AUTONOMOUS DRIVING VEHICLE SYSTEM

• US 20160207538A1
• Filed: 01/19/2016
• Published: 07/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: URANO, Hiromitsu, ICHIKAWA, Kentaro, SUGAIWA, Taisuke, KINDO, Toshiki
• Granted Patent: US 9,845,096 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/403 Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/408 Radar; Laser, e.g. lidar
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/105 Longitudinal acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/14 Yaw
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/10 Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/12 Brake pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/18 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/215 Selection or confirmation of options
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/202 Steering torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2900/00 Indexing codes relating to the purpose of, or problem solved of road vehicle drive control systems not otherwise provided for in groups B60W30/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/182 Selecting between different operative modes, e.g. comfort and performance modes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/082 Selecting or switching between different modes of propelling
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/10 Interpretation of driver requests or demands
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/0055 only part of driving tasks shifted to occupants
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0061 for transition from automatic pilot to manual pilot and vice versa
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0278 using satellite positioning signals, e.g. GPS

Abstract

A system includes an acquisition unit that acquires an operation amount or a duration count, and a switching unit that switches a driving state. The switching unit switches the driving state to the cooperative driving state when the operation amount is equal to or greater than an intervention threshold and less than a start threshold or the duration count is equal to or greater than a first threshold and less than a second threshold during the autonomous driving state, switches the driving state to the autonomous driving state when the operation amount is less than the intervention threshold or the duration count is less than the first threshold during the cooperative driving state, and switches the driving state to the manual driving state when the operation amount is equal to or greater than the start threshold or the duration count is equal to or greater than the second threshold.

Claims

1. An autonomous driving vehicle system configured to switch a driving state of a vehicle, the system comprising:

a peripheral information detector configured to detect peripheral information of the vehicle;

a traveling plan generator configured to generate a traveling plan along a target route set in advance on a map based on the peripheral information detected by the peripheral information detection unit and map information;

a driving operation information acquirer configured to acquire an operation amount of a driving operation of a driver relating to at least one of a steering operation, an accelerator operation, and a brake operation of the vehicle or a duration count according to a duration of the driving operation; and

a driving state switcher configured to, based on the operation amount or the duration count, switch among an autonomous driving state where traveling of the vehicle is controlled using the traveling plan, a cooperative driving state where the vehicle is allowed to travel in cooperation with the driving operation based on the traveling plan and the operation amount, and a manual driving state,

wherein the driving state switcher is configured to

switch the driving state to the cooperative driving state when the driving state is the autonomous driving state and when the operation amount is equal to or greater than an intervention determination threshold value and less than a manual driving start threshold value, or when the duration count is equal to or greater than a first threshold value and less than a second threshold value, and

switch the driving state, when the driving state is the cooperative driving state, to the autonomous driving state when the operation amount is less than the intervention determination threshold value or the duration count is less than the first threshold value, and switch the driving state to the manual driving state when the operation amount is equal to or greater than the manual driving start threshold value or the duration count is equal to or greater than the second threshold value.

2. The autonomous driving vehicle system according to claim 1, wherein

when a steering wheel of the vehicle rotates according to a control target value of the steering wheel included in the traveling plan, the driving operation information acquirer is configured to acquire a difference between a rotation state detection value of the steering wheel of the vehicle and the control target value of the steering wheel included in the traveling plan as the operation amount.

3. The autonomous driving vehicle system according to claim 1, wherein

when a pedal position of an accelerator pedal of the vehicle moves according to a control target value of the accelerator pedal included in the traveling plan, the driving operation information acquirer is configured to acquire a difference between a pedal position detection value of the accelerator pedal of the vehicle and the control target value of the accelerator pedal included in the traveling plan as the operation amount.

4. The autonomous driving vehicle system according to claim 1, wherein

when a pedal position of a brake pedal of the vehicle moves according to a control target value of the brake pedal included in the traveling plan, the driving operation information acquirer is configured to acquire a difference between a pedal position detection value of the brake pedal of the vehicle and the control target value of the brake pedal included in the traveling plan as the operation amount.

5. The autonomous driving vehicle system according to claim 1, wherein,

when the driving state enters the manual driving state, the driving state switcher is configured to maintain the driving state in the manual driving state even when the operation amount becomes less than the manual driving start threshold value or the duration count becomes less than the second threshold value.

6. The autonomous driving vehicle system according to claim 5, further comprising:

an input unit configured to input a request operation for starting autonomous driving,

wherein the driving state switcher is configured to maintain the driving state in the manual driving state until the request operation is input to the input unit when the driving state is the manual driving state.

7. The autonomous driving vehicle system according to claim 1, wherein,

after the driving state is switched from the autonomous driving state to the cooperative driving state, when the operation amount becomes less than the intervention determination threshold value and equal to or greater than a predetermined hysteresis threshold value, or the duration count becomes less than the first threshold value and equal to or greater than a third threshold value, the driving state switcher is configured to maintain the driving state in the cooperative driving state.

