JP2018024351A - Automatic operation system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an automatic operation system capable of reducing the possibility of a driver having difficulty in looking outside the vehicle when the operation of the vehicle is switched from an automatic operation to a manual operation.SOLUTION: An automatic operation system 100 includes: a room light 8 for illuminating inside of a cabin R of a vehicle V; a head light 9 for illuminating ahead of the vehicle V; a headlight control part 22 for controlling the head light 9; and an operation control part 12 for executing automatic operation control for automatically operating the vehicle V and capable of switching from the operation of the vehicle from the automatic operation to a manual operation by ending the automatic operation control in execution. In a case where the room light 8 is lit while the automatic operation control is executed, the headlight control part 22 intensifies, for a predetermined period of time, brightness of a given zone illuminated by the head light 9 from a normal brightness that is brightness of the given zone illuminated by the head light 9 in the case of the operation of the vehicle V being the manual operation when the operation control part 12 switches the operation of the vehicle from the automatic operation to the manual operation.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to an automatic driving system.

  As a conventional automatic driving system, an automatic driving control device described in Patent Document 1 is known. In the automatic driving control apparatus described in Patent Document 1, the driving of the vehicle can be switched from automatic driving to manual driving.

JP 2006-088334 A

  In the above prior art, if the room light is turned on while driving the vehicle in automatic driving at night, when the driving of the vehicle is switched from automatic driving to manual driving, the driver is dark with the eyes accustomed to a bright car I need to look out of the car. Therefore, the driver may find it difficult to see outside the vehicle.

  An object of the present invention is to provide an automatic driving system that can reduce the possibility that it becomes difficult for the driver to see outside the vehicle when the driving of the vehicle is switched from automatic driving to manual driving.

  An automatic driving system according to the present invention includes an interior light that illuminates a vehicle interior of a vehicle, a headlight that illuminates the front of the vehicle, a headlight control unit that controls the headlight, and an automatic operation control that automatically drives the vehicle. And a driving control unit capable of switching the driving of the vehicle from the automatic driving to the manual driving by terminating the automatic driving control being executed, and the headlamp control unit is executing the automatic driving control. In addition, when the driving of the vehicle is switched from automatic driving to manual driving when the interior light is on, the brightness of a predetermined area illuminated by the headlamp is displayed when the driving of the vehicle is manual driving. The light intensity is increased for a predetermined period of time than the normal luminous intensity, which is the brightness of the predetermined area illuminated by the headlamp.

  In this automatic driving system, when the indoor lamp is lit while the vehicle is operating in automatic driving, the brightness of a predetermined area illuminated by the headlamp for a predetermined time when the driving of the vehicle is switched from automatic driving to manual driving. The brightness is increased from the normal intensity. Thus, when the automatic driving is switched to the manual driving, the driver's field of view with respect to the predetermined region can be temporarily improved, so that the driver's eyes can be easily adapted to the outside of the dark vehicle. Therefore, when the driving of the vehicle is switched from automatic driving to manual driving, even if the driver's pupil has become accustomed to the bright interior of the vehicle, the possibility of the driver becoming difficult to see outside the vehicle is reduced. It becomes possible.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, when driving of a vehicle switches from automatic driving to manual driving, it is possible to provide an automatic driving system that can reduce the possibility that it becomes difficult for the driver to see outside the vehicle.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the automatic driving system which concerns on one Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the interior lamp of the automatic driving | operation system of FIG. It is a figure which shows the headlamp of the automatic driving system of FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the brightness of the predetermined area | region which the headlamp of the automatic driving system of FIG. 1 illuminates. It is a flowchart which shows the process of the automatic driving | operation system of FIG.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the same reference numerals are used for the same or corresponding elements, and duplicate descriptions are omitted.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an automatic driving system 100 according to the embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the automatic driving system 100 is mounted on a vehicle V such as an automobile. The automatic driving system 100 includes an external sensor 1, an internal sensor 2, a GPS [Global Positioning System] receiving unit 3, a map database 4, a navigation system 5, an actuator 6, an HMI [Human Machine Interface] 7, an indoor lamp 8, and a headlamp. 9. An automatic operation ECU [Electronic Control Unit] 10 and an illumination control ECU 20 are provided.

