Method and control device for limiting accident risk

Abstract

To provide a method for restricting accident risk, and control equipment.SOLUTION: A method for restricting accident risk has a recognizing step at which firstly, increase in accident risk due to change in indoor condition of a vehicle (105) and / or traffic condition change in peripheral environment of the vehicle (105) is recognized. This method further a providing step at which travel method and / or travel route and / or indoor parameter is changed in response to the recognized change in indoor condition of the vehicle (105) and / or traffic condition in peripheral environment of the vehicle (105), and a control signal (173) for controlling drive of the vehicle (105) is provided in order to restrict accident risk.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention is based on an apparatus or method according to the preamble of the independent claim. The subject of the present invention is also a computer program.

Background Art

[0002] For example, an automatic driving system of a vehicle that automatically guides the vehicle horizontally and / or vertically on a highway takes into account a relative speed such that the vehicle does not pass stationary objects and / or other road users at a speed higher than, for example, 60 km / h. If there is a warning, for example, a traffic jam warning, when the end of the traffic jam suddenly occurs, the speed of the vehicle decreases in order to reduce the energy by braking and thus stop more quickly.

Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of this background, the method presented here presents a method for limiting the accident risk, further a control device using this method, and finally a corresponding computer program according to the main claim. The means recited in the dependent claims enable advantageous developments and improvements of the apparatus described in the independent claim.

[0004] The method presented here is based on the fact that, for example, by changing the driving method of the vehicle, and / or the driving route, and / or the interior parameters in response to the recognized changes in the interior situation of the vehicle and / or the traffic situation in the surrounding environment of the vehicle, the increase in the accident risk of the autonomous vehicle due to the change in the interior situation of the vehicle and / or the change in the traffic situation in the surrounding environment of the vehicle is limited, and furthermore, the freedom and driving comfort of the passengers are guaranteed.

[0005] A method for limiting the accident risk is presented, and this method has the following steps. Recognizing an increase in the accident risk due to a change in the interior situation of the vehicle and / or a change in the traffic situation in the surrounding environment of the vehicle.

[0006] Providing a control signal for driving control of a vehicle to change a driving method and / or a driving route and / or in-vehicle parameters in response to a recognized change in the in-vehicle situation of the vehicle and / or the traffic situation of the surrounding environment of the vehicle, in order to limit the accident risk.

[0007] The accident risk can be understood, for example, as the probability that a vehicle driving on a highway encounters danger or that the driving of the vehicle on the highway has an adverse impact. Therefore, the accident risk can also be understood as the danger of an accident. Here, an increase in the danger of an accident can be caused, in a certain traffic scenario, for example, by a change in the behavior of the vehicle occupants, such as taking off the seat belt and / or by a new seat position. Furthermore, an increase in the danger of an accident can also be caused by the existing in-vehicle situation and the new traffic situation, such as a traffic jam warning and / or an increase in traffic density. In both cases, the danger of an accident increases, and for example, attempts can be made to adjust by means of a defensive driving method of the vehicle. The in-vehicle situation can be understood as an event inside the vehicle that may have a number of elements. The event can be, for example, an adjustment of the seat position by the vehicle occupants and / or the removal of the seat belt by the vehicle occupants. In order to be able to recognize the changed in-vehicle situation, it is advantageous if, for example, a detection device executable by a sensor and / or a camera unit is present in the vehicle. When the high safety of the vehicle occupants cannot be sufficiently ensured according to the in-vehicle situation and / or the traffic situation in the surrounding environment of the vehicle, the vehicle can react appropriately. Thereby, not only the driver and other occupants of the vehicle are protected, but also the overall traffic safety is improved. It is also possible. By outputting a control signal, for example, the driving method, driving route, and / or interior parameters can be changed. Therefore, a change in the driving method of the vehicle can be understood as, for example, the start of an acceleration process or a braking process, and a change in the driving route can be understood as, for example, a lane change of the vehicle and / or a change in the driving route regarding the possibility of a temporary required stop. Finally, a change in the interior parameters can be understood as, for example, a change in the position of the vehicle's seat device and / or the output of a warning to the vehicle occupants. The vehicle can be a vehicle for transporting people, for example, a highly automated vehicle. Also, the vehicle can be understood as a commercial vehicle for transporting people or goods, for example, a highly automated truck or bus. The traffic situation can be understood as the current traffic state of the vehicle's surrounding environment considering vehicle density, traffic obstacles, and / or the weather conditions of all traffic roads and means of transportation.

[0008] The advantage of the method presented here is that, in particular, by changing the driving method and / or driving route and / or interior parameters of the vehicle, the degree of freedom and driving comfort of the occupants can be increased rather than limited, despite limiting the accident risk of the autonomous vehicle. According to the method presented here, the accident risk of the vehicle can be monitored by sensors, and even when the risk of an accident is low, multiple freedoms are permitted to the occupants, and the vehicle occupants can, for example, select a seat position that is comfortable for them. On the contrary, the vehicle occupants can affect the driving characteristics of the automatic operation by their actions in the vehicle interior. For example, if the seat position selected by the vehicle occupants may increase the risk of injury in a potential accident, the vehicle will drive at a lower speed.

