Remote monitoring system, vehicle control device, remote monitoring method, and vehicle control method

Abstract

To provide a remote monitoring technique that can ensure the safety of autonomous travel vehicles during autonomous traveling.SOLUTION: An autonomous travel vehicle transmits data recognized by an autonomous sensor to a remote monitoring center. The vehicle also detects an obstacle based on information obtained from the autonomous sensor. When the obstacle is detected, the vehicle is automatically stopped and sends a vehicle stop signal to the remote monitoring center. When receiving the vehicle stop signal, the remote monitoring center displays a video of an area around the vehicle on a display based on the received data. When receiving an input of a command to allow the vehicle to resume traveling, the remote monitoring center sends a start permission signal to the vehicle. When the start permission signal is received from the remote monitoring center, the vehicle resumes traveling.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a remote monitoring technology for remotely monitoring an autonomous vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] The following patent document discloses a system in which an autonomous vehicle and a server are connected via a network. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] U.S. Patent No. 9,547,307 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Generally, autonomous vehicles are equipped with the ability to detect obstacles using autonomous sensors, including cameras. However, the detection performance of autonomous sensors is not always sufficient. Therefore, one method to ensure safety during autonomous driving is to send images from onboard cameras to a remote monitoring center, where the vehicle is remotely monitored. However, with the current communication outage rate, it is difficult to constantly remotely monitor the vehicle.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a remote monitoring technology that can ensure the safety of an autonomous vehicle during autonomous driving. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The remote monitoring system according to the present invention comprises an autonomously driven vehicle and a center capable of communicating with the vehicle.

[0007] The vehicle includes an autonomous sensor, a data transmission unit, an obstacle detection unit, a stop control unit, and a traveling resume control unit. The autonomous sensor is a sensor that recognizes the vehicle's surrounding environment and includes at least a camera. The data transmission unit is configured to transmit data recognized by the autonomous sensor to a center. The obstacle detection unit is configured to detect an obstacle ahead of the vehicle's path based on information obtained from the autonomous sensor. The stop control unit is configured to stop the vehicle and transmit a first signal to the center based on the detection of an obstacle by the obstacle detection unit. The traveling resume control unit is configured to resume traveling of the autonomous vehicle when a second signal permitting the resumption of traveling is received from the center after the vehicle has been stopped by the stop control unit.

[0008] The center includes a display unit that displays an image of the surroundings of the vehicle based on the data received from the data transmission unit when the center receives a first signal from the stop control unit, and an HMI that accepts an input of a command to permit the vehicle to resume traveling. When the HMI accepts the input of the command, the center is configured to transmit a second signal to the vehicle.

[0009] With the above configuration, the remote monitoring system according to the present invention stops the vehicle when an obstacle is detected by the autonomous sensor. Then, once the center has confirmed the safety of the vehicle, it sends a second signal to the vehicle, causing the vehicle to resume traveling. In this way, dual monitoring, consisting of autonomous detection of obstacles by the vehicle's autonomous sensor and remote monitoring by the center, can ensure safety at all times, particularly when traveling is resumed after an automatic stop.

[0010] The stop control unit may slow down the vehicle based on the detection of an obstacle by the obstacle detection unit, and may stop the vehicle if communication with the center is interrupted. In this way, while communication between the vehicle and the center is established, the detection rate of the autonomous sensor can be increased by driving at a reduced speed, while reducing discomfort to the occupants. Furthermore, if communication between the vehicle and the center is interrupted, safety can be ensured by automatically stopping the vehicle.

[0011] The travel restart control unit may cause the vehicle to travel slowly for a predetermined time after the vehicle resumes traveling. By causing the vehicle to travel slowly without increasing its speed for the predetermined time, safety after the vehicle resumes traveling can be ensured.

[0012] The travel restart control unit may slow down the vehicle only while receiving the second signal from the center, and may stop the vehicle when the second signal from the center is interrupted. This ensures safety in situations where the remote monitoring by the center is not functioning, as the vehicle stops when the input of the second signal from the center is interrupted. Another advantage is that the vehicle can be stopped immediately by stopping the transmission of the second signal from the center.

[0013] The traveling restart control unit may autonomously restart the traveling of the vehicle when the obstacle detection unit no longer detects an obstacle after the stop control unit has stopped the vehicle. In this way, even if communication between the vehicle and the center is interrupted, the traveling of the vehicle can be restarted when safety is confirmed on the vehicle side.

[0014] When communication with the center is interrupted, the obstacle detection unit may change the threshold for obstacle detection so as to tolerate more false detections than when communication with the center is established, while reducing the number of undetected obstacles. In this way, when communication between the vehicle and the center is interrupted, changing the threshold for obstacle detection increases the number of false detections (mistakenly detecting obstacles that should not exist), but can reduce the number of undetected obstacles (not detecting obstacles that should exist). As a result, safety can be ensured in situations where remote monitoring by the center is not functioning.

[0015] When the vehicle approaches a location that has been confirmed as safe by the center, the center may notify the vehicle that the location is safe. When the obstacle detection unit detects an obstacle in a location that has been notified as safe by the center, the stop control unit of the vehicle may determine that the detection is a false detection and not stop the vehicle. This can reduce the frequency of inadvertent vehicle stops due to false detection of an obstacle.

[0016] The vehicle control device according to the present invention is connected to a center via a network and causes a vehicle to autonomously drive, and includes an autonomous sensor, a data transmission unit, an obstacle detection unit, a stop control unit, and a driving resume control unit. The autonomous sensor is a sensor that recognizes the environment surrounding the vehicle. The data transmission unit is configured to transmit data recognized by the vehicle's own sensor to the center. The obstacle detection unit is configured to detect an obstacle ahead of the vehicle's path based on information obtained from the autonomous sensor. The stop control unit is configured to stop the vehicle and transmit a first signal to the center based on the detection of an obstacle by the obstacle detection unit. The driving resume control unit is configured to resume driving of the vehicle when a second signal is received from the center after the vehicle has been stopped by the stop control unit.

[0017] With the vehicle of the present invention configured in this manner, dual monitoring is performed by autonomously detecting obstacles using autonomous sensors and remotely monitoring by a center, thereby ensuring safety at the time of the vehicle's arrival, particularly when the vehicle resumes traveling after an automatic stop.

[0018] A remote monitoring method according to the present invention is a remote monitoring method executed in a remote monitoring system including a vehicle capable of autonomous driving and a center capable of communicating with the vehicle. The remote monitoring method according to the present invention includes the steps of: transmitting data recognized by an autonomous sensor mounted on the vehicle to a center from the vehicle; detecting an obstacle ahead of the vehicle based on information obtained from the autonomous sensor; stopping the vehicle and transmitting a first signal to the center based on the detection of the obstacle by the vehicle; displaying an image of the surroundings of the vehicle at the center based on the data transmitted from the vehicle when the center receives the first signal; transmitting a second signal from the center to the vehicle permitting the vehicle to resume traveling when an input of a command permitting the vehicle to resume traveling is received; and resuming traveling of the vehicle after receiving the second signal from the center.

[0019] According to the remote monitoring method of the present invention, which includes the above steps, dual monitoring is performed by autonomously detecting obstacles using the vehicle's autonomous sensors and remote monitoring by the center, thereby ensuring safety when the vehicle is driving autonomously, particularly when it resumes driving after an automatic stop.

[0020] In the step of stopping the vehicle, if the vehicle detects an obstacle, the vehicle may slow down, and if communication between the vehicle and the center is lost, the vehicle may automatically stop. In this way, while communication between the vehicle and the center is established, the detection rate of the autonomous sensor can be increased by driving at a reduced speed, while reducing discomfort to the occupants. If communication between the vehicle and the center is lost, safety can be ensured by automatically stopping the vehicle.

[0021] In the step of restarting the vehicle, the vehicle may be made to move slowly for a predetermined time after restarting the vehicle, thereby ensuring safety after the vehicle has restarted the vehicle.

[0022] In the step of the vehicle resuming travel, the vehicle may be configured to slow down only while receiving the second signal from the center, and to stop when the second signal from the center is discontinued. This ensures safety in situations where the remote monitoring by the center is not functioning, as the vehicle stops when the input of the second signal from the center is discontinued. Also, the cessation of transmission of the second signal from the center has the effect of immediately stopping the vehicle.

