Remote control system for vehicle operation

Abstract

To provide a vehicle travel remote control system that reduces the possibility of not being able to appropriately control the travel of a host vehicle.SOLUTION: In a remote control system 1 in which a remote control device 4 communicates with a plurality of vehicles 2 and remotely controls them, the remote control device 4 includes: a remote control value generation unit 6 that repeatedly generates remote control values based on detection information included in vehicle information received from the respective vehicles 2. Each vehicle 2 includes a host vehicle travel control unit that performs travel control based on the remote control value received from the remote control device 4. The remote control value generation unit 6 generates the remote control values by different processes according to delays in communication of the vehicle information received from the respective vehicles 2.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a remote control system for vehicle travel. [Background technology]

[0002] In the case of vehicles such as automobiles, it is conceivable to remotely control the running of the vehicle (Patent Documents 1 to 3). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-180771 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-142921 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-188407 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] When remotely controlling the traveling of a vehicle in this manner, it is desirable that the vehicle repeatedly transmits detection information from its own vehicle sensor, such as an image captured by an external sensor installed in the vehicle, to a server device as a remote control device, and repeatedly receives remote control values ​​for controlling the traveling of the vehicle from the server device. This allows each vehicle remotely controlled by the server device to continue receiving remote control values ​​from the server device and control the traveling of the vehicle.

[0005] However, when multiple vehicles communicate with a server device to transmit remote control values ​​to each of the multiple vehicles, communication is essential for control. Communication delays tend to vary dynamically depending on the communication environment and the processing load of the server device. If communication delays occur, even if the vehicle receives remote control values ​​from the server device and can execute driving control, appropriate driving may not be achieved in the actual driving environment.

[0006] In this way, a remote control system for vehicle driving is required to reduce the possibility that the driving of the vehicle will not be properly controlled. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a remote control system for vehicle driving, in which a plurality of vehicles communicate with a remote control device separate from the plurality of vehicles, and the remote control device is capable of repeatedly transmitting remote control values ​​for controlling the driving of the vehicles to each of the plurality of vehicles, the remote control device having a remote control value generation unit that receives vehicle information including detection information detected in each of the plurality of vehicles, and repeatedly generates the remote control value that can be used for driving control of each of the vehicles based on the detection information of each of the vehicles acquired through communication, and each of the vehicles has a host vehicle driving control unit that performs driving control based on the remote control value that each of the vehicles repeatedly receives from the remote control device, and the remote control value generation unit generates the remote control value by different processing depending on a communication delay of the vehicle information including the detection information received by the remote control device from each of the vehicles. The remote control value is a remote control value for steering to a steering control target point on a road that becomes more distant depending on the delay in communication of vehicle information including detection information. A remote control system for vehicle driving according to one aspect of the present invention is a remote control system for vehicle driving that is capable of repeatedly transmitting remote control values ​​for controlling driving of a plurality of vehicles from a remote control device separate from the plurality of vehicles by communication between the remote control device and the plurality of vehicles, wherein the remote control device has a remote control value generation unit that receives vehicle information including detection information detected in each of the plurality of vehicles and repeatedly generates the remote control value that can be used for driving control of each of the vehicles based on the detection information of each of the vehicles acquired through communication, and each of the vehicles has a host vehicle driving control unit that performs driving control by the remote control value that each of the vehicles repeatedly receives from the remote control device, When the communication period of vehicle information including detection information received by the remote control device from each of the vehicles is equal to or shorter than a reference driving control period corresponding to a generation period at which the remote control device repeatedly generates the remote control value, the control device generates, by the remote control value generation unit, a remote control value of the steering amount for heading toward the steering control target point at a standard driving control target time corresponding to the reference driving control period; when the communication period of vehicle information including detection information is longer than the reference driving control period corresponding to the generation period, the control device generates, by the remote control value generation unit, a remote control value of the steering amount for heading toward the steering control target point using a steering control target point that becomes more distant depending on the magnitude of the time difference between the communication period of the vehicle information and the standard driving control target time. A remote control system for vehicle driving according to one embodiment of the present invention is a remote control system for vehicle driving that is capable of repeatedly transmitting remote control values ​​for controlling the driving of a plurality of vehicles from a remote control device separate from the plurality of vehicles by communication between the remote control device and the plurality of vehicles, wherein the remote control device has a remote control value generation unit that receives vehicle information including detection information detected in each of the plurality of vehicles and repeatedly generates the remote control values ​​that can be used for driving control of each of the vehicles based on the detection information of each of the vehicles obtained through communication, and each of the vehicles has a host vehicle driving control unit that performs driving control based on the remote control values ​​that each of the vehicles repeatedly receives from the remote control device, and the remote control value generation unit generates remote control values ​​using different processing depending on communication delays of vehicle information including detection information received from each of the vehicles by the remote control device, and the remote control values ​​are remote control values ​​for acceleration and deceleration that can maintain an inter-vehicle distance during a communication cycle time that becomes longer depending on the communication delay of vehicle information including detection information. According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a remote control system for vehicle driving, in which a plurality of vehicles communicate with a remote control device separate from the plurality of vehicles, and the remote control device repeatedly transmits remote control values ​​for controlling the driving of the vehicles to each of the plurality of vehicles, the remote control device including: a remote control value generation unit that receives vehicle information including detection information detected in each of the plurality of vehicles, and repeatedly generates the remote control values ​​that can be used to control the driving of each of the vehicles based on the detection information of each of the vehicles acquired through communication; and a remote control value generation unit that generates driving control information that can be used by the vehicle when generating its own vehicle control value, using field information including vehicle information received from the plurality of vehicles. and a switching control unit that switches the generation process for each of the vehicles between the driving control information generation unit and the remote control value generation unit, and each of the vehicles has a host vehicle driving control unit that performs driving control using the remote control values ​​that each of the vehicles repeatedly receives from the remote control device, and when the switching control unit determines that each of the vehicles is incapable of driving or when it is determined that the vehicle is driving in a specific area, the switching control unit switches the generation process for each of the vehicles from the driving control information generation unit to the remote control value generation unit, and the remote control value generation unit generates a remote control value by different processing depending on a delay in communication of vehicle information that the vehicle determined to be incapable had been sending for processing by the driving control information generation unit. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] In the present invention, in a remote control device that receives vehicle information including detection information detected in each of a plurality of vehicles, a remote control value generation unit that repeatedly generates remote control values ​​that can be used for driving control of each vehicle based on the detection information of each vehicle obtained through communication generates the remote control values ​​using different processing depending on the communication delay of the vehicle information including the detection information received by the remote control device from each vehicle. As a result, even if a delay occurs in communication with the remote control device, a vehicle whose driving is controlled by a vehicle driving control unit that performs driving control based on remote control values ​​that each vehicle repeatedly receives from a remote control device can obtain remote control values ​​generated by different processing accordingly and perform driving control that suppresses the effects of communication delays. As a result, a vehicle whose driving is controlled by a remote control system for vehicle driving can reduce the possibility that the driving of the vehicle will become unable to be controlled appropriately. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a remote control system for controlling the running of an automobile according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a hardware configuration diagram of a computer device that can be used as the server device of the remote control device of FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a control system that controls the running of the automobile shown in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a timing chart illustrating the flow of basic remote control in the remote control system of FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a flowchart of the vehicle driving control by the control system of the automobile of FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a flowchart of reception control by the server device of the remote control device of FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of an unprocessed list that can be recorded in the memory of the server device of the remote control device of FIG. 1 by the reception control of FIG. 6 or the like. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a flowchart of the remote control of the remote control device of FIG. 1 by the server device. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a flowchart of generation control of a remote control value of steering amount according to the communication environment by the server device of the remote control device of FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating the relationship between the delay in communication between the automobile and the remote control device and the corresponding communication cycle. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating the relationship between the amount of delay corresponding to the increase in the communication cycle and the compatible vehicle speed. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram of a setting example for obtaining a remote control value of the steering amount. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a flowchart of generation control of remote control values ​​for acceleration and deceleration according to the communication environment by the server device of the remote control device of FIG. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a flowchart of a driving control period switching request control performed by the server device of the remote control device of the remote control system for controlling driving of an automobile in the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing the switching control of the driving control period by the control system of the automobile. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a flowchart of generation switching control by the server device of the remote control device of the remote control system for controlling the running of an automobile in the third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 17] FIG. 17 is a flowchart showing the generation control of the driving control information by the server device of the remote control device. [Figure 18] FIG. 18 is a flowchart of vehicle driving control by the vehicle control system in the third embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0011] [First embodiment] FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a remote control system 1 for controlling the running of an automobile 2 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The remote control system 1 in Fig. 1 is for enabling remote control of the driving of automobiles 2, and includes a control system 3 provided in multiple automobiles 2, and a remote control device 4 having a server device 5 and a remote control value generating device 6 for generating remote control values. The multiple automobiles 2 and the server device 5 of the remote control device 4 are connected to each other so as to be able to communicate wirelessly via a communication system 7 having a communication network 8 and multiple base stations 9 arranged along roads 100 along which the automobiles 2 travel. Communication between the multiple automobiles 2 and the remote control device 4 separate from the multiple automobiles 2 enables the remote control device 4 to repeatedly transmit remote control values ​​for controlling the driving of the automobiles 2 to each of the multiple automobiles 2. 1 also shows a GNSS satellite 110 that outputs GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) radio waves that can be received by multiple automobiles 2 and server device 5. By receiving radio waves from multiple GNSS satellites 110, automobiles 2 or server device 5 can obtain their respective positions and times in a common positioning system.

