DEVICE FOR SELECTING THE DRIVING MODE OF AN AUTONOMOUS MOTOR VEHICLE

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a device for acquiring control of an autonomous vehicle, in particular a device for selecting the driving mode of an autonomous motor vehicle.

[0002] In the field of motor vehicles, autonomous vehicles are vehicles capable of moving and steering automatically without driver assistance. In other words, an autonomous vehicle is driven by an onboard computer, making control decisions based on external sensors such as radars, lidars, based on its dynamics obtained by sensors such as accelerometers and gyroscopes, based on knowledge of the road obtained by onboard mapping means, and based on its geographical position obtained for example by GPS.

[0003] However, an autonomous vehicle must be able to be driven by a human driver. The driver must also be able to activate the autopilot or take over.

[0004] For this purpose, it is necessary that a control interface is capable of allowing the driver to manually decide whether to enter or exit autonomous mode at any time.

[0005] Since this command is of major security importance, it is necessary to optimally secure the transmission of the command to activate or deactivate the autonomous mode.

[0006] In particular, document EP3240712B1 is known, which describes an electrical diagram of a system for controlling activation or deactivation of the autonomous mode, which comprises the activation, by an electronic controller, of the autonomous driving mode when both a first button and a second button are selected for more than a first predetermined duration, thus avoiding the involuntary activation or deactivation of the autonomous driving mode.

[0007] However, the solution proposed by this document, with two switches, does not allow for the detection of a possible failure of this control system.

[0008] Also, there is a need for an improved control system capable of self-detecting a possible failure of the electronic assembly controlling the entry or exit of the autonomous driving mode.

[0009] To this end, a device is proposed for selecting the driving mode of an autonomous motor vehicle, comprising at least one control switch, the device comprising a computer capable of detecting the pressure of said switch.

[0010] The device includes an electrical assembly in which said switch is connected in series to a first resistor, a safety resistor being connected in parallel with said switch and said first resistor, said electrical assembly being connected on the one hand to a DC voltage source of the computer and on the other hand to a ground of the computer, so that the equivalent resistance of the electrical assembly makes it possible to determine on the one hand whether the switch is closed or open and on the other hand a potential failure of said electrical assembly.

[0011] Thus, the presence of the safety resistor provides optimized safety to ensure that the computer is able to detect a failure of the driving mode selection device.

[0012] Advantageously and in a non-limiting manner, said electrical assembly comprises a second switch connected in series with a second resistor, said second switch and said second resistor being connected on the one hand in parallel with the first switch and the first resistor, and on the other hand in parallel with said safety resistor, so that the equivalent resistance of the electrical assembly also makes it possible to determine whether the second switch is closed or open, simultaneously or not with the first switch. Thus, the device is adapted to operate with two switches, which makes it possible to obtain increased safety in changing driving mode.

[0013] Furthermore, such a two-switch assembly only has two connections to the computer: the ground connection and the DC voltage connection, allowing the equivalent resistance to be measured by the computer. Also, the risks of electrical failures, in particular the risks of severed cables, are reduced compared to the prior art where there were twice as many connection cables to the computer.

[0014] Advantageously, the device comprises means allowing, when the equivalent resistance is equal to the value of said safety resistance, to detect that the two switches are open. Thus, by measuring the equivalent resistance seen from the calculator, it is possible to determine in a simple manner whether the switches are both open.

[0015] Advantageously, the device comprises means for detecting, when said equivalent resistance is equal to an infinite value, a failure linked to an open circuit. Thus, by measuring the equivalent resistance seen from the computer, it is possible to determine in a simple manner whether there is an open circuit failure of the electrical assembly.

[0016] Advantageously, the device comprises means for detecting, when the equivalent resistance is zero, a short circuit to ground or to the DC voltage source. Thus, by measuring the equivalent resistance seen from the computer, it is possible to determine in a simple manner whether the device is short-circuited.

[0017] The invention also relates to a computer on board an autonomous motor vehicle, adapted to detect, as a function of a measured resistance value, whether the connected selection device is a selection device comprising a single switch, or whether the connected selection device is a selection device comprising two switches.

