Vehicle control system and vehicle control method

Abstract

To improve a safety of automatic travel of a vehicle.SOLUTION: A vehicle control system 1 of a vehicle V equipped with an automatic travel function comprises: a management device 20 that is arranged at a location other than the vehicle V and manages automatic travel of the vehicle V; and a detection device 10 that is mounted on the vehicle V and detects boarding of a passenger P to the vehicle V. Also, the vehicle control system 1 comprises a determination unit 31 that determines whether or not the passenger P is on board the vehicle V based on a detection result of the detection device 10. Also, the vehicle control system 1 comprises a first command unit 24 that is arranged in the management device 20 and outputs a first command to decelerate or stop the vehicle V during automatic traveling. Also, the vehicle control system 1 comprises a setting unit 23 that sets a travel route 50 for automatic travel according to the determination result of the determination unit 31.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a vehicle control system and a vehicle control method. [Background Art]

[0002] The vehicle control device disclosed in Patent Document 1 below includes a recognition unit and a driving control unit. The recognition unit recognizes the surrounding conditions of the vehicle. The driving control unit controls one or both of steering and acceleration / deceleration of the vehicle based on the surrounding conditions recognized by the recognition unit. Further, the driving control unit determines whether an occupant is on board the vehicle, and causes the vehicle to travel on different roads depending on whether it is determined that an occupant is on board the vehicle and when it is determined that no occupant is on board the vehicle. [Prior Art Literature] [Patent Literature]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2019-158646 [Summary of the Invention] [Problem to be Solved by the Invention]

[0004] Incidentally, when a vehicle equipped with an automatic driving function automatically travels within the premises of a predetermined facility, there are cases where the vehicle travels in a manned state with an occupant on board, and cases where the vehicle travels in an unmanned state with no occupant on board. Here, if automatic driving of the vehicle is controlled in the same manner in the manned state and the unmanned state, there is a risk that the safety of automatic driving of the vehicle cannot be sufficiently ensured. [Means for Solving the Problem]

[0005] The vehicle control system according to this disclosure is a vehicle control system for a vehicle equipped with an automatic driving function, comprising: a management device disposed at a location other than the vehicle for managing the automatic driving of the vehicle; a detection device mounted on the vehicle for detecting whether an occupant is on board the vehicle; a determination unit that determines whether an occupant is on board the vehicle based on the detection result of the detection device; a first command unit disposed on the management device for outputting a first command to decelerate or stop the vehicle during automatic driving; and a setting unit that sets the driving path for the automatic driving according to the determination result of the determination unit.

[0006] In the above-described vehicle control system, the setting unit sets the driving route to a first route when the determination unit determines that the vehicle is in a manned state with an occupant on board, and sets the driving route to a second route when the determination unit determines that the vehicle is in an unmanned state with no occupant on board. The first route is the route that minimizes the driving time between the vehicle's current position and its target destination, and the second route may be the route that minimizes the driving time between the current position and the target destination, and does not include restricted roads where automatic driving is restricted in the unmanned state.

[0007] In the above-described vehicle control system, the second route may be set along a road having a width wider than the width of the restricted road.

[0008] In the above-described vehicle control system, the first speed limit for the vehicle when traveling along the first route may be higher than the second speed limit for the vehicle when traveling along the second route.

[0009] In the above-described vehicle control system, the vehicle may be made to travel back and forth between the current position and the target point along the travel path by automatic driving.

[0010] The above-described vehicle control system comprises a second command unit installed in the vehicle that outputs a second command for decelerating or stopping the vehicle during automatic driving, and a driving control unit that decelerates or stops the vehicle in response to the input of the first command or the second command. The driving control unit may decelerate or stop the vehicle in response to the input of the first command or the second command if the determination unit determines that there is an occupant on board, and decelerate or stop the vehicle in response to the input of the first command if the determination unit determines that there is no occupant on board.

[0011] The vehicle control method according to this disclosure is a vehicle control method for a vehicle equipped with an automatic driving function, comprising: a management device disposed at a location other than the vehicle for managing the automatic driving of the vehicle; and a detection device mounted on the vehicle for detecting whether an occupant is on board the vehicle. Based on the detection result of the detection device, it is determined whether or not an occupant is on board the vehicle, and in response to a first command being output from a first command unit disposed in the management device, the vehicle is decelerated or stopped during automatic driving, and the driving path for the automatic driving is set according to the determination result of whether or not an occupant is on board the vehicle. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to this disclosure, the safety of autonomous driving of vehicles can be improved. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0013] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram showing a vehicle and management device to which the vehicle control system according to the embodiment is applied. [Figure 2] This is a block diagram showing an example of the overall configuration of a vehicle control system according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] This is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of the operation of a vehicle control system according to an embodiment, and shows a driving path that is set when it is determined that the vehicle is occupied. [Figure 4]This is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of the operation of a vehicle control system according to an embodiment, and shows a driving path that is set when it is determined that the vehicle is unmanned. [Figure 5] This is an activity diagram showing an example of the processing of the vehicle control system according to the embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0014] The following describes several exemplary embodiments with reference to the drawings. Elements having the same function are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations are omitted. In the drawings, FR and RR indicate the front and rear of the vehicle V in the longitudinal direction, respectively. LH indicates the left side of the vehicle V in the width direction. UP and DN indicate the top and bottom of the vehicle V in the vertical direction, respectively.

[0015] The vehicle control system 1 and vehicle control method according to this embodiment can be applied to the control of a vehicle V equipped with an automatic driving function. The vehicle V illustrated in Figure 1 is a towing vehicle composed of a towing vehicle V1 equipped with an automatic driving function and a towed vehicle V2 capable of carrying cargo 2. The vehicle V may also be driven by the driver P through steering, pedal operation, and other driving operations, without using the automatic driving function. The vehicle V is not limited to a towing vehicle, and may be a bus, van, or the like.

