Vehicle and control method thereof

By designing a tiltable front bumper structure, lifting device, and airbag system in the vehicle, the problem of inadequate pedestrian protection in vehicles has been solved, achieving effective protection in the event of a car accident.

CN120963590APending Publication Date: 2025-11-18CHONGQING JINKANG NEW ENERGY VEHICLE CO LTD
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Patent Information

Application Number
CN202511227584.0
Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Applications(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2025-08-29
Publication Date
2025-11-18

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Current technologies do not provide adequate protection for pedestrians, and there is an urgent need to improve the protection during traffic accidents.

Method used

The vehicle incorporates a front bumper structure and a lifting device. The lifting device pushes the front bumper structure from its initial position to an inclined position, and in conjunction with the use of an airbag system, this reduces pedestrian injury.

Benefits of technology

By combining the tilted front bumper structure with the airbag system, pedestrians can be effectively prevented from being knocked down or thrown into the air, improving the vehicle's protection of pedestrians and reducing injuries in the event of a car accident.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

The invention discloses a vehicle and a control method thereof.The vehicle comprises a front cabin cover, a front protection structure and a jacking device, the front protection structure comprises an initial position and an inclined position, and when the front protection structure moves towards the inclined position from the initial position, the included angle between the front protection structure and the front cabin cover is gradually increased; the jacking device is connected to the front bumper structure and used for pushing the bottom of the front bumper structure towards the side away from a cabin so that the front bumper structure can be switched to the inclined position from the initial position. By applying the technical scheme of the invention, the protection effect of the vehicle on pedestrians can be improved when a traffic accident occurs.
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Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the safety technical field of vehicles, in particular to a vehicle and a control method thereof. BACKGROUND

[0002] With the development of technology and science and technology, although the safety of passengers inside the vehicle is more and more guaranteed, the safety of pedestrians is still in the initial exploration, therefore, it is urgent to solve the problems of no pedestrian protection and unsatisfactory protection effect of the vehicle. SUMMARY

[0003] In view of the above problems, the present application provides a vehicle and a control method thereof, which can improve the protection effect of the vehicle on pedestrians when a vehicle accident occurs.

[0004] According to an aspect of an embodiment of the present application, a vehicle is provided, comprising: a front engine compartment cover; a front protection structure, the front protection structure comprising an initial position and an inclined position, when the front protection structure moves from the initial position to the inclined position, an included angle between the front protection structure and the front engine compartment cover gradually increases; and a jacking device connected to the front protection structure, used to push the bottom of the front protection structure to a side away from the engine compartment, so that the front protection structure switches from the initial position to the inclined position.

[0005] In an optional manner, the vehicle further comprises a gas storage tank connected to the jacking device, used to drive the jacking device.

[0006] In an optional manner, the vehicle further comprises a first airbag and a second airbag connected to the gas storage tank, the first airbag is located below the front engine compartment cover and can elastically support the front engine compartment cover after inflation; and the second airbag is located in the engine compartment and can be unfolded onto the front windshield of the vehicle after inflation.

[0007] According to another aspect of an embodiment of the present application, a control method of a vehicle is provided, applied to the above-mentioned vehicle, the method comprising: acquiring environmental information around the vehicle and a speed value of the vehicle in real time; if it is determined based on the environmental information that there is a pedestrian around the vehicle, acquiring an actual distance value between the pedestrian and the vehicle in real time; and if it is determined based on the actual distance value between the pedestrian and the vehicle and the speed value of the vehicle that the front protection structure will collide with the pedestrian, controlling the front protection structure to switch from the initial position to the inclined position.

[0008] In an alternative, if it is determined that the front structure will collide with the pedestrian based on the actual distance value between the pedestrian and the vehicle and the speed value of the vehicle, the method further comprises: if it is determined that the front structure will collide with the pedestrian based on the actual distance value between the pedestrian and the vehicle and the speed value of the vehicle, and the speed value of the vehicle is greater than or equal to a first preset speed, controlling the gas tank to inflate the first air bag to elastically support the front hood; if it is determined that the front structure will collide with the pedestrian based on the actual distance value between the pedestrian and the vehicle and the speed value of the vehicle, and the speed value of the vehicle is less than the first preset speed, controlling the front structure to remain in the initial position.

