GB2598338A

GB2598338A - An autonomous driving behavior tuning system, and a method for operating an autonomous motor vehicle by an autonomous driving behavior tuning system

Info

Publication number: GB2598338A
Application number: GB2013418.5A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Narayanan Srikanth; Frampton Richard; Weidler Alexander; Narayanan Sumanoharan
Original assignee: Daimler AG
Current assignee: Mercedes Benz Group AG
Priority date: 2020-08-27
Filing date: 2020-08-27
Publication date: 2022-03-02
Also published as: GB202013418D0

Abstract

A method for operating an autonomous motor vehicle (10) by an autonomous driving behaviour tuning system (12) of the motor vehicle (10), wherein a current autonomous driving behaviour (18) of the autonomous vehicle (10) is monitored by an electronic computing device (14) of the tuning system (12) and wherein the current driving behaviour (18) is compared with a mathematical model (20) for a driving behaviour and if the current driving behaviour (18) exceeds a threshold (22) of the mathematical model (20) an adjustment (24) of the current driving behaviour (18) is performed by the tuning system (12), wherein the adjustment (24) is transmitted to a further autonomous driving behaviour tuning system of a further autonomous vehicle (26, 28, 84, 86) and/or the adjustment (24) is transmitted to a central electronic computing device (30), which is external to the autonomous vehicle (10), by a communication device (16). Also relates to an autonomous driving behaviour tuning system (12).

Description

AN AUTONOMOUS DRIVING BEHAVIOR TUNING SYSTEM, AND A METHOD FOR OPERATING AN AUTONOMOUS MOTOR VEHICLE BY AN AUTONOMOUS DRIVING BEHAVIOR TUNING SYSTEM

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The invention relates to the field of automobiles. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a method for operating an autonomous motor vehicle by an autonomous driving behavior tuning system of the motor vehicle, as well as a corresponding autonomous driving behavior tuning system.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

[0002] To ensure the safety of an autonomous motor vehicle, driving behavior of the autonomous motor vehicle in any given location should be well understood. Monitoring a driving behavior of an autonomous motor vehicle is known in the state of the art.

[0003] US20190146493 discloses methods and an apparatus for evaluating and assigning a complexity metric to a driving scenario. More specifically, the application teaches a method and apparatus for breaking a scenario into subtasks. assigning each subtask a complexity value and generating an overall complexity metric in response to a weighted combination of the subtask complexities as well as human-perceived task complexity.

[0004] There is a need in the art to utilize driving behavior monitoring of an autonomous motor vehicle in order to improve the control of an autonomous motor vehicle through an autonomous driving control or behavior tuning system.

[0005] It is an object of the invention to provide a method as well as an autonomous driving behavior tuning system by which more efficient autonomous driving of an autonomous motor vehicle may be realized.

[0006] This object is solved by a method as well as an autonomous driving behavior tuning system according to the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments are indicated in the dependent claims.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] One aspect of the invention relates to a method for operating an autonomous motor vehicle by an autonomous driving behavior tuning system of the motor vehicle, wherein a current autonomous driving behavior of the autonomous motor vehicle is monitored by an electronic computing device of the tuning system and wherein the driving behavior is compared with a mathematical model for a driving behavior and if the current driving behavior exceeds a threshold of the mathematical model, an adjustment of the current driving behavior is performed by the tuning system.

[0008] In an embodiment, the threshold may be an optimized driving behavior threshold based on a collection of monitored autonomous driving behavior of a swarm of autonomous motor vehicles that contribute to the mathematical model. In another aspect, a predetermined safety threshold and/or limit may be set, wherein the optimized driving behavior threshold is bounded by the safety limit. In an aspect, the safety threshold may be constant and unchanged by the mathematical model.

[0009] In an embodiment the adjustment is transmitted to a further driver behavior tuning system of a further autonomous motor vehicle and/or the adjustment is transmitted to a central electronic computing device, which is external to the autonomous motor vehicle, by a communication device of the tuning system.

[0010] Because of the constant monitoring and evaluation of the driving behavior of the autonomous motor vehicle, recommendations for the improvement of the autonomous driver (i.e. virtual driver) parameters, which may be also be referred to as adjustments, may be communicated to the further autonomous motor vehicles. Based on an environmental information and virtual driver parameters, driving behaviors and subsequent trajectories may be generated. The driving behaviors are monitored and evaluated through a behavior scoring algorithm to output behavior scores. Based on comparison against acceptable safety limits, the adjustments are made to the virtual driver parameters.

