JP2019048518A - Notification device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a notification device which facilitates understanding of a travel environment by an occupant even when the occupant does not conduct periphery monitoring by notification based on the travel environment in corresponding control as an appropriate response to an object during automatic drive or drive assistance.SOLUTION: A notification device includes a drive control part which controls drive of a vehicle and carries out automatic drive control or drive assistance control of the vehicle. The drive control part carries out steering control divided into a plurality of times when steering in either right or left direction becomes necessary on the vehicle in an automatic drive control state or a drive assistance control state.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to an informing device, and more particularly to an informing device capable of promoting an understanding of a traveling environment by a passenger at the time of automatic control or response control at the time of driving support.

  Equipped with a HUD device that displays obstacle marks, alerting marks and traveling direction marks superimposed on the scenery in front of the vehicle when obstacles come close, in order for the occupants to feel secure during automatic driving in an autonomous driving vehicle A display device for a vehicle is known (see Patent Document 1).

Unexamined-Japanese-Patent No. 2017-091115

  For example, when the driver of the vehicle manually operates as a driver, the driver monitors the surrounding environment ahead through the front window. In addition, at the time of automatic driving or driving assistance, since the occupant gives the vehicle the initiative of driving, the necessity for performing the surroundings monitoring of the occupant decreases, and the awareness of the surrounding environment during traveling may be reduced. There is.

  The above-described conventional vehicle display device can display a warning for handling an object such as a preceding vehicle at the time of automatic driving, but displays it when the driver does not monitor surroundings from the beginning. It was difficult for the crew to notice.

  Therefore, the problem to be solved by the present invention is to monitor the surroundings of the occupant by notifying the occupant with a predetermined physical sensation at the time of operation control for performing an appropriate response to an object during automatic driving or driving assistance. It is an object of the present invention to provide an informing device that promotes the understanding of the traveling environment of the passenger even if

  As means for solving the above problems, the notification device according to the present invention includes a driving control unit that controls driving of the vehicle to perform automatic driving control or driving support control of the vehicle, and the driving control unit performs automatic operation. When the vehicle in the drive control state or the drive support control state needs to be steered to either the left or right direction, the steering control divided into a plurality of times is performed.

  In the notification device according to the present invention, it is preferable that the steering in any of the left and right directions is at least a steering that avoids a predetermined object.

  In the informing device according to the present invention, the steering control includes a first steering that performs steering in the same direction as a steering direction in any of the left and right directions, a second steering that performs steering for returning the first steering, and It is preferable to have third steering that steers in the same direction as the first steering after the second steering.

  In the notification device according to the present invention, preferably, at least one of a steering angle and a steering angular velocity is set larger in the third steering than in the first steering.

  In the notification device according to the present invention, preferably, the operation control unit performs steering control so as to perform the third steering when the travel distance of the vehicle reaches a predetermined threshold after the second steering.

  In the notification device according to the present invention, preferably, the operation control unit performs steering control so as to perform the third steering before the travel distance of the vehicle reaches a predetermined threshold after the second steering. .

  According to the present invention, when response control with appropriate steering to an object is performed in the automatic driving state or the driving support state, the occupant experiences the acceleration or the yaw moment in the lateral direction by the steering divided into multiple times. Make a notification that does not depend on visual observation, and make the occupant's awareness turn to the condition of the vehicle. In this way, in the automatic driving state or the driving support state of the vehicle which is a situation where the concentration on the periphery monitoring by the occupant may decrease, a notification device capable of promoting the understanding of the traveling environment of the occupant even if the periphery is not monitored. Can be provided.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a notification device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing an example of a vehicle traveling condition using the notification device shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a control flow when using the notification device shown in FIG.

One embodiment of a notification device according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a notification device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing an example of a vehicle traveling condition using the notification device 1 shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a control flow when using the notification device 1 shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the notification device 1 includes an operation control unit 10. Moreover, the vehicle provided with the alerting | reporting apparatus 1 is provided with the detection part 20 and the vehicle drive part 30, as shown in FIG. In the present embodiment, the detection unit 20 can output the information detected by the detection unit 20 to the drive control unit 10, and the drive control unit 10 can output the drive signal to the vehicle drive unit 30. There is.

