Vehicle Control Panel Illumination for Driver Assistance
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Drivers of commercial vehicles face difficulty in quickly finding and actuating the correct control elements on a control panel, especially in challenging traffic situations without being distracted.
Innovation Solution
A device with an actuating system that automatically illuminates and highlights specific control elements based on the current traffic situation, driver commands, and driver status, using sensors like position determination, image detection, and mood detection devices to simplify the actuation process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If the control panel is illuminated to help the driver find control elements, then the driver can locate control elements more easily, but the driver still has difficulty quickly finding the correct control element without distraction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by selectively illuminating specific control elements rather than the entire control panel. The lighting device highlights only the relevant control element corresponding to the detected traffic situation, creating a localized illuminated area that guides the driver's attention precisely to the needed control element, thereby reducing the time to find it without causing distraction from other areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary action by pre-identifying and highlighting the relevant control element before the driver needs to act. The actuating device detects the current traffic situation and automatically highlights the appropriate control element in advance, so when the driver needs to operate a function, the correct control element is already visually prepared and waiting, eliminating the search time.
2Area of stationary object
If all control elements are equally visible, then the driver can see the entire control panel, but the driver cannot quickly identify the specific control element needed for the current situation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the uniform visibility of all control elements into selective visibility by applying different illumination levels to different elements. The lighting device creates a visual hierarchy where the relevant control element stands out with enhanced illumination while other elements remain dimmer, making it extremely easy for the driver to identify and locate the specific control element needed without having to scan the entire panel.
Solution Approach 2:
The system utilizes optical changes (brightness/color intensity variations) to differentiate the relevant control element from others. By changing the illumination intensity or color of the specific control element through the lighting device, the system creates a visual distinction that immediately draws the driver's attention to the correct element, significantly improving ease of operation.
3Ease of operation
If the driver focuses on the control panel to actuate controls, then the control operation can be performed accurately, but the driver becomes distracted from the traffic
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by automatically detecting the traffic situation and pre-highlighting the relevant control element before the driver needs to interact with it. This means the driver doesn't need to scan or search for the control element - it's already visually marked and ready, allowing the driver to quickly and accurately actuate the control with minimal attention shift, thereby maintaining driving safety.
Solution Approach 2:
By applying localized illumination only to the specific control element that is relevant to the current traffic situation, the system minimizes the visual area the driver needs to attend to. Instead of requiring the driver to survey the entire control panel, the localized highlight creates a focused visual target that can be acquired quickly with minimal eye movement and cognitive load, reducing distraction time and improving both operational accuracy and driving safety.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to a device for assisting a driver of a vehicle, in particular a commercial vehicle, with a control panel (3; 31) comprising several control elements (7; 33), in particular buttons and/or switches, wherein the control elements (7; 33) can be operated by the driver, wherein each control element (7; 33) is assigned at least one vehicle function which can be operated by actuating the control element (7; 33), and wherein a lighting device (11) is provided by means of which the control panel (3; 31) can be illuminated at least in part.According to the invention, in particular to simplify the operation of the control panel (3; 31), an actuating device (13) connected to the lighting device (11) is provided by means of which, depending on the current traffic situation of the vehicle (2) and/or depending on at least one driver command and/or depending on the current driver state, the lighting of the control panel (3; 31) can be automatically adjusted and/or adjusted in such a way that at least one control element (7; 33) of the control panel (3; 31) is optically highlighted and/or visually distinguished from the at least one further control element (7; 33) of the control panel (3; 31).