CN111469849A - Vehicle control device and vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a vehicle control device and a vehicle. A vehicle control device (10) drives a vehicle (12) automatically, and includes a detection device (84) capable of detecting an occupant's grip of a fixing structure fixed above a seat surface of the occupant The operation is to change the control of the vehicle (12) when the gripping operation is performed and the vehicle (12) is in a specific running state. According to this, not only the driver but also all the occupants can be dealt with, and the automatic driving control can be changed when the driver and the occupants are predicted to detect the uneasiness of the vehicle behavior during the automatic driving, so that the automatic driving control can be improved. Convenience and commercial value can be detected using a fixing structure capable of fixing the driver's or occupant's easily shaken upper body, thereby further grasping the sense of unease about vehicle behavior.

Description

Vehicle Controls and Vehicles

technical field

The present invention relates to a vehicle control device and a vehicle.

Background technique

The technical problem of Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2016-215793 is to provide an automatic driving control device capable of suppressing switching from automatic driving to manual driving when the driver feels uneasy, thereby further improving the The convenience of autonomous driving controls.

In order to solve this technical problem, the automatic driving control device described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2016-215793 includes: a detection unit that detects actions performed by the driver; Whether the detected action of the driver satisfies a first action condition or a second action condition, where the first action condition is a condition that the driver is considered uneasy about automatic driving; the second action condition is a condition that is regarded as driving a condition under which the driver feels more uneasy about the automatic driving than under the first operation condition; and a notification unit, which notifies the driver of the control plan during the automatic driving when the determination unit determines that the driver's operation satisfies the first operation condition , when the determination unit determines that the driver's action satisfies the second action condition, it proposes to the driver to switch from automatic driving to manual driving.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

However, in the technique described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-215793, only the configuration of the driver is considered, and there is a problem that it is difficult to cope with a large number of passengers. That is, when it is necessary to respond not only to the driver but also to all the occupants, there is a problem in comprehending the driver's or the occupant's sense of unease with respect to the behavior of the vehicle.

An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle control device and a vehicle that can realize the following (1) and (2).

(1) Not only the driver but also all the occupants can be dealt with, and the automatic driving control can be changed when the driver or occupant is predicted to detect the uneasiness of the vehicle behavior during the automatic driving, so that the convenience of the automatic driving control can be improved. , commodity value.

(2) The detection is performed using a fixing structure capable of fixing the upper body of the driver or the occupant, which is easily shaken, whereby the sense of uneasiness with respect to the operation of the vehicle can be further grasped.

A vehicle control device according to one aspect of the present invention drives a vehicle automatically, the vehicle control device including a detection device capable of detecting a fixing structure of an occupant fixed to a position above the seat surface of the occupant in the vehicle When the holding operation is performed and the vehicle is in a specific running state, the control of the vehicle is changed.

A vehicle according to another aspect of the present invention includes the above-described vehicle control device.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a vehicle control device and a vehicle that can realize the following (1) and (2).

(1) Not only the driver but also all occupants can be dealt with, and the automatic driving control can be changed when the driver or occupant's sense of unease about the vehicle behavior during the automatic driving is predicted and detected, so that the automatic driving control can be improved. Convenience, commodity value.

(2) The detection is performed using a fixing structure capable of fixing the upper body of the driver or the occupant, which is easily shaken, whereby the sense of uneasiness with respect to the operation of the vehicle can be further grasped.

The above-mentioned objects, features and advantages should be easily understood by the description of the following embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Description of drawings

FIG. 1 is a plan view schematically showing the interior of a vehicle according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a side view schematically showing the interior of the vehicle according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the vehicle control device according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 4A is Table 1 showing the details of control change items and change durations for each specific scene, FIG. 4B is Table 2 showing the priority of the riding position when a lane change is performed in the right direction, and FIG. 4C is a relative Table 3 of the priority of the riding position when accelerating and decelerating the vehicle ahead.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of a first processing operation of the vehicle control device according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of a second processing operation of the vehicle control device according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an example of a third processing operation of the vehicle control device according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an example of a fourth processing operation of the vehicle control device according to the present embodiment.

Detailed ways

Hereinafter, the vehicle control device and the vehicle according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings by citing preferred embodiments.

The vehicle control device 10 and the vehicle 12 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.

