Method for operating a driving assistance system of a vehicle having automated lateral guidance in flowing driving

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for operating a driving assistance system of a vehicle, comprising the following steps: checking whether a lane boundary is present in a vehicle environment; detecting further traffic participants in the environment and determining the position and / or movement of the respective further traffic participant; activating a following driving mode in which, if there is no lane boundary in the surroundings, the road participants traveling ahead are followed at least temporarily by means of automatic lateral guidance; determining an imaginary self-lane in which the vehicle moves and at least one imaginary adjacent lane adjacent to the imaginary self-lane on the basis of the position and / or movement of the further traffic participant; and deactivating the following driving mode if the lateral distance of the preceding traffic participant from the at least one imaginary adjacent lane is below a predetermined minimum distance.

Description

Field of the Invention

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for operating a driver assistance system for a vehicle. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a driver assistance system for a vehicle. Finally, the present invention relates to a vehicle having such a driver assistance system. Background Art

[0002] Interest currently focuses in particular on driver assistance systems that support the driver in the lateral guidance of a vehicle. Such driver assistance systems, also known as steering and lane guidance assistants or active lane keeping assistants, are used in particular to keep a vehicle within a lane or traffic lane. Such driver assistance systems use data from one or more environmental sensors of the vehicle to identify lane boundaries or lane markings. If the lane markings are identified with sufficient safety, then the driver assistance system can be activated and a steering intervention can be performed in order to keep the vehicle within the traffic lane or lane. For example, the steering intervention can be carried out such that the vehicle is kept centered in the lane.

[0003] Furthermore, lane keeping assistants are known from the prior art, in which it is possible to drive behind a vehicle in front or a traffic participant moving ahead within a limited range. In such a following drive or object following drive, it is necessary to monitor the lateral space beside the own vehicle in order to avoid a collision with a neighboring object during a steering movement. This is usually achieved by using radar sensors mounted on the sides of the vehicle, which can identify objects beside the vehicle. In the case of approaching a neighboring object too closely such that a collision is imminent, a warning and / or a steering intervention can be sent.

[0004] There is a need to reduce the higher risk of collision with a neighboring object or adjacent object during the activated object following drive of an active lane keeping assistant. In particular, in countries with very busy and chaotic traffic, such as China, it is common that due to the absence or indistinctness of lane markings, the lane keeping assistant switches to the following drive mode. If a traffic participant moving ahead performs a lane change during which there are also other objects beside the own vehicle, and if the own vehicle continues to follow the traffic participant moving ahead, this additionally results in a collision risk. The above-described measure of monitoring the lateral space using radar sensors attempts to provide assistance here. However, due to the technical limitations of the quality and accuracy of object recognition by radar sensors, there are often disappearing or too late reactions, and an impending collision may no longer be avoidable. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The object of the present invention is to describe a solution as to how the functional mode of a driver assistance system for supporting the lateral guidance of a vehicle can be further improved.

[0006] According to the invention, this task is solved by a method, a driver assistance system, and a vehicle having the features of the independent claims. Advantageous refinements of the invention are specified in the dependent claims.

[0007] The method according to the invention is used to operate a driver assistance system of a vehicle. The method includes checking whether lane boundaries are present in the vehicle environment. In addition, the method includes detecting other traffic participants in the environment and determining the position and / or movement of the respective other traffic participants. In addition, the method includes activating a following driving mode in which, if no lane boundaries are present in the environment, at least temporarily follows a traffic participant driving ahead with automatic lateral guidance. In addition, the method includes determining a virtual own lane in which the vehicle moves and at least one virtual adjacent lane adjacent to the virtual own lane based on the position and / or movement of the other traffic participants. In addition, the method includes deactivating the following driving mode if the lateral distance of the traffic participant driving ahead to at least one virtual adjacent lane is below a predetermined minimum distance.

