On-demand vehicle operation method and operation system

Abstract

To provide technology capable of causing an on-demand vehicle traveling by automatic driving to travel without interrupting an operation of a periodical operation vehicle on a single lane on which the periodical operation vehicles operated.SOLUTION: Reservation of an on-demand vehicle 20 from a user 40 is received to move the on-demand vehicle 20 to a meeting place P with the user 40. Waitable time of the on-demand vehicle 20 at the meeting place P is calculated on the basis of periodical operation plan of a periodical operation vehicle 10. The on-demand vehicle 20 is moved from the meeting place P so as not to affect an operation of the periodical operation vehicle 10 when the waitable time elapses without appearance of the user 40 to the meeting place P.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a method and system for operating an on-demand vehicle that is autonomously traveling in a single lane where scheduled vehicles are operating. [Background technology]

[0002] A conventional technique for operating an on-demand vehicle is disclosed in Patent Document 1. Patent Document 1 discloses estimating the time when a user will arrive at the boarding point of a shuttle vehicle, and revising the operation plan of the shuttle vehicle if the estimated arrival time is not in time for the scheduled boarding time.

[0003] In addition to Patent Document 1, Patent Documents 2, 3, and 4 can be mentioned as documents showing the state of the art in the technical field related to the present disclosure. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2018-060372 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2019-158843 A [Patent Document 3] JP 2005-018697 A [Patent Document 4] JP 2013-186541 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] There are plans to use the former site of a single railway line as a single lane. In addition, in areas with limited land, it may be possible to secure only a single lane even if a lane is constructed. On the other hand, MaaS using autonomous vehicles is currently being considered in various fields. Autonomous vehicles for MaaS include on-demand vehicles that operate according to requests from users.

[0006] When MaaS is more widely deployed in society, it is expected that there will be a need to operate on-demand vehicles that run autonomously in a single lane where scheduled vehicles are operating. However, none of the prior art documents, including Patent Document 1, discloses a method for operating on-demand vehicles that run autonomously in a single lane where scheduled vehicles are operating.

[0007] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a technology that enables an on-demand vehicle that runs autonomously on a single lane where scheduled vehicles are operating without interfering with the operation of the scheduled vehicles. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The present disclosure provides an on-demand vehicle operation method and an on-demand vehicle operation system as an on-demand vehicle operation technology for achieving the above-mentioned objective.

[0009] The on-demand vehicle operation method disclosed herein is a method for operating an on-demand vehicle that runs autonomously on a single lane where regularly-scheduled vehicles are operated. The on-demand vehicle operation method disclosed herein includes the following steps. The first step is to receive a reservation for the on-demand vehicle from a user and move the on-demand vehicle to a meeting place with the user. The second step is to calculate the available waiting time of the on-demand vehicle at the meeting place based on the regular operation plan of the regularly-scheduled vehicles. And the third step is to move the on-demand vehicle from the meeting place when the available waiting time has elapsed without the user appearing at the meeting place, so as not to affect the operation of the regularly-scheduled vehicles.

[0010] The on-demand vehicle operation system of the present disclosure is a system for operating an on-demand vehicle that runs autonomously on a single lane where scheduled vehicles are operated. The on-demand vehicle operation system of the present disclosure includes at least one processor and a program memory coupled to the at least one processor and storing a plurality of executable instructions. The plurality of executable instructions are configured to cause the at least one processor to execute the following processes. The first process is to receive a reservation for the on-demand vehicle from a user and move the on-demand vehicle to a meeting place with the user. The second process is to calculate the available waiting time of the on-demand vehicle at the meeting place based on the scheduled operation plan of the scheduled vehicle. And the third process is to move the on-demand vehicle from the meeting place when the available waiting time has elapsed without the user appearing at the meeting place so as not to affect the operation of the scheduled vehicle.

[0011] The on-demand vehicle operation technology disclosed herein can prevent on-demand vehicles from interfering with the operation of regularly scheduled vehicles on a single lane with limited passing areas, while giving maximum consideration to users who are late arriving at a meeting point.

[0012] In the on-demand vehicle operation technology disclosed herein, an operation plan may be created to receive a reservation for an on-demand vehicle from a next user, pick up the previous user, and then pick up the next user. In this case, the available waiting time for the previous user may be calculated based on the regular operation plan of the regularly-operated vehicle, on the condition that the minimum waiting time required for the next user to board is ensured at the meeting place with the next user. This makes it possible to prevent the next user from being disadvantaged because the previous user does not show up at the meeting place when the on-demand vehicle also picks up the next user.

[0013] In the on-demand vehicle operation technology disclosed herein, if the available waiting time has elapsed without the user showing up at the meeting place, the user may be notified that the on-demand vehicle will be moved from the meeting place. This can prevent a situation in which the on-demand vehicle disappears from the meeting place without the user's knowledge, thereby suppressing a decrease in user satisfaction with the service.

