Drive control apparatus and method for autonomous vehicle

• US 9,910,443 B1
• Filed: 11/30/2016
• Issued: 03/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Inventors: Lee, Dong Hwi, Chu, Keon Yup, Yoo, Su Jung, Choi, Tae Sung
• Primary Examiner(s): Dunn, Alex C
• Application Number:
  US15/364,708
• Time in Patent Office: 461 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/346 with automatic actuation
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/184 with wheel brakes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/20 including control of steering systems
• 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 2552/00 Input parameters relating to infrastructure
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/80 Spatial relation or speed relative to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/802 Longitudinal distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/804 Relative longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/60 Traffic rules, e.g. speed limits or right of way
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2754/10 Spatial relation or speed relative to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/10 Path keeping cruise control for automatically following a preceding vehicle B60W30/165
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18154 Approaching an intersection
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/0015 specially adapted for safety
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/167 Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection

Abstract

A drive control apparatus and method for an autonomous vehicle is provided. The drive control method includes: determining whether a subject vehicle has entered a pocket lane area during autonomous driving; determining whether the subject vehicle enters a pocket lane according to pocket lane conditions that are determined on the basis of surrounding environment information of the subject vehicle when the subject vehicle enters the pocket lane area; generating a tracking path with respect to a front vehicle when it is determined to enter the pocket lane; and performing the autonomous driving by controlling the subject vehicle to follow the front vehicle according to the tracking path with respect to the front vehicle.

Claims

1. A drive control method for an autonomous vehicle, the method comprising:

determining whether the subject vehicle has entered a pocket lane area during autonomous driving;

subsequently, determining whether the subject vehicle will enter a pocket lane based on pocket lane conditions, the lane conditions being determined on the basis of surrounding environment information of the subject vehicle when the subject vehicle enters the pocket lane area;

generating a tracking path with respect to a front vehicle when it is determined to enter the pocket lane; and

performing the autonomous driving by controlling the subject vehicle to follow the front vehicle according to the tracking path with respect to the front vehicle.

2. The drive control method according to claim 1, wherein the pocket lane area is defined as an area within a predetermined distance from a pocket lane entry point in a straight driving lane that is positioned on the right of the pocket lane.

3. The drive control method according to claim 2, wherein a length of the pocket lane area is calculated using a road speed limit and a time taken for the vehicle to reach the pocket lane when the vehicle is driving at the road speed limit.

4. The drive control method according to claim 1, wherein determining whether the subject vehicle would enter the pocket lane comprises:

determining the pocket lane conditions by detecting a degree of traffic congestion in the pocket lane, a distance between a rear vehicle and the subject vehicle, a relative speed of the rear vehicle, and a color of a traffic light that is turned on, on the basis of data measured by sensors;

determining whether the subject vehicle is allowed to stop according to the pocket lane conditions;

turning on a turn signal and reducing a vehicle speed when the subject vehicle is allowed to stop;

checking whether the front vehicle is present in the pocket lane while the subject vehicle is reducing the vehicle speed;

detecting a position of the front vehicle when the front vehicle is present in the pocket lane;

determining whether the subject vehicle is allowed to enter the pocket lane along a driving path based on the position of the front vehicle; and

performing the autonomous driving along the driving path when the subject vehicle is allowed to enter the pocket lane.

5. The drive control method according to claim 4, further comprising generating a new driving path to reach a predetermined destination by driving on a straight driving lane unless it is determined that the subject vehicle is allowed to stop in determining whether or not the subject vehicle is allowed to stop.

6. The drive control method according to claim 4, further comprising performing the autonomous driving along the driving path unless it is determined that the front vehicle is present in the pocket lane in checking whether or not the front vehicle is present in the pocket lane.

7. The drive control method according to claim 4, further comprising determining whether the subject vehicle enters the pocket lane unless the subject vehicle is allowed to enter the pocket lane in the step of determining whether the subject vehicle is allowed to enter the pocket lane along the driving path.

8. A drive control apparatus for an autonomous vehicle, comprising:

a sensor unit configured to sense surrounding environment information of the subject vehicle;

a driving path generator configured to detect pocket lane conditions on the basis of the surrounding environment information when the subject vehicle enters a pocket lane area during autonomous driving, determining whether the subject vehicle enters a pocket lane according to the detected pocket lane conditions, and generating a driving path; and

a vehicle controller configured to control the autonomous driving of the subject vehicle according to the driving path.

9. The drive control apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the driving path generator is further configured to analyze the pocket lane conditions by detecting a degree of traffic congestion in the pocket lane, a distance between a rear vehicle and the subject vehicle, a relative speed of the rear vehicle, and a color of a traffic light that is turned on through the sensor unit.

10. The drive control apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the driving path generator is further configured to whether the subject vehicle is allowed to stop according to results of analyzing the pocket lane conditions.

11. The drive control apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the driving path generator is further configured to the vehicle controller to turn on a turn signal and reduce a vehicle speed when the subject vehicle is allowed to stop, and checks whether a front vehicle is present in the pocket lane.

12. The drive control apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the driving path generator is further configured to detect a position of the front vehicle in the pocket lane when the front vehicle is present in the pocket lane, and to determine whether the subject vehicle is allowed to enter the pocket lane along the driving path.

13. The drive control apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the driving path generator is further configured to provide the driving path to the vehicle controller when the subject vehicle is allowed to enter the pocket lane along the driving path.

14. The drive control apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the driving path generator is further configured to generate a tracking path with respect to the front vehicle unless the subject vehicle is allowed to enter the pocket lane along the driving path.

15. The drive control apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the driving path generator further configured to search or generate a new driving path to reach a predetermined destination by driving on a straight driving path unless the subject vehicle is allowed to stop.