A system for estimating a trajectory of a vehicle includes vehicle state sensors detecting a state of movement of the vehicle and environment sensors monitoring an environment of the vehicle. A free space module determines a free space corridor based on the detected state of movement of the vehicle and the monitored environment of the vehicle. A goal point determination module determines at least one goal point for the trajectory to be estimated based on the free space corridor. A trajectory planning module estimates a reference trajectory based on the at least one goal point and calculates a deviation between an actual trajectory and the reference trajectory of the vehicle. A trajectory control module minimizes the deviation between the actual trajectory and the reference trajectory of the vehicle and outputs optimal control parameters for the movement of the vehicle based on the minimized deviation.

A vehicle control device 10 is provided with: a preceding vehicle detecting unit 123 which detects an amount of change in a lateral direction, with respect to a lane in which a vehicle is traveling, of a preceding vehicle traveling in front of the vehicle; and a steering control unit 124 which, if the detected amount of change is less than a prescribed amount, performs tracking control to control the steering of the vehicle in such a way that the vehicle tracks to the lateral position, within the lane, of the preceding vehicle, and stops the tracking control if the detected amount of change is equal to or greater than the prescribed amount.

A vehicle drive assist apparatus includes an own vehicle position estimator, a storage, a traveling lane estimator, a target steering angle setting unit, an own vehicle speed detector, and a lateral position deviation calculator. The own vehicle position estimator estimates an own vehicle position, by receiving a positioning signal from a positioning information transmitter. The traveling lane estimator estimates a traveling lane, by referring to road map information stored in the storage and based on the estimated own vehicle position. The lateral position deviation calculator sets a lateral position deviation being an offset amount in a lateral direction. The target steering angle setting unit sets a target steering angle based on the estimated traveling lane, adds the lateral position deviation to a feedback term of the target steering angle, and sets, based on an addition result, the target steering angle allowing an own vehicle to travel along the traveling lane.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions, the instructions comprising: one or more instructions that cause one or more processors to: perform a follow-up steering control for changing a steering angle of a vehicle in such a manner that the vehicle travels along a target traveling line determined based on a preceding vehicle trajectory obtained; and stop the follow-up steering control when a first distance condition and a manual steering condition are both satisfied while the follow-up steering control is being performed, the first distance condition being satisfied when a deviation distance in a road-width direction between the target traveling line and the vehicle is equal to or longer than a predetermined first threshold, and the manual steering condition being satisfied when a driver operates a steering wheel of the vehicle to change a position in the road-width direction.

A vehicle control method for controlling a vehicle using a vehicle control apparatus includes: a sensor configured to detect a state outside a subject vehicle; and a control device. The vehicle control method includes: executing control of recovering a travel trajectory of the subject vehicle to a target trajectory, as ordinary control, by giving a steering amount in a lateral direction with respect to a travel lane of the subject vehicle; using detection data of the sensor to determine whether or not another vehicle is traveling in an adjacent lane to the travel lane of the subject vehicle; and when determining that the other vehicle is traveling in the adjacent lane ahead of the subject vehicle, increasing a response of the steering amount to a higher response than that in the ordinary control, before the subject vehicle passes the other vehicle.

A vehicle maneuvering apparatus comprises an imaging device configured to capture image data and a controller in communication with a vehicle maneuvering system. The controller is configured to identify a coupler position of a trailer in the image data and compare a coupler height of the coupler position with a hitch height of a hitch ball. In response to the coupler height being insufficient to clear the hitch height, the controller is further configured to calculate a target position laterally offset from the coupler position and communicate the target position to the vehicle maneuvering system.

A driving support apparatus for an own vehicle includes a lane keeping assist control unit. When an interrupting vehicle enters ahead of the own vehicle in (i) a situation in which no preceding vehicle is present ahead of the own vehicle, or (ii) a situation in which a preceding vehicle is present ahead of the own vehicle, while a deviation angle formed between a direction of a traveling trajectory of the interrupting vehicle and a traveling direction of the own vehicle is larger than a threshold, the lane keeping assist control unit is configured not to perform a lane keeping assist control based on the traveling trajectory of the interrupting vehicle, and is configured to discard the traveling trajectory of the interrupting vehicle. On and after the deviation angle becomes equal to or smaller than the threshold, the lane keeping assist control unit is configured to perform the lane keeping assist control based on the traveling trajectory of the interrupting vehicle.

A driving support apparatus for an own vehicle includes a travel trajectory obtaining unit configured to obtain a preceding vehicle trajectory which is a travel trajectory of a preceding vehicle, and a control unit configured to perform a follow-up steering control for changing a steering angle of the own vehicle in such a manner that the vehicle travels along a target traveling line determined based on the preceding vehicle trajectory. The control unit is configured to, when a first distance condition and a manual steering condition are both satisfied while the follow-up steering control is being performed, stop the follow-up steering control.

Disclosed is a method of providing a scenario-based overlay torque request signal in a steer torque manager (1) during driver-override of an auxiliary steering assistance system (2) function in a road vehicle (3) having an EPAS system (4). The steer torque manager (1) has a wheel angle controller (1b) for providing an assistance torque request related signal, and a driver-in-the-loop functionality (1a) for determining driver-override and providing a driver-override related signal. The method comprises receiving signals related to: assistance torque request; driver-override; road vehicle velocity; steering pinion angle; distance to an adjacent lane marker (5a, 5b); and distance to an adjacent potential threat object (6), and producing, from the received signals, during ongoing driver-override, a signal representative of a resistance torque request corresponding to one of a finite number of pre-defined scenarios for different signal combinations, and producing the scenario-based steering wheel overlay torque request signal through combining the assistance torque request and the resistance torque request signals.

A vehicle control system includes: a turning device that turns a wheel of a vehicle; a steering sensor that detects a driver's steering operation; and a control device configured to execute automated turning control that controls the turning device to automatically turn the wheel, independently of the driver's steering operation. A modification desire degree represents a degree to which the driver's steering operation modifies vehicle travel caused by the automated turning control. During execution of the automated turning control, the control device calculates the modification desire degree based on a result of detection by the steering sensor. When the modification desire degree exceeds a threshold, the control device executes system suppression processing without terminating the automated turning control. In the system suppression processing, the control device weakens the automated turning control as compared to a case where the modification desire degree is equal to or lower than the threshold.