Automated driving control method and control system for a vehicle fleet

Abstract

The application relates to a vehicle fleet automatic driving control method, comprising: in response to a vehicle fleet initiation instruction, generating a vehicle fleet formation request by a first vehicle; based on position information of the first vehicle, defining a target range, and the vehicle fleet formation request being mass-sent to all other vehicles in the target range; based on position information of a second vehicle that makes a team-joining agreement feedback to the vehicle fleet formation request, updating the target range, and mass-sending the vehicle fleet formation request to the updated target range; repeatedly performing the updating of the target range and the mass-sending of the vehicle fleet formation request in the target range until no other vehicle in the target range makes a team-joining agreement feedback; and forming a vehicle fleet by the first vehicle and all the vehicles that make the team-joining agreement feedback, and determining a vehicle in the front most along a driving direction in the vehicle fleet as a head vehicle of the vehicle fleet. Thus, a plurality of vehicles can be controlled to automatically drive in the form of a vehicle fleet, especially in a congested road section or a team cooperation scene, so as to improve traffic efficiency and safety.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a fleet autonomous driving control method, a fleet autonomous driving control system, and corresponding computer program products. Background Technology

[0002] Autonomous platooning technology can effectively address urban congestion and improve road utilization. In platooning mode, multiple autonomous vehicles can interact in real time using technologies such as vehicle-to-everything (V2X) to shorten following distances through coordinated control, reducing road resource occupation. This effectively alleviates traffic congestion during peak hours and reduces energy consumption and emissions caused by frequent acceleration and deceleration. Existing platooning schemes mostly employ an active recruitment mechanism, where the initiating vehicle continuously broadcasts platooning attributes, routes, and speeds to the surrounding area. Other vehicles need to actively detect existing platoons and join those led by the initiating vehicle. However, this mode is prone to problems such as delayed platooning response, low platooning success rate, and low traffic efficiency in complex road conditions. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this invention is to propose an improved method for autonomous driving control of a fleet and an improved system for autonomous driving control of a fleet, so as to solve at least one of the above-mentioned prior art problems and / or other unmentioned technical problems.

[0004] According to a first aspect of the present invention, a method for controlling autonomous driving of a fleet is provided, comprising: in response to a fleet initiation command, a first vehicle generating a fleet formation request; defining a target range based on the location information of the first vehicle, wherein the fleet formation request is sent to all other vehicles within the target range; updating the target range based on the location information of a second vehicle that has agreed to join the fleet formation request, and sending the fleet formation request to the updated target range; repeatedly updating the target range and sending the fleet formation request to the target range until no other vehicle within the target range has agreed to join the fleet; and forming a fleet by combining the first vehicle and all vehicles that have agreed to join the fleet, and determining the vehicle that is foremost in the fleet along the direction of travel as the lead vehicle of the fleet.

[0005] According to an optional embodiment of the present invention, the method further includes: generating an autonomous driving plan by the lead vehicle and sending it to all other vehicles in the convoy, so that all vehicles in the convoy can drive according to the autonomous driving plan.

[0006] According to an optional embodiment of the present invention, the method further includes: determining the rank of each vehicle in the convoy based on the relative position information of all vehicles in the convoy, wherein all vehicles in the convoy travel in sequence according to the determined rank in a zip-chain manner; in particular, the rank of each vehicle in the convoy is also determined based on the rank negotiation results between the vehicles in the convoy.

[0007] According to an optional embodiment of the present invention, in response to the autonomous driving scheme, all vehicles in the fleet synchronously and automatically adjust to an autonomous driving mode that operates according to the autonomous driving scheme.

[0008] According to an optional embodiment of the present invention, the lead vehicle generates the autonomous driving scheme based on the road information it has acquired, the autonomous driving scheme specifically including driving speed, following distance and anti-cutting strategy.

[0009] According to an optional embodiment of the invention, the fleet formation request is not repeatedly sent to the first vehicle and the vehicle that has given consent to form a fleet.

[0010] According to an optional embodiment of the present invention, the convoy initiation command is generated by the first vehicle based on navigation information indicating that it has entered or is about to enter a congested road segment, or it is actively input by the driver of the first vehicle.

