Information management device, information management method, and program

Abstract

To provide an information management device capable of providing more appropriate driving support function to a user, an information management method, and a program.SOLUTION: An information management device comprises: a communication section for communicating with a vehicle that a user utilizes, and a terminal device of the user; a determination section for determining at least one of driving characteristics of the user and a travel situation of the vehicle based on travel information of the vehicle which is acquired from the vehicle; and a provision section by which information relating to a driving support function of the vehicle corresponding to a determination result of the determination section is provided to the user.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an information management device, an information management method, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, efforts to provide access to sustainable transportation systems that take into consideration vulnerable traffic participants have been gaining momentum. To achieve this, efforts are being made to further improve traffic safety and convenience through research and development of driving assistance technologies. In relation to this, a technology has been disclosed in recent years that transmits ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance System) data, position data, driving data, and driving video related to the driving situation to a service providing server when a driving situation in which an accident occurs is detected while a vehicle is traveling (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-093162 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in the field of driving assistance technology, there has been no consideration given to proposing new driving assistance functions to be used by the vehicle based on information on the vehicle while it is moving. Therefore, there has been a problem in that appropriate driving assistance functions may not be provided to users.

[0005] In order to solve the above problems, an object of the present application is to provide an information management device, an information management method, and a program that can provide users with more appropriate driving support functions, thereby contributing to the development of a sustainable transportation system. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] An information management device, an information management method, and a program according to the present invention employ the following configuration. (1): An information management device according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a communication unit that communicates with a vehicle used by a user and a terminal device of the user, a determination unit that determines at least one of the driving characteristics of the user and the driving conditions of the vehicle based on driving information of the vehicle obtained from the vehicle, and a provision unit that provides the user with information related to a driving assistance function of the vehicle that is associated with a determination result of the determination unit.

[0007] (2): In the above aspect (1), the communication unit receives information regarding driving assistance functions that are available to the vehicle, and the provision unit provides the user with driving assistance functions that are not available to the vehicle based on the information received by the communication unit.

[0008] (3): In the above aspect (1) or (2), the provision unit provides the user with a driving assistance function that suppresses lane departure when the determination unit determines that the user has driving characteristics that tend to cause lane departure.

[0009] (4): In the above aspect (1) or (2), the providing unit provides the user with a driving assistance function related to braking control of the vehicle when the determining unit determines that the user has driving characteristics that pose a problem with braking operation.

[0010] (5): In the above aspect (1) or (2), the provision unit provides the user with a driving assistance function related to constant speed driving when the determination unit determines that the vehicle has driving characteristics that pose a problem in maintaining the vehicle speed.

[0011] (6): In the above aspect (1) or (2), the provision unit provides the user with a driving assistance function related to accelerator control of the vehicle when the determination unit determines that the vehicle has driving characteristics that pose a problem when starting the vehicle.

[0012] (7): In the above aspect (1) or (2), the provision unit provides the user with a traffic jam driving assistance function when the determination unit determines that the driving situation is such that the vehicle is likely to encounter traffic jams.

[0013] (8): In the above aspect (1) or (2), the providing unit provides the user with a driving assistance function related to light control of the vehicle when the determining unit determines that the driving situation is such that there is a high possibility of operating the headlights of the vehicle.

[0014] (9): In the above aspect (1) or (2), the provision unit provides the user with a parking assistance function of the vehicle when the determination unit determines that the user has driving characteristics that pose a problem in parking operations.

[0015] (10): In the above aspect (1) or (2), when the determination unit determines that the vehicle 100 has driving characteristics that are prone to swaying, the provision unit provides the user with a driving assistance function that does not require steering operation by the user.

[0016] (11): In the above aspect (1) or (2), the providing unit provides the user with a driving assistance function related to checking sign recognition when the determining unit determines that the user has driving characteristics that pose a problem in checking road signs.

[0017] (12): In the above aspect (1) or (2), the providing unit provides introductory information of driving assistance functions corresponding to the driving characteristics to the vehicle or the terminal device, and when an instruction is received from the user to make a specific driving assistance function available from among the provided driving assistance functions, the providing unit enables the vehicle to execute the specific driving assistance function for which the instruction was received from the user.

[0018] (13): In the aspect of (1) or (2) above, the providing unit enables the vehicle to execute a driving assistance function associated with the driving characteristic.

[0019] (14): An information management method according to one embodiment of the present invention is an information management method in which a computer communicates with a vehicle used by a user and a terminal device of the user, determines at least one of the driving characteristics of the user and the driving conditions of the vehicle based on driving information of the vehicle obtained from the vehicle, and provides the user with information related to a driving assistance function of the vehicle that is associated with the determined result.

[0020] (15): A program according to one embodiment of the present invention is a program that causes a computer to communicate with a vehicle used by a user and a terminal device of the user, determine at least one of the driving characteristics of the user and the driving conditions of the vehicle based on driving information of the vehicle obtained from the vehicle, and provide the user with information regarding the driving assistance function of the vehicle that corresponds to the determined result. Effect of the Invention

[0021] According to the above aspects (1) to (15), a more appropriate driving assistance function can be provided to the user. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0022] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of an information management system 1 including an information management device according to an embodiment. [Diagram 2]2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of a system installed in a vehicle 100. FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a functional configuration of a terminal device 200. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a functional configuration of an information management device 300. [Diagram 5] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of the contents of a user information DB 362. [Figure 6] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of the contents of a driving support function DB 364. [Figure 7] 1 is a diagram showing an example of an image IM10 provided to a user U. FIG. [Figure 8] 13 is a diagram showing an example of an image IM20 including introductory information about a driving assistance function. FIG. [Figure 9] 11 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process executed by the information management device 300 in the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0023] Hereinafter, an embodiment of an information management apparatus, an information management method, and a program according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0024] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an information management system 1 including an information management device of an embodiment. The information management system 1 includes, for example, a vehicle 100, a terminal device 200 of a user U who uses the vehicle 100, and an information management device 300. The vehicle 100, the terminal device 200, and the information management device 300 communicate with each other, for example, via a network NW. The network NW includes, for example, a cellular network, a Wi-Fi network, Bluetooth (registered trademark), the Internet, a Wide Area Network (WAN), a Local Area Network (LAN), a public line, a provider device, a dedicated line, a wireless base station, and the like. The vehicle 100 may also directly communicate with the terminal device 200 via a short-range communication network such as a Wi-Fi network or Bluetooth. In the information management system 1, the information management device 300 may also manage a plurality of vehicles 100 and terminal devices 200, which are associated with at least one user U.

[0025] The vehicle 100 is, for example, a two-wheeled, three-wheeled, four-wheeled, or other vehicle, and its drive source is an internal combustion engine such as a diesel engine or a gasoline engine, an electric motor, or a combination of these. The electric motor operates using power generated by a generator connected to the internal combustion engine, or discharge power of a secondary battery or a fuel cell. The vehicle 100 is also capable of automatic driving. Automatic driving means, for example, automatically controlling one or both of the steering and acceleration / deceleration of the vehicle 100 to execute driving control. The driving control of the vehicle 100 may include control based on various driving assistance functions such as, for example, adaptive cruise control (ACC), lane keeping assistance system (LKAS), lane change assist (LCA), forward collision warning (FCW), and collision mitigation braking system (CMBS). The vehicle 100 may also be manually driven by an occupant (driver) to control a part or all of the steering or acceleration / deceleration of the vehicle 100.

