Control device for vehicle and control method for vehicle

Abstract

A control apparatus for a vehicle includes: an external force information acquisition unit configured to acquire external force information on an external force acting on the vehicle as an autonomous vehicle; an external force determination unit configured to determine a type of external force by using the external force information; and a travel control signal generation unit configured to generate a travel control signal for the vehicle in accordance with the type of the external force.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a control device for a vehicle and a control method for a vehicle. Background Art

[0002] A technology for driving a vehicle via remote control during the manufacturing process of a vehicle is known. In addition, an autonomous production method for assembling components while autonomously driving a pre-finished vehicle in an unfinished state such as a platform is known.

[0003] In the autonomous production method, an event may occur in which a vehicle runs onto an external object present on a track. In the event that the vehicle runs onto the external object, it is desirable to detect the event and stop or back up the vehicle. Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2012-218489 (JP 2012-218489 A) discloses a step-on detection device that determines whether a tire has run onto a step based on a detection signal of tire air pressure. Summary of the invention

[0004] However, in this autonomous production method, in addition to the external force acting on the vehicle in the case where the vehicle runs onto an external object, there is a possibility that an external force acting on the vehicle is generated during the work of assembling the components to the vehicle. In the case where an external force acting on the vehicle is generated, when the vehicle is simply stopped or reversed, the work with respect to the vehicle may not be continued. Therefore, it is desirable to make appropriate control of the operation of the vehicle in accordance with the external force acting on the vehicle.

[0005] The present disclosure may be implemented as follows.

[0006] A first aspect of the present disclosure provides a control device for a vehicle. The control device includes an external force information acquisition unit, an external force determination unit, and a travel control signal generation unit. The external force information acquisition unit is configured to acquire external force information about an external force acting on a vehicle as an autonomous vehicle. The external force determination unit is configured to determine the type of the external force by using the external force information. The travel control signal generation unit is configured to generate a travel control signal for the vehicle according to the type of the external force. With this control device, the operation of the vehicle can be appropriately controlled according to the type of external force acting on the vehicle. In the control device, the types of external force may include a first type of external force that requires the vehicle to stop or move backward and a second type of external force that does not require the vehicle to stop or move backward. With this control device, an appropriate travel control signal can be generated in accordance with each of the first type of external force requiring the vehicle to stop or move backward or the second type of external force not requiring the vehicle to stop or move backward. In the control device, the external force information acquisition unit may be configured to acquire information indicating a reaction force of a drive motor or a steering motor of the vehicle as the external force information. With this control device, the vehicle can be appropriately controlled based on information indicating the reaction force of the motor. In the control device, the types of the external force may include a first type of external force generated when the vehicle runs onto an external object and a second type of external force generated by work relative to the vehicle. With this control device, an appropriate travel control signal can be generated in accordance with each of the first type of external force when the vehicle runs onto an external object and the second type of external force generated in work relative to the vehicle. The control device may further include a travel control signal transmission unit configured to transmit a travel control signal to the vehicle. With this control device, control of the vehicle according to the type of external force can be performed by remote control. The control device may be mounted in a vehicle, and the control device may further include a vehicle controller configured to control an actuator group of the vehicle in response to the travel control signal. With this control device, the vehicle can be controlled according to the type of external force through the control device installed in the vehicle. In the control device, the external force information may include at least one of a generation position of the external force acting on the vehicle, a direction of the external force, a magnitude of the external force, and a time series change of the external force. By using this control device, the type of external force can be distinguished based on the location where the external force is generated, the direction of the external force, the magnitude of the external force, the time series change of the external force, etc. In the control device, the travel control signal generating unit may be configured to generate a travel control signal for stopping or moving the vehicle backward under the condition that the type of the external force is a vertical upward external force acting on wheels of the vehicle. With this control device, when the wheels of the vehicle run onto an external object, a vertical upward external force is generated on the wheels, so in this case, the vehicle can be stopped or reversed. In the control device, the external force determination unit may be configured to perform determination by distinguishing a first type of external force generated when the vehicle runs onto an external object and a second type of external force generated by work relative to the vehicle according to a time series change of the external force. With this control device, an appropriate travel control signal can be generated in accordance with each of the first type of external force when the vehicle runs onto an external object and the second type of external force generated in work relative to the vehicle. A second aspect of the present disclosure provides a control method for a vehicle. The control method includes acquiring external force information about an external force acting on a vehicle as an autonomous vehicle, determining a type of the external force by using the external force information, and generating a travel control signal for the vehicle according to the type of the external force. With this control method, the operation of the vehicle can be appropriately controlled depending on the type of external force acting on the vehicle. In the control method, the types of external force may include a first type of external force that requires the vehicle to stop or move backward and a second type of external force that does not require the vehicle to stop or move backward. With this control method, an appropriate travel control signal can be generated in accordance with each of a first type of external force requiring the vehicle to stop or move backward and a second type of external force not requiring the vehicle to stop or move backward. In the control method, acquiring the external force information may include acquiring information indicating a reaction force of a drive motor or a steering motor of the vehicle as the external force information. With this control method, the vehicle can be appropriately controlled according to the information indicating the reaction force of the motor. In the control method, the types of external force may include a first type of external force generated when the vehicle runs onto an external object and a second type of external force generated by work relative to the vehicle. With this control method, an appropriate travel control signal can be generated in accordance with each of a first type of external force when the vehicle runs onto an external object and a second type of external force generated by work relative to the vehicle. The control method may further include: transmitting a travel control signal to the vehicle. With this control method, control of the vehicle according to the type of external force can be performed through remote control. The control method may further include controlling an actuator group of the vehicle in response to the travel control signal. By using this control method, it is possible to control the vehicle according to the type of external force. In the control method, the external force information may include at least one of a generation position of the external force acting on the vehicle, a direction of the external force, a magnitude of the external force, and a time series change of the external force. By using this control method, the type of external force can be distinguished based on the location where the external force is generated, the direction of the external force, the magnitude of the external force, the time series change of the external force, etc. In the control method, generating the travel control signal may include: generating the travel control signal to stop or move the vehicle under the condition that the type of the external force is a vertical upward external force acting on wheels of the vehicle. With this control method, when the wheels of a vehicle run onto an external object, a vertical upward external force is generated on the wheels. Therefore, in this case, the vehicle can be stopped or reversed. In the control method, determining the type of the external force may include performing the determination by distinguishing a first type of external force generated when the vehicle runs onto an external object and a second type of external force generated by work relative to the vehicle according to a time series change of the external force. With this control method, an appropriate travel control signal can be generated in accordance with each of a first type of external force when the vehicle runs onto an external object and a second type of external force generated by work relative to the vehicle. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] Features, advantages, and technical and industrial significance of exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals represent like elements, and in which: Figure 1 is a conceptual diagram showing the configuration of a vehicle control system; Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a vehicle and a server in the first embodiment; Figure 3 is a plan view showing an installation example of an external force information sensor in a vehicle; Figure 4 is a diagram showing an example of external force generated when a vehicle runs onto an external object; Figure 5 is a diagram showing an example of external forces generated in work relative to a vehicle; Figure 6 is a flowchart showing the processing flow of vehicle control in the first embodiment; Figure 7 is a flowchart showing the processing flow of vehicle control in the second embodiment; Figure 8 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a vehicle and a server in a third embodiment; Fig. 9 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a vehicle and a server in a fourth embodiment; and Fig.10 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a vehicle and a server in the fifth embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION First embodiment

[0008] Figure 1is a conceptual diagram showing the configuration of the vehicle control system 10 in the embodiment. The vehicle control system 10 includes one or more vehicles 100 as mobile bodies, a server 200 that generates a travel control signal for remotely controlling the vehicle 100 and transmits the generated travel control signal to the vehicle 100, a plurality of position information sensors 300 that detect vehicle position information, and a process management device 400 that manages the manufacturing process of the vehicle 100. The server 200 may also be referred to as a "remote control device".

