Abstract: An image processing system includes an image sensor that picks up a front-view image in front of an own vehicle. Image processing regions are set to cover on the front-view image, picked up by the image sensor, various portions one after another, which narrow, in area, with different positions in a direction remote from the own vehicle. A feature is extracted out of image processing a portion of the front-view image covered by the image processing regions. The extracted feature is used for vehicle detection.

Abstract: A vehicle image processing device is configured and arranged to capture an image of an area in front of a host vehicle in which the vehicle image processing device is installed and process only a small portion of the captured image to determine if an actual preceding vehicle is present in front of the host vehicle based on behavior information of the host vehicle. Based on the behavior information of the vehicle, the vehicle image processing device estimates a potential preceding vehicle position in front of the host vehicle. Then, based on the predicted potential preceding vehicle position, the vehicle image processing device sets an image processing region of the image captured. The vehicle image processing device then processes the image within only the image processing region top detect if an actual preceding vehicle is present in front of the host vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicle obstacle verification system and method is provided to improve the precision in which preceding objects are identified as being a potential obstacle to a host vehicle. The obstacle verification system (1, 2) uses at least two verification methods to make preliminary determinations as to whether a preceding object will become an obstacle in the future. The obstacle verification system (1, 2) also determines the precision of the verification results obtained with each of the verification methods. Additionally, the obstacle verification system (1, 2) calculates a verification result obtained using a verification method tailored to the traveling scene, the calculation being based on the verification results obtained using the plurality of verification methods, and makes a final determination as to whether the preceding object will become an obstacle based on the calculated verification result and the previously determined precisions.

Abstract: The in-lane running support system includes a steering input device and a steering input detector. The in-lane running support system further comprises a reaction force device that changes a condition of the steering input device between a normal operation mode that provides a normal reaction force to the driver, and a hapthic operation mode that performs a notification operation to the driver, a turning output device that is in a state mechanically disconnected from the steering input device and that turns steerable wheels, and a turning output controller. A running state detecting device acquires information of a running state of the vehicle with respect to a lane.

Abstract: In obstacle detection apparatus and method for an automotive vehicle, an image fetching section fetches a situation of a forward detection zone in a form of an image, a noticeable object outputting section outputs a positional information of an object to be noticeable for the vehicle, and an image processing section performs an image processing for a region of the image fetching section on the basis of an output of the noticeable object outputting section to detect the object, the image processing section including a first technique mainly to detect the position of the object and a second technique mainly to track the object, the second technique detecting the object when the object detection by means of the first technique becomes not enabled to be carried out.

Abstract: A vehicle external recognition system is provided with: a relative position detecting section detecting an object ahead of a vehicle as a detected object to detect a relative position relationship between the detected object and the vehicle, a relative velocity calculating section calculating a relative velocity between the detected object and the vehicle based on the relative position relationship detected by the relative position detecting section by using an initial value that is preset, a vehicle velocity detecting section detecting a velocity of the vehicle, and a motion attribute discriminating section discriminating a motion attribute, indicative of a motion state of the detected object, based on the relative velocity calculated by the relative velocity calculating section and the velocity detected by the vehicle velocity detecting section.

Abstract: A vehicle obstacle verification system and method is provided to improve the precision in which preceding objects are identified as being a potential obstacle to a host vehicle. The obstacle verification system (1, 2) uses at least two verification methods to make preliminary determinations as to whether a preceding object will become an obstacle in the future. The obstacle verification system (1, 2) also determines the precision of the verification results obtained with each of the verification methods. Additionally, the obstacle verification system (1, 2) calculates a verification result obtained using a verification method tailored to the traveling scene, the calculation being based on the verification results obtained using the plurality of verification methods, and makes a final determination as to whether the preceding object will become an obstacle based on the calculated verification result and the previously determined precisions.

Abstract: In obstacle detection apparatus and method for an automotive vehicle, a first importance as obstacle representing a possibility that a selected object becomes an obstacle for the vehicle is calculated, a second importance as obstacle representing a possibility that the object under a tracking becomes the obstacle for the vehicle is calculated, a determination of whether the selected object is the same as that under the tracking is made, and the object which is tracked at the image processing object tracking is selected on the basis of the first importance as obstacle and the second importance as obstacle when determining that the selected object is not the same as that under the tracking.

Abstract: An image processing system includes an image sensor that picks up a front-view image in front of an own vehicle. Image processing regions are set to cover on the front-view image, picked up by the image sensor, various portions one after another, which narrow, in area, with different positions in a direction remote from the own vehicle. A feature is extracted out of image processing a portion of the front-view image covered by the image processing regions. The extracted feature is used for vehicle detection.

Abstract: A vehicle image processing device is configured and arranged to capture an image of an area in front of a host vehicle in which the vehicle image processing device is installed and process only a small portion of the captured image to determine if an actual preceding vehicle is present in front of the host vehicle based on behavior information of the host vehicle. Based on the behavior information of the vehicle, the vehicle image processing device estimates a potential preceding vehicle position in front of the host vehicle. Then, based on the predicted potential preceding vehicle position, the vehicle image processing device sets an image processing region of the image captured. The vehicle image processing device then processes the image within only the image processing region top detect if an actual preceding vehicle is present in front of the host vehicle.

