Method for driverless operation of a vehicle system designed for fully automatic control of a motor vehicle and motor vehicle

Abstract

Method for driverless operation of a vehicle system (14) of the motor vehicle (2) designed for fully automatic guidance of a motor vehicle (2), wherein in an autonomous follow-up operation, depending on at least one follow-up criterion evaluating status information of the driver (1), comprising location information describing the current position of the driver (1), operating information describing the movement of the motor vehicle (2) to a follow-up position having a shorter, in particular minimally possible, distance to the current position of the driver (1) and / or a predicted destination of the driver (1) is automatically determined and applied, wherein the motor vehicle (2) continuously tracks the movement and / or activity of the driver (1) outside the motor vehicle (2) by means of the status information, wherein - the exceeding of a distance threshold by the distance between the current position of the motor vehicle (2) and the current position of the driver (1) is used as a follow-up criterion, and / or - the exceeding of a reliability threshold for the reliability of the determination of a predicted destination is used as the follow-up criterion, whereby a target position as close as possible to the destination is used as the follow-up position.

Description

The invention relates to a method for the rodless operation of a vehicle system of the motor vehicle designed for the fully automatic guidance of a motor vehicle, and to a motor vehicle.In the prior art, a large number of possibilities for automatically guiding a motor vehicle have already become known, in particular even without supervision by the driver, and therefore autonomously. For this purpose, vehicle systems are used which are designed for fully automatic guidance of a motor vehicle and can carry out corresponding vehicle guidance interventions, for example steering interventions, longitudinal guidance interventions and the use / parameterization of further vehicle systems.A previously described use of such fully automatic vehicle systems is to call the motor vehicle, which is parked, for example, in a parking lot of a parking environment, to the current position of the driver. Other proposals also relate to the sensorless, autonomous operation of the vehicle system in order to move a motor vehicle to a specific position on instruction of the driver, optionally at a specified point in time.A basic, already known configuration of the vehicle system therefore comprises the possibility of determining a route to be traveled to the destination when specifying a destination, in particular using a navigation system of the motor vehicle, and of guiding the motor vehicle autonomously to the destination, in particular to a destination position as close as possible to the destination. This means that, when a destination is specified by the driver and the autonomous delivery of the motor vehicle to the destination is activated, operating information is generated by the vehicle system, which operating information is used in the further course, of course modified / supplemented, in order to take current driving situation circumstances into account.The problem here is that the driver has to actively determine when the motor vehicle is to change from one location to the next. It is precisely when something changes in the circumstances for the driver, i.e. he must seek a different destination, for example, that is disadvantageous.DE 10 2011 120 991 A1 discloses an assistance system for assisting the delivery of goods and / or shipments to a plurality of locally different delivery addresses with a delivery vehicle along a travel or delivery route determined by the delivery addresses. An autonomous driving mode of the delivery vehicle may utilize a follow-up function in which, based on the position of a mobile device carried by the delivery agent, the delivery vehicle follows slowly and never in front of the delivery agent.DE 10 2013 222 071 A1 relates to a parking space management system in which, in order to improve a value parking function, a pickup time at a predefined pickup position, which can be estimated from a current position of the driver, for example, is used to determine the time at which an automatic parking process is initiated.DE 10 2008 027 692 A1 discloses a method for assisting a driver of a vehicle during a parking process, wherein the vehicle can park independently and also return to the driver again. For this purpose, the driver can carry a call system with integrated GPS.The invention is therefore based on the object of enabling a rodless operation of a motor vehicle which responds in an improved manner to current circumstances by the driver.To achieve this object, in a method of the type mentioned at the beginning, it is provided according to the invention that, in an autonomous follow-up operation, an operating information describing the transfer of the motor vehicle to a follow-up position having a shorter, in particular minimally possible, distance from the current position of the driver and / or from a predicted destination of the driver is automatically determined and applied as a function of at least one follow-up criterion evaluating state information of the driver, wherein the motor vehicle continuously tracks the movement and / or activity of the driver outside the motor vehicle by means of the