Travel control system and travel control program

Abstract

To provide a travel control device and a travel control program that suppress an increase in costs and save trouble of an operator.SOLUTION: A travel system 10 mounted in a vehicle 50 includes: a mode selection reception unit 13 that allows a carryout mode in which the vehicle 50 itself is carried out to a destination while being arranged in a line between the preceding vehicle and the vehicle 50 and a normal mode in which the vehicle 50 travels including tracking travel to transport a passenger of the vehicle 50 to be selected; a normal tracking control unit 14 that allows traveling tracking the preceding vehicle in the normal mode; and a carryout tracking control unit 15 that allows the vehicle 50 to travel tracking in the carryout mode in which a vehicle-to-vehicle distance to the preceding vehicle or the following vehicle is set to be shorter than that in the normal mode.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a driving control technology for automatically driving a vehicle to another location inside or outside an automobile manufacturing plant. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, workers would drive completed vehicles in factories and transport them one by one to motor pools inside and outside the factory. This transport work is monotonous but requires manual labor. In recent years, attempts have been made to reduce the need for manual labor through the use of autonomous vehicle parking technology. For example, a method has become available in which an external operation unit temporarily installed outside the vehicle transmits transport information from a server to the vehicle, controlling the vehicle to be transported to the motor pool. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2020-64388 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in the conventional technology described above, it is necessary to prepare a separate external operation unit for controlling the vehicle from the outside, which not only increases costs but also requires workers to install the external operation unit.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and has an object to provide a driving control system and a driving control program that suppresses increases in costs and reduces the workload of workers. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The driving control system of this embodiment is a driving control system mounted on a vehicle, and includes a mode selection receiving unit that allows the user to select between an unloading mode in which the vehicle is arranged in a convoy with a preceding vehicle to transport the vehicle itself to a destination, and a normal mode in which the vehicle is made to drive in a manner that includes following driving, and in which the occupants of the vehicle are transported; a normal following control unit that causes the vehicle to follow the preceding vehicle in the normal mode; and a removal following control unit that causes the vehicle to follow the preceding vehicle in the unloading mode in which the inter-vehicle distance between the vehicle and the preceding vehicle or following vehicle is set shorter than in the normal mode.

[0007] The driving control program of this embodiment is a driving control program installed in a vehicle, and causes a computer to select between an unloading mode in which the vehicle is arranged in a convoy with a preceding vehicle to transport the vehicle itself to a destination, and a normal mode in which the vehicle is made to perform driving including following driving to transport the occupants of the vehicle, a step of making the vehicle follow the preceding vehicle in the normal mode, and a step of making the vehicle follow the preceding vehicle in the unloading mode in which the inter-vehicle distance with the preceding vehicle or the following vehicle is set shorter than in the normal mode. Effect of the Invention

[0008] The present invention provides a driving control system and a driving control program that suppresses increases in costs and reduces the workload of workers. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a configuration diagram of a vehicle equipped with a cruise control system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which a vehicle is being transported to a motor pool using the driving control system. [Diagram 3] 4 is a flowchart showing a process up to shipment, including the operation of the driving control system. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following embodiments, the terms "forward" and "rearward" are defined based on the driver seated in the driver's seat of the vehicle and are defined as directions seen from the driver's perspective.

[0011] FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a vehicle 50 equipped with a cruise control system (hereinafter simply referred to as the "system") 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the vehicle 50 is being transported to a motor pool 90b using the system 10.

[0012] The system 10 according to the embodiment is a type of advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS) that controls a part or all of the driving operation of the vehicle 50 to enable fully automated or semi-automated driving of the vehicle 50. As shown in Fig. 2, the system 10 performs adaptive cruise control (ACC) on the vehicle 50 to make the vehicle 50 follow a preceding vehicle 60, and transports the vehicle 50, for example, from a motor pool 90a in a factory to a motor pool 90b in the same factory or outside. The driving control by the system 10 may be used for transporting the vehicle 50 within a closed site, for example, to a delivery and maintenance center.

[0013] As shown in FIG. 1, the system 10 includes a surrounding condition detection unit 11, a diagnosis unit 12, a mode selection reception unit 13, a normal following control unit 14, a carry-out following control unit 15, and a carry-out mode restoration unit 25. Among these components, the functions of the mode selection receiving unit 13, the normal following control unit 14, and the unloading following control unit 15 are exerted, for example, as functions of an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 20 that electronically controls the traveling mechanism 16. Note that this ECU 20 is a general term for various ECUs related to driving control, such as a brake ECU and an engine ECU.

