arithmetic device

Abstract

The present application provides an operation device capable of making clear the role sharing corresponding to a functional classification. The operation device is provided with: a first operation chip that performs an operation process for realizing a driving support function of a vehicle; and a second operation chip that performs an operation process for realizing the driving support function of the vehicle, wherein, in the driving support function, a second function realized by the first operation chip together with the second operation chip includes a function of providing at least a part of the first function in a state where a task arranged to a driver is reduced, as compared with a first function realized independently of the operation process of the second operation chip.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a computing device. Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, as a central processing unit of an in-vehicle network system, there is a known central processing unit that comprises a main functional unit that implements at least main functions including driving assistance, and an autonomous driving computing unit that performs calculations for autonomous driving as different functional blocks (Patent Document 1).

[0003] Prior art literature

[0004] Patent Literature

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2021-37781 Summary of the Invention

[0006] Problems to be solved by the invention

[0007] In the above-mentioned conventional technology, the role sharing according to the functional classification may not be clearly defined.

[0008] The present invention has been made in consideration of such circumstances, and one of its objects is to provide a computing device that can clearly share roles according to functional classification.

[0009] Solutions to Problems

[0010] The computing device of the present invention adopts the following structure.

[0011] (1): One embodiment of the present invention relates to a computing device, wherein the computing device comprises: a first computing chip that performs computing processing for realizing a driving support function of a vehicle; and a second computing chip that performs computing processing for realizing the driving support function of the vehicle, wherein, in the driving support function, a second function realized by the first computing chip together with the second computing chip includes the following function: providing at least a portion of the first function in a state where the tasks assigned to the driver are reduced, compared with a first function realized independently of the computing processing of the second computing chip.

[0012] (2): Based on the solution of (1) above, a third operation chip is further provided. The third operation chip is input with the result of the operation processing of the first operation chip and the result of the operation processing of the second operation chip, and determines whether the driving assistance function can be executed. The functional safety level of the third operation chip is higher than that of the first operation chip and the second operation chip.

[0013] (3): Based on the above-mentioned scheme (1) or (2), the first function includes at least a vehicle distance maintenance function, a driving path maintenance function and an obstacle deceleration function, and the second computing chip performs computing processing for determining whether the task can be reduced.

[0014] (4): Based on the solution of (3) above, the matching result between the position of the vehicle and the map information is input to the second operation chip, and the second operation chip performs operation processing based on the matching result to determine whether the task can be reduced.

[0015] (5): Based on any one of the above schemes (1) to (4), the second operation chip performs operation processing for alternative control when the driver's physical condition deteriorates or the health of the system including the operation device decreases.

[0016] (6): Another embodiment of the present invention relates to a computing device, wherein the computing device comprises: a first computing chip that performs computing processing for realizing a driving support function of a vehicle; and a substrate on which the first computing chip is mounted, wherein a vacant area for mounting a second computing chip is provided on the substrate, the second computing chip performs computing processing for realizing the driving support function of the vehicle, the first computing chip realizes a first function of the driving support function without relying on the computing processing of the second computing chip, and when the second computing chip is mounted on the substrate, the first computing chip together with the second computing chip realizes at least a part of the first function in a state in which the tasks assigned to the driver are reduced.

[0017] Effects of the Invention

[0018] According to the schemes (1) to (6), the role sharing according to the functional classification can be clarified. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] Figure 1 1 is a diagram illustrating a driving support system 100 using a computing device and equipment mounted on a vehicle on which the driving support system 100 is mounted.

[0020] Figure 2 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the driving support system 100 according to the first embodiment.

[0021] Figure 3 This is a diagram showing an example of state transition of the first arithmetic device 110 according to the first embodiment.

[0022] Figure 4 This is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a driving support system 100A according to the second embodiment.

[0023] Description of reference numerals:

[0024] 10. Camera

[0025] 12 Radar equipment

[0026] 16 Object Recognition Device

[0027] 30 HMI

[0028] 60 MPU

[0029] 70 Driver Monitoring Camera

[0030] 82 Steering wheel

[0031] 84 Steering wheel grip sensor

[0032] 100 Driving Support System

[0033] 110 First computing device

[0034] 120 First Computing Chip

[0035] 130 Second computing chip

[0036] 140 Third computing chip

[0037] 180 Second computing device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] The following describes embodiments of a computing device according to the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. The computing device performs computations for vehicle driving support. In the following embodiments, the computing device is mounted on the vehicle, but the computing device can also be located externally to provide driving support functions remotely.

