Control apparatus, control method, and storage medium

Abstract

To notify a user of a reason why automatic driving is not permitted.SOLUTION: The control device according to the embodiment is a control device provided in a vehicle that starts autonomous driving when it is determined that autonomous driving can be permitted based on a vehicle state in a case where an autonomous driving start button is turned on by a user. The control device includes a control unit. When the autonomous driving start button is turned on and the autonomous driving cannot be permitted for a temporary reason, the controller performs a first notification for notifying the user of the reason why the autonomous driving is not permitted for a certain period of time, and turns on a history flag. The controller performs a second notification for notifying the user that the autonomous driving is enabled when the history flag is turned on and the autonomous driving is permitted in a state where the autonomous driving start button is not turned on.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The disclosed embodiments relate to a control device, a control method, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] In autonomous vehicles, there are conditions that allow autonomous driving, such as the autonomous driving sensors being normal, so there are control devices that notify the driver whether autonomous driving is currently possible. The control device notifies the driver whether autonomous driving is possible or not by, for example, changing the background color of the display depending on whether autonomous driving is permitted or not (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-9432 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, because autonomous driving is permitted when multiple conditions are met, when autonomous driving is not permitted, the user is unable to recognize the reason why autonomous driving is not possible and does not know how to deal with the situation.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above, and aims to notify a user of the reason why autonomous driving is not permitted. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A control device according to one aspect of the embodiment is a control device provided in a vehicle that starts autonomous driving when an autonomous driving start button is pressed by a user and that determines that autonomous driving is permitted based on the vehicle state. The control device includes a control unit. When the autonomous driving start button is pressed and autonomous driving is not permitted for a temporary reason, the control unit issues a first notification to the user informing them of the reason autonomous driving is not permitted for a certain period of time and turns on a history flag. When the autonomous driving start button is not pressed and the history flag is on and autonomous driving is permitted, the control unit issues a second notification to the user that autonomous driving is now possible. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] The present invention has the effect of being able to notify the user of the reason why autonomous driving is not permitted. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a notification system according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of an autonomous driving permission condition according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a notification according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a notification according to the embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a notification according to the embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 shows an example of a route guidance screen according to the embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a notification according to the embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a notification according to the embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a notification according to the embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a notification according to the embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing an example of processing executed by the control unit 11 according to the embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing an example of processing executed by the control unit 11 according to the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of a control device, a control method, and a control program will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments.

[0010] [1. Notification system configuration] Fig. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the configuration of a notification system 100 according to an embodiment. The notification system 100 is a system that is installed in a vehicle equipped with an autonomous driving function and notifies a user whether the vehicle is in a state where autonomous driving can be permitted or not. In Fig. 1, power supply lines are indicated by solid lines and control signal lines are indicated by dashed lines.

[0011] As shown in FIG. 1, the notification system 100 includes a display control device 1, an automatic driving control device 2, a meter 3, a display unit 4, an automatic driving start button 5, a car navigation device 6, and a redundant power supply device 7.

[0012] Furthermore, the notification system 100 includes a lead battery (hereinafter referred to as "PbB8"), a DC / DC converter (hereinafter referred to as "DCDC9"), and a load 10. The PbB8 is a secondary battery that is mounted on a vehicle and supplies power to the load 10 and the like.

[0013] The DCDC 9 is a device that transforms the electric power generated by the alternator, which converts the kinetic energy of the vehicle into electrical energy. The DCDC 9 charges the PbB 8 and supplies power to the redundant power supply 7.

[0014] The load 10 includes a plurality of ECUs (Electronic Control Units) that function to automatically drive the vehicle, such as an engine control unit, a steering control unit, and a brake control unit.

[0015] The display control device 1 is a device that controls at least one of the meter 3, the display unit 4, and the automatic driving start button 5 to notify the vehicle user whether the vehicle is in a state where automatic driving can be permitted or not.

[0016] The display control device 1 includes a control unit 11. The control unit 11 includes a microcomputer having a CPU (Central Processing Unit), ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), etc., and various circuits. The control unit 11 controls the meter 3, the display unit 4, and the automatic operation start button 5 by the CPU executing a program stored in the ROM using the RAM as a work area.

