System, method, and program for selectively providing remote monitoring and remote driving for a mobile object

Abstract

To provide a technique that enables remote monitoring and low-latency remote driving through efficient use of bands.SOLUTION: Remote monitoring and remote driving are selectively provided to a plurality of vehicles 20 including a first vehicle 20-i. In the remote monitoring for the plurality of vehicles 20, a server 10 distributes monitoring information received from each of the plurality of vehicles 20 to a plurality of remote cockpits 30 including a remote cockpit 30-j. In the remote driving for the first vehicle 20-i, the server 10 establishes one-to-one communication between the vehicle 20-i and the remote cockpit 30-j.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a system, method, and program that selectively provides remote monitoring and remote driving for a moving object such as an autonomous vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a conventional technology related to a traffic management device that manages multiple autonomous vehicles and remote drivers. The traffic management device in the conventional technology receives information indicating the status of the autonomous vehicles from the multiple autonomous vehicles via a network. When an autonomous vehicle needs to switch from autonomous driving to remote operation, the traffic management device assigns one of the waiting remote drivers to the autonomous vehicle. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2018-142265 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The remote driving performed in the above-mentioned conventional technology is one type of remote technology for vehicles. In addition to remote driving, remote technology also includes remote monitoring, which monitors vehicles using video, audio, sensor information, etc. transmitted from the vehicle. In remote driving, one remote driver is in charge of one vehicle, whereas in remote monitoring, one monitor can be in charge of multiple vehicles.

[0005] The remote driver who performs remote driving and the remote monitor who performs remote monitoring may be the same person. In other words, one remote driver (or monitor) can selectively perform remote driving and remote monitoring. However, there are differences in technical requirements between remote driving and remote monitoring. Remote driving, in which a vehicle is driven from a remote location, requires low communication latency between the vehicle and the remote cockpit operated by the remote driver. In contrast, communication latency is not a big problem in remote monitoring, in which a vehicle is simply monitored. Rather, the problem is bandwidth congestion caused by multiple monitors monitoring one vehicle.

[0006] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems. The present disclosure has an object to provide a technology that enables remote monitoring and remote operation with low latency by using a bandwidth efficiently. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present disclosure provides a system for achieving the above object. The system of the present disclosure includes one or more processors and a program memory storing a plurality of executable instructions. The plurality of instructions are configured to cause the one or more processors to selectively execute remote monitoring and remote driving. In the remote monitoring, monitoring information is received from each of a plurality of moving bodies including a first moving body, and the monitoring information is distributed to a plurality of remote cockpits including a first remote cockpit. In the remote driving, one-to-one communication is established between the first moving body and the first remote cockpit. According to the system in which the communication modes are different between the remote monitoring and the remote driving in this way, it is possible to achieve both remote monitoring by efficient use of bandwidth and remote driving with low latency.

[0008] In one embodiment of the system of the present disclosure, at least a part of the one or more processors may be provided in a server connected to the plurality of moving bodies via a mobile communication network. In remote monitoring, monitoring information received from each of the plurality of moving bodies may be distributed to a plurality of remote cockpits by the server. In remote driving, peer-to-peer communication may be performed between a first moving body and a first remote cockpit without going through a server.

[0009] In another embodiment of the system of the present disclosure, at least a part of the one or more processors may be provided in a server connected to the plurality of moving bodies via a mobile communication network, and the plurality of moving bodies and the server may be connected by a plurality of bundled lines. In remote monitoring, monitoring information received from each of the plurality of moving bodies may be distributed to the plurality of remote cockpits by the server. And, in remote driving, one-to-one communication may be performed between a first moving body and a first remote cockpit via the server.

[0010] In each of the above-described embodiments of the system of the present disclosure, the server may be configured to obtain information regarding the status of each of a plurality of mobile bodies including the first mobile body and a plurality of remote cockpits including the first remote cockpit each time a predetermined event occurs.

