Ergonomic management of a semi-automatic traffic lane change functionality

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for managing the execution by a motor vehicle of a lane change maneuver, particularly for overtaking a slower vehicle. The invention also relates to a computer device (100) implementing such a method, as well as a motor vehicle (1) comprising such a device. Figure for the abstract: 1

Description

Title of the invention: Ergonomic management of a semi-automatic lane change functionality Technical field of the invention

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of driving assistance systems for motor vehicles. The invention relates in particular to a method for managing, by a computer device on board a motor vehicle, the performance of a lane change maneuver. The invention also relates to a device implementing such a method, as well as a motor vehicle comprising such a device. The invention applies to motor vehicles such as land motor vehicles, in particular cars. State of the prior art

[0002] The driver assistance systems of certain modern motor vehicles provide a functionality for managing the performance of lane change maneuvers, also known by the acronym SALC from the English term "Semi-Automatic Lane Change". To do this, these systems are generally configured to trigger the performance of a lane change maneuver when the driver turns on a turn signal while the functionality has previously been activated. When this occurs, the driver assistance system then causes the broadcasting of a request for confirmation of the maneuver, and the driver must validate the performance of the maneuver via the vehicle's human-machine interface. However, this way of proceeding has some drawbacks.Indeed, firstly, the execution of the maneuver must in all cases be triggered by the driver, and the latter may well trigger the maneuver too early or too late. In addition, the second validation step forces the driver to perform an action that takes up his attention and which may require a certain amount of time to be executed depending on the driver's responsiveness. These execution delays that may occur during the execution of the maneuver may have the consequence of impairing the flow of traffic or reducing the average speed of the vehicle. Summary of the invention

[0003] The invention aims to overcome these drawbacks. In particular, it aims to provide a method and a device which enable a driving assistance system of a motor vehicle to provide a semi-automatic lane change functionality in a more ergonomic manner. By this means, the invention aims to improve the comfort and ergonomics of vehicles while ensuring the fluidity of traffic.

[0004] In order to achieve these objectives, the invention relates, according to a first aspect, to a method for managing, by a computer device on board a motor vehicle, the performance of a lane change maneuver, said method comprising the steps of: i. obtain data characterizing the vehicle driving environment generated by means of a detection device of a vehicle driving assistance system; ii. determine whether an opportunity exists to carry out the maneuver; iii. determine data characterizing the driver's usual driving behavior; iv. cause the dissemination of a proposal to carry out the maneuver; and v. cause the maneuver to be carried out as soon as it is established that the driver increased the vehicle speed by a value less than or equal to a pre-established threshold value.

[0005] According to a variant, the threshold value may be equal to 5 km / h.

[0006] According to another variant, step ii) can be carried out by means of an artificial intelligence module trained by supervised learning.

[0007] According to yet another variant, step iii) can be carried out as a function of data characterizing a previously established value of frequency of occurrence of overshoots.

[0008] According to yet another variant, step iv) can be carried out by interacting with a human-machine interface of the vehicle.

[0009] According to yet another variant, step v) can be carried out by interacting with the driving assistance system.

[0010] According to a second aspect, the invention relates to a device for managing the performance by a motor vehicle of a lane change maneuver, the device comprising an information processing unit, with one or more processors, and a data storage medium, which are configured to implement a method as described above.

[0011] According to a third aspect, the invention relates to a computer program comprising program code instructions for executing the steps of a method as described above when said program is executed by at least one processor.

[0012] According to a fourth aspect, the invention relates to a computer-readable medium on which a program as described above is recorded.

[0013] According to a fifth aspect, the invention relates to a motor vehicle which has a device as described above. Brief description of the figures

[0014] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on examining the detailed description below, and the appended figures, in which:

[0015] [Fig-1] is a schematic illustration of a motor vehicle according to the invention;

[0016] [Fig.2] is a functional diagram of a device according to the invention; and

[0017] [Fig.3] is a flowchart of the steps of a method according to the invention. Detailed description of the invention

[0018] [Fig.l] shows a schematic illustration of a motor vehicle 1 according to the invention. This comprises a driving assistance system 2, which conventionally comprises one or more detection devices (e.g. radar, lidar, camera, etc.) for perceiving the driving environment of the vehicle 1 in order, in particular, to determine parameters relating to the location and dynamics of other vehicles therein, as well as hardware and software means for controlling the operation of actuators of the vehicle 1 which make it possible to manage its driving in order to provide driving assistance functionalities (emergency braking assistance, lane keeping assistance, blind spot monitoring assistance, traffic jam driving assistance, etc.).

