Method for controlling automatic driving of a vehicle

Abstract

A method for controlling automatic driving of a vehicle is provided. [Solution] The present invention relates to a method for controlling automatic driving of a vehicle (1), in which automatic driving is allowed depending on some predetermined conditions. According to the present invention, traffic information and event information are received by the vehicle (1), the traffic information includes location and time references to congestion (S) on a road section (A) ahead of the vehicle (1), the event information includes location and time references to events on the road section (A) ahead, the traffic information and event information are evaluated as "relevant" by the vehicle (1) if they are close in location and time, and automatic driving of the vehicle (1) is not allowed only if the event information and traffic information are evaluated as "irrelevant" even if they are present for a predetermined prediction horizon.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for controlling automatic driving of a vehicle, in which automatic driving is permitted depending on some predetermined conditions.

[0002] From the patent document 1 below, a method for autonomously driving a vehicle on a driving section ahead is known. Autonomous driving is only allowed if one or more conditions are met for a given distance of the driving section ahead. The conditions are specified as follows: the road on which the vehicle is currently driving has a structural separation on at least one side, the lane on which the vehicle is driving has a minimum width, the reception range of the perimeter detection sensor is not significantly limited by mountain peaks or depressions, the number of lanes does not change, there are no tunnels, there are no buildings on the road surface, the radius of curvature of the lane on which the vehicle is driving is greater than a given limit value, there are no traffic jams, there is no traffic information on dangerous situations, there is no traffic information on road construction. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] DE 10 2014 014 120 A1 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] An object of the present invention is to provide a method for controlling automatic driving of a vehicle. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] This problem is solved according to the invention by a method having the features set forth in claim 1.

[0006] Advantageous embodiments of the invention are the subject matter of the dependent claims.

[0007] In a method for controlling the automatic driving of a vehicle, in which the automatic driving is allowed depending on some predefined conditions, it is provided according to the invention that traffic information and event information are received by the vehicle, the traffic information containing location and time references to congestion on the road section ahead of the vehicle, and the event information containing location and time references to events on the road section ahead. The event information is preferably a safety-critical event, for example an object on the road, in particular a broken-down or crashed vehicle, which is a potential danger for vehicles or other traffic participants in the vicinity of the scene of the event occurrence. The traffic information and event information are evaluated as "relevant" by the vehicle if they are close in location and time, i.e. they correspond to the same location and time, or if at least one distance between the relevant location of the traffic information and the relevant location of the event information is below a predefined distance limit value and the time interval between the relevant time of the traffic information and the relevant time of the event information is below a predefined time interval limit value. Only if the event information and traffic information are evaluated as "not relevant", even if they are present for a predefined prediction horizon, the automatic driving of the vehicle is not allowed. In other words, if existing event and traffic information is evaluated as being “relevant,” their presence will not lead to the disallowance of automated driving.

[0008] Preferably, automated driving is not permitted if event information is present for a given prediction horizon but traffic information is not present.

[0009] When automatic driving is disallowed, if automatic driving is deactivated, activation of automatic driving is preferably prevented, or if automatic driving is already activated, automatic driving is stopped and prevented from operating, so that when automatic driving is disallowed, the vehicle user is deprived of the opportunity to activate or continue automatic driving.

[0010] By using this method, the vehicle offers the vehicle user automated driving only if the external influences, in particular events, that are predicted on the road section ahead are relatively non-disruptive.

[0011] In the method, traffic and event information is provided to the vehicle via a traffic service as an information source, and the traffic events can be combined with location and time references in the vehicle to provide, prohibit, terminate or execute automated driving.

[0012] In particular, autonomous driving is permitted when a traffic jam on a road section ahead is received by the vehicle as traffic information, and when a traffic event other than a traffic jam is present as traffic information, autonomous driving is not permitted or a request for handover of driving is issued so that the vehicle user performs driving. A traffic event, such as an object on the road, may cause problems for an autonomous vehicle when a traffic situation of a traffic jam does not occur. When a traffic situation of a traffic jam does not occur, such a traffic event is relatively dangerous for the vehicle, but when the vehicle is driving relatively slowly in the traffic jam, this traffic event is rather harmless.

[0013] That is, when it is determined that the traffic information received by the vehicle, in particular the congestion information, is not related to the reported traffic incident, the automatic driving of the vehicle is terminated.

[0014] This method is a so-called traffic jam driving assistance function, and when automatic driving is permitted, can significantly improve the comfort of the vehicle user when the vehicle is driving in traffic jams.

