Inspection system, control device, and inspection method

Abstract

This reduces the waiting time for vehicles while the adjustment of the support spacing of the inspection device is completed. [Solution] The inspection system is an inspection device for inspecting a vehicle, comprising: a first support that supports the first wheel of the vehicle; a second support that supports the second wheel of the vehicle; and an actuator that changes the distance between the first support and the second support; and a control device that controls the actuator, which acquires the distance between the first wheel and the second wheel before the vehicle arrives at the inspection device, and adjusts the distance between the support according to the wheel distance.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a vehicle inspection system, a control device, and an inspection method.

Background Art

[0002] There is known an inspection device that includes a front-wheel roller for supporting a front wheel of a vehicle and a rear-wheel roller for supporting a rear wheel, and inspects the vehicle in a state where the front wheel is supported by the front-wheel roller and the rear wheel is supported by the rear-wheel roller (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 above-described inspection, before moving the vehicle onto the rollers, the roller interval of the inspection device must be adjusted according to the wheel interval of the vehicle. Therefore, there may be a waiting time of the vehicle from when the vehicle arrives at the inspection device until the adjustment of the inspection device is completed. Thus, a technique for suppressing the occurrence of the waiting time of the vehicle until the adjustment of the inspection device is completed is desired.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] The present disclosure can be realized in the following forms.

[0006] (1) According to a first embodiment of the present disclosure, an inspection system is provided. The inspection system is an inspection device for inspecting a vehicle, the inspection device having a first support for supporting a first wheel of the vehicle, a second support for supporting a second wheel of the vehicle, and an actuator for changing the distance between the support between the first support and the second support; and a control device for controlling the actuator, the control device for obtaining the distance between the first wheel and the second wheel before the vehicle arrives at the inspection device, and adjusting the distance between the support according to the distance between the wheel. This type of inspection system minimizes waiting time for the vehicle between its arrival at the inspection device and its movement onto the first and second supports. (2) In the inspection system of the above form, the control device may drive the vehicle to the inspection device by unmanned operation. With this type of inspection system, the control device drives the vehicle to the inspection device, making it easier to identify the vehicle that will be inspected next by the inspection device. (3) In the inspection system of the above embodiment, the first support may have a first roller that is rotatable while supporting the first wheel, and the second support may have a second roller that is rotatable while supporting the second wheel. This type of inspection system makes it possible to suppress waiting times for the vehicle in an inspection device that supports the vehicle with a first roller and a second roller. (4) In the inspection system of the above form, the control device may adjust the distance between the support bodies when the vehicle enters a predetermined first area. This type of inspection system allows for adjustment of the support spacing at the appropriate time. (5) In the inspection system of the above form, the control device may adjust the distance between the support members when the vehicle starts moving toward the inspection device. This type of inspection system allows for adjustment of the support spacing at the appropriate time. (6) In the inspection system of the above form, the inspection device may inspect a plurality of vehicles sequentially at a predetermined cycle, and the control device may adjust the spacing between the support members at a timing corresponding to the cycle. This type of inspection system allows for adjustment of the support spacing at the appropriate time. (7) In the inspection system of the above form, the inspection device inspects a plurality of vehicles in order, and the control device identifies from the plurality of vehicles a preceding vehicle to be inspected by the inspection device first and a target vehicle to be inspected by the inspection device after the preceding vehicle, and after the preceding vehicle leaves the inspection device and before the target vehicle arrives at the inspection device, the support spacing may be adjusted according to the wheel spacing of the target vehicle. This type of inspection system prevents the support spacing from being adjusted before the preceding vehicle leaves the inspection device. (8) In the inspection system of the above form, the control device may adjust the distance between the support members according to the distance between the wheels of the target vehicle when the preceding vehicle enters a predetermined second area outside the inspection device. With this type of inspection system, the support spacing can be adjusted after the preceding vehicle has moved sufficiently far away from the inspection device. (9) In the inspection system of the above form, if, after identifying the preceding vehicle and the target vehicle, a third vehicle to be inspected by the inspection device occurs between the inspection of the preceding vehicle and the inspection of the target vehicle, the control device may adjust the distance between the supports according to the distance between the wheels of the third vehicle after the preceding vehicle has left the inspection device and before the third vehicle has arrived at the inspection device. This type of inspection system can prevent the support spacing from being adjusted to incorrect intervals. (10) According to a second embodiment of the present disclosure, a control device is provided. The control device is a control unit for controlling an inspection device having a storage unit for storing the wheel spacing between a first wheel and a second wheel of a vehicle, a first support for supporting the first wheel of the vehicle, a second support for supporting the second wheel of the vehicle, and an actuator for changing the support spacing between the first support and the second support, the control unit adjusting the support spacing according to the wheel spacing before the vehicle arrives at the inspection device. This form of control device makes it possible to suppress the waiting time of the vehicle between the time the vehicle arrives at the inspection device and the time it moves onto the first and second supports. (11) A third embodiment of the present disclosure provides an inspection method, which includes an inspection step of inspecting a vehicle using an inspection device having a first support for supporting a first wheel of the vehicle and a second support for supporting a second wheel of the vehicle, and a preparation step of obtaining the wheel spacing between the first wheel and the second wheel and adjusting the support spacing between the first support and the second support in accordance with the wheel spacing before the vehicle arrives at the inspection device. This form of inspection method makes it possible to minimize waiting time for the vehicle between the time it arrives at the inspection device and the time it moves onto the first and second supports. This disclosure can also be implemented in various forms other than inspection systems, control devices, and inspection methods. For example, it can be implemented in the form of computer programs, computer program products, and recording media on which computer programs are recorded. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] An explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the inspection system of the first embodiment. [Figure 2] An explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the vehicle according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] An explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the server device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] An explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the inspection apparatus and inspection control device of the first embodiment. [Figure 5] An explanatory diagram showing how a vehicle travels under remote control in a factory. [Figure 6] A flowchart showing the processing procedure of the vehicle running control according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7] A flowchart showing the processing procedure of the operation control of the inspection device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 8] An explanatory diagram showing how the inspection device according to the first embodiment is adjusted. [Figure 9] An explanatory diagram showing how the inspection device according to the second embodiment is adjusted. [Figure 10] An explanatory diagram showing how the inspection device according to the third embodiment is adjusted. [Figure 11] An explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the vehicle according to the fourth embodiment. [Figure 12] An explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the server device according to the fourth embodiment. [Figure 13] A flowchart showing the processing procedure of the vehicle running control according to the fourth embodiment. [Figure 14] An explanatory diagram showing how the inspection device according to the fifth embodiment is adjusted.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0008] A. First Embodiment: FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of an inspection system 10 according to the first embodiment. The inspection system 10 includes at least one vehicle 100, a server device 200, at least one external sensor 300, an inspection device 400, and an inspection control device 450. In the present embodiment, the inspection system 10 is used in a factory FC that manufactures the vehicle 100. However, the inspection system 10 may be used not in the factory FC that manufactures the vehicle 100, but in, for example, a factory that repairs the vehicle 100 or a factory that maintains the vehicle 100. In the present embodiment, the server device 200 corresponds to the "control device" in the present disclosure.

