Patent ID: 7216035

Claim:
A method for displaying navigational information for a first vehicle to a driver of the first vehicle, comprising the steps of: displaying navigational information for the first vehicle in the form of a virtual pilot vehicle superimposed on an image of the vehicle environment of the first vehicle; determining a position, an orientation and a size of the displayed virtual pilot vehicle based on a current speed of the first vehicle, reference points for a recommended route, a position and orientation of the first vehicle, a position and orientation of a camera for recording the first vehicle environment and an eye position and a line of sight of the driver, and using the virtual pilot vehicle to display a route or action recommendation indicating to “keep minimum distance from the vehicle ahead in accordance with the current driving speed” by positioning the virtual pilot vehicle on the image of the vehicle environment such that the virtual pilot vehicle appears to be proceeding in front of the driver at precisely the minimum distance currently required, while driving too close to a second vehicle in front of the first vehicle is shown by the second vehicle being located in the image between the driver and the virtual pilot vehicle.