Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and recording medium

Abstract

The present application provides an information processing device, an information processing method, and a recording medium. The information processing device that executes processing of selecting one or more pieces of prompt information that indicate a target of a driving action of a driver when the driver drives a vehicle and prompting the driver based on information on a behavior and an operation state of the vehicle acquired during a period in which the driver selects any one or more pieces of prompt information to drive the vehicle, determines a corresponding situation of a contradictory item, i.e., a contradictory item, to the target of the driving action, and sets one or more pieces of prompt information to be prompted to the driver based on a determination result of the corresponding situation of the contradictory item.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to information processing apparatus, information processing methods, and recording media. Background Technology

[0002] Previously, various technologies for improving the driving skills of vehicle drivers have been proposed. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a driving assistance device comprising: a prompting continuity determination unit that determines the amount of driving operation when a teaching item is prompted and the amount of driving operation when no teaching item is prompted, and determines the achievement level of the driving operation when the teaching item is prompted and the achievement level of the driving operation when no teaching item is prompted, and determines to stop prompting the teaching item if the achievement level when no teaching item is prompted reaches a predetermined target value, and to continue prompting the teaching item if the target value is not reached, and to stop prompting the teaching item if the achievement level when the teaching item is prompted is lower than the achievement level when no teaching item is prompted, even if the achievement level has not reached the predetermined target value; and a teaching output unit that selects and outputs the teaching item to be output from the continuously prompted teaching items.

[0003] Existing technical documents Patent documents Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2014-178994 Summary of the Invention

[0004] Technical issues Here, it is argued that when prompting drivers with objectives related to driving actions, providing objectives based on the driver's strengths or weaknesses in certain driving skills and / or the specific items being prompted can be counterproductive to improving driving skills. For example, if the objective is to avoid unnecessary steering while turning, if an excessive focus on avoiding unnecessary steering leads to a conflicting effect (paradox), such as closing the distance too much to the vehicle in front, the original goal of stabilizing vehicle behavior cannot be achieved. Furthermore, even if the driver's chosen objectives are flawed, there are concerns that this could impair opportunities to improve skills related to other driving actions.

[0005] This disclosure was made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and the purpose of this disclosure is to provide an information processing device, information processing method and recording medium that can improve the driver's driving skills in an overall efficient manner.

[0006] Technical solution To address the aforementioned issues, according to one aspect of this disclosure, an information processing apparatus is provided, comprising: a prompt information storage unit that records a plurality of prompt information indicating the target of a driver's driving action when the driver is driving a vehicle; and a processing unit that performs a process of selecting one or more of the prompt information and prompting it to the driver, the processing unit performing: a determination process that, based on information about the vehicle's behavior and operating state acquired during the period when the driver selects one or more of the prompt information to drive the vehicle, determines the corresponding status of an item that contradicts the target of the driving action, i.e., a contradictory item; and a prompt information setting process that, based on the determination result of the corresponding status of the contradictory item, sets the one or more prompt information to be prompted to the driver.

[0007] To address the aforementioned issues, according to another aspect of this disclosure, an information processing method is provided. This method involves a computer executing a process of selecting one or more prompts representing the target of a driver's driving action while the driver is driving a vehicle, and then prompting the driver with these prompts. The information processing method includes: determining the corresponding status of items that contradict the target of the driving action, i.e., contradictory items, based on information about the behavior and operating status of the vehicle acquired during the period when the driver selects any one or more of the prompts to drive the vehicle; and setting the one or more prompts to be prompted to the driver based on the determination result of the corresponding status of the contradictory items.

[0008] To address the aforementioned issues, according to another aspect of this disclosure, a non-temporary tangible recording medium is provided. This recording medium records a program for enabling a computer to function as an information processing device. The information processing device executes a process that selects one or more prompts representing the target of a driver's driving action while the driver is driving the vehicle and prompts the driver. The recording medium also records a program that enables the computer to perform the following process: determining, based on information about the vehicle's behavior and operating state acquired during the period when the driver selects one or more of the prompts to drive the vehicle, the corresponding status of items contradicting the target of the driving action (i.e., contradictory items); and setting the one or more prompts to be prompted to the driver based on the determination result of the corresponding status of the contradictory items.

[0009] Technical effect As explained above, this disclosure can significantly improve the overall driving skills of drivers. Attached Figure Description

[0010] Figure 1This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example configuration of a vehicle equipped with an information processing device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0011] Figure 2 This is a block diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of an information processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0012] Figure 3 This is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the prompt information stored in the prompt information storage unit of this embodiment.

[0013] Figure 4 This is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of information showing the achievement status of the target indicated by the prompt message selected by the driver in this embodiment.

[0014] Figure 5 This is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of information showing the corresponding situation of contradictory items in this implementation method.

[0015] Figure 6 This is a flowchart illustrating the processing actions performed by the processing unit of this embodiment.

[0016] Figure 7 This is a flowchart illustrating the processing actions performed by the processing unit of this embodiment.

[0017] Figure 8 This is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a method for determining the degree of achievement of an information processing apparatus based on this embodiment.

[0018] Figure 9 This is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of setting priorities based on the target achievement rate and the corresponding number of conflicting items when each prompt message of this implementation method is selected.

[0019] Symbol Explanation 10: Vehicles 11: Vehicle behavior measurement device 13: Surrounding environment monitoring device 15: Vehicle location information detection device 17: Input Section 19: Microphone 41: Map Data Storage Department 43: Vehicle Behavior Data Storage Department 45: Notification Information Storage Department 47: Driving Skills Storage Department 49: Driving Skills Information Storage Department 50: Information processing device 51: Ministry of Communications 53: Processing Department 55: Storage Department 61: Acquisition Department 63: Notification Information Setting Department 65: Notification Processing Department 67: Driving Skill Assessment Department Detailed Implementation

[0020] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that in this specification and the drawings, constituent elements having substantially the same functional configuration are omitted from repeated description by using the same symbols.

[0021] <1. Example of vehicle composition> First, an example of the overall configuration of a vehicle equipped with the information processing device according to the embodiments of this disclosure will be described.

[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of a vehicle 10 equipped with the information processing device 50 of this embodiment. Figure 1 The vehicle 10 shown is configured as a four-wheel drive vehicle that transmits the drive torque output from the drive power source 9 that generates the drive torque of the vehicle 10 to the left front wheel 3LF, right front wheel 3RF, left rear wheel 3LR, and right rear wheel 3RR (hereinafter, unless otherwise distinguished, they are collectively referred to as "wheels 3"). The drive power source 9 can be an internal combustion engine such as a gasoline engine or a diesel engine, or a drive motor, or it can have both an internal combustion engine and a drive motor.

