Method for providing information for a motor vehicle about whether driving on a hard shoulder is permitted and / or forbidden
Patent Information
- Application Number
- EP2023822346
- Authority / Receiving Office
- EP · EP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2022-12-15
- Filing Date
- 2023-12-12
- Publication Date
- 2025-10-22
AI Technical Summary
Drivers of motor vehicles are not reliably informed about whether driving on the hard shoulder is permitted or prohibited, leading to potential penalties and safety issues, especially during high traffic volumes when the hard shoulder may be temporarily opened as an additional lane.
A method that uses sensor information and algorithms to detect the presence of a hard shoulder and interpret traffic signs, providing advisory or warning messages to the driver through a control device, ensuring they are informed about the status of hard shoulder usage, either by issuing an information message for permitted driving or a warning message for prohibited driving.
This method effectively warns drivers of unauthorized hard shoulder use and informs them of permitted use, enhancing safety and compliance by providing real-time information about hard shoulder availability, independent of traffic signs, thus preventing unauthorized driving and ensuring drivers are always aware of the rules.
Smart Images
Figure 1.1
Abstract
Description
[0001] Procedure for informing about the permitted and / or prohibited use of a hard shoulder for a motor vehicle
[0002] The invention relates to a method for informing a motor vehicle about whether driving on a hard shoulder is permitted and / or prohibited. The invention also relates to a motor vehicle, a control device for a motor vehicle, and a computer program product for implementing such a method.
[0003] A road, especially a highway, may have at least one hard shoulder or emergency lane. Driving on the hard shoulder is typically prohibited. In many countries, driving on the hard shoulder may even result in a penalty, such as a fine. Driving on the hard shoulder can therefore be detrimental to a motor vehicle driver. The driver should therefore be informed, if necessary, that driving on the hard shoulder is prohibited.
[0004] It may also be provided that the hard shoulder can be opened, at least temporarily, as an additional lane. This may be useful, for example, during periods of high traffic volume, such as rush hour. In such a situation, however, it may be necessary to inform the driver of the vehicle that driving on the hard shoulder is possible, as otherwise they might assume that driving on the hard shoulder is prohibited.
[0005] DE 10 2020 215 778 A1 discloses a method for planning an at least partially automated driving process using a driver assistance system of a vehicle. In this method, several trajectories are independently determined and checked for a future driving process, with all trajectories that successfully pass the check being entered into a driving trajectory list. The driving process is then carried out based on a selected trajectory from the driving trajectory list.
[0006] DE 10 2015 201 266 A1 discloses a method for operating a longitudinal control device of an automated motor vehicle. A situation of the motor vehicle is detected, and if the motor vehicle leaves a lane and enters an area not designated as a regular lane, a signal is sent to other road users. WO 2021 / 148178 A1 discloses a method for operating automated lane guidance of a motor vehicle. This is done taking into account image data acquired by a first sensor system. To evaluate an implementation of the automated lane guidance, sensor data is acquired by a second sensor system. Based on the acquired sensor data, it is assessed whether the lane guidance is being carried out correctly.
[0007] WO 2017 / 125184 A1 describes a method for providing lane change assistance information to a vehicle driver. If another vehicle is detected approaching the driver's vehicle, a check is performed to determine whether changing the vehicle to another lane on the same road is possible and permissible. The driver of the vehicle is then informed to trigger a manual or automatic lane change.
[0008] It is the object of the invention to provide a solution by means of which a warning can be given reliably about an unauthorized driving on a hard shoulder and / or a reference can be made to an authorized driving on a hard shoulder.
[0009] The problem is solved by the subject matter of the independent patent claims.
[0010] A first aspect of the invention relates to a method for informing about permitted and / or prohibited driving on a hard shoulder for a motor vehicle. With the method, a driver and / or another occupant of the motor vehicle can be informed about whether driving on the hard shoulder is permitted or prohibited for the motor vehicle. It can be provided that the method only informs about permitted driving or only about prohibited driving. In this case, the information is provided by providing a message, such as an information message in the case of permitted driving and / or a warning message in the case of prohibited driving. The hard shoulder is assigned to a road on which the motor vehicle is currently driving. The hard shoulder can alternatively be referred to as an emergency lane.
