A vehicle control apparatus performs during-following control in which, when a direction indicator of an own vehicle is operated during traveling in which a preceding vehicle is followed, the own vehicle is accelerated in conjunction with the operation of the direction indicator. An adjacent vehicle selecting unit selects, from other vehicles present ahead of the own vehicle, an adjacent vehicle traveling in an adjacent lane adjacent to a traveling lane of the own vehicle based on a lateral position that is a relative position relative to the own vehicle in a direction orthogonal to a travelling direction of the own vehicle and a relative distance to the own vehicle in the travelling direction. An acceleration control unit performs acceleration of the own vehicle by the during-following control based on whether or not the adjacent vehicle is selected when the direction indicator is operated during following-traveling.

Various methods of detecting or controlling vehicle stability are disclosed. Certain embodiments provide a method for performing hill hold control for a vehicle, a method for detecting a vehicle sliding into loss of control, and/or a method for controlling a vehicle's sliding into loss of control. Methods for detecting sliding into loss of control may include comparing the vehicle's longitudinal velocity gradient with a reference speed computed from wheel speed sensors inputs and/or detecting a lateral velocity of the vehicle and a longitudinal velocity of the vehicle when vehicle sliding is detected. Methods for control may include calculating a vehicle pitch angle from the lateral acceleration, the longitudinal acceleration, the yaw rate, the roll rate, and the pitch rate, calculating a longitudinal velocity gradient from the vehicle pitch angle, and/or calculating a sideslip angle.

Various methods of detecting or controlling vehicle stability are disclosed. Certain embodiments provide a method for performing hill hold control for a vehicle, a method for detecting a vehicle sliding into loss of control, and/or a method for controlling a vehicle's sliding into loss of control. Methods for detecting sliding into loss of control may include comparing the vehicle's longitudinal velocity gradient with a reference speed computed from wheel speed sensors inputs and/or detecting a lateral velocity of the vehicle and a longitudinal velocity of the vehicle when vehicle sliding is detected. Methods for control may include calculating a vehicle pitch angle from the lateral acceleration, the longitudinal acceleration, the yaw rate, the roll rate, and the pitch rate, calculating a longitudinal velocity gradient from the vehicle pitch angle, and/or calculating a sideslip angle.

The invention relates to the operation of a motor vehicle having a long-distance driver assistance system comprising at least one sensor which detects the area in front of a vehicle, and a control device which is designed to detect another motor vehicle traveling ahead, in order to drive the motor vehicle relative to the other vehicle traveling ahead when the driver assistance system is activated and operationally ready, wherein the activated driver assistance system can be deactivated from a control or regulating mode by driver activity, wherein upon deactivation, the system may enter into a system standby mode continuously detecting the area in front of the motor vehicle, and can reactivate autonomously once another motor vehicle traveling ahead is detected and a drag deceleration is required to reduce a velocity difference between the operated motor vehicle and the other vehicle traveling ahead.

Systems and methods are described for a lane crossing assistance system for a vehicle. An electronic controller is configured to automatically detect a first crossing lane intersecting with a current lane occupied by a host vehicle. The electronic controller determines, based at least in part on sensor data received from the at least one object sensor mounted on the host vehicle, whether a crossing vehicle is present in the first crossing lane and moving towards an intersection of the first crossing lane and the current lane occupied by the host vehicle. The electronic controller then calculates a first lane crossing vehicle arrival time and a first lane crossing time. A cross traffic guidance indicator is configured to produce an indication perceivable by a driver of the host vehicle that the intersection cannot be crossed by the host vehicle under current conditions.

A vehicle speed-limit control method is provided. The method includes determining whether a speed-limit control inactivation condition is satisfied by accelerator pedal engaged when speed-limit control is activated. In response to determining that the inactivation condition is satisfied, a candidate value of an accelerator pedal sensor (APS) and a candidate gear shift stage are determined and a speed margin is determined based on the candidate value of the APS, the candidate gear shift stage and a vehicle speed. The speed margin is compared with a predetermined threshold. The candidate gear shift stage is determined as a transition gear shift stage and the candidate value of the APS is determined as a transition value of the APS when the speed margin is equal to or greater than the threshold. The vehicle is operated based on the transition gear shift stage and the transition value of the APS.

A vehicle speed-limit control method is provided. The method includes determining whether a speed-limit control inactivation condition is satisfied by accelerator pedal engaged when speed-limit control is activated. In response to determining that the inactivation condition is satisfied, a candidate value of an accelerator pedal sensor (APS) and a candidate gear shift stage are determined and a speed margin is determined based on the candidate value of the APS, the candidate gear shift stage and a vehicle speed. The speed margin is compared with a predetermined threshold. The candidate gear shift stage is determined as a transition gear shift stage and the candidate value of the APS is determined as a transition value of the APS when the speed margin is equal to or greater than the threshold. The vehicle is operated based on the transition gear shift stage and the transition value of the APS.

Systems and methods use cameras to provide autonomous navigation features. In one implementation, a driver-assist object detection system is provided for a vehicle. One or more processing devices associated with the system receive at least two images from a plurality of captured images via a data interface. The device(s) analyze the first image and at least a second image to determine a reference plane corresponding to the roadway the vehicle is traveling on. The processing device(s) locate a target object in the first two images, and determine a difference in a size of at least one dimension of the target object between the two images. The system may use the difference in size to determine a height of the object. Further, the system may cause a change in at least a directional course of the vehicle if the determined height exceeds a predetermined threshold.

Systems and methods use cameras to provide autonomous navigation features. In one implementation, a driver-assist object detection system is provided for a vehicle. One or more processing devices associated with the system receive at least two images from a plurality of captured images via a data interface. The device(s) analyze the first image and at least a second image to determine a reference plane corresponding to the roadway the vehicle is traveling on. The processing device(s) locate a target object in the first two images, and determine a difference in a size of at least one dimension of the target object between the two images. The system may use the difference in size to determine a height of the object. Further, the system may cause a change in at least a directional course of the vehicle if the determined height exceeds a predetermined threshold.

When a turn signal of an own vehicle is operated when following a preceding vehicle, a vehicle control device performs a preceding vehicle following control to accelerate the own vehicle interlocking with the operation of the turn signal. The vehicle control device includes: an adjacent vehicle information acquisition unit that acquires adjacent vehicle information as information on an adjacent vehicle running in front of the own vehicle in an adjacent lane next to a running lane of the own vehicle; and an acceleration control unit that, when the turn signal of the own vehicle is operated, controls acceleration of the own vehicle based on the adjacent vehicle information.