Vehicle cooperative lane changing methods, autonomous vehicles, platooning, equipment and media

Abstract

The embodiments disclosed herein relate to the field of autonomous driving technology, specifically to a vehicle cooperative lane-changing method, an autonomous vehicle, a platoon, equipment, and a medium. In the aforementioned method, the target vehicle first initiates a lane change, controlling its speed within the target lane. This facilitates increasing the distance between the target vehicle and other vehicles in front of it in congested traffic, thereby providing lane-changing space for the remaining vehicles in the platoon. This allows the lane-changing conditions of the remaining vehicles to be met more quickly, ultimately achieving a complete lane change for the entire platoon. Furthermore, it helps maintain the platoon formation, preventing external vehicles from cutting in and avoiding excessive distance between the lead vehicle and the rear vehicles, which could negatively impact the accuracy, effectiveness, and efficiency of the platoon's decision-making during autonomous driving.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of autonomous driving technology, and in particular to a vehicle cooperative lane changing method, autonomous vehicles, autonomous vehicle platooning, computer equipment, and computer-readable storage medium. Background Technology

[0002] When autonomous vehicles are traveling in a convoy on the road, they need to change lanes due to various decision-making considerations such as overtaking, navigation planning, and avoiding obstacle areas.

[0003] Typically, existing autonomous vehicle platoons require all vehicles in the platoon to wait for sufficient space in the target lane before simultaneously initiating a lane change. This method has a low success rate in heavy traffic. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Based on this, it is necessary to provide a vehicle cooperative lane changing method, an autonomous vehicle, an autonomous vehicle platoon, a computer device, and a computer-readable storage medium that facilitates overall lane changing and helps maintain platoon formation, addressing at least one of the aforementioned technical problems.

[0005] In a first aspect, embodiments of this disclosure provide a vehicle cooperative lane-changing method applied to a target vehicle in a platoon of autonomous vehicles, the method comprising the following steps:

[0006] When the drivable space in the target lane does not meet the condition that all vehicles in the platoon change lanes at the same time, a first-type lane change instruction is received or generated.

[0007] In response to a Type I lane change instruction, when the driving space in the target lane meets the lane change conditions of the target vehicle, the remaining vehicles in the platoon proceed from the initial lane to the target lane.

[0008] Control the driving speed so that the target vehicle travels at a distance of a first preset range behind the other vehicles, and provides the other vehicles with lane-changing space to enter the target lane in front of the target vehicle.

[0009] The first type of lane change instruction is used to instruct vehicles in a platoon to participate in the overall lane change in a first specified order; the remaining vehicles are configured to enter the lane change space provided by the target vehicle from the initial lane in a first specified order, thereby completing the overall lane change of the platoon and maintaining the platoon formation.

[0010] In some embodiments, controlling the driving speed so that the target vehicle travels at a distance of a first preset range behind other vehicles, and providing lane-changing space for the other vehicles to enter the target lane in front of the target vehicle, includes the following steps:

[0011] Receive deceleration requests from other vehicles; based on the deceleration requests, reduce the target vehicle's speed to provide lane-changing space; or,

[0012] When the distance between the target vehicle and an external vehicle in front in the target lane is less than a preset range, the target vehicle's speed is reduced to provide space for lane changing; or,

[0013] If there is an obstacle zone in front of the other vehicles in the initial lane, and it is predicted that the other vehicles will not be able to complete the lane change at the predetermined speed, the target vehicle's speed is reduced and it stops to provide space for the lane change.

[0014] In some embodiments, the number of vehicles in the platoon is greater than two; the target vehicle is the last vehicle in the platoon; the first designated order is the order of positions in the platoon from back to front. The remaining vehicles are configured to: control the speed of the vehicle that has just completed the lane change, so that the vehicle that has just completed the lane change travels to the side and rear of the vehicle waiting to change lanes at a distance of a second preset range, and provide lane-changing space for the vehicle waiting to change lanes to enter the target lane, until all vehicles in the platoon have completed the overall lane change.

[0015] In some embodiments, the vehicle cooperative lane-changing method further includes the following steps:

[0016] When the drivable space of the target lane meets the condition that all vehicles in the platoon change lanes simultaneously, a second type of lane change instruction is received or generated.

[0017] In response to a second type of lane change instruction, the vehicle moves from the initial lane to the target lane in the second specified order.

[0018] The second type of lane change instruction is used to instruct vehicles in a platoon to participate in the overall lane change in a second specified order, which is the order in which the vehicles in the platoon are positioned from front to back.

[0019] In some embodiments, the vehicle cooperative lane-changing method further includes the following steps:

[0020] When the drivable space of the target lane meets the condition that all vehicles in the platoon change lanes simultaneously, a third-type lane change instruction is received or generated.

[0021] The third type of lane change instruction is used to instruct all vehicles in a platoon to simultaneously begin moving from the initial lane to the target lane.

[0022] In some embodiments, the vehicle cooperative lane-changing method further includes the following steps:

[0023] If other vehicles are in the target lane and the target vehicle cannot move to the target lane within a preset time period, the target vehicle will continue to travel in the current lane.

[0024] Control the driving speed in the current lane so that the target vehicle is traveling at a distance of the third preset range behind other vehicles, and provide other vehicles with lane-changing space to enter the current lane in front of the target vehicle.

[0025] The remaining vehicles are also configured to move from the target lane into the lane where the target vehicle is currently located to restore the formation.

[0026] In a second aspect, embodiments of this disclosure provide a vehicle cooperative lane-changing method applied to a lead vehicle in an autonomous vehicle platoon, the method comprising the following steps:

[0027] Receive or generate decision instructions to move from the initial lane to the target lane;

[0028] According to the decision instruction, when the drivable space in the target lane does not meet the condition that all vehicles in the platoon change lanes at the same time, a first-type lane change instruction is sent to the following vehicles in the platoon.

[0029] After all following vehicles have completed the lane change in the first designated order, the vehicle moves from the initial lane to the lane change space provided by the following vehicles in the target lane, thereby completing the overall lane change of the vehicle formation and maintaining the formation.

[0030] The first type of lane change instruction is used to instruct vehicles in a platoon to participate in the overall lane change in a first specified order. Following vehicles are configured to: starting with the target vehicle in the first specified order, each vehicle, upon meeting its own lane change conditions, respond to the first type of lane change instruction and move from its initial lane to the target lane ahead of the vehicles in the platoon that are about to change lanes; control its speed to maintain a distance of at least one preset range from the side and rear of the vehicles about to change lanes, and provide the vehicles about to change lanes with space to enter the target lane in front of the currently changing vehicles.

[0031] In some embodiments, receiving or generating a decision instruction to move from an initial lane to a target lane includes the following steps:

[0032] Receive decision instructions input by the safety officer; or,

[0033] Receive decision instructions from the following vehicle; or,

[0034] Generate decision instructions based on navigation planning information; or,

[0035] When the speed of an external vehicle located in front of the lead vehicle in the initial lane is less than the set value for the current stage, a lane change and overtaking command for the vehicle formation is generated as a decision command.

