JP2019191950A - Convoy travel system - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a convoy travel system that can appropriately cope with an interruption to a convoy of a general vehicle.SOLUTION: A convoy travel system 10 is comprised of: a vehicle control system 11 installed in vehicles CS1, CS2, CS3 that form a convoy; a management system 12 provided in a convoy operation management center and the like; and a notification system (13, 15) provided as a general vehicle CO or road equipment. The management system 12 calculates a distance from a current position of the convoy to a confluence point Pc and calculates a time until the convoy reaches the confluence point Pc as expected arrival information of the convoy to the confluence point Pc based on the traveling data of the vehicles CS1 to CS3 acquired through wireless communication. The management system 12 generates a notification signal Sc including the arrival prediction information, and wirelessly transmits the generated notification signal. The notification system (13, 15) displays the expected arrival information included in the notification signal Sc.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a row running system.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as described in Patent Document 1, for example, a technique for causing a plurality of vehicles to perform a platooning through execution of inter-vehicle distance control using inter-vehicle communication in a plurality of vehicles is known.

JP 2012-30666 A

  When running in a convoy, a general vehicle may interrupt the convoy. For example, in a situation where a general vehicle joins a lane in which a plurality of vehicles are running in a platoon from a merging path, an interruption into the platoon is likely to occur.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a platooning system that can appropriately cope with an interruption to a platoon of a general vehicle.

  A convoy travel system that can achieve the above object is based on the premise that a plurality of vehicles travel in a convoy using wireless communication. The convoy travel system generates approach information indicating that the convoy is approaching the confluence when it is recognized that the convoy is approaching the confluence of the road based on the position information of the convoy. A first device that wirelessly transmits the approach information, and a second device that, when the approach information is received, notifies the general vehicle of the received approach information to the junction.

  According to this structure, the approach information of the formation with respect to a junction is notified to the general vehicle which heads for a junction. By making the driver of the general vehicle aware of the approach information of the platoon, cooperation for platooning can be easily obtained. For this reason, it becomes possible to suppress the interruption | blocking into the line of the general vehicle in a junction. Therefore, by reporting the approach information of the convoy to the ordinary vehicle, it is possible to appropriately cope with the interruption of the ordinary vehicle to the convoy.

  In the above-mentioned platooning system, the first device has, as the approach information, at least a distance from the current position of the platoon to the merging point and a time until the platoon reaches the merging point based on the position information of the platoon. It is preferable to calculate one.

According to this configuration, the driver of the general vehicle can obtain more specific information as the approach information of the platoon.
In the platooning system, the first device may be a management system that acquires position information of the platoon through wireless communication with a vehicle that forms the platoon.

  In the platooning system, the first device is mounted on each of a plurality of vehicles that form a platoon, and the host vehicle is caused to follow the preceding vehicle through wireless communication with the preceding vehicle. The vehicle control system to control may be sufficient.

In the above row running system, the second device may be provided in the general vehicle, or may be provided in a road device installed on the road.
In the above row running system, it is preferable that the second device visually informs the approach information.

  According to the row running system of the present invention, it is possible to appropriately cope with an interruption to the row of general vehicles.

The lineblock diagram showing the outline of one embodiment of a convoy travel system. The block diagram of the vehicle control system in one embodiment. The block diagram of the management system in one embodiment. The block diagram of the alerting | reporting system in one embodiment. (A) is a front view which shows the 1st alerting | reporting aspect by the alerting | reporting apparatus in one Embodiment, (b) is a front view which shows the 2nd alerting | reporting aspect by an alerting | reporting apparatus.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the row running system will be described.
As shown in FIG. 1, the convoy travel system 10 includes a vehicle control system 11 that is mounted on each of a plurality (three in this case) of vehicles CS1, CS2, and CS3, and a convoy operation management center, etc. The management system 12 is provided. The platooning traveling system 10 includes a first notification system 13 provided in a general vehicle CO that does not constitute a platoon and a second notification system 15 provided in a road device 14. However, the row running system 10 only needs to have at least one of the first notification system 13 and the second notification system 15.