[0023] It should be noted that the vehicle 10 may be, for example, an electric vehicle equipped with two drive motors, a front-wheel drive motor and a rear-wheel drive motor, or an electric vehicle equipped with drive motors corresponding to each wheel 3. Furthermore, in the case of the vehicle 10 being an electric vehicle or a hybrid electric vehicle, the vehicle 10 may include a secondary battery that stores electricity supplied to the drive motors, a generator that generates electricity to charge the battery, or a fuel cell, etc.

[0024] Vehicle 10 includes a drive power source 9, a steering system 37, and a brake hydraulic control unit 20 as devices used for driving control of vehicle 10. The drive power source 9 outputs drive torque transmitted to the front wheel drive axle 5F and the rear wheel drive axle 5R via a transmission (not shown), a front wheel differential 7F, and a rear wheel differential 7R. The drive of the drive power source 9 and the transmission is controlled by a vehicle control unit 40 configured to include one or more electronic control units (ECUs).

[0025] A steering device 37 is provided on the front drive axle 5F. The steering device 37 includes an electric motor (not shown) and a gear mechanism, and adjusts the steering angles of the left front wheel 3LF and the right front wheel 3RF by control of the vehicle control unit 40. In manual driving, the vehicle control unit 40 controls the steering device 37 based on the driver's steering angle of the steering wheel 35. It should be noted that the steering device 37 can also be a hydraulic power steering system.

[0026] The braking system of vehicle 10 is configured as a hydraulic braking system. The brake hydraulic control unit 20 regulates the hydraulic pressure supplied to the brake calipers 21LF, 21RF, 21LR, and 21RR (hereinafter collectively referred to as "caliper 21" unless otherwise specified) installed on the front, rear, left, and right wheels 3, thereby generating braking force. The actuation of the brake hydraulic control unit 20 is controlled by the vehicle control device 40. In the case of vehicle 10 being an electric vehicle or a hybrid electric vehicle, the brakes based on the hydraulic braking system are used in conjunction with regenerative brakes based on the drive motor.

[0027] The vehicle control unit 40 includes one or more electronic control units that control the drive of the drive power source 9 that outputs the drive torque of the vehicle 10, the steering device 37 that controls the steering angle of the steering wheel 35 or the steering wheels, and the brake hydraulic control unit 20 that controls the braking force of the vehicle 10. The vehicle control unit 40 may also have the function of controlling the drive of a transmission that changes the speed of the output from the drive power source 9 and transmits the torque to the wheels 3. When the vehicle 10 is manually driven, the vehicle control unit 40 acquires information based on the driver's driving inputs and controls the drive of the drive power source 9 that outputs the drive torque of the vehicle 10, the steering device 37 that controls the steering angle of the steering wheels, and the brake hydraulic control unit 20 that controls the braking force of the vehicle 10.

[0028] In addition, the vehicle 10 is equipped with a vehicle behavior measurement device 11, an surrounding environment detection device 13, a vehicle position information detection device 15, an input unit 17, a microphone 19, a speaker 31, a display device 33, and an information processing device 50.

[0029] The vehicle behavior measurement device 11 measures information representing the state of the vehicle 10 (hereinafter also referred to as "vehicle behavior data"). The vehicle behavior measurement device 11 includes, for example, at least one of a vehicle speed sensor, an acceleration sensor, and an angular velocity sensor. The vehicle speed sensor, for example, detects the rotational speed of the drive shaft of the vehicle 10. The acceleration sensor detects at least the acceleration along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body, i.e., longitudinal acceleration, and the acceleration along the width direction, i.e., lateral acceleration. The acceleration sensor may also detect the acceleration along the height direction of the vehicle body, i.e., vertical acceleration. The angular velocity sensor detects the rate of change of the rotation angle (roll angle) about the axis along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body, the rotation angle (pitch angle) about the axis along the width direction, and the rotation angle (yaw angle) about the axis along the height direction.

[0030] The data measured by the vehicle behavior measuring device 11 is data that changes according to the driver's steering wheel operation, accelerator operation, and brake operation, and is input as vehicle behavior data to the information processing device 50. The information processing device 50 is configured to acquire information representing the data measured by the vehicle behavior measuring device 11. In addition to a vehicle speed sensor, an acceleration sensor, and an angular velocity sensor, the vehicle behavior measuring device 11 may also include sensors capable of measuring data reflecting the behavior of the vehicle 10.

[0031] The surrounding environment detection device 13 is a device for detecting the conditions around the vehicle 10. The surrounding environment detection device 13 is configured to include at least one of, for example, a stereo camera, a monocular camera, LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging / Laser Imaging Detection and Ranging), and a radar sensor. Figure 1 In the example of vehicle 10 shown, the surrounding environment detection device 13 has a pair of left and right front-facing cameras 13LF and 13RF, as well as a LiDAR 13S.

[0032] The surrounding environment detection device 13 detects objects around the vehicle 10, such as other vehicles, bicycles, pedestrians, road signs, and other obstacles, based on the acquired data, and calculates the distance and / or relative speed and relative position to these objects. Additionally, the surrounding environment detection device 13 detects information about the conditions around the vehicle 10, such as road width, based on the acquired data. The information detected by the surrounding environment detection device 13 is input to the information processing device 50. The information processing device 50 is configured to acquire the information detected by the surrounding environment detection device 13. In addition to including a stereo camera, a monocular camera, a LiDAR sensor, and a radar sensor, the surrounding environment detection device 13 may also include devices capable of detecting information about the conditions around the vehicle 10.

[0033] The vehicle position information detection device 15 receives positioning signals transmitted from GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) satellites, such as GPS (Global Positioning System), to measure the position of the vehicle 10. The vehicle position information detection device 15 can also replace GNSS in receiving positioning signals transmitted from other systems such as the Quasi-Zenith Satellite System, or receive positioning signals transmitted from other systems such as the Quasi-Zenith Satellite System in conjunction with GNSS, to measure the position of the vehicle 10. The position information of the vehicle 10 detected by the vehicle position information detection device 15 is input to the information processing device 50. The information processing device 50 is configured to acquire the position information detected by the vehicle position information detection device 15.

[0034] The input unit 17 accepts user input and sends it to the information processing device 50. The input unit 17 may be, for example, a touch panel display or a dial-type operating device. Alternatively, the input unit 17 may also be an image recognition device that accepts input via gesture. The microphone 19 functions as an input unit for recognizing the user's voice.

[0035] The speaker 31 outputs recognizable sound to the user. The speaker 31 can be a speaker already present in the vehicle 10 or a dedicated speaker. The output of the speaker 31 is controlled by the information processing unit 50. Figure 1 In the vehicle 10 shown, the speaker 31 includes four speakers 31LF, 31RF, 31LR, and 31RR, which are arranged at the front, rear, left, and right of the vehicle 10.

