A vehicle control system includes: a vehicle recognition unit configured to recognize a rear lateral vehicle in an area rearward of the host vehicle; a remaining distance acquisition unit configured to acquire a remaining distance from a current position of the host vehicle to a position at which the host vehicle completes a lane change; a lane change availability determination unit configured to determine whether the lane change is available; and a vehicle control unit configured to control, when the lane change availability determination unit determines that the lane change is not available and the remaining distance is shorter than a first determination distance, steering of the host vehicle such that a position of the host vehicle in a vehicle width direction becomes a position closer to the second lane than a position when the remaining distance is longer than or equal to the first determination distance.

Embodiments described herein disclose systems and methods for a dual buffer zone system to ensure a stable nudge for autonomous driving vehicles. In one embodiment, a system perceives a driving environment surrounding an autonomous driving vehicle (ADV), including perceiving one or more obstacles within a view of the ADV. For each of the one or more obstacles, if a previous planning decision for the obstacle is not a nudge, the system associates a first buffer zone with the obstacle. Otherwise, the system associates a second buffer zone with the obstacle. Based on the associated buffer zone for the obstacle, the system determines a planning decision to nudge the obstacle to ensure a buffer distance between the ADV and the obstacle. The system generates a trajectory for the ADV based on the planning decisions for the one or more obstacles.

There is provided a travel control apparatus. A control unit controls a position of the self-vehicle in a width direction so as to ensure a first predetermined interval between the self-vehicle and the other vehicle and to ensure a second predetermined interval between the self-vehicle and the boundary of the first lane. In a case in which both the first predetermined interval and the second predetermined interval cannot be ensured, the control unit controls the position of the self-vehicle in the width direction to preferentially ensure the first predetermined interval when the other vehicle has crossed a first boundary between the first lane and the second lane and to preferentially ensure the second predetermined interval when the other vehicle has not crossed the first boundary.

A control apparatus plans a movement route of a moving body based on a recognition result of an exterior environment of the moving body; corrects the planned movement route, based on a recognition result of an obstacle in the exterior environment of the moving body; and controls the movement of the moving body based on the corrected movement route. The recognition result of the obstacle includes a recognition result of a side portion of the obstacle with respect to the movement route of the moving body, and in the correction, the planned movement route is corrected based on a correction amount continuously obtained based on the recognition result of the obstacle associated with advancement of the moving body.

A system for a host vehicle includes a processor programmed to receive, from an image capture device, an image representative of an environment of the host vehicle, detect at least one obstacle in the environment of the host vehicle based on an analysis of the at least one image, determine a velocity of the host vehicle and a predicted path for the host vehicle, monitor a driver input to at least one of a throttle control, a brake control, or a steering control associated with the host vehicle, and determine whether the driver input would result in the host vehicle navigating within a proximity buffer relative to the at least one obstacle, wherein the proximity buffer is determined based on the determined velocity, a maximum acceleration capacity of the host vehicle, and a maximum braking capacity of the host vehicle, and a reaction time associated with the host vehicle.

A navigational system for a host vehicle may comprise at least one processor. The processor may be programmed to receive an image representative of an environment of the host vehicle; analyze the image to identify a navigational state associated with the host vehicle; and determine, based on the navigational state, a navigational action for the host vehicle based on a policy that maps possible navigational actions to sensed states. The navigational action may be based on a safety constraint applicable to the navigational state, the safety constraint including a safety distance constraint associated with the host vehicle, wherein the safety distance constraint is based on a determined speed of the host vehicle and a determined speed of a detected target object. The processor may cause an adjustment of a navigational actuator of the host vehicle to implement the determined navigational action.

Systems and methods are provided for navigating a host vehicle. A processing device may be programmed to receive an image representative of an environment of the host vehicle; determine a planned navigational action for the host vehicle; analyze the image to identify a target vehicle travelling toward the host vehicle; determine a next-state distance between the host vehicle and the target vehicle that would result if the planned navigational action taken; determine a stopping distance for the host vehicle based on a braking rate, a maximum acceleration capability, and a current speed of the host vehicle; determine a stopping distance for the target vehicle based on a braking rate, a maximum acceleration capability, and a current speed of the target vehicle; and implement the planned navigational action if the determined next-state distance is greater than a sum of the stopping distances for the host vehicle and the target vehicle.

Systems and methods are provided for navigating a host vehicle. At least one processing device may be programmed to receive an image representative of an environment of the host vehicle; determine a planned navigational action for the host vehicle; analyze the image to identify a target vehicle in the environment of the host vehicle; determine a next-state lateral distance between the host vehicle and the target vehicle that would result if the planned navigational action was taken; determine a lateral braking distance for the host vehicle and the target vehicle based on a maximum yaw rate capability, a maximum change in turn radius capability, and a current lateral speed of the host vehicle and the target vehicle; and implement the planned navigational action if the determined next-state distance is greater than a sum of the lateral braking distances for the host vehicle and the target vehicle.

The subject matter described in this specification is generally directed control architectures for an autonomous vehicle. In one example, a reference trajectory, a set of lateral constraints, and a set of speed constraints are received using a control circuit. The control circuit determines a set of steering commands based at least in part on the reference trajectory and the set of lateral constraints and a set of speed commands based at least in part on the set of speed constraints. The vehicle is navigated, using the control circuit, according to the set of steering commands and the set of speed commands.

Vehicle alert and control systems and methods taking into account a detected road friction at a following vehicle and a predicted road friction by the following vehicle. The detected road friction between the following vehicle tires and the road surface may be assessed using a variety of methodologies and is used to compute a critical safety distance between the following vehicle and the preceding vehicle and a critical safety speed of the following vehicle. The predicted road friction ahead of the following vehicle may also be assessed using a variety of methodologies (lidar, camera, and cloud-based examples are provided) and is used to compute a warning safety distance between the following vehicle and the preceding vehicle and a warning safety speed of the following vehicle. These functionalities may be applied to vehicle/stationary object warning and response scenarios as well.