Active steering assistance for vehicle turn and park maneuver

Abstract

This document describes techniques to implement active steering assistance for vehicle turn and park maneuvers. The primary vehicle may move on the vehicle path and detect a road obstacle (e.g., a curb) having a height relative to the travel surface that is shorter than the height of the vehicle wheels. When it is predicted that a collision will occur between the road obstacle and the host vehicle, a steering correction is determined for changing the vehicle direction on the vehicle path to prevent the collision. A steering assist function is activated when the steering correction is within a safety threshold (e.g., driving at low speed safety). The steering assist function results in an adjustment of the steering control that changes the direction of the vehicle based on the determined steering correction, in time avoiding road obstacles on the driving surface, thereby preventing a predicted collision.

Description

Background Art

[0001] Driver assistance technologies are increasingly being implemented in vehicles to make driving safer and / or easier. Vehicle systems provide automatic safety features (e.g., emergency braking, lane centering) using sensors focused ahead in the vehicle's path. In emergency situations, safety features activate to override or compensate for the driver's inputs to more efficiently maneuver and avoid a collision. Some collision avoidance features are not effective in preventing collisions with smaller objects. Curbs, sidewalks, gutters, speed bumps, landscape edges, island boundaries, and other obstacles may become obscured from the driver's field of view and / or sensor field of view as the vehicle approaches. Existing safety features may not prevent the driver from hitting curbs and other objects close to the ground. Small object collisions, even at low speeds, can result in an uncomfortable ride in addition to the potential for injury and / or damage. Summary of the invention

[0002] This document describes technologies for active steering assistance for vehicle turning and parking maneuvers. The described technologies include examples of devices, systems, and methods, including computer-implemented processes and means for performing steps of these processes.

[0003] As an example, the method includes: detecting a road obstacle having a height relative to a driving surface that is shorter than the height of the vehicle wheels from a host vehicle moving on a vehicle path; determining whether a collision is predicted to occur between the road obstacle and the host vehicle; and determining a steering correction for changing the vehicle direction on the vehicle path to prevent the collision. The method further includes: determining whether the steering correction is within a safety threshold for activating a steering assist function to avoid the road obstacle; and when the steering correction is within the safety threshold, activating the steering assist function to adjust a steering control for changing the vehicle direction based on the steering correction.

[0004] The present summary introduces simplified concepts related to active steering assistance for vehicle turning and parking maneuvers, and the simplified concepts are further described in the detailed description and drawings. The present summary is not intended to identify essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to determine the scope of the claimed subject matter. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0005] Details of one or more aspects of active steering assistance for vehicle turning and parking maneuvers are described in this document with reference to the following drawings. The same numbers are generally used throughout the drawings to reference similar features and components: Figure 1-1 to Figure 1-4 An example scenario of controlling a vehicle using active steering assistance for vehicle turning and parking maneuvers according to the described techniques is shown; Figure 2 An example operating environment for a vehicle equipped with an active steering assist system for improving vehicle turning and parking maneuvers according to the described techniques is shown; Figure 3-1 An example process for activating active steering assist for vehicle turning and parking maneuvers according to the described techniques is shown; Figure 3-2 and Figure 3-3 Shows the promotion Figure 3-1 Example processes performed for activating active steering assist during a process; and Figure 4-1 to Figure 4-3 Determining steering corrections according to the described techniques and facilitating Figure 3-1 Example of the process of activating active steering during the process. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Overview

[0006] Curbs are used to manage water runoff and designate the boundaries of pedestrian or vehicle travel paths, including parking lots, landscape islands, sidewalks, road lanes, etc. Curbs, sidewalks, gutters, speed bumps, landscape edges, island boundaries, and other driving surface edge indicators or obstacles may become obscured from the driver's field of view and / or sensor field of view as vehicles approach. Most passengers or drivers have experienced a sudden, potentially frightening driving experience (when a car unexpectedly drives over, clips, hits, or scrapes a curb) at some point. Collisions with curbs or other driving boundaries (commonly referred to as "curb checks") occur frequently, usually when a vehicle is accelerating. In addition to being uncomfortable for passengers, collisions with curbs or other similar objects can cause damage or additional wear and tear to the vehicle and / or nearby property, even at low speeds. Curb strikes may occur more frequently by inexperienced drivers or experienced drivers operating unfamiliar vehicles. For example, if a person who is accustomed to driving a small car (e.g., with a shorter wheelbase) rents or uses a large van, sport utility vehicle (SUV), pickup, or truck, they may not realize how their driving style needs to be adjusted due to the longer wheelbase. Depending on the vehicle size, orientation, and wheel-to-curb proximity, different steering inputs are required to avoid accidentally turning too wide or too sharply when driving or parking in a tight space.

[0007] For example, assume a driver plans to exit a shopping mall and merge into traffic. The driver positions the vehicle to make a sharp right turn from the parking exit to merge into the rightmost lane of the road. The right edge of the driving surface at the exit is bounded by a short curb (e.g., a few inches less than the height of the vehicle's bumper). The curb is supplemented with a similarly sized curb perpendicular to the exit to indicate the right outer edge of the road's driving surface or to delineate a separate sidewalk or shoulder area located beyond the outer edge of the road. Because the curb is short relative to the elevation of the driving surface, it becomes increasingly difficult to see the curb from the driver's seat as the vehicle approaches. As the driver prepares to exit the shopping mall, oncoming traffic approaches in an adjacent lane. The driver may be overly concerned about not turning wide enough to keep the vehicle in the right lane and inadvertently turns too far because the driver does not realize how close the curb is. When the driver turns the steering wheel too sharply to avoid the wide turn, it causes the vehicle's rear tires or wheels to collide with or drive over the curb.

[0008] As another example, consider a driver searching for a parking spot near a shopping center. The empty parking spot may be located at the end of a row of parking lots or along the side of a road that is bordered on at least one side by a landscaped curb to protect grass and garden islands planted near the parking spot. The curb is raised several inches above the spot. After finding the parking spot, the driver sets the vehicle to travel to or return to the parking spot. The parking spot may or may not require a parallel parking maneuver. As the driver maneuvers in the small space provided between the curb and other parking spots and the vehicle, the driver may be concerned about avoiding a collision with another parked car or other cars in traffic. As in the other example, as the vehicle gets closer, it becomes increasingly difficult to see the curb near the spot from the driver's seat. When turning a vehicle in these tight spaces, the driver may cause the vehicle to hit or scrape the curb by driving too close to the edge of the spot in order to park in the open spot (e.g., straightening up too late often results in the tire and rim hitting the curb). Even a minor scrape with the curb can cause significant wheel damage and / or tire punctures, which can be costly to replace.

[0009] In any of the above situations, and many other similar everyday driving experiences, existing vehicle systems are not effective in helping drivers avoid collisions with curbs and other objects close to the ground. The deployment of certain safety features may be limited to occur only in emergency situations, and may not even be operational in situations involving low-speed collisions with small curbs. Automatic emergency braking (AEB) is a safety feature that automatically engages the vehicle brakes at the last moment when an inattentive driver must react to prevent a collision. Forward collision warning (FCW) can precede AEB to try to make the driver aware of the situation more quickly, however, no steering assistance is provided when AEB is activated. Unless the vehicle is moving at or above a speed threshold (e.g., set faster than the desired speed for parallel parking, for pulling into or out of a parking space or garage, for keeping on a single lane when following a sharp curve or making a right-angle turn), a predictable collision may not be detected or reported. When driving at low speeds, AEB / FCW suppresses collision predictions with short objects or curbs to allow the driver to freely use their judgment to drive safely without triggering emergency intervention.

[0010] Features such as automatic lane centering, blind spot monitoring, autonomous driving, and adaptive cruise control may provide steering control or steering assistance. However, steering assistance is only used to maintain lane control to prevent emergency situations involving other large objects in the traffic flow (e.g., vehicles and pedestrians). Any steering corrections provided by existing systems are in response to emergency situations while traveling on the road (e.g., at or near the posted speed limit) where a collision with another large object is predicted and the correction causes the vehicle to change course and steer as far away from the other object as possible. Their activation at low speeds or in crowded environments or small spaces may result in too many erroneous emergency interventions that may overwhelm the computing resources of the driver or vehicle and reduce vehicle safety. In addition, these features may have a limited field of view or be unable to detect short objects close to the vehicle.

