Route determination device, route determination method and traction vehicle

Abstract

A route determination apparatus capable of determining a route of a vehicle or a towed vehicle based on whether the vehicle is equipped with a power supply port is provided. The route determination apparatus includes: an acquisition unit configured to acquire information related to the presence / absence of a power supply port of a first vehicle including the power supply port and a second vehicle not including the power supply port; a route determination unit configured to determine, based on the information, a route along which the first vehicle or the second vehicle travels voluntarily or towed; and an instruction unit configured to provide instructions to the first vehicle and the second vehicle. The route of the first vehicle includes a power feeding device on the route.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a route determination device, a route determination method, and a towing vehicle. Background Art

[0002] The published Japanese translation of PCT International Patent Application Publication No. 2018-508082 discloses a method for guiding a vehicle to a parking lot according to the attributes of the vehicle. Summary of the Invention

[0003] However, whether a vehicle is equipped with a power feeding port is not included in the attributes of the vehicle.

[0004] Therefore, an object of the present disclosure is to provide a route determination device that can determine the route of a vehicle or a towed vehicle based on whether the vehicle is equipped with a power feeding port.

[0005] The route determination device according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes: an acquisition unit configured to acquire information regarding the presence / absence of a power feeding port of a first vehicle including a power feeding port and a second vehicle not including a power feeding port; a route determination unit configured to determine, based on the information, a route along which the first vehicle or the second vehicle travels by itself or is towed; and an instruction unit configured to provide instructions to the first vehicle and the second vehicle.

[0006] With the above configuration, a route determination device can be provided that can determine the route of a vehicle or a towed vehicle based on whether the vehicle is equipped with a power feeding port.

[0007] In the route determination device according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the route of the first vehicle includes a power feeding device on the route.

[0008] With the above configuration, a vehicle including a power feeding port can be made to travel along a route including a power feeding device.

[0009] In the route determination device according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the route of the second vehicle does not include a power feeding device on the route.

[0010] With the above configuration, a vehicle not including a power feeding port can be made to travel along a route not including a power feeding device.

[0011] The route determination device according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a transmission unit configured to transmit the determined route to the first vehicle, the second vehicle, the vehicle towing the first vehicle, or the vehicle towing the second vehicle.

[0012] With the above configuration, by transmitting the determined route to the vehicle, the vehicle can be made to travel along the determined route.

[0013] The route determination device according to one aspect of the present disclosure further includes: A control instruction creation unit configured to create control instruction values for the first vehicle, the second vehicle, the vehicle towing the first vehicle, or the vehicle towing the second vehicle based on the determined route; and A transmission unit configured to transmit the control instruction values to the first vehicle, the second vehicle, the vehicle towing the first vehicle, or the vehicle towing the second vehicle based on the determined route.

[0014] Through the above configuration, the vehicle to which the control instruction value has been transmitted can travel along the determined route.

[0015] In the route determination device according to one aspect of the present disclosure, at a vehicle manufacturing factory or at a port where the vehicle is loaded onto a ship, the instruction unit instructs the first vehicle and the second vehicle.

[0016] The above examples are only examples of the locations where the route determination device according to the present disclosure is applied.

[0017] The route determination device according to one aspect of the present disclosure further includes an SOC (state of charge) information acquisition unit configured to acquire the SOC information of the first vehicle, where The route determination unit determines the route based on the information and the SOC information.

[0018] Through the above configuration, the route can be determined while considering the SOC of the vehicle.

[0019] In the route determination device according to one aspect of the present disclosure, when the SOC of the first vehicle is equal to or lower than a predetermined value, the route of the first vehicle is a route including a power feeding device.

[0020] Through the above configuration, when the SOC is insufficient, the vehicle can travel along the route including the power feeding device.

[0021] In the route determination device according to one aspect of the present disclosure, when at least one of the condition that the vehicle is the second vehicle and the condition that the vehicle is the first vehicle with an SOC equal to or greater than a predetermined value is satisfied, the route of the first vehicle or the second vehicle is a route not including a power feeding device.

[0022] Through the above configuration, when the SOC is sufficient, the vehicle can travel along the route not including the power feeding device.

[0023] The route determination method according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes: Obtaining information related to the presence / absence of a power feeding port of a first vehicle including a power feeding port and a second vehicle not including a power feeding port; Based on this information, determine the route along which the first vehicle or the second vehicle travels by itself or is towed; and Provide instructions to the first vehicle and the second vehicle.

[0024] With the above configuration, a route determination method can be provided that can determine the route of a vehicle or a towed vehicle based on whether the vehicle is equipped with a power feeding port.

[0025] The vehicle configured to tow the first vehicle according to an aspect of the present disclosure is a vehicle configured to tow the first vehicle along the route determined by the above route determination device.

[0026] With the above configuration, a vehicle can be provided that is configured to tow the first vehicle along the route determined by the route determination device.

[0027] According to the present disclosure, a route determination device can be provided that can determine the route of a vehicle or a towed vehicle based on whether the vehicle is equipped with a power feeding port. The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the present disclosure will be more fully understood from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing an overview of a route determination device according to an embodiment; Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a route determination device according to an embodiment; Figure 3 shows the flow of a route determination method according to an embodiment Figure 1 ; Figure 4 shows the flow of a route determination method according to an embodiment Figure 2 ; Figure 5 is a diagram for explaining the driving control of a vehicle; Figure 6 is a control block diagram for explaining Driving Control Example 1; Figure 7 shows a flowchart for explaining Driving Control Example 1; Figure 8 is a control block diagram for explaining Driving Control Example 2; and Figure 9 shows a flowchart for explaining Driving Control Example 2. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] Embodiment Embodiments according to the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the invention specified in the claims is not limited to the embodiments shown below. In addition, not all components / structures described in the embodiments are necessarily essential means for solving the problems. For the sake of clarity, the following description and the drawings are appropriately partially omitted and simplified. In all the drawings, the same elements are assigned the same reference numerals (or symbols), and redundant descriptions thereof are appropriately omitted.

[0030] (Description of the route determination device according to the embodiment) Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing an overview of a route determination device according to an embodiment. Reference will be made to Figure 1 describe the route determination device according to this embodiment.

[0031] As Figure 1 shown, assume the following situation. That is, vehicles 100a and 100b exist in a mixed manner, each vehicle 100a in the vehicles 100a includes a power feeding port, each vehicle 100b in the vehicles 100b does not include a power feeding port, and they are driven and transported without passengers. Such a situation occurs, for example, at a vehicle manufacturing factory or at a port where vehicles are loaded onto a ship.

