Method for operating a high beam assistant and vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for operating a high beam assistant of an ego vehicle (1) with swivellable headlights, wherein the headlights cast a light distribution (2) into the environment. The invention is characterised by the following method steps: detecting a vehicle environment by means of at least one environment sensor of the ego vehicle (1); processing sensor data generated by the at least one environment sensor, using an on-board computer unit, in order to determine the presence of raised obstacles at the edge of the road; if there is at least one raised obstacle present: determining a location of the ego-vehicle (1), comparing the location with a digital road map and determining, using the computer unit, whether the course of a road section behind the raised obstacle can be read from the digital road map from the viewpoint of the ego-vehicle (1) towards the raised obstacle; and if so: controlling at least the headlight (3) that is closer to the raised obstacle, using the computer unit, in order to: reduce the brightness of the emitted light distribution (2); swivel the light distribution (2) vertically downwards; and / or swivel the light distribution (2) horizontally away from the raised obstacle.

Description

[0001] Method for operating a high beam assistant and vehicle

[0002] The invention relates to a method for operating a high beam assistant of an ego vehicle with pivoting headlights according to the type defined in more detail in the preamble of claim 1 and to a vehicle according to the type defined in more detail in the preamble of claim 11.

[0003] Compared to dipped beam, high beam provides more illumination of the vehicle's surroundings, allowing the driver to better perceive surrounding objects and the road ahead. However, using high beam carries the risk of dazzling other road users ahead and oncoming traffic. Therefore, the driver must dip their headlights in such situations.

[0004] High-beam assistants can increase driver comfort and reduce the risk of forgetting to dim their headlights. High-beam assistants rely on ambient sensors to detect road users and control the vehicle's headlights in such a way that the areas of the light pattern projected by the vehicle's headlights that include road users are excluded from the high beam. For example, this can be achieved by pivoting movable headlights or selectively dimming individual pixels of a matrix headlight.

[0005] For the high beam assistant to function correctly, reliable detection of road users is required. Due to poor visibility in the dark, camera-based sensor systems have difficulty detecting and classifying distant vehicles based on their silhouettes. Therefore, the system specifically searches camera images for vehicle lights such as taillights, position lights, or headlights of potential other road users. Upon detection of such lights, the system infers the presence of a road user.

[0006] The road is often curved, which can lead to raised obstacles such as guardrails, grass verges, concrete barriers, and the like obscuring the headlights of other road users, especially oncoming traffic or vehicles traveling far ahead. In this case, the high beam assistant is unable to correctly detect the corresponding road users, so it does not dim the headlights. This increases the risk of dazzling other road users.

[0007] DE 102019 202 592 A1 discloses a method for operating a driver information system in an ego vehicle and a driver information system. The driver information system described in the document enables the surroundings of the ego vehicle to be recorded and realistically displayed on a display in the ego vehicle. Among other things, the radius of curvature of upcoming curves can be determined and transferred to a representation of the corresponding route on the display. Furthermore, boundary markings such as lane markings or guardrails can be detected, classified, and also correctly displayed on the display. Sensor-generated environmental data can be merged with map data. The operation of a high-beam assistant is not covered by the document.

[0008] Furthermore, DE 102006 016 071 A1 discloses the control of the headlight range of a motor vehicle. This document describes a predictive control of the headlight range. The road course is detected, and when approaching a dip, the headlight beam is raised, lowered when approaching a crest, and tilted into the curve when approaching a bend. In contrast to headlight adjustment linked to the steering wheel position, this makes it possible to illuminate the curve early on. The road course can be detected by evaluating data generated by environmental sensors. Lane markings or lane boundaries can be taken into account for this purpose. The road course can also be verified based on lights detected in camera images, such as reflections from delineators or the lights of road users.