[0011] In one embodiment, current driving behaviors, comprising staying-in-lane of the motor vehicle and/or a meeting of legal requirements of the motor vehicle and/or legal and safe maneuvers of the motor vehicle and/or conveying intentions to traffic participants of the motor vehicle, are monitored.

[0012] In another embodiment, the adjustment is performed depending on a road condition change and/or weather condition change and/or a traffic condition change.

[0013] In another embodiment depending on a current route of the further autonomous motor vehicle, the adjustment of the driving behavior of the autonomous motor vehicle is taken into consideration by the further driver behavior tuning system of the further autonomous motor vehicle.

[0014] Another aspect of the invention relates to an autonomous driving behavior tuning system for operating an autonomous motor vehicle, the tuning system comprising at least one electronic computing device and at least one communication device, wherein the tuning system is configured to perform a method according to the preceding aspect. The method is performed by the tuning system.

[0015] Another aspect of the invention relates to an autonomous motor vehicle with an autonomous driving behavior tuning system. In particular, the autonomous motor vehicle is an autonomous truck.

[0016] Advantageous forms of the method are to be regarded as advantageous forms of the tuning system as well as the motor vehicle. The tuning system and the motor vehicle therefore comprise means for performing the method.

[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 independent claims. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute part of this disclosure, illustrate exemplary embodiments and together with the description, serve to explain the disclosed principles. In the figures, the same reference signs are used throughout the figures to refer to identical features and components. Some embodiments of the 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 block diagram according to an embodiment of the method; [0021] Fig. 2 shows another schematic block diagram according to an embodiment of the tuning system; [0022] Fig. 3 shows another schematic block diagram according to the invention; and [0023] Fig. 4 shows a schematic flow chart according to an embodiment of the method.

[0024] In the figures same elements or elements having the same function are indicated by the same reference signs.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] In the present document, the word "exemplary" is used herein to mean "serving as an example, instance, or illustration." Any embodiment or implementation of the present subject matter described herein as "exemplary" is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments.

[0026] While the disclosure is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have 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.

[0027] The terms "comprises'', "comprising", or any other variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion so 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 preceded by "comprises" or "comprise" does not or do not, without more constraints, preclude the existence of other elements or additional elements in the system or method.

[0028] In the following detailed description of the embodiments of the disclosure, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form 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 detail 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.

[0029] Fig. 1 shows a schematic block diagram of a method according to the invention. In particular, Fig. 1 shows an autonomous motor vehicle 10 comprising an autonomous driving behavior tuning system (i.e. tuning system) 12. The tuning system 12 comprises at least one electronic computing device 14 (which is shown in Fig. 2) and at least one communication device 16 (which is shown in Fig. 2).

[0030] Fig. 1 shows in an embodiment a method for operating the autonomous motor vehicle 10 by the tuning system 12 of the motor vehicle 10, wherein a current autonomous driving behavior 18 (which is shown in Fig. 2) of the autonomous motor vehicle 10 is monitored by the electronic computing device 14 of the tuning system 12 and wherein the current driving behavior 18 is compared with a mathematical model 20 (which is shown in Fig. 2) for a driving behavior: and, if the current driving behavior 18 exceeds an optimized driving behavior threshold 22 (which is shown in Fig. 2) of the mathematical model 20, an adjustment 24 of the current driving behavior 18 is performed by the tuning system 12.

[0031] In an embodiment, the adjustment 24 is transmitted to a further tuning system of a further autonomous motor vehicle 26, 28, 84, 86 (which is shown in Fig. 2) and/or the adjustment 24 is transmitted to a central electronic computing device 30 (which is shown in Fig. 2), which may be external to the autonomous motor vehicle 10, by the communication device 16 of the tuning system 12.

