Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Waymo LLC

Amir Takhmar

Reza Zarringhalam

Mohammadali Shahriari

Paul A Adam

Mohammed Raju Hossain

Jayant Sachdev

Joshua M Levin

Jimmy Zhong Yan Lu

Kevin Austin O'Dea

Avshalom Suissa

Mishika Vora

Shiv G Patel

Klaus Trangbaek

Tetyana V Mamchuk

Namal P Kumara

Carlos E Arreaza

Shaun C Bowman

Zhi Li

Daniella Gutlansky

Alaeddin Bani Milhim

Dorothy Lui

Gurhari Singh

Xu Dong

Yu Zheng

Mark Gazda

Joseph M Burdge

Kibrom Yohannes

Nathan Fujimoto

Yongkyun Shin

Trang Uyen Thien Tran

The technology involves pick-up and drop-off techniques for autonomous vehicles. Pullover selection options are evaluated by considering road user inconvenience and dynamic changes to such inconvenience. In response, a change in vehicle operation is made as needed. This process may consider whether a given situation is 'likely-inconvenient' or “unlikely-inconvenient” based on both statie and dynamic signals from the environment for a likely pick-up or drop-off location. The vehicle may request remote support to determine whether to pull over or to move from a stopped location, for instance based on changes to dynamic signals associated with other road users. In double parking situations, the vehicle may determine whether to remain double parked or move to limit inconvenience to a minimum number of other vehicles, such as by blocking as few other vehicles as possible or by making it as easy as possible for a parked vehicle to pull out.

Pick-up and drop-off signals for managing double parking obstruction

A method for generating a steering command for controlling a vehicle is provided. The method includes: generating a first vehicle steering control torque command by a steering controller in the vehicle while the vehicle is driven in a semi-autonomous mode; generating an impedance-adjusted vehicle steering angle command based on a first vehicle steering angle command that was generated to compensate for a trajectory error, and a measured driver steering torque command generated in response to navigation of the vehicle using a steering wheel; generating an impedance-adjusted vehicle steering control torque command by the steering controller in the vehicle based on a difference between the impedance-adjusted vehicle steering angle command and a measured vehicle steering angle command; generating a steering command by a power steering system in the vehicle based on the measured driver steering torque command and the impedance-adjusted vehicle steering control torque command; and operating the vehicle in accordance with the steering command.

System and method for blending driver and automated steering commands for lateral control

In various embodiments, methods, systems, and vehicle apparatuses are provided. A method for adaptive control of electronic power steering (EPS) including sending, a torque control to an EPS that is based on input control signals from a vehicle trajectory control unit and a steering assistive control unit when the vehicle is coupled to a trailer engaging in a trailering action; configuring the steering assistive control unit, to generate a control signal based on an algorithm using an adaptive factor that models steering dynamics impacted by the trailer while engaging in the trailering action and modeling by the steering assistive control unit, an adaptive damping factor modeled on a tongue weight of a trailer coupled to a hitch of the vehicle wherein the hitch reduces a force applied to a vehicle front axle.

Methods, systems, and apparatuses for identification and compensation of trailer impacts on steering dynamics for automated driving

In exemplary embodiments, methods, systems, and vehicles are provided that include: one or more sensors disposed onboard a vehicle and configured to at least facilitate obtaining sensor data for the vehicle; one or more location systems configured to at least facilitate obtaining location data pertaining to a location of the vehicle; a computer memory configured to store map data pertaining to a path corresponding to the location; and a processor disposed onboard the vehicle and configured to at least facilitate: generating an elevation profile along the path using the sensor data and the map data; and providing instructions for controlling the vehicle using the elevation profile.

Pro-active trajectory tracking control for automated driving during elevation transitions

In various embodiments, methods, systems, and vehicle apparatuses are provided. A method for implementing a lane-keeping assist unit of a vehicle by receiving information of a plurality of road geometries, and driving scenarios wherein at least one driving scenario is combined with a target path that is parallel and biased from a lane center by a desired path offset, and a reference path for guiding the vehicle to merge with the target path; adapting the reference path with control based on a selected road geometry and driving scenario; adjusting the desired path offset by considering lane markings during an intervention for an inner curve, an outer curve and a straight road; controlling the vehicle trajectory for enabling the vehicle to track the reference path; exiting the intervention once a trajectory tracking performance by the vehicle is confirmed; and aborting once an instability of the trajectory tracking performance is confirmed.

