External sensor system and vehicle

Abstract

To provide an outside sensor system and a vehicle that can enrich environmental data collected by a vehicle and reduce blind spots of sensors. [Solution] The external sensor system comprises a roof sensor module 1 arranged on the roof of the vehicle and connected to the roof of the vehicle, the roof sensor module including a first set of sensors; a pair of front side sensor modules 2 arranged on both sides perpendicular to the vehicle's direction of travel and including a second set of sensors; a front end sensor module 3 arranged in front of the vehicle's direction of travel and connected to the vehicle's front bumper, the front end sensor module including a third set of sensors; and a rear end sensor module 4 arranged behind the vehicle's direction of travel and connected to the vehicle's rear bumper, the rear end sensor module including a fourth set of sensors.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] FIELD Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to the field of vehicles, and more particularly to exterior sensor systems and vehicles. [Background technology]

[0002] With the development of intelligent automobiles and autonomous driving technology, vehicles need to be equipped with an increasing number of sensors to sense the surrounding environment. These sensors include laser radar, millimeter-wave radar, cameras, microphones, etc., which are rationally arranged in various positions on the vehicle body to achieve comprehensive and accurate sensing of the vehicle's surrounding environment and provide reliable data input for autonomous driving systems. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In a first aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an exterior sensor system including: a roof sensor module disposed on a roof portion of a vehicle and coupled to the vehicle roof portion, the roof sensor module including a first set of sensors for acquiring first environmental data around the vehicle; a pair of front side sensor modules disposed on opposite sides perpendicular to a traveling direction of the vehicle, positioned above the front wheels of the vehicle, each front side sensor module including a second set of sensors for acquiring second environmental data for a corresponding side of the vehicle; a front end sensor module disposed forward in the traveling direction of the vehicle and coupled to a front bumper of the vehicle, the front end sensor module including a third set of sensors for acquiring third environmental data ahead of the traveling direction of the vehicle; and a rear end sensor module disposed rearward in the traveling direction of the vehicle and coupled to a rear bumper of the vehicle, the rear end sensor module including a fourth set of sensors for acquiring fourth environmental data behind the traveling direction of the vehicle.

[0004] In some embodiments, the exterior sensor system further comprises a controller disposed inside the vehicle and coupled via harnesses to the roof sensor module, the front side sensor module, the front end sensor module, and the rear end sensor module to acquire and process environmental data for the vehicle.

[0005] In some embodiments, the controller comprises at least one of a monitoring and computation 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 comprises at least one of a main laser radar, a far-infrared camera, a mid-range camera, and a microphone.

[0007] In some embodiments, the first set of sensors includes four main laser radars, each arranged to face forward, backward, and on both sides of the vehicle's direction of travel, with the field of view of the four main laser radars at least partially overlapping; a far-infrared camera arranged forward of the vehicle's direction of travel and adjacent to the main laser radar facing forward in the direction of travel; a mid-range camera including two pairs of side mid-range cameras arranged on both sides perpendicular to the vehicle's direction of travel and one rear mid-range camera arranged rearward in the direction of travel of the vehicle; and a pair of microphones arranged forward and rearward in the direction of travel of the vehicle for collecting audio information outside the vehicle.

[0008] In some embodiments, the second set of sensors comprises a 4D millimeter wave radar facing a corresponding side of the vehicle, a pair of short-range millimeter wave radars positioned on either side of the 4D millimeter wave radar along the direction of travel, and a side camera facing the corresponding side of the vehicle and suitable for collecting visual images of the side of the vehicle, wherein the field of view of the short-range millimeter wave radar positioned in front of the side camera is tilted forward, and the field of view of the short-range millimeter wave radar positioned behind the side camera is tilted backward.

[0009] In some embodiments, the front side sensor module further includes a front side sensor bracket coupled to a front side member of the vehicle and suitable for mounting the 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 protect the second set of sensors.

