An automatic steering system for an agricultural vehicle includes a controller operably coupled to a steering sensor configured to provide a feedback signal that includes vehicle steering information for automatically controlling the steering device. The controller is configured to receive the feedback signal and current steering information from the steering sensor and determine desired steering rate information based on the current steering information and a desired steering position. The controller is also configured to compare a current steering rate to the desired steering rate information and disengage automatic steering control based on comparing the current steering rate to the desired steering rate information. Automatic steering systems including assisted steering devices and methods for steering an agricultural vehicle are also provided.

An apparatus and method for controlling motor driven power steering system, the apparatus including: a column torque sensor detecting column torque applied to a steering column of a vehicle; an MDPS logic unit deciding a first command current based on the column torque and vehicle speed; a steering angle position control unit outputting a second command current for driving an MDPS motor in an autonomous driving mode, based on a command steering angle and a current steering angle inputted from an autonomous driving system and a steering angle sensor, respectivley; a driver steering intervention determination unit monitoring the column torque of the column torque sensor in an autonomous driving mode, and determining whether a driver has intervened in steering; and an output control unit deciding a final command current by applying the weight decided by the driver steering intervention determination unit to the first and second command currents.

A computer-implemented method, system, and/or computer program product controls a driving mode of a self-driving vehicle (SDV). One or more processors compare a control processor competence level of an on-board SDV control processor in controlling the SDV to a human driver competence level of a human driver in controlling the SDV while the SDV encounters a current roadway condition which is a result of current weather conditions of the roadway on which the SDV is currently traveling. One or more processors then selectively assign control of the SDV to the SDV control processor or to the human driver while the SDV encounters the current roadway condition based on which of the control processor competence level and the human driver competence level is relatively higher to one another.

A vehicle control system includes a controller circuit in communication with a steering sensor and one or more perception sensors. The steering sensor is configured to detect a steering torque of a steering wheel of a host vehicle. The one or more perception sensors are configured to detect an environment proximate the host vehicle. The controller circuit is configured to determine when an operator of the host vehicle requests a take-over from fully automated control of the host vehicle based on the steering sensor. The controller circuit classifies the take-over request based on the steering sensor.

An autonomous driving system configured to perform an autonomous driving of a vehicle includes a lane change determination unit configured to determine a necessity of an operation intervention for a lane change of the vehicle by a driver of the vehicle during the autonomous driving, a lane change request unit configured to request the driver to perform the operation intervention for the lane change of the vehicle when the lane change determination unit determines that it is necessary to perform the operation intervention for the lane change of the vehicle by the driver, and a mode switching unit configured to switch a steering torque mode for a lane keep control in the autonomous driving from a normal steering torque mode to a weak steering torque mode when the driver is requested to perform the operation intervention for the lane change of the vehicle.

A computer includes a processor and a memory storing instructions executable by the processor to actuate a steering system of a vehicle to perform a lane-keeping operation, cease the lane-keeping operation upon receiving a takeover request, determine that the takeover request has occurred upon detecting that a torque applied to a steering wheel exceeds a torque threshold, determine that the vehicle is traveling over a road disturbance or will travel over a road disturbance within a time threshold based on receiving map data indicating a location of the road disturbance, and increase the torque threshold upon determining that the vehicle is traveling over the road disturbance or will travel over the road disturbance within the time threshold. The lane-keeping operation includes steering the vehicle without operator input.

A method for terminating an automated driving function of a vehicle involves deactivating the driving function by a steering intervention of a driver of the vehicle in a steering system, which includes a steering column and a steering wheel. In order to determine the steering intervention, a steering column torque at the steering column is measured and a steering wheel angle is measured. A manual torque acting on the steering wheel is estimated based on the measured steering column torque and the measured steering wheel angle. The estimation is based on a model equation of the steering system, which takes into consideration a moment of inertia of the steering wheel and a frictional torque in the steering system.

A method for detecting the presence of a driver's hands on the steering wheel of a motor vehicle is described. By means of a mathematical model, at least one part of a steering system of the motor vehicle is modeled. In addition, a rotational angle of a lower end and/or an upper end of a torsion bar of the steering system is determined. A torque acting on the torsion bar is determined by means of a measuring device and a total torque acting on the steering wheel and a rotational angle acceleration of the steering wheel are estimated by means of a Kalman Filter.

A method for operating a steer-by-wire steering system of a motor vehicle is proposed. The steer-by-wire steering system includes a steering wheel, a force feedback actuator coupled to the steering wheel, a steering actuator coupled to a steerable wheel, and a control system. The method includes a) the determination of steering information while taking into account a steering wheel angle and/or a driver's steering torque applied to the steering wheel by the driver; b) controlling the steering actuator while taking into account the steering information to adjust a desired wheel steering angle of the steerable wheel; c) controlling the force feedback actuator for setting a steering wheel torque; and d) providing a threshold value associated with steering wheel torque and/or the wheel steering torque; e) generating a torque value representing or reproducing the steering wheel torque and/or the wheel steering torque; and f) outputting an overshoot signal if the torque value reaches the threshold value. A corresponding steer-by-wire steering system is also proposed.

A steering control method for a vehicle including a steer-by-wire type wheel-turning mechanism in which a steering wheel and steered wheels are mechanically disconnected, the method including: detecting an actual steering angle of the steering wheel; calculating a target steering angle of the steering wheel on a basis of a target wheel-turning angle of the steered wheels; applying a steering reaction force to the steering wheel according to an angle deviation between the actual steering angle and the target steering angle; detecting a steering operation of the steering wheel by a driver; and when the steering operation by the driver is detected, reducing the steering reaction force according to the angle deviation compared with when the steering operation by the driver is not detected.