JP7105078B2 - driving support system - Google Patents

Description

The present invention provides, as driving modes, at least a first driving assistance mode in which automatic driving is performed under the condition that the driver grips the steering wheel, and a second driving assistance mode in which automatic driving is performed without the driver gripping the steering wheel. It relates to a driving support system having.

In recent vehicles, various driving support systems for automatic driving have been proposed to reduce the burden on the driver and enable comfortable and safe driving, and some of them have already been put into practical use.

The operation mode of this driving support system includes a driving support mode (hereinafter referred to as "first driving support mode") that waits in advance so that the driver can take over the operation when it is determined that it is difficult to continue automatic driving. ), and a transfer assistance mode (hereinafter referred to as a "second driving assistance mode") that does not require the driver to take over the driving.

The first driving support mode uses conventional lane keep (ALK) control and a cruise control (ACC: Adaptive Cruise Control) system that automatically maintains the following distance, allowing the vehicle to follow the vehicle ahead along the lane. Yes, and if no preceding vehicle is detected, it will run at the set vehicle speed. Therefore, in the first driving assistance mode, the driver does not need to actively operate the steering wheel, but the driver can grasp the steering wheel (hereinafter, this state may be referred to as "holding the steering wheel") and It is a condition that it is possible to take over the driving.

On the other hand, in the second driving support mode, the degree of matching between the road shape on the map on which the vehicle is traveling detected by the map locator and the road shape of the lane in which the vehicle is actually traveling detected by the camera unit, etc. When the degree of coincidence is high, the control system takes the lead in driving and continues automatic driving without requiring the driver to hold the steering wheel. Then, only when it is determined that it is difficult to continue the automatic operation, the driver is requested to hold the steering wheel to shift to the first operation mode, or the automatic evacuation mode is executed. In this automatic save mode, the driving lane is driven at the legal or specified minimum speed. Alternatively, the vehicle is stopped at a safe place such as a roadside strip.

The driving support system includes a map locator that identifies the position of the vehicle on a road map based on signals from positioning satellites, typically GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) satellites, and acquires information on the surrounding roads, and the vehicle. A redundant system is constructed based on sensing devices such as in-vehicle cameras that acquire the surrounding driving environment.

Then, when highly matching road information (for example, the road curvature of the lane in which the vehicle is currently traveling) is obtained from both the map locator and the sensing device, the second driving assistance mode is executed. Further, when one of the map locator and the sensing device fails, the driver is requested to hold the steering wheel, the first driving assistance mode is executed, and the driver can safely take over the driving operation of the own vehicle at any time. make it possible.

Therefore, even when driving in the second driving assistance mode, the driver should always keep his eyes on the front in preparation for failure of either the map locator or the sensing device, and switch to the first driving assistance mode at any time. It must be waiting in a state that can transition.

As a system for monitoring the driver's abnormal posture (inattentiveness), for example, Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-226666) discloses a warning level according to the road shape, the driving situation of the own vehicle, the situation of surrounding vehicles, etc. is set, and when inattentiveness of the driver is detected, an inattentiveness warning is issued at the set warning level after the warning waiting time has elapsed.

JP 2007-226666 A

By the way, in a driving support system using automated driving, one of the map locator and the sensing device is lost depending on whether or not there are other vehicles around the lane in which the vehicle is traveling. The emergency response in the event of a fall is different.

That is, when there are no other vehicles around the vehicle, the vehicle can be driven continuously along the target route set by the map locator even if the sensing device fails. It is possible to have a person take over the driving operation. Similarly, even if the map locator fails, it is possible to recognize the left and right demarcation lines that demarcate the driving lane with the sensing device and drive in the center of the lane.

Therefore, the degree of response in an emergency such as sudden switching from the second driving assistance mode to the first driving assistance mode is low. On the other hand, if the sensing device fails while other vehicles are present around the own vehicle, the other vehicles cannot be recognized, so a high degree of emergency response is required.

The technology disclosed in the above-mentioned document simply sets a warning level according to the driving conditions of the own vehicle and the conditions of surrounding vehicles, and calls the driver's attention by inattentive warning at the warning level. Therefore, it is not possible to properly determine whether or not the driver has actually returned to the correct posture.

Furthermore, even if the driver returns to the correct posture, not only is it impossible to make the driver take a proper posture in accordance with the degree of emergency response, but also when the vehicle is traveling in the second driving support mode, It is not possible to properly determine whether to maintain the second driving assistance mode or transition to the first driving assistance mode.

In view of the above circumstances, the present invention is capable of properly determining whether or not the driver has returned to the correct posture, and when the driver has returned to the correct posture, the driver is given a posture corresponding to the degree of emergency response. In addition to ensuring safety by having the vehicle perform properly, when driving in the second driving support mode, depending on the degree of emergency response, the second driving support mode is maintained or the first driving It is an object of the present invention to provide a driving support system that can obtain convenience by appropriately determining whether to shift to a support mode.

The present invention comprises driving environment recognition means for recognizing the driving environment around the vehicle, condition monitoring means for monitoring the condition of the driver, steering wheel grip detection means for detecting gripping of the steering wheel by the driver, and the vehicle. A first driving support mode in which automatic driving is performed on condition that at least the driver grips the steering wheel, and a second driving support mode in which automatic driving is performed without the condition that the driver grips the steering wheel. and a driving support system comprising driving mode setting calculation means for setting each mode according to driving conditions, and notification means for notifying the driver of a situation in which the driving mode changes, wherein the driving mode setting The calculation means includes means for executing driving assistance mode processing when there are no surrounding vehicles when no other vehicle is detected in the vicinity of the own vehicle by the driving environment recognition means, and means for executing driving assistance mode processing when there are no surrounding vehicles; driving support mode processing execution means for executing driving support mode processing when there is a surrounding vehicle when another vehicle is detected, and the driving support mode processing executing means for driving support mode processing when there is no surrounding vehicle When the state monitoring means detects a state abnormality of the driver while the vehicle is traveling in the second driving support mode, the notifying means notifies the driver of the driver's attention, and is set in advance. If the correct state is restored within the first standby determination time, the second driving support mode is continued, and the driving support mode processing execution means for the presence of surrounding vehicles causes the own vehicle to run in the second driving support mode. When the state monitoring means detects a state abnormality of the driver, the notifying means notifies the driver of a handover request for transitioning the driving mode to the first driving assistance mode, and is set in advance. If the correct state is restored within the second standby determination time, the driving mode is changed to the first driving support mode.