[0032] Vehicles 100a each including a power feeding port are, for example, referred to as first vehicles 100a. Vehicles 100b each not including a power feeding port are, for example, referred to as second vehicles 100b. The first vehicles 100a and the second vehicles 100b are collectively referred to as vehicles 100.

[0033] The first vehicle 100a including a power feeding port (for example, each first vehicle 100a) includes, for example, a power feeding port. Alternatively, instead of including a power feeding port, the first vehicle 100a may also include a coil for receiving power. The first vehicle 100a is an electric vehicle such as a battery-type vehicle or a plug-in hybrid vehicle.

[0034] The entity receiving power is not limited to the first vehicle 100a, but can be a moving body other than a vehicle. In the present embodiment, the moving body is the first vehicle 100a, and more specifically, a battery electric vehicle (BEV). It should be noted that the moving body is not limited to an electric vehicle, and can be, for example, an electric motorcycle, an electric bicycle, an electric kickboard, a hybrid vehicle, or a fuel cell vehicle. Further, the moving body can be a vehicle including wheels or endless tracks, and can be, for example, a passenger car, a truck, a bus, a two-wheeler, a four-wheeler, a tank, an engineering vehicle, or other vehicles. Further, the moving body is not limited to the first vehicle 100a, and can be an electric VTOL (Vertical Takeoff and Landing) vehicle (so-called flying car).

[0035] The second vehicle 100b that does not include a power feeding port (for example, each second vehicle 100b) is, for example, a vehicle including an engine, such as a hybrid vehicle or a gasoline vehicle. The second vehicle 100b that does not include a power feeding port is a vehicle capable of operating without receiving power from the power feeding device 700.

[0036] The power feeding device 700 feeds (i.e., supplies) power to the first vehicle 100a. The first vehicle 100a includes a power feeding port having a specification corresponding to a destination or a power receiving coil for non-contact power feeding. The type of the connector included in the power feeding device 700 differs according to the specification of the power feeding port. The connector has a shape corresponding to the power feeding port. Further, the power feeding device 700 can include a power feeding coil for non-contact power feeding. The power feeding coil for non-contact power feeding is provided at a position corresponding to the position of the power receiving coil of the vehicle, usually, for example, below the ground or in contact with the ground.

[0037] The power feeding device 700 includes a power feeding unit 720 and a power feeding unit control unit 740 (as shown in Figure 2 ). The power feeding unit 720 is a connector, a power feeding coil, or the like. The power feeding unit control unit 740 supplies a voltage corresponding to the connector to the power feeding unit 720. Further, the power feeding unit control unit 740 controls the power feeding to the connector or the power feeding coil created by the control value generation unit of the server 200.

[0038] The power feeding device 700 connects a connector to the power feeding port. For example, the power feeding device 700 includes an arm mechanism for connecting the connector to the power feeding port. The arm mechanism includes a plurality of joint motors and an end effector for holding the connector. The arm mechanism selects a connector suitable for the power feeding port from a plurality of connectors and inserts the selected connector into the power feeding port. In this way, the power feeding device 700 can supply a power feeding voltage to the power feeding port. Therefore, the power feeding device 700 can charge the battery of the first vehicle 100a.

[0039] The external sensor 300 is any one of various sensors such as an infrastructure camera or LiDAR installed in facilities such as factories. It goes without saying that two or more external sensors 300 can be installed and two or more types of sensors can be used in combination. The external sensor 300 is a camera (e.g., a still camera or a video camera) for photographing the vehicle 100 that is moving or stationary. The external sensor 300 can be LiDAR. The external sensor 300 transmits its detection result to the server 200. The detection result transmitted from the external sensor 300 can be a photographed image (e.g., a static image or a moving image) or information extracted from this image. For example, when the external sensor 300 has an image processing function, the external sensor 300 transmits the information extracted by performing image processing to the server 200.

[0040] The server 200 (as shown in Figure 2 ) is an information processing device including a memory and a processor, and serves as a route determination device for determining a route. For example, the server 200 receives the detection result obtained by the external sensor 300. The server 200 determines a route based on the detection result and the like.

[0041] The server 200 obtains type information related to the type of the power feeding port from the external sensor 300 or the first vehicle 100a. Then, the server 200 creates a control value for feeding power to the vehicle 100 based on the obtained type information. The type information is, for example, information for specifying a connector or a non-contact power receiving unit corresponding to the power feeding port from a plurality of connectors or non-contact power feeding units.

[0042] Furthermore, in the case of non-contact power feeding, the position of the power receiving coil of the vehicle 100 is aligned with the position of the power feeding coil of the power feeding device 700. The power generated by the electromotive force induced by the power feeding coil is transmitted (i.e., supplied) to the power receiving coil and then fed (i.e., supplied) to the vehicle 100.

[0043] As shown in Figure 1As shown, after leaving the vehicle manufacturing plant, the first vehicle 100a including a power feeding port travels along a route having a power feeding device thereon so that the first vehicle 100a can be fed with power by the power feeding device. The second vehicle 100b not including a power feeding port travels along a route not having a power feeding device thereon because there is no need to feed power to the second vehicle 100b by the power feeding device. The destination of each vehicle 100 is a yard. A yard is a place where a large number of vehicles are orderly stored (e.g., parked) before being loaded onto a ship or transported.

[0044] The leading vehicle (hereinafter also referred to as the lead vehicle) among the vehicles can move while towing a plurality of first vehicles 100a or a plurality of second vehicles 100b. Such a driving operation is called vehicle platooning. Therefore, vehicle platooning can be performed by determining a route for the lead vehicle (i.e., the vehicle towing a plurality of first vehicles 100a or a plurality of second vehicles 100b) and having the remaining vehicles follow the lead vehicle.

[0045] To make a plurality of first vehicles 100a or second vehicles 100b follow the lead vehicle, a control instruction value identical to that for the lead vehicle can be input to the first vehicle 100a or the second vehicle 100b. Further, a photographing device (e.g., a still camera or a video camera) can be provided in each of the first vehicle 100a and the second vehicle 100b, and they can be made to travel based on the photographed images. Further, both the first vehicle 100a and the second vehicle 102b can follow the lead vehicle by using an external sensor 300.

[0046] Information related to the SOC of the first vehicle 100a can be obtained, and a route can be determined based on the SOC-related information. For example, when the SOC of the first vehicle 100a is equal to or lower than a predetermined value, the route of the first vehicle 100a includes a power feeding device on the route.

