Autonomous driving device

Abstract

To provide an autonomous driving device which allows an own vehicle to travel by autonomous driving while making the own vehicle perform the desired travel at a location desired by the own vehicle's driver.SOLUTION: An autonomous driving device 10 automatically generates a route from a departure place to a destination as a target route and executes automatic travel control which makes an own vehicle 100 travel along the target route up to the destination autonomously. The autonomous travel control causes the own vehicle to perform specific travel at a specific location when the own vehicle is driven by the autonomous travel control, if the own vehicle's driver sets the specific travel and the specific location where the own vehicle traveling along the target route is made to perform the specific travel.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an automatic driving device. [Background technology]

[0002] There is known an automatic driving device that automatically drives a vehicle. Another type of automatic driving device is one that stores the driving route of the vehicle when the vehicle is driven manually, and automatically drives the vehicle according to the planned driving route when the planned driving route of the vehicle driven automatically deviates from the stored driving route of the vehicle by only a certain degree (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6542196 Summary of the Invention

[0004] According to the conventional automatic driving device described above, even if the operator (particularly the driver) of the vehicle wants to have the vehicle perform a specific driving operation at a specific point when driving the vehicle in automatic driving mode, if the planned driving route, etc. that reflects the specific driving operation at that specific point deviates more than a certain degree from the driving route, etc. of the vehicle when driven manually, the vehicle cannot be driven in automatic driving mode to reflect the specific driving operation at that specific point.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide an automatic driving device that can automatically drive a vehicle while causing the vehicle operator to drive the vehicle in a desired manner at a desired location.

[0006] The automatic driving device according to the present invention includes a control device that automatically generates a route from a starting point to a destination as a target route and executes automatic driving control to automatically drive the host vehicle along the target route to the destination. The automatic driving control is configured to, when an operator of the host vehicle sets a specific point, which is a point at which the operator wants the host vehicle to perform a specific drive along the target route, and the specific drive, cause the host vehicle to perform the specific drive at the specific point while the host vehicle is being driven by the automatic driving control. Autonomous driving device.

[0007] According to the automatic driving device of the present invention, the vehicle can be driven by automatic driving control while performing a specific driving at a specific location. That is, the vehicle can be driven by automatic driving while performing a desired driving at a location desired by the operator of the vehicle.

[0008] In the automatic driving device according to the present invention, the specific point is, for example, a deceleration point where the operator wishes to decelerate the host vehicle, a lane change point where the operator wishes to change lanes of the host vehicle, or a stop point where the operator wishes to deviate the host vehicle from the target route and temporarily stop the vehicle. If the specific point is the deceleration point, the specific travel is the deceleration of the host vehicle, if the specific point is the lane change point, the specific travel is the lane change of the host vehicle, and if the specific point is the stop point, the specific travel is the entry and stop of the host vehicle at the stop point.

[0009] According to the automatic driving device of the present invention, when the vehicle is traveling under automatic driving control, the vehicle can be automatically decelerated at a deceleration point where the operator wishes to decelerate the vehicle, the vehicle can be made to change lanes at a lane change point where the operator wishes to change lanes of the vehicle, and the vehicle can be made to enter and stop at a stop point where the operator wishes to deviate from the target route and temporarily stop the vehicle.

[0010] Furthermore, in the automatic driving device of the present invention, the control device may be configured to, when the specific location is set by the operator, if an executable condition is not met that allows the vehicle to perform the specific driving set corresponding to the specific location at the set specific location, while the vehicle is being driven by the automatic driving control, not to cause the vehicle to perform the specific driving set corresponding to the specific location at the set specific location. Autonomous driving device.

[0011] According to the automatic driving device of the present invention, if it is not possible to have the vehicle perform a specific driving operation at a specific location, the vehicle will not be performed to perform the specific driving operation at that specific location, thereby enabling the vehicle to be driven automatically more appropriately.

[0012] Furthermore, in the automatic driving device of the present invention, the control device can be configured to notify the operator that, if the enabling condition is not met, the vehicle cannot perform the specific driving set corresponding to the set specific location at the set specific location.

[0013] According to the automatic driving device of the present invention, it is possible to make the operator aware that the vehicle cannot perform a specific driving operation at a specific point set by the operator.

[0014] The components of the present invention are not limited to the embodiments of the present invention described below with reference to the drawings. Other objects, other features and associated advantages of the present invention will be easily understood from the description of the embodiments of the present invention. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an automatic driving device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a target route. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a routine executed by the automatic driving device according to the embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0016] Hereinafter, an automatic driving device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 shows an automatic driving device 10. The automatic driving device 10 is mounted on a host vehicle 100. Hereinafter, the automatic driving device 10 will be described using as an example a case in which the operator of the host vehicle 100 is a person who gets in the host vehicle 100 and drives the host vehicle 100 (i.e., the driver of the host vehicle 100).