First, as shown in FIG. 1 , various fixing structures are fixed to the vehicle (host vehicle) 12 . As the fixing structure, for example, there are four grab rails 14, four door grips 16, door armrests 18, four seat belts 20, and two seat grips. grip) 22, two headrests 24, four seats 26, etc. In addition, the seat belt 20 has a flexible belt, and is fixed to the seat frame by a retractor and a buckle (not shown), so it is one of the fixing structures. Also, as shown in FIG. 2 , the armrest 14 , the door handle 16 , the door side armrest 18 , the seat handle 22 , the headrest 24 , and the like are fixed above the seat surface of the occupant.

As shown in FIG. 3 , the armrest 14 , the door handle 16 , the door side armrest 18 , the seat belt 20 , the seat handle 22 , the headrest 24 , and the like are provided with first sensors that detect the grip or contact of the occupant, respectively. 30a, the second sensor 30b, the third sensor 30c, the fourth sensor 30d, the fifth sensor 30e, the sixth sensor 30f, etc. The seat 26 is provided with a seventh sensor 30g that detects the sitting of the occupant, and that on the 8th sensor 30h and so on. Similarly, as the above-mentioned various sensors, a sensor for detecting pressure (a sheet-shaped pressure sensor or the like), a sensor for detecting a load, a sensor for detecting sweat, and the like can be mentioned.

In addition, an in-vehicle camera (in-vehicle surveillance camera or the like), an electromagnetic wave sensor, or the like that captures the expressions of the occupants may be installed in the vehicle.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 3 , the vehicle 12 further includes an external sensor 40 , a vehicle body behavior sensor 42 , a vehicle operation sensor 44 , a communication unit 46 , and an HMI (Human Machine Interface) 48 . The vehicle 12 also has a drive device 50 , a brake device 52 , a steering device 54 , a navigation device 56 and a positioning unit 58 . The vehicle 12 has components other than these components, but the description is omitted here.

The outside world sensor 40 acquires outside world information, that is, surrounding information of the vehicle 12 . The external sensor 40 includes a plurality of cameras and a plurality of radars, not shown. The outside sensor 40 also has a plurality of LiDARs (Light Detection And Ranging) not shown in the figure.

The information acquired by the above-mentioned camera, that is, camera information, is supplied from the camera to the vehicle control device 10 . As the camera information, imaging information and the like can be mentioned. The camera information is combined with radar information and LiDAR information to form external information.

The radar transmits transmission waves to the outside of the vehicle 12 and receives reflected waves reflected from the detected object among the transmitted transmission waves. As a transmission wave, an electromagnetic wave etc. are mentioned, for example. As an electromagnetic wave, a millimeter wave etc. are mentioned, for example. As the detection object, for example, other vehicles including the vehicle traveling ahead can be mentioned. The radar generates radar information (reflected wave signal) from reflected waves and the like. The radar supplies the generated radar information to the vehicle control device 10 . Furthermore, the radar is not limited to millimeter wave radar. For example, a lidar, an ultrasonic sensor, or the like can also be used as the radar.

The LiDAR continuously emits laser light in all directions of the vehicle 12 , measures the three-dimensional position of the reflection point according to the reflected wave of the emitted laser light, and outputs information related to the three-dimensional position, that is, three-dimensional information. The LiDAR supplies the three-dimensional information, that is, the LiDAR information, to the vehicle control device 10 .

The vehicle body behavior sensor 42 acquires information related to the behavior of the vehicle 12 , that is, vehicle body behavior information. The vehicle body behavior sensor 42 includes a vehicle speed sensor not shown, a wheel rotational speed sensor not shown, an acceleration sensor not shown, and a yaw rate sensor not shown. The vehicle speed sensor detects the speed of the vehicle 12 , that is, the vehicle speed. In addition, the vehicle speed sensor also detects the direction of travel of the vehicle 12 . The wheel rotational speed sensor detects the rotational speed of a wheel (not shown), that is, the wheel speed. The acceleration sensor detects the acceleration of the vehicle 12 . Acceleration includes front and rear acceleration, lateral acceleration and up and down acceleration. In addition, acceleration in only a part of directions may be detected by the acceleration sensor. The yaw rate sensor detects the yaw rate of the vehicle 12 .

