Method for assisting a driver in driving a motor vehicle, motor vehicle and computer program product

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for assisting a driver when driving a motor vehicle (2) which has a steering wheel (4), a sensor device (6), a data processing unit (8), an actuator device (10) and an output device (12), wherein an assistance function which can be activated and deactivated is provided by means of an environment sensor unit (14) of the sensor device (6), by means of the data processing unit (8) and by means of the actuator device (10), wherein when the assistance function is activated, an at least partially automated guidance of the motor vehicle (2) takes place and wherein when the assistance function is activated, it is determined by means of an interior sensor unit (16) of the sensor device (6) and by means of the data processing unit (8) whether the driver is touching the steering wheel (4).

Description

The invention relates to a method for assisting a driver in driving a motor vehicle. The invention also relates to a motor vehicle and to a computer program product.To assist a driver, a current generation motor vehicle is typically configured to provide one or more assist functions. Some motor vehicles provide an assistance function, by means of which at least partially automated or autonomous vehicle guidance takes place.An example of such an assistance function is a so-called lane centering. In this case, the motor vehicle is held in an automated manner centrally in a (vehicle) lane, that is to say in particular centrally within lane markings and / or other recognized boundaries of a (vehicle) lane of a road. This means that here the lateral control of the motor vehicle takes place automatically as long as the corresponding assistance function, i.e. the lane centering, is activated.It is an object of the present invention to specify a method, a motor vehicle and / or a computer program product with which a driver is advantageously supported during vehicle guidance. In particular, high acceptance for support should be achievable in the case of potential drivers.This object is achieved by a method having the features of claim 1, by a motor vehicle having the features of claim 9 and by a computer program product having the features of claim 10. The advantages and preferred embodiments listed with regard to the method can also be transferred analogously to the motor vehicle and vice versa. Likewise, the advantages and preferred embodiments listed with regard to the method can also be transferred analogously to the computer program product and vice versa. In addition, the advantages and preferred embodiments mentioned with regard to the motor vehicle can also be transferred analogously to the computer program product and vice versa. Advantageous embodiments with expedient developments of the invention are specified in the dependent patent claims.The motor vehicle according to the invention has a steering wheel, a sensor device, a data processing unit, an actuator device and an output device and is configured to execute the method according to the invention in at least one operating mode.The method according to the invention is in turn designed for execution by a motor vehicle according to the invention and serves to assist a driver in driving the motor vehicle, that is to say the motor vehicle according to the invention.In the course of executing the method, i.e., the method according to the present invention, an assistance function is now provided by means of a surroundings sensor unit of the sensor device, by means of the data processing unit, and by means of the actuator device, which assistance function is activatable and deactivatable, in particular manually. The assistance function is configured in such a way that at least partially automated guidance of the motor vehicle takes place through the assistance function.For this purpose, when the assistance function is activated, sensor data are expediently generated with the environment sensor unit, said sensor data mapping at least a part of a surrounding area of the motor vehicle. This sensor data is further usually processed by the data processing unit, which is expediently connected to the environment sensor unit by signal technology. As a result of this processing, a database is then typically generated and, as a function of this database, the actuator device is usually controlled by the data processing unit. In this case, the activation of the actuator device typically ultimately entails a lateral regulation and / or a longitudinal regulation of the motor vehicle.According to at least one variant, the environment sensor unit has a camera which generates image data during operation, which image at least part of the environment of the motor vehicle, namely in particular a front of the motor vehicle. In this case, a lateral control and / or a longitudinal control of the motor vehicle then takes place as a function of the evaluation of the image data.Furthermore, in the course of executing the method, when the assistance function is activated, it is determined by means of an interior sensor unit of the sensor device and by means of the data processing unit whether or not the driver touches the steering wheel of the motor vehicle ("hands-on") ("hands-off").For this purpose, the interior sensor unit has, for example, a number of sensors which are integrated in particular into a steering wheel rim of the steering wheel and are designed, for example, as pressure sensors. This means that the motor vehicle has, for example, a steering wheel with one or more capacitive sensors, with which a contact of the steering wheel can be detected and is also detected during operation. Alternatively or additionally, the interior sensor unit has, for example, a camera which is directed at the steering wheel and thus captures a part of the interior of the motor vehicle.During operation, the interior sensor unit then expediently generates sensor data, which is typically transmitted to the data processing unit and evaluated by the latter. In this case, the evaluation takes place according to at least one embodiment variant by means of an AI (Kl: artificial intelligence) or a Kl algorithm.It is further preferably determined that the driver touches the steering wheel of the motor vehicle if it is determined