Motor vehicle having a driver assistance device and method for operating a motor vehicle

• US 9,174,642 B2
• Filed: 02/05/2013
• Issued: 11/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Inventors: Wimmer, Martin, Meurle, Juergen, Sacher, Heike, Siedersberger, Karl-Heinz
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaawat, Mussa A
• Assistant Examiner(s): JHA, ABDHESH K
• Application Number:
  US14/377,133
• Publication Number:
  US 20150032322A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,001 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2310/00 Arrangements, adaptations or methods for cruise controls
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2310/30 Mode switching, e.g. changing from one cruise control mode to another
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/11 Instrument graphical user interfaces or menu aspects
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1438 Touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/145 Instrument input by combination of touch screen and hardware input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/172 Driving mode indication
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/782 on the steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/11 Graphical user interfaces or menu aspects
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/1438 Touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/145 Input by combination of touch screen and hardware input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/158 Haptic output
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/172 Driving mode indication
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/744 Position adjustable by user
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/782 on the steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/25 using haptic output
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/28 characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/60 Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/658 the instruments being ergonomically adjustable to the user
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/12 : Lane keeping
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/143 : Speed control B60W30/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/16 : Control of distance between vehicles, e.g. keeping a distance to preceding vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/08 : Interaction between the driver and the control system
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/082 : Selecting or switching between different modes of propelling
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/085 : Changing the parameters of the control units, e.g. changing limit values, working points by control input
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/0051 : from occupants to vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/0053 : from vehicle to occupant
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/0059 : Estimation of the risk associated with autonomous or manual driving, e.g. situation too complex, sensor failure or driver incapacity
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/026 : combined with automatic distance control, i.e. electronic tow bar

Abstract

A motor vehicle has a driver assistance device to guide the motor vehicle in an automated manner during travel. The driver assistance device can be switched between a plurality of assistance modes. First, second and third control device differ in the actions the control. The first operating device directly drives the motor vehicle by the driver of the motor vehicle in a manual mode. The second operating device adjusts driving parameters for a partially automated assistance mode, and the third operating device serves as a user interface for the fully automated assistance mode. In a fully automated assistance mode, the driver assistance device provides independent lateral guidance and controls a wheel steering angle. In this case, an actuator adjusts a rotary position of the steering wheel to follow the wheel steering angle set by the driver assistance device.

Claims

1. A motor vehicle comprising:

a driver assistance device to drive the motor vehicle independently during a journey of the motor vehicle, the driver assistance device being switchable between a plurality of assistance modes which differ from one another in a degree of independence of the driver assistance device during driving of the motor vehicle, the assistance modes comprising a fully automatic assistance mode in which independent transverse driving is provided, a partly automatic assistance mode in which at least speed control is provided and a manual assistance mode in which no driving assistance is provided;

a first operating device comprising a steering wheel operated in the manual assistance mode by a steering action for direct driving of the motor vehicle by a driver of the motor vehicle;

a second operating device to set driving parameters for the partly automatic assistance mode; and

a third operating device comprising a touch-screen arranged on an impact absorber of the steering wheel, the touch-screen being operated as a user interface for the fully automatic assistance mode, the touch-screen being mounted movably relative to the steering wheel;

a position setting device to set relative positions of the steering wheel and the touch-screen with respect to one another in a manner dependent on an instantaneously active assistance mode.

2. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the operating devices is deactivated in at least one assistance mode.

3. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 2, wherein the second operating device to set driving parameters for the partly automatic assistance mode, is deactivated in the fully automatic assistance mode.

4. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein

a movable operating device of the plurality of operating devices is mounted movably in the motor vehicle,

the motor vehicle comprises an actuator to adjust a position of the movable operating device in the motor vehicle, and

the driver assistance device sets the position of the movable operating device in a manner dependent on the instantaneously active assistance mode.

5. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second operating device is arranged on the steering wheel.

6. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the steering wheel has an actuator to generate on the steering wheel a force feedback for the driver using the steering wheel, and

the driver assistance device generates a control signal for the actuator, to control the force feedback in the fully automatic assistance mode.

7. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein, via the touch-screen in the fully automatic assistance mode, the driver selects a driving maneuver to be carried out independently by the driver assistance device and/or sets a driving parameter to alter a driving maneuver currently being carried out.

8. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the assistance modes of the driver assistance device further comprise an autonomous assistance mode, to drive the motor vehicle fully automatically by independent transverse and longitudinal driving, and

in the autonomous assistance mode, the driver assistance device selects driving maneuvers to be carried out and/or sets a driving parameter to alter a driving maneuver currently being carried out.

9. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 8, wherein

the steering wheel does not rotate in the autonomous assistance mode.

10. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 9, wherein

the motor vehicle further comprises a rotation actuator, and

upon deactivation of the autonomous assistance mode, the rotation actuator rotates the steering wheel so that an angle of the steering wheel matches an angle of front wheels of the motor vehicle.

11. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 9, wherein

in the autonomous assistance mode, the touch-screen serves as the user interface for an infotainment system of the motor vehicle.

12. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 11, wherein

neither the steering wheel nor the touch-screen rotates in the autonomous assistance mode, and

the touch-screen tilts with respect to the steering wheel in the autonomous assistance mode.

13. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 8, wherein

the touch-screen tilts with respect to the steering wheel in a manner dependent on the instantaneously active assistance mode.

14. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the second operating device comprises an operating element arranged on the steering wheel, and

the operating element is selected from the group consisting of a pushbutton switch, a rocker switch and a rotary wheel.

15. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein

driving parameters for the partly automatic assistance mode are set by both the second operating device and the touch-screen.

16. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the touch-screen rotates with the steering wheel in the partly automatic assistance mode and the manual assistance mode.

17. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the steering wheel is recessed from the driver and the touch-screen in a manner dependent on the instantaneously active assistance mode.

18. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the steering wheel is recessed from the driver and the touch-screen in the fully automatic assistance mode.

19. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 18, wherein

the motor vehicle further comprises a rotation actuator to rotate the steering wheel to follow a steering angle of wheels of the motor vehicle in the fully automatic assistance mode.

20. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 19, wherein the touch-screen does not rotate in the fully automatic assistance mode.

21. A method for operating a motor vehicle comprising a driver assistance device switchable between a plurality of assistance modes, to drive the motor vehicle completely independently in a fully automatic assistance mode, the method comprising:

in the fully automatic assistance mode, activating a first actuator by the driver assistance device and thereby setting a rotary position of a steering wheel of the motor vehicle in a manner dependent on a steering angle of wheels of the motor vehicle, the steering angle of the wheels being independently controlled by the driver assistance device;

in the fully automatic assistance mode, operating a touch-screen arranged on an impact absorber of the steering wheel, the touch-screen being operated as a user interface for selecting a driving maneuver to be carried out and/or for setting a driver parameter to alter a driving maneuver currently being carried out; and

when the fully automatic assistance mode is activated, activating a second actuator by the driver assistance device, the second actuator being activated to move a rim of the steering wheel away from the touch-screen and away from a driver of the motor vehicle.