Directional vehicle steering cues

1 . A vehicle system, comprising:

a user interface;

a steering mechanism; and

a vehicle control circuit comprising:

at least one memory storing machine-executable instructions; and

at least one processor configured to access the at least one memory and execute the machine-executable instructions to:

provide, via the user interface, an option to select between a directional steering cue warning mode and a directional steering cue suggestion mode;

detect occurrence of a triggering event for a directional vehicle steering cue, wherein detecting the occurrence of the triggering event comprises detecting that a vehicle is within a threshold distance of a potential hazard; and

present the directional vehicle steering cue to a vehicle operator, wherein presenting the directional vehicle steering cue comprises:

responsive to selection of the directional steering cue warning mode, applying a first steering torque to the steering mechanism resulting in a change to a steering angle of the steering mechanism in a first direction corresponding to a direction of the potential hazard, and

responsive to selection of the directional steering cue suggestion mode, applying a second steering torque to the steering mechanism resulting in a change to the steering angle of the steering mechanism in a second direction to avoid the potential hazard, wherein the first direction is opposite the second direction.

2 . The vehicle system of claim 1 , wherein:

presenting the directional vehicle steering cue responsive to the selection of the directional steering cue warning mode further comprises applying a third steering torque to the steering mechanism resulting in a change to the steering angle of the steering mechanism in the second direction opposing the first direction;

the first steering torque resulting in the change to the steering angle of the steering mechanism in the first direction is applied at a first angular rate of change;

the third steering torque resulting in the change to the steering angle of the steering mechanism in the second direction is applied at a second angular rate of change different than the first angular rate of change; and

the first steering torque is applied over a first time period and the third steering torque is applied over a second time period, the first time period having a shorter duration than the second time period.

3 . The vehicle system of claim 2 , wherein the second time period is subsequent to the first time period.

4 . The vehicle system of claim 2 , wherein the first angular rate of change is greater than the second angular rate of change.

5 . The vehicle system of claim 2 , wherein at least one of the first angular rate of change or the second angular rate of change is not constant.

6 . The vehicle system of claim 2 , wherein the first steering torque is one of a plurality of steering torques applied in the first direction and the third steering torque is one of a plurality of steering torques applied in the second direction, and wherein an average change in steering angle of the plurality of steering torques in the first direction and the plurality of steering torques in the second direction is zero.

7 . The vehicle system of claim 1 , wherein the application of the first steering torque to the steering mechanism is prevented upon a determination that a speed of travel of the vehicle in combination with initiation of a maneuver responsive to the first steering torque would result in a safety risk.

8 . The vehicle system of claim 1 , wherein the directional vehicle steering cue is a first directional vehicle steering cue and the triggering event is a first triggering event, and wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the machine-executable instructions to:

collect data indicative of a behavioral response of the vehicle operator to the first directional vehicle steering cue; and

modify a magnitude of at least one of the first steering torque and the second steering torque based on the behavioral response of the vehicle operator to the first directional vehicle steering cue.

9 . A method, comprising:

providing, via a user interface of a vehicle, an option to select between a directional steering cue warning mode and a directional steering cue suggestion mode;

detecting occurrence of a triggering event for a directional vehicle steering cue, wherein detecting the occurrence of the triggering event comprises detecting that the vehicle is within a threshold distance of a potential hazard; and

presenting the directional vehicle steering cue to an operator of the vehicle, wherein presenting the directional vehicle steering cue comprises:

responsive to selection of the directional steering cue warning mode, applying a first steering torque to the steering mechanism resulting in a change to a steering angle of the steering mechanism in a first direction corresponding to a direction of the potential hazard, and

responsive to selection of the directional steering cue suggestion mode, applying a second steering torque to the steering mechanism resulting in a change to the steering angle of the steering mechanism in a second direction to avoid the potential hazard, wherein the first direction is opposite the second direction.

10 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising preventing the application of the first steering torque to the steering mechanism upon a determination that a speed of travel of the vehicle in combination with initiation of a maneuver responsive to the first steering torque would result in a safety risk.

11 . A vehicle control circuit, comprising:

at least one memory storing machine-executable instructions; and

at least one processor configured to access the at least one memory and execute the machine-executable instructions to:

provide, via the user interface, an option to select between a directional steering cue warning mode and a directional steering cue suggestion mode;

determine that triggering criteria are met for applying a directional vehicle steering cue to a steering mechanism of a vehicle, wherein determining that the triggering criteria are met comprises determining that the vehicle is within a threshold distance of a safety hazard; and

present the directional vehicle steering cue to a vehicle operator, wherein presenting the directional vehicle steering cue comprises:

responsive to selection of the directional steering cue warning mode, applying a first steering torque to the steering mechanism resulting in a change to a steering angle of the steering mechanism in a first direction corresponding to a direction of the safety hazard, and

responsive to selection of the directional steering cue suggestion mode, applying a second steering torque to the steering mechanism resulting in a change to the steering angle of the steering mechanism in a second direction to avoid the potential hazard, wherein the first direction is opposite the second direction.

12 . The vehicle control circuit of claim 11 , wherein the directional vehicle steering cue is a first directional vehicle steering cue and the triggering event is a first triggering event, and wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the machine-executable instructions to:

collect data indicative of a behavioral response of the vehicle operator to the first directional vehicle steering cue; and

modify a magnitude of at least one of the first steering torque and the second steering torque based on the behavioral response of the vehicle operator to the first directional vehicle steering cue.

13 . The vehicle control circuit of claim 11 , wherein:

presenting the directional vehicle steering cue responsive to the selection of the directional steering cue warning mode further comprises applying a third steering torque to the steering mechanism resulting in a change to the steering angle of the steering mechanism in the second direction opposing the first direction;

the first steering torque resulting in the change to the steering angle of the steering mechanism in the first direction is applied at a first angular rate of change;

the third steering torque resulting in the change to the steering angle of the steering mechanism in the second direction is applied at a second angular rate of change different than the first angular rate of change; and

the first steering torque is applied over a first time period and the third steering torque is applied over a second time period, the first time period having a shorter duration than the second time period.

14 . The vehicle control circuit of claim 13 , wherein the second time period is subsequent to the first time period.

15 . The vehicle control circuit of claim 13 , wherein the first angular rate of change is greater than the second angular rate of change.

16 . The vehicle control circuit of claim 13 , wherein at least one of the first angular rate of change or the second angular rate of change is not constant.

17 . The vehicle control circuit of claim 13 , wherein the first steering torque is one of a plurality of steering torques applied in the first direction and the third steering torque is one of a plurality of steering torques applied in the second direction, and wherein an average change in steering angle of the plurality of steering torques in the first direction and the plurality of steering torques in the second direction is zero.