Abstract: A safety device for a vehicle includes a sensor system and an evaluation and control unit that is coupled to the sensor system via an interface and that evaluates information from the sensor system in order to detect objects in the area ahead of the vehicle, calculates, on the basis of the information from the sensor system, a likely impact point of a detected object and/or a likely amount of overlap of the detected object and the vehicle, brings the vehicle into a defined slide-off position by way of a targeted intervention into the vehicle dynamics when the calculated likely impact point and/or the calculated amount of overlap satisfies at least one predefined condition.

Abstract: A vehicle-based method to determine the suitability of an object in the vicinity of a vehicle as a suitable positional landmark, comprising the steps of: a) emitting a plurality of radar signals from a vehicle; b) detecting the radar returns from said emitted radar signals reflected by said object; c) analyzing at least one parameter of at least one radar return to determine the extent to which said object is a stationary object; d) analyzing at least one parameter of at least one radar return to determine the extent to which said object is a single scatterer; e) analyzing at least one parameter of a plurality of radar returns to determine the extent to which said parameter varies with the azimuthal angle between said vehicle and said object, f) determining the suitability of said landmark for the results of steps c), d) and e).

Abstract: A system for locating a mobile container within a facility comprises an optical sensor system with an optical sensor fixed to a frame of the container. The optical sensor is pointed away from the container in a direction facing a region of the facility (e.g., ceiling or floor) where one or more distinctive physical features are expected to be found. Each distinctive physical feature of the facility is associated with a location in the facility. The optical sensor is adapted to capture an image of that region of the facility. A computing system includes a processor configured to receive the image from the optical sensor, to determine that a physical feature found in the image matches one of the distinctive physical features of the facility, and to identify the container as being at the location in the facility associated with the matching distinctive physical feature.

Abstract: A set of driving scenarios are determined for different types of vehicles. Each driving scenario corresponds to a specific movement of a particular type of autonomous vehicles. For each of the driving scenarios of each type of autonomous vehicles, a set of driving statistics is obtained, including driving parameters used to control and drive the vehicle, a driving condition at the point in time, and a sideslip caused by the driving parameters and the driving condition under the driving scenario. A driving scenario/sideslip mapping table or database is constructed. The scenario/sideslip mapping table includes a number of mapping entries. Each mapping entry maps a particular driving scenario to a sideslip that is calculated based on the driving statistics. The scenario/sideslip mapping table is utilized subsequently to predict the sideslip under the similar driving environment, such that the driving planning and control can be compensated.

Abstract: A vehicle communication control device used for a vehicle includes a nearby vehicle information acquirer, a subject vehicle information generator, an assistance information generator, a difference calculator, and a cycle changer. The nearby vehicle information acquirer successively acquires nearby vehicle information representing running condition of a nearby vehicle and generation time of the nearby vehicle information. The subject vehicle information generator cyclically generates subject vehicle information representing running condition of a subject vehicle. The assistance information generator generates assistance information for driving assistance of the subject vehicle by using the nearby vehicle information and the subject vehicle information. The difference calculator calculates a difference between generation time of the most recent subject vehicle information and generation time of the most recent nearby vehicle information.

Abstract: A system and method for diagnosing and recovering from faults in a robot includes providing markers affixed to a floor surface, where each marker has a positional indicia thereon, navigating an area by the robot using the markers, acquiring the positional indicia on at least one marker, processing the acquired positional indicia to determine a position and angle of the at least one marker, computing a position offset and angle offset of markers with respect to a reference position and angle, adjusting the reference position and angle when the computed position offset and angle offset meets a first predetermined criteria, and alerting an external entity when the computed position offset and angle offset does not meet the first predetermined criteria.

