Device and method for monitoring and signalling traffic situations and operating states in a vehicle and the vicinity of a vehicle

The apparatus has an environment monitoring unit for monitoring the environment of a vehicle during the presence of another road user. An operating state monitoring unit monitors the operating conditions of the host vehicle. A human-machine interface is configured to warn the road user within the environment of the host vehicle by an appropriate medium. An independent claim is also included for a method for monitoring and signaling the traffic situations and operating conditions in a vehicle and within the surroundings of the vehicle.