FR3047961A1 - DEVICE AND METHOD FOR CHANGING THE CIRCULATION PATHWAY FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for assisting the change of driving lane (10) for a vehicle (1) driving a traffic lane (4). According to the invention, this device comprises: - an image capture device (12) adapted to be arranged so that its field includes the head of a driver (20) of the vehicle, and - a control module (11) ) programmed to: E1) determine, based on at least one image of the driver's head captured by the image capture device, that the driver has visualized at least a portion (40) of another circulation (4), and E2) controlling the direction of the motor vehicle to direct it to said other traffic lane, provided at least that the driver has visualized said portion of this other lane. A method of assisting the associated lane change is also described.

Description

Device and method for assisting the change of taxiway for a

MOTOR VEHICLE

Technical field to which the invention relates

The present invention relates to a device for assisting the change of driving lane for a motor vehicle.

It relates more particularly to such a device, comprising a control module adapted to control the direction of the motor vehicle to direct the motor vehicle from a traffic lane taken by the vehicle to another lane of traffic, destination.

It also relates to a method of assisting the change of driving lane of a motor vehicle.

Technological background

Many motor vehicles are now equipped with a driver assistance device adapted to control various driving assistance functions such as obstacle detection functions, vehicle speed regulation, braking emergency or power steering.

Document EP 1 485 283 discloses a device for assisting the change of driving lane for a motor vehicle. When the driver of this vehicle operates a control lever of the turn signals of the vehicle, this device then controls the direction of the vehicle to bring it to a new lane without intervention, or with reduced intervention of the driver on the steering wheel of the vehicle.

This change of assisted taxiway is thus triggered at the initiative of the driver of this vehicle, by an intervention of the latter.

Object of the invention

In this context, the present invention provides a device for assisting the change of driving lane for a motor vehicle, said device comprising a control module programmed to control the direction of the motor vehicle to direct it from a traffic lane borrowed by the motor vehicle to another lane.

According to the invention, the lane change aid device further comprises an image capture device adapted to be arranged so that the head of a driver of the vehicle is in the field of this device. image capture when the driver drives the vehicle, and the control module is further programmed to: E1) determine, based on at least one image of the driver's head captured by the image capture device, the driver has visualized at least part of the other traffic lane, and E2) controlling the direction of the motor vehicle to direct it to the other lane, provided that the driver has visualized the portion of the lane other lane.

Thanks to the invention, the intervention of the driver required to effect a lane change of the vehicle is advantageously reduced, while ensuring that appropriate visual checks for such a lane change have been made by the driver.

The performance of the lane change aid device in terms of driving autonomy and adaptation to the road environment are advantageously optimized.

The visualization of said portion of the other lane by the driver can thus be used advantageously as well as an indication of a lane change wish to change that to ensure the safety of the lane change. Other non-limiting and advantageous features of the lane change assistance device according to the invention are the following: said part of the other lane of traffic displayed by the driver is located on the side and / or behind the motor vehicle; - The control module is programmed to, in step E1), determine a direction of gaze of the driver by processing said image of the driver's head; - The control module is programmed to, in step E1), determine that the driver has visualized at least said portion of the other lane according to this viewing direction; the control module is programmed, in step E1), to determine that the driver has visualized at least said part of the other traffic lane, provided at least that said direction of gaze is directed towards an external rearview mirror of said a vehicle situated on the side of the said other traffic lane; - The lane change aid device comprises a driver instruction receiving member; - the control module is programmed to, in step E2), control the direction of the motor vehicle to direct it to said other lane provided further that a direction of the driver authorizing this lane change has been received by this instruction receiving member; the device for assisting the change of driving lane comprises a sensor adapted to acquiring data representative of the presence of an obstacle in front of the motor vehicle, on the same lane of traffic; - the control module is programmed to: EO) identify a road configuration of potential change of driving lane of the motor vehicle, provided at least that said data shows that an obstacle is present in front of the motor vehicle on the same lane , and in step E2), controlling the direction of the motor vehicle to direct it to said other traffic lane, provided further that said road configuration has been identified; - The lane change assistance device comprises means for transmitting signals to the driver; - The control module is programmed to, in step EO), in case of identification of the road configuration of potential change of traffic lane, control the signal transmission means for transmitting a signal; said signal comprises one of the following signals: a- a signal indicating the identification of said road configuration, b- a signal proposing a lane change, c- a signal proposing to visualize said other lane of traffic; - the obstacle is another motor vehicle preceding the motor vehicle on the same road; and said sensor comprises an image sensor. The invention also proposes a method of assisting the change of driving lane for a motor vehicle using a traffic lane, comprising the following steps: E1) determining, on the basis of at least one image of the driver's head captured by an image-capturing device, that the driver has visualized at least part of another lane, and E2) controlling the direction of the motor vehicle to direct the motor vehicle to that other lane, provided that unless the driver has visualized that part of the other lane.