[0015] In an embodiment of the method, the automated driving of the vehicle is not allowed or is terminated if the current driving speed of the vehicle exceeds a predefined upper speed limit, which is defined for the driving speed in a traffic jam in order to ensure the safety of the vehicle, and the automated driving is not allowed if the driving speed in all lanes moving in the same direction exceeds the predefined upper speed limit. The vehicle user can use the automated driving in the road section with the congestion only if the speed of the traffic flow in at least one lane is below the predefined upper speed limit and the vehicle is moving in this lane. The upper speed limit is, for example, 60 km / h.

[0016] In another embodiment, the vehicle is not allowed to drive autonomously if its current driving speed is below a predefined upper speed limit, but will reach this upper speed limit within a configurable time range.

[0017] If it is determined that the traffic jam will clear within a certain time, the traffic will be free to travel, and the vehicle's speed will exceed a certain upper limit, then autonomous driving will not be permitted. This is because an autonomous vehicle can only travel at a speed equal to or lower than a certain upper limit while autonomous, and thus allowing autonomous driving would be a traffic hazard for the following vehicles in the vehicle's lane.

[0018] If traffic on a multi-lane road section is flowing in one or more lanes with a current driving speed below the predefined upper limit speed, in a development of the method the vehicle moves in the lane or in one of the lanes which is below the upper limit speed, i.e. the vehicle moves in a lane which is flowing with a driving speed below the predefined upper limit speed, so that the vehicle does not impede traffic of faster moving vehicles.

[0019] In another possible embodiment of the method, the vehicle is arranged to move into one of the lanes in which traffic is moving at a current speed that is the smallest difference from the upper limit speed. That is, the vehicle automatically moves into the lane in which traffic is moving at the highest speed but below the upper limit speed, instead of the lane in which traffic is moving at the lowest speed. Thus, the automated vehicle can move relatively quickly through large-area traffic jams and reach its destination with almost certainty.

[0020] In one possible development, if a decision is made during automated driving not to allow automated driving, driving is handed over to the vehicle user after a takeover request is transmitted. As soon as the vehicle user operates the steering wheel, for example with both hands, the automated driving ends, so that the vehicle user continues driving and the vehicle is driven manually.

[0021] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0022] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of vehicles and traffic services on a multi-lane road section. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0023] The only diagram shows a road section A, in particular a highway with two lanes F1, F2 running in the same direction, with a vehicle 1 traveling in the right lane F1 towards a traffic jam S. The vehicle 1 is connected to a traffic service 2 via a wireless data connection.

[0024] The vehicle 1 is equipped with an assistance system for automated driving in which driving is completely performed by the vehicle 1 itself, so that the vehicle user of the vehicle 1 can, for example, concentrate on other tasks.

[0025] In order to enable the vehicle side to provide the vehicle user with automatic driving of the vehicle 1 only when it is predicted that there will be relatively few hindering influences as possible in the road section A ahead, the method described below is provided.

[0026] In particular, the method combines traffic events obtained via a traffic service 2 information source with location and time references, whereby autonomous driving can be provided, permitted, disallowed, terminated or otherwise performed.

[0027] To this end, the vehicle 1 has a control unit configured to receive traffic and event information of the traffic service 2, and the automatic driving of the vehicle 1 can be performed even in the presence of a traffic situation of a congestion S.

[0028] The method described below is a so-called traffic jam assistance function, ie a traffic jam assistant program for the vehicle 1, which allows the vehicle 1 during autonomous driving to travel within a predetermined upper speed limit, for example 60 km / h.

[0029] The traffic information received by the vehicle 1 contains location and time references to congestion on the road section A ahead of the vehicle 1, and the event information contains information about events on the road section A ahead.

[0030] The control unit receives information from a traffic service 2, for example a navigation system of the vehicle 1, and then decides whether autonomous driving is possible.

[0031] The information of the traffic service 2 may exist in any combination that differs in time, for example on a highway. Therefore, a distinction is made between traffic information without event information, event information without traffic information, event information close to traffic information (i.e., event information close to the traffic situation), and event information after the traffic information (i.e., event information after the traffic situation).

[0032] In particular, if a certain traffic event, such as the presence of an object on the road, is at a certain time and spatial distance, the vehicle 1 is not allowed to travel autonomously.

[0033] If vehicle 1 receives such event information which is a situation that vehicle 1 cannot overcome while driving autonomously and which may therefore be dangerous for vehicle 1, autonomous driving will not be provided or permitted from the start upon receipt of such event information.

[0034] On the other hand, if such event information is present within a parameterizable spatial and temporal distance to the vehicle 1 together with traffic information about a traffic situation in a traffic jam S, the vehicle 1 is allowed to travel autonomously through the traffic jam S. In this case, the event information explains the cause of the traffic information in a traffic jam S, and the vehicle 1 can travel autonomously through the traffic jam S. In a traffic jam S, i.e. during autonomous travel at a relatively low travel speed, the traffic event communicated to the vehicle 1 in the form of event information does not represent a difficult situation.

