A method of controlling a vehicle having wheels provided with tires resting on a surface, the method using a model of the physical behavior of each tire as a function of a sideslip angle (β.sub.ij) for each tire relative to the surface. The model is obtained by implementing an adaptive algorithm that selectively applies an affABREGEine model (Z1), a DUGOFF model (Z2), or a constant model (Z3).

A vehicle sets a first determination region of a first obstacle and a second determination region, on the basis of a position of the first obstacle. The second determination region is located at a position farther than the first determination region. A reliability of the second obstacle is set to a first reliability in a case where a position of a second obstacle falls outside the first determination region and falls outside the second determination region. The reliability of the second obstacle is set to a second reliability higher than the first reliability in a case where the position of the second obstacle falls within the first determination region or falls within the second determination region. Braking is applied to the vehicle body and/or acceleration of the vehicle body is suppressed, on the basis of the reliability of the second obstacle and the position of the second obstacle.

A hybrid deterministic override to cloud based probabilistic advanced driver assistance systems. Under default driving conditions, an ego vehicle is controlled by a probabilistic controller in a cloud. An overall gap between the ego vehicle and a leading vehicle is divided into an emergency collision gap and a driver specified gap. The vehicle sensors monitor the overall gap. When the gap between the ego vehicle and the leading vehicle is less than or equal to the emergency collision gap, a deterministic controller of the ego vehicle overrides the cloud based probabilistic controller to control the braking and acceleration of the ego vehicle.

A road inclination estimating apparatus is configured to acquire power spectrum density of vertical vibration by a frequency analysis based on the detected vertical acceleration of the sprung mass of a vehicle. The apparatus is configured to determine that a first estimation condition is satisfied, when the power spectrum density has two of the acquired peak frequencies, wherein, one of the two of the peak frequencies is within a predetermined first frequency range, and the other one of the two of the peak frequencies is within a predetermined second frequency range.

The disclosed embodiments include a onboard driver distraction determination system. The determination system includes a onboard sensing and computing system(s), which includes inertial sensor(s), internal sensor(s), and external sensor(s). The onboard system samples data from the sensor(s) during a driving session to determine steering activity metrics and driver behavior. A steering activity metric is a representation of the steering inputs by the driver during the driving session. Driver behavior is a representation of how distracted the driver is during the driving session. By performing the above mentioned steps, the system can provide an analysis of driver distraction and optionally, take control of the vehicle to avoid aberrant behavior.

In one embodiment, a method, apparatus, and system for automatically switching on an emergency light at an autonomous driving vehicle (ADV) is disclosed. A present speed of an ADV at a first time instant is determined. A present deceleration of the ADV at the first time instant is determined. Whether the present speed satisfies a present speed condition and whether the present deceleration satisfies a present deceleration condition at the first time instant are determined. In response to determining that the present speed satisfies the present speed condition and that the present deceleration satisfies the present deceleration condition, whether a recent deceleration history of the ADV satisfies a recent deceleration history condition and whether an expected deceleration of the ADV satisfies an expected deceleration condition are determined. If either condition is satisfied, an emergency light of the ADV is automatically switched on.

A communication system for a vehicle comprises a mechanism for sensing a motion status of a vehicle, a control device, plurality of data acquisition sensors, and one or more alerting device activation circuits. The communication system is customizable with the plurality of data acquisition sensors and one or more alerting device activation circuits based upon the needs of the vehicle.

A vehicle control device includes a controller configured to control operation of a braking device and operation of a driving motor. The controller can switch between a normal mode of controlling acceleration/deceleration in accordance with a driver's acceleration/deceleration operation, and a cruise control mode of maintaining the vehicle speed at a target speed without being dependent on the acceleration/deceleration operation. The controller is configured to execute braking control, including braking by the braking device and regenerative braking by the driving motor, during the cruise control mode in accordance with a change in a vehicle traveling condition. The braking control includes causing the braking device to generate a braking force without using the regenerative braking and subsequently executing a braking-force switching process including increasing a braking force by the regenerative braking while reducing the braking force from the braking device, if a determination result indicates that the vehicle speed is stable.

An automatic cruise control system for controlling at least a powertrain of a vehicle, the cruise control system being configured to automatically control a vehicle speed to a target speed determined based on a set speed and on information relating to a road topography along an expected travelling route of the vehicle. The automatic cruise control system is configured to: while automatically controlling the vehicle speed to the target speed, receive an indication that a slippery road condition applies or is expected to apply, in response to receiving said indication, activate a predefined slippery road condition driving mode in which predetermined restrictions apply, said restrictions relating to at least one of the vehicle speed, an allowable vehicle acceleration, and a gear selection of the powertrain, control at least the powertrain in accordance with the slippery road condition driving mode.

A system for controlling the jerk in an automatic/autonomous vehicle, said system comprising processing means, which comprise a jerk calculation module configured to acquire an electric acceleration signal and calculate a jerk value of said vehicle, and a plurality of operating modules, each configured to acquire an electric braking signal and said jerk value, one of said plurality of operating modules being selected by means of a selection signal, said selected module modifying the electric braking signal as a function of said jerk value and providing a modified electric braking signal to said braking system.