DE102021213432A1 - Method and control system for the automated control of a vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention describes a method and a control system (200) for the automated control of a vehicle (100). A road user (10) is recognized in a traffic situation (2) in which the vehicle (100) is involved. A mobility status (12) of the identified road user (10) is determined in the traffic situation (2). A stochastic cooperation request to the vehicle (100) for a cooperative driving maneuver of the vehicle (100) in the traffic situation (2) is specified. A control command is issued to a vehicle component (130) of the vehicle (100) to carry out the cooperative driving maneuver in the traffic situation (2). The invention also describes a vehicle (100) with such a control system (200).

Description

technical field

The present invention relates to a method and a control system for automatically controlling a vehicle.

State of the art

Dangerous situations in traffic can be avoided by cooperative driving by a road user, in which he cooperates with another road user. The cooperative driving can usually be based on an interaction of the road users. The interaction of the traffic participants can include direct communication between the traffic participants.

From the DE 10 2014 111 023 A1 it is known that road users interact in an ambiguous traffic situation in order to control an automated vehicle based thereon in the ambiguous traffic situation. From the DE 10 2018 217 932 A1 it is also known to determine a driving strategy of an automated vehicle depending on a risk potential for road users.

From the DE 10 2017 201 048 A1 it is also known to optimize a traffic flow in a roundabout based on a prioritization of road users. From the DE 10 2018 222 601 A1 it is also known to avoid a collision of a vehicle with other road users based on historical traffic data in a detected environment of the vehicle.

According to the prior art, however, it may be necessary to make decisions about controlling a vehicle based on predefined rules in order to enable cooperative behavior of an automatically controlled vehicle or to avoid dangerous situations in traffic situations. However, decisions based on predetermined rules cannot be sufficient to bring about successful cooperative behavior of such a vehicle.

Presentation of the invention

In one aspect, the present invention relates to a method for the automated control of a vehicle. The vehicle can be a vehicle that can be operated automatically. The vehicle can also be an autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle, in which case the method can be carried out for the autonomous or semi-autonomous operation of the vehicle. In principle, the vehicle can be any known non-rail-bound vehicle or any known rail-bound vehicle.

The method has as a step a recognition of a road user in a traffic situation in which the vehicle is involved. The traffic situation can be an ambiguous traffic situation which requires a cooperative driving maneuver by at least one road user or the vehicle in order to resolve the ambiguous traffic situation. The traffic situation can also be a traffic situation in which the road user has to give way to at least one other road user. The vehicle can also be the other road user.

The traffic situation can occur at a traffic junction, for example at a roundabout, an intersection or a pedestrian crossing. The traffic situation can also occur on a multi-lane traffic route, for example an expressway or a motorway. The road user can be another vehicle. The additional vehicle can also be any known non-rail vehicle or any known rail vehicle. The road user can also be a pedestrian. The pedestrian can be a road user who is disadvantaged in traffic, for example a physically impaired person or a child. The disadvantaged road user can therefore be a road user who is systematically disadvantaged in the traffic situation.

In the step of recognizing the road user in the traffic situation, the road user can be detected with an environment detection sensor system arranged on the vehicle. The road user can be recognized automatically based on measurement data recorded by the surroundings detection sensors in the area surrounding the vehicle. The environment detection sensor system can have an imaging sensor. Alternatively or additionally, the environment detection sensor system can have a distance-measuring sensor.

As a further step, the method includes determining or classifying a mobility status of the identified road user in the traffic situation. The mobility status of the identified road user can show a ranking of the road user in the traffic situation. The ranking can be a priority ranking. The mobility state can therefore have mobility information about a right-of-way priority for the identified road user in the traffic situation. As an alternative or in addition to the ranking, the mobility status of the identified road user can include a disability of the road user. The disability may be a mobility disability. The disability can be a physical impairment of the road user, for example a visual impairment or a walking disability. If the road user is a pedestrian, the mobility status can be determined based on a detected mobility aid, for example a walking aid or a wheelchair. The mobility aid can be automatically detected by the environment detection sensor system. If the identified road user is a vehicle, the mobility status can be determined based on an identified vehicle type or an identified trailer of the vehicle. The recognized vehicle type can be a single-track vehicle.

