Operation management device

Abstract

To provide an operation control device capable of reducing the amount of work or load required to deal with abnormalities in automated driving vehicles.SOLUTION: An operation control device 10 includes: an interface 16 that acquires first information identifying an abnormal state of an automated driving vehicle 20 from an autonomous driving kit 30 of the automated driving vehicle 20 and acquires second information of the automated driving vehicle 20 from an on-vehicle communication device 40 of the automated driving vehicle 20; and a control unit 12 that changes the operation pattern of the automated driving vehicle 20 to an abnormal correspondence pattern determined based on the first information and the second information and outputs the pattern to the autonomous driving kit 30.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an operation management device for an autonomous driving vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] There is known an autonomous vehicle that operates automatically according to a schedule provided by communication when communication is normal, and operates in a semi-autonomous mode with limited communication functions when a communication abnormality occurs (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-9429 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] When an autonomous vehicle operates in semi-autonomous mode in response to an abnormality, an operator must manage the autonomous vehicle.

[0005] The purpose of the present disclosure, made in consideration of such circumstances, is to reduce the amount of work or burden involved in responding to abnormalities in autonomously driven vehicles. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a traffic management device includes an interface and a control unit. The interface acquires first information identifying an abnormal state of the autonomous vehicle from an autonomous driving kit of the autonomous vehicle, and acquires second information about the autonomous vehicle from an onboard communication device of the autonomous vehicle. The control unit changes the operation pattern of the autonomous vehicle to an abnormality response pattern determined based on the first information and the second information, and outputs the changed pattern to the autonomous driving kit. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to an operation management device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the workload or load of responding to abnormalities in an autonomously driven vehicle can be reduced. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of an operation management system according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a vehicle travel route. [Figure 3] 1 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a procedure of a traffic management method according to an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] (Configuration example of traffic control system 1) As shown in FIG. 1, a traffic management system 1 according to one embodiment includes a traffic management device 10 and a vehicle 20. The vehicle 20 travels through bus stops and allows users to board and disembark at the stops, thereby enabling users to travel. Users traveling in the vehicle 20 are also referred to as passengers. The traffic management device 10 determines a travel schedule including the travel route of the vehicle 20 and the arrival or passing times at each stop, and operates the vehicle 20 so that the vehicle 20 can travel with passengers on board. An example configuration of the traffic management system 1 will be described below.

[0010] <Operation management device 10> The operation management device 10 includes a control unit 12 , a storage unit 14 , and an interface 16 .

[0011] The control unit 12 controls each component of the traffic management device 10. The control unit 12 may be configured to include one or more processors. In this embodiment, the "processor" may include, but is not limited to, a general-purpose processor or a dedicated processor specialized for specific processing. The control unit 12 may be configured to include one or more dedicated circuits. The dedicated circuits may include, for example, an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) or an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit). The control unit 12 may be configured to include a dedicated circuit instead of a processor, or may be configured to include a dedicated circuit together with a processor.

[0012] The memory unit 14 may be configured to include, for example, a semiconductor memory, a magnetic memory, an optical memory, or the like, but is not limited to these. The memory unit 14 may function as, for example, a main memory device, an auxiliary memory device, or a cache memory. The memory unit 14 may include an electromagnetic storage medium such as a magnetic disk. The memory unit 14 may include a non-transitory computer-readable medium. The memory unit 14 stores any information used in the operation of the traffic management device 10. For example, the memory unit 14 may store a system program, an application program, or the like. At least a portion of the memory unit 14 may be included in the control unit 12.

[0013] The interface 16 outputs information, data, etc. from the control unit 12 to an external device, and inputs information, data, etc. obtained from an external device to the control unit 12. The interface 16 may include a communication module configured to be able to communicate with an external device such as the vehicle 20 via a network. The communication module may be compatible with mobile communication standards such as 4G (4th Generation) or 5G (5th Generation). The communication module may be compatible with communication standards such as LAN (Local Area Network). The communication module may be compatible with wired or wireless communication standards. The communication module is not limited to these and may be compatible with various communication standards. The interface 16 may be configured to be connectable to the communication module.

[0014] The interface 16 may include an input device that accepts input of information, data, etc. from a user. The input device may include, for example, a touch panel or touch sensor, or a pointing device such as a mouse. The input device may include physical keys. The input device may also include an audio input device such as a microphone.