[0009] In this specification, “remote control” includes “full remote control” in which all operations of the vehicle 100 are completely determined from the outside of the vehicle 100, and “partial remote control” in which a part of the operations of the vehicle 100 are determined from the outside of the vehicle 100. In addition, “autonomous control” includes “full autonomous control” in which the vehicle 100 autonomously controls its operation without receiving any information from an external device of the vehicle 100, and “partial autonomous control” in which the vehicle 100 autonomously controls its operation by using information received from an external device of the vehicle 100.

[0010] The vehicle 100 only needs to have a configuration that can be moved by unmanned driving, and for example, it can have the form of a platform having the configuration described below. Specifically, in order to exhibit the three functions of "driving", "turning" and "stopping" by unmanned driving, the vehicle 100 only needs to include at least a vehicle control device, a drive device, a steering device and a brake device. In the case where the vehicle obtains information from the outside for unmanned driving, the vehicle 100 only needs to include a communication device. That is, the vehicle 100 that can be moved by unmanned driving does not need to be equipped with at least a part of the internal parts such as the driver's seat and the dashboard, nor does it need to be equipped with at least a part of the external parts such as the bumper and the rearview mirror, and does not need to be equipped with a body shell. In this case, the remaining parts (such as the body shell) can be assembled to the vehicle when the vehicle 100 is shipped from the factory, or the remaining parts (such as the body shell) can be assembled to the vehicle 100 after the vehicle 100 is shipped from the factory without the remaining parts (such as the body shell) being assembled on the vehicle. Each component may be assembled from any direction of the vehicle 100 such as the upper side, the lower side, the front side, the rear side, the right side, or the left side, and may be assembled from the same direction or different directions.

[0011] The vehicle 100 can be manufactured by combining a plurality of modules. A module refers to a unit composed of a plurality of components assembled according to a part or function of the vehicle 100. For example, the platform of the vehicle 100 can be manufactured by combining a front module constituting the front part of the platform, a center module constituting the center part of the platform, and a rear module constituting the rear part of the platform. In addition, the number of modules constituting the platform is not limited to 3, and can be less than 2 or more than 4. In addition to or instead of the components constituting the platform, the components constituting the parts of the vehicle 100 that are different from the platform can be modularized. In addition, the various modules can include any external components (such as a bumper or grille) or any internal components (such as a seat or a console). In addition, in addition to the vehicle 100, any aspect of a mobile body can be manufactured by combining modules. Such a module can be manufactured by joining the components via welding or fasteners, etc., or can be manufactured by molding at least a portion of the components constituting the module into one component by casting. The molding method of molding a component, especially a relatively large component, in one piece is also called giga casting or mega casting. For example, the front module, the center module, and the rear module may be manufactured by using one-piece casting.

[0012] In the present disclosure, "unmanned driving" refers to driving that does not rely on the driving operation of the occupants. Driving operation refers to an operation related to at least one of "driving", "turning" and "stopping" of the vehicle. Unmanned driving is achieved by automatic or manual remote control using a device provided outside the vehicle or by autonomous control of the vehicle. Passengers who do not perform driving operations may be on board a vehicle that travels by unmanned driving. Examples of passengers who do not perform driving operations include persons who simply sit in a seat of the vehicle, and persons who perform work different from driving operations (such as assembly, inspection, or operation of switches) while riding in the vehicle. In addition, driving performed using the driving operation of the occupants may be referred to as "manned driving".

[0013] The transportation of the vehicle 100 using the unmanned driving to make the vehicle 100 travel is also referred to as "autonomous transportation". The configuration for realizing the autonomous transportation is also referred to as "vehicle remote control autonomous transportation system". The production method of producing the vehicle 100 by using the autonomous transportation is also referred to as "autonomous production". In the autonomous production, for example, at a factory where the vehicle 100 is manufactured, at least a part of the transportation of the vehicle 100 is realized by the autonomous transportation.

[0014] In the present disclosure, a "mobile body" refers to an object that can move, for example, a vehicle or an electric vertical lift (so-called flying car). The vehicle 100 may be a vehicle that travels on wheels or a vehicle that travels on tracks, for example, a passenger car, a truck, a bus, a two-wheeled vehicle, a four-wheeled vehicle, a tank, or a construction vehicle.

[0015] In the present embodiment, the vehicle 100 is preferably a platform before completion. The vehicle 100 includes platforms for pure electric vehicles (Battery Electric Vehicle, BEV), gasoline vehicles, hybrid vehicles, and fuel cell electric vehicles. In addition, in the case where the moving body is not a vehicle, the expressions "vehicle" and "car" in the present disclosure may be replaced with "moving body" as appropriate, and the expression "driving" may be replaced with "moving" as appropriate.

[0016] In the first embodiment, remote control of the vehicle 100 is performed in a factory that manufactures the vehicle 100. The factory includes a first location PL1 and a second location PL2, and the locations PL1 and PL2 are connected by a driving road SR. For example, the first location PL1 is a location where the vehicle 100 before component assembly is stored, the driving road SR is an assembly line where the components are assembled, and the second location PL2 is a location where inspection of the vehicle 100 is performed. Any position in the factory in which the vehicle 100 can travel is represented by an XYZ coordinate value of the global coordinate system Σg.

[0017] Position information sensors 300 are installed around the driving road SR for detecting the vehicle 100 as a target. The server 200 can detect the relative position and orientation of the vehicle 100 relative to the ideal route IR in real time by using the position information measured by the position information sensor 300. As the position information sensor 300, a camera or a light detection and ranging (Light Detection And Ranging, LiDAR) can be used. The position of each position information sensor 300 is fixed, the relative relationship between the global coordinate system Σg and the device coordinate system as the local coordinate system of each position information sensor 300 is known, and the coordinate transformation matrix used to transform the coordinate value of the global coordinate system Σg with the coordinate value of the device coordinate system of each position information sensor 300 is also known.

