Abstract: An object-classification system for an automated vehicle includes an object-detector and a controller. The object-detector may be a camera, radar, lidar or any combination thereof. The object-detector detects an object proximate to a host-vehicle. The controller is in communication with the object-detector. The controller is configured to determine a density of the object based on a motion-characteristic of the object caused by air-movement proximate to the object, and operate the host-vehicle to avoid striking the object with the host-vehicle when the density of the object is classified as dense.

Abstract: A vehicle perception sensor adjustment system includes a perception-sensor, a digital-map, and controller-circuit. The perception-sensor is configured to detect an object proximate to a host-vehicle. The perception-sensor is characterized as having a field-of-view that is adjustable. The digital-map indicates a contour of a roadway traveled by the host-vehicle. The controller-circuit in communication with the perception-sensor and the digital-map. The controller-circuit determines the field-of-view of the perception-sensor in accordance with the contour of the roadway indicated by the digital-map, and outputs a control-signal to the perception-sensor that adjusts the field-of-view of the perception-sensor.

Abstract: An operation-security system for an automated vehicle includes an object-detector and a controller. The object-detector includes at least three sensors. Each sensor is one of a camera used to determine an image-location of an object proximate to a host-vehicle, a lidar-unit used to determine a lidar-location of the object proximate to the host-vehicle, and a radar-unit used to determine a radar-location of the object proximate to the host-vehicle. The controller is in communication with the at least three sensors. The controller is configured to determine a composite-location based on a comparison of locations indicated by the at least three sensors. Information from one sensor is ignored when a respective location indicated by the one sensor differs from the composite-location by greater than an error-threshold. If a remote sensor not on the host-vehicle is used, V2V or V2I communications may be used to communicate a location to the host-vehicle.

Abstract: Among other things, we describe systems and method for validating sensor calibration. For validating calibration of a system of sensors having several types of sensors, an object may be configured to have a substantially reflective portion such that the sensors can isolate the substantially reflective portion, and their sensor data can be compared to determine, if the detected locations of the substantially reflective portion by each sensor are aligned. For calibrating a system of sensors, an object having known calibration features can be used and detected by each sensor, and the detected data can be compared to known calibration data associated with the object to determine if each sensor is correctly calibrated.

Abstract: A system for operating an automated vehicle in a crowd of pedestrians includes an object-detector, optionally, a signal detector, and a controller. The object-detector detects pedestrians proximate to a host-vehicle. The signal-detector detects a signal-state displayed by a traffic-signal that displays a stop-state that indicates when the host-vehicle should stop so the pedestrians can cross in front of the host-vehicle, and displays a go-state that indicates when the pedestrians should stop passing in front of the host-vehicle so that the host-vehicle can go forward. The controller is in control of movement of the host-vehicle and in communication with the object-detector and the signal-detector. The controller operates the host-vehicle to stop the host-vehicle when the stop-state is displayed, and operates the host-vehicle to creep-forward after a wait-interval after the traffic-signal changes to the go-state when the pedestrians fail to stop passing in front of the host-vehicle.

Abstract: A data-fusion system that fuses lidar-data and camera-data for an automated vehicle includes a camera, a lidar, and a controller. The camera renders an image of an object proximate to a host-vehicle. The lidar detects a distance and a direction to the object based on a reflected-signal of light reflected by the object. The controller is in communication with the camera and the lidar. The controller is configured to determine a reflectivity-characteristic of the object based on the image and the reflected-signal, and adjust a detection-characteristic of the lidar when the reflectivity-characteristic of the object makes it difficult for the lidar to detect the distance and the direction to the object.

Abstract: A tire-wear detection system for an automated vehicle includes a steering-angle-sensor, a vehicle-path-detector, and a controller. The steering-angle-sensor indicates a steering-angle of a host-vehicle. The vehicle-path-detector indicates a turning-radius of the host-vehicle. The controller is in communication with the steering-angle-sensor and the vehicle-path-detector. The controller determines a wear-status of a tire of the host-vehicle based on the turning-radius and the steering-angle.

Abstract: An operation-security system for an automated vehicle includes an object-detector and a controller. The object-detector includes at least three sensors. Each sensor is one of a camera used to determine an image-location of an object proximate to a host-vehicle, a lidar-unit used to determine a lidar-location of the object proximate to the host-vehicle, and a radar-unit used to determine a radar-location of the object proximate to the host-vehicle. The controller is in communication with the at least three sensors. The controller is configured to determine a composite-location based on a comparison of locations indicated by the at least three sensors. Information from one sensor is ignored when a respective location indicated by the one sensor differs from the composite-location by greater than an error-threshold. If a remote sensor not on the host-vehicle is used, V2V or V2I communications may be used to communicate a location to the host-vehicle.

Abstract: A steering-system for an automated vehicle is provided. The system includes an object-detector and a controller. The object-detector indicates a height and/or a width of an object approached by a host-vehicle. The controller is configured to steer the host-vehicle and is in communication with the object-detector. The controller steers the host-vehicle to straddle the object when the height of the object is less than a ground-clearance of the host-vehicle, and/or the width of the object is less than a track-width of the host-vehicle.

Abstract: A system for operating an autonomous vehicle includes a passenger-detector and a controller-circuit. The passenger-detector is operable to determine a passenger-count of passengers present in a host-vehicle. The controller-circuit is in communication with the passenger-detector and vehicle-controls of the host-vehicle. The controller-circuit is configured to operate the host-vehicle in an autonomous-mode and in accordance with a parameter. The parameter is set to an empty-value when passenger-count is equal to zero, and the parameter is set to an occupied-value different from the empty-value when the passenger count is greater than zero.

