Systems and methods for moving a vehicle using externally mounted HMI
A vehicle includes a powerplant and a body. The body defines a passenger cabin and a box and having a tailgate mounted to the box. A step assembly is associated with the box and includes a step and a handle. The handle has a sensor configured to receive input from a user located outside of the passenger cabin and output a signal when the input is active. A controller is programmed to, in response to the signal being received, command a torque to the powerplant to propel the vehicle based on the signal.
1 . A vehicle comprising:
a body defining a passenger cabin and a box and having a tailgate mounted to the box;
a step assembly associated with the box and including a step and a handle, wherein the handle includes a sensor configured to receive input from a user located outside of the passenger cabin and output a signal when the input is active, wherein the sensor is a pressure or force sensor located externally to the passenger compartment allowing a user to control vehicle movement from outside of the vehicle, the sensor being configured to measure an input by the user and output a measured pressure or force signal;
a powerplant; and
a controller programmed to, in response to the signal being received, command a torque to the powerplant to propel the vehicle according to the signal such that the vehicle moves forward a predetermined distance that is based on the measured pressure or force, wherein the predetermined distance increases as the measured pressure or force increases, and the torque is commanded in discrete intervals and a frequency of the intervals is based on the measured pressure or force.
2 . The vehicle of claim 1 further comprising friction brakes, wherein the controller is further programmed to command a braking torque to the friction brakes in response to the signal being received.
3 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further programmed to discontinue the torque to the powerplant in response the signal no longer being received.
4 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the torque to the powerplant is based on an error between a target speed of the vehicle and a measured speed of the vehicle.
5 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is configured to sense a force or pressure of the input and the signal is indicative of the force or pressure, wherein the torque commanded to the powerplant is based on a magnitude of the signal.
6 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the handle includes a movable portion, and the sensor is configured to sense displacement of the movable portion.
7 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the torque commanded to the powerplant is based on an error between a target position of the vehicle and a measured position of the vehicle.
8 . The vehicle of claim 7 , wherein the target position is based on a current position of the vehicle plus an incremental travel.
9 . The vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the incremental travel is based on a duration of the input such that the incremental travel increases as the duration increases.
10 . The vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the incremental travel is based on force of the input such that the incremental travel increases as the force increases.
11 . The vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the incremental travel is based on an energy applied to the input such that the incremental travel increases as the energy increases.
12 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the torque is only commanded to the powerplant to propel the vehicle based on the signal when a dead-man switch is activated.
13 . A vehicle comprising:
a body defining a passenger cabin and a box and having a tailgate mounted to the box;
a step assembly associated with the box and including a step and a handle, wherein the handle includes a sensor configured to receive input from a user located outside of the passenger cabin and output a signal when the input is active, wherein the sensor is a pressure or force sensor located externally to the passenger compartment allowing a user to control vehicle movement from outside of the vehicle, the sensor being configured to measure an input by the user and output a measured pressure or force signal;
a powerplant; and
a controller programmed to, when the signal exceeds a threshold, command a torque to the powerplant to propel the vehicle according to the signal such that the vehicle moves forward a predetermined distance that is based on the measured pressure or force, wherein the predetermined distance increases as the measured pressure or force increases, and the torque is commanded in discrete intervals and a frequency of the intervals is based on the measured pressure or force.
14 . The vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the torque is commanded such that the vehicle moves forward at a predetermined speed.