Vehicle control device, vehicle control system, vehicle control method, and vehicle control program

Abstract

To provide a vehicle control device, vehicle control system, vehicle control method, and vehicle control program that enable delegation of partial operational authority related to travel control to a passenger during automatic evacuation.SOLUTION: An information processing device 10 includes a control unit 11. When an abnormality of a driver is detected by an abnormality detection unit 11c of the control unit 11, evacuation travel is performed by a travel control system ECU 5w. In this case, the control unit 11 enables a passenger riding with the driver to perform at least a partial special operation related to the evacuation travel through an operation input unit 21.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a vehicle control device, a vehicle control system, a vehicle control method, and a vehicle control program. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, there is provided an automatic evacuation control technology that automatically stops a vehicle when the driver loses consciousness (see, for example, Patent Document 1). According to the technology described in Patent Document 1, when the detection of an abnormality in the driver continues, it is determined that the driver is having difficulty driving, and automatic evacuation control is executed. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-206339 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Since the driver is in a state where it is difficult for them to drive, various actions related to vehicle control, such as driving, are restricted. Therefore, if there is a passenger, it may be better to delegate some of the operation authority to the passenger only during automatic evacuation.

[0005] The object of the present disclosure is to provide a vehicle control device, a vehicle control system, a vehicle control method, and a vehicle control program that enable some operating authority related to vehicle control to be delegated to a passenger during automatic evacuation. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] According to the invention of claim 1, when the abnormality detection unit detects an abnormality in the driver and the evacuation control unit performs evacuation driving, the control unit allows a passenger riding with the driver to perform at least some of the special operations related to the evacuation driving through the operation input unit. This allows the passenger to input operations related to the evacuation driving through the operation input unit, and some of the operation authority related to vehicle control during automatic evacuation can be delegated to the passenger. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] External configuration diagram of the cockpit system in the first embodiment [Figure 2] FIG. 1 shows a configuration and control image of a PtoP display in the first embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a vehicle notification system according to a first embodiment. [Figure 4] An explanatory diagram of the hardware and software structure in the first embodiment. [Figure 5] Flowchart 1 showing the outline of the processing contents in the first embodiment [Figure 6] Schematic diagram 1 showing a notification mode in the first embodiment [Figure 7] Flowchart 2 outlining the processing content in the first embodiment [Figure 8] Schematic diagram 2 showing the notification mode in the first embodiment [Figure 9] Schematic diagram 3 showing the notification mode in the first embodiment [Figure 10] Schematic diagram 4 showing the notification mode in the first embodiment [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a notification mode in a second embodiment; [Figure 12] 1 is a schematic diagram showing a notification mode in the third embodiment. [Figure 13] Schematic diagram 2 showing the notification mode in the third embodiment [Figure 14] External configuration diagram of a cockpit system according to a fourth embodiment [Figure 15]External configuration diagram of a cockpit system in a fifth embodiment [Figure 16] External configuration diagram of a cockpit system according to a sixth embodiment [Figure 17] External configuration diagram of a cockpit system in a seventh embodiment [Figure 18] An explanatory diagram of the hardware and software structure in the eighth embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] Hereinafter, several embodiments of a control device, a control system, a control method, and a control program will be described. Parts that perform the same functions in the respective embodiments will be assigned the same reference numerals, and descriptions thereof may be omitted.

[0009] (First embodiment) The first embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 10. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, a vehicle notification system 1 is configured using a cockpit system 4 equipped with a pillar-to-pillar display 2. Hereinafter, the pillar-to-pillar display 2 will be referred to as a PtoP display 2.

[0010] 1 and 2, the PtoP display 2 is configured with multiple displays 2a to 2c arranged side by side to form a landscape-oriented display. Each of the displays 2a to 2c of the PtoP display 2 is configured as a liquid crystal display, an organic EL display, or the like, and is a large display mounted on the dashboard between the left pillar PL and the right pillar PR of the vehicle.

[0011] In the example shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the display 2a for displaying vehicle information refers to a display installed in front of the driver's seat (hereinafter referred to as "in front of the D seat") and refers to a display for mainly displaying vehicle information such as meter information. On the other hand, a P seat front display 2c is installed in front of the passenger seat (hereinafter referred to as "in front of the P seat"). The P seat front display 2c is a display for mainly displaying information necessary for the P seat occupant, such as entertainment information M0, and information for the P seat occupant to enjoy entertainment in the vehicle. The center information display (CID) 2b refers to a display installed between the D seat and the P seat and refers to a display for mainly displaying a menu screen for displaying a selection screen for an application to be started, an execution screen for the application, and information necessary for the driver and the P seat occupant. However, although modified examples will be described in the embodiments described later, the number, installation conditions, and configuration of the displays are merely examples and are not limited to the display configuration shown in this embodiment.

[0012] The PtoP display 2 is configured to be able to display various image content and text content such as meter images, images captured by the surrounding camera 23 (see Figure 3), entertainment images such as still images and videos, navigation images including map images of the area around the current location, and navigation information in full graphic display on each of the displays 2a to 2c.

[0013] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a large number of ECUs 5 are configured in the vehicle and connected to an in-vehicle network 25. The ECUs 5 are classified into a display system ECU 5x, an in-vehicle control system ECU 5w, a periphery monitoring system ECU 5y, a driving control system ECU 5z (corresponding to an evacuation control unit), and a DCM 5v (or DCU) that communicates with the outside of the vehicle. DCM stands for Data Communication Module, and DCU stands for Data Communication Unit. The DCM 5v is a module for wireless communication with an external center 50 provided outside the vehicle. Here, the ECUs 5 are classified as described above, but this classification method is an example. Also, a certain ECU 5 may be classified across multiple categories.

[0014] The interior control system ECU 5w includes well-known ECUs such as an ECU 5 for door lock control, an ECU 5 for reclining control, an ECU 5 for air conditioning control, and an ECU 5 for horn and lamp control, and performs various controls other than driving control by controlling interior control actuators. For example, when the interior control system ECU 5w receives an instruction to open / close the door locks of the D seat, P seat, right rear seat, or left rear seat, it individually controls the door locks. Furthermore, when the interior control system ECU 5w receives an instruction to operate the D seat, P seat, right rear seat, or left rear seat, it can gradually control the reclining state of the designated seat. Furthermore, when the interior control system ECU 5w receives an instruction to operate the horn, it turns the horn on / off, and when it receives an instruction to operate various lamps, it turns the headlights or brake lights on / off and turns the turn indicators and hazard lights on / off.

[0015] The driving control system ECU 5z may be a well-known vehicle control ECU, engine control ECU, motor control ECU, brake control ECU, or steering control ECU, but may also be configured as an integrated ECU that integrates all or some of these. The driving control system ECU 5z may also include an autonomous driving ECU. The autonomous driving ECU is an Autonomous Driving Electric Control Unit. The driving control system ECU 5z performs driving assistance control using well-known driving actuators and various sensors, such as an electromagnetic throttle, brake actuator, EPS motor, accelerator position sensor, brake pedal force sensor, steering torque sensor, and vehicle speed sensor.

[0016] When the cruise control system ECU 5z inputs an automatic control signal to the autonomous driving ECU, it activates a driving actuator (not shown) to perform the corresponding predetermined level of driving assistance or autonomous driving. For example, Level I driving assistance can perform automatic braking to avoid collisions with obstacles, following a preceding vehicle, or lane-staying control to prevent the vehicle from drifting out of the lanes on either side. Level II autonomous driving can perform a combination of Level I driving assistance or an autonomous driving mode under specific conditions, such as automatically overtaking slower vehicles on a highway or automatically merging onto a highway. Note that Level II autonomous driving requires the driver to monitor the autonomous driving. At Level III or higher autonomous driving, the system performs all driving tasks while monitoring the vehicle.

[0017] Each ECU 5 is mainly composed of an SoC 30 or 31 (see below) incorporating a microcomputer equipped with various storage units 6 such as a processor, cache memory, RAM, and ROM, an I / O 15, and a bus connecting these. The storage unit 6 represents a non-transitory tangible storage medium that non-temporarily stores computer-readable programs and data. The non-transitory tangible storage medium is realized by a semiconductor memory or the like. Each ECU 5 is communicably connected to other ECUs 5 provided in the vehicle via a communication control unit 7 and an in-vehicle network 25.

