Abstract: A cross traffic detection system suitable for use on an automated vehicle includes an object-detector, an alert-device, and a controller. The object detector is used to determine locations of moving objects relative to a host vehicle. The alert device is used to alert an operator of the host vehicle to the location of the moving objects. The controller is in communication with the object detector and the alert device. The controller determines a first trail of a first moving object based on the locations of the first moving object, and determines a road model based on a polynomial of the first trail. The controller also determines a second trail of a second moving object, assigns a lane number to the second moving object based on the road model, and activates the alert device when the path of the second moving object resides in the lane-number overlain by a conflict zone.

Abstract: A trailer detection system is configured to determine a presence of a trailer towed by a host-vehicle. The system includes a camera and a controller. The camera is used to capture an image of an area behind a host vehicle. The controller is in communication with the camera. The controller is used to detect a position of an edge in the image and determine that the edge is associated with a trailer towed by the host vehicle when the position of the edge moves less than a movement threshold.

Abstract: A lane-change system suitable for use on an automated-vehicle includes a camera, a ranging-device, and a controller. The camera is used to detect an image of a lane-marking on a roadway traveled by a host-vehicle. The ranging-device is used to determine a distance and a direction from the host-vehicle to an other-vehicle proximate to the host-vehicle. The controller is in communication with the camera and the ranging-device. The controller is configured to control a lane-change by the host-vehicle in accordance with the image when the lane-marking is detected, and control the lane-change in accordance with the distance and the direction to the other-vehicle when the lane-marking is not detected.

Abstract: A trailer-detection system includes a radar sensor, an angle detector, a camera, and a controller. The radar sensor is used to determine a range and an azimuth angle of a radar signal reflected by a trailer towed by a host-vehicle. The angle-detector is used to determine a trailer angle relative to the host vehicle of the trailer towed by the host vehicle. The camera is used to detect a lane marking of a roadway traveled by the host vehicle and trailer. The controller is in communication with the radar sensor, the angle detector, and the camera. The controller is configured to determine when the trailer is departing from a travel lane of the roadway based on the radar signal, the trailer angle, and the lane marking.

Abstract: A trailer-identification system is configured to identify a trailer towed by a host-vehicle. The system includes a camera and a controller. The camera is used to capture an image of a trailer towed by a host-vehicle. The controller is in communication with the camera and is configured to detect a character on the trailer, identify a trailer-model of the trailer based on the character, and adjust a blind-zone proximate to the host-vehicle based on the trailer-model.

Abstract: A trailer-detection system includes a radar-sensor, a camera, and a controller. The radar-sensor is used to determine a range, and an azimuth-angle, of a radar-signal reflected by a feature of trailer towed by a host-vehicle. The camera is used to capture an image of the trailer. The controller is in communication with the radar-sensor and the camera. The controller is configured to determine a position in the image of a viewable-feature of the trailer, determine a trailer-width and a trailer-height of the trailer based on the position and a range and azimuth-angle to the viewable-feature indicated by the radar-sensor, and optionally determine the trailer-length based on the range and azimuth-angle of the radar-signal reflected by a hidden-feature.

Abstract: A vehicle video display verification system, comprising a camera carried by the vehicle; a display unit positioned in the vehicle displaying images captured by said camera; a verification sensor monitoring the status of image information from said camera being displayed on said display unit; and, a video control unit receiving said image information from said camera and outputting said image information to said display unit, and receiving feedback information from said verification sensor; wherein said video control unit records said image information from said camera and said feedback information from said verification sensor for establishing confirmation of an image display status on said display unit in the event of a vehicle accident.

Abstract: A trailer-detection system includes a radar-sensor and a controller. The radar-sensor is used to determine a range, an azimuth-angle, and an elevation-angle of a radar-signal reflected by a trailer towed by a host-vehicle. The controller is in communication with the radar-sensor. The controller is configured to determine a size of the trailer towed by the host-vehicle based on the range, the azimuth-angle, and the elevation-angle of the radar-signal.

Abstract: A trailer-detection system includes a radar-sensor, an angle-detector, and a controller. The radar-sensor is used to detect an other-vehicle present in a blind-zone proximate to the host-vehicle. The angle-detector is used to determine a trailer-angle relative to a host-vehicle of a trailer being towed by the host-vehicle. The controller is in communication with the angle-detector and the radar-sensor. The controller is configured to determine a trailer-presence of the trailer based on the radar-signal and the trailer-angle.

Abstract: A blind-spot detection system includes an angle-detector, a radar-sensor, and a controller. The angle-sensor is used to determine a trailer-angle relative to a host-vehicle of a trailer being towed by the host-vehicle. The radar-sensor is used to detect an other-vehicle present in a blind-zone proximate to the host-vehicle. The controller is in communication with the angle-detector and the radar-sensor. The controller is configured to adjust a sensing-boundary that defines the blind-zone based on the trailer-angle.

