VEHICLE CONTROL DEVICE

• US 20180173227A1
• Filed: 12/12/2017
• Published: 06/21/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Mukai, Takuyuki, Tanaka, Jun, Honda, Shigehiro, Ibuka, Jun, Harada, Riho
• Granted Patent: US 10,782,683 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0072 Controller asks driver to take over
• 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 2520/105 Longitudinal acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/125 Lateral acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/14 Yaw
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/00 Input parameters relating to occupants
• 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 2540/22 Psychological state; Stress level or workload
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/223 Posture, e.g. hand, foot, or seat position, turned or inclined
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/229 Attention level, e.g. attentive to driving, reading or sleeping
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/15 Road slope, i.e. the inclination of a road segment in the longitudinal direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/30 Road curve radius
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/4042 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/406 Traffic density
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/20 Ambient conditions, e.g. wind or rain
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/08 related to drivers or passengers
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0097 Predicting future conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/082 : Selecting or switching between different modes of propelling
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 : Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/0051 : from occupants to vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/0053 : from vehicle to occupant
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/0055 : only part of driving tasks shifted to occupants
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/0057 : Estimation of the time available or required for the handover
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 : communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C

Abstract

A vehicle control device includes a takeover operation unit configured to execute operations whereby at least a portion of automated driving is handed over to manual driving performed by a driver, and a duration acquisition unit configured to acquire a duration of the automated driving when the at least a portion of the automated driving is handed over to manual driving performed by the driver. In the case that the duration is greater than or equal to a first predetermined time period, the takeover operation unit performs an operation to hand over driving to manual driving differently from an operation to hand over driving to manual driving in the case that the duration is less than the first predetermined time period.

Claims

1. A vehicle control device configured to perform a travel control for a host vehicle at least partially automatically, comprising:

a takeover operation unit configured to execute operations whereby at least a portion of automated driving is handed over to manual driving performed by a driver; and

a duration acquisition unit configured to acquire a duration of the automated driving when the at least a portion of the automated driving is handed over to manual driving performed by the driver;

wherein, in a case that the duration is greater than or equal to a first predetermined time period, the takeover operation unit performs a takeover operation to hand over driving to manual driving differently from a takeover operation to hand over driving to manual driving in a case that the duration is less than the first predetermined time period.

2. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein, if the duration is greater than or equal to the first predetermined time period, compared to the case that the duration is less than the first predetermined time period, the takeover operation unit hastens a starting time of the takeover operation, or brings a starting point of the takeover operation closer to the host vehicle.

3. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein, if the duration is greater than or equal to the first predetermined time period, compared to the case that the duration is less than the first predetermined time period, the takeover operation unit sets a necessary time period required for the takeover operation to be longer.

4. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein, as a degree of difficulty in driving on a travel path after having completed the takeover operation increases, the takeover operation unit hastens a starting time of the takeover operation, or brings a starting point of the takeover operation closer to the host vehicle.

5. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein the takeover operation unit sets the duration to be shorter as a degree of difficulty in driving on a travel path after having completed the takeover operation increases.

6. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, further comprising a state detection unit configured to detect a state of the driver who is occupying a driver'"'"'s seat, wherein the takeover operation unit sets a starting time or a starting point of the takeover operation, based on the state of the driver as detected by the state detection unit.

7. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein, if the duration is greater than or equal to the first predetermined time period, the takeover operation unit performs the takeover operation in a stepwise manner with respect to the driver.

8. The vehicle control device according to claim 7, wherein the takeover operation unit hands over a steering operation to the driver before an acceleration/deceleration operation is handed over to the driver.

9. The vehicle control device according to claim 8, wherein, when handing over of the steering operation to the driver is performed, in a case that the steering operation is performed by the driver, or in a case that a handover capable state of the steering operation is brought about, before a second predetermined time period has elapsed, the takeover operation unit transitions to handing over of the acceleration/deceleration operation.

10. The vehicle control device according to claim 9, wherein, when handing over of the steering operation to the driver is performed, in a case that the steering operation is not performed by the driver, or in a case that a handover capable state of the steering operation is not brought about, even though the second predetermined time period has elapsed, the takeover operation unit carries out a control to decelerate the vehicle automatically.

11. The vehicle control device according to claim 8, wherein the takeover operation unit transitions to handing over of the acceleration/deceleration operation, after handing over of the steering operation to the driver is performed, and after a second predetermined time period has elapsed or after the host vehicle has traveled a predetermined distance.

12. The vehicle control device according to claim 8, wherein, after handing over of the steering operation to the driver is performed, the takeover operation unit hands over the acceleration/deceleration operation at a stage at which the driver has performed a manual operation of acceleration/deceleration, prior to elapse of a second predetermined time period, or prior to the host vehicle having traveled a predetermined distance.

13. The vehicle control device according to claim 8, wherein the takeover operation unit determines a degree of proficiency of the steering operation that was handed over to the driver, and at a stage at which the driver has become proficient with the steering operation, transitions to handing over of the acceleration/deceleration operation.

14. The vehicle control device according to claim 8, wherein the takeover operation unit transitions to handing over of the acceleration/deceleration operation, in a case that a steering speed or a steering acceleration in the steering operation that was handed over to the driver lies within a predetermined range over a predetermined time period.

15. A vehicle control device configured to perform a travel control for a host vehicle at least partially automatically, comprising:

a takeover operation unit configured to execute operations whereby at least a portion of automated driving is handed over to manual driving performed by a driver; and

a continuous travel distance acquisition unit configured to acquire a continuous travel distance of the automated driving when the at least a portion of the automated driving is handed over to manual driving performed by the driver;

wherein, in a case that the continuous travel distance is greater than or equal to a first predetermined distance, the takeover operation unit performs a takeover operation to hand over driving to manual driving differently from a takeover operation to hand over driving to manual driving in a case that the continuous travel distance is less than the first predetermined distance.

16. A vehicle control device configured to perform a travel control for a host vehicle at least partially automatically, comprising:

a takeover operation unit configured to execute operations whereby at least a portion of automated driving is handed over to manual driving performed by a driver; and

at least one of a duration acquisition unit and a continuous travel distance acquisition unit, the duration acquisition unit being configured to acquire a duration of the automated driving when the at least a portion of the automated driving is handed over to manual driving performed by the driver, the continuous travel distance acquisition unit being configured to acquire a continuous travel distance of the automated driving when the at least a portion of the automated driving is handed over to manual driving performed by the driver;

wherein the takeover operation unit hastens the handing over to manual driving as the duration or the continuous travel distance becomes longer.