[0012] The automobile 2 is one example of an automobile 2. Other examples of automobile 2 include motorcycles, carts, and personal mobility vehicles. Under the driving control of a control system 3 provided in the automobile 2, the automobile 2 can travel on a road 100 or the like using the driving force of an engine or motor as a power source, can decelerate and stop by operating a braking device, and can change its direction of travel left or right by operating a steering device. The control system 3 of the automobile 2 may basically be capable of performing driving control according to manual driving based on the operation of the passenger of the automobile, control to assist driving by manual driving based on detection results from the automobile, or control driving by automatic driving using high-precision map data together with detection results from the automobile. FIG. 1 also shows a leading vehicle 101 traveling in front of the automobile 2.

[0013] The multiple base stations 9 may be, for example, base stations 9 of a carrier communication network for mobile terminals or the like, or base stations 9 for ITS services or ADAS services for automobiles 2. The base stations 9 of the carrier communication network may be, for example, fifth-generation base stations 9. The base stations 9 may be fixedly installed on roadsides, road surfaces, or buildings, or may be provided on moving objects such as automobiles 2, ships, drones, or airplanes. The base station 9 establishes a wireless communication path for transmitting and receiving information with an AP (access point) communication device of the control system 3 of the automobile 2 located within its radio wave coverage area. When the automobile 2 travels along a road 100 and moves out of the radio wave coverage area, the base station 9 with which the wireless communication path is established switches among the multiple base stations 9. This allows the automobile 2 to continuously establish a wireless communication path while traveling, for example, with multiple base stations 9 lined up along the road 100. A wireless communication path established with a fifth-generation base station 9 can transmit and receive a significantly larger amount of information at higher speeds than a wireless communication path established with a fourth-generation base station 9. Furthermore, the fifth-generation base station 9 can have advanced information processing capabilities and the ability to transmit and receive information between base stations 9. In V2V communication between automobiles 2, automobiles 2 may transmit and receive information directly with each other, or automobiles 2 may transmit and receive information with each other via a fifth-generation base station 9. By using the fifth-generation base station 9, it is expected that high-speed communication with a maximum delay time of about 100 milliseconds will be possible for one-way communication, uplink or downlink, between the remote control device 4 and each vehicle 2. However, when multiple vehicles 2 communicate with the remote control device 4, it is not easy to achieve communication at the same maximum communication speed for all of the vehicles 2. When the automobile 2 is moving, the base station 9 with which the automobile 2 establishes a communication path switches according to changes in the position of the automobile 2. The hands-over process for switching the base station 9 may take some time.

[0014] The communication network 8 may be configured, for example, by a communication network 8 for a carrier communication network, a communication network 8 for ITS services or ADAS services, or the Internet, which is an open wide-area communication network. The communication network 8 may include a dedicated communication network 8 newly established for the remote control system 1. The dedicated communication network 8 for a carrier communication network and the Internet realize communication on a best-effort basis. In a best-effort communication network 8, the communication bandwidth available to each device and the communication transmission delay are not fixed but change dynamically depending on the communication environment. In particular, in a communication network 8 for communication compliant with the TCP / IP protocol or the like, collisions due to asynchronous communication may occur, resulting in transmission delays due to frame retransmissions, etc. If the handshake process takes a long time, transmission delays due to frame retransmissions are likely to occur.

[0015] FIG. 2 is a hardware configuration diagram of a computer device 10 that can be used as the server device 5 of the remote control device 4 of FIG. The computer device 10 of FIG. 2 includes a server communication device 11, a server GNSS receiver 12, a server timer 13, a server memory 14, a server CPU 15, and a server bus 16 to which these are connected.

[0016] The server communication device 11 is connected to the communication network 8. The server communication device 11 can send and receive information to and from other devices connected to the communication network 8, such as a base station 9 and a control system 3 of the automobile 2. The server GNSS receiver 12 receives radio waves from the GNSS satellites 110 to obtain the current time. The server timer 13 measures the time and duration. The time of the server timer 13 may be calibrated by the current time of the server GNSS receiver 12. The server memory 14 stores programs and data executed by the server CPU 15 . The server CPU 15 reads and executes the program from the server memory 14. In this way, the server device 5 realizes a server control unit. The server CPU 15 as a server control unit manages the overall operation of the server device 5 and the overall control of the remote control system 1. The server CPU 15 manages the multiple automobiles 2 that use the remote control system 1, the driving of the multiple automobiles 2, etc. The server CPU 15, for example, manages information received from each of the multiple automobiles 2, controls the generation of remote control values ​​for the automobiles 2 that received the information, and controls the transmission of the remote control values ​​generated for the automobiles 2 that received the information. In this case, the server memory 14 stores information received from the multiple automobiles 2, such as high-precision map data for generating the remote control values. The server CPU 15 also repeatedly receives the latest information from each automobile 2, thereby repeatedly generating and transmitting remote control values ​​for each automobile 2. This allows each automobile 2 to continue traveling in accordance with the remote control values ​​repeatedly generated by the remote control device 4.

[0017] The remote control value generating device 6 may be any device that can basically realize the same functions as the cruise control ECU 24 of the control system 3 of the automobile 2 described later, and the computer device 10 of FIG. 2 may be used as the hardware. In this embodiment, the remote control value generating device 6 for generating the remote control values ​​of each vehicle is described as being separate from the server device 5 that manages the communication of the remote control device 4, but these can also be realized in a single computer device 10. The remote control value generating device 6 then repeatedly generates, for each of the plurality of automobiles 2, a remote control value that can be used for driving control of each of the automobiles 2. For this reason, a plurality of remote control value generating devices 6 may be connected in a one-to-many relationship to the server device 5 that manages the communications of the remote control devices 4. Here, the remote control value generating devices 6 may basically be provided in one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of automobiles 2 managed by the remote control device 4. However, one remote control value generating device 6 may generate remote control values ​​for a plurality of automobiles 2. For example, since the remote control value generating device 6 generates remote control values ​​for automobile driving control, a plurality of remote control value generating devices 6 may be provided for each type of automobile 2. It is considered that the driving characteristics and driving control characteristics of the automobile 2 basically differ depending on the type of automobile 2.

[0018] FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a control system 3 that controls the running of the automobile 2 in FIG. The control system 3 provided in the automobile 2 in Fig. 3 is shown with a plurality of control devices represented by control ECUs (Electronic Control Units) incorporated therein. Similar to the server device 5 in Fig. 2, the control devices may have, in addition to the control ECUs, for example, a memory for recording control programs and data, an input / output port, a timer for measuring time and clock time, and an internal bus to which these are connected (not shown). 3 shows a plurality of control ECUs for the control system 3 of the automobile 2, such as a drive ECU 21 for the drive device, a steering ECU 22 for the steering device, a braking ECU 23 for the braking device, a cruise control ECU 24, a driving operation ECU 25, a detection ECU 26, an AP communication ECU 27, and a V2V communication ECU 28. The control system 3 of the automobile 2 may include other control ECUs not shown.

[0019] The multiple control ECUs are connected to a vehicle network 30, such as a Controller Area Network (CAN) or a Local Interconnect Network (LIN), which is used in the automobile 2. The vehicle network 30 may be configured with multiple bus cables 31 that can connect the multiple control ECUs, and a central gateway (CGW) 32 that serves as a relay device to which the multiple bus cables 31 are connected. The multiple control ECUs are assigned IDs as mutually distinct identification information. Basically, a control ECU periodically outputs data to another control ECU. The data is accompanied by the ID of the control ECU that is the output source and the ID of the control ECU that is the output destination. The other control ECUs monitor the bus cable 31, and if the ID of the output destination is, for example, their own, acquire the data and perform processing based on the data. The central gateway 32 monitors each of the multiple connected bus cables 31, and when it detects a control ECU connected to a bus cable 31 different from the control ECU that is the output source, it outputs the data to that bus cable 31. Such relay processing by the central gateway 32 allows a plurality of control ECUs to input and output data to and from other control ECUs connected to bus cables 31 different from the bus cables 31 to which they are connected.

[0020] The driving operation ECU 25 is connected to operation members such as a steering wheel 51, a brake pedal 52, an accelerator pedal 53, and a shift lever 54 that allow the user to control the driving of the automobile 2. When an operation member is operated, the driving operation ECU 25 outputs data including whether or not the operation was performed, the amount of operation, etc. to the vehicle network 30. The driving operation ECU 25 may also execute processing related to the operation of the operation member and include the processing results in the data.

[0021] The detection ECU 26 is connected to host vehicle sensors for detecting the driving environment of the vehicle 2, such as a speed sensor 61 for detecting the speed of the vehicle 2, an acceleration sensor 62 for detecting the acceleration of the vehicle 2, an exterior camera 63 for capturing images outside the vehicle 2, a LIDAR 64 for detecting objects outside the vehicle 2 by emitting laser light, an interior camera 65 for capturing images inside the vehicle 2, and a GNSS receiver 66 for detecting the position of the vehicle 2. The exterior camera 63 may be, for example, a stereo camera, a monocular camera, or a 360-degree camera. The GNSS receiver 66 receives radio waves from multiple GNSS satellites 110 similar to those of the server GNSS receiver 12, and obtains the latitude, longitude, and altitude of the vehicle's current position, as well as the current time. This allows the current time of the vehicle 2 to be expected to match the current time measured by the server GNSS receiver 12 of the server device 5 with high accuracy. The detection ECU 26 may output detection information acquired from the host vehicle sensors, processing results based on the detection information, and the like to the vehicle network 30. For example, the detection ECU 26 may perform recognition processing on pedestrians, traffic lights, other vehicles, road shapes, and the like outside the vehicle that are included in the image captured by the exterior camera 63, and output the recognition results to the vehicle network 30. Note that, other than the in-vehicle camera 65, occupant sensors such as an in-vehicle millimeter wave sensor, a seating sensor, and a steering 51 sensor may be connected to the detection ECU 26.