[0019] Furthermore, the vehicle 1 according to the invention comprises a human-machine interface 3, which allows the broadcasting of content in an audible and / or visual manner in the passenger compartment of the vehicle, for example by means of a screen, an instrument cluster, possibly digital, and a loudspeaker.

[0020] Advantageously, the vehicle 1 according to the invention also carries a device 100 for managing the performance by a motor vehicle of a traffic lane change maneuver within the meaning of the present invention, as described below, which implements a method for managing the performance by a motor vehicle of a traffic lane change maneuver within the meaning of the present invention, as briefly summarized below and described in detail below.

[0021] When implementing the method, the device 100 according to the invention continuously monitors the driving environment of the vehicle 1 by exploiting data which are generated by means of the detection apparatus of the driving assistance system 2. When it establishes that an opportunity to change lane exists, in particular if another vehicle which is traveling less quickly is in front on the same lane, the device 100 according to the invention then establishes a usual driving behavior of the driver. If it establishes that the driver frequently overtakes other vehicles, the device 100 according to the invention then proceeds by causing the broadcasting of a proposal to carry out a lane change maneuver. And, advantageously, the driver only has to accelerate slightly so that the device 100 according to the invention causes the maneuver to be carried out. As will be seen in detail below, this is how the device 100 according to the invention manages the carrying out of lane change maneuvers comfortably and without risking disrupting the flow of traffic.

[0022] [Fig. 2] illustrates in more detail the device 100 for managing the performance by a motor vehicle of a lane change maneuver according to the invention. It is essentially a computer device, which comprises at least one information processing unit 101, comprising one or more processors, a data storage medium 102, on which is recorded in particular a program which comprises program code instructions for the execution of the steps of the method according to the invention described below, and an input and output interface 103 allowing the reception and transmission of data.

[0023] The device 100 according to the invention also comprises an artificial intelligence module 104, which has been previously trained by supervised learning to determine whether an opportunity to carry out a lane change maneuver exists based on data fed to it, in particular data characterizing the location and dynamics of another vehicle located in front on the same lane.

[0024] Preferably, the device 100 according to the invention is integrated into an independent computer and it interacts via its input and output interface 103 and by means of a wired communication network of the vehicle (e.g. CAN, Ethernet, MOST) - shown in [Fig.l] by the bidirectional arrows - with the driving assistance system 2 and with the human-machine interface 3. Alternatively, the device 100 according to the invention is partially or entirely part of the driving assistance system 2.Thus, whatever the embodiment, the device 100 according to the invention can, in particular, obtain data characterizing the driving environment of the vehicle 1 generated by means of a detection device of the driving assistance system 2, it can cause the broadcasting of a proposal to carry out a traffic lane change maneuver by interacting with the human-machine interface 3 and it can also cause the carrying out of a traffic lane change maneuver.

[0025] According to the invention, all the elements described above contribute to enabling the implementation of a method for managing the performance of a traffic lane change maneuver, as described below in connection with Figures 1 and 3.

[0026] [Fig. 3] illustrates by means of a flowchart the steps of the method according to the invention.

[0027] According to a first step 201 of the method according to the invention, the device 100 according to the invention obtains data characterizing the driving environment of the vehicle 1. These data are generated in a conventional manner by means of the detection apparatus of the driving assistance system 2. They contain in particular data characterizing the location and dynamics of other vehicles which are in the vicinity of the vehicle 1 according to the invention. Thus, when another vehicle is traveling on the same traffic lane in front of the vehicle 1 according to the invention, the device 100 according to the invention obtains during this first step data characterizing at least its speed and the distance which separates it from the vehicle 1 according to the invention.

[0028] According to a second step 202 of the method according to the invention, the device 100 according to the invention determines whether an opportunity exists to carry out a lane change maneuver. To do this, it feeds its artificial intelligence module 104 with the data obtained during the previous step of the method. Indeed, the latter has been previously trained to determine whether a lane change maneuver can be carried out based on such data. And if it establishes that such an opportunity exists to carry out a lane change maneuver, in other words if overtaking another vehicle in front can be carried out safely, the device 100 according to the invention then carries out the following step of the method according to the invention described below.