[0009] According to one embodiment, in the recognition step, the changed vehicle interior situation can be recognized using signals from the interior camera unit and / or signals from the seat device, and the signals from the seat device represent the changed seat settings of the seat device. In particular, in the recognition step, the degree of severity of (imminent) injury to the vehicle occupant is determined using the changed interior situation of the vehicle. The seat device can be, for example, an adjustable seat, a bench, a vehicle interior table, and / or a holder in the vehicle interior. For example, the interior of the vehicle and / or the vehicle occupant is observed using the interior camera unit, and / or the seat settings of the vehicle occupant are monitored. Here, knowledge of the behavior and / or seat position and / or posture and / or head position of the vehicle occupant can be used to advantageously determine the severity of possible injuries to the vehicle occupant. Such an embodiment of the method presented here can also change the driving method, in particular the speed of the vehicle, and / or adapt the distance of the vehicle to the preceding and / or following vehicles driving, depending on the severity of the injury determined in combination with the accident risk, thereby providing the advantage of giving the vehicle occupant the desired freedom and recognizing and avoiding potential critical traffic situations at an early stage.

[0010] According to a further embodiment, the method can have a calculating step that uses the measured speeds of preceding and / or subsequent vehicles, as well as the speed of the vehicle, to calculate a relative speed and / or a relative speed range between the vehicle and at least one vehicle preceding and / or following the vehicle, and in the providing step, a control signal is provided according to the calculated relative speed and / or the calculated relative speed range. Information regarding the measured speed can be measured not only by the host vehicle itself but also by other vehicles and / or infrastructure elements such as traffic flow sensors and is made available via a wireless interface. Such an embodiment of the method presented herein can, for example, control the driving of the vehicle according to the height of the calculated relative speed and / or the size of the calculated relative speed range, so that appropriate measures can be taken to limit the accident risk of the vehicle and thus improve overall traffic safety.

[0011] Furthermore, according to one embodiment, in the calculating step, the calculated relative speed and / or relative speed range can be used to calculate a target speed of the vehicle for changing the vehicle interior situation and / or the traffic situation. In particular, in the calculating step, it is further checked whether the calculated target speed of the vehicle is outside a relative speed threshold, and in the providing step, the driving of the vehicle is controlled using a control signal for braking, whereby the driving method of the vehicle is changed. The driving method can be associated, for example, with the individual manner in which a driver or a driver assistance system or a steering system steers the vehicle. For this purpose, for example, the seat position and / or posture of the driver during driving can be considered. Therefore, such an embodiment of the method presented here can provide the advantage of reducing the accident risk or the danger of an accident of the vehicle, and thus improving overall traffic safety, by changing the driving method of the vehicle, for example, by reducing the speed of the vehicle.

[0012] Also, according to one embodiment, in the calculating step, the relative speed and / or relative speed range of a vehicle traveling in the right and / or left lane with respect to the vehicle in the traveling direction of the vehicle can be calculated, and the calculating step is calculated using the measured average speed of the vehicle traveling in the right and / or left lane and the speed of the vehicle. In the providing step, the driving route of the vehicle is changed by driving and controlling the vehicle using a control signal for lane change. In particular, the lane change is performed when the target speed of the vehicle is achieved by the lane change. Such an embodiment of the method presented herein also provides the advantage that the accident risk or danger of an accident of the vehicle can be reduced, and thus the overall traffic safety can be improved, for example, by changing the driving route of the vehicle by a lane change of the vehicle.

[0013] According to one embodiment, in the calculating step, when the distance between the vehicle and at least one vehicle following and / or preceding the vehicle is greater than a predetermined distance threshold and / or a predetermined time threshold, and / or when the reach range of the vehicle's surrounding environment sensor is greater than a predetermined visual range threshold, the relative speed range can be increased. At this time, according to one embodiment, a continuous transition between relative speed ranges is also possible. Such an embodiment of the method presented herein provides the advantage that the method presented herein is flexibly configured, whereby the vehicle can advantageously adapt to a number of various traffic situations in the vehicle's surrounding environment in order to limit the accident risk of the vehicle, ensure the freedom of the vehicle occupants, and improve the overall traffic safety. Also, when the sensor reach range is large, for example, when the visibility range is good, earlier action becomes possible, and thus other road users can also be anticipated to mitigate potentially dangerous traffic situations.

[0014] In a further embodiment, in the step of calculating, the relative speed and / or relative speed range can be calculated in consideration of an allowable range, where the allowable range is set and / or obtained from a map and / or generated from the surrounding environment data of the vehicle. Here, the allowable range can be considered when associating the target speed of the vehicle with one lane. In this way, some vehicles can travel at a lower speed in the same lane as the vehicle, and other vehicles can travel faster. Thus, the speed of the vehicle following the vehicle cannot be estimated based on the speed of the vehicle preceding the vehicle. Similarly, it is not considered that the vehicle preceding the vehicle can maintain its current speed constantly because it brakes and / or avoids in some cases due to the presence of a slow vehicle. Such an embodiment of the method presented here uses vehicle-to-vehicle communication that functions to exchange information and / or data among multiple vehicles to notify the vehicle and / or the driver of an early critical and dangerous situation, thereby providing the advantage of being able to reduce the calculated allowable range. Also, for example, it is also conceivable to communicate with an external server where map data of vehicle movement data is arranged. The data in the map can be detected, for example, by other road users, but in some cases, it can also be detected by infrastructure elements such as traffic monitoring cameras and speed control devices.