Abstract: A safe-to-proceed system (10) for operating an automated vehicle proximate to an intersection (14) includes an intersection-detector (18), a vehicle-detector (20), and a controller (24). The intersection-detector (18) is suitable for use on a host-vehicle (12). The intersection-detector (18) is used to determine when a host-vehicle (12) is proximate to an intersection (14). The vehicle-detector (20) is also suitable for use on the host-vehicle (12). The vehicle-detector (20) is used to estimate a stopping-distance (22) of an other-vehicle (16) approaching the intersection (14). The controller (24) is in communication with the intersection-detector (18) and the vehicle-detector (20). The controller (24) is configured to prevent the host-vehicle (12) from entering the intersection (14) when the stopping-distance (22) indicates that the other-vehicle (16) will enter the intersection (14) before stopping.

Abstract: A sensor data fusion system for a vehicle with multiple sensors includes a first-sensor, a second-sensor, and a controller-circuit. The first-sensor is configured to output a first-frame of data and a subsequent-frame of data indicative of objects present in a first-field-of-view. The first-frame is characterized by a first-time-stamp, the subsequent-frame of data characterized by a subsequent-time-stamp different from the first-time-stamp. The second-sensor is configured to output a second-frame of data indicative of objects present in a second-field-of-view that overlaps the first-field-of-view. The second-frame is characterized by a second-time-stamp temporally located between the first-time-stamp and the subsequent-time-stamp. The controller-circuit is configured to synthesize an interpolated-frame from the first-frame and the subsequent-frame. The interpolated-frame is characterized by an interpolated-time-stamp that corresponds to the second-time-stamp.

Abstract: A steering-system for an automated vehicle is provided. The system includes an object-detector and a controller. The object-detector indicates a height and/or a width of an object approached by a host-vehicle. The controller is configured to steer the host-vehicle and is in communication with the object-detector. The controller steers the host-vehicle to straddle the object when the height of the object is less than a ground-clearance of the host-vehicle, and/or the width of the object is less than a track-width of the host-vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicle perception sensor adjustment system includes a perception-sensor, a digital-map, and controller-circuit. The perception-sensor is configured to detect an object proximate to a host-vehicle. The perception-sensor is characterized as having a field-of-view that is adjustable. The digital-map indicates a contour of a roadway traveled by the host-vehicle. The controller-circuit in communication with the perception-sensor and the digital-map. The controller-circuit determines the field-of-view of the perception-sensor in accordance with the contour of the roadway indicated by the digital-map, and outputs a control-signal to the perception-sensor that adjusts the field-of-view of the perception-sensor.

Abstract: A brake control system for operating brakes of an automated vehicle at slow speed includes a motion-detector and a controller. The motion-detector detects relative-movement of a host-vehicle relative to a stationary-feature located apart from the host-vehicle. The controller is configured to operate brakes of the host-vehicle. The controller determines a vehicle-speed of the host-vehicle based on the relative-movement when the vehicle-speed is less than a speed-threshold, and regulates brake-pressure of the brakes based on the vehicle-speed.

Abstract: A rumble-strip following system for automated vehicle steering includes a vibration-detector, a steering-device, and a controller-circuit. The vibration-detector is configured to detect vibration experienced by a host-vehicle traveling a roadway. The steering-device is configured to steer the host-vehicle. The controller-circuit is in communication with the vibration-detector and the steering-device. The controller-circuit is configured to determine that the vibration is indicative of a tire of the host-vehicle contacting a rumble-strip arranged parallel to a heading of the roadway, and operate the steering-device so the tire follows the rumble-strip.

Abstract: A system for operating an automated vehicle in a crowd of pedestrians includes an object-detector, optionally, a signal detector, and a controller. The object-detector detects pedestrians proximate to a host-vehicle. The signal-detector detects a signal-state displayed by a traffic-signal that displays a stop-state that indicates when the host-vehicle should stop so the pedestrians can cross in front of the host-vehicle, and displays a go-state that indicates when the pedestrians should stop passing in front of the host-vehicle so that the host-vehicle can go forward. The controller is in control of movement of the host-vehicle and in communication with the object-detector and the signal-detector. The controller operates the host-vehicle to stop the host-vehicle when the stop-state is displayed, and operates the host-vehicle to creep-forward after a wait-interval after the traffic-signal changes to the go-state when the pedestrians fail to stop passing in front of the host-vehicle.

Abstract: An object classification system for an automated vehicle includes a lidar and/or a camera, and a controller. The controller determines a lidar-outline and/or a camera-outline of an object. Using the lidar, the controller determines a transparency-characteristic of the object based on instances of spot-distances from within the lidar-outline of the object that correspond to a backdrop-distance. Using the camera, the controller determines a transparency-characteristic of the object based on instances of pixel-color within the camera-outline that correspond to a backdrop-color. The transparency-characteristic may also be determined based on a combination of information from the lidar and the camera. The controller operates the host-vehicle to avoid the object when the transparency-characteristic is less than a transparency-threshold.

Abstract: A detection system includes a first-sensor, a second-sensor, and a controller. The first-sensor is mounted on a host-vehicle. The first-sensor detects objects in a first-field-of-view. The second-sensor is positioned at a second-location different than the first-location. The second-sensor detects objects in a second-field-of-view that at least partially overlaps the first-field of view. The controller is in communication with the first-sensor and the second-sensor. The controller selects the second-sensor to detect an object-of-interest in accordance with a determination that an obstruction blocks a first-line-of-sight between the first-sensor and the object-of-interest.