control device

Abstract

The car is automatically washed while the user is running errands. [Solution] The control device is a device for controlling a vehicle having an autonomous driving function, and comprises a suggestion unit (301) that suggests washing the vehicle to the vehicle user when the vehicle is parked in a predetermined parking position, and a reception unit (302) that receives instructions from the user to wash the vehicle.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a control device.

Background Art

[0002] In an autonomous vehicle used for car-sharing, an invention is known that moves the autonomous vehicle to a car wash when a predetermined condition is satisfied, such as when the outer surface is dirty (for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the method described in Patent Document 1, the autonomous vehicle is moved to a car wash not only when a condition such as a dirty outer surface is satisfied, but also when a condition that it will be in time for the next car-sharing use is satisfied. Thus, the method described in Patent Document 1 has a limited scope of application. As a need for automatically washing the car, there is a case where the car is automatically washed while the user is attending to their business, but the method described in Patent Document 1 cannot satisfy such a need.

[0005] One aspect of this disclosure aims to automatically wash the car while the user is attending to their business.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] To solve the above problems, a control device according to one aspect of this disclosure is a control device that controls a vehicle having an autonomous driving function, and includes a proposal unit that proposes to the user of the vehicle to wash the vehicle when the vehicle is parked at a predetermined parking position, and a reception unit that receives an instruction from the user to wash the vehicle.

[0007] Each aspect of the present disclosure may be implemented by a computer, in which case a control program that enables the computer to implement the control device by operating the computer as each part (software element) of the control device, and a computer-readable recording medium on which the program is recorded, also fall within the scope of the present disclosure. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to one aspect of this disclosure, it becomes possible to automatically wash the car while the user is taking care of other tasks. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This figure illustrates an overview of the vehicle control system according to Embodiment 1 of this disclosure. [Figure 2] This is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of a vehicle control device according to Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure. [Figure 3] This block diagram shows an example of the functions of a vehicle control device according to Embodiment 1 of this disclosure. [Figure 4] This figure shows an example of how to guide a user through the car wash process. [Figure 5] This flowchart shows an example of a process performed by the vehicle control device according to Embodiment 1 of this disclosure. [Figure 6] This figure shows an example of input to the display of a navigation device according to Embodiment 2 of this disclosure. [Figure 7] This figure shows an example of input to the display of a navigation device according to Embodiment 3 of this disclosure. [Figure 8] This block diagram shows an example of the functions of a vehicle control device according to Embodiment 4 of this disclosure. [Figure 9] This diagram illustrates an example of a scene where a vehicle returns to its parking spot after being washed. [Figure 10] This figure illustrates an overview of the vehicle control system 100 according to Embodiment 5 of this disclosure. [Figure 11] This is a block diagram showing an example of the server hardware configuration according to Embodiment 5 of this disclosure. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] [Embodiment 1] Embodiment 1 of this disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, identical or substantially identical components are denoted by the same reference numerals and will not be repeated in the description.

[0011] The terms "First," "Second," "Third," etc., used in this disclosure are used to distinguish one component from another, and are not intended to limit the number, order, or priority of such components. For example, the presence of "First Element" and "Second Element" does not mean that only two elements, "First Element" and "Second Element," are adopted, nor does it mean that "First Element" must precede "Second Element."

[0012] (System Overview) Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating an overview of a vehicle control system 100 according to Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure. As an example of the constituent elements of the vehicle control system 100, the vehicle control system 100 is composed of a shopping mall 10, a car wash machine 20 installed on the premises of the shopping mall 10, and vehicles 30 that visit the shopping mall 10.

[0013] The scene shown in FIG. 1 shows a scene where user 40 rides in vehicle 30 and visits shopping mall 10 to shop at shopping mall 10. As shown by arrow A1, user 40 parks in the parking lot of shopping mall 10 and heads towards shopping mall 10. Here, the position where user 40's vehicle 30 is parked is called parking position P3. On the left side of vehicle 30, a vehicle 31 of another user 41 (not shown) other than user 40 is parked. Also, on the right side of vehicle 30, a vehicle 32 of another user 42 (not shown) other than user 40 is parked. The position where vehicle 31 is parked is called parking position P2, and the position where vehicle 32 is parked is called parking position P4. It is assumed that the parking position P1 on the left side of vehicle 31 is empty.

[0014] Vehicle 30 is a vehicle having an automatic driving function. The automatic driving function referred to here means a function that automatically controls vehicle control functions such as steering control, braking force control, and driving force control. Such a vehicle 30 is equipped with a vehicle control device 21 for realizing automatic driving. Details of the vehicle control device 21 will be described later. Note that vehicle 30 may be a vehicle capable of switching between automatic driving and manual driving. Vehicles 31 and 32 may or may not have an automatic driving function.

