Driving conversion control device and driving conversion control method

Abstract

A driving transition control device and a driving transition control method. A driving transition control device for controlling driving transitions between a driver and the automatic driving function in a vehicle having an automatic driving function comprises: an operation information acquisition unit for acquiring operation information based on driving operations input to a plurality of operation objects; a driving state switching unit for executing, in an automatic driving state, an override control for switching to another driving state in which the driver's driving operations are reflected in the vehicle's driving state; a posture determination unit for acquiring a plurality of detection information related to the driver's driving posture and independently determining whether each detection information indicates a state suitable for the driving operation; and an allowed object setting unit for independently setting allowed operation objects that accept the override control and disallowed operation objects that do not accept the override control for a plurality of operation objects based on whether each detection information indicates a state suitable for the driving operation.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of the invention patent application with application number 201780078786.0, application date November 02, 2017, and invention name “Driving Conversion Control Device and Driving Conversion Control Method”. Technical Field

[0002] The disclosure of this specification relates to a driving transition control device and a driving transition control method for controlling driving transition between a driver and an automatic driving function. Background Art

[0003] In the past, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses a driving assistance device mounted on a vehicle that performs automatic driving. If the driving assistance device detects that the driver is overriding the operation objects such as the accelerator, brake, and steering, the driving assistance device implements a driving switch from automatic driving to manual driving. In addition, the driving assistance device determines whether the driver is in a distracted state with a lack of concentration based on information such as the direction of the driver's line of sight and the direction of his face. Moreover, if the driver is in a distracted state, the driving assistance device does not switch from automatic driving to manual driving. In this way, the occurrence of overriding control caused by careless input to the operation object is suppressed.

[0004] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2016-151815

[0005] In the driving assistance device of Patent Document 1, when it is determined that the information such as the direction of sight and the direction of face is not in a state suitable for driving operation, the override control of all operation objects is invalidated. However, even if the direction of sight and the direction of face are inappropriate, for example, the braking operation is estimated to be properly performed. In this way, there may be a situation where the override control of the operation object that is estimated to be able to properly perform the driving operation of the driver among the multiple operation objects is not accepted. Summary of the invention

[0006] The present disclosure has been made in view of the above-mentioned points, and an object of the present disclosure is to provide a driving transition control device and a driving transition control method that can appropriately implement driving transition to a driver while suppressing occurrence of inadvertent override control.

[0007] A driving transition control device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is a driving transition control device that controls the driving transition between a driver and the automatic driving function in a vehicle having an automatic driving function that can perform driving operations on behalf of the driver, and includes: an operation information acquisition unit that acquires operation information based on driving operations input to multiple operation objects including at least an acceleration unit, a braking unit, and a steering unit; a driving state switching unit that, in an automatic driving state in which the automatic driving function controls the driving of the vehicle, performs override control of switching from the automatic driving state to another driving state in which the driver's driving operations are reflected in the driving state of the vehicle based on input of driving operations to at least one of the multiple operation objects; a posture determination unit that acquires multiple detection information related to the driver's driving posture and independently determines whether each detection information indicates a state suitable for the driving operation; and an allowed object setting unit that independently sets allowed operation objects that accept override control and disallowed operation objects that do not accept override control for the multiple operation objects based on whether each detection information indicates a state suitable for the driving operation.

[0008] According to other embodiments of the present disclosure, a driving transition control method is a driving transition control method for controlling the driving transition between a driver and an automatic driving function in a vehicle having an automatic driving function capable of performing driving operations on behalf of the driver, wherein processing is performed by at least one processing unit and includes: in an automatic driving state in which the automatic driving function controls the driving of the vehicle, obtaining multiple detection information related to the driver's driving posture; independently determining whether each detection information indicates a state suitable for the driving operation; for multiple operation objects including at least an acceleration part, a braking part, and a steering part, independently setting allowed operation objects that accept override control and unallowed operation objects that do not accept override control based on whether each detection information indicates a state suitable for the driving operation; obtaining operation information based on the driving operation input to the multiple operation objects; accepting the driving operation of the allowed operation object as override control, and switching from the automatic driving state to other driving states in which the driver's driving operation is reflected in the driving state of the vehicle; and not accepting the driving operation of the unallowed operation object as override control.

[0009] According to the driving conversion control device and the driving conversion control method, based on the result of determining whether a plurality of detection information related to the driver's driving posture indicates a state suitable for driving operation, an allowed operation object that accepts override control and an unallowed operation object that does not accept override control are independently set. Thus, in the case of a driving posture that cannot properly perform a driving operation on a portion of an operation object, the operation object is set as an unallowed operation object. As a result, even if an inadvertent driving operation is input to an unallowed operation object due to an inappropriate driving posture, override control will not be performed. On the other hand, other operation objects that are presumed to be capable of properly performing driving operations can be set as allowed operation objects. As a result, even if the driving posture is partially inappropriate, the driver can perform override control by inputting a driving operation to the allowed operation object. Therefore, the generation of inadvertent override control can be suppressed, and driving conversion to the driver can be properly implemented. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] The above-mentioned object and other objects, features and advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent through the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the accompanying drawings:

[0011] Figure 1 This is a block diagram showing an overall image of a structure related to autonomous driving mounted on a vehicle.

[0012] Figure 2 This is a diagram showing an example of the specific structure of the automatic driving ECU, HCU, and vehicle control ECU.

[0013] Figure 3 This is a state transition diagram showing an overall image of the transition of the driving mode performed by the driving switching control unit.

[0014] Figure 4 The table is a diagram showing the relationship between a plurality of types of probe information and operation objects that are permitted to be operated according to the suitability of the driving posture indicated by each piece of probe information.

[0015] Figure 5 is a flowchart showing the override control process and indicates that Figure 4 The detailed diagram of the process under condition A is shown.

[0016] Figure 6 It means you have chosen Figure 4 The figure shows the details of the processing under condition B.

[0017] Figure 7 It means you have chosen Figure 4 The details of the process under condition C are shown in the figure.

[0018] Figure 8 It means you have chosen Figure 4 The detailed diagram of the process under condition D is shown.

[0019] Fig. 9 It means you have chosen Figure 4 The detailed diagram of the process under conditions E to H is shown.

[0020] Fig.10 It is a block diagram showing an overall image of a configuration related to advanced driving assistance in the second embodiment.

[0021] Fig.11 This is a state transition diagram showing an overall image of the transition of the driving mode performed by the driving switch control unit according to the second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] Hereinafter, multiple embodiments of the present disclosure are described based on the accompanying drawings. In addition, there are cases where repeated descriptions are omitted by marking the corresponding constituent elements with the same figure marks in each embodiment. In the case where only a part of the structure is described in each embodiment, the structure of other embodiments described previously can be applied to the other parts of the structure. In addition, not only the combination of structures clearly indicated in the description of each embodiment, but also the structures of multiple embodiments can be partially combined with each other even if it is not clearly indicated, if there is no particular hindrance in the combination. Moreover, the combination of structures described in multiple embodiments and modified examples that is not clearly indicated is also deemed to be disclosed by the following description.

[0023] (First Embodiment)

[0024] The function of the driving switching control device according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure is achieved by Figure 1 and Figure 2 The automatic driving ECU 50 is implemented by the automatic driving ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 50 shown in the figure. The automatic driving ECU 50 is installed in vehicle A together with electronic control units such as HCU (HMI (Human Machine Interface) Control Unit) 20 and vehicle control ECU 80. The automatic driving ECU 50, HCU 20, and vehicle control ECU 80 are directly or indirectly electrically connected to each other and can communicate with each other. Vehicle A has an automatic driving function according to the operation of the automatic driving ECU 50 and the vehicle control ECU 80.

[0025] The HCU 20 controls the acquisition of input information of the operating system such as the steering switch and the information presentation to the driver in an integrated manner. The HCU 20 is mainly composed of a computer having a main processor (CPU) 21, a graphics processor (GPU) 22, a RAM 23, a storage medium 24, and an input / output interface (input / output IF) 25. The HCU 20 is electrically connected to the reporting device 10, the seat surface pressure distribution sensor 39, and the driver status monitor (DSM) 40.

[0026] The reporting device 10 reports various information related to the vehicle A to the passengers of the vehicle A including the driver based on the reporting control signal outputted by the HCU 20. The reporting device 10 may be a structure pre-installed in the vehicle A, or may be a structure temporarily installed in the vehicle A by being brought into the vehicle cabin by the passengers of the vehicle A. The reporting device 10 includes, for example, a display device 11 that reports information by display, a speaker device 12 that reports information by notification sound, message sound, etc.

