396results about "Non-mechanical steering control" patented technology

In a safety running system, a transverse travelling distance resulting when a subject vehicle travels to a current position of an oncoming vehicle is calculated based on the vehicle velocity and yaw rate of the subject vehicle, a relative transverse distance of the oncoming vehicle relative to a vehicle body axis of the subject vehicle is calculated based on a relative distance, relative velocity and relative angle between the subject vehicle and the oncoming vehicle detected by a radar information processor. When a relative transverse deviation obtained by subtracting the transverse travelling distance from the relative transverse distance resides within a range and that state continues to exist over a predetermined time period, it is judged that there is a collision possibility of the subject vehicle with the oncoming vehicle, and automatic steering is performed so as to avoid a collision.

A steering control device for a vehicle has a steering assistance means (7) which performs steering assistance processing for driving an actuator (6) so that a vehicle (1) travels along a lane recognized by a lane recognition means (5) from an image acquired by an image acquisition means (4); a side displacement amount calculation means (8) which calculates a displacement amount in the lane width direction between the position of the vehicle (1) and the center of the recognized lane; a complexity calculation means (10) which calculates the complexity of the acquired image; and a steering assistance inhibition means (11) which inhibits, according to the displacement amount in the lane width direction calculated based on the lane recognized from the acquired image at a given time point and the complexity of the acquired image, steering assistance processing based on the lane by the steering assistance means (7). This prevents inappropriate steering control based on an incorrectly recognized lane when performing the steering control of the vehicle so that the vehicle travels along the lane recognized from the road image.

A driver assistance system and an operating method thereof are configured and adapted to perform autonomous longitudinal and / or lateral control of a vehicle. At least one control task for longitudinal and / or lateral control of the vehicle can be transferred from the driver to the driver assistance system. This involves informing the driver that a control task can be transferred to the system, and then transferring the control task from the driver to the system in response to the driver ceasing a manual control of this control task.

An automated aircraft towing vehicle system for use with aircraft is provided. When coupled to an aircraft the towing tractor vehicle facilitates the movement of the aircraft without the requirement for use of the aircraft's jet engines. The towing vehicle system comprises a towing tractor vehicle having remotely controllable steering, braking, and acceleration. The remote system controller is located in the aircraft being towed such that the pilot of the aircraft being towed is capable of controlling the starting, stopping and steering of the towing tractor vehicle. The towing tractor vehicle further includes a remotely controllable de-coupling means. When the aircraft is towed to the desired location, the decoupling of the aircraft from the towing tractor vehicle is controllable by the remote system controller.

A GNSS integrated multi-sensor guidance system for a vehicle assembly includes a suite of sensor units, including a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) sensor unit comprising a receiver and an antenna. An inertial measurement unit (IMU) outputs vehicle dynamic information for combining with the output of the GNSS unit. A controller with a processor receives the outputs of the sensor suite and computes steering solutions, which are utilized by vehicle actuators, including an automatic steering control unit connected to the vehicle steering for guiding the vehicle. The processor is programmed to define multiple behavior-based automatons comprising self-operating entities in the guidance system, which perform respective behaviors using data output from one or more sensor units for achieving the behaviors. A GNSS integrated multi-sensor vehicle guidance method is also disclosed.

A vehicle steering control device which prevents overshoot or a phase delay of a vehicle position from a target position when an actuator of a steering mechanism is controlled so that an integral control reduces a positional deviation of a vehicle from the reference position of a traffic lane. An FB control unit (60) which calculates a corrected steering assist torque (Tb) of a motor so as to reduce a positional deviation (Yd) and an angular deviation (Ah) includes an integral element determination unit (64), which determines an integral gain (Ki), by which the positional deviation (Yd) is multiplied in an integral gain operation unit (62), according to the positional deviation (Yd) and which determines a limit value (Icnt_lmt) of an integral controlled variable (Icnt) according to the positional deviation (Yd), and an integral controlled variable limiting unit (63) which limits the integral controlled variable (Icnt) to within a range set by the limit value (Icnt_lmt) and outputs the current integral controlled variable (Icnt_rel).