[0026] Furthermore, the vehicle 100 is equipped with devices such as sensors required to execute the driving assistance functions in advance, and the driving assistance functions using the devices become available by installing programs (software) corresponding to each driving assistance function in the vehicle 100. The vehicle 100 travels by manual driving by the user U or automatic driving by a driving assistance function that is registered (installed) in advance in the vehicle 100 and is available. The vehicle 100 acquires information (travel information) related to the traveling of the vehicle 100, and transmits the acquired travel information to the information management device 300. The travel information includes FCD (Floating Car Data). Specifically, the travel information includes, for example, information related to the driving operation of the vehicle 100 by the user U and information related to the operation (execution) status of the driving assistance function. The information related to the driving operation may include, for example, not only behavior information such as the speed, acceleration, yaw rate, steering angle, and position information of the vehicle 100, but also the amount of operation of the driving operator, the operation of the headlights, the operation of the wipers, and other operation contents of the in-vehicle devices. The travel information may also include information related to the traveling status, such as the time of day (night) when the vehicle is traveling, and the presence or absence of traffic congestion. The driving information may include a recognition result by a recognition unit of the vehicle 100. The vehicle 100 also downloads data for executing a driving assistance function provided by the information management device 300, and executes the driving assistance function based on the downloaded data.

[0027] The terminal device 200 is, for example, a smartphone or a tablet terminal. The terminal device 200 may also be connected to the vehicle 100 and function as an in-vehicle device. The terminal device 200 acquires information on driving assistance functions proposed based on driving information of the vehicle 100 from the information management device 300 and provides the information to the user U. The terminal device 200 also transmits information input by the user U to the information management device 300.

[0028] The information management device 300 may be, for example, a server device or a PC (Personal Computer), or may be a cloud server configured by cloud computing consisting of one or more information processing devices. The information management device 300 manages driving support functions that can be used by the vehicle 100. For example, the information management device 300 acquires driving support functions that are already available from the vehicle 100, acquires driving information of the vehicle 100, extracts driving support functions to be introduced (recommended) to the user U based on the acquired driving information, and provides the extracted driving support functions to the user U. In addition, when the information management device 300 is requested by the user U via the terminal device 200 to make a new driving support function available, the information management device 300 provides the instructed driving support function to the vehicle 100, and makes the vehicle 100 executable. Hereinafter, the functions of the vehicle 100, the terminal device 200, and the information management device 300 will be specifically described.

[0029] [vehicle] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a functional configuration of a system mounted on a vehicle 100. The system mounted on the vehicle 100 includes, for example, a camera 10, a radar device 12, a LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) 14, an object recognition device 16, a communication device 20, an HMI (Human Machine Interface) 30, a vehicle sensor 40, a navigation device 50, an MPU (Map Positioning Unit) 60, a driving operator 80, a driving force output device 92, a brake device 94, a steering device 96, and a driving support device 120. These devices and equipment are connected to each other by multiple communication lines such as a CAN (Controller Area Network) communication line, a serial communication line, a wireless communication network, or the like. The configuration shown in FIG. 2 is merely an example, and some of the configuration may be omitted, or other configuration may be added.

[0030] The camera 10 is, for example, a digital camera using a solid-state imaging element such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor). The camera 10 is attached to any location of the vehicle 100. When capturing an image of the front, the camera 10 is attached to the top of the front windshield, the back of the rearview mirror, or the like. The camera 10, for example, periodically and repeatedly captures images of the periphery of the vehicle 100. The camera 10 may be a stereo camera.

[0031] The radar device 12 emits radio waves such as millimeter waves around the vehicle 100 and detects radio waves reflected by an object (reflected waves) to detect at least the position (distance and direction) of the object. The radar device 12 is attached to an arbitrary location of the vehicle 100. The radar device 12 may detect the position and speed of an object by an FM-CW (Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave) method.

[0032] The LIDAR 14 irradiates light (or electromagnetic waves with a wavelength close to that of light) around the vehicle 100 and measures the scattered light. The LIDAR 14 detects the distance to the target based on the time between light emission and light reception. The irradiated light is, for example, a pulsed laser light. The LIDAR 14 is attached to any location of the vehicle 100.

[0033] The object recognition device 16 performs sensor fusion processing on some or all of the detection results from the camera 10, the radar device 12, and the LIDAR 14 to recognize the position, type, speed, etc. of the object. The object recognition device 16 outputs the recognition result to the driving assistance device 120. The object recognition device 16 may output the detection results from the camera 10, the radar device 12, and the LIDAR 14 directly to the driving assistance device 120. The object recognition device 16 may be omitted from the vehicle 100.

[0034] The communication device 20 includes, for example, a TCU (Telematics Control Unit). The communication device 20 communicates with the information management device 300 and other vehicles present around the vehicle 100, or with various other server devices, using a network NW such as a cellular network, a Wi-Fi network, Bluetooth, or a DSRC (Dedicated Short Range Communication). The communication device 20 may also perform wireless communication with a terminal device 200 of a user U riding in the vehicle 100 through a short-range communication network such as a Wi-Fi network or Bluetooth, or may perform wired communication with the terminal device 200 by being connected to a communication cable or the like.

[0035] The HMI 30 presents various information to a user U who boards the vehicle 100 and accepts input operations by the user U. The HMI 30 includes, for example, various display devices (display units), a speaker, a buzzer, a touch panel, a microphone, keys, and the like. The display device is, for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD) or an organic electroluminescence (EL) display. The display device is, for example, a display device provided in the center of an instrument panel of the vehicle 100 or in front of the driver's seat, which displays various information on the vehicle 100, such as a speedometer (speedometer) indicating the traveling speed of the vehicle 100 or a tachometer (tachometer) indicating the number of revolutions (rotation speed) of an internal combustion engine provided in the vehicle 100, that is, a so-called multi-information display. The HMI 30 may also include a switch that accepts an instruction to turn on and off the headlights and an instruction to operate or stop the wipers.

[0036] The vehicle sensor 40 includes a vehicle speed sensor that detects the speed of the vehicle 100, an acceleration sensor that detects the acceleration, a yaw rate sensor that detects the angular velocity around a vertical axis, a steering angle sensor that detects the steering angle, and the like. The vehicle sensor 40 may also include a position sensor that acquires the position of the vehicle 100. The position sensor is, for example, a sensor that acquires position information (longitude and latitude information) from a GPS (Global Positioning System) device. The position sensor may also be a sensor that acquires position information using a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiver 51 of the navigation device 50. Information detected by the vehicle sensor 40 is output to the driving assistance device 120.

[0037] The navigation device 50 includes, for example, a GNSS receiver 51, a navigation HMI 52, and a route determination unit 53. The navigation device 50 holds first map information 54 in a storage device such as a hard disk drive (HDD) or a flash memory. The GNSS receiver 51 identifies the position of the vehicle 100 based on a signal received from a GNSS satellite. The position of the vehicle 100 may be identified or supplemented by an inertial navigation system (INS) using the output of the vehicle sensor 40. The navigation HMI 52 includes a display device, a speaker, a touch panel, keys, and the like. The navigation HMI 52 may be partially or entirely shared with the above-mentioned HMI 30. The route determination unit 53, for example, determines a route (hereinafter, a route on a map) from the position of the vehicle 100 identified by the GNSS receiver 51 (or an arbitrary position input) to a destination input by the user U using the navigation HMI 52, with reference to the first map information 54. The first map information 54 is, for example, information in which road shapes are expressed by links indicating roads and nodes connected by the links. The first map information 54 may include road curvature and POI (Point Of Interest) information. The route on the map is output to the MPU 60. The navigation device 50 may perform route guidance using the navigation HMI 52 based on the route on the map. The navigation device 50 may be realized by, for example, a function of the terminal device 200 of the user U. The navigation device 50 may transmit a current position and a destination to a navigation server via the communication device 20, and obtain a route equivalent to the route on the map from the navigation server.