[0008] In this method, environmental data can be provided by environmental sensors of the vehicle. The environmental data can describe the environment of the vehicle or the surroundings of the vehicle. The environmental sensor can be, for example, a camera by means of which image data can be provided as environmental data. By means of the driver assistance system or a computing device of the driver assistance system, lane boundaries that delimit the respective lanes of the road can be identified in the environmental data.

[0009] If these lane boundaries or lane markings are identified with a predetermined probability or safely and reliably within a predetermined duration, the automatic lateral guidance of the vehicle can be activated based on the lane boundaries. This particularly means that a steering torque is provided or a steering intervention is carried out by the driver assistance system in order to keep the vehicle within the lane or within the identified lane boundaries.

[0010] With the aid of the environmental data, it can also be checked whether there are other traffic participants in the surroundings or the environment of the vehicle. It is checked here whether among the identified traffic participants there is such a traffic participant that is located ahead of the vehicle in the forward direction and is driving ahead of the vehicle itself. This traffic participant is subsequently referred to as the traffic participant driving ahead. It is not necessarily required that the traffic participant driving ahead is a traffic participant located directly in front of the vehicle.

[0011] If no lane boundaries are recognized in the vehicle's environment currently and such a preceding traffic participant is recognized at the same time, then the vehicle can follow the preceding traffic participant in a following driving mode. During the following, based on the environmental data of the environmental sensor, for example, the relative position of the preceding traffic participant to the host vehicle can be continuously determined, and the lateral guidance of the vehicle can be adapted so as to follow the preceding traffic participant in terms of lateral guidance. In particular, it is also provided that the longitudinal guidance of the vehicle by the driving assistance system is adapted to the preceding traffic participant. This can be achieved, for example, by means of adaptive speed regulation or by means of distance control.

[0012] According to the present invention, it is now provided that the position and / or movement of the corresponding traffic participants in the vehicle's environment are determined based on the environmental data. A virtual lane is determined based on the corresponding position and / or movement of the other traffic participants. On the one hand, a virtual host lane describing the lane in which the host vehicle is located is determined as the virtual lane. In addition, at least one virtual adjacent lane assigned to the traffic participants located next to the host vehicle or in the adjacent lane is determined as the virtual lane.

[0013] For example, first, an evaluation of the collective virtual lanes of all the vehicles around the host vehicle can take place. In principle, any number of virtual lanes can be defined, assuming that all traffic participants move within these virtual lanes. For example, the virtual lanes can be determined based on the arrangement of the other traffic participants. For example, if the other traffic participants are driving in a row one after another, then virtual lanes can be assigned to these other traffic participants. For example, if the lateral offset of the other traffic participants with respect to each other is within a tolerance range, then a common virtual lane can be assigned to these other traffic participants. These virtual lanes can be technically defined by their respective lane centers. Alternatively or additionally, the virtual lanes can be defined by virtual lane markings.

[0014] During the activated following driving mode, now the lateral distance between the followed preceding traffic participant and at least one virtual adjacent lane can be determined. The lateral distance can extend in the vehicle lateral direction of the other traffic participant or perpendicular to the main extension direction of the virtual adjacent lane. If this lateral distance is below a predetermined minimum distance, then the following driving mode can be deactivated. The minimum distance can be determined according to the situation. For example, the minimum distance can be determined in proportion to the common lane width or a pre-determined lane width. In addition, the minimum distance can be determined based on the current speed, traffic density, etc.

[0015] The lateral distance to at least one imaginary adjacent lane can be determined to identify whether a traffic participant traveling ahead performs a lane change to another lane, and the host vehicle travels behind the traffic participant traveling ahead during the following driving of the active lane keeping assistant. If multiple imaginary adjacent lanes are determined, then the lateral distance to the corresponding specific imaginary adjacent lane can be determined. If it is now recognized that the lateral distance is below the minimum distance, then it can be assumed that the vehicle ahead or the traffic participant traveling ahead wants to perform or has performed a lane change to an adjacent lane.

