A vehicle position detection and guidance system for use with an automotive service lift having a pair of runways onto which a vehicle is driven in order to be elevated. The system consists of a LiDAR sensor disposed to provide a field of view encompassing a volume of space extending upward from the upper surface of each lift runway, as well as the intervening region between the runways. The LiDAR sensor to observes at least the leading tread surfaces of two or more wheels on a vehicle approaching the service lift, and a volume of space below the vehicle. Output from the LiDAR sensor is conveyed to a processing system, which monitors the wheel positions relative to the runway surfaces, and provides output indicating steering corrections, obstructions, and a vehicle stopping point as the vehicle is driven onto the runways and/or the lift elevation changes.

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.

A vehicle wheel alignment system has a plurality of cameras, each camera for viewing a respective target disposed at a respective wheel of the vehicle and capturing image data of the target as the wheel and target are continuously rotated a number of degrees of rotation without a pause. The image data is used to calculate a minimum number of poses of the target of at least one pose for every five degrees of rotation as the wheel and target are continuously rotated the number of degrees of rotation without a pause. At least one of the cameras comprises a data processor for performing the steps of preprocessing the image data, and calculating an alignment parameter for the vehicle based on the preprocessed image data.

A vehicle wheel alignment system has a plurality of cameras, each camera for viewing a respective target disposed at a respective wheel of the vehicle and capturing image data of the target as the wheel and target are continuously rotated a number of degrees of rotation without a pause. The image data is used to calculate a minimum number of poses of the target of at least one pose for every five degrees of rotation as the wheel and target are continuously rotated the number of degrees of rotation without a pause. At least one of the cameras comprises a data processor for performing the steps of preprocessing the image data, and calculating an alignment parameter for the vehicle based on the preprocessed image data.

A system and process for aligning wheels of a three-wheel cycle include mounting targets to two wheels on an axle of the three-wheel cycle and positioning an alignment device relative to a single wheel of the three-wheel cycle to create a virtual axle and assess thrust angle. Once targets are in place, thrust angle is reduced to zero, and camber, caster, and toe measurements are taken and adjusted as needed to achieve three-wheel alignment.

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.

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.

A vehicle wheel alignment system has a plurality of cameras, each camera for viewing a respective target disposed at a respective wheel of the vehicle and capturing image data of the target as the wheel and target are continuously rotated a number of degrees of rotation without a pause. The image data is used to calculate a minimum number of poses of the target of at least one pose for every five degrees of rotation as the wheel and target are continuously rotated the number of degrees of rotation without a pause. At least one of the cameras comprises a data processor for performing the steps of preprocessing the image data, and calculating an alignment parameter for the vehicle based on the preprocessed image data.

A vehicle wheel alignment system and method is provided for performing a rolling wheel axis of rotation and wheel spindle point calculation every time an alignment is performed. Embodiments include an aligner having a target fixedly attachable to a wheel of the vehicle; a camera for viewing the target and capturing image data of the target; and a data processor. The data processor receives the image data from the camera, and determines a vector pointing from the target origin to a wheel spindle point based on the captured target image data, when the vehicle is rolled while the wheel is on a substantially flat surface such that the wheel and target rotate a number of degrees. The data processor is further adapted to calculate an alignment parameter for the vehicle based at least in part on the wheel axis of rotation and the coordinates of the wheel spindle point.

An apparatus and method for aligning a rim of a wheel assembly to a wheel hub. The apparatus can include a wheel handler device that is structured to securely engage the wheel assembly. The apparatus can include one or more light emitting devices that project one or more light spots on the face of the wheel hub. The position of one or more light spots relative to another light spot(s) and/or to a reference feature on the face of the hub can provide an indication of the location, orientation, and/or alignment of at least the rim relative to the wheel hub.