Method for estimating position of objective obstacle for vehicle 



In a vehicle equipped with a distance measuring unit capable of measuring a distance between the subject vehicle and an objective obstacle, the objective obstacle is detected along a widthwise direction of the vehicle by the distance measuring unit. Detection data detected by the distance measuring unit are developed on X and Y coordinates in which the widthwise direction of the subject vehicle is represented by an X axis; the longitudinal direction of the subject vehicle is represented by a Y axis, and the position of the subject vehicle is defined as an origin. Each of obstacle data is labeled in such a manner that the same labels are affixed to obstacle data which are in proximity to one another on the coordinates. The amount and direction of movement are calculated for every label on the basis of the last data and the current data, and a relative speed for every label relative to the subject vehicle is calculated by dividing the amount of movement by a sampling time. The position of the objective obstacle after a lapse of a predetermined time is estimated on the basis of a relative speed vector determined from the relative speed and the direction of movement. Thus, the accuracy of estimating of the position of the objective obstacle is improved. 

Vehicle distance data processor 



A vehicle distance data processor precisely correlates or matches points of detection in a time serial manner to thereby accurately determine distances of a subject vehicle to a plurality of other vehicles or obstacles lying ahead as well as relative velocity vector data indicative of a velocity vector of each of the other vehicles or obstacles relative to the subject vehicle. Currently obtained coordinate data is correlated or matched with previously obtained coordinate data by means of a matching element 5A on the basis of coordinate data obtained by a distance data converting element 3A, reflection strength data obtained by a distance data/reflection-strength data input element 2A, and predicted coordinate data obtained by a coordinate data predicting element 4A.