[0017] The control unit 11 may be partially or entirely configured with hardware such as an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) or an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array).

[0018] The meter 3 is a display device provided on the vehicle's instrument panel that displays the vehicle's traveling speed, vehicle status, etc. The display unit 4 is a display device that displays, for example, a route guidance image provided by a car navigation device 6 and the vehicle's status, etc. The display unit 4 is equipped with a speaker and can output route guidance, various notifications, and other audio.

[0019] The autonomous driving start button 5 is provided, for example, on the steering wheel of the vehicle, and is a switch that the user operates when starting autonomous driving of the vehicle. The autonomous driving start button 5 is configured to emit light in a color that corresponds to the state of the vehicle.

[0020] When the automatic driving start button 5 is turned on, the automatic driving control device 2 is a device that operates the load 10 to control the automatic driving of the vehicle if it determines that automatic driving can be permitted based on the state of the vehicle. An example of the automatic driving permission conditions used by the automatic driving control device 2 to determine whether automatic driving can be permitted will be described later with reference to FIG. 2.

[0021] The automatic driving control device 2 outputs the determination result of whether automatic driving can be permitted or not to the display control device 1. At this time, if the automatic driving control device 2 determines that automatic driving cannot be permitted, it outputs to the display control device 1 information indicating the reason why it cannot be permitted together with the determination result.

[0022] The car navigation device 6 is a device that provides route guidance from the current location to a destination set by the user. The car navigation device 6 causes the display control device 1 to display a route guidance image on the display unit 4. Furthermore, the car navigation device 6 outputs information about the current location of the vehicle and the route to the destination to the automatic driving control device 2 during route guidance.

[0023] The redundant power supply 7 includes a lithium ion battery (hereinafter referred to as "LiB71"). The LiB71 is a backup secondary battery that supplies power to the load 10, etc., when power cannot be supplied by the PbB8 or the DCDC9, for example.

[0024] The redundant power supply 7 has a first system 110 that supplies power input from the PbB 8 or the DCDC 9 to the load 10 and the like, a second system 120 that supplies power charged in the LiB 71 to the load 10 and the like, a connection unit 72 that connects and disconnects the two systems, and a switch 73 that connects the LiB 71 to the second system 120. The connection unit 72 is composed of a switch or a DCDC converter.

[0025] Although not shown here, the first system 110 and the second system 120 are also connected to each electronic device installed in the vehicle, such as the display control device 1, the automatic driving control device 2, the meter 3, the display unit 4, and the automatic driving start button 5, to supply power to each electronic device.

[0026] A control unit configured by a microcomputer (not shown) performs various controls on the redundant power supply 7. The redundant power supply 7 monitors the states of the first system 110 and the second system 120, for example, by detecting the voltages of the first system 110 and the second system 120. Under normal conditions when there is no power supply failure, the redundant power supply 7 turns on the connection unit 72 and turns off the switch 73, and supplies power input from the PbB 8 or the DCDC 9 to the load 10 and the like via the first system 110 and the second system 120.

[0027] If a power failure occurs, the redundant power supply 7 outputs information indicating this to the automatic driving control device 2. For example, when the voltage of the first system 110 falls below the ground fault threshold, the redundant power supply 7 determines that a ground fault has occurred in the first system 110, notifies the automatic driving control device 2 of this, cuts off the connection part 72, turns on the switch 73, and supplies the power charged in the LiB 71 to the load 10 and the like via the second system 120.

[0028] As a result, for example, in the event of a ground fault in the first system 110, the automatic driving control device 2 can operate the load 10 using power supplied from the LiB 71 via the second system 120, thereby causing the vehicle to evacuate to a safe location and stop.

[0029] Furthermore, if the redundant power supply device 7 detects a break in the first system 110 or the second system 120, or a failure in PbB8, DCDC9, or LiB71, in addition to a ground fault in the first system 110, it outputs information indicating this to the automatic driving control device 2.