[0010] In some embodiments, the front side sensor bracket includes a connecting portion fixedly connected to the front side member, a flat portion connected to the connecting portion and arranged parallel to the front side member, facing the side of the vehicle and suitable for mounting a 4D millimeter wave radar of the second set of sensors, and a protruding portion arranged along the height direction from the flat portion and protruding along the width direction perpendicular to the direction of travel, for mounting 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 the protrusion of the front side sensor bracket along an arrangement direction parallel to the direction of travel, and the side camera is disposed between the pair of short-range millimeter-wave radars.

[0012] In some embodiments, the third set of sensors comprises 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 set of sensors comprises at least one of a rear camera, a short-range millimeter wave radar, a 4D millimeter wave radar, and an angular millimeter wave radar.

[0014] In accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure, an exterior sensor system can arrange sensor modules corresponding to multiple key locations on a vehicle, allowing these sensor modules to collect environmental information at the corresponding locations on the vehicle, thereby enriching the collected environmental data and reducing the blind spots of the sensors.

[0015] In a second aspect of the present disclosure, a vehicle is provided, the vehicle including the exterior sensor system provided by the first aspect of the present disclosure.

[0016] It should be understood that the contents described in part of the present disclosure do not limit the essential or important features of the embodiments of the present disclosure, and do not limit the scope of the present disclosure. Other features of the present disclosure will be easily understood from the following description. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0017] These and other features, advantages, and aspects of the embodiments of the present disclosure will become more apparent with reference to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which like or similar reference numerals represent like or similar elements. [Figure 1] 1 illustrates a top view of a vehicle according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] 1 illustrates a schematic diagram of a controller according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 3] 1 shows a schematic diagram of a roof sensor module according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] 1 illustrates a structural schematic diagram of a front-side sensor module according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 5] 1 illustrates a schematic diagram of the internal structure of a front-side sensor module according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] 1 shows a schematic side view of a vehicle according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 7] 1 illustrates a schematic diagram of the internal structure of a front sensor module according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] Hereinafter, the embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings. Although the drawings show several embodiments of the present disclosure, it should be understood that the present disclosure can be realized in various forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments described herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided for a clearer and more complete understanding of the present disclosure. It should be understood that the drawings and embodiments of the present disclosure are merely illustrative and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present disclosure.

[0019] It should be noted that the titles of any sections / subsections herein are not limiting. Various embodiments are described throughout this specification, and any type of embodiment may be included in any section / subsection. Furthermore, embodiments described in any one section / subsection may be combined in any manner with any other embodiments described in the same section / subsection and / or different sections / subsections.

[0020] In describing embodiments of the present disclosure, the term "comprises" and its synonyms should be understood as an open inclusion, i.e., "including, but not limited to." The term "based on" should be understood as "based at least in part on." The terms "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." The following may include other explicit and implicit definitions. The terms "first," "second," etc. may refer to different or the same object. The following may include other explicit and implicit definitions.

[0021] For ease of understanding, some terms according to the present disclosure may have the following exemplary meanings, but are not limited to these: These definitions are intended to provide a clearer explanation with reference to the context of the examples of the present disclosure.

[0022] In the context of this disclosure, long-range millimeter-wave radar generally refers to a radar sensor primarily used for long-range detection, e.g., its effective detection range is generally in the range of 30 meters to 250 meters, it has a narrow field of view, it focuses on long-range targets in front of or behind the vehicle, and it is primarily used to support advanced driver assistance features such as adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, and automatic emergency braking.

[0023] In the context of this disclosure, short-range millimeter-wave radar generally refers to a radar sensor primarily used for short-range wireless, wide-angle detection. For example, its effective detection distance is generally within a range of 0.2 meters to 50 meters, it has a wide field of view, and it detects short-range obstacles around the vehicle. Typical applications include blind spot monitoring, lane change assistance, rear cross traffic alert, door opening alert, and parking assistance.

[0024] In the context of this disclosure, a mid-range camera generally refers to a camera that balances field of view and detection distance, and is a primary sensor that realizes multiple visual sensing functions. For example, the effective detection and recognition distance for large targets such as vehicles is generally within the range of 20 to 150 meters. This is used not only for detecting traffic participants such as vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists, but also for lane detection, traffic sign recognition, and the like, providing important visual input for functions such as lane keeping assistance and traffic sign recognition.