[0009] In an alternative, if it is determined that the front structure will collide with the pedestrian based on the actual distance value between the pedestrian and the vehicle and the speed value of the vehicle, the method further comprises: controlling the gas tank to inflate the first air bag to elastically support the front hood.

[0010] In an alternative, if it is determined that the front structure will collide with the pedestrian based on the actual distance value between the pedestrian and the vehicle and the speed value of the vehicle, the method further comprises: if it is determined that the front structure will collide with the pedestrian based on the actual distance value between the pedestrian and the vehicle and the speed value of the vehicle, and the speed value of the vehicle is greater than or equal to a second preset speed, controlling the gas tank to inflate the first air bag to elastically support the front hood; if it is determined that the front structure will collide with the pedestrian based on the actual distance value between the pedestrian and the vehicle and the speed value of the vehicle, and the speed value of the vehicle is less than the second preset speed and greater than or equal to the first preset speed, controlling the gas tank to inflate only the lifting device.

[0011] In an alternative, if it is determined that the front structure will collide with the pedestrian based on the actual distance value between the pedestrian and the vehicle and the speed value of the vehicle, the method further comprises: controlling the gas tank to inflate the second air bag to expand onto the front windshield of the vehicle.

[0012] In an alternative, the method of controlling the gas tank to inflate the second airbag further comprises: if it is determined that the front bumper structure will collide with the pedestrian based on the actual distance value between the pedestrian and the vehicle and the speed value of the vehicle, and the speed value of the vehicle is greater than or equal to a third preset speed, then controlling the gas tank to inflate the second airbag so that the second airbag is deployed onto the front windshield of the vehicle; if it is determined that the front bumper structure will collide with the pedestrian based on the actual distance value between the pedestrian and the vehicle and the speed value of the vehicle, and the speed value of the vehicle is less than the third preset speed and greater than or equal to a second preset speed, then controlling the gas tank to inflate only the jacking device and the first airbag.

[0013] In an alternative, the method further comprises: obtaining height information of the pedestrian; determining a rotation angle value of the front bumper structure based on the height information of the pedestrian; and determining the inclined position based on the rotation angle value.

[0014] In the embodiments of the present application, when the vehicle is about to collide with the pedestrian, the jacking device can push the bottom of the front bumper structure towards the side away from the cabin to switch the front bumper structure from the initial position to the inclined position. At this time, since the bottom of the front bumper structure is in an inclined state relative to the front hood, rather than perpendicular to the front hood. Therefore, the bottom of the front bumper structure will most likely contact the lower leg of the pedestrian first, so that the upper body of the pedestrian will fall towards the front hood under the action of inertia, so as to avoid the pedestrian being knocked down or flying due to the high impact point and large impact area, and finally improve the protection effect of the vehicle on the pedestrian in the event of a car accident.

[0015] The above description is only a summary of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application. In order to more clearly understand the technical means of the embodiments of the present application, the embodiments of the present application can be implemented according to the content of the specification, and in order to make the above and other purposes, features and advantages of the embodiments of the present application more obvious and easy to understand, the following specific embodiments of the present application are described. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0016] The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the embodiments of the present application, and are incorporated herein and constitute a part of the detailed description. It should be noted that in the accompanying drawings, the same or similar elements are denoted by the same reference numerals. In the drawings: Figure 1 A structure schematic diagram of the front bumper structure of the vehicle in the embodiments of the present application in the initial position is shown.

[0017] Figure 2 A structure schematic diagram of the front bumper structure of the vehicle in the embodiments of the present application in the inclined position is shown.

