CN112348619A

CN112348619A - Vehicle lending system

Info

Publication number: CN112348619A
Application number: CN202010782261.9A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 樱井知之
Original assignee: Honda Motor Co Ltd
Current assignee: Honda Motor Co Ltd
Priority date: 2019-08-09
Filing date: 2020-08-06
Publication date: 2021-02-09
Also published as: JP7187404B2; JP2021028744A

Abstract

The invention provides a vehicle lending system which can reduce the driving load of a user and provide a private space for the user. A vehicle lending system (1) is provided with: a plurality of vehicles (2); a vehicle control unit (3) that is provided in each of the plurality of vehicles, communicates with each other, and controls the vehicle to travel so that the vehicle travels following a leading vehicle selected from the vehicles; and a management server (4) that communicates with each vehicle control unit. The management server forms a group for performing a queued travel based on the plurality of reservation application information, generates a travel plan for the group, transmits a reservation result including the travel plan and information on a lender to the user terminal, and transmits the travel plan to the vehicle control unit. The vehicle control units communicate with each other, and perform travel control on the vehicle in accordance with the travel plan so that the queue travel is performed.

Description

Vehicle lending system

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a vehicle lending system.

Background

A ride share system is known in which the type of a vehicle to be carried by a user is determined according to the purpose or situation of the user (for example, patent document 1). For example, the shared riding system determines a vehicle suitable for a user according to whether a region where the user uses the shared riding is a city or a rural area, a moving distance, weather at the time of use, and the like.

Documents of the prior art

Patent document

Patent document 1: U.S. patent publication No. 2016/0187150

Disclosure of Invention

Problems to be solved by the invention

By using the shared ride system, the user can move from the departure point to the destination without driving the vehicle. However, among users, there are people who resist sharing the vehicle room with others. Particularly, when the moving distance is long, it is preferable to provide a private space that does not accompany other people to the user. On the other hand, although a user can avoid sharing a car room with another person by using a car sharing system or renting a car, there is a problem that the user needs to drive from a departure place to a destination.

In view of the above background, an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle lending system capable of reducing the driving load of a user and providing a private space to the user.

Means for solving the problems

In order to solve the above problem, one aspect of the present invention is a vehicle lending system 1 including: a plurality of vehicles 2; a vehicle control unit 3 provided in each of the plurality of vehicles, for performing communication with each other and performing travel control on the vehicle so that the vehicle travels following a lead vehicle selected from the vehicles; and a management server 4 that communicates with the vehicle control units, acquires reservation application information including at least a departure point, a destination, and a departure time from a user terminal 8, forms a group for performing a queue travel from a plurality of vehicles when the vehicles travel on the same route in the same time slot based on the reservation application information, generates a travel plan for the group, transmits a reservation result including the travel plan and information on a lended vehicle to the user terminal, transmits the travel plan to the vehicle control units, communicates with each other at the vehicle control units provided to the vehicles lent from the group, and performs travel control on the vehicles based on the travel plan so as to perform the queue travel.

According to this manner, lending cars, on which other people do not ride, are lent to the respective users. Since the lender forms a group that performs the queued travel when scheduled to travel on the same route in the same time zone, the user of the following vehicle set to the queued travel can move to the destination without driving. Thus, a vehicle lending system capable of providing a private space to a user can be provided.

In the above aspect, the reservation application information may include vehicle type information, and the management server may determine a vehicle to be lent to the user based on the vehicle type information.

According to this mode, the user can select a vehicle corresponding to the purpose by himself or herself.

In the above aspect, the reservation application information may include desired condition information of the vehicle, and the management server may determine the vehicle to be lent to the user based on the desired condition information.

According to this aspect, the user can borrow a vehicle according to the purpose without specifying the vehicle type.

In the above aspect, the reservation application information may include the number of uses of the vehicle,

and the management server determines the number of vehicles lent to the user according to the usage number.

According to this aspect, the user can borrow a plurality of vehicles. Since the plurality of borrowed vehicles can form a group capable of traveling in a queue, the user can travel the plurality of vehicles even by one person. For example, it is effective when a single user wants to borrow a plurality of vehicles in a case where a large amount of goods or people are moved.

In the above-described aspect, the reservation application information may include follow-up desire information indicating whether or not the user wishes to follow the guide vehicle and run, and the management server may select a user who wishes to follow the user, from among the users who wish to follow the user, on the basis of the follow-up desire information.

According to this aspect, the user who does not want to follow the vehicle can drive himself without being set to follow the vehicle.

In the above-described aspect, the reservation application information may include a guidance desire information indicating whether or not the user desires to become the guidance vehicle, and the management server may select a user who drives the guidance vehicle from the users who desire to become the guidance vehicle, based on the guidance desire information.

According to this aspect, the intention of the user can be reflected in the fact that the host vehicle is a leading vehicle.

ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECTS OF INVENTION

According to the above configuration, it is possible to provide the vehicle lending system capable of reducing the driving load of the user and providing the user with a private space.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a configuration diagram of a vehicle lending system of the embodiment.

Fig. 2 is a flowchart of the vehicle assignment process executed by the management server.

Fig. 3 is a flowchart of packetization processing performed by the management server.

Fig. 4 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a mode of movement of the vehicle in the vertical/horizontal change processing.

