Vehicle dispatch management device and vehicle control method

Abstract

The present invention provides a vehicle dispatch management device that manages vehicle dispatch in response to a user's vehicle dispatch request. The device is provided with: a vehicle dispatch planning unit that creates a vehicle dispatch plan for a user vehicle to be dispatched to the user, on the basis of the vehicle dispatch request; and a vehicle travel monitoring and control unit that monitors and controls the travel of the user vehicle along a travel route indicated by the vehicle dispatch plan, in accordance with travel management information. The vehicle travel monitoring and control unit is provided with: a travel management information acquisition unit that acquires the travel management information from the user vehicle; a tailgating detection unit that detects tailgating by another vehicle with respect to the user vehicle and determines the degree of danger of the detected tailgating as a relative level value; and a user protection operation control unit that controls the user vehicle to perform a prescribed user protection operation according to the level value for the degree of danger of the tailgating.

Description

Vehicle allocation management device and vehicle control method

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle allocation management device and a vehicle control method.

[0002] In recent years, aggressive driving, whereby drivers create danger to other vehicles and wantonly obstruct their driving, has become a social problem. For this reason, technologies to suppress aggressive driving have been proposed.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 listed below discloses a technology in which, when an on-board control unit of a first vehicle detects aggressive driving from a second vehicle toward the first vehicle, it transmits first information to the second vehicle informing the second vehicle that it will notify a law enforcement agency, and if the aggressive driving by the second vehicle continues after the transmission of the first information, it notifies the law enforcement agency and transmits second information informing the second vehicle that the law enforcement agency has been notified.

[0004] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2021-165906

[0005] In recent years, vehicle dispatch services that use unmanned vehicles to dispatch vehicles to users have been put into practical use. In such vehicle dispatch services using unmanned vehicles, the vehicles transport users (passengers) to their destinations under the supervision of a vehicle dispatch management device. However, because unmanned vehicles do not have a driver on board, it is difficult to respond flexibly to aggressive driving. Therefore, for users of unmanned vehicles, the anxiety and fear caused by aggressive driving can cause a negative impression of such vehicle dispatch services, leading to a reluctance to use vehicle dispatch services and a decrease in usage rate.

[0006] Furthermore, although the technology disclosed in Patent Document 1 is expected to suppress aggressive driving to some extent, it is not sufficient from the viewpoint of protecting users riding in unmanned vehicles. In particular, drivers who engage in aggressive driving tend to continue their aggressive driving indefinitely unless they can actually see a person from a regulatory organization (e.g., a police officer), which causes anxiety and fear for users riding in unmanned vehicles.

[0007] Furthermore, when a police vehicle is dispatched to deal with a case of tailgating under the direction of a police agency, if the vehicle carrying the user arrives at the junction with the police vehicle first, it is conceivable that the driver who tailgated the vehicle carrying the user may approach and harm the vehicle carrying the user until the police vehicle arrives. For this reason, when merging with a police vehicle, it is desirable for the vehicle carrying the user to arrive at the junction later than the police vehicle.

[0008] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a technology that protects users from tailgating while they are riding in a vehicle, and can alleviate the users' anxiety and fear.

[0009] The present invention, which aims to solve the above problems, comprises the following invention-specific matters and technical features.

[0010] According to one aspect, the present invention provides a vehicle dispatch management device that manages vehicle dispatch in response to a user's vehicle dispatch request. The vehicle dispatch management device includes a vehicle dispatch plan creation unit that creates a vehicle dispatch plan for a user vehicle to be dispatched to the user based on the vehicle dispatch request, and a vehicle driving monitoring and control unit that monitors and controls the driving of the user vehicle along a driving route indicated by the vehicle dispatch plan in accordance with driving management information. The vehicle driving monitoring and control unit includes a driving management information acquisition unit that acquires the driving management information from the user vehicle, a tailgating detection unit that detects tailgating by another vehicle toward the user vehicle and determines the risk of the detected tailgating as a relative level value, and a user protection operation control unit that controls the user vehicle to perform a predetermined user protection operation in accordance with the level value of the risk of the tailgating.

[0011] The present invention also provides a vehicle control method using a vehicle allocation management device that manages vehicle allocation in response to a vehicle allocation request, a computer program for executing the method, and a recording medium on which the method is non-temporarily recorded.

[0012] In this disclosure, a "system" refers to a logical collection of multiple devices (or functional modules that realize specific functions), regardless of whether each device or functional module is contained within a single housing.

[0013] According to the present invention, users can be protected from aggressive driving towards vehicles they are riding in, thereby eliminating their anxiety and fear, and ultimately preventing a decline in the utilization rate of ride-hailing services due to a negative impression.

[0014] Other technical features, objects, and operational effects or advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following embodiments described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The effects described in this specification are merely examples and are not intended to be limiting, and other effects may also be present.

[0015] FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining an example of a vehicle dispatch management system according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a functional configuration model of a vehicle dispatch management device according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of details of a vehicle driving monitoring unit in a vehicle dispatch management device according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining an example of a determination criterion for a level value indicating the risk of tailgating in a vehicle dispatch management device according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining an example of a user protection operation for each level value of the risk of tailgating in a vehicle dispatch management device according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining an example of tailgating response processing by a vehicle dispatch management device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0016] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. However, the embodiments described below are merely examples, and are not intended to exclude various modifications or applications of techniques not explicitly described below. The present invention can be implemented in various modifications (e.g., by combining the various embodiments) without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Furthermore, in the following description of the drawings, identical or similar parts are denoted by identical or similar reference numerals. The drawings are schematic and do not necessarily correspond to actual dimensions, ratios, etc. Parts in the drawings may have different dimensional relationships or ratios.

