Excursion prevention methods and systems

An excursion prevention system for preventing vehicle excursions in a vehicle comprising a transmission having a park gear and a drive gear, the system comprising:

• an electronic control unit coupled to the vehicle and comprising a processor for executing machine readable instructions and an electronic memory;
• a vehicle speed sensor in electrical communication with the electronic control unit, wherein the vehicle speed sensor communicates a speed signal to an electronic control unit indicative of a speed of the vehicle;
• a transmission sensor in electrical communication with the electronic control unit, wherein the transmission sensor communicates a transmission signal to the electronic control unit indicative of a status of the transmission;
• an accelerator sensor in electrical communication with the electronic control unit, wherein the accelerator sensor communicates an accelerator pedal signal to the electronic control unit indicative of an application of an accelerator pedal;
• a brake sensor in electrical communication with the electronic control unit, wherein the brake sensor communicates a brake pedal signal to the electronic control unit indicative of an application of a brake pedal;
• and
• a machine readable control logic stored in the electronic memory, wherein the electronic control unit executes the machine readable control logic to:
• determine if the speed of the vehicle is zero;
• determine if the transmission of the vehicle is in the drive gear;
• determine if the accelerator pedal of the vehicle is applied;
• determine if the brake pedal of the vehicle is applied;
• determine that an excursion condition is present when the speed of the vehicle is zero, the transmission of the vehicle is in a drive gear, the accelerator pedal of the vehicle is unapplied, and the brake pedal of the vehicle is unapplied;
• and
• transmit an alert signal when the excursion condition is present.

A method for operating an excursion prevention system having an electronic control unit in electrical communication with a vehicle speed sensor, a transmission sensor, an accelerator sensor, a brake sensor, and an occupancy sensor, the method comprising:

• transmitting a speed signal from the vehicle speed sensor to the electronic control unit, wherein the speed signal is indicative of a speed of a vehicle;
• transmitting a transmission signal from the transmission sensor to the electronic control unit, wherein the transmission signal is indicative of a status of the transmission;
• transmitting an accelerator pedal signal from the accelerator sensor to the electronic control unit, wherein the accelerator pedal signal is indicative of an application of an accelerator pedal of the vehicle;
• transmitting a brake pedal signal from the brake sensor to the electronic control unit, wherein the brake pedal signal is indicative of an application of a brake pedal of the vehicle;
• transmitting an occupancy signal from the occupancy sensor to the electronic control unit, wherein the occupancy signal is indicative of a driver's occupancy of the vehicle;
• executing a machine readable control logic with the electronic control unit to determine that an excursion condition is present when the speed of the vehicle is zero, the transmission of the vehicle is in a drive gear, the accelerator pedal of the vehicle is unapplied, and the brake pedal of the vehicle is unapplied and the driver's occupancy of the vehicle;
• and
• transmitting an alert signal from the electronic control unit when the excursion condition is present.