A driving support system for a vehicle being adaptable to both of a manual driving of which driving operation is under control of a driver and an automated driving of which automated driving operation is under one of a partial control and a full control of automation, the driving support system includes a detection function for detecting a surrounding condition of the vehicle and a traveling condition of the vehicle and an information provision function for providing driving support information based on the surrounding condition of the vehicle and the traveling condition of the vehicle detected by the detection means. The driving support information is provided by the information provision function when the conditions of the vehicle meet a predetermined criterion for information provision, and the information provision function uses different predetermined criterion for information provision in the manual driving and in the automated driving respectively.

An autonomous driving vehicle is configured to enable mutual switching between an autonomous driving state and a manual driving state. The autonomous driving vehicle includes a steering wheel, and a controller configured to control mechanical linkage or electrical linkage between the steering wheel and a directional vehicle wheel so as to be cut off based on whether the autonomous driving vehicle is in the autonomous driving state or the manual driving state.

A vehicle system includes a driving operation information acquisition unit acquiring an operation amount of a driver's driving operation, a driving state switching unit switching a driving state of a vehicle between a first driving state and a second driving state based on a relationship between the operation amount and a first threshold, the first driving state including at least one of an autonomous driving state and a cooperative driving state, and the second driving state allowing the driver's driving operation to be reflected in the traveling of the vehicle, and a notification unit notifying a driver of a relationship between the first threshold and a state of the operation amount.

A method and apparatus for piloting a vehicle is herein disclosed. The method entails first using a lane keeping system to detect objects in lanes adjacent to the lane currently occupied by the vehicle and then adjusting the position of the vehicle within the occupied lane-relative to a detected object.

A vehicle guidance system for guiding a vehicle along a magnetic marker including a first magnetic sensor having a sensing axis, the first sensor measuring a first magnetic field. A second magnetic sensor has a sensing axis, the second sensor measuring a second magnetic field. The sensing axis of the second magnetic sensor crosses the sensing axis of the first magnetic sensor at a vehicle guide point. A processor is configured to receive data representative of the magnetic field measured by the first and second sensors and to calculate a lateral offset between the guide point and the magnetic marker based upon the measured magnetic fields. A method for guiding a vehicle in response to a marker having magnetic field is also disclosed. The steps of the method include measuring magnetic field strength proximate the marker, measuring ambient magnetic field strength remote from the marker, nulling the ambient magnetic field by removing the remote magnetic field strength from the proximate magnetic field strength, calculating a lateral displacement between the vehicle and the marker using the nulled magnetic field strength, and guiding the vehicle in response to the lateral displacement between the vehicle and the marker.

The invention discloses a forward safety monitoring and warning device for an automobile. The forward safety monitoring and warning device comprises a decision-making system, a perception system, a laser radar module, an ultrasonic radar module, a driving system, an intelligent remote control unit, and a man-machine interactive system, wherein the decision-making system syncretises data collected by perception system and processes it according to the decision algorithm, and acquires decision-making data to control the vehicle and control the vehicle to execute the control task; the perception system connected with the decision-making system comprises a differential GPS module used to provide vehicle position information and heading attitude; the laser radar module is used for acquiring barrier information of the front of the automobile; the ultrasonic radar module is used for sensing environmental information around the automobile; the driving system is connected to the decision-making system through an intelligent remote control unit and the intelligent remote control unit is also connected with an actuating mechanism in the bottom of the automobile for controlling the automobile and switching automatic driving mode and traditional mode; the man-machine interactive system is used to display vehicle status, command information, conduct performance and geographic information. The adoption of drive-by-wire chassis and modular design reduces the cost of debugging, improves the efficiency of developing and facilitates expansion.

