Method and follow-up navigation device for transmitting a navigation variable from an ego vehicle to a follow-up vehicle

Abstract

Method for transmitting a navigation variable from an ego vehicle to a following vehicle, comprising the steps: - retrieving environmental data from at least one environmental detection device, wherein the retrieved environmental data are characteristic of an environment of the ego vehicle; - Determining a following vehicle size based on the retrieved environmental data, whereby the following vehicle size is characteristic of a following vehicle in the environment of the ego vehicle; - Retrieving navigation data from a navigation device of the ego vehicle, whereby the retrieved navigation data are characteristic of a route section ahead; - Determining a navigation variable based on the retrieved navigation data, whereby the determined navigation variable is characteristic of the route section ahead - Transmitting the navigation variable to the following vehicle by at least one transmission device of the ego vehicle.

Description

The present invention relates to a method and a following navigation device for transmitting navigation instructions (navigation variable) from an ego vehicle to a following vehicle.In many situations where two vehicles have the same destination, only the front vehicle enters the destination into the navigation system and the rear vehicle follows the front vehicle. Despite the turn signal being set or due to a turn signal being set too late, the following vehicle will be difficult to follow in some situations.CN115742945A discloses a method for assisting a rear vehicle during passing at night, in which image information of a road section lying in front of the vehicle is projected onto a road section lying behind this vehicle in order to facilitate a passing maneuver for the rear vehicle if a passing intention is registered.From US 2022 / 0121048 A1 a system is known in which based on information about a vehicle the information can be projected and displayed on a road surface or the like.However, no method is known from the prior art which enables the projection or transmission of navigation information or navigation instructions from a front vehicle to a rear vehicle.The present invention is therefore based on the object of overcoming the problems known from the prior art and of providing a method and a following navigation device which make it possible to transmit navigation data or navigation instructions from an ego vehicle to a following vehicle.The object is achieved according to the invention by the subject matter of the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments and developments of the invention are the subject matter of the dependent claims.A method according to the invention for transmitting a navigation variable from an ego vehicle to a following vehicle comprises, in one step, the retrieval of environment data from at least one environment detection device, in particular from at least one environment detection device of the ego vehicle, wherein the retrieved environment data are characteristic of an environment of the ego vehicle. In a further step, a following vehicle variable is ascertained on the basis of the acquired environmental data, wherein the following vehicle variable is characteristic of a following vehicle in the environment of the ego vehicle and in particular of a presence of a following vehicle in the environment of the ego vehicle. In a further step, navigation data are retrieved from a navigation device of the ego vehicle, wherein the retrieved navigation data are characteristic of a route section ahead. In a further step, a navigation variable is ascertained on the basis of the retrieved navigation data, the ascertained navigation variable being characteristic of a route section lying ahead and, in particular, of a driving maneuver required for driving on the route section lying ahead. In a further step, the navigation variable is transmitted to the following vehicle by at least one transmission device of the ego vehicle.In other words, data relating to the surroundings of the ego vehicle are initially captured and evaluated to determine whether a following vehicle is located in the (immediate) surroundings of the ego vehicle, in particular behind the ego vehicle and particularly preferably as a vehicle following the ego vehicle. If this is the case, then instructions for the following vehicle (navigation variable) are ascertained on the basis of navigation data of the ego vehicle (planned route) and these are transmitted to the following vehicle.A following vehicle is preferably a vehicle different from the ego vehicle, which travels the same route as the ego vehicle and / or follows it (and / or intends to do so), preferably without itself having a navigation system or at least without traveling and following independent navigation.In a preferred method, the ego vehicle is set up in such a way that a mode can be activated in which navigation instructions, in particular in the form of a navigation variable (see further below), can be transmitted to a following vehicle. Such a mode could be referred to as a platoon mode, a vehicle tracking mode or a following navigation mode, for example.In a preferred method, such a mode can be selected