Optimization of breakdown comfort

Abstract

Method for ensuring the safe mobility of a vehicle during a vehicle defect, comprising the following steps: - Detecting (S1) a safety-critical defect of the vehicle during a journey; - Providing at least one strategy by which the vehicle can be operated in a safe state during the vehicle defect; - Determining (S2) at least one scenario based on the strategy, and in particular the defect, vehicle data, vehicle environment data and / or occupant preferences, in order to optimize occupant comfort during a breakdown; - Transmitting (S3) control commands to at least one actuator to implement the scenario.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to a method for assisting a vehicle occupant during a vehicle fault.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONAccordingly, the following is provided:a method for assisting a vehicle occupant during a vehicle defect, comprising the following steps: detecting a safety-critical defect of the vehicle during a journey; providing at least one strategy by means of which the vehicle is operable in a safe state during the vehicle defect; determining at least one scenario based on the strategy, and in particular the defect, vehicle data, vehicle environment data and / or occupant preferences, in order to optimize a roadside comfort of the occupants; transmitting control commands to at least one actuator in order to implement the scenario.A sensor, also referred to as a detector, (measurement variable or measurement) sensor or (measurement) sensor, is a technical component that can record specific physical, chemical properties or states, e.g. temperature, humidity, pressure, speed, brightness, acceleration, pH value, ionic strength, electrochemical potential and / or the material nature of its environment qualitatively or quantitatively as a measurement variable. These variables are detected by means of physical or chemical effects and transformed as sensor data into an electrical signal that can be processed further.Vehicle sensors are mountable or mounted on a vehicle. Vehicle sensors include optical sensors, for example camera, lidar, radar, TOF cameras and further sensor technologies, for example acoustic sensors.Vehicle environment data is information regarding the current or future immediate or extended environment of a vehicle and captured by various vehicle sensors such as cameras, radar, lidar, ultrasound, and GPS, stored on a data store of the vehicle, or received via a data interface. Vehicle environment data may be further based on V2V data, map data, traffic data, and / or the like.Vehicle environment data includes information about traffic density, jams, accidents, and road obstructions, as well as obstacle detection data relating to other vehicles, pedestrians, animals, or objects on or near the roadway, among others. Also included are information about weather conditions such as temperature, rainfall, fog, snow and ice that can affect driving conditions, as well as information about road condition including glatt ice, water accumulations or potholes. Data about speed limits, stop signs, traffic lights, and other traffic signs are also part of the vehicle environment data, as well as navigation data that includes information about the current position of the vehicle, planned routes, and available routes. Added to this are data relating to the lighting conditions and information about bridges, tunnels, intersections and other relevant infrastructure elements.Safe mobility avoids (dangerous) accidents, in particular with potential for damage to persons. Secure mobility can balance various risks. For example, it can be provided to balance between damage to the vehicle and a hazardous parking space, such as the left-hand lane of a freeway, if the vehicle can be moved from the lanes only while absorbing damage.Safety critical vehicle defects include software defects and mechanical defects, as well as a combination thereof, for example brake system defects, steering defects, tire problems, lighting equipment failures, airbag system or seat belt problems, and exhaust system defects or leaking equipment systems. Typically, defects are communicated to the driver by red warning lights. Situations in which such defects occur are referred to as rumen.If a system recognizes a malfunction by its self-diagnosis, it should change to a state in which no danger arises from the system. This safe state may depend on the type of overall system. In the case of an engine control of a car, this could be the "engine off" state.Strategies to transition a vehicle to a safe state include reducing functionality or power, limiting range, immediately stopping or stopping after a predetermined period of time, emitting warning signals. In some cases, the vehicle may automatically shut down the engine.One conceivable strategy is for the maximum speed of a vehicle to be limited to 90 km / h, for example, and / or operating minutes for operating the vehicle to be limited to 15 minutes, for example.In-lane comfort refers to the fact that despite the reduced vehicle function, a maximum level of safety and comfort remains ensured. Occupants may prefer that the vehicle maintain sufficient power to allow safe travel to the next workshop, rental car provider, or home, particularly without significantly hindering traffic. Clear and comprehensible communication via the vehicle display or acoustic signals informing the driver and occupants of the defect, and in particular the activated emergency mode and the recommended next steps, may also be comprised of roadside comfort. Occupants could also note that essential functions such as lighting, heating, or air conditioning continue to function to provide comfort and safety during travel. Also included are automatic emergency calls or notifications to roadside assistance services or preset contacts to request assistance from roadside comfort. Roadside convenience also refers to organization of concomitant circumstances of a vehicle fault, such