[0023] In the step of the vehicle resuming traveling, if the vehicle no longer detects an obstacle after stopping the vehicle, the vehicle may autonomously resume traveling. In this way, even if communication between the vehicle and the center is interrupted, the vehicle can resume traveling when safety is confirmed on the vehicle side.

[0024] The remote monitoring method according to the present invention may further include a step of changing a threshold for obstacle detection of the vehicle when communication between the vehicle and the center is interrupted so as to allow more false detections but reduce the number of undetected objects compared to when communication between the vehicle and the center is established. By changing the threshold for obstacle detection when communication between the vehicle and the center is interrupted, the number of false detections increases but the number of undetected objects can be reduced, thereby ensuring safety in situations where remote monitoring by the center is not functioning.

[0025] The remote monitoring method according to the present invention may further include a step of, when the vehicle approaches a location that has been confirmed as safe by the center, notifying the vehicle from the center that the location is safe. In this case, in the step of stopping the vehicle, the vehicle may not automatically stop even if it detects an obstacle in the location that has been notified as safe by the center. This can reduce the frequency of inadvertent vehicle stops due to erroneous detection of an obstacle. [Effects of the Invention]

[0026] As described above, the remote monitoring system, vehicle, and remote monitoring method of the present invention perform dual monitoring, consisting of obstacle detection by the vehicle's autonomous sensors and remote monitoring by a center, thereby ensuring safety when the vehicle is driving autonomously, particularly when it resumes driving after an automatic stop. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0027] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a remote monitoring system according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] 4 is a flowchart showing processing on the in-vehicle system side for realizing the remote monitoring method of the first embodiment. [Figure 3] 4 is a flowchart showing processing on the side of the remote monitoring center for realizing the remote monitoring method of the first embodiment. [Figure 4] 10 is a flowchart showing processing on the in-vehicle system side for realizing the remote monitoring method of the second embodiment. [Figure 5] 10 is a flowchart showing processing on the side of the remote monitoring center for realizing the remote monitoring method of the second embodiment. [Figure 6] 11 is a flowchart showing processing on the in-vehicle system side for realizing the remote monitoring method of the third embodiment. [Figure 7] 11 is a flowchart showing processing on the side of the remote monitoring center for realizing the remote monitoring method of the third embodiment. [Figure 8] 10 is a flowchart showing the processing on the in-vehicle system side for realizing the remote monitoring method of the fourth embodiment. [Figure 9] 10 is a flowchart showing processing on the side of the remote monitoring center for realizing the remote monitoring method of the fourth embodiment. [Figure 10] 13 is a flowchart showing the processing on the in-vehicle system side for realizing the remote monitoring method of the fifth embodiment. [Figure 11] 13 is a flowchart showing a preliminary process that is always executed on the in-vehicle system side to realize the remote monitoring method of the sixth embodiment. [Figure 12]13 is a flowchart showing a preliminary process that is constantly executed on the remote monitoring center side to realize the remote monitoring method of the sixth embodiment. [Figure 13] 13 is a flowchart showing the processing on the in-vehicle system side for realizing the remote monitoring method of the sixth embodiment. [Figure 14] 10 is a flowchart showing a process on the in-vehicle system side for realizing the remote monitoring method of the reference example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0028] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. However, when the numbers, quantities, amounts, ranges, etc. of each element are mentioned in the following embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the mentioned numbers unless otherwise specified or clearly specified in principle. Furthermore, the structures, steps, etc. described in the following embodiments are not necessarily essential to the present invention unless otherwise specified or clearly specified in principle.

[0029] Embodiment 1 1-1. Remote monitoring system configuration The remote monitoring system is a system in which an autonomous vehicle and a remote monitoring center are connected via a network. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of remote monitoring system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The configuration of remote monitoring system 1 will be described below with reference to FIG. 1. The configuration of remote monitoring system 1 described here is a configuration that is common not only to embodiment 1 but also to embodiments 2 to 7 described below.

[0030] The remote monitoring system 1 comprises a vehicle 10, which is an autonomous vehicle, and a remote monitoring center 4 that communicates with the vehicle 10 via a network (i.e., the Internet) 2. The vehicle 10 is remotely monitored by the remote monitoring center 4. The remote monitoring center 4 may be dedicated to remotely monitoring one vehicle 10, or may remotely monitor multiple vehicles 10 simultaneously.

[0031] The remote monitoring center 4 may be unmanned or manned. At the remote monitoring center 4, the vehicle 10 may be remotely monitored by a monitor, or may be remotely monitored by a computer only. When the remote monitoring is performed by a monitor, the remote monitoring center 4 is equipped with at least a display that displays the camera images transmitted from the vehicle 10, and an HMI (Human Machine Interface) that enables the monitor to give instructions to the computer of the remote monitoring center 4. When the remote monitoring is performed by a computer only, the computer itself becomes the remote monitoring center 4.

[0032] FIG. 1 illustrates the on-board system of a vehicle 10 in blocks. The vehicle 10 is equipped with autonomous sensors 12, 14, and 16 for recognizing the surrounding environment. The autonomous sensors 12, 14, and 16 include a camera 12, a millimeter-wave radar 14, and a LIDAR 16. Of these, the camera 12 is essential, but the millimeter-wave radar 14 and the LIDAR 16 may be omitted. The camera 12 is attached to, for example, the windshield of the vehicle 10 so as to capture at least an image of the area ahead of the vehicle 10. Information acquired by the autonomous sensors 12, 14, and 16 is transmitted to an on-board control device 20.

[0033] The control device 20 receives various information for autonomous driving, including information from the autonomous sensors 12, 14, and 16, and signals from the remote monitoring center 4, processes the information, and operates the actuators 32, 34, and 36 using operation signals. The actuators 32, 34, and 36 include at least a drive actuator 32 for driving the vehicle 10, a braking actuator 34 for braking the vehicle 10, and a steering actuator 36 for steering the vehicle 10.

[0034] The various information for autonomous driving includes information on the vehicle state acquired by vehicle sensors such as a vehicle speed sensor and an acceleration sensor (not shown). Furthermore, the various information for autonomous driving includes location information indicating the location of the vehicle 10 acquired by a GPS receiver (not shown) and map information held in a map database. Signals from the remote monitoring center 4 are acquired by wireless communication using an on-board communication device 18. The communication standard for wireless communication used by the communication device 18 may be any mobile communication standard such as 4G, LTE, or 5G.

[0035] The control device 20 is an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) having at least one processor and at least one memory. The memory stores at least one program for autonomous driving and various data. The program stored in the memory is read and executed by the processor, thereby realizing various functions for autonomous driving in the control device 20.

[0036] The control device 20 calculates a driving route for the vehicle 10 based on the position information and map information of the vehicle 10, and controls the driving, steering, and braking of the vehicle 10 so that the vehicle 10 travels along the calculated driving route. However, there are various known methods for causing the vehicle 10 to autonomously travel along a driving route, and the present invention does not limit the method itself. Therefore, in this specification, a description of the method for causing the vehicle 10 to autonomously travel along a driving route will be omitted.

[0037] 1 shows, in blocks, autonomous driving-related functions possessed by the control device 20, particularly functions related to ensuring safety during autonomous driving. Other functions possessed by the control device 20 are not shown. The control device 20 has a function to automatically stop the vehicle 10 when it detects an obstacle that poses a risk of collision with the vehicle 10, and to resume driving when it is confirmed that there is no risk of collision. This function is realized by a camera image transmission unit 22, an obstacle detection unit 24, a stop control unit 26, and a driving resumption control unit 28 that are provided in the control device 20. However, these do not exist as hardware within the control device 20, but are realized as software when a program stored in memory is executed by a processor.

[0038] The camera image transmission unit 22 transmits images of the surroundings of the vehicle 10 captured by the camera 12 to the remote monitoring center 4. The transmitted camera images include at least images of the area ahead of the vehicle 10. The camera image transmission unit 22 transmits the camera images in accordance with the communication cycle between the remote monitoring center 4 and the communication device 18 while the vehicle 10 is stopped by the stop control unit 26, which will be described later. The camera images transmitted to the remote monitoring center 4 are used for remote monitoring of the surroundings of the vehicle 10. The communication cycle may be fixed or may be changed depending on the driving environment of the vehicle 10. For example, the communication cycle may be long in vehicle-only lanes, short at intersections with traffic lights, and even shorter at intersections without traffic lights.