and / or initialized and / or activated by the driver of the ego vehicle, preferably via an input via an HMI (human machine interface) of the ego vehicle. It would also be conceivable for the driver of the ego vehicle to be able to select and / or initialize and / or activate such a mode via an app (of the vehicle manufacturer) of a mobile device, such as a smartphone, for example.In a preferred method, the driver of the ego vehicle can select and / or input a following vehicle. The driver of the ego vehicle can preferably input data via the HMI or via a mobile device, which allow (unambiguous) identification of the following vehicle. Preferably, the driver of the ego vehicle can input a license plate of the following vehicle. It would also be conceivable for the driver of the ego vehicle to scan in the license plate of the following vehicle via a mobile device (e.g. smartphone). It would also be conceivable for the driver of the ego vehicle to identify the following vehicle on the basis of imaging by an image capturing device (for example front and / or rear camera) of the ego vehicle, for example by tapping and / or marking an image of the following vehicle recorded by the image capturing device.Alternatively or additionally, it would also be possible for a (radio) connection to be established between the ego vehicle and the following vehicle in this mode, for example via a Car2Car interface (C2C). In this case, it is conceivable for a request to be sent to the following vehicle via a data transmission device of the ego vehicle, which a driver of the following vehicle can or must accept.In a preferred method, the driver of the ego vehicle can select a following vehicle from a list of vehicles, for example a list of following vehicles of previous journeys.In a preferred method, the following vehicle is identified by evaluating the retrieved environmental data. In a preferred method, environment data are retrieved from at least one environment detection device of the ego vehicle, wherein the retrieved environment data are characteristic of an environment of the ego vehicle. The retrieved environmental data are preferably characteristic of the rear environment of the ego vehicle.In one advantageous specific embodiment, the at least one surroundings detection device is a sensor device of the ego vehicle and, in particular, a rear camera of the ego vehicle. The sensor device or the rear camera is preferably configured to acquire spatially resolved environmental data, which preferably enable identification of the following vehicle. For example, the environmental data is a recording of the rear camera, in which a license plate of the following vehicle or of a vehicle travelling behind the ego vehicle is recognizable and is preferably automatically recognizable by suitable computer-implemented methods.In a preferred method, the spatially resolved environmental data are evaluated by, in particular, computer-implemented methods for object detection. In a preferred method, the at least one environment detection device detects a number plate or a license plate of the following vehicle.In one advantageous specific embodiment, the at least one environment detection device is a data transmission device of the ego vehicle, which is configured to receive environment data from the following vehicle. In this case, it would be possible, as stated above, for there to be a radio connection between the ego vehicle and the following vehicle, via which radio connection data, in particular surroundings data, can be transmitted. The surroundings data are preferably characteristic of a distance between the ego vehicle and the following vehicle. The environment data are preferably characteristic of a visual connection between the ego vehicle and the following vehicle. In this case, it would be conceivable for the following vehicle to have a front camera and to identify the presence of the ego vehicle in a recording of the latter (for example by identifying a number plate of the ego vehicle or the like) and to transmit this information to the ego vehicle. Alternatively or additionally, it would be possible for a distance between the ego vehicle and the following vehicle to be determined and for this distance to be transmitted to the ego vehicle in the form of environmental data.In this case, it would be conceivable that, in the event that such a distance falls below a predefined or predefinable distance limit value, a presence of the following vehicle directly behind the ego vehicle is assumed without a further plausibility check preferably being required (e.g. by establishing a visual connection). Such a distance limit value is preferably dependent on a vehicle speed and / or a road condition. For example, such a distance limit value is 10 to 20 m in-situ and approximately 50 m out-of-situ.In a step of the method according to the invention, a following vehicle variable is determined on the basis of the acquired environmental data, wherein the following vehicle variable is characteristic of a following vehicle in the environment of the following vehicle. The following vehicle variable is preferably characteristic of a presence of the following vehicle in an in particular rearward environment of the ego vehicle and in particular characteristic of a distance between