IMPROVED EMERGENCY BRAKING FOR MOTOR VEHICLES

Abstract

IMPROVED EMERGENCY BRAKING FOR MOTOR VEHICLES The present invention relates to a method for managing an automatic emergency braking function for a motor vehicle (2), comprising the following steps: a) real-time detection of a risk of frontal collision in the presence of an obstacle in front of the motor vehicle, by two front detection means (4, 6) of said motor vehicle; b) real-time estimation of whether automatic emergency braking could result in a risk of rear-end collision with a following vehicle, by a rear detection means (8) of the motor vehicle; c) triggering automatic emergency braking of the motor vehicle, when only one of the two front detection means identifies the obstacle in front and provided there is no risk of rear-end collision with the following vehicle in step b), or when both front detection means identify the obstacle in front. (Figure to be published with the abstract: Figure 1)

Description

Title of the invention: IMPROVED EMERGENCY BRAKING FOR MOTOR VEHICLES technical field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of motor vehicles, more particularly to the field of driver assistance systems, especially for the emergency braking functionality of motor vehicles. Previous technique

[0002] Currently, in the context of Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) systems, two perception methods are generally used to identify a stationary or moving obstacle (e.g., vehicle, pedestrian, or cyclist) at low speed that requires emergency braking to avoid a collision or reduce its severity. These systems typically rely on the use of a front-facing camera located at the top of the vehicle's windshield and a front-facing radar.

[0003] However, a risk of collision with a following vehicle may occur when the situation does not justify emergency braking, which may be due to the relative robustness of the two detection means.

[0004] One solution to this problem of premature braking is to trigger emergency braking only if both detection systems identify an obstacle in front of the vehicle requiring such intervention. However, this approach does not cover all driving scenarios. Indeed, it remains possible that an obstacle may be detected without emergency braking being necessary, particularly if the vehicle is being followed by another vehicle, thus risking a collision if braking occurs in this situation.

[0005] Published patent document WO 2017 / 116073 A1 describes a vehicle collision avoidance control system that activates emergency braking during a forward or reverse driving scenario. The system is based on detecting an object in front of the vehicle using sensors located at the front and rear of the vehicle, respectively. However, WO 2017 / 116073 A1 presents the same problems related to the risk of collision with a following vehicle in the forward driving scenario.

[0006] Published patent document CN 116353562 A discloses an emergency braking control system that incorporates a safety margin in the calculation of braking parameters. A margin value is added to the braking distance to the vehicle ahead to determine whether emergency braking is necessary. In the event of At the time of activation, the distance to the vehicle behind is also assessed to determine a potential risk of a rear-end collision. If such a risk is detected, the vehicle moves forward slightly to avoid it.

[0007] However, the solution proposed by the document has room for improvement, because, although a margin on the braking distance is integrated to allow the carrier vehicle to move forward in order to avoid a collision, the risk of collision with the following vehicle still remains. Description of the invention

[0008] The present invention aims to overcome at least one of the drawbacks of the aforementioned prior art. More specifically, the invention aims to provide a simple and effective solution for ensuring that automatic emergency braking is triggered when an obstacle is detected in front of the motor vehicle, while avoiding untimely emergency braking that could cause a collision with a following vehicle.

[0009] To this end, the invention relates to a method for managing an automatic emergency braking function for a motor vehicle, comprising the following steps: a) real-time detection of a risk of frontal collision in the presence of an obstacle in front of the motor vehicle, by two detection means in front of said motor vehicle; b) real-time estimation whether automatic emergency braking could lead to a risk of rear-end collision with a following vehicle, by means of a rear-end detection system of the motor vehicle; (c) triggering of automatic emergency braking of the motor vehicle, when only one of the two front detection means identifies the obstacle in front and provided there is no risk of rear collision with the following vehicle in step (b), or when both front detection means identify the obstacle in front.

[0010] The motor vehicle is designated as "carrier" (equipped with an automatic emergency braking system), as opposed to the following vehicle which is behind it when it is moving forward.