[0036] In some embodiments, the vehicle cooperative lane-changing method further includes the following steps:

[0037] Based on environmental perception data sent by following vehicles, determine whether the available space in the target lane meets the condition that all vehicles in the platoon can change lanes simultaneously; or,

[0038] Based on the environmental perception data sent by the following vehicles and the prediction results of the driving intentions of external vehicles, it is determined whether the drivable space of the target lane meets the conditions for all vehicles in the vehicle platoon to change lanes at the same time.

[0039] In a third aspect, embodiments of this disclosure provide an autonomous vehicle that may be a target vehicle that performs a vehicle cooperative lane-changing method, as provided in embodiments of the first aspect of this disclosure.

[0040] In a fourth aspect, embodiments of this disclosure provide an autonomous vehicle that may be a lead vehicle that performs a vehicle cooperative lane-changing method, as provided in embodiments of the second aspect of this disclosure.

[0041] In a fifth aspect, embodiments of this disclosure provide an autonomous vehicle platoon, which may be a platoon consisting of a target vehicle and other vehicles in the vehicle cooperative lane-changing method provided in the first aspect of this disclosure.

[0042] In a sixth aspect, embodiments of this disclosure provide an autonomous vehicle platoon, which may be a platoon composed of a lead vehicle and a follower vehicle in the vehicle cooperative lane-changing method provided in embodiments of the second aspect of this disclosure.

[0043] In a seventh aspect, embodiments of this disclosure provide a computer device including a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, wherein the processor executes the computer program to implement the steps of the vehicle cooperative lane-changing method provided in any embodiment of the first aspect of this disclosure.

[0044] In an eighth aspect, embodiments of this disclosure provide a computer device including a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, wherein the processor executes the computer program to implement the steps of the vehicle cooperative lane-changing method provided in any embodiment of the second aspect of this disclosure.

[0045] In a ninth aspect, embodiments of the present disclosure provide a computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of the vehicle cooperative lane-changing method provided in any embodiment of the first aspect of the present disclosure.

[0046] In a tenth aspect, embodiments of the present disclosure provide a computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of the vehicle cooperative lane-changing method provided in any embodiment of the second aspect of the present disclosure.

[0047] The aforementioned vehicle cooperative lane-changing method, autonomous vehicles, autonomous vehicle platoons, computer equipment, and computer-readable storage media-provided lane-changing schemes are particularly suitable for scenarios with dense traffic. By having the target vehicle initiate the lane change and control its speed in the target lane, it is beneficial to increase the distance between the target vehicle and other vehicles in front of it in dense traffic, thereby providing lane-changing space for the remaining vehicles in the platoon. This allows the lane-changing conditions of the remaining vehicles to be met more quickly, ultimately achieving a complete lane change for the entire platoon. Furthermore, the lane-changing scheme provided in this disclosure also helps maintain the platoon formation, making it less susceptible to being cut off by external vehicles and preventing excessive distance between the lead vehicle and the rear vehicles, which could affect the accuracy, effectiveness, and efficiency of the platoon's decision-making during autonomous driving. Attached Figure Description

[0048] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between vehicles in a vehicle platoon at time T1 in some embodiments;

[0049] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between vehicles in a vehicle platoon at time T2 in some embodiments;

[0050] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between vehicles in a vehicle platoon at time T3 in some embodiments;

[0051] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between vehicles in a vehicle platoon at time T4 in some embodiments;

[0052] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between vehicles in a vehicle platoon at time T5 in some embodiments;

[0053] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between vehicles in a vehicle platoon at time T6 in some embodiments;

[0054] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between vehicles in a vehicle platoon at time T7 in some embodiments;

[0055] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between vehicles in a vehicle platoon at time T8 in some embodiments;

[0056] Figure 9 This is a flowchart illustrating some steps performed by the target vehicle in some embodiments;

[0057] Figure 10 This is a flowchart illustrating some steps performed by the lead vehicle in some embodiments;

[0058] Figure 11 This is a diagram showing the internal structure of a computer device in some embodiments. Detailed Implementation

[0059] To make the technical solutions and advantages of this disclosure clearer, the embodiments and related technical content of this disclosure will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and text description. It should be understood that the embodiments described below are only used to explain the technical solutions of the embodiments of this disclosure and are not intended to limit more possible implementations of this disclosure.

[0060] It should be noted that relational terms such as "first" and "second" appearing in this document are used only to distinguish things, states, or actions, and do not necessarily indicate or imply relative importance or order. The terms "including," "comprising," or any other variations thereof are used to indicate non-exclusive inclusion, and the included objects may not be limited to those listed in this document. The terms "multiple" or other variations are used to indicate that the number of objects is two or more.

[0061] The vehicle cooperative lane-changing method provided in this disclosure is applicable to Figures 1 to 8 The images show different scenes at different times; of course, they can also be applied to many more scenes not shown.

[0062] Figures 1 to 8 Two adjacent lanes traveling in the same direction are shown: lane 121 and lane 122. In the following description of lane changes, lane 121 is sometimes considered the initial lane, and lane 122 is sometimes considered the target lane. However, when performing a full lane change, the lane in which the autonomous vehicle platoon begins the lane change is considered the initial lane, and the lane in which the autonomous vehicle platoon completes the lane change is considered the target lane. In other scenarios applying cooperative lane-changing methods, the initial lane and the target lane may not be adjacent.

[0063] Figures 1 to 8 The diagram illustrates the positional relationships of an autonomous vehicle platoon (hereinafter referred to as "vehicle platoon") consisting of a lead vehicle 101, a middle vehicle 102, and a rear vehicle 103 at different times. Figure 1 Corresponding time T1, Figure 2 This corresponds to time T2, which is a further forward shift in time. Figure 3 This corresponds to time T3, which is further forward in time. Figure 4This corresponds to time T4, which is a further forward shift in time. Figure 5 This corresponds to time T5, which is a further forward shift in time. Figure 6 This corresponds to time T6, which is a further forward shift in time. Figure 7 This corresponds to time T7, which is further forward in time. Figure 8 This corresponds to time T8, which is further forward in time.

[0064] in, Figures 1 to 6 The demonstration showed the relative positions of the autonomous vehicles at certain moments as the platoon moved from lane 121 to lane 122. Figure 7 This demonstrates the relative positions of the vehicles when the platoon of autonomous vehicles begins to move from the second lane 122 to the first lane 121; Figure 8 It shows the relative positions of a platoon of autonomous vehicles moving from lane 121 to lane 122 at a certain moment.