[0011] The method comprises providing sensor information that describes the surroundings of the motor vehicle. The sensor information describes, for example, a static and / or moving image of the surroundings of the motor vehicle. Preferably, the sensor information describes at least the part of the surroundings adjacent to a front area of the motor vehicle. The sensor information describes at least a portion of the road on which the motor vehicle is traveling. The sensor information is provided, for example, to a control device of the motor vehicle or is provided by the control device.
[0012] The method comprises determining hard shoulder information by applying a hard shoulder detection criterion to the provided sensor information. The hard shoulder information describes whether the road on which the motor vehicle is traveling has a hard shoulder. The hard shoulder detection criterion is an algorithm and / or a rule by means of which it can be determined, for example based on image analysis or image processing methods, whether the road on which the motor vehicle is traveling has a hard shoulder or not. The hard shoulder can be identified as a hard shoulder, for example, by a road marking. In this regard, known methods for determining a road edge or a road marking that identifies a hard shoulder as such can be used, for example.
[0013] If the road has a hard shoulder according to the hard shoulder information, traffic sign information is determined by applying a traffic sign recognition criterion to the provided sensor information. The traffic sign information describes a traffic sign that indicates at least temporary use of the hard shoulder as a lane or a prohibition on driving on the hard shoulder. The traffic sign includes, for example, text indicating whether driving on the hard shoulder is permitted or prohibited. If no traffic sign is detected or determined that indicates at least temporary use of the hard shoulder as a lane, it can always be assumed, for example, that driving on the hard shoulder is prohibited.The traffic sign recognition criterion is an algorithm and / or a rule based on which the sensor information is evaluated in such a way that at least one traffic sign, preferably a road sign, is identified as such and evaluated with regard to its content. The traffic sign recognition criterion specifically searches for traffic signs that indicate whether or not driving on the hard shoulder is permitted.
[0014] The determination of the traffic sign information preferably occurs only after it has been determined that the hard shoulder information indicates that the road has a hard shoulder. However, if it is determined that no hard shoulder is present at all, the method can be terminated and, in particular, the determination of the traffic sign information can be omitted.
[0015] The method includes checking whether, according to the determined traffic sign information, the hard shoulder is authorized as a lane. If this is the case, an information message is provided that at least describes that the hard shoulder is authorized for use. If it is determined that the determined traffic sign information describes that the hard shoulder is available as a possible lane, this can be communicated to the driver of the motor vehicle, for example, by outputting the provided information message. The provided information message can, for example, be output in the motor vehicle and / or used internally, for example by a driver assistance system and / or another vehicle function of the motor vehicle.
[0016] If the check determines that driving on the hard shoulder is prohibited according to the traffic sign information obtained, a warning message is provided that at least describes the prohibition of driving on the hard shoulder. If the traffic sign information obtained indicates that the hard shoulder is not available as a possible lane, this can be communicated to the driver of the vehicle, for example, by issuing the provided warning message. The provided warning message can, for example, be issued in the vehicle and / or used internally, for example, by a driver assistance system and / or another vehicle function of the vehicle.
[0017] It may be provided that the advisory message and the warning message are provided alternatively or in addition to each other. It may therefore be the case that only the advisory message is provided, but the check to see whether driving on the hard shoulder is prohibited according to the traffic sign information is not carried out at all, and thus it is not checked whether the warning message should be provided. The same applies analogously to the reverse case, i.e. it can only be checked whether the warning message should be provided, but not whether the advisory message should be provided. It may be provided alternatively or additionally that an information message is provided whose content corresponds to the advisory message and / or the warning message.By providing the advisory message and / or warning message, the motor vehicle, in particular the driver and / or another passenger of the motor vehicle, is informed whether driving on the hard shoulder is currently permitted or prohibited. It is therefore possible for the driver to always be informed about whether driving on the hard shoulder should be permitted. Thus, according to the invention, a reliable warning is provided about unauthorized driving on the hard shoulder and / or about permitted driving on the hard shoulder.
[0018] According to one exemplary embodiment, if the road has a hard shoulder according to the hard shoulder information, lane information is determined. The lane information describes a lane of the road on which the motor vehicle is traveling. It can be provided that the lane information is determined by applying a lane detection criterion to the sensor information. The lane detection criterion is an algorithm and / or a rule by means of which at least the sensor information describing the surroundings is evaluated in order to determine whether the motor vehicle is in a regular lane or on a hard shoulder of the road. Alternatively or additionally, the lane information can be determined by evaluating position information provided, for example, by a position determination device of the motor vehicle.Position determination can be based, for example, on data from a global navigation satellite system (GNSS). Alternatively or additionally, lane information can be obtained by locating the vehicle on a map stored in the vehicle and / or provided to the vehicle by an external computing device.