[0011] According to an optional embodiment of the present invention, the method further includes: in response to a convoy exit instruction, generating a convoy exit request from the vehicle to be exited in the convoy, wherein the convoy exit instruction is generated, in particular, by the vehicle to be exited based on navigation information indicating that it has passed through a congested section, or by the driver of the vehicle to be exited actively inputting the instruction; and if the lead vehicle agrees to exit the convoy in response to the convoy exit request, the vehicle to be exited exits the convoy, and the remaining vehicles in the convoy are repositioned and continue driving according to the autonomous driving scheme until all vehicles in the convoy have exited the convoy.

[0012] According to an optional embodiment of the present invention, the method further includes: generating a convoy disbandment instruction by the lead vehicle, and sending the convoy disbandment instruction to all other vehicles in the convoy; disbanding the convoy if all vehicles that received the convoy disbandment instruction agree to disband; and if any vehicle that received the convoy disbandment instruction refuses to disband, the lead vehicle and the vehicle that agreed to disband leave the convoy, and the vehicle that refused to disband is re-ranked and continues to drive according to the autonomous driving scheme in the updated ranking until all vehicles in the convoy have left the convoy.

[0013] According to a second aspect of the present invention, a fleet autonomous driving control system is provided, comprising: a request processing module configured to generate a fleet formation request in response to a fleet initiation command; and a fleet formation strategy module configured to define a target range based on the location information of a first vehicle and send the fleet formation request to all other vehicles within the target range; update the target range based on the location information of a second vehicle that agrees to the fleet formation request, and send the fleet formation request to the updated target range; repeatedly update the target range and send the fleet formation request to the target range until no other vehicle within the target range agrees to the fleet formation request; form a fleet by combining the first vehicle and all vehicles that agree to the fleet formation request, and determine the vehicle leading along the direction of travel in the fleet as the lead vehicle of the fleet.

[0014] According to an optional embodiment of the present invention, the system further includes: an autonomous driving scheme generation module, which is configured to generate an autonomous driving scheme based on the acquired road information and send the autonomous driving scheme to all other vehicles in the fleet except the lead vehicle.

[0015] According to an optional embodiment of the present invention, the request processing module is arranged in the vehicle controller.

[0016] According to an optional embodiment of the present invention, the team strategy module is deployed in a cloud server.

[0017] According to a third aspect of the invention, a computer program product, particularly a computer-readable storage medium or computer program, is also provided, comprising program instructions configured to execute any of the automated vehicle control methods for fleets according to the invention when run by one or more processors.

[0018] Through certain embodiments of the present invention, multiple vehicles can be controlled in platooning for autonomous driving, particularly in congested traffic or team collaboration scenarios, thereby improving traffic efficiency and safety.

[0019] It is worth noting that the advantages and beneficial effects of the present invention are not limited to those mentioned above. Those skilled in the art can understand other unmentioned advantages and beneficial effects of the present invention through the following specific embodiments and claims. Attached Figure Description

[0020] The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, which will provide a better understanding of the principles, features, and advantages of the invention. In the drawings, Figure 1 A communication scenario diagram of an exemplary fleet autonomous driving control method according to the present invention is shown; Figure 2 A first flow scenario diagram of an exemplary fleet autonomous driving control method according to the present invention is shown; Figure 3 A second flow scenario diagram of an exemplary fleet autonomous driving control method according to the present invention is shown; Figure 4 A third flow scenario diagram of an exemplary fleet autonomous driving control method according to the present invention is shown; Figure 5 Another second flow scenario diagram of the exemplary fleet autonomous driving control method according to the present invention is shown; and Figure 6 Another third process scenario diagram of the exemplary fleet autonomous driving control method according to the present invention is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0021] To make the technical problems to be solved, the technical solutions, and the beneficial technical effects of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and exemplary embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only for explaining the principles of the invention and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the invention.

[0022] According to some embodiments of the present invention, a method for controlling autonomous driving of a fleet is provided, comprising: in response to a fleet initiation command, a first vehicle generating a fleet formation request; defining a target range based on the location information of the first vehicle, and sending the fleet formation request to all other vehicles within the target range; updating the target range based on the location information of a second vehicle that agrees to join the fleet formation request, and sending the fleet formation request to the updated target range; repeatedly updating the target range and sending the fleet formation request to the target range until no other vehicle within the target range agrees to join the fleet; and forming a fleet by combining the first vehicle and all vehicles that agree to join the fleet, and determining the vehicle at the front of the fleet along the direction of travel as the lead vehicle of the fleet.

