Vehicle control system

Abstract

To prevent drunk driving. [Solution] The vehicle control device (10) includes a terahertz wave transmitter (11 / 12) located in the vehicle's interior on one side of the occupant seated in the driver's seat, a terahertz wave receiver (12 / 11) located in the vehicle's interior on the other side of the occupant, and a determination means (14) that determines whether or not the occupant has been drinking based on the detection result of the receiver.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of vehicle control devices.

Background Art

[0002] As this type of device, for example, a device that permits the running of a vehicle based on the detection result of an alcohol gas sensor that detects the alcohol concentration contained in the breath of an occupant sitting in the driver's seat has been proposed (see Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] There is room for improvement in the technology described in Patent Document 1.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a vehicle control device capable of preventing drunk driving.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] A vehicle control device according to an aspect of the present invention includes a terahertz wave transmitter disposed on one side of an occupant sitting in the driver's seat in a vehicle interior, a terahertz wave receiver disposed on the other side of the occupant in the vehicle interior, and determination means for determining the presence or absence of alcohol consumption by the occupant of the driver's seat based on the detection result of the receiver.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0007] [Figure 1] It is a conceptual diagram showing the concept of a vehicle control device according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a flowchart showing the operation of the vehicle control device according to the embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] Embodiments relating to the vehicle control device will be described with reference to Figures 1 and 2.

[0009] (Configuration of the vehicle control system) The configuration of the vehicle control device 10 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 1. In Figure 1, the vehicle control device 10 comprises one device 11 of a terahertz wave transmitter and receiver located near the steering wheel SW of the vehicle, and the other device 12 of a terahertz wave transmitter and receiver located on the seat back of the driver's seat DS of the vehicle.

[0010] Devices 11 and 12 are arranged such that a terahertz wave emitted from a transmitter, which is one of the devices 11 and 12, can be received by a receiver, which is the other of the devices 11 and 12. For example, device 11 may be built into the steering wheel switch. For example, device 12 may be built into the seat back. Devices 11 and 12 may be arranged so that a terahertz wave emitted from one of the devices 11 and 12 passes through the occupant P seated in the driver's seat and is then received by the other of the devices 11 and 12. In other words, if the transmitter, which is one of the devices 11 and 12, is located on one side of the occupant P, the receiver, which is the other of the devices 11 and 12, may be located on the other side of the occupant P.

[0011] The vehicle control device 10 further comprises a control and data collection device 13, a calculation device 14, and a vehicle control ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 15.

[0012] The control and data collection device 13 controls the transmitter, which is one of the devices 11 and 12, to emit terahertz waves. The control and data collection device 13 collects detection information (i.e., data) regarding the detection results of the receiver, which is the other of the devices 11 and 12. For example, the control and data collection device 13 may control the transmitter to emit terahertz waves when an occupant P is sitting in the driver's seat DS. The control and data collection device 13 may also detect that an occupant P is sitting in the driver's seat DS based on the output of the seating sensor in the driver's seat DS.

[0013] The arithmetic unit 14 may include, for example, at least one of a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit). The arithmetic unit 14 acquires the detection information from the control and acquisition device 13. The arithmetic unit 14 generates an image of the receiver's detection result by imaging the detection information.

[0014] According to the inventor's research, the following has been found: When an object containing alcohol is present between a terahertz wave transmitter and a terahertz wave receiver, the higher the concentration of alcohol in the object, the greater the brightness of the image related to the receiver's detection result.

[0015] The arithmetic unit 14 determines whether or not occupant P has been drinking based on the image of the receiver's detection result when occupant P is sitting in the driver's seat DS. For example, the arithmetic unit 14 may determine that occupant P has been drinking if the brightness of the image is greater than a predetermined threshold. Here, the predetermined threshold may be set as follows: That is, the relationship between the alcohol concentration in an object and the brightness of the image is obtained by experiment or simulation. Next, the predetermined threshold may be set based on the brightness that the image can take when the alcohol concentration in the object is zero (i.e., the object does not contain alcohol).

[0016] If the computing unit 14 determines that occupant P is intoxicated, the vehicle control ECU 15 prohibits the vehicle from driving. At this time, the vehicle control ECU 15 may output at least one of an image and / or sound to occupant P indicating that intoxication has been detected. If the vehicle is in motion, the vehicle control ECU 15 may automatically drive the vehicle to stop it in a safe location.

[0017] (Operation of the vehicle control system) Next, the operation of the vehicle control device 10 will be explained with reference to the flowchart in Figure 2. In Figure 2, with occupant P seated in the driver's seat DS, the control and collection device 13 controls the transmitter, which is one of the devices 11 and 12, to emit terahertz waves. The control and collection device 13 further collects detection information regarding the detection result of the receiver, which is the other of the devices 11 and 12. As a result, the residual alcohol in occupant P's body is measured (step S101).

