Method for estimating at least one blind spot of an at least partially automated motor vehicle, a computer program product, a non-volatile computer-readable storage medium and a blind spot detection system.

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for estimating at least one blind spot (24) of a first, at least partially automated motor vehicle (10) by a blind spot detection system (12) for the first motor vehicle (10), comprising the steps of: (S1) providing at least one first piece of data relevant for the object detection task (19) by an electronic computing device (14) of the blind spot detection system (12); (S2A) determining the presence of at least one second motor vehicle (20) in the vicinity of the first motor vehicle (10) by the electronic computing device (14); (S2A) establishing a connection (26) between the first motor vehicle (10) and the second motor vehicle (20) by a telecommunications device (16) of the blind spot detection system (12); (S3) receiving at least one second piece of data relevant for the object detection task (28) from at least the second motor vehicle (20) by the telecommunications device (16);(S4) Comparing at least the first data point (19) with at least the second data point (28); (S5) Determining, based on at least one such comparison, at least one area that cannot currently be observed by at least the first motor vehicle (10) but can be observed by at least the second motor vehicle (20); (S6) and estimating at least the blind spot (24) based on the determination of at least one such area. (S7) The present invention further relates to a computer program product, a non-volatile, computer-readable storage medium, and a blind spot detection system (12).

Description

AREA OF INVENTION

[0001] The invention relates to the field of motor vehicles. In particular, the present invention relates to a method for estimating at least one blind spot of an at least partially automated motor vehicle by means of a blind spot detection system. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a corresponding computer program product, a corresponding non-volatile, computer-readable storage medium, and a corresponding blind spot detection system. BACKGROUND INFORMATION

[0002] It is known from the prior art that a blind spot can be determined for a first motor vehicle based on object detection by the first motor vehicle. It is further known from the prior art that, based on the determination of at least the blind spot, the first motor vehicle can query a second motor vehicle located near the first motor vehicle about at least one object not detected by the first motor vehicle. Furthermore, it is known from the prior art that this information can be used to modify the route of the first motor vehicle if the first motor vehicle is at least partially autonomous. However, a blind spot can also arise from a limitation of a sensor of the first motor vehicle that is not caused by a fixed object obstructing the sensor's view.A blind spot can be caused, for example, by an extreme atmospheric condition. Therefore, the task of blind spot detection is not necessarily fully solved solely by the object detection of the first vehicle. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0003] It is an object of the present invention to provide a method, a corresponding computer program product, a corresponding non-volatile computer-readable storage medium and a corresponding blind spot detection system, which increases the reliability of blind spot detection by an at least partially automated motor vehicle.

[0004] This problem is solved by a method, a corresponding computer program product, a corresponding non-volatile, computer-readable storage medium, and a corresponding blind spot detection system according to the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments are described in the dependent claims.

[0005] One aspect of the invention relates to a method for estimating at least one blind spot of a first, at least partially automated, motor vehicle. At least one first piece of data relevant for object detection is provided by an electronic computing device of the blind spot detection system. The presence of at least one second motor vehicle in the vicinity of the first motor vehicle is determined by the electronic computing device. A connection between the first motor vehicle and the second motor vehicle is established by a telecommunications device of the blind spot detection system. The telecommunications device receives at least one second piece of data relevant for object detection from at least the second motor vehicle. The electronic computing device compares at least the first piece of data with at least the second piece of data.At least one area that cannot currently be observed by at least the first motor vehicle, but can be observed by at least the second motor vehicle, is determined by the electronic computing device based on at least one such comparison. At least the blind spot is estimated by the electronic computing device based on the determination of at least one such area.