[0030] In addition, the redundant power supply 7 monitors the SOC (State Of Charge) of the LiB 71, and when the SOC of the LiB 71 falls below a predetermined SOC (e.g., 80%), it turns on the connection part 72 and the switch 73, and charges the LiB 71 to the target SOC (e.g., 90%) using power input from the PbB 8 or the DCDC 9.

[0031] It is also possible to provide a DC / DC converter in parallel with the switch 73 and activate the DC / DC converter when charging the LiB 71. That is, the redundant power supply 7 may make the connection unit 72 conductive, cut off the switch 73, activate the DC / DC converter, and step up or step down the voltage input from the PbB 8 or the DCDC 9 to charge the LiB 71.

[0032] When the LiB 71 is not being charged, the redundant power supply 7 outputs information indicating this to the automatic driving control device 2. When the LiB 71 is being charged, the redundant power supply 7 outputs information indicating this and the predicted time until charging is complete to the automatic driving control device 2.

[0033] The autonomous driving control device 2 determines whether autonomous driving can be permitted based on information input from the redundant power supply device 7, information input from the car navigation device 6, and information indicating the status of each sensor obtained from each sensor used for autonomous driving.

[0034] Here, a method for determining whether autonomous driving can be permitted by the autonomous driving control device 2 will be described with reference to Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of autonomous driving permission conditions according to the embodiment. The autonomous driving control device 2 stores, for example, the autonomous driving permission conditions shown in Fig. 2, and determines whether autonomous driving can be permitted depending on whether the state of the vehicle satisfies the autonomous driving permission conditions.

[0035] As shown in Figure 2, the conditions for permitting automatic driving include, for example, conditions (1) to (4), and automatic driving is permitted when all of the conditions are met. Absolute conditions (1) and (2) are conditions that require repairs if the conditions are not met. Temporary conditions (3) and (4) are conditions that are met after the passage of time if the conditions are not met.

[0036] Specifically, condition (1) is that "all sensors and control devices related to autonomous driving are normal." Condition (2) is that "there is no power failure." Condition (3) is that "the SOC of the LiB71 is equal to or higher than the autonomous driving permit SOC (e.g., 80%)." Condition (4) is that "the vehicle is traveling on a road where autonomous driving is possible (e.g., a certain section of a highway)."

[0037] The automatic driving control device 2 determines whether conditions (1) to (4) are met based on information acquired from the redundant power supply device 7, the car navigation device 6, and each sensor, and outputs information indicating the determined met state to the display control device 1. Based on the information input from the automatic driving control device 2, the display control device 1 performs display and audio notification according to the met state of each condition.

[0038] At this time, the control unit 11 of the display control device 1 notifies the user whether or not autonomous driving can be started in different forms depending on the first state in which autonomous driving of the vehicle can be permitted, the second state in which autonomous driving cannot be permitted due to an abnormality in the equipment, and the third state in which autonomous driving cannot be permitted due to a temporary reason even though there is no abnormality in the equipment.

[0039] For example, the display control device 1 notifies the user whether or not autonomous driving can be started, using the display area of ​​the meter 3, the display area of ​​the display unit 4, the speaker of the display unit 4, and the autonomous driving start button 5. This allows the display control device 1 to notify the user of the reason why autonomous driving is not permitted depending on the notification format.

[0040] The display control device 1 issues a first notification when all of the conditions (1) to (4) are met and the device is in a first state where autonomous driving can be permitted. The display control device 1 issues a second notification when an abnormality exists in the device and the device is in a second state where autonomous driving cannot be permitted and the device is in a second state where the condition (1) or the condition (2) is not met.

[0041] When the display control device 1 is in a third state in which condition (3) or condition (4) is not satisfied for a temporary reason and autonomous driving cannot be permitted even though there is no abnormality in the device, the display control device 1 performs notification in a third form. Next, examples of notifications in the first to third forms described above will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0042] [2. Example of notification] 3 to 5 and 7 to 10 are explanatory diagrams showing examples of notifications according to the embodiment. FIG. 6 is an example of a route guidance screen when condition (4) according to the embodiment is not satisfied. The hatched areas in FIGS. 3 and 8 are green areas. The hatched areas in FIGS. 4 and 9 are red areas. The hatched areas in FIGS. 5, 7, and 10 are yellow areas.