[0036] Display device 33 is an optical panel such as a liquid crystal panel, used to display images, moving images, text, and other data. Display device 33 is driven by information processing device 50. Display device 33 can be a display device installed in the instrument panel of vehicle 10, a display device for a navigation system, or a dedicated display device.

[0037] <2. Information Processing Device> Next, the information processing apparatus 50 of this embodiment will be described in detail.

[0038] The information processing device 50 functions as a device that provides predetermined prompts to the driver by executing a computer program through one or more CPUs (Central Processing Units). This computer program is used to cause the processor to perform the actions described later by the information processing device 50. The computer program executed by the processor can be recorded in a recording medium that functions as a storage unit (memory) 53 included in the information processing device 50, or it can be recorded in a recording medium built into the information processing device 50 or in any recording medium that can be externally attached to the information processing device 50.

[0039] Recording media for recording computer programs can be magnetic media such as hard disks, floppy disks, and magnetic tapes; optical recording media such as CD-ROMs (Compact Disc Read-Only Memory), DVDs (Digital Video Discs), and Blu-rays; magneto-optical media such as floppy disks; storage elements such as RAM and ROM; and flash memory such as USB (Universal Serial Bus) storage devices and SSDs (Solid State Drives); and other media capable of storing programs.

[0040] The information processing device 50 selects one or more prompts from a plurality of prompts that represent targets related to the driver's driving actions on the vehicle 10, and performs the processing of prompting the driver. This makes the driver aware of situations that the driver should pay attention to while driving the vehicle 10, thereby improving the driver's driving skills.

[0041] (2-1. Composition) Figure 2 This is a block diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of the information processing apparatus 50 of this embodiment.

[0042] The information processing device 50 is connected to the vehicle behavior measurement device 11, the surrounding environment detection device 13, the vehicle position information detection device 15, the input unit 17, the microphone 19, the speaker 31, and the display device 33 via a dedicated line or a communication bus such as CAN (Controller Area Network). The information processing device 50 is configured to include a processor such as a CPU and / or peripheral components, and storage elements such as RAM (Random Access Memory) and ROM (Read Only Memory). Part or all of the information processing device 50 may consist of updatable components such as firmware, or it may be a program module that executes instructions from the CPU, etc.

[0043] The information processing device 50 includes a communication unit 51, a processing unit 53, and a storage unit 55. Additionally, the information processing device 50 includes a map data storage unit 41, a vehicle behavior data storage unit 43, a prompt information storage unit 45, and a driving skill information storage unit 49, which are communicatively connected to the processing unit 53.

[0044] The communication unit 51 is configured to have one or more interfaces for transmitting and receiving data and / or signals between the processing unit 53 and other devices and / or sensors.

[0045] The storage unit 55 is configured to include one or more storage elements such as RAM or ROM. In addition to storing the program executed by the processing unit 53 and / or various parameters used for program execution, the storage unit 55 also stores acquired data, calculation results, and the like. A portion of the storage unit 55 is used as the working area of ​​the processing unit 53.

[0046] The map data storage unit 41, vehicle behavior data storage unit 43, prompt information storage unit 45, and driving skill information storage unit 49 are configured to record predetermined information in one or more recording media. Some or all of the individual storage units may also be configured as a shared recording medium.

[0047] The map data storage unit 41 stores map data including information on road types and / or facilities, traffic signals, and speed limits.

[0048] The vehicle behavior data storage unit 43 stores the vehicle behavior data output from the vehicle behavior measurement device 11 according to a predetermined sampling period.

[0049] The prompt information storage unit 45 stores candidates for multiple prompt information to be presented to the user. In this embodiment, the prompt information includes a first prompt information indicating the driving state of the vehicle 10 when the driver is driving the vehicle 10, and a second prompt information indicating the target of the driver's driving operation. The first prompt information is information indicating the target of the driving state of the vehicle 10 as a result of the driving operation, rather than information indicating the target of the specific driving operation performed by the driver. The second prompt information is information indicating the target of the driving operation as an action directly performed by the driver.

[0050] Figure 3 An example of the prompt information stored in the prompt information storage unit 45 is shown. The first prompt information is set as a target of the vehicle 10's driving state, such as "stabilize vehicle behavior", "maintain constant vehicle speed", "eliminate left and right swaying", and "ensure sufficient distance from the vehicle in front", which is not the target of the driver's specific driving operation.

[0051] The second prompt is set as the target of specific driving operations for the driver, such as "avoid unnecessary steering wheel turning or straightening," "avoid sudden acceleration," "avoid sudden braking," and "avoid sudden release of the brake pedal." For example, "avoiding unnecessary steering wheel turning or straightening" is a specific example of driving operations used to stabilize vehicle behavior or eliminate lateral swaying. Similarly, "avoiding sudden acceleration," "avoiding sudden braking," and "avoiding sudden release of the brake pedal" are specific examples of driving operations used to stabilize vehicle behavior or maintain a constant vehicle speed. Furthermore, "avoiding sudden acceleration" is a specific example of driving operations used to ensure a sufficient distance from the vehicle in front.

[0052] Among the various prompts, a priority is set for the prompts selected to be given to the driver. This priority is calculated and recorded by the driving skill assessment unit 67. Figure 3 The example shown uses three levels, "high," "medium," and "low," to set priorities, but the criteria for priority are not limited to the example above. Furthermore, the first and second prompt messages are not limited to... Figure 3 The example shown.

[0053] The driving skill information storage unit 49 stores information related to the driver's driving skills along with the identification information of each driver. In this embodiment, the driving skill information storage unit 49 stores information about the driver's attributes, information about the driver's driving skill level, information about the achievement status of the goal indicated by the prompt information selected by the driver, and information about the corresponding status of conflicting items.

[0054] Information related to the driver's attributes is basic information associated with the driver's driving skills, such as at least one of the following: the driver's age, the number of years since obtaining the driver's license, driving frequency, and the number of years since previous driving experience. Furthermore, it may also include other information that can infer the driver's driving skills. This information can be obtained in the form of a questionnaire in which the driver inputs answers to questions prompted by the information processing device 50 into the input unit 17 or microphone 19, and recorded in the driving skills information storage unit 49. Alternatively, this information, collected in advance, can be transmitted and recorded in the driving skills information storage unit 49.

[0055] Driving skill level is a classification of driving skills into multiple stages, determined by the driving skill assessment unit 67 and recorded in the driving skill information storage unit 49. In this embodiment, an example of dividing driving skill levels into four stages, from "Level 1" to "Level 4," will be described. The higher the numerical value of the driving skill level, the higher the driving skill level.

