Control device, control system, and control method

Abstract

Provided is a technique capable of controlling a moving body during self-propelled production. A control device for controlling the operation of a moving body capable of moving by unmanned driving is provided with: an acquisition unit for acquiring process information indicating a manufacturing process being performed on the moving body; a determination unit that uses the process information to determine which of an engine movement mode in which movement is performed using the engine and a motor movement mode in which movement is performed using the motor to move the moving body; and a control unit that moves the moving body in the determined movement pattern.

Description

Technical Field

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

[0002] Conventionally, a vehicle that travels autonomously or by remote control within a manufacturing system for manufacturing vehicles has been known (Patent Document 1). Prior Art Documents Patent Documents

[0003] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-538619 Summary of the Invention Technical Problem to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In some cases, a hybrid vehicle having an engine and a motor as driving power sources is produced by automated production that utilizes the travel of a vehicle based on unmanned driving. However, a control method for a hybrid vehicle during automated production has not been proposed. Such a problem is common not only to hybrid vehicles but also to hybrid moving bodies having a motor and an engine as driving power sources. Means for Solving the Technical Problem

[0005] The present disclosure can be implemented in the following manner.

[0006] (1) According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a control device. The control device for controlling the operation of a moving body capable of moving by unmanned driving includes: an acquisition unit that acquires process information indicating a manufacturing process being performed on the moving body; a determination unit that determines, using the process information, which of an engine moving mode in which the moving body moves using an engine and a motor moving mode in which the moving body moves using a motor is to be used to move the moving body; and a control unit that moves the moving body by the determined moving mode. According to this aspect, the control device can determine, using the process information, which of the engine moving mode and the motor moving mode is to be used to move the moving body. Further, the control device can move the moving body by the determined moving mode. As described above, the control device can control the operation of the hybrid moving body according to the manufacturing process during the production of a hybrid moving body having an engine and a motor by automated production. (2) In the above method, it may also be that in the manufacturing process determined by the process information, when it is envisaged that there are more than a predetermined number of people within a predetermined distance range from the moving body, the determination unit determines to move the moving body by the motor movement mode. According to this method, in the manufacturing process determined by the process information, when it is envisaged that there are more than a predetermined number of people within a predetermined distance range from the moving body, the control device can move the moving body by the motor movement mode. In this way, when an operator engaged in manufacturing the moving body works around the moving body, it is possible to suppress the deterioration of the working environment due to exhaust gas. (3) In the above method, it may also be that in the manufacturing process determined by the process information, when it is envisaged that there are less than a predetermined number of people within a predetermined distance range from the moving body, the determination unit determines to move the moving body by the engine movement mode. According to this method, in the manufacturing process determined by the process information, when it is envisaged that there are less than a predetermined number of people within a predetermined distance range from the moving body, the control device can move the moving body by the engine movement mode. In this way, it is possible to move the moving body while suppressing the power consumption of the battery without affecting the state of the battery that supplies power to the motor. (4) In the above method, it may also be that in the case where the manufacturing process determined by the process information is a manufacturing process performed before the manufacturing process of mounting the exhaust gas treatment device on the moving body, the determination unit determines to move the moving body by the motor movement mode. According to this method, in the case where the manufacturing process determined by the process information is a manufacturing process performed before the manufacturing process of mounting the exhaust gas treatment device on the moving body, the control device can move the moving body by the motor movement mode. In this way, it is possible to suppress the deterioration of the working environment due to exhaust gas caused by the inability to use the exhaust gas treatment device to treat exhaust gas. (5) In the above method, it may also be that in the case where the manufacturing process determined by the process information is a manufacturing process performed after the manufacturing process of mounting the exhaust gas treatment device on the moving body, the determination unit determines to move the moving body by the engine movement mode. According to this method, in the case where the manufacturing process determined by the process information is a manufacturing process performed after the manufacturing process of mounting the exhaust gas treatment device on the moving body, the control device can move the moving body by the engine movement mode. In this way, it is possible to move the moving body while suppressing the power consumption of the battery without affecting the state of the battery that supplies power to the motor. (6) In the above method, it may also be that when the target value of the moving speed of the moving body in the manufacturing process determined by the process information is less than a pre-determined speed, the determination unit determines to move the moving body by the motor moving mode. According to this method, when the target value of the moving speed of the moving body in the manufacturing process determined by the process information is less than a pre-determined speed, the control device can move the moving body by the motor moving mode. In this way, when the manufacturing process being performed on the moving body is a manufacturing process that requires more precise speed control, the control device can move the moving body by the motor moving mode. (7) In the above method, it may also be that when the target value of the moving speed of the moving body in the manufacturing process determined by the process information is equal to or greater than a pre-determined speed, the determination unit determines to move the moving body by the engine moving mode. According to this method, when the target value of the moving speed of the moving body in the manufacturing process determined by the process information is equal to or greater than a pre-determined speed, the control device can move the moving body by the engine moving mode. In this way, when the manufacturing process being performed on the moving body is a manufacturing process that does not require precise speed control, the control device can move the moving body in a state of suppressing power consumption of the battery without affecting the state of the battery that supplies power to the motor. (8) In the above method, it may also be that when the manufacturing process determined by the process information is a manufacturing process that requires driving the engine, the determination unit determines to move the moving body by the engine moving mode. According to this method, when the manufacturing process determined by the process information is a manufacturing process that requires driving the engine, the control device can move the moving body by the engine moving mode. (9) In the above method, the manufacturing process that requires driving the engine is at least one of the following processes: an engine inspection process for inspecting the function of the engine; a preprocessing process for performing preprocessing for correctly evaluating the function of the engine in the engine inspection process; a processing device inspection process for inspecting the function of the exhaust gas treatment device; and a liquid leakage inspection process for inspecting liquid leakage generated by driving the engine. According to this method, when the manufacturing process determined by the process information is at least one of the engine inspection process, the preprocessing process, the processing device inspection process, and the liquid leakage inspection process, the control device can move the moving body by the engine moving mode. (10)According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, a control system is provided. The control system includes: a mobile body capable of moving by autonomous driving; an acquisition unit that acquires process information indicating a manufacturing process being performed on the mobile body; a determination unit that determines, using the process information, which one of an engine movement mode of moving using an engine and a motor movement mode of moving using a motor causes the mobile body to move; and a control unit that causes the mobile body to move by the determined movement mode. According to this aspect, the control system can determine, using the process information, which one of the engine movement mode and the motor movement mode causes the mobile body to move. Further, the control system can cause the mobile body to move by the determined movement mode. As described above, the control system can control the operation of the hybrid mobile body according to the manufacturing process during the production of the hybrid mobile body having an engine and a motor by self-propelled production. (11)According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, a control method is provided. A control method for controlling the operation of a mobile body capable of moving by autonomous driving includes: an acquisition step of acquiring process information indicating a manufacturing process being performed on the mobile body; a determination step of determining, using the process information, which one of an engine movement mode of moving using an engine and a motor movement mode of moving using a motor causes the mobile body to move; and a control step of causing the mobile body to move by the determined movement mode. According to this aspect, it is possible to determine, using the process information, which one of the engine movement mode and the motor movement mode causes the mobile body to move. Further, it is possible to cause the mobile body to move by the determined movement mode. As described above, it is possible to control the operation of the hybrid mobile body according to the manufacturing process during the production of the hybrid mobile body having an engine and a motor by self-propelled production. The present disclosure can be implemented in various ways other than the above-described control device, control system, and control method. For example, it can be implemented in the form of a manufacturing method of the control device and the control system, a control method of the control device and the control system, a computer program for implementing the control method, a non-transitory recording medium recording the computer program, and the like. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] Figure 1 is a conceptual diagram showing the configuration of the control system in the first embodiment. Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the control system in the first embodiment. Figure 3 is a block diagram showing the detailed configuration of the vehicle in the first embodiment. Figure 4 is a flowchart showing the processing sequence of the vehicle running control in the first embodiment. Figure 5 It is a flowchart showing the control method of the vehicle during self-propelled production in the first embodiment. Figure 6 It is a block diagram showing the configuration of the control system in the second embodiment. Figure 7 It is a flowchart showing the control method of the vehicle during self-propelled production in the second embodiment. Figure 8 It is a block diagram showing the configuration of the control system in the third embodiment. Figure 9 It is a flowchart showing the control method of the vehicle during self-propelled production in the third embodiment. Figure 10 It is a block diagram showing the configuration of the control system in the fourth embodiment. Figure 11 It is a flowchart showing the control method of the vehicle during self-propelled production in the fourth embodiment. Figure 12 It is an explanatory diagram showing the schematic configuration of the control system in the fifth embodiment. Figure 13 It is a flowchart showing the processing steps of the travel control of the vehicle in the fifth embodiment. Figure 14 It is a flowchart showing the control method of the vehicle during self-propelled production in the fifth embodiment. Detailed Embodiments

[0008] A. First Embodiment: Figure 1 It is a conceptual diagram showing the configuration of the control system 50 in the first embodiment. The control system 50 is a system that controls the operation of a hybrid mobile body during the production of a hybrid mobile body having an engine and a motor as power sources by self-propelled production. "Self-propelled production" is a production method of producing a mobile body using "self-propelled transportation", and this "self-propelled transportation" uses the movement of a mobile body based on unmanned driving to transport the mobile body. In self-propelled transportation, for example, in a factory FC for manufacturing a mobile body, at least a part of the transportation of the mobile body is achieved by self-propelled transportation. The configuration for realizing self-propelled transportation is also called a "vehicle remote control autonomous driving transportation system".

