Lane change recommendation system and lane change recommendation method

Abstract

A lane change recommendation system and lane change method are disclosed. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the lane change recommendation system comprises: a first sensor unit for sensing the surroundings of the vehicle; a second sensor unit for sensing vehicle body information; a navigation device for providing navigation information; and a control unit for providing lane change recommendations to the driver of the vehicle or controlling lane changes of the vehicle based on information collected from the first sensor unit, the second sensor unit, and the navigation device. The control unit sets a target lane for the vehicle based on the navigation information, and when the vehicle is traveling in the target lane, if it needs to overtake a vehicle in front or avoid the target lane, it determines whether a strategic lane change to an adjacent lane is necessary to provide a lane change recommendation or control the lane change.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a lane change recommendation system and method. More specifically, this invention relates to a lane change recommendation system and method capable of making optimal lane changes for a vehicle driving along a navigation path based on the situation. Background Technology

[0002] In a vehicle, a driver assistance system provides support and convenience to the driver while driving. Among these features, lane change assist offers a safe method to help the vehicle change lanes.

[0003] On the other hand, according to the Level of Automated Driving standards set by the American Automobile Association (SAE), Level 1 automated driving functions that only support one of the functions of steering and acceleration or deceleration control, and Level 2 automated driving functions that support both functions, are currently used in various vehicle models regardless of OEM, and are quite common.

[0004] In particular, in recent years, the demand for mass production of Level 2+ autonomous driving technology has been increasing. Although drivers are still responsible for driving, Level 2+ autonomous driving technology can significantly improve driving convenience compared to Level 2 functions, supporting highway entry and exit, automatic lane changing, and merging lane entry.

[0005] Therefore, in driving assistance functions that assist vehicles in lane changing, there is a need for a lane change recommendation system and lane change recommendation method that can provide autonomous driving functions that improve the driving convenience of the driver. Summary of the Invention

[0006] (a) Technical problems to be solved

[0007] The present invention aims to solve the problems of the prior art mentioned above, and its purpose is to provide a lane change recommendation system and a lane change recommendation method for performing lane change recommendation and lane change control in accordance with the requirements of Level 2+ autonomous driving technology when driving a vehicle along a navigation path.

[0008] However, the technical problems to be solved by the embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the above-mentioned technical problems, and may also include other technical problems.

[0009] (II) Technical Solution

[0010] As a technical solution to address the aforementioned technical problems, a lane change recommendation system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a first sensor unit for sensing the surroundings of the vehicle; a second sensor unit for sensing vehicle body information; a navigation device for providing navigation information; and a control unit for providing lane change recommendations to the driver of the vehicle or controlling lane changes of the vehicle based on information collected from the first sensor unit, the second sensor unit, and the navigation device. The control unit sets a target lane for the vehicle based on the navigation information, and when the vehicle is traveling in the target lane, if it needs to overtake a vehicle in front or avoid the target lane, the control unit determines whether it is necessary to strategically change lanes to an adjacent lane to provide lane change recommendations or control lane changes.

[0011] Additionally, the control unit may include: a vehicle ahead overtaking determination unit, which determines whether it is necessary to overtake the vehicle ahead when the vehicle is traveling in the target lane; and a lane avoidance determination unit, which determines whether it is necessary to avoid the driving lane when the vehicle is traveling in the target lane. The control unit may also include a strategic lane change determination unit, which determines whether it is necessary to strategically change lanes to an adjacent lane based on the determination of the vehicle ahead overtaking determination unit or the lane avoidance determination unit.

[0012] Furthermore, when the vehicle is unable to travel at a set speed due to the vehicle in front, if the vehicle meets the predetermined driving conditions that do not obstruct the traffic flow of surrounding vehicles, the vehicle in front overtaking determination unit can determine that it is necessary to overtake the vehicle in front.

[0013] In addition, the lane avoidance judgment unit may include a congestion section judgment unit, a construction section judgment unit, and a merging section judgment unit. When the adjacent lane of the driving lane of the vehicle is a congestion section, a construction section, or a merging section, the lane avoidance judgment unit determines that the driving lane needs to be avoided.

[0014] Additionally, the control unit may include a target lane change determination unit, which determines whether to change the target lane of the vehicle. When the strategic lane change determination unit determines that a strategic lane change is needed and the vehicle changes lanes, the target lane change determination unit can change the changed lane to the target lane.

[0015] Additionally, the control unit may include a navigation path target lane determination unit, which determines the target lane based on the navigation path. When the navigation path is updated, if the navigation path target lane determination unit determines that the target lane has changed based on the path, the target lane change determination unit may change the target lane based on the updated path to the target lane.

[0016] In addition, when the vehicle is not traveling in the target lane, if the driver changes the lane to the opposite direction of the target lane through input, or cancels the lane change to the target lane through the driver, the target lane change determination unit can change the lane in which the vehicle is traveling to the new target lane.

[0017] In addition, when the strategic lane change determination unit determines that a strategic lane change is required and changes lanes accordingly, if it determines that the vehicle is traveling in the overtaking lane, the target lane change determination unit can change the target lane back to the original driving lane.

[0018] Additionally, the control unit may include a lane recommendation mode determination unit, which determines one of the following recommendation modes based on the vehicle's driving scenario: a path-based lane recommendation mode, a strategic lane recommendation mode, and a driving lane return recommendation mode.

[0019] In addition, if the control unit does not receive a lane change cancellation instruction from the driver within a predetermined time after recommending a lane change to the driver of the vehicle, it can control the vehicle to perform an automatic lane change.