that both hands of the driver are positioned on the steering wheel, and it is determined that the driver does not touch the steering wheel of the motor vehicle if it is determined that both hands of the driver are not positioned on the steering wheel, i.e., if it is determined that only one hand is positioned on the steering wheel, for example.At least according to an alternative embodiment variant, it is already determined accordingly that the driver touches the steering wheel of the motor vehicle if the latter is positioned on the steering wheel of the motor vehicle by a finger or a plurality of fingers and / or another body part and / or an object.It is also expedient if the interior sensor unit is configured to detect steering movements of the steering wheel in order to determine whether or not the driver touches the steering wheel of the motor vehicle. In this case, for example, it is then determined that the driver touches the steering wheel of the motor vehicle when a steering movement is detected, and it is determined that the driver does not touch the steering wheel of the motor vehicle when a steering movement is not detected for a predetermined period of time.Independently thereof, the assistance function is preferably configured such that when the assistance function is activated, automated lateral control takes place, i.e., for example, lane centering described at the beginning. It is also advantageous if the assistance function is designed in the manner of a lane keeping function.In addition, the assistance function preferably realizes a degree of automation which corresponds to level 2 or level 3 in accordance with SAE standard J3016. Furthermore, the degree of automation preferably corresponds to level 2 according to SAE standard J3016.In addition, it is advantageous if, when the assistance function is activated, the data processing unit determines whether a condition predefined for the assistance function for a function problem is fulfilled. If it is then further determined that the predefined condition for the function problem is fulfilled, the assistance function is preferably deactivated automatically by means of the data processing unit. In the case of such an automated deactivation of an assistance function, it is sometimes also referred to that the assistance function is "dropped".Depending on the application, the predefined condition for a functional problem is then fulfilled, for example, if the data processing unit determines that the aforementioned database is unsuitable. If, for example, lane center guidance is to be implemented and the lateral regulation is carried out as a function of an previously described evaluation of image data of a camera, the data processing unit determines, for example, that the aforementioned database is unsuitable if the data processing unit does not recognize a (vehicle) lane in the image data which can be used as the basis for the center guidance. The cause for this can be, for example, missing and / or non-clear roadway markings, unfavourable weather conditions and / or other poor conditions with respect to the roadway. Contamination at the camera or another sensor and / or an unfavorable detection range, for example in a curve, can also be a cause.Also useful are method variants in which no warning is issued to the driver when the assistance function is deactivated automatically, provided that it is also determined that the driver touches the steering wheel. In this case, therefore, an output of a warning to the driver is dispensed with.Independently thereof, it is advantageous if, when the assistance function is activated, it is determined by means of the data processing unit whether a route section in the front of the motor vehicle or a region detected by sensors in the front of the motor vehicle has at least one critical property from a predefined selection of critical properties. Depending on the application, the corresponding determination is carried out, for example, on the basis of the database described above, on the basis of sensor data from a number of further / other sensors of the sensor device of the motor vehicle, on the basis of data stored in a permanent memory of the motor vehicle, and / or on the basis of data transmitted from an external source via a wireless connection to a transmitting and receiving unit of the motor vehicle. Such data from an external source are then, for example, so-called swarm data or data which have been obtained by evaluating such swarm data.An example of such a critical property is a critical route profile, that is to say, for example, a particularly curved profile and / or a larger intersection and / or a circular traffic. In the case of at least one variant embodiment, such a critical route profile is determined on the basis of the data of a navigation system.A further example of such a critical property is a critical roadway condition, for example due to the absence of roadway markings and / or due to incomplete and / or worn roadway markings and / or due to an excessively large number of roadway markings, in particular in a construction site area. In the case of at least one embodiment variant, such a critical roadway condition is determined on the basis of the database described above and in particular on the basis of the image data of the camera described above.A still further example of such a critical property is a critical weather condition, for example due to precipitation and / or due to fog. In the case of at least one variant embodiment, such a critical weather condition is ascertained on the basis of data from an external source, i.e., for example, on the basis of data from a stationary server and / or on the basis of data from at least one other motor vehicle. Such data from an external source are then, for example, so-called swarm data or data which have been obtained by evaluating such swarm data.A still further example of such a critical property is a critical functional limitation of the environment sensor unit. In this case, virtually every route section in the front of the motor vehicle then has this critical property, as long as the critical functional limitation of the environment sensor unit is present. Such a critical functional limitation of the environment sensor unit is then given, for example, when the environment sensor unit, i.e., in