JP7374814B2 - Road traffic condition evaluation system, road traffic condition evaluation method, and road traffic condition evaluation program - Google Patents

Description

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a road traffic situation evaluation system, a road traffic situation evaluation method, and a road traffic situation evaluation program.

Conventional simulation technologies for road traffic conditions include, for example, those that simulate the traffic flow macroscopically by treating it as a fluid model, and those that simulate the behavior of each vehicle microscopically using a tracking model. has been made into When simulating traffic flow, road configuration, road merging conditions, etc. may be considered. In addition, in recent years, research into autonomous vehicle driving technology has progressed, and simulations involving autonomous vehicles are also being considered. For example, studies are underway on how road traffic conditions change when driver-driven vehicles and self-driving vehicles coexist. Self-driving vehicles include vehicles that detect the surrounding environment of the vehicle using sensors, etc., and perform substantially fully autonomous driving, partially autonomous driving, and follow-up driving such as ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control). In some cases,

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-199287 JP2007-287168A Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2002-163769

"Safety and smoothness evaluation of traffic flow with different mix ratios of ACC vehicles" Katsuhiro Iida, Yasuaki Wadazaki, Masahiro Tada, Tomohiro Chikugo, Toshi Yasutoki, Hideo Sawada, Yasunori Kinosada, 37th Traffic Engineering Research presentation proceedings, 2017/8/8-9http://www.civil.eng.osaka-u.ac.jp/plan/image/pdf/2017kogaku_02.pdf “Congestion alleviation effect of ACC vehicles on expressway sag sections” Ken Iwasaki, Kazushi Suzuki, Koichi Sakai, Fumihiko Kanazawa, Civil Engineering Research Center, Civil Engineering Materials May 2012 issue, 2012http://www .pwrc.or.jp/thesis_shouroku/thesis_pdf/1205-P030-033_iwasaki.pdf “Simulation of traffic congestion caused by a mixture of self-driving cars and human-driven cars” by Ken Toda and Atsuko Takamatsu, Proceedings of the Symposium on Traffic Flow and Self-Driven Particle Systems, Volume 23, Publisher Traffic Flow Mathematics Research Group, 2017http: //traffic.phys.cs.is.nagoya-u.ac.jp/~mstf/pdf/mstf2017-20.pdf

However, when conventional traffic volume simulations are compared with actual traffic volumes, errors may become large depending on the situation, and the accuracy of evaluating road traffic conditions may deteriorate. For example, if there are driver-driven vehicles and self-driving vehicles mixed together, and the road conditions change, the behavior of the driver-driven vehicles and self-driving vehicles may change significantly from before. be. Therefore, it would be meaningful to improve the accuracy of road traffic situation evaluation if it were possible to simulate traffic flows that more clearly associate the relationship between the characteristics of the vehicle to be evaluated and the road conditions.

The road traffic situation evaluation system according to the embodiment includes a road information setting section, a vehicle characteristic information setting section, a delay information setting section, and an evaluation execution section. The road information setting unit sets road information indicating characteristics of the target road to be evaluated. The vehicle characteristic information setting unit is configured to set first vehicle characteristic information corresponding to a driver-operated vehicle driven by a driver and second vehicle characteristic information corresponding to an automatically-driving vehicle as vehicle characteristic information of a plurality of simulated vehicles to be driven in a simulated manner on the target road. Set vehicle characteristic information. The delay information setting unit includes first delay information based on physical factors based on the characteristics of the target road, and first delay information based on physical factors based on the characteristics of the target road for the driver of the simulated vehicle, as delay information indicating behavior delays of the simulated vehicle that may occur during simulated driving. Second delay information is set as delay information based on psychological factors, and a set value for the first vehicle characteristic information is set larger than a set value for the second vehicle characteristic information . The evaluation execution unit mixes the simulated vehicle of the first vehicle characteristic information and the simulated vehicle of the second vehicle characteristic information on the target road based on the road information, the vehicle characteristic information , the first delay information, and the second delay information. A simulated drive is performed to evaluate the traffic situation , including the driving flow of the simulated vehicle, over the entire area of the target road.

FIG. 1 is an exemplary and schematic block diagram showing the relationship between a road traffic situation evaluation system and a road traffic control system according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is an exemplary and schematic block diagram showing the configuration of the road traffic condition evaluation system according to the embodiment. FIG. 3 is an exemplary flowchart showing the flow of road traffic situation evaluation processing in the road traffic situation evaluation system according to the embodiment. FIG. 4 is an exemplary and schematic diagram showing the relationship between an area where a simulation target vehicle exists and the surrounding areas in the road traffic situation evaluation system according to the embodiment. FIG. 5 is an exemplary and schematic diagram illustrating a case where the inter-vehicle distance is set by headway time in the road traffic situation evaluation system according to the embodiment. FIG. 6 is an exemplary and schematic diagram illustrating a case where the inter-vehicle distance is set using a plurality of functions in the road traffic situation evaluation system according to the embodiment. FIG. 7 is an exemplary and schematic control block diagram when performing vehicle speed control and inter-vehicle distance control in the road traffic condition evaluation system according to the embodiment. FIG. 8 is an exemplary and schematic diagram showing the delay time that occurs in a vehicle in the road traffic situation evaluation system according to the embodiment. FIG. 9 is an exemplary and schematic control block diagram when vehicle speed control and inter-vehicle distance control are performed in consideration of the delay time occurring in the vehicle in the road traffic condition evaluation system according to the embodiment. FIG. 10 is an exemplary and schematic control block for performing vehicle speed control and inter-vehicle distance control in consideration of the influence from the road environment and the driver's psychological behavior in the road traffic situation evaluation system according to the embodiment. It is a diagram. FIG. 11 is an exemplary and schematic diagram showing the influence of downhill slopes and uphill slopes on vehicle behavior in the road traffic condition evaluation system according to the embodiment. FIG. 12 is an exemplary and schematic diagram showing the occurrence of a simulated vehicle and the behavior of the simulated vehicle after the occurrence in the road traffic situation evaluation system according to the embodiment.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The configuration of the embodiment described below, and the actions and results (effects) brought about by the configuration are merely examples, and are not limited to the contents described below.

FIG. 1 is an exemplary and schematic block diagram showing the relationship between a road traffic situation evaluation system 10 and a road traffic control system 12 according to an embodiment.

The road traffic situation evaluation system 10 mainly obtains data necessary for road traffic situation evaluation and evaluates the road traffic situation by performing road traffic situation simulation calculations.

On the other hand, the road traffic control system 12 mainly performs comprehensive monitoring and management of the actual road traffic conditions on the roads to be controlled. The road traffic control system 12 sequentially acquires sensor measurement values from a plurality of vehicle sensors installed on the roadside of a road to be controlled via the roadside sensor information acquisition unit 12a. Vehicle detectors are installed at predetermined reference points on the road (for each lane if there are multiple lanes). Then, the vehicle sensor outputs passing number information, which is information on the number of vehicles that have passed through the reference point (or the total number of passing vehicles if installed in each lane). The vehicle sensor may be configured, for example, by at least one of, or a combination of, a loop coil installed under the road surface, a camera that monitors the road surface from above, an ultrasonic sensor installed on the roadside, and the like. The road traffic control system 12 can acquire road traffic conditions such as the traffic volume, average speed, and occupancy rate of the road to be controlled based on the sensor measurement values acquired by the roadside sensor information acquisition unit 12a. The road traffic control system 12 displays information on traffic flow, traffic flow, traffic jams, accidents, etc. on the road to be controlled, in a format that is easy for controllers to recognize and respond to. , construct information. In addition, the road traffic control system 12 also monitors and manages the road length and width, the number of vehicle detectors, their installation locations, and the locations and gradients of slopes, curves, tunnels, etc. on the route (road). Data regarding road environment characteristics that characterize a road, such as curve radius r, etc., can be accumulated and stored in the road database 12b.

The road traffic situation evaluation system 10 can obtain data necessary for simulating and evaluating road traffic situations from the road database 12b of the road traffic control system 12. The road traffic situation evaluation system 10 has computer resources similar to general information processing devices such as a PC (Personal Computer). The road traffic condition evaluation system 10 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), and a storage unit such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or an SSD (Solid State Drive). , a communication interface, an input/output interface, etc.

