Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2010-105417 (hereinafter referred to as “JP2010-105417A”) discloses a technology which makes vehicle-mounted equipment 21 gazed at by the driver of a vehicle controllable with a control input unit 28 mounted on a steering wheel 50 (Abstract).
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0324779 (hereinafter referred to as “US2010/0324779A1”) discloses an apparatus for selecting vehicle-mounted equipment (a side mirror 21, a room mirror 22, a navigation system 23, a vehicle-mounted telephone 24, an air outlet 25, or a meter panel 26) which a vehicle occupant intends to control, with a line L of sight of the vehicle occupant, and controlling the selected vehicle-mounted equipment with a common steering switch 16 (Abstract). According to US2010/0324779A1, the apparatus informs the vehicle occupant of the fact that the vehicle-mounted equipment to which the line L of sight is directed is controllable, through a pilot lamp 21a, 22a, 23a, 24a, 25a, or 26a (Abstract and FIG. 1).