Method and system for warning nearby road-users at risk using exterior vehicle lights

1. In an vehicular driving environment, a method comprising:

providing a self-vehicle with a vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication capability and with an enhanced Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS);

by the enhanced ADAS, analyzing the behavior of a non-V2X connected road-user ahead and/or a non-V2X connected road-user behind the self-vehicle using inputs from at least one sensor of the self-vehicle and from V2X communications received in the self-vehicle;

determining from the analysis that the non-V2X connected road-user ahead and/or the non-V2X connected road-user behind poses a risk to another road-user; and

warning the non-V2X connected road-user ahead and/or the non-V2X connected road-user behind that it poses the risk using a special lighting pattern displayed on an exterior part of the self-vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the non-V2X connected road-user ahead and/or road-user behind is a vehicle, and wherein the warning is issued only if the warning does not distract a driver of the respective non-V2X connected vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the special lighting pattern includes a lighting pattern formed using exterior vehicle lights selected from the group consisting of headlights, indicator lights, braking lights and toggle lights.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the special lighting pattern includes a lighting pattern formed or projected using projecting lights based on micro-electro-mechanical system elements.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the special lighting pattern includes a lighting pattern formed or projected using projecting lights based on one or more light emitting diodes.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the non-V2X connected road-user behind is an endangering vehicle, and wherein the risk includes a dangerous overtake by the endangering vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the non-V2X connected road-user ahead is an endangering vehicle, and wherein the risk includes a dangerous turn of the endangering vehicle at an intersection.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the another road-user is a V2X connected road-user.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the another road-user is a road-user detected and reported by a vehicle other than the self-vehicle using V2X communications.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the another road-user is selected from the group consisting of a vehicle, a motorcycle, a bicycle and a pedestrian.

11. A system installed in a self-vehicle, the system comprising:

a vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication unit;

at least one sensor; and

an enhanced Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) configured to analyze the behavior of a non-V2X connected road-user ahead and/or a non-V2X connected road-user behind the self-vehicle using inputs from the at least one sensor and from V2X communications received by the V2X communications unit, to determine from the analysis that the non-V2X connected road-user ahead and/or the non-V2X connected road-user behind poses a risk to other road-users, and to warn the non-V2X connected road-user ahead and/or the non-V2X connected road-user behind that it poses the risk using a special lighting pattern displayed on an exterior part of the self-vehicle.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the enhanced ADAS includes a nearby non-connected road-users risk assessment unit configured to analyze the behavior of a non-V2X connected road-user ahead and/or a non-V2X connected road-user behind the self-vehicle using inputs from the at least one sensor and from V2X communications received by the V2X communications unit, to determine from the analysis that the non-V2X connected road-user ahead and/or the non-V2X connected road-user behind poses a risk to other road-users, and to warn the non-V2X connected road-user ahead and/or the non-V2X connected road-user behind that it poses the risk using a special lighting pattern displayed on an exterior part of the self-vehicle.

13. The system of claim 11 , further comprising a front light controller and a rear light controller for activating and controlling the respective special lighting pattern on, respectively, a front exterior section and a back exterior section of the swelf vehicle, using inputs provided by the enhanced ADAS.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein each of the non-V2X connected road-user ahead and/or road-user behind is a vehicle, and wherein the warning is issued only if the warning does not distract a driver of the respective non-V2X connected vehicle.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the special lighting pattern includes a lighting pattern formed using exterior vehicle lights selected from the group consisting of headlights, indicator lights, braking lights and toggle lights.

16. The system of claim 11 , wherein the special lighting pattern includes a lighting pattern formed or projected using projecting lights based on one or more light emitting diodes.

17. The system of claim 11 , wherein the non-V2X connected road-user behind is an endangering vehicle, and wherein the risk includes a dangerous overtake by the endangering vehicle.

18. The system of claim 11 , wherein the non-V2X connected road-user ahead is an endangering vehicle, and wherein the risk includes a dangerous turn of the endangering vehicle at an intersection.

19. The system of claim 11 , wherein the another road-user is a V2X connected road-user.

20. The system of claim 11 , wherein the another road-user is a road-user detected and reported by a vehicle other than the self-vehicle using V2X communications.