[0011] The expression "in real time" refers to a detection or estimation carried out while the motor vehicle is moving forward.

[0012] Advantageously, the risk of rear collision is estimated in step b) based on the situation where the carrier motor vehicle would have to perform emergency braking.

[0013] According to one embodiment, said process further comprises the following step: d) deactivation of automatic emergency braking when only one of the two front detection means detects the obstacle in front and a risk of rear collision with the following vehicle is estimated to be present in step b).

[0014] Thus, when only one forward detection means identifies the obstacle in front, emergency braking is not activated to avoid collision with the following vehicle.

[0015] According to one embodiment, the two front detection means comprise respectively a front camera and a front radar, when said front camera or said front radar detects the obstacle in front, then the automatic emergency braking is activated only when the rear detection means does not detect a following vehicle likely to collide with the motor vehicle.

[0016] According to one embodiment, the result in step b) of estimating a risk of collision with a following vehicle is not taken into account if, during step a), the obstacle in front is not detected by either of the two forward detection means.

[0017] The invention also relates to a computer program comprising computer-readable code instructions, notable in that said program leads the computer to implement the method of managing an automatic emergency braking function for a motor vehicle according to the invention, when said program is executed by a computer.

[0018] The invention also relates to a device comprising a computer-readable recording medium, notable in that the computer program according to the invention is recorded on the recording medium.

[0019] The invention also relates to a motor vehicle, remarkable in that it is configured to execute the method of managing an automatic emergency braking functionality for a motor vehicle according to the invention.

[0020] According to one embodiment, the motor vehicle comprising two front detection means and one rear detection means, capable of detecting in real time, respectively, a risk of frontal collision and a risk of rear collision.

[0021] The measures of the invention are advantageous in that they make it possible to enhance the functionality of automatic emergency braking by ensuring not only the triggering of braking when an obstacle is detected, but also by effectively reducing the risk of collision with a following vehicle, particularly in cases where emergency braking is not necessary.

[0022] The invention then makes it possible to ensure the prevention of frontal collisions while minimizing the risks of rear collisions, thus contributing to the optimization of road safety. Brief description of the drawings

[0023] [Fig-1] schematically illustrates a motor vehicle according to the invention;

[0024] [Fig.2] represents the sequence of steps in a process for managing a automatic emergency braking functionality according to the invention. Detailed description

[0025] Figure 1 schematically illustrates a motor vehicle 2 according to the invention.

[0026] The motor vehicle 2 comprises two front detection means 4 and 6, preferably corresponding to a front camera 4 located at the level of a windshield of the vehicle 2, and a front radar 6 positioned at the level of a front bumper grille of said vehicle 2. The two front detectors 4 and 6 are capable of detecting in real time a risk of frontal collision with an obstacle at the front of the motor vehicle 2.

[0027] The invention is not limited to a particular positioning of the detection means. The positioning illustrated is only one example among several possibilities. For example, the two front detectors 4, 6 can both be positioned at the level of the windshield.

[0028] The motor vehicle 2 further comprises a rear detection means 8, which may be a rear camera and / or a rear radar, capable of detecting and estimating in real time a risk of rear-end collision with a following vehicle. Preferably, the rear detection means 8 comprises a rear radar 8.

[0029] The motor vehicle 2 includes a driver assistance feature, comprising automatic emergency braking. The present invention proposes a method for managing said feature in order to enhance the safety associated with its operation, by ensuring not only that braking is triggered upon detection of an obstacle, but also by preventing the risk of a rear-end collision with the following vehicle.

[0030] Fig. 2 represents the sequence of steps of method 1 for managing the automatic emergency braking functionality according to the invention.

[0031] With reference to Figures 1 and 2, the method includes a first step a) of real-time detection of a risk of frontal collision in the presence of an obstacle in front of the motor vehicle 2, using the front camera 4 and the front radar 6.

[0032] Preferably, in parallel with step a), the method 1 performs a step b) of real-time estimation, using the rear radar 8, of whether an automatic emergency braking could lead to a risk of rear-end collision with a following vehicle.