[0019] A check is carried out to see whether the lane indicated in the lane information corresponds to the hard shoulder of the road. Only if this is not the case, i.e., only if the lane described in the lane information is not the hard shoulder of the road, is the warning message provided. Therefore, if the motor vehicle is already on the hard shoulder, there will no longer be a warning that it is open. This is regardless of whether it was previously established that a traffic sign was present indicating that driving on the hard shoulder is permitted or not. This prevents unnecessary information about the hard shoulder being given as an additional lane after the driver of the motor vehicle has, for example, already driven onto the hard shoulder independently.A further exemplary embodiment provides that if the road has a hard shoulder according to the hard shoulder information, lane information is determined that describes a lane of the road on which the motor vehicle is traveling. The lane information can be determined analogously to the one described above. A check is then carried out to determine whether the lane according to the lane information corresponds to the hard shoulder of the road. If this is the case, i.e. if the motor vehicle is on the hard shoulder, the warning message is provided regardless of the traffic sign information. It is therefore provided that whenever the motor vehicle is traveling on the hard shoulder, the driver of the motor vehicle can be informed, for example by issuing the provided warning message, that it is actually prohibited for a motor vehicle to travel on the part of the road on which they are currently located.The warning message is provided independently of any traffic sign and is therefore always triggered when entering the hard shoulder. For example, the warning message can at least include that the vehicle is currently driving on the hard shoulder and that driving on the hard shoulder is generally prohibited. The warning message can therefore indicate that it was provided independently of the traffic sign information. This ensures that drivers can always be conveniently reminded when entering the hard shoulder that driving on the hard shoulder is generally prohibited.
[0020] A further exemplary embodiment provides that the provided warning message is only provided to the motor vehicle if both driving on the hard shoulder is prohibited according to the determined traffic sign information and the lane corresponds to the hard shoulder of the road according to the determined lane information. Thus, as an alternative to providing the warning message independently of the traffic sign information, it can be provided that the warning message is only issued if the corresponding traffic sign information has actually been determined. Nevertheless, the warning message is only provided if the motor vehicle is already driving on the hard shoulder. This prevents the driver from being unnecessarily informed about the prohibition of driving on the hard shoulder if they are not planning on driving on the hard shoulder at all and / or are showing no signs of doing so.
[0021] According to an additional exemplary embodiment, if the motor vehicle is currently changing lanes to the hard shoulder according to the lane information, the warning message is only provided when the motor vehicle is driving completely onto the hard shoulder. This procedure is based on the knowledge that a driver assistance system, such as a lane keeping assistant, may already be activated in the motor vehicle. This can be designed to keep the motor vehicle at least partially automatically, in particular fully automatically, in the lane currently being used. It is now possible for the driver assistance system to intervene first when the vehicle is leaving the lane before the warning message is provided. The driver assistance system can, for example, also issue a warning message and / or actively counteract lane departure, for example by appropriate steering intervention.According to the method according to the invention, the warning message can only be provided after the lane change has been completed, for example when the driver assistance system has been paused or deactivated. In this case, the driver is first informed or warned by the driver assistance system about the fact that they have left the current lane, and only after the motor vehicle has completely moved onto the hard shoulder can the driver be informed and warned about the prohibited driving on the hard shoulder by means of the provided warning message. This prevents, for example, an unnecessary activation of the method for informing the driver about permitted and / or prohibited driving on the hard shoulder if the vehicle only partially moves out onto the hard shoulder with, for example, only part of the vehicle.
