Mappings of keys to actions can automate various vehicle systems. Some automations can provide lane departure warnings. Keys for lane departure mappings can specify vibration patterns expected when a vehicle drives over lane delineators. These vibration-based mappings can include keys with vibration patterns, e.g., defining vibration frequencies or vibration locations. Keys for emergency light mappings can be based on conditions such as (1) the vehicle being on the road, stopped, not in traffic, and not at a stop signal; (2) components of the vehicle having failed; or (3) weather conditions.

A method is provided for dynamically determining a tire longitudinal force. The method includes determining a tire acceleration variable by an acceleration sensor arranged in a tire bead, determining a first time interval between a tire contact patch entry point and an acceleration vertex by a processor unit, and determining a second time interval between the acceleration vertex and a tire contact patch exit point by the processor unit. The method also includes determining a magnitude or direction of a tire longitudinal force variable comprising a tire longitudinal force by the processor unit from a symmetry shift detected between the first and second time intervals.

A control unit for a vehicle is designed to detect movement sensor data with regard to a movement of at least one component of the vehicle. The movement is or has been effected by a roadway driven upon by the vehicle. In addition, the control unit is designed to detect a lane boundary of the roadway on the basis of movement sensor data and, in reaction thereto, to cause a functional reaction of the vehicle.

This disclosure is generally directed to systems and methods for detecting a water depth level using capacitive sensors. The systems and methods disclosed herein receive a first capacitive signal from a first capacitive sensor in a wheel well of an autonomous vehicle (AV) and determine that the first capacitive signal exceeds a threshold value. The AV controller may be configured to determine water levels using a capacitive sensor system, and perform mitigating actions that cause the vehicle to either clean soiled capacitive sensors, or move the vehicle to a location that mitigates the risk of vehicle damage. Other mitigating actions may be performed as well, including disabling or powering down critical vehicle components when the vehicle cannot be moved to another location, providing means for emergency vehicle exit, and sending warning messages to the fleet control server, to occupants of the AV, or to other emergency personnel.

A method is provided for dynamically determining a tire longitudinal force. The method includes determining a tire acceleration variable by an acceleration sensor arranged in a tire bead, determining a first time interval between a tire contact patch entry point and an acceleration vertex by a processor unit, and determining a second time interval between the acceleration vertex and a tire contact patch exit point by the processor unit. The method also includes determining a magnitude or direction of a tire longitudinal force variable comprising a tire longitudinal force by the processor unit from a symmetry shift detected between the first and second time intervals.

A present invention is a control device, that can be mounted in a vehicle including left and right wheels, comprising a detection unit for detecting, for the left and right wheels, a displacement in a vertical direction of the vehicle body, and a correction unit for correcting, based a detection result of the detection unit, a variation of a vehicle advancing direction caused by the displacement.

A road surface state determination device includes a tire-side device and a vehicle-body-side system. The tire-side device is attached to each of a plurality of tires included in a vehicle. The vehicle-body-side system is included in a body of the vehicle. The tire-side device may output a detection signal corresponding to a magnitude of vibration of the tire. The tire-side device may sense the detection signal and generate road surface data indicative of a road surface state appearing in a waveform of the detection signal. The tire-side device may transmit the road surface data. The vehicle-body-side system may perform bidirectional communication with the tire-side device and receive the road surface data. The vehicle-body-side system may determine the road surface state of a road surface on which the vehicle is traveling based on the road surface data.

A tire system includes a tire-side device and a vehicle-body-side system. The tire-side device may be attached to a tire included in a vehicle. The vehicle-body-side system may be attached to a body of the vehicle. The tire-side device may output a detection signal corresponding to each of a plurality of types of detection targets. The tire-side device may perform processing of the detection signal and generate the data related to the detection target. The tire-side device may perform bidirectional communication with the vehicle-body-side system and transmit the data to the vehicle-body-side system. The vehicle-body-side system may perform bidirectional communication with the tire-side device and receive the data. The vehicle-body-side system may acquire the detection result for the detection target based on the data.

A steering control method and system for a vehicle may determine whether the snow chain has been mounted by comparing the number of times of vibrations of a certain peak or more detected by respective wheel speed sensors with respect to a current vehicle speed with a predetermined value, and selectively controls the operations of an AFS and a RWS according to the position of the wheel on which the snow chain has been mounted, when it is determined that the snow chain has been mounted.

A road surface condition assessing device includes: a tire-mounted device; and a vehicle body system. The tire-mounted device includes: a vibration detector that outputs a detection signal of a vibration on a tire; a waveform processor that generates the road surface data; and a first data communication unit. The vehicle body system includes: a second data communication unit; and a road surface evaluation unit that evaluates the road surface condition. The tire-mounted device transmits an advertise signal including the road surface data indicative of a result of a waveform process on the detection signal and a waveform processing value corresponding to the road surface condition. The vehicle body system evaluates the road surface condition based on the waveform processing value.