A steering wheel is configured as a dual-state input device configured to operate in two distinct states based on a current driving mode. In a manual driving mode, the input device is configured to control a limited set of vehicle functions and in an autonomous mode the input device is configured to control an expanded set of vehicle functions. The steering wheel includes a wheel rim movably mounted on a steering column and a hub disposed within a center of the wheel rim on the steering column, the main body portion comprising an interactive touch screen disposed on the main body portion. The wheel rim is configured to disengage from the hub and move along the steering column to a retracted position.

A lane keeping assistance equipment is provided, for traveling while accurately following a lane marking, without any accompanying temporary stoppages or causing discomfort to the driver. The lane keeping assistance equipment 1 has a lane marking detecting means 2 for detecting lane marking locations LR, LL; a sideways distance detecting means 32 for detecting a distance R between an automotive vehicle and the lane marking locations LR, LL; a control means 3 for creating and setting a travel target point GP at a location separated from the lane marking location LR, LL and transmitting a signal to a response unit A for causing travel on the travel target point concerned; an intervening steering detecting means 31 for detecting an intervening steering act by the driver; and a measuring means 35 for measuring an elapsed time, wherein the control means 3 updates a distance amount Rgp in correspondence with changes in the above-mentioned distance R, during a time period T total, covering the continuation of the driver's intervening steering acts and the elapsing of a prescribed time T lap after the intervening steering acts end, and after the above-mentioned prescribed time T lap elapses, the control means 3 also causes the above-mentioned updated distance amount to become fixed.

An autonomously driven vehicle is provided. The vehicle includes an autonomous driver assist system configured to provide directional control of a vehicle during an autonomous vehicle driving condition. The vehicle also includes a steering wheel. The vehicle further includes a plurality of road wheels electrically coupled to the steering wheel and controlled by the autonomous driver assist system in the autonomous vehicle driving condition and controlled by the steering wheel in a non-autonomous vehicle driving condition.

A method for determining a cutting trajectory that enables a curve section of a lane to be cut by a vehicle. In the method, information about the curve section is received, and the curve section is divided into at least one curve segment having a segment length and a start curvature, the curve segment being a straight-line segment or a circular arc segment or a curve segment whose curvature is a function of an arc length of the curve segment. This is followed by determination of a cutting trajectory from the at least one curve segment, so that, at a specific point of the curve section, the cutting trajectory has a predetermined offset relative to a center of the lane.

A steering control device for a vehicle has a steering assistance means (7) which performs steering assistance processing for driving an actuator (6) so that a vehicle (1) travels along a lane recognized by a lane recognition means (5) from an image acquired by an image acquisition means (4); a side displacement amount calculation means (8) which calculates a displacement amount in the lane width direction between the position of the vehicle (1) and the center of the recognized lane; a complexity calculation means (10) which calculates the complexity of the acquired image; and a steering assistance inhibition means (11) which inhibits, according to the displacement amount in the lane width direction calculated based on the lane recognized from the acquired image at a given time point and the complexity of the acquired image, steering assistance processing based on the lane by the steering assistance means (7). This prevents inappropriate steering control based on an incorrectly recognized lane when performing the steering control of the vehicle so that the vehicle travels along the lane recognized from the road image.

A control system for an autonomous driving vehicle comprises an operation device configured to be operated by a driver; a notification device configured to give notification to the driver; and an electronic control unit. Autonomous driving is performed. When the driver operates the operation device during autonomous driving, autonomous driving is terminated and vehicle driving is switched to manual driving. Further, when the driver should be requested to terminate autonomous driving during autonomous driving, the notification device is controlled to first notify a request for preparing for manual driving to the driver and then notify a request for terminating autonomous driving to the driver.

Methods and systems are disclosed for presenting information for viewing by a driver of, e.g., a vehicle, of a train, a captain of a ship, a pilot of an airplane, or by any other person who has to gaze in a certain direction, especially for observing or monitoring the environment such as a road in case of a vehicle driver. The information is presented in such a way that such a person is less impaired with respect to his ability to detect changes in the environment when reading such information so that safety especially of driving a vehicle is considerably improved.

