Abstract: Systems and methods of controlling an active safety feature of a vehicle are provided. The systems and methods receive radar data from a radar device of the vehicle and image data from a camera of the vehicle. Object detection and tracking processes are performed on the radar data and the image data to identify and track objects in an environment of the vehicle. Conditions are assessed with respect to identified objects to ascertain whether a radar track is erroneously reported as a separate object to a camera track. When the conditions are assessed to be true, an object corresponding to the camera track is used as an input for controlling an active safety feature of the vehicle and an object corresponding to the radar track is discounted for controlling the active safety feature of the vehicle.

Abstract: Methods and systems for providing driving assistance in a vehicle. In one embodiment, a method includes: receiving, by a processor, vehicle data from a sensor system of the vehicle; determining, by a processor, a path of the vehicle based on the steering data; expanding, by the processor, the path of the vehicle to a path area based on probabilistic uncertainty bound prediction; determining, by the processor, a target object based on the path area and object data that identifies objects within the environment of the vehicle; and generating, by the processor, control signals to vehicle actuators to control the vehicle based on the target object.

Abstract: A method and system for tracking attached objects for controlling a vehicle. The method includes receiving, by a processor, sensor data of an environment associated with the vehicle that includes an object. The method includes determining, based on the sensor data, whether the object corresponds to an attached object type, and determining whether the sensor data includes a second vehicle. The method includes determining an attached object region associated with the second vehicle based on a distance between the second vehicle and the vehicle, and determining whether a position of the object is within the attached object region. The method includes determining whether a difference between a velocity of the object and a vehicle velocity of the vehicle is within a velocity threshold based on the distance. The method includes determining that the object is an attached object and controlling the vehicle based on the determining.

Abstract: A cruise control method for a vehicle includes receiving a set speed and determining a commanded axle torque to maintain the set speed on a road that is flat. The method further includes commanding a propulsion system of the vehicle to produce the commanded axle torque to maintain the set speed and applying a fading memory filter to the commanded axle torque to generate a filtered torque command. The method further includes determining an arbitrated torque command as a function of the filtered torque command and command the propulsion system of the vehicle to produce the arbitrated torque command. Also, the method includes determining that a slope of the road is greater than a predetermined slope threshold, setting a temporary set speed, and commanding the propulsion system of the vehicle to maintain the vehicle at the temporary speed.

Abstract: Systems and methods of detecting and validating a turn light indicator in a vehicle include receiving optical perception data from an optical perception system. The optical perception data includes data describing a detected turn indicator light of another vehicle perceived by the optical perception system including a status of the detected turn indicator light. A turn indicator light signal is generated in the form of a time varying waveform based on the status of the detected turn indicator light. A duty cycle and frequency of the turn indicator light signal is obtained. An assessment is made whether the detected turn indicator light is a valid detection by comparing the duty cycle and frequency with predetermined bounds. When the detected turn indicator light is assessed to be a valid detection, then an automated feature of the vehicle is controlled based on the data describing the detected turn indicator light.

Abstract: In various embodiments, methods, systems, and vehicle apparatuses are provided. A method for implementing adaptive cruise control (ACC) established by Reinforcement Learning (RL) including executing, by a processor, adaptive cruise control to receive a set of vehicle inputs about a host vehicle's operating environment and current operations; identify, by the processor, a target vehicle operating in the host vehicle environment and quantifying a set of target vehicle parameters about the target vehicle derived from sensed inputs; modeling a state estimation of the host vehicle and the target vehicle by generating a set of speed and torque calculations about each vehicle; generating a set of results from at least one reward function based on one or more modeled state estimations of the host and target vehicle; processing the set of results with driver behavior data established by RL to correlate one or more control actions to the driver behavior data.

Abstract: Systems and methods of controlling an active safety feature of a vehicle are provided. The systems and methods receive radar data from a radar device of the vehicle and image data from a camera of the vehicle. Object detection and tracking processes are performed on the radar data and the image data to identify and track objects in an environment of the vehicle. Conditions are assessed with respect to identified objects to ascertain whether a radar track is erroneously reported as a separate object to a camera track. When the conditions are assessed to be true, an object corresponding to the camera track is used as an input for controlling an active safety feature of the vehicle and an object corresponding to the radar track is discounted for controlling the active safety feature of the vehicle.

