Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC

Wabco Europe Bvba

Ananda Pandy

Mark A Bennett

Hans M Molin

William P Amato

Majed M Hamdan

Brendan J Chan

Systems and methods that facilitate protecting vehicle impact event data from overwrite include an electronic control unit (ECU) having a processor that records event data related to vehicle operation, a memory that stores the event data, and an electronic tool that communicates with the ECU and comprises a data locking module that sends a data lock signal to the ECU to lock the stored event data as locked data such that the stored event data cannot be overwritten. The ECU, in response to the data lock signal, stores the event data as locked data in a dedicated portion of the memory to preserve the event data for subsequent review.

Protect information stored in ECU from unintentional writing and overwriting

A method for controlling an own vehicle to participate in platoon with at least one other vehicle, wherein the own vehicle and the at least one other vehicle each having communication devices configured to wirelessly transmit DSRC-signals over a vehicle-to-vehicle communication link between each other. The method includes checking initiation conditions to determine if the own vehicle is ready for platooning, identifying at least one other vehicle in signal-transmittal-range to determine if the at least one other vehicle is ready for platooning and the at least one other vehicle is a valid platooning partner, and requesting to an adaptive cruise control system to hold a following-distance between the own vehicle and the at least one other vehicle to form a platoon if the at least other vehicle is ready for platooning and is a valid platooning partner and if the own vehicle is assigned as a following vehicle.

Method for controlling an own vehicle to participate in a platoon

Methods and apparatus are provided for updating at least one software component of a motor vehicle in coordination with predetermined safe operational modes of the vehicle permitting the updating without danger to a driver operating the motor vehicle. The method operates such that a receiver circuit of a hub controller of the motor vehicle receives and stores a software update module in a memory of the hub controller. A processor of the hub controller determines an operational condition of the motor vehicle and selectively updates at least one software component of the motor vehicle with the software update module responsive to the operational condition of the motor vehicle being in a predetermined safe operational mode permitting the updating without danger to a driver operating the motor vehicle. Preferably, the updating of the at least one software component with the software update module takes place only during DPF regeneration.

Methods and apparatus for updating software components in coordination with operational modes of a motor vehicle

A backward movement indicator apparatus is provided for a vehicle having an alert device. The backward movement indicator apparatus comprises an image capture device arranged to capture image data which is representative of objects in vicinity of the vehicle. The backward movement apparatus further comprises an electronic controller arranged to process the captured image data to provide a signal which is indicative of the vehicle moving backwards.

Backward movement indicator apparatus for a vehicle

When employing an adaptive cruise-with-braking (ACB) system to control host vehicle following distance, a forward vehicle is detected using one or both of a radar sensor () and a camera sensor (). The radar sensor classifies the forward vehicle as a motorcycle, passenger car, or heavy vehicle by comparing a detected radar signature to reference radar signatures for different vehicles. The camera sensor classifies the forward vehicle as a motorcycle, passenger car, or heavy vehicle by comparing a captured vehicle image to reference pixel and contrast profiles (PCPs) for different vehicles. An adaptive cruise control (ACC) module () selects and implements a following distance alert (FDA) protocol for the classified vehicle, where the FDA protocol prescribes following distance limits that inversely proportional to the size of the forward vehicle. Following distance limits can be further adjusted as a function of host vehicle mass.

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Avon, OH, United States of America

Ananda Pandy