[0017] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a vehicle dispatch management system according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the vehicle dispatch management system 1 includes a vehicle dispatch management device 10, a terminal device 20, and a vehicle V, which are connected to each other via a communication network N so that they can communicate with each other. The vehicle dispatch management system 1 may also be connected via the communication network N to a road traffic information management system 30 that provides various traffic information in real time. The vehicle dispatch management system 1 provides, for example, a vehicle dispatch service using multiple vehicles V for a certain area. The vehicle dispatch service may be either an "on-demand" system or a "reservation" system. In the present disclosure, the vehicle V is assumed to be an autonomously driven vehicle without a driver, but is not limited to this.

[0018] The vehicle dispatch management system 1 may also cooperate with a security-related organization (not shown). The security-related organization may be, for example, an administrative organization or enforcement agency such as the police that cracks down on violators in accordance with traffic laws and regulations, and may vary depending on the legal system of each country. In the present disclosure, under the remote monitoring control of the vehicle dispatch management device 10, the vehicle dispatch management system 1 controls various information that the user can recognize regarding tailgating and / or controls the vehicle V to provide a predetermined tactile stimulus to the user, particularly when a vehicle is tailgating a vehicle V that is traveling to a destination with a user, from the perspective of alleviating the user's psychological anxiety about tailgating. Hereinafter, among the vehicles V, the vehicle V traveling to a destination with a user may be referred to as a "user vehicle V_U" in relation to tailgating by other vehicles.

[0019] The vehicle dispatch management device 10 is a computing device that comprehensively manages a vehicle dispatch service using multiple vehicles V in a target area of ​​the vehicle dispatch service. The target area of ​​the service may be divided into several areas (sub-areas). The vehicle dispatch management device 10, for example, implements a vehicle dispatch management server program and executes the vehicle dispatch management server program under the control of a processor, thereby realizing the vehicle dispatch service.

[0020] The vehicle dispatch management device 10 includes various databases 12 that accumulate and manage data necessary to realize the vehicle dispatch service. The databases 12 may include, for example, a user information database 12a, a road map information database 12b, a vehicle information database 12c, and a vehicle dispatch plan database 12d (see FIG. 2). The databases 12 may be configured as part of the vehicle dispatch management device 10, or all or part of the databases 12 may be configured separately from the vehicle dispatch management device 10.

[0021] In general, when the vehicle dispatch management device 10 receives a vehicle dispatch request from a user who desires a vehicle dispatch for travel to a destination, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 references the vehicle information database 12c based on the vehicle dispatch request, extracts a vehicle V to be assigned (dispatched) to the user from among a plurality of vehicles V, creates a vehicle dispatch plan for the vehicle, and proposes the created vehicle dispatch plan to the user. The vehicle dispatch management device 10 confirms the proposed vehicle dispatch plan upon the user's consent to the proposed vehicle dispatch plan, and issues dispatch instructions to the vehicles V in accordance with the confirmed vehicle dispatch plan. The vehicle dispatch management device 10 remotely monitors and controls the driving of the vehicles V based on driving management information acquired from the vehicles V, etc., so as to transport the user to the destination.

[0022] The dispatch plan includes a driving route that defines a location where the vehicle V is waiting (a starting waiting location), passing through several points (boarding and disembarking points) along the way where the user gets on and off, to a final waiting location (which is not necessarily the same as the initial waiting location). If the vehicle V is waiting, the dispatch plan is newly created based on the received dispatch request, and if the vehicle V is in operation, the dispatch plan can be updated based on the dispatch request.

[0023] In the present disclosure, while monitoring and controlling the driving of the user vehicle V_U according to driving management information acquired from the user vehicle V_U, if the vehicle dispatch management device 10 detects tailgating by another vehicle toward the user vehicle V_U, it determines the danger level of the tailgating as a relative level value and controls the user vehicle V_U to perform predetermined user protection actions in stages according to the level value. The predetermined user protection actions include, for example, avoiding the tailgating, reducing or blocking visual or auditory information that the user finds frightening, and providing tactile stimulation to the user. This reduces the psychological anxiety of the user of the user vehicle V_U being tailgated. Furthermore, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 may issue an emergency call to a safety agency according to the level value of the danger level of the tailgating. This allows the user to receive protection from a safety vehicle (safety personnel), thereby reducing psychological anxiety.

[0024] The vehicle V is a vehicle registered in the vehicle information database 12c and available for use by a user. The vehicle V is typically an autonomous vehicle (unmanned vehicle) using an automated driving system, regardless of the level of automation. Furthermore, the vehicle V may be of any model (e.g., sedan, minivan, SUV, etc.). The vehicle V includes a control device CTL and a user interface UI that control the vehicle V itself or its onboard equipment in accordance with dispatch instructions from the vehicle dispatch management device 10 (see FIG. 2). Although not shown, the control device CTL includes a processor, memory, etc., and realizes various functions by executing a control program. Furthermore, under the control of the control device CTL, the vehicle V acquires driving management information necessary for autonomous driving from various cameras and sensors and transmits this information to the vehicle dispatch management device 10. The vehicle dispatch management device 10 monitors and controls the driving of the vehicle V in accordance with the driving management information transmitted from the vehicle V. The driving management information includes, for example, video and audio information about the surroundings of the vehicle V from cameras / microphones, spatial recognition information (point cloud information) from spatial recognition sensors such as LiDAR and RADAR, distance information (depth information) from ranging sensors, geographical location information of the vehicle V from a GPS system, and status information from status monitoring sensors that monitor the status of the vehicle V, each device and part.