[0014] The system 10 is also connected to a driving mechanism 16, a vehicle information sensor 17, a display unit 18, and a mode selection unit 19 via an in-vehicle network 30 of the vehicle 50. The in-vehicle network 30 is configured, for example, by a CAN-FD (Controller Area Network with Flexible Data Rate) bus. The traveling mechanism 16 refers to various mechanisms necessary for traveling the vehicle 50, such as a brake mechanism 21, a steering mechanism 22, an engine mechanism 23, and a gear mechanism 24. When the vehicle 50 is an electric vehicle (EV), the engine mechanism 23 and the gear mechanism 24 are replaced with motors.

[0015] The surrounding condition detection unit 11 acquires position information of objects and signs outside the vehicle within a range from the front to the rear of the vehicle 50. The surrounding condition detection unit 11 is configured with sensing devices selected from, for example, a front camera, a rear camera, a Global Positioning System (GPS), a millimeter wave radar, a vehicle-to-vehicle communication device (CVSS: Connected Vehicles Support Systems), a sonar sensor, and the like.

[0016] Each of the front camera and the rear camera is, for example, a stereo camera composed of two lenses arranged at slightly different positions. The front camera captures an image of the front of the vehicle 50 through the windshield from inside the vehicle cabin, acquires image data, and analyzes the image data. The rear camera captures an image of the rear of the vehicle 50 through the rear window from inside the vehicle cabin, acquires image data, and analyzes the image data. The stereo camera can grasp an object in front of or behind the vehicle 50 in three dimensions, so that the inter-vehicle distance D to the object can be measured with high accuracy. The installation positions and the number of lenses of the front camera and the rear camera are not particularly limited as long as image data including the front or rear of the vehicle 50 can be acquired. A plurality of each of the front camera and the rear camera may be installed.

[0017] The GPS uses artificial satellites to measure the position of the vehicle 50. The millimeter wave radar uses millimeter wave radio waves to measure the distance, speed, and position angle of an object. Both the GPS and the millimeter wave radar can identify the direction of movement of the preceding vehicle 60 or the following vehicle 70. These sensing devices are often standard equipment on recent vehicles 50. Therefore, the surrounding situation detection unit 11 may use an existing one without being specially installed for the system 10. The surrounding situation detection unit 11 performs the functions of the preceding vehicle detection unit 26, the following vehicle detection unit 27, and the tail lamp detection unit 28 by using these sensing devices.

[0018] The preceding vehicle detection unit 26 detects the distance D to a preceding vehicle 60 that is ahead of the vehicle 50 and the vehicle speed of the preceding vehicle 60. The preceding vehicle detection unit 26 is composed of, for example, a millimeter wave radar, a forward camera, and a vehicle-to-vehicle communication device among the above-mentioned devices.

[0019] The following vehicle detection unit 27 detects the vehicle speed of the following vehicle 70 following the vehicle 50 and the inter-vehicle distance D to the following vehicle 70. Like the preceding vehicle detection unit 26, the following vehicle detection unit 27 is also composed of, for example, a millimeter wave radar, a rear camera, and a vehicle-to-vehicle communication device. Note that the following vehicle detection unit 27 can prevent a collision accident with the following vehicle 70 and improve safety, but is not necessarily an essential component. Note that the tail lamp detection unit 28 will be described later.

[0020] The diagnosis unit 12 is, for example, a tester capable of diagnostic communication. The diagnosis unit 12 sends a diagnosis request message to the ECU 20 to diagnose whether or not there is a malfunction in the devices in each part of the vehicle 50. The ECU 20 checks whether or not an abnormality has been detected by the vehicle information sensors 17 in each part via the in-vehicle network 30, and transmits the results to the diagnosis unit 12. The vehicle diagnosis by the diagnosis unit 12 is executed as part of a final inspection, the procedure of which is specified in advance.

[0021] The mode selection receiving unit 13 receives a selection of a driving mode including adaptive cruise control (ACC) selected by an operator or a driver from a mode selection unit 19. The mode selection unit 19 is provided in the form of a button, a switch or a touch panel on a pillar part of a steering wheel or on a meter panel. The driving modes including ACC include an unloading mode in which the vehicle 50 is made to form a convoy with the preceding vehicle 60 and transports the vehicle 50 itself to the destination, and a normal mode in which the vehicle 50 is made to travel including following travel and transports the passengers of the vehicle 50. When the worker completes the above-mentioned completion inspection and finds no problems, the worker can select the unloading mode from the mode selection unit 19 using, for example, a dedicated tool. The dedicated tool is, for example, an encryption key that is installed in the vehicle 50. The selected driving mode is displayed on the display unit 18 such as a meter panel.

