Automated road transportation system

• US 4,361,202 A
• Filed: 06/15/1979
• Issued: 11/30/1982
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Michael Minovitch
• Original Assignee: Michael Minovitch
• Inventors: Minovitch, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Mitchell, David M.
• Application Number:
  US06/048,715
• Time in Patent Office: 1,264 Days
• Field of Search: 180/168, 180/167, 180/169, 273/243, 104/88, 343/7 ED, 318/576, 318/587, 364/426, 364/436, 364/438, 364/456, 364/431, 325/117, 325/116, 340/52 R, 340/51, 340/52 F, 340/53, 340/40, 340/23, 340/38 R
• US Class Current: 180/168
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/0008 including means for detecting potential obstacles in vehicle path
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/0058 responsive to externally generated signalling
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/0075 responsive to vehicle steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/28 non-mechanical , e.g. following a line or other known markers
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0265 using buried wires
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0272 comprising means for registering the travel distance, e.g. revolutions of wheels measuring distance traversed on the ground by vehicles, e.g. using odometers G01C22/00

Abstract

An automated transportation system for vehicular travel along a roadway is presented. The roadway can be any hard surface that contains an embedded metallic guiderail along its center. A proximity transducer (metal detector) installed under the vehicle, senses the metallic guiderail and sends steering commands to the vehicle'"'"'s steering actuators to keep the vehicle moving in the center of the roadway directly over the guiderail. Transponders are embedded along the guiderail at selected points for automatic roadway identification, position determination and automatic speed, headway and route selection and automatic traffic control. The system also provides automatic branching and lane changing. The vehicle'"'"'s control system includes sensors, signal processors, a microprocessor and various power actuators that are connected to the vehicle'"'"'s steering, braking and accelerator systems. An on-board collision avoidance system using sonic or radar detection means is also provided. The vehicle can be programmed to automatically follow a pre-selected route by inserting route instructions into the microprocessor'"'"'s memory where it can be retrieved and used any number of times. Magnetometer sensors are also embedded along the roadway to detect the presence and speed of all vehicles, thereby allowing ordinary, manually-controlled vehicles to use the same roadways as the automatically controlled vehicles for a mixed traffic flow. The guiderails and transponders can be embedded in essentially all existing streets and highways to provide an economical comprehensive fully automated road transportation system for private and commercial vehicles.

Claims

1. An automatic guidance system for passenger carrying road vehicles comprising:

a roadway;

a passive metallic guiderail embedded longitudinally along said roadway;

a vehicle on the roadway;

means on the vehicle for transmitting a signal from the vehicle toward the guiderail;

sensor means mounted on said vehicle responsive to a return signal from said guiderail for emitting a steering signal in response to the return signal;

control means in said vehicle for continuously steering said vehicle in response to said steering signal from said sensor means so as to maintain said vehicle in a predetermined lateral position with respect to said guiderail as said vehicle moves along said roadway;

a plurality of control marker means for conveying coded information signals to said vehicle embedded along said roadway adjacent to said guiderail and spaced apart at various positions and wherein said coded information signals emitted from said roadway control marker means include roadway identification, position and a prescribed primary vehicle speed profile;

sensor means mounted on said vehicle responsive to said coded information signals received from said control marker means for controlling said vehicle;

decoding circuitry means on said vehicle for decoding said coded information signals received from said control marker means;

means for conveying said control information to a microprocessor on the vehicle;

clock means connected electronically to said vehicle microprocessor;

speed sensor means in said vehicle for determining said vehicle'"'"'s actual speed profile;

odometer sensing means connected electronically to said microprocessor whereby the distance traveled by said vehicle between two points or between two clock times can be determined; and

speed control means in said vehicle connected to the speed sensor means for adjusting said vehicle'"'"'s actual speed to match said vehicle'"'"'s prescribed speed profile received from said control marker means.

2. An automatic guidance system as set forth in claim 1 further comprising:

manual control means inside said vehicle that allows said vehicle to be controlled manually by a vehicle occupant;

a warning signal means mounted inside said vehicle;

sensing means adapted to activate said warning signal means when said sensing means detects a malfunction in said control means; and

an emergency operating mode switching means by which said occupant can switch from an automatic driving mode to said manual driving mode.

3. An automatic guidance system as set forth in claim 1 further comprising an operating mode switching means by which said occupant in said vehicle can switch the operating mode of said vehicle from automatic to manual or from manual to automatic at any time.

4. An automated road transportation system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said guiderail sensor means is adapted to emit an increasing or decreasing signal strength depending upon whether its distance to said guiderail decreases or increases respectively.

