METHOD FOR DISPLAYING A HORIZONTAL DISTANCE OF A MOTOR VEHICLE FROM A LANE BOUNDARY

Abstract

A method for displaying a horizontal distance of a motor vehicle from a lane boundary, comprising the following steps: determining the horizontal distance of the motor vehicle from the lane boundary; and projecting a numerical value by means of a headlight of the motor vehicle, wherein the numerical value depends on the determined horizontal distance, or projecting a marking, wherein a width of the marking depends on the determined horizontal distance.

Claims

1. A method for displaying a horizontal distance of a motor vehicle from a lane boundary, the method comprising: determining the horizontal distance of the motor vehicle from the lane boundary; and projecting a numerical value via a headlight of the motor vehicle, the numerical value being based on the determined horizontal distance, or projecting a marking, wherein a width of the marking is based on the determined horizontal distance.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the horizontal distance between a lateral end of the motor vehicle and the lane boundary is determined.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the numerical value corresponds to the determined distance in meters.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the projection is made onto a roadway located in front of the motor vehicle, and wherein the lane is delimited by the lane boundary.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein only the horizontal distance of the motor vehicle from the lane boundary is determined.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the width of the marking corresponds to the determined horizontal distance.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein a further horizontal distance of the motor vehicle from a further lane boundary is determined, wherein a further numerical value is projected by the headlight or by a further headlight of the motor vehicle, and wherein the further numerical value depends on the determined further horizontal distance.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein a further horizontal distance of the motor vehicle from a further lane boundary is determined, wherein a further marking is projected by the headlight or by a further headlight of the motor vehicle, and wherein a width of the further marking depends on the determined further horizontal distance.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the width of the further marking corresponds to the determined further horizontal distance.

10. A motor vehicle comprising: a control unit; a camera; and a headlight, wherein the camera is designed to output data to the control unit, wherein the control unit is designed to use the data to determine a horizontal distance of the motor vehicle from a lane boundary, wherein the control unit is designed to cause the headlight to project a numerical value, wherein the numerical value depends on the determined horizontal distance, or to project a marking, and wherein a width of the marking depends on the determined horizontal distance.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus, are not limitive of the present invention, and wherein:

[0026] FIG. 1 shows a schematic flowchart of a method according to an example of the invention;

[0027] FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of a motor vehicle according to an example of the invention on a roadway with lane boundaries; and

[0028] FIG. 3 shows a schematic representation of the motor vehicle from FIG. 2 on the roadway from FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] In step S1, the horizontal distance of a motor vehicle from a lane boundary is determined. The lane boundary delimits a lane in which the motor vehicle is located. The lane boundary can be, for example, a road edge or a marking. In addition, a further horizontal distance of the motor vehicle from a further lane boundary is determined. The further lane boundary delimits the lane in a different direction than the lane boundary. Thus, the roadway is located between the two lane boundaries.

[0030] In step S2, the distances determined in step S1 are projected onto the roadway in front of the motor vehicle as numerical values or markings by means of one or two headlights of the motor vehicle. The numerical values can correspond to the distances in meters, for example. In particular, it can be advantageous if, for example, a left headlight projects the horizontal distance of the motor vehicle from the left lane boundary and a right headlight projects the horizontal distance of the motor vehicle from the right lane boundary.

[0031] When the markings are projected onto the roadway, their respective widths correspond to the distance of the motor vehicle from the lane boundary and the further lane boundary.

[0032] It is thus particularly easy for a driver of the motor vehicle to keep the motor vehicle approximately centered within the lane by steering the motor vehicle so that both numerical values are approximately the same or that both markings are approximately the same width.

[0033] Motor vehicle 100 in FIGS. 2 and 3 is designed to determine its distance from lane boundaries 101 and 102 of a roadway on which it is traveling. In addition, motor vehicle 100 is designed to project a marking 103 onto the roadway. The width of marking 103 corresponds to the determined distance of motor vehicle 100 from lane boundary 101. Motor vehicle 100 is further designed to project a further marking 104 onto the roadway. The width of the further marking 104 corresponds to the distance of motor vehicle 100 from further lane boundary 102.

[0034] In FIG. 2, the distance of motor vehicle 100 from lane boundary 101 is greater than the distance of motor vehicle 100 from the further lane boundary 102. Thus, marking 103 is wider than the further marking 104. It is thus particularly easy for the user to realize that motor vehicle 100 is not centered in the lane.

[0035] In FIG. 3, the distance of motor vehicle 100 from both lane boundaries 101 and 102 is the same, so that markings 103 and 104 are the same size. Thus, it is easy for the user of motor vehicle 100 to realize that he is centered in his lane.

[0036] Markings 103 and 104 are arranged laterally offset relative to motor vehicle 100 so that they fill the areas that lie between motor vehicle 100 and lane boundaries 101 and 102 when the motor vehicle 100 is traveling straight ahead.

[0037] The projection of markings 103 and 104 can occur, for example, by means of headlights of motor vehicle 100.

[0038] The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are to be included within the scope of the following claims.