Abstract: An object recognition apparatus in a subject vehicle includes a radar unit for transmitting a plurality of laser beams in a scan range spread in horizontal and vertical directions of the subject vehicle and receiving a reflection, a recognition unit for recognizing the object in front of the subject vehicle based on the reflection, a determination sub-unit in the radar unit, a calculation sub-unit in the radar unit; and an adjustment sub-unit in the radar unit. The radar unit is so disposed in the subject vehicle with a center axis of one of the plurality of the laser beams aligned with a target angle that the determination sub-unit uses coverage in the vertical direction of the laser beam being sufficient for variation of heights of the reflector on the object at a first distance detected by the radar unit as the predetermined condition for selecting of the object.

Abstract: An object recognition apparatus for vehicles is provided which is equipped with a radar. The apparatus is designed to detect adhesion of any dirt to the radar which will disturbs emission of radar waves to and reception radar echoes from a target. When the number of radar waves is great which cause the times required by the radar waves to travel to and return from a target to be measured as being shorter than a predetermined period of time and the intensities of the radar returns to be greater than a predetermined value, it is determined that the dirt is adhered to the radar, thereby improving the accuracy of detecting the adhesion of dirt to the radar.

Abstract: An object recognition apparatus in a subject vehicle includes a radar unit for transmitting a plurality of laser beams in a scan range spread in horizontal and vertical directions of the subject vehicle and receiving a reflection, a recognition unit for recognizing the object in front of the subject vehicle based on the reflection, a determination sub-unit in the radar unit, a calculation sub-unit in the radar unit; and an adjustment sub-unit in the radar unit. The radar unit is so disposed in the subject vehicle with a center axis of one of the plurality of the laser beams aligned with a target angle that the determination sub-unit uses coverage in the vertical direction of the laser beam being sufficient for variation of heights of the reflector on the object at a first distance detected by the radar unit as the predetermined condition for selecting of the object.

Abstract: An object recognition apparatus for vehicles is provided which is equipped with a radar. The apparatus is designed to detect adhesion of any dirt to the radar which will disturbs emission of radar waves to and reception radar echoes from a target. When the number of radar waves is great which cause the times required by the radar waves to travel to and return from a target to be measured as being shorter than a predetermined period of time and the intensities of the radar returns to be greater than a predetermined value, it is determined that the dirt is adhered to the radar, thereby improving the accuracy of detecting the adhesion of dirt to the radar.

Abstract: A vehicle speed control system for controlling the speed of a controlled vehicle to follow a preceding vehicle detected at a constant interval is provided. In this system, when a preceding vehicle traveling ahead of the controlled vehicle is detected, it is checked if the preceding vehicle detected meets a given tracking condition. When the tracking condition is encountered, it is reported to a driver. The system is responsive to a manual operation of the driver after the driver has perceived that the preceding vehicle can be tracked to initiate constant inter-vehicle distance control.

Abstract: A position control device includes a fluid-operated directional control valve for controlling the position of the piston of a cylinder assembly under fluid pressure in response to a control signal from an electronic controller. The position of the piston is predicted based on the control signal. A position detector detects when the piston has actually reached a predetermined position. When it is detected that the piston has actually reached the predetermined position, the predicted position of the piston is corrected. The electronic controller applies a control signal to the directional control valve so that the predicted position as corrected will be equalized to a target position for the piston. The predetermined position is a substantially intermediate position of the stroke of the piston. The directional control valve comprises a solenoid-controlled valve for controlling the flow rate of the fluid depending on the magnitude of a current supplied to the solenoid-operated valve.

Abstract: A wheel slip control apparatus for prevention of excessive wheel-slip on acceleration of a vehicle, which includes an engine-output regulating actuator and a braking force regulating actuator. The wheel slip control apparatus comprises a braking force control unit coupled to the braking force regulating actuator and an engine output control unit coupled to the engine-output regulating actuator, which operate in response to the detection of the acceleration-slip occurring with respect to the driven-wheel. The braking force control unit calculates a reference control value of a braking force to be applied to the driven-wheel on the basis of a parameter representing a state of the driven-wheel so as to suppress the acceleration-slip and generates a brake control signal indicative of the calculated braking-force reference control value.

Abstract: A control apparatus for controlling the twisting amount of a stabilizer provided between left and right wheels of a vehicle in accordance with the vehicle running state. The control apparatus includes a hydraulic cylinder unit coupled between one end portion of the twistable stabilizer and one of the wheels and the cylinder unit has a cylinder body and a piston slidable therein to be expandable and contractable in accordance with movements of the piston. Also included in the apparatus is a hydraulic actuator comprising control valves and coupled to the cylinder unit to control a position of the piston, the position thereof corresponding to the twisting amount of the stabilizer and being detectable by a position sensor.

