Abstract: An information presenting method and apparatus for a vehicle which may process display information based on a predicted direction of movement of the vehicle, detect an object near the vehicle, determine whether the object is a dangerous object, and control a presentation direction so that the display information is a direction of movement of the vehicle during operation, and if the object is a dangerous object, the information presenting method or apparatus moves the presentation direction from the direction of movement of the vehicle to a direction of the object and presents the display information of areas outside the vehicle.

Abstract: An information providing device provided in a vehicle includes an object detecting unit for detecting an object outside the vehicle; a providing unit for providing, outside of the vehicle, visual information which is visually perceptible; and a controlling unit for controlling the providing unit. The providing unit is usually caused to provide the visual information to indicate a heading direction of the vehicle. In contrast, when the detected object is determined to include a danger to advancement of the vehicle or an indication of stopping the vehicle, the providing unit is caused to then move the visual information to indicate a direction towards the detected object.

Abstract: A cruise control system includes a speed sensor, an instructor, an accelerator sensor and a speed controller. The speed sensor detects a host vehicle speed. The instructor indicates a start of a cruise control operation. The accelerator sensor detects an operational position of an accelerator pedal at the start of the cruise control operation and a signal position of the accelerator pedal subsequent to the start of the cruise control operation. The speed controller terminates the accelerator pedal from directly controlling an engine output after the start of the cruise control operation and memorizes the operational position of the accelerator pedal. The speed controller also changes the engine output according to a difference between the operational position and the signal position of the accelerator pedal.

Abstract: It is checked based on entered information as to whether a vehicle should be decelerated or not (S106). When the vehicle should decelerate, an automatic brake operation is carried out with a braking force being set to be smaller by a predetermined ratio than an estimated maximum braking force estimated based on a road surface friction coefficient ?(S110).

Abstract: A computer of a collision possibility determination device has a pixel position setting section, a travel vector calculating section, a vector direction determining section, and a collision possibility determining section. The pixel position setting section sets a travel direction pixel position in an image of view ahead of a vehicle and a circle with a specific radius from the set travel direction pixel position. The travel vector calculating section calculates a travel vector of an object that exists in the travel direction of the vehicle. The vector direction determining section determines whether an orientation of the travel vector matches a direction toward the inside of the circle. The collision possibility determining section determines a possible collision between the vehicle and the object when the orientation of the travel vector matches the direction toward the inside of the circle.

Abstract: A driving assistance apparatus assists turning operation of a vehicle at an intersection by taking critical variables into account. The apparatus first estimates friction coefficient of a road to determine a suitable acceleration in turning, and then calculates a required period of time to finish turning by using other variables such as a width of the road derived by one of the functions of the apparatus. Based on the comparison with the time that the oncoming vehicle in the opposite lane will take to arrive at the intersection and the required time for turning, driving assistance for the vehicle to turn safely at the intersection can be appropriately provided.

Abstract: A vehicle display system recognizes, from within a color image of a forward scenery of a subject vehicle, an object such as left and right brake lights of a leading vehicle or a halt sign, each of which includes a red light element. Of the recognized object, a given position on a display area in a windshield of the subject vehicle is extracted. The extracted given position is then highlighted on the display area so that a user of the subject vehicle can properly recognize the object including the red light element.

Abstract: When a variation amount of a driving operation falls outside of a determining reference, a determining system determines that an awakening degree of a driver is decreased. The determining system changes the determining reference by whether or not a preceding vehicle is existing within a given distance. Therefore, in consideration of peripheral traffic environments such as existence and absence of the preceding vehicle, the awakening degree of the driver is determined, so that determining accuracy of the awakening degree is enhanced more than that of a conventional method.

Abstract: A vehicle driving assisting apparatus determines whether a driver is executing a driving operation for stopping a vehicle when a distance up to a halting vehicle exiting in front of the vehicle is shorter than a distance obtained by adding a margin to an estimated braking distance for stopping the vehicle by starting a normal deceleration operation from the present vehicle speed. When the driving operation for stopping the vehicle has not been executed, an alarm is generated for causing the driver's attention in the forward direction. This makes it possible to properly determine the driver's degree of recognition of the traffic environment in front of the vehicle.

Abstract: The front scenery of a vehicle is imaged as a picture by a CCD camera. The number of pixels in each horizontal line necessary for traveling of the vehicle is stored, and it is determined whether the vehicle can pass through by a parking vehicle based on a ratio of the number of pixels of the road where no vehicle is parking in the image to the number of pixels of each horizontal line based on the width of the vehicle.