[0065] In other scenarios where vehicle cooperative lane changing methods are applied, the number of vehicles in the autonomous vehicle platoon can be flexibly configured as needed without special restrictions. For example, in some other embodiments, the number of intermediate vehicles 102 can be increased to expand the autonomous vehicle platoon, or the intermediate vehicles 102 can be removed and only the lead vehicle 101 and the tail vehicle 103 can be retained.

[0066] Figures 1 to 8 The illustrated platoon of autonomous vehicles allows communication between vehicles via a network, with no restrictions on the specific communication methods. For example, communication could involve intra-platoon broadcasting, one-to-one data transmission, or relaying information through a communication base station. Each vehicle in the platoon has one or more computer devices with processors to run autonomous driving programs. Additionally, some autonomous driving programs can be run by servers or terminals outside the platoon's own system, such as cloud servers or wireless terminals; further limitations are not specified here.

[0067] Figures 1 to 8 Other traffic participants besides the platoon of autonomous vehicles are shown, including a first external vehicle 111, a second external vehicle 112, and a third external vehicle 113.

[0068] Figures 1 to 8 The permitted driving direction 140 for the first lane 121 and the second lane 122 is shown, which is also the overall direction of travel for the autonomous vehicle platoon.

[0069] In a first aspect, embodiments of this disclosure provide a vehicle cooperative lane-changing method. This method can be applied to... Figures 1 to 8The target vehicle in the platoon of autonomous vehicles in the environment shown is, for example, the rear vehicle 103. The method may include steps S901, S902, and S903. Each step is described below.

[0070] Step S901: When the drivable space in the target lane does not meet the condition that all vehicles in the platoon can change lanes simultaneously, a first-type lane change instruction is received or generated. The first-type lane change instruction instructs the vehicles in the platoon to participate in the overall lane change in a first specified order.

[0071] Step S901 applies to Figures 1 to 6 In this scenario, with lane 121 as the initial lane and lane 122 as the target lane, the target vehicle in the platoon can coordinate with the other vehicles to achieve a lane change as a whole by executing a vehicle-coordinated lane change method. Generally, the target vehicle can be the last vehicle 103 in the platoon; however, in some other cases, the target vehicle can be one of the other vehicles in the platoon.

[0072] In some specific embodiments, the first type of lane change instruction in step S901 can be generated or issued by any vehicle in the vehicle formation. For example, the first type of lane change instruction can usually be issued by the lead vehicle 101; of course, in some other embodiments, it may also be issued by the middle vehicle 102, or generated by the rear vehicle 103 itself.

[0073] Of course, in other implementations, the first type of lane change instruction can also be generated or issued by a remote server or other terminal, without particular limitation. For example, the first type of lane change instruction can be issued by a remote safety officer or remote driver through a remotely controlled terminal, or it can be generated by a remote server through an autonomous driving algorithm.

[0074] In some specific implementations, the first type of lane change instruction can be an instruction that, in addition to being responded to by the vehicle that generated the instruction, is also sent by the vehicle that generated the instruction to other vehicles in the vehicle platoon, so that the other vehicles participate in the overall lane change in a first designated order.

[0075] In some specific implementations, when the drivable space of the target lane does not meet the condition that all vehicles in the platoon can change lanes simultaneously, the instructions received, generated, or responded to by the vehicles in the platoon, which instruct the vehicles to participate in the overall lane change in a first specified order, can be regarded as the first type of lane change instruction.

[0076] The first designated order refers to the sequence in which vehicles in a platoon change lanes. This means that not all vehicles in the platoon begin changing lanes simultaneously. The first designated order also implies that at least the target vehicle must change lanes first, followed by the remaining vehicles simultaneously; or, the target vehicle must change lanes first, with some of the remaining vehicles changing lanes one by one, and others changing lanes simultaneously; or, the target vehicle must change lanes first, with the remaining vehicles changing lanes one by one. The first designated order can be set according to actual needs in different scenarios.

[0077] In some specific implementations, the first designated order may refer to the order of vehicle positions in a convoy from back to front, i.e., the last vehicle first, the middle vehicles second, and the lead vehicle last. Figure 1 For example, the first designated order can be based on the driving direction 140, and proceed from back to front; that is, the first designated order is the order of the rear vehicle 103 first, the middle vehicle 102 second, and the lead vehicle 101 third.

[0078] The determination of whether the drivable space of the target lane, as mentioned elsewhere in this document, satisfies the condition for all vehicles in the platoon to change lanes simultaneously, can be performed by the target vehicle, the remaining vehicles in the platoon, or by a remote server or other terminal. Specifically, the drivable space can be quantified by vehicle distance. For example, in some cases, the drivable space can be quantified by measuring the distance between external vehicles in the target lane adjacent to the platoon. In other cases, the speed of the external vehicle in the target lane and the speed of one or more vehicles in the initial lane can be used to estimate whether the external vehicle will obstruct the simultaneous lane change of all vehicles in the platoon. If so, the drivable space is considered not to satisfy the condition for simultaneous lane change of all vehicles in the platoon; otherwise, the condition is considered to be satisfied. In still other cases, if there are no external vehicles within the maximum or preset sensing range of the platoon's sensors, the drivable space is considered to satisfy the condition for simultaneous lane change of all vehicles in the platoon.

[0079] The aforementioned "conditions for all vehicles to change lanes simultaneously" may include the distance between external vehicles in the target lane being greater than the length of the vehicle platoon, or the aforementioned distance being greater than the sum of the lengths of all vehicles in the platoon and a preset first safe distance. The preset first safe distance may refer to the sum of the distances that each vehicle in the platoon is expected to maintain when driving safely, and the specific value can be set according to actual needs. For example, for a single vehicle, the expected distance to maintain when driving safely is 2 meters in front and behind; for a vehicle platoon with three vehicles, the first safe distance could be 12 meters or more. Of course, the "conditions for all vehicles to change lanes simultaneously" may also include other conditions, such as all vehicles starting to change lanes simultaneously and completing the lane change within a future set time (e.g., within 20 or 30 seconds). In some other cases, the "conditions for all vehicles to change lanes simultaneously" may also include the time and / or the required driving space required for all vehicles to simultaneously change lanes from the initial lane, cross the middle lane, and reach the target lane. In addition, existing technologies can be used to determine whether a vehicle platoon has sufficient time or space to change lanes simultaneously, and no special restrictions are imposed here. The simultaneous lane change mentioned in this article means that all vehicles in a platoon begin to leave one lane and move to another lane at the same time.

[0080] When this article discusses whether a vehicle in a platoon has met the conditions for changing lanes, it typically involves determining whether the available space in the target lane can accommodate the vehicle. Specifically, this can be quantified by determining whether the length of the available space in the target lane can safely accommodate the vehicle's length. The length of the available space can be quantified by the distance between the vehicles in front of and behind that space.

[0081] The vehicle distance mentioned in this article can be measured by the sensor system of the vehicles in the vehicle formation. Of course, other methods can also be used for measurement, such as using a sensor system set up next to the road.

