An autonomous vehicle (AV) includes features that allows the AV to comply with applicable regulations and statutes for performing safe driving operation. Example embodiments relate to an autonomous vehicle having a trailer coupled to a rear thereof. An example method includes continuously predicting a trailer trajectory that is distinct from a planned trajectory of the autonomous vehicle. The method further includes determining that the predicted trailer trajectory is within a minimum avoidance distance away from a stationary vehicle located on a roadway on which the autonomous vehicle is located. The method further includes modifying the planned trajectory of the autonomous vehicle such that the predicted trailer trajectory satisfies the minimum avoidance distance. The method further includes causing the autonomous vehicle to navigate along the modified trajectory based on transmitting instructions to one or more subsystems of the autonomous vehicle.

An image processing method for harmonizing images acquired by a first camera and a second camera connected to a vehicle and arranged in such a way as their fields of view cover a same road space at different times as the vehicle travels along a travel direction is disclosed. The method includes: acquiring by a selected camera, a first image at a first time; selecting a first region of interest bounding a road portion from the first image; sampling the first region of interest; acquiring by the other camera, a second image in such a way that the road portion is included in a second region of interest; sampling the second region of interest; and determining one or more correction parameters for harmonizing images acquired by the first and second cameras, based on a comparison between the image content of the first and second regions of interest.

A system includes a vehicle parameter estimation module and a vehicle actuator control module. The vehicle parameter estimation module is configured to generate a first estimate of a vehicle parameter based on operating conditions of a vehicle measured or estimated at a first time. The vehicle parameter includes at least one of a tire cornering stiffness of the vehicle and an understeer coefficient of the vehicle. The vehicle parameter estimation module is also configured to determine an error value based on the first estimate of the vehicle parameter and values of the vehicle operating conditions measured or estimated at a second time that is later than the first time. The vehicle parameter estimation module is further configured to generate a second estimate of the vehicle parameter based on the first estimate of the vehicle parameter and the error value. The vehicle actuator control module is configured to control an actuator of the vehicle based on the second estimate of the vehicle parameter.

A collision avoidance support device for a vehicle that includes an obstacle detection device for detecting an obstacle in front of the vehicle and an electronic control unit configured to perform automatic brake control that automatically applies braking force to a vehicle when it is determined that the obstacle detection device have detected an obstacle and the vehicle may collide with the obstacle, and the electronic control unit is configured to prohibit the automatic brake control when it is determined that the vehicle is not towing a trailer and a turning index value indicating a degree of turning of the vehicle is equal to or larger than a first reference value, and prohibit the automatic brake control when it is determined that the vehicle is towing a trailer and the turning index value is equal to or larger than a second reference value smaller than the first reference value.

A device for determining the length of a vehicle combination comprises an input interface for receiving current driving dynamics data, in particular information regarding the current travel path of the towing vehicle, and a comparison unit for comparing the received current driving dynamics data with stored patterns of driving dynamics data that are typical for driving with a trailer of known dimensions, and an evaluation unit, which derives the length of the vehicle combination from the differences between the current driving dynamics data and the stored typical patterns of driving dynamics data. The device can use the sensors in the towing vehicle for obtaining the current driving dynamics data. Without additional hardware, a length of the vehicle combination, e.g. the length of a trailer connected to a towing vehicle, can be determined in this manner.

A system is provided for vehicle range prediction. The system determines a change in mass to a vehicle while driving. Additionally, the system calculates a vehicle load in response to determining the change in mass and adjusts a vehicle range in response to calculating the vehicle load. The vehicle range is indicative of a distance in which the vehicle is predicted to travel with a remaining fuel. The adjusted vehicle range is based on the vehicle load.

A system and method for a vehicle having a traction battery, an electric machine, and a secondary power source, such as an engine, operate the electric machine and secondary power source to sustain a state of charge (SOC) of the traction battery when the SOC is either: a) below a first threshold and above a second threshold; or b) below a third threshold; and to deplete the SOC of the traction battery when the SOC is between the second and the third thresholds in response to detecting an operating condition associated with high Amp-hour (Ah) throughput of the traction battery, such as towing a trailer. The system and method operate the electric machine and the secondary power source to deplete the SOC when the SOC is above the third threshold and sustain the SOC when the SOC is below the third threshold when the condition is not detected.

A periphery monitoring device includes a coupling determiner that determines whether a towed vehicle is coupled to a towing vehicle to which the towed vehicle can be coupled; a target setter that sets a target moving position to be a target for moving at least the towed vehicle coupled to the towing vehicle; a storing controller that stores, as a moving target image, an image, including the target moving position, of a peripheral image generated by as imager provided at the towing vehicle; and an image controller that displays the stored moving target image in association with the towing vehicle or the towed vehicle included in a current image generated by the imager and currently displayed on a display device.

The systems and methods disclosed herein are configured to determine if a trailer backup assist system is needed to assist a driver with a procedure to backup a trailer that is connected to a vehicle. The estimation of need for assistance may be determined by an assistance model. If assistance is needed, the systems and methods provide an input to initiate a process to enable the trailer backup assist system.

A control apparatus of a vehicle includes: a steering apparatus (6) including a steering wheel (11) operated in order to turn a vehicle (1) and a steering angle sensor (8) that detects a steering angle of the steering wheel (11), the steering apparatus (6) steering a front wheel (steered wheel) (2) of the vehicle (1) in accordance with operation of the steering wheel (11); and a controller (14) that sets a steering angle acceleration based on the steering angle detected by the steering angle sensor (8) and controls vehicle motion when the steering wheel (11) is operated to be turned. In particular, the controller (14) suppresses a rise of lateral acceleration of the vehicle (1) based on the steering angle acceleration in order to control the vehicle motion.