  The external sensor 1 is a detection device that detects the surrounding situation of the vehicle V. The external sensor 1 includes at least one of a camera, a radar [Radar], and a rider [LIDAR: Laser Imaging Detection and Ranging]. The camera is an imaging device that captures the situation around the vehicle V. The camera may be a monocular camera or a stereo camera. The stereo camera has two imaging units arranged so as to reproduce binocular parallax. The radar detects surrounding conditions around the vehicle V using radio waves (for example, millimeter waves). The rider detects the surrounding situation around the vehicle V using light.

  The cameras, riders, and radars do not necessarily have to be provided in duplicate. The external sensor 1 transmits information on the detected surrounding situation to the automatic driving ECU 10. The surrounding conditions include other vehicle conditions around the vehicle V (for example, the position and speed of other vehicles in the vicinity), the shape of the road (for example, the curvature of the driving lane and the adjacent lane), and the status of obstacles around the vehicle. (For example, the position of the obstacle, the moving direction of the moving obstacle, the speed, etc.).

  The internal sensor 2 is a detection device that detects the traveling state of the vehicle V. The internal sensor 2 includes at least one of a vehicle speed sensor, an acceleration sensor, and a yaw rate sensor. The vehicle speed sensor is a detector that detects the speed of the vehicle V. As the vehicle speed sensor, a wheel speed sensor that detects the rotational speed of the wheel is used. The acceleration sensor is a detector that detects the acceleration of the vehicle V. The acceleration sensor includes a longitudinal acceleration sensor that detects acceleration in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle V and a lateral acceleration sensor that detects lateral acceleration of the vehicle V. The yaw rate sensor is a detector that detects the yaw rate (rotational angular velocity) around the vertical axis of the center of gravity of the vehicle V. A gyro sensor can be used as the yaw rate sensor.

  The internal sensor 2 includes at least one of a steering sensor, an accelerator sensor, a brake sensor, and a winker sensor. The steering sensor detects a steering operation by the driver or the automatic driving system 100. The accelerator sensor detects an accelerator operation by the driver or the automatic driving system 100. The brake sensor detects a brake operation by the driver or the automatic driving system 100. The winker sensor detects the operation of the winker (direction indicator light) by the driver or the automatic driving system 100.

  Each of the steering sensor, the accelerator sensor, the brake sensor, and the winker sensor is not particularly limited, and various known sensors can be used. The steering sensor, the accelerator sensor, the brake sensor, and the winker sensor are not necessarily provided in duplicate. The internal sensor 2 transmits information regarding the detected traveling state of the vehicle V to the automatic driving ECU 10. The traveling state includes at least one of the speed, acceleration, yaw rate, steering angle, accelerator opening, and moving direction of the vehicle V.

  The GPS receiving unit 3 measures the position of the vehicle V (latitude and longitude of the vehicle V) by receiving signals from three or more GPS satellites. The GPS receiver 3 transmits position information regarding the measured position of the vehicle V to the automatic driving ECU 10 and the navigation system 5. Instead of the GPS receiver 3, other means that can specify the latitude and longitude of the vehicle V may be used.

  The map database 4 is a database provided with map information. The map database is formed in an HDD [Hard disk drive] mounted on the vehicle V. The map information includes road position information, road shape information (for example, curves, straight line types, curve curvatures, etc.), and intersection and branch point position information. The map database 4 may be stored in a computer of a facility such as an information processing center that can communicate with the vehicle V.

  The navigation system 5 is a device that provides guidance to the driver of the vehicle V to the destination set by the driver of the vehicle V. The navigation system 5 calculates the route on which the vehicle V travels based on the position information of the vehicle V measured by the GPS receiver 3 and the map information in the map database 4. The route may specify a suitable lane in a multi-lane section. The navigation system 5 calculates a target route from the current location of the vehicle V to the destination. The navigation system 5 transmits information on the target route of the vehicle V to the automatic driving ECU 10. The navigation system 5 may be stored in a computer of a facility such as an information processing center that can communicate with the vehicle V.

  The actuator 6 is a device that executes traveling control of the vehicle V. The actuator 6 includes at least an engine actuator, a brake actuator, and a steering actuator. The engine actuator controls the driving force of the vehicle V by controlling the amount of air supplied to the engine (throttle opening) in accordance with a control signal from the automatic operation ECU 10. When the vehicle V is a hybrid vehicle, in addition to the amount of air supplied to the engine, a control signal from the automatic operation ECU 10 is input to a motor as a power source to control the driving force. When the vehicle V is an electric vehicle, a control signal from the automatic operation ECU 10 is input to a motor as a power source to control the driving force. The motor as the power source in these cases constitutes the actuator 6.