[0039] The obstacle detection unit 24 detects obstacles related to the vehicle 10 based on information obtained from the autonomous sensors 12, 14, and 16. In particular, it detects obstacles ahead that pose a risk of collision with the vehicle 10. There are various known methods for detecting obstacles based on sensor information including camera images, and the present invention does not limit the method itself. For example, the camera 12 may detect obstacles based solely on camera images, or the obstacles may be detected by sensor fusion that combines multiple autonomous sensors 12, 14, and 16. However, the obstacle detection unit 24 can change the obstacle detection threshold. The obstacle detection threshold is a threshold that determines whether numerical data that may indicate an obstacle is considered to be an obstacle or not (e.g., noise).

[0040] When an obstacle is detected by the obstacle detection unit 24, the stop control unit 26 automatically stops the vehicle 10. More specifically, the stop control unit 26 controls the braking force acting on the vehicle 10 by operating the drive actuator 32 and the brake actuator 34 so as to stop the vehicle 10 in front of the detected obstacle. Furthermore, when the stop control unit 26 automatically stops the vehicle 10, it transmits a vehicle stop signal to the remote monitoring center 4. At this time, the camera image transmission unit 22 also transmits to the remote monitoring center 4 the camera image of the area around the vehicle 10 captured by the camera 12.

[0041] When the travel restart control unit 28 receives a start signal from the remote monitoring center 4 after the vehicle 10 has been automatically stopped by the stop control unit 26, the travel restart control unit 28 causes the vehicle 10 to resume traveling. Specifically, the travel restart control unit 28 causes the vehicle 10 to travel slowly for a predetermined time after the vehicle 10 has resumed traveling to ensure safety. Then, after the predetermined time has elapsed, the travel restart control unit 28 accelerates the vehicle 10 according to a predetermined speed plan.

[0042] When the vehicle 10 automatically stops, the remote monitoring center 4 determines whether or not it is OK to resume driving the vehicle 10 based on the image received from the camera image transmission unit. When the remote monitoring at the remote monitoring center 4 is performed by a computer, the computer determines, for example, based on image data (big data), whether an obstacle is visible in the camera image transmitted from the vehicle 10. Image processing technology using artificial intelligence can be used to make the determination based on the image data. When an obstacle is detected in the camera image, the computer transmits a start signal to the vehicle 10. The entire process from receiving the camera image to transmitting the start signal can be performed by the computer without human intervention.

[0043] When remote monitoring at the remote monitoring center 4 is performed by a monitor, the camera image transmitted from the vehicle 10 is displayed on a display. The monitor views the camera image and checks the surrounding conditions of the vehicle 10. If the monitor determines as a result of the check that there is no problem in allowing the vehicle 10 to resume traveling, the monitor operates the HMI to instruct the computer at the remote monitoring center 4 to permit the vehicle 10 to start. Upon receiving the instruction to permit the vehicle 10 to resume traveling, the computer at the remote monitoring center 4 determines that it is OK for the vehicle 10 to resume traveling, and transmits a start signal to the vehicle 10. In the remote monitoring methods of the embodiments described below, the explanation will be given assuming that the remote monitoring is performed by a monitor.

[0044] 1-2. Remote monitoring method according to the first embodiment A remote monitoring method according to the first embodiment that can be executed in the remote monitoring system 1 having the above configuration will be described. The remote monitoring method by the remote monitoring system 1 can be explained by dividing it into processing on the in-vehicle system side and processing on the remote monitoring center side. Fig. 2 is a flowchart showing processing on the in-vehicle system side for realizing the remote monitoring method according to the first embodiment. Fig. 3 is a flowchart showing processing on the remote monitoring center side for realizing the remote monitoring method according to the first embodiment.

[0045] First, the processing on the in-vehicle system side will be described with reference to Fig. 2. According to the flowchart shown in Fig. 2, the autonomous sensors 12, 14, and 16 recognize the surrounding environment (step S100). The obstacle detection unit 24 determines whether there is an obstacle around the vehicle that poses a risk of collision, based on the information obtained from the autonomous sensors 12, 14, and 16 in step S100 (step S110). If no such obstacle is present, the processing of step S100 and the determination of step S110 are repeated.

[0046] If an obstacle that poses a risk of collision is detected in step S110, the stop control unit 26 automatically stops the vehicle 10 in front of the obstacle (step S120). Then, the stop control unit 26 transmits a vehicle stop signal to the remote monitoring center 4, and the camera image transmission unit 22 transmits the camera image of the area around the vehicle 10 captured by the camera 12 to the remote monitoring center 4 (step S130).

[0047] After the vehicle stop signal is transmitted to the remote monitoring center 4, the traveling restart control unit 28 determines whether a start signal has been received from the remote monitoring center 4 (step S140). The vehicle 10 remains stopped until the start signal is received. If the start signal has been received from the remote monitoring center 4, the traveling restart control unit 28 performs a process to start the vehicle (step S150), and drives the vehicle slowly for a predetermined time after starting (step S160).

[0048] Next, the processing on the remote monitoring center side will be described with reference to Fig. 3. According to the flowchart shown in Fig. 3, the remote monitoring center 4 determines whether a vehicle stop signal has been received from the vehicle 10 (step S200). The remote monitoring center 4 remains in a standby state until the vehicle stop signal is received.

[0049] When a vehicle stop signal is received from the vehicle 10, the camera image transmitted from the stopped vehicle 10 is displayed on the display. The monitor checks the situation around the vehicle 10 from the camera image displayed on the display (step S210). Then, based on the check result on the display, the monitor determines whether it is safe to resume driving the vehicle 10 (step S220). If the situation does not allow the vehicle 10 to resume driving, the processing of step S210 and the determination of step S220 are repeated.

[0050] A situation in which it is safe to resume traveling is, for example, when the risk of collision has disappeared due to the movement of an obstacle, or when it is confirmed that the obstacle was a false detection by vehicle 10. As a specific example, if vehicle 10 is stopped just before a pedestrian crossing, vehicle 10 can resume traveling once it is confirmed that the pedestrian, who is an obstacle, has definitely finished crossing the pedestrian crossing. When vehicle 10 resumes traveling, a start signal is sent from the computer of remote monitoring center 4 to vehicle 10 by the monitor operating the HMI (step S230).

[0051] According to the remote monitoring method of the first embodiment, which is executed by the above-described procedure, dual monitoring is performed, namely, autonomous detection of obstacles by the autonomous sensors 12, 14, and 16 of the vehicle 10, and remote monitoring by the remote monitoring center 4, thereby ensuring safety during autonomous driving of the vehicle 10, particularly safety when resuming driving after an automatic stop. Furthermore, according to the remote monitoring method of the first embodiment, safety after resuming driving of the vehicle 10 can be ensured by slowing down the vehicle 10 without increasing its speed until a predetermined time has elapsed since it becomes possible for the vehicle 10 to resume driving.

[0052] Embodiment 2 Next, a remote monitoring method according to a second embodiment that can be executed in the remote monitoring system 1 will be described. Fig. 4 is a flowchart showing the processing on the in-vehicle system side for realizing the remote monitoring method according to the second embodiment. Fig. 5 is a flowchart showing the processing on the remote monitoring center side for realizing the remote monitoring method according to the second embodiment. Note that in each flowchart, the explanation of the processing that is the same as the processing according to the remote monitoring method according to the first embodiment will be simplified or omitted.

[0053] First, the processing on the in-vehicle system side will be described with reference to Fig. 4. According to the flowchart shown in Fig. 4, when an obstacle that poses a risk of collision is detected in step S110, the stop control unit 26 does not immediately automatically stop the vehicle 10, but first causes the vehicle 10 to slowly move at an extremely low speed (for example, 5 to 6 km / h) (step S121). If the vehicle 10 were to come to a complete stop, the occupants may feel uncomfortable, but if the vehicle 10 is slowly moving rather than stopped, the occupants' discomfort can be reduced.

[0054] When the vehicle 10 is made to move slowly, the stop control unit 26 transmits a vehicle slow-down signal to the remote monitoring center 4, and the camera image transmission unit 22 transmits the camera image of the area around the vehicle 10 taken by the camera 12 to the remote monitoring center 4 (step S131). The camera image is transmitted at regular intervals in accordance with the communication cycle between the remote monitoring center 4 and the communication device 18.

