In one or more embodiments described herein, devices, systems, methods and/or apparatuses are described that can facilitate provision of a single motor torque request based on a driver assistance system pinion angle request. The motor torque request can be generated absent arbitration between two or more requests from two or more different controller components. A device can comprise a steering control system that generates a motor torque request based on a single request from a single first controller component.

Implementations relate to a spherical wheel drive and mounting. In some implementations, a wheel mechanism includes a spherical wheel, a base, and a rotary bearing coupled to the base and contacting a surface of the spherical wheel, where the rotary bearing configured to allow the spherical wheel to rotate. The wheel mechanism includes an omni wheel coupled to the base and engaged with a surface of the spherical wheel, and an actuator coupled to the base and to the omni wheel, where the actuator configured to rotate the omni wheel to cause rotation of the spherical wheel.

Embodiments herein relate to an autonomous vehicle or self-driving vehicle with a vehicle control system. The vehicle control system can determine, prior to and/or during a collision, whether an escape path exits. If an escape path exists, the brakes are disengaged such that at least some of the energy and/or momentum from a colliding vehicle is transferred and a jolt or shock experienced by an occupant is reduced.

Embodiments herein relate to an autonomous vehicle or self-driving vehicle with a vehicle control system. The vehicle control system can determine, prior to and/or during a collision, whether an escape path exits. If an escape path exists, the brakes are disengaged such that at least some of the energy and/or momentum from a colliding vehicle is transferred and a jolt or shock experienced by an occupant is reduced.

A vehicle includes a frame including a front frame part and a rear frame part. A single front wheel is rotatably connected to the front frame part. A single rear wheel is rotatably connected to the rear frame part. Each of the front wheel and the rear wheel is adapted to have a cylindrical shape in top view when the vehicle is traveling in a straight direction, and at least one of the front wheel and the rear wheel is adapted to expand and have a frustoconical shape in top view in a turning condition of the vehicle.

Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed to perform a tank turn. An example apparatus includes programmable circuitry to determine that a first brake associated with a first wheel is engaged and a second brake associated with a second wheel is engaged, the first wheel located on an end of a first axle of a vehicle, the second wheel located on an end of a second axle of the vehicle, the end of the first axle opposite to the end of the second axle, cause a first suspension to decrease a first suspension load of the first wheel, cause a second suspension to decrease a second suspension load of the second wheel, cause a first motor to drive the first axle in a first direction, and cause a second motor to drive the second axle in a second direction, the second direction different from the first direction.

A control device executes caster angle change control for controlling a driving force applying device or each of the driving force applying device and a braking force applying device to reduce a caster angle of a steered tire-wheel assembly when a steering request is received in a stopped state or in a creeping state without exceeding a predetermined vehicle speed at a point starting from the stopped state. In the caster angle change control, the control device applies, to one tire-wheel assembly out of a front tire-wheel assembly and a rear tire-wheel assembly, a driving force in a direction toward the other tire-wheel assembly and applies, to the other tire-wheel assembly, a braking force or a driving force in a direction toward the one tire-wheel assembly to achieve the stopped state or the creeping state in response to a request for acceleration or deceleration.

A marker light is a device that provides referential pivoting and precision boundary marking required for parking or docking articulate vehicles during poor visibility conditions. The marker consists of 12 primary features, an upper shell housing, a sealed circular window for white light passage, a sealed slotted window for laser light passage, internal reinforcement, a white up light, a laser beam transform lens, a laser beam source, a rechargeable battery pack, a recharging port, a wiring harness, a lower base plate, and an on/off switch. The up light pinpoints substantially the optimum pivot location during the parking or docking process. The developed laser planeresulting from the laser beam passing through the transform lensenables two marking orientations for the driver from one continuous laser impingement curve. From a top view perspective, orientation 1 marks parallel on the ground for aligning the trailer while orientation 2 marks perpendicular to the vertical dock wall.

A rear wheel steering system includes a vehicle that has a solid rear axle, a first drive shaft, a second drive shaft and a steering system. The solid rear axle includes a pair of rear wheels and the solid rear axle is pivotally coupled to the vehicle. A gear box is coupled to the vehicle and the gear box is operationally coupled to the steering system. The gear box is positioned at an intersection between the first drive shaft and the second drive shaft. Moreover, the gear box engages the second drive shaft such that the gear box urges the second drive shaft into the selected angle when the steering system is manipulated. In this way the solid rear axle facilitates the rear wheels to steer the vehicle in conjunction with front wheels of the vehicle.

A system according to the present disclosure includes an estimated hitch angle module, a measured hitch angle module, a corrected hitch angle module, and at least one of a driver assist module and an actuator control module. The estimated hitch angle module estimates a hitch angle, which is an angle between a longitudinal axis of a vehicle and a longitudinal axis of a trailer that is attached to the vehicle. The measured hitch angle module determines a measured hitch angle based on an input from a sensor. The corrected hitch angle module determines a corrected hitch angle based on the estimated and measured hitch angles. The driver assist module controls a user interface device to assist a driver of the vehicle based on the corrected hitch angle. The actuator control module controls an actuator of at least one of the vehicle and the trailer based on the corrected hitch angle.