According to the present invention, the driving support mode with surrounding vehicles requires a higher degree of emergency response from the driver than the driving support mode without surrounding vehicles. When the driver recovers from the abnormal state to the correct state within the second standby determination time, safety can be ensured by transitioning to the first driving assistance mode.

In addition, in the driving support mode when there are no surrounding vehicles, if the driver recovers from an abnormal state while traveling in the second driving support mode and returns to the correct state within the first waiting determination time, the second driving support is continued. Convenience can be improved.

Schematic diagram of driving support system Flowchart showing operation mode setting routine Flowchart showing driving assistance mode processing subroutine Flowchart showing driving support mode processing subroutine when there are no surrounding vehicles (Part 1) Flowchart showing driving support mode processing subroutine when there are no surrounding vehicles (part 2) Flowchart showing driving assistance mode processing subroutine when surrounding vehicles are present (Part 1) Flowchart showing driving support mode processing subroutine when surrounding vehicles are present (Part 2) Time chart showing an example of control when driving assistance mode is executed when there are no surrounding vehicles Time chart showing an example of control when the driving support mode is executed when there are surrounding vehicles A bird's-eye view showing the state in which the own vehicle detects surrounding vehicles. (a) is a side view showing the driving posture in the first driving assistance mode, (b) is a side view showing the driving posture in the second driving assistance mode, and (c) is a side view showing the abnormal driving posture of the driver. figure (a) is a conceptual diagram of a data map for setting the third standby determination time based on the inter-vehicle time and relative vehicle speed, and (b) is a conceptual diagram of a data table for setting the third standby determination time based on the lateral inter-vehicle distance. State transition diagram showing operating mode transition conditions (a) is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which the road curvature recognized by the camera unit and the road curvature on the map match, and (b) is a state in which the road curvature recognized by the camera unit and the road curvature on the map are different Explanatory diagram showing the state of

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below based on the drawings. A driving support system 1 shown in FIG. 1 is mounted on a host vehicle M (see FIG. 10). This driving support system 1 has a locator unit 11 and a camera unit 21 as sensor units that detect the shape of the surrounding road, and further monitors the posture of the driver D (see FIG. 11), such as looking aside or dozing off. A driver monitoring system 31 is provided as a state monitoring means.

These two units 11 and 21 constitute a completely independent multiplex system that does not depend on each other. Furthermore, when one of the two units 11 and 21 fails, the other unit 11 and 21 temporarily continues the automatic driving, and a redundant system is provided to safely hand over the driving of the own vehicle M to the driver D. Built. The driving support system 1 monitors whether or not the locator unit 11 and the camera unit 21 have the same road shape on which the vehicle is currently traveling, and if they are the same, the automatic driving continues. As an example of the same road shape to be detected, road curvature is shown in this embodiment.

The locator unit 11 estimates the position of the own vehicle M on the road map (own vehicle position) and acquires road map data ahead of the own vehicle position. On the other hand, the camera unit 21 recognizes the lane markings that separate the left and right lanes of the vehicle M, calculates the curvature of the road at the center of the lane markings, and calculates the curvature of the road for the vehicle M based on the center of the lane markings. Detect lateral position deviation in the width direction.

The locator unit 11 has a map locator calculator 12 and a high-precision road map database 18 as storage means. This map locator calculation unit 12, a forward running environment recognition unit 21d to be described later, a driving mode setting calculation unit 22 as driving mode setting calculation means, a driver posture recognition unit 31c provided in the driver monitoring system 31, and a driver posture recognition unit 31c to be described later. The automatic operation control unit 51 is composed of a well-known microcomputer equipped with a CPU, RAM, ROM, etc., and its peripheral devices, and programs to be executed by the CPU and fixed data such as base maps are stored in advance in the ROM. ing.

A GNSS receiver 13 and an autonomous travel sensor 14 are connected to the input side of the map locator calculation unit 12 . The GNSS receiver 13 receives positioning signals transmitted from a plurality of positioning satellites. In addition, the autonomous traveling sensor 14 enables autonomous traveling in an environment such as traveling in a tunnel where reception sensitivity from GNSS satellites is low and positioning signals cannot be effectively received. It consists of an acceleration sensor and the like. That is, the map locator calculation unit 12 performs localization based on the moving distance and orientation based on the vehicle speed detected by the vehicle speed sensor, the angular velocity detected by the gyro sensor, and the longitudinal acceleration detected by the longitudinal acceleration sensor.

The map locator calculation unit 12 has a function of estimating the position of the vehicle, and identifies the position by map-matching the estimated position of the vehicle with a vehicle position estimation calculation unit 12a. and a map information acquisition unit 12b for acquiring information.

The high-precision road map database 18 is a large-capacity storage medium such as an HDD, and stores high-precision road map information (dynamic map). This high-precision road map information has lane data (lane width data, lane center position coordinate data, lane traveling azimuth angle data, speed limit, etc.) necessary for automatic driving, and this lane data are stored at intervals of several meters for each lane on the road map.

The map information acquisition unit 12b described above acquires the road map information of the current location from the road map information stored in the high-precision road map database 18. FIG. Then, for example, based on the destination set by the driver D at the time of automatic driving, route map information from the vehicle position (current location) estimated by the vehicle position estimation calculation unit 12a to the destination is obtained from this road map information. It acquires and transmits the acquired route map information (lane data on the route map and its surrounding information) to the own vehicle position estimation calculation unit 12a.

The own vehicle position estimation calculation unit 12a acquires the position coordinates of the own vehicle M based on the positioning signal received by the GNSS receiver 13, map-matches the position coordinates on the route map information, and displays the position coordinates of the own vehicle on the road map. The position (current location) is estimated and the driving lane is specified, and the road shape of the driving lane stored in the route map information, that is, the road curvature at the center of the lane in this embodiment (hereinafter referred to as "map curvature") RMPU Acquire [1/m] and store it sequentially.