[0023] Figure 1 This demonstrates a vehicle-to-vehicle communication method based on a cloud server. Figures 2 to 4 The diagram illustrates different flow scenarios of an exemplary fleet autonomous driving control method according to the present invention.

[0024] like Figure 2As shown, vehicle number 1 is the first vehicle. The first vehicle can generate a convoy formation request in response to a convoy initiation command. The convoy initiation command can be generated by the first vehicle 1 based on navigation information indicating that it has entered or is about to enter a congested road segment; this can be generated automatically based on navigation information without driver intervention. Alternatively, the convoy initiation command can be actively input by the driver of the first vehicle. Therefore, the first vehicle can be in either autonomous driving mode or manual driving mode when generating the convoy initiation command. The convoy formation request can be, for example, as follows: Figure 1 The data is uploaded from the first vehicle to the cloud server, and then the cloud server sends it to all other vehicles within the target range. Figure 2 For example, the dashed circle indicates a target area defined based on the location information of the first vehicle 1. A convoy formation request generated by the first vehicle can be sent to vehicles numbered 2, 4, and 5 within this target area. Alternatively, the convoy formation request can be sent from the first vehicle to all other vehicles within the target area via short-range inter-vehicle communication, instead of through a cloud server. Here, a vehicle is considered to be within the target area as long as it is partially located within it.

[0025] If vehicle number 5 agrees to join the convoy but vehicles numbered 2 and 4 do not (e.g., do not provide any feedback or refuse to join the convoy), then... Figure 3 As shown, vehicle number 5 is designated as the second vehicle, and the target range is updated based on its location information. The updated target range is indicated by a dotted-line circle, and vehicles numbered 1, 2, and 8 are within this updated target range. Since the first vehicle, number 1, generated the fleet formation request, it is not necessary to send the fleet formation request to the first vehicle again; instead, fleet formation requests are sent to vehicles numbered 2 and 8. That is, although some vehicles may have refused to join the fleet or not responded at all during the first round of fleet formation requests, these vehicles can still be sent fleet formation requests again in subsequent rounds, giving them an opportunity to change their minds and participate in the fleet formation. This is because during driving, the driver's thoughts and autonomous driving strategies dynamically change with complex and ever-changing road conditions. Furthermore, some drivers may have wanted to join the fleet when they last received a fleet formation request but failed to respond with timely agreement.

[0026] Here, a waiting feedback time can be set based on parameters such as the congestion level of the current or upcoming road segment, the distance to the congested segment, and the estimated travel time. Only platooning consent responses made within this waiting feedback time are valid; if the waiting feedback time is exceeded, the platooning consent responses are invalid or cannot be made. During the waiting feedback time, the dynamic target range defined based on the first vehicle or the vehicle that made the platooning consent response remains unchanged. Since the vehicle is likely to move, this dynamic target range will also move accordingly.

[0027] Next, when vehicle number 2 did not agree to join the group but vehicle number 8 did, if... Figure 4 As shown, vehicle number 8 is designated as the third vehicle, and the target range is updated again based on its location information. The updated target range is indicated by a double-dotted circle, and vehicle number 9 is within this updated target range. Subsequently, if vehicle number 9 agrees to join the fleet, the target range is repeatedly updated using vehicle number 9's location information, and a fleet formation request is sent out to all vehicles within the corresponding target range. The formed fleet at this point includes at least vehicles numbered 1, 5, 8, and 9. If vehicle number 9 refuses to join the fleet, the fleet formation process ends, and the formed fleet includes vehicles numbered 1, 5, and 8.

[0028] Figure 5 and Figure 6 A scenario diagram illustrating different processes of another exemplary fleet autonomous driving control method according to the present invention is shown. Figure 5 In the scene shown, in such Figure 2 As shown, after the convoy formation request generated by vehicle 1 is sent to vehicles numbered 2, 4, and 5 within the corresponding target range, vehicles numbered 4 and 5 both agree to form a convoy, while vehicle number 2 does not agree (e.g., it either doesn't respond or rejects the request). Subsequently, vehicles numbered 4 and 5 become second vehicles and update the target range based on their respective location information, indicated by a dotted-line circle. Vehicles numbered 2 and 8 are within the target range based on vehicle number 5; vehicles numbered 3, 6, and 7 are within the target range based on vehicle number 4. Similarly, vehicle number 1 is not resent the convoy formation request.