[0018] The position information sensor 300 may also be referred to as an "external sensor". The position information sensor 300 in this embodiment is a sensor that photographs the vehicle 100 from outside the vehicle 100. The position information sensor 300 includes a communication device (not shown) and is capable of communicating with other devices such as the server 200 using wired communication or wireless communication. Specifically, in the case where the position information sensor 300 is configured by a camera, the position information sensor 300 photographs the vehicle 100 and outputs the photographed image as a detection result.

[0019] The server 200 generates a travel control signal for causing the vehicle 100 to travel along the ideal route IR, and transmits the travel control signal to the vehicle 100. The vehicle 100 travels in response to the received travel control command. Therefore, the vehicle control system 10 can cause the vehicle 100 to move from the first location PL1 to the second location PL2 by remote control without using a transportation device such as a crane or a conveyor. In addition, various components can be assembled to the vehicle 100 while the vehicle 100 is traveling along the ideal route IR. The travel control signal may be referred to as a "control command value". The ideal route IR may also be referred to as a "reference route" or a "target route".

[0020] Figure 2 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the vehicle 100 and the server 200 in the first embodiment. The vehicle 100 includes a vehicle control device 110 that controls each unit of the vehicle 100, an actuator group 120 that is driven under the control of the vehicle control device 110, a communication device 130 that communicates with the server 200 using wireless communication, and an external force information sensor 140 that detects an external force acting on the vehicle 100.

[0021] In this embodiment, the actuator group 120 includes an actuator of a driving device for accelerating the vehicle 100, an actuator of a steering device for changing the driving direction of the vehicle 100, and an actuator of a braking device for decelerating the vehicle 100. The driving device includes a battery, a travel motor driven by the power of the battery, and a driving wheel rotated by the travel motor. The actuator of the driving device includes the travel motor. In addition, the actuator group 120 may also include an actuator for shaking the windshield wiper of the vehicle 100 or an actuator for opening and closing the electric window of the vehicle 100.

[0022] The vehicle control device 110 is configured by a computer including a processor 111, a memory 112, an input / output interface 113, and an internal bus 114. The processor 111, the memory 112, and the input / output interface 113 are connected in a manner capable of bidirectional communication with each other via the internal bus 114. The actuator group 120, the communication device 130, and the external force information sensor 140 are connected to the input / output interface 113.

[0023] In this embodiment, the processor 111 operates as a vehicle controller 151, a driving control signal acquisition unit 152, and an external force information transmission unit 153 by executing a program PG1 pre-stored in the memory 112. The driving control signal acquisition unit 152 acquires a driving control signal transmitted from the server 200. The vehicle controller 151 controls the actuator group 120 in response to the driving control signal acquired from the server 200 so that the vehicle 100 travels. The external force information transmission unit 153 acquires external force information detected by the external force information sensor 140, and transmits the acquired external force information to the server 200.

[0024] The server 200 is configured by a computer including a processor 201, a memory 202, an input / output interface 203, and an internal bus 204. The processor 201, the memory 202, and the input / output interface 203 are connected in a manner capable of bidirectional communication with each other via the internal bus 204. A communication device 205 for communicating with the vehicle 100, the position information sensor 300, and the process management device 400 using wireless communication is connected to the input / output interface 203.

[0025] In this embodiment, the processor 201 operates as a vehicle position information acquisition unit 211, a target position determination unit 212, an external force information acquisition unit 213, an external force determination unit 214, a travel control signal generation unit 215, and a travel control signal transmission unit 216 by executing a program PG2 pre-stored in the memory 202. An ideal route IR is also stored in the memory 202. The ideal route IR is represented by a node indicating a starting point, a node indicating a passing point, a node indicating a destination, and a link connecting each node.

[0026] The vehicle position information acquisition unit 211 acquires the vehicle position information measured by the position information sensor 300 from the vehicle 100. The target position determination unit 212 determines the target position to which the vehicle 100 should go next by using the vehicle position information and the ideal route IR. The target position determination unit 212 determines the target position on the ideal route IR ahead of the current position of the vehicle 100. When determining the target position, the target position determination unit 212 preferably estimates the current position and orientation of the vehicle 100 by using the vehicle position information.

[0027] The position of the vehicle 100 can be acquired by calculating the coordinates of the positioning point of the vehicle 100 in the image coordinate system using the external shape of the vehicle 100 detected from the captured image output by the position information sensor 300, and transforming the calculated coordinates into coordinates in the global coordinate system Σg. The orientation of the vehicle 100 can be estimated by using an optical flow method based on the orientation of the motion vector of the vehicle 100 calculated from, for example, the position change of the feature point of the vehicle 100 between frames of the captured image. For example, the orientation of the vehicle 100 can be calculated by using the output result of the yaw rate sensor or the like mounted in the vehicle 100.

[0028] For example, the external shape of the vehicle 100 included in the captured image can be detected by inputting the captured image into a detection model using artificial intelligence. Examples of detection models include machine learning models that have been trained to achieve any semantic segmentation and instance segmentation. As a machine learning model, for example, a convolutional neural network (CNN) that has been trained by supervised learning using a training data set can be used. The training data set, for example, has a plurality of training images including the vehicle 100 and a correct answer label indicating whether each area in the training image indicates an area of ​​the vehicle 100 or an area outside the vehicle 100. When the CNN is trained, the parameters of the CNN are preferably updated by back propagation (error back propagation method) to reduce the error between the output result of the detection model and the correct answer label.

[0029] The external force information acquisition unit 213 acquires external force information transmitted from the vehicle 100. The external force determination unit 214 determines the type of the external force based on the external force information. The external force information preferably includes at least one of the generation position of the external force acting on the vehicle 100, the direction of the external force, the magnitude of the external force, and the time series change of the external force. The external force determination unit 214 can determine the type of the external force by using one or more of the generation position, direction, magnitude, and time series change. The method of determining the type of the external force will be described below.

[0030] The travel control signal generating unit 215 generates a travel control signal according to the next target position determined by the target position determining unit 212. The travel control signal is a command for causing the vehicle 100 to travel along the ideal route IR. In other words, the travel control signal generating unit 215 generates a travel control signal for causing the vehicle 100 to travel along the ideal route IR according to the current position of the vehicle 100. The travel control signal generating unit 215 calculates the travel speed of the vehicle 100 according to the change in the position of the vehicle 100, and compares the calculated travel speed with the target speed. As a whole, the travel control signal generating unit 215 determines the acceleration so that the vehicle 100 accelerates when the travel speed is lower than the target speed, and determines the acceleration so that the vehicle 100 decelerates when the travel speed is higher than the target speed. When the vehicle 100 is on the ideal route IR, the travel control signal generating unit 215 determines the steering angle and the acceleration so that the vehicle 100 does not deviate from the ideal route IR. When the vehicle 100 is not located on the ideal route IR, in other words, when the vehicle 100 deviates from the ideal route IR, the driving control signal generating unit 215 determines the steering angle and acceleration so that the vehicle 100 returns to the ideal route IR. The driving control signal can be generated as a command including a driving force or a braking force, a steering angle, and an acceleration. Instead of the steering angle and the acceleration, the steering angle and the speed can be used. In addition, it is possible to switch whether to use the steering angle and the acceleration or the steering angle and the speed according to the state of the vehicle 100. For example, the steering angle and the acceleration can be used when the vehicle 100 is a complete vehicle, and the steering angle and the speed can be used when the vehicle 100 is a platform such as a chassis module, or the opposite combination can also be used. In the present embodiment, the driving control signal generating unit 215 also generates or modifies the driving control signal according to the type of external force determined by the external force determining unit 214. This will be described below. The driving control signal transmitting unit 216 transmits the driving control signal to the vehicle 100.