[0018] Next, the arithmetic unit 14 generates an image relating to the receiver's detection result by imaging the detection information. The arithmetic unit 14 determines whether the brightness of the image is greater than a predetermined threshold (step S102). If, in the process of step S102, it is determined that the brightness of the image is not greater than the predetermined threshold (step S102: No), the operation shown in Figure 2 is terminated. In this case, the arithmetic unit 14 may determine that crew member P has not been drinking. After that, the process of step S101 may be performed. In other words, the operation shown in Figure 2 may be repeated.

[0019] In the process of step S102, if it is determined that the brightness of the image is greater than a predetermined threshold (step S102: Yes), the arithmetic unit 14 determines that there is residual alcohol in the body (in other words, that occupant P has been drinking) (step S103). In this case, the vehicle control ECU 15 prohibits the vehicle from driving (step S104).

[0020] Furthermore, instead of comparing the luminance of the image with a predetermined threshold value, the arithmetic unit 14 may use a learned model generated by machine learning. For example, when the arithmetic unit 14 inputs an image related to the detection result of the receiver, it may determine whether the occupant P is drinking using a learned model that outputs whether the occupant P is drinking. Incidentally, the receiver for terahertz waves may be a terahertz camera. In this case, since an image is output from the receiver, the arithmetic unit 14 does not have to generate an image related to the detection result of the receiver.

[0021] Furthermore, when the arithmetic unit 14 determines that the occupant P is drinking, the arithmetic unit 14 may transmit information indicating the determination result to at least one of the company to which the occupant P belongs and the police via a network. Incidentally, when the vehicle is stopped and the arithmetic unit 14 determines that the occupant P is drinking, the arithmetic unit 14 may notify the occupant P of the contact information of a driving agency. In this case, the arithmetic unit 14 may notify the occupant P of the contact information of the driving agency by transmitting the contact information of the driving agency to the smartphone of the occupant P.

[0022] (Technical Effect) There is a method of inspecting the alcohol concentration in exhaled breath for the inspection of whether a person is drinking. However, it is difficult to prevent a person who has drunk alcohol after the inspection of the alcohol concentration in exhaled breath from driving the vehicle until boarding the vehicle. Also, even if the alcohol concentration in the exhaled breath of a person sitting in the driver's seat is inspected before the vehicle starts, there is a possibility that the person may drink alcohol while the vehicle is being driven. Thus, there are cases where drunk driving cannot be prevented by the method of inspecting the alcohol concentration in exhaled breath.

[0023] In the vehicle control device 10, based on the detection result of the receiver of the terahertz wave, it is determined whether the occupant P sitting in the driver's seat DS is drinking. In the vehicle control device 10, as long as the occupant P sits in the driver's seat DS, it is determined whether the occupant P is drinking without the occupant P performing a special operation. For example, the vehicle control device 10 can detect a person who has consumed alcohol after the pre-duty alcohol test. If the occupant P recognizes that the vehicle control device 10 is determining whether the occupant P sitting in the driver's seat DS is drinking, it is possible to prevent the occupant P from driving under the influence of alcohol. Therefore, according to the vehicle control device 10, it is possible to prevent driving under the influence of alcohol.

[0024] As described above, if the vehicle control ECU 15 prohibits the vehicle from traveling when the arithmetic unit 14 determines that the occupant P is drinking, it is possible to surely prevent the occupant P from driving under the influence of alcohol.

[0025] The aspects of the invention derived from the embodiments described above will be described below.

[0026] A vehicle control device according to an aspect of the invention includes a terahertz wave transmitter disposed on one side of an occupant sitting in a driver's seat in a vehicle interior, a terahertz wave receiver disposed on the other side of the occupant in the vehicle interior, and a determination means for determining whether the occupant in the driver's seat is drinking based on a detection result of the receiver.

[0027] In the above-described embodiment, one of the devices 11 and 12 corresponds to one of the transmitter and the receiver, the other of the devices 11 and 12 corresponds to the other of the transmitter and the receiver, and the arithmetic unit 14 corresponds to an example of the determination means.

[0028] In an example of the vehicle control device, the determination means may determine whether the occupant is drinking based on the luminance of an image based on the detection result.

[0029] In another example of the vehicle control device, the vehicle control device may include control means that prohibits the vehicle from driving if the determination means determines that the occupant is intoxicated. In the above embodiment, the vehicle control ECU 15 is an example of the control means.

[0030] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be modified as appropriate without contradicting the gist or idea of ​​the invention as can be read from the claims and specification as a whole. Vehicle control devices with such modifications are also included within the technical scope of the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0031] 10...Vehicle control device, 14...Calculation unit, 15...Vehicle control ECU

Claims

1. A terahertz wave transmitter is placed inside the vehicle's passenger compartment, on one side of the occupant seated in the driver's seat, In the vehicle interior, a terahertz wave receiver is located on the other side of the occupant, A determination means for determining whether or not the occupant has been drinking, based on the detection result of the receiver, A vehicle control device equipped with the following features.

2. The determination means determines whether or not the occupant has been drinking based on the brightness of the image based on the detection result. The vehicle control device according to claim 1.

3. The determination means includes a control means that prohibits the vehicle from driving if it determines that the occupant is intoxicated. The vehicle control device according to claim 1.

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