[0015] The interface 16 may be configured to include an output device that outputs information, data, etc. to the user. The output device may include, for example, a display device that outputs visual information such as images, characters, or graphics. The display device may include, for example, an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), an organic EL (Electro-Luminescence) display, an inorganic EL display, or a PDP (Plasma Display Panel). The display device is not limited to these displays and may include various other types of displays. The display device may include a light-emitting device such as an LED (Light Emitting Diode) or an LD (Laser Diode). The display device may include various other devices. The output device may include, for example, an audio output device such as a speaker that outputs audio information such as sound. The output device is not limited to these examples and may include various other devices.

[0016] The traffic management device 10 may include one or more server devices that can communicate with each other. The number of traffic management devices 10 included in the traffic management system 1 is not limited to one, but may be two or more.

[0017] <Vehicle 20> The vehicle 20 managed by the traffic management system 1 according to this embodiment is assumed to be an autonomous vehicle capable of driving at least partially autonomously. The level of autonomous driving may be, for example, any of levels 1 to 5 in the classification of levels by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). When the vehicle 20 drives autonomously, it may drive based on a driving schedule output from the traffic management device 10. The vehicle 20 may be driven by a driver or remotely. When the vehicle 20 is driven by a driver or remotely, it may be operated based on a driving schedule output from the traffic management device 10.

[0018] The vehicle 20 includes an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 22, a VCIB (Vehicle Control Interface Box) 24, an information acquisition device 26, an ADK (Autonomous Driving Kit) 30, and a DCM (Data Communication Module) 40. The vehicle 20 further includes a drive device, a braking device, and a steering device.

[0019] The ADK 30 is also referred to as an autonomous driving kit. The ADK 30 drives the vehicle 20 in accordance with the operation schedule of the vehicle 20 determined by the operation management device 10. As will be described later, the ADK 30 acquires information about the state of the vehicle 20 itself or information about the state around the vehicle 20 from the ECU 22 or the information acquisition device 26 via the VCIB 24.

[0020] The ADK 30 determines the speed, acceleration, or direction of travel of the vehicle 20 so that the vehicle 20 can travel in accordance with the operation schedule, based on information about the state of the vehicle 20 itself or information about the state around the vehicle 20. The ADK 30 generates control information to cause the vehicle 20 to travel in the determined direction at the determined speed or acceleration, and outputs the control information to the ECU 22. For example, the ADK 30 generates control information to stop the vehicle 20 or change the direction of travel so as to avoid objects around the vehicle 20. Furthermore, when the state of the vehicle 20 becomes abnormal, the ADK 30 may generate control information to continue or stop the vehicle 20 in accordance with the state of the vehicle 20. When the state of the vehicle 20 becomes abnormal, the ADK 30 may generate control information to move the vehicle 20 to a predetermined position in accordance with the state of the vehicle 20.

[0021] The ADK 30 may be communicatively connected to the traffic management device 10 via a network. The ADK 30 may output at least a portion of the information acquired from the ECU 22 or the information acquisition device 26 to the traffic management device 10. The information output from the ADK 30 to the traffic management device 10 is also referred to as first information. The first information includes information that identifies an abnormal state of the vehicle 20.

[0022] The ECU 22 controls the drive, braking, and steering devices of the vehicle 20 based on control information from the ADK 30 so that the vehicle 20 travels autonomously. The ECU 22 may be configured to include one or more processors. The ECU 22 may be configured to include one or more dedicated circuits. The ECU 22 may be configured to include either a processor or a dedicated circuit, or may be configured to include a processor and a dedicated circuit.

[0023] The information acquisition device 26 is configured to acquire various information such as information about the state of the vehicle 20 itself or information about the state inside or around the vehicle 20. The information acquisition device 26 outputs the acquired information to the VCIB 24 and the DCM 40.

[0024] The information acquisition device 26 may be configured to include a position information detection device that detects the position of the vehicle 20 itself as a state of the vehicle 20. The position information detection device may be configured to include a receiver compatible with a satellite positioning system. The receiver compatible with the satellite positioning system may include, for example, a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver. The information acquisition device 26 may be configured to include a sensor that detects the speed or acceleration of the vehicle 20. The information acquisition device 26 may be configured to include a sensor that detects the number of rotations of the engine, motor, etc. of the vehicle 20. The information acquisition device 26 may be configured to include sensors that detect the temperature of each part of the vehicle 20. The information acquisition device 26 is not limited to these examples and may be configured to be able to detect various states of the vehicle 20.

