Vehicle control device

Abstract

To provide a vehicle control device capable of performing control close to a human driving operation.SOLUTION: Map information including information on roads and features is acquired as environmental information including information relating to a track where a vehicle 1 travels. It is successively determined that a sidewalk is provided along with the track, that a lane width of the track is equal to or more than a threshold, that an upper limit vehicle speed of the track is equal to or more than a threshold and that the number of lanes of the track is equal to or more than a threshold, and acceleration of the vehicle 1 is set based on determination results.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle control device that controls a vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, research has been progressing on autonomous driving, which allows a vehicle to travel without user control.

[0003] Because humans perform driving operations according to various situations, the vehicle's acceleration, deceleration, and other movements are not uniform. In order to make the movements of an autonomous vehicle closer to those of a human driver, autonomous driving control is required to be similar to human driving operations. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2018 / 230685 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] When manually accelerating a vehicle, the driver adjusts the acceleration depending on the surrounding environment, including the roadway the vehicle is traveling on. For example, in residential areas without sidewalks, the driver must be considerate of pedestrians and avoid excessive acceleration. On the other hand, on major roads with large lane widths, large numbers of lanes, and upper speed limits, the driver must increase the acceleration to a certain extent to avoid disrupting traffic flow.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle control device that can perform control similar to human driving operations. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a vehicle control device according to one aspect of the present invention includes a setting means for setting the acceleration of the vehicle by referring to judgment items judged using environmental information including information about the road on which the vehicle is traveling and priorities set for each judgment item.

[0008] According to this configuration, the vehicle can be accelerated by referring to the judgment items judged using environmental information including information about the road the vehicle is traveling on and the priority set for each judgment item. Therefore, when accelerating the vehicle, control can be performed that is similar to human driving operations.

[0009] The criteria for determination may include whether the roadway has a sidewalk, whether the lane width of the roadway is greater than or equal to a threshold, whether the maximum vehicle speed of the roadway is greater than or equal to a threshold, and whether the number of lanes on the roadway is greater than or equal to a threshold.

[0010] In this configuration, for example, if the environmental information satisfies the following conditions: a sidewalk is provided on the road; the lane width of the road is equal to or greater than a threshold; the maximum vehicle speed of the road is equal to or greater than a threshold; and the number of lanes on the road is equal to or greater than a threshold, an acceleration can be set according to the environmental information.

[0011] The priority may be set in descending order of whether the road has a sidewalk, whether the lane width of the road is greater than or equal to a threshold, whether the maximum vehicle speed of the road is greater than or equal to a threshold, and whether the number of lanes of the road is greater than or equal to a threshold.

[0012] In this configuration, for example, it is possible to set the acceleration by giving priority to the determination items with the highest importance. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to the present invention, when accelerating a vehicle, control can be performed that is similar to human driving operations. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1]1 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of a vehicle equipped with a vehicle control device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of an autonomous driving ECU. [Figure 3] 10 is a flowchart showing the flow of an acceleration setting process. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of judgment items and priorities. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0016] <Vehicle configuration> FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of a vehicle 1 equipped with a vehicle control device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0017] Vehicle 1 is equipped with an automatic driving function and is capable of running automatically without user operation.

[0018] A plurality of ECUs (Electronic Control Units) are mounted on the vehicle 1 to control various parts. Each ECU has a microcontroller unit (microcomputer), and the microcomputer has built-in, for example, a CPU, a non-volatile memory such as a flash memory, and a volatile memory such as a DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory).

[0019] The multiple ECUs include a drive ECU 11, a steering ECU 12, a brake ECU 13, a meter ECU 14, and a body ECU 15. The drive ECU 11, the steering ECU 12, the brake ECU 13, the meter ECU 14, and the body ECU 15 are connected to each other so as to be able to communicate using a CAN (Controller Area Network) communication protocol, that is, to communicate via CAN.

