Zoox, Inc.

Johannes Edren

Joseph Funke

Ahditya Melkote

Ali Javidan

Johannes Andreas Huennekens

Moritz Boecker

David Martins Belo

Alexandre Nunes

Markus Jost

Jacob Lee Askeland

Paul Choin

Brandon Loeb

Ryan O'Leary Flatland

Amanda Brown Prescott

Vasumathi Raman

Phillip Newport Kuys

Andrew James Webb

Ella Strack

Timothy David Kentley-Klay

Jesse Sol Levinson

Derek Adams

Michael Carsten Bosse

Robert J Chen

Matthew Austin Terrel

Till Kroeger

David Evan Zlotnik

Taylor Andrew Arnicar

Zachary Stuart Churukian

Justin Calvin Leung

Sharath Kumar Thirupathyswamy

Nivedita Chandrasekaran

Keith David Myers

James W Fash

This disclosure describes techniques for determining a state of a pressurized chamber of a suspension of a vehicle, wherein the pressurized chamber comprises a hydraulic fluid chamber and a gas chamber separated by a piston. The state is determined by varying a pressure in the hydraulic fluid chamber and determining a knee point in a change of pressure in the hydraulic fluid chamber. The knee point indicates that the separator has been bottomed out. The pressure in the knee point may be used to determine a state of the suspension system.

Active suspension component degradation determination

Systems and techniques for operating an active suspension system are discussed herein. The active suspension system can include a first suspension couple to a first wheel and a second suspension coupled to a second wheel, each suspension can include a first valve, a second valve, and an actuator. While a vehicle is traversing an environment, the vehicle can receive sensor data indicating an uneven surface is within a trajectory of at least the first wheel. A vehicle controller can determine a target position for the actuator of the first suspension, a target current to be generated at the first valve or the second valve and associated with moving the actuator from its current position to the target position, and a target voltage to be apply at the first valve or the second valve to generate the target current to compensate for a change in pitch and/or roll of a vehicle induced by the uneven surface. The vehicle controller can further determine a modified input voltage that causes the target current to be generated at a faster time than the input voltage.

Lag compensated active suspension system

An over actuated system capable of controlling wheel parameters, such as speed (e.g., by torque and braking), steering angles, caster angles, camber angles, and toe angles, of wheels in an associated vehicle. The system may determine the associated vehicle is in a rollover state and adjust wheel parameters to prevent vehicle rollover. Additionally, the system may determine a driving state and dynamically adjust wheel parameters to optimize driving, including, for example, cornering and parking. Such a system may also dynamically detect wheel misalignment and provide alignment and/or corrective driving solutions. Further, by utilizing degenerate solutions for driving, the system may also estimate tire-surface parameterization data for various road surfaces and make such estimates available for other vehicles via a network.

Independent control of vehicle wheels

A bidirectional vehicle may be capable of traveling in either of two directions and may change its direction of travel at any point for various reasons. In response to a change in the direction of travel, systems of a bidirectional vehicle may adjust one or more suspension components using various techniques to configure the vehicle with a higher ride frequency at the trailing axle than at the leading axle to enhance the ride quality and handling capabilities of the vehicle.

Switchable ride frequency for bidirectional vehicles

An active suspension control system for a vehicle includes a mathematical model based on a modal expansion of the vehicle. Model parameters of the vehicle can be extracted from the modal expansion using sensor data generated on the vehicle, e.g., on demand and/or in real time. The model parameters and the modal expansion can be used to determine a vehicle state, predict future vehicle states, and control aspects of an active suspension system based on the predicted future vehicle states. The model parameters may also be used to update the mathematical model, e.g., to account for component wear over time, and/or to detect anomalies or defects in the active suspension system.

