Method and system for making maneuvering decisions for a vehicle

Abstract

A method for making maneuvering decisions for a vehicle (1), wherein the vehicle (1) is on a transport order traveling along a route to a specific destination, the transport order comprising a series of requirements relating, for example, to safety, cargo integrity, economical driving, and travel time, the method comprising the steps of: - identifying (s101) a road anomaly associated with the route of the vehicle (1); - determining (s102) a priority order of the order requests; and - determining (s103) an appropriate maneuver of the vehicle (1) with respect to the road anomaly based on the priority order of the requests.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for making maneuvering decisions for a vehicle, a system for making maneuvering decisions for a vehicle, a vehicle comprising such a system, a computer program and a computer program product according to the appended claims. BACKGROUND

[0002] Vehicles used to serve a customer are typically given a transport job, such as transporting cargo from one location to another. The customer placing the job may have various requirements regarding how the job is to be performed. The job requirements typically relate to travel time, fuel consumption, and the like. Such job requirements must be considered when determining, for example, the vehicle's route and refueling strategy. Road quality affects vehicle speed and driving style and is therefore often taken into account when determining a route for a vehicle to meet various requirements.For example, document US 2013 / 0 190 964 A1 shows a navigation system with a route function block that can consider road conditions and maneuverability conditions in real time to enable a safety-oriented rerouting of a vehicle. The road conditions are typically analyzed to decide whether a route is time-efficient and / or fuel-efficient for the vehicle to travel. Document DE 10 2013 212 776 A1 discloses a method for route planning taking into account functional parameters relating to how suitable a route is for autonomous vehicles, for example, based on road quality. Document DE 10 2014 104 574 A1 discloses a special transport vehicle having a monitoring component, a vehicle computer system, and a communication unit of a wireless traffic communication system.The monitoring component is designed as a technical control device that ensures compliance with predetermined restrictions. The computer system works together with the monitoring component and the communications unit and has interfaces to the assistance systems of the special transport vehicle. If a predetermined restriction is violated, corrective intervention is automatically initiated.

[0003] Considering road quality to meet mission requirements when making strategic decisions is state-of-the-art; however, road quality and mission requirements are rarely considered when making tactical decisions during a mission. Depending on how a vehicle operator handles encountering a road anomaly, for example, a single pothole can result in a specific requirement not being met. Thus, considering mission requirements when operating the vehicle is critical. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] Despite state-of-the-art solutions, there is still a need to develop a method and system for making maneuvering decisions for a vehicle that improves the ability to meet the various requirements of a transport mission.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to achieve an advantageous method for making maneuvering decisions that improves the ability to meet the various requirements of a transport order.

[0006] Another object of the invention is to achieve an advantageous system for making maneuvering decisions that improves the ability to meet the various requirements of a transport order.

[0007] The objects described above are achieved by a method for making maneuvering decisions for a vehicle, a system for making maneuvering decisions for a vehicle, a vehicle comprising such a system, a computer program and a computer program product according to the appended claims.

[0008] According to one aspect of the present invention, a method for making maneuvering decisions for a vehicle is provided, wherein the vehicle is traveling along a route to a specific destination for a transport order. The transport order includes a number of requirements relating to, for example, safety, cargo integrity, economical driving, and travel time. The method comprises the steps of: - Identifying a road anomaly associated with the vehicle's route; - Determining a priority order of the order requirements; and - Determine an appropriate vehicle maneuver in relation to the road anomaly based on the priority order of the requirements.

[0009] A road anomaly can be, for example, a bump, a pothole, a railroad track, pavement, defects, or other irregularities in the road surface. The road anomaly can be a stationary anomaly or a moving anomaly, such as an animal or an object lying on the road.

