Driving evaluation device and driving evaluation method

Abstract

To provide a driving evaluation device and a driving evaluation method capable of evaluating whether or not a driver performed appropriate safety checks when driving on a road where a traffic mirror is installed.SOLUTION: A driving evaluation device according to an embodiment detects a driver's condition from videos inside a vehicle. The driving evaluation device detects a condition of a traffic mirror from videos in front of a self vehicle. The driving evaluation device evaluates a driving behavior of the driver based on the driver's condition and the condition of the traffic mirror.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The disclosed embodiments relate to a driving evaluation device and a driving evaluation method. [Background technology]

[0002] Convex mirrors are installed on roads with poor visibility. There are also convex mirror detection devices that detect convex mirrors from an image of the road ahead captured by an on-board camera and display the mirror image of the convex mirror (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2016-110373 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, while the above-mentioned curved mirror detection device can display the mirror image of the curved mirror, it cannot evaluate whether the driver has checked the mirror image, i.e., whether the driver has performed an appropriate safety check.

[0005] One aspect of the embodiment has been made in consideration of the above, and aims to provide a driving evaluation device and a driving evaluation method that can evaluate whether a driver has performed appropriate safety checks when traveling on a road on which curve mirrors are installed. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A driving evaluation device according to an aspect of an embodiment detects a driver's state from an image of an interior of a vehicle. The driving evaluation device detects a state of a convex mirror from an image in front of a vehicle. The driving evaluation device evaluates the driving behavior of the driver based on the state of the driver and the state of the convex mirror. Effect of the Invention

[0007] ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECT OF THE DISCLOSURE A driving evaluation device and a driving evaluation method according to an aspect of an embodiment have an effect of being able to evaluate whether or not a driver has performed an appropriate safety check when traveling on a road on which a convex mirror is installed. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the configuration of a driving evaluation device according to an embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an example of processing executed by the controller according to the embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an example of processing executed by the controller according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of processing executed by the controller according to the embodiment. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a safety confirmation behavior of a driver according to the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments of a driving evaluation device and a driving evaluation method will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below. The driving evaluation device according to the embodiments is mounted on a drive recorder for a vehicle. Note that the driving evaluation device according to the embodiments may be mounted on a vehicle by itself.

[0010] The driving evaluation device according to the embodiment is a device for evaluating the safe driving behavior of a driver while the vehicle (hereinafter, referred to as "own vehicle") in which it is installed is traveling. Fig. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the configuration of the driving evaluation device 1 according to the embodiment.

[0011] 1, the driving evaluation device 1 is connected to a front camera 51, an in-vehicle camera 52, and a notification device 53. Furthermore, the driving evaluation device 1 is connected to a center device 11 via a communication network 10 such as the Internet so as to be able to wirelessly communicate with the center device 11.

[0012] The front camera 51 is an imaging device that captures an image in front of the vehicle. The front camera 51 outputs the captured image data to the driving evaluation device 1. The in-vehicle camera 52 is an imaging device that captures an image inside the vehicle cabin. The in-vehicle camera 52 outputs the captured image data to the driving evaluation device 1.

[0013] The notification device 53 includes a display for displaying various information and a speaker capable of outputting various information by voice. The notification device 53 notifies the driver of the various information input from the driving evaluation device 1 by video and audio. The notification device 53 may be configured to notify the driver of the various information by either video or audio.

[0014] The center device 11 is, for example, a server device operated by an insurance company that handles automobile insurance. The center device 11 receives the evaluation result of the driver's safe driving behavior from the driving evaluation device 1 and stores it.

[0015] The driving evaluation device 1 includes a controller 2, a storage unit 3, and a communication unit 4. The storage unit 3 is an information storage device such as a data flash, and stores a safe driving point 31, a safe driving flag 32, map data 33, and video recording data 34.

[0016] The safe driving point 31 is a point that indicates the degree of evaluation regarding the safe driving of the driver. The safe driving point 31 is a point that is accumulated by the controller 2 when the driver performs a safety confirmation action.

[0017] The safe driving flag 32 is a flag that is set by the controller 2 when the driver performs a specific safe driving behavior. The map data 33 includes information on roads, signs, facilities, and curve mirrors throughout the country. The recorded data 34 is data on images captured by the front camera 51 and the in-vehicle camera 52.

