Steering wheel hand release time control method and related device

Abstract

The embodiment of the invention provides a steering wheel hand release time control method and a related device, which are used for adopting different hand release detection durations in different driving modes and / or driving areas so as to improve the safety in a plurality of different driving scenes on the premise of satisfying a plurality of automatic driving scenes. The method provided by the embodiment of the invention comprises the following steps: acquiring a driving mode of a vehicle, or a driving mode and a driving area; if the vehicle is in the self-adaptive cruise control mode, the hand release time of the steering wheel is controlled to be first time; if the vehicle is in the non-adaptive cruise control mode and the driving area of the vehicle is in the urban road environment, controlling the hand release time of the steering wheel to be second time; if the vehicle is in the non-adaptive cruise control mode and the driving area of the vehicle is the highway environment, the hand release time of the steering wheel is controlled to be third time, the third time is longer than the second time, and the second time is longer than the first time.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of automatic driving, and in particular to a steering wheel hand-off time control method and related device. BACKGROUND

[0002] Automatic driving technology is a technology and system that helps cars recognize and understand the surrounding environment, make decisions, and control vehicles to accelerate, decelerate, turn, and park, etc. by using sensors, cameras, radars, laser scanners, and other sensing devices, as well as using high-precision map data and advanced algorithms. In automatic driving, there may be a situation where the driver's hand is detached from the steering wheel during driving, and the vehicle is detached from the tube. Long-term detachment of the vehicle from the tube has many uncertain risk factors, and once the risk occurs, it may cause a traffic safety accident.

[0003] At present, automatic driving generally adopts a fixed hand-off detection time in any driving scene, thereby increasing the safety hazards in complex driving scenes. SUMMARY

[0004] The embodiments of the present application provide a steering wheel hand-off time control method and related device, which are used to adopt different hand-off detection time in different driving modes and / or driving areas, thereby improving the safety in multiple different driving scenes under the premise of meeting multiple automatic driving scenes.

[0005] The first aspect of the embodiments of the present application provides a steering wheel hand-off time control method, comprising:

[0006] obtaining a driving mode of a vehicle, or the driving mode and a driving area;

[0007] if the vehicle is in an adaptive cruise control mode, controlling the hand-off time of the steering wheel to be a first time;

[0008] if the vehicle is in a non-adaptive cruise control mode and the driving area of the vehicle is an urban road environment, controlling the hand-off time of the steering wheel to be a second time;

[0009] if the vehicle is in a non-adaptive cruise control mode and the driving area of the vehicle is a highway environment, controlling the hand-off time of the steering wheel to be a third time, wherein the third time is greater than the second time, and the second time is greater than the first time.

[0010] As an optional embodiment, before the if the vehicle is in an adaptive cruise control mode, controlling the hand-off time of the steering wheel to be a first time, the method further comprises:

[0011] If the adaptive cruise control mode input by the user is received, determining that the vehicle is in the adaptive cruise control mode;

[0012] or,

[0013] If a non-adaptive cruise control mode input by a user is received and it is detected that the vehicle meets a mode switching condition, the vehicle is switched from the non-adaptive cruise control mode to the adaptive cruise control mode.

[0014] As an optional embodiment, obtaining the driving area of ​​the vehicle includes:

[0015] Obtaining positioning information of the vehicle;

[0016] Acquiring real-time location information of the vehicle according to the positioning information;

[0017] If the real-time location information shows that the vehicle is in an urban road environment, determining that the driving area of ​​the vehicle is the urban road environment;

[0018] If the real-time location information shows that the vehicle is in a highway environment, it is determined that the driving area of ​​the vehicle is the highway environment.

[0019] As an optional embodiment, after obtaining the real-time location information of the vehicle, the method further includes:

[0020] If the real-time location information indicates that the vehicle is located in an overpass area, acquiring an image of the surrounding environment of the vehicle driving area;

[0021] If the real-time location information indicates that the vehicle is in an urban road environment, determining that the driving area of ​​the vehicle is the urban road environment includes:

[0022] If the real-time location information shows that the vehicle is located in an overpass area, and a target object is detected in the surrounding environment image, then determining that the driving area of ​​the vehicle is the urban road environment, wherein the target object includes at least one of a pedestrian, a traffic light, and a zebra crossing;

[0023] If the real-time location information indicates that the vehicle is in a highway environment, determining that the driving area of ​​the vehicle is the highway environment includes:

[0024] If the real-time location information shows that the vehicle is located in an overpass area and no target object is detected in the surrounding environment image, it is determined that the driving area of ​​the vehicle is the highway environment.

[0025] As an optional embodiment, before controlling the hands-off time of the steering wheel, the method further includes:

[0026] determining whether the steering wheel is in the hands-off state by a capacitive sensor or a vehicle torque, wherein the process of determining that the steering wheel is in the hands-off state by the vehicle torque comprises:

[0027] counting a plurality of hands-off torques of the steering wheel of the vehicle in a plurality of different road conditions;

[0028] performing low-pass filtering on the plurality of hands-off torques in each road condition respectively to obtain a plurality of low-pass filtered hands-off torques;

[0029] calculating a rate of change of the hands-off torque of the steering wheel in each road condition according to the plurality of low-pass filtered hands-off torques respectively;

[0030] obtaining a current road condition of the vehicle and a current rate of change of vehicle torque in the current road condition;

[0031] determining that the steering wheel is in the hands-off state if the current rate of change of vehicle torque is greater than or equal to a rate of change of hands-off torque in a target road condition, wherein the target road condition is the same as the current road condition.

[0032] As an optional embodiment, the method further comprises:

[0033] performing a plurality of different levels of reminders to the driver when the hands-off time of the steering wheel exceeds the first time, or, exceeds the second time, or, exceeds the third time.

