WO2017154396A1

WO2017154396A1 - Driving change control device and driving change control method

Info

Publication number: WO2017154396A1
Application number: PCT/JP2017/002847
Authority: WO
Inventors: 卓也森
Original assignee: 株式会社デンソー
Priority date: 2016-03-08
Filing date: 2017-01-27
Publication date: 2017-09-14

Abstract

This driving change control device which controls the transfer of driving operation between an autonomous driving function and a driver, in a vehicle (A) equipped with the autonomous driving function capable of performing driving operation in place of the driver, is equipped with: a section setting unit (S102, S106) which sets a change implementation section in which driving is changed from the autonomous driving function to the driver; and a parameter adjustment unit (S112) which, in a switching section before the change implementation section, adjusts the traveling state of the vehicle to a driving load lower than that before reaching the switching section by changing the travel control parameters referred to by the autonomous driving function.

Description

Driving change control device and driving change control method

Cross-reference of related applications

This application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2016-44604 filed on March 8, 2016 and Japanese Patent Application No. 2016-236159 filed on December 5, 2016, which is described herein. Incorporate content.

The present disclosure relates to a driving change control device and a driving change control method for controlling the passing of a driving operation between an automatic driving function and a driver in a vehicle having an automatic driving function.

Conventionally, for example, the automatic driving support apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1 sets an output section before a switching start point at which switching from automatic driving to manual driving is started. In this output section, the actual traveling output of the vehicle is gradually switched from the traveling output requested by the automatic driving to the traveling output requested by the driver. As a result, the traveling speed of the vehicle can be changed smoothly when switching from automatic driving to manual driving.

Now, according to the automatic driving function as disclosed in Patent Document 1, the vehicle can cruise at a relatively high speed, follow-up running in a state of approaching the preceding vehicle, and the like. However, if the driving change to the driver is performed with the driving state controlled by the automatic driving function, the driver is forced to receive a driving operation with a high driving load. As a result, even if smooth switching as described above is performed, the driver is likely to feel uneasy about receiving a driving operation from the automatic driving function.

JP2015-182525A

This disclosure is intended to provide a driving change control device and a driving change control method capable of reducing the driver's anxiety when receiving a driving operation from an automatic driving function.

In the first aspect of the present disclosure, in a vehicle having an automatic driving function capable of performing a driving operation on behalf of the driver, a driving shift for controlling the passing of the driving operation between the automatic driving function and the driver The control device refers to the automatic operation function in a section setting unit for setting a replacement execution section for performing a driving shift from the automatic driving function to the driver, and in a switching section before the replacement execution section. A parameter adjustment unit that adjusts the traveling state of the vehicle to a state with a lower driving load than before reaching the switching section by changing a traveling control parameter to be performed.

In the above-described driving change control device, the driving state of the vehicle is adjusted to a low driving load by changing the driving control parameter in the switching section before the changing section. Therefore, the driving operation is delivered from the automatic driving function to the driver in a state where the driving load is low in or near the replacement execution section. Therefore, the driver's anxiety when receiving the driving operation from the automatic driving function is reduced.

In the second aspect of the present disclosure, in a vehicle having an automatic driving function capable of performing a driving operation on behalf of the driver, a driving shift for controlling the passing of the driving operation between the automatic driving function and the driver In the control method, at least one processor sets a replacement execution section for performing a driving shift from the automatic driving function to the driver, and the automatic switching function is set in the switching section before the replacement execution section. By changing the traveling control parameter referred to by the driving function, the traveling state of the vehicle is adjusted to a state where the driving load is lower than before reaching the switching section.

In the driving change control method described above, the driving state of the vehicle is adjusted to a low driving load state by changing the driving control parameter in the switching zone before the changing execution zone. Therefore, the driving operation is delivered from the automatic driving function to the driver in a state where the driving load is low in or near the replacement execution section. Therefore, the driver's anxiety when receiving the driving operation from the automatic driving function is reduced.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent from the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings. The drawing
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of the automatic operation ECU, HCU, vehicle control ECU, etc. in the first embodiment, FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of specific configurations of the automatic operation ECU, the HCU, and the vehicle control ECU. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a timeline in which details of the driving change control method are described along a time series. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing details of a driving change control process performed by the automatic driving ECU. FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of the automatic operation ECU, HCU, vehicle control ECU, etc. in the second embodiment, FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of the automatic operation ECU and vehicle control ECU in the third embodiment. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of specific configurations of the automatic operation ECU, the vehicle control ECU, and the like.

Hereinafter, a plurality of embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In addition, the overlapping description may be abbreviate | omitted by attaching | subjecting the same code | symbol to the corresponding component in each embodiment. When only a part of the configuration is described in each embodiment, the configuration of the other embodiment described above can be applied to the other part of the configuration. In addition, not only combinations of configurations explicitly described in the description of each embodiment, but also the configurations of a plurality of embodiments can be partially combined even if they are not explicitly specified unless there is a problem with the combination. .

(First embodiment)
The function of the driving change control device according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure is realized by the automatic driving ECU 50 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. An automatic operation ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 50 is mounted on the vehicle A together with an electronic control unit such as an HCU (Human Machine Interface) control unit 20 and a vehicle control ECU 80. The automatic operation ECU 50, the HCU 20, and the vehicle control ECU 80 are electrically connected to each other and can communicate with each other. The vehicle A has an automatic driving function by the operation of the automatic driving ECU 50 and the vehicle control ECU 80.

The HCU 20 controls the acquisition of the operation information input by the driver and the information presentation to the driver in an integrated manner. The HCU 20 is mainly configured by a microcomputer having a main processor 21, a drawing processor 22, a RAM 23, a storage medium 24, and an input / output interface 25. The HCU 20 is electrically connected to a plurality of notification devices 10 that notify information to the driver and a plurality of detection devices 15 that detect the state of the driver.

The notification device 10 is configured to notify various information related to the vehicle A to the passengers of the vehicle A including the driver based on the notification control signal output by the HCU 20. The notification device 10 may be configured to be mounted in advance on the vehicle A, or may be configured to be temporarily mounted on the vehicle A by being brought into the passenger compartment by a passenger of the vehicle A. The plurality of notification devices 10 include, for example, a speaker 12, a head-up display (HUD) device 13, a tactile sense presentation device 14, and the like.

