Operation Management Methods

Abstract

To improve the operational management technology for autonomous vehicles. [Solution] An operation management method executed by an information processing device, comprising: obtaining an automatic driving rate, which is the ratio of the distance traveled in automatic driving mode to the total distance traveled in a predetermined planned driving section, based on driving results measured by a vehicle that has traveled a predetermined planned driving section; obtaining a change rate, which is the ratio of the change from one driving mode to the other, among automatic driving mode and manual driving mode, for the planned driving section, based on the driving results; determining a recommended driving mode for the planned driving section based on the automatic driving rate and the change rate; and recommending the determined driving mode.

Description

Technical Field

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[0001] This disclosure relates to an operation management method.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a control device for an autonomous driving vehicle that has a manual driving mode in which steering is performed by an operator's operation and the vehicle travels, and an autonomous driving mode in which steering is automatically performed without the operator's operation, and travels in an automatic driving mode within a management area managed by an operation management control device.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Even on a route where autonomous driving is possible according to a predetermined rule, there may be a road that is not suitable for autonomous driving. The conventional configuration had room for improvement in terms of being able to flexibly change the type of driving mode based on the operation plan of the place.

[0005] An object of this disclosure is to improve the operation management technology of an autonomous driving vehicle.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] An operation management method according to an embodiment of this disclosure is an operation management method executed by an information processing device, <( acquiring an autonomous driving rate, which is the ratio of the driving distance in the autonomous driving mode to the total driving distance in the planned driving section, based on the driving performance measured by a vehicle that has traveled in a predetermined planned driving section; Based on the aforementioned driving record, the change rate is obtained, which is the percentage of the driving mode changed from one predetermined driving mode to the other for the aforementioned planned driving section, among the automatic driving mode and manual driving mode. Based on the aforementioned automatic driving rate and the aforementioned change rate, a recommended driving mode is determined for the planned driving section. The determined operating mode is recommended, Includes. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the operational management technology for autonomous vehicles is improved. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This block diagram shows an example of the system configuration according to one embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the operation of the information processing device. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Hereinafter, one embodiment of this disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0010] Figure 1 is a block diagram showing an example configuration of System 1 according to one embodiment. System 1 comprises an information processing device 10 and a vehicle 20. The information processing device 10 and the vehicle 20 are connected to a network N, including, for example, the Internet and a mobile communication network.

[0011] The information processing device 10 is one or any multiple computers capable of communicating with each other. The information processing device 10 may be implemented by any computer, such as a PC (Personal Computer) or a server device installed in a data center. The vehicle 20 travels on a roadway and moves people and goods. The vehicle 20 travels according to one of several driving modes, including a manual driving mode in which the vehicle is driven by steering operated by an operator, and an automated driving mode in which the vehicle is driven by automatic steering without operator operation. The vehicle 20 is, for example, a gasoline vehicle, an electric vehicle (EV), a hybrid vehicle (HV), a plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHV), or a fuel cell vehicle (FCV), but is not limited to these. The vehicle 20 may also be an automated driving vehicle capable of automated driving corresponding to any of the levels 1 to 5 defined by the SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers). In this embodiment, the vehicle 20 is capable of Level 3 or 4 autonomous driving, and a driver assistant can override the driving operations either while riding in the vehicle 20 or remotely. The number of vehicles 20 provided in System 1 may be determined arbitrarily.

[0012] In System 1, each vehicle 20 travels within the target area according to a pre-created operation plan by the operations manager. The operation plan may include the travel route, assigned vehicle (vehicle 20 used for operation), operating time, driving type (automatic driving mode / manual driving mode), stops, departure and arrival dates and times, etc. The information processing device 10 manages the operation plan for each vehicle 20. For example, the information processing device 10 creates an operation plan based on the operations manager's actions and notifies each vehicle 20 and the driver's assistant of the operation plan. In this configuration, the operations manager plans the operation in advance and registers the operation plan in System 1 beforehand, but there may be cases where it is better to change the driving type (automatic / manual) from the original plan for some reason. For example, if the travel route and assigned vehicle are unsuitable for automatic driving, it may be preferable to operate in manual driving mode even if the operation plan is set to automatic driving mode. Therefore, the information processing device 10 supports flexible changes to the operation plan by recommending a more preferable driving type to the user.