Furthermore, the vehicle position estimation calculation unit 12a detects the vehicle speed detected by the vehicle speed sensor, Switching to autonomous navigation for estimating the position of the vehicle based on the angular velocity detected by the gyro sensor, the longitudinal acceleration detected by the longitudinal acceleration sensor, etc., the position of the vehicle on the road map is estimated, and the vehicle M is traveling. Get road curvature (graphic curvature) RMPU.

On the other hand, the camera unit 21 is fixed to the upper center of the front part of the passenger compartment of the vehicle M, and consists of a main camera 21a and a sub-camera 21b arranged at symmetrical positions with respect to the center in the vehicle width direction. It has an in-vehicle camera (stereo camera), an image processing unit (IPU) 21c, and a forward traveling environment recognition section 21d. The camera unit 21 is a stereo camera that captures a predetermined area Er1 (see FIG. 10) in front of the vehicle M captured by both cameras 21a and 21b. The IPU 21 performs predetermined image processing on the surrounding environment image in front of the traveling direction captured by both cameras 21a and 21b, and outputs the processed image to the front traveling environment recognition section 21d.

Based on the received driving environment image information in front of the vehicle M, the forward driving environment recognition unit 21d divides the shape of the road along which the vehicle M travels (the vehicle traveling path), that is, the left and right in this embodiment. Calculate the road curvature [1/m] of the lane markings and the width (vehicle width) between the left and right lane markings. Various methods are known for obtaining this road curvature and vehicle width. The curvature of the left and right lane markings is obtained for each predetermined section using a curve approximation formula, etc., and the vehicle width is calculated from the difference in curvature between both lane markings. Based on the curvature of the left and right section lines and the width of the lane, the road curvature at the center of the lane (hereinafter referred to as "camera curvature") RCAM[1/m] is obtained and sequentially stored.

Then, the map curvature RMPU obtained by the vehicle position estimation calculation section 12a and the camera curvature RCAM estimated by the forward running environment recognition section 21d are read into the driving mode setting calculation section 22. FIG. The locator unit 11 and the camera unit 21 constitute a completely independent multiplex system.

Further, the forward traveling environment recognition unit 21d detects whether or not there is a preceding vehicle P (see FIG. 10) traveling in front of the own vehicle M based on the acquired traveling environment image information. Then, when the preceding vehicle P is detected, the forward traveling environment recognition unit 21d calculates the inter-vehicle distance (distance along the road), the relative vehicle speed (=the own vehicle speed - the preceding vehicle speed), and the inter-vehicle time. Since the detection of the preceding vehicle P using the stereo camera and the method of obtaining the inter-vehicle distance, the relative vehicle speed, and the inter-vehicle time are already known techniques, description thereof will be omitted here.

The driver monitoring system 31 includes a driver recognition camera 31a provided above the driver's seat inside the vehicle, an IPU 31 that processes the image captured by the driver recognition camera 31a, and an image of the driver D processed by the IPU 31b. A driver posture recognition unit 31c is provided for detecting the posture of the driver D based on the image each time the image is acquired. Although the driver recognition camera 31a may be attached to the instrument panel in front of the driver's seat, it is not limited to this as long as the driver's state (orientation) can be monitored.

The driver posture recognition unit 31c monitors the driving posture (state) of whether or not the posture of the driver D is normal, in other words, whether or not the driver D is visually recognizing the front in the correct posture from the acquired image of the driver D. Generate information (attitude (state) monitoring information).

That is, when the driving mode setting calculation unit 22, which will be described later, sets the second driving assistance mode as the driving mode, as shown in FIG. is not required). As a result, as shown in FIG. 1(c), the driver D does not see the front and takes an abnormal posture such as looking aside, falling asleep with the seat back of the driver's seat tilted, or turning around to the rear. Easy to take.

If the driver D continues to be in such an abnormal posture, when the driving mode setting calculation unit 22 shifts the driving mode from the second driving support mode to the first driving support mode that requires steering holding, , unable to respond. Further, when the camera unit 21 temporarily malfunctions while following the preceding vehicle P (ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control) driving) in the second driving assistance mode, the driver D is instructed to perform a driving operation. It will not be possible to smoothly take over. For example, the driver posture recognition unit 31c checks whether or not the driver D is visually recognizing the front based on the movement of the head of the driver D, and if the driver D is not visually recognizing the forward direction, the posture is determined to be abnormal.

When the driver posture recognition unit 31c detects an abnormal posture of the driver D, the driving mode setting calculation unit 22, which will be described later, alerts the driver D or issues a handover request to hold the steering wheel Mh.

In addition to the vehicle position estimation calculation unit 12a, the forward driving environment recognition unit 21d, and the driver posture recognition unit 31c, the input side of the driving mode setting calculation unit 22 is provided with a driver D for turning on/off automatic driving. An automatic operation switch 41 is connected to a steering wheel touch sensor 42 as a steering wheel gripping detection means that turns ON when the driver D grips the steering wheel Mh (holding the steering wheel). A pair of steering wheel touch sensors 42 are arranged on the left and right sides of the steering wheel Mh, for example, and are turned ON when the driver D grips the steering wheel Mh with both hands.

Furthermore, a front side sensor 43 and a rear side sensor 44 are connected to the input side of the operating mode setting calculation section 22 . Incidentally, the camera unit 21, the front side sensor 44, and the rear side sensor 45 described above correspond to the driving environment recognition means of the present invention.

Both sensors 43 and 44 are attached to the left and right side portions of the front and rear bumpers, respectively. Both sensors 43 and 44 are composed of ultrasonic sensors, millimeter wave radars, microwave radars, infrared sensors, laser radars (or lidars (Light Detection And Ranging, or Laser Imaging Detection And Ranging)), and the like. .

As shown in FIG. 10, the front side sensor 43 scans the left and right oblique front areas Er2L and Er2R that are out of the field of view of the camera unit 21 described above. Further, the scan area of the rear side sensor 44 is relatively wider than that of the front side sensor 43 described above, and scans the left and right areas Er3L and Er3R from the rear of the vehicle M, which the front side sensor 43 cannot monitor.

