Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Advics Co., Ltd.

Ford Motor Company Limited

Lodewijk Wijffels

Oliver Nehls

Sergio Codonesu

Joshua Guerra

Jan Bremkens

Jeremy Rawlings

Joseph Park

David Michael Russell

Jitendra Shah

Attila Benak

Timothy Cannon

Cornelius MacFarland

Toshio Yasutake

Fuminori Kato

Eugene J Lau

Devon Eyerman

Robert Marcel Mrozek

Jouji Nishioka

Anja Damman

Darrel Alan Recker

Scott J Lauffer

Mark Douglas Malone

William Najib Mansur

Tomohiko Adachi

Andrew Arthur Brown

Ashrit Das

Miguel A Bahena

Robert J Garby

Peter Zegelaar

Sagar Avaneendra Tatipamula

Ronald Loyd Chadwick

Donald Edward Bradfield

Emad Abdelrahman

Zhong Ren

Sergio Condonesu

Example steering wheel systems and torque feedback actuator assemblies for use in steer-by-wire vehicles are described herein. An example steering wheel system includes a steering wheel and a torque feedback actuator assembly. The torque feedback actuator assembly includes a housing and a helical gear rotatably disposed in the housing. The steering wheel is coupled to and coaxially aligned with the helical gear. The torque feedback actuator assembly also includes a motor with a worm gear engaged with the helical gear to provide torque feedback to the steering wheel by driving the helical gear.

Steering wheel systems and torque feedback actuator assemblies for use in steer-by-wire vehicles

A computer includes a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor to detect an actual steering column torque and an actual steering wheel angle, predict a steering wheel torque with a state-estimation algorithm that outputs a plurality of vehicle states including the predicted steering wheel torque, adjust the plurality of vehicle states based on an algorithm noise that is based on a steering wheel angular speed to generate estimated vehicle states, output the estimated vehicle states including an estimated user-applied steering wheel torque, and transition from an autonomous mode to a manual mode when the estimated steering wheel torque exceeds a threshold. The state-estimation algorithm accepts input including the actual steering column torque and the actual steering wheel angle and outputs the plurality of vehicle states.

Enhanced vehicle operation

A system for correcting a steering offset generated by an active steering system of a vehicle includes a vehicle comprising a pair of steered road wheels. The system also includes a controller configured to direct a change to an angle of the steered road wheels when a determined steering state of the vehicle is a steering slowly state.

Systems and methods for correcting steering offsets

A computer is programmed to determine a trajectory of a first vehicle. The computer is programmed to determine whether a second vehicle blocks the trajectory. Upon such determination, the computer sends an instruction to the second vehicle to adjust the second vehicle speed. The computer is programmed to determine the instruction based on the determined trajectory of the first vehicle, a second vehicle location, and a second vehicle speed.

Cooperative vehicle navigation

A computer includes a processor and a memory storing processor-executable instructions. The processor is programmed to record steering-system torque in response to a difference between a detected steering angle and a requested steering angle exceeding an angle threshold, increment a counter based on the recorded steering-system torque, and set a repair indicator in response to the counter exceeding a counter threshold.

Suspension-system degradation detection

A computer includes a processor and a memory storing instructions executable by the processor to determine at least one of a vehicle pitch or a longitudinal center of gravity from data measured while deactivating a first brake for a first axle and applying a second brake for a second axle, and operate the vehicle based on the at least one of vehicle pitch or longitudinal center of gravity. The instructions may further include to determine a vehicle weight from the data, and operate the vehicle based on the vehicle weight.

Driving adjustment for vehicle loading

Methods and systems for analyzing and/or calibrating an adaptive steering system are disclosed. One method may include rotating a hub that is configured to engage a steering shaft over a predetermined range of hub angles using a gear and an internal electric motor in response to a control signal. A torque required to rotate the hub as a function of the hub angles may be determined, as well as whether the torque is within a predefined torque window. The method may be used to analyze the overall friction in the adaptive steering wheel assembly. In one embodiment, the method may be performed with the steering wheel assembly fully assembled and the internal electric motor covered and inaccessible. The torque may be determined by calculating the torque based on a current draw of the internal electric motor.

