METHOD TO ASSESS RISK ASSOCIATED WITH OPERATING AN AUTONOMIC VEHICLE CONTROL SYSTEM

• US 20100228419A1
• Filed: 03/09/2009
• Published: 09/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Salinger, Jeremy A., Chen, Xingping, Lee, Jin-Woo
• Granted Patent: US 8,244,408 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/25
• 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: B60W 50/0097 Predicting future conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/0255 Automatic changing of lane, e.g. for passing another vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0246 using a video camera in combination with image processing means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0257 using a radar radar systems designed for anti-collision purposes between land vehicles or between land vehicle and fixed obstacles G01S13/931
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/027 comprising intertial navigation means, e.g. azimuth detector inertial navigation G01C21/16; inertial navigation combined with non-inertial navigation instruments G01C21/165
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0272 comprising means for registering the travel distance, e.g. revolutions of wheels measuring distance traversed on the ground by vehicles, e.g. using odometers G01C22/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/56 exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle

Abstract

A vehicle is configured to execute an autonomic lane change maneuver and is equipped with a spatial monitoring system. Each of a plurality of objects located proximate to the vehicle is monitored. Locations of each of the objects are predicted relative to a projected trajectory of the vehicle. A collision risk level between the vehicle and each of the objects is assessed.

Claims

1. Method for assessing a risk of collision associated with operation of a subject vehicle including a spatial monitoring system, the subject vehicle configured to execute an autonomic lane change maneuver, comprising:

monitoring each of a plurality of object vehicles located proximate to the subject vehicle;

predicting locations of each of the object vehicles relative to a projected trajectory of the subject vehicle at future time-steps; and

assessing a collision risk level between the subject vehicle and each of the object vehicles at the future time-steps.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

predicting a range of potential operating behaviors of a selected one of the object vehicles;

predicting locations of the selected object vehicle relative to a projected trajectory of the subject vehicle and associated with the range of potential operating behaviors at the future time-steps; and

assessing the collision risk level between the subject vehicle and the selected object vehicle at the future time-steps associated with the predicted locations of the selected object vehicle.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

initiating a lane change maneuver and setting a risk tolerance threshold associated therewith; and

granting permission to execute and complete the lane change maneuver corresponding to the risk tolerance threshold and the assessed collision risk levels between the subject vehicle and the monitored object vehicles.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising setting the risk tolerance threshold to one of a conservative threshold, a moderate threshold, and an aggressive threshold, the risk tolerance threshold set corresponding to whether a lane change maneuver has been requested, whether a lane change maneuver has started, and whether a lane boundary has been crossed subsequent to a lane change maneuver request and an initiation of the lane change maneuver.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

predicting operating behaviors comprising selected longitudinal acceleration rates for the selected object vehicle; and

assessing the collision risk level between the subject vehicle and the selected object vehicle at the future time-steps associated with each of the selected longitudinal acceleration rates.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising assessing the collision risk level between the subject vehicle and the selected object vehicle at the future time-steps associated with each of the selected longitudinal acceleration rates and occurrence of a lateral overlap between the subject vehicle and the object vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising

estimating a longitudinal distance, longitudinal speed, and longitudinal acceleration of each object vehicle relative to the subject vehicle;

projecting a longitudinal relative distance between the subject vehicle and each object vehicle for elapsed time periods corresponding to the future time-steps associated with the longitudinal distance, longitudinal speed, and longitudinal acceleration of the object vehicle relative to the subject vehicle; and

assessing the collision risk level between the subject vehicle and the selected object vehicle at the future time-step based upon a comparison between the projected longitudinal relative distance and an allowable margin.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

determining a lateral overlap between the subject vehicle and the selected object vehicle; and

assessing the collision risk level between the subject vehicle and the selected object vehicle at the future time-step based upon the comparison between the projected longitudinal relative distance and the allowable margin and the lateral overlap.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

predicting operating behaviors comprising selected longitudinal acceleration rates for each object vehicle;

projecting a longitudinal relative distance between the subject vehicle and each object vehicle for elapsed time periods corresponding to the future time-steps associated with the longitudinal distance, longitudinal speed, and the selected longitudinal acceleration of each object vehicle relative to the subject vehicle; and

assessing the collision risk level between the subject vehicle and each object vehicle at each of the future time-steps based upon a comparison between the projected longitudinal relative distance and an allowable margin.