[0038] The MPU 60 includes, for example, a recommended lane determination unit 61, and stores second map information 62 in a storage device such as an HDD or a flash memory. The recommended lane determination unit 61 divides the route on the map provided by the navigation device 50 into a plurality of blocks (for example, by dividing it into 100 [m] blocks in the vehicle travel direction), and determines a recommended lane for each block by referring to the second map information 62. The recommended lane determination unit 61 determines which lane from the left the vehicle should travel in. When a branch point is present on the route on the map, the recommended lane determination unit 61 determines a recommended lane so that the vehicle 100 can travel a reasonable route to proceed to the branch point. The second map information 62 is map information with higher accuracy than the first map information 54. The second map information 62 includes, for example, information on the center of lanes, information on lane boundaries, and the like. The second map information 62 may include road information, traffic regulation information (road signs), address information (address and postal code), facility information, telephone number information, and the like. The second map information 62 may be updated at any time by the communication device 20 communicating with other devices.

[0039] The driving operators 80 include, for example, a steering wheel, an accelerator pedal, a brake pedal, a shift lever, a turn signal switch, and other operators. The driving operators 80 are fitted with sensors that detect the amount of operation or the presence or absence of operation, and the detection results are output to the driving support device 120, or some or all of the driving force output device 92, the brake device 94, and the steering device 96.

[0040] The driving force output device 92 outputs a driving force (torque) for the vehicle to travel to the driving wheels. The driving force output device 92 includes, for example, a combination of an internal combustion engine, an electric motor, a transmission, etc., and an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) that controls these. The ECU controls the above components according to information input from the driving assistance device 120 or information input from the driving operator 80.

[0041] The brake device 94 includes, for example, a brake caliper, a cylinder that transmits hydraulic pressure to the brake caliper, an electric motor that generates hydraulic pressure in the cylinder, and a brake ECU. The brake ECU controls the electric motor according to information input from the driving support device 120 or information input from the driving operation element 80, so that a brake torque corresponding to a braking operation is output to each wheel. The brake device 94 may include a backup mechanism that transmits hydraulic pressure generated by operation of a brake pedal included in the driving operation element 80 to the cylinder via a master cylinder. Note that the brake device 94 is not limited to the configuration described above, and may be an electronically controlled hydraulic brake device that controls an actuator according to information input from the driving support device 120 to transmit hydraulic pressure in the master cylinder to the cylinder.

[0042] The steering device 96 includes, for example, a steering ECU and an electric motor. The electric motor changes the direction of the steered wheels by applying a force to, for example, a rack-and-pinion mechanism. The steering ECU drives the electric motor to change the direction of the steered wheels in accordance with information input from the driving support device 120 or information input from the driving operator 80. The steering device 96 may also apply a torque reaction force under the control of the driving support device 120 to rotate the steering wheel in a predetermined direction (or not to rotate in a predetermined direction) in response to the driving operation of the occupant.

[0043] The driving support device 120 includes, for example, a recognition unit 122, a driving control unit 124, a driving information acquisition unit 126, an update unit 128, an HMI control unit 130, and a storage unit 140. Some or all of the recognition unit 122, the driving control unit 124, the driving information acquisition unit 126, the update unit 128, and the HMI control unit 130 are realized by, for example, a hardware processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) executing a program (software). Some or all of these components may be realized by hardware (including circuitry) such as an LSI (Large Scale Integration), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), or a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), or may be realized by cooperation between software and hardware. The program may be stored in advance in a storage device (a storage device having a non-transient storage medium) such as the HDD or flash memory of the driving assistance device 120, or may be stored in a removable storage medium such as a DVD or CD-ROM, and installed in the HDD or flash memory of the driving assistance device 120 by inserting the storage medium (non-transient storage medium) into a drive device.

[0044] The storage unit 140 is realized by, for example, a HDD, a flash memory, an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory), a ROM (Read Only Memory), or a RAM (Random Access Memory). For example, driving support function data 142, driving history data 144, programs, and various other information are stored in the storage unit 140. The driving support function data 142 is software (programs) for causing the driving control unit 124 to execute various driving support functions such as ACC and LKAS. These software are installed in the vehicle 100, and when a predetermined execution condition is satisfied under the control of the driving control unit 124, the target driving support function is executed (operated). In addition, the driving history data 144 is history information of driving information of the vehicle 100 acquired by the driving information acquisition unit 126.

[0045] The recognition unit 122 recognizes the surrounding situation of the vehicle 100 based on information input from the camera 10, the radar device 12, and the LIDAR 14 via the object recognition device 16. For example, the recognition unit 122 recognizes the position (relative position to the vehicle 100), speed (relative speed to the vehicle 100), acceleration, and other states of objects (e.g., other vehicles, pedestrians, road structures) around the vehicle 100 (within a predetermined distance) based on the input information. The position of the object is recognized as a position on an absolute coordinate system with a representative point of the vehicle 100 (such as the center of gravity or the center of the drive shaft) as the origin, and is used for control. The position of the object may be represented by a representative point such as the center of gravity or a corner of the object, or may be represented by an area. The "state" of the object may include the acceleration or jerk of the object, or the "action state" (for example, whether or not the vehicle is changing lanes or is about to change lanes). The recognition unit 122 may also recognize whether or not the road on which the vehicle is traveling is congested based on the number and speed of other vehicles around the vehicle. Furthermore, the recognition unit 122 may analyze an image captured by the camera 10 (camera image) and recognize whether or not the surroundings are nighttime based on the analysis result.

[0046] The recognition unit 122 recognizes, for example, the lane in which the vehicle 100 is traveling (driving lane). For example, the recognition unit 122 recognizes the driving lane by comparing a pattern of road dividing lines (for example, an arrangement of solid lines and dashed lines) obtained from the second map information 62 with a pattern of road dividing lines around the vehicle 100 recognized from a camera image. The recognition unit 122 may recognize the driving lane by recognizing road boundaries (road boundaries) including not only road dividing lines but also road dividing lines, shoulders, curbs, median strips, guard rails, etc. In this recognition, the position of the vehicle 100 acquired from the navigation device 50 and the processing results by the INS may be taken into consideration. The recognition unit 122 recognizes stop lines, obstacles, red lights, toll booths, and other road phenomena. The recognition unit 122 may also recognize surrounding road signs based on the analysis results of images captured by the camera image and map information.

[0047] When recognizing the travel lane, the recognition unit 122 recognizes the position and attitude of the vehicle 100 with respect to the travel lane. For example, the recognition unit 122 may recognize the degree of deviation of a reference point (e.g., center of gravity or center) of the vehicle 100 from the center of the lane and the angle with respect to a line connecting the centers of the lanes in the traveling direction of the vehicle 100 as the relative position and attitude of the vehicle 100 with respect to the travel lane. Alternatively, the recognition unit 122 may recognize the position of a reference point of the vehicle 100 with respect to either side end of the travel lane (a road division line or a road boundary) as the relative position of the vehicle 100 with respect to the travel lane.

[0048] The driving control unit 124 executes a driving support function that satisfies a predetermined execution condition among the driving support functions available to the vehicle 100, based on, for example, the surrounding situation recognized by the recognition unit 122. For example, the driving control unit 124 controls at least one of the driving drive force output device 92, the brake device 94, and the steering device 96 in accordance with the surrounding situation according to each driving support function already installed. In addition, the driving control unit 124 generates a target trajectory so that the vehicle 100 runs along the recommended lane determined by the MPU 60 without contacting surrounding objects when the driving support function is executed, and controls at least one of the driving drive force output device 92, the brake device 94, and the steering device 96 so that the vehicle 100 runs according to the generated target trajectory. As a result, one or both of the steering and the speed of the vehicle 100 are controlled, and the automatic driving of the vehicle 100 is executed according to the purpose. Note that the user U may set, via the HMI 30, whether or not the driving support function available to the vehicle 100 is executed. In the case of a setting not to execute (non-executable setting), the driving assistance function will not be executed even if the execution conditions are met. However, a specific driving assistance function such as an emergency brake may be executed regardless of the setting contents by the user U when the execution conditions are met.

