System and method for determining transfer of driving control authority of self-driving vehicle

• US 10,078,331 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2017
• Issued: 09/18/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Motors Corporation (Kia Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Motors Corporation (Kia Corp.)
• Inventors: Kim, Sung Yun, Kim, Jun Soo, Lee, Dong Hwi, Seo, Min Wook, Yoo, Su Jung
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tan Q
• Application Number:
  US15/634,504
• Publication Number:
  US 20180173225A1
• Time in Patent Office: 448 Days
• Field of Search: 701 23, 701 36
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2040/0872 Driver physiology
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/225 Direction of gaze
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/00 Purposes of road vehicle drive control systems not related to the control of a particular sub-unit, e.g. of systems using conjoint control of vehicle sub-units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/0956 the prediction being responsive to traffic or environmental parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/0053 from vehicle to occupant
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/0059 Estimation of the risk associated with autonomous or manual driving, e.g. situation too complex, sensor failure or driver incapacity
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0061 for transition from automatic pilot to manual pilot and vice versa

Abstract

Disclosed is a system for determining transfer of driving control authority of a self-driving vehicle. The system includes: a risk calculation device that recognizes a sight line of a driver to calculate a risk when the driving control authority of the self-driving vehicle is transferred, a determination reference calculation device that calculates a determination reference to determine whether the driving control authority of an acceleration pedal, a deceleration pedal, and a steering wheel of the self-driving vehicle is able to be transferred based on the calculated risk, and a determination device that determines whether to transfer the driving control authority of the self-driving vehicle based on the calculated determination reference.

Claims

1. A system for determining a transfer of driving control authority of a self-driving vehicle, the system comprising:

a risk calculation device configured to recognize a sight line of a driver and configured to calculate a risk when the driving control authority of the self-driving vehicle is transferred from the self-driving vehicle to the driver;

a determination reference calculation device configured to calculate a determination reference based on the calculated risk and configured to determine whether the driving control authority of an acceleration pedal, a deceleration pedal, and a steering wheel of the self-driving vehicle is able to be transferred from the self-driving vehicle to the driver; and

a determination device configured to determine whether to transfer the driving control authority of the self-driving vehicle based on the calculated determination reference.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the risk calculation device includes a driver sight-line determination device configured to determine whether the sight line of the driver is directed to a traveling road.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the driver sight-line determination device is configured to determine whether the sight line of the driver coincides with a preset forward view target point.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the determination reference calculation device is configured to classify a current state into a state where the driver does not gaze on a traveling road, a normal state where the driving control authority is normally transferred, and a state where the driving control authority is urgently transferred, such that the determination reference is calculated.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein when the driver does not gaze on the traveling road, the determination reference calculation device is configured to output the determination reference that the acceleration pedal, the deceleration pedal, or the steering wheel of the self-driving vehicle is uncontrollable.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein when the sight line of the driver coincides with a preset forward view target point, the determination reference calculation device is configured to classify the current state as the state where the driving control authority is normally transferred and configured to transfer the driving control authority to the driver.

7. The system of claim 4, wherein the state where the driving control authority is urgently transferred includes:

a state where the driving control authority is transferred when a distance between the driver and the forward view target point is shortened or the sight line of the driver is rapidly changed in a dangerous situation with a nearby vehicle.

8. A method of determining transfer of driving control authority of a self-driving vehicle, the method comprising steps of:

recognizing, by a risk calculation device, a sight line of a driver and calculating a risk when the driving control authority of the self-driving vehicle is transferred from the self-driving vehicle to the driver;

calculating, by a determination reference calculation device, a determination reference based on the calculated risk and determining whether the driving control authority for an acceleration pedal, a deceleration pedal, and a steering wheel of the self-driving vehicle is able to be transferred from the self-driving vehicle to the driver; and

determining, by a determination device, whether to transfer the driving control authority of the self-driving vehicle based on the calculated determination reference.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of calculating the risk includes:

determining whether the sight line of the driver is directed to a traveling road.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of determining whether the sight line of the driver is directed to the traveling road includes:

determining whether the sight line of the driver coincides with a preset forward view target point.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of calculating the determination reference includes:

classifying a current state into a state where the driver does not gaze on the traveling road, a state where the driving control authority is normally transferred, and a state where the driving control authority is urgently transferred.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

preventing the driving control authority from being transferred to the driver based on classifying the current state as a state where the acceleration pedal, the deceleration pedal, or the steering wheel of the self-driving vehicle is uncontrollable when the driver does not gaze on the traveling road.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

transferring the driving control authority to the driver when the sight line of the driver coincides with a preset forward view target point, which is classified as the state where the driving control authority is normally transferred.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the state where the driving control authority is urgently transferred includes:

a state where the driving control authority is transferred when a distance between the driver and the forward view target point is shortened or the sight line of the driver is rapidly changed in a dangerous situation with a nearby vehicle.