Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Arnav Sharma

Luke Niewiadomski

Roger Arnold Trombley

Li Xu

Donald Jacob Mattern

Kyle Simmons

Hamid M Golgiri

Douglas J Rogan

Yu Ling

Eric Hongtei Tseng

Seyed Armin Raeis Hosseiny

Ahmed Benmimoun

Nikhil Nagraj Rao

George Edmund Walley

Shannon Brooks-Lehnert

Tony Tae-Jin Pak

Chenhao Ma

Mohamed El-sawah

Frederic Christen

Craig Schmatz

A vehicle is determined to be in a parking area based on vehicle sensor data. A mapping operation mode is activated based on determining the vehicle is in the parking area. A travel path of the vehicle through the parking area is recorded based on receiving a user input selecting the mapping operation mode. A map of the parking area is updated based on the recorded travel path.

Vehicle path determination

A system for assisting in aligning a vehicle for hitching with a trailer includes a vehicle steering system, a detection system outputting a signal including scene data of an area to a rear of the vehicle, and a controller that controls the vehicle steering system to maneuver the vehicle according to an initial alignment maneuver that positions the vehicle relative to the trailer, such that the trailer is within the area to the rear of the vehicle. The controller further receives the scene data and identifies the trailer within the area to the rear of the vehicle, derives a backing path to align a hitch ball mounted on the vehicle to a coupler of the trailer, and controls the vehicle steering system to maneuver the vehicle including reversing along the backing path.

Trailer GPS location storage and recall for hitch assist operation

A hitching assistance system for a vehicle includes a steering system including a vehicle steering wheel and a controller executing an automated hitching maneuver including controlling the steering system to back the vehicle toward a trailer, monitoring the hitching assistance system for an interruption event affecting execution of the automated hitching maneuver, detecting the interruption event and identifying the interruption event as one of a standard interruption event or an exception interruption event, upon identifying the standard interruption event, causing the steering wheel to move to a centered position and ceasing control of the steering system, and upon identifying the exception interruption event, ceasing control of the steering system without causing the steering wheel to move to the centered position.

Assisted hitching system with handoff process for interrupted operation

A system for assisting in aligning a vehicle for hitching with a trailer includes an imaging system, a vehicle control system including at least one vehicle sensor, and a controller. The controller controls the vehicle using the vehicle control system to move the vehicle into an aligned position, where a hitch ball on the vehicle is aligned with the coupler, including monitoring a signal from the vehicle sensor and tracking a position of the coupler relative to the hitch ball in image data. When the signal indicates an unintended stopped vehicle state, the controller determines a distance from the hitch ball to the coupler. If the distance is above a predetermined threshold, the controller controls the vehicle control system to cause the vehicle to move. If the distance is below the predetermined threshold, the controller indicates the unintended stopped vehicle state to a driver of the vehicle.

Unintended standstill response in an assisted hitching operation

A system includes a computer including a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor to actuate a vehicle to execute a maneuver. The instructions include instructions to determine one of that a human operator is in the vehicle or that a human operator is not in the vehicle. The instructions include instructions to select one, and only one, of an in-vehicle human machine interface physically connected to the vehicle or a mobile user device wirelessly connected for providing commands to the vehicle based on whether a human operator is in the vehicle or is not in the vehicle. The instructions include instructions to actuate the vehicle based on commands from, and only based on commands from, the selected one of the in-vehicle human machine interface and the mobile user interface.

Vehicle control arbitration

A vehicle system configured to control a trailer alignment routine includes a hitch mounted on a vehicle and a controller. The controller is configured to identify a coupler position of a trailer and control motion of the vehicle to toward an aligned position. The controller is further configured to control a braking procedure of the vehicle including a plurality of concurrent deceleration control procedures in response to a portion of the vehicle passing a gradual stopping distance. The concurrent deceleration procedures include monitoring an elapsed time following the portion of the vehicle passing the gradual stopping distance and monitoring a remaining distance to the aligned position based on a velocity of the vehicle and comparing the remaining distance to a rapid stopping distance.

Overshoot protection in hitch assist operation

A vehicle system includes a vehicle brake system, an accelerometer mounted on the vehicle, and a controller. The controller receives a first signal from the accelerometer and, during reversing of the vehicle in a longitudinal direction, transmits an actuation signal to the vehicle brake system when the first signal from the accelerometer indicates a deceleration in the longitudinal direction above a predetermined rate within a predetermined time interval.

Trailer and vehicle collision detection and response during autohitch maneuvering

A system for assisting in aligning a vehicle for hitching with a trailer includes a controller that receives the scene data and identifying the trailer within the area to the rear of the vehicle, derives a backing path to align a hitch ball mounted on the vehicle to a coupler of the trailer, outputting a powertrain control signal to the vehicle powertrain control system, and a brake control signal to the vehicle brake system to maneuver the vehicle, including reversing along the backing path and stopping the vehicle at an endpoint of the path, and outputs a video image to the vehicle human-machine interface including a graphical overlay on the image data. The graphical overlay indicates potential movement of the hitch ball past the coupler and being positioned in the image data between a bumper of the vehicle and the hitch ball.

Trailer hitching assistance system with contact mitigation measures

A vehicle hitching assistance system includes a steering system having steered vehicle wheels mounted on an exterior of the vehicle and a steering motor mechanically coupled with the steered vehicle wheels. The system further includes controller that acquires control of the steered vehicle wheels by connection with the steering motor and, after acquiring control of the steered vehicle wheels, receives a command to execute an automated hitching maneuver and controls the steered vehicle wheels using the steering motor.

Automated hitching system with steering acquisition and handoff

A vehicle maneuvering apparatus comprises a steering control system configured to control a steering angle of a plurality of steered wheels of a vehicle. The controller is further configured to control the vehicle to stop in a stopped position upon completing a vehicle alignment routine and identify an alignment error distance between the hitch and the coupler position in the stopped position. The controller is further configured to calculate a change distance of the hitch based on the steering angle and calculate an aligned steering error distance. The aligned steering error distance is calculated by comparing the change distance to the alignment error. Based on the aligned steering error distance, the controller may selectively suppress the steering angle alignment routine.

Modified steering angle at completion of hitch assist operation

A vehicle hitching assistance system includes a steering system including a vehicle steering wheel, a powertrain control system including an accelerator and a gear selector, a brake system including service brakes and a parking brake, and a controller. The controller executes an automated hitching maneuver, monitors the system for an interruption event. Upon identifying a standard interruption event, the controller causes the steering wheel to move to a centered position, causes the gear selector to engage a park mode, engages the parking brake, and ceases control of the steering system, the powertrain control system and the brake system. Upon identifying an exception interruption event, the controller ceases control of the steering system, the powertrain control system, and the brake system without causing the steering wheel to move to the centered position.

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Canton, MI, United States of America

Arnav Sharma