System

Abstract

To prevent a state where a vehicle runs on an external object from being maintained.SOLUTION: The system includes a vehicle capable of traveling by self-driving, and a controller configured to control the vehicle. The control unit changes the state of the vehicle to a first state in which a wheel of the vehicle is rotatable when the vehicle rides on an external object.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a system. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a technology for making a vehicle self-propelled autonomously or by remote control during the vehicle manufacturing process. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Special Publication No. 2017-538619 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] A self-propelled vehicle may run over an external object on the roadway. If the vehicle is stopped in this state and the state of the vehicle running over the external object is maintained, it may affect the implementation of subsequent measures regarding the vehicle or the external object. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The present disclosure can be realized in the following forms.

[0006] (1) According to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a system including a vehicle capable of traveling in an unmanned driving mode and a control unit that controls the vehicle. When the vehicle runs over an external object, the control unit changes the state of the vehicle to a first state in which wheels of the vehicle are freely rotatable. According to this aspect, when the vehicle runs onto an external object, the state of the vehicle is changed to the first state, which prevents the vehicle from remaining in the state of running onto the external object, thereby preventing the execution of subsequent measures related to the vehicle or the external object from being affected. (2) In the above aspect, the control unit may further change the state of the vehicle from the first state to a second state in which the rotation of the wheels is locked when a predetermined change condition is satisfied. According to this aspect, it is possible to prevent the vehicle from moving unintentionally due to the first state being maintained. (3) In the above aspect, the change condition may include a first condition related to the release of the state in which the vehicle is riding on the external object. According to this aspect, when the state in which the vehicle is riding on the external object is released, unnecessary movement of the vehicle can be suppressed. (4) In the above aspect, the first condition may represent that the distance traveled by the vehicle after the vehicle has run onto the external object is equal to or greater than a predetermined distance. According to this aspect, it is possible to prevent the vehicle from unintentionally traveling a long distance due to the first state being maintained. (5) In the above aspect, the change condition may include a second condition indicating that the speed of the vehicle is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold. According to this aspect, it is possible to prevent the speed of the vehicle from unintentionally increasing due to the first state being maintained. In addition to the above-described system form, the present disclosure can be realized in the form of, for example, a control device, a server, a vehicle, a control method, a program for realizing the control method, a non-transitory recording medium on which the program is recorded, a program product, etc. Note that the program product may be provided as a recording medium on which the program is recorded, or may be provided as a program product that can be distributed via a network, for example. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing the configuration of a system according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a system according to a first embodiment. [Figure 3] 3 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure for vehicle travel control in the first embodiment. [Figure 4] 4 is a flowchart of a state control process in the first embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a state change process. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of a system according to a second embodiment. [Figure 7] 10 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure for vehicle travel control in a second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] A. First embodiment: 1 is a conceptual diagram showing the configuration of a system 50 according to the first embodiment. The system 50 includes one or more vehicles 100, a server 200, and one or more external sensors 300.

[0009] Vehicle 100 may be a vehicle that runs on wheels or tracks, and may be, for example, a passenger car, a truck, a bus, a two-wheeled vehicle, a four-wheeled vehicle, a tank, a construction vehicle, etc. Vehicle 100 includes an electric vehicle (BEV: Battery Electric Vehicle), a gasoline-powered vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, and a fuel cell vehicle.

[0010] In this embodiment, the vehicle 100 is an electric vehicle. The vehicle 100 is configured to be capable of traveling in an unmanned manner. Traveling of the vehicle 100 in an unmanned manner is also referred to as "the vehicle 100 traveling independently." "Unmanned driving" refers to driving without the driver's control. Driving control refers to at least one of driving, turning, and stopping of the vehicle 100. Unmanned driving is achieved by automatic or manual remote control using a device located outside the vehicle 100, or by autonomous control of the vehicle 100. A driver who does not control the vehicle 100 while driving in an unmanned manner may be on board the vehicle 100. Examples of drivers who do not control the vehicle include a person who simply sits in a seat in the vehicle 100, or a person who performs a task other than driving, such as assembly, inspection, or operating switches, while riding in the vehicle 100. Driving with a driver controlling the vehicle 100 is sometimes referred to as "manned driving."

[0011] In this specification, "remote control" includes "full remote control" in which all of the operations of vehicle 100 are completely determined from outside vehicle 100, and "partial remote control" in which some of the operations of vehicle 100 are determined from outside vehicle 100. Furthermore, "autonomous control" includes "full autonomous control" in which vehicle 100 autonomously controls its own operations without receiving any information from devices external to vehicle 100, and "partial autonomous control" in which vehicle 100 autonomously controls its own operations using information received from devices external to vehicle 100.

[0012] Vehicle 100 may be configured to be able to travel by unmanned driving, and may be in the form of a platform having the configuration described below, for example. Specifically, vehicle 100 may be equipped with at least a vehicle control device and a group of actuators (described below) to perform the three functions of "running," "turning," and "stopping" by unmanned driving. Vehicle 100 may further be equipped with a communication device when acquiring information from a device external to vehicle 100 for unmanned driving. That is, vehicle 100 capable of traveling by unmanned driving may not be equipped with at least some of its interior parts, such as a driver's seat and a dashboard, may not be equipped with at least some of its exterior parts, such as bumpers and fenders, and may not be equipped with a body shell. In this case, the remaining parts, such as the body shell, may be attached to vehicle 100 before it is shipped from the factory FC, or the remaining parts, such as the body shell, may be attached to vehicle 100 after it is shipped from the factory FC without the remaining parts, such as the body shell. Each part may be attached from any direction, such as the top, bottom, front, rear, right or left side of the vehicle 100, and may be attached from the same direction or from different directions.