The CPU centrally controls the operation of the road traffic condition evaluation system 10. ROM is a storage medium that stores various programs and data. RAM is a storage medium for temporarily storing various programs and rewriting various data. The CPU uses the RAM as a work area to execute programs stored in the ROM, storage unit, etc. The road traffic situation evaluation system 10 can be constructed by connecting a single PC to the road traffic control system 12 through a network or the like. Furthermore, in another configuration example, the road traffic situation evaluation system 10 can be constructed as a function within the road traffic control system 12.

FIG. 2 is an exemplary and schematic block diagram showing the configuration of the road traffic condition evaluation system 10.

The road traffic situation evaluation system 10 includes an information setting section 14, an evaluation execution section 16, and an HMI (Human Machine Interface) section 18.

The information setting unit 14 includes road information indicating the characteristics of the target road to be evaluated, vehicle characteristic information of a plurality of simulated vehicles that are run in a simulated manner on the target road, and behavior delays of the simulated vehicles that may occur during the simulated drive. Set delay information, etc. to be displayed. Furthermore, the evaluation execution unit 16 evaluates the traffic situation on the target road by driving a plurality of simulated vehicles in a mixed manner on the target road based on the road information, vehicle characteristic information, and delay information. The HMI unit 18 includes an input screen, operation switches, etc. for updating and changing information related to simulation calculations during road traffic simulation calculations.

The information setting section 14 includes a road information setting section 14a, a vehicle characteristic information setting section 14b, a vehicle control information setting section 14c, and the like.

The road information setting unit 14a allows the controller of the road traffic control system 12 to manually set data regarding a target road that the road traffic situation evaluation system 10 wants to evaluate (simulate), or to input data stored in the road database 12b. and perform settings based on that data. The road information setting unit 14 a sets data regarding road environment characteristics such as the length, road width, number of lanes, number of roadside sensors, and installation positions of the target road to be simulated, and stores the data in the road information file 20 .

The road information setting unit 14a also sets at least one of the following road environment characteristics: slope information indicating the presence of a slope, curve information indicating the presence of a curve, and tunnel information indicating the presence of a tunnel. The road information file 20 is set as related data and stored in the road information file 20. Note that the slope information also includes information such as the length of the slope and the slope of the slope. Further, the curve information includes information on the curve radius r, etc.

The vehicle characteristic information setting unit 14b allows the controller of the road traffic control system 12 to manually set data regarding the occurrence of a simulated vehicle that the road traffic situation evaluation system 10 wants to evaluate (simulate), or to set data that is stored and stored in the road database 12b. Based on that data, characteristics related to the simulated vehicle that occurs on the simulated target road are set. For example, the vehicle characteristic information setting unit 14b sets the generation timing (occurrence time) of the simulated vehicle, the generation position, the number of generated simulated vehicles, the type of simulated vehicle to be generated (type of driver-operated vehicle, self-driving vehicle, etc.), etc. It is accumulated and saved in the information file 22. The vehicle characteristic information setting unit 14b sets at least one of an acceleration/deceleration limit value, a vehicle length, and a vehicle width as information characterizing the simulated vehicle. By setting vehicle characteristic information that takes into account acceleration/deceleration limits, vehicle length, vehicle width, etc., it becomes possible to express differences in the performance of simulated vehicles more clearly, contributing to improved simulation accuracy. In the present embodiment, in the vehicle characteristic information set by the vehicle characteristic information setting unit 14b, information corresponding to a driver-operated vehicle driven by a driver is referred to as first vehicle characteristic information, and information corresponding to an automatically driving vehicle is referred to as a second vehicle characteristic information. Sometimes referred to as characteristic information. The first vehicle characteristic information and the second vehicle characteristic information will be described later.

The vehicle control information setting unit 14c also allows the controller of the road traffic control system 12 to manually set data regarding control of a simulated vehicle that the road traffic situation evaluation system 10 wants to evaluate (simulate), and to store data in the road database 12b. It calls up the stored data and executes settings such as control values for the simulated vehicle based on that data. For example, the vehicle control information setting unit 14c provides, as information regarding control of the simulated vehicle, a sensing range around the vehicle for each type of simulated vehicle, vehicle control parameters, desired speed (desired vehicle speed), type of target inter-vehicle distance, The delay time (delay information), calculation step size, etc. are set and stored in the vehicle information file 22.

In this embodiment, among the delay information included in the vehicle control information set by the vehicle control information setting unit 14c, delay information based on physical factors based on the characteristics of the target road is referred to as first delay information, and When the vehicle is driven by a driver, delay information based on psychological factors of the driver regarding the characteristics of the target road may be referred to as second delay information. Note that the set value of the second delay information for the first vehicle characteristic information set by the vehicle information reading unit 16c is larger than the set value of the second delay information for the second vehicle characteristic information. In other words, the configuration is such that detailed settings can be made in accordance with the reality that driver-operated vehicles have a lower ability to respond to changes in situations than autonomous vehicles.

In the present embodiment, among the delay information included in the vehicle control information set by the vehicle control information setting unit 14c, delay information indicating a mechanical reaction delay when starting acceleration/deceleration control in the simulated vehicle is set to a third delay. Delay information indicating a reaction delay until the acceleration/deceleration control reaches the target value may be referred to as fourth delay information. The first delay information, second delay information, third delay information, and fourth delay information will be described later.

The evaluation execution unit 16 inputs the information accumulated and saved in the road information file 20 and the vehicle information file 22, performs a simulation calculation on road traffic information, and outputs the result to the road traffic situation simulation result information file 24.

The evaluation execution section 16 includes an initial setting section 16a, a road information reading section 16b, a vehicle information reading section 16c, a vehicle behavior simulation calculation section 16d, a display processing section 16e, a storage processing section 16f, and the like.

The initial setting unit 16a sets initial setting values in the calculation process executed by the vehicle behavior simulation calculation unit 16d, such as the road traffic situation simulation range and simulation time range necessary for road traffic situation simulation via the HMI unit 18. do.

The HMI section 18 includes an operation section 18a, a display section 18b, and the like. The operation unit 18a accepts settings for simulated calculation of road traffic information in the evaluation execution unit 16, setting changes during the simulation calculation, manual input operations by the controller in the information setting unit 14, and the like. More specifically, the operation section 18a includes a vehicle information change operation section 18a1, a road information change operation section 18a2, an evaluation processing operation section 18a3, and the like.

The vehicle information change operation section 18a1 functions, for example, as a first setting change section that changes the settings of vehicle characteristic information during execution of a simulated run of a simulated vehicle. For example, the vehicle information change operation unit 18a1 can change the sensing range around the vehicle, vehicle control parameters, desired speed, target inter-vehicle distance type, delay time, calculation step size, etc. for each type of simulated vehicle. The vehicle information change operation unit 18a1 allows the characteristics and behavior of the simulated vehicle to be changed in various ways, thereby improving simulation variations. As a result, it is possible to contribute to improving the accuracy of road traffic situation evaluation by simulating traffic flow more realistically. Note that the vehicle information change operation section 18a1 can also be used when performing various initial settings in the vehicle control information setting section 14c.

The road information change operation unit 18a2 functions as a second setting change unit that changes the road environment on the simulated target road. The road information change operation unit 18a2 can change the location, range, occurrence (change) timing, etc. of construction work, accidents, occurrence of falling objects, weather changes, occurrence of natural traffic jams, etc., for example. The road information change operation unit 18a2 allows the characteristics of the target road to be simulated to be changed in various ways, thereby improving the variation of the simulation. As a result, it is possible to contribute to improving the accuracy of road traffic situation evaluation by simulating traffic flow more realistically. Note that the road information change operation unit 18a2 is configured to perform a simulation in the road information setting unit 14a when performing a simulation with newly formed slopes, curves, tunnels, etc., or conversely when performing a simulation with these removed. It is also possible to change the basic parts of the road environment. The road information change operation section 18a2 can also be used when performing various initial settings in the vehicle characteristic information setting section 14b.

Note that the settings can be changed by the vehicle information change operation section 18a1 and the road information change operation section 18a2 even while the simulation calculation is being executed, and the vehicle characteristics and road characteristics may be changed while checking the simulation situation. In this case, simulations suitable for the needs of users (air traffic controllers, etc.) can be easily executed.

The evaluation processing operation section 18a3 functions as an input section for performing various operations related to simulation calculations of road traffic information in the evaluation execution section 16. The display section 18b is, for example, an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), an OELD (Organic Electroluminescent Display), or the like. The display section 18b may include, for example, a touch panel. Further, the display unit 18b may also be used as a display device of the road traffic control system 12.