[0009] In this embodiment, vehicle 100 is a four-wheeled electric vehicle (BEV: Battery Electric Vehicle). Vehicle 100 may be a passenger car, a bus, a truck, or the like. The drive system of vehicle 100 may be front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive, or four-wheel drive. Vehicle 100 is not limited to electric vehicles; for example, it may be a gasoline car, a hybrid car, or a fuel cell vehicle. Vehicle 100 is not limited to four wheels; for example, it may be a three-wheeled or six-wheeled vehicle.

[0010] Vehicle 100 is configured to operate autonomously. "Autonomous operation" means operation without the operation of a passenger. Operation refers to operations related to at least one of the following: "going," "turning," or "stopping" of vehicle 100. Autonomous operation is achieved by automatic or manual remote control using a device located outside vehicle 100, or by autonomous control of vehicle 100. Vehicle 100 operating autonomously may have passengers on board who do not perform operation. Passengers who do not perform operation include, for example, people simply sitting in the seats of vehicle 100, or people performing tasks other than operation, such as assembly, inspection, or operating switches, while on board vehicle 100. Operation by a passenger is sometimes called "manned operation."

[0011] In this specification, "remote control" includes "fully remote control," in which all operations of the vehicle 100 are completely determined from outside the vehicle 100, and "partial remote control," in which some operations of the vehicle 100 are determined from outside the vehicle 100. Furthermore, "autonomous control" includes "fully autonomous control," in which the vehicle 100 autonomously controls its own operations without receiving any information from external devices, and "partial autonomous control," in which the vehicle 100 autonomously controls its own operations using information received from external devices.

[0012] Figure 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of vehicle 100. In this embodiment, vehicle 100 is configured to be driven by remote control. Vehicle 100 includes a pair of left and right front wheels 101 and a pair of left and right rear wheels 102. Vehicle 100 includes a vehicle control device 110 that controls various parts of vehicle 100, an actuator group 120 that is driven under the control of the vehicle control device 110, and a communication device 130 for communicating with the outside of vehicle 100. The actuator group 120 includes at least one actuator. In this embodiment, the actuator group 120 includes an actuator for a drive system that generates the propulsion force of vehicle 100, an actuator for a steering system that changes the direction of travel of vehicle 100, and an actuator for a braking system that generates the braking force of vehicle 100.

[0013] The vehicle control device 110 is comprised of a computer comprising a processor 111, a memory 112, an input / output interface 113, and an internal bus 114. The processor 111, the memory 112, and the input / output interface 113 are connected via the internal bus 114 to enable bidirectional communication. The input / output interface 113 is connected to an actuator group 120 and a communication device 130. The communication device 130 communicates with the server device 200 via wireless communication.

[0014] The processor 111 functions as a driving control unit 195 by executing a computer program PG1 pre-stored in memory 112. The driving control unit 195 controls the driving of the vehicle 100. If there is a passenger in the vehicle 100, the driving control unit 195 can drive the vehicle 100 by controlling the actuator group 120 in accordance with the passenger's operation. Regardless of whether there is a passenger in the vehicle 100 or not, the driving control unit 195 can drive the vehicle 100 by controlling the actuator group 120 using a driving control signal received from the server device 200. The driving control signal is a control signal for controlling the driving of the vehicle 100. In this embodiment, the driving control signal includes the acceleration and steering angle of the vehicle 100 as parameters. Alternatively, the driving control signal may include the speed of the vehicle 100 as a parameter instead of the acceleration of the vehicle 100, or in addition to the acceleration of the vehicle 100.

[0015] Figure 3 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the server device 200. The server device 200 is located outside the vehicle 100. The server device 200 consists of a computer comprising a processor 201, memory 202, input / output interface 203, and internal bus 204. The processor 201, memory 202, and input / output interface 203 are connected via the internal bus 204 to enable bidirectional communication. A communication device 205 for communicating with the outside of the server device 200 is connected to the input / output interface 203. In this embodiment, the communication device 205 communicates with the vehicle 100 via wireless communication and with the external sensor 300 and inspection control device 450 via wired or wireless communication.

[0016] The processor 201 functions as a location information acquisition unit 211, a vehicle remote control unit 212, and an inspection remote control unit 213 by executing a computer program PG2 pre-stored in memory 202. The location information acquisition unit 211 acquires location information of the vehicle 100 using an external sensor 300. As shown in Figure 1, the external sensor 300 is located outside the vehicle 100. In this embodiment, the external sensor 300 is a camera. The external sensor 300 is equipped with a communication device (not shown) and communicates with the server device 200 via wired or wireless communication.

[0017] The vehicle remote control unit 212 remotely controls the vehicle 100. In this embodiment, the vehicle remote control unit 212 generates a driving control signal, which is a control signal for controlling the movement of the vehicle 100, and transmits the driving control signal to the vehicle 100, thereby causing the vehicle 100 to move via remote control.

[0018] The inspection remote control unit 213 remotely controls the inspection device 400. In this embodiment, the inspection remote control unit 213 generates an operation control signal, which is a control signal that controls the operation of the inspection device 400, and transmits the operation control signal to the inspection device 400, thereby operating the inspection device 400 by remote control.

[0019] Memory 202 pre-stores vehicle information ZV relating to the dimensions of vehicle 100. Vehicle information ZV includes information regarding the wheel spacing of vehicle 100. In this embodiment, vehicle information ZV includes information regarding the wheel spacing of vehicle 100, specifically the wheelbase length of vehicle 100. Here, wheelbase refers to the distance between the rotation axis of the front wheel 101 and the rotation axis of the rear wheel 102. In this embodiment, vehicle information ZV is used for remote control of vehicle 100 by the vehicle remote control unit 212 and for remote control of the inspection device 400 by the inspection remote control unit 213. For example, the inner wheel difference when vehicle 100 turns a curve differs depending on the wheelbase length of vehicle 100. Therefore, the vehicle remote control unit 212 uses vehicle information ZV to remotely control vehicle 100, thereby executing vehicle 100 driving according to the wheelbase length of vehicle 100. In this embodiment, adjustment of the inspection device 400 is necessary according to the wheelbase length of vehicle 100. Therefore, prior to the inspection of the vehicle 100 by the inspection device 400, the inspection remote control unit 213 remotely controls the inspection device 400 using vehicle information ZV to adjust the inspection device 400 according to the length of the vehicle 100's wheelbase. In this disclosure, the memory 202 may be referred to as the storage unit, and the processor 201 may be referred to as the control unit.

[0020] Figure 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the inspection device 400 and the inspection control device 450. The inspection device 400 is used to inspect the vehicle 100. The inspection device 400 comprises a stage 410, a first support 420, a second support 430, and an actuator 440 that changes the distance between the first support 420 and the second support 430.

[0021] Stage 410 is installed on the floor of the factory fuel cell (FC). A first support 420 and a second support 430 are provided on Stage 410. The first support 420 supports the first wheel of the vehicle 100, and the second support 430 supports the second wheel of the vehicle 100. In this embodiment, the first wheel is the front wheel 101, and the second wheel is the rear wheel 102. That is, in this embodiment, the first support 420 supports the front wheel 101, and the second support 430 supports the rear wheel 102. In the following description, the first support 420 that supports the front wheel 101 will be referred to as the front wheel support 420, and the second support 430 that supports the rear wheel 102 will be referred to as the rear wheel support 430.