[0014] In the operation technology of an on-demand vehicle disclosed herein, a single lane may be provided with a plurality of passing locations including stops of the regularly-scheduled vehicle. In this case, moving the on-demand vehicle from the meeting location may include moving the on-demand vehicle to the nearest passing location among the plurality of passing locations that the on-demand vehicle can reach before passing the regularly-scheduled vehicle. This allows the on-demand vehicle to pass the regularly-scheduled vehicle while minimizing its movement.

[0015] In the on-demand vehicle operation technology disclosed herein, the on-demand vehicle may be moved again to the meeting place after the regularly-operated vehicle has passed at the nearest passing place, thereby relieving users who are late in arriving at the meeting place.

[0016] In the on-demand vehicle operation technology disclosed herein, if the available waiting time has elapsed without the user showing up at the meeting place, the user may be notified that the on-demand vehicle will be moved from the meeting place. In this case, the on-demand vehicle may be moved again to the meeting place on the condition that the user requests a redistribution. This makes it possible to rescue users who wish to use the on-demand vehicle and to reduce unnecessary operation of the on-demand vehicle. Effect of the Invention

[0017] As described above, the on-demand vehicle operation technology disclosed herein makes it possible to operate on-demand vehicles on a single lane with limited passing areas without interfering with the operation of regularly scheduled vehicles, while giving maximum consideration to users who are late arriving at a meeting location. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing an overview of a vehicle operation system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 2] 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a vehicle operation system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 3] 1A to 1C are diagrams illustrating a first example of a vehicle operation method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] 1A to 1C are diagrams illustrating a first example of a vehicle operation method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 5] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a second example of a vehicle operation method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] 11A to 11C are diagrams illustrating a third example of a vehicle operation method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 7] 11A to 11C are diagrams illustrating a third example of a vehicle operation method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 8] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a fourth example of a vehicle operation method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0019] Hereinafter, an embodiment of a vehicle operation method and operation system according to 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 following embodiments, the idea of ​​the present disclosure is not limited to the mentioned number unless otherwise specified or clearly specified in principle. Furthermore, the structures, etc. described in the following embodiments are not necessarily essential to the idea of ​​the present disclosure unless otherwise specified or clearly specified in principle.

[0020] 1. Overview of vehicle operation system FIG 1 is a diagram showing an overview of a vehicle operation system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The operation system is a system for operating vehicles 10, 20 on a single-lane route 2. The single-lane route 2 is, for example, a route built on the site of a former single-track railway. On the single-lane route 2, the two vehicles 10, 20 cannot run side by side or pass each other. For this reason, the route 2 is provided with multiple passing areas to enable the vehicles 10, 20 to pass each other or overtake each other.

[0021] The passing area includes at least one stop 4. If line 2 is built on the site of a former single-track railway, stop 4 corresponds to a railway station. Even if it is a single track, the station is built so that trains traveling in the outbound direction and trains traveling in the return direction can pass each other. Thus, stop 4, which was converted from a station, enables two vehicles 10, 20 to pass and overtake each other. A waiting room 6 for users 30 is built in stop 4. Passing areas other than stop 4 on line 2 are places only for vehicles 10, 20 to pass each other and overtake each other, and do not have a waiting room 6.

[0022] The vehicles 10, 20 operated by the operation system are scheduled vehicles 10 and on-demand vehicles 20. The scheduled vehicles 10 are vehicles that operate periodically according to a scheduled operation plan. The on-demand vehicles 20 do not have a fixed operation plan, but are operated in response to requests from users. The on-demand vehicles 20 are also ride-sharing vehicles that pick up users who wish to ride in order. In the operation system, autonomous vehicles that operate autonomously are used as scheduled vehicles 10 and as on-demand vehicles 20.

[0023] The operation of the scheduled service vehicle 10, which is an autonomous vehicle, is managed by an operation management server 100. The operation of the on-demand vehicle 20, which is also an autonomous vehicle, is also managed by the operation management server 100. The scheduled service vehicle 10 and the on-demand vehicle 20 are connected to the operation management server 100 by a network 200.

[0024] Both the scheduled service vehicle 10 and the on-demand vehicle 20 may be electric vehicles, engine vehicles, or hybrid vehicles. The term "electric vehicles" as used here includes not only vehicles equipped with batteries or fuel cells, but also vehicles that take in electricity from a pantograph, such as trains. Furthermore, both vehicles 10, 20 are not limited to vehicles with tires, and may be vehicles that run on tracks, such as trains. In this case, the scheduled service vehicle 10 may be an autonomous train, such as a city tram, and the on-demand vehicle 20 may be an autonomous automobile.