[0025] As mentioned above, with the increasing development of intelligent automobiles and autonomous driving technology, the range and variety of environmental data that needs to be collected by vehicles are also increasing. The sensor layout of a conventional vehicle cannot completely cover the entire area around the vehicle, especially in a complex crossing environment on the side. There are large blind spots in front of or behind the vehicle.

[0026] In addition, some vehicles use a system in which a large 360-degree rotating laser radar is placed on the roof. This system has a wide detection range, but is expensive, takes up a large volume, affects the aesthetics of the vehicle, and can result in large wind resistance and noise.

[0027]

[0009] Embodiments of the present disclosure provide an exterior sensor system and a vehicle that solves or at least partially solves the above-mentioned problems and other potential problems existing in the prior art. According to some embodiments of the exterior sensor system, by disposing sensor modules corresponding to multiple key locations on the vehicle, these sensor modules can collect environmental information at the corresponding locations on the vehicle, thereby enriching the collected environmental data and reducing the blind spots of the sensors.

[0028] Specifically, a roof sensor module may be located on top of the vehicle, front sensor modules may be located on both sides near the front of the vehicle, a front edge sensor module may be located directly in front of the vehicle, and a rear edge sensor module may be located at the rear of the vehicle. The multiple sensors in these sensor modules can achieve real-time monitoring of the vehicle's surroundings without blind spots. This allows the vehicle's internal controller to more accurately determine the surrounding environment, further enabling more accurate decisions to be made during assisted or autonomous driving.

[0029] 1 shows a plan view of a vehicle according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 1, the exterior sensor system is arranged at multiple locations on the vehicle, and generally includes a roof sensor module 1 arranged on the roof, a pair of front side sensor modules 2 arranged on both sides perpendicular to the vehicle's traveling direction, a front end sensor module 3 arranged in front of the vehicle's traveling direction, and a rear end sensor module 4 arranged behind the vehicle's traveling direction. Hereinafter, any combination of the roof sensor module 1, the front side sensor module 2, the front end sensor module 3, and the rear end sensor module 4 may be referred to as a sensor module or multiple sensor modules.

[0030] The roof sensor module 1 comprises a first set of sensors at the highest point of the vehicle, capable of collecting first environmental data around the vehicle.

[0031] The front side sensor module is located above the front wheels of the vehicle. Because the roof sensor has a partial blind spot on the front side of the vehicle due to the presence of structures such as vehicle mirrors, front pillars (also called A-pillars), etc., a second set of sensors within the front side sensor module 2 can be used to obtain at least second environmental data located on the front side of the vehicle.

[0032] The front end sensor module 3 includes a third set of sensors for acquiring third environmental data in front of the vehicle because the front end sensor module 3 is located at the front of the vehicle and has the best forward field of view in the direction of travel. The third set of sensors is also used to compensate for the blind spot of the roof sensor module 1 in the short distance in front of the vehicle.

[0033] The rear end sensor module 4 includes a fourth set of sensors for acquiring fourth environmental data behind the vehicle in the direction of travel, similar to the third set of sensors in the front end sensor module 3. The fourth set of sensors is also used to compensate for the blind spot of the roof sensor module 1 in the short distance behind the vehicle.

[0034] The multiple sensor modules arranged at various locations in the vehicle will now be described in more detail.

[0035] 2 shows a schematic diagram of a controller according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 2, in some embodiments, the exterior sensor system further includes a controller 5. The controller 5 is disposed 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, and is connected via harnesses. Environmental data acquired by these sensor modules is transmitted to the controller 5, which can then process and perform calculations on the data.

[0036] In some embodiments, the controller 5 includes a supervisory control and computing unit (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 each position of the vehicle can be aggregated in the supervisory control and computing unit 51 to perform depth fusion, environment modeling, behavior determination, and path planning. In some embodiments, the supervisory control and computing unit 51 may be located near the trunk of the vehicle. The supervisory control and computing unit may extend multiple harnesses and be coupled to interfaces of multiple sensor modules.