[0020] A lane change recommendation method according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a step of performing path-based lane recommendation based on a target lane according to a navigation path; a step of determining whether the vehicle is traveling in the target lane; a step of determining whether a strategic lane change is needed when the vehicle is traveling in the target lane; and a step of recommending a lane change, wherein when a strategic lane change is needed, a lane change recommendation is performed to change the lane to an adjacent lane of the vehicle's current lane.

[0021] Additionally, the method may further include: when the vehicle changes lanes in the lane change recommendation step, the changed lane is changed to the new target lane; and the lane change recommendation method may further include: after changing the target lane, determining whether the vehicle is traveling in the overtaking lane; if it is determined to be traveling in the overtaking lane, recommending a return to the original driving lane.

[0022] In addition, in the step of determining whether a strategic lane change is necessary, if it is determined based on the relationship between the vehicle and the vehicle in front that the vehicle needs to overtake the vehicle in front, it can be determined that a strategic lane change is necessary.

[0023] In addition, in the step of determining whether a strategic lane change is necessary, if it is determined that it is necessary to yield to the driving lane, then a strategic lane change is necessary.

[0024] In addition, situations in which it is determined that it is necessary to avoid the driving lane may include situations where the adjacent lane of the vehicle's driving lane is a congested area, the adjacent lane is a construction area, or the adjacent lane is a merging area.

[0025] In addition, when the adjacent lane is a congested section, a construction section, or a merging section, lane change recommendations can be made to change the lane to an adjacent lane on the opposite side of the adjacent lane.

[0026] In addition, in the step of determining whether the vehicle is traveling in the target lane, if it is determined that the vehicle is not traveling in the target lane, the lane can be set as the new target lane if the driver changes the lane to the opposite direction of the target lane through input, or if the driver cancels the lane change to the target lane.

[0027] Additionally, when the target lane changes based on the updated navigation route, route-based lane recommendations can be made based on the changed target lane.

[0028] In addition, if a lane change recommendation is given to the driver of the vehicle and no lane change cancellation instruction is received from the driver within a predetermined time, the vehicle can be controlled to perform an automatic lane change.

[0029] On the other hand, according to an embodiment of the present invention, a non-transitory storage medium is a computer-readable non-transitory storage medium storing a program for executing a lane change recommendation method on a computer. The lane change recommendation method includes: a step of performing path-based lane recommendation based on a target lane according to a navigation path; a step of determining whether the vehicle is traveling in the target lane; a step of determining whether a strategic lane change is needed when the vehicle is traveling in the target lane; and a step of recommending a lane change when a strategic lane change is needed, thereby changing the lane to an adjacent lane to the vehicle's current lane.

[0030] The technical solutions described above are merely exemplary and should not be construed as limiting the present invention. In addition to the exemplary embodiments described above, other embodiments may exist as shown in the accompanying drawings and detailed descriptions.

[0031] (III) Beneficial Effects

[0032] According to the technical solution of the present invention described above, a lane change recommendation system and a lane change recommendation method are provided, which provide an autonomous driving function that significantly improves the driving convenience of the driver by enhancing the lane recommendation system necessary for Level 2+ autonomous driving functions.

[0033] Furthermore, according to the present invention, a lane change recommendation system and a lane change recommendation method can be provided that improve the driver's driving efficiency and driving convenience while realizing the navigation route following (NRF) function along the navigation path.

[0034] However, the effects that can be obtained by the present invention are not limited to the above-mentioned effects, and other effects are also possible. Attached Figure Description

[0035] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the control configuration of a lane change recommendation system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0036] Figure 2 This is a control configuration diagram that more specifically illustrates the configuration of the control unit in a lane change recommendation system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] Figure 3 This is a diagram illustrating a driving scenario based on a path-based lane recommendation mode in a lane change recommendation system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0038] Figure 4 This is a diagram illustrating a driving scenario based on a strategic lane change recommendation mode in a lane change recommendation system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] Figure 5 This is a diagram illustrating a driving scenario in a lane change recommendation system according to an embodiment of the present invention, where the driver returns to the recommended mode based on the driving lane.

[0040] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the control flow of a lane change recommendation method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0041] Figure 7This is a schematic diagram illustrating the control flow of a lane change recommendation method according to an embodiment of the present invention when the vehicle is not traveling in the target lane.

[0042] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0043] 1: This vehicle

[0044] 2: Vehicles ahead

[0045] 100: Lane Change Recommendation System

[0046] 110: First Sensor Unit

[0047] 120: Second Sensor Section

[0048] 130: Navigation device

[0049] 140: High-definition map (HD Map)

[0050] 150: Control Department

[0051] 151: Navigation Path Target Lane Determination Unit

[0052] 152: Driver's manual lane change judgment unit

[0053] 153: Driver Lane Change Cancellation Judgment Unit

[0054] 154: Vehicle ahead overtaking judgment unit

[0055] 155: Lane Avoidance Judgment Unit

[0056] 156: Strategic Lane Change Judgment Department

[0057] 157: Target Lane Change Judgment Unit

[0058] 158: Lane Recommendation Mode Judgment Unit

[0059] 160: Drive unit

[0060] 170: Steering mechanism

[0061] 180: Display device

[0062] 190: Directional indicator light device Detailed Implementation

[0063] The embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings to enable those skilled in the art to readily implement the invention. However, the present invention can be implemented in various forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. Furthermore, in the drawings, parts irrelevant to the description have been omitted for clarity, and similar reference numerals have been used for similar parts throughout the specification.

[0064] Throughout this specification, when one part is "connected" to another part, this includes not only the case of "direct connection" but also the case of "electrical connection" or "indirect connection" with other components in between.