The road information reading section 16b reads information regarding the road environment characteristics of the simulated target road stored in the road information file 20 according to the initial setting value in the initial setting section 16a, and provides the information to the vehicle behavior simulation calculation section 16d. Further, the vehicle information reading section 16c reads information related to the control of the simulated vehicle stored in the vehicle information file 22 according to the initial setting value in the initial setting section 16a, and provides the information to the vehicle behavior simulation calculation section 16d. The vehicle behavior simulation calculation section 16d uses the settings in the initial setting section 16a and the information read by the road information reading section 16b and the vehicle information reading section 16c to perform a calculation process in the vehicle behavior simulation calculation section 16d to calculate the road condition. Performs simulated calculations of traffic conditions. The calculation processing processes executed in the vehicle behavior simulation calculation unit 16d include, for example, generation and disappearance of a simulated vehicle, a simulation process for understanding the surrounding situation of the simulated vehicle, a process for simulating the behavior of the simulated vehicle in the longitudinal and lateral directions, and a process for simulating the behavior of the simulated vehicle in the longitudinal and lateral directions. This includes operation simulation (information update) processing, road sensor simulation processing, etc.

FIG. 3 is an exemplary flowchart showing the flow of road traffic situation evaluation processing based on the calculation process (road traffic situation simulation calculation) executed by the vehicle behavior simulation calculation unit 16d of the road traffic situation evaluation system 10.

First, as an initial setting process, the vehicle behavior simulation calculation unit 16d performs initial settings such as a road range, a calculation time range, and a calculation time width, which are necessary for the calculation process of road traffic simulation of the target road to be evaluated (S100). . The road range can be set, for example, from several kilometers to several tens of kilometers. Note that when the target road includes a slope, the road range is set to be long, such as 10 km, so that it is easy to confirm that the road traffic (traffic flow) is affected by the slope. The calculation time range can be set, for example, from a short time such as 30 minutes to a long time such as several hours. Further, the calculation time width can be set, for example, in increments of 0.05 seconds so as to show the behavior of the simulated vehicle being driven in detail. The road range, calculation time range, calculation time width, etc. are just examples and can be changed as appropriate.

Subsequently, the vehicle behavior simulation calculation unit 16d executes a time loop (S102). The number of executions of this time loop uses the computation time range and computation time width set in the initial setting process in S100. For example, if the calculation time range is set to 30 minutes and the calculation time width is set in 0.05 second increments, the number of times the time loop will be executed is 30 minutes x 60 seconds / 0.05 seconds = 36000. This is the condition for ending the time loop. Note that S100 corresponds to the information setting step in the road traffic situation evaluation method, and the processes after S102 correspond to the evaluation execution step.

Subsequently, the vehicle behavior simulation calculation unit 16d executes a process of generating a simulated vehicle on the target road to be evaluated during execution of the time loop (S104). In the simulated vehicle generation process, a simulated vehicle is generated at a generation timing based on preset vehicle characteristic information read from the vehicle information file 22. In the case of object-oriented programming, an object or instance of a simulated vehicle is generated at the timing of generation of a simulated vehicle. The total number of simulated vehicles generated in the simulated vehicle generation process in S104 (the total number of all simulated vehicles generated until the time loop ends) is determined by the vehicle characteristic information set in the vehicle information file 22. . Further, the proportion of simulated vehicles that are generated is predetermined, for example, 80% of automatically driven vehicles, 10% of ACC vehicles, and 10% of driver-operated vehicles. Furthermore, the order in which each simulated vehicle occurs is also determined in advance. Note that the generation rate and generation order of simulated vehicles can be changed as appropriate even during simulation execution by operating the operation unit 18a or the like. Each simulated vehicle also has acceleration/deceleration limit values (acceleration limit value, deceleration limit value), vehicle length, etc. based on vehicle characteristic information set for each type of simulated vehicle read from the vehicle information file 22 , set the vehicle width, etc. By performing settings based on vehicle characteristic information for each simulated vehicle, it is possible to generate a simulated vehicle that more clearly reflects vehicle characteristics. Furthermore, by more clearly reflecting the vehicle characteristics, it becomes possible to perform road traffic simulation calculations that clearly distinguish whether the simulated vehicle is a driver-operated vehicle or an automatically driven vehicle. Note that by making settings based on vehicle characteristic information, it is possible to clearly set the difference between whether or not the automatically-driving vehicle is an ACC vehicle. When the simulated vehicle generation process is performed, the total number of vehicles is added and updated by the number of generated vehicles.

Next, the vehicle behavior simulation calculation unit 16d starts a vehicle simulation loop. In this vehicle simulation loop, simulation calculations for the simulated vehicle are repeatedly executed for the total number of simulated vehicles generated in S104.

The vehicle behavior simulation calculation unit 16d executes surrounding understanding (vehicle surrounding sensing) simulation processing (S108). In the surrounding understanding simulation process, the vehicle behavior simulation calculation unit 16d first simulates sensing of the surrounding situation of the simulated vehicle in the simulation calculation of each simulated vehicle. By simulating the surroundings, it is possible, for example, to check whether there are other vehicles or obstacles around the simulated vehicle.

For example, as shown in FIG. 4, the area around a simulated vehicle M that may exist on a road to be simulated (evaluated) is divided into a plurality of regions. In the case of FIG. 4, centering on the simulation target area of the simulated vehicle M, for example, the immediately preceding front area NF, the immediately preceding left front area NLF, the immediately preceding right front area NRF, the left side area LS, the right side area RS, the rear area B, An example is shown in which the area is divided into nine areas: a left rear area LB and a right rear area RB. Note that the simulation calculation of the vehicle behavior simulation calculation unit 16d is performed in the traveling direction of the simulated vehicle M, so that a front area F further ahead of the immediately preceding front area NF and a left front area LF further ahead of the immediately preceding left front area NLF are used. , a right front region RF further ahead of the immediately preceding right front region NRF may be set. In this way, a situation understanding area is set around the location (area) of the simulated vehicle M, and the vehicle position of the simulated vehicle M (own vehicle) and other vehicles, obstacles, etc. read from the vehicle information file 22 are determined. Based on information such as the position, it is possible to confirm whether there are other vehicles or obstacles in the area related to the simulated vehicle M. In other words, by creating information on the presence of vehicles, obstacles, etc. in each area for the current simulated vehicle M, it is possible to determine whether the simulated vehicle M (self-vehicle) can move (for example, whether it is possible to change lanes, whether acceleration is possible, etc.). It can be used to determine whether it is possible or not.

Next, the vehicle behavior simulation calculation unit 16d executes longitudinal vehicle behavior simulation processing (S110). The behavior of the simulated vehicle M in the longitudinal direction is mainly controlled by vehicle speed control and inter-vehicle distance control when considering automatic driving vehicles (which may include ACC vehicles). If there is nothing in front of the simulated vehicle M to be simulated during the simulated run (such as when there is no vehicle in front within a predetermined distance), the vehicle speed of the simulated vehicle M is controlled at the set desired vehicle speed. That is, the behavior of the simulated vehicle M is simulated using the speed control value set by the vehicle control information setting unit 14c. On the other hand, if there is a preceding vehicle in front of the simulated vehicle M to be simulated, or if the inter-vehicle distance is shorter than the set desired inter-vehicle distance, or if the simulated vehicle M is following the preceding vehicle, the simulated vehicle M's inter-vehicle distance control is executed. That is, the behavior of the simulated vehicle M is simulated using the inter-vehicle distance control value for the preceding vehicle set by the vehicle control information setting unit 14c.

First, a case will be described in which speed control is executed in the vehicle behavior simulation process in the longitudinal direction by the vehicle behavior simulation calculation unit 16d. When performing vehicle speed control, a desired speed is set for each simulated vehicle M when the simulated vehicle M is caused to travel as the simulated vehicle M. Basically, the speed of each simulated vehicle M is controlled so as to reach the set desired speed. This desired speed may follow the desired speed for each type of simulated vehicle M set in the vehicle information file 22. For example, when the simulated vehicles M are classified into ordinary passenger cars, light cars, wagons, trucks, buses, etc., the desired speed can be set differently depending on the vehicle size, purpose, etc. of each simulated vehicle M. In this way, by setting the desired speed of the simulated vehicle M in detail, it is possible to perform a simulation that more reflects the characteristics of each simulated vehicle M.

