External sensor systems and vehicles

Abstract

This disclosure provides an external sensor system and a vehicle. The external sensor system includes a roof sensor module disposed on and coupled to the roof of the vehicle, comprising a first set of sensors; a pair of front side sensor modules disposed on opposite sides of the vehicle perpendicular to the direction of travel, comprising a second set of sensors; a front-end sensor module disposed in front of the vehicle along the direction of travel and coupled to the front bumper, comprising a third set of sensors; and a rear-end sensor module disposed behind the vehicle along the direction of travel and coupled to the rear bumper, comprising a fourth set of sensors. This enriches the environmental data collected by the vehicle and reduces sensor blind spots.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The exemplary embodiments disclosed herein generally relate to the field of vehicles, and particularly to external sensor systems and vehicles. Background Technology

[0002] With the development of automotive intelligence and autonomous driving technologies, vehicles need to be equipped with more and more sensors to perceive their surroundings. These sensors include LiDAR, millimeter-wave radar, cameras, microphones, etc., and they need to be rationally arranged in various positions on the vehicle to achieve comprehensive and accurate perception of the vehicle's surroundings, providing reliable data input for the autonomous driving system. Utility Model Content

[0003] In a first aspect of this disclosure, an external vehicle sensor system is provided. The external vehicle sensor system includes: a roof sensor module disposed on and coupled to the roof of the vehicle, the roof sensor module including a first set of sensors to acquire first environmental data around the vehicle; a pair of front side sensor modules disposed on opposite sides of the vehicle perpendicular to the direction of travel and above the front wheels of the vehicle, each front side sensor module including a second set of sensors to acquire second environmental data for the corresponding side of the vehicle; a front-end sensor module disposed in front of the vehicle along the direction of travel and coupled to the front bumper of the vehicle, the front-end sensor including a third set of sensors to acquire third environmental data in front of the vehicle in the direction of travel; and a rear-end sensor module disposed behind the vehicle along the direction of travel and coupled to the rear bumper of the vehicle, the rear-end sensor including a fourth set of sensors to acquire fourth environmental data behind the vehicle in the direction of travel.

[0004] In some embodiments, the external sensor system further includes a controller disposed inside the vehicle and coupled to a roof sensor module, a front side sensor module, a front end sensor module, and a rear end sensor module via a wiring harness to acquire and process environmental data of the vehicle.

[0005] In some embodiments, the controller includes at least one of a monitoring and computing module, an inertial measurement module, a body controller module, an autonomous driving data storage system, and a gateway controller.

[0006] In some embodiments, the first set of sensors includes at least one of a main lidar, an infrared camera, a mid-range camera, and a microphone.

[0007] In some embodiments, the first set of sensors includes: four main lidars, respectively arranged facing the front, rear, and sides of the vehicle's direction of travel, and the fields of view of the four main lidars at least partially overlap; an infrared camera, arranged in front of the vehicle's direction of travel and close to the main lidars facing the front of the direction of travel; a mid-range camera, including two pairs of side mid-range cameras and one rear mid-range camera, the two pairs of side mid-range cameras being arranged on both sides of the vehicle perpendicular to the direction of travel, and the rear mid-range camera being arranged behind the vehicle along the direction of travel; and a pair of microphones, respectively arranged in front of and behind the vehicle along the direction of travel, to collect external sound information.

[0008] In some embodiments, the second set of sensors includes: a 4D millimeter-wave radar facing the corresponding side of the vehicle; a pair of short-range millimeter-wave radars arranged on either side of the 4D millimeter-wave radar along the direction of travel; and a side-facing camera facing the corresponding side of the vehicle and adapted to acquire visual images of the vehicle's side, wherein the field of view of the short-range millimeter-wave radar arranged in front of the side-facing camera is tilted forward, and the field of view of the short-range millimeter-wave radar arranged behind the side-facing camera is tilted backward.