[0017] However, the operator of the vehicle 100 may be a person who drives the vehicle 100 remotely without being in the vehicle 100 (i.e., a remote operator of the vehicle 100). When the operator of the vehicle 100 is a remote operator, the automatic driving device 10 is mounted on the vehicle 100 and on a remote operation facility installed outside the vehicle 100 in order to remotely drive the vehicle 100, and the functions of the automatic driving device 10 described below are shared between the automatic driving device 10 mounted on the vehicle 100 and the automatic driving device 10 mounted on the remote operation facility.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 1, the automatic driving device 10 includes an ECU (electronic control unit) 90 as a control device. The ECU 90 includes a microcomputer as a main part. The microcomputer includes a CPU, a storage medium such as a ROM, a RAM, and a non-volatile memory, and an interface. The CPU executes instructions, programs, or routines stored in the storage medium to realize various functions. In particular, in this example, the automatic driving device 10 stores in the storage medium a program that realizes various controls executed by the automatic driving device 10.

[0019] In this example, the automatic driving device 10 has only one ECU 90, but it may also be configured to have multiple ECUs and to share the functions of the automatic driving device 10 described below among each ECU.

[0020] Furthermore, the automatic driving device 10 may be configured so that the program stored in the storage medium can be updated via wireless communication with an external device (for example, Internet communication).

[0021] <Running gear> The host vehicle 100 is also equipped with a traveling device 20. The traveling device 20 includes a drive device 21, a braking device 22, and a steering device 23.

[0022] The drive device 21 is a device that outputs a drive torque (drive force) applied to the host vehicle 100 to make the host vehicle 100 travel, and is, for example, an internal combustion engine, a motor, etc. The drive device 21 is electrically connected to the ECU 90. The automatic driving device 10 can control the drive torque output from the drive device 21 by controlling the operation of the drive device 21.

[0023] The braking device 22 is a device that outputs a braking torque (braking force) that is applied to the host vehicle 100 in order to brake the host vehicle 100, and is, for example, a hydraulic brake device. The braking device 22 is electrically connected to the ECU 90. The automatic driving device 10 can control the braking torque output from the braking device 22 by controlling the operation of the braking device 22.

[0024] The steering device 23 is a device that outputs a steering torque (steering force) applied to the host vehicle 100 in order to steer the host vehicle 100, and is, for example, a power steering device. The steering device 23 is electrically connected to the ECU 90. The automatic driving device 10 can control the steering torque output from the steering device 23 by controlling the operation of the steering device 23.

[0025] When executing the automatic driving control described below, the automatic driving device 10 is configured to automatically or autonomously drive the host vehicle 100 by automatically or autonomously controlling the operation of the driving device 20.

[0026] <Sensors, etc.> Furthermore, the vehicle 100 is equipped with a notification device 30, an operation device 40, a surrounding information detection device 50, and a position information detection device 60.

[0027] The notification device 30 is a device for providing various notifications to the driver, and includes a display device 31 and an audio device 32.

[0028] The display device 31 is a device that displays various images, and includes a display 311. The display device 31 is electrically connected to the ECU 90. The automatic driving device 10 can cause the display device 31 to display various images on the display 311.

[0029] Moreover, the audio device 32 is a device that outputs various sounds, and includes a speaker 321. The audio device 32 is electrically connected to the ECU 90. The autonomous driving device 10 can cause the audio device 32 to output various sounds from the speaker 321.

[0030] The operation device 40 is a device that allows the driver to perform various operations to drive the vehicle 100 using the automatic driving described below. In this example, the display 311 of the display device 31 is configured as a so-called touch panel that can sense when the driver touches it with his / her finger, and the operation device 40 is realized by the display device 31 displaying various images on the display 311.

[0031] The surrounding information detection device 50 is a device that detects information about the surroundings of the vehicle 100, and in this example, includes an electromagnetic wave sensor 51 and an image sensor 52.

[0032] The electromagnetic wave sensor 51 is, for example, a radar sensor (such as a millimeter wave radar), a sound wave sensor such as an ultrasonic sensor (clearance sonar), or an optical sensor such as a laser radar (LiDAR), and is electrically connected to the ECU 90. The autonomous driving device 10 acquires information related to objects present around the host vehicle 100 by the electromagnetic wave sensor 51 as surrounding detection information IS.