  The brake actuator controls the brake system according to a control signal from the automatic operation ECU 10 and controls the braking force applied to the wheels of the vehicle V. A hydraulic brake system can be used as the brake system. The steering actuator controls driving of an assist motor that controls steering torque in the electric power steering system in accordance with a control signal from the automatic driving ECU 10. Thereby, the steering actuator controls the steering torque of the vehicle V.

  The HMI 7 is an interface that outputs and inputs information between an occupant (including a driver) of the vehicle V and the automatic driving system 100. The HMI 7 includes a display panel for displaying image information, a speaker for audio output, and operation buttons or a touch panel for an occupant to perform an input operation. In the HMI 7, operation inputs for various functions are performed by a passenger. The operation input to the HMI 7 is an operation input for switching the operation of the vehicle V between automatic operation and manual operation, an operation input related to ON / OFF of the dimming control of the headlamp 9 described later, and a destination of the navigation system 5. Includes operation inputs to be set. The HMI 7 may output information to the occupant using a wirelessly connected portable information terminal, or may accept an input operation by the occupant using the portable information terminal.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the interior lamp 8 is a vehicle illumination device that illuminates the interior of the vehicle compartment R of the vehicle V. The interior lamp 8 includes a ceiling lamp provided on the ceiling in the passenger compartment R. The interior lamp 8 includes a front seat interior lamp provided around the inside mirror. The interior lamp 8 includes a rear seat interior lamp provided on the ceiling above the door of the rear seat. The interior light 8 includes a footlight provided at the foot of the seat. The interior lamp 8 is not particularly limited, and various lighting devices can be used. One interior lamp 8 may be provided in the vehicle interior R, or a plurality of interior lights 8 may be provided.

  As the interior light 8, for example, an LED is used. The interior light 8 is configured such that its illuminance can be adjusted. For example, the room light 8 may have a dimming function, and the illuminance may be adjustable in multiple steps or in a stepless manner. When one room lamp 8 is composed of a plurality of LEDs, the illuminance may be adjustable by changing the number of LEDs to be lit. The interior light 8 may be adjustable in illuminance by adjusting the degree of shading. The interior light 8 can be turned off and turned on by an operation input to a switch arranged in the vicinity thereof, an operation input to the HMI 7, an audio input, or the like.

  The headlamp 9 is a vehicle lighting device that illuminates the front of the vehicle V as shown in FIG. The headlamps 9 are a pair of headlights provided at both ends in the vehicle width direction at the front end of the vehicle V. The region illuminated by the headlamp 9 is defined by the light distribution L1 of the headlamp 9 on the right side of the vehicle traveling direction and the light distribution L2 of the headlamp 9 on the left side of the vehicle traveling direction. The light distribution and luminous intensity of the headlamp 9 are controlled by an illumination control ECU 20 described later. The light distribution and luminous intensity of the headlamp 9 are automatically adjusted by the illumination control ECU 20 in accordance with the surrounding state of the vehicle V by the external sensor 1 and the traveling state of the vehicle V by the internal sensor 2. The headlamp 9 is an AHS [Adaptive Hi-beam System] in which the light distribution and the light intensity are automatically adjusted by the illumination control ECU 20 so that light does not directly strike the preceding other vehicle or the oncoming vehicle.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an area illuminated by the headlamp 9 when the front (vehicle traveling direction) is viewed from the vehicle compartment R side of the vehicle V via the windshield W. The headlamp 9 illuminates the front of the vehicle V with a so-called high beam light distribution, for example, when there is no preceding other vehicle or oncoming vehicle. In the example shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the headlamp 9 illuminates a region L3 in front of the vehicle V with a light distribution in a high beam state. The headlamp 9 illuminates the region L3 with normal luminous intensity when the operation of the vehicle V is manual operation. The normal luminous intensity is the brightness of a predetermined area (described later) illuminated by the headlamp 9 when the vehicle V is operated manually. The normal light intensity may be the same light intensity when the preceding other vehicle and the oncoming vehicle do not exist and when the preceding other vehicle and the oncoming vehicle exist, or may be different light intensity. The normal light intensity when there is no preceding other vehicle or oncoming vehicle may be the same light intensity as that in the high beam state.