Abstract: Systems and methods of detecting and validating a turn light indicator in a vehicle include receiving optical perception data from an optical perception system. The optical perception data includes data describing a detected turn indicator light of another vehicle perceived by the optical perception system including a status of the detected turn indicator light. A turn indicator light signal is generated in the form of a time varying waveform based on the status of the detected turn indicator light. A duty cycle and frequency of the turn indicator light signal is obtained. An assessment is made whether the detected turn indicator light is a valid detection by comparing the duty cycle and frequency with predetermined bounds. When the detected turn indicator light is assessed to be a valid detection, then an automated feature of the vehicle is controlled based on the data describing the detected turn indicator light.

Abstract: A full speed range adaptive cruise control system for a host vehicle includes a plurality of sensors that each generate a signal, a memory that includes executable instructions and a processor that executes the executable instructions. The executable instructions enable the processor to detect a target vehicle as being stopped along a route based upon the signals from the plurality of sensors, cause the host vehicle to stop at a distance from the target vehicle, detect the target vehicle moving along the route after the host vehicle has stopped based upon the signals from the plurality of sensors, determine whether a first predetermined period of time has elapsed since the host vehicle has stopped, determine whether a first predetermined condition is satisfied if the first predetermined period of time has elapsed, and cause the host vehicle to move if the system determines that the first predetermined condition is satisfied.

Abstract: In various embodiments, methods, systems, and vehicle apparatuses are provided. A method for implementing adaptive cruise control (ACC) established by Reinforcement Learning (RL) including executing, by a processor, adaptive cruise control to receive a set of vehicle inputs about a host vehicle's operating environment and current operations; identify, by the processor, a target vehicle operating in the host vehicle environment and quantifying a set of target vehicle parameters about the target vehicle derived from sensed inputs; modeling a state estimation of the host vehicle and the target vehicle by generating a set of speed and torque calculations about each vehicle; generating a set of results from at least one reward function based on one or more modeled state estimations of the host and target vehicle; processing the set of results with driver behavior data established by RL to correlate one or more control actions to the driver behavior data.

Abstract: A cruise control method to control a driven vehicle includes: determining projected speeds of the driven vehicle at each of the predetermined-upcoming locations; determining a plurality of following times at each of the predetermined-upcoming locations of the driven vehicle and the projected speeds of the followed vehicle; determining whether at least one of the plurality of following times is less than the predetermined-minimum time threshold; and in response to determining that at least one plurality of following times is less than the predetermined-minimum time threshold, commanding, by the controller, the propulsion system of the driven vehicle to decrease the commanded axle torque by a torque adjustment in order to prevent each of the plurality of following times at each of the predetermined-upcoming locations from being less than the predetermined-minimum time threshold.

Abstract: A full speed range adaptive cruise control system for a host vehicle includes a plurality of sensors that each generate a signal, a memory that includes executable instructions and a processor that executes the executable instructions. The executable instructions enable the processor to detect a target vehicle as being stopped along a route based upon the signals from the plurality of sensors, cause the host vehicle to stop at a distance from the target vehicle, detect the target vehicle moving along the route after the host vehicle has stopped based upon the signals from the plurality of sensors, determine whether a first predetermined period of time has elapsed since the host vehicle has stopped, determine whether a first predetermined condition is satisfied if the first predetermined period of time has elapsed, and cause the host vehicle to move if the system determines that the first predetermined condition is satisfied.

Abstract: One general aspect includes a system to commence host vehicle movement upon being stopped behind a target vehicle, the system includes a memory configured to include one or more executable instructions and a processor configured to execute the executable instructions, where the executable instructions enable the processor to: detect the target vehicle as being stopped along a route; cause the host vehicle to stop at a first distance from the target vehicle; detect a transition of one or more brake lights of the target vehicle from an ON state to an OFF state; and after the one or more brake lights are detected to transition from the ON state to the OFF state, cause the host vehicle to move at a slow speed in the direction of the target vehicle.

Abstract: A cruise control method to control a vehicle includes: receiving, by a controller of the vehicle, a set speed, a maximum allowed speed, and a minimum allowed speed, wherein each of the maximum allowed speed and the minimum allowed speed is a speed boundary; a propulsion system to produce a commanded axle torque to maintain the set speed; monitoring a current vehicle speed of the vehicle; determining a current vehicle acceleration of the vehicle; determining a time that the vehicle will take to reach the speed boundary; determining whether the time that the vehicle will take to reach the speed boundary is less than a predetermined time threshold; and in response to determining that the time that the vehicle will take to reach the speed boundary is less than the predetermined time threshold, commanding the propulsion system of the vehicle to adjust the commanded axle torque.

