JP7462159B2 - Roadside unit and operation method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a roadside unit and an operation method.

Conventionally, a system is known in which sensors are installed in outdoor lighting and the information detected by the sensors is used for autonomous driving (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2017-520815 A

As autonomous vehicles (autonomous vehicles) become more widespread in the future, it is expected that autonomous vehicles and non-autonomous vehicles will be traveling together on the roads. In this case, depending on the actions that an autonomous vehicle takes after stopping, it may hinder smooth traffic and safe passage. For this reason, autonomous vehicles are required to take appropriate actions after stopping.

The present invention aims to provide a roadside unit and operation method that can assist the operation of an autonomous vehicle after it has stopped.

A roadside device according to one aspect of the present invention includes a lighting unit, at least one sensor that detects objects located in the vicinity of the roadside device, a computing device that, when the at least one sensor detects that an autonomous vehicle has stopped in the vicinity of the roadside device, determines the safety of the autonomous vehicle when the autonomous vehicle performs one of one or more predetermined actions after stopping, and a communication unit that transmits the result of the determination to the autonomous vehicle.

A method of operation according to one aspect of the present invention is a method of operation of an autonomous vehicle, in which a roadside device according to the above aspect is used as a bus stop.

The present invention can assist autonomous vehicles in their operation after they have stopped.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a roadside unit and a road according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a roadside unit according to the embodiment. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation of the roadside device according to the embodiment to assist an occupant in getting off an autonomously driven vehicle. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a passenger getting out of an autonomous vehicle. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an operation of the roadside device according to the embodiment to assist an autonomous vehicle in returning to its lane. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing lane return of an autonomous vehicle.

Below, a roadside unit and an operation method according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that each of the embodiments described below shows a specific example of the present invention. Therefore, the numerical values, shapes, materials, components, arrangement and connection of the components, steps, and order of steps shown in the following embodiments are merely examples and are not intended to limit the present invention. Therefore, among the components in the following embodiments, components that are not described in the independent claims will be described as optional components.

In addition, each figure is a schematic diagram and is not necessarily an exact illustration. Therefore, for example, the scales of each figure do not necessarily match. In addition, in each figure, substantially the same configuration is given the same reference numerals, and duplicate explanations are omitted or simplified.

In addition, in this specification, "autonomous driving" does not only mean fully autonomous driving (Level 5), in which an unmanned vehicle is driven completely autonomously, but also means driving assistance (Level 1), which supports the driver who drives the vehicle, partially autonomous driving (Level 2), conditional autonomous driving (Level 3), and highly autonomous driving (Level 4).

(Embodiment)
[overview]
First, an overview of a roadside unit according to an embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a roadside unit 1 and a road 2 according to the present embodiment.

The roadside unit 1 shown in FIG. 1 is a structure installed on or near the road 2. In this embodiment, the roadside unit 1 serves as a stopping target for the autonomous vehicle 90. That is, like conventional bus stop and taxi stand signs, the roadside unit 1 is installed near an area that has been determined as a position where the autonomous vehicle 90 should stop. Passengers get on and off the autonomous vehicle 90 near the roadside unit 1. The area near the roadside unit 1 functions as a bus stop for the autonomous vehicle 90.

The road 2 shown in FIG. 1 is a two-lane road. The road 2 includes two vehicle lanes 3a and 3b, a road shoulder 4, and a sidewalk 5. An autonomous vehicle 90 and general vehicles 91 and 94 are traveling in the vehicle lane 3a. General vehicles 92 and 93 are traveling in the vehicle lane 3b.

In this embodiment, the autonomous vehicle 90 is a vehicle that provides passenger transportation services by autonomous driving. The autonomous vehicle 90 may also provide luggage transportation services instead of passenger transportation.

All of the general vehicles 91 to 94 are not autonomous or cannot be autonomous. In this way, on road 2, autonomous vehicle 90 and non-autonomous general vehicles 91 to 94 coexist.

