Abstract: A marker notification position calculation unit 36 predicts, based on a target course, a target location of arrival of a vehicle after a forward gaze time of a driver while the vehicle is travelling along a route under driving assistance, and an output device 92 presents, at a position on a windshield of the vehicle, a marker indicating the target location of arrival that is predicted.

Abstract: A motor-driven steering controller for controlling a steering wheel of a vehicle. The controller includes a steering torque controlling unit, a braking force estimating unit, a right and left braking force difference estimating unit and an assist steering torque providing unit. The steering torque controlling unit controls a steering torque on the steering wheel depending on a steering operation. The braking force estimating unit estimates braking forces to be imposed on wheels of the vehicle. The right and left braking force difference estimating unit estimates difference between the braking forces to be imposed on the right and left wheels each estimated by the braking forces estimating unit. The assist steering torque providing unit provides an assist steering torque for the steering torque controlling unit on the basis of the difference in braking force between right and left wheels estimated by the right and left braking force difference estimating unit.

Abstract: According to a relaxation length compensation torque computation section 54 of a vehicle steering apparatus 100, a relaxation length compensation torque is computed based on (1) a front wheel actual steering angular velocity computed from a motor rotation angular velocity input by a front wheel actual steering angular velocity computation section 52, and based on (2) a transfer function that is (a) expressed using a difference between a road surface reaction torque model and a referential reaction torque model and that is (b) determined according to a vehicle velocity input by a vehicle velocity sensor 20. A power steering controller 58 adds the relaxation length compensation torque to an assistance torque, and controls an EPS motor 3 so as to generate the assistance torque to which the relaxation length compensation torque has been added. The relaxation length compensation torque is thereby computed with good precision, enabling high handling performance to be achieved.

Abstract: An attitude angle estimating means computes a derivative amount of an attitude angle with respect to a vertical axis of a vehicle body, and integrates the computed derivative amount of the attitude angle, and estimates the attitude angle. On the basis of the sensor signal and the attitude angle estimated by the attitude angle estimating means, a computing means computes a derivative amount of the attitude angle obtained from equations of motion for vehicle motion. A drift amount estimating means estimates a sensor drift amount of the sensor signal by using a relationship that, when taking a sensor drift amount of the sensor signal into consideration, the derivative amount of the attitude angle computed by the attitude angle estimating means, and a value that considers a sensor drift amount in the derivative amount of the attitude angle computed by the computing means, are equal.

Abstract: A shape of a boundary line between a forward view in a forward field of vision of a driver and a vehicle structural part that blocks a lower end of the forward view, i.e., the shape of a so-called visible edge of a vehicle hood, a shape of a visible edge of a vehicle instrument panel, or a shape of a top edge of a ceramic line formed at a windshield glass is made to be a curve. The curve may be expressed by hyperbolic function y2=Ax2+2Bx+C, where x is a depression angle, y is an azimuth angle, A is a constant expressed by a sum of a ratio of a distance between a viewpoint height and a roll axis with respect to the viewpoint height and a reciprocal of a product of a roll rate and the viewpoint height, B is a constant expressed by a reciprocal of the roll rate, and C is a constant expressed by the constant A, the constant B and a depression angle of a sight-line direction of a driver.

Abstract: According to a relaxation length compensation torque computation section 54 of a vehicle steering apparatus 100, a relaxation length compensation torque is computed based on (1) a front wheel actual steering angular velocity computed from a motor rotation angular velocity input by a front wheel actual steering angular velocity computation section 52, and based on (2) a transfer function that is (a) expressed using a difference between a road surface reaction torque model and a referential reaction torque model and that is (b) determined according to a vehicle velocity input by a vehicle velocity sensor 20. A power steering controller 58 adds the relaxation length compensation torque to an assistance torque, and controls an EPS motor 3 so as to generate the assistance torque to which the relaxation length compensation torque has been added. The relaxation length compensation torque is thereby computed with good precision, enabling high handling performance to be achieved.