[0013] In this embodiment, the system 50 is used in a factory FC that manufactures vehicles 100. The reference coordinate system of the factory FC is a global coordinate system GC, and any position in the factory FC can be expressed by X, Y, and Z coordinates in the global coordinate system GC. The factory FC has a first location PL1 and a second location PL2. The first location PL1 and the second location PL2 are connected by a road TR along which the vehicle 100 can travel. In the factory FC, a plurality of external sensors 300 are installed along the road TR. The position of each external sensor 300 in the factory FC is adjusted in advance. The vehicle 100 moves from the first location PL1 to the second location PL2 along the road TR in an unmanned operation.

[0014] 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the system 50. The vehicle 100 includes a vehicle control device 110 for controlling each part of the vehicle 100, an actuator group 120 including one or more actuators that are driven under the control of the vehicle control device 110, a communication device 130 for communicating via wireless communication with external devices such as a server 200, and one or more internal sensors 140. The actuator group 120 includes an actuator for a drive device for accelerating the vehicle 100, an actuator for a steering device for changing the traveling direction of the vehicle 100, and an actuator for a braking device for decelerating the vehicle 100.

[0015] The internal sensor 140 is a sensor mounted on the vehicle 100. The internal sensor 140 may include, for example, a sensor that detects the motion state of the vehicle 100, a sensor that detects the operating state of each part of the vehicle 100, and a sensor that detects the environment around the vehicle 100. In this embodiment, the internal sensor 140 includes a shift position sensor that measures the shift position of a transmission provided in the vehicle 100, and an external force sensor that detects an external force acting on the vehicle 100. The internal sensor 140 may also include various sensors such as a camera, LiDAR, millimeter-wave radar, an ultrasonic sensor, a GPS sensor, a vehicle speed sensor, an acceleration sensor, a gyro sensor, and various encoders that detect the operation of each part of the vehicle 100.

[0016] The external force sensor may be, for example, an impact detection sensor, an acceleration sensor, a one-axis force sensor, a three-axis force sensor, a six-axis force sensor, or a pressure sensor. It is particularly preferable to use a three-axis force sensor or a six-axis force sensor that can detect the direction of force as the external force sensor. An inclination angle sensor that detects the inclination angle of the vehicle 100 may also be added as a type of external force sensor. It is also possible to use, as the external force sensor, a sensor that detects the reaction force of a drive motor that drives the drive wheels of the vehicle 100, or a sensor that detects the reaction force of a steering motor that drives the steering wheel of the vehicle 100. The drive motor may be a motor that drives two or four drive wheels, or may be an in-wheel motor installed in the wheel.

[0017] The vehicle control device 110 is configured by a computer including a processor 111, a memory 112, an input / output interface 113, and an internal bus 114. The processor 111, the memory 112, and the input / output interface 113 are connected via the internal bus 114 to enable bidirectional communication. The input / output interface 113 is connected to a group of actuators 120, a communication device 130, and an internal sensor 140. The processor 111 executes a program PG1 stored in the memory 112 to realize various functions including a function as a vehicle control unit 115.

[0018] The vehicle control unit 115 controls the actuator group 120 to cause the vehicle 100 to run. The vehicle control unit 115 controls the actuator group 120 using a running control signal received from the server 200 to cause the vehicle 100 to run. The running control signal is a control signal for causing the vehicle 100 to run. In this embodiment, the running control signal includes the acceleration and steering angle of the vehicle 100 as parameters. In other embodiments, the running control signal may include the speed of the vehicle 100 as a parameter instead of or in addition to the acceleration of the vehicle 100.

[0019] The external sensor 300 is a sensor located outside the vehicle 100. In this embodiment, the external sensor 300 is a sensor that captures the vehicle 100 from outside the vehicle 100. Specifically, the external sensor 300 is configured by a camera. The camera as the external sensor 300 captures an image of the vehicle 100 and outputs the captured image as a detection result. The external sensor 300 is equipped with a communication device (not shown) and can communicate with other devices such as the server 200 via wired communication or wireless communication.

[0020] The server 200 is configured by a computer including a processor 201, a memory 202, an input / output interface 203, and an internal bus 204. The processor 201, the memory 202, and the input / output interface 203 are connected via the internal bus 204 to enable bidirectional communication. A communication device 205 is connected to the input / output interface 203 for communicating with various devices external to the server 200. The communication device 205 can communicate with the vehicle 100 via wireless communication and can communicate with each external sensor 300 via wired or wireless communication. The processor 201 executes a program PG2 stored in the memory 202 to realize various functions, including those of a remote control unit 210, a detection unit 215, a determination unit 220, and a notification unit 225. The remote control unit 210 in the first embodiment corresponds to the "control unit" in this disclosure.

[0021] The detection unit 215 detects the vehicle 100 running over an external object. More specifically, "the vehicle 100 running over an external object" means that at least one of the wheels attached to the vehicle 100 runs over the external object. Hereinafter, "the vehicle 100 running over an external object" will also be simply referred to as "the vehicle 100 running over" or "running over." Furthermore, the state in which the vehicle 100 runs over an external object will also be referred to as a "running over state."