[0034] As an optional embodiment, the plurality of different levels at least comprises a first level, a second level and a third level, wherein:

[0035] the first level is used to perform a takeover reminder of the steering wheel by at least one of an icon, a text and a voice;

[0036] the second level is used to perform a takeover reminder of the steering wheel by at least one of an icon, a text and a voice, and simultaneously control at least one of vehicle deceleration, media sound off and seat belt tightening reminder;

[0037] the third level is used to perform a takeover reminder of the steering wheel by at least one of an icon, a text and a voice, and simultaneously control at least one of vehicle stopping by the side and making an emergency call.

[0038] As an optional embodiment, after performing the most serious level of reminder, the method further comprises:

[0039] The driver's behavior is regarded as dangerous driving, and the automatic driving mode is adjusted to a penalty mode, wherein the penalty mode is used to set the user not to be allowed to turn on the automatic driving mode within a preset time period.

[0040] A second aspect of an embodiment of the present application provides a steering wheel hands-off time control device, comprising:

[0041] Obtaining a driving mode of the vehicle, or the driving mode and driving area;

[0042] If the vehicle is in an adaptive cruise control mode, the hands-off time for controlling the steering wheel is a first time;

[0043] If the vehicle is in a lane keeping mode and the driving area of ​​the vehicle is an urban road environment, controlling the hands-off time of the steering wheel to be a second time;

[0044] If the vehicle is in lane keeping mode and the driving area of ​​the vehicle is a highway environment, the hands-off time for controlling the steering wheel is a third time, wherein the third time is greater than the second time, and the second time is greater than the first time.

[0045] A third aspect of an embodiment of the present application provides a vehicle, including a steering wheel, a processor and a memory. When the processor executes a computer program stored in the memory, it is used to implement the steering wheel hands-off time control method described in the first aspect of the embodiment of the present application.

[0046] A fourth aspect of an embodiment of the present application provides a computer device comprising a processor, which, when executing a computer program stored in a memory, is used to implement the steering wheel hands-off time control method described in the first aspect of the embodiment of the present application.

[0047] A fifth aspect of an embodiment of the present application provides a computer-readable storage medium on which a computer program is stored, characterized in that when the computer program is executed by a processor, it is used to implement the steering wheel hands-off time control method described in the first aspect of the embodiment of the present application.

[0048] A sixth aspect of an embodiment of the present application provides a computer program product on which a computer program is stored, characterized in that when the computer program is executed by a processor, it is used to implement the steering wheel hands-off time control method described in the first aspect of the embodiment of the present application.

[0049] It can be seen from the above technical solutions that the embodiments of the present invention have the following advantages:

[0050] In the embodiment of the present application, when the vehicle is in the automatic driving mode, the present application adopts different hand-off time lengths for different driving modes and / or different driving areas, effectively reducing the potential risks caused by the driver's long-time hand-off, and reducing the possibility of accidents, thereby on the one hand, the user's comfort in different driving environments can be improved, and on the other hand, the safety of the vehicle in different driving modes and / or driving areas can be improved, that is, the embodiment of the present application optimizes the driving experience of the driver in different driving scenarios, thereby providing the driver with more reasonable relaxation and rest opportunities in various different driving scenarios under the premise of safety, relieving the driver's fatigue, and improving the comfort and pleasure of driving. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0051] Figure 1 An embodiment schematic diagram of the steering wheel hand-off time control method in the embodiment of the present application;

[0052] Figure 2 An embodiment schematic diagram of determining that the vehicle is in the adaptive cruise control mode in the embodiment of the present application;

[0053] Figure 3 An embodiment schematic diagram of determining the driving area of the vehicle in the embodiment of the present application;

[0054] Figure 4 An embodiment schematic diagram of determining that the steering wheel of the vehicle is in the hand-off state by using the torque of the vehicle in the embodiment of the present application;

[0055] Figure 5 An embodiment schematic diagram of the steering wheel hand-off time control device in the embodiment of the present application;

[0056] Figure 6 An embodiment schematic diagram of the vehicle in the embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0057] The embodiment of the present application provides a steering wheel hand-off time control method and related device, which is used for adopting different hand-off detection time lengths in different driving modes and / or driving areas, thereby increasing the safety in multiple different driving scenarios.

[0058] In order for those skilled in the art to better understand the present application, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be described clearly and completely below with reference to the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present application, not all. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative labor should be within the scope of protection of the present application.

[0059] The terms "first," "second," "third," "fourth," and the like in the specification and claims of the present invention and in the accompanying drawings are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a particular order or precedence. It should be understood that the terms used in this manner are interchangeable where appropriate so that the embodiments described herein can be implemented in an order other than that illustrated or described herein. In addition, the terms "including" and "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions. For example, a process, method, system, product, or apparatus comprising a series of steps or units is not necessarily limited to those steps or units explicitly listed, but may include other steps or units not explicitly listed or inherent to such processes, methods, products, or apparatus.

[0060] For ease of understanding, the following describes in detail the steering wheel hands-off time control method in the embodiment of the present application. Specifically, the steering wheel hands-off time control method in the present application is applied to a controller in a vehicle, wherein the controller and the steering wheel are communicated via a communication interface so that the controller receives sensing information of the steering wheel for hands-off detection, or sends control instructions to the vehicle steering wheel via the communication interface. Figure 1 In one embodiment of the present application, a method for controlling the hands-off time of the steering wheel includes:

[0061] 101. Obtaining a driving mode of a vehicle, or the driving mode and driving area;

[0062] In response to the problem in the prior art that a fixed hands-off detection duration is used to control the vehicle's hands-off time in any autonomous driving scenario, thereby increasing safety risks in complex road conditions or complex driving scenarios, the vehicle controller in the embodiment of the present application can obtain the vehicle's driving mode, or the vehicle's driving mode and driving area during the vehicle driving process.