[0011] Other features may provide braking assistance to the driver at slow speeds, but not steering assistance. When driving slowly to park the vehicle, a parking assist feature or a reverse assist feature may be activated, but only to suddenly stop the vehicle before colliding with a tall object (e.g., above bumper height, vehicle obstruction, pole). Longitudinal assist features may be provided in this case, however, for parallel parking and maneuvering in other tight spaces, these features cannot actively prevent the wheels from scraping or hitting the curb by correcting the steering. Guidance marker output in the driver interface (e.g., on a display, in a windshield projection) may indicate to the driver that a collision may occur if the vehicle path is continued. However, in the guidance marker, only the predicted wheel path is displayed, without indication of steering correction or the ability to actively steer to prevent a collision.

[0012] Various limitations of existing collision avoidance vehicle safety features prevent these safety features from being used to avoid a collision with a short object. Some safety features can perform a brake assist function to engage the vehicle brakes or interrupt accelerator control, however, existing systems are not operable to correct the driver's steering input. In either of the above driving situations, without steering assistance, the driver will either allow their vehicle to drive over the curb or their vehicle will suddenly stop in the middle of the maneuver. The former can result in damage and / or injury, while the latter can cause more harm than good. If the vehicle is allowed to complete its maneuver and clear the curb, the sudden stop may surprise or confuse the driver and cause an accident that could have been avoided.

[0013] In contrast, active steering assist automatically engages in scenarios where the driver is inclined to clip the curb. Specifically, when brake assist alone cannot prevent a curb collision, active steering assist compensates for steering wheel input from the driver to determine a steering correction to prevent the wheels and tires of the vehicle from contacting the curb. The host vehicle can move on a vehicle path and detect a road obstacle (e.g., a curb) having a height relative to the driving surface that is shorter than the height of the vehicle wheels. When a collision is predicted between the road obstacle and the host vehicle, a steering correction is determined to change the direction of the vehicle on the vehicle path to prevent the collision. When the steering correction is within a safety threshold (e.g., safe driving at a low speed), the steering assist function is activated. The steering assist function causes an adjustment to the steering control that changes the direction of the vehicle according to the determined steering correction to timely avoid the road obstacle on the driving surface, thereby preventing the predicted collision.

[0014] The driver is allowed to maneuver more efficiently when approaching a curb without fear of sudden braking intervention. Active steering assistance can provide steering adjustments (e.g., without brake assistance) when slight corrections are needed to prevent collisions with curbs and vehicle wheels. Explained below are just some examples of the described techniques for active steering assistance for vehicle turning and parking maneuvers. These examples can be combined in different ways to implement the described techniques, including for specific applications, vehicle hardware architectures, or driving contexts. Driving conditions

[0015] Figure 1-1 to Figure 1-4 An example scenario of controlling a vehicle using active steering assistance for vehicle turning and parking maneuvers in accordance with the described techniques is shown. Figure 1-1 to Figure 1-4 Each of the embodiments shows an environment 100 (labeled as environments 100-1, 100-2, 100-3, and 100-4, respectively) involving different driving situations in which a vehicle 102 can slowly maneuver (e.g., park or turn into traffic) on a driving surface (e.g., a paved surface, a dirt surface, a road surface, a parking lot or parking garage parking space) on a vehicle path 106 (labeled as vehicle paths 106-1, 106-2, 106-3, and 106-4, respectively), the vehicle path 106 including road obstacles (labeled as road obstacles 104-1, 104-2, 104-3, and 104-4, respectively) that specify the edges of the vehicle path and the limits of the driving surface. The vehicles 102 (labeled as vehicles 102-1, 102-2, 102-3, and 102-4, respectively) in the environment 100 are drawn and described with respect to different types of vehicles and driving situations. However, each scenario is generally applicable to most vehicle types and frequently occurring driving situations where, while traveling at low speeds, the driver may oversteer or understeer and unexpectedly collide with a curb. Figure 1-1 including a vehicle 102-1 depicted as a pickup truck, Figure 1-2 The vehicle 102-2 is shown as a large truck. Figure 1-3 A vehicle 102-3 is a compact car, and Figure 1-4 1 represents a mid-size sedan. When driving slowly to make a right-hand turn, maneuver around a curve, or park the vehicle 102, the driver's steering input may be on the verge of causing one or more vehicle wheels to impact a road obstacle 104 (e.g., a curb). If the driver continues on the vehicle path 106, the wheel paths 108 of the vehicle 102 (respectively labeled as wheel paths 108-1, 108-2, 108-3, and 108-4) may be on a collision course with the road obstacle 104.

[0016] Roadway obstacles 104 provide a physical boundary between a driving surface and a pedestrian path, an unpaved area, or another vehicle path or lane (e.g., at a three-way or four-way intersection, around a roundabout). Figure 1-1 to Figure 1-4 In each of the above, road obstacle 104 is of different sizes and shapes, and road obstacle 104 is respectively labeled as road obstacle 104-1, 104-2, 104-3 or 104-4. Road obstacle 104 is sometimes referred to as a curb, and road obstacle 104 can be a fixed portion of a post, a block, a guardrail, or any ground object with a height or elevation close to the ground, which makes road obstacle 104 difficult to see from the driver's seat when vehicle 102 approaches.

[0017] Steering Figure 1-1 , environment 100-1 depicts a driving scenario in which a vehicle 102-1, which is a pickup truck, tends to have a longer wheelbase and is stopped at an intersection (e.g., the driver of the vehicle 102-1 is preparing to exit a shopping mall and enter a traffic lane, which requires a sharp turn (e.g., right angle, acute angle, right hand, left hand) to navigate around a road obstacle 104-1 without collision). The road obstacle 104-1 provides a transition or boundary for a vehicle path 106-1 on the road surface; as the vehicle 102-1 moves along the vehicle path 106-1, the driver input is used to operate the vehicle steering control to navigate the vehicle 102-1 to avoid curb collisions. Figure 1-2 Shown with Figure 1-1 A similar situation; environment 100-2 shows vehicle 102-2 driving around a sharp turn (e.g., in a roundabout) on vehicle path 106-2, which is bounded on the outside edge by road obstacle 104-2. As a large truck, the driver of vehicle 102-2 may have difficulty driving around road obstacle 104-2 without striking or clipping road obstacle 104-2. --

[0018] Figure 1-3 and Figure 1-4 Other typical driving scenarios are shown that involve maneuvering near a curb positioned on a driving surface in a tight space. Figure 1-3 Environment 100 - 3 in FIG. 1 includes a vehicle 102 - 3 moving on a vehicle path 106 - 3 to parallel park by pulling forward into spots on both sides of a road obstacle 104 - 3 . Figure 1-4A slightly different parking situation is shown from environment 100-4, which depicts the driver of vehicle 102-4 attempting to back into an empty parking space by following a vehicle path 106-4 having two sides bounded by roadway obstacles 104-4. A similar situation occurs if vehicles 102-3 or 102-4 are traveling in opposite directions to enter their respective parking spaces and have opposite vehicle ends than shown. For example, vehicle 102-3 in environment 100-3 may similarly back into the parking space to parallel park; vehicle 102-4 may pull forward to enter the parking space. Each of vehicles 102-3 and 102-4 may have a shorter wheelbase and greater maneuverability in turning or cornering in these tight spaces than either vehicle 102-1 or vehicle 102-2. The driver of vehicle 102-3 or vehicle 102-4 may still have difficulty judging the proximity of road obstacles 104-3 and 104-4 when parking. Driving too close to road obstacle 104-3 or road obstacle 104-4 may occur due to the driver's view of vehicle path 106-3 or 106-4 being blocked. As vehicle 102-3 moves toward road obstacle 104-3 on vehicle path 106-3, road obstacle 104-3 becomes more difficult to see and may eventually be blocked from the driver's view. When driving too close, especially when backing up and road obstacle 104 is high enough to cause damage in a collision, the driver of vehicle 102-4 may not recognize that a steering correction is needed to avoid a collision with road obstacle 104-4, but the time is too short to be observed in a backup camera or a traditional backup assist function used to cause a sudden stop.

