Vehicle Lending System

Abstract

The present invention provides a vehicle rental system that enables more users to move even when there are fewer users who can drive the vehicle. The vehicle rental system comprises: a vehicle control unit, which is provided in each of a plurality of vehicles; and a management server, which communicates with each vehicle control unit, the management server receives reservation application information including at least the number of passengers from a user terminal, allocates at least one vehicle according to the number of passengers in response to the reservation application information, generates travel information for setting these vehicles as a lead vehicle and a follower vehicle when there are multiple allocated vehicles, sends the travel information to the vehicle control unit, and the vehicle control unit of the follower vehicle determines the lead vehicle based on the information of the lead vehicle included in the travel information, and controls the travel of the follower vehicle so that the follower vehicle follows the lead vehicle, thereby making multiple vehicles travel in a queue.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle lending system. Background Art

[0002] Vehicle rental systems such as car sharing that lend vehicles to users are well known. Among such vehicle rental systems, there is a vehicle rental system that allows a user who can drive a vehicle and a user who does not drive a vehicle to ride in the loaned vehicle together (for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] Prior art literature

[0004] Patent Literature

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2010-204708 Summary of the invention

[0006] Problem that the invention aims to solve

[0007] However, in the existing vehicle rental system, at least one user who can drive the vehicle is required for one rental vehicle. Therefore, when there are few users who can drive the vehicle, the number of rental vehicles has to be limited accordingly, and it is impossible to move more users.

[0008] The present invention has been made in view of the above background, and an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle rental system capable of moving a large number of users even when there are a small number of users who can drive a vehicle.

[0009] Means used to solve problems

[0010] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, one embodiment of the present invention is a vehicle lending system, which comprises: a plurality of vehicles; a vehicle control unit, which is provided in each of the plurality of vehicles, communicates with each other, and controls the driving of the plurality of vehicles; and a management server, which communicates with each of the vehicle control units, the management server receives reservation application information containing at least the number of passengers from a user terminal, allocates at least one of the vehicles according to the number of passengers based on the reservation application information, generates driving information for setting the vehicles as a lead vehicle and a following vehicle when a plurality of the allocated vehicles are present, sends the driving information to the vehicle control unit, the vehicle control unit of the following vehicle determines the lead vehicle based on the information of the lead vehicle contained in the driving information, and controls the driving of the following vehicle so that the following vehicle follows the lead vehicle, thereby making the plurality of vehicles travel in a queue.

[0011] According to this method, since vehicles are allocated according to the number of passengers, an appropriate number of users can be allowed to ride in the vehicles. When the number of passengers exceeds the capacity of one vehicle, multiple vehicles are allocated. By electronically connecting the multiple vehicles and causing the multiple vehicles to travel in a platoon, as long as the user who can drive the vehicle rides in the lead vehicle, multiple vehicles can be driven even if the user who can drive the vehicle does not ride in the follow-up vehicle. In other words, multiple vehicles can be driven even if one user who can drive the vehicle does not ride in each vehicle. Therefore, even if there are fewer users who can drive the vehicle, more users can be moved, and the opportunity to lend vehicles to users can be increased.

[0012] In addition, another embodiment of the present invention is a vehicle lending system, which comprises: a plurality of vehicles; a vehicle control unit, which is provided in each of the plurality of vehicles, communicates with each other, and controls the driving of the plurality of vehicles; and a management server, which communicates with each of the vehicle control units, the management server receives reservation application information including at least the number of vehicles to be used from a user terminal, allocates at least one of the vehicles according to the number of vehicles to be used in response to the reservation application information, generates driving information for setting the vehicles as a lead vehicle and a following vehicle when a plurality of the allocated vehicles are present, and sends the driving information to the vehicle control unit, the vehicle control unit of the following vehicle determines the lead vehicle according to the information of the lead vehicle contained in the driving information, and controls the driving of the following vehicle so that the following vehicle follows the lead vehicle, thereby causing the plurality of vehicles to travel in a queue.

[0013] According to this method, since vehicles are allocated according to the number of vehicles in use, an appropriate number of users can be allowed to ride in the vehicles. When the number of vehicles in use is multiple, multiple vehicles are allocated. By connecting the multiple vehicles electronically and making the multiple vehicles travel in a platoon, as long as the user who can drive the vehicle rides in the lead vehicle, multiple vehicles can be driven even if the user who can drive the vehicle does not ride in the follow-up vehicle. In other words, multiple vehicles can be driven even if there is not one user who can drive the vehicle in each vehicle. Therefore, even if there are fewer users who can drive the vehicle, more users can be moved, and the opportunity to lend vehicles to users can be increased.

[0014] In the above-mentioned method, the reservation application information may include information on whether platoon travel is desired, and when a plurality of the assigned vehicles are desired to travel in platoon, the management server generates the travel information for setting these vehicles as the lead vehicle and the following vehicle.

[0015] According to this aspect, it is possible to determine whether to execute platoon travel according to the user's wishes.

[0016] In addition, another embodiment of the present invention is a vehicle lending system, which comprises: a plurality of vehicles; a vehicle control unit, which is provided in each of the plurality of vehicles, communicates with each other, and controls the driving of the plurality of vehicles; and the management server receives reservation application information related to a shared ride from a user terminal, generates a shared ride group based on the reservation application information, allocates at least one vehicle based on the number of passengers included in the shared ride group, and in the case where a plurality of the allocated vehicles are present, generates a driving plan that sets these vehicles as a lead vehicle and a follower vehicle and sets the driving path of the lead vehicle, sends the driving plan to the vehicle control unit, and the vehicle control unit of the follower vehicle determines the lead vehicle based on the information of the lead vehicle included in the driving plan, and controls the driving of the follower vehicle so that the follower vehicle follows the lead vehicle, thereby causing the plurality of vehicles to travel in a queue.

[0017] According to this method, since vehicles are allocated according to the number of passengers included in the shared ride group, an appropriate number of users can be allowed to ride in the vehicles. When the number of passengers included in the shared ride group exceeds the capacity of one vehicle, multiple vehicles are allocated. By electronically connecting the multiple vehicles and causing the multiple vehicles to travel in a platoon, as long as the user who can drive the vehicle rides in the lead vehicle, multiple vehicles can be driven even if the user who can drive the vehicle does not ride in the follow-up vehicle. In other words, multiple vehicles can be driven even if there is not one user who can drive the vehicle in each vehicle. Therefore, even if there are fewer users who can drive the vehicle, more users can be moved, and the opportunity to lend vehicles to users can be increased.