[0015] Furthermore, according to one embodiment, in the step of calculating the relative speed range, the relative speed rang The enclosure can be divided into an upper and a lower relative speed range. The lower relative speed range is divided and / or modified taking into account the speed of the fastest vehicle following the vehicle, and the upper relative speed range is divided and / or modified taking into account the slowest vehicle preceding the vehicle. Using the calculated relative speed range, the target speed and / or target speed range of the vehicle in the lane can be determined. In the embodiments presented herein, this speed range is divided into the above-mentioned upper and lower relative speed ranges. Thus, such embodiments of the method presented herein offer the advantage of being able to take into account possible inaccuracies when calculating the target speed and / or target speed range of the vehicle in the lane. Also, this allows for taking into account the different speeds of road users on the lane, which is particularly advantageous for limiting the accident risk.

[0016] Also, according to further embodiments, in particular, the upper relative speed range can be selected taking into account the speed range of slower vehicles driving in the lane adjacent to the direction of travel of the vehicle. This advantageously ensures that when the vehicle enters the vehicle's lane from an adjacent lane, the relative speed is also sufficiently low there, and thus the vehicle can react early to the entering vehicle. This is particularly applicable, for example, when a vehicle wants to switch from the left lane to the middle lane and other vehicles want to switch from the right lane to the middle lane.

[0017] Furthermore, according to one embodiment, in the providing step, the control signal is used to drive and control the seat device, the in-vehicle table, and / or the in-vehicle holder for adjustment, and / or optical, acoustic, and / or tactile warnings are provided to the vehicle occupants, so that the in-vehicle parameters can be changed. In particular, when the driving method of the vehicle and / or the driving route cannot be changed within a predetermined time, the in-vehicle parameters are changed. For example, when the relative speed range is too small and / or the traffic volume is too large, the driving method cannot be changed, such as by reducing the speed of the vehicle, and / or the driving route cannot be changed, such as by changing the lane of the vehicle, the in-vehicle parameters of the vehicle are changed. In this way, for example, the seat device of the vehicle can be automatically adjusted, and / or the adjustment of the seat device can be interrupted. Furthermore, information and / or warnings can be output to the vehicle occupants, and / or the vehicle occupants can be requested to take over the driving task themselves according to the situation. However, once the occupant is involved in the autonomous driving event, or when the in-vehicle environment of the vehicle is changed to be different from what is desired by the vehicle occupants, this is considered to be, for example, difficult to be accepted by the vehicle occupants as an adaptation of the driving method of the vehicle. Such an embodiment of the method presented here provides the advantage that the speed of the vehicle, and thus the driving method of the vehicle, is changed while maintaining the safety aspect for as long as possible in order to guarantee the maximum freedom and comfort for the vehicle occupants.

[0018] Finally, according to one embodiment, the recognizing step and / or the providing step can be performed by an external computing device of the vehicle and / or a computing device mounted on the vehicle. In particular, the recognizing step and / or the providing step are repeatedly performed. Such an embodiment of the method presented here provides the advantage that, for example, the processing of data in the external computing device of the vehicle means less computational need in the vehicle itself, enabling a related lower energy consumption or the use of resources for other functions. Furthermore, the external computing device can have a greater computing power than the in-vehicle computer.

[0019] Also, the method presented herein generates a control device configured to implement, drive control, or realize the steps of a modification of the method presented herein in a corresponding device. This modification of the embodiment of the present invention in the form of a control device can quickly and efficiently solve the problems underlying the present invention.

[0020] For this purpose, the control device has at least one arithmetic unit for processing signals or data, at least one memory unit for storing signals or data, at least one interface to a sensor or an actuator for reading sensor signals from the sensor or outputting control signals to the actuator, and / or at least one communication interface for reading or outputting data embedded in a communication protocol. The arithmetic unit can be, for example, a signal processor, a microcontroller, etc., and the memory unit can be a flash memory, an EEPROM, or a magnetic memory unit. The communication interface can be configured to read or output data wirelessly and / or wiredly, and a communication interface capable of reading or outputting data wiredly can read or output this data electrically or optically, for example, from a corresponding data transmission line.

[0021] In this specification, the control device can be understood to be an electrical device that processes sensor signals and outputs control signals and / or data signals accordingly. The control device can have an interface configured by hardware and / or software. In the case of a hardware configuration, the interface can be, for example, part of a so-called system ASIC that includes various functions of the control device. However, it is also possible for the interface to be an individual integrated circuit or to consist at least partially of separate components. In the case of a software configuration, the interface can be a software module existing, for example, on a microcontroller, in addition to other software modules.

[0022] In an advantageous embodiment, the drive control of the vehicle is performed by a control device in order to change the speed and / or to change the driving route and / or to change the interior parameters of the vehicle. For this purpose, the control device can access, for example, an input signal or a sensor signal. The drive control is performed, for example, via an actuator such as a motor control for accelerating the vehicle or a brake actuator for braking the vehicle. Alternatively or additionally, a steering actuator for changing the driving route or the driving trajectory or a seat adjustment actuator for adjusting the seat position of the vehicle occupant can also be drive-controlled.

[0023] In particular, when a program product or a program is implemented on a computer or a device, it can be stored in a machine-readable carrier or a memory medium such as a semiconductor memory, a hard disk memory, or an optical memory, and a computer program product or a computer program code including steps of the method according to one of the above embodiments for implementing, realizing, and / or drive-controlling is also advantageous.