[0009] The control system 50 includes one or more hybrid vehicles 100, a server 200, and one or more external sensors 300, which are hybrid mobile bodies. The hybrid vehicle 100 is an automobile that travels using the driving force of at least one of an engine and a motor. In the present embodiment, the hybrid vehicle 100 is a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) that can charge the main battery that supplies power to the motor using electric power from an external power source. The hybrid vehicle 100 has an engine driving mode in which it moves using the engine and a motor driving mode in which it moves using the motor. The motor driving mode includes a "fully electric driving mode" in which the motor is used as the driving force source with the engine stopped, and a "hybrid driving mode" in which the engine and the motor are used as the driving force sources. Hereinafter, the hybrid vehicle 100 will be simply referred to as "vehicle 100".

[0010] In the present disclosure, a "mobile body" refers to an object that can move, such as a vehicle or an electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (so-called flying car). The vehicle can be a vehicle that travels on wheels or a vehicle that travels on tracks, such as a sedan, a truck, a bus, a two-wheeled vehicle, a four-wheeled vehicle, a tank, a construction vehicle, etc. When the mobile body is other than a vehicle, the expressions "vehicle" and "car" in the present disclosure can be appropriately replaced with "mobile body", and the expression "travel" can be appropriately replaced with "move".

[0011] The vehicle 100 is configured to be able to travel autonomously. "Autonomous driving" means driving that does not depend on the driving operation of a passenger. The driving operation refers to an operation related to at least one of "traveling", "steering", and "stopping" of the vehicle 100. Autonomous driving is achieved by automatic or manual remote control using a device located outside the vehicle 100 or by autonomous control of the vehicle 100. In the vehicle 100 that travels autonomously, a passenger who does not perform a driving operation may also ride. Among the passengers who do not perform a driving operation, for example, there are people who only sit on the seat of the vehicle 100 and people who perform operations different from the driving operation, such as assembly, inspection, and operation of switch groups, while riding on the vehicle 100. In addition, driving performed by the driving operation of a passenger is sometimes referred to as "manned driving".

[0012] In this specification, "remote control" includes "full remote control" that completely determines all actions of the vehicle 100 from outside the vehicle 100, and "partial remote control" that determines a part of the actions of the vehicle 100 from outside the vehicle 100. In addition, "autonomous control" includes: "full autonomous control" in which the vehicle 100 autonomously controls its own actions without receiving any information from a device outside the vehicle 100, and "partial autonomous control" in which the vehicle 100 autonomously controls its own actions using the information received from a device outside the vehicle 100.

[0013] The control system 50 is used in the factory FC where the vehicle 100 is manufactured. The reference coordinate system of the factory FC is the global coordinate system GC, and any position within the factory FC can be represented by the coordinates of X, Y, and Z 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 by a driving road TR on which the vehicle 100 can travel. In the factory FC, a plurality of external sensors 300 are provided along the driving 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 driving road TR by autonomous driving.

[0014] Figure 2 It is a block diagram showing the configuration of the control system 50 in the first embodiment. The vehicle 100 includes: a vehicle control device 110 for controlling each part of the vehicle 100, an actuator group 120 including one or more actuators that are 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 through wireless communication. The actuator group 120 includes an actuator of a driving device for accelerating the vehicle 100, an actuator of a steering device for changing the traveling direction of the vehicle 100, and an actuator of a braking device for decelerating the vehicle 100.

[0015] Figure 3 It is a diagram showing the detailed configuration of the vehicle 100 in the first embodiment. The vehicle 100 includes an engine 151, a fuel tank 152, a fuel pump 153, a fuel supply pipe 154, and an exhaust gas treatment device 155.

[0016] The engine 151 is an internal combustion engine that uses gasoline or the like as fuel. The engine 151 is the first driving force source of the vehicle 100. The driving force generated from the engine 151 is transmitted to the wheels 157 via a reduction gear 156. The fuel tank 152 stores fuel. The fuel pump 153 sucks the fuel in the fuel tank 152 and supplies it to the engine 151 via the fuel supply pipe 154.

[0017] The exhaust gas treatment device 155 is a device that treats the exhaust gas generated by the drive of the engine 151. The exhaust gas treatment device 155 is, for example, an EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation) device that introduces a part of the exhaust gas from the exhaust gas passage and returns the exhaust gas to the intake passage.

[0018] The vehicle 100 further includes a power distribution mechanism 160, a first motor 161 and a second motor 162 that are electric motor generators, a main battery 163, a charger 164, a vehicle-side connector 165, a converter 166, and a first converter 167.

[0019] The power distribution mechanism 160 distributes the driving force generated by the engine 151 to the output shaft 168 and the first motor 161. The power distribution mechanism 160 is, for example, a planetary gear mechanism including a sun gear, pinions, a gear carrier, and a ring gear.

[0020] The first motor 161 generates a driving force using at least one of the electric power stored in the main battery 163 and the electric power generated by the power generation of the second motor 162. The first motor 161 is the second driving source of the vehicle 100. The driving force generated from the first motor 161 is transmitted to the wheels 157 via the reduction gear 156. During braking of the vehicle 100, the first motor 161 is driven by the wheels 157 via the reduction gear 156. Thereby, the first motor 161 performs regenerative power generation.

[0021] The second motor 162 generates electric power using the driving force of the engine 151 distributed by the power distribution mechanism 160. The electric power generated by the second motor 162 using the driving force of the engine 151 is used to charge the main battery 163 or drive the first motor 161.

[0022] The main battery 163 drives the first motor 161. In addition, the main battery 163 supplies electric power to the auxiliary battery 171. The main battery 163 is a secondary battery that can be repeatedly charged and discharged. The main battery 163 is, for example, a lithium-ion battery.

[0023] The charger 164 converts the alternating current supplied from an external power source 900 such as a commercial power source into a direct current and outputs it to the main battery 163. The charger 164 controls the amount of electric power charged to the main battery 163 according to a control signal from a hybrid ECU 110c described later.

[0024] The vehicle-side connector 165 is a connecting member for connecting the charger 164 to the external power source 900. The vehicle-side connector 165 is configured to be connected to the charger 164 and capable of being connected to a power-source-side connector 957 connected to the external power source 900.

[0025] The converter 166 performs current control while converting the DC current of the main battery 163 and the AC currents of the first motor 161 and the second motor 162.

[0026] The first converter 167 performs power conversion between the main battery 163 and the converter 166. Specifically, the first converter 167 boosts the output voltage of the main battery 163 and supplies the boosted power to the first motor 161. Further, the first converter 167 steps down the voltage of the power generated by the first motor 161 and the second motor 162 and supplies the stepped-down power to the main battery 163. The first converter 167 is connected between the main battery 163 and the converter 166.

[0027] The vehicle 100 further includes an accessory battery 171, one or more accessories 172, and a second converter 173.

[0028] The accessory battery 171 supplies power to one or more accessories 172 mounted on the vehicle 100 via an accessory power line 174. The accessory 172 is an electrical device that operates using the output power of the accessory battery 171. The accessory 172 is, for example, an interior light or a car navigation device. The output voltage of the accessory battery 171 is lower than the output voltage of the main battery 163. The accessory battery 171 is charged by receiving power supply from the main battery 163 via the second converter 173.

[0029] The second converter 173 is a step-down DC / DC converter that steps down the voltage of the output power of the main battery 163 and supplies the stepped-down power to the accessory battery 171. The second converter 173 is connected between the main battery 163 and the accessory battery 171.

[0030] The vehicle 100 further includes an engine ECU 110a, a motor ECU 110b, and a hybrid ECU 110c.

