JP2023058413A - Automatic operation device, notification control device, and notification control method - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide an automatic operation device, a notification control device, and a vehicle control method that can reduce the risk of impairing convenience or comfort for an occupant by traffic congestion.SOLUTION: A processor 31, which constitutes an automatic operation ECU 30, successively acquires a sleep depth including whether or not an occupant in a driver's seat is asleep while an automatic operation equivalent to the automation level 4 or 5 is being performed. Upon being caught in a traffic or detecting of being caught in a traffic within a predetermined time, the processor 31 changes the manner of reporting about the traffic congestion according to the sleep depth of the occupant in the driver's seat. If the occupant in the driver's seat is in a shallow sleep, the notification is implemented, while the notification is discontinued if the driver is in a deep sleep or the notification is put on hold until the driver gets shallower sleep.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present disclosure relates to an automatic operation device capable of performing automatic driving in which the driver is allowed to sleep.

Patent Literature 1 discloses a control device that continues autonomous travel control (so-called automatic driving) of a vehicle by an in-vehicle system even while an occupant in the driver's seat is asleep.

Levels 0 to 5 defined by, for example, the Society of Automotive Engineers of America (SAE International, SAE is a registered trademark) are known as automation levels of driving operations. Level 0 is the level at which the occupant in the driver's seat (the so-called driver) performs all driving tasks without system intervention. Level 0 corresponds to so-called manual operation. Level 1 is a level at which the system supports either steering or acceleration/deceleration. Level 2 is the level at which the system assists in both steering and acceleration/deceleration. At automation levels 1 and 2, the occupant in the driver's seat is obligated to monitor the surroundings for safe driving. Level 3 is a level at which the system can perform all driving tasks in a specific location such as a highway, and the occupant in the driver's seat takes over driving operations in an emergency. Level 4 is the level at which the system can perform all driving tasks except under specific conditions such as unsupportable roads and extreme environments. Level 5 is the level at which the system performs all driving tasks under all circumstances.

Automation level 3 or higher corresponds to so-called automatic driving. At level 3, it is prohibited to shift to a state in which the occupant in the driver's seat cannot return to the driving operation immediately, such as sleeping. Level 4 and level 5 correspond to automation levels at which the driver's seat occupants are allowed to sleep. In the present disclosure, automatic driving equivalent to level 3 is referred to as level 3 automatic driving, and automatic driving at level 4 or higher is also referred to as level 4 automatic driving.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2021-6802

Level 3 automated driving requires the driver to remain awake. Therefore, the driver's seat occupant can easily recognize whether or not he or she is stuck in a traffic jam. Accordingly, it is also possible to recognize whether or not the estimated arrival time is likely to be delayed. On the other hand, in Level 4 automated driving, the driver's seat occupant is allowed to sleep. In level 4 automated driving, the vehicle continues autonomously following the route to the destination even while the driver is asleep. If a traffic jam occurs while level 4 automatic driving is being executed and the driver is asleep, it is difficult for the driver to recognize the occurrence of the traffic jam. If a traffic jam occurs while Level 4 automated driving is being executed and the driver is asleep, the driver will notice that the driving schedule is delayed for the first time when he wakes up naturally from his sleep. As a result, the convenience of the automatic driving function may be impaired.

Patent Literature 1 does not disclose notification of a sleeping driver's seat occupant to that effect when traffic congestion is detected during execution of level 4 automatic driving. Therefore, in the configuration disclosed in Patent Literature 1, it is difficult for a sleeping driver's seat occupant to recognize that he or she is caught in a traffic jam. In addition, as an assumed configuration for the above concern, it is conceivable to notify the driver's seat occupant each time the occurrence of traffic congestion is detected, but if the notification is given every time a traffic jam occurs, the driver's seat occupant may be annoyed. There is

The present disclosure has been made based on the above considerations or points of focus, and one of its purposes is to provide an automated driving system capable of reducing the risk of impairing the convenience or comfort of passengers due to congestion during automated driving. An object of the present invention is to provide a device, a notification control device, and a vehicle control method.

The first automatic operation device disclosed herein is an automatic operation device capable of performing automatic operation at an automation level that allows sleep of the driver's seat occupant who is a person sitting in the driver's seat. A congestion information acquisition unit (F21) that acquires information about traffic congestion on the travel route, and a traffic congestion notification that performs processing for notifying information about traffic congestion to the driver's seat occupant via the notification device (21, 22) a processing unit (F61); and an occupant state acquisition unit (F3) that acquires whether or not the driver's seat occupant is asleep based on an input signal from an occupant state sensor (16) that senses the state of the driver's seat occupant. In preparation, the traffic congestion notification processing unit changes the mode of traffic congestion notification depending on whether the driver's seat occupant is asleep or not while automatic driving is being performed.

According to the above configuration, during automatic driving, the mode of notification regarding congestion is changed depending on whether the occupant in the driver's seat is awake. According to this configuration, it is possible to select a mode according to the state of the occupant in the driver's seat as a mode of notification regarding traffic congestion. It is possible to suppress the possibility of giving annoyance to Further, according to the above configuration, even when the driver's seat occupant is asleep, the traffic congestion notification can be performed in a predetermined manner. Even if the content of the notification itself is not recognized by the occupant in the driver's seat, the occupant in the driver's seat is awakened by the stimulation (light, sound, vibration) of the notification, and as a result, the occupant becomes more aware of being caught in a traffic jam. In other words, it is possible to reduce the possibility that when the occupant in the driver's seat wakes up, the initial arrival time has already passed, or the situation is such that a delay of more than a certain time is unavoidable. Therefore, according to the above configuration, it is possible to reduce the possibility that the convenience or comfort of the occupants will be impaired due to congestion.

The second automatic operation device of the present disclosure is an automatic operation device capable of performing automatic operation at an automation level that allows the driver's seat occupant to sleep, and acquires information about traffic congestion on the travel route of the own vehicle. A congestion information acquisition unit (F21) and a congestion notification processing unit (F61) that performs processing for notifying the driver's seat occupant of information related to congestion via a notification device (21, 22), and the congestion information The acquisition unit acquires the amount of arrival delay, which is the amount of delay in the estimated arrival time due to congestion, or the congestion length indicating the length of the congestion, and the congestion notification processing unit acquires the amount of arrival delay or Depending on the length of the traffic jam, the mode of notification regarding the traffic jam during execution of automatic driving is changed.

According to the above configuration, during automatic driving, the mode of notification regarding congestion is changed based on the length of congestion or the amount of arrival delay. According to this configuration, it is possible to select a mode according to the degree of influence of traffic congestion as a mode of notification regarding traffic congestion. It is possible to suppress the possibility of giving annoyance. Further, according to the above configuration, even if the driver's seat occupant is asleep, the traffic jam can be notified in a predetermined manner. When the driver's seat occupant is awakened by the stimulus (light, sound, vibration) of the notification, the occupant can recognize that he or she is stuck in a traffic jam based on the surrounding conditions within his or her field of vision. As a result, it is possible to reduce the possibility that when the occupant in the driver's seat wakes up, the initial arrival time has already passed, or the situation is unavoidable that the vehicle will be delayed for a certain period of time or longer. In other words, even with the above configuration, it is possible to reduce the possibility that the convenience or comfort of the occupants will be impaired due to congestion.

The notification control device of the present disclosure is a notification control device that is used in connection with an automatic operation device capable of performing automatic operation at an automation level that allows the driver's seat occupant who is sitting in the driver's seat to sleep. There is a traffic congestion information acquisition unit (F21) that acquires information related to traffic congestion on the travel route of the own vehicle, and processing for notifying the information related to traffic congestion to the driver's seat occupant via the notification device (21, 22). and a passenger state acquisition unit (F3) that acquires the sleeping state of the driver's seat occupant based on the input signal from the passenger state sensor (16) that senses the state of the driver's seat occupant. , and a driving mode acquisition unit (F7) that acquires a signal indicating whether or not automatic driving is being executed from the automatic operation device, and the traffic congestion notification processing unit To change the mode of notification regarding traffic congestion according to whether the seat occupant is asleep or not.

The notification control method of the present disclosure is a notification control method implemented by at least one processor (31, 241) used in a vehicle, wherein data received from an external device or detection of perimeter monitoring sensors mounted on the vehicle Based on the results, information about traffic congestion on the travel route of the vehicle is obtained, and information about traffic congestion is provided to the driver sitting in the driver's seat via notification devices (21, 22). performing processing for notifying, and obtaining occupant state information including whether or not the driver's seat occupant is asleep based on an input signal from a occupant's state sensor (16) that senses the state of the driver's seat occupant. and obtaining a signal indicating whether or not automatic operation is being performed from an automatic operation device configured to enable automatic operation at an automation level that allows the driver's seat occupant to sleep; and while running, changing the aspect of the traffic congestion notification depending on whether the driver's seat occupant is asleep.

According to the above notification control device/notification control method, it is possible to reduce the possibility that congestion will impair the convenience or comfort of passengers due to the same action as the first automatic operation device.

It should be noted that the symbols in parentheses described in the claims indicate the corresponding relationship with specific means described in the embodiments described later as one aspect, and limit the technical scope of the present disclosure. isn't it.

1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an automatic driving system; FIG. It is a functional block diagram of an automatic driving ECU. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of traffic congestion response processing; 9 is a flowchart showing another example of traffic congestion response processing; FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a setting example of a notification mode according to sleep depth and congestion length; 9 is a flowchart showing another example of traffic congestion response processing; FIG. 10 is a flowchart for explaining a process of controlling notifications for subsequent traffic jams in accordance with instructions given by the driver regarding traffic jams that have already passed; FIG. 9 is a flowchart for explaining processing for switching between execution/non-execution of notification according to the reason for traffic congestion; 7 is a flowchart for explaining a process of switching execution/non-execution of notification during sleep according to the physical condition of the driver. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a control flow related to notification of remaining battery level and the like; It is a block diagram which shows the other structural example of an automatic driving system.

An example of an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. The present disclosure can be implemented with appropriate modifications so as to comply with local laws and customs to which the following automatic driving system Sys is applied.

<Introduction>
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of an automatic driving system Sys according to the present disclosure. The automatic driving system Sys can be installed in vehicles that can travel on roads. A vehicle to which the automatic driving system Sys is applied may be a four-wheeled vehicle, a two-wheeled vehicle, a three-wheeled vehicle, or the like. A vehicle to which the automatic driving system Sys is applied may be an owner car owned by an individual, a shared car, or a rental car. A shared car is a vehicle provided for a car sharing service, and a rental car is a vehicle provided for a vehicle rental service. Hereinafter, the vehicle equipped with the automatic driving system Sys is also referred to as the own vehicle.

Here, as an example, the subject vehicle is an electric vehicle, but the present invention is not limited to this. The own vehicle may be an engine vehicle. The concept of electric vehicles can include not only electric vehicles but also plug-in hybrid vehicles, hybrid vehicles, and fuel cell vehicles. An engine vehicle is a vehicle that has only an engine as a drive source, and corresponds to a vehicle that runs on fuel such as gasoline or light oil. An electric vehicle refers to a vehicle having only a motor as a drive source. A hybrid vehicle refers to a vehicle equipped with an engine and a motor as power sources.

The driver in the present disclosure is not limited to the person actually performing the driving operation, but may refer to a person who should receive the driving operation authority from the automatic driving system Sys when the automatic driving ends. In other words, the driver in the present disclosure refers to the person sitting in the driver's seat, ie, the occupant in the driver's seat, regardless of whether the vehicle is actually driving. References to driver in this disclosure may be replaced with driver's seat occupant. The self-vehicle may be a remotely operated vehicle that is remotely operated by an operator present outside the vehicle. The person who takes over the driving operation from the automatic driving system Sys may be an operator existing outside the vehicle. The operator here refers to a person who has the authority to remotely control the vehicle from outside the vehicle. Operators can also be included in the concept of driver's seat occupants. An operator may be notified of various information by the system.

The automatic driving system Sys provides a so-called automatic driving function that allows the vehicle to autonomously travel along a predetermined route. The degree of automation of the driving operation (hereinafter referred to as automation level) can have multiple levels as defined by, for example, the Society of Automotive Engineers of America (SAE International). The automation level is divided into six stages, for example, levels 0 to 5 below.