[0025] The information acquisition device 26 may be configured to include an imaging device such as a camera that captures images of the inside or surroundings of the vehicle 20. The information acquisition device 26 may be configured to detect objects such as obstacles present around the vehicle 20. The information acquisition device 26 may be configured to detect the condition of the road on which the vehicle 20 is traveling. The information acquisition device 26 may be configured to detect the number of passengers in the vehicle 20. The information acquisition device 26 may be configured to detect the condition of the passengers in the vehicle 20. The information acquisition device 26 is not limited to these examples, and may be configured to acquire various types of information about the inside or surroundings of the vehicle 20.

[0026] The DCM 40 is also referred to as an in-vehicle communication device. The DCM 40 acquires information about the state of the vehicle 20 itself or information about the state around the vehicle 20 from the ECU 22 or the information acquisition device 26. The DCM 40 may be communicably connected to the traffic management device 10 via a network. The DCM 40 outputs at least a portion of the information acquired from the ECU 22 or the information acquisition device 26 to the traffic management device 10. The information output from the DCM 40 to the traffic management device 10 is also referred to as second information.

[0027] The VCIB 24 outputs the control information generated by the ADK 30 to the ECU 22. The VCIB 24 outputs at least a part of the information acquired from the ECU 22 or the information acquisition device 26 to the ADK 30.

[0028] The ADK 30 may be configured as a dedicated device for the vehicle 20, or may be configured as a general-purpose device that can be applied to various vehicles 20. Conversely, the vehicle 20 may be configured to be able to travel autonomously using control information from various ADKs 30. The VCIB 24 may be configured to be connectable to various ADKs 30 that can be mounted on the vehicle 20.

[0029] The number of vehicles 20 included in the traffic management system 1 is not limited to one, but may be two or more.

[0030] (Example of operation of Traffic Management System 1) In the traffic management system 1 according to this embodiment, the control unit 12 of the traffic management device 10 manages the operation of the vehicle 20. When the condition of the vehicle 20 is normal, the ADK 30 mounted on the vehicle 20 generates control information based on the operation schedule, causing the vehicle 20 to travel through bus stops to pick up and drop off passengers. When the condition of the vehicle 20 is abnormal, the ADK 30 causes the vehicle 20 to travel autonomously or stop at a predetermined position depending on the condition of the vehicle 20. An example of an operation in the traffic management system 1 in which the operation pattern of the vehicle 20 is changed depending on the condition of the vehicle 20 will be described below.

[0031] <Determining anomaly response patterns based on first information> The control unit 12 acquires first information from the ADK 30 via the interface 16. The control unit 12 determines whether the state of the vehicle 20 is normal or abnormal based on the first information. If the control unit 12 determines that the state of the vehicle 20 is normal based on the first information, it outputs the operation pattern of the vehicle 20 to the ADK 30 as a normal pattern. The ADK 30 generates control information to cause the vehicle 20 to run in the normal pattern specified by the control unit 12.

[0032] When the control unit 12 determines that the state of the vehicle 20 is abnormal based on the first information, it changes the operation pattern of the vehicle 20 to an abnormality response pattern. The abnormal state of the vehicle 20 includes a plurality of modes. The control unit 12 determines an abnormality response pattern that corresponds to the abnormal state of the vehicle 20 and changes the operation pattern.

[0033] In the traffic management system 1, when the VCIB 24 of the vehicle 20 is configured to be connectable to various ADKs 30, the information output from the VCIB 24 to the ADK 30 is limited, for example, due to reasons such as specifications or confidentiality regarding the vehicle 20. Therefore, the content of the first information output from the ADK 30 to the traffic management device 10 is limited.

[0034] The first information may identify, for example, the following four types of states as the state of the vehicle 20. [0] Vehicle 20 is in a state where it can run normally. [1] The vehicle 20 is in a state where it can be driven but requires maintenance. [2] Vehicle 20 should return to the garage. [3] A state in which the vehicle 20 must make an emergency stop The state of the vehicle 20 identified by the first information is not limited to the four types described above, but may be three or fewer types, or five or more types. The information identifying the abnormal state of the vehicle 20 is also referred to as an abnormal state signal. The first information is not limited to the abnormal state signal, but may include various other signals and the values ​​of each signal.

[0035] The control unit 12 of the traffic management device 10 can determine the state of the vehicle 20 based on the first information, which is limited information. In this way, the communication or processing load can be reduced.