[0047] For example, when the SOC of the first vehicle 100a is equal to or higher than a predetermined value, the route of the first vehicle 100a does not include a power feeding device on the route to prevent overcharging. That is, when at least one of the condition that the vehicle is a second vehicle and the condition that the vehicle is a first vehicle with an SOC equal to or greater than a predetermined value is satisfied, the route of the first vehicle or the second vehicle does not include a power feeding device on the route.

[0048] While taking these conditions into account, the server 200 determines the routes of the first vehicle 100a, the second vehicle 100b, the vehicle towing the first vehicle 100a, or the vehicle towing the second vehicle 100b. Further, the server 200 includes an instruction unit that instructs the first vehicle 100a and the second vehicle 100b to move according to the instruction.

[0049] (Description of the configuration of the route determination device according to an embodiment) Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a route determination device according to an embodiment. Reference will be made to Figure 2 describe the configuration of the route determination device according to this embodiment.

[0050] The route determination device is, for example, the server 200. The server 200 includes a calculation unit 231, a route determination unit 232, a control instruction creation unit 233, a detection unit 234, an information acquisition unit 235, and a control value creation unit 236. Further, the server 200 includes a communication device 205 that transmits data to and receives data from the first vehicle 100a, the second vehicle 100b, the external sensor 300, the power feeding device 700, etc. It should be noted that the server 200 is not limited to being a single physical device and can be set in a distributed manner. For example, its database can be a storage device or a cloud server separately provided from its processor. The route determination device is not limited to the server 200, and an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) installed in a vehicle can be used as the server 200.

[0051] The external sensor 300 includes a communication device 330 that transmits data to the server 200 and receives data from the server 200. The communication device 330 transmits an image captured by the external sensor 300 (for example, a still image or a moving image) to the server 200. The communication device 330 can not only transmit the captured image to the server 200, but also transmit information obtained from the captured image to the server 200. That is, the communication device 330 transmits the detection result detected by the external sensor 300. Note that the communication device 330 can be incorporated into the external sensor 300 or can also be provided as a separate device. Further, one communication device 330 can be used by multiple external sensors 300. That is, in the case where multiple external sensors 300 are installed, one communication device 330 can transmit their data to the server 200.

[0052] The calculation unit 231 calculates position information indicating the position and orientation of the vehicle based on the captured image. For example, the calculation unit 231 can calculate the coordinates of the vehicle in the XYZ global coordinate system in the factory map and its azimuth angle. At least a part of the processing performed by the calculation unit 231 can be performed in the external sensor 300. For example, the external sensor 300 can include a processor that performs image processing. In this case, the position information indicating the position of the vehicle 100 etc. is transmitted from the communication device 330 to the communication device 205.

[0053] The position and orientation of the vehicle 100 can be estimated by using a captured image acquired by an external sensor 300 provided at a location different from the location of the vehicle 100. For the position of the vehicle 100, for example, the coordinates of the positioning point of the moving body in the image coordinate system can be calculated by using the external shape of the vehicle 100 detected from the captured image, and the calculated coordinates can be converted into the coordinates in the global coordinate system to obtain it. For the orientation of the vehicle 100, for example, it can be estimated by using the optical flow method based on the orientation of the motion vector of the moving body calculated according to the position change of the feature points of the moving body between the frames of the captured image. For example, the orientation of the vehicle 100 can be calculated by using the output results of a speed sensor or a yaw rate sensor installed in the vehicle 100 and the like.

[0054] For example, the external shape of the vehicle 100 included (i.e., shown) in the captured image can be detected by inputting the captured image into a detection model using artificial intelligence. Examples of the detection model include a trained machine learning model that has been trained to perform semantic segmentation or instance segmentation. As this machine learning model, for example, a convolutional neural network (hereinafter also referred to as CNN) trained by supervised learning using a learning data set can be adopted. The learning data set includes, for example, a plurality of training images, each training image including a moving body, and correct labels, each correct label indicating whether the corresponding region in the training image is a region indicating the moving body or a region not indicating the moving body. When training the CNN, preferably, the parameters of the CNN are updated by backpropagation (error backpropagation method) to reduce the error between the output result of the detection model and the correct label.

[0055] The route determination unit 232 determines the route of each of the first vehicle 100a, the second vehicle 100b, the vehicle towing the first vehicle, and the vehicle towing the second vehicle based on whether the vehicle is equipped with a power feeding port. It can be determined whether the vehicle is equipped with a power feeding port based on whether there is a response when performing diagnostic communication. This is because when the vehicle is equipped with a power feeding port, since its data ID is recorded in the ECU, there is a response to the inquiry from the server 200. When the vehicle is not equipped with a power feeding port, since there is no data ID in the ECU, there is no response. Since this data ID is represented by a signal in an 8-bit format, information regarding on which side of the left or right side of the vehicle the power feeding port is provided can also be obtained at the same time.

[0056] In the case of the first vehicle 100a including a power feeding port or a vehicle towing the first vehicle 100a including a power feeding port, a route having a power feeding device thereon is selected. In the case of the second vehicle 100b not including a power feeding port or a vehicle towing the second vehicle 100b not including a power feeding port, a route not having a power feeding device thereon is selected.

[0057] The route determination unit 232 may determine the route of the first vehicle 100a based on the state of the SOC of the first vehicle 100a. When the SOC is equal to or lower than a predetermined value, since the vehicle (such as the battery of the vehicle) needs to be charged, a route including a power feeding device is selected. When the SOC is equal to or higher than a predetermined value, since the vehicle does not need to be charged, a route not including a power feeding device is selected.

[0058] The control instruction creation unit 233 creates, for example, control instructions for controlling the first vehicle 100a or a vehicle towing the first vehicle 100a. Specifically, the control instruction creation unit 233 creates control instructions for the first vehicle 100a to move to a power feeding location. The control instruction may be information indicating the speed, acceleration, or steering angle, etc. of the first vehicle 100a or a vehicle towing the first vehicle 100a. Further, when the first vehicle 100a or a vehicle towing the first vehicle 100a is capable of autonomous movement, the control instruction may be a route on the map from the current location of the vehicle to the power feeding location, or may also be a route determined by the route determination unit 232. As described above, the control instruction creation unit 233 creates control instructions for the movement of the first vehicle 100a.