[0006] The term "blind spot" here refers to an area near a motor vehicle that cannot be seen by that vehicle. The term is not limited to a specific cause for the area being obscured. For example, a second vehicle idling in front of a crosswalk may obstruct the first vehicle's view of the crosswalk. In this case, the obscured area of ​​the crosswalk is in the blind spot of the first vehicle. It is known from mass-produced vehicles that a motor vehicle can be equipped with a variety of sensors, such as LiDAR, radar, and cameras. Therefore, the term "blind spot," as used in this disclosure, does not necessarily correspond to an area that cannot be perceived by a human occupant of the vehicle, and the two concepts may differ.For example, a vehicle's detection system can use the combination of several sensors to detect an obstacle that is outside the line of sight of a human occupant of the vehicle, especially in extreme weather conditions such as heavy rain.

[0007] An area can correspond to a blind spot, which is in a sense partial, if at least one sensor is unable to perform at least one detection in that area, while at least one other sensor is still able to do so. For this reason, it is known from the prior art that an at least partially automated vehicle can drive at reduced speed in extreme weather conditions such as heavy snowfall. Generally, it is known from the prior art that radar sensors function well under varying weather conditions, while LiDAR sensors and cameras are affected. However, since it is known from the prior art that combining different sensor types can lead to more reliable results in object detection, radar results alone are not able to fully compensate for the inadequate performance of the other sensors.In the example of heavy snowfall, large areas in the vicinity of the vehicle can be marked as blind spots, so that the detection system does not rely solely on the radar sensors.

[0008] In this disclosure, the object detection task can be understood as comprising the detection of the presence of at least one obstacle in the vicinity of at least the first and second motor vehicles. This task may include providing additional properties of the at least one detected obstacle, such as the space occupied, speed, and course. The object detection task is also validated when no obstacles are present. In this case, the task can be understood as identifying areas in the vicinity of the motor vehicle that are free of obstacles.

[0009] The term "environment" includes, but is not limited to, all physical locations relevant to the current trajectory planning of the vehicle. The term "trajectory planning" is not limited to the state-of-the-art automatic planning in self-driving vehicles, but can also refer to trajectory planning performed by human drivers.

[0010] Examples of data relevant to the object detection task include photographic and video recordings from at least one camera operating at at least one wavelength; radar data; LiDAR data; information about the field of view and / or range of at least one sensor; and information about the extent and location of a transmitting vehicle itself. Further examples of data relevant to the object detection task include results known in the art as data fusion products, obtained by combining at least two data sets from at least two different sources relevant to the object detection task. Also relevant to the object detection task are the results of analyses performed on sensor data, regardless of whether the sensor data is still available.For example, the detection system of one vehicle can transmit inferences about a detected object to a second vehicle without transmitting the sensor data about the object itself. In this case, the independent inferences are still data relevant to the object detection task.

[0011] The comparison may, for example, result in at least one piece of data relevant to the object detection task being classified as already known to either the object detection system of the first vehicle, the object detection system (if applicable) of the second vehicle, or both systems. In this example, data may also be considered already known to a detection system if it was transmitted to the detection system via a previous connection of the vehicle with another vehicle. Alternatively, the comparison may result in at least one piece of data relevant to the task of detecting objects from a secondary vehicle being classified as either redundant or new with respect to at least one piece of data already known to the detection system of the first vehicle.

[0012] The word "current" is used here to clarify that the blind spot of the first vehicle may depend on a temporary condition, such as an atmospheric condition or a particular arrangement of moving obstacles near the first vehicle. For example, if another vehicle obstructs the first vehicle's line of sight to an approaching obstacle, the approaching obstacle is currently in the first vehicle's blind spot. A second example: The reliability with which the first vehicle detects a present, especially a distant, object may be slightly reduced due to extreme atmospheric conditions. In this example, an object that is undetectable due to the reduced range is currently in a blind spot.

[0013] As a result of the aforementioned method, the vehicle blind spot detection system can detect at least one additional blind spot compared to methods known in the prior art. Alternatively or additionally, the dimensions of the at least one blind spot can be determined more precisely. Unlike, for example, blind spot detection systems that classify objects detected by the first vehicle as obstructions to a certain angle of the first vehicle, this method does not assume a priori that any area of ​​the environment is completely observable or completely unobservable. Therefore, the blind spot detection system in this disclosure is more flexible. By taking into account a larger area of ​​possible blind spots, the reliability of the vehicle's blind spot detection can be increased, thereby solving the challenge described above.