[0065] Throughout this invention, the term "above," "upper part," "upper end," "lower part," "lower part," or "lower end" of another component refers not only to the case where the component is in contact with the other component, but also to the case where there are other components between the two components.

[0066] Throughout this specification, when a part “includes” a component, unless specifically stated otherwise, it means that other components may be included rather than excluded.

[0067] This invention relates to a lane change recommendation system and method capable of making optimal lane changes for vehicles traveling along a navigation path based on the situation.

[0068] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the control configuration of a lane change recommendation system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0069] First, referring to the present invention Figure 1 According to an embodiment of the present invention, a lane change recommendation system 100 may include: a first sensor unit 110 for sensing the surroundings of the vehicle; a second sensor unit 120 for sensing vehicle body information; and a navigation device 130 for providing navigation information.

[0070] Furthermore, the lane change recommendation system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention may further include a control unit 150, which provides lane change recommendations to the driver of the vehicle or controls lane changes of the vehicle based on information collected from the first sensor unit 110, the second sensor unit 120 and the navigation device 130.

[0071] In addition, the control unit 150 can set the target lane of the vehicle based on navigation information, and when the vehicle is driving in the target lane, if it is necessary to overtake the vehicle in front or to avoid the target lane, the control unit can determine whether it is necessary to strategically change lanes to adjacent lanes to provide lane change recommendations or control lane changes.

[0072] The first sensor unit 110 may include at least one of a front-facing camera 10, a front-facing radar 20, and a corner radar 30. However, the sensors included in the first sensor unit 110 are not limited to those described above. The first sensor unit 110 may also include other types of sensors such as lidar sensors and ultrasonic sensors for sensing the surroundings of the vehicle.

[0073] The second sensor unit 120 may include at least one of the vehicle speed sensor 40 and the turn indicator sensor 50. However, the configuration of the second sensor unit 120 is not limited to this, and may include other types of sensors such as steering angle sensors and steering torque sensors, as long as they are sensors capable of sensing the vehicle body information.

[0074] The navigation device 130 may include a GPS sensor for sensing the vehicle’s position and a navigation map that provides surrounding map information, and may generate a driving route (navigation route) for the vehicle based on the destination entered by the driver.

[0075] Furthermore, the lane change recommendation system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention may further include a high-definition map (HD Map) 140. The HD Map 140 refers to a high-precision map that can provide the vehicle's location information and map information on the vehicle's driving position.

[0076] Furthermore, a lane change recommendation system 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention may include a drive unit 160 for controlling the longitudinal movement of the vehicle and a steering unit 170 for controlling the lateral movement of the vehicle. Therefore, when the control unit 150 controls the lane change of the vehicle, the control unit 150 can control the drive unit 160 or the steering unit 170 to cause the vehicle to change lanes to adjacent lanes.

[0077] Furthermore, the lane change recommendation system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a display device 180. For example, the display device may be a human machine interface (HMI). Therefore, the control unit 150 may display the recommended lane change direction on the display device 180 to provide lane change recommendations to the driver, or when the control unit 150 performs an automatic lane change, it may display the lane change in progress on the display device 180 to provide information to the driver.

[0078] Furthermore, the lane change recommendation system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a turn indicator device 190 for illuminating the turn indicator lights of the vehicle. For example, during lane change recommendation or automatic lane change according to an embodiment of the present invention, the turn indicator device 190 may be activated under the control of the control unit 150.

[0079] Reference Figure 2 The configuration of the control unit 150 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in more detail below. Figure 2 This is a control configuration diagram that more specifically illustrates the configuration of the control unit in a lane change recommendation system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0080] Reference Figure 2 The control unit 150 may include a navigation path target lane determination unit 151. The navigation path target lane determination unit 151 may determine the target lane that the vehicle should travel in based on the navigation path provided by the navigation device 130.

[0081] In addition, the control unit 150 may include: a vehicle ahead overtaking determination unit 154, which determines whether it is necessary to overtake the vehicle ahead when the vehicle is traveling in a set target lane; and a lane avoidance determination unit 155, which determines whether it is necessary to avoid the driving lane when the vehicle is traveling in a set target lane.

[0082] In addition, the control unit 150 may include a strategic lane change judgment unit 156, which determines whether it is necessary to strategically change lanes to an adjacent lane based on the judgment of the vehicle ahead overtaking judgment unit 154 or the lane avoidance judgment unit 155.

[0083] When the vehicle is unable to travel at the set speed due to the vehicle in front, if the vehicle meets the predetermined driving conditions that do not obstruct the traffic flow of surrounding vehicles, the vehicle in front overtaking determination unit 154 can determine that it is necessary to overtake the vehicle in front.

[0084] Specifically, the overtaking judgment unit 154 can use the difference between the vehicle's set speed and its actual driving speed to determine whether the vehicle cannot travel at the set speed. When the vehicle cannot travel at the set speed, it uses at least one of the following: the relative speed between the vehicle and the vehicle in front in the driving lane; the vehicle type of the vehicle in front; the distance between the vehicle and the vehicle in front; the relative distance between the vehicle and the vehicle in front in the target lane; and the relative distance between the vehicle and the vehicle behind in the target lane. Whether this correlation condition between the vehicle and surrounding vehicles in the driving lane and the target lane is met can be determined, for example, by using a Support Vector Machine (SVM) model trained to classify data for lane-changing situations and data for non-lane-changing situations.

[0085] Furthermore, the vehicle ahead overtaking determination unit 154 can calculate the acceleration gain value between the vehicle and surrounding vehicles in the driving lane and the target lane, and based on whether the calculated acceleration gain value is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold, finally determine whether it is necessary to overtake the vehicle ahead. Here, the acceleration gain value can be calculated, for example, using a predetermined algorithm for minimizing overall braking induced by lane changes (MOBIL).

