A system for assisting in aligning a vehicle for hitching with a trailer includes an imaging system, a vehicle control system including at least one vehicle sensor, and a controller. The controller controls the vehicle using the vehicle control system to move the vehicle into an aligned position, where a hitch ball on the vehicle is aligned with the coupler, including monitoring a signal from the vehicle sensor and tracking a position of the coupler relative to the hitch ball in image data. When the signal indicates an unintended stopped vehicle state, the controller determines a distance from the hitch ball to the coupler. If the distance is above a predetermined threshold, the controller controls the vehicle control system to cause the vehicle to move. If the distance is below the predetermined threshold, the controller indicates the unintended stopped vehicle state to a driver of the vehicle.

A system for assisting in aligning a vehicle for hitching with a trailer includes an imaging system, a vehicle control system including at least one vehicle sensor, and a controller. The controller controls the vehicle using the vehicle control system to move the vehicle into an aligned position, where a hitch ball on the vehicle is aligned with the coupler, including monitoring a signal from the vehicle sensor and tracking a position of the coupler relative to the hitch ball in image data. When the signal indicates an unintended stopped vehicle state, the controller determines a distance from the hitch ball to the coupler. If the distance is above a predetermined threshold, the controller controls the vehicle control system to cause the vehicle to move. If the distance is below the predetermined threshold, the controller indicates the unintended stopped vehicle state to a driver of the vehicle.

A system and method for reliably determining lanes of a roadway includes an optical sensing arrangement for sensing metallic striping from photoelectric effect. The location of the striping that defines a border of a traffic lane is determined and the location of the striping is displayed on a graphical user interface. The location can be used to provide lane control to ensure the vehicle maintains proper position in a traffic lane, lane warning assistance, collision avoidance, parking control, and guidance for autonomous driving.

A system and method for reliably determining lanes of a roadway includes an optical sensing arrangement for sensing metallic striping from photoelectric effect. The location of the striping that defines a border of a traffic lane is determined and the location of the striping is displayed on a graphical user interface. The location can be used to provide lane control to ensure the vehicle maintains proper position in a traffic lane, lane warning assistance, collision avoidance, parking control, and guidance for autonomous driving.

A method and system for controlling a stop rotation position of an engine is described. In one example, the system includes an integrated starter/generator that may be selectively coupled to the engine. The integrated starter/generator may rotate the engine in a first direction (e.g., reverse direction) or a second direction (e.g., a forward direction) in response to a position at which the engine stops rotating following cessation of combustion in the engine.

A method and system for controlling a stop rotation position of an engine is described. In one example, the system includes an integrated starter/generator that may be selectively coupled to the engine. The integrated starter/generator may rotate the engine in a first direction (e.g., reverse direction) or a second direction (e.g., a forward direction) in response to a position at which the engine stops rotating following cessation of combustion in the engine.

A vehicle control device, a vehicle control method, and a vehicle control system according to the present invention obtain an inter-vehicle time based on a relative distance between a first vehicle traveling, in front of an own vehicle, in a second lane adjacent to a first lane in which the own vehicle travels and a second vehicle traveling in the second lane in front of the first vehicle and based on a relative velocity of the first vehicle relative to the second vehicle, obtain a relative acceleration of the first vehicle relative to the second vehicle, set the first vehicle as a high-stress vehicle based on a lane change space that is based on the inter-vehicle time, the relative acceleration, and a relative distance between the second vehicle and a third vehicle traveling in the first lane in front of the own vehicle, and output a control command for changing a driving state of the own vehicle based on a relative distance between the high-stress vehicle and the own vehicle. This makes it possible to improve the driving safety of a vehicle on a road with multiple lanes in each direction.

A vehicle control device, a vehicle control method, and a vehicle control system according to the present invention obtain an inter-vehicle time based on a relative distance between a first vehicle traveling, in front of an own vehicle, in a second lane adjacent to a first lane in which the own vehicle travels and a second vehicle traveling in the second lane in front of the first vehicle and based on a relative velocity of the first vehicle relative to the second vehicle, obtain a relative acceleration of the first vehicle relative to the second vehicle, set the first vehicle as a high-stress vehicle based on a lane change space that is based on the inter-vehicle time, the relative acceleration, and a relative distance between the second vehicle and a third vehicle traveling in the first lane in front of the own vehicle, and output a control command for changing a driving state of the own vehicle based on a relative distance between the high-stress vehicle and the own vehicle. This makes it possible to improve the driving safety of a vehicle on a road with multiple lanes in each direction.

When an accelerator pedal operation amount is large enough to generate a driving force after switching from a stopping range to a starting range is performed, in order to prevent a sudden starting immediately after the range switching, an upper limit of the driving force of a driving source is limited to a driving force larger than a holding threshold value for releasing holding of a stopping state of a vehicle and smaller than a required driving force based on the accelerator pedal operation amount.

When an accelerator pedal operation amount is large enough to generate a driving force after switching from a stopping range to a starting range is performed, in order to prevent a sudden starting immediately after the range switching, an upper limit of the driving force of a driving source is limited to a driving force larger than a holding threshold value for releasing holding of a stopping state of a vehicle and smaller than a required driving force based on the accelerator pedal operation amount.