[0018] Furthermore, in the above aspect, the management server may generate the travel plan including a separation point at which the follow-up vehicle separates from the lead vehicle and a travel route of the follow-up vehicle after the separation.

[0019] According to this aspect, when the destinations of the users riding in the vehicles are different, the following vehicle can be separated from the leading vehicle at an appropriate point to optimize the travel path of each vehicle. Therefore, the total travel distance of each vehicle and the distance driven can be shortened.

[0020] In the above aspect, the management server may generate the travel plan in which the vehicle in which the user is riding is used as the leading vehicle and the vehicle in which the user is not riding is used as the following vehicle.

[0021] According to this aspect, the vehicle that the user is riding in can be efficiently delivered to a place where the vehicle is needed.

[0022] In the above-mentioned method, the management server may receive information related to the selection of at least one indicator among the following (1) to (6), and generate the shared vehicle group in a manner that maximizes the achievement of the selected indicator, wherein:

[0023] (1) maximizing the number of vehicles used by the shared ride group generated per unit time;

[0024] (2) minimizing the number of vehicles used by the shared ride group generated per unit time;

[0025] (3) maximizing the total number of users included in the shared ride group generated per unit time;

[0026] (4) minimizing the driving distance of the shared vehicle group generated per unit time;

[0027] (5) minimizing the number of drivers in the shared ride group generated per unit time;

[0028] (6) Maximizing the fuel efficiency of the shared vehicle group generated per unit time.

[0029] According to this aspect, a carpooling group can be generated based on the index selected by the provider who provides the vehicle rental service. Therefore, the provider's service provision policy can be reflected in the carpooling group.

[0030] In addition, in the above-mentioned method, it may also be that the management server receives information related to the selection of multiple indicators among the above (1) to (6) and information related to the priority of the selected multiple indicators. When there are multiple plans for generating the shared riding group with the highest degree of achievement of the indicator with the first priority among the selected multiple indicators, the plan for generating the shared riding group is screened according to the indicators with the second priority and later among the selected multiple indicators.

[0031] According to this aspect, it is easy to further reflect the service provision policy of the business providing the vehicle rental service on the carpooling group, thereby further improving the convenience of the vehicle rental system.

[0032] In addition, in the above-mentioned method, it may also be that the management server receives the reservation application information including basic information and lending category information from the user terminal, the basic information including the user's departure place, destination, and departure time, and the lending category information including information about which of the car sharing type vehicle lending and the shared ride type vehicle lending the user wishes, wherein the car sharing type vehicle lending is a vehicle lending conditional on the user renting the vehicle, and the shared ride type vehicle lending is a vehicle lending not conditional on the user renting the vehicle.

[0033] Effects of the Invention

[0034] According to the above configuration, it is possible to provide a vehicle rental system that can move many users even when there are few users who can drive the vehicle. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035] Figure 1 It is a block diagram showing a vehicle rental system according to an embodiment.

[0036] Figure 2 is a diagram showing the structure of a site and an administration server.

[0037] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram showing an example of independent travel after the platoon travel ends.

[0038] Figure 4 (A) shows an example of vehicle delivery without platooning. Figure 4 (B) is a schematic diagram showing an example of vehicle delivery using platoon driving.

[0039] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram showing a state where a non-smoking vehicle and a smoking vehicle are traveling in a queue toward the same destination.

[0040] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram showing an example of a method of generating a common vehicle group based on the selected index.

[0041] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram showing an example of a method for generating a carpooling group based on a plurality of selected indicators and their priority levels.

[0042] Figure 8 The flowchart shows the transmission process of the travel plan of the shared ride type vehicle rental.

[0043] Fig. 9 This is a flowchart showing a process of transmitting travel information of a car-sharing vehicle rental.

[0044] Fig.10This is a schematic diagram showing an example of generating a shared vehicle group when there are few users who can drive.

[0045] Fig.11 The following are explanatory diagrams showing the following states for queue change processing: (A) state before starting queue change processing; (B) and (C) states during execution of queue change processing; and (D) state after completion of queue change processing.

[0046] Description of symbols

[0047] 1: Vehicle Lending System

[0048] 2: Vehicles

[0049] 3: Vehicle Control Unit

[0050] 4: Management Server

[0051] 8: User Terminal DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0052] <Vehicle Rental System 1>

[0053] Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings, an embodiment of the vehicle lending system 1 of the present invention will be described. Figure 1 , Figure 2 As shown, the vehicle rental system 1 includes a plurality of vehicles 2 registered in advance, a management server 4, and a plurality of stations 21A to 21D.

[0054] <Multiple Vehicles 2>

[0055] Reference Figure 1 , multiple vehicles 2 can travel in a platoon by being electronically connected to each other, and can travel independently by releasing the electronic connection. In addition, in each figure, the dot-dash line connecting multiple vehicles 2 shows that multiple vehicles 2 are electronically connected and are traveling in a platoon.

[0056] When a plurality of vehicles 2 travel in a platoon, the vehicle 2 leading the platoon is referred to as a "leading vehicle 2", and the vehicle 2 following the leading vehicle 2 is referred to as a "following vehicle 2". In addition, the following vehicle 2 may directly follow the leading vehicle 2, or may indirectly follow the leading vehicle 2 via one or more following vehicles 2. In short, when there are a plurality of following vehicles 2, not all of the following vehicles 2 may be directly electronically connected to the leading vehicle 2.

[0057] Reference Figure 1, a vehicle control unit 3 is provided in each vehicle 2. The vehicle control units 3 of each vehicle 2 communicate with each other to control the driving of each vehicle 2. The vehicle control unit 3 includes an HMI 11 (Human Machine Interface), a vehicle sensor 12, a navigation device 13, an external recognition device 14, a communication device 15, a signal information receiver 16, and a control device 17. The HMI 11, the vehicle sensor 12, the navigation device 13, the external recognition device 14, the communication device 15, and the signal information receiver 16 are connected to the control device 17 via a communication unit such as a CAN (Controller Area Network).

[0058] The HMI 11 of the vehicle control unit 3 is an input / output device for the user 7. The HMI 11 is provided in the cabin of each vehicle 2, notifies the user 7 of various information by display or sound, and accepts input operations of the user 7. The HMI 11 is, for example, a touch panel display.