The driving control unit 10 controls driving of the vehicle to perform automatic driving control or advanced driving support control of the vehicle. The drive control of the vehicle by the drive control unit 10 is performed by outputting a drive signal to the vehicle drive unit 30.
The automatic driving control of the vehicle and the advanced driving support control are performed by driving the vehicle while holding all or most of the main control of acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle and steering. Basically, the automatic driving control and the advanced driving support control by the driving control unit 10 are divided into a plurality of levels according to the degree of retention of the above-mentioned initiative, and the driving control unit 10 controls the driving control level according to the surrounding environment etc. It will be changed. As this operation control level, for example, an automatic operation level defined in SAE J3016 (2016) adopted by NHTSA or the like can be used. According to SAE J3016, what is called automatic operation is SAE levels 3 to 5.
In the present embodiment, the operation control unit 10 continues to construct and update a traveling scenario according to the surrounding environment which changes with time. The traveling scenario in the present embodiment includes, for example, acceleration / deceleration information of the vehicle, steering information, and the like. The information related to the surrounding environment for constructing the traveling scenario can use the information detected by the detection unit 20.
As the operation control unit 10, it is possible to use a control processing unit or the like used in a normal autonomous driving vehicle or a driving assistance vehicle. The operation control unit 10 in the present embodiment can use an existing arithmetic processing unit, but performs specific drive control of the vehicle drive unit 30 under a specific traveling environment as described later with reference to FIG. It has become.

The vehicle drive unit 30 has a speed adjustment unit 31 and a steering unit 32. The speed adjustment unit 31 adjusts the speed of the vehicle by accelerating and braking the vehicle. The steering unit 32 adjusts the traveling direction of the vehicle by adjusting the direction of the wheels.
As the speed adjustment unit 31, an accelerator and a brake that can be operated by the passenger side during manual operation, an ECU (Engine Control Unit) in which the vehicle side performs engine control, and the like can be used. As the steering unit 32, a steering device operable by an occupant, a steering by wire system controlled by the vehicle side, or the like can be used. Although described later with reference to FIG. 3, in the present embodiment, the steering unit 32 is mainly used.

The detection unit 20 is a member for detecting a condition, a state, an environment, and the like inside and outside the vehicle, and is a member for detecting at least an environment around the vehicle, preferably a vehicle state of the own vehicle and other vehicles. Other vehicles, obstacles, etc. can be mentioned as a detection object concerning a surrounding environment of a vehicle. As a detection object concerning a vehicle state, a position of a self-vehicle and other vehicles, a direction of movement, speed, acceleration, etc. can be mentioned.
Specifically, various sensors, cameras, and the like can be used as the detection unit 20, and information can also be fetched from the outside via a communication device for detection of the surrounding environment.

  Here, a traveling environment in which the notification device 1 according to the present embodiment can be used will be described with reference to FIG. All the vehicles shown in FIG. 2 are in a state of traveling toward the front which is the upper side of the drawing. The vehicle A shown in the lower part of FIG. 2 is the own vehicle, and the vehicle B traveling in front of the own vehicle A is the other vehicle.

In the driving environment shown in FIG. 2, when the host vehicle A is in the automatic driving control state or the advanced driving support control state, the driving control unit 10 performs a driving scenario in which the other vehicle B is avoided by performing overtaking of the other vehicle B. Can be set.
The traveling scenario set by the operation control unit 10 in the present embodiment can be stored in a storage device or the like for data storage mounted on the existing vehicle.

