Apparatus for providing vehicular environment information

A vehicle, comprising:

• a monitoring toggling system for providing vehicular environment information for a vehicle, including:
• at least one sensor;
• a display monitor;
• and
• a processing unit;
• wherein the at least one sensor is configured to acquire vehicular environment data that is external to a vehicle,
• wherein the at least one sensor includes at least one camera, and the vehicular environment data includes image data,
• wherein the at least one sensor is configured to provide the vehicular environment data to the processing unit,
• wherein the processing unit is configured to determine vehicular environment information, wherein the determination of the vehicular environment information includes use of the vehicular environment data,
• wherein the processing unit is configured to cause the display monitor to display at least part of the image data based on the vehicular environment information,
• wherein the at least one camera includes at least two cameras, wherein a first camera is configured to acquire first image data for a first scene associated with the vehicle and a second camera is configured to acquire second image data for a second scene associated with the vehicle, and wherein the image data includes the first image data and the second image data, and wherein the at least part of the image data includes at least a part of the first image data and/or at least a part of the second image data,
• wherein the processing unit is configured to automatically toggle between showing a first display image and a second display image on the display monitor and/or to automatically toggle superimposed views on the display monitor, based on the vehicular environment information and whether an object has been detected in the image data,
• wherein the at least one sensor includes the at least one camera and at least one active sensor, and the vehicular environment information includes radar data,
• wherein environment scene data acquired by the at least one camera is augmented or extended by the active sensor to obtain detection of the object in different weather conditions and improve night-time operation,
• wherein a driver is provided with image data from camera views and generated image perspectives depending upon if the object is detected in a sensing zone, and if more than one camera is operating, image data is automatically toggle-able between images depending upon whether the object is detected in one of the camera views,
• wherein the toggling monitoring system has an active status and a passive status, wherein in the passive status, the display monitor shows a rearward looking view that is used to replace traditional mirror functionalities during driving on a road, and wherein in the active status, depending on whether the object is present in a first vision zone, in a vicinity of the vehicle, the display monitor toggles to a relevant camera view or image representation to inform the driver about an occurring traffic situation, and
• wherein the vehicle is a truck or a bus.

A method for providing vehicular environment information for a vehicle by a monitoring toggling system, the method comprising:

• acquiring, via at least one sensor, at least one sensor vehicular environment data that is external to a vehicle, wherein, the at least one sensor includes at least one camera, and the vehicular environment data includes image data, and wherein the mintoring toggling system includes the at least one sensor, the processing unit, and the display monitor;
• providing the vehicular environment data to a processing unit;
• determining with the processing unit vehicular environment information, wherein the determination of the vehicular environment information includes use of the vehicular environment data;
• and
• displaying at least part of the image data on a display monitor based on the vehicular environment information, wherein the processing unit causes the display monitor to display the at least part of the image data;
• wherein the at least one camera includes at least two cameras, wherein a first camera is configured to acquire first image data for a first scene associated with the vehicle and a second camera is configured to acquire second image data for a second scene associated with the vehicle, and wherein the image data includes the first image data and the second image data, and wherein the at least part of the image data includes at least a part of the first image data and/or at least a part of the second image data,
• wherein the processing unit is configured to automatically toggle between showing a first display image and a second display image on the display monitor and/or to automatically toggle superimposed views on the display monitor, based on the vehicular environment information and whether an object has been detected in the image data,
• wherein the at least one sensor includes the at least one camera and at least one active sensor, and the vehicular environment information includes radar data,
• wherein environment scene data acquired by the at least one camera is augmented or extended by the active sensor to obtain detection of the object in different weather conditions and improve night-time operation,
• wherein a driver is provided with image data from camera views and generated image perspectives depending upon if the object is detected in a sensing zone, and if more than one camera is operating, image data is automatically toggle-able between images depending upon whether the object is detected in one of the camera views,
• wherein the toggling monitoring system has an active status and a passive status, wherein in the passive status, the display monitor shows a rearward looking view that is used to replace traditional mirror functionalities during driving on a road, and wherein in the active status, depending on whether the object is present in a first vision zone, in a vicinity of the vehicle, the display monitor toggles to a relevant camera view or image representation to inform the driver about an occurring traffic situation, and
• wherein the vehicle is a truck or a bus.