[0014] A further advantage over blind spot detection systems that determine the blind spot based on detected obstructions to visibility is that the method disclosed here does not necessarily assume a priori which of the other nearby vehicles have the potential to monitor at least one area that cannot be perceived by the first vehicle. On the contrary, the first vehicle can, for example, receive information from the at least one second vehicle about the object detection capabilities of the second vehicle. Examples of such information include ranges and nominal accuracies associated with various sensors such as cameras, LiDAR devices, and radar equipment.In this way, a second vehicle, whose sensors have a greater range than those of the first vehicle, can detect objects in the blind spot of the first vehicle even if the view of the first vehicle is not obstructed.

[0015] According to one embodiment, a shared network is used to determine the presence of at least one nearby vehicle with which a connection is possible. This could, for example, be an ad-hoc vehicle network (VANET) based on a vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) telecommunications device such as a dedicated short-range communication device (DSRC).

[0016] In another embodiment, the connection between the first and second vehicles is established depending on a connection criterion, which includes a priority plan for the sequence in which a multitude of connections are attempted. Spatial proximity is an example of a connection criterion. In this example, the first vehicle can determine the physical location of at least one secondary vehicle and classify at least one such physical location as being within or outside the immediate vicinity of the first vehicle. In this example, the definition of the immediate vicinity can be adapted to the situation based on the vehicle's trajectory planning and / or based on at least one sensor of the vehicle.

[0017] Furthermore, a priority plan can, for example, prioritize based on the physical proximity of each potential connection destination to the current and / or near-future trajectory of the first vehicle. If the first vehicle is traveling on a highway, reversing is neither part of the current nor the future trajectory. Therefore, in this situation, the planner prioritizes all potential connection destinations behind the first vehicle compared to those ahead.

[0018] As previously mentioned, it is known in the prior art that a detection system of the first vehicle alone can be used to determine blind spots a priori. These a priori determined blind spots can be used to determine which of the potentially many possible connections to nearby vehicles should be attempted first. However, since the blind spots of a vehicle can change rapidly, this criterion can lead to an unnecessarily high rate of network connection openings and closings. The adaptable connection criterion and priority plan of the aforementioned embodiment of the present invention, which can use simple measurements such as physical proximity, have the potential to simplify the blind spot detection system's network requirements.

[0019] In another embodiment, the first motor vehicle attempts to establish at least one connection with at least one second motor vehicle that is idling. The term "idling" generally refers to a stationary motor vehicle, e.g., in neutral or parked gear. The term can be used regardless of the reason for the standstill, e.g., when the motor vehicle has arrived at its destination. The term can be used regardless of which parts of the motor vehicle are receiving power, so that a motor vehicle can be considered to be idling even if the engine is still running.

[0020] This embodiment has the potential to be advantageous because blind spot detection can be supported by communication with at least one secondary vehicle, for example, in a parking lot. When the first vehicle reverses out of a parking space with at least one obstacle on either side, at least one blind spot may be of considerable size. If a nearby vehicle is not currently powered, it will be idling and may not be detectable and / or able to respond to communication requests. In this embodiment, at least one telecommunications device in a vehicle continues to receive and / or respond to requests related to the method.

[0021] In another embodiment, at least a third piece of data, which is associated with the detection of at least one obstacle in at least one blind spot of the first motor vehicle by the second motor vehicle, is transmitted from the second motor vehicle to the first motor vehicle after the at least one blind spot has been estimated.

[0022] This embodiment can lead to improved driving safety for the first vehicle if, for example, at least one sensor is defective, at least one fault exists in the first vehicle's detection system, or the range of at least one sensor of the first vehicle decreases due to weather conditions. In these cases, the first vehicle can receive information about at least one previously undetected obstacle, even though the line of sight to the at least one obstacle must not be obstructed by at least one fixed obstacle. Furthermore, the first vehicle can receive additional information about an obstacle that was detected with low certainty, such as a partially obscured obstacle. In the heavy snowfall example previously used to introduce the concept of partial blind spots, the radar is still available, while the LiDAR and optical data are impaired.In this example, if the second vehicle is closer to the partial blind spot than the first vehicle, the second vehicle can transmit its LIDAR and optical data to the first vehicle.