[0059] The control instruction creation unit 233 creates, for example, control instructions for controlling the second vehicle 100b or a vehicle towing the second vehicle 100b. Specifically, the control instruction creation unit 233 may create control instructions for transporting the second vehicle 100b to a yard. The control instruction may be information indicating the speed, acceleration, or steering angle, etc. of the second vehicle 100b or a vehicle towing the second vehicle 100b. Further, when the second vehicle 100b or a vehicle towing the second vehicle 100b is capable of autonomous movement, the control instruction may be a route on the map from the current location of the vehicle to the power feeding location, or may also be a route determined by the route determination unit 232. As described above, the control instruction creation unit 233 creates control instructions for the movement of the second vehicle 100b.

[0060] The communication device 205 includes a transmission unit that transmits control instructions to the vehicle 100. When the communication device 130 of the vehicle 100 receives the control instructions, the vehicle 100 moves according to the received control instructions. The vehicle 100 includes an actuator group 120 and a vehicle control unit 115. The actuator group 120 includes a wheel motor for driving the wheels, a steering motor for controlling the steering angle, a brake for stopping the vehicle, and the like. The vehicle control unit 115 generates a control signal for controlling the actuator group 120 according to the control instructions. The vehicle control unit 115 can be formed by an ECU.

[0061] The detection unit 234 detects that the vehicle 100 has stopped at the power feeding location. For example, when the vehicle 100 is equipped with an external sensor 300 that captures the power feeding location, the detection unit 234 detects that the vehicle 100 has stopped at the power feeding location based on the image acquired by the external sensor 300. Alternatively, a signal indicating that the vehicle 100 has stopped at the power feeding location can be transmitted. Further, the vehicle 100 can transmit identification information unique to the vehicle.

[0062] The information acquisition unit 235 acquires type information regarding whether the vehicle 100 is equipped with a power feeding port. For example, the type information is information related to the destination of the vehicle 100. The information acquisition unit 235 can acquire the type information from the image obtained by the external sensor 300. The information acquisition unit 235 can acquire the type information from the identification information of the vehicle 100 that has stopped at the power feeding location. For example, the information acquisition unit 235 accesses the production management database set in the factory to acquire production management information. For each vehicle, the destination of the vehicle is registered in its production management information, enabling the information acquisition unit 235 to read the destination from the identification information of the vehicle 100 and the like.

[0063] Further, when power feeding information related to a target SOC (State of Charge) or the like is set when the vehicle is shipped, the information acquisition unit 235 reads the power feeding information from the database. The information acquisition unit 235 also serves as an SOC information acquisition unit. For example, when a target SOC at the time of shipment is set according to the destination, power is fed (i.e., supplied) to the vehicle to reach the target SOC. Only a lower limit value can be set, or a range with an upper limit value and a lower limit value can also be used. Further, the power feeding device 700 can not only supply power to reach the target SOC, but also consume power when the actual SOC of the vehicle is higher than the target SOC. When the SOC is too high during transportation to the destination, the battery may deteriorate, and when the SOC is too low, the battery may run out of power. Therefore, the vehicle can be shipped after adjusting the SOC to a predetermined range.

[0064] The control value creation unit 236 creates a control value based on the type information. For example, the control value is data for specifying a connector corresponding to a destination. When the information related to the destination included in the type information indicates that the vehicle is for use in Japan, the control value is data for selecting a connector. Specifically, the control value can be data indicating a connector number or data indicating the position of a connector.

[0065] The communication device 205 transmits the control value to the power feeding device 700. When the communication device 710 of the power feeding device 700 receives the control value, the power feeding device 700 performs a power feeding operation. Specifically, the power feeding device 700 includes an arm control unit. The arm control unit controls the arm mechanism such that the arm mechanism holds the connector specified by the control value. Then, the arm control unit controls the arm mechanism such that the connector is connected to the power feeding port.

[0066] As described above, the control value creation unit 236 creates a control value according to the type information indicating the type of the power feeding port. Therefore, the power feeding device 700 can feed power to the first vehicle 100a by using (i.e., by means of) a connector that matches the power feeding port.

[0067] It should be noted that the communication between the communication device 205, the communication device 330, the communication device 710, and the communication device 130 can be wireless communication or wired communication. It should be noted that at least a part of the functions of each block provided in the server 200 can be implemented in the vehicle 100, the external sensor 300, or the power feeding device 700. The communication device 205, the communication device 330, the communication device 710, and the communication device 130 can have only one of a transmission function and a reception function.

[0068] (Description of the route determination method and the operation of the power feeding device according to the embodiment) Figure 3 The flowchart of the route determination method according to one embodiment is shown Figure 1 . Figure 4 The flowchart of the route determination method according to one embodiment is shown Figure 2 . The following will refer to Figure 3 and Figure 4 to describe the route determination method and the operation performed by the power feeding device. As Figure 3 shown, when the external sensor 300 captures an image of the vehicle 100, it transmits the image to the server 200 (S301). The server 200 determines whether it has received the image (S302). When the server 200 has not received the image (No in S302), the server 200 ends the process without performing any other processing. That is, the server 200 waits until it receives an image from the external sensor 300.

[0069] When the server 200 receives an image from the external sensor 300 (Yes in S302), the calculation unit 231 calculates the position and orientation of the vehicle 100 based on the image (S303). Then, the route determination unit 232 obtains information on whether the vehicle is equipped with a power feeding port and determines the route of the vehicle (S304). The control instruction creation unit 233 creates a control instruction based on the route information and the position and orientation of the vehicle 100, and the communication device 205 transmits the created control instruction to the vehicle 100 (S305).

[0070] The vehicle 100 determines whether it has received a control instruction value from the server 200 (S306). When the vehicle 100 has not received a control instruction value (No in S306), it ends the process. That is, the vehicle 100 waits until it receives a control instruction value. When the vehicle 100 has received a control instruction value (Yes in S306), the vehicle is controlled based on the control instruction value (S307). That is, the vehicle control unit 115 controls the actuator group 120, such as the vehicle motor, the steering motor, and the brakes. As a result, the vehicle 100 moves to the power feeding location.

[0071] Next, as Figure 4 shown, the detection unit 234 determines whether the vehicle 100 is at the power feeding location (S401). For example, the detection unit 234 determines whether the vehicle 100 is at the power feeding location based on an image obtained by the external sensor 300 located near the power feeding location. When the vehicle 100 is not at the power feeding location (No in S401), it ends the process. That is, the server 200 waits until the vehicle 100 moves to the power feeding location.

