Driving assistance method, driving assistance device, and computer program product

Abstract

The invention provides a driving assistance method for a vehicle. The driving assistance method comprises the following steps that whether the vehicle enters a toll station area or not is judged by means of map information provided by a navigation device of the vehicle and / or environment sensing information provided by an environment sensor of the vehicle; in response to the judgment that the vehicle enters the toll station area, controlling at least one driving assistance function of the vehicle to be switched from a standard mode to a toll station mode, the at least one driving assistance function including a blind area monitoring function, the blind area monitoring function has, at least in some cases, an extended blind area monitoring range than in a standard mode. The application also relates to a corresponding driving assistance device and a computer program product. According to the invention, the driving of the vehicle in the toll station area can be improved. Particularly, accidents possibly caused by insufficient system response or misjudgment can be reduced, and more reliable assistance is provided for a driver.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of vehicles, and in particular to a driving assistance method, a driving assistance device, and a computer program product. Background Art

[0002] In recent years, assisted driving technology and autonomous driving technology have developed rapidly. Among the many driving assistance functions, blind spot monitoring function and lane keeping function have attracted widespread attention due to their significant effects in improving driving safety, and vehicles are basically equipped with these functions.

[0003] Although these driver assistance features perform well under normal road conditions, they may not perform as well in certain scenarios, such as toll booth areas. Toll booth areas are usually characterized by unclear lane lines, complex traffic flow, unpredictable vehicle trajectories, and frequent lane changes. In these situations, existing driver assistance systems may not provide adequate support and may even increase driving risks due to improper system responses.

[0004] Therefore, existing driving assistance functions still have shortcomings when facing toll station scenarios. Summary of the invention

[0005] The purpose of the present application is to provide an improved driving assistance method, a driving assistance device and a computer program product to solve at least part of the problems in the prior art.

[0006] According to a first aspect of the present application, a driving assistance method for a vehicle is provided, wherein the driving assistance method comprises the following steps:

[0007] Step S1: determining whether the vehicle has entered a toll booth area by means of map information provided by a navigation device of the vehicle and / or environmental perception information provided by an environmental sensor of the vehicle; and

[0008] Step S2: In response to determining that the vehicle has entered a toll station area, controlling at least one driving assistance function of the vehicle to switch from a standard mode to a toll station mode, wherein the at least one driving assistance function includes a blind spot monitoring function. In the toll station mode, the blind spot monitoring function has a blind spot monitoring range that is expanded compared to the standard mode, at least in some cases.

[0009] This application develops an intelligent driving assistance method to meet the special needs of vehicles traveling in toll station areas. In traditional systems, when a vehicle enters a toll station area, if the blind spot monitoring system is still operating in standard mode, it may not be able to fully cover the blind spots that are increased due to dense vehicles and frequent lane changes, thereby increasing the risk of collision with neighboring vehicles. In order to solve this problem, this method realizes intelligent mode switching of driving assistance functions by accurately identifying the position of the vehicle and determining whether it has entered the toll station area. In toll station mode, the system will temporarily expand the coverage of blind spot monitoring to adapt to the complex traffic conditions in this area. This automatic mode switching not only reduces accidents that may be caused by insufficient system response or misjudgment, but also ensures the accuracy and safety of the blind spot monitoring function in complex traffic environments, providing drivers with more reliable assistance and a sense of security.

[0010] In an exemplary embodiment, in step S2, in the toll station mode, the functional scope of at least one driving assistance function is adaptively adjusted according to the presence of lane lines in the toll station area. By identifying the presence or absence of lane lines in the toll station area, the system can adaptively adjust the functional scope of the driving assistance function in the toll station mode to match the current traffic environment. This enables the system to provide more accurate assistance in the toll station area and reduce safety risks caused by environmental complexity.

[0011] In an exemplary embodiment, in step S2, in the toll station mode, for the road sections in the toll station area where there are no lane lines, the blind spot monitoring range of the blind spot monitoring function is expanded to a first range relative to the preset range in the standard mode, and for the road sections in the toll station area where there are lane lines, the blind spot monitoring range of the blind spot monitoring function is expanded to a second range relative to the preset range in the standard mode, and the first range is larger than the second range. In the road sections without lanes in the toll station area, vehicles often need a wider field of view to cope with uncertain traffic environments and merging actions. A larger monitoring range can help vehicles detect neighboring vehicles earlier and provide more reaction time for the driver. In the road sections with lane lines, the smaller second range can avoid excessive intervention in the driver's natural driving behavior while still providing necessary safety guarantees. By setting two different monitoring ranges, the system can flexibly adjust the monitoring strategy according to the specific road conditions in the specific toll station area to assist the driver in the best way.

[0012] In an exemplary embodiment, in step S2, for a road section in the toll station area where no lane line exists, the blind spot monitoring range of the blind spot monitoring function on both sides is expanded relative to the preset range in the standard mode, and for a road section in the toll station area where a lane line exists, the blind spot monitoring range on at least one side is selectively expanded according to the position of the vehicle relative to the lane line, especially according to the position of the vehicle relative to the lane line when the vehicle reaches the road section where the lane line exists, wherein:

[0013] In case of vehicles crossing lanes, especially when the vehicle crosses lanes on a road section with lane lines, the blind spot monitoring range of the side where the wheel crosses the lane or the side where the front of the vehicle deviates is expanded.

[0014] In the case where the vehicle does not cross the lane, especially when the vehicle reaches a section of road with lane lines and does not cross the lane, the double-side blind spot monitoring range is maintained within the preset range of the standard mode.