particular the camera described above, is significantly contaminated and / or when the detection range is limited or inadequate due to the situation.In an advantageous development, a warning is then also output to the driver by means of the data processing unit and the output device, provided that it is determined by means of the data processing unit that the route section in the front of the motor vehicle or the region detected by sensors in the front of the motor vehicle has at least one critical property from the predefined selection of critical properties and that, in addition, the driver does not touch the steering wheel. In this case, the warning then further preferably comprises specific information for each critical property determined.Depending on the application, the warning is output in optical and / or acoustic form. Thus, for example, specific symbols are output to the output unit via a display unit, in particular a screen or a head-up display, and / or specific voice messages are output via a loudspeaker of the output unit.Independently thereof, method variants are advantageous in which a time measurement is started by means of the data processing unit as soon as it is determined by means of the data processing unit that the driver does not touch the steering wheel and that, in addition, the predefined condition for the function problem is fulfilled. As a result, a warning, for example the warning described above, is then typically output to the driver by means of the data processing unit and the output device, provided that it is determined by means of the data processing unit that the driver does not touch the steering wheel over a minimum duration. If, on the other hand, it is determined before the expiration of the minimum duration that the driver touches the steering wheel, i.e. typically touches it again, no warning is issued and the time measurement is expediently ended.Depending on the application, this warning is output in optical and / or acoustic and / or haptic form.In an advantageous development, it is then further determined by means of the data processing unit whether a route section in the front of the motor vehicle or a region detected by sensors in the front of the motor vehicle has at least one of the critical properties described above, and the minimum duration is adapted by means of the data processing unit, provided it is determined by means of the data processing unit that the route section in the front of the motor vehicle or the region detected by sensors in the front of the motor vehicle has at least one of these critical properties. According to at least one embodiment variant, the adaptation of the minimum duration additionally takes place specifically as a function of the critical properties determined.As already explained above, method variants are expedient in which no warning is output to the driver if the assistance function is deactivated automatically, provided that it is additionally determined that the driver touches the steering wheel. It is then assumed here that the driver can safely take over the vehicle guidance.Independently thereof, it is preferably provided that a warning, for example a warning described above, is output to the driver even if the assistance function is not deactivated in an automated manner and it is also determined that the driver touches the steering wheel, namely if a route section in the area in front of the motor vehicle has at least one critical property.In the case of some advantageous method variants, it is now determined by means of the data processing unit when the assistance function is activated whether a route section in the front of the motor vehicle or a region detected by sensors in the front of the motor vehicle has at least one critical property, in particular at least one of the critical properties described above. A warning, i.e. for example a warning described above, is then further output to the driver by means of the data processing unit and the output device, provided it is determined by means of the data processing unit that the driver touches the steering wheel, that the predefined condition for the functional problem is additionally not fulfilled, and that the route section in the front of the motor vehicle or the region detected by sensors in the front of the motor vehicle also has at least one critical property.In this case, it is then determined in particular that the route section in the front of the motor vehicle or the region detected by sensors in the front of the motor vehicle has at least one critical property if it is determined that the route section in the front of the motor vehicle has a critical route profile or a short profile, that the route section in the front of the motor vehicle has a critical route profile or a short profile, that a critical weather condition prevails in the route section in the front of the motor vehicle or that a critical function limitation of the environment sensor unit is present.The approach to issue a warning to the driver, even though the driver touches the steering wheel and, in addition, the predefined condition for the functional problem is not fulfilled, is based on the following consideration. If a route section in the front of the motor vehicle has at least one critical property described above, the probability of the predefined condition for the functional problem being fulfilled at some time during the travel of this route section is significantly increased. However, the warning then significantly reduces the probability that the driver will take his hands off the steering wheel.In this connection, the following should be mentioned in conclusion. The previously described variant embodiments of the method are all also designed, among other things, to output warnings in a virtually well-dosed manner in order, on the one hand, to achieve a high acceptance for the assistance function for potential drivers and, on the other hand, to specify high safety standards for the assistance function.As already mentioned, the method described above, i.e. the method according to the invention, is provided and designed for execution in the motor vehicle according to the invention or by the motor vehicle according to the invention. Conversely, the motor vehicle, i.e., the motor vehicle according to the present invention, is configured to