EP3280625A1

EP3280625A1 - Control system and method for assisting motor vehicles in safely pulling in after overtaking

Info

Publication number: EP3280625A1
Application number: EP16714392.4A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Andreas Stahl
Original assignee: Lucas Automotive GmbH
Current assignee: ZF Active Safety GmbH
Priority date: 2015-04-07
Filing date: 2016-04-01
Publication date: 2018-02-14
Also published as: CN107438546B; US20180114446A1; CN107438546A; US10235887B2; DE102015004476A1; WO2016162282A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a control system which is equipped and designed for use in a motor vehicle, to determine, on the basis of environment data obtained by one or more environment sensors present on the motor vehicle, a point in time as of which a safe lane change from a fast lane to an adjoining slower lane is possible. The environment sensors are designed to provide environment data representing the area laterally ahead of, laterally next to and/or laterally behind the vehicle to an electronic control unit of the control system. The control system is at least equipped and designed to determine, during a predefined interval or continuously, in the electronic control unit driving data representing the driving situation of one's own motor vehicle from sensors present in one's own motor vehicle. One or more other vehicles using the road laterally ahead of, laterally next to and/or laterally behind one's own motor vehicle are detected by means of the environment sensors during the predefined interval or continuously in order to determine characteristic variables relating to the driving situation(s) of the one or more other vehicles. On the basis of the driving data representing the driving situation of one's own vehicle and on the basis of the characteristic variables relating to the driving situation(s) of the one or more other vehicles, it is determined whether a safety-critical area laterally next to and/or laterally behind one's own motor vehicle is free of said other vehicle(s) and the finding is output optically, haptically and/or acoustically to the driver of one's own vehicle. The control system is equipped and designed to determine, on the basis of the driving data representing the driving situation of one's own vehicle and on the basis of the characteristic variables relating to the driving situation(s) of the one or more other vehicles, in the electronic control unit the point in time as of which a safe lane change is possible. This point in time is considered to be reached when the electronic control unit determines that a rear edge of one's own motor vehicle has gone past a front edge of the other vehicle and past a safety distance adapted to legal and/or physical conditions.

Description

Control nqs systems and vet ears to assist in a safe shearing of motor vehicles after an overtaking advance

description

Background of the invention

Here, a control system and method for assisting a safe shearing of a motor vehicle after an overtaking operation are disclosed. This system and method is particularly possible by the presence of ACC (Autonomous / Adaptive - Cruise Control) in motor vehicles, especially in trucks (trucks).

State of the art

An ACC device that reduces the driver's distance to the vehicle ahead and adjusts the speed of his own motor vehicle to the speed of a preceding vehicle is described, for example, in EP-A-0 612 641. The question of a safe lane change from the fast lane (back) to the "slower" lane (for example, in continental Europe or the US from the left to the right lane) is not addressed therein.

Under truck drivers, it is often the case that the driver of a reconditioned truck informs the driver of the overhauling truck with a signal that the vehicle can safely re-enter the slower lane.

Daimler AG offers an Active Blind Spot Assist for their vehicles. Since nobody can see what is happening behind his back, the vehicle's rear and exterior mirrors are provided. Nevertheless, there is always an area that can not be detected even with a look in the mirror: the blind spot. Every year more than 9500 serious traffic accidents occur in Germany because motorists change lanes without taking account of the traffic that follows, or make mistakes when re-registering to the right. The Active Blind Spot Assist Daimler to motorists to change lanes safely with support alarm ^¬ zen. Short-range radar sensors located on either side of the rear bumper monitor the area immediately beside and behind the car. The Active Blind Spot Assist helps the driver to monitor poorly visible areas. If the system detects another vehicle traveling on the parallel track in the blind spot of the exterior mirror, a red warning signal appears in the exterior mirror to warn the driver. If the driver overlooks this indication and presses the turn signal to change lanes, the red warning signal starts to flash and an additional warning tone sounds. The active dead In addition to the driver's visual and audible warning, winkel-Assist is intended to help prevent accidents by means of targeted autonomous braking interventions. The system displays in the exterior mirror, if objects such as cars or motorcycles are in the blind spot and controls in the event of a hazard, such as when changing lanes, automatically against.

Underlying problem

Reliably informing the driver of a vehicle that it is possible to safely cut into the neighboring lane in the course of an overtaking operation or a pass-by process is difficult, in particular in trucks with longer trailers.