  For example, when there is a preceding other vehicle or an oncoming vehicle, the headlamp 9 illuminates the front of the vehicle V so that light does not directly hit the preceding other vehicle or the oncoming vehicle. In the example shown in FIGS. 4C and 4D, the headlamp 9 is a light distribution in which a part of the light distribution in the high beam state is shielded so that the light does not directly hit the preceding other vehicle FV. The area L5 in front of the vehicle V is illuminated. The headlamp 9 illuminates the region L5 with normal luminous intensity when the operation of the vehicle V is manual operation. The normal light intensity when the preceding other vehicle and the oncoming vehicle are present may be a light intensity equal to or lower than the light intensity in the high beam state.

  Returning to FIG. 1, the automatic operation ECU 10 and the lighting control ECU 20 are electronic control units having a CPU [Central Processing Unit], a ROM [Read Only Memory], a RAM [Random Access Memory], and the like. The automatic operation ECU 10 and the illumination control ECU 20 execute various controls by loading a program stored in the ROM into the RAM and executing it by the CPU. The automatic operation ECU 10 and the illumination control ECU 20 may be composed of a plurality of electronic control units.

  The automatic operation ECU 10 includes an operation control unit 12 and a switching timing setting unit 14. The driving control unit 12 executes automatic driving control for automatically driving the vehicle V based on at least one of the surrounding situation of the vehicle V, the traveling state, the position, the map data, and the target route. As an example, the operation control part 12 performs automatic operation control as follows.

  The operation control unit 12 generates a course of the vehicle V based on the target route, the position of the vehicle V, and the surrounding situation. The course is a trajectory that the vehicle V travels on the target route. A route is generated so that the vehicle V travels appropriately on the target route in accordance with standards such as safety, legal compliance, and traveling efficiency. The target route includes a travel route that is automatically generated based on the surrounding situation or map information when the destination is not explicitly set by the driver.

  The driving control unit 12 generates a travel plan along a preset target route based at least on the surrounding situation and the map information. The operation control unit 12 determines a travel plan to be generated as a set of two elements, that is, a target position p in a coordinate system in which the course of the vehicle V is fixed to the vehicle V and a speed v at each target point, that is, a configuration. It may be output as having a plurality of coordinates (p, v). Each target position p has at least x-coordinate and y-coordinate positions in a coordinate system fixed to the vehicle V or information equivalent thereto. The travel plan is not particularly limited as long as it describes the behavior of the vehicle V. The travel plan may use the target time t instead of the speed v, or may be the one in which the target time t and the direction of the vehicle V at that time are added.

  The travel plan includes a motion profile such as the position, speed, and acceleration of the vehicle V that should be a target of travel control from the current time to after a lapse of a minute time. The motion profile is calculated within the motion limit range in consideration of riding comfort while ensuring a margin with the wall and surrounding vehicles. For the travel plan, future data that is a few seconds ahead of the current time is sufficient. However, depending on the situation such as turning right at the intersection or passing the vehicle V, data of several tens of seconds is required. And the distance between coordination coordinates may be variable. Furthermore, a curve connecting the coordination coordinates may be approximated by a spline function or the like, and the parameters of the curve may be set as a travel plan. As the generation of the travel plan, any known method can be used as long as it can describe the behavior of the vehicle V. The travel plan may be data indicating changes in the vehicle speed, acceleration / deceleration, steering torque, and the like of the vehicle V when the vehicle V travels along a route along the target route. The travel plan may include a speed pattern, an acceleration / deceleration pattern, and a steering pattern of the vehicle V.

  The speed pattern is data including a target vehicle speed set in association with time for each target control position with respect to the target control position set at a predetermined interval on the course. The acceleration / deceleration pattern is data including target acceleration / deceleration set in association with time for each target control position with respect to the target control position set at a predetermined interval on the course. The steering pattern is data including target steering torque set in association with time for each target control position with respect to the target control position set at predetermined intervals on the course.