[0049] The travel information acquisition unit 126 acquires travel information of the vehicle 100. For example, the travel information acquisition unit 126 acquires travel information based on information input by the HMI 30, the detection result of the vehicle sensor 40, the detection result (operation amount) of the sensor provided on the driving operator 80, the recognition result by the recognition unit 122, the control content (execution result of the driving support function) by the driving control unit 124, and the like. These are stored in the storage unit 140 as travel history data 144 together with time information of input, detection, or control. In addition, the travel information acquisition unit 126 transmits the acquired information (travel history data 144) to the information management device 300 at a predetermined timing (for example, when driving ends (for example, when the ignition is turned off) or at a predetermined cycle). In addition, the travel information acquisition unit 126 may transmit information on the driving support function available to the vehicle 100 to the information management device 300 at a predetermined timing. In addition, identification information (for example, a vehicle ID) for identifying the vehicle 100 and identification information (for example, a user ID) for identifying the user U may be added to the information to be transmitted.

[0050] The update unit 128 acquires data for executing the driving support function provided by the information management device 300, and updates the driving support function data 142 based on the acquired information. Updates include additions, changes, deletions, and the like.

[0051] The HMI control unit 130 notifies the user U who is in the vehicle 100 of predetermined information by the HMI 30, and acquires the operation contents of the user U accepted via the HMI 30. The predetermined information includes, for example, information related to the traveling of the vehicle 100, such as information related to the state of the vehicle 100 and information related to the driving control being executed. The information related to the state of the vehicle 100 includes, for example, information such as the speed of the vehicle 100, the engine speed, and the shift position. The information related to the driving control may include, for example, information indicating which driving support function is being executed, and information inquiring whether or not to perform the driving support function. The predetermined information may also include information unrelated to the driving control of the vehicle 100, such as television programs, content (for example, movies) stored in a storage medium such as a DVD.

[0052] For example, the HMI control unit 130 may generate an image (which may be a still image or a video) containing the above-mentioned specified information and display the generated image on the display device of the HMI 30, or may generate sound indicating the specified information and output the generated sound to a speaker of the HMI 30.

[0053] [Terminal Device] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a functional configuration of the terminal device 200. The terminal device 200 includes, for example, a terminal-side communication unit 210, an input unit 220, an output unit 230, a control unit 240, an application execution unit 250, and a terminal-side storage unit 260. A part or all of the control unit 240 and the application execution unit 250 are realized by, for example, a hardware processor such as a CPU executing a program (software). In addition, a part or all of these components may be realized by hardware (including a circuit unit; circuitry) such as an LSI, ASIC, FPGA, or GPU, or may be realized by cooperation between software and hardware. The program may be stored in a storage device such as an HDD or flash memory in advance (a storage device having a non-transient storage medium), or may be stored in a removable storage medium such as a DVD or CD-ROM (a non-transient storage medium), and may be installed in the storage device by mounting the storage medium in a drive device or a card slot of the terminal device 200.

[0054] The terminal-side storage unit 260 may be realized by the above-mentioned various storage devices, or an EEPROM, a ROM, a RAM, etc. The terminal-side storage unit 260 stores, for example, a driving support function providing application 262, a program, and various other information.

[0055] The terminal side communication unit 210 communicates with the information management device 300 and other external devices via, for example, a network NW. The terminal side communication unit 210 may also communicate with the vehicle 100 via a short-range communication network or the network NW.

[0056] The input unit 220 accepts input from the user U by operating various keys, buttons, etc. The input unit 220 may also include a microphone that accepts voice input from the user U. The input unit 220 accepts input of information such as a request to use a service provided by the information management device 300, user information, and an instruction to select a driving support function that the user U wishes to use (purchase) from among the proposed driving support functions.

[0057] The output unit 230 includes, for example, a display unit 232 and a speaker 234. The output unit 230 outputs predetermined information to the display unit 232 and the speaker 234. The display unit 232 is, for example, an LCD or an organic EL display. The input unit 220 may be integrated with the display unit 232 as a touch panel. The display unit 232 displays various information in the embodiment. The speaker 234 outputs predetermined sound. For example, the output unit 230 outputs an image or sound corresponding to information provided by the information management device 300, or outputs information input by the input unit 220.

[0058] The control unit 240 controls the overall functions of the terminal device 200. For example, the control unit 240 controls communication by the terminal side communication unit 210, input / output by the input unit 220 and the output unit 230, and execution of the driving support function providing application 262 by the application execution unit 250.

[0059] The application execution unit 250 is realized by executing a driving support function providing application 262 stored in the terminal side storage unit 260. The driving support function providing application 262 is, for example, downloaded from an external device via the network NW and installed in the terminal device 200. The driving support function providing application 262 is application software that acquires information related to the driving support function from the information management device 300 and outputs the acquired information to the output unit 230. In addition, the driving support function providing application 262 transmits information inputted by the input unit 220 to the information management device 300. Note that the transmitted information may be provided with identification information (for example, a terminal ID) or a user ID for identifying the terminal device 200.

[0060] [Information management device] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the information management device 300. The information management device 300 includes, for example, a communication unit 310, an acquisition unit 320, a determination unit 330, an extraction unit 340, a provision unit 350, and a device-side storage unit 360. Some or all of the acquisition unit 320, the determination unit 330, the extraction unit 340, and the provision unit 350 are realized by, for example, a hardware processor such as a CPU executing a program (software). In addition, some or all of these components may be realized by hardware (including circuitry) such as an LSI, ASIC, FPGA, or GPU, or may be realized by cooperation between software and hardware. The program may be stored in advance in a storage device (non-transient storage medium) such as an HDD or flash memory, or may be stored in a removable storage medium (non-transient storage medium) such as a DVD or CD-ROM, and may be installed by mounting the storage medium in a drive device of the information management device 300. The information management device 300 may be realized by the operator of the driving assistance function provision service installing a program on a cloud server, in which case the owner of the hardware of the information management device 300 and the operator of the driving assistance function provision service may be different persons.

[0061] The device-side storage unit 360 may be realized by the above-mentioned various storage devices, or an EEPROM, a ROM, a RAM, or the like. For example, a user information DB (Database) 362, a driving support function DB 364, programs, and various other information are stored in the device-side storage unit 360. Map information may also be stored in the device-side storage unit 360. At least a part of the information included in the device-side storage unit 360 may be stored in an external device (for example, a DB server) capable of communicating with the information management device 300.

[0062] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the contents of the user information DB 362. The user information DB 362 is information in which, for example, a user ID is associated with personal information, terminal information, vehicle information, driving support function information, and driving history data. The personal information includes, for example, name, age, sex, address, contact information, and the like. The terminal information is identification information (for example, a terminal ID) for identifying the terminal device 200 used by the user U. The terminal information may also include address information and the like for the information management device 300 to communicate with the terminal device 200. The vehicle information is, for example, a vehicle ID. The vehicle information may also include address information and the like for the information management device 300 to communicate with the vehicle 100. The driving support function information is information on the driving support function available to the vehicle 100. The driving history data is, for example, driving information of the vehicle 100. The user information DB 362 may also store authentication information (for example, a password, and the like) for the information management device 300 to authenticate the user U. This information may be registered by a registration process from the terminal device 200, or may be acquired from data transmitted from the vehicle 100 at a predetermined timing.