[0055] The stop control unit 26 determines whether communication with the remote monitoring center 4 has been interrupted (step S132). For example, if a signal that should be transmitted from the remote monitoring center 4 is not received even after a predetermined timeout period has elapsed, the stop control unit 26 determines that communication has been interrupted. The stop control unit 26 continues to slow down the vehicle 10 while communication with the remote monitoring center 4 is established (step S134). However, if communication with the remote monitoring center 4 is interrupted, the stop control unit 26 automatically stops the vehicle 10 (step S133).

[0056] Communication between the vehicle 10 and the remote monitoring center 4 may be interrupted not only due to a deterioration in the communication environment or an increase in line load, but also actively at the discretion of the remote monitoring center 4. At the remote monitoring center 4, an observer monitors the camera footage displayed on a display. In this embodiment, if the observer determines from the camera footage that there is a risk of collision with an obstacle, the observer actively interrupts communication by operating the HMI. This allows the vehicle 10 to slow down without stopping as long as the observer determines that there is little risk, and to immediately stop the vehicle 10 if the observer determines that there is a risk or the risk has increased. Furthermore, if communication is interrupted due to an external cause and the observer is no longer able to monitor the camera footage, the vehicle 10 can be automatically stopped.

[0057] After the vehicle 10 has automatically stopped, if communication with the remote monitoring center 4 is re-established, the stop control unit 26 causes the vehicle 10 to move slowly (step S134). However, if communication with the remote monitoring center 4 remains interrupted, the stop control unit 26 maintains the vehicle 10 in a stopped state even after time has passed in order to prioritize safety (step S133). This control is performed regardless of location, but it is very inconvenient for the vehicle 10 to remain stopped within an intersection. Therefore, in the autonomous driving control when the vehicle 10 enters an intersection, control is performed to minimize the need to stop the vehicle 10 within the intersection, for example, by entering the intersection only after confirming that there are no vehicles ahead that would leave the vehicle 10 behind.

[0058] After the vehicle slow-down signal is transmitted to the remote monitoring center 4, the traveling restart control unit 28 determines whether a start signal has been received from the remote monitoring center 4 (step S140). Until the start signal is received, the vehicle 10 continues to move slowly or remains stopped. If the start signal has been received from the remote monitoring center 4, the traveling restart control unit 28 performs a start process for the vehicle 10 (step S150), and drives the vehicle 10 at a slow speed for a predetermined time after starting (step S160).

[0059] Next, the processing on the remote monitoring center side will be described with reference to Fig. 5. According to the flowchart shown in Fig. 5, the remote monitoring center 4 determines whether a vehicle slow down signal has been received from the vehicle 10 (step S201). The remote monitoring center 4 remains in a standby state until the vehicle slow down signal is received.

[0060] When a vehicle slowdown signal is received from the vehicle 10, the camera image transmitted from the vehicle 10 that is moving slowly is displayed on the display. The observer checks the situation around the vehicle 10 from the camera image displayed on the display (step S211). Then, based on the confirmation result on the display, the observer determines whether the situation is safe for the vehicle 10 to resume traveling (step S220).

[0061] If it is not possible to resume traveling, the monitor determines whether it is okay to allow the vehicle 10 to continue traveling slowly (step S221). A signal is sent from the remote monitoring center 4 to the vehicle 10 at regular intervals. If nothing is done, this signal will continue to be sent, so the vehicle 10 will continue traveling slowly unless communication is interrupted by an external factor. On the other hand, if it is determined that the vehicle 10 needs to be stopped, the monitor turns off the signal to interrupt communication between the remote monitoring center 4 and the vehicle 10 (step S222). This causes the vehicle 10, which was traveling slowly, to automatically stop.

[0062] The processes from step S210 to step S221 or step S210 to step S222 are repeated until safety is confirmed and it is possible to resume driving the vehicle 10. Then, when it is determined that it is safe to resume driving, a start signal is sent from the computer of the remote monitoring center 4 to the vehicle 10 by the monitor operating the HMI (step S230).

[0063] According to the remote monitoring method of the second embodiment, which is executed by the above-described procedure, the same effects as those of the remote monitoring method of the first embodiment can be obtained. Furthermore, according to the remote monitoring method of the second embodiment, while communication is established between the vehicle 10 and the remote monitoring center 4, discomfort to the occupants can be reduced by driving at a reduced speed. Furthermore, if a problem occurs in driving the vehicle 10 at a reduced speed, the remote monitoring center 4 can immediately stop the vehicle 10 at its discretion. Furthermore, if communication between the vehicle 10 and the remote monitoring center 4 is lost, safety can be ensured by automatically stopping the vehicle 10.

[0064] Embodiment 3 Next, a remote monitoring method according to a third embodiment that can be executed in the remote monitoring system 1 will be described. Fig. 6 is a flowchart showing the processing on the in-vehicle system side for realizing the remote monitoring method according to the third embodiment. Fig. 7 is a flowchart showing the processing on the remote monitoring center side for realizing the remote monitoring method according to the third embodiment. Note that in each flowchart, the explanation of the processing that is the same as the processing according to the remote monitoring method according to the first embodiment will be simplified or omitted.

[0065] First, the processing on the in-vehicle system side will be described with reference to Fig. 6. According to the flowchart shown in Fig. 6, when a start signal is received from the remote monitoring center 4 in step S140, the traveling restart control unit 28 performs a start process for the vehicle 10 (step S150). Then, it is determined whether a predetermined time has elapsed since the first start signal was received from the remote monitoring center 4 (step S161). This predetermined time may be changed depending on the traveling environment of the vehicle 10. For example, in an automobile-only lane, the predetermined time may be set to a short time. At an intersection, the predetermined time may be set to the time required for the vehicle 10 to pass through the intersection at a slow speed.

[0066] If a predetermined time has not elapsed since the reception of the initial start signal, the traveling restart control unit 28 then determines whether the start signal is being continuously received (step S162). If the start signal is being continuously received, that is, if the transmission of the start signal has not stopped, the traveling restart control unit 28 causes the vehicle 10 to slow down (step S164). On the other hand, if the start signal is not being received, the traveling restart control unit 28 automatically stops the vehicle 10 (step S163).

[0067] The processes from step S161 to step S163 or from step S161 to step S164 are repeated until a predetermined time has elapsed since the reception of the initial start signal. Then, after the predetermined time has elapsed since the reception of the initial start signal, the traveling restart control unit 28 causes the vehicle 10 to travel at a normal speed according to a predetermined speed plan (step S165).

[0068] Next, the processing on the remote monitoring center side will be described with reference to Fig. 7. According to the flowchart shown in Fig. 7, after transmitting a start signal to the vehicle 10 in step S230, the remote monitoring center 4 determines whether a predetermined time has elapsed since transmitting the initial start signal (step S231). The processing and determination from step S210 to step S231 are repeated until the predetermined time has elapsed since transmitting the initial start signal. However, during this repetition of processing, if it is determined in step S220 that the vehicle cannot resume traveling, the remote monitoring center 4 stops transmitting the start signal (step S232). Then, if the predetermined time has elapsed since transmitting the initial start signal, the remote monitoring center 4 ends the processing according to this flowchart.

[0069] The remote monitoring method of the third embodiment, which is executed by the above-described procedure, can achieve the same effects as the remote monitoring method of the first embodiment. Furthermore, according to the remote monitoring method of the third embodiment, the vehicle 10 stops if the input of the start signal from the remote monitoring center 4 is discontinued until a predetermined time has elapsed after the vehicle resumes traveling, thereby ensuring safety in a situation where remote monitoring by the remote monitoring center 4 is not functioning. Furthermore, according to the remote monitoring method of the third embodiment, the vehicle 10 can be immediately stopped by discontinuing the transmission of the start signal from the remote monitoring center 4. The remote monitoring method of the third embodiment is suitable for use in remote monitoring in a traveling environment where extreme caution is required after the vehicle resumes traveling, specifically, for remote monitoring of the vehicle 10 at an intersection, particularly an intersection without traffic lights.

