WO2020089270A1

WO2020089270A1 - Concept for carrying out an emergency stop manoeuvre

Info

Publication number: WO2020089270A1
Application number: PCT/EP2019/079598
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jens Ziehn; Miriam Ruf; Stefanie STRASSER; Jens DOLL; Michael Flad; Michael Frey; Eva-Maria Judith KNOCH; Ralf Kohlhaas; Andreas Lauber; Felix PISTORIUS
Original assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.; FZI Forschungszentrum Informatik
Priority date: 2018-10-31
Filing date: 2019-10-30
Publication date: 2020-05-07
Also published as: DE102018218723A1

Abstract

A device for carrying out an emergency stop manoeuvre for a vehicle (1), wherein the device is designed to calculate one or more parameters for an emergency stop manoeuvre before a system failure and to preset, according to the one or more parameters, a set (3) of one or more components (3a, 3b, ..., 3n), which influence longitudinal and transverse guidance of the vehicle in response to the system failure, in such a way that after the system failure the vehicle (1) carries out the emergency stop manoeuvre.

Description

Concept for performing an emergency stop maneuver

description

The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for performing an emergency stop maneuver for a vehicle.

Common emergency braking maneuvers for vehicles are designed so that in the event of a system failure they attempt to bring the affected vehicle to a standstill in as safe a condition as possible, regardless of external conditions. In the event of a complete system failure, for example, this can be a firm, mechanical braking maneuver. Such a condition to be approached can e.g. a hard shoulder on a road or highway. In such an emergency braking maneuver, however, the occupants of an affected vehicle could suffer injuries when impacting objects placed in the vehicle, for example, and accidents with other road users that are unprepared for such an emergency braking maneuver can also occur.

In US 5033587 (A), for example, methods are described which are intended to reduce the inconvenience, for example, of a fall for the occupants in the event of an emergency braking of an elevator. With the emergency braking described here, there is no possibility of predicting an adapted emergency stop maneuver. US 5989303 (A) describes methods which are intended to reduce the discomfort for the occupants during an emergency braking maneuver of an elevator. However, the emergency braking described here only takes the loading condition of the elevator into account in order to reduce the physical load on the elevator and the occupants during an emergency braking, depending on the factors mentioned above.

Autonomous road vehicles are usually equipped with systems that, for example, brake the vehicle to a standstill with a partial failure of the system. Because no boundary conditions such as driving situation, environment, etc. are taken into account, dangerous traffic situations can arise on the driveway. Immediate braking of such a vehicle is often not necessary, although it could be carried out in individual cases, for example on an empty road. Even in such a case, however, there is a significantly increased risk to the occupants of an affected vehicle. Immediate braking, however, could also cause serious rear-end collisions and / or collisions if the vehicle comes to a standstill, for example, when crossing an intersection at right angles to the direction of travel or, for example, on railway tracks, which would also endanger other road users.

The object of the invention is to provide a device and a method with which a vehicle can still carry out a coordinated, intelligent emergency stop maneuver even in the event of a comprehensive system failure.

The object is achieved by a device having the features of claim 1. Here, a vehicle is designed to calculate one or more parameters for an emergency stop maneuver before a system failure and, according to the one or more parameters, a set of one or more components that influence the longitudinal and lateral guidance of the vehicle in the event of a system failure Preset so that the vehicle performs the emergency stop maneuver after the system failure.

It proves to be particularly advantageous here to calculate and provide an emergency stop maneuver for this vehicle even before a possible system failure in a vehicle. With the necessary parameters, the longitudinal and / or transverse guidance of the vehicle can then be influenced immediately after the system failure, in order to carry out an optimized braking and steering maneuver.

According to one embodiment, a device for performing an emergency stop maneuver for a vehicle is provided, the device being designed to calculate the one or more parameters before the system failure using environmental information. As a result, the device can advantageously take the emergency stop maneuver into account on the basis of influencing factors from the surroundings of the vehicle and therefore adapt the parameters for the emergency stop maneuver in a dedicated manner.

According to one embodiment, a device for performing an emergency stop maneuver is provided for a vehicle, the device being designed to detect the environmental information via a position sensor and / or a speed sensor and / or a map database and / or a sensor-supported environment. win, and / or vehicle-to-vehicle or vehicle-to-infrastructure communication. It proves to be particularly advantageous here to capture the relevant environmental information using the means mentioned, in order to provide parameters that are as precise as possible predicted for the determination of the emergency stop maneuver.

