JP2022171729A - Vehicle driving support system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To realize a more effective and efficient driving support by applying a communication technology, AI and other new technologies.

SOLUTION: In a vehicle driving support system 1 that supports a driving of vehicle 2, each vehicle 2 comprises: a communication unit 11 that performs at least one or more wireless communications among a vehicle-to-vehicle communication with other vehicles 2', a road-to-vehicle communication with road equipment 3 and the like, and the Internet connection operation; one or more sensors 20 that acquire information related to a driving status of the vehicle 2; and a driving control unit 12 that controls the automatic driving of the vehicle 2 based on the information acquired via the communication unit 11 and the information related to the driving status of the vehicle 2 acquired by the sensor 20, wherein: the driving control unit 12 controls automatic driving of another vehicle 2' based on the information related to the driving status of the vehicle 2 and the control content of the automatic driving and the information related to the driving status and the control content of automatic driving acquired from other vehicles 2' via the communication unit 11.

SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

COPYRIGHT: (C)2023,JPO&INPIT

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to technology for assisting the driving of vehicles such as automobiles, and in particular, vehicle driving that supports driving based on the information obtained by exchanging information with other vehicles, facilities, equipment, etc. The present invention relates to a support system and a technology that is effective when applied to a housing complex used in this system.

In recent years, the use of IT in automobiles has progressed, driving control technology such as automatic driving, car navigation systems (hereinafter sometimes abbreviated as "car navigation"), information provision technology to drivers such as head-up displays. Technologies for assisting the driving of automobiles have been developed.

Regarding the use of IT in automobiles, for example, Non-Patent Document 1 describes the use of software centered on artificial intelligence (AI) in automobiles, information sharing with other cars and road infrastructure using communication technology, etc. describes the control of automobiles, such as judging changes in traffic conditions and avoiding emergencies.

In addition, as a technique for supporting safe driving such as collision prevention, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 5-266399 (Patent Document 1) describes a driving control device for a vehicle that runs around the own vehicle by communication between vehicles. It is stated that by collecting driving information of other vehicles and grasping the surrounding traffic conditions in advance, various controllers existing in the vehicle can be controlled to support the safe driving of the own vehicle.

In addition, as a technology related to automatic driving, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-322916 (Patent Document 2) describes the relative position of a preceding vehicle that runs in the same lane as the host vehicle and the lane that is not the same. Detects the relative positions of the parallel running vehicle, calculates the trajectory of the preceding vehicle and the parallel running vehicle from each relative position, and follows the trajectory of the preceding vehicle when it is determined that the respective trajectories are parallel. It is described that the self-vehicle is controlled as follows.

In addition, as a technology related to considering the driver's proficiency in car navigation, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-66521 (Patent Document 3) discloses data detected by various sensors of an in-vehicle failure diagnosis system, It is described that the information is stored in a driving assistance server each time, the driving skill level is determined based on this, and driving assistance is provided according to the driving skill level of each user through the user's portable terminal.

In addition, Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2005-300209 (Patent Document 4) discloses traffic obstruction information and map data of oncoming lanes related to the traveling direction of the own vehicle extracted from traffic obstruction information acquired through a VICS (registered trademark) receiver. Based on the road width information of the obstacle occurrence location, determine the difficulty of passing the vehicle at the obstacle occurrence location based on the acquired road width information and the vehicle width information of the vehicle It is described that the place of occurrence is displayed on the map screen as a passing caution point.

JP-A-5-266399 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-322916 JP 2014-66521 A Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-300209

Koji Yayama, “Current Status of Automobile IT Initiatives in the United States”, [online], March 2015, Information-technology Promotion Agency, [searched on September 29, 2016], Internet <URL: http:/ /www.ipa.go.jp/files/000044954.pdf＞

As shown in the prior art, driving support technology using IT for automobiles is progressing in areas such as driving control such as automatic driving and effective information provision and navigation in car navigation systems, but it is still under development. . There is a strong need to apply communication technology, AI, and other new technologies to realize more effective and efficient driving assistance.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle driving support system that meets the needs as described above, and an apartment building used for this system.

The above and other objects and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the description of the specification and the accompanying drawings.

A brief outline of typical inventions disclosed in the present application is as follows.

A representative embodiment of the present invention is a vehicle driving support system for assisting driving of a vehicle, wherein each vehicle has inter-vehicle communication with other vehicles and road-to-vehicle communication with road facilities and the like. , and at least one communication unit that performs wireless communication with an Internet connection, one or more sensors that acquire information related to the driving situation of the vehicle, information acquired through the communication unit, and the sensor and a driving control unit that controls automatic driving of the vehicle based on the acquired information related to the driving situation of the vehicle.

Then, the driving control unit receives information related to the driving status of the vehicle and the control details of automatic driving, and the driving status of the other vehicle and the control details of automatic driving obtained from the other vehicle via the communication unit. Based on such information, the automatic driving of the other vehicle is controlled.

Among the inventions disclosed in the present application, the effects obtained by representative ones are briefly described below.

That is, according to the representative embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to implement more effective and efficient driving support by applying communication technology, AI, and other new technologies.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is the figure which showed the outline|summary about the structural example of the vehicle driving assistance system which is Embodiment 1 of this invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is the figure which showed the outline|summary about the example of automatic operation control in Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is the figure which showed the outline|summary about the other example of automatic operation control in Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is the figure which showed the outline|summary about the other example of automatic operation control in Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is the figure which showed the outline|summary about the other example of automatic operation control in Embodiment 1 of this invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is the figure which showed the outline|summary about the example of the communication control of the vehicle in Embodiment 1 of this invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is the figure which showed the outline|summary about the example of route guidance based on the communication system (driving mode) in Embodiment 1 of this invention. 4 is a flowchart showing an outline of an example of the flow of driving control according to traffic rules in Embodiment 1 of the present invention. 4 is a flow chart showing an overview of an example of the flow of operation control when an accident occurs in Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an overview of a configuration example of a vehicle driving support system that is Embodiment 2 of the present invention; FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an overview of an example of a user interface for referring to surrounding traffic conditions according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention; FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an overview of a configuration example of a vehicle driving support system according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention; FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an overview of an example of a control mode of a drone according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention; FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an overview of an example of article delivery by drone according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention; FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an overview of another example of article delivery by drone according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In principle, the same parts are denoted by the same reference numerals throughout the drawings for describing the embodiments, and repeated descriptions thereof will be omitted. On the other hand, parts that have been described with reference numerals in one drawing may be referred to with the same reference numerals, although they are not shown again in the description of other drawings.

