Lane changing control method for controlling vehicle to enter ramp from main road and corresponding vehicle control system

Abstract

The invention relates to the field of vehicle automatic driving, in particular to a lane changing control method for controlling a vehicle to enter a ramp (L2) from a main road (L1), which comprises the following steps: responding to the vehicle entering a lane changing area (KA) preset for a diversion area (R) between the main road (L1) and the ramp (L2), and according to the lane changing urgency degree of the vehicle, determining the lane changing urgency degree of the vehicle; according to the invention, the vehicle is selectively controlled to perform a lane change at an increased lateral speed and to avoid the diversion zone (R), the lane change zone (KA) containing a predetermined ramp diverting point (KP), and the degree of lane change urgency of the vehicle is determined at least on the basis of the curvature of the ramp (L2) to be entered. Therefore, the vehicle can still smoothly complete the automatic lane changing operation from the trunk road to the ramp especially under the conditions that the lane changing initiation time is late and the ramp curvature is large.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of vehicle driving, specifically to a lane change control method for controlling a vehicle to enter a ramp from a main road, an automatic driving or driving assistance system, a vehicle, and a computer program product. Background Technology

[0002] In autonomous driving / driver assistance systems with lane-level automatic control capabilities, the core component, the path planning module, first integrates path data output by the high-precision navigation system (such as highway ramp locations, lane topology information, target driving trajectory, etc.) and combines it with real-time road condition information (such as surrounding vehicle positions, lane line integrity, traffic signs, etc.) collected by the vehicle environment perception module (such as millimeter-wave radar, cameras, lidar) for comprehensive judgment. After confirming that the safe lane-changing conditions are met (such as no obstacles in adjacent lanes, maintaining a safe distance from following vehicles, and no lane-changing prohibition signs), the module automatically initiates an orderly lane-changing command, controlling the vehicle to gradually switch to the target lane leading to the ramp. When the vehicle smoothly enters the target lane and approaches the ramp entrance, the path planning module further optimizes the driving trajectory, guiding the vehicle to smoothly enter the ramp. The entire process does not require manual operation by the driver.

[0003] When entering a ramp from a main road (e.g., from a highway lane), vehicles must avoid the guide lanes between the main road and the ramp. The timing of lane changes can vary depending on ambient traffic flow and road conditions. Therefore, it is essential to know how to change lanes effectively at different initiation times. Delayed lane changes can lead to vehicles crossing lane lines (including guide lane edges, lane dividers, etc.), understeer or oversteer, and in severe cases, even collisions with guide lane guardrails. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The main objective of this invention is to propose an improved lane change control method for controlling vehicles to enter ramps from main roads. This method enables vehicles to change lanes smoothly even under high-pressure lane change situations, thereby avoiding understeer or collisions with guardrails in the guide zone.

[0005] According to a first aspect of the invention, the object of the invention is achieved by providing a lane change control method for controlling a vehicle to enter an on-ramp from a main road, comprising: in response to a vehicle entering a lane change area preset for a guide zone between the main road and the on-ramp, selectively controlling the vehicle to perform a lane change at an increased lateral speed and avoid the guide zone according to the urgency of the lane change, wherein the lane change area includes a preset on-ramp bifurcation point, and the urgency of the lane change is determined at least based on the curvature of the on-ramp to be entered.

[0006] According to an optional embodiment of the invention, the urgency of the lane change is further determined based on the lateral distance between the vehicle and the ramp and / or the lateral angular acceleration of the vehicle.

[0007] According to an optional embodiment of the invention, the lateral angular acceleration of the vehicle is evaluated based on the product of the vehicle's lateral velocity and heading angle.

[0008] According to an optional embodiment of the present invention, the method includes: controlling the vehicle to accelerate a lane change when all of the following conditions are satisfied, until one of the following conditions is not satisfied: the curvature of the ramp is greater than or equal to a first threshold; the lateral distance between the vehicle and the ramp is greater than or equal to a second threshold; and the product of the lateral velocity of the vehicle and the heading angle is less than or equal to a third threshold.