execute the method according to the present invention in at least one operating mode. For this purpose, it has in particular the data processing unit. The individual method steps of the method are then expediently executed by means of the data processing unit, wherein for this purpose an executable program is further preferably stored or installed in the data processing unit, which program automatically executes the method after a start.A corresponding program can also be installed or stored subsequently by means of a computer program product according to the invention, provided that a suitable data processing unit is already present in a motor vehicle. This computer program product is typically a file or a data carrier with a file, wherein the file contains the executable program, i.e. in particular a suitable program code.Further advantages, features and details of the invention are evident from the claims, the following description of preferred embodiments and on the basis of the schematic drawings. Shown therein are: FIG. 1 shows a motor vehicle in a simplified side view, and FIG. 2 shows the motor vehicle in a simplified block diagram representation.Corresponding parts are provided with the same reference numerals in all figures.A motor vehicle 2 described by way of example below has a steering wheel 4, a sensor device 6, a data processing unit 8, an actuator device 10 and an output device 12 and is configured to provide an assistance function which can be activated and deactivated manually by a driver.If the assistance function is activated, then it carries out an automated lateral control for the motor vehicle 2, namely in the manner of a so-called lane center guidance. In this case, image data are generated by means of a camera 14, which is part of the sensor device 6, which image a front of the motor vehicle 2. This image data is passed on to the data processing unit 8 and evaluated by the latter, a database being generated as a result. Depending on the database, the data processing unit 8 in turn controls the actuator device 10, which comprises at least one actuator for lateral control.The basic concept of track centering can be described as follows. By means of the camera 14, roadway markings in the front of the motor vehicle 2 are detected, which delimit a lane or short lane. By means of image recognition, the data processing unit 8 determines the driving lane and the position of the motor vehicle 2 relative to the driving lane. As a function of the relative position determined, the lateral control of the motor vehicle 2 is then carried out by the data processing unit 8 in such a way that the motor vehicle 2 approaches a central position of the lane or holds this central position.The motor vehicle 2 further has an interior sensor unit which comprises a plurality of pressure sensors 16 and is part of the sensor device 6. The pressure sensors 16 are integrated in the steering wheel 4 of the motor vehicle 2, more precisely in a steering wheel rim of the steering wheel 4. the motor vehicle 2 is also configured to determine, when the assistance function is activated, by means of the pressure sensors 16 whether or not the driver has both hands on the steering wheel 4 of the motor vehicle 2 (hands-on detection) (hands-off detection). For this purpose, sensor data are generated by means of the pressure sensors 16 and transmitted to the data processing unit 8, which is connected to the pressure sensors 16 by signal technology. In the data processing unit 8, the sensor data of the pressure sensors 16 are then evaluated according to a principle known per se.Furthermore, the motor vehicle 2 is configured, when the assistance function is activated, to determine by means of the data processing unit 8 whether a condition predefined for the assistance function for a function problem is fulfilled, and to deactivate the assistance function by means of the data processing unit 8 in an automated manner as soon as it is determined that the predefined condition for the function problem is fulfilled. The predefined condition for the functional problem is fulfilled, for example, if the data processing unit 8 does not recognize a lane in the image data generated by means of the camera 14 and / or cannot ascertain any aforementioned relative position.The motor vehicle 2 is preferably also configured to determine, when the assistance function is activated, by means of the data processing unit 8 whether a route section in the front of the motor vehicle 2 has at least one critical property from a predefined selection of critical properties.An example of such a critical property is a critical route profile, that is to say, for example, a particularly curved profile and / or a larger intersection and / or a circular traffic. In the case of at least one embodiment variant, such a critical route profile is determined on the basis of the data of a navigation system 18.A further example of such a critical property is a critical roadway condition, for example due to the absence of roadway markings and / or due to incomplete and / or worn roadway markings and / or due to an excessively large number of roadway markings, in particular in a construction site area. In the case of at least one embodiment variant, such a critical roadway condition is ascertained on the basis of the image data of camera 14.A still further example of such a critical property is a critical weather condition, for example due to precipitation and / or due to fog. In the case of at least one variant embodiment, such a critical weather condition is ascertained on the basis of data from an external source 20, that is to say, for example, on the basis of data from a stationary server and / or on the basis of data from at least one other motor vehicle.In addition, the motor vehicle 2 is preferably configured to output a warning to the driver by means of the data processing unit 8 and the output device 12, provided that it is determined by means of the data processing unit that the route section in the area in front of the motor vehicle 2 has at least one critical property from the predefined selection of critical properties and that, in addition, the driver does not have both hands on the steering wheel 4 of the motor vehicle 2. In this case, the warning then comprises specific information for each critical property determined.Depending