Abstract: An optical module according to the present embodiment includes: a first lens array unit in which a plurality of first lenses configured to collect irradiating light are arranged; a second lens array unit which includes a plurality of second lenses and on which signal light from the first lenses is incident; and a plurality of beam splitters configured to reflect irradiating light to the first lenses and to transmit the signal light from the first lenses, wherein reflectance of the beam splitter on a nearest side in a travel direction of the irradiating light is set lowest and the more toward a far side in the travel direction, the higher the reflectance of the beam splitters.

Abstract: Transportation equipment includes a controller configured to perform at least steering, acceleration and deceleration to control traveling of the transportation equipment, a sight line detector for detecting a sight line of an occupant of the transportation equipment, and a display configured to display a sight line guidance pattern used to guide the sight line of the occupant. The controller causes the display to display the sight line guidance pattern while the transportation equipment is traveling, determines whether the sight line of the occupant detected by the sight line detector moves to a vicinity of a position at which the sight line guidance pattern is displayed, and continues or stops the traveling of the transportation equipment based on a result of the determination.

Abstract: Transportation equipment includes a controller configured to perform at least steering, acceleration and deceleration to control traveling of the transportation equipment, a sight line detector for detecting a sight line of an occupant of the transportation equipment, and a display configured to display a sight line guidance pattern used to guide the sight line of the occupant. The controller causes the display to display the sight line guidance pattern while the transportation equipment is traveling, determines whether the sight line of the occupant detected by the sight line detector moves to a vicinity of a position at which the sight line guidance pattern is displayed, and continues or stops the traveling of the transportation equipment based on a result of the determination.

Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus is capable of switching driving control between automated driving and manual driving. The apparatus includes a detection unit configured to detect an intervention operation by a driver during traveling by the automated driving, and a control unit configured to switch steering control of an electric power steering from automated steering to manual steering when the intervention operation is detected by the detection unit. The control unit executes suppression control to suppress an occurrence of abrupt steering when the detection unit detects the intervention operation during a turn of a vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicle surroundings monitoring apparatus includes: a plurality of imaging units which capture an external region of a present-vehicle and output images; a display unit which is installed in an interior of the present-vehicle; an image combined unit which combines the images output from the imaging units and outputs a combined image; and a display control unit which displays the combined image output from the image combined unit on the display unit, wherein at least one of the imaging units is installed at a retractable side mirror of the present-vehicle, and the image combined unit extracts extracted images of an extraction range determined for respective images output from the imaging units, combines the extracted images to generate the combined image, and changes the extraction range and a boundary position between the extracted images constituting the combined image depending on extension and retraction of the side mirror.

Abstract: The vehicle maneuver assistance device includes: a plurality of external environment imaging units; a converter that performs a view point conversion; a display unit provided in an interior of the present-vehicle; a steering angle status value detector which detects status values of the steering angle representing an actual steering angle of the present-vehicle, and outputs a steering angle status value; a display controller that causes the display unit to display the converted image, and, overlaid thereon, a guidance display which assists a parking maneuver of the present-vehicle, wherein the display controller controls the guidance display according to the steering angle status value, so that the guidance display includes: an initial positioning guide line representing an initial location of the present-vehicle at the beginning of the parking maneuver; and a steering-switching start positioning guide line representing a starting location of a quick steering direction switching.

Abstract: A vehicle surroundings monitoring apparatus includes: a plurality of imaging units which capture an external region of a present-vehicle and output images; a display unit which is installed in an interior of the present-vehicle; an image combined unit which combines the images output from the imaging units and outputs a combined image; and a display control unit which displays the combined image output from the image combined unit on the display unit, wherein at least one of the imaging units is installed at a retractable side mirror of the present-vehicle, and the image combined unit extracts extracted images of an extraction range determined for respective images output from the imaging units, combines the extracted images to generate the combined image, and changes the extraction range and a boundary position between the extracted images constituting the combined image depending on extension and retraction of the side mirror.

Abstract: The vehicle maneuver assistance device includes: a plurality of external environment imaging units; a converter that performs a view point conversion; a display unit provided in an interior of the present-vehicle; a steering angle status value detector which detects status values of the steering angle representing an actual steering angle of the present-vehicle, and outputs a steering angle status value; a display controller that causes the display unit to display the converted image, and, overlaid thereon, a guidance display which assists a parking maneuver of the present-vehicle, wherein the display controller controls the guidance display according to the steering angle status value, so that the guidance display includes: an initial positioning guide line representing an initial location of the present-vehicle at the beginning of the parking maneuver; and a steering-switching start positioning guide line representing a starting location of a quick steering direction switching.

Abstract: A cockpit is supported by a motion base in a state of being capable of making swinging movement. A host computer calculate vehicle motion information in accordance with operation of various operation equipments performed by a driver accommodated in the cockpit. A simulation image is formed, the cockpit is controlled for swinging movement, and various meters or the like in the cockpit are controlled on the basis of an obtained result of the calculation. Thus, the drive simulation is carried out in a state approximate to that of a real vehicle.