As a further step, the method includes specifying a stochastic cooperation requirement for the vehicle for a cooperative driving maneuver of the vehicle in the traffic situation. The stochastic cooperation request can be a statistical cooperation request for statistically carrying out the cooperative driving maneuver with the vehicle. The stochastic cooperation request can be a cooperation request based on a random principle for carrying out the cooperative driving maneuver with the vehicle based on the random principle.

The step of specifying the stochastic cooperation requirement for the vehicle can be performed by a random number generator, which specifies the stochastic cooperation requirement based on the random principle and based on the determined mobility status of the identified road user. The step of specifying the stochastic cooperation requirement for the vehicle can also be carried out based on a look-up table, which specifies the stochastic cooperation requirement statistically and based on the determined mobility status of the identified road user.

The setting of the stochastic cooperation requirement is therefore not a predetermined decision to carry out the cooperative driving maneuver of the vehicle in the traffic situation. Rather, the specification of the stochastic cooperation requirement can be carried out based on a random variable. The execution of the vehicle's cooperative driving maneuver can therefore be determined and executed based on a random decision.

The step of establishing the stochastic cooperation requirement is carried out based on the determined or classified mobility status of the identified road user. The stochastic cooperation requirement can be defined depending on the mobility status. Thus, the stochastic cooperation requirement can be defined as a function or proportional to the mobility status. A probability of carrying out the cooperative driving maneuver with the vehicle can also be defined as a function of the mobility status. The probability can be an execution probability of the vehicle executing the cooperative driving maneuver of the vehicle in the traffic situation.

As a further step, the method has an outputting of a control command to at least one vehicle component of the vehicle in order to carry out the cooperative driving maneuver in the traffic situation. When the cooperative driving maneuver is carried out, the cooperative driving maneuver can be carried out immediately or with a delay. The vehicle component can be a longitudinal dynamics component of the vehicle or a transverse dynamics component of the vehicle. The longitudinal dynamics component of the vehicle can be any component of a powertrain of the vehicle. The transverse dynamics component can be a steering system of the vehicle, for example. The cooperative driving maneuver may include at least one of steering the vehicle, lane selection by the vehicle, decelerating or accelerating the vehicle, or stopping the vehicle. The cooperative driving maneuver can include dispensing with a predefined driving maneuver.

The step of issuing the control command is carried out as a function of the specified stochastic cooperation requirement. The control command can thus be output based on the random principle. The output can therefore be a stochastic output of the control command. In the step of outputting the control command, the control command can be output with an output probability, which can depend on the specified stochastic cooperation requirement. The stochastic cooperation requirement can also be the output probability of the control command.

With the invention, a cooperative driving maneuver can be carried out based on a stochastic with an execution probability with which the vehicle can be controlled automatically in the traffic situation. Actual execution of the cooperative driving maneuver can be carried out as a function of the specified stochastic cooperation requirement for the vehicle. Carrying out the cooperative driving maneuver also depends on the mobility status or a need for cooperation of the road user. Executing the cooperative driving maneuver can be performed based on a decision probability. The decision probability can be a predefined decision probability. The acceptance of a cooperating, automatically controlled vehicle can thus be increased with the invention.

According to one embodiment of the method, this includes, as a further step, identifying the traffic situation in which a road user requiring cooperation may be involved. The identified road user can be the road user requiring cooperation. The road user requiring cooperation may have a correspondingly restricted mobility status. The mobility status of the road user who needs cooperation can show that the road user is disadvantaged in the identified traffic situation. The identified traffic situation can be any of the traffic situations described in which the vehicle is involved.

According to this embodiment, the further steps of the method can be carried out depending on whether the traffic situation is recognized. The further steps of the method can thus be carried out when the traffic situation is one in which the road user requiring cooperation is involved. Based on this, execution of the further steps of the method for controlling the vehicle can be activated in order to carry out the step of outputting the control command. The method can thus be carried out in a particularly resource-saving manner for the automated control of the vehicle with a control system arranged on the vehicle.

