Arrangement and method for mitigating a forward collision between road vehicles

• US 10,843,687 B2
• Filed: 01/15/2018
• Issued: 11/24/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation (AB Volvo)
• Original Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation (AB Volvo)
• Inventors: Olsson, Claes
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lewandroski, Sara J
• Application Number:
  US15/871,510
• Publication Number:
  US 20180208192A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,044 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/024 Collision mitigation systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/17558 specially adapted for collision avoidance or collision mitigation road vehicle drive control systems for collision avoidance otherwise than by controlling a particular sub-unit B60W30/09
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/18 including control of braking systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/80 Spatial relation or speed relative to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/804 Relative longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2754/10 Spatial relation or speed relative to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/09 Taking automatic action to avoid collision, e.g. braking and steering
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/095 Predicting travel path or likelihood of collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/0953 the prediction being responsive to vehicle dynamic parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/0956 the prediction being responsive to traffic or environmental parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0097 Predicting future conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/167 Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection

Abstract

Disclosed is an arrangement and a method for mitigating a forward collision between a host vehicle, having sensors for monitoring a road ahead and wheel brakes, and an oncoming vehicle. The sensors are utilized to estimate parameters of an oncoming vehicle. The estimated parameters are utilized to predict a future path of the oncoming vehicle, and host vehicle parameters are utilized to predict a future path of the host vehicle. The predicted future paths are assessed to determine if a forward collision is likely unavoidable assuming full freedom for performing avoidance maneuvers for both vehicles. The wheel brakes are controlled to reduce a relative longitudinal velocity between the vehicles at a predicted collision instant if determined that a forward collision is likely unavoidable at a determined relative longitudinal velocity above a first threshold.

Claims

1. An arrangement for mitigating a forward collision between a host vehicle and an oncoming vehicle, the host vehicle having one or more sensors arranged to monitor a road ahead of the host vehicle and a braking system connected to wheel brakes thereof, the arrangement comprising:

a vehicle forward collision threat evaluation system configured to;

utilize the one or more sensors to establish presence of an oncoming vehicle,

estimate parameters associated with the oncoming vehicle,

utilize the estimated parameters to predict a future path of the oncoming vehicle,

utilize host vehicle parameters to predict a future path of the host vehicle, and

assess the predicted future paths of the oncoming vehicle and of the host vehicle to determine whether a forward collision between the host vehicle and the oncoming vehicle is likely unavoidable assuming freedom for performing avoidance maneuvers for both the host vehicle and the oncoming vehicle in the prediction of the respective future paths of the host vehicle and the oncoming vehicle using an assessment of scenarios for possibilities of the host vehicle to avoid the forward collision and scenarios for possibilities of the oncoming vehicle to avoid the forward collision, such that the forward collision is determined as likely unavoidable when determined best case scenarios for both the host vehicle and the oncoming vehicle are predicted to end in the forward collision; and

a forward collision mitigation brake controller configured to control the braking system to control wheel brakes of the host vehicle to reduce a relative longitudinal velocity between the host vehicle and the oncoming vehicle at a predicted collision instant only when determined that a forward collision between the host vehicle and the oncoming vehicle is likely unavoidable at a determined relative longitudinal velocity between the host vehicle and the oncoming vehicle above a first threshold, the first threshold being selected such that passive safety systems of the host vehicle are configured to handle a forward collision at relative longitudinal velocities below the first threshold.

2. The arrangement according to claim 1 wherein the estimated parameters include one or more of distance between the oncoming vehicle and the host vehicle, lateral and longitudinal velocity of the oncoming vehicle, relative longitudinal velocity between the host vehicle and the oncoming vehicle, and lateral and longitudinal acceleration of the oncoming vehicle.

3. The arrangement according to claim 1 wherein the forward collision mitigation brake controller is configured to control the wheel brakes of the host vehicle to reduce a relative velocity between the host vehicle and the oncoming vehicle through activating at least one of:

brake gain to increase braking when a driver of the road vehicle is already braking; and

auto brake to perform braking when a driver of the road vehicle is not already braking.

