GB2593915A

GB2593915A - A method for operating an assistance system of an autonomous motor vehicle; as well as an assistance system

Info

Publication number: GB2593915A
Application number: GB2005258.5A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Maile Michael
Original assignee: Daimler AG
Current assignee: Mercedes Benz Group AG
Priority date: 2020-04-09
Filing date: 2020-04-09
Publication date: 2021-10-13
Also published as: GB202005258D0

Abstract

A method for operating an assistance system (12) of an autonomous motor vehicle (10), by which a surrounding (20) of the motor vehicle is detected by at least one detection device (14) from the assistance system and a future route (22) of the motor vehicle is analysed depending on the detected surrounding by an electronic computing device (16) of the assistance system. A future manoeuvre (24) of the motor vehicle, depending on the future route, is announced to a detected traffic participant (26) by transmitting a manoeuvre message (28) from a first communication device (18) of the assistance system to a second communication device (30) of the traffic participant, wherein the traffic participant is asked to allow the future manoeuvre of the motor vehicle. If the traffic participant allows the future manoeuvre of the motor vehicle a compensation action (32) for the traffic participant is initiated by the assistance system for allowing the future manoeuvre. The compensation action may include a material reward or a gathering of compensation points for a compensation system.

Description

A METHOD FOR OPERATING AN ASSISTANCE SYSTEM OF AN AUTONOMOUS MOTOR VEHICLE; AS WELL AS AN ASSISTANCE SYSTEM

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the field of automobiles. More particularly, but not specifically, the present disclosure relates to a method for operating an assistance system of an autonomous motor vehicle.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

[0002] There are frequent reports that lane changes, merges and unprotected left turns pose problems for autonomous vehicles, but improvement in autonomous driving and autonomous driving acceptance can be obtained by giving other drivers incentives to be courteous to autonomous vehicles and let them merge, change lanes, or make other various maneuvers. Since autonomous vehicles do not have a driver, the social interaction component is missing and there is no incentive for other traffic participants to extend the same courtesy as they do to human drivers. Since autonomous vehicles have to drive far more cautiously, this can be a severe impediment and can be solved by incentivizing courtesy.

[0003] US 9,829,889 B1 discloses a method for operating an autonomous vehicle that includes guiding the autonomous vehicle along a planned path of travel. The autonomous vehicle may be brought to a stop along the planned path of travel, during which an operator of the vehicle may offer to allow another vehicle and/or person to pass in front of the stopped autonomous vehicle. The vehicle to which the offer is directed may transmit an acceptance signal in response to the offer signal indicating acceptance of the offer.

The acceptance signal may be received by the autonomous vehicle, which may modify its planned path of travel in response to receiving the acceptance signal.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] It is an object of the invention to provide a method as well as an assistance system for an autonomous motor vehicle, by which a better traffic flow and a reduction of dangerous traffic situations can be realized.

[0005] This object is solved by a method as well as an assistance system according to the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments are disclosed in the dependent claims.

[0006] One aspect of the invention relates to a method for operating an assistance system of an autonomous motor vehicle, by which a surrounding of the motor vehicle is detected by at least one detection device from the assistance system and a future route of the motor vehicle is analyzed depending on the detected surrounding by an electronic computing device of the assistance system, and wherein a future maneuver of the motor vehicle depending on the future route is announced to a detected traffic participant by transmitting a maneuver message from a first communication device of the assistance system to a second communication device of the traffic participant, wherein the traffic participant is asked to allow the future maneuver of the motor vehicle.

[0007] It is provided, that if the traffic participant allows the future maneuver of the motor vehicle, a compensation action for the traffic participant is initiated by the assistance system for allowing the future maneuver.

[0008] Therefore, a better traffic flow, more acceptance of autonomous vehicles in traffic, and a reduction of dangerous traffic situations may be realized.

[0009] In other words a driver of the vehicle, in particular the autonomous vehicle, will have an application on the electronic computing device and/or on a mobile device that can either, for example through a back-end network or by peer-to-peer interaction, negotiate with an autonomous vehicle to enable a merge, a lane change or other maneuver and accumulate politeness points. Those points can be redeemed through an incentive system or used with other drivers to ask for a merge, lane change or other maneuver.

[0010] In an advantageous form of configuration, the maneuver message is transmitted via a vehicle-to-everything communication, which is also known as V-to-X communication, and/or via a mobile communication network.

[0011] It is further advantageous if the traffic participant allowing the future maneuver does so by confirming the maneuver message.

[0012] In another advantageous form of configuration, the maneuver message is displayed on a display device of the traffic participant.

[0013] A further advantage of the invention is that the compensation action includes a material reward and/or a gathering of compensation points for a compensation system.

