Method and system for determining pressure index for route

Abstract

A computer-implemented method for determining a pressure index for a route, the method comprising: determining at least one route from a first point to a second point based on a map representation; dividing the at least one route into one or more road sections and / or intersections by a pressure index determination system; determining, by the pressure index determination system, the pressure of at least one or more road segments and / or intersections; the pressures of the one or more segments and / or intersections are combined by the pressure index determination system to obtain an overall pressure index for one or more routes.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a method and system for determining a stress index of a route, a stress index determination system, and a navigation system for navigating a route. Technical Background

[0002] A 2014 study investigating traffic accidents found that human factors played a role in an astonishingly high 95% of accidents (Sabey, BE, Taylor, H. (1980) "The known risks we run: The highway", Supplementary Report SR 567, Transport and Road Research Laboratory, Crowthorne). Conventional navigation systems in vehicles or equipped on smart devices usually present drivers with various route options, including the fastest, shortest, or most energy-efficient path from a starting point to a destination. However, conventional navigation systems do not take into account the potential accident risks associated with the recommended routes.

[0003] Various studies have concluded that stress caused by road conditions can be a key factor affecting comfort and safety while driving. Some examples of these studies include JD Hill et al., Transport Research Part F, 10(3), 2007, 177; O. Bitkina et al., mdpi sensors, 2019, 19(9), 2152. Factors such as heavy traffic or a large number of complex intersections can lead to increased driver stress (M. Ringhard et al., Transport Research Part F, F, 60, 2019, 274; N. Distefano et al., (2020) Physiological and driving behavior changes associated with different road intersections, European Transport, 77.4). This increased stress may subsequently increase the likelihood of traffic accidents.

[0004] Therefore, suggesting stress-free routes has become a new trend in road navigation and road structure planning. In road navigation applications, estimating stress is a crucial aspect, where the car navigation system plans routes that avoid stress. In road structure planning applications, road networks can be designed and implemented in various ways to reduce the stress that roads may cause.

[0005] Therefore, there is a need for a method and system to determine a stress index for a route in order to reduce the risk of accidents and thereby improve road safety. Summary of the invention

[0006] The present disclosure is defined in the appended independent claims. Advantageous embodiments are defined in the dependent claims.

[0007] Specifically, according to a first aspect of the present disclosure, a computer-implemented method for determining a stress index of a route is provided, the method comprising: determining at least one route from a first point to a second point based on a map representation; dividing the at least one route into one or more sections and / or intersections by a stress index determination system; determining the stress index of at least one or more sections and / or intersections by the stress index determination system; combining the stress indexes of the sections and / or intersections by the stress index determination system to obtain an overall stress index of one or more routes. By dividing a route into a plurality of sections and intersections, the stress index of a route can be accurately determined. In the present disclosure, the stress index of a route is considered to be a cumulative factor that increases with the distance the driver drives along the route and / or the time the driver drives. Therefore, the overall pressure associated with a particular route is calculated by summing or integrating the pressures determined for each section and / or intersection along the route or road.

[0008] In the present disclosure, the stress index of a route refers to the cognitive and emotional stress experienced by a driver while traversing the route. It can be affected by various factors, such as road layout, presence of pedestrians and cyclists, traffic control, environmental conditions, etc. For example, a high stress index is often associated with complex urban environments, which may require more frequent decision-making and increased vigilance due to the presence of pedestrians, intersections, and other vehicles. In contrast, lower stress levels are generally experienced on highways or other roads with simpler layouts and fewer potential hazards or distractions.

[0009] In general, the road section in the present disclosure refers to a road section, along which there is a constant road property. Such a road section may also be referred to as being substantially uniform. For example, a road section with the same number of lanes may be considered to be substantially uniform. A crossroad in the present disclosure refers to a road section as a junction where more than two road sections meet. A crossroad includes a crossroad and a road section at the crossroad. A crossroad is also referred to as a crossroad in a route that allows a vehicle or pedestrian to change from one road section to another road section. In one embodiment, the method may further include comparing the stress index of the one or more routes and suggesting a route with the lowest stress index to the driver. In this way, the driver may select a relatively stress-free route, so that not only driving safety can be improved, but also driving experience can be enhanced.

