Patent ID: 8615357

Claim:
A method for assisting a user of a first vehicle, comprising: imaging a coverage area of a road scene at least in front of the first vehicle using a camera of the first vehicle and outputting image signals; sensing, by at least one sensor, driving-condition variables which describe a driving condition of the first vehicle; ascertaining, by at least one computer processor, a driving path which represents an anticipated distance and time function of the first vehicle in a present driving condition of the first vehicle; determining, by the at least one computer processor, whether a further vehicle which is outputting light signals is in the coverage area, based on the image signals; in a case of a positive result of the determining, further determining, by the at least one computer processor and from at least one of a blinking frequency and a pulse duration of the light signals, whether the further vehicle is indicating a change of direction; in a case of a positive result of the further determining, ascertaining, by the at least one computer processor, whether the further vehicle indicating the change of direction will enter or leave the ascertained driving path with the change of direction; and outputting, by the at least one computer processor, at least one output signal as a function of the driving-condition variables of the first vehicle, the determination as to whether the further vehicle is indicating a change of direction, and the ascertainment of whether the further vehicle, when changing direction, will enter or leave the ascertained driving path.