[0020] The drive ECU 11 is a control unit that controls a drive unit 21 of the vehicle 1. The drive unit 21 may be configured to include an engine as a drive source, a motor as a drive source, or both an engine and a motor as drive sources. The drive unit 21 includes a transmission that changes the speed of the drive force from the drive source and outputs it as necessary.

[0021] The steering ECU 12 is a control unit that controls a steering device 22 of the vehicle 1. The steering device 22 is, for example, an electric power steering device that applies torque from an electric motor to a steering mechanism. The steering mechanism includes, for example, a rack-and-pinion steering gear, and is configured so that when a rack shaft moves in the vehicle width direction due to the torque of the electric motor, the left and right steered wheels are turned left and right in accordance with the movement of the rack shaft.

[0022] The brake ECU 13 is a control unit that controls a braking device 23 of the vehicle 1. The braking device 23 may be hydraulic or electric. The hydraulic braking device 23 includes a brake actuator, and the function of this brake actuator distributes hydraulic pressure to wheel cylinders of the brakes provided on each wheel, and the hydraulic pressure applies braking force from each brake to the wheels, including the drive wheels, on the wheels.

[0023] The meter ECU 14 is a control unit that controls each part of a meter panel (not shown) of the vehicle 1. The meter panel is provided with indicators such as a liquid crystal display for displaying various information, as well as instruments that display vehicle speed and engine RPM. An emergency stop switch 24 that is operated to issue an emergency stop command for the autonomous driving is also connected to the meter ECU 14.

[0024] The body ECU 15 is a control unit that controls various parts that need to operate even when the ignition switch of the vehicle 1 is off, such as the left and right turn signals and door lock motors.

[0025] The plurality of ECUs also include an automatic driving ECU 31, a lidar ECU 32, and a monocular camera ECU 33 as control units for the automatic driving function.

[0026] The automatic driving ECU 31 is a control center for automatic driving control. The automatic driving ECU 31 is connected to the drive ECU 11, the steering ECU 12, the brake ECU 13, the meter ECU 14, and the body ECU 15 so as to be able to communicate via CAN.

[0027] An omnidirectional LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) 34 is connected to the autonomous driving ECU 31 via, for example, an Ethernet (registered trademark) standard communication cable. The omnidirectional LiDAR 34 emits laser light in all directions of 360°, receives reflected light from objects present within a search range with an optical sensor, and outputs a detection signal according to the reflected light. The detection signal from the omnidirectional LiDAR 34 is input to the autonomous driving ECU 31.

[0028] Furthermore, a GPS receiver 35 is connected to the autonomous driving ECU 31 via, for example, a USB (Universal Serial Bus) standard communication cable. The GPS receiver 35 is a receiver that receives positioning signals from GPS (Global Positioning System) satellites. The positioning signals received by the GPS receiver 35 are input from the GPS receiver 35 to the autonomous driving ECU 31.

[0029] The LIDAR ECU 32 is communicatively connected to the autonomous driving ECU 31 via, for example, an Ethernet-compliant communication cable. Six LIDARs 36 are connected to the LIDAR ECU 32. Each LIDAR 36 irradiates a search range with laser light, receives reflected light from objects present within the search range with an optical sensor, and outputs a detection signal corresponding to the reflected light. The LIDARs 36 are, for example, disposed at the left, center, and right ends of the front bumper and the left, center, and right ends of the rear bumper of the vehicle 1. The LIDAR ECU 32 receives the detection signals output from each LIDAR 36 as input. The LIDAR ECU 32 processes the detection signals output from each LIDAR 36 and transmits the data obtained by this processing to the autonomous driving ECU 31.