[0018] In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 2, a plurality of ECUs 5 constituting a display-system ECU 5x constitute an HCU as an information processing device 10. HCU stands for Human Machine Interface Control Unit. The display-system ECU 5x shares the processing power of its internal physical resources and controls display on each of the displays 2a to 2c of the PtoP display 2; for example, each ECU 5 constituting the display-system ECU 5x individually processes display for each of the displays 2a to 2c of the PtoP display 2. Although the in-vehicle network 25 is shown connected between the ECUs 5 constituting the display-system ECU 5x, they may also be connected by a dedicated line.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 3, the information processing device 10 includes a control unit 11, a calculation unit 12, a memory unit 6, a display processing unit 13, a sound processing unit 14, an I / O 15 that manages input or output from various devices, a communication control unit 7 that manages communication with other ECUs 5, and a wireless communication unit 27.

[0020] Here, we will explain how the output signals of major components such as the position detector 19, operation input unit (equivalent to the input unit) 21, occupant monitor 22, peripheral camera 23, and distance detection sensor 24 shown in Figure 2 are input to the information processing device 10 via I / O 15, but they may also be input from other ECUs 5 that make up the in-vehicle control system ECU 5w, peripheral monitoring system ECU 5y, and driving control system ECU 5z via the in-vehicle network 25.

[0021] Based on the control of the control unit 11, the calculation device 12 calculates the area to be displayed on the display screen of the PtoP display 2 for the content of images, sentences, characters, or symbols (hereinafter referred to as images, etc.) stored in the memory unit 6, calculates in which area of ​​the display screen of the PtoP display 2 the content of images, etc. will be displayed, and on which area it will be superimposed, and outputs the content of images, etc. to the control unit 11.

[0022] The control unit 11 has a function as a notification control unit 11b that controls the display of content such as images on the display screen of the PtoP display 2 through the display processing unit 13. The display processing unit 13 processes the display of content such as images on the display screen of the PtoP display 2 based on the control of the control unit 11. Content such as images can be displayed superimposed on each display layer on each display screen of the PtoP display 2.

[0023] The control unit 11 also has a function as an announcement control unit 11b that controls announcement of sound from the speaker 18 via the sound processing unit 14. The sound processing unit 14 receives a call voice input from the microphone 17 and outputs a call voice from the speaker 18 under the control of the control unit 11. When the sound processing unit 14 receives text or character content from the control unit 11, it converts the content into voice and reads it out through the speaker 18. The information processing device 10 can also recognize voice input through the microphone 17.

[0024] The position detector 19 detects the position with high accuracy using a well-known GNSS receiver such as a GPS, and inertial sensors such as an acceleration sensor and a gyro sensor (not shown). The position detector 19 outputs a position detection signal to the control unit 11 via the I / O 15. The position identification unit 11a of the control unit 11 functions as an ADAS locator that sequentially locates the current position of the vehicle with high accuracy based on map information input from a map data input device and the position detection signal of the position detector 19. ADAS is an abbreviation for Advanced Driver Assistance Systems.

[0025] The map data input device is configured with a non-volatile memory or the like, and stores map data including various data such as link data and node data. The link data includes various data such as link identification data that identifies the links that make up roads on the map, link length data that indicates the length of the link, link orientation data that indicates the orientation of the link, link travel time data that indicates the time required to travel along the link, node coordinate data that indicates the coordinates of the nodes that make up the start and end points of the link, and link attribute data that indicates the attributes of the road. The link attribute data includes road symbols using icons that include prefecture names, city names, and information on national and prefectural roads, and character symbol information that indicates town names.

[0026] The node data includes various types of data such as node identification data that identifies nodes present on the map, node coordinate data that indicates the coordinates of the nodes, node name data that indicates the name of the node, node type data that indicates the type of node such as an intersection, connecting link data that identifies the links connecting to the nodes, etc. The map data also has associated therewith character symbol information that indicates the names of facilities such as parks using identification information such as character codes.

[0027] The display processing unit 13 can generate image content of a map of any location based on these map data, and can also generate the image content so as to include some or all of the character and symbol information described above.

[0028] The vehicle position calculated by the navigation process is expressed in a coordinate system consisting of latitude and longitude, where, for example, the X-axis represents longitude and the Y-axis represents latitude. Note that the vehicle position can be measured based on information on a travel distance obtained based on a sensing result from a vehicle speed sensor mounted on the vehicle, and various other configurations can be adopted as long as the vehicle position can be identified.

[0029] The operation input unit 21 is made up of a touch panel arranged on a predetermined display out of the multiple displays 2a to 2c that make up the PtoP display 2, such as the center information display 2b or the P seat front display 2c, or mechanical switches provided on the periphery of the PtoP display 2, and when an operation input is made to the operation input unit 21, it accepts the operation input via the I / O 15 and outputs the operation input information to the control unit 11. The operation input unit 21 includes, for example, a power switch, a horn switch, a turn switch, a hazard lamp switch, an automatic control switch, and the like.

[0030] A vehicle occupant can issue an operation command to the control unit 11 by operating the operation input unit 21. The control unit 11 executes control based on the operation signal from the operation input unit 21. The operation input unit 21 also enables selection of content to be displayed on the PtoP display 2, operation of the air conditioning, operation of the audio, and input of navigation functions. For example, when a navigation app is running and the vehicle occupant inputs a destination into the operation input unit 21, the control unit 11 can execute navigation processing to provide guidance from the current position of the vehicle to the destination while displaying a map screen using the display processing unit 13.

[0031] When a vehicle occupant operates the operation input unit 21 while the vehicle is stopped, the occupant can instruct to move the display area of ​​the map or change the scale. When the display processing unit 13 receives an instruction through the control unit 11, it can move the display area within the image content and change the scale of the map by enlarging or reducing the display area. This allows the map to be displayed in any area, such as around the current position of the vehicle or around the destination, and the scale of the map display can also be changed.

[0032] The occupant monitor 22 detects the state or operation state of an occupant in the vehicle. The occupant monitor 22 is configured to monitor the occupant using signals output by the occupant operating, for example, a power switch, a horn switch, a turn switch, a hazard lamp switch, an automatic control switch, etc., and an occupant state monitor, and outputs various signals and monitor results to the control unit 11. The occupant monitor 22 may also monitor the occupant using signals from a steering sensor that detects whether the driver is gripping or steering the steering wheel, a seating sensor that detects whether the driver is seated in the seat, an accelerator pedal or brake pedal depression sensor, etc.

[0033] The power switch outputs a signal corresponding to the operation when turned on by a user in the vehicle cabin to start the internal combustion engine or the electric motor. The occupant status monitor includes a camera that detects the status of an occupant sitting in the D seat or P seat by capturing an image of the occupant using an image sensor and outputs an image signal. The driver's occupant status monitor is called DSM, which stands for Driver Status Monitor.

[0034] The occupant status monitor acquires an image signal captured by irradiating the driver's head with near-infrared light, analyzes the image as necessary, and outputs the image to the control unit 11. The occupant status monitor is used to detect the status of occupants such as the driver, particularly during driving assistance or autonomous driving. The turn switch is provided to activate the vehicle's turn indicators and outputs a turn signal to turn right or left in response to the occupant's operation of the turn switch. The horn switch is provided to sound the horn, or alarm horn, in response to the occupant's command. The hazard lamp switch is provided to flash or turn off the hazard lamps in response to the occupant's command.

[0035] The automatic control switch is turned on by an occupant in the vehicle cabin to command automatic control of the vehicle's driving state, and outputs an automatic control signal corresponding to the operation. The control unit 11 can determine the behavior of the vehicle occupant, for example, the direction in which the eyes are facing, based on the signal from the occupant monitor 22, and can also input the operation state of the power switch, the operation state of the turn indicators and hazard lamps, command information for automatic control of the vehicle, etc.

[0036] The control unit 11 can detect the condition of the driver, the passenger in the front passenger seat, or the passenger in the rear seat based on the signal monitored by the passenger monitor 22. This allows the control unit 11 to realize the function of an abnormality detection unit 11c that detects a deterioration in the condition of each passenger, such as the driver or the passenger in the front passenger seat.

