Nissan Motor Company Limited

Drexel University

Nissan North America, Inc.

Renault S.a.s.

Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.

Tomohiro Yamamura

Nobuyuki Kuge

Takayuki Kondoh

Fukashi Sugasawa

Masatsugu Yokote

Shunsuke Hijikata

Satoshi Kitazaki

Kenji Komori

Takashi Imaseki

Yasuhiko Takae

Akira Onozuka

Yoshiharu Kamisuki

Dario Salvucci

Takeshi Kimura

Satoshi Tange

Genpei Naito

Yosuke Kobayashi

Machiko Hiramatsu

Yuya Takeda

Yoshinori Kusayanagi

Taku Suzuki

Hiroshi Tsuda

Toshiyuki Murata

Erwin R Boer

Tomoyuki Kashiwaya

Mitsuhiro Makita

Shane McLaughlin

Jon Hankey

Kazuto Satou

A driving support method supports driving of a host-vehicle in a traveling scene in which a host-vehicle track on which the host-vehicle travels and a first other vehicle track on which a first other vehicle travels intersect with each other at an intersecting point. Whether the host-vehicle can enter the intersecting point is determined based on a shielding time during which a second other vehicle shields the first other vehicle track to the intersecting point and a required entry time from when the host-vehicle starts entering the intersecting point to when the host-vehicle finishes entering the intersecting point.

Driving support method and driving support device

An occupant posture control method is provided that can suppress motion sickness. The occupant posture control method predicts a vehicle motion based on information relating to the vehicle motion, and imparts a stimulus that generates a muscle tension such that the occupant assumes a posture corresponding to the vehicle motion, when a predicted vehicle motion occurs.

Occupant posture control method and occupant posture control device

A vehicle driving assist system has a controller configured to urge a driver to slow down (decelerate) in locations where visibility is poor. The controller detects a traveling condition of a host vehicle, e.g., when the host vehicle is approaching a designated area, such as a school zone, and then selectively executes an imaginary speed limiting road protrusion control that generates an imaginary speed limiting road protrusion by artificially reproducing a vehicle behavior that simulates the host vehicle crosses an actual speed limiting road protrusion arranged on a road surface, based on the traveling condition of the host vehicle.

Vehicle driving assist system

A driving assistance system for vehicle detects short-duration data representing a current traveling condition and drive operation, and intermediate-duration data representing a travelling condition and drive operation of this day. Drive diagnosis is carried out by comparing distribution of the short-duration data and distribution of the intermediate-duration data.

Driving assistance system for vehicle and vehicle equipped with driving assistance system for vehicle

A driving assistance system for vehicle obtains short-duration data representing a present traveling condition and driving operation and intermediate-duration data representing a traveling condition and driving operation of that day. A drive diagnosis is carried out by comparing a distribution of the short-duration data and a distribution of the intermediate-date, and a drive diagnosis result is evaluated with two evaluation criteria so as to provide an alarm or an operation improvement suggestion.

A vehicle driving assist system is provided that calculates a risk potential indicative of a degree of convergence between the host vehicle and the preceding obstacle. A first driving assistance control system controls at least one of an actuation reaction force exerted by a driver-operated driving operation device and a braking/driving force exerted against the host vehicle based on the risk potential calculated. A second driving assistance control system controls the braking/driving force of the host vehicle such that a headway distance is maintained between the host vehicle and the obstacle. A transition detecting section detects a transition of operating states of the first and second driving assistance control systems. The control adjusting section adjusts the control executed by the first and second driving assistance control systems when a transition of operating state is detected.

An impaired operation detection method is basically performed by sensing a yaw rate of a vehicle over a time period. Then time points are identified in which the yaw rate changes direction. A linear rate of change in the yaw rate is determined between two of the time points that are sequential in time. An actual rate of change is examined between the two time points. A difference between the actual rate of change and the linear rate of change to obtain a difference value. Then, the operator's impairment condition is determined based on the difference value.

Impaired operation detection method

A motor vehicle includes a vehicle driving operation support system. The vehicle driving operation support system senses an environment surrounding the motor vehicle; senses a traveling condition of the motor vehicle; calculates a risk potential of the motor vehicle on a basis of the sensed environment and the sensed traveling condition; controls the motor vehicle on a basis of a control setpoint. The vehicle driving operation support system sets on a basis of the calculated risk potential the control setpoint to a provisional setpoint effective for reducing the risk potential; senses driver's operation in reaction to the controlling operation with the control setpoint set to the provisional setpoint; and sets the control setpoint to a normal setpoint on a basis of the sensed driver's operation.

Vehicle driving operation support apparatus/method and vehicle

In vehicular driving support apparatus and method and a vehicle equipped with the vehicular driving support apparatus, a running state of a vehicle is detected, a plurality of running state distributions is calculated on a basis of the detected running state data, a difference quantity between the plurality of running state distributions is calculated, and an unstable driving state is detected from a magnitude of the difference quantity. If the unstable driving state is detected, an alarming is issued to call attention to a vehicle driver.

Vehicular driving support apparatus and method and vehicle equipped with vehicular driving support apparatus

An intention estimation and operation assistance system for estimating an operator's intention and providing assistance to operation of a machine. Reference data, such as the operation of a plurality of hypothetical operators, is provided for comparison with the operation of a real operator, to determine an estimated intention of the operator. The estimated operator is utilized to alter the operation of the machine, to provide a safer and/or smoother operation experience in operating the machine.

Method and system for intention estimation and operation assistance

A scene recognition device detects the state of the environment around a vehicle. Risk is determined based on the detected state of the environment. Based on the detected state of the environment and/or the determined risk, an actuator coupled to an accelerator selects one out of different reaction force characteristics of varying of reaction force with different positions of the accelerator. Based on the detected state of the environment and/or the determined risk, an engine output modifier modifies an engine output characteristic of varying of engine output with different positions of the accelerator.

Assisting a vehicle driver via changes in reaction force and engine output characteristic

An intention estimation system and method with confidence indication for providing operation assistance based on an operator's intention. A current operation performed by the operator is detected, and data related to an estimated intention of the operator is generated based on the detected operation. A confidence index of the estimated intention of the operator is then determined. The confidence index indicates, for example, the reliability or strength of the estimated intention. An operation assistance may be provided based on the estimated intention and the confidence index.

Intention estimation method and system with confidence indication

A method and a system for assisting a driver operating a driver controlled input device within a vehicle, acquires data including information on environment in a field around the vehicle and information on vehicle setting regarding how devices are set within the vehicle. A risk perceived from the environment is calculated using the acquired data. Using the vehicle setting, the risk perceived is modified. Accounting for the modified risk perceived, an increment in force applied to the driver via the driver controlled input device is determined.

Driver assisting system

A driving assist system for vehicle comprises a state recognition device that detects vehicle conditions of a subject vehicle and a traveling environment for vehicle surroundings; a risk potential calculator that calculates a risk potential for vehicle surroundings based on detection results of the state recognition device; a risk change estimator that estimates change in risk felt by a driver; a correction device that corrects a calculation equation for calculating the risk potential at the risk potential calculator based on estimation results of the risk change estimator; and an operation reaction force controller that controls operation reaction force generated at a vehicle operation equipment based on the risk potential calculated using the calculation equation corrected by the correction device.

Growing community of inventors

Yokohama, Japan

Tomohiro Yamamura