[0024] Examples of the methods presented here are shown in the drawings and detailed in the following description.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0025]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Figure 11

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0026] In the following description of advantageous embodiments of the present invention, the same or similar reference numerals are used for elements shown in different figures and acting in the same manner, and repeated descriptions of these elements are omitted. FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a control device 100 for driving control of a vehicle 105 to limit accident risks according to an embodiment. The control device 100 is, by way of example here, arranged in the vehicle 105. Additionally or alternatively, the control device 100 can also be arranged on a computing device 110 outside the vehicle. The control device 100 can be understood as an electrical device that processes sensor signals and outputs control signals and / or data signals accordingly. According to one embodiment, the vehicle 105 has a camera unit 115 for optically and sensorially detecting the environment of the vehicle 105 and an in-vehicle camera unit 120 for optically and sensorially detecting the in-vehicle situation of the vehicle 105. The vehicle 105 also has at least two surrounding environment sensors 125, 130, and the surrounding environment sensors 125, 130 according to the embodiment are respectively a radar sensor and / or a lidar sensor that function particularly to detect the speeds of other road users. Finally, the vehicle 105 according to the embodiment has at least one seat device 135 for vehicle occupants.

[0027] According to one embodiment, the control device 100 has a recognition unit 140, a calculation unit 143, and a provision unit 146. According to one embodiment, the recognition unit 140 is configured to recognize an increased accident risk resulting from a changed in-vehicle situation of the vehicle 105 and / or a changed traffic situation in the surrounding environment of the vehicle 105. Here, the changed in-vehicle situation of the vehicle 105 is recognized, for example, using a signal 149 from the in-vehicle camera unit 1 and a signal 152 from the seat device 135 representing the changed seat setting of the seat device 135. The changed traffic situation in the surrounding environment of the vehicle 105 can be recognized, for example, using a signal 155 from the camera unit 115 of the vehicle 105. Additionally or alternatively, information 158 about the changed traffic situation in the surrounding environment of the vehicle 105 can be provided by a computing device 115 outside the vehicle and / or via an inter-vehicle communication interface to the recognition unit 140.

[0028] According to one embodiment, the calculation unit 143 is configured to calculate using the in-vehicle situation signal 161 provided by the recognition unit 140, and / or the traffic situation signal 164, the vehicle 105, and the relative speed between at least one vehicle preceding the vehicle 105 and / or at least one vehicle following the vehicle 105, and / or within a relative speed range, the measured speeds of the preceding and / or following vehicles and the speed of the vehicle 105. Here, the surrounding environment sensors 125, 130 of the vehicle 105 are configured to measure the speeds of at least one vehicle preceding and / or following the vehicle 105, and provide this information to the calculation unit 143 in the form of speed signals 167 respectively. Additionally or alternatively, the speeds of the vehicles preceding and / or following the vehicle 105 can be provided to the calculation unit 143 from an external computing device 110 of the vehicle using a vehicle-to-vehicle communication interface and / or by speed information 170.

[0029] Also, the calculation unit 143 is configured to calculate the target speed of the vehicle 105 using the calculated relative speed and / or relative speed range. Further, the calculation unit 143 is configured to inspect, for example, whether the calculated target speed of the vehicle 105 is outside a relative speed threshold.

[0030] According to one embodiment, the calculation unit 143 is additionally or alternatively configured to calculate the relative speed and / or relative speed range of vehicles traveling in the right and / or left lanes in the traveling direction of the vehicle 105. This is applicable, for example, when the vehicle 105 is traveling on a highway and / or a multi-lane road. Here, the calculation unit 143 is configured to calculate the relative speed and / or relative speed range of vehicles traveling in the right and / or left lanes in the traveling direction of the vehicle 105 using, for example, the measured average speeds of the vehicles traveling in the right and / or left lanes and the speed of the vehicle 105. Here, the average speed of at least one vehicle can be measured, for example, using the surrounding environment sensors 125, 130 of the vehicle 105, and each can be provided to the calculation unit 143 by a speed signal 167.

[0031] According to one embodiment, the providing unit 146 is configured to output a control signal 173 for drivingly controlling the vehicle 105 to limit the accident risk by changing the driving method of the vehicle 105, and / or the driving route, and / or the interior parameters in response to the recognized changes in the interior situation of the vehicle 105 and / or the traffic situation in the surrounding environment of the vehicle 105. Also, at this time, the providing unit 146 is configured to provide the control signal 173 according to the relative speed 176 calculated by the calculating unit 143 and provided to the providing unit 146, and / or the relative speed range 179 calculated and provided to the providing unit 146. According to one embodiment, by drivingly controlling the vehicle 105 to brake using the control signal 173, first, the driving method of the vehicle 105 can be changed using the control signal 173. Hereinafter, by drivingly controlling the vehicle 105 for lane change using the control signal 173, the driving route of the vehicle 105 can be changed using the control signal 173. In particular, when the target speed of the vehicle 105 can be achieved by the lane change, the lane change is performed. Finally, for example, using the control signal 173, other interior devices not shown, such as the seat device 135 or the vehicle interior table, and / or the holders in the vehicle 105 interior are drivingly controlled for adjustment, and / or optical, acoustic, and / or tactile warnings are provided to the vehicle occupants in the form of a warning signal 182, whereby the interior parameters of the vehicle 105 can be changed. At this time, the providing unit 146 is configured to change the interior parameters, particularly when the change in the driving method and / or the driving route of the vehicle 105 cannot be performed within a predetermined time.

