DE102022202714A1 - Assistance system and method for controlling one - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an assistance system for an ego vehicle (1), which can control the longitudinal control of the ego vehicle (1), comprising a control device (2) for controlling actuators and/or sensors of the ego vehicle (1), at least a sensor device for environmental detection, which can detect rear objects, wherein the control device (2) determines the speed of a rear object and / or the distance of the rear object to the ego vehicle (1) based on the sensor data, and based on the speed of the rear object and /or the distance of the rear object to the ego vehicle (1) determines whether an overtaking operation of the rear object to overtake the ego vehicle (1) is present or imminent, the assistance system being designed in such a way that the speed of the ego vehicle ( 1) is limited if an overtaking operation is present or imminent.

Description

The present invention relates to an assistance system for an ego vehicle, which can control the longitudinal control of the ego vehicle or at least intervene in it (e.g. an adaptive cruise control, an emergency braking assistant or a (partially) autonomous vehicle control) and a method for a Ego vehicle, which can control the longitudinal control of the ego vehicle, in particular using a corresponding assistance system.

Technological background

Generic means of transport, such as B. Passenger vehicles (cars), trucks (lorries) or motorcycles are increasingly being equipped with driver assistance systems that use sensor systems to detect the environment, recognize traffic situations and support the driver, e.g. B. by braking or steering intervention or by issuing a visual, haptic or acoustic warning. Radar sensors, lidar sensors, camera sensors or the like are regularly used as sensor systems for detecting the environment. Conclusions about the environment can then be drawn from the sensor data determined by the sensors in order to issue instructions for driver warning/information or for controlled steering, braking and acceleration of the ego vehicle. Assistance functions that process sensor and environmental data can then be used, for example: B. Accidents with other road users can be avoided or complicated driving maneuvers can be made easier by supporting or even completely taking over the driving task or vehicle control (partially/fully automated). For example, the vehicle can z. B. through an emergency brake assistant (EBA, Emergency Brake Assist) an autonomous emergency braking (AEB, Automatic Emergency Brake), through a speed following control (ACC, Adaptive Cruise Control or ACC system) a follow-up drive and speed control or through an active lane keeping assistant with steering support kept in lane (LKA, Lane Keeping Assist). In addition, several of these functions can be combined in one system.

Modern ACC systems can not only regulate the speed of the vehicle in front, but also the wider surroundings, i.e. H. also include objects or vehicles in neighboring lanes in the speed control. For example, the intention of a driver of the ego vehicle to overtake can be detected (e.g. by a corresponding steering movement, switching on turn signals, a yaw rate measurement or the like). Objects driving ahead in the target lane can be taken into account for control purposes in order to guarantee that the ego vehicle does not enter the target lane too quickly (e.g. when there are slow-moving objects in the target lane), which means collisions can be avoided. Nevertheless, overtaking should generally take place sufficiently quickly, e.g. B. on city and country roads, as there is a risk of a head-on collision with oncoming vehicles. A suitable means here is to increase the speed of the ego vehicle as soon as an intention to overtake has been detected or as soon as the ego vehicle is in the overtaking lane so that the overtaking process and rejoining can be completed as quickly as possible. Nevertheless, serious collisions between overtaking vehicles and oncoming traffic often occur.

Printed state of the art

From the DE 101 14 187 A1 a method for supporting overtaking in motor vehicles with a distance and speed control device (ACC system) is known, in which vehicles in the overtaking lane are also taken into account and, if the traffic situation recorded by sensors or an intervention by the driver indicates a desire to overtake, is temporarily regulated to an increased overtaking speed. Furthermore, in preparation for a lane change, distance control can also be carried out on a vehicle in the adjacent lane if this is slower than the vehicle in front in its own lane - in this case, the speed of the ego vehicle is reduced in accordance with the control on the slower vehicle.

Task

Based on the prior art, the invention is based on the object of providing an assistance system and a corresponding method with which safety during overtaking maneuvers is improved.

