Control systems for autonomous vehicles

Abstract

To improve disaster relief technologies. [Solution] A control device for an autonomous vehicle acquires disaster information indicating that a disaster has occurred, determines whether the onboard equipment of the autonomous vehicle contains goods worthy of being provided to disaster victims based on the status of the onboard equipment, and if the onboard equipment contains goods, sets a destination based on the type of onboard equipment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a control device for an autonomous vehicle.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, technologies related to disaster support have been known. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technology related to integrated management from the management to the transportation of disaster support materials. Also, for example, Patent Document 2 discloses a technology related to automatic discovery of disaster victims by a pedestrian detection device of an autonomous vehicle.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Conventional disaster support systems that use vehicles require user instructions. However, at the time of a disaster, communication with the vehicle may be interrupted due to communication congestion or the like. Therefore, conventional systems cannot be used when communication between the system and the vehicle is interrupted. Also, due to a disaster, in-vehicle items or containers for storing in-vehicle items (for example, glass bottles or refrigerators) may be damaged, and the in-vehicle items may deteriorate. Conventional systems cannot handle such problems either. In view of such circumstances, the object of this disclosure is to improve technologies related to disaster support.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] A control device for an autonomous vehicle according to an embodiment of this disclosure acquires disaster information related to a disaster, Based on data regarding the state of the onboard equipment obtained from sensors capable of detecting the state of the onboard equipment of the autonomous vehicle, it is determined whether or not the onboard equipment includes supplies worthy of being provided to disaster victims. If the in-vehicle items include the aforementioned goods, the destination is set based on the type of the in-vehicle items. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, technology related to the transportation of supplies in the event of a disaster is improved. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] This is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a control device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] This is a flowchart showing the operation of the control device. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] (Summary of this embodiment) Referring to Figure 1, an overview of the control device 1 of an autonomous vehicle according to one embodiment of this disclosure will be described. The control device 1 is one or more computers that control the autonomous vehicle. The control device 1 is mounted on the autonomous vehicle. The autonomous vehicle carries onboard equipment.

[0009] An autonomous vehicle is a vehicle capable of autonomous driving at levels 1 to 5 as defined by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). An autonomous vehicle may be capable of driving without a driver. An autonomous vehicle includes any vehicle such as a car, bus, or taxi. An autonomous vehicle may include gasoline cars, electric vehicles (BEV; Battery Electric Vehicle), hybrid vehicles (HEV; Hybrid Electric Vehicle), plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEV; Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle), or fuel cell vehicles (FCEV; Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle).

[0010] First, an overview of this embodiment will be described, and details will be described later. The control device 1 of the autonomous vehicle according to this embodiment acquires disaster occurrence information indicating that a disaster has occurred, and determines whether the onboard equipment contains goods worthy of being provided to disaster victims based on data regarding the state of the onboard equipment acquired from sensors capable of detecting the state of the onboard equipment of the autonomous vehicle, and if the onboard equipment contains goods, sets a destination based on the type of onboard equipment.

[0011] The control device 1 according to this embodiment can automatically set a destination even if communication between the user and the control device 1 is interrupted. Furthermore, the control device 1 according to this embodiment performs a determination based on the status of the in-vehicle equipment. This determination clarifies the criteria for setting a destination, enabling the automatic setting of an appropriate destination.

[0012] (Configuration of control device 1) As shown in Figure 1, the control device 1 comprises a control unit 10, a communication unit 11, a first sensor unit 12, a second sensor unit 13, and a storage unit 14. Each part of the control device 1 is connected to each other so as to be able to communicate via an in-vehicle network such as CAN (Controller Area Network) or a dedicated line.

[0013] The control unit 10 includes one or more processors. While controlling each part of the control device 1, the control unit 10 executes processes related to the operation of the control device 1.

[0014] The communication unit 11 includes at least one in-vehicle communication interface for connecting to the in-vehicle network. The communication unit 11 may include at least one external communication interface for connecting to the external network.

[0015] The first sensor unit 12 is a sensor capable of detecting the occurrence of a disaster. The first sensor unit 12 may include, for example, a seismometer sensor, an acceleration sensor, a temperature sensor, a smoke sensor, or a water immersion sensor. The first sensor unit 12 may include a camera for imaging the outside of the vehicle.