The speaker 12 performs notification to the driver and the like through hearing by reproducing the notification sound and the message sound in the passenger compartment. The HUD device 13 notifies the driver through vision by forming a virtual image in front of the driver. The tactile sense presentation device 14 is, for example, a vibration device provided on a steering wheel or a footrest capable of changing a posture. The tactile sense presentation device 14 notifies the driver through the tactile sense.

The detection device 15 is configured to sequentially output the detection result relating to the driving state of the driver to the HCU 20 as a driver detection signal. The plurality of detection devices 15 include a steering sensor 16, a driver status monitor (Driver Status Monitor, DSM) 17, and the like.

The steering sensor 16 is a sensor that detects gripping of the steering wheel, a sensor that detects steering torque input to the steering wheel, or the like. The steering sensor 16 detects whether or not the driver can input a steering operation as a driver detection signal.

The DSM 17 is composed of a near-infrared light source and a near-infrared camera and a control unit for controlling them. The DSM 17 photographs a driver's face irradiated with near-infrared light from a near-infrared light source with a near-infrared camera. The DSM 17 extracts, for example, the driver's face direction and the degree of opening of the eyes from the captured image, and detects a driver's look-aside, a decrease in the arousal level, an increase in the sensation level, and the like as a driver detection signal.

The HCU 20 constructs the input processing unit 31 and the output processing unit 32 as functional blocks by executing the notification control program stored in the storage medium 24 by each of the

processors

21 and 22.

The input processing unit 31 acquires a driver detection signal detected by the detection device 15. Based on the acquired driver detection signal, the input processing unit 31 performs, for example, the level classification of the driver's arousal level, the level classification of the driver's obscure level, and determination of whether or not the driving posture is taken. The input processing unit 31 sequentially outputs the awakening degree information, the muzzle degree information, the driving posture information, and the like as driver information to the automatic driving ECU 50.

The output processing unit 32 generates a notification control signal based on the HMI control information acquired from the automatic driving ECU 50. The output processing unit 32 sequentially outputs the generated notification control signal toward the notification device 10, thereby enabling information presentation to the driver in cooperation with the automatic driving ECU 50.

The vehicle control ECU 80 is electrically connected to a vehicle-mounted actuator group 90 mounted on the vehicle A. The in-vehicle actuator group 90 includes, for example, a throttle actuator, an injector, a brake actuator, a driving motor generator, a steering actuator, and the like. The vehicle control ECU 80 integrally controls acceleration / deceleration and steering of the vehicle A by a control signal output toward the in-vehicle actuator group 90.

The vehicle control ECU 80 is mainly configured by a microcomputer having a processor 81, a RAM 83, a storage medium 84, an input / output interface 85, and the like. The vehicle control ECU 80 executes the vehicle control program stored in the storage medium 84 by the processor 81, thereby constructing the actuator control unit 80a as a functional block related to vehicle control.

Actuator control unit 80a generates a control signal output from vehicle control ECU 80 toward in-vehicle actuator group 90. The actuator control unit 80a acquires vehicle control information from the automatic driving ECU 50 in a state where the automatic driving function is operating, and generates a control signal based on the vehicle control information. In addition, the actuator control unit 80a generates a control signal having contents according to the driving operation input by the driver in a state where the automatic driving function is stopped, and outputs the control signal to the in-vehicle actuator group 90.

The automatic operation ECU 50 is electrically connected to the GNSS receiver 71, the lidar 72, the millimeter wave radar 73, the camera unit 74, the map database 75, the V2X receiver 76, and the like. The automatic driving ECU 50 acquires information related to the traveling environment around the host vehicle necessary for automatic driving from these configurations (71 to 76).

A GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiver 71 receives positioning signals from a plurality of artificial satellites. The GNSS receiver 71 measures the current position of the vehicle A based on the received positioning signal. The GNSS receiver 71 sequentially outputs the measured position information of the vehicle A to the automatic operation ECU 50.

The lidar 72, the millimeter wave radar 73, and the camera unit 74 are stationary objects such as moving objects such as pedestrians and other vehicles, falling objects on the road, traffic signals, guardrails, curbs, road signs, road markings, and marking lines. It is an autonomous sensor that detects an object. The lidar 72, the millimeter wave radar 73, and the camera unit 74 sequentially output detected object information relating to the detected moving object and stationary object to the automatic operation ECU 50, respectively. By combining the lidar 72, the millimeter wave radar 73, and the camera unit 74, the detection range in which the detected object information can be acquired is set to cover the entire circumference of the vehicle A, that is, 360 °.

A plurality of riders 72 are mounted on the vehicle A. Each lidar 72 emits laser light in the traveling direction, left-right direction, and rearward direction of the vehicle A, and detects by receiving laser light reflected by a moving object and a stationary object that exist in each direction. Get material information. The millimeter wave radar 73 irradiates the millimeter wave toward the traveling direction of the vehicle A, and acquires the detected object information by receiving the millimeter wave reflected by a moving object and a stationary object existing in the traveling direction. The millimeter wave radar 73 can detect an object farther away than the lidar 72.

The camera unit 74 analyzes the front area, the left and right side areas, and the rear area of the vehicle A, the front camera, the side camera, and the rear camera, and the image of the front area captured by each camera. Part. Each camera may be either a monocular type or a compound eye type. The camera unit 74 acquires detected object information by extracting a moving object and a stationary object that appear in each image in the front area, the left and right side areas, and the rear area.

The map database 75 is a storage medium that stores a large number of map data. The map data includes structural information such as the curvature, slope, and section length of each road, and non-temporary traffic regulation information such as speed limit and one-way traffic. The map database 75 causes the automatic driving ECU 50 to acquire map data around the current position of the vehicle A and the traveling direction.