[0033] In this configuration, when both the front camera 4 and the front radar 6 detect the presence of the risk of frontal collision, then emergency braking is triggered in step c), and this, regardless of the presence or absence of the risk of rear collision in step b).

[0034] Whereas when only one of the front radar 6 and the front camera 4 detects the obstacle in front of the motor vehicle 2, then the activation or deactivation of the automatic emergency braking depends on the presence or absence of a risk of rear-end collision in step b). In this scenario, the absence of a risk of collision with the following vehicle in step b) is required to activate the emergency braking. Thus, if the risk of rear-end collision is detected in step b), then method 1 deactivates the emergency braking in step d).

[0035] Table 1 below summarizes the operation of process 1 according to the invention.

[0036] [Table 1] Front camera 4 detects the obstacle? Front radar 6 detects the obstacle? Rear radar 8 detects a risk of rear collision? Emergency braking activated? Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes No Yes Yes No Yes No Yes No No Yes No Yes No No No No No No No No No No No

[0037] Step b) of estimating the risk of collision with a following vehicle may not be performed if, during step a), the obstacle ahead is not detected by either of the two forward detection means. Alternatively, step b) may be performed, but its result will have no effect in this case.

[0038] From Table 1, it can be seen that the presence of a risk of collision with the following vehicle comes to the fore (from an importance point of view) when a single means of detection identifies the obstacle in front.

[0039] Advantageously, the approach of the present invention makes it possible to activate automatic emergency braking when a single detection means identifies an obstacle in front, provided that the rear radar does not detect any risk of a rear collision. Conversely, conventional systems, lacking a rear sensor or not using its data, would not have triggered braking based on a single front detection.

[0040] Thus, the invention makes it possible to ensure the triggering of emergency braking in the case of an actual presence of an obstacle in front, even if one of the two front sensors has not detected it.

Claims

Demands

1. A method (1) for managing an automatic emergency braking function for a motor vehicle (2), comprising the following steps: a) real-time detection of a risk of frontal collision in the presence of an obstacle in front of the motor vehicle (2), by two front detection means (4, 6) of said motor vehicle; b) real-time estimation whether automatic emergency braking could result in a risk of rear collision with a following vehicle, by a rear detection means (8) of the motor vehicle (2); c) triggering automatic emergency braking of the motor vehicle (2), when only one of the two front detection means (4, 6) identifies the obstacle in front and provided there is no risk of rear collision with the following vehicle in step b), or when both front detection means (4, 6) identify the obstacle in front.

2. Method (1) according to claim 1, wherein said method further comprises the following step: d) deactivation of automatic emergency braking when only one of the two forward detection means (4, 6) detects the obstacle in front and a risk of rear collision with the following vehicle is estimated to be present in step b).

3. A method (1) according to any one of claims 1 and 2, wherein the two forward detection means (4, 6) comprise respectively a front camera (4) and a front radar (6), when said front camera (4) or said front radar (6) detects the obstacle in front, then the automatic emergency braking is activated only when the rear detection means (8) does not detect a following vehicle likely to collide with the motor vehicle (2).

4. Method (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the result in step b) of estimating a risk of collision with a following vehicle is not taken into account if, in step a), the obstacle in front is not detected by either of the two forward detection means (4, 6).

5. A computer program comprising instructions in computer-readable code, characterized in that said program leads the computer to implement the method (1) of managing an automatic emergency braking function for a motor vehicle (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, when said program is executed by a computer.

6. Device comprising a computer-readable recording medium, characterized in that the computer program according to claim 5 is recorded on the recording medium.

7. Motor vehicle (2), characterized in that it is configured to perform the method (1) of managing an automatic emergency braking functionality for a motor vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

8. Motor vehicle (2) according to claim 7, comprising two front detection means (4, 6) and one rear detection means (8), capable of detecting in real time, respectively, a risk of frontal collision and a risk of rear collision.

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