[0016] The second sensor unit 13 is a sensor capable of detecting the state of in-vehicle items. The second sensor unit 13 may include, for example, a camera, a weight sensor, or a temperature sensor.

[0017] The storage unit 14 includes one or more memories. Each memory included in the storage unit 14 may function as, for example, a main storage device, an auxiliary storage device, or a cache memory. The storage unit 14 stores any information used for the operation of the control device 1. For example, the storage unit 14 may store, for example, a system program, an application program, and embedded software. In this embodiment, the storage unit 14 stores the destination of the autonomous vehicle. The destination may be updated based on information acquired via the in-vehicle network, for example. The estimation of in-vehicle items may be updated each time an in-vehicle item is taken out.

[0018] (Operation flow of control device 1) Referring to FIG. 2, the operation of the control device 1 according to this embodiment will be described. Hereinafter, the communication between each part of the control device 1 is performed via the in-vehicle network or a dedicated line.

[0019] S1: The control unit 10 of the control device 1 determines whether or not disaster occurrence information has been acquired. If it has been acquired (S1-YES), the process proceeds to S2. If it has not been acquired (S1-NO), the process terminates.

[0020] Disaster occurrence information is information indicating that a disaster has occurred. Disaster occurrence information may include the nature of the disaster, such as its type. Examples of disasters include earthquakes, fires, and water damage (tsunamis, floods, heavy rains, or typhoons). The control unit 10 may obtain disaster occurrence information by analyzing data acquired from the first sensor unit 12. For example, the control unit 10 may determine that an earthquake has occurred if it detects a change in acceleration when the vehicle is stopped and there is no external collision, using a seismometer sensor or an acceleration sensor. For example, the control unit 10 may determine that a fire has occurred if a temperature sensor detects a temperature exceeding a threshold (e.g., 65 degrees) or if a smoke sensor detects smoke. For example, the control unit 10 may determine that a water damage has occurred if a flood sensor detects flooding in the autonomous vehicle. The control unit 10 may perform image recognition processing on images of the outside of the vehicle captured by a camera to determine whether or not a disaster has occurred. For example, the control unit 10 may determine that an earthquake has occurred if it detects shaking of objects in the image, collapse of buildings, or liquefaction of roads from the image. For example, the control unit 10 may determine that a fire has occurred if it detects fire or smoke from the image. For example, the control unit 10 may determine that a flood has occurred if it detects flooding of the road from the image. Alternatively, the control unit 10 may determine that a disaster has occurred if communication with the user managing the autonomous vehicle is interrupted, or if it detects a power outage of traffic lights or streetlights from the camera image. Alternatively, the control unit 10 may determine whether a disaster has occurred based on data received from external sensors, such as sensors installed on roads or buildings. Alternatively, the control unit 10 may acquire disaster occurrence information from external sensors. Alternatively, the control unit 10 may acquire disaster occurrence information from broadcasts such as earthquake early warnings received via an external network. The control device 1 according to this embodiment can automatically detect the occurrence of a disaster even without a driver by utilizing information obtained from sensors, etc.

[0021] S2: Based on the disaster occurrence information, the control unit 10 determines whether to transition from the normal service state to the disaster response state. If transitioning (S2 - YES), the process proceeds to S3. If not transitioning (S2 - NO), the process ends.

[0022] The normal service is the service provided by the autonomous vehicle during normal times (i.e., non - disaster times). Examples of normal services include, for example, a transportation operation to send or pick up in - vehicle items to / from a destination, or a mobile store operation to move to a destination and conduct unmanned sales. Examples of disaster responses include, for example, moving to a preset evacuation site (e.g., a public facility such as a station, school, hospital, park or high ground), or to the location of a disaster victim detected using pedestrian detection technology, and providing in - vehicle items. The control unit 10 may determine whether to transition to the disaster response state based on the presence or absence of a disaster.

[0023] S3: Based on the data acquired from the second sensor unit, the control unit 10 determines whether the in - vehicle items include materials valuable for providing to disaster victims. If the in - vehicle items include such materials (S3 - YES), the process proceeds to S4. If the in - vehicle items do not include such materials (S3 - NO), the process ends.

