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 navigation system for an automated vehicle includes a receiver, a three-dimensional-model (3D-model), and a controller. The receiver detects signals from satellites for determining a location of a host-vehicle on a digital-map. The 3D-model depicts objects in an area proximate the host-vehicle. The controller is in communication with the receiver and the 3D-model. The controller ignores a signal of a satellite detected by the receiver when the satellite is determined to be hidden by an object in the 3D-model.

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 sensor-control system for operating an automated vehicle includes a first sensor, a second sensor, and a controller. The first sensor is used to detect objects proximate to a host-vehicle. The first sensor is characterized by a first-sensing-technology. The second sensor is used to detect objects proximate to the host-vehicle. The second sensor is characterized by a second-sensing-technology different from the first-sensing-technology. The controller is in communication with the first sensor and the second sensor. A location of an object detected by the first-sensor is used to select a field-of-view of the second-sensor.

Abstract: A crosswalk navigation system for operating an automated vehicle in an intersection includes an intersection-detector, a pedestrian-detector, and a controller. The intersection-detector is suitable for use on a host-vehicle. The intersection-detector is used to determine when the host-vehicle is proximate to an intersection and determine when the intersection includes a cross-walk. The pedestrian-detector is suitable for use on the host-vehicle. The pedestrian-detector is used to determine a motion-vector of a pedestrian relative to the cross-walk. The controller is in communication with the intersection-detector and the pedestrian-detector.

Abstract: A sensor-control system for operating an automated vehicle includes a first sensor, a second sensor, and a controller. The first sensor is used to detect objects proximate to a host-vehicle. The first sensor is characterized by a first-sensing-technology. The second sensor is used to detect objects proximate to the host-vehicle. The second sensor is characterized by a second-sensing-technology different from the first-sensing-technology. The controller is in communication with the first sensor and the second sensor. A location of an object detected by the first-sensor is used to select a field-of-view of the second-sensor.

Abstract: A driving-rule system suitable to operate an automated includes a vehicle-detector and a controller. The vehicle-detector is suitable for use on a host-vehicle. The vehicle-detector is used to detect movement of an other-vehicle proximate to the host-vehicle. The controller is in communication with the vehicle-detector. The controller is configured to operate the host-vehicle in accordance with a driving-rule, detect an observed-deviation of the driving-rule by the other-vehicle, and modify the driving-rule based on the observed-deviation.

Abstract: An escape-path-planning system to operate an automated vehicle includes an object-detector and a controller. The object-detector is suitable for use on a host-vehicle. The object-detector is used to detect an other-vehicle in an adjacent-lane next to a present-lane traveled by the host-vehicle. The controller is in communication with the object-detector. The controller is configured to, in response to a lane-change-request, determine a first-route-plan that steers the host-vehicle from the present-lane to the adjacent-lane, determine a second-route-plan that steers the host-vehicle into the present-lane, initiate the first-route-plan when a forecasted-distance between the other-vehicle and the host-vehicle is greater than a distance-threshold, and cancel the first-route-plan and select the second-route-plan when the forecasted-distance between the other-vehicle and the host-vehicle becomes less than the distance-threshold after the first-route-plan is initiated.

Abstract: A scenario aware perception system suitable for use on an automated vehicle includes a traffic-scenario detector, an object-detection device, and a controller. The traffic-scenario detector is used to detect a present-scenario experienced by a host-vehicle. The object-detection device is used to detect an object proximate to the host-vehicle. The controller is in communication with the traffic-scenario detector and the object-detection device. The controller configured to determine a preferred-algorithm used to identify the object. The preferred-algorithm is determined based on the present-scenario.

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: An acceleration management system for operating an automated vehicle includes a navigation-device, an object-detector, and a controller. The navigation-device is used to determine a travel-path of a host-vehicle. The object-detector is used to determine when an other-vehicle will intersect the travel-path of the host-vehicle. The controller is in communication with the object-detector and the navigation-device. The controller is configured to select an acceleration-profile for the host-vehicle that avoids interference with the other-vehicle, and operate the host-vehicle in accordance with the acceleration-profile.