[0022] The detection unit 215 can detect a run-up using, for example, a detection value of an external force sensor serving as the internal sensor 140. For example, the detection unit 215 may detect a run-up based on the position of an external force information sensor that detected an impact among a plurality of external force sensors installed at different locations on the vehicle 100. More specifically, for example, the detection unit 215 may detect a run-up when an impact is detected by only one of the plurality of external force information sensors. An "impact" refers to a detection value above a certain level.

[0023] Furthermore, the detection unit 215 may detect a run-up based on, for example, a time-series change in the external force detected by an external force sensor. For example, if an external force sensor is installed near the front wheels of the vehicle 100, when the front wheels of the vehicle 100 run up on an external object while in motion, the value of the external force detected by the external force sensor will temporarily rise sharply. As a result, the waveform of the detected value of the external force will have a mountain-like shape with a peak. The detection unit 215 may detect a run-up based on this waveform of the detected value of the external force. Note that, if the external force sensor detects the reaction force of the drive motor or steering motor, the detection unit 215 may detect a run-up based on a time-series change in the reaction force.

[0024] Furthermore, if an inclination angle sensor is installed as the external force sensor, the detection unit 215 may detect a run-up based on the inclination detected by the inclination angle sensor. For example, if the right front wheel of the vehicle 100 runs over an external object, the vehicle 100 tilts so that the right front of the vehicle 100 rises upward. From this inclination, it is possible to detect that the right front wheel of the vehicle 100 has run over an external object. The detection unit 215 may also detect a run-up based on the magnitude and timing of detection values ​​from multiple external force sensors installed in different locations on the vehicle 100. The detection unit 215 may also detect a run-up based on the magnitude of an external force detected using an external force sensor. The detection unit 215 may also be configured to detect a run-up using template matching using detection values ​​from multiple external force sensors or a machine learning model that inputs detection values ​​from multiple external force sensors. The detection unit 215 may also detect a run-up using various internal sensors 140 and external sensors 300 in addition to or instead of the external force sensor.

[0025] The determination unit 220 executes various determinations regarding the vehicle 100. The determination unit 220 determines whether or not predetermined change conditions are satisfied. In this embodiment, the change conditions include a first condition and a second condition.

[0026] The first condition is a condition related to the release of the climbing state. In this embodiment, the first condition is a condition indicating that the passing distance of the vehicle 100 is equal to or greater than a predetermined reference distance. The passing distance is the travel distance of the vehicle 100 in the first state. More specifically, the passing distance is the travel distance of the vehicle 100 from the time when the vehicle 100 is changed to the first state. The passing distance is detected, for example, using the external sensor 300 or a vehicle speed sensor serving as the internal sensor 140.

[0027] The reference distance is preferably set to a distance long enough to determine that the climb-up state of the vehicle 100 has been released. The reference distance is also preferably set to a distance short enough to suppress movement of the vehicle 100 after the climb-up state has been released. The reference distance is set, for example, based on the dimensions of an external object that is assumed to be present on the road TR. The reference distance may also be set based on the results of an experiment. The experiment here includes a simulated experiment using a simulation.

[0028] The second condition is a condition that indicates that the speed of the vehicle 100 is equal to or greater than a predetermined reference speed. The "speed of the vehicle 100" and the reference speed in the second condition may be expressed as the vehicle speed of the vehicle 100 acquired using a vehicle speed sensor, or may be expressed as the movement speed of the vehicle 100 acquired using an external sensor 300 or the like. The "movement speed of the vehicle 100" here refers to the movement speed calculated using the distance of a predetermined section on the movement trajectory of the vehicle 100 and the movement time of the vehicle 100 moving through the predetermined section.

[0029] The notification unit 225 issues a notification to a user of the system 50. The user of the system 50 is, for example, a manager of the system 50 or the factory FC, or a worker at the factory FC. The notification unit 225 issues a notification via, for example, a notification device such as a display device, speaker, warning lamp, or warning buzzer provided in the system 50, or a mobile terminal such as a tablet terminal carried by the user.

[0030] The remote control unit 210 acquires the detection results from the sensors, generates a driving control signal for controlling the actuator group 120 of the vehicle 100 using the detection results, and transmits the driving control signal to the vehicle 100, thereby causing the vehicle 100 to drive by remote control. The remote control unit 210 may generate and output not only driving control signals but also control signals for controlling actuators that operate various accessories and various equipment provided in the vehicle 100, for example.

[0031] When the detection unit 215 detects that the vehicle 100 has run onto an external object, that is, when the vehicle 100 has run onto an external object, the remote control unit 210 changes the state of the vehicle 100 to a first state. The first state is a state in which the wheels of the vehicle 100 are freely rotatable. More specifically, the first state is a state in which the wheels of the vehicle 100 are rotated by an external force applied to the vehicle 100, thereby allowing the vehicle 100 to move. In this embodiment, the first state is a state in which the wheels of the vehicle 100 are not locked by brakes, and the drive wheels of the vehicle 100 are disconnected from the power source of the vehicle 100. More specifically, the first state is a state in which various brakes, such as the foot brake and parking brake of the vehicle 100, are released, and the shift position of the vehicle 100 is in a neutral range (hereinafter also referred to as an N range).