Here, as a traveling environment using the notification device 1 according to the present embodiment, for example, at least steering a predetermined target detected or assumed substantially forward of the host vehicle in automatic driving control or advanced driving support control. It is determined that it is necessary to avoid using the vehicle, and a traveling environment in which a traveling scenario in which the determination result is reflected can be set can be mentioned.
The predetermined object to be avoided may be another vehicle, or may be a fixed or movable obstacle. Further, for the avoidance of the target object by the own vehicle, for example, not only the evasive action in the case where the vehicle can not travel unless it is avoided, as shown in FIG. An overtaking action will also be included.
The predetermined object may be a real thing or a virtual thing. The actual object is, for example, one actually detected by the detection unit 20 or the like. Further, for example, when it is previously known from the navigation information or the like that the own vehicle enters the merging vicinity area of the road, the driving control unit 10 assumes that there is a high probability that another vehicle to be avoided is present at the merging portion. In this case, the virtual other vehicle to be avoided can be a virtual object. The presence or absence of a virtual object can be determined according to the level of the possibility of the presence of other vehicles derived based on road traffic information, inter-vehicle communication, road-to-vehicle communication, and the like.

  In the present embodiment, it is assumed that the traveling scenario includes at least information on a traveling track for avoiding a predetermined object. Specifically, as shown by the solid line arrow in FIG. 2, in view of the surrounding environment, the traveling track of the own vehicle A for performing safe overtaking of the preceding other vehicle B is set in the operation control unit 10 There is. The information on the traveling track includes information such as steering direction, steering angle, steering angular velocity, and steering timing. The traveling scenario may include, for example, acceleration / deceleration information other than the traveling track.

  In the notification device 1 according to the present embodiment, the operation control unit 10 sets a traveling track according to the surrounding environment. In FIG. 2, a traveling route R1 (solid line) set by the operation control unit 10 and a normal avoidance that can be normally taken for existing vehicles to avoid the other vehicle B in the automatic driving control state or the advanced driving support control state The trajectory R2 (one-dot chain line) is shown. The traveling track R <b> 1 and the normal avoidance track R <b> 2 are tracks that are separated in the right direction with respect to the other vehicle B that is the predetermined object.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the first steering T1, the second steering T2 and the third steering T3 are performed before the host vehicle A changes lanes to the adjacent right lane on the traveling track R1, and the host vehicle A The fourth steering T4 is performed after the lane change.
In the normal avoidance route R2, steering is performed once to change the lane of the host vehicle A, and steering is performed again after changing the lane of the host vehicle A. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, in the area where the lane change of the host vehicle A is completed and the vehicle approaches another vehicle B, the traveling track R1 and the normal avoidance track R2 overlap. That is, the traveling track R1 has a difference in steering until just before passing the other vehicle B with respect to the normal avoidance track R2 which can be taken by the existing vehicle.

  In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the first steering T1 is in the same direction as the steering in any of the left and right directions, that is, in the direction in which the host vehicle A tries to avoid the other vehicle B (FIG. 2). Right) steering in the same direction. The second steering T2 is a steering for returning the first steering T1. In the present embodiment, the traveling direction of the host vehicle A that has turned to the right by the first steering T1 is once returned in the same direction as the front direction. The third steering T3 is steering in the same direction as the first steering T1 performed after the second steering T2, specifically, steering for avoiding the other vehicle B. In this embodiment, the lane change of the host vehicle A is performed. Steering angle to the right. The fourth steering T4 is a steering that resets the traveling direction of the host vehicle A in order to return the third steering T3 and overtake the other vehicle B. In the present embodiment, the fourth steering T4 shifts to an adjacent lane by the third steering T3 and travels to the right The traveling direction of the host vehicle A, which has turned to, is returned to the same direction as before the avoidance.

  For automatic driving control and driving support control, the corresponding control for avoiding the danger due to the predetermined object such as the vehicle traveling around and the obstacle, the change of the surrounding environment and the danger are small and the corresponding control is unnecessary. In the case of normal driving control is included. The traveling route R1 and the normal avoidance route R2 set in the present embodiment are the route of the host vehicle A set in the corresponding control.

Even when automatic driving control or advanced driving support control of the host vehicle A is performed by the driving control unit 10, monitoring of the surrounding environment by the occupant is required as in the case of manual driving. However, it is difficult for the occupants to continuously monitor the surrounding environment while maintaining concentration. If the concentration of the occupant with respect to the peripheral monitoring is reduced, the occupant may not notice the indication even though the alert display based on the visual observation using the HUD or the like is performed in the vehicle interior and reported.
In addition, if the vehicle is steered for avoidance in a state in which the concentration of the occupant with respect to peripheral monitoring is reduced when traveling along the normal avoidance trajectory R2 indicated by the alternate long and short dash line in FIG. The occupants feel and become confused as if they suddenly changed, and there may be a delay in the accurate understanding of the surrounding environment, such as in what circumstances it was necessary to steer.