[0030] The monocular camera ECU 33 is communicably connected to the autonomous driving ECU 31 via, for example, a USB standard communication cable. A monocular camera 37 is connected to the monocular camera ECU 33. The monocular camera 37 is a camera that can continuously capture still images of the search range ahead of the vehicle 1 at a predetermined frame rate. Image signals of the still images continuously output from the monocular camera 37 are input to the monocular camera ECU 33. The monocular camera ECU 33 processes the image signals input from the monocular camera 37 and transmits image data obtained by this processing to the autonomous driving ECU 31.

[0031] <Autonomous driving ECU> FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the automatic driving ECU 31.

[0032] The autonomous driving ECU 31 includes an object recognition unit 41, a self-position estimation unit 42, a surrounding information integration unit 43, a route planning unit 44, and a vehicle control unit 45. These functional processing units are realized in software by program processing, or by hardware such as a logic circuit.

[0033] The object recognition unit 41 recognizes objects such as other vehicles and pedestrians around the vehicle 1 from information on the distance to objects (vehicles, pedestrians, buildings, curbs, and other obstacles) obtained from the detection signal of the omnidirectional lidar 34 and from images captured by the monocular camera 37.

[0034] The self-position estimation unit 42 matches point cloud data acquired from the detection signals of the omnidirectional LIDAR 34 with high-precision map data (point cloud data) 46, which is data on a high-precision map, to estimate the position (self-position) of the vehicle 1. The high-precision map is a high-precision three-dimensional map, and the high-precision map data 46 includes, for example, information on road lane widths and gradients, as well as information on features such as the number of lanes, dividing lines, shoulder lines, intersections, railroad crossings, stop lines, sidewalks, crosswalks, and various signs including signs indicating vehicle speed limits. The high-precision map data 46 may be stored in a non-volatile memory built into a microcomputer in the autonomous driving ECU 31, or may be stored in an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) connected to the autonomous driving ECU 31. The self-position estimation unit 42 further integrates the self-position estimated by matching the point cloud data with the self-position based on the positioning signal received by the GPS receiver 35 to improve the accuracy of the self-position estimation.

[0035] The surrounding information integrating unit 43 receives as input the object recognition results from the object recognition unit 41, the self-position estimation results from the self-position estimation unit 42, and data obtained by the LIDAR ECU 32 (see FIG. 1) processing detection signals output from each LIDAR 36. High-precision map data 46 is also input to the surrounding information integrating unit 43. The surrounding information integrating unit 43 creates surrounding information integrated map data in which the vehicle 1, vehicles other than the vehicle 1, and objects such as pedestrians are arranged on a high-precision map. The surrounding information integrating unit 43 then outputs the map information and object recognition information to an HMI (Human Machine Interface) device 47, such as a display, arranged inside the vehicle 1.

[0036] The route planning unit 44 receives the peripheral information integrated map data from the peripheral information integrating unit 43. The route planning unit 44 plans a travel route to the destination of the vehicle 1 from the peripheral information integrated map data. The plan includes a target vehicle speed at each point on the travel route. The travel route plan also includes an acceleration setting. The acceleration setting will be described later. The route planning unit 44 then outputs the planned target vehicle speed and route data of the travel route, including the deceleration section, to the HMI device 47.

[0037] The vehicle control unit 45 receives route data from the route planning unit 44. Based on the route data, the vehicle control unit 45 outputs commands to ECUs that control the operation of each part of the vehicle 1, such as the drive ECU 11, the steering ECU 12, and the brake ECU 13, so that the vehicle 1 travels along the travel route by automatic driving.

[0038] <Acceleration settings> Fig. 3 is a flowchart showing the flow of the acceleration setting process Fig. 4 is a diagram showing an example of determination items and priorities.

[0039] For example, after the destination of vehicle 1 is input on HMI device 47, an autonomous driving start button displayed on HMI device 47 is pressed, which inputs an instruction to start autonomous driving from HMI device 47 to autonomous driving ECU 31. When the instruction to start autonomous driving is input to autonomous driving ECU 31, route planner 44 plans a travel route to the destination of vehicle 1. The travel route is re-planned at predetermined intervals while vehicle 1 is traveling in autonomous driving. Then, during autonomous driving, vehicle 1 travels through each point on the travel route at a target vehicle speed for each point, following the most recently planned travel route. Autonomous driving ends, for example, when vehicle 1 arrives at the destination or when emergency stop switch 24 is pressed and an instruction to stop autonomous driving is input from meter ECU 14 to autonomous driving ECU 31.

