Vehicles, vehicle control methods and computer programs

Abstract

This invention provides a vehicle that can prevent the parked vehicle from contacting other moving objects. The vehicle includes: a lidar unit and a radar unit, which operate using power supplied from an auxiliary battery to detect moving objects around the vehicle; a lighting unit, which illuminates using power supplied from the auxiliary battery; a battery sensor unit, which acquires the charging rate of the auxiliary battery; and a lighting ECU, which, when the vehicle is parked on a road, the ambient illuminance of the vehicle is less than an ambient illuminance threshold, and the charging rate of the auxiliary battery is above a charging rate threshold, activates the lidar unit and the radar unit, and determines, based on the detection results of the lidar unit and the radar unit, whether there is a possibility of contact between the vehicle and a moving object, and activates the lighting unit if there is a possibility of contact.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a vehicle, a vehicle control method, and a computer program. More specifically, this invention relates to a vehicle, a vehicle control method, and a computer program for preventing the vehicle from contacting other moving objects while parked. Background Technology

[0002] In recent years, there has been a growing trend towards the widespread use of contact avoidance devices. These devices utilize cameras or sensors to monitor objects around a vehicle, thereby preventing contact between the vehicle and these objects. For example, the contact avoidance device shown in Patent Document 1 uses cameras or sensors to monitor the area around a moving vehicle. When these cameras or sensors detect objects (pedestrians, two-wheeled vehicles, and four-wheeled vehicles, etc.) that could potentially contact the vehicle, the device alerts the vehicle to these objects via light or sound, thereby preventing contact between the moving vehicle and the object.

[0003] [Existing Technical Documents]

[0004] [Patent Literature]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2020-102098 Summary of the Invention

[0006] [The problem the invention aims to solve]

[0007] Furthermore, in suburban areas with few streetlights, the presence of vehicles parked on the road at night is difficult to detect unless one is very close, sometimes leading to contact between bicycles or other two-wheeled vehicles and parked vehicles. However, while proposed contact avoidance technologies to date envision avoiding contact between moving vehicles and other moving objects, contact between parked vehicles with their lights off and other moving objects has not been sufficiently studied.

[0008] The purpose of this invention is to provide a vehicle, a vehicle control method, and a computer program that can prevent the vehicle from contacting other moving objects while parked.

[0009] [Technical means to solve the problem]

[0010] (1) The vehicle of the present invention (e.g., vehicle 1 described below) is characterized by comprising: a moving object detection component (e.g., the on-board sensor ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 22, lidar units 72a, 72b, 72c, 72d, 72e, and radar units 73a, 73b, 73c, 73d, 73e described below), which operates using power supplied from a battery (e.g., auxiliary battery B described below) to detect moving objects (e.g., moving object 9 described below) around the vehicle; a lighting device (e.g., lighting group 5 described below), which illuminates using power supplied from the battery; a remaining balance acquisition component (e.g., battery sensor unit 77 and battery ECU 23 described below), which acquires the remaining balance of the battery; and a contact avoidance control component (e.g., lighting ECU 27 described below), which, when the vehicle is parked and the remaining balance is above a remaining balance threshold, activates the moving object detection component and illuminates the lighting device based on the detection result of the moving object detection component.

[0011] (2) Preferably, the vehicle further includes: an ambient illuminance detection component (e.g., illuminance sensor 76 described later) for detecting the ambient illuminance around the vehicle, and the contact avoidance control component for operating the moving body detection component when the ambient illuminance is less than the ambient illuminance threshold.

[0012] (3) Preferably, the vehicle further includes: a parking position acquisition component (e.g., GPS sensor 75 and navigation ECU 24 described later) to acquire the parking position of the vehicle, and the contact avoidance control component to operate the moving body detection component when the parking position is on the road.

[0013] (4) Preferably, the contact avoidance control component determines whether there is a possibility of contact between the moving body and the vehicle based on the detection result of the moving body detection component, and turns on the illuminator if it is determined that there is a possibility of contact.

[0014] (5) Preferably, the vehicle further includes: a vehicle-to-vehicle communication component (e.g., the vehicle-to-vehicle communication ECU 25 and the second vehicle-mounted communication device 42 described later), which can communicate with a mobile communication device mounted on the mobile body (e.g., the mobile communication device 91 described later), and the contact avoidance control component sends a warning notification from the vehicle-to-vehicle communication component to the mobile communication device based on the detection result of the mobile body detection component.

[0015] (6) Preferably, the contact avoidance control component sends the warning notification from the vehicle-to-vehicle communication component to the mobile communication device, and then turns on the light.