[0036] Although the first information provides a limited representation of the state of the vehicle 20, it may not be possible to specifically identify the abnormality occurring in the vehicle 20. The abnormality response pattern that matches the abnormality occurring in the vehicle 20 may differ depending on the abnormality. For example, it is required that the abnormality response pattern when an abnormality occurs in the drive device of the vehicle 20 is different from the abnormality response pattern when an abnormality occurs in the braking device. An abnormality response pattern determined based on the first information that does not specifically identify the abnormality may not match the actual abnormality occurring in the vehicle 20.

[0037] <Update of anomaly response patterns based on secondary information> The abnormality occurring in the vehicle 20 is specifically identified by the second information output from the DCM 40 of the vehicle 20. The control unit 12 acquires the second information from the DCM 40 via the interface 16. The control unit 12 can specifically identify the abnormality occurring in the vehicle 20 based on the acquired second information.

[0038] The second information may specify the abnormality of the vehicle 20, for example, as follows. (1) Battery and charging system charging abnormality warning display (2) Front airbag warning display (for abnormality) (3) Warning display of malfunction or inoperability of the ECB (Electric Control Braking system) or warning display of failure of the EPB (Electric Parking Brake) system (4) Brake fluid leak warning (5) Brake system malfunction warning display (6) Anti-lock brake system warning display (when an abnormality occurs) (7) PKB (Parking Brake) lamp status (8) Tire pressure warning display (9) VSC (Vehicle Stability Control) system malfunction warning display (10) Emergency stop button press information The items specified by the second information are not limited to the above-mentioned 10 items, but may be 9 items or less, or 11 items or more.

[0039] The second information may specify whether there is no abnormality or whether there is an abnormality for each of the above-mentioned items. The second information may specify the degree of abnormality for at least some of the items. For example, the second information may specify the degree of abnormality as either a minor abnormality, a moderate abnormality, or a serious abnormality. The second information may specify whether at least some of the items are in an abnormal operating state. With regard to emergency stop button pressing information, the second information may specify whether the emergency stop button was pressed in the passenger compartment where passengers are riding, in the driver's seat, or an emergency stop button installed outside the vehicle 20.

[0040] The control unit 12 determines whether the abnormality response pattern determined based on the first information matches the abnormality content specified in the second information. If the abnormality response pattern determined based on the first information matches the abnormality content specified in the second information, the control unit 12 outputs the abnormality response pattern determined based on the first information as is to the ADK 30. If the abnormality response pattern determined based on the first information does not match the abnormality content specified in the second information, the control unit 12 updates the abnormality response pattern based on the second information and outputs the updated abnormality response pattern to the ADK 30.

[0041] In the examples of the first information and second information described above, when the control unit 12 determines based on the first information that the state of the vehicle 20 is [3] a state in which an emergency stop is required, the control unit 12 may determine the abnormality response pattern to stop the vehicle 20 on the spot. When the control unit 12 determines based on the second information that the abnormality is (2) a serious abnormality in the warning display of the front airbag, the control unit 12 may determine that the abnormality response pattern does not match the abnormality. The control unit 12 may determine that there is no problem with the driving of the vehicle 20 and that there is no need to stop the vehicle 20 on the spot, and may update the abnormality response pattern to have the vehicle 20 forwarded to a garage.

[0042] When the control unit 12 identifies the abnormality content as a serious abnormality in the (10) emergency stop button pressing information based on the second information, the control unit 12 may determine that the abnormality response pattern does not match the abnormality content. The control unit 12 may determine that there is no problem with the running of the vehicle 20 and that there is no need to stop the vehicle 20 on the spot, and may update the abnormality response pattern to have the vehicle 20 forwarded to a garage.

[0043] When the control unit 12 identifies, based on the second information, that the abnormality is the pressing of the emergency stop button in the (10) emergency stop button pressing information, the control unit 12 may determine that the abnormality response pattern does not match the abnormality. The control unit 12 may determine that there is no problem with the running of the vehicle 20 and that there is no need to stop the vehicle 20 on the spot, and may update the abnormality response pattern to have the vehicle 20 sent to a garage.