[0022] A preferred embodiment provides that the lane information is determined and checked if, according to the determined traffic sign information, the hard shoulder is authorized as a lane. In particular, it can be provided that the lane information is determined and checked only if, according to the determined traffic sign information, the hard shoulder is authorized as a lane. As soon as it is determined that, according to the lane information, the lane corresponds to the hard shoulder of the road, the traffic sign information is continuously determined and checked again. As soon as this check determines that, according to the newly determined traffic sign information, driving on the hard shoulder is prohibited, the warning message is provided.While the vehicle is driving on the hard shoulder authorized for use, a check is carried out to determine whether the authorization, in particular the at least temporary authorization of the hard shoulder for use by the motor vehicle, is still valid. If it is determined, for example by detecting a traffic sign prohibiting use of the hard shoulder, that driving on it is now or will no longer be permitted, a warning message is issued. However, if the detected traffic sign information continues to indicate that driving on the hard shoulder is permitted while driving on the hard shoulder, any warning message is suppressed, i.e., no warning message is issued.It is therefore continuously monitored whether the vehicle can remain on the hard shoulder, which can be particularly convenient for the driver, as he or she does not have to actively keep an eye on where he or she has to leave the hard shoulder again.
[0023] Furthermore, one embodiment provides that the hard shoulder recognition criterion takes into account a color and / or a line type of a road marking on the road. Depending on the country, for example, the hard shoulder can be recognizable by a certain color of the road marking, for example by an orange road marking. The line type of the road marking can, for example, identify the hard shoulder as such. This can be the case, for example, if a solid line is arranged next to one or more lanes, next to which another solid line is arranged, wherein the distance between the two solid lines is large enough for the area of the roadway there to represent a hard shoulder that can be used as a lane when the road is opened.
[0024] Alternatively or additionally, the shoulder detection criterion may take into account the road surface. It may be the case that the shoulder has a different road surface, for example, with a rough surface, than adjacent lanes, which, for example, have a smoother surface than the shoulder. The surface may alternatively be referred to as surface topography and / or surface texture.
[0025] Alternatively or additionally, the shoulder detection criterion can include road edge detection methods. These methods are often referred to as road edge detection methods. For example, a change from a typical road surface to a typical surface of vegetation adjacent to the road can be detected, for example, a change from asphalt or concrete on the one hand to grass, forest, and / or sand on the other. Known road edge detection methods can be used here. Thus, various criteria and indicators can be used to reliably and accurately detect the shoulder.
[0026] In an additional exemplary embodiment, it is provided that a check is carried out to determine whether the road has a hard shoulder on both sides of at least one lane for a direction of travel. If this is the case, the traffic sign information for both hard shoulders is determined and checked. It can therefore be the case that a road not only has a hard shoulder on the right edge of the lanes in a common direction of travel, for example in the case of right-hand traffic, but also on the opposite left edge of these lanes. Analogously, in the case of left-hand traffic, there can be hard shoulders on both sides of the lanes in a common direction of travel. If the lanes in both directions of travel on the road are considered, there are therefore a total of up to four hard shoulders, on both sides for the respective direction of travel.If this is the case, the procedure will take all these hard shoulders into account, for example, by providing the advisory and / or warning message for each hard shoulder. However, only those hard shoulders are taken into account where travel is permitted in the direction in which the motor vehicle is traveling on the road.
[0027] In an additional exemplary embodiment, it is provided that the provided information message and / or warning message is output by means of an acoustic and / or optical output device in the motor vehicle. The corresponding message can therefore be output in the motor vehicle, for example, as a voice output by means of a loudspeaker device which comprises at least one loudspeaker. Alternatively or additionally, it can be displayed, for example, as a text message, symbol and / or light signal by means of a display device. The display device is, for example, a screen, in particular a touch-sensitive screen, a head-up display and / or a lighting device in the motor vehicle. Alternatively or additionally, the output device can be comprised of a mobile terminal device which is positioned in the motor vehicle. The mobile terminal device is, for example, a smartphone and / or tablet.The driver can therefore be informed reliably and, in the case of the acoustic output, without distracting him from the driving situation with the issued information message and / or warning message.
[0028] According to a further exemplary embodiment, the output is only made once the motor vehicle has passed the traffic sign that describes the at least temporary opening of the hard shoulder as a lane or the prohibition of driving on the hard shoulder. It can therefore be provided that the information message and / or warning message is provided immediately within the vehicle, for example by means of the control device of the motor vehicle. However, the system then waits until, for example, the section of the road to which the traffic sign applies actually begins, by waiting until the motor vehicle has passed it, before the acoustic and / or visual output is actually carried out by means of the output device.This prevents the driver from being informed too early that, for example, driving on the hard shoulder will soon be permitted and from driving onto the hard shoulder immediately and therefore at a point before it is permitted as a lane.
