DE102014000843A1 - Method for performing lane change on actual track of e.g. motor car to neighboring objective track, involves determining presence of lane change adequate transport gap based on location and movement data of vehicles - Google Patents

Abstract

The method involves initializing the lane change by first vehicle (101) automatically or by an entry in vehicle. The presence of a lane change adequate transport gap (110) is determined based on first location and movement data of the first vehicle, and second location and movement data of second vehicles (104-106) driving on a target track (107). The lane change of the first vehicle is performed autonomously, if lane change adequate transport gap is present. Independent claims are included for the following: (1) a driver assistance system for performing lane change on actual track; and (2) a motor car.

Description

The invention relates to a method and a driver assistance system for carrying out a lane change of a vehicle driving autonomously on an actual lane to an adjacent destination lane.

Autonomous driving of vehicles makes it possible to drive in autonomous columns in order to increase the traffic flow on a multi-lane road by means of higher but organized traffic density and at the same time to reduce the energy consumption of the convoy vehicles by means of convoy driving (slipstreaming). Above all, the increased traffic flow (vehicles per time that pass through a section of the road) will be interesting in view of the expected increase in traffic, especially in densely populated areas.

From the EU project SARTRE (EU Framework Program 7), a concept is known in which a controlled by a professional driver leading vehicle and several subsequent, autonomously controlled follow-on vehicles form a column. The autonomously controlled following vehicles are equipped with environmental sensors and a longitudinal and lateral control for autonomous driving, so that they keep the track as well as a predetermined distance from each other automatically. Such columns increase traffic safety, protect the environment, optimize the flow of traffic and increase the ride comfort for the following vehicles.

To regulate the distance to a preceding vehicle is from the DE 10 2008 061 303 A1 a control system for a vehicle is known which comprises a control device and a driver assistance system. The control unit is able to calculate a distance to a preceding vehicle on the basis of car-to-car (C2C) communication, wherein the driver assistance system assumes this calculated distance to be maintained directly as a default for vehicle control.

The object of the invention is to specify a method and a driver assistance system for carrying out a lane change of a vehicle traveling autonomously on an actual lane, possibly in a previously mentioned vehicle, onto an adjacent destination lane.

The invention results from the features of the independent claims. Advantageous developments and refinements are the subject of the dependent claims.

The procedural aspect of the object is achieved by a method for carrying out a lane change of an autonomously moving vehicle on an actual lane to an adjacent destination lane, wherein the lane change first automatically by the vehicle or by an input in the vehicle, d. H. is initialized into an input means of the vehicle. An automatic initialization takes place as a lane change decision autonomously made by the vehicle, which, for example, comes about on the basis of a user profile, a route calculated by the navigation system or a current traffic situation such as congestion on an actual lane. As an input means for a user, for example, manually operable interfaces (buttons, keypad, touchscreen turn signal lever, etc.) but also interfaces for voice input can be used. In particular, the initialization comprises the information to which the target track adjacent to the actual track (left or right of the actual track) is to be changed.

After the initialization of a lane change, a traffic lane change adequate for the lane change is determined on the basis of first location and movement data of the vehicle and of second location and movement data of second vehicles traveling on the destination lane. The location and movement data are provided, for example, via a car-to-car (C2C) or a car-to-X (C2X) communication. The respective location data indicate the location of the respective vehicle. The respective movement data indicate in particular the speed, the acceleration of the respective vehicle. Furthermore, the movement data may include positions of the brake pedal or the accelerator pedal of the respective vehicles. The location and movement data may include actual or predicted values depending on the design of the method.

The term "adequate traffic gap" is understood herein to mean a traffic gap on the destination lane, which is a safe and harmonious traffic flow lane change taking into account safety distances to second vehicles on the target lane, safety distances to the following on the actual lane the vehicle and preceding vehicle, and possibly required acceleration or deceleration operations of the vehicle.

The second vehicles are preferably those vehicles that are affected by the lane change on the destination lane, d. H. Drive vehicles on the destination lane in a limited environment in front of or behind the (own) vehicle.

