Systems and methods for reactively reorienting a moving vehicle

1 . A system for reactively reorienting a moving vehicle, the system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing machine-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

detect automatically, at an over-actuated vehicle, a predetermined situation while the over-actuated vehicle is traveling on a roadway, wherein the over-actuated vehicle is a vehicle whose wheels can be independently propelled and steered; and

control automatically the wheels of the over-actuated vehicle to rotate a cabin of the over-actuated vehicle sideways at an angle relative to a direction of travel of the over-actuated vehicle in response to detecting the predetermined situation, wherein the wheels continue to roll in the direction of travel as the over-actuated vehicle continues to travel along the roadway with the cabin rotated at the angle.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the predetermined situation is a lane change of the over-actuated vehicle being imminent; and

the cabin of the over-actuated vehicle is rotated toward a target lane of the lane change to improve an over-actuated-vehicle occupant's view of the target lane prior to execution of the lane change.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the machine-readable instructions include further instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to analyze sensor data to ensure there is at least a predetermined amount of clearance before controlling automatically the wheels of the over-actuated vehicle to rotate the cabin of the over-actuated vehicle toward the target lane.

4 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the angle relative to the direction of travel is one of:

a predetermined angle;

an angle that is based on a measured clearance in the target lane from an analysis of sensor data; and

an angle that is based on the over-actuated-vehicle occupant's detected gaze direction.

5 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the machine-readable instructions include further instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to control automatically the wheels of the over-actuated vehicle to re-align the cabin of the over-actuated vehicle with the direction of travel in the target lane after the execution of the lane change in response to the over-actuated vehicle being steered in a direction opposite that of the lane change.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined situation is oncoming traffic on the roadway at nighttime and the cabin of the over-actuated vehicle is rotated away from the oncoming traffic to avoid shining headlights of the over-actuated vehicle directly into the oncoming traffic.

7 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the machine-readable instructions include further instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to control automatically the wheels of the over-actuated vehicle to re-align the cabin of the over-actuated vehicle with the direction of travel when there is no longer oncoming traffic on the roadway.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the over-actuated vehicle is one of a semi-autonomous vehicle and an autonomous vehicle.

9 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium for reactively reorienting a moving vehicle and storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

detect automatically, at an over-actuated vehicle, a predetermined situation while the over-actuated vehicle is traveling on a roadway, wherein the over-actuated vehicle is a vehicle whose wheels can be independently propelled and steered; and

control automatically the wheels of the over-actuated vehicle to rotate a cabin of the over-actuated vehicle sideways at an angle relative to a direction of travel of the over-actuated vehicle in response to detecting the predetermined situation, wherein the wheels continue to roll in the direction of travel as the over-actuated vehicle continues to travel along the roadway with the cabin rotated at the angle.

10 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein:

the predetermined situation is a lane change of the over-actuated vehicle being imminent; and

the cabin of the over-actuated vehicle is rotated toward a target lane of the lane change to improve an over-actuated-vehicle occupant's view of the target lane prior to execution of the lane change.

11 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the angle relative to the direction of travel is one of:

a predetermined angle;

an angle that is based on a measured clearance in the target lane from an analysis of sensor data; and

an angle that is based on the over-actuated-vehicle occupant's detected gaze direction.

12 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the predetermined situation is oncoming traffic on the roadway at nighttime and the cabin of the over-actuated vehicle is rotated away from the oncoming traffic to avoid shining headlights of the over-actuated vehicle directly into the oncoming traffic.

13 . A method, comprising:

detecting automatically, at an over-actuated vehicle, a predetermined situation while the over-actuated vehicle is traveling on a roadway, wherein the over-actuated vehicle is a vehicle whose wheels can be independently propelled and steered; and

controlling automatically the wheels of the over-actuated vehicle to rotate a cabin of the over-actuated vehicle sideways at an angle relative to a direction of travel of the over-actuated vehicle in response to detecting the predetermined situation, wherein the wheels continue to roll in the direction of travel as the over-actuated vehicle continues to travel along the roadway with the cabin rotated at the angle.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein:

the predetermined situation is a lane change of the over-actuated vehicle being imminent; and

the cabin of the over-actuated vehicle is rotated toward a target lane of the lane change to improve an over-actuated-vehicle occupant's view of the target lane prior to execution of the lane change.

15 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising analyzing sensor data to ensure there is at least a predetermined amount of clearance before controlling automatically the wheels of the over-actuated vehicle to rotate the cabin of the over-actuated vehicle toward the target lane.

16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the angle relative to the direction of travel is one of:

a predetermined angle;

an angle that is based on a measured clearance in the target lane from an analysis of sensor data; and

an angle that is based on the over-actuated-vehicle occupant's detected gaze direction.

17 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising controlling automatically the wheels of the over-actuated vehicle to re-align the cabin of the over-actuated vehicle with the direction of travel in the target lane after the execution of the lane change in response to the over-actuated vehicle being steered in a direction opposite that of the lane change.

18 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the predetermined situation is oncoming traffic on the roadway at nighttime and the cabin of the over-actuated vehicle is rotated away from the oncoming traffic to avoid shining headlights of the over-actuated vehicle directly into the oncoming traffic.

19 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising controlling automatically the wheels of the over-actuated vehicle to re-align the cabin of the over-actuated vehicle with the direction of travel when there is no longer oncoming traffic on the roadway.

20 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the over-actuated vehicle is one of a semi-autonomous vehicle and an autonomous vehicle.