The front side sensor 43 detects a vehicle other than the preceding vehicle P (adjacent vehicle S traveling in the adjacent lane) approaching the own vehicle M, and the rear side sensor 44 detects another vehicle approaching the own vehicle M. (adjacent vehicle S and following vehicle F traveling behind the own vehicle M in the lane) are detected. Then, in the case of the following vehicle F, the difference vehicle speed from the own vehicle M (=following vehicle speed - own vehicle speed) and the inter-vehicle time are calculated. Also, in the case of the adjacent vehicle S, the distance between the vehicle M in the lateral direction (horizontal distance between the vehicles) is obtained.

The forward running environment information acquired by the camera unit 21 is also read by an ACC control unit (not shown). When the ACC control unit detects a preceding vehicle P in the lane in which the vehicle M is traveling based on the forward traveling environment information, the ACC control unit follows the preceding vehicle while maintaining a predetermined inter-vehicle distance from the preceding vehicle P. Execute travel control. Further, when the preceding vehicle P is not detected, the vehicle is driven at the set vehicle speed preset by the driver D.

Furthermore, an informing device 45 as an informing means comprising a voice speaker and a monitor is connected to the output side of the operation mode setting calculation section 22 . An automatic operation control unit 51 is connected to the operation mode setting calculation section 22 so as to be able to communicate freely in both directions. The automatic driving control unit 51 executes a corresponding driving mode according to the driving mode (manual driving mode, first driving support mode, second driving support mode) set by the driving mode setting calculation section 22 .

The driving mode setting calculation unit 22 constantly compares the map curvature RMPU in front of the vehicle position estimated by the vehicle position estimation calculation unit 12a and the camera curvature RCAM estimated by the forward driving environment recognition unit 21d. That is, the degree of coincidence (reliability) [%] of both curvatures RMPU and RCAM in the same distance section ahead of a predetermined distance is examined with reference to the position of the vehicle on the map and the position of the vehicle in the actual running. If the set threshold (for example, 95 to 99[%]) is exceeded, it is determined that they match, and if it is less than that, it is determined that they do not match.

For example, as shown in FIG. 14(a), when the map curvature RMPU acquired by the locator unit 11 and the camera curvature RCAM recognized by the forward traveling environment recognition unit 21d are substantially the same, the host vehicle M is certainly the target. Evaluate that you are traveling on the course. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 4(b), when the position measured by the GNSS receiver 13 is map-matched on the next lane due to an error, the locator unit 11 calculates the map curvature RMPU of the next lane on the course of the vehicle. road curvature, both curvatures RCAM and RMPU are evaluated as having a low matching degree (reliability). Alternatively, even if the front traveling environment recognition unit 21d cannot obtain the camera curvature RCAM while traveling in a poor visibility condition such as rain, the degree of matching is evaluated as low (less than the threshold value).

Then, when it is determined that both curvatures RMPU and RCAM match, automatic operation is continued. Alternatively, the operation mode is switched from manual operation to automatic operation. When switching the operation mode, the notification device 45 notifies the driver D in advance.

On the other hand, if it is determined that both curvatures RMPU and RCAM do not match during automatic operation, the reliability is low. Switch to manual operation mode.

By the way, in the present embodiment, a manual driving mode, a first driving assistance mode, and a second driving assistance mode are set as driving modes. included in the category of Here, the first driving assistance mode and the second driving assistance mode have in common that the own vehicle M is automatically driven (automatically driven) along the target course, but the first driving assistance mode The second driving support mode is a driving mode not premised on the driver D holding the steering wheel (holding the steering wheel Mh) (non-holding steering wheel).

For example, if the camera unit 21 fails temporarily, it becomes difficult to continue automatic driving in the second driving assistance mode. After the handover request is made and the steering wheel Mh is held, the mode transitions to the first driving assistance mode, and automatic driving is continued based on the vehicle position estimated by the map locator calculation unit 12 . This is the same when the map locator calculation unit 12 fails to estimate the position of the vehicle. A travel route is set, and the host vehicle M is caused to travel along this target travel route.

Therefore, in order to allow the driver D to smoothly take over the driving operation when the above-described failure occurs, , the driver D must always be able to see the front. However, even if the driver posture recognition unit 31c detects an abnormal posture of the driver D when traveling in the second driving support mode, for example, other vehicles may The degree of emergency response is different between the case where the vehicle is not detected and the case where another vehicle is detected.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, when an abnormal posture of the driver D is detected when traveling in the second driving support mode, and if no other vehicle is detected in front of or around the own vehicle M, first, the driver's attention is called. , the second driving assistance mode is continued when the driver D returns to a normal (correct) posture for visually recognizing the front within a predetermined time. On the other hand, when another vehicle is detected in front of or in the vicinity of the own vehicle M, a handover request is immediately made to the driver D, the driver D is requested to hold the steering wheel Mh, and the driving mode is changed to the third mode. 1 Transition to the driving support mode.

The operation mode setting executed by the operation mode setting calculation unit 22 is specifically processed according to the flowcharts shown in FIGS. 2 to 6. FIG.

When the own vehicle M runs, the operation mode setting routine shown in FIG. 2 is started, and first, in step S1, a signal from the automatic operation switch 41 is read. This automatic driving switch 41 is turned on when the driver D selects automatic driving. In step S2, it is checked whether or not it is ON. to exit the routine. On the other hand, if the automatic operation switch 41 is OFF, the process branches to step S4, executes the manual operation mode, and exits the routine. When the manual driving mode is selected as the driving mode, a target course set by a conventional navigation function for guiding the vehicle M to the destination is displayed on a monitor (not shown). The driver D drives the own vehicle M by himself according to the display on the monitor and the voice guidance.

The driving assistance mode processing executed in step S3 is executed according to the driving assistance mode processing subroutine shown in FIG. In this subroutine, first, in step S11, ACC control information calculated by an ACC control unit (not shown) is read. Then, in step S12, based on this ACC control information, it is checked whether or not the ACC control unit is executing the preceding vehicle following control. If the vehicle is running, proceed to step S13. On the other hand, when the preceding vehicle follow-up control is being executed, the process jumps to step S16.