[0016] [The effects of the invention]

[0017] (1) In the vehicle of the present invention, when the vehicle is parked and the remaining battery level is above a predetermined threshold, the contact avoidance control unit uses the battery power to operate a movement detection unit that detects moving objects around the vehicle, and illuminates the lights based on the detection result of the movement detection unit. Thus, for example, in the case of a moving object approaching the parked vehicle at night in a suburban area with few streetlights, the lights mounted on the vehicle can be illuminated, allowing the moving object to recognize the vehicle's presence, thereby preventing contact between the moving object and the vehicle. Furthermore, in the present invention, by operating the movement detection unit when the remaining battery level is above the threshold, it also prevents the situation where the remaining battery level unexpectedly drops too low while the vehicle is parked, causing an obstacle when starting the vehicle again.

[0018] (2) In the vehicle of the present invention, the contact avoidance control component operates the moving object detection component when the ambient illuminance detected by the ambient illuminance detection component is less than the ambient illuminance, that is, when it is dark around the vehicle. As a result, unnecessary reduction of battery charge can be suppressed during the period when it is bright around the vehicle and contact between a parked vehicle and a moving object is less likely to occur.

[0019] (3) In the vehicle of the present invention, when the contact avoidance control component is parked on the road, that is, when there is a possibility of contact with a moving object traveling on the road, the moving object detection component is activated. As a result, unnecessary reduction of battery capacity can be suppressed when the parking position is not on the road, that is, when the possibility of contact with a moving object is low.

[0020] (4) In the vehicle of the present invention, the contact avoidance control component determines the possibility of contact between the vehicle and a moving object based on the detection result of the moving object detection component, and activates the lights when the possibility of contact is determined to be present. This suppresses unnecessary reduction in battery capacity caused by activating the lights when there is no possibility of contact.

[0021] (5) In the vehicle of the present invention, the contact avoidance control unit sends a warning notification from the vehicle-to-vehicle communication unit to the mobile communication device mounted on the mobile body based on the detection result of the mobile body detection unit. As a result, the driver operating the mobile body can receive the warning notification in addition to the illumination of the lights, thus enabling more reliable identification of the presence of a parked vehicle.

[0022] (6) Generally speaking, the power required to turn on the lights is greater than the power required to operate the vehicle-to-vehicle communication components. Therefore, in the vehicle of the present invention, the contact avoidance control component turns on the lights after sending a warning notification from the vehicle-to-vehicle communication component to the mobile communication device. This prevents a significant reduction in battery capacity caused by turning on the lights to a level more than necessary. Attached Figure Description

[0023] Figure 1 This diagram schematically illustrates the structure of a vehicle and driving support system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 2 A flowchart illustrating the specific sequence of contact avoidance controls during parking. Detailed Implementation

[0025] Hereinafter, the structure of a vehicle and a driving support system including the vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0026] Figure 1 This diagram schematically illustrates the structure of the vehicle 1 and the driving support system S equipped with the vehicle 1 according to this embodiment. Figure 1 The upper section represents a plan view of vehicle 1. Figure 1 The lower section represents a side view. Furthermore, the following description refers to a four-wheeled vehicle with right-hand drive, where the driver's seat is located on the right side of the vehicle width direction when viewed from the direction of travel; however, the invention is not limited to this. The vehicle may also be a four-wheeled vehicle with left-hand drive, where the driver's seat is located on the left side of the vehicle width direction when viewed from the direction of travel. The driving support system S consists of the vehicle 1 and at least one mobile body 9 that travels around the vehicle 1 and can communicate with the vehicle 1 directly wirelessly.

[0027] Vehicle 1 includes: an electric power steering system 31 for steering the left and right front wheels Wf; a power unit 32 for generating a driving force to rotate the front wheels Wf, which serve as drive wheels; a braking system 33 for generating a braking force to stop the front wheels Wf and the rear wheels Wr; vehicle communication devices 41 and 42 for wireless communication with external communication devices; a lighting group 5 consisting of multiple lights visible from outside the vehicle; a steering wheel 61 for driver control; an accelerator pedal 62 for driver acceleration and deceleration; a brake pedal 63 for driver deceleration; a lighting switch 64 for driver to turn the lighting group 5 on and off; a sensor unit 7 installed on the vehicle body; a control unit 2 for controlling various vehicle devices such as the electric power steering system 31 or the power unit 32 based on the detection signals from the sensor unit 7 or the driver's driving operations; and an auxiliary battery B.

[0028] The electric power steering system 31 includes: a gearbox 31b, which connects a pinion shaft 31a extending from the steering wheel 61 to the left and right front wheels Wf; an electric motor 31c, which is installed in the gearbox 31b; and a steering sensor 31d, which detects the steering angle or steering speed of the steering wheel 61.