  The operation control unit 12 automatically controls the travel of the vehicle V based on the generated travel plan. The operation control unit 12 outputs a control signal corresponding to the travel plan to the actuator 6. Thereby, the driving control unit 12 executes automatic driving control for automatically driving the vehicle V according to the travel plan.

  The automatic operation control of the operation control unit 12 is not limited to the above example. When the vehicle V includes an in-vehicle communication unit that performs road-to-vehicle communication or vehicle-to-vehicle communication, the operation control unit 12 executes automatic operation control for automatically driving the vehicle V by remote operation via the in-vehicle communication unit. Also good. The driving control unit 12 may execute traveling control for automatically driving the vehicle V so as to follow the preceding other vehicle based on information on the preceding other vehicle acquired through the in-vehicle communication unit. In these automatic driving controls, at least one of the surrounding situation of the vehicle V, the traveling state, the position, the map data, and the target route may be used.

  The operation control unit 12 can terminate the automatic operation control being executed and switch the operation of the vehicle V from the automatic operation to the manual operation. The switching timing is input from the switching timing setting unit 14 to the operation control unit 12. When the present time has reached the switching timing, the operation control unit 12 ends the automatic operation control being executed, and switches the operation of the vehicle V from the automatic operation to the manual operation. When the switching timing is input, the operation control unit 12 outputs from the HMI 7 that the operation is switched from the automatic operation to the manual operation.

  The switching timing setting unit 14 sets a switching timing that is a timing at which the driving control unit 12 switches the driving of the vehicle V from the automatic driving to the manual driving during execution of the automatic driving control. The switching timing setting unit 14 outputs the set switching timing to the operation control unit 12 and the illumination control ECU 20. For example, the switching timing setting unit 14 sets the switching timing as follows.

  The switching timing setting unit 14 is configured to move the vehicle V to an area where automatic driving is not permitted based on at least one of the surrounding state, traveling state, position, and map data of the vehicle V when the vehicle V is automatically driven by automatic driving control. Is set (estimated) by predicting as the switching timing. In this case, the switching timing may be predicted based on the travel plan generated by the operation control unit 12.

  When the switching timing setting unit 14 can acquire a target route based on the in-vehicle communication information of the navigation system 5 or the in-vehicle communication unit while the vehicle V is automatically driving on a specific road (such as a highway) where the automatic driving is permitted under the automatic driving control. Based on this target route, it is determined whether or not the vehicle V is scheduled to leave a general road where automatic driving is not permitted. When the vehicle V is scheduled to leave the general road, the switching timing setting unit 14 predicts and sets the timing at the time of leaving as the switching timing. In this case, the prediction of the switching timing may be performed based on at least one of the surrounding situation of the vehicle V, the traveling state, the position, and the map data, or may be performed based on the traveling plan generated by the operation control unit 12.

  The switching timing setting unit 14 changes the lane near the exit of the specific road when the vehicle V cannot automatically acquire a target route while the vehicle V is automatically driving on the specific road for which automatic driving is permitted. When V decelerates, the timing at the time of exit from the exit is predicted and set as the switching timing. In this case, the prediction of the switching timing may be performed based on at least one of the surrounding situation of the vehicle V, the traveling state, the position, and the map data, or may be performed based on the traveling plan generated by the operation control unit 12.

  When the vehicle V is in automatic operation by automatic operation control and the operation input for switching the operation of the vehicle V from automatic operation to manual operation (ON operation of the automatic operation cancel switch) is made in the HMI 7, A timing after a predetermined standby time set in advance from the time of the operation input is set as a switching timing. The predetermined waiting time is a time set in advance and stored in the automatic operation ECU 10. The predetermined waiting time may be a fixed value or may be a variable value corresponding to the traveling state of the vehicle V, for example.

  The switching timing setting unit 14 leaves the preceding other vehicle (lost the preceding other vehicle) until automatic driving is disabled during automatic driving in the automatic driving control in which the vehicle V travels so as to follow the preceding other vehicle. When this can be predicted, the switching timing is set immediately before the timing at which automatic driving becomes impossible. The timing at which automatic driving is disabled can be predicted based on at least one of the surrounding situation of the vehicle V, the traveling state, the position, the map data, and the in-vehicle communication information of the in-vehicle communication unit.