[0059] The vehicle sensor 12 of the vehicle control unit 3 is a sensor for detecting the driving state of each vehicle 2. The vehicle sensor 12 includes, for example, a vehicle speed sensor for detecting the speed of each vehicle 2, an acceleration sensor for detecting the acceleration of each vehicle 2, an angular velocity sensor for detecting the angular velocity of three axes of each vehicle 2, an accelerator pedal sensor, a brake pedal sensor, and a steering angle sensor.

[0060] The navigation device 13 of the vehicle control unit 3 includes a position acquisition unit 13A and a route generation unit 13B. The position acquisition unit 13A is a device for acquiring the current position (absolute coordinate value displayed by latitude and longitude) of each vehicle 2, for example, the current position of each vehicle 2 is acquired based on a GPS signal. The route generation unit 13B generates a planned route from the current position to the destination based on the destination and the current position input to the HMI 11 by the operation of the user 7. The route generation unit 13B can generate the planned route using the well-known Dijkstra method or the like. The navigation device 13 outputs the acquired current position and the generated planned route to the control device 17.

[0061] The outside recognition device 14 of the vehicle control unit 3 is a device for recognizing objects existing around each vehicle 2, and includes, for example, a camera, a radar, a laser radar, a sonar, etc. Objects existing around each vehicle 2 include other vehicles. In addition, the camera included in the outside recognition device 14 recognizes the identification code or vehicle registration number (the number displayed on the license plate) attached to the outer surface of other vehicles.

[0062] The communication device 15 of the vehicle control unit 3 includes an inter-vehicle communication device 15A and a mobile communication device 15B. The inter-vehicle communication device 15A connects the control device 17 between different vehicles 2 through wireless communication. The mobile communication device 15B wirelessly communicates with a base station of a mobile communication system and connects the control device 17 to the management server 4 via the Internet 6. The mobile communication device 15B may be, for example, a mobile communication device based on a 4th or 5th generation mobile communication system. The control device 17 transmits the current position of each vehicle 2 acquired by the position acquisition unit 13A at a predetermined time interval and the planned route generated by the route generation unit 13B to the management server 4 through the mobile communication device 15B.

[0063] The signal information receiver 16 of the vehicle control unit 3 receives a signal transmitted from a signal information communication device installed on the road, and acquires signal information. The signal information receiver 16 may be a receiver of an optical beacon, for example.

[0064] The control device 17 of the vehicle control unit 3 is an electronic control unit (ECU) composed of a computer including a CPU, ROM, RAM, etc. The control device 17 uses the CPU to perform calculation processing according to the program, and controls the steering device, the driving device such as the engine or motor, and the braking device such as the disc brake of each vehicle 2 to perform driving control of each vehicle 2. In detail, the control device 17 adjusts the steering angle of each vehicle 2 by controlling the steering device, and adjusts the acceleration, deceleration, and speed of each vehicle 2 by controlling the driving device and the braking device.

[0065] <Management Server 4>

[0066] Reference Figure 1 The management server 4 is a computer including a CPU, a memory, a storage device, and a communication device. The management server 4 is a server that performs various management in the vehicle lending system 1 (for example, management of reservation application information). In addition, in this embodiment, various management in the vehicle lending system 1 is performed by one management server 4, but in other embodiments, various management in the vehicle lending system 1 may be performed by a plurality of management servers 4, respectively. The management server 4 includes a communication unit 31, a control unit 32, and a storage unit 33.

[0067] The communication unit 31 of the management server 4 is connected to the mobile communication device 15B of each vehicle 2 via the Internet 6, and communicates with the mobile communication device 15B of each vehicle 2. The communication unit 31 is connected to the user terminal 8 of each user 7 and the practitioner terminal 10 of the practitioner 9 via the Internet 6, and communicates with the user terminal 8 and the practitioner terminal 10. The user terminal 8 and the practitioner terminal 10 can be a portable terminal such as a smartphone, a tablet terminal or a notebook PC, or a fixed terminal such as a desktop PC. The communication unit 31 includes a receiving unit 31A and a transmitting unit 31B as functional structural elements (described in detail later).

[0068] The control unit 32 of the management server 4 is constituted by a hardware processor such as a CPU, for example. The control unit 32 controls each unit of the management server 4 by executing a program stored in the storage unit 33. The control unit 32 includes a group generation unit 32A, an allocation unit 32B, a determination unit 32C, a plan generation unit 32D, an information generation unit 32E, and a cost management unit 32F as functional structural elements (described in detail later).

[0069] The storage unit 33 of the management server 4 is constituted by, for example, a semiconductor memory or a hard disk drive. The storage unit 33 stores a program executed by the control unit 32 .

[0070] <Multiple stations 21A to 21D>

[0071] Reference Figure 2 , a plurality of stations 21A to 21D are connected to the management server 4 via the Internet 6 and communicate with the management server 4. Each station 21A to 21D has a plurality of vehicles 2 rented to the user 7. The user 7 takes the rented vehicle 2 at each station 21A to 21D and moves between the stations 21A to 21D. The number of passengers and the type of vehicle of the plurality of vehicles 2 held by each station 21A to 21D can be different so as to be able to adapt to various usage purposes of the user 7.

[0072] The station 21A is connected to the station 21B via the path 22A. The station 21B is connected to the station 21C via the path 22B, and is connected to the station 21D via the path 22C. In addition, in the present embodiment, the number of the stations 21A to 21D is 4, but in other embodiments, the number of the stations 21A to 21D may be 2 to 3 or 5 or more. That is, the number of the stations 21A to 21D varies according to the scale of the vehicle rental system 1.

[0073] <Reservation Application Information>

[0074] Before using the vehicle rental system 1, the user 7 inputs reservation application information into the user terminal 8. The reservation application information includes the identification number of the user 7, the departure place, the destination, the departure time, etc. as basic information.

[0075] In addition to the above-mentioned basic information, the reservation application information also includes rental category information. The rental category information is information about whether the user 7 wants a car sharing type vehicle rental or a shared ride type vehicle rental. The car sharing type vehicle rental is a vehicle rental conditional on the user 7 renting a vehicle 2, and the users 7 who have input the reservation application information separately will not ride in the same vehicle 2. On the other hand, the shared ride type vehicle rental is a vehicle rental conditional on the user 7 renting a vehicle 2, and the users 7 who have input the reservation application information separately may ride in the same vehicle 2.

[0076] When user 7 wishes to rent a car sharing vehicle, the reservation application information includes the number of passengers or the number of vehicles to be used in addition to the above basic information and rental category information. The number of passengers is the number of users 7 who are scheduled to ride in the vehicle 2, and the number of vehicles to be used is the number of vehicles 2 that user 7 is scheduled to use.