[0016] Based on the determination of the imaginary lane or the imaginary host lane and at least one imaginary adjacent lane, a lane change of a traffic participant traveling ahead can be recognized in advance even during following driving without recognizing real lane markings. Since the object following driving or the following driving mode is interrupted during the recognition of the lane change of the traffic participant traveling ahead, a collision between the host vehicle and another traffic participant located beside the host vehicle can be reliably avoided. Overall, the safety of the driving assistance system can thus be improved. In addition, the following advantages are achieved by the method according to the invention, namely that any arbitrarily selected environmental sensor can be used to avoid a collision with a neighboring object, and it is not necessarily required to use a side radar.

[0017] Preferably, before deactivating the following driving mode, an output is sent to the driver of the vehicle, and subsequently the automatic lateral guidance of the vehicle is terminated. For example, if it is recognized that the lateral distance of the vehicle ahead or the traffic participant traveling ahead to at least one imaginary adjacent lane is below the minimum distance, then a warning or an output can be sent to the driver of the vehicle. What the output can indicate to the driver is that the following driving mode or the automatic lateral guidance is deactivated. In other words, the following driving can be terminated together with the output of the warning. This also means that the automatic lateral guidance of the vehicle is terminated in order to avoid a collision with a traffic participant located beside the vehicle. After the warning is output, the driver can take over the steering control again and keep the vehicle independently in its current lane. Therefore, safety during a lane change of a traffic participant traveling ahead can be ensured.

[0018] In a further embodiment, another traffic participant in the imaginary own lane in front of a traffic participant driving ahead is detected, and after deactivating the following driving mode, the detected other traffic participant is at least temporarily followed using automatic lateral guidance. For example, if during activated following driving it is recognized that a vehicle ahead or a traffic participant driving ahead plans to change lanes or starts a lane change manoeuvre, then it can be checked whether there is another traffic participant in the imaginary own lane in front of the traffic participant driving ahead in the forward direction. In other words, the following driving may switch to another traffic participant in front of the next vehicle ahead or the next traffic participant driving ahead. For example, if another traffic participant in front of the traffic participant driving ahead is reliably recognized, then this can be done automatically. Here, the following driving mode of the traffic participant driving ahead can first be deactivated, and subsequently the following driving mode can again be executed with reference to the next object ahead, which forms the traffic participant driving ahead at a later point in time. It can also be provided that an output or an indication is sent to the driver that the following driving mode continues based on the new vehicle ahead or that the following driving mode is executed with the new traffic participant driving ahead. Overall, the driver's comfort can thus be improved when the lane keeping assistant is activated.

[0019] Furthermore, it is advantageous to continuously detect the position and / or movement of other traffic participants and additionally to determine the deactivation of the following driving mode based on the detected position and / or movement of the other traffic participants. For example, the driver assistance system can continuously detect and store the position and movement data of the surrounding traffic participants or vehicles during the activated following driving mode. Based on these position and movement data of the other traffic participants, it can continuously be checked whether a collision is imminent between the vehicle and one of the other traffic participants. This can be recognized, for example, by the smooth or continuous movement of another traffic participant moving in the direction of the vehicle or the imaginary own lane. In this case, an indication can be sent to the driver and / or the following driving mode can be deactivated. It can also be provided that corresponding driving interventions are carried out by means of the driver assistance system in order to prevent a possible collision with the other traffic participants.

[0020] In particular, it is provided here that if a narrowing of the lane is recognized based on the detected position and / or movement of another road user, where the other road user moves from a fictitious adjacent lane to the fictitious own lane, then the following driving mode is deactivated. In particular, if the other road user switches from a fictitious adjacent lane to the fictitious own lane, then the following driving mode should be deactivated. Preferably, if the other road user switches or wants to switch from a fictitious adjacent lane to the gap between the own vehicle and the road user driving ahead, then the following driving mode should be deactivated. For example, this occurs in the case of a lane narrowing, where the road user currently located in the fictitious adjacent lane is guided onto the fictitious own lane. If such a lane narrowing is reliably recognized, then a collision with the other road user can be avoided.