[0086] Therefore, when the overtaking determination unit 154 determines that it is necessary to overtake the vehicle in front and can change lanes to the adjacent lane, the strategic lane change determination unit 156 can determine that it is a situation where a strategic lane change is required.

[0087] In addition, the lane avoidance determination unit 155 may include: a congestion section determination unit 155A, which determines whether the adjacent lane of the driving lane in which the vehicle is traveling is a congestion section; a construction section determination unit 155B, which determines whether the adjacent lane is a construction section; and a merging section determination unit 155C, which determines whether the adjacent lane is a merging section.

[0088] When the adjacent lane of the vehicle's driving lane is a congested area, construction area, or merging area, the lane avoidance judgment unit 155 can determine that it is necessary to avoid the driving lane (target lane). This is because, from the perspective of driving speed or driving risk, continuing to drive in the vehicle's driving lane is inefficient when the adjacent lane is a congested area, construction area, or merging area.

[0089] To determine whether an adjacent lane is congested, information about the road the vehicle is traveling on and information about surrounding vehicles traveling in the adjacent lane can be collected, and the degree of congestion can be judged based on a traffic flow model. For example, surrounding vehicles in the adjacent lane can be arranged and time slots assigned to them. By determining whether time slot maintenance conditions or time slot transition conditions are met, the speed trend of the adjacent lane can be confirmed, thereby determining the degree of congestion in the adjacent lane.

[0090] In addition, to determine whether an adjacent lane is within a construction zone, the front-facing camera installed on the vehicle can be used to identify traffic cones (traffic cones or rubber cones). Furthermore, to determine whether an adjacent lane is within a merging zone, information from the navigation device's map or a high-resolution map can be used.

[0091] Furthermore, the control unit 150 may include a target lane change determination unit 157, which determines whether a change of target lane is necessary. When the strategic lane change determination unit 156 determines that a strategic lane change is necessary, and the vehicle changes lanes to an adjacent lane, the target lane change determination unit 157 can change the changed lane (the vehicle's driving lane) to the target lane. That is, when a lane change recommendation is executed based on the determination of the strategic lane change determination unit 156, the target lane change determination unit 157 can reset (change) the vehicle's driving lane after the strategic lane change to the target lane.

[0092] Furthermore, when the navigation path of the navigation device 130 is updated, if the target lane of the navigation path is changed according to the navigation path target lane determination unit 151, the target lane change determination unit 157 can determine that the target lane needs to be changed. That is, the target lane change determination unit 157 can reset the target lane according to the path updated based on the navigation path.

[0093] Furthermore, when the vehicle is not traveling in the target lane, if the driver inputs a lane change to the opposite lane of the target lane, or if the driver cancels the lane change to the target lane, the target lane change determination unit 157 can change the lane in which the vehicle is traveling to the new target lane.

[0094] For example, a scenario where the driver inputs a lane change to the opposite lane from the target lane could be that the system recommends changing lanes to the left based on the target lane, but the driver changes lanes to the right lane in the opposite direction (by operating the steering wheel). According to embodiments of the present invention, such as... Figure 2 The driver manual lane change determination unit 152 shown can determine whether the driver has changed lanes by operating the steering wheel, and when the driver changes lanes in the opposite direction, it can change the lane traveled by lane change to the new target lane.

[0095] Furthermore, a driver can cancel a lane change to the target lane in a situation where the system recommends a lane change to the left based on the target lane, but the driver activates the right-hand turn signal. According to an embodiment of the present invention, such as... Figure 2 The driver lane change cancellation determination unit 153 shown can determine whether the driver cancels the lane change by activating the opposite direction turn signal, and when the driver cancels the lane change, the original driving lane can be changed to the new target lane.

[0096] As described above, when the driver changes lanes to the opposite direction of the target lane via the input lane, or when the driver cancels the lane change to the target lane, since the driver's intention is not to change to the target lane, in order to follow the driver's intention, the vehicle's driving lane (the driving lane moving in the opposite direction or the original driving lane) is set as the target lane.

[0097] Furthermore, when the strategic lane change determination unit 156 determines that a strategic lane change is necessary and the vehicle changes lanes accordingly, if it determines that the vehicle is traveling in the overtaking lane, the target lane change determination unit 157 can set the original driving lane as the target lane so that the vehicle can return to the original driving lane.

[0098] For example, when it is determined that a lane change is necessary to overtake a vehicle in front (or to avoid a driving lane), and the changed lane is an overtaking lane, a lane return recommendation can be implemented to return to the original driving lane (the lane for passing under the traffic law) since it is not permissible to continue driving in the overtaking lane under the traffic law.

[0099] On the other hand, the lane change recommendation is not limited to the above scenarios. For example, when the lane change recommendation system is activated while the vehicle is driving in the overtaking lane, it can also recommend changing to the driving lane instead of the overtaking lane.

[0100] In addition, refer to Figure 2 The control unit 150 may include a lane recommendation mode determination unit 158, which determines one of the following recommendation modes based on the driving scenario of the vehicle: a path-based lane recommendation mode 158A, a strategic lane recommendation mode 158B, and a driving lane return recommendation mode 158C.

[0101] Regarding the mode settings based on the driving scenario, when the driver manually changes lanes or cancels lane changes, resulting in a change of the target lane, or when the target lane is changed by returning to the recommendation, if a new target lane is generated due to an update of the navigation route during the vehicle's driving, the target lane change determination unit 157 can reset the new target lane.