[0072] When the vehicle 100 is at the power feeding location (Yes in S401), the information acquisition unit 235 acquires information related to the vehicle 100 (S402). When the detection unit 234 detects the vehicle 100 at the power feeding location, the information acquisition unit 235 acquires the type information of the vehicle 100. For example, the vehicle 100 located at the power feeding location can transmit identification information unique to the vehicle 100 to the server 200. The server 200 refers to the database and designates the destination of the vehicle based on the identification information. In this way, the information acquisition unit 235 can acquire the type information corresponding to the destination. Alternatively, the information acquisition unit 235 can acquire the type information from an image obtained by the external sensor 300 or the like. Further, the information acquisition unit 235 can acquire power feeding information such as the SOC.

[0073] Then, based on the type information, the control value creation unit 236 creates a control value for the power feeding device 700, and the communication device 205 transmits the created control value to the power feeding device 700 (S403). The control value may be information indicating a connector or the like. Alternatively, the control value may be a motor drive amount or the like related to an operation for holding the connector and inserting it into the power feeding port. For example, the control value may be information related to the position of the power feeding port and / or the position of the connector. Further, the control value may be a value related to the position where the connector is inserted and / or the direction in which the connector is inserted.

[0074] The power feeding device 700 determines whether it has received a control value (S404). When the power feeding device 700 has not received a control value (No in S404), it ends the process. That is, the power feeding device 700 waits until it receives a control value. When the power feeding device 700 has received a control value (Yes in S404), the power feeding unit of the power feeding device 700 is controlled based on the received control value (S405). For example, the arm mechanism is driven so that the arm control unit holds a connector conforming to the type information.

[0075] <A. Travel Control Example 1> Figure 5 FIG. 9 is a conceptual diagram showing the configuration of the system 50 in Travel Control Example 1. The system 50 includes at least one vehicle 100 as a moving body, a server 200, and at least one external sensor 300.

[0076] It should be noted that when the moving body is an object other than a vehicle, each of the terms "vehicle" and "automobile" in the present disclosure may be appropriately replaced with "moving body", and the term "travel" may be appropriately replaced with "move".

[0077] The vehicle 100 is configured to be able to travel through unattended operation. "Unattended operation" refers to an operation (e.g., driving) that does not depend on a travel operation performed by an occupant (e.g., a driver). A travel operation refers to an operation related to at least one of "advancing", "turning", and "stopping" of the vehicle 100. Unattended operation is achieved by automatic or manual remote control using a device located outside the vehicle 100 or by autonomous control of the vehicle 100. The vehicle 100 traveling through unattended operation may carry an occupant (e.g., a driver or a passenger) who does not perform a travel operation. Examples of an occupant who does not perform a travel operation include a person simply sitting on the seat of the vehicle 100 and a person who rides on the vehicle 100 while performing an operation other than a travel operation (such as assembly, inspection, and operation of a switch). Note that a travel operation (e.g., driving) performed by an occupant may be referred to as "attended operation (or attended driving operation)".

[0078] In this specification, "remote control" includes "fully remote control" in which all operations of the vehicle 100 are determined entirely from outside the vehicle 100, and "partially remote control" in which some operations of the vehicle 100 are determined from outside the vehicle 100. In addition, "autonomous control" includes "fully autonomous control" in which the vehicle 100 autonomously controls its own operations without receiving any information from a device located outside the vehicle 100, and "partially autonomous control" in which the vehicle 100 autonomously controls its own operations by using information received from a device located outside the vehicle 100.

[0079] In this embodiment, the system 50 is used in a factory FC that manufactures the vehicle 100. The reference coordinate system of the factory FC is the global coordinate system GC. That is, any position in the factory FC is represented by the X, Y, and Z coordinates in the global coordinate system GC. The factory FC includes a first location PL1 and a second location PL2. The first location PL1 and the second location PL2 are connected to each other by a road TR (e.g., a passageway) on which the vehicle 100 can travel. The factory FC includes a plurality of external sensors 300 along the road TR. The positions of the respective external sensors 300 in the factory FC are pre-adjusted. The vehicle 100 moves from the first location PL1 to the second location PL2 through the road TR by unattended operation.

[0080] Figure 6 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the system 50. The vehicle 100 includes a vehicle control device 110 for controlling various units of the vehicle 100, an actuator group 120 including at least one actuator driven under the control of the vehicle control device 110, and a communication device 130 for communicating with an external device such as a server 200 by wireless communication. The actuator group 120 includes an actuator of a drive unit for accelerating the vehicle 100, an actuator of a steering unit for changing the traveling direction of the vehicle 100, and an actuator of a braking unit for decelerating the vehicle 100.

[0081] The vehicle control device 110 is composed of a computer including a processor 111, a memory 112, an input / output interface 113, and an internal bus 114. The processor 111, the memory 112, and the input / output interface 113 are connected to each other through the internal bus 114 so that they can communicate with each other bidirectionally. The actuator group 120 and the communication device 130 are connected to the input / output interface 113. The processor 111 realizes various functions including the function as the vehicle control unit 115 by executing a program PG1 stored in the memory 112.

[0082] The vehicle control unit 115 drives the vehicle 100 by controlling the actuator group 120. The vehicle control unit 115 may drive the vehicle 100 by controlling the actuator group 120 using a driving control signal received from the server 200. The driving control signal is a control signal for driving the vehicle 100. In this embodiment, the driving control signal includes the acceleration and steering angle of the vehicle 100 as parameters. In other embodiments, instead of or in addition to the acceleration of the vehicle 100, the driving control signal may include the speed of the vehicle 100 as a parameter.

[0083] The server 200 is composed of a computer including a processor 201, a memory 202, an input / output interface 203, and an internal bus 204. The processor 201, the memory 202, and the input / output interface 203 are connected through the internal bus 204 so that they can communicate with each other bidirectionally. A communication device 205 for communicating with various devices located outside the server 200 is connected to the input / output interface 203. The communication device 205 can communicate with the vehicle 100 through wireless communication and can communicate with each external sensor 300 through wired communication or wireless communication. The processor 201 realizes various functions including the function as a remote control unit 210 by executing a program PG2 stored in the memory 202.

[0084] The remote control unit 210 acquires the detection results obtained by the sensors, generates a driving control signal for controlling the actuator group 120 of the vehicle 100 using the detection results, and transmits the generated driving control signal to the vehicle 100. In this way, the remote control unit 210 drives the vehicle 100 through remote control. In addition to being able to generate and output a driving control signal, the remote control unit 210 is also able to generate and output control signals for controlling various auxiliary devices provided in the vehicle 100 and actuators for operating various types of devices such as wipers, electric windows, and lights. That is, the remote control unit 210 can operate these various types of devices and various auxiliary devices through remote control.

