Sharing sensor data between multiple controllers to support vehicle operations

Abstract

This disclosure presents an assisted driving vehicle system, including autonomous, semi-autonomous, and technology assisted vehicles, that can share sensor data among two or more controllers. A sensor can have one communication channel to a controller, thereby saving cabling and circuitry costs. The data from the sensor can be sent from one controller to another controller to enable redundancy and backup in case of a system failure. Sensor data from more than one sensor can be aggregated at one controller prior to the aggregated sensor data being communicated to another controller thereby saving bandwidth and reducing transmission times. The sharing of sensor data can be enabled through the use of a sensor data distributor, such as a converter, repeater, or a serializer/deserializer set located as part of the controller and communicatively coupled to another such device in another controller using a data interface communication channel.