FR3121899A1 - Safe transition to a manual vehicle piloting mode - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a control module (102) for piloting a motor vehicle for switching in a secure manner between an autonomous piloting mode and a manual piloting mode. To this end, a first interface (303) can receive steering wheel touch detection data, and a second interface (304) can receive driver input data indicating a request to switch from autonomous mode to manual mode. Following these two successive or simultaneous reception steps, a processor (301) activates the manual piloting mode of the vehicle. FIG. 3

Description

Safe transition to a manual vehicle piloting mode

The present invention belongs to the field of piloting a vehicle, such as a motor vehicle. It relates in particular, but not exclusively, to motor vehicles including an autonomous piloting mode and a manual piloting mode.

It is particularly advantageous in the situation of a transition from autonomous piloting mode to manual piloting mode.

“Vehicle” means any type of vehicle such as a motor vehicle, moped, motorcycle, warehouse storage robot, etc.

“Autonomous driving” of an “autonomous vehicle” means any method capable of assisting the driving of the vehicle. The method may thus consist of partially or totally directing the vehicle or providing any type of assistance to a natural person driving the vehicle. Thus, “autonomous driving” covers all levels 0 to 5 of the OICA scale, for Organization International des Constructeurs Automobiles.

In the following, the term "ego-vehicle" is used to designate a vehicle capable of being piloted autonomously.

In an ego-vehicle, the driver uses the steering wheel in non-autonomous piloting phases, such as in the piloting phases corresponding to levels 0 and 1 of the OICA scale. The vehicle is then considered to be in manual steering mode, since it is the driver who determines at least the direction of the vehicle, in particular by means of a steering wheel.

During the autonomous piloting phases, corresponding in particular to levels 2 and above of the OICA scale, an autonomous piloting module is in charge of piloting the vehicle. The driver, who is then driver-passenger or "drissenger" in English, does not then have to use the steering wheel to control the trajectory of the vehicle. In some cases, particularly in low levels of autonomy, the driver may however be required to keep his hands on the steering wheel, in order to be able to take control in the event of a problematic situation.

When the vehicle is in an autonomous piloting mode, in particular at level 3, where the driver generally does not have to touch the steering wheel, and the driver wishes to switch to manual piloting mode, systems of the prior art offer the pressing a dedicated man-machine interface, such as a button, to signify the resumption of manual piloting by the driver.

However, switching to manual piloting mode is a sensitive operation which requires the driver to be available and ready to actually pilot the vehicle. However, in certain situations, the driver may inadvertently press the aforementioned button, or may press such a button when he is not actually ready to regain control, which may lead to serious situations.

There is thus a need to allow the transition to a manual piloting mode in a secure manner.

The present invention improves the situation.

To this end, a first aspect of the invention relates to a module for controlling the piloting of a motor vehicle, the control module being able to pilot the motor vehicle in an autonomous piloting mode and comprising:

- a first interface capable of receiving touch detection data from a steering wheel of the vehicle;

- a second interface capable of receiving input data from the driver indicating a request to switch from autonomous piloting mode to manual piloting mode;

- at least one processor configured to activate a manual piloting mode of the vehicle following the reception of steering wheel touch detection data on the first interface and the reception of input data on the second interface.

Thus, the driver must make two separate entries to effectively switch to a manual piloting mode, which avoids any inadvertent entry. In addition, one of these inputs consists of touching the steering wheel, which ensures that the driver is available to steer the vehicle in manual mode. The level of safety associated with the passage from the autonomous piloting mode to the manual piloting mode is thus improved.

According to one embodiment, the processor can be configured to activate the manual piloting mode of the vehicle, following one of the following situations:

- reception of steering wheel touch data, then reception of input data on the second interface, while the steering wheel touch is in progress;

- the reception of the input data on the second interface, then, before the expiration of a predetermined maximum duration D1, the reception of steering wheel touch data.

Such an embodiment ensures on the one hand the intentionality of the driver to switch to manual piloting mode, and ensures the availability of the driver to effectively pilot the vehicle manually via the steering wheel.

