Abstract: Provided is a vehicle control device configured to: recognize a surrounding situation of a vehicle; control steering and acceleration/deceleration of the vehicle; detect operation states of a plurality of external recognition sensors; determine a driving mode of the vehicle as any one of a plurality of driving modes including a first driving mode, a second driving mode, and a third driving mode; change the third driving mode to either one of the first driving mode and the second driving mode when determining that a failure has occurred in one of the plurality of external recognition sensors that implement: a function of causing the vehicle to follow a preceding vehicle; and a function of assisting the vehicle in keeping a lane; and change the third driving mode to the second driving mode when determining that degradation in performance has occurred in one of the plurality of external recognition sensors.

Abstract: Systems, vehicles and methods for determining wrong direction driving are disclosed. In one embodiment, a system for determining a vehicle traveling in a wrong direction includes one or more sensors that produce sensor data, one or more processors, and one or more non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer readable-instructions. When the computer-readable instructions are executed by the one or more processors, the computer-readable instructions cause the one or more processors to determine one or more lanes within a roadway using the sensor data, determine a direction of travel of the one or more lanes using the sensor data, and identify a non-compliant vehicle traveling in a direction in the one or more lanes that is different from the determined direction of travel in the one or more lanes.

Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus is configured to perform a stop control for stopping a vehicle at a target stop position. The vehicle control apparatus is provided with: a first executor configured to perform a first stop control as the stop control such that a first vehicle is stopped at a first target stop position, which is the target stop position; a second executor configured to perform a second stop control as the stop control such that a second vehicle is stopped at a second target stop position after obtaining a difference between the first target stop position and a first actual stop position at which the vehicle is stopped in the first stop control; and a corrector configured to correct control contents of the second stop control on the basis of the difference, before the second vehicle is stopped at the second target stop position.

Abstract: A method for adjusting a safety distance between a first vehicle and a second vehicle preceding the first vehicle at a bunched traffic site by at least one control device is disclosed which includes receiving measurement data of at least one sensor unit with the at least one control device. The method includes evaluating the measurement data of the at least one sensor unit with the at least one control device to identify a bunched traffic site in front of the second vehicle and identifying a safety distance of the first vehicle from the second vehicle, wherein the identified safety distance accounts for a possible reverse motion of the second vehicle. The method further includes establishing the identified safety distance with the at least one control device based upon the identified bunched traffic site. A control device, a computer program and a machine-readable storage medium are further disclosed.

Abstract: An information processing device includes processing circuitry. The processing circuitry obtain target information that indicates at least one of a distance to a target object or a position of the target object. The processing circuitry generate, based on the target information, map information of a space including a plurality of areas, the map information indicating presence or absence of the target object in a first area included in the plurality of areas, and a detailed position of the target object in the first area.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods for enabling at least one autonomous device to traverse a three-dimensional space. An example system may comprise a first autonomous vehicle comprising a first sensor suite. The first autonomous vehicle may traverse the three-dimensional space in accordance with a path planned vector. The path planned vector may be dynamically updated based on a first vector associated with a first object identified based on data received from the first sensor suite. The example system may comprise a first aerial vehicle comprising a second sensor suite. The first aerial vehicle may traverse the three-dimensional space based on at least one of data provided by the second sensor suite, the first sensor suite, and other aerial vehicles. The path planned vector may be dynamically updated based on data received from at least one of the first sensor suite, the second sensor suite, and cloud interface data.

Abstract: A method for friction coefficient determination on elastically connected subsystems, in which an overall system includes multiple subsystems and at least two subsystems are connected to one another by an elastic connection. The elastic connection has at least one static friction state and a sliding friction state for prescribed external state variables, in which the overall system is excited with a vibration having a variable excitation amplitude at a defined excitation frequency. The excitation amplitude is varied, in which a phase difference between the vibration and a measured reaction torque together with the excitation amplitude are recorded as a function of time, in which no phase difference occurs in the static friction state and a phase difference of 180° occurs in the sliding friction state. In a first step, the excitation amplitude is increased until a transition in the phase difference from 0° to 180° indicates the transition from the static friction state to the sliding friction state.

Abstract: Methods and systems for autonomous vehicle recharging or refueling are disclosed. Autonomous vehicles may be automatically refueled by routing the vehicles to available fueling stations when not in operation, according to methods described herein. A fuel level within a tank of an autonomous vehicle may be monitored until it reaches a refueling threshold, at which point an on-board computer may generate a predicted use profile for the vehicle. Based upon the predicted use profile, a time and location for the vehicle to refuel the vehicle may be determined. In some embodiments, the vehicle may be controlled to automatically travel to a fueling station, refill a fuel tank, and return to its starting location in order to refuel when not in use.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods, systems, and non-transitory computer-readable medium for supersonic flight entry/exit management. For instance, the method may include determining whether a transition between supersonic and subsonic flight is approaching; and in response to determining the transition between subsonic and supersonic flight is approaching, performing a supersonic flight entry/exit process.

Abstract: A method for operating a vehicle having a sensor device including at least two technologically diversified sensor units. The method includes: detection of pieces of surroundings information with the aid of the sensor device; defined evaluation of the pieces of surroundings information detected by the technologically diversified sensor units with respect to plausibility; and defined usage of the pieces of surroundings information using a result of the defined evaluation of the detected pieces of surroundings information.