5. An automatic guidance system as set forth in claim 4 wherein said control means includes:

a steering control actuator; and

a servo power amplifier connected serially in a closed loop, feed-back control circuit with said sensor means and said steering control actuator for sending steering commands to said steering control actuator so as to maintain a generally constant signal strength emitted by said steering sensor means.

6. An automatic road transportation system as set forth in claim 5 wherein said guiderail sensor means comprising:

a central sensing means;

a flanking left and right sensing means responsive to said guiderail and emitting independent steering signals upon detecting the proximity of said guiderail;

said central, left and right sensing means comprising individual sensors mounted on said vehicle in a spaced apart configuration along a line transverse to the direction of travel;

said sensor means emitting steering signals upon detecting the proximity of said guiderail so as to maintain said vehicle in a predetermined lateral position with respect to said guiderail as said vehicle moves along said roadway; and

said predetermined lateral position being maintained such that said central guiderail sensor means moves substantially directly above said guiderail while said flanking left and right guiderail sensing means move along the left and right sides of said guiderail respectively, and such that the vehicle'"'"'s longitudinal centerline is substantially directly over said guiderail.

7. An automated road transportation system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said speed sensor means is adapted so as to provide continuous speed profile information to said microprocessor wherein the difference between said vehicle'"'"'s actual speed profile and prescribed speed profile is substantially continuously computed.

8. An automatic guidance system as set forth in claim 7 wherein said speed control means comprises:

a vehicle accelerator actuator;

a vehicle braking actuator; and

servo power amplifiers, connected serially in a closed loop, feed-back, speed control circuit with said speed sensor means, said accelerator actuator and said braking actuator, whereby said difference between said vehicle'"'"'s actual speed profile and prescribed speed profile is maintained substantially at zero.

9. An automated road transportation system comprising:

a roadway;

a metallic guiderail embedded longitudinally along said roadway;

a vehicle on the roadway;

sensor means mounted on said vehicle responsive to said guiderail for emitting a steering signal upon detecting the proximity of said guiderail;

control means in said vehicle for steering said vehicle in response to said steering signal from said sensor means so as to maintain said vehicle in a predetermined lateral position with respect to said guiderail as said vehicle moves along said roadway;

a plurality of spaced apart control marker means embedded along said roadway adjacent to said guiderail for conveying coded control signals to said vehicle, said roadway control marker means including roadway identification, position and a prescribed primary vehicle speed profile;

sensor means mounted on said vehicle responsive to said coded control signals received from said control marker means;

decoding circuitry means on said vehicle for decoding said coded control signals received from said control marker means;

speed control means in said vehicle for adjusting said vehicle'"'"'s actual speed to match and maintain said vehicle'"'"'s prescribed speed profile received from said control marker means;

sensor means mounted within at least a portion of said control marker means responsive to the passage of said vehicle;

a microprocessor mounted within said control marker means adapted to monitor and control said coded speed profile signals emitted by said control marker means;

clock means within said marker means that coacts in combination with said marker vehicle sensing means and said marker microprocessor whereby the vehicle'"'"'s actual speed is computed and stored inside said marker microprocessor along with its time of passage, representing said vehicle'"'"'s trajectory; and

said marker microprocessor adapted to generate safe speed profile control commands using said trajectory data that are transmitted by said marker means to any following vehicle so as to avoid possible rear-ending collisions.

10. An automated road transportation system as set forth in claim 9 wherein said vehicle sensor means, microprocessor means and clock means of said marker means are combined and adapted to enable said control marker means to determine a vehicle'"'"'s actual speed and approximate length as it passes over said control marker irrespective of any emitted speed commands and essentially irrespective of the vehicle'"'"'s type or whether it is moving in the automatic or manual mode and wherein a vehicle'"'"'s trajectory computation data includes its length.

11. An automated road transportation system as set forth in claim 10 wherein the control marker means is adapted to determine separation distances between two successive vehicles passing over said marker means, and to emit two separate speed profile signals referred to as primary and secondary speed profile commands, said secondary speed commands also containing a time interval signal;

and further comprising;

a vehicle passing over said marker means adapted to receive all information transmitted to it by said marker means including both primary and secondary speed commands;

means for storing said information in said vehicle'"'"'s microprocessor;

said vehicle'"'"'s speed control system and microprocessor means adapted to execute said primary or said secondary speed control commands depending on whether said time interval is or is not equal to zero, respectively;

said vehicle'"'"'s speed control system, clock means and microprocessor further adapted to begin executing said primary speed control commands at the end of said time interval measured by said clock from the time said vehicle passes over said marker means if said time interval is not zero;

said primary speed control commands constituting a normal operating speed profile for that portion of said roadway immediately ahead of said marker means; and

said secondary speed control commands constituting special collision-avoidance speed commands computed and generated inside said marker means by said microprocessor means triggered by the passage of a prior vehicle over said marker means at an earlier time with a dangerously close separation distance from said present vehicle.