[0035] In other words, if vehicle 1 receives event information of "object on road" and there is no other traffic information related to this event information, automatic driving is not permitted after receiving this event information, and therefore the vehicle user cannot activate automatic driving.

[0036] If automatic driving is active when this traffic information is received, a takeover request is issued to the vehicle user, who takes over and performs driving of the vehicle 1 .

[0037] On the other hand, if the control unit receives the event information "object on the road" and in addition transmits relevant traffic information to the vehicle 1, in particular traffic information related to the general traffic situation caused by the traffic event, the vehicle 1 is allowed to continue to drive autonomously, since the congestion situation as traffic information can be overcome by the vehicle 1 during autonomous driving, independently of the cause of the congestion, i.e. independently of the event information.

[0038] When vehicle 1 is autonomously driving through a traffic jam S and heading towards an obstacle on the road, i.e., a traffic event causing the traffic jam S, the obstacle may be in the left lane F2, or vehicle 1 may perform a lane change from the right lane F1 to the left lane F2 at an appropriate driving speed to avoid the obstacle.

[0039] Automatic driving of the vehicle 1 using this method is always permitted if a traffic situation, a congestion S, exists as traffic information, independently of the event information.

[0040] If there is no congestion S in the traffic information and the vehicle 1 receives event information, a takeover request is issued to the vehicle user and automatic driving is deactivated.

[0041] Other possible traffic events in which autonomous driving may not be permitted or may be deactivated are, for example, accidents, road construction, narrowing of the road, impassable roads, slippery surfaces, hydroplaning, fires on the road, animals on the road, etc.

[0042] When the traffic and event information is received, it is evaluated in the vehicle whether it is relevant, especially when the traffic event and the traffic situation are relatively close to each other in terms of location and time interval.

[0043] If the distance and time delay between the traffic information and the event information is relatively small and can be determined to be relevant, the event information can be ignored for deciding whether to allow autonomous driving, which allows autonomous driving to be used more frequently than if the decision were made event-dependently or if a takeover request was issued to the vehicle user of vehicle 1 for each traffic event.

[0044] If traffic information, particularly regarding traffic conditions, and event information are identified as "irrelevant", then both the traffic information and the event information are taken into account.

[0045] Vehicle 1 can overcome the congestion S during autonomous driving, but cannot overcome the traffic event, so autonomous driving ends.

[0046] In other words, the automated driving of the vehicle 1 is terminated when it is determined that the existing traffic information and the existing event information can be considered "irrelevant", in particular due to temporal and spatial differences.

[0047] The relevance of traffic and event information can be parameterized, for example, depending on the quality of the information.

[0048] For example, if there is a 2 km gap between the traffic information, particularly the traffic situation, and the traffic event, such as an accident, the received traffic information and the received event information are deemed "relevant".

[0049] As described above, the upper speed limit for the autonomous driving of the vehicle 1 is set to, for example, 60 km / h.

[0050] In a traffic jam S, if the traffic information indicates that the traffic conditions allow travel at speeds of, for example, 0 km / h to 85 km / h, and vehicle 1 travels autonomously at a maximum speed of 60 km / h, this vehicle may become a traffic hazard, particularly to following traffic.

[0051] In such a situation, in order to virtually eliminate traffic obstructions caused by the autonomously driving vehicle 1, when the vehicle 1's travel speed has reached a predetermined upper limit speed or is predicted to reach the predetermined upper limit speed within a configurable time range, the vehicle 1 enters and travels in any of the lanes F1, F2 where traffic is flowing at a travel speed below the predetermined upper limit speed.

[0052] When vehicle 1 is traveling on a three-lane road section A, and the current driving speed is 10 km / h in the right lane F1, 30 km / h in the center lane (not shown), and 60 km / h in the left lane F2, in this embodiment of the present invention, since the driving speed of 60 km / h corresponds to a predetermined upper speed limit, vehicle 1 is allowed to enter and travel in the left lane F2.

[0053] That is, the vehicle 1 enters the lanes F1 and F2 where the traveling speed does not exceed a predetermined upper speed limit. In particular, the vehicle 1 enters the lanes F1 and F2 where the traveling speed is the maximum speed but below the upper speed limit, so that the vehicle 1 can reduce the time delay caused by the traffic jam S.

[0054] When the vehicle 1 travels in lanes F1, F2 where traffic is flowing at a speed exceeding a predetermined upper speed limit, the vehicle 1 either changes lanes to lanes F1, F2 where the speed is below the predetermined upper speed limit, or, if the vehicle 1 cannot travel at such a speed, a handover request is sent to the vehicle user and the automatic driving is terminated.

[0055] Furthermore, in this method, when the congestion S is clearing, i.e., showing a so-called decreasing trend, the automatic driving of the vehicle 1 is not permitted, and when the congestion S is increasing, i.e., showing a so-called increasing trend, the automatic driving is permitted.