[0015] This enables the system to flexibly adjust the blind spot monitoring range according to the actual road conditions and vehicle position to adapt to different driving environments. Vehicle crossing the line usually means that the driver may choose a channel or merge in the toll booth area. At this time, the system temporarily expands the blind spot monitoring range on both sides to help more effectively identify surrounding vehicles, thereby effectively reducing the risk of collision caused by continuous rapid lane changes or merging. When the lane line is clearly visible and the vehicle is driving stably in the center of the selected lane, maintaining the standard monitoring range of the blind spot monitoring function can avoid issuing unnecessary warnings, thereby reducing unnecessary interference to the driver and ensuring a smooth and focused driving process.

[0016] In an exemplary embodiment, the at least one driving assistance function further includes a lane keeping function, which is fully enabled in the standard mode and at least partially inhibited in the toll station mode. In the toll station area, the vehicle may need to change lanes quickly and frequently and the lane markings are unclear. Moderate inhibition of the lane keeping function can avoid the system from misleading the vehicle and reduce possible misoperation.

[0017] In one exemplary embodiment, at least partially inhibiting availability of the lane keeping function includes:

[0018] Suppressing at least one of a lane departure warning function, a lane keeping assist function, a lane centering control function, and a lane departure mitigation function; and / or

[0019] Outputting new warning content in the vehicle to replace the original warning content of the lane departure warning function, the new warning content including:

[0020] "In the toll booth area, the driving assistance function is limited, please be ready to take over at any time",

[0021] "Please note that you are about to enter a toll booth. Please be prepared to manually control the vehicle."

[0022] "The lane lines in the current area are unclear, please drive carefully in the toll station area",

[0023] "Toll booth area, lane keeping assist is temporarily disabled, please pay attention to lane changes", and / or

[0024] "The vehicle is approaching an area where no lane lines exist. Please drive manually to pass the toll booth safely."

[0025] By suppressing the lane keeping function, inappropriate automatic intervention is avoided in the toll booth area, reducing potential safety risks caused by system misjudgment. The customized warning content can clearly inform the driver of the current status of the driving assistance function and the required actions, helping the driver to better understand and adapt to the special driving environment in the toll booth area.

[0026] In an exemplary embodiment, in step S2, in the toll station mode, for a road section in the toll station area where no lane line exists, the lane keeping function is suppressed, and for a road section in the toll station area where a lane line exists, the lane keeping function is selectively suppressed according to the position of the vehicle relative to the lane line, in particular according to the position of the vehicle relative to the lane line when the vehicle reaches the road section where the lane line exists, wherein:

[0027] In the case of a vehicle crossing a lane line, especially when the vehicle crosses a lane line when it reaches a section of road with a lane line, the lane keeping function is suppressed.

[0028] In the case where the vehicle does not cross the lane, especially in the case where the vehicle does not cross the lane when reaching a road section with lane lines, the lane keeping function is not suppressed.

[0029] By intelligently identifying whether the vehicle is within the lane, assistance can be provided only when necessary, avoiding frequent system intervention and making the driving process in the toll booth area smoother.

[0030] In an exemplary embodiment, the method further comprises the following steps: Step S3: judging whether the vehicle has left the toll station area by means of map information provided by the vehicle's navigation device and / or environmental perception information provided by the vehicle's environmental sensor; Step S4: in response to the vehicle having left the toll station area, switching the vehicle's blind spot monitoring function and / or lane keeping function from the toll station mode to the standard mode. Thus, by accurately identifying the time when the vehicle leaves the toll station area, it is possible to ensure that the driving assistance function is restored to the standard mode in a timely manner, thereby avoiding excessive suppression of the driving assistance function in non-toll station areas or unnecessary interference to the driver.

[0031] In an exemplary embodiment, in step S3, when it is recognized that the vehicle has passed through a toll station, when the vehicle reaches a road section where the number of lanes is stable or the road width remains constant and / or when the distance from the current position of the vehicle to the toll station exceeds a distance threshold, it is determined that the vehicle has left the toll station area.

[0032] Among them, the vehicle is identified as having passed the toll booth in the following cases:

[0033] Determine that the toll booth is behind the vehicle based on the map and vehicle location information;

[0034] The vehicle's environmental perception information can no longer continuously identify the presence of a toll booth in the road environment ahead of the vehicle within a predetermined time period; and / or

[0035] The timing starts from the time when it is determined in step S1 that the vehicle enters the toll booth area, and the timing time is greater than the buffer time, in particular, greater than the sum of the distance from the vehicle to the toll booth and the buffer time. The buffer time is a preset value or is related to the number of vehicles queuing in front of the vehicle and the average stay time of a single vehicle at the toll booth.

[0036] Therefore, whether the vehicle has left the toll station area can be determined more accurately based on whether it has passed the toll station, reducing misjudgments caused by temporary field of view obstruction or sensor errors, thereby improving the accuracy and reliability of scene recognition.

[0037] According to a second aspect of the present application, a driving assistance device for a vehicle is provided, wherein the driving assistance device comprises a memory and a processor, the memory stores computer program instructions, and when the computer program instructions are executed by the processor, the processor is capable of executing the driving assistance method according to the first aspect of the present application.