[0009] In some embodiments, the front side sensor module further includes: a front side sensor bracket coupled to the front longitudinal beam of the vehicle and adapted to carry a second set of sensors; and a front side sensor housing coupled to the front side sensor bracket and covering the outside of the second set of sensors to provide protection for the second set of sensors.

[0010] In some embodiments, the front sensor bracket includes: a coupling portion fixedly coupled to a front longitudinal beam; a planar portion coupled to the coupling portion and arranged parallel to the front longitudinal beam, the planar portion facing the side of the vehicle, adapted to carry a second set of 4D millimeter-wave radar sensors; and a protrusion arranged in the height direction with the planar portion and protruding in the width direction perpendicular to the direction of travel to carry a pair of short-range millimeter-wave radars and a side camera.

[0011] In some embodiments, a pair of short-range millimeter-wave radars and a side camera are coupled to a protrusion of the front sensor bracket along an arrangement direction parallel to the direction of travel, and the side camera is arranged between the pair of short-range millimeter-wave radars.

[0012] In some embodiments, the third group of sensors includes at least one of a forward-facing camera, a short-range millimeter-wave radar, a 4D millimeter-wave radar, and a long-range millimeter-wave radar.

[0013] In some embodiments, the fourth group of sensors includes at least one of a rear-facing camera, a short-range millimeter-wave radar, a 4D millimeter-wave radar, and an angular millimeter-wave radar.

[0014] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, an external sensor system is provided, in which corresponding sensor modules are arranged at multiple key locations on the vehicle. These sensor modules can collect environmental information at the corresponding locations on the vehicle. This enriches the collected environmental data and reduces sensor blind spots.

[0015] In a second aspect of this disclosure, a vehicle is provided. The vehicle includes an external sensor system according to a first aspect of this disclosure.

[0016] It should be understood that the content described in this content section is not intended to limit the key or essential features of the embodiments of this disclosure, nor is it intended to restrict the scope of this disclosure. Other features of this disclosure will become readily apparent from the following description. Attached Figure Description

[0017] The above and other features, advantages, and aspects of the embodiments of this disclosure will become more apparent from the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description. In the drawings, the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements, wherein:

[0018] Figure 1 A top view of a vehicle according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown;

[0019] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a controller according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown;

[0020] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a roof sensor module according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown;

[0021] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the structure of a front-side sensor module according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown;

[0022] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the internal structure of a front-side sensor module according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown;

[0023] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the side structure of a vehicle according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown; and

[0024] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the internal structure of a front sensor module according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0025] Embodiments of this disclosure will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. While some embodiments of this disclosure are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that this disclosure can be implemented in various forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to provide a more thorough and complete understanding of this disclosure. It should be understood that the accompanying drawings and embodiments of this disclosure are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this disclosure.

[0026] It should be noted that the headings of any section / subsection provided herein are not limiting. Various embodiments are described throughout this document, and embodiments of any type may be included under any section / subsection. Furthermore, embodiments described in any section / subsection may be combined in any way with any other embodiments described in the same section / subsection and / or different sections / subsections.

[0027] In the description of embodiments of this disclosure, the term "comprising" and similar terms should be understood as open-ended inclusion, i.e., "including but not limited to". The term "based on" should be understood as "at least partially based on". The term "one embodiment" or "the embodiment" should be understood as "at least one embodiment". The term "some embodiments" should be understood as "at least some embodiments". Other explicit and implicit definitions may also be included below. The terms "first", "second", etc., may refer to different or the same objects. Other explicit and implicit definitions may also be included below.

[0028] For ease of understanding, some terms used in this disclosure may have the following exemplary meanings, but are not limited thereto. These definitions are intended to provide a clearer explanation in the context of the embodiments of this disclosure.