Description of the reference symbols

1: vehicle lending system

2: vehicle with a steering wheel

3: vehicle control unit

3B: vehicle sensor

3C: position acquisition device

3D: external recognition device

3E: communication device

3 EA: vehicle-to-vehicle communication device

3 EB: mobile communication device

3F: signal information receiver

3G: control device

4: management server

6: internet network

8: user terminal

9: staff terminal

21: reservation accepting unit

22: vehicle distribution unit

23: travel plan unit

24: result transmitting unit

25: vehicle control unit

26: plan department of vehicle allocation

27: data storage unit

31: route setting unit

32: grouping unit

33: travel plan setting unit

Detailed Description

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the vehicle lending system 1 according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in fig. 1, the vehicle lending system 1 has a plurality of vehicles 2, a vehicle control unit 3 provided in each of the plurality of vehicles 2, and a management server 4. The management server 4 communicates with the vehicle control unit 3 by communication via the internet 6, and communicates with user terminals 8 that a plurality of users respectively have. The management server 4 communicates with the worker terminals 9 that the plurality of workers respectively have by communication via the internet 6.

The plurality of vehicles 2 are distributed and held at a plurality of sites as parking lots, and are lent to the user in accordance with the reservation made by the user. The plurality of vehicles 2 include a plurality of vehicle types to suit various usage purposes. For example, the plurality of vehicles 2 includes cars, minivans, station wagons, SUVs, sport utility vehicles, compact vehicles, miniature vehicles, luxury vehicles, trucks, and the like. The plurality of vehicles 2 may include construction machines such as overhead working vehicles, buses, and forklift trucks.

The vehicle control units 3 provided in the respective vehicles 2 communicate with each other, and perform travel control of the vehicles 2 such that the vehicles 2 provided with the vehicle control units 3 travel following a lead vehicle selected from the plurality of vehicles 2. The vehicle control unit 3 includes an HMI 3A (Human Machine Interface), a vehicle sensor 3B, a position acquisition device 3C, an external recognition device 3D, a communication device 3E, a signal information receiver 3F, and a control device 3G. The HMI 3A, the vehicle sensor 3B, the position acquisition device 3C, the external world identification device 3D, the signal information receiver 3F, and the communication device 3E are connected to the control device 3G through a communication unit such as a CAN (Controller Area Network).

The HMI 3A is provided in a vehicle interior of the vehicle 2, notifies various information to the occupant by display and voice, and receives an input operation of the occupant. The HMI is, for example, a touch panel display.

The position acquisition device 3C is a device that acquires the current position (absolute coordinate value displayed by latitude and longitude) of the vehicle 2, and acquires the current position of the vehicle 2 from, for example, a GPS signal. The environment recognition device 3D is a device for recognizing an object present in the periphery of the host vehicle 2, and includes, for example, a camera, a radar, a laser radar, a sonar, and the like. The other vehicles 2 are included in objects existing in the periphery of the own vehicle 2. Further, the camera included in the external world recognition device 3D recognizes the identification code attached to the outer surface of the other vehicle 2.

The vehicle sensor 3B is a sensor that detects the running state of the host vehicle 2. The vehicle sensors 3B include, for example, a vehicle speed sensor for detecting the speed of the host vehicle 2, an acceleration sensor for detecting the acceleration of the host vehicle 2, an angular velocity sensor for detecting the 3-axis angular velocity of the host vehicle 2, an accelerator pedal sensor, a brake pedal sensor, and a steering angle sensor.

The communication device 3E includes an inter-vehicle communication device 3EA and a mobile communication device 3 EB. The inter-vehicle communication device 3EA connects the control device 3G between different vehicles 2 by wireless communication. The mobile communication device 3EB performs wireless communication with a base station of a mobile communication system, and connects the control device 3G to the management server 4 via the internet 6. The mobile communication apparatus 3EB may be, for example, a mobile communication apparatus based on a 4 th or 5 th generation mobile communication system.

The signal information receiver 3F receives a signal transmitted from a signal information transmitting apparatus installed on a road, and acquires signal information. The signal information receiver 3F may be, for example, a receiver of an optical beacon.

The control device 3G is an Electronic Control Unit (ECU) constituted by a computer including a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and the like. The control device 3G executes arithmetic processing in accordance with a program by the CPU, and controls a steering device of the host vehicle, a driving device such as an engine or a motor, and a braking device such as a disc brake, thereby executing travel control of the vehicle 2. Specifically, the control device 3G controls the steering device to adjust the steering angle of the vehicle 2, and controls the driving device and the braking device to adjust the acceleration, deceleration, and speed of the vehicle 2. The control device 3G performs the following control: electronic link control for communicating with a control device 3G provided in another vehicle 2 constituting the platoon travel group so as to bring the vehicles into a platoon travel state; and a queue travel control for causing the host vehicle to perform queue travel. The queue travel control includes: a pilot running control executed when the vehicle is set as a pilot vehicle; and follow-up running control for causing the host vehicle to run following the other vehicle 2 set as the leading vehicle when the host vehicle is set as the follow-up vehicle. The control device 3G sets the own vehicle as a leading vehicle or a following vehicle in accordance with the travel plan received from the management server 4.