[0022] The normal mode is a driving mode suitable for making the vehicle 50 perform driving including following driving to transport passengers of the vehicle 50. In the normal mode, the vehicle 50 automatically accelerates and decelerates within a preset vehicle speed, and when there is a preceding vehicle 60 ahead of the vehicle 50, the vehicle approaches the preceding vehicle to a predetermined distance and follows the preceding vehicle while maintaining this predetermined distance. This function allows the driver to drive without depressing the accelerator pedal or brake pedal except when necessary. The normal mode switches to automatic following driving when driving on a vehicle-only road or the like where the driving mode is relatively monotonous and the driver can drive by following the movement of the preceding vehicle 60. In the normal mode, when predetermined conditions such as speed and road conditions are met, the driving mode switches from the driver's driving to the ACC by the normal following control unit 14.

[0023] The carry-out mode is a driving mode for transporting the vehicle 50 itself to a destination by forming a convoy between the vehicle 50 and the preceding vehicle 60. When the carry-out mode is selected, the carry-out following control unit 15 controls the driving of the vehicle 50. The degree of independence of the driving control by the carry-out following control unit 15 is freely specified according to the specific vehicle model and the technical level of the ADAS. For example, the vehicle 50 may be driven by a worker or may be unmanned. When the vehicle 50 is driven by a worker, the control by the carry-out following control unit 15 may be set to standby mode within or near the motor pools 90a,b, and the worker may drive the vehicle 50. This is because, within or near the motor pools 90a,b, each vehicle 50 moves differently and enters the parking area 80 that is determined for each vehicle, so there is little need for the vehicles 50 to follow each other. The standby mode refers to a state in which the carry-out mode can be activated again.

[0024] Also, the vehicle 50 at the front of the train may be designated as the leading vehicle 80, and a driver may ride only in the leading vehicle 80. Even if vehicles other than the leading vehicle 80 are unmanned, workers may drive only within or near the motor pools 90a,b. Furthermore, if the ADAS technology is advanced, unmanned driving may also be used, including parking processing.

[0025] In addition, from the viewpoint of preventing erroneous following of an automobile unrelated to the convoy, it is desirable that the information required for forming a convoy is transmitted from the preceding vehicle 60 traveling just before the vehicle 50. That is, in the carry-out mode, the vehicle 50 follows the preceding vehicle 60 traveling just before the vehicle 50, and the vehicle 50 may transmit information for the following vehicle 70 to follow the vehicle 50. In this case, the vehicles 50 communicate with each other, for example, by an inter-vehicle communication device. However, the preceding vehicle 60 may not transmit information for following, and the vehicles 50 may travel in a convoy by using only the following function installed in the vehicle 50.

[0026] In addition, a signal may be sent to a plurality of vehicles 50 following the leading vehicle 80 traveling at the front to follow them. In addition, the vehicle train does not necessarily have to be a single vertical line as shown in FIG. 2. For example, the vehicle train may be configured in a plurality of lines, or a plurality of vehicles 50 may follow any one vehicle 50. The number of vehicles 50 that follow each vehicle 50 and the shape of the vehicle train are determined arbitrarily according to the needs at the time of removal, the shape of the transportation route, the technical level of ADAS, and the like. Note that the leading vehicle 80 is also a preceding vehicle 60 for the second vehicle 50 following the leading vehicle 80.

[0027] In either case, in the carry-out mode, the inter-vehicle distance D between the preceding vehicle 60 or the following vehicle 70 during ACC is set shorter than in the normal mode. This is because if the inter-vehicle distance D becomes longer when the vehicle 50 is carried out and the vehicle train becomes longer, it becomes difficult to control the train and is likely to hinder the movement of other moving objects such as automobiles. For example, while the inter-vehicle distance D is 30 m in the normal mode, it is preferable to set it to about 5 m to 10 m in the carry-out mode. It is preferable that this inter-vehicle distance D is appropriately determined according to the traveling speed of the vehicle 50. In particular, when a vehicle group is transported by forming a train of vehicles in multiple rows, it is preferable that the inter-vehicle distance D is short from the viewpoint of preventing the occurrence of an error in the detection of the preceding vehicle 60 by the surrounding situation detection unit 11.

