JP2023180475A - Steering suppressing device for automatic driving vehicle and automatic driving vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

To suppress contact with a steering member by a fellow passenger during automatic driving.SOLUTION: A steering suppressing device for an automatic driving vehicle is used for the automatic driving vehicle comprising a driver's seat configured to be switchable between a first seat position for normal driving time where the driver operates a steering member and a second seat position where a backrest portion is positioned closer to the steering member than at the first seat position. The steering suppressing device comprises a steering member cover. The steering member cover comprises: a support portion that is attached to the backrest portion of the driver's seat at the second seat position and supports the steering member cover with respect to the backrest portion; and a housing portion that accommodates the steering member in a non-contact manner in a state that the support portion is attached to the backrest portion.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to a steering suppression device for a self-driving vehicle and a self-driving vehicle.

In a self-driving car, when driving in the self-driving mode (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "self-driving"), where the control system is primarily responsible for controlling and monitoring the driving state of the vehicle, including steering, the driver of the steering wheel etc. If the mechanical connection between the steering member operated by the passenger and the steering gear mechanism such as a rack and pinion is maintained, contact with the steering member by the passenger may cause the steered wheels to turn which is not in the driving schedule. There are concerns that this may occur and affect driving.

Here, in a vehicle that employs a steer-by-wire system, it is possible to avoid steering due to contact with the steering member by cutting off the connection between the steering member and the steering gear mechanism during automatic driving.

On the other hand, in vehicles that do not adopt a steer-by-wire system and maintain a mechanical connection between the steering member and the steering gear mechanism at all times, the steering wheel is linked to the movement of the steering member even during autonomous driving, so the steering member There are still concerns about the impact that contact with the vehicle may have on driving.

Patent Document 1 discloses that when the driver's seat is used for purposes other than driving, the steering wheel and steering shaft are stored in the dashboard in front of the driver's seat, so that the steering wheel and the like get in the way when used for purposes other than driving. A technique for avoiding this has been disclosed.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2002-193111

However, adopting the technology disclosed in Patent Document 1 requires significant changes not only to the dashboard but also to the structure of the steering mechanism, centering on the steering shaft, resulting in an increase in development man-hours. In addition, there are disadvantages such as difficulty in adopting the method due to design constraints.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, the present invention provides a steering suppression device for an automated driving vehicle that is capable of suppressing a passenger from touching the steering member during automated driving while allowing movement of the steering member that interlocks with the steering wheels, and an automated driving vehicle. The purpose is to provide

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the steering suppressing device for an automatic driving vehicle according to the present invention has a first seat position during normal driving in which the driver operates the steering member, and a backrest portion that is lower than the first seat position. A steering suppression device for an automatic driving vehicle, comprising a driver's seat configured to be switchable between a second seat position that approaches the steering member, and a steering member cover, the steering member cover being configured to switch between the second seat position and the second seat position. a support part that is attached to the backrest of the driver's seat and supports the steering member cover with respect to the backrest; and a support part that is attached to the backrest and allows the steering member to be held in a non-contact manner. A housing section for housing the housing.

Furthermore, the self-driving vehicle according to the present invention is capable of driving in a normal driving mode in which the direction of the steered wheels is changed by the operation of the steering member by the driver, and in a normal driving mode in which the direction of the steered wheels is changed by the operation of the steering member by the driver. First, the self-driving vehicle is configured to be able to switch between traveling in an automatic driving mode that automatically changes, and the mechanical connection between the steering member and the steered wheels is maintained even in the automatic driving mode. In the vehicle, the driver's seat is switched between a first seat position in the normal driving mode and a second seat position in the automatic driving mode, in which a backrest portion is closer to the steering member than in the first seat position. The steering member cover is configured such that the steering member cover is attached to a backrest portion of the driver seat in the second seat position, and a support portion that supports the steering member cover with respect to the backrest portion. and a housing portion that accommodates the steering member in a non-contact manner while the support portion is attached to the backrest portion.