state information, wherein the exceeding of a distance threshold value by the distance between the current position of the motor vehicle and the current position of the driver and / or the exceeding of a reliability threshold value for the reliability of the determination of a predicted destination is used as a result criterion, wherein a destination position lying as close as possible to the destination is used as a result position. The state information can furthermore comprise resource information describing an amount of a resource, from which a reserve is present in the motor vehicle, which amount is present and / or required by the driver.According to the invention, it is therefore proposed to continuously track the driver state and also to decide autonomously, using following criteria, whether or not a change in the position of the motor vehicle is necessary. If, for example, the current position of the driver is tracked on the basis of the location information, it is conceivable to operate the motor vehicle in such a way that it always has a minimum possible distance from the current position of the driver, so that the latter always has a short path to the motor vehicle. Alternatively, when the or a follow-up criterion is fulfilled, the motor vehicle can also be moved as close as possible to a predicted destination, wherein provision can be made, on the one hand, for an absolute end position of the movement activity of the driver to be used as the destination, but, on the other hand, for an intermediate destination which can correspond to a predicted position of the driver at the time of the motor vehicle reaching the follow-up position. The use of destinations is preferred in the described interpretation, since this short distance is then always given even if a short distance from the driver is maintained, when the following position is reached.If the motor vehicle is used to transport resources necessary for the driver, for example water or work material, the following criterion can also be fulfilled if the resources of the driver are going to a stop. The motor vehicle can then move independently into the vicinity of the driver.In this way, a plurality of advantages are achieved. On the one hand, the driver does not have to actively give an instruction to the motor vehicle every time he needs the motor vehicle or a resource transported in the motor vehicle, after the motor vehicle constantly tracks the activity / movement of the driver. There is a significant saving in travel and time since the driver has to travel a significantly shorter distance to the motor vehicle; conversely, the motor vehicle can be driven significantly more quickly to active instructions for the immediate current position of the driver. Thus, the driver and motor vehicle meet faster when needed and the driver saves time.Finally, the method according to the invention provides a type of predictive, autonomous driving. The motor vehicle automatically tracks the movement / activity of the driver outside the motor vehicle. If the driver currently decides, for example, for a route change of his movement path, for example, in order to react to environmental influences (weather, blocked wheel path and the like), he does not have to actively inform the motor vehicle about the route change, but rather the motor vehicle responds independently.A completely new aspect of the driver's support is provided by the predictive supply of resources by the motor vehicle. This allows the driver a great ease of work because he is neither forced to go to a supply location for the resource nor to react in time to a resource shortage. Because at least some of the resources can be transported through the motor vehicle, the driver can rely on a larger amount of the resource overall and / or must carry fewer resources themselves. As a result, the driver is in many cases loaded with less weight.A first possibility according to the invention provides that the exceeding of a distance threshold value by the distance between the current position of the motor vehicle and the current position of the driver is used as a follow criterion. In this way, the motor vehicle ultimately maintains a maximum distance from the driver. If a corresponding autonomous assistance mode is activated, the vehicle system decides, when the driver moves outside the motor vehicle, depending on the distance from the driver himself whether the motor vehicle should drive in the direction of the driver. The motor vehicle ensures that it is always within a maximum distance from the driver, which is described by the distance threshold value. When this follow-up criterion is fulfilled, the motor vehicle starts itself automatically and then parks in the vicinity of the driver. In this way, the driver only has to travel a short distance back to the motor vehicle. On the other hand, the motor vehicle reaches the driver much more quickly when it is actively being called to him, since it is already in the vicinity.A second possibility according to the invention for forming the follow-up criterion provides that the result criterion used is the exceeding of a reliability threshold value for the reliability of the determination of a predicted destination location, wherein the result position used is a destination position which is as close as possible to the destination location. If the vehicle system thus detects a specific point as the destination of the driver with an acceptable certainty, which is described