[0014] Another aspect of the invention relates to an assistance system for an autonomous motor vehicle, with at least one detection device, an electronic computing device and a communication device, wherein the assistance system is configured to perform a method according to the first aspect of the invention. In particular the method is performed by the assistance system.

[0015] Another aspect of the invention relates to a motor vehicle with the assistance system according to the proceeding aspect, where the motor vehicle is an autonomous motor vehicle.

[0016] Advantageous forms of configuration of the method are to be regarded as advantageous forms of the assistance system as well as to the autonomous motor vehicle. The assistance system and the autonomous motor vehicle thereby comprise embodiments for performing the method according to the first aspect of the invention.

[0017] Further advantages, features, and details of the invention derive from the following description of preferred embodiments as well as from the drawings. The features and feature combinations previously mentioned in the description as well as the features and feature combinations mentioned in the following description of the figures and/or shown in the figures alone can be employed not only in the respectively indicated combination but also in any other combination or taken alone without leaving the scope of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] The novel features and characteristics of the disclosure are set forth in the appended claims. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this disclosure, illustrate exemplary embodiments and together with the description, serve to explain the disclosed principles. The same numbers are used throughout the figures to reference like features and components. Some embodiments of system and/or methods in accordance with embodiments of the present subject matter are now described below, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying figures.

[0019] The drawings show in: [0020] Fig. 1 a schematic top view of a motor vehicle with an embodiment of the assistance system; and [0021] Fig. 2 a schematic flow chart for a method according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0022] In the figures the same elements or elements having the same function are indicated by the same reference signs.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] While the disclosure is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiment thereof has been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail below. It should be understood, however that it is not intended to limit the disclosure to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the disclosure is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the disclosure.

[0024] The terms "comprises", "comprising', or any other variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a setup, device or method that comprises a list of components or steps does not include only those components or steps but may include other components or steps not expressly listed or inherent to such setup or device or method. In other words, one or more elements in a system or apparatus proceeded by "comprises.., a" does not, without more constraints, preclude the existence of other elements or additional elements in the system or method.

[0025] In the following detailed description of the embodiments of the disclosure, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which are shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the disclosure may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient details to enable those skilled in the art to practice the disclosure, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. The following description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense.

[0026] Fig. 1 shows in a schematic top view an autonomous motor vehicle 10 with an embodiment of an assistance system 12. The assistance system 12 comprises at least one detection device 14, an electronic computing device 16 as well as a communication device 18.

[0027] According to one aspect of the invention a method for operating the assistance system 12 of the autonomous motor vehicle 10 is provided, by which a surrounding 20 of the motor vehicle 10 is detected by at least the one detection device 14 from the assistance system 12 and a future route 22 is analyzed depending on the detected surrounding 20 by the electronic computing device 16 of the assistance system 12 and wherein a future maneuver 24 of the motor vehicle 10 is announced to a detected traffic participant 26, which in Fig. 1 is another motor vehicle, by transmitting a maneuver message 28 from the first communication device 18 of the assistance system 12 to a second communication device 30 of the traffic participant 26, wherein the traffic participant 26 is asked to allow the future maneuver 24 of the motor vehicle 10.

[0028] It is provided, that if the traffic participant 26 allows the future maneuver 24 of the motor vehicle 10 a compensation action 32 for the traffic participant 26 is initiated by the assistance system 12 for allowing the future maneuver 24. In particular, it can be provided that the maneuver message 28 is transmitted via a vehicle-to-everything communication and/or via mobile communication network. For example, the vehicle-to-everything communication can also be referred to as V-to-X communication. Furthermore, the maneuver message 28 can be transmitted via a mobile communication network, for example via a mobile phone.

[0029] The detection device 14 can be formed as a radar sensor, a LIDAR sensor, a camera or an ultrasonic sensor or any equivalent thereof.

[0030] Furthermore, the traffic participant 26 allows the future maneuver 24 by confirming the maneuver message 28.

[0031] In particular, it can be provided that the maneuver message 28 is displayed on a display device 34 of the traffic participant 26. For example the traffic participant 26 can comprise a head unit which can be the display device 34 and the maneuver message 28 can be displayed on this display device 34. For example, if the traffic participant 26 is a pedestrian, and the pedestrian has a mobile phone, the mobile phone can be used as the display device 34.

[0032] Furthermore, it, can be provided that the compensation action 32 includes a material reward and/or a gathering of compensation points for a compensation system.

[0033] Fig. 2 shows a schematic flow chart of an embodiment of the method according to the invention. According to the invention, the communication between the autonomous motor vehicle 10 and the traffic participant 26 is executed by a mobile communication network 36, which can also be referred to as a back-end server.

