Vehicle alignment systems and methods are disclosed which operate based on a calculation of “drive direction,” or the direction in which a vehicle is moving. Since a vehicle can be assumed to be a rigid body, each wheel has the same drive direction. Consequently, an alignment parameter of one wheel can be compared to the same parameter of another wheel by equating their drive direction, eliminating the need for the aligner to “see” both sides of the vehicle at the same time. Embodiments include a system having one or more cameras on a fixture carrying a calibration element for an ADAS system, and one or more targets placed on the vehicle to measure the drive direction of the vehicle. The drive direction is assumed to be parallel to the vehicle thrust line and can be used as the line for orientation of the fixture to the vehicle.

A support structure having a vertical element supporting a set of cameras associated with a vehicle measurement or inspection system together with at least one target structure required for realignment or recalibration of onboard vehicle safety system sensors. A camera crossbeam carried by the support structure locates the set of cameras as required to view a vehicle undergoing measurement or inspection. The target structure is affixed to the vertical element of the support structure, at an elevation suitable for observation by at least one vehicle onboard sensors during a realignment or recalibration procedure. A set of rollers facilitates positioning of the target structure on a supporting floor surface during a realignment or recalibration procedure.

A vehicle detection system includes a support, machine vision modules, a failure sensor, and a controller. Each machine vision module includes image acquisition devices each including s an image acquisition sensor for obtaining related parameters of hardware to be detected of a vehicle. The failure sensor is used for acquiring position change information of the image acquisition sensor and outputting a motion parameter signal comprising the position change information. The controller is used for determining, according to the motion parameter signal, whether the position of the image acquisition sensor needs to be calibrated. In the using process of the vehicle detection system, the controller can determine in real time whether the position of the image acquisition sensor needs to be calibrated, so as to avoid a miscorrection caused by detecting and correcting the vehicle without precalibration after the measurement and calculation precision of the vehicle detection system is reduced.

A system and method of calibrating an ADAS sensor of a vehicle by aligning a target with the sensor, where the vehicle is initially nominally positioned in front of a target adjustment stand that includes a stationary base frame and a movable target mount configured to support a target, with the target adjustment stand including one or more actuators for adjusting the position of the target mount. A computer system is used to determine an orientation of the vehicle relative to the target adjustment stand, with the position of the target mount being adjusted based on the determined orientation of the vehicle relative to the target adjustment stand. Upon properly orienting the target mount, and the target supported thereon, a calibration routine is performed whereby the sensor is calibrated using the target.

A vehicle measuring apparatus wherein an electronic control system is able to automatically calibrate two main image acquisition devices. The vehicle measuring apparatus comprises a base unit comprising a target, a support bar that is horizontal and arranged suspended above the base unit, two auxiliary image acquisition devices that are mounted on the support bar so as to capture target images containing the target of the base unit, and an electronic control system that determines the poses of the main image acquisition devices based on the target images and automatically calibrates the same based on the poses determined.

A system and method for aligning a floor target relative to a vehicle, the floor target including a calibration pattern for observation by a vehicle safety system sensor during calibration. The system includes at least one optical projection system consisting of at least one optical projector having an orientable projection axis. The optical projection system is operatively controlled by a processor to orient said projection axis towards a selected location on the floor surface relative to the vehicle, and to activate the optical projected to illuminate a point, a line, or a boundary, against which the floor target is aligned.

A vehicle wheel alignment system has a plurality of cameras, each camera for viewing a respective target disposed at a respective wheel of the vehicle and capturing image data of the target as the wheel and target are continuously rotated a number of degrees of rotation without a pause. The image data is used to calculate a minimum number of poses of the target of at least one pose for every five degrees of rotation as the wheel and target are continuously rotated the number of degrees of rotation without a pause. At least one of the cameras comprises a data processor for performing the steps of preprocessing the image data, and calculating an alignment parameter for the vehicle based on the preprocessed image data.

A system for aligning a floor target to a vehicle for calibration of a sensor equipped on the vehicle includes a target adjustment frame with a base frame configured for placement on a floor and a target mount moveably mounted on the target adjustment frame, with the target mount configured to support a target. The target adjustment frame further includes an actuator configured to selectively move the target mount relative to the base frame, and includes a moveable floor target light projector configured to project a light line and be positioned relative to the vehicle. A floor target includes an alignment marker and a calibration pattern, where the alignment marker is configured to be aligned with the light line projected by the light projector to position the floor target relative to the vehicle.

A device for measuring the characteristic angles and dimensions of wheels, steering system and chassis of vehicles in general, comprising a plurality of three-dimensional optical readers which are functionally connected to a computer and can be arranged peripherally to a vehicle whose dimensions and characteristic angles of wheels, steering system and chassis are to be measured in such a manner that each one frames at least one wheel of the vehicle for the three-dimensional acquisition of an image of the wheel, each three-dimensional optical reader being provided with at least one fixed target for the setting and calibration of the measurement device, at least one camera of each three-dimensional optical reader being arranged in such a manner as to frame clearly and directly at least one fixed target of another three-dimensional optical reader for the setting and calibration of the measurement device by three-dimensional acquisitions of the fixed targets.

A vehicle wheel service system including a plurality of sensors positioned in proximity to a heavy-duty multi-axle vehicle, to measure angles associated with three or more axles of the vehicle without repositioning the mounting of the sensors after initiating a measurement procedure. Additional sensors, associated with a vehicle reference, such as the vehicle frame axis, are disposed to provide vehicle reference measurement data which is communicated to a processing system. The processing system is configured with software instructions to evaluate the measurement data and to determine various vehicle wheel alignment angle measurements and/or necessary vehicle adjustments for each axle relative to the vehicle reference or to a fixed axle having a determined relationship to the vehicle reference.