[0032] Figure 2 shows a schematic view of a traffic situation for using a method for limiting accident risk according to an embodiment. For example, a highway 205 is shown in FIG. 2, and the highway 205 has a left lane 210, a center lane 215, and a right lane 220. The speeds of the vehicles are shown at the bottom of FIG. 2 on respective schematic tachometers 223. Here, the closer the lanes 210, 215, 220 are arranged on the left side on the highway 205, the higher the speed at which the vehicles travel in these lanes 210, 215, 220. According to one embodiment, the vehicle 105 travels in the center lane 215. In the traffic situation shown here, it can be seen that the vehicles are driving according to the right-hand rule, that is, the vehicles in the left lane 210 are driving faster than the vehicles in the center lane 215, and the vehicles in the center lane 215 are driving faster than the vehicles in the right lane 220. The average speed of the vehicles traveling in the left lane 210 is, for example, 120 km / h. The average speed of the vehicles traveling in the center lane 215 is, for example, 90 km / h. The average speed of the vehicles traveling in the right lane 220 is, for example, 70 km / h. Depending on the embodiment, the right lane 220 may be fully occupied by vehicles or may have gaps (not explicitly shown) as shown in FIG. 2.

[0033] In the illustrated traffic situation, the vehicle 105 moves at an average speed of 90 km / h at a certain distance from the vehicle 225 ahead in the traveling direction of the vehicle 105. If the speed of the vehicle 105 decreases, for example, due to a change in the in-vehicle situation of the vehicle 105 caused by the actions of the vehicle occupants, the relative speed of the vehicle 105 is increased as a result in order to obtain a gap with respect to the vehicle 225 ahead. If the distance between the vehicle 105 and the vehicle 225 ahead is too large, there is a risk that another vehicle 230 or 235 traveling in the right lane 220 and / or the left lane 210 in the traveling direction of the vehicle 105 will cut in, and the distance of the vehicle 105 with respect to the vehicle 225 ahead will suddenly become small. That is, it means that simply keeping the vehicle 105 away from the vehicle 225 ahead is not sufficient depending on the actions of other road users. Therefore, although an overall reduction in the speed of the vehicle 105 is necessary, it may lead to an increase in the relative speed and the associated severity of potential accidents of the vehicle 105.

[0034] FIG. 3 shows a schematic diagram of the average vehicle speed traveling on the highway 205 according to an embodiment. This is indicated by the arrow shown on the horizontal axis of FIG. 3 representing the acceleration increase. L represents the speed of the left lane 210 of the highway 205 here, M represents the speed of the center lane 215 here, and R represents the speed of the right lane 220 here. The average speeds of the vehicles traveling in these are shown on the right side of FIG. 3, respectively, on a schematic tachometer 223. According to one embodiment, the dark bar represents the speed of the vehicle 105 traveling in the center lane 215 (although the speed is shown in FIG. 3 and subsequent drawings, only symbols are used for the vehicles in FIG. 2 for better visibility). According to one embodiment, each of the bright bars represents at least one speed of the vehicle 225 preceding the vehicle 105 in the center lane 215, the vehicle 235 traveling in the left lane 210 and at least overtaking the vehicle 105, and the vehicle 230 traveling in the right lane 220. The average speed of the vehicle 235 traveling in the left lane 210 is, for example, 120 km / h. The average speeds of the vehicles 105 and 225 traveling in the center lane 215 are, for example, 90 km / h. The average speed of the vehicle 230 traveling in the right lane 220 is, for example, 70 km / h. Here, the vehicle 105 has, for example, the same speed as the vehicle 225 preceding the vehicle 205.

[0035] FIG. 4 shows a schematic diagram of the speed change of the vehicle 105 for limiting the accident risk according to an embodiment. L represents the speed of the left lane 210 of the highway 205 here, M represents the speed of the center lane 215 here, and R represents the speed of the right lane 220 here. According to one embodiment, the dark bar represents the speed of the vehicle 105 traveling in the center lane 215. According to one embodiment, each of the bright bars represents at least one speed of the vehicle 225 preceding the vehicle 105 in the center lane 215, the vehicle 235 traveling in the left lane 210 and at least overtaking the vehicle 105, and the vehicle 230 traveling in the right lane 220.

[0036] When an occupant of vehicle 105 moves inside the vehicle, i.e., for example, adjusts the seat device of vehicle 105, removes the belt, and / or rotates in the direction opposite to the traveling direction of vehicle 105, the interior situation of vehicle 105 changes and the potential accident risk of vehicle 105 increases. In this case, the driver assistance system of vehicle 105 attempts to limit the potential accident risk by changing the speed of vehicle 105. However, by changing the speed, in this case by reducing the speed, especially with respect to vehicle 225 preceding vehicle 105 in the center lane 215 and subsequent road users not shown in the figure, for example, the relative speed of vehicle 105 increases. Therefore, the relative speed with respect to the preceding vehicle 225 increases or decreases (as described), but for example, the relative speed with respect to other road users in the lane can also be increased. For example, when vehicle 105 brakes severely, the speed change can preventively reduce the impact energy that can occur with a stationary object or provide time to react to a possible accident situation. That is, the situation improves with respect to the preceding vehicle 225 (i.e., a reduction in accident risk is achieved).

[0037] A speed change with respect to subsequent traffic has exactly the opposite effect. Braking increases the relative speed. If a subsequent road user not shown in Figure 2 does not notice the braking, an accident may occur. Braking increases the relative speed with respect to the subsequent vehicle, and thus the possibility of a collision increases.

[0038] The method described here precisely addresses the situation where it is necessary to consider how much the speed can be reduced in order to limit the accident risk ahead and not increase the accident risk behind at the same time. Here, in this specification, it is assumed that the vehicle travels at a constant speed in the lane, i.e., the speed of the preceding vehicle 225 and the subsequent vehicle is the same.