  The switching timing setting unit 14 is an area where remote operation is impossible when the vehicle V can be predicted to enter an area where remote operation is impossible during automatic operation of the vehicle V via remote operation via the in-vehicle communication unit. Immediately before the timing when the vehicle V enters is set as the switching timing. The timing at which the vehicle V enters the area where remote operation is impossible can be predicted based on at least one of the surrounding state of the vehicle V, the traveling state, the position, the map data, and the in-vehicle communication information of the in-vehicle communication unit. When the abnormality is detected in the automatic driving system 100, the switching timing setting unit 14 sets the timing immediately after the abnormality detection time as the switching timing.

  The illumination control ECU 20 includes a headlamp control unit 22 and a light increase pattern generation unit 24. The headlamp control unit 22 controls the headlamp 9. The headlamp control unit 22 performs the light increase control when the operation control unit 12 switches the operation of the vehicle V from the automatic operation to the manual operation when the automatic operation control is being performed and the interior light 8 is in the lighting state. Run. Specifically, the headlamp control unit 22 performs the light increase control when the current time has reached the switching timing set by the switching timing setting unit 14 when the automatic operation control is being performed and the indoor lamp 8 is in the lighting state. Run.

  The light increase control is a control for increasing the brightness of a predetermined area illuminated by the headlamp 9 for a predetermined time that is greater than the normal light intensity. The brightening control is performed by setting the brightness of a predetermined area illuminated by the headlamp 9 for a predetermined time according to the brightening pattern generated by the brightening pattern generation unit 24 to a brightness obtained by increasing the brightness of the normal lamp. Control of light distribution and intensity. In other words, the headlamp control unit 22 performs a light increase pattern during a period from when the current time reaches the switching timing until a predetermined time elapses when the automatic operation control is being executed and the indoor lamp 8 is in a lighting state. In accordance with the light increase pattern generated by the generation unit 24, the brightness of a predetermined area illuminated by the headlamp 9 is increased from the normal light intensity.

  The predetermined region is a region where the luminous intensity of the headlamp 9 is temporarily increased by the light increase control when the operation of the vehicle V is switched from the automatic operation to the manual operation. The predetermined area may be a partial area included in the area L3 illuminated by the headlamp 9 when there is no preceding other vehicle and oncoming vehicle, for example. In the example shown in FIG. 4A, the predetermined area is the area L4. The predetermined area may be a partial area included in the area L5 illuminated by the headlamp 9 when, for example, a preceding other vehicle and an oncoming vehicle exist. In the example shown in FIG. 4C, the predetermined area is the area L6. The predetermined area may be an area in which the driver's line of sight is easily directed when the driving of the vehicle V is switched from automatic driving to manual driving. The predetermined time is a time set in advance and stored in the illumination control ECU 20. The predetermined time may be a fixed value or may be a variable value according to the traveling state of the vehicle V, for example.

  Whether or not automatic driving control is being executed is determined, for example, by whether or not an automatic driving flag is set or whether an automatic driving execution signal indicating that automatic driving control is being executed is input from the automatic driving ECU 10 or the like. May be. The automatic operation flag is established by the operation control unit 12 during execution of automatic operation control. Whether or not the driving of the vehicle V has been switched from automatic driving to manual driving depends on whether, for example, the standing automatic driving flag has been cleared or whether a switching signal indicating driving switching has been input from the automatic driving ECU 10. You may judge. As to whether or not the interior light 8 is lit, for example, whether or not the lighting flag of the interior light 8 is set, the power supplied to the interior light 8, or the illumination state signal indicating the illumination state of the interior light 8 is indoors. The determination may be made based on whether the light is input from the lamp 8 or the like. The lighting flag is established when the indoor lamp 8 is in a lighting state. The lighting state is a state in which the interior light 8 is lit and the interior of the passenger compartment R is illuminated. The lighting state is a state where the illuminance of the interior light 8 is greater than zero. The switching timing is input from the switching timing setting unit 14 and acquired.

  A specific method or method for controlling the luminous intensity of the headlamp 9 by the headlamp control unit 22 is not particularly limited, and various known methods or known schemes can be used as long as the luminous intensity of the headlamp 9 can be increased. Also good. The state of the headlamp 9 before the light increase control is performed is not particularly limited, and may be a light-off state or a state in which the front of the vehicle V is illuminated with normal light intensity. The headlamp control unit 22 may set the brightness of the predetermined area illuminated by the headlamp 9 as the normal luminous intensity after a predetermined time has elapsed since the driving of the vehicle V was switched from automatic driving to manual driving.