[0039] Figure 1 This figure illustrates a driving support system 100 utilizing a computing device and the equipment mounted on a vehicle equipped with the driving support system 100. The vehicle equipped with the driving support system 100 (hereinafter referred to as vehicle M) is, for example, a two-wheeled, three-wheeled, or four-wheeled vehicle, and its driving source is an internal combustion engine such as a diesel engine or a gasoline engine, an electric motor, or a combination thereof. The electric motor operates using power generated by a generator connected to the internal combustion engine, or power discharged from a secondary battery or fuel cell.

[0040] The vehicle M is equipped with, for example, a camera 10, a radar device 12, an object recognition device 16, a communication device 20, an HMI (Human Machine Interface) 30, a vehicle sensor 40, a navigation device 50, an MPU (Map Positioning Unit) 60, a driver monitoring camera 70, a driving operating element 80, a driving support system 100, a driving force output device 200, a braking device 210, a steering device 220, and a body ECU 240. These devices and equipment are interconnected via multiple communication lines such as a CAN (Controller Area Network) communication line, a serial communication line, a wireless communication network, and the like. It should be noted that Figure 1 The structure shown is just an example, and part of the structure may be omitted or another structure may be added.

[0041] The camera 10 is, for example, a digital camera utilizing a solid-state imaging element such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor). The camera 10 is mounted anywhere on the vehicle M. For forward imaging, the camera 10 is mounted on the upper portion of the windshield, behind the rearview mirror, or elsewhere. For example, the camera 10 periodically and repeatedly captures images of the surroundings of the vehicle M. The camera 10 may also be a stereo camera.

[0042] The radar device 12 radiates radio waves, such as millimeter waves, toward the periphery of the vehicle M and detects the radio waves (reflected waves) reflected by objects to detect at least the object's position (range and direction). The radar device 12 is mounted anywhere on the vehicle M. The radar device 12 can also detect the position and velocity of an object using, for example, an FM-CW (Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave) method.

[0043] The object recognition device 16 performs pre-processing and the like on the image captured by the camera 10 and outputs the image to the driving support system 100 .

[0044] The communication device 20 communicates with other vehicles around the vehicle M using, for example, a cellular network, Wi-Fi network, Bluetooth (registered trademark), or DSRC (Dedicated Short Range Communication), or communicates with various server devices via a wireless base station.

[0045] The HMI 30 presents various information to the occupants of the vehicle M and receives input operations from the occupants. The HMI 30 includes various display devices, speakers, buzzers, touch panels, switches, keys, and the like.

[0046] The vehicle sensor 40 includes a vehicle speed sensor that detects the speed of the vehicle M, an acceleration sensor that detects acceleration, a yaw rate sensor that detects angular velocity about a vertical axis, an azimuth sensor that detects the orientation of the vehicle M, and the like.

[0047] The navigation device 50 includes, for example, a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiver 51, a navigation HMI 52, and a route determination unit 53. The navigation device 50 stores first map information 54 in a storage device such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or a flash memory. The GNSS receiver 51 determines the position of the vehicle M based on signals received from GNSS satellites. The position of the vehicle M may also be determined or supplemented by an INS (Inertial Navigation System) that utilizes the output of the vehicle sensor 40. The navigation HMI 52 includes a display device, a speaker, a touch panel, buttons, etc. The navigation HMI 52 may also be partially or entirely shared with the aforementioned HMI 30. The route determination unit 53, for example, refers to the first map information 54 to determine a route (hereinafter referred to as a route on the map) from the position of the vehicle M determined by the GNSS receiver 51 (or an arbitrary position input) to the destination input by the occupant using the navigation HMI 52. The first map information 54 is information that represents the shape of the road by, for example, lines representing the road and nodes connected by the lines. The first map information 54 may also include road curvature, POI (Point of Interest) information, and the like. The route on the map is output to the MPU 60. The navigation device 50 may also provide route guidance using the navigation HMI 52 based on the route on the map. The navigation device 50 may also be implemented as a function of a terminal device such as a smartphone or tablet computer held by the passenger. The navigation device 50 may also transmit the current location and destination to a navigation server via the communication device 20 and obtain a route equivalent to the route on the map from the navigation server.