If the existence of an adequate traffic gap on the destination lane is detected, the Lane change autonomously carried out by the vehicle. For this purpose, the vehicle has corresponding environmental sensors and a corresponding longitudinal and lateral control.

In the simplest case, it waits until such an adequate traffic gap on the destination lane results automatically. Alternatively, such an adequate traffic gap as described below may also be generated actively.

A refinement of the method is characterized in that the traffic lane-adequate traffic lane on the destination lane is generated by the vehicle and the second vehicles coordinating their respective movements accordingly and actively adapting them. In this case, the coordinated adaptation of the movements preferably takes place in such a way that in each case the smallest possible change in the movement of the vehicle and the second vehicles takes place. The adjustment of the movements of the vehicle and the second vehicles is advantageously controlled by a central office. The central office can, for example, be a central server of a traffic control center. For this purpose, current location and movement data of the vehicle and the second vehicle are transmitted to the central office. The central office takes over the correspondingly coordinated control of the vehicles involved in the lane change by transmitting appropriate control signals from the central office to the vehicles concerned. The communication between the central office and the vehicles takes place, for example, via mobile Internet or car-to-X communication.

Alternatively, the adaptation of the movements of the vehicle and of the second vehicles may also be coordinatedly controlled by the collective consisting of the vehicle and the second vehicles. For this purpose, the vehicles involved preferably have corresponding car-to-car communication means and networked control computers. The proposed method is particularly suitable for traffic flow optimization on a road with several lanes. A corresponding refinement of the proposed method for this purpose is characterized in that a directional speed which depends on the traffic density is predetermined per lane, and a lane-dependent or speed-dependent toll is charged for the vehicle. The aiming speed is preferably adjusted dynamically to a changing traffic density (either lane-related or road-segment related). Advantageously, a toll bonus is credited to those second vehicles that decelerate to generate an adequate traffic gap.

By the lane-dependent toll, the driver of an autonomously driving vehicle, for example, choose whether he wants to get to the destination faster and more expensive or slower and cheaper. Advantageously, during the initialization of the lane change according to the invention between these two categories (Category 1: faster and more expensive, Category 2: slower and cheaper) can be selected. Of course, it must be known to the vehicle or the corresponding driver assistance system, which track-related tolls are incurred in each case on the traveled section of the road and on which actual lane the vehicle is currently driving. The corresponding information is preferably displayed to the driver in the vehicle, so that he can make his selection accordingly. The appropriate specification of the lane-dependent toll can be used to influence the distribution of vehicles on the available lanes and thus to the achievable on the road section track-related speeds and the distribution can be controlled.

In conjunction with toll roads with multiple lanes, the proposed method can thus be used to enable energy-saving and cost-saving autonomous driving (for example, convoy travel) as well as price-based, individually faster (autonomous) driving despite the high traffic density.

The device-related aspect of the object is achieved by a driver assistance system for carrying out a lane change of a vehicle driving autonomously on an actual lane to an adjacent destination lane. The vehicle comprises a means for automatically initializing a lane change or an input means for initializing the lane change, a control unit which is designed for autonomous longitudinal and lateral control of the vehicle, means for providing first location and movement data of the vehicle, a communication means at least for provision second location and movement data of moving on the target lane vehicles, wherein the control unit is adapted to determine based on the first and second location and movement data, a presence of a lane change adequate traffic gap and in the presence of an adequate traffic gap the lane change by appropriate Carry out longitudinal and lateral control of the vehicle autonomously.

The input means is preferably a steering wheel mounted lever, a slide switch, a keyboard, a touch screen, or a voice input system. In particular, the control unit comprises a computer unit which is designed to carry out a method for determining an adequate traffic gap on the destination lane and for automatically controlling the lane change. The communication medium is preferred for a secure C2C or C2X communication designed. Advantageous developments of the driver assistance system result from an analogous or analogous transmission of the statements made for the method according to the invention.

Finally, the invention relates to a motor vehicle having a driver assistance system, as described above.