Level 0 is the level at which the driver performs all driving tasks without system intervention. Driving tasks include, for example, steering and acceleration/deceleration. The driving task also includes monitoring the surroundings of the vehicle, for example in front of the vehicle. Level 0 corresponds to the so-called fully manual driving level. Level 1 is a level at which the system supports either steering or acceleration/deceleration. Level 2 refers to a level at which the system supports a plurality of steering operations and acceleration/deceleration operations. Levels 1 and 2 correspond to so-called driving assistance levels.

Level 3 refers to a level where the system performs all driving tasks within the Operational Design Domain (ODD), while the system transfers operational authority to the driver in an emergency. ODD defines conditions under which automatic driving can be executed, such as that the driving position is within a motorway. Level 3 corresponds to so-called conditional automatic driving.

Level 4 is the level at which the system performs all driving tasks except under certain conditions such as certain roads, extreme environments, etc., which cannot be handled. Level 4 corresponds to the level at which the system performs all driving tasks within the ODD. Level 4 corresponds to so-called highly automated driving. Level 5 is the level at which the system can perform all driving tasks under all circumstances. Level 5 corresponds to so-called fully automated driving.

Automation levels 3 to 5 correspond to automatic driving. In the present disclosure, automated driving corresponding to automation level 4 is referred to as level 4 automated driving. Automatic driving corresponding to automation level 3 is called level 3 automatic driving. In Level 3 automated driving, the driver is required to resume driving operations immediately in an emergency, and sleep is prohibited. On the other hand, in level 4 autonomous driving, the driver may be allowed to sleep. The automatic driving system Sys of the present disclosure is configured to be capable of level 4 automatic driving. Of course, the automated driving system Sys of the present disclosure may be configured to be capable of performing automated driving corresponding to automation level 5.

As an example, the driver's seat of a vehicle described below is configured as a reclining seat whose backrest can be reclined to an angle suitable for sleeping or resting of the occupant. In the present disclosure, as an example, the angle of the backrest is expressed with reference to the floor of the vehicle. An angle suitable for the sleeping or resting of the occupant is, for example, 30 degrees or 45 degrees. Of course, the driver's seat may be configured so that the backrest can be tilted up to 0 degrees. The angle formed by the backrest of the driver's seat with respect to the floor/seating surface of the vehicle is also referred to as the backrest angle. The smaller the backrest angle, the more the backrest tilts toward the rear of the vehicle. In the present disclosure, a state in which the backrest angle is 45 degrees or less is also referred to as a resting posture. As another aspect, the backrest angle may be expressed with reference to the vehicle height direction. The angle of the backrest expressed as 0° in the height direction can also be called a reclining angle.

<Regarding the overall configuration of the autonomous driving system Sys>
The automatic driving system Sys has various configurations shown in FIG. 1 as an example. That is, the automatic driving system Sys includes a surrounding monitoring sensor 11, a vehicle state sensor 12, a locator 13, a map storage unit 14, a wireless communication device 15, a passenger state sensor 16, a body ECU 17, and a travel actuator 18. Moreover, automatic driving system Sys is equipped with vehicle-mounted HMI20 and automatic driving ECU30. Note that ECU is an abbreviation for Electronic Control Unit and means an electronic control unit. HMI is an abbreviation for Human Machine Interface.

The automatic driving ECU 30 is connected to each of the devices/sensors such as the perimeter monitoring sensor 11 via an in-vehicle network IvN or a dedicated signal line so as to be able to communicate with each other. The in-vehicle network IvN is a communication network built in the vehicle. Various standards such as Controller Area Network (hereinafter referred to as CAN: registered trademark) and Ethernet (registered trademark) can be adopted as the standard of the in-vehicle network IvN. The form of connection between devices can be changed as appropriate. Some devices/sensors may be directly connected to the automatic driving ECU 30 by dedicated signal lines.

The surroundings monitoring sensor 11 is an autonomous sensor that monitors the surroundings of the vehicle. The surroundings monitoring sensor 11 can detect predetermined moving objects and stationary objects from the detection range around the vehicle. The automatic driving system Sys can include multiple types of peripheral monitoring sensors 11 . The automatic driving system Sys includes, for example, a camera 111 and a millimeter wave radar 112 as perimeter monitoring sensors 11 .

The camera 111 is, for example, a so-called front camera arranged to capture an image of the front of the vehicle with a predetermined angle of view. The camera 111 is arranged at the upper end of the windshield on the inside of the passenger compartment, the front grille, the roof top, or the like. The camera 111 can include a camera ECU that detects a predetermined detection target based on the image frame, in addition to the camera main body that generates the image frame. The camera main body is configured to include at least an image sensor and a lens. The camera ECU is mainly composed of a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), and the like. The camera ECU detects and identifies an object registered as a detection target using a classifier to which deep learning is applied, for example. As a method of deep learning, CNN (Convolutional Neural Network), DNN (Deep Neural Network), etc. can be adopted.

The camera 111 detects moving objects such as pedestrians and other vehicles, for example. The camera 111 can also detect features such as road edges, road markings, and structures installed along the road. Road markings include lane markings that indicate lane boundaries, pedestrian crossings, stop lines, running lanes, safety zones, regulatory arrows, and the like. The structures installed along the road include road signs, guardrails, curbs, utility poles, and traffic lights. The camera 111 can also detect the lighting state of lighting devices such as hazard lamps and direction indicators of vehicles ahead.

The automated driving system Sys may have multiple cameras 111 . For example, the automatic driving system Sys may include, as the camera 111, a side camera that captures the side of the vehicle and a rear camera that captures the rear of the vehicle, in addition to the front camera. Note that the function of detecting a detection target object by analyzing a camera image may be provided in another ECU such as the automatic driving ECU 30, for example. The functional arrangement within the automatic driving system Sys can be changed as appropriate. The camera 111 outputs at least one of image data obtained by photographing the surroundings of the vehicle and analysis results of the image data to the in-vehicle network IvN. The data flowing through the in-vehicle network IvN is referred to by the automatic driving ECU 30 as appropriate.

The millimeter wave radar 112 is a device that detects the relative position and relative speed of an object with respect to the own vehicle by transmitting and receiving search waves such as millimeter waves or quasi-millimeter waves in a predetermined direction. The automatic driving system Sys can include a plurality of millimeter wave radars 112 arranged to have different detection areas. The automatic driving system Sys includes a front millimeter wave radar and a rear millimeter wave radar as the millimeter wave radars 112 . The front millimeter-wave radar is a millimeter-wave radar 112 that transmits search waves toward the front of the vehicle, and is installed, for example, on the front grille or front bumper. The rear millimeter wave radar is a millimeter wave radar 112 that transmits search waves toward the rear of the vehicle, and is installed, for example, in the rear bumper. Each millimeter wave radar 112 generates data indicating the relative position and relative velocity of the detected object, and outputs the detection result to the automatic driving ECU 30 and the like. Objects to be detected by the millimeter wave radar 112 may include other vehicles, pedestrians, manholes (steel plates), and three-dimensional structures as landmarks.

The automatic driving system Sys may include a camera 111 and a millimeter wave radar 112, as well as a LiDAR, sonar, etc., as the peripheral monitoring sensor 11. FIG. LiDAR stands for Light Detection and Ranging or Laser Imaging Detection and Ranging. LiDAR is a device that generates three-dimensional point cloud data indicating the positions of reflection points for each detection direction by irradiating laser light. LiDAR is also called laser radar. A sonar is a device that detects the relative position and relative velocity of a reflecting object by transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves as probe waves. Regarding LiDAR and sonar, the autonomous driving system Sys may have a plurality of each. Note that the camera 111 and the millimeter wave radar 112 are examples of the perimeter monitoring sensor 11 and are not essential elements. A detection result of each periphery monitoring sensor 11 is input to the automatic driving ECU 30 .

The vehicle state sensor 12 is a group of sensors that detect information regarding the state of the host vehicle. The vehicle state sensor 12 includes a vehicle speed sensor, a steering angle sensor, an acceleration sensor, a yaw rate sensor, and the like. A vehicle speed sensor detects the vehicle speed of the own vehicle. A steering angle sensor detects a steering angle. The acceleration sensor detects acceleration such as longitudinal acceleration and lateral acceleration of the vehicle. A yaw rate sensor detects the angular velocity of the own vehicle. The vehicle state sensor 12 outputs data indicating the current value of the physical state quantity to be detected (that is, the detection result) to the in-vehicle network IvN.

The type of sensor used by the automatic driving system Sys as the vehicle state sensor 12 may be appropriately designed, and it is not necessary to include all the sensors described above. Further, the automatic driving system Sys may include a backrest angle sensor or the like as the vehicle state sensor 12 . The backrest angle sensor is a sensor that detects the backrest angle of the driver's seat. A signal indicating the backrest angle of the driver's seat may be input to the automatic driving ECU 30 from a backrest angle sensor or a seat motor provided in the driver's seat.

The locator 13 is a device that calculates and outputs the position coordinates of the own vehicle using navigation signals transmitted from positioning satellites forming a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System). Locator 13 includes a GNSS receiver, an inertial sensor, and the like. The locator 13 combines the positioning signal received by the GNSS receiver, the measurement result of the inertial sensor, the vehicle speed information flowing through the in-vehicle network IvN, etc., and sequentially calculates the own vehicle position and traveling direction of the own vehicle, and uses it as locator information. Output toward the automatic driving ECU 30 .

The map storage unit 14 is a storage device that stores so-called HD (High Definition) map data including road information necessary for automatic driving control. The map data stored in the map storage unit 14 includes the three-dimensional shape of roads, the installation positions of road markings such as lane division lines, the installation positions of traffic signs, etc., with the accuracy necessary for automatic driving. .

The map data stored in the map storage unit 14 can be updated, for example, by data received by the wireless communication device 15 from a map server or the like. The map server is a server that distributes map data and is located outside the vehicle. The map storage unit 14 may be a storage device for temporarily holding the map data received by the wireless communication device 15 from the map server until the expiration date of the data expires. The map storage unit 14 may be built in the automatic driving ECU 30 or the locator 13 . The map data held by the map storage unit 14 may be navigation map data, which is map data for navigation, provided that it includes feature data such as junctions, traffic lights, and landmarks.

The wireless communication device 15 is a device for carrying out wireless communication between the own vehicle and other devices. The wireless communication device 15 is configured to be capable of cellular communication. Cellular communication is wireless communication conforming to a predetermined wide area wireless communication standard. Various standards such as LTE (Long Term Evolution), 4G, and 5G can be adopted as the wide-area wireless communication standard here.

By installing the wireless communication device 15, the own vehicle becomes a connected car that can be connected to the Internet. For example, the automatic driving ECU 30 can cooperate with the wireless communication device 15 to download and use map data corresponding to the current position from the map distribution server. Note that the wireless communication device 15 may be configured so as to be able to directly perform wireless communication with another device without going through a wireless base station, using a method conforming to the wide area wireless communication standard. That is, radio 15 may be configured to implement cellular V2X (PC5/Uu).

Also, the radio communication device 15 is configured to be capable of performing short-range communication. Short-range communication in the present disclosure refers to wireless communication in which the communicable distance is limited to within several hundred meters. DSRC (Dedicated Short Range Communications) corresponding to the IEEE802.11p standard, Wi-Fi (registered trademark), and the like can be adopted as standards for short-range communication, for example. The short range communication scheme may be the aforementioned cellular V2X. The wireless communication device 15 may be configured to be capable of performing only one of cellular communication and short-range communication. The wireless communication device 15 may be configured to be able to perform communication conforming to standards such as BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy, Bluetooth is a registered trademark).

The wireless communication device 15 can receive dynamic map data relating to the travel route of the own vehicle from external devices such as a map server, a traffic information center, a roadside device, and other vehicles. A roadside unit is a wireless communication facility installed along a road. Dynamic map data is, for example, data about elements whose state of existence and position can change in units of ten minutes to one hour. Dynamic map elements include positional information such as congestion areas, regulation areas, and construction areas, road surface conditions at each point, weather, falling objects, and cruising speed. Data for dynamic map elements may be received in streaming form from a map server along with static map data.

Thus, the wireless communication device 15 acquires traffic congestion information from an external device. The congestion information includes at least one of the location of the congestion section and the congestion length indicating the length of the congestion section. For example, the congestion length is represented by the concept of distance, for example, 1 km. Note that the traffic congestion length may be represented by a required passage time, which is the time required from entering a congested section to exiting the congested section. The congestion length may be indirectly expressed by the start position and end position of the congested section. The congestion information may include the cause of the congestion, the average speed during the congestion, and the like. The congestion information acquired by the wireless communication device 15 is transferred to the automatic driving ECU 30 .