[0037] The peripheral cameras 23 constitute peripheral monitoring sensors such as a front camera that captures an image in front of the vehicle, a back camera that captures an image behind the vehicle, a corner camera that captures an image of the front or rear of the vehicle, or a side camera that captures an image of the side of the vehicle, and an electronic mirror, which are output to the control unit 11 via the I / O 15 as image signals for the front guide monitor, back guide monitor, corner view monitor, side guide monitor, and electronic mirror, respectively, and stored in the storage unit 6. The communication control unit 7 is connected to an in-vehicle network 25 such as CAN or LIN, and controls data communication with another ECU 5. The vehicle may also be equipped with an inter-vehicle communication system that allows data communication between the vehicle and other vehicles, or a road-side communication system that allows data communication between the vehicle and a roadside device.

[0038] The vehicle is also equipped with a distance detection sensor 24 as a perimeter monitoring sensor that detects the distance to an obstacle. The distance detection sensor 24 is composed of a clearance sonar, LiDAR, millimeter-wave radar, etc., and can detect vehicles, people, animals, fallen objects on the road, guardrails, curbs, trees, etc. that are in front of, on the front side of, the rear side of, or near the rear or side of the vehicle. It can also detect the direction to and the distance to the obstacle. The perimeter monitoring sensor can also detect road markings on the roads around the vehicle, such as lane markings, stop lines, crosswalks, signs such as "Stop" written on the road, and stop lines displayed at the boundaries of intersections. The control unit 11 can obtain the status of vehicles in the vicinity of the vehicle itself, such as departure information when the preceding vehicle has departed, approach information when a surrounding vehicle such as a following vehicle approaches the vehicle itself, and information on the distance between the vehicle itself and surrounding vehicles such as the preceding vehicle and the following vehicle, by using image information from the surrounding camera 23, communication information from the vehicle-to-vehicle communication system and the road-to-vehicle communication system, and sensor information from the distance detection sensor 24.

[0039] Furthermore, a wireless communication unit 27 is connected to the control unit 11 of the display system ECU 5x. The wireless communication unit 27 is configured to be wirelessly connected to a mobile terminal 28 carried by a vehicle occupant using short-range wireless communication technology such as wireless LAN or Bluetooth (registered trademark). The mobile terminal 28 is a so-called smartphone, tablet terminal, or mobile phone, and is equipped with a display that displays various information and a function for inputting information. The mobile terminal 28 is also equipped with a telephone function for making calls to the outside, and is capable of making calls to and from outside the vehicle, and is also capable of data communication.

[0040] The wireless communication unit 27 is communicatively linked with a portable terminal 28 carried by a vehicle occupant by short-range wireless communication technology. Then, the display system ECU 5x can communicate with the external center 50 via wireless communication and a wired communication network (not shown) from the portable terminal 28 carried by the vehicle occupant via the wireless communication unit 27. The display system ECU 5x can communicate various information with the external center 50 by wireless communication via the portable terminal 28 linked by short-range wireless communication technology.

[0041] The driver or passenger may also wear a wearable device 29 on their body. The wearable device 29 may be what is called a smart watch or smart glasses, and may be worn on the body in various forms, such as a wristwatch, eyeglasses, ring, earphones, clothing, or shoes. The wearable device 29 is operated by a microcomputer and has a short-range wireless communication function, and when communication is established with the mobile terminal 28 or the wireless communication unit 27, data can be transmitted between the wearable device 29 and the mobile terminal 28. Furthermore, the wearable device 29 has an audio input / output function, and when the driver inputs audio through the wearable device 29, communication with the mobile terminal 28 can be performed to make an external call. When audio is input from an external device, the wearable device 29 can output the audio to the driver.

[0042] Furthermore, the wearable device 29 is equipped with various sensors, and when worn on the body of a driver, passenger, or other occupant, it can measure the vital information of each occupant. Examples of vital information that can be measured here include heart rate (pulse), body temperature, blood concentration, and blood pressure. Other information that can be measured include the number of steps taken, exercise records, calories burned, and sleep time. Because the wearable device 29 is always worn on the body, it can constantly obtain vital information even if the driver experiences some kind of abnormality while driving or takes a break from driving during automated driving. Furthermore, even if a passenger falls asleep during manual driving or if the driver falls asleep during automated driving, the wearable device 29 can detect this sleep information as vital information.

[0043] 4 shows an example of the hardware and software configuration of the information processing device 10. Each of the ECUs 5, 5a constituting the information processing device 10 is equipped with an SoC 30, 31, respectively, and the above-mentioned microcomputer is incorporated into the equipped SoC 30, 31. The microcomputer incorporated into the SoC 30, 31 of the ECU 5 is configured to run a variety of multiple applications 33 (hereinafter abbreviated as apps 33) on a pre-installed general-purpose OS 32, for example, Linux OS (Linux is a registered trademark). SoC is an abbreviation for System On Chip.

[0044] The applications 33 include an image processing application 34, a navigation application, and other applications. In response to a drawing request from the image processing application 34, the SoC 30 performs drawing processing on the display screen of each display 2a of the PtoP display 2.

[0045] On the other hand, ECU 5a is provided for meter drawing purposes and is therefore designated by the reference numeral 5a. A real-time OS 35 capable of processing with higher real-time performance than a general-purpose OS 32 is embedded in the microcomputer built into SoC 31 of ECU 5a, and a meter application 36 is configured to run on the real-time OS 35. Note that although various functions are realized by hardware executing software, the following explanation may focus on the software of application 33, such as image processing application 34 and meter application 36, for ease of understanding.

[0046] The meter application 36 is software for notifying the user of the vehicle speed, engine revolutions, warnings, etc., and draws meter image content in a specific display area of ​​the PtoP display 2. For example, the meter application 36 draws image content such as a speedometer, a tachometer, the shift range position status, or warning lights. The speedometer includes a speed image whose display needs to be updated in real time to show changes in the vehicle speed. Similarly, the tachometer is also included in the meter image because its display needs to be updated in real time to show changes in the engine revolutions.

[0047] The content drawn by the meter application 36 requires relatively higher real-time performance than the content drawn by other applications. The applications 33 include a navigation application. The navigation application realizes the navigation function described above and also draws image content such as a navigation screen including a map and the current vehicle position on the PtoP display 2.

[0048] The applications 33 also include an image synthesis application. The image synthesis application specifies the size and type of various image contents to be displayed on the PtoP display 2, synthesizes parts of the image contents within one frame, and outputs this synthesized mixed image to the PtoP display 2. The image synthesis application realizes the functions of an image synthesis unit, also known as a compositor, and also the functions of an image output unit.

[0049] A display layer for drawing the image content is assigned to each of the applications 33 and 36 that draw image content. These display layers are allocated in the storage unit 6 in a size that allows the necessary image content to be drawn.

[0050] Furthermore, the image content displayed on the PtoP display 2 can be animated. Here, animation refers to a display mode in which the position or size of the image showing the content gradually changes, the image rotates, the entire user interface moves in response to a swipe operation, the image gradually fades in or out, or the color of the image changes. The control unit 11 executes the application 33, which is a navigation application, and performs various processes to thereby realize the function of the position identification unit 11a according to the present application. The control unit 11 executes the application 33 and performs various processes to thereby realize the function of the notification control unit 11b and the abnormality detection unit 11c according to the present application.

[0051] In this embodiment, if the driver of the vehicle becomes ill while driving and the abnormality detection unit 11c detects an abnormality in the driver, automatic evacuation control is executed in accordance with the situation. A feature of this automatic evacuation control is that when it is executed, the authority to perform some special operations is delegated to the passenger. Specific processing will be explained below with reference to Figure 5 and subsequent drawings. Note that a specific example of automatic evacuation control can be easily realized by those skilled in the art by applying the technology of the vehicle control ECU described in Patent Document 1 (Background Art section) to the cruise control system ECU 5z, so detailed explanation will be omitted.

[0052] For example, while the driver is manually driving the vehicle, the occupant monitor 22 detects the state of the driver and his / her passengers. For example, if the driver becomes ill due to some influence while driving, the control unit 11 detects the driver's abnormality using the function of the abnormality detection unit 11c based on the signal acquired by the occupant monitor 22.

[0053] At this time, if the control unit 11 determines in S11 that there is no response from the driver, it controls in S12 to display an automatic evacuation control activation button on the P seat front display 2c for passengers. After controlling the display of the automatic evacuation control activation button, the control unit 11 starts measuring a timer and measures time. While detecting the driver's condition using the occupant monitor 22, the control unit 11 asks the vehicle occupant, in this case, the passenger, whether it is okay to start evacuation driving. In this way, the control unit 11 enables the driver and passengers to perform at least some special operations related to evacuation driving.

