Preview road surface detection device

A preview road surface detection device of a vehicle, comprising:

• a distance sensor that is disposed in a vehicle member and detects a distance to a measurement point on a road surface in a frontward direction of the vehicle, the measurement point corresponding to at least a central portion of a contact patch to the road surface of a wheel of the vehicle;
• and
• a distance calculator that calculates a road surface distance from the vehicle member to the measurement point, based on a value detected by the distance sensor,
• wherein a displacement of the road surface nearer to the front part of the vehicle is detected as a road surface condition, the displacement of the road surface being calculated from the road surface distance and a vehicle height of the vehicle member when the distance sensor detects the distance,
• wherein the distance sensor detects respective distances to at least two measurement points, and
• wherein the distance calculator:
• adds respective weights to a plurality of the distances ahead of the wheel detected by the distance sensor and calculates a weighted average value as a road surface distance;
• when the vehicle is traveling straight ahead, increases a weight to the distance corresponding to a central portion of the road surface contact patch;
• when the vehicle is making a right turn, increases a weight to the distance corresponding to a left side of the road surface contact patch;
• and
• when the vehicle is making a left turn, increases a weight to the distance corresponding to a right side of the road surface contact patch.