[0082] Step S902: In response to a first type of lane change instruction, when the drivable space in the target lane meets the lane change conditions of the target vehicle, the remaining vehicles in the platoon proceed from the initial lane to the target lane.

[0083] Step S902 explains that the target vehicle is the first vehicle in the platoon to initiate and complete a lane change. The lane change condition for the target vehicle can be that the sum of the target vehicle's length and a preset second safety distance is less than the distance between two external vehicles in the nearby target lane. The preset second safety distance can refer to the distance that the target vehicle and external vehicles are expected to maintain under safe driving conditions; the specific value can be set according to actual needs, such as 1 meter, 2 meters, 4 meters, or other values.

[0084] Figure 1 The diagram illustrates a drivable space 131 under certain conditions. When the drivable space 131 can accommodate the target vehicle, it is considered that the drivable space of the target lane meets the lane-changing conditions of the target vehicle. Specifically, based on the principles mentioned above, in some cases, the size of the drivable space 131 can be quantified by the distance between the first external vehicle 111 and the second external vehicle 112, which will not be elaborated here. Figure 1 The following situation is illustrated: there is a driveable space 131 between the first external vehicle 111 and the second external vehicle 112. The length of the driveable space 131 estimated along the driving direction 140 is greater than the length of the rear vehicle 103 and the preset second safety distance, but less than the sum of the lengths of all vehicles in the vehicle platoon and the preset first safety distance. This means that the driveable space 131 satisfies the lane-changing conditions of the target vehicle, such as the rear vehicle 103, but does not satisfy the condition that all vehicles in the vehicle platoon change lanes at the same time.

[0085] In step S902, the target vehicle travels from the initial lane to the target lane before the other vehicles in the convoy, and the order of travel reflects the first designated order.

[0086] Step S903: Control the driving speed so that the target vehicle travels at a distance of a first preset range behind the other vehicles, and provides the other vehicles with lane-changing space to enter the target lane in front of the target vehicle.

[0087] The purpose of step S903 is for the target vehicle to control its speed to create sufficient space in front of it, thus providing conditions for other vehicles to change lanes and making it difficult for external vehicles to cut in between the target vehicle and the other vehicles. The target vehicle traveling at a distance within a first preset range from the side and rear of the other vehicles means that the target vehicle follows the side and rear of the last vehicle in the remaining fleet, and the distance between the target vehicle and the last vehicle is maintained within the first preset range. The first preset range can be within 2 meters, within 3 meters, or other numerical ranges, and can be set according to specific needs.

[0088] The lane change space provided by the target vehicle is located in the target lane and in front of the target vehicle. Figure 3 Another type of driveable space 132 is shown, which can be considered as lane-changing space provided by the target vehicle to accommodate the intermediate vehicle 102 among the remaining vehicles. Figure 4 The illustration shows a scenario where the middle vehicle 102 has completed a lane change, meaning that the middle vehicle 102 has entered the lane change space provided by the target vehicle (here referring to the rear vehicle 103), thus positioning itself in front of the target vehicle. Figure 5This illustrates another type of driveable space 133, which can be considered as part of the lane-changing space provided by the target vehicle, or as the lane-changing space provided by the intermediate vehicle 102. The driveable space 133 serves as a lane-changing space to accommodate the lead vehicle 101. Figure 6 This shows the scenario where the lead vehicle 101 has completed a lane change, that is, the lead vehicle 101 has entered the lane change space provided by the rear vehicle 103 or the middle vehicle 102, and is thus positioned in front of the rear vehicle 103 and the middle vehicle 102.

[0089] It is important to note that as time progresses, the target vehicle may shift, or the relative positions of external vehicles in the target lane to the target vehicle may change. Therefore, the size and position of the lane-changing space provided by the target vehicle typically change dynamically over time. Similarly, the size and position of the lane-changing space provided by one vehicle in a platoon for another vehicle, as discussed below, will also change dynamically over time.

[0090] Furthermore, the lane-changing space provided by the target vehicle can be understood as the accessible space provided by the target vehicle, located in front of it, for one or more of the other vehicles to enter. The lane-changing space provided by a particular vehicle among the other vehicles can be understood as the accessible space provided by that vehicle, located in front of it, for one or more of the other vehicles waiting to change lanes to enter. Therefore, the lane-changing space provided by the target vehicle can include the lane-changing space provided by a particular vehicle among the other vehicles. The vehicles waiting to change lanes, as referred to in this article, are vehicles in a convoy preparing to perform a lane change.

[0091] The remaining vehicles in the platoon are configured to enter the lane-changing space provided by the target vehicle from the initial lane in a first designated order, thereby completing the overall lane change and maintaining the platoon formation. Since the target vehicle controls its speed to provide sufficient space for the remaining vehicles to enter the target lane, this space can also be considered as the lane-changing space provided by the target vehicle. Maintaining the platoon formation includes, but is not limited to, maintaining the close proximity of vehicles within the platoon. If an external vehicle cuts into the platoon, it means that the platoon formation has failed to be maintained. It should be noted that in some embodiments, the adjacent relationships between vehicles in the platoon can be changed by the overall lane change; for example, the relative positional relationship between two vehicles may change. In other embodiments, the adjacent relationships between vehicles in the platoon do not change before or after the overall lane change. In some embodiments, maintaining the platoon formation includes maintaining the close proximity of vehicles within the platoon and maintaining the adjacent relationships between individual vehicles within the platoon.

[0092] The overall lane change mentioned in this article refers to the lane change operation performed by all vehicles in a platoon changing from the initial lane to the target lane in a certain order or without order.

[0093] Cooperative lane-changing methods are particularly suitable for scenarios with heavy traffic. By having the target vehicle change lanes first and controlling its speed in the target lane, it helps to increase the distance between the target vehicle and other vehicles in front in heavy traffic, thus providing lane-changing space for the rest of the platoon. This allows the lane-changing conditions of the remaining vehicles to be met more quickly, ultimately achieving a platoon-wide lane change. Furthermore, the lane-changing scheme provided by cooperative lane-changing methods helps maintain platoon formation, making it less susceptible to external vehicles cutting in. This prevents excessive distance between the lead vehicle and the rear vehicles, which could negatively impact the accuracy, effectiveness, and efficiency of the platoon's decision-making during autonomous driving. External vehicles cutting in can disrupt the platoon's overall perception, decision-making, or communication capabilities, affecting its ability to execute pre-set driving tasks. For example, in some scenarios, if some vehicles in the platoon are forced to move away from the lead vehicle due to being cut in, they may face communication barriers, forcing some autonomous vehicles to temporarily stop and await takeover. Additionally, some extreme instances of cutting in can even lead to traffic accidents.

