Method for improving data protection during a journey with a motor vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for improving data protection during a journey with a motor vehicle (1). The method is characterised by the following steps: detecting vehicle surroundings of the motor vehicle (1) by means of cameras (2) and / or sensors installed in the motor vehicle (1); identifying other road users (3) in the vehicle surroundings; comparing the identified road users (3) with road users (6) stored in a database (5) in the motor vehicle (1) and / or in a backend system (4) connected to the motor vehicle (1), said road users (6) being categorised as not trusted; if at least one identified road user (3) matches a road user (6) categorised as not trusted, outputting a warning and / or action recommendation to a vehicle driver of the motor vehicle (1) and / or initiating predefined vehicle controls of the motor vehicle (1).

Description

[0001] Procedures for improving data protection while driving a motor vehicle

[0002] The present invention relates to a method for improving data protection while driving a motor vehicle.

[0003] Today, motor vehicles are equipped with a variety of assistance systems to enable more or less autonomous driving and to make the journey comfortable and safe for the driver and other occupants. Such assistance systems include cameras and sensors that continuously monitor the vehicle's surroundings.

[0004] DE 102019204849 A1 discloses a method for determining a potential hazard posed by potentially boarding passengers for a vehicle or by passengers already boarded in the vehicle. A control unit receives a transport request from a potential passenger, receives measurement data from a vehicle sensor system, evaluates the measurement data from the vehicle sensor system, determines the potential hazard posed by the potential passenger in the vicinity of the vehicle, and, depending on this, access to the vehicle is either denied or permitted.

[0005] DE 102019206 870 A1 discloses a method for dynamic hazard detection by determining a hazard caused by a road user and initiating monitoring of the road user.

[0006] DE 102020203 942 A1 discloses a method for proactively avoiding a collision between a vehicle and another road user by intuitive hazard detection.

[0007] DE 102020 100 125 B3 disclosed a method and a device for preparing a motor vehicle for the driving behavior of another vehicle. US 11 351 992 B2 describes a method and a system for assisting a driver of a motor vehicle to drive with normal caution. The motor vehicle has cameras and sensors that detect other road users in the vehicle's surroundings, and measures are taken to increase safety based on this and the driver's further detected attention level.

[0008] In principle, such cameras and sensors that record the vehicle's surroundings can be used for unauthorized data recording and surveillance of other road users, even for espionage purposes. Therefore, spatial and / or temporal bans have already been issued on the presence of certain vehicle models suspected of particularly comprehensively recording the vehicle's surroundings and all associated data. Such bans can, of course, only be imposed by governments or organizations with the authority to issue such bans. To date, it has not been possible for individual drivers or vehicle manufacturers to sufficiently improve data protection for a single vehicle or for vehicles in an entire fleet in order to limit or prevent unwanted surveillance by other road users.

[0009] The present invention is based on the object of providing a method for improving data protection during a journey with a motor vehicle, which protects an individual vehicle or the vehicles of a vehicle fleet from unwanted surveillance.

[0010] The object of the invention is achieved by a method having the steps of claim 1. The dependent claims describe advantageous and particularly useful embodiments of the invention.

[0011] A method according to the invention for improving data protection while driving a motor vehicle comprises the following steps:

[0012] - Recording the vehicle environment of the motor vehicle using cameras and / or sensors installed in the motor vehicle;

[0013] - Detecting other road users in the vehicle's surroundings; - Comparing the detected road users with road users marked as untrustworthy and stored in a database in the vehicle and / or in a backend system connected to the vehicle;

[0014] - if at least one detected road user matches a road user identified as untrustworthy, issuing a warning message and / or recommended action to a driver of the motor vehicle and / or initiating predetermined vehicle controls of the motor vehicle.

[0015] The method according to the invention makes it possible to avoid the danger of surveillance by another road user or at least to make it more difficult for the other road user to record data from one's own motor vehicle or a vehicle fleet. The method according to the invention enables both a warning and the issuance of recommended actions for the driver of a motor vehicle, enabling them to take appropriate action, or even the automated initiation of predetermined vehicle controls of the motor vehicle in order to at least make unwanted surveillance more difficult. For this purpose, the motor vehicle is then preferably provided with an autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle control system, into which the method according to the invention intervenes in order to change the control or driving behavior of the motor vehicle.