[0025] The control device CTL can also detect tailgating by other vehicles based on the acquired driving management information and determine the risk level of the tailgating using a relative level value. Tailgating includes, for example, excessively close inter-vehicle distances with other vehicles traveling behind, frequent and sudden changes, sudden braking in front, sudden cutting-in, abnormal horn sounds from other vehicles, angry shouts from the driver or passengers of other vehicles, physical contact with the user vehicle V_U by the driver or passengers of other vehicles, and / or other threatening behavior. For example, the control device CTL uses a machine-learned tailgating detection model to recognize tailgating based on the driving management information and output the recognition result as a relative level value indicating the risk level. When the control device CTL detects such tailgating, it notifies the vehicle dispatch management device 10 of the risk level value. Note that tailgating detection may be performed by the vehicle dispatch management device 10 rather than the vehicle V.

[0026] The vehicle V may also be provided with an emergency call button that the user can operate in the event of an emergency, such as an accident or breakdown, or being tailgated by another vehicle. For example, when the user is being tailgated, the user presses the provided emergency call button, which causes the control device CTL to detect tailgating in conjunction with the driving management information and notify the vehicle dispatch management device 10 of this.

[0027] Furthermore, the vehicle V may be equipped with an alarm device (not shown) such as a display or speaker to notify the outside of an emergency situation, such as being tailgated by another vehicle.

[0028] The terminal device 20 is, for example, a computing device through which a user wishing to ride makes a vehicle dispatch request by operating a user interface. The terminal device 20 is, for example, a smartphone, a pad computer, a laptop personal computer, a desktop computer, etc., but is not limited to these. The terminal device 20 implements, for example, a vehicle dispatch management client program (a so-called vehicle dispatch app). The terminal device 20 executes the vehicle dispatch app under the control of a processor, thereby enabling the user to use the vehicle dispatch service of the vehicle dispatch management device 10. For example, the user can make a vehicle dispatch request from a vehicle dispatch request screen (not shown) on the user interface of the terminal device 20 and, in response, accept the vehicle dispatch plan created by the vehicle dispatch management device 10, thereby reserving a ride in the vehicle V.

[0029] The terminal device 20 may also provide a user with a user interface for receiving an emergency call regarding aggressive driving. The user inputs the emergency call via the user interface, and in response, the terminal device 20 may notify the vehicle dispatch management device 10.

[0030] The road traffic information management system 30 is an information and communication system that provides road traffic information in real time. For example, the road traffic information management system 30 collects road traffic data from various monitoring equipment installed on roads and from a control device CTL installed in the vehicle V, and manages road traffic information by processing and editing the data in an integrated manner. The monitoring equipment includes, but is not limited to, live cameras and vehicle sensors. The edited road traffic information may include, for example, information on road closures and detour routes, and the travel time between points via a specific route. The road traffic information management system 30 appropriately provides the road traffic information to the vehicle dispatch management device 10 and the vehicle V. In addition to weather information, traffic information, and road regulation information, the road traffic information management system 30 may provide the vehicle dispatch management device 10 with video information from live cameras, audio information from microphones, and sensor information from vehicle sensors obtained from the monitoring equipment as driving management information. This enables the vehicle dispatch management device 10 to appropriately monitor and guide the vehicle V in accordance with the driving management information.

[0031] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration model of a vehicle dispatch management device according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 may be configured as a functional configuration model including functional components such as a front-end processing unit 110, a vehicle dispatch plan formulation unit 120, a vehicle driving monitoring control unit 130, and a communication control unit 140. Furthermore, as described above, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 includes various databases 12. This functional model is realized by the vehicle dispatch management device 10 executing a vehicle dispatch management server program under the control of a processor, thereby cooperating with various hardware resources. The functional configuration model shown here is merely an example, and all or part of the functions of a certain functional component may be realized by other functional components. For ease of explanation, the figure also illustrates a user's terminal device 20 and a control device CTL in the vehicle V.

[0032] The user information database 12a stores information about users who use the ride-hailing service (hereinafter referred to as "user information"). The user information includes, for example, a user ID and password, personal attributes (gender, age, address, work address, etc.), and information about service usage. The user information is registered in the user information database 12a under the control of the ride-hailing management device 10 by the user inputting predetermined information, for example, when the ride-hailing app is first launched.

[0033] The road map information database 12b stores road map information for the target area of ​​the vehicle dispatch service. The road map information includes map data related to addresses, place names, road networks (links and nodes), facilities, etc. The road map information also includes information necessary for searching for a driving route, such as road information, feature information, and environmental information. The road map information also includes information related to user boarding and disembarking locations and locations where the vehicle V can temporarily stop. The information related to boarding and disembarking locations and locations where the vehicle V can temporarily stop is used as a junction point between the vehicle V and a security vehicle.