[0010] A vehicle is given a transport order by a customer who wants something delivered / picked up / transported. The requirements associated with a transport order are specified by the customer and can vary depending on the order. The requirements can relate to, for example, safety, cargo integrity, economical driving, punctuality, and travel time; but there may also be other requirements. Safety refers to the safety of the vehicle and its surroundings. A requirement relating to cargo integrity refers to how fragile the cargo is. A high priority for cargo integrity may indicate that the cargo is fragile and it is therefore important that the vehicle is maneuvered in such a way that the cargo is not damaged. Economical driving refers to fuel consumption.Punctuality means that the cargo must be delivered at a desired time, and travel time is the time spent on the road. These requirements can be defined as additional requirements, that is, requirements in addition to the main requirement of transporting a cargo from one location to another. The requirements are of varying importance to one another and can thus be divided into a priority order. The requirement with the highest priority is thus the most important requirement. For example, it may be more important to reduce fuel consumption than to deliver the cargo on time, or it may be more important to drive efficiently than to reduce travel time. The requirements and the priority order can be supplied by the customer via a customer interface arranged in conjunction with a system for making maneuvering decisions for a vehicle.The customer interface may be an interface to a delivery system connected to the maneuvering decision-making system. The interface may provide customers with a way to specify their conditions / requirements for an individual order with a specific route and cargo. The maneuvering decision-making system accordingly determines the priority order based on information provided by the order customer. By determining the priority order of the requirements and determining an appropriate maneuver to address a road anomaly based on the priority order, a tactical decision can be made that improves the ability to meet the order's requirements.

[0011] The priority order of requirements can vary depending on the mission. Intuitively, safety may be the single most important requirement; however, on a scale of possible safety levels, medium safety may be sufficient. For example, economical driving may be less important than safety, and on a scale of different levels of economical driving, high cargo integrity may take priority over very economical driving.

[0012] According to one aspect of the invention, the road anomaly is identified based on information from a means for determining road quality. The means for determining road quality may be a road quality diagnostic system. The road quality diagnostic system may be arranged on the vehicle or may be external to the vehicle and is accordingly arranged to communicate with the maneuvering decision-making system. Alternatively, the road quality diagnostic system may be arranged in another vehicle in communication with the maneuvering decision-making system via vehicle-to-vehicle technology. The information from the road quality diagnostic system accordingly comprises information about a road anomaly along the route, such as geographical location, type of anomaly, characteristics of the anomaly such as size and shape, if the anomaly comprises one or a plurality of defects, or the like.The information regarding road anomalies is stored accordingly in the maneuvering decision-making system. In this way, the maneuvering decision-making system can predict a road anomaly along the route and retrieve information about the road anomaly so that an appropriate maneuvering decision can be made when the relevant geographical position is reached. Alternatively, the means for determining the road quality can be sensor means and / or cameras arranged on the vehicle. The sensor means can be laser devices, radar devices, or similar. The maneuvering decision-making system receives information about an encountered road anomaly from the sensor means / cameras, such as the type of anomaly, characteristics of the anomaly such as size and shape, if the anomaly comprises one or more defects, etc.

[0013] The appropriate vehicle maneuver in relation to the road anomaly may include adjusting vehicle speed and / or initiating an evasive maneuver. Different maneuvers may be appropriate depending on the priority of the requirements and the road anomaly. If the identified road anomaly is a bump in the road, a reduction in road speed may be the most appropriate maneuver for safety reasons. However, an abrupt reduction in vehicle speed could endanger the cargo; therefore, if cargo integrity is the highest priority, a slow and gradual reduction in vehicle speed may be the most appropriate maneuver. However, a gradual reduction in vehicle speed will increase travel time and may affect punctuality; therefore, if travel time or punctuality is the highest priority, this is not an option.If the road anomaly is so small that it does not affect safety or cargo integrity, the most appropriate maneuver may be to do nothing or even increase vehicle speed.

[0014] If the most appropriate maneuver for dealing with the road anomaly is adjusting the vehicle speed, the vehicle speed adjustment depends on the characteristics of the road anomaly. If the road anomaly is large, the vehicle speed will be reduced accordingly, and if the road anomaly is small, the vehicle speed will not be reduced as much. Similarly, if the road anomaly involves multiple obstacles, the vehicle speed will be reduced significantly accordingly, and if the road anomaly involves one obstacle, the vehicle speed may not be reduced as much.

