A method of operating a vehicle, comprises determining, by a computer located in a first vehicle, that an initial distance between the first vehicle and a second vehicle is less than a first distance or a second distance, where the second vehicle is located in a same lane as and in front of the first vehicle; generating, in response to the determining, a sequence of position values and velocity values for the first vehicle, wherein each of the position values and each of the velocity values are associated with a time value; and causing the first vehicle to increase a distance between the first vehicle and the second vehicle by causing the first vehicle to move or operate according to the sequence of position values and velocity values.

A cleaning device for a surface, such as a windshield of a vehicle, has a housing that holds a spray bar, rotatable brush and a wiper blade. An engagement mechanism moves spray bar, the brush, and the wiper blade out from a disengaged position within the housing to an engaged position outside the housing so that they can be used to clean, brush, and dry the surface. After the spray bar, brush, and wiper blade are used to, respectively, clean, brush, and dry the surface, the engagement mechanism then moves the spray bar, the brush, and the wiper blade to a disengaged position within the housing.

Aspects of the disclosure relate to controlling a first vehicle in an autonomous driving mode. While doing so, a second vehicle may be identified. This vehicle may be determined to be a tailgating vehicle. An initial allowable discomfort value representing expected discomfort of an occupant of the first vehicle and expected discomfort of an occupant of the second vehicle may be identified. Determining a speed profile for a future trajectory of the first vehicle that meets the value may be attempted based on a set of factors corresponding to a reaction of the tailgating vehicle. When a speed profile that meets the value cannot be determined, the value may be adjusted until a speed profile that meets the value is determined. The speed profile that meets an adjusted value is used to control the first vehicle in the autonomous driving mode.

A vehicle control system is configured to, when anti-skid control is started in a situation in which driving support control is being executed, execute a specific process for making a stop condition of the anti-skid control difficult to be satisfied as compared to when the driving support control is not being executed.

A travel assistance method and a travel assistance device for a vehicle is capable of avoiding any risk that may arise. The method includes obtaining a risk potential of an object detected by the vehicle, associating the risk potential of the object with an encounter location at which the object is encountered, accumulating the risk potential at the encounter location, and using the accumulated risk potential to obtain a primary estimated risk potential of the object predicted to be encountered at the encounter location. The primary estimated risk potential is lower than the risk potential obtained when detecting the object. The method further includes obtaining a secondary estimated risk potential using a predicted travel movement of another vehicle that avoids a risk due to the primary estimated risk potential, and when traveling at the encounter location again, autonomously controlling travel of the vehicle using the secondary estimated risk potential.

A cleaning device for a surface, such as a windshield of a vehicle, includes an active positioning system and a cleaning head. The active positioning system is configured to deploy from a storage position hidden from view within a covered storage space and to position the cleaning head upon the windshield. The active positioning system includes a first extension member and a second extension member that move relative to one another to position the cleaning head, and also move the cleaning head across the windshield along a path. The cleaning head can have a brush portion configured to agitate debris from the window, and a drying portion configured to dry the window after cleaning. The cleaning device can be controlled via a touch-screen display in the vehicle, enabling a user to direct that specific portions of the windshield be cleaned as desired.

A vehicle traveling control device is capable of implementing an automatic driving mode that can cause an own vehicle to travel following a preceding vehicle within a predetermined speed range. The vehicle traveling control device includes an acquiring unit that acquires traffic congestion information relating to a traffic congestion nearby the own vehicle, and a control unit that suppresses acceleration of the own vehicle in a first case in which presence of a traffic congestion is detected based on the traffic congestion information, and the own vehicle can be accelerated, during implementation of the automatic driving mode.

A vehicle control system includes a setting unit to sense a plurality of forward vehicles positioned ahead of a subject vehicle in a driving direction, to classify each of the forward vehicles as a far-away vehicle or a near-by vehicle, and to set each of the far-away vehicles as an interest vehicle, a receiving unit to receive braking information of each of the interest vehicles from the respective interest vehicles, and a control unit to control braking of the subject vehicle based on the braking information of each of the interest vehicles received by the receiving unit.

Embodiments of the present disclosure disclose a method for controlling an autonomous vehicle to pass through a curve, a device and a medium, and relate to the field of autonomous driving technologies. At least one implementation of the method for controlling an autonomous vehicle to pass through a curve includes: determining a curve boundary within a sensing area in a current driving direction of the autonomous vehicle based on a current position of the autonomous vehicle on the curve; determining a current safe stopping distance of the autonomous vehicle on the curve based on current driving parameters of the autonomous vehicle and the curve boundary; determining a speed threshold of the autonomous vehicle based on the current safe stopping distance, braking parameters of the autonomous vehicle and a curve curvature corresponding to the current position; and controlling a speed of the autonomous vehicle not to exceed the speed threshold.

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium has instructions executed by a processor to obtain the relative speed between a first traffic object and a second traffic object. The separation distance between the first traffic object and the second traffic object is received. The relative speed and the separation distance are combined to form a quantitative measure of hazard encountered by the first traffic object. The obtain, receive and combine operations are repeated to form cumulative measures of hazard associated with the first traffic object. The cumulative measures of hazard are analyzed to derive a first traffic object safety score for the first traffic object.