Abstract: A system for controlling steering of a vehicle, including a steering means such as a steering wheel with an electric motor which assists steering of the driven wheels of the vehicle, first steering control means for controlling the motor, a CCD camera for detecting a lane condition of a road on which the vehicle travels, a yaw rate sensor for detecting motion of the vehicle, steering assist torque calculating means for calculating a steering assist torque necessary for holding the lane, a torque sensor for detecting an actual steering torque manually applied to the steering means by the driver, and second steering control means for calculating a torque command to be output to the first steering control means based on the steering assist torque calculated by the steering assist torque calculating means and the actual steering torque such that the torque command decreases.

Abstract: A system for controlling steering of a vehicle, including an electric motor used for power-steering torque assist control. In the system, the lane-keeping-steering assist torque TLK for causing the vehicle to run along the center of a road existing ahead of the vehicle is calculated, while the power-steering assist torque TPS for assisting the vehicle driver's steering is calculated. Then, ratios RTO1 and RTO2 are calculated based on the detected steering torque. The assist torques TLK, TPS are corrected by multiplication with the ratios RTO1, RTO2 respectively and are added together to determine a final assist torque TA, and based on the final assist torques TA, a motor current to be supplied to the electric motor is determined, thereby enabling to effectively prevent the two kinds of control from interfering with each other so as not to adversely affect the vehicle driver's perception of vehicle steering response.

Abstract: A system for controlling steering of a vehicle, including a steering device such as a steering wheel with an electric motor which assists steering of driven wheels of the vehicle, first steering control unit for controlling the motor, a CCD camera for detecting a lane condition of a road on which the vehicle travels, a yaw rate sensor for detecting motion of the vehicle, steering assist torque calculating unit for calculating a steering assist torque necessary for holding the lane, a torque sensor for detecting an actual steering torque manually applied to the steering device by the driver, and second steering control unit for calculating a torque command to be output to the first steering control unit based on the steering assist torque calculated by the steering assist torque calculating unit and the detected steering torque to control the actuator such that the torque command decreases.

Abstract: In a steering control system for controlling torque steer in a vehicle equipped with an electric power steering device and a torque split arrangement for individually controlling traction and/or braking force of right and left wheels, a difference in traction and/or braking force between the right and left wheels which may be produced by the torque split arrangement may give rise to torque steer depending on the geometry of the wheel suspension system of the vehicle. The control unit for the electric power steering device additionally receives an additional signal for providing an additional steering torque which is required for canceling the torque steer. Thus, the torque steer can be eliminated both economically and reliably without requiring to modify the wheel suspension system.

Abstract: In a steering system which produces a reactive steering assist torque which tends to cancel any unintended or undesired behavior of the vehicle, the control unit for the steering system is prevented from producing any reactive steering assist torque when the vehicle speed is zero so that no reactive steering assist torque may be produced to the discomfort of the vehicle even when the vehicle is being moved by external causes such as when being turned by a turntable or being transported by a car lift or a car carrier.

Abstract: A system for controlling steering of a vehicle, including a steering unit having an electric motor which steers driven wheels of the vehicle, a first steering control unit (EPS ECU 76) for controlling the actuator, a CCD camera for detecting a condition of a lane on a road on which the vehicle travels, a steering assist torque determining unit for determining a steering assist torque necessary for holding a positional relationship between the vehicle and the lane condition, a torque sensor for detecting a steering torque manually applied to the steering unit by the driver, second steering control unit for calculating a torque command to be output to the first steering control unit based on the steering assist torque calculated by the steering assist torque calculating unit and the detected steering torque to control the motor such that the torque command decreases.

Abstract: In a steering system which produces a reactive steering assist torque which tends to cancel any unintended or undesired behavior of the vehicle, the relationship between the steering angle and the vehicle behavior such as the yaw rate and the lateral acceleration reverses in sense depending on the traveling direction of the vehicle. To prevent the control unit for the steering system from producing any reactive steering assist torque which could worsen the behavior of the vehicle when the vehicle is traveling rearward, the control unit either eliminates or reverses the sense of the reactive steering assist torque when the vehicle is traveling rearward.

Abstract: A displacement detector for enabling a precise detection of a displaced quantity of the core. The displacement detector is provided with a displaceable core, a detecting coil the inductance of which varies in response to a displaced quantity and a reference resistor, wherein a transient response voltage in case of a pulse voltage being applied to the inductance and the reference resistor is detected to enable detection of the absolute value of the inductance and thereby the change in the inductance which corresponds to the displaced quantity is detected independently of the peak value or the frequency of the pulse voltage. The displacement detector is preferably used in a torque sensor for an electric powered steering system, wherein the core of the displacement detector is formed of nonmagnetic metal material, the structure is simple, and a sensitive detection of a displaced quantity of the steering torque is possible.

Abstract: An arrangement for compensating the thermal characteristics of a sensor including a core movable from a neutral position in two directions along a line and two detecting coils symmetrically disposed along the line with the neutral position placed at the center of symmetry, in which sensor a change in the inductance of the two detecting coils due to the movement thereof is electrically detected, the arrangement being adapted so that the numbers of wire turns in the two detecting coils are set different to compensate a mechanically produced change in the thermal characteristics of the sensor. The arrangement allows a mechanical positional difference between the detecting coils and the core due to a temperature change to be compensated and an output voltage drift due to a temperature change to be reduced, thus increasing sensor accuracy.