[0018] The invention also relates to a steering wheel for a motor vehicle comprising an on-board computer and a selection device as described previously.

[0019] The invention also relates to a motor vehicle comprising a steering wheel as described above.

[0020] Other features and advantages of the invention will emerge from reading the description given below of particular embodiments of the invention, given for information purposes only, but not as a limitation, with reference to the appended drawings in which: [Fig.1 ] is a schematic view of an arrangement according to a first embodiment of the invention; and [ Fig. 2 ] is a representation of two alternative electrical assemblies of a device according to a second embodiment of the invention.

[0021] In reference to the figure 1 , according to a first embodiment of the invention, an autonomous motor vehicle comprises a steering wheel having means for selecting the driving mode, making it possible to activate autonomous driving, or deactivate autonomous driving.

[0022] These selection means comprise two switches 10, 20, each installed on the steering wheel so as to be able to be activated one by the driver's left hand and the other by the driver's right hand.

[0023] When both switches are pressed simultaneously for a predetermined duration, for example 1 to 3 seconds, then an on-board computer, integrated into the steering wheel, detects a command to change the driving mode state.

[0024] Therefore, when the two switches 10, 20 are kept closed for the predetermined duration, if the current driving mode was the autonomous mode, then the vehicle switches to manual driving mode, and vice versa.

[0025] When both switches 10, 20 are released, or when only one of the switches is released, then the selector is in a rest position, indicating that no action to change the driving mode is requested by the driver.

[0026] The selection device 1 has an electrical assembly 100 in which a first switch 10 is mounted in series with a first resistor 11, also denoted Rsw1, forming a first branch of the assembly.

[0027] The second switch 20 is connected in series with a second resistor 21, also denoted Rsw2, forming a second branch of the assembly 100.

[0028] The first branch and the second branch are parallel to each other.

[0029] Finally, a safety resistor 30, also noted R AD, is mounted in parallel with the first and second branches.

[0030] This assembly is connected on the one hand to the ground 42 of the on-board computer 40 and on the other hand to a direct voltage 41, also noted V BAT, of the computer 40.

[0031] In this embodiment the DC voltage has a value of 5 V.

[0032] Thus, seen from the calculator, we can calculate an equivalent resistance Re of this assembly in the form: Re = 1 1 R sw 1 + 1 R sw 2 + 1 R AD

[0033] This equivalent resistance value Re thus allows the calculator to determine on the one hand the states of the two switches and also makes it possible to detect a possible failure of the assembly 100.

[0034] In this example taking the resistance values: R SW 1 = 560 Ω R SW 2 = 560 Ω R AD = 6 , 8 k Ω

[0035] By calculating the equivalent resistance Re, seen from the calculator, with these predetermined resistance values, the calculator 40 is able to determine the state of the assembly according to the following table:

[0036] It is understood from this table that the assembly according to the invention and the resistance values ​​chosen, in which in particular the safety resistance R AD is of a value at least 10 times greater than the first and second resistances, allows the computer to determine, as a function of the equivalent resistance Re, the state of the electrical assembly 100 and in particular any short-circuit or open-circuit failures of the assembly 100.

[0037] According to a particular implementation of this embodiment, the first resistor and the second resistor may also be of a distinct value so that the calculator is able to determine which switch is closed when only one switch is detected as closed.

[0038] According to a second embodiment of the invention, with reference to the figure 2 , it happens that a single calculator 41 is mounted on different models of motor vehicle.

[0039] Also, for example, the same calculator could be implemented for an urban model of a motor vehicle and for a sports model of another motor vehicle.

[0040] In this case, differences may exist, including the manual change of driving mode. Here, for the sports model, the manual control of changing the autonomous driving mode is carried out by a single switch 50, while for the urban model, the control is carried out by the simultaneous pressing of two switches 10, 20 as explained in the first embodiment.

[0041] The diagram of the figure 2 is a view superimposing two different 100' assemblies which are not present at the same time in the same vehicle, only the upper 500 assembly or the lower 501 assembly is present in a vehicle.