[0070] Embodiment 4 Next, a remote monitoring method according to a fourth embodiment that can be executed in the remote monitoring system 1 will be described. Fig. 8 is a flowchart showing the processing on the in-vehicle system side for realizing the remote monitoring method according to the fourth embodiment. Fig. 9 is a flowchart showing the processing on the remote monitoring center side for realizing the remote monitoring method according to the fourth embodiment. Note that in each flowchart, the explanation of the processing that is the same as the processing according to the remote monitoring method according to the first embodiment will be simplified or omitted.

[0071] First, the processing on the in-vehicle system side will be described with reference to Fig. 8. According to the flowchart shown in Fig. 8, after a vehicle stop signal is transmitted to the remote monitoring center 4 in step S130, the obstacle detection unit 24 again determines whether there is an obstacle around the vehicle that poses a risk of collision (step S135). This determination is repeated until a start signal is received from the remote monitoring center 4 in step S140. Because the detection accuracy of the autonomous sensors 12, 14, and 16 depends on the vehicle speed, when the vehicle 10 is stopped, it is possible to detect obstacles with higher accuracy than the detection accuracy determined in step S110.

[0072] If the obstacle detection unit 24 determines that there is no obstacle around the vehicle that poses a risk of collision, the traveling restart control unit 28 transmits a vehicle autonomous start signal to the remote monitoring center 4. Then, the vehicle 10 autonomously performs start processing without waiting for a start signal from the remote monitoring center 4 (step S150). If communication between the vehicle 10 and the remote monitoring center 4 is interrupted, the vehicle 10 will never be able to start if it waits for a start signal from the remote monitoring center 4. By autonomously starting once safety is confirmed on the vehicle 10 side, it is possible to prevent a situation where the vehicle 10 is unable to start no matter how long it takes. However, even if the vehicle 10 decides to start autonomously, it will still drive slowly for a predetermined time after starting (step S160).

[0073] Next, the processing on the remote monitoring center side will be described with reference to Fig. 9. According to the flowchart shown in Fig. 9, while the remote monitoring center 4 is unable to determine that the vehicle 10 should resume traveling and is repeating the processing of step S210 and the determination of step S220, it determines whether a vehicle autonomous start signal has been received (step S211). If a vehicle autonomous start signal has been received, the remote monitoring center 4 skips the remaining steps and ends the processing according to this flowchart.

[0074] The remote monitoring method of embodiment 4, which is executed through the above-described procedures, can provide the same effects as the remote monitoring method of embodiment 1. Furthermore, according to the remote monitoring method of embodiment 4, even if communication between the vehicle 10 and the remote monitoring center 4 is interrupted, if safety is confirmed on the vehicle 10 side, the vehicle 10 can resume traveling.

[0075] Embodiment 5 Next, a remote monitoring method according to a fifth embodiment that can be executed in the remote monitoring system 1 will be described. The remote monitoring method according to the fifth embodiment is characterized by the processing on the in-vehicle system side. The processing on the remote monitoring center side is the same as the processing on the remote monitoring center side in the first embodiment (see FIG. 3), and therefore a description thereof will be omitted. FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the processing on the in-vehicle system side for realizing the remote monitoring method according to the fifth embodiment. Only the processing on the in-vehicle system side will be described below with reference to FIG. 10. However, the description of the processing in the flowchart shown in FIG. 10 that is the same as the processing on the in-vehicle system side in the first embodiment will be simplified or omitted.

[0076] According to the flowchart shown in FIG. 10 , after the autonomous sensors 12, 14, and 16 recognize the surrounding environment in step S100, the obstacle detection unit 24 determines whether communication with the remote monitoring center 4 has been established (step S101). The threshold level for obstacle detection by the obstacle detection unit 24 is variable. If the threshold level is increased, a suspicious object is less likely to be detected as an obstacle, whereas if the threshold level is decreased, a suspicious object is more likely to be detected as an obstacle. Therefore, if the threshold level is increased, the possibility of false detection, in which noise is detected as an obstacle, can be reduced. However, on the other hand, this increases the possibility of an object not being detected as an obstacle despite being an obstacle.

[0077] Therefore, in this embodiment, the obstacle detection threshold level is changed depending on the state of communication with the remote monitoring center 4. Specifically, when communication with the remote monitoring center 4 is established, the obstacle detection unit 24 sets the obstacle detection threshold to a high level, which is the normal setting (step S102). On the other hand, when communication with the remote monitoring center 4 is interrupted, the obstacle detection unit 24 sets the obstacle detection threshold to a low level rather than a high level (step S103). In other words, when communication with the remote monitoring center 4 is interrupted, the obstacle detection unit 24 changes the obstacle detection threshold so as to tolerate more false detections but reduce undetected cases compared to when communication with the remote monitoring center 4 is established. Then, obstacle detection is performed using the threshold level set in step S102 or step S103, and it is determined whether there is an obstacle that poses a risk of collision around the vehicle 10 (step S110).

[0078] The remote monitoring method of the fifth embodiment, which is executed through the above-described procedure, can achieve the same effects as the remote monitoring method of the first embodiment. Furthermore, according to the remote monitoring method of the fifth embodiment, if communication between the vehicle 10 and the remote monitoring center 4 is interrupted, the obstacle detection threshold is changed to a low level, which increases the possibility of a "false detection" in which an obstacle that should not exist is mistakenly detected. However, on the other hand, it is possible to reduce the possibility of a "non-detection" in which an obstacle that should exist is not detected. As a result, according to the remote monitoring method of the fifth embodiment, safety can be better ensured in situations where remote monitoring by the remote monitoring center 4 is not functioning, compared to the remote monitoring method of the first embodiment.

[0079] Embodiment 6 Next, a remote monitoring method according to a sixth embodiment that can be executed in the remote monitoring system 1 will be described. In the sixth embodiment, preliminary processing for remote monitoring is constantly performed on both the in-vehicle system side and the remote monitoring center side. Fig. 11 is a flowchart showing the preliminary processing that is constantly performed on the in-vehicle system side to realize the remote monitoring method according to the sixth embodiment. Fig. 12 is a flowchart showing the preliminary processing that is constantly performed on the remote monitoring center side to realize the remote monitoring method according to the sixth embodiment.

[0080] As shown in FIG. 11, on the in-vehicle system side, current location information, that is, the position information of the vehicle 10 acquired by the GPS receiver, is transmitted to the remote monitoring center 4 (step S300).

[0081] As shown in Fig. 12, the remote monitoring center receives current location information transmitted from the vehicle 10 (step S400). The computer of the remote monitoring center 4 compares the received current value information with a database and determines whether the current location of the vehicle 10 is a safe location (step S410). The database stores locations where the vehicle 10 has automatically stopped in the past and the results of safety confirmation at those locations. If it is determined that the current location of the vehicle 10 is a safe location, the computer of the remote monitoring center 4 transmits an ON signal for the no-stop flag to the vehicle 10 (step S420). On the other hand, if it is determined that the current location is not a safe location, the computer of the remote monitoring center 4 transmits an OFF signal for the no-stop flag to the vehicle 10 (step S430).

[0082] Next, a remote monitoring method according to the sixth embodiment, which is based on the above-described preliminary processing, will be described. The remote monitoring method according to the sixth embodiment is characterized by the processing on the in-vehicle system side. The processing on the remote monitoring center side is the same as the processing on the remote monitoring center side in the first embodiment (see FIG. 3), and therefore a description thereof will be omitted. FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing the processing on the in-vehicle system side for realizing the remote monitoring method according to the sixth embodiment. Only the processing on the in-vehicle system side will be described below with reference to FIG. 13. However, the description of the processing in the flowchart shown in FIG. 13 that is the same as the processing on the in-vehicle system side in the first embodiment will be simplified or omitted.

[0083] According to the flowchart shown in FIG. 13, if it is determined in step S110 that there is an obstacle around the vehicle 10 that poses a risk of collision, the stop control unit 26 determines whether an on signal for the no-stop flag has been received (step S111). If an on signal for the no-stop flag has not been received, that is, if the current location of the vehicle 10 is in a location that has not been notified by the remote monitoring center that it is safe, the stop control unit 26 automatically stops the vehicle 10 in front of the obstacle (step S120). However, if an on signal for the no-stop flag has been received, that is, if the current location of the vehicle 10 is in a location that has been notified by the remote monitoring center that it is safe, it is highly likely that the obstacle detected by the obstacle detection unit 24 is an erroneous detection. Therefore, the stop control unit 26 allows the vehicle 10 to continue traveling without stopping. In this case, in the flowchart, the process of step S100 and the determinations of steps S110 and S111 are repeated until the result of the determination in step S111 becomes negative.