The vehicle operation sensor 44 acquires information related to the driving operation of the user (driver), that is, driving operation information. The vehicle operation sensor 44 includes an accelerator pedal sensor (not shown), a brake pedal sensor (not shown), a steering angle sensor (not shown), and a steering torque sensor (not shown). An accelerator pedal sensor detects an operation amount of an accelerator pedal (not shown). The brake pedal sensor detects an operation amount of a brake pedal (not shown). The rudder angle sensor detects the rudder angle of a steering wheel not shown. The steering torque sensor detects the torque applied to the steering wheel.

The communication unit 46 performs wireless communication with an external device (not shown). The external device may include, for example, an unillustrated external server or the like. The communication unit 46 may not be removable from the vehicle 12 , or may be removable from the vehicle 12 . Examples of the communication unit 46 that can be attached to and detached from the vehicle 12 include a cellular phone, a smartphone, and the like.

The HMI 48 accepts user (occupant) operation input, and provides various information to the user in a visual, auditory or tactile manner. The HMI 48 includes, for example, an automatic driving switch (driving assistance switch) 60 , a display (not shown), a touch sensor (not shown), an in-vehicle camera 62 (including the above-mentioned in-vehicle monitoring camera, etc.), a speaker (not shown), and a (not shown) 's operating element.

The automatic driving switch 60 is a switch for the user to instruct the start and stop of the automatic driving. The automatic driving switch 60 includes a start switch (not shown) and a stop switch (not shown). The start switch outputs a start signal to the vehicle control device 10 according to the user's operation. The stop switch outputs a stop signal to the vehicle control device 10 in accordance with the user's operation.

The display includes, for example, a liquid crystal panel, an organic EL panel, and the like. Here, the case where the display is a touch panel will be described as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this.

The touch sensor is a sensor for detecting whether the user (driver) is touching the steering wheel. The signal output from the contact sensor is supplied to the vehicle control device 10 . The vehicle control device 10 can determine whether or not the user is touching the steering wheel based on the signal supplied from the touch sensor.

The in-vehicle camera 62 captures the interior of the vehicle 12 , that is, the interior of the cabin. The in-vehicle camera 62 may be installed, for example, on a dashboard (not shown), or may be installed on a ceiling (not shown). In addition, the in-vehicle camera 62 may be set to photograph only the driver, or may be set to photograph each occupant. The in-vehicle camera 62 outputs information obtained by photographing the interior of the vehicle compartment, that is, image information, to the vehicle control device 10 .

The speaker is a component used to provide various information to the user by voice. The vehicle control device 10 outputs various notifications, alarms, and the like using a speaker.

The drive device (drive force control system) 50 includes a drive ECU (not shown) and a drive source (not shown). The drive ECU controls the drive force (torque) of the vehicle 12 by controlling the drive source. As a drive source, an engine, a drive motor, etc. are mentioned, for example. The drive ECU controls the drive source in accordance with the operation of the accelerator pedal by the user, and thereby the braking force can be controlled. In addition, the drive ECU controls the drive source according to the command supplied from the vehicle control device 10, and can control the drive force accordingly. The driving force of the driving source is transmitted to wheels not shown via a transmission or the like not shown.

The brake device (braking force control system) 52 includes a brake ECU (not shown) and a brake mechanism (not shown). The braking mechanism operates the braking member through a braking motor, a hydraulic mechanism, and the like. The brake ECU controls the braking mechanism in accordance with the operation of the brake pedal by the user, and thereby can control the braking force. In addition, the brake ECU controls the braking mechanism in accordance with the command supplied from the vehicle control device 10 , whereby the braking force can be controlled.

The steering device (steering system) 54 includes a not-shown steering ECU, that is, an EPS (Electric Power Steering system) ECU, and a not-shown steering motor. The steering ECU controls the steering motor according to the operation of the steering wheel by the user, and controls the direction of the wheels (steering wheels) accordingly. In addition, the steering ECU controls the steering motor according to the command given from the vehicle control device 10, and controls the direction of the wheel accordingly. In addition, steering may be performed by changing torque distribution or braking force distribution to the left and right wheels.

The navigation device 56 has a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) sensor not shown. In addition, the navigation device 56 further includes a calculation unit (not shown) and a storage unit (not shown). GNSS sensors detect the current location of the vehicle 12 . The computing unit reads out map information corresponding to the current position detected by the GNSS sensor from the map database stored in the storage unit. The arithmetic unit uses the map information to specify a target route from the current position to the destination. Furthermore, the destination is entered by the user via the HMI 48 . As mentioned above, the display is a touch screen. The input of the destination is performed by operating the touch panel by the user. The navigation device 56 outputs the created target route to the vehicle control device 10 . The vehicle control device 10 supplies the target route to the HMI 48 . The HMI 48 displays the target path on the display.