[0031] The process management device 400 performs management of the entire manufacturing process of the vehicle 100 in the factory. For example, when one vehicle 100 starts traveling along the ideal route IR, individual information indicating the identification number or model of the vehicle 100 is transmitted from the process management device 400 to the server 200. The position of the vehicle 100 detected by the server 200 is also transmitted to the process management device 400. In addition, the function of the process management device 400 can be implemented in the same device as the server 200. In addition, the process management device 400 can be omitted.

[0032] Figure 31 is a plan view showing an installation example of the external force information sensor 140 in the vehicle 100. In this example, a plurality of external force information sensors 141 to 144 are installed at different locations of the vehicle 100. Specifically, the external force information sensors 141 and 142 are installed near the front wheels 171 and 172, and the external force information sensors 143 and 144 are also installed near the rear wheels 173 and 174. It should be noted that these arrangements are examples, and a plurality of external force information sensors 140 may be provided at various other locations of the vehicle 100.

[0033] The external force information sensors 141 to 144 preferably have a first function of detecting the force acting on each wheel from the chassis of the vehicle 100 and a second function of detecting the force acting on each wheel from an external object existing on the driving road SR. Specifically, it is preferable to use a sensor that detects the force acting between each wheel (or axle) and the chassis as the external force information sensors 141 to 144 in that each external force information sensor 141 to 144 has a first function and a second function. Alternatively, it is also preferable to use a pressure sensor that detects the pressure of each wheel as the external force information sensors 141 to 144 in that each external force information sensor 141 to 144 has a first function and a second function. It should be noted that a sensor having a first function and a sensor having a second function may be provided separately.

[0034] As the external force information sensor 140, for example, an impact detection sensor, an acceleration sensor, a uniaxial force sensor, a triaxial force sensor, a six-axis force sensor, or a pressure sensor can be used. As the external force information sensor 140, a triaxial force sensor or a six-axis force sensor that can detect the orientation of the external force is particularly preferably used. In addition, a tilt angle sensor that detects the tilt angle of the vehicle 100 can be added as a type of the external force information sensor 140.

[0035] As the external force information sensor 140, a sensor that detects the reaction force of a drive motor that drives the drive wheels of the vehicle 100 or a sensor that detects the reaction force of a steering motor that drives the steering wheel 180 of the vehicle 100 may be used. The drive motor may be a motor that drives two or four drive wheels, or may be an in-wheel motor installed in a wheel.

[0036] Regarding the reaction force of the motor, the following expression (q1) is established. Jθ ·· =Tm-Td(q1) Here, J is the inertia moment of the motor, θ is the angle of the motor shaft, and θ ·· is the angular acceleration, which is the second-order differential of the angle θ of the motor shaft, Tm is the torque command of the motor, and Td is the reaction force.

[0037] When the expression (q1) is modified, the reaction force Td can be calculated by the following expression (q2). Td=Tm-Jθ ·· (q2) The angle θ of the motor shaft can be calculated by using a rotation angle sensor such as a resolver or a Hall IC. That is, in the case where the reaction force of the motor is detected, a rotation angle sensor such as a resolver or a Hall IC can be used as the external force information sensor 140.

[0038] Generally, any external force can be defined by an external force vector having a starting point, a direction, and a magnitude of the external force. Accordingly, the external force information sensor 140 is preferably selected and configured so that the starting point, direction, and magnitude of the external force acting on the vehicle 100 can be determined based on the detection value of the external force information sensor 140.

[0039] The external force determination unit 214 may determine the kind of external force or the generation position of the external force by using the detection value of the external force information sensor 140. As a determination method of the external force, for example, one or more methods of various methods described below may be adopted. Determine method J1

[0040] The type of external force is determined depending on the position of the external force information sensor that detects the impact among the external force information sensors 140 installed at different locations of the vehicle 100. Specifically, for example, in the case where only one of the external force information sensors 141 to 144 detects the impact, it can be determined that the impact is an external force generated when the vehicle 100 runs onto an external object. In the case where all of the external force information sensors 141 to 144 detect the impact, it can be determined that the impact is an external force generated during work relative to the vehicle 100. "Impact" refers to a detection value equal to or greater than a certain level. Determine method J2

[0041] The type of the external force is determined based on the time series change of the external force detected by the external force information sensor 140 .

[0042] Figure 4 and 5 An example of the external force determined by the determination method J2 is shown. Figure 4 2 shows an example of a first type of external force generated when the vehicle 100 runs onto an external object OB. Figure 5 An example of a second type of external force generated during operation with respect to vehicle 100 is shown.

[0043] exist Figure 4In the example of , an external object OB exists on the ground FL of the driving road of the vehicle 100. When the vehicle 100 is driving and the front wheel 171 runs onto the external object OB, the external force detection value F141 obtained by the external force information sensor 141 installed near the front wheel 171 temporarily rises significantly and has a mountain-shaped waveform. The external force detection values ​​obtained by the other external force information sensors 142 to 144 are so small that they can be ignored, and are therefore not shown. The external force detection value F141 indicates a vertically upward external force acting on the wheel of the vehicle 100.

[0044] exist Figure 5 In the example of , the work of assembling the component PT is performed on the vehicle 100 that is traveling. At this time, after the external force detection value F141 obtained by the external force information sensor 141 installed near the front wheel 171 rises, the external force detection value F141 is maintained at a substantially constant level for a period of time and has a substantially trapezoidal shape. The external force detection value F143 obtained by the external force information sensor 143 installed near the rear wheel 173 is also the same. In many cases, the other external force information sensors 142, 144 also indicate external force detection values ​​in almost the same pattern.