It should be noted that the congestion in the present disclosure can be, for example, a state in which the traveling speed is less than or equal to a predetermined congestion determination value, or a state in which a train that repeats stopping and starting continues for 1 km or longer and for 15 minutes or longer. . The congestion determination value is, for example, 40 km/h. Of course, the congestion determination value may be 20 km/h or 60 km/h. The congestion determination value may be dynamically determined according to the speed limit set for each road. The traffic congestion determination value may be set to, for example, a quarter of the speed limit. A different value may be applied to the traffic congestion determination value depending on whether the road is an expressway or a general road. The congestion determination value for motorways may be 20 km/h, while the congestion determination value for general roads may be 10 km/h. The term "automobile-only road" as used herein refers to a road on which pedestrians and bicycles are prohibited, such as a toll road such as an expressway.

The radio communication device 15 may acquire the lighting state of the hazard lamps, the vehicle speed, the degree of depression of the brake pedal, and the like from the preceding vehicle through inter-vehicle communication. Further, whether or not a traffic jam state is detected in the forward vehicle may be obtained through inter-vehicle communication with the forward vehicle. The forward vehicle here refers to a vehicle traveling ahead of the own vehicle. Forward vehicles are not limited to vehicles traveling in the same lane as the host vehicle, but may include vehicles traveling in adjacent lanes. The concept of forward vehicle can include vehicles traveling diagonally ahead. Among the vehicles existing in front of the own vehicle, a vehicle that runs in the same lane as the own vehicle and is closest to the own vehicle is also referred to as a preceding vehicle.

The occupant state sensor 16 is a sensor that detects the state of the driver. The automatic driving system Sys can include multiple types of occupant state sensors 16 . For example, the automatic driving system Sys includes, for example, a driver status monitor (DSM: Driver Status Monitor). The DSM is a sensor that sequentially detects the state of the driver based on the facial image of the driver. Specifically, the DSM captures the driver's face using a near-infrared camera, and performs image recognition processing on the captured image to determine the direction of the driver's face, the direction of the line of sight, and the degree of opening of the eyelids. etc. are detected sequentially. The DSM's infrared camera is positioned so that the optical axis is directed toward the headrest of the driver's seat so that the driver's face can be photographed. are placed in departments.

The DSM as the occupant state sensor 16 sequentially outputs information indicating the direction of the driver's face, line-of-sight direction, eyelid opening degree, etc. specified from the captured image to the in-vehicle network IvN as driver state data. The driver state data corresponds to passenger state information. Note that the camera that constitutes the DSM may be a visible light camera. A camera that constitutes the DSM may be provided in an overhead console, in the center of the ceiling, or the like, so as to be able to image the face of the driver lying on his or her back. There may be multiple cameras that make up the DSM. The automatic driving system Sys may include, in addition to the DSM, a camera that detects the presence or absence of passengers (that is, fellow passengers) in the front passenger seat and rear seats and their states. Further, for example, the automatic driving ECU 30 may have the function of detecting the state of the driver or the like based on the video signal of the camera. A camera that detects the presence or absence of a front passenger seat and its state is called a fellow passenger sensor. The fellow passenger sensor corresponds to one type of passenger state sensor. Data indicating the presence or absence of a fellow passenger and the state of the fellow passenger also correspond to the Senate state information.

The automatic driving system Sys may include a biosensor other than the DSM as the occupant state sensor 16 instead of/in parallel with the DSM. For example, the automatic driving system Sys may include a heartbeat sensor, a pulse wave sensor, a body temperature sensor, and the like as the occupant state sensor 16 . The heartbeat sensor or the like may be built in the backrest or headrest of the driver's seat, or may be provided in the steering wheel. In addition, by transmitting and receiving millimeter waves as search waves toward the driver's seat, a millimeter wave radar that detects the driver's heart rate, body movement, and posture can also be included in the biosensor.

The occupant state sensor 16 may be a wearable device worn on the driver's wrist or the like. The wearable device can be of various shapes such as a wristband type, a wristwatch type, a ring type, and an earphone type. A wearable device as the occupant state sensor 16 is configured to be able to communicate with the automatic driving ECU 30 via the wireless communication device 15, for example. The connection mode between the wearable device and the automatic driving ECU 30 may be a wireless connection using BLE or the like, or may be a wired connection.

The body ECU 17 is an ECU that comprehensively controls body-based in-vehicle equipment mounted in the vehicle. Body-based in-vehicle devices include lighting devices such as headlights, seat motors, and the like. The seat motor is a motor that changes the front-rear position, height, and backrest angle of the driver's seat. The body ECU 17 may output a signal indicating the current backrest angle or the like to the automatic driving ECU 30 based on the input signal from the seat motor.

The in-vehicle HMI 20 is an interface group for exchanging information between the occupant and the automatic driving system Sys. The in-vehicle HMI 20 includes a display 21 and a speaker 22 as notification devices for notifying information to the driver. In-vehicle HMI 20 also includes an input device 23 as an input interface that receives operations from a passenger.

The automatic driving system Sys includes, as a display 21, one or more of a head-up display (HUD: Head-Up Display), a meter display, and a center display. A HUD is a device that displays a virtual image that can be perceived by a driver by projecting image light onto a predetermined area of the windshield. The meter display is a display arranged in the area located in front of the driver's seat on the instrument panel. The center display is a display provided at the center of the instrument panel in the vehicle width direction. A meter display and a center display can be realized using a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display. The display 21 displays an image corresponding to the input signal based on the control signal and the video signal input from the automatic driving ECU 30 .

The speaker 22 is a device that outputs sounds corresponding to signals input from the automatic driving ECU 30 . The expression "sound" includes not only notification sound but also voice, music, and the like. Note that the automatic driving system Sys may include a vibrator, an ambient light, or the like as a notification device. A vibrator is a device for applying a vibration stimulus to a driver, and is provided on the backrest of the driver's seat or on the seat belt. The vibrator may be a device that vibrates the seat belt itself to apply vibration stimulation to the driver. Ambient lights are lighting devices that are realized by a plurality of LEDs (light emitting diodes) and can adjust emission colors and emission intensities, and are provided on instrument panels, steering wheels, and the like.

The input device 23 is a device for receiving a driver's instruction operation to the automatic driving system Sys. As the input device 23, a steering switch provided on the spoke portion of the steering wheel, an operation lever provided on the steering column portion, a touch panel laminated on the center display, or the like can be employed. The automatic driving system Sys may include the above-described multiple types of devices as the input device 23 . The input device 23 outputs an electric signal corresponding to the driver's operation to the in-vehicle network IvN as an operation signal. The operation signal includes information indicating the content of the driver's operation. The automated driving system Sys receives instructions for starting and ending level 4 automated driving via the input device 23 . The automatic operation start/end instruction may be configured to be executable by voice input. A device for voice input such as a microphone can also be included in the input device 23 . For example, an HCU (HMI Control Unit) may be interposed between the in-vehicle HMI 20 and the automatic driving ECU 30 . The HCU is a device that comprehensively controls information notification to the driver.

The automatic driving ECU 30 is an ECU that executes part or all of the driving operation instead of the driver by controlling the travel actuator 18 based on the detection result of the surroundings monitoring sensor 11 and the like. The automatic driving ECU 30 is also called an automatic operation device. The travel actuator 18 includes, for example, a brake actuator as a braking device, an electronic throttle, a steering actuator, and the like. The steering actuator includes an EPS (Electric Power Steering) motor. Between the automatic driving ECU 30 and the travel actuator 18, other ECUs such as a steering ECU that performs steering control, a power unit control ECU that performs acceleration/deceleration control, and a brake ECU may be interposed.

The automatic driving ECU 30 is mainly composed of a computer including a processor 31, a memory 32, a storage 33, a communication interface 34, and a bus connecting them. The memory 32 is a rewritable volatile storage medium such as a RAM (Random Access Memory). The storage 33 is rewritable non-volatile such as flash memory. The storage 33 stores a vehicle control program, which is a program executed by the processor 31 . The vehicle control program also includes a notification control program that controls how information is notified to the driver. Execution of the vehicle control program by the processor 31 corresponds to execution of the notification control method. A processor that executes processing related to driving support may be provided separately from a processor that executes processing related to automatic driving. The automatic driving ECU 30 may include multiple processors 31 .

The automatic driving ECU 30 has a plurality of operation modes with different levels of automation. Here, as an example, the automatic driving ECU 30 is configured to be switchable between a complete manual mode, a driving support mode, and an automatic driving mode. Each operating mode differs in the range of driving tasks that the driver takes charge of, in other words, the range of driving tasks that the system intervenes in. The system here refers to the automatic driving system Sys, which is actually the automatic driving ECU 30 . The operation mode can also be rephrased as an operation mode.

Full manual mode is an operating mode in which the driver performs all driving tasks. Fully manual mode corresponds to automation level 0. The driving assistance mode is an operation mode in which the system executes at least one of acceleration/deceleration and steering operation. In the driving support mode, the steering operation is performed by the driver, and in this mode the driver needs to monitor at least the surroundings such as the front of the vehicle. Full manual mode and driving assistance mode are driving modes in which the driver performs at least some driving tasks. Therefore, in the present disclosure, the full manual mode and the driver assistance mode are also referred to as the passenger involvement mode when not distinguished. The passenger involvement mode can also be called a manual driving mode as an antonym of the automatic driving mode.

Autonomous driving mode is a mode of operation in which the system performs all driving tasks. Here, as an example, the automatic driving mode is an operation mode in which control corresponding to automation level 4 is executed. Note that the automatic driving mode may be one that implements level 5 automatic driving. The automatic driving mode corresponds to an operating mode in which the driver is allowed to sleep. The manual operation mode can be switched to the automatic operation mode based on an operation signal input from the input device 23 .

In the automatic driving mode, the automatic driving ECU 30 automatically steers, accelerates, decelerates (in other words, brakes) the vehicle so that the vehicle travels along the road to the destination set by the driver. do. Note that the automatic driving mode is ended due to a driver's operation (so-called override), a system limit, an exit of the ODD, or the like. The automatic driving ECU 30 may be a device that carries out automatic driving up to an authority transfer scheduled point that is set in the middle of the travel route toward the destination. The scheduled authority transfer point corresponds to the scheduled exit point of the ODD.

As an ODD, for example, (a) the driving road is a highway or a motorway with a median strip and a guardrail, etc., (b) the amount of rainfall is less than or equal to a predetermined threshold, (c) all/predetermined For example, more than a number of surrounding monitoring sensors 11 are operating normally. The travel road refers to the road on which the host vehicle is traveling. In addition, the fact that there are no parking vehicles on the road can be included in ODD. Conditions for determining whether automatic operation is possible/impossible, in other words, detailed conditions defining ODD can be changed as appropriate.

<Regarding the configuration of the automatic driving ECU 30>
The automatic driving ECU 30 includes functional units shown in FIG. 2 realized by executing an automatic driving program. That is, the automatic driving ECU 30 has an information acquisition section F1, an environment recognition section F2, an occupant state acquisition section F3, a mode control section F4, a planning section F5, and a control execution section F6.

The information acquisition unit F1 is configured to acquire various types of information for implementing vehicle control such as automatic driving and driving assistance. "Obtaining" in the present disclosure also includes generating/detecting by internal calculation based on data input from other devices/sensors. This is because the functional arrangement within the system can be changed as appropriate.

For example, the information acquisition unit F1 acquires detection results (that is, sensing information) from various peripheral monitoring sensors 11 including the camera 111 . The sensing information includes the positions, moving speeds, types, and the like of other moving bodies, features, and obstacles existing around the vehicle. The information acquisition unit F1 also acquires the vehicle's running speed, acceleration, yaw rate, external illuminance, and the like from the vehicle state sensor 12 . Furthermore, the information acquisition unit F1 acquires the vehicle position information and the peripheral map information related to the road structure from the locator 13 .

The information acquisition unit F<b>1 can acquire vehicle information transmitted from a preceding vehicle by inter-vehicle communication in cooperation with the wireless communication device 15 . The vehicle information may include the lighting status of hazard lamps, the presence/absence of brake depression/the amount of depression, acceleration, running speed, position information, and the like. The information acquisition unit F1 cooperates with the wireless communication device 15 to acquire dynamic map data for a road section that the vehicle is scheduled to pass within a predetermined period of time. The dynamic map data here includes traffic information.

