Vehicle control system

Abstract

This application provides a vehicle control system. The vehicle control system disclosed herein includes: a sensor for detecting the position information of a moving vehicle; and a controller for controlling the vehicle's movement based on the position information obtained from the sensor. The vehicle control system causes the vehicle to move autonomously in a predetermined direction on a work line, while the operator performs work while moving. When the controller is performing work on the front of the vehicle on the work line it is about to enter, it controls the vehicle to move backward on that work line.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to vehicle control systems. Background Technology

[0002] For example, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, there are known technologies (self-propelled transport technologies) that allow vehicles to be transported autonomously or remotely, rather than by means of a conveyor, during vehicle manufacturing.

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent No. 7424535 Summary of the Invention

[0004] For example, in work lines where inspections or assembly are performed without using a belt conveyor and the vehicle moves on its own, the operator needs to move along with the vehicle. In this case, when assembling or inspecting components at the front of the vehicle, the operator moves backward while performing the work, resulting in reduced work efficiency.

[0005] This disclosure was made in view of the following situation, providing a vehicle control system that can suppress the reduction of work efficiency while performing work on the front of the vehicle while it is moving on its own.

[0006] The vehicle control system disclosed herein includes: a sensor for detecting the position information of a moving vehicle; and a controller for controlling the movement of the vehicle based on the position information obtained from the sensor. The vehicle control system causes the vehicle to move autonomously in a predetermined direction on a work line, while the operator performs work while moving. The controller controls the vehicle to move backward on the work line when the front of the vehicle is being worked on on the work line to which the vehicle is to enter.

[0007] In the vehicle control system disclosed herein, when work is being performed on the front of the vehicle on the work line it is to enter, the vehicle is controlled to move backward on the work line. Therefore, when work is being performed on the front of the vehicle, the operator can also follow the vehicle forward while performing work, thus suppressing any decrease in work efficiency.

[0008] According to this disclosure, a vehicle control system can be provided that can suppress the reduction of work efficiency even when the vehicle is self-propelled and work is being performed on the front of the vehicle.

[0009] The above and other objects, features and advantages of this disclosure will be more fully understood from the following detailed description and accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0010] Figure 1This is a block diagram illustrating the control system of the vehicle control system according to the first embodiment.

[0011] Figure 2 This is a schematic side view of a vehicle-driven work line in the vehicle control system of the first embodiment.

[0012] Figure 3 This is a side view schematically showing a vehicle-driven work line in a vehicle control system of a modified example of the first embodiment.

[0013] Figure 4 It is a diagram used to illustrate the driving control of a vehicle.

[0014] Figure 5 This is a control block diagram used to illustrate Example 1 of driving control.

[0015] Figure 6 This is a flowchart used to illustrate Example 1 of driving control.

[0016] Figure 7 This is a control block diagram used to illustrate Example 2 of driving control.

[0017] Figure 8 This is a flowchart used to illustrate Example 2 of driving control. Detailed Implementation

[0018] Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments. In addition, for clarity, the following description and drawings have been appropriately simplified.

[0019] (First Implementation)

[0020] <Overview of Vehicle Control Systems>

[0021] First, refer to Figure 1 The outline of the vehicle control system of the first embodiment will be described. Figure 1 This is a block diagram illustrating the control system of the vehicle control system according to the first embodiment. For example... Figure 1 As shown, the vehicle control system (also referred to as the system) 50 includes a server 200 and a camera 310, which controls the movement of the vehicle 100.

[0022] This vehicle control system 50 is applied, for example, in a vehicle manufacturing plant where vehicle 100 is manufactured, to control a self-propelled vehicle 100 that moves autonomously on the production line. Therefore, the vehicle 100, as the object of control, is a self-propelled vehicle capable of moving autonomously during the manufacturing process. In other words, vehicle 100 is a vehicle capable of moving autonomously during the manufacturing process.

[0023] like Figure 1As shown, server 200 includes memory 202, communication device 205, position estimation unit 207, and driving control unit 208. Vehicle 100 includes vehicle control device 110, actuator assembly 120, and communication device 130. Furthermore, server 200 can be physically composed not only of a single device, but also of multiple distributed devices.

[0024] The server 200 functions as a controller, which estimates the position of the vehicle 100 based on images of the vehicle 100 received from the camera 310, and controls the movement of the vehicle 100 as the controlled object.