Abstract: A cruise control method to control a driven vehicle includes: determining projected speeds of the driven vehicle at each of the predetermined-upcoming locations; determining a plurality of following times at each of the predetermined-upcoming locations of the driven vehicle and the projected speeds of the followed vehicle; determining whether at least one of the plurality of following times is less than the predetermined-minimum time threshold; and in response to determining that at least one plurality of following times is less than the predetermined-minimum time threshold, commanding, by the controller, the propulsion system of the driven vehicle to decrease the commanded axle torque by a torque adjustment in order to prevent each of the plurality of following times at each of the predetermined-upcoming locations from being less than the predetermined-minimum time threshold.

Abstract: A cruise control method includes: receiving, by a controller of the vehicle, a set speed, a maximum allowed speed, and a minimum allowed speed, wherein each of the maximum allowed speed and the minimum allowed speed is a speed boundary of an allowed speed range; commanding, by the controller, a propulsion system to produce a commanded axle torque to maintain the set speed; monitoring a current speed of the vehicle; monitoring an elevation of a terrain at predetermined-upcoming locations of the vehicle based on upcoming elevation data from a map database; generating an elevation look-ahead table using the elevation of the terrain at the predetermined-upcoming locations of the vehicle; and determining projected speeds of the vehicle at each of the predetermined-upcoming locations of the vehicle as a function of the current speed of the vehicle and the elevation of the terrain at the predetermined-upcoming locations.

Abstract: A cruise control method includes: receiving, by a controller of the vehicle, a set speed, a maximum allowed speed, and a minimum allowed speed, wherein each of the maximum allowed speed and the minimum allowed speed is a speed boundary of an allowed speed range; commanding, by the controller, a propulsion system to produce a commanded axle torque to maintain the set speed; monitoring a current speed of the vehicle; monitoring an elevation of a terrain at predetermined-upcoming locations of the vehicle based on upcoming elevation data from a map database; generating an elevation look-ahead table using the elevation of the terrain at the predetermined-upcoming locations of the vehicle; and determining projected speeds of the vehicle at each of the predetermined-upcoming locations of the vehicle as a function of the current speed of the vehicle and the elevation of the terrain at the predetermined-upcoming locations.

Abstract: A cruise control method to control a vehicle includes: receiving, by a controller of the vehicle, a set speed, a maximum allowed speed, and a minimum allowed speed, wherein each of the maximum allowed speed and the minimum allowed speed is a speed boundary; a propulsion system to produce a commanded axle torque to maintain the set speed; monitoring a current vehicle speed of the vehicle; determining a current vehicle acceleration of the vehicle; determining a time that the vehicle will take to reach the speed boundary; determining whether the time that the vehicle will take to reach the speed boundary is less than a predetermined time threshold; and in response to determining that the time that the vehicle will take to reach the speed boundary is less than the predetermined time threshold, commanding the propulsion system of the vehicle to adjust the commanded axle torque.

Abstract: A method includes receiving a set speed, a maximum allowed speed, and a minimum allowed speed, wherein the maximum allowed speed and the minimum allowed speed define an allowed speed range; commanding a propulsion system to produce a commanded axle torque to maintain the set speed; monitoring a current vehicle speed of the vehicle; determining whether the current vehicle speed is between a first speed value and a second speed value, wherein the first speed value is the minimum allowed speed plus a first predetermined value, and the second speed value is the maximum allowed speed minus a second predetermined value; and in response to determining that the current vehicle speed is not between the first speed value and the second speed value, commanding the propulsion system to adjust the commanded axle torque in order to maintain the current vehicle speed within the allowed speed range.

Abstract: A motor vehicle cruise control system having an input for entering a desired vehicle speed. A vehicle speed deviation having a range both above and below the desired vehicle speed is entered. A memory at least temporarily saves a highway topography data set for a highway currently being traversed by a motor vehicle. A controller distinguishes an approaching highway topography change from a current highway topography condition using data from the highway topography data set; and calculates a modified vehicle speed having increased fuel economy for traversing the highway topography change compared to a fuel economy at a selected vehicle speed for the current highway topography condition and to change the vehicle speed to the modified vehicle speed having the increased fuel economy prior to reaching the upcoming highway topography change.