  Here, the control flow when using the notification device 1 shown in FIG. 1 will be described with reference to FIG. 3 shown as a flowchart.

  First, the driving control unit 10 determines the presence or absence of automatic driving control or driving support control based on a driving signal related to acceleration / deceleration and steering of the vehicle output to the vehicle driving unit 30 (step S1). In this process, since the operation control unit 10 itself only determines the presence or absence of the control, the determination can be made based on the presence or absence of the drive signal. When the drive control unit 10 outputs a drive signal capable of carrying all or most of the driving power to the vehicle drive unit 30, it is assumed that the automatic drive control state or the driving support control state of the vehicle Since the determination is possible, the process moves to the next step (YES in step S1). When such a drive signal is not output, the present control flow is completed (NO in step S1).

  Next, the operation control unit 10 determines whether the automatic operation control or the driving support control of the vehicle is performed by the operation control unit 10 and whether or not the corresponding control state is in effect (step S2). Also in this step, as in the previous step (step S1), the presence or absence of control performed by the operation control unit 10 itself is determined, so an obstacle or the like is detected by the detection unit 20 and the vehicle drive unit 30 is detected. When the drive signal which concerns on a corresponding | compatible control state is output, or when the drive signal which concerns on normal travel control is not output to the vehicle drive part 30, it transfers to the following process (YES of step S2). When a drive signal relating to normal travel control is output, or when an obstacle or the like that requires countermeasure control such as avoidance is not detected by the detection unit 20 in the surrounding environment of the host vehicle, the normal travel control state This control flow is completed (NO in step S2).

  Subsequently, when the automatic driving control or driving support control of the vehicle is performed by the driving control unit 10 and the corresponding control state is established (YES in step S2), the traveling track R1 is set (step S3). According to the distance between the other vehicle B and the vehicle A, which is a predetermined object, the relative speed, the road surface condition, the presence or absence of the other vehicle in the adjacent lane, and the other surrounding environment It is set to be able to safely avoid driving.

  Furthermore, after the traveling track R1 is set, a drive signal is output from the operation control unit 10 to the steering unit 32 for traveling along the traveling track R1 (step S4). Specifically, steering control including the first steering T1, second steering T2, and third steering T3 is performed, and then steering control including the fourth steering T4 is performed. When moving from the third steering T3 to the fourth steering T4, the fourth steering T4 may be executed after detecting that the lane has been changed by an on-vehicle camera or the like. The fourth steering T4 may be executed after detecting a change in the vehicle behavior such as the lateral acceleration or yaw moment caused by the steering T3. The time threshold is set in advance, and the third steering T3 is performed. The fourth steering T4 may be executed when a predetermined time elapses after the execution of the command.

  By this process (step S4), the multiple steerings including the first steering T1, the second steering T2 and the third steering T3 are performed until the other vehicle B which is the predetermined object is avoided. As a result, by the inertia acting on the occupant at the time of steering, the acceleration or the yaw moment in the lateral direction can be felt by the occupant. Since letting the occupants feel the acceleration or yaw moment in the left and right directions is a notification that does not depend on sight and hearing, the occupant who experienced the acceleration or yaw moment in the left and right directions thinks of what happened Consciousness will be turned. That is, the occupant's awareness turns to the traveling environment of the host vehicle. In this embodiment, compared with the case where the vehicle travels along the normal avoidance track R2, the vehicle travels along the traveling track R1 to increase the time delay before moving to the lane to be changed. There is a time allowance for understanding, which is preferable. Thus, by taking control to travel on the traveling track R1 instead of the operation control that may cause the occupant to feel that the host vehicle A suddenly bends when traveling along the normal avoidance track R2. The physical and psychological preparation time of the occupant can be secured with respect to the original purpose of the object avoidance. As a result, depending on the notification form of the notification device 1, it is possible to promote the understanding of the traveling environment of the occupant even if the occupant is not performing the periphery monitoring or the accuracy of the periphery monitoring is lowered. It becomes easier for the rider to understand the steering timing for shifting.

