US 12,403,898 B2
Method and system for friction-aware impact avoidance
Jackson Barry McGrory, Mississauga (CA); Paul Guillermo Otanez, Franklin, MI (US); Ravichandran Manogaran, Ann Arbor, MI (US); and Mohammadali Shahriari, Markham (CA)
Assigned to GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC, Detroit, MI (US)
Filed by GM Global Technology Operations LLC, Detroit, MI (US)
Filed on Sep. 27, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/475,621.
Prior Publication US 2025/0100547 A1, Mar. 27, 2025
Int. Cl. B60W 30/09 (2012.01); B60W 10/18 (2012.01); B60W 10/20 (2006.01); B60W 30/095 (2012.01); B60W 40/068 (2012.01); B60W 50/12 (2012.01)
CPC B60W 30/09 (2013.01) [B60W 10/18 (2013.01); B60W 10/20 (2013.01); B60W 30/0956 (2013.01); B60W 40/068 (2013.01); B60W 50/12 (2013.01); B60W 2552/40 (2020.02); B60W 2554/80 (2020.02)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method controlling a vehicle, comprising:
detecting that an object is along a path of the vehicle and within a predetermined distance from the vehicle;
determining a time to impact with the object that is along the path of the vehicle and within the predetermined distance from the vehicle;
determining a time to determine friction;
determining a last time to steer the vehicle to avoid the object along the path of the vehicle;
determining a last time to brake to avoid the object along the path of the vehicle;
determining a sum of the time to determine friction and the last time to steer the vehicle to avoid the object along the path of the vehicle;
determining a sum of the last time to brake to avoid the object along the path of the vehicle and the time to determine friction;
comparing the time to impact with the object that is along the path of the vehicle with the sum of the last time to brake to avoid the object along the path of the vehicle and the time to determine friction to determine whether the time to impact is less than the sum of the last time to brake to avoid the object along the path of the vehicle and the time to determine friction;
in response to detecting the object that is along the path of the vehicle and within the predetermined distance from the vehicle and determining that the time to impact is less than the sum of the last time to brake to avoid the object along the path of the vehicle and the time to determine friction, determining, in real time, a coefficient of friction between a road and a tire of the vehicle, wherein determining, in real time, a coefficient of friction between a road and a tire of the vehicle comprises:
applying a braking load to a wheel of the vehicle;
monitoring a movement of the vehicle at the same time as the braking load is applied to the wheel of the vehicle; and
determining, in real time, the coefficient of friction between the road and the tire of the vehicle based on the movement of the vehicle while the braking load;
comparing the coefficient of friction between the road and the tire of the vehicle with a predetermined friction threshold to determine whether the coefficient of friction between the road and the tire of the vehicle is equal to or greater than the predetermined friction threshold;
in response to determining that the coefficient of friction between the road and the tire of the vehicle is equal to or greater than the predetermined friction threshold, determining an updated last time to steer to avoid the object that is along the path of the vehicle based on the coefficient of friction between the road and the tire of the vehicle;
comparing the time to impact with the object along the path of the vehicle with the updated last time to steer to avoid the object that is along the path of the vehicle to determine whether the time to impact with the object along the path of the vehicle is greater than the updated last time to steer to avoid the object that is along the path of the vehicle; and
in response to determining the coefficient of friction between the road and the tire of the vehicle, commanding the vehicle to perform a control action, wherein the control action is steering the vehicle to avoid the object along the path of the vehicle in response to determining that the coefficient of friction between the road and the tire of the vehicle is equal to or greater than the predetermined friction threshold.