[0040] When planning and re-planning a travel route, the route planning unit 44 performs an acceleration setting process shown in FIG.

[0041] In the acceleration setting process, environmental information including information about the road on which the vehicle 1 is traveling is acquired (step S11). From the high-precision map data 46 included in the surrounding information integrated map data, environmental information including information about features present on the travel route, such as sidewalks, lane widths, upper limit vehicle speeds, and the number of lanes, within a predetermined search range from the current position of the vehicle 1 in the direction of travel, is acquired.

[0042] The nonvolatile memory built into the microcomputer of the autonomous driving ECU 31 stores the relationship between the determination items determined using high-precision map data 46, which is environmental information, and the priorities set for each determination item. The relationship between the determination items and the priorities is stored in the form of a table, for example, as a determination table.

[0043] The priority of each judgment item may be set by a rank indicating the priority, or by a numerical value indicating the priority. When a rank indicating the priority is set for each judgment item, the judgment process may be simplified by executing judgment starting from the highest priority item until a predetermined judgment result is obtained, and omitting subsequent judgments. Furthermore, when a numerical value indicating the priority is set for each judgment item, the numerical value of the judgment item that satisfies the condition may be added up.

[0044] Once the environmental information required for the determination is acquired, a determination is made as to whether or not each determination item is satisfied according to the determination table (step S12).

[0045] For the environmental information, the acceleration of the vehicle 1 is set for each judgment item so as to prevent pedestrians, etc. walking near the vehicle 1 from perceiving the acceleration of the vehicle 1 as excessive. In the judgment table, the judgment items are associated with priorities so that the situation in which pedestrians, etc. are more likely to perceive the acceleration of the vehicle 1 as excessive is judged with higher priority.

[0046] For example, as shown in Figure 4, if a sidewalk is provided on the road, it is unlikely that a pedestrian walking on the sidewalk will perceive the acceleration of vehicle 1 as excessive, so the acceleration can be set high. Also, if the lane width of the road is equal to or greater than a threshold, it is possible to keep a sufficient distance between pedestrians and vehicle 1, so it is unlikely that pedestrians will perceive the acceleration of vehicle 1 as excessive, so the acceleration can be set high. Also, if the upper vehicle speed limit of the road is equal to or greater than a threshold, it is considered that pedestrian safety is ensured even if vehicle 1 is traveling at a high speed, so it is unlikely that pedestrians will perceive the acceleration of vehicle 1 as excessive, so the acceleration can be set high. Also, if the number of lanes on the road is equal to or greater than a threshold, it is possible to keep a sufficient distance between pedestrians and vehicle 1, so it is unlikely that pedestrians will perceive the acceleration of vehicle 1 as excessive, so the acceleration can be set high.

[0047] The priority of each judgment item is set in descending order of whether a sidewalk is present on the road, whether the lane width of the road is equal to or greater than a threshold, whether the upper limit vehicle speed of the road is equal to or greater than a threshold, and whether the number of lanes of the road is equal to or greater than a threshold, and judgments are made in this order. As a result, judgments can be made in order of the situation in which a pedestrian walking near the vehicle 1 is likely to perceive the acceleration of the vehicle 1 as excessive.

[0048] After each determination item is determined using the environmental information, the acceleration is set according to the determination result (step S13).

[0049] Thereafter, an acceleration process is performed so that the vehicle 1 travels according to the set acceleration (step S14). The drive device 21 of the vehicle 1 is controlled via the drive ECU 11 so that the vehicle 1 travels at the set acceleration.

