VEHICLE STEERING SYSTEM

Abstract

A present steering position of a manually actuatable steering unit of the motor vehicle is determined based on sensor data. A steering command is generated based on the present steering position of the steering unit. Then, based on sensor-detected present vehicle dynamics data, it is determined whether the motor vehicle is in a straight-ahead running situation during driving operation. It is determined whether, during the straight-ahead running situation of the motor vehicle, the present steering position of the steering unit deviates from a straight-ahead running position of the steering unit for at least one of a specified time period and a specified traveling distance of the motor vehicle. A compensation steering command is generated based on the determined deviation of the present steering position of the steering unit from the straight-ahead running position. A corrected steering command is generated based on combining the compensation steering command with the steering command.

Claims

1-9. (canceled)

10. A steering system for a motor vehicle comprising an electronics control unit configured to: determine a present steering position of a manually actuatable steering unit of the motor vehicle based on sensor data; generate a steering command based on the present steering position of the steering unit; then, determine, based on sensor-detected present vehicle dynamics data, whether the motor vehicle is in a straight-ahead running situation during driving operation; upon determining the motor vehicle is in the straight-ahead running situation, determine whether the present steering position of the steering unit deviates from a straight-ahead running position of the steering unit for at least one of a specified time period and a specified traveling distance of the motor vehicle; upon determining a deviation of the present steering position of the steering unit from the straight-ahead running position, generate a compensation steering command based on the deviation; and generate a corrected steering command by combining the compensation steering command with the steering command.

11. The steering system of claim 10, further comprising a resetting unit including one of a resetting spring or a servo motor, wherein the resetting unit is configured to, upon determining the present steering position deviates from the straight-ahead running position, act on the steering unit with a resetting force in the direction of the straight-ahead running position.

12. The steering system of claim 10, wherein the electronics control unit is further configured to provide one of the steering command or the corrected steering command to a steering actuator configured to steer a wheel of the motor vehicle.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the present vehicle dynamics data includes at least one of a present yaw rate of the motor vehicle, a present traveling speed of the motor vehicle, and a present lateral acceleration of the motor vehicle.

14. A motor vehicle, comprising: a wheel; a manually actuatable steering unit; a steering actuator configured to steer the wheel based on a steering command or a corrected steering command; and an electronics unit in communication with the steering actuator, the electronics control unit configured to: determine a present steering position of the manually actuatable steering unit based on sensor data; generate the steering command based on the present steering position of the steering unit; then, determine, based on sensor-detected present vehicle dynamics data, whether the motor vehicle is in a straight-ahead running situation during driving operation; upon determining the motor vehicle is in the straight-ahead running situation, determine whether the present steering position of the steering unit deviates from a straight-ahead running position of the steering unit for at least one of a specified time period and a specified traveling distance of the motor vehicle; upon determining a deviation of the present steering position of the steering unit from the straight-ahead running position, generate a compensation steering command based on the deviation; and generate a corrected steering command by combining the compensation steering command with the steering command.

15. The motor vehicle of claim 14, further comprising a resetting unit including one of a resetting spring or a servo motor, wherein the resetting unit is configured to, upon determining the present steering position deviates from the straight-ahead running position, act on the steering unit with a resetting force in the direction of the straight-ahead running position.

16. The motor vehicle of claim 14, wherein the electronics control unit is further configured to provide one of the steering command or the corrected steering command to the steering actuator.

17. The motor vehicle of claim 14, wherein the present vehicle dynamics data includes at least one of a present yaw rate of the motor vehicle, a present traveling speed of the motor vehicle, and a present lateral acceleration of the motor vehicle.

18. A method, comprising: determining a present steering position of a manually actuatable steering unit of the motor vehicle based on sensor data; generating a steering command based on the present steering position of the steering unit; then, determining, based on sensor-detected present vehicle dynamics data, whether the motor vehicle is in a straight-ahead running situation during driving operation; upon determining the motor vehicle is in the straight-ahead running situation, determining whether the present steering position of the steering unit deviates from a straight-ahead running position of the steering unit for at least one of a specified time period and a specified traveling distance of the motor vehicle; upon determining a deviation of the present steering position of the steering unit from the straight-ahead running position, generating a compensation steering command based on the deviation; and generating a corrected steering command by combining the compensation steering command with the steering command.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising, via a resetting unit including one of a resetting spring or a servo motor, acting on the steering unit with a resetting force in the direction of the straight-ahead running position.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising providing one of the steering command or the corrected steering command to a steering actuator configured to steer a wheel of a motor vehicle.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the present vehicle dynamics data includes at least one of a present yaw rate of the motor vehicle, a present traveling speed of the motor vehicle, and a present lateral acceleration of the motor vehicle.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of an exemplary embodiment of a motor vehicle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of an exemplary embodiment of a motor vehicle 1 in the form of a motor car, which is configured to perform autonomous driving operation.

[0031] The motor vehicle 1 has a manually actuatable steering unit 2 which has a steering means (not shown), a steering wheel (not shown), a rotary dial (not shown) or a steering lever (not shown). The motor vehicle 1 may have a resetting unit (not shown) by means of which, in the case of a present steering position of the steering unit 2 that deviates from a straight-ahead running position, the steering unit 2 can be acted on with a resetting force in the direction of the straight-ahead running position. The resetting unit may have at least one resetting spring.

[0032] Furthermore, the motor vehicle 1 has a steering actuator 3 for steering vehicle wheels 4 of the motor vehicle 1 based on a steering command.

[0033] Furthermore, the motor vehicle 1 has a sensor arrangement 5 for detecting present vehicle dynamics data.

[0034] The motor vehicle 1 furthermore has a steer-by-wire steering system 6. The steer-by-wire steering system 6 has a sensor unit 7 for detecting a present steering position of the steering unit 2, and an electronics unit 8 which is connected to the sensor unit 7 and which is configured to generate a steering command based on the respective present steering position of the steering unit 2.

[0035] The electronics unit 8 is configured to determine, based on present vehicle dynamics data detected by sensor means by the sensor arrangement 5, whether the motor vehicle 1 is in a straight-ahead running situation during driving operation. In particular, the electronics unit 8 is configured to determine, from a present yaw rate of the motor vehicle 1, a present traveling speed of the motor vehicle 1, and/or a present lateral acceleration of the motor vehicle 1, whether the motor vehicle 1 is in the straight-ahead running situation during driving operation.

[0036] Furthermore, the electronics unit 8 is configured to determine whether, during the straight-ahead running of the motor vehicle 1, the present steering position of the steering unit 2 deviates from a straight-ahead running position over a specified time period and/or over a specified traveling distance.

[0037] Furthermore, the electronics unit 8 is configured to generate a compensation steering command based on a deviation of the present steering position of the steering unit 2 from the straight-ahead running position, and to combine the compensation steering command with the steering command to form a corrected steering command, if, during the straight-ahead running situation of the motor vehicle 1, the present steering position of the steering unit 2 deviates from the straight-ahead running position over the specified time period and/or over the specified traveling distance.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0038] 1 Motor vehicle [0039] 2 Steering unit [0040] 3 Steering actuator [0041] 4 Vehicle wheel [0042] 5 Sensor arrangement [0043] 6 Steer-by-wire steering system [0044] 7 Sensor unit [0045] 8 Electronics unit