by the reliability threshold value, operating information can be determined in such a way that the motor vehicle arrives in the vicinity of this destination in good time and in an optimum manner for consumption. This is particularly advantageous if the driver moves through a terrain which is not accessible by the motor vehicle in many places, for example when walking in the wild world or when operating a sport type in which a sports device, for example a paraglider, can be used, which is also used in unauthorized areas. Furthermore, an operation of the vehicle system directed to the final destination of the driver may be expedient if the latter uses public transportation means which only have specific, clearly defined holding positions.Specifically, it can be provided that a future path of the driver is predicted for determining the following position and / or the destination. In this context, it is particularly expedient if the prediction takes into account not only the current position of the driver but also a movement history of the driver and / or digital map data, comprising in particular points of interest (POI) in the environment of the driver, and / or current movement information, in particular comprising the movement speed and the movement direction of the driver, as input data which is at least partially comprised by the state information. The vehicle system therefore expediently tracks the movements of the driver, which facilitates the prediction of its future route. The movement history can be carried out in particular on the part of the vehicle system itself by logging the current positions, i.e. location information, for the past. Particularly preferably, however, the motor vehicle can include digital map data, points of interest (POI) there, and current movement characteristics, in particular the speed and direction of the driver. In this way, an excellent, reliable prediction is possible on different time scales.It is also particularly expedient if, within the scope of the prediction, means of transportation information describing the means of transportation used by the driver is used. The means of transport is frequently jointly decisive for which options are available to the driver with respect to the further path. For example, if the rider is on the foot, paths that can be walked to the foot are available, while this selection could already be somewhat limited for the means of transportation of the bicycle. A relatively free possibility for movement is provided by a flying means of transport, for example a paraglider. While the means of transportation information can of course be defined by an input of the driver, it is preferred according to the invention to automatically determine the means of transportation information by at least a part of the input data. In this case, certain means of transportation criteria can be used for differentiation, which can relate, for example, to the paths used or else unused, the terrain, the position sequence and the like. Thus, for example, it is possible to distinguish between means of transport such as bicycle, ski, boat, paraglider and the like.In a particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is provided that an undershoot or an overshoot of a resource threshold value is used for the resource information as a consequence criterion. If, during the resource transport through the motor vehicle itself, it is a resource to be consumed by the driver during his activity outside the motor vehicle, a follow-up criterion is expediently provided which monitors a resource threshold value for the resource information item being undershot, that is to say the quantity of resources carried by the driver. Thus, whenever the driver's resources are going to tilt, the motor vehicle moves close to it, so that he can easily and quickly remove new resources from the supply in the motor vehicle. However, use of the method described here is also conceivable if the driver collects the resources, for example when collecting fungi. Then, as a result criterion with respect to this resource, it is expediently provided to monitor whether a resource threshold value for the resource information is exceeded, so that the driver finds the motor vehicle in his vicinity in order to be able to store at least a part of his collected resource quantity within the motor vehicle.In this context, it is particularly expedient if, when a replenishment criterion describing a resource reserve in the motor vehicle that falls below a replenishment threshold value is fulfilled, operating information describing replenishment of the resource by the motor vehicle, in particular by autonomous shopping at a supply station, is determined and applied and / or the resource reserve of the motor vehicle is transmitted to a mobile device of the driver for display. Thus, should the resources the motor vehicle carries with it go to a stop itself, the motor vehicle can move independently to a supply station if possible and, for example, by autonomous shopping, to stock up the resource store. In general, but in particular in this context, it is also expedient if the driver can constantly track the resource level in the motor vehicle, in particular on a mobile device carried by him, for example a smartphone or a smart watch.It is then also particularly preferred if, when the refill criterion is fulfilled, driver information indicating the execution of the autonomous refill process, in particular with a predicted