[0063] Specifically, the vehicle driving modes in this application generally include manual driving and automatic driving, among which automatic driving is divided into five levels from L1 to L5 according to the degree of automation. Among them, L1 level is a single function assistance level, generally including lane keeping mode and adaptive cruise mode, L2 level is a partial automation mode, including a combination mode of lane keeping mode and adaptive cruise mode, navigation assisted driving mode (Navigate on Autopilot mode), memory driving mode and traffic congestion assistance mode, etc., and L3 level is also called conditional automation mode, L4 level is a highly automatic driving mode suitable for some scenarios, and L5 level is a fully automated level suitable for all scenarios, and at each different level, it is divided into multiple different driving modes.

[0064] Specifically, when the vehicle is in lane keeping mode, the vehicle controller can control the vehicle's automatic driving in the longitudinal and lateral directions, such as automatic following or adaptive cruise in the longitudinal direction, automatic lane changing or automatic avoidance in the lateral direction, etc.; in adaptive cruise mode, the vehicle can automatically follow the vehicle, cruise at a fixed speed or cruise at a variable speed in the longitudinal direction, etc., and in navigation assisted driving mode, the vehicle needs to combine the automatic driving assistance system and the navigation system, through sensors (such as cameras and radars, etc.) and maps (such as high-precision maps), so that the vehicle can complete part of the driving task according to the given navigation route; when the vehicle is in memory driving mode, the vehicle drives autonomously to the destination according to the route pre-recorded by the system (such as the route from the company to home), and can automatically pass through intersections, turn around and change lanes, etc.; when the vehicle is in traffic congestion assistance mode, it combines the adaptive cruise mode and vehicle centering control function, and monitors the lane lines through sensors such as cameras or radars, so that the vehicle can automatically follow the vehicle in congested roads and stay in the middle of the lane, so as to reduce the driving burden for the driver.

[0065] The driving areas in this application are generally divided into urban road environments and highway environments according to commonly used driving scenarios. In urban road environments, due to factors such as pedestrian flow and traffic lights, it is generally required that the hands-off time in urban road environments should not be too long to avoid safety risks. In highway environments, there are relatively fewer uncertainties in the driving environment, so a relatively longer hands-off time can be allowed in highway environments to improve the driver's driving comfort.

[0066] 102. If the vehicle is in an adaptive cruise control mode, the hands-off time for controlling the steering wheel is a first time;

[0067] In the adaptive cruise control mode ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control), because the vehicle strictly relies on the driver's control in the lateral direction, the control of the vehicle requires the driver to pay closer attention and intervene at any time. Therefore, in the adaptive cruise control mode ACC, the present application controls the steering wheel to have a shortest hands-off time. The present application sets the shortest time as the first time. For example, the first time is generally not more than 5s.

[0068] 103. If the vehicle is in a non-adaptive cruise control mode and the driving area of ​​the vehicle is an urban road environment, controlling the hands-off time of the steering wheel to be a second time;

[0069] If the vehicle is in the non-adaptive cruise control mode of automatic driving and the vehicle is in an urban road environment, because the urban road environment is complex and changeable, with many pedestrians, non-motorized vehicles and traffic signals, in the urban road environment, if the vehicle is in the non-adaptive cruise control mode, the steering wheel is allowed to be taken off for a relatively short time. For ease of explanation, this application sets the steering wheel to be taken off for a second time when the vehicle is in the non-adaptive cruise control mode and in the urban road environment. The second time is generally greater than the above-mentioned first time. For example, in the embodiment of this application, the second time is generally greater than 5s and less than 10s.

[0070] Specifically, the non-adaptive cruise control mode in the embodiments of the present application refers to any driving mode other than the adaptive cruise control mode, such as the lane keeping mode, navigation-assisted driving mode, memory driving mode, and traffic congestion assistance mode in the above embodiments, etc. The specific mode in the non-adaptive cruise control mode is not limited here.

[0071] 104. If the vehicle is in a non-adaptive cruise control mode and the driving area of ​​the vehicle is a highway environment, the hands-off time for controlling the steering wheel is a third time, wherein the third time is greater than the second time, and the second time is greater than the first time.

[0072] If the vehicle is in a non-adaptive cruise control mode of automatic driving and is in a highway environment, because the vehicle conditions in the highway environment are relatively simple and there are no complicated pedestrian flows, non-motor vehicles and traffic lights, the steering wheel hands-off time is generally set to be relatively long in the highway environment. For ease of explanation, this application sets the steering wheel hands-off time to a third time when the vehicle is in a non-adaptive cruise control mode and in an urban road environment, wherein the third time is greater than the above-mentioned second time. For example, in the embodiment of this application, the third time is generally greater than 10s and less than 15s.

[0073] In an embodiment of the present application, when the vehicle is in the automatic driving mode, the present application adopts different hands-off times for different driving modes and / or different driving areas, thereby effectively reducing the potential risks caused by the driver's hands-off for a long time and reducing the possibility of accidents. On the one hand, it can improve the user's comfort in different driving environments, and on the other hand, it can also improve the safety of the vehicle in different driving modes and / or driving areas. That is, the embodiment of the present application optimizes the driver's driving experience in different driving scenarios, thereby providing the driver with more reasonable relaxation and rest opportunities in various driving scenarios while ensuring safety, alleviating the driver's fatigue, and improving the comfort and pleasure of driving.