[0031] The engine ECU 110a controls the operation of the engine 151. The motor ECU 110b controls the operations of the first motor 161, the second motor 162, and the converter 166, the charge / discharge state of the main battery 163, etc. The hybrid ECU 110c controls the entire vehicle 100 by mutually managing and controlling the engine ECU 110a, the motor ECU 110b, etc. In addition, in Figure 3 , each of the ECUs 110a to 110c is illustrated as a different component, but it may be configured as a vehicle control device 110 that integrates two or more of the ECUs 110a to 110c. In the present embodiment, the vehicle control device 110 that integrates the ECUs 110a to 110c without distinguishing each of the ECUs 110a to 110c will be described.

[0032] As Figure 2 shown, 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 via the internal bus 114 so as to be capable of two-way communication. An actuator group 120 and a 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.

[0033] The vehicle control unit 115 makes the vehicle 100 travel by controlling the actuator group 120. The vehicle control unit 115 can make the vehicle 100 travel by controlling the actuator group 120 by using a travel control signal received from the server 200. The travel control signal is a control signal for making the vehicle 100 travel. In the present embodiment, the travel control signal includes the acceleration and the steering angle of the vehicle 100 as parameters. In other embodiments, the travel control signal may include the speed of the vehicle 100 as a parameter instead of including the acceleration of the vehicle 100, or may include the speed of the vehicle 100 in addition to including the acceleration of the vehicle 100.

[0034] The server 200 has the function as a control device 20 that controls the operation of the vehicle 100 in the process of manufacturing the vehicle 100 by self-propelled production. 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 via the internal bus 204 so as to be capable of two-way communication. A communication device 205 for communicating with various devices outside the server 200 is connected to the input / output interface 203. The communication device 205 can communicate with the vehicle 100 by wireless communication and can communicate with each external sensor 300 by wired communication or wireless communication. The processor 201 realizes various functions including the functions as an acquisition unit 211, a determination unit 212, and a remote control unit 213 by executing a program PG2 stored in the memory 202.

[0035] The acquisition unit 211 acquires process information indicating the manufacturing process being performed on the vehicle 100. The process information is, for example, a process ID indicating the manufacturing process being performed on the vehicle 100. The process ID is an identifier assigned to each manufacturing process in a non-repeating manner among multiple manufacturing processes. The process information is generated, for example, by detecting feature points capable of identifying multiple manufacturing processes from a captured image obtained by capturing the vehicle 100 and determining the manufacturing process being performed on the vehicle 100. The process information may also be generated by using manufacturing management information indicating the manufacturing status of each vehicle 100 in the factory FC and determining the manufacturing process being performed on the vehicle 100.

[0036] The determination unit 212 uses the process information to determine which of the engine movement mode and the motor movement mode is used to move the vehicle 100. The determination unit 212 determines which of the engine movement mode and the motor movement mode is used to move the vehicle 100, for example, by acquiring in the mode database DB the movement mode associated with the manufacturing process determined by the process information. The mode database DB is a database that associates the movement mode that the vehicle 100 should adopt between the engine movement mode and the motor movement mode for each manufacturing process.

[0037] For example, in a manufacturing process where there are more than a predetermined number of operators within a predetermined distance range from the vehicle 100, moving the vehicle 100 using the engine movement mode may deteriorate the working environment due to exhaust gas. Thus, in the manufacturing process determined by the process information, when it is envisaged that there are more than a predetermined number of people within a predetermined distance range from the vehicle 100, the determination unit 212 determines to move the vehicle 100 using the motor movement mode.

[0038] However, in the motor movement mode, the power of the main battery 163 is consumed, or the main battery 163 is deteriorated. In contrast, in the engine movement mode, by supplying fuel to the consumed fuel, the vehicle 100 can be moved while suppressing the power consumption of the main battery 163 without affecting the state of the main battery 163. Thus, in the manufacturing process determined by the process information, when it is envisaged that there are less than a predetermined number of people within a predetermined distance range from the vehicle 100, the determination unit 212 determines to move the vehicle 100 using the engine movement mode.

[0039] In this embodiment, a first pattern database DB1 serving as a pattern database DB is stored in advance in the memory 202 of the server 200. In the first pattern database DB1, a manufacturing process in which there are more than a predetermined number of workers within a predetermined distance range from the vehicle 100 is associated with a motor movement pattern. In the first pattern database DB1, a manufacturing process in which there are fewer than a predetermined number of workers within a predetermined distance range from the vehicle 100 is associated with an engine movement pattern. The determination unit 212 determines which of the engine movement pattern and the motor movement pattern the vehicle 100 moves by by obtaining, in the first pattern database DB1, the movement pattern associated with the manufacturing process determined from the process information.

[0040] The remote control unit 213 moves the vehicle 100 according to the determined movement pattern. The remote control unit 213 obtains the detection result of the sensor, generates a travel control signal for controlling the actuator group 120 of the vehicle 100 using the detection result, and sends the travel control signal to the vehicle 100, thereby causing the vehicle 100 to travel by remote control. The remote control unit 213 may not only generate a travel control signal but also generate, for example, a control signal for an actuator that controls the operation of various auxiliary machines 172, wipers, electric windows, vehicle lamps, and other various equipment provided in the vehicle 100 and output it. That is, the remote control unit 213 may also operate such various equipment and various auxiliary machines 172 by remote control.

[0041] The external sensor 300 is a sensor located outside the vehicle 100. The external sensor 300 in this embodiment is a sensor that captures the vehicle 100 from the outside of 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.

[0042] Specifically, the external sensor 300 is composed of a camera. The camera serving as the external sensor 300 captures the vehicle 100 and outputs the captured image as a detection result.

[0043] Figure 4 It is a flowchart showing the processing order of the travel control of the vehicle 100 in the first embodiment. In Figure 4 the processing order, the processor 201 of the server 200 functions as the acquisition unit 211, the determination unit 212, and the remote control unit 213 by executing the program PG2. In addition, the processor 111 of the vehicle 100 functions as the vehicle control unit 115 by executing the program PG1.

[0044] In step S1, the processor 201 of the server 200 uses the detection result output from the external sensor 300 to obtain vehicle position information. The vehicle position information is the position information that serves as the basis for generating the driving control signal. In the present embodiment, the vehicle position information includes the position and orientation of the vehicle 100 in the global coordinate system GC of the factory FC. Specifically, in step S1, the processor 201 uses the captured image obtained from the camera serving as the external sensor 300 to obtain the vehicle position information.

[0045] Specifically, in step S1, the processor 201, for example, detects the outer shape of the vehicle 100 from the captured image, calculates the coordinates of the positioning point of the vehicle 100 in the coordinate system of the captured image, that is, the local coordinate system, and converts the calculated coordinates into the coordinates in the global coordinate system GC, thereby obtaining the position of the vehicle 100. The outer shape of the vehicle 100 included in the captured image can be detected, for example, by inputting the captured image into the detection model DM using artificial intelligence. The detection model DM is prepared, for example, inside or outside the control system 50 and is pre-stored in the memory 202 of the server 200. As the detection model DM, for example, a learned machine learning model learned in a manner to achieve either semantic segmentation or instance segmentation can be cited. As this machine learning model, for example, a convolutional neural network (hereinafter referred to as CNN) learned through supervised learning using a learning dataset can be used. The learning dataset, for example, has a plurality of training images including the vehicle 100 and labels indicating which of the regions in the training images represent the region of the vehicle 100 and the region outside the vehicle 100. When learning the CNN, it is preferable to update the parameters of the CNN by backpropagation (error backpropagation method) in a manner to reduce the error between the output result of the detection model DM and the label. In addition, the processor 201, for example, uses the optical flow method to estimate the orientation of the vehicle 100 based on the orientation of the movement vector of the vehicle 100 calculated from the position change of the feature points of the vehicle 100 between frames of the captured image, thereby being able to obtain the orientation of the vehicle 100.

[0046] In step S2, the processor 201 of the server 200 determines the target position to which the vehicle 100 should go next. In the present embodiment, the target position is represented by the coordinates of X, Y, and Z in the global coordinate system GC. In the memory 202 of the server 200, a reference path RR as the path that the vehicle 100 should travel is pre-stored. The path is represented by nodes indicating the starting point, nodes indicating passing points, nodes indicating the destination, and links connecting the respective nodes. The processor 201 uses the vehicle position information and the reference path RR to determine the target position to which the vehicle 100 should go next. The processor 201 determines the target position on the reference path RR that is ahead of the current position of the vehicle 100.