[0034] In a first step Si the maneuver message 18 is transmitted to the back-end 36. In a second step S2 the request is forwarded from the back-end 36 to the traffic participant 26. In a third step S3, a response with intent to enable the maneuver is forwarded from the traffic participant 26 to the back-end 36. In a fourth step S4 the response is forwarded from the back-end 36 to the autonomous motor vehicle 10. In a fifth step S5 the future maneuver 24 is executed by the autonomous motor vehicle 10. In a sixth step 56 an acknowledgement for the assistance provided by the traffic participant 26 is sent from the autonomous motor vehicle 10 to the back-end 36. In a seventh step S7 the back-end 36 credits the traffic participant 26 based on the assistance acknowledgement of step 56, and in an eighth step S8 the acknowledgement of the credit is executed from the back-end 36 to the traffic participant 26.

[0035] In more detail, Fig. 2 shows that if the autonomous motor vehicle 10 wants to execute the future maneuver 24 it needs a cooperative behavior from traffic participant 26. The autonomous motor vehicle 10 determines that the behavior cannot be executed due to surrounding traffic. The autonomous motor vehicle 10 both casts a request, for example through the back-end 36 to participating vehicles or through vehicle-toeverything communication. The surrounding traffic participants 26 receive the request displayed to the users. The traffic participant 26 sends an acknowledgement via the same communication channel. The traffic participant 26 opens a gap and the autonomous motor vehicle 10 sends the acknowledgement that it will execute maneuver 24 and executes the maneuver 24. The autonomous vehicle 10 sends the acknowledgement that traffic participant 26 assisted in allowing autonomous vehicle 10 to execute maneuver 24 to the back-end 36 and to the traffic participant 26 so that the traffic participant 26 can be credited it's due compensation.

[0036] The reward could be a material reward that is accumulated in an account and, for example, exchanged for discounts from participating vendors such as insurance companies or vehicle parts providers. The reward could also be of a stand-alone gamification scheme that isn't tied to material or monetized compensation. Additionally or alternatively, points held by a traffic participant 26 could be exchanged with other traffic participants to request assistance for the traffic participant's 26 own maneuvers. A variety of schemes can be contemplated that keep within the spirit of the invention, and allows for variable compensation where, depending on the level of needed assistance, the reward can be increased.

[0037] Regarding the assistance acknowledgement, the way the traffic participant 26 is identified can be for example a basic mechanism, where the traffic participant 26 is identified to the back-end 36 by their phone number, wherein this data would transfer from one vehicle to the next, since it is identified with the driver. Another possibility for identification would be the vehicle license plate, if the autonomous motor vehicle 10 reads the license plate for identification via detection device 14.

[0038] For the traffic participant 26, the application could run in the background for example on a mobile phone and the acknowledgement by the user could be by simply slowing down or by verbal acknowledgement. The back-end 36 or the traffic participant 26 would acknowledge the point transaction and the application will provide the traffic participant 26 with feedback. If the traffic participant 26 is an empty autonomous vehicle, then the feedback can be omitted. If there is a passenger in the traffic participant 26 who decides to enable the future maneuver 24, then feedback may be giver.

Reference signs autonomous motor vehicle 12 assistance system 14 detection device 16 electronic computing device 18 communication device surrounding 22 future route 24 future maneuver 26 traffic participant 28 maneuver message second communication device 32 compensation action 34 display device 36 mobile communication network Si first step S2 second step S3 third step 54 fourth step S5 fifth step S6 sixth step S7 seventh step S8 eighth step

Claims

CLAIMS1. A method for operating an assistance system (12) of an autonomous motor vehicle (10), by which a surrounding (20) of the motor vehicle (10) is detected by at least one detection device (14) from the assistance system (12) and a future route (22) of the motor vehicle (10) is analyzed depending on the detected surrounding (20) by an electronic computing device (16) of the assistance system (12), and wherein a future maneuver (24) of the motor vehicle (10), depending on the future route (22), is announced to a detected traffic participant (26) by transmitting a maneuver message (28) from a first communication device (18) of the assistance system (12) to a second communication device (30) of the traffic participant (26), wherein the traffic participant (26) is asked to allow the future maneuver (24) of the motor vehicle (10), characterized in that if the traffic participant (26) allows the future maneuver (24) of the motor vehicle (10) a compensation action (32) for the traffic participant (26) is initiated by the assistance system (12) for allowing the future maneuver (24).
2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the maneuver message (28) is transmitted via vehicle-to-everything communication or via a mobile communication network (36).
3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the traffic participant (26) allows the future maneuver (24) by confirming the maneuver message (28).
4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the maneuver message (28) is displayed on a display device (34) of the traffic participant (26).
5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the compensation action (32) includes a material reward or a gathering of compensation points for a compensation system.
6. An assistance system (12) for an autonomous motor vehicle (10), with at least one detection device (14), an electronic computing device (16) and a communication device (18), wherein the assistance system (12) is configured to perform a method according to any one of the claims 1 to 5.