The optional features presented above in terms of device can be applied to the method which has just been presented.

Detailed description of an example of realization

The following description with reference to the accompanying drawings, given by way of non-limiting examples, will make it clear what the invention consists of and how it can be achieved.

In the accompanying drawings: - Figure 1 shows schematically, seen from above, a motor vehicle equipped with a device for assisting the change of traffic lane implementing the teachings of the invention; and FIG. 2 schematically represents the main steps of a taxiway change aid method embodying the teachings of the invention.

In Figure 1, there is shown schematically the main elements of a device for assisting the change of traffic lane 10 embodying the teachings of the invention.

This lane change assistance device 10 is adapted to be installed in a vehicle 1, to facilitate a driver 20 of the vehicle 1 driving the latter.

This vehicle 1 automobile here includes a left exterior mirror 31 and a right outside rearview mirror 32.

The vehicle 1 equipped with this aid for the change of taxiway 10 uses a lane 3, lined on either the right side or the left side, by another lane 4, located on the same road.

The device for assisting the change of taxiway 10 comprises a control module 11 programmed to control the direction of the automobile vehicle 1 so as to direct it from the lane which it passes 3 to this other lane 4.

For this purpose, the control module 11 controls, for example, an actuator of the automobile vehicle 1, such as an electric motor, for driving in rotation the steering column of the vehicle 1, in order to modify the direction of movement of the vehicle 1 for the bring from the lane of traffic that it borrows 3 to this other lane 4.

This control module 11 thus facilitates this lane change maneuver, which is performed without intervention of the driver 20 on the steering wheel of the vehicle 1, or, at least, with reduced intervention of the driver 20 on the steering wheel. In the first case, the vehicle 1 is for example an autonomous motor vehicle.

Remarkably, the lane change aid device 10 comprises an image capture device 12 adapted to be arranged so that the driver's head 20 of the vehicle 1 is in the field of this capture device. 12 when the driver drives the vehicle 1.

The image capture device 12 comprises for example a video camera or a digital camera. The field of this image capture device 12 designates the region of the space from which the latter captures the image.

Here, the lane change aid device 10 also comprises an instruction receiving member 13 of the conductor 20, adapted to receive an instruction given by the driver to transmit it to the control module 11. This instruction may correspond to in particular to an authorization, given by the driver 20 to the control module 11, to make a change of driving lane, or to a command given by the driver, to make a lane change.

This instruction receiving member 13 may for example comprise a microphone, allowing the acquisition of a sound signal, and by means of which the conductor 20 can transmit to the control module 11 an instruction given orally.

This instruction receiving member 13 may also comprise an interface, provided for example with buttons and / or a touch screen.

This instruction receiving member 13 may also comprise a lever for activating the turn signals of the vehicle 1. In this case, the control module 11 is programmed to interpret a command for activation of the turn signals given by the driver by means of this joystick, as corresponding to an authorization, or an order, to make a change of lane.

Alternatively, this instruction receiving member may be implemented in particular by means of the aforementioned image-capturing device, said instruction being then given orally by the driver, and being deduced by the image control module of the driver's head (captured by the image capture device), by analyzing the driver's lip motion.

Preferably, the device for assisting the change of lane 10 also comprises a sensor 14 adapted to acquire a data representative of the presence of an obstacle in front of the vehicle 1, on the same lane 3.

This obstacle may correspond in particular to another vehicle 2 automobile, for example another vehicle 2 traveling at a particularly low speed relative to the aforementioned vehicle 1, a cyclist, a pedestrian, or an animal.