According to the present invention, by housing the steering member in the steering member cover, it is possible to suppress contact with the steering member by a passenger, and to avoid a situation in which steering that is not in the driving schedule occurs during automatic driving. . Here, since the steering member cover is accommodated without contacting the steering member, the movement of the steering member is prevented from being obstructed by the steering member cover, and the installation of the steering member cover improves the running performance during automatic driving. It is possible to prevent this from happening.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the state of the driver's seat when a steering member cover according to an embodiment of the present invention is attached. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a steering member cover attached to the driver's seat, as seen from the rear of the driver's seat. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a steering member cover attached to the driver's seat, as seen from the front of the driver's seat. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a steering member cover attached to the driver's seat, as seen from above the driver's seat. It is a flowchart which shows the content of an automatic driving mode release determination routine. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of a support portion of a steering member cover and its surroundings according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of a support portion of a steering member cover and its surroundings according to still another embodiment of the present invention.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 schematically shows the state of a driver's seat S when a steering member cover 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention is attached. In FIG. 1, the driver's seat S in a state where the steering member cover 1 is attached is shown by a solid line, and the driver's seat S' in a state where the steering member cover 1 is not attached is shown by a chain double-dashed line.

2 to 4 each show the steering member cover 1 attached to the driver's seat S, and FIG. 2 shows the steering member cover 1 viewed from behind the driver's seat S, that is, from the direction indicated by arrow A in FIG. 3 shows the steering member cover 1 viewed from the front of the driver's seat S, that is, from the direction indicated by arrow B in FIG. 1, and FIG. 4 shows the steering member cover 1 above the driver's seat S. , that is, as viewed from the direction indicated by arrow C in FIG.

FIG. 4(a) shows a state in which the first cover member 31 of the accommodating portion 3 of the steering member cover 1 is removed and only the second cover member 32 is attached, and FIG. 4(b) shows a state in which the first cover member 31 is removed and only the second cover member 32 is attached. 31 and the second cover member 32 are both attached.

The configuration of the steering member cover 1 according to the present embodiment will be described mainly based on FIG. 1, with appropriate reference to FIGS. 2 to 4.

The steering member cover 1 is used when a self-driving vehicle runs in an automatic driving mode. In this embodiment, the "autonomous driving mode" refers to a driving mode in which the control system is primarily responsible for controlling and monitoring the running state of the vehicle, including steering. This applies to driving modes with an automated driving level of level 4 or higher as described in the Safety Technology Guidelines. The driving mode in which the driver operates the vehicle and is responsible for monitoring the driving state is called the normal driving mode to distinguish between driving in the automatic driving mode and driving in the normal driving mode. A self-driving car is a vehicle that is set to the self-driving mode and is capable of driving in the self-driving mode, and can not only drive in the self-driving mode but also switch the driving mode between the self-driving mode and the normal driving mode. Including vehicles that can be driven. The steering member cover 1 is removed from the driver's seat S and stored in the trunk or luggage space of the vehicle when traveling in a driving mode other than the automatic driving mode, specifically, in a normal driving mode.

As will be explained later, in this embodiment, the self-driving car does not have a so-called steer-by-wire mechanism, and the mechanical connection between the steering wheel WH and the steered wheels (not shown) is always maintained. This is maintained not only when driving in normal driving mode but also when driving in automatic driving mode. The steering wheel WH corresponds to a "steering member" according to this embodiment.

The position P of the driver's seat S can be switched between when the vehicle is traveling in the normal driving mode and when the vehicle is traveling in the automatic driving mode.

Specifically, the driver's seat S is set to the first seat position P1 when the vehicle is traveling in the normal driving mode, and is set to the second seat position P2 when the vehicle is traveling in the automatic driving mode. At the first seat position P1, the headrest HR is attached to the backrest S1 of the driver's seat S, and the backrest S1 and the headrest HR are located relatively far from the steering wheel WH. On the other hand, in the second seat position P2, the backrest part S1 of the driver's seat S is located closer to the steering wheel WH than in the first seat position P1, and the headrest HR is removed from the headrest attachment part S1a of the backrest part S1, A steering member cover (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "wheel cover") 1 is attached. In this embodiment, the headrest HR is positioned as an element that constitutes a part of the backrest portion S1.

Switching between the first seat position P1 and the second seat position P2 can be realized by changing the angle α that the backrest portion S1 of the driver's seat S makes with respect to the seat portion S2.

