Motor vehicle with a control panel module

A control panel module for a motor vehicle having a steering column in a passenger compartment, comprising:

• a housing;
• a central part;
• at least one operator control element, each arranged on a side of a recess for arranging the control panel module and the steering column of the motor vehicle, and at least one of rotatable about a first rotational axis and movable at least along a predetermined movement direction;
• an actuator device configured to respectively move the at least one operator control element;
• a control device configured to move, by actuating the actuator device, the at least one operator control element out of the housing of the control panel module, in response to at least one enable signal, into an enable position in which the passenger compartment is maximized and, in response to at least one position signal, out of the enable position and into a position of use corresponding to the position signal;
• and
• a flexible, transparent cover panel holding the at least one operator control element on the central part of the control panel module as a wing element pivotable about a second rotational axis, the flexible, transparent cover panel being held in a flexible fashion in the central part, and the second rotational axis being oriented in a virtual fashion, freely in space.

A motor vehicle, comprising:

• a steering handle on a steering column;
• a windshield;
• a driver's seat;
• and
• a control panel module arranged between the steering handle and the windshield, including
• a central part;
• at least one operator control element, each arranged on one side next to the steering column of the steering handle and at least one of rotatable about a first rotational axis and movable at least along a vehicle longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle with respect to the driver's seat,
• an actuator device configured to respectively move the at least one operator control element,
• a control device configured to move, by activating the actuator device, the at least one operator control element, in response to at least one enable signal, into an enable position in which the passenger compartment is maximized, and, in response to at least one position signal, out of the enable position and into a position of use corresponding to the position signal, and
• a flexible, transparent cover panel holding the at least one operator control element on the central part of the control panel module as a wing element pivotable about a second rotational axis, the flexible, transparent cover panel being held in a flexible fashion in the central part, and the second rotational axis being oriented in a virtual fashion, freely in space.

A method for operating a motor vehicle, comprising:

• detecting, when a person is seated in a driver's seat of the motor vehicle, whether at least one predetermined use situation exists;
• moving and/or turning, when the at least one predetermined use situation is detected, at least one operator control element, arranged on a respective side next to a steering column of the motor vehicle, of a control panel module, toward the person seated in the driver's seat by at least one of moving relative to the driver's seat and rotating about a first rotational axis;
• detecting whether at least one predetermined enable situation exists;
• moving and/or turning, when an enable situation is detected, the at least one operator control element away from the person into an enable position in which passenger space of the motor vehicle is maximized, thereby providing more movement space for the person
• supporting the at least one operator control element by a flexible, transparent cover panel on a central part of the control panel module as a wing element pivotable about a second rotational axis;
• and
• holding the cover panel in a flexible fashion in the central part with the second rotational axis oriented in a virtual fashion, freely in space.