Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Aamrapali Chatterjee

Chad T Zagorski

Nikolai K Moshchuk

Shih-Ken Chen

Paul R Williams

Jin-Woo Lee

Daniel B Cutler

A method and system that monitors the behavior of surrounding vehicles in order to predict and react to an upcoming hazard in the road, even in situations where the hazard has not been directly sensed. In an exemplary embodiment, the method monitors an area around the host vehicle and looks for the presence of one or more target vehicles. If target vehicles are detected, then the method evaluates their behavior, classifies their behavior into one of several categories, and assuming that their behavior suggests some type of upcoming hazard, develops an appropriate preemptive response for controlling the host vehicle. The preemptive response may include mimicking, copying and/or integrating with the behavior of the surrounding target vehicles according to so-called 'flocking' techniques in order to avoid the otherwise unseen hazard.

Method and system for controlling a host vehicle

A system and method for providing an optimal collision avoidance path for a host vehicle that may potentially collide with a target vehicle. The method includes providing off-line an optimization look-up table for storing on the host vehicle that includes an optimal vehicle braking or longitudinal deceleration and an optimal distance along the optimal path based on a range of speeds of the host vehicle and coefficients of friction of the roadway surface. The method determines the current speed of the host vehicle and the coefficient of friction of the roadway surface during the potential collision, and uses the look-up table to determine the optimal longitudinal deceleration or braking of the host vehicle for the optimal vehicle path. The method also determines an optimal lateral acceleration or steering of the host vehicle for the optimal vehicle path based on a friction ellipse and the optimal braking.

Optimal acceleration profile for enhanced collision avoidance

A vehicle control method includes iteratively modifying a level of braking of the vehicle until it is determined that the vehicle has substantially lost traction with respect to the road surface, then determining the coefficient of friction between the road surface and the tire based on the level of braking at the time the vehicle substantially lost fraction. In one embodiment, previous ABS or other vehicle control events are used as a basis for estimating an initial level of braking to be applied during the friction measurement procedure. Such a deterministic maneuver can also function as a collision warning to the driver of the vehicle.

Methods and apparatus for determining tire/road coefficient of friction

In a vehicle, an optimal path curvature limited by one or more constraints may be determined. The constraints may be related to lateral jerk and one or more vehicle dynamics constraints. Based on the optimal path curvature, an optimal vehicle path around an object may be determined. The optimal vehicle path may be output to a collision avoidance control system. The collision avoidance control system may cause the vehicle to take a certain path.

System and method for collision avoidance maneuver path determination with jerk limit

A vehicle control system defines a set of predetermined criteria relating to the motion of the vehicle and a set of vehicle actions associated with the set of predetermined criteria. The vehicle actions each specify a steering action and/or a braking action. Friction data indicative of a frictional attribute (for example, coefficient of friction) of the contact region between the vehicle and the surface is received. The predetermined criteria are modified based on the friction data. When one or more of the predetermined criteria are met, the system applies the corresponding steering and/or braking actions.

Methods and apparatus for a vehicle emergency control system

Methods, systems, and vehicles are provided for controlling active safety functionality for a vehicle. The active safety functionality provides an action during a drive cycle of the vehicle based on a predetermined threshold. Data pertaining to driving conditions, usage conditions of the vehicle, or both, is obtained for a drive cycle of the vehicle. A risk factor grade is calculated using the data. The risk factor grade corresponds to a level of situational risk for the drive cycle. The predetermined threshold of the active safety system is adjusted based on the risk factor grade.

Active safety control for vehicles

A collision avoidance system for assisting a driver in avoiding a collision between a host vehicle and obstacle. A processor recursively calculates a time-to-collision with the obstacle and an optimal collision avoidance path for avoiding the collision. The optimum collision avoidance path is recursively generated based on a position and speed of the host vehicle relative to the obstacle and an updated calculated time-to-collision. A sensing device determines whether the driver of the vehicle has initiated a steering maneuver to avoid the obstacle. A steering assist mechanism maintains the host vehicle along the optimum collision avoidance path. The steering assist mechanism applies a steering assist torque for producing steering adjustments to assist in guiding the host vehicle along the optimum collision avoidance path to the target lane. The steering assist torque generated by the steering assist mechanism is recursively adjusted based on a recent updated optimum collision avoidance path.

