DE102019213264A1 - Method of operating a vehicle and vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for operating a vehicle (2) is specified, the vehicle (2) being designed to travel along a roadway (4), an unevenness of the roadway (4) being determined, the unevenness being used to determine whether for the vehicle (2) is at risk of falling rocks due to particles (P) thrown from the roadway (4) by another vehicle (10), the vehicle (2) being steered longitudinally or transversely in the event that there is a risk of falling rocks or both in order to reduce the risk of falling rocks, or a message (H) is issued to a driver of the vehicle (2) to induce him to steer the vehicle (2) longitudinally or transversely or both to reduce the risk of falling rocks. A corresponding vehicle (2) is also specified.

Description

The invention relates to a method for operating a vehicle and a vehicle.

When driving, a vehicle generally moves along a lane, e.g. a road or a path. The road surface can vary and in some cases has loose particles. Examples of particles are stones, gravel, crushed stone or grit. Such particles either form the roadway themselves, such as on a gravel road, or are carried onto an otherwise solid pavement of the roadway, such as on an asphalt road that is provided with gravel.

The loose particles in the road surface can be thrown up by vehicles and cause damage to them or to other vehicles. The throwing up of particles and their impact on a vehicle is also known as falling rocks. A common scenario is that grit from a roadway is thrown backwards by a vehicle in front and hits a vehicle behind at the front. The result is corresponding damage, for example to the paintwork, trim parts, headlights or the windshield of the vehicle.

In the DE 10 2015 220 781 A1 a method is described in which the expansion of a wake of suspended particles is determined. The drag is caused by a vehicle. The particles are liquid or solid and include, for example, water, dirt or stones. Depending on the extent of the train, a target trajectory is determined for another vehicle, so that any impairment caused by the train can be reduced or avoided. A camera or an ultrasonic sensor is used to record environmental data, from which the extent of the suspended particles is then determined.

In the DE 11 2009 005 342 B4 a method for estimating road bumps is described. The method is based on a correlation analysis of vibrations in wheel speed signals, which vary with the unevenness of the road.

Against this background, it is an object of the invention to reduce the risk of damage to a vehicle from thrown particles. For this purpose, a suitable method for operating a vehicle and a suitable vehicle are to be specified.

The object is achieved according to the invention by a method with the features according to claim 1 and by a vehicle with the features according to claim 10. Advantageous configurations, developments and variants are the subject matter of the subclaims. The statements in connection with the method also apply accordingly to the vehicle and vice versa. If method steps are described below, advantageous configurations for the vehicle result in particular from the fact that it is designed to carry out one or more of these method steps.

The method is used to operate a vehicle. The vehicle is also referred to as the host vehicle. The vehicle is designed to travel along a roadway. For this purpose, the vehicle has, in particular, a driving mode during which the method is preferably carried out. Furthermore, the vehicle has, in particular, a number of wheels which are in contact with the roadway.

As part of the procedure, an unevenness in the roadway is determined. This is understood in particular to mean that the vehicle has a sensor with which a sensor signal is generated which is dependent on the unevenness of the roadway. The sensor is thus to a certain extent an unevenness sensor. The sensor signal is either used itself as a measure of the unevenness of the road surface or such a measure is derived from the sensor signal. It is particularly important that the unevenness is determined for a section of the roadway with which the vehicle is in contact, so that the unevenness is determined directly and, so to speak, in real time for the section currently being driven on. The unevenness is determined in particular recurrently and preferably continuously, so that the sensor signal has a time profile that is characterized by the roadway.

The unevenness is then used to determine whether the vehicle is at risk of falling rocks due to particles thrown from the roadway by another vehicle. Rockfall is understood as the throwing up of particles, in particular stones such as gravel, gravel or chippings, and their impact on a vehicle. Depending on the unevenness of the roadway, it is determined whether there is a risk of falling rocks or not. For this purpose, the sensor signal is expediently fed to a classifier, which then classifies the lane and assigns it to a lane type accordingly. For each type of lane it is then known in advance whether or not there is a risk of falling rocks on a corresponding lane. This information is stored in a database in particular.