Abstract: In obstacle detection apparatus and method for an automotive vehicle, an image fetching section fetches a situation of a forward detection zone in a form of an image, a noticeable object outputting section outputs a positional information of an object to be noticeable for the vehicle, and an image processing section performs an image processing for a region of the image fetching section on the basis of an output of the noticeable object outputting section to detect the object, the image processing section including a first technique mainly to detect the position of the object and a second technique mainly to track the object, the second technique detecting the object when the object detection by means of the first technique becomes not enabled to be carried out.

Abstract: In obstacle detection apparatus and method for an automotive vehicle, a first importance as obstacle representing a possibility that a selected object becomes an obstacle for the vehicle is calculated, a second importance as obstacle representing a possibility that the object under a tracking becomes the obstacle for the vehicle is calculated, a determination of whether the selected object is the same as that under the tracking is made, and the object which is tracked at the image processing object tracking is selected on the basis of the first importance as obstacle and the second importance as obstacle when determining that the selected object is not the same as that under the tracking.

Abstract: A vehicle external recognition system is provided with: a relative position detecting section detecting an object ahead of a vehicle as a detected object to detect a relative position relationship between the detected object and the vehicle, a relative velocity calculating section calculating a relative velocity between the detected object and the vehicle based on the relative position relationship detected by the relative position detecting section by using an initial value that is preset, a vehicle velocity detecting section detecting a velocity of the vehicle, and a motion attribute discriminating section discriminating a motion attribute, indicative of a motion state of the detected object, based on the relative velocity calculated by the relative velocity calculating section and the velocity detected by the vehicle velocity detecting section.

Abstract: In a vehicular velocity controlling system and method, a vehicular velocity control is performed in such a manner that an inter-vehicle distance of a host vehicle to a preceding vehicle is substantially made equal to a target inter-vehicle distance during a presence of the preceding vehicle and in such a manner that the vehicular velocity is substantially made equal to a set vehicular velocity during an absence of the preceding vehicle, a frictional coefficient of a road surface on which the host vehicle is running or about to run is detected, an upper limit value for the vehicular velocity control is set in accordance with the detected road surface frictional coefficient, below the upper limit value of which the vehicular velocity control is enabled to be performed in such a manner that as the road surface frictional coefficient becomes lower, the upper limit value becomes lower.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a first actuating system having an automatic steering actuator to bring the front wheel steer angle to a calculated target front wheel steer angle for lane keeping, and a second actuating system such as a front and rear roll stiffness distribution control system, a front and rear driving force distribution control system, a rear wheel steering system, and a differential limiting force control system. By controlling the second actuating system in accordance with the automatic steering operation, a control unit adjusts the steering characteristic of the vehicle in a direction to improve the yawing response or in a direction to improve the running stability.

Abstract: In a vehicular velocity controlling system and method, a vehicular velocity control is performed in such a manner that an inter-vehicle distance of a host vehicle to a preceding vehicle is substantially made equal to a target inter-vehicle distance during a presence of the preceding vehicle and in such a manner that the vehicular velocity is substantially made equal to a set vehicular velocity during an absence of the preceding vehicle, a frictional coefficient of a road surface on which the host vehicle is running or about to run is detected, an upper limit value for the vehicular velocity control is set in accordance with the detected road surface frictional coefficient, below the upper limit value of which the vehicular velocity control is enabled to be performed in such a manner that as the road surface frictional coefficient becomes lower, the upper limit value becomes lower.

Abstract: A road surface friction coefficient estimating apparatus is provided for estimating a road surface friction coefficient of a vehicle that is traveling at a steady state. The road surface friction coefficient estimating apparatus basically has a driving/braking force controller, a driving force controller, a braking force controller (brake fluid pressure controller), a plurality of wheel velocity sensors, a wheel load sensor and a control unit. The driving/braking force controller sets a pre-selected force to be generated and calculates the road surface friction coefficient. The driving force controller generates a driving force in accordance with the pre-selected force. The braking force controller generates a braking force in accordance with the pre-selected force. The wheel velocity sensors produce a wheel velocity signal indicative of a wheel velocity. The wheel load detecting sensor produces a wheel load signal indicative of a wheel load.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a first actuating system having an automatic steering actuator to bring the front wheel steer angle to a calculated target front wheel steer angle for lane keeping, and a second actuating system such as a front and rear roll stiffness distribution control system, a front and rear driving force distribution control system, a rear wheel steering system, and a differential limiting force control system. By controlling the second actuating system in accordance with the automatic steering operation, a control unit adjusts the steering characteristic of the vehicle in a direction to improve the yawing response or in a direction to improve the running stability.

Abstract: A road surface friction coefficient estimating apparatus is provided for estimating a road surface friction coefficient of a vehicle that is traveling at a steady state. The road surface friction coefficient estimating apparatus basically has a driving/braking force controller, a driving force controller, a braking force controller (brake fluid pressure controller), a plurality of wheel velocity sensors, a wheel load sensor and a control unit. The driving/braking force controller sets a pre-selected force to be generated and calculates the road surface friction coefficient. The driving force controller generates a driving force in accordance with the pre-selected force. The braking force controller generates a braking force in accordance with the pre-selected force. The wheel velocity sensors produce a wheel velocity signal indicative of a wheel velocity. The wheel load detecting sensor produces a wheel load signal indicative of a wheel load.