[0016] An automatic driving function is a function that controls the vehicle's movement automatically, without requiring driver intervention such as steering or pedal operation, based on the surrounding conditions, the vehicle's condition, or other factors. Since vehicle V is equipped with an automatic driving function, it is capable of automatic driving, accelerating, decelerating, and steering without any intervention from the driver. Furthermore, this automatic driving may include cases in which vehicle V automatically accelerates, decelerates, and steers without any intervention from the driver under predetermined driving conditions.

[0017] The vehicle V can perform automatic driving regardless of whether an occupant P is on board or not. In the following description, a state where an occupant P is on board the vehicle V is referred to as a "manned state", and a state where no occupant P is on board the vehicle V is referred to as an "unmanned state".

[0018] The vehicle V illustrated in FIG. 1 can automatically travel along a predetermined route within a facility premises. A road R on which the vehicle V can travel is provided at a predetermined position within the facility premises. Further, a building 3, a sidewalk (not shown), or the like may be provided or set around the road R (see FIGS. 3 and 4). Note that the places where the vehicle V can travel are not limited to facility premises.

[0019] The vehicle V illustrated in the drawings includes a position estimation device 4 for estimating the self-position of the vehicle V. The position estimation device 4 may be, for example, a LiDAR 4a (Light Detection and Ranging) or a GNSS receiver 4b. The GNSS receiver 4b is a receiving device for performing positioning using the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS). The self-position of the vehicle V may be estimated by applying, for example, SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) to point cloud data obtained by the LiDAR 4a. Further, the self-position may be estimated based on a signal received by the GNSS receiver 4b. By using the LiDAR 4a and the GNSS receiver 4b in combination, the self-position can be estimated more accurately regardless of whether the vehicle V is located indoors or outdoors. Since the vehicle V is equipped with a device for estimating its self-position in this way, it can automatically travel along a predetermined travel route. Note that the method for estimating the self-position is not limited to this, and for example, odometry navigation, inertial navigation, or the like may be used. Further, a known sensor such as a stereo camera, an acceleration sensor, or a gyro sensor may be appropriately used as the position estimation device 4.

[0020] Note that, in the illustrated example, the LiDAR 4a and the GNSS receiver 4b are arranged at the upper part of the cabin of the vehicle V, but the arrangement is not limited thereto. For example, the vehicle V may be provided with only one of the LiDAR 4a and the GNSS receiver 4b. The mounting position or mounting attitude of the position estimation device 4 can be appropriately set according to, for example, the shape of the vehicle V.

[0021] Further, the vehicle V includes a sensor 10 serving as a detection device that detects boarding of an occupant P onto the vehicle V. In the illustrated example, a seating sensor 10a serving as the sensor 10, or an in-vehicle camera 10b is mounted on the vehicle V. The seating sensor 10a is a device that detects seating of the occupant P on a vehicle seat, and is for example arranged inside the seating portion of the seat, and can detect a change in load input to the seating portion as a change in resistance value. The seat on which the seating sensor 10a is arranged is not particularly limited, and for example, the seating sensor 10a may be arranged on a driver's seat, a passenger seat, or another seat.

[0022] The in-vehicle camera 10b is a device capable of photographing the interior of the vehicle over time. By detecting the occupant P from an image photographed by the in-vehicle camera 10b, boarding of the occupant P onto the vehicle V can be detected. A known method can be applied when detecting the occupant P from the image. For example, the occupant P may be detected from the image by applying object recognition based on convolutional deep learning to the image. A plurality of in-vehicle cameras 10b may be attached to the vehicle compartment, and images respectively photographed by the plurality of in-vehicle cameras 10b may be combined. The attachment position or attitude of the in-vehicle camera 10b can be appropriately set according to, for example, the shape of the vehicle V.

[0023] In the vehicle control system 1, by using such a sensor 10, it is possible to detect whether the vehicle V is in a manned state or an unmanned state. Further, the sensor 10 can transmit a signal indicating a manned state or a signal indicating an unmanned state according to the detection result thereof to a determination unit 31 described later.

[0024] Furthermore, the occupant P is not limited to the driver of the vehicle V, but may be a person sitting in a location other than the driver's seat, such as the passenger seat. Also, the detection device only needs to be able to detect the presence of occupant P inside the vehicle, and its type is not particularly limited. For example, it may be either the seat sensor 10a or the in-vehicle camera 10b, or any known sensor such as a seat belt sensor (not shown) that detects the fastening or unfastening of a seat belt may be used as appropriate. In addition, auxiliary sensors that assist in detecting the boarding of occupant P, such as a door sensor (not shown) that detects the opening and closing of the doors of the vehicle V, may be used in combination. This allows for a more accurate detection of occupant P boarding the vehicle V by combining the detection results of the sensor 10 and the detection results of the auxiliary sensors. Furthermore, an input device (not shown) that detects the boarding of occupant P by a predetermined operation by occupant P may be used as the detection device.

[0025] Vehicle V may be equipped with an external camera 6 as an external sensor. The external camera 6 is a device capable of capturing images of the area around vehicle V over time. The external sensor is a device for detecting objects present around vehicle V, and may be, for example, a stereo camera, an infrared camera, an ultrasonic sonar, a millimeter-wave radar, or a LiDAR.

[0026] In the illustrated example, a single external camera 6 positioned on top of the vehicle V's cabin captures the area in front of the vehicle V, but this is not limited to this. For example, multiple external cameras 6 may be attached to the vehicle V to capture the areas to the left, right, and rear of the vehicle V. By combining the images captured by each camera, an image of the area around the vehicle V can be generated over time. Furthermore, the position or orientation of the external cameras 6 can be appropriately set, for example, according to the shape of the vehicle V.