The V2X receiver 76 exchanges information by wireless communication with an in-vehicle communication device mounted on another vehicle and a roadside device installed on the side of the road. The V2X receiver 76 receives temporary traffic regulation information, congestion information, weather information, and the like through vehicle-to-vehicle communication with the vehicle-mounted communication device and road-to-vehicle communication with the roadside device, and sequentially outputs them to the automatic operation ECU 50. To do. The temporary traffic regulation information includes information such as traffic lane restrictions and road closures that occur on the road in the traveling direction of the vehicle A due to accidents and construction. The congestion information includes information such as the degree of traffic congestion on the road in the traveling direction, that is, whether or not a traffic jam has occurred, the traffic jam occurrence range, and the traffic flow condition (for example, travel speed). The meteorological information includes the amount of rainfall, the amount of snowfall, and the occurrence of fog on the road in the traveling direction.

The automatic driving ECU 50 performs an acceleration / deceleration control and a steering control of the vehicle A in cooperation with the vehicle control ECU 80, thereby exhibiting an automatic driving function capable of performing the driving operation of the vehicle A on behalf of the driver. The automatic operation ECU 50 is mainly configured by a microcomputer having a processor 51, a RAM 53, a storage medium 54, and an input / output interface 55. The automatic operation ECU 50 can execute the automatic operation program stored in the storage medium 54 by the processor 51. Based on the automatic driving program, the automatic driving ECU 50 constructs the driving environment recognition unit 61, the driving plan generation unit 62, the driving change control unit 63, the ECU communication unit 64, and the HCU communication unit 65 as functional blocks related to automatic driving.

The traveling environment recognition unit 61 recognizes the traveling environment of the vehicle A by combining the position information acquired from the GNSS receiver 71, the detected object information acquired from each autonomous sensor, the map data acquired from the map database 75, and the like. . The traveling environment recognizing unit 61 recognizes the shape and moving state of the object around the vehicle A based on the integration result of the detected object information, and combines the position information and the map data, particularly within the detection range of each autonomous sensor. Thus, a virtual space that reproduces the actual driving environment in three dimensions is generated.

The travel plan generation unit 62 generates a travel plan for automatically driving the vehicle A by an automatic driving function based on the travel environment recognized by the travel environment recognition unit 61. The travel plan includes a long-term travel plan and a short-term travel plan.

The long-term driving plan defines a route for the vehicle A to go to the destination set by the driver. The route defined by the long-term driving plan extends beyond the detection range of each autonomous sensor. The long-term driving plan reflects structural information and non-temporary traffic regulation information included in the map data, temporary traffic regulation information received by the V2X receiver 76, and the like.

The short-term travel plan defines a planned travel locus for realizing travel according to the long- and medium-term travel plan using the virtual space around the vehicle A generated by the travel environment recognition unit 61. In the short-term travel plan, execution of steering for lane change, acceleration / deceleration for speed adjustment, and sudden braking for collision avoidance is specifically determined.

The driving change control unit 63 controls switching of the control right related to the driving operation between the automatic driving function and the driver. The driving change control unit 63 starts the operation of the automatic driving function by detecting the switching operation to the automatic driving by the driver in the area where the automatic driving is possible. In addition, the driving change control unit 63 refers to the long-term driving plan, and systematically switches from automatic driving to manual driving by the driver before the area where automatic driving can be completed. Further, the driving change control unit 63 is configured to perform manual operation from automatic driving even when it is difficult to recognize the driving environment by the driving environment recognition unit 61 accidentally or suddenly and it is difficult to generate a short-term driving plan by the driving plan generation unit 62. Switch to driving.

The driving change control unit 63 adjusts the contents of the driving change control process related to the planned delivery of the driving operation so that the driver receives the driving operation smoothly. Specifically, the driving shift control unit 63 acquires the shape information of the road on which the vehicle A is scheduled to travel by the automatic driving function by referring to the long and medium-term driving plan, and avoids the predetermined high driving load section. Then, a section that is substantially linear and has a small inclination is selected, and the driving operation is delivered to the driver. The high driving load section is a section having a road shape that increases the driving load when the driver drives. For example, a curve section and an upward gradient section are defined as the high driving load section. Furthermore, a section where local heavy rain and fog are generated based on weather information is also regarded as a high driving load section. In addition, based on the congestion information, a section where congestion that makes it difficult to secure the inter-vehicle distance is also regarded as a high driving load section.

The ECU communication unit 64 performs an output process of information directed to the vehicle control ECU 80 and an acquisition process of information from the vehicle control ECU 80. Specifically, the ECU communication unit 64 generates vehicle control information having contents according to the planned travel locus formulated by the travel plan generation unit 62, and includes vehicle control information together with operation information indicating whether or not the automatic driving function is operating. It outputs sequentially toward ECU80. Further, the ECU communication unit 64 can sequentially acquire state information indicating the control state of the in-vehicle actuator group 90 from the vehicle control ECU 80, and can correct the content of the vehicle control information.

The HCU communication unit 65 performs information output processing to the HCU 20 and information acquisition processing from the HCU 20. Specifically, the HCU communication unit 65 acquires driver information from the HCU 20. In addition, the HCU communication unit 65 generates HMI control information related to driving switching to the driver, and sequentially outputs the HMI control information to the HCU 20 together with operation information indicating whether or not the automatic driving function is operating. The HCU communication unit 65 can appropriately present information related to the driving change to the driver by controlling the notification device 10 in cooperation with the HCU 20.

Next, details of a series of driving change control methods in which driving is changed from the automatic driving function to the driver by the configuration described so far will be described based on FIG. 3 with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 shows an example of so-called lamp-to-lamp automatic operation. Specifically, in the automatic driving shown in FIG. 3, an automatic driving possible area is set on the highway existing on the route to the destination, and the starting point and the ending point of the automatic driving possible area are respectively It is set for each rampway connected to the main road.

The driving change control unit 63 sets a driving state for driving switching separately from the driving state at the time of cruising, and starts driving switching after shifting the vehicle A to the driving state for driving switching in advance. For such operation switching, the driving change control unit 63 formulates a driving change control processing plan (hereinafter referred to as “substitution plan”) that is scheduled to be implemented in front of the rampway that is set as the end point after the start of automatic driving. To do. In the substitution plan, a substitution execution section, a switching section, a notification timing for driving substitution, necessity and timing of substitution notice, correction points for correcting the contents of the substitution plan, and the like are set.