[0027] The seat surface pressure distribution sensor 39 is a pressure-sensitive film sensor or the like embedded in the seat surface of the driver's seat. As an example, the seat surface pressure distribution sensor 39 has a plurality of pressure-sensitive points arranged in a two-dimensional matrix, and detects the distribution of pressure acting on the seat surface of the driver's seat. The detection value at each pressure-sensitive point is associated with the coordinates and management number of the pressure-sensitive point, and becomes a set of data representing the pressure distribution acting on the seat surface. The seat surface pressure distribution sensor 39 outputs the pressure distribution data as the detection result to the HCU 20 in sequence. The pressure distribution data becomes one of the plurality of detection information related to the driver's driving posture.

[0028] In addition, a seat surface sensor for detecting that the driver sits on the seat surface may be provided in place of the seat surface pressure distribution sensor 39. As an example, the output of the seat surface sensor is turned on when the driver sits, and turned off when the driver does not sit. In the above method, information on the on and off of the output of the seat surface sensor becomes one of the detection information.

[0029] The DSM 40 is a device for monitoring the state of the driver. The DSM 40 is composed of a face camera 41, a hand camera 42, a foot camera 43, and a control unit that independently controls each camera 41 to 43. For example, a light source unit that radiates near-infrared light for shooting may be combined in each camera 41 to 43.

[0030] The facial camera 41 is installed on the top of the steering column cover or the top of the instrument panel, etc. The imaging range of the facial camera 41 is set to include at least the facial part of the driver sitting in the driver's seat. The facial camera 41 captures an image capable of detecting at least one of the driver's sight direction and facial orientation at a frame rate of 30 frames per second, for example, and sequentially outputs the imaging data to the HCU 20.

[0031] The hand camera 42 is installed in the cabin of the vehicle A so that the periphery of the steering wheel 16 of the vehicle A becomes the imaging range. The hand camera 42 captures images capable of detecting the driver's hand holding or about to hold the spoke portion of the steering wheel 16 at a frame rate of, for example, 30 frames per second, and sequentially outputs the captured data to the HCU 20.

[0032] The foot camera 43 is, for example, disposed under the instrument panel, so that the area around the accelerator pedal 14 and the brake pedal 15 of the vehicle A becomes the shooting range. The foot camera 43 shoots images of the driver's feet that can detect the accelerator pedal 14 and the brake pedal 15 at a frame rate of, for example, 30 frames per second, and sequentially outputs the shooting data to the HCU 20.

[0033] The HCU 20 constructs the information acquisition unit 31 , the notification control unit 32 , and the detection information acquisition unit 33 as functional blocks by causing the processors 21 and 22 to execute the notification control program and the posture detection program stored in the storage medium 24 .

[0034] The information processing unit 31 obtains various information from the automatic driving ECU 50 and the vehicle control ECU 80, and outputs various information to the automatic driving ECU 50 and the vehicle control ECU 80. As an example, the information acquisition unit 31 obtains switching request information requesting a driving switch from the automatic driving function to the driver. In addition, the information processing unit 31 also outputs the detection information related to the driving posture acquired by the detection information acquisition unit 33 to the automatic driving ECU 50 in sequence.

[0035] The notification control unit 32 generates a notification control signal to be output to the display device 11 and the speaker device 12 based on the information acquired by the information acquisition unit 31. The notification control unit 32 controls the information presentation by display and sound by outputting the notification control signal to the display device 11 and the speaker device 12. When the notification control unit 32 acquires the switching request information through the information acquisition unit 31, the notification control unit 32 uses the display device 11 and the speaker device 12 to implement the notification requesting the driver to take over the driving operation from the automatic driving function.

[0036] The detection information acquisition unit 33 acquires the pressure distribution data of the seat surface from the seat surface pressure distribution sensor 39, and acquires the shooting data from each camera 41 to 43 of the DSM 40. The detection information acquisition unit 33 generates the detection information related to the driving posture of the driver by analyzing the images of the shooting data of each camera 41 to 43. Specifically, the detection information acquisition unit 33 calculates the driver's line of sight and facial orientation by analyzing the shooting data of the face camera 41. The detection information acquisition unit 33 detects the driver's grip state of the steering wheel 16 by analyzing the shooting data of the hand camera 42. The detection information acquisition unit 33 detects whether the driver's foot is in a position to properly step on the accelerator pedal 14 or the brake pedal 15 by analyzing the shooting data of the foot camera 43. The detection information acquisition unit 33 sequentially outputs a plurality of detection information based on the detection results of the seat surface pressure distribution sensor 39 and the DSM 40 to the automatic driving ECU 50 through the information processing unit 31.

[0037] In addition, the detection information acquisition unit 33 can also extract the possibility of the driver holding the steering wheel 16 as the detection information indicating the holding state. Specifically, when the driver's hand is near the steering wheel 16 and can be immediately held, the detection information acquisition unit 33 can generate detection information that is considered to be properly holding the steering wheel 16. On the other hand, although the driver's hand is near the steering wheel 16, when the driver's hand is holding a mobile terminal, etc., the detection information acquisition unit 33 can generate detection information indicating that the steering wheel 16 cannot be properly held.

[0038] In addition, the image analysis of each captured data may be performed by the analysis processing unit provided in the DSM 40 instead of the HCU 20. With such a configuration, the detection information acquisition unit 33 can directly acquire detection information such as the driver's sight direction, facial orientation, grip state, and foot state from the DSM 40.

[0039] The vehicle control ECU 80 is directly or indirectly electrically connected to a vehicle-mounted actuator group 90 mounted on the vehicle A. In addition, the vehicle control ECU 80 is directly or indirectly electrically connected to a sensor group that detects a driving operation performed by a driver. The vehicle-mounted actuator group 90 includes, for example, a throttle valve actuator of an electronically controlled throttle valve, an injector, a brake actuator, a driving and regeneration motor generator, and a steering actuator.

[0040] The sensor group includes an accelerator position sensor 44, a brake operation amount sensor 45, a steering angle sensor 46a, a steering torque sensor 46b, and a grip sensor 47. The sensors 44 to 47 included in the sensor group are structures for detecting driving operation input to the accelerator pedal 14, the brake pedal 15, and the steering wheel 16 set as the operation objects of the driving operation.

[0041] The accelerator position sensor 44 detects the stroke of the accelerator pedal 14. The brake operation amount sensor 45 is a brake pedal force sensor that detects the pedal force input to the brake pedal 15. The steering angle sensor 46a detects the rotation angle of the steering wheel 16, that is, the absolute value of the rotation angle from the angle phase (0°) when moving forward (hereinafter, "steering angle"). The steering torque sensor 46b detects the steering torque applied to the steering wheel 16. Each sensor 44 to 46b outputs the operation information of the detected driving operation to the automatic driving ECU 50 and the vehicle control ECU 80 in sequence.

[0042] The grip sensor 47 is embedded in, for example, the spoke portion of the steering wheel 16. The grip sensor 47 measures the pressure or electrostatic capacitance in the spoke portion, thereby detecting the driver's grip of the steering wheel 16 based on changes in the pressure or electrostatic capacitance. The grip sensor 47 outputs the detection result of the grip state of the steering wheel 16 as detection information related to the driver's driving posture to the automatic driving ECU 50 in sequence. In addition, the detection result indicating whether the steering torque detected by the steering torque sensor 46b exceeds a predetermined threshold value may also be provided to the automatic driving ECU 50 as one of the detection information indicating the grip state.

[0043] The vehicle control ECU 80 is mainly composed of a computer having a processor 81, a RAM 83, a storage medium 84, an input / output interface 85, etc. The vehicle control ECU 80 executes a vehicle control program stored in the storage medium 84 through the processor 81, thereby constructing a driving information acquisition unit 80a and an actuator control unit (ACT control unit) 80b as functional blocks involved in vehicle control.

[0044] The driving information acquisition unit 80a acquires, in addition to driving state information (described later) indicating the operating state of the automatic driving, vehicle control information output from the automatic driving ECU 50 and operation information output from the sensor group as information for controlling the driving state of the vehicle A. The actuator control unit 80b generates a control signal output from the vehicle control ECU 80 to the vehicle-mounted actuator group 90 based on at least one of the vehicle control information and the operation information acquired by the driving information acquisition unit 80a.

