An automated valet parking system, an automated valet parking method, an automated valet parking infrastructure, and a vehicle having an automated valet parking feature each enable an unmanned vehicle to autonomously move to and park in a designated parking spot by communicating with the infrastructure. An unmanned vehicle can autonomously move to a pickup area from a parking spot by communicating with the infrastructure.

A method of parking a vehicle includes creating a map of a parking environment utilizing data from at least one sensor coupled to a vehicle. The method further includes storing the map in a data storage device. The method also includes receiving a first learn signal indicating that the vehicle is located in a first parking position. The method further includes determining a first set of spatial data indicative of the location of the vehicle relative to the map in response to receiving the first learn signal. The method also includes storing the first set of spatial data in the data storage device.

A position detection system using a sensor, including a sensor unit including a plurality of sensors for transmitting a transmission signal or receiving a reflection signal reflected from an obstacle and configured to acquire a time of flight (TOF) of the received reflection signal, a storage unit configured to pre-store a position map of the obstacle for respective sensors depending on the TOF of the reflection signal on a grid map including a plurality of cells, and a position estimator configured to estimate a position of the obstacle based on the TOF of the reflection signal received by the sensor unit and the position map of the obstacle pre-stored in the storage unit.

A parking assist system for a vehicle includes an environment information obtainer, a storage, a parked vehicle detector, a space determiner, and a parking possibility determiner. The storage stores a reference parking width to be used for parking the vehicle. The parked vehicle detector detects a parked vehicle. The space determiner compares a width of a space next to the parked vehicle with the reference parking width and determines whether the width of the space is greater than or equal to the reference parking width. If the width of the space is found to be greater than or equal to the reference parking width, the parking possibility determiner determines whether a target object is detected at a back side of the space. If the target object is not detected, the parking possibility determiner determines that parking in the space is prohibited.

A computer-implemented method comprises: continuously monitoring, by an assisted-driving (AD) system using a sensor, surroundings of a vehicle being controlled by a driver; detecting, by the AD system using the sensor, a parking spot that is available; planning, by the AD system and in response to detecting the parking spot, a trajectory for the vehicle to park in the parking spot; and generating a prompt to the driver, by the AD system and in response to detecting the parking spot, to have the AD system handle parking of the vehicle in the parking spot, the prompt performed before the vehicle reaches the parking spot.

A parking assist system for a vehicle includes the following elements. A parking space width calculator is configured to calculate a parking space width between objects. A parking width comparator is configured to compare the parking space width with the width of a virtual parking region. A movement trace detector is configured to detect a movement trace within the virtual parking region. A target detector is configured to determine whether a target faces at least one side of the virtual parking region other than the side near the vehicle. A parking priority setter is configured to set a parking priority for the virtual parking region based on a movement trace and an object. A display selector is configured to display parking space candidates based on parking priority and instructs a driver to select a parking space candidate.

A parking assist apparatus is configured to: detect a level difference existing around the vehicle; determine whether the detected level difference is a passing target level difference required to be passed without avoidance or an avoidance target level difference required to be avoided; and control a notification apparatus to output, toward an inside of a compartment of the vehicle, a notification indicating a passing plan of the passing target level difference in response to the detected level difference, which exists on a traveling route to be traveled by the vehicle within a parking area for parking purpose, being determined as the passing target level difference. The notification apparatus is controlled to output the notification indicating the passing plan of the passing target level difference in a notification mode that distinguishes the passing target level difference from the avoidance target level difference.

An ultrasound transducer of a vehicle system, comprising a membrane configured to vibrate to generate an ultrasound when voltage is applied and further configured to vibrate in an out-of-plane movement, wherein the membrane includes a first piezoelectric film at a center of the membrane, a supporting member including a second piezoelectric film, the supporting member supporting and surrounding the membrane, wherein in response to a translation of motion or actuation from the membrane, the supporting member mode does not move when there is the out-of-plane movement from the membrane.

To provide a vehicle control system which can reduce dependence on determination of an automatic driving vehicle and can make the automatic driving vehicle perform evacuation driving under control of the vehicle control system, at the time of occurrence of an evacuation cause. A vehicle control system acquires traveling nodes for automatic driving which makes the object vehicle perform automatic driving from the travel node storage unit, and transmits it to the object vehicle; and irrespective of a presence or absence of occurrence of an evacuation cause for evacuating the object vehicle, acquires the evacuation nodes corresponding to the travel nodes for automatic driving from the evacuation node storage unit, and transmits to the object vehicle.

A method for controlling an automated parking system including determining a position and route of a vehicle for transmitting driving commands for the route to the vehicle, detecting an object within the parking system, determining the position and a movement path of the object, checking whether the route of the vehicle and the movement path of the object overlap, and initiating at least one measure by the parking system to prevent a collision between the vehicle and the object.