Display assembly for an interior panel in a vehicle

1. A display assembly for an interior panel of a vehicle, the display assembly comprising:

a display device with a display screen on a front surface, the front surface being configured to face a direction of a floor of the vehicle when the display device is in a downward position;

a pivot connectable to an edge of the display device and a surface of the vehicle interior panel; and

a control unit configured to initiate rotation of the display device, upon detection of the vehicle entering an autonomous driving mode and a retraction of a seat adjacent the display device, from the downward position to an upward position such that the display screen faces a backend of the vehicle;

wherein the display device includes first and second opposite lateral ends, the display device is connectable at the first lateral end to the vehicle interior panel via the pivot so that the display device is pivotable about a pivot axis that extends through the first and second lateral ends, and the second lateral end is configured to be a free end that is not connectable to the vehicle interior panel, and wherein the pivot axis extends laterally in the vehicle when the display assembly is mounted in the vehicle.

2. The display assembly of claim 1 further comprising a user input device configured to receive a user command from a vehicle occupant, the control unit being configured to initiate rotation of the pivot upon receipt of the user command.

3. The display assembly of claim 2 wherein the user input device is attachable to at least one front seat of the vehicle.

4. The display assembly of claim 1 wherein the display screen is configured to provide an ambient light source when the display device is in the downward position.

5. The display assembly of claim 1 wherein a back surface of the display device comprises a storage compartment, air distribution system, an air bag occupant protection system, and/or a working surface.

6. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the control unit is further configured to initiate a rotation of the display device from the upward position to the downward position upon receipt of a user command, a movement of the seat in a forward direction a predetermined distance, or an expected end of the autonomous driving mode.

7. A method for operating a display assembly on an interior panel of a vehicle, the display assembly comprising a display device with a display screen on a front surface of the display device, the front surface being configured to face a direction of a floor of the vehicle when the display device is in a downward position, the display assembly further comprising a pivot connected to an edge of the display device and a surface of the interior panel, the method comprising:

receiving an indication to move the display device from the downward position to an upward position in which the front surface of the display device faces a backend of the vehicle, the indication being based on a detection of the vehicle entering an autonomous driving mode and a retraction of a seat adjacent the display device; and

rotating the display device, via the pivot, to the upward position upon receipt of the indication;

wherein the display device includes first and second opposite lateral ends, the display device is connected at the first lateral end to the interior panel via the pivot so that the display device is pivotable about a pivot axis that extends through the first and second lateral ends, and the second lateral end is configured to be a free end that is not connected to the interior panel, and wherein the pivot axis extends laterally in the vehicle.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the seat is a vehicle front seat and the retraction comprises movement of the front seat in a rearward direction a predetermined distance.

9. The method of claim 7 further comprising rotating the display device to the downward position from the upward position upon receiving a user command, a movement of the seat in a forward direction a predetermined distance, or upon an expected end to the autonomous driving mode.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising providing an ambient light source via the display screen when the display device is in the downward position.

11. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising program instructions for operating a display assembly provided on an interior panel of a vehicle, the display assembly comprising a display device with a display screen that defines a front surface of the display device, the front surface being configured to face toward a floor of the vehicle when the display device is in a downward position, the display assembly further comprising a pivot connected to an edge of the display device and a surface of the vehicle interior panel, wherein the program instructions are executable by one or more processors of a computer system to:

upon receipt of an indication to move the display device from the downward position to an upward position in which the front surface of the display device faces a backend of the vehicle, rotate the display device, via the pivot, to the upward position so that the display device rotates only a about a single pivot axis, wherein the indication is based on a detection of the vehicle entering an autonomous driving mode and a retraction of a seat adjacent the display device;

wherein the display device includes first and second opposite lateral ends, the display device is connected at the first lateral end to the interior panel via the pivot so that the display device is pivotable about a pivot axis that extends through the first and second lateral ends, and the second lateral end is configured to be a free end that is not connected to the interior panel, and wherein the pivot axis extends laterally in the vehicle.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 11 further comprising executable instructions to rotate the display device to the downward position from the upward position upon receiving a user command, a movement of the seat in a forward direction a predetermined distance, or upon an expected end to the autonomous driving mode.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 11 further comprising executable instructions for providing an ambient light source via the display screen when the display device is in the downward position.

14. The display assembly of claim 1 wherein the display assembly is configured so that the rotation of the display device occurs along a single pivot axis, and so that the display device is not otherwise movable.

15. The display assembly of claim 14 wherein the display device has a length of 600-700 mm in a horizontal direction along a width of the vehicle.

16. The method of claim 7 wherein the rotating is performed so that the display device rotates only about a single pivot axis.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the display device has a length of 600-700 mm in a horizontal direction along a width of the vehicle.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 11 wherein the display device has a length of 600-700 mm in a horizontal direction along a width of the vehicle.

19. The display assembly of claim 1 wherein, when the display device is mounted in the vehicle and in the downward position, a back surface of the display device is viewable by an occupant of the vehicle positioned immediately adjacent to the display device, and no portion of the interior panel extends between the display device and the occupant, and wherein the display device is only rotatable about the pivot axis that extends through the first and second lateral ends.

20. The display assembly of claim 1 wherein, when the display device is mounted in the vehicle and in the downward position, the display device is configured to form a panel adjacent the interior panel and proximate a steering wheel of the vehicle, so that the panel and the interior panel form a continuous panel arrangement.

21. The display assembly of claim 20 wherein, when the display device is mounted in the vehicle, the display device has a length of 600-700 mm in a horizontal direction along a width of the vehicle.

22. The method of claim 17 wherein the display device forms a panel adjacent the interior panel and proximate a steering wheel of the vehicle, so that the panel and the interior panel form a continuous panel arrangement.

23. A display assembly for an interior panel of a vehicle, the display assembly comprising:

a display device with a display screen on a front surface, the front surface being configured to face a direction of a floor of the vehicle when the display device is in a downward position;

a pivot connectable to an edge of the display device and a surface of the vehicle interior panel; and

a control unit configured to initiate rotation of the display device, upon detection of the vehicle entering an autonomous driving mode and a retraction of a seat adjacent the display device, from the downward position to an upward position such that the display screen faces a backend of the vehicle;

wherein, when the display device is mounted in the vehicle and in the downward position, a back surface of the display device is viewable by an occupant of the vehicle positioned immediately adjacent to the display device, and no portion of the interior panel extends between the display device and the occupant, and wherein the display device is only rotatable about an axis that extends through the display device and toward the interior panel.

24. The display assembly of claim 23 wherein the display device includes first and second opposite lateral ends, the display device is connectable at the first lateral end to the vehicle interior panel via the pivot, and, when the display assembly is mounted in the vehicle, the axis extends laterally in the vehicle through the first and second lateral ends.

25. The display assembly of claim 23 wherein, when the display device is mounted in the vehicle, the display device has a length of 600-700 mm in a horizontal direction along a width of the vehicle.

26. The display assembly of claim 23 wherein, when the display device is mounted in the vehicle and in the downward position, the display device is configured to form a panel adjacent the interior panel and proximate a steering wheel of the vehicle, so that the panel and the interior panel form a continuous panel arrangement.