Solution to the task

The above task is solved by the entire teaching of claim 1 and the subordinate claim. Appropriate embodiments of the invention are claimed in the subclaims.

The assistance system according to the invention for an ego vehicle, which provides the longitudinal control (ie in particular the speed, acceleration and the movement path of the ego vehicle) and, if necessary, the lateral control of the ego vehicle can control (ie fully automated or partially automated as part of driving functions), comprises a control device for controlling actuators and / or sensors of the ego vehicle, with at least one sensor device for environmental detection, which can detect rear objects, being provided. The control device can determine or record the speed of a rear object (e.g. a vehicle approaching the ego vehicle from behind) and/or the distance of the rear object from the ego vehicle based on the sensor data (in particular, the Relative speed in relation to the ego vehicle can be recorded). Here, based on the speed of the rear object and/or the distance of the rear object to the ego vehicle, it can be determined whether an overtaking operation by the rear object to overtake the ego vehicle is present or imminent. The assistance system is designed in such a way that the speed of the ego vehicle is limited if an overtaking maneuver is present or imminent. This prevents the ego vehicle's speed from increasing during overtaking. This shortens the time required for overtaking the object behind or a vehicle approaching from behind - e.g. B. in comparison to an overtaking maneuver in which the ego vehicle accidentally accelerates.

The assistance system can also expediently reduce the speed and/or acceleration of the ego vehicle if an overtaking maneuver is present or imminent. Accordingly, the ego vehicle can also be slowed down (e.g. by braking or adjusting the engine control) when overtaking takes place in order to further increase safety.

The assistance system is preferably designed in such a way that the speed of the ego vehicle is limited to the speed value on which the ego vehicle is based at the time at which it was determined that an overtaking operation has occurred or is imminent.

Alternatively or additionally, the control device can access various overtaking maneuvers (e.g. via an internal memory), with a corresponding speed value being set for an overtaking maneuver or a specific category of overtaking maneuvers to which the ego vehicle is limited (e.g .Distinction between overtaking maneuvers in urban areas/out of urban areas).

The assistance system can expediently be designed in such a way that the speed of the ego vehicle is only limited from a definable own speed of the ego vehicle, in particular from an own speed of 50 km/h, so that the functional control e.g. B. is switched off in urban scenarios or in traffic jams and only becomes active when traffic is moving. Furthermore, other speed thresholds can also be set, e.g. B. 30 km/h, 60 km/h, 80 km/h or 100 km/h.

• - Objektdetektion und Umfeldinformation (z. B. mittels Umfeldsensoren erfasste Objekte in der Umgebung des Ego-Fahrzeuges - insbesondere entgegenkommende oder vorausfahrende Verkehrsteilnehmer, vulnerable Verkehrsteilnehmer oder dergleichen) und/oder
• - Fahrspurinformation (beispielsweise kann eine Fahrspur anhand einer kameragestützten Spurmarkierungserkennung erfasst werden) und/oder
• - Situationsinterpretation (beispielsweise können dabei detektierte Objekte wie andere nachfolgende Fahrzeuge bzw. die Umgebung einem Modul zuführt werden, welches die jeweilige Situation z. B. anhand von hinterlegten und/oder erlernten/trainierten Mustern einschätzen) und/oder
• - Navigationsinformation (die beispielsweise über das Navigationssystem empfangen bzw. abgerufen werden, wie z. B. Kartendaten, GPS-Informationen, Wetter- und Witterungsverhältnisse, Straßenzustandsinformationen, Verkehrsaufkommen oder dergleichen) und/oder
• - Fahreraufmerksamkeitsinformation (wobei beispielsweise über Innenraumsensoren die Aufmerksamkeit bzw. Müdigkeit des Fahrers ermittelt werden kann, indem die Fahrerbewegung, Fahrerhaltung, Fahrerposition oder die Augenbewegung erfasst und interpretiert wird) und/oder
• - Information des rückwärtigen Objekts (beispielsweise dessen Geschwindigkeit, dessen Fahrtrajektorie, die Beschleunigung, der Fahrzeugtyp oder dergleichen, wobei diese Informationen auch mittels Datenübertragung im sogenannten Car-to-Car vom rückwärtigen Objekt an das Ego-Fahrzeug übermittelt werden können - wie z. B. eine Überholabsicht) und/oder
• - Ego-Fahrzeug-Informationen (beispielsweise Eigenbewegung, Fahrzeugtyp, Gierrate, Lateralbeschleunigung, Beschleunigung, Geschwindigkeit, Gewicht/Ladung oder dergleichen) und/oder
• - Infrastrukturinformation (beispielsweise Informationen von Ampelanlagen oder Verkehrstafeln, die entweder mittels Sensorik erfasst oder von der Infrastruktur im Rahmen sogenannter Car-to-X Übertragung übermittelt werden).