[0015] According to one aspect of the invention, the appropriate maneuver for dealing with the road anomaly is determined based on the road conditions and / or the environment in which the vehicle is traveling. The appropriate maneuver for dealing with the road anomaly can also be determined based on vehicle data and / or vehicle configuration. For example, if a vehicle is traveling in an urban environment and encounters a pothole, an evasive maneuver may be considered unsafe because it could lead to unforeseeable consequences; conversely, if the vehicle is traveling on a rural road, an evasive maneuver may be best suited to meet the mission requirements. Similarly, an abrupt and sharp decrease in vehicle speed may be appropriate if the vehicle is traveling on a high-quality paved road; but it may be considered unsafe if the vehicle is traveling on a poor-quality road.Both the weight and load of the vehicle can influence the ability to perform an evasive maneuver and, for example, the stopping distance when decelerating the vehicle. The vehicle's weight and load are therefore taken into account when determining an appropriate maneuvering decision to address the road anomaly while meeting the mission requirements.

[0016] The appropriate maneuver to address the road anomaly is preferably determined by first considering the highest priority request and then the second-highest priority request. For example, the vehicle is on a mission to deliver a load to a specific destination, and the requests are prioritized as follows: • Security • Intactness of the cargo • Economical driving • Travel time

[0017] The vehicle is traveling in an urban environment and a large pothole is identified. An evasive maneuver is considered unsafe as previously described; therefore, the maneuver identified as appropriate to meet the safety requirement is adjusting the vehicle speed. If the characteristics of the pothole are such that the integrity of the cargo is at risk, the vehicle speed must be reduced. However, an abrupt reduction in vehicle speed may also endanger the integrity of the cargo; therefore, the vehicle speed must be gradually reduced to meet the cargo integrity requirement. Thus, the job may take longer; but since punctuality and travel time are the lowest priority, this is considered acceptable.If travel time is a higher priority than cargo integrity, the appropriate maneuver may instead be an abrupt and small reduction in vehicle speed.

[0018] According to one aspect of the invention, the vehicle is an autonomously operated vehicle, and the determined maneuver is transmitted as a control parameter to a control unit for controlling the vehicle. By using road quality and job requirements as parameters when making maneuvering decisions in an autonomously operated vehicle, it is ensured that the autonomous vehicle travels along a suitable route at a suitable speed. The determined maneuver can be proactively determined and can thus be executed at a later stage when the road anomaly is encountered. According to one aspect of the invention, the vehicle is a manually operated vehicle, and the determined maneuver is presented to the vehicle operator on a display unit. The suitable maneuver is preferably determined before reaching the identified road anomaly, so that the operator has time to analyze and execute the presented instructions.The actual behavior of the vehicle operator can be logged in the maneuvering decision-making system. If the maneuver was determined based on road anomaly information from a road quality diagnostic system, and the road anomaly information was incorrect, the operator is obviously not allowed to perform the determined maneuver. In this case, it can be noted that the determined maneuver was incorrect or unnecessary to meet the mission requirements, and the road quality diagnostic system is updated accordingly with information about the road anomaly.

[0019] According to one aspect of the invention, the road anomaly may be the end of a game fence along the road, or it may be a traffic sign warning of game. This may indicate that there is a risk of game crossing, and the appropriate maneuver with respect to this road anomaly is accordingly to reduce the vehicle's speed.

[0020] According to one aspect of the invention, a system for making maneuvering decisions for a vehicle is provided, the vehicle being on a transport order traveling along a route to a specific destination, the transport order including a series of requirements related to, for example, safety, cargo integrity, economical driving, and travel time. The system is configured to identify a road anomaly associated with the route of the vehicle, determine a priority of the order requirements, and determine an appropriate maneuver of the vehicle with respect to the road anomaly based on the priority order of the requirements.

