A forward-facing vision system for a vehicle includes a forward-facing camera disposed in a windshield electronics module attached at a windshield of the vehicle and viewing through the windshield. A control includes a processor that, responsive to processing of captured image data, detects taillights of leading vehicles during nighttime conditions and, responsive to processing of captured image data, detects lane markers on a road being traveled by the vehicle. The control, responsive to lane marker detection and a determination that the vehicle is drifting out of a traffic lane, may control a steering system of the vehicle to mitigate such drifting, with the steering system manually controllable by a driver of the vehicle irrespective of control by the control. The processor, based at least in part on detection of lane markers via processing of captured image data, determines curvature of the road being traveled by the vehicle.

Vision system for vehicle

A vehicular vision system includes a camera having a lens and a CMOS photosensor array having a plurality of photosensor elements. The camera is disposed at an interior portion of a vehicle equipped with the vehicular vision system. The camera one of (i) views exterior of the equipped vehicle through the windshield of the equipped vehicle and forward of the equipped vehicle and (ii) views from the windshield of the equipped vehicle into the interior cabin of the equipped vehicle. A control includes an image processor that processes image data captured by the photosensor array. The image processor processes captured image data to detect an object viewed by the camera. The photosensor array is operable at a plurality of exposure periods and at least one exposure period of the plurality of exposure periods is dynamically variable.

Vehicular vision system

In a vehicle steering control system, an actuating torque is applied to steerable wheels according to a steering torque applied to a steering wheel in a conventional manner, and an additional actuating torque is applied to the steering wheel by an electric motor according to lateral dynamic conditions of the vehicle so as to control the lateral stability of the vehicle even in the presence of external interferences such as crosswind. Such external interferences are detected as a lateral dynamic condition of the vehicle such as the yaw rate of the vehicle, and the steering control system produces a steering reaction which counteracts such a lateral dynamic condition by applying the additional actuating torque to the steerable wheels so that the vehicle may maintain a straight course in spite of such external interferences without requiring any intentional efforts by the vehicle operator. In particular, by suppressing the additional actuating torque in an understeer condition, the handling of the vehicle can be improved.

Vehicle steering control system

A driver assistance system for a vehicle includes an imaging device having a field of view forward of a vehicle and in a direction of travel of the equipped vehicle, an image processor operable to process image data captured by the imaging device, and a global positioning system operable to determine a geographical location of the vehicle. The equipped vehicle includes an adaptive speed control system for controlling the speed of the equipped vehicle. The adaptive speed control system may reduce the speed of the equipped vehicle responsive at least in part to a detection of a curve in the road ahead of the equipped vehicle via processing by the image processor of image data captured by the imaging device.

Driver assistance system for vehicle

A driver assistance system for a vehicle includes an imager disposed in a housing and a control. The imager includes a CMOS photosensor array of photosensor elements and a lens. With the housing disposed in a vehicle, the imager views forwardly to the exterior of the vehicle through the vehicle windshield at a region of the windshield that is swept by a windshield wiper of the vehicle. The CMOS photosensor array is operable to capture image data. The control includes an image processor disposed in the housing. The driver assistance system identifies objects viewed by the imager via processing by the image processor of captured image data. At least in part responsive to processing of captured image data by the image processor, streetlights present exterior of the vehicle and viewed by imager are discriminated from other objects present exterior the vehicle and viewed by imager.

Driver assistance system for a vehicle

In order to prevent a traction control system and an auxiliary steering or the like from combining stabilizing effects in a manner which causes excessive understeer, when the traction control is functioning in a predetermined manner, a signal is issued to the auxiliary steering control and reduces the gain with which the control thereof is implemented. As a result excessive understeer is avoided while maintaining suitable vehicle stability.

Traction control for automotive vehicle

A system and method for electronically controlling a vehicular engine operation in accordance with an accelerator operation which can utilize a system for automatically controlling a vehicle speed to a set cruising speed are disclosed in which an operating variable selection mechanism which selects and outputs one of operating variables whose value is larger than the other operating variable, the operating variables being derived from an accelerator and from an actuator of the automatic vehicle cruise controlling system is installed. The selected operating variable of the operating variable selection mechanism is detected by means of an accelerator sensor. A throttle actuator is controlled for driving the throttle valve toward the direction in which an opening angle of the throttle valve coincides with a target opening angle which is defined by a detected variable of the accelerator sensor. A limiter provided for limiting a maximum opening angle of the throttle valve is driven by means of a limiter driving mechanism toward the angular position of the throttle valve corresponding to the selected operating variable of the operating variable selection mechanism and is held thereat against the driving force of the throttle actuator by means of a limiter holding mechanism.

System and method for electronically controlling a vehicular engine operation having a safe function

A plurality of control maps which are used to control the position of an engine throttle valve or similar device which effects the power output of the engine, are stored in memory. The wheel slip of the vehicle is monitored and if found to be in excess of an allowable limit or limits the control map currently in use is changed or downgraded to one which exhibits less rapid engine power generation characteristics. On the other hand, if the rate at which a control element such as an accelerator pedal is moved in direction which demands increased engine output is greater than zero; the amount of wheel slip is below the allowable limit or limits; and the control signal being produced by the instant control map is at its maximum permissible level for the instant position of the control element, then the currently used map is upgraded to one which permits increased and more rapid engine power development. Alternatively, it is possible to define upper and lower accelerator depression limits and use these in a manner that when the depression is below the lower limit map upgrading is inhibited while when above the limit upgrading is induced if the slip ratio remains at an acceptable level for a selected period of time.

Engine control system for automotive vehicle

A plurality of control maps which are used to control the position of an engine throttle valve or similar device which effects the power output of the engine, are stored in memory. The wheel slip of the vehicle is monitored and if found to be below an allowable limit or limits the control map currently in use is changed or upgraded to one which exhibits more rapid engine power generation characteristics. On the other hand, if the wheel slip exceeds the allowable limit, a map downgrading is carried out which selects a map which was previously used a predetermined period of time ago. This predetermined time can be fixed or variable depending on the vehicle speed or gear position of the transmission.

Engine throttle valve control system for automotive vehicle

A slip control system employs a plurality of slip control characteristics which may be provided as form of maps. One of the maps is selected depending upon wheel slippage in such a manner that a map having a greater engine speed variation rate with respect to variation of an accelerator position is selected while the wheel slippage is maintained smaller than a predetermined target slippage, and a map having a smaller engine speed variation rate is selected while wheel slippage is greater than the predetermined target slippage. The selected map is compared with a map previously selected at a preceding timing which is variable depending upon a lag time of engine response.

Terukiyo Murakami

Papers

Traction control for automotive vehicle

System and method for electronically controlling a vehicular engine operation having a safe function

Engine control system for automotive vehicle

Engine throttle valve control system for automotive vehicle

Slip control for automotive vehicle with variable engine speed variation characteristics