[0094] In some embodiments, step S903 may include: receiving a deceleration request from other vehicles; and reducing the speed of the target vehicle according to the deceleration request to provide lane-changing space. Typically, at least one of the other vehicles acts as the vehicle to be changed lanes. It can determine whether the available space in the current target lane meets its own lane-changing conditions. Furthermore, if the distance between the target vehicle and the external vehicle in front of it is less than a certain preset value, it can be considered that the available space in the current target lane meets its own lane-changing conditions. At this time, the vehicle to be changed lanes can send a deceleration request to the target vehicle to instruct the target vehicle to reduce its speed, thereby increasing the distance between the target vehicle and the external vehicle in front of it, thus satisfying the lane-changing conditions for the vehicle to be changed lanes, and thus executing the lane change, i.e., moving from the initial lane to the target lane. Figure 3 For example, assuming the length of the middle vehicle 102 is 6.8 meters, when the middle vehicle 102 is the vehicle waiting to change lanes, if the middle vehicle 102 determines that the distance between the rear vehicle 103 and the first external vehicle 111 is less than 8.8 meters, it is considered that the driveable space 132 does not meet the lane-changing conditions of the middle vehicle 102 itself, and at this time it can send a deceleration request to the rear vehicle 103; when it is not less than 8.8 meters, it is considered that the lane-changing conditions are met, and at this time the lane change can be executed.

[0095] In some embodiments, step S903 may include: reducing the speed of the target vehicle when the distance between the target vehicle and an external vehicle ahead in the target lane is less than a preset range, to provide space for lane changing. Still using... Figure 3 For example, the rear vehicle 103, which is the target vehicle, measures the distance between itself and the first external vehicle 111 in front through a sensor. When the distance is less than a preset range (e.g., 8.8 meters as mentioned above), it reduces its own speed.

[0096] In some embodiments, when the vehicle platoon needs to change lanes due to obstacles such as construction zones, accident zones, or impassable areas created by other vehicles parked in the initial lane or ahead of the platoon, step S903 may include: reducing the speed of the target vehicle and stopping when there is an obstacle zone ahead of the other vehicles in the initial lane and it is predicted that the other vehicles cannot complete the lane change at a predetermined speed, to provide lane-changing space. At this time, the target vehicle can even reduce its speed to zero as needed. Correspondingly, the other vehicles are configured to reduce their speed and enter the lane-changing space provided by the target vehicle.

[0097] In some specific implementations, it is determined whether there is an obstacle area in front of the other vehicles in the initial lane, and it is predicted whether the other vehicles can complete the lane change at a predetermined speed. These judgments or predictions can be performed by any one vehicle in the vehicle platoon, or by the comprehensive cooperation of computer equipment of multiple vehicles.

[0098] In some embodiments, the number of vehicles in the platoon is greater than two, the target vehicle is the last vehicle in the platoon, and the first designated order is the order of positions in the platoon from back to front. The remaining vehicles in the platoon are configured to: control the speed of the vehicle that has just completed a lane change, so that the vehicle that has just completed a lane change travels to the side and rear of the vehicle waiting to change lanes at a distance of a second preset range, and provide lane-changing space for the vehicle waiting to change lanes to enter the target lane, until all vehicles in the platoon have completed the overall lane change. In this way, each vehicle in the platoon changes lanes sequentially, starting from the last vehicle. After each vehicle changes lanes to the target lane, it provides reasonable lane-changing space for the next vehicle waiting to change lanes, thereby enabling the platoon to reliably and safely complete the overall lane change and maintain the platoon formation. In situations with heavy traffic, it also helps to prevent external vehicles from cutting into the platoon. In this method, the last vehicle waiting to change lanes in the platoon can directly enter the lane-changing space provided by the previous vehicle, thereby enabling all vehicles in the platoon to complete the overall lane change.

[0099] It should be noted that the vehicle distance values ​​in the aforementioned second preset range or the third preset range mentioned below can be the same as or different from the vehicle distance values ​​in the first preset range, depending on actual needs. Reasonable values ​​for the first, second, and third preset ranges ensure that the distance between the vehicle completing the lane change and the vehicle waiting to change lanes remains within a reasonable range, preventing external vehicles from cutting in, thus facilitating the maintenance of platoon formation. Specific values ​​can refer to existing vehicle platooning distance settings, or other values ​​can be set in specific scenarios. Typically, the vehicle distance in the first, second, or third preset range can be less than two or three times the length of the vehicle waiting to change lanes. In some other embodiments, the vehicle distance in the first, second, or third preset range can be 1 to 3 meters greater than the length of the vehicle waiting to change lanes. For example, assuming the length of the vehicle waiting to change lanes is 6.8 meters, the vehicle distance in the first, second, or third preset range can be between 7.8 and 9.8 meters; of course, other values ​​can also be used depending on the actual situation, which will not be listed in detail here.

[0100] In a vehicle platoon, the distance between each vehicle that has completed a lane change and the vehicle waiting to change lanes can vary at different times in the actual scenario, as long as the variation falls within a certain range, such as the first preset range, the second preset range, or the third preset range.

[0101] In some embodiments, considering that the target lane is not always heavily congested, the vehicle cooperative lane-changing method may further include the following steps:

[0102] When the drivable space of the target lane meets the condition that all vehicles in the platoon change lanes simultaneously, a second type of lane change instruction is received or generated.

[0103] In response to a second type of lane change instruction, the vehicle moves from the initial lane to the target lane in the second specified order.

[0104] The second type of lane change instruction is used to instruct vehicles in a platoon to participate in the overall lane change in a second specified order, which is the order in which the vehicles in the platoon are positioned from front to back.

[0105] The generation, receiving, or sending methods of the second type of lane change instruction, or the third type of lane change instruction (described below), are similar in principle to those of the first type of lane change instruction. That is, these three types of lane change instructions can be generated or sent by a single vehicle in the platoon, or by a server or terminal outside the platoon. If a vehicle in the platoon generates one of these three types of lane change instructions, that vehicle sends it to the other vehicles in the platoon. Therefore, the determination of whether the drivable space of the target lane meets the conditions for all vehicles in the platoon to change lanes simultaneously can be made by a single vehicle in the platoon, by a collaborative decision made by multiple vehicles, or by a server or terminal outside the platoon; no particular restrictions are placed here.

[0106] by Figure 8 For example, the second designated order refers to the order starting with the lead vehicle 101, followed by the middle vehicle 102, and finally the tail vehicle 103. Figure 8 In the process, at a certain moment, the vehicle formation starts to move from the initial lane to the target lane at T8. At this time, the initial lane is the first lane 121 where the vehicle formation was at the beginning of this lane change, and the target lane is the second lane 122 where the vehicle formation is expected to be after the overall lane change is completed. Figure 8 The lead vehicle 101 will initiate the lane change first, followed by the middle vehicle 102, and finally the rear vehicle 103. This lane-changing method is often suitable for scenarios such as off-ramp or when there is ample space to enter the target lane.

