A tracking system uses a road mounted microwave reflector as an alignment tool. The system can be used to provide primary or supplemental guidance and alignment for a self-driving vehicle, or it can be used to provide warning signals for a manually controlled vehicle. The disclosed reflector is economical and easily installed. A preferred corner reflector includes both a microwave retro reflector and an embedded tuned circuit. The system is optimized to operate reliability and accurately in conditions of inclement weather and poor visibility, particularly where GPS signals, conventional road markers and visual aids fail.

A method can include sending, via a processing device, a signal to at least two of a plurality of location indicators from an autonomous vehicle in motion and transporting equipment or passengers. The method can further include receiving signals from the at least two location indicators. The method can further include determining a location of the autonomous vehicle within an indoor facility based on the received signals. The method can further include comparing the determined location to a corresponding pre-determined location. The method can further include, in response to the determined location being different than the pre-determined location, adjusting a direction of the autonomous vehicle along a predetermined path within the indoor facility.

An aspect of the present disclosure is directed to and provides radar-reflecting systems and apparatus that employ metasurfaces to produce enhanced radar cross sections that are greater than those produced by the geometry of the surfaces alone. Another aspect of the present disclosure is directed to and provides heat-ducting systems and apparatus that include metasurfaces. A further aspect of the present disclosure is directed to and provides cards with metasurfaces. Exemplary embodiments utilize fractal plasmonic surfaces for a metasurface.

A vehicle includes: a plurality of Ultra Wide Band (UWB) transceivers; and a controller configured to control the plurality of UWB transceivers to selectively operate, based on location information of a mobile key in which the UWB function is embedded, in at least one of a first mode for communication and a second mode for detecting an obstacle.

An electronic system and method controls automatic or semi-automatic docking of a vehicle with a given docking area, applicable, in particular, to the docking of an airport vehicle, such as a baggage belt loader, a catering vehicle, etc., to the fuselage of an aircraft, for example to the door of such an aircraft. The given docking area comprises at least one target. The system includes first determination device configured to determine the position of the docking area by determining the type of target from a set of given types and its position, second determination device configured to determine a guide path for guiding the vehicle towards the given docking area depending on the position of the docking area, and third determination device configured to determine the type of docking destination, the second determination device being capable of determining one or more exclusion areas depending on the type of docking destination, by comparing the type of docking destination with types of docking destination, stored in a database in association with exclusion areas, such that the guide path for guiding the vehicle towards the given docking area does not pass into any of the exclusion areas.

An autonomous road vehicle includes means for receiving wireless identification signals during vehicle navigation and using the wireless identification signals to determine position and identification of nearby road objects. The autonomous road vehicle further includes an autonomous vehicle control system responsive to the positions and the identifications.

Method and apparatus are disclosed for communication of infrastructure information to a vehicle via ground penetrating radar. A vehicle comprising an antenna positioned to broadcast radio waves below the vehicle, a ground penetrating radar system, and an active safety module. The ground penetrating radar system determines types of reflectors and a spatial relationship between the reflectors based on radar cross-sections detected by the antenna, and generates a signature based on the shapes and the spatial relationship. The active safety module determines environmental data based on the signature, and autonomously control the vehicle based on the environmental data.

Method and apparatus are disclosed for communication of infrastructure information to a vehicle via ground penetrating radar. A vehicle comprising an antenna positioned to broadcast radio waves below the vehicle, a ground penetrating radar system, and an active safety module. The ground penetrating radar system determines types of reflectors and a spatial relationship between the reflectors based on radar cross-sections detected by the antenna, and generates a signature based on the shapes and the spatial relationship. The active safety module determines environmental data based on the signature, and autonomously control the vehicle based on the environmental data.

An autonomous road vehicle includes means for receiving wireless identification signals during vehicle navigation and using the wireless identification signals to determine position and identification of nearby road objects. The autonomous road vehicle further includes an autonomous vehicle control system responsive to the positions and the identifications.

A retroreflector system including an outer body panel coupled to a vehicle, wherein the outer body panel is configured to allow a radar signal originating from an external radar device to pass through the outer body panel. The retroreflector system also includes a plurality of retroreflectors embedded in the vehicle, where the plurality of retroreflectors is configured to reflect the signal to the external signal source as a reflected signal, and where the plurality of retroreflectors is configured to have a peak reflectivity for a radar wavelength range or a light detection and ranging (lidar) wavelength range.