When both the autonomous vehicle 90 and general vehicles 91-94 are traveling, and when the autonomous vehicle 90 is about to stop near the roadside unit 1, it is relatively easy to ensure smooth traffic on the road 2. For example, when the autonomous vehicle 90 stops, it can use its turn signals or hazard lights to inform the surrounding general vehicles 91-94 of its intention to stop.

On the other hand, it is difficult for the stopped autonomous vehicle 90 to inform the general vehicles 91-94 of the next action it will take. For example, it is difficult for the general vehicles 91-94 to determine whether the autonomous vehicle 90 is about to open a door or return to its lane. It is also difficult for the autonomous vehicle 90 to predict the movements of the general vehicles 91-94, making it difficult for it to return to its lane safely and smoothly.

The roadside unit 1 according to this embodiment supports the operation of the autonomous vehicle 90 after it has stopped. Specifically, the roadside unit 1 determines the safety of the autonomous vehicle 90 when it performs a predetermined operation based on the surrounding environment of the roadside unit 1, and transmits the result of this determination to the autonomous vehicle 90. This makes it possible to support the operation of the autonomous vehicle 90 and ensure smooth traffic.

[composition]
Next, the configuration of the roadside device 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 1 and Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the roadside device 1 according to the present embodiment. As shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, the roadside device 1 includes a lighting unit 10, a sensor 20, a computing device 30, and a communication unit 40.

The lighting unit 10 is a road light that illuminates the road 2. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the lighting unit 10 is attached to the top of a support pole 6 and illuminates the vehicle lanes 3a and 3b, the road shoulder 4, and the sidewalk 5.

The illumination light that the lighting unit 10 irradiates toward the road 2 is, for example, white light, but is not particularly limited to this. The illumination light may be colored light that does not interfere with the travel of the autonomous vehicle 90 and general vehicles 91-94. The lighting unit 10 has, for example, multiple LED (Light Emitting Diode) elements. Alternatively, the lighting unit 10 may have a laser light source or an organic EL (Electroluminescence) element.

The sensor 20 detects objects located in the vicinity of the roadside unit 1. The detection range of the sensor 20 (i.e., the vicinity of the roadside unit 1) is a range that includes the road 2 illuminated by the lighting unit 10. For example, the detection range is a range of several meters to several hundred meters, but is not limited to this. The detection range includes the vehicle lane 3a, the road shoulder 4, and the sidewalk 5. The detection range and the illumination range of the illumination light from the lighting unit 10 at least partially overlap. For example, the detection range includes part or all of the illumination range. Alternatively, the illumination range may include part or all of the detection range. The detection range and the illumination range may completely match.

The sensor 20 is, for example, an image sensor. The sensor 20 may also be a thermal image sensor, an infrared sensor, or a LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) sensor.

The roadside unit 1 may include multiple sensors 20. The detection ranges of the multiple sensors 20 may be different from each other or may be the same. For example, the multiple sensors 20 may be the same type of sensors or different types of sensors. By using multiple sensors 20, the detection range and detection accuracy around the roadside unit 1 can be improved. For example, the roadside unit 1 may be provided with an image sensor (camera) that captures the upstream side of the road 2, an image sensor that captures the downstream side, and an image sensor that captures the vicinity of the support pole 6.

The sensor 20 captures an image or video by photographing the road 2. The sensor 20 detects objects located on the road 2 by analyzing the image or video. The objects to be detected include autonomous vehicles 90 and general vehicles 91-94 traveling in the vehicle lanes 3a or 3b or the road shoulder 4. The objects to be detected also include pedestrians and bicycles traveling on the sidewalk 5. The objects to be detected also include obstacles that obstruct passage on the road 2, such as objects that have fallen from vehicles or signs that have been blown from the surrounding area, or abandoned bicycles. The sensor 20 outputs images and position information of the detected objects to the computing device 30.

The calculation device 30 performs a predetermined calculation process using the detection result by the sensor 20. Specifically, when the sensor 20 detects that the autonomous vehicle 90 has stopped near the roadside unit 1, the calculation device 30 determines the safety of the autonomous vehicle 90 performing one of one or more predetermined actions after the autonomous vehicle 90 has stopped.