[0063] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the contents of the driving support function DB 364. The driving support function DB 364 is information in which, for example, function introduction information, software data, and price information are associated with a driving support function type. The driving support function type is information for identifying the type of driving support function, and name and abbreviation information are stored. The function introduction information is information for explaining the outline and details of the driving support function. The function introduction information may include not only text information but also information such as still images, videos, sounds, and link destination addresses of introduction sites. The function introduction information may also include information regarding what driving characteristics and driving conditions the function is suitable for. The function introduction information is referred to, for example, when the extraction unit 340 extracts the driving support function. The software data is, for example, software data for enabling the driving support function to be executed in the vehicle 100. The price information is, for example, information regarding the price (cost) when the driving support function is newly introduced (purchased by the user U).

[0064] Returning to FIG. 4, the communication unit 310 communicates with various devices via a network NW or the like. The communication unit 310 includes, for example, a first communication unit 312 and a second communication unit 314. The first communication unit 312 communicates with the terminal device 200 of the user U connected via the network NW or a communication cable. The second communication unit 314 communicates with the vehicle 100 via the network NW. The first communication unit 312 and the second communication unit 314 may be implemented by different hardware or different software. In addition, the communication unit 310 communicates with other external devices via the network NW.

[0065] The acquisition unit 320 acquires various information from the terminal device 200, the vehicle 100, an external device connected via the network NW, and the like, based on the information received by the communication unit 310. For example, the acquisition unit 320 acquires from the vehicle 100, driving history data (driving information) of the vehicle 100, and information on driving support functions available to the vehicle 100. The acquisition unit 320 associates the acquired information with a user ID, vehicle information, and the like, and stores it in the driving support function information and driving history data of the user information DB 362. Furthermore, the acquisition unit 320 acquires information instructed by the terminal device 200 (for example, request information for a driving support function to be added).

[0066] The determination unit 330 includes, for example, a driving characteristic determination unit 332 and a vehicle status determination unit 334. The driving characteristic determination unit 332 determines the driving characteristics of the user U in manual driving based on the driving information of the vehicle 100 acquired by the acquisition unit 320. The driving characteristics are information indicating the driving tendency according to the driving habits and customs of the user U. The driving characteristics may be derived, for example, from the difference in the amount of operation or the operation speed with respect to a driving operation that is a predetermined reference, the number of times, the frequency, or the like, or may be derived from the behavior of the vehicle 100. The vehicle status determination unit 334 determines the driving status of the vehicle 100 (for example, the presence or absence and frequency of traffic jams, the time period when the vehicle 100 is traveling) that does not depend on the driving operation of the user U based on the driving information of the vehicle 100. The determination unit 330 acquires driving history data from the user information DB 362 at a predetermined timing and performs the above-mentioned determination. The determination unit 330 may perform at least one of the determinations by the driving characteristic determination unit 332 and the vehicle state determination unit 334.

[0067] The extraction unit 340 refers to function introduction information in the driving assistance function DB 364 and extracts driving assistance functions associated with at least one of the driving characteristics and the driving conditions determined by the determination unit 330. When extracting driving assistance functions by referring to the driving assistance function DB 364, the extraction unit 340 may refer to the user information DB 362 and exclude driving assistance functions that are already available to the vehicle 100 from the extraction targets.

[0068] The providing unit 350 provides the user U with information on the driving support function extracted by the extracting unit 340. For example, the providing unit 350 refers to the driving support function DB 364, acquires function introduction information associated with the driving support function extracted by the extracting unit 340, transmits the function introduction information to the vehicle 100 or the terminal device 200, and provides the function introduction information to the user U. For example, when the vehicle 100 is moving, the providing unit 350 transmits the function introduction information to the vehicle 100 since the user U is in the vehicle 100, and when the terminal device 200 is being operated (when some input is being received), the providing unit 350 transmits the function introduction information to the terminal device 200. In addition, the providing unit 350 may transmit the function introduction information to one of the vehicle 100 and the terminal device 200, which are set in advance, or to both of them. In addition, when the providing unit 350 receives an instruction from the user U to make a specific driving assistance function available from among the driving assistance functions provided, the providing unit 350 transmits software data, etc. associated with the specific driving assistance function to the vehicle 100, and has the software data, etc. installed on the vehicle 100 so that the target driving assistance function can be executed by the vehicle 100 (made available).

[0069] [Determination section, extraction section, and provision section] Next, the details of the functions of the determination unit 330, the extraction unit 340, and the provision unit 350 will be specifically described. The driving characteristic determination unit 332 determines the driving characteristics of the user U based on information related to the travel of the vehicle 100. For example, based on the recognition result of the recognition unit 122 included in the travel history data, the driving characteristic determination unit 332 determines that the user U has driving characteristics with a tendency to deviate from the lane when the degree of deviation from the center of the lane of the vehicle 100 is equal to or greater than a threshold. In addition, the driving characteristic determination unit 332 may determine that the user U has driving characteristics with a tendency to deviate from the lane when the number of times the vehicle deviates from a marking line that divides the travel lane in a predetermined time or distance is equal to or greater than a predetermined number of times.

[0070] Furthermore, the driving characteristic determination unit 332 determines that the user U has driving characteristics that cause a problem in braking operation when the position where the user U starts braking operation according to the speed of the vehicle 100 is closer to the stop line than a reference position (for example, a position a predetermined distance [m] before the stop line) based on the detection results of the vehicle sensor 40 included in the travel history data and the detection results of the sensor of the driving operator 80 (i.e., the brake operation is slower than the reference). Furthermore, the driving characteristic determination unit 332 may determine that the user U has driving characteristics that cause a problem in braking operation when the operation amount (depression amount) of the brake pedal relative to the speed of the vehicle 100 is greater or smaller than the reference operation amount by a predetermined amount or more.

[0071] Further, the driving characteristic determination unit 332 determines that the user U has driving characteristics that have a problem in maintaining the vehicle speed when the amount of increase / decrease or the number of increases / decrease of the speed of the vehicle 100 in a predetermined distance or a predetermined time is equal to or greater than a predetermined value based on the detection result of the vehicle sensor 40 included in the travel history data. However, when a preceding vehicle exists in front of the vehicle 100 and the relative speed or the relative distance between the vehicle 100 and the preceding vehicle is within a predetermined range, the speed of the vehicle 100 increases or decreases in accordance with the increase / decrease of the speed of the preceding vehicle. Therefore, in the above-mentioned case, the driving characteristic determination unit 332 does not determine that the user U has driving characteristics that have a problem in maintaining the vehicle speed even if the amount of increase / decrease or the number of increases / decrease of the speed of the vehicle 100 in a predetermined distance or a predetermined time is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. Conversely, the driving characteristics determination unit 332 may determine, for example, based on the recognition result of the recognition unit 122 included in the driving history data, whether or not the user U has driving characteristics that pose a problem in maintaining vehicle speed when a preceding vehicle is present in front of the vehicle 100 and the change in the relative speed or relative distance between the vehicle 100 and the preceding vehicle is equal to or greater than a threshold value.

[0072] In addition, the driving characteristics determination unit 332 determines, for example, based on the detection results of the sensor of the driving operator 80 included in the driving history data, that the vehicle 100 is starting suddenly if the amount of operation (depression amount) of the accelerator pedal when starting the vehicle 100 is greater than or equal to a predetermined amount, and determines that the user U has driving characteristics that pose a problem when starting the vehicle 100.