[0021] In a further embodiment, the fictitious own lane and / or at least one fictitious adjacent lane are only determined if a predefined minimum number of other road users is detected. In order to ensure a reliable determination of the fictitious lanes, the fictitious lanes can be determined based on a predefined minimum number of road users. For example, it can be provided that the fictitious lane is only determined or delimited if at least two road users, preferably at least three road users, can be assigned to the fictitious lane. In particular, the fictitious lanes, i.e., the fictitious own lane and at least one fictitious adjacent lane, can be determined in heavy traffic. Especially in these heavy traffic situations, the fictitious lanes or collective lanes can be reliably determined. This reduces the sensitivity of the system to false positive deactivations and at the same time provides high sensitivity in heavy traffic.

[0022] In a further embodiment, the fictitious own lane and / or at least one fictitious adjacent lane are determined while the vehicle is passing through a road intersection. In the area of the road intersection, there may be no lane markings or lane boundaries. It can also occur that the lane markings cannot be reliably recognized in the road intersection. Therefore, especially in a road intersection with multiple lanes, this method can be used advantageously. Thus, the driver can be supported in a reliable manner in the vehicle's maneuvering when crossing the road intersection.

[0023] The driving assistance system according to the invention for a vehicle is designed to check whether lane boundaries exist in the vehicle environment. Furthermore, the driving assistance system is designed to detect other traffic participants in the environment and determine the position and / or movement of the corresponding other traffic participants. Furthermore, the driving assistance system is designed to activate a following driving mode in which at least temporarily an automatic lateral guidance is used to follow a traffic participant driving ahead. This applies to the case where no lane boundaries exist in the environment. Furthermore, the driving assistance system is designed to determine a virtual own lane and at least one virtual adjacent lane adjacent to the virtual own lane based on the position and / or movement of the other traffic participants, in which the vehicle moves in the virtual own lane. Furthermore, the driving assistance system is designed to deactivate the following driving mode if the lateral distance of the traffic participant driving ahead to at least one virtual adjacent lane is below a predetermined minimum distance.

[0024] The driving assistance system can have at least one environmental sensor through which environmental data can be provided. By means of a computing device of the driving assistance system, other traffic participants can be identified in the environmental data. Furthermore, the driving assistance system can have a transmitting device in order to send an output to the driver of the vehicle. Furthermore, the driving assistance system can take over the lateral guidance of the vehicle and preferably can also take over the longitudinal guidance of the vehicle in order to follow a traffic participant driving ahead.

[0025] The vehicle according to the invention includes the driving assistance system according to the invention. The vehicle is in particular constructed as a passenger car.

[0026] The preferred embodiments proposed with reference to the method according to the invention and their advantages correspondingly apply to the driving assistance system according to the invention and the vehicle according to the invention.

[0027] Further features of the invention result from the claims, the drawings and the description of the drawings. The features and feature combinations mentioned previously in the description and those mentioned and / or only shown in the description of the drawings and / or only in the drawings not only can be used in the respectively stated combinations, but also in other combinations or alone without departing from the scope of the invention. Description of the Drawings

[0028] The invention is now explained in detail with the aid of preferred embodiments and with reference to the drawings. Here:

[0029] Figure 1 A schematic view of a vehicle with a driving assistance system is shown;

[0030] Figure 2 Shows the vehicle according to Figure 1 in a traffic situation in which a plurality of other traffic participants are located in the environment of the vehicle and no lane markings exist;

[0031] Figure 3 shows Figure 2 the traffic situation at a later point in time, in which a virtual lane has been determined and the vehicle follows a traffic participant driving ahead in a following driving mode;

[0032] Figure 4 shows according to Figure 3 the traffic situation at a later point in time, in which the traffic participant driving ahead performs a lane change; and

[0033] Figure 5 shows according to Figure 4 the traffic situation, in which the lateral distance between the traffic participant driving ahead and the virtual lane is determined. Detailed implementation manner

[0034] Figure 1 Vehicle 1 is shown in a top view, and the vehicle is currently configured as a passenger car. Vehicle 1 includes a driving assistance system 2, with which the driver of vehicle 1 can be supported in terms of lateral guidance of vehicle 1. The driving assistance system includes a computing device 3, which can be formed, for example, by at least one electronic control unit of vehicle 1.

