This invention relates an autonomous vehicle.

Autonomous vehicles are known. They are sometimes known as driverless vehicles. The development of autonomous vehicles is in its early stages. There is a constant need for improvements in order to enable autonomous vehicles to be produced on a commercial basis, and to compete commercially with existing drive vehicles.

It is an aim of the present invention to provide an improved autonomous vehicle.

Accordingly, in one non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an autonomous vehicle comprising a passenger module, a first removable module at a first end of the autonomous vehicle, a second removable module at a second end of the autonomous vehicle, and mechanical and electrical assemblies required for the operation of the autonomous vehicle, the mechanical and electrical assemblies being provided on the first and second removable modules, and the autonomous vehicle being such that it is able to travel with either one of the first and second ends as the front part of the autonomous vehicle during travel.

The autonomous vehicle of the present invention is such that it can operate equally well in either of two directions. Such bi-directional operation ensures that travel routes for the autonomous vehicle can be configured to avoid the need for turning points in tight spaces. Travel routes can be operated into blind streets, with the autonomous vehicle changing direction at each terminus. Further, the operation in and out of end-on parking bays becomes greatly simplified due to the absence of the need to turn the autonomous vehicle around, or to reverse into an oncoming traffic flow.

Preferably the autonomous vehicle is symmetrical from front to rear, including a pattern of sub-frame mounting points for the first and second removable modules.

The mechanical and electrical assemblies may comprise drive means, steering means, braking means, energy storage means, and guidance and obstacle detection means.

The drive means may be battery operated, liquid fuel operated, or gas fuel operated. The drive means may be a single type of drive means operating on one energy source only. Alternatively, the drive means may be a hybrid drive means able to operate on more than one source of energy as required. The drive means may be convertible from one drive type to another. The drive means may thus be convertible from electric battery to electric hybrid. The drive means may also be convertible from uni-directional to bidirectional operation.

The autonomous vehicle may be a two or four wheel drive autonomous vehicle. The autonomous vehicle may also be a two or four wheel steer autonomous vehicle. The autonomous vehicle may be one in which the passenger module comprises seating which faces towards a centre portion of the passenger module. All internal systems may be mirrored from front to rear.

The autonomous vehicle may be one which includes similar and continuous front and rear bulk heads. This is permitted because there is no need for a driver's cab in the autonomous vehicle.

The autonomous vehicle may be one which the mechanical and electrical assemblies are on interchangeable sub-frames that can be changed from front to rear, and also between different autonomous vehicles due to a common pattern of mounting points.

The first and second removable modules may each comprise one of the sub-frames, and an external skin. Such a construction enables all specialist technology required for the autonomous vehicle to be packaged efficiently both for original manufacture and in service operation. The autonomous vehicle is able to adopt a symmetrical arrangement from front to rear due to the fact that the autonomous vehicle is driverless and therefore does not need a driving cab, driving controls, headlights, wipers and defrosters.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows an autonomous vehicle proceeding from left to right; and

Figure 2 shows the autonomous vehicle of Figure 1 but proceeding from right to left. Referring to the drawings, there is shown an autonomous vehicle 2 comprising a passenger module 4. A first removable module 6 is provided at a first end 8 of the autonomous vehicle 2. A second removable module 10 is provided at a second end 12 of the autonomous vehicle 2. The autonomous vehicle 2 comprises mechanical and electrical assemblies (not shown) required for the operation of the autonomous vehicle 2. The mechanical and electrical assemblies are provided on the first and second removable modules 6, 10.

The autonomous vehicle 2 is such that it is able to travel with either one of the first and second ends 8, 12 as the front part of the autonomous vehicle 2 during the travel. Mores specifically, as can be seen in Figure 1 , the autonomous vehicle 2 is travelling from left to right, and the first end 8 is at the front of the autonomous vehicle 2. In Figure 2, the autonomous vehicle 2 is travelling from right to left and then the second end 12 is at the front of the autonomous vehicle 2. As can be appreciated from Figures 1 and 2, the autonomous vehicle 2 is advantageous in that vehicle travel routes can be configured to avoid the provision for turning points in tight spaces. Vehicle travel routes can be operated in blind streets with the autonomous vehicle 2 changing direction at each terminus. The operation in and out of end-on parking bays is simple due to the absence of need to turn the autonomous vehicle 2 around, or to reverse the autonomous vehicle 2 into an oncoming traffic flow.

The autonomous vehicle 2 is such that its layout is symmetrical from front to rear, including a pattern of sub-frame mounting points. Sub-frames form part of the first and second removable modules 6, 10. The sub-frames enable the first and second removable modules 6, 10 readily to be swapped to cover a range of differing functions, both when the autonomous vehicle 2 is new, and after time when service is required, and on the same or different autonomous vehicles. Also, the provision of the first and second removable modules 6, 10 and their interchangability enables upgrades easily to be made to the autonomous vehicle 2, for example to the electric drive means, or to the vehicle guidance system.

The mechanical and electrical assemblies include drive means, steering means, braking means, energy storage means, and guidance and obstacle detection means. The drive means may be convertible from one drive type to another, for example from electric battery to electric hybrid utilising a liquid or gaseous fuel. The drive means may also be convertible from uni-directional to bi-directional operation. The autonomous vehicle 2 has wheels 14. The wheels 14 may be such that they are two or four wheel drive, and/or two or four wheel steer.

As can be seen from Figures 1 and 2, the autonomous vehicle 2 has seats 16, 18. The seats 16, 18 face inwardly towards a centre portion 20 of the passenger module 4 of the autonomous vehicle 2. The seats 16, 18 are symmetrically positioned so that the front part of the autonomous vehicle 2 mirrors the rear part of the autonomous vehicle 2. This mirroring of the structure of the autonomous vehicle 2 is such that the autonomous vehicle 2 has a first bulk head 22 which is the same as a second bulk head 24. The similar first and second bulk heads 22, 24 is achievable because the autonomous vehicle 2 does not have a driver's cab.

The autonomous vehicle 2 is such that external skins cover the first and second removable modules 6, 10. There is no need for the autonomous vehicle 2 to have driver controls, headlights, wipers and defrosters.

The autonomous vehicle 2 is able readily to be adapted to a wide range of applications, and to different technical systems. The autonomous vehicle 2 uses a common design to be applied to a range of operations. The autonomous vehicle 2 allows upgrading during the service life of the autonomous vehicle 2. The service life of the autonomous vehicle 2 may be longer than that of a typical known driven vehicle.

It is to be appreciated that the embodiment of the invention described above with reference to the accompanying drawings has been given by way of example only and that modifications may be effected. Thus, for example, the autonomous vehicle 2 has one passenger module but small and large versions might not always have two sub-frames. A very small autonomous vehicle might have one sub-frame, located at the front or the rear, and a single axle at the other end. A large autonomous vehicle might have three sub-frames, located front and rear, and a separate energy storage module and/or a third axle module. Various types of sub-frames and their mountings may be employed. The autonomous vehicle 2 may just be a bi-directional operated trackless road vehicle. The autonomous vehicle 2 could just have a symmetrical sub-frame layout. Individual components shown in the drawings are not limited to use in their drawings and they may be used in other drawings and in all aspects of the invention.