Abstract: A computer implemented method for determining information related to an environment of a vehicle comprises the following steps carried out by computer hardware components: determining a point cloud based on measurement data, the point cloud comprising a plurality of points; determining respective features for each point of the point cloud; determining a grid structure based on the point cloud; determining a processed grid structure based on processing the grid structure using an artificial neural network; and determining at least one final grid structure based on the point cloud, the respective features for each point of the point cloud, and the processed grid structure.

Abstract: Disclosed are aspects of a radar system for a vehicle that includes a first radar antenna assembly connected to at least one radar transmitter for transmitting radar signals into a traffic space and a second radar antenna assembly connected to at least one radar receiver for receiving radar signals reflected by objects present in the traffic space. The first radar antenna assembly is spaced apart from the second radar antenna assembly. The at least one radar transmitter is coupled to the at least one radar receiver by a synchronization line for a bistatic radar operation of the radar system. Further, at least one of the first radar antenna assembly or the second radar antenna assembly includes a feed horn and a reflector for the feed horn.

Abstract: An electrical connector system includes a plug connector and a secondary locking device. The plug connector mates with a corresponding counter connector and includes a plug connector housing having a terminal cavity for receiving an electrical contact terminal. The secondary locking device provides a secondary locking function when the plug connector mates with the corresponding counter connector and when the secondary locking device is in a closed position. The secondary locking device is movable relative to the plug connector housing from an open position to the closed position. The secondary locking device has a stem portion and a flexible leg. The stem portion extends in the closing direction. The flexible leg has a fixed end and a free end. The flexible leg connects to the stem portion at its fixed end. The flexible leg extends from the fixed end to the free end opposite the closing direction.

Abstract: A rack assembly unit for mounting a control unit to a vehicle rack system is provided; a rack chassis and a tray are configured to receive the control unit for coupling to a vehicle system. The tray is movably coupled to the rack chassis at a coupling mechanism, which provides for movement of the tray relative to the rack chassis between open and closed positions. At the open position, the tray is spaced apart from rack chassis to facilitate user access to the tray and receiving the control unit therein. At the closed position, the tray is located fully inserted relative to the rack chassis and such that the control unit located in the tray is provided at a control unit operating position thermally coupled to a cold plate of a cooling system to provide for cooling of components of the control unit.

Abstract: A method is provided for positioning a perception sensor on a vehicle. A three-dimensional coverage map of the perception sensor is determined, and vehicle specific geometry characteristics are received. A coverage region for the perception sensor in a vicinity of the vehicle is estimated by combining the vehicle specific geometry characteristics and the three-dimensional coverage map of the perception sensor and by varying a spatial location of the perception sensor until the coverage region in the vicinity of the vehicle is optimized.

Abstract: A method of operating a data recording device for Autonomous Driving, or Advanced Driver Assistant Systems applications for vehicles is provided. The data recording device comprises a data logging unit, a computing unit, a storage unit and a relevancy determination unit including at least one relevancy determination module. The storage unit includes a circular buffer and a persistent storage region. The method comprises retrieving sensor data acquired by sensors, storing the sensor data in the circular buffer, retrieving and storing perception results or neural network embeddings from the sensor data and deciding whether the retrieved perception results or neural network embeddings are considered relevant or irrelevant, and triggering a transfer of the sensor data from the circular buffer to the persistent storage region in case the perception results or neural network embeddings corresponding to the sensor data are considered relevant.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided and include a radar system that transmits radar signals within frames having radar chirps. The radar chirps have a stepped frequency waveform such that the initial and end frequencies are changed for subsequent chirps and have a constant pulse repetition period between chirps. The radar system performs range fast Fourier transform (FFT) processing and Doppler FFT processing on receive values corresponding to reflected signals from an object. The radar system estimates range and range-rate information about the object based on range FFT values and Doppler FFT values using a signal model and determines information about the object based on the estimated range and range-rate information. The signal model includes (1) a fast-time dimension term corresponding to samples within a radar chirp and (2) a slow-time dimension term corresponding to individual radar chirps within the frame, with the slow-time dimension term including a second degree term.