Proceeding to step S13, the surrounding environment information acquired by the front side sensor 43 and the rear side sensor 44 is read, and in step S14, it is determined whether there are other vehicles (following vehicle F, adjacent vehicle S) in the vicinity of the own vehicle M. Check whether or not When the approaching vehicle (following vehicle F, adjacent vehicle S) is not detected, the process proceeds to step S15, and when detected, the process jumps to step S16.

When the process proceeds to step S15, the driving support mode process when there is no surrounding vehicle is executed, and the routine is exited. On the other hand, if the process proceeds to step S16, the surrounding vehicle driving support mode is executed and the routine is exited.

The driving support mode processing when there are no surrounding vehicles is executed according to the driving support mode processing subroutine when there are no surrounding vehicles shown in FIGS. It is executed according to the driving support mode subroutine when there is. The driving support mode processing subroutine when there are no surrounding vehicles corresponds to the driving support mode processing executing means when there are no surrounding vehicles of the present invention, and the driving support mode processing subroutine when there are surrounding vehicles corresponds to the driving support mode processing subroutine when there are surrounding vehicles of the present invention. It corresponds to the driving assistance mode processing executing means.

First, the driving support mode processing subroutine when there are no surrounding vehicles will be described. In this subroutine, first, the first driving assistance mode condition is read in step S21. This first driving assistance mode condition is, for example, the same as the transition condition from the manual driving mode to the first driving assistance mode shown in FIG. Determination is made based on the lane markings that divide the lane on which the recognized own vehicle M is running and the pair of steering wheel touch sensors 42 . It should be noted that ON of the automatic operation switch 41 is excluded from the conditions because it has already been determined in step S2.

Next, in step S22, it is determined whether or not the first driving support mode condition is satisfied. When the automatic operation switch 41 is ON, the camera unit 21 recognizes the lane markings that separate the left and right lanes in which the vehicle M is traveling, and the pair of steering wheel touch sensors 42 are ON, the condition is established. Then, the process proceeds to step S23. If even one of these conditions is not satisfied, it is determined that the conditions are not met, the process returns to step S4, the manual operation mode is executed, and the routine exits. At this time, both the first driving support mode and the manual driving mode presuppose that the steering wheel Mh is held. Therefore, when the steering wheel touch sensor 42 is OFF, a warning is issued to hold the steering wheel Mh. Transition to manual operation mode.

After that, when the process proceeds to step S23, a command signal for executing the first driving support mode is transmitted to the automatic driving control unit 51, and the process proceeds to step S24. In step S24, a transition condition from the first driving assistance mode to the second driving assistance mode is read. The transition conditions from the first driving assistance mode to the second driving assistance mode are, for example, as shown in FIG. It is determined based on whether the road is a road, the driver's condition, and the steering wheel touch sensor 42 .

Whether or not the driving lane is an automatic driving road is determined by whether or not the current driving lane is designated as an automatic driving road from the road map information. This automatic driving road is, for example, a designated section of a motorway such as an expressway. Also, the driving posture of the driver D is determined based on the driver monitoring information from the driver monitoring system 31 . Furthermore, the ON state of the automatic operation switch 41 is excluded from the conditions because it has already been determined in step S2. In addition to the transition conditions described above, FIG. 13 also describes conditions for transition to each operation mode, but descriptions thereof will be omitted.

Then, the process proceeds to step S25, where the map curvature RMPU and the camera curvature RCAM match (for example, the degree of matching is 95 to 99[%] or more), the current driving lane is an automatic driving road, and the driver monitoring information When the normal posture of the driver D is detected from and the pair of steering wheel touch sensors 42 are OFF and the steering wheel Mh is in a non-holding state, it is determined that the second driving assistance mode transition condition is satisfied, and step Proceed to S26. If even one of these conditions is not satisfied, it is determined that the condition is not satisfied, and the routine exits. Therefore, in this case, the first driving assistance mode is continued.

When proceeding to step S26, a command signal for executing the second driving support mode is transmitted to the automatic driving control unit 51, and the process proceeds to step S27. In step S27, the driver monitoring information from the driver monitoring system 31 is read, and in step S28, it is checked whether or not the state (posture) of the driver is abnormal. That is, since the second driving assistance mode does not presuppose that the steering wheel Mh is held, the driver D tends to take his/her eyes off from the front, and in an extreme case, the driver D may look aside or, in an extreme case, the driver's seat may be in the position shown in FIG. 11(c). It is conceivable that the seat back is tilted and the user falls asleep. If the automatic driving in the second driving assistance mode is continued with such an abnormal posture, it becomes difficult to respond to an emergency when the camera unit 21 temporarily fails.

Therefore, in step S28, the state (orientation) of the driver D is detected from the movement of the head and both shoulders of the driver D, the movement amount of the head, and the like based on the driver monitoring information. Then, in step S29, it is checked whether or not the driver D is in a normal posture. If it is determined that the posture of the driver D is abnormal (the posture is incorrect, the driver is not looking ahead, etc.), the process proceeds to step S30 to transmit a warning command to the notification device 45 . Then, the notification device 45 notifies the driver D of voice guidance such as "Please face forward" to call attention to the driver.

After that, the process proceeds to step S31 to increment the attention calling time tim1, and in step S32, this attention calling time tim1 is compared with a preset first waiting determination time T1 (eg, 5 to 15 [sec]). If tim1<T1, the process returns to step S27 to check whether the driver D is in a normal posture. Further, if tim1≧T1, it is determined that the posture of the driver D is abnormal even after the first standby determination time T1 is reached, and the process proceeds to step S33.

Therefore, when driving in the second driving assistance mode with no preceding vehicle P or other vehicles (following vehicle F, adjacent vehicle S) running in the vicinity, the driver D may look backward or look aside. , even if the driver falls asleep with the seat back tilted, the second driving assistance mode is continued within the first standby determination time T1 without making a sudden transition to the first driving assistance mode after being alerted. Let In the meantime, when the posture of the driver D returns to a normal state, the second driving assistance mode is continued without transitioning to the first driving assistance mode, so convenience can be improved. can.

