Vehicle control method, vehicle control device

Abstract

To provide a technique enabling a countermeasure in response to a situation where there is a risk of a vehicle theft, for a MaaS vehicle having an automatic driving mode.SOLUTION: A vehicular control method, used for controlling a MaaS vehicle equipped with an automatic driving mode, includes: processing for detecting occurrence of an emergency state where the vehicle is driven deviated from a preset driving condition; and processing for executing emergency state response processing that consists of a plurality of stages in accordance with a predetermined sequence, in response to the detection of the occurrence of the emergency state.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a technique for controlling a MaaS vehicle equipped with an automatic driving mode.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for preventing theft in an autonomous vehicle equipped with a manual driving mode and an automatic driving mode. When the autonomous vehicle detects that it is in a stolen state, it switches to the automatic driving mode and disables the switch to the manual driving mode.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Since an autonomous vehicle may run without a driver, there is a concern about theft of the vehicle or equipment mounted on the vehicle. However, in an autonomous vehicle, particularly a MaaS vehicle equipped with an automatic driving mode, various passengers get in and out, so it is impossible to determine theft at the stage when a passenger gets on the vehicle. Even if ID authentication is performed when getting on the vehicle, it is impossible to immediately determine theft just because a passenger who is not registered with the ID gets in, and it is difficult to accurately determine a theft act.

[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a technique capable of taking situation-dependent measures in a situation where theft of a vehicle is suspected in a MaaS vehicle equipped with an automatic driving mode.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] A first aspect relates to a method for controlling a MaaS vehicle equipped with an automatic driving mode. The control method for a MaaS vehicle is a process of detecting the occurrence of an emergency state in which the MaaS vehicle is being driven outside of predetermined driving conditions, and a process of performing, in a predetermined order, an emergency response process composed of a plurality of stages in response to the detection of the occurrence of the emergency state and includes and is characterized by the above.

[0007] The second aspect is related to a vehicle control device. The vehicle control device is mounted on a MaaS vehicle equipped with an automatic driving mode. The vehicle control device detects the occurrence of an emergency state in which the MaaS vehicle is being driven outside of predetermined driving conditions, and in response to the detection of the occurrence of the emergency state, performs, in a predetermined order, an emergency response process composed of a plurality of stages and is characterized by executing the above.

Advantages of the Invention

[0008] According to the present disclosure, in a MaaS vehicle equipped with an automatic driving mode, when an emergency state in which theft is suspected occurs, by executing a response process consisting of a plurality of stages, it is possible to take appropriate actions according to the situation.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0009]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0010] Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 1. Overview The control method according to this embodiment is a control method for a MaaS (Mobility as a Service) vehicle. A MaaS (Mobility as a Service) vehicle is a vehicle as a MaaS system such as a regularly operating vehicle like an autonomous bus or a vehicle that operates on demand. As passengers of a MaaS vehicle, in addition to passengers who are users of the MaaS vehicle, vehicle managers, maintenance staff, drivers who monitor and drive the vehicle, etc. are assumed. A vehicle personally owned by an individual is referred to as a POV (Personally owned vehicle) with respect to a MaaS vehicle. The control method according to this embodiment is a control method for a MaaS vehicle having an autonomous driving mode among MaaS vehicles. Hereinafter, unless otherwise specified, a MaaS vehicle refers to a MaaS vehicle having an autonomous driving mode. Also, a MaaS vehicle may simply be referred to as a vehicle.

[0011] When a vehicle is running in the autonomous driving mode, the driver may not be in the vehicle. Therefore, there is a risk that the vehicle or the equipment installed in the vehicle may be damaged by theft during driving. In addition, since many expensive pieces of equipment are installed in autonomous vehicles, the risk of theft is even higher. However, in the case of MaaS vehicles, unlike POVs, various passengers get in and out, so it is difficult to determine theft when a passenger gets in the vehicle. Even if user authentication is performed by ID registration or the like, it is not possible to immediately conclude theft when an unregistered passenger gets in the vehicle. In addition, since various passengers may get in the MaaS vehicle at the same time, if vehicle control such as forced destination change is performed, it may affect a large number of passengers. Even if a suspicious passenger gets in the vehicle, it is not preferable to immediately conclude theft and perform vehicle control when no major problem has occurred because it has a great impact on the surroundings. Therefore, it is important to determine at what timing theft of the vehicle or equipment has occurred and at what timing to take measures to deal with theft such as vehicle control.