According to a special embodiment of the present invention, at least one additional piece of information can also be used to determine the overtaking process, with the following information in particular being considered as additional information:

• - Object detection and environmental information (e.g. objects detected by environmental sensors in the vicinity of the ego vehicle - in particular oncoming or preceding road users, vulnerable road users or the like) and/or
• - Lane information (for example, a lane can be detected using camera-based lane marking recognition) and/or
• - Situation interpretation (for example, detected objects such as other following vehicles or the environment can be fed to a module that assesses the respective situation, for example based on stored and/or learned/trained patterns) and/or
• - Navigation information (which is received or accessed, for example, via the navigation system, such as map data, GPS information, weather and weather conditions, road condition information, traffic volume or the like) and/or
• - Driver attention information (whereby, for example, the driver's attention or fatigue can be determined via interior sensors by detecting and interpreting the driver movement, driver posture, driver position or eye movement) and / or
• - Information about the rear object (for example its speed, its travel trajectory, the acceleration, the vehicle type or the like, whereby this information can also be transmitted from the rear object to the ego vehicle by means of data transmission in the so-called car-to-car - such as: . an intention to overtake) and/or
• - Ego vehicle information (e.g. self-motion, vehicle type, yaw rate, lateral acceleration, acceleration, speed speed, weight/load or the like) and/or
• - Infrastructure information (for example information from traffic lights or traffic signs, which is either recorded using sensors or transmitted by the infrastructure as part of so-called Car-to-X transmission).

This means that the speed limit can be used even more safely. In addition, it can be decided whether a simple limitation of the vehicle's own speed is sufficient or whether additional braking should be carried out in order to make overtaking the approaching object even safer.

Preferably, at least one radar sensor and/or lidar sensor and/or camera sensor and/or ultrasonic sensor is provided as the sensor device for detecting the environment.

Furthermore, a brake or a motor control can be provided as an actuator, whereby the speed of the ego vehicle can then be limited and/or reduced by specifically controlling the brakes and/or the motor control.

A visual, acoustic and/or haptic warning can expediently be issued to the driver as soon as an overtaking operation by the rear object to overtake the ego vehicle has been determined and/or the assistance system has limited the speed of the ego vehicle. For example, a display of the vehicle or an HMI (Human Machine Interface) interface, a navigation system, a loudspeaker, a steering wheel or seat vibration, indicator lights or the like can be used to show the driver the overtaking process and the associated speed limit and, if necessary, speed reduction .

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a trajectory of the approaching rear object is also determined, so that a steering movement in the direction of the trajectory of the approaching object is additionally prevented as long as the overtaking process is present or imminent. For example, the trajectory of the approaching object can be predicted by determining the lane and the speed, so that avoiding a steering movement in the direction of this trajectory further reduces the likelihood of a collision. For example, the ego vehicle can be prevented from pulling out into the overtaking lane if it has been detected that a faster vehicle from behind is approaching in the overtaking lane and will overtake the ego vehicle.