The vehicle 2 set to follow the vehicle can travel following the lead vehicle by the follow-up travel control by the control device 3G. The state in which the following vehicle performs the following travel with respect to the lead vehicle is referred to as the state in which each vehicle 2 performs the platoon travel. The group of vehicles that perform the platoon running is referred to as a platoon running group. The queue driving group comprises 1 leading vehicle and at least 1 following vehicle. The maximum value of the number of vehicles included in the queue travel group is limited to 3 to 6, for example.

The management server 4 is a computer including a CPU, a memory, a storage device, and a communication device. The user terminal 8 and the worker terminal 9 are computers including a CPU, a memory, a storage device, a communication device 3E, and an HMI (human Machine Interface), and examples thereof include a smartphone, a tablet PC, a mobile phone, and a PDA. The HMI of the user terminal 8 is a device capable of input and output, and is, for example, a touch panel display. The user terminal 8 has an application for communicating with the management server 4 to utilize the vehicle lending system 1. The user terminal 8 generates reservation application data (reservation application information) based on an operation of the HMI of the user, transmits the reservation application data to the management server 4, and displays reservation result data (reservation result data) received from the management server 4 on the HMI.

The reservation application data is a record including at least a user identification number, a departure place, a destination, a return place, a departure time, and a return time. In addition, the reservation application data may include: follow-desire information ("yes" or "no") indicating whether or not it is desired to travel following the lead vehicle; and a pilot desire information ("yes" or "no") indicating whether it is desired to become a pilot vehicle. The reservation application data may include vehicle type information on a vehicle type that the user wishes to borrow, or desired condition information on a desired condition of the user with respect to the vehicle 2. In addition, the reservation application data may contain the number of vehicles that the user wishes to borrow. In the present embodiment, the reservation application data includes: a user identification number, a departure place, a destination, a return place, a departure time, a return time, following desire information, and leading desire information; one of vehicle type information and use destination information; and vehicle usage count.

The reservation application data is generated by the user inputting in a cell (cell) corresponding to each information of the reservation application screen displayed in the HMI of the user terminal 8. The grid corresponding to each piece of information may display selectable information by a pull-down menu or the like, and allow the user to select it.

In the present embodiment, the departure place, the destination, and the return place in the reservation application data are selected from a plurality of sites. For example, the origin, the destination, and the return destination may select sites different from each other. Further, the same site may be selected for the departure place and the return place, and a site different from the departure place and the return place may be selected for the destination. Further, sites different from each other may be selected for the departure place and the destination, and sites identical to the destination may be selected for the return. In another embodiment, it is also possible to input points other than the departure point, the destination, and the return point to the departure point, the destination, and the return point.

The departure time in the reservation application data is the time at which the user wishes to start using the vehicle 2, and the range can be set using the start point and the end point. The range can be preferably arbitrarily set by the user. The start point and the end point of the departure time may be the same, and the range may be limited to 1 time point. The return timing is a timing at which the user wishes to return the vehicle 2. The reservation application screen may display a plurality of times divided at intervals of, for example, 15 minutes in a grid corresponding to the departure time, and allow the user to select the plurality of times.

The follow-up wish information and the lead wish information are arbitrary data of wish ("yes") or not wish ("no"). At least one of the following desire information and the leading desire information is set to "no".

The number of vehicles is the number of vehicles that the user wishes to use. The maximum value of the selectable number of vehicles is set to be less than the number of vehicles capable of driving in a queue, and is set to be 3-6, for example.

The vehicle type information may be, for example, a vehicle name. The reservation application screen may display a plurality of selectable vehicle names to allow the user to select a desired vehicle name. The desired condition information includes, for example, conditions of vehicles such as vehicles suitable for commuting, vehicles suitable for carrying goods, vehicles suitable for leisure, and the like, grades of vehicles such as luxury vehicles and overseas brands, shapes of vehicles such as cars and station wagons, the number of passengers riding, sizes of vehicles, smoking capability, and equipment with or without studded tires. The reservation application screen may display a plurality of selectable desired conditions for the user to select a number of desired conditions. The respective conditions included in the desired condition information are assigned with numbers, and the numbers corresponding to the desired condition information selected by the user are stored as reservation application data. In the present embodiment, the reservation application screen does not accept input of the desired condition information when the vehicle type information is input, and does not accept input of the vehicle type information when the desired condition information is input. Thus, the reservation application data includes only one of the vehicle type information and the desired condition information. When the number of vehicles to be used is plural, the vehicle type information and the desired condition information may be selected for each vehicle.

The destination in the reservation application data may be omitted in the case where the follow-up desire information and the lead desire information are "no". When at least one of the follow-up desire information and the lead desire information in the reservation application data is "yes", the destination becomes necessary information, and the reservation application screen prompts the user to input the information.

The user terminal 8 generates reservation application data in accordance with an input operation of the user to the reservation application screen, and transmits the reservation application data to the management server 4 via the internet 6.

The management server 4 includes a reservation receiving unit 21, a vehicle assigning unit 22, a travel planning unit 23, a result transmitting unit 24, a vehicle control unit 25, a vehicle allocation planning unit 26, and a data storage unit 27.

The reservation accepting unit 21 generates processing data for each of the received reservation application data, and writes the generated processing data as a record in the processing data table stored in the data storage unit 27. The processing data includes a processing number, a user identification number, a departure place, a destination, a return place, a departure time, a return time, the number of vehicles, following desire information, leading desire information, vehicle type information, and desire condition information. The processing data includes reservation result data, distributed vehicle information, and a travel plan, which are stored by processing of the management server 4, which will be described later.