[0074] against Figure 1In an embodiment, the process that the vehicle is in the adaptive cruise control mode is described as follows, please refer to Figure 2 :

[0075] 201. If the vehicle controller receives the adaptive cruise control mode input by the user, it is determined that the vehicle is in the adaptive cruise control mode;

[0076] 202. If the vehicle controller receives the non-adaptive cruise control mode input by the user and detects that the vehicle meets the mode switching condition, the vehicle is switched from the non-adaptive cruise control mode to the adaptive cruise control mode;

[0077] Here, the mode switching condition refers to the switching condition from the non-adaptive cruise control mode to the adaptive cruise control mode, and the corresponding mode switching condition is different according to the non-adaptive cruise control mode. For example, the mode switching condition can refer to the environment or state of the vehicle that does not meet the condition for executing the current non-adaptive cruise control mode. For example, when the vehicle is in the memory driving mode, the mode switching condition for switching from the memory driving mode to the adaptive cruise control mode can be that the system has no pre-recorded route, the pre-recorded route is incorrect, or the pre-recorded route is damaged, etc., and the mode switching condition for switching from the traffic jam assistance mode to the adaptive cruise control mode can be that the lane line is not clear, so that the vehicle cannot keep driving in the center, and when the vehicle is in the navigation assisted driving mode, the condition for switching from the navigation assisted driving mode to the adaptive cruise control mode can be that the vehicle cannot complete the vehicle avoidance of complex scenes or the lane line is blurred, etc., and when the non-adaptive cruise control mode is the lane keeping mode, the mode switching condition includes at least one of the lane line being blurred and there being no following vehicle in front.

[0078] For convenience of understanding, the lane keeping mode is taken as an example for explanation and description as follows:

[0079] The vehicle controller can be provided with a lane keeping mode and an adaptive cruise control mode, wherein the lane keeping mode requires the vehicle controller to automatically control the vehicle in both the longitudinal lane and the lateral lane, and the adaptive cruise control mode only requires the vehicle controller to automatically control the vehicle in the longitudinal lane. When the user inputs the adaptive cruise control mode in the vehicle controller, the vehicle controller sets the vehicle to the adaptive cruise control mode, and if the user inputs the lane keeping mode in the vehicle controller, but the vehicle controller detects that the vehicle meets the mode switching condition through the laser radar or image, the vehicle is switched from the lane keeping mode to the adaptive cruise control mode. The mode switching condition in the embodiment of the application generally includes at least one of the lane line being blurred in the road and there being no following vehicle in front.

[0080] Because the lane keeping mode generally requires the vehicle controller to automatically control the vehicle in both the lateral and longitudinal directions, and the vehicle needs to strictly rely on the lane lines during the lateral control process (such as changing lanes), when the lane lines are blurred and the vehicle cannot achieve lateral control, the vehicle controller automatically switches the vehicle from lane keeping mode to adaptive cruise control mode. In addition, the normal operation of the lane keeping mode also depends on the monitoring data or signal of the vehicle in front. When there is no following vehicle in front, the monitoring data or signal is missing, resulting in the vehicle controller being unable to execute the lane keeping mode. Therefore, the vehicle controller controls the vehicle to switch from lane keeping mode to adaptive cruise control mode.

[0081] It should be noted here that the conditions for controlling the vehicle to switch from lane keeping mode to adaptive cruise control mode in this application generally include: various external factors that make the vehicle unable to maintain lane keeping mode, and the above-mentioned blurred lane lines and no following vehicles in front are only explanations of the conditions for switching the vehicle from lane keeping mode to adaptive cruise control mode, rather than restrictions.

[0082] based on Figure 1 The embodiment described above, the process of obtaining the vehicle driving drive in the embodiment of the present application is described below:

[0083] As an optional embodiment, when a vehicle is driving, if one wants to obtain the driving area of ​​the vehicle, the vehicle's positioning information can be obtained to obtain the vehicle's real-time position information based on the vehicle's positioning information. If the real-time position information shows that the vehicle is in an urban road environment, the vehicle's driving area is determined to be an urban road environment. If the real-time position information shows that the vehicle is in a highway environment, the vehicle's driving area is determined to be a highway environment.

[0084] Specifically, in the process of obtaining vehicle positioning information, the embodiments of the present application may obtain the vehicle positioning information through different navigation software, such as obtaining the vehicle positioning information through a navigation map, or obtain the vehicle positioning information through the vehicle's own positioning device (such as the vehicle's positioning system), and obtain the vehicle's real-time position information based on the vehicle's current positioning information and the specific location of the positioning information in a map (such as a navigation map, a memory map, or a high-precision map).

[0085] Furthermore, when a vehicle is on an overpass, the navigation software often cannot distinguish whether the vehicle is on the bridge or under the bridge, and the bridge and under the bridge may correspond to different driving areas, such as the bridge is an urban road environment and the bridge is a highway environment, or the bridge is a highway environment and the bridge is an urban road environment. In order to improve the accuracy of vehicle positioning in the overpass scene, the embodiment of the present application can also perform the following steps to improve the accuracy of vehicle driving area recognition, please refer to Figure 3 :

[0086] 301. If the real-time location information shows that the vehicle is located in an overpass area and a target object is detected in the surrounding environment image, then determining that the vehicle's driving area is an urban road environment, wherein the target object includes at least one of a pedestrian, a traffic light, and a zebra crossing;

[0087] 302. If the real-time location information shows that the vehicle is located in an overpass area and no target object is detected in the surrounding environment image, it is determined that the driving area of ​​the vehicle is a highway environment.

[0088] For easier understanding, the following explanation is given:

[0089] When a vehicle is driving and real-time positioning information indicates that the vehicle is in an elevated area, in order to improve the accuracy of identifying the vehicle's driving area, the embodiment of the present application further acquires an image of the vehicle's surrounding environment when the real-time positioning information indicates that the vehicle is in an elevated area, and further detects target objects in the vehicle's surrounding environment image. If target objects such as pedestrians, traffic lights, and / or zebra crossings are detected in the surrounding environment image, the vehicle's current driving area is determined to be an urban road environment. If target objects such as pedestrians, traffic lights, and / or zebra crossings are not detected in the surrounding environment image, the vehicle's current driving area is determined to be a highway environment.