[0011] The present disclosure provides a method for achieving the above object. The method of the present disclosure includes selectively providing remote monitoring and remote driving to a plurality of moving bodies including a first moving body. According to the method of the present disclosure, in the remote monitoring, monitoring information received from each of the plurality of moving bodies is distributed to a plurality of remote cockpits including a first remote cockpit, and in the remote driving, one-to-one communication is established between the first moving body and the first remote cockpit. By thus differentiating the communication modes between the remote monitoring and the remote driving, it is possible to achieve both remote monitoring with efficient bandwidth utilization and remote driving with low latency.

[0012] The present disclosure provides a program for achieving the above object. The program of the present disclosure is configured to cause a computer to selectively provide remote monitoring and remote driving to a plurality of moving bodies including a first moving body. In the remote monitoring, the program of the present disclosure causes a computer to distribute monitoring information received from each of the plurality of moving bodies to a plurality of remote cockpits including a first remote cockpit. In addition, in the remote driving, the program of the present disclosure causes a computer to establish one-to-one communication between the first moving body and the first remote cockpit. By causing a computer to execute communication in different modes for remote monitoring and remote driving in this way, it is possible to achieve both remote monitoring using efficient bandwidth and remote driving with low latency. Effect of the Invention

[0013] According to the technology of the present disclosure, by differentiating the communication modes for remote monitoring and remote operation as described above, it is possible to achieve both remote monitoring with efficient bandwidth utilization and remote operation with low latency. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a method of remote monitoring by the system according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a method of remote operation by the system according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 3] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a method of remote monitoring by a system according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a method of remote operation by a system according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 5] FIG. 11 is a sequence diagram showing a procedure for starting remote monitoring common to each embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 11 is a sequence diagram showing a procedure for ending remote monitoring common to each embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram showing a procedure for starting remote operation common to each embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 11 is a sequence diagram showing a procedure for ending remote operation common to each embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0015] Hereinafter, the embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. However, when the number, quantity, amount, range, etc. of each element is mentioned in the embodiments shown below, the idea of ​​the present disclosure is not limited to the mentioned number unless it is specifically stated or clearly specified in principle. Furthermore, the structures, etc. described in the embodiments shown below are not necessarily essential to the idea of ​​the present disclosure unless it is specifically stated or clearly specified in principle.

[0016] 1. Overview The system according to each embodiment described later is a system that selectively provides remote monitoring and remote driving to an autonomous vehicle, which is a moving body. The autonomous vehicle is, for example, a vehicle equipped with an autonomous driving function of level 4 or higher. In each embodiment, an autonomous vehicle that is the subject of remote monitoring and remote driving is equipped with an autonomous driving kit that provides the vehicle with an autonomous driving function and a remote driving kit that provides the remote monitoring function and remote driving function. The autonomous driving kit and the remote driving kit may each be independent computers, or may be independent applications that run on a common computer. There is no limitation on the type of autonomous vehicle as long as the vehicle is one that may require remote monitoring and remote driving during autonomous driving. Hereinafter, an autonomous vehicle that is the subject of remote monitoring and remote driving will be simply referred to as a vehicle.

[0017] When remote monitoring and remote driving are performed, the vehicle is connected to a remote cockpit. The remote cockpit is a terminal operated by a remote operator. The remote cockpit is equipped with an operation system that imitates the driver's seat of an actual vehicle, and an information output system that outputs sensory information and vehicle information that the driver obtains from the driver's seat.

[0018] In remote monitoring, a remote operator monitors a vehicle that is driving autonomously using information obtained from on-board sensors. For example, the operator watches the video from an on-board camera displayed on a monitor to check for abnormalities, problems, or dangers. If necessary, the remote operator responds by alerting the driver or contacting the police or fire department.

[0019] In remote monitoring, it is not necessary to assign one remote operator exclusively to one vehicle. Considering that one remote operator can monitor multiple vehicles and that having multiple people monitoring one vehicle leads to earlier response to abnormalities, it is considered preferable to have multiple remote operators monitor multiple vehicles. Moreover, by having fewer remote operators than the number of vehicles to be monitored, labor costs for remote monitoring can be reduced.

