System and method for stabilizing a motor vehicle

Abstract

A system for stabilizing a motor vehicle including at least one speed sensor for sensing a longitudinal speed and a transversal speed of the motor vehicle; a calculation unit which is designed to calculate an attitude angle of the motor vehicle from the sensed vehicle longitudinal speed and the sensed vehicle transversal speed; an evaluation unit which is coupled to the calculation unit and is designed to compare the attitude angle with a predefined threshold value and to detect an oversteering situation if the attitude angle exceeds the threshold value; an actuation unit which is coupled to the evaluation unit, and an actuator which influences the driving behavior of the motor vehicle, wherein the actuation unit is designed to actuate the actuator in an oversteering situation. In addition, a method which the system is suitable for carrying out is disclosed.

1 .- 11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . A system for stabilizing a motor vehicle comprising:
 at least one speed sensor for sensing a longitudinal speed and a transversal speed of the motor vehicle;   a calculation unit which is configured to calculate an attitude angle of the motor vehicle from a sensed longitudinal speed and a sensed transversal speed;   an evaluation unit which is coupled to the calculation unit and is configured to compare the attitude angle with a predefined threshold value and to detect an oversteering condition if the attitude angle exceeds the threshold value; and   an actuation unit which is coupled to the evaluation unit, and an actuator which influences a driving behavior of the motor vehicle, wherein the actuation unit is configured to actuate the actuator in an oversteering situation.   
     
     
         13 . The system as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein an optical speed sensor is provided for sensing the vehicle transversal speed and/or the vehicle longitudinal speed and is configured to sense and evaluate light which is reflected on a roadway surface on which the motor vehicle is moving during operation, in order to determine the vehicle transversal speed and/or the vehicle longitudinal speed. 
     
     
         14 . The system as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the speed sensor comprises a position-determining system, and wherein the vehicle transversal speed and/or the vehicle longitudinal speed are/is determined by tracking a position of the motor vehicle by the position-determining system. 
     
     
         15 . The system as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the actuator is configured to apply a braking force to a front wheel of the motor vehicle on a basis of an actuation by the actuation unit in an oversteering situation. 
     
     
         16 . The system as claimed in  claim 12  wherein the vehicle transversal speed and the vehicle longitudinal speed are the only vehicle movement dynamics variables which can be sensed. 
     
     
         17 . The system as claimed in  claim 12 , also comprising a steering angle sensor for sensing a wheel lock angle which is set at steerable wheels of the motor vehicle, and a further evaluation unit which is configured to detect an understeering situation on a basis of the attitude angle and of the wheel lock angle. 
     
     
         18 . The system as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the further evaluation unit is configured to detect an understeering situation if an attitude angle which has been acquired in accordance with the wheel lock angle is larger than a calculated attitude angle by a predefined absolute value. 
     
     
         19 . The system as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the actuation unit is configured to act on a drive engine of the motor vehicle in an understeering situation in such a way that a speed and/or acceleration of the motor vehicle are/is reduced. 
     
     
         20 . The system as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the actuator is configured to apply a braking force to a rear wheel of the motor vehicle on a basis of actuation by the actuation unit in an understeering situation. 
     
     
         21 . The system as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the actuator is configured in such a way that it can apply a braking force exclusively to front wheels of the motor vehicle. 
     
     
         22 . A method for stabilizing a motor vehicle, comprising the following steps:
 sensing a longitudinal speed and a transversal speed of the motor vehicle by at least one speed sensor;   calculating an attitude angle of the motor vehicle from the sensed vehicle longitudinal speed and the sensed vehicle transversal speed;   comparing the attitude angle with a predefined threshold value and detecting an oversteering situation if the attitude angle exceeds the threshold value; and   actuating an actuator in order to influence the driving behavior of the motor vehicle once an oversteering situation is detected.