[0018] The communication unit 4 is a communication interface that communicates information with the center device 11 via the communication network 10. The communication unit 4 transmits information on the evaluation result of the driver's safe driving behavior input from the controller 2 to the center device 11.

[0019] The controller 2 includes a microcomputer having a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), etc., and various circuits. The controller 2 evaluates the driver's safe driving behavior by executing a program stored in the ROM by the CPU using the RAM as a working area.

[0020] The controller 2 may be configured partially or entirely with hardware such as an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) or a field programmable gate array (FPGA).

[0021] The controller 2 detects the state of the convex mirror by image recognition from the image ahead of the vehicle input from the front camera 51. The state of the convex mirror includes, for example, the installation position of the convex mirror, the direction of the mirror surface of the convex mirror, and the shape of the road on which the convex mirror is installed.

[0022] In addition, the controller 2 detects the state of the driver by image recognition from the video of the inside of the vehicle cabin input from the vehicle interior camera 52. The state of the driver includes, for example, the driver's line of sight, face orientation, driving posture, driving operation, and the like.

[0023] The controller 2 evaluates the driving behavior of the driver based on the state of the driver recognized by the image and the state of the convex mirror. When the driver performs a predetermined safety confirmation behavior while the vehicle is traveling on a road where a convex mirror is installed, the controller 2 adds safe driving points.

[0024] Furthermore, when the driver performs a specific safety confirmation behavior while the vehicle is traveling on a road where a convex mirror is installed, the controller 2 sets a safe driving flag 32. The safe driving flag 32 according to the embodiment includes a safe driving flag (1) corresponding to the specific safety confirmation behavior and a safe driving flag (2). Specific examples of the safe driving flags (1) and (2) will be described later.

[0025] The controller 2 transmits the number of safe driving points added from when the vehicle detects the convex mirror until the vehicle passes the location where the convex mirror is installed, and the state of the safe driving flag 32, to the center device 11 as the evaluation result of the safety confirmation behavior. In this way, the driving evaluation device 1 can evaluate whether or not the driver performed an appropriate safety confirmation when traveling on a road where a convex mirror is installed.

[0026] In addition, since the driving evaluation device 1 can evaluate the driver's driving behavior by performing image recognition on images inside the vehicle cabin and images in front of the vehicle, it can be retrofitted to any vehicle equipped with a forward camera 51 and an in-vehicle camera 52.

[0027] Hereinafter, the processing executed by the controller 2 of the driving evaluation device 1 will be specifically described with reference to Fig. 2 to Fig. 4. Fig. 2 to Fig. 4 are flowcharts showing an example of the processing executed by the controller 2 according to the embodiment.

[0028] When the controller 2 detects the approach to a location where a convex mirror is installed, the controller 2 starts the processing shown in Fig. 2 to Fig. 4. The controller 2 performs image recognition of the convex mirror from the image in front of the vehicle captured by the front camera 51, and detects the state of the convex mirror.

[0029] At this time, the controller 2 detects the state of the convex mirror by image recognition, including the installation position of the convex mirror relative to the vehicle, the distance from the vehicle to the convex mirror, the direction of the mirror surface of the convex mirror, and the shape of the road on which the convex mirror is set.

[0030] The road shape here refers to whether the road on which the convex mirror is installed is curved or not curved, for example, a T-junction or a narrow crank. Note that, here, a case has been described in which the installation position of the convex mirror relative to the vehicle, the distance from the vehicle to the convex mirror, the direction of the mirror surface of the convex mirror, and the shape of the road on which the convex mirror is installed are detected by image recognition from an image ahead of the vehicle, but this is just one example.

[0031] The controller 2 may be configured to detect the installation position of the convex mirror, the distance from the vehicle to the convex mirror, and the shape of the road on which the convex mirror is installed, based on the vehicle's position measured by the GPS function and the map data 33 stored in the storage unit 3. In addition, when the map data 33 includes the direction of the mirror surface of the convex mirror, the controller 2 can also obtain the direction of the mirror surface of the convex mirror from the map data 33.