The positioning unit 58 has GNSS (not shown). The positioning unit 58 includes an IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) not shown and a map database (map DB) not shown. The positioning unit 58 determines the position of the vehicle 12 using the information acquired by the GNSS, the information acquired by the IMU, and the map information stored in the map database as appropriate. The positioning unit 58 can supply the vehicle control device 10 with host vehicle position information, which is information indicating the position of the host vehicle 12 . In addition, the positioning unit 58 can supply map information to the vehicle control device 10 .

Furthermore, the vehicle control device 10 includes a calculation unit 70 , a storage unit 72 , and an input/output unit 74 . The computing unit 70 is in charge of the overall control of the vehicle control device 10 . The arithmetic unit 70 is constituted by, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The arithmetic unit 70 controls each unit according to the program stored in the storage unit 72 , and executes vehicle control accordingly. The input/output unit 74 acquires signals, data, and the like from outside the vehicle control device 10 and inputs them to the computing unit 70 and the storage unit 72 , and outputs the signals and data output from the computing unit 70 and the storage unit 72 to the outside.

Furthermore, the computing unit 70 includes an occupant detection unit 80 , a specific traveling state detection unit 82 , an occupant specific motion detection unit 84 , a priority setting unit 86 , a vehicle control change unit 88 , and a detection object exclusion specifying unit 90 .

The occupant detection unit 80 detects which seat 26 the occupant sits on by the seventh sensor 30g, the eighth sensor 30h, the in-vehicle camera 62, and the like.

The specific traveling state detection unit 82 detects, for example, whether the vehicle 12 is in a predetermined specific traveling state, that is, whether or not it encounters a specific scene. The specific scene refers to a scene in which the motion of the vehicle 12 becomes a transitional state, for example, an acceleration/deceleration state, a turning state, a lane change state, timing of holding/unholding the steering wheel, pressure change, timing of holding the steering wheel when entering a curve, and Position relationship, speed difference, etc. of surrounding vehicles. These states are detected based on information such as map information, the current position of the vehicle 12 , the positions of other vehicles in the surrounding area obtained by the communication unit 46 , and drive signals from the drive device 50 , the brake device 52 , and the steering device 54 . As a specific scenario, for example, as shown in Table 1 of FIG. 4A , acceleration and deceleration, curves, lane changes, splitting and merging, acceleration and deceleration immediately after the start of automatic driving, etc., in accordance with the preceding vehicle can be mentioned.

The occupant specific motion detection unit 84 detects the occupant's grip on the fixed structure and contact with the fixed structure. Through this detection, it can be detected whether or not the occupant feels uneasy.

In this case, the grip of the fixed structure or the contact with the fixed structure may be detected for all the occupants, or when a plurality of occupants are detected, the priority setting unit 86 may set a preset value. The occupant in the high-priority riding position or the high-priority riding position set according to a specific scene, and the occupant in the high-priority riding position detects the grip of the fixed structure or the contact with the fixed structure.

Here, the pre-set boarding position with high priority refers to the rear seat of the driver's boarding position. Since the rear seat of the driver's riding position is the safest, when the occupant seated in the rear seat feels uneasy by gripping or touching the fixed structure, it can be determined that all the occupants feel uneasy.

The boarding position with high priority set according to a specific scene refers to, for example, if the lane is changed in the right direction, as shown in Table 2 of FIG. seat, left rear seat, right front seat, left front seat.

Similarly, if acceleration and deceleration are performed relative to the vehicle traveling ahead, as shown in Table 3 of FIG. 4C , the order of priority is the left front seat, the right front seat, the left rear seat, and the right rear seat.

In this way, the priority of the occupant can be determined for each specific scene, thereby enabling the detection of an uneasy occupant in a short time.

The above-mentioned holding of the fixed structure or contact with the fixed structure can be detected using a camera image, a pressure sensor, a sweat sensor, an electromagnetic wave sensor, or the like. The health state of the occupant may also be estimated from the camera image of the occupant's face, for example, by measuring the pulse rate of the occupant and comparing it with a standard pulse rate. Of course, the accuracy of estimating the health state of each occupant may be improved by, for example, acquiring medical information (such as medical records) for each occupant by the communication unit 46 .