Suggested solution

A control system set up and used for use in a motor vehicle determines, based on environment data obtained from one or more surroundings sensors located on the motor vehicle, a time from which a safe lane change from an overtaking lane to a slower lane next to it is possible. For this purpose, the environmental sensors are set up to provide an electronic control of the control system with the area laterally before, laterally next to and / or laterally behind the vehicle environment data. The control system is set up and intended, at least during a predetermined period of time or continuously in the electronic control the driving situation of the own vehicle wiederge ^¬ Bende driving data from existing in-vehicle-signal encoders to detect. The control system is at least configured and determined based on the driving situation of the own vehicle reproducing driving data and the characteristics of the driving situation / s of the / other vehicles to determine whether a safety critical area laterally next to and / or laterally behind the own Vehicle is free of the / the other vehicle / s and this optically, haptically and / or acoustically output for the driver of the own vehicle. The control system is at least configured and determined to determine in the electronic control on the basis of the driving situation of the own vehicle reproducing driving data and the parameters on the driving situation / s of the other / the other vehicles the time from which the safe lane change is possible , The control system is at least configured and determined to regard this time as having occurred when the electronic control determines that a trailing edge of the own motor vehicle is a leading edge of the other vehicle to be overtaken and a safety distance adjusted according to legal and / or physical conditions happened. Further embodiments and advantageous developments

The control system can be set up and determined to record further environmental data in one further monitoring area in front of the vehicle with one or more surroundings sensors. Thus, the vehicle (s) to be overhauled may be detected early and the passing process may be continuously recorded over time and evaluated for its safe operation.

Furthermore, there may also be situations in which there is no active overtaking of another vehicle by the own vehicle. This is the case, for example, when driving a vehicle to be overtaken on federal highways or highways where the merging acceleration strip transitions into a new traffic lane. Such a situation can not always be detected by the one or more surrounding sensors of the own motor vehicle for the further monitoring area in front of the vehicle. The control system can therefore be set up and determined to additionally evaluate the environment data from the area laterally next to and / or laterally behind the own motor vehicle, in order to determine a point in time from which a safe lane change of the own motor vehicle from an overtaking lane into an adjacent slower lane is possible.

The proposed solution is based on the realization that a more intensive Auswer ^¬ processing of the driving environment of the driver's vehicle is required. The results of this evaluation of the driving environment are then to be used when driving your own motor vehicle. In contrast to the known solutions, the present system can make a direct statement about when the lane change from an overtaking lane to an adjacent slower lane (= Einschervorgang) is indeed safe. It can be made not only a statement that a vehicle is in the blind spot of your own motor vehicle, but also the time is determined and signaled to or from a safe Einschervorgang own motor vehicle in front of the other vehicle is possible.

From the environment data determines the set up and certain control system the driving situation of the own vehicle reproducing driving data and / or from the characteristics of the driving situation / s of the other / the other vehicle determines the dedicated and specific control system, the respective speed, the place as a function of time, and the direction of travel of one's own vehicle or other vehicle (s). A control method, which determines in a motor vehicle based on environment data obtained from one or more environment sensors located on the motor vehicle, a time from which a safe lane change from an overtaking lane to an adjacent slower lane is possible, has the following steps :

to provide the area laterally in front of, laterally beside and / or laterally behind the vehicle environment data to an electronic control in the own motor vehicle by means of the environment sensors,

- Determine during a predetermined time period or continuously the driving situation of the own motor vehicle reproducing driving data from existing in own motor vehicle signalers and provide the electronic control;

- During the predetermined time period or continuously one or more other vehicles participating in the traffic laterally before, laterally next to and / or laterally behind the own motor vehicle with the environment sensors to detect to determine characteristics on the Fahrsi- / / / other vehicles / and the electronic controller; and

- Determine based on the driving situation of the own vehicle reproducing driving data and the characteristics of the driving situation / s of the other vehicles by means of the electronic control, whether a safety-critical area laterally next to and / or laterally behind the own vehicle free of the / other vehicle / s and this optically, haptically and / or acoustically output by the electronic control for the driver of the own vehicle,

- Based on the driving situation of the own vehicle reproducing driving data and the characteristics of the driving situation / s of the other / the other vehicles by means of the electronic control to determine the time from which the safe lane change is possible, and this time is considered to have occurred the electronic control determines that a trailing edge of one's own motor vehicle has passed a leading edge of the other vehicle and a safety distance adjusted according to legal and / or physical conditions.

Brief description of the drawing

Other objects, features, advantages and applications will be apparent from the following description of non-limiting embodiments to be understood with reference to the accompanying drawings. All the described and / or illustrated features alone or in any combination show the subject matter disclosed herein, also independently of their grouping in the claims or their back-references. The dimensions and proportions of the components shown in the figures are hereby not necessarily to scale; they may differ from what is illustrated here in embodiments to be implemented.