[0084] The remote monitoring method of embodiment 6, which is executed by the above-described procedure, can provide the same effects as the remote monitoring method of embodiment 1. Furthermore, according to the remote monitoring method of embodiment 6, in a location that is determined to be safe by the remote monitoring center 4, the vehicle 10 does not automatically stop even if an obstacle is detected by the vehicle 10's autonomous detection, thereby reducing the frequency of inadvertent stops of the vehicle 10 due to erroneous detection of an obstacle.

[0085] Other embodiments. In the above embodiment, the camera image is transmitted to the remote monitoring center 4 after an obstacle that poses a risk of collision is detected, but the camera image may be transmitted to the remote monitoring center 4 at all times while the vehicle 10 is traveling.

[0086] Reference example. Next, a remote monitoring method of a reference example that can be executed in the remote monitoring system 1 will be described. The remote monitoring method of the reference example is characterized by the processing on the in-vehicle system side. The processing on the remote monitoring center side is the same as the processing on the remote monitoring center side in embodiment 1 (see FIG. 3), so a description thereof will be omitted. FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing the processing on the in-vehicle system side for realizing the remote monitoring method of the reference example. Only the processing on the in-vehicle system side will be described below with reference to FIG. 14. However, the description of the processing in the flowchart shown in FIG. 14 that is the same as the processing on the in-vehicle system side in embodiment 1 will be simplified or omitted.

[0087] 14, if it is determined in step S110 that there is no obstacle around the vehicle 10 that poses a risk of collision, the stop control unit 26 determines whether communication with the remote monitoring center 4 has been interrupted (step S112). If communication with the remote monitoring center 4 has been established, the vehicle 10 continues traveling, and the process of step S100 and the determinations of steps S110 and S112 are repeated.

[0088] If communication with the remote monitoring center 4 is interrupted, the stop control unit 26 automatically stops the vehicle 10 on the spot (step S113). Then, the stop control unit 26 transmits a vehicle stop signal to the remote monitoring center 4, and the camera image transmission unit 22 transmits the camera image of the area around the vehicle 10 captured by the camera 12 to the remote monitoring center 4 (step S130).

[0089] After the vehicle stop signal is transmitted to the remote monitoring center 4, the traveling restart control unit 28 determines whether a start signal has been received from the remote monitoring center 4 (step S140). The vehicle 10 remains stopped until the start signal is received. If the start signal has been received from the remote monitoring center 4, the traveling restart control unit 28 performs a process to start the vehicle (step S150), and drives the vehicle slowly for a predetermined time after starting (step S160).

[0090] The remote monitoring method of the reference example, which is executed according to the above procedure, can provide the same effects as the remote monitoring method of embodiment 1. Furthermore, according to the remote monitoring method of the reference example, if communication between the vehicle 10 and the remote monitoring center 4 is interrupted, the vehicle 10 automatically stops, thereby ensuring safety in situations where remote monitoring by the remote monitoring center 4 is not functioning.

[0091] From the above reference example, "An autonomous vehicle that is connected to a remote monitoring center via a network and can be remotely controlled from the remote monitoring center, a camera that captures images of the surroundings of the autonomous vehicle; a camera image transmission unit that transmits an image of the surroundings of the autonomous vehicle captured by the camera to the remote monitoring system; a stop control unit that automatically stops the autonomous vehicle when communication between the autonomous vehicle and the remote monitoring center is interrupted; a travel restart control unit that restarts travel of the autonomous vehicle when a start signal is received from the remote monitoring center after the autonomous vehicle is automatically stopped by the stop control unit; The invention can be understood as an "autonomous vehicle characterized by comprising: [Explanation of symbols]

[0092] 1. Remote monitoring system 2 Network 4. Remote Monitoring Center 10 Autonomous Vehicles 12 Camera (autonomous sensor) 14 Millimeter wave radar (autonomous sensor) 16 Lidar (autonomous sensor) 18. Communications Equipment 20 Control device 22 Camera image transmission unit 24 Obstacle detection unit 26 Stop control section 28 Travel restart control unit

Claims

1. A remote monitoring system comprising an autonomously driven vehicle and a center capable of communicating with the vehicle, The vehicle is an autonomous sensor including at least a camera for acquiring data on the vehicle's surrounding environment; a video transmission unit that constantly transmits video data acquired by the camera to the center while the vehicle is running; an obstacle detection unit that detects an obstacle ahead of the vehicle based on information obtained from the autonomous sensor; a stop control unit that stops the vehicle and transmits a first signal to the center based on the detection of an obstacle by the obstacle detection unit; a running restart control unit that can restart the running of the vehicle when a second signal permitting restart of the running is received from the center after the vehicle has been stopped by the stop control unit, The center: a display unit that displays an image of the surroundings of the vehicle based on the image data received from the image transmission unit; an HMI that receives an input of a command to permit the vehicle to resume traveling after receiving the first signal from the stop control unit; Equipped with When the HMI receives the input of the command, it transmits the second signal to the vehicle; The stop control unit stops the vehicle when communication with the center is interrupted. A remote monitoring system comprising:

2. A remote monitoring system comprising an autonomously driven vehicle and a center capable of communicating with the vehicle, The vehicle is an autonomous sensor including at least a camera for acquiring data on the vehicle's surrounding environment; a video transmission unit that constantly transmits video data acquired by the camera to the center while the vehicle is running; an obstacle detection unit that detects an obstacle ahead of the vehicle based on information obtained from the autonomous sensor; a stop control unit that stops the vehicle and transmits a first signal to the center based on the detection of an obstacle by the obstacle detection unit; a running restart control unit that can restart the running of the vehicle when a second signal permitting restart of the running is received from the center after the vehicle has been stopped by the stop control unit, The center: a display unit that displays an image of the surroundings of the vehicle based on the image data received from the image transmission unit; an HMI that receives an input of a command to permit the vehicle to resume traveling after receiving the first signal from the stop control unit; Equipped with When the HMI receives the input of the command, it transmits the second signal to the vehicle; The traveling restart control unit autonomously restarts traveling of the vehicle when the obstacle detection unit no longer detects an obstacle after the stop control unit stops the vehicle. A remote monitoring system comprising:

3. A remote monitoring system comprising an autonomously driven vehicle and a center capable of communicating with the vehicle, The vehicle is an autonomous sensor including at least a camera for acquiring data on the vehicle's surrounding environment; a video transmission unit that constantly transmits video data acquired by the camera to the center while the vehicle is running; an obstacle detection unit that detects an obstacle ahead of the vehicle based on information obtained from the autonomous sensor; a stop control unit that stops the vehicle and transmits a first signal to the center based on the detection of an obstacle by the obstacle detection unit; a running restart control unit that can restart the running of the vehicle when a second signal permitting restart of the running is received from the center after the vehicle has been stopped by the stop control unit, The center: a display unit that displays an image of the surroundings of the vehicle based on the image data received from the image transmission unit; an HMI that receives an input of a command to permit the vehicle to resume traveling after receiving the first signal from the stop control unit; Equipped with When the HMI receives the input of the command, it transmits the second signal to the vehicle; When communication with the center is interrupted, the obstacle detection unit changes a threshold for obstacle detection so as to allow more false detections but reduce undetected cases compared to when communication with the center is established. A remote monitoring system comprising:

4. A remote monitoring system comprising an autonomously driven vehicle and a center capable of communicating with the vehicle, The vehicle is an autonomous sensor including at least a camera for acquiring data on the vehicle's surrounding environment; a video transmission unit that constantly transmits video data acquired by the camera to the center while the vehicle is running; an obstacle detection unit that detects an obstacle ahead of the vehicle based on information obtained from the autonomous sensor; a stop control unit that stops the vehicle and transmits a first signal to the center based on the detection of an obstacle by the obstacle detection unit; a running restart control unit that can restart the running of the vehicle when a second signal permitting restart of the running is received from the center after the vehicle has been stopped by the stop control unit, The center: a display unit that displays an image of the surroundings of the vehicle based on the image data received from the image transmission unit; an HMI that receives an input of a command to permit the vehicle to resume traveling after receiving the first signal from the stop control unit; Equipped with When the HMI receives the input of the command, it transmits the second signal to the vehicle; When the vehicle approaches a location that has been confirmed as safe by the center, the center notifies the vehicle that the location is safe; When the obstacle detection unit detects an obstacle in a location that has been notified by the center as being safe, the stop control unit determines that the detection is a false detection and does not stop the vehicle. A remote monitoring system comprising:

5. The traveling restart control unit causes the vehicle to travel slowly for a predetermined time after the vehicle resumes traveling.