The data storage unit 27 stores a vehicle basic information table, a vehicle schedule table, and a travel schedule table, in addition to the processing data table. The vehicle basic information table includes vehicle basic data set for all the vehicles 2 held by the vehicle lending system 1, and the vehicle basic data includes at least a vehicle identification number, a vehicle name, and feature information. The characteristic information is information corresponding to the desired condition information of the reservation application data, and includes, for example, characteristics of a vehicle suitable for commuting, a vehicle suitable for carrying goods, a vehicle suitable for leisure, the use purpose of a vehicle such as a luxury vehicle or an overseas brand, the vehicle shape such as a sedan or a station wagon, the number of passengers, the size of the inside of the vehicle, smoking capability, equipment with or without a studled tire, and the like. The feature data is assigned with a number corresponding to each condition of the desired condition information, and the number corresponding to the feature of the vehicle 2 is stored. The vehicle reservation table stores data on the names of stations where the vehicle 2 is located at each time of each vehicle 2 and the presence or absence of a loan reservation for the vehicle 2.

The vehicle assigning unit 22 executes the vehicle assigning process shown in fig. 2 for each process data, and determines a lended vehicle that makes or breaks the reservation and lends itself to the user. In addition, in the case where there is no vehicle 2 that can be lent to the user, it is determined that the reservation is not established, and it is determined that there is no lending vehicle.

In the vehicle allocation process, first, the vehicle allocation unit 22 extracts, as the 1 st vehicle group, the vehicles 2 existing at the station selected as the departure point and the stations around the station at the time set as the starting point of the departure time, based on the departure point and the departure time of the processing data and the vehicle schedule table (S1). Here, peripheral stations are set in advance for each station. For example, a station existing within a predetermined distance from the target station is set as a peripheral station. For example, when

station nos

6, 7, and 8 exist within a predetermined distance from station No5,

station nos

6, 7, and 8 may be set as stations around station No 5.

Next, the vehicle assigning unit 22 extracts, as a 2 nd vehicle group, a vehicle 2 for which no lending is scheduled during the use period of the user from the 1 st vehicle group, based on the extracted 1 st vehicle group, the departure time and the return time of the processing data, and the vehicle scheduling information (S2). Here, the usage period of the user is a period from the start point of the departure time to the return time. The vehicle assigning unit 22 refers to the vehicle schedule table, and extracts, as the 2 nd vehicle group, the vehicle 2 for which no lending reservation exists in the use period of the user, from among the vehicles 2 included in the 1 st vehicle group.

Next, the vehicle assigning unit 22 determines whether the processed data includes vehicle type information (S3). When the processed data includes the vehicle type information (yes at S3), the vehicle assigning unit 22 extracts a vehicle matching the vehicle type information of the processed data from the 2 nd vehicle group as the 3 rd vehicle group based on the vehicle basic information table and the vehicle type of the processed data (S4). Then, the vehicle assigning unit 22 determines whether or not the number of vehicles in the 3 rd vehicle group is equal to or greater than the number of vehicles used for processing the data (S5). When the number of vehicles in the 3 rd vehicle group is equal to or greater than the number of vehicles used in the processed data (yes at S5), a lent vehicle is set from the 3 rd vehicle group (S6). The lending vehicle is set based on the number of vehicle uses for which the data is processed. Then, the vehicle assigning unit 22 writes data (for example, 1) corresponding to the establishment of the reservation in the item of the reservation result of the processing data, and writes the vehicle identification number of the determined lending vehicle in the item of the lending vehicle of the processing data. In the process of step S6, when the number of vehicles in the 3 rd vehicle group is larger than the number of vehicles used for processing the data, the vehicle assigning unit 22 may set the vehicles as lending vehicles in order from among the vehicles disposed at the station set as the departure point and the vehicles disposed at the stations having a short distance from the station set as the departure point.

When the number of vehicles in the 3 rd vehicle group is smaller than the number of vehicles used in the processed data (no in the determination at S5), the lending vehicle is not set (S7). Then, the vehicle assigning unit 22 writes data (for example, 0) corresponding to the reservation failure in the item of the reservation result of the processing data, and writes data indicating that there is no lended vehicle (for example, the vehicle identification number is set to 0) in the item of the lended vehicle of the processing data.

If the reservation application data does not include the vehicle type information in the determination at step S3 (no at S3), vehicles satisfying all the desired condition information are extracted from the 2 nd vehicle group as the 4 th vehicle group based on the vehicle basic information and the desired condition information of the processing data (S8). Then, the vehicle assigning unit 22 determines whether or not the number of vehicles in the 4 th vehicle group is equal to or greater than the number of vehicles used for processing the data (S9). When the number of vehicles in the 4 th vehicle group is equal to or greater than the number of vehicles used in the processed data (yes at S9), a lended vehicle is set from the 4 th vehicle group (S10). The lending vehicle is set based on the number of vehicle uses for which the data is processed. Then, the vehicle assigning unit 22 writes data (for example, 1) corresponding to the establishment of the reservation in the item of the reservation result of the processing data, and writes the vehicle identification number of the determined lending vehicle in the item of the lending vehicle of the processing data. In the process of step S10, when the number of vehicles in the 4 th vehicle group is larger than the number of vehicles used for processing the data, the vehicle assigning unit 22 may set as lending vehicles in order from a vehicle disposed at a station set as a departure point or a vehicle disposed at a station having a short distance from the station set as the departure point.