[0032] In an embodiment the mathematical model 20 that is shown throughout the figures is a distribution of data collected from a group of motor vehicles 88 (which is shown in Fig. 2), which alternatively may be referred to as a fleet. Based on the distribution, the optimized driving behavior threshold 22 is set, and the current driving behavior 18 of the motor vehicle 10 is ranked in comparison to the distribution of vehicle data either above or below the threshold 22. Depending on whether the current driving behavior 18 is above or below the threshold 22, the adjustment 24 is performed to how the autonomous motor vehicle 10 is controlled. In other words the active adjustment 24 of the autonomous vehicle driving behavior is based on observed driving behavior through collection of driving data of the fleet 88 of autonomous motor vehicles 10, 26, 28, 84, 86. In a further embodiment, a predetermined safety limit 32 may be set, wherein the optimized driving behavior threshold 22 and the adjustment 24 are bounded by the safety limit 32. In an embodiment, the safety limit 32 may be constant and unchanged by the mathematical model 20.

[0033] In particular, Fig. 1 shows a control logic that may be used to adjust at least one autonomous driver (i.e. virtual driver) parameter 34, or an output of the operating control system of the autonomous motor vehicle 10 to control the autonomous motor vehicle 10 in an automated driving mode.

[0034] In a first step Si of the control logic, an environment of the autonomous motor vehicle 10 is captured by an environmental sensor. In a second step 52, environmental information may be processed depending on the information captured by the environmental sensors. In a third step 53, an appropriate behavior is generated based on the processed environmental sensor data. In a fourth step S4, a trajectory generation for the autonomous motor vehicle 10 may be realized. In a fifth step S5, a control output for controlling the autonomous motor vehicle 10 may be realized. In a sixth step 56, the electronic computing device 14 monitors the current driving behavior 18. In a seventh step 57, an output of a behavior score 18 (shown in Fig. 2) may be realized, which may compared against a driver behavior threshold, in particular the threshold 22. In an eighth step 58, the adjustment 24 of the at least one virtual driver parameter 34 may be calculated. The adjustment 24 may be bounded by a parameter safety limit 32 to ensure the adjustment 24 does not enable an unsafe operation of the autonomous motor vehicle 10. The adjustment 24 may be transmitted to the virtual driver, or operating control system of the autonomous motor vehicle 10, in order to adjust at least one virtual driver parameter 34. The at least one adjusted virtual driver parameter 34 may continue to be monitored such that a behavior generation can be realized again in the behavior generation step S3.

[0035] In particular, based on environmental information and the at least one virtual driver parameter 34, the driving behaviors and subsequent trajectories may be generated. The driving behaviors are monitored and evaluated through a behavior scoring algorithm to output behavior scores. Furthermore, based on comparison against acceptable safety limits, such as the parameter safety limit 32, the adjustment 24 is made to the virtual driver parameters 34.

[0036] Fig. 2 shows a schematic block diagram according to an embodiment of the tuning system 12. In particular Fig. 2 shows an architecture of the tuning system 12 of how it may communicate with the fleet 88. In particular, Fig. 2 shows that the autonomous motor vehicle 10 comprises at least one virtual driver parameter 34. The autonomous motor vehicle 10 is monitored, wherein the behavior score 18 may be below the acceptable behavior threshold 22. The autonomous motor vehicle 10 may recommend the virtual driver parameters adjustment 24, which may be communicated directly to further autonomous motor vehicles 26, 28 on the road, which is shown with the block 82, or through a central electronic computing device 30 which may be a deploy center for the autonomous motor vehicles 10, 26, 28, 84, 86. In particular, Fig. 2 shows that the central electronic computing device 30 may be configured to deploy further autonomous motor vehicles 84, 86, which is shown in the block 36, wherein the further autonomous vehicles 84, 86 are vehicles that are not currently on the road, but are all part of the same fleet 88 that are in communication with the central electronic computing device 30. Through this configuration, when the motor vehicles 84, 86 are deployed, they have the most up to date virtual driver parameters 34. Therefore, according to the exemplary embodiment, the fleet 88 consists of the motor vehicle 10 and the further motor vehicles 26, 28, 84, 86. According to the exemplary embodiment of Fig. 2 it is also shown that the behavior score 18 of the motor vehicle 10 fell below the threshold 22, so an adjustment 24 is needed to be made. The necessary adjustment 24 is communicated through the rest of the fleet 88 through this architecture.

