Method for controlling at least one vehicle system of a motor vehicle during a journey, as well as device and vehicle

Abstract

Method for controlling vehicle systems (12) of a motor vehicle (10) during a journey, wherein each vehicle system (12) is configured to carry out a driving maneuver of the motor vehicle (10), and for each vehicle system (12) it is determined by a management authority to what extent a driver and a driver assistance system (22) of the motor vehicle (10) each control the vehicle system (12), comprising the steps: • Providing an assignment rule by which a control responsibility is assigned to each vehicle system (12) for different driving situations; • Recognition of a current driving situation during the journey and determination of the respective assigned control responsibility for each vehicle system (12) in accordance with the assignment rule; • Receiving guidance instructions from the driver and the driver assistance system (22) for each vehicle system (12); and • for each vehicle system (12) superimposing the guidance instructions of the driver and the driver assistance system (22) intended for this vehicle system (12) in accordance with the guidance responsibility, wherein the respectively assigned guidance responsibility is determined centrally, so that the guidance instruction of the driver and the guidance instruction of the driver assistance system (22) are transmitted to the respective vehicle system (12) as a superimposed guidance instruction, in which both the driver and the driver assistance system (22) have a guidance responsibility of the vehicle system (12).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a method for controlling at least one vehicle system of a motor vehicle during a journey, wherein each vehicle system is designed to carry out a driving maneuver of the motor vehicle, and for each vehicle system, a control authority determines to what extent a driver or a driver assistance system of the motor vehicle controls the vehicle system.

[0002] A modern vehicle, particularly a motor vehicle, can have a driver assistance system that increasingly takes over more of the driver's driving tasks – up to and including completely taking over all driving tasks. A driving task can, for example, include one of the following activities: specifying a steering angle, specifying an acceleration and / or a speed, specifying a deceleration, i.e., negative acceleration, or adjusting the chassis damping. In a conventional vehicle, the driver was previously responsible for a driver's request, i.e., the driver determines where the vehicle should be steered, particularly by means of driving maneuvers, and thus has control responsibility. The driver transmits his or her request as a control instruction to at least one of the vehicle's systems via a human-machine interface, such as the steering wheel, accelerator pedal, and / or brake pedal.The at least one vehicle system then reacts to the information regarding the guidance instruction received via the human-machine interface and evaluates it in order to generate or derive its own behavior, functions, and / or support. Such a vehicle system can be, for example, a steering system, a chassis, a braking system, or a lighting system.

[0003] For example, the driver of the motor vehicle can transmit their steering command by operating the steering handle, whereupon the steering system adapts its behavior depending on the command such that, for example, the manual torque of the steering handle is increased. The lighting system can, in response to the same input from the driver, swivel headlights in the direction of movement of the steering handle moved by the driver. In the case of the brakes, for example, if the motor vehicle skids, the motor vehicle can be stabilized by alternating braking intervention. In conventional motor vehicles, especially passenger cars, the steering responsibility always lies with the driver.

[0004] With the use of semi-autonomous and / or autonomous driver assistance systems, the driver's clear responsibility for providing guidance instructions disappears, which can lead to an overlap of guidance instructions from the driver and the driver assistance system.

[0005] In other words, control responsibility no longer rests solely with the driver; instead, the driver assistance system can assume control responsibility for at least one vehicle system. Shared, simultaneous, or proportional control responsibility can also arise. This can lead to a vehicle system no longer being able to clearly determine, in a given driving situation, what is the driver's control instruction or the driver assistance system's control instruction, or whether the driver or the driver assistance system is controlling the vehicle. This leads to implausible driving conditions and limits the functionality of the vehicle system.

[0006] For example, if the vehicle system is a dynamic steering system that can transmit an active angle overlay to the front axle, for example, a steering angle must be specified for steering behavior. If the driver is responsible for steering and thus steers the vehicle, the driver specifies a steering angle for the steering handle, which is read by the dynamic steering control logic and overlaid with a calculated overlay angle. The sum of the steering wheel angle entered by the driver (corresponding to the steering angle of the steering handle) and the overlay angle is then set via power steering (EPS), i.e., transmitted to the wheels of the front axle.