Abstract: A deviation angle, between a progression direction of a vehicle and a direction of a target destination point after a predetermined forward gaze duration on a target course the vehicle is travelling on, is detected by target destination point deviation angle detection unit. A yaw angular speed proportional to the deviation angle detected by the target destination point deviation angle detection unit is predicted by yaw angular speed prediction unit, as a yaw angular speed realized by steering wheel operation by a driver after a predetermined lag time for matching a timing of change in the vehicle movement with a timing of change in curvature of the target course. By so doing, the yaw angular speed due to steering wheel operation by a driver can be predicted with good precision.

Abstract: A steering apparatus that by effecting a predetermined relationship between a steering wheel angle and a yaw angular velocity generated for a vehicle makes a direction ?gaze ?, seen from the view point of the driver, of a target destination point on a target course for vehicle travel after a predetermined forward gaze time, and a direction ?SW of a steering wheel reference position, seen from the view point of the driver, coincide with each other. The steering apparatus can accordingly enhance the sensation of driver-vehicle togetherness, thereby enabling steering to be performed that matches driver sensation and does not cause discomfort.

Abstract: A vehicle body speed estimating device. An attitude angle estimating mechanism estimates a roll angle and a pitch angle. A longitudinal speed computing mechanism computes longitudinal vehicle body speed. A vehicle body speed estimator estimates lateral vehicle body speed by using, as state amounts of vehicle motion, the longitudinal vehicle body speed and the lateral vehicle body speed, and on the basis of respective detected values of longitudinal acceleration, lateral acceleration and yaw angular velocity of vehicle motion, and respective estimated values of the roll angle and the pitch angle, and a product of a computed value of the longitudinal vehicle body speed and a value obtained from an absolute value of the detected value of the yaw angular velocity.

Abstract: A target value for yaw angle velocity gain is computed according to a map expressing a relationship between steering wheel angle and yaw angle velocity gain predetermined such that a direction as seen from a driver of a target destination point for vehicle travel at a predetermined time after a forward gaze and a direction as seen from the driver are caused to match each other, and a steering gear ratio is controlled accordingly. A target value for a steering wheel torque corresponding to the detected steering wheel angle and the acquired yaw angular velocity is set, based on a relationship between yaw angular velocity and resistance-feel level predetermined such that the resistance feel level for a driver monotonically increases with increasing yaw angular velocity. Control is then preformed so as to realize the steering wheel torque target value.

Abstract: A vehicle motion control device and method computes a size of a using friction circle in each of wheels by multiplying a size of an each wheel friction circle indicating a maximum generating force in each of the wheel tires by a previously computed each wheel using percentage, computes the each wheel tire generating force and the each wheel using percentage indicating a rate with respect to an upper limit value of a ?-using efficiency in each of the wheels, and controls a vehicle motion in such a manner that the computed each wheel tire generating force is obtained on the basis of the computed each wheel tire generating force, thereby minimizing an upper limit of the ?-using efficiency in each of the wheels.

Abstract: A target value for yaw angle velocity gain is computed according to a map expressing a relationship between steering wheel angle and yaw angle velocity gain predetermined such that a direction as seen from a driver of a target destination point for vehicle travel at a predetermined time after a forward gaze and a direction as seen from the driver are caused to match each other, and a steering gear ratio is controlled accordingly. A target value for a steering wheel torque corresponding to the detected steering wheel angle and the acquired yaw angular velocity is set, based on a relationship between yaw angular velocity and resistance-feel level predetermined such that the resistance feel level for a driver monotonically increases with increasing yaw angular velocity. Control is then preformed so as to realize the steering wheel torque target value.

Abstract: A steering apparatus that by effecting a predetermined relationship between a steering wheel angle and a yaw angular velocity generated for a vehicle makes a direction ?gaze ?, seen from the view point of the driver, of a target destination point on a target course for vehicle travel after a predetermined forward gaze time, and a direction ?SW of a steering wheel reference position, seen from the view point of the driver, coincide with each other. The steering apparatus can accordingly enhance the sensation of driver-vehicle togetherness, thereby enabling steering to be performed that matches driver sensation and does not cause discomfort.