[0009] According to an optional embodiment of the present invention, the method includes: determining, based on the vehicle's navigation map information, that the vehicle has entered the lane change area, wherein the navigation map information marks the ramp fork point and / or the lane change area.

[0010] According to an optional embodiment of the present invention, the method includes: determining that the vehicle has entered the lane change area based on navigation map information of the vehicle, wherein the navigation map information includes the curvature of the ramp.

[0011] According to an optional embodiment of the invention, the lateral speed of the vehicle is obtained by differentiating the lateral distance between the vehicle and the ramp.

[0012] According to an optional embodiment of the present invention, the lateral distance is the lateral distance between the longitudinal centerline of the vehicle and the centerline of the ramp.

[0013] According to a second aspect of the invention, the object of the invention is also achieved by providing a vehicle control system for autonomous or assisted driving, comprising: a navigation and positioning unit for providing navigation map information and vehicle positioning information; a distance detection unit for detecting the lateral distance between the vehicle and the ramp; and a control unit configured to perform any method according to the invention.

[0014] According to a third aspect of the invention, the object of the invention is also achieved by providing a vehicle that includes a vehicle control system according to the invention.

[0015] According to a fourth aspect of the invention, the object of the invention is also achieved by providing a computer program product, particularly a computer program or a computer-readable storage medium, comprising program instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform any method according to the invention.

[0016] Through certain embodiments of the present invention, vehicles can be made to successfully complete automatic lane change operations from main roads to ramps, especially when the lane change is initiated late and the ramp curvature is large.

[0017] It is worth noting that the advantages and beneficial effects of the present invention are not limited to those mentioned above. Those skilled in the art can understand other unmentioned advantages and beneficial effects of the present invention through the following specific embodiments and claims. Attached Figure Description

[0018] The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, which will provide a better understanding of the principles, features, and advantages of the invention. In the drawings, Figure 1(a) and Figure 1(b) show schematic diagrams of two exemplary main roads and ramps, respectively; Figure 2 A schematic diagram of an existing lane change control scenario for controlling vehicles to enter ramps from main roads is shown. Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a scenario for controlling a vehicle to enter a ramp from a main road, according to the present invention, is shown. Figure 4 A schematic diagram of another scenario for lane change control according to the present invention for controlling a vehicle to enter a ramp from a main road is shown. Figure 5 A schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between the lane change area and the lane change bifurcation point according to the present invention is shown. Figure 6 A flowchart of a lane change control method for controlling a vehicle to enter a ramp from a main road is shown according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Figure 7 A flowchart of a lane change control method for controlling a vehicle to enter a ramp from a main road is shown according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention; Figure 8 A schematic diagram of a vehicle control system for autonomous or assisted driving according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0019] To make the technical problems to be solved, the technical solutions, and the beneficial technical effects of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and exemplary embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only for explaining the principles of the invention and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the invention.

[0020] Figures 1(a) and 1(b) illustrate two exemplary main road L1 and ramp L2, respectively. As shown, main road L1 connects to ramp L2, with a guide zone R between them. This guide zone R guides vehicles from main road L1 into ramp L2. Main road L1 has two parallel and opposing lane edge lines, namely lane edge lines L11 shown as dashed lines in the figure (different dashed line forms are used to show the left and right lane edge lines L11). Ramp L2 can mainly consist of at least two sections: the first section is a transition zone connecting to main road L1, with its lane edge line marked L211 in the figure; the second section is the subsequent ramp portion following the transition zone, with its lane edge line marked L212 in the figure. Typically, a lane change branch point KP is pre-defined for guide zone R, and this point is usually marked on the map. Lane change branch point KP is located before guide zone R, i.e., upstream of guide zone R along the lane direction.

