Apparatus for displaying the level of danger of the instantaneous driving situation of a motor vehicle

Display arrangement for indicating to an operator of a motor vehicle an instantaneous degree of danger of driving conditions, said motor vehicle having sensors for detecting speed of said vehicle and distance of said vehicle from a vehicle in front, said display arrangement comprising:

• a visual display comprising a substantially planar screen for displaying two dimensional figures having continuously variable shape and color, said visual display screen being positioned in the vehicle and visible to said operator;
• and
• a control unit coupled to receive output signals from said speed and distance sensors and having logic circuitry for causing said visual display screen to display a two dimensional figure having predetermined arbitrary shape and color, and for continuously varying said shape and color to indicate vehicle driving conditions according to the following
• when said vehicle speed and said distance of said vehicle from a vehicle in front fall within respective first speed and distance limits which correspond to safe driving conditions, a circular figure having a first color is displayed as said two dimensional signal;
• when said vehicle speed exceeds said first speed limit but is less than a second speed limit, or when said distance between said vehicle and said vehicle in front is less than said first distance limit but greater than a second distance limit, said display gradually changes said figure to an elongated shape having a major axis which is aligned with a first direction, and said shape changes from said first color to a second color;
• and
• if said vehicle speed exceeds said second speed limit or said distance to said vehicle in front is less than said second distance limit, said display changes said visual signal to a third color, having a predetermined shape geometrically different from said elongated shape, and easily distinguishable therefrom.