[0025] A user 30 using a regularly scheduled vehicle 10 boards the vehicle at a stop 4. The regularly scheduled vehicle 10 stops at the stop 4 according to a regular operation plan. A user 40 using an on-demand vehicle 20 can call the on-demand vehicle 20 not only from the stop 4 but also anywhere near the route 2. The user 40 reserves the dispatch of the on-demand vehicle 20 using a mobile terminal 42 such as a smartphone. The reservation for dispatch of the on-demand vehicle 20 is made to the traffic management server 100. The traffic management server 100 uses the location information of the mobile terminal 42 to identify where the user 40 is waiting.

[0026] 2. Vehicle Operation System Configuration 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a vehicle operation system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The operation system includes an operation management server 100. The operation management server 100 includes at least one processor (hereinafter simply referred to as a processor) 110, a program memory 120, and a storage 130. The processor 110 is coupled to the program memory 120 and the storage 130. The program memory 120 is a non-transitory memory that stores a plurality of executable instructions 122. The storage 130 is, for example, a flash memory, an SSD, or an HDD, and stores a regular operation plan database 132.

[0027] The fleet management server 100 communicates with the automatic driving ECU 12 of the regularly scheduled vehicle 10, and sends instructions including an operation plan for the regularly scheduled vehicle 10 to the automatic driving ECU 12. The operation plan for the regularly scheduled vehicle 10 is determined according to a regular operation plan registered in a regular operation plan database 132. These processes are executed by the fleet management server 100 as a result of the processor 110 executing predetermined instructions 122.

[0028] The fleet management server 100 communicates with the automatic driving ECU 22 of the on-demand vehicle 20, and sends instructions to the automatic driving ECU 22, including an operation plan for the on-demand vehicle 20. The operation plan for the on-demand vehicle 20 is determined based on the dispatch request of the user 40 of the on-demand vehicle 20, with reference to the regular operation plan registered in the regular operation plan database 132. These processes are executed by the fleet management server 100 as a result of the processor 110 executing predetermined instructions 122.

[0029] The fleet management server 100 communicates with the mobile terminal 42 of the user 40. The fleet management server 100 receives a dispatch request from the mobile terminal 42, in which the user 40 reserves the dispatch of an on-demand vehicle 20, and location information of the user 40. The fleet management server 100 transmits to the mobile terminal 42 a reservation completion notification notifying the completion of the reservation for dispatch of the on-demand vehicle 20, and location information notifying the current location where the on-demand vehicle 20 is traveling. These processes are executed by the fleet management server 100 as a result of predetermined instructions 122 being executed by the processor 110.

[0030] In the next chapter, a specific example will be used to explain the method of operating the on-demand vehicle 20 executed by the fleet management server 100.

[0031] 3. How on-demand vehicles are operated 3-1.Premise Figures 3 and 4 are diagrams for explaining a first example of a method for operating an on-demand vehicle 20. Figure 5 is a diagram for explaining a second example of a method for operating an on-demand vehicle 20. Figures 6 and 7 are diagrams for explaining a third example of a method for operating an on-demand vehicle 20. And Figure 8 is a diagram for explaining a fourth example of a method for operating an on-demand vehicle 20. The left side of each diagram is a diagram of each vehicle 10, 20, and the right side of each diagram shows the movement of each vehicle 10, 20 on the route 2. The assumptions for each example will be explained below.

[0032] In each example, line 2 is a line connecting station A and station B. Line 2 has three stations between station A and station B, namely station X, station Y, and station Z, in that order. These three stations are stations 4 provided on line 2. For ease of explanation, it is assumed that line 2 has only three passing stations 4. In each example, it is assumed that only one scheduled vehicle 10 simultaneously operates between station A and station B, and only one on-demand vehicle 20 simultaneously operates between station A and station B.

[0033] In each example, the regularly scheduled vehicle 10 is traveling from Station B to Station A. The regularly scheduled vehicle 10 runs according to a regular operation plan and is to stop at all stations, which are stations 4, in order. The stopping time of the regularly scheduled vehicle 10 at each station 4 is determined in the regular operation plan.

[0034] The on-demand vehicle 20 travels from station A to station B, or from station B to station A. The on-demand vehicle 20 is capable of making U-turns along the way. However, the route 2 is a single lane and there are few places where the vehicle can change direction. Therefore, it is preferable for the on-demand vehicle 20 to be a vehicle that can travel in both forward and backward directions. The on-demand vehicle 20 stops at the meeting place with the user 40, that is, at the place where the on-demand vehicle 20 picks up the user 40.

[0035] 3-2. First Example In the first example shown in Fig. 3 and Fig. 4, after a scheduled vehicle 10 departs from Station B, a reservation is made by a user 40 for an on-demand vehicle 20. A meeting point P desired by the user 40 is located between Station X and Station Y. The user 40 wishes to travel from the meeting point P to Station B. Therefore, the on-demand vehicle 20 waiting at Station A is the vehicle to be dispatched to the user 40.