The calculation device 30 determines whether a vehicle stopped near the roadside unit 1 is an autonomous vehicle 90 based on whether communication with the vehicle is possible. Specifically, when the sensor 20 detects that a vehicle has stopped near the roadside unit 1, the calculation device 30 attempts to communicate with the vehicle by controlling the communication unit 40. If communication is established, the calculation device 30 determines that the vehicle is an autonomous vehicle 90. If communication cannot be established, the calculation device 30 determines that the vehicle is not an autonomous vehicle 90.

In this embodiment, the computing device 30 judges the safety when the autonomous vehicle 90 performs one of a plurality of predetermined actions. One of the predetermined actions is opening the door of the autonomous vehicle 90. Another predetermined action is the start of the autonomous vehicle 90 returning to the vehicle lane 3a. A specific example of the judgment will be described later.

The arithmetic device 30 is realized, for example, by an LSI (Large Scale Integration), which is an integrated circuit (IC). The integrated circuit is not limited to an LSI, and may be a dedicated circuit or a general-purpose processor. The arithmetic device 30 includes, for example, a non-volatile memory in which a program is stored, a volatile memory that is a temporary storage area for executing the program, an input/output port, and a processor that executes the program. The arithmetic device 30 may also be a programmable FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), or a reconfigurable processor in which the connections and settings of circuit cells in the LSI can be reconfigured. The functions executed by the arithmetic device 30 may be realized by software or hardware.

The communication unit 40 communicates with the autonomous vehicle 90. The communication by the communication unit 40 is, for example, wireless communication using radio waves. The wireless communication is Wi-Fi (registered trademark), Bluetooth (registered trademark), or ZigBee (registered trademark), or mobile communication such as 4G LTE (Long Term Evolution) or 5G. Alternatively, the communication by the communication unit 40 may be visible light communication or Li-Fi communication.

The communication unit 40 transmits the result of the determination made by the calculation device 30 to the autonomous vehicle 90. The result of the determination made by the calculation device 30 is, for example, flag information indicating whether it is safe for the autonomous vehicle 90 to perform a predetermined operation. When the autonomous vehicle 90 receives flag information indicating that it is safe, it performs a predetermined operation (for example, opening and closing a door or returning to its lane). When the autonomous vehicle 90 receives flag information indicating that it is not safe, it stops or waits to perform the predetermined operation.

[motion]
Next, a description will be given of the operation of the roadside unit 1. In this embodiment, the operation of the roadside unit 1 includes a process of supporting an occupant getting off the vehicle and a process of supporting the autonomously driven vehicle 90 returning to its lane.

[Exit assistance]
First, the process of supporting an occupant getting out of the vehicle by the roadside unit 1 will be described below with reference to Figs.

Figure 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the roadside device 1 according to this embodiment to assist an occupant 80 in disembarking from an autonomous vehicle 90. Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing an occupant 80 disembarking from an autonomous vehicle 90.

As shown in FIG. 3, first, the sensor 20 starts capturing images (S10). The lighting unit 10 may be constantly lit, or may be lit only at night. Alternatively, the lighting unit 10 may be lit only when the sensor 20 detects an autonomous vehicle 90, general vehicles 91-94, pedestrian 81, or bicycle 82, and for a certain period of time after the detection, or until it is no longer detected.

Next, the roadside unit 1 waits until the sensor 20 detects that the autonomous vehicle 90 has stopped near the roadside unit 1 (No in S11). When the autonomous vehicle 90 has stopped (Yes in S11), the calculation device 30 checks the surrounding conditions of the autonomous vehicle 90 based on the detection results by the sensor 20 (S12).

Specifically, the computing device 30 determines whether an obstacle is currently present around the autonomous vehicle 90 or is likely to enter within a certain period of time based on the position and speed (including the direction of travel) of the object detected by the sensor 20. The certain period of time ranges from a few seconds to a few minutes, but is not particularly limited.