[0021] In Figure 1(a), the second section of ramp L2 is substantially parallel to the main road L1, therefore the ramp curvature within this section is approximately zero. In Figure 1(b), the second section of ramp is curved relative to the main road L1, therefore the ramp curvature within this section is not zero. It should be understood that the figures only schematically show ramp L2 divided into two sections, but the actual situation may be more complex. For example, the first and / or second sections shown may each include multiple sub-segments, each of which may have different curvatures.

[0022] When driving on the main road L1, the vehicle's autonomous driving system can identify the lane edge lines L11 on both sides of the main road L1 using visual sensors or radar. Combining the vehicle's current position with the relative distance to the lane edge lines L11, the system controls the vehicle to maintain lane centering, i.e., lane centering control based on the lane edge lines L11. When entering ramp L2, the system will preemptively adjust the vehicle's trajectory, shifting it towards ramp L2, for example, by aligning the vehicle's front towards ramp L2. Once the vehicle enters ramp L2, the autonomous driving system will change the control reference to the lane edge line L21 on one side of ramp L2, and then perform lane change control and lane centering control based on the lane edge line L21.

[0023] Some existing lane change control strategies may rely on lane parallelism and lateral velocity for lateral control during ramp lane changes, but this depends on the detection of lane parallelism. This detection typically involves measuring the angle or distance between two lane lines, for example, by extracting the coordinates of the two lane lines using road geometry or image processing techniques, fitting the lane lines accordingly, and then calculating the angle and corresponding parallelism between the two lane lines. A large detected parallelism indicates a late lane change. Such lane change control strategies rely on accurate detection of lane parallelism.

[0024] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of such an existing lane change control scenario is shown. For example... Figure 2 As shown, the vehicle can begin preparing to change lanes to the ramp at position p1, away from the guide zone R. At position p2, the vehicle's attitude (e.g., adjusting the heading angle) is adjusted so that the vehicle's front is facing the direction of ramp L2. Then, while traveling between positions p2 and p5, lane change control can be performed based on lane line parallelism; during this period, the vehicle's attitude remains largely unchanged. Finally, at position p6, the vehicle can fully adjust to travel along the second section of ramp L2.

[0025] However, in some situations, especially when lane markings are unclear or cannot be accurately identified, the timing of lane change initiation based on lane parallelism may be further delayed. At this point, the vehicle may already be very close to the guide zone R, further increasing the urgency of the lane change. Particularly when the ramp entrance has a certain curvature, if a lane change is still performed according to the existing lane change speed designed for normal ramps, it is very likely that the vehicle will be too close to the guide zone R longitudinally, leading to the risk of the vehicle crossing the lane lines or even colliding.

[0026] The lane change control method according to the present invention for controlling a vehicle to enter a ramp from a main road includes: responding to the vehicle entering a lane change area KA (e.g., a pre-defined lane change area KA for a guide zone R between the main road L1 and the ramp L2) Figure 5 As shown), depending on the urgency of the lane change, the vehicle is selectively controlled to perform a lane change with increased lateral speed and avoid the guide zone R. The lane change zone KA includes a preset ramp bifurcation point KP, and the urgency of the lane change is determined specifically based at least on the curvature of the ramp L2 to be entered.

[0027] Figure 3 and Figure 4 The diagrams show scenarios for lane change control according to the present invention, used to control vehicles to enter ramps from main roads. Figure 5 A schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between the lane change area and the lane change bifurcation point according to the present invention is shown. Figure 6 A flowchart illustrating a lane change control method for controlling a vehicle to enter a ramp from a main road, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, is shown below. Figures 3 to 6 The present invention will now be described in detail as a lane change control technology concept.

[0028] like Figure 6 As shown, the method includes: Step S1: Based on the vehicle's navigation map information, determine the lane change area KA that the vehicle has entered for the guide zone R; Step S2: Determine the urgency of the lane change. If the urgency is high, proceed to step S3; otherwise, proceed to step S4. Step S3: Control the vehicle to perform a lane change with increased lateral speed and avoid the guide zone R; Step S4: End.

[0029] Therefore, the urgency of a lane change can be determined by the event that the vehicle travels to the corresponding lane area KA of the lane change fork point KP marked on the navigation map, and then the lateral speed of the vehicle can be increased when the urgency of the lane change is high.