The alternation execution section is a section in which driving operation is handed over to the driver from the automatic driving function. The alternation execution section is set on the main road or the deceleration lane immediately before exiting to the rampway which is the end point. The driving change control unit 63 sets the start position of the replacement execution section with respect to the end point and the length of the replacement execution section. In addition, when the main road just before exiting the rampway is a high driving load section, the driving change control unit 63 avoids the high driving load section and sets the replacement execution section in the straight section before the high driving load section. Set (refer to the bottom of Fig. 3).

In the switching section, the traveling state of the vehicle A is adjusted. The driving state of the vehicle A is adjusted to a low driving load when it is assumed that the driver is driving. The travel state after the switching section is set to a state where the driving load is lower (low driving load mode) than the state during the cruise control before the switching section is reached (normal traveling mode). The switching section is set before the replacement section on the route in the long and medium-term travel plan. The driving change control unit 63 sets the start position of the switching section with respect to the end point and the length of the switching section. In FIG. 3, the range of the normal driving mode is indicated by a dark dot, and the range of the low driving load mode is indicated by a thin dot.

In the switching section, the travel control parameter referred to by the automatic driving function is changed to adjust the travel state. Specifically, the travel plan generation unit 62 changes travel control parameters used when a short-term travel plan is formulated. For example, when the vehicle A is traveling at a constant speed alone on the front side of the switching section, the target speed of the vehicle A in the constant speed cruise is set as the travel control parameter. A planned travel locus for adjusting the target speed value to a low value in the switching section is generated by the travel plan generation unit 62. As a result, in the replacement execution section after the switching section, the driver can receive the driving operation in a state where the driving speed is lowered and the driving load is low.

It is desirable that the target speed value in the above constant speed cruise is determined in consideration of the road form scheduled to travel after being switched to manual operation. Specifically, when driving on a curve with a large curvature after the shift to manual driving, the target speed should be set lower than when the road after the driving shift is straight.

As an example, the target speed value is an average value of two speed values. As the larger value of the two speed values, the cruise speed when traveling automatically before arrival at the switching section, or the speed limit of the currently traveling road is used. On the other hand, the smaller one of the two speed values has a speed limit of a road (for example, a road after the rampway) that travels after the driving change, or the travel plan generation unit 62 for the road that travels after the driving change. The recommended travel speed to be calculated is used. If the average of these two speed values exceeds the minimum speed of the running road, this average value is set as the target speed, and if it is less than the minimum speed, the value obtained by adding the minimum speed or a predetermined value for the minimum speed Is set as the target speed. For example, when the cruise speed or speed limit for automatic driving is 100 km / h and the speed limit or recommended driving speed after passing the rampway is 40 km / h, these values are used in the switching section defined in the deceleration lane. The vehicle is gradually decelerated to an average value of about 70 km / h.

Also, when the vehicle A is following following on the front side of the switching section, for example, the target inter-vehicle distance between the vehicle A and the preceding vehicle is one of the traveling control parameters. A planned travel locus for adjusting the value of the target inter-vehicle distance to a large value in the switching section is generated by the travel plan generation unit 62. As a result, in the replacement execution section after the switching section, the driver can receive a driving operation with a low driving load while ensuring a wide inter-vehicle distance from the preceding vehicle. Note that the travel control parameter adjusted in the switching section may be an inter-vehicle time.

Further, the maximum value of the relative speed of the vehicle A allowed for the preceding vehicle in the following traveling, in other words, the target relative speed for the preceding vehicle is one of the travel control parameters adjusted in the switching section. obtain. The travel plan generation unit 62 adjusts the maximum value of the relative speed to a small value (for example, zero or negative value) in the switching section. Therefore, the value of the target relative speed is set to a value such that the relative speed with the preceding vehicle becomes zero or the vehicle A gradually moves away from the preceding preceding vehicle in the switching section. According to the above, since the approach to the preceding vehicle of the vehicle A is blocked in the replacement execution section after the switching section, it is difficult for the driver to feel the preceding vehicle as a load.

In addition, when a plurality of lanes are provided on the road on which the vehicle A travels, the lane in which the automatic driving function travels the vehicle A is selected based on the lane instruction information set in the long-term driving plan. Is done. The lane instruction information that instructs the lane in this way is also one of the travel control parameters that can be adjusted in the switching section.

Specifically, the traveling environment recognition unit 61 recognizes the degree of congestion of each lane around the vehicle A and in the traveling direction using the detected object information and the congestion information on the front side of the switching section, so that other vehicles It is possible to search for free lanes with few. When another lane vacant than the currently running lane is searched for by the driving environment recognition unit 61, the lane instruction information is updated so that the lane is vacant and the lane is changed to the vacant lane. The planned travel locus to be generated is generated by the travel plan generation unit 62. As a result, the driver can receive a driving operation with a low driving load in the vacant lane among the plurality of lanes in the alternate execution section after the switching section.

In addition, since the overtaking lane tends to have a higher actual speed than the traveling lane, changing the lane from the traveling lane to the overtaking lane results in an increase in driving speed and an increase in driving load. Therefore, even when the driving environment recognition unit 61 recognizes that the overtaking lane is more vacant than the driving lane, the lane change from the driving lane to the overtaking lane is not performed. The lane change to the vacant lane in the switching section is limited to the lane change toward the traveling lane. In other words, the driving load is lowered by changing the lane to a lane that is vacant from the currently traveling lane and has a lower actual speed. When the first travel lane and the second travel lane are set, bi-directional movement between the first travel lane and the second travel lane may be permitted according to the degree of congestion of each travel lane. .

The adjustment mode of the travel control parameter as described above is different between the case where the following vehicle exists behind the vehicle A and the case where the following vehicle does not exist. Specifically, the adjustment mode of the travel control parameter is changed so that the deceleration generated in the vehicle A in the switching section is smaller when the subsequent vehicle exists than when the subsequent vehicle does not exist. The As a result, rapid approach with the following vehicle is avoided.

The control that adjusts the travel control parameter to the low driving load state described so far can be stopped according to the driver's state, the traveling state of the vehicle A, and the like. When the driving change control unit 63 determines that the condition for adjusting the travel control parameter is not satisfied, the driving change control unit 63 can start the driving change without performing control for adjusting the speed or the like to a low driving load state. .