[0034] The vehicle information database 12c stores information (vehicle information) about the vehicle V available for use by the user. The vehicle information includes, for example, a vehicle ID, vehicle attributes (vehicle registration number, vehicle model, maximum number of occupants / maximum load capacity, level of autonomous driving, etc.), vehicle characteristics, other specifications, a current vehicle dispatch plan, a current location, and a current status (service status, remaining battery capacity (travel distance), number of occupants, etc.). The vehicle information acquired from the vehicle V via the communication control unit 140 can be updated as needed.

[0035] The vehicle allocation plan database 12d stores a vehicle allocation plan for each vehicle V created by the vehicle allocation plan formulation unit 120 based on a vehicle allocation request. As described above, the vehicle allocation plan includes a driving route from a waiting location serving as a starting point to a waiting location serving as a terminal point via several boarding and disembarking points (departure and arrival points), an estimated arrival time at each intermediate point, and the like.

[0036] The front-end processing unit 110 performs various processes with the user's terminal device 20. As an example, the front-end processing unit 110 refers to the user information database 12a and performs login authentication processing in response to a login request from a vehicle dispatching app on the user's terminal device 20. The front-end processing unit 110 also communicates with the terminal device 20 to respond to a vehicle dispatch request from the vehicle dispatching app on the user's terminal device 20. More specifically, the front-end processing unit 110 receives a vehicle dispatch request, passes it to the vehicle dispatch request acceptance unit 121, and in response thereto, transmits a vehicle dispatch plan created by the vehicle dispatch plan formulation unit 120 to the terminal device 20, causing the vehicle dispatch plan (candidate vehicles) to be displayed on the user interface of the terminal device 20. The front-end processing unit 110 receives a notification of user acceptance or rejection transmitted from the terminal device 20 in response thereto, and passes it to the vehicle dispatch plan formulation unit 120.

[0037] The vehicle allocation plan formulation unit 120 extracts candidate vehicles V from among the vehicles V that can operate in the target area based on the vehicle allocation request delivered from the front-end processing unit 110, and creates and / or updates the vehicle allocation plan. When extracting candidate vehicles V, the vehicle allocation plan formulation unit 120 may acquire location information of each vehicle V. This allows the vehicle allocation plan formulation unit 120 to extract vehicles V that are close to the destination indicated by the vehicle allocation request. The vehicle allocation plan formulation unit 120 proposes the created or updated vehicle allocation plan to the user via the front-end processing unit 110. When the proposed vehicle allocation plan is approved by the user, the vehicle allocation plan formulation unit 120 finalizes the approved vehicle allocation plan, stores the finalized vehicle allocation plan in the vehicle allocation plan database 12d, and issues a dispatch instruction to the vehicles V of the vehicle allocation plan.

[0038] The vehicle running monitoring control unit 130 remotely monitors and controls the vehicle V so that the vehicle V can travel appropriately along the travel route indicated by the dispatch plan. For example, the vehicle running monitoring control unit 130 acquires running management information from the vehicle V and / or the road traffic information management system 30 via the communication control unit 140 as needed. The vehicle running monitoring control unit 130 monitors the running of the vehicle V based on the acquired running management information and controls guidance as necessary. The vehicle running monitoring control unit 130 may present the running status of the vehicle V to the operator and, as necessary, transmit guidance instructions received from the operator to the vehicle V.

[0039] The vehicle driving monitoring control unit 130 also detects tailgating by other vehicles toward the user vehicle V_U while the user vehicle V_U is in motion. As an example, the vehicle driving monitoring control unit 130 detects tailgating by other vehicles toward the user vehicle V_U by receiving a notification regarding tailgating from the user vehicle V_U that detected the tailgating. As another example, the vehicle driving monitoring control unit 130 may detect tailgating by other vehicles based on driving management information acquired from the user vehicle V_U. Specifically, using a machine-learned tailgating detection model, the vehicle driving monitoring control unit 130 recognizes excessively close inter-vehicle distances with other vehicles traveling behind, frequent and sudden changes, sudden braking in front, sudden cutting in, physical contact with the user vehicle V_U by the driver or passenger of the other vehicle, and / or other threatening behaviors based on the acquired driving management information. When the vehicle driving monitoring control unit 130 recognizes such behaviors as tailgating and determines the risk level of the behaviors as a relative level value.

[0040] Furthermore, when the vehicle travel monitoring control unit 130 detects aggressive driving toward the user vehicle V_U, it may issue an emergency call to a safety agency depending on the level value of the danger level. For example, in response to the emergency call, the safety agency may provide the vehicle travel monitoring control unit 130 with location information of at least one available safety vehicle that is in the vicinity of the user vehicle V_U.

[0041] Furthermore, the vehicle travel monitoring control unit 130 may control the user vehicle V_U to display, on the user interface UI of the user vehicle V_U, video information that has undergone predetermined image processing based on video information of the actual surrounding environment, including other vehicles engaging in tailgating. In this case, the vehicle travel monitoring control unit 130 may control the user vehicle V_U to display, on the user interface UI, video information that has undergone predetermined image processing so as to obscure the portions of other vehicles and / or to reduce the visibility of the behavior of other vehicles. This can alleviate the user's excessive anxiety and fear caused by the complete obscurity of the other vehicles engaging in tailgating. Furthermore, the vehicle travel monitoring control unit 130 may control the user vehicle V_U to display, on the user interface UI installed in the user vehicle, the status of responses to tailgating, such as the dispatch of security vehicles. This allows the user to know the status of responses to tailgating, thereby alleviating the user's anxiety and fear about tailgating. In addition, the vehicle travel monitoring control unit 130 may also control the user vehicle V_U so that an alarm device notifies the outside of an emergency situation, such as being subjected to tailgating.