[0015] In this embodiment, after the user 40 gets off the vehicle 30 and heads towards the shopping mall 10, as indicated by arrow A2, the vehicle 30 uses the automatic driving function to automatically move to the car wash 20 installed within the premises of the shopping mall 10 and perform car washing according to the guidance of the car wash 20. The "guidance of the car wash 20" mentioned here refers to contents such as "Please move forward", "Please stop", and "Car washing is completed". Such guidance may be carried out using an electronic display board. As will be described later, since the vehicle 30 is provided with a camera 22 (not shown in FIG. 1, shown in FIG. 2), the vehicle 30 can recognize the character information displayed on the electronic display board by using the camera 22. Also, the vehicle 30 and the car wash 20 may be in a mode where they can be connected by a predetermined wireless communication. In such a mode, the vehicle 30 can receive a signal regarding the above content from the car wash 20 and only needs to perform predetermined control according to the received signal, so the previous electronic display board becomes unnecessary. When the car washing is completed, the car wash 20 guides the vehicle 30 that the car washing is completed.

[0016] The vehicle 30 that recognizes that the car washing is completed automatically returns to the original parking position P3 using the automatic driving function as indicated by arrow A3. Then, as indicated by arrow A4, when the user 40 finishes shopping at the shopping mall 10 and returns to the parking position P3, the car is in a state where the car washing is completed. According to such a configuration, the car washing is automatically completed while the user 40 is attending to his / her business. As a result, the user 40 does not need to drive to the car wash 20 deliberately, improving the convenience for the user 40. Also, generally, it is necessary to ride in the vehicle 30 and operate it during car washing, but according to such a configuration, there is no need to ride in the vehicle 30 during car washing, so it becomes possible to effectively utilize that much time.

[0017] (Hardware Configuration of Vehicle Control Device 21) Next, with reference to Figure 2, an example of the hardware configuration of the vehicle control device 21 mounted on the vehicle 30 will be described. As shown in Figure 2, the vehicle control device 21 comprises a processor 211, memory 212, and communication I / F 213. These components are connected to each other so as to be able to communicate with one another via a bus 214.

[0018] The memory 212 consists of ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), etc. The processor 211 has a CPU (Central Processing Unit) that performs arithmetic processing, reads the program from ROM, and executes the program using RAM as a working area. Although Figure 2 shows one processor 211, it is not limited to this, and multiple processors 211 may be provided.

[0019] The communication interface 213 is an interface for communicating with the camera 22, various sensors 23, GPS receiver 24, navigation device 25, speaker 26, and various actuators 27 mounted on the vehicle 30. For such an interface, a communication standard based on the CAN (Controller Area Network) protocol is used, for example.

[0020] The vehicle control device 21 controls various actuators 27 based on information acquired from the camera 22, various sensors 23, and GPS receiver 24 to achieve autonomous driving. The various actuators 27 include brake actuators, accelerator pedal actuators, steering actuators, etc.

[0021] Camera 22 has an image sensor such as a CCD (charge-coupled device) or CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor). The number and installation locations of cameras 22 are not particularly limited, but as an example, cameras 22 are installed in front of, to the side of, and behind the vehicle 30. Camera 22 images the area around the vehicle 30 at predetermined intervals and detects information about the area around the vehicle 30. Information about the area around the vehicle 30 includes information about moving objects such as pedestrians, bicycles, motorcycles, or other vehicles, and information about stationary objects such as lane markings, traffic lights, signs, crosswalks, or intersections. As mentioned above, camera 22 can also detect text information displayed on the electronic display board of the car wash machine 20. The information about the area around the vehicle 30 detected by camera 22 is transmitted to the vehicle control device 21.

[0022] The various sensors 23 include sensors for detecting the state of the vehicle 30 and sensors for detecting information about the area around the vehicle 30. Examples of sensors for detecting the state of the vehicle 30 include speed sensors, acceleration sensors, steering angle sensors, gyro sensors, brake hydraulic pressure sensors, and accelerator pedal position sensors. Examples of sensors for detecting information about the area around the vehicle 30 include millimeter-wave radar, ultrasonic sensors, and LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging). A LiDAR is a sensor that emits laser light at objects around the vehicle 30 and measures the time it takes for the laser light to hit the object and bounce back, thereby measuring the distance and direction to the object and recognizing the shape of the object. The state of the vehicle 30 and the information about the area around the vehicle 30 detected by the various sensors 23 are transmitted to the vehicle control device 21.