[0045] The automatic driving ECU 50 is directly or indirectly electrically connected to the GNSS receiver 71, the map database 72, the camera unit 73, the laser radar 74, the millimeter wave radar 75, etc. The automatic driving ECU 50 obtains information on the driving environment around the vehicle required for automatic driving from these components (71 to 75).

[0046] The GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiver 71 receives positioning signals from a plurality of artificial satellites. The GNSS receiver 71 measures the current position of the vehicle A based on the received positioning signals. The GNSS receiver 71 sequentially outputs the measured position information of the vehicle A to the automatic driving ECU 50 .

[0047] The map database 72 is a storage medium storing a plurality of map data. The map data includes structural information such as the curvature, slope, and length of each road, as well as non-temporary traffic restriction information such as speed limit and one-way street, etc. The map database 72 enables the automatic driving ECU 50 to obtain map data of the surrounding area of ​​the current position of the vehicle A and the direction of travel.

[0048] The camera unit 73, the laser radar 74, and the millimeter wave radar 75 are autonomous sensors that detect moving objects such as pedestrians and other vehicles, and stationary objects such as fallen objects on the road, traffic signals, guardrails, curbs, road signs, road markings, and dividing lines. The camera unit 73, the laser radar 74, and the millimeter wave radar 75 output the detected object information related to the detected moving objects and stationary objects to the automatic driving ECU 50 in sequence.

[0049] The camera unit 73 includes a single-lens or multi-lens front camera for photographing the front area of ​​the vehicle A, and an image processing unit for analyzing the image of the front area photographed by the front camera. The camera unit 73 obtains the detection object information by extracting the moving objects and stationary objects reflected in the image of the front area.

[0050] The laser radar 74 obtains information about the detected object by irradiating laser light in the direction of travel of the vehicle A and receiving the laser light reflected by moving objects and stationary objects in the direction of travel. The millimeter wave radar 75 obtains information about the detected object by irradiating millimeter waves in the direction of travel of the vehicle A and receiving the millimeter waves reflected by moving objects and stationary objects in the direction of travel. The millimeter wave radar 75 can detect objects farther away than the laser radar 74.

[0051] The automatic driving ECU 50 performs acceleration and deceleration control and steering control of the vehicle A in cooperation with the vehicle control ECU 80, thereby exerting an automatic driving function that can replace the driver to perform driving operations of the vehicle A. The automatic driving ECU 50 is mainly composed of a computer having a main processor (CPU) 51, a graphics processor (GPU) 52, a RAM 53, a storage medium 54, and an input and output interface 55. The automatic driving ECU 50 can execute the automatic driving program and the driving conversion program stored in the storage medium 54 through each processor 51, 52. The automatic driving ECU 50 constructs a driving environment recognition unit 61, a driving plan generation unit 62, a driving conversion control unit 63, an ECU communication unit 64, and an HCU communication unit 65 as functional modules for automatic driving based on the automatic driving program and the driving conversion program.

[0052] The driving environment recognition unit 61 recognizes the driving environment of the vehicle A by combining the position information obtained from the GNSS receiver 71, the map data obtained from the map database 72, and the detection object information obtained from the respective main sensors. In particular, the driving environment recognition unit 61 recognizes the shape and movement state of the objects around the vehicle A based on the integrated results of the detection object information within the detection range of the respective main sensors, and combines them with the position information and the map data to generate a virtual space that reproduces the actual driving environment in three dimensions.

[0053] The driving plan generation unit 62 generates a driving plan for automatically driving the vehicle A through the automatic driving function based on the driving environment recognized by the driving environment recognition unit 61. As driving plans, a long-term and medium-term driving plan and a short-term driving plan are generated. In the long-term and medium-term driving plan, a path is specified for driving the vehicle A toward the destination set by the driver. The timetable for switching from the automatic driving function to the driver's planned driving is mainly set based on the long-term and medium-term driving plan. In the short-term driving plan, a virtual space around the vehicle A generated by the driving environment recognition unit 61 is used to specify a predetermined driving trajectory for achieving driving according to the long-term and medium-term driving plan. Specifically, the execution of steering operations for lane following and lane changes, acceleration and deceleration for speed adjustment, and emergency braking for collision avoidance is determined based on the short-term driving plan.

[0054] The driving transition control unit 63 controls the switching of control rights related to driving operations between the automatic driving function and the driver. The driving transition control unit 63 starts the operation of the automatic driving function by detecting the switching operation to automatic driving performed by the driver in the area where automatic driving is possible. In addition, the driving transition control unit 63 refers to the long-term and medium-term driving plan, and plans to switch from automatic driving to manual driving by the driver before the end of the area where automatic driving is possible. Furthermore, the driving transition control unit 63 also switches from automatic driving to manual driving when it is occasionally or suddenly difficult for the driving environment recognition unit 61 to recognize the driving environment and it is difficult for the driving plan generation unit 62 to generate a short-term driving plan.

[0055] The ECU communication unit 64 performs information output processing to the vehicle control ECU 80 and information acquisition processing from the vehicle control ECU 80. Specifically, the ECU communication unit 64 generates vehicle control information indicating acceleration, deceleration and steering according to the content of the predetermined driving trajectory prepared by the driving plan generation unit 62, and sequentially outputs it to the vehicle control ECU 80 together with driving state information (described later) indicating the working state of the automatic driving. In addition, the ECU communication unit 64 sequentially acquires state information indicating the control state of the vehicle-mounted actuator group 90 from the vehicle control ECU 80, and can modify the content of the vehicle control information.

[0056] The ECU communication unit 64 has an operation information acquisition block 64a as a sub-functional module. The operation information acquisition block 64a sequentially acquires signals output from the sensors 44 to 46b, etc. as operation information related to the driving operation. In addition, the operation information acquisition block 64a sequentially acquires detection information indicating the grip state of the steering wheel 16 detected by the grip sensor 47. The operation information and the detection information are provided to the driving switch control unit 63 and used when switching from the automatic driving function to the driver's driving.

[0057] The HCU communication unit 65 performs information output processing to the HCU 20 and information acquisition processing from the HCU 20. The HCU communication unit 65 includes a driving switch request block 65a and a probe information acquisition block 65b as sub-functional blocks.

[0058] The driving switch request block 65a generates switching request information for requesting a switch from the automatic driving function to the driver's driving based on the driving switch schedule generated by the driving switch control unit 63, and outputs the information to the HCU 20. The driving switch request block 65a requests the driver to switch driving by controlling the reporting device 10 in cooperation with the HCU 20.

[0059] The detection information acquisition block 65b sequentially acquires a plurality of detection information based on the detection results of the seat surface pressure distribution sensor 39 and the DSM 40 from the HCU 20. The detection information is provided to the driving switching control unit 63 and used when switching from the automatic driving function to the driver's driving.

[0060] Next, the driving switching control of the driving switching control unit 63 described so far will be further described in detail. The driving switching control unit 63 has a driving state switching block 63a, a posture determination block 63b, and an allowed object setting block 63c as sub-functional modules for controlling the switching from automatic driving to manual driving. First, based on Figure 1 as well as Figure 3 , the functions of these sub-functional modules are explained.

[0061] The driving state switching block 63a switches the driving mode of the vehicle A among a plurality of predetermined driving modes by controlling the transition of the operating state of the automatic driving function (see Figure 3 ). Among the multiple driving modes switched by the driving state switching block 63a, in addition to the manual driving mode and the normal automatic driving mode, at least a cooperative driving mode and an automatic retreat mode are included. The driving mode currently set by the driving state switching block 63a is notified to the information acquisition unit 31 of the HCU 20 and the driving information acquisition unit 80a of the vehicle control ECU 80 as driving state information.

[0062] In the manual driving mode, the automatic driving function is stopped, and the driver controls the travel of the vehicle A. The vehicle control ECU 80 that is acquiring driving state information indicating the manual driving mode generates a control signal based on the content of the operation information acquired from each sensor 44 to 46 b through the actuator control unit 80 b, and outputs it to the vehicle-mounted actuator group 90 .

[0063] In the automatic driving mode, the operating automatic driving function controls the driving of the vehicle A. The vehicle control ECU 80 that is acquiring the driving state information of the automatic driving mode generates a control signal according to the content of the vehicle control information acquired from the automatic driving ECU 50 through the actuator control unit 80 b and outputs it to the vehicle-mounted actuator group 90 .