[0027] Vehicle V may be equipped with a communication device 7. The communication device 7 is a device capable of communicating with a management device 20, which will be described later, and in the illustrated example, it is connected to a sensor 10, an external camera 6, and a controller 30, which will be described later. Therefore, data regarding the boarding of occupants P acquired by the sensor 10, and data regarding information about the vehicle V's surroundings acquired by the external camera 6 can be transmitted to the management device 20 via wireless communication through the communication device 7. The data transmission and reception interval between the communication device 7 and the management device 20 does not have to be constant and may be set appropriately according to, for example, processing load, communication load, etc. A position estimation device 4 may also be connected to the communication device 7. This allows the management device 20 to acquire the position of vehicle V.

[0028] Next, an example of the configuration of the vehicle control system 1 according to the embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 2.

[0029] First, the management device 20 included in the vehicle control system 1 will be described. As shown in the illustrated example, the vehicle control system 1 includes a management device 20 that manages the operation of vehicle V. The management device 20 is a device located elsewhere than vehicle V, and may be installed in a control facility that monitors the status of vehicle V, the surrounding environment of vehicle V, the conditions within the facility, etc. A user U, acting as an administrator using the management device 20, can manage vehicle V through the management device 20. The management device 20 may include a general-purpose microcomputer having a CPU (Central Processing Unit), memory, input / output unit, etc. A computer program containing default rules or instructions for managing the operation of vehicle V is installed in the microcomputer's memory. By executing this computer program, the microcomputer can manage the operation of vehicle V.

[0030] The management device 20 is configured to communicate wirelessly with the controller 30 via the communication device 7, and can receive output from the controller 30 or provide input to the controller 30. In the illustrated example, the management device 20 and the external camera 6 are wirelessly connected via the communication device 7, and the management device 20 can receive images of the area around the vehicle V captured by the external camera 6. Note that the communication device 7 is not shown in Figure 2.

[0031] The management device 20 may include a display unit 21, for example, which is composed of a touch panel display. This allows the display unit 21 to display images of the area around the vehicle V captured by the external camera 6. Therefore, the user U can monitor the situation around the vehicle V via the management device 20. The information displayed on the display unit 21 is not limited to this; for example, the display unit 21 may display information related to the vehicle V's driving status, such as speed, acceleration, and steering angle, as well as information related to the vehicle V's driving plan within the facility premises. The method by which the user U monitors the situation around the vehicle V is not limited to monitoring via the external camera 6 and the display unit 21. For example, the user U may monitor by directly visually inspecting the vehicle V and its surroundings.

[0032] The management device 20 may include an input unit 22. The input unit 22 is configured to allow the management device 20 to perform predetermined operations. These operations are not particularly limited and may include, for example, an operation to input the current position of the vehicle V, or an operation to start automatic driving of the vehicle V. The input unit 22 may be a switch set on the display surface of the display unit 21, or it may be a switch provided independently of the display unit 21.

[0033] Furthermore, the management device 20 illustrated in the figure includes a setting unit 23. The setting unit 23 sets the driving plan for the vehicle V and can transmit the driving plan to the driving control unit 32 of the controller 30, which will be described later. The driving plan is information representing the conditions for when the vehicle V is driving automatically, and multiple driving plans may be stored in the storage unit 25, which is composed of a recording medium such as memory or a hard disk. The driving plan includes a driving path 50, which is the path that the vehicle V will travel when it is driving automatically. In addition, the setting unit 23 can set the driving plan for the vehicle V according to the determination result of the determination unit 31, which will be described later.

[0034] The travel route 50 may include multiple travel routes, such as the first route 50a and the second route 50b illustrated in Figures 3 and 4. The setting unit 23 can also set the travel route 50 on which the vehicle V will automatically travel, according to the determination result of the determination unit 31. For example, if the determination unit 31 determines that the vehicle V is in a manned state, the travel route 50 may be set to the first route 50a, and if the determination unit 31 determines that the vehicle V is unmanned, the travel route 50 may be set to the second route 50b.

[0035] The driving plan may include the speed of vehicle V at each point along the driving route during automatic driving. The driving plan may also include values ​​for controlling changes in the behavior of vehicle V. Changes in the behavior of vehicle V refer to changes in the movement of vehicle V while stationary or in motion, and are controlled, for example, by acceleration, deceleration, jerk, yaw rate, or upper or lower limits of these values. Jerk is a value that indicates the change in acceleration per unit time, and is also called jerk or jerk. By transmitting such a driving plan to the driving control unit 32, the management device 20 can manage the automatic driving of vehicle V.

[0036] Furthermore, the management device 20 illustrated in Figure 2 includes a first command unit 24. The first command unit 24 can output a first command. The first command is a command to decelerate or stop the vehicle V during automatic driving, and may consist of predetermined signals. That is, the vehicle control system 1 can decelerate or stop the vehicle V during automatic driving by outputting a first command from the first command unit 24. In the illustrated example, the first command unit 24 can also output a first command to the driving control unit 32. For example, the first command unit 24 may output a first command in response to an operation of the input unit 22 by the user U.

[0037] Next, the controller 30 will be described. The controller 30 is a device that performs the processing necessary for controlling the movement of the vehicle V, and is mounted on the vehicle V. The controller 30 is a general-purpose microcomputer equipped with a CPU (Central Processing Unit), memory, input / output unit, etc. The microcomputer's memory has a computer program installed that includes default rules or instructions for controlling the movement of the vehicle V. By executing this computer program, the microcomputer can control the movement of the vehicle V.

[0038] The controller 30 illustrated in Figure 2 comprises a determination unit 31 and a driving control unit 32. The controller 30 may also be connected to a position estimation device 4, a sensor 10, a steering actuator 41, an accelerator pedal actuator 42, and a brake actuator 43. Furthermore, the controller 30 is connected to the management device 20 via a communication device 7 (see Figure 1).

