An electronic control unit for a vehicle for switching vehicle control from an autonomous driving mode includes one or more processors, network interface hardware configured to communicate with a remote server over a network, and one or more memory modules that store logic. The electronic control unit executes logic to determine that the autonomous driving mode of the vehicle will terminate, determine that a driver is unavailable to take immediate control of the vehicle upon termination of the autonomous driving, transfer control of the vehicle to a remote operator over the network interface hardware for a first time period, generate an alert to the driver to take manual control of the vehicle, and transfer control of the vehicle to one of the driver and the autonomous driving mode after the first time period has elapsed.

A vehicle control device and a vehicle control method thereof are provided. When a vehicle is switched from an autonomous driving mode to a manual driving mode and an operation amount of an accelerator exceeds a preset operation amount or an operation speed of the accelerator exceeds a preset operation speed, a driving force suppression control is executed to suppress a driving force of the vehicle. When the vehicle is switched from the autonomous driving mode to the manual driving mode, whether there is an obstacle around the vehicle is determined according to surrounding situation information. When there is no obstacle around the vehicle, the driving force suppression control continues to be executed. When there is the obstacle around the vehicle, the driving force suppression control is stopped, and the vehicle is switched from the manual driving mode to the autonomous driving mode.

Evacuation control such as deceleration or stop of a vehicle is executed in response to an application from a driver of the vehicle for refusal of switching to manual driving. It is a moving apparatus that is switchable between automatic driving and manual driving and includes a driver information acquisition unit that acquires driver information of a driver of the moving apparatus, an environmental information acquisition unit that acquires surrounding information of the moving apparatus, a takeover abandonment input unit that inputs, to a system, takeover refusal information for a driver to refuse driving takeover to change automatic driving of the moving apparatus to manual driving, and a data processing unit that checks a switching point from automatic driving to manual driving on the basis of information acquired by the environmental information acquisition unit and executes a manual driving return request notification to the driver before reaching the switching point, in which the data processing unit further executes an evacuation process of a vehicle in response to a takeover abandonment input.

The invention concerns an architecture for a driving assistance system with conditional automation capable of controlling an automatic emergency stop of a vehicle, comprising: a set (2) of sensors of at least three different technologies for observing an area in front of a vehicle; a main computer (10) capable of receiving, via a first upstream data communication network, information from said set (2) of sensors, and of transmitting commands, via a first downstream communication network, to a first computer (3) of an engine control system, to a second computer (4) of a braking system and to a third computer (5) of a steering control system: a backup computer (11) capable of receiving, via a second upstream data communication network, information from said set of sensors in case of a failure relative to the main computer (10); a main power supply source linked to each computer; and a backup power supply source. The architecture comprises a second downstream communication network connecting only the backup computer (11) to said second computer (4) of the braking system for the transmission of commands, and the backup power supply source is connected only to the main computer (10), to the backup computer (11) and to the second computer (4) braking system.

A user interface unit alternately designates an automatic switching mode, a manual-on mode, and a manual-off mode. A determining unit determines whether or not execution of driving assistance is permitted at a current time, based on a predetermined determination index related to whether or not execution of driving assistance is possible. A control unit executes a driving assistance mode when the execution of driving assistance is permitted and executes a manual driving mode when the execution of driving assistance is determined to not be permitted, under a condition that the automatic switching mode is designated. The control unit executes the driving assistance mode when a switch for designating the manual-on mode is operated, under a condition that the execution of driving assistance is permitted. The user interface unit does not receive input that designates the manual-on mode when the execution of driving assistance is determined to not be permitted.

System, methods, and other embodiments described herein relate to implementing operator vigilance tests. In one embodiment, a method includes sending from a first vehicle a light activation request to a second vehicle; detecting a light activation by the second vehicle via the first vehicle; and determining a measure of operator vigilance in the first vehicle based on a vehicle operator response to the light activation.

A device and method for safety stoppage of an autonomous road vehicle having a localization system and sensors for monitoring the vehicle surroundings and motion, and a signal processing system for processing sensor signals enabling an autonomous drive mode. A processor continuously predicts where a drivable space exists, calculates and stores a safe trajectory to a stop within the drivable space, determines a current traffic situation, and determines any disturbances in sensor data, vehicle systems or components enabling the autonomous drive mode. If an incapacitating disturbance is determined, a request for a driver to take control is signaled and it is determined if the driver has assumed control. If not, the vehicle is controlled to follow the most recent safe trajectory to a stop in a safe stoppage maneuver during which, or after, one or more risk mitigation actions adapted to the determined current traffic situation are performed.

An autonomous driving control apparatus for a vehicle includes: a processor that demands a user of a vehicle to take a control authority of the vehicle during an autonomous driving control when a current driving condition is in a limit situation during the autonomous driving control, and starts a minimum risk maneuver to disable reactivation of the autonomous driving control when the control authority is not transferred to the user; and a storage to store a set of instructions to be executed by the processor and data for determination and performance by the processor. In particular, the processor automatically flashes an emergency light when the minimum risk maneuver is started, and controls automatic flashing of the emergency light to not be released by the user when the vehicle is not in a stopped state.

An in-vehicle device, an in-vehicle system, and a method for hands-free driving assistance are disclosed. The in-vehicle device includes: an obtaining module configured to obtain a hands-free assistance status signal from a hands-free driving assistance system of a vehicle and a steering assistance status signal from a steering system of the vehicle; an ascertainment module configured to ascertain, based on the hands-free assistance status signal, whether a hands-free driving assistance function of the vehicle is activated, and ascertain, based on the steering assistance status signal, whether a fault occurs in the steering system; a trigger module configured to trigger a brake jerk in a braking system of the vehicle if it is ascertained that the hands-free driving assistance function has been activated and that the fault occurs in the steering system; and a determination module configured to calculate, in real time and based on a mass of the vehicle, a duration that the brake jerk has lasted, and a rate of change in a longitudinal deceleration of the vehicle, a braking force for the brake jerk, for use in dynamic pressure build-up in the braking system during the brake jerk.

It is an object of the present invention to switch driving modes smoothly and ensure that a passenger understands driving operations controlled in the relevant driving mode and necessary driving operations. An autonomous driving control apparatus capable of switching between a manual driving mode which requires driving operation by a passenger of a vehicle, and an autonomous control mode which does not require the driving operation by the passenger of the vehicle is provided, wherein the autonomous driving control apparatus includes: an autonomous driving control unit that controls the vehicle in the autonomous control mode; and an information notification unit that gives notice to the passenger of the vehicle, wherein when the driving operation by the passenger is required after switching from the autonomous control mode to the manual driving mode, the autonomous driving control unit performs first notice control to cause the information notification unit to give notice that the driving operation by the passenger is required.