[0030] In navigation maps, lane change junctions (KP) are typically marked. Based on this junction, a lane change area (KA) can be defined. This lane change area (KA) can also be marked on the navigation map, or it can be dynamically defined by the vehicle-side controller based on the junction (KP). Figure 5 The example shown illustrates an embodiment where the ramp bifurcation point KP is located approximately at the center of the lane change area KA. However, other embodiments are also possible, such as along the extension direction of the main road L1, where the ramp bifurcation point KP is located above, in front of, or behind the virtual lateral centerline of the lane change area KA. That is, the lane change area KA is defined around the ramp bifurcation point KP. Alternatively, the ramp bifurcation point KP can also be located on the boundary line of the lane change area KA. The lane change area KA can be adjusted according to actual needs.

[0031] Vehicles can approach lane change junctions KP by making prior lateral adjustments on the main road L1. This can be achieved, for example, through path planning based on the vehicle's current position and a preset lane change junction. In some cases, such as... Figure 3 As shown, when a vehicle reaches the lane change fork point KP, the determination of the urgency of the lane change is triggered. In other cases, such as... Figure 4 As shown, when a vehicle approaches the lane change fork point via the aforementioned lateral adjustment, it can trigger the determination of the lane change urgency as long as it enters the lane change area KA. If the vehicle does not enter the lane change area KA, the autonomous driving / driving assistance vehicle continues to travel along the main road L1.

[0032] Since the lane change fork point KP is close to the guide zone R, when the vehicle enters the lane change zone KA, it can be determined that the timing of the vehicle initiating the lane change is too late, especially later than [the specified time]. Figure 2 The lane change timing shown, starting at least from position p2, requires a faster lane change speed to avoid vehicles failing to avoid the guide zone in time and thus crossing the line or colliding with the guide zone.

[0033] Due to positioning and mapping errors, the lane change fork point KP marked on the navigation map often deviates from its actual location. Therefore, when a vehicle enters the lane change area, it is necessary to determine the urgency of the lane change. This urgency is preferably determined based on the ramp curvature. Curvature represents the risk level of the lane change scenario. When the ramp curvature is large, the vehicle needs a large lateral speed to complete the lane change. Curvature is a core geometric parameter in ramp design, and therefore it is usually marked on the navigation map, or can be directly obtained from the navigation map information. Therefore, the navigation map information includes the curvature of the ramp L2. Curvature directly determines the vehicle's speed, steering difficulty, and safety on the ramp. Furthermore, curvature is not a fixed value but gradually changes; the curvature of each segment of the ramp can be directly obtained from the navigation map information. Here, since the condition for triggering the lane change urgency is that the vehicle enters the lane change area KA containing the ramp fork point KP, the curvature initially obtained after triggering represents the curvature at the ramp entrance.

[0034] Advantageously, compared to existing technologies, the method according to the invention uses a preset lane change branch point KP and corresponding lane change area KA in the navigation map information to determine if the lane change initiation timing is too late, and at least based on the ramp curvature to determine the urgency of the lane change. Since the ramp curvature can also be directly obtained from the navigation map information, no complex detection process is required, and the control does not depend on the recognition of lane lines. Therefore, an improved lane change control strategy can be implemented, particularly for situations where the vehicle has already traveled to the lane change area KA very close to the guide zone R.

[0035] Furthermore, the urgency of the lane change can also be determined based on the lateral distance between the vehicle and the ramp L2 and / or the vehicle's lateral angular acceleration. Here, the lateral distance specifically refers to the lateral distance between the vehicle's longitudinal centerline and the centerline of the ramp L2. This lateral distance can indicate the degree of completion of the lane change process. The lateral angular acceleration can be used to characterize the rate of change of the vehicle's lateral attitude.