[0036] The operation management server 100, which has received a reservation from the user 40, creates an operation plan to move the on-demand vehicle 20 to the meeting place P, pick up the user 40, and then head to station B, as shown in FIG. 3. The regular operation plan of the scheduled vehicle 10 is referenced when creating the operation plan for the on-demand vehicle 20. On a single-lane route 2, the two vehicles can only pass each other at stop 4. Furthermore, when the scheduled vehicle 10 and the on-demand vehicle 20 are operated on the single-lane route 2, the operation of the scheduled vehicle 10, which has a greater impact on users, should be given priority. Therefore, an operation plan for the on-demand vehicle 20 is created so that the on-demand vehicle 20 passes through stop 4 while the scheduled vehicle 10 is stopped at stop 4 according to the regular operation plan.

[0037] When the operation management server 100 is able to create an operation plan for the on-demand vehicle 20, it notifies the user 40 of the approval of the reservation. The operation management server 100 also notifies the user 40 of the created operation plan for the on-demand vehicle 20 together with the reservation approval notification. As a means for notifying the user 40, for example, a message sent from the operation management server 100 to the mobile terminal 42 is used. The message includes the location of the meeting place P and the arrival time of the on-demand vehicle 20 at the meeting place P (hereinafter referred to as the meeting time).

[0038] Furthermore, the message includes the latest departure time of the on-demand vehicle 20 from the meeting place P (hereinafter referred to as the limit departure time), or the waiting time of the on-demand vehicle 20 at the meeting place P. The waiting time is the maximum time that the on-demand vehicle 20 can wait at the meeting place P without interfering with the operation of the regularly-scheduled vehicle 10. In the first example, the on-demand vehicle 20 is scheduled to pass the regularly-scheduled vehicle 10 at station Y, which is ahead of the meeting place P. Therefore, if the on-demand vehicle 20 does not arrive at station Y before the departure time of the regularly-scheduled vehicle 10 from station Y, the departure of the regularly-scheduled vehicle 10 will be hindered. The limit departure time is the latest departure time from the meeting place P at which the on-demand vehicle 20 can arrive at station Y before the regularly-scheduled vehicle 10 departs from station Y. The traffic management server 100 calculates the waiting time at the meeting place P from the meeting time at the meeting place P and the limit departure time from the meeting place P.

[0039] However, the available waiting time must be longer than the minimum waiting time. The minimum waiting time is the time required for the on-demand vehicle 20 to arrive, the user 40 to board the on-demand vehicle 20, and for the on-demand vehicle 20 to depart. If an available waiting time longer than the minimum waiting time cannot be secured, an operation plan for the on-demand vehicle 20 cannot be created. In this case, the traffic management server 100 notifies the user 40 that the reservation has not been approved. At that time, if a available waiting time longer than the minimum waiting time can be achieved by changing the meeting place P or the meeting time, the traffic management server 100 proposes an alternative to the user 40.

[0040] The minimum waiting time is set on the assumption that the user 40 is someone who takes time to board, such as an elderly person or a disabled person. However, when the user 40 makes a reservation, the user 40 may be made to input a profile for himself or herself and any passengers, and the minimum waiting time may be set based on the input profile. If the operation management server 100 determines from the input profile that the minimum waiting time may be set to a shorter time, it becomes possible to create an operation plan for the on-demand vehicle 20 with a shorter allowable waiting time.

[0041] The traffic management server 100 notifies the user 40 of a reminder a predetermined time before the meeting time. The user 40 can set any number of reminder notifications and the time. When the user 40 boards the on-demand vehicle 20 at the meeting place P, the on-demand vehicle 20 notifies the traffic management server 100 that the user 40 has boarded. As a method for authenticating the boarding of the user 40 in the on-demand vehicle 20, for example, a method of authentication by short-range wireless communication between the mobile terminal 42 of the user 40 and the on-demand vehicle 20 can be used.

[0042] If the boarding of the user 40 into the on-demand vehicle 20 is not confirmed even after the meeting time has passed, the operation management server 100 notifies the user 40 of an alarm. The alarm is notified a predetermined time before the limit departure time. The number of times and the time for which the alarm is notified can be set freely by the user 40. If multiple users 40 are scheduled to board at the meeting place P, boarding confirmation and alarm notification are performed for each user 40.

[0043] FIG. 4 shows an example of the operation of the on-demand vehicle 20 when the user 40 does not appear at the meeting place P even when the critical departure time arrives. In this case, the traffic management server 100 causes the on-demand vehicle 20 to depart for Station Y, which is the nearest passing point, when the critical departure time arrives. Then, the on-demand vehicle 20 and the regularly-operated vehicle 10 pass each other at Station Y. When the on-demand vehicle 20 departs from the meeting place P, the traffic management server 100 notifies the user 40 who did not appear at the meeting place P that the on-demand vehicle 20 has been moved from the meeting place P. The user 40 who receives the notification can know the reason why the on-demand vehicle 20 is not at the meeting place P, and therefore it is possible to prevent a decrease in the user's 40 satisfaction with the service.