(Embodiment 1)
A vehicle driving support system, which is Embodiment 1 of the present invention, targets a vehicle such as an automobile having an automatic driving function, and transmits and receives information through communication with other vehicles, facilities, equipment, etc., and acquires it. It automatically controls driving based on the information obtained. Vehicles include a wide range of vehicles such as automobiles such as passenger cars and trucks, motorcycles, and other vehicles that move on roads by rotating wheels with a prime mover. In addition, there are no particular restrictions on the level of automated driving for these vehicles. system) to level 4 (completely automated driving in which the driver is not involved in all of acceleration, steering, and braking), which is not currently in actual operation.

<System configuration>
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an overview of a configuration example of a vehicle driving support system according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. The vehicle driving support system 1 includes devices such as an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 10 mounted on the vehicle 2, various sensors 20, a drive recorder (vehicle camera) 30, a car navigation system 40, and the like.

The ECU 10 is a device that electronically controls the operation of each part of the vehicle 2. For example, the ECU 10 is implemented by hardware including a semiconductor integrated circuit such as a microcomputer (not shown) or software executed by a CPU (Central Processing Unit) (not shown). It has each unit such as a communication unit 11 and an operation control unit 12 .

The communication unit 11 has a function of performing general Internet connection by wireless communication (mobile communication, short-range wireless communication, etc.), and performing vehicle-to-vehicle communication and road-to-vehicle communication using a predetermined protocol. In the vehicle-to-vehicle communication, it is possible to transmit and receive information related to driving conditions to and from another vehicle 2', which also has a function of vehicle-to-vehicle communication according to a predetermined protocol. In addition to the vehicle, the other vehicle 2' also includes a pedestrian holding a device capable of communicating with the vehicle 2 using a predetermined protocol for vehicle-to-vehicle communication, such as a smartphone or a dedicated device. It shall be possible.

Further, in the road-to-vehicle communication, it is possible to exchange information regarding the driving conditions, traffic conditions, etc. of the vehicle 2 with the road equipment 3 having a communication function. The road facilities 3 may include, for example, buildings and the like in addition to traffic-related facilities such as signals, road signs, roads, and guardrails. Moreover, these are not limited to those installed publicly, and may be installed by the private sector. The data exchanged by road-to-vehicle communication via the road facility 3 is generated or recorded by a traffic control system 50 or the like, which is an information processing system that collects, manages, and provides traffic information to each vehicle 2, for example. good too. Moreover, the data to be exchanged is not limited to data relating to conditions such as driving conditions and traffic conditions, and may be data relating to driving instructions generated by the instruction unit 51 of the traffic control system 50, for example.

The driving control unit 12 has a function of operating and controlling driving of the vehicle 2 including automatic driving. The operation of devices such as the communication unit 11, the sensor 20, and the drive recorder 30 may be controlled together. In operation control, the content of control is appropriately changed based on the information acquired via the communication part 11, the sensor 20, etc., for example. At this time, as will be described later, for example, control rules 13 set in advance or dynamically set in a recording medium such as a memory (not shown) or rules such as traffic rules 14 may be referenced to determine the control content. good.

The ECU 10 may have other various control functions (not shown) that contribute to the operation of the vehicle 2 (for example, engine control for improving fuel efficiency, etc.). Only the parts that

The sensor 20 is a known device that detects various situations related to the vehicle 2, and includes, for example, a vehicle speed sensor, an acceleration sensor, a gyro sensor, a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, a GPS (Global Positioning System) sensor, an infrared sensor, and an optical sensor. etc. can be targeted. The data detected by the sensor 20 can be sent to the ECU 10, for example, and used when the operation control unit 12 determines the details of control, or used for route search of the car navigation system 40, for example.

The drive recorder 30 has a function of acquiring and recording the situation outside or inside the vehicle as video and audio using an in-vehicle camera as a record of driving, including when an accident occurs. Here, a commercially available drive recorder can be used as appropriate. The ECU 10 may instruct control such as start/end of recording. Recording may be always continued regardless of the presence or absence of an instruction.

The car navigation system 40 is a general car navigation system that searches for a route to a destination according to an instruction from the driver and provides route guidance based on information on the current position of the vehicle 2 . The car navigation system 40 provides route guidance and the like to the driver via display means (not shown) such as a display installed in the vehicle or a vehicle-mounted head-up display that projects an image onto the windshield using a projector. Furthermore, it is also possible for the ECU 10 or the like to display various other information related to operation control via this display means.

<Driving control (adjustment between vehicles)>
When it is detected that an accident such as a collision or contact with another vehicle 2' is likely to occur while the vehicle 2 is operating by automatic operation, the vehicle is automatically operated to avoid the occurrence of the accident. It is conceivable to perform control such as stopping 2 or changing course. Here, when the other vehicle 2' of the other party is also automatically driving, it is conceivable that the other vehicle 2' is similarly controlled to avoid the occurrence of an accident. As a result, it is conceivable that, for example, both vehicles will change course in the same direction, and an accident will occur due to competing avoidance controls. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the vehicle-to-vehicle communication between the vehicle 2 and the other vehicle 2' is adjusted in advance so that the avoidance control for avoiding the occurrence of the accident does not conflict with each other.

Drawing 2 is a figure showing an outline about an example of automatic operation control in this embodiment. Here, as shown in the upper diagram, when the vehicle 2 and another vehicle 2' are facing each other by automatic driving, when the possibility of a collision accident becomes high, Example of a case where one side (another vehicle 2' in the example of FIG. 2) changes the course and the other side (the vehicle 2 in the example of FIG. 2) maintains the same course by adjusting the avoidance control. is shown.