[0009] Furthermore, DE 102010 040650 A1 discloses a device and method for adjusting the lighting of a vehicle for narrow curves. In a first step, a curve ahead of the vehicle is detected. Subsequently, the visibility for the curve is determined. If narrow, the lighting is adjusted to increase illumination; otherwise, it is adjusted to reduce glare. Data from a database of a navigation system and / or a camera system can be considered to determine the visibility.

[0010] Furthermore, DE 102018215666 A1 discloses a method for operating a vehicle headlight and a high-beam assistance system. The method involves determining a section of road ahead of the vehicle where there is a high risk of encountering surrounding traffic not previously in the field of vision. This section of road is classified as critical and monitored for a sign of surrounding traffic potentially about to enter the field of vision. When this sign is detected, a high-beam function is activated.

[0011] Furthermore, DE 102014225517 A1 discloses a method and a control unit for adjusting at least one parameter of a driver assistance system of a vehicle. Concealment data describing properties of an obscuring object located adjacent to a roadway is read in. Subsequently, an obscuration-related visibility range for the vehicle is determined. The at least one parameter is then adjusted depending on the obscuration-related visibility range. This allows for a delay in activating the high beam if the vehicle's visibility range is reduced due to objects located near the edge of the road.

[0012] Furthermore, KR 10 2014 0 055 363 A discloses a lighting system for a vehicle and a method for controlling the lighting system. The vehicle is capable of directing the light emitted by the headlights into a curve ahead. The curve's course can be determined using a navigation system or by analyzing the steering wheel angle. If objects in front of the vehicle are detected with the help of a camera system, the headlight beam is directed in such a way that the objects are excluded from the illumination.

[0013] The present invention is based on the object of providing an improved method for operating a high-beam assistant of an ego vehicle with pivoting headlights, which allows for particularly safe operation of the high-beam assistant. Advantageous embodiments and further developments, as well as a corresponding vehicle for implementing the method, are set forth in the dependent claims.

[0014] A generic method for operating a high beam assistant of an ego vehicle with pivoting headlights, wherein the headlights project light into the surroundings in the light distribution, is further developed according to the invention by the following method steps:

[0015] Detecting a vehicle environment by means of at least one environmental sensor of the ego vehicle;

[0016] Processing sensor data generated by at least one environmental sensor by an in-vehicle computing unit to determine the presence of raised obstacles at the edge of the roadway; if at least one raised obstacle is present: determining a location of the ego vehicle, comparing the location with a digital road map, and determining, by the computing unit, whether, from the ego vehicle's perspective of the raised obstacle, the course of a road section behind the raised obstacle can be read from the digital road map; and if so:

[0017] Controlling at least the headlight which is closer to the raised obstacle by the computing unit in order to:

[0018] To reduce the brightness of the emitted light distribution;

[0019] To swivel the light distribution vertically downwards; and or

[0020] To swivel the light distribution horizontally away from the raised obstacle.

[0021] The method according to the invention thus makes it possible, in situations where the headlights of preceding road users or oncoming traffic are potentially obstructed by raised obstacles such as guardrails, grass verges, concrete walls, and the like on curves, to assume the presence of road users on a road section running behind such a raised obstacle, so that no high beam is projected specifically onto this road section. This reduces the risk of dazzling other road users or even completely prevents dazzling other road users.

[0022] Typically, the ego vehicle has two pivoting headlights. In general, the ego vehicle could also have more pivoting headlights. The light emitted by such a headlight can be specifically directed relative to the surroundings. This way, the entire headlight or just parts of it, such as a reflector, a lens, a diffuser, a cover plate, or the like, can be moved using one or more actuators. For example, a corresponding light beam can be moved in a targeted manner, or a cover plate can be pivoted into the light beam so that certain areas of the light beam are darkened. The cover plate can be completely opaque to light or have a transparency between 0% and 99%.

[0023] The method according to the invention describes the operation of a high-beam assistant. However, the light distribution does not necessarily have to be high beam. Generally, the light distribution can also be dipped beam, a parking light, or another light.