[0064] The cooperative driving mode is a specific mode of the automatic driving mode, and the automatic driving function is in operation. In the cooperative driving mode, the driving of the vehicle A is controlled by cooperating the control performed by the automatic driving function and the driving operation performed by the driver. The vehicle control ECU 80, which is acquiring the driving state information indicating the cooperative driving mode, generates a control signal based on the contents of both the operation information acquired from each sensor 44 to 46b and the vehicle control information acquired from the automatic driving ECU 50, and outputs it to the vehicle-mounted actuator group 90.

[0065] Specifically, when the driving force indicated by the driving state information and the driving force indicated by the operation information are different from each other, the actuator control unit 80b generates a control signal according to the content of the larger of the two driving forces. In addition, when the steering target value indicated by the driving state information and the actual steering angle indicated by the operation information are different, the actuator control unit 80b outputs a control signal for increasing or decreasing the torque of the steering actuator so that the actual steering angle approaches the steering target value.

[0066] The automatic avoidance mode is another mode of the automatic driving mode, and the automatic driving function works. The automatic avoidance mode is implemented when the control right cannot be transferred from the automatic driving function to the driver in the desired state. The vehicle A set to the automatic avoidance mode automatically drives to the stop position searched by the automatic driving ECU50 and stops at the reached stop position. The vehicle control ECU80 that is acquiring the driving state information indicating the automatic avoidance mode ignores the operation information obtained from each sensor 44~46b in principle, and outputs a control signal based only on the content of the vehicle control information acquired from the automatic driving ECU50.

[0067] In vehicle A where the automatic driving function is working, the driving state switching block 63a detects the driver's driving operation related to the switching of control rights (Hand over) and the override control based on the operation information obtained by the operation information acquisition block 64a. Switching is a driving switching in which the driver is requested to switch driving when the automatic driving ECU 50 determines that the automatic driving cannot be continued, and the driver performs driving operations in response to the request, thereby transferring the control right to the driver. On the other hand, override control is a driving switching in which the driver performs driving operations according to his own will when the vehicle A is driving through the automatic driving function, thereby transferring the control right to the driver. Switching is the transfer of authority from the automatic driving function to the driver based on the judgment of the system. Override control is the transfer of authority from the automatic driving function to the driver based on the judgment of the driver.

[0068] The posture determination block 63b acquires a plurality of detection information provided by the operation information acquisition block 64a and the detection information acquisition block 65b, and independently determines whether each detection information indicates a state suitable for driving operation. Specifically, the posture determination block 63b acquires data indicating the pressure distribution obtained by the seat pressure distribution sensor 39 and data indicating the foot state obtained by the foot camera 43 as detection information indicating the driver's sitting state. When the pressure distribution data being acquired is close to the reference distribution data indicating the correct sitting posture, and the driver's right foot is facing any one of the pedals 14 and 15, the posture determination block 63b determines that the sitting state is a state suitable for driving operation ( Figure 4 Conditions A~D).

[0069] In addition, the posture determination block 63b obtains detection information indicating the driver's line of sight direction and facial orientation. When the posture determination block 63b can infer that the driver is visually confirming the traveling direction of the vehicle A based on the driver's line of sight direction and facial orientation, it determines that the driver's line of sight direction or facial orientation is in a state suitable for driving operation (see Figure 4 Conditions A, C, E, G).

[0070] The posture determination block 63b acquires at least one of the detection results of the steering torque sensor 46b and the grip sensor 47 and the grip state data based on the photographic data of the hand camera 42. A plurality of detection information indicating the grip state can be acquired. When the posture determination block 63b can infer that the steering wheel 16 is correctly gripped based on the detection information, it determines that the grip state is a state suitable for driving operation (see Figure 4 Conditions A, B, E, F).

[0071] The posture determination block 63b updates the determination results indicating the suitability of the sitting state, the sight line direction, the facial orientation, and the holding state at a predetermined period based on the latest detection information. The update period of the determination results can be appropriately set based on the measurement period of each sensor involved in the detection of each detection information, and can also be different for each determination result. As an example, the following settings can be made: the determination results of the sitting state are updated every 10 milliseconds, the determination results of the sight line direction and the facial orientation are updated every 50 milliseconds, and the determination results of the holding state are updated every 5 milliseconds.

[0072] The allowed object setting block 63c independently sets allowed operation objects and not allowed operation objects for a plurality of operation objects including the accelerator pedal 14, the brake pedal 15, and the steering wheel 16 based on whether each detection information indicates a state suitable for driving operation. A driving operation on an allowed operation object in the automatic driving mode is accepted as an override control. In contrast, a driving operation on an not allowed operation object in the automatic driving mode is not accepted as an override control.

[0073] Specifically, when the posture determination block 63b determines that the seated state is a state suitable for driving operation, the permitted object setting block 63c sets the brake pedal 15 as a permitted operation object (see Figure 4Conditions A to D). When it is determined that the seated state is a state suitable for driving operation, even if other detection information indicating the line of sight direction, facial orientation or grip state is determined not to be a state suitable for driving operation, the permitted object setting block 63c sets at least the brake pedal 15 as a permitted operation object. On the other hand, when it is determined that the seated state is not a state suitable for driving operation, the permitted object setting block 63c sets the accelerator pedal 14 and the steering wheel 16 as non-permitted control objects in addition to the brake pedal 15 (refer to Figure 4 Conditions E~F).

[0074] If the posture determination block 63b determines that the line of sight direction and the face orientation are not in a state suitable for driving operation, the permission object setting block 63c sets the accelerator pedal 14 as an operation-unpermitted object (see Figure 4 If at least one of the sight line direction and the face orientation is determined to be not suitable for driving operation, the accelerator pedal 14 is set as an operation-inhibited object even if the other detection information is determined to be suitable for driving operation. On the other hand, if the sitting posture is appropriate and the sight line direction and the face orientation are determined to be suitable for driving operation, the allowed object setting block 63c sets the accelerator pedal 14 as an operation-inhibited object (see Figure 4 Conditions A, C).

[0075] If the posture determination block 63b determines that the gripping state is not suitable for driving operation, the permitted object setting block 63c sets the steering wheel 16 as an object not permitted to be operated (see Figure 4 If the gripping state is determined to be not suitable for driving operation, the steering wheel 16 is set as an operation-inhibited object even if other detection information is determined to be suitable for driving operation. On the other hand, if the sitting posture is appropriate and the gripping state is determined to be suitable for driving operation, the allowed object setting block 63c sets the steering wheel 16 as an operation-inhibited object (see Figure 4 Conditions A, C).

[0076] Next, based on Figure 3 as well as Figure 4 , and refer to Figure 1 , the details of the transition of the driving mode performed by the driving state switching block 63a will be further described.

[0077] The driving state switching block 63a switches the driving mode from the manual driving mode to the normal automatic driving mode based on an input to a switch such as a steering switch provided in the operating system that instructs the start of automatic driving. Figure 3 and Figure 4As shown in FIG. 1 , in the automatic driving mode, if it is determined that the automatic driving cannot be continued, the mode is transferred from the automatic driving mode to the mode for implementing the driving switch request. The driver notices the driving switch request, and the driver starts to input the driving operation. If the driver's driving operation is detected, the driving state switching block 63a ends the driving switch request, cancels the automatic driving function, and implements the switch from the automatic driving mode to the manual mode. In this way, the switch performed by the driver is completed.

[0078] On the other hand, after a driving conversion request is made, if a predetermined request implementation time has passed without detecting a driving operation, the driving state switching block 63a implements a switch from the automatic driving mode to the automatic retreat mode. The above result is that the vehicle A starts searching for the stop position and moving to the stop position in sequence through the cooperative control of the automatic driving ECU 50 and the vehicle control ECU 80. This control works effectively when the driver becomes in a state of driving difficulty. In addition, the request implementation time is set so that the vehicle A will not go out of the driving area when it is not migrated to the manual driving mode. The request implementation time is set to about 4 seconds, for example.

[0079] In addition, whether to accept the override control when there is no request for driving switching can be set independently for each operation object based on the driver's driving posture as described above. The driving operation input to the operation object set as the non-permitted operation object by the permitted object setting block 63c among the multiple operation objects is not accepted as the override control. Even if the driving operation is input to this non-permitted operation object, the driving state switching block 63a continues the automatic driving mode.

[0080] On the other hand, the driving operation input to the permitted operation object is accepted as the override control. For example, when there is an input of the driving operation to the brake pedal 15 set as the permitted operation object, the driving state switching block 63a cancels the automatic driving with the driver's brake operation as a trigger. By stopping the automatic driving function in this way, the driving mode of the vehicle A is switched from the automatic driving mode to the manual driving mode.