[0056] Information on goal achievement includes the number of times the driver selected each prompt in the past, the number of times the goal indicated by the selected prompt was achieved, and the achievement rate of the goal indicated by each selection.

[0057] Figure 4 This is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of information showing the achievement status of a target indicated by a prompt message selected by the driver. Within the target achievement status information, for... Figure 3 Each prompt (driving action goal) shown records the number of times the driver has made a selection, the number of times the goal has been achieved, and the goal achievement rate (%).

[0058] The information regarding the corresponding status of conflicting items includes information on the number of times the driver selects various prompts to drive the vehicle 10 and the corresponding pre-set conflicting items. Conflicting items refer to pre-set items that may result in conflicting states when driving operations are performed according to the driving action objectives indicated by various prompts, representing undesirable vehicle behavior and driving operation states.

[0059] Figure 5 This is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of information showing the corresponding status of contradictory items. Within the information on the corresponding status of contradictory items, regarding... Figure 3 Each prompt (driving action objective) shown is recorded with the number of times each prompt was selected to drive vehicle 10, corresponding to each conflicting item. Figure 5The contradictory items shown, including "unstable vehicle behavior," are the direct opposite of the prompt "stabilize vehicle behavior," so the corresponding occurrences are not counted. Similarly, "unstable vehicle speed" is the direct opposite of the prompt "maintain constant vehicle speed," so the corresponding occurrences are not counted. Furthermore, "left-right swaying" is the direct opposite of the prompt "eliminate left-right swaying," so the corresponding occurrences are not counted. Finally, "distance from the vehicle ahead" directly contradicts the prompt "ensure a sufficient distance from the vehicle ahead," so the corresponding occurrences are not counted.

[0060] Furthermore, "steering correction" is the direct opposite of the prompt "avoid unnecessary steering wheel movements," so the corresponding number of times is not counted. Similarly, "sudden throttle operation" is the direct opposite of the prompt "avoid suddenly pressing the accelerator pedal," so the corresponding number of times is not counted. Likewise, "sudden braking operation" is the direct opposite of the prompts "avoid suddenly pressing the brake pedal" and "avoid suddenly releasing the brake pedal," so the corresponding number of times is not counted.

[0061] (2-2. Functional composition of the processing unit) The processing unit 53 is configured to include one or more processors, such as a CPU. The processing unit 53 includes an acquisition unit 61, a prompt information setting unit 63, a notification processing unit 65, and a driving skill determination unit 67. These units function by executing programs through the processor. A portion of the acquisition unit 61, the prompt information setting unit 63, the notification processing unit 65, and the driving skill determination unit 67 may also be constructed using analog circuitry.

[0062] (2-2-1. Acquisition Department) The acquisition unit 61 acquires information output from the vehicle behavior measuring device 11, the surrounding environment detection device 13, the vehicle position information detection device 15, the input unit 17, and the microphone 19 via the communication unit 51. The information acquired by the acquisition unit 61 includes vehicle behavior data output from the vehicle behavior measuring device 11. The acquisition unit 61 acquires information at predetermined processing cycles and stores the acquired vehicle behavior data in the storage unit 55.

[0063] (2-2-2. Prompt Information Setting Department) The prompt information setting unit 63 performs processing to select one or more prompt information from the prompt information recorded in the prompt information storage unit 45. The prompt information setting unit 63 sets one or more prompt information to be prompted to the driver based at least on the driver's driving skills information, goal achievement status information, and corresponding status information of conflicting items stored in the driving skills information storage unit 49.

[0064] (2-2-3. Notification Processing Department) The notification processing unit 65 performs processing to notify the driver of various information by driving either or both of the speaker 31 and the display device 33. In this embodiment, the notification processing unit 65 notifies the driver of at least one or more prompts selected by the prompt setting unit 63. Furthermore, the notification processing unit 65 prompts the driver to select one or more prompts from the notified prompts. That is, the notification processing unit 65 enhances the driver's intrinsic motivation by prompting the driver with points to pay attention to while driving. The notification processing unit 65 records one or more prompts selected by the driver via the input unit 17 or the microphone 19.

[0065] (2-2-4. Driving Skills Assessment Department) The driving skill assessment unit 67 performs the process of determining the driver's driving skill level. As an initial setting for the driving skill level, the driving skill assessment unit 67 determines the driving skill level based on the driver's attribute information. For example, the driver being elderly, having held their driver's license for a short period of time, driving infrequently, or having a long period of time since their previous driving experience are all factors that can lead to a low driving skill level. The driving skill assessment unit 67 records the determined driving skill level information in the driving skill information storage unit 49.

[0066] Furthermore, the driving skill assessment unit 67 adjusts the driving skill level setting based on vehicle behavior data acquired while the driver is driving the vehicle 10. In this embodiment, the driving skill assessment unit 67 determines the achievement status of the target indicated by the prompt information selected by the driver based on the vehicle behavior data acquired while the driver is driving the vehicle 10, and adjusts the driving skill level accordingly. Additionally, the driving skill assessment unit 67 determines the corresponding status of pre-set conflicting items based on the vehicle behavior data acquired while the driver is driving the vehicle 10.

[0067] The driving skill assessment unit 67 records the achievement status of the target determined for each prompt and the corresponding status of conflicting items in the driving skill information storage unit 49. In addition, based on the achievement status of the target and the corresponding status of conflicting items, the driving skill assessment unit 67 calculates the priority of each prompt when selecting a prompt to be presented to the driver, and updates the priority of the prompt stored in the prompt information storage unit 45.

[0068] (2-3. Operation of the processing unit) Next, a specific example of the processing operation performed by the processing unit 53 of the information processing device 50 will be described.

[0069] Figures 6-7This is a flowchart showing the processing actions performed by the processing unit 53.

[0070] If the processing unit 53 detects the start of the vehicle 10's system (step S11), the prompt information setting unit 63 obtains information about the driver's driving skill level (step S13). The detection of the start of the vehicle 10's system can be either detecting a signal that the start switch of the vehicle 10's system is turned on, or detecting a signal indicating that the driver or others have performed an operation requesting a prompt information.

[0071] The prompt information setting unit 63 identifies the driver, for example, based on a facial image of the driver captured by an in-vehicle camera, and searches for the corresponding driver's driving skill level information from the data recorded in the driving skill information storage unit 49. The prompt information setting unit 63 obtains the corresponding driver's driving skill level information. The prompt information setting unit 63 may also identify the driver based on information input by the driver to the input unit 17 or the microphone 19.

