A driving support apparatus supports driving of the vehicle. The driving support apparatus includes a brake pedal detection unit, a retraction speed calculation unit and a driving operation device setting unit. The brake pedal detection unit detects an operation amount of the brake pedal. The retraction speed calculation unit calculates a retraction speed of the brake pedal, based on the operation amount of the brake pedal detected by the brake pedal detection unit. The driving operation device setting unit sets a reaction force exerted by a driving operation device to a larger value as the retraction speed calculated by the retraction speed calculation unit becomes higher.

A method for detecting vulnerable road users (VRUs) using wireless signals includes receiving, by a wireless receiver, wireless signals from mobile devices and determining received signal strength indication (RSSI) levels of the wireless signals. The wireless signals and the RSSI levels of the wireless signals received by the wireless receiver are analyzed so as to determine at least one location of the VRUs. A notification is issued to the vehicle or a driver of the vehicle based on the at least one determined location of the VRUs.

A method of quantifying the effect of peripheral optical errors on driving includes displaying, on a central portion of a display, a visual representation of a vehicle on a dynamic roadway; intermittently displaying a curve in the dynamic roadway; intermittently displaying, on a peripheral portion of the display, a target object; receiving a signal in response to a participant viewing the target object; determining a reaction time and determining target detection accuracy. Another method includes displaying a participant 10 vehicle and a lead vehicle in front of the participant vehicle on a roadway; signaling an alert when the participant vehicle is outside of a distance range to the lead vehicle; intermittently displaying, on a peripheral portion of the display, a target object; receiving a signal in response to a participant detecting the target; and quantifying the effect of the peripheral optical errors based on reaction time and target detection accuracy.

Methods and systems for communicating between autonomous vehicles are described herein. Such communication may be performed for signaling, collision avoidance, path coordination, and/or autonomous control. A computing device may receive data for the same road segment from autonomous vehicles, including (i) an indication of a location within the road segment, and (ii) an indication of a condition of the road segment. The computing device may generate, from the data for the same road segment, an overall indication of the condition of the road segment, which may include a recommendation to vehicles approaching the road segment. Additionally, the computing device may receive a request from a computing device within a vehicle approaching the road segment to display vehicle data. The overall indication for the road segment may then be displayed on a user interface of the computing device.

Methods and systems for identifying autonomous vehicle users are described herein. An autonomous vehicle may receive a request to pick up a user at a starting location and transport the user to a destination location. Accordingly, the autonomous vehicle may travel to the starting location. Upon arriving at the starting location, the autonomous vehicle may detect whether a person approaching the vehicle is the user by detecting a biometric identifier for the person. The biometric identifier may then be compared to a biometric fingerprint for the user, and if there is a match, the autonomous vehicle may determine that the person is the user. As a result, the user may be allowed to enter the autonomous vehicle and/or the autonomous vehicle may begin travelling to the destination location. Otherwise, the person may be denied entry to the autonomous vehicle.

The present disclosure relates to a method for autonomously guiding a motor vehicle. The method includes receiving a reference trajectory, by means of which a continuous sequence of steering maneuvers, acceleration maneuvers, or braking maneuvers is determined for a route to be traveled by the motor vehicle. The method also includes detecting data on the surroundings via a detection device of the motor vehicle, and checking the navigability of the reference trajectory on the basis of the data on the surroundings. The method further includes generating a driving trajectory by correcting the reference trajectory on the basis of the data on the surroundings, and guiding the motor vehicle autonomously along the driving trajectory via a control device of the motor vehicle. In order to enable a particularly anticipatory planning of the driving trajectory, the reference trajectory is used, which is configured independent of the data on the surroundings. The reference trajectory can be based on track data, through which a track course of a road is described, where the route to be traveled by the motor vehicle extends along the track course of the road.

Systems and methods for coordinating and controlling vehicles, for example heavy trucks, to follow closely behind each other, or linking, in a convenient, safe manner and thus to save significant amounts of fuel while increasing safety. In an embodiment, on-board controllers in each vehicle interact with vehicular sensors to monitor and control, for example, relative distance, relative acceleration/deceleration, and speed. Additional safety features in at least some embodiments include providing each driver with one or more visual displays of forward and rearward looking cameras. Long-range communications are provided for coordinating vehicles for linking, and for communicating analytics to fleet managers or others.

Systems and methods for coordinating and controlling vehicles, for example heavy trucks, to follow closely behind each other, or linking, in a convenient, safe manner and thus to save significant amounts of fuel while increasing safety. In an embodiment, on-board controllers in each vehicle interact with vehicular sensors to monitor and control, for example, relative distance, relative acceleration/deceleration, and speed. Additional safety features in at least some embodiments include providing each driver with one or more visual displays of forward and rearward looking cameras. Long-range communications are provided for coordinating vehicles for linking, and for communicating analytics to fleet managers or others.

Systems and methods for coordinating and controlling vehicles, for example heavy trucks, to follow closely behind each other, or linking, in a convenient, safe manner and thus to save significant amounts of fuel while increasing safety. In an embodiment, on-board controllers in each vehicle interact with vehicular sensors to monitor and control, for example, relative distance, relative acceleration/deceleration, and speed. Additional safety features in at least some embodiments include providing each driver with one or more visual displays of forward and rearward looking cameras. Long-range communications are provided for coordinating vehicles for linking, and for communicating analytics to fleet managers or others.

A passive infra-red guidance system and method for augmenting operation of an autonomous vehicle on a roadway includes at least one forward-looking infra-red imaging sensor mounted on the vehicle in operative communication with an image processor tied into the vehicle's operational system. The system determines the left and right edges of the roadway using thermal imaging, and then determines the centerline of the travel lane in which the vehicle is travelling based on the determined left and right edges of the roadway. The system then compares the determined centerline of the travel lane with the actual position of the vehicle and identifies any adjustment needed for the vehicle's position based on the comparison. The left and right edge determination may comprise identifying a difference between a thermal signature representative of the roadway and a thermal signature representative of a non-roadway portion that is located proximate to the roadway portion.