According to a further embodiment of the method, a stochastic need for cooperation of the road user in the traffic situation is determined in the step of determining the mobility status of the identified road user. The stochastic need for cooperation of the road user can show a statistical need for cooperation of the road user. The stochastic need for cooperation of the road user can indicate a probability with which the road user is no longer disadvantaged in the traffic situation, for example no longer blocked, without a cooperative driving maneuver. The determination of the mobility status or the stochastic need for cooperation can be based on at least one of a traffic density, a prioritization of the road user and a traffic behavior of the road user, for example a cooperative or non-cooperative traffic behavior. Determining the stochastic need for cooperation may be based on at least one of priority priority and mobility status. The prioritization of the road user can be based on the fact that the road user is an emergency vehicle with a special signal. The prioritization of the road user can also be based on the vehicle type or the motorization of the road user.

The step of specifying the stochastic cooperation requirement can be carried out on the basis of the road user's determined stochastic need for cooperation. The stochastic cooperation requirement can be determined as a function of or proportional to the stochastic need for cooperation. A cooperative driving maneuver can thus be carried out depending on the need for cooperation on the part of the road user.

According to a further embodiment of the method, a priority ranking of the road user in the traffic situation can be determined in the step of determining the mobility status of the road user. The determined priority ranking of the road user may include a lower ranking of the road user than the vehicle. As an alternative or in addition to the lower priority in relation to the vehicle, the priority ranking determined for the road user can have a lower priority in relation to another road user.

According to this embodiment, the step of determining the stochastic cooperation requirement can be performed based on the determined priority ranking of the road user. If the identified road user has a low priority order, a high stochastic cooperation requirement for the vehicle for the cooperative driving maneuver can be set. One The probability of executing a cooperative driving maneuver in relation to the disadvantaged road user can be set correspondingly high.

According to a further embodiment of the method, a mobility impairment of the road user can be determined in the step of determining the mobility status of the identified road user. The specific mobility handicap of the road user can have a higher degree of mobility handicap compared to at least one other road user.

According to this embodiment, the step of establishing the stochastic cooperation requirement can be carried out on the basis of the mobility impairment determined for the road user. If the identified road user has a higher degree of mobility impairment than the at least one other road user, a high stochastic cooperation requirement can be set for the vehicle for the cooperative driving maneuver. A probability of executing a cooperative driving maneuver in relation to the disadvantaged road user can be set correspondingly high.

According to a further embodiment of the method, in the step of establishing the stochastic cooperation requirement for the vehicle, an execution probability of the vehicle for executing the cooperative driving maneuver of the vehicle in the traffic situation can be established. The probability of execution can determine the probability with which the vehicle actually executes the cooperative driving maneuver in the traffic situation. The execution of the cooperative driving maneuver of the vehicle can thus be carried out as a function of the execution probability.

According to this embodiment, the step of outputting the control command can be carried out as a function, for example in a stochastic or statistical dependence, of the specified probability of execution. The control command can thus be output with the specified execution probability in order to actually carry out the cooperative driving maneuver based on the execution probability.

According to a further embodiment of the method, a probability of success of the vehicle for carrying out the cooperative driving maneuver of the vehicle in the traffic situation can be specified in the step of specifying the stochastic cooperation requirement for the vehicle. The probability of success can determine the probability of the vehicle's cooperative driving maneuver being effective. The term expedient can be understood to mean that the cooperative driving maneuver enables the road user to take part in traffic again in the traffic situation. According to this embodiment, the step of outputting the control command can be carried out in a stochastic or statistical dependence on the defined probability of success.

According to a further embodiment of the method, this can include, as a further step, outputting a control signal to a signaling device of the vehicle for signaling the cooperative driving maneuver to be carried out with the vehicle in the traffic situation. The step can be performed before the step of outputting the control command to the at least one vehicle component of the vehicle. The signaling device can be a visual signaling device for outputting a visual signal in the traffic situation. Alternatively or additionally, the signaling device can be an acoustic signaling device for outputting an acoustic signal in the traffic situation. The cooperative driving maneuver to be carried out can thus be efficiently signaled to the road user. In a further step of the method, the control signal can also be communicated to a further vehicle, for example a vehicle that can be operated automatically, in order to control the further vehicle on the basis of the communicated control signal.

According to a further embodiment of the method, the vehicle can have a control system which can carry out the steps of the method autonomously. The method can thus be carried out independently of any interaction between the vehicle and the road user. The cooperative driving maneuver can therefore also be carried out autonomously and independently of any interaction between the vehicle and the road user. Alternatively or additionally, the method can thus be carried out independently of an interaction of the vehicle with an infrastructure in the traffic situation.