[0072] In the first step S13 after the system starts, the prompt information setting unit 63 calculates the initial setting of the driving skill level based on the driver's attribute information recorded in the driving skill information storage unit 49. For example, the prompt information setting unit 63 applies information such as the driver's age, the number of years since obtaining the driver's license, driving frequency, and the number of years since previous driving to a predetermined calculation formula or algorithm to calculate the initial setting of the driving skill level.

[0073] In step S13, which occurs after the system starts for the second time, the prompt information setting unit 63 obtains the driving skill level information updated by the driving skill determination unit 67. In this embodiment, the driving skill level is divided into four levels: "Level 1 (Low)", "Level 2 (Slightly Low)", "Level 3 (Slightly High)", and "Level 4 (High)". The higher the level number, the higher the driving skill level.

[0074] Next, the prompt information setting unit 63 selects one or more prompt messages to be prompted to the driver from the prompt messages recorded in the prompt information storage unit 45 (step S15). At this time, the prompt information setting unit 63 sets one or more prompt messages to be prompted to the driver based on the corresponding status of conflicting items and according to the priority set for each prompt message.

[0075] For example, in Figure 3In the example of the prompt messages shown, since the priority of prompt message No. 4 is "high," the prompt message setting unit 63 selects prompt messages by increasing the frequency of prompting prompt message No. 4. On the other hand, since the priority of prompt messages No. 5 and No. 7 is "low," the prompt message setting unit 63 selects prompt messages by decreasing the frequency of prompting prompt messages No. 5 and No. 7. For example, prompt messages with a priority of "medium" are set to be selected once every 3 to 4 times. In contrast, prompt messages with a priority of "high" are set to be selected once every 2 times. On the other hand, prompt messages with a priority of "low" are set to be selected once every 5 to 6 times.

[0076] The prompt information setting unit 63 selects one or more prompt information messages based on information about the priority settings for each prompt information message and a record of previously selected prompt information messages. For example, the prompt information setting unit 63 selects three prompt information messages from a plurality of prompt information messages. It should be noted that the method for setting the priority settings by the driving skill assessment unit 67 will be explained in detail later.

[0077] Next, the notification processing unit 65 notifies the driver of the prompt information selected by the prompt information setting unit 63 (step S17). For example, the notification processing unit 65 displays the prompt information on the screen of the display device 33. At this time, the notification processing unit 65 displays prompt information on the screen of the display device 33, prompting the driver to select the prompt information, such as "Please select the item as the target". The notification processing unit 65 may also make a sound-based notification from the speaker 31, either simultaneously with or in place of the display on the screen of the display device 33.

[0078] It should be noted that the driver, upon receiving the notification of the prompt, selects one or more of the prompted prompts. Specifically, if the display device 33 is a touch panel type display that also serves as an input unit 17, the driver selects the prompt by pressing a button on the screen of the display device 33. Alternatively, the driver can select the prompt by inputting an operation to another input unit 17 or by inputting sound into the microphone 19. By having the driver select one or more of the prompts, the driver becomes aware of the objective while driving the vehicle 10.

[0079] Next, the notification processing unit 65 obtains the prompt information selected by the driver (step S19). The notification processing unit 65 obtains the prompt information selected by the driver through input operation via the input unit 17 or the microphone 19. The notification processing unit 65 records the prompt information selected by the driver in the storage unit 55.

[0080] The notification processing unit 65 can also perform awareness processing to further make the driver aware that the driver has selected the prompt information after receiving the prompt information selected by the driver. This is a process used to further make the driver aware of the prompt information selected by the driver, and has the effect of increasing attention to the set target when driving the vehicle 10.

[0081] Next, the acquisition unit 61 collects vehicle behavior data output from the vehicle behavior measurement device 11 (step S21). Specifically, the acquisition unit 61 acquires vehicle behavior data output from the vehicle behavior measurement device 11 at a predetermined sampling period and records it in the vehicle behavior data storage unit 43. At this time, the acquisition unit 61 records the vehicle behavior data together with information about the time when the vehicle behavior data was acquired, and can establish a correlation with the prompt information selected when the vehicle behavior data was acquired.

[0082] Next, the driving skill assessment unit 67 calculates the achievement status of the target indicated by the prompt message selected by the driver based on the collected vehicle behavior data (step S23). The driving skill assessment unit 67 can calculate the target achievement level based on the collected vehicle behavior data for each predetermined time period or predetermined driving interval, or it can calculate the target achievement level sequentially based on the vehicle behavior data collected in the previous predetermined time period. Alternatively, the driving skill assessment unit 67 can calculate the target achievement level based on the vehicle behavior data collected from the start to the end of the current driving of the vehicle 10 when the driver finishes driving the vehicle 10. For example, the driving skill assessment unit 67 calculates the characteristic quantity set for each item of the prompt message and calculates the achievement level of the target indicated by the prompt message based on the proportion of the achievement threshold.

[0083] Figure 8 This is an illustrative diagram showing an example of a method for calculating the degree of achievement of a goal based on vehicle behavior data. Figure 8 An example is shown of determining the lateral jerk (lateral acceleration) based on measurement data of lateral acceleration detected by an acceleration sensor, which is one of the vehicle behavior measurement devices 11, and calculating the degree of achievement of the target.

[0084] Lateral jerk can be, for example, by Figure 3 The indicated values ​​are the target values ​​for "stabilizing vehicle behavior" and "eliminating lateral swaying" as shown in the prompt message. Additionally, the lateral acceleration can be the target value for "avoiding unnecessary steering wheel movements" as shown in the prompt message.

[0085] The driving skill assessment unit 67 performs predetermined data processing on the vehicle behavior data acquired by the acquisition unit 61 and recorded in the vehicle behavior data storage unit 43. Specifically, the driving skill assessment unit 67 performs smoothing and absolute value conversion processing on the lateral acceleration measurement data to convert it into data of the absolute value of lateral acceleration. In addition, the driving skill assessment unit 67 performs time differentiation on the absolute value data of lateral acceleration to convert it into data of the absolute value of lateral jerk.

[0086] The driving skill assessment unit 67 calculates the number of times the lateral acceleration exceeds a predetermined reference value thre_DL, based on the lateral acceleration data, according to each predetermined interval pr1, Pr2, Pr3...PrN. The predetermined interval, which serves as the unit for calculating the evaluation value, can be an interval divided according to a predetermined driving distance, an interval divided according to a predetermined driving time, or an interval divided according to each intersection equipped with a traffic signal.

[0087] Furthermore, the predetermined interval can be a specific interval set in advance. For example, in evaluating the stability of the driver's steering wheel operation, it is preferable to set the predetermined interval as a continuous straight section of a straight line exceeding a predetermined distance, or a continuous turning section of a curve with constant curvature. Similarly, in evaluating the driver's accelerator or brake operation, it is preferable to set the predetermined interval as a continuous straight section of a straight line exceeding a predetermined distance. Whether or not the vehicle is driven within these specific intervals can be determined based on the vehicle 10's position information detected by the vehicle position information detection device 15 and the map data stored in the map data storage unit 41.