[0021] The system for making maneuvering decisions for a vehicle accordingly comprises a control unit configured to identify a road anomaly associated with the vehicle's route, determine a priority of the task requests, and determine an appropriate maneuver of the vehicle with respect to the road anomaly based on the priority order of the requests. A computer may be connected to the control unit.

[0022] The system is accordingly configured to identify a road anomaly based on information from a road quality determination means. The road quality determination means may be a road quality diagnosis system. The road quality diagnosis system may be arranged on the vehicle or may be a system arranged externally of the vehicle and is accordingly arranged to communicate with the maneuvering decision-making system. The road quality diagnosis system may be arranged in another vehicle in communication with the maneuvering decision-making system using vehicle-to-vehicle technology. The information from the road quality determination means accordingly includes information about the identified road anomaly, such as the type of anomaly, characteristics of the anomaly such as size and shape, if the anomaly comprises one or more defects, etc.The information relating to the road anomaly is stored accordingly in the maneuvering decision-making system. In this way, the maneuvering decision-making system can predict a road anomaly at a specific geographical location and retrieve information about the road anomaly so that an appropriate maneuvering decision can be made when the geographical location is reached. Alternatively or additionally, the means for determining the road quality can be sensor means and / or cameras arranged on the vehicle. The sensor means and / or cameras are arranged accordingly to communicate with the maneuvering decision-making system.

[0023] The system is configured to determine a maneuver related to the road anomaly, including adjusting the vehicle speed and / or initiating an evasive maneuver. The system is configured to determine an appropriate maneuver related to the road anomaly based on the priority order of the requests and the characteristics of the road anomaly. Depending on the request with the highest priority and the road anomaly, different maneuvers may be appropriate.

[0024] The system is configured to adjust the vehicle speed according to the characteristics of the road anomaly. If the system has determined that adjusting the vehicle speed is the most appropriate maneuver to deal with the road anomaly, the system is configured to adjust the vehicle speed according to the characteristics of the road anomaly. If the road anomaly is large, the system may be configured to significantly reduce the vehicle speed, and if the road anomaly is small, the system may be configured to reduce the vehicle speed less. Likewise, if the road anomaly includes multiple defects / obstacles, the system may be configured to significantly reduce the vehicle speed, and if the road anomaly includes only one obstacle, the system may be configured to reduce the vehicle speed less.The road can be any type of road. According to one exemplary embodiment, the road is a route used in mining or similar operations, where a vehicle can travel different routes between different locations. This can be useful because, for example, in mining operations, the transport quality of the road can vary over time, and a different route may be more efficient than the route used last time.

[0025] The system is configured to determine the maneuver based on the road conditions and / or the environment in which the vehicle is traveling. The system may also be configured to determine the appropriate maneuver to address the road anomaly based on vehicle data and / or vehicle configuration. The system may thus be configured to consider factors such as vehicle type, vehicle load / weight, road quality, traffic volume, surrounding vehicles / objects, etc., when determining an appropriate maneuver to address the identified road anomaly.

[0026] According to one aspect of the invention, the vehicle is an autonomously operated vehicle and the system is designed to transmit the determined maneuver as a control parameter to a control unit for controlling the vehicle.

[0027] According to one aspect of the invention, the vehicle is a manually operated vehicle, and the system is configured to present the determined maneuver to the operator of the vehicle on a display unit. The system is configured to present the determined maneuver as instructions on a display unit so that the operator can execute the maneuver. The system is configured to determine the appropriate maneuver before reaching the identified road anomaly, so that the operator has time to analyze and execute the presented instructions. The system may be configured to log the actual behavior of the operator of the vehicle. In this way, the system can identify whether the operator followed the instructions and determine whether the determined maneuver was correct to meet the job requirements. The system can also thereby determine whether the information regarding the road anomaly was incorrect.The system can thus be designed to transmit the correct information about the road anomaly to the road quality diagnosis system.