[0029] Next, when vehicles numbered 7 and 8 agree to join the convoy, but vehicles numbered 2, 3, and 6 do not, if... Figure 6As shown, vehicles numbered 7 and 8 are both designated as third vehicles, and the target range is updated again based on their respective location information. The updated target range is indicated by a double-dotted circle. Vehicles numbered 3, 4, and 9 are within this updated target range. The decision to continue the convoy formation process and determine the final convoy composition is based on whether these three vehicles agree to join the convoy.

[0030] In other words, in the same round of defining the target area and sending out group convoy formation requests, the second vehicle, the third vehicle, and the vehicle that subsequently agrees to form a convoy can refer to one or more vehicles.

[0031] Based on the above... Figures 2 to 6 As shown in the detailed description of the scenario diagram, since each vehicle may be in motion, their location information may change in real time. The target area defined based on the location information of a specific vehicle also changes in real time, and the vehicles within the target area that are to be sent fleet formation requests also change in real time when determining which vehicles to send them to. Because the target area is defined around a specific vehicle, vehicles within that target area will have a greater willingness to participate in fleet formation. Therefore, by dynamically defining the target area and dynamically targeting fleet formation requests, it is more effective to accurately deliver fleet formation requests, thereby successfully and time-efficiently forming a fleet.

[0032] Specifically, a convoy is formed only if at least two vehicles agree to join, meaning a convoy must consist of at least three vehicles.

[0033] Specifically, the target area can preferably be a circular area centered on the first vehicle or the vehicle that has given the consent to form a convoy. However, the shape of the target area can be adjusted as needed, such as a square or even an irregular shape.

[0034] In the assembled convoy, according to the present invention, the vehicle that is furthest along the direction of travel in the convoy is specifically designated as the lead vehicle. That is, the lead vehicle is not necessarily the first vehicle to initiate or generate the convoy formation request. Figure 1 For example, the vehicle marked X is the first vehicle, but the lead vehicle in a convoy can be a vehicle marked X+n. In this way, vehicles already ahead of the first vehicle don't need to wait for it to pass before following, thus improving traffic efficiency. This is particularly advantageous when navigating congested roads.

[0035] When designating the lead vehicle as the vehicle at the front of the convoy in the direction of travel, each vehicle in the convoy can be positioned in a different lane traveling in the same direction. For example, in Figure 6 In the scenario shown, the vehicle numbered 7 will be identified as the lead vehicle.

[0036] Preferably, the lead vehicle can generate an autonomous driving plan and distribute it to all other vehicles in the convoy, enabling all vehicles in the convoy to drive according to the autonomous driving plan. In other words, the lead vehicle leads all following vehicles to drive according to the autonomous driving plan.

[0037] Specifically, the lead vehicle can generate the autonomous driving plan based on the road information it acquires. For example, once a vehicle is identified as the lead vehicle, it can use its onboard perception system (including camera image recognition, high-precision map positioning and matching, vehicle-to-infrastructure communication, etc.) to obtain the maximum speed information of the current road segment. Based on this maximum speed information, it calculates the braking distance required for each vehicle in the convoy at the current speed, and then generates an autonomous driving plan that includes driving speed, following distance, and anti-cutting-in strategy. This autonomous driving plan can then be sent to all other vehicles in the convoy (i.e., all following vehicles) via a cloud server, for example, to the onboard telematics terminals (TBOX) of each vehicle. The anti-cutting-in strategy can be, for example, a control strategy that compresses the space available for cutting in line by fine-tuning the following distance between a single vehicle and the vehicle in front of it.

[0038] It should be understood that since the braking distance of different vehicles in the fleet may vary due to factors such as tire specifications or inertia, the above-mentioned autonomous driving scheme can be understood in particular as a requirement proposed for each vehicle in the fleet. After receiving the autonomous driving scheme, each vehicle can use its existing driving control strategy to achieve the requirements proposed by the above-mentioned autonomous driving scheme.