In the camera image, for example, it is recognized that the occupant is uneasy when it is detected that the occupant looks down and shakes, the occupant's eyes are fixed on a little point, the occupant looks around the surroundings in a panic, the occupant looks at the speedometer, etc. . In a pressure sensor, a load sensor, or the like, when a pressure or a load of a certain pressure or more is applied to the pressure sensor or the load sensor, it is recognized as feeling uneasy. In addition, in the pressure sensor and the load sensor, the correlation coefficient between the sensor waveforms from these sensors and the reference waveforms measured in advance (a plurality of waveforms representative when the person is disturbed) is obtained, and the closer the correlation coefficient is to 1, the occupant is determined to be more disturbed. In addition, various methods can be enumerated.

Sweat sensors can be combined to improve the accuracy for detecting jitters. In addition, it is also possible to recognize the emotion of the occupant based on the data detected by the electromagnetic wave sensor (see http://newswitch.jp/p/6219 "A device for understanding the true emotion of a person from a distance").

On the other hand, the vehicle control changing unit 88 changes the vehicle control, respectively, in accordance with a plurality of scenarios set in advance.

Furthermore, as the vehicle control change items, as shown in Table 1 of FIG. 4A , in performing acceleration/deceleration in accordance with the vehicle traveling ahead, for example, an increase in the inter-vehicle distance, a curve, a lane change, and a split and merging can be mentioned. Among them, for example, a decrease in the lateral movement speed during steering and a decrease in the vehicle speed can be cited. In addition, in the acceleration/deceleration immediately after the start of the automatic driving, for example, the suppression control of the acceleration gain can be mentioned.

When acceleration and deceleration in accordance with the preceding vehicle are being performed, the duration of the change of the vehicle control can be, for example, the time to follow the preceding vehicle, and the change of the vehicle control continues during a curve, lane change, and merging. As the time, for example, the time required for the lateral movement of the vehicle can be cited. In addition, in the acceleration/deceleration immediately after the start of the automatic driving, the change duration time of the vehicle control can be, for example, until the automatic driving is completed (finished) (for example, 30 minutes or 40 km). When the change duration time has elapsed, the vehicle control device 10 restores the changed content of the vehicle control.

Of course, the continuation of the change of the vehicle control may be carried out for a time period of traveling a predetermined distance. For example, when the acceleration/deceleration in accordance with the preceding vehicle is being performed, for example, the change of vehicle control is maintained until the distance following the preceding vehicle reaches a predetermined distance. For example, the change of vehicle control is maintained until the lateral movement of the vehicle reaches a predetermined distance. The vehicle control device 10 can restore the content of the change of the vehicle control to the original state when the vehicle has traveled the above-mentioned predetermined distance.

In addition, when the health state of the occupant detected by the occupant specific motion detection unit 84 deteriorates, the vehicle control changing unit 88 increases the degree of change in the above-described vehicle control. In this case, the degree of change of the vehicle control may be increased according to the difference between the pulse rate of the occupant whose health state has deteriorated and the standard pulse rate. As a medium for detecting a health state from a camera image, in addition to the above-mentioned pulse rate, a heart rate, a respiration rate, a heartbeat fluctuation, and the like can be cited.

The detection target exclusion specifying unit 90 specifies an occupant excluded from the detection target among the occupants. Specifically, when the vehicle 12 is not in a specific running state, the occupants who continue to hold the fixed structure and come into contact with the fixed structure for a predetermined time or longer or a predetermined distance or more are excluded from the detection target. Accordingly, it is possible to shorten the time to detect the occupant who is feeling uneasy, and it is possible to improve the commercial value of the autonomous vehicle.

Next, some processing operations of the vehicle control device 10 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 to 8 .

[1st processing action]

The first processing operation is a basic processing operation of the vehicle control device 10 . First, in step S1 of FIG. 5 , the occupant detection unit 80 detects which seat 26 the occupant is sitting on using a pressure sensor of the seat 26 , an in-vehicle camera, or the like.

In step S2, the specific traveling state detection unit 82 detects whether or not the host vehicle 12 is in a predetermined specific traveling state, that is, whether or not it encounters a specific scene.

If the host vehicle 12 encounters a specific scene, the process proceeds to step S3, and the occupant specific motion detection unit 84 detects the specific motion of the occupant, that is, the grip of the fixed structure or the contact with the fixed structure.