The bump is, so to speak, a fingerprint of the road. It is particularly important that that an analysis of the unevenness of the roadway detects whether it has loose particles which can be thrown up by a vehicle from the roadway, so that there is a risk of falling rocks. This is based on the consideration that the unevenness and especially the sensor signal, depending on the type of lane, has a characteristic, temporal course, on the basis of which it is then read off whether a lane has loose particles. The detection of specifically thrown particles, for example in the form of a trail as in the one cited at the beginning DE 10 2015 220 781 A1 is not necessary at first. In the present case, initially it is not the thrown particles per se that are recognized, but more generally the type of roadway, whereby in a simple embodiment a distinction is initially only made between roadway types with and without the risk of falling rocks. In other words: in the present case, only the abstract potential for rockfall is initially recognized and a suitable response is then made.

In the event that there is a risk of falling rocks, the vehicle is then steered longitudinally or transversely, or both, in order to reduce the risk of falling rocks. In other words: longitudinal and / or lateral control is carried out. The method accordingly intervenes automatically in the driving operation of the vehicle and its driving trajectory is adapted in such a way that the risk of falling rocks is reduced. The risk of falling rocks is reduced in particular by the fact that the vehicle is steered longitudinally and / or transversely in such a way that its distance from another vehicle, which is potentially throwing up particles, is increased. This is also known in particular as an evasive maneuver. If there is another vehicle, it is recognized and responded accordingly in order to reduce the risk of falling rocks from this other vehicle. If no other vehicle is available, nothing will be done in particular.

Alternatively or additionally, in the event that there is a risk of falling rocks, a message is issued to a driver of the vehicle in order to induce him to steer the vehicle longitudinally or transversely or both in order to reduce the risk of falling rocks. In other words: longitudinal and / or lateral control is proposed. The information is used to inform the driver of the risk of falling rocks and thus to enable the driver to manually adjust the driving trajectory himself in order to reduce the risk of falling rocks. In this case, the driving operation is not intervened automatically, but manually, and the information merely creates an initiation for such an intervention. The information is, for example, an acoustic, haptic or visual signal, e.g. a warning tone, a steering wheel vibration or a light signal.

The two aspects of longitudinal control and lateral control on the one hand and automatic and manual intervention on the other hand can be combined with one another as required. In a suitable embodiment, for example, if there is a risk of falling rocks, the vehicle is automatically controlled longitudinally and only a message is given to the driver for lateral control.

One advantage of the invention is, in particular, that damage to the vehicle due to particles thrown up on the roadway is reduced. The risk of damage from falling rocks is reliably detected and then responded to accordingly. Overall, this results in an increased level of security. The unevenness is used to determine whether the roadway has loose particles that could be thrown up. Accordingly, the roadway is effectively classified and its type of roadway is determined. Overall, the driving behavior of the vehicle is thus advantageously changed as a function of the unevenness of the roadway in order to avoid the impact of thrown particles as far as possible. By determining the unevenness of the roadway, a directly accessible measure is available for recognizing the risk of falling rocks. The vehicle is constantly in contact with the roadway, so that its unevenness can also be constantly determined and is preferably also constantly determined. The detection of a risk of falling rocks is therefore advantageous regardless of the presence of other vehicles and also of adverse environmental conditions, such as rain or fog, which would make optical detection more difficult.

The invention is also advantageous with regard to the visual appearance of the vehicle. Basically, to protect against falling rocks, the vehicle can be equipped with a protector or cover on the front in order to reduce the effect of impacting particles. However, such protectors and covers are fundamentally visible to the outside and disrupt the visual appearance of the vehicle. Therefore, protectors and covers are typically undesirable. In addition, these do not lead to a reduction in stone chips per se, but merely dampen their effect. Another disadvantage of covers is that chafing can occur on the painted surfaces due to the entry of dust during driving.

