Ambient lighting to reflect changes in vehicle operating parameters

A system providing visual notification of changes in hybrid-vehicle operating parameters comprising:

• an energy consumption sensor;
• a vehicle system controller associated with said sensor;
• and
• ambient interior lights that are associated with said controller and that include footwell lights, cupholder lights, dome lights, sidewall lights, lights beneath the vehicle seat, lights beneath the vehicle's instrument panel, or a combination thereof, wherein the controller changes a color of the ambient interior lights between warm and harsh colors in response to changes in fuel consumption, to green in response to electric power consumption, or to green in response to battery charging.

A vehicle system controller that is attachable to a fuel-consumption sensor and a motor-power-draw sensor and that is programmed with software to execute operations comprising:

• receiving signals from the fuel-consumption sensor and the motor-power-draw sensor;
• based on the signals, calculating a change in operating parameters related to an engine or a motor;
• and
• changing a color of ambient lights between warm and harsh colors in response to changes in fuel consumption or to green in response to electric power consumption, wherein the ambient lights include footwell lights, cupholder lights, dome lights, sidewall lights, lights beneath the vehicle seat, lights beneath the vehicle's instrument panel, or a combination thereof.