Abstract: There is provided a vehicle behavior control device capable of improving responsivity of a vehicle behavior and a linear feeling with respect to a steering wheel operation without causing a driver to experience a strong feeling of intervention of the control and, at the same time, capable of controlling behavior of a vehicle in such a manner as to also improve stability of the vehicle attitude and riding comfort. In a vehicle behavior control device applied to a vehicle having steerable front road wheels, the vehicle behavior control device includes a PCM which acquires a steering speed of the vehicle, and generates a deceleration jerk which is a rearward jerk in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle when the steering speed becomes equal to or greater than a given threshold TS1 which is greater than zero.

Abstract: An optical proximity detector includes a driver, light detector, analog front-end and digital back end. The driver drives the light source to emit light. The light detector produces a light detection signal indicative of a magnitude and a phase of a portion of the emitted light that reflects off an object and is incident on the light detector. The analog front-end includes amplification circuitry, and one or more analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) that output a digital light detection signal, or digital in-phase and quadrature-phase signals indicative thereof. The digital back-end includes a distance calculator and a precision estimator. The distance calculator produces a digital distance value in dependence on the digital light detection signal, or the digital in-phase and quadrature-phase signals, output by the ADC(s) of the analog front-end. The precision estimator produces a precision value indicative of a precision of the digital distance value.

Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus includes a timing setter that sets an activation timing indicative of whether to activate the safety device based on a comparison between the activation timing and a time to collision, and a determination zone setter setting determination zones located diagonally ahead of the own vehicle in the travelling direction and separated in the lateral direction. The apparatus includes a corrector that performs, based on a zone-to-zone movement history of the recognized target object among the determination zones, a correction task including at least one of a first changing task of changing the width of an activation region, and a second changing task of changing the activation timing. The apparatus includes an activation determiner that activates a safety device upon determining that a position of the recognized target object is within the activation region and that the time to collision is smaller than the activation timing.

Abstract: An automatic brake assist device for an electric two-wheeled vehicle, the electric two-wheeled vehicle includes a main control module, having: a radar sensor module, used to measure a distance from a pair of objects; a control module, connected to the radar sensor module and the main control module, when the distance is changed from greater than a first braking distance to less than the first braking distance, transmitting a first brake braking mode signal to the main control module to decelerate the electric two-wheeled vehicle; when the distance is changed from greater than a second braking distance to less than the second braking distance, transmitting a second brake braking mode signal to the main control module to decelerate the electric two-wheeled vehicle; when the distance is changed from greater than a third braking distance to less than the third braking distance, transmitting a third brake braking mode signal to the main control module to decelerate the electric two-wheeled vehicle.

Abstract: Provided is a method including monitoring an event occurring on a path along which an autonomous vehicle is currently travelling by using information obtained while the autonomous vehicle is travelling and determining whether to travel along a detour path when the event is detected. In particular, the method includes determining whether to travel along the detour path according to a cost incurred when the autonomous vehicle travels along the detour path.

Abstract: A cleaning robot includes a main body, a traveling part provided at a lower portion of the main body to enable the main body to move along a floor surface, a suction part provided at the main body to suck foreign materials from the floor surface, a cover provided on an exterior of the main body, and a recessed part recessed at a predetermined position of the cover, wherein the cover includes a first cover positioned above the recessed part, and a second cover which is positioned below the recessed part and has a greater width than the first cover.

Abstract: A driving assistance method of causing a host vehicle to travel by following a preceding vehicle includes: determining whether the preceding vehicle of the host vehicle is present or absent and, upon determining that the preceding vehicle is present, performing a preceding vehicle type determination of determining whether the preceding vehicle of the host vehicle is a four-wheeler or a two-wheeler; upon the preceding vehicle being a four-wheeler, performing both a control of inter-vehicle distance to the four-wheeler and a route following based on the four-wheeler; and upon the preceding vehicle being a two-wheeler, performing a control of inter-vehicle distance to the two-wheeler without performing a route following based on the two-wheeler.

Abstract: The disclosure provides a photoelectric sensor that reliably guides light by a light guide member and is easy to be assembled. A light projecting side light guide part of a light guide member extends in the front-and-rear direction. A light receiving side light guide part extends with at least a part thereof inclined with respect to the front-and-rear direction. A light shielding member includes a fitting part, into which the light projecting side light guide part fits in the front-and-rear direction, and a contact part that is in contact with a base board in the front-and-rear direction.

