Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Scott J Lauffer

John Patrick Joyce

Samer Abbas

Steven R El Aile

Andrew Arthur Brown

Shane Elwart

Dale Scott Crombez

Tobias John Pallett

Daniel A Gabor

Eric She

Wayne Williams

Ray C Siciak

Peter Francis Worrel

Seema Gami

Amy Beth Cronin

Ming Lang Kuang

Rajit Johri

Mark Steven Yamazaki

Bernard D Nefcy

Yanan Zhao

Francis Thomas Connolly

Matthew John Shelton

Zhengyu Dai

Douglas Scott Rhode

Alex Maurice Miller

David Celinske

Michael Edward Brewer

Lodewijk Wijffels

Mark Douglas Malone

Daniel M King

John Anthony Lockwood

Ashok E Rodrigues

Michael Alan Mcnees

Andreas Evangelos Perakes

Brandon Beauvais

Filip Tomik

Sarra Awad Yako

Joshua Guerra

Michael Paul Lindlbauer

Ali Abdallah

Vivekananda Krishnamurthy

Ahmad Khalifeh

Yuming Niu

Jinkoo Lee

Barnabas Joseph Nemec

Beni Tang

Rashmi Hegde

Andy Chuan Hsia

Jose Lopez

John Broderick

John David Jorgensen

Joshua McCready

Zahra Khakpour

Zhong Ren

John Ren

Thomas Schultz

Kevin Kootsillas

Eric Shin

Hui Lin

Brandon Mitchel

Jayeshkumar Ramani

Suvrat Jain

Ali Delbari

Methods and apparatus for determining positions of a stowable pedal assembly are disclosed. An example apparatus to determine a position of a stowable pedal assembly of a vehicle includes motor control circuitry to provide a control signal to a motor operatively coupled to the stowable pedal assembly, the motor to cause movement of the stowable pedal assembly toward a desired position, response detection circuitry to detect a current response of the motor to the control signal, and position determination circuitry to determine the position of the stowable pedal assembly based on the current response.

Methods and apparatus for determining positions of a stowable pedal assembly

A computer includes a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor to receive a request to activate a vehicle, receive diagnostic data for one or more vehicle components from an activation component, arbitrate the request and the diagnostic data to identify an activation mode of the vehicle that is one of an unpowered mode, a power-up mode, or a fully-started mode, and instruct the activation component to activate one or more vehicle components associated with the identified activation mode.

Enhanced vehicle activation

A system comprises a first control module that meets specified operational criteria for controlling a component of a vehicle and a second control module that meets specified operational criteria for actuating the component. The first control module is arranged to send a first signal to open a relay that, when closed, electrically couples a power output of the second control module to ground via a fuse, send a second signal to cause the second control module to power a motor for actuating the component, receive a third signal indicating a completion of actuation of the component, and responsive to receiving the third signal, send a fourth signal to close the relay.

Selective actuation of vehicle components using two control modules

Methods and apparatus for autonomous vehicle scheduling are disclosed herein. An example apparatus includes memory including machine readable instructions and processor circuitry to execute the instructions to determine that a calendar request for a vehicle is associated with a location or a route previously associated with the vehicle, the calendar request to be generated via a user interface application; generate a predicted request for the vehicle in response to the determination that the calendar request is associated with the location or the route previously associated with the vehicle; and generate a prompt to be presented via the user interface application, the prompt associated with the predicted request for the vehicle.

Methods and apparatus for autonomous vehicle scheduling

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 vehicle includes a power source configured to provide drive torque, a front axle, a rear axle, and a transfer case configured to distribute drive torque from the power source between the front axle and the rear axle. The vehicle additionally includes a clutch arranged between the front axle and the transfer case. The clutch has a disengaged state and an engaged state drivingly coupling the transfer case and the front axle. The vehicle also includes a regenerative braking system configured to, in response to a braking request, provide regenerative braking torque to the rear axle. The vehicle further includes a controller. The controller is configured to, in response to a braking request and the clutch being in the disengaged state, control the clutch to shift into the engaged state to couple the regenerative braking system to the front axle and provide regenerative braking torque to the front axle.

System and method for increasing regenerative braking in a rear-wheel-drive-based platform with four-wheel-drive capability

A ball joint assembly includes a ball including an outer surface and a recess in the outer surface, a cup including an inner surface and a protrusion on the inner surface, and a sensor programmed to detect friction between the cup and the ball from the protrusion engaging the recess.

Ball joint sensor

A remote vehicle control is activated. A throttle position on the control is maintained for a specified time. A transmission of a vehicle is engaged based on the throttle position.

Remote vehicle control

A computer includes a processor and a memory storing instructions executable by the processor to, upon determining that a local set of identifiers is inconsistent with a remotely served set of identifiers, prevent a vehicle from entering an autonomous mode or instruct the vehicle to perform a minimal risk condition.

Vehicle software check

A system includes means for identifying a risk condition based on a diagnostic trouble code (DTC) and an operating condition in a vehicle, means for determining an instruction for the vehicle based on the identified risk condition, and means for navigating the vehicle based on the instruction.

Vehicle diagnostic operation

Methods and apparatus for autonomous vehicle scheduling are disclosed herein. An example method includes receiving, at a first processor, a first request for a vehicle to travel to a location. The first request is to be transmitted to the first processor from a second processor. The example method includes calculating an arrival time of the vehicle based on the first request. The example includes comparing the first request to a second request for the vehicle based on the arrival time. The example method includes scheduling the first request based on the comparison and directing the vehicle to the location based on the schedule.

A first computer including a processor is programmed to receive an indication of a failure mode in a vehicle and wirelessly transmit the indication of the failure mode to a remote server. The computer is further programmed to receive a revised route to a destination based at least in part on the failure mode and operate the vehicle along the revised route.

Autonomous vehicle failure mode management

A vehicle parking brake system includes a power bridge. The power bridge is electrically connected to a primary power source and to a secondary power source. The power bridge has a first condition in which the primary power source is active in which the primary source is electrically connected to a parking brake actuator. The power bridge has a second condition in which the primary power source is not active in which the secondary power source is electrically connected to the parking brake.

Electric parking brake for autonomous vehicles

Vehicles can be equipped to operate in both autonomous and occupant piloted mode. Vehicles can be equipped with hardware and software to determine a driving-acceptable region defined by lateral and longitudinal coordinates relative to a first vehicle, wherein the lateral and longitudinal coordinates are based on the locations and sizes of one or more second vehicles and the location and size of a roadway. Upon determining a vehicle fault, a computing device in the vehicle can pilot the vehicle to a stop within the driving-acceptable region.

Autonomous vehicle post-fault operation

A system includes an autonomous sub-system that includes first and second braking modules. Each of the modules includes a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor for detecting a fault. The system further includes a brake sub-system programmed to actuate a brake mechanism in response to a signal from the second braking module. The autonomous sub-system is further programmed to select one of the braking modules to provide a signal to the brake mechanism depending on whether a fault is detected.

Vehicle parking system failure management

Growing community of inventors

Northville, MI, United States of America

Scott J Lauffer