[0024] Environment detection is possible with a wide variety of environmental sensors, such as cameras, laser scanners such as LiDAR, radar sensors, ultrasonic sensors, and the like. Such sensor systems can obtain depth information, allowing the detection of raised obstacles based on geometric features. The analysis of camera images also allows the classification of static and dynamic environmental objects based on characteristic image features.

[0025] To determine its location, the ego-vehicle is equipped with positioning tools such as a navigation system. The navigation system can determine a geoposition by evaluating signals from global navigation satellites, for example, based on GPS, Galileo, Beidou, or similar. The vehicle can carry the digital road map, for example, stored in a database contained in the computing unit. However, the ego-vehicle can also wirelessly access a central computing device, such as the cloud server of a vehicle manufacturer or a map service provider, with the help of a telecommunications unit and thus read digital road maps as needed. The ego-vehicle, i.e., the computing unit, compares the location with the digital road map.The orientation of the ego vehicle is automatically taken into account based on the direction of travel on the respective section of road, allowing the computing unit to easily check whether corresponding road sections lie behind the raised obstacle. This is especially true for winding or curved roads.

[0026] The computing unit is then able to determine, by comparing the corresponding geometric information of the vehicle alignment, the arrangement of the pivoting headlights on the vehicle, the course of the raised obstacle and the road section behind it, how the headlights must be controlled in order to darken the area of ​​the light distribution falling on the road section behind the raised obstacle.

[0027] This makes it possible, in particular, to reliably avoid dazzling other road users who are at a distance of more than 150 m from the ego vehicle.

[0028] With the aid of the method according to the invention, glare-free operation of the high beam assistant is thus possible, even in vehicles that do not have matrix or pixel headlights. Accordingly, the pivoting headlights are not matrix headlights or pixel headlights. The raised obstacle can be located on the right or left edge of the road from the perspective of the ego vehicle. Accordingly, the headlight closest to the raised obstacle is the right or left headlight of the ego vehicle.

[0029] The brightness of the emitted light distribution can be reduced to any value between 0% and 100% of the original brightness of the light distribution. An advantageous development of the method according to the invention provides that, when comparing the location of the ego vehicle with the digital road map, the computing unit only considers those road sections to be located behind the raised obstacle that are up to a maximum lateral distance of 30 m from the raised obstacle. Since the area-specific brightness of the light distribution, better known as luminous flux density, decreases with increasing distance from the headlights, the risk of glare decreases accordingly at greater distances from the ego vehicle. The method according to the invention is therefore advantageously only carried out for those road sections that are a certain distance behind the raised obstacle.A lateral distance of 30 m has proven particularly advantageous in this case. "Lateral distance" refers to a distance extending orthogonally from a corresponding curve element within which corresponding road sections are searched for in the digital road map. This is a simple and reliable method for checking whether a road layout exists that could pose a glare risk to other road users.

[0030] In addition, this makes it particularly easy to darken the light distribution in the areas projected onto the opposite lane behind a structural separation, for example on a motorway or a dual carriageway with a crash barrier between the two directions of travel.

[0031] According to a further advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention, the computing unit determines the height of surrounding objects by evaluating the sensor data and classifies only those surrounding objects as raised obstacles whose upper edge lies at a geodetic height in the range between 30 cm and 120 cm. If surrounding objects extend to a height in the range between 30 cm and 120 cm, the corresponding surrounding objects lie at a typical height at which lights are mounted on vehicles. The risk that such surrounding objects will obscure the lights of vehicles potentially present on the road section behind a raised obstacle is correspondingly high. Thus, such surrounding objects are particularly advantageously classified as raised obstacles. Optionally, a camera image analysis can be carried out to classify the surrounding objects.Using proven image recognition algorithms, characteristic features can be identified in camera images, allowing for the detection of, for example, whether the raised obstacle is a guardrail, a grass verge, concrete blocks, barrier tape, or something similar. This allows for even more reliable detection and classification of raised obstacles.