[0033] The image sensor 52 is, for example, a camera, and is electrically connected to the ECU 90. The automatic driving device 10 acquires image information related to the periphery of the host vehicle 100 by the image sensor 52 as periphery detection information IS.

[0034] When the automatic driving device 10 drives the vehicle 100 using the automatic driving control described below, the automatic driving device 10 automatically or autonomously controls the operation of the driving device 20 using the surrounding detection information IS so that the vehicle 100 drives along the target route Rtgt.

[0035] The position information detection device 60 includes a GPS device 61 and a map information database 62 .

[0036] The GPS device 61 is a device that receives so-called GPS signals, and is electrically connected to the ECU 90. The automatic driving device 10 can acquire the GPS signals via the GPS device 61 and identify (acquire) the position of the host vehicle 100 based on the acquired GPS signals.

[0037] The map information database 62 is a database that stores map information, and is electrically connected to the ECU 90. The automatic driving device 10 can know where the host vehicle 100 is located on the map indicated by the map information, based on the position of the host vehicle 100 identified from the GPS signal and the map information.

[0038] <Automatic driving device operation> Next, the operation of the automatic driving device 10 will be described.

[0039] As shown in FIG. 2, the automatic driving device 10 is configured to automatically generate a route from a starting point Ps to a destination Pd as a target route Rtgt, and to execute automatic driving control to automatically drive the vehicle 100 along the target route Rtgt to the destination Pd.

[0040] In this example, the automatic driving control is configured such that, when the driver of the vehicle 100 sets a location (specific point Pp) where the vehicle 100 traveling along the target route Rtgt is desired to perform a specific drive (specific drive) and the specific drive, the automatic driving control causes the vehicle 100 to perform the specific drive at the specific point Pp while the vehicle 100 is being driven by the automatic driving control.

[0041] The points set as the specific points Pp are, for example, a point where the driver desires to decelerate the vehicle 100 (deceleration point P1), a point where the driver desires to change lanes of the vehicle 100 (lane change point P2), and a point where the driver desires to deviate from the target route Rtgt and temporarily stop the vehicle 100 (stop point P3). The deceleration point P1 is, for example, a point just before a place where the vehicle 100 turns right or left or just before a point with a stop line. The stop point P3 is, for example, a store such as a convenience store or a parking lot.

[0042] Therefore, if the specific point Pp is a deceleration point P1, the specific driving is a deceleration of the vehicle 100; if the specific point Pp is a lane change point P2, the specific driving is a lane change of the vehicle 100; and if the specific point Pp is a stop-off point P3, the specific driving is the entry of the vehicle 100 into the stop-off point P3 and stopping at the stop-off point P3.

[0043] The automatic driving device 10 executes the routine shown in Fig. 3 at a predetermined calculation interval to determine a target route Rtgt used for automatic driving control by reflecting the specific point Pp and the specific driving. Therefore, at a predetermined timing, the automatic driving device 10 starts processing from step S300, and proceeds to step S305 to determine whether the set request condition C1 is satisfied.

[0044] The setting request condition C1 is a condition that the setting of a destination Pd, etc. used for automatic driving control (automatic driving setting) is requested. The driver can request automatic driving setting from the automatic driving device 10 by touching the setting request image displayed on the display 311 with his / her finger. When automatic driving setting is requested, the automatic driving device 10 displays a map image on the display 311 as shown in FIG. 2. The map image displayed at this time is a map image showing a map of the surroundings of the vehicle 100. The automatic driving device 10 acquires map information of the surroundings of the vehicle 100 from the map information database 62 based on the current position of the vehicle 100 identified by the GPS device 61, and displays a map image of the surroundings of the vehicle 100 on the display 311 based on the map information.

[0045] In the following description, the term "map image" refers to the map image displayed on the display 311 unless otherwise specified.

[0046] If the automatic driving device 10 judges "Yes" in step S305, the process proceeds to step S310, where it judges whether or not the driver has performed an operation to set the starting point Ps and the destination Pd (an operation to set the destination Pd, etc.). The starting point Ps is a point at which the vehicle 100 starts traveling under automatic driving control, and the destination Pd is a point at which the vehicle 100 is to arrive under automatic driving control. The driver can specify the starting point Ps and the destination Pd by touching with his / her finger the points on the map image that correspond to the points that the driver wishes to set as the starting point Ps and the points that the driver wishes to set as the destination Pd. Next, the driver can set the specified starting point Ps and destination Pd as the starting point Ps and the destination Pd to be used in determining the target route Rtgt, respectively, by touching with his / her finger the approval image displayed on the display 311.

