Systems and methods for navigating a vehicle

1. An autonomous system for selectively displacing human driver control of a host vehicle, the system comprising:

at least one processing device programmed to:

receive, from an image capture device, at least one image representative of an environment of the host vehicle;

detect at least one obstacle in the environment of the host vehicle based on an analysis of the at least one image;

monitor a driver input to at least one of a throttle control, a brake control, or a steering control associated with the host vehicle;

determine whether the driver input would result in the host vehicle navigating within a proximity buffer relative to the at least one obstacle;

allow the driver input to cause a corresponding change in one or more host vehicle motion control systems, if the at least one processing device determines that the driver input would not result in the host vehicle navigating within the proximity buffer relative to the at least one obstacle; and

prevent the driver input from causing the corresponding change in the one or more host vehicle motion control systems, if the at least one processing device determines that the driver input would result in the host vehicle navigating within the proximity buffer relative to the at least one obstacle, and

wherein the at least one obstacle includes a target vehicle, and the proximity buffer relative to the target vehicle is determined based on a detected current speed of the host vehicle, a maximum braking rate capability of the host vehicle, a determined current speed of the target vehicle, and an assumed maximum braking rate capability of the target vehicle, and wherein the proximity buffer relative to the target vehicle is further determined based on a maximum acceleration capability of the host vehicle, such that the proximity buffer includes at least a sum of a host vehicle acceleration distance, determined as a distance over which the host vehicle will travel if accelerated at the maximum acceleration capability of the host vehicle over a reaction time associated with the host vehicle, a host vehicle stopping distance, determined as a distance required to reduce the current speed of the host vehicle to zero at the maximum braking rate capability of the host vehicle, and a target vehicle stopping distance, determined as a distance required to reduce the current speed of the target vehicle to zero at the assumed maximum braking rate capability of the target vehicle.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the proximity buffer relative to the target vehicle is further determined based on a predetermined sub-maximal braking rate that is less than the maximum braking rate capability of the host vehicle, such that the host vehicle stopping distance is modified to be determined as a distance required to reduce the current speed of the host vehicle to zero at the predetermined sub-maximum braking capability of the host vehicle.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the target vehicle is determined to be forward of the host vehicle, and the at least one processing device is configured to determine that the driver input would result in a change in longitudinal distance between the target vehicle and the host vehicle.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the target vehicle is determined to be in a lane different from the host vehicle, and the at least one processing device is configured to determine that the driver input would result in a lateral movement of the host vehicle, such that after the lateral movement, the target vehicle will be forward of the host vehicle.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the target vehicle is determined to be in a lane different from the host vehicle, and the at least one processing device is configured to determine that the driver input would result in a lateral movement of the host vehicle, such that after the lateral movement, the host vehicle will be forward of the target vehicle.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the proximity buffer corresponds to a predetermined lateral distance threshold.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the proximity buffer relative to the target vehicle is further determined based on a predetermined minimum distance to be maintained between the host vehicle and the target vehicle.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one obstacle includes a pedestrian or an object in a roadway, and the proximity buffer relative to the at least one obstacle includes at least a minimum distance to be maintained between the host vehicle and the at least one obstacle.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one obstacle includes a pedestrian, and the proximity buffer relative to the pedestrian is determined based on a current speed of the host vehicle, and the proximity buffer increases with increasing host vehicle speed.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the throttle control includes an accelerator pedal, the brake control includes a brake pedal, and the steering control includes a steering wheel, and wherein the driver input includes at least one of a depression of the accelerator pedal, a depression of the brake pedal, a lack of depression of the brake pedal, a rotation of the steering wheel, or a non-rotation of the steering wheel.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the one or more host vehicle control systems include at least one steering actuator to control a heading of the host vehicle, a braking actuator to cause application of a host vehicle braking device, or an acceleration actuator to cause application of a host vehicle throttle.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein prevention of the driver input from causing the corresponding change in the one or more host vehicle motion control systems includes at least one of preventing driver input to the steering wheel from resulting in a corresponding response by the at least one steering actuator, preventing driver input to the brake pedal from resulting in a corresponding response by the braking actuator, or preventing driver input to the accelerator pedal from resulting in a corresponding response by the acceleration actuator.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein to prevent the driver input from causing the corresponding change in the one or more host vehicle motion control systems, the at least one processing device is configured to prevent motion of at least one of the throttle control, the brake control, or the steering control.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein to prevent the driver input from causing the corresponding change in the one or more host vehicle motion control systems, the at least one processing device is configured to disable operability of at least one of the throttle control, the brake control, or the steering control.

15. The system of claim 1 , wherein to prevent the driver input from causing the corresponding change in the one or more host vehicle motion control systems, the at least one processing device is configured to prevent motion of at least one of the throttle control, the brake control, or the steering control in response to the driver input and to apply an impulse force to at least one of the throttle control, the brake control, or the steering control.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the at least one processing device is configured to continue preventing motion of at least one of the throttle control, the brake control, or the steering control and to continue application of the impulse force to at least one of the throttle control, the brake control, or the steering control until driver input is received that would not result in the host vehicle navigating within a proximity buffer relative to the at least one obstacle.

17. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processing device is configured to control navigation of the host vehicle autonomously during intervals in which the at least one processing device prevents the driver input from causing the corresponding change in the one or more host vehicle motion control systems.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the at least one processing device is configured to return navigational control of the host vehicle to a driver after driver input is received that would not result in the host vehicle navigating within a proximity buffer relative to the at least one obstacle.