[0007] When the driver assistance system is controlling the vehicle, the driver assistance system assumes the desired trajectory or guidance command and adjusts it directly via the steering assistance system. When the resulting steering assistance angle, i.e., the angle of the front wheels, changes, the steering handle, in particular the steering wheel, rotates via a mechanical coupling. The dynamic steering system, in turn, reacts by superimposing an overlay angle. However, the resulting target angle cannot be adjusted via the steering assistance system, as this is blocked by the driver assistance system.The dynamic steering system fails to detect the blockage of the power steering, and therefore also the inability to reach the target angle, and adjusts the steering wheel to the supposedly correct position of the wheels due to the power steering, which can lead to unwanted feedback. The dynamic steering system then detects a change in the steering angle of the steering handle again and subsequently changes the overlay angle.

[0008] In other words, in the case of dynamic steering, steering wheel tracking can lead to unstable feedback. The intervention of the steering assistance changes the steering wheel angle (steering angle of the steering handle), whereby the dynamic steering reacts to the change in the steering wheel angle by changing its overlay angle and additionally imposing itself on the steering wheel angle. This overlay angle causes the steering wheel to be turned further, since the steering wheel is supposed to track. The vehicle system then detects the change in the steering wheel and reacts again, which can cause the steering wheel to turn further undesirably.

[0009] DE 10 2015 004 745 A1 discloses a method for operating a motor vehicle, comprising a steering wheel and a transverse guidance device which controls a steering angle of a wheel of the motor vehicle, wherein in an autonomous operating mode the steering wheel is decoupled, wherein in the autonomous operating mode, upon intervention of the transverse guidance device, the steering angle of the wheel is displayed by means of an actuator which triggers a rotational movement of the steering wheel.

[0010] DE 10 2010 053 156 A1 discloses a method for operating a motor vehicle, wherein an object in the surroundings of the motor vehicle is detected by an environmental detection device. The risk of collision between the motor vehicle and the detected object is assessed. Depending on the assessment of the risk of collision, the steering angle of the motor vehicle can be adjusted using a steering angle adjustment device. A decoupling device is used to decouple the steering wheel of the motor vehicle, so that the rotational movement of the steering wheel due to the adjustment of the steering angle is smaller than if the same adjustment were performed without the steering wheel being decoupled.

[0011] Furthermore, EP 3 141 443 A1 discloses an autonomously driving vehicle which can switch between an autonomous and a manual driving state, whereby a coupling of the steering wheel can be released.

[0012] DE 10 2013 017 212 A1 shows a motor vehicle comprising at least one driver assistance system, wherein the motor vehicle can be controlled by a driver in a first operating mode of the driver assistance system, wherein the driver assistance system is designed to temporarily switch to a second operating mode in the event of a future and / or actual departure from the roadway determined by evaluating ego data relating to the motor vehicle and / or environmental data relating to the motor vehicle environment with a probability that exceeds a predetermined minimum probability, in which the steering of the motor vehicle is carried out autonomously by the driver assistance system without the possibility of intervention by the driver.

[0013] Finally, DE 10 2014 226 781 A1 shows a method for determining a resulting setpoint value for controlling a steering device of a vehicle, wherein at least in an automated steering operation of a vehicle a setpoint value for the automated steering operation is determined.

[0014] The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a possibility by means of which at least one vehicle system of a motor vehicle can be operated in such a way that feedback of the vehicle system due to a non-assignability of guidance instructions can be excluded.

[0015] The object is achieved by the subject matter of the independent patent claims. Advantageous developments of the invention are described by the dependent patent claims, the following description, and the figures.

[0016] The invention provides a method for controlling at least one vehicle system of a motor vehicle during a journey, wherein each vehicle system is configured to carry out a driving maneuver of the motor vehicle and a control responsibility is defined for each vehicle system.

[0017] A driving maneuver, for example, includes steering, braking, and / or acceleration and / or influencing the chassis damping. Control responsibility can represent the degree to which a driver and a driver assistance system of the motor vehicle each control the vehicle system. The contribution for both sides can, in principle, be between 0 and 100%, with the contributions preferably adding up to 100%. The process is characterized by the following steps: In order to control the vehicle system particularly advantageously and, for example, without feedback, an assignment rule is provided in a first step, by means of which a control responsibility is assigned to each vehicle system for different driving situations. In a second step, a current driving situation is recognized during the journey and the assigned control responsibility for each vehicle system is determined according to the assignment rule. In a further step, control instructions from the driver and the driver assistance system are received for each vehicle system. The driver's control instructions intended for a respective vehicle system and the control instructions from the driver assistance system are overlaid in a further step for each vehicle system according to the control responsibility.