[0013] Specifically, the information processing device 10 acquires the automatic driving rate, which is the ratio of the distance traveled in automatic driving mode to the total distance traveled in the predetermined planned driving section, based on the driving performance measured by the vehicle 20 that traveled the predetermined planned driving section. Based on the driving performance, the information processing device 10 acquires the change rate, which is the ratio of the change from one driving mode to the other, among the automatic driving mode and manual driving mode, for the planned driving section. Based on the automatic driving rate and change rate acquired for the planned driving section, the information processing device 10 determines the recommended driving mode for the planned driving section and recommends the determined driving mode. In this way, the information processing device 10 determines the recommended driving mode by considering not only the automatic driving rate, which is the operational performance data, but also the change rate, which is the history data of changes in driving mode based on the judgment of the operations manager. Therefore, according to the information processing device 10, it is possible to automatically determine the driving mode that reflects the setting trends regarding driving mode for each operations manager.

[0014] As shown in Figure 1, the information processing device 10 comprises a control unit 11, a storage unit 12, a communication unit 13, an input unit 14, and an output unit 15. The control unit 11 includes at least one processor. The processor is a general-purpose processor such as a CPU, or a dedicated processor specialized for specific processing. The control unit 11 controls each part of the information processing device 10 and executes processing related to the operation of the information processing device 10. The storage unit 12 includes at least one semiconductor memory, etc. The semiconductor memory is, for example, RAM or ROM. The storage unit 12 functions, for example, as a main memory or auxiliary memory. The storage unit 12 stores data used for the operation of the information processing device 10 and data obtained by the operation of the information processing device 10. The communication unit 13 includes at least one external communication interface. The communication interface may be either a wired communication interface or a wireless communication interface. In the case of wired communication, the communication interface is, for example, LAN, USB, etc. In the case of wireless communication, the communication interface is, for example, an interface compatible with a mobile communication standard such as 5G, or an interface compatible with short-range wireless communication. The communication unit 13 receives data used for the operation of the information processing device 10 and transmits data obtained by the operation of the information processing device 10. The input unit 14 includes at least one input interface. The input interface may be, for example, a physical key, a touchscreen, a sound sensor that accepts voice input, or a camera that accepts gesture input. The input unit 14 accepts operations to input data used for the operation of the information processing device 10. The output unit 15 includes at least one output interface. The output interface may be, for example, a display that outputs information as video, or a speaker that outputs information as audio. The output unit 15 outputs data obtained by the operation of the information processing device 10.

[0015] The functions of the information processing device 10 are realized by executing a program according to this embodiment on a processor corresponding to the control unit 11. In other words, the functions of the information processing device 10 are realized by software. The program causes the computer to function as the information processing device 10 by having the computer execute the operations of the information processing device 10. In other words, the computer functions as the information processing device 10 by executing the operations of the information processing device 10 according to the program. In this embodiment, the program can be recorded on a recording medium that can be read by a computer. The recording medium that can be read by a computer includes non-temporary computer-readable media, such as a magnetic recording device or semiconductor memory. The program can be distributed, for example, by selling, transferring, or lending a portable recording medium such as a DVD on which the program is recorded. Alternatively, the program can be distributed by storing the program in the storage of an external server and transmitting the program from the external server to another computer. The program can also be provided as a program product. Some or all of the functions of the information processing device 10 may be realized by a dedicated circuit corresponding to the control unit 11. In other words, some or all of the functions of the information processing device 10 may be realized by hardware.

[0016] Figure 2 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the operation of the information processing device 10 shown in Figure 1. The operation of the information processing device 10 described with reference to Figure 2 may correspond to one of the operation management methods. The operation of each step in Figure 2 may be performed based on control by the control unit 11 of the information processing device 10. The following describes the process of determining the recommended type of operation for a predetermined planned route. Here, it is assumed that there is a history of using System 1, and that the information processing device 10 can refer to information regarding the planned route and past operation records for each vehicle 20.

