Adaptive vehicle control system with driving style recognition based on headway distance

• US 8,280,560 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2008
• Issued: 10/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Huang, Jihua, Lin, William C., Chin, Yuen-Kwok
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): TISSOT, ADAM D
• Application Number:
  US12/179,013
• Publication Number:
  US 20100023245A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,531 Days
• Field of Search: 701/301, 701/302, 701/93, 701/96, 701/1, 701/36, 701/70, 340/436, 340/901, 702/142, 702/145, 702/150
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/30 Driving style
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/80 Spatial relation or speed relative to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/801 Lateral distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/802 Longitudinal distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/804 Relative longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/12 Lane keeping
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/09 Driving style or behaviour

Abstract

An adaptive vehicle control system that classifies a drivers driving style based on vehicle headway control. The system reads sensor signals to identify the range and range rate between a subject vehicle and a preceding vehicle, where the range rate is close to zero if the distance between the subject vehicle and the preceding vehicle is relatively steady, the range rate is negative when the subject vehicle is closing in on the preceding vehicle and the range rate is positive when the subject vehicle is falling behind the preceding vehicle. The range rate, the subject vehicle speed and other signals are used to classify the drivers driving style based on how fast the subject vehicle closes in on the preceding vehicle or falls behind, and the following distance between the subject vehicle and the preceding vehicle. The system can then classify the headway-control maneuver using selected discriminant features.

Claims

1. A system for classifying a driver'"'"'s driving style of a subject vehicle, where the driving style indicates a level of driver aggressiveness, said system comprising:

a plurality of vehicle sensors providing sensor measurement signals;

a maneuver identification processor responsive to the sensor signals from the plurality of vehicle sensors, said maneuver identification processor identifying maneuvers of the vehicle relating to a headway distance between the subject vehicle and a preceding vehicle, said maneuver identification processor determining a range and range rate between the subject vehicle and the preceding vehicle, and providing maneuver identifier signals including the range rate; and

a style characterization processor responsive to the maneuver identifier signals, said style characterization processor classifying the driving style based on the signals and providing driving style classification signals that identify the type of driver driving the subject vehicle, where the driving style classification signals span a range from conservative driving style to aggressive driving style.

2. The system according to claim 1 wherein the maneuver identification processor determines how closely the subject vehicle is following the preceding vehicle, how quickly the subject vehicle is closing in on the preceding vehicle, and identifies vehicle following maneuvers, vehicle closing-in maneuvers and vehicle falling behind maneuvers.

3. The system according to claim 2 wherein the maneuver identification processor determines whether the closing-in maneuver is a result of a lane-change by the preceding vehicle and determines whether the falling behind maneuver is a result of a cut-in by the preceding vehicle.

4. The system according to claim 1 wherein the maneuver identification processor determines how the subject vehicle changes headway distance in response to a vehicle cutting in front of the subject vehicle.

5. The system according to claim 1 wherein the plurality of vehicle sensors include a vehicle speed sensor, a camera and a range-detecting unit, said camera and range-detecting unit identifying the range and range rate of the subject vehicle to the preceding vehicle.

6. The system according to claim 1 wherein the style characterization processor employs a neural network to identify the driver'"'"'s driving style.

7. The system according to claim 1 further comprising a traffic and road condition recognition processor responsive to the sensor signals, said traffic and road condition recognition processor providing traffic and road condition signals identifying traffic conditions and road conditions, said style characterization processor using the traffic and road condition signals to classify the driving style.

8. The system according to claim 7 wherein the style characterization processor classifies a vehicle following maneuver based on discriminant features derived or obtained from a set of signals including the range, headway time, vehicle speed, and the traffic and road condition.

9. The system according to claim 7 wherein the style characterization processor classifies a vehicle closing-in maneuver based on discriminant features derived or obtained from a set of signals including the range, range rate, time to close the distance between the subject vehicle and the preceding vehicle, vehicle speed, vehicle acceleration, vehicle throttle position, and the traffic and road condition.

10. The system according to claim 7 wherein the style characterization processor classifies a vehicle falling behind maneuver based on discriminant features derived or obtained from a set of signals including the range, range rate, preferred headway time, time to reach the preferred headway time, brake pedal position, vehicle speed, vehicle deceleration, vehicle throttle position, and the traffic and road condition.