[0102] For example, if the target lane based on the initial navigation path is the second lane, and the vehicle is traveling in the fourth lane, the lane recommendation system can continuously recommend changing lanes to the second lane. However, if the fourth lane is set as the target lane due to the driver traveling in the opposite direction or canceling the lane change, and the navigation path is updated while the vehicle is traveling in the fourth lane, changing the target lane to the fifth lane based on the navigation path, then from that point onward, the target lane can be changed to the fifth lane, and lane change recommendations can be made.

[0103] That is, the lane change recommendation system according to the embodiment of the present invention continuously determines whether to perform lane recommendation based on the navigation path, whether to perform strategic lane change recommendation, or whether to perform lane return recommendation when driving in the overtaking lane, and determines the lane recommendation mode in real time according to the driving scenario.

[0104] Regarding the lane recommendation modes for path-based lane recommendation mode 158A, strategic lane recommendation mode 158B, and driving lane return recommendation mode 158C, they will be implemented through... Figures 3 to 5 The explanation will be provided in more detail.

[0105] On the other hand, if the control unit 150 does not receive a lane change cancellation instruction from the driver within a predetermined time after recommending a lane change to the driver, it can control the vehicle to perform an automatic lane change.

[0106] For example, the lane change recommendation system 100 can recommend lane changes to the driver. If the driver does not wish to receive the lane change recommendation and change lanes, they can choose not to change lanes by operating the lane change cancellation button or activating the opposite direction's turn indicator light. On the other hand, if the driver wishes to change lanes, the control unit 150 can automatically control the vehicle to change lanes after a predetermined time without any additional operation. This predetermined time may be, for example, approximately one second, but is not limited to this.

[0107] On the other hand, the present invention is not limited to the control described above. For example, the system can recommend lane changes, but only perform automatic lane changes when the driver confirms. Here, the driver's confirmation can be, for example, the driver turning the steering wheel in the direction of the recommended lane change, or activating the turn signal indicator for the direction of the recommended lane change.

[0108] According to the above embodiments of the present invention, a lane change recommendation system can be provided to realize Level 2+ autonomous driving technology. Although the driver still needs to be responsible for driving, compared with Level 2, the driving convenience is greatly improved, and it supports highway entry and exit, automatic lane changing and merging lane entry, etc.

[0109] Furthermore, the lane change recommendation system according to embodiments of the present invention can significantly improve the driver's driving efficiency and convenience while fully realizing the navigation route following (NRF) function based on the navigation path.

[0110] The following is for reference Figures 3 to 5 It specifically introduces the path-based lane recommendation mode, the strategic lane change recommendation mode, and the driving lane return recommendation mode.

[0111] Figure 3 This is a diagram of a driving scenario based on a path-based lane recommendation mode in a lane change recommendation system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0112] Reference Figure 3 In a lane change recommendation system according to an embodiment of the present invention, a target lane (TL) can be set according to the navigation path based on a path-based lane recommendation mode.

[0113] Figure 3 The left-hand diagram illustrates a scenario where the target lane for this navigation path is, for example, a highway entrance or exit, i.e., an interchange (IC) or junction (JC). When it is necessary to enter the exit lane from the IC / JC according to the navigation path, the exit lane (the rightmost lane) can be used as the target lane TL.

[0114] In this case, the lane change recommendation system according to an embodiment of the present invention can be as follows: Figure 3 The recommended lane change shown in the left diagram causes vehicle 1 to move towards the target lane TL according to the navigation path.

[0115] In addition, for example in Figure 3 As shown in the right-hand diagram, during normal highway driving in a non-IC / JC situation, the target lane TL according to the navigation path can be the middle lane. In this case, the lane change recommendation system according to an embodiment of the present invention can, as follows: Figure 3 The recommended lane change shown in the right-hand diagram enables vehicle 1 to change lanes according to the target lane TL of the navigation path.

[0116] Figure 4 This is a diagram illustrating a driving scenario based on a strategic lane change recommendation mode in a lane change recommendation system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0117] Figure 4The first diagram illustrates a situation where a vehicle 1 is strategically overtaking vehicle 2 ahead. For example, when vehicle 1 is traveling in the target lane according to the navigation path, if vehicle 1 is unable to travel at the set speed due to vehicle 2 ahead, it can be determined whether the predetermined conditions for overtaking the vehicle ahead are met. If it is determined that overtaking vehicle 2 is necessary, a lane change to an adjacent lane can be recommended according to the strategic lane change recommendation mode.

[0118] Figure 4 The second diagram illustrates a scenario where strategic lane changing is recommended when adjacent lanes are congested. For example, when vehicle 1 is traveling in the target lane according to the navigation route, the congestion level can be determined based on a traffic flow model by collecting information about the road the vehicle is traveling on and information about surrounding vehicles traveling in adjacent lanes, thereby confirming whether adjacent lanes are congested.

[0119] If the adjacent lane is congested, other vehicles may enter in front of vehicle 1 from the adjacent lane, posing a collision risk and making it difficult to increase speed. Therefore, continuing to drive in the target lane may not be efficient. Thus, as shown in the figure, it is strategically recommended to change lanes to the adjacent lane on the opposite side of the congested adjacent lane.

[0120] Figure 4 The third diagram illustrates a situation where strategic lane changing is recommended when an adjacent lane is a construction zone. For example, when vehicle 1 is traveling in the target lane according to the navigation route, the front-facing camera installed on vehicle 1 can identify traffic cones (TCs) to determine whether an adjacent lane is a construction zone.

[0121] If the adjacent lane is a construction area, continuing in the target lane may not be efficient from a driving risk or speed perspective. Therefore, as shown in the diagram, it is strategically recommended to change lanes to the adjacent lane on the opposite side of the lane in the construction area.