Further advantages, features and details emerge from the following description, in which an exemplary embodiment is described in detail. The same, similar and / or functionally identical parts are provided with the same reference numerals.

Show it:

1a -C a temporal evolution of a traffic situation with autonomous vehicles 101 - 106 in a lane change of a vehicle according to the invention 101 .

2 a schematic sequence of a method according to the invention, and

3 a schematic structure of a driver assistance system according to the invention.

The 1a -C show a temporal evolution of a traffic situation with autonomously driving vehicles 101 - 106 in a lane change of a vehicle according to the invention 101 from an actual track 108 on a target track 107 , The 1a shows the traffic situation at a time t ₀ , the 1b shows the traffic situation at a time t ₀ + 5 s and the 1c shows the traffic situation at a time t ₀ + 10 s. The direction of travel of the vehicles 101 - 106 is present from bottom to top (indicated by the arrows in 1a ).

On the illustrated three-lane road are for the three lanes 107 - 109 in the same direction each set different target speeds given by the autonomously moving vehicles 101 - 106 be driven accordingly. In the illustrated embodiment is based on legal traffic. That's the right lane 109 For example, the recommended speed 100 km / h, the middle lane 108 the directional speed 130 km / h, and the left lane 107 the recommended speed is 160 km / h. Depending on traffic density on each of the three lanes 107 - 109 the straightening speeds are dynamically adjusted to achieve a corresponding traffic flow control. The adjustment of the straightening speeds is done by a traffic control center. The autonomously driving vehicles 101 - 106 automatically adhere to the specified guideline speed within a certain tolerance range. Several vehicles, present in 1a and 1b : the vehicles 101 - 103 , can easily combine to form an autonomous column, so that the distance between the convoy vehicles is kept so low that a "slipstreaming" takes place and continues to achieve a high traffic flow.

The detection of the valid for the respective lane guide speed can be done both by means of a traffic sign recognition system in the respective vehicles, as well as by means of information transmission from a traffic control center, for example. Via a C2X communication.

In the present case, the driver of the autonomously driving vehicle wants 101 in 1a a higher than the current actual lane 108 drive valid driving speed (guideline speed). He shares his desire by means of an appropriately designed input means the driver assistance system of the vehicle 101 With. The driver assistance system then initializes the lane change from the actual lane 108 to the desired adjacent destination lane 107 with the higher directing speed, but only performs this after it with the on the target lane 107 driving second vehicles 104 - 106 a corresponding traffic gap 110 agreed or actively coordinated, which spatially and temporally a safe Ausscheren from the actual lane 108 , an adequate acceleration and a cutting into the target lane 107 allows and this traffic hole 110 actually exists.

In the present case will be used to establish the adequate traffic gap 110 a targeted braking of the vehicle 106 on the finish track 107 coordinated to perform the lane change. This is in the 1a and 1b at the increasing distance of the vehicles 104 and 105 to recognize, while the distance of the vehicles 105 and 106 remains constant. The appropriate traffic gap can be co-ordinated, for example, by means of a C2X communication, in each case directly with the affected vehicles via C2C communication, or via a communication to a central station.

In a correspondingly analogous way, a lane change is on the lane 109 low speed or exit from the roadway.

The determination of the existence of an adequate traffic gap or the generation of an adequate traffic gap can be done either by a central office or centrally as a collective consisting of the participating vehicles. Through appropriate movement organization of the involved Vehicles, the lane change so coordinated take place that the least possible impairment of the previous movements of the vehicles involved takes place. For this purpose, in the individual case, a co-ordinated speed adaptation of all vehicles could also be used 101 - 106 done to an adequate traffic gap 110 to create.

In the in 1b shown traffic situation is that for the lane change of the vehicle 101 adequate traffic gap 110 currently before, so the lane change by the vehicle 101 carried out autonomously now (indicated by the arrow on vehicle 101 ).

In the in 1c illustrated traffic situation has the vehicle 101 the lane change to the destination lane 107 already running and dealing with the vehicles 104 - 106 merged into a new column.

