IN-PATH TARGET SELECTION DURING LANE CHANGE

• US 20170123430A1
• Filed: 10/30/2015
• Published: 05/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2015
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Nath, Nitendra, Mills, Aaron L.
• Application Number:
  US14/927,510
• Publication Number:
  US 20170123430A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/53 Road markings, e.g. lane marker or crosswalk
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/165 Automatically following the path of a preceding lead vehicle, e.g. "electronic tow-bar"
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/0255 Automatic changing of lane, e.g. for passing another vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/021 specially adapted to land vehicles

Abstract

A computing device for a host vehicle includes a data storage medium and a processing device. The computing device is programmed to detect a host vehicle lane change from a first lane to a second lane, ignore a current target vehicle in the first lane before the host vehicle completes the lane change, and select a vehicle in the second lane as a new target vehicle before the host vehicle completes the lane change.

Claims

1. A computing device comprising a data storage medium and a processing device, wherein the computing device is programmed to:

detect a host vehicle lane change from a first lane to a second lane;

ignore a current target vehicle in the first lane before the host vehicle completes the lane change; and

select a vehicle in the second lane as a new target vehicle before the host vehicle completes the lane change.

2. The computing device of claim 1, further comprising an autonomous driving sensor programmed to detect the current target vehicle and the new target vehicle.

3. The computing device of claim 2, wherein the autonomous driving sensor is programmed to detect a lane marker and output a signal representing the host vehicle lane change based at least in part on a position of the host vehicle relative to the lane marker.

4. The computing device of claim 3, wherein the computing device is programmed to receive the signal representing the host vehicle lane change and detect the host vehicle lane change based at least in part on the signal representing the host vehicle lane change.

5. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the computing device is programmed to receive a steering angle signal and detect the host vehicle lane change based at least in part on the steering angle signal.

6. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the computing device is programmed to receive a turn indicator signal and detect the host vehicle lane change based at least in part on the turn indicator signal.

7. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the computing device is programmed to command the host vehicle to accelerate after selecting the new target vehicle.

8. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the computing device is programmed to command the host vehicle to decelerate after selecting the new target vehicle.

9. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the computing device is programmed to ignore the new target vehicle before the host vehicle completes the lane change based at least in part on a distance between the host vehicle and the new target vehicle.

10. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the computing device is programmed to identify a plurality of vehicles in the second lane and select one of the plurality of vehicles in the second lane as the new target vehicle.

11. A method comprising:

detecting a host vehicle lane change from a first lane to a second lane;

ignoring a current target vehicle in the first lane before the host vehicle completes the lane change; and

selecting a vehicle in the second lane as a new target vehicle before the host vehicle completes the lane change.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein detecting the host vehicle lane change includes:

detecting a lane marker; and

comparing a position of the host vehicle relative to the lane marker.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein detecting the host vehicle lane change includes:

receiving a steering angle signal; and

detecting the host vehicle lane change based at least in part on the steering angle signal.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein detecting the host vehicle lane change includes:

receiving a turn indicator signal; and

detecting the host vehicle lane change based at least in part on the turn indicator signal.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising commanding the host vehicle to accelerate after selecting the new target vehicle.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising commanding the host vehicle to decelerate after selecting the new target vehicle.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

estimating a distance between the new target vehicle and the host vehicle; and

ignoring the new target vehicle before the host vehicle completes the lane change based at least in part on the estimated distance between the host vehicle and the new target vehicle.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

identifying a plurality of vehicles in the second lane; and

selecting one of the plurality of vehicles in the second lane as the new target vehicle.

19. A vehicle system comprising:

at least one autonomous driving sensor programmed to detect a current target vehicle in a first lane and at least one vehicle in a second lane; and

a computing device having a data storage medium and a processing device, wherein the computing device is programmed to detect a host vehicle lane change from the first lane to the second lane, ignore the current target vehicle in the first lane before the host vehicle completes the lane change, and select one of the at least one vehicles in the second lane as a new target vehicle before the host vehicle completes the lane change.

20. The vehicle system of claim 19, wherein the autonomous driving sensor is programmed to detect a lane marker and output a signal representing the host vehicle lane change based at least in part on a position of the host vehicle relative to the lane marker, and wherein the computing device is programmed to ignore the current target vehicle in response to receiving the signal representing the host vehicle lane change.