[0017] In S1, the control unit 11 acquires the automatic driving rate, the change rate, the reason for change, and the system error rate. The control unit 11 may acquire the automatic driving rate, the change rate, the reason for change, and the system error rate based on the driving performance measured by the existing technology in each vehicle 20 that has traveled the planned travel section. The driving performance may include the total travel distance and the travel distance in the automatic driving mode in the planned travel section, the pre-determined driving mode for the planned travel section and the driving mode after the change when the driving mode is changed, the reason for the change, the presence or absence of a system error where the travel in the automatic driving mode in the planned travel section cannot be continued, and the type of cause of the system error (route, assigned vehicle, etc.).

[0018] The automatic driving rate is the ratio of the travel distance in the automatic driving mode to the total travel distance for the travel of each vehicle 20 in the planned travel section over a certain past period (for example, the most recent one week).

[0019] The change rate is the ratio of the change from the pre-determined driving mode for the planned travel section to the other driving mode between the automatic driving mode and the manual driving mode over a certain past period (for example, the most recent one month). For example, the change rate may be the ratio of the driving mode pre-determined in the operation plan being changed by a user such as an operation manager according to the situation grasped immediately before the operation. The reason for change is the reason why the driving mode is changed. The control unit 11 may acquire the reason for change classified, for example, into those due to the route, those due to the assigned vehicle, and other reasons.

[0020] The reasons for changing from the automatic driving mode to the manual driving mode due to the route are, for example, that the automatic driving becomes impossible due to heavy rain, there is an area where the GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) position accuracy deteriorates during the route, and it is difficult to perform automatic driving. The reasons for changing due to the assigned vehicle are, for example, that vehicle 20 has failed and cannot shift to the automatic driving mode (changing from the automatic driving mode to the manual driving mode), and that the automatic driving can be used after repair (changing from the manual driving mode to the automatic driving mode). Other reasons for changing from the automatic driving mode to the manual driving mode are, for example, weather (unable to perform automatic driving due to thick fog), crew (a crew member with a changed shift and no experience in monitoring automatic driving is assigned), etc.

[0021] The system error rate is the ratio at which the driving in the automatic driving mode in the planned driving section cannot continue. The system error rate indicates the error occurrence situation regarding the route related to the planned driving section or the assigned vehicle according to the operation plan in a certain period in the past (for example, the most recent day). The system error rate may be, for example, the ratio of the time when an error related to automatic driving occurred due to the route or the assigned vehicle to the time of driving in the automatic driving mode.

[0022] The change rate and the reasons for change correspond to the data at the time of changing the driving type of the operation plan. The control unit 11 may acquire the operation plans before and after the change as the data at the time of changing the driving type. The automatic driving rate and the system error rate correspond to the automatic driving data during the execution of each operation plan.

[0023] In S2, the control unit 11 determines the recommended driving mode in the planned driving section based on the automatic driving rate, the change rate, the reasons for change, and the system error rate acquired in S1.

[0024] For example, the control unit 11 may recommend manual driving mode more if the autonomous driving rate is lower, and recommend autonomous driving mode more if the autonomous driving rate is higher. This is because if the autonomous driving rate for a route is low, it is thought that there are factors on the route that hinder autonomous driving, and it is presumed that the situation should have been one where manual driving was appropriate. Also, for example, the control unit 11 may recommend manual driving mode more if the rate of change from autonomous driving mode to manual driving mode is higher, and recommend autonomous driving mode more if it is lower. This is because if the rate of change from autonomous driving mode to manual driving mode is low, it is presumed that the operator has judged that even if the autonomous driving rate is low, it will not affect the operation of the service. The control unit 11 may determine the recommended driving mode by considering the magnitude of the rate of change from manual driving mode to autonomous driving mode. Also, for example, the control unit 11 may determine the recommended driving mode by considering the reason for the change. For example, if the reason for the change is due to the route, the control unit 11 may make a decision by giving more importance to the magnitude of the change rate, regardless of the assigned vehicle. If the reason for the change is due to the assigned vehicle, the control unit 11 may select autonomous driving mode if the autonomous driving rate is high and the change rate and system error rate are low. Furthermore, for example, if the system error rate for automated driving of assigned vehicles is higher, it is likely that vehicle-related errors are occurring frequently. In such cases, the control unit 11 may recommend manual driving mode more often, regardless of the rate of change in driving type. Also, for example, if the system error rate for automated driving of routes is higher, it is likely that route or vehicle-related errors are occurring frequently. In such cases, the control unit 11 may recommend manual driving mode more often when the most frequent reason for change in driving type is the route or assigned vehicle. The control unit 11 may determine the recommended driving mode based on pre-set rules.