Specifically, when driving in the automatic driving mode, the driver's seat S is set to the second seat position P2 by tilting the backrest S1 forward and narrowing the angle α that the backrest S1 makes with the seat S2. . On the other hand, when driving in the normal driving mode, the forward tilt of the backrest portion S1 is canceled and the angle α that the backrest portion S1 makes with respect to the seat portion S2 is widened, so that the driver's seat S is placed in the first seat position P1. . Such switching of the positions P1 and P2 of the driver's seat S may be based on a forward tilting function that is generally provided in the driver's seat of a vehicle.

The wheel cover 1 completely surrounds the steering wheel WH when driving in the automatic driving mode, thereby suppressing or preventing a passenger riding in the automatic driving car from coming into contact with the steering wheel WH during automatic driving. It is meant to be avoided. In this embodiment, the wheel cover 1 surrounds the steering wheel WH from all directions including the front, the rear, the left and right sides, the upper side, and the lower side with respect to the traveling direction of the vehicle.

The wheel cover 1 is roughly divided into a support part 2 and a housing part 3.

The support part 2 is attached to the driver's seat S in the second seat position P2, particularly to the backrest part S1 thereof, and supports the wheel cover 1 with respect to the backrest part S1. In this embodiment, the support part 2 is attached to the driver's seat S using a headrest attachment part S1a that is normally used when attaching and detaching the headrest HR to the driver's seat S. That is, the support part 2 has a shaft-like part 21 that can be inserted into the insertion hole h1 of the headrest HR that is normally provided in the headrest mounting part S1a, and this shaft-like part 21 can be inserted into the insertion hole h1 of the headrest HR. This is done by The number of shaft-shaped portions 21 can be appropriately set depending on the number of insertion holes h1 of the headrest HR. For example, if the headrest HR has two insertion holes h1, one on the left and right, two shaft-shaped parts 21, 21 are provided in the support part 2, and each of the two insertion holes h1, h1 is provided with two shaft-like parts 21, 21. insert.

The headrest attachment part S1a may be provided with a locking mechanism 4 for preventing the headrest HR from unintentionally falling off from the backrest part S1, and this locking mechanism 4 can also be used to prevent the wheel cover 1 from falling off. It is. The lock mechanism 4 prevents the wheel cover 1 from being removed from the headrest mounting portion S1a when the shaft portion 21 of the support portion 2 is inserted into the insertion hole h1 of the headrest HR. , allowing removal of the wheel cover 1 from the headrest attachment portion S1a.

For example, the locking mechanism 4 includes a concave portion or a depression formed on the outer periphery of the shaft-like portion 21, and moves the operating piece 41 of the headrest attachment portion S1a back and forth in the radial direction with respect to the shaft-like portion 21. By engaging a normally provided convex portion or protrusion with this recess or depression, movement of the shaft-like portion 21 is restricted and the wheel cover 1 is prevented from falling off.

The accommodating part 3 is connected to the support part 2, and when the support part 2 is attached to the backrest part S1 of the driver's seat S, it protrudes forward from the front surface of the backrest part S1 and accommodates the steering wheel WH. . In this embodiment, the support part 2 and the housing part 3 are not in a removable state and always maintain a coupled state.

The accommodating portion 3 is formed into a first cover member 31 and a second cover member 32, the first cover member 31 mainly having the function of accommodating the steering wheel WH, and the second cover member 32 having the function of accommodating the steering wheel WH. Its main function is to close the opening through which the steering wheel WH passes when the wheel WH is accommodated in the first cover member 31. In this embodiment, the second cover member 32 has the function of closing the opening of the first cover member 31 and supplementing the support strength of the first cover member 31.

Specifically, the first cover member 31 has a box shape made entirely of resin or the like, and has a housing chamber 31a that forms a space that can surround the entire steering wheel WH, and a space between the housing chamber 31a. Continuing downward, it has an opening 31b that forms an opening through which the steering wheel WH can pass when taking the steering wheel WH in and out of the accommodation chamber 31a. The housing chamber 31a surrounds the steering wheel WH from all directions except the front, rear, left and right sides, and above, in other words, from below. In other words, the storage chamber 31a is in communication with the outside only through the opening 31b that continues substantially downward. Here, the word "substantially" means that the storage chamber 31a continues from the internal space, and the steering shaft SH passes through it when the steering wheel WH is taken in and out. This is due to the presence of the long hole s. The second cover member 32 closes the opening 31b during actual use.

