Apparatus for sensing a vehicular environment when fitted to a vehicle

An apparatus for sensing a vehicular environment when fitted to a vehicle, comprising:

• a first sensing circuit;
• a second sensing circuit;
• and
• a processing unit;
• wherein, the first sensing circuit includes at least one sensor,
• wherein, the second sensing circuit includes at least one sensor,
• wherein, the first sensing circuit is powered by a first power supply,
• wherein, the second sensing circuit is powered by a second power supply,
• wherein, the first sensing circuit is configured to acquire at least one first vehicular environment scene data, and the second sensing circuit is configured to acquire at least one second vehicular environment scene data,
• wherein, the first sensing circuit is configured to provide the at least one first vehicular scene data to the processing unit, and the second sensing circuit is configured to provide the at least one second vehicular scene data to the processing unit,
• wherein, the processing unit is configured to determine first vehicular control data based on the first vehicular scene data, and the processing unit is configured to determine second vehicular control data based on the second vehicular scene data, and
• wherein, the first vehicular control data and the second vehicular control data are each independently useable by a vehicle to automatically perform at least one safety maneuver including at least one of:
• braking, deceleration, and/or movement to a slow lane or a hard shoulder.

A vehicle, comprising:

• a vehicle control system;
• and
• an apparatus for sensing a vehicular environment when fitted to the vehicle, including:
• a first sensing circuit;
• a second sensing circuit;
• and
• a processing unit;
• wherein, the first sensing circuit includes at least one sensor,
• wherein, the second sensing circuit includes at least one sensor,
• wherein, the first sensing circuit is powered by a first power supply,
• wherein, the second sensing circuit is powered by a second power supply,
• wherein, the first sensing circuit is configured to acquire at least one first vehicular environment scene data, and the second sensing circuit is configured to acquire at least one second vehicular environment scene data,
• wherein, the first sensing circuit is configured to provide the at least one first vehicular scene data to the processing unit, and the second sensing circuit is configured to provide the at least one second vehicular scene data to the processing unit,
• wherein, the processing unit is configured to determine first vehicular control data based on the first vehicular scene data, and the processing unit is configured to determine second vehicular control data based on the second vehicular scene data, and
• wherein, the first vehicular control data and the second vehicular control data are each independently useable by a vehicle to automatically perform at least one safety maneuver including at least one of:
• braking, deceleration, and/or movement to a slow lane or a hard shoulder, and
• wherein, the apparatus is configured to cooperate with the vehicle control system to control the vehicle to perform at least one safety maneuver.

A method for sensing a vehicular environment, the method comprising:

• acquiring, with a first sensing circuit, at least one first vehicular environment scene data, wherein the first sensing circuit includes at least one sensor, and wherein the first sensing circuit is powered by a first power supply;
• acquiring, with a second sensing circuit, at least one second vehicular environment scene data, wherein the second sensing circuit includes at least one sensor, and wherein the second sensing circuit is powered by a second power supply;
• providing the at least one first vehicular scene data to a processing unit;
• providing the at least one second vehicular scene data to the processing unit;
• determining, with the processing unit, first vehicular control data based on the first vehicular scene data;
• and
• determining, with the processing unit, second vehicular control data based on the second vehicular scene data;
• wherein, the first vehicular control data and the second vehicular control data are each independently useable by a vehicle to automatically perform at least one safety maneuver including at least one of:
• braking, deceleration, and/or movement to a slow lane or hard shoulder.