[0020] In remote driving, the remote operator drives the vehicle by himself by operating the vehicle's steering wheel, pedals, shift lever, blinkers, etc. from a remote cockpit. Unlike remote monitoring, remote driving requires that one remote operator be assigned exclusively to one vehicle. Unless there are special circumstances, the remote operator is responsible for driving the vehicle alone from the start to the end of the remote driving.

[0021] The communication methods for connecting a vehicle and a remote cockpit can be, for example, the server-client method, in which all information is collected and processed on a server, and the peer-to-peer method, in which direct communication is performed between the vehicle and the remote cockpit. The server-client method has the advantage of being highly efficient in terms of bandwidth, while the peer-to-peer method has the advantage of being low latency.

[0022] As mentioned above, in remote monitoring, it is desirable to have multiple vehicles monitored by multiple remote operators. Therefore, if a peer-to-peer system is adopted for remote monitoring, it becomes necessary to establish one-to-one communication for every combination of vehicles and remote operators. This means that line bandwidth is consumed for each communication partner of each vehicle, and communication quality has to be reduced. In other words, peer-to-peer communication is not suitable for remote monitoring.

[0023] On the other hand, in the server-client system, the only communication partner from the vehicle's perspective is the server, regardless of the number of remote cockpits. The server can simultaneously broadcast the information received from the vehicle to each remote cockpit. For this reason, the server-client system allows each vehicle to use the maximum bandwidth. However, inside the server, information such as video and audio is copied and buffered for broadcasting. The server-client system has a larger communication delay than the peer-to-peer system due to the time required for these processes. However, in remote monitoring that does not involve vehicle operation, a certain degree of communication delay is acceptable. Therefore, it can be said that the server-client system is a communication system suitable for remote monitoring.

[0024] On the other hand, in remote driving, one vehicle is driven by one remote operator. Therefore, the vehicle's communication destination is one remote cockpit, and line bandwidth is unlikely to be a problem. Rather, in remote driving, where the vehicle is operated, it is important to have little delay between the operation performed in the remote cockpit and its reflection in the vehicle, that is, real-time performance. However, in the case of the server-client method, real-time performance is lost due to the time required for processing such as copying and buffering, because the data is distributed by broadcast. In other words, server-client communication involving broadcast is not suitable for remote driving.

[0025] It can be said that a communication method suitable for remote driving is a low-latency communication method, specifically, one-to-one communication established between a vehicle and a remote cockpit. A first example of such communication is peer-to-peer communication. A peer-to-peer method that does not involve a server realizes low-latency communication. The first example will be described in more detail in the first embodiment described later.

[0026] A second example of a communication method suitable for remote driving is a method in which an independent communication path is generated in the server-client method, separated from the broadcast communication for remote monitoring. In other words, it is a communication method in which the target vehicle for remote driving and the remote cockpit are connected one-to-one via a server. However, compared with the peer-to-peer method, there is a possibility that some delay will occur due to going through the server. Therefore, when using this method, it is preferable to also perform line binding, which uses a bundle of multiple lines. The communication state of the mobile communication used by the vehicle depends on the communication environment and congestion, but the influence can be reduced by performing line binding. The second example will be described in more detail in the second embodiment described later.

[0027] 2. First embodiment The system according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 1 and Fig. 2. Fig. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a method of remote monitoring by the system 101 according to the present embodiment, and Fig. 2 shows a schematic diagram of a method of remote operation by the system 101 according to the present embodiment.

[0028] As shown in FIG. 1, a system 101 according to this embodiment includes a server 10, a plurality of vehicles 20, and a plurality of remote cockpits 30 operated by a remote operator 32. The server 10 is provided on the Internet. The server 10 is also connected to a plurality of wireless base stations 40 via the Internet and a mobile communication network. The vehicles 20 perform mobile communication such as 5G or LTE with the wireless base stations 40. A remote driving kit mounted on the vehicles 20 is provided with a communication unit for mobile communication. The remote cockpits 30 are connected to the server 10 by a network including the Internet, a LAN, and a WAN.