[0056] In this case, the traveling speed of the vehicle 1 is limited by a predetermined upper speed limit, and therefore the vehicle 1 is not permitted to travel autonomously.

[0057] Since it is necessary to virtually eliminate the fact that vehicle 1, whose speed is limited by an upper speed limit during autonomous driving, poses a traffic hazard to following traffic, autonomous driving of vehicle 1 is permitted or possible only if, when congestion S is resolved, vehicle 1 continues to travel at a speed equal to or lower than a predetermined upper speed limit, for example because there is a speed limit or vehicle 1 travels behind a commercial vehicle, such as a truck, which travels relatively slowly.

[0058] That is, the autonomous vehicle 1 follows the traffic flow as long as the driving speed is below a predetermined upper speed limit. If the current driving speed exceeds the predetermined upper speed limit, a handover request is issued to the vehicle user.

[0059] If the congestion S is cleared within a relatively short time, for example within 5 minutes, the automatic driving of the vehicle 1 is not permitted, since this automatic driving is only available for a relatively short time, including the handover and transfer times.

[0060] The fact that a traffic situation, such as a congestion S, will be resolved within a corresponding time can be derived mainly from traffic information received on the vehicle side.

[0061] Thus, the method also includes the meaning of the behavior criteria of the vehicle 1, and if there is a congestion message as traffic information, the vehicle 1 is basically allowed to drive automatically without taking into account the event information. The respective behavior criteria of the control unit for combinations of traffic information and event information with reference to position and time are managed, stored and adapted by a central processing unit (not shown in detail) that is permanently connected to the vehicle 1, in particular to the control unit.

[0062] On the other hand, if there is no congestion message as traffic information and only event information is available, automatic driving is not permitted.

[0063] The upper speed limit at which automated driving is permitted in the traffic situation of congestion S is determined for each vehicle, and with reference to location and time, by a central processing unit (not shown in detail) which is permanently connected to vehicle 1, in particular to the control unit, and can be transmitted to vehicle 1.

[0064] Depending on the respective event information available to the vehicle 1, the behavior criteria of the vehicle 1 are adapted: for example, if the event information conveys the presence of an object on the road, the minimum distance that must be maintained between the vehicle 1 and the traffic ahead is increased.

[0065] Moreover, when the event information indicates hydroplaning, heavy rain, or the like, the minimum interval is increased and the traveling speed of the vehicle 1 is reduced.

[0066] The mapping rules then define respective traffic events and intervals with reference to location and time for congestion information, ie congestion messages, in particular traffic information relating to the traffic situation, and respective consequences for the automated driving of the vehicle 1 .

Claims

1. A method for controlling automatic driving of a vehicle (1), comprising: Traffic and event information is received by the vehicle (1); the traffic information includes location and time reference information for congestion (S) on a road section (A) ahead of the vehicle (1), and the event information includes location and time reference information for events on the road section (A) ahead; the events being at least one of the following potential hazards for the vehicle (1) or other traffic participants: an object on the road, an accident, road works, narrowing of the road, impassability, slippery road surface, hydroplaning, and a fire on the road; The traffic information and the event information are evaluated by the vehicle (1) as “relevant” if such information is present for a range of spatial and temporal distances to the vehicle, and the automated driving of the vehicle (1) is permitted; The traffic information and the event information are evaluated by the vehicle (1) as “not relevant” if the event information exists for a range of spatial and temporal distances to the vehicle, but the traffic information does not exist for a range of spatial and temporal distances to the vehicle, and the automated driving of the vehicle (1) is not permitted. A method comprising:

2. When the traffic information exists for the range, if the current driving speed of the vehicle (1) exceeds a predetermined upper speed limit, the automatic driving of the vehicle (1) is not permitted.

2. The method according to claim 1 , characterized in that

3. During the automated driving, if traffic in a multi-lane road section (A) is flowing in one lane (F1, F2) or in multiple lanes (F1, F2) at a current driving speed that is lower than the predetermined upper speed limit, the vehicle (1) enters and drives in one of the lane (F1, F2) or in one of the multiple lanes (F1, F2).

3. The method according to claim 2 .

4. During the automatic driving, the vehicle (1) enters one of the lanes (F1, F2) in which traffic is flowing at a current driving speed that is the smallest difference from the upper limit speed and drives there.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that

5. If it is determined during the autonomous driving that the autonomous driving is not permitted, the driving is handed over to the vehicle user after a handover request is transmitted. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that

6. The disallowance of automatic driving results in the automatic driving being prevented from operating if the automatic driving is deactivated, or the automatic driving being stopped and prevented from operating if the automatic driving is activated. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that

Images