An over actuated system capable of controlling wheel parameters, such as speed (e.g., by torque and braking), steering angles, caster angles, camber angles, and toe angles, of wheels in an associated vehicle. The system may determine the associated vehicle is in a rollover state and adjust wheel parameters to prevent vehicle rollover. Additionally, the system may determine a driving state and dynamically adjust wheel parameters to optimize driving, including, for example, cornering and parking. Such a system may also dynamically detect wheel misalignment and provide alignment and/or corrective driving solutions. Further, by utilizing degenerate solutions for driving, the system may also estimate tire-surface parameterization data for various road surfaces and make such estimates available for other vehicles via a network.

An over actuated system capable of controlling wheel parameters, such as speed (e.g., by torque and braking), steering angles, caster angles, camber angles, and toe angles, of wheels in an associated vehicle. The system may determine the associated vehicle is in a rollover state and adjust wheel parameters to prevent vehicle rollover. Additionally, the system may determine a driving state and dynamically adjust wheel parameters to optimize driving, including, for example, cornering and parking. Such a system may also dynamically detect wheel misalignment and provide alignment and/or corrective driving solutions. Further, by utilizing degenerate solutions for driving, the system may also estimate tire-surface parameterization data for various road surfaces and make such estimates available for other vehicles via a network.

Drifting karts in accordance with embodiments of the invention are described that include a front wheel drive train and rear caster wheels that can be dynamically engaged to induce and control drift during a turn. One embodiment of the invention includes a chassis to which a steering column is mounted, where the steering column includes at least one front steerable wheel configured to be driven by an electric motor, a battery housing mounted to the chassis, where the battery housing contains a controller and at least one battery, wiring configured to provide power from the at least one battery to the electric motor, two caster wheels mounted to the chassis, where each caster wheel is configured to rotate around a rotational axis and swivel around a swivel axis, and a hand lever configured to dynamically engage the caster wheels to induce and control drift during a turn.

Drifting karts in accordance with embodiments of the invention are described that include a front wheel drive train and rear caster wheels that can be dynamically engaged to induce and control drift during a turn. One embodiment of the invention includes a chassis to which a steering column is mounted, where the steering column includes at least one front steerable wheel configured to be driven by an electric motor, a battery housing mounted to the chassis, where the battery housing contains a controller and at least one battery, wiring configured to provide power from the at least one battery to the electric motor, two caster wheels mounted to the chassis, where each caster wheel is configured to rotate around a rotational axis and swivel around a swivel axis, and a hand lever configured to dynamically engage the caster wheels to induce and control drift during a turn.

A portable vehicle alignment system has a vertical central column with a carriage movable along its length, and a pair of camera arms pivotably attached to the carriage, each with a camera pod. The camera pods each have a camera for capturing image data of a respective vehicle-mounted target. One pod also has a calibration target disposed in a known relationship to its camera, and the other pod has a calibration camera disposed in a known relationship to its camera for capturing images of the calibration target. The camera arms pivot between an extended position where the cameras are disposed to capture image data of the vehicle targets and the calibration camera is disposed to capture images of the calibration target, and a folded position where the aligner has a width smaller than the width between the camera pods.

Electromechanical apparatuses for controlling vehicle suspension settings. Described herein are electromechanical apparatuses for controlling wheel alignment (e.g., camber, castor and/or toe). In particular, described herein are camber adjusting apparatuses for electromechanically adjusting camber or camber and toe that may be retrofitted onto existing vehicle suspensions.

Electromechanical apparatuses for controlling vehicle suspension settings. Described herein are electromechanical apparatuses for controlling wheel alignment (e.g., camber, castor and/or toe). In particular, described herein are camber adjusting apparatuses for electromechanically adjusting camber or camber and toe that may be retrofitted onto existing vehicle suspensions.

A supplemental turning function-equipped hub unit includes: a hub unit body including a hub bearing; and a unit support member configured to be mounted through a suspension device, the unit support member supporting the hub unit body through rotation-permitting support components at two upper and lower portions of the hub unit body such that the hub unit body is rotatable about a supplemental turning axis. A supplemental turning force receiving part is provided on a side part of the hub unit body, which part is configured to receive a force that causes the hub unit body to rotate about the supplemental turning axis.

A control device acquires a first two-dimensional position of a cam bolt and a locknut in a first direction based on a first actual image captured by a first camera, and based on the acquired first two-dimensional position, the control device moves an adjustment socket to a position where the adjustment socket is fittable to a head of the cam bolt and moves a tightening socket to a position where the tightening socket is fittable to the locknut. Then, the control device acquires a second two-dimensional position of the cam bolt and the locknut in a second direction based on a second actual image captured by a second camera, and corrects, based on the acquired second two-dimensional position, a position of the adjustment socket relative to the head of the cam bolt and a position of the tightening socket relative to the locknut.

An approach is provided for location-aware wheel camber settings. The approach involves, for example, collecting tire temperature data, wheel camber data, and location data from one or more sensors of a plurality of vehicles. The approach also involves processing the tire temperature data, wheel camber data, and location data to determine a target wheel camber for a road segment indicated by the location data. The target wheel camber is determined from one or more observed wheel cambers indicated in the wheel camber data. The target wheel camber is also associated with a target tire temperature indicated in the tire temperature data. The approach further involves storing the target wheel camber as an attribute of map data associated with the road segment.