[0025] In server 200, communication device 205 communicates with camera 310 and vehicle 100 via network 500. For example, communication device 205 receives data such as captured images from camera 310 and sends information (vehicle control information) generated based on the images to vehicle 100 for controlling the driving of vehicle 100.

[0026] The position estimation unit 207 identifies the vehicle 100 and estimates its position based on the image of the vehicle 100 captured by the camera 310. Specifically, the communication device 205 receives data such as captured images from the camera 310, and the position estimation unit 207 estimates the position of the vehicle 100 by analyzing the received captured images (i.e., image analysis).

[0027] The driving control unit 208 generates driving information (vehicle control information) for controlling the driving of the vehicle 100 based on the position of the vehicle 100 estimated by the position estimation unit 207. The vehicle control information generated by the driving control unit 208 is sent to the vehicle 100 via the communication device 205. In the vehicle 100, the communication device 130 receives the vehicle control information sent from the server 200, and the vehicle control unit 110 activates the actuator assembly 120 based on the received vehicle control information to make the vehicle 100 move.

[0028] Camera 310 is one type of external sensor 300 described later, for example, capturing images of vehicle 100 traveling on a work line from above. That is, camera 310 functions as a sensor to detect the position information of the traveling vehicle 100. Camera 310 has communication capabilities, and data such as images captured by camera 310 are sent to server 200 via network 500.

[0029] Furthermore, the driving control unit 208 generates information for controlling the direction of the vehicle 100 based on work information related to the work performed by the operator on each vehicle 100 on each work line. This work information is stored, for example, in the memory 202. Here, the work information includes, for example, information about which part of the vehicle 100—the front, rear, or side—is being worked on on each work line.

[0030] More specifically, the driving control unit 208 controls the direction of each vehicle 100 on each work line based on the aforementioned work information, as follows: When work is being performed on the front of the vehicle 100 on the work line that the vehicle 100 is about to enter, the control unit controls the vehicle 100 to travel backward along the work line's direction of travel on that work line.

[0031] On the other hand, when the rear of the vehicle 100 is being worked on the work line that the vehicle 100 is about to enter, the control is such that the vehicle 100 moves forward along the direction of travel of the work line on that work line.

[0032] Furthermore, when working on the side of the vehicle 100 on the work line that the vehicle 100 is to enter, it can be controlled, for example, to maintain the direction of travel of the vehicle 100. Additionally, in this specification, the operator includes a work robot.

[0033] Details of work lines using vehicle control systems

[0034] Next, refer to Figure 2 The details of the work line using the vehicle control system of this embodiment will be explained. Figure 2 This is a schematic side view of a vehicle-driven work line in the vehicle control system of the first embodiment.

[0035] in addition, Figure 2 The right-handed XYZ orthogonal coordinate system shown is for illustrating the positional relationships of the constituent elements. Figure 2 In the diagrams, for example, the positive Z-axis is the vertical direction, and the XY plane is the horizontal plane; these are common to all the diagrams.

[0036] Figure 2 The first and second work lines shown extend along the X-axis. Multiple vehicles 100a, 100b, and 100c, which are objects of the vehicle control system, move autonomously along the first and second work lines in the positive X-axis direction. Figure 2 As shown, cameras 310 are arranged side by side along the X-axis at predetermined intervals above the first and second work lines.

[0037] Here, for example Figure 2 The second work line shown in the lower section is located in Figure 2The upper section shows the positive X-axis direction of the first work line. A section is provided between the first and second work lines to allow for switching vehicle directions. For example... Figure 2 As shown in the upper section, on the first work line, operators LW11, LW12, and LW13 are performing operations on vehicles 100a, 100b, and 100c, respectively. Afterwards, as... Figure 2 As shown in the lower section, on the second work line, operators LW21, LW22, and LW33 are working on vehicles 100a, 100b, and 100c, respectively.

[0038] More specifically, such as Figure 2 As shown in the upper section, on the first work line, operators LW11, LW12, and LW13 move together with vehicles 100a, 100b, and 100c that are traveling in the positive X-axis direction, while performing operations on vehicles 100a, 100b, and 100c. These operations include, for example, inspection and assembly. Since the rear of vehicles 100a, 100b, and 100c is being worked on on the first work line, operators LW11, LW12, and LW13 can move forward along the positive X-axis with vehicles 100a, 100b, and 100c while performing their work.

