Toyota Research Institute, Inc.

Volkswagen Ag

Audi Ag

Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha

Jaime Camhi

Manuel Ludwig Kuehner

Hiroshi Yasuda

Daniel J Brooks

Heiko Maiwand

Payton R White

Martin Roehder

Mario Tippelhofer

Martin F Eberhard

Jessica Riley

Guillermo Pita Gil

Heiner Fees

Alexander Eichhorn

Steven Diamond

James Toggweiler

Brian Ng

Marc E Tarpenning

Erik Glaser

Matthew Jolda

Nathaniel Paffett-Lugassy

Marco Antonio Lobato Fregoso

Karric Kwong

Rob Sweney

Dij Jayaratna

Annie Lien

Charles Lee

Marco Lobato

Nathaniel Paffet-Lugassy

A system includes a processor and a memory in communication with the processor. The memory has a human-machine interface module having instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to identify, based on sensor data regarding a vehicle and an environment in which the vehicle operates, an event in which the vehicle should perform an autonomous steering maneuver determined by an autonomous driving system. The instructions further cause the processor to, in response to identifying the event, decouple control of a steering rack of the vehicle by a handwheel of the vehicle and reduce a rational movement of the handwheel from a normal range to a restricted range, and determine, by the autonomous driving system, the autonomous steering maneuver to be performed by the vehicle influenced by an angle of the handwheel detected by the processor when the rotational movement of the handwheel is in the restricted range.

Human-machine interface control system

System, methods, and other embodiments described herein relate to communicating a recommended speed through feedback on a combined pedal for acceleration or braking. In one embodiment, a control system includes a pedal coupled to a first device having a throttle sensor for a vehicle and a first actuator that generates throttle feedback by applying force to the pedal. The control system also includes the pedal being coupled to a second device having a brake activation sensor for the vehicle and a second actuator that generates braking feedback, the first actuator triggers a rotation of the pedal that initiates a braking command through the brake activation sensor according to a recommended speed computed using vehicle data.

Control system using a combined pedal and feedback for recommending speed

A system includes a processor and a memory in communication with the processor. The memory has a human-machine interface module having instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to identify, influenced by sensor data regarding a vehicle and an environment in which the vehicle operates, an event in which the vehicle should perform an autonomous steering maneuver determined by an autonomous driving system. The instructions further cause the processor to, in response to identifying the event, decouple control of a steering rack of the vehicle by a handwheel of the vehicle and lock the handwheel to prevent the handwheel from substantially moving. The instructions further cause the processor to determine, by the autonomous driving system, the autonomous steering maneuver to be performed by the vehicle influenced by an isometric torque input applied to the handwheel and detected by the processor when the handwheel is locked.

System, methods, and other embodiments described herein relate to generating a response of a vehicle to a virtual rumble strip. In one embodiment, a method includes determine that a virtual boundary corresponding to a real-world location in proximity of a vehicle has been crossed as the vehicle travels based upon first sensor data generated by the vehicle. The method further includes determine information about an environment of the vehicle as the virtual boundary is crossed based upon second sensor data generated by the vehicle. The method also includes activate an actuator of a seat of the vehicle such that haptic feedback is delivered to the seat, wherein the haptic feedback is based upon the information about the environment and a type of a virtual rumble strip.

Systems and methods for simulated rumble strips using fully actuating vehicle seat

System and methods are provided for implementing friction circle safety controls in a vehicle, such as an autonomous vehicle. A system can apply a friction circle analysis during the vehicle's operation, in order to perform a safety-based evaluation of maneuvers that impact the dynamic relationship between a vehicle's tires and a road surface. The system also establishes a link between the vehicle's lateral controls (e.g., steering wheel) and the vehicle's longitudinal controls (e.g., brake and throttle pedals), such that a frictional force of the tires against the road's surface, does not does not exceed a traction limit (e.g., limit of a tire's grip on the road surface) for the particular vehicle. For example, friction circle safety controls can automatically provide feedback and/or automatic driving actions to adjust a relationship between the steering wheel and brake/throttle pedals of the vehicle to maintain operation of the vehicle within the friction circle.

System and method for providing friction circle feedback for vehicle safety

A system is provided for implementing steering wheel controls, namely steering wheel rotation locking. In accordance with embodiments of the disclosed technology, a system may comprise a steering wheel rotation locking device; and a controller communicatively connected to the steering wheel rotation locking device to determine a presence and location of one or more objects or conditions surrounding a vehicle, and produce steering wheel control feedback to physically prevent rotational movement of a steering wheel.