Abstract: The present invention provides an acceleration sensation evaluating device that evaluates a sensory acceleration of a driver with respect to an expectation value of acceleration, and a vehicle controller that controls a vehicle according to the evaluation results. The evaluation device detects an amount of operation of the vehicle by the driver of when the vehicle is accelerated, detects an amount of vehicle behavior, computes a physical quantity of an expectation value indicating the expectation value of an acceleration performance which the driver expects based on the detected values, computes a sensory physical quantity indicating a sensation of the acceleration which the driver senses, and computes an evaluation value of the acceleration sensation based on difference or ratio between the physical quantity of the expectation value and the sensory physical quantity.

Abstract: A deviation angle, between a progression direction of a vehicle and a direction of a target destination point after a predetermined forward gaze duration on a target course the vehicle is travelling on, is detected by target destination point deviation angle detection unit. A yaw angular speed proportional to the deviation angle detected by the target destination point deviation angle detection unit is predicted by yaw angular speed prediction unit, as a yaw angular speed realized by steering wheel operation by a driver after a predetermined lag time for matching a timing of change in the vehicle movement with a timing of change in curvature of the target course. By so doing, the yaw angular speed due to steering wheel operation by a driver can be predicted with good precision.

Abstract: The invention provides a vehicle motion control device capable of realizing optimum avoidance control in the case of an emergency. The vehicle motion control device includes an external environment detection unit for detecting external environment, and a travel state detection unit for detecting a travel state of a driver's vehicle. An obstruction is detected based on the external environment detected by the external environment detection unit, and an environment map indicating obstructions is created. A control device estimates a plurality of possible avoidance actions for avoiding an obstruction based on the environment map and the travel state of the driver's vehicle detected by the travel state detection unit. The control device estimates collision damage according to each avoidance action estimated by the avoidance action estimation unit, and selects an appropriate avoidance action based on the estimated collision damage.

Abstract: A collision behavior control apparatus which comprises a contacting portion disposed in a portion of the front of a vehicle, and which, at the time of collision against a pedestrian or a two-wheeler with a rider riding thereon, controls the behavior of the pedestrian or the two-wheeler rider by pushing the pedestrian or the two-wheeler rider separated from the two-wheeler with the contacting portion, wherein the pedestrian or the two-wheeler rider is pushed by the contacting portion such that the pedestrian or the two-wheeler rider is not bumped up onto the hood, whereby the pedestrian or the two-wheeler rider is moved to the vehicle side.

Abstract: An obstacle avoidance control device has a detector for detecting the distance between a vehicle and an obstacle and the relative speed of the vehicle with respect to the obstacle, a memory for storing a map for calculating vehicle generation force to avoid the obstacle based on a parameter set by a physical quantity determined by a component Vx in the vehicle front-rear direction as of the relative speed, a component Vy in the vehicle lateral direction of the relative speed, and a distance Ye? in the vehicle lateral direction, for avoiding the obstacle, and a computing unit for computing the parameter based on the distance and the relative speed that are detected by the detector and computing vehicle generation force by using the calculated parameter and the map.

Abstract: On the basis of a sensor signal corresponding to a detected value of a motion state amount of vehicle motion, an attitude angle estimating means of a sensor drift amount estimating device computes a derivative amount of an attitude angle with respect to a vertical axis of a vehicle body, and integrates the computed derivative amount of the attitude angle, and estimates the attitude angle. On the basis of the sensor signal and the attitude angle estimated by the attitude angle estimating means, a computing means computes a derivative amount of the attitude angle obtained from equations of motion for vehicle motion.

Abstract: An obstacle avoidance control device has a detector for detecting the distance between a vehicle and an obstacle and the relative speed of the vehicle with respect to the obstacle, a memory for storing a map for calculating vehicle generation force to avoid the obstacle based on a parameter set by a physical quantity determined by a component Vx in the vehicle front-rear direction as of the relative speed, a component Vy in the vehicle lateral direction of the relative speed, and a distance Ye? in the vehicle lateral direction, for avoiding the obstacle, and a computing unit for computing the parameter based on the distance and the relative speed that are detected by the detector and computing vehicle generation force by using the calculated parameter and the map.