[0022] In this embodiment, the front wheel support 420 includes four front wheel rollers 421 that are rotatable while supporting the front wheel 101. The front wheel support 420 supports one front wheel 101 with two front wheel rollers 421 arranged front to back. The front wheel rollers 421 are configured to be rotatable by a motor (not shown) while supporting the front wheel 101. In this embodiment, the rear wheel support 430 includes two rear wheel rollers 431 that are rotatable while supporting the rear wheel 102. The rear wheel support 430 supports the rear wheel 102 with one rear wheel roller 431. The diameter of the rear wheel roller 431 is larger than the diameter of the front wheel roller 421. The rear wheel roller 431 is configured to be rotatable by a motor (not shown) while supporting the rear wheel 102. In this embodiment, the inspection device 400 is provided with a rotation speed sensor (not shown) for detecting the rotation speed of the rollers 421 and 431, and a braking force sensor (not shown) for detecting the braking force of the vehicle 100. The front wheel roller 421 is sometimes referred to as the first roller, and the rear wheel roller 431 is sometimes referred to as the second roller.

[0023] The actuator 440 changes the support spacing, which is the distance between the front wheel support 420 and the rear wheel support 430, by moving at least one of the front wheel support 420 and the rear wheel support 430. In this embodiment, the actuator 440 is configured to change the support spacing by moving the rear wheel support 430 along a guide rail 415 provided on the stage 410. However, the actuator 440 may be configured to change the support spacing by moving the front wheel support 420, or by moving both the front wheel support 420 and the rear wheel support 430.

[0024] In this embodiment, the inspection device 400 has the function of a drum tester that inspects the drive system and speedometer of the vehicle 100 by driving the rotation of the wheels 101 and 102 to rotate the rollers 421 and 431, and the function of a brake tester that inspects the braking system of the vehicle 100 by driving the rotation of the rollers 421 and 431 to rotate the wheels 101 and 102. However, the inspection device 400 does not have to have either the drum tester function or the brake tester function. If the inspection device 400 does not have the brake tester function, it does not have to be equipped with a motor to rotate the rollers 421 and 431 and a braking force sensor.

[0025] The inspection control device 450 controls various parts of the inspection device 400. The inspection control device 450 is composed of a computer comprising a processor 451, a memory 452, an input / output interface 453, and an internal bus 454. The processor 451, the memory 452, and the input / output interface 453 are connected via the internal bus 454 so as to be able to communicate bidirectionally. The input / output interface 453 is connected to the actuator 440, a motor that rotates the front wheel roller 421, a motor that rotates the rear wheel roller 431, various sensors of the inspection device 400, and a communication device 455 for communicating with devices other than the inspection device 400. In this embodiment, the communication device 455 communicates with the server device 200 by wireless or wired communication.

[0026] The processor 451 functions as an inspection control unit 491 by executing a computer program PG4 pre-stored in memory 452. The inspection control unit 491 controls each part of the inspection device 400 according to the operation control signals received from the server device 200. Before the vehicle 100 enters the stage 410, the inspection control unit 491 adjusts the distance between the front wheel support 420 and the rear wheel support 430 by controlling the actuator 440 according to the operation control signals received from the server device 200. The operation control signals include the length Lw of the wheelbase of the vehicle 100 as a parameter. The inspection control unit 491 adjusts the distance between the front wheel support 420 and the rear wheel support 430 so that the front wheels 101 of the vehicle 100 are supported by the two front wheel rollers 421 and the rear wheels 102 are supported by the rear wheel roller 431.

[0027] Figure 5 is an explanatory diagram showing how vehicle 100 travels remotely within the factory FC. In this embodiment, the inspection system 10 is used in the factory FC where vehicle 100 is manufactured. The reference coordinate system of the factory FC is the global coordinate system GC, and any position within the factory FC can be represented by the X, Y, Z coordinates in the global coordinate system GC. The factory FC comprises a first location PL1 and a second location PL2. The first location PL1 and the second location PL2 are connected by a track TR on which vehicle 100 can travel. Multiple external sensors 300 are installed along the track TR in the factory FC. The position and orientation of each external sensor 300 in the factory FC are pre-adjusted.

[0028] In this embodiment, the first location PL1 is the location where the vehicle 100 is assembled. At the time of assembly at the first location PL1, the vehicle 100 is equipped with at least the front wheels 101, rear wheels 102, vehicle control device 110, actuator group 120, and communication device 130. Therefore, at the time of assembly at the first location PL1, the vehicle 100 is ready to be driven by remote control. The vehicle 100 assembled at the first location PL1 is moved from the first location PL1 to the second location PL2 via the track TR by remote control from the server device 200. Prior to starting remote control of the vehicle 100, the server device 200 obtains the identification number of the vehicle 100 to be remotely controlled. For example, when a vehicle 100 with a two-dimensional code containing its identification number is placed at a predetermined starting position, and a factory FC worker reads the two-dimensional code attached to the vehicle 100 using a reader, the identification number of the vehicle 100 is transmitted from the reader to the server device 200. The second location PL2 is where the vehicle 100 is inspected. An inspection device 400 is located at the second location PL2. After passing the inspection at the second location PL2, the vehicle 100 is shipped out from the factory FC.

[0029] In this embodiment, the server device 200 can operate multiple vehicles 100 simultaneously and in parallel by remotely controlling them simultaneously and in parallel. When operating multiple vehicles 100 simultaneously and in parallel, the server device 200 transmits a driving control signal to each vehicle 100 corresponding to the reference path RR of each vehicle 100 and the current position and orientation of each vehicle 100.

[0030] Figure 6 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure for controlling the driving of vehicle 100 in this embodiment. In step S1, the processor 201 of the server device 200 acquires vehicle position information using the detection result output from the external sensor 300. The vehicle position information is the position information that forms the basis for generating the driving control signal. In this embodiment, the vehicle position information includes the position and orientation of vehicle 100 in the global coordinate system GC of the factory FC. Specifically, in step S1, the processor 201 acquires vehicle position information using the captured image acquired from the camera, which is the external sensor 300.

[0031] In detail, in step S1, the processor 201 detects the outline of the vehicle 100 from the captured image, calculates the coordinates of the vehicle 100's positioning point in the coordinate system of the captured image, i.e., the local coordinate system, and obtains the position of the vehicle 100 by converting the calculated coordinates to coordinates in the global coordinate system GC. The outline of the vehicle 100 included in the captured image can be detected, for example, by inputting the captured image into a detection model DM that utilizes artificial intelligence. The detection model DM is prepared, for example, within or outside the inspection system 10 and pre-stored in the memory 202 of the server device 200. Examples of the detection model DM include a pre-trained machine learning model that has been trained to implement either semantic segmentation or instance segmentation. As this machine learning model, for example, a convolutional neural network (CNN) trained by supervised learning using a training dataset can be used. The training dataset includes, for example, multiple training images containing vehicle 100, and labels indicating whether each region in the training images represents vehicle 100 or something other than vehicle 100. During CNN training, it is preferable to update the CNN parameters using backpropagation to reduce the error between the output result of the detection model DM and the labels. Furthermore, the processor 201 can obtain the orientation of vehicle 100 by, for example, using the optical flow method, estimating it based on the direction of the vehicle 100's movement vector calculated from the positional changes of the vehicle 100's feature points between frames of the captured images.