[0016] Both by issuing a warning message and / or recommended action to a driver of the motor vehicle and by initiating predetermined vehicle controls of the motor vehicle, unwanted monitoring of the motor vehicle by the detected road user is at least made more difficult, i.e. restricted or impossible. This can improve data protection because the driver can either take appropriate actions, for example by changing the driving behavior of the motor vehicle, for example by moving the motor vehicle away from the detected road user, or by shielding against visual or acoustic access to the vehicle interior, for example by partially or completely closing the vehicle windows and / or reducing the volume of a hands-free system in the vehicle and / or increasing the volume of a music system in order to drown out a conversation or telephone call.Additionally or alternatively, these actions can also be carried out partially or fully automatically by a vehicle control system. For example, predetermined vehicle controls can be initiated automatically to at least make unwanted surveillance more difficult, while simultaneously issuing a corresponding warning message and / or recommended action to the driver.

[0017] The recognition of other road users and the comparison with the road users stored in the database and marked as untrustworthy is preferably carried out using image processing software.

[0018] Road users stored in the database are given priority for the driver to select as untrustworthy. This allows the driver to determine for themselves which other road users they are less likely to trust in terms of data protection. During a journey, these other road users are treated in a manner that makes it difficult to collect data about their own vehicle.

[0019] In order to build up a corresponding database with stored road users and road users marked as untrustworthy, road users detected in the vehicle's surroundings can be compared with the road users stored in the database, and road users detected in the vehicle's surroundings but not yet stored in the database can additionally be stored in the database and offered to the driver for optional marking as untrustworthy road users.

[0020] According to one embodiment of the method according to the invention, the marking of road users stored in the database as untrustworthy can be limited in time and / or space. This allows data protection to be limited to certain predefined regions and / or times. For example, data protection can be limited permanently and everywhere, or only at certain locations, days, or during certain periods, for example, within a predefined radius around a specific address and within a certain number of hours in advance.According to a further development of the present invention, one of several selectable trust categories is assigned to the road users stored in the database and marked as untrustworthy, and the output of the warning message and / or recommended action and / or the initiation of the predetermined vehicle controls of the motor vehicle is varied depending on the trust category of the road user stored in the database and marked as untrustworthy, with which the recognized road user corresponds.This allows the driver or a vehicle manufacturer or fleet manager to individually adjust the level of data protection required for untrustworthy road users, so that, for example, less severe warnings and / or recommendations for action are issued for certain road users detected in the vehicle's surroundings and / or comparatively fewer vehicle controls are initiated than for other road users detected in the vehicle's surroundings.

[0021] Using the method according to the invention, for example, other vehicles in the vehicle's surroundings can be recognized as other road users, i.e., other motor vehicles. Road users identified as untrustworthy can then be identified, for example, based on at least one of the following features:

[0022] - Third-party vehicle model

[0023] - Foreign vehicle manufacturer country

[0024] - Third-party vehicle manufacturers

[0025] - Other vehicle color

[0026] - official registration number or parts of the official registration number of the third-party vehicle.

[0027] This allows certain characteristics of a third-party vehicle to be used as a basis for marking it as untrustworthy, for example, if it is known that a particular third-party vehicle model monitors its surroundings particularly intensively, or if particularly intensive monitoring is planned for third-party vehicles from manufacturers in a particular country, etc. The method according to the invention also makes it possible to recognize pedestrians and / or cyclists in the vehicle's surroundings as other road users and to mark them as untrustworthy depending on whether the pedestrian or cyclist is currently using a video recording device, such as a smartphone.