[0024] Examples of materials include, for example, food and drinks, pharmaceuticals, mechanical products, products for waterproofing, cold protection or wind protection (e.g., waterproof clothing or waterproof sheets), personnel such as rescue team members, or the autonomous vehicle itself (e.g., as an evacuation site or means of transportation). Examples of mechanical products include, for example, flashlights, cassette stoves or heating appliances.

[0025] The second sensor unit is a sensor capable of acquiring the status of in-vehicle items. The status of in-vehicle items includes the storage condition, quantity, quality, temperature, humidity, shape, etc. The control unit 10 may detect the quantity of in-vehicle items based on changes in the weight of the in-vehicle items measured by the weight sensor. The control unit 10 may detect spoilage of food or beverages based on the temperature indicated by a temperature sensor installed in a container such as a refrigerator, for example, if the temperature indicated by the temperature sensor falls below a threshold (e.g., 10 degrees). The control unit 10 may detect the quantity of in-vehicle items based on records of in-vehicle item removals recorded in the storage unit 14. The control unit 10 may use image recognition technology on images of in-vehicle items captured by a camera to detect the quantity, spoilage, contamination, malfunction, damage, or changes in shape of the in-vehicle items.

[0026] Earthquakes or other disasters may cause damage to items stored in vehicles or their containers (such as glass bottles). Furthermore, earthquakes or simply forgetting to close the doors of refrigerators or freezers containing vehicle items may cause them to remain open, potentially leading to spoilage or contamination of food and beverages by dust. These items are not suitable for distribution to disaster victims. The control device 1 can select appropriate items by making a determination based on the condition of the vehicle's contents.

[0027] S4: The control unit 10 selects a destination based on the type of in-vehicle equipment.

[0028] Providing medicines may require a person with a medical or pharmacist's license. If the vehicle's supplies include medicines, the control unit 10 may select a hospital or school as the destination. In the event of a large-scale disaster, many victims may need to evacuate. If the vehicle's supplies include food and beverages, the control unit 10 may select a public facility such as a train station, where many people will gather, as the destination in order to provide food and beverages to many people. In the event of a fire or flood, victims may need to evacuate to a safe outdoor location such as high ground or a park. If the vehicle's supplies include waterproof, cold-weather, or windproof products, the control unit 10 may select such an outdoor location as the destination. If the vehicle's supplies include multiple types of goods and there are multiple potential destinations, the control unit 10 may select the candidate with the shortest distance to the destination (for example, based on straight-line distance, distance along the route, or estimated travel time) as the destination.

[0029] If the autonomous vehicle includes space for carrying people, it can be used as a shelter from wind and rain, or as a means of transporting disaster victims (especially those who have difficulty traveling long distances, such as the injured, sick, children, or the elderly) to shelters or other locations. In other words, the autonomous vehicle itself can be used as a resource. If the autonomous vehicle includes such space, the control unit 10 may select the location of the disaster victims as the destination. The control unit 10 may use image recognition technology on images from external cameras to detect disaster victims. If the autonomous vehicle already has disaster victims on board, the control unit 10 may select a shelter as the destination. If the autonomous vehicle is a bus carrying disaster victims, the control unit 10 may select each stop on the route in normal service conditions as the destination. If the autonomous vehicle is a taxi carrying disaster victims, the control unit 10 may select the initial destination set in normal service conditions as the destination. If the autonomous vehicle is to transport both disaster victims and supplies, the control unit 10 may select an evacuation center as the destination in order to prioritize the transport of disaster victims.

[0030] The control unit 10 is not limited to these destinations and may select any location as a destination based on the type of in-vehicle equipment. If the destination in the normal service state is stored in the memory unit 14, the control unit 10 may select the destination in the disaster response state as a new destination.

[0031] S5: The control unit 10 determines whether the selected destination is within the range of an area reachable by the autonomous vehicle or an area in which the autonomous vehicle is permitted to travel. If the destination is within these areas (S5-YES), the process proceeds to S7. If the destination is outside these areas (S5-NO), the process proceeds to S6.