Methods, systems, and apparatuses for scenario-based path and intervention adaptation for lane-keeping assist systems

Systems and methods for smoothing automated lane change (ALC) operations. A mission planner, upon receipt of an ALC request, sends a ALC heads up signal to a lateral control. The mission planner then begins confidence building operations, for a preprogrammed duration of time, and awaits an ALC ready signal from the lateral control. The lateral control, upon receipt of the ALC heads up, calculates an index of readiness, R, as a function of the requested ALC, a current trajectory, and a lane centering control path. When Ris less than or equal to a readiness threshold, Rt, the lateral control sends the ALC ready signal. When Ris greater than Rt, the lateral control generates a steering correction and applies the steering correction to reduce the Rand thereby stabilize the vehicle and send the ALC ready signal. Upon receiving the ALC ready signal, the ALC operation is executed.

Systems and methods for smoothing automated lane changing (ALC) operations

Methods and systems are provided for a vehicle towing a trailer within a lane of a roadway that include: reconstructing, via a processor onboard the vehicle, lane markings for the trailer using lane markers as sensed via camera data; transforming the reconstructed lane markings, using additional sensor data, to a perspective of the trailer; localizing the trailer within the transformed lane markers using historical camera lane marking information, articulated vehicle dynamics, hitch angle, and trailer dimensions, without needing to add additional trailer lane sensing cameras to the trailer; calculating a time to lane crossing (T-TTLC) value for the trailer and vehicle; generating candidate blended paths of the trailer and the vehicle with a centerline of the lane of the roadway; and controlling operation of the vehicle, the trailer, or both, via instructions provided by the processor to keep the vehicle, the trailer, or both within a lane of travel.

Trailer lane departure warning and lane keep assist

The present application generally relates to a method and apparatus for controlling an autonomous vehicle. In particular, the method and apparatus are operative for detecting, by a sensor, an object within a first vehicle path, generating, by a processor, a second vehicle path in response to either the detection of the object such that the second vehicle path avoids the object, or a user initiated trajectory shift, generating, by the processor, an initial steering torque in response to the second vehicle path, performing, by the processor, an adaptation on the initial steering torque to generate an adapted steering torque in response to the initial steering torque exceeding a torque rate limit, and controlling, by a vehicle controller a host vehicle steering system to follow the second vehicle signal path in response to the adapted steering torque.

Method and apparatus for automated lateral controls adaptation in response to rapid trajectory changes

A vehicle and a system and method of operating a vehicle. The system includes a processor. The processor learns a driver's behavior of a driver of the vehicle as the driver navigates a road segment, creates a behavior policy based on the driver's behavior and a threshold associated with the road segment, and controls the vehicle to navigate the road segment using the behavior policy.

System and method for learning driver preference and adapting lane centering controls to driver behavior

A system to enable an automobile vehicle automated driving control includes a quality index of an automated driving control system prior to enablement of an automated driving control function of an automobile vehicle. An adaptive forward propagation horizon and a prediction horizon for assessment of the quality index are computed. Vehicle states and road geometry are propagated over the adaptive forward propagation horizon, and the quality index is assessed based on forward propagated states over the prediction horizon. A first signal permits actuation of the automated driving control function of the automobile vehicle and a second signal precludes actuation of the automated driving control function. One of the first signal or the second signal is elected based on the results of assessing a quality control index trajectory over the adaptive forward propagation horizon.

Quality index and real-time forward propagation of virtual controls for smart enablement of automated driving

A method and apparatus that perform threat zone assessment in a host vehicle are provided. The method includes detecting a target vehicle in a nonadjacent lane with respect to the host vehicle, determining dimensions of the detected target vehicle, a type of the detected target vehicle, and geometry of a road on which the detected target vehicle and the host vehicle are traveling, calculating the threat zone based on the dimensions of the detected target vehicle, the type of the detected target vehicle, or the geometry of the road on which the detected target vehicle and the host vehicle are traveling, and controlling the host vehicle to avoid the calculated threat zone by accelerating the host vehicle, decelerating the host vehicle, or aborting a lane change by the host vehicle.

Growing community of inventors

Toronto, Canada

Amir Takhmar