[0122] Figure 4 The fourth diagram illustrates a situation where a strategic lane change is recommended when the adjacent lane is a merging lane. For example, when vehicle 1 is traveling in the target lane according to the navigation route, it can determine whether it is a merging section from the map information of vehicle 1's navigation device or the map information of a high-precision map.

[0123] If the adjacent lane is a merging section, other vehicles may enter the target lane from the merging lane, so continuing in the target lane may not be efficient. Therefore, as shown in the figure, it is strategically recommended to change lanes to the adjacent lane on the opposite side of the adjacent lane that is a merging section.

[0124] Figure 5 This is a diagram illustrating a driving scenario in a lane change recommendation system according to an embodiment of the present invention, where the driver returns to the recommended mode based on the driving lane.

[0125] Reference Figure 5 For example, when according to Figure 4 The strategic lane change recommendation in the text states that when changing lanes to overtake a vehicle or to avoid a lane, vehicle 1 may be traveling in the passing lane (PL). On the other hand, according to the Road Traffic Act, it is not permissible to continue traveling in the passing lane (PL), so a lane change can be recommended to return to the original driving lane (DL).

[0126] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the control flow of a lane change recommendation method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0127] Reference Figure 6 The lane change recommendation method (S100) of one embodiment of the present invention may include the step of performing path-based lane recommendation based on the target lane of the navigation path (S110).

[0128] It can obtain target lane information based on the navigation path from the navigation device, and make path-based lane recommendations based on the target lanes of this navigation path.

[0129] Next, the step of determining whether the vehicle is traveling in the target lane can be performed (S120) to determine whether the vehicle is traveling in the target lane.

[0130] In step S120, if the vehicle is not traveling in the target lane (S120 "No"), a lane change recommendation to travel to the target lane is made (S210). If the vehicle is traveling in the target lane (S120 "Yes"), a step of determining whether a strategic lane change is necessary can be performed (S130). On the other hand, the specific control flow (S200) regarding the lane change recommendation to the target lane when the vehicle is not traveling in the target lane will be discussed later. Figure 7 The instructions provide a detailed explanation.

[0131] In the step of determining whether a strategic lane change is necessary (S130), if it is determined that a strategic lane change is necessary ("Yes" in S130), a lane change recommendation to change lanes to the adjacent lane of the vehicle's driving lane can be made (S140).

[0132] Furthermore, in the step of determining whether a strategic lane change is necessary (S130), if it is determined that the vehicle needs to overtake the vehicle ahead based on the relationship between the vehicle and the vehicle ahead, it can be determined that a strategic lane change is necessary. Specifically, if the vehicle is unable to travel at a set speed due to the vehicle ahead, and if the vehicle meets the predetermined driving conditions that do not obstruct the traffic flow of surrounding vehicles, it can be determined that it needs to overtake the vehicle ahead.

[0133] As described above, when the vehicle cannot travel at the set speed, at least one of the following can be used to determine whether a portion of the conditions for overtaking is met: the relative speed between the vehicle and the vehicle in front in the driving lane, the vehicle type of the vehicle in front, the distance between the vehicle and the vehicle in front, the relative distance between the vehicle and the vehicle in front in the target lane, and the relative distance between the vehicle and the vehicle behind in the target lane. Whether this correlation condition between the vehicle and surrounding vehicles in the driving lane and the target lane is met can be determined, for example, by using a Support Vector Machine (SVM) model trained to classify data for lane-changing situations and data for situations where lanes are not changed.

[0134] In addition, the acceleration gain between the vehicle and surrounding vehicles in the driving lane and the target lane can be calculated, and the decision on whether to overtake the vehicle ahead can be made based on whether the calculated acceleration gain is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold. Here, the acceleration gain can be calculated, for example, using a predetermined algorithm that minimizes overall braking induced by lane changes (MOBIL).

[0135] Furthermore, in the step of determining whether a strategic lane change is necessary (S130), if it is determined that it is necessary to avoid the driving lane, it can be determined that a strategic lane change is necessary.

[0136] On the other hand, situations in which it is determined that it is necessary to yield to the driving lane include: the adjacent lane of the vehicle's driving lane is a congested section (the adjacent lane is congested), the adjacent lane is a construction section (the adjacent lane is a construction area), or the adjacent lane is a merging section (the adjacent lane is a section that merges with the driving lane).

[0137] As mentioned above, when the adjacent lane of the vehicle's driving lane is a congested area, a construction area, or a merging area, even if the driving lane is the target lane, from the perspective of driving efficiency, it is more efficient to avoid the driving lane. Therefore, this can be regarded as a situation where a strategic lane change is required.

[0138] Therefore, according to an embodiment of the present invention, when adjacent lanes are in congested areas, construction areas, or merging areas, lane change recommendations can be made to change the lane to an adjacent lane on the opposite side of the adjacent lane.

[0139] Based on the lane change recommendation step (S140) required for strategic lane change, after the vehicle makes a lane change, it can proceed to the step of resetting the changed lane to the new target lane (S150). This is because, when a strategic lane change is required, the target lane based on the navigation path is not followed, but rather the strategic lane recommendation mode is followed.

[0140] Furthermore, after changing the target lane, a step (S160) can be performed to determine whether the vehicle is traveling in the overtaking lane. The reason for determining whether the vehicle is traveling in the overtaking lane is that, according to the Road Traffic Act, continuing to travel in the overtaking lane is not preferable.

[0141] On the other hand, when the vehicle is not traveling in the overtaking lane ("No" in S160), it continues to travel in the target lane changed according to the strategic lane change recommendation (S170). When the vehicle is traveling in the overtaking lane ("Yes" in S160), a lane return recommendation can be made to return to the original driving lane (S180).