12. An automated road transportation system as set forth in claim 11 wherein said vehicle sensing means in said control marker means are further adapted to prevent said speed control commands, transmitted from said marker means, from changing values when said vehicle is passing said marker so as to prevent garbled signal reception.

13. An automated road transportation system as set forth in claim 12 wherein said guiderail splits into two separate branches from a branch point with corresponding branching roadways further comprising a coded branching control marker means located some distance ahead of said branch point that identifies said branch point by emitting fixed coded branching information that is picked up by said control marker sensing means on said vehicle and processed in said vehicle'"'"'s microprocessor, and branching means on-board said vehicle adapted to enable said vehicle to follow either branching roadway.

14. An automated road transportation system as set forth in claim 13 wherein said fixed coded branching information emitted by said branching marker means includes:

the identity of said branch point;

identification of each branching roadway; and

two prescribed variable or fixed vehicle speed profile commands each of which is assigned to a particular branching roadway.

15. An automated road transportation system as set forth in claim 14 wherein said vehicle branching means comprises:

said control marker sensors;

said vehicle microprocessor;

said guiderail steering sensor means;

an electronic switching circuit means and

means for establishing a constant reference guiderail sensing signal;

said guiderail reference signal substantially equal to the on-course signal received in said right hand guiderail sensing means if said vehicle is required to take the left hand branch while said reference signal is substantially equal to the on-course signal received in said left hand guiderail sensing means if said vehicle is required to take the right hand branch;

said electronic switching circuit means adapted to replace said steering signal received in said right hand guiderail sensing means by said constant right hand reference signal such that said vehicle will automatically follow said left hand branching guiderail and said electronic switching circuit further adapted to replace said steering signal received in said left hand guiderail sensing means by said constant left hand reference signal such that said vehicle will automatically follow said right hand branching guiderail; and

said electronic switching circuit means adapted to replace said constant reference signals with said right hand or said left hand guiderail sensing signals as soon as the branching is completed.

16. An automated road transportation system as set forth in claim 15 further comprising:

data console means connected to said microprocessor whereby an occupant in said vehicle can program said microprocessor to execute specific route following instructions;

said microprocessor adapted to select one of two approaching branching roadways by comparing the identity of each branching roadway to said route following instructions received from said branching control marker means;

means to convey to said vehicle electronic switching circuit means the selected branching guiderail prescribed in said route following program;

said selection taking place after said vehicle passes said branching control marker means but before said vehicle reaches said branching point;

said microprocessor means further adapted to disregard said prescribed speed profile commands emitted by said branching control marker means that are associated with the branching roadway that said vehicle will not follow and adjust said vehicle'"'"'s speed profile to match said prescribed speed profile associated with the branching roadway that said vehicle is programmed to follow; and

said speed profile adjustment beginning after said vehicle passes said branching control marker means but before said vehicle reaches said branch point.

17. An automated road transportation system as set forth in claim 16 wherein said branching control marker means further

sensor means mounted within said branching control marker means responsive to the passage of a vehicle moving over it;

a microprocessor mounted within said branching control marker means adapted to monitor and control said coded speed profile command signals associated with each branching roadway emitted by said branching control marker means;

a clock means within said branching control marker means that coacts in combination with said marker vehicle sensing means and said marker microprocessor means whereby the trajectory (including length) of a passing vehicle is computed and stored inside said marker microprocessor;

wiring means that connect said branching control microprocessor to a plurality of other microprocessors inside other branching or non-branching control marker means located in the vicinity of said branch point similarly adapted to sense and compute the trajectories of vehicles moving over them;

data transfer means adapted to transmit said trajectories to said microprocessor in said branching control marker means over said wiring means;

said microprocessor inside said branching control marker means adapted to use said incoming trajectory data to generate a traffic trajectory ephemeris corresponding to a plurality of vehicles moving in the vicinity of said branch point; and

said microprocessor inside said branching control marker means adapted to use said traffic trajectory ephemeris to compute collision avoidance speed profile commands that are transmitted by said branching marker means such that a vehicle passing over said branching control marker means will receive speed profile commands that will, upon execution of said vehicle, allow said vehicle to proceed onto either branch without colliding with other vehicles.

18. An automated road transportation system as set forth in claim 17 further comprising:

a central traffic control computer;

wiring means that connect said central traffic control computer to said microprocessor inside said marker means distributed along said roadways;

data transfer means adapted to transmit data between said microprocessors and said central traffic control computer;

said traffic control computer adapted to use said incoming trajectory data to construct and monitor the flow pattern of all vehicles passing over said guiderail equipped roadways;

said central traffic control computer using said flow pattern to determine efficient speed profiles for said marker means so that substantially all vehicular traffic moving on said roadways will move more efficiently;

said traffic control computer adapted to transmit said calculated speed profiles to said microprocessors inside said marker means using said data transfer means;

said marker means adapted to transmit said efficient speed profile commands to passing vehicles; and

said central traffic control computer adapted to substantially maintain said traffic flow moving with said calculated efficient speed profiles.