In FIG. 4, the periphery 95 of the autonomous vehicle 90 is shown diagrammatically by a dashed line. The periphery 95 of the autonomous vehicle 90 is, for example, the range through which the doors of the autonomous vehicle 90 pass when opening and closing. Alternatively, the periphery 95 of the autonomous vehicle 90 may be a range of 1 m to several meters wide around the autonomous vehicle 90. In addition, by assuming that the stopping position of the autonomous vehicle 90 is fixed, the periphery 95 of the autonomous vehicle 90 may be a predetermined range near the roadside unit 1.

The obstacle is a pedestrian 81 or a bicycle 82, or an object that may obstruct the opening or closing of a door of another vehicle such as general vehicles 91-94. Note that if the occupant 80 is only allowed to disembark on the sidewalk 5 (for example, if the door on the side of the vehicle lane 3b of the autonomous vehicle 90 cannot be unlocked), the obstacle may be only a pedestrian 81 or a bicycle 82 traveling on the sidewalk 5. In this case, the surroundings 95 of the autonomous vehicle 90 includes the sidewalk 5, and does not necessarily include the shoulder 4 or the vehicle lanes 3a and 3b.

The computing device 30 determines that it is safe when no obstacles are present in the periphery 95 of the autonomous vehicle 90 and there is a low possibility that an obstacle will enter within a certain period of time. The computing device 30 determines that it is unsafe when an obstacle is present in the periphery 95 of the autonomous vehicle 90 or there is a high possibility that an obstacle will enter within a certain period of time. Whether an obstacle will enter the periphery 95 of the autonomous vehicle 90 can be determined based on the current position, speed, and traveling direction of the obstacle. For example, in the example shown in FIG. 4, the pedestrian 81 and the bicycle 82 are located away from the periphery 95 of the autonomous vehicle 90, and therefore it can be determined that it is safe.

If the calculation device 30 determines that it is not safe (No in S13), the calculation device 30 notifies the autonomous vehicle 90 that it is not safe, i.e., to wait for disembarking, via the communication unit 40 (S14). After that, checking the surrounding situation (S12) and judging safety (S13) are repeated. At this time, the autonomous vehicle 90 notifies the occupant 80 that disembarking is not possible by outputting a message to wait for the occupant 80 to disembark from a display or speaker, etc. Alternatively, the autonomous vehicle 90 may prevent the occupant 80 from disembarking by not allowing the doors to be unlocked (i.e., maintaining the locked state). Only one of notifying the occupant 80 and maintaining the locked state may be performed, or both may be performed.

If the calculation device 30 determines that it is safe (Yes in S13), the calculation device 30 notifies the autonomous vehicle 90 via the communication unit 40 that it is safe, i.e., that it is possible for the occupant 80 to disembark (S15). The autonomous vehicle 90 notifies the occupant 80 to disembark by outputting a message from a display or speaker, etc., indicating that it is possible for the occupant 80 to disembark. Alternatively, the autonomous vehicle 90 may keep the doors locked until it is notified that it is safe, and unlock the doors after it is notified that it is safe.

The computing device 30 confirms that the occupant 80 has disembarked based on the detection result by the sensor 20 (S16). If the occupant 80 has not disembarked (No in S16), the roadside device 1 repeats the process from checking the surrounding conditions (S12). This allows the occupant 80 to disembark from the autonomous vehicle 90 while maintaining safety.

As shown in FIG. 4, when it is confirmed that the occupant 80 has disembarked from the autonomous vehicle 90 (Yes in S16), the disembarkation support process by the roadside unit 1 ends. In this embodiment, after the disembarkation support process ends, the roadside unit 1 performs lane return support process shown in FIG. 5.

[Lane return assistance]
Next, the process of supporting the autonomous vehicle 90 to return to its lane by the roadside unit 1 will be described with reference to FIG. 5 and FIG.

Figure 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of the roadside device 1 according to this embodiment to assist the autonomous vehicle 90 in returning to its lane. Figure 6 is a schematic diagram showing the autonomous vehicle 90 returning to its lane.