[0039] Next, in Figure 2 On the second work line shown in the lower section, work is performed on the front of vehicles 100a, 100b, and 100c. Therefore, in the section between the first and second work lines, the directions of vehicles 100a, 100b, and 100c are switched. Therefore, as... Figure 2 As shown in the lower section, on the second work line, vehicles 100a, 100b, and 100c are traveling backward in the positive X-axis direction.

[0040] On the second work line, the front of vehicles 100a, 100b, and 100c is worked on, so operators LW21, LW22, and LW23 can work together with vehicles 100a, 100b, and 100c while moving forward along the positive X-axis.

[0041] Here, on the second work line, when vehicles 100a, 100b, and 100c move forward in the same way as on the first work line, operators LW21, LW22, and LW23 need to move backward while performing their work, which reduces work efficiency.

[0042] In contrast, in this embodiment, such as Figure 2As shown in the lower section, on the second work line where work is performed on the front of vehicles 100a, 100b, and 100c, vehicles 100a, 100b, and 100c travel backward. Therefore, operators LW21, LW22, and LW23 can perform their work while moving forward with vehicles 100a, 100b, and 100c, thus suppressing a decrease in work efficiency.

[0043] Furthermore, although not illustrated, on the third work line following the second work line, when work is being performed on the rear of vehicles 100a, 100b, and 100c, vehicles 100a, 100b, and 100c are switched to travel forward. On the other hand, on the third work line, when work is being performed on the front of vehicles 100a, 100b, and 100c, vehicles 100a, 100b, and 100c continue to travel in a rearward direction.

[0044] Furthermore, when working on the sides of vehicles 100a, 100b, and 100c, the direction of vehicles 100a, 100b, and 100c can be either forward or backward. Therefore, on the third work line, when working on the sides of vehicles 100a, 100b, and 100c, it is possible to maintain a backward orientation or switch to a forward orientation. However, maintaining a backward orientation on the third work line reduces the number of times the direction of vehicles 100a, 100b, and 100c needs to be switched.

[0045] As explained above, in the vehicle control system 50 of this embodiment, when the front of the vehicle is being worked on on the work line to which the vehicle is to enter, the control is to make the vehicle move backward on the work line. Therefore, when working on the front of the vehicle, the operator can also follow the vehicle forward while working, thus suppressing the decrease in work efficiency.

[0046] (A variation of the first embodiment)

[0047] Next, refer to Figure 3 The details of the work line of the vehicle control system of the modified embodiment of this invention will be explained. Figure 3 This is a side view schematically showing a vehicle-driven work line in a vehicle control system of a modified example of the first embodiment. Figure 3 Is with Figure 2 The corresponding diagram. Here, Figure 3 The upper part and Figure 2 The upper part is the same.

[0048] like Figure 3As shown in the upper part of , on the first work line, operators LW11, LW12, and LW13 move together with vehicles 100a, 100b, and 100c moving forward in the positive X-axis direction, and perform operations on vehicles 100a, 100b, and 100c. On the first work line, operations are performed on the rear parts of vehicles 100a, 100b, and 100c. Therefore, operators LW11, LW12, and LW13 can perform operations while moving forward in the positive X-axis direction together with vehicles 100a, 100b, and 100c.

[0049] Next, as Figure 3 shown in the lower part of , on the second work line, for vehicles 100a and 100c, operations are performed on the front parts in the same way as Figure 2 the lower part of . Therefore, in the section between the first work line and the second work line, the directions of vehicles 100a and 100c are switched. Therefore, as Figure 3 shown in the lower part of , on the second work line, vehicles 100a and 100c travel backward in the positive X-axis direction. As a result, operators LW21 and LW23 can perform operations while moving forward in the positive X-axis direction together with vehicles 100a and 100c.

[0050] On the other hand, as Figure 3 shown in the lower part of , on the second work line, for vehicle 100b, different from Figure 2 the lower part of , operations are performed on the rear part following the first work line. Therefore, in the section between the first work line and the second work line, the traveling direction of vehicle 100b is not switched. Therefore, as Figure 3 shown in the lower part of , on the second work line, vehicle 100b also travels forward in the positive X-axis direction. As a result, operator LW22 can perform operations while moving forward in the positive X-axis direction together with vehicle 100b.