[0029] The gearbox 31b includes a rack shaft extending along the vehicle width direction and meshing with a pinion shaft 31a, and tie rods connecting the two ends of the rack shaft to the left and right front wheels Wf. It converts the rotational motion of the steering wheels 61 caused by the driver's steering operation into motion along the vehicle width direction, thereby turning the left and right front wheels Wf in the direction of travel. The electric motor 31c rotates according to a control signal output from the steering ECU 21 (described later in the control unit 2), generating a driving force to assist the driver's steering operation or to automatically steer the front wheels Wf. The steering sensor 31d detects the steering angle or steering speed of the steering wheels 61 and sends a signal corresponding to the detected value to the steering ECU 21 of the control unit 2.

[0030] The power unit 32 is a source of driving force, generating a driving force that rotates the front wheels Wf, which are the drive wheels, in order to make the vehicle 1 move forward or backward in the direction of travel. The following description uses an engine and a transmission as the power unit 32. The engine generates driving force corresponding to a control signal output from the control unit 2 by consuming fuel stored in a fuel tank (not shown). The transmission changes the speed of the engine's output and transmits it to the front wheels Wf, but the invention is not limited to this. In addition to an engine and a transmission, a drive motor that consumes electricity supplied by a high-voltage battery or fuel cell stack (not shown) to generate the driving force that rotates the front wheels Wf can also be used as the power unit 32.

[0031] The braking device 33 includes a disc brake and a parking brake. The disc brake, based on the driver's deceleration operation on the brake pedal 63 or the control signal output from the control unit 2, mainly tightens the discs on the axles of each wheel Wf and Wr during driving, thereby generating braking force to decelerate or stop the rotation of each wheel Wf and Wr. The parking brake mainly generates braking force to maintain the state of stopping the rotation of each wheel Wr and Wf when the vehicle is stopped.

[0032] The lighting group 5 consists of front lights 51, rear lights 52, and turn indicators 53. The front lights 51 consist of headlights or position lights located on both sides of the front of the vehicle 1 in the width direction. The rear lights 52 consist of taillights or brake lights located on both sides of the rear of the vehicle 1 in the width direction. The turn indicators 53 include a right turn indicator, located on the right side when viewed from both the front and rear of the vehicle 1 in the direction of travel; and a left turn indicator, located on the left side when viewed from both the front and rear of the vehicle 1 in the direction of travel. These front lights 51, rear lights 52, and turn indicators 53 are illuminated by consuming power supplied from the auxiliary battery B, based on control signals output from the lighting ECU 27 of the control unit 2.

[0033] The sensor unit 7 includes a camera unit 71, multiple (e.g., 5) lidar units 72a, 72b, 72c, 72d, 72e, multiple (e.g., 5) radar units 73a, 73b, 73c, 73d, 73e, a gyroscope sensor 74, a GPS (Global Positioning System) sensor 75, an illuminance sensor 76, and a battery sensor unit 77.

[0034] Camera unit 71 is a camera that captures images of the front of vehicle 1. For example, camera unit 71 is mounted on the roof of vehicle 1, inside the vehicle, near the front window. Images captured by camera unit 71 are sent to the on-board sensor ECU 22 of control unit 2 (described later).

[0035] LiDAR units 72a to 72e are Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) units that detect objects around vehicle 1 by measuring the scattered light from an object illuminated by a pulsed laser. The first LiDAR unit 72a is positioned at the right corner of the front of vehicle 1, looking in the direction of travel, and detects objects slightly to the right of the front of vehicle 1. The second LiDAR unit 72b is positioned at the left corner of the front of vehicle 1, looking in the direction of travel, and detects objects slightly to the left of the front of vehicle 1. The third LiDAR unit 72c is positioned at the center of the rear of vehicle 1 in the width direction and detects objects behind vehicle 1. The fourth LiDAR unit 72d is positioned at the rear of the right side of vehicle 1 and detects objects slightly behind and to the right of vehicle 1. The fifth LiDAR unit 72e is positioned at the rear of the left side of vehicle 1 and detects objects slightly behind and to the left of vehicle 1. The detection signals from these LiDAR units 72a to 72e are sent to the onboard sensor ECU 22 of control unit 2.