Abstract: This document describes an object tracker that performs stable velocity initialization for radar tracks, using multiple hypotheses, including when only sparse radar point clouds are available. With just a single point per scan, the tracker creates multiple hypotheses for the direction and speed of an object. A least square function can be applied to each hypothesis to derive each respective initial velocity, which are tracked using a Kalman Filter during a hypotheses tracking period. When hypotheses are initialized and tracked on each hypothesis tracking period, their track error scores are computed. Based on their track error scores, the hypotheses that have low evidence are discarded during the hypotheses tracking period. When the hypotheses tracking period ends, a hypothesis with high evidence initializes the track's velocity. Parallel hypothesis evaluation enables the tracker to initialize a velocity quickly and accurately by merely selecting the best hypothesis, which may enable safer driving.

Abstract: The techniques and systems herein are configured for dynamically calculating lane change trajectories. An offset that corresponds to an amount of asymmetry of a lane change trajectory (a zero-offset may be a symmetrical lane change trajectory) is determined for a lane change based on vehicle/driver preferences, road curvature, and/or road conditions. The offset is then used to calculate the lane change trajectory for the lane change, which is then provided to a vehicle system to execute the lane change according to the lane change trajectory. By dynamically calculating the lane change trajectory (e.g., actively determining the offset), lane change trajectories may be tailored to driver preferences, including asymmetry preferences and actions for different types of curves, as well as for road and weather conditions. Doing so, may not only improve driver experience due to better emulation of their behavior but also increase safety by decreasing unsafe lane change trajectories.

Abstract: Described are techniques and systems for secure camera based IMU calibration for stationary systems, including vehicles. Existing vehicle camera systems are employed, with enhanced security to prevent malicious attempts by hackers to try and cause a vehicle to enter IMU calibration mode. IMU calibration occurs when a calibration system determines the vehicle is parked in a controlled environment; calibration targets are positioned at different viewing angles to vehicle cameras to act as sources of optical patterns of encoded data. Features of the patterns are for security as well as for alignment functionality. Images of the calibration targets enable inference of a vehicle coordinate system, from which calculations for IMU mounting error compensations are performed. A relative rotation between the IMU and the vehicle coordinate system are applied to IMU data to compensate for relative rotations between the vehicle and the IMU, thereby improving vehicle slope and bank metrics.

Abstract: System for enabling circuit board surface-slot-edge connections. A main board includes a slot through its surfaces. At least one edge of the slot includes electrical contacts to the main board. An auxiliary board includes a connector component mounted on a surface that opposes a surface of the main board. When the connector component is aligned with the slot, the connector component can protrude vertically through the slot, in addition to moving laterally towards an edge of the slot. Electrical contacts on the edge of the slot can engage with electrical contacts in the connector component. This enables two boards to be arranged closely, without extending the main surface in an orthogonal or lateral direction, using a secure connection provided by a connector attached to the auxiliary board, rather than the main board.

Abstract: A system for assessing progress of a data recording campaign performed to collect sensor data recorded by a sensor data recorder mounted on a vehicle, the system including a metadata generating apparatus arranged to process data acquired by a sensor module to generate metadata for the sensor data, the metadata comprising classifications of an attribute of a driving environment the vehicle was in during the acquisition of the sensor data into respective classes of a predefined set of classes of the attribute, and transmit the metadata to a remote metadata processing apparatus, which is arranged to determine whether the metadata comprises at least a predetermined number of classifications in a predefined class of the set of predefined classes and, based on the determination, generate an indicator for use in the data recording campaign.

Abstract: The techniques and systems herein enable track association based on azimuth extension and compactness errors. Specifically, first and second tracks comprising respective locations and footprints of respective objects are received. An azimuth distance is determined based on an azimuth extension error that corresponds to azimuth spread between the first and second tracks with respect to a host vehicle. A position distance is also determined based on a compactness error that corresponds to footprint difference between the first and second tracks. Based on the azimuth and position distances, it is established whether the first object and the second object are a common object. By doing so, the system can better determine if the tracks are of the common object when the tracks are extended (e.g., not point targets) and/or partially observed (e.g., the track is not of an entire object).