Next, a case will be described in which inter-vehicle distance control is executed in the vehicle behavior simulation process in the longitudinal direction by the vehicle behavior simulation calculation unit 16d. When performing inter-vehicle distance control, a desired inter-vehicle distance is set for each of the simulated vehicles M when the simulated vehicles M are caused to travel as the simulated vehicles M. Basically, the inter-vehicle distance of each simulated vehicle M is controlled so as to become the set inter-vehicle distance. This inter-vehicle distance may be determined according to the desired inter-vehicle distance (target inter-vehicle distance value) for each type of simulated vehicle M set in the vehicle information file 22. The desired inter-vehicle distance can better reflect the characteristics of the simulated vehicle M by setting it differently depending on the vehicle size, purpose, braking performance, etc. of the simulated vehicle M, such as a regular passenger car, light car, wagon, truck, or bus, for example. You can run a simulation using

Here, the inter-vehicle distance target value set in the vehicle information file 22 will be explained. When setting the target value of the inter-vehicle distance control value as the vehicle characteristic information of the simulated vehicle M to be caused to run in a simulated manner, the vehicle control information setting unit 14c sets the speed of the simulated vehicle M at the time of calculation of the simulated run (in this case, the desired speed) and It can be set according to the possible stopping distance based on the acceleration/deceleration performance of the simulated vehicle M. In other words, if the target distance between vehicles is longer than the possible stopping distance from when the simulated vehicle M starts braking to stopping at the speed (desired speed) at the time of calculating the simulated driving, then the distance between the preceding vehicles It becomes possible to stop the simulated vehicle M that is the controlled object without contacting the vehicle. The possible stopping distance can be determined by calculating the time required for the simulated vehicle M to stop at the maximum deceleration performance (deceleration limit value) for the vehicle speed at the time of calculation, and calculating the distance traveled at that time.

Next, another setting example for the inter-vehicle distance target value set in the vehicle information file 22 will be explained.

In recent years, headway time is sometimes used as an indicator of the distance between vehicles that should be maintained when the vehicle is traveling. The headway time is defined as the time from when the vehicle in front of the controlled vehicle passes a predetermined target position until the controlled vehicle passes the target position. In other words, when setting the target value of the inter-vehicle distance control value as the vehicle characteristic information of the simulated vehicle M that is caused to travel in a simulated manner, the vehicle control information setting unit 14c is configured to The headway time until the simulated vehicle M passes its target position is set. In the simulation calculation in the vehicle behavior simulation calculation section 16d, by using the headway time acquired from the vehicle information file 22, it is possible to perform a simulation that more closely reflects the actual traffic situation. In this case, the type of inter-vehicle distance target value and headway time may be specified as set values in the vehicle information file 22 and used.

For example, as shown in FIG. 5, if a predetermined headway time (for example, 2 seconds) is set for the vehicle speed of the simulated vehicle M, a linear target inter-vehicle distance value can be obtained.

Further, as another embodiment, the target inter-vehicle distance value may be set using a plurality of functions or tables. In other words, when setting the target value of the inter-vehicle distance control value as the vehicle characteristic information of the simulated vehicle M that is caused to travel in a simulated manner, the vehicle control information setting unit 14c sets the speed at the time of calculation of the simulated travel of the simulated vehicle M (in this case, the desired speed ) or based on a preset setting table.

For example, as shown in FIG. 6, there is a function (f1(v)) when the simulated vehicle M is traveling at a low speed below a predetermined speed, and a function (f1(v)) when the simulated vehicle M is traveling at a high speed exceeding the predetermined speed. (f2(v)) is used to obtain the inter-vehicle distance processing target value at the calculated speed of the simulated vehicle M. Similarly, when using a setting table in which the relationship between speed and inter-vehicle distance is determined in advance through tests or the like (for example, a table containing the results of FIG. value can be obtained. In this way, by setting the inter-vehicle distance target value using multiple functions or setting tables, it is possible to realize simulated driving of the simulated vehicle M that more closely resembles the behavior of the vehicle actually driving on the target road for simulation (evaluation). . In this case, the type of inter-vehicle distance target value and a plurality of functions or setting tables may be specified and used in the vehicle information file 22.

By simulating speed changes and position changes of the simulated vehicle M based on the vehicle speed control and inter-vehicle distance control described above, the vehicle behavior simulation calculation unit 16d can perform simulation calculations. In this case, by using a differential equation regarding the speed V of the simulated vehicle M, it is possible to understand the situation of the change. For example, if the driving force F and speed V are for a simulated vehicle M with weight m to travel in the direction of travel, changes can be understood by using the following differential equation (Reference: Learning Control Engineering with Cars and Airplanes) ``Basics'' by Hitoshi Tsunashima, Shigeyuki Nakadai, Hidehisa Yoshida, and Yoshitaka Marumo, published by Corona Publishing, March 9, 2011).
m×dv/dt=F−Fr...Formula 1
Here, Fr is the resistance that the simulated vehicle M is subjected to, and is expressed as resistance c×V, etc., which is proportional to the speed V (in this case, c is a damping coefficient).
By dividing both sides of Equation 1 by the weight m, Equation 1 becomes Equation 2 of acceleration/deceleration dv/dt as shown below.
dv/dt=F/m-Fr/m...Formula 2
Equation 2 is a differential equation regarding the acceleration/deceleration of the simulated vehicle M. By integrating this acceleration/deceleration, the velocity V can be obtained, and by further integrating the velocity V, the position can be determined.

FIG. 7 is an exemplary and schematic control block diagram when performing vehicle speed control and inter-vehicle distance control. When controlling the simulated vehicle M using Equation 2 above, in FIG. 7, vehicle speed control and inter-vehicle distance control are performed using acceleration/deceleration commands. Therefore, in the case of only vehicle speed control, the integrator 30 integrates the acceleration/deceleration obtained by adding the acceleration/deceleration command term and the term related to the resistance that the simulated vehicle M receives (obtained from the vehicle characteristic information of the simulated vehicle M). The current speed V of the vehicle M is calculated. Then, based on the difference from the speed target value of the simulated vehicle M (obtained from the vehicle control information of the simulated vehicle M), the vehicle speed controller 32 increases the speed V so that it becomes the target value of the vehicle speed (velocity) of the simulated vehicle M. A deceleration command is calculated.

Further, when inter-vehicle distance control is performed, the speed V calculated by the integrator 30 is further integrated by the integrator 34 to calculate the position of the simulated vehicle M (the position of the front part determined from the vehicle length of the simulated vehicle M). Then, the difference between the rear position of the preceding vehicle Ma (which can be calculated from the current position of the simulated vehicle generated in the previous process and the vehicle length of the simulated vehicle) is calculated between the current simulated vehicle M and the preceding vehicle Ma. This is the distance between the two cars. Then, the vehicle speed command is calculated by the vehicle speed controller 36 so that the vehicle distance becomes the target vehicle distance value of the simulated vehicle M, and the acceleration/deceleration command is calculated by the vehicle speed controller 32 using the calculated vehicle speed command as the vehicle speed target. become. In the case of a self-driving vehicle, the above-described processing calculations are performed sequentially, and vehicle speed control and inter-vehicle distance control are executed so that the target speed value and the inter-vehicle distance target value are reached in a short period of time.

On the other hand, in a driver-operated vehicle, when attempting to perform vehicle speed control and inter-vehicle distance control as shown in FIG. This will be done by the driver himself.

Here, a case will be considered in which the driver himself/herself performs a driving operation corresponding to the processing calculation in FIG. 7 . When an acceleration command desired by the driver is assumed, a delay time Dr occurs before the speed of the driver-operated vehicle is actually affected.

This delay time Dr shown in FIG. 8 is composed of a dead time Dr until the actual command is mechanically input, and a reaction delay time Drb, which is the time it takes for the reaction to rise to the magnitude of the acceleration/deceleration command. can be done. Here, the dead time Dra corresponds to third delay information indicating the mechanical reaction delay when starting the acceleration/deceleration control in the simulated vehicle M, and the reaction delay time Drb is the time until the acceleration/deceleration control reaches the target value. This corresponds to fourth delay information indicating a reaction delay. The dead time Dra (third delay information) and the reaction delay time Drb (fourth delay information) are values stored in advance in the vehicle information file 22 by the vehicle control information setting unit 14c.