[0032] In step S2, the processor 201 of the server device 200 determines the next target location to which the vehicle 100 should go. In this embodiment, the target location is represented by X, Y, Z coordinates in the global coordinate system GC. The memory 202 of the server device 200 pre-stores a reference route RR, which is the route that the vehicle 100 should travel. The route is represented by a node indicating the starting point, nodes indicating waypoints, a node indicating the destination, and links connecting each node. The processor 201 uses the vehicle position information and the reference route RR to determine the next target location to which the vehicle 100 should go. The processor 201 determines the target location on the reference route RR beyond the current location of the vehicle 100.

[0033] In step S3, the processor 201 of the server device 200 generates a driving control signal to drive the vehicle 100 toward the determined target position. The processor 201 calculates the vehicle's speed from the change in the vehicle's position and compares the calculated speed with the target speed. Overall, the processor 201 determines the acceleration so that the vehicle 100 accelerates if the speed is lower than the target speed, and determines the acceleration so that the vehicle 100 decelerates if the speed is higher than the target speed. Furthermore, if the vehicle 100 is located on the reference path RR, the processor 201 determines the steering angle and acceleration so that the vehicle 100 does not deviate from the reference path RR, and if the vehicle 100 is not located on the reference path RR, in other words, if the vehicle 100 has deviated from the reference path RR, the processor 201 determines the steering angle and acceleration so that the vehicle 100 returns to the reference path RR.

[0034] In step S4, the processor 201 of the server device 200 transmits the generated driving control signal to the vehicle 100. The processor 201 repeats the acquisition of vehicle position information, determination of target position, generation of driving control signal, and transmission of driving control signal at predetermined intervals.

[0035] In step S5, the processor 111 of the vehicle control device 110 receives a driving control signal transmitted from the server device 200. In step S6, the processor 111 controls the actuator group 120 using the received driving control signal, thereby driving the vehicle 100 at the acceleration and steering angle indicated in the driving control signal. The processor 111 repeats the reception of the driving control signal and the control of the actuator group 120 at predetermined intervals. According to the inspection system 10 in this embodiment, the vehicle 100 can be driven by remote control, and the vehicle 100 can be moved without using transport equipment such as cranes or conveyors.

[0036] As shown in Figure 1, the vehicle remote control unit 212 of the server device 200 remotely controls the vehicle 100 to drive it onto the inspection device 400 and stop the vehicle 100 on the inspection device 400. Here, in order for the inspection device 400 to inspect the vehicle 100, as shown in Figure 4, the front wheels 101 of the vehicle 100 must be supported by the two front wheel rollers 421 of the inspection device 400, and the rear wheels 102 of the vehicle 100 must be supported by the rear wheel rollers 431 of the inspection device 400. For this reason, before the vehicle 100 enters the inspection device 400, the distance between the front wheel support 420 equipped with the front wheel rollers 421 and the rear wheel support 430 equipped with the rear wheel rollers 431 must be adjusted according to the length of the wheelbase of the vehicle 100. In the following description, the adjustment of the distance between the front wheel support 420 and the rear wheel support 430 will be referred to as the adjustment of the inspection device 400. If the inspection device 400 has not been adjusted by the time vehicle 100 arrives at the entrance to the inspection device 400, vehicle 100 must wait before entering the inspection device 400 until the adjustment of the inspection device 400 is completed. Therefore, in this embodiment, in order to suppress the waiting time for vehicle 100, the operation of the inspection device 400 is controlled as follows.

[0037] Figure 7 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure for controlling the operation of the inspection device 400. Figure 8 is an explanatory diagram showing how the inspection device 400 is adjusted. In this embodiment, the processor 201 of the server device 200 repeatedly performs operation control of the inspection device 400.

[0038] As shown in Figure 7, in step S110, the processor 201 of the server device 200 identifies the vehicle 100 that will next be inspected by the inspection device 400. In the following description, the vehicle 100 that will next be inspected by the inspection device 400 will be referred to as the target vehicle. In this embodiment, the processor 201 determines which vehicle 100 will next enter the inspection device 400. Therefore, the processor 201 identifies the vehicle 100 that it has decided will next enter the inspection device 400 as the target vehicle.

[0039] In step S120, the processor 201 of the server device 200 determines whether predetermined preparation start conditions have been met. In this embodiment, the preparation start conditions include the following conditions A and B. The processor 201 determines that the preparation start conditions have been met if both conditions A and B are met. Condition A: The target vehicle has entered the predetermined first area RG1 (see Figure 8). Condition B: The preceding vehicle has left the inspection device 400. Here, the preceding vehicle refers to the vehicle 100 that is inspected by the inspection device 400 immediately before the target vehicle. The preceding vehicle is identified by the processor 201 in the previous operation control. Note that if there is no preceding vehicle, such as during the first inspection by the inspection device 400, condition B may not be included in the preparation start condition.

[0040] As shown in Figure 8, the first region RG1 is provided to include the travel path of the target vehicle in front of the inspection device 400. Preferably, the range of the first region RG1 is provided to be wide enough so that the target vehicle that enters the first region RG1 does not have to slow down or stop to wait until the adjustment of the inspection device 400 is completed. In this embodiment, the processor 201 of the server device 200 has vehicle position information of the target vehicle. In addition, the memory 202 of the server device 200 has a map MP indicating the range of the first region RG1 stored in advance. Therefore, the processor 201 can determine whether condition A is met using the vehicle position information of the target vehicle and the map MP. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the processor 201 can determine whether condition B is met using external sensors 300 provided around the inspection device 400.

[0041] As shown in Figure 7, if it is determined in step S120 that the preparation start condition is not met, the processor 201 of the server device 200 executes the process of step S120 again after a predetermined time has elapsed. If it is determined in step S120 that the preparation start condition is met, the server device 200 obtains the wheelbase length of the target vehicle in step S130. In this embodiment, the memory 202 of the server device 200 stores vehicle information ZV for each vehicle 100, associated with the identification information of each vehicle 100. The processor 201 obtains the wheelbase length of the target vehicle by referring to the vehicle information ZV stored in the memory 202.

[0042] In step S140, the processor 201 of the server device 200 adjusts the support spacing, which is the distance between the front wheel support 420 and the rear wheel support 430 of the inspection device 400, according to the wheelbase length of the vehicle to be inspected. In this embodiment, the processor 201 remotely controls the actuator 440 of the inspection device 400 to adjust the support spacing so that the distance Ls between the center position of the front wheel roller 421 and the center position of the rear wheel roller 431 matches the wheelbase length Lw of the vehicle to be inspected. After the adjustment of the support spacing is completed, the processor 201 proceeds to step S150.

[0043] In step S150, the processor 201 of the server device 200 determines whether predetermined inspection start conditions have been met. In this embodiment, the inspection start conditions include the target vehicle stopping on the inspection device 400. The processor 201 can determine whether the target vehicle has stopped on the inspection device 400 using external sensors 300 provided around the inspection device 400.

[0044] If it is determined in step S150 that the inspection start conditions are not met, the processor 201 of the server device 200 executes the process of step S150 again after a predetermined time has elapsed. If it is determined in step S150 that the inspection start conditions are met, the processor 201 executes the inspection of the target vehicle using the inspection device 400 in step S160.