With the wheel cover 1 attached to the backrest S1 of the driver's seat S, the second cover member 32 is held between the first cover member 31 and the backrest S1 and is pressed from above and below, so that the second cover member 32 is pressed against the backrest S1. The opening 31b of the first cover member 31 is fixed in the vertical direction, and contacts the opening 31b of the first cover member 31 from below to close the opening. The position of the second cover member 32 in directions other than up and down, that is, in the front-rear and left-right directions, is fixed under the cooperation of the second cover member 32 and the headrest attachment portion S1a.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, the second cover member 32 has a recess c1 in which the headrest mounting portion S1a can be placed, and this recess c1 has a wall surface that is approximately U-shaped in plan view. By being open to the side, the headrest mounting portion S1a is restrained by the front and rear walls in the front and back direction, and by the side walls in the left and right direction. Then, similar recesses c1 are formed one each on the left and right, and the second cover member 32 is fixed in the left-right direction by sandwiching the second cover member 32 between the headrest attachment portions S1a from both left and right sides.

As described above, the steering wheel WH accommodated in the first cover member 31 or the accommodating portion 31a is in a non-contact state with respect to the accommodating portion 31a. In other words, the steering wheel WH is accommodated in a state in which movement in the rotational direction in conjunction with the steering wheel is not inhibited by contact with the accommodation portion 31a.

Here, regarding accommodation of the steering wheel WH, "non-contact" means that the movement of the steering wheel WH in the rotational direction in conjunction with the steering wheel is not substantially obstructed, and it is sufficient that the movement of the steering wheel WH in the rotational direction in conjunction with the steering wheel is not substantially inhibited. This does not mean that even contact in which a force acts in a direction is excluded. For example, in order to support the wheel cover 1 more stably, especially the housing portion 31, a contact point may be formed at the center of rotation of the steering wheel WH, and the wheel cover 1 may be supported with respect to the steering wheel WH at this contact point. is possible.

In addition to the above, in this embodiment, an operation detection section (lock release switch 202) that detects that the locking mechanism 4 of the headrest attachment part S1a is operated, and a signal output from the operation detection section are used to detect automatic driving. A driving mode selection section (controller 101) for selecting a driving mode of the vehicle is provided.

When the automatic driving mode is selected as the driving mode, the driving mode selection unit determines whether or not it is possible to continue driving in the automatic driving mode based on the output signal from the operation detection unit, and determines whether or not it is possible to continue driving in the automatic driving mode. If the system determines this, it prohibits driving in automatic driving mode and switches to driving in evacuation mode.

The operation mode selection section can be implemented by the controller 101 configured as an electronic control unit.

In this embodiment, a wheel cover sensor 201 that detects that the wheel cover 1 is attached to the headrest attachment part S1a is provided, and an output signal of the wheel cover sensor 201 is input to the controller 101.

Further, a lock release switch 202 is incorporated in the headrest mounting portion S1a, and the lock release switch 202 detects that the operating piece 41 of the headrest mounting portion S1a is operated and outputs it as an electrical signal. The lock release switch 202 is configured as a momentary switch, for example, and is capable of detecting the duration Δt of the operation on the operation piece 41. Similar to the wheel cover sensor 201, the output signal of the lock release switch 202 is also input to the controller 101. The lock release switch 202 constitutes an operation detection section according to this embodiment. The lock release switch 202 can also serve as the wheel cover sensor 201. In other words, the unlock switch 202 also has a sensor function that detects that the wheel cover 1 is attached to the headrest attachment portion S1a. In this case, it is possible to eliminate the dedicated wheel cover sensor 201.

The seat position sensor 203 detects that the driver's seat S is tilted forward and is in a predetermined forward tilted state. In this embodiment, the seat position sensor 203 detects that when the driver's seat S is tilted forward most deeply, in other words, the angle α that the backrest S1 of the driver's seat S makes with respect to the seat S2 is the most. If the angle is small, a signal indicating that the driver's seat S is tilted forward is output.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the contents of the automatic driving mode cancellation determination routine. The automatic driving mode cancellation determination routine is repeatedly executed by the controller 101 while the vehicle is traveling in the automatic driving mode.

