FR3132266A1 - Process for adapting information communicated to a driver of a vehicle and driving assistance device capable of implementing such a process. - Google Patents

Abstract

This method for adapting information communicated by a man-machine interface (4) of a vehicle (1) following a route to a driver of the vehicle (1), comprises the following steps: - Determination of at least one index chosen from an index representing a mental load of the driver, an index relating to the knowledge by the driver of the route taken by the vehicle 1, an index relating to the experience of the driver vis-à-vis the interface man-machine 4, an index relating to the driver's driving experience and an index representing a level of risk relating to the environment, and - Adaptation of a quantity of information and/or the content of this information to be communicated to the driver according to the at least one determined index. Figure for abstract: Fig 1

Description

Method for adapting information communicated to a driver of a vehicle and driving assistance device capable of implementing such a method.

The invention relates, in general, to motor vehicles, and in particular to all the information communicated to a driver via the vehicle's human-machine interfaces.

Specifically, the invention relates to a method for adapting the information communicated to the driver of the vehicle and a driving assistance device implementing such a method.

Previous techniques

With the development of electronics and computing, driving assistance devices have appeared in vehicles, and particularly in the automobile industry.

These driving assistance devices help the vehicle driver in his driving task by communicating information to him in various ways. This information can be visual, for example through a screen, a hologram, or a projection via head-up display systems. This information can also be haptic, auditory, etc.

However, soliciting the driver by haptic, visual and auditory means can increase the risk of an accident, due to excessive distraction of the driver and/or a reduction in the perception of the driving field.

On the other hand, current assistance devices use the same means of communication for the same information, whatever the driving situation or the driver's state of mind, in particular whatever their mental load, despite the needs of varied driver conditions as well as different driving contexts.

Mental load is the cognitive occupation of the driver. The greater the mental load, the less the driver can concentrate on the road and the higher the risk of an accident.

Finally, the driver has different personal needs and preferences depending on the situations and times of driving.

In view of the above, the present invention aims to propose a method of adapting the information communicated to the driver by the man-machine interface of a vehicle, and a driving assistance device implementing a such process.

The subject of the invention is therefore a method of adapting information communicated by a man-machine interface of a vehicle following a route to a driver of the vehicle, comprising the following steps:

- Determination of at least one index chosen from an index representative of a mental load of the driver, an index relating to the driver's knowledge of the route taken by the vehicle, an index relating to the driver's experience vis- with respect to the man-machine interface, an index relating to the driver's driving experience and an index representative of a level of risk relating to the environment, and

- Adaptation of a quantity of information and/or the content of this information to be communicated to the driver according to at least one determined index.

Advantageously, the adaptation step comprises the adaptation of the methods of communicating information according to the at least one determined index.

Preferably, the determination of the index representative of a level of risk relating to the environment is carried out from environmental input data coming from collaborative platforms and/or vehicle sensors.

Advantageously, the determination of the index relating to the driver's driving experience depends on a first driver's driving experience parameter independently of the use of the vehicle, and on a second driver's experience parameter in using the vehicle.

Advantageously, the determination of the index relating to the driver's experience with respect to the human-machine interface of the vehicle is carried out from vehicle use statistics and user preferences defined by the driver.

Advantageously, the determination of the index representative of the mental load is carried out from behavioral parameters and physiological parameters of the driver.

In one embodiment, the physiological parameters include measurements of the driver's temperature, electrodermal conductance, heart rate, respiratory rate, and blood pressure and the behavioral parameters include facial expressions, driving behavior or body movements of the driver.

Preferably, the driver's physiological parameters are recovered using physiological investigation tools.

Advantageously, the adaptation of the quantity of information and/or the content of this information to be communicated to the driver is also carried out according to an emergency index associated with said at least one determined index.

The invention also relates to a driving assistance device comprising a plurality of means of communicating information to a driver of the vehicle and a control module capable of controlling the plurality of communication means, the assistance device to conduct being capable of carrying out a process as defined above.

Other aims, characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the following description, given solely by way of non-limiting example, and made with reference to the appended drawings in which:

schematically illustrates a vehicle equipped with a driving assistance device according to the invention;

illustrates a first mode of implementing a method according to the invention; And

illustrates a second mode of implementation of a method according to the invention.

Detailed presentation of at least one embodiment

We have shown schematically on the a vehicle 1 equipped so as to communicate information to a driver of this vehicle 1.

For this, the vehicle 1 is equipped with a driving assistance device 2. This device 2 includes a control module 3 controlling a man-machine interface 4 from several input signals.