System and method to prevent lateral control by limiting turning by a steering wheel

Systems and methods are provided for preventing headwind debris from collecting on travel direction-facing housing surfaces of a vehicle by creating protective 'air cushions' in front of the travel direction-facing housing surfaces. These air cushions may divert headwind air away from the travel direction-facing housing surfaces, ensuring that headwind debris does not collect on them. Examples may create these protective air cushions by propelling high pressure air through perforated surfaces in a contrary direction to headwind.

Generating an air cushion through a perforated surface to prevent travel direction-facing surfaces from collecting debris

The disclosure generally relates to methods for assisting a driver of a vehicle that include monitoring the driver's actions, during a first portion of time that starts when the driver begins to engage in a surveillance type action and ends when the driver ends the surveillance type action, activating one or more feedback devices, when the driver engages in a surveillance type action, monitoring the driver's actions during a second portion of time that beings when the driver ends the surveillance type action, and ends when the driver begins the surveillance type action, and activating one or more feedback devices, during the second portion of time when the driver engages in a driving maneuver and fails to engage in the surveillance type action.

Using feedback for mental modeling of vehicle surroundings

Systems and methods are provided for adjusting headlight properties according to the speed of the vehicle. In particular, some embodiments aim to optimize a vehicle's lighting in suboptimal conditions. Using the data processed by the ADAS, the system is able to optimize the vehicle's lighting by taking into account various factors beyond the current speed limit on the road.

Changing headlight properties to recommend vehicle speed

Systems and methods are provided for improved and intuitive adjustment of a vehicle headrest. A vehicle headrest adjustment system may include touch sensors and/or motion sensors to determine a driver or passenger intends to adjust a vehicle headrest. Upon detection of touch consistent with intent to adjust a vehicle headrest and/or a hand gesture consistent with intent to adjust a vehicle headrest, a system may unlock a vehicle headrest. A driver or passenger may move the unlocked vehicle headrest into the desired position. Upon detection of a condition indicating the driver or passenger is finished and/or upon a set period of time elapsing, the system may re-lock the vehicle headrest into place. A vehicle headrest adjustment system may also include a power-assist function. The power-assist function may include motors and force sensors to assist a driver or passenger in moving a vehicle headrest into a desired position.

Systems and methods for improving the adjustment of a vehicle headrest using gestures

Systems and methods for controlling an autonomous vehicle are disclosed herein. One embodiment determines a reference path for the autonomous vehicle along a roadway segment and steers the autonomous vehicle along a path that includes controlled back and forth lateral deviations from the reference path along the roadway segment to provide feedback to an occupant of the autonomous vehicle, the feedback indicating to the occupant that the autonomous vehicle is in an autonomous driving mode and that the autonomous driving mode is operating correctly.

Systems and methods for controlling an autonomous vehicle

Systems and methods for improving the adjustment of a vehicle headrest

An easy entrance/exit system for a vehicle includes a vehicle seat, a pad, a pad-side magnetic device, and a seat-side magnet. The vehicle seat includes a seat base. The pad is supported atop the seat base for swiveling about a pivot point. The pad-side magnetic device is coupled to the pad at the pivot point. The seat-side magnet is within the seat base at the pivot point. The seat-side magnet is configured to apply a magnetic field to the pad-side magnetic device to govern swiveling of the pad about the pivot point.

Easy entrance/exit system for a vehicle

A vehicle system including one or more sensors, a steering wheel including a rim and an adjusting mechanism for adjusting a coefficient of friction between a surface of the rim and a driver's hand, and a controller configured to determine whether a deviation factor between a target path and an actual path based on the one or more sensors exceeds a threshold deviation, send a first signal to the adjusting mechanism for operating to a first state in response to determining that the deviation factor exceeds the threshold deviation, the coefficient of friction being decreased when the adjusting mechanism is in the first state, and send a second signal to the adjusting mechanism for operating to a second state in response to determining that the deviation factor does not exceed the threshold deviation, the coefficient of friction being increased when the adjusting mechanism is in the second state.

Steering wheels having an adjustable coefficient of friction

A secondary horn system for a vehicle includes a processor and a memory communicably coupled to the processor and storing a secondary horn system control module. The control module may include instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to determine a presence of an alert space along a projected path of the vehicle and, responsive to a determination of the presence of an alert space, control operation of a secondary horn system to transmit a sound into the alert space. The system may provide for autonomous operation of the secondary horn system in certain driving situations, thereby easing demands on the driver and enhancing driver safety.

Growing community of inventors

San Jose, CA, United States of America

Jaime Camhi