The driving behavior of the vehicle and thus also its driving trajectory are expediently set by a driver assistance system which, for this purpose, is correspondingly connected to those components which influence the driving behavior and the driving trajectory. Furthermore, the vehicle has a control unit, which with the Unevenness sensor is connected and which determines during the method on the basis of the unevenness whether there is a risk of falling rocks, and then outputs an instruction or a note to steer the vehicle longitudinally and / or transversely accordingly. This control unit is also known as an intelligent protection assistant. The control unit is either a part of the driver assistance system or is designed separately with respect to it. In any case, the control unit represents an interface between the unevenness sensor and the driver assistance system in that the control unit evaluates the unevenness and generates and outputs corresponding instructions for adapting the driving behavior, with the aim of reducing the risk of falling rocks. In summary, a sensor signal is evaluated in the present case, thereby determining the unevenness of the roadway, and this is then used as a control or regulating signal for a driver assistance system.

The described functions of the control unit are implemented in this in particular in terms of programming or circuitry, or a combination thereof. The control unit is designed, for example, as a microprocessor or as an ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit) or as a combination thereof. The same applies to the driver assistance system and, if necessary, to further control units or assistance systems for implementing further functions.

An embodiment is particularly preferred in which the unevenness of the roadway is determined with at least one wheel speed sensor of the vehicle. The wheel speed sensor is a particularly advantageous embodiment of the unevenness sensor already generally described above. A wheel speed sensor is typically provided as standard in a vehicle, for example as part of an anti-lock braking system (ABS), and in particular measures the speed of a wheel of the vehicle on a recurring basis. A wheel speed sensor is expediently provided for each wheel of the vehicle. One advantage of using a wheel speed sensor is therefore that one is often already present in the vehicle and, in so far, no additional sensor is required to determine the unevenness. Since the sensor signal of the wheel speed sensor also depends directly on the condition of the roadway, wheel speed sensors are also particularly suitable for determining the unevenness of the roadway, as for example in the one cited at the beginning DE 11 2009 005 342 B4 is indicated. In contrast to this, however, in the present case not only the unevenness of the roadway is determined with the aid of the wheel speed sensor, but rather the risk of falling rocks that exists on this roadway. This takes place in particular indirectly via a classification of the lane type using the sensor signal of the wheel speed sensor. In principle, a single wheel speed sensor is sufficient for this; alternatively, several wheel speed sensors are used.

A distinction is made below between two special scenarios for a risk of falling rocks: in a first scenario, the other vehicle is a vehicle in front which is ahead of the host vehicle at a certain distance. The other vehicle drives the host vehicle either in the same lane or in a different lane of the road. In a second scenario, the other vehicle is an oncoming vehicle that is approaching the host vehicle in an adjacent lane of the roadway. In both scenarios, loose particles can be thrown up on a corresponding roadway and hit the host vehicle and, under certain circumstances, damage it. However, the adaptation of the driving trajectory is expediently different in the two scenarios.

In connection with the first scenario, in the event that there is a risk of falling rocks and the other vehicle is a vehicle traveling in front, the vehicle is preferably longitudinally steered in such a way that a distance from the vehicle traveling in front is increased. Since thrown particles have a limited throw, after which the particles land on the road again, the risk of falling rocks is very effectively reduced by increasing the distance. The distance is preferably increased in that the vehicle is braked, e.g. by means of a brake or a recuperation operation.

An embodiment is also particularly expedient in which the driver assistance system of the vehicle has a distance control which longitudinally controls the vehicle in such a way that the distance corresponds to a predefined setpoint distance. The distance to the vehicle in front is expediently measured by means of a distance sensor of the vehicle and then used as an actual value for the distance control. In order to increase the distance to the vehicle in front, the target distance is then increased so that the distance control of the driver assistance system automatically reduces the risk of falling rocks.

An embodiment is also expedient in which a throwing distance for the particles is estimated and a minimum distance to the vehicle traveling ahead is determined therefrom in order to reduce the risk of falling rocks, the minimum distance being used to set the distance to the vehicle traveling in front. The minimum distance is preferably used as a target value for the distance control. Based on the determination of the Risk of falling rocks per se, it is estimated how far thrown particles are likely to fly, ie at what distance behind the vehicle in front there is a risk of falling rocks. The throw distance is in particular only roughly estimated. The throw distance depends on a large number of parameters, in particular on the mass and size of a particular particle and the speed of the vehicle in front. In the present case, use is made of the fact that particles such as stones, gravel, gravel and grit are typically standardized for roadways. Based on the unevenness and in particular on the basis of the type of roadway, it is therefore known what size the particles typically have. From this, their mass is then calculated and from this, in turn, their probable flight trajectory, from which the throw-off distance then results. The throwing distance is measured alternatively or additionally for predefined unevenness in tests and then stored in a database in order to be called up during the procedure.