[0028] The predetermined vehicle controls preferably include initiating at least one of the following driving maneuvers:

[0029] - Increasing the distance between the motor vehicle and the detected road user who corresponds to a road user identified as untrustworthy;

[0030] - reducing visual contact of the motor vehicle with the detected road user who corresponds to a road user identified as untrustworthy;

[0031] - a change of lane by the motor vehicle;

[0032] - acceleration or deceleration of the motor vehicle;

[0033] - a turn of the motor vehicle;

[0034] - when navigating a route of the motor vehicle using a satellite-based navigation system to a given destination, selecting and driving an alternative route to the given destination.

[0035] Additionally or alternatively, the predetermined vehicle controls may include at least one of the following actions:

[0036] - closing windows and / or a convertible top and / or a sliding or lifting roof of the motor vehicle;

[0037] - Changing the volume of a vehicle's entertainment system;

[0038] - Reducing the volume of a hands-free device in a vehicle;

[0039] - Emission of disturbing noises in the motor vehicle.

[0040] According to one embodiment of the invention, the driving behavior of at least one road user detected in the vehicle's surroundings is recorded, and based on the recorded driving behavior, the detected road user is stored in the database as a road user identified as untrustworthy. For example, a road user behaving suspiciously in the vehicle's surroundings can be detected if, for example, they continue to follow the vehicle despite numerous turning maneuvers by the vehicle's own vehicle, or if a specific road user is repeatedly detected in the vehicle's surroundings over time.

[0041] The method according to the invention can be applied to a single motor vehicle or to different motor vehicles in a vehicle fleet.

[0042] For example, the cameras and sensors of a fleet's vehicles can be used to scan the surroundings of the respective vehicle for untrusted road users, using image processing, for example. These other road users are stored in the database and marked as untrusted. If this database is stored in a backend system, all vehicles connected to the backend system can access the corresponding database, so that each vehicle has access to a larger data set of stored road users and road users marked as untrusted, compared to a database structure with only a single vehicle.

[0043] According to the method according to the invention, the driving behavior of a motor vehicle can also be modified to make it more difficult for an untrusted road user to collect driving behavior data. For example, in autonomously or semi-autonomously controlled motor vehicles, parameters are manipulated by randomly varying them within a defined value range. For example, when approaching a red light, a random delay of between 0.5 seconds and 2 seconds is deliberately applied.

[0044] If a road user identified as untrustworthy is following the motor vehicle, the motor vehicle can accelerate and, if necessary, an overtaking maneuver can be initiated.

[0045] If the vehicle is following a road user identified as untrustworthy, the distance to that road user can be increased by braking. Warnings and / or recommended actions can be issued acoustically, visually, and / or haptically, for example, via a head-up display in the vehicle.

[0046] Preferably, information about road users identified as untrustworthy can be transmitted to the backend system. This means that if at least one identified road user matches a road user identified as untrustworthy in the database, information about this road user can be transmitted to the backend system, such as other vehicle characteristics, the other vehicle's position and / or orientation, the other vehicle's speed, the other vehicle's acceleration, etc.

[0047] According to one embodiment of the invention, parked foreign vehicles are detected in the vehicle environment and if at least one detected foreign vehicle matches a road user identified as untrustworthy, the driver is advised not to park in the vicinity of the foreign vehicle.

[0048] The database in the backend system can include access for service providers, such as vehicle manufacturers or others, so that properties of the data acquisition of motor vehicles of different brands, such as the resolutions and positions at which cameras are installed in the vehicle, can be transferred to the database.

[0049] The invention will be described below using an exemplary embodiment and the figure.

[0050] Figure 1 shows a system for carrying out a method according to the invention, comprising a motor vehicle 1 with a plurality of cameras 2 for monitoring a vehicle environment in which various other road users 3 are located, here for example two other vehicles 8 and a pedestrian 9 with a smartphone 10 in his hand.

[0051] The motor vehicle 1 is connected to a backend system 4, in particular via a telecommunications device which, for example, establishes an Internet connection, wherein the backend system 4 is, for example, under the control of the manufacturer of the motor vehicle 1.

[0052] A database 5 is stored in the backend system 4, which database comprises a large number of stored road users 7, of which a number of road users 6 are each marked as untrustworthy.

