Reducing lateral position deviation during an automated lane change

• US 10,150,474 B2
• Filed: 01/04/2017
• Issued: 12/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Sterniak, Jeffrey S.
• Primary Examiner(s): To, Tuan C
• Application Number:
  US15/398,222
• Publication Number:
  US 20180186371A1
• Time in Patent Office: 706 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/403 Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/00 Input parameters relating to infrastructure
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/20 Road profile, i.e. the change in elevation or curvature of a plurality of continuous road segments
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/53 Road markings, e.g. lane marker or crosswalk
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/18 Braking system
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/20 Steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/125 Lateral acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/40 Torque distribution
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/02 Control of vehicle driving stability
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/025 related to comfort of drivers or passengers
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/0956 the prediction being responsive to traffic or environmental parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/10 Path keeping cruise control for automatically following a preceding vehicle B60W30/165
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18163 Lane change; Overtaking manoeuvres
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/06 Road conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/109 Lateral acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/02 Steering position indicators ; Steering position determination; Steering aids
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/0225 by measuring on a steering gear element, e.g. on a rack bar
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/0255 Automatic changing of lane, e.g. for passing another vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 5/04 electrical, e.g. using an electric servo-motor connected to, or forming part of, the steering gear
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 6/04 responsive only to forces disturbing the intended course of the vehicle, e.g. forces acting transversely to the direction of vehicle travel
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 6/08 : responsive only to driver input torque
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/56 : exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/588 : Recognition of the road, e.g. of lane markings; Recognition of the vehicle driving pattern in relation to the road
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/64 : Three-dimensional objects
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/168 : Driving aids for parking, e.g. acoustic or visual feedback on parking space

Abstract

A method and system for controlling a lane change maneuver of an autonomous vehicle. The method includes detecting a feature of a road surface with a sensor and determining, at an electronic processor, a road camber of a target lane based on the feature. The target lane is a traffic lane targeted for a lane change maneuver by the autonomous vehicle. The method further includes determining a lateral compensating force based on the road camber and applying the lateral compensating force, by the electronic processor, during the lane change maneuver.

Claims

1. A method of operating an autonomous vehicle, the method comprising:

detecting a feature of a road surface with a sensor;

determining, with an electronic processor, a road camber of a target lane based on the feature, the target lane being a traffic lane targeted for a lane change maneuver by the autonomous vehicle;

determining, with the electronic processor, a lateral compensating force based on the road camber;

controlling, with the electronic processor, a lane change control system to apply the lateral compensating force during the lane change maneuver,

wherein the lane change control system includes at least one selected from the group consisting of a steering actuator, a differential braking system, and a torque vectoring system.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining the lateral compensating force includes predicting a lateral force due to the road camber on the autonomous vehicle, the lateral force occurring during the lane change maneuver.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein predicting the lateral force due to the road camber is based on predetermined characteristics of the autonomous vehicle.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein predicting the lateral force due to the road camber is based on a planned trajectory of the lane change maneuver.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein determining the lateral compensating force includes setting the lateral compensating force equal and opposite to the lateral force due to the road camber.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining the lateral compensating force includes setting the lateral compensating force to achieve a desired lateral acceleration of the autonomous vehicle.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein controlling the lane change control system to apply the lateral compensating force, by the electronic processor, during the lane change maneuver includes planning a trajectory for the lane change maneuver that is based, at least in part, on achieving the desired lateral acceleration of the autonomous vehicle.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein detecting the feature of the road surface includes detecting a profile of a portion of the road surface using stereo cameras, and wherein determining the road camber of the target lane includes determining the road camber based on the profile of the portion of the road surface.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein detecting the feature of the road surface includes detecting a profile of a portion of the road surface using a lidar sensor, and wherein determining the road camber of the target lane includes determining the road camber based on the profile of the portion of the road surface.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein detecting the feature of the road surface includes detecting lane markers within an image generated by the sensor, wherein determining the road camber of the target lane includes determining a distance between detected lane markers within the image and determining the road camber based on the distance between detected lane markers within the image and a known value of an actual distance between road markers.

11. A lane change control system of an autonomous vehicle comprising:

a sensor; and

an electronic processor communicatively connected to the sensor, the electronic processor configured to

detect a feature of a road surface with the sensor,

determine a road camber of a target lane based on the feature, the target lane being a traffic lane targeted for a lane change maneuver by the autonomous vehicle,

determine a lateral compensating force based on the road camber, and

control the lane change control system to apply the lateral compensating force during the lane change maneuver,

wherein the lane change control system includes at least one selected from a group consisting of a steering actuator, a differential braking system, and a torque vectoring system.

12. The lane change control system according to claim 11, wherein the electronic processor is further configured to predict a lateral force due to the road camber on the autonomous vehicle, the lateral force occurring during the lane change maneuver.

13. The lane change control system according to claim 12, wherein the electronic processor is further configured to predict the lateral force due to the road camber based on predetermined characteristics of the autonomous vehicle.

14. The lane change control system according to claim 12, wherein the electronic processor is further configured to predict the lateral force due to the road camber based on a planned trajectory of the lane change maneuver.

15. The lane change control system according to claim 12, wherein the electronic processor is further configured to set the lateral compensating force equal and opposite to the lateral force due to the road camber.

16. The lane change control system according to claim 11, wherein the electronic processor is further configured to set the lateral compensating force to achieve a desired lateral acceleration of the autonomous vehicle.

17. The lane change control system according to claim 16, wherein the electronic processor is further configured to plan a trajectory for the lane change maneuver that is based, at least in part, on achieving the desired lateral acceleration of the autonomous vehicle.

18. The lane change control system according to claim 11, wherein the electronic processor is further configured to detect a profile of a portion of the road surface using stereo cameras and to determine the road camber based on the profile of the portion of the road surface.

19. The lane change control system according to claim 11, wherein the electronic processor is further configured to detect a profile of a portion of the road surface using a lidar sensor and to determine the road camber based on the profile of the portion of the road surface.

20. The lane change control system according to claim 11, wherein the electronic processor is further configured to detect lane markers within an image generated by the sensor, determine a distance between detected lane markers within the image, and to determine the road camber based on the distance between detected lane markers within the image and a known value of an actual distance between road markers.