[0045] The external force determination unit 214 may be based on Figure 4 and Figure 5 The time series change of the external force shown in FIG. 1 is used to distinguish the type of external force to perform determination. That is, when the external force detection value indicates that Figure 4 In the case of a mountain-shaped time series change as shown in , it can be determined that the first type of external force is generated when the vehicle 100 runs onto an external object. Figure 5 In the case of the trapezoidal time series change shown in , it can be determined that it is the second type of external force generated by the work relative to the vehicle 100. Determination method J3

[0046] The generation position of the external force is specified based on the size and timing of the detection value in the external force information sensor 140 installed at different locations of the vehicle 100. That is, the generation position of the external force can be specified by using the characteristics that a position close to the generation position of the external force has a larger detection value and the detection value rises at an earlier timing. Determine method J4

[0047] In the case where the tilt angle sensor is installed as the external force information sensor 140, the generation position of the external force is specified based on the tilt angle detected by the tilt angle sensor. For example, in the case where the right front wheel 171 runs onto an external object, the vehicle 100 tilts so that the right front part of the vehicle 100 is lifted upward, so that the upward impact generated in the right front part of the vehicle 100 can be estimated based on the tilt angle. In addition, each determination method J3, J4 can be used in combination with the determination method J1 or J2. Determine method J5

[0048] The type of external force is determined based on the magnitude of the external force detected by the external force information sensor 140. For example, when the detected external force is equal to or greater than a preset threshold, it is determined as a first type of external force that requires the vehicle 100 to stop or retreat, and when the detected external force is less than the threshold, it is determined as a second type of external force that does not require the vehicle 100 to stop or retreat. The determination method J5 can be applied to the case of using various external force information sensors 140, and can also be applied to the case of detecting the reaction force of the drive motor or the steering motor as the external force.

[0049] In addition, when the reaction force of the driving motor or the steering motor is detected, the type of the external force can be determined based on the time series change of the reaction force to determine whether the type of the external force is a first type of external force that requires the vehicle 100 to stop or move backward or a second type of external force that does not require the vehicle 100 to stop or move backward. The determination method can be regarded as one of the above-mentioned determination methods J2.

[0050] The external force determination unit 214 may be configured to determine the type or generation position of the external force by performing template matching using the detection value of the external force information sensor 140. Alternatively, the external force determination unit 214 may be configured to determine the type or generation position of the external force by using a machine learning model using the detection value of the external force information sensor 140 as an input. In any of these cases, the external force determination unit 214 is preferably capable of performing determination by distinguishing between a first type of external force generated when the vehicle 100 runs onto an external object and a second type of external force generated by work relative to the vehicle 100. Alternatively, the external force determination unit 214 may be configured to perform determination by distinguishing between a first type of external force that requires the vehicle 100 to stop or back up or a second type of external force that does not require the vehicle 100 to stop or back up. For example, the external force generated when the vehicle 100 runs onto an external object corresponds to the "first type of external force that requires the vehicle 100 to stop or back up", while the other external forces correspond to the "second type of external force that does not require the vehicle 100 to stop or back up". In addition, the term "require" may be replaced with the term "require".

[0051] Figure 61 is a flowchart showing the processing flow of the vehicle control in the first embodiment. The processor 111 of the vehicle 100 executes each of the first routine R10 and the second routine R20, respectively. The server 200 executes each of the third routine R30 and the fourth routine R40.

[0052] The first routine R10 includes steps S11 and S12. In step S11, the external force information transmission unit 153 waits until external force information is acquired from the external force information sensor 140. When the external force information is acquired, the process proceeds to step S12, and the external force information transmission unit 153 transmits the external force information to the server 200. The first routine R10 may be executed regularly at a fixed cycle, or may be executed as an interrupt process when external force information including an external force detection value equal to or greater than a certain level is input from the external force information sensor 140. The content of the second routine R20 will be described below.

[0053] The processor 201 of the server 200 executes the third routine R30 including steps S31 to S33. The third routine R30 may be executed regularly at a fixed cycle or each time the vehicle position information acquiring unit 211 acquires new vehicle position information from the position information sensor 300 measuring the vehicle 100 as a control target.

[0054] In step S31, the vehicle position information acquisition unit 211 acquires the vehicle position information by using the detection result output from the position information sensor 300. In the present embodiment, the vehicle position information includes X, Y, and Z coordinates in the global coordinate system Σg of the factory. In the case where the position information sensor 300 is a camera installed in the factory, the position information sensor 300 outputs an image as a detection result. The position and orientation of the position information sensor 300 are pre-adjusted. The vehicle position information acquisition unit 211 of the server 200 detects the position of the vehicle 100 from the image as the detection result of the position information sensor 300, and acquires the vehicle position information in the factory based on the position of the vehicle 100 in the image. The vehicle position information acquisition unit 211 can detect the vehicle 100 from the image by using, for example, a machine learning model that has been pre-trained to detect the vehicle 100 from the image.

[0055] In step S32, the target position determination unit 212 determines the target position to which the vehicle 100 should go next by using the vehicle position information. In the present embodiment, the target position is represented by X, Y, and Z coordinates in the global coordinate system Σg of the factory. The server 200 pre-stores an ideal route IR on which the vehicle 100 should travel. The ideal route IR is represented by a node indicating a starting point, a node indicating a passing point, a node indicating a destination, and a link connecting each node. The target position determination unit 212 determines the target position to which the vehicle 100 should go next by using the vehicle position information and the ideal route IR. The target position determination unit 212 determines the target position on the ideal route IR ahead of the current position of the vehicle 100.

[0056] In step S33, the travel control signal generating unit 215 generates a travel control signal according to the next target position of the vehicle 100. In the present embodiment, the travel control signal includes the acceleration and steering angle of the vehicle 100 as parameters. A normal travel control signal without considering external forces is generated, for example, as follows. First, the travel control signal generating unit 215 calculates the travel speed of the vehicle 100 according to the transition of the position of the vehicle 100, and compares the calculated travel speed with the predetermined target speed of the vehicle 100. The travel control signal generating unit 215 determines the acceleration so that the vehicle 100 accelerates when the travel speed is lower than the target speed, and determines the acceleration so that the vehicle 100 decelerates when the travel speed is higher than the target speed. The travel control signal generating unit 215 determines the steering angle so that the vehicle 100 does not deviate from the ideal route IR when the vehicle 100 is on the ideal route IR, and determines the steering angle so that the vehicle 100 returns to the ideal route IR when the vehicle 100 is not on the ideal route IR (in other words, when the vehicle 100 deviates from the ideal route IR).

[0057] The travel control signal transmission unit 216 transmits the generated travel control signal to the vehicle 100. The server 200 repeats the third routine R30 including acquisition of vehicle position information, determination of a target position, generation of a travel control signal, and transmission of the travel control signal at a predetermined cycle.

[0058] The processor 201 of the server 200 executes the fourth routine R40 including steps S41 to S43 independently of the third routine R30. The fourth routine R40 may be executed regularly at a fixed cycle, or may be executed each time the external force information acquisition unit 213 acquires new external force information from the vehicle 100. The fourth routine R40 may be executed as an interrupt process each time new external force information is input. In the case where the fourth routine R40 is executed at a fixed cycle, the cycle is preferably set to be shorter than the cycle of the third routine R30, and more preferably set to be equal to or shorter than 1 / 2 of the cycle of the third routine R30.