Then, when proceeding to step S33, a driver takeover request command is transmitted to the notification device 45, and proceeding to step S34. Then, the notification device 45 notifies the driver D of voice guidance such as "The driving mode will be changed to the first driving assistance mode. Please hold the steering wheel", and the driving mode will be changed to the first driving assistance mode. It notifies that the mode is to be changed.

In step S34, the takeover time tim2 is incremented, and in step S35, the takeover time tim2 is compared with a preset second standby determination time T2 (eg, 5 to 15 [sec]). The notification of the driver takeover request is repeated until the takeover time tim2 reaches the second standby determination time T2, and when tim2≧T2, the process returns to step S23, and the driving mode is changed to the first driving support mode.

Therefore, even if the driver D returns to the normal posture within the second waiting determination time T2 after receiving the driver handover request, the second driving assistance mode is not continued, and the first driving assistance mode is uniquely selected. Transition to support mode. After that, when the second driving assistance mode transition condition is satisfied, the driving mode is transitioned to the second driving assistance mode. Therefore, since the second driving assistance mode is continued within the second standby determination time T2, the driver D can hold the steering wheel Mh with ample time to prepare for the transition to the first driving assistance mode. Note that even if the driver D does not hold the steering wheel Mh within the second standby determination time T2, the driving mode transitions to the first driving assistance mode. In this case, the automatic evacuation mode is executed. You can let them do it.

Next, the driving support mode subroutine when there are surrounding vehicles shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 will be described. In steps S41 to S49, the same processing as steps S21 to S29 of the above-described driving assistance mode subroutine without surrounding vehicles is performed. Therefore, steps S21 to S29 are read as steps S41 to S49, and description thereof is omitted here.

When the process proceeds from step S49 to step S50, a driver takeover request command is transmitted to the notification device 45, and the process proceeds to step S51. Then, the notification device 45 notifies the driver D of voice guidance such as "The driving mode will be changed to the first driving assistance mode. Please hold the steering wheel", and the driving mode will be changed to the first driving assistance mode. It notifies that the mode is to be changed.

In step S51, the takeover time tim2 is incremented, and in step S52, the takeover time tim2 is compared with a preset second standby determination time T2 (for example, 5 to 15 [sec]). Returning to step S47, it is checked whether the posture of the driver D is normal. When tim2.gtoreq.T2, the process ends at step S53, where it is checked whether the pair of steering wheel touch sensors 42 are ON, that is, whether the driver D is holding the steering wheel Mh with both hands.

Therefore, even if the driver D holds the steering wheel Mh within the second standby determination time T2, the second driving assistance mode continues until the second standby determination time T2 elapses. Therefore, the driver D can hold the steering wheel Mh without panicking.

When both of the pair of steering wheel touch sensors 42 are ON, it is determined that the driver is correctly holding the steering wheel Mh, the process returns to step S43, and the first driving assistance mode is executed. When a preceding vehicle or other vehicle is detected in the vicinity of the host vehicle M, a higher degree of safety is required than when there is no preceding vehicle or other vehicle in the vicinity. In the event of a temporary failure, it is necessary to have the driver D take over driving immediately.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, for example, when an abnormality in the posture of the driver D is detected while following the preceding vehicle P in the second driving support mode, the driver's attention is not called. After notification of the takeover request, the driving mode is uniquely changed to the first driving assistance mode after the second standby determination time T2 has elapsed, thereby ensuring safety during traveling.

Then, in step S53, if one or both of the pair of steering wheel touch sensors 42 are OFF, the process proceeds to step S54 to transmit a steering hold request command to the notification device 45, and the process proceeds to step S55. Then, the notification device 45 issues a steering holding request to the driver D, such as "The driving mode will be changed to the first driving assistance mode. Please hold the steering wheel."

Next, in step S55, each data of the relative vehicle speed between the preceding vehicle P and the following vehicle F and the host vehicle M and the inter-vehicle time are read. Further, in step S56, data on the lateral inter-vehicle distance between the adjacent vehicle S and the host vehicle M is read. The data for the preceding vehicle P, the following vehicle F, and the adjacent vehicle S, which are not detected, are cleared.

Then, in step S57, the third standby determination time T3 [sec] is obtained based on the detected data. The third standby determination time T3 is a grace period for transitioning the driving mode from the second driving assistance mode to the first driving assistance mode.

That is, when surrounding vehicles (preceding vehicle P, following vehicle F, adjacent vehicle S) are detected while traveling in the second driving assistance mode, the safety is higher than when the surrounding vehicles are not detected. requested. Therefore, if the driver D does not hold the steering wheel Mh even after the second standby determination time T2 has passed (the steering wheel The touch sensor 42 is OFF), and the driver D is responsible for uniquely transitioning to the first driving assistance mode. However, even if the locator unit 11 or the camera unit 21 temporarily fails while driving in the second driving support mode, it is not possible to continue driving based on the accumulated driving data for several seconds. It is possible.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, even if the driver D does not hold the steering wheel Mh even after the second standby determination time T2 has elapsed, the third standby determination time T3 is set, and the second operation is performed during that time. I'm trying to keep the support mode going.

The maximum time of the third standby determination time T3 is set within a time obtained by subtracting the second standby determination time T2 from the time during which self-running is possible based on the accumulated travel data. Also, this third standby determination time T3 is set by referring to, for example, the data map shown in FIG. 12(a) and the data table shown in FIG. 12(b). In the data map shown in FIG. 4(a), the relative vehicle speed gradually increases based on the relative vehicle speed and the inter-vehicle time (either the own vehicle M approaches the preceding vehicle P or the following vehicle F approaches the preceding vehicle P), In addition, the shorter the headway time, the shorter the steering hold request delay time is set. On the other hand, in the data table shown in FIG. 10(b), a shorter third standby determination time T3 is set as the lateral inter-vehicle distance becomes shorter.