  In addition, if the driver is urged to understand the driving environment only when the vehicle gives the driver an initiative in driving in an emergency, the response to the target can be delayed when the driver switches to manual driving. There is sex. Therefore, the notification device according to the present invention can provide the occupant for an emergency by performing steering control of the vehicle in the corresponding control state to promote understanding of the traveling environment of the occupant.

  When it is possible to avoid a predetermined object such as another vehicle B preceding with a margin as in the traveling environment shown in FIG. 2, the operation control is performed according to the control flow shown in FIG. Although it can be performed, when the risk suddenly increases in the surrounding environment and the emergency avoidance becomes necessary, another operation control form can be adopted. Specifically, first, for example, after setting the traveling track different from the normal avoidance track, the first steering, the second steering and the third steering, and the third steering to the fourth steering, the vehicle behavior is rebuilt. The time required for traveling along a normal avoidance track for emergency avoidance is derived respectively. Next, if the time to be added when traveling along the traveling track is more than the appropriate threshold value than when performing the emergency avoidance traveling as usual, it is safer to perform the emergency avoidance as usual. It is determined that That is, when it is predicted that risk will increase more than usual emergency avoidance by performing traveling along the traveling track, driving control without setting the traveling track itself or cancellation of traveling along the traveling track is urgent Operation control that prioritizes avoidance control can be adopted.

  In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the presence or absence of automatic driving control or advanced driving support control and the presence or absence of correspondence control are divided into steps S1 and S2 to be discriminated. The determination may be completed in one step, as long as the situation where it may decrease can be determined.

In the present embodiment, both the traveling track R1 and the normal avoidance track R2 are stored, and in the region where the traveling track R1 is set, the operation control for traveling along the normal avoidance track R2 is invalidated, and Control is performed to validate operation control traveling along the road, and operation control traveling along the normal avoidance track R2 is enabled after the traveling track R1 and the normal avoidance track R2 merge.
In the present invention, the present invention is not limited to this, but in a region until the trajectory of the vehicle deviates from the normal avoidance route and merges again, that is, in the normal avoidance route which actually stops traveling by setting the traveling route. The track on which the vehicle is about to travel may be integrated into only one track and held by performing overwrite control on the traveling track for the region. Thereby, the memory | storage process of two track | orbits, the switching process of validation of the track | orbit, etc., etc. can be abbreviate | omitted.

  In the present embodiment, when setting the traveling track R1 in step S3, in order to refer to the steering direction, steering angle, steering angular velocity, steering timing, etc. of the traveling track R1, normally avoiding track R2 is also set together can do. The setting of the normal avoidance track R2 is not only simultaneously with the setting of the traveling track R1, but also when corresponding control is started, and when the necessity of the corresponding control is recognized by the host vehicle A, etc. Also good.

Further, in the present embodiment, the steering angle and the steering angular velocity are set larger in the third steering T3 than in the first steering T1. As a result, when the third steering T3 is executed, acceleration or yaw moment in the left-right direction is largely exerted on the occupant as compared to the case where the first steering T1 is executed, and the other vehicle B is strongly experienced. It can be done. That is, basically, the notification device 1 according to the present embodiment is configured to notify the occupant with a physical sensation when the third steering T3 is performed. However, since an acceleration or a yaw moment in the lateral direction acts on the occupant also by the first steering T1 and the second steering T2, there is no problem even if the awareness of the occupant is directed to the surrounding environment by these steerings. By setting the number of times of steering to be avoided, the opportunity for the occupant's awareness to face the surrounding environment is increased.
In the present invention, if at least one of the steering angle and the steering angular velocity is set larger in the third steering than in the first steering, as described above, a large lateral acceleration or yaw moment is applied to the occupant. Because it can be

