Driver assistance system

Abstract

Driver assistance system for supporting the driver of a motor vehicle when leaving a predetermined lane, comprising a side space monitoring device and a lane keeping monitoring device, characterized in that the side space monitoring device is designed in such a way that it determines the degree of danger for a lane change and, in the event of a high degree of danger, irrespective of the degree of probability that the lane departure was intentional, initiates a first driver-supporting reaction at least in the form of counter-steering, which is carried out by a connection between the side space monitoring device and the lane keeping monitoring device in the sense of steering back into the predetermined lane or lane keeping.of lane keeping, characterized in that the side space monitoring device determines a degree of probability for the intentionality of the lane departure and that, in the case of a rather low degree of danger, a second driver-supporting reaction is triggered depending on the degree of probability for the intentionality of the lane departure, wherein the more the probability of the intentionality of the lane departure decreases, the more noticeable the second driver-supporting reaction is for the driver.

Description

The invention relates to a driver assistance system according to the preamble of claim 1.Such a driver assistance system is known, for example, from DE 103 18 741 A1. Furthermore, a multiplicity of lane change assistants are known, which warn the driver by means of a side space monitoring device in the event of danger from passing vehicles or from vehicles in the blind spot area. A multiplicity of so-called lane-keeping monitoring devices (also frequently referred to as "heading control", "lane keeping" or "lane-department warning") are also known, which recognize the lane of their own and which warn the driver and / or also turn counter when the predefined lane (e.g. the lane of their own) is left. For further technical background, reference is made, for example, to the following patent literature: EP 0 640 903 B1, DE 197 02 383 A1 and DE 102 26 481 A1.Furthermore, DE 100 39 795 C2 describes a method for warning a vehicle driver. Here, attention of the vehicle driver is determined before the output of a warning, and the warning about a critical situation is output depending on the attention. As a result, a driver is warned only of those hazards that are likely to escape attention, so that the number of superfluous warnings is reduced.DE 198 18 259 A1 discloses a method for monitoring a lane change. In this case, when a starting lane change of the motor vehicle is detected, an activation signal is generated by a first monitoring device for monitoring the front space of the motor vehicle and / or a second monitoring device for monitoring a rear space of the motor vehicle or a further, separate lane detection device.Furthermore, EP 0 640 903 A1 discloses a method for avoiding a collision for a vehicle. The method includes monitoring the vehicle environment for dangerous obstacles. Further, the method includes enabling lateral movement of the vehicle when no hazardous obstacles are detected by the monitor, or preventing or inhibiting lateral movement of the vehicle when hazardous obstacles are detected by the monitor.It is an object of the invention to improve a driver assistance system with a side room monitoring device.This object is achieved according to the invention by the subject matter of claim 1. Advantageous further developments are the subject matter of the dependent patent claims.The driver assistance system according to the invention for assisting the driver of a motor vehicle when leaving a predefined lane is equipped with a lateral space monitoring device and with a lane keeping monitoring device. The side room monitoring device is designed in such a way that it determines the degree of risk (e.g. two-stage: dangerous / non-dangerous or three-stage: no / medium / high risk) for a lane change. In the case of a high degree of risk (for example dangerous in the case of two stages; high risk in the case of three stages), a first driver-supporting reaction is carried out at least in the form of a counter-steering which is regulated by a connection between the lateral space monitoring device and the lane-keeping monitoring device in the sense of lane keeping. This takes place independently of the clarity with which the driver leaves the predefined lane, in particular his own lane.The risk level is considered high, for example, if the side room monitoring device detects a rapidly approaching vehicle in the passing lane. The risk level is considered low, for example, if the side space monitoring device detects a free passing lane.Furthermore, in the case of a rather low risk level determined by the side room monitoring device (e.g. not dangerous in two stages; no or medium risk in three stages), the device determines a probability level (e.g. two stages: rather intentional, rather unintentional; or three stages: intentional, rather intentional, rather unintentional; or continuous) for the clarity of lane departure. The intention of the driver is thereby inferred from his driving behavior, for example.At a low level of probability (rather unintentional), a second driver assistance response is triggered.In addition, at a high degree of probability (intentionally or rather intentionally), a second driver-assisting reaction is triggered, which influences the driver less strongly than the second reaction in the case of a low degree of probability for the clarity of the lane departure. In this case, the second response can be equal to the first response in the case of a rather low degree of probability for the clarity of lane departure, and the second response cannot be a response in the case of a rather higher degree of probability for the clarity of lane departure. Preferably, the first response is a warning and strong counter-steering. The second reaction can be a warning and slight counter-steering in a first stage, for example, depending on the degree of probability of the clarity of lane departure, a warning in a second stage only, and no reaction in a third stage. Strong and easy counter-steering is defined, for example, by the force required to overpress the counter-steering reaction.The degree of probability for the clarity of lane departure is assumed to be high, for example, when the flasher is set. Alternatively or additionally, the degree of probability for the clarity of lane departure may be assumed to be rather high if the speed at which the predefined lane is left is greater than a predefined threshold and / or if the vehicle is accelerated. Alternatively or additionally, the degree of probability for the clarity of lane departure can also be assumed to be rather high if the distance to the vehicle driving in front decreases greatlyThe drawing shows a flow chart for a particularly advantageous exemplary embodiment in which the degree of risk is taken into account in two stages and the degree of probability of the clarity of lane departure is taken into account in three stages.The invention is based on the following findings:Heretofore, side room monitoring devices and lane keeping monitoring devices have always been considered separately or provided as separate systems in vehicles. The invention provides a synergistic effect by a combination of the two systems by which a new function can be provided. This is because an insulated lateral space monitoring device with a counter-steering reaction is problematic; inadequate counter-steering (due to the lack of information from the lane-keeping monitoring about the predefined lane) can only just lead to the predefined lane leaving (if this describes a curve, for example). For this problem, the present invention provides a solution.

Claims

Driver assistance system for assisting the driver of a motor vehicle when leaving a predefined lane, having a lateral space monitoring device and having a lane-keeping monitoring device, characterized in that the lateral space monitoring device is designed in such a way that it determines the risk level for a lane change and, at a high risk level, initiates a first driver-assisting reaction at least in the form of a counter-steering, independently of the probability level for the clarity of lane departure, which reaction is regulated by a connection between the lateral space monitoring device and the lane-keeping monitoring device in the sense of a steering back into the predefined lane or a lane keeping, characterized in that, the lateral space monitoring device determines a degree of probability for the clarity of lane departure and that, if the degree of risk is rather low, a second driver-assisting reaction is triggered as a function of the degree of probability for the clarity of lane departure, wherein a second driver-assisting reaction that is all the more noticeable to the driver is triggered with a decreasing degree of probability for the clarity of lane departure.Driver assistance system according to claim 1, characterized in that the first driver assistance response is more noticeable to the driver than any / the second driver assistance response.Driver assistance system according to one of the preceding patent claims, characterized in that, with a high degree of probability for the clarity of lane departure, no driver-assisting reaction is triggered.Driver assistance system according to one of the preceding patent claims, characterized in that the degree of probability for the clarity of lane departure is assumed to be rather high when the turn signal indicator is set.Driver assistance system according to one of the preceding patent claims, characterized in that the degree of probability for the clarity of lane departure is assumed to be rather high if the speed at which the predefined lane is left is greater than a predefined threshold and / or if the vehicle is accelerated.Driver assistance system according to one of the preceding patent claims, characterized in that the degree of probability for the clarity of lane departure is assumed to be rather high if the distance from the vehicle driving in front decreases greatly

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