Method and apparatus for using an automated lane keeping system to maintain lateral vehicle spacing

1. A method for piloting a vehicle, comprising:

detecting objects in lanes adjacent to a lane occupied by the vehicle using a lane keeping system;

adjusting, relative to at least one detected object, a lateral position of the vehicle within the occupied lane, wherein a different desired lane position is applied by the lane keeping system based on consideration of a lateral distance to another object in an adjacent lane by modifying parameters in the lane keeping support algorithm,

in a first level of driver interaction relating to information, informing the driver, via the lane keeping system, of the presence of a vehicle in the lateral area of both sides of the ego vehicle;

in a second level of driver interaction relating to caution, warning the driver, via the lane keeping system through a selected warning channel, when a vehicle is detected in the lateral area and the driver is using the turn signal indicator; and

in a third level of driver interaction relating to warning/active intervention, providing a corrective steering action or, in case of warning only mode, warning the driver, via the lane keeping system, haptically through the steering wheel when there is a risk of lateral collision due to a lane change.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the objects are one of another vehicle and a road structure.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of:

warning a vehicle driver that changing from the occupied lane might result in a collision with a detected object.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the warning step further comprises utilizing steering wheel feedback.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the steering wheel feedback is one of vibrating the steering wheel and applying a torque to the steering wheel.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the torque is applied counter to a steering wheel direction of rotation which might result in collision with the detected object.

7. The method of claim 3 , wherein the detecting and warning steps are not disabled when a vehicle turn signal indicator is enabled, if a collision with a detected object might result from a lane change.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the adjusting step further comprises the steps of:

receiving, from the lane keeping system, information regarding boundaries of the occupied lane; and

utilizing the received boundary information to ensure the adjusted vehicle position remains within the occupied lane.

9. A computer-readable medium whose contents cause a computer system to pilot a vehicle, by performing the steps of:

detecting objects in lanes adjacent to a lane occupied by the vehicle, using a lane keeping system;

adjusting, relative to at least one detected object, a lateral position of the vehicle within the occupied lane by applying a different desired lane position by the lane keeping system based on consideration of a lateral distance to another object in an adjacent lane by modifying parameters in the lane keeping support algorithm,

in a first level of driver interaction relating to information, informing the driver, via the lane keeping system, of the presence of a vehicle in the lateral area of both sides of the ego vehicle;

in a second level of driver interaction relating to caution, warning the driver, via the lane keeping system through a selected warning channel, when a vehicle is detected in the lateral area and the driver is using the turn signal indicator and

in a third level of driver interaction relating to warning/active intervention, providing a corrective steering action or, in case of warning only mode, warning the driver, via the lane keeping system, haptically through the steering wheel when there is a risk of lateral collision due to a lane change.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the objects are one of another vehicle and a road structure.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 9 , further comprising the step of:

warning a vehicle driver that changing from the occupied lane might result in a collision with a detected object.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the warning step further comprises utilizing steering wheel feedback.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the steering wheel feedback is one of vibrating the steering wheel and applying a torque to the steering wheel.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the torque is applied counter to a steering wheel direction which might result in the collision.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the detecting and warning steps are not disabled when a vehicle turn signal indicator is enabled, if a collision with a detected object might result from a lane change.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the adjusting step further comprises the steps of:

receiving, from the lane keeping system, information regarding boundaries of the occupied lane; and

utilizing the received boundary information to ensure the adjusted vehicle position remains within the occupied lane.

17. A system for piloting a vehicle, comprising:

means for detecting objects in lanes adjacent to a lane occupied by the vehicle; and

means for adjusting a lateral position of the vehicle, relative to at least one detected object, within the occupied lane using detection information generated by the detecting means by applying a different desired lane position by the lane keeping system based on consideration of a lateral distance to another object in an adjacent lane by modifying parameters in the lane keeping support algorithm,

wherein, in a first level of driver interaction relating to information, the lane keeping system informs the driver of the presence of a vehicle in the lateral area of both sides of the ego vehicle;

in a second level of driver interaction relating to caution, when a vehicle is detected in the lateral area and the driver is using the turn signal indicator, the lane keeping system warns the driver through a selected warning channel; and

in a third level of driver interaction relating to warning/active intervention, when there is a risk of lateral collision due to a lane change, a corrective steering action is given or in case of warning only mode the lane keeping system warns the driver haptically through the steering wheel.

18. The system for piloting a vehicle according to claim 17 , comprising:

a lane keeping system; and

a within-lane vehicle adjusting module adapted to receive from the lane keeping system both information regarding objects detected in lanes adjacent to a lane occupied by the vehicle and information regarding boundaries of the occupied lane;

the within-lane vehicle adjusting module utilizing the received information to provide an output signal used to adjust a lateral position of the vehicle within the occupied lane relative to at least one detected object by applying a different desired lane position by the lane keeping system based on consideration of a lateral distance to another object in an adjacent lane by modifying parameters in the lane keeping support algorithm.

19. The system for piloting a vehicle according to claim 18 , comprising:

a processor associated with the lane keeping system;

a computer readable memory segment adapted to be connected to the processor;

a within-lane vehicle adjusting module included within the computer readable memory, the within-lane vehicle adjusting module comprising computer program code segments which, when executed by the processor, implement the following steps:

detecting objects in lanes adjacent to a lane occupied by the vehicle, using the lane keeping system; and

adjusting, relative to at least one detected object, a lateral position of the vehicle within the occupied lane by applying a different desired lane position by the lane keeping system based on consideration of a lateral distance to another object in an adjacent lane by modifying parameters in the lane keeping support.