METHOD AND TRACK GUIDANCE SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING AN AUTONOMOUS MOTOR VEHICLE IN AN URBAN AREA

Abstract

A determination is made regarding whether an autonomous motor vehicle is located on a specified lane marking. If so, the autonomous motor vehicle is controlled on the specified lane marking and the vehicle speed is limited to a specified speed value. If the autonomous motor vehicle is not located on the specified lane marking, the vehicle speed is limited to a specified safe value.

Claims

1-10. (canceled)

11. A method for controlling an autonomous motor vehicle in an urban area, comprising: determining whether the autonomous motor vehicle is located on a predefined roadway marking; limiting a vehicle speed to a predefined safety value within a range of 5 km/h to 15 km/h, when the autonomous motor vehicle is not located on the predefined roadway marking; and otherwise controlling the autonomous motor vehicle on the predefined roadway marking and limiting the vehicle speed to a predefined speed value.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the controlling further comprises: ascertaining whether an object is located within a safety area in front of the autonomous motor vehicle and extending along the predefined roadway marking; and reducing the vehicle speed to an object speed, when the object is located within the safety area, the autonomous motor vehicle remaining on the predefined roadway marking during the reduction of the vehicle speed while the vehicle speed is above the predefined safety value.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the controlling comprises: ascertaining whether a movement of the object from an observation area toward the safety area corresponds to a predefined condition; and reducing the vehicle speed while maintaining the autonomous motor vehicle on the predefined roadway marking, when the predefined condition is met.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the ascertaining of whether the object is one of located in the safety area and moving toward the safety area is performed by one of a vehicle-internal sensor and a vehicle-external sensor.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the controlling includes the autonomous motor vehicle leaving the predefined roadway marking only after the vehicle speed meets the predefined safety value.

16. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the predefined roadway marking divides at an intersection point, and a travel route of the autonomous motor vehicle is indicated by an optical signal at least one of on and in the predefined roadway marking.

17. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the predefined roadway marking is indicated by at least one of a tram rail and marking paint.

18. The method as claimed in claim 17, wherein the predefined roadway marking is furthermore indicated by an electromagnetic signal.

19. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the ascertaining of whether the object is located in the safety area is performed by one of a vehicle-internal sensor and a vehicle-external sensor.

20. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the controlling includes the autonomous motor vehicle leaving the predefined roadway marking only after the vehicle speed meets the predefined safety value.

21. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the predefined roadway marking divides at an intersection point, and a travel route of the autonomous motor vehicle is indicated by an optical signal at least one of on and in the predefined roadway marking.

22. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the predefined roadway marking is indicated by at least one of a tram rail and marking paint.

23. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the predefined roadway marking is indicated by an electromagnetic signal.

24. A track guidance system for controlling an autonomous motor vehicle in an urban area, comprising: a sensor configured to determine whether the autonomous motor vehicle is located on a predefined roadway marking; and a control unit configured to limit a vehicle speed to a predefined safety value within a range of 5 km/h to 15 km/h, when the autonomous motor vehicle is not located on the predefined roadway marking, and control the autonomous motor vehicle and limit the vehicle speed to a predefined speed value when the autonomous motor vehicle is located on the predefined roadway marking.

25. The track guidance system as claimed in claim 24, wherein the control unit is further configured to ascertain whether an object is located within a safety area in front of the autonomous motor vehicle and extending along the predefined roadway marking; and reduce the vehicle speed to an object speed, when the object is located within the safety area, the autonomous motor vehicle remaining on the predefined roadway marking during the reduction of the vehicle speed while the vehicle speed is above the predefined safety value.

26. The track guidance system as claimed in claim 25, wherein the control unit is further configured to ascertain whether a movement of the object from an observation area toward the safety area corresponds to a predefined condition; and reduce the vehicle speed while maintaining the autonomous motor vehicle on the predefined roadway marking, when the predefined condition is met.

27. The track guidance system as claimed in claim 26, wherein the control unit is further configured to move the autonomous motor vehicle away from the predefined roadway marking only after the vehicle speed meets the predefined safety value.

28. The track guidance system as claimed in claim 27, wherein the predefined roadway marking divides at an intersection point, and wherein a travel route of the autonomous motor vehicle is indicated by an optical signal at least one of on and in the predefined roadway marking.

29. The track guidance system as claimed in claim 28, wherein the predefined roadway marking is indicated by at least one of a tram rail and marking paint.