S

[0037] Fig. 3 shows in a schematic block diagram an embodiment of the method. In particular, a behavior scoring method is shown in Fig. 3. In a first part of Fig. 3, a plurality of individual behaviors 38a -38g are shown. In a second part of Fig. 3, a plurality of behavior categories 40a -40c are shown. In a third part of Fig. 3, an overall behavior 42 is shown. In particular, in order to ensure the safety of the autonomous motor vehicle 10, the driving behavior 18 of the motor vehicle 10 should be both optimized and safe. In an embodiment, comprehensive driving behaviors may be defined which demonstrate if the motor vehicle 10 is driving in an optimized and safe manner. These individual driving behaviors 38a-38g are monitored in real-time, and may result in behavior scores 18a-18c for individual behaviors 38. In an embodiment, the individual driving behaviors may be grouped into general behavior categories 40. As shown in the exemplary embodiment of Fig. 3, individual behaviors 38a, 38b, and 38c may be factors of the behavior category 40a. A behavior score 18d is calculated for the behavior category 40a based on the behavior scores 18a-18c of individual behaviors 38a-38c. Further in the exemplary embodiment of Fig. 3, individual behaviors 38d-38f are factors of behavior category 40b, and individual behavior 38g is a factor of behavior category 40c.

[0038] Exemplary different behavior categories 40a, 40b, 40c are shown which may include but are not limited to staying in lane, meeting legal requirements, legal and safe maneuvers, comfort to passenger, overall load management and conveying intentions to traffic participants. The individual behaviors 38a -38g may be computed with a weighting factor 44. In an embodiment, a separate weighting factor 44 may be assigned to each individual behavior 38a-38g. In an exemplary embodiment, each behavior score 18a-18c are weighted by each respective weighting factor 44 prior to the behavior score 18d being calculated for behavior category 40a.

[0039] Different individual behaviors 38 may be grouped into the different behavior categories 40. A first individual behavior 38a is exemplarily describing a "lane departure left", a second individual behavior 38b is exemplarily describing a "lane departure right' and a third individual behavior 38c is exemplarily describing an "in lane fitness", and the behavior category 40a may be described as "staying in lane". From the individual behaviors 38, the behavior categories 40 may be computed, which each comprise their own weighting factor 46. Based on the calculated behavior scores, such as score 18d, for each behavior category 40a-40c, factored against each weighting factor 46, an overall behavior score 18 may be calculated for the overall behavior 42 of the motor vehicle 10.

The overall behavior score 18 may be compared against the driver behavior threshold 22, based on the mathematical model 20, to determine if an adjustment 24 needs to be made to the virtual driver parameters 34.

[0040] In one embodiment of the invention, the adjustment 24 is performed depending on a road condition change and/or a weather condition change and/or a traffic condition change.

[0041] In particular, the tuning system 12 ensures that the current driving behavior 18 of the autonomous motor vehicle 10 is both legal and safe, including, for example, staying within a lane, and maintaining an appropriate following distance to another vehicle. In the following description an exemplary embodiment is described. For example, if the road condition change and/or the weather condition change and/or the traffic condition change are unexpected in a given location, the virtual driver parameters 34 that are normally appropriate may no longer be appropriate in that location. Unexpectedly changing conditions may result in individual driving behaviors 38a -38g falling below the desired threshold 22, for example, when the autonomous motor vehicle 10 is leaving the lane more regularly, when no virtual parameter adjustments 24 are made. The changes may be localized events, wherein it is beneficial to be able to inform the other or further autonomous motor vehicles 26, 28, 84, 86 of that changing in order to avoid repeated unsafe events in the same location. The current driving behavior 18 is continuously monitored to evaluate when the autonomous motor vehicle 10 is operating below the desired behavior threshold 22 so that the adjustment 24 to the virtual driver parameters 34 may be realized. When the autonomous motor vehicle 10 encounters a situation where operation falls below the desired behavior threshold 22 and the consequent virtual driver parameter adjustment 24 is made, the adjustment 24 is transmitted to the further autonomous motor vehicles 26, 28, the computing device 30, and consequently from the computing device 30 to the remaining vehicles 84, 86 in the fleet 88.