[0028] From the viewpoint of simplifying control, it is preferable that the discharge following control unit 15 steers the vehicle 50 in accordance with only the movement of the preceding vehicle 60, without relying on signs or marking lines painted on the road surface. Examples of signs painted on the road surface include the word "Stop" and pedestrian crossing lines 91. Examples of marking lines painted on the road surface include a center divider line 92 and a stop line 93. By following the preceding vehicle 60 in this way, without relying on signs or the like on the road surface, it is possible to simplify the driving control, and therefore reduce the design costs for control.

[0029] In addition, in the carry-out mode, it is preferable to switch to the standby mode when the tail lamp of the preceding vehicle 60 is detected to be turned off. The tail lamp of the preceding vehicle 60 is turned on or off by the tail lamp detection unit 28, which is, for example, a front camera. When the carry-out following control unit 15 receives a notification from the tail lamp detection unit 28 that the tail lamp of the preceding vehicle 60 or the leading vehicle 80 is turned off, the carry-out mode is terminated and the mode is switched to the standby mode. Since the extinction of the tail lamp of the preceding vehicle 60 often means the completion of the travel, it is preferable as a trigger for canceling the carry-out mode of the vehicle 50. However, the information that serves as a trigger for canceling the carry-out mode is not limited to the extinction of the tail lamp of the preceding vehicle 60, and may be included in, for example, the transmission information of the vehicle-to-vehicle communication. In addition, by setting the timing of the extinction of the tail lamp of the preceding vehicle 60 to be after the completion of parking in each parking area 80 and the engine stop, all the steps of the transportation of the following vehicle 50 can be automated.

[0030] As described above, the standby mode is a state in which the carry-out mode can be activated again. The reason why the standby mode is entered before the carry-out mode is completely ended is to make it possible to resume the carry-out mode even if an irregular event occurs and the vehicle 50 stops during carry-out. It is preferable that the following vehicle 50 is placed in the standby mode until it is shipped from the factory, so that it can be switched back to the control mode by a dedicated tool. The dedicated tool is also, for example, an encryption key that is installed in the vehicle and used.

[0031] Then, the transition to the carry-out mode is prohibited when the vehicle is in a state ready for shipment. The carry-out mode is an unnecessary mode after shipment. Therefore, for example, when both the tail lamps and brake lamps of the preceding vehicle 60 or the leading vehicle 80 are turned off and a predetermined confirmation time, for example, one minute, has elapsed after the preceding vehicle 60 has completely stopped, it is desirable to prohibit the resumption of the carry-out mode. This is because, after the confirmation time has elapsed after both the tail lamps and brake lamps are turned off, the transportation of the vehicle 50 to the motor pool 90b is considered to be completely completed and the vehicle is ready for shipment. Note that this confirmation time is a value suitable for each factory, but if there is time to spare after the transportation is completely completed, it may be set to a long time, for example, two hours or one day. Also, a button that notifies the vehicle of the ready for shipment state may be provided in the vehicle, and the worker who has confirmed the ready for shipment state may press it. In this way, by prohibiting the transition to the carry-out mode after the vehicle is in a ready for shipment state, it is possible to prevent the vehicle from transitioning to the carry-out mode during normal operation after shipment, and to ensure the safety of operation.

[0032] In addition, even after being shipped, the vehicle 50 may be recalled or collected as a used car and then shipped again. Therefore, it is preferable that the system 10 includes the removal mode restoration unit 25. For example, it is preferable that the removal mode can be restored by accessing the removal mode restoration unit 25 with a dedicated tool possessed by an operator at the shipping source.

[0033] Each component of the system 10 can be configured as a computer having a processor such as a CPU, and a storage device such as a Read Only Memory (ROM), a Random Access Memory (RAM), or a Hard Disk Drive (HD). Moreover, instead of such software processing, it can also be realized by hardware such as an ASIC (Application Specific Integration Circuit) or an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array).

[0034] Next, a flow up to shipment, including the operation of the system 10, will be described with reference to the flowchart in Fig. 3. In the following, step S10 will be abbreviated to "S10." Similarly, steps S11 and after will also be abbreviated. First, when the final inspection is completed by the diagnosis unit 12 and an operator (S10), the operator uses a dedicated tool to enable selection of the carry-out mode in the mode selection unit 19 (S11). Then, the worker selects the carry-out mode from the mode selection unit 19 (S12). When the carry-out mode is selected in the mode selection unit 19, the mode selection reception unit 13 receives the carry-out mode.