11. The system according to claim 7 wherein the style characterization processor classifies a vehicle closing-in maneuver as a result of a lane change of the preceding vehicle based on discriminant features derived or obtained from a set of signals including the range, range rate, preferred headway time, time to reach the preferred headway time, vehicle speed, vehicle acceleration, vehicle throttle position, and the traffic and road condition.

12. The system according to claim 7 further comprising a vehicle position processor responsive to the sensor signals and location signals, said vehicle position processor outputting vehicle position signals to the traffic and road condition recognition processor to incorporate vehicle position in the traffic and road condition signals.

13. The system according to claim 7 further comprising a surround sensing processor providing surround fusion signals to the traffic and road condition recognition processor so as to enhance the traffic and road condition signals.

14. The system according to claim 1 wherein the style characterization processor uses discriminant features to classify the driving style and wherein the discriminant features are derived or obtained from the group comprising vehicle yaw rate, vehicle lateral acceleration, vehicle speed, brake pedal position, brake pedal force, throttle percentage, distance to the preceding vehicle and distance to a following vehicle and signals processed and derived from same.

15. A system for identifying a driver'"'"'s driving style of a subject vehicle, where the driving style indicates a level of driver aggressiveness, said system comprising:

a plurality of vehicle sensors providing sensor measurement signals;

a maneuver identification processor responsive to the sensor signals from the plurality of vehicle sensors, said maneuver identification processor identifying maneuvers of the vehicle relating to a headway distance between the subject vehicle and a preceding vehicle, said maneuver identification processor determining a range and range rate between the subject vehicle and the preceding vehicle, said maneuver identification processor also maintaining a headway following the preceding vehicle and adjusting the headway to the preceding vehicle, and identifying vehicle following maneuvers, vehicle closing-in maneuvers and vehicle falling behind maneuvers, said maneuver identification processor providing maneuver identifier signals including the range rate;

a style characterization processor responsive to the maneuver identifier signals, said style characterization processor classifying the driving style based on the maneuver identifier signals; and

a traffic and road condition recognition processor responsive to the sensor signals, said traffic and road condition recognition processor providing traffic and road condition signals identifying traffic conditions and road conditions, said style characterization processor using the traffic and road condition signals to classify the driving style using driving style classification signals which span a range from conservative driving style to aggressive driving style.

16. The system according to claim 15 wherein the maneuver identification processor determines how the subject vehicle changes a headway distance in response to a vehicle cutting in front of the subject vehicle.

17. The system according to claim 15 wherein the plurality of vehicle sensors include a vehicle speed sensor, a camera and a range-detecting unit, said camera and range-detecting unit identifying the range and range rate of the subject vehicle to the preceding vehicle.

18. The system according to claim 15 further comprising a vehicle position processor responsive to the sensor signals and location signals, said vehicle position processor outputting vehicle position signals to the traffic and road condition recognition processor to incorporate vehicle position in the traffic and road condition signals.

19. A system for identifying a driver'"'"'s driving style of a subject vehicle, where the driving style indicates a level of driver aggressiveness, said system comprising:

a plurality of vehicle sensors providing sensor measurement signals;

a maneuver identification processor responsive to the sensor signals from the plurality of vehicle sensors, said maneuver identification processor identifying maneuvers of the vehicle relating to a headway distance between the subject vehicle and a preceding vehicle, said maneuver identification processor determining a range and range rate between the subject vehicle and the preceding vehicle, said maneuver identification processor providing maneuver identifier signals including the range rate;

a style characterization processor responsive to the maneuver identifier signals, said style characterization processor classifying the driving style based on the maneuver identifier signals and providing driving style classification signals that identify the type of driver driving the subject vehicle, where the driving style classification signals span a range from conservative driving style to aggressive driving style;

and a traffic and road condition recognition processor responsive to the sensor signals, said traffic and road condition recognition processor providing traffic and road condition signals identifying traffic conditions and road conditions, said road conditions including road type, road surface condition and ambient visibility condition, said style characterization processor using the traffic and road condition signals to classify the driving style.

20. The system according to claim 19 further comprising a vehicle position processor responsive to the sensor signals and location signals, said vehicle position processor outputting vehicle position signals to the traffic and road condition recognition processor to incorporate vehicle position in the traffic and road condition signals.