[0019] When attempting to park, the driver may be allowed to inadvertently turn the vehicle 102-3 or the vehicle 102-4 on a collision course with the road obstacle 104-3 or the road obstacle 104-4. The vehicle 102-3 or the vehicle 102-4 may drive into or over the road obstacle 104-3 or the road obstacle 104-4. In any case, the vehicle 102-3 or the vehicle 102-4 may scrape the wheels or tires. The driver may feel embarrassed because they must maneuver in multiple directions to move back and forth in the traffic flow to a safe position and park in the parking space (e.g., at a legal distance from the curb). The additional maneuvers may cause the vehicle to drive past the parking location and cause other accidents, and may also affect pedestrian safety, especially when the accident causes the vehicle to stop on the sidewalk adjacent to the travel path of other vehicles (e.g., buses, bicycles, motorcycles, rideshares).

[0020] Consider each of these driving situations, and many other similar driving situations, in which vehicle 102 may be slowly maneuvering on driving path 106 approaching road obstacle 104. A sidewalk, pedestrian path, bicycle lane, or another lane of vehicle traffic may be in the area of ​​environment 100 protected by road obstacle 104. A collision with a road obstacle may be loud and sudden, which may frighten passengers, other drivers, and pedestrians in addition to causing property damage or personal injury. To prevent these collisions, and as Figure 2 As shown in more detail in , vehicle 102 is equipped with a vehicle system (e.g., a vehicle controller) that is configured to automatically enable a steering assist function (e.g., an active steering assist system) to compensate for the driver steering input using predicted steering corrections to avoid a collision with a road obstacle 104.

[0021] Generally speaking, the steering assist function enables the vehicle controller to apply a predicted steering correction when traveling at low speeds (e.g., too slow for AEB) without applying brake control that interrupts the driver's maneuvers. In other words, the steering assist function is activated when a small steering correction is predicted to prevent an imminent collision with a curb. Figure 3-1 to Figure 3-3 Details of an example process for preventing a curb collision using active steering assist are shown. For example, a vehicle 102 is moving on a vehicle path 106 and detects a road obstacle 104, which generally has a height relative to a driving surface that is shorter than the height of a vehicle wheel or other portion of the vehicle 102. The vehicle system engages a steering assist function based on information obtained or derived from sensors of the vehicle 102. Given a trajectory of the vehicle 102 on the vehicle path 106, the steering assist function may be activated in response to receiving an indication of a predicted collision with the road obstacle 104.

[0022] When a collision with a curb is predicted, a steering correction for changing the direction of the vehicle on the vehicle path 106 to prevent a collision is determined. For example, after activation, the steering assist function can identify a steering correction used by the vehicle controller to change the steering angle of the wheel path 108 and avoid pinching the curb. In general, the steering assist function can determine the assistance applied to the driver's steering input (e.g., from a steering yoke, from a steering wheel) as a steering correction. The steering correction can be based on different factors, such as whether the vehicle is moving forward or in reverse gear, the distance to the nearest wheel and the predicted collision, the estimated driver input or the steering angle of the nearest wheel, the steering limit and / or torque limit of the vehicle 102 steering system and suspension, or other factors (including other vehicles or environmental conditions for ensuring that the steering correction is to promote safe driving without increasing the risk of causing other accidents). According to the sensor information indicating the predicted collision with the road obstacle 104, the steering correction applied to the driver input is determined. The steering correction can be determined to cause the wheel path 108 to change the steering angle without changing the speed on the driving path 106, and still avoid the collision. Figure 4-1 to Figure 4-3 A detailed example process for determining the steering correction required to avoid a collision is shown.

[0023] Before activation (e.g., output to a vehicle controller) to apply a steering correction to the steering control to correct the driver's steering input to prevent a collision. The steering assist function of the vehicle 102 can determine whether it is safe to apply the steering correction. The current driving speed may be too fast to prevent a collision unless the steering correction is large enough, and a large enough steering correction can prevent damage to the vehicle, but may cause injury to the driver or passengers due to a large sudden change. For example, the steering assist function is enabled for activation to prevent a low-speed collision with a short object, where the vehicle 102 may drive over or scrape the curb and damage the vehicle 102. Safety considerations may cause the steering assist function to avoid activation and not apply the steering correction in some cases, while allowing activation in other cases. Before applying the steering correction, non-vehicle factors such as road conditions (e.g., dry, wet, paved, gravel) and the safety of nearby pedestrians and other vehicles may be considered. The steering assist function determines whether the steering correction is within one or more safety thresholds for automatic steering to avoid road obstacles without the risk of injury or other accidents and damage.

[0024] All of this is in stark contrast to how existing automatic emergency braking and other existing systems, like lane centering systems and traditional brake assist, are enabled. Existing systems are unable to prevent curb collisions by determining steering corrections. Existing systems are deficient in part because they focus on avoiding large object collisions in and between moving traffic and / or rely solely on stopping or reducing the longitudinal momentum of the vehicle 102 through braking control.

[0025] As an example, for high speed or traffic conditions, existing systems are configured to detect large objects at far ranges; that is, existing systems primarily prevent collisions with objects that are larger or taller than the curb (e.g., walls or tall poles), which may cause serious damage or personal injury. As another example, for slower speeds, such as driving into a garage, existing systems primarily prevent collisions with other objects that are taller than the curb. Ultrasonic sensors and / or cameras located at bumper height can be used to detect poles or floor-to-ceiling walls close to the vehicle. Their sensors cannot be used to determine whether the vehicle wheels may collide with short columns or foundations at the bottom of the wall or poles that are shorter than the vehicle wheels. This is because their position relative to the driving surface on the vehicle 102 may limit the field of view, thereby excluding elevations close to the driving surface (e.g., below bumper height, below mounting location). Sensor systems tend to exclude areas that are far from bumper height and close to the ground, in which curbs with curb heights of only a few inches may be detected. Existing systems are configured to detect and prevent collisions with objects that are further from the vehicle 102 than the safe and / or legal stopping distance from the curb. Even in the event that a curb is detected, existing systems do not intervene with steering control, but instead focus on having the driver steer without assistance by performing the function of stopping the vehicle's momentum through braking control to avoid striking a fixed object on the ground.

[0026] Existing systems provide little or no consideration for correcting driver steering inputs or providing any kind of active steering assistance to prevent curb collisions like those described herein. This is despite the fact that in some cases, collisions with objects can be avoided with only minor steering corrections that do not interrupt the vehicle's momentum. While existing systems can do a good job of improving vehicle safety in other driving situations, they do little to avoid slow-speed (e.g., at idle maneuvers, less than a few miles or kilometers per hour) collisions with short ground objects, which become increasingly difficult to see the closer they are to the vehicle.

[0027] When the steering correction is within a safety threshold for adjusting steering control, the vehicle system activates the steering assist function to allow the vehicle controller to rely on the steering correction when controlling the vehicle 102. The steering assist function immediately notifies the vehicle controller to provide the correct steering angle or a steering correction that compensates for the current driver-provided steering angle to achieve sufficient clearance between the vehicle 102 and the road obstacle 104 to prevent the predicted collision.

[0028] The steering assist function can limit steering corrections to subtle steering corrections that have a lower risk of startling the driver but are likely to prevent a collision. This active steering assistance provided without engaging the brakes can enable the vehicle 102 to steer around road obstacles 104 (e.g., Figure 1-1 and Figure 1-2 ) or when parking (e.g. Figure 1-3 and Figure 1-4 The steering assist function can improve driving safety without affecting the driver's confidence or ability to maneuver in and around tight spaces and curbs. The steering correction determined by the steering assist function can gently prevent collisions between wheels, body panels, or other expensive parts of the vehicle 102 and road obstacles 104 (e.g., curbs). Operating Environment and Vehicle Architecture

[0029] Figure 2 An example operating environment of a vehicle equipped with an active steering assist system for improving vehicle turning and parking maneuvers in accordance with the described techniques is shown. Figure 2 It is described in the context of an environment 100 that includes a vehicle 102 slowly maneuvering close to a road obstacle 104 on a trajectory predicted to cause a wheel collision.