[0073] Furthermore, the driving characteristic determination unit 332 may determine that the user U has driving characteristics that are problematic in parking operations when a predetermined condition is satisfied in the driving operation for parking the vehicle 100 in a parking lot, for example, based on the detection results of the vehicle sensor 40 and the sensor of the driving operator 80 included in the driving history data. The predetermined condition is, for example, when the number of times the user U turns the steering wheel of the vehicle 100 is a predetermined number or more, when the number of times the vehicle 100 moves forward and backward in a predetermined time is a predetermined number or more, or when parking is not completed even after a predetermined time has passed since the vehicle 100 arrived near the parking lot (within a predetermined distance).

[0074] In addition, the driving characteristics determination unit 332 determines that the user U has driving characteristics that cause the vehicle 100 to sway a lot when the frequency of increase or decrease in the degree of deviation of the vehicle 100 from the center of the lane in a specified period of time is equal to or greater than a threshold value, or when the number of times the steering wheel is operated left or right is equal to or greater than a threshold value, for example, based on the recognition results of the recognition unit 122 included in the driving history data or the detection results of the sensor of the driving operator 80.

[0075] In addition, the driving characteristics determination unit 332 determines that the user U has driving characteristics that cause problems in checking road signs, for example, when the speed of the vehicle 100 deviates by a predetermined speed or more from the speed (speed limit) indicated on the road signs of the road on which the vehicle 100 is traveling, based on the recognition result of the recognition unit 122 included in the driving history data, or when the vehicle does not stop at a location where a stop is required.

[0076] For example, based on the recognition result of the recognition unit included in the travel history data, the vehicle status determination unit 334 determines that the travel situation is one in which the vehicle 100 is likely to travel in a traffic jam when the number of traffic jams in a predetermined period or in a predetermined section is equal to or greater than a predetermined number. Note that, regarding the traffic jam determination, it may be determined that the vehicle 100 is in a traffic jam based on the detection result of the vehicle sensor 40 included in the travel history data, when the time during which the vehicle travels at a speed equal to or less than a predetermined speed is equal to or greater than a predetermined time, when the time during which the vehicle is stopped on a road is equal to or greater than a predetermined time, or when the vehicle 100 is in operation (for example, with the ignition on) and the travel distance in a predetermined time is less than a predetermined distance.

[0077] Furthermore, the vehicle status determination unit 334 determines that the driving situation is one in which it is highly likely that the headlights of the vehicle 100 will be operated if, for example, the headlights are used for a predetermined period of time or more while the vehicle 100 is traveling, or if the number of times the headlights are switched between high beams (headlights for driving) and low beams (headlights for passing) is a predetermined number or more, based on information input by the HMI 30 and included in the traveling history data. Furthermore, the vehicle status determination unit 334 may determine that the driving situation is one in which it is highly likely that the headlights will be operated, based on the recognition result of the recognition unit 122 included in the traveling history data, if there is a lot of nighttime traveling (for a predetermined period of time or more).

[0078] The extraction unit 340 refers to the driving support function DB 364 and extracts information on the driving support function associated with the driving characteristics and driving conditions determined by the determination unit 330. For example, when it is determined that the user U has driving characteristics that tend to deviate from the lane, the extraction unit 340 extracts information on the LKAS and the road departure prevention function as driving support functions that suppress lane departure. The LKAS is, for example, a function that detects lanes (solid lines, dashed lines) and supports steering operations so that the vehicle 100 runs while maintaining the vehicle 100 near the center of the lane. The road departure prevention function is a function that, when the vehicle approaches a lane dividing line, alerts the user U by displaying a warning screen or the like and supports steering operations to return to the lane.

[0079] Furthermore, for example, when it is determined that the user U has a driving characteristic that causes a problem in braking operation, the extraction unit 340 extracts information related to collision mitigation braking (CMBS) as a driving support function related to braking control of the vehicle 100. The CMBS is a function that alerts the user U by sound or by displaying a warning screen to call attention, and also assists in collision avoidance and damage mitigation by performing light braking control when approaching an object and performing strong braking control when the risk of collision increases.

[0080] Furthermore, when it is determined that the user U has driving characteristics that cause a problem in maintaining the vehicle speed, the extraction unit 340 extracts information about the constant speed travel function or information about the ACC. The constant speed travel function is a function for constant speed travel at a preset speed. In addition to the constant speed travel function, the ACC is a function for measuring the distance between the vehicles and the speed difference when approaching a preceding vehicle, and automatically accelerating and decelerating the vehicle, thereby following the preceding vehicle while maintaining an appropriate distance between the vehicles.

[0081] Furthermore, when it is determined that there is a driving characteristic that has a problem with starting the vehicle 100, the extraction unit 340 extracts information on an erroneous start prevention function and a close-range collision mitigation brake function as driving assistance functions related to accelerator control of the vehicle 100. The erroneous start prevention function is a function that detects an obstacle such as a wall in the vicinity when the vehicle is stopped or traveling at a low speed, prevents a sudden start when the accelerator pedal is depressed, and warns the user U by sound and a warning screen display. The close-range collision mitigation brake function is a function that assists in collision avoidance and collision damage mitigation by controlling the brakes to stop or decelerate the vehicle when it is determined that there is a risk of collision with an obstacle such as a wall while traveling at a low speed.

[0082] Furthermore, for example, when it is determined that there is a driving characteristic that has a problem with parking operation, the extraction unit 340 extracts information on a parking sensor system and a parking pilot as a parking assistance function of the vehicle 100. The parking sensor system is a function that reduces the driving load by alerting the user U when detecting obstacles in front of or behind the vehicle 100 when parking or leaving a parking lot, turning right or left in a narrow alley, etc. The parking pilot is a function that automatically controls the steering, accelerator, brake, and shift operations to assist driving when parking or leaving a parking lot.

[0083] Furthermore, for example, when it is determined that the vehicle 100 has a driving characteristic with a lot of swaying, the extraction unit 340 extracts information about a hands-off function as a driving assistance function that does not require steering operation by the user U. The hands-off function is a function (hands-off driving function) that controls the steering and acceleration / deceleration of the vehicle 100, such as ACC and LKAS, and allows the user U to take his / her hands off the driving controls while driving under certain conditions.

[0084] Furthermore, when it is determined that the driving characteristic has a problem in checking road signs, for example, the extraction unit 340 extracts information on a sign recognition function as a driving support function related to checking sign recognition. The sign recognition function is a function that recognizes signs on the vehicle system (the recognition unit 122) side and displays them on the HMI 30 at an appropriate timing to alert the user U to the signs.

[0085] In addition, the extraction unit 340 provides information about a traffic jam driving support function (traffic jam assist) when it is determined that the vehicle 100 is in a driving situation where there is a high possibility that the vehicle 100 will be driving in a traffic jam. The traffic jam driving support function is a function that reduces the driving burden of the user U by supporting steering operations to maintain a following distance while adjusting to changes in the vehicle speed of the vehicle ahead and to maintain the vehicle near the center of the lane when driving at low speed on a highway.

[0086] Furthermore, for example, when it is determined that the driving situation is one in which there is a high possibility of operating the headlights, the extraction unit 340 extracts information related to the auto high beam function as a driving assistance function related to light control of the vehicle 100. The auto high beam function is a function that automatically switches to high beam when the situation ahead is detected while driving on a dark road at night with low beam or when there are no street lights and the surroundings are dark.

[0087] When the determination unit 330 obtains a plurality of determination results, the extraction unit 340 extracts driving support functions corresponding to the respective determination results. The extraction unit 340 may extract a predetermined number of driving support functions from the extracted plurality of driving support functions in order of a preset high priority. The priority may be set higher as the safety of the function is higher when the function is executed, or may be set higher as the function is newer. The extraction unit 340 may extract driving support functions such that the total price of each driving support function is equal to or less than a predetermined amount. The extraction unit 340 may extract a predetermined number of driving support functions in order of the number of times the same determination result (driving characteristics having a problem with braking operation) is obtained. This makes it possible to extract driving support functions more suitable for the user U.