[0081] Similarly, in the presence of an input of a driving operation to the steering wheel 16 set as an allowed operation object, the driving state switching block 63a switches the driving mode with the driver's steering operation as a trigger. In detail, a steering manipulation threshold is pre-set in the driving state switching block 63a. The steering manipulation threshold is a value compared with an operation value related to the driving operation input to the steering wheel 16. The operation value uses, for example, the change in the steering angle caused by the driver's input (hereinafter, "steering manipulation amount"), the steering manipulation torque, and the steering manipulation duration. As an example, in the case of using the steering manipulation amount as the operation value, the steering manipulation threshold is defined as a threshold corresponding to the steering manipulation amount. In this case, when the steering manipulation amount is higher than the steering manipulation threshold, the driving state switching block 63a stops the automatic driving function and switches from the automatic driving mode to the manual driving mode.

[0082] On the other hand, when the steering amount is less than the steering threshold, the driving state switching block 63a switches from the automatic driving mode to the cooperative driving mode while continuing the operation of the automatic driving function. In the cooperative driving mode, when a braking operation is input to the brake pedal 15 as the permitted operation object, or a steering operation in which the steering amount exceeds the steering threshold, the driving state switching block 63a cancels the automatic driving. Thus, the switching from the cooperative driving mode to the manual driving mode is implemented.

[0083] On the other hand, after switching to the cooperative driving mode, if the transition condition to the automatic driving mode is satisfied in the state where the driving operation to the permitted operation object is not detected, the driving state switching block 63a switches the driving mode from the cooperative driving mode to the automatic driving mode. The transition condition to the automatic driving mode is determined to be satisfied, for example, when a predetermined restart standby period (e.g., about 3 seconds) has passed.

[0084] According to the above-mentioned driving mode transition, when the driver passes a large vehicle traveling in an adjacent lane during automatic driving, the automatic driving is not cancelled, but the driver can temporarily move the vehicle A closer to the side away from the large vehicle in the lane being traveled by steering operation. The steering operation threshold is pre-adjusted to a value that does not cancel the automatic driving by steering operation that does not cross the lane as described above.

[0085] In addition, as another example, both the steering torque and the steering duration can be used as operation values. In this case, the torque threshold corresponding to the steering torque and the time threshold corresponding to the steering duration are both set as steering thresholds. When a steering torque exceeding the torque threshold (e.g., 0.5N) is input for a period exceeding the time threshold (e.g., 3 seconds), the driving state switching block 63a stops the automatic driving function and switches from the automatic driving mode to the manual driving mode. According to such control, a series of driving transitions are achieved by steering operation, which is temporarily switched from the automatic driving mode to the manual driving mode in stages via the collaborative driving mode.

[0086] Furthermore, when there is an input of a driving operation to the accelerator pedal 14 set as the permitted operation object, the driving state switching block 63a switches from the automatic driving mode to the cooperative driving mode in a state where the operation of the automatic driving function is continued, using the throttle operation of the driver as a trigger. In this case, after switching to the cooperative driving mode, when the restart standby period has passed without detecting a driving operation to the permitted operation object, the driving mode of the vehicle A returns from the cooperative driving mode to the automatic driving mode.

[0087] In order to achieve the above override control, based on Figures 5 to 9 , and refer to Figure 1 as well as Figure 4 The details of the override control process performed by the automatic driving ECU 50 are described below. Based on the switch from the manual driving mode to the automatic driving mode, the driving switching control unit 63 starts Figures 5 to 9 The override control process is repeated at a cycle (eg, 50 to 100 milliseconds) that does not cause the driver to feel a sense of discomfort due to a control delay.

[0088] In S101, in the automatic driving mode, multiple detection information related to the driver's driving posture is obtained, and then the process proceeds to S102. In S102, it is independently determined whether each detection information obtained in S101 indicates a state suitable for driving operation. Specifically, in S102, based on the advantages and disadvantages of the sight direction and the facial orientation, the steering grip state, and the sitting state, the conditions A to H that meet the requirements are selected one by one.

[0089] In S103, when it is determined in S102 that the current driving posture of the driver meets condition A, the allowed operation object and the not allowed operation object are independently set for each operation object, and the process proceeds to S104. In S103, when it is determined in S102 that condition A is met, the accelerator pedal 14, the brake pedal 15 and the steering wheel 16 are all set as allowed operation objects.

[0090] In S104, the operation information acquisition process is performed to determine whether a driving operation input to each operation object is detected. If it is determined in S104 that a driving operation is not input to all operation objects, the process returns to S101. On the other hand, if it is determined in S104 that a driving operation with the intention of overriding control is input to any operation object, the process proceeds to S105.

[0091] In S105, the operation object to which the override operation is input is identified from among the plurality of operation objects. If it is determined in S105 that the override operation is input to the brake pedal 15, the process proceeds to S106. In S106, the override operation input to the brake pedal 15 is accepted, and the process proceeds to S113. In S113, the automatic driving function is stopped, the driving mode of the vehicle A is switched from the automatic driving mode to the manual driving mode, and the override control process is terminated.

[0092] On the other hand, if it is determined in S105 that the override control operation is input to the accelerator pedal 14, the process proceeds to S107. In S107, the driving mode of vehicle A is switched from the automatic driving mode to the cooperative driving mode, and the override control operation input to the accelerator pedal 14 is accepted, and the process proceeds to S108. In S108, the acceleration process corresponding to the override control operation accepted in S107 is implemented, and the process returns to S101.

[0093] In addition, if it is determined in S105 that the override control operation is input to the steering wheel 16, the process proceeds to S109. In S109, the steering amount generated in the steering wheel 16 by the steering operation is calculated, and the process proceeds to S110. In S110, the steering amount of the steering wheel 16 is compared with the steering threshold. In S110, if it is determined that the steering amount exceeds the steering threshold, the process proceeds to S111. In addition, in S109 and S110, the steering torque and the steering duration may be calculated, and the process of comparing with the torque threshold and the time threshold may be implemented.

[0094] In S111, the calculation of the steering amount is temporarily reset, and the process proceeds to S112. In S112, the override operation input to the steering wheel 16 is accepted, and the process proceeds to S113. In S113, the driving mode of the vehicle A is switched from the automatic driving mode to the manual driving mode, and the override control process ends.

[0095] On the other hand, if it is determined in S110 that the steering amount is less than the steering threshold, the process proceeds to S114. In S114, the driving mode of vehicle A is switched from the automatic driving mode to the cooperative driving mode, and an override operation input to the steering wheel 16 is accepted, and the process proceeds to S115. In S115, a steering process corresponding to the override operation received in S114 is performed, and the process returns to S101.

[0096] Furthermore, if it is determined in S102 that the current driving posture of the driver meets condition B, the process proceeds to step S103. Figure 6 In S121, each operation object is set to either a permitted operation object or a non-permitted operation object as in S103, and the process proceeds to S122. In S121, the brake pedal 15 and the steering wheel 16 are set as permitted operation objects, but the accelerator pedal 14 is not set as a non-permitted operation object.

[0097] In S122, the operation information acquisition process is performed to determine whether the driving operation input to each operation object is detected. If it is determined in S122 that the driving operation is not input to all the operation objects, the process returns to S101. On the other hand, if it is determined in S122 that the driving operation intended to override the control is input to any of the operation objects, the process proceeds to S123.

[0098] In S123, the operation object to which the override operation is input is identified among the plurality of operation objects. If it is determined in S123 that the override operation is input to the brake pedal 15, the process proceeds to S106, the override operation input to the brake pedal 15 is accepted, and the process proceeds to S113.

[0099] On the other hand, if it is determined in S123 that the override control operation is input to the accelerator pedal 14, the process proceeds to S124. In S124, the driving operation on the accelerator pedal 14, which is an object of non-permitted operation, is not accepted as the override control operation, and the state of the automatic driving mode is maintained, and the process returns to S101. In addition, if it is determined in S123 that the override control operation is input to the steering wheel 16, the above-mentioned S109 to S112, S114 and S115 are appropriately implemented to accept the override control operation on the steering wheel 16.

[0100] Furthermore, if it is determined in S102 that the current driving posture of the driver meets condition C, the process proceeds to step S103. Figure 7 In S131, each operation object is set to either a permitted operation object or a non-permitted operation object as in S103, and the process proceeds to S132. In S131, the brake pedal 15 and the accelerator pedal 14 are set to permitted operation objects, but the steering wheel 16 is not set to a non-permitted operation object.