[0022] The AP communication ECU 27, as an AP communication device serving as an AP communication apparatus, establishes a wireless communication link with the base station 9 in the automobile 2. During remote control, the AP communication ECU 27 repeatedly transmits and receives data to and from the server device 5 of the remote control device 4 using the wireless communication link established with the base station 9.

[0023] The V2V communication ECU 28, as a V2V communication device serving as a V2V communication device, executes V2V communication between the automobile 2 and other automobiles. By the V2V communication ECU 28 communicating with other automobiles that have established wireless communication links with the base station 9, the V2V communication ECU 28 can repeatedly send and receive data to and from the server device 5 of the remote control device 4 for remote control via the other automobiles.

[0024] A timer 42 and a memory 41 are connected to the cruise control ECU 24. The memory 41 is a computer-readable recording medium that stores programs, data, and the like to be executed by the cruise control ECU 24. The memory 41 may store data for driving assistance such as lane keeping and distance control, high-precision map data for autonomous driving, and the like. The cruise control ECU 24 reads and executes the programs from the memory 41. This allows the cruise control ECU 24 to function as a control unit for controlling the cruise of the automobile 2. The driving control ECU 24, which serves as a control unit for controlling the driving of the automobile 2, acquires information from each part of the control system 3 of the automobile 2 in order to control the driving of the own vehicle.

[0025] For example, when the travel control ECU 24 acquires information on the occupant's manual operation from the driving operation ECU 25, it generates a vehicle control value based on the occupant's manual operation as is, or generates a vehicle control value that has been fine-tuned to assist the occupant's manual operation. During autonomous driving, for example, the cruise control ECU 24 acquires information from the detection ECU 26 and the like, determines the vehicle's position in high-precision map data and the possibility of collision with other vehicles, and generates vehicle control values ​​for autonomous driving. Autonomous driving can be achieved, for example, by vehicle control values ​​such as steering for lane keeping to maintain the lateral position of the vehicle 2 near the center of the lane, and vehicle control values ​​such as acceleration / deceleration to maintain the longitudinal position of the vehicle 2 and ensure a safe inter-vehicle distance. The cruise control ECU 24 then outputs the generated host vehicle control values ​​to the drive ECU 21, the steering ECU 22, and the braking ECU 23 via the vehicle network 30. This allows the cruise control ECU 24, as a host vehicle control value generating unit, to generate host vehicle control values ​​to be used for cruise control of the automobile 2 based on the operation by a passenger or automatic driving of the host vehicle.

[0026] In addition, the driving control ECU 24, which serves as a control unit for controlling the driving of the automobile 2, may communicate with the server device 5 of the remote control device 4 using the AP communication ECU 27 or the V2V communication ECU 28 when remotely controlling the driving of the vehicle, and may obtain remote control values ​​from the server device 5. The remote control value generating device 6 of the remote control device 4 may generate a remote control value equivalent to the host vehicle control value generated by the above-mentioned cruise control ECU 24 by a process similar to the generation process for automatic driving by the cruise control ECU 24. The cruise control ECU 24 outputs the acquired remote control values ​​to the drive ECU 21, the steering ECU 22, and the braking ECU 23 via the vehicle network 30. As a result, the driving control ECU 24 can execute driving control based on the remote control values ​​repeatedly received from the remote control device 4 as the vehicle driving control unit.

[0027] As a driving controller, the drive ECU 21 controls the operation of the driving force power source such as the engine or motor of the automobile 2 by inputting control values ​​generated or acquired from the driving control ECU 24, and controls the acceleration of the automobile 2 in accordance with the control values. As a driving controller, the steering ECU 22 controls the operation of the steering force generating unit such as the steering 51 motor of the automobile 2 by inputting control values ​​generated or acquired from the driving control ECU 24, and controls the driving direction of the automobile 2 in accordance with the control values. As a driving controller, the braking ECU 23 controls the operation of braking force generating units such as the brake pump of the automobile 2 by inputting control values ​​generated or acquired from the driving control ECU 24, and controls the deceleration of the automobile 2 in accordance with the control values.

[0028] FIG. 4 is a timing chart illustrating the flow of basic remote control in the remote control system 1 of FIG. 4 shows an example in which one automobile 2 repeatedly communicates with a remote control device 4 through a communication system 7 including a communication network 8. In the figure, time flows from top to bottom.

[0029] 4, first, the automobile 2 acquires information about its own vehicle in step ST2, and transmits the vehicle information to the remote control device 4 through the communication system 7 in step ST3. The automobile 2 may transmit to the remote control device 4 at least the detection information of its own vehicle sensor, including an image captured by an external sensor installed in its own vehicle, its own vehicle position, and the time. After receiving this uplink data from the automobile 2, the remote control device 4 acquires the latest vehicle information about the automobile 2 in step ST33, generates and acquires a remote control value using the vehicle information received from each automobile 2 in steps ST33 and ST34, and transmits the acquired remote control value to the automobile 2 via the communication system 7 in step ST38. After receiving the downlink data from the remote control device 4, the automobile 2 executes driving control using the remote control values ​​in step ST5. The automobile 2 acquires from the remote control device 4 remote control values ​​that can be input to the driving controller in the same way as the host vehicle control values ​​generated by the host vehicle, and executes driving control. The automobile 2 and the remote control device 4 repeat the above-described series of processes. As a result, the automobile 2 receives multiple remote control values ​​repeatedly transmitted from the remote control device 4, and can continuously execute driving control using the remote control values. The automobile 2 executes driving control of the automobile 2 using a driving control cycle corresponding to the reception cycle of the multiple remote control values ​​transmitted from the remote control device 4, thereby realizing driving under remote control.

[0030] In such remote control, the safety and reliability of the driving of the remotely controlled automobile 2 depend on whether the remote control values ​​transmitted from the remote control device 4 are received by the automobile 2 at an appropriate interval or timing. Communication is essential for remote control. Furthermore, depending on the driving environment, remote control of the automobile 2 may require control, preferably at intervals of 100 milliseconds, or at least at intervals of approximately 200 milliseconds, in order to achieve sufficiently reliable remote control, such as lane keeping control or vehicle distance maintenance control. In other words, even if each remotely controlled automobile 2 is able to continuously receive remote control values, if it is unable to receive the remote control values ​​required for driving control of its own vehicle at the appropriate timing, it may not be able to appropriately control the driving of its own vehicle in accordance with the actual driving environment. For example, if the preceding vehicle 101 suddenly brakes to decelerate, or if the own vehicle enters a curve, a delay in receiving the remote control values ​​may affect the quality of driving control of the own vehicle. On the other hand, it is not highly feasible to have the remote control device 4 always achieve a 100 millisecond transmission or reception cycle for all of the multiple automobiles 2 in terms of processing load, etc. In particular, when a carrier communication network for mobile terminals and the like is used as part of the communication network 8, communication delays may occur due to communications for other purposes, even if the communication network 8 is a fifth-generation network. Furthermore, such communication delays are likely to vary dynamically depending on the communication environment and the processing load of the server device. In this way, the remote control system 1 for the driving of the automobile 2 is required to reduce the possibility that the driving of the own vehicle will not be able to be remotely controlled appropriately. Note that the automobile 2 waits for reception of downlink data from the remote control device 4 during the response period of the remote control device 4 from when the automobile 2 transmits the vehicle information as uplink data to the remote control device 4 in step ST3 until when the automobile 2 receives downlink data from the remote control device 4. If the response period can be shortened according to the driving environment, the driving control period can also be shortened. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 4, the timing of executing the driving control in step ST5 by remote control is basically delayed compared to the timing of executing the driving control in step ST12 by the subject vehicle control value, which will be described later. Furthermore, if the reception cycle of uplink data or the transmission cycle of downlink data is delayed, the timing of execution of step ST5 in the automobile will also be delayed. 。

[0031] FIG. 5 is a flowchart of the vehicle driving control by the control system 3 of the automobile 2 of FIG. The host vehicle travel control in FIG. 5 controls the travel of the host vehicle by switching between the remote control process from steps ST2 to ST5 and the host vehicle control process from steps ST7 to ST12. For example, the driving control ECU 24 of the control system 3 of the automobile 2 repeatedly executes the own vehicle driving control shown in FIG. 5 in order to control the driving of the own vehicle. Note that a control ECU other than the driving control ECU 24 of the control system 3 of the automobile 2, for example, the remote control ECU 29 shown by the dashed line in Fig. 3, may repeatedly execute part of the processing for the host vehicle driving control in Fig. 5 (for example, the processing of steps ST2 to ST6 in Fig. 5). The same applies to the control of each of the following flowcharts.

[0032] In step ST1, the cruise control ECU 24 of the control system 3 of the automobile 2 determines whether to select remote control as the cruise control of the host vehicle. The cruise control ECU 24 may determine whether to select remote control based on, for example, the operation of an occupant of the host vehicle. If remote control is selected, the cruise control ECU 24 proceeds to step ST2. If remote control is not selected, the cruise control ECU 24 proceeds to step ST7.