the ego vehicle and the following vehicle and / or characteristic of a direct visual connection between the ego vehicle and the following vehicle. In other words, it is determined whether the following vehicle is located in a spatial proximity to the ego vehicle and whether a projected navigation variable (see below) could be seen by the driver of the following vehicle or whether a further vehicle is located between the ego vehicle and the following vehicle if appropriate.In a further step of the method according to the invention, navigation data are retrieved from a navigation device of the ego vehicle, wherein the retrieved navigation data are characteristic of a route section lying ahead. The retrieved navigation data is preferably a planned route of the ego vehicle.In a further step of the method according to the invention, a navigation variable is ascertained on the basis of the retrieved navigation data, the ascertained navigation variable being characteristic of the route section lying ahead. The navigation variable is preferably a (navigation) instruction which is intended to be transmitted to the following vehicle. The ascertained navigation variable is advantageously characteristic of a driving maneuver to be carried out, which is required for driving over the route section lying ahead. The driving maneuver is preferably a lane change, a turn maneuver, an organization into a specific lane or the like.In an advantageous method, the ascertained navigation variable is characteristic of a distance to a position at which the driving maneuver is to be carried out. For example, the navigation variable is characteristic of a distance to a crossing lying ahead, at which a right turn is to be made. An example navigation variable includes the information "turn right in 50 m" or "turn right.".In a further step of the method according to the invention, the ascertained navigation variable is transmitted to the following vehicle by at least one transmission device of the ego vehicle. In an advantageous method, the at least one transmission device of the ego vehicle is a projection device which projects the navigation variable onto a roadway surface behind the ego vehicle. Preferably, the projection device is a component of a high-resolution rear light of the ego vehicle.In a preferred method, the navigation variable is projected onto the road surface between the ego vehicle and the following vehicle. The navigation variable is preferably projected onto a projection surface, the projection surface preferably being a section of the roadway surface which is spaced apart from the ego vehicle. In a preferred method, a distance between the ego vehicle and the projection surface is adjustable and in particular adjustable as a function of a distance between the ego vehicle and the following vehicle.The navigation variable is preferably projected onto the roadway surface in the form of a graphic. For example, an arrow for turning (left turn, right turn), a symbol for lane change, or the like is projected.It would also be conceivable for the navigation variable determined to be projected onto the road surface in the form of a writing. For example, for a required turning maneuver, the letter "please turn right" or "turn right" is projected. In a preferred method, an indication is additionally projected which is characteristic of a distance to the position at which the driving maneuver is to be carried out. For example, in addition to a symbol (arrow) for turning right, the indication "in 50m" or "50m" may be projected, or in the case of projecting a font, for example, the font "in 50m turn right" may be projected.In a preferred method, the driver of the ego vehicle can determine and / or specify in what form the ascertained navigation variable is projected onto the roadway surface by the projection device. In other words, the driver of the ego vehicle can select whether the navigation instruction (navigation variable) is to be transmitted in the form of a graphic or in the form of a letter or whether a distance indication is to be projected together.In a preferred embodiment, a distance between the ego vehicle and the following vehicle is taken into account in the determination of the navigation variable. This offers the advantage that the navigation instruction (navigation variable) can be output to the following vehicle with higher accuracy. For example, it is determined on the basis of the navigation data that the ego vehicle is to turn right in 150 m. At a distance of 50 m between the two vehicles, a navigation variable can thus be output to the following vehicle, which indicates that a right turn is to be made in 200 m.In a preferred method, the transmission of the ascertained navigation variable takes place as a function of a distance between the ego vehicle and the position at which the driving maneuver to be carried out is to be carried out. In a preferred method, a transmission of the ascertained navigation variable begins when a predefined and / or predefinable and / or adaptable limit value for the distance between the ego vehicle and the position at which the driving maneuver to be carried out is undershot. For example, the ascertained navigation variable is transmitted when a distance of 300 m between the ego vehicle and a crossing situated