[0029] Alternatively, it is possible to always issue the information message and / or warning message in the vehicle immediately after it has been provided.
[0030] Furthermore, one exemplary embodiment provides that the provided sensor information is captured by a camera device of the motor vehicle. The camera device is, for example, a front camera, a side camera, and / or a rear camera of the motor vehicle. Preferably, data from a front camera is used, which is, for example, arranged in an area of a windshield of the motor vehicle that is arranged at the top in the vertical direction of the motor vehicle. The sensor information captured by the camera device is then transmitted, for example, to the control device of the motor vehicle and subsequently provided by the latter. Preferably, therefore, the motor vehicle itself determines the sensor information, based on which the hard shoulder information and the traffic sign information are determined.
[0031] Alternatively or additionally, it is possible for the motor vehicle to receive the sensor information, the hard shoulder information, and / or the traffic sign information from an external computing device, for example a server, a backend, and / or a cloud. For this purpose, a wireless communication connection can be provided between the motor vehicle and the external computing device. The communication connection can be provided via a wireless local area network (WLAN), a Bluetooth connection, and / or a mobile data network, for example based on the Long Term Evolution (LTE), Long Term Evolution Advanced (LTE-A), Fifth Generation (5G), or Sixth Generation (6G) mobile communications standard.Furthermore, one exemplary embodiment may provide that when applying the traffic sign recognition criterion, at least one variable message sign assigned to the road is considered as a traffic sign. A variable message sign is a traffic sign that can be displayed, changed, and / or canceled as needed. It may alternatively be referred to as a dynamic traffic sign. The variable message sign may be light-emitting and, for example, have at least one light-emitting diode and / or be designed as a prism inverter. This makes it clear how driving on the hard shoulder may be at least temporarily permitted and / or prohibited, since dynamically controllable traffic signs and thus variable message signs are used. The traffic sign recognition criterion may, for example, be specifically designed to recognize variable message signs and evaluate their content.
[0032] A further aspect of the invention relates to a motor vehicle for carrying out the described method. The motor vehicle is thus designed to carry out the method described above. The motor vehicle is, for example, a passenger car, a truck, a bus, a motorcycle, and / or a moped. The motor vehicle can have a control device.
[0033] A further aspect of the invention relates to a control device for a motor vehicle, which is designed to carry out the method described above. The control device carries out the described method, in particular an exemplary embodiment or a combination of exemplary embodiments of the described method. The control device has a processor device. The processor device can have at least one microprocessor and / or at least one microcontroller and / or at least one FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) and / or at least one DSP (Digital Signal Processor). Furthermore, the processor device can have program code, which can alternatively be referred to as a computer program product. The program code can be stored in a data memory of the processor device.
[0034] A further aspect of the invention relates to a computer program product. The computer program product is a computer program. The computer program product comprises instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer, such as, for example, by the control devices of the motor vehicle, cause the computer to perform the steps of the method according to the invention. The exemplary embodiments described in connection with the method according to the invention, each individually and in combination with one another, apply accordingly, where applicable, to the motor vehicle according to the invention, the control device according to the invention, and the computer program product according to the invention. The invention encompasses combinations of the described exemplary embodiments.
[0035] Showing:
[0036] Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of a motor vehicle with several cameras;
[0037] Fig. 2 is a schematic representation of a road with a hard shoulder; and
[0038] Fig. 3 shows a schematic representation of a signal flow graph of a method for informing about an approved and / or prohibited driving on a hard shoulder for a motor vehicle.
[0039] Fig. 1 shows a motor vehicle 1 comprising a camera device 2. The camera device 2 here comprises, for example, a front camera 3, at least one side camera 4 and / or a rear camera 5. The camera device 2 preferably has at least the front camera 3. The side cameras 4 are arranged here in respective side mirrors 6 of the motor vehicle 1. The front camera 3 is arranged in an area of a windshield 7 of the motor vehicle 1 that is arranged at the top in a vertical direction of the motor vehicle 1. The rear camera 5 is arranged in a rear area 8 of the motor vehicle 1.