Steering assist in driver initiated collision avoidance maneuver

A method and system may determine, in a vehicle, a desired path around an object based on a location of the object relative to the vehicle, relative speed, road parameters and one or more vehicle parameters. The method and system may calculate one or more vehicle control parameter values which minimize a predicted deviation from the desired vehicle path. The method and system may determine whether the one or more vehicle control parameter values would cause the vehicle to exceed one or more vehicle stability constraints. If the one or more vehicle control parameter values would cause the vehicle to exceed one or more vehicle stability constraints, the one or more vehicle control parameter values may be reduced to one or more vehicle control parameter values not causing the vehicle to exceed the one or more vehicle stability constraints. The method and system may output the one or more vehicle control parameter values to a vehicle automated control device.

System and method for enhanced vehicle control

Methods, program products, and vehicles are provided for classifying movement of target vehicles in proximity to a host vehicle and taking appropriate action based on the classification. An active safety system is coupled to a drive system, and is configured to provide an action during a drive cycle of the vehicle. The active safety system comprises a detection unit and a processor. The detection unit is configured to measure movement of a target vehicle in proximity to a host vehicle. The processor is coupled to the detection unit, and is configured to assess a pattern of the movement of the target vehicle relative to the host vehicle or a third vehicle, classify the movement of the target vehicle based on the pattern to generate a classification, the classification pertaining to a deviation from a typical vehicle movement, and take action based on the classification.

Target vehicle movement classification

A vehicle collision warning system and method may be used to detect a potential or impending collision with another vehicle and to send a corresponding warning to the driver. In an exemplary embodiment, the collision warning system uses one or more target vehicle readings (e.g., a relative velocity reading (&#x394;v), a target vehicle acceleration reading (a), and a relative distance reading or range (&#x394;d)) to solve a unified collision warning algorithm. If the unified collision warning algorithm determines that there is a potential collision with the target vehicle, then the system sends a corresponding warning to the driver.

Vehicle collision warning system and method of operating the same

A collision avoidance system in a host vehicle that employs combined automatic braking and steering. The collision avoidance system defines thresholds that identify a time to collision with a target vehicle by the host vehicle that are based on the speed of the host vehicle, the acceleration of the host vehicle, the speed of the target vehicle, the acceleration of the target vehicle, the distance to the target vehicle from the host vehicle and a coefficient of friction of the roadway. The collision avoidance system provides full automatic collision avoidance braking if the time to collision is less than one threshold and the lane adjacent to the host vehicle is not clear. The collision avoidance system provides both automatic steering and braking of the host vehicle if the time to collision is less than another threshold and the lane adjacent to the host vehicle is clear.

Vehicle collision avoidance and warning system

A method is provided for detecting a likely pedal misapplication event and mitigating the effects of a pedal misapplication. In one embodiment the method comprises determining if likely pedal misapplication has occurred by the steps of: determining if a gear shift has occurred within a threshold time; determining if a vehicle velocity is below a threshold velocity; determining if the accelerator pedal is above a threshold application level; determining if the brake pedal is being applied by the driver; and determining if an obstacle is in the vehicle path and within a threshold distance. If these criteria are found, a likely pedal misapplication is detected.

Autonomous control for vehicle pedal mis-apply situations

A vehicle has a safety system including at least one object sensor to detect a distance from an object in a path of the vehicle and the speed and acceleration of the object. The sensor data is input into a control to determine a desired braking judgment line and a steering judgment line between the vehicle and the object. The safety system then compares the vehicle and object acceleration. Following, the safety system calculates a judgment line between the object and the vehicle based upon equations for the determined scenario. The judgment line is then used to determine a warning distance and warn a vehicle operator.

Growing community of inventors

Okemos, MI, United States of America

Aamrapali Chatterjee