The man-machine interface 4 comprises a plurality of means 5 for communicating information to a driver of the vehicle. These means 5 of communications use different resources of the vehicle 1 to communicate information given to the driver.

For example, the information communication means 5a is a visual communication means communicating information to the driver comprising a central screen of a dashboard of the vehicle 1. Likewise, the information communication means 5b can be a visual information communication means comprising a head-up display system. The other means 5 may include haptic communication means providing, for example, vibrations via a steering wheel of the vehicle 1, auditory means of communication via a voice assistant, etc.

The device 2 is particularly capable of implementing a method of adapting information communicated by the man-machine interface 4 to the driver of the vehicle 1 as illustrated in the .

The control module 3 comprises at least one calculation unit comprising hardware and software resources such as for example at least one processor or microprocessor. The calculation unit is capable of executing instructions for implementing a computer program.

The device 2 may, in addition, comprise or be capable of exchanging information with different elements such as:

• a means 6A for locating the position of the vehicle 1 in a road infrastructure,
• one or more sensors 6B for measuring physiological and/or behavioral parameters on board the vehicle 1
• one or more 6C connected objects capable of carrying out measurements of physiological and/or behavioral parameters
• one or more 6D environmental data sensors on board the vehicle 1,
• a module 7 for determining an index representative of a mental load,
• a communication module 8 with a connected device 6C and/or a database,
• an analog-digital converter 9 receiving measurements from one or more data measuring devices relating to the vehicle 1.

The location means 6A allows the location of the vehicle 1 in a road infrastructure. For example, it integrates a location system for vehicle 1. The location of vehicle 1 can be provided by a GPS system, from the Anglo-Saxon acronym “Global Positioning System”. The location of the vehicle 1 makes it possible to extract information such as for example the road infrastructure and/or the topology and/or the geography within a radius of a few hundred meters around the position of the vehicle 1. This information is extracted from a database via the communication module 8. This database can be, for example, a local map of the road infrastructure embedded in the vehicle or a map shared between several vehicles. The location means 6A communicates the location data with the analog-digital converter 9 and with the communication module 8.

Module 7 determines an index representative of a mental load. More precisely, module 7 determines an index representative of the mental load of the driver of vehicle 1 from physiological and behavioral parameters input to module 7. Mental load, also called cognitive occupation, is a concept reflecting the availability of the driver, in this case the driver's ability to intervene urgently if necessary, and his propensity to concentrate on his driving task. Mental load reflects various physiological elements of the driver such as a possible state of fatigue, falling asleep, anxiety, stress, likely to affect the driver's behavior when driving. Thus, overall, the greater the mental load, the less the driver is concentrated on his driving, and therefore the higher the risk of an accident.

For example, physiological parameters may include measurements of the driver's temperature, electrodermal conductance, heart rate, respiratory rate, or blood pressure. Similarly, behavioral parameters may include the driver's facial expressions, driving behavior or body movements. These physiological and behavioral parameters are provided as input to module 7 and are taken from measurements and/or captures carried out by physiological investigation tools and/or monitoring sensors. Some of these tools and/or sensors are integrated into the vehicle 1 and on-board, and illustrated by block 6B on the . For example, the sensors 6B for measuring on-board physiological and/or behavioral parameters may include a camera installed in the passenger compartment of the vehicle 1, which may be linked for example to a sleep detector based on eye blinking, a haptic sensor in an element of the vehicle 1 such as the steering wheel, a driver fatigue sensor, etc.

Such data coming from the sensors 6B for measuring physiological and/or behavioral parameters on board the vehicle 1 are transmitted to the analog-digital converter 9 which supplies them to the module 7.

These physiological investigation tools and/or monitoring sensors may also include non-onboard 6C connected devices such as a connected watch used by the driver. The data coming from the off-board connected devices 6C concerning physiological monitoring are provided by the connected devices 6C to the communication module 8, which transmits them to the module 7.

Indeed, the communication module 8 allows the vehicle 1 to receive data from a database, from connected devices 6C, from a connected remote vehicle or even from an element of road or urban infrastructure connected to the by means of a wireless connection, low or high frequency. It can, for example, be a wireless connection based on “cellular” technologies such as 5G, on “Bluetooth”, “Wi-Fi” technologies, etc.

From these input parameters, the module 7 determines an index representative of the mental load of the driver indicating for example whether the mental load of the driver is low, medium or high, and transmits this index to the control module 3.

The control module 3 develops a control signal for the man-machine interface 4 from the index representative of the mental load of the driver as input delivered by the module 7.