  The brightening pattern generation unit 24 generates a brightening pattern used in the brightening control of the headlamp control unit 22. The brightening pattern is a pattern related to an increase in the brightness when the brightness of a predetermined area illuminated by the headlamp 9 is increased. The brightening pattern is a way of increasing the brightness of the headlamp 9 in the predetermined area.

  As shown in FIG. 4A, for example, when there is no preceding other vehicle, an oncoming vehicle, or the like, when the driving of the vehicle V is switched from automatic driving to manual driving, the driver There is a high probability that the line of sight is directed to the (center area). Therefore, when there is no preceding other vehicle, an oncoming vehicle, or the like, the brightening pattern is temporarily changed from the time when the driving of the vehicle V is switched from the automatic driving to the manual driving. Can be a pattern that increases the luminous intensity higher than the normal luminous intensity. That is, in this case, the predetermined area is the area L4.

  As shown in FIG. 4C, for example, when there is a preceding other vehicle FV, when the driving of the vehicle V is switched from automatic driving to manual driving, the driver looks at the vicinity of the preceding other vehicle FV. The probability of turning is high. Therefore, when the preceding other vehicle FV exists, the light increase pattern temporarily changes the luminous intensity of the region L6, which is the region near the preceding other vehicle FV, from the time when the driving of the vehicle V is switched from the automatic driving to the manual driving. The pattern can be increased to a brightening intensity higher than the normal luminous intensity. That is, in this case, the predetermined area is the area L6. The region L6 is a low beam area in which light does not directly strike the preceding other vehicle FV in the region L5.

  The brightening pattern may be a pattern that increases the light intensity at a predetermined constant rate or a changing rate as time passes. The brightening pattern may be a pattern that increases the light intensity in multiple stages as time passes. The brightening pattern may be a pattern in which the light intensity is increased slowly and then increased suddenly, or vice versa.

  The brightening pattern may be a pattern according to the driver's operation input (preference). The operation input of the brightening pattern can be input via the HMI 7. The brightening pattern may be a pattern according to the driver. In this case, for example, when the driver is an elderly person, a brightening pattern that increases the light intensity at a steep ratio may be used, and when the driver is a young person, a brightening pattern that increases the light intensity at a moderate ratio may be used. The driver's information can be acquired by an operation input to the HMI 7 or an in-vehicle camera. The brightening pattern may be a pattern according to the surrounding situation. The brightening pattern may be a pattern that increases the light intensity at a moderate rate when the periphery of the vehicle V is a bright urban area even at night. Note that “loose ratio” and “steep ratio” mean moderate and steep with respect to an arbitrary reference ratio.

  Next, an example of processing related to the light increase control of the headlamp 9 that is executed during the automatic driving of the vehicle V in the automatic driving system 100 will be specifically described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  In the automatic operation system 100, when the automatic operation control is being executed by the operation control unit 12 and the indoor lamp 8 is in the lighting state, the driver is turned on by the driver with respect to the HMI 7 (light increase control). In the lighting control ECU 20, the following processing is executed.

  The headlamp control unit 22 acquires the switching timing from automatic driving to manual driving from the switching timing setting unit 14 (step S1). The headlamp control unit 22 determines whether or not the driving of the vehicle V has been switched from automatic driving to manual driving based on whether or not the current time has reached the switching timing (step S2). In the case of YES in the above step S2, the headlamp control unit 22 executes the light increase control for controlling the light distribution and the light intensity of the headlamp 9, and the predetermined time is determined according to the light increase pattern generated by the light increase pattern generation unit 24. The brightness of the predetermined area illuminated by the headlamp 9 is set to the luminous intensity obtained by increasing the brightness relative to the normal luminous intensity (step S3). Simultaneously with the above step S3, the HMI 7 may output that the operation is switched from the automatic operation to the manual operation and that the brightening control is executed.