[0033] From step ST2, the cruise control ECU 24 starts remote control. The cruise control ECU 24 acquires vehicle information of the host vehicle detected by the host vehicle. The vehicle information may include at least detection information from the host vehicle sensor, including an image captured by an external sensor installed in the host vehicle, and the host vehicle's position, time, speed, acceleration, steering angle, etc., as determined by the GNSS receiver 66.

[0034] In step ST3, the cruise control ECU 24 transmits the vehicle information of its own vehicle acquired in step ST2 to the remote control device 4. The cruise control ECU 24 transmits the vehicle information of its own vehicle to the remote control device 4 using the communication path established by the AP communication ECU 27 or the communication path established by the V2V communication ECU 28. The vehicle information of its own vehicle transmitted from the automobile 2 is received by the server communication device 11 of the server device 5 of the remote control device 4, for example, via a base station 9, a carrier communication network, or the Internet. The remote control device 4 generates a remote control value for the automobile 2 using the vehicle information received from each automobile 2, and transmits it to the automobile 2 that sent it.

[0035] In step ST4, the cruise control ECU 24 waits to receive a remote control value from the remote control device 4. The cruise control ECU 24 repeats this process until it receives a remote control value from the remote control device 4. When the AP communication ECU 27 or the V2V communication ECU 28 receives downlink data of the remote control value transmitted from the remote control device 4 to the host vehicle, the cruise control ECU 24 proceeds to step ST5.

[0036] In step ST5, the cruise control ECU 24 executes cruise control based on the remote control value received from the remote control device 4. The cruise control ECU 24 outputs the remote control value to the drive ECU 21, the steering ECU 22, and the braking ECU 23. The drive ECU 21, the steering ECU 22, and the braking ECU 23 execute their respective cruise controls based on the input remote control value. As a result, the cruise of the automobile 2 is controlled by the remote control value generated by the remote control device 4.

[0037] In step ST6, the cruise control ECU 24 determines whether or not to terminate cruise control. For example, if the occupant operates an ignition switch (not shown), the cruise control ECU 24 determines to terminate cruise control and terminates this control. If the cruise control does not terminate, the cruise control ECU 24 returns the process to step ST1. The cruise control ECU 24 repeatedly executes, for example, the remote cruise control described above until it determines to terminate cruise control in step ST6. As a result, the cruise of the automobile 2 continues to be controlled by the multiple remote control values ​​repeatedly generated by the remote control device 4.

[0038] Step ST7 is a process of controlling the host vehicle that is started when the cruise control ECU 24 determines in step ST1 that the host vehicle is not remotely controlled. The cruise control ECU 24 acquires vehicle information of the host vehicle that is detected in the host vehicle. The vehicle information of the host vehicle acquired in step ST7 may be the same as the vehicle information of the host vehicle acquired in step ST2.

[0039] In step ST8, the cruise control ECU 24 transmits the vehicle information of the vehicle acquired in step ST7 to the remote control device 4. The cruise control ECU 24 transmits the vehicle information of the vehicle to the remote control device 4 using the communication path established by the AP communication ECU 27 or the communication path established by the V2V communication ECU 28. The vehicle information of the vehicle transmitted from the vehicle 2 is received by the server communication device 11 of the server device 5 of the remote control device 4, for example, via a base station 9, a carrier communication network, or the Internet. The remote control device 4 maps the positions of multiple vehicles 2 in a virtual space using high-precision map data, and generates a drivable range and drivable direction for each vehicle 2 based on the mapping. The remote control device 4 transmits cruise control information based on the generated drivable range and direction to the vehicle 2 that transmitted the information. The remote control device 4 may also generate speed limit information, drivable lanes and routes, and transmit this information to the vehicle 2 that transmitted the information.

[0040] In step ST9, the cruise control ECU 24 determines whether the AP communication ECU 27 or the V2V communication ECU 28 has received new cruise control information from the remote control device 4. If new cruise control information has been received, the cruise control ECU 24 proceeds to step ST10. If new cruise control information has not been received, the cruise control ECU 24 proceeds to step ST11.

[0041] In step ST10, the cruise control ECU 24 acquires new cruise control information.

[0042] In step ST11, the cruise control ECU 24 autonomously generates a host vehicle control value in the host vehicle based on the vehicle information acquired from each part of the host vehicle in step ST7. If new cruise control information has been acquired in step ST10, the cruise control ECU 24 may generate a host vehicle control value that drives within that range.

[0043] In step ST12, the cruise control ECU 24 executes cruise control using the host vehicle control value generated by the host vehicle. The cruise control ECU 24 outputs the host vehicle control value to the drive ECU 21, the steering ECU 22, and the braking ECU 23. The drive ECU 21, the steering ECU 22, and the braking ECU 23 execute their respective cruise controls using the input host vehicle control value. As a result, the cruise of the automobile 2 is autonomously controlled by the host vehicle. Thereafter, the cruise control ECU 24 proceeds to step ST6. The cruise control ECU 24 repeatedly executes, for example, the above-described autonomous cruise control of the host vehicle until it determines in step ST6 to end the cruise control. As a result, the cruise of the automobile 2 continues to be controlled by the multiple remote control values ​​that are repeatedly generated autonomously by the host vehicle.

[0044] FIG. 6 is a flowchart of reception control by the server device 5 of the remote control device 4 of FIG. The server CPU 15 of the server device 5 of the remote control device 4 repeatedly executes the reception control of FIG.

[0045] In step ST21, the server CPU 15 of the server device 5 of the remote control device 4 determines whether or not new vehicle information has been received from the automobile 2. If new vehicle information has not been received from the automobile 2, the server CPU 15 repeats this process. When the server communication device 11 receives new vehicle information, the server CPU 15 advances the process to step ST22.

[0046] In step ST22, the server CPU 15 registers the received vehicle information of the automobile 2 in the unprocessed list 70 in the server memory 14. Thereafter, the server CPU 15 returns the process to step ST21 and repeats the processes from step ST21 to step ST22. As a result, when the server device 5 receives new vehicle information from one vehicle 2 or vehicle information from another vehicle, the server device 5 can temporarily record the new vehicle information by adding or updating the unprocessed list 70 in the server memory 14.

[0047] FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of an unprocessed list 70 that can be recorded in the server memory 14 of the server device 5 of the remote control device 4 of FIG. 1 by the reception control of FIG. The pending list 70 of FIG. 7 has multiple records for each vehicle 2 from which the remote control device 4 has received vehicle information.

[0048] The first record 71 from the top in Figure 7 is for automobile 2 with identification information (ID) 001, and records multiple times when vehicle information was received from automobile 2 and the latest vehicle information for automobile 2. The second record 72 from the top is for vehicle 2 with identification information 002, and records multiple times when vehicle information was received from vehicle 2 and the latest vehicle information for vehicle 2. The third record 73 from the top is for vehicle 2 with identification information 003, and records multiple times when vehicle information was received from vehicle 2 and the latest vehicle information for vehicle 2. 7, the unprocessed list 70 records the latest reception time and the previous reception time just before that as multiple times. By subtracting the previous reception time from the latest reception time, the reception cycle for the vehicle 2 can be obtained. As shown in FIG. 4, the reception cycle can basically correspond well to the transmission cycle, the generation cycle, and ultimately the driving control cycle of the vehicle 2. In the unprocessed list 70 of FIG. 7, the multiple records 73 are recorded in the order in which they were received. In addition, in the first record 71, the vehicle information from the automobile 2, including the latest information, has already been processed, and therefore no unprocessed vehicle information is recorded.

[0049] FIG. 8 is a flowchart of the remote control of the remote control device 4 of FIG. 1 by the server device 5. In FIG. The server CPU 15 of the server device 5 of the remote control device 4 repeats the remote control shown in FIG.

[0050] In step ST31, the server CPU 15 of the server device 5 of the remote control device 4 determines whether or not there is unprocessed received vehicle information in the unprocessed list 70 recorded in the server memory 14. If there is no unprocessed vehicle information, the server CPU 15 repeats this process. If there is unprocessed vehicle information, the server CPU 15 proceeds to step ST32 to process it.

[0051] In step ST32, the server CPU 15 selects the vehicle information of the automobile 2 with the nearest deadline in the unprocessed list 70.

[0052] In step ST33, the server CPU 15 acquires the vehicle information of the automobile 2 selected in step ST32.

[0053] In step ST34, the server CPU 15 sets, in the remote control value generating device 6, the conditions for generating a remote control value according to the communication environment. The remote control value generation device 6 generates a remote control value using the set vehicle information. Here, the remote control value generation device 6 may generate a remote control value by different processing depending on the magnitude of delay in communication of the vehicle information including the detection information received by the remote control device 4 from each automobile 2. The remote control value generation device 6 generates, by processing equivalent to that of the cruise control ECU 24 of the automobile 2 that transmitted the vehicle information, remote control values ​​that can be used directly in the automobile 2 that transmitted the vehicle information, such as a remote control value for steering for lane keeping control and a remote control value for acceleration / deceleration for inter-vehicle distance control. The remote control value generation device 6 outputs the generated remote control values ​​to the server device 5.

[0054] In step ST35, the server CPU 15 acquires the remote control value generated by the remote control value generation device 6 from the remote control value generation device 6.