A point-to-point transit system for riders includes an elongate guideway, a plurality of autonomous vehicles disposed in the guideway, a plurality of selectively actuable rider access portals in the side of the guideway, and a control system, configured to automatically guide the vehicles within the guideway. The rider access portals are configured to allow ingress and egress of riders to the autonomous vehicles in the guideway. The control system is configured to allow each vehicle to travel between origin and destination locations that are independently selected by a rider.

A vehicle control apparatus capable of automatic steering control while reducing discomfort or stress on vehicle occupants. In the apparatus, a lane detection unit detects a lane in which the vehicle is traveling. An offset setting unit sets an offset within the lane suitable for making a driver feel less stressed. An occupant detection unit detects the presence of a designated occupant of a seat opposite a driver's seat. An offset adjustment unit, when the designated occupant is detected, adjusts the offset set by the offset setting unit to be decreased. A vehicle-path estimation unit estimates a vehicle path in the lane such that the vehicle can travel along the vehicle path from a current lateral position to a target lateral position of the vehicle. An automatic steering control unit automatically controls steering so that the vehicle travels along the estimated vehicle.

A steering system providing an assist torque to a handwheel is provided, and includes a lateral position module and a torque command module. The lateral position module determines a lateral position command based on a curvature of a lane and a near field heading angle. The torque command module determines the torque assist based on the lateral position command.

A system and method for providing steering control for lane changing and lane centering purposes in an autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle system. A vehicle vision system calculates roadway lane marking information, such as lateral offset, yaw angle and roadway curvature with respect to the vehicle's centered coordinate system. The roadway is then modeled as a second order polynomial equation. The method then predicts roadway lateral position and yaw angle over a pre-defined lane change completion time using a vehicle dynamic model. The method then compares a predicted vehicle path with a desired vehicle path to generate an error value, and calculates a steering angle command to minimize the error value, where the steering angle command is calculated as a function of vehicle lateral position, vehicle lateral speed, vehicle yaw rate and vehicle yaw angle. The steering angle command is then sent to the vehicle steering system.

In the event that the differential value of the target node deviation is equal to or greater than a deviation threshold, and the absolute value of the steering torque is equal to or greater than a steering torque threshold, the system outputs signals to a brake control device such that deceleration of the vehicle is made with a predetermined deceleration, and outputs signals to an electric power steering control device so as to cancel automatic steering, whereby the system enters a normal power steering mode, and the automatic driving mode is canceled. Thus, abnormal situations are precisely detected during automatic driving, giving consideration to the control error and the intent of the user, thereby enabling driving control matching the intent of the user.

A steering system providing an assist torque to a handwheel is provided, and includes a proportional gain module and a torque command module. The proportional gain module determines a proportional gain value. The proportional gain value is scheduled as a function of a lateral position error and at least one of the following: a near field heading angle, a far field heading angle, a curvature of the lane, and a lateral position of the vehicle. The torque command module determines the torque assist based on the proportional gain value.

A control apparatus and method for an autonomous traveling vehicle having a teaching mode in which a vehicle position and a vehicle azimuth in respective points on a running path are memorized and a play-back mode in which the vehicle is operated autonomously based on the vehicle position and vehicle azimuth memorized in the teaching mode comprises a virtual traction point establishing means for establishing a virtual traction point located away from a vehicle position by a specified distance in a direction of a vehicle azimuth, a current vehicle position determining means for determining a current vehicle position corresponding to the vehicle position in a play-back mode, a target azimuth calculating means for calculating a target azimuth based on a positional relationship between the current vehicle position and the virtual traction point, a vehicle steering means for steering the vehicle in a direction of the target azimuth in the play-back mode and a vehicle speed control means for controlling a vehicle speed such that a distance between the virtual traction point and the vehicle comes within a specified range in the play-back mode.