The lane keeping assist system detects lane markers on the road, and assists the driver’s steering to help keep the vehicle between lane markers. When the system detects the vehicle straying from its lane, it alerts the driver visually as well as with a buzzer, while applying a slight counter-steering torque, trying to prevent the vehicle from moving out of its lane.

DENSO has developed two key components for the system:

• Vision sensor, which detects shapes and positions of lane markers.
  
• Steering assist electronic control unit (ECU), which calculates a target steering torque based on the data from the vision sensor, and then sends a steering torque signal to an electric power steering (EPS) ECU to control the EPS motor. The steering assist ECU further determines if it is necessary to alert the driver of the vehicle’s deviation from the lane with a buzzer and a display.

DENSO integrates the steering assist ECU with the vehicle distance ECU for the adaptive cruse control system and/or the pre-crash ECU for the pre-crash safety system.