[0039] In FIG. 4, this situation is shown by a speed shift to the left, that is, the speed of vehicle 105 is reduced. Vehicle 225 preceding vehicle 105 in the center lane 215 becomes faster than vehicle 105. Arrow 305 indicates that the two left and right bars correctly designated as the speed of vehicle 105 belong to the same vehicle, one before deceleration 305 and one after deceleration 305.

[0040] FIG. 5 shows a schematic diagram of the speed change of vehicle 105 for limiting the accident risk according to the embodiment. L represents the left lane 210 of the highway 205 here, M represents the center lane 215 here, and R represents the right lane 220 here. According to one embodiment, the dark bar represents the speed of vehicle 105 traveling in the center lane 215. The bright bar 225 can, in an extreme case, also represent the speeds of all vehicles on the lane (excluding the host vehicle whose speed is marked by the dark bar 105 in the center lane 215). According to one embodiment, the bright bar represents at least vehicle 225 preceding vehicle 105 in the center lane 215, at least vehicle 235 overtaking vehicle 105 traveling in the left lane 210, and at least vehicle 230 traveling in the right lane 220. A variant is also conceivable in which the bright bar 225 represents the speeds of all vehicles, having the special case that the preceding vehicle 225 has exactly this speed. Subsequent road users not shown in FIG. 2 will also have the speed of the bright bar.

[0041] The rectangular ranges 405, 410, 415 around the vehicles 225, 230, 235 respectively represent the calculated relative speed ranges between the vehicle 105 and the vehicles 225, 230, 235. For example, the relative speed range 405 between the vehicle 105 and the vehicle 225 that precedes the vehicle 105 (and other vehicles in the lanes 210, 215, and 220 including, for example, the vehicles 235, 225, and 230) is important. The range 405 (or bar 405) indicates an allowable speed range within which the relative speed is within the allowable range. Here, in FIG. 5, the problem that the relative speed of the vehicle 105 is too fast, thereby increasing the risk of an accident for the vehicle 105, is shown by the speed marking 305 shifted to the left. Also relevant is the relative speed with respect to subsequent road users (not shown). To protect, the speed is reduced and the relative speed with respect to the preceding vehicle (and in some cases, the cut-in slow vehicle) is improved. In particular, however, the relative speed with respect to subsequent traffic or subsequent vehicles deteriorates.

[0042] FIG. 6 shows a schematic diagram of the speed change of the vehicle 105 for limiting the accident risk according to an embodiment. L represents here the left lane 210 of the highway 205, M represents here the middle lane 215, and R represents here the right lane 220. According to one embodiment, the dark bar represents the vehicle 105 traveling in the middle lane 215. According to one embodiment, the bright bar represents at least the vehicle 225 preceding the vehicle 105 traveling in the middle lane 215, at least the vehicle 235 overtaking the vehicle 105 traveling in the left lane 210, and at least the vehicle 230 traveling in the right lane 220. The rectangular ranges 405, 410, 415 around the vehicles 225, 230, 235 respectively represent the calculated relative speed ranges between the vehicle 105 and the vehicles 225, 230, 235. In particular, for example, the relative speed range 405 between the vehicle 105 and the vehicle 225 that precedes the vehicle 105 is important.

[0043] When vehicle 105 adapts to the in-vehicle situation with a changed speed, the relative speed of vehicle 105 becomes too high, increasing the risk of an accident. Therefore, using the calculated relative speed range 405 between vehicle 105 and the vehicle 225 preceding vehicle 105, the target speed of vehicle 105 is calculated to limit the accident risk, and it is also inspected whether the target speed of vehicle 105 is outside the relative speed threshold range and whether vehicle 105 is braked maximally to this speed afterwards. This speed reduction is indicated by the shifted speed marking 305 to the left. In the example shown here, since the target speed of vehicle 105 is still within the relative speed range 405, the relative speed of vehicle 105 is acceptable.

[0044] Also, FIG. 6 shows vehicle 105 at an alternative position (hatched) in the center lane 215, for example, due to a significant change in the in-vehicle situation of vehicle 105, the target speed of vehicle 105 is changed or reduced very greatly, the target speed of vehicle 105 is outside the relative speed threshold range, and an accident with the vehicle following vehicle 105 occurs with a high probability. Therefore, since the speed change of vehicle 105 is impossible and / or not recommended, either the driving route of vehicle 105 and / or the in-vehicle situation of vehicle 105 should be changed to limit the accident risk.

[0045] FIG. 7 shows a schematic diagram of a lane change of vehicle 105 for limiting the accident risk according to an embodiment. L represents the left lane 210 of the highway 205 here, M represents the center lane 215 here, and R represents the right lane 220 here. According to one embodiment, the dark bar represents vehicle 105 traveling in the center lane 215. According to one embodiment, the bright bar represents at least vehicle 225 preceding vehicle 105 in the center lane 215, at least vehicle 235 overtaking vehicle 105 traveling in the left lane 210, and at least vehicle 230 traveling in the right lane 220. The rectangular ranges 405, 410, and 415 around vehicles 225, 230, and 235 represent the calculated relative speed ranges between vehicle 105 and vehicles 225, 230, and 235, respectively. Here, the rectangular range represents the speed range within which vehicle 105 can move in the relevant lane (L, M, R) and the accident risk remains within the acceptable range.

[0046] If it is not possible to implement a change in the driving method of vehicle 105, for example a change in speed as shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, it is necessary to significantly reduce the speed of vehicle 105 in order to limit the risk of an accident. Therefore, vehicle 105 changes its driving route, for example by performing a lane change. Here, vehicle 105 reduces its speed in the center lane 215 until a lane change, preferably a change to the right lane 220, becomes possible. As a result, vehicle 105 can reduce its speed at an acceptable relative speed as a result of the lane change, thereby reducing the risk of an accident for vehicle 105.

