Provided are a vehicular motion control device and method such that, even when a vehicle is turning, the target trajectory can be followed while maintaining traveling stability, with a reduced sense of incongruity felt by the driver. This vehicular motion control device is equipped with: a target trajectory acquisition unit that acquires a target trajectory for a vehicle to travel; and a speed control unit that increases or decreases the longitudinal acceleration generated in the vehicle, the longitudinal acceleration being positive in the vehicle travel direction. If the vehicle deviates from the target trajectory during turning, the speed control unit performs longitudinal acceleration control to increase or decrease the longitudinal acceleration.

A vehicle is configured to travel, when a vehicle velocity is within a velocity range from not less than a first velocity of at least zero to not more than a second velocity larger than the first velocity, in a mode in which a vehicle body is leaned by a lean mechanism according to an input into an operation input unit, and a wheel angle of a turn wheel changes following a lean of the vehicle body. A natural frequency of roll oscillation of the vehicle body is either within a range of smaller than a reference frequency or within a range of larger than the reference frequency, the reference frequency being a frequency at which oscillation of the wheel angle of the turn wheel has phase delay of 90 degrees relative to the roll oscillation of the vehicle body in its width direction.

An auto-balancing transportation device having first and second wheels that are independently drivable. The device includes foot platforms, a control circuit and sensors. Device control is preferably achieved through the position or weight distribution of a rider's feet. The wheels may be arranged in parallel or non-parallel and the foot platforms may be located on the interior are exterior side of the wheels. The wheels may be coupled to one another in a manner that affords tilting, thereby increasing stability when executing a turn, among other benefits. Various embodiments and features are disclosed.

A powered unicycle device has a hub motor and a tyre around the motor. A motor casing around the motor defines side walls (300,305) and an outer annular rim (301,306), and the tyre is mounted around the outer annular rim (301,306). The motor casing is formed of only two side walls (300,305) each having a rim portion (301,305), and the rim portions (301,305) connect to each other, together defining the outer annular rim (301,305).

An electric vehicle may comprise a board including first and second deck portions each configured to receive a left or right foot of a ride, a wheel assembly disposed between the deck portions and including a ground-contacting element, a motor assembly mounted to the board and configured to rotate the ground-contacting element around an axle to propel the electric vehicle, at least one sensor configured to measure orientation information of the board, and a motor controller configured to receive orientation information measured by the sensor and to cause the motor assembly to propel the electric vehicle based on the orientation information. The electric vehicle may include exactly one ground-contacting element, and the motor may be a hub motor.

There is provided a parking assist system. A motor drives a front wheel. A motor control device controls an output of the motor. A changeover switch changes over a control mode for the motor to an assist mode different from a normal traveling mode. The motor control device is configured to control the output of the motor depending on operation of the changeover switch at the assist mode.

A rotatable LIDAR device including contactless electrical couplings is disclosed. An example rotatable LIDAR device includes a vehicle electrical coupling including (i) a first conductive ring, (ii) a second conductive ring, and (iii) a first coil. The example rotatable LIDAR device further includes a LIDAR electrical coupling including (i) a third conductive ring, (ii) a fourth conductive ring, and (iii) a second coil. The example rotatable LIDAR device still further includes a rotatable LIDAR electrically coupled to the LIDAR electrical coupling. The first conductive ring and the third conductive ring form a first capacitor configured to transmit communications to the rotatable LIDAR, the second conductive ring and the fourth conductive ring form a second capacitor configured to transmit communications from the rotatable LIDAR, and the first coil and the second coil form a transformer configured to provide power to the rotatable LIDAR.

A vehicle control system for reducing turn radius of a vehicle may include a controller and a torque control module operably coupled to the controller and to front wheels of a front axle of the vehicle and rear wheels of a rear axle of the vehicle. The controller may also be operably coupled to components and/or sensors of the vehicle to receive information including vehicle wheel speed and steering wheel angle. The torque control module may be operable, responsive to control by the controller, to apply a negative torque to an inside rear wheel during a turn and apply a positive torque to the front axle during the turn to compensate for the negative torque applied to the inside rear wheel to reduce the turn radius based on the steering wheel angle and the vehicle speed.

An electric motor control unit for controlling the operation of an electric motor. The unit comprises: an electric motor controller comprising a processor having at least one input and at least one output, wherein an output of the processor is coupled to a power provider for controlling power to an electric motor; a tilt accelerometer system comprising a tilt accelerometer for determining a measure of the tilt of the electric motor unit relative to a reference orientation, wherein the tilt accelerometer system comprises an output for providing a signal based on the determined measure of the tilt; wherein the output of the tilt accelerometer system is coupled to an input of the processor of the electric motor controller; wherein the power provider comprises a power output for controlling the operation of an electric motor based on the output of the tilt accelerometer system.

The present invention improves emergency evasion performance. An operation control system for a vehicle that is provided with a risk-potential determining unit that determines the risk potential of a vehicle on the basis of external environment information and/or vehicle information, a friction braking unit that applies friction braking force to the vehicle, and a regenerative braking device that applies regenerative braking force to the vehicle, the operation control system being provided with a control value determining unit that determines a first control value that is for determining the size of the friction braking force and determines a second control value that is for determining the size of the regenerative braking force. The control value determining unit determines at least the first control value on the basis of the risk potential determined by the risk-potential determining unit.