Object tracking after object turns off host-vehicle roadway

1. A system for operating a vehicle, said system comprising:

an object detector used to track an object traveling on a roadway traveled by a host vehicle; and

a controller circuit in communication with the object detector, said controller circuit configured to track a position of the object, determine a classification of the object in accordance with a signal received from the object detector, wherein the classification comprises a car and a bicycle, said controller circuit configured to track the car a first distance after the car turns off the roadway, track the bicycle a second distance after the bicycle turns off the roadway, wherein the second distance is greater than the first distance, and operate the host vehicle in accordance with the position of the object; wherein the controller circuit is configured to operate the host vehicle in accordance with a presumption that the bicycle will turn around and re-enter the roadway before the bicycle travels the second distance after the bicycle turns off the roadway,

wherein the controller circuit is further configured to operate the host vehicle to leave space for the bicycle to re-enter the roadway ahead of the host vehicle.

2. The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the controller circuit is configured to wait to enter an intersection until after the bicycle travels the second distance away from the intersection when the bicycle turns off the roadway at the intersection.

3. The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the controller circuit is configured to set the second distance to a first value in response to a determination that the bicycle stopped before the bicycle turns off the roadway, and set the second distance to a second value in response to a determination that the bicycle did not stop before the bicycle turns off the roadway, wherein the first value is different from the second value.

4. The system in accordance with claim 3 , wherein the first value is greater than the second value.

5. The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the controller circuit is configured to determine a path deviation from a straight line by the bicycle, and increase the second distance in response to a determination that the path deviation is greater than a deviation threshold.

6. The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the controller circuit is configured to determine a gaze direction of an operator of the bicycle, and increase the second distance in response to a determination that the gaze direction is characterized as not looking forward.

7. A controller circuit for operating a vehicle, said controller circuit comprising:

an input configured to communicate with an object detector used to track an object traveling on a roadway traveled by a host vehicle; and

a processor in communication with the object detector, said processor configured to track a position of the object, determine a classification of the object in accordance with a signal received from the object detector, wherein the classification comprises a car and a bicycle, said processor configured to track the car a first distance after the car turns off the roadway, track the bicycle a second distance after the bicycle turns off the roadway, wherein the second distance is greater than the first distance; and

an output configured to communicate with vehicle controls that operate the host vehicle in accordance with the position of the object; wherein the processor is configured to operate the host vehicle in accordance with a presumption that the bicycle will turn around and re-enter the roadway before the bicycle travels the second distance after the bicycle turns off the roadway,

wherein the processor is further configured to operate the host vehicle to leave space for the bicycle to re-enter the roadway ahead of the host vehicle.

8. The controller circuit in accordance with claim 7 , wherein the processor is configured to wait to enter an intersection until after the bicycle travels the second distance away from the intersection when the bicycle turns off the roadway at the intersection.

9. The controller circuit in accordance with claim 7 , wherein the processor is configured to set the second distance to a first value in response to a determination that the bicycle stopped before the bicycle turns off the roadway, and set the second distance to a second value in response to a determination that the bicycle did not stop before the bicycle turns off the roadway, wherein the first value is different from the second value.

10. The controller circuit in accordance with claim 7 , wherein the first value is greater than the second value.

11. The controller circuit in accordance with claim 7 , wherein the processor is configured to determine a path deviation from a straight line by the bicycle, and increase the second distance in response to a determination that the path deviation is greater than a deviation threshold.

12. The controller circuit in accordance with claim 7 , wherein the processor is configured to determine a gaze direction of an operator of the bicycle, and increase the second distance in response to a determination that the gaze direction is characterized as not looking forward.

13. A method of operating a vehicle, said method comprising:

tracking, using an object detector, an object traveling on a roadway traveled by a host vehicle;

determining, using a processor, a classification of the object in accordance with a signal received from the object detector, wherein the classification comprises a car and a bicycle;

determining that the object has turned off the roadway traveled by the host vehicle;

tracking the object a travel distance after the object has turned off the roadway, wherein the travel distance is first distance when the object is the car and a second distance greater than the first distance when the object is the bicycle;

operating the host vehicle in accordance with the position of the object; wherein operating the host vehicle in accordance with the position of the object includes operating the host vehicle in accordance with a presumption that the bicycle will turn around and re-enter the roadway before the bicycle travels the second distance after the bicycle turns off the roadway; and

operating the host vehicle to leave space for the bicycle to re-enter the roadway ahead of the host vehicle.

14. The method in accordance with claim 13 , wherein operating the host vehicle in accordance with the position of the object includes waiting to enter an intersection until after the bicycle travels the second distance away from the intersection when the bicycle turns off the roadway at the intersection.

15. The method in accordance with claim 13 , wherein operating the host vehicle in accordance with the position of the object includes setting the second distance to a first value in response to a determination that the bicycle stopped before the bicycle turns off the roadway, and setting the second distance to a second value in response to a determination that the bicycle did not stop before the bicycle turns off the roadway, wherein the first value is different from the second value.

16. The method in accordance with claim 15 , wherein the first value is greater than the second value.

17. The method in accordance with claim 13 , wherein the method includes determining a path deviation from a straight line by the bicycle; and increasing the second distance in response to a determination that the path deviation is greater than a deviation threshold.

18. The method in accordance with claim 13 , wherein the method includes determining a gaze direction of an operator of the bicycle; and increasing the second distance in response to a determination that the gaze direction is characterized as not looking forward.