Device and method for controlling a motor vehicle

• US 9,873,427 B2
• Filed: 07/19/2014
• Issued: 01/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Inventors: Danzl, Martin, Wst, Sabine, Gollewski, Torsten, Kienzl, Georg, Hagemann, Franz-Michael, Siedersberger, Karl-Heinz, Miehling, Thomas, Kunsch, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Goldman, Richard
• Application Number:
  US14/912,593
• Publication Number:
  US 20160200317A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,284 Days
• Field of Search: 701 25, 701 23, 701 24, 701 27, 701 41, 701 45, 701301, 701117, 701400, 701 70, 701 93, 701 26
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/06 responsive to incapacity of driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/04 including control of propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/10 including control of change-speed gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/18 including control of braking systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/20 including control of steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/22 Psychological state; Stress level or workload
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/24 Drug level, e.g. alcohol
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/26 Incapacity
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/00 Input parameters relating to exterior conditions, not covered by groups B60W2552/00, B60W2554/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/00 Input parameters relating to data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/09 Taking automatic action to avoid collision, e.g. braking and steering
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/0953 the prediction being responsive to vehicle dynamic parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/0956 the prediction being responsive to traffic or environmental parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/161 Decentralised systems, e.g. inter-vehicle communication

Abstract

A motor vehicle comprising at least one driver assistance system (2) to pre-calculate future driving situations of the motor vehicle (1) for a specified time interval by evaluating ego data related to the motor vehicle (1) and environmental data related to the motor vehicle environment, wherein the motor vehicle (1) is controllable by a driver in a first operating mode of the driver assistance system (2), wherein the driver assistance system (2) is designed, upon fulfillment of one switchover condition dependent at least upon future driving situations, to be temporarily switched over into a second operating mode in which the motor vehicle (1) is autonomously controlled by the driver assistance system (2) without the possibility of intervention by the driver, wherein driving is continued in the second operating mode.

Claims

1. A motor vehicle, comprising:

a driver assistance system configured to;

pre-calculate future driving situations of the motor vehicle for a specified time interval based on data associated with a physical characteristic of the motor vehicle and data associated with an environment of the motor vehicle, wherein the motor vehicle is controllable by a driver in a first operating mode of the driver assistance system;

upon meeting a switchover condition based on the future driving situations, switch the motor vehicle into a second operating mode, wherein the motor vehicle in the second operating mode is autonomously controlled by the driver assistance system without a possibility of intervention by the driver, and driving is continued in the second operating mode;

calculate, in the second operating mode, a prediction that the switchover condition is met at a point lying ahead in a driving direction of the motor vehicle; and

determine, in the second operating mode, a target position at which the switchover condition is predicted to be unsatisfied.

2. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the driver assistance system is further configured to:

determine a target route of the motor vehicle desired by the driver based on route data of a navigation system, the data associated with the physical characteristic of the motor vehicle, or the data associated with the environment of the motor vehicle, wherein the target position is on the target route.

3. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the driver assistance system is further configured to:

determine the target position based on a predicted traffic situation or a route course that allows safe transfer of vehicle control to the driver at the target position.

4. The motor vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the driver assistance system is further configured to:

switch the motor vehicle from the second operating mode into the first operating mode based on a reset condition, wherein the reset condition is based on the switchover condition not being met, the predicted traffic situation that allows the safe transfer of vehicle control back to the driver, or the target position having been reached.

5. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the driver assistance system is further configured to:

determine a control trajectory based on a current position of the motor vehicle and the target position; and

control the motor vehicle along the control trajectory in the second operating mode.

6. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the driver assistance system is further configured to:

control, in the second operating mode, brake systems, an engine, a steering system, or an automatic transmission of the motor vehicle without intervention by the driver.

7. The motor vehicle according to claim 5, wherein the driver assistance system is further configured to:

calculate multiple drivable trajectories based on the current position of the motor vehicle and a boundary condition, wherein the boundary condition is determined based on the data associated with the physical characteristic of the motor vehicle and the data associated with the environment of the motor vehicle.

8. The motor vehicle according to claim 7, wherein the driver assistance system is further configured to:

determine a driving area that is drivable by the motor vehicle based on the current position of the motor vehicle, wherein the boundary condition is that the multiple drivable trajectories lie completely within the driving area.