[0029] The server 10 includes a processor 11 and a program memory 12. The processor 11 is coupled to the program memory 12. The program memory 12 is a non-transitory storage medium that stores a plurality of executable instructions 13. The plurality of instructions 13 include instructions for realizing remote monitoring of the vehicle 20 from a remote cockpit 30 and instructions for realizing remote driving of the vehicle 20 from the remote cockpit 30.

[0030] In remote monitoring, as shown in Fig. 1, a plurality of vehicles 20 are connected to a plurality of remote cockpits 30 via a server 10. In the following description, when the vehicles 20 are to be distinguished from one another, an identifier for identifying each vehicle is used, for example, vehicles 20-1, 20-2,..., 20-i,... Similarly, when the remote cockpits 30 are to be distinguished from one another, an identifier for identifying each remote cockpit is used, for example, remote cockpits 30-1, 30-2,..., 30-j,...

[0031] In remote monitoring, the server 10 communicates with each of the multiple vehicles 20 and receives monitoring information from each of the multiple vehicles 20. The monitoring information includes images captured by an on-board camera, audio collected by an on-board microphone, and information on the vehicle's status acquired by instruments and on-board sensors. The server 10 distributes the monitoring information received from the multiple vehicles 20 to the multiple remote cockpits 30 by broadcasting. For example, the monitoring information received from the vehicle 20-i is broadcast to the remote cockpits 30-1, 30-2, . . . , 30-j, . . . This allows the multiple remote operators 32 to remotely monitor the vehicle 20-i. Details of the start procedure for remote monitoring will be described later, along with the end procedure.

[0032] Here, let us assume that the driving of vehicle 20-i (corresponding to a first moving body) among the multiple vehicles 20 being remotely monitored is switched from automatic driving with remote monitoring to remote driving from a remote cockpit 30-j (corresponding to a first remote cockpit). In this case, as shown in Fig. 2, communication between vehicle 20-i and remote cockpit 30-j is switched to a peer-to-peer method that does not go through server 10. Details of the procedure for starting remote driving will be described later together with the procedure for ending it.

[0033] Vehicles 20 other than vehicle 20-i, for example, vehicle 20-1 and vehicle 20-2, are remotely monitored by a server-client system. The monitoring information received by the server 10 from vehicle 20-1 and vehicle 20-2 is distributed by broadcast to remote cockpits 30 other than remote cockpit 30-j, for example, remote cockpit 30-1 and remote cockpit 30-2.

[0034] 3. Second embodiment The system according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 3 and Fig. 4. Fig. 3 shows a schematic diagram of a remote monitoring method by the system 102 according to the present embodiment, and Fig. 4 shows a schematic diagram of a remote operation method by the system 102 according to the present embodiment. In Fig. 3 and Fig. 4, common reference numerals are used for elements of the system 102 according to the present embodiment that are common to the system 101 according to the first embodiment.

[0035] As shown in FIG. 3, in the system 102 according to the present embodiment, the server 10 is provided on the Internet and is connected to a plurality of wireless base stations 40A, 40B, and 40C, each of which corresponds to a different line. For example, the wireless base station 40A corresponds to the line of communication company A, the wireless base station 40B corresponds to the line of communication company B, and the wireless base station 40C corresponds to the line of communication company C. The vehicle 20 uses a bundle of the multiple lines provided via these wireless base stations 40A, 40B, and 40C. For this reason, the remote driving kit of the vehicle 20 is equipped with a plurality of communication units corresponding to the multiple lines to be used. The remote cockpit 30 and the server 10 are connected by a single line.

[0036] In remote monitoring, as shown in Fig. 3, a plurality of vehicles 20 are connected to a plurality of remote cockpits 30 via a server 10. The server 10 communicates with each of the plurality of vehicles 20 and receives monitoring information from each of the plurality of vehicles 20. At this time, a wide bandwidth is secured between each of the plurality of vehicles 20 and the server 10 by using a plurality of bundled lines. The server 10 distributes the monitoring information received from the plurality of vehicles 20 to the plurality of remote cockpits 30 by broadcasting. The procedures for starting and ending remote monitoring are the same as those in the system 101 according to the first embodiment.