[0090] Furthermore, to improve the accuracy of highway environment recognition, in the embodiment of the present application, when no target objects such as pedestrians, traffic lights, and / or zebra crossings are detected in the surrounding environment image, or when a small number of pedestrians are detected in the surrounding environment image (for example, when the passengers of the broken-down vehicle ahead get out of the vehicle to avoid danger, a small number of pedestrians may be detected), it is possible to further obtain whether there are highway environment markers in the surrounding environment, such as milestones, hundred-meter posts, delineators, and escape lanes. Milestones are generally set up every kilometer and marked with the mileage of the highway to determine the specific location of the vehicle, while hundred-meter posts are set up every hundred meters to assist milestones in more accurate positioning; delineators are installed on the edges of both sides of the road and reflect light to display the outline of the road at night or in low visibility conditions, guiding the driver's line of sight; escape lanes are generally set up on long downhill sections to provide emergency escape channels for vehicles with brake failure, with obvious signs indicating them. When the presence of highway environment markers is determined in the surrounding environment image, it is determined that the vehicle is in the highway environment, thereby improving the accuracy of highway environment positioning.

[0091] The embodiments of the present application accurately identify complex and changing driving environments, thereby enhancing the adaptability and flexibility of the vehicle's automatic driving system to various driving environments.

[0092] based on Figure 1In the embodiment described above, the process of detecting whether the vehicle steering wheel is in a hands-off state is described below. Generally, whether the vehicle steering wheel is in a hands-off state can be detected by a capacitive sensor or vehicle torque installed in the vehicle. If a capacitive sensor is installed in the vehicle, it can be directly detected by the capacitive sensor whether the steering wheel is held by the user. If the capacitive sensor does not detect that the steering wheel is held by the user, it is determined that the vehicle steering wheel is in a hands-off state. Otherwise, it is determined that the vehicle steering wheel is not in a hands-off state. The process of using vehicle torque to determine whether the vehicle steering wheel is in a hands-off state is described below. Please refer to Figure 4 :

[0093] 401. Counting a plurality of hands-off torques when the steering wheel of the vehicle is in a hands-off state under a plurality of different road conditions;

[0094] Because when the vehicle is in different road conditions, if the steering wheel is in a hands-off state, the vehicle's hands-off torque is different. For example, the vehicle's hands-off torque is different in a straight road environment, a curved road environment, a flat road condition, and a bumpy road condition.

[0095] When the vehicle is on a straight road, the lateral inclination of the road surface is small. After the steering wheel is released, the self-aligning torque generated by the design of the vehicle such as kingpin castor and kingpin inclination is dominant, the torque direction is stable (tending to maintain straight driving), and the value is small. However, when the vehicle is in a curved environment, the road surface has a lateral slope, and the vehicle needs centripetal force when turning. The tires and the ground generate significant lateral friction. After the hands are released, the lateral force will be transmitted to the steering wheel through the steering system, forming a torque opposite to the steering direction (for example, when turning right, the steering wheel tends to return to the left), and The greater the curvature of the curve and the higher the vehicle speed, the greater the lateral force and the greater the release torque. When the vehicle is on a flat road, the tire contact area is uniform, the vertical load is stable, and the friction force is symmetrically distributed. The release torque mainly comes from the vehicle design parameters (such as the kingpin inclination angle), and the values ​​are stable and predictable. However, when the vehicle is on a bumpy road, the uneven road surface causes the tire to leave the ground momentarily or the load to change suddenly. The compression / extension of the suspension system will change the wheel alignment parameters (such as the camber angle and toe angle), causing irregular fluctuations in the tire lateral force and the return torque.

[0096] Therefore, the embodiments of the present application can obtain the hands-off torque of the vehicle under different road conditions by measuring the hands-off torque under different road conditions, and obtain the current torque of the vehicle during driving, and use the current torque to compare with the hands-off torque to determine whether the vehicle steering wheel is in a hands-off state.

[0097] 402. Perform low-pass filtering on the multiple hands-off torques under each road condition to obtain multiple hands-off torques after low-pass filtering.

[0098] After obtaining multiple hands-off torques under each road condition, the embodiment of the present application performs low-pass filtering on the multiple hands-off torques to filter out high-frequency noise and smooth the signal, thereby obtaining multiple hands-off torques after low-pass filtering. The low-pass filtering method here includes but is not limited to: RC filter and LC filter.

[0099] 403. Calculate the change rate of the hands-off torque of the steering wheel under each road condition based on the multiple hands-off torques after low-pass filtering.

[0100] After performing low-pass filtering on the hands-off torques under various road conditions, multiple hands-off torques under each road condition can be obtained. Further, the rate of change of the hands-off torque of the vehicle steering wheel under each road condition can be obtained by differential derivation.

[0101] 404. Obtain the current road condition of the vehicle and the current torque change rate of the vehicle torque under the current road condition;

[0102] In order to identify the current torque change rate of the vehicle, the embodiment of the present application also obtains the current road condition of the vehicle and the rate of change of the vehicle torque under the current road condition during the driving process of the vehicle, and compares the current torque change rate of the vehicle with the hands-off torque change rate under the same road condition to determine whether the steering wheel of the vehicle is in a hands-off state.

[0103] For ease of understanding, the following describes the process of obtaining the current road conditions and the torque change rate under the current road conditions:

[0104] As an optional embodiment, while the vehicle is driving, it can use images captured by the camera and an image classification algorithm to obtain current road condition information. For example, if the captured image shows a nearly straight road, the image classification algorithm can be used to determine that the current road condition is a straight road environment. If the captured image shows a curved road, the image classification algorithm can be used to determine that the current road condition is a curved road environment. Furthermore, the controller can also obtain the vehicle torque of the vehicle in a straight road environment and a curved road environment, respectively, and calculate the rate of change of the vehicle torque in the straight road environment and the rate of change of the vehicle torque in the curved road environment through differential derivation. The torque change rate of the current vehicle in the straight road environment is compared with a preset rate of change of the hands-off torque in the straight road environment. If the rate of change of the vehicle torque in the current straight road environment is greater than or equal to the preset rate of change of the hands-off torque in the straight road environment, it indicates that the vehicle is in a hands-off state in the current straight road environment. Similarly, it can also be determined whether the vehicle is in a hands-off state in the current curved road environment.