[0101] In S132, it is determined whether a driving operation is detected. If it is determined that a driving operation is not input to all operation objects, the process returns to S101. On the other hand, if it is determined in S132 that an override operation is input to at least one operation object, the process proceeds to S133 to identify the operation object to which the override operation is input.

[0102] If it is determined in S133 that the override operation is input to the brake pedal 15, S106 and S113 are sequentially implemented to accept the brake override control performed by the driver, and the override control process is terminated. On the other hand, if it is determined in S133 that the override operation is input to the accelerator pedal 14, S107 and S108 are sequentially implemented to accept the acceleration override control performed by the driver, and the process returns to S101.

[0103] If it is determined in S133 that an override operation is input to the steering wheel 16, the process proceeds to S134. In S134, the driving operation on the steering wheel 16, which is a non-permitted operation target, is not accepted as an override operation, the automatic driving mode is maintained, and the process returns to S101.

[0104] Furthermore, if it is determined in S102 that the current driver's driving posture meets condition D, the process proceeds to step S103. Figure 8 In S141, each operation object is set to either a permitted operation object or a non-permitted operation object as in S103, and the process proceeds to S142. In S141, the brake pedal 15 is set as a permitted operation object, while the accelerator pedal 14 and the steering wheel 16 are not set as non-permitted operation objects.

[0105] In S142, it is determined whether a driving operation is detected. If it is determined that a driving operation is not input to all operation objects, the process returns to S101. On the other hand, if it is determined in S142 that an override operation is input to at least one operation object, the process proceeds to S143 to identify the operation object to which the override operation is input.

[0106] If it is determined in S143 that the override control operation is input to the brake pedal 15, the brake override control performed by the driver is accepted by implementing S106 and S113, and the override control process is terminated. On the other hand, if it is determined in S143 that the override control operation is input to the accelerator pedal 14, the override control operation on the accelerator pedal 14 is not accepted in S124, and the process returns to S101. Similarly, if it is determined in S143 that the override control operation is input to the steering wheel 16, the override control operation on the steering wheel 16 is not accepted in S134, and the process returns to S101.

[0107] If it is determined in S102 that the current driver's driving posture meets any one of the conditions E to H, the process proceeds to step S103. Fig. 9In S151, all operation objects are set as non-operation objects, and the process proceeds to S152. In S152, it is determined whether a driving operation is detected. If it is determined that a driving operation is not input to all operation objects, the process returns to S101. On the other hand, if it is determined in S152 that an override operation is input to at least one operation object, the process proceeds to S153 to identify the operation object to which the override operation is input.

[0108] In S154, when it is determined in S153 that the override control operation is input to the brake pedal 15, the override control operation to the brake pedal 15 is not accepted, the state of the automatic driving mode is maintained, and the process returns to S101. Similarly, even in S124, when it is determined that the override control operation is input to the accelerator pedal 14, the override control operation is not accepted, and the process returns to S101. Furthermore, even in S134, when it is determined that the override control operation is input to the steering wheel 16, the override control operation is not accepted, and the process returns to S101.

[0109] As described so far, in the first embodiment, for a plurality of detection information related to the driving posture, it is determined whether the state of the driver suitable for the driving operation is represented, and the allowed operation object and the not allowed operation object are set based on those determination results. Thus, in the case of a driving posture in which the driving operation on a part of the operation object cannot be properly performed, the operation object can be set as the not allowed operation object. As a result, even if an inadvertent driving operation is input to the not allowed operation object due to an inappropriate driving posture, the overrun control will not be executed. On the other hand, for other operation objects that are presumed to be capable of properly performing the driving operation, they can be set as the allowed operation objects. As a result, even if the driving posture is partially inappropriate, the driver can perform the overrun control by inputting the driving operation on the allowed operation object. Therefore, the generation of inadvertent overrun control can be suppressed, and the driving conversion to the driver can be properly implemented.

[0110] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, even if the sight line direction and the face orientation are not suitable for driving operation, as long as the sitting state is appropriate, the brake pedal 15 is set as an operation-permitted object. Therefore, for example, even if the brake operation is performed in a state where the face is suddenly turned away from the front, such a brake operation is reflected as an override control operation in the driving state of the vehicle A. As described above, if the brake pedal 15 is set as an operation-permitted object based on the sitting state, the brake override control in an emergency is appropriately accepted.

[0111] In the first embodiment, the automatic driving function is stopped to switch to the manual driving mode when an override operation is input to the brake pedal 15. Therefore, the driver can appropriately respond to the situation to gain control and decelerate the vehicle A without accepting the intervention of the automatic driving function.

[0112] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, when the sight line direction and the face orientation are not appropriate, the override control operation input to the accelerator pedal 14 is not accepted. In addition, when the other driving postures are not affected and when either the sight line direction or the face orientation is not appropriate, the acceleration operation is prohibited from being accepted. Thus, the occurrence of an inadvertent accelerator override control such as accelerating the vehicle A by operating the accelerator pedal 14 in a state where the front cannot be visually confirmed correctly is suppressed.

[0113] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, even after receiving the override control based on the accelerator operation, the automatic driving function is not released and can continue to operate. Therefore, the driver continues to receive assistance based on the automatic driving function even after performing the override control operation on the accelerator pedal 14. Thus, even after receiving the override control based on the driver, the vehicle A continues to travel stably with the driving assistance based on the automatic driving function.

[0114] In addition, in the first embodiment, when the steering wheel 16 is not properly gripped, the override control based on the steering operation is not accepted. In addition, when other driving postures are not affected and the steering wheel 16 is not properly gripped, the steering operation is prohibited from being accepted. As described above, the occurrence of an inadvertent steering override control that causes the vehicle A to move laterally is suppressed by the steering operation in a state where the steering wheel 16 cannot be properly gripped.

[0115] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, when the steering amount of the steering wheel 16 is less than the steering threshold, the automatic driving function is not released and continues to operate even after the override control based on the steering operation is accepted by switching to the cooperative control mode. Therefore, the driver continues to receive assistance based on the automatic driving function even after inputting the override control operation to the steering wheel 16. Therefore, even after receiving the override control performed by the driver, the vehicle A continues to travel stably with the steering assistance based on the automatic driving function.

[0116] In addition, in the first embodiment, when the steering amount of the steering wheel 16 is greater than the steering threshold, the automatic driving function is stopped to switch to the manual driving mode. As described above, if the automatic driving function is properly stopped, even in a scene where a large steering angle is required to cope with the situation, the driver will not continue to be disturbed by the automatic driving function, and can take over the driving operation from the automatic driving function.

[0117] In addition, in the first embodiment, the accelerator pedal 14 is equivalent to the "acceleration unit", the brake pedal 15 is equivalent to the "brake unit", the steering wheel 16 is equivalent to the "steering unit", and the steering control amount of the steering wheel 16 is equivalent to the "operation value". In addition, the main processor 51 and the graphics processor 52 are equivalent to the "processing unit". In addition, the driving state switching block 63a is equivalent to the "driving state switching unit", the posture determination block 63b is equivalent to the "posture determination unit", the allowed object setting block 63c is equivalent to the "allowed object setting unit", and the operation information acquisition block 64a is equivalent to the "operation information acquisition unit". In addition, the automatic driving ECU 50 is equivalent to the "driving conversion control device", the automatic driving mode is equivalent to the "automatic driving state", the manual driving mode is equivalent to the "manual driving state", and the cooperative driving mode is equivalent to the "cooperative driving state".

[0118] (Second Embodiment)

[0119] Fig.10 as well as Fig.11 The second embodiment of the present disclosure shown is a modified example of the first embodiment. The automatic driving function installed in the vehicle A of the second embodiment is a quasi-automatic driving function (hereinafter, "advanced driving assistance function") achieved by a so-called advanced driving assistance system. The advanced driving assistance system referred to here is a system based on the premise that the driver is in a state where he can perform driving operations at any time during the operation of the automatic driving function based on the system. When the advanced driving assistance system determines that driving assistance cannot continue, a driving conversion request as in the above-mentioned embodiment is not performed, and the driving mode is transferred to the manual driving mode.

[0120] The advanced driving assistance system can perform multiple of acceleration, steering, and braking of the vehicle A. In the advanced driving assistance system, a request for driving switching based on a long-term or medium-term driving plan is not implemented. The function of the driving switching control device in the vehicle A equipped with the advanced driving assistance system is implemented by the vehicle control ECU 180.