on the application, the warning is output in optical and / or acoustic form. Thus, for example, specific symbols are output to the output unit 12 via a display unit 22, in particular a screen or a head-up display, and / or specific voice messages are output to the output unit 12 via a loudspeaker 24.Independently thereof, the motor vehicle 2 is preferably configured to start a time measurement by means of the data processing unit 8 as soon as it is determined by means of the data processing unit 8 that the driver does not hold the steering wheel 4 with both hands and that, in addition, the predefined condition for the functional problem is fulfilled. Subsequently, a warning is then output to the driver by means of the data processing unit 8 and the output device 12, provided that it is determined by means of the data processing unit 8 that the driver holds the steering wheel 4 with both hands over a minimum duration.It is also advantageous if the motor vehicle 2 is set up in such a way that a warning is issued to the driver when the assistance function is activated and it is also determined that the driver holds the steering wheel 4 with both hands, provided it is also determined that a route section in the area in front of the motor vehicle 2 has at least one critical property described above.List of reference characters2 Motor vehicle 4 steering wheel 6 sensor device 8 data processing unit 10 actuator device 12 output device 14 camera 16 pressure sensor 18 navigation system 20 external source 22 display unit 24 loudspeaker

Claims

Method for assisting a driver when driving a motor vehicle (2), which has a steering wheel (4), a sensor device (6), a data processing unit (8), an actuator device (10) and an output device (12), wherein - an assistance function is provided by means of a surroundings sensor unit (14) of the sensor device (6), by means of the data processing unit (8) and by means of the actuator device (10), which assistance function can be activated and deactivated, - when the assistance function is activated, an at least partially automated driving of the motor vehicle (2) takes place, and - when the assistance function is activated, it is determined by means of an interior sensor unit (16) of the sensor device (6) and by means of the data processing unit (8) whether the driver touches the steering wheel (4).Method according to Claim 1, wherein - when the assistance function is activated, the data processing unit (8) determines whether a condition predefined for the assistance function for a function problem is fulfilled, and - the assistance function is deactivated automatically by the data processing unit (8) if it is determined that the predefined condition for the function problem is fulfilled.Method according to Claim 2, wherein an output of a warning to the driver is dispensed with if the assistance function is deactivated automatically, provided that it is additionally determined that the driver touches the steering wheel (4).Method according to one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein - when the assistance function is activated, the data processing unit (8) determines whether a route section in the front of the motor vehicle (2) has at least one critical property from a predefined selection of critical properties, - a warning is output to the driver by means of the data processing unit and the output device (12) if the data processing unit (8) determines that the route section in the front of the motor vehicle (2) has at least one critical property from the predefined selection of critical properties and that, in addition, the driver does not touch the steering wheel (4), and - the warning comprises specific information for each determined critical property.Method according to one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein - a time measurement is started by means of the data processing unit (8) as soon as it is determined by means of the data processing unit (8) that the driver does not touch the steering wheel (4) and that the predefined condition for the functional problem is additionally fulfilled, and - a warning is output to the driver by means of the data processing unit (8) and the output device (8), provided that it is determined by means of the data processing unit (8) that the driver does not touch the steering wheel (4) over a minimum duration.Method according to Claim 5, wherein - it is determined by means of the data processing unit (8) whether a route section in the front of the motor vehicle (2) has at least one critical property from a predefined selection of critical properties, - the minimum duration is adapted by means of the data processing unit (8) if it is determined by means of the data processing unit (8) that the route section in the front of the motor vehicle (2) has at least one critical property from the predefined selection of critical properties.Method according to one of Claims 2 to 6, wherein - when the assistance function is activated, it is determined by means of the data processing unit (8) whether a route section in the front of the motor vehicle (2) has at least one critical property, and - a warning is output to the driver by means of the data processing unit (8) and the output device (8), provided that it is determined by means of the data processing unit (8) that - the driver touches the steering wheel (4), - in addition the predefined condition for the function problem is not fulfilled, and - in addition the route section in the front of the motor vehicle (2) has at least one critical property.Method according to Claim 7, wherein it is determined that the route section in the front of the motor vehicle (2) has at least one critical property if it is determined that - the route section in the front of the motor vehicle (2) has a critical course, - the route section in the front of the motor vehicle (2) has a critical condition or - a critical weather condition prevails in the route section in the front of the motor vehicle (2).Motor vehicle (2) configured to execute a method according to one of the preceding claims in at least one operating mode.Computer program product containing a program executable on a data processing unit (8) which, after a start, automatically executes a method according to one of the preceding claims.

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