as the booking of a rental car, a hotel reservation, or organization of a tow service.A scenario is a specific possible action or possible sequence of steps that serve the organization during a roadside situation to safely and effectively address a technical problem.Conceivable scenarios, if these can be carried out, are, for example, stationary on a stop strip and / or call a roadside service, continue to travel on a freeway to the next parking facility, continue to travel on a freeway to the next stop, leave the freeway and travel to the next workshop and / or leave the freeway and travel to the next location in order to wait for roadside assistance.A level of fallback to the vehicle, often also referred to as fallback mode or limp home program, is a predefined state or mode to which the vehicle automatically switches when a fault or fault occurs in one of its systems. This mode is intended to ensure that the vehicle still maintains a basic operability even in the event of failure of one or more systems and thus a minimum level of safety and control for the driver is ensured.The concept of fallback levels is explained using the example of a failure of the electronic steering system or electronic brake. The fall-back levels of these systems are critical safety mechanisms that aim to maintain the vehicle in a controllable state and allow the driver to transition it to a safe state.In the event of an electronic steering (EPS) failure, the fallback level may comprise a mechanical connection between the steering wheel and the steering mechanism, which allows the driver to continue steering the vehicle, albeit with increased force exertion. Modern vehicles are designed such that a basic steering capability is maintained even in the event of a failure of the electronic support. This is possible by a direct mechanical or hydraulic connection, for example a steering column, which serves as a safety network.In the event of a failure of the electronic brakes, for example ABS or electronic brake force distribution, the level of fallback can comprise the basic system of the hydraulic brakes continuing to function. This means that the driver is still able to brake the vehicle, although he may have to apply more pressure to the brake pedal, and the brakes do not act as effectively or evenly without the assistance of the electronics.Emergency mode is a safety function in vehicles which is activated when a safety-critical defect or a safety-critical malfunction is detected. The aim of this mode is to allow the driver to safely park the vehicle, in order to avoid major damage to the vehicle and / or to ensure traffic safety.In the emergency operating mode, provision may be made, for example, for the engine output to be restricted or for certain vehicle functions to be deactivated, such as, for example, the turbocharger in turbo-motorized vehicles. It is conceivable to warn vehicle occupants by means of a human-machine interface and to inform about the fault state and the restricted operation.This function allows the driver to avoid a potentially dangerous situation in that the vehicle does not suddenly fail completely. Instead, the limp home mode provides a controlled reduction in vehicle function that provides reduced travel capability to reach a safe location.Emergency mode comfort refers primarily to how occupants experience the trip when the vehicle enters an emergency mode due to a safety critical failure. The focus here is on maintaining an acceptable driving condition that extends the range of the defective vehicle and makes it possible to drive the vehicle safely, for example to a workshop or to the home. Comfort aspects in this context include the information of the occupants about a defect and its effects that comfort functions such as heating, air conditioning and lighting are still available and that the vehicle remains controllable such that it does not significantly interfere with the traffic flow. The focus is thus to minimize the inconveniences and potential uncertainties associated with the reduced operating mode.In contrast, riding comfort refers to the general characteristics of a vehicle that allow comfortable and comfortable travel under normal operating conditions. This includes aspects such as the quality of the seats, noise insulation, drivability, suspension, temperature regulation, and entertainment systems.The object of this invention is to optimize the interior comfort in the emergency operating mode of a vehicle.In this case, provision can be made to check various strategies and / or scenarios for implementing the emergency operating mode, and to implement the most comfortable strategy or scenario or to enable occupants to choose a most comfortable strategy or scenario.Computer program products typically comprise a sequence of instructions which, when the program is loaded, cause the hardware to perform a specific method which leads to a specific result.The basic idea of the invention is to provide a system or a method which assists a vehicle occupant in the event of a safety-critical technical problem of a vehicle.In this case, it is provided that, if a safety-critical defect of the vehicle is detected, a strategy is provided by means of which the vehicle can be operated in a safe state during the vehicle defect. The strategy can be predefined and determined, for example, by an emergency operating system.Based on the strategy for safe operation of the vehicle, one or more scenarios are determined as to how to respond to the rumen. It is provided that the comfort during the panning is optimized by the scenario. In order to implement the strategy, provision is made for control commands to be transmitted to an actuator. This may include, or be limited to, communication of matter.It is conceivable that the strategy is not only designed to ensure the safety of the vehicle, but also to optimize comfort for the occupants, particularly if there are a plurality of possibilities for transferring a vehicle into a safe state or for operating