In addition, following the reception of input data on the second interface, and the absence of reception of steering wheel touch data at the end of the predetermined maximum duration D1, the processor can be configured to transmit to a vehicle man-machine interface, an information signal indicating that switching to manual mode requires the driver to touch the steering wheel.

Such an embodiment allows the driver to prepare for switching to manual piloting mode, which improves the safety associated with the change of piloting mode.

In addition, the processor can be configured to determine whether steering wheel touch detection data is received before the expiration of a second predetermined maximum duration D2 after the transmission of an information signal indicating that the passage to manual mode requires touch of the steering wheel by the driver, and the processor may be configured to activate the manual steering mode in the event of receipt of steering wheel touch detection data before the expiration of the second maximum duration D2.

Thus, in the situation where the driver enters an input on an interface to indicate his desire to switch to a manual steering mode, the control module grants an additional time to the driver to touch the steering wheel and thus make the transition to the mode. manual control in a secure manner.

In addition, the processor can be configured to maintain the autonomous piloting of the vehicle in the event of absence of reception of touch detection data from the steering wheel before the expiry of the second maximum duration D2.

Thus, when the driver is not available to manually pilot the vehicle, the control module retains autonomous piloting of the vehicle, thus maintaining a high level of safety.

According to one embodiment, the processor can be configured to transmit, following the activation of the manual piloting mode, or during the activation, an information signal to a man-machine interface of the vehicle indicating that the piloting mode manual is activated.

Such an embodiment makes it possible to confirm to the driver the transition to the manual piloting mode and thus makes it possible to indicate to the driver when he must maneuver the steering wheel to control the trajectory of the vehicle.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the driver's input data can be received from an interface dedicated to the activation of the manual mode and/or the autonomous mode, or from a brake pedal of the vehicle.

Thus, a different interface of the steering wheel is used to receive the input of the user, which prevents that the passage in manual piloting mode is the result of a manipulation error on the part of the driver.

A second aspect of the invention relates to a system comprising a control module according to the first aspect of the invention, and a steering wheel able to detect a touch from the driver and to generate driver touch detection data.

A third aspect of the invention relates to a method for controlling the steering of a motor vehicle, comprising the following steps, implemented during the autonomous steering of the vehicle:

- receive touch detection data from a steering wheel of the vehicle;

- receiving input data from the driver indicating a request to switch from autonomous piloting mode to manual piloting mode;

- on receipt of driver input data and steering wheel touch detection data, activate the manual steering mode of the vehicle.

A fourth aspect of the invention relates to a computer program comprising instructions for implementing the method according to the third aspect of the invention, when these instructions are executed by a processor.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on examination of the detailed description below, and of the appended drawings in which:

illustrates a system according to one embodiment of the invention;

is a diagram illustrating the steps of a method according to one embodiment of the invention;

illustrates a vehicle control module according to one embodiment of the invention.

The presents an ego-vehicle control system 100 according to one embodiment of the invention. In what follows, the term "vehicle" is used instead of ego-vehicle, for the sake of simplification. However, the vehicle 100 is indeed an ego-vehicle as defined previously.

The system comprises a steering wheel 101, able to mechanically or electronically control a direction of the vehicle 100, when it is manipulated in rotation by a driver-passenger not represented on the . According to the invention, the steering wheel 101 is able to detect the touch of the driver-passenger. As a variant or additionally, the steering wheel 101 is capable of detecting a close presence of the driver's hands, such as a proximity of less than a few millimeters.

To this end, the steering wheel 101 can be equipped with at least one sensor on at least one zone of the steering wheel 101, called the detection zone. No restriction is attached to the technology used for such a sensor, which can be capacitive or resistive for example, nor to the shape and position of the detection zone on the steering wheel.

The steering wheel 101 can thus generate touch detection data when the driver-passenger 103 touches or approaches the hands of the steering wheel 101.

By detecting the touch, or the proximity of the hands of the driver-passenger 103, the steering wheel 101 detects the availability of the driver-passenger 103 to provide manual control of the steering of the vehicle 100 if necessary.