[0042] Fig. 4 shows a schematic flow chart of an example according to an embodiment of the invention. In the block 48, the autonomous motor vehicle 10 is travelling on a route through location A. In the block 50, the autonomous motor vehicle 10, for example, encounters lost cargo on a road while turning at location A, causing hard braking and a lane departure. In the block 52, the monitored current driving behavior score 18 falls below the threshold 22. In the block 54, the autonomous motor vehicle 10 recommends the virtual driver parameter adjustment 24 within acceptable safety limits. In the block 56, the adjustment 24 is recommended to other autonomous motor vehicles 26, 28. In the block 58, one of the further autonomous motor vehicles 26, 28 checks the route and determines that it will pass through the location A. These further autonomous motor vehicles 26, 28 perform a virtual driver parameter adjustment 24. In the block 62, upon passing through the location A, the further autonomous motor vehicle 26, 28 maintains a behavior score within the threshold 22. In the block 64, one of the further autonomous motor vehicles 26, 28 checks the route and determines it will pass through the location A. In the block 66, the adjustment 24 is performed. In the block 68, upon passing through the location A, the further autonomous motor vehicle 26, 28 determines that the lost cargo is removed from the road. In the block 70 therefore the virtual driver parameter adjustment 24 is reverted.

[0043] In the block 72, one of the further autonomous motor vehicles 26, 28 checks the route and determines that it will not pass through location A. Therefore no virtual driver parameter adjustment 24 is performed, which is shown in the block 74.

[0044] In the block 76, the adjustment 24 from the autonomous motor vehicle 10 is transmitted to the central electronic computing device 30. The central electronic computing device 30 evaluates routes for the further autonomous motor vehicles 84, 86 to be deployed and recommends adjustment 24 to the further autonomous motor vehicles 84, 86 passing through location A, which is shown in the block 78. In the block 80, it is shown that the virtual driver parameters 34 of the autonomous motor vehicles 84, 86 are adjusted.

Reference signs autonomous motor vehicle tuning system electronic computing device communication device current driving behavior scores mathematical model threshold adjustment further autonomous motor vehicle further autonomous motor vehicle central electronic computing device safety limits virtual driver parameters motor vehicles to be deployed individual behaviors behavior categories overall behavior weighting factor weighting factor block block block block block 12 14 16 18 18a -18d 32 34 36 38a -38g 40a -40c 42 44 46 48 50 52 58 block block 62 block 64 block 66 block 68 block block 72 block 74 block 76 block 78 block block 82 block 84 further autonomous motor vehicle 86 further autonomous motor vehicle 88 fleet Si first step 32 second step 33 third step 34 fourth step fifth step sixth step 36 seventh step S7 eighth step

Claims

CLAIMS1. A method for operating an autonomous motor vehicle (10) by an autonomous driving behavior tuning system (12) of the motor vehicle (10), wherein a current autonomous driving behavior (18) of the autonomous motor vehicle (10) is monitored by an electronic computing device (14) of the autonomous driving behavior tuning system (12) and wherein the current driving behavior (18) is compared with a mathematical model (20) for a driving behavior and if the current driving behavior (18) exceeds a threshold (22) of the mathematical model (20) an adjustment (24) of the current driving behavior (18) is performed by the autonomous driving behavior tuning system (12), characterized in that the adjustment (24) is transmitted to a further autonomous driving behavior tuning system system of a further autonomous motor vehicle (26, 28) and/or the adjustment (24) is transmitted to a central electronic computing device (30), which is external to the autonomous motor vehicle (10), by a communication device (16) of the autonomous driver behavior tuning system system (12).
2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that as the current driving behavior (18) a staying-in-lane of the motor vehicle (10) and/or a meeting of legal requirements of the motor vehicle (10) and/or legal and safe maneuvers of the motor vehicle (10) and/or conveying intentions to traffic participants of the motor vehicle (10) are monitored.
3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the adjustment (24) is performed depending on a road condition change and/or a weather condition change and/or a traffic condition change.
4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that depending on a current route of the further autonomous motor vehicle (26, 28) the adjustment (24) of the current driving behavior (18) of the autonomous motor vehicle (10) is taken into consideration by the further autonomous driving behavior tuning system of the further autonomous motor vehicle (26, 28).
5. An autonomous driving behavior tuning system (12) for operating an autonomous motor vehicle (10), comprising at least one electronic computing device (14) and at least one communication device (16), wherein the autonomous driving behavior tuning system (12) is configured to perform a method according to anyone of claims 1 to 4.