[0032] 2 when the distance between the vehicle and the convex mirror becomes as close as 100 m, for example. The controller 2 then detects the driver's state by image recognition of the driver's line of sight, posture, and face direction from the image of the vehicle interior captured by the in-vehicle camera 52 (step S101). The controller 2 continues to detect the driver's state and the state of the convex mirror until the vehicle passes the installation point of the convex mirror.

[0033] Next, the controller 2 judges whether the average movement of the driver's line of sight from when the convex mirror is detected until the driver arrives at the location where the convex mirror is installed is equal to or greater than a certain value (step S102). The certain value here is the average movement of the driver's line of sight when the driver is paying sufficient attention to the surroundings. If the average movement of the driver's line of sight is equal to or greater than the certain value, it is assumed that the driver is paying sufficient attention to the surroundings while driving on a road with poor visibility where a convex mirror is installed.

[0034] Therefore, when the controller 2 determines that the average amount of movement of the line of sight is a constant value (step S102, Yes), it adds a safe driving point (step S103) and moves the process to step S104. When the controller 2 determines that the average amount of movement of the line of sight is not equal to or greater than the constant value (step S102, No), it moves the process to step S104 without adding a safe driving point. This allows the controller 2 to appropriately evaluate whether the driver paid attention to the surroundings from the time the controller 2 detected the convex mirror until the controller 2 arrived at the location where the convex mirror is installed.

[0035] In step S104, the controller 2 judges whether or not the driver is holding the steering wheel with both hands when the vehicle arrives at a location where a convex mirror is installed. When driving on a road with poor visibility, it is important for the driver to hold the steering wheel with both hands from the viewpoint of safe driving.

[0036] Therefore, if the controller 2 determines that the driver is holding the steering wheel with both hands (step S104, Yes), it sets the safe driving flag (1) (step S105) and moves the process to step S106. On the other hand, if the controller 2 determines that the driver is not holding the steering wheel with both hands (step S104, No), it moves the process to step S106 without setting the safe driving flag (1).

[0037] In step S106, the controller 2 judges whether the driver is in a forward-leaning posture when the vehicle arrives at a location where a convex mirror is installed. On roads with poor visibility where convex mirrors are installed, it is desirable for the driver to lean forward more than in a normal driving posture and check the surroundings.

[0038] Therefore, when the controller 2 determines that the driver is leaning forward (step S106, Yes), it adds a safe driving point (step S107) and moves the process to step S108. When the controller 2 determines that the driver is not leaning forward (step S106, No), it moves the process to step S108 without adding a safe driving point. This allows the controller 2 to appropriately evaluate whether the driver paid attention to areas that could not be seen without leaning forward.

[0039] In step S108, the controller 2 judges whether the average movement amount of the driver's face direction from when the convex mirror is detected until the driver arrives at the location where the convex mirror is installed is equal to or greater than a certain value. The certain value here is the average movement amount of the face direction when the driver pays sufficient attention to the surroundings. If the average movement amount of the driver's face direction is equal to or greater than the certain value, it is presumed that the driver is paying sufficient attention to the surroundings while driving on a road with poor visibility where a convex mirror is installed.

[0040] Therefore, when the controller 2 determines that the average amount of movement of the face direction is a constant value (step S108, Yes), it adds a safe driving point (step S109) and moves the process to step S110 shown in Fig. 3. When the controller 2 determines that the average amount of movement of the face direction is not equal to or greater than a constant value (step S108, No), it moves the process to step S110 without adding a safe driving point. This allows the controller 2 to appropriately evaluate whether the driver paid attention to the surroundings from the time the controller 2 detected the convex mirror until the controller 2 arrived at the location where the convex mirror is installed.

[0041] In step S110, the controller 2 determines whether the direction of the convex mirror is known from map data, etc. The direction of the convex mirror here refers to the direction in which the mirror surface of the convex mirror is facing. If the controller 2 determines that the direction of the convex mirror is not known (step S110, No), the controller 2 moves the process to step S111.

[0042] When the controller 2 determines that the direction of the convex mirror is known (step S110, Yes), it determines whether the driver's face is facing the direction of the convex mirror (step S112). That is, the controller 2 determines whether the driver's face is facing the direction in which the mirror surface of the convex mirror faces when the vehicle arrives at the installation point of the convex mirror.

[0043] Here, the safety checking behavior of the driver for which the controller 2 determines the evaluation in step S112 will be described with reference to Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the safety checking behavior of the driver according to the embodiment.

