Safe-to-proceed system for an automated vehicle
A safe-to-proceed system ( 10 ) for operating an automated vehicle proximate to an intersection ( 14 ) includes an intersection-detector ( 18 ), a vehicle-detector ( 20 ), and a controller ( 24 ). The intersection-detector ( 18 ) is suitable for use on a host-vehicle ( 12 ). The intersection-detector ( 18 ) is used to determine when a host-vehicle ( 12 ) is proximate to an intersection ( 14 ). The vehicle-detector ( 20 ) is also suitable for use on the host-vehicle ( 12 ). The vehicle-detector ( 20 ) is used to estimate a stopping-distance ( 22 ) of an other-vehicle ( 16 ) approaching the intersection ( 14 ). The controller ( 24 ) is in communication with the intersection-detector ( 18 ) and the vehicle-detector ( 20 ). The controller ( 24 ) is configured to prevent the host-vehicle ( 12 ) from entering the intersection ( 14 ) when the stopping-distance ( 22 ) indicates that the other-vehicle ( 16 ) will enter the intersection ( 14 ) before stopping.
1. A safe-to-proceed system for operating an automated vehicle proximate to an intersection, said system comprising:
an intersection-detector suitable for use on a host-vehicle, said intersection-detector used to determine when the host-vehicle is proximate to an intersection;
a vehicle-detector suitable for use on the host-vehicle, said vehicle-detector used to estimate a stopping-distance of an other-vehicle approaching the intersection, wherein the estimate of the stopping-distance of the other-vehicle is influenced by road condition messages received by the host-vehicle that originate from vehicles that have previously passed the intersection; and
a controller in communication with the intersection-detector and the vehicle-detector, said controller configured to prevent the host-vehicle from entering the intersection when the estimate of the stopping-distance indicates that the other-vehicle will enter the intersection before stopping.
2. The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the intersection-detector includes one of a digital-map, a camera, a lidar-unit, and a radar-unit.
3. The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the host-vehicle is equipped with headlights and a horn, and the controller is configured to flash the headlights and activate the horn when the stopping-distance indicates that the other-vehicle will enter the intersection before stopping.
4. The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the system further comprises a transmitter used to transmit a warning-signal, and the controller is further configured to activate the transmitter to transmit the warning-signal when the stopping-distance indicates that the other-vehicle will enter the intersection before stopping.
5. The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the vehicle-detector influences the estimate of the stopping-distance in response to less than optimum road traction-conditions by increasing the stopping-distance of the other-vehicle.
6. The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the vehicle-detector influences the estimate of the stopping-distance in response to detected traction loss by the host-vehicle by increasing the estimate of the stopping-distance of the other-vehicle.
7. The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the vehicle-detector influences the estimate of the stopping-distance of the other-vehicle based on, at least in part, a slope of a travel-lane of the other-vehicle.