[0142] The following is for reference Figure 7 The control process (S200) when recommending lane change to the target lane (S210) is described in detail. Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the control flow of a lane change recommendation method according to an embodiment of the present invention when the vehicle is not traveling in the target lane.

[0143] Reference Figure 7 When it is determined that the vehicle is not traveling in the target lane based on the path, a lane change recommendation to the target lane can be made (S210).

[0144] Next, a step (S220) can be performed to determine whether, under the condition of lane change recommendation, the driver should change the lane to the opposite lane of the target lane based on the driver's input. For example, if the lane is recommended to be changed to the left lane based on the target lane recommendation, but the driver changes the lane (operates the steering wheel) to the right lane, which is the opposite direction.

[0145] When the driver inputs a lane change to the opposite lane of the target lane ("Yes" in S220), the lane in which the vehicle is traveling (i.e., the lane after changing lanes in the opposite direction) can be changed to the target lane (S230).

[0146] On the other hand, if the driver's input does not change the lane to the opposite direction of the target lane ("No" in S220), a step can be taken to determine whether the driver cancels the lane change to the target lane (S240). For example, if the target lane recommends changing lanes to the left lane, but the driver activates the right-hand turn signal.

[0147] When the driver cancels the lane change to the target lane (S240 "Yes"), the vehicle will continue to travel in the driving lane, so the driving lane can be changed to the target lane (S230).

[0148] On the other hand, when the target lane changes based on the updated navigation path, lane recommendations can be made based on the changed target lane.

[0149] Reference Figure 7 When the driver's input does not change the lane to the opposite direction of the target lane ("No" in S220), and the driver does not cancel the lane change to the target lane ("No" in S240), it can be determined whether to change the target lane based on the updated navigation path (S250). When the target lane is changed based on the path ("Yes" in S250), a lane recommendation based on the changed target lane can be performed (S260).

[0150] on the other hand, Figure 7 The example illustrates the case where the target lane is changed based on the navigation path update when the driver neither changes lanes to a lane in the opposite direction of the target lane nor cancels the lane change to the target lane. However, even if the navigation path is updated after the driver changes lanes to a lane in the opposite direction of the target lane or cancels the lane change to the target lane (i.e., after step S230), a path-based lane recommendation can still be made based on the target lane of the newly changed path.

[0151] Furthermore, according to an embodiment of the lane change recommendation method of the present invention, if no lane change cancellation instruction is received from the driver within a predetermined time (e.g., approximately 1 second) after recommending a lane change to the driver, the vehicle can be controlled to perform an automatic lane change.

[0152] According to the embodiments of the present invention described above, when recommending lanes based on path-based lane recommendations, judgments are continuously made during vehicle operation. Based on the need for strategic lane changes, the driver's intentions, or the need for lane return while driving in the overtaking lane, the target lane is changed in real time for lane recommendation. This can play a significant role in achieving Level 2 or higher autonomous driving and realize effective driving control.

[0153] On the other hand, the disclosed embodiments can also be implemented by a computer-readable program in a computer-readable storage medium, so that they can be executed by a computer. The computer-readable storage medium can be a computer-readable non-transitory storage medium such as a data storage device capable of storing data that can be read by a processor / microprocessor.

[0154] Examples of computer-readable storage media include hard disk drives (HDDs), solid-state drives (SSDs), silicon disk drives (SDDs), read-only memory (ROMs), CD-ROMs, magnetic tapes, floppy disks, optical data storage devices, etc.

[0155] According to the embodiments of the present invention described above, a lane change recommendation system and method can be provided that can improve the driver's driving efficiency and driving stability while fully realizing the navigation path following (NRF) function based on the navigation path.

[0156] Furthermore, the lane change recommendation system and lane change recommendation method according to embodiments of the present invention can further improve the lane recommendation system necessary for Level 2+ autonomous driving functions, significantly improving driver convenience and playing a significant role compared with existing Level 2 functions.

[0157] The above description of the present invention is merely illustrative. Those skilled in the art should understand that it can be readily implemented in other specific forms without altering the technical concept or essential features of the invention. Therefore, the above embodiments are exemplary in all respects and not restrictive. For example, although the components are described in a single form, they may also be implemented in a distributed form; similarly, components described in a distributed form may also be implemented in a combined form.

[0158] The scope of this invention is defined by the claims rather than by the specific embodiments, and all changes or modifications derived from the meaning, scope, and equivalent concepts of the claims shall be interpreted as being included within the scope of this invention.

Claims

1. A lane change recommendation system, characterized in that, include: The first sensor unit is used to sense the surroundings of the vehicle; The second sensor unit is used to sense the vehicle body information of the vehicle. Navigation devices are used to provide navigation information; as well as The control unit, based on information collected from the first sensor unit, the second sensor unit, and the navigation device, provides lane change recommendations to the driver of the vehicle, or controls lane changes of the vehicle. The control unit sets the target lane for the vehicle based on the navigation information, and when the vehicle is traveling in the target lane, if it needs to overtake the vehicle in front or avoid the target lane, it determines whether it needs to strategically change lanes to an adjacent lane to provide lane change recommendations or control lane changes.

2. The lane change recommendation system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control unit includes: The vehicle ahead overtaking determination unit determines whether it is necessary to overtake the vehicle ahead when the vehicle is traveling in the target lane; and The lane avoidance judgment unit determines whether it is necessary to dodge the vehicle traveling in the target lane when the vehicle is traveling in the target lane. The control unit includes a strategic lane change determination unit, which determines whether it is necessary to strategically change lanes to an adjacent lane based on the determination of the vehicle ahead overtaking determination unit or the lane avoidance determination unit.