[0040] The motor vehicle 1 has a control device 9, which can alternatively be referred to as a computing device. Furthermore, the motor vehicle 1 can have an output device 10. This can be designed as a display device, that is to say, for example, as a screen, in particular as a touch-sensitive screen and / or head-up display in the motor vehicle 1. Alternatively or additionally, it can be designed for acoustic output, that is to say comprise a loudspeaker device having at least one loudspeaker. The output device 10 can alternatively or additionally be comprised of a mobile terminal positioned in the motor vehicle 1. Fig. 2 shows a typical environment for which the method according to the invention is provided. The environment comprises a road 20 having two lanes 21. The road 20 also has a shoulder 22.An arrow indicates a direction of travel 26, which applies here to all lanes 21 shown. The individual lanes 21 are marked by road markings 23 applied to the surface of the road 20. A dashed line serves as road marking 23 between the individual lanes 21, whereas a solid line separates the outer lane 21 from the shoulder 22. A road edge 24, where grass, for example, grows, is located to the side of the shoulder 22.
[0041] Typically, driving on the hard shoulder 22 is prohibited. However, it can be provided that driving on the hard shoulder 22 is indicated as permitted, at least temporarily, by means of a traffic sign 25. Here, a variable message sign is sketched as a traffic sign 25 purely by way of example. This variable message sign is, for example, light-emitting and displays an arrow indicating that the hard shoulder 22 is at least currently open to traffic. Driving on the hard shoulder 22 is therefore permitted here. If driving on the hard shoulder 22 is currently prohibited, a cross, for example, can be displayed on the traffic sign 25. The traffic sign 25 can alternatively or additionally be designed as a mechanical variable message sign, for example as a prism inverter. Alternatively or additionally, a non-dynamic and thus static traffic sign 25 is possible.
[0042] It may be provided that a further shoulder 22 is arranged on the opposite side of lane 21 relative to the shoulder 22. Thus, road 20 may have a shoulder 22 on each side of lane 21 for the direction of travel 26. However, this is not shown here.
[0043] Fig. 3 shows method steps of a method for informing about permitted and / or prohibited driving on the hard shoulder 22 for the motor vehicle 1. In a method step S1, sensor information 11 is recorded by means of the camera device 2, in particular at least by means of the front camera 3. The sensor information 11 describes an environment of the motor vehicle 1. It describes at least part of the road 20 on which the motor vehicle 1 is traveling. In a method step S2, the sensor information 11 is provided. For this purpose, it is provided, for example, to the control device 9 of the motor vehicle 1 or provided by means of the control device 9. The following method steps S3 to S10 are preferably also carried out by means of the control device 9 of the motor vehicle 1.
[0044] In a method step S3, a shoulder detection criterion 12 is applied to the provided sensor information 11, wherein shoulder information 13 is determined. This describes whether the road 20 on which the motor vehicle 1 is traveling has a shoulder 22. The shoulder detection criterion 12 can take into account a color and / or a line type of the road marking 23 of the road 20. Alternatively or additionally, it can take into account a surface covering of the road 20. Alternatively or additionally, the shoulder detection criterion 12 can comprise, i.e., be based on, road edge detection methods.
[0045] A method step S4 then checks whether the road 20 has a hard shoulder 22 according to the hard shoulder information 13. If this is the case, a method step S5 is executed. If this is not the case, i.e., if no hard shoulder 22 is detected, method step S1, for example, can be repeated.
[0046] If the hard shoulder information 13 describes that the road 20 has the hard shoulder 22, a piece of traffic sign information 15 is determined in method step S5. This is done by applying a traffic sign recognition criterion 14 to the provided sensor information 11. The traffic sign information 15 describes the traffic sign 25, which describes an at least temporary release of the hard shoulder 22 as lane 21 or a prohibition of driving on the hard shoulder 22. If the road 20 has the hard shoulder 22 on both sides of, for example, at least one lane 21 for the direction of travel 26, the traffic sign information 15 can be determined for both and thus for all hard shoulders 22 and checked as described below.
[0047] In a method step S6, a check is performed to determine whether, according to the determined traffic sign information 15, the hard shoulder 22 is authorized as a lane 21. If this is the case, an information message 16 is provided in a method step S7. This information message 16 describes at least that the hard shoulder 22 is authorized for use. Alternatively or additionally, if it is determined that, according to the determined traffic sign information 15, the hard shoulder 22 is not authorized as a lane 21, i.e., that driving on the hard shoulder 22 is prohibited, a warning message 19 is provided in a method step S10. The warning message 19 describes at least a prohibition on driving on the hard shoulder 22.