The lower diagram is a flow chart showing an overview of an example of the flow of processing for adjusting avoidance control through inter-vehicle communication. First, the vehicle 2 establishes an inter-vehicle communication session using a predetermined protocol with the other vehicle 2' by the communication unit 11 (S01). After that, information on driving conditions (current position, traveling direction, speed, etc.) and the contents of control rules 13 are exchanged with other vehicles 2' through inter-vehicle communication (S02). Then, the operation control unit 12 determines whether or not the own vehicle has the right to make adjustments according to a predetermined rule (S03). The predetermined rule may be a rule that can uniquely identify one of the vehicles. For example, rules such as the one with the smaller vehicle ID, the one with the current position in the north, the one with the faster speed, etc. can be appropriately set.

If the host vehicle (vehicle 2) does not have the adjustment right in step S03 (S03: No), it waits for and receives the adjustment result from the other party (other vehicle 2') without doing anything (S07). ). If the own vehicle (vehicle 2) has the right to make adjustments (S03: Yes), based on the information on the driving conditions of both vehicles and the content of the control rule 13, it is possible to determine whether the two vehicles should proceed when the possibility of an accident has increased. Analyze how the avoidance control will be (S04), and determine whether they conflict (for example, both vehicles change course in the same direction) (S05).

In step S05, if the avoidance controls of both vehicles do not conflict (S05: No), that is, if the accident can be avoided even without doing anything, the avoidance control is not adjusted, and the result of the adjustment is sent to the other vehicle or the like 2'. Send (S07). If the avoidance control conflicts (S05: Yes), the content of the avoidance control of one of the vehicles or both vehicles is adjusted based on a predetermined rule so as not to conflict (S06), and the adjustment result is used by the other vehicle 2'. (S07). For example, if both vehicles change course in the same direction, the content of the avoidance control is changed so that one of them changes course in the opposite direction.

Rules for how to change the avoidance control of the vehicle 2 and other vehicles 2' are not particularly limited. For example, one of the vehicles may be given priority and its current driving situation may be prioritized, and the avoidance control of the other vehicle may be changed based on this. At this time, the parameters used for determining the priority vehicle may be, for example, driving conditions such as speed, the age and years of driving of the driver, the number and attributes of fellow passengers, the types and years of both vehicles, Acquirable attribute information such as the attributes of both vehicles and the attributes of the current location may be used, such as the slope of the road (uphill or downhill) and the condition of the road shoulder (whether there is a sidewalk or a cliff). In this case, for example, based on the driving conditions and attribute information thereof, the vehicle that is difficult to perform avoidance control is determined, and this vehicle is designated as the priority vehicle. Further, the details of avoidance control for both vehicles may be uniformly adjusted based on a predetermined rule regardless of the driving conditions and various attribute information of both vehicles.

Note that the changed avoidance control rule may be reflected by overwriting the content (default control content) set in the control rule 13, or may be temporarily applied only between the target other vehicle 2' and the like. can be treated as a simple setting.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an outline of another example of automatic operation control in the present embodiment. Here, as shown in the upper figure, when one (vehicle 2 in the example of FIG. 3) is about to enter a merging/branching point of roads such as a T-junction or an intersection by automatic driving, Avoid accidents such as collisions by unilaterally controlling (stopping or decelerating in the example of FIG. 3) the automatic driving of the other vehicle (another vehicle 2' in the example of FIG. 3) that is about to enter the point through inter-vehicle communication. It shows an example of a case where

The lower diagram is a flow chart showing an overview of an example of the flow of processing for controlling the other automatic operation through inter-vehicle communication. First, the vehicle 2 establishes an inter-vehicle communication session using a predetermined protocol with the other vehicle 2' by the communication unit 11 (S11). After that, a request to control automatic driving is transmitted to the other vehicle 2' (S12). Although not shown, the other vehicle or the like 2' that has received this request responds as to whether or not control by the vehicle 2 is permitted based on a predetermined rule.

The vehicle 2 receives the response from the other vehicle 2' (S13), and determines whether or not the other vehicle 2' permits control by the vehicle 2 (S14). If the other vehicle 2' does not allow control by the vehicle 2 (S14: No), the other vehicle 2' is not controlled. If the control is permitted (S14: Yes), the content of automatic driving control (for example, stop or decelerate) is transmitted to the other vehicle or the like 2' (S15). Then, assuming that the other vehicle or the like 2' is automatically driven based on the content of the control, the control content of the automatic driving of the own vehicle is changed as necessary (S16). For example, the vehicle enters a merging/branching point as it is without stopping. With respect to the content of transmission in step S15, the reception of Ack from the other vehicle or the like 2' may be used as a trigger to execute step S16.

In the example of FIG. 3, the case of avoiding an accident such as a collision at a merging/branching point is taken as an example, but the control can also be applied to realize smooth traffic such as congestion avoidance.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an outline of another example of automatic operation control in the present embodiment. Here, as shown in the upper diagram, the vehicle 2 and a plurality of following other vehicles 2' are logically connected, managed as an integrated group, and an example of performing automatic driving control and traffic control for the group. is shown. For example, each vehicle belonging to the group can be connected and guided to the same destination by automatic driving, or a request can be made to control the operation of the road equipment 3 side such as traffic lights so that each vehicle belonging to the group can move as a unit. can do.

The lower diagram is a flow chart showing an overview of an example of the flow of processing for controlling automatic driving, signal operation, etc. for each vehicle belonging to a group by vehicle-to-vehicle communication or road-to-vehicle communication. The vehicle 2 first starts a loop process in which processes are performed on the following other vehicles 2' in order of proximity to the vehicle 2 (S21). In the loop process, first, the communication unit 11 establishes a vehicle-to-vehicle communication session using a predetermined protocol with the target vehicle or the like 2' (S22). Then, various information related to the driving conditions of the vehicle 2 and the target other vehicle 2' are acquired (S23).

After that, based on the information acquired in step S23, it is determined whether or not the distance between the vehicle 2 and the target vehicle or the like 2' is within a predetermined distance (S24). The predetermined distance here is a value set in advance as the upper limit of the length of the train when the vehicle 2 and the plurality of other vehicles 2' are managed as a group. If the distance to the target other vehicle 2' is greater than the predetermined distance (S24: No), the loop processing is terminated.

