Systems and methods for preventing side collisions
A steering system for a vehicle includes a steering input device configured to control a steering angle, a gear selector, front wheels positioned at a road wheel angle, and a plurality of sensors. A processing module is configured to determine one or more distances between the vehicle and one or more obstacles in response to the plurality of sensors. A driver assistance module is configured to generate a predetermined collision angle. A controller includes a steering control module configured to when the gear selector is in forward, determine a first maximum road wheel angle using a first equation and a second maximum road wheel angle using a second equation based on the one or more distances and set a maximum allowable road wheel angle to a smallest angle of the first and second maximum road wheel angles. The steering control module selectively performs a remedial action.
1 . A steering system for a vehicle, comprising:
a steering input device configured to control a steering angle;
a gear selector;
front wheels positioned at a road wheel angle;
a plurality of sensors;
a processing module configured to determine one or more distances between the vehicle and one or more obstacles in response to the plurality of sensors;
a driver assistance module configured to generate a predetermined collision angle; and
a controller including a steering control module configured to:
when the gear selector is in forward:
determine a first maximum road wheel angle using a first equation and a second maximum road wheel angle using a second equation based on the one or more distances;
set a maximum allowable road wheel angle to a smallest angle of the first maximum road wheel angle and the second maximum road wheel angle; and
selectively perform a remedial action in response to the steering angle, the maximum allowable road wheel angle, and the predetermined collision angle.
2 . The steering system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to:
when the gear selector is in reverse:
determine a third maximum road wheel angle using a third equation and a fourth maximum road wheel angle using a fourth equation based on the one or more distances; and
set a maximum allowable road wheel angle to a smallest angle of the third maximum road wheel angle and the fourth maximum road wheel angle.
3 . The steering system of claim 2 , wherein the third equation and fourth equation, respectively, are as follows:
d
f
=
(
l
b
+
l
f
)
2
+
(
I
b
tan
θ
+
w
)
2
×
[
1
-
cos
(
sin
-
1
(
(
l
b
+
l
f
(
l
b
+
l
f
)
2
+
(
I
b
tan
θ
+
w
)
2
)
-
ψ
)
]
d
b
=
(
I
b
tan
θ
-
w
)
2
+
l
o
2
×
sin
(
90
-
tan
-
1
(
l
o
I
b
tan
θ
-
w
)
-
ψ
)
+
(
I
b
tan
θ
-
×
sin
(
sin
-
1
(
l
o
l
o
2
+
(
I
b
tan
θ
+
w
)
2
)
-
90
+
tan
-
1
(
l
o
I
b
tan
θ
-
w
)
)
wherein d b is a distance from a back corner of the vehicle to a first obstacle, d f is a distance from a front corner of the vehicle to a second obstacle, l b is length of a wheelbase, l f is length of a wheel track, w is one half of a rear track width, and ψ is a heading angle.
4 . The steering system of claim 1 , wherein the steering input device is physically connected to the front wheels of the vehicle.
5 . The steering system of claim 1 , wherein the steering input device is not physically connected to the front wheels of the vehicle.
6 . The steering system of claim 5 , further comprising a road wheel actuator configured to adjust the road wheel angle of the front wheels of the vehicle in response to the steering control module.
7 . The steering system of claim 6 , wherein the driver assistance module is further configured to generate a driver assistance angle.
8 . The steering system of claim 7 , wherein the remedial action includes a first remedial action performed when an absolute value of a difference between the steering angle and the maximum allowable road wheel angle is less than or equal to the predetermined collision angle.
9 . The steering system of claim 8 , wherein the first remedial action includes setting the road wheel angle equal to the maximum allowable road wheel angle.
10 . The steering system of claim 7 , wherein the remedial action includes a second remedial action performed when an absolute value of a difference between the steering angle and the maximum allowable road wheel angle is greater than the predetermined collision angle and less than a driver assist angle.
11 . The steering system of claim 10 , wherein the second remedial action includes lowering a steering ratio of the steering input device.
12 . The steering system of claim 1 , wherein the first equation and second equation, respectively, are as follows:
d
b
=
l
o
2
+
(
I
b
tan
θ
+
w
)
2
-
(
l
o
2
+
(
I
b
tan
θ
+
w
)
2
×
cos
(
sin
-
1
(
l
o
l
o
2
+
(
I
b
tan
θ
+
w
)
2
)
-
ψ
)
d
f
=
(
I
b
tan
θ
-
w
)
2
+
〚
(
I
〛
b
+
l
f
)
2
×
sin
(
90
-
tan
-
1
(
I
b
+
l
f
I
b
tan
θ
-
w
)
-
ψ
)
+
(
I
b
tan
θ
-
w
)
2
+
〚
(
I
〛
b
+
l
f
)
2
×
sin
(
sin
-
1
(
l
o
l
o
2
+
(
I
b
tan
θ
+
w
)
2
)
-
90
+
tan
-
1
(
I
b
+
l
f
I
b
tan
θ
-
w
)
)
wherein d b is a distance from a back corner of the vehicle to a first obstacle, d f is a distance from a front corner of the vehicle to a second obstacle, l b is length of a wheelbase, l f is length of a wheel track, ψ is one half of a rear track width, and ψ is a heading angle.