duration of the refill process, is transmitted to the mobile device. In the event of a resource shortage in the motor vehicle, the driver therefore receives a corresponding message on his mobile device and is therefore also informed of any time delays associated therewith until the motor vehicle arrives again.It should also be noted at this point that the motor vehicle can also provide corresponding services when collecting resources by the driver, i.e., in particular can check, within the scope of a delivery criterion, whether the supply of resources in the motor vehicle exceeds a delivery threshold value. If this is the case, operating information can be determined, which describes in this case that resources are transported autonomously to a collection point and are dispensed there.In general, the status information can be received at least partially by a mobile device carried by the driver and / or ascertained at least partially in the motor vehicle.In this case, it can be provided in concrete terms that the status information is ascertained on the basis of sensor data received via the mobile device from a sensor connected to the mobile device and / or contained therein and / or on the basis of an input at the mobile device. For example, it is conceivable to track the current position of the driver on the basis of a GPS sensor installed in the mobile device, for example a smartphone. Further movement characteristics of the driver, for example its speed and / or direction, can result, for example, from data of a compass installed in the mobile device and / or of an inertial sensor arrangement. However, sensors installed in a mobile device may already be expedient with regard to the resource information if, for example, pattern recognition algorithms are applied to image data and / or audio data and can thus provide instructions on the resource level of the driver.On the other hand, however, the mobile device can also be connected to external sensors, wherein it can additionally or alternatively be provided that the resource information is determined from operating data received via the mobile device of a user device of the driver connected to the user device and influencing the consumption of the resource. External sensors can be weight sensors and / or fill level sensors, for example, which can be arranged on a container carried along in which the resource is located. Further external sensors can also comprise RFID chips and the like. If the driver uses technical user devices which have to be supplied with resources, are used for building resources or the like, their operating parameters can likewise be used to determine the resource requirement. For connecting the mobile device to further devices / sensors, preferably wireless communication connections can be used, for example Bluetooth connections, WLAN connections and / or NFC connections. For the communication of the motor vehicle with the mobile device, a mobile radio connection and / or a connection running at least partially over the Internet is preferably used as the wireless communication method.With regard to the resources, it can furthermore be provided that the resource information is ascertained on the part of the vehicle system on the basis of an activity time period of the driver since the last known amount on the driver side and / or on the basis of an activity information item derived from the state information item and / or contained therein and describing the activity of the driver. Whenever resources are consumed relatively uniformly over time, it may already be sufficient to determine the resource information (more precisely for its prediction) to look at the activity time period of the driver in order to obtain a relatively reliable statement. However, it is particularly preferred, if the resource information is ascertained on the part of the motor vehicle, to ascertain the resource information using the state information. Information about the behavior of the driver, and therefore activity information, can therefore be used, for example the distance traveled and the average resource consumption, in order to be able to determine its current resource level.An advantageous development of the method provides that demand information describing a demand for resources on the part of the driver is determined as part of the resource information from biometric measurement data of the driver that was transmitted via the mobile device. Biometric sensors can be used to determine the biometric measurement data. Such a configuration is particularly expedient when the driver is sportally operated and therefore desires regular liquid and / or food intake. Corresponding foodstuffs and beverages can then be stored within the motor vehicle, which is located in a following position that can be reached for the driver on the basis of the following criteria. In this case, the biometric measurement data used can be, for example, the pulse rate, the breathing rate, the skin conductivity and the like. In some cases, such sensors are already installed in mobile devices, but it is also conceivable to connect them to the mobile device accordingly or to connect them to them.Expediently, a mobile telephone, in particular a smartphone, can be used as the mobile device. Of course, other mobile devices, for example tablets or the like, are also conceivable, wherein the use of smart watches as mobile devices has also proven to be particularly advantageous, since they can