Abstract: This convoy travel control apparatus includes: a communication portion; a travel control portion; and a joining control portion, wherein when an own vehicle is travelling in convoy, if the communication portion has received, from an independent vehicle not incorporated in group of convoy vehicles travelling in convoy, request information to incorporate the independent vehicle into the group of convoy vehicles, then the joining control portion determines a positional relationship between a position of the group of convoy vehicles and a position of the independent vehicle, and wherein according to the determined positional relationship, then the joining control portion exercises control, which is for incorporating the independent vehicle into the group of convoy vehicles, on the group of convoy vehicles via the communication portion.

Abstract: A drive control apparatus includes: an inter-vehicle distance sensor configured to detect an inter-vehicle distance D of an own vehicle and a preceding vehicle; an inter-vehicle distance arithmetic unit; a follow driving control unit configured to perform control of acceleration or deceleration of the vehicle such that the inter-vehicle distance D coincides with a target inter-vehicle distance Dtr; a camera configured to detect the number of lanes N of a road L; an image processing unit; and a lane number determining unit. The follow driving control unit performs control of acceleration or deceleration at a maximum acceleration or deceleration Gmax according to the number of lanes N.

Abstract: A convoy travel control apparatus includes: a communication portion; a travel control portion; and a joining control portion, wherein when an own vehicle is travelling in convoy while being incorporated in a group of convoy vehicles travelling in convoy, if the communication portion has received, from an independent vehicle not incorporated in the group of convoy vehicles travelling in convoy, request information to incorporate the independent vehicle into the group of convoy vehicles, then the joining control portion determines a positional relationship between a position of the group of convoy vehicles and a position of the independent vehicle, and wherein if the independent vehicle is travelling along a side of the group of convoy vehicles, then in order to incorporate the independent vehicle into the group of convoy vehicles, the joining control portion exercises control on the group of convoy vehicles via the communication portion.

Abstract: A drive control apparatus includes: an inter-vehicle distance sensor configured to detect an inter-vehicle distance D of an own vehicle and a preceding vehicle; an inter-vehicle distance arithmetic unit; a follow driving control unit configured to perform control of acceleration or deceleration of the vehicle such that the inter-vehicle distance D coincides with a target inter-vehicle distance Dtr; a camera configured to detect the number of lanes N of a road L; an image processing unit; and a lane number determining unit. The follow driving control unit performs control of acceleration or deceleration at a maximum acceleration or deceleration Gmax according to the number of lanes N.

Abstract: A convoy travel control apparatus includes: a communication portion; a travel control portion; and a joining control portion, wherein when an own vehicle is travelling in convoy while being incorporated in a group of convoy vehicles travelling in convoy, if the communication portion has received, from an independent vehicle not incorporated in the group of convoy vehicles travelling in convoy, request information to incorporate the independent vehicle into the group of convoy vehicles, then the joining control portion determines a positional relationship between a position of the group of convoy vehicles and a position of the independent vehicle, and wherein if the independent vehicle is travelling along a side of the group of convoy vehicles, then in order to incorporate the independent vehicle into the group of convoy vehicles, the joining control portion exercises control on the group of convoy vehicles via the communication portion.

Abstract: This convoy travel control apparatus includes: a communication portion; a travel control portion; and a joining control portion, wherein when an own vehicle is travelling in convoy, if the communication portion has received, from an independent vehicle not incorporated in group of convoy vehicles travelling in convoy, request information to incorporate the independent vehicle into the group of convoy vehicles, then the joining control portion determines a positional relationship between a position of the group of convoy vehicles and a position of the independent vehicle, and wherein according to the determined positional relationship, then the joining control portion exercises control, which is for incorporating the independent vehicle into the group of convoy vehicles, on the group of convoy vehicles via the communication portion.

Abstract: A yaw rate detection apparatus includes: a vehicle yaw rate detection device detecting a yaw rate of a vehicle to output a detection value thereof; a right-wheel and left-wheel speed detection device detecting at least speeds of right and left wheels to output detection values thereof; a wheel speed yaw rate calculation device calculating a wheel speed yaw rate from the detection values of the speeds of the right and left wheels; a turning correction coefficient calculation device calculating a turning correction coefficient based on an amount of turning associated with a turning operation within a predetermined time in which the detection value of the vehicle yaw rate deviates due to a temperature change; and a vehicle yaw rate correction device correcting the detection value of the vehicle yaw rate based on the detection value of the vehicle yaw rate, the wheel speed yaw rate and the turning correction coefficient.