[0047] Changing the lane of vehicle 105 from the center lane 215 to the left lane 210 is also possible here in terms of relative speed, but an increase in the speed of vehicle 105 does not reduce the risk of an accident. If it is not possible to change lanes within a predetermined time window, it is necessary to change the interior situation of vehicle 105, for example by adjusting the seat device of vehicle 105 and / or by indirectly outputting a warning to at least one vehicle occupant.

[0048] FIG. 8 shows a schematic view of a lane change of vehicle 105 for limiting the accident risk according to an embodiment. L here represents the left lane 210 of the highway 205, M here represents the center lane 215, and R here represents the right lane 220. According to one embodiment, the dark bar represents vehicle 105 driving in the center lane 215. According to one embodiment, the bright bar represents at least vehicle 225 preceding vehicle 105 in the center lane 215, at least vehicle 235 overtaking vehicle 105 driving in the left lane 210, and at least vehicle 230 driving in the right lane 220. The rectangular ranges 405, 410, and 415 around vehicles 225, 230, and 235 respectively represent the calculated relative speed ranges between vehicle 105 and vehicles 225, 230, and 235.

[0049] According to one embodiment, it is possible to consider a method for evaluating the distance from vehicle 105 to the vehicle 225 preceding vehicle 105 and / or the vehicle following vehicle 105, as well as the overall presence of vehicles on highway 205, and for limiting the accident risk presented herein. For example, when the distance between vehicle 105 and, possibly, the following vehicle is greater than a predetermined distance threshold and / or a predetermined time threshold in the center lane 215 and the right lane 220, and / or when the reach of at least one of the peripheral environment sensors of vehicle 105 is greater than a predetermined visibility range threshold and no following vehicle is detected within the predetermined visibility range of at least one of the peripheral environment sensors, and / or when it can be assumed that the visibility range of other road users is greater than a predetermined visibility range threshold, vehicle 105 can change lanes. For example, the visibility range of other road users can be estimated by evaluating the visibility range of the sensors and by assessing whether there is sufficient time to react to a slow-moving host vehicle. When vehicle 105 has a large distance from the following vehicle on the center lane 215 and the right lane 220, and / or when at least one of the peripheral environment sensors of vehicle 105 has a high field of view, an extended relative speed range 805 can be used. When the field of view is small and / or when vehicle 105 has a short distance from the following vehicle on the center lane 215 and the right lane 220, respective smaller relative speed ranges 405, 410 are used.

[0050] FIG. 9 shows a schematic diagram of the expected relative speed ranges of vehicles on a highway according to an embodiment. Here, in FIG. 9, relative speed ranges 405, 410, 415 of the vehicles are shown according to the accuracy of speed determination. L represents the left lane 210 of highway 205 here, M represents the center lane 215 here, and R represents the right lane 220 here. The speed ranges represent the speeds at which vehicle 105 can take an acceptable accident risk.

[0051] For example, in the case of a very fast vehicle and a very slow vehicle in the same lane, the relative speed (= minimum speed) permitted for the slow vehicle can be higher than when only the slow vehicle is traveling. According to one embodiment, the dark bar 905 in the left lane 210 represents, for example, the average speed range at which vehicles traveling in the left lane 210 are moving. According to one embodiment, the dark bar 910 on the center lane 215 represents, for example, the average speed range at which vehicles traveling in the center lane 215 are moving. Here, it can be seen that the speed range 905 is larger than the speed range 910. According to one embodiment, the dark bar 915 on the right lane 220 represents, for example, the average speed range at which vehicles traveling in the right lane 220 are moving. Therefore, in FIG. 9, the vehicles in the right lane 220 are traveling at approximately the same speed. Here, the relative speed range 410 taking into account speed fluctuations substantially corresponds to the relative speed range 410 in FIG. 7.

[0052] In the center lane 215, the speed of the vehicle fluctuates, which can be seen in a wider speed range 910. The speed ranges 905, 910, and 915 can be calculated using the upper and lower relative speed ranges. The lower relative speed range is adapted considering the speed of the fastest following vehicle of vehicle 105, and the upper relative speed range is adapted considering the slowest leading vehicle of vehicle 105. This has a narrower width in the center lane 215 than in the right lane 220 in order to keep the risk of an accident constant from the relative speed when the speed fluctuates. The speed range 905 in the left lane 210 is very large in FIG. 10. The high-speed vehicles in the left lane 210 should stop in a timely manner and at the same time drive at a low speed and be able to react to suddenly appearing vehicles, so the resulting speed range 905 is smaller than the average speed range 905 of the lane. This is shown in the shaded area. When braking to the maximum speed, it is necessary to take into account the speed of the following vehicle.

[0053] FIG. 10 shows a flowchart of a method for limiting the accident risk according to an embodiment. According to one embodiment, in the first process step 1010 of the method, an increase in the accident risk or the danger of an accident due to a change in the in-vehicle situation of the vehicle, for example, due to a change in the behavior of the vehicle occupant and / or due to a traffic situation changed, for example, due to the danger of an emergency traffic jam, is recognized in the vehicle's surrounding environment.

[0054] In subsequent process step 1020, the speed of at least one additional vehicle preceding and / or following the vehicle in the vehicle's direction of travel is calculated. Additionally or alternatively, the speed of at least one additional vehicle traveling in the left and / or right lane relative to the vehicle is also calculated. In process step 1030, which is executed in parallel in time, a target speed of the vehicle is calculated, at which the vehicle should be controlled to brake in order to limit the accident risk.