[0023] The GPS receiver 24 acquires the position information of the vehicle 30 on the ground by receiving radio waves from artificial satellites. The position information of the vehicle 30 acquired by the GPS receiver 24 is transmitted to the vehicle control device 21.

[0024] The navigation device 25 is a device that guides the user 40 on a route to a destination set by the user 40. The navigation device 25 stores a map database 252. The navigation device 25 uses various data necessary for route guidance, such as road structure information and facility information contained in the map database 252, to display map information on the display 251. Here, we describe an example in which the navigation device 25 stores a map database 252, but it is not necessary for the navigation device 25 to store a map database 252. If the navigation device 25 does not store a map database 252, the navigation device 25 can obtain map information from an external server, for example. As an example of how to obtain map information from an external server, the navigation device 25 can obtain map information from an external server using a wireless communication network such as the Internet.

[0025] Furthermore, the navigation device 25 may have a vehicle-specific OS installed, which is a customized version of the OS (Operating System) used in smartphones, tablet devices, etc. This makes it possible to link the navigation device 25 with smartphones, tablet devices, etc.

[0026] (Functions of Processor 211) Next, an example of the functions of the processor 211 of the vehicle control device 21 will be described with reference to Figures 3 and 4. Figure 3 is a block diagram showing an example of the functions of the processor 211. Figure 4 is a diagram showing an example of how the user 40 is guided to a car wash. As shown in Figure 3, the processor 211 functions as a suggestion unit 301, a reception unit 302, and a command unit 303 by executing a program loaded into ROM. Note that what is described as "~unit" here may be replaced with "~circuit," "~device," or "~equipment," or with "~step," "~procedure," or "~process." In other words, what is described as "~unit" may be implemented by a program stored in memory 212 as described above, or by hardware such as elements, devices, boards, and wiring only, or by a combination of software and hardware. These functions will be described below.

[0027] The suggestion unit 301 suggests to the user 40 that the vehicle 30 be washed when the vehicle 30 is parked in a designated parking spot. An example of a "designated parking spot" is parking spot P3 in the parking lot of the shopping mall 10 as explained in Figure 1. The suggestion unit 301 may also suggest to the user 40 that the vehicle 30 be washed by displaying text information such as "There is a car wash nearby. Would you like to have your car washed?" on the display 251 of the navigation device 25, for example, as shown in Figure 4. As another suggestion method, the suggestion unit 301 may also suggest to the user 40 that the vehicle be washed by displaying such text information on a head-up display, meter display, etc. Furthermore, as mentioned above, if the navigation device 25 is linked with a smartphone, tablet terminal, etc., the suggestion unit 301 may also suggest to the user 40 that the vehicle be washed by displaying text information on the smartphone, tablet terminal, etc. The suggestion unit 301 may also suggest to the user 40 that the vehicle be washed by converting the text information into audio data and outputting the converted audio data from the speaker 26.

[0028] The reception unit 302 receives the user's response to the car wash proposal. In this embodiment, the user's response is classified into two types: a positive response or a negative response. A positive response means accepting the proposed car wash. On the other hand, a negative response means rejecting the proposed car wash. The method for receiving the user's response is not particularly limited, but for example, icons for "wash the car" and "do not wash the car" may be displayed on the display 251 of the navigation device 25 as shown in Figure 4, and the response may be received by detecting which icon the user 40 touches. Also, as described above, if the navigation device 25 is linked with a smartphone, tablet terminal, etc., the reception unit 302 may receive the response by detecting a touch operation on the smartphone, tablet terminal, etc. The reception unit 302 may also receive the response by voice from the user 40. For example, if the user 40's utterance is "yes," "please," or "please wash the car," the reception unit 302 can receive the user 40's response as a positive response. On the other hand, if user 40's utterance is something like "No" or "Car washing is not necessary," the reception unit 302 can accept user 40's response as a negative response.

[0029] If the response received in this manner is positive, the receiving unit 302 outputs a signal to the command unit 303 indicating that the received response is positive. On the other hand, if the received response is negative, the receiving unit 302 terminates the series of suggestion processes.

[0030] When the command unit 303 receives a signal from the reception unit 302 indicating a positive response, it uses its automatic driving function to drive the vehicle 30 from the parking position P3 to the car wash machine 20, and then drives the vehicle 30 back to the parking position P3 after the car wash is completed.

[0031] (Process flow) Next, with reference to Figure 5, the flow of processing performed by the vehicle control device 21 will be explained. Figure 5 is a flowchart showing an example of processing performed by the vehicle control device 21.