Abstract: A yaw rate detection apparatus includes: a vehicle yaw rate detection device detecting a yaw rate of a vehicle to output a detection value thereof; a right-wheel and left-wheel speed detection device detecting at least speeds of right and left wheels to output detection values thereof; a wheel speed yaw rate calculation device calculating a wheel speed yaw rate from the detection values of the speeds of the right and left wheels; a turning correction coefficient calculation device calculating a turning correction coefficient based on an amount of turning associated with a turning operation within a predetermined time in which the detection value of the vehicle yaw rate deviates due to a temperature change; and a vehicle yaw rate correction device correcting the detection value of the vehicle yaw rate based on the detection value of the vehicle yaw rate, the wheel speed yaw rate and the turning correction coefficient.

Abstract: In a control system for an internal combustion engine having a plurality of cylinders and mounted on a vehicle, in which the engine operation is switched based on the throttle opening between a full-cylinder operation in which all of the cylinders are operative and a cut-off cylinder operation in which some of the cylinders are inoperative, and a running control including at least a cruise control in which the vehicle runs at a desired vehicle velocity is conducted, the engine operation is switched to the full-cylinder operation when it is determined that deceleration is required in the running control, so as to increase pumping loss (engine loss). With this, it becomes possible to generate the deceleration sufficiently as desired, when, for example, the vehicle descends a downhill.

Abstract: In a control system for an internal combustion engine having a plurality of cylinders and mounted on a vehicle, in which the engine operation is switched based on the throttle opening between a full-cylinder operation in which all of the cylinders are operative and a cut-off cylinder operation in which some of the cylinders are inoperative, and a running control including at least a cruise control in which the vehicle runs at a desired vehicle velocity is conducted, the engine operation is switched to the full-cylinder operation when it is determined that deceleration is required in the running control, so as to increase pumping loss (engine loss). With this, it becomes possible to generate the deceleration sufficiently as desired, when, for example, the vehicle descends a downhill.

Abstract: An object detecting system for a vehicle detects an object based on output data from a distance sensor mounted on the vehicle. The distance sensor is capable of detecting a distance between the subject vehicle and the object along longitudinal and lateral directions of the subject vehicle. The output data from the distance sensor is associated on XY coordinates having a Y axis indicative of the longitudinal direction of the subject vehicle and an X axis indicative of the lateral direction with the respect to the subject vehicle in a coordinate developing device. The number of output data from the distance sensor which are located in a plurality of cells, defined by dividing the XY coordinates at predetermined distances in the X-axis and Y-axis directions and the XY coordinates for every cell, are output as cell information from a cell dividing device.

Abstract: In a vehicle including a distance sensor capable of detecting longitudinal and lateral distances from a subject vehicle to an object, the following steps are carried out: a step of enclosing some of the detection data, detected by the distance sensor, which exist within a first predetermined distance from one another, into a block having a block label assigned thereto, a step of comparing last and current values of the center of gravity position of each block with each other for every same block label to calculate a relative speed of each block relative to the subject vehicle, a step of determining object data by determining that some of the blocks, which exist within a second predetermined distance from one another and a difference between the relative speeds of which is within a preset value, are the same object, and a step of averaging lateral relative speeds of the blocks in the same object to determine a lateral relative speed of the object relative to the subject vehicle.

Abstract: A scanning type laser radar system for a vehicle includes a laser beam source, a mirror for forming a beam directed forwardly by reflection of laser beam from the laser beam source, a driving device for driving the mirror for turning movement about an axis vertical to a road surface to laterally scan the beam from the mirror, and a light receiver for receiving beam reflected from an object. In the laser radar system, the reflectance of upper and lower portions of the mirror is set at a value lower than that of a vertically middle portion of the mirror, or the mirror is formed into a shape such that its upper and lower portions are inclined toward the laser beam source. Thus, it is possible to avoid the unnecessary detection of a matter other than an object to be detected to the utmost.