Furthermore, the present invention includes a method for an ego vehicle, which can control the longitudinal control of the ego vehicle using an assistance system, wherein the assistance system includes a control device for controlling actuators (e.g. brake, engine control, steering) and / or sensors of the ego vehicle and at least one sensor device (e.g. camera, radar, lidar, ultrasound or the like) for environmental detection, which can detect rear objects. The speed of a rear object and/or the distance of the rear object to the ego vehicle is determined by the control device based on the sensor data of the sensor device for environmental detection, based on the speed of the rear object and/or the distance of the rear object to the ego vehicle it is determined whether an overtaking operation of the rear object to overtake the ego vehicle is present or imminent, the assistance system reducing the speed of the ego vehicle if an overtaking operation is present or imminent. In particular, the method can include all features of the assistance system described.

Description of the invention using exemplary embodiments

• 1 eine vereinfachte schematische Darstellung eines Ego-Fahrzeuges, welches ein erfindungsgemäßes Assistenzsystem aufweist;
• 2 eine vereinfachte Darstellung einer Verkehrssituation, bei der das Ego-Fahrzeug ein rückwärtig herannahendes Fahrzeug erfasst und die Geschwindigkeit entsprechend des erfindungsgemäßen Verfahrens begrenzt;
• 3 eine vereinfachte Darstellung einer weiteren Verkehrssituation, bei der das Ego-Fahrzeug ein rückwärtig herannahendes Fahrzeug erfasst und ein entgegenkommendes Fahrzeug erfasst, sowie
• 4 eine vereinfachte Darstellung einer weiteren Verkehrssituation, bei der das Ego-Fahrzeug eine Folgeregelung auf ein vorausfahrendes Fahrzeug durchführt und ein rückwärtig herannahendes Fahrzeug erfasst.

The invention is explained in more detail below using practical exemplary embodiments. Show it:

• 1 a simplified schematic representation of an ego vehicle which has an assistance system according to the invention;
• 2 a simplified representation of a traffic situation in which the ego vehicle detects a vehicle approaching from behind and limits the speed in accordance with the method according to the invention;
• 3 a simplified representation of another traffic situation in which the ego vehicle detects a vehicle approaching from behind and detects an oncoming vehicle, as well
• 4 a simplified representation of another traffic situation in which the ego vehicle carries out a follow-up control to a vehicle in front and detects a vehicle approaching from behind.

Reference number 1 in 1 describes an ego vehicle which includes the assistance system according to the invention and for this purpose has a control device 2, which is z. B. is a central control unit (ECU - Electronic Control Unit, ADCU Assisted & Automated Driving Control Unit). can, which can recognize and classify the environment and the objects located therein using suitable sensors or sensor devices for detecting the environment. The method according to the invention is carried out in a practical manner via the control device 2 in that it determines the speed of a rear object and/or the distance of the rear object to the ego vehicle 1 based on the sensor data. Furthermore, based on the speed of the rear object and / or the distance of the rear object to the ego vehicle 1, it is determined whether an overtaking operation of the rear object to overtake the ego vehicle 1 is present or imminent, the assistance system being designed in such a way that the speed of the ego vehicle 1 is limited if an overtaking process is present or imminent.

As a sensor device for detecting the surroundings, the ego vehicle 1 also has a camera 3 arranged behind the windshield of the ego vehicle 1 and a lidar sensor 4, as well as a radar sensor 5 arranged in the front area of the ego vehicle 1. According to the invention, at least one sensor device for detecting the surroundings is also provided , which can detect objects behind: In the design of the ego vehicle 1 in 1 For this purpose, rear radar sensors 6a, 6b, a rear-facing camera 7 and surround view cameras 8a, 8b are provided. The invention expressly includes any type and arrangement of known sensor devices for detecting the surroundings. Using the sensors for detecting the surroundings, the control device 2 can z. B. other road users who recognize roadside developments, guard rails, road markings, road signs and the like and use them to perform/calculate driving maneuvers.