[0088] The driving skill assessment unit 67 calculates the average number of times the lateral acceleration exceeds a predetermined reference value thre_DL in each interval PrN, and calculates the achievement level of the target based on this average value. For example, in each interval PrN, the driving skill assessment unit 67 sets the achievement level to "1" when the average number of times the lateral acceleration exceeds the predetermined reference value thre_DL is a predetermined threshold. The more the average value exceeds the predetermined threshold, the smaller the achievement level is set to, less than "1". In this case, the greater the difference between the average value and the predetermined threshold, the smaller the achievement level is, less than "1". Conversely, the lower the average value is than the predetermined threshold, the larger the achievement level is, greater than "1". In this case, the greater the difference between the average value and the predetermined threshold, the larger the achievement level is, greater than "1".

[0089] For example, the driving skill assessment unit 67 sets the achievement level to "1" when the number of times the lateral acceleration exceeds the predetermined benchmark value thre_DL per unit time (1 second) becomes a threshold (2 times / second). Furthermore, the driving skill assessment unit 67 sets the achievement level to "0.8 (2 / 2.5)" when the number of times the lateral acceleration exceeds the predetermined benchmark value thre_DL per unit time (1 second) exceeds the threshold by 2.5 times / second. Additionally, the driving skill assessment unit 67 sets the achievement level to "1.33 (2 / 1.5)" when the number of times the lateral acceleration exceeds the predetermined benchmark value thre_DL per unit time (1 second) is less than the threshold by 1.5 times / second.

[0090] It should be noted that the method for determining the degree of achievement of the goals indicated in each prompt message is not limited to the example above. The driving skill assessment unit 67 can also determine the degree of achievement of the goals by comparing them with any of its own benchmarks. In addition, in the example above, the driving skill assessment unit 67 evaluates the degree of achievement of the goals based solely on the data of lateral acceleration, but it can also evaluate the degree of achievement of the goals based on multiple types of vehicle behavior data. In this case, the driving skill assessment unit 67 can also replace the values ​​of each data point used with the same index (e.g., a value from 0 to 10), and determine the degree of achievement of the goals based on the value obtained by replacing the values ​​of all the data points used with the same index.

[0091] As in the example above, the driving skill assessment unit 67 accumulates... Figure 4 The data shows the achievement status of the target. Specifically, if the achievement level calculated by the driving skill determination unit 67 based on the number of times the lateral acceleration exceeds the predetermined reference value thre_DL is "1" or higher, the count of the number of times the target is achieved is incremented by 1. Conversely, if the achievement level calculated by the driving skill determination unit 67 based on the number of times the lateral acceleration exceeds the predetermined reference value thre_DL continues to be less than "1", the count of the number of times the target is not achieved is incremented by 1. The driving skill determination unit 67 calculates the target achievement level for a period of one time (one selection) until the selected option in the prompt message is prompted again, and records the determination result.

[0092] Next, the notification processing unit 65 notifies the driver of the achievement level of the target calculated by the driving skill assessment unit 67 (step S25). For example, the notification processing unit 65 may replace the achievement level value with a response such as "perfectly completed", "well completed", "not very well completed", or "needs improvement" when making the notification. Specifically, the notification processing unit 65 activates the display device 33 or the speaker 31 to make a notification such as "the driving operation of the selected target was completed well".

[0093] Next, the driving skill assessment unit 67 adjusts the driver's driving skill level based on the calculated goal achievement rate and updates the driver's driving skill level information recorded in the driving skill information storage unit 49 (step S27). For example, the driving skill assessment unit 67 raises the driving skill level by one level when the number of times the goal is achieved exceeds a predetermined number, and lowers the driving skill level by one level when the number of times the goal is not achieved exceeds a predetermined number. In the example above, the upper limit of the driving skill level is limited to "level 4" and the lower limit is limited to "level 1".

[0094] It should be noted that the driving skill assessment unit 67 may also use the sum of the achievement rates of multiple objectives instead of the information on the number of times an objective was achieved. In this case, the driving skill assessment unit 67 will raise the driving skill level by one level if the sum of the achievement rates of multiple objectives is above a predetermined benchmark value, and lower the driving skill level by one level if the sum of the achievement rates of multiple objectives is below the predetermined benchmark value.

[0095] Furthermore, the driving skill assessment unit 67 can also calculate the driving skill level based on the number of times each prompt message was selected, the number of times the target was achieved, and the target achievement rate. There are no particular limitations on the calculation method for the driving skill level; any formula or algorithm can be used. Alternatively, the driving skill level can be calculated by weighting various data points based on the difficulty of the target indicated in the prompt message, road conditions during driving, and the driving environment.

[0096] Next, the driving skill determination unit 67 determines whether the condition for de-prioritizing any prompt message is met (step S29). Step S29 is a process to prevent the prompts that are temporarily disabled or have had their priority reduced from being displayed for an extended period. For example, after setting the priority of each prompt message, the driving skill determination unit 67 determines that the condition for de-prioritizing the prompt is met when a predetermined time has elapsed, or when the number of times the process of displaying one or more prompt messages to the driver has been executed has reached a predetermined number. The predetermined time or predetermined number of times can be set to any appropriate value.

[0097] If the driving skill determination unit 67 does not determine that the condition for deactivating the priority setting of any prompt message is met (S29 / No), it proceeds to step S33 as is. On the other hand, if the driving skill determination unit 67 determines that the condition for deactivating the priority setting of any prompt message is met (S29 / Yes), it deactivates the priority setting of the corresponding prompt message (step S31).

[0098] Next, the driving skill determination unit 67 uses the vehicle data collected in step S21 to determine whether there are any conflicting items during the period or time in which the achievement status of the goal indicated by the prompt information selected by the driver is calculated (step S33). For example, the driving skill determination unit 67 calculates the characteristic quantity set according to each conflicting item and determines whether there are any conflicting items whose characteristic quantity exceeds a threshold or whose characteristic quantity does not reach the threshold. The characteristic quantity can be the same as the characteristic quantity used when calculating the achievement status of the goal indicated by the prompt information.

[0099] exist Figure 5 Among the information regarding the corresponding conditions of the illustrated contradictory items, "unstable vehicle behavior" is counted incrementally when the number of times the lateral acceleration exceeds a predetermined threshold per unit time reaches a predetermined baseline. Similarly, "unstable vehicle speed" is counted incrementally when the number of times the longitudinal acceleration exceeds a predetermined threshold per unit time reaches a predetermined baseline. "Left-right swaying" is counted incrementally when the number of times the lateral acceleration reverses left or right per unit time reaches a predetermined baseline. Finally, "distance to the vehicle ahead" is counted incrementally when the number of times the distance to the vehicle ahead is less than a predetermined distance per unit time reaches a predetermined baseline.

