A method is for determining a side slip angle during the cornering of a vehicle. The following variables are recorded and interlinked via a mathematical vehicle model with assumptions of the linear single-track model: a predetermined or measured position of the center of gravity between a front and rear axle, the current vehicle velocity, a current vehicle cornering motion variable, the current steering angle on the front axle. To simplify the determination of the side slip angle, it is determined under the assumption that the difference between the side slip angle and the Ackermann side slip angle is proportional to the difference between the Ackermann angle and the steering angle. The actual side slip angle is deduced from the relationship of the measured steering angle and the Ackermann angle based on the proportionality relationship of the Ackermann side slip angle theoretically present when driving through the same curve without slip.

A vehicle control apparatus according to the present invention outputs a signal regarding a target braking/driving force for guiding a vehicle in a target traveling direction to a braking/driving controller. The signal regarding the target braking/driving force is acquired based on information regarding a running route of the vehicle and a physical amount regarding a motion state of the vehicle. The vehicle control apparatus outputs a signal regarding a steering correction torque for correcting a steering torque according to a behavior of the vehicle to a steering force controller. The signal regarding the steering correction torque is acquired based on a vehicle-body slip angle of the vehicle and the target braking/driving force.

A method to control, while driving along a curve, a road vehicle with a variable stiffness and with rear steering wheels. The method comprises the steps of: determining an actual attitude angle of the road vehicle; establishing a desired attitude angle; determining an actual yaw rate of the road vehicle; establishing a desired yaw rate; and changing, in a simultaneous and coordinated manner, the steering angle of the rear wheels and the distribution of the stiffness of the connection of the four wheels to the frame depending on a difference between the actual attitude angle and the desired attitude angle and depending on a difference between the actual yaw rate and the desired yaw rate.

A safety device for a vehicle includes a sensor system and an evaluation and control unit that is coupled to the sensor system via an interface and that evaluates information from the sensor system in order to detect objects in the area ahead of the vehicle, calculates, on the basis of the information from the sensor system, a likely impact point of a detected object and/or a likely amount of overlap of the detected object and the vehicle, brings the vehicle into a defined slide-off position by way of a targeted intervention into the vehicle dynamics when the calculated likely impact point and/or the calculated amount of overlap satisfies at least one predefined condition.

A vehicle control device includes: a target traveling path setting unit that sets a target traveling path of an own vehicle; a reference position setting unit that sets a reference position of the own vehicle for specifying a position of the own vehicle with respect to the target traveling path; and a control unit that controls a steering assist amount of a steering wheel, based on a positional deviation being a deviation between the target traveling path set by the target traveling path setting unit and the reference position of the own vehicle set by the reference position setting unit. The reference position setting unit changes the reference position according to a vehicle speed.

A set of driving scenarios are determined for different types of vehicles. Each driving scenario corresponds to a specific movement of a particular type of autonomous vehicles. For each of the driving scenarios of each type of autonomous vehicles, a set of driving statistics is obtained, including driving parameters used to control and drive the vehicle, a driving condition at the point in time, and a sideslip caused by the driving parameters and the driving condition under the driving scenario. A driving scenario/sideslip mapping table or database is constructed. The scenario/sideslip mapping table includes a number of mapping entries. Each mapping entry maps a particular driving scenario to a sideslip that is calculated based on the driving statistics. The scenario/sideslip mapping table is utilized subsequently to predict the sideslip under the similar driving environment, such that the driving planning and control can be compensated.

Methods and systems to operate a hybrid vehicle in a controlled lateral vehicle slip mode are described. The lateral vehicle slip mode may adjust torques applied to a vehicle's front wheels and operation of transmission clutches to induce lateral vehicle slip when requested. The vehicle may exit the lateral vehicle slip mode in response to applying vehicle brakes or releasing a vehicle accelerator pedal.

An object is to provide an attitude control system that can suppress an understeering characteristic when a vehicle such as an automobile travels in a medium-speed or low-speed range. A vehicle drives front wheels, and controls steering angles of the front wheels and steering angles of rear wheels. In an attitude control system to be mounted on the vehicle, a control amount detecting unit detects an operation amount of an accelerator pedal operated by a driver of the vehicle. A driving force estimating unit estimates a driving force generated on the front wheels based on the operation amount of the accelerator pedal. A rear-wheel steering angle determining unit determines a rear-wheel steering angle instruction value for controlling steering angles of the rear wheels based on an estimated front-wheel driving force that is the driving force estimated by the driving force estimating unit.

The present invention relates to a method for collision avoidance for a host vehicle, the method comprising: detecting a target in the vicinity of the vehicle; determining that the host vehicle is travelling on a collision course with the target; detecting a user initiated steering action for steering the vehicle towards one side of the target; determining a degree of understeering of the host vehicle; when the degree of understeering exceeds a first understeering threshold, controlling a steering control system of the vehicle to counteract the user initiated steering action to thereby reduce the degree of understeering. The invention further relates to an evasive steering system.

A system comprises a computer including a processor and a memory. The memory includes instructions such that the processor is programmed to: determine an occurrence of intentional drift event, and in response to determining the occurrence of the intentional drift event, determine a front torque target and a rear torque target.