With a high traffic density on a multi-lane road section and / or with a high number of lane changes and thus vehicles with different speeds on the same lane, driving at constantly higher speed is generally difficult to realize without the risk of interference and collision increase. In this case, financial incentives can be created to still allow faster driving. For example, on a toll road in the case of high traffic density, a bonus could be charged for vehicles that fit into the slower lane. This bonus could also consist of a reduced toll. At the same time, the toll could be increased accordingly on a faster track to additionally motivate drivers to place themselves in slower lanes.

As soon as the traffic density has been sufficiently thinned out on a faster track, the valid straightening speed can be correspondingly increased dynamically in order to ensure a faster progress.

In order to determine the speed and the traffic density on individual lanes, both infrastructure elements in the area of the road and the sensor systems of the individual vehicles can be used by means of C2X. For example, the dynamic adjustment of tolls may be controlled from a control center or negotiated between the vehicles using C2X or other transmission techniques. The billing itself could be done, for example, on the basis of pre-paid charge accounts, via a micropayment organization or via the mobile phone bill.

In another embodiment, the billing can be done individually with that vehicle with which a negotiation for a lane change window was successfully completed. In this case, the driver of the lane-changing vehicle pays a fee to the driver of another vehicle, which has enabled the lane change operation by a Abbremsmanöver.

In this context, an interaction using a user interface with that driver is conceivable, which wishes to exercise the lane change and that driver whose vehicle would have to slow down for this. For example, a charge could be determined dynamically, depending on how much braking intervention would have to be made to engage a vehicle, and the driver of the lane change request vehicle can decide via user interface if he is willing to pay that charge. An option for further negotiation would also be conceivable, as well as a fixing of these fees by a control center. In the latter case, a bonus calculation for vehicles is conceivable that einscheren other vehicles.

Finally, in the configuration of autonomously driving vehicles, the driver can set profiles in which different driving behaviors, e.g. As "slow and cheap" or "fast and costly", can be selected so that the driver assistance system in the vehicle itself according to the selected profile, the above-mentioned actions independently decides and performs and accordingly pays fees or cash.

2 shows a schematic sequence of a method according to the invention for carrying out a lane change of one on an actual lane 108 autonomously moving vehicle 101 on an adjacent destination lane 107 , In a first step 201 an initialization of the lane change takes place by an input in an input means in the vehicle. This input includes at least one piece of information that indicates whether the adjacent track is to the right or left of the current track 108 to be changed. In a second step 202 is based on first location and movement data of the vehicle 101 and second location and movement data from on the destination lane 107 driving second vehicles 104 - 106 a presence of a traffic lane adequate for the lane change determined. In the simplest case, it waits until it reaches the destination lane 107 an adequate traffic gap 110 by itself results. The adequate traffic gap 110 must be arranged and have sufficient free traffic space, so that a safe Ausscheren from the actual lane to the destination lane with a corresponding Acceleration process of the vehicle 101 is possible. Preferably, the adequate for the lane change traffic gap 110 on the finish track 107 generated by all participating vehicles 101 - 106 or at least one vehicle coordinating and actively adapting their respective movements.

Will the existence of an adequate traffic gap 110 determined for the lane change, then the lane change in a third step 203 from the vehicle 101 autonomously executed.

3 shows a schematic structure of a driver assistance system according to the invention for performing a lane change one on an actual lane 108 autonomously moving vehicle 101 on an adjacent destination lane 107 , The vehicle 101 includes a selector lever 301 for initializing the lane change, wherein the selector lever has two positions, which is a lane change from the actual lane 108 on the adjacent right lane 109 or the adjacent left lane 107 specify. The vehicle 101 further comprises a control unit 302 for autonomous longitudinal and lateral control of the vehicle. The control unit 302 is this with environmental sensors 304 connected, which is a current image of the vehicle 101 capture the surrounding traffic situation. The vehicle 101 also includes a means 303 for providing first location and movement data of the vehicle 101 , and a means of communication 305 at least for providing second location and movement data from on the destination lane 107 moving vehicles 104 - 106 , The control unit 302 is designed on the basis of the first and second location and movement data a presence of an adequate for the lane change traffic 110 and if there is an adequate traffic gap 110 the lane change by appropriate longitudinal and lateral control of the vehicle 101 to carry out autonomously.

