Vehicle control systems and modules are disclosed herein. In an embodiment, a vehicle control module includes a first module connector configured to connect to a vehicle in place of a vehicle input device configured to control an operational part of the vehicle, a second module connector configured to connect to the vehicle input device, and an electronic controller configured to (i) receive an input command regarding the operational part of the vehicle from the vehicle input device connected via the second module connector, (ii) modify the input command, and (iii) transmit the modified input command to the vehicle via the first module connector to cause the vehicle to operate the operational part in accordance with the modified input command.

Methods for commissioning a construction vehicle for machine control operations are provided. A GNSS receiver configured for determining position information, tilt information, and heading information is coupled to a rigid member of the construction vehicle. The commissioning process provides parameters that can be used for tracking and controlling movement of an implement coupled to the construction vehicle during the machine control operations.

A construction system includes: a position data acquisition unit configured to acquire position data of a bottom of water; a current-terrain data generation unit configured to generate current terrain data of the bottom of water based on the position data; a target-terrain data generation unit configured to generate target terrain data of the bottom of water based on the current terrain data; and a working equipment control unit configured to control a working equipment of a work vehicle based on the target terrain data.

A system and method are provided for assisting transport vehicle drivers in material discharge for optimized working at a worksite by work machines such as dozers. A first user interface associated with the work machine accesses a map comprising three-dimensional data corresponding to at least a portion of the worksite. User input is received via the first user interface corresponding to desired discharge location(s) in the worksite to be worked, and output signals are generated for modifying a display on a second user interface associated with the transport vehicle, said modifications corresponding to the received user input and for directing the transport vehicle to the desired discharge locations. The two vehicles may share a common mapping unit such that input from the work machine is applied substantially in real-time at the transport vehicle. Alternatively, the inputs may be translated across mapping units to generate appropriate positioning instructions.

System and methods are provided for dynamic characterization of an area to be worked using a work implement of a work machine. First real-time data (e.g., surface scan data) are collected in a forward direction via a first sensor external to or onboard the work machine, and second real-time data (e.g., surface scan data) are collected for at least a traversed portion of the work area via a second onboard sensor. Characteristic values of a ground material in the work area are determined based on at least the first and second data corresponding to a given surface, and outputs are generated corresponding to at least a determined amount of material needed to achieve target values for the work area, based on at least one of the characteristic values. Certain characteristic values based on the real-time data may be used to estimate, among other things, how many truck loads are still required for the work area.

A system and method are provided for evenly distributing the loading of material in a loading container of a transport vehicle (e.g., articulated dump truck) by a work machine (e.g., excavator). At least one sensor mounted on the work machine generates data corresponding to at least a portion of the loading container. The captured data is processed to determine a current profile of material loaded in the loading container, wherein output signals are generated corresponding to a difference between the current profile and a predetermined target profile for the material loaded in the loading container. In certain embodiments, the output signals are used to assist an operator of the work machine with manual loading via an onboard display unit and superposed images associated with the current and/or target profiles. In other embodiments, the output signals automatically control at least part of the loading process.

A system and method are provided for flow synchronization between various transport vehicles (e.g. dump trucks) and a work machine (e.g. excavator) in a material loading cycle. The work machine and each transport vehicle are configured to communicate with each other via a machine-to-machine communications network. A controller determines initiation of a loading cycle associated with the work machine and a first transport vehicle, and detects certain parameters corresponding to a duration of the loading cycle (e.g. weight of payload, volume of truck bin, historical cycle data). A remaining time in the loading cycle duration is accordingly estimated, and an output signal corresponding to the estimated remaining time is generated to at least a next transport vehicle in a loading sequence. The system and method facilitate even spacing of transport vehicles, consistent travel speeds, and optimization of a number of loading vehicles required to coordinate with a given work machine.

A method for estimating load weights for a work vehicle including a boom pivotably coupled to the chassis of the work vehicle at a boom joint and an implement pivotably coupled to the boom at an implement joint may include receiving an input indicative of a tilt force associated with a tilt cylinder configured to pivot the implement about the implement joint, and an input indicative of a lift force associated with a lift cylinder configured to pivot the boom about the boom joint. The method may further include determining a torque about the implement joint caused by the load based on the tilt force and determining a torque about the boom joint caused by the load based on the lift and tilt forces. Additionally, the method may include estimating a weight of the load based on the torques about the boom and implement joints.

In accordance with an example embodiment, a method for directing a work machine to one or more worksites from a selection of candidate worksites is disclosed. The method includes receiving obscurant data related to a forecast availability of obscurants at one or more worksites; receiving environmental data related to the suppression, creation, transportation, or direction of obscurants; and receiving operational data related to machine components and the ability of the machine components to generate obscurants or have performance degraded by obscurants at the one or more worksites. Determining an obscurant metric for each of the one or more worksites based on the obscurant data, the environmental data, and the operational data; and directing the work machine to the one or more worksites based on the obscurant metric.

A power machine can be configured to automatically travel along a planned path based on pursuit of a target point. A location of the target point along the planned path can be determined based one or more of local curvature of the planned path or travel speed of the power machine. In some cases, a circular buffer can be used to store mapping data.