[0044] 5, for example, when the vehicle C travels through a T-junction 101 where a convex mirror 100 is installed, the controller 2 performs image recognition of a direction 102 in which the mirror surface of the convex mirror 100 faces from an image ahead of the vehicle C. Next, the controller 2 performs image recognition of a position of an area 103 of a road ahead in the direction 102 in which the mirror surface of the convex mirror 100 faces.

[0045] At this time, if the direction of the driver D's face is facing in the direction 104 of an area 103 of the road ahead in the direction 102 in which the mirror surface of the curved mirror 100 is facing, the controller 2 determines that the driver D's face is facing in the direction of the curved mirror.

[0046] In response to this, if the direction of the driver D's face is facing in a direction other than the direction 104 of the area 103 of the road ahead in the direction 102 in which the mirror surface of the curved mirror 100 is facing, the controller 2 determines that the driver D's face is not facing in the direction of the curved mirror.

[0047] The controller 2 may be configured to determine that the face of the driver D is facing in the direction of the convex mirror when the face of the driver D is facing in the direction 105 of the mirror surface of the convex mirror 100.

[0048] Returning to Fig. 3, if the controller 2 determines that the driver's face is facing the convex mirror (step S112, Yes), it adds safe driving points (step S113) and moves the process to step S111. If the controller 2 determines that the driver's face is not facing the convex mirror (step S112, No), it moves the process to step S111 without adding safe driving points. This allows the controller 2 to appropriately evaluate whether or not the driver has reliably checked the convex mirror when passing by it.

[0049] In step S111, the controller 2 detects the shape of the road at the installation point of the convex mirror by using the image from the front camera 51. Then, the controller 2 determines whether the road at the installation point of the convex mirror is curved or not (step S114).

[0050] If the location of the convex mirror is a curve, you do not necessarily need to stop or slow down as long as you check the convex mirror. On the other hand, if the location of the convex mirror is not a curve, that is, a T-junction or a narrow crank, you must stop or slow down.

[0051] Therefore, when the controller 2 determines that the location where the convex mirror is installed is not a curve (step S114, No), it determines whether the vehicle will stop temporarily when it arrives at the location where the convex mirror is installed (step S115). In other words, when the controller 2 determines that the location where the convex mirror is installed is a T-junction or a narrow crank, it determines whether the vehicle will stop temporarily when it arrives at the location where the convex mirror is installed. Stopping temporarily here includes slowing down.

[0052] When the controller 2 determines that the host vehicle is temporarily stopped (step S115, Yes), it sets the safe driving flag (2) (step S116) and proceeds to step S117 shown in Fig. 4. When the controller 2 determines that the host vehicle is not temporarily stopped (step S115, No), it proceeds to step S117 shown in Fig. 4 without setting the safe driving flag (2).

[0053] Moreover, when the controller 2 determines that the location where the convex mirror is installed is a curve (Yes at step S114), the controller 2 moves the process to step S117 shown in FIG. 4 without determining whether or not the vehicle is making a temporary stop.

[0054] In step S117, the controller 2 determines whether or not both of the safety flags (1) and (2) are set. If the controller 2 determines that both of the safety flags (1) and (2) are not set (step S117, No), the controller 2 notifies the driver by voice and video to check the surroundings (step S120), and moves the process to step S119.

[0055] In this way, the controller 2 notifies the driver to make a safety check when the driver does not hold the steering wheel with both hands when arriving at a location where a convex mirror is installed, or when the driver does not stop when arriving at a location where a convex mirror is installed on a road that is not curved, thereby enabling the controller 2 to prompt the driver who has neglected to make a safety check to make a safety check at the location where a convex mirror is installed.

[0056] When it is determined that both the safety flags (1) and (2) are set (Yes in step S117), the controller 2 determines whether the safe driving points are equal to or lower than a certain value (step S118). The certain value here is the upper limit of the safe driving points that can be acquired if the driver does not pay sufficient attention to the surroundings.

[0057] When the controller 2 determines that the safe driving point is equal to or less than a certain value (step S118, Yes), it notifies the driver to make a safety check. This allows the controller 2 to prompt the driver who neglected to make a safety check at the location where the curve mirror is installed to make a safety check. When the controller 2 determines that the safe driving point is not equal to or less than a certain value (step S118, No), it moves the process to step S119 without notifying the driver to make a safety check.