[0032] In step S101, the vehicle control device 21 determines whether parking at parking position P3 in the shopping mall 10 parking lot has been completed. If it is determined that parking at parking position P3 has been completed (YES in step S101), the process proceeds to step S102. Parking at parking position P3 may be performed by manual driving by the user 40 or by the automatic driving function. It goes without saying that "parking position P3" in this embodiment does not refer to a specific parking position, but to any parking position. The method for determining whether parking at parking position P3 has been completed is not particularly limited, but for example, the vehicle control device 21 can determine that parking at parking position P3 has been completed when the following conditions are met: the position information acquired by the GPS receiver 24 matches the position information of the shopping mall 10, the speed of the vehicle 30 becomes zero, and white lines are detected on both sides of the vehicle 30 by the camera 22, etc.

[0033] In step S102, the vehicle control device 21 proposes to the user 40 that the vehicle 30 be washed. An example of a specific proposal method has already been explained, so the explanation will be omitted here. This flowchart describes a mode in which the car wash is proposed when parking at parking position P3 is completed, but the timing of the car wash proposal is not limited to this. For example, if the vehicle control device 21 knows that the user 40's destination is the shopping mall 10, it may propose to the user 40 that the car wash be washed on the way to the shopping mall 10. Since the user 40's destination is entered into the navigation device 25, the vehicle control device 21 can determine that the user 40's destination is the shopping mall 10 by referring to the navigation device 25. Furthermore, by referring to the map database 252, the vehicle control device 21 can also determine that a car wash machine 20 is installed on the premises of the shopping mall 10. If a car wash machine 20 is installed on the premises of the shopping mall 10, access to the car wash machine 20 is smooth, so the car wash can be completed while the user 40 is taking care of their business at the shopping mall 10. In other words, if the vehicle control device 21 is aware that a car wash 20 is located near the user 40's destination, it may suggest a car wash to the user 40 on the way to the destination.

[0034] In step S103, the vehicle control device 21 receives the user 40's response to the car wash proposal. An example of how to receive the user 40's response has already been explained, so the explanation is omitted here. If the received response is positive (YES in step S103), the process proceeds to step S104. On the other hand, if the received response is negative (NO in step S103), the vehicle control device 21 terminates the series of proposal processes.

[0035] In step S104, the vehicle control device 21 uses its automatic driving function to move the vehicle 30 from the parking position P3 to the car wash machine 20. The vehicle control device 21 moves the vehicle 30 forward and stops it according to the guidance of the car wash machine 20 to perform the car wash. After the car wash is completed (YES in step S105), the process proceeds to step S106.

[0036] In step S106, the vehicle control device 21 uses its automatic driving function to drive the vehicle 30 back to the parking position P3 from the car wash machine 20.

[0037] As described above, the control method according to Embodiment 1 includes a suggestion step (S102) in which the user 40 is suggested to wash the vehicle 30 when the vehicle 30 is parked in a predetermined parking position (in this case, parking position P3 of the shopping mall 10), and a reception step (S103) in which the user 40 gives an instruction to wash the vehicle 30.

[0038] Note that the processing flow shown in the flowchart in Figure 5 is just one example, and you may delete steps, add new steps, or change the processing order as long as it does not deviate from the main point.

[0039] (Effects and Benefits) As described above, the following effects and advantages can be obtained according to Embodiment 1.

[0040] The vehicle control device 21 is a control device for controlling a vehicle 30 having an autonomous driving function, and includes a suggestion unit 301 that suggests washing the vehicle 30 to the user 40 of the vehicle 30 when the vehicle 30 is parked in a predetermined parking position (in this case, parking position P3 of the shopping mall 10), and a reception unit 302 that receives an instruction from the user 40 to wash the vehicle 30.

[0041] According to the above configuration, if user 40 wishes to have their car washed, they can automatically move from parking spot P3 in shopping mall 10 to the car wash machine 20 and have their car washed. As a result, the car wash is completed automatically while user 40 is running errands in shopping mall 10, eliminating the need for user 40 to drive to the car wash machine 20 themselves, thus improving user convenience.

[0042] Furthermore, while it is generally necessary to operate the vehicle 30 while washing it, with the above configuration, it becomes unnecessary to stay in the vehicle 30 while washing it, thus allowing that time to be used more effectively.

[0043] Furthermore, the vehicle control device 21 may also include a command unit 303 that, when the reception unit 302 receives an instruction to wash the vehicle 30, uses an automatic driving function to drive the vehicle 30 to the location of a predetermined car wash machine (in this case, the car wash machine 20), and then drives the vehicle 30 to return to the parking position P3 after the car wash is completed.