[0035] In addition, the driving assistance system 2 includes at least one environmental sensor 4. In the example shown, the driving assistance system 2 includes an environmental sensor 4 currently configured as a camera. Environmental data or image data describing the environment 5 of vehicle 1 can be provided by means of the environmental sensor 4.

[0036] The computing device 3 is also designed to control the currently only schematically shown steering system 8 of vehicle 1. By controlling the steering system 8, a steering torque or steering intervention can be generated. The steerable wheels 9 of vehicle 1 can be steered by controlling the steering system 8, and thus the direction of vehicle 1 can be affected. In addition, the driving assistance system 2 can take over the longitudinal guidance of vehicle 1.

[0037] In addition, the driving assistance system 2 includes a transmitting device 7, by means of which an output can be transmitted to the driver or user of vehicle 1. The transmitting device 7 can include at least one display device or monitor, and a visual reading can be provided as an output by means of this display device or monitor. In addition, an acoustic and / or tactile output can be provided by means of the transmitting device 7.

[0038] Figure 2 shows in a traffic situation according to Figure 1Vehicle 1. Here, vehicle 1 is located on road 10. A plurality of additional traffic participants 11 are located on road 10 or in the environment 5 of vehicle 1. Vehicle 1 is maneuvered on road 10 by means of a driving assistance system 2 with automatic lateral guidance. Area 12 is assigned to road 10, in which the lane boundaries 13 are present in the form of lane markings. Currently, the vehicle is in an area 14 where the lane boundaries 13 cannot be detected. Area 14 can, for example, be assigned to a road intersection.

[0039] There is heavy traffic on road 10 and a plurality of additional traffic participants 11 in the environment 5 of vehicle 1. Based on the environmental data of the environmental sensor 4, the positions and / or movements of the additional traffic participants 11 can be continuously detected. In particular, the movement of the traffic participant 11a driving ahead, which is located in front of vehicle 1 in the forward direction, is determined. During the following driving mode, the traffic participant 11a driving ahead is followed using automatic lateral guidance and in particular also using automatic longitudinal guidance.

[0040] Figure 3 shows Figure 2 the traffic situation at a later point in time. Here, the traffic participant 11a driving ahead is followed. This is shown by the planned trajectory 15 along which the driving assistance system 2 or the lane keeping assistant maneuvers the vehicle. Thus, even in the absence of existing lane boundaries 13, the traffic participant 11a driving ahead can be followed. Based on the detected positions and / or movements of the additional traffic participants 11, imaginary lanes 16a, 16b are also determined. Currently, the imaginary own lane 16a is determined, on which vehicle 1 is also moving. In addition, imaginary adjacent lanes 16b are determined on the left and right of the imaginary own lane 16a respectively. These imaginary lanes 16a, 16b are identified in such a way that the additional traffic participants drive successively along the respective imaginary lanes 16a, 16b. The respective lane centers of the imaginary lanes 16a, 16b are currently shown.

[0041] Figure 4 shows Figure 3 the traffic situation at a later point in time. Here it can be recognized that the traffic participant 11a driving ahead wants to perform a lane change maneuver from the lane in which vehicle 1 is located to the lane arranged on the right of this lane. Currently, there is a gap in this lane and the traffic participant 11a driving ahead wants to change lanes into this lane.

[0042] During the following driving mode, a possible lane change of the traffic participant 11a driving ahead should be reliably recognized. For this purpose, Figure 5 shows Figure 4the traffic situation, wherein, during the following driving mode, the lateral distance 17 to the imaginary adjacent lane 16b is continuously determined. If this lateral distance 17 is below a predetermined minimum distance, then the following driving mode can be terminated. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the host vehicle 1 from following the traffic participant 11a driving ahead and thus from colliding with another traffic participant 11a located beside the side of the vehicle 1.

