Apple Inc.

Alexander Hitzinger

Peteris K Augenbergs

Dillon J Thomasson

Akhil J Madhani

A vehicle includes a control system, a sensing system that senses an environment of the vehicle, and a propulsion system, a braking system, and a steering system that are operated by the control system to navigate the vehicle according to the sensing system and without direct human control. The propulsion system and the braking system are operated by the control system to cooperatively decelerate the vehicle. The braking system includes an inboard friction brake that is associated with one or more wheels of the vehicle and does not form unsprung mass of the vehicle.

Vehicle deceleration systems

A manual control system includes input devices to receive user inputs to control the system according to the user inputs when operated in a manual mode. The user input devices are movable between a first configuration to receive the user input by being physically manipulated by the user, and a second configuration in which the user input is not receivable.

Retractable input devices

A vehicle includes actuator systems that are able to cause motion of the vehicle, a thermal management system that controls temperatures for the actuator systems, and a vehicle control module that is operable to determine a control strategy to achieve a desired vehicle motion, output commands to the actuator systems to achieve the desired vehicle motion, determine thermal regulation requirements for the control strategy, and control operation of the thermal management system according to the thermal regulation requirements.

Thermal management system control

Vehicle deceleration system

A passenger vehicle includes a vehicle body, drive and steering systems, and manual and autonomous control systems. The vehicle body defines a passenger compartment. The drive system propels the passenger vehicle. The steering system steers the passenger vehicle. The manual control system includes input devices to receive user inputs is configured to control the drive and steering system according to the user inputs when the passenger vehicle is operated in a manual drive mode. The autonomous control system includes a sensor for sensing an external condition and a controller that autonomously controls the drive and steering systems according to the external condition when the passenger vehicle is operated in an autonomous drive mode. The user input devices are movable between a first configuration to receive the user input by being physically manipulated by the user, and a second configuration in which the user input is not receivable.

Passenger vehicle and retractable driver input devices thereof

A vehicle includes a vehicle body and road wheels that are connected to the vehicle body. A propulsion system is operable to independently control propulsion torque to each of the road wheels. A steering system is operable to independently control a steering angle of each of the road wheels. A braking system that is operable to independently control braking torque to each of the road wheels. An active suspension system regulates motion of the road wheels with respect to the vehicle body by independently controlling application of force to each of the road wheels. A vehicle control module is operable to determine a desired chassis-level motion, determine a control strategy to achieve the desired chassis-level motion, and output commands to each of the propulsion system, the steering system, the braking system, and the active suspension system to achieve the desired chassis-level motion.

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Mountain View, CA, United States of America

Alexander Hitzinger