[0028] Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the present invention will become apparent to one skilled in the art from the following details and upon practice of the invention. The invention is not limited to the specific details described below. Other applications, modifications, and implementations in other fields within the scope of the invention will be apparent to one skilled in the art. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] For a full understanding of the present invention and further objects and advantages thereof, the following detailed description must be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals designate similar elements throughout the several diagrams. Fig. 1 schematically shows a vehicle according to an embodiment of the invention. Fig. 2 schematically shows a system for making maneuvering decisions for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the invention. Fig. 3 schematically shows a flow chart for a method for making maneuvering decisions for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the invention. Fig. 4 schematically shows a control unit or computer according to an embodiment of the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] The term “connection” here refers to a communication link, which may be a physical connection such as an optoelectronic communication line or a non-physical connection such as a wireless connection, for example a radio link or microwave link.

[0031] Fig. Figure 1 schematically shows a side view of a vehicle 1 comprising a maneuvering decision-making system 100 according to an embodiment of the invention. The vehicle 1 may be a heavy-duty vehicle, such as a truck or a bus. Alternatively, the vehicle 1 may be a passenger car. The vehicle may be a hybrid vehicle, an electric vehicle, or a vehicle powered by an internal combustion engine. The vehicle may be manually operated, remotely operated, or autonomously operated.

[0032] Fig. Figure 2 shows a system for making maneuvering decisions for a vehicle 100 according to an embodiment of the invention. The vehicle 1 is accordingly as shown in Fig. 1 and is configured for use for transport orders and thus driving along a route to a specific destination. Each transport order is configured to include a plurality of requirements, such as those related to safety, cargo integrity, economical driving, and travel time. The system 100 is configured to identify a road anomaly associated with the route of the vehicle 1, determine a priority of the order requirements, and determine an appropriate maneuver of the vehicle 1 with respect to the road anomaly based on the priority order of the requirements.

[0033] The system 100 accordingly comprises a control unit 110 arranged in communication with means for determining road quality 200. The means for determining road quality 200 is / are arranged to transmit road quality information to the control unit 110 via the connection L200. The information may include an identified anomaly, the geographical position of the anomaly, the type of anomaly, the size and shape of the anomaly, etc. The control unit 110 is accordingly configured to identify a road anomaly along the route of the vehicle 1 based on information from the means for determining road quality 200. The means for determining road quality 200 may be a road quality diagnostic system.The road quality information from the road quality diagnostic system 200 can be stored in the control unit 110 so that the control unit 110 can predict a road anomaly along the route based on the road quality information and map data. The road quality diagnostic system 200 can be arranged on the vehicle 1, on another vehicle, or external to a vehicle. The control unit 110 can be configured to transmit information relating to the encountered road anomaly to the road quality diagnostic system 200 via the connection L200. Alternatively or additionally, the means for determining road quality 200 comprises sensor means and / or cameras arranged on the vehicle 1. A computer 120 can be connected to the control unit 110.

[0034] The requirements associated with a transport order are stored accordingly in the control unit 110. The priority of the requirements for each order can be entered by the customer placing the order via a customer interface 210 arranged in communication with the control unit 110. The interface 210 thus provides a way for the customer to specify the conditions / requirements for each individual order. The customer interface 210 is thus configured to transmit information relating to the requirements to the control unit 110 via the connection L210. The customer interface 210 can represent part of an external delivery system linked to the vehicle 1. The control unit 110 is thus configured to determine the priority order of the requirements based on information from the customer interface 210.

[0035] The control unit 110 is further arranged in communication with means for determining the environment in which the vehicle is traveling 220, such as cameras and / or sensor means arranged on the vehicle 1. The means for determining the environment in which the vehicle is traveling 220 is correspondingly configured to transmit information relating to the environment to the control unit 110 via the connection L220. The information may include the traffic volume and the presence of pedestrians or objects in the environment of the vehicle 1. The control unit 110 is correspondingly configured to determine a suitable maneuver with respect to an identified road anomaly based on information relating to the environment in which the vehicle is traveling. The control unit 110 is correspondingly configured to determine a suitable maneuver for dealing with an identified road anomaly based on the road conditions.