[0085] The external sensor 300 is a sensor located outside the vehicle 100. The external sensor 300 in this embodiment is a sensor for capturing (e.g., finding and tracking) the vehicle 100 from outside the vehicle 100. The external sensor 300 includes a communication device (not shown) and can communicate with other devices such as the server 200 through wired communication or wireless communication.

[0086] Specifically, the external sensor 300 is composed of a camera (e.g., a still camera or a video camera). The camera serving as the external sensor 300 captures an image (e.g., a still image or a moving image) including (i.e., showing therein) the vehicle 100 and outputs the captured image as a detection result.

[0087] Figure 7 A flowchart showing a process for controlling the travel of vehicle 100 in a travel control example is shown. In Figure 7 the process shown, the processor 201 of the server 200 operates as the remote control unit 210 by executing the program PG2. Further, the processor 111 of the vehicle 100 operates as the vehicle control unit 115 by executing the program PG1.

[0088] In step S110, the processor 201 of the server 200 obtains the vehicle position information of the vehicle 100 by using the detection results output from the external sensor 300. The vehicle position information is the position information based on which a driving control signal is generated. In this embodiment, the vehicle position information includes the position and orientation FC of the vehicle 100 in the global coordinate system GC of the factory. Specifically, in step S110, the processor 201 obtains the vehicle position information by using the captured image obtained from the camera serving as the external sensor 300.

[0089] Specifically, in step S110, the processor 201 obtains the position of the vehicle 100, for example, by detecting the external shape of the vehicle 100 from the captured image, calculating the coordinates of the positioning points of the vehicle 100 in the coordinate system of the captured image, i.e., the local coordinate system, and converting the calculated coordinates into the coordinates in the global coordinate system GC. For example, the external shape of the vehicle 100 included (i.e., shown) in the captured image can be detected by inputting the captured image into the detection model DM using artificial intelligence. The detection model DM is prepared, for example, in the system 50 or outside the system 50 and is pre-stored in the memory 202 of the server 200. Examples of the detection model DM include trained machine learning models that have been trained to perform semantic segmentation or instance segmentation. As such a machine learning model, for example, a convolutional neural network (hereinafter also referred to as CNN) trained by supervised learning using a learning data set can be adopted. The learning data set includes, for example, a plurality of training images, each of which contains the vehicle 100, and labels, each of which indicates whether the corresponding region in the training image is a region indicating the vehicle 100 or a region not indicating a moving body. When training the CNN, it is preferable to update the parameters of the CNN by backpropagation (error backpropagation method) to reduce the error between the output result of the detection model DM and the label. Further, the processor 201 can estimate the orientation of the vehicle 100, for example, by using the optical flow method, based on the orientation of the motion vector of the vehicle 100 calculated from the change in the positions of the feature points of the vehicle 100 between the frames of the captured image, to obtain the orientation of the vehicle 100.

[0090] In step S120, the processor 201 of the server 200 determines the target position to which the vehicle 100 should next travel. In this embodiment, the target position is represented by the X, Y, and Z coordinates in the global coordinate system GC. In the memory 202 of the server 200, a reference route RR as the route along which the vehicle 100 should travel is pre-stored. The route is represented by a node indicating the starting point, one or more nodes indicating one or more passing points, a node indicating the destination, and links connecting these nodes to each other. The processor 201 determines the target position that the vehicle 100 should next travel to by using the vehicle position information and the reference route RR. The processor 201 determines the target position before the current position of the vehicle 100 on the reference route RR.

[0091] In step S130, the processor 201 of the server 200 generates a driving control signal for driving the vehicle 100 toward the determined target position. The processor 201 calculates the traveling speed of the vehicle 100 based on the change in the position of the vehicle 100 and compares the calculated traveling speed with the target speed. When the traveling speed is lower than the target speed, the processor 201 generally determines the acceleration of the vehicle 100 to accelerate the vehicle 100, and when the traveling speed is higher than the target speed, the processor 201 determines the acceleration to decelerate the vehicle 100. Further, when the vehicle 100 is on the reference route RR, the processor 201 determines the steering angle and acceleration of the vehicle 100 so that the vehicle 100 does not deviate from the reference route RR, and when the vehicle 100 is not on the reference route RR, that is, when the vehicle 100 has deviated from the reference route RR, the processor 201 determines the steering angle and acceleration so that the vehicle 100 returns to the reference route RR.

[0092] In step S140, the processor 201 of the server 200 transmits the generated driving control signal to the vehicle 100. The processor 201 repeats the acquisition of the position of the vehicle 100, the determination of the target position, the generation of the driving control signal, and the transmission of the driving control signal at a predetermined cycle.

[0093] In step S150, the processor 111 of the vehicle 100 receives the driving control signal transmitted from the server 200. In step S160, the processor 111 of the vehicle 100 controls the actuator group 120 by using the received driving control signal, so as to drive the vehicle 100 to travel according to the acceleration and steering angle indicated by the driving control signal. The processor 111 repeats the reception of the driving control signal and the control of the actuator group 120 at a predetermined cycle. According to the system 50 in this example, the vehicle 100 can be driven by remote control, so that the vehicle 100 can move without using conveying devices such as cranes and conveyors.

[0094] <B. Driving Control Example 2> Figure 8 It is an explanatory diagram showing the schematic configuration of the system 50v in Driving Control Example 2. This example is different from Driving Control Example 1 in that the system 50v does not include the server 200. Further, the vehicle 100v in this configuration can travel through autonomous control performed by the vehicle 100v itself. Unless otherwise specified, the remaining configurations are the same as those described above.

[0095] In this example, the processor 111v of the vehicle control device 110v operates as the vehicle control unit 115v by executing the program PG1 stored in the memory 112v. The vehicle control unit 115v obtains the output results obtained by the sensors, generates a driving control signal by using the output results, and outputs the generated driving control signal to operate the actuator group 120. By doing so, the vehicle control unit 115v can make the vehicle 100v travel through autonomous control performed by the vehicle 100 itself. In this example, in addition to storing the program PG1, the detection model DM and the reference route RR are also pre-stored in the memory 112v.