[0054] As shown in Figure 6, the control unit 11 controls the display processing unit 13 to display a message M1e indicating that the driver is undergoing an abnormality diagnosis on the center information display 2b and / or the display 2c in front of the passenger seat, and also controls the display of an explanatory message Mz asking whether it is okay to "start evacuation driving?", and controls the display of a YES button MY and a NO button MN.

[0055] In this way, when an evacuation drive is about to be performed by the driving control system ECU 5z, the control unit 11 displays on the center information display 2b and / or the P seat front display 2c when the evacuation drive is confirmed, allowing the passenger to give permission for the evacuation drive.

[0056] The control unit 11 accepts the operation input of the YES button MY or the NO button MN via the operation input unit 21. Then, the control unit 11 determines whether or not permission is granted in S13 of Fig. 5, or whether or not a predetermined time has elapsed.

[0057] If the vehicle occupant subsequently presses the YES button MY before the predetermined time has elapsed, the control unit 11 starts the automatic evacuation control by the driving control system ECU 5z in S14 of Fig. 5. Conversely, if the control unit 11 receives an input from the driver or a passenger pressing the NO button MN, it stops the execution of the automatic evacuation control. This allows the control unit 11 to check in advance whether the driver is actually experiencing an abnormality before the automatic evacuation control is executed, and prevents unnecessary execution of the automatic evacuation control.

[0058] Furthermore, if a predetermined time (e.g., several seconds) has elapsed since the timer start timing, the control unit 11 determines that the operation input time has elapsed, and starts automatic evacuation control in S14. If something abnormal occurs with the driver, the passenger may become anxious and make an operation error, which may prevent the passenger from accurately inputting operations. In such a case, the control unit 11 automatically starts automatic evacuation control in S14 after the predetermined time has elapsed.

[0059] When the automatic evacuation control is started in S14, the control unit 11 notifies the driving control system ECU 5z through the communication control unit 7. The driving control system ECU 5z controls the driving actuator to execute the automatic evacuation control. The control unit 11 acquires the current position using the position detector 19, acquires information about the surroundings of the vehicle using the surrounding camera 23 and the distance detection sensor 24, and transmits the information to the driving control system ECU 5z.

[0060] When the peripheral camera 23 and the distance detection sensor 24 are connected to the network 25, the cruise control system ECU 5z acquires the image information of the peripheral camera 23 and the sensor information of the distance detection sensor 24 via the in-vehicle network 25 and performs automatic evacuation control. The cruise control system ECU 5z performs automatic evacuation control while avoiding collision with obstacles, etc., based on the information about the surroundings of the vehicle.

[0061] On the other hand, when the automatic evacuation control is started, the control unit 11 of the information processing device 10 determines in S15 whether entertainment information M0 such as a television program or a movie (hereinafter referred to as entertainment information M0) was displayed on the P seat front display 2c via the display processing unit 13. The control unit 11 determines whether entertainment information M0 was displayed before displaying the message M1e shown in Fig. 6. If it is determined in S15 that entertainment information M0 such as that shown in the upper part of Fig. 8 was displayed, the control unit 11 changes the display mode of the entertainment information M0 in S16.

[0062] Specifically, the control unit 11 turns off or tones down the entertainment information M0 or reduces the display area of ​​the information to be displayed on the P seat front display 2c through the display processing unit 13. The control unit 11 switches the display processing to a special display mode for diagnosing an abnormality of the driver that is stored in advance in the storage unit 6, and starts displaying information for passengers on the P seat front display 2c during automatic evacuation control in S17 (see the lower part of Figure 8).

[0063] As illustrated in the lower part of Figure 8, during automatic evacuation control, the control unit 11 controls the display processing unit 13 to display a message M1a indicating that evacuation driving will begin and a message B1 indicating that automatic evacuation control has been activated on the display 2c in front of the P seat, and also displays entertainment information M0 in a reduced size.

[0064] In addition, during evacuation driving under automatic evacuation control, as shown in the upper part of Figure 9, the control unit 11 may display camera images from the peripheral camera 23 behind or to the rear side of the vehicle, a rear image M4, a right side image M3R, and a left side image M3L as information about the surroundings of the vehicle.

[0065] The control unit 11 may also display a bird's-eye view M2 that displays, for example, a bird's-eye view of the vehicle from above and surrounding information of the vehicle's current location, with the vehicle at the center as the surrounding information of the vehicle. This allows the passenger to understand the surrounding conditions of the vehicle during automatic evacuation control.

[0066] Furthermore, the control unit 11 may automatically flash the hazard lamps during the automatic evacuation control even if the hazard lamp switch is not turned on. Also, the control unit 11 may sound the horn during the automatic evacuation control even if the horn switch is not turned on. In this case, the control unit 11 may control the display of a message M5 indicating that the hazard lamps are flashing or that the horn is operating through the display processing unit 13.

[0067] At this time, when the vehicle is being driven to evacuate, it is desirable that the control unit 11 allows a passenger to switch the outside notification (for example, the horn or hazard lights) on and off. Specifically, the control unit 11 may display whether the hazard lights are flashing on or off, and may also receive an operation input for switching on or off from the operation input unit 21.

[0068] The control unit 11 may also display the on / off switching of the horn sounding, and may also receive an operation input for the on / off switching from the operation input unit 21. When a passenger inputs the on / off switching from the operation input unit 21, the control unit 11 receives the operation input and switches the flashing of the hazard lamps on / off or switches the sounding of the horn on / off in accordance with the passenger's operation instruction. When the control unit 11 receives the operation input for the on / off switching, it issues a command to the in-vehicle control system ECU 5w, and the in-vehicle control system ECU 5w executes the control.

[0069] This allows the passenger to switch the flashing of the hazard lights on / off and the sounding of the horn on / off based on his or her own will. In this way, the control unit 11 may allow the passenger to select and input the action related to evacuation driving as a choice via the operation input unit 21. This allows the passenger to select an action according to the situation that changes in real time.

[0070] Next, the control unit 11 detects the condition of the road ahead in the driving lane using the navigation application function and estimates the location on the road ahead where the vehicle can safely stop. If a road shoulder where it is assumed that the vehicle can safely stop is detected, the control unit 11 controls the display of that location. At this time, the control unit 11 displays evacuation methods and candidate stopping locations in S18 of FIG. 7. After controlling the display of the evacuation methods and candidate stopping locations, the control unit 11 starts measuring time on a timer.

[0071] For example, as shown in the lower part of Fig. 9, the bird's-eye view M2 is displayed in the center of the display screen of the display 2c in front of the P seat, and the location of the shoulder and the distance to the shoulder are also displayed. In the example in the lower part of Fig. 9, the control unit 11 notifies the driver of the shoulder that has veered off to the side of the road by displaying "Shoulder 100m ahead" on the display 2c in front of the P seat. At this time, the control unit 11 may notify the driver of the location of the shoulder as an option for an evacuation method or a candidate stopping position (option "1" in the lower part of Fig. 9).

[0072] In addition, there are cases where the passenger has a detailed understanding of the driver's critical situation and wants to stop as soon as possible. In preparation for such a case, the control unit 11 may control the display to display an option to stop in the current driving lane, as shown in the lower part of Fig. 9 (option "2" in the lower part of Fig. 9). This allows the passenger to choose between pulling over to the shoulder or stopping in the lane.

[0073] Then, in S19, the control unit 11 determines whether or not a selection input operation has been performed, or whether or not a predetermined time has elapsed. If a selection operation has been performed, the control unit 11 proceeds to the processing of S20. Furthermore, if a predetermined time (e.g., several seconds) has elapsed since the start of the timer measurement described above, the control unit 11 determines that the operation input time has expired, and proceeds to the processing of S20. If something abnormal occurs with the driver, the passenger may become impatient and make an operation error, which may prevent the passenger from accurately performing an operation input. In such a case, the control unit 11 automatically proceeds to the processing of S20 and subsequent steps after the predetermined time has elapsed.

[0074] When an operation input is received or a predetermined time has elapsed, the control unit 11 determines in S20 whether to change lanes or to pull over to the shoulder. For example, if the passenger selects to pull over to the shoulder, it determines that the passenger will change lanes and pull over to the shoulder, and therefore determines YES in S20 of FIG. 7. In this case, the control unit 11 notifies the passenger of the pull-over method by displaying a bird's-eye view M2 on the display 2c in front of the passenger seat in S21 of FIG. 7 to indicate that the vehicle will stop on the shoulder (see the upper part of FIG. 10). The control unit 11 also notifies the passenger of the pull-over method by displaying a message M6 in the upper part of FIG. 10 that reads, "Currently pulling over to the shoulder 50 m ahead."

