A vehicle control system having a subsystem controller for initiating control of a first group of at least one vehicle subsystem in a selected one of a plurality of subsystem control modes each corresponding to one or more different driving conditions; and an estimator module for evaluating at least one driving condition indicator to determine the extent to which each of the subsystem control modes is appropriate and for providing an output indicative of the subsystem control mode that is most appropriate. The estimator module is configured to increase the probability to which the at least one off-road driving mode is determined appropriate in dependence on at least one terrain indicator. In an automatic response mode the subsystem controller selects the most appropriate one of the subsystem control modes for each subsystem of the first group in dependence on the output.

Systems and methods use cameras to provide autonomous navigation features. In one implementation, a method for navigating a user vehicle may include acquiring, using at least one image capture device, a plurality of images of an area in a vicinity of the user vehicle; determining from the plurality of images a first lane constraint on a first side of the user vehicle and a second lane constraint on a second side of the user vehicle opposite to the first side of the user vehicle; enabling the user vehicle to pass a target vehicle if the target vehicle is determined to be in a lane different from the lane in which the user vehicle is traveling; and causing the user vehicle to abort the pass before completion of the pass, if the target vehicle is determined to be entering the lane in which the user vehicle is traveling.

Systems and methods use cameras to provide autonomous navigation features. In one implementation, a method for navigating a user vehicle may include acquiring, using at least one image capture device, a plurality of images of an area in a vicinity of the user vehicle; determining from the plurality of images a first lane constraint on a first side of the user vehicle and a second lane constraint on a second side of the user vehicle opposite to the first side of the user vehicle; enabling the user vehicle to pass a target vehicle if the target vehicle is determined to be in a lane different from the lane in which the user vehicle is traveling; and causing the user vehicle to abort the pass before completion of the pass, if the target vehicle is determined to be entering the lane in which the user vehicle is traveling.

Among other things, techniques are described for receiving, from at least one sensor of a vehicle, sensor data associated with a surface along a path to be traveled by a vehicle; using a surface classifier to determine a classification of the surface based on the sensor data; determining, based on the classification of the surface, drivability properties of the surface; planning, based on the drivability properties of the surface, a behavior of the vehicle when driving near the surface or on the surface; and controlling the vehicle based on the planned behavior.

Among other things, techniques are described for receiving, from at least one sensor of a vehicle, sensor data associated with a surface along a path to be traveled by a vehicle; using a surface classifier to determine a classification of the surface based on the sensor data; determining, based on the classification of the surface, drivability properties of the surface; planning, based on the drivability properties of the surface, a behavior of the vehicle when driving near the surface or on the surface; and controlling the vehicle based on the planned behavior.

Route planning is provided to a vehicle (or vehicle driver) based at least in part on the type of vehicle and the terrain conditions between the originating location and destination. The vehicle may employ a terrain monitoring system including a surface-penetrating radar (SPR) system for obtaining SPR signals as the vehicle travels along a route; the obtained SPR signals may be used for navigation against reference images associated with the route. In some embodiments, a navigation server bases route selection in part on the terrain associated with various routes and characteristics of the vehicle.

Route planning is provided to a vehicle (or vehicle driver) based at least in part on the type of vehicle and the terrain conditions between the originating location and destination. The vehicle may employ a terrain monitoring system including a surface-penetrating radar (SPR) system for obtaining SPR signals as the vehicle travels along a route; the obtained SPR signals may be used for navigation against reference images associated with the route. In some embodiments, a navigation server bases route selection in part on the terrain associated with various routes and characteristics of the vehicle.

A road surface evaluation apparatus includes a microprocessor configured to perform: acquiring driving information of each of vehicles, including a position and an acceleration of each of the vehicles while traveling, and a map information including road information on a road where the vehicles travel; evaluating a surface roughness of the road based on acquired accelerations of the vehicles; estimates a surface change location where the surface roughness has changed, based on a difference between a first road surface information including the evaluated surface roughness evaluated based on the acceleration of the vehicles acquired within a past predetermined period and a second road surface information including the evaluated surface roughness based on the acceleration of the vehicles acquired later than the past predetermined period; and outputting a road surface change information including the estimation result, in association with the road information.

A road surface evaluation apparatus includes a microprocessor configured to perform: acquiring driving information of each of vehicles, including a position and an acceleration of each of the vehicles while traveling, and a map information including road information on a road where the vehicles travel; evaluating a surface roughness of the road based on acquired accelerations of the vehicles; estimates a surface change location where the surface roughness has changed, based on a difference between a first road surface information including the evaluated surface roughness evaluated based on the acceleration of the vehicles acquired within a past predetermined period and a second road surface information including the evaluated surface roughness based on the acceleration of the vehicles acquired later than the past predetermined period; and outputting a road surface change information including the estimation result, in association with the road information.

When information related to road surface conditions is conveyed from a vehicle body side system to a tire-mounted sensor and the tire-mounted sensor determines the road surface condition, an integrated voltage value is corrected based on the information related to the road surface condition. It is thus possible to estimate the road surface condition more accurately. Furthermore, in as much as the road surface condition is estimated at each tire-mounted sensor, the road surface condition can be estimated for each wheel.