[0018] Figure 3The diagram shows a flowchart illustrating steps S110-S150 of a vehicle control method provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0019] Figure 4 The diagram shows a flowchart illustrating steps S131-S133 of a vehicle control method provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0020] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures 1. Radar; 2. Windshield; 3. Front hood; 4. Airbag controller; 5. Second airbag; 6. Air tank; 7. Wiring harness; 8. Piping; 9. Front bumper structure. Detailed Implementation

[0021] Exemplary embodiments will now be described in detail, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. When the following description relates to the drawings, unless otherwise indicated, the same numbers in different drawings denote the same or similar elements. The embodiments described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all embodiments consistent with this application. Rather, they are merely examples of apparatuses and methods consistent with some aspects of this application as detailed in the appended claims.

[0022] The block diagrams shown in the accompanying drawings are merely functional entities and do not necessarily correspond to physically independent entities. That is, these functional entities can be implemented in software, in one or more hardware modules or integrated circuits, or in different network and / or processor devices and / or microcontroller devices.

[0023] The flowcharts shown in the accompanying drawings are merely illustrative and do not necessarily include all content and operations / steps, nor do they necessarily need to be performed in the order described. For example, some operations / steps can be broken down, while others can be combined or partially combined; therefore, the order of execution may change depending on the circumstances.

[0024] In this application, "multiple" refers to two or more. "And / or" describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A alone, A and B simultaneously, or B alone. The character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship.

[0025] Combination Figures 1 to 4 As shown, embodiments of this application respectively propose a vehicle and a control method thereof. These embodiments will be described in detail below. Combination Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the vehicle includes a front hood 3. The front hood 3 is the cover for the front engine compartment, also known as the engine hood.

[0026] Combination Figures 1 to 2 As shown, the vehicle also includes a front bumper structure 9, which includes an initial position and an inclined position. When the front bumper structure 9 moves from the initial position to the inclined position, the angle between the front bumper structure 9 and the front hood 3 gradually increases.

[0027] In an exemplary embodiment of this application, the front bumper structure 9 includes an initial position and an inclined position. When the front bumper structure 9 is in the inclined position, the angle between the front bumper structure 9 and the front hood 3 is greater than 90° and less than 180°. When the front bumper structure 9 is in the initial position, the angle between the front bumper structure 9 and the front hood 3 is equal to 90°.

[0028] Preferably, when the front bumper structure 9 is in an inclined position, the angle between the front bumper structure 9 and the front engine hood 3 is greater than or equal to 120° and less than or equal to 150°.

[0029] In another exemplary embodiment of this application, when the front bumper structure 9 is in the initial position, the angle between the front bumper structure 9 and the front hood 3 can also be greater than 90° and less than or equal to 110°. Specifically, when the front bumper structure 9 is in the tilted position, the angle between the front bumper structure 9 and the front hood 3 is larger than when the front bumper structure 9 is in the initial position, but the maximum angle between the front bumper structure 9 and the front hood 3 is less than 180°.

[0030] In an exemplary embodiment of this application, when the front bumper structure 9 is assembled on the front of a vehicle, the top of the front bumper structure 9 is hinged to the front of the vehicle, and the bottom of the front bumper structure 9 is snapped into the front of the vehicle. When the front bumper structure 9 is subjected to an external force, the bottom of the front bumper structure 9 can detach from the front of the vehicle and flip towards the side away from the engine compartment, thereby realizing the switching of the front bumper structure 9 from the initial position to the tilted position.

[0031] It should be understood that when the front bumper structure 9 is in its initial position, that is, when the bottom of the front bumper structure 9 is engaged with the front of the vehicle, the front bumper structure 9 is in its tilted position, that is, when the bottom of the front bumper structure 9 is detached from the front of the vehicle and flipped away from the side of the engine compartment.

[0032] The vehicle also includes a lifting device connected to the bottom of the front bumper structure 9, used to push the bottom of the front bumper structure 9 toward the side away from the cabin, so that the front bumper structure 9 switches from the initial position to the tilted position.