Based on the signal from the input device 23, the information acquisition unit F1 also acquires the driver's operation on the automatic driving system Sys. For example, the information acquisition unit F1 acquires from the input device 23 an operation signal for starting and ending automatic driving.

The information acquisition unit F1 acquires information (that is, judgment material) for judging the driver's condition from the passenger condition sensor 16 . Information that can be used to determine the driver's condition includes, for example, pulse rate, heart rate, respiratory rate, body movement, eye opening, frequency of blinking, degree of variation in intervals between blinking, eye movement, posture, and body temperature. , elapsed time from falling asleep, etc. Pulse rate, heart rate, respiration rate, etc. may be expressed in number of runs per predetermined time period, such as one minute. Body movements can be classified into coarse body movements, which are large body movements such as rolling over, and fine body movements, which are small body movements caused by movements of only the limbs and head.

Various types of information sequentially acquired by the information acquisition unit F1 are stored in a temporary storage medium such as the memory 32, for example, and used by the environment recognition unit F2, the occupant state acquisition unit F3, and the like. In addition, various types of information can be classified by type and stored in the memory. Also, various types of information can be sorted and saved so that the latest data is at the top, for example. Data that has passed a certain period of time after being acquired can be discarded.

The environment recognition unit F2 recognizes the driving environment of the vehicle based on the vehicle position information and the surrounding object information acquired by the information acquisition unit F1 and the map data. For example, the environment recognition unit F2 recognizes the driving environment of the own vehicle by sensor fusion processing that integrates the detection results of a plurality of peripheral monitoring sensors 11 such as the camera 111 and the millimeter wave radar 112 with a predetermined weight.

In addition to the position and type of each object existing around the vehicle, the driving environment includes the speed and direction of movement of the object in the case of a moving object. The driving environment includes the curvature of the driving road, the number of lanes, the lane number of the vehicle, the weather, the road surface condition, and whether or not the vehicle is in a congested section. The own vehicle lane number indicates what lane the vehicle is traveling in from the left or right side of the road. Identification of the host vehicle lane number may be performed by the locator 13 . The weather and road conditions can be specified by combining the recognition result of the camera 111 and the weather information acquired by the information acquisition unit F1. The road structure may be specified using static map data as well as the recognition result of the camera 111 . The environment recognition unit F2 acquires vehicle external environment information related to ODD, such as road structure, weather, and road surface conditions.

The environment recognition unit F2 also includes a traffic congestion recognition unit F21 as a configuration for detecting traffic congestion existing on the travel route of the vehicle. For example, the congestion recognition unit F21 recognizes the congestion section and its length (ie, congestion length) based on information received from a traffic information center or the like. It should be noted that the congestion information distributed from the traffic information center or the like may differ from the actual situation. The congestion recognition unit F21 may verify the received congestion information using at least one of the detection result of the surroundings monitoring sensor 11 and the behavior of the own vehicle, and then finally determine the presence or absence of congestion. That is, the congestion recognition unit F21 may correct the congestion information received from the external device using at least one of the detection result of the surroundings monitoring sensor 11 and the behavior of the own vehicle.

The congestion recognizing unit F21 may determine whether or not the surroundings of the vehicle are in a traffic congestion state using the vehicle speed information, the frequency of stopping and starting the vehicle, and the detection result of the surroundings monitoring sensor 11 . Specifically, it is determined that the surrounding area is in a congested state when the vehicle speed of the host vehicle is equal to or lower than the congestion determination value for a predetermined time period (for example, 5 minutes) or longer. The congestion recognizing unit F21 may increase the probability that the vehicle is in a traffic congestion state based on the fact that the preceding vehicle has turned on the hazard lamps. The behavior of the preceding vehicle can be used as a criterion for determining whether or not the vehicle is in a traffic jam. Further, the traffic congestion recognition unit F21 may determine whether or not the vehicle is in a traffic congestion state based on vehicle information acquired from a plurality of forward vehicles through inter-vehicle communication. The congestion recognition unit F21 corresponds to the congestion information acquisition unit.

The occupant state acquisition unit F3 is configured to acquire the state of the occupant, such as whether the driver is awake or asleep, based on the information acquired by the information acquisition unit F1. The occupant state acquisition unit F3 includes a sleep depth determination unit F31 as a sub-function for determining the depth of sleep of the driver. Sleep depth is a parameter representing the depth of sleep. In the present embodiment, as an example, a case in which the depth of sleep is divided into three stages of levels 0 to 2 and determined will be described. Sleep depth shows that sleep is deep, so that a value is large. The state of sleep depth level 0 corresponds to the driver being awake, that is, not asleep. Level 1 corresponds to light sleep, so-called REM (Rapid Eye Movement). Level 2 corresponds to a state of deep sleep, so-called non-REM sleep. NREM sleep may be further subdivided into four stages 1-4. The sleep depth determination unit F31 may evaluate the sleep depth in a total of 6 levels of wakefulness (level 0), REM sleep state (level 1), and 4 levels of non-REM sleep (levels 2 to 5). The sleep depth determination unit F31 has a function of determining whether the driver is asleep. In addition, the determination result of the sleep depth determining unit F31 and the output of the occupant state sensor 16, such as sleep depth, correspond to the sleep state information.

Various methods can be used as a method for determining the depth of sleep. The depth-of-sleep determination unit F31 determines the depth of sleep by using a combination of eye opening, eye movement, heart rate, elapsed time from falling asleep, and the like. The sleep continuation time, which is the elapsed time from falling asleep, is measured based on the time when it is determined that the driver has fallen asleep, that is, the time when it is determined that the wakeful state has shifted to the sleep state. It should be noted that the fact that the driver has fallen asleep can be specified based on the driver's biometric information, such as the fact that the driver's eyes have been closed for a predetermined period of time or longer. The sleep continuation time may be measured starting from the time when the driver inputs to the system that he is about to sleep. For example, the sleep continuation time may be calculated when the driver's seat is set to the rest position.

In general, during REM sleep, the breathing rhythm and pulse rate/heart rate can be unstable compared to non-REM sleep. Therefore, the sleep depth determination unit F31 can determine the sleep depth based on whether or not the degree of stability (dispersion) of the respiratory rate, heart rate, and pulse rate per fixed time is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. In addition, body movements are not observed during REM sleep as compared to non-REM sleep. Therefore, the sleep depth determination unit F31 can determine the sleep depth based on the number of body movements observed per fixed time period and the magnitude of the body movements.

In addition, the depth of sleep repeats rising and falling in a cycle of about 90 minutes. For example, the sleep depth determination unit F31 determines that the sleep depth is level 1 when the elapsed time from falling asleep is less than 30 minutes, and determines that the sleep depth is level 2 when the elapsed time is 30 minutes or more and less than 60 minutes. . Level 1 may be determined when the elapsed time from falling asleep is 60 minutes or more and less than 90 minutes. The correspondence relationship between the elapsed time from falling asleep and the depth of sleep can be represented by a map, a table, or the like. In addition, the depth of sleep determination unit F31 may determine the depth of sleep based on the amount of heat released from the driver's body, the change tendency and distribution of the body surface temperature, the depth of breathing, and the like. Whether or not the driver is asleep, that is, whether or not the driver corresponds to level 0, can also be determined by various algorithms using the degree of eye opening, face direction, posture, and the like. The timing at which it is determined that the occupant has fallen asleep based on the degree of eye opening, posture, etc., corresponds to the falling asleep timing.

The mode control unit F4 controls the operation mode of the automatic driving ECU 30 based on various information acquired by the information acquisition unit F1. For example, when the mode control unit F4 is in the occupant involvement mode and the driving environment satisfies ODD, when an automatic driving start instruction signal is input from the input device 23, the mode is shifted to the automatic driving mode. to decide. Then, it outputs a signal requesting to shift to the automatic operation mode to the planning section F5. Further, when the driving environment recognized by the environment recognition unit F2 no longer satisfies the ODD during the automatic driving mode, or when it is foreseen that it will not be satisfied within a predetermined time, the occupant involvement mode is entered. It decides to transfer, and notifies the planning department F5 to that effect.

Furthermore, the mode control unit F4 determines to end the automatic driving mode when an operation signal for ending the automatic driving mode from the input device 23 or an override operation by the driver is detected during the automatic driving mode. do. Then, a signal for switching to the manual operation mode is output to the planning section F5 and the control execution section F6. An override operation refers to a passenger's operation of an operating member such as a steering wheel/pedals. When the automatic driving ECU 30 detects that the driver has performed an override operation, the automatic driving ECU 30 promptly transfers the driving authority to the driver and notifies the fact by voice output or the like. The operation mode to which the automatic operation mode ends may be the fully manual mode or the driving assistance mode. The transition destination at the end of the automatic driving mode may be determined dynamically according to the situation, or may be registered in advance by the driver.

The planning unit F5 is configured to plan the content of control to be executed as driving assistance or automatic driving. For example, in the automatic driving mode, the planning unit F5 generates a driving plan for autonomous driving based on the recognition result of the driving environment by the environment recognition unit F2. A travel plan can also be called a control plan. The travel plan includes the travel position, target speed, steering angle, and the like for each time. That is, the travel plan can include acceleration/deceleration schedule information for speed adjustment on the calculated route and steering amount schedule information.

For example, the planning section F5 performs route search processing as a medium- to long-term travel plan, and determines a travel route from the vehicle position to the destination. At that time, the planning unit F5 calculates the estimated time of arrival, which is the estimated time of arrival at the destination. The planning unit F5 also generates a short-term control plan for traveling in accordance with the medium- to long-term travel plan. For example, as a short-term control plan, the planning unit F5 generates, as a travel plan, a route in which the vehicle travels in the center of the recognized vehicle lane, or creates a route along the recognized behavior or travel trajectory of the preceding vehicle. Generate it as a driving plan. The control plan created by the planning section F5 is input to the control execution section F6.

In addition to the control plan directly related to the running of the vehicle, the planner F5 also formulates a plan related to notification processing to the occupants using a notification device such as the display 21 . For example, the planning department F5 decides the timing of notification of expected vehicle behavior such as lane change, overtaking, deceleration, etc., and timing of notification of congestion information, etc., depending on the situation. In other words, the planner F5 also creates a control plan for the notification device related to notification of traffic congestion information.

The control execution unit F6 generates control commands based on the control plan drawn up by the planning unit F5, and sequentially outputs them to the traveling actuator 18, the display 21, and the like. The control execution unit F6 also controls the lighting states of the direction indicators, headlights, hazard lamps, etc. according to the travel plan and the external environment, based on the plan of the planning unit F5 and the external environment.

The control execution unit F6 includes a notification processing unit F61 as a sub-function unit for notifying/proposing to the occupant using an informing device such as the display 21 and the speaker 22 . Various notifications/suggestions can be realized by image display on the display 21 and voice message output from the speaker 22 . For example, the notification processing unit F61 uses at least one of the display 21 and the speaker 22 to notify information about traffic jams existing on the travel route of the host vehicle at the timing set by the planning unit F5. The manner in which the traffic jam information is notified is adjusted according to the driver's condition and the length of the traffic jam, as will be described below. Note that the notification mode may be determined by the planning section F5. The functional arrangement of the notification processing part F61 and the planning part F5 can be changed as appropriate. In addition, when the planning section F5 determines the execution timing and notification mode of notification regarding congestion, the planning section F5 can also be understood as a substantial congestion notification processing section.

<Regarding congestion response processing during automatic driving>
Here, the traffic congestion response process during automatic driving performed by the automatic driving ECU 30 will be described using the flowchart shown in FIG. 3 . The congestion response process shown in FIG. 3 is started at predetermined notification intervals, such as every 1 minute or 5 minutes, for example, during automatic driving. The congestion response process shown in FIG. 3 includes steps S101 to S109. The various flowcharts shown in the present disclosure are all examples, and the number of steps constituting the flowcharts and the execution order of the processes can be changed as appropriate. The information acquisition unit F1, the environment recognition unit F2, the occupant state acquisition unit F3, the mode control unit F4, the planning unit F5, and the control execution unit F6 that implement the following steps can be read as the processor 31. Similarly, the description of the processor 31 as an execution entity of the processing described below refers to the information acquisition unit F1, the environment recognition unit F2, the occupant state acquisition unit F3, the mode control unit F4, the planning unit F5, and the control execution unit F6. It can be read as appropriate.