Abstract: A determination unit determines whether a driving behavior of a vehicle is performed by automatic driving control or manual driving control. A generation unit generates presentation instructing information for presenting the driving behavior by the automatic driving control externally from the vehicle when the determination unit determines that the driving behavior of the vehicle is performed by the automatic driving control, and generates presentation instructing information for presenting the driving behavior by the manual driving control externally from the vehicle when the determination unit determines that the driving behavior of the vehicle is performed by the manual driving control. An output unit outputs presentation instructing information generated by the generation unit.

Abstract: A method for using a radar assembly to sense an environment includes a radar system that has an antenna assembly secured for 360-degree rotation, the antenna assembly having mounted thereon at least one transmit antenna, and a first set of three or more separate fixed receive antennas, with the antenna assembly having a greater width than height so as to create a fanbeam. In the method of the present invention, the antenna assembly is rotated to a first azimuth position, and then an FMCW waveform is transmitted within the fanbeam, and reflections are received from targets in the environment while in the first azimuth position. Based on the received reflections, data is processed and stored. These steps are repeated for all other azimuths until an azimuth sweep has been completed. At that time, a full environmental data set is compiled for the environment, where the data set comprises azimuth data, range data, elevation data and RCS data. The data set is gathered and delivered to a controller for analysis.

Abstract: A paving machine comprises a material bunker for receiving a construction material, a chassis, an operator stand which is arranged behind the material bunker when seen in the construction direction, a paving screed which can be leveled for assembling the construction material onto a substrate, a material conveying unit which is configured to transport the construction material from the material bunker to the paving screed, and at least one optical projector which is configured to generate at least one projection in the visible spectrum on the substrate laterally and/or in front of the chassis of the paving machine when seen in the construction direction. The projection is visible to an operator of the paving machine from the operator stand when seen in the construction direction.

Abstract: A system is described for presenting information relating to lifting and moving a load object with a vehicle. Upon the lifting, a dimensioner determines a size and a shape of the load object, computes a corresponding spatial representation, and generates a corresponding video signal. During the moving, an imager observes a scene in front of the vehicle, relative to its forward motion direction, and generates a video signal corresponding to the observed scene. The imager has at least one element moveable vertically, relative to the lifting. A display renders a real time visual representation of the scene observed in front of the vehicle based on the corresponding video signal and superimposes a representation of the computed spatial representation of the load object.

Abstract: A speed control system operable to control a motor vehicle to operate in accordance with a set-speed value, the control means being operable to allow a user to adjust the set-speed value by user actuation of a vehicle brake control or a vehicle accelerator control.

Abstract: A method for operating a brake installation of a vehicle. A first electrically controllable pressure provision device provides brake pressure for actuating hydraulically actuatable brakes. A first electronic open-loop and closed-loop control unit, and a first pressure detection device, measures brake pressure provided by a primary brake system. A secondary brake system between the primary system and a part of the wheel brakes has a second electrically controllable pressure provision device provides brake pressure for actuating at least the part of the brakes. A second electronic open-loop and closed-loop control unit, and at least one second pressure detection device, the signals of which are processed in the second electronic open-loop and closed-loop control unit. The secondary system monitors the primary system based on signals from the second pressure detection device and on a predefined brake pressure demand to build up a brake pressure corresponding to the predefined brake pressure demand.

Abstract: A semi-autonomous or autonomous mowing vehicle with a sensor that detects the boundary between a first, relatively higher surface, such as the un-mowed vegetation and a second, a relatively lower surface, such as the mowed vegetation, and a controller for steering the semi-autonomous or autonomous vehicle along detected boundary. The detected boundary is based on height differential between the two surfaces and two methods are discussed. For one, the boundary between the two surfaces is detected using a plurality of non-contact distance measuring sensors aligned in same direction, and processes these distance measuring sensors for determining the distance sensors that measure said first relatively higher surface and the distance sensors that measure the second relatively lower surface.