In addition, a display 9 is provided, which z. B. can be part of an HMI (Human Machine Interface) interface, a navigation system or the like that is used to provide the driver with e.g. B. to display an overtaking maneuver and the associated speed limit and, if necessary, a speed reduction, d. H. to warn him. In addition, other warnings can of course also be issued to the driver as soon as an overtaking operation by the rear object to overtake the ego vehicle 1 has been determined and/or the speed of the ego vehicle 1 has been limited by the assistance system.

The control device 2 can expediently carry out steering and/or braking interventions in the vehicle control on the basis of the surroundings detection or the sensor data of the sensor device for detecting the surroundings by controlling a brake 10, an engine control 11 or a steering 12 in order to control the driver of the ego vehicle 1 or to drive the ego vehicle 1 (partially) automatically. Furthermore, a radio module 13 can be provided, which can also be an integral part of the control device 2 in order to communicate with other road users (car-to-car) or other higher-level units or infrastructure elements (car-to-X).

This provides the driver with a driver assistance system that can carry out various driving functions. Generic driving functions include: E.g. emergency brake assistant (EBA, Emergency Brake Assist), active lane keeping assistant with steering support (LKA, Lane Keeping Assist), adaptive cruise control for subsequent journeys (ACC, Adaptive Cruise Control) or the like. The assistance system according to the invention or individual components thereof can also be implemented as an integral part of the control device 2. Furthermore, the control device 2 can comprise a microcontroller or processor, which can access a memory or a transportable computer-readable storage medium on which a computer program with program code is stored, which includes instructions for carrying out the method according to the invention.

In 2 A traffic situation is shown in which the ego vehicle 1 detects a vehicle 20 coming from behind or approaching from the rear or backwards. The detection takes place via the rear-facing sensor devices for detecting the surroundings (in this case radar sensors 6a, 6b, although additional or alternative cameras 7, 8a, 8b could also be provided). It is recognized that the vehicle 20 approaching from behind or backwards is approaching the ego vehicle 1 at a higher speed. Due to the higher speed compared to the ego vehicle 1 and/or the decreasing distance to the ego vehicle 1, it can be concluded that an overtaking process is imminent, in which the ego vehicle 1 is overtaken by the approaching vehicle 20. The control device 2 can now adjust the speed of the ego vehicle 1 by appropriately controlling the actuators (brake 10 or engine control 11), e.g. B. by limiting this to the speed value that is present at the time when the overtaking process of the approaching vehicle 20 was determined for the first time. In practical terms, the speed of the ego vehicle 1 cannot be increased any further, so that the overtaking process of the approaching vehicle 20 is reduced in time, ie a driver's request or a driver action to accelerate the ego vehicle 1 (e.g. actuate of the accelerator pedal) is overridden. Furthermore, can A lateral movement of the driver of the ego vehicle 1 in the direction of the trajectory of the approaching vehicle 20 can be prevented or overcontrolled via the control device 2, whereby the safety of the overtaking process is further improved. In addition, a warning is issued to the driver so that he knows that another road user is overtaking and the speed is limited/reduced and, optionally, steering towards the overtaking lane is prevented. Furthermore, the ego vehicle 1 can also detect vehicles in front of the ego vehicle 1 via the forward-facing radar sensor 5. In a practical manner, the forward-facing radar sensor 5 (or a forward-facing sensor device) can be used to verify whether the overtaking process of the rearward vehicle 20 has been completed as soon as the vehicle is not detected by the rearward-facing sensors (radar sensors 6a, 6b). is no longer detected and detected by the forward-facing sensors or radar sensor 5. Additional sensors can also be used for this purpose.

3 shows a traffic situation in which the ego vehicle 1 detects the vehicle 20 approaching from behind and at the same time an oncoming vehicle 21 or oncoming traffic. The traffic situation (two vehicles driving towards each other) and, if necessary, an interpretation of the situation indicate an increased risk of collision or a dangerous situation. Advantageously, in addition to limiting the own speed, the control device 2 can also cause the speed of the ego vehicle 1 to be additionally reduced - up to and including emergency braking - whereby the overtaking process of the vehicle 20 can be shortened to a particular extent in order to avoid a collision between vehicle 20 and vehicle 21 or a collision between ego vehicle 1 and vehicle 20 if vehicle 20 cuts in early.