Abstract: In an automotive vehicle having a stabilizer connected to unspring members, a hydraulic stabilizer control system comprises a hydraulic cylinder unit interposed between the stabilizer and at least one of the unspring members; a road surface sensor for detecting a road surface condition, a speed sensor for detecting a speed of said automotive vehicle, and a steering sensor for detecting a steering angle of said automotive vehicle; and a controlling unit for controlling the hydraulic cylinder unit in accordance with outputs from the sensors. A roll of the vehicle is reduced by this hydraulic stabilizer control system even when the vehicle is turning on a rough road.

Abstract: Rotational speed of a vehicle wheel is detected. An actuator serves to brake the vehicle wheel. A braking condition of the actuator is derived. Speed of a vehicle is derived from the detected vehicle wheel speed and the derived braking condition of the actuator. The actuator is controlled in accordance with the detected vehicle wheel speed and the derived vehicle speed.

Abstract: In a speed control system for a vehicle, when a desired running speed of the vehicle is to be preset, the desired running speed of the vehicle is compared with the actual running speed so that when the resulting difference between the desired running speed and the actual running speed exceeds a predetermined range, the operation of presetting the desired running speed is limited.

Abstract: Disclosed is a hydraulic pressure control system for a motor vehicle which may be employed for anti-skid control. The control system comprises a wheel braking device for providing the brake for a wheel of the vehicle under hydraulic pressure, a braking pressure switching device for performing the switching operation at least between the increasing and decreasing of the hydraulic pressure applied to the wheel braking device, and a hydraulic pressure control unit for supplying a control signal to the braking pressure switching device at a predetermined interval so that the hydraulic pressure value to be applied to the wheel braking device becomes equal to a target hydraulic pressure value. The control unit compares the target hydraulic pressure value with first and second reference values which are obtained on the basis of an estimated hydraulic pressure value estimated to apply the wheel braking device and producing the control signal in accordance with the results of the comparison.

Abstract: A control system for discriminating the occurrence of fogging of the windscreen of a vehicle due to the deposition of water drops or the like from the degree of optical scattering and automatically starting and stopping the operation of a defogging apparatus according to the result of the discrimination. To prevent the defogging apparatus from being stopped undesirably due to an optical system being subjected to the effect of a disturbance light, the disturbance light is detected so that when the disturbance light exceeds a predetermined value, the defogging apparatus is maintained in operation.

Abstract: A novel constant-speed drive system for automotive vehicles is disclosed, in which in response to an instruction for constant-speed drive while the vehicle is under acceleration, it is decided whether the vehicle acceleration at that particular time is higher than a predetermined value, and in accordance with the result of this decision, the change rate of the opening of the throttle valve is determined by use of an equation in which the value of a factor is set accordingly. In the case where the acceleration is comparatively high, the value of the factor may be changed to improve the responsiveness of the change rate of the opening of the throttle valve with the change in vehicle speed, thus making it possible to fully prevent the overshoot of the running vehicle speed.

Abstract: An ignition system for controlling the distribution of ignition signals among a plurality of cylinders of a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine. An ignition timing signal and a BCD code signal obtained by counting (3) the cylinder discrimination signal generated at predetermined intervals of crank angle in accordance with the engine speed and a default signal produced at the time of a trouble with the ignition system are applied to a distribution ROM (5). The ROM, in turn, applies an ignition timing signal to each cylinder on the basis of stored data in accordance with the combination of these input signals. A fixed-position ignition is established at the time of a trouble.

Abstract: A control method performed in response to the occurrence of an abnormal sensor output during the operation of monitoring the output signal of a sensor and controlling the operation of an automobile device such as a wiper. A microcomputer detects the presence or absence of an abnormal value of the sensor output signal converted to digital form so that when the abnormal value is detected, the operation of the automobile device is selectively controlled in accordance with an engine operating condition indicative signal applied to the microcomputer.

Abstract: A static discharge device for preventing an electrostatic shock comprising a conductive body to be grounded to the ground body, a resistance element contacting with the conductive body and having a resistance value to restrict a current value when the conductive body is contact with the ground body by the person, and an insulating material provided between the conductive body and the contacting portion held by the person so as to elongate a creeping distance between the conductive body and the human body.

Abstract: A periodic signal detecting circuit including a comparator compares a threshold voltage varying with a time constant and an engine speed signal from an electromagnetic pickup coil so as to generate an output. The time constant is varied in accordance with the switching operation of a diode switch which is turned on and off in accordance with the comparator output. When the switch is in off condition, the threshold voltage is varied with the time constant which is changed successively.

Abstract: A system for controlling the primary current of an ignition coil using a constant current signal having a calculation device to produce a signal for controlling the ON period of the primary current of the ignition coil, wherein a correction calculation device is provided to calculate the corrected value of the constant current period of the ignition coil.