[0037] Here, among the multiple vehicles 20 that are remotely monitored, it is assumed that the operation of the vehicle 20-i is switched from automatic operation with remote monitoring to remote operation from the remote cockpit 30-j. In this case, as shown in FIG. 4, the communication between the vehicle 20-i and the remote cockpit 30-j is switched to one-to-one communication via the server 10 while maintaining the server-client system. At this time, communication is performed between the vehicle 20-i and the server 10 using multiple bundled lines, and communication is performed between the server 10 and the remote cockpit 30-j using a single line. The start and end procedures of the remote operation are the same as those in the system 101 according to the first embodiment.

[0038] Vehicles 20 other than vehicle 20-i, such as vehicle 20-1 and vehicle 20-2, are remotely monitored by N-to-N communication in a server-client system. The monitoring information received by the server 10 from vehicle 20-1 and vehicle 20-2 is distributed by broadcast to remote cockpits 30 other than remote cockpit 30-j, such as remote cockpit 30-1 and remote cockpit 30-2.

[0039] 4. Procedure for remote monitoring The execution procedure of remote monitoring will be explained using Fig. 5 and Fig. 6. Fig. 5 is a sequence diagram showing the start procedure of remote monitoring common to each of the above-mentioned embodiments, and Fig. 6 is a sequence diagram showing the end procedure of remote monitoring common to each of the above-mentioned embodiments. The procedures shown in each sequence diagram are applied to all combinations of the vehicle 20 and the remote cockpit 30 for which remote monitoring is performed.

[0040] First, a description will be given of the procedure for starting remote monitoring shown in Fig. 5. The trigger for starting remote monitoring is a start operation by the remote driver 32 who operates the remote cockpit 30. In response to the start operation by the remote driver 32, the remote cockpit 30 requests the server 10 to start remote monitoring (step S101).

[0041] The server 10 that has received the request to start checks the start conditions for remote monitoring (step S301). The check of the start conditions by the server 10 is performed from the viewpoint of centralized management of security. If the start conditions are not met, the server 10 notifies the remote cockpit 30 that remote monitoring cannot be started. If the start conditions are met, the server 10 instructs the vehicle 20 to be monitored to start remote monitoring (step S302).

[0042] The vehicle 20 that has received the instruction to start checks whether remote monitoring can be started (step S201). If it is not possible to start, the vehicle 20 notifies the remote cockpit 30 that remote monitoring cannot be started. In contrast, if remote monitoring can be started, the vehicle 20 connects to the remote cockpit 30 and starts RT communication. RT communication is communication performed between the remote cockpit 30 and the vehicle 20 when remote monitoring is performed and when remote driving is performed. The communication indicated by the black arrow in each sequence diagram is RT communication. The RT communication when remote monitoring is performed is performed via the server 10 in both the first and second embodiments. The vehicle 20 transmits monitoring information to the remote cockpit 30 by RT communication (step S202). The monitoring information includes video, audio, instrument information, and vehicle status information. The remote cockpit 30 outputs the received monitoring information to a monitor and a speaker (step S102).

[0043] After starting remote monitoring, the remote cockpit 30 updates the information about its own status stored in memory to "remote monitoring" (step S103). After starting remote monitoring, the vehicle 20 updates the information about its own status stored in memory to "remote monitoring" (step S203). The updated status information is transmitted to the server 10. The server 10 updates the information about the status of the remote cockpit 30 and the vehicle 20 stored in memory (step S303).

[0044] Next, the procedure for terminating the remote monitoring shown in Fig. 6 will be described. The trigger for terminating the remote monitoring is a termination operation by the remote driver 32 who operates the remote cockpit 30. In response to the termination operation by the remote driver 32, the remote cockpit 30 terminates the RT communication (step S111), and in response, the vehicle 20 also terminates the RT communication (step S211). Since the termination of remote monitoring includes an abnormal termination, unlike the start of remote monitoring, no confirmation is made by the server 10 at the time of termination.

