Abstract: A method is described for assisting a driver when operating a vehicle on a road having a road surface and lane markings. The method includes the steps of ascertaining position of lane markings using an ascertaining apparatus, determining at least one lane delimiting line on the ascertained position of the lane markings, specifying a trajectory of the vehicle, in the event of the trajectory that is specified intersecting a lane delimiting line that is determined, outputting an instruction to the driver of the vehicle using at least one light beam that is projected onto the road surface.

Abstract: A method for displaying charging stations for vehicles, wherein the vehicle comprises a navigation system for determining the current position of the vehicle, the location of the charging stations with which a vehicle battery of the vehicle may be charged being stored in said navigation system, and at least one headlight, comprises determining the current position of the vehicle and comparing the current position of the vehicle to the location of at least one of the stored charging stations by the navigation system and if the current position of the vehicle is within a selectable distance from the location of a charging station, activating the headlight with a pattern that may be selected.

Abstract: A method is described for assisting a driver when operating a vehicle on a road having a road surface and lane markings. The method includes the steps of ascertaining position of lane markings using an ascertaining apparatus, determining at least one lane delimiting line on the ascertained position of the lane markings, specifying a trajectory of the vehicle, in the event of the trajectory that is specified intersecting a lane delimiting line that is determined, outputting an instruction to the driver of the vehicle using at least one light beam that is projected onto the road surface.

Abstract: An adaptive headlight system for a vehicle uses an adaptive headlight controller which controls one or more headlights so as to illuminate a scene visible to a vehicle driver. The controller causes the headlights to generate a frame-region within the scene which outlines an object detected by an object-detection system carried by the vehicle. The frame-region is illuminated at a reduced level relative to the areas of the scene inside and outside the frame-region, thereby creating a dark/light contrast, visible to the driver, between the frame-region and the scene. If the object-detecting system indicates that the object is a living being, the frame-region is located to cover a head of the living being so as to avoid visually dazzling the being.

Abstract: An adaptive headlight system for a vehicle uses an adaptive headlight controller which controls one or more headlights so as to illuminate a scene visible to a vehicle driver. The controller causes the headlights to generate a frame-region within the scene which outlines an object detected by an object-detection system carried by the vehicle. The frame-region is illuminated at a reduced level relative to the areas of the scene inside and outside the frame-region, thereby creating a dark/light contrast, visible to the driver, between the frame-region and the scene. If the object-detecting system indicates that the object is a living being, the frame-region is located to cover a head of the living being so as to avoid visually dazzling the being.

Abstract: A vehicle headlamp system includes a headlamp component with a reflecting element and a light source. The reflecting element includes an array of selectively controllable portions, and the light source provides a first output to the reflecting element. The system further includes a computer coupled to the light source and the reflecting element. The computer selectively operating the portions of the reflecting element to shape the first output into illumination areas according to at least one vehicle user characteristic.

Abstract: A method and system for controlling the light distribution produced by at least one headlamp of a motor vehicle. A camera system onboard the vehicle images a scene ahead of the vehicle and sends digital files to an image evaluation device operable to detect a traffic indicator, such as a signboard, in the scene and recognize a correspondence between the traffic indicator and a stored pattern. The light distribution produced by the headlamp is automatically controlled based upon the correspondence. Possible light distributions are a normal dipped headlight, a lowered dipped headlight, a raised dipped headlight, an expanded dipped headlight, and a turn light. The light distribution may be further controlled based upon information relating to: current vehicle operating conditions; a presence and/or type of street lighting; a category of the road being driven on; and/or a presence and/or type of middle crash barrier.