[0032] A further advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention further provides that the computing unit enters detected raised obstacles in the digital road map. In this way, information about existing raised obstacles is aggregated and advantageously included in the digital road map for later use. This can be used, for example, to improve the reliability of the method according to the invention. There could be a risk that individual ego vehicles do not correctly detect raised obstacles and therefore overlook them. When carrying out the method according to the invention, the computing unit can then read out the presence of raised obstacles from the digital road map in addition to the course of the road, so that the existence of raised obstacles can be inferred even if they were overlooked by purely sensor-based detection.

[0033] Various information describing the raised obstacles can be entered into the digital road map, with at least the location or course of raised obstacles being saved. In addition, the dimensions of the raised obstacles such as height, width and / or depth as well as distances from one another can be saved. A classification of the raised obstacles, for example "guardrail", "green strip" or the like can be saved. A timestamp such as a date and / or time can also be saved so that it is possible to track in the digital road map when and how often corresponding raised obstacles were detected. This allows temporary raised obstacles to be identified and, if they are not detected again within a certain time window, to be deleted from the digital road map.

[0034] According to a further advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention, the computing unit determines a curve radius for the section of road containing the raised obstacle and designs the extent of the brightness reduction of the light distribution emitted by the headlight and / or a pivot angle depending on the curve radius, whereby the brightness is reduced more sharply in tight curves and / or the light distribution is pivoted further than in wide curves. The curve radius can be determined from the digital road map or, alternatively or additionally, can be determined by evaluating the sensor data. If the road course has tight curves, this means that potentially obscured road users behind the curve due to the raised obstacle are closer to the ego vehicle than in wide curves.Accordingly, it is advantageous to darken the light distribution more when cornering sharply or to tilt it further away from the raised obstacle. This can further reduce the risk of dazzling other road users.

[0035] In the case of a raised obstacle which runs continuously along the road travelled by the ego-vehicle, a “route section” can be understood as any length of the road, in particular in the immediate vicinity of the ego-vehicle, for example within the next 5 m, 10 m, 50 m, 100 m or even fractions or multiples thereof in front of the ego-vehicle.

[0036] Preferably, the light distribution of the headlight located closer to the raised obstacle is dimmed in a curve radius range between 500 m and 1200 m, whereby the brightness of the light distribution is 100% for a curve radius greater than 1200 m and 0% for a curve radius less than 500 m. Therefore, for a curve radius greater than 1200 m, dimming of the light distribution is omitted. For a curve radius less than 500 m, the light distribution and thus the respective headlight are deactivated. As already mentioned, other road users behind the curve are further away from the ego vehicle with a large curve radius than with a small curve radius.Especially with a curve radius of 1200 m, the road users behind the curve, potentially obscured by the raised obstacle, are then so far away from the ego vehicle that there is no risk of other road users being dazzled by the light distribution. Therefore, the light distribution does not need to be dimmed or swung away.

[0037] However, with a curve radius of less than 500 m, the road users potentially behind the curve and obscured by the raised obstacle are so close to the ego vehicle that the headlights stop projecting light into the surrounding area to reliably prevent glare. Dimming of the light distribution in the curve radius range between 500 m and 1200 m can be implemented in any way. The simplest embodiment provides for continuous and linear dimming. However, progressive or degressive dimming could also be used, for example, following a quadratic or logarithmic function. Discontinuous, i.e., stepped dimming could also be used.

[0038] Similarly, the swiveling of the headlight(s) can be carried out depending on the curve radius in the range between 500 m and 1200 m.

[0039] According to a further advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention, the light distribution of the headlight located closer to the raised obstacle is lowered by 0.3 degrees. By lowering the light distribution by 0.3 degrees, it can be reliably ensured that raised obstacles of typical height, especially with an upper edge at a geodetic height in the range between 30 cm and 120 cm, are not out-illuminated. This, in particular, reduces the risk of glare for other road users.