4. The arrangement according to claim 1 wherein the vehicle forward collision threat evaluation system is configured to compare the predicted future path of the oncoming vehicle with the predicted future path of the host vehicle to determine whether a forward collision between the host vehicle and the oncoming vehicle is likely unavoidable assuming freedom for performing avoidance maneuvers for both the host vehicle and the oncoming vehicle and using an assessment of scenarios for possibilities of the host vehicle to avoid the forward collision and scenarios for possibilities of the oncoming vehicle to avoid the forward collision, such that the forward collision is determined as likely unavoidable when both the host vehicle and the oncoming vehicle need to perform evasive maneuvers at dynamic capabilities of the respective vehicles to avoid the forward collision.

5. A road vehicle comprising the arrangement for mitigating a forward collision between a host vehicle and an oncoming vehicle according to claim 1.

6. The arrangement according to claim 1 wherein the vehicle forward collision threat evaluation system is arranged to:

predict relative lateral vehicle positions of the host vehicle and the oncoming vehicle at a predicted collision instant;

predict relative lateral motion of the host vehicle and the oncoming vehicle at a predicted collision instant;

assume lateral avoidance maneuvers of the host vehicle and the oncoming vehicle;

assume longitudinal motion of the host vehicle and the oncoming vehicle, and

determine whether a forward collision between the host vehicle and the oncoming vehicle is likely unavoidable through assessing at least one of;

predicted relative lateral vehicle positions of the host vehicle and the oncoming vehicle at a predicted collision instant;

predicted relative lateral motion of the host vehicle and the oncoming vehicle at a predicted collision instant;

assumed lateral avoidance maneuvers of the host vehicle and the oncoming vehicle;

assumed longitudinal motion of the host vehicle and the oncoming vehicle.

7. The arrangement according to claim 6 wherein the vehicle forward collision threat evaluation system is configured to adjust at least one of the predictions and assumptions based on at least one of:

data on a determined state of a driver of the host vehicle;

data on a configuration of host vehicle surrounding infrastructure;

data on a host vehicle traffic situation.

8. The arrangement according to claim 7 further comprising a supplemental restraint system configured to activate at least one of seat belt pre-tensioners, front airbags and inflatable curtains when determined that a forward collision between the host vehicle and the oncoming vehicle is likely unavoidable.

9. The arrangement according to claim 6 further comprising a warning arrangement configured to alert at least one of a driver of the host vehicle and a driver of the oncoming vehicle when determined that a forward collision between the host vehicle and the oncoming vehicle is likely unavoidable.

10. The arrangement according to claim 1 wherein the first threshold is 100 km/h.

11. A method for mitigating a forward collision between a host vehicle and an oncoming vehicle, the host vehicle having one or more sensors arranged to monitor a road ahead of the host vehicle and a braking system connected to wheel brakes thereof, the method comprising:

utilizing the one or more sensors to establish presence of an oncoming vehicle;

estimating parameters associated with the oncoming vehicle;

utilizing the estimated parameters to predict a future path of the oncoming vehicle;

utilizing host vehicle parameters to predict a future path of the host vehicle;

assessing the predicted future paths of the oncoming vehicle and of the host vehicle to determine whether a forward collision between the host vehicle and the oncoming vehicle is likely unavoidable assuming freedom for performing avoidance maneuvers for both the host vehicle and the oncoming vehicle in the prediction of the respective future paths of the host vehicle and the oncoming vehicle using an assessment of scenarios for possibilities of the host vehicle to avoid the forward collision and scenarios for possibilities of the oncoming vehicle to avoid the forward collision, such that the forward collision is determined as likely unavoidable when determined best case scenarios for both the host vehicle and the oncoming vehicle are predicted to end in the forward collision;

determining whether a relative longitudinal velocity is above a first threshold; and

controlling the wheel brakes of the host vehicle to reduce a relative longitudinal velocity between the host vehicle and the oncoming vehicle at a predicted collision instant only when determined that a forward collision between the host vehicle and the oncoming vehicle is likely unavoidable at a determined relative longitudinal velocity between the host vehicle and the oncoming vehicle above a first threshold, the first threshold being selected such that passive safety systems of the host vehicle are configured to handle a forward collision at relative longitudinal velocities below the first threshold.

12. The method according to claim 11 wherein the estimated parameters include one or more of distance between the oncoming vehicle and the host vehicle, lateral and longitudinal velocity of the oncoming vehicle, relative longitudinal velocity between the host vehicle and the oncoming vehicle, and lateral and longitudinal acceleration of the oncoming vehicle.