[0036] Radar units 73a to 73e are millimeter-wave radars that detect objects around vehicle 1 by measuring the reflected waves from objects irradiated with millimeter waves. The first radar unit 73a is positioned at the right corner of the front of vehicle 1 along the direction of travel, detecting objects slightly to the right of the front of vehicle 1. The second radar unit 73b is positioned at the left corner of the front of vehicle 1 along the direction of travel, detecting objects slightly to the left of the front of vehicle 1. The third radar unit 73c is positioned at the center of the width direction of the front of vehicle 1, detecting objects in front of vehicle 1. The fourth radar unit 73d is positioned at the right corner of the rear of vehicle 1 along the direction of travel, detecting objects slightly to the right of the rear of vehicle 1. The fifth radar unit 73e is positioned at the left corner of the rear of vehicle 1 along the direction of travel, detecting objects slightly to the left of the rear of vehicle 1. The detection signals from these radar units 73a to 73e are sent to the onboard sensor ECU 22 of control unit 2.

[0037] The gyroscope sensor 74 sends a signal corresponding to the rotational movement of the vehicle 1 to the navigation ECU 24 of the control unit 2 (described later). The GPS sensor 75 sends a signal corresponding to the current position of the vehicle 1 to the navigation ECU 24 of the control unit 2. The illuminance sensor 76 sends a signal corresponding to the ambient illuminance, which is the illuminance around the vehicle 1, to the lighting ECU 27 of the control unit 2.

[0038] The battery sensor unit 77 comprises a voltage sensor for detecting the terminal voltage of the auxiliary battery B, a current sensor for detecting the current flowing in the auxiliary battery B, and a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the auxiliary battery B. The detection signal from the battery sensor unit 77 is sent to the battery ECU 23 of the control unit 2 (described later).

[0039] These camera units 71, lidar units 72a-72e, radar units 73a-73e, gyroscope sensor 74, GPS sensor 75, illuminance sensor 76, and battery sensor unit 77 operate by consuming power supplied from auxiliary battery B.

[0040] The first vehicle communication device 41 wirelessly communicates with a server that provides map information or traffic information, acquires this information, and sends it to the navigation ECU 24 of the control unit 2. The second vehicle communication device 42 wirelessly communicates with the mobile communication device 91 mounted on a mobile body 9 traveling around the vehicle 1, and exchanges information between the vehicle 1 and the mobile body 9.

[0041] The control unit 2 includes multiple ECUs 20-29 that are communicatively connected via an in-vehicle network. Each ECU 20-29 is a computer that includes a processor (represented by a CPU), memory devices such as semiconductor memory, and interfaces for external devices. The memory devices of each ECU 20-29 store computer programs executed by the processor or data processed by the processor. Each ECU 20-29 may also have multiple processors, memory devices, and interfaces. The functions of each ECU 20-29 will be described below. Furthermore, the number of ECUs and the functions of each ECU 20-29 can be appropriately designed, and can be further subdivided or integrated than in this embodiment.

[0042] The autonomous driving ECU 20 is a computer primarily responsible for controls related to the autonomous driving of vehicle 1. In autonomous driving, it automatically controls both steering and acceleration / deceleration of vehicle 1, or either of these. Specific examples of autonomous driving controls performed by the autonomous driving ECU 20 include: lane keeping control, lane departure mitigation control (road departure mitigation control), lane change control, follow-the-car control, collision mitigation braking control, and false start prevention control.

[0043] Lane keeping control is one type of position control for vehicle 1 within a lane, ensuring that vehicle 1 travels automatically (without driver intervention) along a designated path within the lane. Lane departure mitigation control, another type of position control for vehicle 1 within a lane, detects white lines or the central divider and automatically steers the vehicle 1 to prevent it from crossing these lines or dividers. Therefore, lane departure mitigation control and lane keeping control have different functions.

[0044] Lane change control refers to the control that automatically moves vehicle 1 from its current lane to an adjacent lane. Follow-up control refers to the control that automatically follows other vehicles traveling in front of vehicle 1. Collision mitigation braking control is the control that automatically brakes to assist in avoiding a collision when the probability of a collision with an obstacle in front of the vehicle increases. Accidental start suppression control is the control that limits the acceleration of vehicle 1 and suppresses sudden starts when the driver accelerates beyond a predetermined amount while vehicle 1 is stationary.

[0045] The steering ECU 21 is a computer primarily responsible for controlling the electric power steering system 31. The steering ECU 21 assists the driver in steering the wheels 61 by inputting control signals generated based on the steering angle or steering speed detected by the steering sensor 31d to the electric motor 31c. Furthermore, when the vehicle 1 is in automatic driving mode, the steering ECU 21 generates driving force for automatic steering of the front wheels Wf by inputting control signals generated according to instructions from the automatic driving ECU 20 to the electric motor 31c, thereby controlling the direction of travel of the vehicle 1.