In 4 A traffic situation is shown in which the ego vehicle 1 carries out a follow-up journey (ACC mode) in which the control device 2 adjusts the distance to the vehicle 22 in front according to the speed of the vehicle 22 in front and the preset distance value to it. Even in this traffic situation, the speed of the ego vehicle 1 can be limited and/or reduced via the control device 2 as soon as the overtaking process of the rear vehicle 21 has been detected. The parameters of the ACC mode can be overridden for a short time by increasing the distance to the vehicle 22 in front due to the speed limit. As soon as the overtaking process of the vehicle 20 is completed, the distance control takes place again in accordance with the set ACC parameters, so that the distance to the vehicle 22 in front can be reduced again in accordance with the settings of the ACC system.

QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of 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.

Cited patent literature

• DE 10114187 A1 [0004]

Claims (11)

Assistance system for an ego vehicle (1), which can control the longitudinal control of the ego vehicle (1), comprising a control device (2) for controlling actuators and/or sensors of the ego vehicle (1), at least one sensor device for environmental detection, which can detect rear objects, wherein the control device (2) determines the speed of a rear object and/or the distance of the rear object to the ego vehicle (1) based on the sensor data, and based on the speed of the rear object and / or the distance of the rear object to the ego vehicle (1), it is determined whether an overtaking operation of the rear object to overtake the ego vehicle (1) is present or imminent, whereby the assistance system is designed in such a way that the speed of the ego vehicle (1) is limited if an overtaking process is present or imminent. assistance system Claim 1 , characterized in that the assistance system also reduces the speed and/or acceleration of the ego vehicle (1) if an overtaking operation is present or imminent. assistance system Claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that the assistance system is designed in such a way that the speed of the ego vehicle (1) is limited to the speed value on which the ego vehicle (1) is based at the time at which it was determined that there was an overtaking process or imminent. Assistance system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control device (2) can access various overtaking maneuvers and a corresponding speed value is set for an overtaking maneuver to which the ego vehicle (1) is limited. Assistance system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the assistance system is designed such that the speed of the ego vehicle (1) is limited only from a definable own speed of the ego vehicle (1), in particular from an own speed of 50 km /H. Assistance system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one additional piece of information is also used to determine the overtaking process, the following information being particularly suitable as additional information: - object detection and surroundings information and/or - lane information and/or - situation interpretation and/ or - navigation information and/or - driver attention information and/or - rear object information and/or - ego vehicle information and/or - infrastructure information. Assistance system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one radar sensor and/or a lidar sensor and/or a camera sensor and/or an ultrasonic sensor is provided as the sensor device for detecting the environment. Assistance system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a brake or an engine control is provided as an actuator and the speed of the ego vehicle (1) is limited and/or reduced by controlling the brakes and/or the engine control. Assistance system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a visual, acoustic and/or haptic warning is issued to the driver as soon as an overtaking operation of the rear object for overtaking the ego vehicle (1) has been determined and/or the assistance system has determined the speed of the ego vehicle (1). Assistance system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a trajectory of the approaching object is determined and, in addition, a steering movement in the direction of the trajectory of the approaching object is prevented as long as the overtaking process is present or imminent. Method for an ego vehicle (1), which can control the longitudinal control of the ego vehicle (1) using an assistance system, in particular an assistance system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the assistance system has a control device (2) for controlling actuators and sensor devices of the Ego vehicle (1) and at least one sensor device for environmental detection, which can detect rear objects, wherein the speed of a rear object and / or the distance of the rear object to the ego vehicle (1) from the control device (2) based on Sensor data is determined, and based on the speed of the rear object and / or the distance of the rear object to the ego vehicle (1) it is determined whether an overtaking operation of the rear object to overtake the ego vehicle (1) is present or imminent, the assistance system limiting the speed of the ego vehicle (1) if an overtaking operation is present or imminent.

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