19. The system of claim 1 , further including a system override control for disabling the autonomous system for selectively displacing human driver control, wherein the system override control is different from the throttle control, the brake control, and the steering control.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the at least one processing device is configured to track when the autonomous system for selectively displacing human driver control has been disabled through operation of the system override control.

21. The system of claim 1 , further including a plurality of image capture devices each having a different field of view relative to the environment of the host vehicle, and wherein the at least one processing device is configured to receive one or more images from each of the plurality of image capture devices and to detect the at least one obstacle in the environment of the host vehicle based on analysis of the one or more images received from any of the plurality of image capture devices.

22. The system of claim 21 , wherein at least one of the plurality of image capture devices is configured to capture images representative of the environment of the host vehicle to a side of the host vehicle.

23. The system of claim 21 , wherein at least one of the plurality of image capture devices is configured to capture images representative of the environment of the host vehicle to a rear of the host vehicle.

24. A method for selectively displacing human driver control of a host vehicle comprising:

receiving, from an image capture device, at least one image representative of an environment of the host vehicle;

detecting at least one obstacle in the environment of the host vehicle based on an analysis of the at least one image;

monitoring a driver input to at least one of a throttle control, a brake control, or a steering control associated with the host vehicle;

determining whether the driver input would result in the host vehicle navigating within a proximity buffer relative to the at least one obstacle;

allowing the driver input to cause a corresponding change in one or more host vehicle motion control systems, if the at least one processing device determines that the driver input would not result in the host vehicle navigating within the proximity buffer relative to the at least one obstacle; and

preventing the driver input from causing the corresponding change in the one or more host vehicle motion control systems, if the at least one processing device determines that the driver input would result in the host vehicle navigating within the proximity buffer relative to the at least one obstacle,

wherein the at least one obstacle includes a target vehicle, and the proximity buffer relative to the target vehicle is determined based on a detected current speed of the host vehicle, a maximum braking rate capability of the host vehicle, a determined current speed of the target vehicle, and an assumed maximum braking rate capability of the target vehicle, and wherein the proximity buffer relative to the target vehicle is further determined based on a maximum acceleration capability of the host vehicle, such that the proximity buffer includes at least a sum of a host vehicle acceleration distance, determined as a distance over which the host vehicle will travel if accelerated at the maximum acceleration capability of the host vehicle over a reaction time associated with the host vehicle, a host vehicle stopping distance, determined as a distance required to reduce the current speed of the host vehicle to zero at the maximum braking rate capability of the host vehicle, and a target vehicle stopping distance, determined as a distance required to reduce the current speed of the target vehicle to zero at the assumed maximum braking rate capability of the target vehicle.

25. The method of claim 24 , wherein the proximity buffer relative to the target vehicle is further determined based on a predetermined sub-maximal braking rate that is less than the maximum braking rate capability of the host vehicle, such that the host vehicle stopping distance is modified to be determined as a distance required to reduce the current speed of the host vehicle to zero at the predetermined sub-maximum braking capability of the host vehicle.

26. The method of claim 24 , wherein the target vehicle is determined to be forward of the host vehicle, and the at least one processing device is configured to determine that the driver input would result in a change in longitudinal distance between the target vehicle and the host vehicle.

27. An autonomous system for selectively displacing human driver control of a host vehicle, the system including a computer-readable non-transient memory storing instructions that when executed by a processor result in operations comprising:

receiving, from an image capture device, at least one image representative of an environment of the host vehicle;

detecting at least one obstacle in the environment of the host vehicle based on an analysis of the at least one image;

monitoring a driver input to at least one of a throttle control, a brake control, or a steering control associated with the host vehicle;

determining whether the driver input would result in the host vehicle navigating within a proximity buffer relative to the at least one obstacle;

allowing the driver input to cause a corresponding change in one or more host vehicle motion control systems, if the at least one processing device determines that the driver input would not result in the host vehicle navigating within the proximity buffer relative to the at least one obstacle; and

preventing the driver input from causing the corresponding change in the one or more host vehicle motion control systems, if the at least one processing device determines that the driver input would result in the host vehicle navigating within the proximity buffer relative to the at least one obstacle,

wherein the at least one obstacle includes a target vehicle, and the proximity buffer relative to the target vehicle is determined based on a detected current speed of the host vehicle, a maximum braking rate capability of the host vehicle, a determined current speed of the target vehicle, and an assumed maximum braking rate capability of the target vehicle, and wherein the proximity buffer relative to the target vehicle is further determined based on a maximum acceleration capability of the host vehicle, such that the proximity buffer includes at least a sum of a host vehicle acceleration distance, determined as a distance over which the host vehicle will travel if accelerated at the maximum acceleration capability of the host vehicle over a reaction time associated with the host vehicle, a host vehicle stopping distance, determined as a distance required to reduce the current speed of the host vehicle to zero at the maximum braking rate capability of the host vehicle, and a target vehicle stopping distance, determined as a distance required to reduce the current speed of the target vehicle to zero at the assumed maximum braking rate capability of the target vehicle.

28. The system of claim 27 , further including a system override control for disabling the autonomous system for selectively displacing human driver control, wherein the system override control is different from the throttle control, the brake control, and the steering control.

29. The system of claim 28 , wherein the at least one processing device is configured to track when the autonomous system for selectively displacing human driver control has been disabled through operation of the system override control.