[0047] In step S3, 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 driving speed of the vehicle 100 according to the change in the position of the vehicle 100, and compares the calculated driving speed with the target speed. In general, the processor 201 determines the acceleration in a manner to accelerate the vehicle 100 when the driving speed is lower than the target speed, and determines the acceleration in a manner to decelerate the vehicle 100 when the driving speed is higher than the target speed. In addition, when the vehicle 100 is located on the reference path RR, the processor 201 determines the steering angle and the acceleration in a manner to prevent the vehicle 100 from deviating from the reference path RR, and when the vehicle 100 is not located on the reference path RR, in other words, when the vehicle 100 deviates from the reference path RR, the processor 201 determines the steering angle and the acceleration in a manner to return the vehicle 100 to the reference path RR.

[0048] In step S4, the processor 201 of the server 200 transmits the generated travel control signal to the vehicle 100. The processor 201 repeatedly acquires vehicle position information, determines a target position, generates a travel control signal, and transmits the travel control signal in a predetermined cycle.

[0049] In step S5, the processor 111 of the vehicle 100 receives the travel control signal transmitted from the server 200. In step S6, the processor 111 of the vehicle 100 controls the actuator group 120 by using the received travel control signal, thereby causing the vehicle 100 to travel at the acceleration and steering angle indicated by the travel control signal. The processor 111 repeatedly receives the travel control signal and controls the actuator group 120 at a predetermined cycle. According to the control system 50 in this embodiment, the vehicle 100 can be driven by remote control, so that the vehicle 100 can be moved without using a transport device such as a crane or a conveyor.

[0050] Figure 5 1 is a flowchart showing a method of controlling the vehicle 100 during self-propelled production in the first embodiment. Figure 5 The illustrated flow is repeatedly executed at predetermined time intervals, for example, while control based on unmanned driving is being executed.

[0051] In step S101, the remote control unit 213 of the server 200 transmits an image request signal for acquiring a captured image to the external sensor 300 that is expected to include the vehicle 100 in its detection range. The external sensor 300 that receives the image request signal transmits the captured image to the server 200 in step S102.

[0052] When the server 200 has acquired a captured image (step S103: "Yes"), in step S104, the remote control unit 213 of the server 200 acquires vehicle position information by using the detection result output from the external sensor 300. In step S105, the acquisition unit 211 acquires process information. In step S106, the determination unit 212 determines which of the engine movement mode and the motor movement mode is used to move the vehicle 100 by using the process information. In the manufacturing process determined by the process information, when it is envisaged that there are more than a predetermined number of people within a predetermined distance range from the vehicle 100 (step S106: "Yes"), the determination unit 212 executes step S107. In step S107, the determination unit 212 determines to move the vehicle 100 by the motor movement mode. In the manufacturing process determined by the process information, when it is envisaged that there are less than a predetermined number of people within a predetermined distance range from the vehicle 100 (step S106: "No"), the determination unit 212 executes step S108. In step S108, the determination unit 212 determines to move the vehicle 100 by the engine movement mode. In step S109, the remote control unit 213 determines the target position to which the vehicle 100 should go next by using the vehicle position information and the reference path RR. In step S110, the remote control unit 213 generates a driving control signal for causing the vehicle 100 to travel toward the determined target position by the determined movement mode. In step S111, the remote control unit 213 transmits the generated driving control signal to the vehicle 100.

[0053] In step S112, the vehicle control unit 115 of the vehicle control device 110 controls the actuator group 120 by using the received driving control signal, so that the vehicle 100 travels at the acceleration and steering angle indicated by the driving control signal.

[0054] According to the first embodiment described above, the server 200 can determine which of the engine movement mode and the motor movement mode is used to move the vehicle 100 by using the process information. And, the server 200 can move the vehicle 100 by the determined movement mode. In this way, during the production of the hybrid vehicle 100 by autonomous production, the server 200 can control the operation of the hybrid vehicle 100 according to the manufacturing process.

[0055] In addition, according to the above first embodiment, in the manufacturing process determined by the process information, when it is envisaged that there are less than a predetermined number of people within a predetermined distance range from the vehicle 100, the server 200 can perform the following processing. In this case, the server 200 can determine to move the vehicle 100 by the engine movement mode. In this way, the vehicle 100 can be moved while suppressing the power consumption of the main battery 163 without affecting the state of the main battery 163.

[0056] In addition, according to the above first embodiment, in the manufacturing process determined by the process information, when it is envisaged that there are a predetermined number of people or more within a predetermined distance range from the vehicle 100, the server 200 can perform the following processing. In this case, the server 200 can determine to move the vehicle 100 by the motor movement mode. In this way, when the operator engaged in manufacturing the vehicle 100 is working around the vehicle 100, the deterioration of the working environment due to exhaust gas can be suppressed.

[0057] In addition, the determination unit 212 may determine to move the vehicle 100 by the motor movement mode when the manufacturing process determined by the process information is a manufacturing process performed indoors. In this way, when the operator is working around the vehicle 100, the deterioration of the working environment due to exhaust gas can be further suppressed.

[0058] B. Second Embodiment: Figure 6 It is a block diagram showing the configuration of the control system 50a in the second embodiment. The control system 50a includes one or more vehicles 100, one or more external sensors 300, and a server 200a having the functions of the control device 20a. In this embodiment, a part of the control method of the vehicle 100 during self-propelled production is different from the first embodiment. Other configurations of the control system 50a are the same as those of the first embodiment unless otherwise specified. The same reference numerals are assigned to the same configurations as those of the first embodiment, and their descriptions are omitted.

[0059] The server 200a is composed of a computer including a processor 201a, a memory 202a, an input / output interface 203, and an internal bus 204. The processor 201a realizes various functions including the functions of the acquisition unit 211, the determination unit 212a, and the remote control unit 213 by executing the program PG2a stored in the memory 202a.

[0060] In the case where the manufacturing process being performed on the vehicle 100 is a manufacturing process before the manufacturing process of mounting the exhaust gas treatment device 155 on the vehicle 100, there is a possibility that the working environment will be deteriorated due to the exhaust gas by moving the vehicle 100 using the engine movement mode. Therefore, in the case where the manufacturing process specified by the process information is a manufacturing process performed before the manufacturing process of mounting the exhaust gas treatment device 155 on the vehicle 100, the determination unit 212a determines to move the vehicle 100 using the motor movement mode. In the case where the manufacturing process specified by the process information is a manufacturing process of mounting the exhaust gas treatment device 155 on the vehicle 100, the determination unit 212a determines to move the vehicle 100 using the motor movement mode. In the case where the manufacturing process specified by the process information is a manufacturing process performed after the manufacturing process of mounting the exhaust gas treatment device 155 on the vehicle 100, the determination unit 212a determines to move the vehicle 100 using the engine movement mode.

[0061] In the present embodiment, a second pattern database DB2 as a pattern database DB is pre-stored in the memory 202a of the server 200a. In the second pattern database DB2, a manufacturing process performed before the manufacturing process of mounting the exhaust gas treatment device 155 on the vehicle 100 is associated with a motor movement mode. In the second pattern database DB2, a manufacturing process of mounting the exhaust gas treatment device 155 on the vehicle 100 is associated with a motor movement mode. In the second pattern database DB2, a manufacturing process performed after the manufacturing process of mounting the exhaust gas treatment device 155 on the vehicle 100 is associated with an engine movement mode. The determination unit 212a determines which movement mode of the engine movement mode and the motor movement mode is used to move the vehicle 100 by obtaining a movement mode associated with the manufacturing process determined by the process information in the second pattern database DB2.

[0062] Figure 7 1 is a flowchart showing a method of controlling the vehicle 100 during self-propelled production in the second embodiment. Figure 7 The illustrated flow is repeatedly executed at predetermined time intervals, for example, while control based on unmanned driving is being executed.

[0063] In step S201, the remote control unit 213 of the server 200a transmits an image request signal for acquiring a captured image to the external sensor 300 that is expected to include the vehicle 100 in its detection range. The external sensor 300 that receives the image request signal transmits the captured image to the server 200a in step S202.