[0039] The determination unit 31 determines whether or not an occupant P is on board the vehicle V based on the detection result from the sensor 10. That is, if the determination unit 31 receives a signal from the sensor 10 indicating that the vehicle V is occupied, it determines that an occupant P is on board the vehicle V. Conversely, if the determination unit 31 receives a signal from the sensor 10 indicating that the vehicle V is unoccupied, it determines that an occupant P is not on board the vehicle V. The determination unit 31 can transmit the determination result to the management device 20. The determination unit 31 may also be configured to transmit the determination result to the driving control unit 32.

[0040] The driving control unit 32 controls, for example, the steering actuator 41, accelerator pedal actuator 42, brake actuator 43, etc., so that the vehicle V automatically drives according to the driving plan acquired from the setting unit 23. However, the method by which the driving control unit 32 controls the automatic driving of the vehicle V is not limited to this. For example, if vehicle V uses by-wire technology, the driving control unit 32 may generate a signal to control automatic driving and transmit it to an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) (not shown). The ECU is a device that electrically controls the steering angle, speed, acceleration, deceleration, etc., of the vehicle V in accordance with the input control signal. The by-wire technology may also include, for example, steering by-wire technology, accelerator by-wire technology, brake by-wire technology, etc. This allows the driving control unit 32 to electrically control the automatic driving of the vehicle V via the ECU. The driving control unit 32 may also function as the ECU. In that case, the driving control unit 32 may electrically control the steering angle, speed, acceleration, deceleration, etc., of the vehicle V using by-wire technology so that the vehicle V automatically drives according to the driving plan acquired from the setting unit 23. In response to receiving a first command from the first command unit 24 of the management device 20, the driving control unit 32 may perform control to decelerate or stop the vehicle V. The driving control unit 32 may also obtain a determination result from the determination unit 31 as to whether or not an occupant P is on board the vehicle V, and control the automatic driving of the vehicle V according to the determination result.

[0041] The controller 30 may include a second command unit 33. The second command unit 33 can output a second command. The second command is a command to decelerate or stop the vehicle V during automatic driving, and may consist of predetermined signals. In the example shown in Figure 2, the second command unit 33 can output a second command to the driving control unit 32. For example, a stop switch (not shown) for emergency stopping of the vehicle V may be placed inside the vehicle, and the second command may be output from the second command unit 33 in response to the stop switch being pressed. Furthermore, the driving control unit 32 may be configured to perform control to decelerate or stop the vehicle V upon receiving the second command. That is, the driving control unit 32 may be configured to decelerate or stop the vehicle V in response to the input of either the first command or the second command.

[0042] Next, an example of the operation of the vehicle control system 1 according to the embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 3 and 4.

[0043] Figures 3 and 4 schematically show an example of a travel path 50 for vehicle V when transporting cargo 2 within a facility. The travel path 50 represents the path taken when vehicle V, which is stopped at point P1 as its current position, automatically travels to point P6 as its target point. For example, vehicle V loaded with cargo 2 in facility 3a leaves facility 3a and proceeds from point P1 to point P6. Upon reaching point P6, vehicle V enters facility 3b and unloads the transported cargo 2. Therefore, in the illustrated example, vehicle V is automatically driven from point P1 to point P6. In this case, the vehicle control system 1 can control vehicle V to automatically travel along a more suitable travel path 50 depending on whether vehicle V is manned or unmanned.

[0044] Points P2 to P5, illustrated in the diagram, are branching points on the travel path 50. On the first path 50a, vehicle V automatically travels from point P1 to point P2, from point P2 to point P5, and from point P5 to point P6 (see Figure 3). On the second path 50b, vehicle V automatically travels from point P1 to point P2, from point P2 to point P3, from point P3 to point P4, from point P4 to P5, and from point P5 to point P6 (see Figure 4).

[0045] Of the roads R, road R1 between points P1 and P2, road R2 between points P2 and P3, road R3 between points P3 and P4, road R4 between points P4 and P5, and road R5 between points P5 and P6 are set to a relatively wide width W1. On the other hand, of the roads R, road R6 between points P2 and P5 is set to a narrower width W2 than W1. Therefore, compared to roads R1 to R5, road R6 is more prone to creating blind spots from the perspective of a moving vehicle V due to objects in the vicinity of the vehicle V, resulting in a poor visibility environment. Conversely, roads R1 to R5 are less prone to creating blind spots from the perspective of a vehicle V and have better visibility compared to road R6. Therefore, roads R1 to R5 are safer when driving autonomously than road R6. In addition, road R6 is set as a restricted road where autonomous driving without a driver is limited.

[0046] In Figure 3, the vehicle V is shown with an occupant P on board. Therefore, the sensor 10 detects the presence of occupant P in vehicle V, and the determination unit 31 determines that vehicle V is occupied. At this time, the setting unit 23 sets the automatic driving route 50 of vehicle V to the first route 50a. In Figure 4, the vehicle V is shown without an occupant P on board. Therefore, the sensor 10 does not detect the presence of occupant P in vehicle V, and the determination unit 31 determines that vehicle V is unoccupied. At this time, the setting unit 23 sets the automatic driving route 50 of vehicle V to the second route 50b. Thus, the setting unit 23 may be configured to set the driving route 50 to the first route 50a in response to the determination unit 31 determining that the vehicle is occupied, and to set the driving route 50 to the second route 50b in response to the determination unit 31 determining that the vehicle is unoccupied.

[0047] Furthermore, when the travel path 50 of vehicle V is set to the first path 50a, vehicle V may decelerate or stop in response to the input of the first command or the second command. That is, the travel control unit 32 may be configured to decelerate or stop vehicle V in response to the input of the first command or the second command when the determination unit 31 determines that the vehicle is in a manned state. Furthermore, when the travel path 50 of vehicle V is set to the second path 50b, vehicle V may decelerate or stop in response to the input of the first command. That is, the travel control unit 32 may be configured to decelerate or stop vehicle V in response to the input of the first command when the determination unit 31 determines that the vehicle is unmanned.

