A method for operating a control device of a motor vehicle driving by automation. The method includes determining a location of the motor vehicle, and acquiring driving-environment data of the motor vehicle, a control characteristic of the control device of the motor vehicle being formed in such a way that a driving behavior of at least one other road user is influenced in defined manner.

The present disclosure relates to a method for the fully automated guidance of a motor vehicle by a vehicle system in a driving situation of at least one driving situation class, wherein the vehicle system has a control device and accesses position data of a position sensor. The method starts with providing a traffic rule database in which traffic rule sets for a plurality of geographic regions are stored in a machine-readable formal language and which can be accessed by the control device, and determining a geographical region currently traveled by the motor vehicle based on the current position data and retrieving a traffic rule set for the currently traveled geographical region from the traffic rule database via the control device. After or upon determination of a trajectory currently to be traveled by the control device, the vehicle system will verify the trajectory for compliance with traffic rules using the retrieved traffic rule set for the geographic region currently traveled by the control device, wherein the trajectory currently to be traveled is adjusted in the event of non-compliance, and guide the motor vehicle based on the trajectory currently to be traveled.

In a hybrid electric vehicle and a control method thereof, a predicted travel route is acquired, required travel energy required for the hybrid electric vehicle to travel in the specific section in an EV drive mode is specified when the predicted travel route includes a specific section where the hybrid electric vehicle is supposed to travel in the EV drive mode, a desired value for the remaining capacity of the battery is set based on the specified required travel energy, a drive mode to be executed from a plurality of drive modes is determined based on the relationship between the actual remaining capacity of the battery and the desired value, until the hybrid electric vehicle enters the specific section. Switching between the EV and an HV drive modes is prohibited, regardless of the relationship, when a predetermined time has not elapsed since the last switching of the drive mode.

A device for assisting in the driving of a motor vehicle includes a line detector for detecting the boundary line of a traffic lane, a setup module capable of establishing a virtual lane from the line detected, a monitoring module capable of monitoring the risk of the motor vehicle leaving the virtual lane established. The device also includes a module for acquiring an image representing a relevant object. The setup module includes a first map containing values of a position of a virtual-lane boundary according to a lateral shift of the relevant object in the acquired image.

A method for determining a friction coefficient for a contact between a tire of a vehicle and a roadway. The method includes processing sensor signals in order to generate processed sensor signals. The sensor signals represent state data that are read in at least by at least one detection device and that are correlatable with the friction coefficient. The processed sensor signals represent at least one preliminary friction coefficient. The method also includes ascertaining the friction coefficient using the processed sensor signals and a regression model.

The described techniques relate to coordinating and managing faults of systems of a vehicle, such as an autonomous vehicle, to enable the vehicle to respond safely and appropriately to the faults. In examples, a centralized fault monitor system receives faults from different vehicle systems, maps the received faults to associated fault constraints, prioritizes different and shared parameters between the fault constraints, and communicates the constraint parameters to appropriate vehicle systems accordingly.

A method for operating a driving assistant for the automated lateral guidance of a motor vehicle. The method includes: executing an automated lane guidance of the motor vehicle in a first traffic lane; ascertaining a hindrance situation of a further motor vehicle due to the motor vehicle; decision for the automated lane opening of the first traffic lane taking the hindrance situation into account; executing an automated lane change into a second traffic lane for opening the lane; executing an automated lane guidance in the second traffic lane after opening the lane. A device for carrying out the method is also described.

A fire fighting vehicle includes a front axle, a rear axle, an energy storage system, an engine, a first motor/generator, and a second motor/generator. In a first mode, (a) the engine is off and (b) at least one of the first motor/generator or the second motor/generator uses stored energy in the energy storage system to drive at least one of the front axle or the rear axle. In a second mode, (a) the engine provides a mechanical input the first motor/generator, (b) the first motor/generator uses the mechanical input to generate electricity, (c) the second motor/generator uses the electricity to drive at least one of the front axle or the rear axle. Any electricity generated by either the first motor/generator or second motor/generator in response to the mechanical input from the engine is never provided to the energy storage system to charge the energy storage system.

A control unit for a vehicle is configured to detect a signalling installation ahead, wherein the signalling installation has at least one signal transmitter. The control unit is configured to ascertain digital map information indicating and/or allowing an association between the at least one signal transmitter and at least one possible direction of travel of the vehicle at the signalling installation. The control unit is further configured to operate a driving function of the vehicle on the basis of the digital map information.

According to various embodiments, a method for operating a vehicle may include determining a vehicular area having traffic conditions or characteristics different from traffic conditions of a current or previous location of the vehicle; obtaining traffic and driving information for the determined vehicular region; changing or updating one or more of driving model parameters of a safety driving model during operation of the vehicle based on the obtained traffic and driving information; and controlling the vehicle to operate in accordance with the safety driving model using the one or more changed or updated driving model parameters. A vehicle may seamlessly update operational rules and/or handover of traffic and driving information for transitioning from one region to another.