The method according to the invention adapts the quantity of information and/or the content of this information communicated to the driver as a function of the index representative of the mental load estimated by module 7.

More precisely, a significant mental load is taken into account by the module 3 which consequently reduces the quantity of information communicated to the driver by the man-machine interface 4 on the one hand, and simplifies the information communicated to the driver on the other hand. go.

The method according to the invention can also adapt the methods of communicating information according to the index representative of the mental load. For example, an index representative of the high mental load is taken into account by the module 3 which consequently programs a dark theme within the vehicle 1, a calm voice assistant voice, a simplified interface, information transmitted by means safer such as steering wheel vibrations, not polluting the driver's field of vision, etc. On the contrary, an index representative of low mental load is taken into account by module 3 which consequently programs a light theme within vehicle 1, an energetic voice assistant voice, an increase in the information communicated, etc.

On the other hand, the method according to the invention can adapt the quantity of information and/or the content of this information communicated to the driver, as well as the methods of communicating this information according to an index representative of a level risk relating to the environment in which the vehicle 1 operates.

More precisely, the index representative of a level of risk relating to the environment varies depending on whether the vehicle 1 is traveling in a risky area such as a city, a ring road, etc., or a monotonous area such as a motorway. , a cap, etc.

The device 2 therefore comprises a module 10 for determining an index representative of a level of risk relating to the environment, this module 10 developing an index representative of a level of risk relating to the environment from inputs including environmental data.

This environmental data includes data coming from 6D environmental data sensors on-board in the vehicle 1. These 6D on-board environmental data sensors capture data such as a start or cut signal of the engine of the vehicle 1, a braking signal of the vehicle 1, a signal indicating a type of road traveled by the vehicle 1 and determined by sign recognition, driving fluidity data developed from the speed data of the vehicle 1, the number of overtaking operations carried out, etc. The 6D sensors capture this environmental data and transmit it to the analog-to-digital converter 9.

Other environmental input data measured by 6D sensors can be the weather, the presence of works, the existence of traffic jams, etc.

In addition, the environmental input data can also include data coming from collaborative platforms and sent by the module 8. These data from collaborative platforms can for example be a factor of vigilance required by the road on which the vehicle 1 is traveling when the implementation of the method according to the invention, the factor being based on user data, and being able to be included in a map as described above.

Module 10 defines an index representative of a level of risk indicating for example whether the risk is low, medium or high. Depending on the index representative of a determined level of risk and transmitted to module 3, module 3 adapts the quantity of information and/or the content of this information communicated to the driver, as well as the methods of communication of this information .

More precisely, if the index representative of a level of risk is low, module 3 can send a control signal favoring the communication of visual or auditory information and/or programming the voice assistant to be more entertaining.

Conversely, if the index representative of a level of risk is high, the module 3 can send a control signal limiting the interventions of the voice assistant as much as possible, reducing the number of information communicated, and favoring the haptic communications of information so as not to degrade the driver's attention.

On the other hand, the method according to the invention can adapt the quantity of information and/or the content of this information communicated to the driver, as well as the methods of communicating this information according to an index relating to the experience driver's behavior.

The device 2 therefore comprises a module 11 for determining an index relating to the driver's driving experience, this module 11 developing a driving experience index from a first driver's driving experience parameter independently of the use of the vehicle, and a second parameter of driving experience of the driver using the vehicle provided as input.

Module 11 defines an index relating to driving experience indicating for example whether the driver is a beginner, intermediate or experienced. Depending on the index relating to the driving experience determined and transmitted to module 3, module 3 adapts the quantity of information and/or the content of this information communicated to the driver, as well as the methods of communication of this information .

The first and second parameters come for example from statistics of use of the vehicle 1 by the driver and/or from a user profile recorded in an on-board computer of the vehicle 1 and personalized by the driver himself.

The first parameter includes for example the number of years of experience of the driver in driving, independently of the vehicle 1. More particularly, the first parameter includes the number of years elapsed since obtaining the driving license by the driver.

The second parameter includes for example the number of kilometers traveled by the driver while driving vehicle 1.

More precisely, the module 11 determines to start from the first parameter whether the driver is a beginner driver or not. Particularly, if the driver has been driving for less than three years, the index relating to driving experience determined by module 11 is “beginner”, independently of the second parameter. Conversely, if the driver has been driving for at least three years, module 11 determines the index relating to driving experience based on the second parameter.