[0029] In the context of this disclosure, long-range millimeter-wave radar generally refers to radar sensors primarily used for long-range detection. For example, its effective detection range is typically between 30 and 250 meters, it has a narrow field of view, focuses on distant targets in front of or behind the vehicle, and is mainly used to support advanced driver assistance functions such as adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, and automatic emergency braking.

[0030] In the context of this disclosure, short-range millimeter-wave radar generally refers to radar sensors primarily used for near-field, wide-angle detection. For example, its effective detection range is typically between 0.2 meters and 50 meters, with a wide field of view, used to detect nearby obstacles around a vehicle. Typical applications include blind spot monitoring, lane change assist, rear cross traffic alert, door opening warning, and parking assist.

[0031] In the context of this disclosure, a mid-range camera typically refers to a camera with a balanced field of view and detection range, serving as the primary sensor for various visual perception functions. For example, its effective detection and recognition range for larger targets such as vehicles is typically between 20 and 150 meters. It is used not only to identify traffic participants such as vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists, but also for lane detection, traffic sign recognition, and other functions, providing crucial visual input for lane keeping assist and traffic sign recognition.

[0032] As briefly mentioned earlier, with the continuous development of automotive intelligence and autonomous driving technologies, the scope and types of environmental data that vehicles need to collect are also constantly increasing. Traditional vehicle sensor layouts often cannot completely cover all areas around the vehicle, especially in lateral and complex intersection environments. Significant blind spots exist in the front and rear sides of the vehicle.

[0033] Some vehicles use a solution that places a large 360-degree rotating lidar on the roof. While this solution has a wide sensing range, it is costly, bulky, affects the vehicle's aesthetics, and may cause significant wind resistance and noise.

[0034] This disclosure provides an external vehicle sensor system and a vehicle to solve, or at least partially solve, the aforementioned problems or other potential problems existing in the conventional technology. According to some embodiments of the external vehicle sensor system provided in this disclosure, by arranging corresponding sensor modules at multiple key locations on the vehicle, these sensor modules can collect environmental information at the corresponding locations on the vehicle. This enriches the collected environmental data and reduces sensor blind spots.

[0035] Specifically, this can be achieved by placing roof-mounted sensor modules on the top of the vehicle, front-side sensor modules on the two sides closest to the front of the vehicle, a front-end sensor module at the front of the vehicle, and a rear-end sensor module at the rear of the vehicle. These sensor modules, with their multiple sensors, can provide real-time, comprehensive monitoring of the vehicle's surroundings. This allows the vehicle's internal controllers to more accurately determine the surrounding environment, thereby enabling more precise judgments for assisted or autonomous driving systems.

[0036] Figure 1 A top view of a vehicle according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 1As shown, the external sensor system is arranged in multiple locations on the vehicle, generally including a roof sensor module 1 located on the roof, a pair of front side sensor modules 2 located on opposite sides of the vehicle perpendicular to the direction of travel, a front-end sensor module 3 located in front of the vehicle along the direction of travel, and a rear-end sensor module 4 located behind the vehicle along the direction of travel. The roof sensor module 1, front side sensor modules 2, front-end sensor module 3, and rear-end sensor module 4 can be arbitrarily combined in the following text and are collectively referred to as a sensor module or multiple sensor modules.

[0037] The roof sensor module 1 includes a first set of sensors, which can collect first environmental data around the vehicle at the highest position of the vehicle.

[0038] The front side sensors are positioned above the front wheels of the vehicle. Due to the presence of structures such as the rearview mirrors and front pillars (also known as A-pillars), there is a blind spot for the roof sensors on the front side of the vehicle. Therefore, the second set of sensors inside the front side sensor module 2 can be used to acquire at least the second environmental data of the vehicle's front side.

[0039] The front-end sensor module 3 includes a third set of sensors. Since the front-end sensor module 3 is positioned at the front of the vehicle, it has the best field of view in the direction of travel. Therefore, the third set of sensors can be used to acquire third-dimensional environmental data in front of the vehicle. In addition, the third set of sensors can also be used to compensate for the blind spots of the roof sensor module 1 at close range in front of the vehicle.