<Vehicle control system>
As shown in FIG. 2, the vehicle control system 11 includes an ECU (electronic control unit) 20, a front monitoring sensor 21, a rear monitoring sensor 22, a side monitoring sensor 23, a vehicle speed sensor 24, an acceleration sensor 25, a GPS receiver 26, and A vehicle-to-vehicle communication device 27 is provided. The vehicle control system 11 includes a throttle actuator 31, a brake actuator 32, a steering actuator 33, and an external communication device 34.

  The front monitoring sensor 21 is provided in the front part of the vehicle, monitors the front of the host vehicle, and detects the inter-vehicle distance between the vehicle traveling immediately before the host vehicle and the host vehicle. The rear monitoring sensor 22 is provided in the rear part of the vehicle, monitors the rear of the host vehicle, and detects an inter-vehicle distance between the vehicle traveling immediately after the host vehicle and the host vehicle. The side monitoring sensor 23 is provided on the side of the vehicle, and monitors the side of the host vehicle and detects the distance between the vehicle traveling on the side of the host vehicle and the host vehicle. These monitoring sensors (21, 22, 23) include, for example, a laser radar or a millimeter wave radar, and a camera.

  The vehicle speed sensor 24 detects the traveling speed of the host vehicle. The acceleration sensor 25 detects the longitudinal acceleration of the host vehicle. The GPS receiver 26 receives a positioning signal from a GPS (Global Positioning System) artificial satellite, and detects the position (latitude, longitude) and direction of the host vehicle based on the received positioning signal. The inter-vehicle communication device 27 performs wireless communication between vehicles.

  The throttle actuator 31 adjusts the amount of fuel supplied to the engine through adjustment of the throttle opening. The brake actuator 32 adjusts the braking force for decelerating the vehicle through the brake. The steering actuator 33 steers the left and right wheels by driving the steering rod (steering shaft) in the axial direction. The external communication device 34 performs wireless communication with the management system 12. The external communication device 34 transmits and receives wireless signals using a wireless communication network such as a mobile phone network and an ETC communication network.

  The ECU 20 controls the vehicle as a whole. The ECU 20 controls the output of the engine through the throttle actuator 31. The ECU 20 increases the amount of fuel supplied to the engine through the throttle actuator 31 when accelerating the vehicle, and decreases the amount of fuel supplied to the engine through the throttle actuator 31 when decelerating the vehicle. Further, the ECU 20 controls the braking force of the vehicle through the brake actuator 32. The ECU 20 controls the vehicle speed and the inter-vehicle distance through the throttle actuator 31 and the brake actuator 32. Further, the ECU 20 controls the turning angle of the vehicle (tire turning angle) through the steering actuator 33.

  The ECU 20 exchanges information such as vehicle travel data and identification information (ID) with other vehicles equipped with the inter-vehicle communication device 27 through the inter-vehicle communication device 27. The travel data is information related to the travel state of the host vehicle, and includes information such as the position, speed, acceleration, and direction (travel direction) of the host vehicle.

  The ECU 20 executes ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control) control. In the ACC control, the distance from the preceding vehicle (including a general vehicle) is measured through the front monitoring sensor 21, and the acceleration / deceleration and stop of the preceding vehicle are followed while maintaining a preset inter-vehicle distance and speed. Control for traveling. In the ACC control, a deviation in the vehicle width direction between the preceding vehicle and the own vehicle is detected through the front monitoring sensor 21 (laser radar, camera), and the steering of the own vehicle is controlled so as to eliminate the detected deviation.

  For example, when the preceding vehicle is not detected during execution of the ACC control, the ECU 20 controls the vehicle so that the vehicle travels while maintaining the set vehicle speed. Further, when a preceding vehicle that travels at a speed lower than the set vehicle speed is detected, the ECU 20 performs follow-up control so that the inter-vehicle distance from the preceding vehicle is maintained at a preset inter-vehicle distance. The ECU 20 controls the acceleration of the vehicle so that the inter-vehicle distance from the preceding vehicle does not become smaller than the preset inter-vehicle distance. That is, when the vehicle speed of the preceding vehicle is lower than the set vehicle speed, the ECU 20 reduces the vehicle speed of the host vehicle and maintains the inter-vehicle distance.