[0023] In another embodiment, the result of the blind spot detection is used to warn a user and / or to change the trajectory of the first motor vehicle.

[0024] In this embodiment, the term "trajectory change" is to refer generally to all changes in the driving plan made to avoid a collision, including, but not limited to, deceleration by braking, swerving, and coasting instead of accelerating, even if deceleration by rolling friction is intended. The term may also include changes that merely serve to increase the distance between the first vehicle and the obstacle, for example, as a precaution, regardless of whether the change avoids a collision. This can increase safety in cases where objects appearing from the blind spot are detected by the first vehicle too late for braking alone to be sufficient to prevent a collision.Furthermore, this design can increase user comfort by avoiding a collision at the cost of an abrupt change in the timetable. For example, if the blind spot detection results in significantly earlier braking, the braking can be carried out gradually.

[0025] In another embodiment, a user is shown a representation of the first motor vehicle's perception of its surroundings via a display device, supplemented by at least one comparison.

[0026] This display can include various enhancements and / or visual aids. For example, the first vehicle can be indicated with a red light, at least one nearby vehicle with which a connection can be established can be indicated with a blue light, and at least one second vehicle with which a connection has been established and with which the first vehicle is currently communicating can be indicated with a yellow light. For example, an object detected in at least one blind spot of the first vehicle, and about which information has been transmitted from the at least one second vehicle to the first vehicle, can be displayed as an outline.

[0027] In this embodiment, the displayed information can give the user confidence in the safety of the first vehicle. For example, it can be made clear to the user why the first vehicle brakes when there appear to be no obstacles, because the display shows that there is indeed an obstacle in the blind spot.

[0028] In particular, the method is a computer-implemented method. Therefore, a further aspect of the invention relates to a computer program product comprising program code means for carrying out a method according to the preceding aspect.

[0029] Another aspect of the invention relates to a non-volatile, computer-readable storage medium containing at least one computer program product according to the preceding aspect.

[0030] A further aspect of the invention relates to a blind spot detection system for an at least partially automated motor vehicle, comprising at least one electronic computing device and at least one telecommunications device, wherein the blind spot detection system is configured to carry out a method according to the preceding aspect. In particular, the method is carried out by the blind spot detection system.

[0031] Furthermore, the invention relates to a motor vehicle that at least has the blind spot detection system according to the preceding aspect. In particular, the motor vehicle is at least partially automated.

[0032] Advantageous embodiments of the method are to be considered as advantageous embodiments of the computer program product, the non-volatile, computer-readable storage medium, the blind spot detection system, and the motor vehicle. Therefore, both the blind spot detection system and the motor vehicle comprise means for carrying out the method.

[0033] In the present disclosure, an electronic computing device can be understood, for example, as a data processing device with processing circuits. An electronic computing device can therefore perform arithmetic operations to process data. These operations can also include indexed access to a data structure, such as a lookup table (LUT).

[0034] In particular, an electronic computing device may comprise one or more computers, one or more microcontrollers, and / or one or more integrated circuits, such as one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), one or more field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), and / or one or more systems-on-a-chip (SoCs). The electronic computing device may also include one or more processors, such as one or more microprocessors, one or more central processing units (CPUs), one or more graphics processing units (GPUs), and / or one or more signal processors, in particular one or more digital signal processors (DSPs). The electronic computing device may also comprise a physical or virtual group of computers or other units mentioned above.

[0035] An electronic computing device may also include one or more hardware and / or software interfaces and / or one or more storage units.

[0036] A storage unit can be a volatile data storage device, e.g., a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) or static random access memory (SRAM), or a non-volatile data storage device, e.g., a read-only memory (ROM), a programmable read-only memory (PROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), a flash memory or flash EEPROM, a ferroelectric random access memory (FRAM), a magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM), or a phase-change random access memory (PCRAM).