[0042] The communication control unit 140 exchanges various information with the vehicle V via the communication network N. For example, the communication control unit 140 transmits a vehicle information transmission request to the vehicle V and receives vehicle information transmitted by the vehicle V in response to the request. The vehicle information includes, for example, location information of the vehicle V. The communication control unit 140 also transmits driving instructions to the vehicle V in accordance with the determined vehicle dispatch plan.

[0043] 3 is a block diagram showing an example of the details of a vehicle running monitoring control unit in a vehicle dispatch management device according to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, in this example, the vehicle running monitoring control unit 130 includes a running management information acquisition unit 131, a road rage detection unit 132, an emergency notification issuing unit 133, and a user protection operation control unit 134.

[0044] The driving management information acquisition unit 131 acquires driving management information from the vehicle V via the communication control unit 140. As described above, the driving management information includes, for example, video and audio information, spatial recognition information (point cloud information), location information, and status information. In addition, the driving management information acquisition unit 131 can additionally acquire driving management information from the road traffic information management system 30.

[0045] The tailgating detection unit 132 detects tailgating by other vehicles based on driving management information acquired from the user vehicle V_U and the road traffic information management system 30, and determines the level value of the detected tailgating danger according to predetermined tailgating danger criteria. For example, the tailgating detection unit 132 may hold a table that defines criteria for determining the level value indicating the danger of tailgating. Alternatively, the tailgating detection unit 132 may include a machine-learned tailgating detection model. The machine-learned tailgating detection model is, for example, an artificial intelligence model that has undergone machine learning to input acquired driving management information and output the recognition result of tailgating as a relative level value indicating the danger.

[0046] 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a criterion for determining the level value indicating the risk of aggressive driving in a vehicle dispatch control device according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, in this example, the level value indicating the risk of aggressive driving is expressed as a value from 0 to 4 (0 being no risk).

[0047] For example, if the tailgating detection unit 132 determines, through analysis of the video information in the driving management information, that the behavior of another vehicle is not in line with the flow of traffic and that the inter-vehicle distance from the other vehicle is greater than a predetermined threshold, the tailgating detection unit 132 determines the level value of the risk of tailgating to be "1." Behavior that is not in line with the flow of traffic typically includes sudden / frequent acceleration / deceleration and lane changes. The threshold value for the inter-vehicle distance from the other vehicle may be set, for example, based on a driving speed that takes into account actual traffic conditions. This allows the level value of the risk of tailgating to be determined according to the actual traffic conditions. If the tailgating detection unit 132 determines, through image analysis of the video information in the driving management information, that the behavior of the other vehicle is not in line with the flow of traffic and that the inter-vehicle distance from the other vehicle is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold, the tailgating detection unit 132 determines the level value of the risk to be "2." For example, cutting in directly in front of or behind the user vehicle V_U is determined to be a level value of the risk of "2." The tailgating detection unit 132 may determine that the level value of the risk of tailgating is "2" if the current level value of the risk is "1".

[0048] Furthermore, based on the analysis of the video information and audio information in the driving management information, if the tailgating detection unit 132 recognizes an abnormal horn sound from another vehicle when the inter-vehicle distance is close, or if it recognizes angry shouts from the driver and / or passengers of the other vehicle, the tailgating detection unit 132 determines that the level value of the danger of tailgating is "3." The tailgating detection unit 132 may also determine that the level value of the danger of tailgating is "3" on the condition that the level value of the danger is already "2."

[0049] Furthermore, based on analysis of the video and audio information in the driving management information, the tailgating detection unit 132 determines the danger level value to be "4" when it recognizes an angry shout or threatening behavior (e.g., behavior suggestive of assault) by a driver and / or passenger of another vehicle nearby, or when it recognizes physical contact with the user vehicle V_U by the driver and / or passenger. Angry shouts can be recognized, for example, based on the volume, tone, frequency, and / or specific keywords that inspire fear. Physical contact also includes acts of hitting the vehicle body or window or throwing objects by a driver and / or passenger who has exited the other vehicle. Even if the physical contact is light, if the level of the angry shouts exceeds a predetermined threshold, the danger level value can be determined to be "4." The tailgating detection unit 132 may determine the danger level value of tailgating to be "4" if the danger level value is already "3."

[0050] When the determined level value of the danger level is a predetermined value (for example, level value = 2), the emergency report issuing unit 133 issues an emergency report to the safety agency in the jurisdiction. The emergency report may be sent to the safety agency via the communication control unit 140, or may be sent to the safety agency via another communication line. In response to this, the safety agency becomes aware that tailgating has occurred within its jurisdiction.

[0051] The user protection operation control unit 134 controls the user vehicle V_U to perform a predetermined user protection operation according to the level value of the danger level of tailgating. For example, the user protection operation control unit 134 controls the user vehicle V_U to avoid tailgating, reduce or block visual or auditory information that the user finds frightening, or provide tactile stimulation to the user, according to the level value of the danger level of tailgating. Note that in this example, the user protection operation control unit 134 is shown as being configured to be provided in the vehicle dispatch management device 10, but it may also be configured to be provided in the control device CTL of the vehicle V.