[0012] When a MaaS vehicle is operated in the autonomous driving mode, the driving conditions are predetermined, and the vehicle operates according to the driving conditions. Examples of driving conditions include the area where the vehicle travels, the driving route of the vehicle, and the bus stops where the vehicle stops. For example, as shown in Fig. 1(a), predetermined bus stops 301 and 302 where the vehicle stops are set in advance, and passenger 201 gets into MaaS vehicle 100 at the set bus stop 301. MaaS vehicle 100 carrying passenger 201 travels along the set driving route 400 and heads to the next bus stop 302. Such driving conditions may be set by a management server that manages the vehicle based on the user's request.

[0013] When the vehicle is operating normally, it runs according to predetermined driving conditions. Conversely, if the vehicle is being driven outside the predetermined driving conditions, there is a high possibility that theft or the like has occurred. For example, as shown in FIG. 1(b), when the vehicle 100 deviates significantly from the operation design area, there is a high possibility that the driver has intervened in the automatic driving mode for the purpose of theft or the like. Also, as shown in FIG. 1(c), when the vehicle 100 continues to run without stopping at a predetermined parking place (for example, the bus stop 302 where the passenger 202 is waiting), there is a high possibility that the driver has intervened in the automatic driving mode for the purpose of theft or the like.

[0014] Therefore, in the control method according to the present embodiment, a state in which the vehicle is being driven outside the predetermined driving conditions is regarded as an emergency state, and the occurrence of the emergency state is detected. Further, in response to the detection of the occurrence of the emergency state, processing for coping with situations such as theft is performed. The processing performed in response to the detection of the occurrence of the emergency state is referred to as emergency state coping processing.

[0015] As means for coping with situations such as theft, for example, issuing a warning to stop an act leading to theft, and forcibly stopping the vehicle to prevent the vehicle and equipment from being taken away can be cited. However, depending on the coping means, the magnitude of the impact on the surrounding passengers and surrounding vehicles riding in the MaaS vehicle, and the intensity of the warning to the person committing the theft act are different. Since various passengers ride in the MaaS vehicle, it is desirable not to use means that have a large impact on the surroundings when theft can be prevented only by means that have a small impact on the surroundings.

[0016] Therefore, in the control method according to the present embodiment, the emergency state coping process is composed of a plurality of stages. Depending on the stage, the intensity of the stage represented by the intensity of the warning, the magnitude of the impact on the surrounding passengers and surrounding vehicles, the intensity of the coercion on the passengers, etc. is different. Each stage is performed in a predetermined order so that the weakest stage starts first and gradually changes to a stronger stage.

[0017] The control method according to this embodiment is realized, for example, by the flowchart shown in FIG. 2. In step S101, a passenger gets on the vehicle. When the passenger gets on the vehicle, the process proceeds to step S102.

[0018] In step S102, it is determined whether the vehicle is in an emergency state. There is no limitation on the specific content of the emergency state. If the vehicle is in an emergency state (step S102; Yes), the process proceeds to step S103. If the vehicle is not in an emergency state (step S102; No), the process ends.

[0019] In step S103, the first stage of the emergency state countermeasure process is performed. Then, the process proceeds to step S104. In step S104, it is determined again whether the vehicle is in an emergency state. If the emergency state continues (step S104; Yes), the process proceeds to step S105. If the vehicle is no longer in an emergency state (step S104; No), the process ends.

[0020] In step S105, the second stage of the emergency state countermeasure process is performed. The second stage is a stronger stage than the first stage. After the same processing as in steps S104 and S105 is repeated N - 2 times, the process proceeds to step S106. N is an integer of 2 or more.

[0021] In step S106, it is determined again whether the vehicle is in an emergency state. If the emergency state continues (step S106; Yes), the process proceeds to step S107. If the vehicle is no longer in an emergency state (step S106; No), the process ends.