Abstract: An environmental sensing system relating to vehicle lane position includes first and second sensors respectively configured to provide first and second signals indicative of a vehicle lane position. A steering system achieves a desired lane position in response to a command from a controller to keep the vehicle in its lane, for example, during autonomous control of the vehicle. The controller uses the first signal if the first sensor provides a desired lane marker confidence. The controller switches to the second sensor and uses the second signal if the first sensor cannot provide the desired lane marker confidence and the second sensor can provide the desired lane marker confidence.

Abstract: A warning system for an automated vehicle includes an object-detector, a location-detector, a transceiver, and a controller. The object-detector is used to determine a separation-distance to a target-vehicle from a host-vehicle. The location-detector is used to provide global-positioning-system-coordinates (GPS-coordinates) of the target-vehicle. The transceiver is used to transmit a proximity-warning to the target-vehicle. The controller is in communication with the object-detector, the location-detector, and the transceiver. The controller is configured to operate the transceiver to transmit the proximity-warning when the separation-distance between the host-vehicle and the target-vehicle is less than a distance-threshold. The proximity-warning includes the GPS-coordinates of the target-vehicle and the separation-distance.

Abstract: A warning system for an automated vehicle includes an object-detector, a location-detector, a transceiver, and a controller. The object-detector is used to determine a separation-distance to a target-vehicle from a host-vehicle. The location-detector is used to provide global-positioning-system-coordinates (GPS-coordinates) of the target-vehicle. The transceiver is used to transmit a proximity-warning to the target-vehicle. The controller is in communication with the object-detector, the location-detector, and the transceiver. The controller is configured to operate the transceiver to transmit the proximity-warning when the separation-distance between the host-vehicle and the target-vehicle is less than a distance-threshold. The proximity-warning includes the GPS-coordinates of the target-vehicle and the separation-distance.

Abstract: An environmental sensing system relating to vehicle lane position includes first and second sensors respectively configured to provide first and second signals indicative of a vehicle lane position. A steering system achieves a desired lane position in response to a command from a controller to keep the vehicle in its lane, for example, during autonomous control of the vehicle. The controller uses the first signal if the first sensor provides a desired lane marker confidence. The controller switches to the second sensor and uses the second signal if the first sensor cannot provide the desired lane marker confidence and the second sensor can provide the desired lane marker confidence.

Abstract: A steering-control system for 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 approaching the host-vehicle, and to detect a stationary-object that defines a roadway traveled by the host-vehicle. The controller is in communication with the object-detector and adapted to operate the host-vehicle. The controller is configured to steer the host-vehicle towards a centered-position of a travel-lane of the roadway when a projected-path of the other-vehicle approaches the host-vehicle to a minimum-distance between the other-vehicle and the host-vehicle greater than a distance-threshold. The controller is also configured to steer the host-vehicle towards a biased-position of the travel-lane to increase the minimum-distance when the projected-path approaches the host-vehicle to less than the distance-threshold if the host-vehicle remains in the centered-position.

Abstract: A steering-control system for 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 approaching the host-vehicle, and to detect a stationary-object that defines a roadway traveled by the host-vehicle. The controller is in communication with the object-detector and adapted to operate the host-vehicle. The controller is configured to steer the host-vehicle towards a centered-position of a travel-lane of the roadway when a projected-path of the other-vehicle approaches the host-vehicle to a minimum-distance between the other-vehicle and the host-vehicle greater than a distance-threshold. The controller is also configured to steer the host-vehicle towards a biased-position of the travel-lane to increase the minimum-distance when the projected-path approaches the host-vehicle to less than the distance-threshold if the host-vehicle remains in the centered-position.

Abstract: A lane-keeping system suitable for use on an automated vehicle includes a camera, an inertial-measurement-unit, and a controller. The camera is configured to detect a lane-marking of a roadway traveled by a vehicle. The inertial-measurement-unit is configured to determine relative-motion of the vehicle. The controller in communication with the camera and the inertial-measurement-unit. When the lane-marking is detected the controller is configured to steer the vehicle towards a centerline of the roadway based on a last-position, and determine an offset-vector indicative of motion of the vehicle relative to the centerline of the roadway.

Abstract: A vehicle video display verification system, comprising a camera carried by the vehicle; a display unit positioned in the vehicle displaying images captured by said camera; a verification sensor monitoring the status of image information from said camera being displayed on said display unit; and, a video control unit receiving said image information from said camera and outputting said image information to said display unit, and receiving feedback information from said verification sensor; wherein said video control unit records said image information from said camera and said feedback information from said verification sensor for establishing confirmation of an image display status on said display unit in the event of a vehicle accident.