[0048] The first route 50a is the route that minimizes the travel time between the current position and the vehicle V's target point. Although the first route 50a travels along the relatively narrow road R6, the vehicle V is occupied, thus ensuring greater safety during travel. For example, even if another object appears near the vehicle V while it is traveling along road R6, the occupant P can issue a second command, which can decelerate or stop the vehicle V, thus ensuring safety during travel. Furthermore, since the first route 50a is determined to minimize the travel time to the target point, the amount of cargo 2 transported per unit time by the vehicle V is improved. In other words, the transport efficiency of the vehicle V can be improved.

[0049] The second route 50b does not include the restricted road R6 and is the route that minimizes travel time between the current position and the target point. In the unmanned state, there is no occupant P in the vehicle V. Therefore, if, for example, another object appears near the moving vehicle V, the user U of the management device 20 can issue a first command to decelerate or stop the vehicle V, thereby ensuring the safety of the automated driving. Here, in the second route 50b, the vehicle V does not travel on road R6, but is set to travel on wider roads R1 to R5. In other words, the second route 50b may be set along roads that are wider than the restricted road R6. To put it another way, the second route 50b may be set along roads that offer better visibility from the vehicle V than the restricted road R6. This ensures that the vehicle V travels in a safer environment. Therefore, even in the unmanned state of automated driving, the driving safety of the vehicle V can be more reliably ensured. Furthermore, the second route 50b is designed to avoid driving on the restricted road R6 during unmanned automated driving, while also minimizing the travel time between the current location and the target location. This improves the transport efficiency of vehicle V.

[0050] Furthermore, the first route 50a and the second route 50b were determined based on a road map of the facility premises obtained in advance, using the Dijkstra method, the Bellman-Ford method, and A * The route may be determined using algorithms such as laws. For example, a weight may be assigned to each of the roads R1 to R6 based on the travel time required to pass through each of them, and the route with the shortest travel time from point P1 to point P6 may be determined by applying the algorithm. Also, when determining the second route 50b, by excluding road R6 from the list of traversable roads in advance, a route that avoids passing through restricted roads and has the shortest travel time can be determined. Note that the weight for each of the roads R1 to R6 may be a value obtained by dividing the travel distance on that road by the speed limit set for that road. This makes it easier to determine the first route 50a and the second route 50b.

[0051] The setting unit 23 may set the first speed limit for vehicle V to be higher than the second speed limit. The first speed limit is the upper limit of the automatic speed of vehicle V when there is a person on board. The second speed limit is the upper limit of the automatic speed of vehicle V when there is no person on board. That is, the first speed limit for vehicle V when traveling automatically on the first route 50a may be higher than the second speed limit for vehicle V when traveling automatically on the second route 50b. This makes it possible to more reliably improve the transport efficiency of vehicle V by automatic driving when there is a person on board. Furthermore, since the second speed limit is lower than the first speed limit, it is possible to more reliably improve the safety of automatic driving of vehicle V when there is no person on board. The values ​​of the first and second speed limits are not particularly limited, but for example, when vehicle V is traveling automatically within the premises of a facility, the first speed limit may be 20 km / h to 60 km / h, and the second speed limit may be 20 km / h to 40 km / h.

[0052] In the examples shown in Figures 3 and 4, routes were set that automatically traveled on roads that differed slightly between the manned and unmanned states, but this is not limited to this. For example, the route automatically traveled when manned and the route automatically traveled when unmanned may be the same. Alternatively, routes that automatically traveled on completely different roads may be set for the manned and unmanned states.

[0053] In the examples shown in Figures 3 and 4, the vehicle V is shown automatically traveling from point P1 to point P6. However, the vehicle V may be controlled to automatically travel back and forth between point P1 and point P6. That is, the travel control unit 32 may control the vehicle V to automatically travel back and forth between the current position P1 and the target point P6 along the travel path 50. In the illustrated example, on the return trip, point P6 becomes the current position and point P1 becomes the target point. This makes it possible to further improve the transport efficiency when transporting cargo 2 between point P1 and point P6, for example.

[0054] Next, we will further explain an example of the processing of the vehicle control system 1, referring to the activity diagram in Figure 5.

[0055] In the illustrated example, in step S100, an occupant P boards the vehicle V. The location where the occupant P boards the vehicle V is not particularly limited; for example, the occupant P may board the vehicle V while it is stopped at point P1 within the facility grounds (see Figures 3 and 4). If the vehicle V is to be driven automatically without an occupant P boarding, step S100 is omitted.

[0056] In step S101, user U inputs the current location of the stationary vehicle V and the target location to the management device 20. In the example shown in Figures 3 and 4, the current location is point P1 and the target location is point P6. The input method is not particularly limited; for example, user U may select the current location of vehicle V and the target location from predetermined candidates stored in the storage unit 25. Alternatively, for example, a map including roads R that vehicle V can travel on may be displayed on the display unit 21, and user U may set any point on the map as the current location of vehicle V or the target location. The process then proceeds to step S102.

[0057] In step S102, the management device 20 requests the controller 30 to detect the presence or absence of occupant P inside the vehicle V. This detection request may be made automatically as soon as user U completes the input in S101. Alternatively, the detection request may be made after user U performs a predetermined operation following the input in S101. The process then proceeds to step S103.

[0058] In step S103, the controller 30 uses the sensor 10 to detect an occupant P inside the vehicle V. The method of detection is not particularly limited and may be performed using, for example, at least one of the seat sensor 10a and the in-vehicle camera 10b, or the seat belt sensor, or auxiliary sensors may be used in combination. In the example shown in Figure 5, an occupant P is in the vehicle V in step S100. Therefore, the sensor 10 detects the occupant P and transmits a signal to the determination unit 31 of the controller 30 indicating that the vehicle V is occupied. The process then proceeds to step S104. If an occupant P is not in the vehicle V, the sensor 10 transmits a signal to the determination unit 31 indicating that the vehicle V is unoccupied.