[0032] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the remote control unit 210 changes the state of the vehicle 100 from the first state to the second state when a change condition is satisfied. The second state is a state in which the rotation of the wheels of the vehicle 100 is locked. More specifically, the second state is a state in which the wheels of the vehicle 100 do not rotate even when an external force is applied to the vehicle 100. In this embodiment, the second state is a state in which the various brakes of the vehicle 100 are activated and the shift position is in the parking range (hereinafter also referred to as the P range). In this embodiment, the remote control unit 210 changes the state of the vehicle 100 from the first state to the second state when at least one of the first condition and the second condition is satisfied. That is, in this embodiment, the first condition and the second condition are used as a logical sum (OR condition). In other embodiments, the first condition and the second condition may be used as a logical product (AND condition).

[0033] 3 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure for driving control of the vehicle 100 in the first embodiment. In the processing procedure in FIG. 3, the processor 201 of the server 200 functions as the remote control unit 210 by executing the program PG2. Also, the processor 111 of the vehicle 100 functions as the vehicle control unit 115 by executing the program PG1.

[0034] In step S1, the processor 201 of the server 200 acquires vehicle position information using the detection results output from the external sensor 300. The vehicle position information is position information that serves as the basis for generating a driving control signal. In this embodiment, the vehicle position information includes the position and orientation of the vehicle 100 in the global coordinate system GC of the factory FC. Specifically, in step S1, the processor 201 acquires the vehicle position information using a captured image acquired from a camera, which is the external sensor 300.

[0035] In detail, in step S1, the processor 201, for example, detects the outer shape of the vehicle 100 from the captured image, calculates the coordinates of the positioning point of the vehicle 100 in the coordinate system of the captured image, i.e., the local coordinate system, and converts the calculated coordinates into coordinates in the global coordinate system GC, thereby acquiring the position of the vehicle 100. The outer shape of the vehicle 100 included in the captured image can be detected, for example, by inputting the captured image into a detection model DM that utilizes artificial intelligence. The detection model DM is prepared, for example, inside or outside the system 50, and is pre-stored in the memory 202 of the server 200. The detection model DM may be, for example, a trained machine learning model that has been trained to achieve either semantic segmentation or instance segmentation. As this machine learning model, for example, a convolutional neural network (hereinafter, CNN) trained by supervised learning using a training dataset may be used. The training dataset may, for example, include a plurality of training images including the vehicle 100 and labels indicating whether each region in the training image represents the vehicle 100 or a region other than the vehicle 100. During CNN training, it is preferable to update the parameters of the CNN by backpropagation (error backpropagation method) so as to reduce the error between the output result of the detection model DM and the label. In addition, the processor 201 can acquire the orientation of the vehicle 100 by estimating it based on the orientation of the movement vector of the vehicle 100 calculated from the positional change of the feature points of the vehicle 100 between frames of the captured image using, for example, an optical flow method.

[0036] In step S2, the processor 201 of the server 200 determines a target position to which the vehicle 100 should next head. In this embodiment, the target position is represented by X, Y, and Z coordinates in the global coordinate system GC. A reference route RR, which is a route to be traveled by the vehicle 100, is stored in advance in the memory 202 of the server 200. The route is represented by nodes indicating the departure point, nodes indicating passing points, nodes indicating the destination, and links connecting the nodes. The processor 201 uses the vehicle position information and the reference route RR to determine a target position to which the vehicle 100 should next head. The processor 201 determines a target position on the reference route RR that is ahead of the current location of the vehicle 100.

[0037] In step S3, the processor 201 of the server 200 generates a travel control signal for causing the vehicle 100 to travel toward the determined target position. The processor 201 calculates the travel speed of the vehicle 100 from the change in the position of the vehicle 100 and compares the calculated travel speed with the target speed. When the travel speed is lower than the target speed, the processor 201 determines an acceleration such that the vehicle 100 accelerates. When the travel speed is higher than the target speed, the processor 201 determines an acceleration such that the vehicle 100 decelerates. Furthermore, when the vehicle 100 is located on the reference route RR, the processor 201 determines a steering angle and acceleration such that the vehicle 100 does not deviate from the reference route RR. When the vehicle 100 is not located on the reference route RR, in other words, when the vehicle 100 has deviated from the reference route RR, the processor 201 determines a steering angle and acceleration such that the vehicle 100 returns to the reference route RR.

[0038] In step S4, the processor 201 of the server 200 transmits the generated driving control signal to the vehicle 100. The processor 201 repeats, at a predetermined cycle, the acquisition of vehicle position information, the determination of a target position, the generation of a driving control signal, and the transmission of the driving control signal.

[0039] In step S5, the processor 111 of the vehicle 100 receives the driving control signal transmitted from the server 200. In step S6, the processor 111 of the vehicle 100 controls the actuator group 120 using the received driving control signal, thereby causing the vehicle 100 to drive at the acceleration and steering angle indicated in the driving control signal. The processor 111 repeats receiving the driving control signal and controlling the actuator group 120 at a predetermined cycle. According to the system 50 of this embodiment, the vehicle 100 can be driven by remote control, and the vehicle 100 can be moved without using transportation equipment such as a crane or conveyor.

[0040] 4 is a flowchart of the state control process in this embodiment. The processor 201 executes the state control process, for example, at predetermined time intervals.

[0041] In step S10, the determination unit 220 determines whether or not a run-up has been detected by the detection unit 215. If a run-up has been detected in step S10, in step S20, the remote control unit 210 changes the state of the vehicle 100 to a first state. More specifically, in step S20, the remote control unit 210 generates a first change signal, which is a control signal for changing the state of the vehicle 100 to the first state, and transmits it to the vehicle 100. In this embodiment, the first change signal includes a control signal for releasing various brakes of the vehicle 100 and a control signal for changing the shift position of the vehicle 100 to N range. Using the received first change signal, the vehicle 100 releases the various brakes of the vehicle 100 if they are activated, and changes the shift position of the vehicle 100 from a drive range (hereinafter also referred to as D range) or the like to N range. Note that if a run-up is not detected in step S10, the processor 201 ends the state control process.