ahead is undershot. The start of the transmission of the navigation variable is preferably defined as the first time of a transmission period.In a preferred method, the limit value for the distance between the ego vehicle and the position at which the driving maneuver to be carried out is to be carried out is less than 5000 m, preferably less than 3000 m, preferably less than 1000 m, preferably less than 500 m and particularly preferably less than 300 m. In a preferred method, the limit value for the distance between the ego vehicle and the position at which the driving maneuver to be carried out is to be carried out is greater than 50 m, preferably greater than 100 m, preferably greater than 200 m and particularly preferably greater than 300 m.In a preferred method, a current distance between the ego vehicle and the position at which the driving maneuver to be carried out is to be carried out is determined on the basis of the retrieved navigation data.Such a limit value is preferably adaptable in particular automatically as a function of a vehicle speed. Such a limit value is preferably adaptable in particular automatically as a function of a distance between the ego vehicle and the following vehicle. It would thus be conceivable that, at a lower vehicle speed, the navigation variable takes place when a distance of 300 m from the position at which the driving maneuver to be carried out is undershot, or at a high vehicle speed (e.g. on a freeway) when a distance of 1 km is undershot.In a preferred method, such a limit value can be set and / or predefined by the driver of the ego vehicle. This offers the advantage that the driver of the ego vehicle can adapt the output of the navigation variable to the requirements of the driver of the following vehicle.In a preferred method, the navigation variable is ascertained dynamically and preferably at intervals or at regular time intervals. The navigation variable is preferably determined every 1 s, preferably every 5 s, preferably every 10 s, preferably every 20 s, preferably every 1 min. Preferably, such a time interval is in particular automatically adaptable depending on a vehicle speed. It would thus be conceivable that, at a high vehicle speed, the navigation variable is ascertained anew every 5 s, while, at a low vehicle speed, for example, the navigation variable is ascertained anew every 30 s.In a preferred method, a transmission time period is determined, in which the navigation variable is transmitted to the following vehicle. In a preferred method, the transmission of the navigation variable to the following vehicle begins at a first point in time, wherein the first point in time is preferably characteristic of a distance between the ego vehicle and the position at which the driving maneuver to be carried out is to be carried out. The first point in time is preferably defined by a limit value of such a distance being undershot (as described above). In a preferred method, the transmission period is defined by a first and a second point in time.In a preferred method, the transmission is ended at a second point in time, this second point in time preferably being defined by an execution of the driving maneuver to be carried out by the ego vehicle and / or by the following vehicle.In other words, a transmission of the navigation variable begins as soon as a predefined distance is undershot and ends as soon as either the ego vehicle or the following vehicle has completed the driving maneuver to be carried out. For example, the transmission of the navigation variable begins as soon as a distance to the next intersection at which the turn is to be made falls below 300 mand ends as soon as the ego vehicle (or the following vehicle) is bent at this intersection.In a preferred method, the transmission of the navigation variable takes place permanently or continuously within the transmission period, wherein the transmitted navigation variable is preferably dynamically adapted. In other words, the navigation variable is transmitted permanently and continuously updated during this. If, for example, a turning arrow together with a distance indication is projected onto the road surface as the navigation variable, the arrow can be projected unchanged during the entire transmission period, while the distance indication is constantly updated and changes, for example, every 50 m or 100 m.In an alternative embodiment, the transmission does not take place during the entire transmission period, but preferably only temporarily or in sections. In this case, it would be conceivable for the transmission of the navigation variable to take place at intervals within the transmission time period. For example, the navigation variable is projected onto the road surface every 30 s for 5 seconds. In an alternative embodiment, the transmission of the navigation variable in the transmission period takes place whenever the distance between the ego vehicle and the position at which the driving maneuver is to be carried out assumes specific predefined or predefinable (discrete) values. For example, the navigation variable is transmitted every 100 min this transmission period for a few seconds in each case, depending on a speed being traveled.In a preferred method, the determination of the follow-up vehicle variable is