Method and apparatus for vehicle autonomous driving operation and vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and a device for automated driving operation of a vehicle (1), wherein the invention provides that, when there is a curve (K) in front of the vehicle (1), a field of view limitation of at least one acquisition unit (3) of an environmental sensor system directed toward the driving direction of the vehicle (1) is ascertained based on the curve (K), and when the field of view of the at least one acquisition unit (3) is ascertained to be below a predetermined threshold value, the vehicle (1) is automatically changed to a lane (F1) outside the curve, provided that there is a lane (F1) outside the curve. The invention also relates to a vehicle (1) having such a device.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for automated driving operation of a vehicle. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a device for automated driving operation of a vehicle and to a vehicle having such a device. BACKGROUND

[0002] DE 10 2014 014 120 A1 discloses a method for autonomous driving of a vehicle on a forward driving route. Here, autonomous driving operation of the vehicle is only allowed if one or a group of the following conditions is met for a predetermined section of the forward driving route:

[0003] - there is a constructional separation on at least one side of the current road of the vehicle,

[0004] - the lane of the vehicle has a minimum lane width,

[0005] - there are no hilltops and depressions that significantly limit the range of action of environmental acquisition sensors,

[0006] - the number of lanes is constant,

[0007] - there are no tunnels,

[0008] - there are no buildings on the road,

[0009] - there are no highway junctions,

[0010] - the lane of the vehicle has a bending radius greater than a predetermined limit value,

[0011] - there are no traffic obstacles,

[0012] - there are no traffic messages about dangerous situations, and

[0013] - there are no traffic messages about the presence of a construction site.

[0014] Furthermore, DE 10 2014 014 139 A1 describes a method for operating a distance and speed control function of a vehicle, in particular an autonomous or highly automated driving vehicle. The method provides for starting at least one measure for increasing driving safety when the driver is distracted and when at least one of the following conditions is met:

[0015] - the vehicle approaches or is located at a place where guidance on the route is dangerous,

[0016] - the vehicle approaches or is located at a place of a traffic obstacle,

[0017] - the vehicle approaches or is located at a place with limited visibility,

[0018] - the vehicle is accelerated by the distance and speed control function,

[0019] - there is a traffic flow anomaly in the vehicle's surroundings. SUMMARY

[0020] It is the task of the present invention to specify a method and a device for automatic driving operation of a vehicle and a vehicle having such a device.

[0021] According to the invention, this is achieved by a method having the features described below, by a device having the features described below and by a vehicle having the features described below.

[0022] According to the invention, a method for automatic driving operation of a vehicle provides that, when there is a curve ahead of the vehicle, a field of view limitation of at least one acquisition unit of an environmental sensor system aligned in the direction of travel of the vehicle is ascertained on the basis of the curve, and when the field of view of the at least one acquisition unit is ascertained to be below a predetermined threshold value, automatic execution of a lane change of the vehicle to a lane outside the curve is carried out, provided that there is a lane outside the curve, where preferably there is no right-hand traffic regulation.

[0023] By using the method, in particular by changing to the outside lane, the field of view of the at least one acquisition unit in the curve region can be increased, so that the vehicle can drive through the curve at a higher current driving speed. Here, the current driving speed is adjusted in dependence on the field of view of the at least one acquisition unit, so that the vehicle can initiate an emergency braking when it has an object on its lane that cannot be avoided, wherein the risk of the vehicle hitting the object is significantly reduced.

[0024] With the aid of the method, a lane is selected in such a way that an optimized field of view of the at least one acquisition unit is obtained in the curve, so that a comparatively safe automatic driving operation of the vehicle at the maximum possible current driving speed can be achieved.

[0025] In a possible refinement of the method, it is provided that the threshold value varies in dependence on the current driving speed of the vehicle. In particular, the higher the current driving speed, the lower the threshold value. The lane change is initiated when the field of view of the at least one acquisition unit is below the threshold value. The field of view is increased by the lane change to the lane outside the curve, so that the safety of the automatic driving operation of the vehicle can be improved and the vehicle can substantially avoid hitting an object that cannot be avoided by a braking and / or evasive maneuver, wherein traffic participants in the vehicle's surroundings are taken into account.

[0026] In a possible refinement of the method, it is ascertained on the basis of map data and / or at least on the basis of signals acquired by vehicle cameras whether there is a lane outside the curve on the vehicle's route of travel. The lane change is initiated only when there is information about the existence of a lane outside the curve, so that the safety of road traffic can be improved.

