An apparatus including a sensor for detecting a first acceleration of a target vehicle at a first time and a second acceleration of the target vehicle at a second time, a processor operative to calculate an increased distance in response to the first acceleration and the second acceleration exceeding an acceleration threshold, the processor further operative to generate a control signal indicative of the increased distance, and a vehicle controller for controlling a vehicle throttle controller and a vehicle steering controller to maintain an initial distance between the host vehicle and the target vehicle and to maintain the increased distance between the host vehicle and the target vehicle in response to the control signal.

Techniques are disclosed to increase the safety of vehicles travelling in a vehicle platoon. These techniques include the utilization of a comprehensive safety framework such as a safety driving model (SDM) for the platoon control systems. In contrast to the conventional approaches, the use of the SDM model allows for platoon vehicle control systems to consider the acceleration/deceleration capabilities of the vehicles to calculate minimum safe longitudinal distances between the platoon vehicles. The disclosed techniques may utilize the periodicity of platoon messages as well as other parameters to improve upon platoon vehicle control and safety.

Techniques for detecting and responding to an emergency vehicle are discussed. A vehicle computing system may determine that an emergency vehicle based on sensor data, such as audio and visual data. In some examples, the vehicle computing system may determine aggregate actions of objects (e.g., other vehicles yielding) proximate the vehicle based on the sensor data. In such examples, a determination that the emergency vehicle is operating may be based on the actions of the objects. The vehicle computing system may, in turn, identify a location to move out of a path of the emergency vehicle (e.g., yield) and may control the vehicle to the location. The vehicle computing system may determine that the emergency vehicle is no longer relevant to the vehicle and may control the vehicle along a route to a destination. Determining to yield and/or returning to a mission may be confirmed by a remote operator.

Systems and methods are provided for vehicle navigation. In one implementation, a system may comprise an interface to obtain sensing data of an environment of the host vehicle. A processing device may be configured to determine a planned navigational action for the host vehicle; identify a target vehicle in the environment of the host vehicle; predict a following distance between the host vehicle and the target vehicle that would result if the planned navigational action was taken; determine a host vehicle braking distance based on a braking capability, acceleration capability, and speed of the host vehicle; determine a target vehicle braking distance, based on a speed and maximum braking capability of the target vehicle; and implement the planned navigational action when the predicted following distance is greater than a minimum safe longitudinal distance based on the determined host vehicle braking distance and the determined target vehicle braking distance.

Systems and methods are provided for vehicle navigation. In one implementation, a processing device may be configured to obtain a planned driving action for accomplishing a navigational goal of a host vehicle; receive sensor data from an environment surrounding the host vehicle; identify a target vehicle moving in the environment and a velocity of the target vehicle; calculate, a predicted trajectory for the target vehicle; calculate a planned trajectory for the host vehicle corresponding to the planned driving action; identify an intersection of the planned trajectory for the host vehicle with the predicted trajectory for the target vehicle; determine a braking action of the host vehicle to comply with a safety requirement; and cause the braking action to be applied to decelerate the host vehicle to change the planned trajectory of the host vehicle, until the planned trajectory does not intersect the predicted trajectory of 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 of an environment of the host vehicle; detect, based on analysis of the image, a pedestrian crosswalk in the image; detect a presence of a traffic light and determine whether the traffic light is relevant to the host vehicle and the pedestrian crosswalk; determine a state of the traffic light; determine, when a pedestrian appears in the image, a proximity of the pedestrian relative to the pedestrian crosswalk; determine a planned navigational action for navigating the host vehicle relative to the pedestrian crosswalk based on a driving policy, the state of the traffic light and the proximity of the pedestrian relative to the pedestrian crosswalk; and cause one or more actuator systems of the host vehicle to implement the planned navigational action.

The invention concerns a method for unparking a motor vehicle (1) from a cross-parking space (8), with which the motor vehicle (1) is manoeuvred along an unparking trajectory (9) at least semi-autonomously from the cross-parking space (8) onto a road (10) bounding on the cross-parking space (8), wherein during said semi-autonomous manoeuvring of the motor vehicle (1) along the unparking trajectory (9), at least one reversing movement is carried out, an end position (E) is determined and the semi-autonomous manoeuvring of the motor vehicle (1) along the unparking trajectory (9) is ended at the end position (E), wherein the end position (E) is defined as at least a position such that in the event of further movement of the motor vehicle (1) from the end position (E) being carried out, manual control of the motor vehicle (1) in a driving direction (13) predetermined by the road (10) can be carried out by a driver of the vehicle without manoeuvring the motor vehicle (1) in a forward movement.

Systems and methods are provided for vehicle navigation. In one implementation, a system may comprise an interface to obtain sensing data of an environment of the host vehicle. A processing device may be configured to determine a planned navigational action for the host vehicle; identify a target vehicle in the environment of the host vehicle; predict a resulting distance between the host and target vehicles if the planned action were taken; determine a host vehicle stopping distance based on a braking rate, maximum acceleration capability, and current speed of the host vehicle; determine a target vehicle stopping distance based on a braking rate and current speed of the target vehicle; and continue with the planned navigational action while the predicted distance is greater than a minimum safe longitudinal distance calculated based on the host vehicle stopping distance and the target vehicle stopping distance.

A method for safe passing of a vehicle approaching a bicycle. In the method, a future path of the vehicle is altered in an automated manner if a safety distance with respect to a probable trajectory of the bicycle is undershot, the vehicle being guided on the altered path if it extends within an available traffic space.

A vehicle control system for an autonomous vehicle includes: a first control device configured to generate a first driving plan including desired lateral lane driving positions or desired lateral lane driving position ranges; a plurality of first sensors configured to obtain information on motion of the vehicle and information on surroundings of the vehicle; and a second control device configured to communicate with the first control device, generate, based on the first driving plan obtained from the first control device and the information obtained by the first sensors, a second driving plan different from the first driving plan, the second driving plan including target lateral lane driving positions or target lateral lane driving position ranges, and control driving operation of the vehicle based on the second driving plan.