  The ECU 20 executes CACC (Cooperative Adaptive Cruise Control) control. CACC refers to control for a plurality of vehicles to travel in a row in cooperation with vehicles before and after the host vehicle on the same lane through wireless communication. In platooning, a plurality of vehicles equipped with the vehicle control system 11 travel in tandem so as to form a platoon while maintaining a constant inter-vehicle distance and a constant speed on the same lane without interposing a general vehicle between them. That means.

  In the CACC control, the acceleration of the host vehicle is controlled based on information about other vehicles in the platoon obtained through inter-vehicle communication. Thereby, the own vehicle follows so that the inter-vehicle distance with the vehicle immediately before in the platoon may be maintained at the target inter-vehicle distance. Vehicles CS <b> 1 to CS <b> 3 that form a platoon mutually exchange information such as specifications of the own vehicle and travel data through the inter-vehicle communication device 27. That is, the vehicle control system 11 of all the vehicles CS1 to CS3 that form the platoon shares information such as specifications and travel data of all the vehicles CS1 to CS3 that form the platoon.

  For example, when the brake is operated on the leading vehicle in the platoon, the information is transmitted to all the vehicles in the platoon. All the vehicles in the platoon will automatically decelerate at an appropriate timing while maintaining the inter-vehicle distance. When the leading vehicle accelerates, the degree of acceleration of the leading vehicle is transmitted to all the vehicles in the platoon. All vehicles in the formation automatically accelerate to maintain the inter-vehicle distance and speed throughout the formation.

<Management system>
As illustrated in FIG. 3, the management system 12 includes a server 41 and a communication device 42. The communication device 42 performs wireless communication with the vehicles CS1 to CS3 constituting the platoon, with the general vehicle CO, and with the roadside device 14, respectively. The server 41 acquires travel data of the vehicles CS1 to CS3 traveling in a row through the communication device 42. The server 41 grasps the operation status of the platoon based on the traveling data of the vehicles CS1 to CS3 acquired through the communication device 42, and notifies the general vehicle CO of the grasped operation status of the platoon. Is generated. The server 41 wirelessly transmits the notification signal Sc through the communication device 42.

<Notification system>
As shown in FIG. 4, the first notification system 13 includes a communication device 51, a control device 52, and a notification device 53. The communication device 51 performs wireless communication with the server 41 of the management system 12. When the notification signal Sc is received through the communication device 51, the control device 52 notifies the driver of the general vehicle CO of the operation status of the platoon based on the received notification signal Sc. As the notification device 53, for example, a display (display device) provided in the passenger compartment is employed.

  The second notification system 15 basically has the same configuration as that of the first notification system 13. That is, as indicated by the reference numerals in parentheses in FIG. 4, the second notification system 15 includes a communication device 61, a control device 62, and a notification device 63. However, as the notification device 63, a display device such as a display installed on the road or an electric bulletin board is adopted.

<Operation of platooning system>
Next, the operation of the row running system will be described.
As shown in FIG. 1, for example, when three vehicles CS1, CS2, and CS3 are traveling in tandem through execution of CACC control, the following two vehicles CS2 and CS2 are driven according to the traveling state of the leading vehicle CS1. The running state of CS3 is controlled. The leading vehicle CS1 may be driven manually by the driver, or may travel while maintaining the set vehicle speed through execution of ACC control. The ECU 20 of the subsequent vehicles CS2 and CS3 controls the traveling state of the vehicles CS2 and CS3 so as to follow the leading vehicle CS1.

  Incidentally, the vehicles CS2 and CS3 other than the leading vehicle CS1 of the platoon may travel following the preceding vehicle based on the traveling state of the vehicle traveling immediately before the host vehicle. In this case, the traveling state of the second vehicle CS2 in the platoon is controlled based on the traveling state of the leading vehicle CS1. The traveling state of the third vehicle CS3 in the platoon is controlled based on the traveling state of the vehicle CS2 immediately before it.

  Here, when the vehicles CS1 to CS3 are traveling in a platoon, there is a concern that the general vehicle CO may be interrupted in the platoon. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, a situation is assumed in which a general vehicle CO that joins from the junction R2 enters the platoon on the road R1 in which the vehicles CS1 to CS3 are traveling in the platoon. Incidentally, the merge channel R2 merges with the road R1 at the merge point Pc.