19. An automated road transportation system as set forth in claim 18 further comprising:

a master clock means located at said remote central traffic control computer adapted to transmit timing signals to said marker means and branching marker means via said wiring means; and

said timing signals adapted to synchronize said clock means inside each marker means with said master clock means so that all said clock means give same exact time.

20. An automated road transportation system as set forth in claim 19 wherein said efficient speed profile commands calculated by said central traffic control computer are emitted by said marker means as said primary speed profile commands.

21. An automated road transportation system as set forth in claim 20 wherein said emergency operating mode switching means includes:

a steering wheel means whereby an occupant inside said vehicle can steer said vehicle when said vehicle is operating in said manual mode; and

a torque sensing means connected to said steering wheel means adapted to switch said operating mode from automatic to manual after sensing a sufficiently high torque on said steering wheel.

22. An automated road transportation system as set forth in claim 20 wherein said vehicle further comprises:

an automatic/manual operating mode switching means adapted to allow an occupant to begin a trip in the manual operating mode if said vehicle were not parked over any guiderail means and drive manually to a guiderail equipped roadway where the trip can be continued in the automatic mode by said occupant switching said switching means to the automatic driving mode; and

said automatic/manual switching means adapted to allow said occupant to take over manual control of said vehicle to complete said trip and park said vehicle if no guiderail equipped roadway were provided at said destination.

23. An automated road transportation system as set forth in claim 22 further comprising:

a vehicle moving over said marker means;

said vehicle having a characteristic magnetic moment;

magnetometer sensing means mounted within said marker means adapted to emit characteristic signals in response to said vehicle'"'"'s characteristic magnetic moment;

electronic amplification and signal processing means adapted to transmit said characteristic magnetic moment signals to said central traffic control computer; and

said computer adapted to utilize said characteristic magnetic moment data to identify each individual vehicle moving over said marker means substantially according to size or type so that said trajectory data (that also includes length) transmitted from said marker means to said traffic control computer also includes vehicle type or size information so that each individual vehicle making up said traffic flow can be further particularized into individual length and type or size whereby said computer can determine a more detailed traffic flow and compute and maintain more efficient speed profiles by said control means.

24. An automated road transportation system as set forth in claim 23 further comprising:

a portion of non-guiderail equipped roadways;

conventional traffic light signals on said portion for controlling traffic flow over said roadways;

vehicles moving along said roadways under conventional manual control;

sensor means embedded along said roadways responsive to the passage of said vehicles;

wiring means that connect said sensor means to said central traffic control computer;

said sensor means adapted to transmit signals to said computer in response to vehicles moving over them so that said computer can calculate a traffic flow pattern for vehicles moving over said non-guiderail equipped roadways;

wiring means that electronically connect said conventional traffic light signals to said computer whereby said computer and said traffic lights are adapted to enable said traffic lights to be controlled by said computer; and

said computer adapted to transmit optimal traffic control commands to said traffic lights so as to enable said vehicles to move in an efficient manner over said non-guiderail equipped roadways so as to be efficiently integrated into said automated vehicular traffic moving over said guiderail equipped roadways.

25. An automated road transportation system as set forth in claim 24 further comprising:

guiderail equipped roadways with marker means for automated vehicular travel;

electronically operated, visual speed signs installed at intervals near a portion of said marker means along said automated roadways for the drivers of non-automated, manually operated vehicles;

wiring means that connect said visual speed signs to said nearby marker means and adapted so that said primary speed commands emitted by said marker means also appear visually on said electronic road signs;

additional visual road signs installed just before branching roadways so that said branching roadways can be identified by drivers of mannually operated vehicles;

said guiderails and branching guiderails over all automated roadways painted with a bright color strip that contrasts with said roadway so as to be easily seen and followed by the drivers of non-automated manually operated vehicles; and

said automated road transportation system adapted to allow any number of automatically controlled vehicles to mix with any number of manually controlled vehicles in any order moving over any portion of automated roadways by prohibiting the drivers of manually operated vehicles from making lane changes or branches over portions of roadway that are not provided with clearly painted lane changing or branching guiderails and requiring said drivers to obey said posted speed signs with reasonable accuracy wherever possible.

