Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Yousaf Rahman

Mrdjan J Jankovic

Mario Anthony Santillo

Michael Hafner

Abhishek Sharma

Ming Lang Kuang

Hongtei Eric Tseng

Yuming Niu

Ming Cheng

Md Tawhid Bin Waez

Nagarjuna Muvva

Bokai Chen

A speed of a target vehicle in a target lane of operation is determined relative to a host vehicle in a host lane of operation. A virtual boundary is determined around the target vehicle based on the speed of the target vehicle. A position in the target lane and outside the virtual boundary is selected based on a) a first cost function for a deviation of a speed of the host vehicle from a requested speed, and b) a second cost function for a frequency of lane changes. Upon determining to move the host vehicle from the host lane to the target lane, the host vehicle is operated to the position in the target lane.

Vehicle lane-change operations

A method of operating a vehicle includes generating initial state of charge and vehicle velocity profiles for a travel route, for each initial velocity setpoint defining the vehicle velocity profile, generating a plurality of updated state of charge setpoints, for each of the initial velocity setpoints, selecting one of the updated state of charge setpoints to define an updated state of charge profile, for each of the updated state of charge setpoints that defines the updated state of charge profile, generating a plurality of updated velocity setpoints, for each of the updated state of charge setpoints that defines the updated state of charge profile, selecting one of the updated velocity setpoints to define an updated velocity profile, and controlling operation of an electric machine and engine according to the updated state of charge profile and updated velocity profile over the travel route.

Iterative sequential velocity and state of charge setpoint selection for autonomous vehicles

A lateral virtual boundary for a host vehicle is identified based on a lateral distance between the host vehicle and a target vehicle, a longitudinal distance between the host vehicle and the target vehicle, and a speed of the target vehicle relative to the host vehicle. A forward virtual boundary for the host vehicle is identified based on the longitudinal distance between the host vehicle and the target vehicle. A lateral constraint value of the lateral virtual boundary and a forward constraint value of the forward virtual boundary are determined. A longitudinal acceleration and a steering angle are determined based on the lateral and forward virtual boundaries and the lateral and forward constraint values. One or both of a steering component or a brake are actuated based on the longitudinal acceleration and the steering angle.

Target vehicle detection

Based on a set of planned control parameters defining a planned path for a vehicle, a set of reference control parameters corresponding to the set of planned path control parameters are identified. Optimized controller inputs associated with the identified set of reference control parameters, the set of planned control parameters, and operation noise data are input to a vehicle dynamics model that outputs a vehicle state model. Based on the vehicle state model, an actual path for the vehicle and an operating range for the actual path are determined. The planned path is determined to be one of verified or unverified based on the operating range.

Vehicle path verification

A computer is programmed to identify first and second virtual boundaries of a roadway lane based on a predicted boundary between the roadway lane and an adjacent roadway lane, determine a first constraint value based on a first virtual boundary approach acceleration, determine a second constraint value based on a second virtual boundary approach acceleration, output a prescribed steering angle, brake input, and propulsion input when one of the constraint values violates a respective threshold, and actuate components to attain the prescribed steering angle, brake input, and propulsion input. The first virtual boundary approach acceleration is based on a steering wheel angle of a vehicle and input to one of a brake or a propulsion of the vehicle. The second virtual boundary approach acceleration is based on a steering wheel angle of the vehicle and input to one of a brake or a propulsion of the vehicle.

Vehicle detection and response

A computer includes a processor and a memory storing instructions executable by the processor to identify a virtual boundary between a host roadway lane of a host vehicle and a target roadway lane of a target vehicle, the virtual boundary based on a predicted path of the target vehicle, determine a first constraint value based on a boundary approach velocity of the target vehicle, determine a second constraint value based on (1) a boundary approach velocity of the host vehicle and (2) a boundary approach acceleration of the host vehicle and perform a threat assessment of a collision between the host vehicle and the target vehicle upon determining that the first constraint value violates a first threshold or the second constraint value violates a second threshold.

A computer is programmed to identify a target vehicle to be monitored and to identify first and second virtual boundaries on a roadway based on a position of the target vehicle. The computer is further programmed to determine a first constraint value based on (1) a first boundary approach velocity and (2) a first boundary approach acceleration and a second constraint value based on (1) a second boundary approach velocity and (2) a second boundary approach acceleration. The computer is further programmed to identify a maneuver of the target vehicle based on whether the first and second constraint values violate respective thresholds or a position of the target vehicle relative to the first and second virtual boundaries violates a threshold and to adjust a path of a host vehicle according to the identified maneuver.

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Ypsilanti, MI, United States of America

Yousaf Rahman