easily be carried by the driver.A further expedient refinement of the present invention may provide for at least some of the calculations for automatically ascertaining the operating information to be carried out on a server device external to the motor vehicle and communicating with a control device of the vehicle system. It is therefore also conceivable for external logic to be involved if it is to be decided when and how the motor vehicle is to move towards the driver. However, it is preferred to implement the method according to the invention as completely as possible within the motor vehicle, wherein it may optionally be provided to access external information resources, for example a database of available / free parking spaces and the like.It should also be noted at this point that predictions as are carried out for carrying out the method according to the invention can be carried out with the aid of various algorithms which are fundamentally known. For example, known statistical or machine learning methods can be used within the scope of prediction. Special hardware can also be used to carry out the predictions, for example FPGAs, neuromorphic chips and the like. As already mentioned, it is in principle conceivable, but less preferred, to calculate predictions also on a server external to the motor vehicle.The method according to the invention can be used advantageously in a multiplicity of application cases. Purely by way of example, the case of a newspaper issuer is first mentioned. This takes only a certain number of newspapers and distributes them to households to be served. The newspapers can be transported in a pocket which uses a weight sensor to determine how many newspapers are still located in the pocket of the newspaper dispenser. If the newspapers to be regarded as a resource are going to a stop, the motor vehicle, which has knowledge of the resource shortage on the basis of a transmission of resource information from the weight sensor using a mobile device, determines that the following criterion is fulfilled. The motor vehicle, in which a large amount of newspapers are stored, now drives into the vicinity of the newspaper carrier in order to provide it with further newspapers.Another example of the use of the method according to the invention is in paragliding. A paragliding sportian drives his motor vehicle on a mountain and starts his descent. The motor vehicle establishes via its movement profile that it is moving in a flying and fast manner. It immediately moves to hit the paragliding sporter at the predicted target location. If the paragliding sportian changes his route in flight, the motor vehicle can react independently to the change. In this context, the advantageous application of the method according to the invention is also to be pointed out for the supply of water and food in other sports, for example for cyclists, travellers and the like.In addition to the method, the invention also relates to a motor vehicle, having a vehicle system designed for fully automatic guidance of the motor vehicle, having a control unit designed to carry out the method according to the invention. All embodiments with respect to the method according to the invention can be transferred analogously to the motor vehicle according to the invention, with which the already mentioned advantages can likewise be obtained.Further advantages and details of the present invention are evident from the exemplary embodiments described below and on the basis of the drawing. The following are shown: FIG. 1 shows a flow chart of an exemplary embodiment of the method according to the invention, FIG. 2 shows driver-side devices for ascertaining status information, and FIG. 3 shows a motor vehicle according to the invention.FIG. 1 shows a general flow chart of an exemplary embodiment of the method according to the invention. This begins as soon as a driver in a motor vehicle, which has a vehicle system designed for autonomous guidance of the motor vehicle, activates an autonomous assistance mode of the vehicle system. This activation can be carried out in a parameterized manner, wherein it is possible in particular to distinguish whether a purely autonomous subsequent operation is desired or whether the driver requires transport assistance with regard to an activity that is carried out outside the motor vehicle and requires resources or generates.In a step S 1, state information describing the current situation of the driver is determined, in which, in the case of a purely autonomous following, it is sufficient to describe the current position of the driver as location information and, if appropriate, a movement characteristic, wherein, in the case considered here, in which the motor vehicle is intended to assist in the resource transport, in addition to the current position of the driver, described by location information, resource information describing a quantity of a resource, from which a reserve is present in the motor vehicle, which is present or required by the driver is also determined. For ascertaining the status information, there are a multiplicity of possibilities which are to be explained in more detail at least partially with reference to FIG. 2.The figure shows the driver 1, which is located outside the motor vehicle 2 shown only schematically at a distance. The driver 1 carries a mobile device 3, here a smartphone 4. Already the smartphone 4 is capable of obtaining some pieces of state information itself, for