26. An automated road transportation system as set forth in claim 25 wherein said vehicle further comprises:

active sensing means responsive to the proximity of other vehicles or other objects on said roadway;

said active sensor means adapted to generate signals in response to the proximity of other said vehicles or objects for transmission into said microprocessor on-board said vehicle for processing;

said microprocessor inside said vehicle adapted to analyze said response signals to determine if said vehicle'"'"'s present speed profile being executed in said microprocessor requires modification to prevent a collision with other said vehicles or objects;

said microprocessor adapted to compute and execute a modified speed profile for said vehicle to prevent a possible collision irrespective of any speed profile commands received from any marker means; and

said microprocessor further adapted to terminate said modified speed profile and resume executing normal speed profile commands received from the last marker means as soon as the possibility for collision is over.

27. An automated road transportation system as set forth in claim 26 wherein said vehicle further comprising:

a mass data storage system connected electronically to said on-board microprocessor means whereby said route instructions (or route programs) can be taken out of said microprocessor and stored in said mass data storage system for future use inside said microprocessor;

said route programs accumulated and stored in said mass data storage system under certain access codes whereby any particular stored route program can be identified and transferred into said microprocessor for execution by manual operation of said microprocessor'"'"'s control console;

roadway data files that includes the identity of all guiderail equipped roadways and branches within various regions adapted for storage in said mass data storage system; and

said microprocessor further adapted to automatically access and pull into its operating memory an appropriate roadway data file corresponding to any selected route program that covers all roadways used to execute said route program.

28. An automated road transportation system as set forth in claim 27 wherein said vehicle further comprises:

data input means for said vehicle'"'"'s microprocessor whereby an occupant can input said vehicle'"'"'s present position and desired destination;

a mobile radiotelephone communications system adapted for establishing a telephone data transfer link between said microprocessor in said vehicle and said remote central traffic control computer;

said central traffic control computer adapted to receive said beginning and ending points via said radiotelephone data transfer link and compute detailed route following instructions relative to existing traffic flow that said computer is monitoring which upon execution, will allow said vehicle to execute said trip with reduced travel time and reduced fuel expenditure;

said vehicle microprocessor adapted to receive said route following instructions via said radiotelephone data link;

said route following instructions also containing total distance of said route and estimated travel time;

said microprocessor also adapted to automatically access an appropriate roadway data file from said mass data storage system that covers all roadways followed by said route instructions and pull it into its operating memory with said route instructions; and

said vehicle equipped with a manual execution control such that, when activated, said vehicle proceeds to execute said route following instructions provided said vehicle is parked in an appropriate position over a section of clear guiderail.

29. An automated road transportation system as set forth in claim 28 wherein said data input means to said vehicle microprocessor is further adapted to receive and transmit, in addition to said beginning and end points, additional constraining conditions that are to be satisfied by any route program calculated by said remote central traffic control computer, said remote traffic control computer adapted to compute a new optimal route program that will incorporate said additional constraining conditions so as to still provide reduced travel time with reduced fuel expenditure, said data transfer link adapted to transmit said conditional optimal route program to said vehicle microprocessor for execution.

30. An automated road transportation system as set forth in claim 29 wherein said vehicle includes

on-board fuel load sensing means;

oil sensing means;

brake fluid sensing means;

transmission fluid sensing means;

radiator fluid sensing means;

windshield wiper fluid sensing means;

tire air pressure sensing means;

engine performance sensing means;

electrical systems sensing means;

engine temperature sensing means;

battery sensing means;

fuel cap on/off sensing means;

microprocessor video monitor screen;

whereby above identified sensing means connected electronically to said microprocessor such that before any trip is initiated, the status of above identified vehicle components is displayed on said video monitor for viewing by an occupant;

said microprocessor and video monitor further adapted to compute and display the total fuel required to execute a given route program inside said microprocessor; and

inhibitor on/off selector means adapted so that when said inhibitor is turned on, said vehicle is prevented from operating in the automatic mode with a route program that cannot be completed without said vehicle exhausting its on-board fuel supply.

31. An automated road transportation system as set forth in claim 30 wherein said vehicle further comprises:

a video monitor connected to said proximity warning system adapted to enable said occupant to view or monitor any vehicular traffic moving in the vicinity of said vehicle or said roadway ahead or behind said vehicle;

telephone communication means connected to said vehicle'"'"'s mobile radiotelephone system to enable said occupant to place ordinary telephone calls while traveling inside said vehicle; and

a television receiver mounted inside said vehicle to enable said occupant to view television programs while traveling inside said vehicle.