[0038] According to a third aspect of the present application, a computer program product comprises computer program instructions, wherein the computer program instructions, when executed by one or more processors, enable the one or more processors to execute the driving assistance method according to the first aspect of the present application. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0039] The present application will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, so that the principles, features and advantages of the present application can be better understood. The accompanying drawings include:

[0040] Figure 1 A vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0041] Figure 2 A flowchart of a driving assistance method according to an example embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0042] Figure 3 Shows Figure 2 a flow chart of one step of the method shown;

[0043] Figure 4 Shows Figure 2 a flow chart of one step of the method shown;

[0044] Figure 5 A flowchart of a driving assistance method according to another example embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0045] Figure 6 A schematic diagram showing the lane line existence situation of a toll station area according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application;

[0046] Figure 7 The application process of the driving assistance method according to the exemplary embodiment of the present application in an exemplary scenario is shown; and

[0047] Fig. 8A and Figure 8B The application process of the driving assistance method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application in an exemplary scenario is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0048] In order to make the technical problems, technical solutions and beneficial technical effects to be solved by the present application clearer, the present application will be further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and multiple exemplary embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present application, rather than to limit the scope of protection of the present application.

[0049] Figure 1 A vehicle 10 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application is shown. The vehicle 10 is, for example, a vehicle with an automatic driving function or an assisted driving function.

[0050] like Figure 1 As shown, the vehicle 10 may include a driving assistance device 11. The driving assistance device 11 may be configured to be able to perform a driving assistance method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application. It should be understood that the features and advantages described herein for the driving assistance method are also applicable to the driving assistance device 11, and vice versa.

[0051] The driving assistance device 11 can be implemented as an electronic control unit (ECU) of the vehicle 10, for example. When the vehicle is traveling within the range of its functional design (such as a highway), the driving assistance device 11 provides driving assistance functions in standard mode. Once the device detects that the vehicle enters a toll booth area, it automatically adjusts the operating mode of at least one driving assistance function to adapt to the special driving needs of the toll booth area. For example, the driving assistance device 11 can select between short-distance, medium-distance and long-distance modes of the blind spot monitoring function, and the most suitable mode is applied according to different sections of the toll booth area. In addition, the driving assistance device 11 can also enable or disable the lane keeping function by controlling the switch of the lane keeping assist function.

[0052] The driving assistance device 11 may include a memory and a processor, the memory storing computer program instructions, when the computer program instructions are executed by the processor, the processor can, for example, execute a driving assistance method for the vehicle 10. The computer program instructions may be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. The computer-readable storage medium may, for example, include a high-speed random access memory, and may also include a non-volatile memory, such as a hard disk, a memory, a plug-in hard disk, a smart memory card, a secure digital card, a flash memory card, at least one disk storage device, a flash memory device, or other volatile solid-state storage devices. The processor may be a central processing unit, or may be other general-purpose processors, digital signal processors, application-specific integrated circuits, off-the-shelf programmable gate arrays or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, discrete hardware components, etc.

[0053] The vehicle 10 may also include at least one environmental sensor 12 for detecting the surrounding environment of the vehicle 10. The environmental sensor 12 may include, for example, an on-board camera that captures an image of the road environment ahead. Toll booths on the road may be detected and identified using image processing and computer vision techniques. The driving assistance device 11 may, for example, be connected to the at least one environmental sensor 12 and may include a trained object classifier or machine learning model that is trained to detect visual features in an image. Once the system detects features associated with a toll booth, such as a toll booth (or other specific architectural features), a toll sign, a special sign (ETC, a manual lane), or a specific (lane) road layout, it will be identified as a toll booth. In addition to the on-board camera, the environmental sensor 12 may also include other types of sensors, such as lidar, millimeter wave radar, ultrasonic sensors, etc., to provide a more comprehensive environmental perception capability.

[0054] The vehicle 10 may also include a navigation device 13, which is capable of accessing a map database in which map data is stored. These map data, for example, cover high-precision maps and standard-precision maps, and record in detail key information such as the location of toll booths, the number of lanes, road speed limits, and lane widths. The navigation device 13 is also configured to determine the current location of the vehicle 10 using a positioning method such as GNSS, and then display the current location information of the vehicle 10 together with the map data to form map information. The driving assistance device 11 can be connected to the navigation device 13, and by using the map information provided by the navigation device 13, determine whether the toll booth is located in front of or behind the vehicle, and determine the distance of the vehicle 10 relative to the toll booth.

[0055] Figure 2 FIG. 1 is a flow chart showing a driving assistance method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application. Figure 2 As shown, the driving assistance method may include steps S1 and S2.

[0056] In step S1 , it is determined whether the vehicle enters a toll booth area by means of map information provided by a navigation device of the vehicle and / or environmental perception information provided by an environmental sensor of the vehicle.

[0057] In one embodiment, whether the vehicle enters the toll booth area can be determined by the vehicle camera alone or by data fusion with other environmental sensors. Specifically, if the vehicle camera detects multiple features related to the toll booth at the same time, such as detecting a toll booth and a toll sign at the same time, the detection result of the toll booth is considered to have reached the stability standard.

[0058] In one embodiment, it is possible to determine whether a vehicle has entered a toll station area by fusing the data of the vehicle-mounted camera alone or with other environmental sensors. Specifically, if the vehicle-mounted camera continuously detects a toll station in multiple consecutive detection cycles, and these detection results remain consistent, this indicates that the detection result of the toll station has stabilized, and it can be considered that the vehicle has entered the toll station area. For another example, if the update cycle of the sensor fusion result is 20 milliseconds, then if the toll station is continuously detected for at least 60 milliseconds (i.e., 3 update cycles), it is considered that the detection result of the toll station has met the stability standard.

