Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Ford Motor Company Limited

Hongtei Eric Tseng

Gregory Michael Pietron

Yuji Fujii

Davorin David Hrovat

Michael Glenn Fodor

Christopher John Teslak

Diana Yanakiev

Li Xu

Bradley Dean Riedle

Davor Hrovat

Rajit Johri

Douglas Scott Rhode

John Shutko

Devinder Singh Kochhar

Jeff Allen Greenberg

Christopher Attard

Shane Elwart

Hong Jiang

Thomas Edward Pilutti

John Patrick Joyce

Seung-Hoon Lee

Jianbo Lu

Mrdjan J Jankovic

Timothy Gerard Offerle

Jahan Asgari

Roger Arnold Trombley

Todd Allen Brown

Gregory Philip Brown

Andrew Waldis

Seung Hoon Lee

Dimitar Petrov Filev

Joseph F Kucharski

Joseph Carr Meyers

Donald Jacob Mattern

Behrouz Ashrafi

Kyle Simmons

Dinu Petre Madau

Matt Y Rupp

Louis Tijerina

Vladimir Ivanovic

John Loring Yester

Mohit Srinivasan

Arpan Kusari

John Paul Shaw

Jill Plavcan

Lisa Yeung

Jeffrey Allen Doering

Ming Lang Kuang

Manoharprasad K Rao

Mark Anthony Cuddihy

Dale Scott Crombez

Felix Nedorezov

Jialiang Le

Hai Yu

Zhengyu Dai

Tobias John Pallett

Steven Joseph Szwabowski

Craig Hammann Stephan

Michael Hafner

Nimrod Kapas

Vladimir V Kokotovic

Abhishek Sharma

Nitendra Nath

Shankar Narayan Mohan

Peter Francis Worrel

Matthew Y Rupp

Dexin Wang

Michael Alan Blommer

Douglas Blue

James McBride

Yousaf Rahman

Aakar Mehra

Pavithra Madhavan

Erol Dogan Sumer

Paul George Sanders

Alexander Jaeckel

Ryan Lee Baker

Josko Deur

Paul Joseph Szuszman

Wayne Williams

Doug Scott Rhode

Jerome Charles Ivan

Christopher Cruise

Dimitar P Feliv

Yujii Fujii

Leda Daehler

Subramanya Nageshrao

Branimir Skugor

Craig Philip Angold-Stephens

Jakov Topic

A computer includes a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor to receive sensor data indicating an obstacle, formulate a control barrier function for a vehicle based on the sensor data, determine a control input based on the control barrier function, and actuate a component of the vehicle according to the control input. The control barrier function is defined with respect to a reference point that is spaced from a centroid of the vehicle.

Obstacle avoidance for vehicle

Upon detecting a mobile object approaching a target region, a target speed profile for a vehicle, a position and a speed for the vehicle, and a position and a speed for the mobile object are input to a first neural network that outputs an entry probability distribution of predicted entry times at which the mobile object will enter the target region. The target speed profile, the position and the speed for the vehicle, the position and the speed for the mobile object, and a predicted entry time at which the mobile object entered the target region are input to a second neural network that outputs an exit probability distribution of predicted exit times at which the mobile object will exit the target region. An optimized speed profile is determined based on the entry and exit probability distributions by executing a model predictive control algorithm in a rolling horizon. A vehicle is operated based on the optimized speed profile.

Vehicle control for optimized operation

A computer includes a processor and a memory, and the memory stores instructions executable by the processor to receive sensor data indicating an obstacle, formulate a first control barrier function for a vehicle based on the sensor data, formulate a second control barrier function for a trailer hitched to the vehicle based on the sensor data, determine a control input based on the first and second control barrier functions, and actuate a component of the vehicle according to the control input.

Obstacle avoidance for vehicle with trailer

A lateral virtual boundary for a host vehicle is identified based on a lateral distance between the host vehicle and a target vehicle, a longitudinal distance between the host vehicle and the target vehicle, and a speed of the target vehicle relative to the host vehicle. A forward virtual boundary for the host vehicle is identified based on the longitudinal distance between the host vehicle and the target vehicle. A lateral constraint value of the lateral virtual boundary and a forward constraint value of the forward virtual boundary are determined. A longitudinal acceleration and a steering angle are determined based on the lateral and forward virtual boundaries and the lateral and forward constraint values. One or both of a steering component or a brake are actuated based on the longitudinal acceleration and the steering angle.