effected dynamically and particularly preferably the dynamic determination of the navigation variable (described above) or the transmission of the dynamically determined navigation variable is effected as a function of the dynamically determined follow-up vehicle variable. In other words, the following vehicle variable is constantly newly determined and the presence of the following vehicle in the environment of the ego vehicle is thus preferably constantly verified. This offers the advantage that a transmission of the navigation variable can be ended as soon as the following vehicle is no longer behind the ego vehicle or no longer has a visual connection to it, because, for example, a further vehicle has been placed between the ego vehicle and the following vehicle. Furthermore, it would be possible in such a case to change to an alternative transmission method, as is explained in more detail below.If the dynamic determination of the following vehicle variable preferably results in the following vehicle still travelling behind the ego vehicle, the method according to the invention is operated further in the embodiments described above (determination of navigation variable, transmission of navigation variable, etc.). If, on the other hand, the dynamic determination of the following vehicle size reveals that the following vehicle is no longer located behind the ego vehicle and has no direct visual connection to the latter and thus a navigation size projected onto the road surface can no longer be seen, then the projection can be ended and an alternative transmission path can optionally be used.In a preferred method, at least two transmission paths different from one another are provided for transmitting the determined navigation variable to the following vehicle. A first transmission path is preferably a projection of the determined navigation variable onto the road surface (by the projection device of the ego vehicle). A second transmission path is preferably a radio transmission, wherein the ascertained navigation variable is preferably transmitted by a data transmission device of the ego vehicle to a data transmission device of the following vehicle. The two data transmission devices are preferably those data transmission devices which, as in an embodiment described above, can transmit or receive the environment data (from the following vehicle to the ego vehicle).The data transmission device of the following vehicle is preferably configured in such a way as to receive the navigation variable from the ego vehicle. In a preferred method, the following vehicle is set up in such a way that the received navigation variable can be output to the driver of the following vehicle. In this case, it is conceivable for the received navigation variable to be output by an output device of the following vehicle to the driver of the following vehicle, for example acoustically or visually. For example, the driver of the following vehicle receives the instruction via a loudspeaker device of the following vehicle to turn right in 300 mor additionally the request to unlock again to the ego vehicle.In a preferred method, information is output to the driver of the ego vehicle as a function of the dynamically determined follow-up vehicle size about the fact that there is no longer a visual connection to the follow-up vehicle. In this case, it is conceivable for such information to be output to the driver of the ego vehicle visually (e.g. via a display device of the ego vehicle) or acoustically (e.g. via a loudspeaker device of the ego vehicle). It would furthermore be conceivable for a request to be made to the driver of the ego vehicle whether a voice connection is to be established between the driver of the ego vehicle and the driver of the following vehicle, for example via a mobile radio connection and via corresponding hands-free devices of the two vehicles.In a preferred method, a change between the first transmission path and the second transmission path takes place automatically as a function of the (dynamically) determined vehicle sequence variable. In this case, it is conceivable for the driver of the ego vehicle to be informed of a change between the first and the second transmission path, for example via a display device of the ego vehicle. In a preferred or alternative embodiment, a change from the first transmission path to the second transmission path is proposed to the driver of the ego vehicle, and the driver of the ego vehicle preferably has to confirm this change by an input, preferably via an HMI interface of the ego vehicle. For example, the driver of the ego vehicle can confirm such a change by voice control or by an input in the HMI.In a preferred method, a change from the second transmission path to the first transmission path takes place automatically as a function of the (dynamically) determined following vehicle, in particular in such a way that as soon as it is determined that the following vehicle is again in visual connection behind the ego vehicle, the determined navigation variable is projected again via a projection device onto the road surface between the two vehicles.The present invention is further directed to a following navigation device for transmitting a navigation variable from an ego vehicle to a following vehicle. A