[0018] In other words, it must be determined in the motor vehicle which driving task the driver and the driver assistance system are responsible for, and thus which vehicle system is to be controlled by whom. The method according to the invention assigns control responsibility; for this purpose, an assignment rule is provided in the first step. The assignment rule determines in which driving situation the driver and / or the driver assistance system is responsible for controlling a vehicle system.

[0019] A simple example of an assignment rule might be that the driver assistance system is deactivated above a certain speed, so that the driver is almost certainly responsible for controlling the vehicle. Another example might be that the driving situation requires automatic distance maintenance, which means that the driver assistance system controls the brakes and accelerator.

[0020] In a second step of the method according to the invention, for example by means of a sensor system, the current driving situation of the motor vehicle during the journey is detected and, in accordance with the previously provided assignment rule, each vehicle system is assigned a respective assigned control responsibility.

[0021] Through the last two procedural steps, the motor vehicle or the respective vehicle system "knows" who is controlling it, i.e., the driver and / or the driver assistance system. In a further step of the process, control instructions are received from the respective driver or driver assistance system with control responsibility, so that they can be clearly assigned. These received control instructions are overlaid for each of the vehicle systems so that the vehicle system follows the correct control instruction.

[0022] Override here means that at least one vehicle system can be in a state in which both the driver and the driver assistance system have control over the vehicle system. This can occur, for example, during a transition from autonomous to manual driving mode, where, for example, steering is slowly transferred, thus fading the driver's share of the driving from 0 to 100%, while that of the driver assistance system decreases from 100 to 0%. Other examples of override include an emergency maneuver by the driver assistance system or automatic overtaking on, for example, a motorway, in which a lane change is performed independently by the autonomous driver assistance system even though the driver is steering the vehicle.

[0023] According to the invention, the respective assigned control responsibility is determined centrally, so that the driver's control instruction and the driver assistance system's control instruction are or can be transmitted to the vehicle system as a superimposed control instruction. This means that the method is carried out in such a way that a central instance, for example the electronic computing device, centrally assigns the respective control responsibility to the respective vehicle system. This makes it particularly easy to implement, for example, an overlay of control instructions from the driver and the driver assistance system. This means that any desired combination, i.e., an overlay state, can result from the driver's request or the driver's control instruction and the driver assistance system's control instruction.

[0024] Alternatively, the respective assigned control authority could be determined decentrally, so that only the driver's control instruction or the driver assistance system's control instruction is executed by the vehicle system. In other words, the control authority is not transmitted from a central electronic computing device, for example, but is determined in the respective vehicle system itself. This offers the advantage that networking of the respective vehicle systems with each other and / or with the central computing device is no longer necessary, allowing the process to be implemented in a fail-safe manner, for example.

[0025] In a further embodiment of the invention, the method is characterized in that the at least one vehicle system performs its function independently of the control authority. In other words, the vehicle system performs its assigned function, for example, adjusting the steering angle of the wheels, independently of the control authority, i.e., regardless of whether the driver and / or the driver assistance system issues the control instructions to the vehicle system. This prevents the vehicle system from failing to respond to control instructions.

[0026] In a further development, at least one of the vehicle systems is an active steering system. In other words, one of the vehicle systems is configured to perform lateral guidance tasks, for example, by applying additional steering torque to the steering system. An active steering system, also known as dynamic steering, enables a particularly high level of integration of at least one driver assistance system into a motor vehicle.

[0027] In a further development, at least one target steering angle of the steering system is calculated during the control of the overlay. During the overlay, in particular during superimposed steering, an angle, for example, of the driver assistance system is superimposed on a steering wheel angle, i.e., a rotation angle at the input of a steering gear does not correspond to the steering wheel angle. The at least one calculated target steering angle can be used to steer the motor vehicle onto a specific path, for example, if the driver assistance system aims to control the motor vehicle so that it moves along a center lane of a roadway.

[0028] In a further development, the driver assistance system is provided with autonomous and / or semi-autonomous driving instructions. In other words, the motor vehicle is capable of, for example, parking independently through at least semi-autonomous driving instructions. The fact that the motor vehicle is capable of generating at least semi-autonomous driving instructions relieves the driver, at least in certain driving situations in which semi-autonomous operation of the motor vehicle is possible. This allows the driver to remain focused for longer, for example, which can lead to a reduction in critical driving situations due to driver inattention.