In evaluating the road traffic situation using the simulated vehicle M, when considering the delay time Dr as described above, the dead time Dra can be defined as a delay in mechanical signal transmission or the like. Therefore, it can be considered that this occurs in both driver-operated vehicles and automatically-driving vehicles (including ACC vehicles). On the other hand, the reaction delay time Drb can be determined as the variation in the driver's acceleration/deceleration operations. In the case of a driver-operated vehicle, acceleration and deceleration operations may be gradual (slow), for example. On the other hand, in the case of self-driving vehicles (including ACC vehicles), efficient control that minimizes the reaction delay time Drb is automatically performed (here, taking ride comfort into consideration, control). Therefore, the reaction delay time Drb is set to be shorter for automatically driven vehicles (including ACC vehicles) than for driver-operated vehicles. By clearly setting these differences during simulated driving of the simulated vehicle M, it becomes possible to clarify the differences between a driver-operated vehicle and an automatically driven vehicle (including an ACC vehicle) and perform a simulation calculation of vehicle behavior.

For example, it is possible to clarify the differences in behavior between the simulated vehicles M by using the following settings.
Driver driven vehicle...dead time Dra=0.1 seconds, reaction delay time Drb=2.0 seconds ACC vehicle...dead time Dra=0.1 seconds, reaction delay time Drb=0.3 seconds Automated driving vehicle... Dead time Dra = 0.1 seconds, reaction delay time Drb = 0.4 seconds The settings for the dead time Dra and reaction delay time Drb are just examples, and the settings can be changed as appropriate. be. Note that the reaction delay time Drb of the ACC vehicle and the automatic driving vehicle may differ depending on the automobile manufacturer or vehicle model, so different values are set as an example.

FIG. 9 is an exemplary and schematic control block diagram when vehicle speed control and inter-vehicle distance control are performed in consideration of the delay time Dr occurring in the simulated vehicle M. The control block diagram shown in FIG. 9 is substantially the same as the configuration shown in the control block diagram shown in FIG. 7, except that a delay time simulator 38 that takes into account the delay time Dr mentioned above is added. Therefore, detailed explanation of components other than the delay time simulator 38 will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 9, the delay time simulator 38 determines the type of the simulated vehicle M, that is, whether the simulated vehicle M is a driver-operated vehicle defined by the first vehicle characteristic information, or whether the simulated vehicle M is a driver-operated vehicle defined by the second vehicle characteristic information. Based on whether the vehicle is a self-driving vehicle or an ACC vehicle, dead time Dra and reaction delay time Drb are obtained from the vehicle information file 22 and simulated. In other words, by reflecting the influence of the dead time Dra and the reaction delay time Drb in the term of the acceleration/deceleration command, and further integrating the acceleration/deceleration obtained by adding the term related to the resistance that the simulated vehicle M is subjected to, using the integrator 30, The current speed V is calculated. Then, based on the difference from the speed target value of the simulated vehicle M, an acceleration/deceleration command is calculated by the vehicle speed controller 32 so that the speed V becomes the target value of the vehicle speed (velocity) of the simulated vehicle M.

Regarding inter-vehicle distance control, since the speed integrated by the integrator 34 has already reflected the influence of the dead time Dra and the reaction delay time Drb, the front position of the simulated vehicle M and the front vehicle Ma are The difference from the rear position is the inter-vehicle distance that reflects the influence of the dead time Dra and reaction delay time Drb between the current simulated vehicle M and the preceding vehicle Ma. Then, the vehicle speed command is calculated by the vehicle speed controller 36 so that the vehicle distance becomes the target vehicle distance value of the simulated vehicle M, and the acceleration/deceleration command is calculated by the vehicle speed controller 32 using the calculated vehicle speed command as the vehicle speed target. become.

In this way, by considering the influence of the dead time Dr (third delay information) and the reaction delay time Drb (fourth delay information) in the simulation calculation, the driver-operated vehicle (the simulated vehicle defined by the first vehicle characteristic information) ) and a self-driving vehicle (including a simulated vehicle (ACC vehicle) defined by the second vehicle characteristic information) can be obtained.

By the way, as mentioned above, the delay information includes the first delay information based on physical factors based on the characteristics of the simulated target road (slopes, curves, tunnels, etc.), and the first delay information based on the physical factors based on the characteristics of the simulated target road (slopes, curves, tunnels, etc.) There is second delay information based on psychological factors for the characteristics of . Then, by performing simulation calculations on the simulated vehicle M that takes into account physical factors (first delay information) and psychological factors (second delay information), the difference between driver-operated vehicles and self-driving vehicles (including ACC vehicles) is improved. Vehicle behavior with clear differences can be obtained. In other words, when performing simulation calculations as explained in Figure 9, simulation accuracy can be improved by making settings that take into account the physical influence of the road environment such as slopes, curves, and tunnels, as well as the psychological influence of the driver. can be improved.

Below, the objects of simulation (evaluation) are phenomena caused by the delay of the simulated vehicle M, i.e., "slopes," "curves," and "tunnels," which are considered to be factors of "traffic jam" or factors that have an impact on traffic jams. The case where it exists on the road will be explained.

<If a slope exists>
As an example of a phenomenon that occurs, when a vehicle is traveling on a road and there is an uphill slope, the speed decreases due to the influence of gravity. Here, in the case of a driver-driven vehicle where the gradient changes gradually, the driver may not notice the change in vehicle speed. In the case of an uphill slope like this, there is a possibility that there will be a period of time during which you will not notice the deceleration (Impact 1), so in the "sag" where the slope goes from downhill to uphill, driving operations may be delayed and cause traffic jams. It can be. However, even if the driver does not notice the change in vehicle speed due to a gentle slope change, after a certain amount of time the driver notices the deceleration of the vehicle speed and accelerates to return to the desired vehicle speed (Impact 2) There are cases.

When considering the influence on the behavior of the simulated vehicle M when a slope exists, there are clear differences depending on the type of the simulated vehicle M (driver-operated vehicle, ACC vehicle, self-driving vehicle, etc.) as shown below. .

In the case of a driver-driven vehicle, there is a physical influence (influence 1) based on the characteristics of the target road, and there is also a psychological influence on the driver (influence 2). In the case of ACC vehicles, although there is a physical impact (Impact 1), it can be considered that there is virtually no driver involvement during follow-up driving, so it can be considered that there is almost no psychological impact (Impact 2). . Furthermore, in the case of an autonomous vehicle, it can be assumed that it has a digital map, etc., so that acceleration/deceleration control can be executed to cancel the physical influence (influence 1) in advance. In other words, it can be considered that there is no physical effect. Further, since it can be considered that there is virtually no involvement of the driver during automatic driving, it can be considered that there is almost no psychological influence (influence 2).

Therefore, when there is a slope on the target road to be simulated, the delay information includes the physical influence that the vehicle receives based on gravity (Impact 1), and the influence due to the driver's psychological behavior while driving (Impact 1). By separately reflecting influence 2) on the simulated vehicle M, it is possible to obtain vehicle behavior that clarifies the difference between a driver-operated vehicle and an automatically driven vehicle (including an ACC vehicle).

Next, when considering the influence on the behavior of the simulated vehicle M when a curve exists, there are clear differences for each type of simulated vehicle M (driver-operated vehicle, ACC vehicle, self-driving vehicle) as shown below. occurs. If a curve exists on the road to be simulated (evaluated), it can be considered that there is no physical influence (influence 1) even if the type of simulated vehicle M is different.

On the other hand, regarding the psychological influence (influence 2), in the case of a driver-driven vehicle, the driver tends to reduce the vehicle speed to some extent before entering the curve (immediately before entering the curve). In other words, it is possible that the driver psychologically slows down before the curve. In the case of ACC vehicles and self-driving vehicles, it can be considered that there is almost no psychological influence (influence 2), as in the case where there is a slope.

Therefore, when there is a curve on the simulated road, for example, by reflecting the influence (influence 2) of the driver's psychological behavior while driving on the simulated vehicle M as delay information before the curve. , it is possible to obtain vehicle behavior that clearly differentiates between a driver-operated vehicle and an automatically driven vehicle (including an ACC vehicle).

Next, when considering the influence on the behavior of the simulated vehicle M when a tunnel exists, there are clear differences for each type of simulated vehicle M (driver-operated vehicle, ACC vehicle, automatic driving vehicle) as shown below. occurs. When a tunnel exists on the target road to be simulated (evaluated), it can be considered that there is no physical influence (influence 1) even when the type of simulated vehicle M is different, as in the case where a curve exists. On the other hand, regarding the psychological effect (effect 2), in the case of a driver-driven vehicle, the driver tends to reduce the vehicle speed to some extent before entering the tunnel. In other words, it is possible that the driver psychologically slows down before the tunnel. In the case of ACC vehicles and self-driving vehicles, it can be considered that there is almost no psychological influence (influence 2), as in the case where there are slopes and curves.