[0050] <Examples of autonomous driving control> For example, the criteria include whether the road has a sidewalk, whether the lane width of the road is equal to or greater than a threshold, whether the upper limit vehicle speed of the road is equal to or greater than a threshold, and whether the number of lanes of the road is equal to or greater than a threshold, with priorities set in this order from 1 to 4. Now, consider a case where the road has a sidewalk and the lane width of the road is equal to or greater than a threshold.

[0051] In the acceleration setting process, using high-precision map data 46 acquired as environmental information, a determination is made as to whether or not a sidewalk is adjacent to the travel path, which has a priority of 1. If it is determined that a sidewalk is adjacent to the travel path, a determination is made as to whether or not the lane width of the travel path is equal to or greater than a threshold, which has a priority of 2. If it is determined that the lane width of the travel path is equal to or greater than the threshold, a determination is made as to whether or not the upper limit vehicle speed of the travel path is equal to or greater than a threshold, which has a priority of 3. In this determination, it is assumed that the upper limit vehicle speed of the travel path is determined to be lower than the threshold. In this case, an acceleration corresponding to priority 2 is set, and the drive unit 21 of the vehicle 1 is controlled via the drive ECU 11 so that the vehicle 1 travels in accordance with the set acceleration.

[0052] <Action and effect> As described above, the acceleration of the vehicle is set according to environmental information including information about the road on which the vehicle 1 is traveling. Then, using the environmental information, it is determined in this order whether the road has a sidewalk, the lane width of the road is equal to or greater than a threshold, the upper limit vehicle speed of the road is equal to or greater than a threshold, and the number of lanes on the road is equal to or greater than a threshold, and the acceleration is set according to the determination results, and the vehicle 1 is accelerated according to that acceleration. This allows control similar to human driving operations when accelerating the vehicle 1.

[0053] The acceleration is set using the high precision map data 46. Therefore, by updating the high precision map data 46, the acceleration can be set based on the latest information on features.

[0054] <Modification> Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention can be embodied in other forms.

[0055] For example, in the above embodiment, an example was described in which environmental information was acquired from high-precision map data 46, but environmental information may also be acquired by monocular camera 37. In this case, if a sidewalk is captured in the image captured by monocular camera 37, it can be determined that "a sidewalk is present next to the roadway." Similarly, for other determination items, the acceleration can be set by referring to the lane width, number of lanes, the numerical values ​​of signs indicating maximum vehicle speeds, and the like, captured in the image captured by monocular camera 37.

[0056] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the instruction to start autonomous driving is input from the HMI device 47 to the autonomous driving ECU 31, but the instruction to start autonomous driving may also be input from a server external to the vehicle 1 to the autonomous driving ECU 31 via a gateway ECU by data communication such as mobile wireless data communication. Furthermore, the instruction to start autonomous driving may also be input to the autonomous driving ECU 31 when the vehicle 1 reaches an autonomous driving start point set on the travel route.

[0057] In addition, various design modifications can be made to the above-described configuration within the scope of the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0058] 1: Vehicle 11: Drive ECU (vehicle control unit) 31: Autonomous driving ECU (vehicle control device, setting means) 46: High-precision map data (map information)

Claims

[Claim 1] a setting means for setting the acceleration of the vehicle by referring to a determination item determined using environmental information including information about a road on which the vehicle is traveling and a priority set for each of the determination items; The determination items include whether a sidewalk is provided on the roadway, whether the lane width of the roadway is equal to or greater than a threshold, whether the upper limit vehicle speed of the roadway is equal to or greater than a threshold, and whether the number of lanes of the roadway is equal to or greater than a threshold, A vehicle control device in which the priority is set in the following order: the road has a sidewalk, the lane width of the road is equal to or greater than a threshold, the upper limit vehicle speed of the road is equal to or greater than a threshold, and the number of lanes of the road is equal to or greater than a threshold.

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