[0051] In this way, in the Figure 3 ​​​​​​​​​​​ Figure 4 This is a conceptual diagram showing the structure of system 50 in driving control example 1. System 50 includes one or more vehicles 100 as moving bodies, a server 200, and one or more external sensors 300. Furthermore, when the moving body is not a vehicle, the expressions "vehicle" or "car" in this disclosure can be appropriately replaced with "moving body", and the expression "driving" can be appropriately replaced with "moving".

[0055] Vehicle 100 is configured to operate autonomously. "Autonomous driving" means driving without relying on the driving operations of passengers. Driving operations refer to operations related to at least one of "driving," "turning," or "stopping" of vehicle 100. Autonomous driving is achieved through automatic or manual remote control of devices located outside vehicle 100, or through autonomous control of vehicle 100.

[0056] In the driverless vehicle 100, passengers who do not perform driving operations may also be carried. Passengers who do not perform driving operations include, for example, people who simply sit in the seats of the vehicle 100, or people who perform tasks different from driving operations such as assembly, inspection, and switching while riding in the vehicle 100. Furthermore, driving based on the driving operations of passengers can be referred to as "manned driving".

[0057] In this specification, "remote control" includes "full remote control," which completely determines all actions of vehicle 100 from outside the vehicle 100, and "partial remote control," which determines a portion of the actions of vehicle 100 from outside the vehicle 100. Additionally, "autonomous control" includes: "full autonomous control," where vehicle 100 autonomously controls its own actions without receiving any information from external devices; and "partial autonomous control," where vehicle 100 autonomously controls its own actions using information received from external devices.

[0058] In this embodiment, system 50 is used in a factory FC that manufactures vehicle 100. The reference coordinate system of the factory FC is the global coordinate system GC. That is, any position within the factory FC is represented by the X, Y, and Z coordinates in the global coordinate system GC. The factory FC has a first location PL1 and a second location PL2. The first location PL1 and the second location PL2 are connected by a travel path TR that the vehicle 100 can travel on. In the factory FC, a plurality of external sensors 300 are arranged along the travel path TR. The positions of each external sensor 300 in the factory FC are pre-adjusted. The vehicle 100 moves from the first location PL1 to the second location PL2 via the travel path TR in an unmanned manner.

[0059] Figure 5This is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of system 50. Vehicle 100 includes a vehicle control device 110 for controlling various parts of vehicle 100, an actuator assembly 120 including one or more actuators driven under the control of the vehicle control device 110, and a communication device 130 for communicating with external devices such as server 200 via wireless communication. Actuator assembly 120 includes actuators for a drive device to accelerate vehicle 100, actuators for a steering device to change the direction of travel of vehicle 100, and actuators for a braking device to decelerate vehicle 100.

[0060] The vehicle control unit 110 comprises a computer having a processor 111, a memory 112, an input / output interface 113, and an internal bus 114. The processor 111, memory 112, and input / output interface 113 are connected via the internal bus 114 in a bidirectional communication manner. An actuator assembly 120 and a communication device 130 are connected to the input / output interface 113. The processor 111 executes the program PG1 stored in the memory 112 to perform various functions, including those of the vehicle control unit 115.

[0061] The vehicle control unit 115 drives the vehicle 100 by controlling the actuator assembly 120. The vehicle control unit 115 controls the actuator assembly 120 using a driving control signal received from the server 200, thereby driving the vehicle 100. The driving control signal is a control signal used to drive the vehicle 100. In this embodiment, the driving control signal includes the acceleration and steering angle of the vehicle 100 as parameters. In other embodiments, the driving control signal may replace the acceleration of the vehicle 100 or include the speed of the vehicle 100 as a parameter.

[0062] Server 200 comprises a computer having a processor 201, a memory 202, an input / output interface 203, and an internal bus 204. The processor 201, memory 202, and input / output interface 203 are connected via the internal bus 204 in a bidirectional communication manner. A communication device 205 for communicating with various external devices is connected to the input / output interface 203. The communication device 205 can communicate wirelessly with vehicle 100 and can communicate with various external sensors 300 via wired or wireless communication. The processor 201 executes the program PG2 stored in memory 202 to implement various functions, including those of a remote control unit 210.