[0030] Figure 2 An environment 200 is shown, which is an example of the environment 100, and which shows a vehicle 102 having a wheel height 202-1 relative to a position on the vehicle's wheels above a driving surface 204. The vehicle 102 also has a ground clearance 202-2 relative to a bumper or underside of the vehicle 102 and the driving surface 204. The driver of the vehicle 102 in the environment 200 countersteers the vehicle to back up along the driving path 106 on the driving surface to move further into a parking space adjacent to the roadblock 104.

[0031] The roadway obstacle 104 may be formed of various rigid materials (e.g., metal, concrete, rock, brick, asphalt, soil) to provide an obstacle height 206 having a height relative to the driving surface 204 that is shorter than a height of one or more portions of the vehicle 102. The obstacle height 206 causes the roadway obstacle 104 to be obscured from the driver's seat as the vehicle 102 turns along the driving path 106. The driver's seat of the vehicle 102 is at a higher elevation relative to the ground than the roadway obstacle, causing portions of the vehicle 102 to obscure the roadway obstacle 104 from the driver's seat as the vehicle 102 approaches. For example, at least one fixed portion of the roadway obstacle 104 may have a height that is less than the wheel height 202-1, the ground clearance 202-2, the chassis height, the bumper height, the hood height, the panel height, the windshield height, the brush guard height, the side mirror height, or the height of any other portion of the vehicle 102 that obscures the roadway obstacle 104 from the driver's view.

[0032] Based on the wheel path 108 predicted for the vehicle 102, a collision 208 is predicted to occur between the vehicle 102 and the road obstacle 104. In this case, if the obstacle height 206 is low enough (e.g., lower than the wheel height 202-1), the vehicle 102 can easily travel over the road obstacle 104, provided that sufficient speed and momentum are provided to the vehicle 102 to approach the road obstacle 104. If the ground clearance 202-2 is lower than the obstacle height 206 of the road obstacle 104, the resulting collision 208 may damage the body panels or chassis of the vehicle 102. Hitting the curb at any angle may cause suspension and alignment issues, not to mention damage to the body, drivetrain, tires, or wheels, which are expensive to repair or replace.

[0033] Figure 2 An example of a vehicle architecture 210 is shown for supporting various computing components, devices, and / or systems operable on the vehicle 102. A vehicle controller 212, an active steering assist system 214, and one or more other vehicle systems 216 may communicate (e.g., exchange data) via a vehicle network 218 to perform vehicle functions and enable vehicle maneuvers.

[0034] The vehicle controller 212 may include one or more components configured to control vehicle movement and other vehicle functions. For example, the vehicle controller 212 may include one or more processing units having a steering interface 220 to a steering system that controls the direction of the wheels when driving. The brake interface 222 may operate with the vehicle controller 212 to cause the application of brakes that decelerate the vehicle 102. The vehicle controller 212 further includes a driver input interface 224 that processes driver inputs obtained from steering wheel inputs, pedal inputs, and other driver inputs to vehicle controls. In addition, the sensor interface 226 provides sensor information to the vehicle controller 212 based on sensor data captured by sensors of the vehicle 102 and / or other vehicles and infrastructure (e.g., using vehicle to everything communication). Similarly, a motor controller or engine controller that provides a motor or engine interface to the vehicle controller 212 can realize the manipulation of the vehicle motor or engine output. The transmission controller may provide a transmission interface to the vehicle controller 212 for realizing data exchange on drive mode or gear selection.

[0035] Other vehicle systems 216 can include various vehicle components. As some examples, other vehicle systems 216 include physical buttons, levers, switches, steering wheels, pedals, etc., which relay driver inputs to driver input interface 224. A steering system controlled through steering interface 220, a braking system controlled through braking interface 222, and sensors for capturing sensor information provided to sensor interface 226 are further examples of other vehicle systems 216.

[0036] The vehicle network 218 can be a single vehicle network or formed by multiple networks, and multiple networks can include a combination of wired links, wireless links or wired and wireless links. The links of the vehicle network 218 form the connection between the various components of the vehicle architecture 210, which enables information to be transmitted between components in and / or outside the vehicle 102. As shown in the figure, the vehicle controller 212, the active steering assistance system 214 and other vehicle systems 216 are coupled to each other based on the connection formed by the vehicle network 218. The vehicle controller 212 can exchange data with the active steering assistance system 214 by sending information about the vehicle 102 and further about the information of the detected object reported to the sensor interface 226. When the predicted curb collision can be prevented by steering adjustment, the vehicle network 218 can enable the vehicle controller 212 to receive steering correction from the active steering assistance system 214.

[0037] The active steering assist system 214 includes a vehicle controller interface 228 for exchanging data with the vehicle controller 212, including for outputting a steering correction determined to prevent a collision without applying brakes. The active steering assist system 214 further includes at least one processor 230 and / or a computer readable storage medium (CRM) 232 to support a steering assist module 234 and a steering correction module 236.

[0038] At least one processor 230 may be a hardware processor, a processing unit, a central processing unit, a graphics processing unit, a processing core, a virtual processor, or other component configured to execute instructions for performing active steering assistance according to the described techniques. CRM 232 may be a volatile or non-volatile storage component (e.g., a memory, a long-term storage unit, a short-term storage unit) that maintains instructions executed by processor 230. Steering assistance module 234 and / or steering correction module 236 may be software or firmware executable programs with corresponding instructions maintained by CRM 232 for subsequent execution by the processor. In other cases, steering assistance module 234 and / or steering correction module 236 may be configured to execute routines for performing the operations of steering assistance module 234 and steering correction module 236 through programmable hardware logic.

[0039] Reference below Figure 3-1 to Figure 4-3 The process of FIG. 210 is described in more detail in the steering correction module 236 and the steering assist module 234. The vehicle controller 212 can engage the steering assist module 234 by sending information obtained from the sensor interface 226 that indicates the detection of an object near the vehicle 102.

[0040] The information sent from the vehicle controller 112 to the active steering assist system 214 via the network 218 may include information about the driving situation and environment 200 of the vehicle 102 obtained from the sensor interface 226, the steering interface 220, and / or the driver input interface 224. This may also include information obtained from other vehicle systems 216. Based on the information collected and distributed to the active steering assist system 214 by the vehicle controller 212, the steering assist module 234 may determine the trajectory of the vehicle 102 on the vehicle path 106, and whether a collision is predicted to occur between the road obstacle 104 and the vehicle 102. The steering correction module 236 may be activated in response to receiving an indication of a predicted collision with the road obstacle 104 to determine a steering correction that may be applied to the steering control of the vehicle 102 to avoid the collision. The vehicle controller 112 may receive an indication of a corrective steering angle or torque for changing the wheel path 108, and may prevent damage to the road obstacle 104 and / or the vehicle 102. Process for implementing active steering assistance

[0041] Figure 3-1 An example process for activating active steering assistance for vehicle turning and parking maneuvers according to the described techniques is shown. The process 300 shown in Figure 3 includes a series of steps, which are numbered as steps 302 to 310. The process 300 may include more or fewer steps than the steps shown, including steps arranged in a different order. The process 300 is described in the context of the previous figures and their element descriptions. For example, the process 300 is performed by at least one processor of the vehicle 102 or the vehicle architecture 210. The vehicle controller 212 and / or the processor 230 is operable to use the steering assist module 234 and the steering correction module 236 to perform the process 300.

[0042] At step 302, a road obstacle having a height relative to the driving surface that is shorter than the wheel height is detected. For example, the vehicle 102 includes a radar sensor and a camera system, and the vehicle 102 has a field of view to capture the object detected on the driving surface 204 when the vehicle 102 approaches the road obstacle 104 on the vehicle path 106. The vehicle controller 212 can receive or determine the approach distance (e.g., radar range) and elevation (e.g., image-based height) of the road obstacle 104.