[0037] Further advantages, features, and details of the invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments and from the drawings. The features and combinations of features mentioned above in the description, as well as those mentioned in the following description of the figures and / or illustrated in the figures alone, can be used not only in the combinations specified, but also in any other combination or on their own, without departing from the scope of the invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0038] The new features and properties of the disclosure are set forth in the accompanying claims. The accompanying drawings, which form part of this disclosure, illustrate exemplary embodiments and, together with the description, serve to explain the disclosed principles. The same reference numbers are used in the figures to indicate identical features and components. Some embodiments of systems and / or methods in accordance with embodiments of the present subject matter are described below only by way of example and with reference to the accompanying figures.

[0039] The drawings show in: Fig. 1 A schematic side view of a motor vehicle that is at least partially automated and equipped with a blind spot detection system. Fig. 2 A schematic top view of a motor vehicle that is at least partially automated and equipped with a blind spot detection system. Fig. 3 A schematic top view of a motor vehicle that is at least partially automated and has a blind spot detection system. Fig. 4 A schematic flowchart according to one embodiment of the method.

[0040] In the figures, the same elements or elements with the same function are indicated by the same reference symbols. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0041] In this document, the word "exemplary" is used to mean "serving as an example, instance, or illustration." Each embodiment or implementation of the subject matter described herein as "exemplary" is not necessarily to be understood as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments.

[0042] While the disclosure is open to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments are illustrated by way of example in the drawing and are described in detail below. It should be understood, however, that the disclosure is not intended to be limited to the specific forms disclosed; on the contrary, the disclosure is intended to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives that fall within the scope of the disclosure.

[0043] The terms "includes," "contains," or other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, so that a setup, device, or process that includes a list of components or steps may contain not only those components or steps but may also contain other components or steps not expressly listed or belonging to that setup, device, or process. In other words, one or more elements in a system or device preceded by "includes" or "include" do not, without further limitations, preclude the existence of other elements or additional elements in the system or process.

[0044] In the following detailed descriptions of the embodiments of the disclosure, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this document and in which specific embodiments are shown for illustrative purposes, in which the disclosure can be implemented. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable the person skilled in the art to apply the disclosure, and it is understood that other embodiments may be used and that modifications may be made without departing from the scope of this disclosure. The following descriptions are therefore not to be understood in a restrictive sense.

[0045] Fig. Figure 1 shows a schematic side view according to an embodiment of a first motor vehicle 10. The first motor vehicle 10 is at least partially automated. This also applies to the other figures. The first motor vehicle 10 includes a blind spot detection system 12. The blind spot detection system 12 comprises at least one electronic computing device 14 and at least one telecommunications device 16. A display device 17 shows the user a representation of the first motor vehicle 10's perception of its surroundings, supplemented by at least one result and / or by-product of the process.

[0046] It is known from series vehicle manufacturing that a motor vehicle can be equipped with at least one electronic computing device that performs tasks such as radio station selection and automatic driving control. The electronic computing device 14 of the blind spot detection system 12, for example, may be the same electronic computing device that is already installed for these tasks.

[0047] It is also known from series vehicle manufacturing that at least one telecommunications device, such as a DSRC, can be installed in a motor vehicle to receive, for example, traffic information. The telecommunications device 16 of the blind spot detection system 12 may be the same telecommunications device, which, like the DSRC, is already installed for another purpose.

[0048] In this embodiment, a sensor 18 of the first motor vehicle 10 provides a first data value 19 that is relevant for the object detection task. This sensor 18 can, for example, be a pulse radar device, a modulated continuous-wave radar device, a LiDAR device, or a camera.

