the pattern.

Vehicle lamp controllers, methods for controlling vehicle lamps and vehicle lamp systems including the lamp controller and the lamps can be configured to detect whether a traveling road is a straight road or a curved road. When the traveling road is the curved road, the lamp system can direct light distribution patters from an initially light distribution angle along the traveling road with reference to a first threshold. When the traveling road is the straight road, the lamp system can direct light distribution patters from the initially light distribution angle along the traveling road with reference to a second threshold, which is larger than the first threshold. The second threshold can be changed so as to maintain preferable light distribution patterns. Thus, the present invention can provide the vehicle lamp controllers, the controlling methods for the vehicle lamps and the vehicle lamp system to form the preferable light distribution patterns.

A vehicle lighting device disclosed in this specification comprises an illumination unit that draws an image on a road surface around a vehicle by illuminating the road surface with light; a turn signal unit that causes a turn signal lamp to flash; and a controller configured to control the illumination unit, wherein when the vehicle changes a lane from a first lane to a second lane adjacent to the first lane, the controller causes the turn signal lamp to flash on a lane change side, and causes the illumination unit to draw a lane change image for notifying surroundings of a behavior of the vehicle, and the controller changes a configuration of the lane change image according to at least one of a presence and a position of a subsequent vehicle traveling rearward of the vehicle and along the second lane.

A vehicle lamp system includes an illuminance variable lamp, a lamp-mounted camera, and a lamp control unit. After acquiring position information of a low accuracy region from a vehicle control unit, the lamp control unit acquires illuminance of the low accuracy region by referring to information acquired by the lamp-mounted camera, controls the illuminance variable lamp so as to increase the illuminance of the low accuracy region if the illuminance of the low accuracy region is less than a threshold, and/or controls the illuminance variable lamp so as to decrease the illuminance of the low accuracy region if the illuminance of the low accuracy region is equal to or greater than the threshold.

A lamp system includes a variable light distribution lamp. The variable light distribution lamp 110 irradiates a beam having a variable light intensity distribution to a road surface. A light distribution controller controls the variable light distribution lamp. In response to the start of a predetermined event, the light distribution controller draws a pattern that corresponds to the event. In response to the end of the event, the light distribution controller extinguishes the pattern.