[0047] If the automatic driving device 10 judges "Yes" in step S310, the process proceeds to step S315, and determines the route along which the vehicle 100 will travel by automatic driving from the departure point Ps to the destination Pd as the target route Rtgt.

[0048] Next, the automatic driving device 10 proceeds to step S320, and displays the determined target route Rtgt superimposed on a map image, as shown in FIG.

[0049] Next, the automatic driving device 10 advances the process to step S325, and determines whether or not an operation for setting the specific point Pp and a specific travel (an operation for setting the specific point Pp, etc.) has been performed.

[0050] As described above, the points set as the specific point Pp are, for example, the deceleration point P1, the lane change point P2, and the stop-off point P3. The driver can specify the specific point Pp by touching with his / her finger a portion of the map image corresponding to the point that the driver wishes to set as the specific point Pp. Furthermore, the driver can specify a specific run that the driver wishes the vehicle 100 to perform at the specific point Pp by touching with his / her finger a plurality of specific run selection images displayed on the display 311. Next, the driver can set the specified specific point Pp and specific run as the specific point Pp and specific run that should be reflected in the target route Rtgt by touching with his / her finger an approval image displayed on the display 311.

[0051] If the automatic driving device 10 judges "Yes" in step S325, the process proceeds to step S330, where it determines whether the enabling condition C2 is satisfied.

[0052] The executable condition C2 is satisfied when the vehicle 100 can perform the specific driving set for the specific point Pp set by the driver at the specific point Pp. The following are examples of cases in which the vehicle 100 cannot perform the specific driving set for the specific point Pp at the specific point Pp.

[0053] (1) When the specific point Pp is a deceleration point P1, deceleration of the vehicle 100 at the specific point Pp is prohibited by road traffic regulations.

[0054] (2) When the specific point Pp is a lane change point P2, changing lanes of the vehicle 100 at the specific point Pp is prohibited by road traffic regulations.

[0055] (3) When the specific point Pp is a lane change point P2, there is only one lane at the specific point Pp in which the host vehicle 100 can travel.

[0056] (4) When the specific point Pp is a stopover point P3, the road structure makes it impossible for the vehicle 100 to enter the specific point Pp. For example, the stopover point P3 is located beyond the oncoming lane, but a structure such as a median strip exists between the oncoming lane and the lane in which the vehicle 100 is traveling, making it impossible for the vehicle 100 to enter the specific point Pp.

[0057] (5) When it is determined that it is impossible or difficult to have the vehicle 100 perform a specific driving operation at the specific point Pp due to the control accuracy of the automatic driving control.

[0058] If the automatic driving device 10 judges "Yes" in step S330, the process proceeds to step S335, where it determines a target route Rtgt that reflects the specific point Pp and the specific driving.

[0059] Next, the automatic driving device 10 proceeds to step S340, displays the target route Rtgt determined by reflecting the specific point Pp and the specific driving on the map image, and displays the details of the specific driving set for the specific point Pp in the part of the map image corresponding to the specific point Pp.

[0060] Then, the automatic driving device 10 advances the process to step S395, and temporarily ends the processing of this routine.

[0061] On the other hand, if the automatic driving device 10 determines "No" in step S330, the process proceeds to step S345, and an impossibility notification is issued. In this case, the specific point Pp and the specific travel are not reflected in the target route Rtgt.

[0062] The impossibility notification is a process of notifying the driver that the vehicle 100 cannot perform the specific driving set for the specific point Pp at the specific point Pp. In this example, the impossibility notification is implemented by either or both of displaying on the display 311 an image indicating that the vehicle 100 cannot perform the specific driving set for the specific point Pp at the specific point Pp and outputting from the speaker 321 a sound indicating that the vehicle 100 cannot perform the specific driving set for the specific point Pp at the specific point Pp.

[0063] Then, the automatic driving device 10 advances the process to step S395, and temporarily ends the processing of this routine.

[0064] Moreover, if the automatic driving device 10 determines "No" in step S310, the process proceeds to step S350, where it determines whether or not the setting end condition C3 is satisfied.

[0065] The setting end condition C3 is met when it is determined that the driver has finished setting the specific point Pp and the specific driving. The automatic driving device 10 displays on the display 311 an image (setting end image) that the driver can touch with his / her finger to finish setting the specific point Pp and the specific driving. When the driver touches the setting end image with his / her finger, the automatic driving device 10 determines that the driver has finished setting the specific point Pp and the specific driving.