[0040] A further advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention further provides that the computing unit controls the headlight located further away from the raised obstacle in order to pivot the light characteristic emitted by this headlight vertically upwards, in particular by 0.3 degrees. By pivoting the light characteristic of the headlight located further away from the raised obstacle upwards, a larger surrounding area can be illuminated. This makes it possible for the person driving the ego vehicle to more reliably recognize surrounding objects in the dark, which enables even safer control of the ego vehicle. A pivot angle of 0.3 degrees has proven particularly advantageous. A pivot angle of 0.3 degrees upwards ensures that, despite the light distribution being directed upwards, sufficient light is still projected onto the roadway traveled by the ego vehicle.Pivoting upwards the headlight positioned further away from the raised obstacle is possible without danger, since there is no risk of glare for road users behind the raised obstacle due to the light characteristic emitted by this headlight into the surroundings. According to a further advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention, the computing unit processes the sensor data to detect vehicles in the vehicle's surroundings, and the computing unit controls the headlights to pivot the light distribution projected into the surroundings by at least one headlight away from an area in which detected vehicles are located.

[0041] This allows road users emerging from the road section behind a raised obstacle and entering the ego vehicle's field of view to also be excluded from the light distribution. This reduces the risk of glare for other road users who were previously obscured by the raised obstacle and then move into the ego vehicle's field of view, either because oncoming traffic is approaching the ego vehicle or because the ego vehicle is closing in on road users further ahead due to its higher speed.

[0042] The detection of vehicles in the vehicle environment is possible using proven methods, for example based on geometric features and / or image recognition methods.

[0043] A further advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention further provides that the computing unit reads the course of raised obstacles along at least one of the next stretches of road ahead of the ego vehicle from the digital road map, determines a distance between two consecutive raised obstacles, compares the distance with a specified tolerance distance and prevents the dimming and / or swiveling of at least the headlight located closer to the raised obstacle during travel along a stretch of road lying between two raised obstacles if the distance between the two raised obstacles is smaller than the tolerance distance.

[0044] This prevents the light characteristics from constantly switching on and off or swiveling when driving along a non-continuous raised obstacle. This could be disruptive for the driver and thus endanger safe ferry operation. The tolerance distance can take on any fixed value, for example 50 cm, 1 m, 10 m or even fractions or multiples thereof. In addition or alternatively, it would also be possible to detect the interruption between adjacent raised obstacles by evaluating the sensor data. However, due to the curvature of the road in the bend, this is only possible up to a limited distance in front of the ego vehicle when driving on the right and making a right turn, or when driving on the left and making a left turn. It is therefore advantageous to read the distance between raised obstacles from the digital road map.

[0045] In a vehicle comprising at least one environmental sensor, pivotable headlights, position-determining means, and a computing unit, according to the invention the at least one environmental sensor, the pivotable headlights, the position-determining means, and the computing unit are configured to carry out a method described above. The vehicle can be any ego vehicle such as a car, truck, van, bus, or the like. The computing unit can be a single computer system or several communicatively coupled distributed computer systems. Such a computer system, or the computing unit, can be, for example, a central on-board computer or the control unit of a vehicle subsystem.

[0046] Further advantageous embodiments of the method according to the invention for operating the high beam assistant and the vehicle according to the invention also emerge from the exemplary embodiments which are described in more detail below with reference to the figures.

[0047] Showing:

[0048] Fig. 1 is a schematic plan view of a vehicle according to the invention which carries out a method according to the invention for operating a high beam assistant, wherein a light distribution projected by the vehicle into the surroundings is darkened;

[0049] Fig. 2 is a schematic plan view of the vehicle according to the invention, with the light distribution being pivoted to the side; and

[0050] Fig. 3 is a schematic plan view of the vehicle according to the invention, with the light distribution being pivoted downwards. Figure 1 shows a vehicle according to the invention, hereinafter referred to as ego-vehicle 1. The ego-vehicle 1 travels along a road 4. The road 4 can have any number of lanes, although an oncoming lane does not necessarily have to be present. The ego-vehicle 1 has pivoting headlights 3 for projecting a light distribution 2 into the surroundings. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the ego-vehicle has a left 3L and a right pivoting headlight 3R. In general, there is a risk that other road users will be dazzled by the light distribution 2.