[0052] 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a user protection operation for each level value of the risk of aggressive driving in a vehicle dispatch management device according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, a circle symbol indicates a user protection operation to be executed in the user vehicle V_U for each level value of the risk.

[0053] That is, as shown in the figure, for example, when the risk level of tailgating is equal to or greater than a first level value (i.e., level value = 1), the user protection operation control unit 134 controls the user vehicle V_U so that visual information from outside the user vehicle V_U is reduced or blocked. More specifically, the user protection operation control unit 134 instructs the user vehicle V_U to opaque the side or rear window glass of the user vehicle V_U or close curtains or shades so as to reduce visual information that the user may perceive. In response, the user vehicle V_U opaques the window glass or closes the curtains or shades under the control of the control device CTL. This makes it difficult or impossible for the user to see tailgating by other vehicles, thereby alleviating the psychological anxiety caused by visual information about tailgating.

[0054] Furthermore, when the risk level is equal to or greater than a second level value (i.e., level value = 2), the user protection operation control unit 134 controls the driving of the user vehicle V_U so that the distance between the user vehicle V_U and other vehicles increases to a certain extent. In this case, the user protection operation by reducing or blocking visual information at the first level value can be maintained. More specifically, the user protection operation control unit 134 instructs the user vehicle V_U to slow down the speed of the user vehicle V_U or to temporarily stop in a safe place so that the distance between the user vehicle V_U and other vehicles becomes greater than a predetermined value. This allows the user vehicle V_U to avoid or reduce damage caused by driving interference caused by aggressive driving.

[0055] Furthermore, when the risk level is equal to or greater than a third level value (i.e., level value = 1), the user protection operation control unit 134 controls the user vehicle V_U to reduce or block auditory information from outside the user vehicle V. More specifically, the user protection operation control unit 134 activates a noise canceling function provided in the user vehicle V_U to reduce or block sounds from outside the user vehicle V_U. The user protection operation control unit 134 may also play relaxing music inside the vehicle. This prevents the user from hearing abnormal horn sounds or angry shouts, thereby alleviating the psychological anxiety caused by auditory information about aggressive driving.

[0056] Furthermore, when the risk level is equal to or greater than a fourth level value (i.e., level value = 4), the user protection operation control unit 134 controls the user vehicle V_U to provide a predetermined stimulus to the user's tactile sense. More specifically, the user protection operation control unit 134 rotates drivetrain components (e.g., an engine, an electric motor, etc.) of the user vehicle V_U to transmit vibrations to the interior of the vehicle. The user protection operation control unit 134 may also activate a massage function on the seat in which the user is sitting. The user protection operation control unit 134 may also adjust the tightness of the seat belt worn by the user. The user protection operation control unit 134 may also control the volume of music being played to make it harder to hear angry shouts from outside. The user protection operation control unit 134 may also control the user vehicle V_U to issue a predetermined warning to other vehicles engaging in aggressive driving using an alarm device or to make an announcement to notify those around the vehicle of an emergency. This helps to alleviate the user's psychological anxiety about aggressive driving.

[0057] Furthermore, to reduce visual information, the user protection operation control unit 134 may control the user vehicle V_U to display, on the user interface UI mounted on the user vehicle V_U, video information that has undergone predetermined image processing based on video information of the actual surrounding environment, including other vehicles, portions related to other vehicles. In response to this, for example, the control device CTL of the user vehicle V_U may perform image processing on the video information so that portions related to other vehicles in the video become blurred or smaller. Alternatively, the control device CTL may perform image processing to reduce the appearance of the behavior of other vehicles in the video. This allows the user to see the tailgating by other vehicles more easily using virtual visual information instead of actual visual information of the tailgating by other vehicles, thereby alleviating the psychological anxiety caused by the visual information about the tailgating.

[0058] The user protection operation control unit 134 may also control the user vehicle V_U to display the response status to tailgating by other vehicles on a user interface UI installed in the user vehicle V_U. For example, the user protection operation control unit 134 may display that an emergency call has been made to a safety agency by the emergency call issuing unit 133. The user protection operation control unit 134 may also display, for example, the scheduled time when a security vehicle of a safety agency will merge with the user vehicle V_U. This allows the user to recognize the response status to tailgating by other vehicles and alleviate psychological anxiety.

[0059] 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a tailgating response process performed by a vehicle dispatch management device according to one embodiment of the present invention. The tailgating response process is implemented by the vehicle dispatch management device 10 executing a vehicle dispatch management server program under the control of a processor, thereby cooperating with various hardware resources. In the tailgating response process, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 allocates a vehicle V in response to a user's request for a vehicle dispatch in a target area of ​​the vehicle dispatch service, and the user travels to the destination in the vehicle V.

[0060] As shown in the figure, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 (i.e., the vehicle driving monitoring control unit 130) monitors whether a user vehicle V_U under the vehicle dispatch service has been tailgated (S601). For example, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 detects tailgating by another vehicle against the user vehicle V_U based on driving management information acquired from the user vehicle V_U.