[0037] In some embodiments, the controller 5 further includes an inertial measurement module 52 (Inertial Measurement Unit) mounted near the geometric center of the vehicle, for example, below the front passenger seat. The inertial measurement module 52 can provide information on the vehicle's attitude (roll, pitch, and yaw angles), angular velocity, and acceleration. This plays an important role in accurate vehicle positioning, motion state estimation, and coordinate system transformation and dynamic compensation of sensor data. Mounting the module at the geometric center allows for more stable and representative vehicle dynamic parameters to be obtained.

[0038] 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 performs information interaction with the autonomous driving system.

[0039] In some embodiments, the controller 5 further includes an autonomous driving data storage system 54 located at the front of the vehicle. Recording key data (sensor data, control commands, system status, etc.) during the operation of the autonomous driving system is of great significance for system development, test verification, and accident tracking.

[0040] In some embodiments, the controller 5 further includes a gateway controller 55 located at the front of the vehicle. Realizing information interaction between the vehicle and the external environment, including communication between vehicles (V2V), vehicles (V2I), vehicles (V2N), and the like, is a key component for realizing more advanced cooperative automated driving.

[0041] It should be understood that the controller 5 may further include modules or chips having any other suitable computing, processing or communication capabilities, and the present disclosure is not limited in this regard.

[0042] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a roof sensor module according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 3, 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 traveling direction. The front housing 11 and the rear housing 12 are symmetrical to each other and each have a substantially C-shape. A first set of sensors is mounted 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 laser radars. The four main laser radars are divided into a front main laser radar 13, a pair of side main laser radars 14, and a rear main laser radar 15 depending on their mounting positions. The front main laser radar 13 and the pair of side main laser radars 14 are mounted within the front housing 11. The front main laser radar 13 is located in the center of the front housing 11 and faces forward in the direction of travel, and the pair of side main laser radars 14 are located at both ends along the width direction of the front housing 11 and face opposite sides perpendicular to the direction of travel of the vehicle. The rear main laser radar 15 is located in the center of the rear housing 12 and faces rearward in the direction of travel. The four main laser radars can obtain environmental data in four directions of the vehicle.

[0043] In some embodiments, the first set of sensors further includes a far-infrared camera 16. The far-infrared camera 16 is located in the center of the front housing 11 and faces the direction of travel of the vehicle. The far-infrared camera 16 may be located adjacent to the forward main laser radar 13, and enhances the vehicle's target recognition capability under low visibility or adverse weather conditions such as night, rain, snow, fog, and the like, and is an effective supplement to the visible light camera.

[0044] In some embodiments, the first set of sensors further includes multiple mid-range cameras. The multiple mid-range cameras are divided into two pairs of side mid-range cameras 17 and rear mid-range cameras 18 depending on their mounting positions. The two pairs of side mid-range cameras 17 are respectively disposed inside the front housing 11 and face each side of the vehicle. The rear mid-range camera 18 is disposed inside the rear housing 12 and faces rearward in the direction of vehicle travel. The rear mid-range camera 18 may be disposed close to the rear main laser radar 15; for example, the rear mid-range camera 18 may be disposed directly above the rear main laser radar 15.

[0045] In some embodiments, each pair of side mid-range cameras 17 is located on either side of the side main laser radar 14 in a direction parallel to the vehicle's traveling direction, and the fields of view from the pair of side mid-range cameras 17 partially overlap. The field of view of the side mid-range camera 17 located in front of the side main laser radar 14 is tilted forward relative to the vehicle's traveling direction, while the field of view of the side mid-range camera 17 located behind the side main laser radar 14 is tilted backward relative to the vehicle's traveling direction. In this manner, a larger field of view can be obtained to the side of the vehicle. Image information acquired from the side mid-range cameras 17 can supplement the environmental data collected by the main laser radar. By combining the environmental data from the main laser radar and the image data from the cameras, the accuracy and comprehensiveness of vehicle environment detection can be improved.

[0046] In some embodiments, the first set of sensors may further include a pair of microphones 19, which are positioned within the front housing 11 and the rear housing 12, respectively, and facing toward the front and rear of the vehicle to collect sound information outside the vehicle.