[0029] In a further development, it is provided that when control responsibility for the vehicle system is transferred to the driver, a human-machine interface of the vehicle system is adapted. For example, in the case of steering, the handle, i.e. the steering wheel, is adjusted accordingly so that the corresponding human-machine interface, the steering wheel, is in a position it would be in if control responsibility were already with the driver. This has the advantage that when switching to manual mode, in which the driver is driving the vehicle, all control elements of the human-machine interface are in the position the driver expects them to be, thus avoiding, for example, a sudden handover or the like.

[0030] The invention also includes further developments of the device according to the invention and the motor vehicle according to the invention, which have features already described in connection with the further developments of the method according to the invention. For this reason, the corresponding further developments of the device according to the invention and the motor vehicle according to the invention are not described again here.

[0031] Exemplary embodiments of the invention are described below. Shown are: Fig. 1 a flow chart for the method according to the invention; and Fig. 2 a schematic plan view of a motor vehicle which has a device by means of which the method can be carried out.

[0032] The exemplary embodiments explained below are preferred embodiments of the invention. In the exemplary embodiments, the described components of the embodiments each represent individual, independently considered features of the invention, which also further develop the invention independently of one another and are thus also to be considered as components of the invention, either individually or in a combination other than that shown. Furthermore, the described embodiments can also be supplemented by further features of the invention already described.

[0033] In the figures, functionally identical elements are provided with the same reference numerals.

[0034] Fig. 1 shows a flowchart for a method for controlling at least one vehicle system 12 of a motor vehicle 10 during a journey, wherein the at least one vehicle system 12 is configured to perform a driving maneuver of the motor vehicle 10. In addition, the method defines a control responsibility for the at least one vehicle system 12, which determines the share to which a driver and a driver assistance system 22 of the motor vehicle 10 each control the vehicle system 12.

[0035] The method comprises steps S1 to S4. In the first step S1, the method provides an assignment rule by which a control responsibility is assigned to each vehicle system 12 for different driving situations. In the second step S2, the method recognizes a current driving situation while the motor vehicle 10 is traveling and, for this purpose, assigns or determines a respective control responsibility for the respective vehicle system 12 according to the assignment rule.

[0036] This determination clarifies whether the driver or the driver assistance system 22 is responsible for the respective vehicle system 12 or whether they are permitted to control the respective vehicle system 12. In the third step S3, control instructions from the driver and the driver assistance system 22 are received for each vehicle system 12. This means that control inputs which the driver makes at a suitable human-machine interface while holding control responsibility for the vehicle system 12 are received by means of the method in order to then be forwarded as a control instruction to the vehicle system 12 and converted by the latter into a driving maneuver. The same applies to the receipt and forwarding of control instructions from the driver assistance system 22 if the latter has at least partially received control responsibility for a corresponding vehicle system 12.In a fourth step S4, the received guidance instructions from the driver and the driver assistance system 22 are superimposed for each vehicle system 12 according to the guidance responsibility. This superimposition may be necessary because, for example, both the driver and the driver assistance system 22 each share proportional guidance responsibility for a vehicle system 12, such as the brakes.

[0037] At the Fig. The method just described will be explained using the example of an active steering system 11, which represents a vehicle system 12, as shown in the motor vehicle 10 shown in Figure 2. The active steering system 11 can also be referred to as dynamic steering.

[0038] The active steering system 11 has a lateral guidance device 14, which can set a wheel angle 16 of the front wheel 18(s). For this purpose, the lateral guidance device 14 receives a guidance instruction provided by the human-machine interface, embodied as a steering wheel 20, or the driver assistance system 22. Furthermore, the motor vehicle 10 has a device 24 for implementing the method.

[0039] In the case where the driver is responsible for controlling the vehicle system 12, i.e., the active steering system 11, the driver specifies a steering angle using the steering wheel 20. This steering angle is transmitted to the lateral guidance device 14, which may be configured at least partially as a steering force assist.

[0040] In the event that the driver assistance system 22 has control over the active steering system 11 and thus the vehicle system 12, the driver assistance system 22 provides the driving instructions, with the wheel angle 16 on the wheels 18 then being set via the lateral guidance device 14.