If the number of vehicles in the 4 th vehicle group is smaller than the number of vehicles used in the processed data (no in the determination at S9), the lending vehicle is not set (S11). Then, the vehicle assigning unit 22 writes data (for example, 0) corresponding to the reservation failure in the item of the reservation result of the processing data, and writes data indicating that there is no lended vehicle (for example, the vehicle identification number is set to 0) in the item of the lended vehicle of the processing data.

The travel plan unit 23 includes a route setting unit 31, a grouping unit 32, and a travel plan setting unit 33. The route setting unit 31 sets an estimated travel route for the processing data that the reservation result is established and the following desire information is "yes" or the leader desire information is "yes" in each processing data. The route setting unit 31 may set the estimated travel route by using a method such as a known dixtal method, for example, according to the departure point and the destination of the processed data. The route setting unit 31 stores the generated estimated travel route in the corresponding processing data.

The grouping unit 32 sets an estimated travel route in the processed data, and performs grouping processing on each of the processed data whose following desire information is "yes" to generate a queue travel group. The grouping unit 32 extracts a plurality of pieces of processing data estimated to overlap travel paths in the same time slot, and groups the plurality of pieces of processing data into a queue travel group. Fig. 3 shows an example of packetization processing.

In the grouping process, first, the grouping unit 32 extracts the process data in which the leading desire information is "yes" from the other process data in which the estimated travel route is stored, as the 1 st extraction group (S21).

Next, the grouping unit 32 extracts the processing data whose departure point is within a predetermined distance from the departure point of the target processing data within the 1 st extraction group as a 2 nd extraction group (S22). In one embodiment, the grouping unit 32 may extract the same processing data as the starting station of the target processing data from the 1 st extraction group as the 2 nd extraction group.

Next, the grouping unit 32 extracts, as the 3 rd extraction group, the processing data having the departure time overlapping with the departure time of the target processing data in the 2 nd extraction group (S23). As described above, the departure time has a range determined by the start point and the end point.

Next, the grouping unit 32 extracts, as a 4 th extraction group, the processing data having the estimated travel route overlapping the estimated travel route of the target processing data by a predetermined distance or more, within the 3 rd extraction group (S24).

Next, the grouping unit 32 extracts, as a 5 th extraction group, the processing data in which the number of following vehicles stored in the processing data is equal to or less than a predetermined value in the 3 rd extraction group (S25). The number of following vehicles that process data increases each time the vehicle 2 corresponding to the process data becomes a leading vehicle and is set as a following vehicle. In the processing of step S25, for example, processing data in which the number of following vehicles is 3 or less is extracted as the 5 th extraction group.

Next, the grouping unit 32 determines whether or not the processed data included in the 5 th extraction group exists (S26). If the processing data included in the 5 th extraction group exists (yes at S26), the grouping unit 32 selects 1 piece of processing data in the 5 th extraction group, and groups the selected processing data and the target processing data (S27). Then, the data indicating the grouping and the common group number are written in the selected processing data and the target processing data. The method of selecting 1 piece of processed data from the 5 th extraction group can be selected from various methods, and for example, the processed data with the smallest number of following vehicles can be selected. Further, the process data having the closest departure point to the departure point of the target process data may be selected. The grouping unit 32 writes data indicating that the lead vehicle is set in the queue travel group into the selected processing data. If data indicating that the lead vehicle is set in the platoon travel group has already been written in the selected processing data, the processing is omitted. The grouping unit 32 adds 1 to the number of following vehicles of the selected processed data. The grouping unit 32 writes data indicating that the target processing data is set to follow the vehicle.

If there is no processed data included in the 5 th extraction group (no in step S26), the target processed data is written into the target data without being packetized (S28).

The grouping unit 32 also generates a sub-group in which one of the distribution vehicles is a leading vehicle and the remaining distribution vehicles are following vehicles, for the processed data in which the plurality of distribution vehicles are set. All the vehicles included in the subgroup can be following vehicles in the train running group including other vehicles other than the subgroup. The lead vehicle included in the subgroup can be a lead vehicle of a train travel group including other vehicles than the subgroup.

The travel plan setting unit 33 executes a travel plan generating process based on the process data having the common group number, and generates travel plan information including a travel route, a point of confluence, a point of separation, and a time of separation of the leading vehicle and the following vehicle for each of the queued travel groups. The travel plan setting unit 33 stores the generated travel plan data in the travel plan table. The travel plan data includes a vehicle identification number and a user identification number set for the lead vehicle, and a vehicle identification number and a user identification number set for the following vehicle.

