A vehicle control apparatus 10 is provided with an object detecting means detecting an object in a travel direction of a vehicle 30, a restraining means restraining a drive force of the vehicle when the object detecting means detects an object, and a jerk acquiring means acquiring a jerk in a travel direction on the basis of a behavior of the vehicle. When the accelerator of the vehicle is actuated while the vehicle is in a state in which the drive force of the vehicle is restrained, and the speed of the vehicle is lower than a predetermined value, the restraining means increases the drive force, and decreases a post-increase drive force on the basis of the jerk acquired by the jerk acquiring means.

A path of a target object is predicted. A path of a non-moving host vehicle is predicted based on at least one of a predetermined host vehicle acceleration and a predetermined host vehicle speed. A threat number for the target is determined based at least in part on the predicted path of the host vehicle, the threat number indicating a probability of a collision between the target and the host vehicle. A brake is actuated when the threat number is above a threat number threshold.

An image processing device for a vehicle includes: an acquisition unit acquiring a captured image of a periphery of a vehicle, which is captured by an imaging unit provided in the vehicle; a bird's eye view image generating unit generating a bird's eye view image in which the captured image is projected to a 3D virtual projection plane provided at a side opposite to the vehicle with reference to a ground and separated from the ground with distance from the vehicle; a guide line generating unit generating a guide line indicating a predicted course of the vehicle; a conversion unit converting the guide line into a virtual guide line indicating the predicted course on the virtual projection plane; and a superimposing unit superimposing the virtual guide line on the bird's eye view image.

A vehicular collision avoidance system includes a sensor disposed at a vehicle for sensing exterior and forwardly of the vehicle. A processor processes sensor data captured by the sensor to determine the presence of a pedestrian ahead of the vehicle and outside a path of travel of the vehicle. The processor determines a projected path of travel of the pedestrian based on movement of the pedestrian. The processor determines where the forward path of travel of the vehicle intersects the projected path of travel of the pedestrian. The system, responsive at least in part to prediction that the pedestrian will be in the forward path of travel of the vehicle when the vehicle time to intersection elapses, adjusts the speed of the vehicle based at least in part on attentiveness of a driver of the vehicle and a driving condition of the vehicle.

A stop-start control system for a vehicle includes a camera disposed at the vehicle and having a field of view exterior and forward of the vehicle. A control includes an image processor operable to process image data captured by the camera. Responsive to image processing of captured image data, the control determines the presence of a stopping area ahead of the vehicle and being approached by the vehicle. Responsive to determination of the presence of the stopping area ahead of the vehicle and being approached by the vehicle, and responsive to determination that the driver of the vehicle releases the accelerator pedal of the vehicle so the vehicle is coasting toward the determined stopping area, the control causes the engine to at least partially shut off.

An illustrative example method is for estimating a friction characteristic of a surface beneath a vehicle that has a plurality of wheels contacting the surface. The method includes determining a wheel speed of at least one of the wheels, determining a velocity of the at least one of the wheels separately from determining the wheel speed, determining a wheel slip of the at least one of the wheels based on the determined wheel speed and the determined velocity, and determining the friction characteristic based on the determined wheel slip. Determining the velocity separately from the wheel speed is accomplished using at least one detector that provides an output corresponding to a range rate, such as a RADAR or LIDAR detector.

A controller for changing between a respective first configuration and a respective second configuration of at least one active safety system of an automated motor vehicle is provided. The controller is configured to detect a change in the operating mode of the motor vehicle from an at least highly automated operating mode into a maximally partially automated operating mode and to change the at least one active safety system from the first configuration to the second configuration when a change is detected.

A vehicle control device includes a vehicle position calculating unit, an obstacle determining unit, a collision possibility determining unit, an avoidance means selecting unit, an avoidance route calculating unit, and a steering control value calculating unit that calculates a steering control value and that outputs the steering control value to a steering actuator control unit. The avoidance route calculating unit calculates a target point for avoiding the obstacle, divides an avoidance section connecting the position of the vehicle to the target point into a plurality of partial sections, calculates a partial avoidance route in each of the partial sections, and calculates the avoidance route made up of the plurality of partial avoidance routes.

A vehicle braking control apparatus includes an obstacle detection unit configured to detect an obstacle ahead of a vehicle, and to detect a distance to the obstacle from the vehicle, and a relative speed of the obstacle with respect to the vehicle; an electronic control unit configured to generate a braking force of the vehicle automatically based on the distance and the relative speed, and to weaken the braking force when a value subtracting a deceleration amount of a vehicle speed of the vehicle since a start of generating the braking force, from a predetermined upper-limit deceleration amount is less than or equal to a predetermined threshold. The upper-limit deceleration amount is set to increase while an elapsed time increases since the start of generating the braking force, at least after a predetermined first time has passed since the start of generating the braking force.

A collision avoidance device includes a collision avoidance executor, a determiner, and a collision avoidance controller, for example. The collision avoidance executor can execute a collision avoidance function for a vehicle to avoid collision with an object to be avoided. The determiner determines, based on an operation of an accelerator pedal by a driver, whether the driver has an intention of acceleration. The collision avoidance controller inhibits execution of the collision avoidance function when the driver is determined to have the intention of acceleration. The determiner further determines, based on the operation of the accelerator pedal, whether the driver has an intention of cancelation of the collision avoidance function. The collision avoidance controller ends the execution of the collision avoidance function when the driver is determined to have the intention of cancelation during the execution of the collision avoidance function.