5. The remote monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the remote monitoring system comprises: a first receiving unit;

6. A remote monitoring system comprising an autonomously driven vehicle and a center capable of communicating with the vehicle, The vehicle is an autonomous sensor including at least a camera for acquiring data on the vehicle's surrounding environment; a video transmission unit that constantly transmits video data acquired by the camera to the center while the vehicle is running; an obstacle detection unit that detects an obstacle ahead of the vehicle based on information obtained from the autonomous sensor; a stop control unit that stops the vehicle and transmits a first signal to the center based on the detection of an obstacle by the obstacle detection unit; a running restart control unit that can restart the running of the vehicle when a second signal permitting restart of the running is received from the center after the vehicle has been stopped by the stop control unit, The center: a display unit that displays an image of the surroundings of the vehicle based on the image data received from the image transmission unit; an HMI that receives an input of a command to permit the vehicle to resume traveling after receiving the first signal from the stop control unit; Equipped with When the HMI receives the input of the command, it transmits the second signal to the vehicle; The traveling restart control unit For a predetermined time after the vehicle resumes traveling, the vehicle is slowed down only while the second signal is being received from the center, and when the second signal from the center is discontinued, the vehicle is stopped. A remote monitoring system comprising:

7. The stop control unit causes the vehicle to move slowly based on the detection of an obstacle by the obstacle detection unit.

7. The remote monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the remote monitoring system comprises: a first receiving unit;

8. A vehicle control device that is connected to a center via a network and causes a vehicle to autonomously drive, an autonomous sensor including at least a camera for acquiring data on the vehicle's surrounding environment; a video transmission unit that constantly transmits video data acquired by the camera to the center while the vehicle is running; an obstacle detection unit that detects an obstacle ahead of the vehicle based on information obtained from the autonomous sensor; a stop control unit that stops the vehicle and transmits a first signal to the center based on the detection of an obstacle by the obstacle detection unit; a running restart control unit that can restart the running of the vehicle when a second signal permitting the restart of running is received from the center after the vehicle has been stopped by the stop control unit; Equipped with The stop control unit stops the vehicle when communication with the center is interrupted. A vehicle control device characterized by:

9. A vehicle control device that is connected to a center via a network and causes a vehicle to autonomously drive, an autonomous sensor including at least a camera for acquiring data on the vehicle's surrounding environment; a video transmission unit that constantly transmits video data acquired by the camera to the center while the vehicle is running; an obstacle detection unit that detects an obstacle ahead of the vehicle based on information obtained from the autonomous sensor; a stop control unit that stops the vehicle and transmits a first signal to the center based on the detection of an obstacle by the obstacle detection unit; a running restart control unit that can restart the running of the vehicle when a second signal permitting the restart of running is received from the center after the vehicle has been stopped by the stop control unit; Equipped with The traveling restart control unit autonomously restarts traveling of the vehicle when the obstacle detection unit no longer detects an obstacle after the stop control unit stops the vehicle. A vehicle control device characterized by:

10. A vehicle control device that is connected to a center via a network and causes a vehicle to autonomously drive, an autonomous sensor including at least a camera for acquiring data on the vehicle's surrounding environment; a video transmission unit that constantly transmits video data acquired by the camera to the center while the vehicle is running; an obstacle detection unit that detects an obstacle ahead of the vehicle based on information obtained from the autonomous sensor; a stop control unit that stops the vehicle and transmits a first signal to the center based on the detection of an obstacle by the obstacle detection unit; a running restart control unit that can restart the running of the vehicle when a second signal permitting the restart of running is received from the center after the vehicle has been stopped by the stop control unit; Equipped with When communication with the center is interrupted, the obstacle detection unit changes a threshold for obstacle detection so as to allow more false detections but reduce undetected cases compared to when communication with the center is established. A vehicle control device characterized by:

11. A vehicle control device that is connected to a center via a network and causes a vehicle to autonomously drive, an autonomous sensor including at least a camera for acquiring data on the vehicle's surrounding environment; a video transmission unit that constantly transmits video data acquired by the camera to the center while the vehicle is running; an obstacle detection unit that detects an obstacle ahead of the vehicle based on information obtained from the autonomous sensor; a stop control unit that stops the vehicle and transmits a first signal to the center based on the detection of an obstacle by the obstacle detection unit; a running restart control unit that can restart the running of the vehicle when a second signal permitting the restart of running is received from the center after the vehicle has been stopped by the stop control unit; Equipped with When the obstacle detection unit detects an obstacle in a location that has been notified by the center as being safe, the stop control unit determines that the detection is a false detection and does not stop the vehicle. A vehicle control device characterized by:

12. The traveling restart control unit causes the vehicle to travel slowly for a predetermined time after the vehicle resumes traveling.

12. The vehicle control device according to claim 8, wherein the vehicle control device comprises: a first control unit;

13. A vehicle control device that is connected to a center via a network and causes a vehicle to autonomously drive, an autonomous sensor including at least a camera for acquiring data on the vehicle's surrounding environment; a video transmission unit that constantly transmits video data acquired by the camera to the center while the vehicle is running; an obstacle detection unit that detects an obstacle ahead of the vehicle based on information obtained from the autonomous sensor; a stop control unit that stops the vehicle and transmits a first signal to the center based on the detection of an obstacle by the obstacle detection unit; a running restart control unit that can restart the running of the vehicle when a second signal permitting the restart of running is received from the center after the vehicle has been stopped by the stop control unit; Equipped with The travel restart control unit slows down the vehicle only while the second signal is being received from the center for a predetermined time after the travel of the vehicle is restarted, and stops the vehicle when the second signal from the center is interrupted. A vehicle control device characterized by:

14. The stop control unit causes the vehicle to move slowly based on the detection of an obstacle by the obstacle detection unit.

14. The vehicle control device according to claim 8, wherein the vehicle control device comprises:

15. A remote monitoring method for remotely monitoring autonomous driving of a vehicle by a computer at a center that communicates with a control device mounted on the vehicle, comprising: A control device for the vehicle, transmitting image data acquired by a camera mounted on the vehicle to the center at all times while the vehicle is traveling; detecting an obstacle ahead of the vehicle based on information obtained from autonomous sensors including at least the camera; transmitting a first signal to the computer and stopping the vehicle based on the obstacle being detected; Execute The computer, displaying an image of the surroundings of the vehicle based on the image data transmitted from the vehicle to the center; receiving, after receiving the first signal, an input of a command to allow the vehicle to resume traveling; When receiving an input of a command to permit the vehicle to resume traveling, transmitting a second signal to a control device of the vehicle to permit the vehicle to resume traveling; Execute A control device for the vehicle, restarting the vehicle after receiving the second signal from the computer; Execute In the step of stopping the vehicle, a control device of the vehicle is The vehicle stops if communication between the vehicle's control device and the computer is lost. A remote monitoring method for executing a process.

16. A remote monitoring method for remotely monitoring autonomous driving of a vehicle by a computer at a center that communicates with a control device mounted on the vehicle, comprising: A control device for the vehicle, transmitting image data acquired by a camera mounted on the vehicle to the center at all times while the vehicle is traveling; detecting an obstacle ahead of the vehicle based on information obtained from autonomous sensors including at least the camera; transmitting a first signal to the computer and stopping the vehicle based on the obstacle being detected; Execute The computer, displaying an image of the surroundings of the vehicle based on the image data transmitted from the vehicle to the center; receiving, after receiving the first signal, an input of a command to allow the vehicle to resume traveling; When receiving an input of a command to permit the vehicle to resume traveling, transmitting a second signal to a control device of the vehicle to permit the vehicle to resume traveling; Execute A control device for the vehicle, restarting the vehicle after receiving the second signal from the computer; Execute In the step of restarting the vehicle, a control device of the vehicle is After the vehicle has stopped, if the vehicle no longer detects an obstacle, the vehicle autonomously resumes traveling. A remote monitoring method for executing a process.