[0077] When the user 7 wishes to rent a car sharing vehicle, the reservation application information includes, in addition to the basic information and rental type information, queue request information. The queue request information is information about whether the user 7 wishes to travel in a queue. In addition, the queue request information may include information about whether the user 7 wishes to be the lead vehicle 2 or the follower vehicle 2 in the queue travel.

[0078] When user 7 wishes to rent a shared-ride vehicle, the reservation application information includes user category information in addition to the above-mentioned basic information and rental category information. The user category information is information about whether user 7 is a user who can drive 7 or a shared-ride user 7. A user who can drive 7 is, for example, a user 7 who can drive vehicle 2 and wishes to drive vehicle 2. On the other hand, a shared-ride user 7 is, for example, a user 7 who cannot drive vehicle 2 or a user 7 who does not wish to drive vehicle 2.

[0079] When the user 7 wishes to rent a shared-ride vehicle, the reservation application information includes information related to user options in addition to the basic information and rental category information described above. User options are options that the user 7 can arbitrarily set for the vehicle 2. For example, the user option is whether to choose a non-smoking vehicle or a smoking vehicle, whether to choose a luxury vehicle, whether to bring a pet into the vehicle 2, and other options.

[0080] <Method 1 for creating a carpool group>

[0081] When the user 7 wishes to rent a shared ride type vehicle, the group generation unit 32A of the management server 4 sets basic elements and optional elements based on the reservation application information, and generates a shared ride group based on the basic elements and optional elements. For example, when the practitioner 9 does not select an optional element in the practitioner terminal 10, the group generation unit 32A generates a shared ride group based only on the basic elements. On the other hand, when the practitioner 9 selects an optional element in the practitioner terminal 10, the group generation unit 32A generates a shared ride group based on the basic elements and the optional elements. In this way, the wishes of the practitioner 9 can be reflected in the generation of the shared ride group.

[0082] First, basic elements for generating a carpooling group will be described.

[0083] The first basic element for generating a shared ride group is the departure point and destination of the user 7. For example, the group generating unit 32A generates a shared ride group in such a manner that the departure point and destination of the user 7 coincide with each other. Alternatively, the group generating unit 32A generates a shared ride group in such a manner that the paths from the departure point to the destination of the user 7 coincide with each other at least partially.

[0084] The second basic element for generating a shared riding group is the departure time of the user 7. For example, the group generating unit 32A generates a shared riding group so that the departure times of the users 7 coincide with each other. Alternatively, the group generating unit 32A generates a shared riding group so that the time difference between the departure times of the users 7 is included in a predetermined reference time.

[0085] The third basic element for generating a shared ride group is the number of users 7 who can drive, the number of users 7 who ride together, and the number of vehicles used. For example, the group generating unit 32A generates a shared ride group in such a manner that each shared ride group includes at least one user 7 who can drive. In addition, the group generating unit 32A generates a shared ride group in such a manner that the total number of users 7 who can drive and users 7 who ride together does not exceed the product of the number of vehicles used and the average capacity.

[0086] Next, the optional elements for generating a carpooling group will be described.

[0087] The first option element for generating a shared ride group is independent driving after the platoon driving is completed. Here, independent driving after the platoon driving is completed means that after the multiple vehicles 2 are driven in platoon from the departure point to the via point, the multiple vehicles 2 are driven independently from the via point to the destination. Figure 3 , an example of independent driving after the end of platoon driving is explained.

[0088] exist Figure 3, user 7 riding in vehicle 2C is user 7 going from station 21A via station 21B to station 21C. On the other hand, user 7 riding in vehicle 2D is user 7 going from station 21A via station 21B to station 21D. That is, user 7 riding in vehicle 2C and user 7 riding in vehicle 2D have the same starting point and via point, but different destinations.

[0089] In this case, the group generation unit 32A generates a common riding group in such a manner that the vehicles 2C and 2D travel in a platoon in the section from the station 21A to the station 21B, and the vehicles 2C and 2D travel independently in the section from the station 21B to the stations 21C and 21D. Specifically, the group generation unit 32A generates a common riding group in such a manner that the user 7 riding the vehicle 2C (the user 7 going to the station 21C) and the user 7 riding the vehicle 2D (the user 7 going to the station 21D) each include at least one user 7 who can drive. Thus, in the section from the station 21A to the station 21B (the section where the paths of the vehicles 2C and 2D are consistent), the number of users 7 who actually drive the vehicles 2C and 2D can be minimized, and in the section from the station 21B to the stations 21C and 21D (the section where the paths of the vehicles 2C and 2D are inconsistent), the vehicles 2C and 2D can travel independently toward the destination.

[0090] The second option element for generating a shared ride group is to use a vehicle delivery by platooning. Here, the vehicle delivery by platooning means that a vehicle 2 that the user 7 is not riding in (for example, an unmanned vehicle 2) is made to follow the vehicle 2 that the user 7 is riding in, thereby delivering the vehicle 2 that the user 7 is not riding in. Figure 4 (A) Figure 4 (B) describes the delivery of vehicles using a platoon.

[0091] The management server 4 predicts the demand for vehicles 2 that use each station 21A to 21D as a departure point based on the reservation application information. For example, when the number of reservation application information that uses station 21A as a departure point is greater than the number of reservation application information that uses stations 21B to 21D as a departure point, the management server 4 predicts that the demand for vehicles 2 that use station 21A as a departure point is increasing. Here, it is assumed that the management server 4 predicts that the demand for vehicles 2 that use station 21A as a departure point is increasing.

[0092] exist Figure 4 In (A), vehicle delivery using platoon travel is not performed. Therefore, the number of vehicles 2 traveling from station 21A to station 21B (4 vehicles) is greater than the number of vehicles 2 traveling from station 21B to station 21A (1 vehicle). As a result, although the management server 4 predicts that the demand for vehicles 2 that use station 21A as a departure point will increase, the number of vehicles 2 retained by station 21A will decrease.

[0093] On the other hand, Figure 4 In the figure (B), the vehicle delivery using the platoon is being performed. Specifically, the three vehicles 2 that the user 7 is not riding in are caused to follow the vehicle 2 that the user 7 is riding in and that is traveling from the station 21B to the station 21A, thereby delivering the three vehicles 2 that the user 7 is not riding in from the station 21B to the station 21A. In conjunction with this, the number of vehicles 2 traveling from the station 21A to the station 21B (4 vehicles) is the same as the number of vehicles 2 traveling from the station 21B to the station 21A (4 vehicles).