[0064] When the server 200a has acquired the captured image (step S203: "Yes"), in step S204, the remote control unit 213 of the server 200a uses the detection result output from the external sensor 300 to acquire vehicle position information. In step S205, the acquisition unit 211 acquires process information. In step S206, the determination unit 212a uses the process information to determine which of the engine movement mode and the motor movement mode to move the vehicle 100. When the manufacturing process determined by the process information is a manufacturing process executed before the manufacturing process of mounting the exhaust gas treatment device 155 on the vehicle 100 (step S206: "Yes"), the determination unit 212a executes step S207. In step S207, the determination unit 212a determines to move the vehicle 100 by the motor movement mode. When the manufacturing process determined by the process information is a manufacturing process executed after the manufacturing process of mounting the exhaust gas treatment device 155 on the vehicle 100 (step S206: "No"), the determination unit 212a executes step S208. In step S208, the determination unit 212a determines to move the vehicle 100 by the engine movement mode. In step S209, the remote control unit 213 uses the vehicle position information and the reference path RR to determine the target position to which the vehicle 100 should go next. In step S210, the remote control unit 213 generates a travel control signal for causing the vehicle 100 to travel toward the determined target position by the determined movement mode. In step S211, the remote control unit 213 transmits the generated travel control signal to the vehicle 100.

[0065] In step S212, the vehicle control unit 115 of the vehicle control device 110 controls the actuator group 120 by using the received travel control signal, so that the vehicle 100 travels with the acceleration and steering angle indicated by the travel control signal.

[0066] According to the above-described second embodiment, when the manufacturing process determined by the process information is a manufacturing process executed after the manufacturing process of mounting the exhaust gas treatment device 155 on the vehicle 100, the server 200a can perform the following processing. In this case, the server 200a can determine to move the vehicle 100 by the engine movement mode. In this way, the vehicle 100 can be moved in a state where the power consumption of the main battery 163 is suppressed without affecting the state of the main battery 163.

[0067] In addition, according to the above-described second embodiment, when the manufacturing process determined from the process information is a manufacturing process that is executed before the manufacturing process of mounting the exhaust gas treatment device 155 on the vehicle 100, the server 200a can perform the following process. In this case, the server 200a can determine to move the vehicle 100 in the motor movement mode. In this way, it is possible to suppress the deterioration of the working environment due to exhaust gas caused by the inability to use the exhaust gas treatment device 155 to treat exhaust gas.

[0068] In addition, according to the above-described second embodiment, when the manufacturing process determined from the process information is the manufacturing process of mounting the exhaust gas treatment device 155 on the vehicle 100, the server 200a can determine to move the vehicle 100 in the motor movement mode. In this way, it is possible to suppress the deterioration of the working environment due to exhaust gas in the case where the exhaust gas cannot be treated because the exhaust gas treatment device 155 is being mounted on the vehicle 100.

[0069] In addition, in other embodiments, when the manufacturing process determined from the process information is the manufacturing process of mounting the exhaust gas treatment device 155 on the vehicle 100, the determination unit 212a can determine to move the vehicle 100 in the engine movement mode. Alternatively, when the manufacturing process determined from the process information is the manufacturing process of mounting the exhaust gas treatment device 155 on the vehicle 100, the remote control unit 213 can stop the vehicle 100 instead of moving it.

[0070] C. Third Embodiment: Figure 8 FIG. is a block diagram showing the configuration of the control system 50b in the third embodiment. The control system 50b includes one or more vehicles 100, one or more external sensors 300, and a server 200b having the functions of a control device 20b. In the present embodiment, a part of the control method of the vehicle 100 during self-propelled production is different from that of the first embodiment. Other configurations of the control system 50b are the same as those of the first embodiment unless otherwise specified. The same reference numerals are given to the same configurations as those of the first embodiment, and the description thereof is omitted.

[0071] The server 200b is composed of a computer including a processor 201b, a memory 202b, an input / output interface 203, and an internal bus 204. The processor 201b realizes various functions including the functions of an acquisition unit 211, a determination unit 212b, and a remote control unit 213 by executing a program PG2b stored in the memory 202b.

[0072] Generally, the torque responses of motors 161 and 162 are faster than that of engine 151. Additionally, generally, motors 161 and 162 can obtain torque generation more accurately than engine 151. Therefore, by moving vehicle 100 using the motor movement mode, the traveling speed of vehicle 100 can be controlled more precisely compared to the case of moving vehicle 100 using the engine movement mode. For example, in a manufacturing process that requires precise speed control when moving vehicle 100, the target value of the traveling speed of vehicle 100 is set to a value less than a pre-determined speed. Then, when the target value of the traveling speed of vehicle 100 in the manufacturing process determined by the process information is less than the pre-determined speed, determination unit 212b determines to move vehicle 100 using the motor movement mode. A manufacturing process that requires precise speed control when moving vehicle 100 is, for example, an assembly process in which vehicle 100 travels at an extremely low speed in order to assemble a component with a work object of at least one of an operator and a robot. A manufacturing process that requires precise speed control when moving vehicle 100 may also be a slope conveying process in a conveying process in which vehicle 100 travels while maintaining a low speed on a slope from a first location PL1 to a second location PL2. The conveying process is a manufacturing process in which a work object does not perform an operation on vehicle 100 and conveys vehicle 100.

[0073] On the other hand, in a manufacturing process that does not require precise speed control when moving vehicle 100, the target value of the traveling speed of vehicle 100 is set to a value equal to or greater than the pre-determined speed. Then, when the target value of the traveling speed of vehicle 100 in the manufacturing process determined by the process information is equal to or greater than the pre-determined speed, determination unit 212b determines to move vehicle 100 using the engine movement mode. A manufacturing process that does not require precise speed control when moving vehicle 100 is, for example, a flat road conveying process in a conveying process in which vehicle 100 travels on a flat road from a first location PL1 to a second location PL2. A manufacturing process that does not require precise speed control when moving vehicle 100 may also be a yard conveying process in a conveying process in which vehicle 100 is moved to a storage location such as a yard after an inspection process.

[0074] In the present embodiment, a third pattern database DB3 as a pattern database DB is pre-stored in the memory 202b of the server 200b. In the third pattern database DB3, a manufacturing process in which a value less than a predetermined speed is set as a target value of the travel speed of the vehicle 100 is associated with a motor travel mode. In the third pattern database DB3, a manufacturing process in which a value greater than a predetermined speed is set as a target value of the travel speed of the vehicle 100 is associated with an engine travel mode. The determination unit 212b determines which travel mode of the engine travel mode and the motor travel mode is used to move the vehicle 100 by acquiring a travel mode associated with the manufacturing process determined by the process information in the third pattern database DB3.

[0075] Figure 9 1 is a flowchart showing a method of controlling the vehicle 100 during self-propelled production in the third embodiment. Figure 9 The illustrated flow is repeatedly executed at predetermined time intervals, for example, while control based on unmanned driving is being executed.

[0076] In step S301, the remote control unit 213 of the server 200b transmits an image request signal for acquiring a captured image to the external sensor 300 that is expected to include the vehicle 100 in its detection range. The external sensor 300 that receives the image request signal transmits the captured image to the server 200b in step S302.

[0077] When the server 200b has acquired the captured image (step S303: "Yes"), in step S304, the remote control unit 213 of the server 200b uses the detection result output from the external sensor 300 to acquire the vehicle position information. In step S305, the acquisition unit 211 acquires the process information. In step S306, the determination unit 212b uses the process information to determine which of the engine movement mode and the motor movement mode to move the vehicle 100. When the target value of the traveling speed of the vehicle 100 in the manufacturing process determined by the process information is less than a preset speed (step S306: "Yes"), the determination unit 212b executes step S307. In step S307, the determination unit 212b determines to move the vehicle 100 by the motor movement mode. When the target value of the traveling speed of the vehicle 100 in the manufacturing process determined by the process information is equal to or greater than the preset speed (step S306: "No"), the determination unit 212b executes step S308. In step S308, the determination unit 212b determines to move the vehicle 100 by the engine movement mode. In step S309, the remote control unit 213 uses the vehicle position information and the reference path RR to determine the target position to which the vehicle 100 should go next. In step S310, the remote control unit 213 generates a travel control signal for causing the vehicle 100 to travel toward the determined target position by the determined movement mode. In step S311, the remote control unit 213 transmits the generated travel control signal to the vehicle 100.

[0078] In step S312, the vehicle control unit 115 of the vehicle control device 110 controls the actuator group 120 by using the received travel control signal, so that the vehicle 100 travels at the acceleration and steering angle indicated by the travel control signal.

[0079] According to the above-described third embodiment, when the target value of the traveling speed of the vehicle 100 in the manufacturing process determined by the process information is equal to or greater than the preset speed, the server 200b can move the vehicle 100 by the engine movement mode. In this way, when the manufacturing process being performed on the vehicle 100 is a manufacturing process that does not require fine speed control, the server 200b can move the vehicle 100 by the engine movement mode. As a result, the vehicle 100 can be moved while suppressing the power consumption of the main battery 163 without affecting the state of the main battery 163.