That is, when the relative vehicle speed is high and the inter-vehicle time is short, the host vehicle M and the preceding vehicle P or the following vehicle F tend to approach each other in a short period of time. On the other hand, when the lateral inter-vehicle distance to the adjacent vehicle S is short, the possibility of the adjacent vehicle S changing lanes ahead of the own vehicle M increases. Therefore, in this embodiment, the third standby determination time T3 is variably set according to the relative positional relationship between the own vehicle M and other vehicles (preceding vehicle P, following vehicle F, adjacent vehicle S).

In step S57 described above, the data map shown in FIG. 12(a) and the data table shown in FIG. 12(b) are referenced to set the third standby determination time T3. This third standby determination time T3 is set for each of the detected vehicles P, F, and S when at least two of the preceding vehicle P, following vehicle F, and adjacent vehicle S are detected. Then, when a plurality of third standby determination times T3 are detected, the shortest third standby determination time T3 is selected.

Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S58 to increment the steering request retention time tim3, and proceeds to step S59 to wait until the steering request retention time tim3 reaches the third standby determination time T3. Then, when tim3≧T3 is reached, the process returns to step S43, and the driving mode is changed to the first driving support mode. Therefore, when the third standby determination time T3 has elapsed, regardless of whether the steering wheel Mh is held by the driver D or not, the transition is uniquely made to the first driving assistance mode.

As a result, the driver D only has to hold the steering wheel Mh within the time obtained by adding the third standby determination time T3 to the second standby determination time T2, so that the driver can respond with a margin. In this case, when the third standby determination time T3 has passed, the signal from the steering wheel touch sensor 42 is read, and if it is ON, the transition is made to the first driving assistance mode, and if it is OFF, the automatic evacuation mode is executed. can be

Then, the automatic driving control unit 51 executes the corresponding driving mode according to the driving mode (manual driving mode, first driving assistance mode, second driving assistance mode) set by the driving mode setting calculation section 22 .

Next, FIG. 8 illustrates the transition of the driving mode set by the driving support mode subroutine when there are no surrounding vehicles.

While the automatic driving control unit 51 is causing the own vehicle M to automatically travel in the second driving support mode, the driver posture recognition unit 31c of the driver monitoring system 31 detects posture abnormalities such as inattentiveness and dozing off of the driver D. When detected, the driving mode setting calculation unit 22 alerts the driver D from the notification device 45 and starts timing the alert time tim1. Then, if the driver posture recognition unit 31c detects the normal posture of the driver D before the alert time tim1 reaches the first standby determination time T1, the second driving assistance mode is continued.

Thereafter, when the driver posture recognition unit 31c again detects an abnormal posture of the driver D, the driving mode setting calculation unit 22 alerts the driver D and start timing. If the driver D does not return to the normal posture even after the attention calling time tim1 reaches the first standby determination time T1, the notification device 45 sends a handover request to the driver to transition to the first driving assistance mode. D is notified, and timing of the takeover time tim2 is started. Then, if the steering wheel touch sensor 42 is turned ON before the handover time tim2 reaches the second standby determination time T2 and it is detected that the steering wheel Mh is held by the driver D, after the second standby determination time T2 elapses. , the driving mode is changed to the first driving assistance mode.

Then, the driving mode setting calculation unit 22 determines the second driving support mode transition condition while the automatic driving control unit 51 is running the own vehicle M in the first driving support mode, and when the condition is satisfied, The notification device 45 notifies the driver D of the transition to the second driving assistance mode and the non-holding of the steering wheel Mh. Thereafter, when the steering wheel touch sensor 42 detects that the steering wheel is not held (OFF), the driving mode is changed to the second driving assistance mode.

Further, FIG. 9 illustrates the transition of the driving mode set by the driving support mode subroutine when there are surrounding vehicles.

When the driver posture recognition unit 31c of the driver monitoring system 31 detects an abnormal posture of the driver D while the automatic driving control unit 51 is causing the own vehicle M to automatically travel in the second driving assistance mode, The mode setting calculation unit 22 immediately notifies the driver D of a handover request to transition to the first driving assistance mode from the notification device 45 to the driver D, and starts timing of the handover time tim2. Then, if the steering wheel touch sensor 42 is turned ON before the handover time tim2 reaches the second standby determination time T2, and the holding of the steering wheel by the driver D is detected, after the second standby determination time T2 elapses, the operation mode to the first driving assistance mode.

After that, the driving mode setting calculation unit 22 determines the second driving support mode transition condition while the automatic driving control unit 51 is causing the host vehicle M to travel in the first driving support mode. When the notification device 45 informs the driver D that the transition to the second driving assistance mode is to be made and that the steering wheel Mh is not held, and the steering wheel touch sensor 42 detects that the steering wheel is not held (OFF), the driving mode is changed. to the second driving assistance mode.

Then, when the driver posture recognition unit 31c again detects the posture abnormality of the driver D while the automatic driving control unit 51 is causing the own vehicle M to automatically travel in the second driving assistance mode, the first driving assistance mode The notification device 45 notifies the driver D of a handover request for transitioning to . However, if the driver D does not hold the steering wheel Mh even after the standby determination time T2 has elapsed (the steering wheel touch sensor 42 is OFF), the driving mode setting calculation unit 22 sends the driver D a request to hold the steering wheel Mh. report from. During this time, the second driving assistance mode continues.

Then, after the third standby determination time T3 has elapsed, the driving mode is uniquely changed to the first driving assistance mode regardless of whether the steering is held by the driver D or not. When the driver D continues to not hold the steering wheel (the steering wheel touch sensor 42 is OFF) when making the transition to the first driving assistance mode, the automatic evacuation mode may be made.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the driver monitoring system 31 detects whether or not the driver D has returned to the correct posture after the driver D's posture is abnormal while the host vehicle M is running in the second driving support mode. Since it is detected, the posture of the driver D can be properly determined.

Further, even if the driver monitoring system 31 detects an abnormal posture of the driver D, it is assumed that there are no other vehicles (preceding vehicle P, following vehicle F, adjacent vehicle S) around the host vehicle M. , the degree of emergency response is different from the existing situation. Therefore, in this embodiment, when an abnormal posture of the driver D is detected in a state where there is no other vehicle, the attention is first called, and the driver is notified that the correct posture has been restored within the first standby determination time T1. When detected by the driver monitoring system 31, convenience for the driver D is ensured by continuing the second driving assistance mode with the non-holding steering wheel.