First, the computing device 30 checks the surroundings of the autonomous vehicle 90 based on the detection results from the sensor 20 (S20). If the sensor 20 is not capturing images, the sensor 20 starts capturing images first.

Specifically, the calculation device 30 determines whether or not general vehicles 91-94 traveling in the vehicle lane 3a or 3b are obstacles to returning to the lane, based on the position and speed (including the direction of travel) of the object detected by the sensor 20. For example, the calculation device 30 determines whether or not the autonomous vehicle 90 can safely return to the lane, based on the position and speed of each vehicle.

In FIG. 6, the traffic range 96 through which the autonomous vehicle 90 passes when returning to the lane is shown diagrammatically by a dashed line. The traffic range 96 is, for example, a range that extends diagonally forward from the current position of the autonomous vehicle 90, and is included in the vehicle lane 3a and the shoulder 4. The traffic range 96 is determined according to the stopping position of the autonomous vehicle 90, and the traveling direction and speed of the autonomous vehicle 90 when returning to the lane. In addition, by assuming that the stopping position of the autonomous vehicle 90, and the traveling direction and speed when returning to the lane are fixed, the traffic range 96 may be a predetermined range near the roadside unit 1 that is included in the shoulder 4 and the vehicle lane 3a.

The calculation device 30 determines that it is safe when there are no other vehicles (general vehicles 91-94, etc.) in the traffic range 96 and there is a low possibility that they will enter within a certain period of time. The calculation device 30 determines that it is unsafe when there are other vehicles in the traffic range 96 or there is a high possibility that they will enter within a certain period of time. Whether an obstacle will enter the traffic range 96 can be determined based on the current position, speed, and traveling direction of the obstacle. For example, in the example shown in FIG. 6, the general vehicles 91-94 are located away from the traffic range 96, so it can be determined that it is safe.

If the calculation device 30 determines that it is not safe (No in S21), the calculation device 30 notifies the autonomous vehicle 90 via the communication unit 40 that it is not safe, i.e., to wait for the autonomous vehicle 90 to return to its lane (S22). After that, checking the surrounding conditions (S20) and determining safety (S21) are repeated. At this time, the autonomous vehicle 90 does not perform lane return operations until it is notified that it is possible to return to its lane.

If the calculation device 30 determines that it is safe (Yes in S21), the calculation device 30 notifies the autonomous vehicle 90 via the communication unit 40 that it is safe, i.e., that the autonomous vehicle 90 can return to its lane (S23). Upon receiving this notification, the autonomous vehicle 90 starts the operation of returning to its lane.

The computing device 30 also lights the lighting unit 10 in a predetermined manner (S24). For example, if the lighting unit 10 is always on, the lighting unit 10 changes the lighting manner. Specifically, the lighting unit 10 blinks. Alternatively, the lighting unit 10 may emit light of a color (e.g., red) different from the color used for normal lighting. The change in the lighting manner of the lighting unit 10 can inform general vehicles 91-94 and the like that the autonomous vehicle 90 has returned to its lane.

Next, the calculation device 30 confirms that the autonomous vehicle 90 has started to move based on the detection result by the sensor 20 (S25). The start of the start of the start of the autonomous vehicle 90 means that the autonomous vehicle 90 has started to move. The calculation device 30 can confirm the start of the start of the start of the start of the start of the autonomous vehicle 90 by detecting the position of the autonomous vehicle 90 by the sensor 20. If the start of the start of the autonomous vehicle 90 cannot be confirmed (No in S25), the roadside unit 1 repeats the process from checking the surrounding conditions (S20). This allows the autonomous vehicle 90 to return to its lane while maintaining safety.

Next, when the start of departure is confirmed (Yes in S25), the calculation device 30 checks the surrounding situation of the autonomous vehicle 90 based on the detection result by the sensor 20 (S26). Step S26 is the same as step S20. The travel range 96 may be updated at any time according to the position of the autonomous vehicle 90.