example the location information, after including a GPS sensor 5. Further sensors of the smartphone 4, which can record component parts of the status information on which sensor data are based, are shown a camera 6, a microphone 7, an inertial sensor system 8 and a biometric sensor 9. Inertial sensor system 8 makes it possible, for example, to ascertain movement information of driver 1, in particular a current movement speed and a current movement direction.Data from the camera 6 and the microphone 7 can provide indications on the resource information by using suitable pattern recognition algorithms and / or image processing algorithms. The biometric sensor 9 supplies biometric measurement data of the driver 1, which is relevant in particular in the case of a sport actuation in order to be able to determine the need for beverages and / or foodstuffs by the driver 1, which beverages and foods can also be provided as a resource.The smartphone 4 can also communicate via communication links 10 with further devices which can supply components of the state information and / or data useful for the determination thereof, wherein in the present case a communication takes place with an external sensor 11 which is designed here as a weight sensor in a container which contains newspapers as a possible resource 12.Overall collected components of the state information and / or sensor data, measurement data or operating data, which are required for ascertaining the state information on the part of the motor vehicle 2, can be transmitted by the mobile device 3 to the motor vehicle 2 via a communication connection 13, which is designed in the present case as a mobile radio connection.A component of the current status information can also be understood to be a movement history of the driver 1 outside the motor vehicle 2, which can be logged simultaneously without any problems on the basis of the current positions, i.e. the location information, and possibly the movement information.After the status information is known, the fulfilment of at least one follow-up criterion is checked in step S2. To a certain extent, the follow-up criterion depends on the specific task of the autonomous assistance mode, which, as already mentioned, can be selected when it is activated. In this case, a distinction must be made substantially between three application cases.The first use case may be referred to as a follow mode. It is independent of any resource and is merely intended to ensure that the motor vehicle 2 is always within a maximum distance around the driver 1, at least if this is expedient, and it can therefore be assumed that the driver 1 requires the motor vehicle 2. For this purpose, two specific embodiments of the following criterion may be possible, which may be used cumulatively, if appropriate. On the one hand, it is conceivable to check as a follow-up criterion whether the distance between the motor vehicle 2 and the driver 1 exceeds a distance threshold value. In this case, such a follow-up criterion can ideally also be supplemented by an exclusion criterion which checks whether the driver 1 might require the motor vehicle 2 at the current point in time or within a specific time window in the future. If the driver 1 uses, for example, just a public transportation means, this can only be left at specific positions, namely stops; a similar case is given if the driver 1 steers, for example, an aircraft, a boat or the like, since, at a specific altitude or distance from the country, the driver 1 could also not reach the motor vehicle 2.A second follow-up criterion conceivable in follow-up mode is the most reliable possible ascertainment of a destination of the driver 1, be it a final destination or an intermediate destination. For this purpose, for example, the exceeding of a reliability threshold value for the reliability of the determination of a predicted destination can be used. The status information is also expediently used for predicting a destination of the driver 1, wherein a future path of the driver 1 is predicted specifically for ascertaining the destination. Expediently, in addition to the current position of the driver 1, i.e. the location information, the aforementioned movement history of the driver 1 and the current movement information of the driver 1 are also taken into account in the context of the prediction. Further useful material that is accessed in the context of prediction is digital map data, which also contains, in particular, sites of interest in the environment of the driver 1.The prediction of the destination, however, also uses further information in the present case, namely transportation information describing the transportation means used by the driver 1. This is also determined automatically analytically, wherein in particular the movement history is evaluated in the context of digital map data in order to determine whether the rider 1 is using an aircraft, for example (traverses areas marked as wildness at high speed), using a boat (traverses water), using a bicycle (uses bicycle paths) or on the foot, for example on moving paths. More deeply proceeding analyses can also be carried out which examine the movement pattern, movement speeds and the like.By taking into account the means of transportation information, which can alternatively also be determined by input of the driver 1, destination locations can be clearly more likely indicated at least for some means of transportation, for example as a port when