One of the conditions for adjusting the travel control parameter described above is the state of arousal level and ambiguity in the driver. Specifically, when the driver's arousal level based on the arousal level information is higher than a preset threshold value, or when the driver's casual level based on the abusive level information is lower than a preset threshold value, The adjustment of the travel control parameter to the low state is stopped.

In addition, another one of the implementation conditions is the elapsed time after the driving change from the driver to the automatic driving function is implemented. Immediately after the driving change to the automatic driving function, it is presumed that the driver's ambiguity is maintained in a sufficiently low state and the arousal level is maintained in a sufficiently high state. Therefore, the driving change control unit 63 measures the elapsed time after the driving change to the automatic driving function, and determines that the execution condition is not satisfied when the elapsed time is less than a threshold time (for example, about 30 minutes). Thus, control for adjusting to a low operating load state is omitted.

Further, another implementation condition is the traveling speed of the vehicle A before reaching the switching section. The driving change control unit 63, based on the vehicle speed information that detects the traveling speed, when the current traveling speed of the vehicle A is lower than the speed threshold speed (about 40 km / h), the traveling control parameter for reducing the driving load. Cancel the adjustment. As described above, for example, when the vehicle is traveling at a low speed due to factors such as traffic congestion, a situation in which the driving load is already sufficiently low, but is controlled to be excessively low can be prevented.

The notification of driving change (hereinafter referred to as “change notification”) is information presentation that informs the driver of the delivery operation of the driver from the automatic driving function, more precisely, the start of the delivery. In the change notification, for example, the driver is required to take a posture suitable for driving operation. The change notification is given to the driver under the control of the notification device 10 by the HCU communication unit 65 and the HCU 20. The notification of the driving change is set after the adjustment of the driving state of the vehicle A accompanying the change of the driving control parameter is completed and before reaching the changing execution section. With the above settings, when the behavior of the vehicle A is in a transient state, the notification of the driving change is not started.

The mode of the change notification can be changed according to the state of the driver, specifically, the driver's arousal level and ambiguity level. For example, as the driver's arousal level is lower, the driving change control unit 63 sets the start timing of the change notification to the reference operation timing with respect to the timing when the vehicle A reaches the change execution section. Accelerate from. Along with the early notification of such a change notification, the replacement execution section is secured longer than in the case of the standard operation (see the middle of FIG. 3), so the driver can receive the driving operation with a margin. In addition, when the change notification timing is advanced, the switching section is also changed to a range on the near side with respect to the replacement execution section.

In addition, due to the early notification of the change notification, a margin time from the start of the change notification to the arrival of the change execution section may be secured longer than in the case of the standard operation. According to such a process, the driver can recover the arousal level or reduce the mute level by using the spare time, and can receive the driving operation in a state suitable for driving.

The driving change control unit 63 increases the number of the notification devices 10 used for the change notification as the driver's arousal level is lower or the muffled level is higher. Further, the driving change control unit 63 increases the number of notifications, increases the display size of the virtual image, increases the volume of the notification sound, and increases the intensity of vibration, as the driver's arousal level is low or the muffled level is high. It can be carried out.

Driving change notice (hereinafter referred to as “change notice”) is information that notifies the driver of the delivery of the driving operation from the automatic driving function to the driver. The change notice is performed by, for example, a message voice from the speaker 12 or a virtual image display by the HUD device 13. The notice of driving change is set before reaching the switching section. The necessity for the replacement notice is determined according to the state of the driver, specifically, the driver's arousal level and ambiguity. For example, when the driver's arousal level is lower than a preset threshold value, or when the disambiguation level is higher than a preset threshold value, the replacement notice is performed. On the other hand, when the driver's arousal level is higher than a predetermined threshold value and the ambiguity level is lower than the predetermined threshold value, the replacement notice is omitted so that the driver does not feel bothered.

The correction point is set on the near side for a predetermined distance or a predetermined time with respect to the ramp way as an end point, for example. At the correction point, the driving change control unit 63 acquires the latest driver information. Based on the acquired driver information, the driving change control unit 63 mainly determines the timing of the changing notification and the necessity of the changing notice, and determines a detailed schedule of a series of changing plans. Note that the position of the correction point with respect to the end point may be changed as appropriate depending on, for example, the presence or absence of a high driving load section.

The flow of the driving change control process based on the contents described so far will be described along the time series based on the flowchart shown in FIG. 4 and referring to FIGS. The driving change control process of FIG. 4 is started by the automatic driving ECU 50 when the operation of the automatic driving function is approved by the driver.

In S101, in order to obtain information on the position that is the end point of the area where automatic driving is possible and the shape information of the road that is the replacement section, the long-term travel plan is referred to and the process proceeds to S102. In S102, a replacement plan based on the end point indicated in the long-term driving plan referenced in S101 is formulated, and the process proceeds to S103. In S102, positions such as a replacement execution section, a switching section, and a correction point are set for the end point.

In S103, based on the position information of the GNSS receiver 71, it is determined whether or not the vehicle A has reached the correction point set in S102, thereby waiting for the correction point to be reached. Then, when the vehicle A reaches the correction point, the process proceeds to S104. In S104, driver information relating to the current (latest) driver is acquired, and the process proceeds to S105. In S105, information indicating the current traveling state of the vehicle A, the latest weather information and congestion information, etc. for the replacement execution section and its vicinity are acquired, and the process proceeds to S106.

In S106, the details of the replacement plan established in S102 are determined based on the information acquired in S104 and S105. Specifically, in S106, a range to be a replacement execution section and a switching section, necessity of replacement notice, timing of replacement notification, and the like are determined, and the process proceeds to S107. In S107, based on the traveling state of the vehicle A acquired in S105, a traveling control parameter to be adjusted in the switching section and an updated value of each traveling control parameter are determined, and the process proceeds to S108.

In S108, it is determined whether or not to implement S109 based on the necessity of the change notice determined in S106. If the replacement notice is unnecessary, S109 is skipped. On the other hand, if a change notice is necessary, a drive change notice using the notification device 10 is performed by outputting HMI control information to the HCU 20 in S109, and the process proceeds to S110.

