Bottleneck light and method of assisting a driver in steering a vehicle

US8538629B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH · DE

Inventors

• Marc Fischer · Nonnenhorn, DE
• Dirk Ulbricht · Schallstadt, DE
• Stefan Dollinger · Wenzenbach, DE
• Maximilian Austerer · Wien, AT
• Stefan Kraus · Bruchsal, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 28, 2011
• Grant date: Sep 17, 2013
• Expiry date: Oct 28, 2031

Classification

• Technology area (CPC B): Performing Operations; Transporting
• CPC primary: B60W2554/00
• WIPO field: Transport
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A device for assisting a driver in steering a vehicle along a bottleneck. The device has a bottleneck detection unit which is configured to detect bottleneck information for characterizing a bottleneck in which the vehicle is located. A bottleneck information processing unit is configured to process the detected bottleneck information in order to derive therefrom assistance information for assisting the driver in steering the vehicle along the bottleneck. An actuation unit is provided and is configured to actuate a light source of the vehicle in such a way that the light source generates a light pattern, which can be seen by the driver, outside the vehicle, which light pattern displays the assistance information to the driver.