In S101, it is determined whether the automatic driving mode is selected as the driving mode and the vehicle is traveling in the automatic driving mode. If the vehicle is running in the automatic driving mode, the process advances to S102, and if the vehicle is not traveling in the automatic driving mode, the control by the current routine ends. In this embodiment, the case where the vehicle is not traveling in the automatic driving mode corresponds to the case where the normal driving mode is selected as the driving mode and the vehicle is traveling in the normal driving mode. Selection of the driving mode, that is, switching between the normal driving mode and the automatic driving mode, is performed by, for example, a remote operation manager. As shown in FIG. 1, the controller 101 receives a mode instruction signal transmitted via wireless communication from a remote control unit operated by an operation manager, and is instructed to select an automatic driving mode or drive in the automatic driving mode. If so, the vehicle will run in automatic driving mode. Controller 101 includes a wireless receiver capable of receiving mode instruction signals. In addition to being instructed to travel in automatic driving mode, the driver's seat S is in a forward-leaning state, the headrest HR is removed from the headrest mounting portion S1a, and the wheel cover 1 is attached. If all of the following conditions are met, driving in automatic driving mode may be executed.

In S102, the output signal of the lock release switch 202 is read.

In S103, based on the output signal of the lock release switch 202, measurement of the duration Δt of operation on the operation piece 41 of the headrest attachment portion S1a (hereinafter referred to as "determination time") is started.

In S104, it is determined whether the determination time Δt is a predetermined time Δtsl or longer. If the predetermined time is Δtsl or longer, it is determined that the lock release switch 202 is in the on state, and the process proceeds to S107. If the predetermined time is shorter than the predetermined time Δtsl, the lock release switch 202 is not in the on state. , it is determined that it is in the off state, and the process advances to S109. The predetermined time Δtsl is, for example, 1 second. The predetermined time Δtsl can be appropriately set in consideration of the time required to remove the headrest HR.

In S105, the automatic driving mode is canceled.

In S106, the evacuation mode is selected as the driving mode.

In S107, the automatic driving mode is subsequently selected as the driving mode.

That is, in S103 to S107, a determination time Δt that is the duration of the operation on the lock release switch 202 is measured (S103), and if the determination time Δt is a predetermined time Δtsl or longer than this, the operation on the lock release switch 202 is determined. If this continues for the predetermined time Δtsl (affirmative determination in S104), it is determined that the lock release switch 202 is in the on state. On the other hand, if the determination time Δt is shorter than the predetermined time Δtsl and the lock release switch 202 is not operated, or even if it is operated, the operation is interrupted before reaching the predetermined time Δtsl (negative determination in S104). , it is determined that the lock release switch 202 is in the off state. If it is determined that the lock release switch 202 is in the on state, the automatic driving mode is canceled (S105), the driving in the automatic driving mode is stopped, and the evacuation mode is selected as the driving mode (S106). If it is determined that the vehicle is in the off state, the automatic driving mode is subsequently selected as the driving mode and the driving in the automatic driving mode is continued (S107).

In this embodiment, "evacuation mode" means causing the steering wheels to turn that is not in the driving schedule according to the route to the destination, and stopping the self-driving vehicle in a safe place, for example, on the shoulder of the road. Refers to the driving mode. When driving in evacuation mode, control is performed to reduce the vehicle's driving force below the target driving force in automatic driving mode, regardless of traffic conditions such as the speed limit of the road on which the vehicle is driving, or the distance between the vehicle and the vehicle in front. For example, the vehicle can be driven toward a stopping position such as a road shoulder and driven at a constant speed lower than a target vehicle speed according to a speed limit or the like.

The steering member cover (wheel cover) 1 according to this embodiment has the above configuration, and the effects obtained by this embodiment will be described below.