[0045] After the remote monitoring is completed, the remote cockpit 30 updates the information about its own status stored in its memory to "standby" (step S112). After the remote monitoring is completed, the vehicle 20 updates the information about its own status stored in its memory to "standby" (step S212). The updated status information is transmitted to the server 10. The server 10 updates the information about the status of the remote cockpit 30 and the vehicle 20 stored in its memory (step S311).

[0046] 5. Remote operation execution procedure The procedure for executing remote driving will be described with reference to Fig. 7 and Fig. 8. Fig. 7 is a sequence diagram showing the procedure for starting remote driving common to each of the above-mentioned embodiments, and Fig. 8 is a sequence diagram showing the procedure for ending remote driving common to each of the above-mentioned embodiments. The procedures shown in each sequence diagram are applied to all combinations of vehicles 20 and remote cockpits 30 in which remote driving is performed. However, here, it is assumed that remote driving is performed between a vehicle 20-i as a first moving body and a remote cockpit 30-j as a first remote cockpit.

[0047] First, the procedure for starting remote driving shown in Fig. 7 will be described. The trigger for starting remote driving is a start operation by the remote driver 32 who operates the remote cockpit 30-j. In response to the start operation by the remote driver 32, the remote cockpit 30-j requests the server 10 to start remote driving (step S121).

[0048] Upon receiving the request to start, the server 10 checks the start conditions for remote driving (step S321). The check of the start conditions by the server 10 is performed from the viewpoint of centralized management of security. If the start conditions are not met, the server 10 notifies the remote cockpit 30-j that remote driving cannot be started. If the start conditions are met, the server 10 instructs the vehicle 20-i to start remote driving (step S322). The instruction to start remote driving includes the address of the remote cockpit 30-j to which the vehicle 20-i is connected. The server 10 instructs the vehicle 20-i, rather than the remote cockpit 30-j, to start remote driving as a security measure to prevent the vehicle 20-i from being taken over from outside.

[0049] The vehicle 20-i that has received the instruction to start checks whether or not remote driving can be started (step S221). Even if the server 10 judges that remote driving is possible, the vehicle 20-i may judge that remote driving cannot be started. If it is not possible to start, the vehicle 20-i notifies the remote cockpit 30-j that remote driving cannot be started. In contrast, if remote driving is possible to start, the vehicle 20-i connects to the remote cockpit 30-j and starts synchronization between the vehicle 20-i and the remote cockpit 30-j by RT communication (steps 122 and S222). In the first embodiment, RT communication during remote driving is performed directly between the vehicle 20-i and the remote cockpit 30-j, and in the second embodiment, it is performed via the server 10.

[0050] The vehicle 20-i and the remote cockpit 30-j each confirm the completion of synchronization (steps S123 and S223). After confirming the completion of synchronization, the vehicle 20-i switches the vehicle's driving mode from automatic driving to remote driving (step S224) and notifies the remote cockpit 30-j that the driving operation authority is valid (step S225). In response to the validity notification from the vehicle 20-i, the remote cockpit 30-j acquires the driving operation authority to remotely operate the vehicle 20-i (step S124).

[0051] After obtaining the driving operation authority, the remote cockpit 30-j updates the information on its own status stored in memory to "remote driving" (step S125). After transmitting the validity notification, the vehicle 20-i updates the information on its own status stored in memory to "remote driving" (step S226). The updated status information is transmitted to the server 10. The server 10 updates the information on the respective statuses of the remote cockpit 30-j and the vehicle 20-i stored in memory (step S323).

[0052] After remote driving is started, the vehicle 20-i transmits driving information to the remote cockpit 30-j (step S227). The remote cockpit 30-j outputs the received driving information to a monitor and a speaker (step S126). The driving information includes video, audio, instrument information, and vehicle status information. The remote cockpit 30-j transmits an operation signal input by the remote operator 32 to the vehicle 20-i (step S127). The vehicle 20-i receives the operation signal (step S228) and reflects the received operation signal in the operation of the vehicle 20-i (step S229).