[0043] At step 304, a determination is made as to whether a collision is predicted to occur between the road obstacle and the host vehicle. For example, based on the current vehicle trajectory on the vehicle path 106, the vehicle controller 112 may receive a collision alert from an object detection function executed by the vehicle controller 212 or one of the other vehicle systems 216, indicating that the approach distance to the road obstacle 104 is close to zero.

[0044] In step 306, in response to determining that a collision is predicted to occur, a steering correction is determined for changing the direction of the vehicle on the vehicle path to prevent the collision. The steering correction may be determined in one or more different ways, including by performing the following steps: Figure 4-1 to Figure 4-3 Example processes 306-1 through 306-3 are shown. For example, the vehicle controller 212 can determine the vehicle speed at the time of the collision 208. The steering correction determined at step 306 can be determined based in part on the vehicle speed.

[0045] At step 308, it is determined whether the steering correction is within a safety threshold for activating a steering assist function to avoid a road obstacle. The vehicle controller 212 is configured to actively avoid engaging braking control of the vehicle 102 if a steering correction can be applied. For example, the safety threshold for activating the steering assist function can be set based at least in part on whether the vehicle speed is slow enough to not cause a greater accident than allowing the collision 208 to occur. Based on the vehicle speed 208 at the time of the collision and whether the steering correction is within the safety threshold for activating the steering assist function, it can include determining whether the vehicle speed meets a low speed threshold.

[0046] The low speed threshold may correspond to vehicle idling (e.g., when parking or driving in a parking lot or tight space) or at slightly faster speeds to search for a parking lot or turn a corner and merge into traffic. For faster driving situations, AEB and other lane centering or collision avoidance features may be more effective in ensuring safe driving. In these other fast-moving driving situations (e.g., when driving in traffic, faster than idling, more than a few miles or kilometers per hour), a steering correction determined to avoid a curb may have the potential to cause a major accident if a steering correction is applied to the steering control. Sudden changes in wheel direction at high speeds may result in a rollover or other unsafe / uncomfortable vehicle maneuvers.

[0047] In some examples, the vehicle controller 212 can apply the brake assist function to slow down but not stop the vehicle 102 until a steering correction can be safely applied. When the steering adjustment is sufficient, the vehicle controller 212 can actively avoid applying the brake assist function after activating the steering assist function to avoid the collision 208.

[0048] At step 310, when the steering correction is within a safety threshold, a steering assist function is activated to adjust steering control based on the steering correction to change the direction of the vehicle. Activating the steering assist function to adjust steering control may be performed in a variety of ways. Figure 3-2 and Figure 3-3 Two different processes 310 - 1 and 310 - 2 are shown that may be performed individually or in combination to implement adjustments to steering control based on the steering correction determined at step 306 .

[0049] For example, the steering correction may include an estimated torque adjustment based on the current driver torque. As described in the context of process 310-2, it may be determined before using the steering correction (e.g., at step 326) whether the estimated torque adjustment to the current driver torque exceeds the maximum torque limit for activating the steering assist function. The steering assist function provided by the steering assist module 236 may be activated in response to determining that the estimated torque adjustment does not exceed the maximum torque limit. In other cases, the steering assist module 236 may avoid activating the steering assist function in response to determining that the estimated torque adjustment exceeds the maximum torque limit.

[0050] When the steering correction is not within a safety threshold for activating the steering assist function, the vehicle controller 212 can perform an emergency or other collision avoidance function. For example, the vehicle controller 212 can provide an input to the brake interface 222. In response to the input to the brake interface 222, a brake assist function is applied by the brake control of the vehicle 102 to slow the vehicle 102 to a stop or until the steering correction falls within a speed threshold of the safety threshold for activating the steering assist function. Detailed procedure for activating steering assistance

[0051] Figure 3-2 and Figure 3-3 Shows the promotion Figure 3-1 , specifically as an example for executing step 306 from process 300. Each of processes 310-1 and 310-2 includes some similar steps, including step 312, step 314, step 316, and step 320. Process 310-1 includes step 318, which is not included in process 310-2. Step 322, step 324, and step 326 are additional steps of process 310-2, which are omitted in process 310-1. Only one of processes 310-1 and 310-2 may be executed to perform step 306. Processes 310-1 and 310-2 may be combined to perform step 306 in different ways. The result of executing each of processes 310 - 1 and 310 - 2 is an evaluation and safe application of the steering correction determined at step 306 , which adjusts steering control without adjusting vehicle speed control or braking to gently steer correctly to avoid collision 208 with roadway obstacle 104 .

[0052] At step 312, it is determined whether to enable curb collision steering assist. For example, the active steering assist system 214 can be disabled based on a driver preference input to the vehicle 102. The active steering assist system 214 can be disabled due to a malfunction or due to other reasons, including when the environment 200 is a heavy traffic-like situation or the vehicle is traveling too fast. If the driving speed is slower than a speed threshold, or in a parking situation or a turning situation, the curb collision steering assist is enabled to prevent a predicted curb collision when the vehicle 102 is maneuvering on the driving surface 204.

[0053] A “no” decision at step 312 ends processes 310 - 1 and 310 - 2 by executing step 320 . At step 320 , the vehicle controller 212 refrains from adjusting steering control to allow the driver to freely steer the vehicle 102 when curb collision assist is not enabled.

[0054] The "yes" decision of step 312 continues processes 310-1 and 310-2 to result in execution of step 314. At step 314, when curb collision assist is enabled, the steering assist module 234 can determine the steering correction estimated by the steering correction module 236. The steering correction can include an estimated steering value and a relative steering angle for the steering value. The estimated steering value is relative to the current steering angle of the vehicle 102. For example, the steering value can indicate a change (e.g., increase, decrease) in the current steering angle caused by the driver's input to the steering control. The vehicle controller 112 can provide the steering angle to the steering assist module 234 and / or the steering correction module 236; the steering assist module 234 and / or the steering correction module 236 can estimate the steering angle based on other vehicle information (e.g., speed, direction).

[0055] At step 316 (drawn in dashed lines to indicate that it is optional), the estimated steering value is reduced to a maximum value within the steering limits of the vehicle. The steering value determined at step 314 is evaluated against the limits of the steering control of the vehicle 102 and / or the maximum assistance limit for assisting the driver in steering. When the steering value exceeds the maximum value, the estimated steering value can be set to the maximum value of the steering angle.

[0056] At step 318, the steering control is adjusted to change the vehicle direction based on the steering value. For example, the steering value is output relative to the current steering angle of the vehicle controller 112 as a basis for determining a steering correction for input to the steering control of the vehicle 102. In response to the steering correction input to the steering control, the driver steering is compensated to avoid collision with the wheels and / or other parts of the vehicle 102.

[0057] Steering Figure 3-3, process 310-2 includes steps similar or identical to step 312, step 314, and step 316 of process 310-1. Figure 3-2 The descriptions related to these steps of process 310-2 are similarly applicable. However, unlike process 310-1, which adjusts steering control to change the vehicle direction based on the steering value at step 318, different operations are performed before actively assisting the driver with steering control.

[0058] At step 322, a torque adjustment is estimated for achieving the steering value given the current driver torque. For example, the vehicle controller 112 may process steering corrections more quickly by obtaining the steering torque applied to the control, as opposed to the steering value. The torque adjustment that causes the steering correction and achieves the steering value is determined based on the current steering angle determined at step 314 and the reduced steering value output from step 316.

[0059] At step 324, it is determined whether the estimated torque adjustment to the current driver torque exceeds the maximum torque limit for activating the steering assist function. If too much torque is required given the current steering angle and / or the torque applied to the steering control, the steering angle may not be achievable. The steering assist module 234 can prevent steering corrections that cause mechanical failures due to providing too much torque correction. It may also cause the driver to be injured or startled when the wheel correction is not expected, or the magnitude of the torque correction causes an uncomfortable ride or a feeling of loss of control.