[0100] Additionally, the "steering correction" count is incremented when the number of times the steering direction reverses left or right per unit time exceeds a predetermined threshold. Similarly, the "sudden throttle operation" count is incremented when the rate of increase in throttle opening per unit time exceeds a predetermined threshold. Finally, the "sudden braking operation" count is incremented when the rate of change in brake pressure or brake stroke per unit time exceeds a predetermined threshold.

[0101] Next, the driving skill assessment unit 67 determines whether a corresponding contradictory item exists (step S31). If no contradictory item is determined to exist (S35 / No), it proceeds to step S41. On the other hand, if the driving skill assessment unit 67 determines that a corresponding contradictory item exists (S35 / Yes), it records the corresponding contradictory item and its corresponding number of occurrences into the information on the corresponding status of the contradictory item stored in the driving skill storage unit 47 (step S37). Figure 5 When a conflicting item is presented, the driver inputs the number of times corresponding to the conflicting item according to each prompt. However, when the driving skill assessment unit 67 determines whether there is a conflicting item, it inputs the number of times corresponding to each conflicting item according to each prompt selected by the driver and accumulates the data.

[0102] Next, the driving skill determination unit 67 calculates the priority of each prompt message based on the information on goal achievement status and the corresponding status of conflicting items stored in the driving skill information storage unit 49 (step S39). First, if the number of times a prompt message corresponds to a conflicting item exceeds a predetermined threshold, the driving skill determination unit 67 prohibits the use of that prompt message. This is a measure to prevent the driver who has selected that prompt message from being distracted from achieving the goal indicated by that prompt message, thus increasing the likelihood of undesirable driving states.

[0103] For example, if the threshold for the number of contradictory items corresponding to "distance to the vehicle in front" is 5, then if the number of contradictory items related to "distance to the vehicle in front" reaches 5 when driving vehicle 10 with the "eliminate left and right swaying" prompt selected, the selection of the "eliminate left and right swaying" prompt will be prohibited. In this case, the number of contradictory items related to "distance to the vehicle in front" when any prompt other than "eliminate left and right swaying" is selected will not be counted.

[0104] It should be noted that, for drivers with low driving skills, the second prompt, which is set as a specific driving operation rather than a first prompt, is more effective in improving driving skills than the first prompt, which is set as a target of the vehicle 10's driving state rather than a target of the driver's specific driving operation. Therefore, to prevent reducing the opportunity to improve driving skills by setting any of the second prompts to be prohibited, the impact of the number of contradictory items in the second prompt can be made less than the impact of the number of contradictory items in the first prompt. For example, the number of contradictory items in the second prompt can be counted as 0.5 for each contradictory item.

[0105] Furthermore, the threshold for the number of times corresponding to a conflicting item can be set for each conflicting item, or it can be set as the threshold for the sum of the corresponding times for all conflicting items. Additionally, the number of times corresponding to a conflicting item can be measured in weeks, months, or accumulated whenever the number of times a prompt message is selected reaches a predetermined number.

[0106] Furthermore, the driving skill assessment unit 67 prioritizes warning messages (excluding those designated as prohibited) based on the achievement status of the objective and the frequency of conflicting items. For example, if the driver's choice of warning messages that prioritize achieving the objective is biased, the driving skill assessment unit 67 reduces the frequency of displaying those warning messages and increases the frequency of displaying other warning messages with low objective achievement rates. Additionally, the driving skill assessment unit 67 reduces the frequency of displaying warning messages that frequently conflict with other items and increases the frequency of displaying other warning messages that rarely conflict with other items. The driving skill assessment unit 67 calculates the priority for each warning message and updates it accordingly. Figure 3 The priority of the displayed prompts.

[0107] Figure 9 This is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of prioritizing tasks based on the target achievement rate and the corresponding number of conflicting items when each prompt is selected. Figure 9 The example shown is to Figure 4 and Figure 5 The diagram illustrating the mapping between the target achievement rate of the prompt information and the cumulative number of responses to conflicting items, projected onto the set priority (prompt frequency), shows that the lower the target achievement rate and the fewer the responses to conflicting items, the higher the priority is set; conversely, the higher the target achievement rate and the more responses to conflicting items, the lower the priority is set. By increasing the priority of prompt information with fewer responses to conflicting items, the behavior or operating state of vehicle 10 can be prevented from becoming unstable, thereby improving the driver's inexperienced driving operations. Furthermore, by increasing the priority of prompt information with low target achievement rates, the driver can be easily alerted to the target of driving states or operations they are not proficient in, thus improving their awareness of these areas.

[0108] It should be noted that the method for setting priorities corresponding to the conditions of conflicting items is not limited to... Figure 9 The example shown illustrates this. For instance, the priority of prompts with high target achievement rates and low frequency of conflicting items can be increased. In this case, the higher the priority, the further to the lower right of the graph. By increasing the priority of prompts with high target achievement rates, it becomes easier to prompt the driver with the driving state or driving operation they are good at, thereby reducing the driver's awareness of their lack of proficiency in driving vehicle 10.

[0109] Next, the processing unit 53 determines whether to stop the system of the vehicle 10 (step S41). For example, the processing unit 53 may determine to stop the system of the vehicle 10 when it detects a signal that the start switch of the system of the vehicle 10 has been turned off, or it may determine to stop the system of the vehicle 10 when the driver or others have made an operation to request a prompt message.

[0110] If the system for stopping vehicle 10 is not determined by the processing unit 53 (S41 / No), the process returns to step S13 and repeatedly performs the process of selecting and displaying prompt information in the order of the steps described so far. On the other hand, if the system for stopping vehicle 10 is determined by the processing unit 53 (S41 / Yes), the process ends the series of processing actions.

[0111] <3. Effects> As explained above, the information processing device 50 of this embodiment selects one or more prompts from a plurality of prompts representing a goal related to the driver's driving actions and prompts the driver to choose any prompt. This allows the driver to select appropriate prompts to enhance intrinsic motivation, thus efficiently improving driving skills. At this time, the information processing device 50 selects the prompts to be prompted to the driver based on the corresponding situation of conflicting items when driving the vehicle 10 by selecting each prompt. Therefore, by recognizing the goal indicated by the prompt, the frequency of prompts that are likely to increase conflict can be reduced. Therefore, the driver's overall driving skills can be improved efficiently.