Therefore, the platooning system 10 deals with the interruption of the general vehicle CO into the platoon as follows.
As shown in FIG. 1, the server 41 acquires travel data of vehicles CS1 to CS3 traveling in a row through wireless communication, and grasps the operation status of the row based on the acquired travel data of the vehicles CS1 to CS3. When the convoy (CS1 to CS3) is approaching the confluence point Pc, the server 41 determines the current position of the convoy (leading vehicle) as arrival prediction information of the convoy to the confluence point Pc based on the traveling data of the vehicles CS1 to CS3. And the distance L from the merging point Pc and the time t until the formation reaches the merging point Pc. This arrival prediction information is also information on the approach of the convoy to the junction Pc. The server 41 generates a notification signal Sc including the arrival prediction information (t, L), and wirelessly transmits the generated notification signal Sc.

  For example, the server 41 determines that the platoon is approaching the merging point Pc when the platoon (leading vehicle) has reached a position a short distance from the merging point Pc. The set distance is set based on, for example, whether or not the general vehicle CO can join the road R1 without joining the formation at the joining point Pc. The set distance is set based on the assumed speed of the general vehicle CO, the operation speed of the platoon, and the like.

  The server 41 recognizes the current position of the formation based on the position information of the vehicles CS1 to CS3 included in the travel data, and determines that the formation is approaching the junction Pc based on the recognized current position of the formation. . The server 41 uses the road map data stored in the server 41 to identify the road R1 on which the platoon is currently traveling based on the current position of the platoon, and obtain information on the road R1 and the junction Pc. The server 41 calculates a distance L between the platoon (leading vehicle) and the junction Pc based on the road map data and the current position of the platoon. Further, the server 41 calculates a time t until the platoon (leading vehicle) reaches the merging point Pc based on the distance L between the platoon and the merging point Pc and the operating speed of the platoon.

  When the notification signal Sc is received, the control device 52 of the first notification system 13 causes the notification device 53 to display the predicted arrival information included in the notification signal Sc. As the display format of the notification device 53, for example, character display or simple graphic display is adopted.

  As shown in FIG. 5A, when the character display is adopted as the display format of the notification device 53, the notification device 53 shows a message indicating that the platoon is approaching (such as “the platooning vehicle is approaching”). The remaining time t until the convoy reaches the confluence Pc and the distance L from the current position of the convoy to the confluence Pc are displayed in text. For this reason, the driver of the general vehicle CO can confirm the approach status of the platoon to the junction Pc by visually checking the notification device 53 provided in the own vehicle.

  As illustrated in FIG. 5B, when the simple graphic display is adopted as the display format of the notification device 53, the notification device 53 has a simple road R 1, junction R 2, position of the platoon, and the position of the own vehicle. It is displayed with a simple figure. For this reason, the driver of the general vehicle CO can visually recognize the positional relationship between the platoon and the host vehicle. Incidentally, in addition to simple graphic display, the arrival prediction information may be displayed in characters.

  When the notification signal Sc is received, the control device 62 of the second notification system 15 causes the notification device 63 to display the predicted arrival information included in the notification signal Sc. The display format of the notification device 63 may be any of the character display shown in FIG. 5A and the simple graphic display shown in FIG. The driver of the general vehicle CO can check the approaching state of the platoon with respect to the junction Pc by viewing the notification device 63 provided on the road.

<Effect of Embodiment>
Therefore, according to the present embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.
When the convoy travel system 10 has the first notification system 13, the driver of the general vehicle CO who intends to join the road R <b> 1 from the junction R <b> 2 is expected arrival information displayed on the notification device 53 of the own vehicle. , It is possible to know that the formation is approaching the junction Pc. In addition, when the row running system 10 includes the second notification system 15, the driver of the general vehicle CO trying to join the road R1 from the junction R2 is displayed on the notification device 63 provided on the road. By visually observing the expected arrival information, it can be known that the formation is approaching the junction Pc.