[0061] When the vehicle dispatch management device 10 detects tailgating of the user vehicle V_U (Yes in S601), the vehicle dispatch management device 10 determines the level value L of the danger of the detected tailgating (S602). As described above, the level value L of the danger of tailgating is indicated, for example, from 0 to 4 according to predetermined judgment criteria. The vehicle dispatch management device 10 may detect tailgating and determine the level value L of the danger using, for example, a tailgating detection model that has been machine-learned. Note that the detection of tailgating and the determination of the level value L of the danger may be performed in the user vehicle V_U, and the vehicle dispatch management device 10 may receive the recognition result (level value L of the danger) from the user vehicle V_U.

[0062] Next, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 performs a predetermined user protection operation according to the determined level value L of the risk level (S603 to S607). That is, when the determined level value L of the risk level is 1, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 controls the user vehicle V_U so that visual information from outside the user vehicle V_U is reduced or blocked (S603). More specifically, the user protection operation control unit 134 instructs the user vehicle V_U to opaque the side or rear window glass of the user vehicle V_U or close curtains or shades so as to reduce visual information that the user can perceive.

[0063] In this case, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 may control the user vehicle V_U to display, on a user interface UI mounted on the user vehicle V_U, video information in which predetermined image processing has been performed on portions related to other vehicles based on video information of the actual surrounding environment including other vehicles. For example, under the control of the control device CTL, the user vehicle V_U performs image processing on the video information so that portions related to other vehicles in the video are blurred or reduced in size, and displays the video information after the image processing on the user interface UI. Alternatively, image processing may be performed so as to reduce the appearance of the behavior of other vehicles in the video.

[0064] Next, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 determines whether or not tailgating by other vehicles is continuing (S611).

[0065] Furthermore, if the determined risk level value L=2, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 controls the driving of the user vehicle V_U so that the distance between the user vehicle V_U and other vehicles is increased to a certain extent (S604). More specifically, the user protection operation control unit 134 instructs the user vehicle V_U to slow down the speed of the user vehicle V_U or to temporarily stop in a safe place so that the distance between the user vehicle V_U and other vehicles is greater than a predetermined value. Furthermore, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 issues an emergency report regarding the tailgating to a safety agency (S605).

[0066] Furthermore, when the determined risk level value L=3, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 controls the user vehicle V_U to reduce or block auditory information from outside the user vehicle V (S606). More specifically, the user protection operation control unit 134 activates a noise canceling function provided in the user vehicle V_U to reduce or block sounds outside the user vehicle V_U. The user protection operation control unit 134 may also play relaxing music inside the vehicle.

[0067] Furthermore, if the determined risk level value L=4, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 controls the user vehicle V_U to provide a predetermined stimulus to the user's tactile sense (S607). More specifically, the user protection operation control unit 134 rotates drivetrain components (e.g., an engine, an electric motor, etc.) of the user vehicle V_U to transmit vibrations to the interior of the vehicle. The user protection operation control unit 134 may also activate a massage function for the seat in which the user is sitting. The user protection operation control unit 134 may also adjust the tightness of the seat belt worn by the user. The user protection operation control unit 134 may also control the volume of the music being played to increase the volume so that external shouts are more difficult to hear.

[0068] Next, if the risk level value L is 2 or more, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 monitors whether a security vehicle will arrive soon in response to the issuance of the emergency call (S608). If the vehicle dispatch management device 10 determines that the security vehicle has not yet arrived (No in S608), the vehicle dispatch management device 10 controls the user vehicle V_U to display the current status of the security vehicle on a user interface installed inside the user vehicle V_U (S609).

[0069] On the other hand, if the vehicle dispatch management device 10 determines that a security vehicle will arrive soon (Yes in S608), the vehicle dispatch management device 10 controls the user vehicle V_U to issue a predetermined warning to other vehicles that are tailgating, or to make an announcement to notify those around them of an emergency (S610).

[0070] In this way, the vehicle dispatch management device 10 controls the user vehicle V_U to perform a predetermined user protection operation according to the level value L of the risk of tailgating, and then the vehicle dispatch management device 10 determines whether tailgating is continuing (S611). If the vehicle dispatch management device 10 determines that the user vehicle is continuing to be tailgated (Yes in S611), the vehicle dispatch management device 10 determines the current level value L of the risk of tailgating (S602) and repeats the above processing until the tailgating is resolved. If the vehicle dispatch management device 10 determines that the tailgating has been resolved (No in S611), it ends the processing related to the predetermined user protection operation and performs monitoring control until the user vehicle V_U arrives at the destination.

[0071] As described above, according to this embodiment, users can be protected from aggressive driving towards vehicles they are riding in, thereby eliminating their anxiety and fear, and ultimately preventing a decline in the utilization rate of ride-hailing services due to a negative impression.

[0072] In particular, according to this embodiment, predetermined user protection operations are performed in stages depending on the level value of the danger level of tailgating by other vehicles, making it possible to respond appropriately to tailgating without causing excessive anxiety or fear to the user.

[0073] The above-described embodiments are merely examples for explaining the present invention, and are not intended to limit the present invention to these embodiments. The present invention can be embodied in various forms without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0074] For example, in the methods disclosed herein, steps, operations, or functions may be performed in parallel or in a different order unless the results are inconsistent. The steps, operations, and functions described are provided merely as examples, and some of the steps, operations, and functions may be omitted or combined into one, or other steps, operations, or functions may be added, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0075] Furthermore, although various embodiments are disclosed in this specification, specific features (technical matters) in one embodiment can be added to or substituted for specific features in other embodiments, with appropriate modifications, and such forms are also included in the spirit of the present invention.