[0048] The MPU 60 includes, for example, a recommended lane determination unit 61, which stores second map information 62 in a storage device such as a HDD or flash memory. The recommended lane determination unit 61 divides the route on the map provided by the navigation device 50 into multiple blocks (e.g., every 100 meters in the vehicle's travel direction) and determines a recommended lane for each block by referring to the second map information 62. The recommended lane determination unit 61 determines the lane number from the left to be driven. If the route on the map branches, the recommended lane determination unit 61 determines a recommended lane so that the vehicle M can travel on a reasonable route to the branch destination.

[0049] The second map information 62 is higher-precision map information than the first map information 54. The second map information 62 includes, for example, information about lane centers and lane boundaries. Furthermore, the second map information 62 may include road information, traffic restriction information, address information (address and postal code), facility information, telephone number information, and information about prohibited sections where Mode A or Mode B, described later, is prohibited. The second map information 62 can be updated at any time by communicating with other devices via the communication device 20.

[0050] The driver monitoring camera 70 is, for example, a digital camera utilizing a solid-state imaging element such as a CCD or CMOS. The driver monitoring camera 70 is mounted at any location within the vehicle M, positioned and oriented so as to capture an image of the head of a passenger (hereinafter referred to as the driver) seated in the driver's seat of the vehicle M from the front (oriented to capture the face). For example, the driver monitoring camera 70 is mounted above a display device located in the center of the instrument panel of the vehicle M.

[0051] The driving operating parts 80 include, for example, an accelerator pedal, a brake pedal, a shift lever, and other operating parts in addition to the steering wheel 82. A sensor that detects the amount of operation or the presence or absence of operation is installed on the driving operating part 80, and its detection result is output to the driving support system 100, or part or all of the driving drive force output device 200, the braking device 210, and the steering device 220. The steering wheel 82 is an example of an "operating part that receives the steering operation performed by the driver." The operating part does not necessarily need to be annular, and can also be in the form of a special-shaped steering gear, a joystick, a button, etc. A steering wheel grip sensor 84 is installed on the steering wheel 82. The steering wheel grip sensor 84 is implemented by an electrostatic capacitance sensor, etc., and is used to output a signal to the driving support system 100 that can detect whether the driver is gripping the steering wheel 82 (that is, contacting it with force applied).

[0052] The driving support system 100 includes, for example, a first computing device 110 and a second computing device 180. The configuration and function allocation of these devices will be described later.

[0053] The driving force output device 200 outputs the driving force (torque) used to propel the vehicle to the drive wheels. The driving force output device 200 comprises, for example, a combination of an internal combustion engine, an electric motor, and a transmission, as well as an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) that controls these components. The ECU controls the aforementioned components based on information input from the second computing device 180 or from the driving control element 80.

[0054] The braking device 210 includes, for example, a brake caliper, a hydraulic cylinder that transmits hydraulic pressure to the brake caliper, an electric motor that generates hydraulic pressure in the hydraulic cylinder, and a brake ECU. The brake ECU controls the electric motor based on information input from the second computing device 180 or information input from the driver operating element 80, thereby outputting a braking torque corresponding to the braking operation to each wheel. The braking device 210 may include a mechanism that transmits the hydraulic pressure generated by operating the brake pedal included in the driver operating element 80 to the hydraulic cylinder via a master hydraulic cylinder as a backup. It should be noted that the braking device 210 is not limited to the structure described above and may also be an electronically controlled hydraulic braking device that controls an actuator based on information input from the second computing device 180 to transmit the hydraulic pressure from the master hydraulic cylinder to the hydraulic cylinder.

[0055] The steering system 220 includes, for example, a steering ECU and an electric motor. The electric motor applies force to, for example, a rack-and-pinion mechanism to change the direction of the steering wheel. The steering ECU drives the electric motor based on information input from the second computing device 180 or from the driving operating element 80 to change the direction of the steering wheel.

[0056] The body ECU 240 is a control device that controls the turn indicators, hazard lights, brake lights, headlights, horn, wipers, and the like.