[0094] The group generation unit 32A generates a shared riding group so that the vehicle distribution using the platoon travel can be performed. Thus, when the management server 4 predicts that the demand for vehicles 2 starting from a certain station 21A to 21D increases, the number of vehicles 2 held at the station 21A to 21D can be suppressed from decreasing.

[0095] The third option element for generating a shared vehicle group is a user option. As described above, the user option is an option that the user 7 can arbitrarily set for the vehicle 2. Figure 5 Describes the user options.

[0096] As described above, when the user 7 wishes to rent a shared-ride vehicle, the reservation application information includes information on the user's choice. Here, it is assumed that the user has selected whether to rent a non-smoking vehicle or a smoking vehicle as the user's choice.

[0097] Figure 5 The state in which the non-smoking car 2X and the smoking car 2Y are traveling in a queue toward the same destination is shown. The group generation unit 32A generates a common riding group in such a manner that the user 7 who desires the non-smoking car 2X rides on the non-smoking car 2X, and the user 7 who desires the smoking car 2Y rides on the smoking car 2Y. For example, the group generation unit 32A generates a common riding group in such a manner that the number of users 7 who desire the non-smoking car 2X does not exceed the capacity of the non-smoking car 2X, and the number of users 7 who desire the smoking car 2Y does not exceed the capacity of the smoking car 2Y. In this way, a common riding group that meets the desires of the users 7 can be generated.

[0098] <Method 2 for creating a carpool group>

[0099] When the user 7 wishes to lend a shared ride vehicle, the group generation unit 32A of the management server 4 sets basic elements and multiple indicators based on the reservation application information, and generates a shared ride group based on the basic elements and multiple indicators. In addition, the basic elements for generating a shared ride group are the same as those of the shared ride group generation method 1, so the description is omitted.

[0100] The plurality of indices for generating a carpooling group are, for example, the following (1) to (6).

[0101] (1) Maximization of the number of vehicles used: The number of vehicles used by the shared ride group generated per unit time is maximized. For example, the user 7 is moved using as many vehicles 2 as possible that are held by the departure stations 21A to 21D.

[0102] (2) Minimization of the number of vehicles used: The number of vehicles used by the shared ride group generated per unit time is minimized. For example, the user 7 is moved using as few vehicles 2 as possible that are held by the departure stations 21A to 21D.

[0103] (3) Maximizing the total number of users: The total number of users included in the carpooling group generated per unit time is maximized. For example, as many carpooling contracts as possible are established with the user 7.

[0104] (4) Minimization of driving distance: The driving distance of the shared vehicle group generated per unit time is minimized. For example, when platooning and independent driving are used together, the platooning section is made as long as possible.

[0105] (5) Minimization of the number of drivers: The number of drivers in the shared vehicle group generated per unit time is minimized. For example, by utilizing platoon driving, the number of users 7 who actually drive the vehicle 2 can be reduced as much as possible.

[0106] (6) Maximization of fuel efficiency: The fuel efficiency of the shared vehicle group generated per unit time is maximized. For example, the route of the vehicle 2 is determined so that the average speed of the vehicle 2 is the highest.

[0107] First, the case where the worker 9 selects one indicator is described. When the worker 9 selects one indicator in the worker terminal 10, information related to the selection of the indicator is sent from the worker terminal 10 to the receiving unit 31A of the management server 4. When the receiving unit 31A of the management server 4 receives the information related to the selection of the indicator, the group generating unit 32A of the management server 4 generates a shared ride group based on the selected indicator. Figure 6 , an example of a method for generating a shared riding group based on the selected indicators is described.

[0108] Reference Figure 6 In the left column, it is assumed that at the departure station 21A~21D, there are three vehicles 2 (each with a capacity of 4 people), and three users 7 who can drive (with shaded lines) and three users 7 who can ride together (without shaded lines) go from the departure point to the destination.

[0109] For example, it is assumed that the operator 9 has selected the indicator (1) "maximizing the number of vehicles used". In this case, the group generation unit 32A, for example, allows three driving users 7 and three fellow passengers 7 to ride in three vehicles 2 (see Figure 6 As a result, the vehicles 2 held by the departure stations 21A to 21D can be used as much as possible.

[0110] On the other hand, it is assumed that the practitioner 9 has selected the indicator (2) "minimizing the number of vehicles used" or the indicator (5) "minimizing the number of drivers". In this case, the group generation unit 32A, for example, allows three users 7 who can drive to ride in the first vehicle 2, and allows three co-riders 7 to ride in the second vehicle 2. On this basis, the group generation unit 32A electronically connects the first vehicle 2 and the second vehicle 2, and allows the second vehicle 2 to follow the first vehicle 2 (see Figure 6 As a result, the number of vehicles 2 held by the departure stations 21A to 21D can be minimized, and the number of users 7 who actually drive the vehicles 2 can be minimized.

[0111] As described above, the group generation unit 32A of the management server 4 generates a shared ride group in a manner that maximizes the achievement of the selected one indicator. Thus, a shared ride group can be generated based on the indicator selected by the provider 9 providing the vehicle rental service. Therefore, the provider 9's service provision policy can be reflected in the shared ride group.

[0112] Next, the case where the practitioner 9 selects multiple indicators will be described. When the practitioner 9 selects multiple indicators in the practitioner terminal 10 and sets the priority of the selected multiple indicators, the information related to the selection of the multiple indicators and the information related to the priority of the selected multiple indicators are sent from the practitioner terminal 10 to the receiving unit 31A of the management server 4. When the receiving unit 31A of the management server 4 receives this information, the group generating unit 32A of the management server 4 generates a shared ride group based on the selected multiple indicators and their priority. Figure 7 , an example of a method for generating a shared ride group based on multiple indicators and their priorities is described.

[0113] Reference Figure 7 , it is assumed that practitioner 9 selects indicator (1), indicator (3), indicator (5) and sets the priority of the indicators in the order of indicator (1), indicator (3), indicator (5).

[0114] First, the group generation unit 32A of the management server 4 generates a plan for generating a shared ride group (hereinafter referred to as a "group plan") in such a way as to maximize the degree of achievement of the indicator (1). Figure 7In the example, group plans 1 to 4 are generated as group plans with the highest achievement of indicator (1). Next, the group generation unit 32A selects a group plan with the highest achievement of indicator (3) other than indicator (1). Figure 7 In the example, group plans 2 to 4 are selected as group plans with the highest achievement of indicators (1) and (3). Next, the group generation unit 32A selects a group plan with the highest achievement of indicator (5) in addition to indicators (1) and (3). Figure 7 As the group plan with the highest achievement of index (1), index (3), and index (5), group plan 3 is selected. At this stage, the group plan is narrowed down to one, so the group generation unit 32A generates a shared ride group based on group plan 3.