[0046] The vehicle sensor ECU22 controls the camera unit 71, lidar units 72a-72e and radar units 73a-73e in the sensor unit 7 to detect objects around the vehicle 1, and processes the information from the detection results of these units 71, 72a-72e and 73a-73e.

[0047] More specifically, the vehicle-mounted sensor ECU22 can detect the distance to the object, the speed of the object, extract the outline of the object, or extract lane dividers (white lines, etc.) on the road by analyzing the images captured by the camera unit 71 or the detection signals from the lidar units 72a-72e and the radar units 73a-73e. Therefore, in this embodiment, the motion detection component for detecting moving objects around the vehicle consists of the vehicle-mounted sensor ECU22, the camera unit 71, the lidar units 72a-72e, and the radar units 73a-73e.

[0048] The battery ECU 23 calculates the charging rate of the auxiliary battery (expressed as a percentage of the battery's capacity, increasing according to the remaining capacity of the auxiliary battery B) based on the terminal voltage, current, and temperature detected by the battery sensor unit 77, using a known algorithm. Therefore, in this embodiment, the remaining capacity acquisition component for the auxiliary battery B consists of the battery ECU 23 and the battery sensor unit 77.

[0049] The navigation ECU 24 is a computer that controls the gyroscope sensor 74, GPS sensor 75, and the first vehicle communication device 41, and processes the information from the detection or communication results of these sensors. More specifically, the navigation ECU 24 obtains the vehicle 1's current route, current driving position, and current parking position based on the detection results of the gyroscope sensor 74 and GPS sensor 75 or a map information database 78 built in storage devices. Furthermore, the navigation ECU 24 can also perform path exploration from the current location to the destination based on map information or traffic information obtained via the first vehicle communication device 41. Therefore, in this embodiment, the parking position acquisition component for obtaining the vehicle's parking position consists of the navigation ECU 24, the GPS sensor 75, and the database 78.

[0050] The vehicle-to-vehicle communication ECU 25 is a computer primarily responsible for controlling the second vehicle-mounted communication device 42. When a mobile body 9 exists around the vehicle 1, and this mobile body 9 is equipped with a mobile body communication device 91 that can wirelessly communicate with the second vehicle-mounted communication device 42, the vehicle-to-vehicle communication ECU 25 transmits various information to the mobile body communication device 91 via the second vehicle-mounted communication device 42. Therefore, in this embodiment, the vehicle-to-vehicle communication component capable of communicating with the mobile body communication device 91 mounted on the mobile body 9 near the vehicle consists of the vehicle-to-vehicle communication ECU 25 and the second vehicle-mounted communication device 42.

[0051] The power unit ECU 26 is a computer primarily responsible for controlling the power unit 32. The power unit ECU 26 controls the engine output based on the driver's acceleration / deceleration operations on the accelerator pedal 62, or switches the transmission gears based on information such as vehicle speed detected by a vehicle speed sensor (not shown). Furthermore, when the vehicle 1 is in automatic driving mode, the power unit ECU 26 automatically controls the power unit 32 based on instructions from the automatic driving ECU 20, controlling the acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle 1.

[0052] The lighting ECU 27 is the computer primarily responsible for controlling the lighting group 5. While the vehicle 1 is in motion, the lighting ECU 27 activates or deactivates the various lights constituting the lighting group 5 based on the driver's operation of the lighting switch 64 or the ambient illuminance detected by the illuminance sensor 76. Furthermore, when the vehicle 1 is in automatic driving mode, the lighting ECU 27 activates or deactivates the various lights constituting the lighting group 5 based on commands from the automatic driving ECU 20 or the ambient illuminance detected by the illuminance sensor 76. Moreover, when the vehicle 1 is stationary, the lighting ECU 27, as will be referred to below... Figure 2The described contact avoidance control during parking causes the various lights constituting the lighting group 5 to turn on or off, thereby preventing the parked vehicle 1 from contacting other moving objects. Therefore, in this embodiment, the contact avoidance control component that performs the contact avoidance control during parking is composed of the lighting ECU 27.

[0053] The braking system ECU 29 is a computer primarily responsible for controlling the braking system 33 or the parking locking mechanism of the transmission. The braking system ECU 29 controls the disc brake based on the driver's deceleration operation on the brake pedal 63. Furthermore, when the vehicle 1 is in automatic driving mode, the braking system ECU 29 automatically controls the disc brake based on instructions from the automatic driving ECU 20, controlling the deceleration and stopping of the vehicle 1. Moreover, when the vehicle 1 is parked, the braking system ECU 29 activates the parking brake based on the driver's operation of the parking brake button (not shown) and activates the parking locking mechanism located on the transmission based on the driver's operation of the gear shift lever (not shown).