[0053] Next, the procedure for ending the remote driving shown in FIG. 8 will be described. The trigger for ending the remote driving is an ending operation by the remote driver 32 who operates the remote cockpit 30. In response to the ending operation by the remote driver 32, the remote cockpit 30-j requests the vehicle 20-i to end the remote driving (step S131). The vehicle 20-i receives the request to end the remote driving (step S231) and replies to the remote cockpit 30-j that the remote driving has been ended (step S232). In response to the reply from the vehicle 20-i, the remote cockpit 30-j notifies the remote driver 32 of the end of the remote driving (step S132). Note that the end of the remote driving includes a forced end, and therefore, unlike the start of the remote driving, the server 10 does not check the end of the remote driving.

[0054] After the remote driving ends, the remote cockpit 30-j updates the information about its own status stored in its memory to "remote monitoring" (step S133). After the remote driving ends, the vehicle 20-i updates the information about its own status stored in its memory to "remote monitoring" (step S233). The updated status information is sent to the server 10. The server 10 updates the information about the status of each of the remote cockpit 30-j and the vehicle 20-i stored in its memory (step S331). In this way, the server 10 obtains information about the status of each of the multiple vehicles 20 including the vehicle 20-i and the multiple remote cockpits 30 including the remote cockpit 30-j every time a predetermined event occurs.

[0055] After the remote driving is completed, the vehicle 20-i starts automatic driving (step S234) and notifies the remote cockpit 30-j of the start of automatic driving (step S235). Upon receiving the notification from the vehicle 20-i, the remote cockpit 30-j notifies the remote driver 32 of the start of automatic driving (step S134).

[0056] 6.Other In each of the above embodiments, an autonomous vehicle is exemplified as a moving object to be remotely monitored and remotely driven. However, the technology according to the present disclosure can also be applied to moving objects other than vehicles, such as ships and drones. [Explanation of symbols]

[0057] 10 Server 11 Processors 12 Program Memory 13 Instructions 20 Vehicles 30 Remote Cockpit 32 Remote Operator 40 base station 101,102 System

Claims

1. one or more processors; a program memory coupled to the one or more processors and storing a plurality of executable instructions; The instructions may include instructions for causing the one or more processors to: remote monitoring that receives monitoring information from each of a plurality of moving bodies including a first moving body and distributes the monitoring information to a plurality of remote cockpits including a first remote cockpit; and a remote operation that establishes one-to-one communication between the first moving body and the first remote cockpit. A system characterized by:

2. 2. The system of claim 1, At least a part of the one or more processors is provided in a server connected to the plurality of mobile objects via a mobile communication network; In the remote monitoring, the monitoring information received from each of the plurality of moving bodies is distributed by the server to the plurality of remote cockpits; In the remote driving, peer-to-peer communication is performed between the first moving body and the first remote cockpit without going through the server. A system characterized by:

3. 2. The system of claim 1, At least a part of the one or more processors is provided in a server connected to the plurality of mobile objects via a mobile communication network; the plurality of mobile entities and the server are connected by a plurality of bundled lines; In the remote monitoring, the monitoring information received from each of the plurality of moving bodies is distributed by the server to the plurality of remote cockpits; In the remote driving, one-to-one communication is performed between the first moving body and the first remote cockpit via the server. A system characterized by:

4. In the system according to claim 2 or 3, The server is configured to obtain information regarding the states of the plurality of moving bodies including the first moving body and the plurality of remote cockpits including the first remote cockpit each time a predetermined event occurs. A system characterized by:

5. Selectively providing remote monitoring and remote operation to a plurality of moving bodies including a first moving body; In the remote monitoring, the monitoring information received from each of the plurality of moving bodies is distributed to a plurality of remote cockpits including a first remote cockpit; In the remote operation, one-to-one communication is established between the first moving body and the first remote cockpit. A method comprising:

6. Selectively providing remote monitoring and remote operation to a plurality of moving bodies including a first moving body; In the remote monitoring, the monitoring information received from each of the plurality of moving bodies is distributed to a plurality of remote cockpits including a first remote cockpit; In the remote operation, the computer is configured to execute the following: establishing one-to-one communication between the first moving body and the first remote cockpit. A program characterized by:

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