Method and device for re-entering a target lane after an overtaking maneuver

Description

State of the art

[0001] From DE 10 2019 208 484 A1 a method for driver-independent adjustment of the longitudinal acceleration of a single-track motor vehicle is known, in which - by means of an environmental sensor system the vehicle ahead of the single-track motor vehicle is determined and defined as the target object, by means of the same or a different environmental sensor system driving dynamics data of the target object are determined, depending on the driving dynamics data the longitudinal acceleration of the single-track motor vehicle is adjusted, it is determined whether the target object is still detected by the environmental sensor system and in the event that the target object is no longer detected the speed of the single-track motor vehicle is adjusted to a predetermined value, wherein the speed is brought closer to the predetermined value in such a way that a predetermined acceleration limit value is not exceeded.

[0002] Furthermore, DE 197 04 854 A1 discloses a method for re-entering a target lane after overtaking on a multi-lane roadway for a motor vehicle equipped with an automatic speed and / or distance control system, in which an actuation of a direction indicator is detected and, depending on this, the vehicle is switched to an operating state which facilitates re-entering.

[0003] A similar process is also known from WO 99 / 30919 A1.

[0004] In addition, a speed control system for a single-track vehicle is known from DE 10 2019 205 881 A1. Disclosure of the invention

[0005] The invention relates to a method for merging into or re-merging into a target lane, in particular after an overtaking maneuver on a multi-lane roadway, for a single-lane motor vehicle equipped with an automatic speed and / or distance control system when the speed and / or distance control system is activated, in which the presence of a momentary actuation of a control element for a direction indicator is determined and, for the duration of the actuation of the control element, the speed and / or distance control system is switched to an operating state which facilitates re-entering or merging.

[0006] An advantageous embodiment of the invention is characterized in that the current acceleration is maintained during this operating state.

[0007] An advantageous embodiment of the invention is characterized in that during this operating state, the acceleration of the vehicle in front traveling in the target lane is determined and adopted by means of an environmental sensor system.

[0008] An advantageous embodiment of the invention is characterized in that the direction indicator is the one that signals a change from an inside lane to a lane further outside the lane. In countries with right-hand traffic, this is the direction indicator that signals a vehicle movement to the right, which is also activated when re-entering. In countries with left-hand traffic, this is the direction indicator that signals a vehicle movement to the left.

[0009] According to the invention, the method is only carried out or the switchover to an operating state that facilitates re-entering or merging only takes place if a predetermined operating mode that can be activated and deactivated is activated in the speed and / or distance control system.

[0010] An advantageous embodiment of the invention is characterized in that the operating element is the indicator lever.

[0011] An advantageous embodiment of the invention is characterized in that the single-track motor vehicle is a motorcycle.

[0012] The invention further encompasses a device containing means designed to carry out the methods according to the invention. This is, in particular, a control unit in which the program code for carrying out the methods according to the invention is stored.

[0013] The drawing includes Fig. 1 .

[0014] In Fig. 1 the basic sequence of the method according to the invention is shown.

[0015] Speed ​​and / or distance control systems are typically used on multi-lane roads, such as highways. Cyclists and motorcyclists often travel in groups on such roads and want to stay together as much as possible. The behavior of conventional speed and / or distance control systems often makes this difficult.

[0016] As an example, consider the case in which a group of motorcyclists overtakes a truck driving in the right lane, one after the other, then changes to the left lane and also intends to move back into the right lane one after the other after each overtaking the truck.

[0017] This re-merging maneuver can be made more difficult for the second vehicle and the other vehicles in the group if the cruise control and / or distance control system is activated. During the overtaking maneuver, the first vehicle is in front of the second vehicle in the left passing lane and is selected as the target by its cruise control and / or distance control system. This means that the cruise control and / or distance control system of the second motorcycle automatically adjusts its distance, speed, and acceleration to the behavior of the motorcycle in front.

[0018] After the first motorcycle in front of the truck has moved back to the right, the cruise control and / or distance control system of the second motorcycle has lost its target in the overtaking lane. The system now considers the overtaking lane it is still in to be a clear lane and, depending on the settings of the cruise control and / or distance control system, it can now also accelerate more strongly, independent of the driver, as it is unaware of the driver's desire to move into the right-hand lane soon. This greater acceleration and higher speed of the motorcycle makes it more difficult for the driver to move into the gap between the first motorcycle and the overtaken truck, and it may therefore be safer to stay in the overtaking lane and also overtake the first motorcycle. This changes the driving order in the group.

[0019] As soon as and as long as the driver of the second motorcycle operates the indicator lever to signal the intention to merge, the speed and / or distance control system is therefore intended to switch to an operating state that facilitates re-merging.

[0020] In this operating state, for example, in a simple embodiment, the acceleration of the motorcycle can be limited to a low value, e.g., 0.5 m / s 2<, so that the resulting lower speed makes it easier to merge. This limitation remains in effect as long as the rider operates the turn signal lever. As soon as the rider releases the turn signal lever, the cruise control and / or distance control system returns to its usual behavior. Typically, the motorcycle has already reached the right-hand lane again, and the first motorcycle is automatically selected as the target object for the system, as intended.

[0021] In a somewhat more complex embodiment, it is also conceivable that, when the turn signal lever is operated, the next vehicle in the right lane in front of the driver's own vehicle is automatically selected as the target object for the cruise control and / or distance control system. This is then usually the first motorcycle that has already completed the overtaking maneuver. This configuration has the advantage that after releasing the turn signal lever upon reaching the right lane, the motorcycle's handling does not change significantly, because the first motorcycle in front is then naturally selected as the target object by the cruise control and / or distance control system.

[0022] In Fig. 1The basic sequence of the method according to the invention is shown. After starting the method in block 100, block 101 determines whether the control element for the turn signal has been actuated. If this is the case, the cruise control and / or distance control system is switched to re-engagement mode in block 102. If this is not the case, the system returns to block 100. After block 102, the system returns to block 101 to determine whether the control element is still actuated.

Claims

1. Method for moving back into a target lane after overtaking on a multi-lane roadway for a single-track motor vehicle equipped with an automatic cruise control and / or adaptive cruise control system with the cruise control and / or adaptive cruise control system activated, in which method - the presence of a current actuation of an operating element for a turn signal is determined (101), and - during the operating period of the operating element, the cruise control and / or adaptive cruise control system is switched to an operating mode which facilitates moving back (102), characterized in that the switch to the operating state facilitating the moving back only takes place when an activatable and deactivatable predetermined operating mode is activated in the cruise control and / or adaptive cruise control system.

2. Method according to Claim 1, characterized in that the current acceleration is maintained during this operating state.

3. Method according to Claim 1, characterized in that, during this operating state, the acceleration of the leading vehicle driving in the target lane is determined and adopted by means of an environment sensor system.

4. Method according to Claim 1, characterized in that the turn signal is that turn signal which signals a change from a lane on the inside of the roadway to a lane further to the outside of the roadway.

5. Method according to Claim 1, characterized in that the operating element is the turn signal lever.

6. Method according to Claim 1, characterized in that the single-track motor vehicle is a motorcycle.

7. Device, containing means that are configured to carry out a method according to one of Claims 1 - 6.