[0044] As described above, if the abnormality response pattern determined based on the first information does not match the abnormality, the control unit 12 may update the abnormality response pattern to match the abnormality. The control unit 12 may acquire second information identifying the specific abnormality and determine the abnormality of the vehicle 20 only when the control unit 12 determines that the vehicle 20 is in an abnormal state based on the limited first information. By temporarily acquiring the second information and determining the abnormality, the communication or processing load can be reduced compared to when the second information is continuously acquired and the abnormality is determined. Furthermore, even if the vehicle 20 is determined to be in a state that requires an emergency stop [3] based on the first information, the control unit 12 can update the abnormality response pattern based on the second information to send the vehicle 20 to a garage and continue driving the vehicle 20. This eliminates the need to dispatch personnel to the site where the vehicle 20 was brought to an emergency stop. As a result, the workload or burden of responding to an abnormality in the vehicle 20 can be reduced. Furthermore, automation of abnormality responses can be promoted.

[0045] The control unit 12 may determine that the abnormality response pattern does not match the abnormality content when the abnormality content satisfies a predetermined condition. The predetermined condition may include, for example, as described above, that the state of the vehicle 20 identified by the first information is a state in which an emergency stop should be performed [3], and that the abnormality content identified by the second information is a serious abnormality in an item that does not immediately affect the traveling of the vehicle 20. The abnormality content may be divided into a first item that affects the traveling, steering, and braking of the vehicle 20, and a second item that does not affect the traveling, steering, and braking of the vehicle 20 but affects the safety of the vehicle 20. The control unit 12 may set, as the predetermined condition, that the abnormality content corresponds to the second item. The control unit 12 may set the predetermined condition in various ways, without being limited to these examples.

[0046] The ADK 30 of the vehicle 20 generates control information to cause the vehicle 20 to travel in accordance with the abnormality response pattern acquired from the control unit 12. The vehicle 20 is forwarded to a garage or makes an emergency stop on the spot according to the abnormality response pattern.

[0047] <Summary> As described above, the control unit 12 of the traffic management device 10 according to this embodiment determines an abnormality response pattern based on the first information from the ADK 30, and determines whether the abnormality response pattern matches the abnormality content based on the second information from the DCM 40. That is, when the control unit 12 determines that the state of the vehicle 20 is abnormal based on the first information, it identifies the abnormality content occurring in the vehicle 20 based on the second information. In this way, the communication or processing load can be reduced. The control unit 12 updates the abnormality response pattern when the abnormality response pattern does not match the abnormality content. In this way, the workload or load of responding to abnormalities in an autonomous vehicle can be reduced. Furthermore, automation of abnormality responses can be promoted.

[0048] In other words, the control unit 12 of the operation management device 10 according to this embodiment changes the operation pattern of the vehicle 20 to an abnormality response pattern determined based on the first information and the second information, and outputs the abnormality response pattern to the ADK 30.

[0049] As a comparative example, a system in which an autonomous vehicle makes an emergency stop or suspends operation based solely on an abnormality signal while autonomously driving can be considered. If an autonomous vehicle makes an emergency stop or suspends operation while autonomously driving, it is difficult for the autonomous vehicle to resume operation on its own. In this case, the autonomous vehicle's operations manager must decide whether to resume operation. For example, if the operations manager detects an abnormality signal for the autonomous vehicle, the operations manager checks the nature of the abnormality and determines whether to suspend or resume operation. The operations manager makes this decision by checking whether there are passengers. The operations manager specifically instructs the autonomous driving kit of the autonomous vehicle on how to respond to the abnormality. Furthermore, the operation schedule must be manually changed based on the determination result. This causes passengers to wait until operation resumes. As a result, service quality and convenience for passengers are reduced. Furthermore, the workload of the operations manager or workers is increased. Furthermore, the autonomous vehicle's response is not determined until operation resumes or the operation schedule is changed, which reduces the safety of the autonomous vehicle itself and its surroundings. When an abnormality occurs in an autonomously driven vehicle, the traffic management device 10 according to this embodiment updates the abnormality response pattern based on the second information as described above, thereby reducing the frequency with which the autonomously driven vehicle stops compared to the system of the comparative example. This can improve the service or convenience for passengers. It can also reduce the workload of the traffic manager or operator. It can also maintain the safety of the autonomously driven vehicle.

[0050] <Anomaly Response Matrix> The control unit 12 of the traffic management device 10 may use an abnormality response matrix in which the abnormality response pattern is associated with the abnormal state identified by the first information in order to determine an abnormality response pattern corresponding to the abnormal state of the vehicle 20 identified by the first information. In other words, the control unit 12 may determine the abnormality response pattern corresponding to the abnormal state based on the abnormality response matrix, and change the traffic pattern.