[0044] According to the above configuration, vehicle 30 automatically moves from parking position P3 to the car wash machine 20, and returns to parking position P3 after the car wash is complete. As a result, when user 40 returns to parking position P3 after completing their errands at shopping mall 10, the car wash is already finished. The time that would have been spent on the car wash can now be used for other errands, allowing for more efficient use of time.

[0045] Furthermore, the vehicle control device 21 may move the vehicle 30 to the car wash machine 20 after confirming that all occupants (assuming there are other occupants besides the user 40 in the vehicle 30) have exited the vehicle 30 after parking at parking position P3 is complete. With this configuration, it is possible to prevent the vehicle from moving to the car wash machine 20 with occupants still inside.

[0046] [Variation 1] Next, a modification 1 of Embodiment 1 will be described. Embodiment 1 described a case in which a car wash machine 20 is installed on the premises of the shopping mall 10, but the situation in which a car wash is proposed to the user 40 is not limited to such a case. For example, even if a car wash machine 20 is not installed on the premises of the shopping mall 10, the vehicle control device 21 may propose a car wash to the user 40 when a car wash machine (hereinafter referred to as car wash machine 20A) is installed in another location and certain conditions are met. A specific example will be explained. Assume a case in which a car wash machine 20 is not installed on the premises of the shopping mall 10, but a car wash machine 20A is installed at a gas station near the shopping mall 10. In this case, the vehicle control device 21 determines whether the distance from the parking position P3 to the car wash machine 20A is within a predetermined distance, and if the distance from the parking position P3 to the car wash machine 20A is within a predetermined distance, it may propose a car wash to the user 40. In other words, the example of "satisfying the predetermined conditions" above means that the distance from the parking position P3 to the car wash machine 20A is within a predetermined distance. If the distance from parking space P3 to car wash machine 20A is far, a situation may occur where, even after user 40 has finished their business at shopping mall 10 and returned to parking space P3, vehicle 30 has not yet been returned. With the above configuration, a car wash will be suggested only when a car wash machine (in this case, car wash machine 20A) is relatively close to parking space P3, thus preventing a situation where, even after user 40 has finished their business at shopping mall 10 and returned to parking space P3, vehicle 30 has not yet been returned.

[0047] An example of a method for calculating the distance from parking position P3 to car wash machine 20A is described below. The necessary information is the location information of parking position P3 and the location information of car wash machine 20A. The location information of parking position P3 can be obtained using the GPS receiver 24. The location information of car wash machine 20A can be obtained by referring to the map database 252. The vehicle control device 21 can calculate the distance from parking position P3 to car wash machine 20A using the GPS receiver 24 and the map database 252. The vehicle control device 21 only needs to determine whether the distance calculated in this way is within a predetermined distance. The "predetermined distance" here is not particularly limited and can be set through experiments, simulations, etc.

[0048] [Variation 2] Next, a modified example of Embodiment 1, Part 2, will be described. The vehicle control device 21 may suggest to the user 40 that the vehicle 30 be washed if at least one of the following conditions is met. Such conditions include the time elapsed since the last car wash, the distance traveled since the last car wash, and the degree of dirtiness on the exterior of the vehicle 30. If the car wash machine 20 is installed on the premises of a commercial facility such as a shopping mall 10, suggesting a car wash every time the user parks in the commercial facility's parking lot may be bothersome to some users. In this regard, with the above configuration, the vehicle control device 21 suggests a car wash if at least one of the above conditions is met; in other words, if none of the above conditions are met, it does not suggest a car wash, thus preventing bothering the user. The time elapsed since the last car wash, the distance traveled since the last car wash, and the degree of dirtiness on the exterior of the vehicle 30 can be determined through experiments, simulations, etc. Furthermore, the method for recognizing the degree of dirt on the exterior of the vehicle 30 is not particularly limited, but for example, it may be recognized using the image from camera 22, or it may be recognized using the image from cameras installed in commercial facilities such as shopping malls 10.

[0049] [Embodiment 2] Next, Embodiment 2 of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Figure 6. Figure 6 is a diagram showing an example of input to the display 251 of the navigation device 25. As shown in Figure 6, when user 40 touches the "wash car" icon displayed on the display 251, that is, when user 40 accepts the car wash proposal, the reception unit 302 asks user 40 to input the time when user 40 will return to the parking position P3. The time information indicating the time entered by user 40 is output to the command unit 303. The command unit 303 acquires the time information indicating the time when user 40 will return to the parking position P3, and uses the automatic driving function to drive the vehicle 30 towards the car wash machine 20 so that the vehicle 30 returns to the parking position P3 at that time. The command unit 303 is assumed to know the distance from the parking position P3 to the car wash machine 20 and the car wash time at the car wash machine 20.