When the above-mentioned specific action of the occupant is detected, the process proceeds to step S4, and the vehicle control changing unit 88 changes the vehicle control corresponding to a plurality of preset scenes as exemplified above (refer to Table 1 of FIG. 4A ). ).

When the processing in step S4 ends, or when no specific movement of the occupant is detected in step S3, or when it is determined in step S2 that the host vehicle 12 has not encountered a specific scene, the predetermined period of time has elapsed. After that, the processing after step S1 is repeated.

[Second processing action]

The second processing operation is a processing operation including the priority setting processing in the first processing operation. First, in step S101 of FIG. 6 , as described above, the priority setting unit 86 sets a preset priority higher than The occupants of the boarding position or the boarding position with high priority set according to a specific scene.

In step S102 , the occupant detection unit 80 detects whether or not the occupant is sitting in the high-priority riding position set by the priority setting unit 86 through the pressure sensor of the seat 26 , the in-vehicle camera, or the like.

In step S103, the specific traveling state detection unit 82 detects whether or not the host vehicle 12 is in a predetermined specific traveling state, that is, whether or not it encounters a specific scene.

If the host vehicle 12 encounters a specific scene, the process proceeds to step S104, and the occupant specific motion detection unit 84 detects the specific motion of the occupant in the high-priority riding position, that is, the grip of the fixed structure or the contact with the fixed structure.

When the above-mentioned specific action of the occupant is detected, the process proceeds to step S105, and the vehicle control changing unit 88 changes the vehicle control corresponding to a plurality of preset scenes as exemplified above (refer to Table 1 in FIG. 4A ). .

When the processing in step S105 ends, or when no specific movement of the occupant is detected in step S104, or when it is determined in step S103 that the host vehicle 12 has not encountered a specific scene, the predetermined period of time has elapsed. Then, the processing after step S101 is repeated.

[3rd processing action]

The third processing operation is a processing operation including the object exclusion detection processing in the first processing operation. First, in step S201 in FIG. 7 , the occupant detection unit 80 detects where the occupant is sitting by using the pressure sensor of the seat 26 , the on-board camera, and the like. on seat 26.

In step S202, the specific traveling state detection unit 82 detects whether or not the host vehicle 12 is in a predetermined specific traveling state, that is, whether or not it encounters a specific scene.

When the host vehicle 12 has not encountered the specific scene, the process proceeds to step S203, and the detection target exclusion specifying unit 90 determines whether or not there is an occupant excluded from the detection target among the occupants. If there is, proceed to step S204, and specify the occupant excluded from the detection object.

On the other hand, in step S202, if the host vehicle 12 encounters a specific scene, the process proceeds to step S205, and the occupant specific motion detection unit 84 detects specific motions among the occupants other than the occupants excluded from the detection target. , that is, the holding of the fixed structure or the contact with the fixed structure.

When the above-mentioned specific action of the occupant is detected, the process proceeds to step S206, and the vehicle control changing unit 88 changes the vehicle control corresponding to a plurality of preset scenes as exemplified above (refer to FIG. 4A ). Table 1).

When the processing in step S206 ends, or when a specific action by the occupant is not detected in step S205, or when the occupant excluded from the detection target is specified in step S204, or in step S204 When it is determined in S203 that there is no occupant excluded from the detection target, after a predetermined period of time has elapsed, the processing of step S201 and subsequent steps is repeated.

[4th processing action]

The fourth processing operation is a processing operation that includes the priority setting processing in the third processing operation. First, in step S301 of FIG. 8 , as described above, the priority setting unit 86 sets a preset priority high The occupants of the boarding position or the boarding position with high priority set according to a specific scene.

In step S302 , the occupant detection unit 80 detects whether or not the occupant is seated in the high-priority riding position set by the priority setting unit 86 using the pressure sensor of the seat 26 , the in-vehicle camera, or the like.

In step S303, the specific traveling state detection unit 82 detects whether or not the host vehicle 12 is in a predetermined specific traveling state, that is, whether or not it encounters a specific scene.

When the host vehicle 12 has not encountered the specific scene, the process proceeds to step S304, and the detection target exclusion specifying unit 90 determines whether or not there is an occupant excluded from the detection target among the occupants. If there is, the process proceeds to step S305, and the occupant excluded from the detection object is specified.