[0075] During this time, the driving control system ECU 5z is executing automatic evacuation control, so the control unit 11 may notify the display 2c in front of the P seat not to cancel the automatic evacuation driving. The control unit 11 may notify the display 2c in front of the P seat that the execution should not be performed. In the example shown in the upper part of Fig. 10, a message M7 such as "Please be careful not to operate the steering wheel, etc." is displayed.

[0076] Here, the control unit 11 presents two options, "1" and "2," to the passenger during evacuation driving and allows the passenger to select and input, but this is not limiting. For example, a navigation app may be used to control the display of a map of the area around the current location, and an arbitrary location on the map screen may be selected as a stopping location by accepting an operation input from a touch panel.

[0077] When the control unit 11 receives an operation input in this case, if it determines that the designated stopping location is a safer location, it will cause the vehicle to proceed toward the designated stopping location. Conversely, if it determines that the designated stopping location is not a safe location, it is preferable to notify the driver that the designated stopping location is not appropriate and not stop the vehicle at the designated stopping location. If the driver is unconscious, the passenger may be upset, so it is more preferable to provide options and allow the passenger to select and input in order to encourage accurate judgment.

[0078] <Processing while stopped after evacuation> Thereafter, as shown in S22 of Fig. 7, the cruise control system ECU 5z controls the driving actuator to safely stop the vehicle. The cruise control system ECU 5z inputs vehicle stop information to the information processing device 10. Thereafter, in S23 of Fig. 7, the control unit 11 starts displaying information for passengers after the vehicle has stopped.

[0079] For example, as shown in the lower part of Fig. 10, the control unit 11 controls the display 2c in front of the passenger seat to display a message M1b indicating that "evacuation has been completed." The control unit 11 may display information about the surroundings of the vehicle to the passenger while the vehicle is stopped after the cruise control system ECU 5z has performed evacuation driving. In particular, the control unit 11 controls the display of the left side image M3L, the right side image M3R, and the rear image M4, so that the passenger can confirm whether the surroundings of the vehicle are safe.

[0080] Furthermore, the control unit 11 may notify the passenger of instructions on what to do while the vehicle is stopped after the cruise control system ECU 5z has performed evacuation driving. For example, as shown in the lower part of Fig. 10, the control unit 11 may control the display of contact information for the external center 50, such as a phone number or email address, together with a post-stop action message M2e such as "Please set up a smoke bomb" or "Please contact the external center."

[0081] The control unit 11 may also display a rearward image M4, a right-side image M3R, and a left-side image M3L. In particular, the control unit 11 may detect the presence or absence of other vehicles on the rear sides and notify the driver whether the doors can be opened or closed while the vehicle is stopped after the cruise control system ECU 5z has performed an evacuation run. The control unit 11 acquires the detection result of the presence or absence of other vehicles on the rear sides, which is obtained based on the image recognition result of the image captured by the peripheral camera 23, communication information from vehicle-to-vehicle communication and road-to-vehicle communication, and sensor information from the distance detection sensor 24.

[0082] In particular, it is preferable to obtain a detection result of the presence or absence of another vehicle located behind the passenger's seat. If the control unit 11 detects that no other vehicle is approaching, it determines that it is okay to open the door and notifies the driver of this on the P seat front display 2c. In the example shown in Fig. 10, the control unit 11 controls the P seat front display 2c to display a safety notification message M8 saying "OK to open the right door" together with a right side image M3R of the vehicle.

[0083] Conversely, if another vehicle is approaching, the control unit 11 may determine that it is better not to open or close the door and may notify this on the P seat front display 2c. Also, if a headrest-mounted rear monitor is installed under the headrest of the D seat or P seat for the rear seat passengers, the control unit 11 may display on the rear monitor whether or not the door can be opened or closed.

[0084] <Summary of this embodiment> As described above, according to this embodiment, when the abnormality detection unit 11c detects an abnormality in the driver and the cruise control system ECU 5z performs evacuation driving, the control unit 11 allows the passenger riding with the driver to perform at least some of the special operations related to the evacuation driving using the operation input unit 21. This allows the passenger to input operations related to the evacuation driving using the operation input unit 21, and some of the operation authority related to vehicle control during automatic evacuation can be delegated to the passenger.

[0085] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, when the abnormality detection unit 11c detects a driver abnormality and the cruise control system ECU 5z performs evacuation driving, the control unit 11 controls the notification control unit 11b to notify passengers of information about the surroundings of the vehicle. As a result, even when a driver abnormality is detected and evacuation driving is performed, passengers can feel at ease by notifying them of information about the surroundings of the vehicle on the P seat front display 2c.

[0086] (Second embodiment) The second embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 11. The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in the details of the transfer of operating authority during evacuation driving and after evacuation is completed. The same parts as in the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

[0087] When an evacuation run is performed, it is desirable that the control unit 11 be able to switch the display of the surroundings of the vehicle on the P seat front display 2c, as shown in the upper part of Fig. 11. For example, as shown in the upper part of Fig. 11, the control unit 11 may display a message M10 offering options to turn on / off the display of the left side image M3L, rear image M4, and right side image M3R, and give the passenger authority to operate the display of the surrounding images.

[0088] Specifically, the control unit 11 displays an ON / OFF button and accepts touch panel operations on the ON / OFF button display via the operation input unit 21, thereby enabling the selection and display of the left side image M3L, rear image M4, and right side image M3R. This allows the passenger to switch the display of the surroundings of the vehicle simply by pressing the ON / OFF display portion, and can easily grasp the surroundings of the vehicle by viewing the P seat front display 2c installed in front of the passenger. The passenger may also be given the authority to enlarge or reduce the display contents of the surroundings of the vehicle.

[0089] 11, even after the display of the right side image M3R is turned on, a message M10 offering the option of ON / OFF display may be displayed and selection may be made by operating the touch panel, so that the display can be switched on / off at any time, thereby improving the convenience for passengers.

[0090] As shown in the upper left portion of the middle section of FIG. 11, the control unit 11 may enable the cancellation of evacuation driving after the vehicle has stopped and the driving control system ECU 5z has performed evacuation driving. In this case, the control unit 11 may display this on the P seat front display 2c and enable operation input via a touch panel on the surface of the P seat front display 2c. In the example in the middle section of FIG. 11, a message M11 indicating ON / OFF is displayed along with the cancellation of automatic evacuation driving, and operation input to cancel automatic evacuation driving is enabled via touch panel operation. This allows a passenger to cancel automatic evacuation driving and drive the vehicle to a safer location by themselves, or to drive the vehicle to an emergency hospital, etc.

[0091] 11, the control unit 11 may allow the operation input unit 21 to input the reclining control of the D seat after the vehicle has stopped and been driven to safety by the cruise control system ECU 5z. In the example in the middle of FIG. 11, the control unit 11 displays a message M12 indicating the reclining status of the D seat on the P seat front display 2c, and allows the reclining status of the D seat to be input via a touch panel on the surface of the P seat front display 2c. More specifically, the control unit 11 displays the current reclining status of the D seat in five stages on the P seat front display 2c, and allows the five stages to be selected and input via touch panel operation.

[0092] When the control unit 11 receives a reclining operation for seat D, it outputs a command to the in-vehicle control system ECU 5w, which then controls the reclining of seat D. This allows the driver to take a comfortable seating position without the need for a passenger to operate the reclining mechanism located beside the driver.

[0093] The control unit 11 may also determine whether to control the reclining of the seat based on vital sign information acquired from the wearable device 29. The control unit 11 acquires the current reclining status of the D seat and the vital sign information from the wearable device 29, determines whether the reclining operation is permitted, and if it is recommended that the driver's posture be changed, notifies the P seat front display 2c or the like that the change is recommended. Conversely, if it is recommended that the driver not change his / her posture, notifies the passenger that the change is recommended. The control unit 11 may acquire the vital sign information from the wearable device 29, display it on the P seat front display 2c, and notify the passenger of the driver's vital sign information. If information such as the driver's medical history is stored in the wearable device 29, the control unit 11 can read this vital sign information and display it on the P seat front display 2c, allowing the passenger to take it into consideration when making decisions in an emergency.