[0043] For example, the display control device 1 can constantly notify whether autonomous driving is permitted during manual driving. At this time, the control unit 11 of the display control device 1 displays different information in a predetermined area of ​​the display unit 4 depending on the first state, second state, and third state during manual driving of the vehicle.

[0044] When the display control device 1 is in a first state in which autonomous driving is permitted, the control unit 11 of the display control device 1 displays, for example, a notification of the first form shown in Fig. 3. Specifically, the control unit 11 displays, for example, a green lamp 41 that displays "Autonomous driving possible" in a predetermined area 40 of the display unit 4. Furthermore, the control unit 11 displays a message below the green lamp 41 that reads "Autonomous driving possible." This allows the display control device 1 to make the user aware that autonomous driving is possible.

[0045] Furthermore, when the second state is reached in which an abnormality exists in the equipment and autonomous driving is not permitted, the control unit 11 displays, for example, a notification of the second form shown in FIG. 4. Specifically, the control unit 11 displays, for example, a red lamp 42 displaying "Automatic driving not permitted" in a predetermined area 40 of the display unit 4. Furthermore, the control unit 11 displays a message below the red lamp 42 saying, "Automatic driving is not permitted due to an abnormality in XX. Repair at a dealer is required." This allows the display control device 1 to make the user aware that the reason autonomous driving is not permitted is an abnormality in the equipment.

[0046] Furthermore, when there is no abnormality in the device and, for example, the third state is present in which autonomous driving is not permitted because the charge level of the LiB 71 has decreased and the device is currently being charged, the control unit 11 displays, for example, a notification of the third form shown in FIG. 5. Specifically, the control unit 11 displays, for example, a yellow lamp 43 that displays "Automatic driving not possible" in a predetermined area 40 of the display unit 4. Furthermore, the control unit 11 displays a message below the yellow lamp 43 that reads, "The backup power supply is being charged. Autonomous driving will be possible in approximately XX minutes."

[0047] In this way, the control unit 11 notifies the user that the LiB 71, which is the backup power supply, is in the third state while it is being charged. This allows the display control device 1 to make the user aware that the reason autonomous driving cannot be permitted is not due to an abnormality in the device, but due to a temporary reason that the backup power supply is being charged.

[0048] Furthermore, when charging of the LiB 71 is completed, the control unit 11 switches the display to the first mode shown in Fig. 3 and notifies the user by voice that autonomous driving is now possible. In this way, when notifying the user of the third state, the control unit 11 notifies by voice that the state will transition to the first state. In this way, the display control device 1 allows a user who is unable to frequently check the display unit 4 while driving to recognize that autonomous driving is now possible.

[0049] 6, the car navigation device 6 may provide guidance on a route R3 that passes from a road R1 where autonomous driving is not permitted to a road R2 where autonomous driving is permitted. When the vehicle C is in a third state where autonomous driving is not permitted because the vehicle C is traveling on a road R1 where autonomous driving is not permitted on the route R3, the control unit 11 displays, for example, a notification of a third form shown in FIG.

[0050] Specifically, the control unit 11 displays, for example, a yellow lamp 43 that reads "Automated driving not permitted" in a predetermined area 40 of the display unit 4. Furthermore, the control unit 11 displays a message below the yellow lamp 43 that reads, "You are currently traveling on a road where automated driving is not possible. Automated driving will be possible in XX minutes." This allows the display control device 1 to make the user aware that the reason automated driving cannot be permitted is not due to an abnormality in the equipment, but rather due to a temporary reason such as the vehicle being traveling on road R1 where automated driving is not permitted.

[0051] In this way, during manual driving, the control unit 11 provides different forms of notification depending on whether the vehicle is in the first state, second state, or third state, so that the difference in the form of notification allows the user to recognize that autonomous driving is permitted or the reason why autonomous driving is not permitted.

[0052] In addition, the control unit 11 displays lamps 41 to 43 in different colors depending on whether the state is the first state, the second state, or the third state, so that the user can intuitively recognize from the difference in color that autonomous driving is permitted or the reason why autonomous driving is not permitted.