[0010] In one embodiment, the stress of a section or intersection can be determined based on the complexity of the section or intersection. The complexity of a section or intersection in the present disclosure refers to the difficulty of crossing a specific section or intersection based on various structural and / or operational attributes. The higher the complexity, the more challenging it is for the driver to cross the road, which in turn increases the stress index of the route. For example, a section can be a simple two-lane road with no possibility of overtaking. A section can also be a four-lane road including an exit. This variable complexity can affect the stress index of the route.

[0011] In one embodiment, the complexity of a road segment is determined based on properties of the road segment regarding the number of lanes in the road segment and whether a change from one lane to another is possible.

[0012] In the present disclosure, an attribute refers to any specific feature or characteristic of a road segment that can affect its complexity. Attributes may include, but are not limited to, the number of lanes, the possibility of lane changes and merges, the type of turns at an intersection, etc. Preferably, for each attribute, a coefficient may be assigned according to the complexity caused by the attribute. This coefficient quantifies the impact of a specific attribute on the overall complexity of a road segment (road segment or intersection).

[0013] Preferably, the complexity of a road segment may be determined based on the number of lanes in the road segment and whether a change from one lane to another is possible. More preferably, the complexity of a road segment may also be determined based on the type of road markings drawn on the road segment. Other properties may also be taken into account when considering the complexity of a road segment.

[0014] In one embodiment, the pressure of a road segment can be defined by the following road segment model:

[0015]

[0016] In the road segment model, k represents the kth lane of the road segment (k ranges from 1 to k); lane k refers to the complexity of the k-th lane depending on the attribute of whether the lane includes an exit. For example, a lane may be a normal lane without an exit, or a lane including an exit. A lane including an exit has a higher complexity than a lane without an exit. Therefore, in an exemplary embodiment, a lane including an exit may be assigned a higher coefficient for this attribute, indicating that it may increase the complexity of the road segment. Lane Change kRefers to the complexity of the road segment associated with the attribute about whether it is possible to change from one lane to another. For example, if it is possible to change from one lane to another, the complexity of the road segment will increase, which in turn will increase the stress index of the road. Environment refers to the complexity of the road segment associated with the road type of the road segment, which will increase or decrease the complexity of the road segment proportionally. Preferably, the environment attribute can be urban road, rural road or suburban road, which indicates the location and / or surrounding environment that the road segment may pass through.

[0017] In the road segment model, the stress of the road segment also depends on at least one of the following factors: the time taken to traverse the road segment; whether the road segment is at least part of a highway, a tunnel, a bridge, or a normal street. k ,tunnel k ,bridge k and normal k Refers to the complexity of a road segment associated with whether it is a highway, a tunnel, a bridge, or at least part of a normal street. In addition to these factors, other factors may also be considered. For example, the presence of construction sites along the route, or the proximity to institutions such as kindergartens and schools.

[0018] In one embodiment, the pressure at an intersection may depend on at least one of the following factors: the time taken to pass through the intersection; the type of intersection; the type of turn at the intersection; the presence or absence of a traffic light at the intersection; and the pressure of the road segment at the intersection. The type of intersection may be an intersection where two or more roads meet and intersect each other; an intersection where one road meets another road at a right angle but does not intersect it, thereby forming a "T" shape when viewed from above; an intersection involving multiple roads or lanes; or any other situation where lanes or roads merge that is not covered by the previous categories. The type of turn at the intersection may include going straight (meaning that no turn is made), a turn at the intersection that interferes with pedestrian traffic, a left turn across an oncoming lane of traffic, or a U-turn.

[0019] In one embodiment, the pressure at an intersection can be defined by the following intersection model: (node ​​type k + Turn Type k +Traffic Lights k +∑ 路段 )·Time. Node Type k Refers to the complexity of the intersection associated with properties about how roads merge at the intersection; transition type k Refers to the complexity of an intersection associated with attributes regarding the types of directional movement allowed or expected at the intersection; kis the complexity of the intersection associated with the presence of traffic lights at the intersection; time is the driving time required to cross the intersection; and ∑ 路段 It refers to the pressure of the entire road section that the driver travels through when crossing an intersection.