[0057] <First embodiment>

[0058] [First computing device]

[0059] Figure 2 This diagram shows an example of the structure of the driving support system 100 according to the first embodiment. The first computing device 110 includes, for example, an input interface (I / F) 115, a first computing chip 120, a second computing chip 130, and a third computing chip 140. The first computing chip 120 and the second computing chip 130 are each, for example, multi-core processors having a predetermined number of CPU cores. As an example, the first computing chip 120 and the second computing chip 130 each have four CPU cores. The first computing chip 120 and the second computing chip 130 each have an inter-core communication function and utilize a hierarchical cache memory to perform various processes.

[0060] [First computing chip]

[0061] The four CPU cores of the first computing chip 120 each execute programs to function as an obstacle approach control unit 121, a driving path maintenance control unit 122, an inter-vehicle distance control unit 123, and an automatic lane change control unit 124. The programs are stored, for example, in a program memory shared by the four CPU cores of the first computing chip 120. Alternatively, the programs may be stored in program memories corresponding to the four CPU cores of the first computing chip 120.

[0062] The obstacle approach control unit 121, the driving path maintenance control unit 122, the vehicle distance control unit 123 and the automatic lane change control unit 124 respectively implement the first function that can be executed without relying on the calculation processing of the second calculation chip 130. The first function is respectively initiated by the driver's operation on the HMI30. The first functions are respectively functions with a lower degree of automation compared to the second function implemented by the first calculation chip 120 together with the second calculation chip 130. The low degree of automation means that the scope of control coverage is narrow and the task assigned to the driver is relatively high. In addition, the second function implemented by the first calculation chip 120 together with the second calculation chip 130 includes the following functions: compared with the first function implemented without relying on the calculation processing of the second calculation chip 130, at least a part of the first function is provided in a state where the task assigned to the driver is reduced.

[0063] As one of its first functions, the obstacle approach control unit 121 controls the vehicle M to slow down or stop in response to approaching obstacles. Obstacles include vehicles, pedestrians and other traffic participants, utility poles, parked vehicles, and stationary objects such as fallen objects. The obstacle approach control unit 121 generates a control command for the brake device 210 to apply a greater braking force in response to a decrease in the TTC (Time To Collision) between the vehicle M and the obstacle located in the vehicle's travel direction, and outputs this command to the third computing chip 140.

[0064] As another function of the first function, the driving path maintenance control unit 122 controls the steering device 220 to automatically output steering force, or controls the steering motor (not shown) to output a reaction force in response to the operation of the steering wheel 82, in order to prevent the vehicle M from deviating from the driving path. The driving path refers to the area bounded by road demarcation lines, such as white lines. However, if the driving path maintenance control unit 122 cannot identify road demarcation lines, it can also use locations such as road shoulders, road ends, and steps as references to identify the driving path. In response to the vehicle M's reference position (e.g., the center of the front end, the center of gravity, the center of the rear axle, etc.) deviating from the center of the driving path, the driving path maintenance control unit 122 generates a control command to guide the vehicle M in the direction opposite to the deviation direction and outputs it to the third computing chip 140.

[0065] As another function of the first function, the inter-vehicle distance control unit 123 performs speed control to maintain the inter-vehicle distance between vehicle M and the preceding vehicle at a target inter-vehicle distance. A preceding vehicle is a vehicle traveling in the same lane and direction as vehicle M, located in front of vehicle M, and with no other vehicles between it and vehicle M. The target inter-vehicle distance is set, for example, by a passenger such as the driver. Furthermore, the inter-vehicle distance control unit 123 may simply control to maintain the speed of vehicle M at the target speed if there is no preceding vehicle within the detection range of the camera 10 or radar device 12, or if there is a preceding vehicle but it is farther than a specified distance.

[0066] As another function of the first function, the automatic lane change control unit 124 automatically controls the steering and speed of the vehicle M to change lanes in response to a driver's operation (e.g., operation of the blinker stalk). The automatic lane change control unit 124 may also perform two lane changes (changing lanes to a different lane from the leading vehicle and returning to the original lane after moving sufficiently ahead of the leading vehicle) to overtake the leading vehicle if the leading vehicle's speed is less than a threshold value relative to the speed of the vehicle M.