[0121] The vehicle control ECU 180 includes the automatic driving ECU 50 of the first embodiment (see Figure 1 ) is a part of the function, which can realize the semi-automatic driving of the vehicle A. In the vehicle control ECU 180, as functional modules, a driving information acquisition unit 180a, an ADAS functional unit 161, a driving conversion control unit 163, and an actuator control unit 80b and an HCU communication unit 65 that are substantially the same as those in the first embodiment are constructed.

[0122] The driving information acquisition unit 180a has the same operation information acquisition block 64a as the first embodiment (see Figure 1The driving information acquisition unit 180a acquires the operation information output from each sensor 44 to 46b and the detection information output from the grip sensor 47. The operation information and the detection information are provided to the driving switching control unit 163 and used when switching from the automatic driving function to the driver's driving.

[0123] The ADAS (Advanced Driving Assistant System) function unit 161 includes an object sign recognition block 161 a , an ACC function module 161 b , and an LTC function module 161 c as sub-function modules.

[0124] The object recognition block 161a detects the relative positions of moving objects and stationary objects in the traveling direction by integrating the detected object information obtained from the camera unit 73, the laser radar 74, and the millimeter wave radar 75. For example, the object recognition block 161a can recognize the front vehicle and the lane dividing line.

[0125] The ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control) function module 161b is a functional unit that implements the ACC function. The ACC function module 161b cooperates with the actuator control unit 80b to adjust the driving force and braking force based on the relative position information of the moving object and the stationary object identified by the object identification block 161a, thereby controlling the driving speed of the vehicle A. Specifically, the ACC function module 161b causes the vehicle A to cruise at the target speed set by the driver when the vehicle ahead is not detected. In addition, when the vehicle ahead is detected, the ACC function block 161b maintains the inter-vehicle distance to the vehicle ahead and causes the vehicle A to follow the vehicle ahead.

[0126] The LTC (Lane Trace Control) function module 161c is a function unit that implements the LTC function. The LTC function module 161c cooperates with the actuator control unit 80b to adjust the steering force based on the shape information of the dividing line of the traveling direction obtained from the object mark recognition block 161a, thereby controlling the steering angle of the steering wheel of the vehicle A. The LTC function module 161c allows the vehicle A to travel in a manner that follows the lane in which it is traveling.

[0127] The driving transition control unit 163 determines the driver's intention to override the control and stops the operation of the ADAS function unit 161. The driving transition control unit 163 is constructed similarly to the first embodiment, including a posture determination block 63b, a permission object setting block 63c, and a driving state switching block 63a.

[0128] The posture determination block 63b determines whether the driving posture of the driver meets the conditions A to H (see the detection information acquisition block 65b of the HCU communication unit 65 and the driving information acquisition unit 180a) based on the plurality of detection information acquired by the detection information acquisition block 65b of the HCU communication unit 65 and the driving information acquisition unit 180a. The posture determination block 63b determines whether the driving posture of the driver meets the conditions A to H (see the detection information acquisition block 65b of the HCU communication unit 65 and the driving information acquisition unit 180a). Figure 4 )

[0129] The permission object setting block 63c is set to the driving posture conditions A to H (see Figure 4 ) corresponding to the method, the setting of the allowed operation object and the unallowed operation object is independently performed for multiple operation objects. Through the above processing, the multiple operation objects are divided into the operation objects that accept the override control and the operation objects that do not accept the override control according to the driving posture of the driver.

[0130] The driving state switching block 63a switches the driving mode among the manual driving mode, the advanced driving assistance mode, and the cooperative driving mode. The driving state switching block 63a switches the driving mode from the manual driving mode to the advanced driving assistance mode based on the input of the switch for instructing the operation of ACC or LTC, such as the steering switch, provided in the operating system (see Fig.11 ). In the advanced driving assistance mode, at least one of the ACC function block 161b and the LTC function block 161c functions.

[0131] In the advanced driving assistance mode, if it is determined that driving assistance cannot be continued by the advanced driving assistance system, as described above, no driving switch request is made and the driving mode is switched from the advanced driving assistance mode to the manual driving mode.

[0132] In addition, in the advanced driving assistance mode, based on the driver's driving posture, a plurality of operation objects are set to allowable operation objects and non-allowable operation objects. A driving operation input to an operation object set as a non-allowable operation object is not accepted as an override control. Therefore, even if a driving operation is input to a non-allowable operation object, the advanced driving assistance mode is continued (see Fig. 9 S124, S134, S154, etc.).

[0133] On the other hand, for example, when there is a driving operation input to the brake pedal 15 set as the permitted operation object, the advanced driving assistance function is canceled with the brake operation as a trigger. By stopping the advanced driving assistance function in this way, the driving mode of the vehicle A is switched from the advanced driving assistance mode to the manual driving mode (see Figure 5S113, etc.) Furthermore, when a steering operation exceeding the steering threshold value is input to the steering wheel 16 set as the permitted operation object, switching from the advanced driving assistance mode to the manual driving mode is also implemented.

[0134] On the other hand, when a steering operation whose steering amount is less than or equal to the steering operation threshold is input to the steering wheel 16 as the permitted operation object, the override control operation is accepted and the operation of the advanced driving assistance function continues (see Figure 5 Similarly, even if there is an input of a driving operation to the accelerator pedal 14 set as the permitted operation object, the advanced driving assistance is not stopped, and the override control operation is accepted (see Figure 5 S107, etc.) In these cases, the driving mode of vehicle A is switched from the advanced driving assistance mode to the cooperative driving mode.

[0135] In the cooperative driving mode, if a braking operation or a steering operation with a steering amount exceeding the steering operation threshold is also input, the driving mode is switched from the cooperative driving mode to the manual driving mode. On the other hand, after switching to the cooperative driving mode, if the migration condition to the advanced driving assistance mode is met in a state where no driving operation on the permitted operation object is detected, the switching from the cooperative driving mode to the advanced driving assistance mode is implemented. In addition, the migration condition to the advanced driving assistance mode is also substantially the same as that in the first embodiment, and is determined to be met when a prescribed restart standby period (for example, about 3 seconds) has passed.

[0136] Even in the transfer of authority of the advanced driving assistance system as in the second embodiment described so far, the same effect as in the first embodiment is achieved, and inadvertent overriding control can be suppressed, and the driving switch to the driver can be properly implemented. In addition, in the second embodiment, the advanced driving assistance mode is equivalent to the "automatic driving state", the driving information acquisition unit 180a is equivalent to the "operation information acquisition unit", and the vehicle control ECU 180 is equivalent to the "driving switch control device".

[0137] (Other Embodiments)

[0138] Although a plurality of embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, the present disclosure is not intended to be limitatively interpreted to the above embodiments, and the present disclosure can be applied to various embodiments and combinations within the scope not departing from the gist of the present disclosure.

[0139] In the above embodiment, as multiple operation objects, the accelerator pedal 14, the brake pedal 15, and the steering wheel 16 are exemplified. However, the operation objects to which the acceleration operation, the brake operation, and the steering operation are input are not limited to the above structures. For example, the structure of the operating system may be such that the operation object such as a lever provided in place of each pedal and handle is set as either an allowed operation object or an unallowed operation object based on each detection information.

[0140] In the above-mentioned embodiment, when both the pressure distribution of the sitting surface and the position of the right foot are appropriate, it is determined that the sitting state is suitable for the operation of stepping on the brake pedal. However, as long as the sitting state is good, it can be inferred that the state is in which each pedal can be operated, and as long as the state is in which each pedal can be operated, it can be inferred that the sitting state is good. Therefore, if only one of the pressure distribution of the sitting surface and the position of the right foot is appropriate, it can be determined that the sitting state is suitable for driving operations. And, as detection information indicating the sitting state, in a method of obtaining only one side of the pressure distribution of the sitting surface and the position of the right foot, the suitability of the sitting state can be determined based on the detection information of the one side. In addition, instead of the above-mentioned seat surface pressure distribution sensor 39 and seat surface sensor, a seat belt sensor that detects the installation of a seat belt can be used as a sensor for obtaining detection information related to the sitting state.

[0141] In the above embodiment, when both the sight line direction and the facial orientation are appropriate, it is determined that the driving posture is suitable for accepting the steering operation. However, if only one of the sight line direction and the facial orientation is appropriate, it can be determined that the driving posture is in a state suitable for accepting the steering operation. In the case of such a structure, the information extracted from the photographing data of the facial camera can be only one of the sight line direction and the facial orientation.