[0045] Subsequently, the processor 201 of the server device 200 terminates the operation control of the inspection device 400. After a predetermined time has elapsed, the processor 201 resumes operation control. In the next operation control, the vehicle 100 to be inspected by the inspection device 400 after the current target vehicle is identified as the new target vehicle. In the next operation control, the current target vehicle becomes the preceding vehicle.

[0046] In this disclosure, the method executed by the operation control of the inspection device 400 described above may be referred to as the inspection method. The process from step S110 to step S140 may be referred to as the preparation process, and the process from step S150 to step S160 may be referred to as the inspection process.

[0047] Figure 8 is an explanatory diagram showing how the inspection device 400 is adjusted. Figure 8 shows two vehicles 100A and 100B. Vehicle 100A is the lead vehicle, and vehicle 100B is the target vehicle. As shown in the upper part of Figure 8, the server device 200 brings the target vehicle 100B closer to the inspection device 400 while the inspection device 400 is inspecting the lead vehicle 100A. However, the server device 200 may start the approach of the target vehicle 100B to the inspection device 400 after the inspection device 400 has finished inspecting the lead vehicle 100A. After the inspection device 400 has finished inspecting the lead vehicle 100A, the server device 200 moves the lead vehicle 100A away from the inspection device 400.

[0048] As shown in the lower part of Figure 8, when the server device 200 detects that the target vehicle 100B approaching the inspection device 400 has entered the first area RG1, it starts adjusting the inspection device 400 according to the length of the target vehicle 100B's wheelbase. If the wheelbase of the target vehicle 100B is shorter than the wheelbase of the preceding vehicle 100A, the support spacing of the inspection device 400 is reduced. If the wheelbase of the target vehicle 100B is longer than the wheelbase of the preceding vehicle 100A, the support spacing of the inspection device 400 is increased. If the wheelbase of the target vehicle 100B is the same as the wheelbase of the preceding vehicle 100A, the support spacing of the inspection device 400 is not changed. The time required from the start to the end of the adjustment of the inspection device 400 is shorter than the time required from the entry of the target vehicle 100B into the first area RG1 until it arrives at the entrance of the inspection device 400 under normal driving conditions. Normal driving here refers to driving without unnecessary deceleration or stopping. Therefore, by the time the target vehicle 100B arrives at the entrance to the inspection device 400, the adjustment of the inspection device 400 is completed. Consequently, the target vehicle 100B can enter the inspection device 400 without stopping at the entrance to the inspection device 400.

[0049] According to the inspection system 10 of this embodiment described above, the server device 200 adjusts the inspection device 400 according to the length of the wheelbase of the target vehicle before the target vehicle arrives at the entrance to the inspection device 400. Therefore, the waiting time for the target vehicle from the time it arrives at the entrance to the inspection device 400 until the adjustment of the inspection device 400 is completed can be shortened. In particular, in this embodiment, the server device 200 adjusts the inspection device 400 so that the adjustment of the inspection device 400 is completed before the target vehicle arrives at the entrance to the inspection device 400. Therefore, the waiting time for the target vehicle from the time it arrives at the entrance to the inspection device 400 until the adjustment of the inspection device 400 is completed can be reduced to zero.

[0050] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the server device 200 remotely controls the multiple vehicles 100 to be inspected by the inspection device 400, causing the multiple vehicles 100 to enter the inspection device 400 in the order they will be inspected. As a result, the server device 200 can easily identify the target vehicle from among the multiple vehicles 100. In addition, in this embodiment, it is possible to prevent vehicles 100 that are not the target vehicle from entering the inspection device 400.

[0051] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the preparation start condition for initiating the adjustment of the inspection device 400 includes the entry of the target vehicle into the first area RG1. Therefore, the adjustment of the inspection device 400 can be started at an appropriate timing.

[0052] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the preparation start condition for initiating the adjustment of the inspection device 400 includes the fact that the preceding vehicle has left the inspection device 400. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the adjustment of the inspection device 400 from starting at an inappropriate time when the preceding vehicle is located on the inspection device 400.

[0053] B. Second Embodiment: Figure 9 is an explanatory diagram showing how the inspection device 400 is adjusted in the inspection system 10 of the second embodiment. In the second embodiment, the adjustment of the inspection device 400 is initiated based on the position of a preceding vehicle, rather than based on the position of the target vehicle, which is different from the first embodiment. Otherwise, it is the same as the first embodiment unless otherwise specified.

[0054] Figure 9 shows two vehicles 100A and 100B. Vehicle 100A is the lead vehicle, and vehicle 100B is the target vehicle. In this embodiment, the server device 200, in step S120 of the operation control shown in Figure 7, adjusts the distance between the front wheel support 420 and the rear wheel support 430 according to the length of the wheelbase of the target vehicle when it determines that the following preparation start conditions have been met. The preparation start conditions include the following condition C in place of conditions A and B. Condition C: The preceding vehicle has entered the second area RG2.

[0055] As shown in Figure 9, the second region RG2 is located outside the inspection device 400. More specifically, the second region RG2 is located away from the inspection device 400 and is configured to include the travel path behind the inspection device 400. In this embodiment, the memory 202 of the server device 200 has a map MP pre-stored in it that shows the extent of the second region RG2.

[0056] According to the inspection system 10 of this embodiment described above, when the server device 200 detects that the preceding vehicle 100A has entered the second area RG2 outside the inspection device 400, it starts adjusting the inspection device 400 according to the wheelbase length of the target vehicle 100B. Therefore, it is possible to start adjusting the inspection device 400 according to the wheelbase length of the target vehicle 100B at an appropriate timing. In addition, in this embodiment, it is possible to effectively prevent the adjustment of the inspection device 400 from starting while the preceding vehicle 100A is positioned on the inspection device 400.

[0057] C. Third Embodiment: Figure 10 is an explanatory diagram showing how the inspection device 400 is adjusted in the inspection system 10 of the third embodiment. In the third embodiment, the adjustment of the inspection device 400 is initiated at a predetermined interval, rather than being initiated based on the position of the vehicle 100, which is different from the first embodiment. Otherwise, it is the same as the first embodiment unless otherwise specified.

[0058] In this embodiment, the server device 200 remotely controls the movement of multiple vehicles 100A to 100C so that they arrive at the entrance of the inspection device 400 at predetermined intervals. The server device 200 performs inspections of each vehicle 100A to 100C using the inspection device 400 at intervals corresponding to the above cycle. In this embodiment, in step S120 of the operation control shown in Figure 7, if it is determined that the following preparation start conditions are met, the adjustment of the inspection device 400 according to the wheelbase length of the target vehicle is started. The preparation start conditions include the following condition D in place of conditions A to B. Condition D: A predetermined amount of time has elapsed since the start of the previous adjustment of the inspection device 400.

[0059] As shown in Figure 10, for example, 0.5 cycles after the inspection of the preceding vehicle 100A, which is inspected by the inspection device 400 immediately before the target vehicle 100B, begins, the inspection device 400 begins to adjust according to the wheelbase length of the target vehicle 100B. At the time when the adjustment of the inspection device 400 according to the wheelbase length of the target vehicle 100B begins, the preceding vehicle 100A has already left the inspection device 400. 1 cycle after the inspection of the preceding vehicle 100A begins, the inspection of the target vehicle 100B begins. 1.5 cycles after the inspection of the preceding vehicle 100A begins, the inspection device 400 begins to adjust according to the wheelbase length of the following vehicle 100C, which is inspected by the inspection device 400 immediately after the target vehicle 100B. At the time when the adjustment of the inspection device 400 according to the wheelbase length of the following vehicle 100C begins, the target vehicle 100B has already left the inspection device 400. In this embodiment, if there is a delay in the arrival time of each vehicle 100A to 100C to the inspection device 400, the server device 200 delays the cycle count by the amount of the arrival time delay.

