System for aiding driver road use in a plurality of different geographical regions

摘要

A system (10, Fig.1) in a road vehicle determines whether it is crossing or approaching a border with a neighbouring region (e.g. a national or state frontier) by comparing its current position with geographical boundary data. If so, then region-specific data for the region ahead is obtained from an on-board or remote database (34, Fig.1) and communicated to the driver (e.g. by visual display or audio communication 20, Fig.1). The data may include speed limit data; Highway Code regulations; or road sign images with their meanings (40, 42, Fig.3). The system may also configure a vehicle setting according to the region-specific data (e.g. adjusting an adaptive cruise control system or a headlight beam pattern for a left- or right-hand drive country). A camera (38, Fig.1) may capture an image of a road sign and compare this to the region-specific data to inform the driver of its meaning.