[0022] In step S107, the Nth stage of the emergency state countermeasure process is performed. The Nth stage is the strongest stage. Then, the process ends.

[0023] In this flowchart, the emergency response process consists of N stages. For example, when N = 4, a relatively weak warning without coercion is the first stage, a stronger warning than the first stage is given in the second stage, an even stronger warning than the second stage is given in the third stage, and in the fourth stage, it is assumed that a forced control such as changing the vehicle's route is performed. By performing the emergency response process consisting of N stages with the order determined to be gradually stronger, appropriate responses according to the situation can be made.

[0024] In the flowchart of Figure 2, if the emergency situation is resolved midway, the emergency response process is terminated midway through the stage. In this way, the multiple stages of the emergency response process may be configured to end midway through the stage when the emergency situation is no longer detected. By configuring the emergency response process to end when the emergency situation is no longer detected, relatively strong stages are executed only when necessary, and the impact on the surroundings can be minimized.

[0025] The transition from one stage to the next may be determined by the elapsed time or by the vehicle's travel distance. For example, the next stage may be started when the time elapsed since the start of a certain stage exceeds a predetermined time, or the next stage may be started when the distance the vehicle has moved during the execution of a certain stage exceeds a predetermined distance. Alternatively, for example, when the vehicle has deviated from the travel route, it may transition to the next stage according to the deviation distance from the travel route. Also, when a certain stage starts, the previous stage may be continued simultaneously or the previous stage may be stopped.

[0026] 2. Configuration Example Figure 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration example in the control method according to the present embodiment. The control device 10 is a device that realizes the control method according to the present embodiment and is mounted on a vehicle. The control device 10 includes a processor 11 and a storage device 12. The processing in the control method according to the present embodiment is realized by the processor 11 executing a program stored in the storage device 12.

[0027] The vehicle equipped with the control device 10 includes a sensor group 1, a communication device 2, a vehicle control device 3, an audio output device 4, a display device 5, and a storage device 6. The control device 10 is configured to be communicable with the sensor group 1, the communication device 2, the vehicle control device 3, the audio output device 4, the display device 5, and the storage device 6.

[0028] The sensor group 1 acquires vehicle information. Examples of the vehicle information include information about the control state of the vehicle, such as whether or not an intervention has been made in the autonomous driving mode. The communication device 2 is configured to be communicable with the outside of the vehicle. The communication device 2 may acquire GPS information from an external server or may be configured to be able to report to the police. When the management server sets driving conditions, communication with the management server is performed by the communication device 2. The vehicle control device 3 controls the vehicle. For example, when the vehicle is stopped as one of the stages of the emergency response process, the vehicle control device 3 controls the accelerator and brakes to stop the vehicle in a safe place. The audio output device 4 outputs audio. For example, when a warning is issued by audio as one of the stages of the emergency response process, the audio output device 4 issues a warning. The display device 5 performs display inside and outside the vehicle by images and videos. For example, when a signage display is performed as one of the stages of the emergency response process, the display device 5 performs the display. The storage device 6 stores various information. The storage device 6 may store, for example, information about the driving conditions of the vehicle or map information of the driving route.

[0029] 3. Specific examples of the method for detecting the occurrence of an emergency First, the emergency state can be set as follows, for example. The first state is a state where the takeover operation by the occupant continues for more than a certain period of time. The second state is a state where the vehicle deviates from the ODD (Operational Design Domain) by a certain distance or more, or a state where the vehicle deviates from the ODD and the deviation continues for more than a certain period of time. The third state is a state where the vehicle is not parked at a preset parking location. A state in which any one or more of these occur may be regarded as an emergency state. By setting the emergency state as such a state, it is possible to more accurately determine theft.