32. An automated road transportation system as set forth in claim 31 further comprising:

a refueling station;

a guiderail equipped roadway leading into and out of said refueling station;

branching marker means adapted to allow vehicles to automatically enter, stop, refuel and leave said refueling station;

an attendant at said refueling station;

a fuel inlet conduit on a vehicle in said station;

a fuel cap cover on said fuel inlet conduit;

sensor means connected to said cap adapted to send signals to said vehicle'"'"'s microprocessor when said cap is removed and when said cap is replaced;

a fuel tank on said vehicle connected to said fuel inlet conduit;

fuel sensing means responsive to the quantity of fuel in said fuel tank adapted to send on-board fuel quantity signals to said microprocessor;

said microprocessor adapted to monitor the removal of said fuel cap, the amount of fuel coming into said fuel tank and the replacement of said fuel cap;

said microprocessor further adapted to allow said vehicle to leave said station by said exit guiderail equipped roadway after a certain time interval after said attendant replaces said cap;

said refueling operation taking place without any assistance from any occupant inside said vehicle; and

said roadway data files also containing the locations of all guiderail equipped refueling stations in the area covered by any data file whereby said microprocessor is further adapted to utilize this additional information to direct said vehicle to automatically enter a guiderail equipped refueling station along the route being followed or at a nearby station, so that its on-board fuel supply can be replenished before being exhausted, and automatically direct said vehicle to leave said station and resume executing its route program without any assistance from any occupant that may be inside said vehicle.

33. An automated road transportation system as set forth in claim 32 including an automated parking lot comprising:

parking stall means;

guiderails embedded along said stalls and in said parking lot;

a guiderail equipped roadway passing said parking lot;

an entering guiderail equipped roadway section branching away from said roadway passing said parking lot, that leads into said parking lot and connected to said guiderails in said parking stalls;

an exiting guiderail equipped roadway section connected to said guiderail equipped parking stalls that leads out of said parking lot and branches into and connects onto a guiderail equipped roadway passing said parking lot;

branching marker means embedded into said roadway some distance before said branching section leading into said parking lot adapted to emit signals to passing vehicles that identifies said parking lot and branching speed commands so as to allow vehicles to enter said lot without collision;

control marker means inside said parking lot adapted to allow vehicles to move along said guiderails without collision;

sensor means inside said parking stalls responsive to the presence of parked vehicles in said stalls;

wiring means inside said parking lot connecting said sensor means electronically to control marker means that is adapted to identify vacant parking stalls by signals received from said sensor means;

said control marker means adapted to emit signals to a passing vehicle that identifies a vacant parking stall;

sensor means on-board said vehicle adapted to pick up said vacant stall signals and transmit them to said microprocessor;

said microprocessor adapted to process said signals and direct said vehicle to automatically park in said vacant parking stall without any assistance from any occupant or parking attendant;

additional marker means adapted to allow any number of vehicles to automatically leave their respective parking stalls and exit said parking lot via said exiting guiderail equipped roadway section without collision and without the assistance of any occupants; and

a portion of said control marker means adapted to count the total number of vacant parking stalls inside said parking lot and further adapted to transmit an appropriate "lot full" signal to said branching control marker means outside of said parking lot to prevent further vehicles from entering into said parking lot before any other parked vehicle leaves.

34. An automated road transportation system as set forth in claim 33 further comprising:

a garage door;

an automatic garage door opener means on said garage door adapted to open said door in response to transmitted radio signals;

a vehicle parked in said garage in a guiderail equipped parking stall;

said vehicle equipped with radio transmitter means adapted to open said garage door in response to commands generated in said vehicle'"'"'s microprocessor whereby said vehicle can automatically leave said parking stall, open said garage door, leave said garage, execute an automated journey, return to said garage, open said door and park in said parking stall without the assistance of any occupant.

35. An automated road transportation system as set forth in claim 34 further comprising:

receiving means connected to said vehicle'"'"'s mobile radiotelephone communication system adapted to allow said vehicle to be "called up" at any time from an ordinary telephone at a remote location so as to establish a telephone data transfer link with said microprocessor on-board said vehicle;

portable data transfer means adapted for accessing said vehicle'"'"'s microprocessor from an ordinary remote telephone whereby data, information or route commands can be entered into said microprocessor for automatic execution as though said commands were inserted into said microprocessor from said control console inside said vehicle;

said commands including a go to a certain location command (automatic rendezvous command) transmitted from said remote telephone such that when received by said microprocessor, said microprocessor automatically establishes a radiotelephone data transfer link to said traffic control computer, transmits present position and destination data to said computer, wherein said computer calculates optimal route instructions relative to existing traffic flow and transmits these optimal route instructions to said microprocessor along with total distance and total travel time, whereupon said microprocessor uses said distance and travel time data to compute an estimated time of arrival (automatically taking into consideration whether or not the vehicle will have to stop for additional fuel before the rendezvous is made) and this estimated time of arrival transmitted by said microprocessor to said remote telephone data transfer means where it is received and acknowledged by said person at said remote telephone whereupon said vehicle automatically departs on an automated voyage to the selected rendezvous point to pick up said person without any human occupant inside said vehicle; and

said commands including sending said vehicle on any other automated voyage to pick up a different person at a different location, or to pick up a recently purchased object at a certain store;

or to go to another home across the state or country for operation in some other city, or to go to a certain local repair facility for repairs, or the like, without any occupant inside said vehicle.