[0036] Information relating to the road conditions is accordingly received by the road quality determining means 200.

[0037] The control unit 110 accordingly includes vehicle data such as vehicle type, estimated weight / estimated load of the vehicle, current vehicle speed, engaged gear, etc. The control unit 110 can be configured to determine a suitable maneuver based on such vehicle data.

[0038] The control unit 110 can further be arranged in communication with another control unit for controlling the vehicle 230. If the vehicle 1 is an autonomously operated vehicle 1, the control unit 110 is correspondingly configured to transmit the determined maneuver as a control parameter to the control unit for controlling the vehicle 230 via the connection L230. The control unit 110 can be arranged in communication with a display unit 240. If the vehicle 1 is manually operated, the control unit 110 is correspondingly configured to transmit information via the connection L240 for presenting the determined maneuver on the display unit 240. The display unit 240 is correspondingly arranged in the vehicle 1 near the operator of the vehicle 1.

[0039] Fig. 3 schematically shows a flow chart for a method for making maneuvering decisions for a vehicle 1 according to an embodiment of the invention. The vehicle 1 is on a transport order traveling along a route to a specific destination, wherein the transport order includes a series of requirements relating, for example, to safety, cargo integrity, economical driving, and travel time. The method comprises the steps of identifying s101 a road anomaly associated with the route of the vehicle 1, determining s102 a priority of the order requirements, and determining s103 a suitable maneuver of the vehicle 1 with respect to the road anomaly based on the priority order of the requirements. The method is accordingly carried out by a system for making maneuvering decisions 100 according to Fig. 2 carried out.

[0040] The requirements associated with a transport order can vary and may relate to, for example, safety, cargo integrity, economical driving, punctuality, and travel time. Other requirements may also exist. These requirements can be defined as supplementary requirements, that is, requirements in addition to the primary requirement of transporting cargo from one location to another. The highest priority requirement is the most important requirement. For some orders, for example, reducing fuel consumption may be more important than delivering the cargo on time, or driving sustainably may be more important than reducing travel time.By determining the priority order of requirements and determining an appropriate maneuver to address a road anomaly based on the priority order, a tactical decision can be made that improves the ability to meet the mission requirements.

[0041] The road anomaly may be identified based on information from the road quality determining means 200. The road anomaly may be identified based on information from a road quality diagnosing system 200. Alternatively, the road anomaly may be identified based on information from sensor means and / or cameras 200 arranged on the vehicle 1.

[0042] The appropriate maneuver for vehicle 1 in relation to the road anomaly may include adjusting vehicle speed and / or initiating an evasive maneuver. Different maneuvers may be appropriate depending on the highest priority requirement and the road anomaly. If the road anomaly is a bump, reducing road speed may be the most appropriate maneuver for safety reasons. However, an abrupt reduction in vehicle speed could endanger the cargo; therefore, if cargo integrity is the highest priority, a slow and gradual reduction in vehicle speed may be the most appropriate maneuver. However, a gradual reduction in vehicle speed increases travel time and may affect punctuality; therefore, if travel time or punctuality is the highest priority, this is not an option.If the road anomaly is so small that it does not affect safety or cargo integrity, the most appropriate maneuver may be to do nothing or even increase vehicle speed.

[0043] If the most appropriate maneuver for dealing with the road anomaly is adjusting the vehicle speed, the vehicle speed adjustment depends on the characteristics of the road anomaly. If the road anomaly is large, the vehicle speed will be reduced accordingly, and if the road anomaly is small, the vehicle speed will not be reduced as much. Similarly, if the road anomaly involves multiple obstacles, the vehicle speed will be reduced significantly accordingly, and if the road anomaly involves one obstacle, the vehicle speed may not be reduced as much.