According to one embodiment, a device for performing an emergency stop maneuver for a vehicle is stiffened, the device being designed to repeatedly recalculate and / or update the one or more parameters prior to the system failure and the presetting of the set of one or more components track. Here it proves to be particularly advantageous to provide the most up-to-date parameters possible for calculation and implementation when determining the emergency stop maneuver.

According to one embodiment, a device for performing an emergency stop maneuver for a vehicle is provided, the device being designed to recalculate and / or update the one or more parameters at a time interval before the system failure and to update the default setting between 0.01 and 3 seconds. The short time interval for secondary calculation and update between 0.01 and 3 seconds in order to update the presetting as soon as possible after the system failure is advantageous, but can also have any other value.

According to one embodiment, an apparatus for performing an emergency stop maneuver for a vehicle is provided, wherein at least a subset of the set of at least one component of one or more physical energy resources for storing energy before the system failure and driving the set of one or more components after the system failure is powered by the energy. This embodiment is based on the knowledge that it is advantageous to feed at least this partial set by means of energy if, for example, not all physical energy resources can be used appropriately in accordance with the calculated parameters or should not be available or should only be partially available.

According to one embodiment, a device for performing an emergency stop maneuver for a vehicle is provided, one or more physical energy resources being formed, the energy being mechanical and / or hydraulic and / or to save pneumatic form. This embodiment is based on the knowledge that it is advantageous to use the aforementioned forms of energy individually or in a meaningful combination in order to bring the vehicle to a standstill with a suitable emergency stop maneuver.

According to one embodiment, a device for performing an emergency stop maneuver for a vehicle is provided, the device being designed to preset for each component of the subset at what point in time and / or to what extent the energy is applied to the respective component of the subset after the system failure . It proves to be advantageous here to provide a meaningful interaction between the time of activation and / or the proportion of energy used for an optimized emergency stop maneuver.

According to one embodiment, a device for performing an emergency stop maneuver for a vehicle is provided, the device being designed to carry out the presetting with respect to the subset by means of one or more setting elements which are / are designed to meter the feeding of the subset after the system failure. This embodiment is based on the knowledge that it is advantageous, for example, to make a sensible adjustment to the form and amount of energy used for the emergency stop maneuver to be carried out.

According to one embodiment, a device for performing an emergency stop maneuver for a vehicle is provided, the device having one or more adjusting elements which comprise a restraint pin and / or a valve. Here it proves to be advantageous to influence the lateral guidance of the vehicle, for example with a restraint pin, in such a way that a predetermined steering angle can be maintained. Furthermore, the longitudinal guidance of the vehicle can be influenced, for example, with a valve so that a suitable braking operation can take place.

According to one embodiment, a device for performing an emergency stop maneuver for a vehicle is provided, the device being designed to calculate whether the one or more parameters prior to the system failure for a current point in time before the system failure using state and environmental information, to check whether when presetting the set of one or more components based on the one or more parameters calculated for the current time, the set of one or more components of a state calculated for a previous point in time passes through states that are associated with an unsafe emergency stop maneuver. If so, during the presetting of the set of one or more components on the basis of the one or more parameters calculated for the current point in time, it should advantageously be brought about that in the event of a system failure the vehicle performs a predefined emergency stop maneuver. If no, it should also be advantageous, up to the presetting of the set of one or more components on the basis of the one or more parameters calculated for the current point in time, that until then in the event of a system failure the vehicle executes the emergency stop maneuver which is caused by the influencing the longitudinal and transverse guidance of the vehicle is defined by the set of one or more components. This embodiment is based on the knowledge that it is advantageous, for example, to make a decision as to whether a safe emergency stop maneuver should be carried out by influencing the longitudinal and transverse guidance of the vehicle by means of the set of one or more components.

According to one embodiment, a method for performing an emergency stop maneuver for a vehicle is provided, the method being designed to calculate one or more parameters for an emergency stop maneuver before a system failure and, according to the one or more parameters, a set of one or more components, which affect the longitudinal and lateral guidance of the vehicle in the event of a system failure, to be preset so that the vehicle performs the emergency stop maneuver after the system failure.