  The headlamp control unit 22 determines whether a predetermined time has elapsed from the switching timing (step S4). If YES in step S4, the light increase control is terminated (step S5), and the brightness of the predetermined area illuminated by the headlamp 9 is set to the normal luminous intensity by the headlamp control unit 22. Thereafter, the process ends. If NO in step S2, the process returns to step S1. If NO in step S4, the process returns to step S3. When the interior light 8 is turned off by the occupant, or when the light increase control is turned off by the occupant for the HMI 7, the processing is terminated, and the headlamp 9 is operated by the headlamp control unit 22. The brightness of the predetermined area illuminated by is set to the normal luminous intensity.

  As described above, in the automatic driving system 100, when the indoor lamp 8 is in a lighting state while the vehicle V is operating in automatic driving, the headlamp 9 illuminates when the driving of the vehicle V is switched from automatic driving to manual driving. The brightness of the area is increased for a predetermined time period in advance than the normal luminous intensity, which is the brightness of the predetermined area illuminated by the headlamp 9 when the vehicle V is operated manually. Thus, when the automatic driving is switched to the manual driving, the driver's field of view with respect to the predetermined region can be temporarily improved, so that the driver's eyes can be easily adapted to the outside of the dark vehicle. Therefore, when the driving of the vehicle V is switched from the automatic driving to the manual driving, even if the driver's pupil is used to the inside of the bright passenger compartment R and becomes narrow, the driver may not easily see the outside of the vehicle. Can be reduced.

  As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was described, this invention is implemented in various forms, without being limited to the said embodiment.

  In the above embodiment, some of the functions of the automatic operation ECU 10 and the lighting control ECU 20 may be executed in a computer of a facility such as an information processing center that can communicate with the vehicle V. In the above embodiment, the processing of FIG. 5 executed by the lighting control ECU 20 may be executed when it is determined that the current time is night based on the surrounding situation from the external sensor 1.

  In the above-described embodiment, when an abnormality is detected in the automatic driving system 100, when there is no time margin for notifying the occupant of the abnormality, the headlamp control unit 22 immediately executes the light increase control, and the operation control unit 12 May immediately switch operation to manual operation. When an abnormality of the automatic driving system 100 is detected, if there is a time margin, the passenger is notified of the abnormality of the automatic driving system 100 via the HMI 7, and then the headlamp control unit 22 executes the light increase control. The operation control unit 12 may immediately switch the operation to the manual operation.

  In the above embodiment, the headlamp control unit 22 is in advance from when the current time has reached the switching timing set by the switching timing setting unit 14 when the automatic operation control is being performed and the indoor lamp 8 is in a lighting state. Brightening control was executed for a period until a predetermined time elapses. That is, the brightening control is executed for a predetermined time from when the driving of the vehicle V is switched from the automatic driving to the manual driving. However, the headlamp control unit 22 performs a predetermined predetermined time from when the current time reaches a timing earlier than the switching timing when the automatic operation control is being performed and the interior light 8 is in a lighting state. Brightening control may be executed for a period until time elapses. In short, the headlamp control unit 22 only needs to execute light increase control for a predetermined time from when the operation of the vehicle V is switched from automatic operation to manual operation.

  The said embodiment may be provided with the switching point setting part which sets the switching point which switches the driving | running | working of the vehicle V from an automatic driving | operation to a manual driving | operation during execution of automatic driving | operation control. In this case, the headlamp control unit 22 performs the above-described light increase control when the vehicle V reaches the switching point set by the switching point setting unit when the automatic driving control is being performed and the interior light 8 is in the lighting state. May be executed.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 8 ... Interior light, 9 ... Headlight, R ... Vehicle compartment, 12 ... Operation control part, 14 ... Switching timing setting part, 22 ... Headlight control part, 100 ... Automatic operation system, L4, L6 ... Area (predetermined) Area), V ... vehicle.

Claims (1)

An interior light that illuminates the interior of the vehicle,
A headlamp that illuminates the front of the vehicle;
A headlamp control unit for controlling the headlamp;
An automatic operation control for automatically driving the vehicle, and an operation control unit capable of switching the operation of the vehicle from an automatic operation to a manual operation by terminating the automatic operation control being executed,
The headlight controller is
When the automatic operation control is being performed and the room light is in a lighting state, when the operation of the vehicle is switched from automatic operation to manual operation by the operation control unit, the brightness of a predetermined area illuminated by the headlamp An automatic driving system in which when the vehicle is operated manually, the light intensity is increased for a predetermined period of time than the normal luminous intensity, which is the brightness of a predetermined area illuminated by the headlamp.

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