This sensor 14 comprises for example an image sensor (or, otherwise formulated, an image capture device), such as a video camera or a digital camera. This image sensor is adapted to be installed in the vehicle 1 so that its field 140 extends in front of the vehicle 1 by including at least a portion of the road taken by the vehicle 1 situated in front of this vehicle 1 ( see Figure 1). Said data acquired by this sensor 14 then corresponds to an image of the road environment in front of the vehicle.

This sensor 14 may also include a lidar (according to the acronym "Llght Detection And Ranging"), or a radar.

Here, this sensor 14 not only allows the detection of an obstacle situated in front of the vehicle 1 on the same traffic lane 3, but also the detection of an obstacle (for example another vehicle) located on said other lane of traffic. 4, in front of the vehicle 1.

Said data acquired by this sensor 14 may also be representative of other characteristics of the road configuration in which the vehicle 1 is located, such as the presence of a marking line on the ground, passable or impassable, separating the driving lane 3 taken by vehicle 1 of the said other traffic lane 4.

The lane change aid device 10 also comprises, here, signal transmission means 15 for the conductor 20.

These signal transmission means 15 comprise, for example, a display device, such as a liquid crystal display or light-emitting diode display device, allowing the display of messages, for example in the form of text, intended for the user. driver. More particularly, the instruction receiving member 13 and the signal transmitting means 15 may be implemented jointly in the form of an interface comprising a touch screen.

The signal transmitting means may also include a sound signal transmitter, such as a loudspeaker.

In a variant not shown of the device for assisting the change of traffic lane, - the instruction receiving member described above, and / or - said sensor, adapted to acquire a data representative of the presence of a obstacle in front of the motor vehicle on the same traffic lane, and / or - said signal transmission means may be omitted.

According to a particularly remarkable characteristic, the control module 11 is programmed to: E1) determine, on the basis of at least one image of the driver's head 2 captured by the image-capture device 12, that the driver has visualized at least one portion 40 of the other traffic lane 4, and E2) controlling the direction of the automobile vehicle 1 to direct it to said other lane 4, provided at least that the driver 20 has visualized said portion 40 of the other lane 4.

Otherwise formulated, the control module 11 is programmed so that the determination that the driver 20 has visualized said portion 40 of the other lane 4 triggers the execution of this lane change maneuver, performed by the control module 11. It may be provided that other additional conditions are necessary to authorize the triggering of this lane change maneuver.

Thanks to the characteristic indicated above, the intervention of the driver required to trigger the execution, by the control module 11, of a lane change circulation of the vehicle is thus advantageously reduced.

In particular, the control module 11 can be programmed to deduce, because the driver 20 has visualized said portion 40 of this other lane 4, that the driver 20 is considering a change of lane, and to then control the direction of the vehicle 1 automobile to achieve this change of lane.

This feature further ensures that appropriate visual checks for such a lane change have been made by the driver, prior to the execution of this lane change.

According to one conceivable embodiment, the lane change aid device 10 comprising the above-mentioned sensor 14, the control module 11 is programmed to furthermore: E0) identify a road configuration of potential change of taxiway of the vehicle 1 automobile, provided at least that said data shows that an obstacle is present in front of the vehicle 1 automobile, on the same lane 3, and in step E2), control the direction of the vehicle 1 automobile for the to said other traffic lane 4, provided further that said road configuration has been identified.

These steps E0), E1) and E2) are now described in more detail.

Step EO).

A road configuration in which an obstacle is present in front of the vehicle 1, on the same road, corresponds to a configuration in which a lane change promotes the progression of the vehicle 1 along the road that it takes. It is recalled that the obstacle detected by means of said sensor 14 may in particular correspond to another vehicle 2 traveling at a reduced speed relative to that of the vehicle 1 equipped with the lane change aid device 10.

The control module 11 is thus programmed to identify said road configuration of potential taxiway change provided at least that, in this configuration, a lane change promotes the progression of the vehicle 1 along the road he borrows.

Here, the control module 11 is programmed to identify said roadway potential change configuration, provided further that this configuration allows this change of traffic lane.