[0096] Figure 9 A flowchart showing the process for controlling the travel of the vehicle 100v in Driving Control Example 2 is shown. In Figure 9 the shown processing flow, by executing the program PG1, the processor 111v of the vehicle 100v operates as the vehicle control unit 115v.

[0097] In step S210, the processor 111v of the vehicle control device 110v obtains vehicle position information by using the detection results output from the camera as the external sensor 300. In step S220, the processor 111v determines the target position that the vehicle 100v should go to next. In step S230, the processor 111v generates a driving control signal for making the vehicle 100v travel toward the determined target position. In step S240, the processor 111v controls the actuator group 120 by using the generated driving control signal, so that the vehicle 100v travels according to the parameters indicated by the driving control signal. The processor 111v repeats the acquisition of vehicle position information, the determination of the target position, the generation of the driving control signal, and the control of the actuator at a predetermined cycle. According to the system 50v in this example, the vehicle 100v can travel through autonomous control performed by the vehicle 100v itself without remotely controlling the vehicle 100v by the server 200.

[0098] YY: Other Driving Control Examples (YY1)In the above example, the external sensor 300 is a camera. However, the external sensor 300 may not be a camera and may be, for example, LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging). In this case, the detection result output from the external sensor 300 may be 3D (three-dimensional) point cloud data representing the vehicle 100. In this case, the server 200 and the vehicle 100 may obtain the vehicle position information through template matching between the 3D point cloud data as the detection result and the pre-prepared reference point cloud data.

[0099] (YY2)In Driving Control Example 1, a series of processes from the acquisition of the vehicle position information to the generation of the driving control signal are executed by the server 200. However, at least some of the processes from the acquisition of the vehicle position information to the generation of the driving control signal may also be executed by the vehicle 100. For example, the following embodiments (1) to (3) may be adopted.

[0100] (1) The server 200 may acquire the vehicle position information, determine the target position that the vehicle 100 should go to next, and generate a route from the current position of the vehicle 100 indicated by the acquired vehicle position information to the target position. The server 200 may generate a route to the target position located between the current position and the destination, or generate a route to the destination. The server 200 may transmit the generated route to the vehicle 100. The vehicle 100 may generate a driving control signal for driving along the route received from the server 200 and control the actuator group 120 by using the generated driving control signal.

[0101] (2) The server 200 may acquire the vehicle position information and transmit the acquired vehicle position information to the vehicle 100. The vehicle 100 may determine the target position that the vehicle 100 should go to next, generate a route from the current position of the vehicle 100 indicated by the received vehicle position information to the target position, generate a driving control signal for driving along the generated route, and control the actuator group 120 by using the generated driving control signal.

[0102] (3) In the above embodiments (1) and (2), the vehicle 100 may be equipped with internal sensors, and the detection results output from the internal sensors may be used at least for the generation of a route or the generation of a driving control signal. The internal sensors are sensors provided in the vehicle 100. Examples of the internal sensors may include sensors for detecting the motion state of the vehicle 100, sensors for detecting the operating states of the respective units of the vehicle 100, and sensors for detecting the surrounding environment of the vehicle 100. Specifically, examples of the internal sensors include cameras, LiDARs, millimeter-wave radars, ultrasonic sensors, GPS sensors, acceleration sensors, gyro sensors, etc. For example, in the above embodiment (1), the server 200 may acquire the detection results obtained by the internal sensors, and when generating a route, take the detection results of the internal sensors into account in the generation of the route. In the above embodiment (1), the vehicle 100 may acquire the detection results obtained by the internal sensors, and when generating a driving control signal, may take the detection results of the internal sensors into account in the generation of the driving control signal. In the above embodiment (2), the vehicle 100 may acquire the detection results obtained by the internal sensors, and when generating a route, take the detection results of the internal sensors into account in the generation of the route. In the above embodiment (2), the vehicle 100 may acquire the detection results obtained by the internal sensors, and when generating a driving control signal, may take the detection results of the internal sensors into account in the generation of the driving control signal.

[0103] (YY3) In the driving control example 2, the vehicle 100v may be equipped with internal sensors, and the detection results output from the internal sensors may be used at least for the generation of a route or the generation of a driving control signal. For example, the vehicle 100v may acquire the detection results obtained by the internal sensors, and when generating a route, take the detection results of the internal sensors into account in the generation of the route. The vehicle 100v may acquire the detection results obtained by the internal sensors, and when generating a driving control signal, may take the detection results of the internal sensors into account in the generation of the driving control signal.

[0104] (YY4)In driving control example 2, the vehicle 100v acquires vehicle position information by using the detection results obtained by the external sensor 300. However, the vehicle 100v may be equipped with an internal sensor, and the vehicle 100v may acquire vehicle position information by using the detection results of the internal sensor, determine the target position to which the vehicle 100v should next travel, generate a route from the current position of the vehicle 100v indicated by the acquired vehicle position information to the target position, generate a driving control signal for traveling along the generated route, and control the actuator group 120 by using the generated driving control signal. In this case, the vehicle 100v can travel without using the detection results of the external sensor 300 at all. It should be noted that the vehicle 100v may acquire the target arrival time and traffic congestion information from outside the vehicle 100v, and take the target arrival time and traffic congestion information into account at least in the generation of the route or the generation of the driving control signal. In addition, all functions of the system 50v may be provided in the vehicle 100v. That is, all processes implemented by the system 50v according to the present disclosure can be implemented by the vehicle 100v alone.

[0105] (YY5)In driving control example 1, the server 200 automatically generates a driving control signal to be transmitted to the vehicle 100. However, the server 200 may generate a driving control signal to be transmitted to the vehicle 100 according to an operation performed by an operator existing outside the vehicle 100. For example, an operator existing outside the vehicle 100 may operate a control device that includes a display for displaying a captured image output from the external sensor 300, a steering wheel, an accelerator pedal, and a brake pedal for remotely controlling the vehicle 100, and a communication device for communicating with the server 200 by wire communication or wireless communication. Then, the server 200 may generate a driving control signal according to the operation performed on the control device.