[0029] According to a third step 203 of the method according to the invention, the device 100 according to the invention determines data characterizing a usual driving behavior of the driver. In other words, the device 100 according to the invention determines at this stage how the driver usually behaves when an opportunity arises to change lanes to overtake another slower vehicle, whether he tends to overtake or not. To do this, the device 100 according to the invention is preferably configured to, when the vehicle is moving, monitor the overtaking that the driver performs, by exploiting for this purpose data that are generated by the detection apparatus of the driving assistance system 2. For example, it determines and refines over time a value of the frequency of overtaking that is carried out at the initiative of the driver.By comparing this value with a previously established threshold value, which is for example recorded on its data storage 102 at the time of design of the vehicle, the device 100 according to the invention is advantageously able to determine whether the driver tends to carry out overtaking maneuvers. And when it establishes that this is the case, in other words that the driver's usual driving behavior is rather aggressive in terms of overtaking other slower vehicles, the device 100 according to the invention then carries out the following steps of the method according to the invention described below.

[0030] According to a fourth step 204 of the method according to the invention, the device 100 according to the invention causes the broadcasting of a proposal for carrying out the maneuver. To do this, it interacts with the human-machine interface 3 so that this proposal is broadcast audibly and / or visually, possibly in the form of a text message displayed on the screen, by means of a warning light in the instrument cluster and / or in the form of a voice message broadcast by means of the loudspeaker. Thus, at the end of this step, the driver is advantageously offered to carry out a lane change maneuver to overtake a slower vehicle in front on the same lane, without having had to do anything until now.

[0031] Finally, according to a fifth step 205 of the method according to the invention, the device 100 according to the invention causes the maneuver to be carried out as soon as it establishes that the driver has increased the speed of the vehicle by a value less than or equal to a pre-established threshold value, for example 5 km / h. In other words, to validate the lane change maneuver, the driver has nothing else to do than slightly increase the speed of the vehicle, for example by pressing the accelerator pedal. Thus, unlike known driving assistance systems, this step of validating a lane change maneuver does not require the driver to carry out any complex action that could slow down the maneuver. On the contrary, this validation appears immediately intuitive to a driver who is necessarily accustomed to accelerating when he begins to overtake a slower vehicle.

[0032] Therefore, thanks to the method and device according to the invention described above, it is possible to provide a semi-automatic lane change functionality in a more ergonomic manner. The invention thus allows for more comfortable driving which does not impair the flow of traffic.

Claims

Claims

1. Method for managing, by a computer device (100) on board a motor vehicle (1), the performance of a lane change maneuver, characterized in that the method comprises the steps of: i. obtaining data characterizing the driving environment of the vehicle generated by means of a detection device of a driving assistance system (2) of the vehicle (1); ii. determining whether an opportunity to perform the maneuver exists; iii. determining data characterizing a usual driving behavior of the driver; iv. causing the broadcasting of a proposal to perform the maneuver; and v. causing the maneuver to be performed as soon as it is established that the driver has increased the speed of the vehicle by a value less than or equal to a pre-established threshold value.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the threshold value is equal to 5 km / h.

3. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that step ii) is carried out by means of an artificial intelligence module (104) trained by supervised learning.

4. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that step iii) is carried out as a function of data characterizing a previously established value of frequency of occurrence of overshoots.

5. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that step iv) is carried out by interacting with a human-machine interface (3) of the vehicle.

6. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that step v) is carried out by interacting with the driving assistance system (2).

7. Device (100) for managing the performance by a motor vehicle (1) of a lane change maneuver, characterized in that said device comprises a processing unit information (101), with one or more processors, and a data storage medium (102), which are configured to implement a method according to any one of the preceding claims.

8. A computer program comprising program code instructions for executing the steps of a method according to any one of claims 1 to 6 when said program is executed by at least one processor.

9. Computer-readable medium, characterized in that a program according to claim 8 is recorded therein.

10. Motor vehicle (1), characterized in that said vehicle carries a device (100) according to claim 7.

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