[0033] In one exemplary embodiment of this application, the lifting device is a pneumatic lifting device. In other embodiments, the lifting device may also be a hydraulic lifting device. For example, the lifting device may be a jack, and the air tank 6 is connected to the second airbag 5 and the first airbag respectively through pipes, and is also connected to the lifting device through pipes, so that the second airbag 5, the first airbag and the lifting device can be driven by the gas released by the air tank 6.

[0034] In this invention, when a vehicle is about to collide with a pedestrian, the bottom of the front bumper structure 9 can be pushed away from the engine compartment by a lifting device, so that the front bumper structure 9 switches from its initial position to an inclined position. At this time, since the bottom of the front bumper structure 9 is inclined relative to the front hood 3, rather than perpendicular to the front hood 3, the bottom of the front bumper structure 9 is likely to make contact with the pedestrian's lower leg first, so that the pedestrian's upper body tilts towards the front hood 3 under the action of inertia, thus avoiding the pedestrian being knocked down or thrown away due to the high impact point and large impact area. Ultimately, this improves the vehicle's protection effect on pedestrians in the event of a car accident.

[0035] Combination Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the vehicle also includes an air tank 6, which is connected to the lifting device via a pipe 8 for driving the lifting device.

[0036] Combination Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the vehicle also includes a first airbag and a second airbag 5 connected to the air tank 6. The first airbag is located below the front hood 3 and can elastically support the front hood 3 after inflation. The second airbag 5 is located inside the engine compartment and can deploy onto the windshield 2 of the vehicle after inflation.

[0037] In an exemplary embodiment of this application, a storage compartment may be provided on the top surface of the cabin for storing the first airbag; alternatively, the first airbag may be stored directly inside the cabin. When elastic support for the front cabin cover 3 is required, the locking device that secures the front cabin cover 3 to the cabin automatically unlocks, and then the first airbag is inflated through the air tank 6 until it can elastically support the front cabin cover 3. At this time, if a pedestrian impacts the front cabin cover 3, the front cabin cover 3, under the action of the first airbag, can mitigate the impact force on the pedestrian.

[0038] In an exemplary embodiment of this application, the second airbag 5 can be disposed inside the engine compartment. When it needs to be inflated and deployed onto the windshield 2 of the vehicle, the second airbag 5 is inflated through the air tank 6, causing it to expand and deploy onto the windshield 2. At this time, if a pedestrian is impacted and moves towards the windshield 2, the impact force on the pedestrian can be mitigated by the action of the second airbag 5. For example, the hood 3 is provided with an openable hatch. When the second airbag 5 needs to be deployed onto the windshield 2, the hatch is opened, allowing the engine compartment to communicate with the outside environment, so that the second airbag 5 can be deployed from inside the engine compartment onto the windshield 2.

[0039] For example, the second airbag 5 can be installed in the engine compartment, and a through hole for the second airbag 5 is provided on the front hood 3. When the second airbag 5 is not in use, the through hole can be covered by a cover plate. When the second airbag 5 is in use, the cover plate can be opened by the inflation of the airbag, thereby allowing the airbag to inflate out of the engine compartment and deploy onto the windshield 2 of the vehicle.

[0040] Combination Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the vehicle also includes an airbag controller 4. Based on signals such as the distance, speed, and angle between the vehicle and the pedestrian input from the vehicle's radar 1, and combined with the vehicle's AEB (Automatic Emergency Braking) functions and its own algorithms and logic, if a collision with the pedestrian is deemed unavoidable, the airbag controller 4 sends a collision signal to the valve actuator of the air tank 6 via the wiring harness 7. The valve actuator then opens the valve, and the air tank 6 outputs high-pressure gas to the corresponding equipment. A portion of this gas is supplied to the lifting device via pipe 8, and the remaining gas is supplied to the first and second airbags 5 via pipe 8.

[0041] In an exemplary embodiment of this application, Figure 3 This diagram illustrates steps S110-S150 of a vehicle control method according to an embodiment of this application, which is executed by the vehicle. Please refer to... Figure 3 As shown, the method includes steps S110 to S150, which are described in detail below: Step S110: Acquire real-time environmental information around the vehicle and the vehicle's speed value.