[0080] In addition, according to the third embodiment described above, when the target value of the traveling speed of the vehicle 100 in the manufacturing process determined by the process information is less than a pre-determined speed, the server 200b can determine to move the vehicle 100 in the motor movement mode. In this way, when the manufacturing process being performed on the vehicle 100 is a manufacturing process that requires finer speed control, the server 200b can move the vehicle 100 in the motor movement mode.

[0081] In addition, in other embodiments, when the manufacturing process determined by the process information is a manufacturing process that requires precise control of the traveling position of the vehicle 100, the determination unit 212b can determine to move the vehicle 100 in the motor movement mode.

[0082] D. Fourth Embodiment: Figure 10 It is a block diagram showing the configuration of the control system 50c in the fourth embodiment. The control system 50c includes one or more vehicles 100, one or more external sensors 300, and a server 200c having the functions of a control device 20c. In this embodiment, a part of the control method of the vehicle 100 during self-propelled production is different from the first embodiment. Other configurations of the control system 50c are the same as those in the first embodiment unless otherwise specified. The same reference numerals are assigned to the same configurations as those in the first embodiment, and their descriptions are omitted.

[0083] The server 200c is composed of a computer including a processor 201c, a memory 202c, an input / output interface 203, and an internal bus 204. The processor 201c realizes various functions including the functions of an acquisition unit 211, a determination unit 212c, and a remote control unit 213 by executing a program PG2c stored in the memory 202c.

[0084] During the production of the vehicle 100, it is sometimes necessary to drive the engine 151 according to the operation content of the manufacturing process. Thus, when the manufacturing process determined by the process information is a manufacturing process that requires driving the engine 151, the determination unit 212c determines to move the vehicle 100 in the engine movement mode. The manufacturing process that requires driving the engine 151 is, for example, at least one of an engine inspection process, a pre-treatment process, a processing device inspection process, and a liquid leakage inspection process.

[0085] The engine inspection process is a manufacturing process for inspecting the functions of the engine 151. The engine inspection process is carried out, for example, in a cylinder test process which is one of the inspection processes for inspecting the vehicle 100. The cylinder test process is a manufacturing process for inspecting the engine 151, instruments, brakes, etc. by driving the vehicle 100 on rotatable rollers. In the engine inspection process, in order to inspect the functions of the engine 151, it is necessary to drive the engine 151.

[0086] The pretreatment process is a manufacturing process for performing pretreatment for correctly evaluating the functions of the engine 151 in the engine inspection process. The pretreatment process includes, for example, a preheating process and an exhaust process.

[0087] In order to correctly evaluate the functions of the engine 151 in the engine inspection process, it is necessary to adjust the state of the engine 151 to a predetermined preheated state before starting the engine inspection process. The preheating process is a manufacturing process for adjusting the state of the engine 151 to a predetermined preheated state. In the preheating process, in order to adjust the state of the engine 151 to a predetermined preheated state, it is necessary to drive the engine 151.

[0088] In addition, in order to correctly evaluate the functions of the engine 151 in the engine inspection process, it is necessary to remove the air generated in the fuel supply pipe 154 from the fuel tank 152 to the engine 151 before starting the engine inspection process. Figure 3 The exhaust process is a manufacturing process for removing the air generated in the fuel supply pipe 154 from the fuel tank 152 to the engine 151. In the case of the vehicle 100 having a gasoline engine, in the exhaust process, for example, the fuel pump 153 is exhausted. In the case of the vehicle 100 having a common rail diesel engine, in the exhaust process, for example, the exhaust in the common rail system is carried out. In the exhaust process, it is necessary to drive the fuel pump 153. Driving the fuel pump 153 requires driving the engine 151.

[0089] The processing device inspection process is a manufacturing process for inspecting the functions of the exhaust gas processing device 155. In order to inspect the functions of the exhaust gas processing device 155, it is necessary to generate exhaust gas to be processed. Therefore, in the processing device inspection process, it is necessary to drive the engine 151.

[0090] The liquid leakage inspection process is a manufacturing process for inspecting liquid leakage generated by driving the engine 151. In the liquid leakage inspection process, it is a manufacturing process for inspecting whether liquids such as fuel, engine oil, and refrigerant leak from pumps such as the fuel pump 153 and the water pump mounted on the vehicle 100. Therefore, in the liquid leakage inspection process, it is necessary to drive the engine 151.

[0091] In the present embodiment, a fourth mode database DB4 as a mode database DB is pre-stored in the memory 202c of the server 200c. In the fourth mode database DB4, the engine inspection process, the pre-processing process, the processing device inspection process, and the leakage inspection process are respectively associated with the motor movement mode. In the fourth mode database DB4, the manufacturing process other than the engine inspection process, the pre-processing process, the processing device inspection process, and the leakage inspection process is associated with the engine movement mode. The determination unit 212c determines which movement mode of the engine movement mode and the motor movement mode is used to move the vehicle 100 by obtaining the movement mode associated with the manufacturing process determined by the process information in the fourth mode database DB4.

[0092] Figure 11 1 is a flowchart showing a method of controlling the vehicle 100 during self-propelled production in the fourth embodiment. Figure 11 The illustrated flow is repeatedly executed at predetermined time intervals, for example, while control based on unmanned driving is being executed.

[0093] In step S401, the remote control unit 213 of the server 200c transmits an image request signal for acquiring a captured image to the external sensor 300 that is expected to include the vehicle 100 in its detection range. The external sensor 300 that receives the image request signal transmits the captured image to the server 200c in step S402.

[0094] When the server 200c has acquired the captured image (step S403: "Yes"), in step S404, the remote control unit 213 of the server 200c uses the detection result output from the external sensor 300 to acquire the vehicle position information. In step S405, the acquisition unit 211 acquires the process information. In step S406, the determination unit 212c uses the process information to determine which movement mode, the engine movement mode or the motor movement mode, to move the vehicle 100. When the manufacturing process determined by the process information is a manufacturing process that requires driving the engine 151 (step S406: "Yes"), the determination unit 212c executes step S407. In step S407, the determination unit 212c determines to move the vehicle 100 by the engine movement mode. When the manufacturing process determined by the process information is not a manufacturing process that requires driving the engine 151 (step S406: "No"), the determination unit 212c executes step S408. In step S408, the determination unit 212c determines to move the vehicle 100 by the motor movement mode. In step S409, the remote control unit 213 uses the vehicle position information and the reference path RR to determine the target position to which the vehicle 100 should go next. In step S410, the remote control unit 213 generates a driving control signal for driving the vehicle 100 toward the determined target position by the determined movement mode. In step S411, the remote control unit 213 transmits the generated driving control signal to the vehicle 100.

[0095] In step S412, the vehicle control unit 115 of the vehicle control device 110 controls the actuator group 120 by using the received driving control signal, so that the vehicle 100 travels at the acceleration and steering angle indicated by the driving control signal.

[0096] According to the above-described fourth embodiment, when the manufacturing process determined by the process information is a manufacturing process that requires driving the engine 151, the server 200c can move the vehicle 100 by the engine movement mode.

[0097] In addition, according to the above-described fourth embodiment, when the manufacturing process determined by the process information is at least one of an engine inspection process, a pretreatment process, a processing device inspection process, and a liquid leakage inspection process, the server 200c can move the vehicle 100 by the engine movement mode.

[0098] E. Fifth Embodiment: Figure 12FIG. 0 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of a control system 50v in the fifth embodiment. The control system 50v includes one or more vehicles 100v equipped with a vehicle control device 110v having a function as a control device 20v, and one or more external sensors 300. In this embodiment, the control system 50v is different from the first embodiment in that it does not include a server 200. In addition, the vehicle 100v in this embodiment can travel by autonomous control of the vehicle 100v. Regarding other configurations, they are the same as those in the first embodiment unless otherwise specified.

[0099] In this embodiment, the processor 111v of the vehicle control device 110v functions as an acquisition unit 116, a determination unit 117, and a vehicle control unit 115v by executing a program PG1v stored in the memory 112v. The acquisition unit 116 acquires process information. The determination unit 117 uses the process information to determine which of the engine movement mode and the motor movement mode to move the vehicle 100. The vehicle control unit 115v moves the vehicle 100 by the determined movement mode. The vehicle control unit 115v acquires the output result of the sensor, generates a travel control signal using the output result, and outputs the generated travel control signal to cause the actuator group 120 to operate, thereby enabling the vehicle 100v to travel by autonomous control. In this embodiment, in addition to the program PG1v, a detection model DM, a reference path RR, and a mode database DB are also pre-stored in the memory 112v.