[0039] Preferably, the position of each vehicle in the convoy can be determined based on the relative position information of all vehicles in the convoy, and all vehicles in the convoy travel sequentially in a zip-chain manner according to the determined position. For example, after the lead vehicle selects its lane (it can remain in the same lane or change to a more suitable one), the following vehicles in their respective lanes also adjust to the lead vehicle's lane in sequence according to their determined positions. This process is completed during the movement of each vehicle in the convoy, without additional waiting time. This can help achieve higher traffic efficiency.

[0040] Furthermore, the ranking of each vehicle in the fleet can be determined based on the ranking negotiation results among the vehicles in the fleet. When the ranking cannot be determined based on the relative position information of all vehicles in the fleet, for example, when there are multiple vehicles in the fleet that can be ranked in a certain position based on relative position information, a ranking negotiation process can be introduced among these vehicles. For example, the relevant ranking negotiation information can be displayed to the vehicle driver through the vehicle's infotainment system. This process can include multiple rounds of dialogue within a predetermined time period.

[0041] Therefore, it can be expected that the following will be formed: Figure 1 The convoy shown has each vehicle having a convoy rank number, such as... Figure 1 The diagram illustrates Xm, ..., X-1, X, X+1, ..., X+n, where the ranking can be any other suitable variation. Thus, each vehicle in the convoy can, for example, know through its in-vehicle infotainment system which vehicles are in front of and behind it, and therefore know which vehicle it should follow and which vehicle it will be followed during autonomous driving. This can be done silently by the individual vehicles in autonomous driving mode, or the in-vehicle infotainment system can display the assembled convoy and its ranking to the vehicle drivers.

[0042] The autonomous driving plan generated by the lead vehicle can be distributed to every vehicle in the convoy except the lead vehicle, for example, via a cloud server. In response to receiving the autonomous driving plan, all vehicles in the convoy, including the lead vehicle, can synchronously and automatically adjust to an autonomous driving mode according to the plan. If a single vehicle was previously in manual driving mode, it needs to switch to autonomous driving mode and drive according to the plan. If a single vehicle was already in autonomous driving mode, it can adjust its speed and following distance according to the plan. This allows individual vehicles in the convoy to activate autonomous driving in batches, thereby improving convoy efficiency, especially in congested traffic.

[0043] In addition to the platooning control strategies described above, the platooning automatic driving control method according to the present invention may also involve platooning disengagement control strategies.

[0044] Specifically, in some embodiments, when a vehicle (lead vehicle or other vehicle) in the convoy wants to leave the convoy, that vehicle can be considered a vehicle to be leaving. In this case, the vehicle to be leaving can generate a convoy exit request in response to the convoy exit instruction. If the vehicle to be leaving is not the lead vehicle, the convoy exit request is sent to at least the lead vehicle in the convoy. If the lead vehicle agrees to leave the convoy in response to the convoy exit request, the vehicle to be leaving can leave the convoy, and the remaining vehicles in the convoy are reordered and continue driving according to the autonomous driving scheme until all vehicles in the convoy have left the convoy. Alternatively, the convoy exit request can also be additionally sent to the vehicles immediately before and after the vehicle to be leaving, or it can be sent to all other vehicles in the convoy. This allows the vehicles immediately before and after the vehicle to leave to understand the intention of the vehicle to leave and the change in the vehicle it is following, thereby eliminating any doubts; it also allows the remaining vehicles in the convoy to understand the change in the overall size of the convoy, thus helping them to make a decision on whether to leave the convoy.

[0045] Here, the request to leave the convoy can be generated by the vehicle to be leaving based on navigation information indicating that it has passed through a congested section. This can be generated automatically based on navigation information without driver intervention; alternatively, it can be manually entered by the driver of the vehicle to be leaving. Similarly, the distribution of the request to leave the convoy among the relevant vehicles can be facilitated by a cloud server or short-range communication between vehicles.