[0042] For example, environmental information surrounding the vehicle and the vehicle's speed can be obtained through radar 1 installed on the vehicle. Radar 1 includes millimeter-wave radar, lidar, and infrared radar for the entire vehicle. Alternatively, environmental information surrounding the vehicle and the vehicle's speed can be obtained through a camera module installed on the vehicle.

[0043] It should be understood that environmental information includes obstacles around the vehicle, as well as the relative speed, angle, height, and distance between the obstacles and the vehicle. Obstacles include pedestrians and the vehicles they are riding.

[0044] Step S120: If it is determined based on environmental information that there are pedestrians around the vehicle, then the actual distance between the pedestrians and the vehicle is obtained in real time.

[0045] For example, radar 1 installed on the vehicle can determine whether there is a pedestrian in front of the vehicle and obtain the actual distance between the pedestrian and the vehicle in real time.

[0046] Step S130: If it is determined that the vehicle will collide with the pedestrian after a preset time based on the actual distance between the pedestrian and the vehicle, then control the front bumper structure 9 to switch from the initial position to the tilt position.

[0047] In an exemplary embodiment of this application, the method for determining whether a vehicle will collide with a pedestrian after a preset time based on the actual distance between the pedestrian and the vehicle can refer to the method for predicting a pedestrian collision using the vehicle's AEB (Automatic Emergency Braking) function, and will not be repeated here. The preset time can be equal to the time it takes for the front bumper structure 9 to switch from its initial position to its tilted position, ensuring that the front bumper structure 9 can switch from its initial position to its tilted position when the vehicle collides with the pedestrian after the preset time.

[0048] In this application, when a vehicle is about to collide with a pedestrian, the bottom of the front bumper structure 9 can be pushed away from the engine compartment by a lifting device, so that the front bumper structure 9 switches from its initial position to an inclined position. At this time, since the bottom of the front bumper structure 9 is inclined relative to the front hood 3, rather than perpendicular to the front hood 3, the bottom of the front bumper structure 9 is likely to make contact with the pedestrian's lower leg first, so that the pedestrian's upper body tilts towards the front hood 3 under the action of inertia, thus avoiding the pedestrian being knocked down or thrown away due to the high impact point and large impact area. Ultimately, this improves the vehicle's protection effect on pedestrians in the event of a car accident.

[0049] Furthermore, if it is determined based on the actual distance between the pedestrian and the vehicle that the vehicle will collide with the pedestrian after a preset time, the method for controlling the front bumper structure 9 to switch from the initial position to the tilted position further includes: if it is determined based on the actual distance between the pedestrian and the vehicle and the vehicle's speed, and the vehicle's speed is greater than or equal to a first preset speed, then the air tank 6 is controlled to inflate the lifting device to switch the front bumper structure 9 from the initial position to the tilted position; if it is determined based on the actual distance between the pedestrian and the vehicle and the vehicle's speed, and the vehicle's speed is less than the first preset speed, then the front bumper structure 9 is controlled to remain in the initial position.

[0050] It should be understood that the first preset speed is the speed at which the vehicle can knock a pedestrian down and cause them to lose their center of gravity.

[0051] Optionally, the first preset speed can be a speed of less than 30 km / h and greater than 20 km / h.

[0052] It should be understood that in certain scenarios, even if a vehicle collides with a pedestrian, it may be difficult to cause injury or knock the pedestrian off balance. In such cases, to avoid causing unnecessary injury to the pedestrian after the front bumper structure 9 switches from its initial position to the tilted position, the front bumper structure 9 can be controlled to switch from its initial position to the tilted position when the vehicle's speed is greater than or equal to a first preset speed, and kept in its initial position when the vehicle's speed is less than the first preset speed. This avoids causing unnecessary injury to the pedestrian while ensuring the pedestrian's safety.

