Autonomous confidence control
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsWilliam Paul Perkins, David B. Kelley, Kenneth James Miller
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Signals are from a plurality of sources representing aspects of the vehicle and an environment surrounding the vehicle. An autonomous confidence factor is developed based on component confidence levels for at least one of the signals. Control of the vehicle is transitioned between levels of autonomous control based at least in part on the autonomous confidence factor.
Claims20
A method for controlling a vehicle, comprising the steps of:
- receiving signals, from a plurality of sources, representing aspects of the vehicle and an environment surrounding the vehicle;
- developing an autonomous confidence factor based on component confidence levels for at least one of the signals;
- and
- transitioning control of the vehicle between levels of autonomous control based at least in part on the autonomous confidence factor.
An autonomous vehicle, comprising:
- a plurality of vehicle control subsystems;
- a plurality of sensors and receivers for receiving signals, from a plurality of sources, representing aspects of the vehicle, the vehicle control subsystems, and an environment surrounding the vehicle;
- and
- at least one controller programmed to develop confidence levels for at least one of the signals, and to evaluate the confidence levels to determine an autonomous confidence factor;
- wherein the at least one controller is programmed to transition control of the vehicle between levels of autonomous control based at least in part on the autonomous confidence factor.
A method for controlling a vehicle comprising transitioning between varying degrees of autonomous control based at least in part on confidence levels in a plurality of signals representing aspects of the vehicle and external to the vehicle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.