The control module 11 is programmed more precisely to determine that this road configuration authorizes this lane change when: the data or data acquired by said sensor 14, as well as data acquired optionally by one or more additional sensors fitted to the vehicle (such as a side camera or a proximity sensor disposed for example at a side edge of the vehicle), show that no obstacle, in particular no vehicle, has been detected on said other traffic lane 4, of destination, ahead or on the side of the vehicle 1.

The control module 11 can also be programmed to determine that this road configuration authorizes this lane change when the data or the data acquired by the said sensor 14 show: either an absence of a marking line on the ground separating the track from traffic 3 taken from the other traffic lane 4, - or that a marking line on the ground separating the traffic lane 3 taken from the other lane 4 is a marking line on the ground that can be crossed, for example a line discontinuous.

Alternatively, other conditions relating to the road configuration in which the vehicle 1 is located can be taken into account by the control module to determine that this configuration allows this change of traffic lane.

Here, the control module 11 is programmed to identify said road traffic potential change configuration of the vehicle vehicle 1 during a first substep E01) of step E0).

The control module 11 is programmed in this case to, once this road configuration has been identified, control the aforementioned signal transmission means 15, here during a second substep E02) of the step EO), for transmit one of: a- a signal indicating the identification of said road configuration, b- a signal proposing (that the control module performs) a change of traffic lane, for example in the form of a message asking the driver 20 the question: "Do you want to change lanes of traffic? >>, c- a signal proposing to visualize said other traffic lane 4, for example in the form of the following message "Look at the left exterior rearview mirror", or "Look at the right exterior rearview mirror" (depending on the traffic lane to which change is oriented).

As indicated above, these signals can in particular be displayed on a display device and / or be transmitted in the form of a sound signal.

Step E1).

It is recalled that the control module 11 is programmed for, during the step E1), determine that the driver has visualized at least a portion of said other lane 4.

Preferably, said portion 40 of the other lane 4, whose visualization by the driver is determined in step E1), is located on the side and / or behind the vehicle 1 automobile, as shown schematically on Figure 1.

In a current driving situation, in which the driver 20 looks towards the front of the vehicle 1 that he drives, he can not check for the absence of a vehicle at the level of the other lane 4, neither on the side of the vehicle 1 nor behind it.

However, in the presence of another vehicle at said portion 40 of the other lane 4, it is preferable that the vehicle 1 automobile does not change lane (for example to avoid interposing suddenly in front of another vehicle that would already be present on this other lane 4, destination).

It is therefore particularly advantageous, prior to the change of traffic lane controlled in step E2), to determine as here that the driver 20 has visualized the portion 40 of this other lane 4 located on the side and / or back of the vehicle 1.

Here, the control module 11 is programmed more precisely for, at the step E1): E11) determining a viewing direction of the driver 20 by processing of said image of the driver's head 20, and E12) determining that the driver has viewed at least said portion 40 of the other lane 4 according to this viewing direction.

The image processing performed in the substep E11) may comprise the determination of an orientation of the gaze of the driver with respect to his head and / or a determination of an orientation of the driver's head in a frame linked to the vehicle 1 (or linked to the image capture device 12), and / or a determination of a center position of a driver's pupil. The aforementioned orientations may for example be determined on the basis of positions of particular elements of the driver's head, such as the eyes, the ends of the eyebrows or the chin, identified during this image processing.

In a variant, the driver's viewing direction can of course be determined by processing several images of the driver's head captured successively by the image-capture device 12.

The control module 11 may be furthermore programmed to determine successively several times the direction of gaze of the driver, by processing several images of the driver's head 20 successively acquired by the image-capture device 12.

The control module 11 may in particular be programmed to continuously reiterate, for example at regular time intervals, the determination of the direction of gaze of the driver to follow this direction over time.

Here, the control module 11 is programmed to, in the substep E12), determine that the conductor 20 has visualized said portion 40 of the other lane 4, provided at least that said direction of gaze is directed towards an outside rearview mirror of said vehicle 1, located on the side of said other traffic lane 4.

In the road configuration represented by way of example in FIG. 1, the outside rearview mirror situated on the side of the said other traffic lane 4 is the left external rearview mirror 31.