Target vehicle detection

A control system and method for controlling a multiple gear ratio automatic transmission in a powertrain for an automatic transmission having pressure activated fiction torque elements to effect gear ratio upshifts. The friction torque elements are synchronously engaged and released during a torque phase of an upshift event as torque from a torque source is increased while allowing the off-going friction elements to slip, followed by an inertia phase during which torque from a torque source is modulated. A perceptible transmission output torque reduction during an upshift is avoided. Measured torque values are used during a torque phase of the upshift to correct an estimated oncoming friction element target torque so that transient torque disturbances at an oncoming clutch are avoided and torque transients at the output shaft are reduced.

Clutch torque trajectory correction to provide torque hole filling during a ratio upshift

A vehicle hitch assistance system includes comprising an imaging system, a steering system, a dead reckoning device and a controller. The controller determines a hitch location within a vehicle exterior image received from the imaging system and controls the steering system to guide the vehicle in a reverse direction to align a hitch ball of the vehicle with the hitch location, including by tracking the location of the vehicle using information received from the dead reckoning device.

System to automate hitching a trailer

A vehicle shock absorbing system includes a wheel, a vehicle body, a first absorber, a dynamic absorber, and a third absorber. The third absorber is attached to the vehicle body. The first absorber is between the third absorber and the wheel. The dynamic absorber is attached to the wheel and includes a dynamic absorber mass and a spring.

Vehicle shock absorber

A lane curvature, a vehicle position offset relative to a lane center line, and a vehicle heading are determined based on image data received from a vehicle camera sensor. An adjusted lane curvature and an adjusted vehicle heading are computed based on a vehicle speed, a vehicle yaw rate and the position offset.

Vehicle lateral motion control

A computing system can determine a vehicle action based on inputting vehicle sensor data to a first neural network including a first safety agent that can determine a probability of unsafe vehicle operation. The first neural network can be adapted, at a plurality of times, by a periodically retrained deep reinforcement learning agent that includes a second deep neural network including a second safety agent. A vehicle can be operated based on the vehicle action.

Vehicle adaptive learning

One or more target areas are identified proximate to a moving vehicle. The vehicle can be maneuvered to a target area selected according to a reinforcement learning reward function.

Vehicle action control

A vehicle system includes a processor with access to a memory storing instructions executable by the processor. The instructions include determining whether an autonomous host vehicle can traverse an environmental obstacle, and if the autonomous host vehicle can traverse the environmental obstacle, controlling an active suspension system in accordance with the environmental obstacle and controlling the autonomous host vehicle to traverse the environmental obstacle.

Off-road autonomous driving

The present disclosure generally relates to an obstacle avoidance system with active suspensions. The obstacle avoidance system uses one or more active suspensions to lift or jump one or more corresponding wheels over an obstacle in the vehicle's path to avoid contact with the obstacle when the vehicle cannot practically drive over, steer around, or stop before hitting the obstacle.

Obstacle avoidance system with active suspensions

Method and apparatus are disclosed for autonomous parking of vehicles in perpendicular parking spots. An example vehicle includes a front corner, a sensor, and a parking controller. The parking controller is to detect, via the sensor, a perpendicular parking spot and determine a linear parking path located within the perpendicular parking spot along which the front corner is to travel. The parking controller also is to determine an approaching turn path to the linear parking path and autonomously turn along the approaching turn path and the linear parking path into the perpendicular parking spot.

Autonomous parking of vehicles in perpendicular parking spots

A vehicle hitch assistance system includes an imaging system, a steering system, a dead reckoning system, and a controller. The controller determines a hitch location within a vehicle exterior image received from the camera system, derives a vehicle path to align a hitch ball of the vehicle with the hitch location, and controls the steering system to guide the vehicle along the path including tracking the location of the vehicle using information received from the dead reckoning system.

A control system and method for controlling a multiple gear ratio automatic transmission in a powertrain for an automatic transmission having pressure activated friction torque elements to effect gear ratio upshifts. The friction torque elements are synchronously engaged and released during a torque phase of an upshift event as torque from a torque source is increased while allowing the off-going friction elements to slip, followed by an inertia phase during which torque from a torque source is modulated. A perceptible transmission output torque reduction during an upshift is avoided. Measured torque values are used during a torque phase of the upshift to correct an estimated oncoming friction element target torque so that transient torque disturbances at an oncoming clutch are avoided and torque transients at the output shaft are reduced.

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Canton, MI, United States of America

Hongtei Eric Tseng