Techniques are described for transitioning control of a steering system from an autonomous mode in a vehicle to a driver-controlled mode where the driver can control the steering wheel of the steering system. A method includes receiving values that describe an amount of torque and a direction of torque in response to a torque applied to a steering wheel of a steering system operated in an autonomous mode, determining that the values are either greater than or equal to a threshold value or are less than or equal to a negative of the threshold value, determining that the values are measured over a period of time greater than or equal to a pre-determined amount of time, and transitioning the steering system from being operated in the autonomous mode to being operated in a driver-controlled mode in which the steering system is under manual control.

The automatic steering control that changes the traveling direction of the vehicle according to the road information on the travel path to the own vehicle that is automatically driven on the travel path, based on the steering force of the driver's operation of the steering wheel detected by the steering force detector and the lateral deviation of the own vehicle detected by the lateral deviation calculator in the direction perpendicular to the travel direction on the travel path, compared to when the lateral deviation is small corresponding to the magnitude of the lateral deviation, when the lateral deviation is large, the automatic steering control amount acting on the steering force is controlled so that the automatic steering control amount acting on the steering force of the steering wheel operation by the driver becomes larger.

The steering control device includes an automatic steering controller that generates an automatic steering control amount and a manual steering controller that generates a manual steering control amount, and selects either one of an automatic steering mode and a manual steering mode to control an electric motor. When steering torque exceeds a predetermined value during the control in the automatic steering mode, the manual steering controller generates a manual steering control amount change based on the change in the manual operation amount with reference to the time of exceeding, generates the manual steering control amount based on the steering torque, controls the electric motor based on a control amount obtained by adding the manual steering control amount change to the automatic steering control amount at the time of exceeding, and then controls the electric motor in the manual steering mode.

A method for providing assistance to a driver of a vehicle, the vehicle including a driver assistance system that enables at least temporary autonomous driving, and that, after the termination of the autonomous driving, requests the driver to take over at least the lateral guidance of the vehicle via a signal. It is further provided that the steering of the vehicle is stiffened for a specified time span after the request to take over the lateral guidance. A computer program and a device that are set up to carry out the method, are also described.

Provided are a driving assistance apparatus and a steering control method thereof, which are capable of reducing impact on a steering wheel. The driving assistance apparatus includes a steering sensor that measures a steering manipulation signal based on a driver's manipulation of a steering wheel during control of a parking assistance device; and a control unit that, when the steering manipulation signal measured by the steering sensor is received, stops the control of the parking assistance device, changes a control torque value, which corresponds to a required steering angle when the control of the parking assistance device is stopped, to a target torque value based on the driver's manipulation of the steering wheel, wherein a torque variation is changed at a preset slope or for a preset time.

A vehicle control system includes: an automated driving controller configured to execute one driving mode from out of a plurality of driving modes including an automated driving mode and a manual driving mode; a vehicle information collection section configured to collect information related to control history of one or both out of speed control and steering control performed based on operation by the occupant of the vehicle while the manual driving mode is being executed; and a driving characteristics derivation section configured to derive driving characteristics for each occupant of the vehicle based on information collected by the vehicle information collection section. The automated driving controller executes the automated driving mode by reflecting the driving characteristics for each occupant of the vehicle to the automated driving.

A motor torque control section switches a change rate of a motor torque for approximating the motor torque to an assist torque according to relationship between the motor torque of an electric motor and the assist torque and according to a change in a turning angle, after automatic steering is cancelled according to a steering torque.

The present disclosure relates to a technology for removing adverse effects on input torque by torque offset to improve and maintain a control function related to steering. A method for controlling torque offset compensation in a steering system, includes obtaining a torque offset value (input torque change value) for each steering angle under a hands-off condition of a steering wheel; determining compensation torque configured to counterbalance the torque offset value regarding the steering angle when the steering wheel is steered; and determining a final torque by applying the compensation torque to an input torque detected according to steering of the steering wheel.

An electric power steering apparatus including a torque sensor to detect a steering torque and a motor control unit to control a motor that applies an assist torque to a steering system of a vehicle, including: a function to switch a control system of the motor between a torque control system to control a motor output torque and a position/speed control system to control a steering angle of a steering in accordance with a predetermined switching trigger. The fade processing time from the torque control system to the position/speed control system and the fade processing time from the position/speed control system to the torque control system are individually set.

[Problem] An object of the present invention is to provide an electric power steering apparatus capable of smoothly switching the control systems without self-steer by gradually changing a control torque of the torque control and a command value of the position/speed control upon fade processing that switches the control systems.

[Means for Solving the Problem] The present invention is the electric power steering apparatus including a torque sensor to detect a steering torque and a motor control unit to control a motor that applies an assist torque to a steering system of a vehicle, comprising: a function to switch a control system of the motor between a torque control system of a torque system to control a motor output torque and a position/speed control system of a steering angle system to control a steering angle of a steering in accordance with a predetermined switching trigger, wherein each of a steering angle command value and a steering angle speed of the position/speed control system and an assist torque level of the torque control system gradually change sensitive to the steering torque, when shifting from the torque control system to the position/speed control system or vice versa.