To determine that the direction of gaze of the driver is oriented towards the outside rearview mirror of said vehicle 1 located on the side of said other lane 4, the control module 11 is for example programmed to calculate the coordinates of a point of intersection between a line defined by this direction of gaze, and a plane defined this exterior mirror. When this point of intersection is located inside a delimited zone of this plane corresponding to this exterior rearview mirror, the analysis and control module then determines that this direction of gaze is directed towards this exterior rearview mirror. The position of each of the exterior mirrors 31, 32 with respect to the vehicle 1, as well as their respective areas are known to the control module 11, for example because they are recorded in a memory of this module.

It is also possible that the vehicle 1 is equipped with a display system (not shown) comprising: - a lateral image sensor whose field at least partially includes said portion 40 of the other lane 4, located on the side and / or rear of the vehicle 1, - and a display device for displaying the images captured by this side image sensor.

Alternatively, the control module may then be programmed to determine that the driver has visualized said portion of the other traffic lane, provided at least that the driver's viewing direction is directed to that display device.

According to another variant, the control module can also be programmed to determine that the driver has visualized said part of the other traffic lane, provided at least that the direction of gaze of the driver is oriented towards said part of the other Taxiway located on the side and / or behind the vehicle.

Otherwise formulated, the control module is then programmed to determine that the driver has visualized this part of the other lane directly, rather than through one of the outside rearview mirrors or through the control system. visualization described above. This determination may in particular be based on a detection that the driver's head is oriented towards this part of the other lane.

It can be provided in particular that the control module 11 is programmed for, in the substep E12), to determine that the driver 20 has visualized said portion 40 of the other lane 4, provided that - its direction of gaze at a given moment is oriented towards the outside rearview mirror located on the side of the other lane 4, or alternatively that its viewing direction at this moment is directed towards the aforementioned display device, and that - its direction of gaze at another instant is oriented (directly) to said portion 40 of the other lane 4.

This arrangement ensures that the driver of the vehicle 1 has carried out an optimal visual inspection of said other lane 4, over a wider area than the only field of view of this exterior rearview mirror (or this display system).

Optionally, the control module 11 can be programmed to, in the step E1), further determine that the driver 20 has visualized a portion of the taxiway 3 borrowed by the vehicle 1 that leads back of this vehicle 1, for example by means of an interior rear view mirror of this vehicle 1. This determination can again be based on a viewing direction of the driver 20 determined by processing an image of the driver's head captured by the image capture device 12.

The control module 11 is then programmed to determine that the driver 20 has carried out visual checks adapted to initiate a change of driving lane, when the driver has visualized both said portion of the lane 3 used by the vehicle 1 located behind this vehicle, and said portion 40 of the other traffic lane 4, destination, located on the side and / or behind the vehicle 1.

Step E2.

The control module 11 is programmed to execute the step E2) after the step E1), and after the optional step E0) previously described.

Optionally, the lane change aid device 10 comprising the instruction receiving member 13 mentioned above, the control module 11 is programmed for, during a first substep E21) of the step E2), determining whether an instruction of the driver enabling or controlling the lane change has been received by this instruction receiving member 13.

In particular, the control module 11 is programmed to execute this substep E21) when it has previously commanded, in the substep E02) of the step E0), the transmission of the signal b) proposing to the driver of change lane of traffic.

It will be recalled that the control module 11 is furthermore programmed so as, in step E2), to control the direction of the automobile vehicle 1 to direct it towards the said other traffic lane 4, provided at least that the driver 20 has visualized the said part 40 of this other lane 4, of destination.

Here, the control module 11 is programmed more precisely for, during a substep E22) of the step E2): - to check the conditions required to trigger this change of traffic lane, and - to control this change of taxiway if the required conditions are verified.

These conditions required to trigger this lane change comprise at least the fact that the driver 20 has visualized said portion 40 of the other lane 4.

It can be provided that these conditions also include the fact that the driver 20 has visualized said portion of the taxiway 3 taken by the vehicle 1 located behind this vehicle 1, for example by means of the rearview mirror of the vehicle, as explained above. .

When the control module 11 is programmed to execute the step E0), prior to the step E2), the conditions required to trigger this change of lane then furthermore comprise the fact that said road configuration of potential lane change of circulation has previously been identified (in step E0)).