[0053] Note that the control unit 11 can also display the green lamp 41 shown in Fig. 3 when autonomous driving is permitted, and hide the red lamp 42 shown in Fig. 4 and the yellow lamp 43 shown in Fig. 5 when autonomous driving is not permitted. This allows the user to easily recognize whether autonomous driving is possible or not by checking whether the green lamp 41 shown in Fig. 3 is displayed or not.

[0054] 3 to 5. This allows a user who is unable to frequently check the display unit 4 while driving to be sure that they know whether autonomous driving is possible, and if autonomous driving is not possible, the reason why.

[0055] Furthermore, instead of the green lamp 41 shown in Fig. 3, the red lamp 42 shown in Fig. 4, and the yellow lamp 43 shown in Fig. 5, the control unit 11 can change only the color of the text. For example, the control unit 11 displays text indicating autonomous driving is possible in green as a first type of notification, text indicating autonomous driving is not possible in red as a second type of notification, and text indicating autonomous driving is not possible in yellow as a third type of notification. This allows the user who is driving to intuitively recognize whether autonomous driving is possible or not, and if autonomous driving is not possible, the reason for this, just from the color of the text, without having to understand the content of the text.

[0056] The control unit 11 can also issue notifications in the forms shown in Figs. 8 to 10. When the control unit 11 is in a first state in which autonomous driving is permitted, for example, it displays a notification in the first form shown in Fig. 8. Specifically, the control unit 11, for example, makes the background color of the predetermined area 40 of the display unit 4 green, displays a lamp 44 displaying "Autonomous driving possible", and displays a message saying "Autonomous driving possible" below the green lamp 44. In this way, the display control device 1 can make the user aware that autonomous driving is possible.

[0057] Furthermore, when the second state is reached in which an abnormality exists in the equipment and autonomous driving is not permitted, the control unit 11 displays, for example, a notification of the second form shown in FIG. 9. Specifically, the control unit 11, for example, turns the background color of a predetermined area 40 of the display unit 4 red and displays a lamp 42 that reads "Automatic driving not permitted." Furthermore, the control unit 11 displays a message below the lamp 45 that reads, "Automatic driving is not possible due to an abnormality in XX. Repair by a dealer is required." This allows the display control device 1 to make the user aware that the reason autonomous driving is not permitted is because of an abnormality in the equipment.

[0058] Furthermore, when there is no abnormality in the device and the device is in a third state where autonomous driving cannot be permitted because, for example, the LiB 71 is being charged due to a low charge level, the control unit 11 displays, for example, a notification of the third form shown in FIG. 10 . Specifically, the control unit 11 displays, for example, a lamp 45 that displays "Automatic driving not permitted" in a yellow background color in the predetermined area 40 of the display unit 4. Furthermore, the control unit 11 displays a message below the lamp 45 that reads, "The backup power supply is being charged. Autonomous driving will be possible in approximately XX minutes." This allows the display control device 1 to recognize that the reason autonomous driving cannot be permitted is not due to an abnormality in the device but due to a temporary reason such as the backup power supply being charged.

[0059] Although the case where the control unit 11 displays the notifications in the first to third forms on the display unit 4 has been described here, the control unit 11 may also display the notifications in the first to third forms in a predetermined area of ​​the meter 3. In this case, the display control device 1 can improve the visibility of the notifications in the first to third forms for the user who is driving the vehicle.

[0060] Furthermore, the control unit 11 may notify the first to third modes by changing the color of the autonomous driving start button 5 provided on the steering wheel. For example, when the vehicle is in the first state in which autonomous driving is permitted, the control unit 11 causes the autonomous driving start button 5 to emit green light as a notification of the first mode.

[0061] When the vehicle is in a second state where an abnormality exists in the equipment and autonomous driving cannot be permitted, the control unit 11 causes the autonomous driving start button 5 to emit red light as a second form of notification. When the vehicle is in a third state where no abnormality exists in the equipment and autonomous driving cannot be permitted for a temporary reason, the control unit 11 causes the autonomous driving start button 5 to emit yellow light. In this case, the display control device 1 may change the color of the autonomous driving start button 5 in accordance with changes in the notification by the display unit 4 and the meter 3. This allows the display control device 1 to improve the visibility of the notification.