[0040] The rear-end sensor module 4 includes a fourth set of sensors. Similar to the third set of sensors in the front-end sensor module 3, the fourth set of sensors can be used to acquire fourth environmental data behind the vehicle in the direction of travel. Simultaneously, the fourth set of sensors can also be used to compensate for the blind spot of the roof sensor module 1 at close range behind the vehicle.

[0041] The following section will provide a more detailed explanation of the multiple sensor modules located throughout the vehicle.

[0042] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a controller according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 2 As shown, in some embodiments, the external sensor system also includes a controller 5. The controller 5 is located inside the vehicle and is coupled to the aforementioned roof sensor module 1, front side sensor module 2, front end sensor module 3, and rear end sensor module 4 via wiring harnesses. Environmental data acquired by these sensor modules can be sent to the controller 5 for processing and calculation.

[0043] In some embodiments, the controller 5 includes a supervisory control and computing unit 51. The supervisory control and computing unit 51 is a highly integrated computing platform. Environmental data (including raw data and / or pre-processed data) collected from sensor modules at various locations within the vehicle can be aggregated into the supervisory control and computing unit 51 for deep fusion, environmental modeling, behavioral decision-making, and path planning. In some embodiments, the supervisory control and computing unit 51 may be positioned near the trunk of the vehicle. The supervisory control and computing unit may extend multiple wiring harnesses and couple with interfaces of multiple sensor modules.

[0044] In some embodiments, the controller 5 further includes an inertial measurement unit (IMU) 52, which is mounted near the vehicle's geometric center, such as under the front passenger seat. The IMU 52 can provide information on the vehicle's attitude (roll, pitch, yaw), angular velocity, and acceleration. This is crucial for accurate vehicle positioning, motion state estimation, and coordinate system transformation and dynamic compensation of sensor data. Mounting it at the geometric center provides more stable and representative vehicle dynamic parameters.

[0045] In some embodiments, the controller 5 further includes a body controller module 53. The body controller module 53 is responsible for control functions related to the body domain and interacts with the autonomous driving system.

[0046] In some embodiments, the controller 5 also includes an autonomous driving data storage system 54 located at the front of the vehicle. This system records critical data (sensor data, control commands, system status, etc.) during the operation of the autonomous driving system, which is of great significance for system development, testing and verification, and accident tracing.

[0047] In some embodiments, controller 5 further includes gateway controller 55, disposed at the front of the vehicle. It is responsible for enabling information interaction between the vehicle and its external environment, including vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V), vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I), and vehicle-to-network (V2N) communication, and is a key component for achieving higher levels of cooperative autonomous driving.

[0048] It should be understood that the controller 5 may also include any other suitable modules or chips with computing, processing or communication capabilities, and this disclosure does not limit this.

[0049] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a roof-mounted sensor module according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 3As shown, the roof sensor module 1 includes a front housing 11 and a rear housing 12 coupled to the roof. The front housing 11 and the rear housing 12 are arranged along the vehicle's direction of travel. The front housing 11 and the rear housing 12 are symmetrical to each other and each forms a general C-shape. A first set of sensors is installed in the front housing 11 and the rear housing 12 to acquire first environmental data in the circumferential direction of the vehicle body. In some embodiments, the first set of sensors includes four main LiDARs. The four main LiDARs are divided into a forward-facing main LiDAR 13, a pair of side-facing main LiDARs 14, and a rearward-facing main LiDAR 15 according to their installation positions. The forward-facing main LiDAR 13 and the pair of side-facing main LiDARs 14 are installed in the front housing 11. The forward-facing main LiDAR 13 is located in the middle of the front housing 11 and is arranged facing forward in the direction of travel. The pair of side-facing main LiDARs 14 are located at both ends of the front housing 11 in the width direction and are arranged facing the sides of the vehicle perpendicular to the direction of travel. The rearward-facing main LiDAR 15 is arranged in the middle of the rear housing 12 and faces rearward in the direction of travel. The four main lidars can acquire environmental data of the vehicle in four directions.