[0088] In addition, the extraction unit 340 may refer to the user information DB 362 and, when there is a driving assistance function that is already available to the vehicle 100, exclude the driving assistance function from the extraction target. This makes it possible to suppress the proposal of driving assistance functions that are already available to the vehicle 100 and efficiently provide driving assistance functions that are not available to the vehicle 100 to the user U.

[0089] The providing unit 350 transmits information on the driving assistance functions extracted by the extracting unit 340 to the terminal device 200 and the vehicle 100, and provides the information to the user U. For example, the providing unit 350 provides the user U with driving assistance functions that are currently not available to the vehicle 100. The providing unit 350 generates image information and audio information of driving assistance functions that are proposed (recommended) for introduction (purchase) to the user U, and provides the generated information to the user U. Furthermore, the providing unit 350 may provide the user U with information (image or audio) on the determined driving characteristics of the user U and the driving conditions of the vehicle 100, in addition to the proposed information.

[0090] Fig. 7 is a diagram showing an example of an image IM10 provided to a user U. Note that the display content, layout, font, character size, and other display aspects of the image IM10 are not limited to the example in Fig. 7. The same applies to other images described later.

[0091] The image IM10 has, for example, a driving characteristic information display area AR11 and a recommended driving support function display area AR12. In the driving characteristic information display area AR11, for example, at least one of the driving characteristic of the user U determined by the determination unit 330 and the driving situation of the vehicle 100 is displayed. In the example of FIG. 7, the driving characteristic information display area AR11 displays information such as "Your driving characteristics show a tendency for slow parking operations and frequent traffic jams in driving situations." In the recommended driving support function display area AR12, for example, information on driving support functions recommended to the user U extracted by the extraction unit 340 is displayed. In addition, in the recommended driving support function display area AR12, an icon IC for displaying the contents of function introduction information for each driving support function to be recommended is displayed. The icon IC may be, for example, a GUI (Graphical User Interface) switch or text information to which a hyperlink is set. In the example of FIG. 7, icons IC11 and IC12 are displayed. Icon IC11 is an icon for displaying introductory information for the driving assistance function Parking Pilot (assistance for parking and leaving a parking lot), and icon IC12 is an icon for displaying introductory information for the driving assistance function Traffic Jam Driving Assistance. Each icon IC11, IC12 displays information for identifying the driving assistance function (such as the name or abbreviation of the function).

[0092] For example, when the icon IC11 is selected by the user U, the providing unit 350 transmits information included in the function introduction information of the parking pilot acquired from the driving assistance function DB 364 to the vehicle 100 or the terminal device 200 to provide the information to the user U. When the icon IC12 is selected by the user U, the providing unit 350 transmits information included in the function introduction information of the traffic jam driving assistance function acquired from the driving assistance function DB 364 to the vehicle 100 or the terminal device 200 to provide the information to the user U. In addition to (or instead of) the function introduction information, the providing unit 350 may generate an image or sound inquiring as to whether or not the vehicle 100 will make the proposed driving assistance function available, and transmit the image or sound to the vehicle 100 or the terminal device 200.

[0093] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of an image IM20 including introductory information of a driving assistance function. The image IM20 has, for example, an introductory information display area AR21 and a selection switch display area AR22. In the introductory information display area AR21, for example, function introductory information of the driving assistance information selected by the user U in the recommended driving assistance function display area AR12 is displayed. In addition, the introductory information display area AR21 may display information on the cost of making the function available. The cost is acquired from the price information of the driving assistance function DB364. In the example of FIG. 8, the introductory information display area AR21 displays introductory information on Parking Pilot and information on the cost of making the function available to the vehicle 100.

[0094] The selection switch display area AR22 includes an icon IC21 that accepts permission to make the introduced driving assistance function available to the vehicle 100, and an icon IC22 that accepts refusal to make the function available. For example, when the user U selects the icon IC21, the providing unit 350 extracts software data of the corresponding driving assistance function from the driving assistance function DB 364, and transmits the extracted software data to the vehicle 100 to install it. The update unit 128 of the vehicle 100 installs the software provided by the providing unit 350. This enables the driving control unit 124 to operate the parking pilot when parking the vehicle 100 based on the recognition result by the recognition unit 122. Note that, when the vehicle 100 needs to install a new in-vehicle device in addition to updating the software, the providing unit 350 may adjust the schedule of the vehicle 100's repair shop for the necessary in-vehicle device, and transmit information about the schedule to the vehicle 100 or the terminal device 200 to provide it to the user U. Furthermore, when the icon IC22 is selected by the user U, the software data of the target driving assistance function is not extracted and transmitted to the vehicle 100.

[0095] The providing unit 350 may provide the user U with introduction information related to the driving assistance function extracted by the extracting unit 340, or may perform control to provide the target software to the vehicle 100 without inquiring of the user U as to whether the vehicle 100 can use the software. This can reduce the effort required by the user U, and can provide a more appropriate driving assistance function according to the past driving characteristics and driving conditions.

[0096] Furthermore, the providing unit 350 may provide a specific driving assistance function to the vehicle 100 free of charge when the vehicle 100 is equipped with a device such as a sensor required to execute the driving assistance function. The specific driving assistance function is, for example, a function that is more closely related to safe driving, and more specifically, a function such as a collision mitigation brake (CMBS). In this embodiment, the functions provided for a fee are limited mainly to functions that improve marketability, and functions that are more closely related to safe driving are provided free of charge, thereby making it possible to suppress the occurrence of traffic accidents and promote the use of the vehicle 100.

[0097] [Processing flow] Fig. 9 is a flowchart showing an example of processing executed by the information management device 300 in the embodiment. In the example of Fig. 9, among various processing executed by the information management device 300, the processing for providing a driving assistance function corresponding to driving characteristics and driving conditions will be mainly described.

[0098] In the example of FIG. 9, the acquisition unit 320 acquires driving information from the vehicle 100 (step S100). Next, the determination unit 330 determines the driving characteristics of the user U (step S110) and determines the driving situation of the vehicle 100 (step S120). Next, the extraction unit 340 extracts a driving support function based on the determination result by at least one of the processes of steps S110 and S120 (step S130). Next, the provision unit 350 transmits introduction information of the extracted driving support function to the vehicle 100 or the terminal device 200 and provides it to the user U (step S140).

[0099] Next, the providing unit 350 judges whether or not an instruction to make the driving assistance function available has been received from the vehicle 100 or the terminal device 200 that transmitted the introduction information (step S150). If it is judged that the instruction to make the driving assistance function available has been received, the providing unit 350 downloads software related to the driving assistance function to the vehicle 100 to enable the vehicle 100 to execute the driving assistance function (step S160). In addition, the providing unit 350 stores and updates information related to the driving assistance function that has newly become available to the vehicle 100 in the user information DB 362 (step S170). This ends the processing of this flowchart. If it is judged in the processing of step S150 that the instruction to make the driving assistance function available has not been received, the processing of this flowchart ends.

[0100] [Variations] In the embodiment, instead of (or in addition to) providing the vehicle 100 with software corresponding to a driving assistance function that is not available to the vehicle 100, a driving assistance function that has already been installed with a program (software) for making the vehicle 100 available but is not available (inactivated) due to a contract with the user U or the like may be controlled to be available (activated). In this case, when the providing unit 350 receives an instruction from the user U to make a new driving assistance function available to the vehicle 100, the providing unit 350 transmits an instruction to the vehicle 100 to activate the target driving assistance function. The update unit 128 of the vehicle 100 updates the target driving assistance function to the activated state. Note that the above-mentioned state switching has a smaller processing load than when performing processes such as downloading and installing software. Therefore, in the embodiment in which the above-mentioned state switching is performed, a switching instruction may be directly sent from the terminal device 200 to the vehicle 100.