[0112] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the information processing device 50 sets the priority of each prompt based on the corresponding status of the contradictory items of the prompts selected by the driver, and sets the one or more prompts to be prompted to the driver based on the priority. Therefore, the frequency of prompts with fewer contradictory items being prompted increases, while the frequency of prompts with more contradictory items being prompted decreases, which can suppress the instability of the vehicle 10's behavior and effectively improve the driver's driving skills.

[0113] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the information processing device 50 sets the priority of each prompt message, and then deactivates the priority setting after a predetermined time has elapsed, or when the predetermined number of times the processing of one or more prompt messages to be prompted to the driver has been completed. Therefore, it avoids maintaining a state where the use of prompt messages is temporarily prohibited or the frequency of prompts is reduced, resulting in fewer prompts, and can provide appropriate prompts as the driver's driving skills improve.

[0114] Furthermore, the information processing device 50 of this embodiment further determines the achievement status of the target indicated by the prompt message selected by the driver among the prompt messages presented to the driver, and sets the priority of each prompt message based on the response status of conflicting items and the achievement status of the target. Therefore, it is possible to increase the prompt frequency of prompt messages with high target achievement rates among prompt messages with fewer responses to conflicting items, thereby further improving the driver's driving skills. In addition, by increasing the prompt frequency of prompt messages with low target achievement rates among prompt messages with fewer responses to conflicting items, it is possible to improve the driver's awareness of driving operations they are not good at.

[0115] <4. Variations> This concludes the description of the information processing apparatus 50 of this embodiment, but various modifications can be made to the above embodiment.

[0116] The prompt information setting unit 63 can also, when selecting one or more prompts to be prompted to the driver, adjust the priority of each prompt based on the driving environment during or after the vehicle 10 is in motion, along with the corresponding status of conflicting items. For example, the prompt information setting unit 63 can also adjust the priority according to the driving environment, such as the driving area or driving time period. For example, the prompt information setting unit 63 can lower the priority of prompts related to vehicle distance in areas with low traffic volume, and restore or increase the priority of prompts related to vehicle distance in areas with high traffic volume. As to whether the driving environment corresponds to areas with high traffic volume or driving time periods, it can be determined, for example, based on the driving position of the vehicle 10 on map data.

[0117] This allows for the prioritization of prompts corresponding to driving behaviors that drivers experience less frequently, while simultaneously reducing the priority of prompts corresponding to driving behaviors that drivers experience more frequently. Therefore, drivers can achieve an appropriate balance in the driving actions aimed at the goals indicated by each prompt.

[0118] Furthermore, the driving skill assessment unit 67 can also acquire information about the driver's driving skill and, when the driving skill is below a predetermined skill benchmark, determine the impact of conflicting items on the response status to be smaller compared to when the driver's driving skill is above the predetermined skill benchmark. For example, when the driving skill is below the predetermined skill benchmark, the response count of the conflicting item can be multiplied by a coefficient less than 1 to obtain the response count of the conflicting item. This prevents the response count of conflicting items from increasing due to driving by a driver with low skill, thereby increasing the priority of all prompts. Therefore, it is possible to differentiate the priority of prompts, efficiently improving driving skills.

[0119] The preferred embodiments of this disclosure have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings, but the technology of this disclosure is not limited to the examples described above. It is obvious to those skilled in the art that various modifications or alterations will be apparent within the scope of the technical concept described in the claims, and these modifications naturally fall within the technical scope of this disclosure.

[0120] For example, the technology disclosed herein can also be implemented as a driving assistance device or vehicle having the information processing device described in the above embodiments, an information processing method of the information processing device, a computer program that enables a computer to function as the aforementioned information processing device, and a non-transitory tangible recording medium on which the computer program is recorded.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus, characterized by, have: The prompt information storage unit records multiple prompt messages indicating the target of the driver's driving actions when the driver is driving the vehicle; and The processing unit performs the process of selecting one or more of the prompt messages and prompting them to the driver. The processing unit performs: The determination process, based on information about the vehicle's behavior and operating status obtained during the period when the driver selects one or more of the prompts to drive the vehicle, determines the corresponding status of items that contradict the goal of the driving action, i.e., contradictory items. as well as The prompt message setting process sets one or more prompt messages to be sent to the driver based on the judgment result of the corresponding situation of the contradictory items.

2. The information processing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, In the determination process, the processing unit sets the priority of each of the prompt messages based on the corresponding status of the contradictory items of each of the prompt messages selected by the driver. In the prompt information setting process, the processing unit sets one or more prompt messages to be prompted to the driver based on the priority.

3. The information processing device according to claim 2, characterized in that, In the determination process, after setting the priority of each of the prompt messages, the processing unit deactivates the priority setting when a predetermined time has elapsed, or when the number of times the processing of the one or more prompt messages to be prompted to the driver is set to be a predetermined number of times.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that, In the determination process, the processing unit further determines the achievement status of the target represented by the prompt message selected by the driver in the prompt message provided to the driver, and sets the priority of each prompt message based on the corresponding status of the conflicting items and the achievement status of the target.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that, In the determination process, the processing unit prioritizes prompts with relatively low achievement status of the target and relatively low status of the conflicting item over other prompts.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that, In the prompt information setting process, the processing unit adjusts the priority of each prompt information based on the corresponding status of the contradictory items and the driving environment of the vehicle in motion or the planned driving environment.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, In the determination process, the processing unit acquires information about the driver's driving skills, and when the driving skills are below a predetermined skill benchmark, it determines that the impact of the corresponding situation of the contradictory item is smaller compared to when the driver's driving skills are above the skill benchmark.

8. An information processing method characterized by comprising: The information processing method involves a computer executing one or more prompts selected from a plurality of prompts representing the target of the driver's driving actions when the driver is driving the vehicle, and then prompting the driver. The information processing method includes: Based on information about the vehicle's behavior and operational status acquired during the period when the driver selects one or more of the aforementioned prompts to drive the vehicle, the corresponding status of items that contradict the driving action's objective, i.e., contradictory items, is determined; and Based on the determination result of the corresponding situation of the contradictory items, one or more prompt messages are set to be prompted to the driver.

9. A recording medium, characterized by comprising: The recording medium contains a program for enabling the computer to function as an information processing device, which executes one or more prompts selected from a plurality of prompts representing the target of the driver's driving actions when the driver is driving the vehicle, and prompts the driver accordingly. The recording medium is a non-temporary tangible recording medium that records a program that causes the computer to perform the following processes, the processes including: Based on information about the vehicle's behavior and operational status acquired during the period when the driver selects one or more of the aforementioned prompts to drive the vehicle, the status of items that contradict the driving action's objective, i.e., contradictory items, is determined; and Based on the determination result of the corresponding situation of the contradictory items, one or more prompt messages are set to be prompted to the driver.

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