A method for controlling axle load distribution of a heavy-duty vehicle during a maneuver, wherein the heavy-duty vehicle comprises a number of wheel axles and one or more motion support devices arranged to adjust a relative axle load of one or more wheel axles of the number of wheel axles, the method comprising obtaining a vehicle model and a tire model, wherein the vehicle model and the tire model are jointly configured to predict a tire scrubbing force in dependence of a vehicle state comprising a relative axle load distribution during the maneuver, determining a nominal tire scrubbing force for a current relative axle load distribution, determining an improved relative axle load distribution maneuver associated with a reduced tire scrubbing force compared to the nominal tire scrubbing force, and controlling the one or more motion support devices to provide the improved relative axle load distribution during the maneuver.

A method of controlling a vehicle when the vehicle passes over a speed bump, may include: dividing sections of the road into a first section within a first time period before the front wheel of the vehicle collides with the speed bump, a second section while the front wheel collides with the speed bump, a third section within a second time period before the rear wheel collides with the speed bump, and a fourth section while the rear wheel collides with the speed bump; and controlling and distributing at least one of suspension damping force, driving power and braking force to the front wheel and the rear wheel for each of the first section, the second section, the third section and the fourth section to reduce the amount of impact to be applied when the vehicle collides with the speed bump and to reduce a vertical motion of the vehicle that occurs while the vehicle goes over the speed bump.

Systems and methods for delivering packages and consumer items using a plurality of package containers acting as lockers for the items, in which the plurality of package containers are transported between delivery locations by at least one on-road vehicle operative to straddle-over and grab any of the package containers, carry the package containers from one delivery location to another, and release/straddle-off the package containers at delivery locations. Some of the package containers may include multiple lockers, in which case the on-road vehicle transports and releases a package container in a first location, and while the package container awaits an item to be picked up from one of its lockers, the on-road vehicle continues on its way to handle other package containers. When the item is finally picked-up from the locker, the on-road vehicle may return, grab the package container and move it to another location or back to a warehouse.

A vehicle powertrain proactive damping system includes a plurality of proactive damping structures mounted on a powertrain structure with each proactive damping structure includes a magneto rheological elastomer (MRE). An electromagnet is associated with each proactive damping structure. A control unit includes a processor circuit. A sensor obtains vibration data regarding the powertrain structure. A LIDAR sensor is mounted on the vehicle and is electrically connected with the control unit. The LIDAR sensor provides data to the control unit indicative of upcoming road surface conditions to be experienced by the vehicle. Based on data from at the sensor and the LIDAR sensor, the processor circuit is constructed and arranged to control voltage to the electromagnets to selectively adjust a rigidity of the associated proactive damping structure so as to control vibrational effects on the powertrain structure.

An ECU includes: a road surface height measurer which measures road surface heights at three or more points along a vehicle-width direction in front of a tire mounted on a wheel; a position detector which detects a position at which a difference of the road surface height from an adjacent road surface height is equal to or larger than a predetermined threshold among the road surface heights at three or more points measured by the road surface height measurer; and a corrector which corrects the road surface height at a position at which the difference detected by the position detector is equal to or larger than the predetermined threshold to a predetermined height.

Gas spring sensors including a millimeter wave radar source and a target surface disposed in spaced relation to the radar source. The sensors also include a millimeter wave radar receptor operable to generate a signal upon receiving the radar waves reflected off the target surface. The radar source is operable to direct millimeter-length radar waves of a frequency greater than or equal to 120 gigahertz (GHz) and a wavelength of 2.5 millimeters or less toward the target surface. A processor is communicatively coupled with the radar source and the radar receptor, and is operable to determine a displacement and a relative velocity using pulsed Doppler or continuous wave frequency modulation radar methods that rely on time of flight and frequency phase shifts of pulsed or continuous radar waves. Gas spring assemblies including such sensors, and suspension systems including one or more of such gas spring assemblies are also included.

A method for improving the safety and comfort of a vehicle driving over a railroad track, cattle guard, or the like. The method may include receiving, by a computer system, one or more inputs corresponding to one or more forward looking sensors. The computer system may also receive data characterizing a motion of the vehicle. The computer system may estimate, based on the one or more inputs and the data, a motion of a vehicle with respect to a railroad track, cattle guard, or the like extending across a road ahead of the vehicle. Accordingly, the computer system may change a suspension setting, steering setting, or the like of the vehicle to more safely or comfortably drive over the railroad track, cattle guard, or the like.

The disclosure relates generally to methods, systems, and apparatuses for automated or assisted driving and more particularly relates to identification, localization, and navigation with respect to bollard receivers. A method for detecting bollard receivers includes receiving perception data from one or more perception sensors of a vehicle. The method includes determining, based on the perception data, a location of one or more bollard receivers in relation to a body of the vehicle. The method also includes providing an indication of the location of the one or more bollard receivers to one or more of a driver and component or system that makes driving maneuver decisions.

A damping control apparatus has a control unit that controls an active actuator that generates a control force for damping a sprung, and the control unit determines a predicted wheel passage position where a wheel is predicted to pass, performs a high-pass filtering on a first road surface displacement-related value, performs a low-pass filtering on a second road surface displacement-related value, calculates a target control force for damping the sprung when the wheel passes through the predicted wheel passage position based on a sum of the first road surface displacement-related value after high-pass filtering and the second road surface displacement-related value after low-pass filtering, and the second road surface displacement-related value has a higher possibility that a position where a control force corresponding to the target control force is generated misaligns with the predicted wheel passage position as compared with the first road surface displacement-related value.

Disclosed embodiments are related to suspension systems including dampers and suspension actuators and related methods of control for mitigating the effects of potholes and other road surface discontinuities.