[0055] Using the speeds measured in process step 1020 of at least one additional vehicle preceding and / or following the vehicle in the vehicle's direction of travel and / or at least one additional vehicle traveling in the left and / or right lane relative to the vehicle, and using the current speed of the vehicle, in process step 1040, the relative speed and / or relative speed range between the vehicle and at least one preceding vehicle and / or at least one following vehicle and / or at least one additional vehicle traveling in the left and / or right lane relative to the vehicle is calculated.

[0056] In the first decision step 1050, the question is asked whether the target speed of the vehicle is below the relative speed threshold. If yes, process step 1060 follows, in which the speed of the vehicle is changed so that the accident risk of the vehicle is limited. This is the ideal case. If the speed difference is small (i.e., the relative speed is low), the speed can be directly adapted.

[0057] If no, decision step 1070 follows, where the question is asked whether the limitation of the target speed of the vehicle or the accident risk of the vehicle can be achieved by changing the lane of the vehicle. If yes, process step 1080 follows, where a lane change is performed and then the speed of the vehicle is changed. If decision step 1070 is answered no, process step 1090 follows, where the in-vehicle parameters of the vehicle are changed so that the accident risk of the vehicle is limited.

[0058] After the implementation of process step 1090, according to one embodiment, it is possible to return to process step 1010. FIG. 11 shows a flowchart of an example of a method 1100 for limiting accident risk according to one example. The method 1100 can be implemented here, for example, on a control device for limiting accident risk from FIG. 1.

[0059] In step 1110 of method 1100, an increase in accident risk due to a change in the in-vehicle situation of the vehicle and / or a change in the traffic situation in the vehicle's surrounding environment is recognized. In the following, method 1100 has step 1120, where the relative speed and / or relative speed range between the vehicle and the preceding and / or following vehicles, and / or the vehicles traveling in the right and / or left lanes in the vehicle's traveling direction, is calculated using the measured speeds of the preceding, and / or following, and / or the vehicles traveling in the right and / or left lanes in the vehicle's traveling direction and the speed of the vehicle. Finally, method 1100 has step 1130, where a control signal for driving control of the vehicle is provided to change the driving method and / or driving route and / or in-vehicle parameters of the vehicle in response to the detected changes in the in-vehicle situation and / or traffic situation in the vehicle's surrounding environment to limit the accident risk.

[0060] According to one example, steps 1110 and / or 1130 of method 1100 are repeatedly implemented. When an example includes a conjunction of "and / or" between a first feature and a second feature, this should be read, according to one embodiment, as the example having both the first feature and the second feature, and according to a further embodiment, as having only the first feature or only the second feature.

Claims

1. A method (1100) implemented by a computing device (110) external to the vehicle (105) and / or a computing device (110) mounted on the vehicle (105) to limit the accident risk of the vehicle (105), comprising: recognizing an increase in accident risk due to a change in traffic conditions in the surrounding environment of the vehicle (105) (step 1110); responding to the recognized change in traffic conditions in the surrounding environment of the vehicle (105), changing the driving method and / or driving route, and providing a control signal (173) for driving control of the vehicle (105) to limit the accident risk (step 1130); In a method having: calculating a relative speed (176) and / or a relative speed range (179; 405, 410, 415) between the vehicle (105) and a preceding (225) and / or following vehicle using the measured speeds of the preceding (225) and / or following vehicle and the speed of the vehicle (105) (step 1120), and in the providing step (1130), a control signal (173) is provided according to the calculated relative speed (176) and / or the calculated relative speed range (179; 405, 410, 415); In the calculating step (1120), when the distance between the vehicle (105) and at least one vehicle (225) following and / or preceding the vehicle (105) is greater than a predetermined distance threshold and / or a predetermined time threshold, and / or when the reach range of the surrounding environment sensors (125, 130) of the vehicle (105) is greater than a predetermined visual range threshold, the relative speed range (179; 405, 410, 415) is increased; Method (1100).

2. In the calculating step (1120), the calculated relative speed (176) and / or the relative speed range (179; 405, 410, 415) are used to calculate a target speed of the vehicle (105) for changing the traffic conditions, and in the providing step (1130), the driving method of the vehicle (105) is changed by drivingly controlling the vehicle (105) using the control signal (173) for braking. The method (1100) according to claim 1.

3. In the step of calculating (1120), a relative speed (176) and / or a relative speed range (179; 405, 410, 415) of vehicles (230, 235) traveling in the right (220) and / or left (210) lanes with respect to the vehicle (105) in the traveling direction of the vehicle (105) are calculated, the step of calculating (1120) is calculated using the measured average speed of the vehicles (230, 235) traveling in the right (220) and / or left (210) lanes and the speed of the vehicle (105), and in the step of providing (1130), the traveling route of the vehicle (105) is changed by driving and controlling the vehicle (105) using a control signal (173) for lane change. The method (1100) according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The method (1100) according to claim 3, wherein the traveling route of the vehicle (105) is changed when the target speed of the vehicle (105) is achieved by a lane change.

5. The method (1100) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the step of recognizing (1110) and / or the step of providing (1130) are repeatedly performed.

6. A control device (100) configured to implement the method (1100) according to any one of claims 1 to 5 in corresponding units (140, 143, 146).

7. A computer program configured to implement the method (1100) according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

8. A machine-readable memory medium storing the computer program according to claim 7.

Images