3. The lane change recommendation system according to claim 2, characterized in that, When the vehicle is unable to travel at a set speed due to the vehicle in front, if the vehicle meets the predetermined driving conditions that do not obstruct the traffic flow of surrounding vehicles, the vehicle in front overtaking determination unit determines that it is necessary to overtake the vehicle in front.

4. The lane change recommendation system according to claim 3, characterized in that, The lane avoidance judgment unit includes a congestion section judgment unit, a construction section judgment unit, and a merging section judgment unit. When the adjacent lane of the vehicle's driving lane is a congested area, a construction area, or a merging area, the lane avoidance judgment unit determines that it is necessary to avoid the driving lane.

5. The lane change recommendation system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The control unit includes a target lane change determination unit, which determines whether to change the target lane of the vehicle. When the strategic lane change determination unit determines that a strategic lane change is needed, and the vehicle changes lanes, the target lane change determination unit changes the changed lane to the target lane.

6. The lane change recommendation system according to claim 5, characterized in that, The control unit includes a navigation path target lane determination unit, which determines the target lane based on the navigation path. When the navigation path target lane determination unit determines that the target lane has changed based on the updated navigation path, the target lane change determination unit changes the target lane based on the updated path to the target lane.

7. The lane change recommendation system according to claim 5, characterized in that, When the vehicle is not traveling in the target lane, if the driver changes the lane to the opposite direction of the target lane via input, or cancels the lane change to the target lane via the driver, the target lane change determination unit changes the lane in which the vehicle is traveling to the new target lane.

8. The lane change recommendation system according to claim 5, characterized in that, When the strategic lane change determination unit determines that a strategic lane change is required and changes lanes accordingly, if it determines that the vehicle is traveling in the overtaking lane, the target lane change determination unit changes the target lane again in order to return to the original driving lane.

9. The lane change recommendation system according to claim 5, characterized in that, The control unit includes a lane recommendation mode determination unit, which determines one of the following recommendation modes based on the vehicle's driving scenario: a path-based lane recommendation mode, a strategic lane recommendation mode, and a driving lane return recommendation mode.

10. The lane change recommendation system according to claim 1, characterized in that, After recommending a lane change to the driver of the vehicle, if the control unit does not receive a lane change cancellation instruction from the driver within a predetermined time, it controls the vehicle to perform an automatic lane change.

11. A lane change recommendation method, characterized in that, include: Based on the target lane of the navigation path, the step of performing path-based lane recommendation; The steps for determining whether a vehicle is traveling in the target lane are as follows: Determine whether the vehicle is traveling in the target lane. When the vehicle is traveling in the target lane, the step of determining whether a strategic lane change is necessary; as well as The lane change recommendation step involves recommending a lane change when a strategic lane change is needed, in order to change the lane to the adjacent lane of the vehicle's current driving lane.

12. The lane change recommendation method according to claim 11, characterized in that, Further includes: When the vehicle changes lanes in the lane change recommendation step, the step of changing the changed lane to the new target lane is performed. Furthermore, the lane change recommendation method further includes: After changing the target lane, it is determined whether the vehicle is traveling in the overtaking lane. If it is determined that the vehicle is traveling in the overtaking lane, a lane return recommendation is made to return to the original driving lane.

13. The lane change recommendation method according to claim 11, characterized in that, In the step of determining whether a strategic lane change is necessary, if it is determined based on the relationship between the vehicle and the vehicle in front that the vehicle needs to overtake the vehicle in front, then a strategic lane change is deemed necessary.

14. The lane change recommendation method according to claim 11, characterized in that, In the step of determining whether a strategic lane change is necessary, if it is determined that it is necessary to yield to the driving lane, then a strategic lane change is deemed necessary.

15. The lane change recommendation method according to claim 14, characterized in that, The situations in which it is determined that it is necessary to avoid the driving lane include situations where the adjacent lane of the vehicle's driving lane is a congested area, the adjacent lane is a construction area, or the adjacent lane is a merging area.

16. The lane change recommendation method according to claim 15, characterized in that, When the adjacent lane is in a congested area, a construction area, or a merging area, a lane change recommendation is made to change the lane to an adjacent lane on the opposite side of the adjacent lane.

17. The lane change recommendation method according to claim 11, characterized in that, In the step of determining whether the vehicle is traveling in the target lane, if it is determined that the vehicle is not traveling in the target lane, and the driver changes the lane to the opposite direction of the target lane through input, or cancels the lane change to the target lane through the driver, the lane in which the vehicle is traveling is set as the new target lane.

18. The lane change recommendation method according to claim 11, characterized in that, When the target lane changes based on the updated navigation path, lane recommendations are made based on the changed target lane.

19. The lane change recommendation method according to any one of claims 11 to 18, characterized in that, After recommending a lane change to the driver of the vehicle, if no lane change cancellation instruction is received from the driver within a predetermined time, the vehicle will be controlled to perform an automatic lane change.

20. A non-transitory storage medium, said non-transitory storage medium being a computer-readable non-transitory storage medium storing a program for executing a lane change recommendation method on a computer, characterized in that, The lane change recommendation method includes: Based on the target lane of the navigation path, the step of performing path-based lane recommendation; The steps for determining whether a vehicle is traveling in the target lane are as follows: Determine whether the vehicle is traveling in the target lane. When the vehicle is traveling in the target lane, the steps include determining whether a strategic lane change is necessary; and The lane change recommendation step involves recommending a lane change when a strategic lane change is needed, in order to change the lane to the adjacent lane of the vehicle's current driving lane.

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