8. The autonomous driving vehicle system according to claim 1, wherein,

when the driving states corresponding to the operation amounts of two or more of the steering operation, the accelerator operation, and the brake operation of the vehicle are different, or the driving states corresponding to the duration counts of two or more of the steering operation, the accelerator operation, and the brake operation of the vehicle are different, the driving state switcher is configured to give priority to maintaining the cooperative driving state over switching the driving state of the vehicle in the cooperative driving state to the autonomous driving state, and give priority to switching to the manual driving state over maintaining the driving state of the vehicle in the cooperative driving state.

9. The autonomous driving vehicle system according to claim 1, wherein,

when the driving state is the cooperative driving state, cooperative driving is performed using a value obtained by weighting the operation amount and the control target value based on the traveling plan, and a weight of weighting when the operation amount is equal to or greater than a determination threshold value is different from the weight of weighting when the operation amount is less than the determination threshold value.

10. The autonomous driving vehicle system according to claim 1, wherein

when a steering wheel of the vehicle rotates according to a control target value of the steering wheel included in the traveling plan, the driving operation information acquisition unit acquires the difference between a steering torque detection value of the steering wheel of the vehicle and a steering torque control target value included in the traveling plan as the operation amount.

11. The autonomous driving vehicle system according to claim 1, wherein

when the driving state enters the manual driving state, the driving state switching unit maintains the driving state in the manual driving state for a period determined in advance.

12. The autonomous driving vehicle system according to claim 1, wherein

the duration count according to the duration of the driving operation comprises a time period during which the operation amount, which is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value, is continued.

13. The autonomous driving vehicle system according to claim 12, wherein

the predetermined threshold value and the intervention determination threshold value are equal, and the predetermined threshold value is set for each of the steering operation, the accelerator operation, and the brake operation.

14. The autonomous driving vehicle system according to claim 12, wherein

when the driving operation equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold value is no longer acquired by the driving operation information acquirer, the driving state switcher is configured to reset the duration count to 0 and switch the driving state to the autonomous driving state.

15. The autonomous driving vehicle system according to claim 12, wherein

when the driving operation equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold value is no longer acquired by the driving operation information acquirer, the driving state switcher is configured to store in a memory a previous value of the duration count, and set the stored previous value as an initial value of the duration count when the driving operation is resumed.

16. The autonomous driving vehicle system according to claim 12, wherein

when the driving operation equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold value is no longer acquired by the driving operation information acquirer, the driving state switcher is configured to store in a memory a previous value of the duration count, subtract the previous value stored in the storage unit according to a lapse interval corresponding to an interruption of the driving operation, and set the subtracted previous value as an initial value of the duration count when the driving operation is resumed.

17. The autonomous driving vehicle system according to claim 1, wherein

in the manual driving state, the operation amount is reflected in the traveling of the vehicle.

18. The autonomous driving vehicle system according to claim 1, further comprising

a HMI including an autonomous driving ON/OFF switch configured to input a request operation of starting autonomous driving.

19. An autonomous driving vehicle system configured to switch a driving state of a vehicle, the system comprising:

a means for detecting peripheral information of the vehicle;

a means for generating a traveling plan along a target route set in advance on a map based on the peripheral information detected by the peripheral information detection unit and map information;

a means for acquiring an operation amount of a driving operation of a driver or a duration count according to a duration of the driving operation; and

a means for switching a driving state based on the operation amount or the duration count among an autonomous driving state where traveling of the vehicle is controlled using the traveling plan, a cooperative driving state where the vehicle is allowed to travel in cooperation with the driving operation based on the traveling plan and the operation amount, and a manual driving state,

wherein the means for switching the driving state is configured to

switch the driving state to the cooperative driving state when the driving state is the autonomous driving state and when the operation amount is equal to or greater than an intervention determination threshold value and less than a manual driving start threshold value, or when the duration count is equal to or greater than a first threshold value and less than a second threshold value, and

switch the driving state, when the driving state is the cooperative driving state, to the autonomous driving state when the operation amount is less than the intervention determination threshold value or the duration count is less than the first threshold value, and switch the driving state to the manual driving state when the operation amount is equal to or greater than the manual driving start threshold value or the duration count is equal to or greater than the second threshold value.

20. A method of switching a driving state of a vehicle having autonomous driving vehicle control, the method comprising:

detecting peripheral information of the vehicle;

generating a traveling plan along a target route set in advance on a map based on the peripheral information detected by the peripheral information detection unit and map information;

acquiring an operation amount of a driving operation of a driver or a duration count according to a duration of the driving operation; and

switching a driving state based on the operation amount or the duration count among an autonomous driving state where traveling of the vehicle is controlled using the traveling plan, a cooperative driving state where the vehicle is allowed to travel in cooperation with the driving operation based on the traveling plan and the operation amount, and a manual driving state,

wherein the switching the driving comprises

switching the driving state to the cooperative driving state when the driving state is the autonomous driving state and when the operation amount is equal to or greater than an intervention determination threshold value and less than a manual driving start threshold value, or when the duration count is equal to or greater than a first threshold value and less than a second threshold value, and

switching the driving state, when the driving state is the cooperative driving state, to the autonomous driving state when the operation amount is less than the intervention determination threshold value or the duration count is less than the first threshold value, and switching the driving state to the manual driving state when the operation amount is equal to or greater than the manual driving start threshold value or the duration count is equal to or greater than the second threshold value.