Abstract: A driving assisting apparatus for preventing a vehicular collision including a camera, a target detector and a processor. The camera takes an image of a predetermined range in front of a vehicle. The target detector detects in the image a target notifying to stop the vehicle to prevent a vehicular collision. In a case that the target detector detects a plurality of the targets, the processor automatically stops the vehicle at a safe position required to prevent the vehicle from colliding with another vehicle.

Abstract: A collision-prediction unit for a vehicle including a road condition detector, a maximum deceleration estimator, a forward vehicle detector, a forward vehicle deceleration calculator, and a collision examiner is provided. The road surface detector detects a condition of a road surface on which the vehicle travels. The maximum deceleration estimator calculates a maximum vehicle deceleration for the vehicle on the road surface having the detected condition. The forward vehicle detector detects a moving condition of a forward vehicle located ahead of the vehicle. The forward vehicle deceleration calculator calculates a forward vehicle deceleration based on the moving condition of the forward vehicle. The collision examiner determines whether a collision between the vehicle and the forward vehicle is imminent by comparing the forward vehicle deceleration to the maximum vehicle deceleration of the vehicle.

Abstract: A collision possibility determining unit determines that a subject vehicle has possibility of colliding with a certain vehicle when both the following two determinations are fulfilled. The first determination is that the traveling state of the subject vehicle is proper. The second determination is that a relative position between the subject vehicle and the certain vehicle continues to be maintained at the same relationship for a given period. When the collision possibility is determined to be existing, an alarm generating unit generates an alarm that arouses driver's attention. Thus, collision possibility is determined based on the relative position relationship with another vehicle, so that an alarm relating to another vehicle as an obstacle can be generated at a proper timing.

Abstract: In a driving support system, a necessary information amount determining section determines the amount of visual information necessary for safe driving. An information acquisition capacity setting section sets an information acquisition capacity of a driver. A comparing section compares the necessary information amount with the information acquisition capacity and determines a difference between the two. If a possibility of collision between an object and a vehicle is determined by a collision possibility determining section, a driving support level setting section sets a level of driving support based on the difference.

Abstract: It is checked based on entered information as to whether a vehicle should be decelerated or not (S106). When the vehicle should decelerate, an automatic brake operation is carried out with a braking force being set to be smaller by a predetermined ratio than an estimated maximum braking force estimated based on a road surface friction coefficient &mgr;(S110).

Abstract: This invention has its purpose in providing a brake fluid pressure control device which is simply structured but still satisfies a driver's braking feeling and which controls wheel cylinder pressure without using master cylinder pressure.

Abstract: A brake pressure control device is capable of realizing reduction in a braking distance of a vehicle by promoting control in decreasing brake pressure applied on wheel braking force generating members such as wheel cylinders or a response function in increasing the brake pressure applied on the wheel braking force generating members in generating braking force on wheels.

Abstract: A braking apparatus for a motor vehicle equipped with a master cylinder and a wheel cylinder. The apparatus further includes a pump coupled to a reservoir tank to suck a braking liquid from the reservoir tank and pressurize and discharge the sucked braking liquid when a slip of the wheel occurs at the time of driving the wheel, a pressure adjusting valve provided in a pipe coupling a discharge side of the pump to the reservoir tank and arranged to be openable to restrict the discharge pressure of the pump to a predetermined value, and a change-over valve for establishing a communication between the discharge side of the pump and the wheel cylinder when a slip of the wheel occurs at the time of driving the wheel and for establishing a communication between the master cylinder and the wheel cylinder when the slip does not occur.

Abstract: An automotive anti-lock brake control system includes first and second directional control valves selectively shiftable between a first position in which a master cylinder communicates with first and second wheel cylinders associated with front and rear wheels, respectively, and a second position in which the first and second wheel cylinders communicate with a reservoir. A proportional valve is disposed between the master cylinder and the second directional control valve for producing a fluid pressure difference between the first and second wheel cylinders. The brake fluid stored in the reservoir is pumped by a fluid pump back to a pipe portion between the master cylinder and the proportional valve.

Abstract: A hydraulic pressure control device in a vehicle anti-skid braking system includes a wheel brake actuating cylinder for braking a vehicle wheel, a fluid pressure supply passage connected between a master cylinder and the wheel brake actuating cylinder and having a restriction, and a first directional control valve disposed in the fluid pressure supply passage and having at least pressure-increasing and pressure-decreasing modes, the first directional control valve being normally in the pressure-increasing mode to connect the master cylinder to the fluid pressure supply passage. A second directional control valve is connected between the master cylinder and the wheel brake actuating cylinder, the second directional control valve being normally open to provide a bypass passage across the first directional control valve to connect the master cylinder passage to the wheel brake actuating cylinder.