[0062] Furthermore, the control unit 11 may cause the meter 3 to display a lamp indicating whether autonomous driving is possible, and may perform notification of the first to third forms depending on the lighting state of the lamp. For example, the control unit 11 lights the lamp when the first state is one in which autonomous driving is permitted.

[0063] The control unit 11 causes the lamp to flash at high speed when the vehicle is in a second state where an abnormality exists in the equipment and autonomous driving is not permitted. The control unit 11 causes the lamp to flash at low speed when the vehicle is in a third state where there is no abnormality in the equipment and autonomous driving is not permitted for a temporary reason. This allows the display control device 1 to intuitively recognize whether autonomous driving is possible or not, and if autonomous driving is not possible, the reason for this, based on the difference in the lighting state of the lamp.

[0064] Furthermore, when there are a second state in which the device has an abnormality and autonomous driving cannot be permitted, and a third state in which the device has no abnormality and autonomous driving cannot be permitted for a temporary reason, the control unit 11 gives priority to notifying the user of the second state. This enables the display control device 1 to promptly notify the user of the device abnormality and urge the user to repair the device.

[0065] Furthermore, while the vehicle is being manually driven, the control unit 11 displays whether the vehicle is in the first state or not, and if the automatic driving start button 5 is turned on while displaying that the vehicle is not in the first state, the control unit 11 provides a different notification depending on whether the vehicle is in the second state or the third state. In this case, the control unit 11 provides a notification of the second type if the vehicle is in the second state, and a notification of the third type if the vehicle is in the third state. This allows the display control device 1 to prevent unnecessary notification of the reason why automatic driving cannot be permitted to a user who does not turn on the automatic driving start button 5, i.e., a user who does not desire automatic driving.

[0066] Furthermore, the control unit 11 may be configured to display different information in a predetermined area 40 of the display unit 4 depending on whether the autonomous driving start button 5 is operated, whether the vehicle is in a first state, a second state, or a third state. In this case, the control unit 11 provides a notification in the first form for a certain period of time (e.g., 5 seconds) if the vehicle is in the first state, a notification in the second form for a certain period of time if the vehicle is in the second state, and a notification in the third form for a certain period of time if the vehicle is in the third state. This allows the display control device 1 to prevent unnecessary notification of whether autonomous driving is possible or the reason why autonomous driving cannot be permitted to a user who does not turn on the autonomous driving start button 5, i.e., a user who does not desire autonomous driving.

[0067] Furthermore, when the vehicle is not in the first state, the control unit 11 issues different notifications depending on the time until autonomous driving can be started. For example, when the vehicle is in the third state in which autonomous driving is temporarily not possible, the control unit 11 lights up the number of indicator lamps on the meter 3 according to the time until autonomous driving can be started. Then, as the time until autonomous driving can be started becomes shorter, the control unit 11 reduces the number of indicator lamps that are turned on.

[0068] Furthermore, the control unit 11 may increase the number of indicator lamps that are turned on as the time until autonomous driving can be started becomes shorter. This allows the display control device 1 to, for example, allow the user to intuitively recognize the time until autonomous driving can be started. When the vehicle is in the second state requiring repair, the control unit 11 displays a different display from that in the third state, such as by flashing all indicator lamps in red.

[0069] In addition, when the user turns on the automatic driving start button 5 for the first and second times in the same trip, if both are in the third state, the control unit 11 turns on the history flag, and when the automatic driving permission condition changes from not being met to being met, if the history flag is on, it can also notify that automatic driving is now possible.

[0070] As a result, when the user receives a notification of the third state upon turning on the automatic driving start button 5 for the first time, if the user thinks that the condition has been met and turns on the automatic driving start button 5 again but the third state is still reached, the display control device 1 can determine that the user has the intention to start automatic driving as soon as possible and can immediately notify the user when the condition is met.