The throwing distance for typical crushed stone, gravel or chippings with sizes in the range from, for example, 1 mm to 30 mm and at moderate speeds, for example, between 50 km / h and 100 km / h, is a few 10 m and is mainly in the range between 1 m and 100 However, the exact values are initially not relevant in the present case, rather it is essential that the throwing distance is estimated and an instruction for longitudinal control is derived therefrom. When estimating the throw distance, in particular the unevenness of the roadway is taken into account and preferably also the speed of the vehicle ahead, which is determined accordingly, e.g. by measuring or exchanging data with the vehicle ahead.

As an alternative or in addition to the estimation of the throwing distance, an impact rate of the particles on the vehicle is determined by means of an impact sensor of the vehicle and the impact rate is used as a control or regulating variable for setting the distance to the vehicle in front. In particular, the impact rate or a variable derived therefrom is transmitted to the driver assistance system for this purpose. So instead of just making an estimate, it is specifically measured how hard the host vehicle is hit by particles actually thrown up. The impact rate thus represents a direct measure of the impairment of the vehicle by falling rocks. The distance to the vehicle in front is expediently increased until the impact rate reaches or falls below a predetermined threshold value.

In principle, various sensors are conceivable and suitable as impact sensors. In the present case, an embodiment is preferred in which the impact sensor is a vibration sensor or a microphone. The impact sensor measures noises or vibrations on the vehicle that are generated by the impact of particles. It is therefore particularly useful to accommodate the impact sensor on the front of the vehicle, e.g. on the front apron, under the bonnet, i.e. in the engine compartment, on the front bumper or in the wheel arch, e.g. under a wheel arch liner. Noise and vibrations are typically propagated to the body and the chassis of the vehicle as a result of structure-borne noise, so that the impact sensor is expediently connected to these parts.

The impact rate is determined in particular by analyzing the time profile of a sensor signal from the impact sensor. The time profile typically shows a sensor signal with a background component, which is an inherent component and is generated by the host vehicle itself, and with a signal component which is an external component and is generated by the impact of particles. The signal component is expressed in particular in signal peaks which emerge from the background component and are therefore easily recognized.

The determination and use of the impact rate is in itself independent of the determination of the unevenness of the roadway and can advantageously also be used to determine the risk of falling rocks. In this respect, the object is also achieved by a method for operating a vehicle, the vehicle being designed to drive along a roadway, an impact rate of the particles on the vehicle being determined by means of an impact sensor of the vehicle, the impact rate being used to determine whether for the Vehicle there is a risk of falling rocks due to particles thrown from the roadway by another vehicle, the impact rate being used as a control or regulating variable for setting a distance to the other vehicle. Such a method as well as a vehicle which is designed to carry out such a method are regarded as independently inventive.

When determining the impact rate using an impact sensor, however, it is problematic that not only particles from the roadway necessarily contribute to the impact rate, but that other environmental influences such as rain and hail also potentially influence the measurement of the impact sensor. A combination with a further sensor, specifically an unevenness sensor, is therefore particularly expedient in order to ensure that there is actually a roadway that contains particles that pose a risk of falling rocks.