If the distance between the target other vehicle 2' is within a predetermined distance (S24: Yes), whether the driving conditions are similar between the vehicle 2 and the target other vehicle 2' , that is, whether or not it is suitable for management as a group (S25). The similarity determination method is not particularly limited, but for example, determination can be made based on whether each item such as traveling direction, (average) speed, and destination set in the car navigation system 40 is similar. If the driving conditions are not similar (S25: No), the loop process is terminated.

If the driving conditions are similar (S25: Yes), settings are made to add the target vehicle 2' to the group to which the vehicle 2 belongs and to manage them as a group (S26). The fact that the group has been set is notified to the target other vehicle 2' by vehicle-to-vehicle communication together with information such as a group ID and an ID for specifying the vehicle 2, for example. After that, the process for the target other vehicle 2' ends, and the next process for the other vehicle 2' is started (S27, S21). When all the following vehicles with similar driving conditions within a predetermined distance have been processed, the loop processing ends.

After that, automatic driving control, traffic control, and the like are performed in the group for the vehicle 2 and the other vehicle 2' belonging to the set group (S28). For example, information related to the driving details of the vehicle 2 is notified to other vehicles 2' in the group in real time through inter-vehicle communication. The other vehicle or the like 2 ′ controls automatic driving so as to follow the vehicle 2 based on the acquired driving details. Further, for example, each of the vehicle 2 and each of the other vehicles 2' notifies the road equipment 3 (traffic light) of the group ID to which the vehicle 2 belongs through road-to-vehicle communication. The road facility 3 (traffic light) may keep the green light until all other vehicles 2' having the same group ID as the group ID of the vehicle 2 pass.

While continuing to control the vehicle 2 and the other vehicle 2' in the group, it is periodically determined whether or not each other vehicle 2' in the group has left the group (S29). Whether or not the user has left the group can be determined by, for example, the same criteria as those used in steps S24 and S25 described above. If there is no other vehicle 2' that has left (S29: No), the process returns to step S28 to continue group control. If there is another vehicle 2' that has left, the group control ends. The control in the group ends only between the other vehicle 2' following the other vehicle 2' that has left, and the other vehicle 2' that remains in a position closer to the vehicle 2 than the other vehicle 2' that has left. You may make it continue the control in a group between.

In the example of FIG. 4, the vehicle 2 is at the head of the group's convoy, and the following other vehicles 2' are managed as a group to follow the vehicle 2 (the vehicle 2 is the leader of the group). However, it is not limited to this. The vehicle 2 serving as the leader of the group may not be positioned at the head of the convoy, and the group may be set with other vehicles 2' in front and behind the vehicle 2 as targets. In addition, in the example of FIG. 4, the vehicle 2 directly communicates with other vehicles 2', etc., but the present invention is not limited to this. A sequential connection form may be used in which the other vehicle 2' having established an inter-vehicle communication session with the vehicle 2 further performs inter-vehicle communication with the following other vehicle 2' and relays data.

<Operational control (overall control in an emergency)>
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an outline of another example of automatic operation control in the present embodiment. Here, for example, in an emergency such as a disaster, in order to ensure the safety of each vehicle 2, drivers, pedestrians, etc., and smooth evacuation and movement, automatic operation of each vehicle 2 is forcibly controlled. shows an example. For example, a traffic control system 50 operated and managed by a national government, a local government, or the like, uses an instruction unit 51 to transmit an instruction regarding control details to each vehicle 2 during automatic operation through road-to-vehicle communication via the road facility 3 . Each vehicle 2 may independently receive a disaster signal or the like and autonomously change the contents of control to those for emergency by the operation control unit 12 according to a predetermined rule.

Although there are no particular restrictions on the content of control in an emergency such as a disaster, for example, in order to prevent new inflows of vehicles 2 into the central part of the city and quickly alleviate traffic congestion in the central part, for example, the control shown in FIG. 2, the automatic operation is controlled so that the vehicle 2 located in the outer edge (suburb) of the urban area is forcibly moved to the outside of the urban area. After that, the number of vehicles 2 to be forcibly moved to the outside of the city area is gradually expanded toward the center of the city area. Free driving is also restricted for the vehicles 2 that are put on standby to move to the outside of the urban area. For example, the speed limit will be set lower than usual, and movement in the direction of the city center will be restricted.

Also, some vehicles 2 located in the center or the like may be parked and stopped automatically by moving to a safe place such as the shoulder of the road. The same automatic parking and stopping control is not limited to the time of a disaster. good.

For a vehicle 2 that does not have an automatic driving function, for example, if the vehicle 2 has a function of vehicle-to-vehicle communication or road-to-vehicle communication, the vehicle can 2 position, etc., and notifies the driver of an instruction relating to the content of control. Although the means of notification is not particularly limited, for example, it can be reflected in the route guidance of the car navigation system 40, or the content of the instruction can be displayed on the display. The contents of the instruction may be output by voice. As for the vehicle 2 which does not have a communication function, its existence, position, driving conditions, etc. are specified and grasped by satellite photographs, for example. Then, when it is determined that the person is behaving in a manner contrary to the contents of emergency control, for example, it is possible to take measures such as sending a corresponding vehicle such as a police vehicle or a tow truck to the site.

<Operation control (when communication fails)>
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an overview of an example of communication control of vehicle 2 in the present embodiment. Here, as shown in the upper diagram, the lower diagram shows an example of control when the vehicle 2 during automatic operation becomes unable to communicate in whole or in part due to a communication failure, system failure, or the like. . For example, as shown in the lower left diagram, when communication becomes impossible, the vehicle 2 automatically changes the content and mode of automatic driving (represented by different colors and lengths of arrows in the diagram) during normal operation. switch from one to the other. For example, it switches to a control content that emphasizes safety. You may make it switch from automatic operation to manual operation (non-automatic operation).