[0020] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a stress index determination system for determining a stress index of a route is provided, the stress index determination system being configured to perform the method described above. The stress index determination system may be implemented as software, hardware, firmware, etc., which may analyze various factors and calculate a stress index associated with a particular route. In addition to executing the method described above, the stress index determination system may also take other factors into account, such as traffic congestion, road conditions, weather conditions, and even potential dangers. The stress index determination system provides a quantifiable measure of the possible stress that a driver may experience on that particular route. Therefore, the driver is able to make an informed decision about his or her driving plan, allowing him or her to choose a route that is not only efficient but also relatively stress-free. The system enhances the driving experience, mitigates the potential risks of driving under pressure, and contributes to overall road safety.

[0021] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a navigation system for navigating a route is provided, the navigation system comprising the stress index determination system as described above. The navigation system may be an integrated navigation system in the vehicle's infotainment system, or a navigation application on a smart device (smartphone, smart tablet, smart watch, etc.).

[0022] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a computer-readable medium is provided. The computer-readable medium includes instructions. When the instructions are executed by a computing device, the computing device is caused to perform the method as described above. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] Figure 1 is an exemplary road representation showing a route between a starting point and a destination;

[0024] Figure 2 is an exemplary road including road segments according to an embodiment;

[0025] Figure 3 Exemplary road segments of various levels of complexity are shown;

[0026] Figure 4 is a block diagram showing factors affecting pressure in a road section;

[0027] Figure 5 Exemplary intersections of various levels of complexity are shown;

[0028] Figure 6is a block diagram showing factors affecting pressure in an intersection;

[0029] Figure 7 is a flow chart illustrating a process of determining a pressure index for a route according to an embodiment;

[0030] FIG. 8A to FIG. 8C showing results of a pressure index determined by a pressure index determination system according to an embodiment; and

[0031] Fig.9A and Fig. 9B It is a comparison between the pressure index determined by the pressure index determination system and the experimental measurement result. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] Figure 1 1 is an exemplary road representation 100 showing a route 114 between a starting point 116 and a destination 118. Figure 1 As can be seen in , the route connecting the first point and the second point can generally be divided into (or represented as) a plurality of road segments 102, 104, 106, and 108, etc., and intersections 110, 112, etc. The road segment can be a road segment such as 102 and 108, one end of which is connected to the intersection. The road segment can also be a road segment such as 104 and 106, the two ends of which are respectively connected to the intersection. In the present disclosure, an intersection is an intersection where more than two road segments meet, thereby allowing vehicles or pedestrians to change the direction of travel. In the present disclosure, the motivation for segmenting the route in this way is due to the fact that the stress index of the road segment and the intersection depends on different factors, and therefore it is best to consider these factors separately.

[0033] In the present disclosure, a road segment may be a substantially uniform road segment. Uniform in the present disclosure refers to having constant road properties along the road segment. For example, a road segment having the same number of lanes may be considered substantially uniform. Figure 2 As shown, roads often have variable lane configurations along a given driving direction, such as road 200. For example, lanes are added at highway exits or reduced when roads merge; there are dedicated turning lanes, bus lanes, or bicycle lanes; temporary lane transfers occur due to road construction or traffic management measures, etc. These dynamic lane arrangements can significantly affect traffic flow and driver behavior. Figure 2, the lanes of road 200 increase from two lanes to three lanes at BB', and turn back from three lanes to two lanes at AA'. In this case, road 200 is therefore divided into three sections 202, 204 and 206 by dotted lines AA' and BB'. Sections 202 and 206 have two road lanes, while section 204 has three road lanes. By dividing road 200 into three sections according to the number of lanes contained in each section, the stress index of the route can be accurately evaluated. Specifically, such a section can represent the smallest unit for evaluating the stress index of the route.

[0034] In one embodiment, the definition of a road segment may additionally depend on other factors, such as the type of road markings drawn thereon. For example, a two-lane road segment: one segment is drawn by a combination of white dashed and solid lines in the direction of travel, while the other segment is drawn by white dashed lines only in the direction of travel, may be defined as comprising two different sub-segments. Such a detailed division of road segments may improve the accuracy of stress index assessment.