[0058] In this way, the controller 2 notifies the driver of the driving behavior according to the safe driving points. This makes it possible to prevent unnecessary notifications urging the driver to make safety checks from being sent to the driver who has performed appropriate safe driving checks, and to suppress the driver from feeling annoyed.

[0059] In step S119, the controller 2 transmits the safety confirmation action result to the center device 11 and ends the process. The safety confirmation action result here includes the number of safe driving points acquired by the driver and the state of the safe driving flags (1) and (2) (information indicating whether the flags are set or not).

[0060] As a result, for example, an insurance company operating the center device 11 can set an appropriate grade for the driver's insurance by using the safety confirmation behavior result. Also, the insurance company operating the center device 11 can accurately determine the degree of negligence of the driver when the driver has an accident near a point where a convex mirror is installed.

[0061] As described above, the controller 2 of the driving evaluation device 1 detects the driver's state from the video in the vehicle cabin, and detects the state of the convex mirror from the video in front of the vehicle. The controller 2 then evaluates the driver's driving behavior based on the driver's state and the state of the convex mirror. This allows the driving evaluation device 1 to evaluate whether the driver performed appropriate safety checks when traveling on a road where a convex mirror is installed.

[0062] Further advantages and modifications may readily occur to those skilled in the art. Thus, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details and representative embodiments shown and described above. Accordingly, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept as defined by the appended claims and equivalents thereof. [Explanation of symbols]

[0063] 1. Driving evaluation device 2. Controller 3 Storage section 4. Communications Department 10. Communications Networks 11 Center device 31 Safe Driving Tips 32 Safe Driving Flag 33 Map Data 34 Recording data 51 Front Camera 52 In-vehicle camera 53 Notification device

Claims

1. Detects the driver's condition from video footage inside the vehicle, Detects the status of the convex mirror from the image in front of the vehicle, A driving behavior of the driver is evaluated based on a state of the driver and a state of the convex mirror. Driving evaluation device.

2. The driver's state is The direction of the driver's line of sight, The state of the convex mirror is as follows: Including the installation position of the convex mirror, If the average amount of movement of the line of sight from when the driver detects the convex mirror until the driver arrives at the location where the convex mirror is installed is equal to or greater than a certain value, points indicating a high evaluation of safe driving are added. The driving evaluation device according to claim 1 .

3. The driver's state is The driver's posture is included. The state of the convex mirror is as follows: Including the installation position of the convex mirror, If the driver is in a forward-leaning posture when arriving at the location where the convex mirror is installed, points indicating a high evaluation of safe driving are added. The driving evaluation device according to claim 1 .

4. The driver's state is Including the driver's facial orientation; The state of the convex mirror is as follows: Including the installation position of the convex mirror, If the average amount of movement of the face direction from when the driver detects the convex mirror until the driver arrives at the location where the convex mirror is installed is equal to or greater than a certain value, points indicating a high evaluation of safe driving are added. The driving evaluation device according to claim 1 .

5. The driver's state is Including the driver's facial orientation; The state of the convex mirror is as follows: Including the direction of the mirror surface of the convex mirror, When the driver arrives at a location where the convex mirror is installed, if the driver's face is facing in the direction of the mirror, points indicating a high evaluation of safe driving are added. The driving evaluation device according to claim 1 .

6. Notifying the driver about driving behavior according to the points The driving evaluation device according to any one of claims 2 to 5.

7. The driver's state is The driver's posture is included. The state of the convex mirror is as follows: The installation position of the convex mirror and the shape of the road on which the convex mirror is installed are included, When the driver does not hold the steering wheel with both hands when the vehicle arrives at a location where the convex mirror is installed, or when the vehicle does not stop when the vehicle arrives at a location where the convex mirror is installed on a road that is not curved, a notification is given to the driver to prompt the driver to make a safety check. The driving evaluation device according to claim 1 .

8. Detects the driver's condition from video footage inside the vehicle, Detects the status of the convex mirror from the image in front of the vehicle, A driving behavior of the driver is evaluated based on a state of the driver and a state of the convex mirror. A driving evaluation method performed by a driving evaluation device.

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