Although the invention has been further illustrated and explained in detail by way of preferred embodiments, the invention is not limited by the disclosed examples, and other variations can be derived therefrom by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention. It is therefore clear that a multitude of possible variations exists. It is also to be understood that exemplified embodiments are really only examples that are not to be construed in any way as limiting the scope, applicability, or configuration of the invention. Rather, the foregoing description and description enable the skilled artisan to practice the exemplary embodiments, and those of skill in the knowledge of the disclosed inventive concept may make various changes, for example, on the function or arrangement of particular elements recited in an exemplary embodiment. without departing from the scope defined by the claims and their legal equivalents, such as further explanation in the description.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

101-106

vehicles

107-109

lanes

110

adequate traffic gap

201-203

steps

301

input means

302

Controller / control means

303

Means for providing first location and movement data of the vehicle 101

304

environmental sensors

305

means of communication

306

Longitudinal control of the vehicle 101

307

Transverse control of the vehicle 101

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• DE 102008061303 A1 [0004]

Claims (9)

Method for carrying out a lane change on an actual lane ( 108 ) autonomous vehicle ( 101 ) to an adjacent destination lane ( 107 ), in which the lane change by the vehicle automatically or by an input in the vehicle ( 101 ) is initialized, based on first location and movement data of the vehicle ( 101 ) and second location and movement data from on the destination lane ( 107 ) second vehicles ( 104 - 106 ) a presence of a traffic lane adequate for the lane change ( 110 ), and if there is an adequate traffic gap ( 110 ) the lane change from the vehicle ( 101 ) is carried out autonomously. Method according to Claim 1, in which the traffic gap adequate for lane change ( 110 ) on the destination lane ( 107 ) is generated by the vehicle ( 101 ) and the second vehicles ( 104 - 106 ) coordinate and actively adapt their respective movements. Method according to Claim 2, in which the coordinated adaptation of the movements takes place such that in each case the smallest possible change in the movement of the vehicle ( 101 ) and the second vehicles ( 104 - 106 ) he follows. Method according to one of Claims 1 to 3, in which the adaptation of the movements of the vehicle ( 101 ) and the second vehicles ( 104 - 106 ) is controlled by a central office. Method according to one of Claims 1 to 3, in which the adaptation of the movements of the vehicle ( 101 ) and the second vehicles ( 104 - 106 ) by the collective consisting of the vehicle ( 101 ) and the second vehicles ( 104 - 106 ) is coordinated. Method according to one of Claims 1 to 5, in which a directional speed which depends on the traffic density is predetermined per lane, and for the vehicle ( 101 ) a lane-dependent toll is charged. Method according to Claim 5, in which those second vehicles ( 104 - 106 ), which slow down to generate an adequate traffic gap, a toll bonus is credited. Driver assistance system for carrying out a lane change of one on an actual lane ( 108 ) autonomous vehicle ( 101 ) to an adjacent destination lane ( 107 ), where the vehicle ( 101 ) comprises means for automatically initializing a lane change or an input means ( 301 ) for the initialization of the lane change, a control unit ( 302 ) for the autonomous longitudinal and lateral control of the vehicle ( 101 ), a means ( 303 ) for providing first location and movement data of the vehicle ( 101 ), a means of communication ( 305 ) at least for providing second location and movement data from on the destination lane ( 107 ) moving vehicles ( 104 - 106 ), the control unit ( 302 ) is designed on the basis of the first and second location and movement data a presence of an adequate for the lane change traffic gap ( 110 ) and if there is an adequate traffic gap ( 110 ) the lane change by appropriate longitudinal and lateral control of the vehicle ( 101 ) autonomously. Motor vehicle with a driver assistance system according to claim 8.

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