a vehicle in a safe state.It is conceivable not to search for a compromise between safety and comfort, but rather to maximize comfort while complying with safety conditions. This ensures that the improvement in comfort does not take place at the expense of safety.Determining a strategy and / or scenario in consideration of occupant preferences enables a personalized response to vehicle defects that maximizes occupant comfort and satisfaction.By incorporating vehicle and environmental data into the strategy finding, the system can respond to transient conditions and increase safety during travel.Advantageous embodiments and refinements emerge from the further dependent claims and from the description with reference to the figures of the drawing.In one embodiment, multiple scenarios are determined and communicated to an occupant, and a selection of a scenario by the occupant is queried via a human-machine interface, wherein control commands based on the selected scenario are transmitted to the actuator.Communicating multiple scenarios to the occupant and the ability to be selected by a human-machine interface increases the occupant's control and decision-free in a roadside situation.The interrogation of the scenario selection by the occupant enables an interactive and user-centric design of an assistance system.In one embodiment, the human-machine interface is designed as a virtual assistant which is configured to accompany the execution of the scenario.The virtual assistant may accompany the performance of the scenario and thus provide continuous assistance and guidance to the occupant, facilitating the management of the rumen.The accompaniment of the scenario by the virtual assistant creates an additional level of safety since the assistant can intervene in a corrective fashion if necessary and inform the occupant of important steps.It is conceivable that the virtual assistant displays a request to stop on the side strip in the infotainment of the vehicle. Furthermore, the virtual assistant can already reduce the driving speed and warn the traffic to the rear by means of hazard warning lights. It is conceivable to direct a driver by means of (low) steering torques in order to assist steering maneuvers in order to achieve a shoulder.In one embodiment, compliance with the strategy and / or scenario is monitored, and compliance with the strategy and / or scenario is ensured by means of a mitigation if it is detected that driving commands are directed opposite the strategy or opposite the scenario.Monitoring compliance with the strategy and the scenario contributes to the vehicle always remaining in the safe operating state even in a roadside situation.The ability to sank may serve as a frusive effect and thus promote driver compliance with the specified strategies and scenarios.Conceivable sankations of a vehicle when a driver does not adhere to safety requirements can warn and / or motivate the driver to take the correct measures. Annoying audio signals can be played repeatedly to attract the driver's attention and to reminder them to meet the scenario. Haptic signals such as vibrations in the seat or steering wheel may also be used to provide physical feedback that is difficult to ignore. Additionally, alerts could be displayed on the display of the vehicle that visually indicate to the driver that he is not meeting safety requirements. Another approach could be to temporarily limit certain vehicle functions, such as reducing the maximum speed or restricting infotainment functions until the safety requirements are met.In one embodiment, the scenario is updated when a provided strategy changes and / or a further strategy is provided, and the method is in particular executed continuously after a strategy has been provided.Updating the scenario when a further strategy is changed or provided ensures that the assistance system can adapt to dynamic situations.This allows continuous adaptation and optimization of the roadside management.If the agreed scenario is not followed by the driver, a warning and physical feedback may be output to the driver. As an alternative, a switch could also be made to a scenario which is still achievable. For example, it is conceivable for the goal of a scenario to be missed, for example since a driver has traveled by, to change to an achievable scenario.In one embodiment, the strategy and the at least one scenario is communicated to an occupant, wherein a human perception of comfort losses and / or safety risks due to and / or as a result of the defect is taken into account in the selection of a communicated circumstance.Taking into account human perception of comfort losses and safety risks enables a user-centric communication strategy.Human perception may be human perception in general or may be individual perception of a specific occupant. For example, it is thus also possible to consider anxiety which is associated with the rumen.By adapting the communicated content to the individual perception of the occupants, the effectiveness of the communication can be increased, which can lead to a more rapid and more appropriate response of the occupant in the event of a defect. Thus, for example, the so-called tunnel gaze, which is not limited to visual perception but relates to a limitation of perception in general, can be addressed.This phenomenon occurs when people under stress or in threatening situations restrict their perception and focus intensively on a narrow area of their environment. At such moments, peripheral perception is reduced and focus narrows to the immediate problem or risk.With respect to a vehicle defect, this means that a driver who is suddenly faced with a technical problem may only still perceive the immediate error message and the immediately necessary actions. Mental capacity is often lacking for processing other information. Thus, alternative routes or the use of auxiliary services can be easily overseeed. This tunnel gaze may result in the driver feeling overrequested and not considering all available