In S110, based on the position information of the GNSS receiver 71, it is determined whether or not the vehicle A has reached the switching section set in S106, thereby waiting for arrival in the switching section. Then, when the vehicle A reaches the switching section, the process proceeds to S111. In S111, it is determined whether or not the conditions for adjusting the travel control parameter are satisfied. In S111, when it is determined that the control for reducing the driving load is unnecessary and the execution condition is not satisfied, the travel control parameter adjustment is stopped, and the process proceeds to S114. On the other hand, when it is determined in S111 that the execution condition is satisfied, the process proceeds to S112 in which the travel control parameter is changed.

In S112, the value of the travel control parameter that has been adjusted in S107 is changed, and the process proceeds to S113. Due to S112, the traveling state of the vehicle A transitions to a state where the driving load is low. In S113, it waits for the completion of the adjustment of the running state based on the change process of S112, and proceeds to S114 based on the completion of the adjustment.

In S114, the notification device 10 is controlled in accordance with the start timing determined in S106, so that the driver is instructed to deliver the driving operation, and the process proceeds to S115. In S115, based on the position information of the GNSS receiver 71, it is determined whether or not the vehicle A has arrived at the replacement execution section set in S106, thereby waiting for the replacement execution section to arrive. Then, when the vehicle A reaches the replacement section, the process proceeds to S116. In S116, the delivery of the driving operation from the automatic driving function to the driver is started, and the series of driving change control processing is ended.

In the first embodiment described so far, the travel state of the vehicle A is adjusted to a low driving load state by changing the travel control parameter in the switching section set before the replacement execution section. . Therefore, the driving operation is handed over to the driver from the automatic driving function in a state where the driving load is low in or near the alternation execution section. According to such driving change control, the driver's anxiety when receiving the driving operation from the automatic driving function is reduced.

According to the above, a scene in which a driver who has not returned his driving sensation has to restart driving at a speed exceeding 100 km / h, or driving in a state where the inter-vehicle distance is jammed has to be restarted. Occurrence is prevented. As a result, it is easy to ensure the stability of the driving operation of the driver after the driving change, and the driver can smoothly restart the driving.

In addition, the notification of the driving change in the first embodiment is performed after the completion of the transition of the traveling state of the vehicle A in the switching section, and does not overlap with the transition period of the traveling state. Therefore, it is possible to prevent a situation in which the adjustment of the driving state from the normal driving mode to the low driving load mode for the purpose of reducing the driving load at the time of driving switching gives anxiety to the driver receiving the driving operation.

In the first embodiment, the lower the degree of arousal and the higher the degree of ambiguity, the earlier the start timing of the change notification and the longer the change execution section is secured. As a result, the driver is likely to be allowed errors such as reaction delays and missed notifications in the shift execution section. According to the above, the driver can receive the driving operation with a mental margin in the shift execution section.

Furthermore, in the first embodiment, when the driver's arousal level is lower than the threshold value and when the driver's arousal level is higher than the threshold value, a change notice is given to the driver before reaching the switching section. Therefore, the driver can recover the arousal level or reduce the mute level in the switching section. As a result, the driver can face the shift execution section in a state suitable for driving and can receive a driving operation.

In the first embodiment, when the driver is in a state suitable for driving change, the timing of the change notification is delayed and the change notice is also omitted. Therefore, a situation in which the driver is bothered by an early change notification and an excessive change notification is avoided.

In addition, in the first embodiment, when the driver's arousal level is higher than the threshold value, or when the ambiguity level is lower than the threshold value, the adjustment of the driving control parameter to a state with a low driving load is stopped. As described above, when the arousal level is high or the ambiguity level is low, even if the driving load is not adjusted to a low level, the driver can perform driving operation automatically without feeling noticeable. Can be received from. As described above, if the control that is adjusted in advance so as to reduce the driving load is stopped according to the state of the driver, the driver who is surely able to take over the driving operation does not feel annoyance. Thus, it is possible to perform a driving change smoothly.

In the first embodiment, the adjustment of the travel control parameter is also stopped when the elapsed time after the change of driving to the automatic driving function is short. In this case, it can be estimated that the driver's ambiguity is sufficiently low and the arousal level is sufficiently high. Therefore, when the execution time of the automatic operation is relatively short, the control for adjusting the operation load to a low state may be omitted.

Further, in the first embodiment, when the traveling speed of the vehicle A is lower than the threshold speed due to factors such as traffic congestion, the adjustment of the traveling control parameter is stopped. As described above, in a scene where the driving load is already low, control for further reducing the driving load may not be performed. By stopping the control as described above, it is possible to perform driving change without making the driver feel bothered because an excessive reduction in driving load is avoided.

In addition, the replacement execution section in the first embodiment is set to avoid the high operation load section. Therefore, the driving change to the driver is performed not only with the driving load caused by the traveling state of the vehicle A but also with a low driving load caused by the road environment. According to the above, it is possible to avoid the occurrence of a scene in which the driver is forced to start a difficult driving operation with a dull driving sensation. Therefore, the driver's anxiety when receiving the driving operation is more reliably reduced.

Further, the driving state for switching operation in the first embodiment can be set separately for a scene in which the vehicle A is traveling alone and a scene in which other vehicles such as a preceding vehicle are present. For example, in a scene where the vehicle A is traveling alone, the traveling speed of the vehicle A is reduced in the switching section. As a result, the driving load felt by the driver in the shift execution section can be surely reduced.

On the other hand, in a scene where a preceding vehicle is present, the inter-vehicle distance from the preceding vehicle is maintained or expanded in the switching section. As a result, the pressure that the driver receives from the preceding vehicle in the shift execution section can be surely reduced. Similarly, if the maximum value of the relative speed allowed in the switching section is adjusted to be low, the vehicle A will gradually move away from the preceding vehicle. Therefore, the driver can receive the driving operation without being excessively aware of the preceding vehicle.

In the first embodiment, it is possible to change lanes to vacant lanes in the switching section. As described above, if the vehicle A has been moved to an empty lane in advance, the driver can receive a driving operation without being excessively aware of other vehicles traveling around.