On the other hand, if the posture abnormality of the driver D continues even after the first standby determination time T1 has elapsed, a handover request is notified, and when the second standby determination time T2 has elapsed, the driving mode is changed to the second mode. By shifting to the 1 driving support mode, the driver D is made to take an appropriate posture according to the degree of emergency response, thereby ensuring safety.

On the other hand, when there are other vehicles around the host vehicle M, the degree of emergency response is higher than when there are no other vehicles. When an abnormality is detected, safety is ensured by immediately issuing a takeover request without calling attention. After the second standby determination time T2 has elapsed, if the driver D's holding of the steering wheel is detected (the steering wheel touch sensor 42 is ON), the transition is made to the first driving assistance mode, and the driver D can drive at any time. Safety is ensured by waiting in a state where it can be handed over.

On the other hand, even after the second standby determination time T2 has elapsed, if the driver D's holding of the steering wheel is not detected (the steering wheel touch sensor 42 is OFF), a steering wheel holding request is made to the driver D, and the third The second driving support mode is continued for the grace period of the standby determination time T3. Thus, both safety and convenience can be achieved.

As a result, according to the present embodiment, when an abnormal posture of the driver D is detected while driving in the second driving assistance mode and then the posture is restored to the correct posture, the driving mode is changed to the second driving assistance mode. , or transition to the first driving assistance mode can be appropriately performed according to whether or not there are other vehicles (P, F, S) in the vicinity.

1 ... driving support system,
11... Locator unit,
12 ... map locator calculation unit,
12a ... own vehicle position estimation calculation unit,
12b ... map information acquisition unit,
13 ... GNSS receiver,
14... Autonomous traveling sensor,
18... high-precision road map database,
21... camera unit,
21a... Main camera,
21b... Sub camera,
21c, 31b... image processing unit (IPU),
21d ... forward traveling environment recognition unit,
22 ... operation mode setting calculation unit,
31a... driver recognition camera,
31c... Driver posture recognition unit,
41... Automatic operation switch,
42 ... handle touch sensor,
43 ... front side sensor,
44 ... rear side sensor,
45 ... notification device,
51 ... Automatic operation control unit,
D... Driver,
Er1, Er2L, Er2R, Er3L, Er3R... area,
F...following vehicle,
M... own vehicle,
Mh... handle,
P... Leading vehicle,
RCAM: camera curvature,
RMPU: map curvature,
S: Adjacent vehicle,
T1 ... first standby determination time,
T2 ... second standby determination time,
T3 ... third standby determination time,
tim1 ... alerting time,
tim2 ... takeover time,
tim3 ... Rudder holding request delay time

Claims (6)

a driving environment recognition means for recognizing the driving environment around the own vehicle;
a condition monitoring means for monitoring the condition of the driver;
a steering wheel grip detection means for detecting gripping of the steering wheel by the driver;
As the driving modes of the own vehicle, a first driving support mode in which automatic driving is performed on at least the condition that the driver grips the steering wheel, and a second driving mode in which automatic driving is performed without the condition that the driver grips the steering wheel. an operation mode setting calculation means having a support mode and setting each mode according to an operation condition;
In a driving support system comprising a notification means for notifying the driver of a situation in which the driving mode transitions,
The operation mode setting calculation means is
driving support mode processing executing means for executing driving support mode processing for when there are no surrounding vehicles when no other vehicle is detected in the surroundings of the own vehicle by the driving environment recognizing means; driving support mode processing execution means for executing driving support mode processing when there is a surrounding vehicle when detected,
When the state monitoring means detects an abnormality of the driver's state while the host vehicle is traveling in the second driving support mode, the means for executing the process of the driving support mode process when there is no surrounding vehicle instructs the driver to alerting the driver from the alerting means, and continuing the second driving assistance mode when the vehicle returns to the correct state within a preset first standby determination time;
On the other hand, the means for executing driving support mode processing when there are surrounding vehicles instructs the driver to Then, the notifying means notifies of a handover request for transitioning the operation mode to the first operation assistance mode, and if the operation mode is restored to the correct state within a preset second standby determination time, the operation mode is changed to the first operation assistance mode. A driving support system characterized by making a transition to a mode. If the driver does not return to the correct state even after the first waiting determination time elapses, the driving support mode processing execution means for executing the processing of the driving support mode when there is no surrounding vehicle instructs the driver to change the driving mode from the notification means to the driving mode. A handover request to transition to the first driving assistance mode is notified, and when the correct state is restored within the second standby determination time, the driving mode is transitioned to the first driving assistance mode. The driving assistance system described in . If the driver does not return to the correct state even after the second waiting determination time elapses, the driving support mode processing executing means for when there are surrounding vehicles is configured to perform the processing based on the positional relationship between the own vehicle and the other vehicle. 3. The driving support system according to claim 1, wherein a third standby determination time is set by using the third standby determination time, and the driving mode is changed to the first driving support mode when the third standby determination time elapses. The driving assistance mode processing execution means for the absence of surrounding vehicles or the driving assistance mode processing execution means for the presence of surrounding vehicles causes the driver to hold the steering wheel when transitioning the driving mode to the first driving assistance mode. 4. The driving support system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the notifying means notifies that the vehicle is to be driven. The third standby determination time set by the driving support mode processing execution means when there are surrounding vehicles is determined by the preceding vehicle in which the other vehicle is traveling in front of the own vehicle or the following vehicle in which the other vehicle is traveling behind the own vehicle. 4. The driving support system according to claim 3, wherein in the case of , the setting is variably set based on the relative vehicle speed and the inter-vehicle time between the own vehicle and the preceding vehicle. When the other vehicle is an adjacent vehicle traveling in a lane adjacent to the driving lane of the own vehicle, the third waiting determination time set by the driving support mode processing executing means when there is a surrounding vehicle is determined to be the same as the own vehicle. 4. The driving support system according to claim 3, wherein the driving support system is variably set based on the lateral inter-vehicle distance to an adjacent vehicle.

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