In connection with the second scenario, in the event that there is a risk of falling rocks and the other vehicle is an oncoming vehicle in an adjacent lane of the roadway, the vehicle is preferably transversely steered in such a way that a distance from the adjacent lane is increased. The own lane on which the ego vehicle moves is also referred to as the ego lane. The ego lane and the adjacent lane on which the other vehicle is moving are, in particular, lanes of the same lane, for example a road with lane and opposite lane. In particular, the neighboring track is directly adjacent to the ego track. The host vehicle is then preferably transversely steered by intervening in a steering of the vehicle in order to move the vehicle further to the right (for right-hand traffic) or further to the left (for left-hand traffic) in its own lane, thereby increasing the distance to the neighboring lane. In particular, this is only carried out when an oncoming vehicle is actually detected, for example by means of a camera or a radar sensor or the like. To increase the distance, in particular a corresponding instruction is transmitted to the driver assistance system. As an alternative or in addition, a corresponding message is issued to the driver. For example, a steering wheel vibration indicates that the driver should align the vehicle differently along his own lane in order to increase the distance to the neighboring lane.

In a preferred embodiment, the distance to the adjacent lane is increased in that a lane keeping system of the vehicle is switched from an alignment to a center of one's own lane to an alignment at the edge of one's own lane. The lane keeping system is in particular an assistance system of the vehicle. The lane keeping system is in particular a part of the driver assistance system. The lane keeping system has two operating modes, namely a central mode in which the vehicle is centered between two edge markings in its own lane, and an edge mode in which the vehicle is laterally aligned with only one edge marking in its own lane. In the edge mode, the vehicle is not aligned in the center, but closer to that edge marking which is further away from the adjacent lane and which is in particular an outer edge marking. By switching between the operating modes, the orientation of the vehicle is also switched, so that the distance to the neighboring lane is set by appropriately activating the lane-keeping system. This is now used advantageously to reduce the risk of falling rocks from an oncoming vehicle. A directional steering impulse is preferably output as an aid to this, for example the lane keeping system outputs a steering impulse of 1 Nm to 3 Nm to the steering wheel of the vehicle in order to achieve the desired vehicle alignment as quickly as possible.

In order to improve the determination of the risk of falling rocks, an additional sensor is expediently used in addition to determining the unevenness. A camera or a position sensor or a combination thereof are particularly preferred as an additional sensor.

In an advantageous embodiment, it is then additionally determined by means of a camera in the vehicle whether particles are actually thrown from the roadway in front of the vehicle and whether there is thus a risk of falling rocks. In particular, the camera is a front camera. The camera repeatedly generates images, which are evaluated in particular by means of the control unit in order to recognize thrown particles. Accordingly, an image recognition is carried out in order to determine the risk of falling rocks more reliably.

As an alternative or in addition to the camera, in an advantageous embodiment it is additionally determined whether there is a risk of falling rocks by using a position sensor of the vehicle to determine in which country or in which region or on which lane type the vehicle is located. The position sensor is, for example, a GPS sensor and part of a navigation system of the vehicle in order to determine the position of the host vehicle.

The embodiment with a position sensor is based on the consideration that a particular country, with regard to the lanes present therein, belongs to a certain category, which can be taken from a previously known list in a database. For example, the Scandinavian countries as well as Austria and Switzerland are known as so-called split countries, in which an above-average proportion of the roadways are expected to have grit, so that in these countries a corresponding unevenness of the roadway and the associated risk of falling rocks can be expected . The same applies to so-called bad road countries, which, compared to other countries, are characterized by a high proportion of poorly paved roads. The determination of the risk of falling rocks is therefore improved by knowing the country in which the vehicle is located.

The statements regarding the determination of the country also apply analogously to the determination of a region which is correspondingly characterized by a certain type of lane or which predominantly has a certain type of lane. The statements also apply analogously to a Determination of the lane type using the position sensor. In particular, a database is used here which contains a map in which the lane type of a respective lane is stored. Such a database, for example, marks the lane type of some lanes as "off-road", so that loose particles are to be expected here. The position sensor is used to determine in which region or, more specifically, on which lane the host vehicle is located, and the lane type for this region or the specific lane is then queried from the database in order to derive the risk of falling rocks.

The object is also achieved in particular by a computer program product (file or data carrier) which contains an executable program which, when installed on a computer, automatically executes the method as described above. The computer is preferably an on-board computer of a vehicle.

• 1 ein Fahrzeug,
• 2 ein Verfahren zum Betrieb eines Fahrzeugs,
• 3 ein erstes Szenario mit einer Steinschlaggefahr,
• 4 ein zweites Szenario mit einer Steinschlaggefahr.

Exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to a drawing. They each show schematically:

• 1 a vehicle,
• 2 a method for operating a vehicle,
• 3rd a first scenario with a risk of falling rocks,
• 4th a second scenario with a risk of falling rocks.

In 1 is a vehicle 2 shown which for driving along a roadway 4th educated. The vehicle 2 has a number of wheels 6th on which one with the roadway 4th are in contact. In 2 Figure 3 is a flow diagram of a method of operating the vehicle 2 shown. Two specific scenarios in which for the vehicle 2 there is a risk of falling stones from thrown up particles P the roadway 4th exists are in the 3rd and 4th shown.

In the first step S1 of the in 2 The method shown is a bump in the road surface 4th certainly. This means that the vehicle 2 a sensor 8th has, with which a sensor signal is generated, which is generated by the unevenness of the road 4th is dependent. The sensor 8th is therefore an unevenness sensor. The sensor signal is either used as a measure of the unevenness of the road 4th is used or such a measure is derived from the sensor signal. It is essential that the unevenness is for a section of the roadway 4th it is determined with which the vehicle 2 is in contact so that the unevenness is determined directly and in real time for the section currently being driven on.

The second step is then based on the unevenness S2 the procedure determines whether for the vehicle 2 a risk of falling rocks from particles P which is caused by another vehicle 10 from the roadway 4th be raised. For this purpose, the sensor signal is used in the present exemplary embodiment as a classifier 12th fed, which the roadway 4th then classified and assigned according to a lane type. For each type of lane it is then known in advance whether it is on a corresponding lane 4th there is or is not a risk of falling rocks. The bump is, so to speak, a fingerprint of the road 4th . Depending on the type of lane, the unevenness and especially the sensor signal show a characteristic, temporal course, based on which it is then possible to read off whether a lane is present 4th loose particles P having.

In the event that there is a risk of falling rocks, the third step S3 of the procedure then the vehicle 2 longitudinally controlled or transversely controlled or both to reduce the risk of falling rocks. It is automatically in the driving mode of the vehicle 2 intervened and adapted its travel trajectory in such a way that the risk of falling rocks is reduced. Alternatively or additionally, in step S3 a note H to a driver of the vehicle 2 issued to cause this to drive the vehicle 2 to steer longitudinally or sideways or both to reduce the risk of falling rocks. The reference H is used to inform the driver of a risk of falling rocks and thus to enable the driver to manually adjust the driving trajectory himself in order to reduce the risk of falling rocks. The reference H is in the exemplary embodiment 1 a haptic signal, namely a steering wheel vibration of a steering wheel 14th . The two aspects of longitudinal control and lateral control on the one hand and automatic and manual intervention on the other hand can be combined with one another as required.

The driving behavior and the driving trajectory of the vehicle 2 are in the embodiment of 1 from a driver assistance system 16 set, which for this purpose is correspondingly connected to those components that influence the driving behavior and thus the driving trajectory. The vehicle 2 also has a control unit 18th which one with the bump sensor 8th is connected and which determines during the process on the basis of the unevenness whether there is a risk of falling rocks, and then an instruction to the driver assistance system 16 outputs or a note H to the driver to the vehicle 2 to be steered lengthways and / or sideways accordingly. The control unit 18th is either part of the driver assistance system 16 or as in 1 shown formed separately with respect to this. In any case, the control unit provides 18th an interface between the roughness sensor 8th and the driver assistance system 16 represent. In summary, in the present case, the control unit 18th the sensor signal of the sensor 8th evaluated, thereby the unevenness of the road 4th determined and this is then used as a control or regulating signal for a driver assistance system 16 used.

In the embodiment of 1 is the sensor 8th with which the unevenness of the road 4th is determined, a wheel speed sensor 8th of the vehicle 2 . The wheel speed sensor 8th is part of an anti-lock braking system of the vehicle, which is not explicitly shown 2 and repeatedly measures the speed of one of the wheels 6th of the vehicle 2 . The sensor signal from the wheel speed sensor 8th depends directly on the condition of the roadway 4th and is therefore particularly good for determining the unevenness of the roadway 4th suitable.