[0076] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Vehicle dispatch management system 10... Vehicle dispatch management device 110... Front-end processing unit 120... Vehicle dispatch plan formulation unit 130... Vehicle driving monitoring control unit 131... Driving management information acquisition unit 132... Tailgating detection unit 133... Emergency notification issuing unit 134... User protection operation control unit 140... Communication control unit 12... Database 12a... User information database 12b... Road map information database 12c... Vehicle information database 12d... Vehicle dispatch plan database 20... Terminal device 30... Road traffic information management system N... Communication network V... Vehicle CTL... Control device UI... User interface

Claims

1. A vehicle dispatch management device that manages vehicle dispatch in response to a user's dispatch request, comprising: a vehicle dispatch plan creation unit that creates a dispatch plan for a user vehicle to be dispatched to the user based on the dispatch request; and a vehicle driving monitoring control unit that monitors and controls the driving of the user vehicle along the driving route indicated by the vehicle dispatch plan in accordance with driving management information, wherein the vehicle driving monitoring control unit comprises: a driving management information acquisition unit that acquires the driving management information from the user vehicle; a tailgating detection unit that detects tailgating by other vehicles toward the user vehicle and determines the danger level of the detected tailgating in terms of a relative level value; and a user protection operation control unit that controls the user vehicle to perform a predetermined user protection operation in accordance with the level value of the danger level of the tailgating.

2. The vehicle dispatch management device according to claim 1, wherein the tailgating detection unit determines the level value of the risk level according to the inter-vehicle distance between the user vehicle and the other vehicle.

3. The vehicle dispatch management device described in claim 2, wherein the tailgating detection unit determines that the risk level is at a first level value when the inter-vehicle distance between the user vehicle and the other vehicle is greater than a predetermined threshold value, and determines that the risk level is at a second level value higher than the first level value when the inter-vehicle distance between the user vehicle and the other vehicle is equal to or less than the predetermined threshold value.

4. The vehicle dispatch management device described in claim 3, wherein the tailgating detection unit determines the level of danger as a third level value higher than the second level value when the inter-vehicle distance between the user vehicle and the other vehicle is below the predetermined threshold value and recognizes threatening behavior toward the user vehicle by the other vehicle and / or the driver and / or passengers of the other vehicle.

5. The vehicle dispatch management device described in claim 4, wherein the tailgating detection unit recognizes the threatening behavior toward the user vehicle by the driver and / or passenger of the other vehicle and, when it recognizes that the threatening behavior includes physical contact with the user vehicle, determines the level of danger as a fourth level value higher than the third level value.

6. The vehicle dispatch management device described in claim 3, wherein the user protection operation control unit controls the user vehicle so that visual information from outside the user vehicle to the user is reduced or blocked when the risk level is the first level value.

7. The vehicle dispatch management device described in claim 3, wherein the user protection operation control unit controls the driving of the user vehicle so that the inter-vehicle distance between the user vehicle and the other vehicle becomes greater than the predetermined threshold value when the risk level is the second level value.

8. The vehicle dispatch management device described in claim 4, wherein the user protection operation control unit controls the user vehicle so as to reduce or block auditory information from outside the user vehicle to the user when the risk level is the third level value.

9. The vehicle dispatch management device according to claim 5, wherein the user protection operation control unit controls the user vehicle to impart a predetermined stimulus to the user's tactile sense when the degree of danger is at the fourth level value.

10. The vehicle dispatch management device described in claim 6, wherein the user protection operation control unit controls the vehicle to display, on a user interface mounted on the user vehicle, image information that has been subjected to predetermined image processing on at least the portion related to the other vehicle based on image information of the actual surrounding environment including the other vehicle.

11. The vehicle dispatch management device described in claim 10, wherein the user protection operation control unit controls the vehicle to display the video information that has been subjected to predetermined image processing so that parts related to the other vehicle are less visible or so that the behavior of the other vehicle is less visible on a user interface installed in the user vehicle.

12. The vehicle dispatch management device according to claim 6, wherein the user protection operation control unit controls the vehicle to display the response status to the tailgating on a user interface installed in the user vehicle.

13. A vehicle control method for controlling a vehicle against tailgating by other vehicles, comprising: creating a dispatch plan for a user vehicle to be dispatched to the user based on the user's dispatch request; and monitoring and controlling the driving of the user vehicle along the driving route indicated by the dispatch plan in accordance with driving management information, wherein the monitoring and controlling comprises: acquiring the driving management information for the user vehicle; detecting tailgating by other vehicles towards the user vehicle and determining the danger level of the detected tailgating in terms of a relative level value; and controlling the user vehicle to perform a predetermined user protection action in accordance with the level value of the danger level of the tailgating.

14. A computer program that causes a computing device to execute, under the control of a processor, a method for controlling a vehicle against tailgating by other vehicles, the method including: creating a dispatch plan for a user vehicle to be dispatched to the user based on the user's dispatch request; and monitoring and controlling the driving of the user vehicle along the driving route indicated by the dispatch plan in accordance with driving management information, wherein the monitoring and controlling includes: acquiring the driving management information for the user vehicle; detecting tailgating by other vehicles towards the user vehicle and determining the danger level of the detected tailgating in terms of a relative level value; and controlling the user vehicle to perform a predetermined user protection action in accordance with the level value of the danger level of the tailgating.

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