[0063] The remote control unit 210 acquires the detection results from the sensors, uses the detection results to generate a driving control signal for controlling the actuator assembly 120 of the vehicle 100, and sends the driving control signal to the vehicle 100, thereby enabling the vehicle 100 to move remotely. That is, the remote control unit 210 includes... Figure 1The functions of the position estimation unit 207 and the driving control unit 208 shown.

[0064] Furthermore, the remote control unit 210 can generate not only driving control signals, but also, for example, control signals for controlling actuators that operate various auxiliary devices, wipers, power windows, lights, and other equipment provided with the vehicle 100. In other words, the remote control unit 210 can also remotely control the operation of such equipment and auxiliary devices.

[0065] The external sensor 300 is a sensor located outside the vehicle 100. In this embodiment, the external sensor 300 is a sensor that captures information about the vehicle 100 from the outside. The external sensor 300 has a communication device (not shown) and can communicate with other devices such as the server 200 via wired or wireless communication.

[0066] Specifically, the external sensor 300 is composed of a camera. The camera, which is the external sensor 300, captures images of the vehicle 100 and outputs the captured images as detection results.

[0067] Figure 6 This is a flowchart illustrating the processing steps for driving control of vehicle 100 in the driving control example. Figure 6 In the processing steps, the processor 201 of the server 200 functions as a remote control unit 210 by executing program PG2. Additionally, the processor 111 of the vehicle 100 functions as a vehicle control unit 115 by executing program PG1.

[0068] In step S110, the processor 201 of the server 200 uses the detection results output from the external sensor 300 to obtain the vehicle position information of the vehicle 100. The vehicle position information is the basis for generating the driving control signal. In this embodiment, the vehicle position information includes the position and orientation of the vehicle 100 in the global coordinate system GC of the factory FC. Specifically, in step S110, the processor 201 uses images captured from a camera, which is the external sensor 300, to obtain the vehicle position information.

[0069] Specifically, in step S110, processor 201 (as a functional block, Figure 1 The position estimation unit 207 shown, for example, detects the shape of the vehicle 100 from the captured image, calculates the coordinates of the positioning point of the vehicle 100 in the coordinate system of the captured image, that is, the local coordinate system, and transforms the calculated coordinates into coordinates in the global coordinate system GC, thereby obtaining the position of the vehicle 100.

[0070] The shape of the vehicle 100 contained in the captured image can be detected, for example, by inputting the captured image into a detection model DM that utilizes artificial intelligence. The detection model DM is prepared, for example, within or outside the system 50, and pre-stored in the memory 202 of the server 200. As the detection model DM, for example, a learned machine learning model that has been trained in a manner that achieves either semantic segmentation or instance segmentation can be used. As this machine learning model, for example, a convolutional neural network (hereinafter referred to as CNN) learned through supervised learning using a learning dataset can be used.

[0071] The training dataset includes, for example, multiple training images containing vehicle 100 and labels indicating which region in the training images represents vehicle 100 and which region outside vehicle 100 it represents. During CNN learning, it is preferable to update the CNN parameters via backpropagation (error backpropagation) to reduce the error between the output of the detection model DM and the labels. Furthermore, the processor 201 can, for example, estimate the direction of vehicle 100 by using optical flow to infer the direction of the vehicle 100's movement vector, calculated based on the positional changes of feature points of vehicle 100 between frames of the captured images.

[0072] In step S120, the processor 201 of the server 200 determines the target location that the vehicle 100 should head towards next. In this embodiment, the target location is represented by the X, Y, and Z coordinates in the global coordinate system GC. The path that the vehicle 100 should travel, i.e., the reference path RR, is pre-stored in the memory 202 of the server 200. The path is represented by nodes indicating the starting point, nodes indicating the passing points, nodes indicating the destination, and links connecting the nodes. The processor 201 uses the vehicle position information and the reference path RR to determine the target location that the vehicle 100 should head towards next. The processor 201 determines the target location on the reference path RR that is earlier than the current location of the vehicle 100.

[0073] In step S130, the processor 201 of the server 200 generates a driving control signal for causing the vehicle 100 to travel toward the determined target position. The processor 201 calculates the traveling speed of the vehicle 100 based on the change in the position of the vehicle 100, and compares the calculated traveling speed with the target speed. As a whole, when the traveling speed is lower than the target speed, the processor 201 determines an acceleration in a manner that accelerates the vehicle 100, and when the traveling speed is higher than the target speed, the processor 201 determines an acceleration in a manner that decelerates the vehicle 100. In addition, when the vehicle 1 hundred is located on the reference path RR, the processor 201 determines a steering angle and an acceleration in a manner that the vehicle 􀀃 does not deviate from the reference path RR, and when the vehicle 100 is not located on the reference path RR, that is, when the vehicle 100 deviates from the reference path RR, the processor 201 determines a steering angle and an acceleration in a manner that the vehicle 100 returns to the reference path RR.

