VEHICLE CONTROL SYSTEM

• US 20160298758A1
• Filed: 04/06/2016
• Published: 10/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: ENDO, Takahito, FUJIYOSHI, Tadashi, HOSHIYA, Kazumi, ITO, Yoshio, ASAHARA, Norimi, KUWAHARA, Seiji, ARAKAWA, Kazuya
• Granted Patent: US 9,506,558 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/12 responsive to conditions relating to doors or doors locks, e.g. open door
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/00 Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 , e.g. haptic signalling
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/0053 from vehicle to occupant
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 59/44 dependent on machine speed of the machine, e.g. the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 59/50 Inputs being a function of the status of the machine, e.g. position of doors or safety belts
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/0204 for gearshift control, e.g. control functions for performing shifting or generation of shift signal

Abstract

A vehicle control system to prevent a vehicle stopped in the autonomous mode from being started undesirably is provided. The vehicle control system is configured to select an operating mode from an autonomous mode and a manual mode, and to select a drive range from a drivable range and a non-drivable range. A controller is configured to detect a fact that a door is opened, that a door lock is unlocked, or that a seatbelt is unfastened. If at least any of those facts is detected, the controller shifts the drive range to the non-drivable range or shifts the operating mode to the manual mode.

Claims

1. A vehicle control system that is configured to select an operating mode of a vehicle from an autonomous mode in which the vehicle is operated autonomously and a manual mode in which the vehicle is operated manually by a driver, and to select a drive range of the vehicle from a drivable range and a non-drivable range, comprising:

a controller that controls an operating condition of the vehicle;

wherein the controller is configured to detect at least any one of the facts that a door is opened, that a door lock is unlocked, and that a seatbelt is unfastened; and

wherein the controller is configured to shift at least any of the drive range and the operating mode to the non-drivable range or to the manual mode, if at least any one of the facts that the door is opened, that the door lock is unlocked, and that the seatbelt is unfastened is determined while the vehicle is stopped under the autonomous mode.

2. The vehicle control system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured:

to alert a passenger in such a manner not to get out of the vehicle if at least any one of the facts that the door lock is unlocked and that the seatbelt is unfastened is determined while the vehicle is stopped under the autonomous mode; and

to shift at least any of the drive range and the operating mode to the non-drivable range or to the manual mode if the passenger opens the door in spite of being alerted.