[0044] A user 40 who is late in arriving at the meeting place P can request the traffic management server 100 to reallocate the on-demand vehicle 20. This is to rescue the user 40 who intends to use the on-demand vehicle 20 and to reduce unnecessary operation of the on-demand vehicle 20. Whether the on-demand vehicle 20 can be reallocated depends on, for example, the presence or absence of other users who plan to board the on-demand vehicle 20, the meeting time with other users, the regular operation plan of the regularly scheduled vehicle 10, and the presence or absence of interference with the operation plans of other on-demand vehicles. If the on-demand vehicle 20 cannot be reallocated, the traffic management server 100 notifies the user 40 of that effect.

[0045] If the on-demand vehicle 20 can be redistributed, the traffic management server 100 recreates an operation plan to return to the meeting point P to pick up the user 40, and depart again toward Station B. When creating the operation plan, the traffic management server 100 sets the meeting time at the meeting point P so that the on-demand vehicle 20 does not catch up with the regularly scheduled vehicle 10 that has previously departed Station Y. After recreating the operation plan, the traffic management server 100 transmits a message to the user 40 including information regarding the location of the meeting point P, the meeting time, and the limit departure time from the meeting point P (or the allowable waiting time at the meeting point P).

[0046] The traffic management server 100 instructs the on-demand vehicle 20 to return from Station Y to the meeting point P. When it is confirmed that the user 40 has boarded the on-demand vehicle 20 at the meeting point P, the traffic management server 100 instructs the on-demand vehicle 20 to depart for Station B.

[0047] 3-3. Second Example In the second example shown in FIG. 5, after the scheduled vehicle 10 departs from Station B, reservations are made from users 40A and 40B for the on-demand vehicle 20. The meeting place P1 desired by user 40A is located between Station A and Station X. The meeting place P2 desired by user 40B is located between Station X and Station Y. Both users 40A and 40B wish to head to Station B. For this reason, the on-demand vehicle 20 waiting at Station A is dispatched as a ride-sharing vehicle for users 40A and 40B.

[0048] The operation management server 100 creates an operation plan for the on-demand vehicle 20. In the operation plan, first, the on-demand vehicle 20 moves to a meeting place P1 with the user 40A. Then, after picking up the user 40A, the on-demand vehicle 20 moves to a meeting place P2 with the user 40B, and after picking up the user 40B, the on-demand vehicle 20 moves to station B. The regular operation plan of the scheduled vehicle 10 is referenced when creating the operation plan for the on-demand vehicle 20. In the example shown in FIG. 5, the only places where the on-demand vehicle 20 can pass the scheduled vehicle 10 are station X and station Y. However, if the on-demand vehicle 20 passes the scheduled vehicle 10 at station X, the arrival time at station B, which is the destination of the users 40A and 40B, will be significantly delayed. Therefore, the operation management server 100 creates an operation plan for the on-demand vehicle 20 so that the on-demand vehicle 20 passes the scheduled vehicle 10 at station Y.

[0049] When the operation management server 100 is able to create an operation plan for the on-demand vehicle 20, it notifies the users 40A and 40B of the approval of the reservation. In addition, the operation management server 100 notifies the users 40A and 40B of the created operation plan for the on-demand vehicle 20 together with the reservation approval notification. The message notified to the user 40A includes the location of the meeting place P1, the meeting time, and the limit departure time from the meeting place P1 (or the allowable waiting time at the meeting place P1). The message notified to the user 40B includes the location of the meeting place P2, the meeting time, and the limit departure time from the meeting place P2. However, while the arrival time of the on-demand vehicle 20 at the meeting place P1 is determined by the operation plan, the arrival time of the on-demand vehicle 20 at the meeting place P2 depends on the departure time from the meeting place P1. Therefore, the arrival time of the on-demand vehicle 20 at the meeting place P2 at the earliest is notified to the user 40B as the meeting time.

[0050] In a second example, the traffic management server 100 calculates the critical departure time and the allowable waiting time at the meeting point P1, taking into consideration the minimum waiting time at the meeting point P2. That is, the operation conditions require the on-demand vehicle 20 to arrive at station Y before the regularly scheduled vehicle 10 departs from station Y, and to wait at the meeting point P2 for at least the minimum waiting time. The latest departure time from the meeting point P1 that can satisfy these conditions is the critical departure time at the meeting point P1, and the maximum waiting time that can satisfy these conditions is the allowable waiting time at the meeting point P1.

[0051] If the minimum waiting time cannot be secured at both the meeting place P1 and the meeting place P2, both users 40A and 40B cannot board the on-demand vehicle 20. In that case, the traffic management server 100 notifies only the user who requested the reservation of the on-demand vehicle 20 first, out of users 40A and 40B, that the reservation has been approved, and notifies the user who requested the reservation later that the reservation has not been approved.

