Volvo Lastvagnar Ab

Volvo Truck Corporation

Jan-Inge Svensson

Sten Ragnhult

Jochen Pohl

Gustav Neander

Leo Laine

Mats Fagergren

Johan Hultén

Anders Eriksson

Leon Henderson

Lionel Farres

Kristoffer Tagesson

Christian Oscarsson

Peter Lingman

Sören Bystedt

Johan Hultèn

Johanna Majqvist

The invention relates to a method for predicting maintenance/replacement period for a component of a vehicle, the vehicle comprising a power-assisted steering system including a steering actuator () configured to assist in steering the vehicle at least as compensation for angular deviations of the road wheels () caused by road disturbances. The method comprises acquiring over time steering output data indicative of a magnitude and/or frequency of assisted steering as compensation for angular deviations of the road wheels () caused by road disturbances, comparing the acquired steering output data with stored component wear data, the stored component wear data being indicative of when maintenance/replacement of the component is due based on wear caused by road disturbances, and determining, based on the comparison of the acquired steering output data and the stored component wear data, whether or not maintenance/replacement of the component is due. The invention also relates to a system ().

Method and a system for predicting maintenance/replacement period for a component of a vehicle

A method for controlling a vehicle brake system for a heavy duty vehicle including a primary brake system and an auxiliary brake system. The method includes configuring a wheel slip magnitude limit, obtaining a requested auxiliary brake torque, engaging the primary brake system at a torque determined in dependence of the requested auxiliary brake torque, while monitoring a wheel slip value, determining an allowable auxiliary brake torque in dependence of the requested auxiliary brake torque and the wheel slip value, and engaging the auxiliary brake system at the allowable auxiliary brake torque.

Method for controlling auxiliary braking by a vehicle

The invention relates to a steering assembly () for a vehicle (). The steering assembly () comprises a first steering actuator () and a second steering actuator (). The first steering actuator () is adapted to be actuated in accordance with at least one signal issued from a motion control system () to control a steering angle of at least one steerable ground engaging member () of the vehicle () to thereby control the steering of the vehicle (). The first steering actuator () is associated with a first nominal steering capability, defining at least one limitation of at least one of the following: steering angle, steering angle rate and steering torque, for the at least one steerable ground engaging member (). The second steering actuator () is adapted to be actuated in accordance with at least one signal issued from the motion control system () to control the steering angle of the at least one steerable ground engaging member () of the vehicle () to thereby control the steering of the vehicle (). The second steering actuator () is associated with a second nominal steering capability, defining at least one limitation of at least one of the following: steering angle, steering angle rate and steering torque, for the at least one steerable ground engaging member (). The motion control system () is adapted to, upon detection of a malfunction associated with the first steering actuator (), associate the second steering actuator () with a second enhanced steering capability instead of the second nominal steering capability. The second enhanced steering capability is different from the second nominal steering capability.

Steering assembly for a vehicle

The invention relates to a method of controlling steering of a vehicle (), comprising the steps of: acquiring (S) a signal indicative of a driver request indicative of a desired wheel angle of a turnable vehicle wheel (); determining (S), based on the signal indicative of the driver request, a control signal for an actuator () coupled to the turnable vehicle wheel to achieve the desired wheel angle; controlling (S) the actuator () using the control signal; detecting (S) an abrupt wheel disturbance event; and in response to detecting the abrupt wheel disturbance event: acquiring (S), from a lane detecting arrangement (), a signal indicative of a lane curvature ahead of the vehicle (); and controlling (S) the actuator () based on the lane curvature ahead of the vehicle ().

Method and system for controlling steering of a vehicle

A method is provided for assisting a driver of a vehicle during operation by providing the driver with a desired steering feel. The method includes determining a desired steering device guiding force including a part representing a desired friction in a steering arrangement, and providing the driver with the desired steering feel based on the determined steering device guiding force.

Method and a system for assisting a driver of a vehicle during operation

A method for changing a vehicle's trajectory, wherein the vehicle includes a steering arrangement including a manual steering device, at least one pair of ground engaging members and a mechanical interconnection therebetween, includes the steps of applying a braking force to at least one of the ground engaging members so that the vehicle's trajectory is changed, and simultaneously suppressing steering device disturbances resulting from the mechanical interconnection.

Method and a system for changing a vehicle's trajectory

A method is provided for assisting a driver of a vehicle during operation by providing the driver with a desired steering feel, wherein the vehicle includes a steering arrangement including a manually operated steering device, at least one pair of ground engaging members and a mechanical interconnection between the steering device and the ground engaging members. The method includes detecting a steering angle and determining a desired steering device guiding force based on the detected steering angle, providing the driver with the desired steering feel based on the desired steering device guiding force, and detecting the steering angle in a position at a ground engaging member side of an elastic steering force transmitting element in the steering arrangement.

A method for assisting a driver of a vehicle during operation in order to avoid an undesired situation based on a current driving scenario includes predicting if a first guiding force to a vehicle steering device is desired in order to avoid the undesired situation and, if the first guiding force is desired, predicting a total guiding force comprising the first guiding force, which would be applied to the steering device for avoiding the undesired situation, comparing the predicted total guiding force with a limit value, and if the predicted total guiding force exceeds the limit value, in advance, deciding whether to apply the predicted total guiding force to the steering device for avoiding the undesired situation or not.

The invention relates to a method for measuring and estimating a brake factor in a vehicle brake system, said vehicle including a towing vehicle and a trailer having a plurality of wheel axles, wherein said method includes: initiating a controlled braking manoeuvre involving at least a first wheel axle and a second wheel axle; and obtaining values representing said brake factor for said wheel first wheel axle and said second wheel axle by a control unit which is provided with a brake adaptation function to obtain a brake balance between said towing vehicle and said trailer. The method furthermore includes: braking, in a forced manner, said first wheel axle when retardation of said vehicle is requested; estimating the brake factor for said first wheel axle by determining the brake pressure and braking torque for said first wheel axle; providing a transition phase after which said second wheel axle is braked, in a forced manner, and estimating the brake factor for said second wheel axle by determining the brake pressure and braking torque for said second wheel axle. An arrangement for measuring and estimating the brake factor in a vehicle brake system is also disclosed.

Method and arrangement for measuring and estimating a brake factor in a vehicle brake system

A method for estimating the friction coefficient between the stator and the rotor in a braking device including the following method steps: measurement of the temperature of the braking device, establishment of the friction coefficient by calculating the relationship between a measure of thermal energy generated by the rotor and the stator during a time interval and a measure of braking energy absorbed by the rotor and the stator during the same time interval, in which the generated thermal energy is calculated from a function of the measured temperature. The method is preferably used in calculating a correction factor for trailer compensation.

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Göteborg, Sweden

Jan-Inge Svensson