In a further aspect, the present invention relates to a control system for the automated control of a vehicle. The control system can be set up to carry out the method according to the preceding aspect. The control system may have appropriate facilities and interfaces to each step of carry out the steps described for the method according to the previous aspect.

The control system has a recognition device for recognizing a road user in a traffic situation. The detection device can have the environment detection sensor system described in relation to the previous aspect. The vehicle may be involved in the traffic situation. The control system has a control device for outputting a control command to at least one vehicle component of the vehicle to carry out a cooperative driving maneuver in the traffic situation. The control device can be set up to determine a mobility status of the identified road user in the traffic situation.

The control device is set up to specify a stochastic cooperation request to the vehicle for a cooperative driving maneuver of the vehicle in the traffic situation. The stochastic cooperation requirement can be set based on the determined mobility status of the identified road user. The control device is also set up to provide the control command as a function of the specified stochastic cooperation requirement.

In a further aspect, the present invention relates to a vehicle which has a control system according to the preceding aspect for the automated control of the vehicle. The vehicle can be designed as described in relation to the previous aspects. Embodiments and features of one aspect of the present invention may form corresponding embodiments and features of another aspect of the present invention.

character list

• 1 FIG. 12 schematically shows a vehicle with a control system according to a respective embodiment of the invention.
• 2 shows a flow chart with method steps for carrying out a method for automated control of the vehicle according to an embodiment of the invention.

Detailed Description of Embodiments

1 FIG. 1 schematically shows a vehicle 100 which has a control system 200 for the automated control of the vehicle 100 . The control system 200 has a control device 120 for controlling a vehicle component 130 . According to one embodiment, vehicle component 130 is a longitudinal dynamics component of vehicle 100. According to a further embodiment, vehicle component 130 is a transverse dynamics component of vehicle 100. Control system 200 also has a detection device 110 for detecting a road user 10, who is in the vicinity of vehicle 100. According to one embodiment, the detection device 110 has an environment detection sensor system for detecting the road user 10 .

Vehicle 100 and road user 10 are in a traffic situation 2 . Traffic situation 2 has an in 1 traffic infrastructure, not shown, in which the vehicle 100 and the road user 10 are staying. According to one embodiment, the traffic infrastructure is a node in traffic, for example an intersection, a roundabout or a pedestrian crossing. According to one embodiment, road user 10 has priority over vehicle 100 in traffic situation 2.

The road user 10 has a mobility state 12 in the traffic situation 2 . According to one embodiment, the mobility state 12 is a priority ranking of the road user 10 over the vehicle 100 , with the road user 10 having a lower priority than the vehicle 100 . In other words, the vehicle 100 has the right of way over the road user 2 . Vehicle 100 is set up to be able to carry out a cooperative driving maneuver with which road user 10 is given priority even though road user 10 has lower priority than vehicle 100 in traffic situation 2 . The vehicle 100 has a signaling device 105, with which the vehicle 100 signals to the road user 10 that it is carrying out the cooperative driving maneuver in order to give the road user 10 priority.

2 FIG. 12 schematically shows method steps S0 to S5 in a chronological sequence for the automated control of vehicle 100. The method steps are carried out autonomously by control system 200, which is arranged on vehicle 100. FIG.

In a first method step S0, the recognition device 110 recognizes that the traffic situation 2 is present, in which the road user 10 has a restricted mobility state in relation to the vehicle 100. According to one embodiment, the restricted mobility state results from the fact that road user 10 has lower priority than vehicle 100. In a further step S1, the Ver Road users 10 in traffic situation 2 are recognized by recognition device 110 .

In a further step S2, the mobility status 12 of the road user 10 in the traffic situation 2 is determined by the control device 120. In a subsequent step S3, a stochastic cooperation request 102 to the vehicle for the cooperative driving maneuver of vehicle 100 in traffic situation 2 is specified. The stochastic cooperation requirement 102 is defined as a function of the mobility status 12 .