[0053] Furthermore, the front hood 3 includes a fixed position and an elastic support position. When the front hood 3 is in the fixed position, it covers the vehicle's engine compartment. When the front hood 3 is in the elastic support position, it can elastically compress towards the engine compartment. Specifically, the front hood 3 being in the elastic support position means that one end of the front hood 3 or the entire front hood 3 is tilted relative to the engine compartment under the elastic support of the first airbag.

[0054] Step S140: In order to further reduce the injury to the pedestrian after the collision between the vehicle and the pedestrian, if the method for determining the steps after the collision between the vehicle and the pedestrian after a preset time is based on the actual distance between the pedestrian and the vehicle, the method further includes: controlling the air tank 6 to inflate the first airbag so that the first airbag elastically supports the front hood 3, thereby causing the front hood 3 to switch from a fixed position to an elastic support position.

[0055] It should be understood that if a vehicle collides with a pedestrian, and the bottom of the front bumper structure 9 contacts the pedestrian's lower leg first, causing the pedestrian's upper body to tilt towards the hood 3 due to inertia, the first airbag is inflated by the air tank 6 before the collision. This allows the first airbag to elastically support the hood 3, thus switching the hood 3 from a fixed position to an elastically supported position. Therefore, after the pedestrian's upper body tilts towards the hood 3 due to inertia, the hood 3 can elastically support the pedestrian, thereby reducing the impact force on the pedestrian.

[0056] Furthermore, in certain specific scenarios, even if the vehicle collides with a pedestrian, the pedestrian may only fall lightly onto the hood 3 without a significant impact. In this case, to reduce the use of the second airbag 5, the method for controlling the air tank 6 to inflate the first airbag further includes: if it is determined that the front bumper structure 9 will collide with the pedestrian based on the actual distance between the pedestrian and the vehicle and the vehicle's speed, and the vehicle's speed is greater than or equal to a second preset speed, then the air tank 6 is controlled to inflate the first airbag so that the first airbag elastically supports the hood 3; if it is determined that the front bumper structure 9 will collide with the pedestrian based on the actual distance between the pedestrian and the vehicle and the vehicle's speed, and the vehicle's speed is less than the second preset speed but greater than or equal to the first preset speed, then the air tank 6 is controlled to inflate only the lifting device.

[0057] For example, the second preset speed can be a speed below 45 km / h and above 30 km / h.

[0058] It should be understood that the second preset speed is the speed at which the vehicle can knock a pedestrian down and cause them to lose their center of gravity, and at which the pedestrian can have a large collision with the front hood 3.

[0059] Step S150: To further reduce the injury to the pedestrian after a collision between the vehicle and the pedestrian, if the method for determining the steps after the vehicle collides with the pedestrian after a preset time based on the actual distance between the pedestrian and the vehicle, it further includes: controlling the air tank 6 to inflate the second airbag 5 so that the second airbag 5 deploys onto the windshield 2 of the vehicle.

[0060] It should be understood that if a vehicle collides with a pedestrian, and the bottom of the front bumper structure 9 contacts the pedestrian's lower leg first, causing the pedestrian's upper body to tilt towards the hood 3 due to inertia, the pedestrian may be thrown onto the windshield 2. Therefore, while the hood 3 elastically supports the pedestrian, the second airbag 5 on the windshield 2 also elastically supports the pedestrian, thereby reducing the impact force on the pedestrian.

[0061] In certain scenarios, even if a vehicle knocks a pedestrian against the windshield 2, the impact force is relatively small and insufficient to threaten the pedestrian's life (e.g., when the vehicle's speed is less than a third preset speed). In this case, the method of controlling the air tank 6 to inflate the second airbag 5 further includes: if it is determined that the front bumper structure 9 will collide with the pedestrian based on the actual distance between the pedestrian and the vehicle and the vehicle's speed, and the vehicle's speed is greater than or equal to the third preset speed, then the air tank 6 is controlled to inflate the second airbag 5 so that the second airbag 5 deploys onto the vehicle's windshield 2, thereby reducing the impact force on the pedestrian; if it is determined that the front bumper structure 9 will collide with the pedestrian based on the actual distance between the pedestrian and the vehicle and the vehicle's speed, and the vehicle's speed is less than the third preset speed but greater than or equal to the second preset speed, then the air tank 6 is controlled to inflate only the lifting device and the first airbag, thereby saving the service life of the second airbag 5 and other components.