[0035] Figure 3 Road segments with various lanes associated with different levels of complexity are depicted. For example, the complexity of a road segment may be associated with the number of lanes contained in the road segment and the possibility of changing from one lane to another during driving. For example, road segment 302 is a two-lane road, demarcated by a solid white line. This continuous line marks the area where lane changes are not allowed, so it is not possible to switch from one lane to another. Since overtaking is prohibited, drivers driving on such roads will experience low stress. The complexity of road segment 302 can be considered to be a simple complexity (resulting in a low stress index). Turning to road segment 304, the road segment has two lanes and it is possible to change from one lane to another. In this case, other drivers' actions such as overtaking, passing, and merging may cause stress. Therefore, the complexity of road segment 304 may be considered to be medium complexity (resulting in a medium stress index). In addition, it is more common that roads have more than two lanes and it is also possible to change from one lane to other lanes, such as the road segment shown by 306. Driving on such roads may cause high stress to drivers. Therefore, the complexity level of road segment 306 may be considered to be high complexity (resulting in a high stress index).

[0036] Figure 4 The properties that may affect the pressure of the road segment 400 are depicted. In addition to the number of lanes and the possibility of changing lanes, the pressure of the road segment 400 may also depend on whether the current lane has an exit. In one embodiment, the road segment can also be distinguished based on its location and / or surrounding environment. For example, urban roads, rural roads, suburban roads, etc. In the present disclosure, the pressure of the road segment can be described by the following road segment model:

[0037]

[0038] Thus, k represents the kth lane of the road section (k ranges from 1 to k); lane k is the complexity of the k-th lane depending on the attribute of whether the lane includes an exit or not. For example, a lane can be a normal lane without an exit, or a lane including an exit. A lane including an exit has a higher complexity than a lane without an exit. Therefore, for this attribute, a lane including an exit can be assigned a higher coefficient, indicating that it may increase the complexity of the road segment. Lane Change k Refers to the complexity of a road segment associated with an attribute about whether it is possible to change from one lane to another. For example, if it is possible to change from one lane to another, the complexity of the road segment increases, which in turn increases the stress index of the road. Environment refers to the complexity of the road segment associated with the road type of the road segment, which increases or decreases the complexity of the road segment proportionally. The environment attribute can be urban road, rural road or suburban road, which indicates the location and / or surrounding environment that the road segment may pass through. Highway k ,tunnel k , Bridge Dye k and normal k Refers to the complexity of a road segment associated with whether it is at least part of a highway, tunnel, bridge, or normal street. For example, if the road segment is part of a tunnel or bridge, the complexity will increase accordingly. Of course, other factors can also be considered and defined to fully evaluate the stress of the road segment. For example, the presence of a construction site along the route may cause traffic disruption and an increase in the stress index. Similarly, the proximity to institutions such as kindergartens and schools may potentially increase the complexity of the driving environment due to factors such as crosswalks, school buses, and increased traffic during pick-up and drop-off times. Time refers to the time taken to pass through the road segment.

[0039] As mentioned above, the stress index of a road is affected not only by the complexity of the road section but also by the complexity of the intersection. Figure 5 Three different intersections 502, 504, and 506 are shown that are associated with different levels of complexity. In the present disclosure, the level of complexity of an intersection may be associated with the type of intersection, the direction of the turn to be made, and the road segments included in the intersection.

[0040] For example, in Figure 5, intersection 502 has a simple form because one of the roads merging into the intersection is the end of the road. That is, the traffic flow on this road is significantly less. Drivers driving through such an intersection will experience low stress. The complexity of intersection 502 can be considered to be low complexity (leading to a low stress index). Turning to intersection 504, the intersection is a cross intersection, and the expected turning direction is a left turn. In this case, the driver is under greater stress. The complexity of intersection 504 can be considered to be medium complexity (leading to a medium stress index). In addition, it is more common that the intersection is a complex roundabout as shown by 506, which includes more than two lanes. Drivers driving on this intersection and planning to turn left will experience high stress. Therefore, the complexity of intersection 506 can be considered to be high complexity (leading to a high stress index).