If the second parameter indicates that the driver has traveled less than 2000 kilometers with vehicle 1, the driving experience index determined by module 11 is “beginner”. If the second parameter indicates that the driver has traveled between 2000 and 10,000 kilometers with vehicle 1, the index relating to driving experience determined by module 11 is "intermediate", and if the second parameter indicates that the driver has traveled more than 10,000 kilometers with vehicle 1, the driving experience index determined by module 11 is “experienced”.

If the index relating to driving experience determined by module 11 is "beginner", module 3 can send a control signal limiting the interventions of the voice assistant as much as possible, reducing the number of information communicated, favoring haptic communications of information so as not to degrade the driver's attention.

If the index relating to driving experience determined by module 11 is “intermediate” or “experienced”, module 3 can send a control signal increasing the quantity of information communicated, and using more cumbersome communication methods .

The module 11 is also capable of determining an index relating to the driver's experience with respect to the man-machine interface 4 of the vehicle 1, this module 11 developing an experience index with respect to the man-machine interface 4 from usage statistics of the vehicle 1 and more precisely from the man-machine interface 4 on the one hand and user preferences defined for example by the driver on the other hand. More precisely, user preferences come from a user profile recorded in the on-board computer of vehicle 1 and personalized by the driver himself.

Module 11 defines an experience index with respect to the man-machine interface 4 indicating for example whether the driver is a beginner, initiated or experienced. Depending on the experience index with respect to the man-machine interface 4 determined and transmitted to module 3, module 3 adapts the quantity of information and/or the content of this information communicated to the driver, as well as the methods of communicating this information.

If the experience index with respect to the man-machine interface 4 determined by the module 11 is "beginner", the module 3 can send a control signal causing a personalization proposed in an anticipatory manner by the system directly to the driver, and/or offering various tutorials to the driver aimed at teaching him how to understand the man-machine interface 4 for example.

Conversely, if the experience index with respect to the man-machine interface 4 determined by the module 11 is "initiated" or "experienced", the module 3 can send a control signal proposing advanced and/or hidden features from the driver.

Finally, module 11 is able to determine an index relating to the driver's knowledge of the route taken by vehicle 1.

Module 11 defines an index relating to knowledge of the route indicating for example whether the route is new, familiar or known to the driver, based on a parameter comprising statistics of the driver's passage on the route. Depending on the index relating to knowledge of the route determined and transmitted to module 3, module 3 adapts the quantity of information and/or the content of this information communicated to the driver, as well as the methods of communication of this information.

More precisely, if the driver has never been on the route, module 11 determines that the index relating to knowledge of the route is “new”. If the driver has already passed once, module 11 determines that the index relating to knowledge of the route is “familiar”. If the driver has already taken the route more than once, module 11 determines that the index relating to knowledge of the route is “known”.

This index relating to knowledge of the route influences the driver's guidance in the route taken by vehicle 1, via module 3.

More precisely, the more familiar the driver is with the route taken, the more minimalist the navigation will be. Thus, if the index relating to knowledge of the route is "new", the information communicated to the driver will be numerous, communicated vocally and/or visually by light trajectories supported for example by LEDs and possibly haptic by vibrations of the steering wheel or seat.

Conversely, if the index relating to knowledge of the route is “familiar”, the information may be limited to less cumbersome or luminous haptic communications.

Finally, if the index relating to knowledge of the route is “known”, the information could be reduced, for example, to haptic communications.

For all the indexes relating to the experience determined by the module 11, respectively the index relating to the driver's driving experience, the index relating to the driver's experience with regard to the human-interface machine 4, and the index relating to knowledge of the route, the input data of module 11 can come from a unique user profile accessible by identification of the driver via module 8. This user profile can include the number of kilometers traveled, the type of roads mostly traveled, the level of traffic usually encountered, the time elapsed since the acquisition of vehicle 1, etc.

There illustrates an embodiment of the method according to the invention allowing adaptation of the information communicated by the man-machine interface 4 via the means 5 to the driver of the vehicle 1.

The method comprises a first step E1 of determining at least one index chosen from the index representative of a mental load of the driver, the index relating to the driver's experience and the index representative of a level of risk relating to the environment. More precisely, module 7 and/or module 11 and/or module 10 respectively determine the index representative of the mental load of the driver of vehicle 1 and/or the index relating to the experience of the driver and/or the index representative of a level of risk relating to the environment of the vehicle 1.

The method can also include a second step E2 of adapting a quantity of information and/or the content of this information according to the at least one determined index. More precisely, the at least one index determined in the previous step E1 is sent to module 3 which then determines the quantity of information, the content and possibly the methods of communication of this information to be communicated to the driver of vehicle 1.