[0062] For example, the third preset speed can be greater than or equal to 45 km / h.

[0063] It should be understood that the third preset speed is a speed that is sufficient to threaten the lives of pedestrians.

[0064] Furthermore, Figure 4 This diagram illustrates a flowchart of steps S131-S133 of a vehicle control method according to an embodiment of this application. (In conjunction with...) Figure 4 As shown, the vehicle control method also includes steps S131 to S133, which are described in detail below: Step S131: Obtain the height information of the pedestrian.

[0065] For example, pedestrian height and the height of the pedestrian relative to the vehicle can be identified by a camera module or LiDAR sensor installed on the vehicle, thereby obtaining the pedestrian's height information.

[0066] Step S132: Determine the rotation angle value of the front guard structure 9 based on the pedestrian's height information.

[0067] For example, pedestrians vary in height, such as children under 8, children aged 8-12, and teenagers over 12. If the front bumper structure 9 rotates too much towards the sky, it may come into contact with the pedestrian's upper thigh. If the rotation angle is too small, it may come into contact with the lower leg near the ankle. Both scenarios reduce the likelihood of the pedestrian falling onto the hood 3 after a collision. Therefore, the rotation angle of the front bumper structure 9 can be determined based on the pedestrian's height to maximize the chance of the pedestrian falling onto the hood 3 after a collision.

[0068] In addition, if the pedestrian is in a cycling state (including pedestrians riding bicycles or electric vehicles), the rotation angle value of the front bumper structure 9 can be determined according to the height of the pedestrian relative to the vehicle.

[0069] It should be understood that height information includes not only the pedestrian's own height in the narrow sense, but also the pedestrian's height relative to the vehicle.

[0070] Step S133: Determine the tilt position based on the rotation angle value.

[0071] In this embodiment, the tilt position is not fixed and can vary according to the rotation angle value determined by the pedestrian's height information. Furthermore, after the front bumper structure 9 is in the tilt position, the angle between the front bumper structure 9 and the front hood 3 must be greater than 90° and less than 180°.

[0072] In this application, when a vehicle encounters a pedestrian crossing the road (including pedestrians riding bicycles or electric vehicles), the vehicle can determine that a collision with the pedestrian is unavoidable based on the actual distance between the pedestrian and the vehicle, the vehicle's speed, and the pedestrian's height, combined with functions such as AEB and its own algorithms and logic. Then, it opens the valve of the gas tank 6 and outputs high-pressure gas. A portion of this gas is supplied to the lifting devices at the bottom left and right sides of the front bumper structure 9 through the pipeline 8. The lifting device pushes out the push rod, and the front bumper structure 9 is lifted along the upper rotation axis by the push rod, thus switching from the initial position to the tilted position. When a collision occurs with a pedestrian, the bottom of the front bumper structure 9 contacts the pedestrian's lower leg first. Due to inertia, the pedestrian's upper body will tilt towards the front hood 3. This can prevent the pedestrian from being knocked down or thrown away due to the high impact point and large impact area. At the same time, another part of the gas in the gas tank 6 enters the second airbag 5 and the first airbag through the pipeline. The second airbag 5 and the first airbag are detonated and deployed. One airbag forms an air cushion on the windshield 2, and the other elastically supports the hood 3 at the bottom of the hood, thus protecting the pedestrian who has fallen.

[0073] In summary, vehicle control methods can not only improve the protection of pedestrians in the event of a car accident, but also significantly reduce car maintenance costs.

[0074] The above description is merely a preferred exemplary embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit the implementation of this application. Those skilled in the art can easily make corresponding modifications or alterations based on the main concept and spirit of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of protection claimed in the claims.