In addition, in the first embodiment, when there is a succeeding vehicle behind the vehicle A, the adjustment mode of the travel control parameter is changed so that the deceleration generated in the vehicle A in the switching section is reduced. Therefore, it is possible to adjust the traveling state of the vehicle A to a low driving load while suppressing the influence on the following vehicle.

In the first embodiment, the automatic driving ECU 50 corresponds to a “driving change control device”. The processing unit of S101 in the automatic driving ECU 50 corresponds to the “shape information acquisition unit”, the processing units of S102 and S106 correspond to the “section setting unit”, and the processing unit of S104 corresponds to the “driver information acquisition unit”. To do. Further, the processing unit of S109 and S114 in the automatic operation ECU 50 corresponds to a “notification control unit”, and the processing unit of S112 corresponds to a “parameter adjustment unit”.

(Second embodiment)
The second embodiment of the present disclosure shown in FIG. 5 is a modification of the first embodiment. The HCU 220 according to the second embodiment operates in addition to the input processing unit 31 and the output processing unit 32 that are substantially the same as those of the first embodiment by executing the notification control program by the processors 21 and 22 (see FIG. 2). The replacement control unit 233 is constructed. On the other hand, the functional blocks constructed in the automatic driving ECU 250 are the driving environment recognition unit 61, the driving plan generation unit 62, the ECU communication unit 64, and the HCU communication unit 65 that are substantially the same as those in the first embodiment.

As described above, the driving change control unit 233 is configured in the HCU 220, so that the driver information acquisition using the detection device 15 and the control of the notification device 10 can be reliably performed. In addition, even the driving change control unit 233 constructed in the HCU 220 can acquire each travel plan, travel environment information, and the like through communication with the HCU communication unit 65, and set an updated value of the travel control parameter. Therefore, the driving change control unit 233 can formulate a changing plan based on the end point of the automatic driving enabled area. Therefore, in the second embodiment, the same effect as in the first embodiment is obtained, and the driver's anxiety when receiving the driving operation is reduced. In the second embodiment, the HCU 220 corresponds to a “driving change control device”.

(Third embodiment)
The third embodiment of the present disclosure shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 is another modification of the first embodiment. The automatic operation ECU 350 of the third embodiment is an electronic control unit that serves as both the automatic operation ECU 50 (see FIG. 1) and the HCU 20 (see FIG. 1) of the first embodiment. The automatic driving ECU 350 realizes an automatic driving function of the vehicle A in cooperation with the vehicle control ECU 80. The automatic operation ECU 350 is mainly configured by an in-vehicle computer for automatic operation having a main processor 351, a drawing processor 352, a RAM 353, a storage medium 354, and an input / output interface 355. The automatic driving ECU 350 is based on the automatic driving program, and is substantially the same as the driving environment recognition unit 61, the driving plan generation unit 62, the driving change control unit 63, the ECU communication unit 64, the input processing unit 31, and the output processing, as in the first embodiment. The unit 32 is constructed as a functional block related to automatic driving.

As described above, even with the automatic operation ECU 350 in which the functions of the HCU 20 (see FIG. 1) are integrated, a replacement plan based on the end point of the area where the automatic operation can be performed is formulated to reduce the operation load. The change of driving is realized. Therefore, the third embodiment also has the same effect as the first embodiment, and the driver's anxiety when receiving the driving operation is reduced. In the third embodiment, the automatic driving ECU 350 corresponds to a “driving change control device”.

(Other embodiments)
Although a plurality of embodiments have been described above, the present disclosure is not construed as being limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be applied to various embodiments and combinations without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. it can.

In the transfer of the control right from the automatic driving function to the driver in the above embodiment, the notification of the driving change was started after the transition of the running state of the vehicle A was completed. However, the change notification may be started at a timing overlapping with the switching section. Further, the change notification may be issued early not only when the arousal level is low or when the driver's driving posture is broken, but also when the level of arousal is low.

Furthermore, the time for promptly issuing the change notification may be adjusted gradually longer as the wakefulness level divided into a plurality of levels becomes lower or as the muddyness value becomes higher. Alternatively, when the value of the arousal level divided into a plurality of levels is less than a predetermined threshold, or when the value of the ambiguity exceeds a predetermined threshold, the change notification may be issued early for a predetermined time. In addition, the arousal level and the absurdity level are not divided into a plurality of levels, and may be evaluated in two simple levels such as “high” and “low” or “good” and “bad”.

In the above embodiment, each threshold value for evaluating the arousal level and the absurdity level can be changed as appropriate. For example, a normal driver's normal arousal level and absurdity level may be recorded, and each threshold corresponding to each driver may be set in advance. Moreover, each threshold value of arousal level and absurdity level may be adjusted by the input by the driver. Furthermore, the threshold time and the threshold speed for determining whether or not to switch to the low driving load mode may be adjustable by an input by the driver. Further, the switching to the low driving load mode itself may be set so as not to be performed by an input by the driver. Alternatively, it may be set so that the switching to the low operation load mode is not stopped.

In the above embodiment, the change notice is performed only when the driver's arousal level is low or the driver's ambiguity level is high. However, the change notice may always be performed regardless of the driver's condition. Further, if the advance notice timing of the driving change is earlier than the change notice timing, for example, it may overlap with the switching section. In addition, the change notice that is started before reaching the switching section may be continued during the switching section. It is desirable that the advance notice of the delivery of the driving operation is performed in a modest manner than the change notification.

The replacement execution section in the above embodiment was set avoiding the high operation load section. However, the process of avoiding the high operating load section may be omitted. In addition, when the main road just before the end point has a road shape with a continuous curve, the replacement execution section may be inevitably set to the curve section.

In the above embodiment, the travel speed, the inter-vehicle distance, the inter-vehicle time, the relative speed, and the like are exemplified as the travel control parameters to be adjusted in the switching section. However, the travel control parameter to be adjusted can be changed as appropriate. Furthermore, the driving state of the low driving load mode suitable for the driving scene may be created by further detailing how to divide the driving scenes such as single driving and following driving. In addition, the updated value of the driving control parameter for creating the driving state in the low driving load mode is adjusted based on various information such as the driver's state, the set value input by the driver, the road shape, and the weather state. May be.