The system according to the invention further comprises a control module 102 according to the invention. The control module 102 is able to communicate with the steering wheel 101, in particular to receive touch detection data.

In what follows, it is considered that the control module 102 comprises two separate entities, namely a central control module 104, of the ECU type for " Electronic Control Unit ", and an autonomous piloting module 105 in charge of autonomous piloting. of the vehicle 100. However, the control module 102 can be a single entity which couples the functionalities of the central control module 104 and of the autonomous piloting module 105.

The autonomous piloting module 105 is capable of piloting the vehicle 100 without input from the driver-passenger 103, in particular without the driver-passenger 103 having to turn the steering wheel 101. As such, the autonomous piloting module 105 is able to control the trajectory, the speed and the acceleration of the vehicle 100, via control signals intended for the engine and the steering column of the vehicle 100. The commands can be generated by the autonomous piloting module 105, from data, in particular from sensor data, and/or data or commands from the central control module 104 of the vehicle 100.

The autonomous piloting module 105 is thus capable of ensuring autonomous driving, of level 2, 3 or higher, in the scale of the OICA, for Organization International des Constructeurs Automobiles. In the following, “autonomous piloting mode” means any piloting mode with a level of autonomy greater than or equal to 2 in the OICA scale.

The system may further comprise one or more sensors capable of acquiring data on the basis of which the autonomous piloting module 105 pilots the vehicle 100 in autonomous piloting mode. Such sensors are not shown on the .

No restriction is attached to the sensor, or to the set of sensors, which may include:

- a radar

- a lidar;

- a camera directed towards the outside of the vehicle 100, in particular towards the road facing the vehicle 100;

- A vehicle geolocation module 100, such as a GPS module for example, for " Global Positioning System " in English; and or

- any other sensor.

The system according to the invention further comprises a man-machine interface, HMI, 106. No restriction is attached to the HMI 106 which can be:

- a speaker ;

- a screen, such as a touch screen for example;

- a luminous pictogram on a dashboard; Where

- a combination of some of the previous elements.

The HMI 106 is able to receive information signals from the control module 102, in particular from the central control module 104 and from the autonomous piloting module 105, and to restore them in the form of output data perceptible by the driver-passenger 103 from the information signals. No restriction is attached to the nature of the output data, which may be sound and/or visual data. For example, the output data may be a voice command from a speaker of the HMI 106, and/or graphical information from a display system, such as a screen, of the HMI 106.

Conversely, the HMI 106 may be capable of receiving inputs from the driver, in particular when the HMI 106 is a touch screen or includes buttons or other actuators. Driver input data can be transmitted to the control module 102.

The system according to the invention further comprises an interface 103 for deactivating autonomous mode. Interface 103 can also have the function of activating stand-alone mode. Thus, in autonomous mode, it makes it possible to request the manual mode, and in manual mode, it makes it possible to request the autonomous mode.

The interface can for example be a button. No restriction is attached to the technology used for the button 103, which can be capacitive, resistive or mechanical. According to certain embodiments, the button 103 can be integrated into the HMI 106 presented previously.

Furthermore, the system according to the invention comprises at least one pedal 107, such as a brake pedal that can be activated by the driver's foot.

According to the invention, during the autonomous piloting mode, the control module 102 is able to switch to manual piloting mode only following:

- an input from the driver indicating a request to switch to a manual mode, such as pressing the interface 103 or the pedal 107; and

- touch detection on the steering wheel 101.

Such a condition is cumulative: the switch to manual piloting mode is conditioned by these two conditions. Thus, in the event that the driver presses an interface by mistake to request switching to manual mode, the control module 102 does not switch to manual mode, which reinforces the security associated with such a switch. Similarly, when the driver knowingly requests the switch to manual mode, but he is not ready to drive the vehicle, since he or she does not have his or her hands on the steering wheel 101, the switch to manual mode n is not performed.

The is a diagram illustrating the steps of a method according to one embodiment of the invention.