[0036] Furthermore, the lateral speed of the vehicle can be obtained by differentiating the lateral distance between the vehicle and ramp L2, particularly the lateral distance between the vehicle's centerline and the ramp's centerline. This eliminates the need for a speed sensor, thus avoiding problems such as the sensor being unable to effectively detect lateral speed due to obstructions (e.g., other vehicles).

[0037] Furthermore, the vehicle's lateral angular acceleration is evaluated based on the product of the vehicle's lateral velocity and heading angle. This product comprehensively reflects the vehicle's ability to change its attitude during lateral movement and can therefore serve as a basis for evaluating lateral angular acceleration. For example, a smaller product indicates that the vehicle's current lateral velocity is too slow and it needs to increase its speed to complete a lane change.

[0038] Since lateral angular acceleration is the rate of change of lateral angular velocity, and is a second-order derivative signal, there are two main methods for obtaining it: one is to directly measure it using a high-precision inertial measurement unit (IMU), and the other is to calculate the second derivative of lateral velocity / heading angle. These methods are costly, susceptible to vibration interference, and limit control accuracy. However, using the product of the vehicle's lateral velocity and heading angle to evaluate lateral angular velocity allows for direct measurement of lateral velocity using wheel speed sensors or millimeter-wave radar, and direct acquisition of heading angle using GPS and gyroscopes. Both lateral velocity and heading angle are first-order raw signals, requiring no derivative, resulting in low noise, stable measurement, and reduced difficulty in data sensing. Furthermore, this product better aligns with the goal of smooth and safe lane changes, focusing more on motion trends, thus resulting in a smoother lane change trajectory. This avoids over- or under-response from directly controlling lateral angular acceleration, enhances control robustness, strengthens anti-interference capabilities, and simplifies control logic.

[0039] For example, when the urgency of a lane change is determined by the ramp curvature, if the lateral distance between the vehicle and the ramp is greater than a certain threshold, the urgency of the lane change will increase even if the vehicle has already entered the lane change zone KA near the guide zone. In this case, the vehicle's lateral speed needs to be further increased based on the urgency level determined by the ramp curvature to cope with the increased urgency. Similarly, the product of the vehicle's lateral speed and heading angle can be used to represent the speed of the vehicle's lateral speed. When this product is less than a certain threshold, it indicates that the current lateral speed of the vehicle is low, which will also increase the urgency of the lane change even if the vehicle has already entered the lane change zone KA near the guide zone.

[0040] Preferably, in some embodiments, the method according to the invention may include: controlling the vehicle to accelerate and change lanes when all of the following conditions are met, until one of the following conditions is not met: The curvature of the ramp L2 is greater than or equal to the first threshold. The lateral distance between the vehicle and the ramp L2 is greater than or equal to the second threshold; and The product of the vehicle's lateral velocity and heading angle is less than or equal to the third threshold.

[0041] Therefore, when the above three conditions are met simultaneously, the urgency of the vehicle's lane change can be determined, thus eliminating the dependence on and requirement for the accuracy of the lane change fork point KP.

[0042] Figure 7 A flowchart of such a lane change control method is shown. For example... Figure 7 As shown, the method includes: Step S1: Based on navigation map information, determine the lane change area KA that the vehicle is entering for the guide zone R; Step S21: Determine whether the value of ramp L2 is greater than or equal to the first threshold. If yes, proceed to step S22; otherwise, proceed to step S4. Step S22: Determine whether the lateral distance between the vehicle and the ramp, especially the lateral distance between the vehicle centerline and the ramp centerline, is greater than or equal to the second threshold. If yes, proceed to step S23; otherwise, proceed to step S4. Step S23: Determine whether the product of the vehicle's lateral speed and heading angle is less than or equal to the third threshold. If yes, proceed to step S3; otherwise, proceed to step S4. Step S3: Control the vehicle to perform a lane change with increased lateral speed and avoid the guide zone R; Step S4: End.