[0060] A “no” decision at step 322 ends process 310 - 2 by executing step 320 . When a steering correction is too dangerous or exceeds the operational capabilities of the vehicle 102 , the vehicle controller 212 refrains from adjusting steering control.

[0061] The "yes" decision of step 322 continues process 310-2 to result in execution of step 326. At step 318, the steering control is adjusted to change the vehicle direction based on the estimated torque adjustment. For example, a torque adjustment is output relative to the current steering torque of the vehicle controller 112 for adjusting the steering control of the vehicle 102. In response to the input indicating a steering correction of the desired torque (e.g., a combination of the current steering torque and the estimated torque adjustment), the driver steering is compensated to avoid collision with the wheels and / or other parts of the vehicle 102.

[0062] The steering correction used for input to step 308 can be performed by performing Figure 4-1 to Figure 4-3 The steering correction may be used at steps 308 and 310 to determine whether to change the vehicle direction on the vehicle path to prevent the collision 208.

[0063] The result of performing each of processes 306-1 through 306-3 is a steering correction applied at step 308 to facilitate the other steps of processes 300, 310-1, and 310-2. The steering correction may include an estimated steering value relative to the current steering angle that, if applied to the steering control of the vehicle 102, predicts that the steering control will change the wheel path 108 and prevent the collision 208 with the road obstacle 104.

[0064] Processing 306-1 to 306-3 is described below in increasing order of computational complexity. Some vehicles can use high-performance computing devices to perform more complex processes to perform processes 306-2 and 306-3. Other classified vehicles may lack the ability to perform these processes, but rely on simpler technology or computing equipment with slower execution speed to perform process 306-1, which is not as complex as processes 306-2 and 306-3. The steering correction output from any one of processes 306-1 to 306-3 can be updated regularly or periodically to provide step 308 with the current steering value ready to be applied when a collision is about to occur. This allows the vehicle 102 to be ready to apply steering corrections almost immediately (e.g., seemingly in real time) when a curb collision is predicted to turn the vehicle 102 and drive as far away from the road obstacle 104 as possible while performing a turning or parking maneuver. Detailed process for steering correction determination

[0065] Figures 4-1 to 4-3 An example process is shown for determining steering corrections according to the described techniques and facilitating the activation of active steering assistance in process 300 for performing step 306. Each of processes 306-1 through 306-3 is shown as a process that occurs between the execution of step 304 and step 308 of process 300. Processes 306-1, 306-2, and 306-3 include some common steps that are described throughout. Figure 4-1 to Figure 4-3 The steps of processes 306-1 through 306-3 may be performed in a different order than shown.

[0066] First turn Figure 4-1, showing an example for providing steering correction to enable active steering assist functionality, as described throughout this disclosure. In step 400 of process 306-1, in response to determining that a collision 208 is about to occur, the wheel closest to the road obstacle is determined. For example, based on the curb information 402 inferred from the sensor data obtained at the sensor interface 226 and / or based on the vehicle data reported by the vehicle controller 212, the steering correction module 236 determines the approximate location of the collision 208 on the vehicle path 106. The steering correction module 236 can apply the size, orientation, and direction of travel of the vehicle 102 on the vehicle path 106 to predict the nearest vehicle side (e.g., driver side or passenger side, left side or right side) or vehicle end (e.g., front end or rear end) when the vehicle 102 approaches the road obstacle 104. Based on the approximate location of the collision 208 on the road obstacle 104, the steering correction module 236 identifies the specific wheel on the side and / or end of the vehicle 102 that is closest to the predicted location of the collision 208. The wheel position of each wheel of the vehicle 102 is inferred and the distance relative to the predicted position is determined. The steering correction module 236 identifies the wheel on the vehicle path 106 closest to the collision 208 as the wheel of the vehicle 102 having the shortest distance to the road obstacle 104 .

[0067] At step 406, it is determined whether the nearest wheel identified by the given curb information 402 is less than a wheel threshold 404. The wheel threshold 404 may be a calibrated threshold for limiting steering corrections to occur within a brief time window or at a calibrated distance from the road obstacle 104, where the steering correction may be effective in preventing the collision 208. This allows the driver of the vehicle 102 to have the freedom to steer and drive using the driver input to the steering control; unless the collision 208 may be imminent, no steering assistance is provided. If the distance to the nearest wheel exceeds the wheel threshold 404 (e.g., the calibrated distance), the process 306-1 returns to step 400. Later, the nearest wheel is within the wheel threshold 404, and the process 306-1 continues to step 410.

[0068] At step 410, the direction of travel on the vehicle path 106 may be inferred based on the vehicle data obtained from the vehicle controller 212. For example, the direction information 408 may be provided as an indication of a driving mode or gear selection (e.g., park, reverse, neutral, drive, low range drive) on the vehicle 102. In other cases, the vehicle controller 212 determines the direction information 408 from the sensor interface 226 and / or other vehicle systems 216. The output from step 410 is the direction of travel on the vehicle path 106 (e.g., forward or reverse) of the nearest vehicle identified at step 400.

[0069] Depending on the direction of travel determined at step 410, process 306-1 continues to one of two branches leading to steps 412 or 414. Each branch of process 306-1 determines the appropriate steering correction for avoiding collision 208 when moving in one of the two directions of travel. When direction information 408 indicates that the direction of travel is forward, step 412 is performed. When direction information 408 indicates that the direction of travel is backward, step 414 is performed.

[0070] At each of steps 412 and 414, it is determined whether the nearest wheel is a front wheel or a rear wheel. Then, based on whether the nearest wheel is a front wheel or a rear wheel and whether the vehicle is moving forward or backward, a steering correction 416 is selected. Labeled as steering correction 416-1, steering correction 416-2, steering correction 416-3, and steering correction 416-4, respectively, the selected steering corrections 416 cause a change in the steering angle of the vehicle 102, causing a change in trajectory and moving at a steering angle different from that commanded by the driver input to the steering control.

[0071] The selected steering correction 416 is derived based in part on a steering calibration 418 (e.g., a calibrated steering maneuver) for adjusting the steering control of the vehicle 102 and in part on a steering limit 420 associated with the steering control of the vehicle 102. The steering calibration 418 can define the direction and amount of the steering correction defined by the steering calibration 418 of the nearest wheel and limit the steering correction 416 to not exceed the safety limit or steering capability of the vehicle 102. For example, if the nearest wheel to the collision 208 is the front wheel and the vehicle is moving in a forward direction, the steering correction 416-1 is selected to actively steer the vehicle 102 away from the road obstacle 104 by steering in a direction opposite to the collision by a first steering amount (e.g., degrees) determined based on the steering calibration 418 and the steering limit 420. If the wheel closest to the collision 208 is a rear wheel and the vehicle is moving in a forward direction, steering correction 416-2 is selected to actively steer the vehicle 102 away from the road obstacle 104 by steering a second steering amount in the opposite direction of the collision 208, which second steering amount can be different from the first amount associated with the steering correction 416-1 and determined based on the steering calibration 418 and the steering limit 420.

[0072] If in other cases, when the nearest wheel is the front wheel and the vehicle 102 is moving backward, instead of steering away from the road obstacle 104 to prevent a collision, the steering correction 416-3 is selected to actively steer the vehicle 102 toward the road obstacle 104 to prevent the collision 208. The steering correction 416-3 causes the vehicle 102 to steer the nearest wheel in a direction toward the road obstacle 104 and has a third correction amount determined based on the steering calibration 418 and the steering limit 420. The third steering amount can be different from the first or second amounts.

[0073] Finally, when the nearest wheels are rear wheels and the vehicle 102 is moving backward, the steering correction 416-4 is selected. The selection of the steering correction 416-4 causes the vehicle 102 to actively steer away from the road obstacle 104 by steering in the opposite direction of the road obstacle 104. The steering correction 416-4 indicates a fourth correction amount, which can be different from any other steering calibration determined based on the steering calibration 418 and the steering limit 420.

[0074] The steering correction 416 selected based on the vehicle heading and identifying the wheel closest to the road obstacle 104 is output to step 308. The vehicle controller 212 uses the steering correction 416 to actively adjust steering control based on the driver input that is compensated to prevent the collision 208.