[0035] Then, when the leading vehicle 80 starts driving (S13), the vehicles 50 follow the preceding vehicle 60 in order based on the control by the discharge following control unit 15, and travel in a convoy (S14). Until the preceding vehicle 60 starts parking and stopping processing, the vehicle 50 continues traveling in a convoy following the preceding vehicle 60 (if NO in S15, proceed to S14). When the preceding vehicle 60 starts parking and stopping, the carrying-out following control unit 15 of each following vehicle 50 completes following traveling, and each vehicle 50 starts stopping (if YES in S15, proceed to S16). Note that the operation of step S16 may be performed by an operator one vehicle at a time, or may be performed by fully automatic driving.

[0036] When the preceding vehicle 60 stops and the tail lamp detection unit 28 detects that the tail lamps of the preceding vehicle 60 are turned off, the carry-out following control unit 15 ends the carry-out mode and switches to standby mode (if YES in S17, proceed to S18). The standby mode is maintained until a predetermined confirmation time has elapsed (if NO in S19, proceed to S18).

[0037] On the other hand, when the confirmation time has elapsed, the standby mode is ended and re-entering the carry-out mode is prohibited (if YES in S19, proceed to S20). This is to prevent the mode from switching to the carry-out mode after the vehicle 50 has been shipped, causing confusion for the user. Note that instead of waiting for the confirmation time to elapse, the carry-out mode may be completely ended by having an operator manually end the standby mode after confirming that the vehicle is ready for shipment. In other words, after shipment, only the normal mode will be selectable as the driving mode. The vehicle 50 is then shipped (S21, END). Note that even after the vehicle 50 has been shipped, an operator can access the carry-out mode restoration unit 25 with a specialized tool and switch back to the carry-out mode.

[0038] As described above, according to the system 10 according to the embodiment, the vehicle 50 can be transported to the destination without providing a dedicated external operation unit for controlling the vehicle 50 from the outside. Therefore, the vehicle 50 can be transported while suppressing an increase in the cost of transporting the vehicle 50 and reducing the labor of workers.

[0039] Although some embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, modifications, and combinations can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included in the scope of the invention and its equivalents described in the claims, as well as in the scope and spirit of the invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0040] 10...driving control system (system), 11...surrounding condition detection unit, 12...diagnosis unit, 13...mode selection reception unit, 14...normal following control unit, 15...exit following control unit, 16...driving mechanism, 17...vehicle information sensor, 18...display unit, 19...mode selection unit, 20...ECU, 21...brake mechanism, 22...steering mechanism, 23...engine mechanism, 24...gear mechanism, 25...exit mode restoration unit, 26...preceding vehicle detection unit, 27...following vehicle detection unit, 28...tail lamp detection unit, 30...in-vehicle network, 50...vehicle, 60...preceding vehicle, 70...following vehicle, 80...leading vehicle, 90a...motor pool, 90b...motor pool, 91...pedestrian crossing line, 92...center dividing line, 93...stop line, D...vehicle distance.

Claims

1. A driving control system mounted on a vehicle, a mode selection receiving unit that selects between a carry-out mode in which the vehicle itself is transported to a destination by forming a convoy between the vehicle and a preceding vehicle, and a normal mode in which the vehicle is made to travel in a manner including following travel, and a passenger of the vehicle is transported; a normal following control unit that causes the vehicle to follow the preceding vehicle in the normal mode; a carry-out following control unit that causes the vehicle to follow the preceding vehicle or the following vehicle in the carry-out mode, in which a vehicle-to-vehicle distance from the preceding vehicle or the following vehicle is set to be shorter than that in the normal mode.

2. The driving control system according to claim 1 , wherein the removal following control unit steers the vehicle in accordance with only the movement of the preceding vehicle, regardless of signs or marking lines painted on a road surface.

3. 2. The cruise control system according to claim 1, wherein the carry-out mode is switched to a standby mode in which the carry-out mode can be activated again when a tail lamp of the preceding vehicle is turned off.

4. The cruise control system according to claim 1 , wherein the transition to the unloading mode is prohibited when the vehicle is in a shipping-ready state.

5. A driving control program installed in a vehicle, On the computer, A step of selecting a carry-out mode in which the vehicle itself is transported to a destination by forming a convoy between the vehicle and a preceding vehicle, and a normal mode in which the vehicle is made to travel including following the preceding vehicle to transport passengers of the vehicle; a step of causing the vehicle to travel in a normal mode while following the preceding vehicle; a step of making the vehicle follow the preceding vehicle or the following vehicle in the carry-out mode in which a vehicle-to-vehicle distance from the preceding vehicle or the following vehicle is set to be shorter than that in the normal mode,

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