[0055] In step ST36, the server CPU 15 transmits the remote control value generated by the above-described processing to the transmission source vehicle 2 related to the processing. After transmitting the vehicle information in step ST3 of Fig. 5, the control system 3 of the transmission source vehicle 2 waits to receive the remote control value in step ST4. The control system 3 of the transmission source vehicle 2 executes remote driving control using the remote control value received from the server device 5 in step ST5. Thereafter, the server CPU 15 returns the process to step ST31. In this way, the server CPU 15 of the server device 5 of the remote control device 4 can repeatedly generate and transmit a remote control value according to the latest driving environment for each of the multiple automobiles 2 by repeating the remote control of Fig. 8. The server CPU 15 can continuously generate, for example, a remote control value of the steering amount for lane keeping control, or a remote control value of the acceleration / deceleration amount for vehicle distance control or vehicle speed control.

[0056] For example, if the unprocessed list 70 is in the state shown in Figure 7, the server CPU 15 executes the control shown in Figure 8 for the second and third records 72 and 73 from the top in order, since the first record 71 from the top does not contain any unprocessed vehicle information. Furthermore, the server CPU 15 may process the second record 72 and the third record 73 from the top in the order in which they were received.

[0057] FIG. 9 is a flowchart of generation control of a remote control value of steering amount according to the communication environment by the server device 5 of the remote control device 4 of FIG. The server CPU 15 of the server device 5 of the remote control device 4 may execute the generation control of FIG. 9 in steps ST34 and ST35 of the remote control of FIG. Then, the server CPU 15 generates, through the generation control of FIG. 9, a steering remote control value for heading toward a steering control target point on a road that basically becomes more distant as the delay in communication of vehicle information including detection information increases.

[0058] In step ST41, the server CPU 15 of the server device 5 of the remote control device 4 calculates the current communication cycle from the multiple reception times of the record for the selected automobile 2 in the unprocessed list 70 of Fig. 7. The server CPU 15 can obtain the current reception cycle for the automobile 2, for example, by subtracting the previous reception time from the latest reception time. The current reception cycle can correspond well to the transmission cycle, generation cycle, and driving control cycle of the automobile 2 shown in Fig. 4. Furthermore, these cycles include communication delays.

[0059] In step ST42, the server CPU 15 determines whether the current period of communication based on the reception of vehicle information including detection information is equal to or shorter than a reference driving control period corresponding to the generation period at which the remote control device 4 repeatedly generates remote control values. The reference driving control period may be the longest driving control period at which the vehicle 2 can adequately control its driving using the remote control values ​​repeatedly acquired. The reference driving control period may be a fixed period for each vehicle 2, or may be changed depending on the driving environment, etc. If the reference driving control period is within several hundred milliseconds, it is considered that the vehicle 2 can basically control its driving well. If the current communication cycle is equal to or shorter than the reference driving control cycle, the server CPU 15 advances the process to step ST43. If the current communication cycle is not equal to or shorter than the reference driving control cycle, the server CPU 15 advances the process to step ST45.

[0060] In step ST43, the server CPU 15 outputs and sets standard control target points, curvature target points, etc. for steering etc. at the cruise control target time to the remote control value generation device 6. In this case, the remote control value generation device 6 generates a remote control value of the steering amount (steering angle) for heading towards the steering control target point at the cruise control target time based on the settings.

[0061] In step ST44, the server CPU 15 acquires from the remote control value generation device 6 the remote control value of the steering amount generated by the remote control value generation device 6. In this way, when the current communication period is equal to or shorter than the reference driving control period, the server CPU 15 can use the remote control value generation device 6 to generate a remote control value for the steering amount to head toward the standard control target point at the time of the reference driving control period. Thereafter, the server CPU 15 returns the process to the remote control of FIG.

[0062] Step ST45 is a process executed when the current communication cycle is not equal to or shorter than the reference driving control cycle. The server CPU 15 determines whether the current vehicle speed of the selected vehicle 2 is equal to or shorter than the vehicle speed that the remote control value generation device 6 can handle. The server CPU 15 may basically determine whether the current vehicle speed of the selected vehicle 2 is equal to or shorter than the vehicle speed that the remote control value generation device 6 can handle, based on whether the remote control value generation device 6 can generate a remote control value at that vehicle speed. If the current vehicle speed is equal to or lower than the applicable vehicle speed, the server CPU 15 advances the process to step ST46. If the current vehicle speed is not equal to or lower than the applicable vehicle speed, the server CPU 15 advances the process to step ST47.

[0063] In step ST46, the server CPU 15 generates a steering control target point and a curvature target point that become more distant depending on the magnitude of the periodic time difference between the current period of communication of vehicle information and the reference driving control period, and sets these in the remote control value generation device 6. In this case, the remote control value generation device 6 generates a remote control value of the steering amount for heading toward the steering control target point that becomes more distant depending on the magnitude of the periodic time difference, at a vehicle speed that the remote control value generation device 6 can handle, based on the setting. Thereafter, the server CPU 15 advances the process to step ST44, and acquires from the remote control value generation device 6 the remote control value of the steering amount generated by the remote control value generation device 6. In this way, when the current communication cycle is not equal to or shorter than the reference driving control cycle and the current vehicle speed is equal to or shorter than the compatible vehicle speed, the server CPU 15 can use the remote control value generating device 6 to generate a remote control value for the steering amount to move toward the steering control target point, which becomes more distant depending on the magnitude of the cycle time difference. Thereafter, the server CPU 15 returns the process to the remote control of FIG.

[0064] In step ST47, since the current vehicle speed of the selected vehicle 2 is not a compatible vehicle speed, the server CPU 15 changes the vehicle speed of the selected vehicle 2 to a speed equal to or lower than the speed limit compatible with the remote control value generation device 6. The speed limit basically becomes lower as the vehicle information communication cycle becomes longer. Thereafter, the server CPU 15 proceeds to step ST46, and sets a steering control target point and a curvature target point that become more distant depending on the magnitude of the periodic time difference between the current period of vehicle information communication and the reference driving control period in the remote control value generation device 6. In this case, the remote control value generation device 6 generates, based on the settings, a remote control value for the steering amount to move toward the steering control target point that becomes more distant depending on the magnitude of the periodic time difference at a speed equal to or less than the vehicle speed limit. Furthermore, the server CPU 15 advances the process to step ST44, and acquires from the remote control value generation device 6 the remote control value of the steering amount generated by the remote control value generation device 6. In this way, when the current communication cycle is not equal to or shorter than the reference driving control cycle and the current vehicle speed is not equal to or shorter than the compatible vehicle speed, the server CPU 15 can use the remote control value generation device 6 to generate a remote control value for the steering amount to move toward a steering control target point that becomes more distant depending on the magnitude of the cycle time difference, at a speed equal to or shorter than the compatible vehicle speed limit. Thereafter, the server CPU 15 may return the process to the remote control of FIG.

[0065] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of the relationship between the delay in communication between the automobile 2 and the remote control device 4 and the corresponding communication cycle. The horizontal axis of Figure 10 represents the communication delay, and the vertical axis represents the communication cycle. The communication cycle corresponds well to the driving control cycle. As shown by the diagonal solid line in FIG. 10, the communication cycle increases in proportion to the communication delay as the communication delay increases. The horizontal dashed line in FIG. 10 indicates a standard cruise control target time. The standard cruise control target time may be, for example, several to several tens of times the reference control period. The standard cruise control target time may also be set to coincide with the reference control period. The standard cruise control target time shown in FIG. 10 may be considered to coincide with the reference control period. In the communication delay range where the communication cycle is equal to or shorter than the standard cruise control target time, the standard steering control target point and curvature target point at the standard cruise control target time may be used. In contrast, in the range of communication delays where the communication period is longer than the standard driving control target time, it is advisable to use steering control target points and curvature target points that become farther away depending on the magnitude of the time difference between the communication period and the reference control period.

[0066] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating the relationship between the amount of delay corresponding to the increase in the communication cycle and the compatible vehicle speed. The horizontal axis in Fig. 11 represents the vehicle speed, and the vertical axis represents the amount of delay corresponding to the increase. The dashed line sloping downward to the right in Figure 11 is the boundary between the vehicle speeds that can be handled and the vehicle speeds that cannot be handled. Vehicle speeds below the boundary line are handled. In this way, the boundary line indicates the vehicle speed limit. As shown in FIG. 11, when the delay amount corresponding to the increase becomes large, a large portion of the standard cruise control target time is taken up by communication, and the vehicle speed that can be handled becomes smaller. The server CPU 15 may select any speed below the boundary line of the vehicle speed limit in step ST47 in Fig. 11. However, in order to suppress the amount of deceleration from the deceleration rate, it is preferable to select the vehicle speed limit on the boundary line itself. In this way, the server CPU 15 may obtain a limit vehicle speed that decreases as the increase in the period of communication of vehicle information increases, based on the relationship between the increase in the period of communication of vehicle information and the vehicle speed that the remote control value generation device 6 can handle for each increase in the period of communication of vehicle information.

[0067] FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram of a setting example for obtaining a remote control value of the steering amount. Three cases are shown in Figure 12.

[0068] Case 1 is a setting example in which the current cycle is equal to or shorter than the standard cruise control target time. Here, the automobile 2 is traveling on a straight road 100 along the lane. In this case, the server CPU 15 sets a steering control target point on the road 100 that is the travel distance in a standard cruise control target time from the current position of the automobile 2. The steering control target point is set in the center of the lane on the road 100 in which the automobile 2 is traveling, using high-precision map data or the like. Based on these settings, the remote control value generating device 6 generates a remote control value for the steering amount of the automobile 2. The remote control value generating device 6 can generate a remote control value for the steering amount to move toward the control target point by performing minute steering so as to suppress control deviation from the current position of the automobile 2. This enables the automobile 2 to travel along the center of the lane of the road 100 through remote lane keeping control.

