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

Claim 1

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.