When the control module 11 is programmed to execute the substep E21), in the step E2), the conditions required to trigger this change of traffic lane then also comprise the reception, by the receiving member of instructions 13 above, the instruction of the driver authorizing, or controlling the change of driving lane.

The control module 11 can thus be programmed in particular for: - at the step E0), after identification of said roadway potential change configuration, transmit a signal (for example the signal b- mentioned above proposing to the driver of change of lane), then - in step E2), when it has been determined previously (in step E1)) that the driver 20 has visualized said portion 40 of the other lane 4, then that the driver 20 has authorized the change of driving lane through said instruction, then command the vehicle 1 to change lanes of traffic.

The lane change maneuver commanded by the control module 11 in step E2) may in particular be carried out to pass another motor vehicle 2 traveling on the same lane 3.

It can also be carried out, in particular on the motorway, to bring the vehicle 1 to another traffic lane 4, at the level of which the road traffic has a mean speed and / or a size different from the average speed or the congestion of this road traffic at the level of the taxiway 3 used by the vehicle 1.

The control module 11 of this lane change aid device 10 can also be programmed so that the determination of the fact that the driver has visualized said part 40 of the other lane 4 triggers the ignition of the turn signals. of the vehicle 1 located on the side of that traffic lane 4.

More particularly, the control module 11 can be programmed to trigger the ignition of these turn signals because the conditions required to trigger this change of lane are verified.

Alternatively, the control module can also be programmed so that the identification of said roadway potential change configuration, in step E0) triggers the ignition of the vehicle turn signals located on the side of said other path of circulation.

FIG. 2 diagrammatically shows the main steps of a taxiway change aid method implemented in the lane change aid device 10 described above.

According to a particularly remarkable characteristic, this method comprises the steps E1) and E2), which have been described in detail above in terms of device.

According to one conceivable embodiment, this method also comprises the step EO) described above. The organization of the main steps of this process, relative to each other, is now described in more detail.

This method comprises, prior to step E1), the capture of at least one image of the driver's head 20 by the image-capture device 12 (this image-capturing step is not represented on the Figure 2).

This process is then continued by the step E1), which here comprises the substeps E11) and E12), executed one after the other by the control module 11.

The sub-step E11) of the step E1) is for example repeated several times successively, for example at intervals of time of regular, so as to be able to follow the direction of gaze of the driver over time.

In this case, the capture of an image of the driver's head by the image capture device 12 is also repeated several times successively, for example in parallel with the substep E11).

The substep E12) is then also repeated several times successively (for example at regular intervals of time), so as to monitor the behavior of the conductor 20 over time, in order to detect, as soon as this happens, that the latter visualized said portion 40 of the other traffic lane 4, destination.

This method furthermore comprises, prior to step E0), the acquisition, by means of said sensor 14, of said datum representative of the presence of an obstacle, or of the absence of an obstacle in front of the automobile vehicle 1, on the same lane 3 (this acquisition step is not shown in Figure 2). Step EO) of this method then comprises substeps E01) and E02) described above.

In particular it can be provided that the sub-step E01) for identifying a road configuration of a potential lane change is repeated continuously (for example at regular time intervals), so that the control module 11 detects such a road configuration as soon as it arises. The acquisition of said data (by means of said sensor 14) is then also repeated several times successively, for example in parallel with this substep E01). Step E1), and substep E01) of step E0) are here executed in parallel, each being repeated several times successively, as explained above. Step E2) is executed after step E1), and here after step E0).

During step E2), the control module 11 executes the two substeps E21) and E22) described above.

During this process, the control module 11 additionally controls, in step E22), the ignition of the turn signals of the vehicle 1 located on the side of said other lane 4. The control module 11 controls this ignition before to control the direction of the vehicle 1 to bring it to said other or even traffic 4.

Alternatively, the control module can control the ignition of these flashing at any stage of this process, after determining however that the driver has visualized said portion of the other lane, or after identifying said road configuration.

Alternatively, the steps described above can be organized differently from each other. For example, it can be provided that step E0) is performed after step E1) (and not in parallel with it), once the latter has shown that the driver has visualized said part of the other path of traffic, of destination.