[0046] In other embodiments, the lead vehicle can also proactively disband the convoy, for example, in a scenario where a self-driving tour convoy reaches its destination and ends its trip. In this case, the lead vehicle can generate a convoy disbandment command, which is then sent to all other vehicles in the convoy. The convoy disbands when all vehicles receiving the disbandment command agree to it. For example, the disbandment command can be displayed on the central control screens of all vehicles in the convoy except the lead vehicle, and each driver can then agree to the disbandment by operating the central control screen. A time period can be set, during which if a vehicle does not agree to the disbandment, it is assumed that the vehicle has agreed. If any vehicle that received the disbandment command refuses to disband, the lead vehicle and the vehicle that agreed to the disbandment leave the convoy, and the vehicle that refused to disband is re-ranked and continues driving according to the autonomous driving scheme with the updated ranking until all vehicles in the convoy have left the convoy.

[0047] While leaving the fleet, the vehicle can exit the current autonomous driving mode, such as switching back to manual driving mode or another autonomous driving mode different from the aforementioned autonomous driving scheme.

[0048] According to other embodiments of the present invention, a fleet autonomous driving control system is provided, comprising: a request processing module configured to generate a fleet formation request in response to a fleet initiation command; and a fleet formation strategy module configured to define a target range based on the location information of a first vehicle and send the fleet formation request to all other vehicles within the target range; update the target range based on the location information of a second vehicle that agrees to the fleet formation request, and send the fleet formation request to the updated target range; repeatedly update the target range and send the fleet formation request within the target range until no other vehicle within the target range agrees to the fleet formation request; form a fleet by combining the first vehicle and all vehicles that agree to the fleet formation request, and determine the vehicle leading along the driving direction in the fleet as the lead vehicle of the fleet.

[0049] Preferably, the request processing module can be configured to generate, send, and receive fleet formation requests, fleet exit requests, and fleet disbandment instructions. Here, the request processing module is particularly located in the vehicle controller. Additionally or alternatively, the fleet formation strategy module is located in a cloud server. When the fleet formation strategy module is located in the cloud server, the cloud server collects the location information of each relevant vehicle and defines and updates the target range based on this location information. For example, the fleet formation request sent by the first vehicle to the cloud server includes the location information of the first vehicle. The cloud server defines the target range based on the location information of the first vehicle and sends fleet formation requests to all other vehicles whose location information falls within the target range. Then, after receiving a consent to join the fleet from the second vehicle, the cloud server redefines the target range and sends out fleet formation requests again using the location information of the second vehicle, repeating this process until no other vehicles within the target range consent to join the fleet. In this way, the cloud server can conveniently track all vehicles around the first vehicle in the current road segment.

[0050] Furthermore, the system also includes an autonomous driving solution generation module, which is configured to generate an autonomous driving solution based on the acquired road information and send the autonomous driving solution to all other vehicles in the fleet except the lead vehicle.

[0051] The autonomous driving solution generation module can be deployed in the vehicle controller. That is, the vehicle designated as the lead vehicle can automatically acquire road information using its onboard perception system after receiving notification that it is the lead vehicle. Then, the lead vehicle's vehicle controller can calculate the braking distance required at the current speed based on the acquired road information, and thus generate an autonomous driving solution that includes driving speed, following distance, and anti-cutting strategies.

[0052] Alternatively, the autonomous driving solution generation module can be partially located in the vehicle controller and partially located in a cloud server. For example, the vehicle designated as the lead vehicle can automatically acquire road information using its onboard perception system upon receiving notification that it is the lead vehicle, and then send this road information to the cloud server. The cloud server can calculate the braking distance required at the current speed based on the received road information, and then generate an autonomous driving solution that includes driving speed, following distance, and anti-cutting strategies. This autonomous driving solution is then distributed to every vehicle in the fleet.

[0053] Therefore, it is not necessary for every vehicle in the convoy to collect road information; instead, the task can be accomplished solely through the onboard perception system of the lead vehicle.

[0054] Further embodiments of the present invention also relate to a computer program product, particularly a computer-readable storage medium or computer program, including program instructions configured to execute any of the automated vehicle control methods for fleets according to the present invention when run by one or more processors.

[0055] Herein, "computer-readable storage medium" may include, but is not limited to, random access memory, read-only memory, programmable read-only memory, erasable programmable read-only memory, electrically erasable programmable read-only memory, static random access memory, read-only optical disc or other optical disc storage, disk storage, magnetic tape storage, or any other computer-readable medium capable of carrying or storing data.

