Automated vehicle sensor selection based on map data density and navigation feature density

A navigation system suitable for use by an automated vehicle, said system comprising:

• a first sensor used to determine a first relative-position of a first navigation-feature relative to a host-vehicle, said first sensor characterized as based on a first sensor-technology;
• a second sensor used to determine a second relative-position of a second navigation-feature relative to the host-vehicle, said second sensor characterized as based on a second sensor-technology different from the first sensor-technology;
• a digital-map that includes a first data-group composed of navigation-features characterized as preferentially detected by the first sensor-technology, and a second data-group composed of navigation-features characterized as preferentially detected by the second sensor-technology;
• and
• a controller in communication with the first sensor, the second sensor, and the digital-map, said controller configured to
• determine a first location of the host-vehicle on the digital-map based on the first relative-position of the first navigation-feature indicated by the first sensor, wherein the first data-group of the digital-map proximate to the first location is characterized by a first data-density,
• determine a second location of the host-vehicle on the digital-map based on the second relative-position of the second navigation-feature indicated by the second sensor, wherein the second data-group on the digital-map proximate to the second location is characterized by a second data-density, and
• select one of the first location and the second location for use to navigate the host-vehicle based on a comparison of the first data-density and the second data-density.

A navigation system suitable for use by an automated vehicle, said system comprising:

• a first sensor used to determine a first relative-position of a first navigation-feature relative to a host-vehicle, said first sensor characterized as based on a first sensor-technology;
• a second sensor used to determine a second relative-position of a second navigation-feature relative to the host-vehicle, said second sensor characterized as based on a second sensor-technology different from the first sensor-technology;
• a digital-map that includes a first data-group composed of navigation-features characterized as preferentially detected by the first sensor-technology, and a second data-group composed of navigation-features characterized as preferentially detected by the second sensor-technology;
• and
• a controller in communication with the first sensor, the second sensor, and the digital-map, said controller configured to
• determine a first location of the host-vehicle on the digital-map based on the first relative-position of the first navigation-feature indicated by the first sensor,
• determine a first feature-density of navigation-features detected by the first sensor,
• determine a second location of the host-vehicle on the digital-map based on the second relative-position of the second navigation-feature indicated by the second sensor,
• determine a second feature-density of navigation-features detected by the second sensor, and
• select one of the first location and the second location for use to navigate the host-vehicle based on a comparison of the first feature-density and the second feature-density.