Vehicle safety arrangement and method

• US 9,349,294 B2
• Filed: 05/19/2014
• Issued: 05/24/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation (AB Volvo)
• Original Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation (AB Volvo)
• Inventors: Akesson, Anders, Bengtsson, Mattias
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): GOLDMAN, RICHARD A
• Application Number:
  US14/280,854
• Publication Number:
  US 20140350790A1
• Time in Patent Office: 736 Days
• Field of Search: 701/301, 701/41, 701/1, 701/119, 701/26, 701/24, 701/300, 701/302, 701/96, 340/902, 340/903, 340/435, 340/436
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/20 including control of steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0002 Automatic control, details of type of controller or control system architecture
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/18 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/00 Input parameters relating to infrastructure
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/085 Taking automatic action to adjust vehicle attitude in preparation for collision, e.g. braking for nose dropping
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/0956 the prediction being responsive to traffic or environmental parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/0265 Automatic obstacle avoidance by steering
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/167 Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection

Abstract

Embodiments herein relate to a vehicle safety arrangement and method for preventing or mitigating accidents when turning across lanes with oncoming traffic in a vehicle including an Electrical Power Assisted Steering (EPAS). Oncoming traffic in one or more adjacent lanes and other vehicles approaching from behind are detected by forward and rearward looking detection systems respectively. An intention to turn across an adjacent lane is determined. Standstill of the host vehicle is determined. A control unit is arranged to, during determined standstill and a determined intention to turn across a lane containing oncoming traffic, determine if a risk of the host vehicle being hit from behind is high, and if so determined, generate and send a control signal to an EPAS control unit, which, in response to receiving such a control signal, is arranged to cause the EPAS to align the steerable wheels of the host vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle safety arrangement for a host vehicle, the arrangement for preventing or mitigating accidents when the host vehicle turns across lanes with oncoming traffic, the host vehicle comprising an Electrical Power Assisted Steering (EPAS) operable to steer one or more steerable wheels of the host vehicle, the arrangement comprising:

one or more forward-looking detection systems for detecting oncoming traffic in one or more lanes adjacent to a lane traveled by the host vehicle;

one or more rearward-looking detection systems for detecting other vehicles approaching the host vehicle from behind;

one or more turning intention detection systems for determining an intention to turn across an adjacent lane;

means for determining standstill of the host vehicle; and

a control unit arranged to, during a determined standstill of the host vehicle and a determined intention to turn across a lane containing oncoming traffic, determine a risk of the host vehicle being hit from behind and, upon determining a high risk of the host vehicle being hit from behind, generate and send a control signal to a vehicle Electrical Power Assisted Steering (EPAS) control unit;

wherein the EPAS control unit, in response to receiving the control signal, is arranged to cause the EPAS to align the steerable wheels of the host vehicle such that any pushing of the host vehicle as a result of the host vehicle being hit from behind will cause the host vehicle to move substantially in the lane traveled by the host vehicle.

2. The vehicle safety arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the one or more forward-looking detection systems comprises one or more of a radar sensor, a laser sensor, a lidar sensor, an ultrasound sensor, an infrared sensor, and an image sensor.

3. The vehicle safety arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the one or more rearward-looking detection systems comprises one or more of a radar sensor, a laser sensor, a lidar sensor, an ultrasound sensor, an infrared sensor, and an image sensor.

4. The vehicle safety arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the one or more turning intention detection systems are arranged to determine an intention to turn across an adjacent lane from one or more parameters, including left or right hand steering wheel movement, turning of the steerable wheels of the host vehicle, steering angle, and information on the extension of the road from at least one of a camera sensor, a map data system, and a navigation system.

5. The vehicle safety arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the means for determining standstill are arranged to determine standstill of the host vehicle from at least one of a vehicle speed sensor, a transmission sensor, and a navigation system.

6. The vehicle safety arrangement according to claim 3, wherein the control unit is further arranged to determine the risk of the host vehicle being hit from behind based on fused information from two or more sensors of the rearward-looking detection systems.

7. The vehicle safety arrangement according to claim 1, where the control unit is further arranged to, upon determining the risk of the host vehicle being hit from behind, weigh in the risk of the host vehicle being pushed into an adjacent lane containing oncoming traffic if being hit from behind.

8. The vehicle safety arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising means for determining an intention to resume forward travel of the host vehicle, and wherein the control unit is further arranged to release the aligning of the steerable wheels of the host vehicle in response to such intention to resume forward travel being determined.

10. A motor vehicle comprising a vehicle safety arrangement according to claim 1.

9. A method for preventing or mitigating accidents when turning a host vehicle across lanes with oncoming traffic, the host vehicle comprising an Electrical Power Assisted Steering (EPAS) operable to steer one or more steerable wheels of the host vehicle, the method comprising:

detecting oncoming traffic in one or more lanes adjacent to a lane travelled by the host vehicle using one or more forward-looking detection systems;

detecting other vehicles approaching the host vehicle from behind using one or more rearward-looking detection systems;

determining an intention to turn across an adjacent lane using one or more turning intention detection systems;

determining a standstill of the host vehicle using means for determining standstill of the host vehicle;

during a determined standstill of the host vehicle and a determined intention to turn across a lane containing oncoming traffic, determining a risk of the host vehicle being hit from behind using a control unit;

upon a determined high risk of the host vehicle being hit from behind, generating and sending a control signal to a vehicle Electrical Power Assisted Steering (EPAS) control unit using the control unit; and

in response to the control signal, controlling the EPAS to align the steerable wheels of the host vehicle using the EPAS control unit such that any pushing of the host vehicle as a result of the host vehicle being hit from behind will cause the host vehicle to move substantially in the lane traveled by the host vehicle.