[0074] In step S140, the processor 201 of the server 200 transmits the generated driving control signal to the vehicle 100. The processor 20 I repeatedly performs acquisition of the position of the vehicle 100, determination of the target position, generation of the driving control signal, transmission of the driving control signal, etc. at a predetermined cycle.

[0075] In step S150, the processor 111 of the vehicle 100 receives the driving control signal transmitted from the server 200. In step S160, the processor 111 of the vehicle 100 uses the received driving control signal to control the actuator group 120, thereby causing the vehicle 100 to travel at the acceleration and steering angle indicated by the driving control signal. The processor 111 repeatedly performs reception of the driving control signal and control of the actuator group 120 at a prescribed cycle. According to the system 50 in this example, the vehicle 100 is caused to travel by remote control, and the vehicle 100 is moved without using handling equipment such as a crane or a conveyor.

[0076] <B: Driving control example 2>

[0077] Figure 7 It is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of the system 50v in driving control example 2. In this example, the system 50v is different from driving control example 1 in that the server 200 is not provided. In addition, the vehicle 100v in the configuration can travel by autonomous control of the vehicle 100v. Regarding other configurations, unless otherwise specified, they are the same as above.

[0078] In this example, the processor 111v of the vehicle control unit 110v functions as the vehicle control unit 115v by executing the program PG1 stored in the memory 112v. The vehicle control unit 115v obtains the output results of the sensors, uses the output results to generate a driving control signal, and outputs the generated driving control signal to actuate the actuator assembly 120, thereby enabling the vehicle 100v to drive autonomously. In this example, in addition to the program PG1, the memory 112v also pre-stores the detection model DM and the reference path RR.

[0079] Figure 8 This is a flowchart illustrating the processing steps for the vehicle's 100V driving control in Example 2. Figure 8 In the processing steps, the processor 111v of the vehicle 100v functions as the vehicle control unit 115v by executing program PG1.

[0080] In step S210, the processor 111v of the vehicle control device 110v uses the detection results output from the camera, which is an external sensor 300, to obtain vehicle position information. In step S220, the processor 111v determines the target position that the vehicle 100v should head towards next.

[0081] In step S230, processor 111v generates a driving control signal for causing vehicle 100v to move toward the determined target position. In step S240, processor 111v uses the generated driving control signal to control actuator assembly 120, thereby causing vehicle 100v to move according to the parameters represented by the driving control signal.

[0082] The processor 111v repeatedly acquires vehicle location information, determines target location, generates driving control signals, and controls actuators at predetermined cycles. According to the system 50v in this example, even without remote control of the vehicle 100v through the server 200, the vehicle 100v can be driven autonomously.

[0083] YY: Other driving control examples

[0084] (YY1) In the example above, the external sensor 300 is a camera. However, the external sensor 300 may not be a camera; for example, it could be LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging). In this case, the detection result output by the external sensor 300 could be three-dimensional point group data representing the vehicle 100. In this case, the server 200 and the vehicle 100 can obtain vehicle position information by matching the three-dimensional point group data (as the detection result) with a template of pre-prepared reference point group data.

[0085] (YY2) In driving control example 1, the server 200 performs the process from obtaining vehicle location information to generating driving control signal. In contrast, the vehicle 100 may also perform at least a portion of the process from obtaining vehicle location information to generating driving control signal. For example, it may be in the manner described in (1) to (3) below.

[0086] (1) Server 200 can also obtain vehicle location information, determine the target location that vehicle 100 should head towards next, and generate a path from the current location of vehicle 100 to the target location as indicated by the obtained vehicle location information. Server 200 can generate either a path up to the target location between the current location and the destination, or a path up to the destination. Server 200 can also send the generated path to vehicle 100. Vehicle 100 can also generate a driving control signal to make vehicle 100 travel on the path received from server 200, and use the generated driving control signal to control actuator group 120.