Therefore, when a tunnel exists on the simulated road, for example, the influence of the driver's psychological behavior while driving (influence 2) can be reflected on the simulated vehicle M as delay information before the tunnel. , it is possible to obtain vehicle behavior that clearly differentiates between a driver-operated vehicle and an automatically driven vehicle (including an ACC vehicle).

In this way, with regard to the influence from the road environment, by making detailed settings that separate the physical influence and the psychological influence of the driver, it is possible to simulate a road traffic situation that is closer to reality. Furthermore, it is possible to simulate road traffic conditions with clear differences between driver-operated vehicles, ACC vehicles, and autonomous vehicles.

Figure 10 takes into account the physical influence from the road environment (Impact 1: the influence of the first delay information) and the influence of the driver's psychological behavior (Impact 2: the influence of the second delay information), as described above. FIG. 2 is an exemplary and schematic control block diagram when performing vehicle speed control and inter-vehicle distance control.

The control block diagram shown in FIG. 10 includes a detailed delay time simulating section 40 that simulates the delay time in detail according to the type of the simulated vehicle M, instead of the delay time simulating section 38 having the configuration shown in the control block diagram of FIG. Other than that, they are essentially the same. Therefore, detailed explanation of components other than the delay time detailed simulation unit 40 will be omitted.

In FIG. 10, the physical influence from the road environment (influence 1: influence due to the first delay information) is simultaneously input into the section related to the resistance experienced by the simulated vehicle M in FIG. Further, the influence due to the driver's psychological behavior (influence 2: influence due to the second delay information) is input into the acceleration/deceleration command output from the vehicle speed controller 32. Furthermore, regarding the influence of hills, the psychological influence on the driver (influence 2) assumes the time it takes for the driver to notice the influence of hills, and the vehicle speed controller 32 provides compensation for correcting changes in vehicle speed due to hills. By inputting this in addition to the output acceleration/deceleration command, it is possible to improve simulation accuracy.

FIG. 11 is an exemplary and schematic diagram illustrating the influence SE of downhill slopes and uphill slopes on the behavior of the simulated vehicle M. In FIG. 11, for example, the upper row shows changes in vehicle speed, the middle row shows the physical influence (influence 1), and the lower row shows the psychological influence on the driver (influence 2). When the simulated vehicle M runs on a so-called "sag" where there are successive downhill and uphill slopes, changes in vehicle speed, physical effects (effect 1), and driver psychological effects occur at the timing shown in Figure 11. It is thought that the following effects (Impact 2) will occur. Therefore, when performing simulation calculations for the simulated vehicle M, by making settings to consider each influence at this timing, it becomes possible to simulate a traffic situation closer to the actual situation.

For example, as shown in the upper part of FIG. 11, consider a case where the vehicle is traveling at the speed target value, enters a downhill slope DS, and then enters an uphill slope US. The physical influence of gravity on a slope (influence 1) is the influence of gravity due to the slope of the slope, so as shown in the middle region Ea of FIG. 11, the slope of the downhill DS or uphill US is At the time of occurrence, an influence is generated depending on the size of the slope. Therefore, it can be considered that almost no delay time occurs due to physical effects.

On the other hand, when the delay time is large, the vehicle speed changes as shown in the regions Eb, Ec, and Ed in the upper part of FIG. 11. As mentioned above, the influence of hills is noticeable on driver-operated vehicles, so here we will consider the case of driver-operated vehicles. When the vehicle enters the downhill slope DS, the speed Va (solid line) of the vehicle exceeds the speed target without the driver noticing. In this case, as shown in the lower part of FIG. 11, there is a period NTa in which the speed change (speed increase) due to the downhill DS is not noticed, so the state in which the speed exceeds the target value continues, resulting in the area shown in the upper part of FIG. As shown in Eb, the speed Va changes over time. Then, as shown in the region Ee in the lower part of FIG. 11, when the driver notices the increase in speed, he starts decelerating the vehicle. As a result, the speed returns to the speed target as shown in area Eb.

After that, as shown in the middle and bottom of FIG. 11, if there is a period NTb in which the vehicle does not notice that it has entered the uphill US, the deceleration state is maintained despite the uphill US, and the As a result of being influenced by gravity, the speed Va (solid line) of the vehicle falls below the speed target, as shown in area Ec in the upper part of FIG. As a result, the velocity changes as time passes. Then, as shown in the region Ef in the lower part of FIG. 11, when a decrease in speed is noticed, acceleration is started. As a result, the speed returns to the speed target as shown in area Ec. In addition, in the region Ed, as shown in the middle region Ea and the lower region Ef, the user does not notice that the uphill US has ended and entered a flat road (period NTc), and the driver performs the same driving operation as the uphill US (accelerator operation). ), the vehicle accelerates, and as shown in the area Ed, the speed Va changes over time. Then, when the vehicle notices an increase in speed, it starts decelerating.

In addition, in the upper part of FIG. 11, the broken line is the speed change of the ACC vehicle. In the case of an ACC vehicle, speed changes also occur due to changes in the downhill slope DS and uphill slope US, but as mentioned above, the ACC vehicle has a short reaction delay time Drb (fourth delay information), so it is difficult to return to the speed target value. is faster than driver-driven vehicles.

By performing settings that take into account speed changes depending on the type of simulated vehicle M as described above, it becomes possible to simulate traffic conditions that are closer to the actual situation. At this time, the psychological effect on the driver on a slope is to compensate for the control after noticing the change in vehicle speed on the slope, so there is no normal delay between when a speed change is attempted and when the actual acceleration/deceleration begins. Set as different and separate parameters. Furthermore, since the time it takes for drivers to notice acceleration or deceleration on a hill varies from individual driver to driver, by using variance etc., it is possible to make settings that take these variations into account, making it possible to simulate traffic conditions that are closer to reality.

Furthermore, switching between vehicle speed control and inter-vehicle distance control can be performed depending on the surrounding situation of the simulated vehicle M, for example. For example, inter-vehicle distance control may be performed when a preceding vehicle Ma or an obstacle (a fallen object, an accident vehicle, etc.) is present in the forward area F and the immediate forward area NF in FIG. 4 . Further, the vehicle speed control may be performed when there is neither the vehicle Ma running in front nor any obstacles in the front area F and the immediate front area NF.

Returning to FIG. 3, the vehicle behavior simulation calculation unit 16d performs vehicle behavior simulation processing in the left and right direction (S112). Regarding the vehicle behavior of the simulated vehicle M in the left-right direction, it is possible to determine whether it will move left or right based on the surrounding situation and the situation of the simulated vehicle M. The vehicle behavior of the simulated vehicle M in the left-right direction can be determined by, for example, determining basic rules according to the surrounding situation.

As a basic rule, for example, if the speed of the simulated vehicle M (self-vehicle) is slower than the desired speed and there is nothing in the left area, the simulated vehicle M (simulated target vehicle, own vehicle) moves to the left. In addition, if the vehicle speed of the simulated vehicle M (own vehicle) is slower than the desired speed and there are other vehicles or obstacles in the left area and there is nothing in the right area, the simulated vehicle M (own vehicle) moves to the right. By executing the vehicle behavior simulation processing in the left and right directions of the simulated vehicle M according to such basic rules, it is possible to simulate the driving of the simulated vehicle M for evaluating road traffic conditions that are closer to the actual traffic flow, and the simulation (evaluation) ) Accuracy can be improved.

Subsequently, the vehicle behavior simulation calculation unit 16d executes vehicle behavior simulation processing (S114). In the vehicle motion simulation process, when the behavior of the simulated vehicle M calculated in S110 and S112 is executed, it is determined whether the simulated vehicle M to be simulated can travel without coming into contact with simulated vehicles or obstacles existing around it. Check whether the vehicle can move smoothly between lanes.

If the simulated vehicle M can run smoothly, then the behavior of the simulated vehicle M actually calculated in S110 and S112 is adopted, and the situation of the simulated vehicle M is updated. If the simulated vehicle M cannot move smoothly (for example, if there is a risk of collision), the status of the simulated vehicle M is not updated. Then, the vehicle behavior simulation calculation unit 16d checks whether the vehicle simulation loop end condition is satisfied (S116). For example, if processing for the number of simulated vehicles M generated in S104 has not been completed, it is determined that the vehicle simulation loop termination condition is not satisfied (No in S116), and the calculation processes in S108 to S114 are executed. , while updating the behavior of the simulated vehicles M, processes for the number of simulated vehicles M are repeatedly executed.