[0069] Case 2 is a setting example in which the current period is equal to or shorter than the standard cruise control target time. In this case, the automobile 2 is traveling from a straight section of the road 100 to approach a corner. In this case, the server CPU 15 sets a steering control target point on the road 100 that corresponds to the travel distance from the current position of the automobile 2 in a standard cruise control target time. The steering control target point is set near the entrance to a corner on the road 100, at the center of the lane in which the automobile 2 is traveling, using high-precision map data or the like. In this case, the travel distance may be the distance at the center of the turning lane. The server CPU 15 also sets a curvature target point in the center of the lane between the current position of the automobile 2 and the steering control target point. The curvature target point may be, for example, an intermediate target point that enables the automobile 2 to travel with the steering amount of the remote control value at the steering control target point. For example, by starting to travel from the curvature target point with the steering amount of the remote control value, the automobile 2 becomes able to travel with the steering amount of the remote control value at the control target point. Based on these settings, the remote control value generating device 6 generates a remote control value for the steering amount of the automobile 2. The remote control value generating device 6 can generate a remote control value for the steering amount from the current position of the automobile 2, passing through the curvature target point and heading toward the control target point with a relatively large steering. This enables the automobile 2 to travel along the center of the lane of the road 100 when traveling from a straight portion of the road 100 to approach a corner through remote lane keeping control.

[0070] Case 3 is a setting example in which the current cycle is longer than the standard cruise control target time. Here, similar to case 2, the automobile 2 is traveling from a straight section of the road 100 to approach a corner. In this case, the server CPU 15 sets a steering control target point that is farther away as the delay in communication of vehicle information including detection information increases, based on the current position of the automobile 2. The steering control target point is set near the entrance to a corner on the road 100, at the center of the lane in which the automobile 2 is traveling, using high-precision map data or the like. The steering control target point in this case is farther away from the current position of the automobile 2 than in Case 2. The control deviation also increases. The server CPU 15 also sets a curvature target point in the center of the lane between the current position of the automobile 2 and the steering control target point. The curvature target point may be, for example, an intermediate target point that enables the automobile 2 to travel with the steering amount of the remote control value at the steering control target point. For example, the automobile 2 can travel with the steering amount of the remote control value at the control target point by starting to travel from the curvature target point with the steering amount of the remote control value. In this case, like the control target point, the curvature target point may be set farther away as the delay in communication of vehicle information including detection information increases, and may be farther away from the current position of the automobile 2 than in Case 2. Based on these settings, the remote control value generating device 6 generates a remote control value for the steering amount of the automobile 2. The remote control value generating device 6 can generate a remote control value for the steering amount from the current position of the automobile 2, passing through the curvature target point and heading toward the control target point with a relatively large steering. This enables the automobile 2 to travel along the center of the lane of the road 100 when traveling from a straight portion of the road 100 to a corner through remote lane keeping control, even if the current cycle is longer than the standard traveling control target time.

[0071] In addition to the steering control target point and curvature target point described above, the server CPU 15 may set information such as the control speed (current vehicle speed or speed limit) and road shape based on high-precision map data to the remote control value generating device 6.

[0072] FIG. 13 is a flowchart of the generation control of the remote control values ​​for acceleration and deceleration according to the communication environment by the server device 5 of the remote control device 4 of FIG. The server CPU 15 of the server device 5 of the remote control device 4 may execute the acceleration / deceleration generation control of FIG. 13 after the steering amount generation control of FIG. 9 in steps ST34 and ST35 of the remote control of FIG. Then, the server CPU 15 generates remote control values ​​for acceleration and deceleration that can ensure an inter-vehicle distance during the communication cycle time, which basically increases as the delay in communication of vehicle information including detection information increases, through the generation control of Figure 13.

[0073] In step ST51, the server CPU 15 of the server device 5 of the remote control device 4 determines whether the speed has been changed to the speed limit due to steering. In the steering amount generation control of FIG. 9, the speed is changed in step ST47. If the processing of step ST47 is being executed, the server CPU 15 determines that the speed has been changed to the speed limit due to steering, and proceeds to step ST52. If the speed has not been changed to the speed limit due to steering, the server CPU 15 skips the processing of step ST52 and proceeds to step ST53.

[0074] In step ST52, the server CPU 15 calculates the acceleration / deceleration amount for accelerating / decelerating from the current vehicle speed to the limited vehicle speed.

[0075] In step ST53, the server CPU 15 calculates the inter-vehicle distance to the preceding vehicle 101 at a preset vehicle speed control target time for acceleration / deceleration. Here, the vehicle speed control target time is one of the cruise control target times. The vehicle speed control target time may be the same as the standard cruise control target time for steering described above, or may be different. For example, if lane keeping control and vehicle distance control are implemented as independent controls, the cruise control target time for steering and the cruise control target time for acceleration / deceleration may be different from each other.

[0076] In step ST54, the server CPU 15 determines whether the inter-vehicle distance to the preceding vehicle 101 at the control target point at the vehicle speed control target time is equal to or greater than the inter-vehicle distance appropriate for the current vehicle speed or the limited vehicle speed. The inter-vehicle distance appropriate for the speed used in this determination may not simply be the inter-vehicle distance according to the vehicle speed, but may be the sum of the inter-vehicle distance and the predicted time due to a control delay that may occur in the actual cycle and the traveling distance according to the relative speed (the speed difference with the preceding vehicle 101). The predicted time due to a control delay that may occur in the actual cycle may be the time required to reach the steering control target point set for the steering remote control value while traveling at the current vehicle speed or the limited vehicle speed. It may also include times obtained by other factors. If the calculated distance to the preceding vehicle 101 at the steering control target point is not equal to or greater than the distance appropriate for the speed, the server CPU 15 advances the process to step ST55. If the calculated distance to the preceding vehicle 101 at the steering control target point is equal to or greater than the distance appropriate for the speed, the server CPU 15 skips the process of step ST55 and advances the process to step ST56.

[0077] In step ST55, the server CPU 15 acquires a speed at which the vehicle distance from the preceding vehicle 101 can be secured at the control target point at the vehicle speed control target time, and recalculates the acceleration / deceleration amount for accelerating / decelerating to the acquired speed.

[0078] In step ST56, the server CPU 15 generates a control instruction value for the acceleration / deceleration amount finally generated in step ST55 or step ST52. Here, for example, if the acceleration / deceleration amount generated in step ST55 and the control instruction value for the acceleration / deceleration amount generated in step ST52 are both acceleration / deceleration amounts for deceleration, the server CPU 15 may select the acceleration / deceleration amount with the larger magnitude. Thereafter, the server CPU 15 may return the process to the remote control of FIG. In this way, the server CPU 15 executes the steering amount generation control of FIG. 9 and the acceleration / deceleration generation control of FIG. 13, so that the remote control device 4 can generate and acquire the remote control value of the steering amount for remote lane keeping control and the remote control value of acceleration / deceleration for remote vehicle distance control.

[0079] As described above, in this embodiment, the remote control device 4 receives vehicle information including detection information detected in each of the multiple automobiles 2, and the remote control value generation device 6 repeatedly generates remote control values ​​for each automobile 2 that can be used to control the driving of each automobile 2 based on the detection information of each automobile 2 obtained through communication.The remote control value generation device 6 generates remote control values ​​using different processing depending on the degree of delay in communication of the vehicle information including detection information received by the remote control device 4 from each automobile 2. As a result, the driving control ECU 24, which serves as a vehicle driving control unit that performs driving control using remote control values ​​repeatedly received from the remote control device 4, can perform driving control that can suppress the effects of communication delays by acquiring remote control values ​​generated by different processes in response to delays in communication, even if there are delays in communication with the remote control device 4. As a result, the automobile 2, whose traveling is controlled by the remote control system 1 for traveling of the automobile 2, can reduce the possibility that the traveling of the automobile 2 will not be properly controlled by remote control.

[0080] [Second embodiment] Next, a remote control system 1 for driving an automobile 2 according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the remote control system 1 of this embodiment, the server device 5 of the remote control device 4 requests each automobile 2 to switch the cycle of driving control under remote control. Below, differences from the above-mentioned embodiment will be mainly described.

[0081] FIG. 14 is a flowchart of the driving control period switching request control by the server device 5 of the remote control device 4 of the remote control system 1 for controlling driving of the automobile 2 in the second embodiment of the present invention. The server CPU 15 of the server device 5 of the remote control device 4 repeatedly executes the drive control period switching request control shown in FIG.

[0082] In step ST91, the server CPU 15 determines whether the position of the steering control target point is set to a position farther away than the standard position corresponding to the standard cruise control target time in the conditions for generating a remote control value according to the communication environment in step ST34 of Fig. 8. For example, in step ST46 of Fig. 9, the server CPU 15 sets the steering control target point and the curvature target point to positions farther away depending on the magnitude of the periodic time difference from the standard cruise control target time for the current communication period including communication delays. If the steering control target point is set farther away from the standard position, the server CPU 15 advances the process to step ST92. If the steering control target point is not set farther away from the standard position, that is, if it is set at the standard position, the server CPU 15 ends this control.