[0049] Fig. Figure 2 shows a schematic top view according to an embodiment of the first motor vehicle 10. A second motor vehicle 20 is waiting in front of and to the left of the first motor vehicle 10 at a zebra crossing 21, where there is neither a traffic light nor a stop sign. An obstacle 22 is crossing the zebra crossing 21 from the direction of the second motor vehicle 20 towards the first motor vehicle 10. In this figure, the obstacle 22 is a pedestrian; other examples of obstacles are animals, cyclists, and motor vehicles, as well as stationary obstacles such as impact attenuators and traffic drums.

[0050] The second motor vehicle 20 creates a blind spot 24 for the first motor vehicle 10 by obstructing the first motor vehicle's view of the area to the left and in front of the second motor vehicle 20. The obstacle 22 is currently located in the blind spot 24. A connection 26 is established between the first motor vehicle 10 and the second motor vehicle 20, via which at least one second data 28 is transmitted from the second motor vehicle 20 to the first motor vehicle 10.

[0051] In this embodiment, the same connection 26 is used after the blind spot 24 has been estimated by the blind spot detection system 12 to transmit at least one third piece of information 30 about the obstacle 22 from the second motor vehicle 20 to the first motor vehicle 10. This third piece of information 30 can lead to a change in the driving plan of the first motor vehicle 10, e.g., to an immediate deceleration by braking.

[0052] The second motor vehicle 20 is not necessarily automated, even partially. It is known from series production vehicle manufacturing that a video camera can be installed at the rear of a fully human-controlled motor vehicle, displaying a live feed to the user via a display device. This image provides visual assistance to the driver, for example, during a difficult parking maneuver. Such a video camera is an example of a sensor 18 that can provide data relevant to the object detection task, even if the motor vehicle does not have a detection system. Therefore, as long as the first motor vehicle 10 has the capability to establish a connection 26 with at least the second motor vehicle 20, and at least the second motor vehicle 20 has the capability to transmit at least one piece of data relevant to the object detection task, the method can be continued in this embodiment.

[0053] Fig. Figure 3 shows a schematic top view according to an embodiment of the first motor vehicle 10. The first motor vehicle 10 is planning to reverse out of a parking space. The obstacle 22, here a cyclist, is approaching from the right side of the figure. Another motor vehicle, parked next to the first motor vehicle 10, obstructs the view of the first motor vehicle 10, creating the blind spot 24 in which the obstacle 22 is currently located.

[0054] A common network 32 is established through which the first motor vehicle 10 receives information about other motor vehicles in the vicinity with which a connection 26 is possible. All motor vehicles in the vicinity of the first motor vehicle 10 are at rest. Nevertheless, a connection 26 is possible with three of them, which are marked with jagged outlines. Using a priority plan, one of these three vehicles is determined that is closest to the trajectory of the first motor vehicle 10. This nearest of the three vehicles is then identified with the second motor vehicle 20 according to the procedure of this disclosure.

[0055] Fig. Figure 4 shows a schematic flowchart according to one embodiment of the method.

[0056] In a first step S1, the electronic computing device 14 of the blind spot detection system 12 provides initial information 19 relevant to the object detection task. In the first part S2A of a second step, the electronic computing device 14 determines the presence of at least the second vehicle 20 in the vicinity of the first vehicle 10. In the second part S2B of the second step, a connection criterion is applied to filter out connection candidates. Subsequently, the remaining connection candidates are ranked according to their relevance to the blind spot detection task using a priority plan. In a third step S3, the connection 26 between the first vehicle 10 and the second vehicle 20 or another vehicle is established by a telecommunications device 16 of the blind spot detection system 12.In a fourth step S4, the telecommunications device 16 receives at least a second piece of data 28 relevant for the object recognition task from at least the second motor vehicle 20 or another motor vehicle. In a fifth step S5, the electronic computing device 14 compares at least the first piece of data 19 with at least the second piece of data 28. In a sixth step S6, the electronic computing device 14 determines, based on at least one such comparison, at least one area that is currently not observable by at least the first motor vehicle 10 but can be observed by at least the second motor vehicle 20 or another motor vehicle. In a seventh step S7, the electronic computing device 14 estimates at least the blind spot 24 based on the determination of at least one such area.In part S8A of the eighth step, at least one third piece of data 30 is transmitted from the second motor vehicle 20 or another motor vehicle to the first motor vehicle 10. This at least one third piece of information 30 is related to the detection of at least one obstacle 22 in at least one blind spot 24 of the first motor vehicle 10 by at least the second motor vehicle 20 or another motor vehicle. In a further part S8B of the eighth step, the result of the blind spot detection is used to warn a user and / or to change the trajectory of the first motor vehicle 10. In a further part S8C of the eighth step, a representation of the first motor vehicle 10's environmental perception, supplemented by at least one comparison, is displayed to a user via a display device 17.