[0094] As shown in the middle of Fig. 11, after the vehicle has been stopped and has been driven to safety by the cruise control system ECU 5z, the control unit 11 may enable the door locks to be opened and closed by the operation input unit 21. In the example in the middle of Fig. 11, the control unit 11 displays the door lock statuses of the D seat side, P seat side, and rear seats on the P seat front display 2c, and enables operation input for opening and closing the door locks from the touch panel on the surface of the P seat front display 2c.

[0095] When the control unit 11 receives a door lock operation, it outputs a command to the in-vehicle control system ECU 5w, which then controls the door lock operation. This allows passengers to operate the door locks next to each seat. For example, elderly people, disabled people, and other people who are not familiar with using door locks may ride in the vehicle. In such cases, able-bodied passengers can check the door lock status displayed on the P seat front display 2c and operate it to open or close the door locks next to, for example, an elderly person or disabled person sitting in another seat, making it an effective response, particularly in an emergency.

[0096] The control unit 11 can determine what kind of person is sitting in which seat of the vehicle using the occupant monitor 22. For example, it can determine the age (e.g., elderly, child, adult) and gender. Therefore, contrary to the above, when the control unit 11 determines using the occupant monitor 22 that a small child is sitting in the rear seat, it may disable control by the in-vehicle control system ECU 5w and keep the door locked.

[0097] As a result, even if a small child tries to get out after the vehicle has stopped, the door lock cannot be released, so the child cannot get out of their own volition, ensuring safety. In other words, the control unit 11 may determine whether to permit the door lock to be opened or closed depending on the person sitting in the seat, and if permission is not permitted, the control unit 11 may control the vehicle to disable the door lock operation by the passenger.

[0098] Furthermore, when the control unit 11 determines via the passenger monitor 22 that an adult is in the rear seat, the control unit 11 may control the display on the rear monitor in front of the rear seat and enable operation input to grant the passenger authority to open or close the door locks. This allows the passenger in the rear seat to operate the door locks, enabling more flexible response in an emergency. Also, as shown in the middle part of FIG. 11 , the control unit 11 controls the display of contact information for the external center 50, such as a phone number and email address, along with a post-stop action message M2e, such as "Please set up a smoke bomb" or "Please contact the external center." In this case, a call button B may be displayed on the P seat front display 2c and enabled for operation input, allowing for calls and communications with the external center 50 when the call button B is pressed.

[0099] In addition to the authority to operate the door lock, various other operational authorities may be delegated to passengers other than the driver. In particular, it is advisable to always permit simple operations such as display operations. If the driver has previously registered his / her home address and phone number in the storage unit 6 using a navigation app or the like, the home phone number may be read from the storage unit 6 and displayed, and the passenger may be prompted to input the phone number to contact the driver's home.

[0100] 11, when an evacuation run is performed, it is desirable that the control unit 11 be able to communicate with the external center 50 by facing the P seat front display 2c as a monitor. If there is no radio interference or the like, the control unit 11 can use the mobile terminal 28 through the wireless communication unit 27 and can use the DCM 5v through the in-vehicle network 25, and therefore can communicate and talk with an operator at the external center 50 through the mobile terminal 28 or the DCM 5v.

[0101] For this reason, the control unit 11 may enable communication and conversation via the mobile terminal 28 or DCM 5v and notify the face-to-face conversation message M2f of the operator at the external center 50, as shown in the lower part of Fig. 11. This allows the passenger to communicate face-to-face with the operator at the external center 50, giving the passenger a sense of security.

[0102] As shown in the lower diagram of FIG. 11, after the vehicle has been brought to a stop by the cruise control system ECU 5z, the control unit 11 may display instructions from the external center 50 on the P seat front display 2c. When an operator at the external center 50 inputs, for example, "Please perform cardiac massage" from a terminal, the corresponding message M2g can be transmitted to the vehicle-side control unit 11 via the DCM 5v or the mobile terminal 28. The control unit 11 may display this message M2g as an instruction from the operator on the P seat front display 2c. This allows a passenger who is upset to respond more appropriately in accordance with the calm operator's instructions.

[0103] <Variations for other situations> For example, if the driver is unconscious, a passenger may be asleep before the automatic evacuation driving starts or while the driver's abnormality is being diagnosed. As described above, the control unit 11 can determine which seat a person of what age is sitting in based on information from the occupant monitor 22, and can also obtain what vital information the person in which seat is obtaining by communicating with the wearable device 29 via the wireless communication unit 27. As described above, the vital information also includes sleep information when the driver or passenger is asleep.

[0104] When the control unit 11 determines that the passenger is asleep, it may wake the passenger by sounding an alarm from the speaker 18 via the sound processing unit 14, or may instruct the in-vehicle control system ECU 5w to recline the passenger's seat, thereby controlling the reclining of the passenger's seat so that the passenger sits up. In addition, it may be preferable for the control unit 11 to control the display 2c in front of the passenger seat to display a message so that the driver's condition can be grasped when the passenger wakes up.

[0105] On the other hand, if the control unit 11 determines that the passenger is a person who is considered to be unable to perform assist operations, such as a young child or an elderly person, it is preferable that the control unit 11 not wake up the passenger unless safety cannot be ensured. In this case, it is preferable that the control unit 11 wakes up the passenger after, for example, stopping the vehicle. By controlling in this way, the safety of the passenger can be maintained as much as possible.

[0106] (Third embodiment) The third embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 12 and 13. In the first or second embodiment, a notification control method and an operation input reception method when performing automatic evacuation control, regardless of whether the vehicle is being driven manually or automatically, have been described. In the third embodiment, a notification control method and an operation input reception method when performing automatic evacuation control while level III area-limited automatic driving is being performed will be described. The same parts as in the first or second embodiment will be assigned the same reference numerals and their descriptions will be omitted, with differences being mainly described.

[0107] Level III autonomous driving is sometimes limited to sections connecting two points, such as highway interchanges, service areas, or parking areas. In such limited areas, the possibility of unexpected accidents is lower than on ordinary roads. For this reason, this type of autonomous driving is called area-limited Level III autonomous driving and is being put into operation.

[0108] During area-limited Level III autonomous driving, the control unit 11 displays entertainment information M0 on the P seat front display 2c (see the upper part of Figure 8). If the driver loses consciousness at this time, automatic evacuation control is executed through the same processing as in the above-described embodiment, and the control unit 11 executes display control as shown in the upper part of Figure 12.

[0109] 12, during automatic evacuation control, the control unit 11 displays a message M1a informing the driver that evacuation travel will begin, and a bird's-eye view M2 displaying information about the surroundings of the vehicle's current position, through the display processing unit 13. The control unit 11 also displays, through the display processing unit 13, camera images from the surrounding cameras 23 behind or to the rear side of the vehicle, a rear image M4, a right side image M3R, and a left side image M3L.

[0110] At this time, when an evacuation run is performed, and when area-limited Level III autonomous driving is performed, it is desirable that the control unit 11 allows the passenger to select whether to immediately start evacuation run or to stop at a predetermined location at the edge of the limited area. At this time, it is desirable to selectively display the stopping locations as options "1," "2," and "3," as shown in the lower part of Figure 12.

[0111] In the example shown in the lower part of FIG. 12, option "1" indicates a location off the shoulder of the road from the current lane, and option "2" indicates a location to stop immediately in the current lane. Option "3" indicates the location of an interchange (IC) located at the end of area-limited Level III. The control unit 11 then displays on the display 2c in front of the passenger seat which of options "1," "2," or "3" the vehicle should be stopped at, and allows the passenger to select and input the option by operating the touch panel of the operation input unit 21. Here, when an evacuation run is performed, the control unit 11 allows the passenger to select either pulling over to the shoulder or stopping within the lane.

[0112] The control unit 11 may suggest a recommended location by displaying it on the display 2c in front of the P seat, or may suggest a location based on the traffic congestion situation on the road where the vehicle is traveling. The traffic congestion situation on the road where the vehicle is traveling can be obtained through the functions of the navigation app. At this time, it is desirable to notify the driver if there is any information to make a decision.

[0113] When the control unit 11 makes an emergency call via the DCM 5v and the external center 50, the ambulance may already be heading towards the vehicle even while the vehicle is in autonomous driving mode. In this case, the control unit 11 can obtain information about the location the ambulance is heading for and the route it will take via the DCM 5v and the external center 50. In this case, it is desirable to also notify the user if there is any reason to determine that the ambulance is heading towards or has arrived at a candidate location, or that an emergency hospital is nearby.