First, by housing the steering wheel WH in the housing portion 3, it is possible to suppress contact with the steering wheel WH by the passenger. As a result, when driving in automatic driving mode, where the control system is primarily responsible for controlling and monitoring the vehicle's driving conditions, unintentional contact with the steering wheel WH causes the steering wheels to turn that is not in the driving schedule, affecting driving. It is possible to suppress the spread of

Here, by accommodating the steering wheel WH in a non-contact manner in the accommodating portion 3, movement of the steering wheel WH in conjunction with the steering wheel itself is allowed, so that the steering wheel WH and the steering shaft SH are connected to each other, such as the rack and pinion. To prevent movement of a steering wheel WH from being obstructed by a wheel cover 1 and hindrance to driving in an automatic driving mode in an automatic driving vehicle in which a mechanical connection between a steering gear mechanism and a steering gear mechanism is maintained even during automatic driving. Is possible.

Furthermore, by using the backrest S1 of the driver's seat S located at the second seat position P2 to attach the wheel cover 1, the wheel cover 1 can be stably supported, and the wheel cover 1 in use can be kept away from the passenger. By moving the wheel cover 1 away from the vehicle, it is possible to secure space for the rear seats, to avoid excessively impairing the interior comfort of the vehicle due to the presence of the wheel cover 1, and to more reliably suppress contact with the wheel cover 1. .

The driver's seat S is equipped with a special mechanism by switching from the first seat position P1 to the second seat position P2 by tilting the backrest S1 of the driver's seat S forward and tilting it forward. It is possible to achieve switching between the first seat position P1 and the second seat position P2 by using the driver's seat S that is normally provided in an automatic driving vehicle.

Furthermore, by tilting the backrest part S1 forward and bringing it closer to the steering wheel WH, the situation where the passenger sits in the driver's seat S as a mischief while driving in automatic driving mode is avoided, and contact with the steering wheel WH is more secure. It is possible to prevent this.

Here, in the second seat position P2, the backrest portion S1 approaches the steering wheel WH, so that it is no longer necessary to make the storage portion 3 protrude greatly from the front surface of the backrest portion S1, and the miniaturization of the wheel cover 1 is promoted. You can also obtain the effect of

Second, by using the headrest attachment portion S1a commonly provided in vehicles to attach the wheel cover 1, the wheel cover 1 can be attached without requiring major changes to the existing structure. This contributes to reducing the cost required for installing the wheel cover 1, and is advantageous for realizing a relatively low-cost self-driving vehicle.

Thirdly, the accommodating portion 3 of the wheel cover 1 is configured by the first cover member 31 and the second cover member 32, and the steering wheel WH is accommodated in the accommodating chamber 31a of the first cover member 31. The opening 31b of the driver's seat S is closed by the second cover member 32, and the second cover member 32 is sandwiched between the first cover member 31 and the backrest S1 of the driver's seat S. 31 realizes enclosing the entire steering wheel WH while eliminating the need for parts used exclusively for attaching the second cover member 32, suppressing an increase in the number of parts due to the installation of the wheel cover 1, and further reducing costs. It is possible to reduce this.

Fourthly, the wheel cover 1 is attached by using the insertion hole h1 of the headrest HR and inserting the support part 2 of the wheel cover 1 into the insertion hole h1, so that existing equipment can be used. , it is possible to further reduce costs.

Fifth, the locking mechanism 4 can prevent the wheel cover 1 from being removed or falling off without the original intention, for example, the intention of the passenger operating the locking mechanism 4. It is possible to maintain the state attached to the portion S1a and more reliably avoid unintended contact with the steering wheel WH.

Sixthly, when the operation detection unit (lock release switch 202) detects that the lock mechanism 4 is being operated and the operation of the lock mechanism 4 continues for a predetermined time Δtsl or more, automatic operation mode is activated. By prohibiting driving, it is possible to achieve prohibition of driving in the automatic driving mode and transition to driving in the evacuation mode earlier than when switching after the wheel cover 1 is actually removed (preferably, when the wheel cover 1 is removed). By the time the cover 1 is removed, the transition to another driving mode, that is, the evacuation mode, has already been completed, and it is possible to avoid a situation where the actual driving is affected by an unintended contact with the steering wheel WH. It is possible.