[0044] The appropriate maneuver with respect to the road anomaly can be determined based on the road conditions and / or the environment in which the vehicle is traveling. The appropriate maneuver with respect to the road anomaly can also be determined based on vehicle data and / or vehicle configuration. A vehicle 1 traveling in an urban environment that encounters a pothole will likely receive a different appropriate maneuver than if it is traveling on a rural road. Conversely, if the vehicle 1 is traveling on a high-quality paved road, a certain maneuver may be appropriate, but not appropriate at all if the vehicle is traveling on a poor-quality road. Both the weight and the load of the vehicle 1 can influence the ability to perform an evasive maneuver and, for example, the braking distance when decelerating the vehicle 1.The weight and load of Vehicle 1 are therefore taken into account when determining an appropriate maneuvering decision to address the road anomaly while meeting the mission requirements. The appropriate maneuver may also vary depending on the vehicle type. For example, a certain maneuver may be appropriate if the vehicle is a bus, while another may be appropriate if the vehicle is a tanker.

[0045] The maneuver for dealing with the road anomaly is determined accordingly by first considering the request with the highest priority and then the request with the second highest priority.

[0046] The vehicle 1 may be an autonomously operated vehicle, and the determined maneuver is transmitted accordingly as a control parameter to a control unit for controlling the vehicle 230. Alternatively, the vehicle 1 may be a manually operated vehicle, and the determined maneuver is accordingly presented to the vehicle operator on a display unit 240. The appropriate maneuver is preferably determined before reaching the identified road anomaly, so that the operator has time to analyze and execute the presented instructions. The actual behavior of the vehicle operator can be logged in the maneuvering decision-making system 100. If the maneuver was determined based on road anomaly information from a road quality diagnostic system 200 and the road anomaly information was incorrect, the operator may, of course, not execute the determined maneuver.In this case, it may be noted that the identified maneuver was incorrect to meet the order requirements, and the Road Quality Diagnostic System 200 is updated accordingly with information about the road anomaly.

[0047] Fig. 4 schematically shows a device 500. The control unit 110 or the computer 120 as with respect to Fig.2 may, in one version, comprise the device 500. The term "connection" here refers to a communication connection, which may be a physical connection such as an optoelectronic communication line or a non-physical connection such as a wireless connection, for example, a radio link or microwave link. The device 500 comprises a non-volatile memory 520, a data processing unit 510, and a read / write memory 550. The non-volatile memory 520 has a first storage element 530 in which a computer program, for example, an operating system, for controlling the function of the device 500 is stored. The device 500 further comprises a bus controller, a serial communication port, I / O means, an A / D converter, a date and time input and transmission unit, an event counter, and an interrupt controller (not shown).The non-volatile memory 520 also has a second memory element 540.

[0048] A computer program P is provided which comprises routines for a method for making maneuvering decisions for a vehicle 1 according to the invention. The computer program P comprises routines for identifying a road anomaly along the route of the vehicle 1. The computer program P comprises routines for determining a priority order of the requirements of the order. The computer program P comprises routines for determining a suitable maneuver with respect to the road anomaly based on the priority order of the requirements. The computer program P comprises routines for adjusting the vehicle speed and / or performing an evasive maneuver. The computer program P comprises routines for transmitting a determined maneuver as a control parameter for controlling the vehicle 1. The computer program P comprises routines for presenting the determined maneuver on a display unit.The program P can be stored in an executable form or in a compressed form in a memory 560 and / or a read / write memory 550.

[0049] When the data processing unit 510 is described as executing a particular function, this means that the data processing unit 510 executes a particular part of the program stored in the memory 560 or a particular part of the program stored in the random access memory 550.

[0050] The data processing unit 510 can communicate with a data port 599 via a data bus 515. The non-volatile memory 520 is used for communication with the data processing unit 510 via a data bus 512. The separate memory 560 is used for communication with the data processing unit 510 via a data bus 511. The read / write memory 550 is designed for communication with the data processing unit 510 via a data bus 514.