[0075] Figure 4-2 A slightly more complex steering assistance process using predicted wheel paths is provided in FIG. 2 and illustrates process 306-2. In process 306-2, predicted wheel paths for all wheels are determined to project more accurate steering corrections based on heading and / or vehicle trajectory when a collision is imminent. Process 306-2 may be performed on a more complex version of vehicle architecture 210, where processor 230 may perform the operations described below in conjunction with vehicle controller 212 and other vehicle systems 216 without delaying collision avoidance 208.

[0076] At step 422, a predicted wheel path is determined for each wheel of the vehicle 102. For example, existing techniques for predicting wheel trajectories along the vehicle path 106 may be used to identify a specific trajectory for each individual wheel, as opposed to inferring each wheel's proximity to a road obstacle based on the overall vehicle trajectory as performed in process 306-1.

[0077] At step 424, the predicted wheel paths from step 422 are evaluated using the curb information 402 to find a predicted cross-path for each wheel and the road obstacle 104. For example, sensors of the vehicle 102 may detect the road obstacle 104 in the field of view and provide an indication of the location of the collision with the curb at the sensor interface 226. The vehicle controller 212 may perform the function of predicting each wheel path given the current trajectory and the location of nearby objects and provide the cross-path to the steering correction module 236. The location of the collision 208 may be identified by the vehicle controller 212 and / or the steering correction module 236 and provided in a vehicle coordinate system or a vehicle reference system.

[0078] At step 426, a curve distance is determined for each intersection point determined at step 424. For example, in response to defining the road obstacles 104 relative to the vehicle coordinate system and based on the predicted wheel paths estimated from the current steering angles of the wheels, the intersection points determined at step 424 arrange the obstacles 104 and collisions 208 in order from closest to farthest from the road.

[0079] Then, similar to step 400 where the nearest wheel is determined, at step 428 the nearest wheel intersection is determined based on the curve distance calculated relative to the curb information 402 .

[0080] Beginning at step 428, process 306-2 is similar to process 306-1. For example, at step 406, it is determined whether the nearest wheel intersection is less than wheel threshold 404 for limiting steering corrections to occur only when they are likely to prevent an impending collision 208. Similar to process 306-1, process 306-2 still provides the driver of vehicle 102 with the freedom to steer without any assistance until assistance is needed. If the distance to the nearest wheel intersection exceeds wheel threshold 404 (e.g., a calibration distance), process 306-2 returns to step 428. Later, the nearest wheel intersection may be within wheel threshold 404, and process 306-2 continues to step 410 and other steps 412 and 414 to provide steering correction 416 as input to step 308.

[0081] At step 410, the direction of travel on the vehicle path 106 may be inferred based on the vehicle data obtained from the vehicle controller 212. For example, the direction information 408 may be provided as an indication of a driving mode or gear selection (e.g., park, reverse, neutral, drive, low range drive) on the vehicle 102. In other cases, the vehicle controller 212 determines the direction information 408 from the sensor interface 226 and / or other vehicle systems 216. The output from step 410 is the direction of travel on the vehicle path 106 (e.g., forward or reverse) of the nearest vehicle identified at step 400.

[0082] Depending on the direction of travel determined at step 410, process 306-1 continues to one of two branches leading to steps 412 or 414. Each branch of process 306-1 determines the appropriate steering correction for avoiding collision 208 when moving in one of the two directions of travel. When the direction information 408 indicates that the direction of travel is forward, step 412 is performed. When the direction information 408 indicates that the direction of travel is backward, step 414 is performed.

[0083] At each of steps 412 and 414, it is determined whether the nearest wheel intersection is a front wheel or a rear wheel. A steering correction 416 is then selected based on whether the nearest wheel intersection involves a front or rear wheel and whether the vehicle is moving forward or backward.

[0084] The steering correction 416 selected based on the vehicle direction and by identifying the wheel intersection closest to the road obstacle 104 is output to step 308. The vehicle controller 212 uses the steering correction 416 to actively adjust steering control based on the driver input and further compensate the driver input with the steering correction 416 to prevent the collision 208. Adaptive wheel path steering accuracy

[0085] Figure 4-3 A slightly more complex steering assist process than processes 306-1 and 306-2 is shown that actively predicts wheel paths and steering corrections when needed to prevent collision 208. The difference between processes 306-2 and 306-3 is the output of steering correction 416, which is modified or adjusted before being sent to step 308. That is, rather than relying on steering calibration 418 and / or steering limits 420 to determine initial steering correction 416, steering correction 416 is calculated based on additional information and using other logic.

[0086] At step 430, the steering correction 416 indicates a direction relative to the road obstacle 104 to steer the wheel having the wheel intersection point closest to the collision 208. The steering range of the wheel is determined by discretizing the steering range into small steering angle increments.

[0087] At step 432 , the steering limits 420 are used with the discretized steering range to form a subset of steering angles that range from the current angle to the maximum steering angle in the direction initially determined using the steering correction 416 .

[0088] At step 324 , the subset of steering angles is checked with the nearest wheel intersection and curb information 402 determined at step 428 to determine whether a steering correction would have prevented the collision 208 .

[0089] At step 326 , for each candidate steering angle in the subset, a corrected wheel path is determined that applies the steering angle correction.

[0090] At step 328, it is determined whether the corrected wheel path determined at step 326 prevents collision 208. If collision 208 is not prevented, the next candidate steering angle in the subset is tested to see whether collision 208 is prevented.

[0091] In response to determining at step 328 that the steering angle provides a corrected wheel path to prevent the collision 208, the steering correction 416 is modified to reflect the specific steering angle applied to prevent the nearest wheel from intersecting the road obstacle 104. The vehicle controller 212 uses the steering correction 416 to actively adjust steering control based on the driver input, while further compensating the driver input with the steering correction 416 to prevent the collision 208. Additional Examples

[0092] In the following sections, some additional examples are provided.

[0093] Example 1: A method comprising: detecting a road obstacle having a height relative to a driving surface that is shorter than a height of wheels of the vehicle from a host vehicle moving on a vehicle path; determining whether a collision is predicted to occur between the road obstacle and the host vehicle; determining a steering correction for changing a vehicle direction on the vehicle path to prevent the collision; determining whether the steering correction is within a safety threshold for activating a steering assist function to avoid the road obstacle; and when the steering correction is within the safety threshold, activating a steering assist function to adjust steering control for changing the vehicle direction based on the steering correction.

[0094] Example 2: The method of any preceding example, wherein the steering correction comprises estimating a steering value and a relative steering angle.

[0095] Example 3: The method of any preceding example, wherein when the steering value exceeds a maximum value, the estimated steering value comprises the maximum value of the steering angle.

[0096] Example 4: The method of any of the preceding examples, wherein the steering correction comprises an estimated torque adjustment to the current driver torque, and the method further comprises: before activating the steering assist function, determining whether the estimated torque adjustment to the current driver torque exceeds a maximum torque limit for activating the steering correction.

[0097] Example 5: The method of any preceding example, wherein the method further comprises: activating a steering assist function in response to determining that the estimated torque adjustment does not exceed the maximum torque limit.

[0098] Example 6: The method of any preceding example, wherein the method further comprises: refraining from activating a steering assist function in response to determining that the estimated torque adjustment exceeds the maximum torque limit.

[0099] Example 7: The method of any of the preceding examples, wherein determining a steering correction comprises: determining a wheel closest to a road obstacle; and in response to determining that the nearest wheel is within a wheel threshold for active steering, determining a steering correction for changing a steering angle of the nearest wheel to avoid a collision.

[0100] Example 8: The method of any of the preceding examples, wherein determining a steering correction comprises: determining a wheel intersection point that is closest to a road obstacle; and in response to determining that the nearest wheel intersection point is within a wheel threshold for active steering, determining a steering correction for changing the direction of the nearest wheel intersection point to avoid a collision.

[0101] Example 9: The method of any of the preceding examples, further comprising: determining a curvilinear distance of each predicted wheel intersection point with a road obstacle; and determining the nearest wheel intersection point based on the shortest distance of all determined curvilinear distances.