[0067] [Second computing chip]

[0068] The four CPU cores of the second computing chip 130 execute programs to function as a situation understanding unit 131, a map matching unit 132, a non-hands-on computing unit (1) 133, and a non-hands-on computing unit (2) 134. The programs are stored, for example, in a program memory shared by the four CPU cores of the second computing chip 130. Alternatively, the programs may be stored in program memories corresponding to the four CPU cores of the second computing chip 130.

[0069] As previously described, the second function implemented by the first computing chip 120 and the second computing chip 130 together includes providing at least a portion of the first function while placing fewer tasks on the driver than the first function. An example of a state where the driver is not gripping the steering wheel 82 is when the driver is not gripping the steering wheel 82. Gripping refers to not only simply touching the steering wheel 82 but also applying enough force to enable quick operation of the steering wheel 82. For example, the second function provides part or all of the first function while the driver is not gripping the steering wheel 82.

[0070] Here, the second function is not executed unconditionally but is executed after the execution is determined by the third arithmetic chip 140. Each component of the second arithmetic chip 130 performs arithmetic processing to generate data used in the execution determination.

[0071] The situation understanding unit 131 processes images input from the object recognition device 16 to identify the position, type, speed, and other characteristics of objects. Objects include vehicles, pedestrians, and other traffic participants; utility poles; stationary objects such as parked vehicles and fallen objects; and road demarcation lines such as white lines. Furthermore, the situation understanding unit 131 determines whether the above processing can accurately identify the travel path (e.g., the area enclosed by the road demarcation lines). For example, the situation understanding unit 131 monitors the reliability of the image processing over time and outputs the result of the determination of whether the travel path can be identified to the third computing chip 140. It should be noted that the function of processing images to identify the position, type, speed, and other characteristics of objects can also be a function of the object recognition device 16. In this case, the situation understanding unit 131 can also determine whether the image processing of the object recognition device 16 can accurately identify the travel path (road demarcation lines).

[0072] The map matching unit 132 determines the position of the vehicle M in the second map information 62 based on information input from the MPU 60 and outputs information indicating the determined position and the type of road on which the vehicle M is located to the third computing chip 140. The map matching unit 132 may also replace the functions of the MPU 60. In this case, the MPU 60 may not be installed in the vehicle M. Alternatively, the map matching unit 132 may output information about the position of the travel path identified by the situation understanding unit 131 to the MPU 60 and obtain from the MPU 60 the result of the MPU 60 determining the position of the vehicle M in the second map information 62.

[0073] Furthermore, the hands-off operation unit (1) 133 and the hands-off operation unit (2) 134 generate data that serves as a material for determining whether the state in which driving support can be provided even if the driver does not hold the steering wheel 82 is reached, and output the data to the third operation chip 140. For example, the hands-off operation unit (1) 133 or the hands-off operation unit (2) 134 monitors the output value of the steering wheel grip sensor 84, and based on changes in the output value, generates data indicating whether the driver is holding the steering wheel 82, and outputs the data to the third operation chip 140.

[0074] [Third computing chip]

[0075] The third computing chip 140 is composed of hardware having a higher functional safety level than the first computing chip 120 and the second computing chip 130. "High functional safety level" means, for example, that the ASIL (Automotive Safety Integrity Level) is close to D, which is represented by four levels: A, B, C, and D.

[0076] The third computing chip 140 has an arbitrary processor structure and includes a control determination unit 141 , a control instruction generation unit 142 , a fail-safe control unit 143 , and an HMI control unit 144 as a functional structure implemented by the processor executing a program stored in a program memory.

[0077] The control determination unit 141 determines whether to provide the control instructions generated by each component of the first computing chip 120 as the first function or the second function based on the data generated by the second computing chip 130 and the information input from the driver state monitoring unit 183 of the second computing device 180.

[0078] The control command generation unit 142 changes the control command generated by each component of the first computing chip 120 into a format to be sent to the second computing device 180 and sends the control command to the second computing device 180 .

[0079] The fail-safe control unit 143 performs computational processing for alternative control when the driver's physical condition deteriorates or when the health of the system, including the first computing unit 110, deteriorates. The fail-safe control unit 143 detects deterioration in the driver's physical condition based on information input from the driver status monitoring unit 183. Furthermore, the fail-safe control unit 143 detects deterioration in the health of the system based on self-diagnosis results input from various components of the system, including the first computing unit 110 (e.g., including some or all of the camera 10, radar device 12, object recognition device 16, and second computing unit 180, in addition to the first computing unit 110). In addition to performing alternative control such as emergency calls and activating the hazard lights, the fail-safe control unit 143 also performs control such as stopping the vehicle M on a roadside shoulder or other available area if deceleration is possible. The control command generation unit 142 also generates control commands for various behaviors of the vehicle M.