The result transmitting unit 24 generates reservation result data based on the processing data and the travel plan data, and transmits the reservation result data to the terminal of the user who made the reservation request. The reservation result data at least includes: the user identification number, departure point, destination, return point, departure time, return time, reservation result (true or false), information on the assigned vehicle (lended vehicle) (vehicle name, color, style, etc.), presence or absence of participation in a queued travel group, merge point, separation point, merge time, separation time, information on the lead vehicle (vehicle name, color, style, etc.). If the reservation result is not satisfied, information on the vehicle to be allocated, the presence or absence of queue travel, the point of merger, the point of separation, the time of merger, the time of separation, and information on the lead vehicle are omitted. In addition, when the vehicle does not participate in the queue travel group, information of the merging point, the separation point, the merging time, the separation time, and the lead vehicle is omitted. The information of the lead vehicle and the distribution vehicle can be set with reference to the vehicle basic information table.

When the processing data is rewritten after the transmission of the reservation result data, the result transmitting unit 24 regenerates the reservation result data based on the rewritten processing data and transmits the reservation result data to the user terminal again. For example, when the vehicle of the user who does not participate in the queue travel group is set as the leading vehicle, or when the number of following vehicles increases, the processing data is rewritten.

The vehicle allocation planning unit 26 generates a vehicle allocation plan for delivering the allocation vehicle allocated to the user to the departure place of the user before the start point of the departure time, based on the processing data. The transfer plan is composed of transfer plan data including a vehicle identification number of the vehicle 2 to be moved, a station of a movement start point, a station of a movement destination, a movement start time, a movement completion time, and an identification number of a worker who executes movement of the vehicle 2. The vehicle allocation plan unit 26 transmits the vehicle allocation plan data to the worker terminal 9 held by the worker who moves the vehicle 2. The operator confirms the vehicle allocation plan data through the operator terminal 9, and moves the vehicle 2 to be the target from the station at the movement start point to the station at the movement destination at the movement start time. This enables the user to use the vehicle 2 from the departure point at the departure time.

The vehicle control unit 25 generates a vehicle control command for controlling the vehicle 2 included in the platoon travel group based on the travel plan data. The vehicle control command is generated for each vehicle 2 included in the platoon travel group. The vehicle control command includes at least a vehicle identification number of the target vehicle 2, data indicating which of the leading vehicle and the following vehicle the target vehicle 2 is set to, a vehicle identification number of another vehicle 2 included in the same platoon travel group, a travel route of the platoon travel group, a merging point and merging time of the platoon travel group. The vehicle control command includes a vehicle identification number of the following vehicle when the target vehicle 2 is set as the leading vehicle, and the vehicle control command includes a vehicle identification number of the leading vehicle when the target vehicle 2 is set as the following vehicle. The vehicle control unit 25 transmits a vehicle control command to the control device 3G of the vehicle control unit 3 of the corresponding vehicle 2.

The control device 3G of each vehicle control unit 3 executes the electronic link control and the platoon travel control in accordance with the received vehicle control command. Here, the electronic link means that when the distance between the leading vehicle and the following vehicle is within a predetermined range, the vehicle control unit 3 of the leading vehicle and the vehicle control unit 3 of the following vehicle recognize each other and perform wireless communication, thereby bringing the vehicle into a state in which the train running is possible. The vehicle control units 3 of the leading vehicle and the following vehicle can identify the vehicles 2 (vehicle control units 3) that should form the queue travel group by the vehicle identification numbers acquired by wireless communication, or can identify each other based on the image information acquired by the camera. For example, the vehicle control unit 3 following the vehicle acquires an image code attached to the outer surface of the leading vehicle by a camera, and recognizes the leading vehicle. In the electronically linked state, the vehicle control units 3 of the leading vehicle and the following vehicle communicate with each other regarding the speed, acceleration, steering angle, accelerator position, brake position, own vehicle 2 position, and formation information of each vehicle 2. The formation information is information for determining the relative position of the following vehicle with respect to the leading vehicle. The formation information may include, for example: information on the formation such as a vertical formation (see fig. 4 a) in which the formation travel groups are aligned in a vertical direction (lane direction) or a horizontal formation (see fig. 4D) extending in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the vertical direction is selected; and information on a position at which the follow-up vehicle is disposed in the formation. The formation information is generated by the vehicle control unit 3 of the leading vehicle, and is transmitted to the vehicle control unit 3 of the following vehicle.

The following vehicle control device 3G executes following travel control (in-line travel control) for traveling following the lead vehicle in a state of being electrically connected to the lead vehicle. The following vehicle control unit 3 calculates the travel track of the leading vehicle so as to travel while maintaining a predetermined relative position with respect to the leading vehicle, and controls the driving device, the braking device, and the steering device of the host vehicle 2 so that the host vehicle 2 travels along the generated travel track.

Next, the operation of the vehicle lending system 1 will be described. A user who wishes to use the vehicle 2 first starts an application installed in the user terminal 8 and displays a reservation application screen on the user terminal 8. The user inputs information on each item of the reservation application screen, and the application generates reservation application data and transmits the reservation application data to the management server 4. The management server 4 generates processing data from each of the reservation application data transmitted from each user terminal 8, executes vehicle distribution processing for each processing data, and determines whether or not the reservation is established or not with respect to the vehicle 2 (distribution vehicle) lent to the user. At this time, if there is no vehicle 2 suitable for processing data, the management server 4 determines that there is no vehicle to be allocated, and makes the reservation not be established.