[0114] Furthermore, if the heart rate is generally stable and unchanged from normal based on the vital signs information acquired from the wearable device 29, the control unit 11 determines that a distant location is acceptable. Conversely, if the control unit 11 determines that the heart rate is lower than normal or significantly higher than normal, it may recommend a nearby location. In either case, it may be possible to present and notify the user of, for example, the location where an ambulance will arrive or the location of an emergency hospital as a selection option.

[0115] In the example shown in the lower part of Figure 12, the control unit 11 displays a message M14 on the display 2c in front of the P seat, saying, "Where do you want to stop?" and "An ambulance is heading towards the IC. We recommend option 3," and displays a selection button B3 along with the reason for the recommendation, and accepts touch panel input from the occupant.

[0116] For example, if the passenger selects option "1" or "2," the control unit 11 determines that the passenger has selected to immediately begin evacuation driving and issues a command to the driving control system ECU 5z, which then performs automatic evacuation control to the location of "1" or "2." If the passenger selects option "3," the control unit 11 determines that the passenger has selected to stop at a predetermined location at the edge of the limited area and issues a command to the driving control system ECU 5z, which then continues level III automated driving until the interchange at the edge of the area for option "3."

[0117] Next, as shown in the upper part of Fig. 13, while automatic driving is continuing or automatic evacuation control is in progress, the control unit 11 executes the same display processing as in the upper part of Fig. 11. The display content and operation input acceptance content at this time are the same as those in the above-described embodiment, and therefore description thereof will be omitted. Next, when the cruise control system ECU 5z completes the corresponding automatic cruise control, the cruise control system ECU 5z notifies the control unit 11 that the automatic cruise control has been completed. As shown in the lower part of Fig. 13, the control unit 11 displays a message M1b indicating that evacuation has been completed on the display 2c in front of the passenger seat.

[0118] For example, if the passenger selects option "3," the cruise control system ECU 5z continues autonomous driving toward the interchange at the edge of the area without executing automatic evacuation control. Thereafter, when the vehicle arrives at the interchange, the control unit 11 may display a message M2h indicating the situation and instructions at the edge of the area, such as "Arrived at the interchange," "Please inform the driver's condition to the driver's attendant or emergency personnel," or "Please relax the driver's posture," on the display 2c in front of the passenger seat. This allows the passenger to refer to the instructions and more easily respond in an emergency.

[0119] The other messages M5, and M10 to M13 shown in the lower diagram of Fig. 13 are the same as those in the previous embodiment, so their explanation will be omitted. The subsequent processing is the same as those in the previous embodiment, so their explanation will be omitted. This embodiment also provides the same effects as those in the previous embodiment.

[0120] (Fourth embodiment) A fourth embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 14. In the above-described embodiment, various display modes are displayed on the PtoP display 2, but the configuration of the in-vehicle display is not limited to the configuration of the PtoP display 2. For example, as shown in Fig. 14, a meter display 2m in front of the D seat may be configured independently, and a center information display (CID) 2b and a display 2c in front of the P seat may be configured as an integrated display 2g.

[0121] 14, the display for passengers may be the center information display 2b and the P seat front display 2c. Therefore, the same effects can be achieved by controlling the display shown on the P seat front display 2c shown in the above embodiment on the P seat front display 2c or the center information display 2b.

[0122] (Fifth embodiment) A fifth embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 15. As shown in FIG. 15, the same application as in the previous embodiments can be applied to a case where the PtoP display 2 is composed of five displays 2a to 2c, 2d, and 2e. As shown in FIG. 15, the PtoP display 2 is provided with a display 2a for displaying vehicle information and an electronic mirror display 2d in front of the driver's seat. As explained in the previous embodiments, the display 2a is a display device for displaying meter information as vehicle information. The electronic mirror display 2d is a display device for displaying an image of the left rear of the vehicle.

[0123] The PtoP display 2 also includes a P seat front display 2c and an electronic mirror display 2e in front of the P seat. As explained in the above embodiment, the P seat front display 2c is a display for displaying regular entertainment information M0. The electronic mirror display 2e is a display for displaying an image of the right rear of the vehicle.

[0124] 15, the display for passengers may be the center information display 2b, the P seat front display 2c, or the electronic mirror display 2e. Therefore, the same effects can be achieved by controlling the display shown on the P seat front display 2c shown in the above-described embodiment on the P seat front display 2c, the center information display 2b, or the electronic mirror display 2e of this embodiment.

[0125] (Sixth embodiment) A sixth embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 16. As shown in Fig. 16, the same application as in the above-described embodiments is possible when the PtoP display 2 is composed of two displays 2a and 2b. The PtoP display 2 includes a meter display 2a in front of seat D and a center information display 2b, with the center information display 2b extending from the right side of seat D to under the right pillar PR. The meter display 2a is a display device that can display meter information graphically using a meter application 36. Although only a portion of the center information display 2b is configured closer to the seat D side in the vehicle cabin, the display area is generally configured on the seat P side.

[0126] 16, the display device for passengers may be the center information display 2b. Therefore, the same effects can be achieved by controlling the display on the center information display 2b of this embodiment to reflect the display on the P seat front display 2c shown in the above embodiment.

[0127] (Seventh embodiment) The seventh embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 17. As shown in Fig. 17, the seventh embodiment can be applied to a case where a meter display 2m and a center display 3 are installed inside the vehicle cabin in the same manner as the above-described embodiments.

[0128] The meter display 2m is a display device installed independently in front of the D seat, and is specialized in displaying vehicle information. The center display 3 is configured with, for example, a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display, and is installed in a position midway between the D seat and the P seat, as shown in FIG.

[0129] The center display 3 is provided near the center console where it is easily visible to both the driver and the front passenger, and is capable of displaying various contents by the control unit 11 controlling the display through the display processing unit 13. The center display 3 is a display device provided for the same purpose as the center information display 2b shown in the above-described embodiment, and is capable of displaying various types of information.

[0130] 17, it is preferable that the display for passengers is configured by the center display 3. The control unit 11 can achieve the same effect by controlling the display of the center display 3 of this embodiment to display the same aspect as that shown on the P seat front display 2c shown in the above-described embodiment. Also, for example, the control unit 11 can notify mainly the passengers by controlling the display control content for passengers to be displayed in display area A (see FIG. 17) that is close to the P seat side out of the entire display area of ​​the center display 3, making it easier for the P seat occupant to understand.

[0131] <Other display configurations> The PtoP display 2 described in the first embodiment and the center display 3 described in this embodiment may be installed side by side in the vertical direction. Installing the PtoP display 2 and the center display 3 side by side in the vertical direction as two screens increases the area that vehicle occupants can view at one time. In this case, the center information display 2b of the PtoP display 2, the P seat front display 2c, the electronic mirror display 2e, or the center display 3 can be used as the display device for passengers. The control unit 11 can achieve the same effects by controlling the display of the P seat front display 2c shown in the first embodiment on the center information display 2b of the PtoP display 2, the P seat front display 2c, the electronic mirror display 2e, or the center display 3.

[0132] In the first to seventh embodiments, examples of display configurations for the front seats have been described, but a display for the rear seats of a vehicle may also be used as a display device for passengers. In this case, the control unit 11 may display information for passengers on the rear seat display. The rear seat display may be a flip-down type rear monitor attached to the ceiling inside the vehicle, or a headrest-mounted rear monitor attached under the headrest of the D or P seat. As shown in the above-described embodiments, the control unit 11 controls the display control content for passengers, thereby notifying passengers seated in the rear seats that the driver is experiencing an abnormality, thereby achieving the same effects as the above-described embodiments.

[0133] (Eighth embodiment) An eighth embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 18 . In the above-described embodiment, a display-system ECU 5x is configured using multiple ECUs 5. However, the display-system ECU 5x may be configured as an HCU using a single ECU 5. An example of the hardware and software configuration in this case is shown in FIG. 14 . Each ECU 5 is equipped with an SoC 230, and a microcomputer is embedded in the SoC 230. The microcomputer embedded in the SoC 230 of the ECU 5 has a general-purpose OS 32 and a real-time OS 35 configured on a hypervisor 231. A plurality of various applications 33 are configured to run on the general-purpose OS 32. The real-time OS 35 can perform real-time processing with higher performance than the general-purpose OS 32. A meter application 36 is configured to run on the real-time OS 35. Even when such a configuration is adopted, the same configuration, functions, and effects as those of the above-described embodiment can be achieved.