[0052] The fleet management server 100 notifies the user 40A of a reminder a predetermined time before the meeting time at the meeting place P1. Then, if the user 40A is not confirmed to have boarded the on-demand vehicle 20 even after the meeting time has passed, the fleet management server 100 notifies the user 40A of an alarm. If the user 40A does not appear at the meeting place P1 even when the limit departure time finally arrives, the fleet management server 100 causes the on-demand vehicle 20 to depart for the next meeting place P2 at the time the limit departure time arrives. When causing the on-demand vehicle 20 to depart from the meeting place P1, the fleet management server 100 notifies the user 40A who did not appear at the meeting place P1 that the on-demand vehicle 20 has been moved from the meeting place P1.

[0053] In the example shown in FIG. 5, the user 40A cannot request the operation management server 100 to reallocate the on-demand vehicle 20. In order to reallocate the vehicle to the user 40A, it is necessary to have the next user 40B board the on-demand vehicle 20, have the on-demand vehicle 20 pass the regularly scheduled vehicle 10 at station Y, and then return the on-demand vehicle 20 to the meeting place P1. Such an operation is very disadvantageous to the user 40B and cannot be adopted. Therefore, when the on-demand vehicle 20 is used as a ride-sharing vehicle, the on-demand vehicle 20 is not made to make a U-turn and reallocated to a user who has missed the on-demand vehicle 20 unless at least other users agree.

[0054] 3-4.Third Example In the third example shown in Fig. 6 and Fig. 7, after a scheduled vehicle 10 departs from Station B, a reservation is made by a user 40 for an on-demand vehicle 20. A meeting point P desired by the user 40 is located between Station X and Station Y. The user 40 wishes to travel from the meeting point P to Station A. Therefore, the on-demand vehicle 20 waiting at Station B is the vehicle to be dispatched to the user 40.

[0055] The traffic management server 100, which has received a reservation from the user 40, creates an operation plan to move the on-demand vehicle 20 to the meeting place P, pick up the user 40, and then head to station A, as shown in FIG. 6. The regular operation plan of the scheduled vehicle 10 is referenced when creating the operation plan for the on-demand vehicle 20. Since the on-demand vehicle 20 is faster than the scheduled vehicle 10, it can catch up with the scheduled vehicle 10 that departed earlier. However, on a single-lane route 2, vehicles can only overtake each other at stations 4. Therefore, the traffic management server 100 makes the on-demand vehicle 20 pass station Y while the scheduled vehicle 10 is stopped at station Y just before the meeting place P. In other words, the traffic management server 100 makes the on-demand vehicle 20 overtake the scheduled vehicle 10 at station Y.

[0056] When the operation management server 100 is able to create an operation plan for the on-demand vehicle 20, it notifies the user 40 of the approval of the reservation. In addition to the reservation approval notification, the operation management server 100 also notifies the user 40 of the created operation plan for the on-demand vehicle 20. The message notified to the user 40 includes the location of the meeting place P, the meeting time, and the limit departure time from the meeting place P (or the allowable waiting time at the meeting place P).

[0057] In a third example, the regular service vehicle 10 departs from station Y after the on-demand vehicle 20. While the on-demand vehicle 20 is waiting at the meeting point P, the regular service vehicle 10 approaches the meeting point P. If the regular service vehicle 10 catches up with the on-demand vehicle 20, the regular service vehicle 10 cannot overtake the on-demand vehicle 20 unless the place where it catches up is a passing area. In that case, the regular service vehicle 10 is forced to decelerate, causing a delay in the operation plan of the regular service vehicle 10.

[0058] The limit departure time in the third example is a departure time at which the on-demand vehicle 20 is not caught up with the regularly-scheduled vehicle 10 that departed from station Y later. The limit departure time is determined based on the time at which the regularly-scheduled vehicle 10 passes the meeting place P. For example, a time that is a predetermined time before the time at which the regularly-scheduled vehicle 10 passes the meeting place P is set as the limit departure time. Alternatively, the limit departure time is set so that the on-demand vehicle 20 departs when the regularly-scheduled vehicle 10 arrives at a point that is a predetermined distance from the meeting place P. The predetermined time and the predetermined distance are set taking into consideration a delay in the departure of the on-demand vehicle 20 and a delay in acceleration after departure. The traffic management server 100 calculates the possible waiting time at the meeting place P from the meeting time at the meeting place P and the limit departure time from the meeting place P.

[0059] If an available waiting time longer than the minimum waiting time cannot be secured, the fleet management server 100 notifies the user 40 of the non-approval of the reservation. At that time, if an available waiting time longer than the minimum waiting time can be secured by changing the meeting place P or the meeting time, the fleet management server 100 proposes an alternative plan to the user 40.