[0041] Figure 6 Attributes that may affect stress at an intersection are shown. In the present disclosure, an intersection may be considered to include a road segment and an intersection. The determination of stress at a road segment may be the same as the determination of stress described above. In addition, the type of intersection, the type of turn, and whether there is a traffic light at the intersection may also affect the stress index. Similar to the stress used in the road segment, the time it takes to cross the intersection may also affect the stress. This means that the longer it takes to cross the intersection, the more stress it may cause. This is especially important when driving on an intersection such as 506.

[0042] Based on these properties, in an implementation scheme, the pressure at the intersection can be described by the following intersection model:

[0043]

[0044] By this node type k Refers to the complexity of an intersection with attributes about how roads merge at the intersection, which may include crossroads, the end of a road with a traffic light, or obvious road markings. This may include intersections where two or more lanes or roads merge into one; intersections where two or more roads meet and cross each other; intersections where one road meets another at a right angle but does not cross it, forming a "T" shape when viewed from above; intersections involving multiple roads or lanes; and any other situations where lanes or roads merge that are not covered by the previous categories. For example, a cross-shaped intersection may be assigned a higher coefficient, while a T-shaped intersection may be assigned a lower coefficient.

[0045] Turn Type kRefers to the complexity of the intersection associated with attributes regarding the types of directional movements allowed or expected at the intersection. This may include: straight ahead, meaning that no turn is made and the vehicle continues on its current path; turns that interfere with pedestrian traffic at the intersection, such as making a right turn at the intersection where pedestrians are currently crossing the street, which indicates a more complex scenario that increases stress because the driver must give way to pedestrians; turns that interfere with other traffic flow, such as a left turn across a lane of oncoming traffic, which may potentially increase the stress index; or U-turns, meaning that the vehicle is making a 180-degree turn to travel in the opposite direction, i.e., such a maneuver may be complex and may subsequently increase stress.

[0046] traffic light k It refers to the complexity of the intersection associated with the presence of traffic lights at the intersection, i.e., if there are traffic lights, the complexity increases.

[0047] Time is the driving time required to cross the intersection; and ∑ 路段 It refers to the pressure of the entire road segment that the driver travels through when crossing an intersection, which is equivalent to the road segment model.

[0048] Based on the road segment model and the intersection model, the pressure index of the route 114 may be determined by summing the pressure of each road segment and intersection in the route 114 .

[0049] In some embodiments, various coefficients may be predefined and assigned to the attributes of both road segments and intersections. These coefficients are used to determine the stress index of the selected route. Table 1 below provides an illustrative example of how these coefficients may be assigned. Importantly, the present disclosure is not limited to this particular coefficient assignment. It is merely used as a possible implementation.

[0050]

[0051]

[0052] In one embodiment, the complexity of a road segment can be set to 1, thereby indicating the basic level of complexity. When reading road information, the model reads an input data configuration file, which defines various roads and intersections and specifies their properties and relationships. For example, the input data can be JSON, or a format road description. For each road segment or intersection, a set of attributes can be provided in an array format. Attributes may include types and coefficients such as those shown in Table 1. Each attribute has a specific type (e.g., string, number, Boolean value) and may have any number of additional parameters. Some attributes may also include arrays of other attributes, which can be used to represent more complex or nested data structures. When processing the configuration file, the reading (parsing) of the attributes is completed recursively, which means that the reader (parser) will process the nested arrays of attributes by repeatedly applying the same parsing process to each nested level.

[0053] Once all attributes have been converted into operators, the model will begin executing these operators one by one in a specific order based on their priority and order. Each operator will modify the complexity value of the model when it is executed. For example, an attribute representing a tunnel may increase the complexity value because tunnels are generally more complex to traverse than simple roads. Therefore, if route 114 includes a tunnel, the stress index of the route will increase.

[0054] At the end of this process, the model's complexity value will be adjusted to reflect the overall complexity of the road segment as represented by the input data. This final complexity indicates the stress index of the route. The model then goes through a process of calling each operator sequentially taking into account its priority and order, for example, some operators may be applied before other operators depending on their set priority and the order (sequence) in which they are expected to be applied. This process effectively allows the model to adjust its complexity value based on the operators derived from the attributes.