[0059] In step S104, the determination unit 31 determines whether or not there is an occupant P in the vehicle V based on the detection result of the sensor 10. In the illustrated example, occupant P is detected in step S103. Therefore, in step S104, the determination unit 31 determines that occupant P is on board the vehicle V. The process then proceeds to step S105. If occupant P is not detected in step S103, the determination unit 31 determines in step S104 that occupant P is not on board the vehicle V.

[0060] In step S105, the determination unit 31 transmits the determination result from step S104 to the management device 20. At this time, information 60 indicating the presence or absence of an occupant is output to the management device 20. In the illustrated example, in step S104, the determination unit 31 determines that an occupant P is on board the vehicle V, so the information 60 is information indicating that the vehicle V is occupied. The process then proceeds to step S106. If the determination unit 31 determines in step S104 that there is no occupant P on board the vehicle V, then the information 60 will be information indicating that the vehicle V is unoccupied. The information 60 is also transmitted to the driving control unit 32 of the controller 30 and may be used to control the automatic driving of the vehicle V in step S111, which will be described later.

[0061] In step S106, the setting unit 23 of the management device 20 sets the driving plan for vehicle V according to the determination result of the determination unit 31. In the illustrated example, since the determination unit 31 determines in step S105 that vehicle V is in a manned state, the driving plan for vehicle V is set to a manned driving plan, which is the driving plan for when manned vehicle V is driving automatically. The manned driving plan may, for example, cause vehicle V to drive automatically along the first route 50a (see Figure 3). If the determination unit 31 determines in step S105 that vehicle V is unmanned, the driving plan for vehicle V is set to an unmanned driving plan, which is the driving plan for when unmanned vehicle V is driving automatically. The unmanned driving plan may, for example, cause vehicle V to drive automatically along the second route 50b (see Figure 4). In this way, the setting unit 23 can set the driving route 50 for vehicle V according to the determination result of the determination unit 31. In the manned driving plan, the upper limit of vehicle V's speed may be set to a first speed limit. Furthermore, in the unmanned driving plan, the upper limit of vehicle V's speed may be set as the second speed limit.

[0062] In the illustrated example, the setting unit 23 refers to the candidate driving plan 61 previously stored in the storage unit 25 and selects either a manned driving plan or an unmanned driving plan according to the determination of the determination unit 31 in step S105. The candidate driving plan 61 is a candidate driving plan for when the vehicle V is driven automatically, and may include, for example, a manned driving plan and an unmanned driving plan predetermined for each combination of the vehicle V's current position and target point.

[0063] After step S106, the process proceeds to step S107. In step S107, the setting unit 23 transmits the travel plan 62 to the travel control unit 32. In the illustrated example, the travel plan 62 is a manned travel plan. The process then proceeds to step S108. If the setting unit 23 set an unmanned travel plan as the travel plan for vehicle V in step S106, the travel plan 62 transmitted in step S107 will be an unmanned travel plan.

[0064] In step S108, the management device 20 displays information regarding the vehicle V's travel plan on the display unit 21. For example, the display unit 21 may display the first route 50a on which the vehicle V will automatically travel in a manned travel plan. The method of displaying the travel plan on the display unit 21 is not particularly limited; for example, the route on which the vehicle V is scheduled to automatically travel may be superimposed on a map image corresponding to the facility grounds. The process then proceeds to step S109. The information regarding the travel plan displayed on the display unit 21 is not limited to the vehicle V's travel route 50; for example, the speed, acceleration, deceleration, jerk, steering angle, yaw rate, or upper or lower limits of these values ​​when the vehicle V is automatically traveling may be displayed.

[0065] In step S109, user U instructs vehicle V to start automatic driving. For example, user U may instruct the start of automatic driving by performing a predetermined operation on the input unit 22 of the management device 20. The process then proceeds to step S110.

[0066] In step S110, the management device 20 instructs the controller 30 to start the automatic driving of vehicle V. The process then proceeds to step S111. Note that the instruction from the management device 20 to the controller 30 to start the automatic driving may be made without waiting for the user U's operation in step S109. In that case, step S109 may be omitted, and the processing in step S110 may be performed after step S108, or the same processing as in step S109 may be included in step S101.

[0067] In step S111, the controller 30 initiates automatic driving of the vehicle V. That is, according to the driving plan 62 transmitted from the setting unit 23 in step S107, the driving control unit 32 begins driving control of the vehicle V. This allows the manned vehicle V to automatically drive, for example, along the first route 50a (see Figure 3). At this time, the driving control unit 32 may decelerate or stop the vehicle V in response to the input of the first command or the second command. If the driving plan 62 transmitted in step S107 is an unmanned driving plan, the unmanned vehicle V can automatically drive, for example, along the second route 50b (see Figure 4). At this time, the driving control unit 32 may decelerate or stop the vehicle V in response to the input of the first command.

[0068] The driving control unit 32 may control the automatic driving of the vehicle V in accordance with the information 60 indicating the presence or absence of an occupant obtained from the determination unit 31. For example, the driving control unit 32 may control changes in the behavior of the vehicle V when it is driving automatically, depending on the presence or absence of an occupant. In this case, changes in the behavior of the vehicle V can be controlled by controlling the acceleration, deceleration, jerk, yaw rate, or the upper or lower limits of these values. In addition, the manned driving plan or unmanned driving plan set in step S106 may include information for controlling changes in the behavior of the vehicle V. In that case, the determination unit 31 does not need to transmit the information 60 to the driving control unit 32.

[0069] The vehicle control system 1 can further improve the safety of autonomous driving or the efficiency of transport by controlling changes in the behavior of the vehicle V when it is autonomously driving. In one embodiment, the driving control unit 32 may control changes in the behavior of the vehicle V under a first condition in response to the determination unit 31 determining that it is in a manned state, and control changes in the behavior of the vehicle V under a second condition in response to the determination unit 31 determining that it is in an unmanned state. Here, the first and second conditions may be set such that the change in the behavior of the vehicle V under the first condition is smaller than the change in the behavior of the vehicle V under the second condition. For example, the value of at least one element among acceleration, deceleration, jerk, yaw rate, and the upper and lower limits of these values ​​under the first condition may be set to be smaller than the value of the element corresponding to that element under the second condition.