[0115] As described above, when there are multiple group plans with the highest achievement of indicator (1), the group generation unit 32A of the management server 4 selects the group plans based on indicator (3) and indicator (5). That is, when there are multiple group plans with the highest achievement of the indicator with the first priority, the group generation unit 32A of the management server 4 selects the group plans based on the indicators with the second priority and later. In this way, the service provision policy of the provider 9 providing the vehicle rental service can be easily reflected in the shared car group, and the convenience of the vehicle rental system 1 can be further improved.

[0116] <Transmission process of travel plan in shared ride type vehicle rental>

[0117] Next, refer to Figure 8 , the processing of sending the travel plan in the shared ride type vehicle rental is explained.

[0118] When the user 7 inputs the reservation application information related to the carpool into the user terminal 8, the reservation application information is sent from the user terminal 8 to the receiving unit 31A of the management server 4, and the receiving unit 31A of the management server 4 receives the reservation application information (step ST101). Each time the user 7 inputs the reservation application information into the user terminal 8, step ST101 is repeated, thereby accumulating the reservation application conditions related to the carpool in the storage unit 33 of the management server 4.

[0119] Next, the group generation unit 32A of the management server 4 generates a shared ride group based on the reservation application information received by the receiving unit 31A of the management server 4 (step ST102). At this time, the group generation unit 32A can use the above-mentioned shared ride group generation method 1 or 2.

[0120] Next, the allocating unit 32B of the management server 4 allocates at least one vehicle 2 to the shared riding group according to the number of passengers included in the shared riding group (step ST103). Hereinafter, the vehicle 2 allocated to the shared riding group in step ST103 is referred to as "allocated vehicle 2".

[0121] Next, the determination unit 32C of the management server 4 determines whether there are multiple assigned vehicles 2 (step ST104). For example, if the number of passengers included in the shared ride group is within the capacity of one vehicle 2, the determination in step ST104 is "No", and if the number of passengers included in the shared ride group exceeds the capacity of one vehicle 2, the determination in step ST104 is "Yes".

[0122] When the determination in step ST104 is “NO” (when there is one assigned vehicle 2 ), the plan generating unit 32D of the management server 4 generates an independent travel plan for causing the assigned vehicle 2 to independently travel in all sections (step ST105 ).

[0123] Next, the transmission unit 31B of the management server 4 transmits the independent travel plan generated by the plan generation unit 32D of the management server 4 to the vehicle control unit 3 of the assigned vehicle 2 (step ST106). Thus, the transmission process of the travel plan for the shared ride type vehicle rental ends.

[0124] On the other hand, if the determination in step ST104 is "yes" (when there are multiple assigned vehicles 2), the plan generation unit 32D of the management server 4 generates a platoon travel plan in which the multiple assigned vehicles 2 travel in a platoon in at least a part of the section (step ST107). In the platoon travel plan, the plan generation unit 32D sets the multiple assigned vehicles 2 as the lead vehicle 2 and the following vehicles 2, and sets the travel path of the lead vehicle 2.

[0125] Next, the transmission unit 31B of the management server 4 transmits the platoon travel plan generated by the plan generation unit 32D of the management server 4 to the vehicle control unit 3 of each assigned vehicle 2 (step ST108). Thus, the transmission process of the travel plan for the shared ride type vehicle rental ends.

[0126] As described above, the allocation unit 32B of the management server 4 allocates the vehicle 2 according to the number of passengers included in the shared riding group. Therefore, an appropriate number of users 7 can be allowed to ride in the vehicle 2.

[0127] In addition, when the aforementioned "independent driving after the platoon driving is completed" is executed, the plan generation unit 32D of the management server 4 can generate a driving plan including the separation point where the following vehicle 2 separates from the leading vehicle 2 and the driving path of the following vehicle 2 after separation in step ST107. Thus, when the destinations of the users 7 riding in each vehicle 2 are different, the following vehicle 2 can be separated from the leading vehicle 2 at an appropriate point, and the driving path of each vehicle 2 can be optimized. Therefore, the total distance traveled and driven by each vehicle 2 can be shortened.

[0128] Furthermore, when executing the aforementioned "delivery using a platoon of vehicles", the plan generation unit 32D of the management server 4 may generate a travel plan in step ST107 in which the vehicle 2 in which the user 7 is riding is used as the leading vehicle 2 and the vehicle 2 in which the user 7 is not riding is used as the following vehicle 2. Thus, the vehicle 2 in which the user 7 is riding can be used to efficiently deliver the vehicle 2 to the stations 21A to 21D where the vehicle 2 is needed.

[0129] <Transmission and processing of driving information of car-sharing vehicle rental>

[0130] Next, refer to Fig. 9 The following describes a process for transmitting driving information of a car-sharing vehicle rental.

[0131] When the user 7 inputs the reservation application information related to car sharing into the user terminal 8, the reservation application information is sent from the user terminal 8 to the receiving unit 31A of the management server 4, and the receiving unit 31A of the management server 4 receives the reservation application information (step ST201). Each time the user 7 inputs the reservation application information into the user terminal 8, step ST201 is repeated, thereby accumulating the reservation application conditions related to car sharing in the storage unit 33 of the management server 4. In addition, it is assumed that the reservation application information received by the receiving unit 31A of the management server 4 in step ST201 includes the number of passengers.

[0132] Next, the allocating unit 32B of the management server 4 allocates at least one vehicle 2 to the user 7 based on the number of passengers included in the reservation application information (step ST202). Hereinafter, the vehicle 2 allocated to the user 7 in step ST202 is referred to as "allocated vehicle 2".

[0133] Next, the determination unit 32C of the management server 4 determines whether there are multiple assigned vehicles 2 (step ST203). For example, if the number of passengers included in the reservation application information is within the capacity of one vehicle 2, the determination in step ST203 is "No", and if the number of passengers included in the reservation application information exceeds the capacity of one vehicle 2, the determination in step ST203 is "Yes".

[0134] When the determination in step ST203 is “NO” (when there is one assigned vehicle 2 ), the information generating unit 32E of the management server 4 generates independent travel information for causing the assigned vehicle 2 to independently travel in all sections (step ST204 ).