Next, the management server 4 sets the allocation vehicle, and performs grouping processing on each of the processing data items whose following desire information is "yes" to generate a queue travel group. Then, the management server 4 executes travel plan generation processing for the generated fleet travel groups, and generates travel plans for the respective fleet travel groups. The management server 4 executes the vehicle distribution processing, the grouping processing, and the travel plan generation processing, then generates reservation result data based on the processing data, and transmits the reservation result data to the corresponding user terminal 8. Thus, the user can confirm the result of the reservation application. Further, the management server 4 transmits a vehicle control command to the vehicle control unit 3 of each vehicle 2 included in the platoon travel group. The vehicle control unit 3 that has received the vehicle control command controls each vehicle 2 to be able to electrically connect to another vehicle 2 included in the platoon travel group during the merging time.

Further, the management server 4 transmits the delivery plan to the worker terminal 9. The operator confirms the delivery plan data using the operator terminal 9, and moves the vehicle 2 according to the delivery plan data. This enables the user to use the vehicle 2 at the departure point at the departure time.

The keys for using the vehicle 2 can be given to the user by the operator at the starting point or can be assigned to the user beforehand. The key is preferably an electronic key, and is preferably made available only during the period from the start point of the departure time to the return time of the user by the control of the management server 4.

The user using the vehicle 2 set in the platoon travel group moves the vehicle 2 so as to reach the merging point before the merging time. In addition, when the point of merger is the departure point, the user does not need to move the vehicle 2. When the vehicles 2 set as the leading vehicle and the following vehicle are gathered at the point of confluence and have a predetermined relative positional relationship, the vehicles 2 set as the leading vehicle and the following vehicle recognize each other and perform wireless communication with each other. That is, the vehicle control units 3 of the respective vehicles 2 are electronically connected to each other, and are in a state in which the vehicle can travel in a platoon. Here, the relative positional relationship in which the leading vehicle and the following vehicle can be electronically connected includes a positional relationship in which the following vehicle is located immediately after the leading vehicle, a positional relationship in which the leading vehicle and the following vehicle are aligned with each other, a positional relationship in which the distance between the leading vehicle and the following vehicle is within a predetermined value regardless of the orientation of the leading vehicle and the following vehicle, and the like. When the vehicle control unit 3 of the leading vehicle and the following vehicle can be electronically connected, the HMI 3A of the vehicle 2 is operated to inquire of the user whether or not the electronic connection is made. Then, the vehicle control unit 3 can perform electronic linking according to the user's input operation to the HMI 3A.

When the leading vehicle and the following vehicle are electronically linked, the vehicle control units 3 of the leading vehicle and the following vehicle execute the platoon running control (leading running control, following running control). As the pilot travel control, the vehicle control unit 3 of the pilot vehicle acquires travel state information including the position, the vehicle speed, the acceleration, the angular velocity, the accelerator position, the brake position, the steering angle, and the like of the host vehicle 2 based on signals from the position acquisition device 3C and the vehicle sensor 3B, and transmits the travel state information to the vehicle control unit 3 of the following vehicle via the inter-vehicle communication device 3 EA.

As the follow-up running control, the vehicle control unit 3 of the following vehicle acquires the running state information of the lead vehicle via the inter-vehicle communication device 3EA, and also acquires the position, the vehicle speed, and the acceleration of the lead vehicle by the external world recognition device 3D, calculates the running track of the lead vehicle, and generates the target track of the host vehicle 2 so as to maintain a predetermined relative position with respect to the lead vehicle, and controls the driving device, the braking device, and the steering device so that the host vehicle 2 runs along the target track.

Each following vehicle is electronically connected to the lead vehicle to perform the following travel, and the lead vehicle and the following vehicle form a train to perform the following travel. For example, when the following vehicle runs in a line with the leading vehicle as the front, the vehicle control unit 3 of the following vehicle may control the host vehicle 2 so as to pass through the point where the leading vehicle passes after the vehicle-to-vehicle time determined separately. The vehicle control unit 3 of the following vehicle transmits the position of the own vehicle 2 acquired by the position acquisition device 3C to the vehicle control unit 3 of the leading vehicle during the follow-up running.

The formation pattern formed by the following vehicle following the leading vehicle includes a formation pattern in which the overall lengths of the following vehicles are different from each other by 2 or more. The formation includes vertical formation and horizontal formation as described above. A queue change button for changing the queue shape is displayed on the HMI of the vehicle 2 set as the leading vehicle. When the queue change button is operated by the user, the vehicle control unit 3 of the leading vehicle and the following vehicle performs the queue change process. The vehicle control unit 3 of the lead vehicle may display the queue change button based on the number of lanes of the road acquired based on the external world identification device 3D of the lead vehicle or the map information, and the signal information received from the signal information transmitting device.

In the present embodiment, the formation change processing includes vertical and horizontal change processing for changing from vertical formation to horizontal formation. Fig. 4 shows a movement pattern of the following vehicle when the form of the queue is changed from the vertical formation to the horizontal formation in the vertical/horizontal change process. In the following, the vertical alignment is changed to the horizontal alignment of the number of alignment N in the vertical and horizontal changing process.