options, which may further obscure the situation. To counteract this, it is conceivable that a support system provides clear, easily comprehensible instructions and sedative information, which step by step guide the driver through the necessary measures and reminder them that help is available.The selection of a communicated circumstance that is matched to the perception of the occupants helps avoid unnecessary awareness and increase driving safety by only transmitting relevant and action-oriented information.In one embodiment, an appropriate service provider is selected based on the fault, vehicle data, vehicle environment data, and / or occupant preferences, and a communication link is established with the service provider to prepare for provision of roadside services by the service provider.The automatic selection and establishment of a communication connection with a service provider enables an efficient preparation of roadside services.The integration of the service selection process into the vehicle system removes the burden on the occupant, since he does not have to search manually for a suitable service provider.Accordingly, it is conceivable that the system can automatically make contact with roadside services, workshops or towing services and request necessary assistance. It is possible to book hotels, restaurant or other devices directly via the system in order to make the waiting time more comfortable. Access to music, videos, or other entertainment offers can shorten the wait time and smooth the nerves.In one embodiment, the fault is communicated to an occupant by changing system responses of a vehicle subsystem affected by the detected fault to drive commands relative to a normal state of the vehicle.The communication of the defect through changed system responses to driving commands enables an intuitive and immediate perception of the defect by the occupant and illustrates its effects.With respect to a faulty steering, the communication of the fault may include the driver being informed of the fault. In addition, it is conceivable to change the system response of the steering at the steering wheel in such a way that a driver feels that something is not in order with the steering. This can be achieved, for example, by changing the steering torques, the damping or the steering torque characteristic curve over the steering angle. In addition, a superimposed torque such as vibration or jerk may be generated.If a system fails that does not have a human-machine interface or is not configured to initiate an immediate, perceptible response to driving commands, other measures can be taken, such as bringing a seat into a more upright position, moving a seat in the direction of the steering wheel, increasing belt tension via active belt tensioners, transmitting vibrations on a brake pedal upon actuation, changing pedal force, and the like.The change in system responses can be designed so that it does not additionally impair driving safety, but merely alerts the occupant to the problem and directs him to an appropriate response.In one specific embodiment, the scenario is ascertained taking into account weather data, and in particular the interaction of a weather situation based on the weather data and the defect.Adjusting the scenario in consideration of weather data enables a proactive response to potential hazards that could arise from the combination of bad weather conditions and vehicle defects.For example, a defect with respect to the tires of a vehicle may be more tolerable in dry and ice-free weather conditions than in ice and / or wet conditions. In the case of local weather phenomena such as weather conditions or hand showers, provision can be made for a local weather phenomenon to be bypassed. If an environment is at risk in an existing weather situation, it can be provided to shut down the vehicle in another environment. Thus, it can be provided to avoid forests in orcans.In one embodiment, roadside comfort criteria are set based on historical data, address data, a personal profile of the occupants, a distance traveled, and / or the like.The setting of roadside comfort criteria based on historical data and personal profiles of the occupants enables personalized and demand-based roadside assistance that increases the roadside comfort and satisfaction of the occupants.If it is found from historical data that a vehicle has frequently approached a specific (reachable) location in the past and / or has been parked at this location for a longer time, this location may ensure a higher level of roadside comfort than a parking space.Address data include public addresses of trade operators (service providers), such as hotels, rental car providers and / or workshops, and private addresses stored on a data memory of the occupants and / or data memory of the vehicle.A personal profile of the occupants may include all occupant personal data. The profile can be captured, for example, by means of cameras and / or user inputs, and can comprise, for example, interests or age. For example, it is conceivable to drive age-matched amusement parks or museums to shut down the vehicle when children are under the occupants.If it is found from the distance traveled or a destination input in a navigation application that neither the destination nor the destination at the occupant's home are reachable, it can be provided to park the vehicle in a hotel parking facility.In one specific embodiment, a probability of failure of a fallback level is taken into account when ascertaining a scenario, and the probability of failure and / or risks based thereon are communicated in particular to an occupant.It is conceivable that a defect increases the probability of failure of further systems. In this case, it is conceivable to take account of a possible failure of a further system already in the scenario planning, and to avoid scenarios which can no longer be managed in the event of a further defect, or are associated with disproportionate risks, such as standstill on a