following navigation device according to the invention for transmitting a navigation variable from an ego vehicle to a following vehicle is configured to retrieve environment data from at least one environment detection device, in particular of the ego vehicle, wherein the retrieved environment data are characteristic of an environment of the ego vehicle. Furthermore, the follow-up navigation device is configured to ascertain a follow-up vehicle variable on the basis of the acquired surroundings data, wherein the follow-up vehicle variable is characteristic of a follow-up vehicle in the environment of the ego vehicle and is in particular characteristic of a presence of a follow-up vehicle in the environment of the ego vehicle.Furthermore, the follow-up navigation device is configured to retrieve navigation data from a navigation device of the ego vehicle, wherein the retrieved navigation data are characteristic of a route section lying ahead. According to the invention, the follow-up navigation device is configured to ascertain a navigation variable on the basis of the retrieved navigation data, wherein the ascertained navigation variable is characteristic of the route section lying ahead and is in particular characteristic of a driving maneuver required for driving over the route section lying ahead.Furthermore, the following navigation device is configured to provide the ascertained navigation variable to a transmission device of the ego vehicle for transmission to the following vehicle.The at least one environment detection device is preferably a sensor device of the ego vehicle and / or a data transmission device of the ego vehicle. The sensor device is preferably a camera, in particular a rear camera, which is configured to record spatially resolved recordings of a rear environment of the ego vehicle. The data transmission device of the ego vehicle is preferably configured to retrieve or receive environmental data from a data transmission device of the following vehicle and / or configured to transmit the ascertained navigation variable to the following vehicle.The transmission device is preferably a projection device of the ego vehicle, wherein the projection device is preferably a component of a high-resolution rear lamp of the ego vehicle and is particularly preferably configured to project the determined navigation variable onto a roadway surface behind the ego vehicle.The follow-up navigation device is preferably configured to suitably and / or determine whether the method described above for transmitting a navigation variable from an ego vehicle to a follow-up vehicle and all method steps described above in connection with the methods are carried out individually or in combination with one another. Conversely, the method (in particular according to a preferred embodiment) can be equipped with all the features described within the scope of the follow-up navigation device individually or in combination with one another or use these.The present invention is furthermore directed to a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, comprising a following navigation device according to one embodiment described above. The following navigation device is preferably a (fixed, in particular a non-destructively releasable) component of the vehicle.The vehicle can be, in particular, a (motorized) road vehicle. In addition to a road vehicle, the vehicle can also be a flight taxi, an aircraft and another means of transportation or another type of vehicle, for example an air, water or rail vehicle.A vehicle may be a motor vehicle which is in particular a motor vehicle controlled by the driver himself ("driver only"), a semi-autonomous, autonomous (for example the level 3 or 4 or 5 level of autonomy (the SAE J3016) standard) or a self-driving motor vehicle. Level 5 levels of autonomy here denote fully automatically driving vehicles.The present invention is furthermore directed to a computer program or computer program product comprising program means, in particular a program code, which represents or encodes at least individual or a plurality of method steps of the method according to the invention individually or in combination with one another and preferably one of the described preferred embodiments and is designed for execution by a processor device.The present invention is further directed to a nonvolatile memory, in particular a data memory, on which at least one embodiment of the computer program according to the invention or of a preferred embodiment of the computer program is stored.Further advantages and embodiments are evident from the attached drawings.Shown therein are FIG. 1 is a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 shows a flow diagram of an embodiment of the method according to the invention; FIG. 3 shows an application of an embodiment of the method according to the invention; FIG. 4 shows a further application of an embodiment of the method according to the invention.FIG. 1 shows an ego vehicle 1 which is equipped with a following navigation device 10 according to the invention according to one specific embodiment of the present invention. The ego vehicle 1 also has a data transmission device 12 which is configured to transmit data to and / or receive data from an off-board location, such as a remote