IP Library Granted Patent US 12,459,510
Granted Patent B2
US 12,459,510 · App. 18/228,744 · Granted Nov 4, 2025

Vehicle control apparatus

Inventor: Yusuke Ando (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
B60W30/16B60W30/18109B60W40/105B60W2520/00B60W2552/20B60W2554/80
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,459,510
App. No.
18/228,744
Granted
Nov 4, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A vehicle control apparatus is to be applied to a vehicle. The vehicle control apparatus includes one or more processors. The one or more processors configured to function as a target object detector, a road state detector, a speed calculator, and a braking controller. The target object detector is configured to detect a target object in front of the vehicle. The road state detector is configured to detect a road state of a road in front of the vehicle. The speed calculator is configured to calculate a non-stuck speed at which the vehicle does not become stuck on the road in front of the vehicle, when the target object is detected, the road in front of the vehicle is an uphill slope, and a road surface of the road satisfies a predetermined condition. The braking controller is configured to brake the vehicle to the non-stuck speed.

Claims (17)

1 . A vehicle control apparatus to be applied to a vehicle, the vehicle control apparatus comprising

one or more processors, wherein the one or more processors are configured to:

detect a target object in front of the vehicle;

detect a road state of a road in front of the vehicle;

calculate a non-stuck speed at which the vehicle does not become stuck on the road in front of the vehicle, when (i) the target object is detected, (ii) the road in front of the vehicle is detected to comprise an uphill slope, and a road surface of the road is detected to satisfy a predetermined condition;

calculate a braking possible distance at which the vehicle is stoppable by a predetermined operation to be performed by a driver who drives the vehicle; and

brake the vehicle to the non-stuck speed, until a distance from the vehicle to the target object satisfies the braking possible distance.

2 . The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 1 , the one or more processors are further configured to:

calculate a drive torque, of a drive unit of the vehicle, the drive torque allowing the vehicle to maintain the non-stuck speed; and

maintain a torque to be outputted from the drive unit at the drive torque, when the vehicle satisfies the non-stuck speed.

3 . The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to end the maintenance of the drive torque, when a driver who drives the vehicle performs a predetermined operation.

4 . The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the predetermined condition comprises a road surface state of the road in front of the vehicle, and

the road surface state comprises at least one of a snow-covered state or a frozen state.

5 . The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

calculate a braking start distance that allows a speed of the vehicle to decrease to zero before the vehicle comes into contact with the target object; and

brake the vehicle until the vehicle is stopped when the distance from the vehicle to the target object is equal to or less than the braking start distance.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 1, 2023
From: ANDO, YUSUKE
To: SUBARU CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 064446/0890 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2022-127122 · Aug 9, 2022 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240051535A1 · Feb 15, 2024
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