US Patent 7403842 Driver assisting system

A method and a system for assisting a driver operating a driver controlled input device within a vehicle, acquires data including information on environment in a field around the vehicle and information on vehicle setting regarding how devices are set within the vehicle. A risk perceived from the environment is calculated using the acquired data. Using the vehicle setting, the risk perceived is modified. Accounting for the modified risk perceived, an increment in force applied to the driver via the driver controlled input device is determined.