Toyota Research Institute, Inc.

Todd J Rowell

Erik C Sobel

Michael L Elkins

Stephen Hughes

A method for alerting a driver when a cyclist is detected near an ego vehicle is described. The method includes detecting a presence of an object proximate the ego vehicle. The method also includes identifying the object as the cyclist according to geometric characteristics and/or speed data of the detected object. The method further includes displaying a graphical indication of the cyclist on a passenger side/driver side mirror of the ego vehicle while the cyclist is in a blind spot of the ego vehicle.

Detection of bicyclists near ego vehicles

Vehicles and methods for determining an object of a driver's focus are disclosed. In one embodiment, a vehicle includes an object detection sensor configured to output an output signal, a sound detection sensor configure to output a sound signal, and an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to detect one or more objects based at least in part on the output signal of the object detection sensor, and detect speech based on the sound signal of the sound detection sensor. The electronic control unit is further configured to determine an object of focus based at least in part on a comparison of the speech and the one or more objects, and produce a control signal based at least in part on the object of focus.

Vehicles and methods for determining objects of driver focus

Vehicle systems are disclosed. A vehicle system includes one or more sensors, a steering wheel, an accelerator pedal, a steering wheel actuator, an accelerator pedal actuator, and a controller. The controller is communicatively coupled to the one or more sensors and the steering sensitivity adjusting unit. The controller includes at least one processor and at least one memory module storing computer readable and executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the controller to detect an object based on output from the one or more sensors, and send to the steering sensitivity adjusting unit an instruction for adjusting a sensitivity of the steering wheel in response to detecting the object.

Vehicle systems for adjusting resistance or sensitivity of steering wheels and/or accelerator pedals

A method and device are disclosed. Vehicle sensor data may be compared with a threshold value. When the vehicle sensor data exceeds the threshold value, selecting an appearance mode of a plurality of appearance modes, and applying the first appearance mode to virtual lane marker data to produce enhanced virtual marker data. The enhanced virtual marker data may be transmitted for display by a vehicle graphical user interface.

Enhanced virtual lane marker data for conveying a vehicle operational state

Vehicle systems for providing alerts of opening doors are disclosed. A system includes a camera configured to output image data of a vehicle occupant, an external environment sensor configured to output an external environment sensor output signal, one or more processors communicatively coupled to the camera and the external environment sensor, one or more memory modules communicatively coupled to the one or more processors, and machine readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules. The system receives the image data of the vehicle occupant, predicts whether a door of the vehicle is going to be opened based on the image data of the vehicle occupant, determines whether an object is present based on the external environmental sensor output signal, and generates an alert in response to predicting that the door of the vehicle is going to be opened and determining that the object is present.

Methods and systems for providing alerts of opening doors

A vehicle includes an object detection sensor configured to output an output signal, a notification device, and an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to detect an object based on the output signal of the object detection sensor, classify the detected object into a classification, determine a notification magnitude level based on the classification of the detected object, and output a notification with the notification device at the determined notification magnitude level.

Vehicles outputting context dependent warnings and alerts

A turn signal system for activating a turn signal of a vehicle includes an electronic control unit having a processor and a non-transitory computer readable memory including a machine-readable instruction set. The electronic control unit is communicatively coupled to one or more external vehicle environment sensors, a vehicle speed sensor, and a turn signal. The machine-readable instruction set causes the processor to determine a vehicle speed based on an output signal of the vehicle speed sensor, predict a vehicle turning maneuver based on one or more environment signals output by the one or more external vehicle environment sensors when the vehicle speed is below a threshold, and automatically activate the turn signal in response to predicting the vehicle turning maneuver.

Turn by turn activation of turn signals

Vehicles systems for predicting a trajectory of an object proximate to vehicles are disclosed. A vehicle system includes one or more sensors, one or more processors communicatively coupled to the one or more sensors, a memory module communicatively coupled to the one or more processors, and machine readable instructions stored in the memory module. The machine readable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the system to: detect an object based on one or more signals output by the one or more sensors; classify the object into an object classification; predict a trajectory of the object based on at least one behavior characteristic of the object determined from a model corresponding to the object classification; predict a trajectory of the vehicle; and provide a warning when the detected object is likely to move from a non-obstacle position to an obstacle position based on the predicted trajectories of the object and the vehicle.

Growing community of inventors

Arlington, MA, United States of America

Todd J Rowell