Predictive vehicle operating assistance

Abstract

Described herein are various systems and processes for predictive operating assistance of vehicles. The systems and techniques described herein may be applicable to vehicles such as vehicles operated by a driver, semi-autonomous vehicles, and/or autonomous vehicles. The assistance techniques described herein may be predictive. That is, the techniques allow for the prediction of non-optimal or dangerous operating conditions before the vehicle control is compromised. Accordingly, a warning may be provided and/or operation of the vehicle may be changed based on the predictive assistance determinations. In certain embodiments, the techniques described herein may provide warnings to a driver, may detect faults within the vehicle, may aid in route planning, may detect obstacles proximate to the vehicle, and/or may aid in the operation of the vehicle.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A vehicle comprising:
 a body;   an interior disposed within the body and comprising a user interface;   a wheel assembly;   a speed sensor, configured to sense a rotational speed of the wheel assembly and provide speed sensor data based on the rotational speed;   a tire pressure sensor, configured to sense a tire pressure of the wheel assembly and provide tire pressure data; and   a controller, communicatively coupled to the speed sensor and the interior, wherein the controller is configured to:   determine that the vehicle is traveling on a wet surface;   receive the speed sensor data;   determine a ground speed of the vehicle from the speed sensor data;   receive the tire pressure data;   determine the tire pressure of the wheel assembly from the tire pressure data;   determine a hydroplaning speed based on the tire pressure of the wheel assembly;   determine that the ground speed is greater than the hydroplaning speed; and   output, based on the determining that the ground speed is greater than the hydroplaning speed, a hydroplane warning with the user interface.