Device for automatically driving a vehicle

• US 9,694,681 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2014
• Issued: 07/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Original Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Inventors: Kleen, Andro, Schfer, Helge, Rickns, Daniel, Meinecke, Marc-Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Marc, McDieunel
• Application Number:
  US15/026,625
• Publication Number:
  US 20160214483A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,008 Days
• Field of Search: 701 23, 700245
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/186 Displaying information according to relevancy
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/186 Displaying Information according to relevancy
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/29 Instruments characterised by the way in which information is handled, e.g. showing information on plural displays or prioritising information according to driving conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/05 Type of road, e.g. motorways, local streets, paved or unpaved roads
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/406 Traffic density
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/801 Lateral distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/802 Longitudinal distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/12 Lane keeping
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/16 Control of distance between vehicles, e.g. keeping a distance to preceding vehicle
• 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 60/0053 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

Abstract

A device having at least one sensor, a controller, and a display device designed for a vehicle which is configured for at least partial automatic driving. The at least one sensor is configured to acquire information items. The device senses an automatic driving state in which the vehicle drives automatically and displays simultaneously on the display device, in the automatic driving state, conditions which are to be complied with to maintain the automatic driving state, together with information indicating whether the respective condition is met. Also disclosed is a device configured to determine compliance with the conditions as a function of the information items.

Claims

1. A device for a vehicle designed for at least partially automatic driving, the device comprises comprising:

at least one sensor;

a controller; and

a display,

wherein the at least one sensor senses multiple items of information,

wherein the device senses an automatic driving state in which the vehicle is driving automatically and in the automatic driving state shows simultaneously on the display multiple conditions that have to be met to maintain the automatic driving state, together with an item of information as to whether the respective condition is satisfied, and

wherein the device determines, dependent on the multiple items of information, whether the conditions are met.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the multiple items of information are selected from a set comprising:

a current speed of the vehicle;

an item of information as to whether a vehicle located in front of the vehicle is at a sufficiently small distance from the vehicle;

an item of information as to whether there is a lane marking on a road currently being driven along by the vehicle;

an open state of a door of the vehicle;

an item of information as to whether a driver of the vehicle is using a seatbelt;

an item of information as to whether there is an object in front of the vehicle within a predetermined distance from the vehicle; and

a type of road currently being driven along by the vehicle.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the device shows on the display, dependent on the current speed of the vehicle, a probability with which the automatic driving state will have to be ended.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the device goes from the automatic driving state into a warning state if one of the conditions is no longer satisfied,

wherein the device clearly highlights, in the warning state, that one of the conditions that is no longer satisfied in comparison with the other conditions and/or to shows it in a middle region of the display larger than the conditions that are satisfied and activates an operator control element, and

wherein the device senses the actuation of the activated operator control element and to end the automatic driving of the vehicle when the actuation of the activated operator control element has been sensed in this way to go from the warning state into a manual driving state.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the device activates a further operator control element in the warning state, senses an actuation of the further operator control element and returns from the warning state to the automatic driving state when the actuation of the activated further operator control element has been sensed.

6. The device of claim 4, wherein the device, within the warning state, goes into a substate of the warning state after a predetermined time interval after the beginning of the warning state if no actuation of the operator control element is sensed within the time interval, and

wherein the device, in the substate, shows a request for the takeover of driving of the vehicle together with an explanatory text to a driver of the vehicle on the entire display and shows a graphical handling request for the takeover of driving of the vehicle to the driver of the vehicle on the display in alternation with this content.

7. The device of claim 4, wherein the device goes into a braking state after a predetermined time period after the beginning of the warning state if within the time period no actuation of the operator control element is sensed,

wherein the device, in the braking state, shows the braking state on the display and, in the braking state, instructs the vehicle to be braked to a standstill, and

wherein the device, in the warning state, displays the remaining time period on the display.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the device senses a standstill of the vehicle goes from the braking state into a safe state if the standstill of the vehicle is sensed, and

wherein the device, in the safe state, shows on the display the safe state and an actuating option to go from the safe state into the manual driving state.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the device senses an actuation of a brake of the vehicle and goes from the safe state into the manual driving state when the simultaneous actuation of the brake and the operator control element has been sensed.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the device senses an actuation of a terminating operator control element and ends the automatic driving of the vehicle if the actuation of the terminating operator control element is sensed.