17. A remote monitoring method for remotely monitoring autonomous driving of a vehicle by a computer at a center that communicates with a control device mounted on the vehicle, comprising: A control device for the vehicle, transmitting image data acquired by a camera mounted on the vehicle to the center at all times while the vehicle is traveling; detecting an obstacle ahead of the vehicle based on information obtained from autonomous sensors including at least the camera; transmitting a first signal to the computer and stopping the vehicle based on the obstacle being detected; Execute The computer, displaying an image of the surroundings of the vehicle based on the image data transmitted from the vehicle to the center; receiving, after receiving the first signal, an input of a command to allow the vehicle to resume traveling; When receiving an input of a command to permit the vehicle to resume traveling, transmitting a second signal to a control device of the vehicle to permit the vehicle to resume traveling; Execute A control device for the vehicle, restarting the vehicle after receiving the second signal from the computer; Execute A control device for the vehicle, When communication with the computer is interrupted, changing a threshold value for obstacle detection of the vehicle so as to tolerate more false detections but reduce non-detections compared to when communication with the computer is established; A remote monitoring method that further executes the above.

18. A remote monitoring method for remotely monitoring autonomous driving of a vehicle by a computer at a center that communicates with a control device mounted on the vehicle, comprising: A control device for the vehicle, transmitting image data acquired by a camera mounted on the vehicle to the center at all times while the vehicle is traveling; detecting an obstacle ahead of the vehicle based on information obtained from autonomous sensors including at least the camera; transmitting a first signal to the computer and stopping the vehicle based on the obstacle being detected; Execute The computer, displaying an image of the surroundings of the vehicle based on the image data transmitted from the vehicle to the center; receiving, after receiving the first signal, an input of a command to allow the vehicle to resume traveling; When receiving an input of a command to permit the vehicle to resume traveling, transmitting a second signal to a control device of the vehicle to permit the vehicle to resume traveling; Execute A control device for the vehicle, restarting the vehicle after receiving the second signal from the computer; Execute The computer, When the vehicle approaches a location that has been confirmed as safe by the center, the method further executes a step of notifying the vehicle that the location is safe; In the step of stopping the vehicle, the vehicle does not stop in a place that has been notified by the computer as being safe even if an obstacle is detected by the vehicle detection. A remote monitoring method comprising:

19. In the step of restarting the vehicle, the vehicle slows down for a predetermined time after restarting the vehicle.

19. The method of any one of claims 15 to 18, wherein the method comprises:

20. A remote monitoring method for remotely monitoring autonomous driving of a vehicle by a computer at a center that communicates with a control device mounted on the vehicle, comprising: A control device for the vehicle, transmitting image data acquired by a camera mounted on the vehicle to the center at all times while the vehicle is traveling; detecting an obstacle ahead of the vehicle based on information obtained from autonomous sensors including at least the camera; transmitting a first signal to the computer and stopping the vehicle based on the obstacle being detected; Execute The computer, displaying an image of the surroundings of the vehicle based on the image data transmitted from the vehicle to the center; receiving, after receiving the first signal, an input of a command to allow the vehicle to resume traveling; When receiving an input of a command to permit the vehicle to resume traveling, transmitting a second signal to a control device of the vehicle to permit the vehicle to resume traveling; Execute A control device for the vehicle, restarting the vehicle after receiving the second signal from the computer; Execute In the step of causing the vehicle to resume driving, the vehicle slows down for a predetermined period of time after the vehicle resumes driving only while receiving the second signal from the computer, and the vehicle stops when the second signal from the computer is interrupted.

21. In the step of stopping the vehicle, a control device of the vehicle is If an obstacle is detected by the vehicle, the vehicle will slow down 21. The remote monitoring method according to any one of claims 15 to 20, further comprising the step of executing a process.

22. A vehicle control method for controlling autonomous driving of a vehicle by a control device communicably connected to a center, comprising: transmitting image data acquired by a camera mounted on the vehicle to the center at all times while the vehicle is traveling; detecting an obstacle ahead of the vehicle based on data acquired by autonomous sensors mounted on the vehicle, including at least the camera; stopping the vehicle and transmitting a first signal to the center based on the detection of the obstacle; restarting the running of the vehicle after stopping the vehicle and after receiving a second signal from the center permitting the vehicle to resume running; causing the control device to perform In the step of transmitting the first signal, the control device is caused to execute a process of stopping the vehicle when communication between the control device and the center is interrupted. Vehicle control method.

23. The remote monitoring system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the video transmission unit transmits video data captured by the camera to the center in accordance with a communication cycle with the center that changes depending on the driving environment of the vehicle while the vehicle is stopped by the stop control unit.

24. 15. The vehicle control device according to claim 8, wherein the video transmission unit transmits video data captured by the camera to the center in accordance with a communication cycle with the center that changes depending on the driving environment of the vehicle while the vehicle is stopped by the stop control unit.

25. In the step of transmitting to the center, the control device of the vehicle While the vehicle is stopped, the image data captured by the camera is transmitted to the center in accordance with a communication cycle with the computer that changes depending on the running environment of the vehicle.

22. The remote monitoring method according to any one of claims 15 to 21, further comprising the step of executing a process.

26. A vehicle control method for controlling autonomous driving of a vehicle by a control device communicably connected to a center, comprising: transmitting image data acquired by a camera mounted on the vehicle to the center at all times while the vehicle is traveling; detecting an obstacle ahead of the vehicle based on data acquired by autonomous sensors mounted on the vehicle, including at least the camera; stopping the vehicle and transmitting a first signal to the center based on the detection of the obstacle; restarting the running of the vehicle after stopping the vehicle and after receiving a second signal from the center permitting the vehicle to resume running; causing the control device to perform In the step of resuming the traveling of the vehicle, when an obstacle is no longer detected by the vehicle after the vehicle has stopped, the control device is caused to execute a process of causing the vehicle to autonomously resume traveling. Vehicle control method.

27. ​​A vehicle control method for controlling autonomous driving of a vehicle by a control device communicably connected to a center, comprising: transmitting image data acquired by a camera mounted on the vehicle to the center at all times while the vehicle is traveling; detecting an obstacle ahead of the vehicle based on data acquired by autonomous sensors mounted on the vehicle, including at least the camera; stopping the vehicle and transmitting a first signal to the center based on the detection of the obstacle; restarting the running of the vehicle after stopping the vehicle and after receiving a second signal from the center permitting the vehicle to resume running; causing the control device to perform The control device When communication with the center is interrupted, a step of changing a threshold value for obstacle detection of the vehicle is further executed so as to allow false detection but reduce non-detection compared to when communication with the center is established. Vehicle control method.

28. A vehicle control method for controlling autonomous driving of a vehicle by a control device communicably connected to a center, comprising: transmitting image data acquired by a camera mounted on the vehicle to the center at all times while the vehicle is traveling; detecting an obstacle ahead of the vehicle based on data acquired by autonomous sensors mounted on the vehicle, including at least the camera; stopping the vehicle and transmitting a first signal to the center based on the detection of the obstacle; restarting the running of the vehicle after stopping the vehicle and after receiving a second signal from the center permitting the vehicle to resume running; causing the control device to perform In the step of transmitting the first signal, the control device is caused to execute a process of not stopping the vehicle even if an obstacle is detected by the vehicle detection in a location that has been notified by the center as being safe. Vehicle control method.

29. A vehicle control method for controlling autonomous driving of a vehicle by a control device communicably connected to a center, comprising: transmitting image data acquired by a camera mounted on the vehicle to the center at all times while the vehicle is traveling; detecting an obstacle ahead of the vehicle based on data acquired by autonomous sensors mounted on the vehicle, including at least the camera; stopping the vehicle and transmitting a first signal to the center based on the detection of the obstacle; restarting the running of the vehicle after stopping the vehicle and after receiving a second signal from the center permitting the vehicle to resume running; causing the control device to perform In the step of transmitting the first signal, the vehicle slows down only while the second signal is being received from the center for a predetermined time after the vehicle resumes traveling, and when the second signal from the center is interrupted, the control device executes a process of stopping the vehicle. Vehicle control method.

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