Here, the prohibition of driving in the automatic driving mode is carried out after waiting for the elapse of a predetermined time Δtsl, and in this embodiment, the operation on the operation piece 41 of the headrest mounting portion S1a is continued for a predetermined time Δtsl or more. In this case, the lock release switch 202 is determined to be in the on state and driving in the automatic driving mode is prohibited, thereby indicating that the operation of the lock mechanism 4 is temporary and that the lock mechanism 4 is simply touched by mistake. It is possible to prevent hasty judgment in cases where there is no more than

Seventhly, when the operation of the lock mechanism 4 continues for a predetermined time Δtsl or more, driving in the automatic driving mode is prohibited, and the evacuation mode is selected as the driving mode to evacuate the vehicle. It is possible to avoid continuation of the automatic driving mode in a situation where an unintended contact with the steering wheel WH may occur, thereby ensuring safety.

Other embodiments of the present invention will be described below.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of the support portion 2 and its surroundings of a wheel cover (steering member cover) 1 according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6(a) shows a cross section of the wheel cover 1 seen from the side, and FIG. 6(b) shows a state of the wheel cover 1 with the first cover member 31 of the accommodating portion 3 removed.

In this embodiment, the first cover member 31 of the accommodating portion 3 has a protrusion p formed to protrude downward from the bottom surface of the first cover member 31, as shown in FIG. 6(a), and the second cover member 32 has a A through hole h2 is provided at a position corresponding to the protrusion p of the first cover member 31 and is formed by penetrating the second cover member 32 in the thickness direction thereof.

When attaching the wheel cover 1, when inserting the second cover member 32 between the first cover member 31 and the backrest portion S1 of the driver's seat S, the protrusion p of the first cover member 31 touches the second cover member 32. By inserting it into the through hole h2 and engaging each other, the first cover member 31 and the second cover member 32 are prevented from shifting when the wheel cover 1 is attached, and the wheel cover 1 is securely installed. It is possible to do so.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of the support portion 2 and its surroundings of a wheel cover (steering member cover) 1 according to still another embodiment of the present invention, and similar to FIG. 6(b), the wheel cover 1 Of these, the state in which the first cover member 31 of the accommodating portion 3 is removed is shown.

In the example shown in FIG. 4, the second cover member 32 of the accommodating portion 3 has a recess c1 in which the headrest attachment portion S1a can be placed, and this recess c1 has a U-shaped cross section in plan view, and the side In addition, similar recesses c1 are formed on each side, and by sandwiching the second cover member 32 from the left and right sides between the headrest mounting portions S1a, the second cover member 32 can be Fixed in direction.

On the other hand, in this embodiment, a recess c2 that can surround the headrest mounting portion S1a from the front, rear, left and right sides is formed in the second cover member 32, and the headrest mounting portion S1a is arranged in this recess c2. The second cover member 32 is restrained by the headrest attachment portion S1a in the front and back direction by the front and rear wall surfaces, and in the left and right direction by the side wall surfaces.

Thereby, it is possible to suppress misalignment between the first cover member 31 and the second cover member when the wheel cover 1 is attached, and it is possible to reliably install the wheel cover 1.

Furthermore, since the headrest mounting portion S1a is surrounded by the second cover member 32 from all sides including the left and right sides, it is possible to more reliably prevent erroneous operation due to unintentional contact with the locking mechanism 4 or the operating piece 41. It is.

In the above description, switching between the first seat position P1 and the second seat position P2 was realized by changing the angle α that the backrest portion S1 of the driver's seat S makes with respect to the seat portion S2. Switching between the positions P1 and P2 of the driver's seat S is not limited to this, and can also be realized by changing the orientation of the driver's seat S itself. Specifically, the entire driver's seat S is rotated about a vertical axis while maintaining the angle α that the backrest portion S1 makes with respect to the seat portion S2. In this case, the driver's seat S faces the steering wheel WH when it is in the first seat position P1, and faces the steering wheel WH when it is in the second seat position P2.

Furthermore, the wheel cover 1 may have a configuration in which the accommodating portion 3 is rotatable with respect to the supporting portion 2. For example, the connecting part 22 (FIG. 1) that connects the support part 2 and the housing part 3 is provided with a joint structure, so that the housing part 3 can rotate about a horizontal axis with respect to the support part 2. This makes it possible to match the attitude of the wheel cover 1 to the accommodating portion 3 to the height or direction of the steering wheel WH, and to better accommodate the steering wheel WH.