[0135] Next, the transmission unit 31B of the management server 4 transmits the independent travel information generated by the information generation unit 32E of the management server 4 to the vehicle control unit 3 of the allocated vehicle 2 (step ST205). Thus, the transmission process of the travel information in the car sharing type vehicle rental ends.

[0136] On the other hand, when the determination in step ST203 is “YES” (when a plurality of vehicles 2 are allocated), the determination unit 32C of the management server 4 determines whether the user 7 desires platoon travel based on the platoon desire information included in the reservation application information (step ST206 ).

[0137] If the determination in step ST206 is "No" (when the user 7 does not want to travel in a platoon), the information generation unit 32E of the management server 4 generates independent travel information (step ST204), and the transmission unit 31B of the management server 4 transmits the independent travel information to the vehicle control unit 3 of the allocated vehicle 2 (step ST205). Thus, the transmission process of the travel information of the car sharing type vehicle rental is completed.

[0138] On the other hand, if the determination in step ST206 is "yes" (when the user 7 wishes to perform platoon travel), the information generation unit 32E of the management server 4 generates platoon travel information for causing the plurality of assigned vehicles 2 to perform platoon travel in at least a portion of the section (step ST207). The information generation unit 32E sets the plurality of assigned vehicles 2 as the lead vehicle 2 and the following vehicle 2 in the platoon travel information.

[0139] Next, the transmission unit 31B of the management server 4 transmits the platoon travel information generated by the information generation unit 32E of the management server 4 to the vehicle control unit 3 of each allocated vehicle 2 (step ST208). Thus, the transmission process of the travel information of the car sharing vehicle rental ends.

[0140] As described above, the allocation unit 32B of the management server 4 allocates the vehicle 2 according to the number of passengers included in the reservation application information. Therefore, an appropriate number of users 7 can be allowed to board the vehicle 2. In addition, in other embodiments, when the reservation application information received by the receiving unit 31A of the management server 4 in step ST201 includes the number of vehicles to be used, the allocation unit 32B of the management server 4 can also allocate the vehicle 2 according to the number of vehicles to be used included in the reservation application information. By this allocation method, an appropriate number of users 7 can also be allowed to board the vehicle 2.

[0141] Furthermore, the information generation unit 32E of the management server 4 generates platoon travel information when there are multiple assigned vehicles 2 and the user 7 desires platoon travel. This makes it possible to determine whether to execute platoon travel according to the user 7's desire.

[0142] <Plutoon travel of multiple assigned vehicles 2>

[0143] In the shared ride type vehicle rental, when a platoon travel plan in which a plurality of allocated vehicles 2 are set as a lead vehicle 2 and a following vehicle 2 is transmitted to the vehicle control unit 3 of each allocated vehicle 2, the vehicle control unit 3 of the following vehicle 2 determines the lead vehicle 2 based on the information of the lead vehicle 2 included in the platoon travel plan. When the determination of the lead vehicle 2 is completed, the vehicle control unit 3 of the following vehicle 2 controls the following vehicle 2 to travel in a platoon by causing the following vehicle 2 to follow the lead vehicle 2.

[0144] In the car sharing type vehicle rental, when the platoon travel information in which the plurality of allocated vehicles 2 are set as the lead vehicle 2 and the following vehicles 2 is transmitted to the vehicle control unit 3 of each allocated vehicle 2, the vehicle control unit 3 of the following vehicle 2 determines the lead vehicle 2 based on the information of the lead vehicle 2 included in the platoon travel information. When the determination of the lead vehicle 2 is completed, the vehicle control unit 3 of the following vehicle 2 controls the following vehicle 2 to travel in a platoon by causing the following vehicle 2 to follow the lead vehicle 2.

[0145] As described above, in the present embodiment, a plurality of allocated vehicles 2 can be caused to travel in a platoon in both the shared ride type vehicle rental and the car sharing type vehicle rental. Fig.10 The effect of such platooning will be described.

[0146] Reference Fig.10 In the left column, it is assumed that at the departure station 21A~21D, there are two vehicles 2 (each with a capacity of 4 people), and one driving user 7 (with hatching) and six co-riders 7 (without hatching) travel from the departure to the destination.

[0147] In this case, when the plurality of assigned vehicles 2 are to be driven independently, there are not enough users 7 to drive, so it is impossible to move all users 7 from the departure point to the destination. Fig.10As shown in the right column of , as long as the driving user 7 is on the lead vehicle 2, a plurality of allocated vehicles 2 can be driven even if the driving user 7 is not on the follower vehicle 2. That is, even if there is not one driving user 7 on each allocated vehicle 2, a plurality of vehicles 2 can be driven. Therefore, even if there are few driving users 7, more users 7 can be moved, and the chances of lending vehicles 2 to users 7 can be increased.

[0148] <Vehicle rental fee management>

[0149] The fee management unit 32F of the management server 4 calculates the fee for renting a vehicle as follows.

[0150] The fee management unit 32F of the management server 4 calculates the basic fee based on the travel distance of the loaned vehicle 2, the loan category, and the user category. Specifically, the longer the travel distance of the loaned vehicle 2 is, the more the fee management unit 32F increases the basic fee. In addition, when the user 7 selects the car sharing type vehicle loan, the fee management unit 32F increases the basic fee compared to the case where the user 7 selects the shared ride type vehicle loan. In addition, when the user 7 is a user 7 who can drive, the fee management unit 32F applies a fixed discount to the basic fee.

[0151] When the user 7 sets the user options, the fee management unit 32F adds an additional fee to the basic fee according to the type and number of the set user options.

[0152] The fee management unit 32F determines the fee for vehicle rental at the stage of establishing the contract with the user 7, and then does not change the fee for vehicle rental. For example, there is a case where a certain user 7 selects a shared-ride type vehicle rental, but there is no other user 7 that meets the conditions of the user 7, so the user 7 occupies the vehicle 2. In this case, although the user 7 selects a shared-ride type vehicle rental, he or she actually enjoys the same benefits as if he or she selected a car-sharing type vehicle rental. In this case, the fee management unit 32F also maintains the basic fee when the shared-ride type vehicle rental is selected, and does not increase the value of the basic fee to the basic fee when the car-sharing type vehicle rental is selected.

