System and Method for Adjustment of Autonomous Emergency Braking Responsive to Changes in Vehicle Mass

A method for autonomous emergency braking in a vehicle, comprising:

• determining whether an indication of a mass of the vehicle is present;
• adjusting, if an indication of the mass of the vehicle is present, a first deceleration value corresponding to a predetermined rate of deceleration for the vehicle in response to the mass of the vehicle to obtain second deceleration value;
• establishing, responsive to the second deceleration value, one of a first time for generation of a first braking command to one of an engine controller and a brake controller and a first braking force for the first braking command, the first braking command configured to cause deceleration of the vehicle at a first rate of deceleration, and a corresponding one of a second time, later than the first time, for generation of a second braking command to the one of the engine controller and the brake controller and a second braking force, greater than the first brake force, for the second braking command, the second braking command configured to cause deceleration of the vehicle at a second rate of deceleration greater than the first rate of deceleration;
• and,
• generating, responsive to a collision risk signal indicative of an object in a path of travel of the vehicle, the first braking command and the second braking command.

An article of manufacture, comprising:

• a non-transitory computer storage medium having a computer program encoded thereon that when executed by a controller implements autonomous emergency braking in a vehicle, the computer program including code for:
• determining whether an indication of a mass of the vehicle is present;
• adjusting, if an indication of the mass of the vehicle is present, a first deceleration value corresponding to a predetermined rate of deceleration for the vehicle in response to the mass of the vehicle to obtain second deceleration value;
• and,
• establishing, responsive to the second deceleration value, one of a first time for generation of a first braking command to one of an engine controller and a brake controller and a first braking force for the first braking command, the first braking command configured to cause deceleration of the vehicle at a first rate of deceleration, and a corresponding one of a second time, later than the first time, for generation of a second braking command to the one of the engine controller and the brake controller and a second braking force, greater than the first brake force, for the second braking command, the second braking command configured to cause deceleration of the vehicle at a second rate of deceleration greater than the first rate of deceleration;
• and,
• generating, responsive to a collision risk signal indicative of an object in a path of travel of the vehicle, the first braking command and the second braking command.