[0083] In step ST92, the server CPU 15 calculates the time required to reach the steering control target point that has been moved farther away. Case 3 in FIG. 12 is an example in which the steering control target point has been moved farther away. In this case 3, for example, the server CPU 15 may calculate the time required for the traveling automobile 2 to reach the steering control target point as the arrival time. The speed of the automobile 2 used in the calculation may be, for example, the current speed.

[0084] In step ST93, the server CPU 15 transmits the arrival time calculated in step ST92 to the automobile 2 as the requested driving control period. The server CPU 15 may add a margin to the arrival time calculated in step ST92 as the requested driving control period.

[0085] In step ST94, the server CPU 15 transmits a request to change the generated driving control period to the automobile 2. Thereafter, the server CPU 15 ends this control. In this way, when the communication cycle of vehicle information including detection information becomes longer than the standard driving control target time corresponding to the generation cycle and the steering control target point set in the remote control value generation device 6 becomes farther away depending on the magnitude of the time difference in the cycle, the server device 5 of the remote control device 4 requests each automobile 2 to perform driving control at a cycle corresponding to the farther away steering control target point.

[0086] FIG. 15 is a flowchart of the control of switching the driving control period by the control system 3 of the automobile 2. The cruise control ECU 24 of the control system 3 of the automobile 2 repeatedly executes the cruise control cycle switching control shown in FIG.

[0087] In step ST101, the cruise control ECU 24 determines whether or not a request to change the cruise control period has been received from the server device 5 of the remote control device 4. If a request to change the cruise control period has not been received, the cruise control ECU 24 proceeds to step ST102. If a request to change the cruise control period has been received, the cruise control ECU 24 proceeds to step ST103.

[0088] In step ST102, the cruise control ECU 24 starts cruise control for the standard cruise control target time as usual. The cruise control ECU 24 acquires vehicle information and transmits it to the server device 5 of the remote control device 4 at each standard cruise control target time, and repeats this process of controlling the cruise of the host vehicle based on the remote control values ​​received from the server device 5. Thereafter, the cruise control ECU 24 ends this control.

[0089] In step ST103, the cruise control ECU 24 acquires a request to change the cruise control period received from the server device 5 of the remote control device 4.

[0090] In step ST104, the cruise control ECU 24 starts cruise control at the cruise control cycle requested by the server device 5 of the remote control device 4. The cruise control ECU 24 repeatedly acquires vehicle information for each cruise control cycle requested by the server device 5, transmits it to the server device 5 of the remote control device 4, and controls the cruise of the host vehicle using the remote control values ​​received from the server device 5. Thereafter, the cruise control ECU 24 ends this control.

[0091] In this way, when there is a communication delay, the server device 5 of the remote control device 4 of this embodiment requests each automobile 2 to perform driving control at a period in which the standard driving control target time is extended by at least the amount of communication delay, so as to correspond to the steering control target point that has been set farther away to accommodate the communication delay. Furthermore, even if the automobile 2 performs driving control at a period requested by the server device 5 of the remote control device 4, it can repeat driving control using the remote control values ​​repeatedly received from the remote control device 4, just as when driving control is performed at a standard driving control target time. Moreover, the remote control device 4 and the automobile 2 can generate remote control values ​​and perform driving control using the remote control values ​​synchronously at a period extended to correspond well, just as when they are operating at a standard driving control target time.

[0092] [Third embodiment] Next, a remote control system 1 for driving a vehicle 2 according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. The remote control system 1 of this embodiment is capable of switching between providing the vehicle 2 with remote control values ​​used for remote control and driving control information that can be used for controlling the vehicle itself. Below, differences from the above-mentioned embodiments will be mainly described.

[0093] FIG. 16 is a flowchart of generation switching control by the server device 5 of the remote control device 4 of the remote control system 1 for controlling the travel of the automobile 2 in the third embodiment of the present invention. The server CPU 15 of the server device 5 of the remote control device 4 continuously executes the switching control of FIG. 16 in order to provide remote control values ​​or driving control information to each of the multiple automobiles 2.

[0094] In step ST61, the server CPU 15 acquires unprocessed vehicle information from the unprocessed list 70 recorded in the server memory 14, for example. Here, the server CPU 15 may select the vehicle information of the automobile 2 with the nearest deadline in the unprocessed list 70, similar to step ST32.

[0095] In step ST62, the server CPU 15 first determines whether the automobile 2 from which the vehicle information has been acquired is in a state where it is unable to travel. In the automobile 2, if a malfunction occurs in the cruise control ECU 24, which serves as the host vehicle control value generation unit, it may become difficult to generate control values ​​for autonomous driving, which is considered to be a high-load process in the host vehicle, at an appropriate interval. Furthermore, even when the automobile 2 is being manually driven, if a malfunction occurs in the driver or other occupant, it may become difficult for the cruise control ECU 24 to generate the host vehicle control value based on the manual operation. When such a driving-disabled state occurs, the driving control ECU 24 may include the state in the vehicle information and transmit the information to the server device 5 of the remote control device 4. Furthermore, the server CPU 15 may independently determine whether or not the vehicle is in an inoperable state based on an image captured by the in-vehicle camera 65 included in the vehicle information acquired from the automobile 2.

[0096] Furthermore, in step ST62, the server CPU 15 determines not only whether the automobile 2 for which the vehicle information has been acquired is in a state where it cannot run, but also whether the automobile 2 is in another state. Here, the server CPU 15 may determine, for example, whether the area in which the automobile 2, for which the vehicle information has been acquired, is traveling is a specific area that is set to give priority to remote control. Here, specific areas can be set, for example, as locations where remote driving control may reduce the risk of accidents more than autonomous driving control.Specific examples of specific areas that can be set include intersections with poor visibility, automatic parking areas, and locations where infrastructure information can only be obtained from the server side. In step ST62, the server CPU 15 may determine only one of the travel-disabled state and the specific area. The server CPU 15 may also be configured to determine the driving conditions of the automobile 2 outside the above-mentioned specific area. Examples of driving conditions of the automobile 2 outside the specific area include when there is a traffic light ahead, when the automobile is about to enter or exit a curve, when the automobile is about to enter a merging section, when the automobile is about to enter an intersection, etc. The server CPU 15 may also be configured to determine the driving conditions of the automobile 2 that change dynamically. Examples of driving conditions of the automobile 2 that change dynamically include when a preceding vehicle slows down, when there is a crosswind, etc.

[0097] If the automobile 2 for which the vehicle information has been acquired is in a state where it cannot be driven, or is driving in a specific area, the server CPU 15 advances the process to step ST63 for remote control. On the other hand, if the automobile 2 for which the vehicle information has been acquired is not in a state where it is unable to travel and is not traveling in a specific area, the processing may proceed to step ST64 to assist the autonomous control of the vehicle.

[0098] In step ST63, the server CPU 15 executes remote control. The server CPU 15 executes the processes of, for example, steps ST34 to ST36 in Fig. 8, and transmits the generated remote control value to the sending vehicle 2. The server CPU 15 executes the server remote control of Fig. 8 as part of the switching control of Fig. 16. For the vehicle 2 determined to be inoperable, the remote control value generation device 6 generates a remote control value to be used for driving control of the vehicle 2. Thereafter, the server CPU 15 returns the process to step ST61. The remote control here is executed by the server CPU 15 because the automobile 2 is in a state where it cannot travel. The server CPU 15 may generate a remote control value that guides the automobile 2, which is in a state where it cannot travel, to stop on the road 100 on which it is traveling, to pull over to the shoulder of the road and stop, or to guide it to a first aid facility such as a hospital.

[0099] In step ST64, the server CPU 15 executes generation control for driving control information that can be used when the driving control ECU 24 of the automobile 2 generates its own vehicle control value. Thereafter, the server CPU 15 returns the process to step ST61.

[0100] In this way, the server CPU 15 of the server device 5 of the remote control device 4 serves as a switching control unit, and executes the generation process for each vehicle 2 by switching between generation control of remote control values ​​and generation control of driving control information depending on the driving disability state of the vehicle 2. When the server CPU 15 determines that each vehicle 2 is disabled, it switches the generation process for that vehicle 2 from generation control of driving control information to generation control of remote control values.

[0101] FIG. 17 is a flowchart showing the generation control of the driving control information by the server device 5 of the remote control device 4. The server CPU 15 of the server device 5 of the remote control device 4 may repeatedly execute the generation control of the driving control information of FIG. 17 for the plurality of automobiles 2 for which the driving control information is generated in the remote control device 4. The automobile 2 involved in the processing of step ST64 in FIG.

[0102] In step ST71, the server CPU 15 determines whether it is a periodic timing for generating driving control information. The driving control information may be, for example, information on the driving range in which the automobile 2 is estimated to be able to travel within a predetermined time. In this case, the server CPU 15 determines whether the periodic timing is shorter than the time it is expected that the automobile 2 will reach the boundary of the driving range. If it is not a periodic timing for generating driving control information, the server CPU 15 ends this control. If it is a periodic timing for generating driving control information, the server CPU 15 proceeds to step ST72.

[0103] In step ST72, the server CPU 15 acquires the latest field information. The field information includes the speed and direction of movement included in the vehicle information of multiple traveling automobiles 2, traffic information in the area managed by the remote control device 4, etc.

[0104] In step ST73, the server CPU 15 maps the positions of the plurality of automobiles 2 in a virtual space based on high-precision map data, and generates the range and direction in which each of the plurality of mapped automobiles 2 can travel.

[0105] In step ST74, driving control information is generated for each vehicle 2, including the information on the driving range and driving direction generated for each vehicle 2. The driving control information may include priority information and the like.