[0059] In step S41, the external force information acquisition unit 213 acquires external force information transmitted from the vehicle 100. In step S42, the external force determination unit 214 determines the type of external force based on the external force information. In this case, the external force determination unit 214 may also determine the location where the external force is generated. In step S43, the travel control signal generation unit 215 generates a travel control signal based on the type of the external force. For example, in the case where the type of the external force is a first type of external force generated when the vehicle 100 drives onto an external object, the travel control signal generation unit 215 generates a travel control signal that stops or reverses the vehicle 100. A typical first type of external force in this case is a vertically upward external force acting on the wheels of the vehicle 100. Alternatively, in the case where the type of the external force is a first type of external force that requires the vehicle 100 to stop or reverse, the travel control signal generation unit 215 may generate a travel control signal that stops or reverses the vehicle 100. The travel control signal is transmitted to the vehicle 100 through the travel control signal transmission unit 216. In the case where the type of the external force is the second type of external force generated in the operation of the vehicle 100, the travel control signal generating unit 215 ignores the external force and completes the fourth routine R40 without generating a travel control signal. Alternatively, in the case where the type of the external force is the second type of external force that does not require the vehicle 100 to stop and back up, the travel control signal generating unit 215 may ignore the external force and complete the fourth routine R40 without generating a travel control signal. In addition, preferably, the travel control signal generated in the fourth routine R40 is applied to the control of the vehicle 100 more preferentially than the travel control signal generated in the third routine R30.

[0060] The second routine R20 of the processor 111 of the vehicle 100 includes steps S21 and S22. In step S21, the travel control signal acquisition unit 152 waits until a travel control signal is acquired from the server 200. As the travel control signal, the travel control signal generated in the third routine R30 or the fourth routine R40 is acquired. As described above, preferably, the travel control signal generated in the fourth routine R40 is applied to the control of the vehicle 100 more preferentially than the travel control signal generated in the third routine R30.

[0061] When the travel control signal is acquired, the process proceeds to step S22, and the vehicle controller 151 controls the operation of the vehicle 100 in response to the acquired travel control signal. As a result, the vehicle 100 can be driven along the ideal route IR. In addition, in the case where the vehicle 100 runs onto an external object, the vehicle 100 can be stopped or backed up. The second routine R20 is preferably executed regularly at a constant cycle.

[0062] As described above, in the first embodiment, the server 200 determines the type of external force by using the external force information detected by the external force information sensor 140, and generates a travel control signal of the vehicle 100 according to the type of external force. Therefore, the operation of the vehicle 100 can be appropriately controlled according to the type of external force acting on the vehicle 100. Second embodiment

[0063] Figure 7 1 is a flowchart showing the processing flow of vehicle control in the second embodiment. The system configuration and device configuration in the second embodiment are the same as those in the first embodiment. Figure 6 The processing flow of the first embodiment shown in is different in that the server 200 executes routine R50 instead of executing routines R30 , R40 .

[0064] The processor 201 of the server 200 executes routine R50 including steps S51 to S55. Routine R50 may be executed regularly at a fixed cycle or each time the vehicle position information acquiring unit 211 acquires new vehicle position information from the position information sensor 300 measuring the vehicle 100 as a control target.

[0065] The processing of steps S51 and S52 is Figure 6 The processing of steps S31 and S32 is the same as that of steps S31 and S32, and the next target position is determined by using the vehicle position information detected by the position information sensor 300. The processing of steps S53 and S54 is the same as that of steps S31 and S32. Figure 6 The processing of steps S41 and S42 is the same, and the type of external force is determined by using the external force information detected by the external force information sensor 140. In addition, the execution order of steps S51 to S54 may be changed as appropriate.

[0066] In step S55, the travel control signal generating unit 215 generates a travel control signal according to the next target position of the vehicle 100 and the type of the external force. For example, in the case where the type of the external force is a first type of external force generated when the vehicle 100 runs onto an external object, the travel control signal generating unit 215 may generate a travel control signal that stops or reverses the vehicle 100. In this way, when the wheels of the vehicle 100 run onto an external object, the vehicle 100 may be stopped or reversed. Alternatively, in the case where the type of the external force is a first type of external force that requires the vehicle 100 to stop or reverse, the travel control signal generating unit 215 may generate a travel control signal that stops or reverses the vehicle 100. In the case where the type of the external force is a second type of external force generated relative to the operation of the vehicle 100, the travel control signal generating unit 215 ignores the external force and generates a normal travel control signal for causing the vehicle 100 to continue traveling along the ideal route IR. Alternatively, when the type of external force is the second type of external force that does not require the vehicle 100 to stop or back up, the travel control signal generation unit 215 may ignore the external force and generate a normal travel control signal for causing the vehicle 100 to continue traveling along the ideal route IR. The travel control signal transmission unit 216 transmits the generated travel control signal to the vehicle 100. The first routine R10 and the second routine R20 of the vehicle 100 are similar to the first routine R10 and the second routine R20 of the vehicle 100. Figure 6 Same as in.

[0067] The second embodiment also has almost the same effect as that in the first embodiment. That is, the server 200 determines the type of external force by using the external force information detected by the external force information sensor 140, and generates a travel control signal of the vehicle 100 according to the type of external force. Therefore, the operation of the vehicle 100 can be appropriately controlled according to the type of external force acting on the vehicle 100. Third embodiment

[0068] Figure 8 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the vehicle 100 and the server 200 in the third embodiment. Figure 2 The configuration of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1 is different mainly in the following two points. The first point is that the function of the external force information transmission unit 153 is omitted from the function of the processor 111 of the vehicle 100, and the functions of the external force information acquisition unit 163, the external force determination unit 164, and the travel control signal generation unit 165 are added. The second point is that the functions of the external force information acquisition unit 213 and the external force determination unit 214 are omitted from the functions of the processor 201 of the server 200 .

[0069] The external force information acquisition unit 163 acquires external force information as a detection value of external force information from the external force information sensor 140. Figure 2 The driving control signal generating unit 165 performs the same function as the external force determining unit 214 in the vehicle 100, and determines the type of the external force or the location of generation according to the external force information. The driving control signal generating unit 165 generates a final driving control signal by applying a modification to the driving control signal received from the server 200 as needed according to the type of the external force, and supplies the generated driving control signal to the vehicle controller 151. For example, in the case where the type of the external force is a first type of external force generated when the vehicle 100 drives onto an external object, the driving control signal generating unit 165 creates or modifies a driving control signal that stops or reverses the vehicle 100. Alternatively, in the case where the type of the external force is a first type of external force that requires the vehicle 100 to stop or reverse, the driving control signal generating unit 165 may create or modify a driving control signal that stops or reverses the vehicle 100. In the case where the type of the external force is a second type of external force generated in the operation relative to the vehicle 100, the driving control signal generating unit 165 ignores the external force and supplies the driving control signal received from the server 200 to the vehicle controller 151 without modification. Alternatively, when the type of external force is a second type of external force that does not require the vehicle 100 to stop and back up, the travel control signal generating unit 165 may ignore the external force and supply the travel control signal received from the server 200 to the vehicle controller 151 without modification.

[0070] In the third embodiment, the vehicle control device 110 of the vehicle 100 executes Figure 6 Routine R10, R20, R40, and server 200 executes Figure 6 It should be noted that the communication between the vehicle 100 and the server 200 in the routines R10, R20, and R40 is appropriately omitted.

