Volvo Truck Corporation

Volvo Lastvagnar Ab

Volvo Autonomous Solutions Ab

Kristoffer Tagesson

Leo Laine

Leon Henderson

Lionel Farres

José Vilca

Mats Jonasson

Esteban Gelso

Christian Oscarsson

Sogol Kharrazi

Johanna Majqvist

Staffan Rödjedal

Jan-Inge Svensson

Jonas Hagerskans

Thorsten Helfrich

Carl-Johan Hoel

Karthik Ramanan Vaidyanathan

Vinzenz Bandi

Nicolas Soulier

The present disclosure relates to method for controlling a driving operation of an autonomously controlled vehicle. In particular, a navigation system is controlled to autonomously operate the vehicle in a direction from a position of loss of location to a first upcoming stop position; and to controlling the vehicle to a stand-still operation when the vehicle arrives at the stop position for calibration of a sensor arranged to measure an angular velocity of the vehicle.

Method for controlling a driving operation of an autonomously controlled vehicle

The present disclosure relates to an autonomous vehicle control system () for providing motion control of an autonomous vehicle (), comprising: —a primary control unit () configured to perform longitudinal and lateral motion control of the vehicle during normal operation, —a secondary back-up control unit () configured to perform back-up longitudinal motion control when an emergency mode has been enabled, wherein the primary control unit is further configured to perform back-up lateral motion control when the emergency mode has been enabled. The invention further relates to a method for providing motion control of an autonomous vehicle and to an autonomous vehicle.

Autonomous vehicle control system

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

A method of operating a vehicle comprising at least a first vehicle retarding subsystem controllable to retard the vehicle, and processing circuitry coupled to the at least first vehicle retarding subsystem, the method comprising the steps of: acquiring, by the processing circuitry from the first vehicle retarding subsystem, at least one value indicative of current energy accumulation by the first vehicle retarding subsystem; and determining, by the processing circuitry, a measure indicative of a retardation energy capacity currently available for retardation of the vehicle, based on: the acquired at least one value indicative of current energy accumulation by the first vehicle retarding subsystem; a predefined model of retardation energy accumulation by the first vehicle retarding subsystem; and a predefined limit indicative of a maximum allowed energy accumulation by the first vehicle retarding subsystem.

Operating a vehicle comprising vehicle retarding subsystem

The disclosure relates to a method for estimating a maximum safe articulation angle (Φlim) to be used in reversing of a vehicle combination () comprising a towing vehicle () and at least one trailer (), said method comprising: S) providing a preset maximum safe articulation angle (Φlim) for the towing vehicle () or the vehicle combination (), S) receiving a signal being indicative of an articulation angle (Φ) of the vehicle combination () during forward driving of the vehicle combination (), and S) updating the maximum safe articulation angle (Φlim) when the articulation angle (Φ) of the vehicle combination () during forward driving is larger than the preset maximum safe articulation angle (Φlim). The disclosure also relates to a method for reversing a vehicle combination (), to a control unit (), to a towing vehicle (), to a computer program and to a computer readable medium.

Method for estimating a maximum safe articulation angle to be used in reversing of a vehicle combination

The disclosure relates to a method for reversing a vehicle combination () comprising a towing vehicle () and at least one trailer (), said method comprising: (S) reversing the vehicle combination, (S) determining whether a jack-knifing condition (J) is about to occur by comparing a predicted future estimate of the articulation angle (&#x3a6;) with a maximum safe articulation angle (&#x3a6;), wherein the maximum safe articulation angle (&#x3a6;) is estimated according to the first aspect of the invention, and when it is determined that the jack-knifing condition (J) is about to occur, perform at least one of the following steps: (S) issue a warning signal, and (S) initiate a braking action for the vehicle combination, wherein the predicted future estimate of the articulation angle (&#x3a6;) is based on an estimated driver reaction time for initiating a braking action.

Method for reversing a vehicle combination

A control arrangement for a vehicle motion system including a braking function, comprising motion actuators with one or more brake actuators pertaining to the braking function, a first vehicle motion management controller (VMM) and a second vehicle motion management controller (VMM), forming a redundant assembly to control the braking function, wherein, in riding conditions, the first vehicle motion management controller controls the brake actuators with a current nominal expected braking performance, while the second vehicle motion management controller (VMM) is in a waiting-to-operate mode, the control arrangement comprising a hot swap functionality in which the second vehicle motion management controller (VMM) is configured to take over control of the brake actuators from the first vehicle motion management controller, with the current nominal expected braking performance, in a short time period (SWT) less than one second, preferably less than 0.5 second, preferably less than 0.3 second, and associated control method.