Module 3 is configured to adapt the quantity of information, the content of this information to be communicated to the driver and possibly the communication modalities also according to an emergency index associated with said at least one determined index. For example, the emergency index is representative of the number of determined indexes which exceed a predetermined percentage of their maximum values. The predetermined percentage can for example be 80%.

In a final step E3, module 3 transmits a control signal to the man-machine interface 4 as described previously. More precisely, the module 3 communicates to the man-machine interface 4 a control signal comprising the quantity of information, the content and the methods of communication of this information to be communicated to the driver determined in step E2.

Finally, the man-machine interface 4 communicates via the communications means 5 the information determined in step E2 according to the communications methods determined to the driver.

However, the method of carrying out the is not restrictive. There illustrates another embodiment of the method according to the invention in which the information communicated is adapted according to several of the indexes.

In a first step E4, the index relating to the driver's experience is determined by module 11.

If the index relating to the experience of the driver of the determined vehicle is “beginner”, the module 11 transmits the index to the module 3 which emits a control signal to the man-machine interface 4 as described previously.

If the index relating to the experience of the driver of the determined vehicle is "intermediate" or "experienced", the module 11 determines in a step E5, the index relating to the experience with respect to the human interface -machine 4.

If the index relating to experience with the man-machine interface 4 is “beginner”, the module 11 transmits the index to module 3 which emits a control signal to the man-machine interface 4 as described previously.

If the index relating to the experience with respect to the man-machine interface 4 is “initiated” or “experienced”, the module 11 transmits the index to the module 3 which emits a control signal to the man-machine interface 4 as described previously.

Parallel to step E5, if the index relating to the experience of the driver of the vehicle 1 determined is “intermediate” or “experienced” the module 10 determines the index representative of a level of risk in a step E5’.

If the index representative of a risk level is high, module 10 transmits the index to module 3 which emits a control signal to the man-machine interface 4 as described previously.

If the index representative of a level of risk is medium or low, module 7 determines in a third step E6 an index representative of the mental load of the driver as described previously.

In a fourth step E7, module 3 determines the quantity of information, the content and the methods of communication of this information to be communicated to the driver based on the one hand on the index representative of the mental load transmitted by module 7 in module 3, and on the other hand an emergency index associated with each piece of information.

The invention therefore makes it possible to offer the driver an intelligent vehicle 1 that is adaptive and reduces the risk of accident.

Claims (10)

Method for adapting information communicated by a man-machine interface (4) of a vehicle (1) following a route to a driver of the vehicle (1), comprising the following steps:

• Determination (E1) of at least one index chosen from an index representative of a mental load of the driver, an index relating to the driver's knowledge of the route taken by the vehicle (1), an index relating to the driver experience with respect to the human-machine interface (4), an index relating to the driver's driving experience and an index representative of a level of risk relating to the environment, and
• Adaptation (E2) of a quantity of information and/or the content of this information to be communicated to the driver according to the at least one determined index.

Method according to claim 1, in which the adaptation step (E2) comprises the adaptation of the information communication methods as a function of the at least one determined index. Method according to one of claims 1 and 2, in which the determination (E1) of the index representative of a level of risk relating to the environment is carried out from environmental input data coming from collaborative platforms and/or or sensors (6D) of the vehicle (1). Method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, in which the determination (E1) of the index relating to the driver's driving experience depends on a first parameter of the driver's driving experience independently of the use of the vehicle (1), and a second driver experience parameter using the vehicle (1). Method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, in which the determination (E1) of the index relating to the driver's experience with respect to the man-machine interface (4) of the vehicle (1) is produced from vehicle usage statistics (1) and user preferences defined by the driver. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, in which the determination (E1) of the index representative of a mental load is carried out from behavioral parameters and physiological parameters of the driver. A method according to claim 6, wherein the physiological parameters include measurements of the driver's temperature, electrodermal conductance, heart rate, respiratory rate and blood pressure and the behavioral parameters include facial expressions, driving behavior or body movements of the driver. Method according to one of claims 6 and 7, in which the physiological parameters of the driver are recovered using physiological investigation tools (6B, 6C). Method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, in which the adaptation (E2) of the quantity of information and/or the content of this information to be communicated to the driver is also carried out as a function of an emergency index associated with said at least one determined index. Driving assistance device (2) comprising a plurality of means (5) for communicating information to a driver of the vehicle (1) and a control module (3) capable of controlling the plurality of means (5) of communications, the driving assistance device (2) being capable of carrying out a method according to any one of claims 1 to 9.