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TeslaGranted patentCars & transportInterest 6/10

Tesla patents system that adjusts each wheel's suspension height separately

This patent describes a system that uses sensors to detect road conditions or user preferences to automatically adjust the vehicle's ride height. It allows the car to lower its body for aerodynamics or raise specific wheels, such as the front or rear, to handle different terrains or loads. The system also includes a validation step to ensure the chosen suspension setting is safe and appropriate for the current driving conditions.

Why it mattersIt offers a more refined approach to adaptive suspension by controlling each wheel independently rather than just the whole car, which could improve handling and comfort on varied roads.

In the filing’s own words

A system for dynamically managing individual suspension settings for a vehicle based on a determined suspension mode is provided. Based on the user input and obtained sensor input, the system can then determine a suspension mode for a plurality of individually controllable components by specifying values or commands for each controllable component. A first mode may correspond to a lowering of the plurality of controllable. A second mode may correspond to lowering two controllable components corresponding to the rear wheels of the vehicle and raising two controllable components corresponding to front wheels of the vehicle. A third mode may correspond to a lowering of the plurality of controllable components to effectively drop the height of the vehicle to a threshold point. The system may further implement various validation processes that can validate the determined suspension mode and make further adjustment to individual controllable portions based on load or ground measurements.

What exactly they claim (claim 1)

1. A method for managing a vehicle suspension system of a vehicle, the method comprising: obtaining a sensor value for the vehicle, the sensor value associated with one or more of: a vehicle status, or an environmental measurement relating to an obstruction, a terrain, or a vehicle limitation, or historical vehicle-location information associated with the vehicle; determining a suspension mode for the vehicle suspension system based on the sensor value; validating the determined suspension mode, wherein validating the determined suspension mode includes applying a rule-processing to the sensor value based on a rule applicable to the determined suspension mode; determining an individual modification value for an independent controllable portion of the suspension system based on the determined suspension mode, wherein the independent controllable portion corresponds to a wheel position or a setting of the vehicle; and causing implementation of a modification of the vehicle status or the independent controllable portion responsive to the determined individual modification value, wherein the modification to the independent controllable portion individually modifies the independent controllable portion.

Facts

Company
Tesla (Tesla, Inc.)
Official title
Adjustable suspension for a vehicle
Patent number
US12728835B2
Application number
18884184
Filed
Sep 13, 2024
Granted
Sep 8, 2026
Inventors
3
Claims
20

Classified under

B60W 30/02 Operations & transportG06F 16/9035 Physics & computingB60W 2510/22 Operations & transport
Read the full filing (official PDF) ↗ Open in the Patent Tracker

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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.