[0105] 405. If the current torque change rate is greater than or equal to the hands-off torque change rate of the target road condition, it is determined that the steering wheel is in a hands-off state, where the target road condition is the same as the current road condition.

[0106] If the vehicle's current torque change rate is greater than or equal to the hands-off torque change rate of the target road condition, it is determined that the steering wheel is in a hands-off state. Otherwise, it is determined that the vehicle's steering wheel is not in a hands-off state. The target road condition here is the same road condition as the current road condition.

[0107] The embodiment of the present application describes the process of using the vehicle's release torque to determine whether the vehicle's steering wheel is in a hands-off state, thereby achieving accurate judgment of whether the vehicle's steering wheel is in a hands-off state under the premise that the vehicle is not equipped with a capacitive sensor.

[0108] As an optional embodiment, in order to improve driving safety, the embodiment of the present application can also perform different levels of reminders to the driver after the steering wheel is out of hands for more than the first time, the second time and the third time, so as to encourage the driver to take over the steering wheel in time and ensure driving safety.

[0109] Specifically, because in different driving modes and / or different driving areas, the hands-off time allowed for the steering wheel is the first time, the second time and the third time, and the first time is less than the second time, and the second time is less than the third time, the present application uses different levels of reminders to remind the driver after the hands-off time reaches the first time, the second time and the third time, so as to prompt the driver to take over the steering wheel in time, wherein the different levels include the first level, the second level and the third level, and the reminder intensity increases step by step, wherein the first level is used to execute the steering wheel takeover reminder through at least one of icons, text and voice, the second level is used to execute the steering wheel takeover reminder through at least one of icons, text and voice, and at the same time control at least one of vehicle deceleration, media sound turning off and seat belt tightening reminder, the third level is used to execute the steering wheel takeover reminder through at least one of icons, text and voice, and at the same time control at least one of vehicle pulling over and braking and making an emergency call.

[0110] The embodiment of the present application prompts the driver to take over the steering wheel in time through different levels of reminders, thereby improving driving safety during the driving process. At the same time, after executing the most serious level (third level) of reminders, the embodiment of the present application can also control the vehicle to pull over and brake and make an emergency call, thereby further ensuring the safety of vehicle driving.

[0111] As an optional embodiment, to further ensure vehicle driving safety, the embodiments of the present application may also, after issuing the most severe warning to the driver, deem the driver's behavior dangerous driving and adjust the autonomous driving mode to a penalty mode, preventing the user from engaging in autonomous driving mode for a preset duration (e.g., 3 hours, 6 hours, or 8 hours). This prevents the user from taking their hands off the steering wheel for extended periods of time while driving, thereby further improving driving safety. The preset duration can be set based on actual circumstances, such as by the user, by system default, or by incrementing based on the number of dangerous driving incidents.

[0112] An embodiment of the present application further provides a computer program product, on which a computer program product is stored. When the computer program is executed by a processor, the computer program is used to implement the various steps described in the above method embodiment.

[0113] The above describes in detail the method for controlling the hands-off time of the steering wheel in the embodiment of the present application. Next, the device for controlling the hands-off time of the steering wheel in the embodiment of the present application is described. Figure 5 An embodiment of the device for controlling the hands-off time of the steering wheel in the embodiment of the present application includes:

[0114] An acquisition unit 501 is configured to acquire a driving mode of a vehicle, or the driving mode and driving area;

[0115] The control unit 502 is configured to:

[0116] If the vehicle is in an adaptive cruise control mode, the hands-off time for controlling the steering wheel is a first time;

[0117] If the vehicle is in a non-adaptive cruise control mode and the driving area of ​​the vehicle is an urban road environment, controlling the hands-off time of the steering wheel to be a second time;

[0118] If the vehicle is in a non-adaptive cruise control mode and the driving area of ​​the vehicle is a highway environment, the hands-off time for controlling the steering wheel is a third time, wherein the third time is greater than the second time, and the second time is greater than the first time.

[0119] As an optional embodiment, if the vehicle is in the adaptive cruise control mode, the device further includes:

[0120] The determining unit 503 is configured to: determine that the vehicle is in the adaptive cruise control mode if the adaptive cruise control mode input by the user is received;

[0121] or,

[0122] If a non-adaptive cruise control mode input by a user is received and it is detected that the vehicle meets a mode switching condition, the vehicle is switched from the non-adaptive cruise control mode to the adaptive cruise control mode.

[0123] As an optional embodiment, the acquiring unit 501 is specifically configured to:

[0124] Obtaining positioning information of the vehicle;

[0125] Acquiring real-time location information of the vehicle according to the positioning information;

[0126] If the real-time location information shows that the vehicle is in an urban road environment, determining that the driving area of ​​the vehicle is the urban road environment;

[0127] If the real-time location information shows that the vehicle is in a highway environment, it is determined that the driving area of ​​the vehicle is the highway environment.

[0128] As an optional embodiment, the acquiring unit 501 is further configured to:

[0129] If the real-time location information indicates that the vehicle is located in an overpass area, acquiring an image of the surrounding environment of the vehicle driving area;

[0130] The determining unit 503 is specifically configured to:

[0131] If the real-time location information shows that the vehicle is located in an overpass area, and a target object is detected in the surrounding environment image, then determining that the driving area of ​​the vehicle is the urban road environment, wherein the target object includes at least one of a pedestrian, a traffic light, and a zebra crossing;

[0132] If the real-time location information shows that the vehicle is located in an overpass area and no target object is detected in the surrounding environment image, it is determined that the driving area of ​​the vehicle is the highway environment.