[0050] In some embodiments, the first set of sensors further includes an infrared camera 16. The infrared camera 16 is arranged in the center of the front housing 11 and faces the direction of travel of the vehicle. The infrared camera 16 can be arranged close to the forward-facing main lidar 13 to enhance the vehicle's target recognition capability in low visibility or adverse weather conditions such as night, rain, snow, fog, and haze, and is an effective supplement to the visible light camera.

[0051] In some embodiments, the first set of sensors further includes a plurality of mid-range cameras. The plurality of mid-range cameras can be divided into two pairs of side-facing mid-range cameras 17 and a rear-facing mid-range camera 18 according to their installation positions. The two pairs of side-facing mid-range cameras 17 are respectively arranged within the front housing 11 and face the sides of the vehicle. The rear-facing mid-range camera 18 is arranged within the rear housing 12 and faces the rear in the direction of vehicle travel. The rear-facing mid-range camera 18 can be arranged close to the rear-facing main LiDAR 15, for example, the rear-facing mid-range camera 18 can be arranged directly above the rear-facing main LiDAR 15.

[0052] In some embodiments, each pair of lateral mid-range cameras 17 are located on either side of the lateral main LiDAR 14 along an arrangement direction parallel to the direction of travel, and the field of view of a pair of lateral mid-range cameras 17 partially overlaps. Furthermore, the field of view of the lateral mid-range camera 17 positioned in front of the lateral main LiDAR 14 is tilted forward in the direction of vehicle travel, while the field of view of the lateral mid-range camera 17 positioned behind the lateral main LiDAR 14 is tilted backward in the direction of vehicle travel. In this manner, a larger side view of the vehicle can be obtained. The image information acquired by the lateral mid-range cameras 17 can supplement the environmental data collected by the main LiDAR. By fusing the environmental data from the main LiDAR and the image data from the cameras, the accuracy and comprehensiveness of vehicle environment detection can be improved.

[0053] In some embodiments, the first set of sensors may further include a pair of microphones 19, which are respectively arranged in the front housing 11 and the rear housing 12 and face the front and rear of the vehicle respectively, to collect external sound information.

[0054] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the structure of a front-side sensor module according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the internal structure of a front-side sensor module according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. For example... Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the second set of sensors in the front side sensor module 2 includes at least one of a 4D millimeter-wave radar 22, a short-range millimeter-wave radar 23, and a side camera 24.

[0055] In some embodiments, the front side sensor module 2 includes a front side sensor bracket 21 and a front side sensor housing covering the outside of the front side sensor bracket 21. The front side sensor bracket 21 is disposed above the front wheels of the vehicle. In some embodiments, the front side sensor bracket 21 may be mounted inside the front fender of the vehicle. Distributing the front side sensor module inside the fender above the front wheels not only effectively utilizes the vehicle's interior space but also allows for precise detection of critical blind spots located at the front side of the vehicle, while being protected by the fender from road debris and minor scrapes. The front side sensor bracket 21 is coupled to the front longitudinal beam and serves to support and secure a second set of sensors. The front side sensor housing is snapped onto the side of the front side sensor bracket 21, and a mounting space for accommodating the second set of sensors is formed between the front side sensor bracket 21 and the front side sensor housing. In some embodiments, the front side sensor housing may be part of the fender. The detection signals from the second set of sensors can penetrate the front side sensor housing and sense environmental information near the front wheels of the vehicle.