[0059] In one embodiment, the actual distance between the current position of the vehicle and the next toll station can be read from the map information and compared with a predefined distance threshold (e.g., 300 meters). Once the distance between the vehicle and the toll station is less than the threshold, it is determined based on the map information that the vehicle has entered the toll station area.

[0060] In one embodiment, the fusion technology can also be used to combine map information and environmental perception information to comprehensively judge whether the vehicle has entered the toll station area. This method can resolve possible information conflicts through predefined rules. For example, if the environmental perception information contradicts the results indicated by the high-precision map data, the system will give priority to the judgment of the high-precision map data. In addition, machine learning algorithms, such as Bayesian methods, can be applied to assign weights to the judgment results from different information sources. These weights will be determined based on the algorithm's historical assessment of the reliability of each information source. Then, the weighted fusion results will be calculated based on these weights to more accurately judge whether the vehicle has entered the toll station area.

[0061] In step S2, in response to determining that the vehicle has entered a toll station area, at least one driving assistance function of the vehicle is controlled to switch from a standard mode to a toll station mode, and the at least one driving assistance function includes a blind spot monitoring function. In the toll station mode, the blind spot monitoring function has a blind spot monitoring range that is expanded than in the standard mode, at least in some cases.

[0062] Typically, blind spot monitoring uses radar sensors or cameras mounted on both sides of the rear of the vehicle to continuously monitor the blind spots on both sides and behind the vehicle. These blind spots are areas that the driver cannot see through the rearview mirror or side mirror in a normal driving posture. The data collected by the sensors is transmitted to the driving assistance device, which analyzes the data to identify whether there is a vehicle in the blind spot.

[0063] The blind spot monitoring function of the blind spot detection function mainly includes the following two types of monitoring ranges:

[0064] Warning monitoring range: This type of monitoring range is mainly distributed on the sides and rear of the vehicle. When other vehicles enter this range, a warning will be issued in the vehicle. If the neighboring vehicle turns on the turn signal, the warning will be upgraded accordingly. For example, in standard mode, the longitudinal boundary of the warning monitoring range can extend from the B-pillar of the vehicle to 30 meters backward; in toll station mode, this longitudinal boundary can be extended to 60 meters, and the lateral boundary will also be extended accordingly to increase the lateral range of monitoring coverage.

[0065] Intervention monitoring range: This type of monitoring range is located on the side of the vehicle. When other vehicles enter this range, the driver assistance device evaluates whether the distance between the two vehicles is too close and automatically intervenes when a potential collision risk is determined. For example, a slight steering force can be applied to the steering wheel to prompt the vehicle to steer unilaterally to avoid a vehicle that is too close. In toll station mode, in order to better adapt to complex traffic environments, the intervention monitoring range can also be expanded horizontally and horizontally.

[0066] / or vertically expand to several times the standard mode to improve safety and responsiveness in congested or disorderly traffic conditions.

[0067] In one embodiment, in the toll station mode, the above two monitoring ranges of the blind spot monitoring function can be expanded at the same time, or only one of them can be expanded, which depends on the actual traffic conditions and needs.

[0068] In one embodiment, this expansion can be dynamic rather than static, meaning that the monitoring range is gradually adjusted based on the relative distance or speed of the vehicle to the toll station. For example, when the vehicle enters the toll station mode and gradually approaches the toll station, the blind spot monitoring range will first increase and then decrease. Conversely, once the vehicle passes the toll station and begins to move away, the monitoring range will also gradually decrease, and finally smoothly transition back to the preset range in the standard mode.

[0069] In the above, "at least in some cases" means that the expansion of the blind spot monitoring range does not necessarily occur immediately every time the toll booth mode is switched, but it will be decided whether to execute in response to meeting specific conditions or situations. In addition, this expansion may not be fully implemented, but only in specific sections or time periods to adapt to actual traffic conditions and driving needs.

[0070] Optionally, the at least one driving assistance function further comprises a lane keeping function, which is fully enabled in the standard mode and at least partially suppressed in the toll booth mode.

[0071] The lane keeping function, for example, uses a camera at the front of the vehicle to identify lane lines and continuously track the position of the vehicle in the lane. When the driving assistance device senses that the vehicle has unintentionally deviated from the lane without turning on the turn signal, the lane keeping assistance function will be automatically activated. For example, this function may include four sub-functions: lane departure warning function, which monitors the driving status of the vehicle in the lane in real time and issues a warning message when a lane departure that is not intended by the driver occurs or is about to occur; lane keeping assistance function, which monitors the relative position of the vehicle and the lane edge in real time, and controls the lateral movement of the vehicle continuously or when necessary to keep the vehicle in the original lane; lane centering control function, which monitors the relative position of the vehicle and the lane edge in real time, and continuously and automatically controls the lateral movement of the vehicle to keep the vehicle in the center area of ​​the lane; lane departure suppression function, which monitors the relative position of the vehicle and the lane edge in real time, controls the lateral movement of the vehicle when the vehicle is about to deviate from the lane, and assists the driver to stay in the original lane.

[0072] In standard mode, the lane keeping function operates in a fully functional state, providing comprehensive lane keeping assistance to ensure that the vehicle drives stably within the lane.