[0133] As an optional embodiment, the device further includes:

[0134] The detection unit 504 is configured to:

[0135] Detecting whether the steering wheel is in a hands-off state by using a capacitive sensor or a vehicle torque, wherein a process of determining whether the steering wheel is in a hands-off state by using the vehicle torque includes:

[0136] Counting a plurality of hands-off torques when the steering wheel of the vehicle is in a hands-off state under a plurality of different road conditions;

[0137] performing low-pass filtering on the multiple hands-off torques under each road condition to obtain multiple hands-off torques after low-pass filtering;

[0138] calculating, based on the multiple hands-off torques after low-pass filtering, the rate of change of the hands-off torque of the steering wheel under each road condition;

[0139] Obtaining a current road condition of the vehicle and a current torque change rate of the vehicle torque under the current road condition;

[0140] If the current torque change rate is greater than or equal to the hands-off torque change rate of the target road condition, it is determined that the steering wheel is in a hands-off state, wherein the target road condition is the same road condition as the current road condition.

[0141] As an optional embodiment, the device further includes:

[0142] The prompt unit 505 is used to:

[0143] When the hands-off time of the steering wheel exceeds the first time, or exceeds the second time, or exceeds the third time, multiple reminders of different levels are executed to the driver.

[0144] As an optional embodiment, the multiple different levels include at least a first level, a second level, and a third level, wherein:

[0145] The first level is used to execute a steering wheel takeover reminder through at least one of an icon, text, and voice;

[0146] The second level is used to execute a steering wheel takeover reminder through at least one of an icon, text, and voice, and simultaneously control at least one of vehicle deceleration, muting media sound, and seat belt tightening reminder;

[0147] The third level is used to execute a steering wheel takeover reminder through at least one of an icon, text, and voice, and simultaneously control at least one of pulling over the vehicle and making an emergency call.

[0148] As an optional embodiment, the device further includes:

[0149] The adjustment unit 506 is used to regard the driver's behavior as dangerous driving and adjust the automatic driving mode to a penalty mode, wherein the penalty mode is used to set the user not to turn on the automatic driving mode within a preset time period.

[0150] In an embodiment of the present application, when the vehicle is in the automatic driving mode, the present application adopts different hands-off times for different driving modes and / or different driving areas, thereby improving the user's comfort in different driving environments on the one hand, and improving the safety of the vehicle in different driving modes and / or driving areas on the other hand.

[0151] The above describes the device for controlling the hands-off time of the steering wheel in the embodiment of the present invention from the perspective of modular functional entities. The following describes the computer device in the embodiment of the present invention from the perspective of hardware processing:

[0152] An embodiment of a computer device in the embodiments of the present application includes:

[0153] A processor and a memory, wherein a computer program is stored in the memory. When the processor executes the computer program in the memory, it is used to implement each step in the above method embodiment.

[0154] Next, the vehicle in the embodiment of the present invention is described from the perspective of hardware processing. Figure 6 :

[0155] One embodiment of a vehicle in the embodiment of the present invention includes:

[0156] A steering wheel, a processor, and a memory, wherein the processor is communicatively connected to the steering wheel and the memory via a communication interface;

[0157] The memory is used to store computer programs, and when the processor is used to execute the computer programs stored in the memory, it is used to implement the various steps in the above method embodiments.

[0158] It can be understood that when the processor in the vehicle described above executes the computer program, it can also realize the functions of the various units in the above-mentioned corresponding device embodiments, which will not be repeated here. Exemplarily, the computer program can be divided into one or more modules / units, and the one or more modules / units are stored in the memory and executed by the processor to complete the present invention. The one or more modules / units can be a series of computer program instruction segments that can perform specific functions, and the instruction segments are used to describe the execution process of the computer program in the vehicle processor. For example, the computer program can be divided into the various units in the above-mentioned steering wheel hands-off time control device, and each unit can realize the specific functions described in the steering wheel hands-off time control device in the corresponding vehicle described above.

[0159] The processor may be a central processing unit (CPU), other general-purpose processors, digital signal processors (DSP), application-specific integrated circuits (ASIC), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGA), other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, discrete hardware components, etc. A general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor or any conventional processor. The processor is the control center of the computer device and connects various parts of the entire computer device using various interfaces and lines.

[0160] The memory can be used to store the computer programs and / or modules. The processor implements the various functions of the computer device by running or executing the computer programs and / or modules stored in the memory and accessing the data stored in the memory. The memory may mainly include a program storage area and a data storage area. The program storage area may store an operating system, at least one application required for a function, etc.; the data storage area may store data created based on the use of the terminal, etc. In addition, the memory may include high-speed random access memory and non-volatile memory, such as a hard disk, internal memory, a plug-in hard disk, a smart media card (SMC), a secure digital (SD) card, a flash card, at least one disk storage device, a flash memory device, or other volatile solid-state storage device.

[0161] The present invention also provides a computer-readable storage medium, which is used to implement the function of a steering wheel hands-off time control device in a vehicle, and stores a computer program thereon. When the computer program is executed by a processor, it is used to implement each step in the above method embodiment.

[0162] It is understood that if the integrated unit is implemented as a software functional unit and sold or used as a standalone product, it can be stored in a corresponding computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the present invention can implement all or part of the processes in the corresponding embodiments of the method described above by instructing the relevant hardware through a computer program. The computer program can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. When executed by a processor, the computer program can implement the steps of each of the above method embodiments. The computer program includes computer program code, which can be in source code form, object code form, executable file, or some intermediate form. The computer-readable medium can include: any entity or device capable of carrying the computer program code, recording medium, USB flash drive, mobile hard drive, magnetic disk, optical disk, computer memory, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), electric carrier signal, telecommunication signal, and software distribution medium. It should be noted that the content of the computer-readable medium can be appropriately increased or decreased based on the requirements of legislation and patent practice in a jurisdiction. For example, in some jurisdictions, based on legislation and patent practice, computer-readable media does not include electric carrier signals and telecommunication signals.

[0163] Those skilled in the art will clearly understand that, for the convenience and brevity of description, the specific working processes of the systems, devices and units described above can refer to the corresponding processes in the aforementioned method embodiments and will not be repeated here.