[0054] These autonomous driving ECUs 20, steering ECU 21, on-board sensor ECU 22, battery ECU 23, navigation ECU 24, vehicle-to-vehicle communication ECU 25, power equipment ECU 26, lighting ECU 27, and braking device ECU 29 operate by consuming power supplied from auxiliary battery B.

[0055] Moving body 9 Figure 1 The example, for instance, is an autonomous two-wheeled vehicle, comprising: a mobile communication device 91, capable of wireless communication between the vehicle and a second vehicle-mounted communication device 42 of the vehicle 1; and a notification device 92 connected to the mobile communication device 91. The notification device 92 informs the driver of the content of the information received by the mobile communication device 91 in a form recognizable to the driver of the mobile vehicle 9. Hereinafter, the use of an indicator as the notification device 92 will be described, which displays a message corresponding to the information received by the mobile communication device 91 or illuminates a warning light, but the invention is not limited thereto. Alternatively, a headgear that generates a sound corresponding to the information received by the mobile communication device 91 may be used as the notification device 92.

[0056] Figure 2 A flowchart illustrating the specific sequence of contact avoidance controls during parking. Figure 2 The steps shown are implemented by the lighting ECU 27 executing a computer program stored in a storage device (not shown) in response to the vehicle 1 coming to a stop. Furthermore, at the start... Figure 2When the vehicle stops, the contact avoidance control is activated at the designated time point, and power is not supplied from the auxiliary battery B to the lighting group 5, lidar units 72a-72e, radar units 73a-73e, vehicle sensor ECU22, vehicle-to-vehicle communication ECU25, and second vehicle communication device 42. As a result, these lighting groups 5 and lidar units 72a-72e do not operate.

[0057] First, in step ST1, the lighting ECU 27 determines whether the vehicle's current parking position is on the road. If the result of the determination in step ST1 is yes (YES), the system proceeds to step ST2; otherwise, it ends. Figure 2 The process is as shown. That is, if the vehicle's current parking position is not on the road, the lighting ECU27 determines that the probability of another moving object contacting the parked vehicle is low, and then terminates the process. Figure 2 The processing shown.

[0058] Next, in step ST2, the lighting ECU 27 determines whether the charging rate of the auxiliary battery B is above a predetermined charging rate threshold. If the result of step ST2 is yes, the lighting ECU 27 proceeds to step ST3; otherwise, it ends. Figure 2 The process is as shown. Specifically, if the charging rate of the auxiliary battery B, which supplies power to the lighting group 5 or sensor unit 7, is insufficient, the lighting ECU 27 terminates the process to prevent the charging rate of the auxiliary battery B from decreasing excessively during parking. Figure 2 The processing shown.

[0059] Next, in step ST3, the lighting ECU 27 determines whether the ambient illuminance around the vehicle is less than a predetermined ambient illuminance threshold. If the determination result in step ST3 is yes, the lighting ECU 27 proceeds to step ST4; otherwise, it returns to step ST2. That is, if the ambient light around the vehicle is sufficiently bright, the lighting ECU 27 determines that the possibility of other moving objects contacting the vehicle parked on the road is low, and therefore does not activate the lidar units 72a-72e and the radar units 73a-73e, returning to step ST2.

[0060] Next, in step ST4, the lighting ECU27 supplies power from the auxiliary battery B to the lidar units 72a-72e, radar units 73a-73e, vehicle sensor ECU22, vehicle-to-vehicle communication ECU25, and second vehicle communication device 42, thereby enabling the lidar units 72a-72e and radar units 73a-73e to operate, and then proceeds to step ST5.

[0061] Next, in step ST5, the lighting ECU 27 uses the calculation results of the vehicle sensor ECU 22 based on the detection signals from the lidar units 72a-72e and the radar units 73a-73e to determine whether there is a moving object approaching the vehicle at a predetermined speed or higher within a first determination distance along the longitudinal direction from the vehicle. If the determination result in step ST5 is negative, the lighting ECU 27 determines that there is no possibility of the vehicle contacting other moving objects and returns to step ST2. Conversely, if the determination result in step ST5 is positive, the lighting ECU 27 determines that there is a possibility of the vehicle contacting other moving objects and proceeds to step ST6.

[0062] Next, in step ST6, the lighting ECU 27 communicates with the mobile communication device 91 mounted on the approaching mobile body 9 via the second vehicle communication device 42. After sending a warning notification from the second vehicle communication device 42 to the mobile communication device 91 indicating the presence of the vehicle in the path of the mobile body 9, the process proceeds to step ST7. Thus, the notification device 92 of the mobile body 9 informs the driver of the mobile body 9 of the presence of a vehicle in the path of the vehicle by displaying a message corresponding to the received warning notification or illuminating the warning lights.