[0070] This suppresses changes in the behavior of vehicle V during autonomous driving with an occupant, reducing the discomfort felt by the occupant P due to acceleration, deceleration, etc., of vehicle V. In other words, it can further improve the safety and comfort of autonomous driving of vehicle V with an occupant. Furthermore, in autonomous driving without an occupant, there is no need to reduce the discomfort felt by the occupant P, so larger changes in behavior can be tolerated. Therefore, vehicle V can be controlled to reach the target destination from the current location in a shorter time. In other words, it can further improve the transport efficiency of vehicle V in the unoccupied state.

[0071] In the above description, the vehicle control system 1 was explained using as an example a method in which the management device 20 stores candidate driving plans 61 in advance and the management device 20 selects a driving plan depending on whether or not an occupant P is on board, but it is not limited to this. For example, in step S106, the setting unit 23 may generate a first route 50a or a second route 50b without referring to the candidate driving plans 61 that have been stored in advance. That is, the management device 20 may generate a driving plan 62 for the vehicle V according to the determination result of the determination unit 31. This allows, for example, the user U to appropriately set restricted roads where unmanned automatic driving is restricted depending on the conditions within the facility, and the setting unit 23 to generate a route in which the unmanned vehicle V will automatically drive while excluding such restricted roads. In other words, it is possible to generate a driving plan that more appropriately reflects the driving environment of the vehicle V.

[0072] Furthermore, in the above description, the setting unit 23 provided in the management device 20 set the driving plan for the vehicle V according to the determination result of the determination unit 31 in step S106, and transmitted the driving plan 62 to the driving control unit 32 in step S107, but this is not limited to this. For example, the setting unit 23 may be provided in the controller 30. Alternatively, the controller 30 may be provided with a storage unit (not shown) consisting of a recording medium such as memory or a hard disk, and the driving plan candidates 61 may be stored in the storage unit. This allows the processing in steps S106 and S107 to be performed in the controller 30. As a result, the amount of data transmitted and received between the management device 20 and the controller 30 can be reduced, and the processing load of the management device 20 can be suppressed.

[0073] Next, the effects and benefits of the vehicle control system 1 and vehicle control method according to this embodiment will be described.

[0074] (1) The vehicle control system 1 according to this embodiment is a vehicle control system for a vehicle V equipped with an automatic driving function. The vehicle control system 1 includes a management device 20 installed in a location other than the vehicle V to manage the automatic driving of the vehicle V, and a detection device 10 mounted on the vehicle V to detect whether an occupant P is on board the vehicle V. The vehicle control system 1 also includes a determination unit 31 that determines whether or not an occupant P is on board the vehicle V based on the detection result of the detection device 10. The vehicle control system 1 also includes a first command unit 24 installed in the management device 20 that outputs a first command to decelerate or stop the vehicle V while it is in automatic driving mode. The vehicle control system 1 also includes a setting unit 23 that sets the driving path 50 for automatic driving according to the determination result of the determination unit 31.

[0075] According to the vehicle control system 1 of this embodiment, the travel path 50 on which the vehicle V automatically travels can be set depending on whether or not an occupant P is on board the vehicle V. Therefore, for example, when the vehicle V automatically transports cargo 2 within a facility, the travel path 50 can be set more appropriately depending on whether or not there is an occupant P. This ensures the safety of the vehicle V's operation and improves transport efficiency. Furthermore, the vehicle control system 1 can decelerate or stop the vehicle V while it is automatically traveling based on a signal from the management device 20. Therefore, the safety of the vehicle V's automatic operation can be further improved.

[0076] (2) The setting unit 23 may set the travel route 50 to the first route 50a in response to the determination unit 31 determining that the vehicle is in a manned state with an occupant P on board. Alternatively, the setting unit 23 may set the travel route 50 to the second route 50b in response to the determination unit 31 determining that the vehicle is in an unmanned state with no occupant P on board. The first route 50a may be the route that has the shortest travel time between the vehicle V's current position P1 and the vehicle V's target point P6. The second route 50b may be the route that does not include the restricted road R6 on which automatic driving in an unmanned state is restricted, among the roads R between the current position P1 and the target point P6, and that has the shortest travel time between the current position P1 and the target point P6.

[0077] As a result, in a manned vehicle V, the travel route 50 is set to minimize the travel time between the current position P1 and the target point P6. Furthermore, in an unmanned vehicle V, the travel route 50 is set to minimize the travel time between the current position P1 and the target point P6, and to avoid traveling on restricted roads R6. Therefore, for example, the transport efficiency of vehicle V transporting cargo 2 within a facility can be more reliably improved, and the safety of automated driving can be more reliably improved.

[0078] (3) The second route 50b may be set along a road R having a width W1 that is wider than the width W2 of the restricted road R6.

[0079] This allows vehicle V to operate in a safer environment. Therefore, even when operating autonomously without a driver, the driving safety of vehicle V can be more reliably ensured.

[0080] (4) The first speed limit for vehicle V when traveling on the first route 50a may be higher than the second speed limit for vehicle V when traveling on the second route 50b.

[0081] This will more reliably improve the transport efficiency of vehicle V when it is driven autonomously with a driver present. Furthermore, it will more reliably improve the safety of vehicle V when it is driven autonomously without a driver present.

[0082] (5) The vehicle control system 1 may automatically drive the vehicle V back and forth between the current position P1 and the target point P6 along the travel path 50.

[0083] This allows vehicle V to travel back and forth between predetermined points. For example, cargo 2 can be loaded onto vehicle V within a facility near point P1 within the facility grounds, transported to point P6, unloaded within a facility near point P6, and then vehicle V can be automatically driven back towards point P1. Consequently, the efficiency of transport between predetermined points can be further improved.

