Method for controlling a vehicle with a driver assistance system enabling automated, semi-automated and manual driving

Abstract

Method for controlling a vehicle with a driver assistance system enabling automated, semi-automated and manual driving, in which longitudinal and lateral dynamics-influencing vehicle control elements are HMI interfaces between the driver of the vehicle and the driver assistance system, wherein at least one recognition threshold for activating or deactivating at least one assistance function of the driver assistance system is adapted to the driver depending on the actuation characteristic generated when the driver operates a vehicle control element, characterized in that the actuation characteristic is detected with at least one parameter relating to the actuation force and / or the actuation speed and / or the actuation duration and / or the course of the actuation force and / or the actuation speed and / or the position of the actuated vehicle control element, and wherein the detection threshold is lowered if at least one of the parameters indicating the actuation characteristic initially has a small value and subsequently a larger value at the start of the actuation.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a method for controlling a vehicle with a driver assistance system enabling automated, semi-automated and manual driving according to the preamble of patent claim 1.

[0002] For some time now, research and developments have been taking place in the field of autonomous vehicles for automatic or autonomous driving, whereby an autonomous vehicle is understood to be a vehicle that moves independently from a starting point to a destination, with or without human passengers.

[0003] Driver assistance systems that support the driver in driving are now widespread in modern vehicles and are constantly being developed further. Examples include Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Blind Spot Detection (BSD), Emergency Brake Assist (EBA), and Lane Departure Warning (LDW). Semi-automatic and fully automatic parking systems are also already available.

[0004] Such driver assistance systems already represent the first steps towards automated driving, as they already take over tasks from the driver or provide significant support in these tasks.

[0005] Automation levels in autonomous driving or assistance functions are usually switched on and off via the steering wheel and / or the brake pedal and / or the accelerator pedal (also called gas pedal) as vehicle control elements and thus represent an HMI interface between the driver and the vehicle or the driver assistance system. The driver assistance system detects steering wheel, brake, or accelerator pedal operations by the driver using fixed or situation-adapted detection thresholds.

[0006] DE 44 13 172 C1 discloses a method for determining the trigger sensitivity of an automatic braking process for a motor vehicle based on the driving situation. During a braking maneuver, the exceeding of a detection threshold of the actuation speed and / or the actuation force of a brake pedal is used as the trigger criterion for triggering an automatic braking process. After such an automatic braking process is triggered, a greater brake pressure is generated than would be determined from the brake pedal position, thereby implementing an emergency braking maneuver. In this known method, the trigger sensitivity is varied depending on the type and timing of the driver's pedal actuation.

[0007] Furthermore, it is known from DE 10 2007 060 875 A1 to adapt the triggering threshold for triggering an automatic braking process depending on at least one physiological parameter of the driver, such as his height and weight, since it is assumed that the typically monitored triggering criteria, namely the actuation speed of the brake pedal and the actuation force introduced into the brake pedal, can depend heavily on the physique of the respective driver.

[0008] The document DE 10 2012 219 283 A1 discloses a device and a method for operating at least one driver assistance system.

[0009] The document DE 10 2011 100 277 A1 describes a method for parameterizing an assistance system of a motor vehicle, in which at least one preset parameter for controlling at least one assistance function of the assistance system is automatically adapted to the individual driving behavior of a driver of the motor vehicle.

[0010] The document DE 101 53 987 A1 shows an information system in a vehicle with several information sources for outputting corresponding information.

[0011] The document DE 10 2009 045 760 A1 relates to a method for controlling a motor vehicle, wherein the control takes place with the participation of at least one driver assistance system.

[0012] Based on this prior art, the invention is based on the object of better taking driver-specific characteristics into account in the dynamic control or control of vehicles by driver assistance systems in order to thereby improve vehicle safety.

[0013] This problem is solved by a method having the features of patent claim 1.

[0014] This method for controlling a vehicle with a driver assistance system enabling automated, partially automated and manual driving, in which vehicle control elements influencing longitudinal and lateral dynamics are HMI interfaces between the driver of the vehicle and the driver assistance system, is characterized according to the invention in that at least one detection threshold for activating or deactivating at least one assistance function of the driver assistance system is adapted in a driver-specific manner depending on the actuation characteristic generated when the driver actuates a vehicle control element.

[0015] This allows the detection thresholds for the driver assistance system to be adapted to the driver's specific driving style. For example, there are cautious drivers who wish to have an assistance function of the vehicle's driver assistance system switched on or off very early on. Experienced drivers, on the other hand, prefer such assistance functions to be switched on or off later. The invention is based on the finding that a driver's driving style can be identified by the actuation characteristics, the way in which the steering wheel, brake pedal, or accelerator pedal is operated, i.e. whether the driver actuates such a vehicle control element forcefully and jerkily, thus demonstrating significant driver intervention, or whether the driver only intervenes lightly, for example, initially operating the vehicle control element only lightly and only subsequently with greater force.

[0016] This allows the driver assistance system to be adapted to the specific driving characteristics of a driver, which means that the driver is less irritated by actions of the driver assistance system and thus increases vehicle safety.

[0017] In a particularly advantageous development of the invention, it is provided that in at least one active assistance function of the driver assistance system, the intensity of intervention of this driver assistance function is adapted in a driver-specific manner depending on the actuation characteristic generated when the driver actuates a vehicle control element.

[0018] This not only adapts the detection thresholds to the actuation characteristics but also the intensity of the driver assistance system's intervention. In particular, the intensity of steering intervention, braking intervention, the pressure build-up time for braking, and the maximum steering wheel angular velocity can be modified.