36. An automatic guidance system for passenger carrying road vehicles comprising:

a roadway;

a passive metallic guiderail embedded longitudinally along said roadway;

a vehicle on the roadway;

means on the vehicle for transmitting a signal from the vehicle toward the guiderail;

sensor means mounted on said vehicle responsive to a return signal from said guiderail for emitting a steering signal in response to the return signal;

control means in said vehicle for continuously steering said vehicle in response to said steering signal from said sensor means so as to maintain said vehicle in a predetermined lateral position with respect to said guiderail as said vehicle moves along said roadway;

a plurality of control marker means for conveying coded information signals to said vehicle embedded along said roadway adjacent to said guiderail and spaced apart at various positions and wherein said coded information signals emitted from said roadway control marker means include roadway identification, position and a prescribed primary vehicle speed profile;

sensor means mounted on said vehicle responsive to said coded information signals received from said control marker means for controlling said vehicle; and

wherein

said control marker means comprises a left marker means and a right marker means embedded on each side of said guiderail means and adapted to emit identical signals and wherein said onboard control marker sensor means comprises a left sensor means responsive to said left marker means and a right sensor means responsive to said right marker means; and

further comprising

a comparator means for comparing the control marker signals received by each sensor to ensure that they are identical before executing control of said vehicle in response to such signals.

37. An automatic guidance system for passenger carrying road vehicles comprising:

a roadway;

a passive metallic guiderail embedded longitudinally along said roadway;

a vehicle on the roadway;

means on the vehicle for transmitting a signal from the vehicle toward the guiderail;

sensor means mounted on said vehicle responsive to a return signal from said guiderail for emitting a steering signal in response to the return signal;

control means in said vehicle for continuously steering said vehicle in response to said steering signal from said sensor means so as to maintain said vehicle in a predetermined lateral position with respect to said guiderail as said vehicle moves along said roadway;

a plurality of control marker means for conveying coded information signals to said vehicle; and

sensor means mounted on said vehicle responsive to said coded information signals received from said control marker means for controlling said vehicle; and

wherein

such a control marker means is a passive transponder adapted to transmit the same signal to each passing vehicle comprising;

a plurality of metallic elements having a selected size and shape and arranged in a selected geometric arrangement so that when stimulated by an external field emanating from a passing vehicle the metallic elements generate a distinctive reaction field representing a coded control signal.

38. An automatic guidance system for passenger carrying road vehicles comprising:

a roadway;

guide means extending longitudinally along said roadway;

a vehicle on the roadway;

means on the vehicle for sensing and following such guide means;

a plurality of control marker means along said roadway for conveying coded control signals to said vehicle;

means on the vehicle responsive to said coded control signals for controlling said vehicle; and

wherein

each such control marker means comprises a pair of marker means adjacent such guide means, each of such a pair of marker means being adapted to emit identical signals and further comprising;

means on said vehicle for sensing signals from each of such a pair of marker means and comparator means for comparing such signals to insure that they are identical for avoiding spurious control signals.

39. A system as recited in claim 38 wherein each such control marker means comprises a passive transponder adapted to transmit the same signal to each passing vehicle comprising:

a plurality of metal elements having a selected size and shape embedded in the roadway in a selected geometric arrangement so that when stimulated by an external field emanating from a passing vehicle, the metallic elements generate a distinctive reaction field representing a coded control signal.

40. An automatic guidance system for a self-propelled passenger carrying, ground transportation vehicle comprising:

a roadway;

a metallic guiderail embedded longitudinally along said roadway;

a vehicle on said roadway;

sensor means mounted on said vehicle responsive to said guiderail for emitting a steering signal upon detecting the proximity of said guiderail; and

control means inside said vehicle adapted to continuously steer said vehicle is response to said steering signal from said sensor means so as to maintain said vehicle in a predetermined lateral position with respect to said guiderail as said vehicle moves along said roadway;

a plurality of control marker means embedded at spaced apart intervals along said roadway adjacent to said guiderail for conveying coded speed control signals to said vehicle; and

means mounted on board said vehicle responsive to said control signals for controlling speed of said vehicle; and

wherein

such a control marker means is a passive transponder adapted to transmit the same control signals to each passing vehicle comprising;

a plurality of metallic elements having a selected size and shape and arranged in a selected geometric order relative to each other such that when stimulated by an external field emanating from a passing vehicle the metallic elements generate a distinctive reaction field representing said coded control signals.