Abstract: Described is a way to process radar data for a radar sensor mounted on a vehicle to generate motion spectrum data for estimating ego-motion information of the vehicle. Data samples of each of a plurality of radar return signals received at each antenna element of the radar sensor are generated for each antenna element. Respective Doppler-processed data including a plurality of data values is calculated for each Doppler bin index. In generating a set of motion spectrum data, which comprises a plurality of data elements each calculated for a respective Doppler bin index and a respective spatial bin index, data values of the Doppler-processed data calculated for the Doppler bin index are selected to calculate a covariance matrix. A spectral estimation algorithm, which uses the covariance matrix, can determine a spatial spectrum value for each spatial bin index.

Abstract: A method is disclosed, which is carried out by a detection device having a transmitter element for transmitting wave signals and two vertically aligned receiver elements for receiving wave signals, separated by a given spacing. The method includes transmitting, at the transmitter element, a wave signal that is reflected by the target. Each receiver element receives the wave signal reflected by the target, where the wave signal propagates via multiple paths caused by the reflecting surface. While a target distance varies, a phase difference between the reflected wave signals received by the two receiver elements is measured. From the phase difference measurements, a physical quantity fluctuation is determined in relation to the target distance. The information on the target height is then derived from the physical quantity fluctuation.

Abstract: This document describes techniques and systems related to tracking different sections of articulated vehicles. A vehicle uses a radar system that can discern between unarticulated vehicles and articulated vehicles, which by definition have multiple sections that can pivot in different directions for turning or closely following a curve. The radar system obtains detections indicative of another vehicle traveling nearby. When the detections indicate the other vehicle is articulated, the radar system tracks each identifiable section, rather than tracking all the sections together. A bounding box is generated for each identifiable section; the radar system separately and concurrently monitors a velocity of each bounding box. The multiple bounding boxes that are drawn enable the radar system to accurately track each connected section of the articulated vehicle, including to detect whether any movement occurs between two connected sections, for accurately localizing the vehicle when driving.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for occupancy state detection in an area for a pre-determined point in time. In aspects, the computer-implemented method includes operations carried out by computer hardware components. The operations include determining a probability distribution over a list of possible occupancy states of the area at a previous point in time, determining measurement data related to the area at the pre-determined point in time, and determining a probability distribution over the list of possible occupancy states of the area at the pre-determined point in time based on the measurement data and the probability distribution over the list of possible occupancy states of the area at the previous point in time.

Abstract: An electrical connector includes an electrical terminal, a terminal module in which the electrical terminal is disposed, a connector housing having a primary locking mechanism configured to secure the terminal module within the connector housing, a secondary locking mechanism also configured to secure the terminal module within the connector housing, and a retainer attached to the connector housing and configured to maintain compressive contact between the secondary locking mechanism and the terminal module. The secondary locking mechanism further includes a wire seal assembly that has a rigid tube, a compliant tubular inner seal axially disposed within the rigid tube, and a compliant tubular outer seal axially surrounding the rigid tube.

Abstract: The techniques and systems herein enable robot management in populated areas. Specifically, a robot management system receives, from a robot system, a requested route and time for the robot system to travel. A dynamic map that includes dynamic and temporal information about an area of the requested route is then used to determine whether the requested route and time are approved, approved with a modified route or time, or disapproved. An approval message, a modified approval message, or a disapproval message is then generated and sent to the robot system. By using the described techniques, municipalities can monitor, manage, and regulate robots across various operators and locations. Doing so may prevent a high density of robots along various routes, disruptions to the services of such robots, and/or disruptions to surrounding pedestrians and vehicles.

Abstract: Described are techniques for processing a laser signal to illuminate an external scene that is sectored in pixels by a laser device. This includes frequency modulating a laser signal in up and down-chirps, illuminating the external scene, receiving a reflected laser signal, measuring an up-beat signal, measuring a down-beat signal, simultaneously illuminating the external scene with the up-chirp and with the down-chirp for at least one pixel, and amplitude modulating the modulated laser signal of at least two adjacent pixels, so that the calculating unit can distinguish the reflected laser signals of two adjacent pixels. This way, in order to allow for fast scanning of a single frame, up- and down-chirps are sent out simultaneously to scan a complete pixel row or line within one ramp without any waiting time and without any chirp reset on each pixel.