[0063] Next, in step ST7, the lighting ECU 27 uses the calculation results of the vehicle sensor ECU 22 based on the detection signals from the lidar units 72a-72e and the radar units 73a-73e to determine whether there is a moving object approaching the vehicle at a predetermined speed or higher within a second determination distance along the longitudinal direction from the vehicle. Here, the second determination distance is set to be shorter than the first determination distance. If the determination result of step ST7 is negative, the lighting ECU 27 returns to step ST5. Moreover, if the determination result of step ST7 is positive, the lighting ECU 27 determines that the possibility of the vehicle contacting other moving objects has further increased, and proceeds to step ST8.

[0064] Next, in step ST8, the lighting ECU 27 illuminates all or any one of the multiple lights or turn indicators constituting the lighting group 5, and then returns to step ST5. Here, the lighting ECU 27 can illuminate only the lights or turn indicators located at the rear of the vehicle 1 when the moving body 9 approaches from the rear of the vehicle, and can illuminate only the lights or turn indicators located at the front of the vehicle 1 when the moving body 9 approaches from the front of the vehicle.

[0065] The vehicle 1 according to this embodiment has the following effects.

[0066] (1) In vehicle 1, when the vehicle is parked and the auxiliary battery B has a charging rate above a predetermined charging rate threshold, the lighting ECU 27 uses the power from the auxiliary battery B to operate the lidar units 72a-72e and radar units 73a-73e that detect moving objects around the vehicle. Based on the detection results of these lidar units 72a-72e and radar units 73a-73e, the lighting units constituting the lighting group 5 are turned on. Thus, for example, if a moving object 9 traveling at night in a suburban area with few streetlights approaches the parked vehicle, the lighting units mounted on the vehicle can be turned on to allow the moving object to recognize the vehicle's presence, thereby preventing the moving object from contacting the vehicle. Furthermore, in vehicle 1, when the charging rate of auxiliary battery B is above the charging rate threshold, the lidar units 72a-72e and radar units 73a-73e are operated, thereby preventing the following situation: the charging rate of auxiliary battery B is unexpectedly reduced excessively while the vehicle is parked, causing an obstacle when the vehicle is started again.

[0067] (2) In vehicle 1, when the ambient illuminance detected by illuminance sensor 76 is less than the ambient illuminance threshold, that is, when the area around the vehicle is relatively dark, the lighting ECU 27 operates the lidar units 72a-72e and the radar units 73a-73e. As a result, unnecessary reduction in the charging rate of the auxiliary battery B can be suppressed during the period when the area around the vehicle is bright and it is not easy for the parked vehicle 1 to come into contact with the moving body 9.

[0068] (3) In vehicle 1, when the lighting ECU 27 is parked on the road, that is, when there is a possibility of contact with a moving object traveling on the road, the lidar units 72a-72e and radar units 73a-73e are operated. As a result, unnecessary reduction in the charging rate of the auxiliary battery B can be suppressed when the parking position is not on the road, that is, when the possibility of contact with the moving object 9 is low.

[0069] (4) In vehicle 1, the lighting ECU 27 determines the possibility of contact between the moving object 9 and the vehicle based on the detection results of the lidar units 72a-72e and the radar units 73a-73e, and turns on the lighting if the possibility of contact is determined to be present. This can suppress the unnecessary reduction of the auxiliary battery B's capacity caused by turning on the lighting when there is no possibility of contact.

[0070] (5) In vehicle 1, the lighting ECU 27 sends a warning notification from the second vehicle communication device 42 to the mobile communication device 91 mounted on the mobile body 9 based on the detection results of the lidar units 72a-72e and radar units 73a-73e, etc. Thus, the driver operating the mobile body 9 can receive the warning notification in addition to the lighting of the lights, thereby more reliably identifying the presence of the parked vehicle 1.

[0071] (6) Generally speaking, the power required to turn on the lights is greater than the power required to operate the second vehicle communication device 42. Therefore, in vehicle 1, the lighting ECU 27 turns on the lights after sending a warning notification from the second vehicle communication device to the mobile communication device 91. This prevents a significant decrease in the charging rate of the auxiliary battery B caused by turning on the lights to a level that is more than necessary.

[0072] The above description illustrates one embodiment of the present invention, but the invention is not limited thereto. Appropriate modifications to the details can be made within the scope of the invention's intent.