[0057] The separation of the second step into parts S2A and S2B, also with a visual distance in Fig. 4, is intended to emphasize that part S2B refers to an embodiment according to a dependent claim.

[0058] The division of the eighth step into parts S8A, S8B, and S8C is intended to clarify that each part relates to a different, but not exclusive, embodiment according to a dependent claim. Furthermore, the parts are in Fig. 4 visually removed to clarify that they have no relative order to each other. For example, part S8C can be completed before part S8A. Reference sign 10 First motor vehicle 12 Blind spot detection system 14 Electronic computing device 16 Telecommunications device 17 Display device 18 Sensor 19 First reference point 20 Second motor vehicle 22nd obstacle 24 Blind Spot 26 connection 28 Second reference point 30 Third reference point 32 Joint Network S1 - S8C Steps of the procedure

Claims

[1] Method for estimating at least one blind spot (24) of a first at least partially automated motor vehicle (10) by a blind spot detection system (12) for the first motor vehicle (10), comprising the steps of: - providing at least one first data relevant for the object detection task (19) by an electronic computing device (14) of the blind spot detection system (12); (S1) - Determining the presence of at least one second motor vehicle (20) in the vicinity of the first motor vehicle (10) by the electronic computing device (14); (S2A) - Establishing a connection (26) between the first motor vehicle (10) and the second motor vehicle (20) by means of a telecommunications device (16) of the blind spot detection system (12); (S3) - Receiving at least one second piece of data relevant for the object recognition task (28) from at least the second motor vehicle (20) by the telecommunications device (16); (S4) - Comparing at least the first date (19) with at least the second date (28) using the electronic computing device (14); (S5) - Determination, by the electronic computing device (14), and based on at least one such comparison, of at least one area which cannot currently be observed by at least the first vehicle, but can be observed by at least the second motor vehicle (20); (S6) and - Estimating, by the electronic calculating device (14), at least the blind angle (24) on the basis of the determination of at least one such area. [2] Method according to claim 1, characterized by, that a common network (32) is used to determine the presence of at least one motor vehicle nearby with which a connection is possible. [3] Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by , that the connection (26) between the first motor vehicle (10) and the second motor vehicle (20) is established depending on a connection criterion which further includes a priority plan for the order in which a multitude of connections are attempted. [4] Method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by , that the first motor vehicle (10) attempts at least one connection (26) with at least one second motor vehicle (20) which is in an idle mode. [5] Method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized by, that at least a third data point (30), which is associated with the detection of at least one obstacle (22) in at least one blind spot (24) of the first motor vehicle (10) by at least the second motor vehicle (20), is transmitted by the second motor vehicle (20) to the first motor vehicle (10) following the estimation of the at least one blind spot (24). [6] Method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized by , that the result of the blind spot detection is used to warn a user and / or to change the trajectory of the first motor vehicle (10). [7] Method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized by , that a user is shown a representation of the environmental perception of the first motor vehicle (10) via a display device (17), supplemented by at least one comparison. [8] Computer program product comprising program code means for carrying out a method according to any one of claims 1 to 7. [9] Non-volatile, computer-readable storage medium containing the computer program product according to claim 8. [10] System (12) for detecting the blind spot of a motor vehicle (10), comprising at least one electronic computing device (14) and at least one telecommunications device (16), wherein the system (12) for detecting the blind spot is configured to perform a method according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

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