Automated vehicle operation to compensate for sensor field-of-view limitations

1. A system for a host-vehicle, comprising:

a location-detector that provides a location of the host-vehicle;

an object-detector that detects objects proximate to the host-vehicle at the location of the host-vehicle, wherein a field-of-view of the object-detector is characterized by a preferred-portion of the field-of-view that is less than a full field-of-view of the object-detector, wherein the object-detector comprises a camera operable to a wide-view-mode that views all of the field-of-view and a telescope-mode that views only the preferred-portion of the field-of-view, wherein the preferred portion is a subset of the field-of-view and has a performance characteristic that is better than an area within the field-of-view but outside the preferred portion; and

a controller in communication with the object-detector, wherein the controller steers the host-vehicle to align the preferred-portion of the field-of-view with one or more detected-objects according to the location of the host-vehicle and a location of the one or more detected-objects, wherein a first object of the one or more detected-objects is a first intersecting-road connected to an intersection approached by the host-vehicle, wherein the controller steers the host-vehicle to align the preferred-portion of the camera with the intersecting-road.

2. The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the object-detector comprises a radar, the field-of-view of the radar is characterized by a sensitivity-pattern that defines side-lobes and a main-lobe, a second object of the one or more detected-objects is an other-vehicle approaching the host-vehicle on a second intersecting-road that intersects a travel-road of the host-vehicle, and the controller steers the host-vehicle to align the main-lobe of the radar with the other-vehicle.

3. The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the system includes an intersecting-road-indicator that indicates the first intersecting-road, and

the controller is in communication with the intersecting-road-indicator, said controller designates the first intersecting-road as the first object, and steers the host-vehicle to align the preferred-portion of the object-detector with the first intersecting-road when the host-vehicle approaches the intersection.

4. The system in accordance with claim 3 , wherein the intersecting-road-indicator is a digital-map.

5. The system in accordance with claim 3 , wherein the object-detector comprises a lidar, and the controller steers the host-vehicle to align the field-of-view of the lidar with the intersecting-road.

6. The system in accordance with claim 3 , wherein the intersecting-road-indicator comprises the camera, the object-detector comprises a radar, the field-of-view of the radar is characterized by a sensitivity-pattern that defines side-lobes and a main-lobe, and the controller steers the host-vehicle to align the main-lobe of the radar with the intersecting-road.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the object-detector is a camera operable to a wide-view mode that views all of the field-of-view and a telescopic mode that views the preferred-portion of the field-of-view, and wherein the controller is configured to steer the host-vehicle to align the preferred portion of the camera with the intersecting-road,

and wherein the controller is configured to:

operate the camera in the wide-view mode until the first object is detected;

steer the host-vehicle to align the preferred portion of the camera with the intersecting-road; and

switch the camera to the telescopic mode.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the performance characteristic is one of sensitivity, resolution, or detection range of the object-detector.

9. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

an intersecting-road-indicator that indicates a location of the intersection and information regarding an angle between a travel road of the host-vehicle and the intersecting-road; and

wherein the controller is in communication with the intersecting-road-indicator and is configured to use the information indicated by the intersecting-road-indicator to determine a shape of a maneuver for steering the host-vehicle to align the preferred-portion of the object-detector with the intersecting-road.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the intersecting-road-indicator is a digital map.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the object-detector is a radar, the intersecting-road-indicator is a camera, the field-of-view of the radar is characterized by a sensitivity pattern that defines a main lobe and a plurality of side lobes, and wherein the controller is configured to steer the host-vehicle to align the main lobe of the radar with the intersecting-road.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the object-detector is a lidar, and wherein the controller is configured to steer the host-vehicle to align the field-of-view of the lidar with the intersecting-road, wherein the lidar is used as the intersecting-road-indicator.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the lidar is operable to a slow and wide mode when the field-of-view of the lidar is scanned and is operable to a fast and narrow mode when the preferred portion of the field-of-view of the lidar is scanned.

14. A method comprising:

detecting, using an object-detector, an object proximate to a host-vehicle, wherein a field-of-view of the object-detector is characterized by a preferred-portion of the field-of-view that is less than a full field-of-view of the object-detector, wherein the object-detector comprises a camera operable to a wide-view mode that views all of the field-of-view and a telescope mode that views the preferred-portion of the field-of-view;

determining, using a location-detector, a location of the host-vehicle; and

steering, using a controller in communication with the object-detector, the host-vehicle to align the preferred-portion with one or more detected-objects according to the location of the host-vehicle and a location of the one or more detected-objects, wherein the controller is configured to steer the host-vehicle to align the preferred portion of the camera with an intersecting-road, wherein the controller is configured to:

operate the camera in the wide-view mode until a first object of the one or more detected-objects is detected;

steer the host-vehicle to align the preferred portion of the camera with the intersecting-road; and

switch the camera to the telescope mode.

15. The method in accordance with claim 14 , wherein the camera in the telescope-mode views only the preferred-portion of the field-of-view, the first object is the intersecting-road, and the intersecting-road is connected to an intersection approached by the host-vehicle.

16. The method in accordance with claim 14 , wherein the object-detector comprises a radar, the field-of-view of the radar is characterized by a sensitivity-pattern that defines side-lobes and a main-lobe, a second object of the one or more detected-objects is an other-vehicle approaching the host-vehicle on an intersecting-road that intersects a travel-road of the host-vehicle, and the controller steers the host-vehicle to align the main-lobe of the radar with the other-vehicle.

17. The method in accordance with claim 14 , further comprising:

designating, using the controller, the intersecting-road as the first object; and

steering the host-vehicle to align the preferred-portion of the object-detector with the intersecting-road when the host-vehicle approaches an intersection connected to the intersecting-road.

18. The system of claim 1 , wherein a direction of a boresight of a field-of-view of the object-detector is fixed with respect to a forward-direction of travel of the host-vehicle.

19. The method of claim 14 , wherein a direction of a boresight of a field-of-view of the object-detector is fixed with respect to a forward-direction of travel of the host-vehicle.