[0048] By means of the information message 16 or the warning message 19, a driver of the motor vehicle 1 can be informed about the permitted or prohibited use of the hard shoulder 22. It is preferably provided that the provided information message 16 and / or warning message 19 is output by means of the acoustic and / or optical output device 10 of the motor vehicle 1 and / or the mobile terminal in the motor vehicle 1.
[0049] In a method step S8, if the road 20 has the hard shoulder 22 according to the hard shoulder information 13, a lane information item 18 can be determined. For this purpose, for example, a lane recognition criterion 17 can be applied to the sensor information 11. The lane information 18 describes the lane 21 on which the motor vehicle 1 is traveling. Without the method steps S5 to S7 and S10 taking place, method step S8 can take place directly after method step S4.
[0050] In a method step S9, it can be checked whether the lane 21 corresponds to the hard shoulder 22 of the road 20 according to the lane information 18. Only if this is not the case does the method step S7 take place, i.e., the warning message 16 is provided. However, it can be provided that if it is determined in method step S9 that the lane 21 corresponds to the hard shoulder 22 of the road 20 according to the lane information 18, the warning message 19 is provided in method step S10 independently of the traffic sign information 15, i.e., without the latter even having to be determined.Alternatively, it can be provided that the warning message 19 is only provided in method step S10 if, according to the determined traffic sign information 15, driving on the hard shoulder 22 is prohibited, and according to the lane information 18, the lane 21 corresponds to the hard shoulder 22 of the road 20. In this case, all method steps S1 to S6 and S8 to S10 are carried out in this order. It can further be provided that, if the motor vehicle 1 is currently changing lanes to the hard shoulder 22 according to the lane information 18, the warning message 19 is only provided when the motor vehicle 1 is driving entirely on the hard shoulder 22. For example, time can be provided beforehand for a lane departure warning system or another driver assistance system to react to the lane change.
[0051] It can further be provided that the lane information 18 is only determined and checked if, according to the determined traffic sign information 15, the hard shoulder 22 is approved as lane 21. As soon as it is determined that, according to the lane information 18, the lane 21 corresponds to the hard shoulder 22 of the road 20, i.e., if it is determined that driving on the hard shoulder 22 is approved, and it is also determined that the motor vehicle 1 is already on the hard shoulder 22, the traffic sign information 15 is continuously determined and checked again. Method steps S5' and S6' are therefore carried out. In method step S5', the traffic sign information 15 is determined again, analogous to method step S5, so that a newly determined piece of traffic sign information 15' is provided.In method step S6', the newly determined traffic sign information 15' is checked. If, according to the newly determined traffic sign information 15', driving on the hard shoulder 22 is prohibited, the warning message 19 is provided in method step S10. Thus, driving on the hard shoulder 22 without a corresponding warning message 19 is only tolerated as long as the traffic sign information 15, 15' describes that the hard shoulder 22 is permitted for driving. As soon as this permission is no longer present, for example, because a correspondingly different traffic sign 25 was detected, method step S10 is performed again.
[0052] It can be provided that the output of the information message 16 and / or warning message 19 by means of the acoustic and / or optical output device 10 in the motor vehicle 1 only occurs when the motor vehicle 1 has passed the traffic sign 25.
[0053] Overall, the examples show detection of and warning of hard shoulder 22. Based on lane and road edge detection, motor vehicle 1 classifies the rightmost (or left) lane 21 between the rightmost (or left) lane line and the road edge as hard shoulder 22 in right-hand (or left-hand) driving countries / regions. The hard shoulder line is usually different from other lane lines (e.g., in type and / or color), which can be easily detected by lane detection. For roads 20 with hard shoulders 22 on both sides of each direction of travel 26, both hard shoulders 22 are classified. If the driver drives onto hard shoulder 22, motor vehicle 1 issues a visual / acoustic warning to the driver.(Note: If the driver unintentionally crosses the lane line of the hard shoulder 22, the lane departure warning system of the motor vehicle 1 should be activated before the hard shoulder 22 warning).
[0054] If motor vehicle 1 detects traffic sign 25 "Emergency lane permitted" and the conditions for changing to the hard shoulder 22 are met, motor vehicle 1 issues a visual / acoustic reminder (advice message 16) to the driver. If traffic sign 25 "Emergency lane permitted" is present, the hard shoulder warning (warning message 19) is suppressed. If motor vehicle 1 detects traffic sign 25 "Emergency lane not permitted," the hard shoulder warning (warning message 19) is no longer suppressed.