[0071] The third embodiment also has almost the same effects as those of the first embodiment. In the third embodiment, the vehicle control device 110 mounted in the vehicle 100 can realize the control of the vehicle 100 according to the type of external force. Fourth embodiment

[0072] Fig. 9 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the vehicle 100 and the server 200 in the fourth embodiment. Figure 8 The configuration of the third embodiment shown in FIG. 1 is different mainly in the following three points. The first point is that the function of the travel control signal acquisition unit 152 is omitted from the function of the processor 111 of the vehicle 100 , and the functions of the vehicle position information acquisition unit 161 and the target position determination unit 162 are added. The second point is that the ideal route IR is stored in the memory 112 of the vehicle 100 . The third point is that the functions of the vehicle position information acquisition unit 211 , the target position determination unit 212 , the travel control signal generation unit 215 , and the travel control signal transmission unit 216 are omitted from the functions of the processor 201 of the server 200 .

[0073] In addition, before the vehicle 100 starts traveling along the ideal route IR, the ideal route IR is stored in the memory 112 of the vehicle 100. The ideal route IR may be supplied from the server 200, or may also be written in the memory 112 of the vehicle 100 by using other means. In the latter case, the server 200 may be omitted.

[0074] In the fourth embodiment, the vehicle control device 110 of the vehicle 100 executes Figure 6 All routines of R10, R20, R30, R40 or Figure 7 All routines R10, R20, R50. It should be noted that the Figure 6 The communication between the vehicle 100 and the server 200 in routines R10, R20, R30, R40 and Figure 7 The communication between the vehicle 100 and the server 200 in routines R10, R20, R50.

[0075] The vehicle position information acquisition unit 161 has Figure 2 and Figure 8 The target position determination unit 162 has the same function as the vehicle position information acquisition unit 211 in FIG. 1 and acquires the vehicle position information measured by the position information sensor 300. Figure 2 and Figure 8 The driving control signal generating unit 165 has the same function as the target position determining unit 212 in the vehicle 100, and determines the next target position of the vehicle 100 along the ideal route IR by using the vehicle position information. The driving control signal generating unit 165 generates a driving control signal according to the next target position of the vehicle 100 and the type of external force. For example, in a case where the type of external force is a first type of external force generated when the vehicle 100 drives onto an external object, the driving control signal generating unit 165 generates a driving control signal that causes the vehicle 100 to stop or reverse. In a case where the type of external force is a second type of external force generated during operation relative to the vehicle 100, the driving control signal generating unit 165 ignores the external force and generates a normal driving control signal for causing the vehicle 100 to continue driving along the ideal route IR. The generated driving control signal is supplied to the vehicle controller 151, and the vehicle controller 151 controls the actuator group 120 in response to the driving control signal.

[0076] Preferably, the travel control signal is generated to include any one of the steering angle and acceleration, and the steering angle and speed, as in the first to third embodiments. That is, in the fourth embodiment, in the case where the vehicle 100 receives route information about the ideal route IR, the steering angle and acceleration for the travel control signal can be created based on the route information, or the steering angle and speed can also be created.

[0077] The fourth embodiment also has almost the same effects as those in the first to third embodiments. In the fourth embodiment, the processing from the acquisition of the vehicle position information to the generation of the travel control signal can be performed by the vehicle control device 110 of the vehicle 100 without using the server 200, and the control of the vehicle 100 can be achieved according to the type of external force. That is, the vehicle 100 can be driven via autonomous control without remotely controlling the vehicle 100 via the server 200. Fifth embodiment

[0078] Fig.10 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the vehicle 100 and the server 200 in the fifth embodiment. Figure 2 The configuration of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1 is different mainly in the following three points. The first point is that the functions of the vehicle position information acquisition unit 161 , the target position determination unit 162 , and the travel control signal generation unit 165 are added to the functions of the processor 111 of the vehicle 100 . The second point is that the ideal route IR is stored in the memory 112 of the vehicle 100 . The third point is that the functions of the vehicle position information acquisition unit 211 and the target position determination unit 212 are omitted from the functions of the processor 201 of the server 200 .

[0079] Furthermore, before the vehicle 100 starts traveling along the ideal route IR, the ideal route IR is stored in the memory 112 of the vehicle 100. The ideal route IR may be supplied from the server 200, or may also be written in the memory 112 of the vehicle 100 by using other means.

[0080] The device configuration in the fifth embodiment corresponds to Fig. 9 In the device configuration of the third embodiment shown in , the function of generating a travel control signal according to the type of external force is transferred from the vehicle control device 110 of the vehicle 100 to the device configuration of the server 200 .

[0081] In the fifth embodiment, the vehicle control device 110 of the vehicle 100 executes Figure 6 The routines R10, R20, and R30 of the server 200 are executed, and the server 200 executes the routine R40. Note that the Figure 6The communication between the vehicle 100 and the server 200 in routines R10, R20, and R30.

[0082] The functions of the vehicle position information acquisition unit 161, the target position determination unit 162, and the travel control signal generation unit 165 are the same as those of the vehicle position information acquisition unit 161, the target position determination unit 162, and the travel control signal generation unit 165 in the third embodiment, so their description will be omitted. The fifth embodiment also has almost the same effects as those in the first to fourth embodiments. Other embodiments

[0083] In the first to third embodiments, the server 200 performs the processing from the acquisition of the vehicle position information to the generation of the travel control signal. In contrast, the vehicle 100 may perform at least a portion of the processing from the acquisition of the vehicle position information to the generation of the travel control signal. For example, the following forms (F1) to (F3) may be adopted.

[0084] (F1) The server 200 may acquire vehicle position information, determine a target position to which the vehicle 100 should go next, and generate a route from the current position of the vehicle 100 indicated by the acquired position information to the target position. The server 200 may generate a route to a target position between the current position and the destination, or may generate a route to the destination. The server 200 may transmit the generated route to the vehicle 100. The vehicle 100 may generate a travel control signal for causing the vehicle 100 to travel on the route received from the server 200, and control the actuator group 120 by using the generated travel control signal.

[0085] (F2) The server 200 may acquire vehicle position information and transmit the acquired position information to the vehicle 100. The vehicle 100 may determine a target position to which the vehicle 100 should go next, generate a route from the current position of the vehicle 100 indicated by the received position information to the target position, generate a travel control signal for causing the vehicle 100 to travel on the generated route, and control the actuator group 120 by using the generated travel control signal.

[0086] (F3) In the above forms (F1) and (F2), an internal sensor may be installed in the vehicle 100, and the detection results output from the internal sensor may be used for at least one of the generation of the route and the generation of the driving control signal. The internal sensor may include, for example, a camera, a LiDAR, a millimeter wave radar, an ultrasonic sensor, a global positioning system (GPS) sensor, an acceleration sensor, and a gyroscope sensor. For example, in the above form (F1), the server 200 may obtain the detection results of the internal sensor, and reflect the detection results of the internal sensor in the route when generating the route. In the above form (F1), the vehicle 100 may obtain the detection results of the internal sensor, and reflect the detection results of the internal sensor in the driving control signal when generating the driving control signal. In the above form (F2), the vehicle 100 may obtain the detection results of the internal sensor, and reflect the detection results of the internal sensor in the route when generating the route. In the above-mentioned form (F2), the vehicle 100 can obtain the detection result of the internal sensor and reflect the detection result of the internal sensor in the travel control signal when generating the travel control signal.

