Smart device assisted drive

A computer-implemented method of operating an automotive passenger vehicle having a transceiver configured to communicate with a portable electronic device paired with the vehicle, an advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) comprising a steer-by-wire module, a throttle-by-wire module, a brake-by-wire module, and a sensor system, which includes a vehicle speed sensor, a vehicle steering sensor, wheel speed sensors, one or more accelerometers, blind spot monitoring/cross path sensors, ultrasonic park sensors, and one or more cameras, and a vehicle controller having one or more processors, the method comprising:

• determining, by the controller and the transceiver, a location of the portable electronic device relative to the vehicle;
• receiving, at the controller, one or more commands from a user of the portable electronic device outside of the vehicle to operate the vehicle in an auto-follow mode;
• determining, by the controller and the ADAS, a distance between the vehicle and the portable electronic device;
• and
• commanding, by the controller and the ADAS, including the steer-by-wire module and the throttle-by-wire module, the vehicle to operate in the auto-follow mode to automatically drive, steer, and follow the portable electronic device, based on one or more received commands from the user of the portable electronic device.

An automotive passenger vehicle, comprising:

• a transceiver configured to communicate with a portable electronic device paired with the vehicle and configured to be utilized as a key for the vehicle to lock/unlock vehicle doors and start an ignition of the vehicle;
• an advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) comprising a steer-by-wire module, a throttle-by-wire module, a brake-by-wire module, and a sensor system, which includes a vehicle speed sensor, a vehicle steering sensor, wheel speed sensors, one or more accelerometers, blind spot monitoring/cross path sensors, ultrasonic park sensors, and one or more cameras;
• and
• an assisted drive system including a vehicle controller in signal communication with the transceiver and the sensor system, the vehicle controller including one or more processors and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having a plurality of instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
• determine, by the transceiver, a location of the portable electronic device relative to the vehicle;
• receive one or more commands from a user of the portable electronic device outside of the vehicle to operate the vehicle in an auto-follow mode;
• determine, by the controller and the ADAS, a distance between the vehicle and the portable electronic device;
• command, by the ADAS and the steer-by-wire module and the throttle-by-wire module, the vehicle to operate in the auto-follow mode to automatically drive, steer, and follow the portable electronic device, based on one or more received commands from the user of the portable electronic device;
• monitor, via the sensor system, an area around the vehicle to detect one or more obstacles/objects within a path of travel of the vehicle;
• and
• command, by the brake-by-wire module, the vehicle to stop if one or more obstacles/objects are detected within the path of travel of the vehicle.