[0047] 4 shows a schematic diagram of the structure of a front-side sensor module according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, and FIG. 5 shows a schematic diagram of the internal structure of a front-side sensor module according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, the second set of sensors of 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.

[0048] In some embodiments, the front side sensor module 2 includes a front side sensor bracket 21 and a front side sensor housing that covers the outside of the front side sensor bracket 21. The front side sensor bracket 21 is disposed above the front wheels of the vehicle and, in some embodiments, may be attached inside the front fender of the vehicle. By locating the front side sensor module inside the fender above the front wheels, not only can the space inside the vehicle be efficiently utilized, but the sensor module can also be accurately positioned in an important blind spot in front of the vehicle and protected by the fender from road debris and minor scrapes. The front side sensor bracket 21 is coupled to the front side member, and the front side sensor bracket 21 mounts and secures a second set of sensors. The front side sensor housing engages with the side of the front side sensor bracket 21, and an attachment 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 can be part of the fender. The detection signals of the second set of sensors are transmitted through the front side sensor housing, and can sense environmental information close to the position of the front wheels of the vehicle.

[0049] In some embodiments, the front side sensor bracket 21 includes a connecting portion 211, and a flat portion 212 and a protruding portion 213 formed on the connecting portion 211. The connecting portion 211 is fixedly connected to the front side member. In some embodiments, the connecting portion 211 may be connected to the front side member by a bolt, a rivet, or the like. In some other embodiments, the connecting portion 211 may be fixed to the front side member by welding. The flat portion 212 is arranged parallel to the front side member. The flat portion 212 is suitable for mounting the 4D millimeter-wave radar 22 of the second set of sensors on the flat portion 212 so that the 4D millimeter-wave radar 22 can collect environmental data of the front side of the vehicle. The protruding portion 213 and the flat portion 212 are aligned in the height direction. In some embodiments, the protruding portion 213 may be arranged below the flat portion 212. The protruding portion 213 protrudes along the width direction perpendicular to the traveling direction of the vehicle, and is suitable for mounting a pair of short-range millimeter wave radar 23 and side camera 24 of the second set of sensors.

[0050] The 4D millimeter-wave radar 22 of the second sensor group is positioned toward the side of the vehicle and can obtain accurate distance, speed, azimuth, and altitude information, effectively recognizing targets such as approaching or receding vehicles and pedestrians from the side, and is also highly responsive in bad weather. The 4D millimeter-wave radar 22 can detect environmental conditions around the front wheels of the vehicle, which reduces blind spots and helps the vehicle perform maneuvers such as lane changes and steering. Because the mounting environment for the 4D millimeter-wave radar 22 requires a certain degree of flatness, the flat surface 212 of the front sensor bracket 21 can provide a favorable mounting environment for the 4D millimeter-wave radar 22, ensuring stable operation.

[0051] The side camera 24 and the pair of short-range millimeter-wave radars 23 are coupled to the protrusions 213 of the front sensor bracket 21. The side camera 24 and the pair of short-range millimeter-wave radars 23 are arranged parallel to the direction of travel, with the side 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 arranged in front of the side camera 24 is tilted forward in the direction of travel, and the field of view of the short-range millimeter-wave radar 23 arranged behind the side camera 24 is tilted backward. The fields of view of the pair of short-range millimeter-wave radars 23 may partially overlap. In this manner, by fusing the data from the pair of short-range millimeter-wave radars 23 and the side camera 24, more comprehensive environmental data on the front and sides of the vehicle can be obtained. The protrusions 213 provide a mounting base for the pair of short-range millimeter-wave radars 23 and the side camera 24, improving the stability of the mounting of the second set of sensors.

[0052] By integrating a field-of-view complementary 4D millimeter-wave radar, a pair of obliquely arranged short-range millimeter-wave radars, and a side camera into a single module, it is possible to achieve multi-dimensional, all-weather sensing fusion from distance, speed, angle, and visual images of the area ahead of the vehicle. This cannot be achieved with a single type of sensor, and it significantly improves safety in complex situations such as turning (steering, changing direction) at urban intersections and high-speed cutting-in.