[0071] [3. Processing performed by the display control device] Next, a process executed by the control unit 11 according to the embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 11 and Fig. 12. Fig. 11 and Fig. 12 are flowcharts showing an example of a process executed by the control unit 11 according to the embodiment. The control unit 11 repeatedly executes the process shown in Fig. 11 during the period from when the IG is turned on to when it is turned off.

[0072] 11, when the IG is turned on, the control unit 11 first determines whether all conditions are met (step S101). If the control unit 11 determines that all conditions are met (step S101, Yes), the control unit 11 performs notification of the first form (step S102). Thereafter, the control unit 11 ends the process and starts the process again from step S101.

[0073] Furthermore, when the control unit 11 determines that not all conditions are met (step S101, No), it determines whether or not the absolute conditions are not met (step S103). When the control unit 11 determines that the absolute conditions are not met (step S103, Yes), it performs notification of the second form (step S104). Thereafter, the control unit 11 ends the process and starts the process again from step S101.

[0074] Furthermore, when the control unit 11 determines that the absolute condition is not unsatisfied, that is, that the absolute condition is satisfied (step S103, No), the control unit 11 performs notification of the third form (step S105). After that, the control unit 11 ends the process and starts the process again from step S101.

[0075] Here, we have explained the case where the display control device 1 constantly notifies the driver whether or not autonomous driving is possible while the IG is on, but the control unit 11 can also notify the driver whether or not autonomous driving is possible when the autonomous driving start button 5 is turned on.

[0076] Next, the process executed by the control unit 11 when notifying whether autonomous driving is possible or not when the autonomous driving start button 5 is turned on will be described with reference to Fig. 12. In this case, as shown in Fig. 12, when the IG is turned on, the control unit 11 first determines whether the autonomous driving start button 5 is turned on (step S201).

[0077] If the control unit 11 determines that the automatic driving start button 5 is not turned on (step S201, No), the control unit 11 proceeds to step S209. If the control unit 11 determines that the automatic driving start button 5 is turned on (step S201, Yes), the control unit 11 determines whether all conditions are met (step S202).

[0078] If the control unit 11 determines that all the conditions are met (step S202, Yes), it performs the first type notification for a certain period of time (step S203) and moves the process to step S209. If the control unit 11 determines that all the conditions are not met (step S202, No), it determines whether the absolute conditions are not met (step S204).

[0079] If the control unit 11 determines that the absolute condition is not satisfied (step S204, Yes), it performs the second type of notification for a certain period of time (step S205) and moves the process to step S209. On the other hand, if the control unit 11 determines that the absolute condition is not satisfied, that is, that the absolute condition is satisfied (step S204, No), it performs the third type of notification for a certain period of time (step S206).

[0080] Next, the control unit 11 determines whether the notification is the first time (step S207). If the control unit 11 determines that the notification is the first time (step S207, Yes), the control unit 11 proceeds to step S209. If the control unit 11 determines that the notification is not the first time (step S207, No), the control unit 11 turns on the history flag (step S208) and proceeds to step S209.

[0081] In step S209, the control unit 11 determines whether or not the state has transitioned from a state where the condition is not met to a state where the condition is met, and if it determines that the state has not transitioned (step S209, No), it terminates the processing and starts the processing again from step S201.

[0082] If the control unit 11 determines that the state has transitioned from a state where the condition is not satisfied to a state where the condition is satisfied (step S209, Yes), the control unit 11 determines whether the history flag is on (step S210). If the control unit 11 determines that the history flag is not on (step S210, No), the control unit 11 ends the process and restarts the process from step S201.

[0083] Furthermore, when the control unit 11 determines that the history flag is on (step S210, Yes), it performs a fourth mode notification (step S211). For example, as the fourth mode notification, the control unit 11 causes the green lamp 41 shown in FIG. 3 to flash, and displays a message below the green lamp 41 saying, "Automatic driving is now possible." Thereafter, the control unit 11 ends the processing and starts the processing again from step S201.

[0084] The processing of steps S207, S208, and S210 can be omitted. In this case, if the third notification is performed because the third state occurs when the autonomous driving start button 5 is turned on (for example, the LiB 71 is not being charged or the vehicle is not traveling on road R2 where autonomous driving is permitted), the system will notify the user that autonomous driving is now possible when the condition is met.