According to one specific embodiment, the control device 120 has a random number generator (not shown), which defines the stochastic cooperation requirement 102 as a function of the mobility state 12 determined. According to a further step S4, control device 120 outputs a control command to vehicle component 130 in order to carry out the cooperative driving maneuver in traffic situation 2. The control command is output as a function of the stochastic cooperation request 102 .

In a further optional step S5, the control device 120 outputs a control signal to the signaling device 105 in order to use it to signal the cooperative driving maneuver to the road user 10. Step S5 can be carried out in parallel or before step S4.

Reference List

2

traffic situation

10

road users

12

mobility condition

100

vehicle

102

stochastic cooperation requirement

105

signaling device

110

recognition device

120

control device

130

vehicle component

200

control system

S0

Recognize traffic situation

S1

Recognize road users

S2

Determine mobility status

S3

Set cooperation requirement

S4

Issue control command

S5

Output control signal

QUOTES INCLUDED IN DESCRIPTION

This list of documents cited 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 102014111023 A1 [0003]
• DE 102018217932 A1 [0003]
• DE 102017201048 A1 [0004]
• DE 102018222601 A1 [0004]

Claims (10)

Method for the automated control of a vehicle (100), with the steps: detecting (S1) a road user (10) in a traffic situation (2) in which the vehicle (100) is involved, determining (S2) a mobility state (12) of the recognized road user (10) in the traffic situation (2), characterized by the further steps: specifying (S3) a stochastic cooperation request (102) to the vehicle (100) for a cooperative driving maneuver of the vehicle (100) in the traffic situation (2), wherein the step of specifying (S3) the stochastic cooperation requirement (102) is carried out based on the determined mobility status (12) of the identified road user (10), and outputting (S4) a control command to at least one vehicle component (130) of the vehicle (100) for executing the cooperative driving maneuver in the traffic situation (2), the step of outputting (S4) the control command as a function of the specified stochast ic cooperation request (102) is performed. procedure after claim 1 , characterized by the further step of recognizing (S0) the traffic situation (2) in which a road user requiring cooperation may be involved, the further steps of the method being carried out depending on whether the traffic situation (2) is recognised. procedure after claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that in the step of determining (S2) the mobility status (12) of the recognized road user (10), a stochastic need for cooperation of the road user (10) in the traffic situation (2) is determined, the step of determining (S3) the stochastic Cooperation request (102) is carried out based on the determined stochastic need for cooperation of the road user (10). Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in the step of determining (S2) the mobility status (12) of the recognized road user (10), a priority ranking of the road user (10) in the traffic situation (2) is determined, the step of determining (S3) the stochastic cooperation request (102) based on the determined priority ranking of the road user (10). Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in the step of determining (S2) the mobility status (12) of the recognized road user (10), a mobility disability of the road user (10) is determined, the step of specifying (S3) the stochastic cooperation requirement (102) is carried out based on the determined mobility impairment of the road user (10). Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in the step of specifying (S3) the stochastic cooperation request (102) to the vehicle (100), an execution probability of the vehicle (100) for executing the cooperative driving maneuver of the vehicle (100) in the Traffic situation (2) is determined, and the step of outputting (S4) of the control command is carried out depending on the specified probability of execution. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by the further step of outputting (S5) a control signal to a signaling device (105) of the vehicle (100) to signal the cooperative driving maneuver to be carried out with the vehicle (100) in the traffic situation (2). Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the vehicle (100) has a control system (200) which carries out the steps of the method autonomously. Control system (200) for the automated control of a vehicle (100), with a detection device (110) for detecting a road user (10) in a traffic situation (2) in which the vehicle (100) is involved, and a control device (120) for Outputting a control command to at least one vehicle component (130) of the vehicle (100) to carry out a cooperative driving maneuver in the traffic situation (2), the control device (120) being set up to determine a mobility state (12) of the identified road user (10) in the To determine the traffic situation (2), characterized in that the control device (120) is set up to specify a stochastic cooperation request (102) to the vehicle (100) for a cooperative driving maneuver of the vehicle (100) in the traffic situation (2), wherein the stochastic cooperation requirement (102) based on the determined mobility status (12) of the identified road user (10) determined is egt, and that the control device (120) is set up to provide the control command as a function of the defined stochastic cooperation requirement (102). Vehicle (100) having a control system (200). claim 9 for the automated control of the vehicle (100).

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