[0051] The abnormality response matrix may be configured as a table in which an abnormality response pattern is associated with each of the states [1] to [3] of the vehicle 20 identified by the first information. In the abnormality response matrix, for example, an abnormality response pattern representing that the vehicle 20 should continue to operate may be associated with [1] a state in which the vehicle 20 requires maintenance. Also, an abnormality response pattern representing that the vehicle 20 should be forwarded to the garage may be associated with [2] a state in which the vehicle 20 should return to the garage. Also, an abnormality response pattern representing that the vehicle 20 should be stopped on the spot and a notification should be sent to have personnel rush to the scene may be associated with [3] a state in which the vehicle 20 should make an emergency stop.

[0052] By using the anomaly response matrix, the control unit 12 can easily determine an anomaly response pattern, which can reduce the processing load.

[0053] <Determining an abnormality response pattern based on the presence or absence of passengers in the vehicle 20 or the number of passengers> The information acquisition device 26 of the vehicle 20 may detect the number of passengers in the vehicle 20. The information acquisition device 26 may output information about the passengers to the DCM 40. The DCM 40 may output the information about the passengers as second information to the traffic management device 10. The control unit 12 of the traffic management device 10 may acquire information about the passengers in the vehicle 20 as the second information.

[0054] For example, as shown in FIG. 2, vehicle 20 operates on a normal schedule, departing from a depot and traveling to stop 1, stop 2, ..., and stop N in that order before returning to the depot. Assume that while vehicle 20 is traveling between stop 1 and stop 2, the state of vehicle 20 changes to [2] a state in which vehicle 20 should return to the depot. Control unit 12 may use different abnormality response patterns for vehicle 20 depending on whether or not there are passengers on board. Control unit 12 may determine that there are passengers on board vehicle 20 when the number of passengers is one or more. Control unit 12 may determine that there are no passengers on board vehicle 20 when the number of passengers is zero.

[0055] When there are no passengers on board the vehicle 20, the control unit 12 may determine an abnormality response pattern such that the vehicle 20 travels on a route returning to the garage (abnormal and no passengers in FIG. 2) regardless of the location of the stop. In this case, there may or may not be a stop on the route that the vehicle 20 travels on to return to the garage. The control unit 12 may determine an abnormality response pattern such that the vehicle 20 returns to the garage on the shortest route or the fastest route. In this way, the operating efficiency of the vehicle 20 is improved.

[0056] When a passenger is on board the vehicle 20, the control unit 12 may determine an abnormality response pattern such that the vehicle 20 travels on a route (abnormal and passenger present in FIG. 2 ) returning to the garage via at least one stop (for example, stop M in FIG. 2 ). The control unit 12 may determine an abnormality response pattern such that at least one stop from stop 1 to stop N is located on the route the vehicle 20 travels to return to the garage. Stop M in FIG. 2 may be a stop included in the normal operating route of the vehicle 20, or may be a stop included in another route. The control unit 12 may determine an abnormality response pattern such that passengers are disembarked at a stop on which the vehicle 20 passes. The control unit 12 may determine a stop at which passengers are disembarked so that passengers disembarking from the vehicle 20 in which an abnormality has occurred can quickly transfer to another vehicle 20. The control unit 12 may also determine an operation schedule such that another vehicle 20 is moved to the stop at which passengers are disembarked. This improves passenger convenience.

[0057] The control unit 12 may vary the abnormality response pattern of the vehicle 20 based on the number of passengers in the vehicle 20. The control unit 12 may vary the locations of stops that the vehicle 20 passes through before returning to the garage depending on whether the number of passengers is less than a predetermined number or equal to or greater than a predetermined number. The control unit 12 may also vary the number of stops that the vehicle 20 passes through depending on whether the number of passengers is less than a predetermined number or equal to or greater than a predetermined number. The control unit 12 may determine a stop at which passengers should disembark so that passengers disembarking from the abnormal vehicle 20 can quickly transfer to another vehicle 20. The control unit 12 may also determine a stop at which passengers should disembark so that passengers can safely disembark from the abnormal vehicle 20. For example, the control unit 12 may determine, as a stop at which passengers should disembark, a stop that is located in a spacious area where passengers can wait as the number of passengers increases. This improves passenger convenience.