[0042] In step S30, determination unit 220 determines whether or not the first condition is satisfied. That is, in step S30, determination unit 220 determines whether or not the traveled distance is equal to or greater than a reference distance, and if the traveled distance is equal to or greater than the reference distance, determines that the first condition is satisfied. If the first condition is not satisfied in step S30, determination unit 220 determines whether or not the second condition is satisfied in step S40.

[0043] If the first condition is satisfied in step S30, or if the second condition is satisfied in step S40, then in step S50, the remote control unit 210 changes the state of the vehicle 100 from the first state to the second state. More specifically, in step S50, the remote control unit 210 generates a second change signal, which is a control signal for changing the state of the vehicle 100 to the second state, and transmits it to the vehicle 100. In this embodiment, the second change signal includes a control signal for activating various brakes of the vehicle 100 and a control signal for changing the shift position of the vehicle 100 to P range. Using the received second change signal, the vehicle 100 activates the various brakes of the vehicle 100 and changes the shift position of the vehicle 100 from N range to P range. In step S60, the notification unit 225 notifies the user of second information indicating that the vehicle 100 is in the second state.

[0044] If the second condition is not satisfied in step S40, then in step S70, the determination unit 220 determines whether the vehicle 100 is stopped. In step S70, the remote control unit 210 determines whether the vehicle 100 is stopped, for example, using an internal sensor 140 such as a vehicle speed sensor or an external sensor 300. If the vehicle 100 is stopped in step S70, then in step S80, the notification unit 225 notifies the user of first information indicating that the vehicle 100 is in the first state. If the vehicle 100 is not stopped in step S70, the processor 201 returns the process to step S30.

[0045] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of state change processing. The left side of FIG. 5 shows the state of the vehicle 100 at time t1. At time t1, the front wheel FW of the vehicle 100 traveling on the road TR runs up onto an external object OB. That is, at time t1, the vehicle 100 is in a run-up state. Step S10 in FIG. 4 is executed at time t1, and it is determined that the vehicle 100 has run up onto the external object OB. Thereafter, step S20 is executed, and the state of the vehicle 100 is changed to the first state CN1.

[0046] The right side of FIG. 5 shows the state of the vehicle 100 at time t2, which is after time t1. In the example of FIG. 5, between time t1 and time t2, the vehicle 100 is in the first state and moves forward due to the rotation of the wheels caused by the inertia of the vehicle 100. As a result, the vehicle 100 at time t2 is located a distance DP ahead of the vehicle 100 at time t1. Also, at time t2, the front wheels FW of the vehicle 100 have passed the external object OB and are located on the road TR. The distance DP corresponds to the passing distance and is equal to or greater than the reference distance DS. Therefore, step S40 of FIG. 4 is executed at time t2, and it is determined that the first condition is satisfied. Thereafter, step S50 is executed, and the state of the vehicle 100 is changed to the second state CN2. Note that, although not shown, if the speed of the vehicle 100 becomes equal to or greater than the reference speed between time t1 and time t2, it is determined in step S30 of FIG. 4 that the second condition is satisfied, and step S50 is executed.

[0047] Unlike the present embodiment, if the wheels of the vehicle 100 are immediately locked when the vehicle 100 runs over an external object OB, the vehicle 100 will be stopped in the run-over state shown on the left side of FIG. 1 , making it difficult for the vehicle 100 to move from the external object OB. This may affect the implementation of subsequent measures related to the vehicle 100 and the external object OB. More specifically, for example, if the external object OB is a part, the part cannot be immediately recovered, which may delay the work of assembling the part into the vehicle 100. Furthermore, if the vehicle 100 runs over an external object OB, it is preferable that the unmanned driving of the vehicle 100 resume after the run-over state of the vehicle 100 is released. Therefore, if the vehicle 100 is stopped in the run-over state, transportation of the vehicle 100 using the unmanned driving of the vehicle 100 may be delayed.

[0048] In contrast, according to the system 50 of the first embodiment, when the vehicle 100 runs over an external object OB, the state of the vehicle 100 is changed to a first state in which the wheels of the vehicle 100 are freely rotatable. Therefore, compared to a case in which the rotation of the wheels is locked when the vehicle 100 runs over an external object OB, it is possible to prevent the vehicle 100 from being stopped in the run-over state. Furthermore, in this embodiment, even if the vehicle 100 is stopped in the run-over state as shown on the left side of FIG. 5, for example, the wheels are freely rotatable. Therefore, the run-over state can be easily released by rotating the wheels of the vehicle 100 using an external force to move the vehicle 100. In this way, according to this embodiment, it is possible to prevent the run-over state from being maintained. As a result, it is possible to prevent the implementation of subsequent measures related to the vehicle 100 and the external object OB from being affected. More specifically, for example, by collecting the external object OB as a part relatively early, it is possible to prevent delays in assembling the part into the vehicle 100. In addition, for example, by relatively quickly resuming the unmanned operation of the vehicle 100 after the running-on state has been released, delays in the transportation of the vehicle 100 can be suppressed.

[0049] In this embodiment, when the change condition is satisfied, the state of the vehicle 100 is changed from the first state to the second state in which the rotation of the wheels is locked. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the vehicle 100 from moving unintentionally due to the first state being maintained.