[0073] For example, in the described embodiment, the GPS sensor 75 and navigation ECU 24 are used to determine whether the vehicle's current parking position is on the road, but the invention is not limited thereto. Whether the vehicle's current parking position is on the road can also be determined based on images of the vehicle's surroundings captured by the camera unit 71 when the vehicle is parked.

[0074] Figure Labels

[0075] S: Driving support system

[0076] 1: Vehicle

[0077] 2: Control Unit

[0078] 23: Battery ECU (Battery Balance Acquisition Component)

[0079] 24: Navigation ECU (Parking Location Acquisition Component)

[0080] 25: Vehicle-to-vehicle communication ECU (vehicle-to-vehicle communication component)

[0081] 27: Lighting ECU (Contact Avoidance Control Unit)

[0082] 42: Second vehicle-mounted communication device (vehicle-to-vehicle communication component)

[0083] 5: Illuminator group (illuminator)

[0084] 7: Sensor Unit

[0085] 72a, 72b, 72c, 72d, 72e: LiDAR unit (moving object detection component)

[0086] 73a, 73b, 73c, 73d, 73e: Radar unit (moving object detection component)

[0087] 75: GPS sensor (parking location acquisition component)

[0088] 76: Illuminance sensor (ambient illuminance detection component)

[0089] 77: Battery sensor unit (balance acquisition component)

[0090] 78: Database (Parking Location Acquisition Component)

[0091] B: Auxiliary battery (battery)

[0092] 9: Moving objects

[0093] 91: Mobile communication device

[0094] 92: Notification device

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising: a moving body detection means that operates using electric power supplied from a battery, detects a moving body around the vehicle; a light that lights up using electric power supplied from the battery; and a remaining amount acquisition means that acquires a remaining amount of the battery, and characterized by comprising: a vehicle-to-vehicle communication means that is capable of communicating with a moving body communication device mounted on the moving body; and a contact avoidance control means that causes the moving body detection means to operate and causes the light to light up based on a detection result of the moving body detection means in a case where the vehicle is in a stopped state and the remaining amount is equal to or greater than a remaining amount threshold value, the contact avoidance control means causing the light to light up after transmitting a warning notification from the vehicle-to-vehicle communication means to the moving body communication device based on the detection result of the moving body detection means. Further comprising: an ambient illuminance detection means that detects an ambient illuminance around the vehicle, the contact avoidance control means causing the moving body detection means to operate in a case where the ambient illuminance is less than an ambient illuminance threshold value. Further comprising: a parking position acquisition means that acquires a parking position of the vehicle, the contact avoidance control means causing the moving body detection means to operate in a case where the parking position is on a road.

4. The vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the contact avoidance control means judges whether or not there is a possibility of contact between the moving body and the vehicle based on the detection result of the moving body detection means, and causes the light to light up in a case where it is judged that there is a possibility of contact.

5. A control method of a vehicle comprising: a moving body detection means that operates using electric power supplied from a battery, detects a moving body around the vehicle; a light that lights up using electric power supplied from the battery; and a vehicle-to-vehicle communication means that is capable of communicating with a moving body communication device mounted on the moving body, the control method of the vehicle characterized by comprising the steps of: judging whether or not the vehicle is in a stopped state; judging whether or not a remaining amount of the battery is equal to or greater than a remaining amount threshold value; causing the moving body detection means to operate in response to it being judged that the vehicle is in a stopped state and the remaining amount of the battery is equal to or greater than a remaining amount threshold value; and causing the light to light up after transmitting a warning notification from the vehicle-to-vehicle communication means to the moving body communication device based on a detection result of the moving body detection means.

6. A storage device storing a computer program for causing an on-vehicle computer of a vehicle to execute the steps described below, the vehicle comprising: a moving body detection means that operates using electric power supplied from a battery, detects a moving body around the vehicle; a light that lights up using electric power supplied from the battery; and a vehicle-to-vehicle communication means that is capable of communicating with a moving body communication device mounted on the moving body, and the steps being: judging whether or not the vehicle is in a stopped state; judging whether or not a remaining amount of the battery is equal to or greater than a remaining amount threshold value; causing the moving body detection means to operate in response to it being judged that the vehicle is in a stopped state and the remaining amount of the battery is equal to or greater than a remaining amount threshold value; and causing the light to light up after transmitting a warning notification from the vehicle-to-vehicle communication means to the moving body communication device based on a detection result of the moving body detection means. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein ​ ​ ​ 3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ The illuminator is turned on after a warning notification is transmitted from the inter-vehicle communication means to the mobile body communication device based on a detection result of the mobile body detection means.

Images