[0060] According to the inspection system 10 of this embodiment described above, adjustment of the inspection device 400 can be started at an appropriate timing without having to provide a first region RG1 or a second region RG2 as in the first and second embodiments.

[0061] D. Fourth Embodiment: Figure 11 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the vehicle 100 included in the inspection system 10 of the fourth embodiment. Figure 12 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the server device 200 included in the inspection system 10 of the fourth embodiment. The inspection system 10 of the fourth embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the vehicle 100 is driven by autonomous control of the vehicle 100 rather than by remote control from the server device 200. Otherwise, it is the same as the first embodiment unless otherwise specified.

[0062] As shown in Figure 11, in this embodiment, the reference path RR and detection model DM are pre-stored in the memory 112 of the vehicle control device 110. The communication device 130 can communicate with other vehicles and the server device 200 via wireless communication. The processor 111 of the vehicle control device 110 functions as a position information acquisition unit 191 and a driving control unit 195 by executing the computer program PG1 pre-stored in the memory 112. The position information acquisition unit 191 acquires the vehicle's position information using the detection results of the external sensor 300. The driving control unit 195 generates a driving control signal using the vehicle's position information and drives the vehicle 100.

[0063] As shown in Figure 12, in this embodiment, the processor 201 of the server device 200 functions as a location information acquisition unit 211 and an inspection remote control unit 213 by executing a computer program PG2 pre-stored in memory 202. In this embodiment, the location information acquisition unit 211 acquires vehicle location information from the vehicle 100. The inspection remote control unit 213 remotely controls the inspection device 400. In this embodiment, the server device 200 is not provided with the vehicle remote control unit 212 shown in Figure 3. The reference path RR and detection model DM shown in Figure 3 are not stored in memory 202.

[0064] Figure 13 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure for controlling the vehicle 100's movement in this embodiment. In step S21, the processor 111 of the vehicle control device 110 acquires vehicle position information using the detection result output from the camera, which is an external sensor 300. In step S22, the processor 111 determines the target position to which the vehicle 100 should next go. In step S23, the processor 111 generates a driving control signal to drive the vehicle 100 toward the determined target position. In step S24, the processor 111 controls the actuator group 120 using the generated driving control signal to drive the vehicle 100 according to the parameters expressed in the driving control signal. The processor 111 repeats the acquisition of vehicle position information, determination of the target position, generation of the driving control signal, and control of the actuator group 120 at predetermined intervals. Therefore, according to the inspection system 10 in this embodiment, the vehicle 100 can be driven by autonomous control of the vehicle 100 without remote control of the vehicle 100 by the server device 200.

[0065] In this embodiment, each vehicle 100 determines the order in which to enter each other's inspection devices 400 based on predetermined rules through vehicle-to-vehicle communication using a communication device 130. Each vehicle 100 determines the order in which to enter each other's inspection devices 400 based on rules such as the order in which the vehicles 100 are closest to each other or the order in which the vehicles 100 were shipped. Each vehicle 100 transmits the result of the entry order determination to the server device 200. Each vehicle 100 enters the inspection device 400 according to the result of the entry order determination.

[0066] In step S110 of the operation control shown in Figure 7, the server device 200 obtains the entry order determination result from each vehicle 100 and identifies the target vehicle based on the entry order determination result. In step S120 of the operation control shown in Figure 7, the server device 200 determines whether the preparation start condition has been met. In this embodiment, as in the first embodiment, the preparation start condition includes the entry of the target vehicle into the first area RG1. The server device 200 can determine whether the target vehicle has entered the first area RG1 using the vehicle position information obtained from the target vehicle and the map MP pre-stored in the memory 202. In addition, the preparation start condition may also include the entry of the preceding vehicle into the second area RG2, as in the second embodiment. In this case, the server device 200 can determine whether the preceding vehicle has entered the second area RG2 using the vehicle position information obtained from the preceding vehicle and the map MP pre-stored in the memory 202. Furthermore, the preparation start condition may be the same as in the third embodiment.

[0067] According to the inspection system 10 of this embodiment described above, each vehicle 100 can be driven to the inspection device 400 without remote control of each vehicle 100 by the server device 200. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the adjustment of the inspection device 400 according to the wheelbase length of the target vehicle can be started at an appropriate timing.

[0068] E. Fifth Embodiment: Figure 14 is an explanatory diagram showing how the inspection device 400 is adjusted in the inspection system 10 of the fifth embodiment. In the fifth embodiment, the server device 200 differs from the fourth embodiment in that if a change in the target vehicle occurs between the time the target vehicle is identified and the inspection of the target vehicle by the inspection device 400 begins, the operation control shown in Figure 7 is restarted from step S110. Otherwise, it is the same as the fourth embodiment unless otherwise specified.

[0069] As shown in Figure 14, in this embodiment, between the first vehicle 100A and the second vehicle 100B, it is determined that the second vehicle 100B will be inspected by the inspection device 400 after the first vehicle 100A, and the determination result is transmitted to the server device 200. Subsequently, if a third vehicle 100C is newly introduced, the first vehicle 100A and the second vehicle 100B re-determine the inspection order by the inspection device 400, including the third vehicle 100C, and transmit the re-determined result to the server device 200. If the re-determined result determines that the third vehicle 100C will be inspected by the inspection device 400 after the first vehicle 100A, and then the second vehicle 100B will be inspected by the inspection device 400 after the third vehicle 100C, the server device 200 restarts the operation control shown in Figure 7 from step S110. Therefore, after the first vehicle 100A has left the inspection device 400, and before the third vehicle 100C arrives at the inspection device 400, the inspection device 400 can be adjusted according to the wheelbase length of the third vehicle 100C.

[0070] According to the inspection system 10 of this embodiment described above, even if there is a change in the inspection order of each vehicle 100 by the inspection device 400, the inspection device 400 can be appropriately adjusted. In the fifth embodiment, the server device 200 may remotely control the movement of each vehicle 100A to 100C.

[0071] F. Other embodiments: (F1) In each of the above embodiments, the vehicle 100 travels to the inspection device 400 by unmanned operation. Alternatively, the vehicle 100 may travel to the inspection device 400 by manned operation. In this case as well, the waiting time of the vehicle 100 can be suppressed.

[0072] (F2) In each of the above embodiments, the inspection device 400 is configured to support the front wheel 101 of the vehicle 100 with the first support 420 and the rear wheel of the vehicle 100 with the second support 430, and the server device 200 adjusts the distance between the first support 420 and the second support 430 according to the length of the wheelbase of the vehicle 100. Alternatively, the inspection device 400 may be configured to support the left wheel of the vehicle 100 with the first support 420 and the right wheel of the vehicle 100 with the second support 430, and the server device 200 may adjust the distance between the first support 420 and the second support 430 according to the distance between the left wheel and the right wheel of the vehicle 100.