[0051] When data is received at data port 599, it is temporarily stored in second memory element 540. Once received input data is temporarily stored, data processing unit 510 is prepared to perform code execution as previously described.

[0052] Portions of the methods described herein may be performed by device 500 with data processing unit 510 executing the program stored in memory 560 or random access memory 550. When device 500 executes the program, the methods described herein are performed.

[0053] The foregoing description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention is for illustrative and descriptive purposes only. It is not intended to be exhaustive, nor is it intended to limit the invention to the described variants. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain the principles of the invention and their practical applications, and thus to enable one skilled in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular purpose.

Claims

[1] A method for making maneuvering decisions for a vehicle (1), the vehicle (1) being on a transport order while traveling along a route to a specific destination, the transport order comprising a series of requirements relating, for example, to safety, integrity of the cargo, economical driving and travel time, the method comprising the steps of: - identifying (s101) a road anomaly associated with the route of the vehicle (1); - determining (s102) a priority order of the order requests; and - determining (s103) an appropriate maneuver of the vehicle (1) with respect to the road anomaly based on the priority order of the requests. [2] The method of claim 1, wherein the road anomaly is identified based on information from a road quality diagnostic system (200). [3] Method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the determined maneuver comprises adjusting the vehicle speed and / or initiating an evasive maneuver. [4] The method of claim 3, wherein adjusting the vehicle speed depends on the characteristics of the road anomaly. [5] Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the maneuver is determined on the basis of the road conditions and / or the environment in which the vehicle (1) is traveling. [6] Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the vehicle (1) is an autonomously operated vehicle and the determined maneuver is transmitted as a control parameter to a control unit for controlling the vehicle (230). [7] Method according to one of claims 1-5, wherein the vehicle (1) is a manually operated vehicle and the determined maneuver is presented to the operator of the vehicle on a display unit (240). [8] A system (100) for making maneuvering decisions for a vehicle (1), the vehicle (1) being on a transport order while traveling along a route to a specific destination, the transport order comprising a set of requirements relating to safety, cargo integrity, economical driving, and vehicle, characterized by that the system (100) is designed to identify a road anomaly associated with the route of the vehicle (1), determine a priority order of the job requests and determine an appropriate maneuver of the vehicle (1) with respect to the road anomaly on the basis of the priority order of the requests. [9] The system of claim 8, wherein it is configured to identify a road anomaly based on information from a road quality diagnostic system (200). [10] System according to claim 8 or 9, wherein it is designed to determine a maneuver comprising adjusting the vehicle speed and / or comprising initiating an evasive maneuver. [11] A system according to claim 10, wherein it is arranged to adjust the vehicle speed according to the characteristics of the road anomaly. [12] System according to any one of claims 8-11, wherein it is arranged to determine the maneuver on the basis of the road conditions and / or the environment in which the vehicle (1) is traveling. [13] System according to one of claims 8-12, wherein the vehicle (1) is an autonomously operated vehicle and the system (100) is designed to transmit the determined maneuver as a control parameter to a control unit for controlling the vehicle (230). [14] System according to one of claims 8-12, wherein the vehicle (1) is a manually operated vehicle and the system (100) is arranged to present the maneuver to the operator of the vehicle (1) on a display unit (240). [15] Vehicle (1), characterized by that it comprises a system (100) according to any one of claims 8-14. [16] A computer program (P), the computer program comprising program code for causing an electronic control unit (110, 500) or a computer (120, 500) connected to the electronic control unit (110, 500) to carry out the steps of any one of claims 1-7. [17] A computer program product comprising a program code stored on a computer-readable medium for carrying out the method steps according to any one of claims 1-7, wherein the computer program is executed on an electronic control unit (110, 500) or a computer (120, 500) connected to the electronic control unit (110, 500).

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