Fig. 1 shows schematically a first driving situation in which a separate vehicle on a left lane is about to overtake another vehicle in the right lane.

Fig. La shows schematically the own vehicle of Fig. 1, with its various environment sensors and monitoring areas.

Fig. 2 shows schematically a second driving situation in which the own vehicle is on the left lane with its leading edge approximately at the same height as the trailing edge of the other vehicle in the right lane.

Fig. 3 shows schematically a third driving situation in which the own vehicle is on the left lane with its trailing edge approximately at the same height as the leading edge of the other vehicle in the right lane.

Fig. 4 shows schematically a fourth driving situation in which the own vehicle is located on the left lane with its trailing edge about a safety distance away from the leading edge of the other vehicle in the right lane.

Detailed description of the drawings

The driving situation shown schematically in Fig. 1 is typical for a passing or passing process. An own vehicle ego is here on a left lane about to overtake another vehicle old on the right lane. For this purpose, the own vehicle ego drives at its own speed v_ego, which is higher than the speed v_alter of the other vehicle alter.

The own vehicle ego has an electronic control ECU which receives signals which detects and processes environmental data and generates control or output signals. A radar sensor /? E, which is not explained in detail and is located laterally in front in the corner region of the own vehicle ego, has a first monitoring area Ua. A radar sensor Rv located at the front in the central area of the own vehicle ego has a second monitoring area Ub (see also FIG. 1a). The radar sensors Rv and Re supply radar signals to the electronic control ECU via the distance r_d / ff and the difference speed v_diff between the own vehicle ego and the other vehicle age, and the side angle o or ß.

The described here set up for use in a motor vehicle and certain control system has, in addition to the two radar sensors, if necessary, further environment sensors (video, ultrasound, lidar, etc.) for detecting the environment of the own vehicle ego. The electronic control C £ / processes the environment data obtained from one or more surroundings sensors (radar sensors Rv, Re) located on the motor vehicle in order to determine a time from which a safe lane change from an overtaking lane to a slower lane next to it is possible. For this purpose, the environmental sensors Rv, Re of the electronic control unit ECU of the control system provide the area laterally before, laterally next to and / or laterally behind the vehicle reproducing environment data ready.

The environment sensors Rv, Re capture during a predetermined period of time, which includes, for example, an overtaking process, or continuously one or more participating in traffic other vehicles age laterally in front, laterally beside and / or laterally behind the own motor vehicle ego to determine parameters about the driving situation / of the other vehicle (s). These characteristics include, for example, the speed, location as a function of time, to determine the direction of travel of the / other vehicles age.

This electronic control unit ECU of the control system can at least be set up and determined during a predetermined period of time, which includes, for example, the over ^¬ holvorgang, or continuously in the electronic control ECUö e driving situation of the own motor vehicle ego reproducing driving data from in the own motor vehicle ego detect existing signalers. These signal generators may include, for example, the tachometer or the electronic control system of the brake system (ABS, ESP), which emits a signal representing the speed of its own motor vehicle ego to the electronic control unit ECU.

The electronic control unit ECU determines, based on the driving data of the own vehicle ego reproducing driving data and the characteristics of the driving situation (s) of the other vehicle (s) whether a safety critical area laterally beside and / or laterally behind the own vehicle ego free of the / the other vehicle / s old Ist and this for the driver of the own vehicle ego visually, haptically and / or acoustically output. For this purpose, the electronic control zrCL / set up and determined to determine from the own driving data and the characteristics of the / the other vehicles ateroen time from which the safe lane change is possible. This date is considered to be when the electronic control unit ECU determines that a trailing edge of its own motor vehicle has passed through a leading edge of the other vehicle and has passed a safety margin adapted to legal and / or physical conditions.

Fig. 2 shows schematically a second driving situation in which the own motor vehicle ego on the left lane with its front edge is approximately at the same height as the trailing edge of the other motor vehicle old on the right lane. This state is recognized as present in the configuration shown if the absolute value of the side angle j from the radar sensor Rv is detected to be less than or equal to a specific limit value o / m ^' m of the electronic control unit ECU:

\ o \ <= ajim

The limit ajim is practically determined to be on the order of 5 °. This corresponds, with a lane width of about 3.5 meters, considered in the direction of travel distance in the order of 30 centimeters between the leading edge of the own motor vehicle ego and the trailing edge of the other motor vehicle old. In this respect, the state shown in Fig. 2 can also be recognized when the absolute value of the distance d between the leading edge of the own motor vehicle ego and the trailing edge of the other motor vehicle old is less than or equal to a certain limit value d_lim \ w of the electronic control unit ECU:

\ d \ <= djlm

In Fig. 3 is the own motor vehicle eo on the left lane with its trailing edge approximately at the same height as the leading edge of the other motor vehicle is old on the right lane. This state is detected in the configuration shown to be present if the cos (ß) of the angle side of ^ from the radar sensor Re multiplied by the distance r_diff to the other vehicle age equal to the fed to the electronic Steue ^¬ tion ECU length of the own vehicle L_ego in the electronic control ECU is recognized: cos (β) * r_diff = L_ego

In particular, in trucks whose semi-trailer or trailer may be different in length, the own motor vehicle L_ego by appropriate data input be fed into the cockpit of the tractor. If there is an electronic connection between tractor and semi-trailer or trailer, the length can be fed as a parameter in the electronic control unit ECU.

Fig. 4 shows schematically a fourth driving situation in which the own motor vehicle ego on the left lane with its trailing edge spaced about a safety distance from the leading edge of the other motor vehicle a / terauf the right lane.

This state is recognized as present in the configuration shown when (the absolute value) of the difference of the relative velocity v_rel between the other vehicle age and the own motor vehicle ego from the radar sensor / e and the speed v_ego of own motor vehicle ego multiplied by a factor k equal to the cos (ß) of the side angle? from the radar sensor Re multiplied by the distance r_diff to the other motor vehicle age minus length of the own motor vehicle L_ego. For example, the factor k can be between 1.5 1.8 2.5 sec: v_rel = v_ego - v_alter ->

v_alter = v_ego - v_rel;

Safety margin = | (v_rel - v_ego) | * k = r_diff * cos (ß) - L_ego; k = 1.5 1.8 2.5 sec.

Numerical example: If the speed of one's own vehicle is v_ego = 90 km / h and the relative speed between the vehicles v_rel = 18 km / h, the result for the other vehicle is speed v_alter = 72 km / h, which corresponds to 20 m / s. If the factor k = 1.8 s is selected, then a safety distance of 36 m results, i. the safety distance corresponds to the distance corresponding to half the tachometer gauge of the other vehicle.

When this state is reached, the message for the driver of the own motor vehicle is signaled: "Safe lane change possible." This can be output optically, haptically and / or acoustically to the driver of the driver's vehicle.

Furthermore, there may also be situations in which there is no active overtaking of another motor vehicle age of one's own motor vehicle ego. For example, when ascending the vehicle to be overtook on federal highways or highways where the lateral acceleration strip changes into a new traffic lane. Again, the data of environment sensors for detecting the situation laterally next to the own vehicle ego can be used in the manner described above to avoid a collision with the on the main road or highway (motor road) driving up another motor vehicle old.

The variants described above, as well as their construction and operating aspects serve merely to better understand the structure, the mode of operation and the properties; they do not restrict the revelation to the exemplary embodiments. The figures are partially schematic, wherein essential properties and effects are shown partially enlarged significantly to illustrate the functions, principles of operation, technical features and features. In this case, every mode of operation, every principle, every technical embodiment and every feature which is / are disclosed in the figures or in the text, with all claims, every feature in the text and in the other figures, other modes of operation, principles, technical embodiments and features contained in this disclosure or resulting from it, are freely and arbitrarily combined, so that all conceivable combinations of the variants described are assigned. They also include combinations of all of the individual embodiments in the text, that is, in each section of the description, in the claims and also combinations between Various ^¬ NEN variants in the text, in the claims and in the Fig. Includes. Also, the claims do not limit the disclosure and thus the combination options of all identified features with each other. All disclosed features are also explicitly disclosed individually and in combination with all other features herein.

Claims

claims

1. control system, which is set up and intended for use in a motor vehicle, based on determined from one or more located on the motor vehicle Umfeldsensor / en environment data to determine a time from which a safe lane change of an overtaking lane in an adjacent slower lane is possible, wherein the environment sensors are adapted to an electronic control unit (ECU) of the control system to provide the area laterally before, laterally next to and / or laterally behind the vehicle environment data, and wherein the control system at least furnished and determined

- During a predetermined period of time or continuously in the electronic control (ECU) to determine the driving situation of the own motor vehicle (ego) reproducing driving data from in its own motor vehicle (ego) existing signal generators;

- During the predetermined period or continuously one or more other vehicles participating in the traffic (old) laterally before, laterally next and / or laterally behind the own motor vehicle (ego) to capture with the environment sensors to parameters on the driving situation / s of / other vehicles (age) to determine; and