In the case of traveling along the normal avoidance path R2, since the object is to be avoided by one large steering, there has been a possibility that the time required for completing the avoidance steering and the required distance may become long.
On the other hand, in the present embodiment, the steering angle and the steering angular velocity are set larger in the third steering T3 as compared with the steering in the right direction for avoidance in the normal avoidance trajectory R2. As a result, it is possible to shorten the required time and the required distance from the third steering T3 to the fourth steering T4 in traveling along the traveling track R1. In the operation control according to the present embodiment, the third steering T3 is performed from the position where the host vehicle A has approached in the avoidance direction by the first steering T1, so that the occupant can accelerate or yaw momentally in the lateral direction by the third steering T3. When you feel it, the lane change for avoidance is almost complete. Therefore, compared with traveling along the normal avoidance track R2 in which the avoidance steering may continue even after the occupant experiences the avoidance steering, the operation control according to the present embodiment allows the vehicle side to promptly respond to the occupant Can give the occupant a sense of security for automatic driving or driving assistance.

  In the present invention, at least one of the steering angle and the steering angular velocity is preferably set larger in the first steering than in the second steering. Thus, the first steering can maintain the position where the host vehicle is temporarily moved in the avoidance direction, so that quick avoidance steering by the subsequent third control is facilitated.

  In the present invention, the operation control unit may perform steering control to perform third steering when the travel distance of the host vehicle reaches a predetermined threshold after the second steering. As a result, by the second steering for temporarily returning in the direction toward or near the predetermined object, when the autonomous driving vehicle or the advanced driving support vehicle steers, many people view that the occupant naturally steers the steering direction. By using the reaction that it has, it is possible to ensure temporal and distance grace for making the passenger visually observe the other vehicle B that is to be avoided from now.

  On the other hand, in the present invention, the operation control unit may perform steering control so as to perform the third steering when the travel distance of the host vehicle reaches a predetermined threshold after the second steering. As a result, since the second steering and the third steering do not usually set the traveling distance from the first steering to the second steering too long, the first steering, the second steering and the third steering are in succession. It becomes operation control including quick avoidance steering by being executed in By executing a plurality of steerings in sequence, it is possible to continuously apply an acceleration or a yaw moment in substantially the opposite direction to the occupant in each direction of steering, which makes it easy to direct the occupant's awareness to the surrounding environment. So preferred.

  Although the embodiment to which the invention made by the inventor has been applied has been described above, the present invention is not limited by the description and the drawings that form a part of the disclosure of the present invention according to this embodiment. That is, it is needless to say that it is needless to say that all other embodiments, examples, operation techniques and the like made by those skilled in the art based on this embodiment are included in the scope of the present invention.

1: Notification device 10: Driving control unit 20: Detection unit 30: Vehicle driving unit 31: Speed adjustment unit 32: Steering unit A: Own vehicle B: Other vehicle R1: Driving track R2: Normal avoidance track, T1: first steering, T2: second steering, T3: third steering, T4: fourth steering

Claims (6)

A driving control unit that controls driving of a vehicle to perform automatic driving control or driving support control of the vehicle;
The operation control unit performs the steering control divided into a plurality of times when the vehicle in the automatic driving control state or the driving support control state needs to be steered to either the left or right direction.
Notification device. The steering in any of the left and right directions is at least steering for avoiding a predetermined object,
The notification device according to claim 1. The steering control is
Steering in the same direction as the steering direction in any of the left and right directions;
Second steering for performing the steering to return the first steering;
After the second steering, third steering that steers in the same direction as the first steering,
The alerting | reporting apparatus of Claim 1 or 2. In the third steering, at least one of the steering angle and the steering angular velocity is set larger than the first steering.
The alerting | reporting apparatus of Claim 3. The operation control unit performs steering control to perform the third steering when the travel distance of the vehicle reaches a predetermined threshold after the second steering.
The alerting | reporting apparatus of Claim 3 or 4. The operation control unit performs steering control to perform the third steering after the second steering and before the travel distance of the vehicle reaches a predetermined threshold.
The alerting | reporting apparatus of Claim 3 or 4.