[0080] The HMI control unit 144 controls the HMI 30 to notify the driver when the second function is switched to a state where only the first function is available. For example, if the control determination unit 141 determines that the second function is not available, the HMI 30 will notify the driver, "Please hold the steering wheel." Conversely, when the state transitions from only the first function to the second function, the HMI control unit 144 will cause the HMI 30 to notify the driver that they can remove their hands from the steering wheel.

[0081] [Second computing device]

[0082] Second computing device 180 has any processor configuration. The functional safety level of second computing device 180 may be lower than that of third computing chip 140. Second computing device 180 includes a travel control unit 181, a body control unit 182, and a driver state monitoring unit 183, as functional structures implemented by a processor executing a program stored in a program memory.

[0083] The travel control unit 181 controls the travel drive force output device 200 , the braking device 210 , and the steering device 220 individually or in combination based on the control command received from the control command generating unit 142 .

[0084] The body control unit 182 sends control commands for controlling the turn indicators, hazard lights, brake lights, headlights, horn, wipers, etc. to the body ECU 240 in accordance with the functions provided by the driving support system.

[0085] The driver status monitoring unit 183 monitors the driver's status and determines whether the driver's status is appropriate for the task. For example, the driver status monitoring unit 183 analyzes images captured by the driver monitoring camera 70 and performs line of sight estimation processing to determine whether the driver is looking ahead. Furthermore, the driver status monitoring unit 183 analyzes images captured by the driver monitoring camera 70 and performs posture estimation processing to determine whether the driver is in a body posture that cannot be switched to manual driving in response to the system's request.

[0086] [Status Change]

[0087] Figure 3 1 is a diagram showing an example of a state change of the first computing device 110 according to an embodiment. When the system power of the vehicle M is turned on, the first computing device 110 is in a state where neither the first function nor the second function is provided (hereinafter referred to as the manual driving state). In the manual driving state, when the first function activation condition is met, the provision of the first function is started based on the judgment of the control judgment unit 141. The first function activation condition is a logical AND condition and includes, for example, the following conditions: the first function activation operation is performed by the passenger, the index value related to the recognition distance and reliability meets a certain recognition threshold, the camera 10, the radar device 12, and the object recognition device 16 (recognition device) are not in an abnormal state, etc.

[0088] When a first function is being provided (hereinafter referred to as the first state), if a first function shutoff condition is met, provision of the first function is terminated based on a determination by the control determination unit 141, and the vehicle transitions to the manual driving state. The first function shutoff condition is a logical OR condition and includes the following conditions: the occupant performing a first function shutoff operation, an indicator value related to recognition distance or reliability failing to meet a predetermined recognition threshold, or the camera 10, radar device 12, or object recognition device 16 being in an abnormal state.

[0089] In the first state, when the second function activation condition is met, provision of the second function is initiated based on the determination of the control determination unit 141. The second function activation condition includes, for example, the following conditions as logical AND conditions: the camera 10, the radar device 12, and the object recognition device 16 are not in an abnormal state; the second map information 62 and the position of the vehicle M can be fully matched; the driver is monitoring the front of the vehicle M (not looking around); and the vehicle M is traveling on a specific type of road, such as an expressway or a road dedicated to motor vehicles.

[0090] In a state where the second function is provided (hereinafter referred to as the second state), when the second function off condition is met, the state is changed to the first state or the manual driving state based on the determination of the control determination unit 141. The second function off condition #1 for changing from the second state to the first state is a logical OR condition and includes, for example, the following conditions: insufficient matching between the second map information 62 and the position of the vehicle M; the vehicle M has left a specific type of road, such as an expressway or a road dedicated to motor vehicles; and the like.