[0106] In step ST75, the server CPU 15 transmits the driving control information generated for each of the plurality of automobiles 2 in step ST74 to each automobile 2. As a result, in step ST10, the plurality of automobiles 2 can obtain, as their driving control information, information useful for snake driving control, such as the range in which each automobile can travel and the direction in which each automobile can travel.

[0107] FIG. 18 is a flowchart of the vehicle driving control by the control system 3 of the automobile 2 in the third embodiment of the present invention. The driving control ECU 24 of the control system 3 of the automobile 2 repeatedly executes the host vehicle driving control shown in FIG. 18 in order to control the driving of the host vehicle. In addition, a control ECU other than the driving control ECU 24 of the control system 3 of the automobile 2, for example, the remote control ECU 29 shown by the dashed line in Figure 3, may repeatedly execute part of the processing of the vehicle driving control in Figure 18 (for example, the processing from steps ST2 to ST5 in Figure 18). Steps ST1 to ST12 may be the same as those in FIG.

[0108] If it is determined in step ST9 that new driving control information has not been received from the remote control device 4, the driving control ECU 24 advances the process to step ST81. In step ST81, the cruise control ECU 24 determines whether it has received a remote control value, rather than cruise control information, from the remote control device 4. When the server device 5 of the remote control device 4 determines in step ST62 of the switching control in FIG. 16 that the automobile 2 is unable to drive, it executes remote control in step ST63 instead of generating cruise control information in step ST64. In this case, the server device 5 of the remote control device 4 may transmit a remote control value to the automobile 2 to which it previously transmitted cruise control information. Furthermore, the remote control value generating device 6 of the remote control device 4 generates a remote control value by different processes depending on the magnitude of the delay in communication of the vehicle information that the automobile 2 determined to be unable to drive transmitted for the cruise control information generation process. If a remote control value has been received as new information from the server device 5, the cruise control ECU 24 proceeds to step ST5 and executes cruise control based on the remote control value. On the other hand, if the cruise control ECU 24 has received cruise control information as new information from the server device 5, the cruise control ECU 24 proceeds to step ST11 to generate a host vehicle control value and execute cruise control based on the host vehicle control value.

[0109] In this way, when the driving control ECU 24, which serves as the driving control unit of each automobile 2, receives a remote control value from the remote control device 4, it can use the remote control value for driving control of the automobile 2, giving priority to the own vehicle control value generated by the own vehicle.

[0110] The above-described embodiment is an example of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to this, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the gist of the invention. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the server device 5 of the remote control device 4 makes the final decision on priority and generation switching. Alternatively, for example, the final decision on priority and generation switching may be made by each vehicle 2.

[0111] In the above-described embodiment, the remote control device 4 is composed of one server device 5 and one remote control value generating device 6. Alternatively, the server device 5 or remote control value generating device 6 of the remote control device 4 may be configured as multiple devices, for example, by dividing it into predetermined units such as regions or the number of vehicles. The server device 5 or remote control value generating device 6 may also be divided into multiple devices based on functions or processing loads. The multiple server devices 5 or multiple remote control value generating devices 6 may be distributed and incorporated into, for example, a base station 9 of a fifth-generation communication network 8. [Explanation of symbols]

[0112] 1... remote control system, 2... automobile (vehicle), 3... control system, 4... remote control device, 5... server device, 6... remote control value generation device, 7... communication system, 8... communication network, 9... base station, 10... computer device, 11... server communication device, 12... server GNSS receiver, 13... server timer, 14... server memory, 15... server CPU, 16... server bus, 21... drive ECU, 22... steering ECU, 23... braking ECU, 24... driving control ECU (subject vehicle driving control unit), 25... driving operation ECU, 26... detection EC U, 27...AP communication ECU, 28...V2V communication ECU, 29...Remote control ECU, 30...Vehicle network, 31...Bus cable, 32...Central gateway, 41...Memory, 42...Timer, 51...Steering, 52...Brake pedal, 53...Accelerator pedal, 54...Shift lever, 61...Speed ​​sensor, 62...Acceleration sensor, 63...Exterior camera, 64...LIDAR, 65...Interior camera, 66...GNSS receiver, 70...Unprocessed list, 100...Road, 101...Preceding vehicle, 110...GNSS satellite

Claims

1. A remote control system for vehicle travel that allows a plurality of vehicles to communicate with a plurality of remote control devices separate from the vehicles, and that can repeatedly transmit remote control values ​​for controlling travel of the vehicles from the remote control device to each of the plurality of vehicles, The remote control device includes: receiving vehicle information including detection information detected in each of the plurality of vehicles; a remote control value generating unit that repeatedly generates the remote control value that can be used for driving control of each of the vehicles based on the detection information of each of the vehicles acquired through communication, Each of the vehicles is Each of the vehicles has a host vehicle driving control unit that executes driving control based on the remote control value repeatedly received from the remote control device, The remote control value generating unit a remote control value is generated by different processing depending on a delay in communication of the vehicle information including the detection information received by the remote control device from each of the vehicles, and the remote control value is a remote control value for steering toward a steering control target point on a road that becomes farther away depending on a delay in communication of the vehicle information including the detection information; A remote control system for vehicle operation.

2. A remote control system for vehicle driving, in which a plurality of vehicles communicate with a remote control device separate from the plurality of vehicles, and remote control values ​​for controlling the driving of the vehicles can be repeatedly transmitted from the remote control device to each of the plurality of vehicles, The remote control device includes: receiving vehicle information including detection information detected in each of the plurality of vehicles; a remote control value generating unit that repeatedly generates the remote control value that can be used for driving control of each of the vehicles based on the detection information of each of the vehicles acquired through communication, Each of the vehicles is Each of the vehicles has a host vehicle driving control unit that executes driving control based on the remote control value repeatedly received from the remote control device, The remote control device includes: When the communication cycle of the vehicle information including the detection information received by the remote control device from each of the vehicles is equal to or shorter than a reference driving control cycle corresponding to a generation cycle at which the remote control device repeatedly generates the remote control value, a remote control value generation unit generates a remote control value of a steering amount for moving toward a steering control target point within a standard cruise control target time corresponding to the reference cruise control period; If the communication cycle of the vehicle information including the detection information is longer than the reference driving control cycle corresponding to the generation cycle, a remote control value generating unit generates a remote control value of a steering amount for moving toward a steering control target point, the remote control value being determined by using a steering control target point that becomes farther away depending on the magnitude of a time difference between a communication cycle of the vehicle information and the standard driving control target time; A remote control system for vehicle operation.

3. The remote control device includes: providing the remote control value generating unit with at least a control target point of steering on the road and a curvature target point on the road for steering with the remote control value; causing the remote control value generation unit to generate a remote control value of the steering amount for passing through the curvature target point and heading toward the steering control target point; 3. The remote control system for vehicle travel according to claim 2.

4. The remote control device includes: When a communication cycle of vehicle information including detection information becomes longer than a reference driving control cycle corresponding to the generation cycle, and the control target point of steering given to the remote control value generation unit is made farther away according to the magnitude of the time difference of the cycle, Requesting each of the vehicles to perform driving control at a period corresponding to the distant steering control target point; 4. A remote control system for vehicle travel according to claim 2 or 3.

5. A remote control system for vehicle driving, in which a plurality of vehicles communicate with a remote control device separate from the plurality of vehicles, and remote control values ​​for controlling the driving of the vehicles can be repeatedly transmitted from the remote control device to each of the plurality of vehicles, The remote control device includes: receiving vehicle information including detection information detected in each of the plurality of vehicles; a remote control value generating unit that repeatedly generates the remote control value that can be used for driving control of each of the vehicles based on the detection information of each of the vehicles acquired through communication, Each of the vehicles is Each of the vehicles has a host vehicle driving control unit that executes driving control based on the remote control value repeatedly received from the remote control device, The remote control value generating unit a remote control value is generated by different processing depending on a delay in communication of the vehicle information including the detection information received by the remote control device from each of the vehicles, and the remote control value is a remote control value for acceleration / deceleration that can ensure an inter-vehicle distance during a communication cycle time that becomes longer depending on the delay in communication of the vehicle information including the detection information; A remote control system for vehicle operation.

6. A remote control system for vehicle driving, in which a plurality of vehicles communicate with a remote control device separate from the plurality of vehicles, and remote control values ​​for controlling the driving of the vehicles can be repeatedly transmitted from the remote control device to each of the plurality of vehicles, The remote control device includes: receiving vehicle information including detection information detected in each of the plurality of vehicles; a remote control value generating unit that repeatedly generates the remote control value that can be used for driving control of each of the vehicles based on the detection information of each of the vehicles acquired through communication; a driving control information generating unit that generates driving control information that can be used by the vehicle when generating a host vehicle control value, using field information including vehicle information received from the plurality of vehicles; a switching control unit that switches a generation process for each of the vehicles between the driving control information generation unit and the remote control value generation unit, Each of the vehicles is Each of the vehicles has a host vehicle driving control unit that executes driving control based on the remote control value repeatedly received from the remote control device, The switching control unit when it is determined that each of the vehicles is disabled or when it is determined that the vehicle is traveling in a specific area, switching the generation process for each of the vehicles from the traveling control information generation unit to the remote control value generation unit; The remote control value generating unit The vehicle determined to be disabled generates a remote control value by a different process depending on a delay in communication of the vehicle information that was being transmitted for processing by the driving control information generation unit. A remote control system for vehicle operation.

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