Claims
Patent claims 1 . A method for informing about an authorized and / or prohibited driving on a hard shoulder (22) for a motor vehicle (1), comprising: - Providing (S2) sensor information (11) describing an environment of the motor vehicle (1); - determining (S3) hard shoulder information (13) describing whether a road (20) on which the motor vehicle (1) is traveling has a hard shoulder (22) by applying a hard shoulder detection criterion (12) to the provided sensor information (11); - if, according to the hard shoulder information (13), the road (20) has the hard shoulder (22), determining (S5) a traffic sign information (15) describing a traffic sign (25) that describes an at least temporary release of the hard shoulder (22) as a lane (21) or a prohibition of driving on the hard shoulder (22), by applying a traffic sign recognition criterion (14) to the provided sensor information (11); and - Checking (S6) whether, according to the determined traffic sign information (15), the hard shoulder (22) is released as a lane (21), wherein if this is the case, an information message (16) is provided (S7) which at least describes that the hard shoulder (22) is released for driving, and / or if this is not the case, a warning message (19) is provided (S10) which at least describes the prohibition of driving on the hard shoulder (22).
2. Method according to claim 1, wherein if the road (20) has the hard shoulder (22) according to the hard shoulder information (13), lane information (18) is determined (S8) which describes a lane (21) of the road (20) on which the motor vehicle (1) is traveling, and it is checked (S9) whether the lane (21) according to the determined lane information (18) corresponds to the hard shoulder (22) of the road (20), wherein the information message (16) is provided only if this is not the case.
3. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein, if the road (20) has the hard shoulder (22) according to the hard shoulder information (13), lane information (18) is determined which describes a lane (21) of the road (20) on which the motor vehicle (1) is traveling, and it is checked whether the lane (21) according to the lane information (18) corresponds to the hard shoulder (22) of the road (20), wherein if this is the case, the warning message (19) is provided independently of the traffic sign information (15).
4. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the warning message (19) provided is only provided in the motor vehicle (1) if both, according to the determined traffic sign information (15), driving on the hard shoulder (22) is prohibited and, according to the determined lane information (18), the lane (21) corresponds to the hard shoulder (22) of the road (20).
5. The method according to claim 3 or 4, wherein if the motor vehicle (1) is currently changing lanes to the hard shoulder (22) according to the lane information (18), the warning message (19) is only provided when the motor vehicle (1) is driving completely on the hard shoulder (22).
6. Method according to one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the lane information (18) is in particular only determined and checked if, according to the determined traffic sign information (15), the hard shoulder (22) is released as a lane (21), wherein as soon as it is determined that, according to the lane information (18), the lane (21) corresponds to the hard shoulder (22) of the road (20), the traffic sign information (15) is continuously determined and checked again, wherein as soon as it is determined that, according to the newly determined traffic sign information (15'), driving on the hard shoulder (22) is prohibited, the warning message (19) is provided.
7. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the shoulder detection criterion (12) takes into account a color and / or a line type of a road marking (23) of the road (20) and / or a surface covering of the road (20) and / or comprises methods of road edge detection.
8. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein it is checked whether the road (20) for a direction of travel (26) has a hard shoulder (22) on both sides of at least one lane (21), wherein if this is the case, the traffic sign information (15) is determined and checked for both hard shoulders (22).
9. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the provided information message (16) and / or warning message (19) is output by means of an acoustic and / or optical output device (10) in the motor vehicle (1).
10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the output is only made when the motor vehicle (1) has passed the traffic sign (25) which describes the at least temporary release of the hard shoulder (22) as a lane (21) or the prohibition of driving on the hard shoulder (22).
11. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the provided sensor information (11) is captured (S1) by means of a camera device (2) of the motor vehicle (1).
12. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein when applying the traffic sign recognition criterion (14) at least one variable message sign assigned to the road (20) is taken into account as a traffic sign (25).
13. Motor vehicle (1) designed to carry out a method according to one of the preceding claims.
14. Control device (9) for a motor vehicle (1), which is designed to carry out the steps provided for the control device of a method according to one of claims 1 to 12.
15. A computer program product comprising instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to carry out a method according to any one of claims 1 to 12.