In S116, when the termination condition is satisfied (Yes in S116), the vehicle behavior simulation calculation unit 16d starts a road sensor simulation loop (S118). In the roadside sensor simulation loop, roadside sensor simulation is executed. That is, a simulated detection of the simulated vehicle M is performed using, for example, a loop coil, a surveillance camera, or an ultrasonic sensor installed in the road survey as a vehicle sensor (S120).

For example, the number of passing simulated vehicles M at a predetermined position on the road to be simulated (evaluated), the average value of the vehicle speed of the passing simulated vehicles M, and the temporal occupancy rate are calculated for each predetermined unit time. Then, the vehicle behavior simulation calculation unit 16d checks whether the road sensor simulation loop termination condition is satisfied (S122). If the road sensor simulation loop end condition is not satisfied (No in S122), for example, if the simulation detection process for the number of vehicle detectors installed on the target road has not been completed, the process in S120 is repeatedly executed. do. When the road sensor simulation loop end condition is satisfied (Yes in S122), the vehicle behavior simulation calculation unit 16d executes vehicle disappearance processing (S124).

The vehicle disappearance process is a process in which the simulated vehicle M that has finished traveling to the simulated destination point (final end) disappears. In the case of object-oriented programming, the object or instance of the simulated vehicle M is deleted. Furthermore, when the vehicle disappearance process is executed, the number of disappeared vehicles is subtracted from the total number of vehicles, and the number of vehicles currently being simulated is updated.

When the vehicle disappearance process ends, the vehicle behavior simulation calculation unit 16d checks whether the time loop end condition is satisfied (S126). As mentioned above, the time loop termination condition is, for example, if the calculation time range is set to 30 minutes and the calculation time width is set in increments of 0.05 seconds, the number of time loops is 30 minutes x 60 seconds. /0.05 seconds = 36000 loops. Therefore, if the time loop end condition is not satisfied (No in S126), for example, if the number of time loops is less than 36,000, the process returns to S104 and the processes from S104 onwards are repeatedly executed.

When the time loop end condition is satisfied (S126 Yes), the vehicle behavior simulation calculation unit 16d temporarily ends the series of processing. At this time, the vehicle behavior simulation calculation section 16d stores the processing results of the simulation range based on the initial settings in the road traffic situation simulation result information file 24 via the storage processing section 16f. Further, the vehicle behavior simulation calculation section 16d may display the processing results of the simulation range based on the initial settings on the display section 18b via the display processing section 16e. In another embodiment, the display processing unit 16e may display the processing results (simulation results) on the display device on the road traffic control system 12 side.

Note that during the time loop processing of S102, it is possible to change the settings of the simulated vehicle M, the installation of obstacles, etc. In other words, it is possible to continue executing the road traffic situation simulation calculation even if the settings are changed during the process.

For example, an ID is set for each simulated vehicle M, the acceleration/deceleration performance of the simulated vehicle M with that ID is changed using the vehicle information change operation section 18a1 of the HMI section 18, and the setting reflection button of the evaluation processing operation section 18a3 is pressed. This can be reflected in road traffic situation simulation calculations. Furthermore, for example, a situation where an accident or a falling object occurs can be simulated by assuming that an obstacle has occurred on the target road. For example, by setting the location and scale of the occurrence of obstacles using the road information change operation section 18a2 and reflecting the settings using the reflection processing button of the evaluation processing operation section 18a3, a simulation calculation of a road traffic situation that is closer to reality can be performed. be able to.

FIG. 12 is an exemplary and schematic diagram showing the occurrence of the simulated vehicle M and the behavior (transition) of the simulated vehicle M after the occurrence in the road traffic situation evaluation system 10. In the example shown in FIG. 12, the target road R to be evaluated, which is set by the road information setting unit 14a, is a two-lane road. Furthermore, the type (vehicle characteristics) of the simulated vehicle M to be generated based on the vehicle characteristic information set by the vehicle characteristic information setting unit 14b is the driver-operated vehicle M1 (the simulated vehicle defined by the first vehicle characteristic information); This is an automatic driving vehicle M2 (simulated vehicle defined by second vehicle characteristic information). Further, the vehicle control information of the driver-operated vehicle M1 set by the vehicle control information setting unit 14c has, for example, the following values.
Dead time Dra (third delay information) = 0.1 seconds Reaction delay time Drb (fourth delay information) = 2.0 seconds Acceleration limit value = 2.5 m/s ²
Deceleration limit value = 3.5m/s ²
Front sensing area length = 40m
Immediate sensing area length = 10m
Further, the vehicle control information of the automatic driving vehicle M2 set by the vehicle control information setting unit 14c has, for example, the following values.
Dead time Dra (third delay information) = 0.1 seconds Reaction delay time Drb (fourth delay information) = 0.4 seconds Acceleration limit value = 1.5 m/s ²
Deceleration limit value = 2.1m/s ²
Front sensing area length = 40m
Immediate sensing area length = 10m
Further, other setting values, such as vehicle speed control parameters, inter-vehicle distance control parameters, etc., may be set to be the same for the driver-operated vehicle M1 and the automatic driving vehicle M2, or may be set individually.

The vehicle behavior simulation calculation unit 16d calculates the occurrence timing (occurrence time), occurrence position, number of occurrences, and types of the simulated vehicles M to be generated, etc. of the simulated vehicles M based on the above-mentioned settings and the settings of the vehicle characteristic information setting unit 14b. If a simulated operation as explained in FIG. 3 is executed according to the above, a result as shown in FIG. 12 is obtained.

For example, at time timing = a, the driver-operated vehicle M1 occurs in the left lane of the target road R. Subsequently, at time timing = b, the driver-operated vehicle M1 occurs in the left lane and the automatic driving vehicle M2 occurs in the right lane, and the driver-operated vehicle M1 that occurs at time timing = a is controlled by the speed control set for the driver-operated vehicle M1. Simulate driving in the driving direction using parameters and inter-vehicle distance control parameters. Furthermore, at time timing = c, the driver-operated vehicle M1 occurs in the left lane and the driver-operated vehicle M1 occurs in the right lane, and at time timing = d, the driver-operated vehicle M1 occurs in the left lane and the automatic driving vehicle M2 occurs in the right lane.

Note that at time timing = e, the simulated vehicle M does not occur, and the simulated vehicles M that occurred first (driver-operated vehicle M1, automatic driving vehicle M2) sequentially travel according to the set vehicle speed control parameters and inter-vehicle distance control parameters. Simulated driving in the direction. In addition, a vehicle sensor S placed at a predetermined position on the target road R detects the number of passing driver-operated vehicles M1 and automatic driving vehicles M2, the average value of the vehicle speed of driver-operated vehicles M1 and automatic driving vehicles M2 that have passed, and the temporal The occupancy rate and the like are acquired every predetermined unit time, and the traffic flow state of the simulated vehicle M (driver-operated vehicle M1 and automatic driving vehicle M2) on the target road R is simulated.

When the target road R includes slopes, curves, tunnels, etc., the driver-operated vehicle M1 and the automated driving vehicle M2 reflect delay information (first delay information) based on physical factors corresponding to the characteristics of the target road R. behavior. Furthermore, the driver-operated vehicle M1 exhibits behavior that reflects delay information (second delay information) based on psychological factors with respect to the characteristics of the target road R.

As described above, according to the road traffic condition evaluation system 10 of the present embodiment, the characteristics of the simulated vehicle M to be evaluated (characteristics and differences by vehicle type such as delay time) and the condition of the target road R (slopes, curves, The road traffic situation can be simulated by reflecting the relationship between the physical impact and the psychological impact on the driver (existence of tunnels, etc.). As a result, the accuracy of road traffic situation evaluation can be improved.

In the above-described embodiment, the driver-operated vehicle M1 and the automatic driving vehicle M2 (including the ACC vehicle) have been described as the types of the simulated vehicle M, but other types of simulated Settings for vehicle M are also possible. For example, it is also possible to set a driver-operated large vehicle, a motorcycle, a self-driving large vehicle, etc. Further, in the vehicle characteristic information setting section 14b, the vehicle performance may be changed for each automobile manufacturer, and different types of simulated vehicles M may be set. For example, the automatic driving performance and the tracking performance may be made different. As a result, it is possible to simulate more closely the actual traffic flow.

Further, in the embodiment described above, an example was shown in which the road information setting unit 14a sets slope information, curve information, tunnel information, etc. as road information. In another embodiment, the road information setting unit 14a may set, for example, information regarding branch roads such as inflow roads and outflow roads, and simulate and evaluate the road traffic situation of the similar simulated vehicle M. You can often achieve a similar effect.