[0073] In toll booth mode, part of the lane keeping function can be suppressed. This includes:

[0074] Suppressing lane departure warning function;

[0075] Suppress lane keeping assist;

[0076] Inhibit lane centering control; and / or

[0077] Suppress lane departure mitigation function;

[0078] Outputting new warning content in the vehicle to replace the original warning content of the lane departure warning function, the new warning content including:

[0079] "In the toll booth area, the driving assistance function is limited, please be ready to take over at any time",

[0080] "Please note that you are about to enter a toll booth. Please prepare to manually control the vehicle."

[0081] "The lane lines in the current area are unclear. Please drive carefully in the toll station area."

[0082] "Toll booth area, lane keeping assist is temporarily disabled, please pay attention to lane changes", and / or

[0083] "The vehicle is approaching a road section where lane lines do not exist. Please drive manually to pass the toll booth safely."

[0084] In one embodiment, in step S2, in the toll station mode, the functional range of at least one driving assistance function can be adaptively adjusted according to the presence of lane lines in the toll station area. Specifically, for example, the blind spot monitoring range of the blind spot monitoring function can be adaptively adjusted according to the presence of lane lines in the toll station area. Additionally or alternatively, the availability of the lane keeping function can also be adaptively suppressed. This will be further described in conjunction with the following embodiments.

[0085] Figure 3 Shows Figure 2 A flow chart of one step of the method shown. Figure 3 In the embodiment, step S2 optionally includes sub-steps S21 to S25.

[0086] In sub-step S21, in response to the vehicle having entered the toll station area, the presence of lane lines of the current road section where the vehicle is traveling in the toll station area is checked. For example, lane line detection can be achieved by combining a camera with image processing technology. In addition, lane line detection can also be assisted by laser radar, millimeter wave radar and ultrasonic sensor.

[0087] If it is determined in sub-step S21 that the road section where the vehicle is located has no lane line, it indicates that there may be more complex traffic flow and higher uncertainty in the area. Therefore, in sub-step S22, the blind spot monitoring range of the blind spot monitoring function is expanded from the preset range in the standard mode to the first range to expand the detection range of the adjacent vehicle.

[0088] In contrast, if lane lines are detected in sub-step S21, this usually means that the traffic order is clearer and the vehicle's driving path is more predictable. In this case, the blind spot monitoring range will be appropriately expanded to the second range through sub-steps S23 to S25. Although the second range is still larger than the preset range in the standard mode, it is smaller than the first range when there are no lane lines. Such adjustments are intended to ensure the sensitivity of blind spot monitoring while avoiding false alarms caused by excessive expansion of the monitoring range. Through this differentiated adjustment strategy, the blind spot monitoring function can more reasonably adapt to the characteristics of different sections in the toll station area and improve driving safety.

[0089] When a lane line is detected in sub-step S21, the position of the vehicle relative to the lane line when reaching the lane line section can be obtained in sub-step S23, and it can be determined whether the vehicle is driving on the lane line.

[0090] In one embodiment, the position of the rear axle of the vehicle may be used as a key criterion to determine whether the vehicle is transitioning from a laneless route segment to a laned route segment, or vice versa. For example, the position of the rear axle of the vehicle may be continuously monitored, and when the rear axle of the vehicle is detected to have crossed the end of the existing lane line, this may be used as a clear sign that the vehicle has completely entered the laneless route segment. Conversely, when the rear axle of the vehicle crosses the start of a new lane line, this may be used as a sign that the vehicle has reached the laned route segment.

[0091] In one embodiment, in sub-step S23, a bounding box of the vehicle may be constructed based on parameters such as the position, orientation, and wheelbase of the vehicle, and this bounding box defines a minimized rectangular box that completely envelops the vehicle. Then, the position coordinates of the lane line may be obtained from the map information, and by analyzing the position coordinates of the bounding box and the position coordinates of the lane line, it may be determined whether the bounding box coincides with the lane line. If the position coordinates of the bounding box of the vehicle overlap with the position coordinates of the lane line, this is considered as driving on the lane line. On the contrary, if there is no overlap, it is considered as driving without crossing the lane line.

[0092] If it is determined in sub-step S23 that the vehicle is not driving on the lane line, it indicates that the vehicle is stably located between the two lane lines, which usually means that the driver has decided and clarified the toll lane to enter. In this case, the vehicle's driving intention is clear and the center position in the lane remains stable. Therefore, the range of the double-sided blind spot monitoring function can be maintained within the preset range of the standard mode in sub-step S24. This means that when the vehicle is driving stably and there is no line-crossing behavior, the blind spot monitoring maintains its basic monitoring range to provide conventional auxiliary support to the driver.

[0093] If it is determined in sub-step S23 that the vehicle is driving on the line when reaching the lane line section, this usually indicates that the vehicle is in a merging or diverging stage, which may be caused by a change in the number of lanes entering and exiting the toll station area or a change in the road width. In this case, the vehicle may be looking for a suitable time to enter a specific toll lane, or adjust between lanes to adapt to changes in traffic flow. In this case, the blind spot monitoring range of at least one side can be expanded to the second range in sub-step S25.

[0094] Specifically, in sub-step S25, it can be decided which side's blind spot monitoring range to expand based on the vehicle's driving dynamics and steering intention. For example, if the vehicle's wheels cross the lane line, it indicates that the vehicle may be driving close to the lane line on that side, and the blind spot monitoring range on the side where the wheels cross the lane line can be expanded. This helps to enhance the monitoring of adjacent lanes. Additionally or alternatively, if the vehicle crosses the lane line and the front of the vehicle deflects to a certain side, this also indicates that the driver intends to turn in that direction. At this time, the blind spot monitoring range on the side where the front of the vehicle deflects can also be expanded to accommodate the driver's steering intention and provide better assistance.