[0164] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed systems, devices and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the device embodiments described above are merely schematic. For example, the division of the units is merely a logical function division. In actual implementation, there may be other division methods, such as multiple units or components can be combined or integrated into another system, or some features can be ignored or not executed. Another point is that the mutual coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed can be an indirect coupling or communication connection through some interfaces, devices or units, which can be electrical, mechanical or other forms.

[0165] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate, and the components shown as units may or may not be physical units, that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of these units may be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0166] In addition, the functional units in the various embodiments of the present invention may be integrated into a single processing unit, each unit may exist physically separately, or two or more units may be integrated into a single unit. The aforementioned integrated units may be implemented in the form of hardware or software functional units.

[0167] If the integrated unit is implemented as a software functional unit and sold or used as an independent product, it can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of the present invention, or the portion that contributes to the prior art, or all or part of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions for causing a computer device (which can be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the method described in each embodiment of the present invention. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media that can store program code, such as a USB flash drive, a mobile hard drive, a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), a magnetic disk, or an optical disk.

[0168] As described above, the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, rather than to limit the same. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the above embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that the technical solutions described in the above embodiments can still be modified, or some of the technical features thereof can be replaced by equivalents. However, these modifications or replacements do not deviate the essence of the corresponding technical solutions from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for controlling the hands-off time of a steering wheel, characterized in that: include: Obtaining a driving mode of the vehicle, or the driving mode and driving area; If the vehicle is in an adaptive cruise control mode, the hands-off time for controlling the steering wheel is a first time; If the vehicle is in a non-adaptive cruise control mode and the driving area of ​​the vehicle is an urban road environment, controlling the hands-off time of the steering wheel to be a second time; If the vehicle is in a non-adaptive cruise control mode and the driving area of ​​the vehicle is a highway environment, the hands-off time for controlling the steering wheel is a third time, wherein the third time is greater than the second time, and the second time is greater than the first time.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that If the vehicle is in an adaptive cruise control mode, the method further includes: controlling the hands-off time of the steering wheel to be before the first time; If the adaptive cruise control mode input by the user is received, determining that the vehicle is in the adaptive cruise control mode; or, If a non-adaptive cruise control mode input by a user is received and it is detected that the vehicle meets a mode switching condition, the vehicle is switched from the non-adaptive cruise control mode to the adaptive cruise control mode.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The obtaining of the driving area of ​​the vehicle includes: Obtaining positioning information of the vehicle; Acquiring real-time location information of the vehicle according to the positioning information; If the real-time location information shows that the vehicle is in an urban road environment, determining that the driving area of ​​the vehicle is the urban road environment; If the real-time location information shows that the vehicle is in a highway environment, it is determined that the driving area of ​​the vehicle is the highway environment.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that After obtaining the real-time location information of the vehicle, the method further includes: If the real-time location information indicates that the vehicle is located in an overpass area, acquiring an image of the surrounding environment of the vehicle driving area; If the real-time location information indicates that the vehicle is in an urban road environment, determining that the driving area of ​​the vehicle is the urban road environment includes: If the real-time location information shows that the vehicle is located in an overpass area, and a target object is detected in the surrounding environment image, then determining that the driving area of ​​the vehicle is the urban road environment, wherein the target object includes at least one of a pedestrian, a traffic light, and a zebra crossing; If the real-time location information indicates that the vehicle is in a highway environment, determining that the driving area of ​​the vehicle is the highway environment includes: If the real-time location information shows that the vehicle is located in an overpass area and no target object is detected in the surrounding environment image, it is determined that the driving area of ​​the vehicle is the highway environment.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein Before controlling the hands-off time of the steering wheel, the method further includes: Detecting whether the steering wheel is in a hands-off state by using a capacitive sensor or a vehicle torque, wherein a process of determining whether the steering wheel is in a hands-off state by using the vehicle torque includes: Counting a plurality of hands-off torques when the steering wheel of the vehicle is in a hands-off state under a plurality of different road conditions; performing low-pass filtering on the multiple hands-off torques under each road condition to obtain multiple hands-off torques after low-pass filtering; calculating, based on the multiple hands-off torques after low-pass filtering, the rate of change of the hands-off torque of the steering wheel under each road condition; Obtaining a current road condition of the vehicle and a current torque change rate of the vehicle torque under the current road condition; If the current torque change rate is greater than or equal to the hands-off torque change rate of the target road condition, it is determined that the steering wheel is in a hands-off state, wherein the target road condition is the same road condition as the current road condition.

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The method further comprises: When the hands-off time of the steering wheel exceeds the first time, or exceeds the second time, or exceeds the third time, multiple levels of reminders are executed to the driver, wherein: The plurality of different levels include at least a first level, a second level, and a third level; The first level is used to execute a steering wheel takeover reminder through at least one of an icon, text, and voice; The second level is used to execute a steering wheel takeover reminder through at least one of an icon, text, and voice, and simultaneously control at least one of vehicle deceleration, muting media sound, and seat belt tightening reminder; The third level is used to execute a steering wheel takeover reminder through at least one of an icon, text, and voice, and simultaneously control at least one of pulling over the vehicle and making an emergency call.

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that After executing the most severe level of reminder, the method further includes: The driver's behavior is regarded as dangerous driving, and the automatic driving mode is adjusted to a penalty mode, wherein the penalty mode is used to set the user not to be allowed to turn on the automatic driving mode within a preset time period.

8. A vehicle, characterized in that: The method comprises at least a steering wheel, a controller and a memory, wherein the memory stores a computer program, and when the processor executes the computer program, it is used to implement the steering wheel hands-off time control method according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. A computer device comprising a processor, characterized in that: When executing the computer program stored in the memory, the processor is used to implement the steering wheel hands-off time control method according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

10. A computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, characterized in that: When the computer program is executed by a processor, it is used to implement the steering wheel hands-off time control method according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

11. A computer program product having a computer program stored thereon, characterized in that: When the computer program is executed by a processor, it is used to implement the steering wheel hands-off time control method according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

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