[0055] The following is an example of a road segment profile and an intersection profile. Importantly, the present disclosure is not limited to this particular example. It is merely used as one possible implementation.

[0056]

[0057]

[0058]

[0059]

[0060]

[0061] The present invention also relates to a computer-readable medium, the computer-readable medium comprising instructions, which, when executed by a computing device, the above-mentioned computer system or the above-mentioned computing device, causes the computing device or system to perform the method described above. It should be recognized that the controller as disclosed herein may include various microprocessors, integrated circuits, memory devices (e.g., FLASH, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), electrically programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM) or other suitable variations thereof) and software that cooperate with each other to perform the operations disclosed herein. In addition, such controllers as disclosed utilize one or more microprocessors to execute computer programs embodied in non-transitory computer-readable media that are programmed to perform any number of functions as disclosed. In addition, the controller as provided herein includes a housing and various numbers of microprocessors, integrated circuits, and memory devices (e.g., FLASH, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), electrically programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM)) positioned within the housing. The controller as disclosed also includes hardware-based inputs and outputs to receive data from and transmit data to, respectively, other hardware-based devices as discussed herein.

[0062] Figure 7 A process 700 of determining a stress index for a route by a stress index determination system according to one or more embodiments is depicted. At step 702, based on a user request, a stress index determination system or the like may determine at least one route from a first point (departure point) to a second point (destination). The user may request a route from an integrated navigation system in a vehicle, or from a navigation application on a smart device (smartphone, smart tablet, smart watch, etc.). The stress index determination system may be implemented as software, hardware, firmware, etc., which may analyze various factors and calculate a stress index associated with a particular route. At step 704, the stress index determination system divides the at least one route into a plurality of routes associated with the route. Figure 1 The pressure index determination system determines the pressure of each section and intersection according to the method described above. At step 706 and 708, the pressure index determination system determines the overall pressure index of one or more routes by integrating the pressure of each section and intersection in the route. Specifically, it is conceivable that the user may only be interested in the pressure index of a specific section within the route. In this case, the pressure index determination system does not have to divide the entire route into sections and intersections. As an optional step 712, the pressure index determination system can compare the pressure index of each route and recommend the route with the lowest pressure index to the user.

[0063] In some embodiments, it may happen that sometimes, although the overall pressure of a certain road is low compared to other roads, the pressure index of a specific section of the route is particularly high. Therefore, alternatively or additionally, the pressure index determination system may define a minimum pressure index based on the overall pressure index and the pressure index of each section of the route at a predefined value.

[0064] FIG. 8A to FIG. 8C are exemplary visual representations of pressure indices for various routes determined by a pressure index determination system according to an embodiment. The graphs illustrate pressure indices along different routes, with road segments with dark grey colors indicating relatively high pressures and road segments with light grey colors indicating relatively low pressures. Each graph focuses on a specific driving environment to demonstrate the impact on the pressure index.

[0065] exist Fig. 8A In Figure 1, the stress index for a route in an urban area is depicted. The route is depicted by the arrows shown in the figure. This urban environment tends to result in a higher stress index due to the impact from dense traffic, complex intersections, and the impact from pedestrians. The dark road segments on the route highlight the areas where the driver may experience elevated stress index. Figure 8B The stress index for a route covering both urban areas and highway areas is shown. This figure shows that the stress index can vary along the route. Urban areas continue to cause relatively high stress due to traffic congestion and complex road structures, while the stress index decreases when driving on highways with simpler traffic. Figure 8C In this study, the focus shifted to stress indices specifically associated with driving on highways. As expected, driving on highways generally resulted in lower stress indices compared to urban environments. Highways generally have fewer complex intersections, more predictable traffic flows, and fewer distractions, contributing to a relatively stress-free driving experience. However, at highway exits, drivers experience relatively higher stress indices because drivers must pay attention to an increasing number of road signs and speed limits.