[0095] Figure 4 Shows Figure 2 A flow chart of one step of the method shown. Figure 4 In the embodiment, step S2 optionally includes sub-steps S210 to S250.

[0096] In sub-step S210, in response to the vehicle having entered the toll station area, the existence of the lane line of the road section where the vehicle is traveling in the toll station area is checked. The specific implementation of sub-step S210 can be performed with reference to the description of step S21 above, which will not be repeated here.

[0097] If it is determined that there is no lane line on the current road section, the lane keeping function may be suppressed in sub-step S220. For example, the lane departure warning function, lane keeping assist function, lane centering control function and lane departure suppression function may be disabled at the same time, or only one or more of them may be disabled. In particular, on a road section without lane lines, the lane keeping function on both sides may be suppressed.

[0098] If it is determined that there is a lane line on the road section where the vehicle is located, it can be further determined in sub-step S230 whether the vehicle is driving on the lane line in combination with the position of the vehicle relative to the lane line. This analysis process can also refer to the description of step S23 above.

[0099] If it is determined in sub-step S230 that the vehicle is not driving over the lane, the original functional range of the lane keeping function can be maintained in sub-step S240 without being suppressed, so as to provide the driver with conventional lane keeping assistance.

[0100] If it is determined in sub-step S230 that the vehicle is driving on the lane line when it reaches a section with a lane line, the lane keeping function can be suppressed in sub-step S250. In particular, the lane keeping function on one side (for example, the side where the wheel is driving on the lane line or the side where the front of the vehicle is deflected) can be suppressed, and the lane keeping function on the other side can be retained. In addition, the lane keeping function on both sides can also be suppressed at the same time. In an optional embodiment, when the vehicle changes from driving on the lane line to driving in the middle between two lane lines, the suppression of the corresponding lane keeping function can be released.

[0101] Figure 5 A flowchart of a driving assistance method according to another exemplary embodiment of the present application is shown. Figure 5 In the embodiment, the driving assistance method includes steps S1, S2, S3 and S4. Steps S1 and S2 can be performed as described above and will not be described in detail here.

[0102] Figure 5 It is shown that step S3 may be optionally performed after step S2. In step S3, it is determined whether the vehicle has left the toll station area by means of map information provided by the vehicle's navigation device and / or environmental perception information provided by the vehicle's environmental sensor.

[0103] Step S3 optionally includes sub-step S31 and sub-step S32. In sub-step S31, it is identified whether the vehicle has passed through a toll booth.

[0104] Here, it can be recognized that the vehicle has passed the toll station when at least one of the following conditions is met:

[0105] a) Determine based on the map and vehicle positioning information that the toll booth is behind the vehicle's current location.

[0106] b) The vehicle's environmental perception information can no longer continuously identify the existence of a toll booth in the road environment ahead of the vehicle within a predetermined time period.

[0107] c) Start timing from the moment the vehicle enters the toll booth area, and the timing time is T countdown The following relationship is satisfied:

[0108] T countdown >T1+Tbuffer

[0109] Where T1 is the time distance from the vehicle to the toll station (which can be estimated based on factors such as the average speed of the vehicle, the distance to the toll station, and road conditions), T buffer is the buffer time. buffer It can be a preset fixed value (e.g. 20 seconds). In addition, the buffer time T buffer It can also be calculated dynamically based on the number of vehicles in the queue ahead and the average stay time of each vehicle at the toll booth:

[0110] T buffer =N×T3+T buffer2

[0111] Where N is the number of vehicles queuing in front of the vehicle, T3 is the average stay time (or passing time) of a single vehicle at the toll station, and T buffer2 is another fixed buffer time (e.g. 5 seconds).

[0112] In sub-step S32, when it is recognized that the vehicle has passed through the toll station, it can be further determined whether the vehicle has entered a section where the number of lanes and the road width are stable, and / or it can also be determined whether the distance between the current position of the vehicle and the toll station exceeds a preset distance threshold. The determination of whether the vehicle has entered a section where the number of lanes is stable or the road width is constant can be performed in combination with map information and environmental perception data. When one or all of the above conditions are met, it can be determined that the vehicle has left the toll station area. Subsequently, in step S4, the blind spot monitoring function and / or lane keeping function of the vehicle is switched from the toll station mode back to the standard mode.

[0113] Figure 6 A schematic diagram showing the lane line existence situation in a toll booth area according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application.

[0114] like Figure 6 As shown, the vehicle can use the map information and the actual distance to judge that when the distance between the vehicle and the toll station 61 drops below the preset threshold, the vehicle is deemed to have entered the toll station area 60, and this point is marked as the starting point P1 of the toll station area 60. After entering the toll station area 60, the blind spot monitoring function and lane keeping function of the vehicle will be switched from the standard mode to the toll station mode accordingly.

[0115] In this exemplary scenario, the vehicle is first in the first area 601, where the lane lines are clear. As the vehicle moves forward, the vehicle enters the second area 602, which is the area without lane lines before the toll station 61. In this area, the lane lines disappear and the road width gradually increases. The third area 603 is the queue area before the toll station 61. This area is equipped with multiple toll gates, each of which is defined by lane lines to form a clear toll channel.

