AUTONOMOUS READY VEHICLE
A system and method for interfacing an autonomous or remote control drive-by-wire controller with a vehicle's control modules. Vehicle functions including steering, braking, starting, etc. are controllable by wire via a control network. A CAN architecture is used as an interface between the remote/autonomous controller and the vehicle's control modules. A CAN module interface provides communication between a vehicle control system and a supervisory, remote, autonomous, or drive-by-wire controller. The interface permits the supervisory control to control vehicle operation within pre-determined bounds and using control algorithms.
1 . A vehicle including:
a communication interface module coupled to a vehicle control module and operable to couple with an autonomous controller device, the communication interface module configured to receive commands from the autonomous controller device and send the received commands to the vehicle control module; and
the vehicle control module configured to control the vehicle either in response to commands received from the communication interface module or autonomously in the absence of commands from the autonomous controller, wherein the vehicle control module receives information regarding terrain being traversed by the vehicle and adapts the operation of the vehicle based on the terrain when operating the vehicle autonomously.