41. An automatic guidance system for a self-propelled passenger carrying, ground transportation vehicle comprising:

a roadway;

a metallic guiderail embedded longitudinally along said roadway;

a vehicle on said roadway;

sensor means mounted on said vehicle responsive to said guiderail for emitting a steering signal upon detecting the proximity of said guiderail; and

control means inside said vehicle adapted to continuously steer said vehicle in response to said steering signal from said sensor means so as to maintain said vehicle in a predetermined lateral position with respect to said guiderail as said vehicle moves along said roadway;

a plurality of control marker means along such roadway for conveying coded control signals to said vehicle;

control marker sensor means mounted on board said vehicle responsive to said control signals; and

wherein

said control marker means comprises a left marker means and a right marker means embedded on each side of said guiderail means and adapted to emit identical signals, and wherein said on board control marker sensor means comprises a left sensor means responsive to said left marker means and a right sensor means responsive to said right marker means; and

further comprising a comparator means for comparing the control marker signals received by each sensor means to ensure that they are identical for avoiding spurious signals.

42. An automatic guidance system as set forth in claim 41 further comprising an automatic speed control means for controlling the speed of said vehicle according to speed control commands received from said control marker means.

43. An automatic guidance and control system for ground transportation vehicles as set forth in claim 41 wherein said roadway splits into two separate branching roadways with corresponding guiderails branching away from a branch point and further comprising a marker means located some distance ahead of said branch point that identifies said branch point by emitting coded branching information that is received by said control marker sensor means on board said vehicle.

44. An automatic road transportation system as set forth in claim 43 further comprising automatic switching means that enables said vehicle to automatically follow either branching roadway.

45. An automatic guidance system for road vehicles as set forth in claim 41 wherein said guiderail sensor means mounted on said vehicle comprises a central sensor means and flanking left and right sensor means mounted to the left and to the right of said control sensor means that are responsive to said guiderail and wherein said steering control means is adapted to maintain said vehicle on a course wherein said central sensor means always remains substantially directly over the embedded guiderail.

46. An automatic guidance system as set forth in claim 45 further comprising redundant steering control means whereby said vehicle can continue following said guiderail if any one or any two of said center, left and right guiderail sensor means malfunctions.

47. A method for automatically guiding a vehicle along a roadway including guide means extending longitudinally along said roadway comprising the steps of:

emitting a signal from the vehicle towards such guide means;

detecting a return signal from said guide means;

coupling said return signal to control means for continuously steering the vehicle in response to said return signal for maintaining said vehicle in a predetermined lateral position with respect to said guide means;

uniquely identifying each of two branching roadways by branching control marker means located on such roadway spaced apart from the branching roadways for emitting fixed coded branching information, each of said branching roadways including guide means extending longitudinally along such branching roadway;

sensing coded branching information from such branching control marker means;

directing said vehicle along a selected guide means on a branching roadway in response to the sensed coded branching information;

emitting a prescribed vehicle speed profile from control marker means on the roadway adjacent the guide means;

adjusting the vehicle'"'"'s actual speed profile to match the prescribed speed profile associated with an adjacent control marker means;

sensing the passage and trajectory of a vehicle passing such a branching control marker means;

sensing the presence and trajectory of any other vehicles passing over a plurality of adjacent control marker means;

generating a traffic trajectory ephemeris corresponding to any vehicles moving in the vicinity of such branching roadways; and

using said traffic trajectory ephemeris for computing collision-avoidance speed profile commands emitted by said branching control marker means so that the vehicle passing over said branching control marker means receives speed profile commands for allowing said vehicle to proceed onto the selected branch without colliding with other vehicles.

48. A method as recited in claim 47 further comprising:

emitting separate prescribed speed profiles for each branching roadway; and

selecting a prescribed speed profile adjacent such branching control marker means for adjusting said vehicle'"'"'s actual speed profile to match a selected prescribed speed profile associated with the branching roadway said vehicle is programmed to follow.

49. An automatic guidance system for passenger carrying road vehicles comprising:

a roadway;

a passive metallic guiderail embedded longitudinally along said roadway;

a vehicle on the roadway;

means on the vehicle for transmitting a signal from the vehicle toward the guiderail;

sensor means mounted on said vehicle responsive to a return signal from said guiderail for emitting a steering signal in response to the return signal, wherein the mass per unit length of the guiderail is sufficiently larger than reinforcement rods in such roadway for supressing distortions of such return signal by such reinforcement rods; and

control means in said vehicle for steering said vehicle in response to said steering signal from said sensor means so as to maintain said vehicle in a predetermined lateral position with respect to said guiderail as said vehicle moves along said roadway.