[0107] In some embodiments, in order to shorten the overall lane change time, the vehicle cooperative lane change method may further include the following steps: when the drivable space of the target lane meets the condition that all vehicles in the vehicle platoon change lanes simultaneously, receiving or generating a third type of lane change instruction; the third type of lane change instruction is used to instruct all vehicles in the vehicle platoon to simultaneously begin traveling from the initial lane to the target lane.

[0108] Figure 7 This illustrates a scenario where lane changes begin simultaneously. Figure 7 In the process, the initial lane is the second lane 122, the target lane is the first lane 121, and the leading vehicle 101, the middle vehicle 102 and the rear vehicle 103 simultaneously begin to change their driving direction, thereby performing the operation of changing lanes from the second lane 122 to the first lane 121.

[0109] The simultaneous lane-changing operation mentioned in several places in this article does not require the adjacent relationships between vehicles in the platoon before and after the lane change to be fixed, unless otherwise specified. In some specific implementations, vehicles in the platoon can exchange positions during the lane change process as needed, without affecting the maintenance of the platoon formation.

[0110] In some embodiments, by responding appropriately to a first type of lane change command, a second type of lane change command, or a third type of lane change command at different times and under different conditions where the drivable space of the target lane is sufficient for all vehicles in the platoon to change lanes simultaneously, the flexibility of the vehicle cooperative lane change method can be improved. While ensuring the safety and reliability of the overall lane change, the driving efficiency of the vehicle platoon can also be improved.

[0111] In some embodiments, in response to a first type of lane change command, a second type of lane change command, and a third type of lane change command, all vehicles in the vehicle platoon maintain a consistent adjacency before and after the overall lane change, which can save data processing resources and reduce the probability of failures or accidents.

[0112] It is important to note that vehicle platooning and autonomous driving algorithms are designed with safety as the primary principle. Even with cooperative lane-changing methods implemented, in extreme situations, external vehicles or other road users may still disrupt the platoon formation. Furthermore, sometimes vehicle software or hardware malfunctions can prevent the platoon from changing lanes as expected. To address these and other abnormal situations, cooperative lane-changing methods may also include the following steps:

[0113] When other vehicles are in the target lane and the target vehicle cannot reach the target lane within a preset time range, the target vehicle continues to drive in the current lane; the driving speed in the current lane is controlled so that the target vehicle drives to the side and rear of the other vehicles at a distance of a third preset range, and provides the other vehicles with lane-changing space to enter the current lane in front of the target vehicle.

[0114] The remaining vehicles are also configured to move from the target lane into the lane where the target vehicle is currently located to restore the formation.

[0115] The aforementioned preset duration range can be within 1 minute or 30 seconds, or other numerical ranges, which can be set according to actual needs.

[0116] By using the target vehicle as a reference and controlling its speed, other vehicles in the convoy can be positioned in front of the target vehicle and kept in the same lane, thus enabling the convoy to be restored quickly and reliably.

[0117] In a second aspect, embodiments of this disclosure provide a vehicle cooperative lane-changing method for a lead vehicle in an autonomous driving vehicle platoon. It should be noted that, where the technical solutions do not conflict, the principles, operations, technical effects, and meanings of the same terms involved in the vehicle cooperative lane-changing method applicable to a target vehicle provided in the first aspect of this disclosure also apply to the vehicle cooperative lane-changing method applicable to a lead vehicle provided in the second aspect of this disclosure. Furthermore, where the technical solutions do not conflict, the principles, operations, technical effects, and meanings of the same terms involved in the vehicle cooperative lane-changing method applicable to a lead vehicle provided in the second aspect of this disclosure also apply to the vehicle cooperative lane-changing method applicable to a target vehicle provided in the first aspect of this disclosure.

[0118] like Figure 10 As shown, the vehicle cooperative lane-changing method may include the following steps performed by the lead vehicle:

[0119] Step S1001: Receive or generate a decision instruction to move from the initial lane to the target lane;

[0120] Step S1002: According to the decision instruction, when the drivable space of the target lane does not meet the condition that all vehicles in the vehicle platoon can change lanes at the same time, a first type of lane change instruction is sent to the following vehicles in the vehicle platoon.

[0121] Step S1003: After all following vehicles have completed the lane change in the first specified order, the vehicle moves from the initial lane to the lane change space provided by the following vehicles in the target lane, thereby completing the overall lane change of the vehicle platoon and maintaining the platoon formation.

[0122] The first type of lane change instruction is used to instruct vehicles in a platoon to participate in the overall lane change in a first specified order. Following vehicles are configured to: starting with the target vehicle in the first specified order, each vehicle, upon meeting its own lane change conditions, respond to the first type of lane change instruction and move from its initial lane to the target lane ahead of the vehicles in the platoon that are about to change lanes; control its speed to maintain a distance of at least one preset range from the side and rear of the vehicles about to change lanes, and provide the vehicles about to change lanes with space to enter the target lane in front of the currently changing vehicles.

[0123] Figures 1 to 8 The scenario shown can also be applied to the vehicle cooperative lane-changing method provided in the second aspect of the embodiments of this disclosure, which is suitable for a lead vehicle to perform the lane-changing. In this case, the target vehicle can be the rear vehicle 103 or the middle vehicle 102.

[0124] Steps S1001, S1002, and S1003 involve sending a first-type lane change command from the lead vehicle to the following vehicles in the convoy. This instructs the following vehicles to complete the lane change in an orderly manner and maintain the distance between vehicles in the convoy. The lead vehicle then makes its lane change last. This approach is beneficial for reliably, safely, and effectively achieving overall lane changes for the convoy in dense traffic scenarios. It also helps maintain the convoy formation, making it less likely for external vehicles to cut in. This prevents the distance between the lead vehicle and the following vehicles from becoming too large, which could affect the accuracy, effectiveness, and efficiency of the convoy's decision-making during autonomous driving.

[0125] In some embodiments, step S1001 may include one or more of the following implementations:

[0126] (1) Method 1: Receive decision instructions input by the safety officer;

[0127] (2) Method 2: Receive decision instructions from following vehicles;

[0128] (3) Method 3: Generate decision instructions based on navigation planning information;

[0129] (4) Method 4: When the speed of an external vehicle located in front of the lead vehicle in the initial lane is less than the set value of the current stage, a lane change and overtaking command for the vehicle formation is generated as a decision command.

[0130] In Method 1, the safety operator can be located in the lead vehicle and input decision commands via buttons, touchscreens, or other devices. In Method 2, the decision commands can be issued by one of the following vehicles. In Method 3, navigation planning information refers to the planning information provided by the navigation algorithm regarding the selection of roads or lanes by the vehicle platoon during operation.

[0131] In Method 4, the set value for the current stage can be selected according to the actual situation. For example, on a highway, the set value for a certain stage could be 50 km / h. Method 4 is suitable for scenarios where the speed of external vehicles in front of the leading vehicle is too slow, requiring a lane change to overtake.