[0134] (Other embodiments) The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and the following modifications or extensions are possible. In the above embodiment, a configuration has been described in which operation input is accepted through the operation input unit 21 such as a touch panel, but instead of or in addition to this, operation input using voice commands may be accepted through the microphone 17 and sound processing unit 14. Therefore, in addition to the operation input unit 21, the microphone 17 also functions as an input unit.

[0135] In addition to the contents set forth in the claims, the present disclosure also includes the following contents. [1] A vehicle control device including a control unit (11) that, when an abnormality in the driver is detected by an abnormality detection unit and evacuation driving is performed by an evacuation control unit, enables a passenger riding with the driver to input at least some of the special operations related to the evacuation driving via an input unit.

[0136] [2] The vehicle control device according to [1], wherein the control unit allows the input unit to select an action related to the evacuation driving as an option.

[0137] [3] The control unit for a vehicle described in [1] or [2], when the evacuation control unit performs the evacuation driving, displays on a passenger display device when the evacuation driving is confirmed, allowing the passenger to permit the evacuation driving.

[0138] [4] The control unit is a vehicle control device described in any one of [1] to [3], wherein when the evacuation control unit performs evacuation driving, the control unit can switch the display of the surroundings of the vehicle on a display for passengers.

[0139] [5] The control unit is configured to communicate with an external center (50) by using a passenger display as a monitor when the evacuation control unit performs the evacuation driving.

[0023] A vehicle control device according to any one of [1] to [4].

[0140] [6] The control unit is a vehicle control device described in any one of [1] to [5], wherein when the evacuation driving is performed by the evacuation control unit and area-limited level III autonomous driving is performed, the control unit allows the input unit to select whether to start the evacuation driving immediately or to stop at a specified location at the edge of the limited area.

[0141] [7] The control unit is a vehicle control device described in any one of [1] to [6], wherein when the evacuation control unit performs the evacuation driving, the control unit allows a passenger to input an operation to switch outside the vehicle notification using the input unit.

[0142] [8] The control unit is configured to allow a passenger to selectively input a choice between pulling over to the shoulder of the road and stopping within the lane using the input unit when the evacuation control unit performs the evacuation driving.

[0023] A vehicle control device according to any one of [1] to [7].

[0143] [9] The vehicle control device according to any one of [1] to [8], wherein the control unit enables the input unit to input an operation to cancel the evacuation travel after the vehicle has stopped and the evacuation travel has been performed by the evacuation control unit.

[0144]

[10] The control unit is configured to enable the input unit to operate and input the reclining control of the driver's seat after the vehicle has stopped and the evacuation control unit has performed the evacuation driving.

[0023] A vehicle control device as described in any one of [1] to [9].

[0145]

[11] The control unit is configured to enable the input unit to operate and input the opening and closing of door locks after the vehicle has stopped and the evacuation control unit has performed the evacuation travel.

[0146]

[12] The control unit displays instructions from an external center on a display for passengers after the vehicle has stopped and the evacuation control unit has performed the evacuation driving.

[0147]

[13] An input unit (17, 21), A vehicle control system including a control unit (11) that, when an abnormality in a driver is detected by an abnormality detection unit and an evacuation control unit performs evacuation driving, enables a passenger riding with the driver to input some special operations related to the evacuation driving using the input unit.

[0148]

[14] When an abnormality in the driver is detected by an abnormality detection unit and evacuation driving is performed by an evacuation control unit, the control unit (11) enables a passenger riding with the driver to input some special operations related to the evacuation driving using an input unit.

[0149]

[15] When the abnormality detection unit detects an abnormality in the driver and the evacuation control unit performs evacuation driving, The control unit (11) A vehicle control program that executes a procedure that enables a passenger riding with the driver to input some special operations related to the evacuation driving through an input unit.

[0150] The techniques described in this disclosure may be implemented by a special purpose computer configured with a processor and memory programmed to perform one or more functions embodied in a computer program. Alternatively, the techniques described in this disclosure may be implemented by a special purpose computer configured with a processor comprising one or more dedicated hardware logic circuits. Alternatively, the techniques described in this disclosure may be implemented by one or more special purpose computers configured with a processor comprising one or more hardware logic circuits in combination with a processor and memory programmed to perform one or more functions. Furthermore, a computer program may be stored as instructions executed by a computer on a computer-readable non-transitory storage medium.

[0151] Although the present disclosure has been described based on the above-described embodiment, it is understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiment or the structure described in the embodiment. The present disclosure also encompasses various modifications and modifications within the equivalent range. In addition, various combinations and forms, as well as other combinations and forms including only one element, more than one element, or less than one element, are also within the scope and spirit of the present disclosure. [Explanation of symbols]

[0152] In the drawings, 2 is a PtoP display (display), 2a to 2e are displays (displays, 2b, 2c, 2e are displays for passengers), 3 is a center display (display, display for passengers), 5 and 5a are ECUs (vehicle alarm control devices), 5w is an in-vehicle control system ECU, 5x is a display system ECU, 5z is a driving control system ECU (evacuation control unit), 10 is an information processing device (vehicle control device), 11b is an alarm control unit, 11c is an abnormality detection unit, 17 is a microphone (input unit), and 21 is an operation input unit (input unit).

Claims

1. When an abnormality in the driver is detected by the abnormality detection unit and the evacuation control unit initiates evacuation driving, the vehicle includes a control unit (11) that allows the driver and any passengers riding together to input at least some special operations related to the evacuation driving via input units (17, 21). The control unit displays instructions from the external center on a passenger display after the vehicle has stopped following the evacuation operation performed by the evacuation control unit. Vehicle control device.

2. The control unit causes the input unit to select an action related to the evasive driving as an option, as described in claim 1.

3. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein when the retraction control unit performs the retraction run, the control unit displays on a passenger display to allow the passenger to permit the retraction run when the retraction run is confirmed.

4. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit enables switching of the passenger-facing display of the vehicle's surroundings when the retraction control unit performs the retraction operation.

5. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein when the retraction control unit performs the retraction drive, the control unit is able to communicate with an external center (50) by facing a passenger display as a monitor.

6. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit allows the input unit to select whether to immediately start the evacuation run or stop at a predetermined location at the edge of the limited area when the evacuation run is performed by the evacuation control unit and Level III automatic driving is performed in a limited area.

7. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein when the evacuation drive is performed by the evacuation control unit, the control unit allows a passenger to operate and input the switching of external notifications via the input unit.

8. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein when the evacuation control unit performs the evacuation driving, the control unit allows a passenger to select and input whether to evacuate to the roadside or stop in the lane via the input unit.

9. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit allows the vehicle to be operated via the input unit to cancel the evacuation run after the vehicle has stopped due to the evacuation run performed by the evacuation control unit.

10. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit allows the driver's seat reclining control to be operated via the input unit after the vehicle has stopped due to the retraction movement performed by the retraction control unit.

11. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit enables the opening and closing of the door locks to be operated via the input unit after the vehicle has stopped due to the retraction control unit.

12. Input section (17, 21) and If the abnormality detection unit detects an abnormality in the driver and the evacuation control unit initiates an evacuation maneuver, The system includes a control unit (11) that allows the driver and any passengers riding together to input some special operations related to the evasive driving using the input unit, The control unit displays instructions from the external center on a passenger display after the vehicle has stopped following the evacuation operation performed by the evacuation control unit. Vehicle control system.

13. If the abnormality detection unit detects an abnormality in the driver and the evacuation control unit initiates an evacuation maneuver, The control unit (11) allows the driver and passengers to input some special operations related to the emergency maneuver via an input unit, and after the emergency maneuver has been completed and the vehicle has stopped, the emergency control unit displays instructions from the external center on a display for passengers. Vehicle control method.

14. If the abnormality detection unit detects an abnormality in the driver and the evacuation control unit initiates an evacuation maneuver, The control unit (11) The driver and passenger are instructed to perform a procedure that allows them to input certain special operations related to the evacuation maneuver via an input unit, and the evacuation control unit displays instructions from the external center on a passenger display after the evacuation maneuver has been completed and the vehicle has come to a stop. Vehicle control program.

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