[0050] If user 40 moves to the car wash machine 20 and washes the vehicle 30 immediately after leaving it, and user 40 returns late, time may have passed since the wash, potentially causing the vehicle 30 to become dirty again. For example, after washing, when water droplets dry, minerals and impurities in the water remain on the surface of the vehicle 30, potentially causing white spots called water spots or leaving water stains. Therefore, it is preferable that user 40 returns to parking space P3 with the vehicle freshly washed. If the vehicle is freshly washed, wiping off the water droplets prevents water stains and other marks from forming.

[0051] Furthermore, once time has passed since the car wash and the water droplets have dried, it becomes difficult for the user 40 to confirm whether the car has been washed. In this respect, if the car is in a freshly washed state, the user 40 can immediately confirm that the car has been washed. Therefore, as in the above configuration, by controlling the vehicle 30 to return from the car wash at the same time that the user 40 returns to the parking position P3, it is possible to achieve a situation where the car is freshly washed when the user 40 returns to the parking position P3.

[0052] In Embodiment 2, the user 40 was asked to input the time to return to parking position P3 into the navigation device 25, but the method of obtaining the time to return to parking position P3 is not limited to this. For example, the vehicle control device 21 may access the user 40's smartphone, refer to the user 40's schedule, and estimate the time to return to parking position P3. As an example, let's assume that the user 40's errand at the shopping mall 10 was to watch a movie at the cinema. In this case, the vehicle control device 21 can determine the time when the movie screening ends by accessing the user 40's smartphone and referring to the user 40's schedule. The vehicle control device 21 may use the time when the movie screening ends as the time when the user 40 returns to parking position P3.

[0053] [Embodiment 3] Next, Embodiment 3 of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Figure 7. Figure 7 is a diagram showing an example of input to the display 251 of the navigation device 25. In Embodiment 2, the user 40 was asked to input the time when he would return to the parking position P3, but in Embodiment 3, the user 40 is asked to input the timing of the car wash, such as how many minutes later. As shown in Figure 7, when the user 40 touches the "wash car" icon displayed on the display 251, that is, when the user 40 accepts the car wash proposal, the reception unit 302 asks the user 40 to input the desired time for the car wash. The time information indicating the time entered by the user 40 is output to the command unit 303. The command unit 303 acquires the time information indicating the time to start the car wash specified by the user 40, and based on this time information, drives the vehicle 30 toward the location of the car wash machine 20 using the automatic driving function.

[0054] With the above configuration, user 40 can set the timing of the car wash according to their own schedule, and the vehicle 30 can be adjusted to return at the same time that user 40 returns to parking position P3, thus ensuring that when user 40 returns to parking position P3, the car has just been washed.

[0055] [Embodiment 4] Next, Embodiment 4 of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Figures 8 and 9. Figure 8 is a block diagram showing an example of the functions of the processor 211. Figure 9 is a diagram illustrating a scene in which a vehicle 30 returns to the parking position P3 after being washed. In Embodiment 4, as shown in Figure 8, the processor 211 further includes a function called a notification unit 304. The notification unit 304 has the function of notifying the user 40 of information that should be conveyed. The notification unit 304 can notify the user 40 of necessary information to a terminal (e.g., a smartphone, tablet, smartwatch, game console, etc.) possessed by the user 40 using a wireless communication network such as the Internet. Hereinafter, an example of a notification scene by the notification unit 304 will be described with reference to Figure 9.

[0056] As shown in Figure 9, after washing, vehicle 30 returns to parking space P3. This is not unique to the shopping mall 10, but in parking lots with multiple parking spaces, it frequently occurs that when a vehicle leaves a parking space and returns to that space, another vehicle is parked there. Referring to Figure 9, when vehicle 30 leaves parking space P3 to wash and returns to parking space P3 after washing, another vehicle 33 is parked there. In such a case, since it is impossible for vehicle 30 to park in parking space P3, it will have to find another parking space to park. In the example shown in Figure 9, since parking space P1 is empty, vehicle 30 parks in parking space P1. Here, if the user 40 is not notified that vehicle 30 has parked in a different location after washing, it will be difficult for user 40 to find vehicle 30. Therefore, when the vehicle 30 returns to the first parking position (in this case, parking position P3) after the car wash is complete, if it parks in a second parking position (in this case, parking position P1) that is different from the first parking position, the notification unit 304 notifies the user 40 of information regarding the second parking position. The second parking position can also be set as a drying area for wiping off water droplets after the car wash. For example, in the shopping mall 10 shown in Figure 9, if each parking position is assigned a unique identification number, the notification unit 304 can notify the user 40 of something like, "I've returned from the car wash. I'm now parked in parking position number AA." The notification unit 304 can also notify the user 40 of information including the location of the vehicle 30. With this configuration, the user 40 can know that the vehicle has been parked in a different location, and therefore can easily find the vehicle 30.