[0132] by Figures 1 to 6 For example, the initial lane is lane 121, and the target lane is lane 122. Assume the vehicles are platooned in... Figure 1In the current stage, the driving speed is 60 km / h. When the lead vehicle 101 determines that the speed of the external vehicle (i.e., the third external vehicle 113) in front of the lead vehicle 101 is less than the set value for the current stage (e.g., 60 km / h), the lead vehicle 101 and other following vehicles can decelerate. Simultaneously, the lead vehicle 101 generates a lane-changing and overtaking command for the vehicle convoy as a decision instruction, and then executes steps S1002 and S1003, thereby causing the vehicle convoy to change lanes to the second lane 122. After the vehicle convoy changes lanes to the target lane, the lead vehicle 101 can accelerate to overtake the third external vehicle 113 and issue an acceleration command, instructing the following vehicles to overtake the third external vehicle 113. The scenario of the vehicle convoy overtaking the third external vehicle 113 is as follows: Figure 6 As shown. At some point thereafter, the lead vehicle 101 can generate a third-type lane change command, thereby instructing the entire vehicle formation to change lanes back to the first lane 121.

[0133] In some embodiments, the vehicle cooperative lane-changing method further includes the following steps performed by the lead vehicle: determining whether the drivable space of the target lane meets the conditions for all vehicles in the platoon to change lanes simultaneously, based on environmental perception data sent by the following vehicles; or, determining whether the drivable space of the target lane meets the conditions for all vehicles in the platoon to change lanes simultaneously, based on environmental perception data sent by the following vehicles and the prediction results of the driving intentions of external vehicles. This allows for a more accurate and reasonable determination of whether the drivable space of the target lane meets the conditions for all vehicles in the platoon to change lanes simultaneously. The following vehicles can collect environmental perception data (such as the distance between vehicles, the distance between themselves and another vehicle, the distance between themselves and certain obstacles, etc.) from their own onboard sensor systems and send it to the lead vehicle. In addition, one or more vehicles in the platoon can also predict the driving intentions of external vehicles. For example, based on information such as turn signals, brake lights, historical trajectories, and historical speeds, they can predict whether an external vehicle intends to change lanes, change speed, or overtake, or whether an external vehicle intends to engage in aggressive behavior. Various such prediction methods or algorithms have been described in the prior art and will not be elaborated upon here. The predicted driving intentions of external vehicles will affect the prediction of changes in the available space for the target lane. For example, if the predicted driving intentions of external vehicles indicate that the available space for the target lane is about to decrease or become uncertain, it can be considered that the available space for the target lane does not meet the condition that all vehicles in the platoon can change lanes simultaneously.

[0134] It should be understood that, although Figure 9 , Figure 10 The steps in the flowchart are shown sequentially according to the arrows, but these steps are not necessarily executed in the order indicated by the arrows. Figure 9 , Figure 10Unless otherwise expressly stated herein, the steps illustrated and other steps involved in the embodiments are not subject to strict order restrictions and may be performed in other orders. Furthermore, at least some steps in the foregoing embodiments may include multiple sub-steps or multiple stages. These sub-steps or stages are not necessarily completed at the same time, but may be performed at different times. The execution order of these sub-steps or stages is not necessarily sequential, but may be performed alternately or in turn with other steps or at least a portion of the sub-steps or stages of other steps.

[0135] In a third aspect, embodiments of this disclosure provide an autonomous vehicle that may be a target vehicle that performs a vehicle cooperative lane-changing method, as provided in embodiments of the first aspect of this disclosure.

[0136] In a fourth aspect, embodiments of this disclosure provide an autonomous vehicle that may be a lead vehicle that performs a vehicle cooperative lane-changing method, as provided in embodiments of the second aspect of this disclosure.

[0137] In a fifth aspect, embodiments of this disclosure provide an autonomous vehicle platoon, which may be a platoon consisting of a target vehicle and other vehicles in the vehicle cooperative lane-changing method provided in the first aspect of this disclosure.

[0138] In a sixth aspect, embodiments of this disclosure provide an autonomous vehicle platoon, which may be a platoon composed of a lead vehicle and a follower vehicle in the vehicle cooperative lane-changing method provided in embodiments of the second aspect of this disclosure.

[0139] In a seventh aspect, embodiments of this disclosure provide a computer device including a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, wherein the processor executes the computer program to implement the steps of the vehicle cooperative lane-changing method provided in any embodiment of the first aspect of this disclosure.

[0140] In an eighth aspect, embodiments of this disclosure provide a computer device including a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, wherein the processor executes the computer program to implement the steps of the vehicle cooperative lane-changing method provided in any embodiment of the second aspect of this disclosure.

[0141] In a ninth aspect, embodiments of the present disclosure provide a computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of the vehicle cooperative lane-changing method provided in any embodiment of the first aspect of the present disclosure.

[0142] In a tenth aspect, embodiments of the present disclosure provide a computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of the vehicle cooperative lane-changing method provided in any embodiment of the second aspect of the present disclosure.

[0143] In some embodiments, the computer device may be a terminal installed on a vehicle in a vehicle platoon, and its internal structure diagram may be as follows: Figure 11 As shown. The computer device includes a processor, memory, network interface, display screen, and input devices connected via a system bus. The processor provides computing and control capabilities. The memory includes a non-volatile storage medium and internal memory. The non-volatile storage medium stores an operating system and computer programs. The internal memory provides an environment for the operation of the operating system and computer programs in the non-volatile storage medium. The network interface is used to communicate with external terminals via a network connection. When the computer program is executed by the processor, it implements the vehicle cooperative lane-changing method in any embodiment of this document. The display screen can be a liquid crystal display or an e-ink display. The input devices can be a touch layer covering the display screen, buttons, a trackball, or a touchpad mounted on the computer device casing, or an external keyboard, touchpad, or mouse, etc.

[0144] Those skilled in the art will understand that Figure 11 The structures shown are merely block diagrams of some structures related to the embodiments of this disclosure and do not constitute a limitation on the computer devices to which the embodiments of this disclosure are applied. Specific computer devices may include more or fewer components than those shown in the figures, or combine certain components, or have different component arrangements.

[0145] The aforementioned computer-readable storage medium may be Figure 11 The computer-readable storage medium in the computer device shown.

[0146] Those skilled in the art will understand that all or part of the processes in the methods of the above embodiments can be implemented by a computer program instructing related hardware. The aforementioned computer program can be stored in a non-volatile computer-readable storage medium. When executed, the computer program can include the processes of the embodiments of the above methods. Any references to memory, storage, databases, or other media used in the embodiments of this disclosure can include non-volatile and / or volatile memory. Non-volatile memory may include read-only memory (ROM), programmable ROM (PROM), electrically programmable ROM (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM), or flash memory. Volatile memory may include random access memory (RAM) or external cache memory. By way of illustration and not limitation, RAM is available in a variety of forms, such as static RAM (SRAM), dynamic RAM (DRAM), synchronous DRAM (SDRAM), dual data rate SDRAM (DDRSDRAM), enhanced SDRAM (ESDRAM), synchronous link DRAM (SLDRAM), direct RAM (RDRAM), direct memory bus dynamic RAM (DRDRAM), and memory bus dynamic RAM (RDRAM), etc.