[0053] FIG. 6 illustrates a schematic diagram of a side structure of a vehicle according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, and FIG. 7 illustrates a schematic diagram of the internal structure of a front sensor module according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 , in some embodiments, the third set of sensors includes at least one of a forward 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 edge sensor module 3 further includes a front edge sensor bracket 31. The front edge sensor bracket 31 is disposed forward in the direction of travel of the vehicle and can be connected to the front bumper of the vehicle. In some embodiments, the front edge sensor bracket 31 can be fixedly connected to the front bumper by bolts, rivets, or the like. In some other embodiments, the front edge sensor bracket 31 can be fixedly connected to the front bumper by welding. The third set of sensors is connected to the front edge sensor bracket 31 and is stably supported by the front edge sensor bracket 31.

[0054] The camera in the third sensor set is positioned facing forward in the direction of travel and can provide primary forward visual information used to recognize vehicles ahead, pedestrians, lane lines, traffic signals, etc. Short-range millimeter-wave radar is used to detect obstacles within a short distance directly in front of the vehicle, providing support to collision prevention systems, for example, in low-speed driving, parking, or congested road conditions. 4D millimeter-wave radar can provide richer, more detailed, four-dimensional information (distance, speed, horizontal angle, vertical angle / height), which helps more accurately recognize and track forward targets and distinguish between objects of different heights (e.g., bridges and large vehicles). Forward millimeter-wave radar detects vehicles ahead at a longer distance and supports functions such as adaptive cruise control (ACC), forward collision warning (FCW), and automatic emergency braking (AEB).

[0055] In some embodiments, the front end sensor module 3 further includes a decorative panel covering the front of the third set of sensors, which can be configured to match the shape and appearance of the vehicle's front bumper. The decorative panel can be made of a material with low electromagnetic wave loss to reduce radar signal loss.

[0056] In some embodiments, the fourth set of sensors includes at least one of a rear 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 positioned rearward in a direction of travel of the vehicle, and the rear end sensor bracket is fixedly coupled to a rear bumper of the vehicle.

[0057] The fourth sensor group's camera is positioned toward the rear of the vehicle and can provide rearward images for backup assist and rearward obstacle recognition. The short-range millimeter-wave radar can detect short-range obstacles directly behind the vehicle and provide accurate feedback on the rearward environment while the vehicle is reversing. The 4D millimeter-wave radar is suitable for providing more accurate target information from the rear, which is useful for recognizing obstacles in complex scenes or when a vehicle is rapidly approaching from behind. The corner millimeter-wave radars are symmetrically distributed on both corners of the rear bumper. These radars primarily detect blind spots behind the vehicle and support functions such as blind spot monitoring (BSD), lane change assist (LCA), and rear cross-traffic alert (RCTA).

[0058] As described above, the present disclosure not only achieves 360-degree coverage around the vehicle without blind spots at lower cost and with less modification to the vehicle exterior than conventional sensor methods or single-top rotating radar methods through a modular, distributed sensor layout for the roof, front, front end, and rear end, but also effectively solves the problem of side front blind spots caused by A-pillars and rearview mirrors, and significantly improves sensing redundancy and reliability through multi-source sensor fusion, providing a robust data foundation for high-level autonomous driving.

[0059] Although the above describes each implementation of the present disclosure, the above description is illustrative, not exhaustive, and is not limited to each of the disclosed implementations. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of each of the described implementations. The terminology used in this specification is intended to best interpret the principles, practical applications, or improvements in technology in the marketplace of each implementation, or to enable those skilled in the art to understand each of the implementations disclosed in this specification.