server, another vehicle or the like. Furthermore, the vehicle has a navigation device 14. The reference numeral 20 designates a rear camera which can carry out the function of the above-mentioned environment detection device.Furthermore, the data transmission device 12 could also assume the function of the environment detection device provided data are transmitted from the following vehicle, for example via Car2Car communication. The ego vehicle 1 furthermore has a projection device 22, which preferably assumes the function of the transmission device. It would also be conceivable for the projection device 22 to be installed in the return valves 24 or to be a part of them.FIG. 2 shows a flow diagram of a preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention. In a first step 1, the presence of a following vehicle 30 is detected.For this purpose, environment data can be retrieved from the rear camera 20 or retrieved from the data transmission device 12. In this case, the environmental data are characteristic of the environment of the ego vehicle 1, for example the rear camera captures a number plate of the following vehicle 30. in a further step S 2, the retrieved environmental data data data are evaluated with respect to a presence of the following vehicle 30. In this case, a following vehicle variable is preferably determined which is characteristic of following vehicle 30 in the environment of ego vehicle 1, in particular for a rear environment of ego vehicle 1. In other words, it is determined whether following vehicle 30 is situated behind ego vehicle 1 and whether it is situated directly behind ego vehicle 1, in particular.For this purpose, for example, the environmental data (images of rear camera 20) are evaluated with respect to a number plate, as a result of which it can easily be established whether a vehicle travelling behind ego vehicle 1 is following vehicle 30 or a further vehicle 50 (cf. FIG. 4 ). Alternatively or additionally, it is possible for a communication link to exist between the ego vehicle 1 and the following vehicle 30, and for the acquired environmental data to be data which are transmitted by this communication link between the two vehicles. These transmitted (environment) data are characteristic here, for example, of a distance between the following vehicle 30 and the ego vehicle 1 or characteristic of whether the two vehicle vehicles are located directly behind one another and / or a direct visual connection exists between them.In a further step S 3, navigation data are retrieved from a navigation device 14 of the ego vehicle, wherein the retrieved navigation data are preferably characteristic of a planned route and therefore characteristic of a route section lying ahead. In a further step S 4, a navigation variable is determined on the basis of the retrieved navigation data, which navigation variable is transmitted to the following vehicle in a further step S 5. The ascertained navigation variable preferably contains data relating to a required driving maneuver with respect to the route section lying ahead, for example a lane change, a turn or the like. In other words, the navigation variable can be understood, for example, as an instruction to the following vehicle 30 that it is to turn right at a certain distance or at the next intersection.In step S 5, the ascertained navigation variable is then transmitted to the following vehicle 30. In this case, it is possible for the navigation variable, that is to say the instruction to the following vehicle 30, to be projected by means of the projection device 22 onto the road surface behind the ego vehicle 1 and for the driver of the following vehicle 30 to be able to see and track said road surface.Fig. 3 shows the use of an embodiment of the method according to the invention. The ego vehicle 1 and the following vehicle move directly one behind the other in the lane 32 toward an intersection 34 lying ahead. The planned route 38 of the ego vehicle 1 includes a right turn at the intersection 34 lying ahead, as is illustrated by the map section 36 and the marking 40. The host vehicle 1 has already established the presence of the following vehicle 30 directly behind it (not shown) and has determined from the navigation data that an instruction (navigation variable) is to be output to the following vehicle that it is to turn to the right at the intersection 34.For this purpose, the navigation variable is projected by the projection device 22 onto the road surface (projection surface 42) behind the ego vehicle 1. The projected navigation variable contains an instruction for turning right, for example in the form of the arrow 44 shown. Furthermore, it is possible additionally to project a distance indication 46, as is exemplarily represented here by the indication "50 m".FIG. 4 shows a situation in which a further vehicle 50 is located between the ego vehicle 1 and the following vehicle 30, and a projection of the navigation variable onto the roadway surface is not possible, and an alternative embodiment of the present invention is used. In such a situation, it would be possible for the navigation variable to be transmitted by the data transmission device 12 of the ego vehicle 1 to a data transmission device 52 of the following vehicle 30, and for the driver of