Abstract: A travel control for a vehicle includes specifying a pedestrian crosswalk through which a subject vehicle is expected to pass as a first pedestrian crosswalk, estimating a position on the first pedestrian crosswalk through which the subject vehicle passes as a crossing position in the length direction of the first pedestrian crosswalk, specifying another pedestrian crosswalk located within a predetermined distance from the crossing position and located close to the first pedestrian crosswalk as a second pedestrian crosswalk, setting an area including the first pedestrian crosswalk and the second pedestrian crosswalk as a detection area of a detector detecting an object around the subject vehicle, detecting a moving object in the detection area using the detector, and controlling travel of the subject vehicle on the basis of a detection result of the detector.

Abstract: A method of operating a robotic cleaning device over a surface to be cleaned, the method being performed by the robotic cleaning device. The method includes: following a boundary of a first object while registering path markers including positional information at intervals on the surface; tracing previously registered path markers at an offset upon encountering one or more of the previously registered path markers; and switching from tracing the previously registered path markers to following an edge of a second object upon detection of the second object.

Abstract: A LIDAR sensor for an autonomous vehicle (AV) can include a set of mirrors and a set of lasers outputting laser beams via the set of mirrors. The LIDAR sensor can further include one or more mirror actuators to adjust the set of mirrors, in response to AV feedback from the AV, to reconfigure a beam pattern of the outputted lasers.

Abstract: A license plate support mechanism is equipped with an attachment portion to which a license plate can be attached, a fixation portion fixating the attachment portion to a vehicle body, and a switching mechanism. The switching mechanism couples the attachment portion to the fixation portion such that the attachment portion is capable of displacing relative to the fixation portion. The switching mechanism also enables the attachment portion to switch between a storage position, in which the attachment portion is stored on a left/right direction inward side of a left/right pair of rear wheel fenders, and a display position, in which the attachment portion is positioned on the left/right direction outward side of the left/right pair of rear wheel fenders.

Abstract: A running control apparatus for improving fuel efficiency by enabling automatic engine stop includes: a moving object detection unit for detecting a moving object moving in a direction crossing a direction of travel of own vehicle on the basis of an acquired image acquired from an image pickup apparatus; an acceleration calculation unit for calculating acceleration of the moving object; a moving object crossing intention determination unit for determining, on the basis of the acceleration of the moving object, whether or not the moving object intends to cross an intersection ahead of the own vehicle in the direction crossing the direction of the travel of the own vehicle before the own vehicle crosses the intersection; and automatic engine stop decision unit for deciding whether the own vehicle automatically stops an engine during running on the basis of a result of determination of the moving object crossing intention determination unit.

Abstract: An electronic brake system for a braking system of a utility vehicle having a brake encoder with at least one sensor for detecting positions of a brake pedal that is actuated by the driver of the utility vehicle and at least one valve that is mechanically actuated via the brake pedal, and which, as a result of the mechanical actuation, is moved from a pressure reduction position into at least one pressure-maintaining or pressure increase position, in which the valve admits at least one fluid flow for the actuation of at least one operating brake of the braking system, wherein the valve is assigned at least one control element that is different from the brake pedal, by which the valve is moved.

Abstract: A control device includes an electronic control unit executes steering control for avoiding a collision with an object that has a possibility of colliding with a host vehicle. The electronic control unit sets a timing when the host vehicle is predicted to pass the object as an end timing of the steering control when the steering control is performed. The electronic control unit determines whether or not a deviation possibility is present when the electronic control unit assumes that the steering control ends at the end timing. The deviation possibility is a possibility of the host vehicle deviating from a current traveling lane accompanying an end of the steering control. The electronic control unit performs reduction processing that reduces the deviation possibility when the electronic control unit determines that the deviation possibility is present.