At a step 200, the control module 102, and in particular the autonomous piloting module 105, controls the piloting of the vehicle in autonomous mode, without requiring any actions on the part of the driver, who is then the driver-passenger.

At a step 201, an input from the driver is detected indicating a request to switch to a manual mode. For this purpose, input data is received by the control module 102:

- from interface 103, following input from the driver on interface 103;

- from pedal 107, following input from the driver on pedal 107.

No restriction is attached to the format of the input data. The input data can in particular be an electrical signal, interpreted by the control module 102 as a request to switch to a manual piloting mode.

At a step 202, the control module 202 receives touch detection data from the steering wheel 101. Such data can be received from the steering wheel 101 itself which comprises one or more sensors capable of detecting the driver's touch. No restriction is attached to the format of the steering wheel touch detection data 101, which may be an electrical signal interpreted by the control module 202 as indicating touch of the steering wheel 101.

Such a step 202 can be continuous, i.e. the driver can maintain touch on the steering wheel 101.

Steps 201 and 202 are executed in parallel. Their respective executions depend on the driver. The following situations fall within the scope of the invention:

- the touch of the steering wheel 101 is first detected, is maintained, then the request to switch to manual mode is received while the touch of the steering wheel 101 is in progress;

- the request to switch to manual mode is received, then within a period of less than a predetermined maximum duration D1, touch of the steering wheel 101 is detected. No restriction is attached to the maximum duration D1, which can for example be between 1 and 5 seconds.

In practice, even if the driver attempts to perform the two operations simultaneously, one or the other of the two situations described above is identified by the control module 102.

In the two situations described above, the method goes to a step 203. At step 203, the control module 102 switches from autonomous piloting mode to manual piloting mode. In particular, the autonomous piloting module 105 stops controlling the piloting of the vehicle, and can be optionally deactivated.

Following step 203, or while step 203 is in progress, the control module 102, and in particular the central control module 104, can transmit a first information signal to the HMI 106 indicating that the piloting of the vehicle switches to manual mode, in a step 204. The HMI 106 is then capable of restoring the first information signal to the driver, audibly and/or visually as described previously. No restriction is attached to the format of the restitution of the first information signal.

In a situation where the request to switch to manual piloting mode is first received, then, at the end of the predetermined maximum duration, the touch of the steering wheel 101 is not detected, the method goes to a step 205.

At step 205, the control module 102, and in particular the central control module 104, transmits to the HMI 106 a second information signal indicating that switching to manual mode requires the driver to touch the steering wheel 101. The HMI 106 is able to restore the second information signal to the driver.

No restriction is attached to the restitution of the second information signal, which may be audible, such as a voice command, and/or visual, such as a message on a screen, lighting of a pictogram on the dashboard edge or steering wheel lighting 101. Step 203 can be implemented by the autonomous piloting module 105 or by the central control module 104.

Following step 205, the control module 102 determines whether steering wheel touch detection data 101 is received before the expiry of a second predetermined maximum duration D2 after the transmission of the second information signal.

If steering wheel touch detection data 101 is received in such an interval, the method goes to step 203 described previously, and the control module 102 therefore switches the piloting of the vehicle to a manual mode.

Otherwise, if no steering wheel touch detection data 101 is received at the end of a second predetermined maximum duration D2, the method returns to step 200 and the autonomous piloting mode is maintained, because the transition to manual mode could not be ensured in a secure manner. No restriction is attached to the maximum duration D2, which may be equal to or different from the maximum duration D1. For example, the maximum duration D2 can be between one and five seconds.

The presents the structure of a control module 102 of a vehicle 100 according to one embodiment of the invention.

The control module 102 comprises a processor 301 configured to communicate unidirectionally or bidirectionally, via one or more buses or via a direct wired connection, with a memory 302 such as a "Random Access Memory" type memory, RAM, or a “Read Only Memory” type memory, ROM, or any other type of memory (Flash, EEPROM, etc.). Alternatively, memory 302 includes several memories of the aforementioned types.

The memory 302 is capable of storing, permanently or temporarily, at least some of the data used and/or resulting from the implementation of the method according to the invention illustrated with reference to the . In particular, memory 302 is capable of storing the two information signals described above, as well as the predetermined maximum durations D1 and D2.

