Vehicle self-leveling for overlanding vehicles
Systems and methods of leveling a vehicle are disclosed. Exemplary implementations may: provide a plurality of air bag jacks under the vehicle; determine roll and pitch information of the vehicle; determine, using a computing system, an amount of air-adjustment to make for one or more of the plurality of air bag jacks, based on the roll and pitch information, to level the vehicle; and activate, via the computing system, an air compressor to make the determined air-adjustment.
1 . A method of leveling a vehicle, comprising:
providing a plurality of inflatable air bag jacks between a vehicle wheel and ground beneath the vehicle wheel;
determining roll and pitch information of the vehicle using a roll/pitch sensor located in or on the vehicle;
determining, using a computing system, an amount of air-pressure adjustment to make for one or more of the plurality of inflatable air bag jacks, based on the roll and pitch information, to level the vehicle;
activating, via the computing system, an air compressor configured to provide variable air-pressure levels to make the determined air-pressure adjustment; and
using feedback from the roll/pitch sensor to adjust the air pressure in each inflatable air bag jack until the vehicle achieves a level condition.
2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining a selected inflatable air bag jack of the plurality of inflatable air bag jacks to adjust and opening a pneumatic solenoid valve corresponding to the selected inflatable air bag jack to permit air-pressure adjustment.
3 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising closing the opened pneumatic solenoid valve after air-pressure adjustment is made to the selected inflatable air bag jack.
4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining roll and pitch information of the vehicle subsequent to making the determined air-pressure adjustment to identify a level condition of the vehicle.
5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the identified level condition of the vehicle serves to confirm that the vehicle is level.
6 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the identified level condition of the vehicle serves to identify that a non-level condition of the vehicle exists indicating that a further air-pressure adjustment needs to be made to level the vehicle.
7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein upon the identification that a non-level condition of the vehicle exists, the method further comprises repeating, using the steps of determining using the computing system, activating, and determining roll and pitch information of the vehicle subsequent to making the determined air-pressure adjustment, until the vehicle achieves the level condition.
8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising pressing a start mechanism to initiate the method.
9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the start mechanism is provided via a physical controller within the vehicle.
10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the start mechanism is provided via a representation of a text command or controller on a graphical user interface of a multimedia display within the vehicle.
11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the air compressor is located in the vehicle.
12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of inflatable air bag jacks are in direct physical contact with one of the vehicle wheel, frame of the vehicle, and a body of the vehicle.
13 . A vehicle control system for leveling a vehicle, comprising:
one or more processors; and
memory coupled to at least one of the one or more processors to store instructions, which when executed by the at least one of the one or more processors, cause the at least one of the one or more processors to perform operations, the operations comprising:
determining, using a computing system, an amount of air-pressure adjustment to make for one or more of a plurality of inflatable air bag jacks provided between a vehicle wheel and a surface beneath the vehicle wheel, based on roll and pitch information of the vehicle obtained using a roll/pitch sensor located in or on the vehicle, to level the vehicle;
activating, via the computing system, an air compressor configured to provide variable air pressure levels to make the determined air-pressure adjustment;
using feedback from the roll/pitch sensor to adjust the air pressure in each inflatable air bag jack until the vehicle achieves a level condition.
14 . The vehicle control system of claim 13 , wherein the air compressor is located in the vehicle.
15 . The vehicle control system of claim 13 , wherein each of the plurality of inflatable air bag jacks are in direct physical contact with one of the vehicle wheel, frame of the vehicle, and a body of the vehicle.
16 . The vehicle control system of claim 13 , wherein the operations further comprise:
initiating the operation responsive to a start mechanism being pressed,
wherein the start mechanism is provided via a physical controller within the vehicle, or via a representation of a text command or controller on a graphical user interface of a multimedia display within the vehicle.
17 . A leveling system for leveling a vehicle, comprising:
a plurality of inflatable air bag jacks positioned between a vehicle wheel and a surface beneath the vehicle wheel;
an air compressor communicatively coupled to the plurality of inflatable air bag jacks;
a roll/pitch sensor, located in or on the vehicle, that determines roll and pitch information of the vehicle; and
a computing system configured to:
determine an amount of air-pressure adjustment to make for one or more of the plurality of inflatable air bag jacks, based on the roll and pitch information of the vehicle, in order to level the vehicle;
activate the air compressor to make the determined air-pressure adjustment; and
use feedback from the roll/pitch sensor to adjust the air pressure in each inflatable air bag jack until the vehicle achieves a level condition.
18 . The leveling system of claim 17 , wherein the air compressor is located in the vehicle.
19 . The leveling system of claim 17 , wherein each of the plurality of inflatable air bag jacks are in direct physical contact with one of the vehicle wheel, frame of the vehicle, and a body of the vehicle.
20 . The leveling system of claim 17 , further comprising:
a start mechanism to initiate leveling the vehicle, wherein the start mechanism is provided via a physical controller within the vehicle, or via a representation of a text command or controller on a graphical user interface of a multimedia display within the vehicle.