Abstract: An area sensor includes: a sensor unit that emits measurement light with which a monitoring area is scanned, and detects reflected light of the measurement light; and a system controller that controls the sensor unit to output sensor information to an external device, the sensor information including object information in the monitoring area obtained based on an output signal from the sensor unit, the system controller including: a memory interface to which a portable external storage device is connectable, a sensor controller that controls the sensor unit, and a memory controller that accesses the external storage device; and a start processing unit which operates the memory controller in priority to the system controller, when the external storage device is connected to the memory interface.

Abstract: A method and system improving vehicle operation is presented. In one example, the vehicle data is transmitted between a vehicle and a cloud computer. The cloud computer adjusts engine control parameters and the vehicle is operated based on the adjusted engine control parameters.

Abstract: An automotive driver assistance for a vehicle with an improved capability to handle obstructed sensor coverage includes steps of acquiring sensor data on an environment of the vehicle from at least one sensor, of generating an environment representation based on the acquired sensor data and of predicting at least one behavior of the vehicle. The method determines at least one area in the environment of the vehicle wherein for the at least one area either a confidence for the sensor data is below a threshold or no sensor data is available and generates at least one virtual traffic entity in the at least one determined area, wherein the virtual traffic entity is adapted to interact with the at least one predicted behavior of the vehicle. A risk measure for each combination of the at least one virtual traffic entity and the predicted behavior of the vehicle is estimated, the calculated risk measure is evaluated and a controlling action for the vehicle is executed based on the evaluated risk measure.

Abstract: There is provided a vehicle behavior control device capable of improving responsivity of a vehicle behavior and a linear feeling with respect to a steering wheel operation without causing a driver to experience a strong feeling of intervention of the control, and capable of controlling behavior in such a manner as to improve stability of the vehicle attitude and riding comfort. The device includes a PCM which acquires a steering speed relating to a jerk in a width direction of the vehicle, sets a torque reduction flag, indicative of whether or not a condition for allowing reduction of an output torque of an engine is satisfied, based on the steering speed, and starts to reduce a torque when the torque reduction flag is set to True indicative of a state in which the condition for allowing reduction of the torque is satisfied.

Abstract: An open cut mine includes an area to be mined bounded by a perimeter. The area to be mined includes (a) a manned zone within the perimeter in which manned resources operate to the exclusion of unmanned resources, (b) an unmanned zone within the perimeter in which unmanned resources operate to the exclusion of manned resources, (c) a first manned resource access location in the perimeter including a roadway through which manned resources move into and from the manned zone, and (d) a separate second unmanned resource access location in the perimeter including a roadway through which unmanned resources move into and from the unmanned zone.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an apparatus for controlling a braking force of a platooning vehicle. The apparatus includes a braking distance predicting unit configured to predict a predicted braking distance of a host vehicle, a braking restriction determining unit configured to determine whether a braking distance of the host vehicle is to be restricted, by comparing the predicted braking distance of the host vehicle with predicted braking distances of following vehicles. The apparatus further includes a braking restriction degree determining unit configured to determine a braking restriction degree of the braking distance of the host vehicle in the case in which it is necessary to restrict the braking distance of the host vehicle.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for controlling platooning of vehicles includes: a manipulation portion configured to input an operation command when a lane change is needed during the platooning; a detector portion configured to recognize Blind-spot Collision Warning (BCW) information regarding the plurality of vehicles; and a controller configured to perform the lane change using the BCW information according to the operation command.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a visual positioning and navigation device, comprising: a motion module, configured to drive a robot accordingly, and acquire a current pose information of the robot in real time; a camera module, configured to capture an environmental image during the movement of the robot; an image processing module, configured to perform the feature extraction and the feature description for the environmental image; and a pose estimation module, configured to match the feature point description of the environmental image, build a feature database, calculate the pose correction of the robot, and obtain the corrected robot pose based on the robot current pose and the pose correction. The visual positioning and navigation device and method thereof can build the scene map by detecting and tracking the feature information of the ORB feature points of the indoor ceiling, so as to achieve the accurate positioning and navigation of the robot.