On the other hand, in step S303, if the host vehicle 12 encounters a specific scene, the process proceeds to step S306, and the occupant specific motion detection unit 84 detects a specific motion, that is, an Holding or contact with a fixed structure.

When the above-mentioned specific action of the occupant is detected, the process proceeds to step S307, and the vehicle control changing unit 88 changes the vehicle control corresponding to a plurality of preset scenes as exemplified above (refer to FIG. 4A ). Table 1).

When the processing in step S307 ends, or when no specific movement of the occupant is detected in step S306, or when the occupant excluded from the detection target is specified in step S305, or it is determined in step S304 When there is no occupant excluded from the detection target, after a predetermined period of time has elapsed, the processing of step S301 and subsequent steps is repeated.

[Summary of Embodiments]

The inventions that can be grasped from the above-described embodiments are described below.

The present embodiment is a vehicle control device 10 that drives the vehicle 12 automatically, and includes a detection device (a first sensor 30a to an eighth sensor 30h, etc.) capable of detecting an occupant's grasping operation of a fixed structure in the vehicle 12, the The fixing structure is fixed at a position above the seat surface of the occupant, and when the gripping operation is performed and the vehicle 12 is in a specific running state, the control of the vehicle 12 is changed.

According to this, for example, the vehicle control is changed according to the state of the gripping action (grip, etc.) of the occupant gripping the fixed structure in a specific scene. For example, in a running state in which the vehicle 12 is driven by automatic driving, when the occupant unintentionally performs a gripping action (clipping, etc.) on the fixed structure, it is assumed that there is an occupant who is uneasy about the driving state, and the vehicle control is changed by changing the vehicle control. It can try not to make the occupants feel uneasy. This can correspond to all occupants including the driver.

By changing (reflecting, etc.) the vehicle control in a specific scene, it is possible to prevent erroneous learning by people who usually have a gripping habit, and it is possible to accurately detect a person who is truly fearful gripping and perform control reflection. In addition, since the fixing structure is fixed at a position above the seat surface of the occupant in the vehicle, by detecting the fixing structure that can fix the upper body of the driver or the occupant, which is prone to shaking, it is possible to further grasp the position of the vehicle. Anxiety in action.

In the present embodiment, the detection device can detect the grasping operation of the plurality of fixing structures fixed to the vehicle 12 by the occupant.

There are fixing structures (for example, the armrest 14, the inside handle of the door (door handle 16, etc.)) that can fix the upper body of the driver or the occupant that is prone to shaking. By using these fixing devices, it is possible to further grasp the attitude of all the occupants including the driver. Uneasy feeling of vehicle movement.

In the present embodiment, a plurality of travel states are defined for a specific travel state, and a change parameter of vehicle control is changed in accordance with each travel state.

For example, there are a plurality of specific driving states as defined specific driving states, and in accordance with the driving state of the vehicle 12 in these specific driving states, according to the state of the occupant's grip action (grip, etc.) to the fixed structure, Change vehicle controls.

That is, among the vehicle control change parameters set in accordance with a plurality of specific travel states, the change parameter corresponding to the specific travel state in which the occupant performs a gripping action (grip, etc.) of the fixed structure is changed. Thereby, an appropriate control reflection can be performed, and the occupant can be prevented from feeling uneasy as much as possible.

In the present embodiment, a plurality of travel states are defined for the specific travel state, and the change period of the vehicle control is changed in accordance with each travel state.

That is, the period during which the change in vehicle control is reflected can be changed for each specific traveling state, thereby enabling appropriate control reflection. Accordingly, the occupant can be prevented from feeling uneasy as much as possible. Furthermore, appropriate control reflection can be performed only during a necessary period.

In the present embodiment, the motion of the occupant is detected by the in-vehicle camera, and the health state of the occupant is detected by the in-vehicle camera, and when the health state deteriorates, the vehicle control change amount is increased.

Other parameters (camera images, state of health, etc.) are considered in the context of the occupant's gripping action (grip, etc.) holding the fixed structure. For example, when the state of health is deteriorating, by further increasing the change of the control amount, it is possible to prevent the intended occupant from feeling uneasy as much as possible.

In the present embodiment, when a plurality of occupants are detected, the priority is determined according to the riding position of each occupant, and the vehicle control is changed according to the detection status of the occupant with a higher priority.

