The present invention relates to a method for estimating the side slip angle (β.sup.stim) of a four-wheeled vehicle, comprising: —detecting signals representing the vehicle longitudinal acceleration (Ax), lateral acceleration (Ay), vertical acceleration (Az), yaw rate (formula I), roll rate (formula II), wheels speeds (V.sub.FL, V.sub.FR, V.sub.RL, V.sub.RR); —pre-treating (1) said signals in order to correct measurement errors and/or noises, so to obtain corrected measurements of at least the longitudinal acceleration (a.sub.x), the lateral acceleration (a.sub.y), the yaw rate (formula I) and the wheels speeds (ν.sub.FL, ν.sub.FR, ν.sub.RL, ν.sub.RR), —determining (2) an estimated vehicle longitudinal speed (V.sub.x.sup.stim) on the basis of at least one of the corrected measurements of the wheel speeds (ν.sub.FL, ν.sub.FR, ν.sub.RL, ν.sub.RR); —determining a yaw acceleration (formula III) from the signal representing the yaw rate (formula I); —solving (25) a time-depending parametrical non-linear filter, such as a Kalman filter or a Luenberger filter, describing the vehicle longitudinal and lateral speeds (formula IV) and longitudinal and lateral accelerations (formula V) as a function of the corrected measurements of the longitudinal acceleration (a.sub.x), of the lateral acceleration (a.sub.y), of the yaw rate (formula I) and the estimated vehicle longitudinal speed (V.sub.x.sup.stim) and of a filter parameter (F) depending from depending from at least one of the vehicle yaw acceleration (formula III), yaw rate (formula I) and lateral acceleration (ay) which adds a negative component to the lateral acceleration (formula VI) determined by the filter itself, said filter parameter (F) being selected such that said negative component reaches a maximum value when it is determined that the vehicle is moving straight on the basis of said at least one of the vehicle yaw acceleration (formula III), yaw rate (formula I) and lateral acceleration (ay); —determining the vehicle estimated side slip angle (β.sup.stim) from said longitudinal and lateral vehicle speeds (formula IV) determined by solving the non-linear filter. The present invention further relates to a computer program implementing said method, a control unit having said computer program loaded, and a vehicle comprising said control unit.

A driver assessment system includes at least one vehicle sensor on a vehicle gathering vehicle dynamics information. At least one occupant sensor gathers driver information. The at least one occupant sensor may be a wearable device or subdermal device on the driver. At least one computer receives the vehicle dynamics information and the driver information to determine a driver readiness.

The present disclosure relates to a powertrain controller (3) for controlling a torque distribution between a front axle (4) and a rear axle (5) of a vehicle (1). The powertrain controller (3) includes a processor (8) and a memory device (9). The processor (8) is configured selectively to implement first and second torque distribution profiles (TDP1, TDP2) defining the torque distribution between the front axle (4) and the rear axle (5). The processor (8) determines when one or more vehicle dynamics parameter (VDPn) is within one or more predefined stability margin (VSMn) and when the one or more vehicle dynamics parameter (VDPn) is outside the one or more predefined stability margin (VSMn). A torque request signal (STQR) is monitored to identify a change in a torque request (TQR). The first torque distribution profile (TDP1) is implemented when the one or more vehicle dynamics parameter (VDPn) is within the one or more predefined stability margin (VSMn). The second torque distribution profile (TDP2) is implemented when the one or more vehicle dynamics parameter (VDPn) is outside the one or more predefined stability margin (VSMn) and the identified change in the torque request (TQR) comprises a decrease in the torque request (TQR). The present disclosure also relates to a vehicle including a powertrain controller (3); a method of controlling a torque distribution between the front and rear axles (4, 5) of a vehicle (1); and a non-transitory computer-readable medium.

A vehicle control system for operating an automated vehicle in a fashion more conducive to comfort of an occupant of the automated vehicle includes a sensor, an electronic-horizon database, vehicle-controls, and a controller. The sensor is used to determine a centerline of a travel-lane traveled by a host-vehicle. The electronic-horizon database indicates a shape of the travel-lane beyond where the sensor is able to detect the travel-lane. The vehicle-controls are operable to control motion of the host-vehicle. The controller is configured to determine when the database indicates that following the shape of the travel-lane beyond where the sensor is able to detect the travel-lane will make following the centerline by the host-vehicle uncomfortable to an occupant of the host-vehicle, and operate the vehicle-controls to steer the host-vehicle away from the centerline when following the centerline will make the occupant uncomfortable.

An autonomous vehicle configured for active sensing may also be configured to weigh expected information gains from active-sensing actions against risk costs associated with the active-sensing actions. An example method involves: (a) receiving information from one or more sensors of an autonomous vehicle, (b) determining a risk-cost framework that indicates risk costs across a range of degrees to which an active-sensing action can be performed, wherein the active-sensing action comprises an action that is performable by the autonomous vehicle to potentially improve the information upon which at least one of the control processes for the autonomous vehicle is based, (c) determining an information-improvement expectation framework across the range of degrees to which the active-sensing action can be performed, and (d) applying the risk-cost framework and the information-improvement expectation framework to determine a degree to which the active-sensing action should be performed.

Methods, apparatuses and computer program products for estimating absolute wheel roll radii and/or a vertical compression value of wheels of a vehicle are disclosed, wherein yaw rates of the vehicle, wheel speeds of first and second wheels, and optionally lateral acceleration of the vehicle are measured and used as a basis for the estimation.

An automotive active lane change assist designed to cause a motor vehicle to carry out autonomous-driving lane change manoeuvres and to customize the autonomous-driving lane change manoeuvres based on manual-driving lane change habits of a driver of the motor vehicle learnt during one or different manual-driving sessions of the motor vehicle. The automotive active lane change assist is further designed to customize the autonomous-driving lane change manoeuvres based on manual-driving lane change habits of a driver of the motor vehicle by determining one or different autonomous-driving lane change settings for one or different drivers of the motor vehicle and for one or different types or categories of roads along which the motor vehicle can carry out autonomous-driving lane change manoeuvres.

A lane departure preventing device includes at least one electronic control unit. The at least one electronic control unit is configured to: when there is a likelihood that a vehicle will depart from a traveling lane, calculate a prevention yaw moment, and control a brake actuator such that the prevention yaw moment is applied to the vehicle; acquire a lateral acceleration; determine whether the lateral acceleration is greater than an ideal value by a predetermined value; control the brake actuator such that the braking force matches a target braking force required to apply the prevention yaw moment to the vehicle, when the lateral acceleration is not greater than the ideal value by the predetermined value; and control the brake actuator such that the braking force is less than the target braking force, when the lateral acceleration is greater than the ideal value by the predetermined value.

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.

The present disclosure discloses an electric vehicle, an active safety control system of an electric vehicle, and a control method of the active safety control system of an electric vehicle. The electric vehicle includes: multiple wheels, multiple motors, a wheel speed detection module, a steering wheel rotation angle sensor, a yaw rate sensor, and a battery pack. The active safety control system includes: an acquisition module, acquiring the wheel speed signal, the direction information, the yaw information, status information of the battery pack, and status information of the multiple motors; a status determining module, determining status of the electric vehicle; and a control module, generating a control instruction and delivering the control instruction to at least one motor.