The above-described configurations of the device can also be implemented by the corresponding method, so that the configurations and designs also apply accordingly to the method. Repetitions are therefore avoided. All elements not essential for the immediate understanding of the invention have been omitted.

In particular, there are a multitude of possibilities for designing and developing the device according to the invention and the method. The invention is explained below with reference to the figures, to which reference is expressly made with regard to all details that are essential to the invention and are not detailed in the description. For this purpose, reference is made on the one hand to the patent claims, and on the other hand to the following description of exemplary embodiments in conjunction with the drawing. Show it: 1 shows a schematic representation of a vehicle with a device according to the invention for performing an emergency stop maneuver,

2 shows a schematic representation of a route of the vehicle before a system failure,

3 shows a schematic representation of the travel path of the vehicle in the event of a system failure with alternative trajectories for the emergency stop maneuver,

4a is a schematic representation of a travel path of a vehicle in the event of a system failure with a first possible emergency stop maneuver,

4b is a schematic representation of a travel path of a vehicle in the event of a system failure with a second possible emergency stop maneuver,

4c shows a schematic representation of a travel path of a vehicle in the event of a system failure with a third emergency stop maneuver.

The invention is explained in more detail below using an exemplary embodiment:

In Fig. 1, an embodiment of the device according to the invention is shown schematically in a block diagram. The exemplary apparatus of a first vehicle 1 comprises a computer device 5 _»which an input system 4 is connected for detecting ambient information to the computing device. 5 The available physical energy resources 2 of the vehicle 1 by way of example in the block diagram with a set 3 of several components 3a _{_'3b'} ... 3n (n components) through (initially open) Emergency bypass switch, and setting elements 8 connected _"or act without intermediate control elements directly on components 3x ... 3z. A subset 33 is shown here as an example with a smaller number m of components 3a _» 3b _» ... 3m (m components _» where m <n). A brake device 3a as a component for longitudinal guidance of the vehicle and a steering device 3b as a component for transverse guidance of the vehicle are shown as examples, as is the always acting mass inertia as an energy resource on a component 3x. The emergency shutdown switches 9 are designed to drain the energy resources 2, and the setting elements 8 designed to meter the supply of the components 3a, 3b, ... 3n by the flowing energy after a system failure. The energy resource 2b is designed to be preset by the computing device 5 to a selectable energy level before the system failure. In the event of such a system failure, the communication between the computing device 5 and the input system 4 and the setting elements 8 can be interrupted, as symbolically indicated by the reference numerals 7a, ... 7c.

The computing device 5 is used to calculate one or more parameters of an emergency stop maneuver at any functional point in time before a system failure on the basis of environmental information that is recorded by the input system 4. The environmental information can in turn be divided into, for example, known and predicted environmental information.

Known environmental information available can be obtained via various devices, e.g. Via a position sensor 4a, a speed sensor 4b, a map database 4c, a sensor-based environment recognition 4d, via vehicle-to-vehicle or vehicle-to-infrastructure communication 4e or via other similar devices, not shown. The sensor-based environment detection 4d can, for example, record the volume of traffic on the route to be traveled. At the same time, the other sensors of the input system 4 can detect, for example, distances to other road users and objects as well as speeds of the other road users on the route to be traveled. The environmental information can then be fed to the computing device.

Predicted environmental information can, for example, be processed by the computing device on the basis of the known environmental information, for example in order to be available in a prepared form for preparing the emergency stop maneuver.

Via a connection (not shown) in the vehicle 1 that works before the system failure, the computing device can control the components 3 via the setting elements 8 before the system failure and preset accordingly. As a result, the available physical energy resources 2 of the vehicle 1 are available when required and, in the event of a system failure, can be used in a metered manner via the adjusting elements 8 for longitudinal and transverse guidance of the vehicle. For example, the inertia of the vehicle, the engine speed, and stored hydraulic pressure can be used as available physical energy resources 2, the latter acting on the braking device 3a and / or the steering device 3b, for example, in the event of a system failure with a force calculated by the computing device by means of currentless elements can, resulting in an emergency stop maneuver in cooperation with the physical energy resources 2.

The de-energized elements can have adjustable parameters that are set at any functional point in time, based on the current environmental information, with a form of trajectory planning for the emergency stop maneuver. If the next point in time is functional again, the parameters can be recalculated and adjusted without an emergency stop maneuver.