[0102] Example 10: The method of any of the preceding examples, wherein determining the steering correction comprises: selecting the steering correction based on: whether the nearest wheel or nearest wheel intersection is associated with a front wheel or a rear wheel; and whether the direction of the vehicle is a forward direction or a rearward direction.

[0103] Example 11: A method of any of the preceding examples, wherein determining a steering correction comprises: if a nearest wheel or nearest wheel intersection is associated with a rear wheel moving in a forward or rearward direction or a front wheel moving in a forward direction, selecting a steering correction to steer in a direction opposite to a road obstacle; and if the nearest wheel or nearest wheel intersection is associated with a front wheel moving in a rearward direction, selecting a steering correction to steer toward the road obstacle.

[0104] Example 12: The method of any preceding example, wherein determining a steering correction comprises selecting a steering correction based on a calibrated steering amount or distance and a limit of the steering control.

[0105] Example 13: The method of any preceding example, wherein determining the steering correction comprises selecting the steering correction in response to testing a subset of the plurality of steering corrections to identify one of the plurality of steering corrections that will not result in a collision.

[0106] Example 14: The method of any preceding example, further comprising: forming a subset of the plurality of steering corrections based on discretizing the steering range into a series of potential small angle adjustments that are tested to identify a steering correction that prevents a collision.

[0107] Example 15: The method of any of the preceding examples, further comprising: determining that the steering correction is not within a safety threshold for activating a steering assist function; and applying a brake assist function to apply braking control to slow the speed of the host vehicle until the steering correction is within a safety threshold for activating the steering assist function.

[0108] Example 16: The method of any preceding example, further comprising: refraining from applying a brake assist function in response to activating a steering assist function.

[0109] Example 17: The method of any of the preceding examples, further comprising: determining a vehicle speed at the time of the collision; and determining whether the steering correction is within a safety threshold for activating the steering assist function by determining whether the vehicle speed meets a low speed threshold for activating the steering assist function.

[0110] Example 18: The method of any preceding example, further comprising: determining a vehicle speed at the time of the collision, wherein determining the steering correction is based in part on the vehicle speed, and the safety threshold is set based on the vehicle speed.

[0111] Example 19: The method of any preceding example, wherein the roadway obstruction comprises a fixed portion of a curb that specifies a physical boundary between a driving surface and another driving surface of a pedestrian path, an unpaved area, or another vehicle path or lane.

[0112] Example 20: The method of any preceding example, wherein the road obstacle is shorter than the ground clearance or the vehicle bumper.

[0113] Example 21: A system comprising a device configured to perform the method of any of the preceding examples.

[0114] Example 22: A system comprising at least one processor configured to execute the method of any of the preceding examples.

[0115] Example 23: A system comprising means for performing the method of any of the preceding examples.

[0116] Example 24: A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause at least one processor to perform any of the methods in the preceding examples. Conclusion

[0117] Although various embodiments of the present disclosure are described in the foregoing description and shown in the accompanying drawings, it should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited thereto, but can be implemented in various ways within the scope of the following claims. From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that various changes can be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure defined by the following claims.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause at least one processor to: detecting, from a host vehicle moving in a vehicle path, a road obstacle having a height relative to a driving surface that is shorter than a height of a wheel of the vehicle; determining whether a collision is predicted to occur between the road obstacle and the host vehicle; determining a steering correction for changing the direction of the vehicle in the path of the vehicle to prevent the collision; determining whether the steering correction is within a safety threshold for activating a steering assist function to avoid the road obstacle; as well as When the steering correction is within the safety threshold, the steering assist function is activated to adjust steering control that changes the direction of the vehicle based on the steering correction.

2. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, It is characterized in that The steering correction includes an estimated steering value and a relative steering angle.

3. The computer readable medium of claim 2, It is characterized in that When the steering value exceeds a maximum value, the estimated steering value includes the maximum value of the steering angle.

4. The computer readable medium of claim 1, Features: The steering correction comprises an estimated torque adjustment to current driver torque; and When executed, the instructions further cause the processor to determine, prior to activating the steering assist function, whether the estimated torque adjustment to the current driver torque exceeds a maximum torque limit for activating the steering assist function.

5. The computer readable medium of claim 4, It is characterized in that When the instructions are executed, the processor is further configured to: The steering assist function is activated in response to determining that the estimated torque adjustment does not exceed the maximum torque limit.

6. The computer readable medium of claim 4, It is characterized in that When the instructions are executed, the processor is further configured to: Activating the steering assist function is avoided in response to determining that the estimated torque adjustment exceeds the maximum torque limit.

7. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, It is characterized in that The instructions, when executed, cause the processor to determine the steering correction for changing the vehicle direction on the vehicle path to prevent the collision by at least: determining the wheel closest to the road obstacle; as well as In response to determining that the proximate wheel is within a wheel threshold for active steering, the steering correction is determined for changing a steering angle of the proximate wheel to avoid the collision.

8. The computer readable medium of claim 1, It is characterized in that The instructions, when executed, cause the processor to determine the steering correction for changing the vehicle direction on the vehicle path to prevent the collision by at least: determining a wheel intersection point closest to the road obstacle; as well as In response to determining that the nearest wheel intersection is within a wheel threshold for active steering, the steering correction is determined to change the direction of the nearest wheel intersection to avoid the collision.

9. The computer readable medium of claim 8, It is characterized in that When the instructions are executed, the processor is further configured to: determining a curvilinear distance from each predicted wheel intersection point of the roadway obstacle; and The closest wheel intersection point is determined based on the shortest distance among all determined curve distances.

10. The computer readable medium of claim 1, It is characterized in that When executed, the instructions cause the processor to determine the steering correction by at least: The steering correction is selected based on the following factors: whether the nearest wheel or nearest wheel intersection is associated with a front wheel or a rear wheel; and The direction of the vehicle is forward or backward.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 1, It is characterized in that When executed, the instructions cause the processor to determine the steering correction by at least: selecting the steering correction to steer in a direction opposite to the road obstacle if the nearest wheel or nearest wheel intersection is associated with a rear wheel moving in a forward or rearward direction or a front wheel moving in the forward direction; If the nearest wheel or the nearest wheel intersection is associated with the front wheel moving in the rearward direction, the steering correction is selected to steer toward the road obstacle.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 1, It is characterized in that The instructions, when executed, cause the processor to determine the determined steering correction by selecting the steering correction based on a calibrated steering amount or distance and a limit of the steering control.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 1, It is characterized in that The instructions, when executed, cause the processor to determine the steering correction by selecting the steering correction in response to testing a subset of a plurality of steering corrections to identify a steering correction of the plurality of steering corrections that will not result in a collision.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 13, It is characterized in that When the instructions are executed, the processor is further configured to: A subset of a plurality of steering corrections is formed based on discretizing the steering range into a series of potential small angle adjustments that are tested to identify the steering correction that prevents the collision.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 1, It is characterized in that When the instructions are executed, the processor is further configured to: determining that the steering correction is not within the safety threshold for activating the steering assist function; and A brake assist function is applied to apply brake control to slow the host vehicle until the steering correction is within the safety threshold for activating a steering assist function.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 1, It is characterized in that When the instructions are executed, the processor is further configured to: Application of a brake assist function is avoided in response to activating the steering assist function.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 1, It is characterized in that When the instructions are executed, the processor is further configured to: determining a vehicle speed at the time of said collision; and Whether the steering correction is within the safety threshold for activating the steering assist function is determined by determining whether the vehicle speed meets a low speed threshold for activating the steering assist function.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 1, Features: The instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to determine a vehicle speed at the time of the collision; The steering correction is determined based in part on the vehicle speed; and The safety threshold is set based on the vehicle speed.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 1, It is characterized in that The roadway obstacle includes a fixed portion of a curb that specifies a physical boundary between the driving surface and another driving surface of a pedestrian path, an unpaved area, or another vehicle path or lane.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 1, It is characterized in that The road obstacle is shorter than the ground clearance or the vehicle bumper.

Images