[0087] (F4) In each of the fourth and fifth embodiments, an internal sensor may be installed on the vehicle 100, and the detection result output from the internal sensor may be used for at least one of the generation of the route and the generation of the travel control signal. For example, the vehicle 100 may obtain the detection result of the internal sensor, and reflect the detection result of the internal sensor in the route when generating the route. For example, the vehicle 100 may obtain the detection result of the internal sensor, and reflect the detection result of the internal sensor in the travel control signal when generating the travel control signal.

[0088] (F5) In the fourth and fifth embodiments, the vehicle 100 acquires the vehicle position information by using the detection result of the external position information sensor 300. Meanwhile, the vehicle 100 may be equipped with an internal sensor, and the vehicle 100 may acquire the position information by using the detection result of the internal sensor, determine the target position to which the vehicle 100 should go next, generate a route from the current position of the vehicle 100 indicated by the acquired position information to the target position, generate a travel control signal for causing the vehicle 100 to travel on the generated route, and control the actuator group 120 by using the generated travel control signal. In this case, the vehicle 100 can travel without using the detection result of the external position information sensor 300 at all. In addition, the vehicle 100 may acquire the target arrival time or traffic congestion information from outside the vehicle 100, and reflect the target arrival time or traffic congestion information in at least one of the route and the travel control signal. Further, the entire functional configuration of the vehicle control system 10 may be provided in the vehicle 100. That is, the processing implemented by the vehicle control system 10 , such as destination change or derailment detection shown in the present disclosure, may be implemented by only the vehicle 100 .

[0089] (F6) In the first to third embodiments, the server 200 automatically generates a travel control signal to be transmitted to the vehicle 100. In contrast, the server 200 may generate a travel control signal to be transmitted to the vehicle 100 in response to an operation of an operator located outside the vehicle 100. For example, the operator may operate an operating device, and the server 200 may generate a travel control signal in accordance with the operation applied to the operating device. The operating device includes a display that displays an image output from the external position information sensor 300, a steering wheel, an accelerator pedal, and a brake pedal for remotely controlling the vehicle 100, and a communication device that communicates with the server 200 using wired communication or wireless communication.

[0090] (F7) The transportation of the vehicle 100 using unmanned driving to make the vehicle 100 travel is also referred to as "autonomous transportation". The configuration for realizing autonomous transportation is also referred to as "vehicle remote control autonomous transportation system". The production method of producing the vehicle 100 by using autonomous transportation is also referred to as "autonomous production". In autonomous production, for example, at a factory that manufactures the vehicle 100, at least a part of the transportation of the vehicle 100 is realized by autonomous transportation.

[0091] (F8) In each of the above-described embodiments, part or all of the functions and processes implemented by software may be implemented by hardware. In addition, part or all of the functions and processes implemented by hardware may be implemented by software. As hardware for implementing the various functions in each of the above-described embodiments, various circuits such as integrated circuits or discrete circuits may be used, for example.

[0092] The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be implemented in various configurations without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure. For example, the technical features in the embodiments corresponding to the technical features of each form described in the Summary of the Invention section may be appropriately replaced or combined to solve some or all of the above-described purposes, or to achieve some or all of the above-described effects. In the case where technical features are not described as essential features in this specification, these features may be deleted as appropriate.

Claims

1. A control device for a vehicle, characterized in that The control device comprises: an external force information acquisition unit configured to acquire external force information about an external force acting on a vehicle as an autonomous vehicle; an external force determination unit configured to determine a type of the external force by using the external force information; and The travel control signal generating unit is configured to generate a travel control signal for the vehicle according to the type of the external force.

2. The control device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The types of external force include a first type of external force that requires the vehicle to stop or move backward and a second type of external force that does not require the vehicle to stop or move backward.

3. The control device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The external force information acquisition unit is configured to acquire information indicating a reaction force of a drive motor or a steering motor of the vehicle as the external force information.

4. The control device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The types of external force include a first type of external force generated when the vehicle runs onto an external object and a second type of external force generated by work relative to the vehicle.

5. The control device according to claim 1, characterized in that: Also included is a travel control signal transmission unit configured to transmit the travel control signal to the vehicle.

6. The control device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The control device is mounted in the vehicle; and The control device further includes a vehicle controller configured to control an actuator group of the vehicle in response to the travel control signal.

7. The control device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The external force information includes at least one of a generation position of the external force acting on the vehicle, a direction of the external force, a magnitude of the external force, and a time-series change of the external force.

8. The control device according to claim 7, characterized in that: The travel control signal generating unit is configured to generate the travel control signal for stopping or moving the vehicle backward under the condition that the type of the external force is a vertical upward external force acting on the wheels of the vehicle.

9. The control device according to claim 7, characterized in that: The external force determination unit is configured to perform the determination by distinguishing a first type of external force generated when the vehicle runs onto an external object and a second type of external force generated by work relative to the vehicle in accordance with a time series change of the external force.

10. A control method for a vehicle, characterized in that: The control method comprises: acquiring external force information about external forces acting on a vehicle as an autonomous vehicle; determining the type of the external force by using the external force information; and A travel control signal for the vehicle is generated according to the type of the external force.

11. The control method according to claim 10, characterized in that: The types of external force include a first type of external force that requires the vehicle to stop or move backward and a second type of external force that does not require the vehicle to stop or move backward.

12. The control method according to claim 10, characterized in that: Acquiring the external force information includes acquiring information indicating a reaction force of a drive motor or a steering motor of the vehicle as the external force information.

13. The control method according to claim 10, characterized in that: The types of external force include a first type of external force generated when the vehicle runs onto an external object and a second type of external force generated by work relative to the vehicle.

14. The control method according to claim 10, characterized in that: Also includes: The travel control signal is transmitted to the vehicle.

15. The control method according to claim 10, characterized in that: Also includes: An actuator group of the vehicle is controlled in response to the travel control signal.

16. The control method according to any one of claims 10 to 15, characterized in that: The external force information includes at least one of a generation position of the external force acting on the vehicle, a direction of the external force, a magnitude of the external force, and a time-series change of the external force.

17. The control method according to claim 16, characterized in that: Generating the travel control signal includes: generating the travel control signal to stop or move the vehicle under the condition that the type of the external force is a vertical upward external force acting on the wheels of the vehicle.

18. The control method according to claim 16, characterized in that: Determining the type of the external force includes performing the determination by distinguishing a first type of external force generated when the vehicle runs onto an external object and a second type of external force generated by work relative to the vehicle based on a time series change of the external force.

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