A system and method to avoid collisions on highways, and to minimize the fatalities, injury, and damage when a collision is unavoidable. The system includes sensors to detect other vehicles, and computing environments programmed to evaluate when a collision is imminent and to determine whether the collision is avoidable. If the collision is avoidable by a sequence of controlled accelerations and decelerations and steering, the system implements that sequence of actions automatically. If the collision is unavoidable, a different sequence is implemented to minimize the overall harm of the unavoidable collision. The system further includes indirect mitigation steps such as flashing the brake lights automatically. An optional post-collision strategy is implemented to prevent secondary collisions, particularly if the driver is incapacitated. Adjustment devices are provided to enable the driver to set the type and timing of automatic interventions.

A driving mode switching system includes a driving mode detecting module, a steering wheel pressure sensor, an accelerator pedal pressure sensor, and a driving mode switching module. The driving mode detecting module can determine a driving mode of an automobile. The driving mode is one of a manual driving mode and an autonomous driving mode. In the manual driving mode, the automobile is controlled by a steering wheel and an accelerator pedal, and in the autonomous driving mode, the automobile is autonomously driven. The driving mode switching module is coupled to the driving mode detecting module and can switch the driving mode between the manual driving mode and the autonomous driving mode.

Human drivers generally cannot plan a collision evasion maneuver in the brief interval before impact, other than simply slamming on the brakes and hoping for the best. Often the collision could have been avoided by swerving or other sequence of actions. Therefore, improved collision avoidance and mitigation procedures are disclosed, based on a well-trained artificial intelligence (AI) model that takes over the accelerator, brake, and steering in an emergency. With fast electronic reflexes and AI-based computational power, the AI model can find a more effective avoidance maneuver, or at least an action that would minimize the harm (for example, by swerving to miss the passenger compartment). The AI model can then implement the sequence instantly, without fear or hesitation. The resultfewer collisions and less fatality on our highways.

A method and system for applying vehicle settings to a vehicle. The method and system include receiving a device identification (ID) from at least one of: a first portable device and a second portable device. The method and system additionally include identifying a user settings profile that is associated to the device ID. The method and system also include determining if the user settings profile has been updated since a last ignition cycle of the vehicle. The method and system further include applying the user settings profile to control a vehicle system, wherein the user settings profile is retrieved from at least one of: a central user settings data repository, a telematics unit of the vehicle, and a head unit of the vehicle.

A method and system for applying vehicle settings to a vehicle. The method and system include receiving a device identification (ID) from at least one of: a first portable device and a second portable device. The method and system additionally include identifying a user settings profile that is associated to the device ID. The method and system also include determining if the user settings profile has been updated since a last ignition cycle of the vehicle. The method and system further include applying the user settings profile to control a vehicle system, wherein the user settings profile is retrieved from at least one of: a central user settings data repository, a telematics unit of the vehicle, and a head unit of the vehicle.

Charging/discharging control system for an electricity storage device includes motor/generator, electricity storage device, AC/DC conversion unit for performing AC/DC conversion processing between the AC power of motor/generator and the DC power of electricity storage device, and control device for controlling the charge and discharge of electricity storage device via AC/DC conversion unit. During charge control, in accordance with the charge state of electricity storage device, control device restricts the magnitude of the DC power that is obtained by converting the generation power generated by the regenerative braking of motor/generator at the deceleration and is supplied to electricity storage device.

A system and method to avoid collisions on highways, and to minimize the fatalities, injury, and damage when a collision is unavoidable. The system includes sensor means to detect other vehicles, and computing means to evaluate when a collision is imminent and to determine whether the collision is avoidable. If the collision is avoidable by a sequence of controlled accelerations and decelerations and steering, the system implements that sequence of actions automatically. If the collision is unavoidable, a different sequence is implemented to minimize the overall harm of the unavoidable collision. The system further includes indirect mitigation steps such as flashing the brake lights automatically. An optional post-collision strategy is implemented to prevent secondary collisions, particularly if the driver is incapacitated. Adjustment means enable the driver to set the type and timing of automatic interventions.

A subject vehicle in traffic can detect a second vehicle using sensors that measure motions of the second vehicle, and thereby determine one or more future trajectories of the second vehicle, and thereby determine whether a collision between the subject and second vehicles is imminent. The subject vehicle can calculate one or more sequences of actions, each action comprising an acceleration, a deceleration, and/or a steering action of the subject vehicle. The subject vehicle can also calculate whether any of the one or more sequences of actions can avoid the imminent collision, and also calculate an expected harm of the imminent collision according to each of the one or more sequences of actions. The subject vehicle can then autonomously select and implement a particular sequence of actions that is calculated to avoid the imminent collision or to minimize the harm of the imminent collision.

When a collision in traffic becomes imminent, fast electronics may be required to combine data or images from two different technologies. Determining a position or speed or acceleration of a second vehicle may require integration of data from different technologies, leading to delays unless the analyzing is performed by high-speed electronics. In addition, calculating and selecting an effective collision mitigation must be performed rapidly, due to the brief time interval typically between discovering the imminent collision and the time of first contact. For these reasons, among many others, the avoidance or harm minimization actions require speed and precision beyond the capabilities of a human driver of ordinary skill, and necessarily require high-speed electronics, such as a digital processor, for success. In many collision scenarios, relying on the human driver to calculate a sequence of actions, select the best one, and implement it before the impact, while also driving, is unrealistic.

The present disclosure provides systems and methods for determining autonomous vehicle navigation settings and/or adjustments. In some aspects, vehicles may comprise an environmental sensor, processor, a navigation controller, and software causing the systems to utilize current location information, extrapolated location information, and a priori path locations, along with vehicle control settings, to output updated steering, braking, and throttling settings. In some aspects, methods may be utilized that reliably determine deviation from a known path that would be caused by current vehicle settings, and use the deviation to adjust the vehicle settings to improve following of the path, while optimizing vehicle attributes like speed, fuel economy, tire wear, or the like as able given primary navigation goals.