[0087] (2) The server 200 can also obtain vehicle location information and send the obtained vehicle location information to the vehicle 100. The vehicle 100 can also decide the target location that the vehicle 100 should head towards next, generate a path from the current location of the vehicle 100 represented by the received vehicle location information to the target location, generate a driving control signal to make the vehicle 100 drive on the generated path, and use the generated driving control signal to control the actuator group 120.

[0088] (3) In the methods described in (1) and (2) above, the vehicle 100 may also be equipped with internal sensors, and at least one of the path generation and driving control signal generation may use the detection results output from the internal sensors. Internal sensors are sensors mounted on the vehicle 100. Internal sensors may include, for example, sensors for detecting the motion state of the vehicle 100, sensors for detecting the motion state of various parts of the vehicle 100, and sensors for detecting the surrounding environment of the vehicle 100. Specifically, internal sensors may include, for example, cameras, LiDAR, millimeter-wave radar, ultrasonic sensors, GPS sensors, accelerometers, gyroscopes, etc.

[0089] For example, in the manner described in (1) above, the server 200 can also obtain the detection results of the internal sensors and reflect these results in the path when generating the path. In the manner described in (1) above, the vehicle 100 can also obtain the detection results of the internal sensors and reflect these results in the driving control signal when generating the driving control signal. In the manner described in (2) above, the vehicle 100 can also obtain the detection results of the internal sensors and reflect these results in the path when generating the path. In the manner described in (2) above, the vehicle 100 can also obtain the detection results of the internal sensors and reflect these results in the driving control signal when generating the driving control signal.

[0090] (YY3) In driving control example 2, the vehicle 100v may also be equipped with internal sensors, and the detection results output from the internal sensors may be used in at least one of the path generation and driving control signal generation. For example, the vehicle 100v may also acquire the detection results of the internal sensors and reflect the detection results of the internal sensors in the path generation. The vehicle 100v may also acquire the detection results of the internal sensors and reflect the detection results of the internal sensors in the driving control signal when generating the driving control signal.

[0091] (YY4) In driving control example 2, vehicle 100v uses the detection results of external sensor 300 to obtain vehicle position information. Alternatively, vehicle 100v may be equipped with internal sensors, and the vehicle 100v uses the detection results of these internal sensors to obtain vehicle position information. In this case, a target position that vehicle 100v should head towards is determined, and a path from the current location of vehicle 100v, as indicated by the obtained vehicle position information, to the target location is generated. Then, a driving control signal is generated for driving along the generated path, and the generated driving control signal is used to control actuator assembly 120. With this structure, vehicle 100v can drive without using the detection results of external sensor 300 at all.

[0092] Furthermore, vehicle 100v can also obtain the target arrival time and congestion information from outside the vehicle 100v, so that at least one of the path and driving control signals reflects the target arrival time and congestion information. Additionally, the functional structure of system 50v can also be entirely implemented in vehicle 100v. That is, the processing implemented by system 50v in this disclosure can also be implemented by vehicle 100v alone.

[0093] (YY5) In driving control example 1, server 200 automatically generates a driving control signal to be sent to vehicle 100. Alternatively, server 200 may also generate a driving control signal to be sent to vehicle 100 according to the operation of an external operator located outside vehicle 100. For example, an external operator may operate a control device equipped with a display showing images captured from external sensors 300, a steering wheel for remotely operating vehicle 100, an accelerator pedal, a brake pedal, and a communication device for communicating with server 200 via wired or wireless communication, and server 200 generates a driving control signal corresponding to the operation applied to the control device.

[0094] (YY6) In the above driving control examples, the vehicle 100 only needs to have a structure that enables it to move autonomously. For example, it can also be a platform with the structure described below. Specifically, in order for the vehicle 100 to perform the three functions of "driving", "turning" and "stopping" through autonomous driving, it only needs to have at least a vehicle control device 110 and an actuator assembly 120.

[0095] When the vehicle 100 obtains information from the outside for autonomous driving, the vehicle 100 only needs to have a communication device 130. That is, the vehicle 100 that can move autonomously may not have at least some of the interior components such as the driver's seat and dashboard, may not have at least some of the exterior components such as bumpers and mudguards, and may not have a body shell.