[0057] In addition, the notification unit 304 may also have a function separate from the above-mentioned function: it may notify the user 40 that the car wash is complete when the car wash is finished and the vehicle returns to its original parking position P3. This allows the user 40 to know that the car wash is complete. As mentioned above, it is preferable to wipe off water droplets as soon as possible after washing the car, so the user 40 can finish their errands early, return to the parking position P3, and wipe off the water droplets.

[0058] [Embodiment 5] In embodiments 1 to 4 described above, a vehicle control device 21 mounted on a vehicle 30 was used as an example of a control device that proposes car washing. However, the control device that proposes car washing does not necessarily have to be a device mounted on a vehicle 30. This point will be explained with reference to Figure 10. Figure 10 is a diagram illustrating the outline of a vehicle control system 100 according to embodiment 5 of this disclosure. The difference between the vehicle control system 100 shown in Figure 10 and the vehicle control system 100 shown in Figure 1 is that it includes a server 50 and a wireless communication network 60.

[0059] Server 50 is configured to communicate with the vehicle 30 via a wireless communication network 60. The wireless communication network 60 is, for example, the internet. The location of Server 50 is not particularly limited, but for example, Server 50 may be installed in the management center of a business operator that provides car washing services. Also, Server 50 may be installed in Japan or outside of Japan. Furthermore, Server 50 may be a physical server or a cloud server.

[0060] (Hardware configuration of Server 50) Referring to Figure 11, an example of the hardware configuration of server 50 will be described. As shown in Figure 11, server 50 comprises a processor 51, main memory 52, auxiliary memory 53, and a communication interface 54. Each of these components is connected to each other so as to be able to communicate via a bus 55.

[0061] The main memory 52 is implemented as, for example, RAM or other volatile memory. The auxiliary memory 53 consists of ROM, HDD (Hard Disk Drive), SSD (Solid State Drive), etc., and stores map information, etc. The auxiliary memory 53 also stores a program that suggests a car wash, a program that receives the user's 40 response to the car wash suggestion, a program that controls the driving of the vehicle 30, etc.

[0062] The processor 51 can be implemented as, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), MPU (Micro Processor Unit), FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), or other device that performs arithmetic processing. The processor 51 reads the program from the auxiliary memory 53 and executes the program using the main memory 52 as the working area. Although Figure 11 shows one processor 51, it is not limited to this, and multiple processors 51 may be provided.

[0063] The communication interface 54 is implemented as hardware such as a network adapter, various communication software, or a combination thereof, and is configured to enable wireless communication via the wireless communication network 60.

[0064] The processor 51 reads the program from the auxiliary memory 53 and executes the program using the main memory 52 as a work area, thereby functioning similarly to the proposal unit 301, reception unit 302, command unit 303, and notification unit 304 of the vehicle control device 21 described in Figures 3 and 8. In other words, the control device that proposes a car wash is not limited to the vehicle control device 21, and a server 50 may also be used. In this case, the server 50 can, for example, propose a car wash to the user 40 of the vehicle 30 when the vehicle 30 is parked in a predetermined parking position (parking position P3 of the shopping mall 10 in Figure 10). The server 50 can also receive instructions from the user 40 to wash the vehicle 30.

[0065] Furthermore, when the server 50 receives an instruction to wash the vehicle 30, it can use its automatic driving function to drive the vehicle 30 to a predetermined location of the car wash machine (car wash machine 20 in Figure 10), and after the car wash is completed, it can drive the vehicle 30 back to the parking position P3. Note that the control of the vehicle 30's movement may be limited to the area between the parking position P3 and the car wash machine 20, that is, within the premises of the shopping mall 10.

[0066] Furthermore, the server 50 can suggest a car wash to the user 40 if the distance from the parking position P3 to the car wash machine 20 is within a predetermined distance. Additionally, the server 50 can suggest a car wash to the user 40 if at least one of the following conditions is met: the elapsed time since the last car wash, the distance traveled since the last car wash, and the degree of dirt on the exterior surface of the vehicle 30.