In the following, the 3rd and 4th A distinction is made between two special scenarios for a rockfall risk: 3rd shows an embodiment of a first scenario in which the other vehicle 10 is a vehicle in front, which is the host vehicle 2 at a certain distance A. drives ahead. 4th shows, however, an embodiment of a second scenario in which the other vehicle 10 is an oncoming vehicle, which is the host vehicle 2 on an adjacent lane 20th comes towards you. Both scenarios can be on a corresponding lane 4th loose particles P be raised and the ego vehicle 2 hit and possibly damage it. However, the adaptation of the driving trajectory is expediently different in the two scenarios.

In connection with the first scenario according to 3rd becomes the host vehicle in the event that there is a risk of falling rocks 2 longitudinally controlled in such a way that a distance A. to the vehicle in front 10 is enlarged. Particles thrown up there P a limited throwing distance W. have, according to which the particles P back on the road 4th landing is made by increasing the distance A. very effectively reduces the risk of falling rocks. In the present case, the distance is increased by the fact that the vehicle 2 in the third step S3 the process is slowed down.

In the present case, the driver assistance system 16 of the vehicle 2 a distance regulation 22nd on which the vehicle 2 longitudinally steered in such a way that the distance A. corresponds to a predetermined target distance. The distance A. to the vehicle in front 10 is here by means of a distance sensor 24 of the vehicle 2 measured and then as an actual value for the distance control 22nd used. About the distance A. to the vehicle in front 10 to increase, the target distance is then increased, so that by the distance control 22nd of the driver assistance system 16 the risk of falling rocks is automatically reduced.

In addition, the throwing distance is used here W. for the particles P estimated and from this a minimum distance to reduce the risk of falling rocks Amine to the vehicle in front 10 determined, the minimum distance Amine is used to set the distance to the vehicle in front. The minimum distance Amine is then used as the setpoint for distance control 22nd used.

In addition, in the present case, an impact sensor is used 26th of the vehicle 2 an impact rate of the particles P at the vehicle 2 determined and the impact rate is used as a control or regulating variable for setting the distance A. to the vehicle in front 2 used. In particular, the impact rate or a variable derived therefrom is transmitted to the driver assistance system for this purpose 16 transmitted. Here is the impact sensor 26th a vibration sensor or a microphone and measures noises or vibrations on the vehicle 2 caused by the impact of particles P be generated.

In connection with the second scenario according to 4th will in the event that there is a risk of falling rocks and the other vehicle 10 an oncoming vehicle in an adjacent lane 20th is the host vehicle 2 preferably cross-controlled in such a way that a distance A. to the neighboring lane 20th is enlarged. Your own track 19th on which the host vehicle 2 moved is also called the ego track 19th designated. Ego track 19 and the adjacent track 20th are in 4th each lane of the same lane 4th and are directly adjacent to each other. The ego vehicle 2 is now cross-steered by putting in a steering of the vehicle 2 intervention is made to track this on its own 19th In the present case, due to traffic on the right, further to the right and thus from the neighboring lane 20th move away, increasing the distance A. is enlarged.

In 4th the distance becomes concrete A. to the neighboring lane 20th enlarged by having a lane departure warning system 28 of the vehicle 2 from an alignment to a center of its own lane 19th it is switched to an alignment on the outer edge of its own track 19th . The lane keeping system 28 is an assistance system of the vehicle 2 and here part of the driver assistance system 16 . The lane keeping system 28 has two operating modes, namely a middle mode in which the vehicle 2 in the middle between two edge markings 30th , 32 the ego track 19th is aligned, and an edge mode in which the vehicle 2 on the side at only one edge marking 30th the ego track 10 is aligned. The vehicle is in edge mode 2 not centred aligned, but closer to the outer edge marking 30th which is further away from the neighboring lane 20th and which here even an outer edge marking of the road 4th total is.

In the embodiment of 1 is additionally by means of a camera 34 of the vehicle 2 determines whether there are actually particles in front of this P from the roadway 4th be thrown up and thus there is a risk of falling rocks. The camera 34 is a front camera here and generates recurring images, which by means of the control unit 18th to be evaluated for thrown particles P to recognize.