[0056] Although specific embodiments of the invention have been described in detail herein, they are given for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention. Various substitutions, alterations, and modifications can be conceived without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A method for controlling autonomous driving of a fleet, comprising: In response to the convoy initiation command, the first vehicle generates a convoy formation request; Based on the location information of the first vehicle, a target range is defined, and the fleet formation request is sent to all other vehicles within the target range. Based on the location information of the second vehicle that has agreed to join the fleet in response to the fleet formation request, the target range is updated, and the fleet formation request is sent to the updated target range. Repeat the update of the target range and the mass transmission of the fleet formation request within the target range until no other vehicles within the target range agree to form a fleet. and The first vehicle and all vehicles that have agreed to join the convoy are combined into a convoy, and the vehicle that is at the front of the convoy along the direction of travel is determined as the lead vehicle of the convoy.

2. The fleet autonomous driving control method according to claim 1, characterized in that... Also includes: The lead vehicle generates an autonomous driving plan and sends it to all other vehicles in the fleet, enabling all vehicles in the fleet to drive according to the autonomous driving plan.

3. The fleet autonomous driving control method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that... Also includes: Based on the relative position information of all vehicles in the convoy, the rank of each vehicle in the convoy is determined, and all vehicles in the convoy travel in sequence according to the determined rank in a zip-chain manner. Specifically, the ranking of each vehicle in the convoy is determined based on the ranking negotiation results among the vehicles in the convoy.

4. The fleet autonomous driving control method according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, In response to the autonomous driving scheme, all vehicles in the fleet synchronously and automatically adjust to an autonomous driving mode that operates according to the autonomous driving scheme; and / or The lead vehicle generates the autonomous driving plan based on the road information it acquires, the autonomous driving plan specifically including driving speed, following distance, and anti-cutting strategies; and / or The fleet formation request will not be sent repeatedly to the first vehicle and the vehicle that has given its consent to form a fleet.

5. The fleet automatic driving control method according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The convoy initiation command is generated by the first vehicle based on navigation information indicating that it has entered or is about to enter a congested section, or it is actively input by the driver of the first vehicle.

6. The fleet autonomous driving control method according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that... Also includes: In response to a convoy exit command, a convoy exit request is generated by the vehicle to exit the convoy, wherein the convoy exit command is generated by the vehicle to exit based on navigation information indicating that it has passed through a congested section, or is actively entered by the driver of the vehicle to exit; and If the lead vehicle agrees to the request to leave the convoy, the vehicle to be removed leaves the convoy, and the remaining vehicles in the convoy are reordered and continue driving according to the autonomous driving scheme until all vehicles in the convoy have left the convoy.

7. The fleet autonomous driving control method according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that... Also includes: The lead vehicle generates a convoy disbandment command, which is then sent to all other vehicles in the convoy. The fleet is disbanded if all vehicles receiving the disbandment order agree to the disbandment; and If any vehicle that receives the disbandment instruction refuses to disband, the lead vehicle and the vehicle that agrees to disband shall leave the convoy. The vehicles that refuse to disband shall be reordered and continue driving according to the autonomous driving scheme in the updated order until all vehicles in the convoy have left the convoy.

8. A fleet autonomous driving control system, comprising: The request processing module is configured to at least respond to a fleet initiation command and generate a fleet assembly request. and The team formation strategy module is configured to: define a target range based on the location information of the first vehicle and send the team formation request to all other vehicles within the target range; update the target range based on the location information of the second vehicle that agrees to the team formation request, and send the team formation request to the updated target range; repeat the updating of the target range and the sending of the team formation request within the target range until no other vehicle within the target range agrees to the team formation request. The first vehicle and all vehicles that have agreed to form a convoy are combined into a convoy, and the vehicle that is at the front of the convoy along the direction of travel is determined as the lead vehicle of the convoy.

9. The fleet autonomous driving control system according to claim 8, characterized in that, The fleet autonomous driving control system further includes an autonomous driving plan generation module, which is configured to generate an autonomous driving plan based on the acquired road information and send the autonomous driving plan to all other vehicles in the fleet except the lead vehicle; and / or The request processing module is located in the vehicle controller; and / or The team formation strategy module is deployed on a cloud server.

10. A computer program product, particularly a computer-readable storage medium or computer program, comprising program instructions configured to execute the fleet autonomous driving control method according to any one of claims 1-7 when run by one or more processors.

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