[0030] Intentionally switching a vehicle running in the automatic driving mode to manual driving is called a takeover operation. A vehicle running in the automatic driving mode is equipped with means such as a steering wheel, brakes, accelerator, and emergency switch that enable switching to manual driving or intervening in the automatic driving mode. These means are installed in case of unexpected situations that cannot be handled only by the vehicle's automatic driving mode and where it is necessary to avoid unexpected situations through artificial operations. If a takeover operation by the occupant occurs and ends within a certain period of time, it is highly likely that it is for the purpose of avoiding unexpected situations, and it cannot be determined that theft has occurred. However, if the takeover operation continues for more than a certain period of time, it is highly likely that theft or the like by the occupant has occurred, and countermeasures are required. Therefore, in the control method according to the present embodiment, a state where the takeover operation by the occupant continues for more than a certain period of time may be regarded as an emergency state.

[0031] The area defined as the area where the MaaS vehicle travels is called the operation design area, or ODD. The ODD is defined, for example, as the road or area where the vehicle travels. When the vehicle is operating normally, even if it deviates from the ODD, it can return to the automatic driving mode in a short time. However, if the vehicle deviates significantly from the ODD or does not return for a long time after deviating from the ODD, it is highly likely that the passenger has intervened in the automatic driving mode for the purpose of theft or the like. Therefore, in the control method according to the present embodiment, a state in which the vehicle has deviated from the ODD by a certain distance or more, or a state in which the vehicle has deviated from the ODD and the deviation has continued for a certain time or more may be regarded as an emergency state. For example, it is assumed that a state in which the vehicle has deviated from the ODD by 1 kilometer or more or a state in which the vehicle has continuously deviated from the ODD for 1 hour or more is regarded as an emergency state.

[0032] The MaaS vehicle stops at a predetermined parking place for passengers to get on and off. For example, when the MaaS vehicle is a regular operation vehicle, the bus stop is defined as the parking place. When the MaaS vehicle is an on-demand vehicle, the place requested by the passenger in advance or during the ride as the boarding place or alighting place becomes the parking place. Even in the case of an on-demand vehicle, the parking place may be a bus stop. If the vehicle continues to run without stopping at the predetermined parking place, it is highly likely that the passenger with the purpose of theft or the like has intervened in the automatic driving mode. Therefore, in the control method according to the present embodiment, a state in which the vehicle is not stopped at the preset parking place may be regarded as an emergency state.

[0033] 4. Specific examples of emergency state handling Next, an example of emergency state handling will be described. As the first stage of emergency state handling, for example, a voice warning is suitable. As the second stage, for example, a sign display is suitable. As the third stage, for example, reporting to the police and stopping the vehicle are suitable.

[0034] An audio warning is issued inside the vehicle as a warning to the occupants. Examples of audio warnings include voices prompting the operation of a switch to return to the automatic driving mode and voices calling on the driver to release the steering wheel. The audio warning may be issued in combination with a sound such as a buzzer.

[0035] Signage display refers to a visual display such as a video. The signage display may be a display directed inside the vehicle, a display directed outside the vehicle, or a combination of both. Examples of signage displays include displays prompting the occupants inside the vehicle to stop intervening in the automatic driving mode and displays requesting SOS to the outside of the vehicle. The stage at which the signage display is performed is a stronger stage compared to the stage of the audio warning.

[0036] Reporting to the police and stopping the vehicle are even stronger stages than the stage at which the signage display is performed. The vehicle stop is performed by disabling the switching to the manual driving mode and forcibly switching the vehicle to the automatic driving mode to control the accelerator and brakes.

[0037] By performing the audio warning as the first stage, the signage display, which is stronger than the audio warning, as the second stage, and the even stronger reporting to the police and vehicle stop as the third stage, the emergency response process can be configured to gradually become a stronger stage. At this time, the intensity of the process may be changed within each stage. For example, when the takeover operation by the occupant continues for a certain period of time and an audio warning is issued as the first stage of the emergency response process, the intensity of the warning may be changed according to the duration of the takeover operation.

[0038] The emergency response process as described above is also effective when an emergency occurs for reasons other than vehicle theft by the occupant. Examples of reasons for an emergency other than theft include vehicle malfunctions and incorrect operations by the occupant. For example, when the vehicle deviates from the ODD by a certain distance or more due to a vehicle malfunction, a sign display can be shown inside the vehicle to prompt the occupant to perform an operation to return to the ODD. Alternatively, for example, when the takeover operation continues for a certain period of time because the occupant accidentally touches the steering wheel, an audio warning or sign display can be shown to prompt the occupant to stop the incorrect operation.