First, step S101 is a step in which the information acquisition unit F1 acquires various information to be used in subsequent processing. For example, the information acquisition unit F1 acquires the behavior of the preceding vehicle, traffic information, the behavior of the own vehicle, the driver's state information, and the like. The behavior of the vehicle ahead refers to the lighting status of hazard lamps and brake lamps, vehicle speed, and the like. The behavior of the own vehicle refers to the vehicle speed of the own vehicle, the frequency of stopping/starting, the amount of depression of the brake pedal, and the like.

Step S102 is a step in which the congestion recognition unit F21 determines whether or not the driving environment of the host vehicle corresponds to a traffic congestion state based on the information acquired in step S101. In other words, the case where the driving environment of the own vehicle corresponds to the traffic jam state corresponds to the case where the vehicle is involved in the traffic jam. For example, the congestion recognition unit F21 determines whether or not the driving environment of the vehicle corresponds to a traffic congestion state based on the congestion information distributed from the traffic information center and the position information or vehicle speed information of the vehicle. When the road is a motorway, the congestion recognition unit F21 recognizes congestion based on the fact that the preceding vehicle has stopped or the vehicle speed of the preceding vehicle or the own vehicle has become equal to or less than the congestion determination value. It may be determined that it is involved. The determination result of step S102 is stored in the memory 32. FIG. A situation in which the own vehicle will soon be lined up at the end of a congested train can also be included in the state in which the own vehicle is caught in a traffic jam.

If it is determined that the driving environment of the own vehicle corresponds to the traffic congestion state, step S103 is executed. On the other hand, if it is determined that the driving environment of the own vehicle does not correspond to the traffic congestion state, this flow ends.

Step S103 is a step in which the sleep depth determination unit F31 determines whether or not the driver is awake based on the state information of the driver acquired in step S101. Step S103 can also be interpreted as a step of determining whether or not the sleep depth corresponds to level 0. If the driver is awake in step S103, that is, if it is determined that the sleep depth is 0, processor 31 executes step S104. On the other hand, when determining that the driver is asleep, the processor 31 executes step S105.

Step S104 is a step in which the notification processing unit F61 performs non-sleep notification processing. The non-sleep notification process is a process for notifying traffic congestion information in a manner assuming that the driver is awake. The non-sleep time can be rephrased as the wakeful time. If the driver is awake, he or she is likely aware that a traffic jam is occurring. Therefore, in the non-sleep notification process, notification of only the occurrence of traffic congestion is not performed.

The non-sleep traffic congestion notification process can be a process for notifying supplementary information, in other words, detailed information, regarding traffic congestion that the host vehicle is facing. For example, the notification processing unit F61 displays the congestion length as the detailed information on the congestion in step S104. The notification processing unit F61 may display, as detailed information, the time required to exit the congested section, the cause of the traffic jam, the degree of delay in the estimated arrival time, the updated estimated arrival time, and the like. Various information may be displayed with a predetermined notification sound.

Note that in the non-sleep congestion notification process, the output of the voice message may be omitted in consideration of the possibility of annoying the passenger. However, if the degree of delay in the scheduled arrival time due to traffic congestion exceeds a predetermined allowable delay time (for example, 30 minutes), a voice message corresponding to the detailed information may be output. If the detailed information about the traffic jam to be notified has not yet been obtained, the non-sleep notification process may be suspended until the detailed information is obtained. As another aspect, step S104 may be a step of canceling the traffic congestion notification planned by the planning department F5.

In step S105, the sleep depth determining unit F31 determines whether the driver is lightly asleep based on the state information of the driver acquired in step S101. It is a step of determining whether If the driver is lightly asleep, that is, if the sleep depth is determined to be 1, the processor 31 executes step S106. On the other hand, if the driver is deeply asleep, in other words if it is determined that the sleep depth is 1, the processor 31 executes step S107. In this embodiment, the sleep depth of 2 corresponds to the reference value for changing the notification mode during sleep.

Step S106 is a step in which the notification processing unit F61 performs light sleep notification processing. The light sleep notification process is a process for notifying traffic congestion information in a manner assuming that the driver is lightly asleep. When the driver is asleep, it is difficult for the driver to recognize that he or she is stuck in a traffic jam. In the light sleep notification process, the display 21 displays a traffic congestion notification image, which is an image indicating that traffic congestion is occurring. A traffic jam notification image may include a text message indicating that a traffic jam is occurring. The traffic jam notification image may be a pictogram representing traffic jam, that is, an icon image. The congestion notification image may include detailed information such as the length of the congestion, the time required for passage, and the cause.

In addition, the notification processing unit F61 causes the speaker 22 to output a predetermined notification sound in conjunction with the display of the congestion notification image as the light sleep notification process. A voice message may be output instead of the notification sound. By outputting a notification sound or a voice message, the effect of waking up the driver and recognizing the traffic jam can be expected. In addition, if the driver is in a light sleep state, the physical/mental burden associated with awakening is relatively small, so the fear of annoying the driver can be reduced.

In step S107, the notification processing unit F61 determines not to execute notification of congestion (that is, stop notification). Step S<b>107 may be a step of determining to suspend the traffic congestion notification process until the driver's sleep depth reaches zero or one. If the driver is forcibly awakened by the notification of traffic congestion information when the driver is deeply asleep, the driver may be annoyed. In addition, when the driver is in a deep sleep, the occupant does not wake up even if the notification is given, which may result in an unnecessary notification. Under such circumstances, the notification processing unit F61 cancels/suspends the traffic congestion notification when the driver is in a deep sleep. Putting the notification on hold corresponds to postponing it until the depth of sleep becomes less than the reference value or after a predetermined time (for example, after 30 minutes). Changing the notification mode also includes canceling/suspending (postponing) the notification.

Note that if the processor 31 obtains a confirmed signal via the input device 23 within a predetermined period of time after executing the notification about traffic congestion at a certain point, the processor 31 detects traffic congestion at the same point (that is, notified traffic congestion). may be configured not to rerun. The confirmed signal is an operation signal indicating that the driver has confirmed (approved) the notified information. As a premise of the above configuration, the process of notifying traffic congestion information may be configured to request confirmation (approval) operation from the passenger. The expression "point" here includes the concept of a section or area having a given length.

Processor 31 may also resume regular execution of the congestion response process after a rest period, such as 10 minutes, if the driver was asleep when the congestion information for a point was posted. The pause period corresponds to a period during which the congestion response process is stopped. Note that the content of notifications related to traffic jams, such as the length of traffic jams and required travel time, can be updated as needed.

According to the traffic congestion response process described above, when the driver is lightly asleep, the traffic congestion notification is performed. According to this configuration, it is possible to reduce the possibility that the arrival time will be greatly delayed without the driver's knowledge. It should be noted that the term "extremely late" as used herein refers to, for example, being late for 30 minutes or 1 hour or more, depending on the local customs.

In addition, above, when it is determined that the driver is deeply asleep, the mode of canceling/withholding the notification has also been described. Notification may be implemented. When the processor 31 determines that the driver is lightly asleep, the processor 31 notifies the traffic information by sound and image, and when it determines that the driver is deep asleep, notifies the traffic information only by image display. It may be configured as follows. Depending on the configuration of the occupant state sensor 16, sleep depth may be erroneously determined. Even if the system determines that the driver sleep depth is 2, the actual sleep depth may be 1 or 0. When the driver is lightly asleep, displaying the traffic jam notification image makes it easier for the driver to recognize that he or she is stuck in a traffic jam. According to the configuration in which an image is displayed even when the processor 31 determines that the driver is in a deep sleep, it is possible to improve the driver's awareness of being caught in a traffic jam.

Also, in the above description, when it is determined that the driver is deeply asleep, a configuration is described in which a notification mode is adopted in which the stimulus given to the passenger is weakened more than when it is determined that the driver is lightly asleep. It is not limited to this. As another embodiment, when the processor 31 determines that the driver is sleeping deeply, the notification is performed in a more stimulating manner than when it is determined that the driver is sleeping lightly. may be configured. For example, when the processor 31 determines that the driver is lightly asleep, the processor 31 notifies the driver by image display and notification sound. On the other hand, if it is determined that the driver is in a deep sleep, the processor 31 may be configured to notify the driver by image display and voice message. Further, when it is determined that the driver is deeply asleep, the processor 31 may notify the traffic jam information by vibrating a vibrator in addition to image display and sound output. According to this configuration, even if the driver is deeply asleep, it becomes easier for the driver to recognize that he or she has been caught in a traffic jam.

The visual elements constituting the information notification mode include, for example, whether or not an image is displayed, the content of the image to be displayed, brightness, size, display location, intensity of light, and the like. The auditory elements that constitute the notification mode include presence/absence of sound output, volume, pitch of sound, whether the output sound is a mere notification sound or a voice message, and the like. The tactile elements that constitute the notification mode include the presence or absence of vibration, the intensity of vibration, the rhythm of vibration, and the like. Strengthening the stimulus given to the occupant can be realized, for example, by increasing the volume of the sound output from the speaker 22 or increasing the length of the sound. Further, increasing the stimulation given to the passenger may be realized by increasing the intensity of the light output from the display 21 or the ambient light, or by increasing the vibration generated by the vibrator. Increasing the stimulus given to the occupant may be realized by increasing the types of stimuli applied to the occupant.

In this disclosure, notifications in a manner intended to wake the driver are referred to as prominent notifications. In addition, notifying information about traffic congestion in a conspicuous manner is also referred to as conspicuous traffic congestion notification. Notification in a conspicuous manner involves outputting a voice message/sound effect at a volume equal to or higher than a predetermined value, or applying vibration. A conspicuous aspect corresponds to outputting a stimulus having a necessary and sufficient intensity to awaken the driver. Implementing a notice in a conspicuous manner is equivalent to implementing a process that wakes up the driver. On the other hand, the notification in a mode in which the stimulus is relatively weakened rather than the traffic jam notification in a conspicuous mode is also referred to as a notification in a modest mode. A discreet mode refers to a notification mode aimed at not waking a sleeping occupant or annoying the occupant. The modest mode of notification refers to a mode in which image display is the main focus, in which vibration is not applied to the driver and the output volume is set to a predetermined value or less. Setting the output volume to a predetermined value or less includes not outputting sound. The discreet notification may be accompanied by the output of sound effects at a non-intrusive volume. The level of volume that does not cause annoyance refers to, for example, 55 dB or +3 dB of noise level inside the vehicle. A modest aspect can also be rephrased as an inconspicuous aspect. The automatic driving ECU 30 of the present embodiment is configured so as to be able to control the notification mode in two stages, a conspicuous mode and a discreet mode. Of course, the processor 31 may be configured to be able to select one of three or more notification modes with different stimulus intensities, depending on the depth of sleep of the driver or the like.

Furthermore, as one embodiment, the processor 31 can display a congestion notification image including detailed information about the congestion regardless of the driver's condition. According to the configuration for displaying the congestion notification image including detailed information, even if the driver is asleep, the details of the congestion can be notified to the fellow passenger. As a result, when the degree of influence of traffic congestion is at an unacceptable level, countermeasures such as having fellow passengers wake up the driver can be taken.

Note that the congestion information notification mode may be the same for deep sleep and light sleep. The processor 31 may be configured to change the notification mode of traffic congestion information depending on whether the driver is awake or asleep without judging the depth of sleep. As a result, the sleep depth determination unit F31 may be configured to determine whether or not the driver is asleep.

In the above, the operation of the notification processing unit F61 in a scene in which automatic operation corresponding to level 4 or level 5 is being performed has been described. Congestion notifications may be implemented in a discreet manner, for example. The notification processing unit F61 may be configured not to issue a notification that does not include detailed information about traffic congestion when automatic driving is not being performed, as in the case where the driver is awake.