Claims

1. An exterior sensor system, a roof sensor module (1) arranged on a vehicle roof and coupled to the vehicle roof, the roof sensor module (1) including a first set of sensors for acquiring first environmental data around the vehicle; a pair of front side sensor modules (2), each of which is disposed on either side of the vehicle perpendicular to the direction of travel, positioned above the front wheels of the vehicle, and each of which includes a second set of sensors so as to acquire second environmental data for a corresponding side of the vehicle; a front end sensor module (3) disposed ahead of the vehicle in a direction of travel and coupled to a front bumper of the vehicle, the front end sensor module (3) including a third set of sensors for acquiring third environmental data ahead of the vehicle in the direction of travel; a rear end sensor module (4) arranged rearward in a direction of travel of the vehicle and coupled to a rear bumper of the vehicle, the rear end sensor module (4) including a fourth set of sensors for acquiring fourth environmental data rearward in the direction of travel of the vehicle; An exterior sensor system comprising:

2. a controller (5) disposed inside the vehicle and 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 harnesses, for acquiring and processing environmental data of the vehicle; 2. The vehicle exterior sensor system according to claim 1.

3. The controller (5) comprises at least one of a monitoring and calculation module (51), an inertial measurement module (52), a vehicle body controller module (53), an autonomous driving data storage system (54), and a gateway controller (55).

3. The vehicle exterior sensor system according to claim 2.

4. The first set of sensors includes at least one of a main laser radar, a far-infrared camera (16), a mid-range camera, and a microphone (19); 4. The vehicle exterior sensor system according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle exterior sensor system is a vehicle exterior sensor system.

5. The first set of sensors comprises: four main laser radars, each of which is arranged to face forward, backward, and on both sides of the vehicle's traveling direction, and the field of view of the four main laser radars is at least partially overlapping; a far-infrared camera (16) disposed in front of the vehicle in the traveling direction and disposed in proximity to a main laser radar facing forward in the traveling direction; a pair of side mid-range cameras (17) arranged on both sides perpendicular to the traveling direction of the vehicle, and a rear mid-range camera (18) arranged behind the traveling direction of the vehicle; a pair of microphones (19) arranged at the front and rear of the vehicle in the traveling direction, respectively, for collecting sound information outside the vehicle; 5. The vehicle exterior sensor system according to claim 4.

6. The second set of sensors is a 4D millimeter wave radar (22) facing the corresponding side of the vehicle; a pair of short-range millimeter wave radars (23) arranged on both sides of the 4D millimeter wave radar (22) along the traveling direction; a side camera (24) facing a corresponding side of the vehicle and adapted to collect visual images of the side of the vehicle; The field of view of the short-range millimeter wave radar (23) arranged in front of the side camera (24) is inclined forward, and the field of view of the short-range millimeter wave radar (23) arranged behind the side camera (24) is inclined backward.

4. The vehicle exterior sensor system according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle exterior sensor system is a vehicle exterior sensor system.

7. The front side sensor module (2) a front side sensor bracket (21) coupled to a front side member of the vehicle and suitable for mounting the second set of sensors; a front sensor housing coupled to the front sensor bracket (21) and covering the outside of the second set of sensors to protect the second set of sensors; 7. The vehicle exterior sensor system according to claim 6.

8. The front side sensor bracket (21) a connecting portion (211) fixedly connected to the front side member; a flat portion (212) connected to the connecting portion (211) and arranged parallel to the front side member, the flat portion (212) facing the side of the vehicle and suitable for mounting a 4D millimeter wave radar (22) of the second set of sensors; and a protruding portion (213) that is disposed along the height direction of the flat portion (212) and protrudes along the width direction perpendicular to the traveling direction, and on which the pair of short-range millimeter wave radars (23) and the side camera (24) are mounted.

8. The vehicle exterior sensor system according to claim 7.

9. 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) along an arrangement direction parallel to the traveling direction, and the side camera (24) is disposed between the pair of short-range millimeter-wave radars (23).

9. The vehicle exterior sensor system according to claim 8.

10. the third set of sensors comprises 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; 4. The vehicle exterior sensor system according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle exterior sensor system is a vehicle exterior sensor system.

11. the fourth set of sensors comprises at least one of a rear camera, a short-range millimeter wave radar, a 4D millimeter wave radar, and an angular millimeter wave radar; 4. The vehicle exterior sensor system according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle exterior sensor system is a vehicle exterior sensor system.

12. A vehicle, The vehicle exterior sensor system according to any one of claims 1 to 11 is provided. A vehicle characterized by:

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