[0073] (F3) In each of the above embodiments, the first support 420 and the second support 430 are equipped with rollers 421 and 431 that can rotate while supporting the vehicle 100. In contrast, at least one of the first support 420 and the second support 430 may not be equipped with rollers 421 and 431.

[0074] (F4) In the first embodiment described above, the memory 202 of the server device 200 has a map MP indicating the range of the first area RG1 pre-stored in the memory 202, and the server device 200 uses the vehicle position information of the target vehicle and the map MP to determine whether or not the target vehicle has entered the first area RG1. Alternatively, the server device 200 may determine whether or not the target vehicle has entered the first area RG1 without using the map MP. For example, the server device 200 may determine that the target vehicle has entered the first area RG1 when the X,Y coordinates indicated in the vehicle position information of the target vehicle exceed a predetermined threshold. In this case, the memory 202 may store the threshold in advance instead of the map MP. Alternatively, the server device 200 may use a sensor provided at the boundary line of the first area RG1 to detect that the target vehicle has entered the first area RG1.

[0075] (F5) In the second embodiment described above, the memory 202 of the server device 200 has a map MP indicating the range of the second region RG2 pre-stored in the memory 202, and the server device 200 uses the vehicle position information of the preceding vehicle and the map MP to determine whether or not the preceding vehicle has entered the second region RG2. Alternatively, the server device 200 may determine whether or not the preceding vehicle has entered the second region RG2 without using the map MP. For example, the server device 200 may determine that the preceding vehicle has entered the second region RG2 when the X,Y coordinates indicated in the vehicle position information of the preceding vehicle exceed a predetermined threshold. In this case, the memory 202 may store the threshold in place of the map MP. Alternatively, the server device 200 may use a sensor installed at the boundary line of the second region RG2 to detect that the preceding vehicle has entered the second region RG2.

[0076] (F6) In each of the above embodiments, the server device 200 may start adjusting the inspection device 400 according to the wheelbase length of the target vehicle when it determines in step S120 of the operation control shown in Figure 7 that the following preparation start conditions have been met. The vehicle in question has started moving towards inspection device 400. In this context, when we say that the target vehicle has started moving toward the inspection device 400, it may mean, for example, that the target vehicle that was parked at the first location PL1 has started moving toward the inspection device 400 at the second location PL2, or that the target vehicle that was parked between the first location PL1 and the second location PL2 has started moving toward the inspection device 400 at the second location PL2.

[0077] (F7) In each of the above embodiments, the inspection system 10 is provided with a server device 200 and an inspection control device 450 as separate components. In contrast, the inspection system 10 may be provided with a device in which the server device 200 and the inspection control device 450 are integrated. In this case, the device in which the server device 200 and the inspection control device 450 are integrated corresponds to the control device in this disclosure.

[0078] G. Other embodiments: (G1) In each of the above embodiments, the external sensor 300 is not limited to a camera, but may be, for example, a distance measuring device. The distance measuring device may be, for example, LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging). In this case, the detection result output by the external sensor 300 may be 3D point cloud data representing the vehicle 100. In this case, the server device 200 and the vehicle 100 may acquire vehicle position information by template matching using the 3D point cloud data as the detection result and pre-prepared reference point cloud data.

[0079] (G2) In the first to third embodiments described above, the server device 200 performs the processing from acquiring vehicle position information to generating driving control signals. In contrast, the vehicle 100 may perform at least a part of the processing from acquiring vehicle position information to generating driving control signals. For example, the following forms (1) to (3) may also be used.

[0080] (1) The server device 200 may acquire vehicle position information, determine the next target location that vehicle 100 should head to, and generate a route from the vehicle 100's current location, as shown in the acquired vehicle position information, to the target location. The server device 200 may generate a route to the target location between the current location and the destination, or it may generate a route to the destination. The server device 200 may transmit the generated route to vehicle 100. Vehicle 100 may generate a driving control signal so that vehicle 100 travels along the route received from the server device 200, and may use the generated driving control signal to control the actuator group 120.

[0081] (2) The server device 200 may acquire vehicle position information and transmit the acquired vehicle position information to the vehicle 100. The vehicle 100 may determine the next target location to which the vehicle 100 should go, generate a route from the vehicle 100's current location shown in the received vehicle position information to the target location, generate a driving control signal so that the vehicle 100 travels along the generated route, and control the actuator group 120 using the generated driving control signal.

[0082] (3) In the embodiments of (1) and (2) above, the vehicle 100 is equipped with internal sensors, and the detection results output from the internal sensors may be used in at least one of the generation of a route and the generation of a driving control signal. The internal sensors are sensors mounted on the vehicle 100. The internal sensors may include, for example, sensors that detect the motion state of the vehicle 100, sensors that detect the operating state of each part of the vehicle 100, and sensors that detect the environment around the vehicle 100. Specifically, the internal sensors may include, for example, cameras, LiDAR, millimeter-wave radar, ultrasonic sensors, GPS sensors, acceleration sensors, gyro sensors, etc. For example, in the embodiment of (1) above, the server device 200 may acquire the detection results of the internal sensors and reflect the detection results of the internal sensors in the route when generating a route. In the embodiment of (1) above, the vehicle 100 may acquire the detection results of the internal sensors and reflect the detection results of the internal sensors in the driving control signal when generating a driving control signal. In the embodiment of (2) above, the vehicle 100 may acquire the detection results of the internal sensors and reflect the detection results of the internal sensors in the route when generating a route. In the embodiment described in (2) above, the vehicle 100 may acquire the detection results of the internal sensors and reflect the detection results of the internal sensors in the driving control signal when generating the driving control signal.

[0083] (G3) In the fourth and fifth embodiments described above, the vehicle 100 is equipped with internal sensors, and the detection results output from the internal sensors may be used in at least one of the generation of the route and the generation of the driving control signal. For example, the vehicle 100 may acquire the detection results from the internal sensors and reflect the detection results from the internal sensors in the route when generating the route. The vehicle 100 may acquire the detection results from the internal sensors and reflect the detection results from the internal sensors in the driving control signal when generating the driving control signal.

[0084] (G4) In the fourth and fifth embodiments described above, the vehicle 100 acquires vehicle position information using the detection results of the external sensor 300. Alternatively, the vehicle 100 may be equipped with an internal sensor, which can acquire vehicle position information using the detection results of the internal sensor, determine the next target location to which the vehicle 100 should go, generate a route from the vehicle 100's current location to the target location as shown in the acquired vehicle position information, generate a driving control signal for traveling along the generated route, and control the actuator group 120 using the generated driving control signal. In this case, the vehicle 100 can travel without using the detection results of the external sensor 300 at all. The vehicle 100 may also acquire the target arrival time and congestion information from outside the vehicle 100 and reflect the target arrival time and congestion information in at least one of the route and the driving control signal.

[0085] (G5) In the first to third embodiments described above, the server device 200 automatically generates driving control signals to be transmitted to the vehicle 100. Alternatively, the server device 200 may generate driving control signals to be transmitted to the vehicle 100 in accordance with the operations of an external operator located outside the vehicle 100. For example, an external operator may operate a control device that includes a display for displaying captured images output from an external sensor 300, a steering wheel for remotely controlling the vehicle 100, an accelerator pedal, a brake pedal, and a communication device for communicating with the server device 200 via wired or wireless communication, and the server device 200 may generate driving control signals in accordance with the operations applied to the control device.