[0027] Furthermore, one possible refinement of the method provides that the lane change is performed depending on the traffic density detected in front of the vehicle. In particular, the method for optimizing the field of view of the at least one acquisition unit is performed when substantially only the own vehicle is driving on the section of the route, or when the following vehicle is sufficiently far away so that the vehicle drives back onto its initial lane after driving through the curve.

[0028] In one possible refinement of the method, the current driving speed of the vehicle is adapted to the narrowing of the field of view of the at least one acquisition unit caused by the curve and / or caused by the hill crest and / or caused by the depression. "Curve-caused and / or hill crest-caused and / or depression-caused narrowing of the field of view" here means a narrowing of the field of view caused by a curve, a hill crest or a depression in front of the vehicle.

[0029] For example in the course of the vehicle, when the field of view of the at least one acquisition unit is comparatively small, the current driving speed of the vehicle is reduced for improved safety, wherein for this purpose a further threshold value related to the field of view can be set.

[0030] Furthermore, in one possible refinement of the method, the required field of view of the at least one acquisition unit is determined depending on the predicted current braking distance of the vehicle, wherein the braking distance depends on the maximum self-deceleration of the vehicle and the self-speed, i.e. the current driving speed. In particular, the higher the current driving speed, the larger the required field of view of the at least one acquisition unit, since the braking distance is lengthened when the driving speed is increased. Thus, it is substantially ensured that the vehicle can initiate braking when an object on its lane is detected, so that a collision with the object can be substantially prevented.

[0031] Advantageously, the lane on the outside of the curve is a lane for the driving direction of the vehicle. The lane change is thus limited to a lane in the driving direction of the vehicle, i.e. a lane change to an oncoming lane is not made. The method is thus advantageously used on a multi-lane road, which has a plurality of lanes extending in the driving direction of the vehicle.

[0032] Advantageously, the lane on the outside of the curve is a lane with respect to the driving direction of the vehicle, which is located on the side of the curve on the outside of the vehicle. The lane on the outside of the curve is thus a lane whose position relative to the lane of the vehicle is defined. In particular, the lane on the outside of the curve is a lane which is located on the left side of the vehicle when there is a right curve in front, and which is located on the right side of the vehicle when there is a left curve in front.

[0033] The invention also relates to a device for carrying out a method for automated driving of a vehicle, wherein the device according to the invention has a computer unit which is connected to at least one acquisition unit of an environmental sensor system of the vehicle. The computer unit is designed to ascertain a field of view of the at least one acquisition unit of the environmental sensor system which is directed in the direction of travel of the vehicle, to expect a limitation of the field of view on account of the curve, to compare the ascertained field of view with a predetermined threshold value and to transmit corresponding information to a motion trajectory generator if the threshold value is undershot. The motion trajectory generator is designed to generate at least one motion trajectory for a lane change to a lane which is located on the outside of the curve and to transmit the generated motion trajectory to an actuator system of the vehicle.

[0034] By means of the device, the vehicle can be caused to change lane to a lane which is located on the outside of the curve, in order to increase the field of view of the at least one acquisition unit, so that the average speed of the vehicle can be optimized and the fuel and / or electrical energy consumption can be reduced, i.e. also optimized, on the basis of a substantially even driving operation.

[0035] In addition, the device can be an integral part of a vehicle which is designed as an automated truck or as an automated passenger car, wherein the average speed of the vehicle and the fuel and / or electrical energy consumption can be optimized by means of the device and the method as described above. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0036] Embodiments of the invention will be explained in detail below with reference to the drawings, in which:

[0037] Figure 1 a driving section with three lanes and a vehicle driving on a lane on the outside of the curve is shown schematically,

[0038] Figure 2 a driving section and a vehicle driving on a lane on the inside of the curve are shown schematically,

[0039] Figure 3 a driving section with a downhill or uphill slope and a vehicle located on a lane on the outside of the curve is shown schematically,

[0040] Figure 4 a driving section with a downhill or uphill slope and a vehicle driving on a lane on the inside of the curve is shown schematically,

[0041] Figure 5 a vehicle with an acquisition unit and an object which cannot be run over by the vehicle located in the acquisition region is shown schematically,

[0042] Figure 6 an enlarged partial view of a vehicle with an acquisition unit, a positioning unit and a computer unit is shown schematically,

[0043] Figure 7 the computer unit together with its modules is shown schematically.

[0044] The components that correspond to one another are provided with the same reference numerals in all the figures. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0045] In Figure 1 and 2 a driving section F with three lanes F1-F3 is shown, wherein the driving section F is curved, i.e. has a curve K.