[0019] According to the invention, the actuation characteristic is recorded with at least one parameter with regard to the actuation force and / or the actuation speed and / or the actuation duration and / or the course of the actuation force and / or the actuation speed and / or the position of the actuated vehicle control element.

[0020] According to the invention, the detection threshold for the driver assistance system is lowered if at least one of the parameters indicating the actuation characteristics initially has a small value at the beginning of actuation and subsequently a larger value. This is because if the driver frequently initially intervenes slightly in the brake, accelerator, or steering system using the brake pedal, accelerator pedal, or steering wheel, followed by increased intervention, it is concluded that the driver already expects the driver assistance system's function to be deactivated earlier, for example.

[0021] Furthermore, according to one embodiment of the invention, the detection threshold is raised if at least one of the parameters indicating the actuation characteristics has a high value at the beginning of the actuation. Thus, in the case of strong and jerky driver interventions via the brake pedal, accelerator pedal, or steering wheel, it is assumed that the driver is experienced, for whom the detection thresholds can be raised.

[0022] Furthermore, according to a further development of the invention, the intervention intensity is reduced if at least one of the parameters indicating the actuation characteristics initially has a small value at the beginning of actuation and subsequently a larger value. For a cautious driver, it is therefore appropriate to reduce not only the detection threshold but also the intervention intensity of the driver assistance system, especially if driver takeovers continue to occur frequently.

[0023] According to the following advantageous embodiment of the invention, the intervention intensity is increased if at least one of the parameters indicating the actuation characteristics has a high value at the beginning of actuation. For an experienced driver, therefore, not only the detection thresholds but also the intervention intensity of the driver assistance system can be increased. In particular, the maximum values ​​for interventions in the vehicle's longitudinal or lateral acceleration can even be increased for such an experienced driver, and faster interventions can be performed.

[0024] This method according to the invention offers the advantage that certain configurations can be permanently entered in a workshop at the customer's request and saved by the system. For example, a customer's request that the emergency braking assistant be deactivated even with gentle acceleration, or that the force applied to the accelerator pedal should be increased or decreased, can be implemented.

[0025] Finally, according to a last advantageous embodiment of the invention, the driver assistance system is designed to output warning messages on optical, acoustic and haptic sensory channels, wherein one sensory channel or several different sensory channels are selected for outputting a warning message depending on the driver's reaction to the output of the warning message, preferably depending on the time period between the output of a warning message and the driver's reaction.

[0026] This allows adaptation to the driver's reaction to a warning signal issued as a visual, acoustic, or haptic signal, namely whether and how quickly the driver reacts to such a warning. This adaptation is achieved by switching individual visual, haptic, or acoustic warnings and information on or off.

[0027] By determining the average time between warning messages and the driver's intervention over a certain period of time, it is possible to determine which sensory or perceptual channel—visual, acoustic, or haptic—the driver responds better to. The shorter the time, the better the driver responds to such a warning message. Depending on the driver assistance system function being activated or deactivated, and also depending on the criticality of a warning message or piece of information, individual sensory channels can then be activated or deactivated.

[0028] For example, if a driver always responds well to visual warnings, audible warnings can be omitted to avoid exposing passengers to the warning sounds. A driver who ignores visual and audible warnings, on the other hand, could then also be warned about other driver assistance system functions via the haptic sensory channel, e.g., through significantly stronger braking jerks in emergency braking systems or stronger haptic feedback in the steering wheel during lateral control when the system detects that lateral control is no longer possible, or through stronger feedback via the brake pedal or an intelligent accelerator pedal (AFFP, Accelerator Force Feedback Pedal).

[0029] Because the individual types of warning messages and / or information can be configured, certain configurations can also be entered in a workshop at the customer's request and saved by the system.

[0030] The vehicle, i.e., its driver assistance system, can automatically adapt to customer behavior. Compromises in the design of warning and information systems can be at least partially avoided. Even retrospective modifications or customer adaptations are possible by the workshop.

Claims

[1] Method for controlling a vehicle with a driver assistance system enabling automated, partially automated and manual driving, in which vehicle control elements influencing longitudinal and lateral dynamics are HMI interfaces between the driver of the vehicle and the driver assistance system, wherein at least one detection threshold for activating or deactivating at least one assistance function of the driver assistance system is adapted to the driver in a driver-specific manner depending on the actuation characteristic generated when the driver actuates a vehicle control element, characterized by , that the actuation characteristic is detected with at least one parameter with regard to the actuation force and / or the actuation speed and / or the actuation duration and / or the course of the actuation force and / or the actuation speed and / or the position of the actuated vehicle control element, and wherein the detection threshold is reduced if at least one of the parameters indicating the actuation characteristic initially has a small value at the start of the actuation and subsequently a larger value. [2] Method according to claim 1, characterized by that in at least one active assistance function of the driver assistance system, the intervention strength of this driver assistance function is adapted in a driver-specific manner depending on the actuation characteristic generated when the driver actuates a vehicle control element. [3] Method according to claim 1, characterized bythat the detection threshold is increased if at least one of the parameters indicating the actuation characteristic has a large value at the start of the actuation. [4] Method according to claim 1, characterized by that the intervention strength is reduced if at least one of the parameters indicating the actuation characteristic initially has a small value at the start of the actuation and subsequently a larger value. [5] Method according to claim 4, characterized by that the intervention strength is increased if at least one of the parameters indicating the actuation characteristic has a large value at the start of the actuation. [6] Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat the driver assistance system is designed to output warning messages on optical, acoustic and haptic sensory channels and, depending on the driver's reaction to the output of the warning message, preferably depending on the time period between the output of a warning message and the driver's reaction, one sensory channel or several different sensory channels are selected to output a warning message.