[0056] In some embodiments, the front sensor bracket 21 includes a coupling portion 211 and a planar portion 212 and a protrusion 213 respectively formed on the coupling portion 211. The coupling portion 211 is fixedly coupled to the front longitudinal beam. In some embodiments, the coupling portion 211 may be connected to the front longitudinal beam by bolts, rivets, etc.; in some other embodiments, the coupling portion 211 may also be fixed to the front longitudinal beam by welding. The planar portion 212 is arranged parallel to the front longitudinal beam. The planar portion 212 is adapted to carry a second set of sensors, namely a 4D millimeter-wave radar 22, so that the 4D millimeter-wave radar 22 can collect environmental data of the front side of the vehicle. The protrusion 213 is arranged in the height direction with respect to the planar portion 212. In some embodiments, the protrusion 213 may be arranged below the planar portion 212. The protrusion 213 protrudes in the width direction perpendicular to the direction of travel of the vehicle and is adapted to carry a pair of short-range millimeter-wave radars 23 and a side camera 24 of the second set of sensors.

[0057] The second set of sensors mentioned above, the 4D millimeter-wave radar 22, is arranged to the side of the vehicle and can acquire accurate distance, speed, azimuth, and altitude information. It can effectively identify vehicles, pedestrians, and other targets approaching or moving away from the side and has good resistance to adverse weather conditions. The 4D millimeter-wave radar 22 can detect the environmental conditions around the vehicle's front wheels, which helps reduce blind spots and allows the vehicle to perform lane changes or steering maneuvers. Since the installation environment for the 4D millimeter-wave radar 22 requires a certain degree of flatness, the flat portion 212 of the front sensor bracket 21 provides a good installation environment for the 4D millimeter-wave radar 22, ensuring its stable operation.

[0058] A side-facing camera 24 and a pair of short-range millimeter-wave radars 23 are coupled to a protrusion 213 on the front side sensor bracket 21. The side-facing camera 24 and the pair of short-range millimeter-wave radars 23 are arranged in a direction parallel to the direction of travel, with the side-facing camera 24 positioned between the pair of short-range millimeter-wave radars 23. The field of view of the short-range millimeter-wave radar 23 positioned in front of the side-facing camera 24 is tilted forward in the direction of travel, while the field of view of the short-range millimeter-wave radar 23 positioned behind the side-facing camera 24 is tilted backward. Furthermore, the fields of view of the pair of short-range millimeter-wave radars 23 can partially overlap. In this way, by fusing the data from the pair of short-range millimeter-wave radars 23 and the side-facing camera 24, more comprehensive environmental data at the front side of the vehicle can be obtained. The protrusion 213 provides a mounting base for the pair of short-range millimeter-wave radars 23 and the side-facing camera 24, improving the stability of the second set of sensors.

[0059] By integrating a 4D millimeter-wave radar with complementary fields of view, a pair of tilted short-range millimeter-wave radars, and a side camera into a single module, it is possible to achieve multi-dimensional, all-weather perception fusion of distance, speed, angle, and visual image of the area in front of the vehicle. This is something that a single type of sensor cannot achieve, thus significantly improving safety in complex scenarios such as turning at urban intersections and changing lanes at high speeds.

[0060] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the side structure of a vehicle according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the internal structure of a front sensor module according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. For example... Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, in some embodiments, the third set of sensors includes at least one of a forward-facing camera 32, a short-range millimeter-wave radar, a 4D millimeter-wave radar, and a long-range millimeter-wave radar. In some embodiments, the front-end sensor module 3 further includes a front-end sensor bracket 31. The front-end sensor bracket 31 is arranged in front of the vehicle along the direction of travel, and the front-end sensor bracket 31 can be coupled to the front bumper of the vehicle. In some embodiments, the front-end sensor bracket 31 can be fixedly connected to the front bumper by bolts, rivets, or other means. In some other embodiments, the front-end sensor bracket 31 can also be fixedly connected to the front bumper by welding. The third set of sensors is coupled to the front-end sensor bracket 31 and is provided with stable support by the front-end sensor bracket 31.