[0091] The second function-disabling condition #2 for switching from the second state to the manual driving state includes, for example, the following conditions: the values ​​of indicators related to the recognition distance and reliability do not meet a certain recognition threshold; the driver is not monitoring the front of the vehicle M (is looking around); the driver continues looking around for a predetermined time despite the HMI control unit 144 urging the driver to monitor the front using the HMI 30; the camera 10, radar device 12, or object recognition device 16 is in an abnormal state; the driver has taken over the operation. In such cases, it is also possible to not only switch to the manual driving state but also perform fail-safe control.

[0092] It should be noted that, when the second function shutoff condition #1 is met, the HMI control unit 144 may use HMI30 to urge the driver to hold the steering wheel 82. However, if the driver does not hold the steering wheel 82 after the specified time has passed, the control state may not switch to the first state, but may switch to the manual driving state, or perform fail-safe control.

[0093] By centrally performing such complex situation determinations in the third arithmetic chip 140 having a high functional safety level, the reliability of driving support can be maintained at a high level.

[0094] According to the first embodiment described above, there are provided a first computing chip 120 and a second computing chip 130 that perform computing processing for realizing a driving support function of the vehicle M. In the driving support function, the second function realized by the first computing chip 120 together with the second computing chip 130 includes the following functions: compared with the first function realized without relying on the computing processing of the second computing chip 130, at least a part of the first function is provided in a state where the tasks assigned to the driver are reduced, thereby making it possible to clearly share the roles corresponding to the functional classification.

[0095] <Second embodiment>

[0096] Hereinafter, a second embodiment will be described. Figure 4 This diagram shows an example of the configuration of a driving support system 100A according to a second embodiment. The driving support system of the second embodiment is installed in a lower-tier vehicle than the first embodiment and, compared to the first embodiment, omits the second computing chip 130. However, to allow for the installation of the second computing chip 130 as an option or after delivery, a vacant area (vacant slot) 130A for mounting the second computing chip 130 is reserved on the substrate of the first computing device 110.

[0097] With this configuration, the same functions as those of the first embodiment can be easily realized by additionally mounting the second arithmetic chip 130. Therefore, components can be shared between low-end and high-end vehicles, reducing manufacturing costs.

[0098] While specific embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments at all, and various modifications and substitutions can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

Claims

1. A computing device, wherein: The computing device comprises: a first computing chip that performs computing processing for realizing a driving support function of the vehicle; and a second computing chip that performs computing processing for realizing a driving support function of the vehicle; In the driving support function, the second function implemented by the first computing chip together with the second computing chip includes the following functions: providing at least a portion of the first function in a state where the tasks placed on the driver are reduced, compared to the first function implemented independently of the computing processing of the second computing chip; The computing device further includes a third computing chip that receives the results of the computing processing performed by the first computing chip and the results of the computing processing performed by the second computing chip and determines whether the driving support function can be executed. The third computing chip has a higher functional safety level than the first computing chip and the second computing chip. The third operation chip receives the control instruction generated by the first operation chip, and determines whether to provide the control instruction as the first function or the second function.

2. The computing device according to claim 1, wherein: The first function includes at least a vehicle distance maintenance function, a driving path maintenance function, and an obstacle deceleration function. The second computing chip performs computing processing for determining whether the task can be reduced.

3. The computing device according to claim 2, wherein: Inputting the matching result between the vehicle position and the map information into the second computing chip, The second computing chip performs computing processing based on the matching result to determine whether the task can be reduced.

4. The computing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: The second computing chip performs computing processing for alternative control when the driver's physical condition deteriorates or when the health of the system including the computing device decreases.

5. A computing device, wherein: The computing device comprises: a first computing chip that performs computing processing for realizing a driving support function of the vehicle; and a substrate carrying the first computing chip, The substrate is provided with an empty area for mounting a second computing chip, and the second computing chip performs computing processing for realizing the driving support function of the vehicle. The first computing chip realizes the first function of the driving support function independently of the computing processing of the second computing chip. When the second computing chip is mounted on the substrate, the first computing chip together with the second computing chip realizes at least a part of the first function while reducing the tasks placed on the driver. The computing device further includes a third computing chip that receives the results of the computing processing performed by the first computing chip and the results of the computing processing performed by the second computing chip and determines whether the driving support function can be executed. The third computing chip has a higher functional safety level than the first computing chip and the second computing chip. The third operation chip receives the control instruction generated by the first operation chip, and determines whether to provide the control instruction as the first function or the second function.

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