Adaptive steering torque control

A vehicle includes an adaptive front steering system including an assist motor that provides an overlay angle superimposed on a steering wheel angle. External torque to the assist motor is estimated by a controller and evaluated to determine whether it is the result of an external disturbance. If so, the controller evaluates whether the external disturbance is a road disturbance, such as by determining that road wheel speed varied from the vehicle speed or that an impact site is present in outputs of external sensors of the vehicle. If a road disturbance is determined to have occurred, compliance may be introduced in order to reduce the transmission of torque to the steering wheel. Compliance may be introduced by adjusting current to the assist motor, a target angle to the assist motor, reducing gain in the control system for the assist motor, or shorting leads of the assist motor.

Steering system with active compensation for road disturbances

A system for a vehicle includes a gear and a plate fixed to the gear. The gear is driving by a motor for providing relative rotation between a steering wheel and steering shaft of the vehicle in an adaptive front steering system. The system includes a solenoid including a coil and a pin moveable relative to the coil to engage the plate based on a signal. A sensor is configured to detect a change in current through the coil associated with initial movement of the pin relative to the coil. The system includes a controller programmed to change the duty cycle signal in response to the change in current to slow movement of the pin to reduce or eliminate a clicking noise associated with the pin seating in an extended position or retracted position.

Lock for vehicle active front steering system

A method for detecting steering misalignments in an adaptive steering system of a motor vehicle, wherein the adaptive steering system has a steering wheel angle sensor for detecting a value representative of a steering wheel angle, an adaptive angle unit for detecting a value representative of an adaptive angle, and a wheel angle detection unit for detecting a value representative of a wheel angle. The method including detecting a value representative of the steering wheel angle, detecting a value representative of the adaptive angle, detecting or determining a value representative of the wheel angle, and computing a comparison value.

System and method for determining vehicle steering misalignment

Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture to correct clear vision errors in a vehicle steering system are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a first sensor and a second sensor to measure a current position of a steering column and a current position of a steering wheel in a vehicle steering system. The example apparatus further includes a non-uniformity manager to map the current position to an offset, and an active steering system to apply the offset to adjust the current position of the steering wheel to a nominal position of the steering wheel to compensate for a clear vision error.

Methods and apparatus to correct clear vision errors in a vehicle steering system

A system for estimating torque in a locked vehicle system may include a locking mechanism comprising a stiff material. The system may further include a controller configured to estimate an amount of torque in the locked vehicle system based on a deformation of the stiff material.

Systems and methods for estimating torque in a locked vehicle system

Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture to identify non-uniformity in a vehicle steering system are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a first sensor to measure a steering wheel angle relative to a first universal joint, a second sensor to measure a pinion angle relative to a second universal joint, and a third sensor to measure a torque relative to a torsion bar. The apparatus further includes a non-uniformity manager to determine a non-uniformity angle associated with a steering column, the non-uniformity angle based on the torque and comparing the steering wheel angle to the pinion angle, map the non-uniformity angle to a first position of the steering column, and determine an offset to adjust a steering response based on the first position.

Methods and apparatus to identify non-uniformity in a vehicle steering system

A vehicle implements a steering anti-catch (SAC) algorithm that reduces a superimposition angle added to the steering wheel angle in order to reduce occurrence of steering catch. The superimposition angle may be determined according to an AFS system. The reduction of the superimposition angle according to the SAC algorithm is amplified when the driver is steering away from a center position, the vehicle speed is below a threshold, and a voltage for powering the power steering system is below a threshold. The amount by which the superimposition angle is reduced may be limited to a maximum reduction and may be subject to a limit in its rate of change as well.

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Canton, MI, United States of America

Lodewijk Wijffels