<Other examples of congestion response processing during automatic driving>
Here, another example of congestion response processing during automatic driving will be described using the flowchart shown in FIG. The traffic congestion response process shown in FIG. 4 is executed at predetermined notification intervals, such as every 1 minute or 5 minutes, for example, during automatic driving in the same manner as the traffic congestion response process shown in FIG. act to notify you. However, if the driver is asleep when the traffic congestion information about a certain point is notified, the processor 31 can operate to regard the traffic congestion as unnotified. Information that has not been notified can be rephrased as information that has not been recognized/confirmed by the passenger. Note that the congestion response process shown in FIG. 4 may be performed on the condition that the driver is executing a second task such as sleeping, reading, or operating a smartphone. That is, the congestion response process shown in FIG. 4 may be performed on the condition that it is estimated that the driver is not paying attention to the outside of the vehicle.

The congestion response process shown in FIG. 4 includes steps S201 to S205. Steps S201 and S202 are the same as steps S101 and S102. Step S203 is a step of determining whether or not the traffic congestion length Lt, which is the length of traffic congestion existing in front of the host vehicle, is less than a predetermined allowable threshold Th, based on the information acquired in step S201. The congestion length Lt may be defined in units of distance or in units of time. The permissible threshold Th is a threshold for determining whether or not to notify information about congestion, and can be a predetermined design value. Also, the allowable threshold Th may be input by the driver. The permissible threshold Th can be set to, for example, 15 minutes, 30 minutes, or 1 hour. Of course, the allowable threshold Th may be set in units of distance, such as 1 km. In addition, both a distance tolerance threshold Th and a time tolerance threshold Th may exist.

If the congestion length Lt is less than the allowable threshold value Th (step S203 YES), the notification processing unit F61 stops outputting the congestion information (step S204). On the other hand, when the congestion length Lt is equal to or greater than the allowable threshold value Th (step S203 NO), the notification processing unit F61 notifies of the congestion by image display and sound output (step S205). The sound output in step S205 may be a notification sound or a voice message about the occurrence of a traffic jam.

According to the above configuration, when the congestion length Lt is equal to or greater than the allowable threshold value Th, an image or sound is output to notify of congestion. Therefore, even if the driver is asleep, he or she may be awakened by the stimulus of the notification and be able to recognize the existence of the traffic jam. In other words, the driver's awareness of being stuck in a traffic jam can be enhanced compared to the case where no notification is given. As a result, it is possible to reduce the possibility that the arrival time will be greatly delayed without the driver's knowledge. Further, when the traffic congestion length Lt is less than the allowable threshold Th, the traffic congestion notification is cancelled. According to this configuration, unnecessary notifications are suppressed, and the fear of bothering the driver can be reduced. That is, according to the above configuration, it is possible to achieve both comfort and convenience for the driver.

In the above description, the mode of changing the system response according to the congestion length Lt has been described, but instead of the congestion length Lt, the arrival delay amount, which is the fluctuation range of the estimated arrival time due to congestion, may be used. For example, the processor 31 may be configured to issue a notification when the amount of delay in arrival due to congestion is equal to or greater than a predetermined allowable threshold, and to omit notification when the amount of delay in arrival is less than the allowable threshold. The longer the length of the traffic jam, the greater the degree of influence of the traffic jam on the scheduled arrival time. The length of congestion and the amount of arrival delay correspond to indices indicating the degree of influence of congestion on the control plan. Note that the amount of arrival delay can be calculated based on the point in time when the driver sets the destination or the point in time when the estimated arrival time is last notified to the awake driver.

The processor 31 may also change the response depending on the cause (type) of congestion. For example, the processor 31 may change the timing of notification of traffic congestion or the intensity of stimulation given to the driver at the time of notification, depending on whether or not the cause of traffic congestion is an accident. If the cause of the congestion is an accident, it is more likely that the congestion will last longer than natural congestion due to rescue/retreat. Therefore, the processor 31 may promptly notify the user when the cause of the traffic congestion is an accident, but may suspend/cancel the notification when the cause of the traffic congestion is other than an accident (for example, natural traffic congestion). Further, the processor 31 may not apply the vibration stimulus to the driver when the cause of traffic congestion is not an accident, but may generate vibration together with the traffic congestion notification image when the cause of traffic congestion is an accident.

Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications described below are also included in the technical scope of the present disclosure. Various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, the following various supplements and modifications can be implemented in combination as appropriate within a range that does not cause technical contradiction. It should be noted that members having the same functions as those of the members described above are given the same reference numerals, and explanation thereof may be omitted. Also, when only a part of the configuration is mentioned, the above description can be applied to the other parts.

<Modification (1)>
The technical ideas described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4 may be implemented in combination as appropriate. That is, the processor 31 may be configured to change the mode of notification of traffic congestion information in accordance with both the depth of sleep of the driver and the degree of influence of traffic congestion (for example, length of traffic congestion).

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a notification mode according to a combination of the depth of sleep of the driver and the length of traffic congestion. The longer the congestion length, the more powerful the processor 31 can notify. In addition, when the driver is in a deep sleep, the processor 31 suspends the notification when the congestion length is less than the allowable threshold value, and executes the notification when the congestion length is equal to or greater than the allowable threshold value. The notification mode when the congestion length is equal to or greater than the allowable threshold value and the sleep depth is 2 is made stronger than when the congestion length is equal to or greater than the allowable threshold value and the sleep depth is 1. As a result, when the traffic jam length is equal to or greater than the allowable threshold value, it can be expected to have the effect of waking up the driver who is deeply asleep and making it easier to recognize that the driver is in a relatively long traffic jam.

<Modification (2)>
The processor 31 may implement a reroute suggestion when the driver is awake and the congestion length is greater than or equal to the allowable threshold. Reroute proposal is a process of suggesting adoption of another route to avoid congestion. When the processor 31 receives a response signal from the input device 23 to the effect that the change of the travel route is accepted in response to the reroute proposal, the processor 31 continues the automatic driving on the new route. According to this configuration, when the congestion length is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the processor 31 can continue automatic driving on a route that avoids congestion with the approval of the driver. It should be noted that the processor 31 can omit notification regarding congestion when the driver is awake and the congestion length is less than the allowable threshold. This is because when the traffic congestion length is less than the allowable threshold, the effect on the estimated arrival time is small and the usefulness is low. By suppressing notification of information with low usefulness, it is possible to reduce the risk of annoying the driver.

<Modification (3)>
Further, if the driver is asleep, the processor 31 may notify the traffic congestion after or at the same time that the driver is awakened by vibration such as a vibrator. The processor 31 may be configured to perform wake-up processing using at least one of vibration, light, and sound stimuli before notification of traffic jam information.

For example, the processor 31 may be configured to perform wake-up processing before notification of congestion information only when the congestion length/arrival delay amount is greater than or equal to a permissible threshold. The processor 31 may be configured to perform an awakening process based on the transition of the sleep depth from 2 to 1, and then notify the traffic congestion information.

According to the above configuration, it becomes easier for the driver to recognize that he or she is stuck in a traffic jam. In the automatic driving ECU 30, an awakening threshold for performing an awakening process may be set in addition to the allowable threshold for notifying traffic congestion. When the driver is asleep, the processor 31 may perform wake-up processing and traffic information notification processing based on the fact that the congestion length is equal to or greater than the wake-up threshold. Further, a threshold for light sleep, which is an awakening threshold applied when sleep is light, and a threshold for deep sleep, which is an awakening threshold applied when sleep is deep, may be prepared separately. Assuming that the light sleep threshold is 5 km, the deep sleep threshold can be set to 10 km or the like. By setting the threshold value for deep sleep longer than the threshold value for light sleep, it is possible to reduce the risk of waking the driver in deep sleep. As a result, it is possible to make the driver aware of the possibility of a significant delay in arrival time, while reducing the possibility of the driver feeling uncomfortable.

<Modification (4)>
Before the driver goes to sleep, the processor 31 obtains whether or not the delay to the destination is permitted in cooperation with the in-vehicle HMI 20, and if the delay is permitted, the notification regarding traffic congestion is not performed. It may be configured as follows. A signal from the input device 23 may determine whether a delay to the destination is acceptable. In addition, the processor 31 acquires an allowable time for arrival delay, and is configured not to issue a traffic congestion notification when the expected delay time is less than the set allowable time. can be The permissible time can be interpreted as the above-described permissible threshold.

<Modification (5)>
The processor 31 may perform the response setting confirmation process using, for example, the fact that the driver's seat has been set to the resting posture or that an operation for setting the driver's seat to the resting posture has been performed as a trigger. The response setting confirmation process is a process of requesting the driver to confirm the operation settings of the congestion response process. The operation setting of the traffic jam response process indicates, for example, whether or not delay to the destination is allowed, the allowable length of traffic jam, and the like. An acceptable congestion length corresponds to an acceptable threshold.

The response setting confirmation process includes, for example, displaying on the display 21 a screen requesting input of an allowable congestion length, and determining an allowable threshold value based on a signal from the input device 23 . In addition, the processor 31 is triggered by the drowsiness level of the driver exceeding a predetermined value during automatic driving, the start of automatic driving, and the driver performing an operation to change the response settings. , the response setting confirmation process may be executed. Drowsiness level can be determined by various algorithms based on signals from the occupant condition sensor 16 . The automatic driving ECU 30 may be configured to be able to acquire the allowable threshold by voice input (speech recognition).

<Modification (6)>
The processor 31 is configured to acquire the notification stop time desired by the driver based on the signal from the input device 23, and to stop the traffic jam-related notification until the notification stop time elapses after the driver falls asleep. can be The notification stop time corresponds to the time to stop notifications related to congestion or the time to stop notifications other than emergency information related to safety. The notification stop time corresponds to a parameter for the driver to get a comfortable sleep/rest.

Also, the notification stop time indirectly indicates the length of sleep desired by the driver. Therefore, the notification stop time can also be called sleep desired time. The notification stop time, in other words, the desired sleep time can be acquired in the response setting confirmation process. The initial value of the desired sleep time is, for example, 0 minutes. The desired sleep time can take values from 0 minutes to 90 minutes, for example. The desired sleep time can be set to any value by the driver.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart for explaining the operation of the processor 31 when controlling notification of congestion using the desired sleep time. FIG. 6 also corresponds to another example of the congestion response process. Steps S301 to S303 shown in FIG. 6 are the same as S101 to S103. That is, the processor 31 acquires various types of information (step S301), and determines whether the driving environment is congested based on the acquired information (step S302). If it is determined that the driving environment is congested, it is determined whether or not the driver is awake based on the driver status information acquired in step S301. If the driver is sleeping, it is determined whether or not the sleep duration (Ts_o) is less than the desired sleep time (Ts_w) (step S304). Ts_o in the figure indicates the measured sleep duration, and Ts_w indicates the desired sleep time, in other words, the notification stop time.

Here, if the sleep duration is less than the desired sleep time (step S304 YES), the notification related to traffic congestion is canceled (step S305). On the other hand, if the duration of sleep is equal to or longer than the desired duration of sleep (step S304 NO), a traffic congestion notification is provided (step S306). The manner of notification may be conspicuous. Of course, the aspect of notification in step S306 may be a discreet aspect.

According to the configuration described above, while the sleep continuation time is less than the desired sleep time, the traffic congestion notification is not performed. Therefore, the driver can continue sleeping for the desired time. The technical idea described with reference to FIG. 6 can be implemented in appropriate combination with the above-described embodiments and various supplementary examples. For example, the mode of notification (intensity of stimulation) may be changed according to the depth of sleep of the driver. Also, if the driver is awake, the notification may be canceled as in S104.

<Supplement to Examples, etc.: Modification (7)>
The processor 31 does not change the route if the driver instructs not to avoid the traffic jam/maintain the current route after the notification related to the traffic jam in steps S104, S106, S205, or the like. maintain the current route. The current route refers to the travel route that is currently set. The current route corresponds to the route set by the driver, in other words, the route agreed with the driver. The current route is not necessarily limited to the route set at departure. The route reselected by the driver based on the proposal from the system after the start of driving also corresponds to the current route.

As shown in FIG. 7, the processor 31 sets the re-notification flag to ON when the driver's awakening is not detected (step S402 NO) after performing the notification related to the congestion (step S401). (step S403). The re-notification flag is a processing flag for re-executing notification. When the driver is in a sleeping state and the re-notification flag is set to ON, the processor 31 notifies traffic congestion at predetermined time intervals. Note that the re-notification flag is set to OFF in the initial state. Also, the processor 31 sets the re-notification flag to off when it detects that the driver has woken up. The initial state here refers to the state immediately after the power source for running is turned on and the automatic driving ECU 30 is activated.