Claims

1. A vehicle, characterized in that, include: Front hood; A front bumper structure, comprising an initial position and an inclined position, wherein as the front bumper structure moves from the initial position toward the inclined position, the angle between the front bumper structure and the front hood gradually increases; A lifting device, connected to the front bumper structure, is used to push the bottom of the front bumper structure toward the side away from the cabin, so that the front bumper structure switches from the initial position to the tilted position.

2. The vehicle as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The vehicle also includes an air tank connected to the lifting device for driving the lifting device.

3. The vehicle as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The vehicle also includes a first airbag and a second airbag connected to the air tank. The first airbag is located below the hood and can elastically support the hood after inflation. The second airbag is located inside the engine compartment and can deploy onto the windshield of the vehicle after inflation.

4. A vehicle control method, applied to the vehicle described in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The method includes: Real-time acquisition of environmental information surrounding the vehicle and the vehicle's speed value; If it is determined based on the environmental information that there are pedestrians around the vehicle, the actual distance between the pedestrians and the vehicle is obtained in real time. If it is determined that the front bumper structure will collide with the pedestrian based on the actual distance between the pedestrian and the vehicle and the speed of the vehicle, then the front bumper structure is controlled to switch from the initial position to the tilted position.

5. The method as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The method for controlling the front bumper structure to switch from the initial position to the tilted position if it is determined, based on the actual distance between the pedestrian and the vehicle, that the vehicle will collide with the pedestrian after a preset time, includes: If it is determined that the front bumper structure will collide with the pedestrian based on the actual distance between the pedestrian and the vehicle and the speed of the vehicle, and the speed of the vehicle is greater than or equal to a first preset speed, then the air tank is controlled to inflate the lifting device so that the front bumper structure switches from the initial position to the tilted position. If it is determined that the front bumper structure will collide with the pedestrian based on the actual distance between the pedestrian and the vehicle and the speed of the vehicle, and the speed of the vehicle is less than the first preset speed, then the front bumper structure is controlled to remain in the initial position.

6. The method as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The method for determining that the front bumper structure will collide with the pedestrian based on the actual distance between the pedestrian and the vehicle and the speed of the vehicle further includes: The air tank is controlled to inflate the first airbag so that the first airbag elastically supports the front hood.

7. The method as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The method for controlling the inflation of the first airbag by the gas storage tank further includes: If it is determined that the front bumper structure will collide with the pedestrian based on the actual distance between the pedestrian and the vehicle and the speed of the vehicle, and the speed of the vehicle is greater than or equal to a second preset speed, then the air tank is controlled to inflate the first airbag so that the first airbag elastically supports the front hood. If it is determined that the front bumper structure will collide with the pedestrian based on the actual distance between the pedestrian and the vehicle and the speed of the vehicle, and the speed of the vehicle is less than the second preset speed and greater than or equal to the first preset speed, then the gas tank is controlled to only inflate the lifting device.

8. The method as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The method for determining that the front bumper structure will collide with the pedestrian based on the actual distance between the pedestrian and the vehicle and the speed of the vehicle further includes: The air tank is controlled to inflate the second airbag so that the second airbag deploys onto the windshield of the vehicle.

9. The method as described in claim 8, characterized in that, The method for controlling the inflation of the second airbag by the air tank further includes: If it is determined that the front bumper structure will collide with the pedestrian based on the actual distance between the pedestrian and the vehicle and the speed of the vehicle, and the speed of the vehicle is greater than or equal to a third preset speed, then the air tank is controlled to inflate the second airbag so that the second airbag deploys onto the windshield of the vehicle. If it is determined that the front bumper structure will collide with the pedestrian based on the actual distance between the pedestrian and the vehicle and the speed of the vehicle, and the speed of the vehicle is less than the third preset speed and greater than or equal to the second preset speed, then the air tank is controlled to inflate only the lifting device and the first airbag.

10. The method as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The method further includes: Obtain the height information of the pedestrian; The rotation angle value of the front guard structure is determined based on the pedestrian's height information; The tilt position is determined based on the rotation angle value.

Citation Information

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