[0042] Thus, for example, the sports model includes the upper assembly 500 with a single switch 50, while the urban model includes the lower assembly 501, identical to the first embodiment of the invention.

[0043] The objective is to allow the computer to detect on the one hand which assembly is present and on the other hand to detect a command to change driving mode and possible failures of the electrical assembly.

[0044] For this purpose, the upper assembly 500 has a single switch 50 and a resistor 51, also denoted Rsw3, in series with the switch 50. The upper assembly 500 also includes a safety resistor 31 in parallel with the switch 50 and the resistor 51.

[0045] This upper assembly 500 being connected to the computer 50, on the one hand to the ground of the computer 42 and on the other hand to a direct voltage source V BAT , for example at 5V, of the computer 41.

[0046] In this upper 500 assembly, the resistors have the following values: Safety resistance R RS = 2.7 kΩ resistance 51 Rsw3 = 1.5 kΩ.

[0047] The lower assembly 501 is identical to the first embodiment and the resistance values ​​are the same as for this first embodiment.

[0048] Thus, seen from the calculator 40, the measurement of the equivalent resistance Re makes it possible to detect the different states:

[0049] Thus, it is understood that the computer 40, even if it is previously unaware of the assembly integrated into the vehicle, can determine on the one hand the assembly installed in the motor vehicle, which switches are closed, and any failures of the assembly, short circuit or open circuit.

[0050] Thus we understand from the invention that the particular choice of resistance values, where: the safety resistors are greater than the resistors associated with the switches, for example between 5 and 20 times greater, and the safety resistors of a first assembly mode and a second assembly different from each other, for example with a resistance value having a ratio ranging from 2 to 4, allows the computer to automatically detect which electrical assembly is present in the steering wheel and to ensure optimal safety of the selection of the driving mode by automatically detecting the main faults in the electrical assembly.

Claims

1. Device (1) for selecting the driving mode of an autonomous motor vehicle, comprising at least one control switch (10, 50), the device (1) comprising a computer (40) which is able to detect the pressing of said switch (10, 50), characterized in that the device (1) includes an electrical circuit (100) in which said switch (10, 50) is connected in series to a first resistor (11, 51), a safety resistor (30) is connected in parallel with said switch (10, 50) and with said first resistor (11), said electrical circuit is connected, on the one hand, to a DC voltage source (41) of the computer (40) and, on the other hand, to a ground (42) of the computer (40), so that the equivalent resistance of the electrical circuit (100) makes it possible to determine, on the one hand, whether the switch (10, 50) is closed or open and, on the other hand, a potential failure of said electrical circuit (100).

2. Selection device (1) according to Claim 1, characterized in that said electrical circuit (100) comprises a second switch (20) connected in series with a second resistor (21), said second switch (20) and said second resistor (21) being connected, on the one hand, in parallel with the first switch (10) and with the first resistor and, on the other hand, in parallel with said safety resistor (30), so that the equivalent resistance of the electrical circuit (100) further makes it possible to determine whether the second switch (20) is closed or open, simultaneously or not with the first switch (10).

3. Selection device (1) according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it comprises means making it possible, when the equivalent resistance is equal to the value of said safety resistor (30), to detect that the two switches (10, 20) are open.

4. Selection device (1) according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it comprises means making it possible, when said equivalent resistance is equal to an infinite value, to detect a failure linked to an open circuit.

5. Selection device (1) according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it comprises means making it possible, when the equivalent resistance is zero, to detect a short circuit at the ground (42) or at the DC voltage source (41).

6. Computer (40) on board an autonomous motor vehicle, which is suited to detecting, depending on a measured resistance value (Re), whether the connected selection device is a selection device (1) according to Claim 1 comprising a single switch (50), or whether the connected selection device is a selection device according to Claim 2 comprising two switches (10, 20).

7. Steering wheel for a motor vehicle comprising an on-board computer (40) according to Claim 6 and a selection device according to any one of Claims 1 to 5.

8. Motor vehicle comprising a steering wheel according to Claim 7.