using a boat or as a slider landing location when using a paraglider.In principle, according to the invention, operation on the basis of destination locations, whether final destination locations or intermediate destination locations, is preferred, since the movement time of the motor vehicle 2 and the like can then in particular also be taken into account, so that the motor vehicle 2 is actually as close as possible to the driver 1 when the latter arrives at the corresponding destination location. It should also be noted here that a follow-up criterion related to a destination and a target criterion related to a distance threshold value can of course also be considered in combination. The motor vehicle 2 is then moved autonomously as soon as the distance threshold value is exceeded and a destination, in particular an intermediate destination, can be specified with sufficient reliability.As a result criterion, if a resource that transports the motor vehicle 2 is consumed or required by the driver 1, a resource threshold value for the resource information can also be undershot. However, if the driver 1 collects a resource, for example, collects a resource in the case of fungi, an exceeding of a resource threshold value for the resource information can also be used as a consequence criterion. If the driver 1 thus carries out newspapers, for example, it can be monitored, for example by means of the sensor 11, whether he still has sufficient newspapers. If these are in a state of inclination, the following criterion can be fulfilled and the motor vehicle 2 moves to the driver 1, as will be described below, while the driver 1 is operating sports, the required resource can consist of beverages or food, which can be derived, for example, from the previously mentioned biometric measurement data, but also from the previous activity history of the driver 1. then the motor vehicle 2 can consequently drive to the driver 1 if the latter should eat and / or drink. Of course, a large number of other examples are also conceivable, in which a driver 1 requires, consumes and / or wins specific resources in the event of an activity outside the motor vehicle 2, the motor vehicle 2 being able to support autonomously in an extremely useful manner during the transport of said resources.If a follow-up criterion (or a predefined combination of follow-up criteria) is fulfilled, in a step S 3 an item of operating information is determined which is suitable for driving the motor vehicle 2 autonomously to a follow-up position. In a less preferred embodiment, this is determined in such a way that the shortest possible distance from the current position of the driver 1 is given. Preferably, however, it relates to the destination, which, as already mentioned, can also be an intermediate destination. The following position is then selected such that the distance between the following position and the destination is as small as possible. In this case, recourse is made to possible methods for autonomous travel planning, as are known in the prior art, it also being possible to use external resources, for example databases containing free parking spaces and the like. In a step S 4, the operating information is then converted accordingly. The driver 1 then has the shortest possible path to the motor vehicle 2 if he wishes to use it again for driving, to pick up or download resources and the like.A further functionality of the method according to the invention, which is not shown in more detail in FIG. 1 for the sake of clarity, relates to the constant monitoring of the fulfilment of a refill criterion if the motor vehicle 2 is intended to provide resources 12 required by the driver 1 and / or consumed by the latter. The refill criterion monitors whether the resource supply in the motor vehicle 2 falls below a refill threshold value. If this is the case, additional resources 12 are therefore required in the motor vehicle 2, operating information is determined which describes a journey of the motor vehicle 2 to a supply station for the resource 12 and there an autonomous refilling process, for example an autonomous shopping. If such a refilling trip is carried out, a corresponding message, which also contains a predicted duration of the refilling process, is also transmitted to the mobile device 3 of the driver 1. In addition, in an exemplary embodiment in which the motor vehicle 2 is intended to transport and deliver used and / or used resources 12; it is expedient always to transmit the current resource store of the motor vehicle 2 to the mobile device 3 for display.An analogous procedure is also conceivable if the driver 1 collects resources 12, because then, as soon as a delivery threshold value of a delivery criterion, which describes the available storage space in the motor vehicle 2, for example, is fulfilled, it can be provided that motor vehicles 2 are operated autonomously for delivering resources 12 in order to create space for newly obtained resources 12 on the part of the driver 1.FIG. 3 finally shows a schematic diagram of a motor vehicle 2 according to the invention. as already described, said motor vehicle has the vehicle system 14 which is designed for fully automatic, here autonomous, guidance of the motor vehicle 2 and which in turn comprises a control unit 15 which is designed for carrying out the method according to the invention. The communication connection 13 to the mobile device 3 can be established via a communication device 16.