[0061] The third group of sensors has cameras positioned forward in the direction of travel, providing primary forward visual information for identifying vehicles, pedestrians, lane markings, traffic lights, etc. Short-range millimeter-wave radar detects obstacles at close range directly in front of the vehicle, supporting collision avoidance systems in low-speed driving, parking, or congested conditions. 4D millimeter-wave radar provides richer four-dimensional information (distance, speed, horizontal angle, vertical angle / height), which helps to more accurately identify and track targets ahead, distinguishing objects at different heights (such as bridges and large vehicles). Forward-facing millimeter-wave radar detects vehicles ahead at long distances, supporting functions such as adaptive cruise control (ACC), forward collision warning (FCW), and automatic emergency braking (AEB).

[0062] In some embodiments, the front-end sensor module 3 may further include a decorative panel that covers the front of the third set of sensors, and the decorative panel may match the shape and appearance of the vehicle's front bumper. The material of the decorative panel may be selected as a type with low electromagnetic wave loss to reduce radar signal loss.

[0063] In some embodiments, the fourth set of sensors includes at least one of a rear-facing camera, a short-range millimeter-wave radar, a 4D millimeter-wave radar, and an angular millimeter-wave radar. In some embodiments, the rear-end sensor module 4 further includes a rear-end sensor bracket. The rear-end sensor bracket is disposed behind the vehicle along the direction of travel and is fixedly coupled to the rear bumper of the vehicle.

[0064] The fourth group of sensors, with cameras facing the rear of the vehicle, provides a rear view image for reversing assistance and rear obstacle detection. Short-range millimeter-wave radar can detect nearby obstacles directly behind the vehicle, providing accurate feedback on the rear environment while reversing. 4D millimeter-wave radar is suitable for providing more precise target information from behind, helping to identify rapidly approaching vehicles or obstacles in complex scenarios. Angular millimeter-wave radars are symmetrically distributed on both sides of the rear bumper. These radars are primarily used to detect blind spots on the sides and rear of the vehicle, supporting functions such as Blind Spot Detection (BSD), Lane Change Assist (LCA), and Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA).

[0065] In summary, this disclosure, through a modular and distributed sensor layout on the roof, front side, front end, and rear end, achieves 360-degree coverage of the entire vehicle without blind spots, compared to traditional sensor solutions or single top rotating radar solutions, with lower cost and less modification to the vehicle's exterior. In particular, it effectively solves the problem of blind spots on the sides and front caused by the A-pillar and rearview mirrors. Furthermore, through the fusion of multi-source sensors, it significantly improves the redundancy and reliability of perception, providing a solid data foundation for high-level autonomous driving.

[0066] Various implementations of this disclosure have been described above. The foregoing description is exemplary and not exhaustive, nor is it limited to the disclosed implementations. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described implementations. The terminology used herein is chosen to best explain the principles, practical applications, or improvements to technology in the market, or to enable others skilled in the art to understand the various implementations disclosed herein.

Claims

1. An external sensor system for vehicles, characterized in that, include: A roof sensor module (1) is arranged on the roof of the vehicle and coupled to the roof of the vehicle. The roof sensor module (1) includes a first set of sensors to acquire first environmental data around the vehicle. A pair of front side sensor modules (2) are respectively arranged on both sides of the vehicle perpendicular to the direction of travel and located above the front wheels of the vehicle. Each of the pair of front side sensor modules (2) includes a second set of sensors to obtain second environmental data of the corresponding side of the vehicle. A front-end sensor module (3) is arranged in front of the vehicle along the direction of travel and coupled to the front bumper of the vehicle. The front-end sensor includes a third set of sensors to acquire third environmental data of the vehicle in front of the direction of travel. as well as A rear-end sensor module (4) is arranged behind the vehicle along the direction of travel and coupled to the rear bumper of the vehicle. The rear-end sensor includes a fourth set of sensors to acquire fourth environmental data of the vehicle behind the vehicle in the direction of travel.