[0153] <Processing of queue changes during queue travel>

[0154] The formation formed by making the following vehicle 2 follow the leading vehicle 2 includes two or more formations with different total lengths. The formation includes a longitudinal formation and a transverse formation. When the user 7 operates the formation change button (not shown) of the leading vehicle 2, the control device 17 of each vehicle 2 performs a formation change process. The control device 17 of the leading vehicle 2 can display the formation change button based on the number of lanes of the road obtained based on the external recognition device 14 of the leading vehicle 2 and the map information, and the signal information received by the signal information receiver 16.

[0155] In this embodiment, the formation change process includes a longitudinal and transverse change process from a longitudinal formation to a transverse formation. Fig.11 (A) to (D) show the movement of the following vehicle 2 when the formation of the queue is changed from the longitudinal formation to the transverse formation in the longitudinal and transverse change process. The following description assumes that the longitudinal formation is changed to the transverse formation of the queue number N in the longitudinal and transverse change process.

[0156] Fig.11 As shown by the arrows in (A), in the longitudinal and lateral change processing, first, the following vehicles 2 located at the second destination position from the head to the Nth destination position are moved to lanes different from the driving lane of the leading vehicle 2 and different from each other. Then, as Fig.11 As shown by the arrow in (B), the following vehicle 2 located at the position of the N+2th vehicle from the head is moved to the driving lane of the following vehicle 2 located at the position of the second vehicle from the head. At the same time, the following vehicle 2 located at the position of the N+3th vehicle from the head is moved to the driving lane of the following vehicle 2 located at the position of the third vehicle from the head. By repeating such movement, Fig.11 As shown in (C), all vehicles 2 constituting the platoon are distributed to each column as evenly as possible. Fig.11 As shown in (D), the control device 17 of the N+1th and later following vehicles 2 increases the speed of the N+1th and later following vehicles 2 in order to shorten the inter-vehicle distance between the following vehicles and the preceding vehicle.

[0157] The formation change process includes a horizontal and vertical change process for changing the formation from a horizontal formation to a vertical formation. In the present embodiment, in the horizontal and vertical change process, the steps of the vertical and horizontal change process are performed in reverse order. Thus, the order of the vehicles 2 in the vertical formation can be prevented from being changed due to the change of the formation.

[0158] In each formation including the longitudinal formation and the transverse formation, the relative position of the following vehicle 2 with respect to the leading vehicle 2 is preset. The control device 17 of the following vehicle 2 generates a travel track in a manner to maintain the relative position with respect to the leading vehicle 2 preset in each formation, and controls the driving device, the braking device and the steering device so that the following vehicle 2 travels along its travel track.

[0159] The following is an example of a case where the control device 17 of the leading vehicle 2 displays a queue change button (not shown). When the leading vehicle 2 arrives at the intersection, the control device 17 of the leading vehicle 2 determines whether all the vehicles 2 constituting the queue can pass through the intersection. At this time, the control device 17 of the leading vehicle 2 determines whether the last following vehicle 2 in the current queue can pass through the intersection before the traffic light turns red based on the signal from the signal information receiver 16, the position of the following vehicle 2 obtained through the vehicle-to-vehicle communication, and the speed of each vehicle 2 obtained by the vehicle sensor 12. Then, if the result of the determination is "no", it is determined whether the last following vehicle 2 can pass through the intersection before the traffic light turns red when changing to another queue that can be changed. If the result is that the control device 17 of the leading vehicle 2 determines that the last following vehicle 2 can pass through the intersection before the traffic light turns red by changing to another queue, the queue change button can be displayed in the HMI 11 of the leading vehicle 2.

[0160] Although not particularly described in the above-mentioned embodiment, in other embodiments, the management server 4 may select car sharing or carpooling with platooning and normal car sharing or carpooling without platooning based on the reservation application information, the specifications of the vehicle 2, the operating conditions of the vehicle 2, etc. Thus, an appropriate vehicle lending method can be selected based on the reservation application information, etc.

[0161] The description of the specific embodiment is completed above, but the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, and can be modified in a wide range.

Claims

1. A vehicle lending system, in, The vehicle lending system comprises: Multiple vehicles; a plurality of stations maintaining a plurality of said vehicles; A vehicle control unit, which is provided in each of the plurality of vehicles, communicates with each other, and controls the driving of the plurality of vehicles; as well as a management server communicating with each of the vehicle control units, The management server receives reservation application information related to carpooling from a user terminal, Generate a shared ride group based on the reservation application information, At least one vehicle is allocated according to the number of passengers included in the common riding group, and when there are multiple allocated vehicles, a travel plan is generated in which the vehicles are set as a leading vehicle and a following vehicle and a travel path of the leading vehicle is set, sending the driving plan to the vehicle control unit, The vehicle control unit of the following vehicle determines the leading vehicle according to the information of the leading vehicle included in the driving plan, and controls the following vehicle to drive so that the following vehicle follows the leading vehicle, thereby making the multiple vehicles drive in a platoon. When the following index (1) is selected, the management server generates the shared ride group in a manner that maximizes the achievement of the selected index (1) and uses as many of the vehicles held at the station at the departure point as possible, wherein: (1) Maximizing the number of vehicles used by the shared ride group generated per unit time.

2. The vehicle lending system according to claim 1, in, The management server generates the travel plan including a separation point at which the follow-up vehicle separates from the lead vehicle and a travel route of the follow-up vehicle after the separation.

3. The vehicle lending system according to claim 1, in, The management server generates the travel plan in which the vehicle in which the user is riding is used as the leading vehicle and the vehicles in which the user is not riding are used as the following vehicles.

4. The vehicle lending system according to claim 1, in, The management server receives information related to selection of the plurality of indicators in (1) and the following (2) to (5), and information related to priority of the selected plurality of indicators. When there are multiple plans for generating the shared vehicle group with the highest degree of achievement of the indicator with the first priority among the selected multiple indicators, the plans for generating the shared vehicle group are screened according to the indicators with the second priority and later among the selected multiple indicators, wherein: (2) maximizing the total number of users included in the carpooling group generated per unit time; (3) minimizing the driving distance of the shared vehicle group generated per unit time; (4) minimizing the number of drivers in the shared ride group generated per unit time; (5) Maximizing the fuel efficiency of the shared vehicle group generated per unit time.

5. The vehicle rental system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, in, The management server receives the reservation application information including basic information and lending category information from the user terminal, The basic information includes the user's departure place, destination and departure time. The lending category information includes information about which of the car-sharing type vehicle lending and the shared-ride type vehicle lending the user desires, wherein the car-sharing type vehicle lending is a vehicle lending conditional on the user renting the vehicle, and the shared-ride type vehicle lending is a vehicle lending not conditional on the user renting the vehicle.

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