If the calculation device 30 determines that it is not safe (No in S27), the calculation device 30 notifies the autonomous vehicle 90 via the communication unit 40 that it is not safe, i.e., to temporarily stop returning to the lane (S28). After that, checking the surrounding conditions (S26) and determining safety (S27) are repeated. At this time, the autonomous vehicle 90 does not perform lane return operation until it is notified that it is possible to return to the lane.

When the calculation device 30 determines that it is safe (Yes in S27), the calculation device 30 repeats checking the surrounding conditions (S26) and judging safety (S27) until lane return is completed (No in S29). When lane return of the autonomous vehicle 90 is completed (Yes in S29), the lane return support process by the roadside unit 1 ends.

Thus, even if the calculation device 30 determines that it is safe in step S21, safety may be compromised if a pedestrian or vehicle suddenly appears, or if the vehicle moves unexpectedly (for example, a general vehicle 93 suddenly changes lanes). For this reason, even after the autonomous vehicle 90 starts moving to return to its lane, the sensor 20 and calculation device 30 constantly monitor the surroundings of the autonomous vehicle 90, as shown in steps S26 to S29. As a result, safety determinations are continued until lane return is complete, and the autonomous vehicle 90 can complete lane return while maintaining safety.

The lighting mode of the lighting unit 10 may be changed when the occupant 80 gets off the vehicle. That is, in step S15 shown in FIG. 3, the lighting unit 10 may be lit in a predetermined mode. This can inform pedestrians 81 and others that they have gotten off the autonomous vehicle 90 (the doors are opening).

[Effects, etc.]
As described above, the roadside unit 1 in this embodiment comprises a lighting unit 10, at least one sensor 20 that detects objects located in the vicinity of the roadside unit 1, a calculation device 30 that, when the at least one sensor 20 detects that an autonomous vehicle 90 has stopped in the vicinity of the roadside unit 1, determines the safety of the autonomous vehicle 90 when it performs one of one or more specified actions after stopping, and a communication unit 40 that transmits the result of the determination to the autonomous vehicle 90.

This allows the autonomous vehicle 90 to be informed of whether safety is ensured when the autonomous vehicle 90 performs a specified operation after stopping, thereby supporting the operation of the autonomous vehicle 90 after stopping.

Also, for example, the one or more predetermined actions may include opening a door of the autonomous vehicle 90.

This allows the door to be opened in a safe manner, allowing the occupant 80 to exit the vehicle safely.

Also, for example, the one or more specified actions include initiating the autonomous vehicle 90 returning to the vehicle lane 3a.

This allows the autonomous vehicle 90 to return to its lane while maintaining safe and smooth traffic.

Also, for example, the lighting unit 10 turns on when at least one sensor 20 detects that the autonomous vehicle 90 has started to return to the vehicle lane 3a.

This allows the lighting unit 10 to be used to communicate the autonomous vehicle 90's intention to return to its lane to surrounding general vehicles 91-94.

In addition, for example, the calculation device 30 repeatedly performs safety judgments until the autonomous vehicle 90 has completed returning to the vehicle lane 3a, and transmits the results of the judgments to the autonomous vehicle 90.

This ensures safety until lane return is complete.

Also, for example, the computing device 30 judges safety based on the position and speed of objects other than the autonomous vehicle 90 among the objects detected by at least one sensor 20.

This allows the movement of surrounding objects to be determined with high accuracy, improving the accuracy of safety assessments.

The operating method according to this embodiment is a method for operating an autonomous vehicle 90, and uses the roadside unit 1 as a bus stop.

This allows the roadside unit 1 to be used as a stop for the autonomous vehicle 90, allowing passengers to get on and off smoothly.

(others)
Although the roadside unit and the operation method according to the present invention have been described based on the above embodiment, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment.

For example, in the above embodiment, two actions, opening the door and returning to the lane, have been described as actions of the autonomous vehicle 90 after stopping, but the action for which safety is judged may be only one of these two actions. In addition, the actions for which safety is judged may include other actions.