In addition to the camera 34 is by means of a position sensor 36 of the vehicle 2 it is determined in which country or in which region or on which lane type the vehicle is located 2 is located. The position sensor 36 here is a GPS sensor and part of a navigation system 38 . The risk of falling rocks is determined by knowing the country in which the vehicle is located 2 is located, improved, as it is known which types of lane are to be expected.

The concepts explained in connection with the figures do not necessarily have to be present in the explicitly shown combination, but are fundamentally independent of one another, so that further exemplary embodiments result. The estimation of the throwing distance is special W. as well as the use of the impact sensor 26th , the lane keeping system 28 , the camera 34 , the position sensor 36 and the navigation system 38 each optional.

List of reference symbols

2

Vehicle, host vehicle

4th

roadway

6th

wheel

8th

Sensor, bump sensor, wheel speed sensor

10

different vehicle

12th

Classifier

14th

steering wheel

16

Driver assistance system

18th

Control unit

19th

own track, ego track

20th

adjacent lane

22nd

Distance control

24

Distance sensor

26th

Impact sensor

28

Lane keeping system

30th

outer edge marking

32

inner edge marking

34

camera

36

Position sensor

38

navigation system

A.

distance

Amine

Minimum distance

P.

Particles

S1

first step

S2

second step

S3

Third step

W.

Throwing distance

QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Patent literature cited

• DE 102015220781 A1 [0004, 0011]
• DE 112009005342 B4 [0005, 0019]

Claims (10)

Method for operating a vehicle (2), - wherein the vehicle (2) is designed to travel along a roadway (4), - An unevenness of the roadway (4) is determined, - the unevenness being used to determine whether the vehicle (2) is at risk of falling rocks due to particles (P) thrown from the roadway (4) by another vehicle (10), - in the event that there is a risk of falling rocks, the vehicle (2) is steered longitudinally or transversely, or both, in order to reduce the risk of falling rocks, or a message (H) is output to a driver of the vehicle (2) in order to induce him to steer the vehicle (2) longitudinally or transversely, or both, in order to reduce the risk of falling rocks. Procedure according to Claim 1 , wherein the unevenness of the roadway (4) is determined with at least one wheel speed sensor (8) of the vehicle (2). Procedure according to Claim 1 or 2 In the event that there is a risk of falling rocks and the other vehicle (10) is a vehicle in front, the vehicle (2) is longitudinally controlled in such a way that a distance (A) to the vehicle (10) in front is increased. Procedure according to Claim 3 , a throwing distance (W) for the particles (P) is estimated and a minimum distance (Amin) to the vehicle (10) in front is determined therefrom to reduce the risk of falling rocks, the minimum distance (Amin) for setting the distance (A) to preceding vehicle (10) is used. Procedure according to Claim 3 or 4th , an impact rate of the particles (P) on the vehicle (2) being determined by means of an impact sensor (26) of the vehicle (2), the impact rate being used as a control variable for setting the distance (A) to the vehicle (10) in front becomes. Method according to one of the Claims 1 to 5 In the event that there is a risk of falling rocks and the other vehicle (10) is an oncoming vehicle in an adjacent lane (20), the vehicle (2) is cross-steered in such a way that a distance (A) to the adjacent lane (20) is enlarged. Procedure according to Claim 6 , wherein the distance (A) to the adjacent lane (20) is increased by the fact that a lane keeping system (28) of the vehicle (2) is switched from an alignment to a center of its own lane (19) to an alignment at the edge of its own lane (19). Method according to one of the Claims 1 to 7th In addition, a camera (34) of the vehicle (2) is used to determine whether particles (P) are actually thrown from the roadway (4) in front of the vehicle (2) and thus there is a risk of falling rocks. Method according to one of the Claims 1 to 8th , wherein it is additionally determined whether there is a risk of falling rocks by using a position sensor (36) of the vehicle (2) to determine in which country or in which region or on which lane type the vehicle (2) is located. Vehicle (2) which is designed to carry out a method according to one of the Claims 1 to 9 .

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