Active suspension system using modal expansion

Updating vehicle models for improved suspension control

Multiple model active suspension control

Systems, methods, and apparatuses described herein are directed to vehicle self-diagnostics. For example, a vehicle can include sensors monitoring vehicle components, for perceiving objects and obstacles in an environment, and for navigating the vehicle to a destination. Data from these and other sensors can be leveraged to determine a behavior associated with the vehicle. Based at least in part on determining the behavior, a vehicle can determine a fault and query one or more information sources associated with the vehicle to diagnose the fault. Based on diagnosing the fault, the vehicle can determine instructions for redressing the fault. The vehicle can diagnose the fault in near-real time, that is, while driving or otherwise in the field.

Vehicle self-diagnostics

A suspension system includes a rotation inducing member for causing a cylinder to rotate relative to piston rod in response to an axially-applied force. In examples, the rotation inducing member may be embodied as a bushing structure. In other examples, the cylinder and/or the piston rod may include the rotation inducing member. The inducement of rotational motion may help overcome stiction or similar frictional forces between the piston rod and the cylinder.

Suspension system with rotation inducing component

A system may schedule a vehicle for accommodating preferences of occupants within the vehicle. In some instances, an identity of the occupant may be determined and using the identity, the preference of the occupant may be determined. The vehicle may be schedule for the occupant in instances where the vehicle is able to accommodate the preference. The vehicle may be adjusted or setting(s) of the vehicle may be adjusted based on the preference. The vehicle may travel along a route according to the preferences.

Vehicle scheduling based on occupant preferences

A vehicle may receive sensor data captured by a sensor, determine that the sensor data represents an object in the environment, and determine a collision probability associated with a collision between the vehicle and the object. Based at least in part on the collision probability, the vehicle may determine one or more mitigating actions to perform prior to, during, and/or after the collision. The mitigating action may be associated with adjusting a hydraulic fluid pressure in at least a portion of a hydraulic fluid system of the vehicle.

Reducing hydraulic fluid pressure based on predicted collision

A suspension including one or more elasto-hydraulic bushings that can enable adjustment of the kinematic pivot point. The suspension can include a bushing system having a single buishing or a coupled bushing pair interactively arranged and configured to transform rotational motion into translational motion or vice versa by the expansion and contraction of one or more reservoirs.

Pivot offset elasto-hydraulic bushing

A location of an occupant within a vehicle and/or an activity engaged in by the occupant may be determined. Based on the location and/or the activity, a point of interest associated with the occupant and/or the vehicle may be determined. One or more systems of the vehicle, such as the steering and/or suspension, may be controlled to minimize acceleration associated with the point of interest, thereby increasing a comfort of the occupant. In instances where the vehicle includes more than one occupant, the vehicle may be adjusted to accommodate the multiple occupants.

Dynamic vehicle suspension and steering adjustment

Techniques and methods for testing a structural integrity of a vehicle. For instance, the vehicle may use suspension(s) to lift corners of the vehicle, where lifting the corners creates a torsion force in the body of the vehicle. The vehicle may then use sensor(s) to determine a deflection that is caused by the torsion force. Next, the vehicle may determine a stiffness associated with the body of the vehicle using the force that was applied to lift the corners and the deflection. After determining the stiffness, the vehicle may compare the stiffness to a baseline stiffness in order to determine whether there is a problem with the structural integrity of the vehicle. The baseline stiffness may include s standard stiffness or be based on a previous test of the vehicle. If the vehicle determines that there is no problem, then the vehicle may continue to operate as intended.

Techniques for testing a deflection of a structural section of a vehicle

A suspension system for controlling movement of a vehicle wheel may include a spring and damper assembly coupling the wheel to the vehicle chassis for movement of the wheel relative to the vehicle chassis. The spring and damper assembly may include a spring coupled to a damper member configured to extend and retract the wheel relative to the vehicle chassis. The suspension system may further include a damper actuator located remotely from the spring and damper assembly and configured to modify an amount of damping and/or wheel extension. The suspension system may also include a spring actuator integrated with the damper actuator and configured to control an amount of deflection of the spring and/or to alter a spring rate. The damper actuator may be provided at a location in the vehicle separated from the spring and damper assembly.

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Belmont, CA, United States of America

Johannes Edren