[0106] (YY6)In each of the above driving control examples, it is sufficient for the vehicle 100 to have a configuration that enables the vehicle 100 to move through unattended operation. For example, the vehicle 100 may be in the form of a platform including the following configuration. Specifically, in order to perform the three functions of "traveling", "turning", and "stopping" through unattended operation, it is sufficient for the vehicle 100 to include at least the vehicle control device 110 and the actuator group 120. In the case where the vehicle 100 obtains information from outside the vehicle 100 to perform unattended operation, it is sufficient for the vehicle 100 to further include the communication device 130. That is, the vehicle 100 that can move through unattended operation may not include at least some of the internal components such as the driver's seat and the dashboard, may not include at least some of the external components such as the bumper and the fender, and may not include the body shell. In this case, the remaining components such as the body shell may be attached to the vehicle 100 until the vehicle 100 is shipped from the factory FC. Alternatively, the vehicle 100 may be shipped from the factory FC without including the remaining components such as the body shell, and then these remaining components such as the body shell may be attached to the vehicle 100 after shipment. These components may be attached from any direction such as above, below, in front of, behind, on the right side, or on the left side of the vehicle 100. Further, they may be attached from the same direction or from different directions. It should be noted that in the case of being formed as a platform, the position of the vehicle 100 can be determined in the same manner as in the first embodiment.

[0107] (YY7) The vehicle 100 can be manufactured by combining multiple modules with each other. A module refers to a unit composed of multiple components, and the multiple components are assembled according to the location where the module is used in the vehicle 100 and / or according to the function in the vehicle 100. For example, the platform of the vehicle 100 can be manufactured by combining a front module that constitutes the front part of the platform, a central module that constitutes the central part of the platform, and a rear module that constitutes the rear part of the platform with each other. It should be noted that the number of modules constituting the platform is not limited to 3, but can also be less than 2 or more than 4. In addition, instead of or in addition to the components constituting the platform, the components constituting the parts other than the platform in the vehicle 100 can be assembled into modules. Further, they include various modules, which include optional external components (such as bumpers and grilles) and optional internal components (such as seats and consoles). Furthermore, what is manufactured is not limited to the vehicle 100. That is, any type of moving body can be manufactured by combining multiple modules with each other. Such a module can be manufactured, for example, by welding or by joining multiple components using fixtures, or by casting at least some of the components constituting the module integrally into one component. The molding method for integrally molding one component, especially a relatively large component, can also be referred to as giga-casting or mega-casting. For example, the above-mentioned front module, central module, and rear module can be manufactured by giga-casting.

[0108] (YY8) The conveyance of the vehicle 100 achieved by driving the vehicle 100 through unattended operation is also referred to as "self-propelled conveyance". In addition, the configuration for realizing self-propelled conveyance is also referred to as "vehicle remote control autonomous driving conveyance system". In addition, the production method for manufacturing the vehicle 100 by using self-propelled conveyance is also referred to as "self-propelled production". For example, in self-propelled production, at least some conveyance of the vehicle 100 in the factory FC where the vehicle 100 is manufactured is achieved through self-propelled conveyance.

[0109] (YY9) In each of the above driving control examples, some or all of the functions and processes implemented by software can be implemented by hardware. In addition, some or all of the functions and processes implemented by hardware can be implemented by software. As the hardware for implementing various functions in each of the above embodiments, for example, various circuits such as integrated circuits and / or discrete circuits can be used.

[0110] Further, some or all of the processes executed in the above external sensor 300, vehicle 100, server 200, external sensor 300, power feeding robot 600, etc. can be implemented in the form of a computer program. Such a program can be stored by using any type of non-transitory computer-readable medium and provided to a computer. Non-transitory computer-readable media include various types of physical recording media. Examples of non-transitory computer-readable media include magnetic recording media (such as floppy disks, magnetic tapes, and hard disk drives), magneto-optical recording media (such as magneto-optical disks), CD-ROM (Read Only Memory), CD-R, CD-R / W, and semiconductor memories (such as mask ROM, PROM (Programmable ROM), EPROM (Erasable PROM), flash ROM, and RAM (Random Access Memory)). Further, the program can be supplied to the computer by various types of transitory computer-readable media. Examples of transitory computer-readable media include electrical signals, optical signals, and electromagnetic waves. The transitory computer-readable media can provide the program to the computer through wired or wireless communication channels such as wires and optical fibers.

[0111] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above exemplary embodiments, and they can be appropriately modified without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention. According to the present disclosure thus described, it will be apparent that the embodiments of the present disclosure can be changed in many ways. Such variations should not be regarded as departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure, and all such variations that will be apparent to those skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A route determination device, comprising: an acquisition unit configured to acquire information on the presence / absence of a feeding port of a first vehicle including the feeding port and a second vehicle not including the feeding port; a route determination unit configured to determine, based on the information, a route along which the first vehicle or the second vehicle travels by itself or is towed; as well as An instruction unit is configured to provide instructions to the first vehicle and the second vehicle.

2. The route determination device according to claim 1, wherein: The route of the first vehicle includes a power feeding device on the route.

3. The route determination device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The route of the second vehicle does not include a feeding device on the route. 4 . The route determination device according to claim 1 , further comprising a transmission unit configured to transmit the determined route to the first vehicle, the second vehicle, a vehicle towing the first vehicle, or a vehicle towing the second vehicle.

5. The route determination device according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising: a control command creation unit configured to create a control command value for the first vehicle, the second vehicle, a vehicle towing the first vehicle, or a vehicle towing the second vehicle based on the determined route; as well as A transmission unit is configured to transmit the control instruction value to the first vehicle, the second vehicle, a vehicle towing the first vehicle, or a vehicle towing the second vehicle based on the determined route.

6. The route determination device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The command unit commands the first vehicle and the second vehicle at a vehicle manufacturing plant or at a port where the vehicles are loaded on a ship.

7. The route determination device according to claim 1, further comprising a SOC (State of Charge) information acquisition unit configured to acquire SOC information of the first vehicle, wherein The route determination unit determines a route based on the information and the SOC information.

8. The route determination device according to claim 7, wherein: When the SOC of the first vehicle is equal to or lower than a predetermined value, the route of the first vehicle is a route including a feeding device thereon.

9. The route determination device according to claim 7 or 8, wherein: When at least one of a condition that the vehicle is the second vehicle and a condition that the vehicle is the first vehicle whose SOC is equal to or greater than a predetermined value is satisfied, a route of the first vehicle or the second vehicle is a route on which a feeding device is not included.

10. Route determination method, including: acquiring information on the presence / absence of a feeding port of a first vehicle including a feeding port and a second vehicle not including a feeding port; Based on the information, determining a route along which the first vehicle or the second vehicle is traveling by itself or being towed; as well as Instructions are provided to the first vehicle and the second vehicle.

11. A vehicle configured to tow a first vehicle along a route determined by the route determination device according to claim 1.

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