10. The method of claim 9, comprising selecting longitudinal acceleration rates for each object vehicle including one of a present acceleration rate, a mild vehicle braking rate, and a hard vehicle braking rate.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising assessing the collision risk level between the subject vehicle and each object vehicle at each of the future time-steps associated with each of the selected longitudinal acceleration rates based upon a comparison between the projected longitudinal relative distance and an allowable margin and occurrence of a lateral overlap between the subject vehicle and each object vehicle.

12. Method for operating a vehicle configured to execute an autonomic lane change maneuver, the vehicle including a spatial monitoring system, the method comprising:

monitoring locations and trajectories of a plurality of objects and object vehicles located proximate to the vehicle during ongoing vehicle operation;

predicting locations of each of the objects and object vehicles relative to the vehicle at future time-steps; and

assessing collision risk levels between the vehicle and each of the objects and object vehicles, the collision risk levels associated with the locations of the objects and the object vehicles relative to the vehicle at the future time-steps.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

estimating a longitudinal distance, longitudinal speed, and longitudinal acceleration of each object and each object vehicle relative to the vehicle corresponding to the monitored locations and trajectories;

executing an autonomic lane change maneuver;

predicting locations of each of the objects and object vehicles relative to the vehicle at future time-steps during the execution of the autonomic lane change maneuver;

projecting longitudinal relative distances between the vehicle and each object vehicle for elapsed time periods corresponding to the future time-steps associated with the longitudinal distance, longitudinal speed, and longitudinal acceleration of the each of the objects and object vehicles relative to the vehicle; and

assessing the collision risk levels between the vehicle and the objects and object vehicles based upon comparisons between the projected longitudinal relative distances and an allowable margin.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

determining lateral overlaps between the vehicle and each of the objects and object vehicles; and

assessing the collision risk level between the vehicle and each of the objects and object vehicles based upon the comparisons between the projected longitudinal relative distances and the allowable margin and the lateral overlaps.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

predicting operating behaviors comprising selected longitudinal acceleration rates for each of the objects and object vehicles, and

projecting longitudinal relative distances between the vehicle and each of the objects and object vehicles for elapsed time periods corresponding to the future time-steps associated with the longitudinal distance, longitudinal speed, and the selected longitudinal acceleration of each of the objects and object vehicles relative to the subject vehicle; and

assessing the collision risk level between the subject vehicle and each of the objects and object vehicles at each of the future time-steps based upon a comparison between the projected longitudinal relative distance and an allowable margin.

16. The method of claim 15, comprising selecting longitudinal acceleration rates for each object vehicle including one of a present acceleration rate, a mild vehicle braking rate, and a hard vehicle braking rate.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising assessing the collision risk level between the vehicle and each of the objects and object vehicles at each of the future time-steps associated with each of the selected longitudinal acceleration rates based upon a comparison between the projected longitudinal relative distance and an allowable margin and occurrence of a lateral overlap between the vehicle and each of the objects and object vehicles.

18. Method for assessing a risk of collision associated with operation of a subject vehicle including a spatial monitoring system, the subject vehicle configured to execute an autonomic lane change maneuver, comprising:

monitoring each of a plurality of object vehicles located proximate to the subject vehicle;

predicting locations of each of the object vehicles relative to the vehicle at future time-steps;

assessing the collision risk levels between the vehicle and the object vehicles based upon comparisons between the projected longitudinal relative distances and an allowable margin, and occurrence of a lateral overlap between the vehicle and each of the object vehicles.