Further, in the embodiment described above, an example was shown in which the vehicle behavior simulation calculation unit 16d generates the simulated vehicle M based on the information stored in the vehicle information file 22 to simulate the road traffic situation.

In another embodiment, for example, the road traffic situation evaluation system 10 reflects the vehicle traffic flow based on the actual vehicle road traffic situation acquired via the roadside sensor information acquisition unit 12a on the road traffic control system 12 side. Simulations similar to those in the embodiment described above may be performed.

For example, based on the information acquired by the roadside sensor information acquisition unit 12a, the type of vehicle actually running (driver-driven vehicle, self-driving vehicle, etc.) is determined, and delay information (second delay information) based on psychological factors is determined. Road traffic conditions may be simulated by applying delay situations such as: In this case, it becomes possible to simulate past and future conditions for actual traffic flow, which makes it possible to expand the variation of road traffic simulations and to evaluate road traffic conditions in various situations. .

Furthermore, although Equation 2 above uses the acceleration/deceleration equation, if Equation 1 is used as the driving force F of the vehicle, the same simulation as in this embodiment is possible, and the same road traffic situation evaluation can be performed. It can be achieved.

The road traffic situation evaluation program executed by the CPU of the road traffic situation evaluation system 10 of this embodiment is a file in an installable format or an executable format and can be stored on a CD-ROM, a flexible disk (FD), a CD-R, or a DVD. The information may be provided by being recorded on a computer-readable recording medium such as a (Digital Versatile Disk).

Furthermore, the road traffic condition evaluation program may be stored on a computer connected to a network such as the Internet, and may be provided by being downloaded via the network. Further, the road traffic situation evaluation program executed in this embodiment may be provided or distributed via a network such as the Internet.

Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the above embodiments and modifications are merely examples, and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. The embodiments described above can be implemented in various forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and changes can be made without departing from the gist of the invention. The above-mentioned embodiments and their modifications are included within the scope and gist of the invention, and are also included within the scope of the invention described in the claims and its equivalents.

10 Road traffic condition evaluation system 12 Road traffic control system 12a Roadside sensor information acquisition section 12b Road database 14 Information setting section 14a Road information setting section 14b Vehicle characteristic information setting section 14c Vehicle control information setting section 16 Evaluation execution section 16a Initial setting section 16b Road information reading section 16c Vehicle information reading section 16d Vehicle behavior simulation calculation section 16e Display processing section 16f Storage processing section 18 HMI section 18a2 Road information change operation section 18a3 Evaluation processing operation section 18a Operation section 18a1 Vehicle information change operation section 18b Display section 20 Road information file 22 Vehicle information file 24 Road traffic situation simulation result information file M Simulated vehicle M1 Driver-operated vehicle M2 Automated driving vehicle

Claims (12)

a road information setting unit that sets road information indicating characteristics of the target road to be evaluated;
First vehicle characteristic information corresponding to a driver-operated vehicle driven by a driver and second vehicle characteristic information corresponding to an automatically-driving vehicle are set as vehicle characteristic information of a plurality of simulated vehicles that are driven in a simulated manner on the target road. a vehicle characteristic information setting section to
As delay information indicating a behavior delay of the simulated vehicle that may occur during simulated driving, first delay information based on physical factors based on the characteristics of the target road, and psychological feedback of the driver of the simulated vehicle regarding the characteristics of the target road. a delay information setting unit that sets second delay information that is delay information based on a factor and in which a set value for the first vehicle characteristic information is set larger than a set value for the second vehicle characteristic information;
Based on the road information, the vehicle characteristic information, the first delay information, and the second delay information, the simulated vehicle of the first vehicle characteristic information and the simulated vehicle of the second vehicle characteristic information on the target road. an evaluation execution unit that evaluates traffic conditions including the driving flow of the simulated vehicle over the entire area of the target road by performing a simulated drive with a mixture of;
Equipped with
Road traffic condition evaluation system. The delay information setting unit includes, as the delay information, third delay information indicating a mechanical reaction delay when starting acceleration/deceleration control in the simulated vehicle, and a reaction delay until the acceleration/deceleration control reaches a target value. and setting the fourth delay information indicating
The road traffic situation evaluation system according to claim 1. The vehicle characteristic information setting unit sets at least one of an acceleration/deceleration limit value, a vehicle length, and a vehicle width of the simulated vehicle.
The road traffic situation evaluation system according to claim 1. The vehicle characteristic information setting section is configured to be able to set a following distance control value for the preceding vehicle when a preceding vehicle exists during the simulated running, and to set a speed control value for the preceding vehicle when there is no preceding vehicle within a predetermined distance. be configurable,
The road traffic situation evaluation system according to claim 1. When setting the target value of the inter-vehicle distance control value as the vehicle characteristic information of the simulated vehicle that is caused to run in a simulated manner, the vehicle characteristic information setting unit sets the target value of the inter-vehicle distance control value as the vehicle characteristic information of the simulated vehicle that is caused to run in a simulated manner. Set according to the possible stopping distance based on
The road traffic condition evaluation system according to claim 4 . When setting the target value of the inter-vehicle distance control value as the vehicle characteristic information of the simulated vehicle that is caused to run in a simulated manner, the vehicle characteristic information setting unit sets the target value of the inter-vehicle distance control value after a vehicle in front of the simulated vehicle passes a predetermined target position. setting using the headway time until the simulated vehicle passes the target position;
The road traffic condition evaluation system according to claim 4 . When setting the target value of the inter-vehicle distance control value as the vehicle characteristic information, the vehicle characteristic information setting section sets the target value of the inter-vehicle distance control value to a function corresponding to the speed of the simulated vehicle at the time of calculation of the simulated driving, or to a preset setting table. Set based on
The road traffic condition evaluation system according to claim 4 . further comprising a first setting change unit that changes settings of the vehicle characteristic information during execution of the simulated driving of the simulated vehicle;
The road traffic situation evaluation system according to claim 1. The road information setting unit is capable of setting at least one of slope information indicating the presence of a slope, curve information indicating the presence of a curve, and tunnel information indicating the presence of a tunnel for the target road. be,
The road traffic situation evaluation system according to claim 1. further comprising a second setting change unit that changes the road environment of the target road in the road information;
The road traffic situation evaluation system according to claim 1. a road information setting step of setting road information indicating characteristics of the target road to be evaluated;
First vehicle characteristic information corresponding to a driver-operated vehicle driven by a driver and second vehicle characteristic information corresponding to an automatically-driving vehicle are set as vehicle characteristic information of a plurality of simulated vehicles that are driven in a simulated manner on the target road. a vehicle characteristic information setting step;
As delay information indicating a behavior delay of the simulated vehicle that may occur during simulated driving, first delay information based on physical factors based on the characteristics of the target road, and psychological feedback of the driver of the simulated vehicle regarding the characteristics of the target road. a delay information setting step of setting second delay information in which a set value for the first vehicle characteristic information is set larger than a set value for the second vehicle characteristic information, with delay information based on a factor;
Based on the road information, the vehicle characteristic information, the first delay information , and the second delay information, the simulated vehicle of the first vehicle characteristic information and the simulated vehicle of the second vehicle characteristic information on the target road. an evaluation execution step of evaluating traffic conditions including the driving flow of the simulated vehicle over the entire area of the target road by causing the simulated vehicle to run in a mixed manner;
Road traffic situation evaluation method. computer,
a road information setting unit that sets road information indicating characteristics of the target road to be evaluated;
First vehicle characteristic information corresponding to a driver-operated vehicle driven by a driver and second vehicle characteristic information corresponding to an automatically-driving vehicle are set as vehicle characteristic information of a plurality of simulated vehicles that are driven in a simulated manner on the target road. a vehicle characteristic information setting section to
As delay information indicating a behavior delay of the simulated vehicle that may occur during simulated driving, first delay information based on physical factors based on the characteristics of the target road, and psychological feedback of the driver of the simulated vehicle regarding the characteristics of the target road. a delay information setting unit that sets second delay information that is delay information based on a factor and in which a set value for the first vehicle characteristic information is set larger than a set value for the second vehicle characteristic information;
Based on the road information, the vehicle characteristic information, the first delay information, and the second delay information, the simulated vehicle of the first vehicle characteristic information and the simulated vehicle of the second vehicle characteristic information on the target road. an evaluation execution unit that evaluates traffic conditions including the driving flow of the simulated vehicle over the entire area of the target road by performing a simulated drive with a mixture of;
to function as
Road traffic situation assessment program.

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