A radar device for detecting a distance between vehicles by the transmission and reception of survey waves is mounted in a vehicle as an object detection means for detecting an object. A cruise control apparatus includes a trajectory calculation means for calculating a moving locus of a preceding vehicle traveling in front of an own vehicle on the basis of the detection result of the radar device, a route prediction means for calculating a predicted route of the vehicle on the basis of the moving locus of the preceding vehicle calculated by the trajectory calculation means, an axial deviation detection means for detecting the axial deviation of the radar device, and an invalidation processing means for invalidating the predicted route calculated by the route prediction means when it is detected that the axial deviation detection means has detected axial deviation of the radar device.

A method for operating a control device for the autonomous guidance of a motor vehicle, wherein a nominal speed is predetermined as a driving speed to be set by the control device and another vehicle driving in front more slowly than the nominal speed is detected by a detection device of the control device, wherein a speed difference of a driving speed of the other vehicle with respect to the nominal speed is greater than zero but smaller than a predetermined maximum value. In this case, an accumulator value is set to a starting value and a current speed value of the speed difference is detected and depending on the speed value, an advantage value is formed and the advantage value is added to the accumulator value. If the accumulator value meets a predetermined overtaking criterion, an overtaking signal is generated for allowing an overtaking maneuver.

A system and method for navigating a vehicle automatically from a current location to a destination location without a human operator is disclosed. The method includes identifying a vehicle location using global positioning system (GPS) data regarding the vehicle. Also included is identifying that the vehicle location is near or at a parking location. Then, using mapping data defined for the parking location. The mapping data at least in part is used to find a path at the parking location to avoid a collision of the vehicle with at least one physical structure when the vehicle is automatically moved at the parking location. The method includes instructing the electronics of the vehicle to proceed with controlling the vehicle to automatically move from the current location to the destination location at the parking location. The electronics use as input at least part of the mapping data and sensor data collected from around the vehicle by at least two vehicle sensors. The path is configured to be updatable dynamically based on changes in the destination location or changes along the path. The destination location is a parking spot for the vehicle at the parking location.

An object detecting apparatus includes reflecting point detecting means, reflecting point setting means, rear-end positional information generating means and object detecting means. The reflecting point detecting means detects position and speed of reflecting point reflecting radar waves. The reflecting point setting means sets high and low level reflecting points, the high level reflecting point having reflection intensity higher first detecting threshold, and the low level reflecting point having reflection intensity higher than second detecting threshold and lower than the first detecting threshold. The rear-end positional information generating means checks whether or not a low level reflecting point is present satisfying a same object condition in a rear-end searching range, and correlates positional information of the low level reflecting point as rear-end positional information with the high level reflecting point used as reference of the searching range. The object detecting means detects the object surrounding the vehicle.

System and method for obtaining and recording information about cargo includes a frame defining a cargo-receivable compartment, a position determining system at least partly on the frame and that allows for determination of position of the frame, an identification system on the frame that obtains information about cargo when present in the compartment, a memory component that receives and records information about position and movement of the frame, and the obtained information about cargo when present in the compartment in association with a unique identification of the frame, and a communications system on the frame to enable communication of information to and from the memory component.

Methods of detecting stationary objects are provided. Methods include: receiving sensor signal data including stationary and non-stationary detections from a surrounding environment of the ego-vehicle; determining at least one group of stationary detections which meet one or more lateral position selection criteria based on the lateral position of each stationary detection from a direction faced by the ego-vehicle; determining, at least one group of stationary detections which meet one or more group regularity selection criteria based on the regularity of the differences in position between pairs of sequentially positioned stationary detections in the group in the direction faced by the ego vehicle; determining stationary detections which meet the lateral selection criteria and the group regularity selection criteria for being a group of stationary detections corresponding to at least one stationary object; and removing the stationary detections in corresponding to at least one stationary object from the sensor signal data output.

A platooning control apparatus is provided and includes a processor that separates platooning vehicle groups and creates new platooning vehicle groups when a situation occurs that requires separating the platooning vehicle groups during platooning of a leading vehicle and following vehicles. A storage stores data and algorithms driven by the processor. When an obstacle is detected in the platooning vehicle groups, the process performs in-lane avoidance control by determining whether in-lane avoidance of the following vehicles traveling behind the obstacle is possible.

A shared radar and communication system for a vehicle includes capabilities for radar detection and communication with vehicles equipped with similar systems. The radar system is equipped with pluralities of transmit antennas and pluralities of receive antennas. The radar transmits a signal modulated with spread codes that are information bits. A receiver discriminates the signals sent from own transmitters and multiple reflections to detect objects of interest. In addition, the receiver discriminates signals transmitted from different systems on other vehicles. This requires the receiving system to have knowledge of the codes transmitted by the other vehicle. The receiving system determines the information bits sent by the other vehicle. If multiple radar systems on multiple vehicles use different sets of codes (but known to each other), the multiple systems can create a communication infra-structure in addition to radar detection and imaging.

A vehicle control system and method for operating a host vehicle based on geographic location. The system includes a distance sensor, a location sensor, a user interface, and a controller including an electronic processor and a memory. The controller is communicatively coupled to the distance sensor, the location sensor, the speed control, and the user interface, and is configured to receive a distance signal from the distance sensor indicative of a distance between the host vehicle and another vehicle. The controller receives a location signal from the location sensor indicative of a location of the host vehicle and a control signal from the user interface indicative of a desired mode of operation of the vehicle control system. The controller performs a driver assistance function associated with the desired mode of operation and adjusts a tolerance of the driver assistance function based on the location of the host vehicle.

The invention relates to a method for operating an environment-monitoring system for a motor vehicle, by means of which the positions of objects in the environment laterally adjacent to, in front of, and behind the vehicle are determined. According to the invention, in order to improve the accuracy of the environment-monitoring system, the motion path is determined for a stationary object which the vehicle passes, and said motion path is used to determine the angular deviation with which the motion path determined for the stationary object deviates from the motion path of the vehicle.