METHOD AND ARRANGEMENT FOR HANDOVER WARNING IN A VEHICLE HAVING AUTONOMOUS DRIVING CAPABILITIES

• US 20150070160A1
• Filed: 09/05/2014
• Published: 03/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Polestar Performance AB (Polestar Automotive Holding UK Plc)
• Original Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation (AB Volvo)
• Inventors: DAVIDSSON, Staffan, CHEN, Sicheng
• Granted Patent: US 9,235,211 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/457
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0025 Transfer function weighting factor
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0072 Controller asks driver to take over
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0073 Driver overrides controller
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0096 Control during transition between modes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/223 Posture, e.g. hand, foot, or seat position, turned or inclined
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/225 Direction of gaze
• 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 60/0057 Estimation of the time available or required for the handover
• 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 method and arrangement are described for handover warning in a vehicle having autonomous driving capabilities and a vehicle controller configured to control unmanned autonomous travel. A processor may be configured to monitor if there is a need to transition from unmanned autonomous travel to manual control of the vehicle. A detecting arrangement may be configured to monitor a vehicle driver and evaluate the vehicle driver'"'"'s readiness to assume the act of driving the vehicle. A warning arrangement may be configured to provide warning information when driver-handover is requested by the processor, which warning arrangement may be further configured to adapt warning information timing in respect to the evaluated vehicle driver'"'"'s readiness to assume the act of driving the vehicle. A warning output system may be configured to output the time adapted warning information to a vehicle passenger compartment.

Claims

8-1. A motor vehicle having autonomous driving capabilities and a vehicle controller configured to control unmanned autonomous travel, the vehicle comprising an arrangement for handover warning according to claim 1.

10. A method for handover warning in a vehicle having autonomous driving capabilities and a vehicle controller configured to control unmanned autonomous travel, the method comprising:

monitoring if there is a need to transition from unmanned autonomous travel to manual control of the vehicle using a monitoring arrangement;

monitoring a vehicle driver and evaluating the vehicle driver'"'"'s readiness to assume an act of driving the vehicle using a detecting arrangement;

providing warning information when driver-handover is requested by the monitoring arrangement, and adapting warning information timing in respect to the evaluated vehicle driver'"'"'s readiness to assume the act of driving the vehicle using a warning arrangement; and

outputting the adapted warning information timing to a vehicle passenger compartment using a warning output system.