[0100] Figure 13 FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the processing sequence of the travel control of the vehicle 100v in the fifth embodiment. In Figure 13 the processing sequence, the processor 111v of the vehicle 100v functions as an acquisition unit 116, a determination unit 117, and a vehicle control unit 115v by executing the program PG1v.

[0101] In step S901, the processor 111v of the vehicle control device 110v uses the detection result output from the camera as the external sensor 300 to obtain the vehicle position information. In step S902, the processor 111v determines the target position to which the vehicle 100v should go next. In step S903, the processor 111v generates a travel control signal for causing the vehicle 100v to travel toward the determined target position. In step S904, the processor 111v controls the actuator group 120 by using the generated travel control signal, so that the vehicle 100v travels according to the parameters represented by the travel control signal. The processor 111v repeatedly obtains the vehicle position information, determines the target position, generates the travel control signal, and controls the actuator in a prescribed cycle. According to the control system 50v in this embodiment, even if the vehicle 100v is not remotely controlled by the server 200, the vehicle 100v can be driven by the autonomous control of the vehicle 100v.

[0102] Figure 14 1 is a flowchart showing a method of controlling the vehicle 100v during self-propelled production in the fifth embodiment. Figure 14 The illustrated flow is repeatedly executed at predetermined time intervals, for example, while control based on unmanned driving is being executed.

[0103] In step S501, the vehicle control unit 115v of the vehicle control device 110v transmits an image request signal for acquiring a captured image to the external sensor 300 that is expected to include the vehicle 100v in its detection range. The external sensor 300 that receives the image request signal transmits the captured image to the vehicle 100v in step S502.

[0104] When the vehicle 100v has acquired a captured image (step S503: "Yes"), in step S504, the vehicle control unit 115v of the vehicle control device 110v uses the detection results output from the external sensor 300 to acquire vehicle position information. In step S505, the acquisition unit 116 acquires process information. In step S506, the determination unit 117 uses the process information to determine which of the engine movement mode and the motor movement mode to move the vehicle 100v. In the manufacturing process determined by the process information, when it is envisaged that there are more than a predetermined number of people within a predetermined distance range from the vehicle 100v (step S506: "Yes"), the determination unit 117 executes step S507. In step S507, the determination unit 117 determines to move the vehicle 100v by the motor movement mode. In the manufacturing process determined by the process information, when it is envisaged that there are less than a predetermined number of people within a predetermined distance range from the vehicle 100v (step S506: "No"), the determination unit 117 executes step S508. In step S508, the determination unit 117 determines to move the vehicle 100v by the engine movement mode. In step S509, the vehicle control unit 115v uses the vehicle position information and the reference path RR to determine the target position to which the vehicle 100v should go next. In step S510, the vehicle control unit 115v generates a driving control signal for moving the vehicle 100v toward the determined target position by the determined movement mode. In step S511, the vehicle control unit 115v 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.

[0105] According to the above fifth embodiment, the vehicle control device 110v can use the process information to determine which of the engine movement mode and the motor movement mode to move the vehicle 100v. And, the vehicle control device 110v can move the vehicle 100v by the determined movement mode. In this way, during the process of manufacturing the hybrid vehicle 100v by self-propelled production, the vehicle control device 110v can control the operation of the hybrid vehicle 100v according to the manufacturing process.

[0106] F. Other Embodiments: F-1. Other Embodiment 1: In the above embodiment, the vehicles 100, 100v are plug-in hybrid vehicles. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. The vehicles 100, 100v may be, for example, hybrid vehicles 100, 100v that do not have mechanisms 164, 165 for charging the main battery 163 with electric power from an external power source 900, or may be fuel cell vehicles equipped with a fuel cell as the main battery 163.

[0107] F-2. Other Embodiment 2: In each of the above embodiments, the external sensor 300 is not limited to a camera, and for example, it may also be a ranging device. The ranging device is, for example, LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging). In this case, the detection result output by the external sensor 300 may also be three-dimensional point cloud data representing the vehicle 100. In this case, the servers 200, 200a to 200c, and the vehicles 100, 100v may also obtain vehicle position information through template matching using the three-dimensional point cloud data as the detection result and the reference point cloud data prepared in advance.

[0108] F-3. Other Embodiment 3: In each of the above first to fourth embodiments, the servers 200, 200a to 200c perform the processes from obtaining vehicle position information to generating a driving control signal. In contrast, at least a part of the processes from obtaining vehicle position information to generating a driving control signal may be performed by the vehicle 100. For example, the following methods (1) to (3) may be used.

[0109] (1) The servers 200, 200a to 200c may obtain vehicle position information, determine the target position that the vehicle 100 should go to next, and generate a path from the current position of the vehicle 100 represented by the obtained vehicle position information to the target position. The servers 200, 200a to 200c may generate a path to the target position between the current position and the destination, or may also generate a path to the destination. The servers 200, 200a to 200c may send the generated path to the vehicle 100. The vehicle 100 may generate a driving control signal in such a way that the vehicle 100 travels on the path received from the servers 200, 200a to 200c, and use the generated driving control signal to control the actuator group 120.

[0110] (2) The servers 200, 200a to 200c may also obtain vehicle position information and send the obtained vehicle position information to the vehicle 100. The vehicle 100 may also determine the target position that the vehicle 100 should go to next, generate a path from the current position of the vehicle 100 represented by the received vehicle position information to the target position, and generate a driving control signal in such a way that the vehicle 100 travels on the generated path, and use the generated driving control signal to control the actuator group 120.

[0111] (3) In the methods of (1) and (2) above, it can also be that an internal sensor is mounted on the vehicle 100, and the detection result output from the internal sensor is used in at least one of the generation of the path and the generation of the driving control signal. The internal sensor is a sensor mounted on the vehicle 100. The internal sensor can include, for example, a sensor for detecting the motion state of the vehicle 100, a sensor for detecting the operation state of each part of the vehicle 100, and a sensor for detecting the surrounding environment of the vehicle 100. Specifically, the internal sensor can include, for example, a camera, LiDAR, millimeter-wave radar, ultrasonic sensor, GPS sensor, acceleration sensor, gyro sensor, etc. For example, in the method of (1) above, the servers 200, 200a to 200c can also obtain the detection result of the internal sensor and reflect the detection result of the internal sensor in the path when generating the path. In the method of (1) above, the vehicle 100 can also obtain the detection result of the internal sensor and reflect the detection result of the internal sensor in the driving control signal when generating the driving control signal. In the method of (2) above, the vehicle 100 can also obtain the detection result of the internal sensor and reflect the detection result of the internal sensor in the path when generating the path. In the method of (2) above, the vehicle 100 can also obtain the detection result of the internal sensor and reflect the detection result of the internal sensor in the driving control signal when generating the driving control signal.

[0112] F-4. Other Embodiment 4: In the above-mentioned fifth embodiment, it can also be that an internal sensor is mounted on the vehicle 100v, and the detection result output from the internal sensor is used in at least one of the generation of the path and the generation of the driving control signal. For example, the vehicle 100v can also obtain the detection result of the internal sensor and reflect the detection result of the internal sensor in the path when generating the path. The vehicle 100v can also obtain the detection result of the internal sensor and reflect the detection result of the internal sensor in the driving control signal when generating the driving control signal.

[0113] F-5. Other Embodiment 5: In the above-described fifth embodiment, the vehicle 100v acquires vehicle position information using the detection results of the external sensor 300. In contrast, it is also possible that an internal sensor is mounted on the vehicle 100v, and the vehicle 100v acquires vehicle position information using the detection results of the internal sensor, determines the target position to which the vehicle 100v should next go, generates a path from the current position of the vehicle 100v indicated by the acquired vehicle position information to the target position, and generates a driving control signal for traveling on the generated path, and controls the actuator group 120 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. In addition, the vehicle 100v may also acquire the target arrival time and / or traffic congestion information from outside the vehicle 100v, and reflect the target arrival time and / or traffic congestion information on at least one of the path and the driving control signal. In addition, the functional configuration of the control system 50v may also be entirely provided on the vehicle 100v. That is, the processing implemented by the control system 50v in the present disclosure may also be implemented independently by the vehicle 100v.