In addition, "when communication is disabled" includes cases where communication via the mobile communication system provided by the mobile communication carrier is disabled, as well as mobile communication systems of multiple methods provided by the mobile communication carrier. It also includes cases where communication with some of the methods becomes impossible. For example, at a certain timing, the communication unit 11 was able to communicate with each of the 3rd to 5th generation mobile communication systems (3G, 4G, 5G), but at the next timing only 5G communication is not possible. include. At this time, at the timing when the communication method is switched, the content and mode of automatic operation may be switched according to the communication method. For example, as shown in Tables 1 and 2 below, it is possible to switch to the operation mode corresponding to the communication method.

In the example of Table 1, the automatic operation mode, semi-automatic (partially automatic) operation mode, and manual (non-automatic) operation mode are switched according to the communication method. In addition, in the example of Table 2, two types of automatic operation modes (“automatic operation 1” and “automatic operation 2”) with different contents and settings and a semi-automatic (partially automatic) operation mode can be switched according to the communication method. there is

When switching to manual operation, switching control may differ depending on whether or not a person on board the target vehicle 2 has a driver's license. For example, when detecting a communication failure and switching to manual driving, the passenger is inquired through the display of the car navigation system 40 whether or not he/she has a driver's license, or in the case of an IC card-type driver's license, the IC chip is used. is read by a reader. If the passenger has a valid driver's license, the vehicle is switched to manual driving. If the passenger does not have a valid driver's license, the vehicle 2 is automatically driven to a suitable nearby location that does not interfere with surrounding traffic. to move or stop.

As shown in the lower middle diagram of FIG. 6, the vehicle 2 may switch the communication connection destination to another server, system, or the like. Further, as shown in the lower right figure, even if the vehicle 2 cannot communicate with the server, the system, etc., the vehicle-to-vehicle communication is possible with the other vehicle 2'. can communicate with a server, system, etc., it may communicate with the server, system, etc. via the other vehicle 2', or may continue automatic operation under the control of the other vehicle 2'. .

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an overview of an example of route guidance based on the communication method (driving mode) in this embodiment. As described above with reference to FIG. 6, in the present embodiment, when the communication method of the mobile communication system is switched in the vehicle 2, the content and mode of automatic driving can be switched. Area maps for each communication method are published by each mobile communication carrier. Therefore, the car navigation system 40 can provide route guidance based on the communication system (that is, the corresponding driving mode) using the open area maps of each communication system and the map information held by the car navigation system 40. can.

For example, when the driver requests route guidance from the departure point to the destination in the automatic driving mode from the car navigation system 40, and the control in Table 1 above is applied, the automatic driving mode is , is set only when the communication method is 5G communication. Therefore, it is possible to calculate a route that can use 5G communication on all routes to the destination using a 5G communication area map and map information held by the car navigation system 40 and present it to the driver.

For example, in the grid-like road map shown in FIG. 7, areas where 5G communication is possible and areas where 4G communication are possible are shown superimposed. Here, when searching for a route from the starting house (lower right) to the destination hospital (upper left) in the figure, if the driver specifies the automatic driving mode, the car navigation system 40 is capable of 5G communication. Extract the route from the departure point to the destination (the route indicated by the dotted arrow in the figure) on a simple road. If the communication method is not limited, there is a route that can reach the destination in a shorter distance and in a shorter time than the route indicated by the dotted arrow above. are extracting routes that can sustain 5G communication.

Area maps released by mobile communication carriers do not necessarily show details of the correspondence status of each communication method along roads. In this case, for example, a server system such as a vehicle driving support server, which will be described later, may separately prepare an area map along the road and distribute it to the vehicle 2 . For example, it is possible to collect information on the status of each communication system for each area where each driver is located, and create an area map of communication systems for each road in the area.

Furthermore, the radio wave conditions in each communication method may change from moment to moment due to weather such as rain, or dynamic change of beam formation by a Massive MIMO antenna. In response to such dynamic changes in radio wave conditions, technology for predicting changes in the communication method to be used on the device side (terminal side) and mobile communication system side, and technology for predicting changes in the communication method on the mobile communication system side. Many notification techniques have already been published. Therefore, using such a well-known and commonly used technique, the vehicle 2 (car navigation system 40) may be configured to detect a change in the communication method in advance and search for a route again.

Conversely, even if a route corresponding to only automatic driving mode and/or semi-automatic driving mode is extracted in the first route search, even if a route with long driving distance or driving time is extracted, Sometimes things change. In this case, it may be possible to maintain the communication method required by the automatic driving mode and/or the semi-automatic driving mode even on a route with a shorter driving distance or driving time. Therefore, the configuration may be such that the radio wave condition is detected as needed, and a change in the radio wave condition is used as a trigger to re-search the route and propose a new route to the driver.

<Driving control (observance of traffic rules)>
In the automatic driving of the vehicle 2, it is necessary to control the driving content so as to comply with the traffic rules defined as traffic regulations and traffic manners. Such traffic rules may include rules that are set uniformly throughout the country, and rules that differ from region to region. In this embodiment, these rules are stored in a table or the like in advance as traffic rules 14, for example. As for rules that vary from region to region and temporary rules for emergencies and the like, rules instructed each time from a system such as the traffic control system 50 or a server via road-to-vehicle communication or the like may be stored. In addition to the rules themselves, the traffic rules 14 may include information on roads and areas to which the rules apply (for example, no-parking sections, etc.). Further, the content of automatic driving control when traffic rules are applied may be separately set in the control rule 13 .

The traffic rules 14 and the control rules 13 when these rules are applied include, for example, observance of the speed limit (the driver cannot adjust the speed arbitrarily), prohibiting overtaking in sections where overtaking is prohibited, and driving slowly in sections such as near schools. This includes slow driving, avoidance of one-way sections and no-entry sections, etc. Also, when the vehicle enters a no-parking zone, for example, the car navigation system 40 may warn the driver through display or voice output, and may be controlled so that the vehicle cannot be parked (the vehicle can be stopped). In addition, in a stop-prohibited section such as in front of a fire station, for example, when entering, based on information such as vehicle-to-vehicle communication, road-to-vehicle communication, and camera images of the drive recorder 30, there is no other vehicle 2' ahead. The vehicle may be controlled to enter only when it is determined that the vehicle can pass without stopping.

