STEERING WHEEL SQUEEZE-ACTIVATED VEHICLE BRAKING SYSTEM

摘要

A brake-by-wire vehicle braking system is augmented with “squeeze” sensors placed in the steering wheel of the vehicle enabling a vehicle operator to stop the vehicle more quickly in an emergency situation by eliminating the significant times that it takes to move a driver's foot from the accelerator to the brake pedal and then depress the brake pedal. An important objective is to achieve a faster vehicle stop by allowing the driver to optionally eliminate foot movement from the accelerator pedal to the brake pedal and also the depression of the brake pedal. This invention also potentially allows a driver to squeeze a steering wheel to slow a vehicle, perhaps to comply with a lower speed limit, or accomplish the fastest possible “hard-stop” in an emergency situation.

主权项

1. An operator control configured to interface with an electronic braking system (EBS) in a motor vehicle, comprising:
a steering wheel; and one or more pressure or force sensors supported on the steering wheel to slow or stop the vehicle in response to an operator's squeezing of the wheel without pulling or pushing either the steering wheel or the steering column.