A vehicle control apparatus executes braking assist control to decelerate a vehicle by automatic operation of a braking device. When the vehicle control apparatus obtains a deceleration request from a driver during execution of the braking assist control, while a driver request deceleration requested to the braking device by the driver is constant or in an increasing trend, the vehicle control apparatus executes first arithmetic processing to suppress a system request deceleration requested to the braking device by the braking assist control from being decreased by the braking assist control.

A vehicle control apparatus executes braking assist control to decelerate a vehicle by automatic operation of a braking device. When the vehicle control apparatus obtains a deceleration request from a driver during execution of the braking assist control, while a driver request deceleration requested to the braking device by the driver is constant or in an increasing trend, the vehicle control apparatus executes first arithmetic processing to suppress a system request deceleration requested to the braking device by the braking assist control from being decreased by the braking assist control.

Provided is a vehicle travel control device capable of improving the usability of a following control by detecting dangerous behavior in a preceding vehicle, and differing the release timing of the following control. A vehicle travel control device having a preceding vehicle behavior recognition means for obtaining behavior information for a preceding vehicle, a preceding vehicle behavior determination means for detecting the degree of risk of dangerous behavior in the preceding vehicle from the behavior information, and determining the feasibility of a following control targeting the preceding vehicle on the basis of the detected dangerous behavior risk degree, and a vehicle operation control means for outputting an acceleration/deceleration/braking/steering control command to an actuator on the basis of the feasibility determination for the following control, wherein dangerous behavior is detected on the basis of the preceding vehicle behavior information, and the timing differs between a first release timing for the following control when a first dangerous behavior is detected and a second release timing for the following control when a second dangerous behavior different from the first dangerous behavior is detected.

Provided is a vehicle travel control device capable of improving the usability of a following control by detecting dangerous behavior in a preceding vehicle, and differing the release timing of the following control. A vehicle travel control device having a preceding vehicle behavior recognition means for obtaining behavior information for a preceding vehicle, a preceding vehicle behavior determination means for detecting the degree of risk of dangerous behavior in the preceding vehicle from the behavior information, and determining the feasibility of a following control targeting the preceding vehicle on the basis of the detected dangerous behavior risk degree, and a vehicle operation control means for outputting an acceleration/deceleration/braking/steering control command to an actuator on the basis of the feasibility determination for the following control, wherein dangerous behavior is detected on the basis of the preceding vehicle behavior information, and the timing differs between a first release timing for the following control when a first dangerous behavior is detected and a second release timing for the following control when a second dangerous behavior different from the first dangerous behavior is detected.

Systems and methods for detecting an oscillation of a vehicle. The system comprises a sensor configured to detect an oscillation of the vehicle, and an electronic controller configured to receive an oscillation signal from the sensor, compare the oscillation signal to a detection threshold, and in response to the comparison of the oscillation signal to the detection threshold, generate a signal to activate a braking system of the vehicle and generate a request to reduce torque in an engine of the vehicle.

Systems and methods for detecting an oscillation of a vehicle. The system comprises a sensor configured to detect an oscillation of the vehicle, and an electronic controller configured to receive an oscillation signal from the sensor, compare the oscillation signal to a detection threshold, and in response to the comparison of the oscillation signal to the detection threshold, generate a signal to activate a braking system of the vehicle and generate a request to reduce torque in an engine of the vehicle.

The present invention provides a vehicle control device in which it is possible to modify the travel trajectory of a vehicle in response to the presence of an obstruction in the vehicle perimeter. In the present invention, the vehicle control device 1 recognizes the surroundings of the vehicle, detects a first branching point in a first route that is preset on a road, and in cases in which a prescribed condition is met by the presence of an obstruction detected from the recognized surroundings when the vehicle is to move along a travel trajectory that is based on at least one second route from among a plurality of second routes that branch from the first branching point, generates a virtual route which branches from the first route at a second branching point differing from the first branching point toward the selected second route, and modifies the travel trajectory on the basis of the generated virtual route.

A method and apparatus is disclosed for evaluating the driving of a vehicle performing a journey on a road network, comprising determining at least one constant speed zone of the road network, a constant speed zone being a portion of the road network at which the vehicle can travel at a constant speed, said determination being based upon expected speeds of travel along the road network determined from positional data relating to the movements of a plurality of vehicles over time along the road network. A speed of the vehicle traversing the road network is determined at a plurality of times during the journey, and a value indicative of a consistency of the speed of the vehicle within the at least one constant speed zone is further determined.

A method and apparatus is disclosed for evaluating the driving of a vehicle performing a journey on a road network, comprising determining at least one constant speed zone of the road network, a constant speed zone being a portion of the road network at which the vehicle can travel at a constant speed, said determination being based upon expected speeds of travel along the road network determined from positional data relating to the movements of a plurality of vehicles over time along the road network. A speed of the vehicle traversing the road network is determined at a plurality of times during the journey, and a value indicative of a consistency of the speed of the vehicle within the at least one constant speed zone is further determined.

Patient support apparatuses, such as beds, cots, stretchers, recliners, or the like, include control systems with one or more image, radar, and/or laser sensors to detect objects and determine if a likelihood of collision exists. If so, the control system controls the speed and steering of the patient support apparatus in order to reduce the likelihood of collision. The control system may be adapted to autonomously drive the patient support apparatus, to transmit a message to a remote device indicating whether it is occupied by a patient or not, and/or to transmit its route to the remote device. The remote device may determine an estimate of a time of arrival of the patient support apparatus at a particular destination and/or determine a distance of the patient support apparatus from the particular destination.