FIG. 8 is a flow chart showing an overview of an example of the flow of driving control according to the traffic rule 14 in this embodiment. First, the driving control unit 12 of the vehicle 2 acquires the control rule 13 (S31). Information related to the current position of the vehicle 2, the attributes of the road in operation, etc. is acquired based on the information obtained by the vehicle-to-vehicle communication and the road-to-vehicle communication by the communication unit 11 and the information obtained from the sensor 20 (S32). ). Then, the traffic rules 14 applied to the current position and the road on which the vehicle is traveling are obtained (S33). Furthermore, based on the information obtained from the sensor 20, information on the driving conditions (speed, traveling direction, driving mode, etc.) of the vehicle 2 is obtained (S34).

After that, it is determined whether or not the vehicle is in automatic operation (S35). If the vehicle is being driven automatically (S35: Yes), automatic driving is controlled based on the control rules 13 and traffic rules 14 obtained in steps S31 and S33, respectively (S37). In other words, automatic driving is controlled in compliance with traffic laws and traffic manners. If the vehicle is not being driven automatically (S35: No), it is determined whether or not the vehicle deviates from the traffic rules 14 based on the driving situation information acquired in step S34 (S36). If the rule is not violated (S36: No), the process ends without doing anything. On the other hand, if the rules are deviated (S36: Yes), automatic driving control is forcibly performed based on the control rules 13 and traffic rules 14 obtained in steps S31 and S33, respectively (S37). In other words, the system is forcibly switched to automatic driving control that complies with traffic laws and traffic manners.

<Operation control (when an accident occurs)>
FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing an overview of an example of the flow of operation control when an accident occurs in this embodiment. First, the driving control unit 12 of the vehicle 2 acquires information on the driving conditions of the vehicle 2 (speed, traveling direction, image information outside the vehicle obtained by the drive recorder 30, etc.) based on information obtained from the sensor 20. (S41). Then, the obtained information is analyzed to predict the possibility of an accident (S42). Although the method of accident prediction is not particularly limited, for example, the braking distance is estimated based on the speed of the vehicle 2, the weather, the road surface condition, etc., and other vehicles 2' and the road are within the range of the braking distance in the traveling direction of the vehicle 2. Prediction is made depending on whether or not there is an obstacle such as equipment 3 or a building. Ease of avoidance operation based on road conditions, such as the width and slope of the road and the presence or absence of sidewalks, may be taken into consideration. It is desirable to express the probability of occurrence of an accident by a numerical value.

After that, it is determined whether or not an accident is likely to occur, that is, whether or not the probability of occurrence of an accident is higher than a predetermined level (S43). If it is not likely that an accident will occur (S43: No), the process is terminated and automatic operation is continued. If an accident is likely to occur (S43: Yes), acquisition of images around the vehicle 2 is started (S44). This can be used when the drive recorder 30 constantly acquires images. A system or service for taking satellite photographs or acquiring images may be requested to acquire satellite photographs or images via the communication unit 11 .

After that, based on the information obtained from the sensor 20, it is determined whether or not the occurrence of an accident has actually been detected (S45). If not detected (S45: No), the process is terminated and automatic operation is continued. If it is detected (S45: Yes), the occurrence of an accident is reported to the police, etc. Notify (S46). After the notification (or before the notification), information on the video shot by the drive recorder 30 is obtained (S47), transmitted to the police system (S48), and the process ends.

The video information to be transmitted is not limited to the video information of the drive recorder 30 of the vehicle 2, and may be the video information of the drive recorders 30 of the other vehicles 2' in the vicinity acquired by the vehicle-to-vehicle communication. Further, instead of the vehicle 2 actively transmitting the video information, the vehicle 2 may transmit the video information based on a recovery instruction from the police system that has been notified of the occurrence of the accident.

As described above, according to the vehicle driving support system 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the vehicle 2 having an automatic driving function is targeted for other vehicles 2', road equipment 3, servers and systems. Information can be sent and received through communication with, etc., and operation can be automatically controlled based on the acquired information.

(Embodiment 2)
The vehicle driving support system according to the second embodiment of the present invention provides the driver and passenger of the vehicle 2 (during automatic driving or manual driving) via the car navigation system 40 or its display. It is intended to present useful information.

<System configuration>
FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an overview of a configuration example of a vehicle driving support system according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. Since the configuration is generally the same as the configuration shown in FIG. 1 of the first embodiment, the description will be limited mainly to the differences. In the vehicle driving support system 1 of the present embodiment, the ECU 10 has a proficiency level determination section 15 in addition to the communication section 11 and the driving control section 12 . Further, it is possible to communicate with various facilities 7 and the vehicle driving support server 60 via the communication unit 11 by road-vehicle communication or communication by Internet connection.

The proficiency level determination unit 15 of the ECU 10 has a function of determining the proficiency level (degree of driving skill) of the driver of the vehicle 2 based on the information obtained from the sensor 20 . Known techniques including AI can be appropriately used as the proficiency level determination method. For example, it can be determined based on the degree and number of times of sudden steering, sudden acceleration, and sudden braking. The number of times of turning back during parking may be taken into consideration.

Information from the sensor 20 that is used to determine the proficiency level is transmitted to the vehicle driving support server 60 via the communication unit 11 as a driving log. The vehicle driving support server 60 records and accumulates driving logs collected from each vehicle 2 as a driving log 62, and a difficulty analysis unit 61 implemented as software analyzes each road and each facility based on the driving log 62. The difficulty level of driving in the parking lot, etc. of No. 7 is analyzed and recorded as the driving difficulty level 63 . For parking lots, the degree of difficulty may be analyzed in detail for each parking space. Each vehicle 2 can access the vehicle driving support server 60 via the communication unit 11 and acquire information on the driving difficulty level 63 related to a desired road, a parking lot of the facility 7, or the like.