Abstract: An electrical charging station for charging an autonomous robot having a battery. The charging station includes a first charging member configured to receive a second charging member on the autonomous robot when the autonomous robot is docked with the charging station. There is a communications device configured to receive from the autonomous robot an identifier indicative of a type of battery on the autonomous robot. There is a power supply, electrically connected to the first charging member, configured to charge the autonomous robot according to a charging profile. The charging profile is selected based at least in part on the identifier received from the autonomous robot.

Abstract: An automated system is provided that receives and utilizes travel related data from unmanned aerial vehicles (“UAVs”) and other sources (e.g., data aggregators, weather services, obstacle databases, etc.) for optimizing the scheduling and routing of deliveries by UAVs. The travel related data that is received from the sensors of UAVs and other sources may indicate the locations and characteristics of obstacles, weather, crowds of people, magnetic interference, etc., which may be evaluated and utilized for determining and updating flight plans for UAVs. In various implementations, the travel related data received from the sensors of a UAV may be combined with other travel related data and stored (e.g., at a central management system, in UAVs, etc.) for further analysis and use in determining UAV delivery schedules and related operations of materials handling facilities.

Abstract: A vehicle control system includes: a detection section that detects a presence and state of any nearby vehicles traveling in the vicinity of a vehicle; a speed generation section that generates a target speed of the vehicle based on a state of a benchmark vehicle from out of the nearby vehicles whose presence and state have been detected by the detection section, the benchmark vehicle being closest to the vehicle in a direction of progress from out of a first vehicle traveling ahead of the vehicle in a current lane in which the vehicle is traveling or a second vehicle traveling ahead of the vehicle in an adjacent lane adjacent to the current lane; and a travel control section that automatically controls at least acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle based on the target speed generated by the speed generation section.

Abstract: A system and method for interrupting a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS)-based automatic steering mode of a hydraulic steering system on a vehicle. When a steering wheel is manually turned by an operator, pressurized hydraulic fluid from a steering directional control valve activates an interrupter having an interrupter valve. The interrupter valve blocks pressurized fluid flow to the automatic steering system, thus overriding automatic steering and giving the operator full manual steering control via the steering wheel. The hydraulic interrupt system is mechanical with no electronic elements.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for decelerating a vehicle (10) moving at low speed (vV), in particular by using a hydraulically or pneumatically operated braking system (26), with the following steps: determining, by means of the speed sensor (32), whether the speed (vV) of the vehicle (10) falls short of a predeterminable first limiting value (vC1); if the speed (vV) of the vehicle (10) falls short of the first limiting value, increasing the propulsion torque (MA) transmitted to the drive train (18); and decelerating the vehicle (10) by increasing the braking torque (MB) acting on the wheels (20) by means of the controller (36).

Abstract: A laser light source; a light sending lens configured to form laser light emitted from the laser light source into a spot shape; a scanner configured to perform irradiation while performing scanning, with the laser light formed into the spot shape, in a horizontal direction and a vertical direction of an area to be measured; a light receiving lens configured to receive reflected light reflected from the area to be measured; a light receiving optical system configured to condense the reflected light received by the light receiving lens, in each of the horizontal direction and vertical direction; and an information generating unit configured to generate, based on a received signal output by the light receiving element, three dimensional information of the area to be measured.

Abstract: Vehicles can be equipped with computing devices, networks, sensors and controllers to determine, modify, and/or augment a digital map of the surrounding real world. Computing devices included in a vehicle can determine road sign locations in LIDAR data. The computing devices can identify road signs in one or more video images based on the road sign locations and include the road sign in a digital map based on the road sign identity and the road sign location.

