Vehicle with road surface image rendering function

A vehicle configured to render a road surface image on a road surface of a road on which the vehicle is traveling, the vehicle comprising:

• a light projection member configured to project light toward the road surface in front of the vehicle for rendering the road surface image;
• a controller configured to control light projection by the light projection member for rendering the road surface image;
• a detection device configured to perform real-time detection of a pedestrian or a bicycle physically present on a road shoulder located in front of the vehicle and adjacent to the road on which the vehicle is traveling, while rendering the road surface image;
• and
• an information output device provided in the vehicle, the information output device being configured to output information to an occupant of the vehicle,
• wherein the controller is configured to, in response to the real-time detection of the pedestrian or the bicycle on the road shoulder by the detection device, modify at least one of a projection pattern, brightness, or shape of the light projection by the light projection member so as to enhance visual recognizability of the detected pedestrian or the detected bicycle to a driver of the vehicle,
• wherein the controller is further configured to:
• when the pedestrian or the bicycle on the road shoulder in front of the vehicle is detected by the detection device, stop the light projection for the road surface image rendering by the light projection member, thereby preventing the road surface image from being rendered on the road surface in front of the vehicle;
• and
• when the pedestrian or the bicycle on the road shoulder in front of the vehicle is not detected by the detection device, cause the light projection member to project the light for the road surface image rendering, thereby rendering the road surface image on the road surface in front of the vehicle, and
• wherein the controller is configured to, upon stopping the light projection for the road surface image rendering by the light projection member when the pedestrian or the bicycle on the road shoulder in front of the vehicle is detected by the detection device, output from the information output device to the occupant of the vehicle the information that indicates the road surface image rendering is stopped.

A vehicle configured to render a road surface image on a road surface of a road on which the vehicle is traveling, the vehicle comprising:

• a light projection member including a light source and configured to project a visual notification image onto the road surface in front of the vehicle for rendering a road surface image;
• circuitry configured to control light projection by the light projection member for rendering the road surface image while the vehicle is traveling;
• and
• a detection device including a sensor and configured to perform real-time detection of a pedestrian or a bicycle physically present on a road shoulder located in front of the vehicle and adjacent to the road on which the vehicle is traveling, while rendering the road surface image,
• wherein the circuitry is configured to, in response to the real-time detection of the pedestrian or the bicycle on the road shoulder by the detection device while the vehicle is traveling and rendering the road surface image, modify at least one of a projection pattern, brightness, or shape of the light projection by the light projection member so as to enhance visual recognizability of the detected pedestrian or the detected bicycle to a driver of the vehicle.