[0032] If roads are damaged due to a disaster, or if the drivable area is limited, the autonomous vehicle may not be able to reach its destination. In such cases, the process proceeds to S7.

[0033] S6: The control unit 10 changes the destination to a location within a predetermined range from the current position of the autonomous vehicle where it can be parked. The control unit 10 changes the destination to such a location (e.g., the roadside or a parking lot) in order to provide in-vehicle supplies to a victim on the road, for example. The predetermined range is, for example, 100m.

[0034] S7: The control unit 10 sets the destination. The control unit 10 moves the autonomous vehicle to the destination.

[0035] S8: The control unit 10 determines whether the state of the in-vehicle component has changed based on the data acquired from the second sensor unit. If the state has changed (S8-YES), the process returns to S3. If the state has not changed (S8-NO), the process proceeds to S9.

[0036] Before arriving at the destination, the condition of the in-vehicle equipment may change due to an earthquake or other event. If the condition changes, the system returns to the determination in S3 and updates the destination. This allows the control device 1 to set an appropriate destination even if the condition of the in-vehicle equipment changes along the way. The control unit 10 may perform this determination when the first sensor unit 12 detects a new disaster such as an earthquake, when the second sensor unit 13 detects a change in the condition of the in-vehicle equipment, or periodically (for example, every 10 minutes).

[0037] S9: The control unit 10 detects that the autonomous vehicle has arrived at its destination. The process then terminates.

[0038] The control unit 10 may provide the vehicle-mounted goods at the destination free of charge, for a fee, or at a discount. If the autonomous vehicle includes space for people, the autonomous vehicle may evacuate the victims into the vehicle or transport the victims to a new destination. The new destination may be, for example, the shelter with the shortest distance to the destination (straight-line distance or distance along the driving route), or the victims' home. After S9, the process may return to S3. That is, the control unit 10 may repeat S3 to S9 until it runs out of supplies worth providing. The control unit 10 may perform the determination in S8 after S9 (for example, after the provision of vehicle-mounted goods is completed). That is, the determination in S8 may be performed on the way to the destination as in S8, or after the provision of vehicle-mounted goods. The quantity of vehicle-mounted goods decreases with the provision of goods. Also, when the victims take the vehicle-mounted goods out of the refrigerator or freezer, they may forget to close the door. In such cases, the state of the vehicle-mounted goods changes.

[0039] While this disclosure has been described based on the drawings and embodiments, it should be noted that those skilled in the art may make various modifications and alterations based on this disclosure. Therefore, it should be noted that these modifications and alterations are within the scope of this disclosure. For example, the functions included in each component or step can be rearranged in a logically consistent manner, and multiple components or steps can be combined into one or separated. For example, in the embodiments described above, an embodiment is also possible in which the configuration and operation of the control device are distributed among multiple computers that can communicate with each other. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0040] 1 Control device, 10 Control unit, 11 Communication unit, 12 First sensor unit, 13 Second sensor unit, 14 Storage unit

Claims

1. A control device for an autonomous vehicle, comprising a control unit and a sensor unit capable of detecting the state of the onboard components of the autonomous vehicle, wherein the control unit is We obtain disaster occurrence information indicating that a disaster has occurred. Based on the data acquired from the sensor unit, it is determined whether the in-vehicle items include supplies worthy of being provided to disaster victims. A control device that, if the in-vehicle equipment includes the aforementioned goods, sets a destination based on the type of the in-vehicle equipment.

2. A control device according to claim 1, wherein the disaster occurrence information is obtained by analyzing data acquired from a sensor capable of detecting the occurrence of the disaster.

3. A control device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit further moves the autonomous vehicle to the destination.

4. The control device according to claim 3, wherein the control unit further comprises: After setting the destination, the system determines whether the state of the in-vehicle equipment has changed based on the data acquired from the sensor unit. If the condition of the aforementioned goods changes, it is determined whether the vehicle-mounted items include other goods worthy of being provided to the victims. A control device that updates the destination based on the type of the in-vehicle item if the in-vehicle item includes the other item.

5. A control device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit changes the destination to a stopping position within a predetermined range from the current position of the autonomous vehicle if the destination is outside the range of an area reachable by the autonomous vehicle or an area in which the autonomous vehicle is permitted to travel.

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