[0039] 5. Authentication process The emergency response process can be canceled under certain conditions. For example, authentication of the occupant can be performed when the occupant boards or after boarding the vehicle, and if the authentication is successful, the emergency response process may be canceled. Examples of methods for performing authentication include ID authentication and face authentication. For example, by ID authentication or face authentication, it can be determined whether the occupant matches a previously registered user, and if they match, it may be determined that the authentication is successful. Since passengers usually board at bus stops, etc., authentication may be performed at bus stops. The occupants of MaaS vehicles may operate the vehicle outside of the predetermined driving conditions for purposes such as work. For example, for vehicle maintenance purposes, the occupant may manually drive the vehicle and take it out of the ODD. By performing authentication, detection of the occurrence of an emergency in such a scenario can be canceled. If the occupant is not successfully authenticated, the emergency response process is performed in response to the detection of the occurrence of an emergency as described in "4. Specific examples of emergency response process".

[0040] 6. Specific examples of the control method according to the present embodiment Figures 4 and 5 are flowcharts showing overall specific examples of the control method according to the present embodiment. A shown in Figures 4 and 5 corresponds between Figure 4 and Figure 5, and Figures 4 and 5 show one flowchart. T / O in Figure 4 indicates takeover.

[0041] In step S201, the occupant gets in the vehicle. When the occupant gets in the vehicle, the process proceeds to step S202.

[0042] In step S202, the authentication of the occupant is performed. If the occupant is not correctly authenticated (step S202; No), the process proceeds to step S203. If the occupant is correctly authenticated (step S202; Yes), the process ends. The authentication in step S202 may be changed in strictness by the occupant. For example, the passenger may perform only face authentication, and the administrator may determine that the authentication is correct only when both face authentication and ID authentication are cleared.

[0043] In step S203, it is determined whether the takeover operation has continued for more than a certain period of time. If the takeover operation has continued for more than a certain period of time (step S203; Yes), the process proceeds to step S206. If the takeover operation has not continued for more than a certain period of time (step S203; No), the process proceeds to step S204. The determination in step S203 is realized, for example, by the processor 11 making a determination based on the control information of the vehicle and the information on the elapsed time acquired by the sensor group 1.

[0044] In step S204, it is determined whether the vehicle has deviated from the ODD by more than a certain distance. If the vehicle has not deviated from the ODD or the deviation is less than or equal to a certain distance (step S204; No), the process proceeds to step S205. If the vehicle has deviated from the ODD by more than a certain distance (step S204; Yes), the process proceeds to step S206. The determination in step S204 is realized, for example, by the processor 11 making a determination based on the road information acquired by the sensor group 1 and the travel route information stored in the storage device 6. Alternatively, it may be realized by the processor 11 making a determination based on the GPS information acquired by the communication device 2 and the map information stored in the storage device 6.

[0045] In step S205, it is determined whether the vehicle has stopped at a bus stop. If the vehicle has not stopped at the bus stop (step S205; No), the process proceeds to step S206. If the vehicle has stopped at the bus stop (step S205; Yes), the process ends. The determination in step S205 is realized, for example, by the processor 11 making a determination based on the road information acquired by the sensor group 1 and the travel route information stored in the storage device 6. The processes from step S203 to step S205 show an example of concretizing the method for detecting the occurrence of an emergency situation.

[0046] In step S206, an audio warning is issued. Then, the process proceeds to step S207. The process in step S206 is realized, for example, by the processor 11 performing a process to cause the audio output device 4 to issue a warning.

[0047] In step S207, it is determined again whether an emergency situation has occurred. Subsequently, if the occurrence of an emergency situation is detected (step S207; Yes), the process proceeds to step S208. If the occurrence of an emergency situation is no longer detected (step S207; No), the process ends.

[0048] In step S208, a signage display is performed. Then, the process proceeds to step S209. The process in step S208 is realized, for example, by the processor 11 performing a process to cause the display device 5 to display an image.