[0041] In one case, the respective assigned control authority can be determined decentrally, so that only the driver's control instruction or the control instruction of the driver assistance system 22 is transmitted to the vehicle system 12, i.e., the active steering system 11. In a second case, the respective assigned control authority can be determined centrally, for example, by means of a control device 26, so that the driver's control instruction and the control instruction of the driver assistance system 22 are transmitted to the vehicle system 12 as a superimposed control instruction.

[0042] Steps S1 to S4 are performed, for example, by device 24. An assignment rule is provided, for example, by the fact that, above a certain speed, the driver assistance system 22 is no longer responsible and / or that, if a brake pedal is pressed too hard, the driver assistance system 22 takes over automatically. For this purpose, the driving situation can be recognized, for example, by monitoring the brake, and a control responsibility can be assigned.

[0043] Furthermore, in order to avoid an obstacle, for example, the motor vehicle 10 can have an environmental detection device in the form of a sensor 28. If the device 24 receives guidance instructions for the vehicle system 12 from the driver and the driver assistance system 22, it is possible, for example by means of the control device 26, to switch between a reference variable, i.e., a "driver is driving" state and a "driver assistance system 22 is driving" state. The control device 26 of the active steering system 11 can calculate a target steering wheel angle for the driver and a target steering wheel angle for the driver assistance system 22. Depending on a classification of the "driver is driving" or "driver assistance system is driving" state, one or the other target steering wheel angle is used.For the central case, a consolidated target angle is calculated, which corresponds to a handover or blending between the two states "driver driving" and "driver assistance system driving" or can be implemented according to these rules. With the central approach, switching of the respective control responsibility can be avoided or reduced. The vehicle system 12 can thus perform its function—in the example shown, steering the wheels 18—independently of the control responsibility of the driver or the driver assistance system, and avoid negative effects, such as feedback from the active steering system 11 or the dynamic steering.

[0044] Furthermore, in the method, when control responsibility for the vehicle system 12 is transferred from the driver assistance system 22 to the driver, the human-machine interface, here the steering wheel 20, can be adjusted, which is necessary, for example, in piloted driving. If the motor vehicle 10 is driving autonomously, the steering wheel 20 can be held in the rest position by the active steering system 11, which would correspond to a steering wheel angle of 0°, in order to enable the driver, for example, to read a newspaper. When the driver assumes control responsibility, the steering wheel 20 must be moved back to a target position, i.e., the steering wheel must be adjusted. The method presented here can also be used to implement the application case just mentioned.

[0045] Overall, the examples show how the invention enables safe operation of at least one vehicle system 12, since the method shown provides the possibility of distinguishing between a respective control responsibility of the driver and the driver assistance system 22.

Claims

[1] Method for controlling vehicle systems (12) of a motor vehicle (10) during a journey, wherein each vehicle system (12) is configured to carry out a driving maneuver of the motor vehicle (10), and for each vehicle system (12) it is determined by a management authority to what extent a driver and a driver assistance system (22) of the motor vehicle (10) each control the vehicle system (12), comprising the steps: • Providing an assignment rule by which a control responsibility is assigned to each vehicle system (12) for different driving situations; • Recognition of a current driving situation during the journey and determination of the respective assigned control responsibility for each vehicle system (12) in accordance with the assignment rule; • Receiving guidance instructions from the driver and the driver assistance system (22) for each vehicle system (12); and • for each vehicle system (12) superimposing the guidance instructions of the driver and the driver assistance system (22) intended for this vehicle system (12) in accordance with the guidance responsibility, wherein the respectively assigned guidance responsibility is determined centrally, so that the guidance instruction of the driver and the guidance instruction of the driver assistance system (22) are transmitted to the respective vehicle system (12) as a superimposed guidance instruction, in which both the driver and the driver assistance system (22) have a guidance responsibility of the vehicle system (12). [2] Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the at least one vehicle system (12) realizes its function independently of the command authority, so that the same reaction occurs regardless of a source of the command instruction. [3] Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat of the at least one vehicle system (12), one vehicle system (12) represents an active steering system (11). [4] Method according to claim 3, characterized by that when controlling the superposition, at least one desired steering angle of the steering system (11) is calculated. [5] Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the driver assistance system (22) generates autonomous and / or semi-autonomous driving instructions. [6] Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that when the control responsibility for the at least one vehicle system (12) is transferred to the driver, a human-machine interface of the vehicle system (12) is adapted. [7] Device (24), characterized by that the device (24) is designed to carry out a method according to one of the preceding claims. [8] Motor vehicle (10), characterized by that it comprises a device (24) according to claim 7.

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