[0046] The vehicle 1, which is designed as a truck and in particular drives in an automated manner without a vehicle user in the vehicle 1, drives in Figure 1 on the outer lane F1 of the curve and in Figure 2 on the inner lane F2 of the curve, wherein an intermediate lane F3 extends between the outer lane F1 and the inner lane F2 of the curve.

[0047] In particular, the driving section F is a part of a motorway, on which in the future many such automated driving vehicles 1 will be encountered.

[0048] The vehicle 1 comprises a computer unit 2, which is shown exemplarily in Figure 6 and 7 is connected to a plurality of acquisition units 3 of an environmental sensor system of the vehicle 1, wherein the acquisition units 3 are designed based on radar, based on lidar and / or based on camera.

[0049] In addition, the vehicle 1 has a satellite-assisted positioning unit 4, which continuously receives position signals, on the basis of which the current position of the vehicle 1 is determined / ascertained.

[0050] Such an automated driving vehicle 1 is positioned in the existing infrastructure on the basis of the signals acquired by the environmental sensor system, the position signals and the map data of a digital map C stored on the vehicle side, and the driving behavior of the vehicle 1 is coordinated / adjusted with respect to the traffic participants known on the basis of the signals acquired by the environmental sensor system.

[0051] The environmental sensor system installed on the vehicle side has measurement properties which are determined by the sensor type, the configuration and the physical boundary conditions. In general, the environmental sensor system is a compromise between the various functional tasks. For example, the traffic-relevant area in front of the vehicle 1 is measured three-dimensionally by means of the acquisition units 3 based on lidar, wherein the semantics of the measured scene in front of the vehicle 1 are determined on the basis of the signals acquired by the acquisition units 3 based on camera, wherein traffic signs and signal light devices are recognized.

[0052] The resulting requirements determine the parameters of the respective acquisition units 3, such as, for example, the base width, the focal length, the aperture angle, the pixel density, the sensor type, in particular whether the signals of the acquisition units 3 based on camera are acquired in color or in monochrome.

[0053] A method for automated driving of a vehicle 1 will be described below, in which the method focuses on a laser radar-based or camera-based acquisition unit 3, which is also referred to as acquisition area E of the field of view or view cone, being aligned in front of the vehicle 1 and being a so-called long-range sensor.

[0054] In front of the vehicle 1 there are no road users and there are strict requirements on the field of view / visibility of the acquisition unit 3, and small, non-rollable objects such as Figure 5 exemplarily shown objects 5 are to be detected in order to be able to react to them appropriately. In order to be able to substantially avoid a collision of the vehicle 1 with a detected object 5, for example, an emergency braking and / or a determination of an evasive maneuver trajectory is initiated.

[0055] The acquisition unit 3, which can detect non-rollable objects 5 at a relatively large distance, can be a laser radar-based sensor or a camera sensor with a certain aperture angle, as described above, wherein the acquisition unit 3 can also consist of a plurality of individual sensors.

[0056] The aim of the automated driving of the vehicle 1, in particular of a freight truck, is to drive at the highest possible driving speed that is permissible in order to reduce the time period of the vehicle 1 together with its freight on the way to a minimum from an economic point of view.

[0057] When driving through a curve K, the field of view of the acquisition unit 3, which is aligned in front of the vehicle 1, can be limited by a barrier, a building and / or vegetation. This situation applies in particular to the inner lane F2 of the curve.

[0058] In order to be able to react to potential non-rollable objects 5 on the respective lane F1-F3 by braking and / or evasive maneuvers, the vehicle 1 needs to reduce its current driving speed, whereby the time period of the vehicle 1 in driving operation is prolonged.

[0059] If the vehicle 1 is driving on the inner lane F2 of the curve, as shown in Figure 2 , the field of view of the acquisition unit 3 and thus the acquisition area E is limited. If the vehicle 1 is driving on the outer lane F2 of the curve, the field of view is increased, as shown in Figure 1 .

[0060] The required field of view is marked by means of a first marking K1, as shown in Figure 1 and 2 , which is calculated from the braking distance of the vehicle 1 and depends on the maximum self-deceleration of the vehicle 1 and the current driving speed of the vehicle 1.

[0061] The actual field of view S of the acquisition unit 3 is shown by means of a second marking K2, which, in contrast to Figure 1 , in which the vehicle 1 is driving on the outer lane F1 of the curve, is in Figure 2The actual field of view S of the acquisition unit 3 shown by means of the second marking is only slightly changed by the lane change to the outer lane Fl of the curve, as shown in

[0062] The first marking Kl, i.e. the required field of view, is located in a region B which is not visible to the acquisition unit 3, as shown in Figure 2 The region B which is not visible to the acquisition unit 3 can also be referred to as a so-called curve self-blind area.

