The present approach to the problem addressed by the invention relates to an operating device (100) for selecting at least one gear setting of a vehicle. The operating device (100) has at least one sensor (105) that has at least one touch-sensitive region and a deformable surface (110), which is configured to form at least one haptic operating element with the sensor (105) in a deformed state (115). The haptic operating element (120) is configured to output a selection signal for selecting the gear setting in response to touching the touch-sensitive region.

A computer in a vehicle includes a processor programmed to apply, on the vehicle, upon detecting an occupant alertness level below a first threshold, a first periodic component to a first torque applied to one or more first-end wheels and a second periodic component to a second torque applied to one or more second-end wheels.

A manual mode training system for a vehicle having a manual transmission or a manual mode transmission controlled by a paddle shifter. The system includes a sensor to obtain force and position information from a foot pedal of the vehicle, and a processor to receive the information. Based on the information, the processor may predict an intended vehicle response, determine an appropriate gear to achieve the intended vehicle response, and notify a driver, through a haptic feedback mechanism, how to shift the transmission of the vehicle to reach the appropriate gear. A corresponding method is also disclosed and claimed herein.

A method and system for a responsive climate control interface are disclosed. The climate control interface includes an interactive element further comprised of a climate settings map and a climate setting selector. The climate setting selector can be moved to different locations on the climate settings map in order to select a climate setting with a particular temperature and fan speed. The appearance of both the climate settings map and the climate setting selector can be changed as the climate change selector is moved in order to visually indicate temperature and fan speed settings. The system also includes a haptic feedback module that can convert climate settings into haptic feedback levels.

A method for indicating the travel direction of a motor vehicle includes: sensing that a travel-direction indicating device of the motor vehicle is actuated, wherein the travel-direction indicating device, when actuated, causes the output of a first acoustic signal at a first volume in order to accordingly inform an occupant of the motor vehicle, such as, in particular, the driver of the motor vehicle. For the user-friendly provision of a less distracting method for indicating the travel direction of a motor vehicle, the method includes: sensing, by way of a vehicle-movement sensing device, that the motor vehicle has come to a standstill from a moving state, more particularly a rolling state, and, during the standstill of the motor vehicle, the travel-direction indicating device causes a second acoustic signal to be output instead of the first acoustic signal, the second acoustic signal differing from the first acoustic signal by virtue of the lower volume.

A vehicle camera includes an image sensor and a variable lens. The variable lens includes a liquid crystal layer that includes liquid crystal molecules having an arrangement that depends on a voltage applied to the liquid crystal layer. The variable lens is configured to, based on the arrangement of the liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer, alter light that is introduced into the image sensor.

A vehicle rear cargo reminder system having a front door sensor, a rear door sensor, an alerting device and a controller. The front door sensor being configured to detect opening movement and closing movement of a front door. The rear door sensor configured to detect opening movement and closing movement of a rear door. The alerting device is configured to provide an alarm signal. The controller detects a sequence of events via the front door sensor and the rear door sensor. The controller determines whether or not an object might be located beside or on the rear seat of the passenger compartment, and operates the alerting device to provide the alarm signal to the vehicle operator in the absence of detection of conditions of an ignition switch of the vehicle.

An alert display system includes a first stereoscopic image display unit, a second stereoscopic image display unit, and a third stereoscopic image display unit that each stereoscopically display, in response to detection of an object near the vehicle by corner sensors and an approaching vehicle detector, a positional relationship between the object and the vehicle. The positional relationship between the vehicle and the object near the vehicle in the stereoscopic image displayed by each of the first stereoscopic image display unit, the second stereoscopic image display unit, and the third stereoscopic image display unit is the same as an actual positional relationship between the object and the vehicle.

Provided is a portable electronic device including: a sensor; and a control unit controlling the sensor so as to obtain movement information of the portable electronic device in order to detect a movement of at least a part of a user's arm, determining whether the user is in a driving state on the basis of the movement information, automatically switching into a driving mode on the basis of the determination, and activating at least one function relating to driving among the functions of the portable electronic device on the basis of the switching into the driving mode.

A collision avoidance assembly for alerting a driver to a collision hazard includes a controller and a plurality of sensors. The controller is configured to communicate wirelessly, to couple to a wrist of a driver of a first vehicle, and to selectively vibrate to alert the driver. The sensors are configured to couple to the first vehicle and are operationally coupled to the controller. The sensors are configured to selectively detect an object, such as a second vehicle and debris, proximate to the first vehicle and to communicate a warning to the controller. The controller is configured to vibrate to alert the driver to the object proximate to the first vehicle.