In addition, when the driver wakes up after the notification related to traffic congestion or the like is given and the driver selects to maintain the current route (step S404 YES), the processor 31 sets the notification stop flag to ON. (Step S405). On the other hand, the processor 31 changes the route and sets the notification stop flag when the driver wakes up and selects not to maintain the current route (step S404 NO) after the notification of the traffic congestion. is turned off (step S406). The notification stop flag is a flag for stopping (cancelling) notifications regarding congestion. The notification stop flag is set to off in the initial state. The processor 31 stops notification about congestion while the notification stop flag is on.

According to the above configuration, when the host vehicle is involved in a new (different) traffic jam, the processor 31 can transfer the driver's instructions regarding the previous traffic jam, such as whether or not to maintain the current route, to the new traffic jam. automatically apply to In other words, if the driver instructs to maintain the current route for the previous traffic jam, even if a new traffic jam is encountered, the current route is not notified about the new traffic jam. to maintain In addition, if the driver instructs to reroute at the time of the previous traffic jam, notification regarding the new traffic jam is also carried out when encountering a new traffic jam.

According to such a configuration, if the driver is involved in a plurality of traffic jams in one trip, the driver does not need to input the response strategy each time he encounters traffic jams. In other words, it is possible to reduce the fear of bothering the driver.

<Modification (8)>
When encountering a new traffic jam while the driver is asleep, the processor 31 automatically applies the response policy instructed by the driver to the previous traffic jam as a response policy to the new traffic jam according to the reason for the new traffic jam. You can change whether or not Here, the new traffic congestion refers to traffic congestion that is newly encountered and for which a notification or response policy input request has not been made. In other words, the new traffic jam refers to a traffic jam different from the traffic jams of which the driver has already been notified/has left. For example, if the new congestion is caused by an accident or the like, in other words, if the impact on the arrival time is expected to be large, the processor 31 performs congestion notification in a conspicuous manner even if the notification stop flag is set to ON. You may

FIG. 8 is a flow chart corresponding to the technical idea. As shown in FIG. 8, when the processor 31 detects a new traffic jam while the driver is sleeping (step S501 YES), if the notification stop flag is set to ON (step S502 YES), a predetermined Determine if it is satisfied. The exception condition is a condition for performing a traffic congestion notification even if the notification stop flag is ON. Examples of exceptional conditions that can be used include that the reason for traffic congestion is an accident, that the length of traffic congestion/the amount of delay in arrival is greater than or equal to a predetermined value, and the like. Note that step S502 corresponds to a step of determining whether or not maintaining the current route for the previous traffic jam is adopted as a response policy.

If the new congestion satisfies the exception condition (step S503 YES), the processor 31 notifies the congestion in a conspicuous manner even if the notification stop flag is set to ON. implemented (step S504). In other words, even if the response policy is to maintain the current route at the time of the previous congestion encounter, the notification of the new congestion is performed. According to this configuration, it is possible to reduce the possibility that the driver will be late in noticing that he or she has encountered an unexpected large-scale traffic jam. In addition, during traffic congestion due to an accident or the like, there is an increased possibility that the driving environment will not satisfy ODD due to a decrease in the number of available lanes, vehicle speed restrictions, or changes in weather over time. When the driver encounters a traffic jam due to an accident or the like, by awakening the driver in advance, it is possible to smoothly change the driving even when it becomes necessary to change the driving.

A configuration that adopts a traffic accident as the reason for congestion as an exception condition corresponds, in one aspect, to a configuration that does not apply the response policy for the previous congestion to a new congestion if the reason for the congestion is a traffic accident. . Further, this configuration corresponds to a configuration in which, when the reason for the congestion is not an accident, for example, when the traffic volume is excessive, the response policy for the previous congestion is automatically applied to the new congestion.

Note that if the response policy is to maintain the current route at the time of the previous congestion encounter and the new congestion does not satisfy the exception conditions, the processor 31 cancels notification of the new congestion ( step S505). According to this configuration, the fear of unnecessarily raising the driver can be reduced. In addition, when the response policy is to change the route at the time of the previous congestion encounter, that is, when the notification stop flag is off (step S502 NO), the processor 31 performs congestion notification in a conspicuous manner. (step S506). According to this configuration, it is possible to increase the possibility that the system will operate in accordance with the driver's intention.

<Modification (9)>
The processor 31 may be configured to determine, based on the output signal of the occupant state sensor 16, whether or not the driver is in an unhealthy state. The term "disorder" as used herein refers to a state in which at least one of physical and mental health is not good. The unhealthy state includes a state in which the sleepiness level is equal to or higher than a predetermined value, a state in which the user is physically tired, and a state in which the user feels stress. For example, the processor 31 determines whether the driver is in a bad condition based on the pulse rate, body temperature, amount of activity (e.g., number of steps), degree of eye opening, frequency of yawning, elapsed time since the start of driving, etc. within the most recent predetermined time period. judge. For example, the processor 31 determines that the driver is in a bad condition based on the fact that the degree of eye opening is less than or equal to a predetermined value and the observation of a predetermined body movement suggesting drowsiness such as yawning.

When the processor 31 detects that the driver is in a bad condition, the processor 31 may suggest that the driver sleep on the condition that the level 4 automatic driving is being performed. The sleep suggestion may involve displaying an image on the display 21 and outputting sound effects/announcements from the speaker 22 . Then, the processor 31 may be configured not to notify the driver of traffic congestion for at least a predetermined period of time even if a delay due to traffic congestion occurs when the driver falls asleep as a result of the sleep suggestion.

FIG. 9 is a flow chart showing an operation example of the processor 31 corresponding to the above technical idea, comprising steps S601 to S604. The flowchart is periodically executed during level 4 automatic driving. Step S601 is a step for determining whether or not the driver is out of order based on the output signal of the occupant state sensor 16. FIG. When the processor 31 determines that the driver is in a bad condition, the processor 31 displays a message recommending taking a nap on the display 21 as rest suggestion processing (step S602). Note that the processor 31 may automatically set the driver's seat to the resting posture when a positive response is obtained from the driver through operation of the input device 23 or voice input as a result of the sleep suggestion processing.

After that, when the processor 31 detects that the driver has fallen asleep based on the signal from the occupant state sensor 16 (step S603 YES), it sets the notification stop flag to ON. After that, when the driver wakes up or when a predetermined time has passed since falling asleep, the processor 31 sets the notification stop flag to OFF. Moreover, it is preferable that the processor 31 stops the notification not only when the driver is asleep, but also for a predetermined period of time after the break suggestion is made. This is because there is a concern that the notification of congestion in a conspicuous manner to the driver who is going to sleep may make the driver feel uncomfortable. The processor 31 may adopt a modest mode as a mode of notification of traffic congestion or the like for a predetermined time after implementing the proposed rest.

The above configuration corresponds to a configuration in which physical condition management of the driver is given priority over notifications related to traffic jams. According to this configuration, it is possible to prevent the driver from performing a driving operation in a bad condition. Moreover, as a result, the effect of improving safety can be expected.

<Modification (10)>
The processor 31 may alter its response to congestion not only by the driver, but also by whether the passenger is asleep or awake. For example, the processor 31 may notify the congestion information when the fellow passenger is awake and has not checked the outside of the vehicle. When both the driver and the fellow passengers are sleeping, only the image display may be stopped and the sound output may be stopped.

<Modification (11)>
In the above description, the configuration is described in which the mode of notification of traffic jam information when the driver is asleep is changed according to the depth of sleep, but the present invention is not limited to this. The technical idea of changing the notification mode/operation of the in-vehicle HMI 20 according to the depth of sleep can be applied to notification processing of other information. For example, the notification relating to the remaining amount of energy for running, such as the power stored in the battery or gasoline, may also be changed according to the depth of sleep. For example, if the driver is awake, the notification is given when the remaining energy level becomes equal to or less than a predetermined first threshold, while if the driver is asleep, the notification is issued until the remaining energy level becomes equal to or less than the second threshold. It may be put on hold. The second threshold is set to a value smaller than the first threshold. Assuming that the first threshold is set to a value corresponding to 15%, 20%, etc. of the full charge capacity, the second threshold is set to a value corresponding to 5%, 10%, etc. of the full charge capacity. If the driver is asleep even when the remaining energy level is below the second threshold, the remaining energy level may be notified in such a manner that the greater the depth of sleep, the stronger the stimulus. According to this configuration, it is possible to reduce the risk of running out of energy while sleeping.

<Modification (12)>
If you encounter a traffic jam, the autonomous driving time may be longer than originally planned. Since energy is consumed by driving the sensor for monitoring the surroundings even while traveling in a congested section, an unexpected shortage of energy (for example, a shortage of gasoline) may occur when encountering a traffic jam. When the driver is awake, it is easy to notice a decrease in the remaining energy level, while it is difficult for the driver to perceive a decrease in the remaining energy level during sleep.

Under such circumstances, when the processor 31 predicts that the remaining energy for driving will be less than a predetermined value due to traffic congestion while the driver is sleeping, the processor 31 notifies the decrease of the remaining energy in a conspicuous manner. can be In that case, the content of the notification may include encountering traffic congestion in addition to concern about insufficient remaining energy.

For example, processor 31 may operate according to the procedure shown in FIG. That is, when the processor 31 determines that there is concern about an energy shortage (step S702 YES) while the driver is asleep and in a traffic jam (step S701 YES), the processor 31 notifies the decrease in the remaining energy level in a conspicuous manner (step S702 YES). S703). Whether or not there will be an energy shortage is determined, for example, based on the current remaining amount of energy, the amount of energy consumed per unit time, and the time it takes to clear a traffic jam or arrive at a destination. The energy consumption amount per unit time can be identified by the processor 31 comparing the remaining energy amount up to a certain time with the current remaining energy amount. The time it takes to get out of a traffic jam can be calculated based on traffic jam information or the like received from the outside. The determination of whether or not an energy shortage is likely to occur may be performed at predetermined time intervals, such as one minute.

According to the above configuration, when the driver is caught in a traffic jam while sleeping and the need for battery charging/refueling or the like arises, it is possible to quickly recognize this fact. Note that even if there is no concern about energy shortage (step S702 NO), the processor 31 notifies the user of the congestion in a conspicuous manner based on the fact that the reason for the congestion satisfies a predetermined condition such as length of congestion/arrival delay amount. may be implemented.

In addition to the lack of energy, when the weather changes while the driver is asleep and in a traffic jam, for example, when a torrential downpour occurs, the processor 31 notifies the traffic congestion in a conspicuous manner regardless of the length of the traffic jam. You may Of course, the processor 31, based on the weather information distributed from the center, before it detects that the weather has actually changed, for example, at the timing when it detects that rainfall of a predetermined level or more will occur within a predetermined time, the conspicuous aspect Congestion notification may be carried out at .

In addition, since the movement speed decreases during traffic jams, rainfall that should not have been encountered at the time of departure/start of automatic driving may occur. Also, depending on the amount of rainfall, it may be out of ODD. If the scheduled ODD exit time is advanced by a predetermined value or more due to an environmental factor that was not foreseen at the start of automatic operation, or if an environmental factor that can advance the scheduled ODD exit time is detected, the processor 31 displays the current situation in a conspicuous manner. may notify you. The content of the notification preferably includes that the vehicle is in a traffic jam and that there is a possibility that the automatic driving will end early. According to this configuration, it is possible to increase the possibility that the driver will be awake at the time of actually leaving the ODD, and as a result, the driver change can be implemented more smoothly. Note that the scheduled exit time of the ODD corresponds to the time at which the handover request is executed and the automatic operation is terminated. The environmental element that can advance the scheduled ODD exit time is an environmental element that can terminate the automatic driving, and indicates, for example, a predetermined amount of rainfall or more, snowfall, heavy fog, road surface freezing, and the like. Notification target events include the remaining amount of energy becoming equal to or less than a predetermined value, and the occurrence of an environmental factor that may terminate the automatic operation.

<Modification (13)>
The automatic driving system Sys may include an HCU 24 that controls a notification device such as a display 21 as shown in FIG. 11 . 11, illustration of a part of the configuration shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is omitted. HCU 24 is implemented using processor 241 and memory 242 .

Moreover, the HCU 24 may be provided with a function related to traffic jam notification control. That is, the HCU 24 includes a driving mode acquisition unit F7 in addition to the functional units related to congestion notification control, such as the information acquisition unit F1, the traffic congestion recognition unit F21, the passenger state acquisition unit F3, and the notification processing unit F61. The operation mode acquisition part F7 is a structure which acquires the present operation mode from automatic driving ECU30. The driving mode acquisition unit F7 acquires a signal indicating whether automatic driving corresponding to automation level 4 or 5 is being executed from the automatic driving ECU 30 .