As shown in fig. 4 (a), in the vertical and horizontal change processing, first, the following vehicles located from the 2 nd station to the nth station from the head are moved to respective lanes different from the traveling lane of the leading vehicle and different from each other. Then, as shown in fig. 4 (B), the vehicle 2 located at the (N + 1) th station from the head is moved to the traveling lane of the vehicle 2 (leading vehicle) located at the 1 st station from the head. At the same time, the vehicle 2 located at the (N + 2) th station from the head is moved to the following travel lane located at the 2 nd station from the head. By repeating such movement, as shown in fig. 4 (C), all the vehicles 2 constituting the train are distributed to the respective rows as equally as possible. Then, as shown in fig. 4 (D), the vehicle control unit 3 of the following vehicle increases the speed of the host vehicle 2 in order to shorten the inter-vehicle distance to the preceding vehicle.

The queue form change processing includes horizontal/vertical change processing for changing the queue form from horizontal to vertical. In the present embodiment, in the horizontal/vertical changing process, the steps of the vertical/horizontal changing process are performed in reverse order. This can prevent the order of the vehicles 2 in the vertical formation from being changed due to the change of the queue.

In each of the formation types including the vertical formation and the horizontal formation, the relative position of the following vehicle with respect to the leading vehicle is set in advance. The vehicle control unit 3 for following the vehicle generates a travel track so as to maintain a relative position with respect to the leading vehicle set in advance in each formation, and controls the driving device, the braking device, and the steering device so that the own vehicle 2 travels along the travel track.

An example of a case where the vehicle control unit 3 displays the queue change button is described below. When the leading vehicle reaches the intersection in front of it, the vehicle control unit 3 of the leading vehicle determines whether all the vehicles constituting the queue can pass through the intersection. At this time, the vehicle control unit 3 of the leading vehicle determines whether or not the rearmost following vehicle in the current formation can pass through the intersection before the traffic signal turns red, based on the signal from the signal information receiver 3F, the position of the following vehicle acquired via inter-vehicle communication, and the vehicle speed of the host vehicle 2 acquired by the vehicle sensor 3B. Then, in the case where the determination result is "no", it is determined whether or not the rearmost tracked vehicle can pass through the intersection before the traffic signal becomes red in the case where the formation is changed to another formation that can be changed. As a result, when the vehicle control unit 3 determines that the last following vehicle can pass through the intersection before the traffic signal turns red by changing to another queue, the queue change button may be displayed on the HMI of the leading vehicle.

With the above configuration, the vehicle lending system 1 can lend the vehicle 2 to the user and set a lead vehicle that the lending vehicle 2 should follow to travel. This allows the user to move to the destination without driving. Further, since the lending vehicles, on which other persons do not ride together, are lent to the users, it is possible to satisfy various requirements of users who do not like riding together, users who wish to carry goods, and the like.

The user can select a desired vehicle type by himself or herself according to the purpose. Further, the user can use the vehicle 2 according to the purpose by inputting the purpose of use even if the user does not specify the vehicle type.

Since the vehicle 2 lent to the user can follow the lead vehicle even when the occupant is not driving, the single user can drive the plurality of vehicles 2. Thus, the single-person user can load and transport the plurality of vehicles 2 or can move a plurality of passengers who are not driving the vehicle by boarding the plurality of vehicles 2.

The user can display the intention of the vehicle 2 driven by the user as a following vehicle or a leading vehicle, and the vehicle lending system 1 can also respond to the request of the user who does not wish to travel in a queue.

The description of the specific embodiments is completed above, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and can be widely modified. For example, the packetization process can employ various methods. In the grouping processing in the above embodiment, a method of matching the user who wants to become the leading vehicle with the user who wants to follow the traveling is adopted, but a method of matching the user who wants to follow the traveling with the user who wants to become the leading vehicle may be adopted.

Claims

1. A vehicle lending system, wherein,

the vehicle lending system includes:

a plurality of vehicles;

a vehicle control unit that is provided in each of the plurality of vehicles, communicates with each other, and performs travel control on the vehicle so that the vehicle travels following a lead vehicle selected from the vehicles; and

a management server that communicates with each of the vehicle control units,

the management server acquires reservation application information including at least a departure place, a destination, and a departure time from a user terminal,

if there are a plurality of vehicles traveling on the same route in the same time slot based on the plurality of reservation application information, a group for performing a queue travel is formed based on the vehicles, a travel plan for the group is generated,

transmitting a reservation result including the travel plan and information on a lended vehicle to the user terminal, and transmitting the travel plan to the vehicle control unit,

the vehicle control units provided in the respective vehicles lent to the group communicate with each other, and travel control is performed on the vehicles according to the travel plan so that queued travel is performed.

2. The vehicle lending system according to claim 1, wherein,

the reservation application information includes vehicle type information,

and the management server determines the vehicles lent to the user according to the vehicle type information.

3. The vehicle lending system according to claim 1, wherein,

the reservation application information contains desired condition information of the vehicle,

the management server determines a vehicle to be lent to the user based on the desired condition information.

4. The vehicle lending system according to claim 1, wherein,

the reservation application information includes the number of uses of the vehicle,

5. The vehicle lending system according to claim 1, wherein,

the reservation application information includes following desire information indicating whether or not the vehicle wishes to travel following the guide vehicle,

the management server selects a user who wants to perform the follow-up running from users who want to perform the follow-up running, based on the follow-up desire information.

6. The vehicle lending system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein,

the reservation application information includes a pilot request information indicating whether or not the vehicle is to be the pilot vehicle,

the management server selects a user who desires to drive the leading vehicle from among users who desire to become the leading vehicle, based on the leading desire information.