An apparatus for controlling an MDPS system may include an MDPS-basic logic unit determining a first auxiliary command current for driving an MDPS motor in a manual driving mode, based on column torque applied to a steering column of a vehicle and a vehicle speed, an autonomous driving steering controller determining a second auxiliary command current for driving the MDPS motor in an autonomous driving mode, and a mode change controller determining a driver's steering intervention using a variable reference time variably determined based on the column torque in the manual driving mode, determining a mode change time from the autonomous driving mode to the manual driving mode based on the column torque, and determining a final auxiliary command current for driving the MDPS motor upon mode change, by applying, to the first and second auxiliary command currents, a weight into which the mode change time is incorporated.

A steering system for an automated driving process of a motor vehicle having at least one steering controller, a power electronics unit, apparatus for adjusting a steering angle, and an electric motor. The steering system includes a steering controller which generates steering control commands dependent on the data of a surroundings sensor system. The steering control commands are converted into actuation signals for the electric motor by the power electronics unit, and the electric motor then actuates the apparatus for adjusting the steering angle. The steering controller generates a current steering control command and at least one future steering control command dependent on the data of the surroundings sensor system and transmits the steering control commands to the power electronics unit.

A motor control device drives a motor based on a vehicle signal including drive assist information and performs vehicle control. The motor control device includes: a first controller and a second controller that perform a calculation operation concerning drive control over the motor. A first microcomputer corresponds to a calculation portion of the first controller. A second microcomputer corresponds to a calculation portion of the second controller. The first microcomputer and the second microcomputer mutually transmit and receive operation results by inter-microcomputer communication, or the first microcomputer unilaterally transmits an operation result from the first microcomputer by the inter-microcomputer communication. The first microcomputer and the second microcomputer synchronize timings to start and end control by performing at least one of three types of arbitration processes including: an AND-start arbitration process; an OR-start arbitration process; and a forced arbitration process.

Proposed is an apparatus for controlling a steer-by-wire steering system, the apparatus comprising: a steering angle sensor configured to detect a steering angle position; a steering position control command receiver configured to receive a steering position control command y2 from a designated external module; a processor configured to generate a steering angle position signal y1 based on the steering angle position from the steering angle sensor, compute a compensation gain x corresponding to column torque or motor electric current of a steering force actuator (SFA) when a driver's involvement occurs, compute a final steering position control command Y by reflecting the compensation gain x to the steering angle position signal y1 and the steering position control command y2, and output the final steering position control command Y to the steering force actuator (SFA).

An autonomous driving controller includes: a processor to collect driving data when a vehicle is traveling and calculate a steering override reference value, which is a criterion of determining an override mode, based on the collected driving data; and a storage to store the collected driving data and a set of instructions executed by the processor to calculate the steering override reference value. In particular, the processor controls autonomous driving by varying the steering override reference value based on the collected driving data or information regarding a driver of the vehicle.

A vehicle control system installed on a vehicle includes: an automatic steering control device configured to execute automatic steering control that determines a steering angle command value and controls steering of the vehicle such that an actual steering angle follows the steering angle command value; a stop state detection device configured to detect a stop state where the vehicle is stopped; and an override detection device configured to detect an override operation by a driver of the vehicle. When the override operation is detected in the stop state, the automatic steering control device prohibits variation in the actual steering angle due to the automatic steering control, until the vehicle starts moving.

A vehicle guidance system detects when a driver of the vehicle manually intervenes in the longitudinal and/or transverse guidance of the vehicle while the vehicle is being operated in an automated driving mode. The vehicle guidance system outputs an indication to the driver via a user interface of the vehicle prompting the driver to take over the longitudinal and/or transverse guidance of the vehicle. The vehicle guidance system also continues to provide the longitudinal and/or lateral guidance of the vehicle in at least a partially automated manner for a takeover period of time and/or for a takeover distance.

Method for detecting the presence of a driver's hands on the steering wheel is described. By a mathematical model, at least one part of a steering system of the motor vehicle is modeled. In addition, a rotational angle of a lower end and/or an upper end of a torsion bar of the steering system is determined. A torque acting on the torsion bar is determined by a measuring device. A sum of a torque with which the driver acts on the steering wheel and a counter-torque generated by friction in the upper part of the steering system is estimated by a Kalman Filter. In addition, the counter-torque is estimated, and the estimated sum of the torque and the counter-torque are used to determine whether the driver's hands are on the steering wheel.

A drive mode switch control device controls switching of driving between a driver and an autonomous driving function. The drive mode switch control device includes an operation information acquisition unit, a drive state switch unit, an attitude determination unit, and an approved target setting unit. The operation information acquisition unit acquires an operation information item associated with the driving operation input to at least one of a plurality of operation targets. The drive state switch unit executes an override that switches from an autonomous driving state to another driving state. The attitude determination unit acquires a plurality of detection information items related to driving attitudes of the driver, and determine whether each of the plurality of detection information items is appropriate for the driving operation. The approved target setting unit sets an approved operation target or a disapproved operation target to each of the plurality of operation targets.

Hydraulic bi-directional flow switches are disclosed. A disclosed example apparatus includes a piston disposed in a fluid channel between a first fluid connection and a second fluid connection, where the first and second fluid connections define a fluid pathway for hydraulic steering fluid. The example apparatus also includes a detector to detect a movement of the piston away from a default position of the piston, where the piston is to displace from the default position when the hydraulic steering fluid flows along the fluid pathway.