[0066] Fig.9A and Fig. 9B is a comparison of the pressure index determined by the pressure index determination system with the experimental measurement results. For the experimental measurement results, a pressure detector is attached to the driver to measure the heart beat interval (IBI) to evaluate the driver's pressure index at each moment of measurement. Fig.9A and Fig. 9B In the graph in FIG. 1 , the horizontal axis represents time, spanning a duration of 20 minutes. The vertical axis represents the stress index. The line with a light gray color represents the stress index evaluated by the stress index determination system, and the line with a dark gray color represents the stress index measured by the experimental method.

[0067] Although it is clear that a driver's stress is not solely dependent on the route (e.g., a driver may also experience stress caused by work, health, etc.), the results shown in the graph demonstrate a good correlation between the stress index assessed by the stress index determination system and the stress index measured experimentally. This correlation demonstrates that the stress index determination system can effectively assess the stress index experienced by the driver, as verified by the experimental data.

[0068] In the present disclosure, it should be understood that the disclosed features and embodiments are not exclusive or exhaustive, but illustrative. Various combinations, adjustments and modifications of the described embodiments are possible and are within the scope of the present invention. For example, a feature described as part of one embodiment may be incorporated into another embodiment to produce a new configuration, even if a specific combination is not explicitly described in the description of each embodiment. Therefore, the scope of the present invention should not be limited to the specific embodiments described herein, but should be limited by the full scope of the attached claims and equivalents authorized by such claims.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for determining a stress index for a route, the method comprising: determining at least one route from the first point to the second point based on the map representation; dividing the at least one route into one or more road segments and / or intersections by a pressure index determination system; Determining the pressure of at least one or more road sections and / or intersections by the pressure index determination system; The pressures of the one or more road segments and / or intersections are combined by the pressure index determination system to obtain an overall pressure index for one or more routes. 2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the route segment is a road segment along which substantially constant road properties are present. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the pressure of the road section is determined based on the complexity of the road section. 4 . The method according to claim 3 , wherein the complexity of the road section is determined based on properties of the road section regarding the number of lanes of the road section and whether a change from one lane to another is possible.

5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the pressure of the road section is determined based on at least one of the following properties: - the time taken to traverse the route; - Whether the road segment is at least a part of a highway, a tunnel, a bridge or a normal street. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the attributes are assigned corresponding coefficients to indicate the complexity of the attributes.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the pressure of the road segment is determined as: The coefficient k represents the 1st to kth lanes, and the coefficient lane k Indicates the complexity of the kth lane of the road section, the coefficient lane change k represents the complexity of the lane associated with whether it is possible to change from one lane to another, and the coefficient environment represents the road type that proportionally increases or decreases the complexity of the road segment, and the coefficient highway k ,tunnel k ,bridge k and normal k Respectively represent the complexity of the road segment associated with the presence or absence of a highway, tunnel, bridge or normal road.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the coefficient environment depends on whether the road segment is part of an urban road, a rural road or a suburban road.

9. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the intersection is a junction where more than two road segments meet, and the intersection comprises an intersection and a road segment at the intersection.

10. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the pressure at the intersection is determined according to at least one of the following factors: - the time taken to pass through the intersection; - the type of intersection; - the type of turn at the intersection; - Whether there is a traffic light at the intersection; - the pressure index of the road section at the intersection.

11. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the pressure at the intersection is defined as: The coefficient node type k Indicates the complexity of the intersection associated with the type of the intersection or the end of the road; coefficient turn type k represents the complexity of the intersection associated with the type of directional movement allowed or expected at the intersection, the coefficient traffic light k represents the complexity of the intersection associated with the presence of a traffic light at the intersection, the coefficient time represents the driving time required to cross the intersection, and the coefficient ∑ 路段 Represents the stress index of the road section at the intersection that the driver passes through.

12. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising: The stress indices of the one or more routes are compared and an indication is generated to a user suggesting the route having the lowest stress index.

13. A stress index determination system for determining a stress index of a route, wherein the stress index determination system is configured to perform the method according to any one of the preceding claims.

14. A navigation system for navigating a route, wherein the navigation system comprises the stress index determination system according to claim 13.

15. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform the method according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

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