[0043] If the lateral distance 17 is below a predetermined minimum distance (which can for example be one meter or less), then the automatic lateral guidance or the following driving mode can be deactivated. In this case, a corresponding warning can be sent to the driver of the vehicle 1. Thereby, the driver can subsequently manually guide the vehicle. It can also be provided that another traffic participant 11b located ahead in the forward direction of the traffic participant 11a driving ahead is determined. After a lane change of the traffic participant 11a driving ahead, it is possible to follow the other traffic participant 11b or the next object ahead.

Claims

1. A method for operating a driver assistance system (2) of a vehicle (1), the method comprising the following steps: - checking whether there is a lane boundary (13) in the environment (5) of the vehicle (1); - detecting additional traffic participants (11, 11a, 11b) in the environment (5) and determining the position and / or movement of the respective additional traffic participants (11, 11a, 11b), and - activating a following driving mode in which, if there is no such lane boundary (13) in the environment (5), at least temporarily following a traffic participant (11a) driving ahead by means of automatic lateral guidance, characterized in that - determining a virtual own lane (16a) and at least one virtual adjacent lane (16b) adjacent to the virtual own lane (16a) based on the position and / or movement of the additional traffic participants (11, 11a, 11b), the vehicle (1) moving in the virtual own lane, and - deactivating the following driving mode if the lateral distance (17) of the traffic participant (11a) driving ahead to the at least one virtual adjacent lane (16b) is below a predetermined minimum distance.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that before deactivating the following driving mode, an output is sent to the driver of the vehicle (1), and subsequently the automatic lateral guidance of the vehicle (1) is terminated.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that detecting an additional traffic participant (11b) in the virtual own lane (16a) in front of the traffic participant (11a) driving ahead, and after deactivating the following driving mode, at least temporarily following the detected additional traffic participant (11b) by means of automatic lateral guidance.

4. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that continuously detecting the position and / or movement of the additional traffic participants (11, 11a, 11b), and additionally determining the deactivation of the following driving mode based on the detected position and / or movement of the additional traffic participants (11, 11a, 11b).

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that if a lane narrowing is recognized by means of the detected position and / or movement of the additional traffic participants (11, 11a, 11b), wherein the additional traffic participant (11) moves from the at least one virtual adjacent lane (16b) to the virtual own lane (16a), then the following driving mode is deactivated.

6. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the virtual own lane (16a) and / or the at least one virtual adjacent lane (16b) are only determined if a predetermined minimum number of the additional traffic participants (11, 11a, 11b) are detected.

7. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that Determine the imaginary own lane (16a) and / or the at least one imaginary adjacent lane (16b) during the vehicle (1) passing through a road intersection.

8. A driving assistance system (2) for a vehicle (1), wherein, the driving assistance system (2) is designed to: - Check whether there is a lane boundary (13) in the environment (5) of the vehicle (1), - Detect other traffic participants (11, 11a, 11b) in the environment (5) and determine the position and / or movement of the respective other traffic participants (11, 11a, 11b), - If there is no lane boundary (13) in the environment (5), then activate a following driving mode, in which at least temporarily automatic lateral guidance is used to follow a traffic participant (11a) driving ahead, characterized in that, the driving assistance system (2) is also designed to, - Determine an imaginary own lane (16a) and at least one imaginary adjacent lane (16b) adjacent to the imaginary own lane (16a) based on the position and / or movement of the other traffic participants (11, 11a, 11b), the vehicle (1) moves in the imaginary own lane, and - If the lateral distance (17) of the traffic participant (11) driving ahead from at least one imaginary adjacent lane (16b) is below a predetermined minimum distance, then deactivate the following driving mode.

9. A vehicle (1), in particular a passenger car, comprising the driving assistance system (2) according to claim 8.

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