[0053] The database 5 can preferably be fed with data about other road users 3 that the motor vehicle 1 and, for example, other motor vehicles 1 of a corresponding vehicle fleet have recorded, wherein the other motor vehicles 1 are also connected to the backend system 4.

[0054] The backend system 4 can not only manage the database 5, but also issue warning messages and / or recommended actions to a driver of the motor vehicle 1 if another road user 3 is detected in the vehicle environment of the motor vehicle 1 that matches a road user 6 marked as untrustworthy in the database 5. Furthermore, the backend system 4 can preferably also transmit vehicle control instructions to the motor vehicle 1 so that the motor vehicle 1 reduces the risk of being monitored by this detected other road user 3, for example by deliberately accelerating or decelerating the motor vehicle 1 or by reducing visual contact with the other road user 3.

Claims

Patent claims 1. Method for improving data protection during a journey in a motor vehicle (1) characterized by the following steps: Detecting a vehicle environment of the motor vehicle (1) by means of (1) built-in cameras (2) and / or sensors; Recognition of other road users (3) in the vehicle environment; Comparing the detected road users (3) with road users (6) that are marked as untrustworthy and stored in a database (5) in the motor vehicle (1) and / or in a backend system (4) connected to the motor vehicle (1); if at least one detected road user (3) matches a road user (6) that is marked as untrustworthy, issuing a warning message and / or recommended action to a driver of the motor vehicle (1) and / or initiating predetermined vehicle controls of the motor vehicle (1).

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that road users (7) stored in the database (5) are offered to the driver for optional marking as non-trustworthy road users (6).

3. Method according to claim 2, characterized in that road users (3) recognized in the vehicle environment are compared with the road users (7) stored in the database (5) and road users (3) recognized in the vehicle environment but not yet stored in the database (5) are additionally stored in the database (5) and Drivers can be offered the option of being marked as untrustworthy road users (6).

4. Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the identification of the road users (6) stored in the database (5) and identified as untrustworthy can be limited in time and / or space.

5. Method according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that one of several selectable trust categories is assigned to the road users (6) stored in the database (5) and marked as untrustworthy, and the output of the warning message and / or the recommended action to the driver and / or the initiation of the predetermined vehicle controls of the motor vehicle (1) is varied depending on the trust category of the road user (6) stored in the database (5) and marked as untrustworthy, with which the recognized road user (3) corresponds.

6. Method according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that other vehicles (8) in the vehicle environment are recognized as other road users (3) and a marking as a non-trustworthy road user (6) takes place depending on at least one of the following features: - Third-party vehicle model - Foreign vehicle manufacturer country - Third-party vehicle manufacturers - Other vehicle color - official registration number or parts of the official registration number of the third-party vehicle (8).

7. Method according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that as other road users (3), pedestrians and / or cyclists are detected in the vehicle environment and are identified as untrustworthy road users (6) depending on whether the pedestrian (9) or cyclist is operating a video recording device.

8. Method according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the predetermined vehicle controls comprise initiating at least one of the following driving maneuvers: - increasing the distance between the motor vehicle (1) and the detected road user (3) which corresponds to a road user (6) identified as untrustworthy; - reducing visual contact of the motor vehicle (1) with the detected road user (3) that corresponds to a road user (6) identified as untrustworthy; - a change of lane by the motor vehicle (1); - acceleration or deceleration of the motor vehicle (1); - a turn of the motor vehicle (1); - when navigating a route of the motor vehicle (1) by means of a satellite-based navigation system to a predetermined destination, selecting and driving an alternative route to the predetermined destination.

9. Method according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the predetermined vehicle controls comprise at least one of the following actions: - closing windows and / or a convertible top and / or a lifting or sliding roof of the motor vehicle (1); - Changing the volume of an entertainment system of the motor vehicle (1); - reducing the volume of a hands-free device in a motor vehicle (1); - Emission of disturbing noises in the motor vehicle (1).

10. Method according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that a driving behavior of at least one vehicle detected in the vehicle environment road user (3) and depending on the recorded Driving behavior of the recognized road user (3) is stored in the database (5) as a non-trustworthy road user (6).

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