[0116] After the vehicle continues to move forward and passes through the toll station, it will first pass through the fourth area 604 without lane lines, where the road width begins to narrow. The vehicle then enters the fifth area 605, where lane lines reappear and the lane width and number gradually become stable. Combining environmental perception information and map information, the driving assistance device can identify the location where the lane width is stable or the number of lanes is determined as the end point P2 of the toll station area 60. After leaving the toll station area 60, the vehicle's blind spot monitoring function and lane keeping function will switch from the toll station mode back to the standard mode.

[0117] In the toll station area 60, in a plurality of different areas 601, 602, 603, 604 and 605 divided according to the presence of lane lines, the blind spot monitoring function and the lane keeping function of the vehicle can be adaptively adjusted. Specifically, in the first, third and fifth areas 601, 603, 605, the blind spot monitoring range can be selectively expanded according to the position of the vehicle relative to the lane line, and the lane keeping function can also be selectively suppressed. In the second and fourth areas 602, 604, the bilateral blind spot monitoring range can be expanded to a greater extent laterally and longitudinally, and the lane keeping function can be completely suppressed.

[0118] Figure 7 The application process of the driving assistance method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application in an exemplary scenario is shown.

[0119] like Figure 7 As shown, when the vehicle 10 travels to a road section without lane lines (which is similar to Figure 6 When the blind spot monitoring range of the vehicle 10 is extended from the preset range 701, 702 in the standard mode to the wider first range 711, 712. In order to intuitively show this change, Figure 7 The preset ranges 701 and 702 in the standard mode and the first ranges 711 and 712 in the toll booth mode are clearly identified.

[0120] In standard mode, the blind spot monitoring range is usually set to specific rectangular areas 701 and 702 on both sides of the vehicle 10. These areas 701 and 702 are mainly responsible for monitoring the driving conditions of vehicles in the adjacent lanes behind the side of the vehicle 10. In the longitudinal direction, this range starts from the B-pillar of the vehicle (i.e., the position of the C line in the figure) and extends backward, with the B line behind the rear edge of the vehicle as the boundary. In the transverse direction, the range starts from a preset distance from the outermost edge of the side of the vehicle 10 and extends outward to a predetermined width (i.e., to the position of the L line and the G line in the figure).

[0121] When the vehicle 10 enters the toll station mode, especially when driving on a road section without lane lines, the blind spot monitoring range of the blind spot monitoring function is expanded to the first range 711, 712. Specifically, the longitudinal boundary of the blind spot monitoring range extends outward from the original B line to the new boundary B', while the lateral boundary extends from the L line and the G line to the outer L' line and the G' line respectively. This expansion is intended to achieve comprehensive monitoring of a wider range of roads in order to detect neighboring vehicles in a timely manner. In the case of unclear or missing lane lines, this enhanced monitoring capability is crucial to improving driving safety and ensuring that the driver can respond quickly to the surrounding environment.

[0122] Fig. 8A and 8B The application process of the driving assistance method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application in an exemplary scenario is shown.

[0123] When a vehicle reenters a road section with lane lines from a road section without lane lines (this is different from Figure 6 The blind spot monitoring function will adjust its monitoring range accordingly. Fig. 8A and Figure 8B As shown, the blind spot monitoring range is selectively extended to a second range 713. Although the extended range 713 is larger than the preset ranges 702 and 703 in the standard mode, it is smaller than the first ranges 711 and 712 when there is no lane line segment.

[0124] exist Fig. 8A In the scenario, the rear axle of the vehicle 10 passes the starting point of the lane line and completely enters a road section with clear lane lines. At this time, the vehicle 10 is driving in the middle of the two lane lines. In this case, the blind spot monitoring range of the vehicle 10 is maintained at the preset range 701, 702 in the standard mode, and no expansion is required. This is because the vehicle is already in the center of the lane and there are clear lane lines on both sides as guidance, so the preset ranges 702, 702 are sufficient to cover the potential risk area.

[0125] exist Figure 8BIn the scenario, the rear axle of vehicle 10 crosses the starting point of the lane line and completely enters the road section with lane lines. At the moment vehicle 10 enters the road section, the right wheel of vehicle 10 drives over the line, indicating that it may be changing lanes to select a toll lane. To cope with this situation, the right blind spot monitoring range of vehicle 10 is expanded from the preset range 702 to the second range 713. Specifically, the longitudinal boundary of the vehicle's blind spot monitoring range is extended to the B" line, and the lateral boundary is extended from the L line to the L" line. This enables more effective monitoring of traffic conditions in adjacent lanes and prevention of possible collisions. At the same time, the left blind spot monitoring range remains within the preset range 701 because that side shows no signs of driving over the line.

[0126] It should be pointed out that in Figure 7 , Fig. 8A and Figure 8B In the example of FIG. 1 , the expansion of the blind spot monitoring range is illustrated by taking the warning monitoring range as an example. However, it should be understood that the expansion of the intervention monitoring range can also be performed using a similar method.

[0127] Although the specific embodiments of the present application are described in detail herein, they are provided for the purpose of explanation only and should not be considered to limit the scope of the present application. Various substitutions, changes and modifications may be conceived without departing from the spirit and scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A driving assistance method for a vehicle (10), wherein: The driving assistance method comprises the following steps: Step S1: determining whether the vehicle (10) has entered a toll booth area (60) by means of map information provided by a navigation device (13) of the vehicle (10) and / or environmental perception information provided by an environmental sensor (12) of the vehicle (10); and Step S2: In response to determining that the vehicle (10) has entered a toll booth area (60), controlling at least one driving assistance function of the vehicle (10) to switch from a standard mode to a toll booth mode, wherein the at least one driving assistance function includes a blind spot monitoring function. In the toll booth mode, the blind spot monitoring function has a blind spot monitoring range that is extended compared to the standard mode in at least some cases.

