A system for detecting handwheel control comprises a driver torque estimation module that estimates a driver torque state based on a plurality of electric power steering signals; and a grip detection module that determines one of a grip level, a hands-on wheel flag, and a transition blending factor from the driver torque state, the grip level is used to control a driver assist power steering system.

[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 the fade processing

[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 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, wherein a fade processing which switches from the torque control system to the position/speed control system or vice versa.

A steering determination device determines a steering state in which a driver of a vehicle is steering a steering wheel of the vehicle. The device includes a torque recognition unit configured to recognize a steering torque based on a measurement result of a torque sensor provided on a steering shaft, an acceleration recognition unit configured to recognize longitudinal acceleration or lateral acceleration, a threshold value setting unit configured to set a threshold value for the determination of the steering state, based on the longitudinal acceleration or the lateral acceleration, and a steering determination unit configured to determine that the driver is in the steering state if the steering torque is equal to or greater than the threshold value. The threshold value setting unit is configured to set the threshold value such that the threshold value decreases as an absolute value of the longitudinal acceleration or the lateral acceleration decreases.

A steering control device for a vehicle controls a steering device having a steering mechanism and a drive unit configured to provide the steering mechanism with steering force for the wheels. The steering control device includes a detection unit to detect the steering angle; and a control unit to calculate a target value of a current to be supplied to the drive unit as a current command value, and execute automatic steering control to automatically control steering of the vehicle by causing the drive unit to be supplied with the current of the current command value. When an absolute value of the steering angle comes to a predetermined first threshold or more during the automatic steering control, the control unit decreases an upper limit value of an absolute value of the current command value as the absolute value of the steering angle increases.

A system and method for interrupting a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS)-based automatic steering mode of a hydraulic steering system on a vehicle. When a steering wheel is manually turned by an operator, pressurized hydraulic fluid from a steering directional control valve activates an interrupter having an interrupter valve. The interrupter valve blocks pressurized fluid flow to the automatic steering system, thus overriding automatic steering and giving the operator full manual steering control via the steering wheel. The hydraulic interrupt system is mechanical with no electronic elements.

A motor controller has an assist controller that generates an assist instruction AC to generate an assist torque for lightening a steering load based on a detected value of a steering torque, and a follow controller obtaining a target value of a physical quantity regarding a steering operation and generating a follow instruction TC of a follow control. Further, an intervention detector in the motor controller detects an intervention of a driver or of a system, and a restrictor restricts an internal value that is used by the assist controller or by the follow controller, so that a ratio of the assist torque against the automatic steering torque is changed, which makes it possible to switch a control to the driver or to a system without a causing a wrong feeling to the driver.

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.

In a steering system including a steering operation mechanism, a second actuator, a steering angle sensor, a steering torque sensor, and a steering operation control device and a control method for the steering system, only a drive assist target steered angle (first target steered angle) is reflected in a final target steered angle when a torque sensor value (actual steering torque) detected by the steering torque sensor is equal to or less than an intervention threshold. When the magnitude of the torque sensor value is more than the intervention threshold, the rate of reflection (distribution ratio) of a driver target steered angle (second target steered angle) in the final target steered angle is raised as the torque sensor value is increased, and the rate of reflection of the driver target steered angle in the final target steered angle is lowered as the magnitude of the torque sensor value is decreased.

A manipulating apparatus for facilitating continuously holding a manipulating unit that is under automatic manipulation is provided. Controlling the movement of the manipulating unit under automatic manipulation facilitates continuously holding the manipulating unit during automatic manipulation, and furthermore, the movement of the manipulating unit enables grasping the state of the manipulation object under automatic manipulation and intervention in manipulation under automatic manipulation.

A driving supporter includes a support inhibitor that inhibits support of driving when a steering-operation value is greater than a threshold value. The support inhibitor includes a threshold-value determiner that determines the threshold value to a value greater when a first object and a second object are present than when the first object is present, and the second object is absent. The first object has a relationship in which a relative positional relationship between the object and an own vehicle is a relationship in which a steering operation is estimated to be performed in a first direction in which the own vehicle avoids the object. The second object has a relationship in which the relative positional relationship is a relationship in which the steering operation is estimated to be performed in a second direction reverse to the first direction such that the own vehicle avoids the object.