Zoox, Inc.

Ahditya Melkote

Johannes Edren

Markus Jost

Paul Choin

Amanda Brown Prescott

Vishveshwar Ramanathan Subramanian

Phillip Newport Kuys

Andrew James Webb

David Evan Zlotnik

Zachary Stuart Churukian

Justin Calvin Leung

Keith David Myers

James W Fash

Sharath Kumar Thirupathyswamy

This disclosure describes techniques for determining a state of a pressurized chamber of a suspension of a vehicle, wherein the pressurized chamber comprises a hydraulic fluid chamber and a gas chamber separated by a piston. The state is determined by varying a pressure in the hydraulic fluid chamber and determining a knee point in a change of pressure in the hydraulic fluid chamber. The knee point indicates that the separator has been bottomed out. The pressure in the knee point may be used to determine a state of the suspension system.

Active suspension component degradation determination

A vehicle may receive sensor data captured by a sensor, determine that the sensor data represents an object in the environment, and determine a collision probability associated with a collision between the vehicle and the object. Based at least in part on the collision probability, the vehicle may determine one or more mitigating actions to perform prior to, during, and/or after the collision. The mitigating action may be associated with adjusting a hydraulic fluid pressure in at least a portion of a hydraulic fluid system of the vehicle.

Reducing hydraulic fluid pressure based on predicted collision

Techniques for using ball joint sensor data to determine conditions relevant to a vehicle are described in this disclosure. For example, in one example, the ball joint sensor data may be used to determine estimated steering data. The estimated steering data may be directly used to navigate through an environment, such as by the vehicle relying on the estimated steering data when planning, tracking, or executing a driving maneuver. Also, the estimated steering data may be used to verify the reliability of other steering sensor data used to navigate through the environment.

Determining estimated steering data for a vehicle

Techniques for using ball joint sensor data to determine conditions relevant to a vehicle are described in this disclosure. For example, in one example, the ball joint sensor data may be used to determine a ride height at a portion of the vehicle, which may be used to determine roll data and/or pitch data. The ride height, roll data, and/or pitch data may be directly used to navigate through an environment, such as by the vehicle relying on the data when interpreting sensor data or planning driving operations. Also, the ride height, roll data, and/or pitch data may be used to verify the reliability of other sensor data used to navigate through the environment.

Determining vehicle ride height using a ball joint sensor

Techniques and methods for testing a structural integrity of a vehicle. For instance, the vehicle may use suspension(s) to lift corners of the vehicle, where lifting the corners creates a torsion force in the body of the vehicle. The vehicle may then use sensor(s) to determine a deflection that is caused by the torsion force. Next, the vehicle may determine a stiffness associated with the body of the vehicle using the force that was applied to lift the corners and the deflection. After determining the stiffness, the vehicle may compare the stiffness to a baseline stiffness in order to determine whether there is a problem with the structural integrity of the vehicle. The baseline stiffness may include s standard stiffness or be based on a previous test of the vehicle. If the vehicle determines that there is no problem, then the vehicle may continue to operate as intended.

Techniques for testing a deflection of a structural section of a vehicle

A suspension system for controlling movement of a vehicle wheel may include a spring and damper assembly coupling the wheel to the vehicle chassis for movement of the wheel relative to the vehicle chassis. The spring and damper assembly may include a spring coupled to a damper member configured to extend and retract the wheel relative to the vehicle chassis. The suspension system may further include a damper actuator located remotely from the spring and damper assembly and configured to modify an amount of damping and/or wheel extension. The suspension system may also include a spring actuator integrated with the damper actuator and configured to control an amount of deflection of the spring and/or to alter a spring rate. The damper actuator may be provided at a location in the vehicle separated from the spring and damper assembly.

Vehicle suspension system with remote actuation

This application describes systems and techniques for adjusting one or more setting(s) of a vehicle based on detected condition(s) to avoid damage due to contact of the tires with a body, chassis, or other components of the vehicle. In some instances, the vehicle may determine a ride height of the vehicle, determine a limited range of steering angles based at least in part on the ride height, and control operation of the steering system of the vehicle based at least in part on the limited range of steering angles. In some instances, the vehicle may determine a steering angle of the vehicle, determine a limited range of ride heights based at least in part on the steering angle, and control operation of the suspension system of the vehicle based at least in part on the limited range of ride heights.

Dynamic vehicle steering and/or suspension constraints

A vehicle may receive sensor data captured by a sensor of the vehicle, determine that the sensor data represents an object in the environment, and determine an impact location between the vehicle and the object. The impact location may be associated with a predicted collision between the vehicle and the object. The vehicle may also determine an object type corresponding to the object and/or a characteristic of the object. Based at least in part on the impact location, object type, and/or the characteristic, a ride height of the vehicle may be adjusted.

Adjusting vehicle ride height based on predicted collision

A suspension system may include a pneumatic spring at each wheel of a vehicle. The suspension system may be configured to determine and achieve a pressure set point in each of the pneumatic springs and a target ride height at each wheel of the vehicle. The pressure set point may be determined based on a load at each of the wheels and the center of gravity of the vehicle, such that upon reaching the pressure set point at each in each of the pneumatic springs, a target load and target ride height may be achieved at each of the wheels of the vehicle. The system may also be used to level the ride height of the vehicle and/or achieve a desired orientation.

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Foster City, CA, United States of America

Ahditya Melkote