[0060] The fleet management server 100 notifies the user 40 of a reminder a predetermined time before the meeting time at the meeting place P. Then, if the boarding of the user 40 into the on-demand vehicle 20 is not confirmed even after the meeting time has passed, the fleet management server 100 notifies the user 40 of an alarm.

[0061] FIG. 7 shows an example of the operation of the on-demand vehicle 20 when the user 40 does not appear at the meeting place P even when the limit departure time arrives. In this case, the traffic management server 100 causes the on-demand vehicle 20 to depart toward the nearest passing point, Station X, when the limit departure time arrives. Then, the on-demand vehicle 20 and the scheduled vehicle 10 pass each other at Station X. Note that Station X and Station Y are almost equidistant from the meeting place P, but the scheduled vehicle 10 is already heading toward this place from Station Y. For this reason, the on-demand vehicle 20 cannot depart toward Station Y. However, if the on-demand vehicle 20 can reach Station Y before the scheduled vehicle 10 departs Station Y, Station Y can also be used as a passing point. The traffic management server 100 notifies the user 40 who did not appear at the meeting place P that the on-demand vehicle 20 has been moved from Station Y.

[0062] A user 40 who is late in arriving at the meeting place P can request the traffic management server 100 to reallocate the on-demand vehicle 20. If the on-demand vehicle 20 can be reallocated, the traffic management server 100 recreates an operation plan for returning to the meeting place P to pick up the user 40, and departing again for Station A. When creating the operation plan, the traffic management server 100 sets the departure time from the meeting place P so as not to catch up with the regularly-operated vehicle 10 that has previously departed Station X for Station A. After recreating the operation plan, the traffic management server 100 transmits a message to the user 40 including information regarding the position of the meeting place P, the meeting time, and the departure time from the meeting place P.

[0063] The traffic management server 100 instructs the on-demand vehicle 20 to return from Station X to the meeting point P. When it is confirmed that the user 40 has boarded the on-demand vehicle 20 at the meeting point P, the traffic management server 100 instructs the on-demand vehicle 20 to depart for Station B.

[0064] 3-5. Fourth Example In the fourth example shown in FIG. 8, after the scheduled service vehicle 10 departs from Station B, reservations are made from users 40A and 40B for the on-demand vehicle 20. The meeting place P1 desired by user 40A is located between Station B and Station Z. The meeting place P2 desired by user 40B is located between Station X and Station Y. Both users 40A and 40B wish to head to Station A. Therefore, the on-demand vehicle 20 waiting at Station B is dispatched as a ride-sharing vehicle for users 40A and 40B.

[0065] The operation management server 100 creates an operation plan for the on-demand vehicle 20. In the operation plan, first, the on-demand vehicle 20 is moved to the meeting place P1 with the user 40A. Then, after picking up the user 40A, the on-demand vehicle 20 is moved to the meeting place P2 with the user 40B, and after picking up the user 40B, the on-demand vehicle 20 is moved to station A. The regular operation plan of the scheduled vehicle 10 is referenced when creating the operation plan for the on-demand vehicle 20. In the example shown in FIG. 8, station Y is the only place where the on-demand vehicle 20 can overtake the scheduled vehicle 10. The operation management server 100 creates an operation plan for the on-demand vehicle 20 so that the on-demand vehicle 20 can overtake the scheduled vehicle 10 at station Y.

[0066] When the operation management server 100 is able to create an operation plan for the on-demand vehicle 20, it notifies the users 40A, 40B of the approval of the reservation. In addition to the reservation approval notification, the operation management server 100 also notifies the users 40A, 40B of the created operation plan for the on-demand vehicle 20. The content of the message notified to the users 40A, 40B is the same as in the second example.

[0067] In a fourth example, the fleet management server 100 calculates the critical departure time and allowable waiting time at the meeting point P1, taking into consideration the minimum waiting time at the meeting point P2. That is, the conditions of operation require the on-demand vehicle 20 to depart from the meeting point P2 before being caught up with the regularly scheduled vehicle 10, and to wait at the meeting point P2 for at least the minimum waiting time. The latest departure time from the meeting point P1 that can satisfy these conditions is the critical departure time at the meeting point P1, and the maximum waiting time is the allowable waiting time at the meeting point P1.

[0068] If the minimum waiting time cannot be secured at both the meeting place P1 and the meeting place P2, both users 40A and 40B cannot board the on-demand vehicle 20. In that case, the traffic management server 100 notifies only the user who requested the reservation of the on-demand vehicle 20 first, out of users 40A and 40B, that the reservation has been approved, and notifies the user who requested the reservation later that the reservation has not been approved.

[0069] The fleet management server 100 notifies the user 40A of a reminder a predetermined time before the meeting time at the meeting place P1. Then, if the user 40A is not confirmed to have boarded the on-demand vehicle 20 even after the meeting time has passed, the fleet management server 100 notifies the user 40A of an alarm. If the user 40A does not appear at the meeting place P1 even when the limit departure time finally arrives, the fleet management server 100 causes the on-demand vehicle 20 to depart for the next meeting place P2 at the time the limit departure time arrives. When causing the on-demand vehicle 20 to depart from the meeting place P1, the fleet management server 100 notifies the user 40A who did not appear at the meeting place P1 that the on-demand vehicle 20 has been moved from the meeting place P1.