[0050] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the change condition includes a first condition that indicates that the climb-up state has been released. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the vehicle 100 from moving unnecessarily after the climb-up state has been released. In particular, in this embodiment, the first condition indicates that the traveled distance of the vehicle 100 is equal to or greater than a reference distance. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the vehicle 100 from moving unintentionally over a long distance due to the first state being maintained.

[0051] In the present embodiment, the change condition includes a second condition that indicates that the speed of the vehicle 100 is equal to or greater than the reference speed. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the speed of the vehicle 100 from unintentionally increasing due to the first state being maintained.

[0052] In this embodiment, the second state is a state in which the various brakes of the vehicle 100 are activated and the shift position is in the P range. Therefore, in the second state, the rotation of the wheels can be more reliably locked. In other embodiments, the second state may be a state in which either the activation of the various brakes or the P range is achieved. For example, the second state may be a state in which the various brakes of the vehicle 100 are activated and the shift position is in an N range or a D range that is different from the P range. The second state may also be a state in which the shift position is in the P range and at least one of the various brakes of the vehicle 100 is released.

[0053] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the state of vehicle 100 changes from the first state to the second state, as in step S60 of FIG. 4 , second information is notified to the user. Therefore, the user who has been notified of the second information can quickly take measures to deal with the second state. The measures to deal with the second state include, for example, confirmation as to whether it is appropriate to cancel the second state or a measure in which the user manually cancels the second state. Note that in other embodiments, the second information may include, in addition to information indicating that vehicle 100 is in the second state, information indicating whether the second condition is satisfied in step S30 or information indicating whether the first condition is satisfied in step S40. For example, when information indicating that the first condition is satisfied is notified to the user, the user can immediately determine that there is a high probability that vehicle 100 is not in an uphill state.

[0054] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the vehicle 100 stops while remaining in the first state, as in step S80 of Fig. 4, the first information is notified to the user. Therefore, the user who has been notified of the first information can quickly take measures to deal with the vehicle 100 that has stopped while remaining in the first state. The measures to deal with the vehicle 100 that has stopped while remaining in the first state are, for example, measures to release the vehicle 100 from the climbing state by having the user or a robot apply an external force to the vehicle 100 to move the vehicle 100.

[0055] B. Second embodiment: FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of a system 50v in the second embodiment. In this embodiment, the system 50v differs from the first embodiment in that it does not include a server 200. Since the device configuration of the vehicle in this embodiment is the same as that in the first embodiment, for convenience, the vehicle in this embodiment will be referred to as a vehicle 100. The vehicle 100 in this embodiment can travel by autonomous control of the vehicle 100. The other configurations are the same as those in the first embodiment unless otherwise specified.

[0056] In this embodiment, the communication device 130 of the vehicle 100 can communicate with an external sensor 300. The processor 111 of the vehicle control device 110 executes a program PG1 stored in the memory 112, thereby functioning as a vehicle control unit 115v, a detection unit 215, a determination unit 220, and a notification unit 225. The vehicle control unit 115v acquires output results from the sensors, generates a driving control signal using the output results, and outputs the generated driving control signal to operate the actuator group 120, thereby enabling the vehicle 100 to drive by autonomous control. In this embodiment, in addition to the program PG1, a detection model DM and a reference route RR are pre-stored in the memory 112. The vehicle control unit 115v in the second embodiment corresponds to the "control unit" in this disclosure.

[0057] 7 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure for driving control of the vehicle 100 in the second embodiment. In the processing procedure in FIG. 7, the processor 111 of the vehicle 100 functions as a vehicle control unit 115v by executing a program PG1.

[0058] In step S901, the processor 111 of the vehicle control device 110 acquires vehicle position information using the detection results output from the camera, which is the external sensor 300. In step S902, the processor 111 determines a target position to which the vehicle 100 should next head. In step S903, the processor 111 generates a driving control signal for driving the vehicle 100 toward the determined target position. In step S904, the processor 111 controls the actuator group 120 using the generated driving control signal, thereby causing the vehicle 100 to drive in accordance with parameters represented in the driving control signal. The processor 111 repeats the acquisition of vehicle position information, determination of the target position, generation of the driving control signal, and control of the actuators at a predetermined cycle. According to the system 50v of this embodiment, the vehicle 100 can be driven by autonomous control of the vehicle 100 without remote control of the vehicle 100 by the server 200.

[0059] In this embodiment, the processor 111 of the vehicle control device 110 executes a state control process similar to that of Fig. 4. However, in steps S20 and S50 in this embodiment, the vehicle control unit 115v of the vehicle 100 generates a first change signal and a second change signal for changing the state of the vehicle 100, i.e., the host vehicle, and controls the actuator group 120 using the generated first change signal and second change signal to change the state of the vehicle 100 to the first state or the second state.

[0060] The system 50v in the second embodiment described above also prevents the run-up state from being maintained, and can prevent the execution of subsequent measures regarding the vehicle 100 or the external object from being affected.

[0061] C. Other Embodiments: (C1) In each of the above embodiments, the first state is a state in which the various brakes of the vehicle 100 are released and the shift position of the vehicle 100 is in the N range, but is not limited to this. For example, the first state may be a state in which the wheels of the vehicle 100 are not locked by the brakes and the drive motor that drives the drive wheels is not driven. The drive motor being not driven can be achieved, for example, by setting the command value of the drive force of the drive motor to zero or by cutting off the current supplied to the drive motor. Furthermore, for example, if the vehicle 100 is a vehicle equipped with a clutch, such as a manual transmission vehicle, the first state may be a state in which the various brakes of the vehicle 100 are released and the clutch is disengaged.