[0058] As described above, the control unit 12 may differentiate the abnormality response pattern when there are passengers on board the vehicle 20 from the abnormality response pattern when there are no passengers on board the vehicle 20, based on the number of passengers on board the vehicle 20. Furthermore, the control unit 12 may determine the stop at which passengers should disembark, depending on the number of passengers on the vehicle 20. In this way, passenger convenience or the operating efficiency of the vehicle 20 is improved.

[0059] <Determining an abnormality response pattern based on the presence or absence of an occupant in the vehicle 20> The information acquisition device 26 of the vehicle 20 may detect whether a crew member is on board the vehicle 20. The crew member may include the driver of the vehicle 20. The crew member may include a crew member such as a conductor who assists passengers in the vehicle 20. The crew member may include a worker who can respond if an abnormality occurs in the vehicle 20. The information acquisition device 26 may output information specifying whether a crew member is on board the vehicle 20 to the DCM 40. The information specifying whether a crew member is on board the vehicle 20 is also referred to as crew information. The DCM 40 may output the crew information to the traffic management device 10 as second information. The control unit 12 of the traffic management device 10 may acquire the crew information as the second information.

[0060] The control unit 12 may determine different abnormality response patterns as the operation pattern of the vehicle 20 depending on whether a crew member is on board the vehicle 20 or not. For example, even if the state of the vehicle 20 is [2] a state in which the vehicle 20 should return to a garage or [3] a state in which an emergency stop should be made, the control unit 12 may determine the abnormality response pattern so that the crew member checks the state of the vehicle 20 when a crew member is on board the vehicle 20. The control unit 12 may determine the abnormality response pattern so that the operation of the vehicle 20 can continue in autonomous driving mode under the crew member's operation after the crew member checks the vehicle 20.

[0061] As described above, the control unit 12 may use different abnormality response patterns depending on whether a driver is present or absent in the vehicle 20. This can reduce the workload or burden of responding to an abnormality in the autonomous vehicle. It can also facilitate automation of abnormality responses.

[0062] <Example of operation management procedure> The control unit 12 of the traffic management device 10 may execute a traffic management method including, for example, the steps of the flowchart illustrated in Fig. 2 in order to generate route information that instructs the driver on the route or stopping positions of a delivery vehicle. The traffic management method may be realized as a traffic management program executed by the control unit 12. The traffic management program may be stored in a non-transitory computer-readable medium.

[0063] The control unit 12 acquires first information from the ADK 30 (step S1). The control unit 12 determines whether there is an abnormality in the vehicle 20 based on the first information (step S2). If the control unit 12 determines that there is no abnormality in the vehicle 20 (step S2: NO), it ends the execution of the procedure in the flowchart of FIG. 3. In this case, the vehicle 20 continues to operate according to the operation pattern that has already been set. If the control unit 12 determines that there is an abnormality in the vehicle 20 (step S2: YES), it changes the operation pattern of the vehicle 20 to the abnormality response pattern determined based on the first information (step S3).

[0064] The control unit 12 acquires the second information from the DCM 40 (step S4). The control unit 12 determines whether the abnormality details of the vehicle 20 specified by the second information satisfy a predetermined condition (step S5). If the abnormality details satisfy the predetermined condition (step S5: YES), the control unit 12 updates the operation pattern to an abnormality response pattern based on the abnormality details (step S6). If the abnormality details do not satisfy the predetermined condition (step S5: NO), the control unit 12 proceeds to step S7 without updating the operation pattern. The control unit 12 outputs either the operation pattern updated in step S6 or the operation pattern changed in step S3 to the ADK 30 (step S7). After executing step S7, the control unit 12 ends the execution of the procedure of the flowchart in FIG. 3.

[0065] (summary) As described above, the traffic management device 10 according to this embodiment determines an abnormality response pattern based on the first information from the ADK 30, and determines whether the abnormality response pattern matches the abnormality content based on the second information from the DCM 40. The control unit 12 updates the abnormality response pattern when the abnormality response pattern does not match the abnormality content. In this way, the workload or load of responding to abnormalities in an autonomous vehicle can be reduced. Automation of abnormality responses can be promoted. Communication or processing load can be reduced.

[0066] Furthermore, the traffic management device 10 can easily determine an abnormality response pattern by using an abnormality response matrix. As a result, the processing load can be reduced. Furthermore, the traffic management device 10 may determine an abnormality response pattern according to the number of passengers in the vehicle 20. In this way, passenger convenience or the operating efficiency of the vehicle 20 is improved. Furthermore, the traffic management device 10 may use different abnormality response patterns depending on whether the vehicle 20 has a crew member on board or does not have a crew member on board. In this way, the workload or load of responding to an abnormality in an autonomous vehicle can be reduced. Automation of abnormality responses can be promoted.

