Toyota Research Institute, Inc.

Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha

Michael Thompson

Avinash Balachandran

Yan Ming Jonathan Goh

Alexander Russell Green

John Subosits

Arjun Bhargava

Manuel Ahumada

Carrie Bobier-Tiu

Minoru Brandon Araki

Hanh Nguyen

Kazunori Nimura

Carrie G Bobier-tiu

James A Dallas

Yan Ming Goh

Izumi Karino

Phung Xuan Nguyen

Systems and methods provide for corrective assistance to maintain a stable controllable drift, while permitting a drift driving experience for the driver. Examples of the systems and methods disclosed herein include receiving first data corresponding to a current operational state of a vehicle while performing a controllable drift; receiving a request to operate the vehicle in a requested operational state; determining that the requested operational state exceeds a threshold operational state associated with an uncontrollable drift; and, in response to the determination, providing corrective assistance to operate the vehicle in a corrective operational state to prevent the vehicle from entering an uncontrollable drift.

Systems and methods for preventing uncontrollable vehicle drift

A computer implemented method for determining optimal values for controls parameters for a model predictive controller for controlling a vehicle can receive from a data store or a graphical user interface, ranges for one or more operational parameters. The computer implemented method can determine optimum values for controls parameters by simulating a vehicle operation across the ranges of the one or more operational parameters by solving a vehicle control problem and determining an output of the vehicle control problem based on a result for the simulated vehicle operation. A vehicle can include a processing component configured to adjust a control input for an actuator of the vehicle according to a control algorithm and based on the optimum values of the controls parameter as determined by the computer implemented method.

Systems and methods for updating the parameters of a model predictive controller with learned controls parameters generated using simulations and machine learning

Systems and methods are provided for dynamic driver training, and may include: a communication interface to receive sensor data, the sensor data comprising driver biometric data and driver performance data for a driver operating a vehicle; a driver inference circuit to infer a skill level and emotional state of the driver operating the vehicle; and a driver training circuit to, based on the inferred skill level and emotional state of the driver operating the vehicle, dynamically adjust a driver training level for the driver while the driver is operating the vehicle.

Adaptive dynamic driver training systems and methods

A computer implemented method for determining optimal values for operational parameters for a model predictive controller for controlling a vehicle, can receive from a data store or a graphical user interface, ranges for one or more external parameters. The computer implemented method can determine optimum values for external parameters of the vehicle by simulating a vehicle operation across the ranges of the one or more operational parameters by solving a vehicle control problem and determining an output of the vehicle control problem based on a result for the simulated vehicle operation. A vehicle can include a processing component configured to adjust a control input for an actuator of the vehicle according to a control algorithm and based on the optimum values of the vehicle parameter as determined by the computer implemented method.

Systems and methods for updating the parameters of a model predictive controller with learned external parameters generated using simulations and machine learning

Systems and methods of controlling a clutch in a hybrid vehicle with a manual transmission, are provided. With the goal of enabling autonomous/assisted clutch control in a hybrid vehicle, while preserving the familiar mechanical feeling at the clutch pedal that driving enthusiasts prefer, embodiments of the disclosed technology use a shuttle valve to blend control of clutch engagement between a driver and an ECU. In these embodiments, a clutch pedal in the vehicle may be mechanically connected to a piston in a first hydraulic cylinder (just like in a traditional mechanical/hydraulic clutch actuation system), and an ECU may actuate a second hydraulic cylinder. Accordingly, a shuttle valve may be used to route the fluid coming from the cylinder with the greater pressure (i.e. the driver actuated cylinder or the ECU actuated cylinder), to a third hydraulic cylinder which adjusts engagement of a clutch by a mechanical linkage.

Shared clutch control for manual transmission with a hybrid drive

Systems and Methods for controlling an autonomous vehicle, may include: receiving sensor data, the sensor data comprising vehicle parameter information for the autonomous vehicle; using the sensor data to determine a vehicle state for the autonomous vehicle, wherein the vehicle state comprises information regarding a magnitude of an actual or predicted effective understeer gradient for the vehicle; computing a yaw moment required to correct the effective understeer gradient based on the magnitude of the effective understeer gradient; and determining a combination of one or more vehicle control inputs, including applying a brake torque, to correct the effective understeer gradient; applying the brake torque to a single wheel of the vehicle, wherein an amount of brake torque applied is sufficient to lock up the single wheel to create a yaw moment on the vehicle to achieve the computed yaw moment required to correct the effective understeer gradient.