freeway.A computer program product according to a method of an embodiment of the invention executes the steps of a method according to the preceding description when the computer program product runs on a computer, in particular an in-vehicle computer. When the program in question is used on a computer, the computer program product brings about an effect, namely the control of actuators for realizing a scenario.CONTENT SPECIFICATION OF THE DRAWINGSThe present invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the exemplary embodiments indicated in the schematic figures of the drawings. The following are shown: FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of the invention.The accompanying drawings are intended to provide a further understanding of the embodiments of the invention. They illustrate embodiments and, in conjunction with the description, serve to explain principles and concepts of the invention. Other embodiments and many of the advantages mentioned are evident with reference to the drawings. The elements of the drawings are not necessarily shown to scale with respect to each other.In the figures of the drawings, identical, functionally identical and identically functioning elements, features and components are provided with the same reference numerals, unless stated otherwise.DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTSFIG. 1 shows a schematic block diagram of a method for assisting a vehicle occupant during a safety-critical defect, having steps S 1-S 4.In step S 1, a safety-critical defect of the vehicle is detected during a trip. In step S 2, a strategy by means of which the vehicle is operable in a safe state during the vehicle defect is provided. In step S 3, at least one scenario is determined based on the strategy, and in particular the defect, vehicle data, vehicle environment data and / or occupant preferences, in order to optimize the passenger's in-lane comfort. In step S 4, control commands are transmitted to at least one actuator in order to implement the scenario.Reference numerals denote reference numeralsS1-S4 Method steps

Claims

Method for assisting a vehicle occupant during a vehicle defect, comprising the following steps: - detecting (S1) a safety-critical defect of the vehicle during a journey; - providing (S2) at least one strategy by means of which the vehicle is operable in a safe state during the vehicle defect; - determining (S3) at least one scenario based on the strategy, and in particular the defect, vehicle data, vehicle environment data and / or occupant preferences, in order to optimize a roadside comfort of the occupants; - transmitting (S4) control commands to at least one actuator in order to implement the scenario.The method of claim 1, wherein a plurality of scenarios are determined and communicated to an occupant, and a selection of a scenario by the occupant is queried via a human machine interface, wherein control commands based on the selected scenario are communicated to the actuator.The method of claim 2, wherein the human-machine interface is configured as a virtual assistant configured to accompany performance of the scenario.Method according to Claim 3, in which compliance with the strategy and / or the scenario is monitored, and compliance with the strategy and / or the scenario is ensured by means of a mitigation if it is detected that driving commands are directed counter to the strategy and counter to the scenario, respectively.Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the scenario is updated when a provided strategy changes and / or a further strategy is provided, and the method is in particular executed continuously after a strategy has been provided.Method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the strategy and the at least one scenario are communicated to an occupant, wherein a human perception of comfort losses and / or safety risks due to and / or as a result of the defect is taken into account in the selection of a communicated circumstance.A method according to any preceding claim, wherein a service provider is selected and a communication connection is established with the service provider to prepare the provision of roadside services by the service provider.Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the defect is communicated to an occupant by changing system responses of a subsystem of the vehicle affected by the detected defect to driving commands in relation to a normal state of the vehicle.Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the scenario is determined taking into account weather data, and in particular the interaction of a weather situation based on the weather data and the defect.The method of any preceding claim, wherein roadside comfort criteria are set based on historical data, address data, a personal profile of the occupants, a distance traveled, and / or the like.Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a probability of failure of a fallback level is taken into account when determining a scenario, and the probability of failure and / or risks based thereon are communicated in particular to an occupant.A computer program product comprising instructions that cause a hardware component of a computer to perform the method of any preceding claim when the computer program is loaded onto / executed by the hardware component.Emergency operating assistant for a motor vehicle, which is configured to carry out the method according to one of the preceding claims 1 - 11, comprising - an interface to an emergency operating system in order to obtain data relating to a detected safety-critical defect of the vehicle and a strategy by means of which the vehicle is operable in a safe state during the vehicle defect; - an interface to a computing unit and / or a computing unit in order to determine a scenario; - an interface to at least one actuator in order to transmit control commands which are configured to accompany the scenario to the actuator.

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