<Control by proficiency level>
In this embodiment, the car navigation system 40 selects a suitable facility 7 to drop by according to the skill level of the driver and the situation of the facility 7 and navigates the vehicle 2 in manual operation. For example, in addition to the proficiency level of the driver, information on the difficulty of driving on the road leading to the facility 7 and the difficulty of parking and stopping in the parking lot of the facility 7 may be considered as the situation of the facility 7. or facility 7 where parking and stopping are easy. The information on the difficulty of driving and parking includes, for example, the width of the road facing the parking lot of the facility 7, the lane side of the parking lot with respect to the traveling direction of the vehicle 2, and the parking in the parking lot. It includes static information, such as the location of a space, and dynamic information, such as the traffic volume of roads near parking lots and the congestion status of parking lots.

As for the static information, information pre-registered in the car navigation system 40 may be used, or information obtained from the driving difficulty level 63 of the vehicle driving support server 60 may be used. The dynamic information may be obtained, for example, through the road facility 3 or the like by road-to-vehicle communication, or may be obtained directly from the facility 7 by communication via Internet connection.

As described above, the difficulty analysis unit 61 of the vehicle driving support server 60 analyzes the difficulty of driving each road, parking lot of the facility 7, etc., and records it as the driving difficulty 63 . The degree of difficulty can be calculated based on a predetermined standard from static information such as the width of roads, the positions of parking lots/spaces, and the presence of obstacles. It is also possible to perform statistical analysis based on the driving log 62 collected from each vehicle 2 and determine the degree of difficulty. For example, based on information such as the deceleration status of each vehicle 2 on the target road, steering wheel operation, brake operation, and turning back operation during parking at the target parking lot, it is difficult/easy to drive, difficult to park/stop/ Easy, etc. can be determined. By also recording information on the driver's proficiency level in the driving log 62, the degree of difficulty may be determined based on the correlation with the proficiency level.

<Acquisition and presentation of various information>
In addition, in the present embodiment, the driver and passengers of the vehicle 2 (during automatic driving or manual driving) are notified of the surrounding traffic conditions via the car navigation system 40 or its display. More detailed information can be referred to.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an overview of an example of a user interface for referring to surrounding traffic conditions according to this embodiment. Here, a road map screen displayed on a display having a touch panel function of the car navigation system 40 is shown. In the upper diagram, heavy shading indicates that the road being displayed is congested. However, since the same shading is uniformly applied, only the presence or absence of congestion can be grasped, and the difference and distribution of the degree of congestion within the congested section cannot be grasped. Therefore, in order to enlarge and display this congested section, the driver or passenger has performed a pinch-out gesture using the touch panel function.

The middle diagram shows a state in which the display is enlarged centering on the target position by the pinch-out gesture in the upper diagram. Here, the road map is magnified, and the traffic conditions are displayed in more subdivided form (shaded colors are divided). It also indicates that the driver or passenger has further performed a pinch-out gesture in order to further enlarge and display the congested section.

The lower diagram shows a state in which the display is further enlarged centering on the target position by the pinch-out gesture in the middle diagram. Here, the road map is further enlarged, and the traffic congestion is displayed by shading, and each other vehicle 2' that is running is also displayed by icons or the like so that the positions thereof can be grasped. The position of each other vehicle 2' can be obtained by, for example, notifying the traffic control system 50 and the vehicle driving support server 60 of the position information detected by the GPS sensor of these other vehicles 2' via road-to-vehicle communication. It can be grasped in an integrated manner. It may be understood by analyzing image data of a satellite photograph or a photograph taken from above by a drone or the like.

Here, when the driver or the passenger makes a touch gesture on the touch panel with respect to the specific other vehicle 2', for example, although not shown, the video data of the drive recorder 30 provided in the other vehicle 2' is transmitted to the vehicle. The information may be acquired through inter-vehicle communication or Internet connection and displayed. In addition, instead of directly designating the other vehicle 2', when the driver or passenger further performs a pinch-out gesture in the middle or lower diagram, the other vehicle or the like closest to the target position is displayed. 2' may similarly acquire and display the image of the drive recorder 30. FIG.

In this way, by enabling the video of the drive recorder 30 of the other vehicle 2' to be displayed, the drive recorder 30 can be shared with the other vehicle 2', and the actual traffic conditions and the street view of the target position can be displayed. (registered trademark) can be referred to. The pinch-in gesture can be used to zoom out the road map, contrary to the example in FIG.

As described above, according to the vehicle driving support system 1 according to the second embodiment of the present invention, useful information is provided to the driver and passengers of the vehicle 2 via the car navigation system 40 or its display. can be presented.

(Embodiment 3)
A vehicle driving support system that is Embodiment 3 of the present invention links a vehicle 2 (which may be during automatic driving or manual driving) and a drone, and responds to the driver and passengers of the vehicle 2 It provides useful functions for

<System configuration>
FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an overview of a configuration example of a vehicle driving support system according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention. Since the configuration is generally the same as the configuration shown in FIG. 1 of the first embodiment, the description will be limited mainly to the differences. In the vehicle driving support system 1 of the present embodiment, the vehicle 2 normally travels while being accompanied by one or more drones 8 of various types.

The ECU 10 of the vehicle 2 has a drone control section 16 in addition to the communication section 11 and the operation control section 12 . The drone control unit 16 communicates with the drone 8 via the communication unit 11, and provides flight control and operation instructions for the drone 8, information from the drone 8 (for example, video information captured by a camera mounted on the drone 8). Acquisition, etc.

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an overview of an example of a control mode of the drone 8 according to this embodiment. As shown in the example of the vehicle 2 on the left side (front), the drone 8 normally communicates with a specific vehicle 2 (usually the vehicle 2 in which the driver or passenger who owns the drone 8 rides), Under control. In this case, the vehicle 2 receives instructions from the driver or passenger, controls the drone 8 by the drone control unit 16, and causes it to perform various processes. For example, the drone 8 is moved to a remote location, and video data obtained by photographing traffic conditions, crowding conditions, etc. is acquired via the communication unit 11 .

