A system to enable an automobile vehicle automated driving control includes a quality index of an automated driving control system prior to enablement of an automated driving control function of an automobile vehicle. An adaptive forward propagation horizon and a prediction horizon for assessment of the quality index are computed. Vehicle states and road geometry are propagated over the adaptive forward propagation horizon, and the quality index is assessed based on forward propagated states over the prediction horizon. A first signal permits actuation of the automated driving control function of the automobile vehicle and a second signal precludes actuation of the automated driving control function. One of the first signal or the second signal is elected based on the results of assessing a quality control index trajectory over the adaptive forward propagation horizon.

An apparatus for providing a notification of control authority transition in a vehicle is provided. The apparatus includes a speaker configured to output a sound notification, a vibration motor configured to output a vibration notification, and a control circuit configured to be electrically connected with the speaker and the vibration motor. The control circuit is configured to output a first notification using the speaker during a first time interval, when a situation to transfer control authority for the vehicle occurs, output a second notification using the speaker and the vibration motor during a second time interval, after the first time interval elapses, and output a third notification using the speaker and the vibration motor during a third time interval, after the second time interval elapses.

A computer-implemented method for determining an estimate of the capability of a vehicle driver to take over control of a vehicle, wherein the method comprises: determining at least one estimation parameter, the at least one estimation parameter representing an influencing factor for the capability of the vehicle driver to take over control of the vehicle; and determining an estimate on the basis of the at least one estimation parameter by means of a predefined estimation rule, the estimate representing the capability of the vehicle driver to take over control of the vehicle.

A driving handover control device includes a memory and a processor coupled to the memory. In a case in which driving is handed over from a first state in which a vehicle is traveling by remote driving by a first driver from outside the vehicle or by occupant driving by the first driver in the vehicle, to a second state in which the vehicle travels by the remote driving or the occupant driving by a second driver who is different from the first driver, the processor is configured to cause transition from the first state to a third state in which the vehicle is caused to travel by automatic driving, and then cause transition from the third state to the second state.

The vehicle driving assist apparatus can execute at least one of an acceleration/deceleration control as a driving assist control to automatically accelerate and decelerate an own vehicle and a steering control as the driving assist control to automatically steer the own vehicle. The vehicle driving assist apparatus includes a driving assist restart switch operated by a driver of the own vehicle to restart the driving assist control. The vehicle driving assist apparatus does not restart the acceleration/deceleration control even when the driving assist restart switch is operated after stopping the acceleration/deceleration control in response to the driver performing an automatic acceleration/deceleration rejection operation. The vehicle driving assist apparatus does not restart the steering control even when the driving assist restart switch is operated after stopping the steering control in response to the driver performing an automatic steering rejection operation.

A system for transitioning a vehicle from an autonomous mode in response to a handover event, the system includes one or more processors and a memory device operably coupled with the one or more processors. The memory device stores a driver assessment module, an operational condition adjustment module, and a transitioning module. The driver assessment module configures the one or more processors to determine an ability level and a comfort level of a driver of the vehicle in response to the handover event. The operational condition adjustment module configures the one or more to adjust at least one operating condition of the vehicle to be within the ability level of the driver and comfort level. The transitioning module configures the one or more processors to transition the vehicle from the autonomous mode to a driver input mode.

An autonomous driving device allows for autonomous driving of a vehicle. The autonomous driving device includes a monitoring unit and a switching unit. The monitoring unit monitors an operation state of a driving-system operation device of the vehicle. The switching unit switches a driving mode of the vehicle to manual driving, in which a user drives the vehicle, when the monitoring unit confirms that the driving-system operation device has been operated in accordance with a specified procedure under a condition that a vehicle speed is lower than or equal to a specified value.

An automatic driving vehicle has an automatic mode to automatically travel in accordance with an instruction from an operation management center. The vehicle transmits, to the operation management center, an automatic mode request to shift to the automatic mode, and enters a permission waiting state of being shiftable to the automatic mode by receiving a permission from the operation management center. In a case where the driving start permission from the operation management center is received in the permission waiting state, the state changes to a manipulation waiting state of waiting for a start manipulation of an operator, and in a case where there is the start manipulation of the operator in the manipulation waiting state, travel in the automatic mode starts.

An automatic driving vehicle has an automatic mode to automatically operate along a predetermined travel route in accordance with an operation schedule provided from an operation management center through communication and so as to arrive at a predetermined spot at predetermined time. In a case where the communication is normal, the automatic driving vehicle operates automatically in accordance with the operation schedule provided in the automatic mode through the communication, and in a case where abnormality occurs in the communication, the automatic mode shifts to a semiautomatic mode to operate the automatic driving vehicle in a state where a function of communicating with the operation management center is limited.

A method for operating an automated vehicle. A request for the take-over of at least one driving task presently carried out by the automated vehicle is output to a driver of the automated vehicle. Prior to a transfer of the driving task to the driver following the request, at least one measure is carried out, with which at least one function of the automated vehicle, which represents a potential source of distraction for the driver during the transfer of the driving task, is deactivated or reduced.