[0025] In S3, the control unit 11 recommends the operating mode determined in S2 to the user. For example, the control unit 11 may output the recommended operating mode to the display of the output unit 15 or to the storage unit 12. Specifically, for example, the control unit 11 may display the determined operating mode as the default mode entered on the operating mode selection screen, or notify the user of the operating mode via a pop-up. After S3 is completed, the control unit 11 terminates the flowchart processing.

[0026] As described above, the information processing device 10 determines the recommended driving type by considering not only operational performance data (autonomous driving data during the execution of each operational plan) but also the history data of changes in driving type based on the operator's judgment (data when the driving type of the operational plan is changed). Therefore, the information processing device 10 can automatically set a driving type that reflects the setting trends of each operator. This increases the utilization rate and effectiveness of the operational service and reduces the burden on operational managers and drivers due to unplanned changes in driving type, even if the number of operations and vehicles 20 under management increases. In addition, even for routes where autonomous driving is possible, the recommended driving mode is determined based on the rate of change in driving mode, thus reducing the likelihood of recommending routes unsuitable for autonomous driving. Thus, the operational management technology for autonomous vehicles is improved.

[0027] The information processing device 10 may also perform the above processing when setting a new operation plan for the planned route, or when determining whether it is necessary to change the type of operation specified in a pre-set operation plan.

[0028] This disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above. For example, multiple blocks shown in the block diagram may be combined, or a single block may be divided. Multiple steps shown in the flowchart may be performed in parallel or in a different order, depending on the processing capacity of the device performing each step, or as necessary, instead of being performed in chronological order as described. Other modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of this disclosure. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0029] 10: Information processing device, 11: Control unit, 12: Storage unit, 13: Communication unit, 14: Input unit, 15: Output unit, 20: Vehicle, N: Network

Claims

1. A method of operation management performed by an information processing device, Based on driving performance measured using existing technology for a vehicle that has traveled a predetermined route, the automated driving rate is obtained, which is the ratio of the distance traveled in automated driving mode to the total distance traveled in the predetermined route. Based on the aforementioned driving record, the change rate is obtained, which is the percentage of the driving mode changed from one predetermined driving mode to the other for the aforementioned planned driving section, among the automatic driving mode and manual driving mode. Based on the aforementioned automatic driving rate and the aforementioned change rate, a recommended driving mode is determined for the planned driving section. The determined operating mode is recommended, Operation management methods, including those mentioned above.

2. A method of operation management performed by an information processing device, Based on the automatic driving rate, which is the ratio of the distance traveled in automatic driving mode to the total distance traveled in a predetermined planned driving section, and the change rate, which is the ratio of the change from one predetermined driving mode to the other for the aforementioned planned driving section, the recommended driving mode for the aforementioned planned driving section is determined. The determined operating mode is recommended, Operation management methods, including those mentioned above.

3. A method for managing operations according to claim 2, A method for managing operations, which determines the recommended driving mode for the planned driving section based on the system error rate, which is the percentage of times that driving in automatic driving mode becomes impossible to continue in the planned driving section.

4. A method for managing operations according to claim 2 or 3, The aforementioned change rate is the percentage of the planned driving section that is changed from the predetermined driving mode to the other driving mode in response to user instructions. A method for managing operations, which determines the recommended driving mode for the planned driving section based on the reason why the user changed from the predetermined driving mode to the other driving mode.

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