[0051] A conventional high-beam assistant is capable of detecting other road users and controlling pivoting headlights 3 to direct the light distribution 2 emitted by the headlights 3 away from a detected road user. Such systems can reach their limits, particularly at night, for example, because other road users far away from the ego vehicle 1 are too dimly illuminated, making them difficult to recognize in camera images. For this reason, camera images are typically searched for vehicle lights, such as taillights, headlights, position lights, and the like, which allows the presence of other road users to be detected, even if the actual silhouette of such a vehicle cannot be recognized.

[0052] There may be raised obstacles at the edge of the road, such as guardrails, which can obscure the view of the ego vehicle 1 of the corresponding vehicle lights. In such a case, there is a risk that the high beam assistant will not detect other road users and thus will not deflect the light distribution 2 in the corresponding areas. This creates a risk of dazzling other road users. Using a method according to the invention, this risk can be reduced or even completely prevented.

[0053] For this purpose, the ego vehicle 1 detects its surroundings using at least one environmental sensor. Sensor data generated by the at least one environmental sensor is processed by an in-vehicle computing unit in order to detect the presence of said raised obstacles at the edge of the road. Both the left and right edges of the road can be monitored. If such raised obstacles are present, the computing unit determines a location of the ego vehicle 1, compares this with a digital road map, and determines whether, from the ego vehicle 1's perspective of the raised obstacle, the course of a road section behind the raised obstacle can be recognized in the digital road map. If this is the case, the computing unit controls the pivoting headlights 3 of the ego vehicle 1 in order to dim the light distribution 2, pivot it sideways, and / or pivot it downwards.The brightness of light distribution 2 can be reduced to 20% of the standard brightness compared to the remaining light distribution, for example.

[0054] In other words, the computing unit assumes that there are generally other road users on a road section behind a raised obstacle, so the corresponding areas of light distribution 2 are excluded as a precaution. This reduces the risk of glare.

[0055] Figure 1a) shows the projection of an unchanged light distribution 2 into the surroundings. Figure 1b) shows the case where, to reduce the risk of glare for other road users potentially located behind the raised obstacle in the curve, the light characteristic 2 of the headlight 3R located closer to the raised obstacle is darkened, indicated by dense hatching.

[0056] In Figures 2 and 3, the initial case of an unchanged light distribution 2 is also shown in sub-figures a). In Figure 2b), the light distribution 2 radiated into the surroundings by the headlight 3R located closer to the raised obstacle is swung horizontally to the side away from the raised obstacle, indicated by a curved arrow.

[0057] In Figure 3b), the light distribution 2 projected into the surroundings by the corresponding headlight 3R is pivoted vertically downwards, also indicated by a curved arrow. This reduces the range with which the light distribution 2 is projected into the surroundings, so that the section of road behind the raised obstacle is no longer illuminated at all. Optionally, it is possible to pivot the light distribution 2 projected into the surroundings by the other headlight 3L, i.e. the headlight s located further away from the raised obstacle, vertically upwards, thus increasing the range. This allows the driver to detect surrounding objects more reliably in the dark due to the better illumination of the surroundings.

[0058] However, this should preferably only be done if the light distribution 2 projected into the surroundings by the headlight 3L positioned further away from the raised obstacle does not fall on a road section located behind the raised obstacle. This would be the case with right-hand traffic in a pure right-hand bend. In Figure 3, however, the road first curves to the left, so the light distribution 2 should not actually be raised here. This illustration is therefore for illustrative purposes to draw attention to this special case.

[0059] The embodiments shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 can be combined with each other as desired.