Abstract: A mobility apparatus (10) includes a position acquiring unit (3) that acquires a current position using a satellite; a control unit (1) that controls wheels (7a, 7b) along a route based on the acquired current position; and number-of-revolutions measuring units (8a, 8b) that measure numbers of revolutions of the wheels (7a, 7b). If acquiring the current position using the satellite is disabled, the control unit (1) calculates distances per revolution of the wheels (7a, 7b) from a moving distance by using the satellite and the numbers of revolutions of the wheels (7a, 7b) measured during the period in which the mobility apparatus has moved by the moving distance, calculates numbers of revolutions of the wheels (7a, 7b) at a distance by which the mobility apparatus is to move after acquiring the current position is disabled, and causes the wheels (7a, 7b) to rotate by the calculated numbers of revolutions.

Abstract: A control system with multiple brake-pedal selected disengagement-modes for an automated vehicle includes a brake-pedal and a controller. The brake-pedal is used to detect a plurality of pedal-action-classifications based on one of pedal-force, depression-duration, and a combination of pedal-force and depression-duration. The controller is in communication with the brake-pedal. The controller operates the system into a first-mode in response to the brake-pedal being operated in accordance with a first-action-classification, and into a second-mode in response to the brake-pedal being operated in accordance with a second-action-classification different from the first-action-classification.

Abstract: Methods and systems for monitoring use and determining risks associated with operation of a vehicle having one or more autonomous operation features are provided. According to certain aspects, operating data may be recorded during operation of the vehicle. This may include information regarding the vehicle, the vehicle environment, use of the autonomous operation features, and/or control decisions made by the features. The control decisions may include actions the feature would have taken to control the vehicle, but which were not taken because a vehicle operator was controlling the relevant aspect of vehicle operation at the time. The operating data may be recorded in a log, which may then be used to determine risk levels associated with vehicle operation based upon risk levels associated with the autonomous operation features. The risk levels may further be used to adjust an insurance policy associated with the vehicle.

Abstract: A motor vehicle license plate mount having a modular license plate frame including a base section and two side mounts for securing license plates of varying widths and heights to the vehicle and a camera housing including a lens and with the base section forming a slot for receiving an exterior edge of the license plate. Electrical cables connect at least one side mount to the base section providing power to the camera unit via a local solar cell disposed on at least one side mount.

Abstract: A brake controller is applied to a vehicle that includes a tractor and a trailer. The brake controller includes a first braking unit that controls a first brake device, a second braking unit that controls a second brake device, a distance sensor that detects a distance between the vehicle and an object, an execution unit that controls the first braking unit and the second braking unit in accordance with the distance detected by the distance sensor and executes an automatic brake control, and a prohibition unit that prohibits the execution unit from executing the automatic brake control. The brake controller prohibits execution of the automatic brake control under the condition that the tractor and the trailer are coupled to each other and the second braking unit includes a failure.

Abstract: A robotic cleaning device having a main body, a propulsion system, a contact detecting portion connected to the main body, a dead reckoning sensor operatively connected to the propulsion system and an obstacle detecting device comprising a camera and a first structured light source arranged at a distance from each other on the main body. The robotic cleaning device may further include a processing unit arranged to control the propulsion system. The obstacle detecting device and the processing unit are arranged to estimate a distance to the landmark and to subsequently move the robotic cleaning device into contact with the landmark while measuring an actual distance to the landmark, whereby the actual distance is then compared with the estimated distance to determine a measurement error.

Abstract: A guidance and vehicle control system for automatically steering a vehicle, such as an agricultural vehicle or a tractor, through a field. The system includes a GNSS receiver and antenna for determining the vehicle's instantaneous position, a guidance CPU, and an automatic steering subsystem integrated with the vehicle's electrical power system. The automatic steering subsystem can be interfaced with the steering column of the vehicle, and mechanically activates the steering column, thereby steering the vehicle according to instructions received from the CPU based upon the vehicle's position and a predetermined path. An interrupt element, such as a wheel movement sensor or a slip gear, may be interfaced with the automatic steering subsystem to allow for manual steering override of the automatic steering control.