  Therefore, the driver of the general vehicle CO adjusts the speed of the own vehicle based on the remaining time t until the convoy reaches the confluence Pc and the distance L from the current position of the convoy to the confluence Pc. be able to. For example, the driver of the general vehicle CO accelerates when the convoy wants to join the road R1 before reaching the confluence Pc, or decelerates when the convoy wants to join the road R1 after waiting for the convoy to pass the confluence Pc. Can be. As described above, by making the driver of the general vehicle CO aware of the operation status of the platoon, it is possible to suppress interruption into the platoon. Therefore, it is possible to appropriately cope with the interruption of the general vehicle CO to the platoon.

<Other embodiments>
In addition, you may implement this Embodiment as follows.
The predicted arrival information of the platoon for the junction Pc may be calculated by any one of the plurality of vehicles CS1 to CS3 constituting the platoon. The ECU 20 generates a notification signal Sc including the predicted arrival information (t, L), and wirelessly transmits the generated notification signal Sc through the external communication device 34. This notification signal Sc is received by at least one of the first notification system 13 and the second notification system 15 via the server 41 of the management system 12. Further, the notification signal Sc generated by the ECU 20 may be directly received by at least one of the first notification system 13 and the second notification system 15.

  -As the alerting | reporting apparatus 63 of the 2nd alerting | reporting system 15, you may employ | adopt the ETC vehicle equipment provided in the room | chamber interior of the general vehicle CO. In this case, the expected arrival information of the formation to the junction Pc is notified to the hearing of the driver of the general vehicle CO through the built-in speaker of the ETC in-vehicle device. Further, the arrival prediction information may be notified through another speaker provided in the general vehicle CO instead of the built-in speaker of the ETC in-vehicle device.

  -You may employ | adopt the lamp installed on the road as the alerting | reporting apparatus 63 of the 2nd alerting | reporting system 15. FIG. In this case, for example, by changing the lighting color of the lamp, the operation status of the platoon can be transmitted to the driver of the general vehicle CO. Specifically, when the lamp is lit in red, it indicates that the convoy is crossing the junction Pc. When the lamp is lit in yellow, it indicates that the formation is approaching the junction Pc. When the lamp is lit in yellow, it indicates that there is no convoy that is approaching the junction Pc.

As the formation arrival prediction information, only one of the distance L from the current position of the formation to the joining point Pc and the time t until the formation reaches the joining point Pc may be calculated.
The notification signal Sc may not include the convoy arrival prediction information (L, t), but may include pure approach information indicating only that the convoy is approaching the junction Pc. In this case, the notification devices 53 and 63 display only a message indicating that the formation is approaching (see FIG. 5A).

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Convoy travel system, 11 ... Vehicle control system (1st apparatus), 12 ... Management system (1st apparatus), 13 ... 1st alerting | reporting system (2nd apparatus), 14 ... Road equipment, 15 ... Second notification system (second device), 20 ... ECU (control device), 34 ... external communication device, 41 ... server (control device), CS1, CS2, CS3 ... vehicle (composing a platoon), CO ... General vehicle (not forming a platoon), L ... distance, Pc ... confluence, t ... time.

Claims (7)

In a row running system that uses a wireless communication to run multiple vehicles in a row,
When it is recognized that the convoy is approaching the junction point on the road based on the position information of the convoy, the approach information indicating that the convoy is approaching the confluence point is generated, and the generated approach information is wirelessly transmitted. A first device for transmitting;
A convoy travel system comprising: a second device that, when the approach information is received, notifies the general vehicle of the approach information received to the junction. In the row running system according to claim 1,
The first apparatus calculates at least one of the distance from the current position of the formation to the joining point and the time until the formation reaches the joining point based on the position information of the formation as the approach information. . In the row running system according to claim 1 or claim 2,
The first apparatus is a row running system that is a management system that acquires position information of a row through wireless communication with a vehicle forming the row. In the row running system according to claim 1 or claim 2,
The first device is a vehicle control system that is mounted on each of a plurality of vehicles forming a platoon and controls the host vehicle so that the host vehicle follows the preceding vehicle through wireless communication with the preceding vehicle. Convoy travel system. In the row running system according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The second device is a row running system provided in the general vehicle. In the row running system according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
The second device is a platooning system provided in road equipment installed on the road. In the row running system according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
The second device is a platooning system for visually appealing and notifying the approach information.