On the other hand, as shown in the vehicle 2 on the right side (rear), the drone 8 is shared among a plurality of vehicles 2, and not only the drone 8 owned by the driver or passenger, but also the drone 8 owned by another person can be used. You may enable it to control directly and indirectly. In this case, the user may not own the drone 8 himself. Also, the drone 8 is not limited to being owned by the driver or passenger of any vehicle 2, and may be, for example, a drone 8 provided for public use by a local government or the like. When the drone 8 is shared, for example, vehicle-to-vehicle communication between the shared vehicles 2 is used to determine the vehicle 2 that has the right to control the drone 8 based on predetermined procedures and rules.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing an overview of an example of article delivery by the drone 8 in this embodiment. Here, an example in which the vehicle 2 receives delivery of articles by the drone 8 is shown. For example, in a traffic jam, the driver or passenger of the vehicle 2 can use communication via the communication unit 11 to connect to the Internet in advance, or use mobile communication using a portable terminal such as a smartphone owned by the vehicle 2 to access a store ahead ( For example, a store where you can purchase without entering the store, such as a drive-thru, is ordered and settled via the network.

Then, as shown in the figure, the accompanying drone 8 is instructed to pick up the product from the store ahead and return to the vehicle 2, and the product is obtained from the returned drone 8. Thereby, for example, it is possible to purchase an item and have it delivered while being in a congested train. By having the battery delivered (or using the drone 8 itself as a battery), it is possible to realize a mechanism for supplying power while the vehicle 2 (for example, an electric vehicle or a so-called hybrid vehicle) is moving.

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing an overview of another example of article delivery by drone 8 in this embodiment. Here, an example of a case where a vehicle 2 such as a delivery truck of a home delivery company delivers an article by a drone 8 is shown. As shown in the figure, for example, a vehicle 2 such as a home delivery company that delivers packages to a plurality of delivery destinations in order does not have to go directly to a house or condominium at the delivery destination. A drone 8 storing the packages is flown to each delivery destination, and after sequentially delivering the packages, it returns to the vehicle 2.例文帳に追加Then, a series of processes of storing another package and flying it again to each delivery destination is repeated. In this way, the movement of the delivery route of the vehicle 2 and the delivery of the package to each delivery destination by the drone 8 (“last mile” delivery) can be performed asynchronously in parallel, thereby improving the delivery efficiency. improve greatly.

When delivering a package by the drone 8, the drone 8 does not fly with the vehicle 2, as in the above example, but the drone 8 storing the package to be delivered is placed on the loading platform of the vehicle 2 such as a truck. The vehicle may be stored in a storage unit, etc., traveled, and taken off toward the delivery destination at an appropriate location. In this case, the drone 8 that has returned after delivering the package collects it, for example, on a carrier.

Optimization of the delivery plan, such as what kind of delivery route the vehicle 2 takes, where the drone 8 should take off, and where it should be collected, can be optimized by, for example, a known method using the drone control unit 16 of the ECU 10. etc. can be used as appropriate. When it is necessary to stop the vehicle 2 for the arrival and departure of the drone 8, optimization is performed in consideration of places where the vehicle can be parked and stopped. When it is detected that the drone 8 that has taken off and headed for delivery cannot return to the vehicle 2, for example, by contacting the person in charge of collection of the delivery company, etc., collection is performed asynchronously with the delivery of other packages. .

In houses, condominiums, etc. where packages are delivered, drone ports and drone boxes for the drones 8 to place packages shall be installed in gardens, balconies, and the like. For example, when constructing an apartment complex such as a condominium, the burden of delivering packages to each unit will be high for each unit above a certain number of floors, so it is possible to incorporate drone ports and drone boxes as described above in advance. may constitute one or more balconies.

As described above, according to the vehicle driving support system 1 according to the third embodiment of the present invention, the vehicle 2 and the drone 8 are linked to provide useful functions for the driver and passengers of the vehicle 2. can be provided.

Although the invention made by the present inventor has been specifically described above based on the embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and can be variously modified without departing from the scope of the invention. Needless to say. For example, the above embodiments have been described in detail in order to explain the present invention in an easy-to-understand manner, and are not necessarily limited to those having all the described configurations. Also, part of the configuration of one embodiment can be replaced with the configuration of another embodiment, and the configuration of another embodiment can be added to the configuration of one embodiment. . Moreover, it is possible to add, delete, or replace a part of the configuration of each embodiment with another configuration.

Further, each of the above configurations, functions, processing units, processing means, and the like may be realized by hardware, for example, by designing a part or all of them using an integrated circuit. Moreover, each of the above configurations, functions, etc. may be realized by software by a processor interpreting and executing a program for realizing each function. Further, in each of the above drawings, control lines and information lines are those considered to be necessary for explanation, and not all control lines and information lines for implementation are necessarily shown. In fact, it may be considered that almost all configurations are interconnected.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention can be applied to a vehicle driving support system that exchanges information through communication with other vehicles, facilities, equipment, etc., and supports driving based on the acquired information, and a housing complex used for this system. be.

1... Vehicle driving support system, 2... Vehicle, 2'... Other vehicle, etc., 3... Road facility, 7... Facility, 8... Drone,
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10... ECU, 11... Communication part, 12... Operation control part, 13... Control rule, 14... Traffic rule, 15... Proficiency level determination part, 16... Drone control part,
20... sensor,
30... drive recorder,
40... car navigation system,
50... traffic control system, 51... instruction unit,
60... Vehicle driving support server, 61... Difficulty analysis unit, 62... Driving log, 63... Driving difficulty

Claims (4)

A vehicle driving support system for supporting driving of a vehicle,
The vehicle is
a communication unit that performs mobile communication;
one or more sensors that acquire information about driving conditions of the vehicle;
A driving control unit that controls driving including automatic driving of the vehicle based on information acquired through the communication unit and information related to the driving situation of the vehicle acquired by the sensor,
The driving control unit executes automatic driving of the vehicle according to the control contents received from the traffic control system in an emergency such as a disaster.
Vehicle driving assistance system. In the vehicle driving support system according to claim 1,
The vehicle driving support system, wherein the driving control unit receives and executes control contents for moving out of the urban area from the traffic control system. In the vehicle driving support system according to claim 1,
The vehicle driving support system, wherein the driving control unit receives from the traffic control system and executes control content for restricting movement toward the center of the city. In the vehicle driving support system according to claim 1,
The vehicle driving support system, wherein the driving control unit receives from the traffic control system and executes a control content for automatically stopping and parking the vehicle at a safe place such as a shoulder of a road.

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