For this purpose, an emergency stop maneuver is calculated and updated by the computing device in a first phase before a system failure. For this purpose, the device according to the invention is designed in such a way that, according to the one or more parameters, the set 3 of one or more components 3a, 3b,... 3n which, in the event of a system failure, influence a longitudinal and / or transverse guidance of the vehicle, so to pre-set that vehicle 1 executes the emergency stop maneuver after the system failure. However, only a restricted subset 33 with a smaller number m of currently available components 3a, 3b,... 3m can be supplied with energy from the physical energy resources 2 after the system failure, where m <n.

In this first phase, for example, a mechanically running watch can preset a mechanical limitation of the maximum braking force of the braking device 3a as the setting element 8.

Alternatively or simultaneously, one of the available energy resources 2, for example an adjustable mechanical resistance, can be preset as an adjusting element 8 in this phase. In this way, for example, the restoring torque of the steering wheel can be reduced in order to keep the steering angle of the steering device 3b approximately constant.

Alternatively or simultaneously, one of the available energy resources 2, for example a pressure cylinder with a certain pressure, can be preset in this phase, for example to act on the braking device 3a with a certain force, metered via an adjusting element 8. In a further phase after the system failure, the emergency stop maneuver is carried out by transferring the presettings made in the first phase of the available energy resources 2 to the braking device 3a and / or the steering device 3b, for example.

The complete standstill of the vehicle 1 can be delayed for several seconds so that the vehicle 1 can reach a safer stopping point, for example.

2 schematically shows a (first) vehicle 1 on an exit, for example the exit of a parking lot, in the direction of a road 15 with right-hand traffic, a second vehicle 12 and a third vehicle 13 being shown on the road. The vehicles 12 and 13 are shown moving in the opposite direction, moving towards one another: the second vehicle 12 moving from right to left on a first lane 21 and the third vehicle 13 from left to right on a second lane 22 of road 15.

2, the vehicle 1 is about to cross the road 15 in front of the second vehicle 12 into the flowing traffic via the first lane 21 and to line up in front of the third vehicle 13 according to the planned route 17. Under normal circumstances, such a maneuver would be safe and collision-free with a sufficient safety distance between the first vehicle 1 and the approaching vehicles 12 and 13.

FIG. 3 also schematically shows a subsequent driving situation of the three vehicles 1, 12 and 13, but at a later point in time than that of FIG. 2. The two vehicles 12 and 13 have moved towards each other on the opposite lanes 21 and 22, whereby In the snapshot shown in FIG. 3, a system failure occurs in the first vehicle 1. The yellow (dash-dotted) travel routes indicated in front of vehicle 1 correspond to three different driving situations, which correspond to the following different emergency stop maneuvers of vehicle 1. The green (solid) route indicated in front of vehicle 1 corresponds to the driving situation without a system failure according to FIG. 1. 4a, 4b and 4c schematically each show a snapshot of a later point in time than that of FIG. 2, which correspond to one of three different emergency stop maneuvers with different interventions in the components 3 for controlling the vehicle 1.

4a corresponds to a first driving situation of the three vehicles 1 12 and 13 at a time after the system failure, which corresponds to a first emergency stop maneuver of the vehicle 1.

In the driving situation shown in FIG. 4a, an immediate emergency braking takes place after the system failure. The second vehicle 12 would come to a stop in the first lane 21 immediately in front of the second vehicle 12, with an increased risk of collision with the oncoming vehicle 12. The collision risk in FIG. 4a corresponds to the highest collision risk over the illustrated emergency stop maneuvers.

The second driving situation shown in FIG. 4b after the system failure corresponds to a delayed emergency stop maneuver, whereby the vehicle 1 can cross the first lane 21 before the second vehicle 12 approaches and the risk of collision with the vehicle 12 is thereby reduced. If there is no intervention in the steering control, the steering wheel goes into zero position during the emergency stop maneuver. There is a high risk of collision with vehicle 13, but this is reduced compared to the risk of collision in FIG. 4a.