13 . The steering system of claim 1 , wherein the remedial action includes generating at least one of an audible obstacle warning and a visual obstacle warning.
14 . A steering system for a vehicle, comprising:
a steering input device configured to control a steering angle;
a gear selector;
front wheels positioned at a road wheel angle;
a road wheel actuator configured to rotate the front wheels of the vehicle;
a plurality of sensors including at least one of a radar sensor, an ultrasound sensor, a lidar sensor, and a camera generating images;
a sensor and image processing module configured to determine one or more distances between the vehicle and one or more obstacles in response to the plurality of sensors;
a driver assistance system configured to generate a predetermined collision angle and a driver assistance angle; and
a controller including a steering control module configured to control the road wheel actuator and to:
when the gear selector is in forward:
determine a first maximum road wheel angle using a first equation and a second maximum road wheel angle using a second equation based on the one or more distances; and
set a maximum allowable road wheel angle to a smallest angle of the first maximum road wheel angle and the second maximum road wheel angle based on the one or more distances;
when the gear selector is in reverse:
determine a third maximum road wheel angle using a third equation and a fourth maximum road wheel angle using a fourth equation;
set a maximum allowable road wheel angle to a smallest angle of the third maximum road wheel angle and the fourth maximum road wheel angle; and
selectively perform a remedial action in response to the steering angle, the maximum allowable road wheel angle, and the predetermined collision angle.
15 . The steering system of claim 14 , wherein the remedial action includes setting the road wheel angle equal to the maximum allowable road wheel angle when an absolute value of a difference between the steering angle and the maximum allowable road wheel angle is less than or equal to the predetermined collision angle.
16 . The steering system of claim 14 , wherein the remedial action includes lowering a steering ratio of the steering input device when an absolute value of a difference between the steering angle and the maximum allowable road wheel angle is greater than the predetermined collision angle and less than a driver assist angle.
17 . The steering system of claim 14 , wherein the first equation and second equation, respectively, are as follows:
d
b
=
l
o
2
+
(
I
b
tan
θ
+
w
)
2
-
(
l
o
2
+
(
I
b
tan
θ
+
w
)
2
×
cos
(
sin
-
1
(
l
o
l
o
2
+
(
I
b
tan
θ
+
w
)
2
)
-
ψ
)
d
f
=
(
I
b
tan
θ
-
w
)
2
+
〚
(
I
〛
b
+
l
f
)
2
×
sin
(
90
-
tan
-
1
(
I
b
+
l
f
I
b
tan
θ
-
w
)
-
ψ
)
+
(
I
b
tan
θ
-
w
)
2
+
〚
(
I
〛
b
+
l
f
)
2
×
sin
(
sin
-
1
(
l
o
l
o
2
+
(
I
b
tan
θ
+
w
)
2
)
-
90
+
tan
-
1
(
I
b
+
l
f
I
b
tan
θ
-
w
)
)
wherein d b is a distance from a back corner of the vehicle to a first obstacle, d f is a distance from a front corner of the vehicle to a second obstacle, l b is length of a wheelbase, l f is length of a wheel track, w is one half of a rear track width, and ψ is a heading angle.
18 . The steering system of claim 14 , wherein the third equation and fourth equation, respectively, are as follows:
d
f
=
(
l
b
+
l
f
)
2
+
(
I
b
tan
θ
+
w
)
2
×
[
1
-
cos
(
sin
-
1
(
(
l
b
+
l
f
(
l
b
+
l
f
)
2
+
(
I
b
tan
θ
+
w
)
2
)
-
ψ
)
]
d
b
=
(
I
b
tan
θ
-
w
)
2
+
l
o
2
×
sin
(
90
-
tan
-
1
(
l
o
I
b
tan
θ
-
w
)
-
ψ
)
+
(
I
b
tan
θ
-
×
sin
(
sin
-
1
(
l
o
l
o
2
+
(
I
b
tan
θ
+
w
)
2
)
-
90
+
tan
-
1
(
l
o
I
b
tan
θ
-
w
)
)
wherein d b is a distance from a back corner of the vehicle to a first obstacle, d f is a distance from a front corner of the vehicle to a second obstacle, l b is length of a wheelbase, l f is length of a wheel track, w is one half of a rear track width, and ψ is a heading angle.
19 . The steering system of claim 14 , wherein the remedial action includes generating at least one of an audible obstacle warning and a visual obstacle warning.
20 . A vehicle comprising the steering system of claim 14 .