[0085] In the above-described embodiment, the display control device 1 controls the meter 3, the display unit 4, and the automatic driving start button 5 to provide the first to third forms of notification, but the automatic driving control device 2 may control the meter 3, the display unit 4, and the automatic driving start button 5 to provide the first to third forms of notification. Furthermore, when providing notification only by the display unit 4, the car navigation device 6 may perform the same processing as the display control device 1 described above to provide the first to third forms of notification.

[0086] Further advantages and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details and representative embodiments shown and described above. Accordingly, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents. [Explanation of symbols]

[0087] 100 Notification System 1 Display control device 11 Control section 2 Automatic driving control device 3 meters 4 Display 5 Automatic operation start button 6. Car navigation devices 7 Redundant power supplies 71 LiB 72 Connection 73 Switch 8 PbB 9. DCDC 10 Load 110 1st system 120 2nd system

Claims

1. A control device provided in a vehicle that starts autonomous driving when it determines that autonomous driving can be permitted based on a vehicle state when an autonomous driving start button is turned on by a user, When the automatic driving start button is turned on and automatic driving cannot be permitted for a temporary reason, a first notification is issued to notify the user of the reason why automatic driving is not permitted for a certain period of time, and a history flag is turned on; a control unit that, when the history flag is on and the autonomous driving is permitted while the autonomous driving start button is not on, performs a second notification to notify the user that autonomous driving is now possible. A control device comprising:

2. A control device provided in a vehicle, the control device comprising: a connection unit capable of connecting and disconnecting a first system that supplies power from a first power source to a load and a second system that supplies power from a second power source to the load; when an autonomous driving start button is turned on by a user, if it is determined that autonomous driving can be permitted based on a vehicle state, the control device operates the load to start autonomous driving; and if it detects a failure of the first power source, the control device cuts off the connection unit and operates the load with power supplied from the second power source; When the automatic driving start button is turned on, if the automatic driving is temporarily not permitted due to charging of the second power source, a first notification is given to the user for a certain period of time to notify the user of the reason why the automatic driving is not permitted, and a history flag is turned on; a control unit that, when the history flag is on and the charging is completed and the autonomous driving is permitted while the autonomous driving start button is not on, performs a second notification that notifies the user that autonomous driving is now possible. A control device comprising:

3. The control unit The second notification is made when the automatic driving start button is turned on multiple times in the same trip and the first notification is made. The control device according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The control unit The first notification informs the user that autonomous driving is not possible and explains the reason why autonomous driving is not allowed. The control device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The control unit When the first notification is made, the user is also notified of the predicted time until autonomous driving can begin. The control device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. The control unit When the automatic operation start button is turned on, if automatic operation cannot be permitted due to an equipment abnormality, a third notification is sent to notify the user that automatic operation is not possible and repairs are required. The control device according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. The control unit The notification to the user is displayed on a display unit provided in the vehicle. The control device according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. A control method performed by a control device provided in a vehicle that starts autonomous driving when it determines that autonomous driving can be permitted based on a vehicle state when an autonomous driving start button is turned on by a user, comprising: When the automatic driving start button is turned on and automatic driving cannot be permitted for a temporary reason, a first notification is issued to notify the user of the reason why automatic driving is not permitted for a certain period of time, and a history flag is turned on; When the automatic driving start button is not turned on, if the history flag is turned on and automatic driving is permitted, a second notification is issued to notify the user that automatic driving is now possible. Control method.

9. A program executed by a computer provided in a vehicle that starts autonomous driving when it is determined that autonomous driving can be permitted based on a vehicle state when an autonomous driving start button is turned on by a user, When the automatic driving start button is turned on and automatic driving cannot be permitted for a temporary reason, a first notification is issued to notify the user of the reason why automatic driving is not permitted for a certain period of time, and a history flag is turned on; When the automatic driving start button is not turned on, if the history flag is turned on and automatic driving is permitted, a second notification is issued to notify the user that automatic driving is now possible. program.

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