9. The motor vehicle according to claim 8, wherein the driver assistance system is further configured to:

calculate the multiple drivable trajectories based on a parameter, wherein the parameter comprises a location coordinate, wherein the multiple drivable trajectories comprise a continuous band of trajectories based on the parameter or discrete trajectories based on the parameter, wherein the discrete trajectories are spaced apart by a specifiable distance.

10. The motor vehicle according to claim 7, wherein the driver assistance system is further configured to:

determine a speed profile for a drivable trajectory of the multiple drivable trajectories.

11. The motor vehicle according claim 7, wherein the driver assistance system is further configured to:

determine a threshold value for a parameter of the motor vehicle based on the multiple drivable trajectories, wherein the switchover condition is exceeding of the threshold value or failure to maintain the threshold value.

12. The motor vehicle according to claim 7, wherein the switchover condition is exceeding a minimum value specifying a number of the multiple drivable trajectories or a width of a value range of a parameter that defines a band of trajectories of the multiple drivable trajectories.

13. The motor vehicle according claim 7, wherein the driver assistance system is further configured to:

determine there is no drivable trajectory;

adjust the boundary condition based on the determination that there is no drivable trajectory; and

recalculate the multiple drivable trajectories based on the determination that there is no drivable trajectory.

14. The motor vehicle according claim 13, wherein the driver assistance system is further configured to:

switch the motor vehicle into a third operating mode based on there being no drivable trajectory and after the adjustment of the boundary condition; and

determine, in the third operating mode, an emergency trajectory.

15. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the driver assistance system is further configured to:

activate an indicator device based on switching the motor vehicle into the second operating mode or before switching the motor vehicle into the first operating mode, wherein the indicator device provides an audible, haptic, or visible warning to the driver to resume control of the motor vehicle.

16. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising:

a communication device for wireless vehicle-to-vehicle communication or wireless vehicle-to-infrastructure communication, wherein the driver assistance system is further configured to;

receive, via the communication device, the data associated with the environment of the motor vehicle from a digital database external to the motor vehicle; and

transmit, via the communications device, a warning message to a second motor vehicle.

17. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the driver assistance system is further configured to:

control a steering system, a braking system, an engine, or an automatic transmission of the motor vehicle in a fourth operating mode without intervention by the driver, wherein the motor vehicle is in a parking position in the fourth operating mode.

18. The motor vehicle according to claim 17, wherein the driver assistance system is further configured to:

detect the driver is incapacitated; and

switch the motor vehicle into the fourth operating mode based on the driver being incapacitated.

19. The motor vehicle according to claim 17, wherein the driver assistance system is further configured to:

wait for a driver input to resume driver control during the switch of the motor vehicle from the second operating mode to the first operating mode; and

switch the motor vehicle into the fourth operating mode based on not receiving the driver input within a specified time interval.

20. The motor vehicle according to claim 17, wherein the driver assistance system is further configured to:

switch the motor vehicle into the fourth operating mode when a defined minimum number of switches or a defined minimum frequency of switches from the first operating mode to the second operating mode occurs within a specified timeframe.

21. The motor vehicle according to claim 17, further comprising:

a communication device, wherein the driver assistance system is further configured to;

determine, in the fourth operating mode, a target driving maneuver for a second motor vehicle; and

transmit, via the communications device, the target driving maneuver to the second motor vehicle, wherein a priority message is transmittable in addition to the target driving maneuver.

22. The motor vehicle according to claim 7, wherein the switchover condition utilizes the boundary condition to calculate the multiple drivable trajectories, and wherein the driver assistance system is further configured to:

determine of the control trajectory based on a defined driver characteristic or a driver characteristic determined by the driver assistance system.

23. A method for controlling a motor vehicle, comprising:

detecting data associated with a physical characteristic of a motor vehicle and data associated with an environment of a motor vehicle, wherein the motor vehicle is controllable by a driver in a first operating mode;

pre-calculating future driving situations of the motor vehicle for a specified time period based on the data associated with the physical characteristic of the motor vehicle and the data associated with the environment of motor vehicle;

determining a switchover condition is met based on the future driving situations;

switching the motor vehicle into a second operating mode based on the switchover condition being met;

steering the motor vehicle without intervention of the driver in the second operating mode;

calculating, in the second operating mode, a prediction that the switchover condition is met at a point lying ahead in a driving direction of the motor vehicle; and

determining, in the second operating mode, a target position at which the switchover condition is predicted to be unsatisfied.