[0084] (6) The vehicle control system 1 may include a second command unit 33 installed in the vehicle V that outputs a second command for decelerating or stopping the vehicle V while it is automatically driving. The vehicle control system 1 may also include a driving control unit 32 that decelerates or stops the vehicle V in response to the input of a first command or a second command. The driving control unit 32 may decelerate or stop the vehicle V in response to the input of a first command or a second command when the determination unit 31 determines that an occupant P is on board. The driving control unit 32 may also decelerate or stop the vehicle V in response to the input of a first command when the determination unit 31 determines that an occupant P is not on board.

[0085] This allows the vehicle V to be decelerated or stopped in response to commands from the first command unit 24 or the second command unit 33 when the vehicle is occupied. In other words, when the vehicle is occupied, the occupant P can control the automatic driving by decelerating or stopping the vehicle V, for example, depending on the conditions around the vehicle V. Also, when the vehicle is unoccupied, the vehicle V can be decelerated or stopped in response to commands from the first command unit 24. Therefore, the safety of the automatic driving of the vehicle V can be more reliably improved.

[0086] (7) The vehicle control method according to the embodiment is a vehicle control method for a vehicle V equipped with an automatic driving function, comprising a management device 20 disposed at a location other than the vehicle V for managing the automatic driving of the vehicle V, and a detection device 10 mounted on the vehicle V for detecting whether an occupant P is on board the vehicle V. The vehicle control method determines whether or not an occupant P is on board the vehicle V based on the detection result of the detection device 10. The vehicle control method also decelerates or stops the vehicle V during automatic driving in response to a first command output from a first command unit 24 disposed in the management device 20. The vehicle control method also sets an automatic driving route 50 according to the determination result of whether or not an occupant P is on board the vehicle V.

[0087] According to the vehicle control method of this embodiment, the travel path 50 on which the vehicle V automatically travels can be set depending on whether or not an occupant P is on board the vehicle V. Therefore, for example, when the vehicle V automatically transports cargo 2 within the premises, the travel path 50 can be set more appropriately depending on whether or not there is an occupant P. This ensures the safety of the vehicle V's operation and improves the efficiency of transport. Furthermore, in this vehicle control method, the vehicle V traveling automatically can be decelerated or stopped by a signal from the management device 20. Therefore, the safety of the vehicle V's automatic operation can be further improved.

[0088] This disclosure can contribute, for example, to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 9, "Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation."

[0089] Although several embodiments have been described above, it is possible to modify or transform the embodiments based on the above disclosure. All components of the above embodiments and all features described in the claims may be individually selected and combined, provided that they do not contradict each other. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0090] P Crew P1 point (current position) P6 point (target point) R road R6 road (restricted road) V Vehicle W1 width W2 width 1. Vehicle control system 10 Sensors (detection devices) 20 Management device 23. Settings Section 24 1st Command Department 31 Judgment section 32 Driving control unit 33 2nd Command Department 50 Route 50a Route 1 50b Second Route

Claims

1. A vehicle control system for a vehicle equipped with an autonomous driving function, A management device installed in a location other than the vehicle, which manages the automatic driving of the vehicle, A detection device installed in the vehicle for detecting the presence of occupants in the vehicle, A determination unit that determines whether or not the occupant is in the vehicle based on the detection result of the detection device, The control device includes a first command unit that outputs a first command for decelerating or stopping the vehicle while it is automatically driving, A setting unit sets the driving route for automatic driving according to the determination result of the determination unit, Equipped with, The setting unit sets the travel route to a first route when the determination unit determines that the vehicle is in a manned state with a passenger on board, and sets the travel route to a second route when the determination unit determines that the vehicle is in an unmanned state with no passenger on board. The first route is the route that minimizes the travel time between the vehicle's current location and the vehicle's target location. The second route is a route that does not include any restricted roads between the current location and the target location where the automated driving in the unmanned state is restricted, and which has the shortest travel time between the current location and the target location. Vehicle control system.

2. The vehicle control system according to claim 1, wherein the second route is set along a road having a width wider than the width of the restricted road.

3. The vehicle control system according to claim 1, wherein the first speed limit for the vehicle when traveling along the first route is higher than the second speed limit for the vehicle when traveling along the second route.

4. The vehicle control system according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle is made to travel back and forth between the current position and the target point along the travel path by automatic driving.

5. A second command unit is installed in the vehicle, which outputs a second command for decelerating or stopping the vehicle while it is automatically driving. A driving control unit that decelerates or stops the vehicle in response to the input of the first command or the second command, Equipped with, The vehicle control system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the driving control unit decelerates or stops the vehicle in response to the input of the first command or the second command when the determination unit determines that there is an occupant on board, and decelerates or stops the vehicle in response to the input of the first command when the determination unit determines that there is no occupant on board.

6. A vehicle control method for a vehicle equipped with an autonomous driving function, A management device installed in a location other than the vehicle, which manages the automatic driving of the vehicle, A detection device installed in the vehicle for detecting the presence of occupants in the vehicle, Equipped with, Based on the detection results of the detection device, it is determined whether or not the occupant is in the vehicle. In response to a first command being output from the first command unit installed in the control device, the vehicle that is automatically driving is decelerated or stopped. The automatic driving route is set according to the determination result of whether or not the occupant is on board the vehicle. In response to determining that the vehicle is in a manned state with the aforementioned crew members on board, the vehicle's travel route is set to the first route; and in response to determining that the vehicle is in an unmanned state with the aforementioned crew members not on board, the vehicle's travel route is set to the second route. The first route is the route that minimizes the travel time between the vehicle's current location and the vehicle's target location. The second route is a route that does not include any restricted roads between the current location and the target location where the automated driving in the unmanned state is restricted, and which has the shortest travel time between the current location and the target location. Vehicle control method.

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