By giving priority to the occupant according to the riding position, it is possible to make a judgment based on the occupant with a higher priority. According to this, the vehicle control can be changed in advance, thereby making it possible to prevent the intended occupant from feeling uneasy as much as possible.

In the present embodiment, when a plurality of occupants are detected, a riding position with a high priority is determined according to a specific traveling state, and vehicle control is changed according to the detection status of the occupant in the riding position with a high priority.

That is, the priority given according to the riding position of the occupant is changed according to the specific traveling state. Thereby, it is possible to perform the determination of changing the vehicle control according to the occupant of the riding position with a high priority for each driving scene.

In the present embodiment, the vehicle control is changed, and when at least one of the predetermined travel distance and the predetermined travel time is satisfied after the change of the vehicle control, the content of the change of the vehicle control is restored.

That is, after the vehicle control is changed, when the vehicle control has been traveled for a predetermined distance, or when the predetermined travel time has elapsed, the content of the change in the vehicle control is restored to its original state. That is, since the occupant becomes accustomed to the vehicle control based on the automatic driving after the change as the predetermined distance travels or the predetermined time elapses, returning to the vehicle control before the change is effective to improve the driving efficiency.

In the present embodiment, the occupant whose grip state of the fixed structure has continued for a predetermined time or a predetermined distance or more in a driving state other than the specific driving state is excluded from the detection target.

A person who holds the handrail 14 or the like in a driving state other than a specific driving state has a habit of holding it, and does not feel a strong sense of anxiety even when holding it. Therefore, by excluding it from the detection target, it is possible to shorten the detection of anxiety. the time of the occupants, thereby being able to increase the commercial value as an autonomous vehicle.

The vehicle 12 has the vehicle control device 10 as described above.

[Variation]

The vehicle control changing unit 88 may not only change the vehicle control according to the above-mentioned preset multiple scenarios, but also recommend the change of the inter-vehicle distance and the driving mode, or at the beginning of the start of automatic driving (for example, when starting a car). , to correct the vehicle control to the safer side.

In addition, when the duration of the automatic driving has passed a predetermined time, or when the driving distance of the automatic driving has reached a predetermined distance, the vehicle control based on the specific actions of the occupants in the above-mentioned specific scenarios may be gradually discontinued. Instead, it returns to driving in the normal automatic driving mode, or implements suggestions for taking breaks, etc.

Claims (10)

1. A vehicle control device (10) for automatically driving a vehicle (12), characterized in that, having a detection device (84) capable of detecting an occupant's grasping operation of the fixing structure fixed at a position above the seat surface of the occupant, The control of the vehicle (12) is changed when the detection device (84) detects the grasping motion of the occupant and the vehicle (12) is in a specific running state. 2. The vehicle control device (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The detection device (84) is capable of detecting the grasping motion of the plurality of fixing structures fixed to the vehicle (12) by an occupant. 3. The vehicle control device (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that, define a plurality of driving states as the specific driving state, The change parameter of the vehicle control is changed in accordance with each of the travel states. 4. The vehicle control device (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that, define a plurality of driving states as the specific driving state, The change period of the vehicle control is changed according to each of the travel states. 5. The vehicle control device (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that, an onboard camera (62) for detecting movements performed by the occupant, Using the vehicle camera (62) to detect the health status of the occupant, When the state of health deteriorates, the vehicle control change amount is increased. 6. The vehicle control device (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that, When a plurality of the occupants are detected, the priority is determined according to the riding position of each of the occupants, and the vehicle control is changed based on the detection situation of the occupant with a high priority. 7. The vehicle control device (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that, When a plurality of the occupants are detected, a boarding position with a high priority is determined according to the specific traveling state, and the vehicle control is changed based on the detection situation of the occupant in the boarding position with a high priority. 8. The vehicle control device (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that, When at least one of the predetermined travel distance and the predetermined travel time is satisfied after the change of the vehicle control, the content of the change of the vehicle control is restored to the original state. 9. The vehicle control device (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that, An occupant whose holding state of the fixed structure has continued for a predetermined time or a predetermined distance or more in a driving state other than the specific driving state is excluded from the detection target. 10. A vehicle (12) having a vehicle control device (10), characterized in that, having a detection device (84) capable of detecting an occupant's grasping operation of the fixing structure fixed at a position above the seat surface of the occupant, When the holding operation is performed and the vehicle (12) is in a specific running state, the vehicle control device (10) changes the control of the vehicle (12).

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