[0062] (C2) In each of the above embodiments, the first condition is a condition indicating that the traveled distance of the vehicle 100 is equal to or greater than a reference distance. In contrast, the first condition may be a condition unrelated to the traveled distance. For example, the first condition may be a condition related to an external force acting on the vehicle 100. More specifically, the first condition may be a condition indicating that an external force indicating that the climb-up state has been released has been detected. In this case, the determination unit 220 may determine whether the first condition is satisfied using, for example, an external force sensor as the internal sensor 140. Furthermore, the first condition may be a condition indicating that acceleration indicating that the climb-up state has been released has been detected. In this case, the determination unit 220 may determine whether the first condition is satisfied using, for example, an acceleration sensor as the internal sensor 140. More specifically, when the vehicle 100 on the external object descends onto the road surface of the road TR, a relatively large acceleration occurs in the vehicle 100. Therefore, the determination unit 220 may determine that the first condition is satisfied when detecting such a relatively large acceleration.

[0063] (C3) In the above embodiments, the change condition includes the first condition and the second condition, but it does not have to include the first condition or the second condition. For example, the change condition may include only the first condition or only the second condition. Furthermore, the change condition may include a condition different from the first condition or the second condition.

[0064] For example, the change condition may include a third condition in addition to or instead of the first condition and the second condition. The third condition indicates that the run-up state has continued for a predetermined period of time or longer. In this case, the determination unit 220 determines, for example, whether the elapsed time from when the vehicle 100 was changed to the first state to the present is equal to or longer than a predetermined reference time. If the elapsed time is equal to or longer than the reference time, the determination unit 220 changes the state of the vehicle 100 to the second state. This configuration can prevent the first state from being unintentionally maintained for a long period of time. More specifically, in the event of an abnormality in which the elapsed time is equal to or longer than the reference time, the state of the vehicle 100 can be changed to the second state without maintaining the state of the vehicle 100 in the first state. As a result, unintentional movement of the vehicle 100 in such an abnormality can be prevented, and the abnormality can be dealt with more appropriately. Note that the reference time is preferably set based on, for example, the time normally required for the run-up state to be resolved.

[0065] (C4) In each of the above embodiments, it is determined whether or not a change condition is satisfied, and if the change condition is satisfied, the state of vehicle 100 is changed from the first state to the second state, but this does not have to be the case. For example, it is not necessary to determine whether or not a change condition is satisfied.

[0066] (C5) In each of the above embodiments, in the system 50, various functional units such as the control unit, the detection unit 215, the determination unit 220, and the notification unit 225 may be provided in the vehicle 100. In this case, as described in the second embodiment, all of the control unit, the detection unit 215, the determination unit 220, and the notification unit 225 may be provided in the vehicle 100, or some of these functional units may be provided in the vehicle 100. Furthermore, in the system 50, some or all of these functional units may be provided in devices external to the server 200 and the vehicle 100, for example.

[0067] (C6) In each of the above embodiments, the external sensor 300 is not limited to a camera and may be, for example, a distance measuring device. The distance measuring device may be, for example, a LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging). In this case, the detection result output by the external sensor 300 may be three-dimensional point cloud data representing the vehicle 100. In this case, the server 200 or the vehicle 100 may acquire vehicle position information by template matching using the three-dimensional point cloud data as the detection result and reference point cloud data prepared in advance.

[0068] (C7) In the first embodiment, the processes from obtaining vehicle position information to generating a driving control signal are executed by the server 200. However, at least a part of the processes from obtaining vehicle position information to generating a driving control signal may be executed by the vehicle 100. For example, the following forms (1) to (3) may be used.

[0069] (1) The server 200 may acquire vehicle position information, determine a target position to which the vehicle 100 should next head, and generate a route from the current location of the vehicle 100 indicated in the acquired vehicle position information to the target position. The server 200 may generate a route to the target position between the current location and the destination, or may generate a route to the destination. The server 200 may transmit the generated route to the vehicle 100. The vehicle 100 may generate a driving control signal so that the vehicle 100 drives on the route received from the server 200, and control the actuator group 120 using the generated driving control signal.

[0070] (2) Server 200 may acquire vehicle position information and transmit the acquired vehicle position information to vehicle 100. Vehicle 100 may determine a target position to which vehicle 100 should next head, generate a route from the current location of vehicle 100 indicated in the received vehicle position information to the target position, generate a driving control signal so that vehicle 100 travels on the generated route, and control actuator group 120 using the generated driving control signal.

[0071] (3) In the above embodiments (1) and (2), the vehicle 100 may be equipped with an internal sensor, and detection results output from the internal sensor may be used for at least one of generating a route and generating a driving control signal. For example, in the above embodiment (1), the server 200 may acquire the detection results of the internal sensor and, when generating a route, reflect the detection results of the internal sensor in the route. In the above embodiment (1), the vehicle 100 may acquire the detection results of the internal sensor and, when generating a driving control signal, reflect the detection results of the internal sensor in the driving control signal. In the above embodiment (2), the vehicle 100 may acquire the detection results of the internal sensor and, when generating a route, reflect the detection results of the internal sensor in the route. In the above embodiment (2), the vehicle 100 may acquire the detection results of the internal sensor and, when generating a driving control signal, reflect the detection results of the internal sensor in the route.