[0060] It is also possible that a raised obstacle is present on both the right and left sides of the road from the perspective of the ego vehicle 1, for example, on a road with a structural separation. For example, a guardrail could run to the right of the hard shoulder, and there could be a structural separation separating the ego vehicle's own lane from the oncoming lane. In this case, both headlights 3 of the ego vehicle represent a headlight s located closer to the raised obstacle, so that both the left headlight 3L and the right headlight 3R can be dimmed, pivoted toward the center of the road, and / or pivoted vertically downward.

[0061] The exemplary embodiments shown in Figures 1 to 3 each involve right-hand traffic. The method according to the invention can be applied analogously to left-hand traffic situations.

Claims

Patent claims 1. A method for operating a high beam assistant of an ego vehicle (1) with pivoting headlights (3), wherein the headlights (3) project a light distribution (2) into the surroundings, characterized by the following method steps: - detecting a vehicle environment by means of at least one environmental sensor of the ego vehicle (1); - Processing of data generated by the at least one environmental sensor Sensor data by an on-board computing unit to determine the presence of raised obstacles at the edge of the road; - in the presence of at least one raised obstacle: determining a location of the ego vehicle (1), comparing the location with a digital road map and determining, by the computing unit, whether, from the perspective of the ego vehicle (1) on the raised obstacle, the course of a road section behind the raised obstacle can be read from the digital road map; and if so: - Controlling at least the headlight (3) which is closer to the raised obstacle by the computing unit in order to: o reduce the brightness of the emitted light distribution (2); o pivot the light distribution (2) vertically downwards; and / or o pivot the light distribution (2) horizontally away from the raised obstacle.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the computing unit, when comparing the location of the ego vehicle (1) with the digital road map only considers those road sections to be behind the raised obstacle which are located up to a maximum lateral distance of 30 meters from the raised obstacle.

3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the computing unit determines a height of surrounding objects by evaluating the sensor data and classifies only those surrounding objects as raised obstacles whose upper edge lies at a geodetic height in the range between 30 cm and 120 cm.

4. Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the computing unit enters detected raised obstacles in the digital road map.

5. Method according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the computing unit determines a curve radius for the section of road having the raised obstacle and designs the extent of the brightness reduction of the light distribution (2) emitted by the headlight (3L, 3R) and / or a pivot angle as a function of the curve radius, wherein in tight curves the brightness is reduced more and / or the light distribution (2) is pivoted further than in wide curves.

6. Method according to claim 5, characterized in that the light distribution (2) of the headlight (3) located closer to the raised obstacle is dimmed in a curve radius range between 500 meters and 1200 meters, the brightness of the light distribution (2) being 100% for a curve radius of greater than 1200 meters and 0% for a curve radius of less than 500 meters.

7. Method according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the light distribution (2) of the headlight (3) located closer to the raised obstacle is lowered by 0.3°.

8. Method according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the computing unit controls the headlight (3) located further away from the raised obstacle in order to pivot the light characteristic (2) emitted by this headlight (3) vertically upwards, in particular by 0.3°.

9. Method according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the computing unit processes the sensor data in order to detect vehicles in the vehicle environment and the computing unit controls the headlights (3) in order to swivel the light distribution (2) projected into the environment by at least one headlight (3L, 3R) away from an area in which detected vehicles are located.

10. Method according to one of claims 4 to 9, characterized in that the computing unit reads out the course of raised obstacles along at least one of the next section of the road ahead of the ego vehicle (1) from the digital road map, determines a distance between two consecutive raised obstacles, compares the distance with a specified tolerance distance and prevents the dimming and / or pivoting of at least the headlight (3) located closer to the raised obstacle during travel along a section of the road lying between two raised obstacles if the distance between the two raised obstacles is smaller than the tolerance distance.

11. Vehicle comprising at least one environmental sensor, pivotable headlights (3), position determining means and a computing unit, characterized in that the at least one environmental sensor, the pivotable headlights (3), the position determining means and the computing unit are set up to carry out a method according to one of claims 1 to 10.

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