[0086] (G6) In each of the above embodiments, the vehicle 100 only needs to have a configuration that allows it to move by unmanned operation, and may be in the form of a platform having the configuration described below. Specifically, in order for the vehicle 100 to perform the three functions of "driving," "turning," and "stopping" by unmanned operation, it only needs to be equipped with at least a vehicle control device 110 and an actuator group 120. When the vehicle 100 acquires information from the outside for unmanned operation, the vehicle 100 may further be equipped with a communication device 130. That is, the vehicle 100 that can move by unmanned operation does not need to have at least some of the interior parts such as the driver's seat and dashboard installed, it does not need to have at least some of the exterior parts such as the bumper and fender installed, and it does not need to have a body shell installed. In this case, the remaining parts such as the body shell may be installed on the vehicle 100 before it is shipped from the factory FC, or the remaining parts such as the body shell may be installed on the vehicle 100 after it has been shipped from the factory FC without the remaining parts such as the body shell installed on it. Each component may be attached to the vehicle 100 from any direction, such as the top, bottom, front, rear, right, or left side, and may be attached from the same direction or from different directions. The positioning of the platform can also be determined in the same way as for the vehicle 100 in the first embodiment.

[0087] (G7) Vehicle 100 may be manufactured by combining multiple modules. A module means a unit composed of one or more parts grouped together according to the configuration and function of vehicle 100. For example, the platform of vehicle 100 may be manufactured by combining a front module that constitutes the front part of the platform, a central module that constitutes the middle part of the platform, and a rear module that constitutes the rear part of the platform. The number of modules that make up the platform is not limited to three, but may be two or fewer, or four or more. In addition to the platform, or in place of the platform, parts of vehicle 100 other than the platform may be modularized. Various modules may also include any exterior parts such as bumpers and grilles, or any interior parts such as seats and consoles. Furthermore, not limited to vehicle 100, any type of mobile body may be manufactured by combining multiple modules. Such modules may be manufactured, for example, by joining multiple parts by welding or fasteners, or by integrally molding at least a part of the module as a single part by casting. The molding method of integrally molding at least a part of a module as a single part is also called gigacast or megacast. By using Gigacast, parts of a mobile body that were conventionally formed by joining multiple components can be formed as single components. For example, the front module, central module, and rear module mentioned above may be manufactured using Gigacast.

[0088] (G8) Transporting vehicle 100 using the unmanned operation of the vehicle 100 is also called "autonomous transport." The configuration for realizing autonomous transport is also called a "vehicle remote control autonomous driving transport system." Furthermore, a production method that uses autonomous transport to produce vehicle 100 is also called "autonomous production." In autonomous production, for example, at a factory fuel cell (FC) that manufactures vehicle 100, at least a portion of the transport of vehicle 100 is realized by autonomous transport.

[0089] (G9) In each of the above embodiments, some or all of the functions and processes implemented in software may be implemented in hardware. Also, some or all of the functions and processes implemented in hardware may be implemented in software. As hardware for implementing the various functions in each of the above embodiments, various circuits such as integrated circuits and discrete circuits may be used.

[0090] This disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be implemented in various configurations without departing from its spirit. For example, the technical features in the embodiments corresponding to the technical features in each form described in the summary of the invention can be replaced or combined as appropriate in order to solve some or all of the above-described problems, or to achieve some or all of the above-described effects. Furthermore, if a technical feature is not described as essential in this specification, it can be deleted as appropriate. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0091] 10...Inspection system, 100...Vehicle, 101...Front wheel, 102...Rear wheel, 110...Vehicle control device, 111...Processor, 112...Memory, 113...Input / output interface, 114...Internal bus, 120...Actuator group, 130...Communication device, 191...Position information acquisition unit, 195...Driving control unit, 200...Server device, 201...Processor, 202...Memory, 203...Input / output interface, 204...Internal bus, 205...Communication device, 211...Position 212...Vehicle remote control unit, 213...Inspection remote control unit, 300...External sensor, 400...Inspection device, 410...Stage, 415...Guide rail, 420...Front wheel support, 421...Front wheel roller, 430...Rear wheel support, 431...Rear wheel roller, 440...Actuator, 450...Inspection control device, 451...Processor, 452...Memory, 453...Input / output interface, 454...Internal bus, 455...Communication device, 491...Inspection control unit

Claims

1. It is an inspection system, An inspection device for inspecting a vehicle, comprising: a first support for supporting the first wheel of the vehicle; a second support for supporting the second wheel of the vehicle; and an actuator for changing the distance between the first support and the second support. A control device for controlling the actuator, wherein before the vehicle arrives at the inspection device, the control device acquires the wheel distance between the first wheel and the second wheel and adjusts the support distance according to the wheel distance, An inspection system equipped with the following features.

2. The inspection system according to claim 1, The control device is an inspection system that drives the vehicle to the inspection device by unmanned operation.

3. The inspection system according to claim 1, The first support has a first roller that is rotatable while supporting the first wheel, An inspection system comprising a second support having a second roller that is rotatable while supporting the second wheel.

4. The inspection system according to claim 1, The control device is an inspection system that adjusts the distance between the support bodies when the vehicle enters a predetermined first area.

5. The inspection system according to claim 1, The control device is an inspection system that adjusts the distance between the support bodies when the vehicle starts moving toward the inspection device.

6. The inspection system according to claim 1, The inspection device inspects multiple vehicles sequentially at predetermined intervals. The control device is an inspection system that adjusts the spacing between the support bodies at timings corresponding to the period.

7. The inspection system according to claim 1, The inspection device inspects multiple vehicles in sequence, The control device is From among the aforementioned multiple vehicles, the vehicle to be inspected first by the inspection device and the vehicle to be inspected next by the inspection device are identified. An inspection system that adjusts the spacing of the support bodies according to the wheel spacing of the target vehicle after the preceding vehicle has left the inspection device and before the target vehicle arrives at the inspection device.

8. The inspection system according to claim 7, The control device is an inspection system that adjusts the spacing between support members according to the wheel spacing of the target vehicle when the preceding vehicle enters a predetermined second area outside the inspection device.

9. The inspection system according to claim 7, An inspection system in which, after the control device identifies the preceding vehicle and the target vehicle, if a third vehicle to be inspected by the inspection device occurs between the inspection of the preceding vehicle and the inspection of the target vehicle, the control device adjusts the distance between the support members according to the distance between the wheels of the third vehicle after the preceding vehicle has left the inspection device and before the third vehicle has arrived at the inspection device.

10. A control device, A storage unit that stores the wheel distance between the first and second wheels of the vehicle, A control unit for controlling an inspection device having a first support for supporting the first wheel of the vehicle, a second support for supporting the second wheel of the vehicle, and an actuator for changing the distance between the first support and the second support, wherein the control unit adjusts the distance between the support according to the distance between the wheels before the vehicle arrives at the inspection device, A control device equipped with the following features.

11. A testing method, An inspection step of inspecting a vehicle using an inspection device having a first support for supporting the first wheel of the vehicle and a second support for supporting the second wheel of the vehicle, A preparatory step is to obtain the wheel distance between the first wheel and the second wheel before the vehicle arrives at the inspection device, and adjust the support distance between the first support and the second support according to the wheel distance. An inspection method comprising the following features.

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