[0066] If the automatic driving device 10 judges "Yes" in step S350, the automatic driving device 10 advances the process to step S355 and stores the target route Rtgt determined at that time as the final target route Rtgt to be used for automatic driving control. Then, the automatic driving device 10 advances the process to step S395 and temporarily ends the process of this routine.

[0067] As a result, when the automatic driving device 10 drives the host vehicle 100 under automatic driving control, the automatic driving device 10 drives the host vehicle 100 along the stored target route Rtgt. Then, when the host vehicle 100 reaches a specific point Pp while the automatic driving device 10 is driving the host vehicle 100 under automatic driving control, the automatic driving device 10 drives the host vehicle 100 so that the host vehicle 100 performs the specific driving set corresponding to the specific point Pp.

[0068] Moreover, if the automatic driving device 10 judges "No" in step S305, step S325, or step S350, the process proceeds directly to step S395 and temporarily ends the processing of this routine.

[0069] The above is the operation of the automatic driving device 10. According to the automatic driving device 10, the vehicle 100 can be driven by automatic driving control while performing a specific driving at a specific point Pp. That is, the vehicle 100 can be driven by automatic driving while performing a desired driving at a point desired by the driver of the vehicle 100.

[0070] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the present invention.

[0071] For example, the automatic driving device 10 may be configured to display, in a map image, roads on which the vehicle 100 can be driven by automatic driving control, taking into account control accuracy, when the set requirement condition C1 is satisfied, and to determine the target route Rtgt by having the driver select the road he or she desires from among those roads.

[0072] The automatic driving device 10 may also be configured to execute automatic driving control using a target route Rtgt determined by an application downloaded to a mobile phone such as a smartphone. In this case, the driver can determine the target route Rtgt using the application on the mobile phone and drive the vehicle 100 by automatic driving control using the target route Rtgt.

[0073] Furthermore, the automatic driving device 10 may be configured to, when the vehicle 100 is driven by automatic driving control and approaches a specific point Pp, have the driver select whether or not to perform a specific driving operation set for the specific point Pp. In this case, the automatic driving device 10 displays an approval image on the display 311, and when the driver touches the approval image with his / her finger, determines that the driver has approved (selected) to perform the specific driving operation, and causes the vehicle 100 to perform the specific driving operation.

[0074] Alternatively, the automatic driving device 10 may be configured such that, when the vehicle 100 is being driven under automatic driving control and the vehicle 100 approaches a specific point Pp, the driver is notified via the notification device 30 that a specific driving operation set corresponding to the specific point Pp will be performed, and the automatic driving device 100 then causes the vehicle 100 to perform the specific driving operation. [Explanation of symbols]

[0075] 10...automatic driving device, 20...running device, 21...driving device, 22...braking device, 23...steering device, 30...notification device, 31...display device, 311...display, 32...sound device, 321...speaker, 40...operation device, 50...surrounding information detection device, 51...electromagnetic wave sensor, 52...image sensor, 60...position information detection device, 61...GPS device, 62...map information database, 90...ECU, 100...own vehicle

Claims

1. An automatic driving device including a control device that automatically generates a route from a departure point to a destination as a target route and executes automatic driving control to automatically drive a vehicle along the target route to the destination, The automatic travel control is configured to, when an operator of the vehicle sets a specific point, which is a point at which the operator wants the vehicle traveling along the target route to perform a specific travel, and the specific travel, cause the vehicle to perform the specific travel at the specific point while the vehicle is traveling under the automatic travel control. Autonomous driving device.

2. The automatic driving device according to claim 1, the specific point is a deceleration point where the operator desires to decelerate the host vehicle, a lane change point where the operator desires to change lanes of the host vehicle, or a stop point where the operator desires to deviate from the target route and temporarily stop the host vehicle, When the specific point is the deceleration point, the specific travel is a deceleration of the host vehicle, When the specific point is the lane change point, the specific travel is a lane change of the host vehicle, When the specific point is the stop point, the specific travel is the entry and stop of the vehicle at the stop point. Autonomous driving device.

3. The automatic driving device according to claim 1 or 2, The control device is configured to, when the specific location is set by the operator, if an enabling condition for the vehicle to perform the specific driving set corresponding to the specific location at the set specific location is not satisfied, not to cause the vehicle to perform the specific driving set corresponding to the specific location at the set specific location while the vehicle is being driven by the automatic driving control. Autonomous driving device.

4. The automatic driving device according to claim 3, The control device is configured to notify the operator that the vehicle cannot perform the specific traveling set corresponding to the specific location at the set specific location when the enabling condition is not satisfied. Autonomous driving device.

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