It is desirable that the driving change control process in the above-described embodiment is performed again from S101 when the long-term driving plan is regenerated due to temporary closure or the like. According to the above, even if a sudden route change occurs, smooth driving operation from the automatic driving function to the driver is performed near the end point of the automatic driving possible area set on the changed route. Delivery can take place.

The notification device used for notification and notice of transfer of authority for driving operations can be changed as appropriate. For example, the message voice may be reproduced so as to be heard only by the driver by using an ultrasonic speaker. Further, the notice and notification display may be displayed on a display surface of a display device different from the HUD. Similarly, the detection device used for detecting the driver's arousal level and sensation level can be changed as appropriate.

Each function related to the driving change may be appropriately realized by various electronic control units mounted on the vehicle as in the above embodiment. Furthermore, the number of processors provided in the automatic operation ECU and the HCU 20 may be increased as appropriate. Further, various non-transitional tangible storage media such as a flash memory and a hard disk can be adopted as a configuration for storing a program executed by each processor.

Here, the flowchart described in this application or the process of the flowchart is configured by a plurality of sections (or referred to as steps), and each section is expressed as S101, for example. Further, each section can be divided into a plurality of subsections, while a plurality of sections can be combined into one section. Further, each section configured in this manner can be referred to as a device, module, or means.

Although the present disclosure has been described based on the embodiments, it is understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments and structures. The present disclosure includes various modifications and modifications within the equivalent range. In addition, various combinations and forms, as well as other combinations and forms including only one element, more or less, are within the scope and spirit of the present disclosure.

Claims

In a vehicle (A) having an automatic driving function capable of performing a driving operation on behalf of a driver, a driving shift control device for controlling the passing of the driving operation between the automatic driving function and the driver,
A section setting unit (S102, S106) for setting a shift execution section for performing a driving shift from the automatic driving function to the driver;
By changing a travel control parameter referred to by the automatic driving function in the switching section before the replacement execution section, the driving state of the vehicle is made lower in the driving load than before reaching the switching section. A parameter adjustment unit (S112) to be adjusted;
A driving shift control device comprising:
A notification control unit (S109, S114) for performing notification to the driver by controlling the notification device (10) mounted on the vehicle;
The driving change control according to claim 1, wherein the notification control unit notifies the driver of the delivery of the driving operation after the adjustment of the running state of the vehicle accompanying the change of the running control parameter is completed. apparatus.
The driving change control according to claim 2, further comprising: a driver information acquisition unit (S104) that acquires at least one of arousal level information indicating the driver's arousal level and a casual level information indicating the driver's abusive level. apparatus.
The notification control unit sets the notification start timing to the driver as the driver's arousal level based on the arousal level information is lower or as the driver's abusive level is higher based on the amorousness information. 4. The driving shift control device according to claim 3, wherein the driving shift control apparatus is advanced with respect to a timing at which the vehicle reaches the shift execution section.
The notification control unit is configured such that the driver's arousal level based on the arousal level information is lower than a preset threshold value, or the driver's abusive level based on the casual level information is lower than a preset threshold value. The driving change control device according to claim 3 or 4, wherein, when the vehicle is high, the driver is notified of the delivery of the driving operation before the vehicle reaches the switching section.
The parameter adjustment unit is configured such that when the driver's arousal level based on the arousal level information is higher than a preset threshold value, or the driver's abusive level based on the casual level information is higher than a preset threshold value. The driving change control device according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein when the driving load is low, the adjustment of the traveling control parameter to a low driving load state is stopped.
The parameter adjustment unit includes:
Measure the elapsed time after the driving change from the driver to the automatic driving function,
The driving change control device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein when the elapsed time is less than the threshold time, the adjustment of the travel control parameter to a low driving load state is stopped.
The driving according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the parameter adjusting unit stops the adjustment of the driving control parameter to a low driving load when the driving speed of the vehicle is lower than a threshold speed. Change control device.
A shape information acquisition unit (S101) for acquiring shape information of a road on which the vehicle is scheduled to travel by the automatic driving function;
The driving according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the section setting unit sets the replacement execution section while avoiding a high driving load section that is defined in advance as having a high driving load based on the shape information. Change control device.
10. The parameter adjustment unit according to claim 1, wherein the target speed of the vehicle in constant speed cruise is set as the travel control parameter, and the value of the target speed is adjusted to a low value in the switching section. Driving change control device.
The parameter adjustment unit uses a target inter-vehicle distance between the vehicle and the preceding vehicle in follow-up traveling as the travel control parameter, and adjusts the value of the target inter-vehicle distance to a large value in the switching section. The driving change control device according to any one of 10.
The parameter adjustment unit uses the target relative speed with respect to the preceding vehicle in the following traveling as the traveling control parameter, so that the relative speed with respect to the preceding vehicle becomes zero or the vehicle moves away from the preceding vehicle. The driving shift control device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein a value of the target relative speed is adjusted in the switching section.
The automatic driving function selects a lane on which the vehicle is to travel on a road provided with a plurality of lanes, based on lane instruction information included in the travel control parameter,
The lane indication information is updated according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the parameter adjustment unit updates the lane indication information so that the vehicle changes lanes to a lane that is vacant from a lane that is currently traveling among a plurality of lanes. The described driving change control device.
When the following vehicle exists behind the vehicle, the parameter adjustment unit is configured so that the deceleration generated in the vehicle in the switching section is smaller than when the following vehicle does not exist. The driving change control device according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein an adjustment mode of the travel control parameter is changed.
In a vehicle (A) having an automatic driving function capable of performing a driving operation on behalf of a driver, a driving change control method for controlling the passing of the driving operation between the automatic driving function and the driver,
At least one processor (21, 22, 51, 351, 352)
A change execution section for performing a drive change from the automatic driving function to the driver is set (S102, S106),
By changing a travel control parameter referred to by the automatic driving function in the switching section before the replacement execution section, the driving state of the vehicle is made lower in the driving load than before reaching the switching section. The operation change control method to adjust (S112).