[0043] Here, the first threshold can be, for example, in the range of 0.002 to 0.004, such as 0.0024; the second threshold can be, for example, in the range of 0.4 meters to 1 meter, such as 0.6 meters; and the third threshold can be, for example, in the range of 0.6 meters per second to 1 meter per second, such as 0.8 meters per second. These thresholds can be adjusted and preset according to actual needs (for example, different threshold ranges can be preset for ramps with different design speeds). Through the interaction of these three conditions, the accuracy of determining the urgency of vehicle lane changes can be further enhanced.

[0044] Therefore, comparing the curvature with the first threshold determines that the current lane-change scenario has a high risk level. Comparing the lateral distance between the vehicle and the ramp centerline with the second threshold determines that the lane-change process is incomplete. Comparing the product of the vehicle's lateral speed and heading angle with the third threshold determines that the vehicle's current lateral speed is too slow and needs to increase. In this case, the urgency of the lane change is high, and new vehicle control parameters are needed to enable the vehicle to complete the lane change with increased lateral speed, thereby avoiding the guide zone R. If any of the judgment conditions is negative, the urgency of the lane change is low, and no modification to the vehicle control parameters is required.

[0045] Here, combined Figure 7The diagram illustrates how the urgency of a vehicle lane change is determined sequentially based on three judgment conditions in steps S21-S23. However, it should be understood that these three judgment steps (S21-S23) can be executed in parallel, and the execution of the method according to the invention ends as soon as one judgment result is negative; that is, the urgency of a vehicle lane change is determined in parallel based on the three judgment conditions. Furthermore, after the determination of the urgency of a vehicle lane change is triggered, steps S21-S23 will continue until at least one judgment result is negative while the vehicle is moving from the main road L1 into the ramp L2 to complete the lane change operation. At this point, the urgency of the vehicle lane change is considered to have been alleviated, and the vehicle can relatively easily complete the lane change operation and smoothly enter the ramp L2; or the vehicle has already completed the corresponding lane change operation.

[0046] Additionally, in some embodiments, the urgency of lane changes can be graded, and the lateral speed of the vehicle can be increased in different increments according to different urgency levels. This allows setting graded threshold ranges for the three conditional parameters used for determination. For example, when the curvature of ramp L2 is determined to be greater than or equal to a first threshold and less than or equal to a first gap threshold (where the first gap threshold is greater than the first threshold), the lane change urgency is set to level one; when the curvature of ramp L2 is determined to be greater than or equal to the first gap threshold, the lane change urgency is set to level two. More graded lane change urgency levels can also be set. Similarly, the lateral distance between the vehicle and the ramp and / or the product of the vehicle's lateral speed and heading angle can also be graded / evaluated using a similar method. The urgency of lane change can be determined by using methods such as curvature assessment, lateral distance assessment between the vehicle and the ramp, and lateral speed assessment based on the product of the vehicle's lateral speed and heading angle. The comprehensive urgency of lane change can be determined by using a weighted average method. The required lateral speed increment can then be determined by looking up a table based on the correspondence between the urgency of lane change and the required lateral speed.

[0047] Figure 8 A schematic diagram of a vehicle control system 1 for autonomous or assisted driving according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown. As shown, the vehicle control system 1 may include a navigation and positioning unit 11, a distance detection unit 12, and a control unit 13. The navigation and positioning unit 11 provides navigation map information and vehicle positioning information, and the distance detection unit 12 detects the lateral distance between the vehicle and the ramp L2. Here, the lateral distance specifically refers to the lateral distance between the vehicle's centerline and the centerline of the ramp L2. It is conceivable that other lane lines besides the centerline (such as edge lines) may also be used as distance measurement references. The control unit 13 is configured to perform any of the methods described above according to the present invention.