For example, the roadside unit 1 does not have to be a stop dedicated to the autonomous vehicle 90. The roadside unit 1 may be a utility pole, a road sign, a traffic light, a road light, a street light, or the like.

The communication method between the devices described in the above embodiment is not particularly limited. When wireless communication is performed between the devices, the wireless communication method (communication standard) is, for example, short-range wireless communication such as ZigBee (registered trademark), Bluetooth (registered trademark), or wireless LAN (Local Area Network). Alternatively, the wireless communication method (communication standard) may be communication via a wide area communication network such as the Internet. Furthermore, wired communication may be performed between the devices instead of wireless communication. Specifically, the wired communication is communication using power line communication (PLC) or a wired LAN.

In the above embodiment, the processing executed by a specific processing unit may be executed by another processing unit. The order of multiple processes may be changed, or multiple processes may be executed in parallel. The allocation of components included in the roadside unit 1 to multiple devices is one example. For example, components included in one device may be included in another device.

For example, the processing described in the above embodiment may be realized by centralized processing using a single device (system), or may be realized by distributed processing using multiple devices. Also, the processor that executes the above program may be single or multiple. In other words, centralized processing or distributed processing may be performed.

In addition, in the above embodiment, all or part of the components such as the calculation unit may be configured with dedicated hardware, or may be realized by executing a software program suitable for each component. Each component may be realized by a program execution unit such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or a processor reading and executing a software program recorded on a recording medium such as a HDD or semiconductor memory.

In addition, components such as the control unit may be composed of one or more electronic circuits. Each of the one or more electronic circuits may be a general-purpose circuit or a dedicated circuit.

The one or more electronic circuits may include, for example, a semiconductor device, an IC, or an LSI. The IC or LSI may be integrated on one chip or on multiple chips. Here, we refer to it as an IC or an LSI, but depending on the degree of integration, it may be called a system LSI, a VLSI (Very Large Scale Integration), or an ULSI (Ultra Large Scale Integration). Also, an FPGA that is programmed after the LSI is manufactured can be used for the same purpose.

The general or specific aspects of the present invention may be realized as a system, device, method, integrated circuit, or computer program. Alternatively, the present invention may be realized as a computer-readable non-transitory recording medium such as an optical disk, HDD, or semiconductor memory on which the computer program is stored. The present invention may also be realized as any combination of a system, device, method, integrated circuit, computer program, and recording medium.

In addition, the present invention also includes forms obtained by applying various modifications to each embodiment that a person skilled in the art may conceive, and forms realized by arbitrarily combining the components and functions of each embodiment within the scope of the spirit of the present invention.

Reference Signs List 1 Roadside unit 2 Road 10 Lighting unit 20 Sensor 30 Calculation device 40 Communication unit 90 Automatically driven vehicle 91, 92, 93, 94 General vehicle

Claims (7)

A roadside unit,
A lighting unit;
At least one sensor that detects an object located in the vicinity of the roadside unit;
a computing device that, when the at least one sensor detects that a vehicle has stopped near the roadside device , determines whether the stopped vehicle is an autonomous vehicle, and, when it is determined that the stopped vehicle is the autonomous vehicle, determines the safety of the autonomous vehicle when it performs one of one or more predetermined actions after the autonomous vehicle has stopped;
a communication unit that transmits the result of the safety determination to the autonomous driving vehicle. The roadside device according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more predetermined actions include opening a door of the autonomous vehicle. The roadside device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the one or more predetermined actions include an initiation of the autonomous vehicle returning to a vehicle lane. The roadside device according to claim 3 , wherein the lighting unit is turned on when the at least one sensor detects that the autonomous vehicle has started to return to the road. 5. The roadside device according to claim 3, wherein the calculation device repeatedly performs the safety determination during a period until the return by the autonomous vehicle is completed, and transmits a result of the safety determination to the autonomous vehicle. The roadside device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the calculation device determines the safety based on a position and a speed of an object other than the autonomous vehicle among objects detected by the at least one sensor. A method for operating an autonomous vehicle, comprising using the roadside device according to any one of claims 1 to 6 as a stop.

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