[0147] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this disclosure.

[0148] The above embodiments merely illustrate several implementation methods of this disclosure, and their descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, but they should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of this disclosure. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this disclosure, and these all fall within the scope of protection of this disclosure. Therefore, the scope of protection of this disclosure should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method for cooperative lane changing of vehicles, characterized in that, The method, applied to a target vehicle in a platoon of vehicles used in autonomous driving, includes: When the drivable space in the target lane does not meet the condition that all vehicles in the vehicle platoon change lanes simultaneously, a first type of lane change instruction is received or generated; the first type of lane change instruction is used to instruct the vehicles in the vehicle platoon to participate in the overall lane change in a first specified order. In response to the first type of lane change command, when the drivable space of the target lane meets the lane change conditions of the target vehicle, the remaining vehicles in the vehicle platoon travel from the initial lane to the target lane before the target vehicle. Control the driving speed so that the target vehicle travels at a distance of a first preset range behind the other vehicles, and provides the other vehicles with lane-changing space to enter the target lane in front of the target vehicle; The remaining vehicles are configured to enter the lane change space provided by the target vehicle from the initial lane in the first specified order, thereby completing the overall lane change of the vehicle platoon and maintaining the platoon formation.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control of driving speed, causing the target vehicle to travel at a distance of a first preset range behind the other vehicles, and providing the other vehicles with lane-changing space to enter the target lane in front of the target vehicle, includes: Receive deceleration requests from other vehicles; reduce the target vehicle's speed according to the deceleration requests to provide space for the lane change; or, When the distance between the target vehicle and an external vehicle ahead in the target lane is less than a preset range, the speed of the target vehicle is reduced to provide space for lane changing; or, If there is an obstacle zone in front of the other vehicles in the initial lane, and it is predicted that the other vehicles will not be able to complete the lane change at the predetermined speed, the target vehicle reduces its speed and stops to provide space for the lane change.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The number of vehicles in the vehicle platoon is greater than two; the target vehicle is the last vehicle in the vehicle platoon; the first designated order is the order of the vehicle positions in the vehicle platoon from back to front; The remaining vehicles are configured to: control the speed of the vehicle that has completed the lane change, so that the vehicle that has completed the lane change travels to the side and rear of the vehicle waiting to change lanes at a distance of a second preset range, and provide the vehicle waiting to change lanes with lane change space to enter the target lane, until all vehicles in the vehicle platoon complete the overall lane change.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method further includes: When the drivable space of the target lane meets the condition that all vehicles in the vehicle platoon change lanes simultaneously, a second type of lane change instruction is received or generated; the second type of lane change instruction is used to instruct the vehicles in the vehicle platoon to participate in the overall lane change in a second specified order, the second specified order being the order of the positions in the vehicle platoon from front to back. In response to the second type of lane change instruction, the vehicle moves from the initial lane to the target lane in a second specified order.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method further includes: When the drivable space in the target lane meets the condition that all vehicles in the vehicle platoon change lanes simultaneously, a third type of lane change instruction is received or generated; the third type of lane change instruction is used to instruct all vehicles in the vehicle platoon to simultaneously begin traveling from the initial lane to the target lane.

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that, The method further includes: When other vehicles are in the target lane and the target vehicle is unable to reach the target lane within a preset time period, the target vehicle continues to travel in the current lane. Control the driving speed in the current lane so that the target vehicle travels to the side and rear of the other vehicles at a distance of a third preset range, and provide the other vehicles with lane-changing space to enter the current lane in front of the target vehicle. The remaining vehicles are also configured to move from the target lane into the lane change space of the current lane where the target vehicle is located, in order to restore the platoon formation.

7. A method for cooperative lane changing of vehicles, characterized in that, A lead vehicle used in a platoon of vehicles operating in autonomous driving, the method comprising: Receive or generate decision instructions to move from the initial lane to the target lane; According to the decision instruction, when the drivable space in the target lane does not meet the condition that all vehicles in the vehicle platoon change lanes simultaneously, a first type of lane change instruction is sent to the following vehicles in the vehicle platoon; the first type of lane change instruction is used to instruct the vehicles in the vehicle platoon to participate in the overall lane change in a first specified order. After all following vehicles complete the lane change in the first specified order, the vehicle moves from the initial lane to the lane change space provided by the following vehicles in the target lane, thereby completing the overall lane change of the vehicle formation and maintaining the formation. The following vehicles are configured to: following the first specified order, starting with the target vehicle, each vehicle, when meeting its own lane-changing conditions, responds to a first type of lane-changing instruction and moves from the initial lane to the target lane ahead of the vehicles in the convoy that are about to change lanes; control its driving speed so that it travels to the side and rear of the vehicles about to change lanes at a distance of a first preset range, and provides lane-changing space for the vehicles about to change lanes to enter the target lane in front of the vehicles that have completed the lane change.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The receiving or generating of decision instructions to move from the initial lane to the target lane includes: Receive the decision instructions input by the safety officer; or, Receive the decision instruction from the following vehicle; or, The decision instruction is generated based on the navigation planning information; or, When the speed of an external vehicle located in front of the lead vehicle in the initial lane is less than the set value for the current stage, a lane change and overtaking instruction for the vehicle formation is generated as the decision instruction.

9. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The method further includes: Based on the environmental perception data sent by the following vehicles, determine whether the drivable space of the target lane meets the condition that all vehicles in the vehicle platoon change lanes simultaneously; or, Based on the environmental perception data sent by the following vehicle and the prediction results of the driving intentions of external vehicles, it is determined whether the drivable space of the target lane meets the conditions for all vehicles in the vehicle platoon to change lanes simultaneously.

10. An autonomous vehicle, characterized in that, The autonomous vehicle is a target vehicle used to perform the vehicle cooperative lane-changing method according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

11. An autonomous vehicle, characterized in that, The autonomous vehicle is a navigator vehicle used to perform the vehicle cooperative lane-changing method according to any one of claims 7 to 9.

12. A platooning system for autonomous vehicles, characterized in that, The autonomous vehicle platoon includes a target vehicle and the remaining vehicles; the target vehicle is used to perform the vehicle cooperative lane-changing method according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

13. A platooning system for autonomous vehicles, characterized in that, The autonomous vehicle platoon includes a lead vehicle and follower vehicles; the lead vehicle is used to perform the vehicle cooperative lane-changing method according to any one of claims 7 to 9.

14. A computer device comprising a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, characterized in that, When the processor executes the computer program, it implements the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

15. A computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, characterized in that, When the computer program is executed by a processor, it implements the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

Images