[0067] Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described based on the drawings and examples, it should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and alterations based on the present disclosure. Therefore, it should be noted that these modifications and alterations are included in the scope of the present disclosure. For example, the functions included in each means or step can be rearranged so as not to be logically inconsistent, and multiple means or steps can be combined or divided into one. [Explanation of symbols]

[0068] 1. Traffic management system 10 Operation management device (12: control unit, 14: memory unit, 16: interface) 20 Vehicle (22: ECU, 24: VCIB, 26: Information acquisition device, 30: ADK, 40: DCM)

Claims

1. An operation management device connected to an autonomous driving kit that acquires information relating to the state of an autonomous vehicle or information relating to the state of the surroundings of the autonomous vehicle via a VCIB and controls the autonomous vehicle to run in accordance with an operation schedule, and that is also connected to an on-board communication device that acquires information relating to the state of the autonomous vehicle or information relating to the state of the surroundings of the autonomous vehicle that does not go through the VCIB, The operation management device an interface that acquires first information that identifies an abnormal state of the autonomous driving vehicle determined by the autonomous driving kit based on information via the VCIB, and acquires second information about the autonomous driving vehicle from the in-vehicle communication device, which is information not via the VCIB; a control unit that changes the operation pattern of the autonomous driving vehicle to an abnormality response pattern determined based on the first information and the second information, and outputs the abnormality response pattern to the autonomous driving kit; An operation management device comprising:

2. An interface that acquires first information that identifies an abnormal state of the autonomous vehicle from an autonomous driving kit of the autonomous vehicle and acquires second information of the autonomous vehicle from an on-board communication device of the autonomous vehicle; a control unit that changes the operation pattern of the autonomous driving vehicle to an abnormality response pattern determined based on the first information and the second information, and outputs the abnormality response pattern to the autonomous driving kit; Equipped with The interface acquires, as the second information, the number of passengers aboard the autonomously driven vehicle; The control unit differentiates an abnormality response pattern when there are passengers in the autonomous vehicle from an abnormality response pattern when there are no passengers in the autonomous vehicle, based on the number of passengers.

3. An interface that acquires first information that identifies an abnormal state of the autonomous vehicle from an autonomous driving kit of the autonomous vehicle and acquires second information of the autonomous vehicle from an on-board communication device of the autonomous vehicle; a control unit that changes the operation pattern of the autonomous driving vehicle to an abnormality response pattern determined based on the first information and the second information, and outputs the abnormality response pattern to the autonomous driving kit; Equipped with The interface acquires, as the second information, crew member information that specifies whether a crew member is on board the autonomously driven vehicle; and The control unit, based on the occupant information, determines different abnormality response patterns as the operation pattern of the autonomous vehicle when the occupant is on board the autonomous vehicle and when the occupant is not on board the autonomous vehicle, respectively.

4. The interface acquires, as the second information, details of an abnormality that has occurred in the autonomously driven vehicle, The operation management device according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit updates an operation pattern of the autonomously driven vehicle when the abnormality content satisfies a predetermined condition.

5. The control unit changes the operation pattern of the autonomous vehicle to an abnormality response pattern corresponding to the abnormal state based on an abnormality response matrix in which an abnormality response pattern is associated with an abnormal state identified by the first information.

6. An interface and a control unit are provided which acquire first information from an autonomous driving kit of an autonomous vehicle, the first information identifying an abnormal state of the autonomous vehicle based on information relating to the state of the autonomous vehicle or information relating to the state of the surroundings of the autonomous vehicle via a VCIB, and which acquire second information of the autonomous vehicle from an onboard communication device of the autonomous vehicle, the second information being information relating to the state of the autonomous vehicle or information relating to the state of the surroundings of the autonomous vehicle not via the VCIB; The control unit determining an anomaly response pattern based on the first information; Identifying the abnormality content based on the second information; determining whether the anomaly response pattern determined based on the first information matches the anomaly content identified based on the second information; If the abnormality response pattern determined based on the first information matches the abnormality content identified based on the second information, output the abnormality response pattern determined based on the first information to the autonomous driving kit; If the abnormality response pattern determined based on the first information does not match the abnormality content identified based on the second information, the operation management device outputs the abnormality response pattern determined based on the second information to the autonomous driving kit.

Images