Conversely, it can be provided that step E1) is executed only after a road configuration of potential change of traffic lane has been identified in step E01).

In an unrepresented variant of this method, step EO) is omitted.

In another variant, also not shown, the substep E02) of step EO is omitted.

In another variant, the substep E21) of step E2) is omitted.

The grouping in sub-steps of the various operations performed by the control module during this process is indicated here only by way of example.

Claims (11)

A lane change aid (10) for an automobile vehicle (1), said device comprising a control module (11) programmed to control the direction of the automobile vehicle (1) to direct it from a lane circulation system (3) taken by the motor vehicle to another traffic lane (4), characterized in that the lane change aid (10) further comprises an image capture device (12). ) adapted to be arranged so that the head of a driver (20) of the vehicle (1) is in the field of this image-capturing device (12) when the driver (20) drives the vehicle (1) , and in that the control module (11) is further programmed to: E1) determine, based on at least one image of the driver's head (20) captured by the image capture device (12); ), that the conductor (20) has visualized at least one portion (40) of the other pathway ulation (4), and E2) controlling the direction of the vehicle (1) automobile to direct it to said other lane (4), provided at least that the driver (20) has visualized said portion (40) of the other traffic lane (4). The traffic lane assist device (10) according to claim 1, wherein said portion (40) of the other traffic lane (4) visualized by the driver is located on the side and / or rear of the vehicle (1) automobile. 3. Device for assisting the change of traffic lane (10) according to one of claims 1 and 2, wherein the control module (11) is further programmed for, in step E1): - determine a viewing direction of driver (20) by processing said image of driver's head (20), and - determining that driver (20) has visualized at least said portion (40) of other traffic lane (4) according to this direction of gaze. The circulation lane assist device (10) according to claim 3, wherein the control module (11) is further programmed to, in step E1), determine that the driver (20) has viewed at least said portion (40) of the other traffic lane (4), provided at least that said direction of gaze is directed to an exterior mirror (31) of said vehicle (1) located on the side of said other lane; circulation (4). The lane change aid (10) according to one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising an instruction receiving member (13) of the conductor (20), and wherein the control (11) is programmed to, in step E2), control the direction of the vehicle (1) automobile to direct it to said other lane (4) provided further that an instruction of the driver (20) authorizing this lane change has been received by this instruction receiving member (13). 6. Device for assisting the change of driving lane (10) according to one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising a sensor (14) adapted to acquire data representative of the presence of an obstacle in front of the vehicle ( 1) automobile, on the same road (3), and wherein the control module (11) is further programmed to: E0) identify a road configuration of potential change of traffic lane of the vehicle (1) automobile, provided at least that said datum shows that an obstacle is present in front of the vehicle (1) automobile on the same road (3), and in step E2), control the direction of the vehicle (1) automobile for the to said other traffic lane (4), provided further that said road configuration has been identified. The circulation lane assist device (10) according to claim 6, further comprising signal transmission means (15) for the conductor (20), and wherein the control module (11) ) is furthermore programmed, in step E0), in the event of identification of the roadway potential change configuration of the traffic lane, controlling said signal sending means (15) to emit a signal. The traffic lane assist device (10) according to claim 7, wherein said signal comprises one of the following signals: a- a signal indicating the identification of said road configuration, b- a proposing signal a lane change, c- a signal proposing to visualize said other lane (4). 9. Device for assisting the change of driving lane (10) according to one of claims 6 to 8, wherein the obstacle is another vehicle (2) automobile preceding the vehicle (1) automobile on the same track. circulation (3). The lane change aid (10) according to one of claims 6 to 9, wherein said sensor (14) comprises an image sensor. 11. A method of assisting the change of driving lane for a vehicle (1) using a traffic lane (3), characterized in that the method comprises the following steps: E1) determining, on the basis of at least an image of the driver's head (20) captured by an image pickup device (12), which the driver (20) has visualized at least a portion (40) of another traffic lane (4), and E2) controlling the direction of the automobile vehicle (1) to direct the vehicle (1) to this other traffic lane (4), provided at least that the driver (20) has visualized said portion (40) of the other traffic lane (4).