[0142] In the above-mentioned embodiment, the update cycle of a plurality of determination results indicating the suitability of the driving posture is the same as the repetition cycle of the override control process, or is shorter than the repetition cycle. However, the update cycle of a specific determination result may also be set to be longer than the repetition cycle of the override control process. In this case, in the override control process, the setting of the allowed operation object and the not allowed operation object is implemented with reference to the latest determination result. In addition, the update cycle of each determination result and the repetition cycle of the override control process may also be appropriately changed.

[0143] In the above-mentioned embodiment, when the steering override control is accepted, the driving mode is switched to any one of the manual driving mode and the cooperative driving mode. For the determination of the side that decides to switch between these manual driving mode and the cooperative driving mode, the steering operation amount, the steering operation torque, the steering operation duration, etc. are used as operation values. However, the parameters used for the operation values ​​can be appropriately changed. For example, the angular velocity of the steering operation in the steering operation, etc. can be used as the operation value. In this method, when a faster steering operation is input, the switch to the manual driving mode is implemented, and when a slow steering operation is input, the switch to the cooperative driving mode is implemented.

[0144] In the above embodiment, when an acceleration override and a steering override with a small operation amount occur, the automatic driving function is not stopped, but the switch to the cooperative driving mode is implemented. However, when the cooperative driving mode is not set and the override operation is accepted, the automatic driving function can be stopped immediately.

[0145] In the above-mentioned embodiment, the suitability of the sitting state, the direction of sight and the face, and the holding state is determined based on a plurality of detection information. In other words, the automatic driving ECU obtains the detection information required for determining the suitability of the sitting state, the direction of sight and the face, and the holding state from the various sensors on the vehicle. Such a plurality of detection information related to the driving posture, and each state of the driving posture for determining the suitability based on each detection information can also be appropriately changed. In addition, the setting method of the allowed operation objects and the not allowed operation objects based on each state of the driving posture can also be appropriately changed.

[0146] In the above embodiment, when a driving operation is input to an operation-unpermitted object, the reporting device can report to the driver through display or sound, etc. that the driving operation is not accepted. Through such information prompt, the driving change control device can guide the driver's driving posture to a proper state. In addition, the reporting device for reporting non-acceptance of the override control is not limited to a display device and a speaker device, and can also be a tactile prompt device, etc.

[0147] The function of the driving conversion control device can be realized by a structure different from the above-mentioned automatic driving ECU50 and vehicle control ECU180. For example, a processing unit provided in HCU20 or the like can implement the driving conversion control method according to the present disclosure. Alternatively, the driving conversion control program according to the present disclosure can also be implemented by a processing unit of an electronic control unit that integrates the functions of two or more of the automatic driving ECU, the vehicle control ECU, and the HCU. In addition, if the automatic driving system integrates the functions of the HCU into the automatic driving ECU, the detection information of the DSM and the seat pressure distribution sensor can be directly input into the automatic driving ECU.

[0148] Furthermore, a plurality of electronic control unit processing units may cooperate to implement the driving conversion control method according to the present disclosure. As described above, various functions related to driving conversion may be properly implemented by various electronic control units mounted on the vehicle. Furthermore, various non-transitorytangible storage media such as flash memory and hard disk may be used as a structure for storing driving conversion programs executed by various processing units.

[0149] The present disclosure is described based on the embodiments, but it should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments and structures. The present disclosure also includes various modifications and variations within the equivalent range. Moreover, various combinations and methods, further including only one element, more than one, or less than one of them, other combinations and methods are also included in the scope and scope of thought of the present disclosure.

[0150] The flowchart or the processing of the flowchart recorded in the present disclosure is composed of multiple parts (or steps), each part is represented by S101, for example. Further, each part can be divided into multiple sub-parts, and on the other hand, multiple parts can be combined into one part. Further, each part thus constituted can be called a circuit, a device, a module, or a method.

[0151] In addition, each or a combination of the above-mentioned multiple parts can be realized not only as (i) a part of software combined with a hardware unit (e.g., a computer), but also as (ii) a part of hardware (e.g., an integrated circuit, a wired logic circuit), including or not including the functions of the related device. Furthermore, the hardware part can also be constructed inside a microcomputer.

Claims

1. A driving switch control device, in a vehicle having an automatic driving function capable of performing driving operations on behalf of a driver, for controlling driving switch between the driver and the automatic driving function, comprising: An operation information acquisition unit that acquires operation information based on driving operations input to a plurality of operation objects, the plurality of operation objects at least including an acceleration unit and a braking unit; a driving state switching unit that, in an automatic driving state in which the automatic driving function controls the driving of the vehicle, performs an override control for switching from the automatic driving state to another driving state based on an input driving operation to at least one of the plurality of operation objects, and in the other driving state, reflects the driving operation of the driver to the driving state of the vehicle; a posture determination unit that acquires detection information related to the driving posture of the driver and determines whether the detection information indicates a state suitable for driving operation; as well as The allowed object setting unit independently sets allowed operation objects that accept the above-mentioned override control and unallowed operation objects that do not accept the above-mentioned override control for at least the above-mentioned acceleration unit and the above-mentioned braking unit among the plurality of the above-mentioned operation objects based on whether the above-mentioned detection information indicates a state suitable for driving operation, The posture determination unit acquires information indicating the driver's sitting state as the detection information, and determines whether the sitting state is a state suitable for driving operation. When it is determined that the seated state is a state suitable for driving operation, the permission object setting unit sets the brake unit as the permission operation object. When it is determined that the sitting state is a state suitable for driving operation, the permission object setting unit sets the braking unit as the permission operation object even if it is determined that the driving posture other than the sitting state is not a state suitable for driving operation.

2. The driving switching control device according to claim 1, wherein: The driving state switching unit stops the automatic driving function and switches to a manual driving state in which the driver controls the travel of the vehicle based on an input of a driving operation to the braking unit set as the permitted operation object.

3. The driving switching control device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The posture determination unit acquires information indicating the sight direction or facial orientation of the driver as the detection information, and determines whether the sight direction or facial orientation indicates a state suitable for driving operation. The permission target setting unit sets the accelerator as the non-permitted operation target when it is determined that the line of sight direction or the facial orientation is not in a state suitable for the driving operation.

4. The driving switching control device according to claim 3, wherein: In a case where it is determined that the line of sight direction or the facial orientation is not a state suitable for driving operation, the allowed object setting unit sets the acceleration unit as the not allowed operation object even if the driving posture other than the line of sight direction or the facial orientation is determined to be a state suitable for driving operation.

5. The driving switching control device according to claim 3, wherein: When it is determined that the line of sight direction or the facial orientation is in a state suitable for driving operation, the permission object setting unit sets the accelerator as the permission operation object, The driving state switching unit switches the driving state from the automatic driving state to the cooperative driving state based on the input of the driving operation of the accelerator unit set as the permitted operation object. In the cooperative driving state, the control performed by the automatic driving function and the driving operation performed by the driver cooperate to control the driving of the vehicle.

6. A driving transition control method, in which, in a vehicle having an automatic driving function capable of performing driving operations on behalf of a driver, the driving transition control method controls the driving transition between the driver and the automatic driving function, wherein: The processing is performed by at least one processing unit, including: acquiring detection information related to the driving posture of the driver in an automatic driving state in which the automatic driving function controls the driving of the vehicle; determining whether the detection information indicates a state suitable for driving operation; For at least an accelerator and a brake among a plurality of operation objects, based on whether each of the detection information indicates a state suitable for driving operation, independently setting an operation object that is permitted to accept the override control and an operation object that is not permitted to accept the override control; acquiring operation information based on driving operations input to the plurality of operation objects; accepting a driving operation on the permitted operation object as the override control, and switching from the automatic driving state to another driving state, and in the other driving state, reflecting the driving operation of the driver to the running state of the vehicle; and Driving operations on the above-mentioned non-permitted operation objects are not accepted as the above-mentioned override control. When information indicating the driver's sitting state is obtained as the detection information, determining whether the sitting state is a state suitable for driving operation, When it is determined that the seated state is a state suitable for driving operation, the brake unit is set as the permitted operation object. When it is determined that the sitting state is a state suitable for driving operation, the brake portion is set as the permitted operation object even if it is determined that the driving posture other than the sitting state is not a state suitable for driving operation.

Images