[0114] F-6. Other Embodiment 6: In each of the above-described first to fourth embodiments, the servers 200, 200a to 200c automatically generate the driving control signals transmitted to the vehicle 100. In contrast, the servers 200, 200a to 200c may also generate the driving control signals transmitted to the vehicle 100 according to the operations of an external operator located outside the vehicle 100. For example, it may be that the external operator operates a control device having a display for displaying the captured image output from the external sensor 300, a steering wheel for remotely operating the vehicle 100, an accelerator pedal, a brake pedal, and a communication device for communicating with the servers 200, 200a to 200c by wire communication or wireless communication, and the servers 200, 200a to 200c generate driving control signals corresponding to the operations applied to the control device.

[0115] F-7. Other Embodiment 7: In each of the above-described embodiments, the vehicles 100 and 100v only need to have a configuration capable of moving autonomously. For example, it may also be a gantry type having the configuration described below. Specifically, in order for the vehicles 100 and 100v to perform the three functions of "traveling", "steering", and "stopping" through autonomous driving, it is sufficient to have at least the vehicle control devices 110 and 110v and the actuator group 120. When the vehicles 100 and 100v obtain information from the outside for autonomous driving, the vehicles 100 and 100v only need to have the communication device 130. That is, on the vehicles 100 and 100v capable of moving autonomously, at least a part of the interior components such as the driver's seat and the instrument panel may not be installed, at least a part of the exterior components such as the bumper and the fender may not be installed, and the body shell may not be installed either. In this case, the remaining components such as the body shell may be assembled to the vehicles 100 and 100v during the period until the vehicles 100 and 100v are shipped from the factory FC, or the remaining components such as the body shell may be assembled to the vehicles 100 and 100v after the vehicles 100 and 100v are shipped from the factory FC in a state where the remaining components such as the body shell are not assembled to the vehicles 100 and 100v. Each component can be installed from any direction such as the upper side, the lower side, the front side, the rear side, the right side, or the left side of the vehicles 100 and 100v, and they can be installed from the same direction respectively, or from different directions respectively. In addition, for the gantry type, the position determination can be performed in the same manner as the vehicles 100 and 100v in the first embodiment.

[0116] F-8. Other Embodiment 8: Vehicles 100, 100v can be manufactured by combining multiple modules. A module refers to a unit composed of one or more components aggregated according to the composition and functions of vehicles 100, 100v. For example, the chassis of vehicles 100, 100v can be manufactured by combining a front module that constitutes the front part of the chassis, a central module that constitutes the central part of the chassis, and a rear module that constitutes the rear part of the chassis. Additionally, the number of modules constituting the chassis is not limited to three, and can also be two or less or four or more. Further, in addition to the chassis, parts of vehicles 100, 100v that are different from the chassis can be modularized, or instead of the chassis, parts of vehicle 100 that are different from the chassis can be modularized. Moreover, various modules can also include any exterior components such as bumpers and grilles, and any interior components such as seats or consoles. Additionally, not limited to vehicles 100, 100v, any type of moving body can be manufactured by combining multiple modules. Such modules can be manufactured, for example, by joining multiple components using welding or fixing tools, or by integrally molding at least a part of the module into one component using casting. The molding method of integrally molding at least a part of the module into one component is also referred to as integrated casting (Giga-casting or Mega-casting). By using Giga-casting, each part of a moving body that was previously formed by joining multiple components can be formed into one component. For example, the above-mentioned front module, central module, and rear module can also be manufactured using Giga-casting.

[0117] F-9. Other Embodiment 9: In the above-described embodiments, part or all of the functions and processes implemented in software can also be implemented in hardware. Additionally, part or all of the functions and processes implemented in hardware can also be implemented in software. As the hardware for implementing various functions in the above-described embodiments, for example, various circuits such as integrated circuits or discrete circuits can also be used.

[0118] The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be implemented in various configurations without departing from its gist. For example, the technical features of the embodiments corresponding to the technical features in each of the modes described in the Summary of the Invention can be appropriately replaced or combined to solve part or all of the above problems or achieve part or all of the above effects. Additionally, as long as the technical feature is not described as an essential part in this specification, it can be appropriately deleted. [Description of Reference Numerals]

[0119] 20, 20a to 20c, 20v: Control device, 50, 50a to 50c, 50v: Control system, 100, 100v: Vehicle, 110, 110v: Vehicle control device, 110a: Engine ECU, 110b: Motor ECU, 110c: Hybrid ECU, 111, 111v: Processor of vehicle control device, 112, 112v: Memory of vehicle control device, 113: Input / output interface of vehicle control device, 114: Internal bus of vehicle control device, 115, 115v: Vehicle control section, 116, 211: Acquisition section, 117, 212, 212a to 212c: Determination section, 120: Actuator group, 130: Communication device of vehicle, 151: Engine, 152: Fuel tank, 153: Fuel pump, 154: Fuel supply pipe, 155: Exhaust gas treatment device, 156: Reducer, 157: Wheel, 160: Power distribution mechanism, 161: First motor, 162: Second motor, 163: Main battery, 164: Charger, 165: Vehicle-side connector, 166: Converter, 167: First converter, 168: Output shaft, 171: Auxiliary battery, 172: Auxiliary machine, 173: Second converter, 174: Auxiliary machine power line, 200, 200a to 200c: Server, 201, 201a to 201c: Processor of server, 202, 202a to 202c: Memory of server, 203: Input / output interface of server, 204: Internal bus of server, 205: Communication device of server, 213: Remote control section, 300: External sensor, 900: External power source, 957: Power source-side connector, DB: Mode database, DB1: First mode database, DB2: Second mode database, DB3: Third mode database, DB4: Fourth mode database, DM: Detection model, FC: Factory, GC: Global coordinate system, PG1, PG1v, PG2, PG2a to PG2c: Program, PL1: First location, PL2: Second location, RR: Reference path, TR: Driving road.

Claims

1. A control device that controls the operation of a moving body capable of moving autonomously, comprising: An acquisition unit that acquires process information indicating a manufacturing process being performed on the moving body; A determination unit that determines, using the process information, which of a motor movement mode in which the moving body moves using a motor and an engine movement mode in which the moving body moves using an engine causes the moving body to move; and A control unit that causes the moving body to move by the determined movement mode.

2. The control device according to claim 1, wherein In the manufacturing process determined by the process information, when it is envisaged that there are more than a predetermined number of people within a predetermined distance range from the moving body, the determination unit determines that the moving body moves by the motor movement mode.

3. The control device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein In the manufacturing process determined by the process information, when it is envisaged that there are less than a predetermined number of people within a predetermined distance range from the moving body, the determination unit determines that the moving body moves by the engine movement mode.

4. The control device according to claim 1, wherein In the case where the manufacturing process determined by the process information is a manufacturing process performed before the manufacturing process of mounting an exhaust gas treatment device on the moving body, the determination unit determines that the moving body moves by the motor movement mode.

5. The control device according to claim 1 or 4, wherein In the case where the manufacturing process determined by the process information is a manufacturing process performed after the manufacturing process of mounting an exhaust gas treatment device on the moving body, the determination unit determines that the moving body moves by the engine movement mode.

6. The control device according to claim 1, wherein In the case where a target value of the moving speed of the moving body in the manufacturing process determined by the process information is less than a predetermined speed, the determination unit determines that the moving body moves by the motor movement mode.

7. The control device according to claim 1 or 6, wherein In the case where a target value of the moving speed of the moving body in the manufacturing process determined by the process information is equal to or higher than a predetermined speed, the determination unit determines that the moving body moves by the engine movement mode.

8. The control device according to claim 1, wherein In the case where the manufacturing process determined by the process information is a manufacturing process that requires driving the engine, the determination unit determines that the moving body moves by the engine movement mode.

9. The control device according to claim 1, wherein The manufacturing process that requires driving the engine is at least one of the following processes: An engine inspection process for inspecting the function of the engine; A preprocessing process for performing preprocessing for correctly evaluating the function of the engine in the engine inspection process; A processing device inspection process for inspecting the function of the exhaust gas treatment device; And A liquid leakage inspection process for inspecting liquid leakage generated by driving of the engine.

10. A control system comprising: A mobile body capable of moving autonomously; An acquisition unit that acquires process information indicating a manufacturing process being performed on the mobile body; A determination unit that determines, using the process information, which of an engine movement mode of moving the mobile body using an engine and a motor movement mode of moving the mobile body using a motor causes the mobile body to move; and A control unit that moves the mobile body by the determined movement mode.

11. A control method, which is a control method for controlling the operation of a mobile body capable of moving autonomously, comprising: An acquisition process of acquiring process information indicating a manufacturing process being performed on the mobile body; A determination process of determining, using the process information, which of an engine movement mode of moving the mobile body using an engine and a motor movement mode of moving the mobile body using a motor causes the mobile body to move; And A control process of moving the mobile body by the determined movement mode.

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