In a method for capturing a condition of a surface of a road on which a vehicle is travelling, wherein at least one signal produced as a result of moisture thrown up from the road is captured by means of at least one sensor apparatus arranged on the vehicle, wherein the sensor apparatus includes at least one sensor device, and wherein the captured signal is evaluated by means of at least one evaluation device attached to the vehicle, it is provided as essential to the invention that at least one physical parameter of the thrown up moisture is captured by at least one sensor device, and that a conclusion is reached regarding the salt content of the moisture which reaches the sensor apparatus on the basis of at least one captured physical parameter, and a conclusion is reached regarding the condition of the road based on the salt content. The invention relates further to a sensor apparatus for a vehicle for capturing a condition of a surface of a road on which a vehicle is travelling having at least one sensor apparatus for detecting moisture thrown up by the vehicle tyres.

A method for determining a slope of a roadway on which a vehicle is located includes imputing image data, supplied by an image sensor, pertaining to surroundings of the vehicle, identifying a defined reference object in the surroundings of the vehicle using the image data, determining an angle relationship between the reference object and the surroundings, estimating a slope of the roadway with reference to the determined angle relationship, and generating a signal indicative of the slope of the roadway. A device for determining a slope of a roadway on which a vehicle is located is configured to execute such a method.

A vehicle travel control device includes a surrounding environment recognition device that acquires surrounding environment information on a surrounding environment of a vehicle; a vehicle state recognition device that acquires state information on a state of the vehicle; and a travel control unit that performs travel control of the vehicle, based on the surrounding environment information or the state information. When the vehicle state recognition device detects a slip of at least one drive wheel of the vehicle, the vehicle travel control device executes brake LSD control for braking the at least one drive wheel. When the surrounding environment recognition device recognizes snow on a traveling road of the vehicle and a snow melting area and a snow non-melting area ahead, the travel control unit switches an operation mode of the brake LSD control from a first mode to a second mode.

A driver assistance apparatus for a vehicle, and including an object detection device configured to generate data about an object outside a vehicle; an interface unit; and a processor configured to: receive driving situation information through the interface unit, and determine an operation sensitivity of the AEB device corresponding to the object based on the received driving situation information, and control an autonomous emergency braking (AEB) device on the vehicle to control a braking operation of the vehicle based on the determined operation sensitivity.

An emergency braking preparation system for a vehicle may include: a vehicle detector configured to detect a vehicle speed; a driving road detector configured to detect the type of a driving road; a surrounding environment detector configured to detect a surrounding environment of the vehicle; an emergency braking controller configured to control a braking pressure of a brake to a preset braking state; and a controller configured to control an FOV of a camera according to one or more of the vehicle speed detected by the vehicle detection unit, the driving road detected by the driving road detection unit, and the surrounding environment detected by the surrounding environment detection unit, and control the emergency braking controller according to the FOV of the camera.

An automated braking system for use on an automated vehicle includes a braking-actuator, a ranging-sensor, a digital-map, and a controller. The braking-actuator controls movement of a host-vehicle. The ranging-sensor detects a distance, a direction, and an elevation of targets in a field-of-view of the ranging-sensor. The field-of-view includes a roadway. The digital-map defines a travel-route of the host-vehicle and specifies a gradient of the roadway. The controller is in communication with the braking-actuator, the ranging-sensor, and the digital-map. The controller determines that a first-collection of the targets above a horizon is an overpass when the gradient indicates that the roadway descends below the overpass. The controller disregards the first-collection of targets associated with the overpass when the gradient is indicated, and activates the braking-actuator when the controller determines that a second-collection of targets from below the horizon are an obstruction on the travel-route beneath the overpass.

A method for mapping data relating to the conditions on a road, the method including the following steps: (a) a step for recording, in a database, information relating to the weather conditions on a road, determined by a vehicle travelling on the road, (b) a step for recording the GPS position of the vehicle corresponding to the recordings made, and (c) a step for displaying, on a map showing the route followed by the vehicle, the weather conditions as a function of the GPS position.

An apparatus for detecting a failure of a gladhand coupler connecting a towing component and a trailer component of a commercial or railroad vehicle. The towing component is configured with a triggerable mechanism adapted to change, through the gladhand coupler, a pressure for braking the trailer component. The apparatus includes a triggering module, configured to trigger the mechanism, and a detection module, configured to detect a reaction of the commercial or railroad vehicle after the triggering module has triggered the mechanism, to attribute the reaction to a failure of the gladhand coupler, and to issue a warning signal about the failure of the gladhand coupler.

Examples of techniques for classifying roughness of a road are disclosed. In one example implementation, a method includes performing a first temporal analysis based at least in part on a speed of each of a plurality of wheels of a vehicle. The method further includes performing a second temporal analysis based at least in part on a combined wheel speed of the plurality of wheels. The method further includes performing a frequency analysis based at least in part on the speed of each of the plurality of wheels of the vehicle. The method further includes classifying the roughness of the road based at least in part on the first temporal analysis, the second temporal analysis, and the frequency analysis.

A substance detection sensor includes a first light source, a second light source, and a substance detector. The first light source irradiates a detection area including a plurality of target areas with reference light having a first wavelength through surface irradiation using optical scanning. The second light source irradiates the detection area with first measuring light having a second wavelength different from the first wavelength through the surface irradiation using the optical scanning. The substance detector detects a specific substance in the detection area based on reflection light of the reference light from the first light source and reflection light of the first measuring light from the second light source.