Redundant motion control for a vehicle with a redundant braking arrangement

The invention i.a. relates to a load transfer arrangement () for a vehicle () including a chassis () with at least one braked axle (), the arrangement () comprising: a non-driven load axle (), and an air suspension assembly () including at least one air cushion () arranged between the chassis () and the non-driven load axle () in order to transfer load from the braked axle(s) () to the non-driven load axle (), wherein the non-driven load axle () is unbraked, and wherein the arrangement () further comprises: an evacuation controller () configured to provide a pressure release trigger in response to a current or predicted braking event of the vehicle (), and at least one evacuation valve () configured to, in response to receiving the pressure release trigger, evacuate pressure from the at least one air cushion () in order to remove load from the non-driven load axle () and increase load on the braked axle(s) ().

Air suspension evacuation for improved braking performance

A method for controlling a driver assistance system is provided, as is a corresponding driver assistance system and a computer program product.

Driver assistance system

A method is provided for estimating the effective wheelbase length of a trailer in a vehicle combination including a towing vehicle and at least one towed trailer. The method includes driving the vehicle combination forwards, determining the speed of the vehicle combination, determining the steering angle of the towing vehicle, determining the steering angle of each towed trailer, determining the yaw rate of the towing vehicle and the yaw rate of the towed trailer or determining the articulation angle for each towed trailer, and using the determined values to calculate a value for the effective wheelbase for each towed trailer. An arrangement for estimating the effective wheelbase length of a trailer in a vehicle combination is also disclosed.

Method for estimation of a trailer wheelbase length

A method is provided for determining a maximum speed limit for a reversing vehicle combination that includes a towing vehicle and at least one towed trailer. The method includes determining a maneuver that is to be performed by the vehicle combination, simulating the complete maneuver in advance by using a control algorithm and a state space model, thereby obtaining the steering behavior of the vehicle combination during the maneuver, and calculating the maximum speed limit for the vehicle combination during the maneuver by using at least one predefined limiting condition. A maximum speed limit for a reverse assistance function can be estimated in advance, which allows for a faster and more efficient reversing of the vehicle combination, and at the same time allows for an improved comfort for the driver.

Method for determining a maximum speed limit for a reversing vehicle combination

An arrangement for improving stability of a vehicle combination includes a towing vehicle and at least one towed vehicle, where the at least one towed vehicle includes an actively steered axle and/or individual brake on at least one axle, where the towing vehicle and the at least one towed vehicle each includes a lateral acceleration determining arrangement. A vehicle combination model is adapted for determining a desired delay value between the lateral acceleration of the towing vehicle and the lateral acceleration of the at least one towed vehicle, where the arrangement is adapted to stabilize the at least one towed vehicle by using the determined lateral acceleration of the towing vehicle and the desired delay value for the at least one towed vehicle to establish a desired lateral acceleration for the at least one towed vehicle, and to control the steered axle and/or the individual brake of the at least one towed vehicle such that the determined lateral acceleration of the at least one towed vehicle corresponds to the desired lateral acceleration of the at least one towed vehicle.

Method and arrangement for vehicle stabilization

An arrangement for improving stability of a vehicle combination including a towing vehicle and at least one towed vehicle, where the at least one towed vehicle includes at least one actively steered axle and/or individual brake on at least one axle, where the towing vehicle and the at least one towed vehicle each includes an arrangement for determining yaw rate for determining the yaw rate of the vehicle and the at least one towed vehicle, where the arrangement further includes a vehicle combination model adapted for determining a desired delay value between the yaw rate of the towing vehicle and the yaw rate of the at least one towed vehicle, where the arrangement is adapted to stabilize the at least one towed vehicle by using the determined yaw rate of the towing vehicle and the desired delay value for the at least one towed vehicle to establish a desired yaw rate for the at least one towed vehicle, and to control the steered axle and/or the individual brake of the at least one towed vehicle such that the determined yaw rate of the at least one towed vehicle corresponds to the desired yaw rate of the at least one towed vehicle. The yaw rate may be estimated or measured. The advantage of the invention is that the stability of a vehicle combination can be improved, which in turn improves the road safety.

Growing community of inventors

Göteborg, Sweden

Kristoffer Tagesson