Claims

Method for the rodless operation of a vehicle system (14) of the motor vehicle (2) designed for the fully automatic guidance of a motor vehicle (2), wherein in an autonomous subsequent operation, an operation information describing the movement and / or activity of the driver (1) outside the motor vehicle (2) is automatically determined and applied as a function of at least one sequence criterion evaluating state information of the driver (1) comprising location information describing the current position of the driver (1) and describing the movement of the motor vehicle (2) to a subsequent position having a shorter, in particular minimally possible, distance from the current position of the driver (1) and / or a predicted destination of the driver (1), wherein the motor vehicle (2) continuously tracks the movement and / or activity of the driver (1) outside the motor vehicle (2) by means of the state information, wherein - the exceeding of a distance threshold value by the distance between the current position of the motor vehicle (2) and the current position of the driver (1) is used as a follow-up criterion, and / or - the exceeding of a reliability threshold value for the reliability of the determination of a predicted destination is used as a follow-up criterion, wherein a destination position which is as close as possible to the destination is used as a follow-up position.Method according to Claim 1, characterized in that a future path of the driver (1) is predicted in order to determine the following position and / or the destination.Method according to Claim 2, characterized in that the prediction takes into account not only the current position of the driver (1) but also a movement history of the driver (1) and / or digital map data, comprising in particular points of interest in the environment of the driver (1), and / or current movement information, in particular comprising movement speed and movement direction of the driver (1), as input data which is at least partially comprised by the state information.Method according to Claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, within the scope of the prediction, use is made of means of transportation information describing the means of transportation used by the driver (1).Method according to Claim 4, characterized in that the means of transportation information is ascertained automatically by analysis of at least some of the input data.Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the state information furthermore comprises resource information describing a quantity of a resource (12), of which a reserve is present in the motor vehicle (2), which quantity is present or required at the driver (1), and, as a consequence criterion, a drop below or an exceeding of a resource threshold value is used for the resource information.Method according to Claim 6, characterized in that, when a replenishment criterion describing a resource supply in the motor vehicle (2) which falls below a replenishment threshold value is fulfilled, operating information describing replenishment of the resource (12) by the motor vehicle (2) is determined and applied, in particular by autonomous shopping at a supply station, and / or the resource supply of the motor vehicle (2) is transmitted to a mobile device (3) of the driver (1) for display purposes.Method according to Claim 7, characterized in that, when the refill criterion is fulfilled, driver information indicating the performance of the autonomous refill process, in particular with a predicted duration of the refill process, is transmitted to the mobile device (3).Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the status information is at least partially received by a mobile device (3) carried along by the driver (1) and / or is determined at least partially in the motor vehicle (2).Method according to Claim 9, characterized in that the state information is determined on the basis of sensor data received via the mobile device (3) from a sensor (5-9, 11) connected to the latter and / or contained therein and / or on the basis of an input at the mobile device (3) and / or, if the state information also comprises resource information describing a quantity of a resource (12) present or required in the driver (1), of which a reserve is present in the motor vehicle (2), the resource information is determined from operating data received via the mobile device (3) from a user device of the driver (1) connected to the latter and influencing the consumption of the resource (12).Method according to Claim 9 or 10, characterized in that, if the state information also comprises resource information describing a quantity of a resource (12), of which a reserve is present in the motor vehicle (2), which quantity is present or required at the driver (1), the resource information is ascertained on the part of the vehicle system on the basis of an activity time period of the driver (1) since the last known quantity on the driver side and / or on the basis of activity information derived from the state information and / or contained therein and describing the activity of the driver (1).Method according to one of Claims 9 to 11, characterized in that, if the state information also comprises resource information describing a quantity of a resource (12), of which a reserve is present in the motor vehicle (2), which quantity is present or required at the driver (1), requirement information describing a resource requirement on the part of the driver (1) is determined as part of the resource information from biometric measurement data of the driver (1) which have been transmitted via the mobile device (3).Method according to one of Claims 9 to 12, characterized in that a mobile telephone, in particular a smartphone (4), is used as the mobile device (3).Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least some of the calculations for automatically determining the operating information are carried out on a server device external to the motor vehicle and communicating with a control device (15) of the vehicle system (14).Motor vehicle (2), having a vehicle system (14) designed for fully automatic guidance of the motor vehicle (2), having a control unit (15) designed to carry out a method according to one of Claims 1 to 12.

Images