[0048] Specifically, the control unit 13 may include a position determination module 131, a lane change urgency determination module 132, and a vehicle speed control module 133. The position determination module 131 can determine whether the vehicle has entered a pre-defined lane change area KA for the guide zone R based on navigation map information and vehicle positioning information provided by the navigation and positioning unit 11. If so, it sends a trigger command to the lane change urgency determination module 132. The lane change urgency determination module 132 can respond to the trigger command by determining the vehicle's lane change urgency based on relevant parameters. If the lane change urgency is high, it sends a speed adjustment command to the vehicle speed control module 133 to increase the vehicle's lateral speed. Here, the urgency determination module 132 may have multiple lane change urgency levels and determine the vehicle's lane change urgency based on each set level, thereby determining whether the vehicle's lateral speed needs to be increased, and by how much (i.e., determining the increase amount). The parameters used by the urgency determination module 132 when making the determination may include: the curvature (segmented curvature) of the ramp stored in the navigation map information provided by the navigation and positioning unit 11, and the lateral distance between the vehicle and the ramp detected by the distance detection unit 12.

[0049] The present invention also relates to a vehicle including the above-described vehicle control system.

[0050] The present invention also relates to a computer program product, particularly a computer program or computer-readable storage medium, comprising program instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform any method according to the present invention. Here, the term "computer-readable storage medium" may include, but is not limited to, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), static random access memory (SRAM), compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM) or other optical disc storage, disk storage, magnetic tape storage, or any other computer-readable medium capable of carrying or storing data.

[0051] Therefore, by means of the computer program product according to the present invention, an existing vehicle control system can be configured into a vehicle control system according to the present invention, and an existing vehicle can be configured into a vehicle according to the present invention.

[0052] Without contradiction, those skilled in the art can combine and integrate the different embodiments or examples described in this specification, as well as the features of the different embodiments or examples.

[0053] Although specific embodiments of the invention have been described in detail herein, they are given for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention. Various substitutions, alterations, and modifications can be conceived without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A lane change control method for controlling a vehicle to enter a ramp (L2) from a main road (L1), comprising: In response to a vehicle entering a lane change zone (KA) pre-defined for the guide zone (R) between the main road (L1) and the ramp (L2), the vehicle is selectively controlled to perform a lane change with increased lateral speed and avoid the guide zone (R) based on the urgency of the lane change. The lane change area (KA) includes a preset ramp fork point (KP), and the urgency of the lane change for the vehicle is determined at least based on the curvature of the ramp (L2) to be entered.

2. The lane change control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The urgency of the lane change is also determined based on the lateral distance between the vehicle and the ramp (L2) and / or the lateral angular acceleration of the vehicle.

3. The lane change control method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The lateral angular acceleration of the vehicle is evaluated based on the product of the vehicle's lateral velocity and heading angle.

4. The lane change control method according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The method includes: If all of the following conditions are met, control the vehicle to accelerate and change lanes until one of the following conditions is not met: The curvature of the ramp (L2) is greater than or equal to a first threshold. The lateral distance between the vehicle and the ramp (L2) is greater than or equal to the second threshold; and The product of the vehicle's lateral velocity and heading angle is less than or equal to the third threshold.

5. The lane change control method according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The method includes: Based on the vehicle's navigation map information, it is determined that the vehicle has entered the lane change area (KA), wherein the navigation map information marks the ramp fork point (KP) and / or the lane change area (KA).

6. The lane change control method according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The method includes: Based on the vehicle's navigation map information, it is determined that the vehicle has entered the lane change area (KA), wherein the navigation map information includes the curvature of the ramp (L2).

7. The lane change control method according to any one of claims 2-4, characterized in that, The lateral velocity of the vehicle is obtained by differentiating the lateral distance between the vehicle and the ramp (L2); and / or The lateral distance is the lateral distance between the longitudinal centerline of the vehicle and the centerline of the ramp (L2).

8. A vehicle control system (1) for autonomous or assisted driving, comprising: Navigation and positioning unit (11) is used to provide navigation map information and vehicle positioning information; Distance detection unit (12) is used to detect the lateral distance between the vehicle and the ramp (L2); and Control unit (13), the control unit (13) being configured to perform the method according to any one of claims 1-7.

9. A vehicle comprising a vehicle control system (1) according to claim 8.

10. A computer program product, particularly a computer program or computer-readable storage medium, comprising program instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform the method according to any one of claims 1-7.

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