[0096] In this case, before the vehicle 100 leaves the factory FC, the remaining components such as the body shell can be installed on the vehicle 100, or the remaining components such as the body shell can be installed on the vehicle 100 after it leaves the factory FC, without the remaining components being installed on the vehicle 100. Each component can be installed from any direction of the vehicle 100, such as the upper, lower, front, rear, right, or left side, or from the same direction or from different directions. Furthermore, the platform can be positioned in the same way as the vehicle 100 in the first embodiment.

[0097] (YY7) The vehicle 100 can also be manufactured by combining multiple modules. A module is a unit composed of multiple parts that are aggregated according to the location and function of the vehicle 100. For example, the platform of the vehicle 100 can be manufactured by combining a front module that constitutes the front part of the platform, a central module that constitutes the central part of the platform, and a rear module that constitutes the rear part of the platform.

[0098] Furthermore, the number of modules constituting the platform is not limited to three; it can be two or fewer, or four or more. In addition to, or alternatively to, the components constituting the platform, parts of the vehicle 100 that differ from the platform can also be modularized. Moreover, these modules can include any exterior components such as bumpers and grilles, and any interior components such as seats and consoles.

[0099] Furthermore, not limited to vehicle 100, any type of mobile body can be manufactured by combining multiple modules. Such modules can be manufactured, for example, by joining multiple components using welding, fasteners, etc., or by casting at least a portion of the components constituting the module into a single part. The molding method of integrally molding a part, especially a relatively large part, is also called Gigacast or Megacast. For example, the aforementioned front module, central module, and rear module can also be manufactured using Gigacast.

[0100] (YY8) The use of autonomous vehicle 100 to transport vehicle 100 is also referred to as "self-propelled transport". Furthermore, the structure used to implement self-propelled transport is also called a "vehicle remote-controlled autonomous driving transport system". Additionally, the production method that utilizes self-propelled transport to produce vehicle 100 is also called "self-propelled production". In self-propelled production, for example, in factory FC where vehicle 100 is manufactured, at least a portion of the transport of vehicle 100 is achieved through self-propelled transport.

[0101] (YY9) In the above-described driving control examples, some or all of the functions and processes implemented in software can also be implemented in hardware. Conversely, some or all of the functions and processes implemented in hardware can also be implemented in software. As the hardware for implementing the various functions in the above embodiments, various circuits such as integrated circuits and discrete circuits can also be used.

[0102] Furthermore, this disclosure enables the execution of some or all of the processing in the external sensors 300, vehicle 100, server 200, etc., by having the CPU (Central Processing Unit) execute computer programs.

[0103] The aforementioned program includes a set of commands (or software code) for causing the computer to perform one or more functions described in the embodiments when read into the computer. The program may be stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium or a physical storage medium. By way of example, and not limitation, a computer-readable medium or a physical storage medium includes RAM (Random-Access Memory), ROM (Read-Only Memory), flash memory, SSD (Solid-State Drive) or other memory technologies, CD-ROM, DVD (Digital Versatile Disc), Blu-ray discs or other optical disc storage, magnetic tape cassettes, magnetic tape, disk storage, or other magnetic storage devices. The program may also be transmitted on a transient computer-readable medium or a communication medium. By way of example, and not limitation, a transient computer-readable medium or a communication medium includes electrical, optical, acoustic, or other forms of propagated signals.

[0104] As can be seen from the foregoing disclosure, the embodiments of this disclosure can be modified in various ways. Such modifications should not be considered as a departure from the spirit and scope of this disclosure, and all modifications that are obvious to those skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. A vehicle control system, comprising: Sensors detect the position information of moving vehicles; and The controller controls the vehicle's movement based on the position information obtained from the sensors. The vehicle control system enables the vehicle to move autonomously in a predetermined direction along the work line, while the operator performs tasks while moving. The controller controls the vehicle to move backward on the work line when the front of the vehicle is being operated on the work line it is about to enter.

2. The vehicle control system according to claim 1, wherein, The controller controls the vehicle to move forward on the work line when the rear of the vehicle is being worked on.

3. The vehicle control system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The controller controls the vehicle to maintain its direction of travel when the side of the vehicle is being operated on the work line it is about to enter.

4. The vehicle control system according to claim 2, wherein, When multiple vehicles are about to enter the work line at prescribed intervals On this work line, the controller controls the vehicle performing the work in front by controlling the vehicle to move backward. On this work line, the controller controls the vehicle performing work at the rear in a way that the vehicle moves forward.

Images