[0072] (C8) In the second embodiment, the vehicle 100 may be equipped with an internal sensor, and the detection results output from the internal sensor may be used for at least one of generating a route and generating a driving control signal. For example, the vehicle 100 may acquire the detection results of the internal sensor and, when generating a route, reflect the detection results of the internal sensor in the route. The vehicle 100 may acquire the detection results of the internal sensor and, when generating a driving control signal, reflect the detection results of the internal sensor in the driving control signal.

[0073] (C9) In the second embodiment, the vehicle 100 acquires vehicle position information using the detection results of the external sensor 300. Alternatively, the vehicle 100 may be equipped with an internal sensor. The vehicle 100 may acquire vehicle position information using the detection results of the internal sensor, determine a target position to which the vehicle 100 should next travel, generate a route from the current location of the vehicle 100 represented in the acquired vehicle position information to the target position, generate a driving control signal for traveling along the generated route, and control the actuator group 120 using the generated driving control signal. In this case, the vehicle 100 can travel without using any of the detection results of the external sensor 300. The vehicle 100 may acquire a target arrival time or traffic congestion information from outside the vehicle 100 and reflect the target arrival time or traffic congestion information in at least one of the route and the driving control signal. Furthermore, all of the functional configuration of the system 50v may be provided in the vehicle 100. In other words, the processing performed by the system 50v in the present disclosure may be performed by the vehicle 100 alone.

[0074] (C10) In the first embodiment described above, the server 200 automatically generates a driving control signal to be transmitted to the vehicle 100. However, the server 200 may generate a driving control signal to be transmitted to the vehicle 100 in accordance with the operation of an external operator located outside the vehicle 100. For example, the external operator may operate a control device including a display that displays an image output from the external sensor 300, a steering wheel for remotely controlling the vehicle 100, an accelerator pedal, a brake pedal, and a communication device for communicating with the server 200 via wired or wireless communication, and the server 200 may generate a driving control signal in accordance with the operation applied to the control device.

[0075] (C11) The vehicle 100 may be manufactured by combining multiple modules. A module refers to a unit composed of one or more parts grouped according to the configuration or function of the vehicle 100. For example, the platform of the vehicle 100 may be manufactured by combining a front module that forms the front part of the platform, a central module that forms the center part of the platform, and a rear module that forms the rear part of the platform. The number of modules that form the platform is not limited to three, but may be two or less, or four or more. Furthermore, in addition to or instead of the platform, parts of the vehicle 100 that are different from the platform may be modularized. Furthermore, various modules may include optional exterior parts such as bumpers and grilles, and optional interior parts such as seats and consoles. Such modules may be manufactured, for example, by joining multiple parts using welding or fasteners, or by integrally molding at least a portion of the module as a single part by casting. The molding method of integrally molding at least a portion of the module as a single part is also called gigacasting or megacasting. By using Gigacast, each part of the vehicle 100 that was previously formed by joining multiple parts can be formed as a single part. For example, the front module, center module, and rear module described above may be manufactured using Gigacast.

[0076] (C12) Transporting vehicle 100 by using the unmanned driving of vehicle 100 is also called "self-propelled transport." The configuration for realizing self-propelled transport is also called a "vehicle remote-controlled autonomous transport system." The production method for producing vehicle 100 by using self-propelled transport is also called "self-propelled production." In self-propelled production, for example, at a factory FC where vehicle 100 is manufactured, at least a portion of the transport of vehicle 100 is realized by self-propelled transport.

[0077] In each of the above embodiments, some or all of the functions and processes implemented by software may be implemented by hardware. Furthermore, some or all of the functions and processes implemented by hardware may be implemented by software. Hardware for implementing the various functions in each of the above embodiments may be implemented by various circuits, such as integrated circuits and discrete circuits.

[0078] The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments and can be realized in various configurations without departing from the spirit thereof. For example, the technical features in the embodiments corresponding to the technical features in each aspect described in the Summary of the Invention section can be appropriately replaced or combined to solve some or all of the above-described problems or achieve some or all of the above-described effects. Furthermore, if a technical feature is not described as essential in this specification, it can be appropriately deleted. [Explanation of symbols]

[0079] 50, 50v...system, 100...vehicle, 110...vehicle control device, 111...processor, 112...memory, 113...input / output interface, 114...internal bus, 115...vehicle control unit, 115v...vehicle control unit, 120...actuator group, 130...communication device, 140...internal sensor, 200...server, 201...processor, 202...memory, 203...input / output interface, 204...internal bus, 205...communication device, 210...remote control unit, 215...detection unit, 220...determination unit, 225...alarm unit, 300...external sensor

Claims

1. 1. A system comprising: A vehicle that can be driven by unmanned driving, a control unit that controls the vehicle, The control unit changes a state of the vehicle to a first state in which wheels of the vehicle are freely rotatable when the vehicle runs over an external object.

2. 10. The system of claim 1, The control unit further changes the state of the vehicle from the first state to a second state in which rotation of the wheels is locked when a predetermined change condition is satisfied.

3. 3. The system of claim 2, The change condition includes a first condition related to the release of the state in which the vehicle is riding on the external object.

4. 4. The system of claim 3, The system, wherein the first condition indicates that the travel distance of the vehicle in the first state is equal to or greater than a predetermined distance.

5. 3. The system of claim 2, The change condition includes a second condition indicating that the speed of the vehicle is equal to or greater than a predetermined speed.

Images