Purposeful brake-induced wheel lockup for vehicle stability control in autonomous vehicles

System, methods, and other embodiments described herein relate to skid recovery for a vehicle. In one embodiment, a method for controlling a vehicle during skid includes obtaining data indicating a skid condition of the vehicle, determining whether the skid condition can be corrected by counter-steering, and executing an intervention when the skid condition cannot be corrected by counter-steering, the intervention including inducing slippage in front wheels of the vehicle to change a direction and/or magnitude of lateral forces at the front wheels.

Systems and methods for skid recovery using front wheel slip

Systems and methods are provided for controlling one or more brakes of the vehicle. The system may include a processor and a memory in communication with the processor with a brake control module. The brake control module includes instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to control the one or more brakes of the vehicle when the vehicle is in a first mode using a brake-by-wire system. When the vehicle is in a second mode, control the brake-by-wire system such that the one or more brakes of the vehicle are controlled using a mechanical braking system and the brake-by-wire system.

System and method for controlling one or more brakes of a vehicle

Systems and methods of controlling a vehicle in a stable drift are provided. With the goal of enhancing the driver experience, the disclosed drift control systems provide an interactive drift driving experience for the driver of a vehicle. In some embodiments, a driver is allowed to take manual control of a vehicle after a stable drift is initiated. For safety reasons, an assisted driving system may provide corrective assistance to prevent the vehicle from entering an unstable/unsafe drift. In other embodiments, an autonomous driving system retains control of the vehicle throughout the drift. However, the driver may perform 'simulated drift maneuvers' such as counter-steering, and clutch kicking in order to communicate their desire to drift more or less aggressively. Accordingly, the autonomous driving system will effectuate the driver's communicated desire in a manner that keeps the vehicle in a safe/stable drift.

Operator drift maintenance

A system for training an operator of a vehicle includes a processor and a memory in communication with the processor, which includes a safety module and a training module. The safety module has instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to determine when the vehicle is operating within a safe area based on at least one of: a location of the vehicle and a location of one or more objects with respect to the vehicle. The training module has instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to apply at least one brake of the vehicle when the vehicle is operating within the safe area to cause the vehicle to engage in an oversteer event, and collect operator response information when the vehicle engages in the oversteer event.

System and method for training an operator of a vehicle

Systems and methods for controlling a vehicle may include receiving sensor data from a plurality of sensors, the sensor data including vehicle parameter information for the vehicle; using the sensor data to determine a vehicle state for a vehicle negotiating a corner, wherein the vehicle state comprises information regarding a magnitude of an effective understeer gradient for the vehicle; computing a yaw moment required to correct the effective understeer gradient based on the magnitude of the effective understeer gradient; and applying a brake torque to a single wheel of the vehicle, wherein an amount of brake torque applied is sufficient to lock up the single wheel to create a yaw moment on the vehicle to achieve the computed yaw moment required to correct the effective understeer gradient.

Purposeful brake-induced wheel lockup for vehicle stability control

Systems, methods, and other embodiments described herein relate to emergency lateral maneuvers using brake-induced tire sliding. In one embodiment, a method includes determining a vehicle state for a vehicle according to sensor data about a surrounding environment. The method includes computing, using the sensor data and the vehicle state, lateral accelerations that are yaw-free for the vehicle. The method includes, in response to detecting that the vehicle state is associated with an emergency event, selecting a maneuver from the lateral accelerations. The method includes controlling the vehicle according to the maneuver.

Emergency maneuvering using lateral sliding

Systems and methods of controlling a clutch in a vehicle are provided. With the goal of enabling autonomous/assisted control of the clutch by an electronic control unit while preserving the familiar mechanical feeling at the clutch pedal that driving enthusiasts prefer, embodiments of the disclosed technology use a shuttle valve to blend control of clutch engagement between a driver and an ECU. In these embodiments, a clutch pedal in the vehicle may be mechanically connected to a piston in a first hydraulic cylinder (just like in a traditional mechanical/hydraulic clutch actuation system), and an ECU may actuate a second hydraulic cylinder. Accordingly, a shuttle valve may be used to route the fluid coming from the cylinder with the greater pressure (i.e. the driver actuated cylinder or the ECU actuated cylinder), to a third hydraulic cylinder which adjusts engagement of a clutch by a mechanical linkage.

Growing community of inventors

San Juan Capistrano, CA, United States of America

Michael Thompson