- to determine, based on the driving situation of the own vehicle (ego) reproducing driving data and parameters on the driving situation / s of / the other vehicles (old) whether a safety-critical area of the side next to the side (behind the EIGE ^¬ nen vehicle and / or ego) is free of the other vehicle (s) (old) and to output this optically, haptically and / or acoustically to the driver of the own vehicle (ego), wherein the control system is set up and determined in the electronic control system (ECU) based on the driving situation of the own vehicle (ego) reproducing driving data and the characteristics of the driving situation / s of the other vehicle (s) to determine the time from which the safe lane change is possible, and wherein this time as occurs when the electronic control (ECU) determines that a trailing edge of the own motor vehicle (ego) a leading edge of the other vehicle (old) and a na ch has passed legal and / or physical conditions adjusted safety distance.

2. Control system according to claim 1, which is set up and determined to detect in a further monitoring area in front of the own vehicle (ego) with one or more environment sensors located on the motor vehicle / surroundings, further environmental data about the overtaking / s to recognize the other vehicle (s) (old) early, the driving situation of the own vehicle (ego) and of the other vehicle (s) (old) continuously Over time to evaluate and evaluate in terms of its safe operation, with the aim of determining the time from which the safe lane change is possible.

3. Control system according to claim 1 or 2, which is set up and determined to additionally evaluate the environment data from the area laterally next to and / or laterally behind the own vehicle (ego) with one or more environment sensors located on the motor vehicle, with the aim of determining the time from which the safe lane change is possible.

4. Control system according to claim 1, 2 or 3, which is set up and determined from the environment data, the driving situation of the own vehicle (ego) reproducing driving data and / or the characteristics of the driving situation / s of the other (s) ) to determine the respective speed, location as a function of time, direction of travel of the own vehicle (ego) or of the other vehicle (s) (old).

5. Control method, which determines a time in a motor vehicle based on one or more surroundings of the motor vehicle environment sensor / s obtained a time from which a safe lane change from an overtaking lane into a slower adjacent lane is possible with the steps:

an electronic control unit (ECU) in the own motor vehicle (ego) by means of the environment sensors to provide the area laterally in front of, laterally beside and / or laterally behind the vehicle reproducing surrounding data,

- Determine during a predetermined period of time or continuously the driving situation of the own motor vehicle (ego) reproducing driving data from in its own motor vehicle (ego) existing signal transmitters and the electronic control (ECU) to provide;

- During the predetermined period or continuously one or more other vehicles participating in the traffic (old) laterally before, laterally next and / or laterally behind the own motor vehicle (ego) to capture with the environment sensors to parameters on the driving situation / s of / other vehicles (alter) and to the electronic control (ECU) to provide; and

- Determine whether a safety-critical area laterally next to and / or laterally based on the driving situation of the own vehicle (ego) reproducing driving data and the parameters on the driving situation / s of the other vehicles (old) by means of electronic control (ECU) behind the own vehicle (ego) is free of the other vehicle (s) (old) and this visually, haptically and / or acoustically output by the electronic control (ECU) for the driver of the own vehicle (ego),

- Based on the driving situation of the own vehicle (ego) reproducing driving data and to determine the parameters relating to the driving situation (s) of the other vehicle (s) by means of the electronic control unit (ECU), from which the safe lane change is possible, and this time being deemed to have occurred when the electronic control unit (ECU ) determines that a trailing edge of one's own motor vehicle (ego) has passed a front edge of the other vehicle (age) and a safety distance adjusted according to legal and / or physical conditions.

6. Control method according to claim 5, with the step, in a further monitoring area in front of the own vehicle (ego) with one or more on the motor vehicle environment sensor / s to capture additional environment data to / to overtake the other / s To detect vehicle / s (old) early, to record the driving situation of one's own vehicle (ego) and of the other vehicle (s) (alter) continuously over time and to evaluate it in terms of its safe operation, with the aim of determining the time to determine from which the safe lane change is possible.

7. Control method according to claim 5 or 6, with the step, with one or more located on the motor vehicle environment sensor / s in addition the environmental data from the area laterally next to and / or laterally behind the own vehicle (ego) to th ^{explode ¬} th, with the goal to determine the time from which the safe lane change is possible.

8. Control method according to claim 5, 6, or 7, with the step, from the environment data, the driving situation of the own vehicle (ego) reproducing driving data and / or the characteristics of the driving situation / s of the / the other vehicles (alter) the determine the respective speed, location as a function of time, direction of travel of the own vehicle (ego) or of the other vehicle (s) (old).