The processor 301 is capable of executing instructions, stored in the memory 302, for the implementation of the steps of the method according to the invention, described with reference to the . Alternatively, the processor 302 can be replaced by a microcontroller designed and configured to carry out the steps of the method according to the invention, described with reference to the .

The control module 102 can further comprise a first interface 303 arranged to communicate with the steering wheel 101, in particular to receive touch detection data and/or direction data for the manual piloting of the vehicle 100.

The control module 102 can further comprise a second interface 304 capable of receiving input data from the interface 103.

The control module 102 may further comprise a third interface capable of receiving input data from the pedal 107.

The control module 102 further comprises a fourth interface capable of communicating with the HMI 106, in particular for transmitting the information signals described above.

As described above, the control module 102 can comprise two distinct entities: a central control module 104 and an autonomous piloting module 105. In this case, each of the modules 104 and 105 can comprise the structure described with reference to , each processor of each module being capable of executing some of the steps of the method of the from instructions stored in respective memories.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above by way of examples; it extends to other variants.

Claims (10)

Motor vehicle piloting control module (100), the control module (102) being able to pilot the motor vehicle in an autonomous piloting mode and comprising:
- a first interface (303) capable of receiving touch detection data from a steering wheel (101) of the vehicle;
- a second interface (304) capable of receiving input data from the driver indicating a request to switch from the autonomous piloting mode to the manual piloting mode;
- at least one processor (301) configured to activate a manual piloting mode of the vehicle following the reception of steering wheel touch detection data on the first interface and the reception of input data on the second interface. Module according to claim 1, in which the processor (301) is configured to activate the manual piloting mode of the vehicle (100), following one of the following situations:
- receiving steering wheel touch data (101) on the first interface (303), then receiving input data on the second interface (304), while the steering wheel touch is in progress;
- the reception of the input data on the second interface (304), then, before the expiration of a predetermined maximum duration D1, the reception of touchdown data from the steering wheel 101 on the first interface (303). Module according to claim 2, in which, following the reception of input data on the second interface (304), and the absence of reception of touch data of the steering wheel (101) at the end of the maximum duration D1 predetermined, the processor (301) is configured to transmit to a man-machine interface (106) of the vehicle (100), an information signal indicating that switching to manual mode requires the driver to touch the steering wheel. A module according to claim 3, wherein the processor (301) is configured to determine whether steering wheel touch detection data (101) is received before the expiration of a second predetermined maximum duration D2 after the transmission of a signal information indicating that entering manual mode requires touch of the steering wheel by the driver, and, wherein the processor is configured to activate the manual steering mode upon receipt of steering wheel touch detection data prior to timeout of said second maximum duration D2. Module according to claim 4, in which the processor (301) is configured to maintain the autonomous piloting of the vehicle (100) in the event of absence of receipt of touch detection data from the steering wheel (101) before the expiration of said second maximum duration D2. Module according to one of the preceding claims, in which the processor (301) is configured to transmit, following the activation of the manual piloting mode, or during the said activation, an information signal to a man-machine interface (106 ) of the vehicle indicating that the manual steering mode is activated. Module according to one of the preceding claims, in which the driver input data is received from an interface (103) dedicated to the activation of the manual mode and/or the autonomous mode, or from a brake pedal (107) of the vehicle (100). System comprising a control module according to one of the preceding claims, and a steering wheel (101) capable of detecting a driver's touch and of generating driver's touch detection data. Method for controlling the steering of a motor vehicle (100), comprising the following steps, implemented during the autonomous steering of the vehicle:
- receiving (202) touch detection data from a steering wheel of the vehicle;
- receiving (201) input data from the driver indicating a request to switch from the autonomous piloting mode to the manual piloting mode;
- upon receipt of driver input data and steering wheel touch detection data, activating (203) the manual steering mode of the vehicle. Computer program comprising instructions for implementing the method according to claim 9, when these instructions are executed by a processor (301).