[0067] Furthermore, the server 50 can acquire time information indicating the time when user 40 will return to parking position P3, and use its automatic driving function to drive vehicle 30 toward the location of the car wash machine 20 so that vehicle 30 returns to parking position P3 at that time. In addition, the server 50 can acquire time information indicating the time for the car wash specified by user 40, and use its automatic driving function to drive vehicle 30 toward the location of the car wash machine 20 based on this time information.

[0068] Furthermore, if, after the car wash is complete, the vehicle 30 returns to the first parking spot and parks in a second parking spot different from the first parking spot, the server 50 can notify the user 40 of information regarding the second parking spot.

[0069] [Other Embodiments] As explained above, the vehicle 30 and the car wash machine 20 may be connected via a predetermined wireless communication. In this configuration, the car wash machine 20 may notify the vehicle 30 of information indicating the congestion level of the car wash. If the car wash is congested, a situation may arise where, even after the user 40 has finished their business at the shopping mall 10 and returned to parking position P3, the vehicle 30 has not yet returned from the car wash. Therefore, the vehicle control device 21 may, based on the information indicating the congestion level of the car wash obtained from the car wash machine 20, prohibit the suggestion of a car wash if it determines that the car wash is congested, while suggesting a car wash if it determines that the car wash is not congested. With this configuration, it is possible to prevent a situation where, even after the user 40 has finished their business at the shopping mall 10 and returned to parking position P3, the vehicle 30 has not yet returned from the car wash.

[0070] [Examples of implementation using software] The function of a control device (hereinafter referred to as "device") used as a vehicle control device 21 or server 50 is a program for causing a computer to function as the device, and can be realized by a program for causing a computer to function as each control block of the device (particularly the proposal unit 301, the reception unit 302, the command unit 303, and the notification unit 304).

[0071] In this case, the above-mentioned device includes a computer having at least one control device (e.g., a processor) and at least one storage device (e.g., memory) as hardware for executing the program. The computer executes the program, thereby realizing each of the functions described in each embodiment.

[0072] The above program may be recorded on one or more computer-readable recording media, not temporary ones. These recording media may or may not be provided by the above device. In the latter case, the program may be supplied to the above device via any wired or wireless transmission medium.

[0073] Furthermore, some or all of the functions of each control block can be implemented by logic circuits. For example, an integrated circuit in which logic circuits functioning as each control block are formed is also included in the scope of this disclosure. In addition, it is also possible to implement the functions of each control block using, for example, a quantum computer.

[0074] Furthermore, each process described in each embodiment may be performed by AI (Artificial Intelligence). In this case, the AI ​​may operate on the above-mentioned device, or it may operate on other devices (for example, an edge computer or a cloud server).

[0075] This disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims. Embodiments obtained by appropriately combining the technical means disclosed in different embodiments are also included in the technical scope of this disclosure. [Explanation of symbols]

[0076] 100 Vehicle control systems 20 car wash machine 21 Vehicle control system 30 vehicles 50 servers 301 Proposal Department Room 302 Reception Desk 303 Command Department 304 Notification Department

Claims

1. A control device for controlling a vehicle having an autonomous driving function, When the vehicle is parked in a designated parking space, a suggestion unit proposes to the user of the vehicle that the vehicle be washed. The system includes a reception unit that receives instructions from the user to wash the vehicle, Control device.

2. The system further includes a command unit that, when the reception unit receives an instruction to wash the vehicle, uses the automatic driving function to drive the vehicle to a predetermined location in the car wash machine, and then drives the vehicle back to the parking position after the car wash is completed. The control device according to claim 1.

3. The suggestion unit suggests the car wash to the user when the distance from the parking position to the designated car wash machine is within a predetermined distance. The control device according to claim 1.

4. The suggestion unit suggests the car wash to the user if at least one of the following conditions is met: the elapsed time since the last car wash, the distance traveled since the last car wash, and the degree of dirt on the exterior of the vehicle. The control device according to claim 1.

5. The command unit, The system acquires time information indicating the time when the user will return to the parking position. The vehicle is driven towards the car wash machine using the automatic driving function so that it returns to the parking position at the aforementioned time. The control device according to claim 2.

6. The command unit, The system acquires time information indicating the time to start the car wash specified by the user, Based on the aforementioned time information, the vehicle is driven toward the location of the car wash machine using the automatic driving function. The control device according to claim 2.

7. The aforementioned parking position is the first parking position, After the car wash is completed, if the vehicle returns to the first parking position and parks in a second parking position different from the first parking position, the system further includes a notification unit that notifies the user of information regarding the second parking position. The control device according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

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