the following vehicle to be instructed in this way that a right turn should be made at the intersection lying ahead. In this case, it would be conceivable for the navigation variable to be output to the driver of the following vehicle 30 via a display device of the following vehicle 30 or via a loudspeaker device of the following vehicle 30.List of reference characters1 Ego vehicle 10 Following navigation apparatus 12 Data transmission device 14 Navigation device 20 Rear camera 22 Projection device 24 Rear lamp 30 Following vehicle 32 Roadway 34 Intersection 36 Map section 38 Planned route 40 Marking Intersection 42 Projection surface 44 Arrow 46 Optional distance indicator 50 Further vehicle 52 Data transmission device Following vehicleReferences included in the specificationThis list of documents cited by the applicant has been produced in an automated manner and is only included for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent application or utility model application. The DPMA does not take any adhesion for any faults or omissions.Patent Literature citedCN 115742945A

[0003] US 2022 / 0121048 A1

[0004]

Claims

Method for transmitting a navigation variable from an ego vehicle to a following vehicle, comprising the steps of: - retrieving environment data from at least one environment detection device, wherein the retrieved environment data are characteristic of an environment of the ego vehicle; - determining a following vehicle variable on the basis of the retrieved environment data, wherein the following vehicle variable is characteristic of a following vehicle in the environment of the ego vehicle; - retrieving navigation data from a navigation device of the ego vehicle, wherein the retrieved navigation data are characteristic of a route section lying ahead; - determining a navigation variable on the basis of the retrieved navigation data, wherein the determined navigation variable is characteristic of the route section lying ahead; - transmitting the navigation variable to the following vehicle by at least one transmission device of the ego vehicle.Method according to Claim 1, characterized in that the at least one environment detection device is a sensor device of the ego vehicle and is in particular a rear camera of the ego vehicle.Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one transmission device of the ego vehicle is a projection device which projects the navigation variable onto a road surface behind the ego vehicle.Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one environment detection device is a data transmission device of the ego vehicle which is configured to receive environment data from the following vehicle.Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the navigation variable determined is characteristic of a driving maneuver to be carried out which is required for driving on the route section lying ahead, wherein the driving maneuver is preferably a lane change, a turning maneuver, an organization into a specific lane or the like.Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the following vehicle variable is characteristic of a presence of the following vehicle in an in particular rearward environment of the ego vehicle and in particular characteristic of a distance between the ego vehicle and the following vehicle and / or characteristic of a direct visual connection between the ego vehicle and the following vehicle.Method according to Claim 5, characterized in that the ascertained navigation variable is characteristic of a distance from a position at which the driving maneuver to be carried out is to be carried out.Method according to Claim 5, characterized in that the ascertained navigation variable is transmitted as a function of a distance between the ego vehicle and a position at which the driving maneuver to be carried out is to be carried out.A follow-up navigation apparatus for transmitting a navigation variable from an ego vehicle to a follow-up vehicle, wherein the follow-up navigation apparatus is configured to fetch environmental data from at least one environment detection device, in particular of the ego vehicle, wherein the fetched environmental data are characteristic of an environment of the ego vehicle, wherein the follow-up navigation apparatus is configured to determine a follow-up vehicle variable on the basis of the fetched environmental data, wherein the follow-up vehicle variable is characteristic of a follow-up vehicle in the environment of the ego vehicle, wherein the follow-up navigation apparatus is configured to fetch navigation data from a navigation device of the ego vehicle, wherein the fetched navigation data are characteristic of a route section lying ahead, characterized in that the follow-up navigation apparatus is configured to determine a navigation variable on the basis of the fetched navigation data, wherein the determined navigation variable is characteristic of the route section lying ahead, wherein the follow-up navigation device is configured to provide the determined navigation variable to a transmission device of the ego vehicle for transmission to the follow-up vehicle.Vehicle, in particular motor vehicle having a following navigation device according to the preceding claim.

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