Nederlandse Organisatie Voor Toegepast-natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek Tno

Jeroen Ploeg

Hans-Martin Duringhof

Pieter Jan Schutyser

Leonardus Johannes Hubertus Maria Kester

Ellen Van Nunen

Thijs Hendrikus Adrianus Van Den Broek

Bart Theodoor Maria Scheepers

Antonius Cornelis Maria Versmissen

Rene Mathieu Corbeij

A method of determining a safe distance (d) between a first vehicle () and a second vehicle () moving ahead of the first vehicle, each vehicle having a state which comprises at least one of a position (s, s), a speed and an acceleration of the respective vehicle, the method comprising the steps of: &#x2014;collecting sensor data relating to the state of the vehicles (), &#x2014;determining, using the sensor data and a time-dependent description of the state of the second vehicle (), a state of the second vehicle () as a result of a maximum deceleration of said second vehicle, &#x2014;determining, using a time-dependent model of the behavior of the first vehicle () and said state of the second vehicle (), a state of the first vehicle () as a result of said maximum deceleration of said second vehicle (), and &#x2014;determining, using said state of the second vehicle () and said state of the first vehicle (), the safe distance (d). Said state of the second vehicle () and said state of the first vehicle () involve uncertainties introduced by the sensor data, thus increasing the safety margin of the method.

Vehicle spacing control

Collision avoidance actions in a road vehicle are controlled based on a computed probability density of future positions of the vehicle. A preliminary probability density () is computed by means of a mechanical model by extrapolation from the detected state of the vehicle, including at least its detected position (). Map data is used to define different regions in an area that contains the road, such as a first region that comprises a road part for traffic that moves in the direction of travel of the vehicle, a second region that comprises a road part for traffic in the opposite direction and a third region bordering on the road. The regions are used to obtain a correction factor of the computed probability density function in the first region (). The correction factor is computed dependent on the aggregates of the probability density function in respective ones of the regions. In this way it is possible to compensate for errors that result from extrapolations that misinterpret swerving motion that suggest that the vehicle will move of the road, but are automatically corrected by the driver.

Collision avoidance system and method for a road vehicle and respective computer program product

A vehicle () comprises sensor units () for collecting sensor data, and a processing unit () for processing the sensor data. A method of providing driving assistance information comprises the steps of: determining the cost (c) of pairs () of acceleration values on the basis of the sensor data, each pair of acceleration values representing a longitudinal (a lon) and a lateral (a lat) acceleration of the vehicle, &#x2014;selecting a pair () of least cost acceleration values, and&#x2014;providing driving assistance information including the pair of least cost acceleration values. The processing unit () may be arranged for providing visible, audible and/or haptic driving assistance information to the driver of the vehicle, and/or for providing steering assistance.

Vehicle driving assistance

A test system () is arranged for testing vehicle systems which comprise at least one sensor (). The test system comprises a test stand () for accommodating a vehicle (), an object () which is movable relative to the test stand, and a control unit () for controlling the movement of the object. The test stand () is provided with a speed measurement unit () for detecting the virtual speed (v) of the vehicle, while the control unit () is arranged for controlling the movement of the object in dependence on said virtual speed. The object () preferably is a dummy vehicle which may be pulled along a track ().

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Helmond, Netherlands

Jeroen Ploeg