[0049] In step S209, it is determined again whether an emergency situation has occurred. Subsequently, if the occurrence of an emergency situation is detected (step S209; Yes), the process proceeds to step S210. If the occurrence of an emergency situation is no longer detected (step S209; No), the process ends. The determination as to whether the emergency situation continues in steps S207 and S209 may be made by performing the same processes as those from step S203 to step S205 again.

[0050] In step S210, a report is made to the police. After that, the process proceeds to step S211. In step S211, the vehicle is stopped. After that, the process ends. The process of step S210 is realized, for example, by the processor 11 performing a process for causing the communication device 2 to make a report. The process of step S211 is realized, for example, by the processor 11 performing a process for causing the vehicle control device 3 to control the vehicle.

[0051] Steps S206 to S211 show an example of embodying the emergency response process. As the first stage of the emergency response process, a voice warning is given, as the second stage, a sign display is made, and as the third stage, a report to the police and the stopping of the vehicle are performed. By starting the emergency response process from a voice warning and gradually shifting to stronger processes, reporting to the police and stopping the vehicle are only performed when necessary, and the impact can be minimized. In this flowchart, the vehicle is stopped after reporting to the police, but the processes in the same stage can be performed in any order. For example, a report to the police may be made after the vehicle is stopped.

[0052] 7. Effects As described above, by the control method according to the present embodiment, theft acts can be determined with high accuracy, and when it is determined that a theft act has occurred, a response process consisting of a plurality of stages is executed, and an appropriate response according to the situation can be made. Furthermore, even when the vehicle deviates from the driving conditions due to reasons other than theft acts, an appropriate response according to the situation can be made.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0053] 1 Sensor group 2 Communication device 3 Vehicle control device 4 Voice output device 5 Display device 6 Storage device 10 Control device 11 Processor 12 Storage device 100 MaaS vehicles 201, 202 passengers 301, 302 bus stops 400 driving route

Claims

1. A method for controlling a Maas vehicle having an automatic driving mode, comprising: detecting the occurrence of an abnormal state in which the Maas vehicle is being driven outside of predetermined driving conditions; responding to the detection of the occurrence of the abnormal state, performing an abnormal state response process composed of a plurality of stages in a predetermined order; authenticating the passenger of the Maas vehicle when the passenger boards or after boarding the Maas vehicle; if it is determined that the authentication of the passenger is correct in the authentication of the passenger, canceling the abnormal state response process; including the abnormal state is a state in which a takeover operation by the passenger continues for more than a certain time, a state in which the Maas vehicle deviates from a driving design area by a certain distance or more, a state in which the deviation of the Maas vehicle from the driving design area continues for more than a certain time, and a state in which the Maas vehicle is not parked at a preset parking place, and any one or more of these states have occurred control method.

2. The control method according to claim 1, performing an audio warning as a first stage of the abnormal state response process, performing a signage display as a second stage, and reporting to the police and stopping the Maas vehicle as a third stage control method.

3. A vehicle control device mounted on a Maas vehicle having an automatic driving mode, comprising: detecting the occurrence of an abnormal state in which the Maas vehicle is being driven outside of predetermined driving conditions; responding to the detection of the occurrence of the abnormal state, performing an abnormal state response process composed of a plurality of stages in a predetermined order; authenticating the passenger of the Maas vehicle when the passenger boards or after boarding the Maas vehicle; if it is determined that the authentication of the passenger is correct in the authentication of the passenger, canceling the abnormal state response process; configured to execute the abnormal state is a state in which a takeover operation by the passenger continues for more than a certain time, a state in which the Maas vehicle deviates from a driving design area by a certain distance or more, a state in which the deviation of the Maas vehicle from the driving design area continues for more than a certain time, and a state in which the Maas vehicle is not parked at a preset parking place, and any one or more of these states have occurred control device.

4. The vehicle control device according to claim 3, As a first stage of the emergency state response process, a voice warning is issued, as a second stage, a signage display is performed, and as a third stage, a report is made to the police and the MaaS vehicle is stopped. A control device configured as described above.

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