2. The out-of-vehicle sensor system of claim 1, wherein, Also includes: The controller (5) is located inside the vehicle and is coupled to the roof sensor module (1), the front side sensor module (2), the front end sensor module (3), and the rear end sensor module (4) via wiring harnesses to acquire and process environmental data of the vehicle.

3. The out-of-vehicle sensor system of claim 2, wherein, The controller (5) includes at least one of the following: a monitoring and computing module (51), an inertial measurement module (52), a body controller module (53), an autonomous driving data storage system (54), and a gateway controller (55).

4. The outside vehicle sensor system according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The first set of sensors includes at least one of the following: a main lidar, an infrared camera (16), a mid-range camera, and a microphone (19).

5. The out-of-vehicle sensor system of claim 4, wherein, The first set of sensors includes: Four main lidars are respectively arranged facing the front, rear and sides of the vehicle's direction of travel, and the field of view of the four main lidars at least partially overlap. An infrared camera (16) is arranged in front of the vehicle in the direction of travel and close to the main lidar facing the direction of travel. The mid-range camera includes two pairs of side mid-range cameras (17) and one rear mid-range camera (18). The two pairs of side mid-range cameras (17) are respectively arranged on both sides of the vehicle perpendicular to the direction of travel, and the rear mid-range camera (18) is arranged behind the vehicle along the direction of travel. A pair of microphones (19) are positioned at the front and rear of the vehicle along the direction of travel to collect external sound information.

6. The outside vehicle sensor system according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The second set of sensors includes: 4D millimeter-wave radar (22) facing the corresponding side of the vehicle; A pair of short-range millimeter-wave radars (23) are arranged on either side of the 4D millimeter-wave radar (22) along the direction of travel; and A side-facing camera (24) is oriented toward the corresponding side of the vehicle and is adapted to capture a visual image of the vehicle's side. The field of view of the short-range millimeter-wave radar (23) positioned in front of the side camera (24) is tilted forward, and the field of view of the short-range millimeter-wave radar (23) positioned behind the side camera (24) is tilted backward.

7. The vehicle exterior sensor system according to claim 6, wherein the front side sensor module (2) further comprises: A front-side sensor bracket (21) is coupled to the front longitudinal beam of the vehicle and is adapted to carry the second set of sensors; as well as The front sensor housing is coupled to the front sensor bracket (21) and covers the outside of the second set of sensors to provide protection for the second set of sensors.

8. The out-of-vehicle sensor system of claim 7, wherein, The front sensor bracket (21) includes: The coupling part (211) is fixedly coupled to the front longitudinal beam; A planar portion (212), coupled to the coupling portion (211) and arranged parallel to the front longitudinal beam, the planar portion (212) facing the side of the vehicle, is adapted to carry the 4D millimeter-wave radar (22) of the second set of sensors; and The protrusion (213) is arranged in the height direction along with the planar portion (212) and protrudes in the width direction perpendicular to the direction of travel to carry the pair of short-range millimeter-wave radars (23) and the side camera (24).

9. The out-of-vehicle sensor system of claim 8, wherein, The pair of short-range millimeter-wave radars (23) and the side camera (24) are coupled to the protrusion (213) of the front side sensor bracket (21) in an arrangement direction parallel to the direction of travel, and the side camera (24) is arranged between the pair of short-range millimeter-wave radars (23).

10. The outside vehicle sensor system according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The third group of sensors includes at least one of a forward-facing camera (32), a short-range millimeter-wave radar, a 4D millimeter-wave radar, and a long-range millimeter-wave radar.

11. The outside vehicle sensor system according to any one of claims 1-3, wherein, The fourth group of sensors includes at least one of the following: a rear-facing camera, a short-range millimeter-wave radar, a 4D millimeter-wave radar, and an angular millimeter-wave radar.

12. A vehicle characterized by comprising: include; The vehicle exterior sensor system according to any one of claims 1-11.

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