[0063] The driving route F with three lanes Fl to F3 and a curve K is shown in Figure 3 and 4 The curve K extends along a downhill or a hill top, i.e. the driving route F has a negative vertical curvature in the region of the curve K. But similar cases also apply to routes with a positive vertical curvature, for example in a dip or before an uphill.

[0064] Based on the negative or positive vertical curvature, the surface of the driving route F is higher or lower than the acquisition region E of the acquisition unit 3 in a section G. The section G of the driving route F is thus not visible to the acquisition unit 3.

[0065] In the case of a driving route F with a downhill in front or an uphill in front, for example after a hill top or after a dip, the actual field of view S of the acquisition unit 3 shown by means of the second marking changes only slightly by the lane change from the inner lane F2 to the outer lane Fl of the curve, as shown in Figure 3 and 4 .

[0066] The required field of view shown by means of the first marking Kl in order to be able to react to the non-rollable objects 5 on the respective lane Fl, F2 of the vehicle 1 accordingly is located in a region B which is not visible to the acquisition unit 3 in the case of a driving route F with a downhill or an uphill. Unlike Figure 1 shown, the actual field of view is not enlarged to the required field of view by the lane change to the outer lane Fl of the curve. The current driving speed of the vehicle 1 should thus also be adapted to the reduction of the actual field of view of the acquisition unit 3 caused by the curve and the hill top or dip after the lane change. When the actual field of view is not expected to be enlarged to the required field of view by the lane change, and when the extent of the enlargement of the field of view which is expected to be achieved by the lane change is smaller, in particular less than a predetermined threshold, than the expected enlargement of the field of view to the required field of view, the lane change to the outer lane Fl of the curve is preferably not carried out. An unfavorable lane change is thus avoided.

[0067] When there is a downhill in the driving route F, the so-called road self-blind area should be taken into account, wherein, in order to reduce the road self-blind area, the acquisition unit 3 can be arranged in a higher mounting position of the vehicle 1.

[0068] The driving route F with three lanes Fl to F3 and a curve K is shown in Figures 1-4In the following, a three-lane driving section F is generally selected without limitation, wherein, for reasons of simplification, no emergency lane is taken into account. In the sense of the field of vision, the emergency lane can be considered an inherent lane not shown, so that the statements made for a two-lane driving section F with an emergency lane are in the context identical to those shown for a three-lane driving section F. Figures 1-4

[0069] Figure 5 A side view of the vehicle 1 is shown together with an object 5 lying on the road which cannot be rolled over, which is located in the acquisition area E of the acquisition unit 3 in the respective lane F1-F3 of the vehicle 1, wherein the object can be lost goods of a preceding vehicle not shown.

[0070] Figure 6 An enlarged partial view of the vehicle 1 with the computer unit 2, the acquisition unit 3 and the positioning unit 4 is shown.

[0071] The computer unit 2 with a plurality of individual modules is exemplarily shown in Figure 7

[0072] According to the embodiment in Figure 7 , the computer unit 2 comprises a speed optimization module 6, a behavior planning module 7, a first sensor processing module SV1, a second sensor processing module SV2, a fusion module 8 and a digital map C. The behavior planning module 7 has a situation analysis and planning module 9 and a motion trajectory generation / generator 10, which is connected to an actuator system A for controlling a steering system, a drive system and a brake device.

[0073] The signals acquired by the acquisition unit 3 are processed by means of the second sensor processing module SV2, wherein the signals acquired by the other sensors 11 of the environmental sensor system of the vehicle 1 are processed by means of the first sensor processing module SV1.

[0074] The processed signals are then fused in the fusion module 8, wherein the speed optimization module 6 obtains information about the traffic density present on the driving section F from the fusion.

[0075] The vehicle 1 position ascertained by means of the positioning unit 4 and the digital map C is transmitted to the situation analysis and planning module 9.

[0076] The algorithm used within the speed optimization module 6 provides that in a first step S1 it is ascertained on the basis of the map data of the digital map C whether there is a hill top ahead of the vehicle 1 which cannot be seen. In addition, it is ascertained on the basis of the digital map C in which of the lanes F1-F3 the vehicle 1 is located. In the decision as to which the algorithm should take into account, "yes" is marked with j and "no" is marked with n.