In the above configuration, the HCU 24, like the automatic driving ECU 30 described above, determines whether or not the driver is asleep while the automatic driving is being executed, and based on at least one of the traffic congestion length, the host vehicle encounters. Change the notification mode of traffic jams that are currently occurring/to be encountered. The HCU 204 may also control notifications related to low energy levels while the driver is asleep, ODD exit time remaining, and the like. A configuration including a functional unit that adjusts the mode of notification of traffic jam information in the HCU 24 or the automatic driving ECU 30 corresponds to the notification control device. Also, the method executed by them corresponds to the notification control method.

<Additional notes>
The apparatus, systems, and techniques described in the present disclosure may be implemented by a special purpose computer comprising a processor programmed to perform one or more functions embodied by the computer program. . The apparatus and techniques described in this disclosure may also be implemented using dedicated hardware logic. Additionally, the apparatus and techniques described in this disclosure may be implemented by one or more special purpose computers configured in combination with a processor executing a computer program and one or more hardware logic circuits. For example, some or all of the functions provided by the processor 31 may be implemented as hardware. Implementation of a function as hardware includes implementation using one or more ICs. A CPU, an MPU, a GPU, a DFP (Data Flow Processor), or the like can be used as a processor (arithmetic core). Also, some or all of the functions provided by the processor 31 may be implemented by combining multiple types of arithmetic processing units. Some or all of the functions of the processor 31 may be implemented using a system-on-chip (SoC), FPGA, ASIC, or the like. FPGA stands for Field-Programmable Gate Array. ASIC is an abbreviation for Application Specific Integrated Circuit. The same is true for processor 241 .

The computer program may also be stored as computer-executable instructions on a computer-readable, non-transitory tangible storage medium. A HDD (Hard-disk Drive), an SSD (Solid State Drive), a flash memory, or the like can be used as a program storage medium.

In addition to the processor 31 described above, various forms such as a system including the processor 31 as a component are also included in the scope of the present disclosure. For example, a program for causing a computer to function as the automatic driving ECU 30/HCU 24, and a non-transitional substantive recording medium such as a semiconductor memory recording the program are also included in the scope of the present disclosure.

Sys automatic driving system, 11 peripheral monitoring sensor, 12 vehicle state sensor, 15 wireless communication device, 16 occupant state sensor, 20 in-vehicle HMI, 21 display (notification device), 22 speaker (notification device), 23 input device, 30 automatic operation ECU, 31 Processor, 241 Processor, F1 Information Acquisition Unit, F2 Environment Recognition Unit, F21 Congestion Recognition Unit (Congestion Information Acquisition Unit), F3 Passenger State Acquisition Unit, F4 Mode Control Unit, F5 Planning Unit, F6 Control Execution Unit, F61 Notification processing unit, F7 operation mode acquisition unit

Claims (20)

An automatic operation device capable of performing automatic operation at an automation level that allows sleep of a driver's seat occupant who is a person sitting in the driver's seat,
A congestion information acquisition unit (F21) that acquires information about traffic congestion on the travel route of the own vehicle;
a congestion notification processing unit (F61) that performs processing for notifying the driver's seat occupant of the information related to the congestion via the notification device (21, 22);
an occupant state acquisition unit (F3) that acquires whether or not the driver's seat occupant is sleeping based on an input signal from an occupant state sensor (16) that senses the state of the driver's seat occupant,
The traffic congestion notification processing unit is an automatic operation device that changes the mode of the traffic congestion notification according to whether the driver's seat occupant is asleep while the automatic driving is being performed. The automatic operation device according to claim 1,
The occupant state acquisition unit is configured to determine a depth of sleep, which is the depth of sleep, when the occupant in the driver's seat is asleep,
The automatic operation device, wherein the traffic congestion notification processing unit is configured to change whether or not to notify the traffic congestion according to the depth of sleep while the automatic driving is being performed. The automatic operation device according to claim 2,
When the sleep depth is less than a predetermined reference value while the automatic driving is being performed, the traffic congestion notification processing unit notifies the traffic jam when the sleep depth is equal to or greater than the reference value. The automatic operation device configured not to notify about the traffic jam. The automatic operation device according to claim 2 or 3,
The congestion information acquisition unit acquires an arrival delay amount that is a delay amount of the estimated arrival time due to the congestion or a congestion length that indicates the length of the congestion,
The traffic congestion notification processing unit, while the automatic driving is being performed, notifies the traffic congestion based on one of the arrival delay amount and the traffic congestion length and whether or not the driver's seat occupant is asleep. Automatic operation device that changes the aspect of. The automatic operation device according to claim 4,
The congestion notification processing unit is
Based on a signal from an input device or pre-registered data, obtaining a permissible threshold indicating a delay time due to congestion that the driver's seat occupant allows,
In a situation where the automatic driving is being executed and the driver's seat occupant is asleep, if the arrival delay amount or the congestion length is less than the allowable threshold, the notification regarding the congestion is canceled, and the arrival An automatic operation device configured to notify the congestion when the amount of delay or the length of the congestion is equal to or greater than the allowable threshold. The automatic operation device according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
The passenger state acquisition unit is configured to be able to determine whether or not the fellow passenger is awake based on a signal from a fellow passenger sensor that detects the state of the fellow passenger,
The congestion notification processing unit is configured to display detailed information about the congestion on the display serving as the notification device when the fellow passenger is awake even when the driver's seat occupant is asleep. automatic navigation device. The automatic operation device according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
The traffic congestion notification processing unit acquires setting information as to whether or not the driver's seat occupant permits delay due to traffic congestion based on a signal from an input device or pre-registered data. An automatic operation device configured to stop the traffic congestion notification while the automatic operation is being performed if a driver's seat occupant is able to obtain permission. An automatic operation device capable of performing automatic operation at an automation level that allows the driver's seat occupant to sleep,
A congestion information acquisition unit (F21) that acquires information about traffic congestion on the travel route of the own vehicle;
A congestion notification processing unit (F61) that performs processing for notifying information related to congestion to the driver's seat occupant via the notification device (21, 22),
The congestion information acquisition unit acquires an arrival delay amount that is a delay amount of the estimated arrival time due to the congestion or a congestion length that indicates the length of the congestion,
The traffic jam notification processing unit, while the automatic driving is being executed, according to the arrival delay amount or the traffic jam length, the automatic operation device that changes the mode of notification regarding the traffic jam during execution of the automatic driving. The automatic operation device according to claim 8,
The congestion notification processing unit, while the automatic driving is being performed, performs notification regarding the congestion when the arrival delay amount or the congestion length is equal to or greater than a predetermined allowable threshold, and the arrival delay amount Alternatively, the automatic operation device is configured not to notify the traffic jam when the traffic jam length is less than the allowable threshold. The automatic operation device according to any one of claims 1 to 9,
The traffic jam information acquisition unit acquires the cause of the traffic jam,
The traffic congestion notification processing unit is configured to change the intensity of stimulation given to the driver's seat occupant at the time of notification timing or notification regarding the traffic congestion depending on whether the cause of the traffic congestion is an accident. . The automatic operation device according to any one of claims 1 to 10,
The traffic congestion notification processing unit is configured to perform notification regarding the traffic congestion in a predetermined manner when the automatic driving is not being performed, or to not perform notification that does not include detailed information about the traffic congestion. There is an automatic operation device. The automatic operation device according to any one of claims 1 to 11,
The traffic congestion notification includes requesting the driver to choose whether to change the route,
The traffic congestion notification processing unit, when the driver selects not to change the route in response to the notification regarding the traffic congestion, even if the driver encounters another traffic congestion other than the notified traffic congestion. Autonomous devices that are configured not to enforce notifications. The automatic operation device according to claim 12,
The congestion information acquisition unit acquires whether the cause of the congestion is a traffic accident,
When the cause of the traffic congestion is the traffic accident, the traffic congestion notification processing unit is configured to prevent the traffic congestion even if the driver selects not to change the route as a response policy to the previous traffic congestion. automated navigation device configured to implement notifications regarding The automatic operation device according to any one of claims 1 to 11,
The notification regarding the congestion includes requesting the driver to select whether to change the route as a response policy for the congestion,
The traffic congestion notification processing unit, when encountering a new traffic jam that is different from the traffic jam from which the driver has exited, determines whether the cause of the traffic jam is a traffic accident. automatic operation device configured to change whether or not to automatically apply the response policy instructed by as a response policy to the new congestion. The automatic operation device according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
The occupant state acquisition unit acquires a sleep continuation time, which is the time during which the driver's seat occupant is asleep,
The congestion notification processing unit is
Obtaining a desired sleep time, which is the sleep time desired by the driver's seat occupant, based on a signal from an input device or pre-registered data;
The automatic operation device configured not to notify the traffic jam when the sleep duration is less than the desired sleep time even if the driver's seat occupant encounters the traffic jam while sleeping. An automatic operation device according to any one of claims 1 to 7 and 15, comprising at least one processor,
The processor
While executing the processing as the congestion information acquisition unit, the congestion notification processing unit, and the occupant state acquisition unit,
determining whether the driver's seat occupant is in good physical condition based on the input signal from the occupant condition sensor;
If it is determined that the driver's seat occupant is unwell, it is proposed to sleep on the condition that the automatic driving is being performed,
The automatic operation device configured not to notify the traffic jam for a predetermined time after the driver's seat occupant falls asleep when the driver's seat occupant transitions to a sleeping state after the proposal. An automatic operation device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, 15 and 16, comprising at least one processor,
The processor
While executing the processing as the congestion information acquisition unit, the congestion notification processing unit, and the occupant state acquisition unit,
If a notification target event that was not assumed at the start of the automatic driving occurs as a result of encountering the traffic jam while the driver's seat occupant is asleep, a process for awakening the driver's seat occupant is performed. is configured to run
The notification target event includes a decrease in the remaining amount of energy for running the own vehicle, or the occurrence of an environmental element that may terminate the automatic operation. An automatic operation device according to any one of claims 1 to 7 and 15 to 17, comprising at least one processor,
The processor
While executing the processing as the congestion information acquisition unit, the congestion notification processing unit, and the occupant state acquisition unit,
Obtaining the remaining amount of energy from a sensor that detects the remaining amount of energy for running the own vehicle,
determining whether there is a possibility that the energy may be insufficient due to the effects of the traffic jam when the driver encounters the traffic jam while the driver is asleep;
An automatic operation device configured to execute processing for awakening the driver's seat occupant when there is a possibility that the energy will be insufficient. A notification control device used in connection with an automatic operation device capable of performing automatic operation at an automation level that allows sleep of a driver's seat occupant who is a passenger sitting in the driver's seat,
A congestion information acquisition unit (F21) that acquires information about traffic congestion on the travel route of the own vehicle;
a congestion notification processing unit (F61) that performs processing for notifying the driver's seat occupant of the information related to the congestion via the notification device (21, 22);
an occupant state acquisition unit (F3) that acquires the sleep state of the driver seat occupant based on an input signal from an occupant state sensor (16) that senses the state of the driver seat occupant;
An operation mode acquisition unit (F7) that acquires a signal indicating whether the automatic operation is being executed from the automatic operation device,
The traffic congestion notification processing unit is a notification control device that changes the mode of the traffic congestion notification according to whether the driver's seat occupant is asleep while the automatic driving is being performed. A notification control method implemented by at least one processor (31, 241) for use in a vehicle, comprising:
Acquiring traffic congestion information on the travel route of the vehicle based on the data received from an external device or the detection result of a perimeter monitoring sensor mounted on the vehicle;
performing a process for notifying a driver seated occupant sitting in the driver's seat of the traffic congestion information via a notification device (21, 22);
Acquiring occupant state information including whether or not the driver seat occupant is asleep based on an input signal from a passenger state sensor (16) that senses the driver seat occupant's state;
Acquiring a signal indicating whether or not the automatic operation is being performed from an automatic operation device configured to be able to perform automatic operation at an automation level that allows the driver's seat occupant to sleep;
A notification control method, including changing a mode of notification regarding the traffic congestion according to whether the driver's seat occupant is asleep while the automatic driving is being performed.

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