A working vehicle includes a steering device including a steering handle, a vehicle body to travel with either manual steering by the steering handle or automatic steering of the steering handle based on a traveling reference traveling line, and a controller to permit automatic steering based on steering angles of the steering device obtained when the vehicle body travels a predetermined distance while being steered by the manual steering.

The present invention is provided to more reliably keep a work vehicle from coming into contact with an obstacle during automated driving. The work vehicle includes an electronic control system for automated driving that automatically drives the vehicle body. The electronic control system includes an obstacle detection module configured to detect presence or absence of an obstacle, and a contact avoidance control unit configured to perform, upon the obstacle detection module detecting an obstacle, contact avoidance control to keep the vehicle body from coming into contact with the obstacle. The obstacle detection module includes a plurality of obstacle searchers that are distributed on the front end portion and the right and left end portions of the vehicle body such that the front side and the right and left lateral sides of the vehicle body are search-target areas.

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to generating and utilizing three-dimensional terrain maps for vehicular control. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.

A working vehicle includes a traveling vehicle body, and an automatic driving controller to perform first automatic driving in which different operations relating to the traveling vehicle body are performed automatically and second automatic driving in which at least one of the different operations is set to be performed manually and another one or more of the different operations other than the at least one of the different operations set to be performed manually continue to be performed automatically.

A materials handling vehicle comprising a path validation tool and a drive unit, steering unit, localization module, and navigation module that cooperate to navigate the vehicle along a warehouse travel path. The tool comprises warehouse layout data, a proposed travel path, vehicle kinematics, and a dynamic vehicle boundary that approximates the vehicle physical periphery. The tool executes path validation logic to determine vehicle pose along the proposed travel path, update the dynamic vehicle boundary to account for changes in vehicle speed and steering angle, determine whether the dynamic vehicle boundary is likely to intersect obstacles represented in the layout data based on the determined vehicle pose at candidate positions along the proposed travel path, determine a degree of potential impingement at the candidate positions by referring to the dynamic vehicle boundary and obstacle data, and modify the proposed travel path to mitigate the degree of potential impingement.

A method for predicting a topography information item for a vehicle includes assigning at least one respective topography information item to each of the different travel positions of the vehicle, determining a future travel position, and querying at least one topography information item assigned to the determined future travel position.

The present invention is provided to more reliably keep a work vehicle from coming into contact with an obstacle during automated driving. The work vehicle includes an electronic control system for automated driving that automatically drives the vehicle body. The electronic control system includes an obstacle detection module configured to detect presence or absence of an obstacle, and a contact avoidance control unit configured to perform, upon the obstacle detection module detecting an obstacle, contact avoidance control to keep the vehicle body from coming into contact with the obstacle. The obstacle detection module includes a plurality of obstacle searchers that are distributed on the front end portion and the right and left end portions of the vehicle body such that the front side and the right and left lateral sides of the vehicle body are search-target areas.

A control system for a work vehicle includes a power source including an engine and at least one electric motor configured to generate power; a transmission including a plurality of clutches coupled together and configured for selective engagement to transfer the power from the engine and the at least one electric motor along a power flow path to drive an output shaft of a powertrain according to a plurality of transmission modes; and a controller coupled to the power source and the transmission. The controller has a processor and memory architecture configured to: monitor an electric motor speed of the at least one electric motor; and generate and execute, when the electric motor speed is less than a first predetermined stall speed threshold, a clutch modulation command for the transmission such that at least one clutch of the plurality of clutches along the power flow path is partially engaged.

A battery-operated electric hydrostatic utility tractor is disclosed. The utility tractor is a zero-emissions and more capable of powering work attachments to many chores. The tractor frame is supported by ground wheels and is configured to operative couple work accessories. The work accessory has a power connection to couple with an electric source or a pressurized hydraulic fluid carried by the utility tractor. A hydrostatic pump is configured to produce the source of pressurized hydraulic fluid and includes an integrally contained transaxle for selectively providing a hydraulic motive force to a driveshaft for each of an opposed pair of drive wheels. An electric motor has an output axially aligned with an input shaft of the hydrostatic pump, for developing the source of pressurized hydraulic fluid by the hydrostatic pump. A plurality of battery compartments are compartments configured to receive a rechargeable battery to provide the electric source.

A vehicle includes a chassis, an engine coupled to the chassis, a power source coupled to the chassis, and a track assembly. The track assembly includes an electric motor coupled to the chassis, a first drive wheel coupled to the electric motor and pivotally coupled to the chassis, a second drive wheel coupled to the engine and pivotally coupled to the chassis, and a track engaging the first drive wheel and the second drive wheel. The engine is configured to provide mechanical energy to the second drive wheel to drive the track and propel the vehicle. The electric motor is configured to receive electrical energy from the power source and provide mechanical energy to the first drive wheel to drive the track and propel the vehicle.