2. The driving assistance method according to claim 1, wherein: In step S2, in a toll booth mode, a functional scope of at least one driving assistance function is adaptively adjusted according to the presence of lane lines in a toll booth area (60).

3. The driving assistance method according to claim 2, wherein: In step S2, in the toll station mode, for sections in the toll station area (60) where no lane lines exist, the blind spot monitoring range of the blind spot monitoring function is expanded to a first range relative to a preset range in the standard mode; for sections in the toll station area (60) where lane lines exist, the blind spot monitoring range of the blind spot monitoring function is expanded to a second range relative to the preset range in the standard mode, and the first range is larger than the second range.

4. The driving assistance method according to claim 2 or 3, wherein: In step S2, in toll booth mode, For a road section in a toll station area (60) where no lane lines exist, the double-side blind spot monitoring range of the blind spot monitoring function is expanded relative to a preset range in a standard mode; For a road section with a lane line in a toll station area (60), at least one side blind spot monitoring range is selectively expanded according to the position of the vehicle (10) relative to the lane line, especially according to the position of the vehicle (10) relative to the lane line when the vehicle (10) reaches the road section with the lane line, wherein: In case that the vehicle (10) crosses the lane, especially in case that the vehicle (10) crosses the lane when reaching a road section with a lane line, the blind spot monitoring range on the side where the wheel crosses the lane or the side where the front of the vehicle deviates is expanded, In the case where the vehicle (10) does not cross the lane, especially in the case where the vehicle (10) does not cross the lane when reaching a road section with lane lines, the double-side blind spot monitoring range is maintained within a preset range in the standard mode.

5. The driving assistance method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: The at least one driving assistance function further comprises a lane keeping function, which is fully enabled in the standard mode and whose availability is at least partially suppressed in the toll booth mode.

6. The driving assistance method according to claim 5, wherein: At least partially inhibiting the availability of the lane keeping feature include: Suppressing at least one of a lane departure warning function, a lane keeping assist function, a lane centering control function, and a lane departure mitigation function; and / or Outputting new warning content in the vehicle (10) to replace the original warning content of the lane departure warning function, the new warning content comprising: "In the toll booth area, the driving assistance function is limited, please be ready to take over at any time", "Please note that you are about to enter a toll booth. Please be prepared to manually control the vehicle." "The lane lines in the current area are unclear, please drive carefully in the toll station area", "Toll booth area, lane keeping assist is temporarily disabled, please pay attention to lane changes", and / or "The vehicle is approaching a road section where no lane lines exist. Please drive manually to pass the toll booth safely." 7. The driving assistance method according to claim 5 or 6, wherein: In step S2, in toll booth mode, For a road section in a toll booth area (60) where no lane line exists, the lane keeping function is suppressed. For a road section in a toll booth area (60) where lane lines exist, selectively suppressing the lane keeping function is performed based on the position of the vehicle (10) relative to the lane lines, in particular based on the position of the vehicle (10) relative to the lane lines when the vehicle (10) reaches the road section where the lane lines exist, wherein: In the case where the vehicle (10) crosses a lane, in particular, in the case where the vehicle (10) crosses a lane when reaching a road section where a lane line exists, suppressing the lane keeping function; In the case where the vehicle (10) does not cross the lane, in particular, in the case where the vehicle (10) does not cross the lane when reaching a road section with lane lines, the lane keeping function is not suppressed.

8. The driving assistance method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein: The method further comprises the following steps: Step S3: determining whether the vehicle (10) has left the toll booth area (60) by means of map information provided by a navigation device (13) of the vehicle (10) and / or environmental perception information provided by an environmental sensor (12) of the vehicle (10); and Step S4: In response to the vehicle (10) having left the toll booth area (60), the blind spot monitoring function and / or the lane keeping function of the vehicle (10) is switched from the toll booth mode to the standard mode.

9. The driving assistance method according to claim 8, wherein: In step S3, when it is recognized that the vehicle (10) has passed through the toll station (61), when the vehicle (10) reaches a road section where the number of lanes is stable or the road width remains constant and / or when the distance from the current position of the vehicle (10) to the toll station (61) exceeds a distance threshold, it is determined that the vehicle (10) has left the toll station area (60), The vehicle (10) is identified as having passed through a toll booth in the following cases: Determining that a toll booth (61) is located behind the vehicle (10) based on a map and vehicle location information; The vehicle (10) is no longer able to continuously identify the existence of a toll booth (61) in the road environment ahead of the vehicle (10) within a predetermined period of time based on the vehicle's (10) environmental perception information; and / or The timing starts from the time when it is determined in step S1 that the vehicle (10) enters the toll booth area (60), and the timing time is greater than the buffer time, in particular, greater than the sum of the distance from the vehicle (10) to the toll booth (61) and the buffer time, wherein the buffer time is a preset value or is related to the number of vehicles queuing in front of the vehicle (10) and the average length of time that a single vehicle stays at the toll booth (61).

10. A driving assistance device (11) for a vehicle (10), wherein: The driving assistance device (11) comprises a memory and a processor, wherein the memory stores computer program instructions, and when the computer program instructions are executed by the processor, the processor is capable of executing the driving assistance method according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. A computer program product comprising computer program instructions, wherein: The computer program instructions, when executed by one or more processors, enable the one or more processors to perform the driving assistance method according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

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