Abstract: The parking assist apparatus comprises a first vehicle stop apparatus operated for a purpose of stopping a vehicle, a controller configured to be capable of performing parking assist control for parking a vehicle in a parking position and to finish the parking assist control by performing control for instructing a driver of the vehicle to operate the first vehicle stop apparatus or by controlling the first vehicle stop apparatus, and a second vehicle stop apparatus operated for a purpose of stopping the vehicle. When it is determined while the parking assist control is being performed that there is a malfunction in an apparatus for detecting whether or not operation of the first vehicle stop apparatus has been performed, the controller is configured to finish the parking assist control by performing control for instructing the driver to operate the second vehicle stop apparatus or by controlling the second vehicle stop apparatus.

Abstract: A driving control method is provided in which a processor configured to control driving of a vehicle acquires detection information around a vehicle on the basis of a detection condition that can be set for each point; sequentially extracts events which the vehicle encounters, on the basis of the detection information; arranges the extracted events in the order of encounters with the vehicle; creates a sequential driving plan in which a driving action is defined for each of the events on the basis of the detection information acquired in the events; executes a driving control instruction for the vehicle in accordance with the driving plan; and determines, on the basis of the content of the driving action defined for a first event which the vehicle encounters earlier, a second detection condition regarding at least one second event which the vehicle encounters after the first event.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for determining a destination for a motor vehicle that is different from an intended location, comprising the following steps: specifying an intended location; determining a usage rate at the intended location by means of a computing apparatus on the basis of data provided on the intended location; determining a plurality of possible alternative destinations different from the intended location on the basis of the data provided on the intended location if the usage rate exceeds a predefined usage rate threshold value; determining a predicted usage rate at the possible alternative destinations by means of the computing apparatus on the basis of data provided on the possible alternative destinations; and selecting a destination from the plurality of possible alternative destinations while taking into consideration the predicted usage rate at the alternative destinations.

Abstract: An autonomous vehicle configured for active sensing may also be configured to weigh expected information gains from active-sensing actions against risk costs associated with the active-sensing actions. An example method involves: (a) receiving information from one or more sensors of an autonomous vehicle, (b) determining a risk-cost framework that indicates risk costs across a range of degrees to which an active-sensing action can be performed, wherein the active-sensing action comprises an action that is performable by the autonomous vehicle to potentially improve the information upon which at least one of the control processes for the autonomous vehicle is based, (c) determining an information-improvement expectation framework across the range of degrees to which the active-sensing action can be performed, and (d) applying the risk-cost framework and the information-improvement expectation framework to determine a degree to which the active-sensing action should be performed.

Abstract: Provided is a method for delivering goods in collaboration of a plurality of autonomous vehicles including a master vehicle and one or more slave vehicles.

Abstract: An assignment system and method determine time-variable risk profiles for separate vehicle systems that are remotely controlled by operators located off-board the vehicle systems. The time-variable risk profiles represent risks to travel of the vehicle systems that change with respect to time. An operator staffing demand for the vehicle systems may be determined based on the time-variable risk profiles. The staffing demand represents how many operators are needed for remotely controlling the vehicle systems at different times and a required qualification of one or more operators. The system and method also assign operators to remotely monitor and/or control the vehicle systems based on the risk profiles and, optionally, the staffing demand. The operator assigned to one or more vehicle systems changes with respect to time while the vehicle systems are moving along routes.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus for an event navigation system. The event navigation system includes a sensor configured to monitor traffic flow within a first structure. The event navigation system includes a memory configured to store a map of the first structure. The event navigation system includes a processor coupled to the sensor and the memory. The processor is configured to obtain a current location of a user and a destination location for the user. The processor is configured to determine a route from the current location to the destination location based on the map of the first structure, the current location, the destination location and the traffic flow within the first structure. The processor is configured to provide the route to the user.

Abstract: To provide a parking assistance apparatus capable of achieving easier leaving parking space. A parking assistance apparatus includes a detection section detecting a first parking space in which a vehicle can be parked, and a control section forward parking the vehicle in the first parking space. When a second parking space in which the vehicle can be parked in front of the vehicle entering the first parking space, the control section causes the vehicle that has been already under control to be forward parked in the first parking space to enter the second parking space from the first parking space and to be parked in the second parking space.

Abstract: A parking space can be identified. A lateral clearance can be identified when a vehicle is parked in the parking space based on identifying a first door of the vehicle to be provided the lateral clearance when the vehicle is parked. A parking position of the vehicle in the parking space can be determined, including a parking bias angle ? between a vehicle longitudinal axis and a parking space longitudinal center axis, and a lateral offset of the vehicle with respect to the parking space longitudinal center axis, based on dimensions of the parking space and the lateral clearance.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for determining transit routes through crowd-sourcing, for determining an estimated time of arrival (ETA) of a vehicle of the transit route at a given location, and for providing predictive reminders to a user for catching a vehicle of the transit route. A server receives signal source information about wireless signal sources detected by user devices, including information about a first wireless signal source detected by some devices. The server determines that the first wireless signal source is moving. The server determines that the first wireless signal source is associated with a public transit route upon determining that the signal source information satisfies one or more selection criteria. The server stores information associating the first wireless signal source with the public transit route as transit movement data corresponding to the public transit route.