The third driving situation shown in FIG. 4c after the system failure corresponds to a delayed emergency stop maneuver combined with maintaining a constant steering angle of the steering device 3b of the vehicle 1. This optimal emergency stop configuration results from decelerating the braking process and maintaining a constant steering angle. Here, an optimal emergency stop maneuver is carried out by transferring the presettings made in the first phase to the available energy resources 2. As a result, the braking device 3a and the steering device 3b can carry out the emergency stop maneuver with the least negative secondary effects. The risk of collision with vehicle 13 is lowest in comparison with the driving situations in FIGS. 4a and 4b. For the other road users, in the present case vehicles 12 and 13, the braking distance and reaction time available up to a possible collision are increased considerably. In this case, another safety aspect is also improved: For vehicles at risk of a collision, the front and rear crumple zone of the vehicle can protect the occupants better than a side impact area, should there be a collision with mitigated consequences.

Claims

1. Device for performing an emergency stop maneuver for a vehicle (1), the device being designed to

to calculate one or more parameters for an emergency stop maneuver before a system failure and

According to the one or more parameters, a set (3) of one or more components (3a, 3b, ... 3n), which affect the longitudinal and transverse guidance of the vehicle in the event of a system failure, is to be preset so that after the system failure the vehicle (1) performs the emergency stop maneuver.

2. Device according to claim 1, which is designed to

calculate one or more parameters based on environmental information prior to the system failure.

3. Device according to claim 2,

which is configured to display the environmental information

a position sensor (4a), and / or

a speed sensor (4b), and / or

a map database (4c), and / or

a sensor-based environment detection (4d), and / or

Win vehicle-to-vehicle or vehicle-to-infrastructure communication (4e).

4. Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, which is designed to

Repeatedly recalculate and / or update the one or more parameters before the system failure and update the default setting of the set (3) of one or more components (3a, 3b, ... 3n).

5. Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, which is designed to

recalculate and / or update the one or more parameters at a time interval before the system failure and update the default setting, which is between 0.01 and 3 seconds.

6. Device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein

at least one set of parts (33)

the set (3) of at least one component (3a, 3b, ... 3n) of one or more physical energy resources (2) for storing energy before the system failure and driving the set (3) of one or more components (3a, 3b, ... 3n) after the system failure

is powered by the energy

7. The device according to claim 6, wherein

the one or more physical energy resources (2) are designed to store the energy in mechanical and / or hydraulic and / or pneumatic form.

8. Device according to one of claims 6 and 7, wherein

the device is designed to preset for each component (3a, 3b, ... 3m) of the subset (33),

at what time and / or

to what extent

the energy is applied to the respective component (3a, 3b, ... 3n) after the system failure.

9. Device according to one of claims 6 to 8, wherein

the device is designed to carry out the presetting with respect to the subset (33) by means of one or more setting elements (8) which are / are designed to meter the supply of the subset (33) after the system failure.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein

the one or more adjustment elements (8) comprise a retaining pin and / or a valve.

11. The device according to one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the device is designed to calculate the one or more parameters before the system failure for a current point in time before the system failure on the basis of status and environmental information,

to check whether, when presetting the set (3) of one or more components (3a, 3b, ... 3n) based on the one or more parameters calculated for the current time, the set (3) of one or several components (3a, 3b, .. 3n) iterates from a state calculated for a previous point in time, states associated with an unsafe emergency stop maneuver and, if so, during the presetting of set (3) from one or more components (3a, 3b, ... 3n) using the one or more parameters calculated for the current point in time to cause the vehicle to carry out a predefined emergency stop maneuver in the event of a system failure, and

if no, also up to the presetting of the set (3) of one or more components (3a, 3b, ... 3n) on the basis of the one or more parameters calculated for the current point in time, until that in the case of a System failure, the vehicle performs the emergency stop maneuver, which is defined by influencing the longitudinal and transverse guidance of the vehicle by means of the set (3) of one or more components (3a, 3b, ... 3n).

12. System with a device according to one of claims 1 to 11 and one or more components (3a, 3b, ... 3n) which, in the event of a system failure, influence a longitudinal and transverse guidance of the vehicle and are preset by the device.

13. Vehicle with a device according to one of claims 1 to 11,

14. A method for performing an emergency stop maneuver for a vehicle (1), the method being designed to

According to the one or more parameters, a set of one or more components (3a, 3b, ... 3n), which affect the longitudinal and lateral guidance of the vehicle in the event of a system failure, is to be preset so that after the system failure the vehicle ( 1) executes the emergency stop maneuver.