[0070] Effects In the above four specific examples, when the possible waiting time has elapsed without the user 40 appearing at the meeting place, the on-demand vehicle 20 is moved from the meeting place so as not to affect the operation of the regularly scheduled vehicle 10. By operating the on-demand vehicle 20 in this manner, it is possible to prevent the on-demand vehicle 20 from interfering with the operation of the regularly scheduled vehicle 10 on a single lane with limited passing places, while giving maximum consideration to the user 40 who is late in arriving at the meeting place.

[0071] 4.Other In the four specific examples of the above embodiment, all of the passing areas are stations, but passing areas other than stations may also be included. However, stations are preferable as places where scheduled service vehicles 10 wait for the on-demand vehicle 20 to pass by. This is because there is a possibility that passengers may board the scheduled service vehicles 10 while they are stopped. On the other hand, when the on-demand vehicle 20 waits for the scheduled service vehicle 10 to pass by, it may wait at any passing area, including stations.

[0072] The autonomous driving ECU 22 of the on-demand vehicle 20 may be included as a component of the operation system. In this case, "at least one processor" refers to the processor 110 of the operation management server 100 and the processor of the autonomous driving ECU 22. In this case, "multiple instructions" refers to the instructions stored in the program memory 120 of the operation management server 100 and the instructions stored in the program memory of the autonomous driving ECU 22. [Explanation of symbols]

[0073] 2 Single-lane route 4. Stations as passing places 10 Regular service vehicles 12 Autonomous Driving ECU 20 On-Demand Vehicles 22 Autonomous Driving ECU 40, 40A, 40B On-demand vehicle users 42 Mobile Devices 100 Traffic management server 110 Processor 120 Program Memory 122 Instructions 130 Storage 132 Regular train operation plan database

Claims

1. A method for operating an on-demand vehicle that runs autonomously on a single lane where scheduled vehicles are operated, using a server that communicates with the on-demand vehicle, comprising: creating an operation plan for receiving reservations for the on-demand vehicle from a user and a next user, picking up the user, and then picking up the next user; moving the on-demand vehicle to a meeting place with the user according to the operation plan; Calculating a waiting time for the on-demand vehicle at the next meeting place based on a regular operation plan of the regular operation vehicle, on the condition that a minimum waiting time required for the next user to board is ensured at the next meeting place with the next user; When the available waiting time has elapsed without the user showing up at the meeting place, the server moves the on-demand vehicle from the meeting place so as not to affect the operation of the regularly scheduled vehicle.

1. An on-demand vehicle operation method comprising:

2. The on-demand vehicle operation method according to claim 1, and when the available waiting time has elapsed without the user showing up at the meeting place, notifying the user that the on-demand vehicle will be moved from the meeting place.

1. An on-demand vehicle operation method comprising:

3. The on-demand vehicle operation method according to claim 1 or 2, A plurality of passing locations including stops of the scheduled service vehicles are provided on the single lane; Moving the on-demand vehicle from the meeting place includes moving the on-demand vehicle to a nearest passing place among the plurality of passing places that can be reached before the regularly-operated vehicle passes through.

1. An on-demand vehicle operation method comprising:

4. The on-demand vehicle operation method according to claim 3, and causing the server to move the on-demand vehicle again to the meeting place after the regularly-operated vehicle passes the nearest passing place.

1. An on-demand vehicle operation method comprising:

5. The on-demand vehicle operation method according to claim 4, notifying the user that the on-demand vehicle will be moved from the meeting place when the available waiting time has elapsed without the user showing up at the meeting place; and causing the server to move the on-demand vehicle to the meeting place again, subject to a request for re-allocation from the user.

1. An on-demand vehicle operation method comprising:

6. A system for operating an on-demand vehicle that runs autonomously on a single lane where scheduled vehicles are operated, comprising: At least one processor; a program memory coupled to the at least one processor and storing a plurality of executable instructions; The plurality of executable instructions may be configured to cause the at least one processor to: creating an operation plan for receiving reservations for the on-demand vehicle from a user and a next user, picking up the user, and then picking up the next user; moving the on-demand vehicle to a meeting place with the user according to the operation plan; Calculating a waiting time for the on-demand vehicle at the next meeting place based on a regular operation plan of the regular operation vehicle, on the condition that a minimum waiting time required for the next user to board is ensured at the next meeting place with the next user; and if the available waiting time has elapsed without the user appearing at the meeting place, moving the on-demand vehicle from the meeting place so as not to affect the operation of the regularly scheduled vehicle. An on-demand vehicle operation system.

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