[0101] In the embodiment, at least a part of the functions of the information management device 300 may be provided in the vehicle 100 or in the terminal device 200. For example, the function of the determination unit 330 may be provided in the vehicle 100 or in the terminal device 200. When the function of the determination unit 330 is provided in the terminal device 200, the vehicle 100 transmits driving information of the vehicle 100 to the terminal device 200, and the driving characteristics and driving conditions are determined in the terminal device 200. In addition, the terminal device 200 transmits the determination result to the information management device 300, and the extraction unit 340 extracts driving support functions to be provided (recommended) to the user U, and the like.

[0102] In addition, in an embodiment, when a driving assistance function corresponding to the driving characteristics or the driving situation is already available in the vehicle 100, the providing unit 350 may provide only the driving characteristics or the driving situation to the user U, or may provide information indicating that the corresponding driving assistance function is already available in the vehicle 100 to the user U. This allows the user U to accurately grasp his / her own driving characteristics and driving situation, and further understand that the corresponding driving assistance function is already available, so that the user U can drive the vehicle 100 with more peace of mind.

[0103] In addition, the types and number of driving assistance functions in the embodiment are not limited to the above-mentioned examples, and the types of driving assistance functions corresponding to the determination results of the determination unit 330 are not limited to the above-mentioned examples.

[0104] As described above, according to the embodiment, the information management device 300 is equipped with a communication unit 310 that communicates with the vehicle 100 used by the user U and the terminal device 200 of the user U, a judgment unit 330 that judges at least one of the driving characteristics of the user U and the driving conditions of the vehicle 100 based on the driving information of the vehicle 100 acquired from the vehicle 100, and a provision unit 350 that provides the user U with information regarding the driving assistance functions of the vehicle 100 associated with the judgment result of the judgment unit 330, thereby making it possible to provide the user with more appropriate driving assistance functions.

[0105] Specifically, according to the embodiment, for example, a more appropriate driving assistance function can be proposed to the user U based on driving information (steering, acceleration / deceleration, driving assistance usage history, detection results of sensors, etc.). For example, by introducing a hands-off function or the like to a user U who is significantly unsteady while driving, an appropriate driving assistance function can be proposed to a user who feels uneasy about driving or who feels that he is not good at driving, and the proposed driving assistance function can be smoothly introduced to the vehicle 100. Therefore, the user U's anxiety about driving and his / her sense of inadequacy can be reduced, and the user can drive with more peace of mind. By providing such a service to provide a driving assistance function, a more fulfilling service can be continuously provided to the user U, which can promote the use of the vehicle 100 and contribute to the development of a sustainable transportation system.

[0106] The above-described embodiment can be expressed as follows. a storage medium for storing computer-readable instructions; a processor coupled to the storage medium; The processor executes the computer-readable instructions to: Communicating with a vehicle used by a user and a terminal device of the user; determining at least one of a driving characteristic of the user and a driving situation of the vehicle based on driving information of the vehicle acquired from the vehicle; providing the user with information regarding a driving assistance function of the vehicle associated with the result of the determination; Information management device.

[0107] The above describes the form for carrying out the present invention using an embodiment, but the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment, and various modifications and substitutions can be made within the scope that does not deviate from the gist of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0108] 1...information management system, 10...camera, 12...radar device, 14...LIDAR, 16...object recognition device, 20...communication device, 30...HMI, 40...vehicle sensor, 50...navigation device, 60...MPU, 80...driving operator, 100...vehicle, 120...driving support device, 122...recognition unit, 124...driving control unit, 126...driving information acquisition unit, 128...update unit, 130...HMI control unit, 140...storage unit, 200...terminal device, 210...terminal side communication unit, 220...input unit, 230...output unit, 240...control unit, 250...application execution unit, 260...terminal side memory unit, 300...information management device, 310...communication unit, 320...acquisition unit, 330...determination unit, 340...extraction unit, 350...provision unit, 360...device side memory unit

Claims

1. A communication unit that communicates with a vehicle used by a user and a terminal device of the user; A determination unit that determines at least one of a driving characteristic of the user and a driving situation of the vehicle based on driving information of the vehicle acquired from the vehicle; a providing unit that provides the user with information about a driving assistance function of the vehicle associated with a determination result of the determining unit; An information management device comprising:

2. The communication unit receives information regarding a driving assistance function available to the vehicle, The providing unit provides the user with a driving assistance function that is not available to the vehicle based on the information received by the communication unit. The information management device according to claim 1 .

3. The providing unit provides the user with a driving assistance function for suppressing lane departure when the determining unit determines that the user has a driving characteristic having a tendency to depart from a lane.

3. The information management device according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The providing unit provides the user with a driving assistance function related to braking control of the vehicle when the determining unit determines that the user has a driving characteristic having a problem with braking operation.

3. The information management device according to claim 1 or 2.

5. The providing unit provides the user with a driving assistance function related to constant speed driving when the determining unit determines that the vehicle has a driving characteristic having a problem in maintaining a vehicle speed of the vehicle.

3. The information management device according to claim 1 or 2.

6. The providing unit provides the user with a driving assistance function related to accelerator control of the vehicle when the determining unit determines that the user has a driving characteristic having a problem in starting the vehicle.

3. The information management device according to claim 1 or 2.

7. The providing unit provides the user with a traffic jam driving assistance function when the determining unit determines that the driving situation is such that the vehicle is likely to be in a traffic jam.

3. The information management device according to claim 1 or 2.

8. The providing unit provides the user with a driving assistance function related to light control of the vehicle when the determining unit determines that the driving situation is one in which there is a high possibility of operating a headlight of the vehicle.

3. The information management device according to claim 1 or 2.

9. The providing unit provides the user with a parking assistance function of the vehicle when the determining unit determines that the user has a driving characteristic having a problem with parking operation.

3. The information management device according to claim 1 or 2.

10. The provision unit provides the user with a driving assistance function that does not require a steering operation by the user when the determination unit determines that the vehicle 100 has a driving characteristic with a lot of sway.

3. The information management device according to claim 1 or 2.

11. The providing unit provides the user with a driving assistance function related to checking sign recognition when the determining unit determines that the user has a driving characteristic having a problem with checking road signs.

3. The information management device according to claim 1 or 2.

12. the providing unit provides introduction information of driving assistance functions associated with the driving characteristics to the vehicle or the terminal device, and when an instruction to enable a predetermined driving assistance function from the user is received from the user among the provided driving assistance functions, the providing unit enables the vehicle to execute the predetermined driving assistance function for which an instruction is received from the user.

3. The information management device according to claim 1 or 2.

13. The providing unit enables the vehicle to execute a driving assistance function associated with the driving characteristic.

3. The information management device according to claim 1 or 2.

14. The computer Communicating with a vehicle used by a user and a terminal device of the user; determining at least one of a driving characteristic of the user and a driving situation of the vehicle based on driving information of the vehicle acquired from the vehicle; providing the user with information regarding a driving assistance function of the vehicle associated with the result of the determination; Information management method.

15. On the computer, Communicating with a vehicle used by a user and a terminal device of the user; determining at least one of the driving characteristics of the user and the driving conditions of the vehicle based on the vehicle driving information acquired from the vehicle; providing the user with information regarding a driving assistance function of the vehicle associated with the determined result; program.

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