The person who switches the driving mode, that is, selects the normal driving mode or the automatic driving mode, is not limited to a remote operation manager, but may be a driver riding in the automatic driving vehicle. In this case, a mode selection switch that can be manually operated by the driver is installed, and the driver selects between normal operation mode and automatic operation mode using the mode selection switch. Here, "driver" refers to a person who is responsible for selecting the driving mode or a person who is qualified to drive the self-driving vehicle concerned, and is usually a person who drives the self-driving vehicle when driving in the normal driving mode. This applies and is distinguished from other passengers. The controller 101 receives the output signal of the mode selection switch instead of the mode command signal (FIG. 1), and can determine whether the selected operation mode is the normal operation mode or the automatic operation mode. be. While driving in the automatic driving mode, the driver does not sit in the driver's seat S, but sits in the auxiliary seat or the rear seat.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1...Wheel cover (steering member cover), 2...Support part, 21...Shaft-like part, 22...Connecting part, 3...Accommodating part, 31...First cover member, 31a...Accommodating chamber, 31b...Opening part, 32... Second cover member, 4...Lock mechanism, 41...Operation piece, S...Driver's seat, S1...Backrest portion, S1a...Headrest mounting portion, S2...Seat portion, WH...Steering wheel (steering member), SH...Steering shaft, HR...headrest, P1...first seat position, P2...second seat position, 101...controller, 201...mode selection switch, 202...lock release switch, 203...seat position sensor.

Claims (8)

A driver's seat configured to be switchable between a first seat position during normal driving in which a driver operates a steering member, and a second seat position in which a backrest portion is closer to the steering member than the first seat position. A steering suppression device for an autonomous vehicle comprising:
Equipped with a steering member cover,
The steering member cover includes:
a support part that is attached to the backrest of the driver's seat in the second seat position and supports the steering member cover with respect to the backrest;
an accommodating part that accommodates the steering member in a non-contact manner with the support part attached to the backrest part;
A steering suppression device for self-driving cars. The steering suppression device for an automatic driving vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the support portion is configured to be detachably attached to a headrest attachment portion provided on the backrest portion. The accommodating part is
A first cover member having an overall box shape and forming a space that can surround the steering member in a non-contact manner; a first cover member having an opening that forms an opening through which the steering member can pass when taking it in and out;
a second cover member configured to be held between the first cover member and the backrest portion with the support portion attached to the headrest attachment portion, and to close the opening portion from below;
The steering suppression device for an automatic driving vehicle according to claim 2, comprising: The support part is attached to the headrest attachment part by being inserted into a headrest insertion hole provided in the headrest attachment part.
The steering suppression device for an automatic driving vehicle according to claim 2. The support part is provided in the headrest mounting part, and when the support part is inserted into the insertion hole of the headrest, the steering member cover is prevented from being removed from the headrest mounting part, and the support part is provided in the headrest mounting part when the passenger operates the steering member cover. further comprising a locking mechanism configured to allow removal of the steering member cover from the headrest attachment portion;
The steering suppression device for an automatic driving vehicle according to claim 4. an operation detection unit that detects that the locking mechanism is operated;
a driving mode selection unit that prohibits driving in the automatic driving mode when the operation detection unit detects that the locking mechanism is being operated for a predetermined period of time or more;
The steering suppression device for an automatic driving vehicle according to claim 5, further comprising the following. The driving mode selection unit selects an evacuation mode in which driving in the automatic driving mode is prohibited, and the automatic driving vehicle is stopped by causing the steering wheels to turn that is not in the driving schedule.
The steering suppression device for an automatic driving vehicle according to claim 6. driving in a normal driving mode in which the direction of the steering wheel is changed by the driver's operation of the steering member; and in an automatic driving mode in which the direction of the steering wheel is automatically changed without the driver's operation of the steering member. A self-driving car configured to be able to switch between driving and
The mechanical connection between the steering member and the steered wheels is maintained even when traveling in the automatic driving mode,
The driver's seat is configured to be switchable between a first seat position in the normal driving mode and a second seat position in the automatic driving mode, in which a backrest portion is closer to the steering member than in the first seat position. ,
Equipped with a steering member cover,
The steering member cover includes:
a support part that is attached to the backrest of the driver's seat in the second seat position and supports the steering member cover with respect to the backrest;
an accommodating part that accommodates the steering member in a non-contact manner with the support part attached to the backrest part;
A self-driving car equipped with

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