[0077] ​​If it is ascertained that there is no hill top in front of the vehicle 1, it is ascertained in a second step S2 whether a bend K in front of the vehicle 1 on the driving route F is sufficiently visible at the current driving speed of the vehicle 1. In particular, it is ascertained in this case whether the current field of view S of the acquisition unit 3 is below a predetermined threshold value, wherein the size of the threshold value varies depending on the current driving speed of the vehicle 1.

[0078] If this is not the case, it is ascertained in a third step S3 how high the traffic density is, wherein, if it is ascertained that the traffic density is low, it is checked in a fourth step S4 whether the vehicle 1 is located in the outer lane Fl of the bend.

[0079] If the vehicle 1 is not in the outer lane Fl of the bend, a lane change to the outer lane Fl of the bend is initiated in a fifth step S5.

[0080] If it is ascertained in the first step S1 that there is a hill top in front of the vehicle 1 which is not visible, or if it is ascertained in the third step S3 that the traffic density is comparatively high, or if it is ascertained in the fourth step S4 of the algorithm that the vehicle 1 is already located in the outer lane Fl of the bend, the current driving speed of the vehicle 1 is adapted to the field of view limitation caused by the bend or the hill top in a sixth step S6.

[0081] If it is ascertained in the second step S2 that the next bend K of the driving route F is sufficiently visible at the current driving speed of the vehicle 1, no adjustment of the driving speed takes place, so that the vehicle 1 continues its autonomous driving operation at the current driving speed.

[0082] If the vehicle 1 is caused to change lane to the outer lane Fl of the bend according to the fifth method step S5 or in the case where the current driving speed needs to be adjusted according to the sixth step S6 or in the case where no adjustment of the driving speed is necessary, information is transmitted to the situation analysis and planning module 9, which forwards this information to the motion trajectory generator 10 and determines a motion trajectory corresponding to the current situation and provides it to the actuator system A.

[0083] By using this method, an autonomous driving vehicle 1, in particular a truck for freight transport, can be operated economically optimally, in that comparatively unnecessary braking and reacceleration cycles of the vehicle 1 which can be caused by driving around a bend are substantially avoided.

[0084] The average speed of the vehicle 1 can be optimized, wherein the fuel and / or electrical energy consumption can also be optimized by means of a relatively even driving operation.

Claims

1. A method for automated driving operation of a vehicle (1), characterized in that, - When there is a curve (K) in front of the vehicle (1), determine the field of view limitation of at least one acquisition unit (3) of the environmental sensor system in the direction of travel of the vehicle (1) based on the curve (K), and - When it is determined that the field of view of the at least one acquisition unit (3) is lower than a predetermined threshold, the vehicle (1) is automatically changed to the outer lane (F1) of the curve, provided that there is an outer lane (F1) of the curve, wherein the threshold varies according to the current driving speed of the vehicle (1), and the current driving speed of the vehicle (1) is adjusted according to the field of view of the at least one acquisition unit.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lane (F1) on the outside of the curve is determined based on map data and / or at least on signals collected by the vehicle's (1) camera.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The lane change is performed based on the traffic density measured in front of the vehicle (1).

4. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The current speed of the vehicle (1) is adapted to the field of view of the at least one acquisition unit (3) by the reduction caused by curves and / or by mountain peaks and / or by depressions.

5. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The required field of view of the at least one acquisition unit (3) is determined based on the predicted current braking distance of the vehicle (1).

6. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The outer lane of the curve is a lane for the direction of travel of the vehicle (1).

7. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, When there is a right curve ahead, the outer lane of the curve is a lane located to the left of the vehicle (1), and when there is a left curve ahead, the outer lane of the curve is a lane located to the right of the vehicle (1).

8. An apparatus for performing the method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, A computer unit (2) is provided, which is connected to at least one acquisition unit (3) of the environmental sensor system of the vehicle (1) and is designed for use with respect to the following: - Determine the field of view limitation of at least one acquisition unit (3) of the environmental sensor system in the direction of travel of the vehicle (1) based on the curve (K). - The determined field of view is compared with a predetermined threshold, wherein the threshold varies according to the current driving speed of the vehicle (1), the current driving speed of the vehicle (1) is adjusted according to the field of view of the at least one acquisition unit, and - When the value is below this threshold, the corresponding information is transmitted to the motion trajectory generator (10). The motion trajectory generator (10) is designed to generate at least one motion trajectory for changing lanes to the outer lane (F1) of a curve and to transmit the generated motion trajectory to the actuator system (A) of the vehicle (1).

9. A vehicle (1) having the device according to claim 8.

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