Abstract: A lane management system for operating an automated vehicle includes a navigation-device, a vehicle-detector, and a controller suitable for use on a host-vehicle. The navigation-device is used to determine a preferred-route to a destination of the host-vehicle. The vehicle-detector is used to determine a relative-location of an other-vehicle proximate to the host-vehicle. The controller is in communication with the navigation-device and the vehicle-detector. The controller is configured to determine an alternate-route when the relative-location is such that a preferred-lane of the preferred-route is obstructed whereby the host-vehicle is unable to follow the preferred-route. Alternatively, the controller is configured to determine an initiate-time to perform a lane-change necessary to maneuver the host-vehicle into a preferred-lane of the preferred-route so the host-vehicle can follow the preferred-route, wherein the initiate-time is determined based on the relative-location.

Abstract: A map-data update system suitable for use by automated vehicles includes a digital-map, an imager-device, and a controller. The digital-map is used to indicate an expected-position of a traffic-signal relative to a map-location of a host-vehicle. The imager-device is suitable to install on the host-vehicle. The imager-device is used to determine an actual-position of the traffic-signal relative to a present-location of the host-vehicle. The controller is in communication with the digital-map and the imager-device. The controller issues an update-request to update the digital-map when the actual-position differs from the expected-position by greater than an error-threshold.

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

Abstract: A crosswalk navigation system for operating an automated vehicle in an intersection includes an intersection-detector, a pedestrian-detector, and a controller. The intersection-detector is suitable for use on a host-vehicle. The intersection-detector is used to determine when the host-vehicle is proximate to an intersection and determine when the intersection includes a cross-walk. The pedestrian-detector is suitable for use on the host-vehicle. The pedestrian-detector is used to determine a motion-vector of a pedestrian relative to the cross-walk. The controller is in communication with the intersection-detector and the pedestrian-detector.

Abstract: An escape-path-planning system to operate an automated vehicle includes an object-detector and a controller. The object-detector is suitable for use on a host-vehicle. The object-detector is used to detect an other-vehicle in an adjacent-lane next to a present-lane traveled by the host-vehicle. The controller is in communication with the object-detector. The controller is configured to, in response to a lane-change-request, determine a first-route-plan that steers the host-vehicle from the present-lane to the adjacent-lane, determine a second-route-plan that steers the host-vehicle into the present-lane, initiate the first-route-plan when a forecasted-distance between the other-vehicle and the host-vehicle is greater than a distance-threshold, and cancel the first-route-plan and select the second-route-plan when the forecasted-distance between the other-vehicle and the host-vehicle becomes less than the distance-threshold after the first-route-plan is initiated.

Abstract: A driving-rule system suitable to operate an automated includes a vehicle-detector and a controller. The vehicle-detector is suitable for use on a host-vehicle. The vehicle-detector is used to detect movement of an other-vehicle proximate to the host-vehicle. The controller is in communication with the vehicle-detector. The controller is configured to operate the host-vehicle in accordance with a driving-rule, detect an observed-deviation of the driving-rule by the other-vehicle, and modify the driving-rule based on the observed-deviation.

Abstract: An intent-indication system includes an intersection-detector, a vehicle-detector, and a controller. The intersection-detector is suitable for use on a host-vehicle. The intersection-detector is used to determine that the host-vehicle is stopped at an intersection. The vehicle-detector is also suitable for use on the host-vehicle. The vehicle-detector is used to detect a presence of an other-vehicle proximate to the intersection. The controller is in communication with the intersection-detector and the vehicle-detector. The controller is configured to operate host-headlights of the host-vehicle to provide an indication of intent of the host-vehicle to the other-vehicle when the host-vehicle and the other-vehicle have been stopped at the intersection for more than a time-threshold.

Abstract: A route-planning system suitable for use on an automated vehicle includes a memory and a controller. The memory is used to store map-data indicative of a plurality of possible-routes to a destination. Each possible-route is characterized by a difficulty-score. The controller is in communication with the memory. The controller is operable to select from the memory a preferred-route from the plurality of possible-routes. The preferred-route is selected based on the difficulty-score.

Abstract: A scenario aware perception system suitable for use on an automated vehicle includes a traffic-scenario detector, an object-detection device, and a controller. The traffic-scenario detector is used to detect a present-scenario experienced by a host-vehicle. The object-detection device is used to detect an object proximate to the host-vehicle. The controller is in communication with the traffic-scenario detector and the object-detection device. The controller configured to determine a preferred-algorithm used to identify the object. The preferred-algorithm is determined based on the present-scenario.