30. The track guidance system as claimed in claim 29, wherein the predefined roadway marking is furthermore indicated by an electromagnetic signal.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0041] These and other aspects and advantages will become more apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the exemplary embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:

[0042] FIG. 1 is a schematic top view of a track guidance system according to one exemplary embodiment;

[0043] FIG. 2 is a schematic top view of a passing process according to one exemplary embodiment of the track guidance system;

[0044] FIG. 3 is a schematic top view of a turnoff process according to one exemplary embodiment of the track guidance system;

[0045] FIG. 4 is a flowchart according to one exemplary embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0046] In the exemplary embodiments explained hereinafter, the described components of the embodiments each represent individual features to be considered independently of one another, which each also refine the invention independently of one another. The disclosure also includes combinations of the features of the embodiments other than those shown. Furthermore, the described embodiments can also be supplemented by further features already described.

[0047] In the figures, identical reference signs each identify functionally identical elements.

[0048] FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of a track guidance system 10 for controlling an autonomous motor vehicle 12 in an urban area. The track system 10 can be designed to control the autonomous motor vehicle 12 on a road 14 of the urban area. For this purpose, the autonomous motor vehicle can have a sensor unit 16 and a control unit 18.

[0049] The sensor unit 16 can be designed to check whether the autonomous motor vehicle 12 is located on a predefined roadway marking 20. For this purpose, the sensor unit 16 can have, for example, one or more cameras which monitor a road surface. Additionally or alternatively, the sensor unit 16 can also have a vehicle-external sensor 22, which can be designed, for example, as a traffic monitoring column, and which in particular can have a camera to determine a positioning of the autonomous motor vehicle 12 and which can transmit reference points for correcting a positioning of the autonomous motor vehicle to the autonomous motor vehicle 12. For this purpose, in particular a vehicle-to-infrastructure communication can be provided, e.g., using a 5G technology.

[0050] The predefined roadway marking 20 may stand out optically from the road 14, in particular from other roadway markings such as the centerline. For example, the predefined roadway marking 20 can in one embodiment be a tram rail, which extends on the road 14. In this exemplary embodiment, the predefined roadway marking 20 is a solid line in the center of one side of the road and may use marking paint which makes the predefined roadway marking 20 stand out from the road 14. In particular, the marking paint can be a fluorescent paint.

[0051] The predefined roadway marking 20 may emit an electromagnetic signal, for example, in that a current-conducting wire or multiple induction coils arranged in succession extend along the predefined roadway marking 20. In the case of the induction coils, in addition to a possibility of determining a position of the autonomous motor vehicle on the predefined roadway marking 20 by way of the sensor unit 16, in that the electromagnetic signal is detected, there is the possibility that an induction coil in the road can couple with an induction coil 24 of the autonomous motor vehicle and can thus charge a traction battery (not shown) of the autonomous motor vehicle during a journey.

[0052] If it is determined by the sensor unit 16 that the autonomous motor vehicle 12 is not located on the predefined roadway marking 20, the control unit 18 can limit a vehicle speed to a predefined safety value. The predefined safety value can limit the vehicle speed to a value at which in a hazardous situation the autonomous motor vehicle 12 can quickly be brought to a standstill. In particular, the predefined safety value can be a walking speed which can be in a range of 1 to 16 km/h. Therefore, in critical driving situations, the autonomous motor vehicle 12 can be put into a safe state exclusively by braking, due to which accidents can be avoided.

[0053] If it is established by the sensor unit 16 that the autonomous motor vehicle 12 is located on the predefined roadway marking 20, the autonomous motor vehicle 12 can be controlled by the control unit 18 on the predefined roadway marking, that is to say, it can be maneuvered along the predefined roadway marking 20. For this purpose, the control unit 18 can limit the vehicle speed to a predefined speed value, which can be defined, for example, by the urban area or the presently traveled road 14 and can represent a permissible highest speed. This permissible highest speed can be established by the sensor unit 16, for example, by detecting a road sign or can be communicated to the autonomous motor vehicle 12 from an external source, for example, the external sensor 22. For example, the vehicle-external sensor 22 can also transmit data to the motor vehicle in addition to an item of position information, in particular the predefined, permitted speed.

[0054] It is thus possible that the autonomous motor vehicle 12 can drive on the predefined roadway marking 20 at a maximum permitted speed, since other road users can predict a path of the autonomous motor vehicle, similarly to the path of a tram on tram rails. The behavior of the autonomous motor vehicle is thus always comprehensible to further road users.

[0055] To further increase the level of traffic safety, a safety area 26 can be provided during the journey in front of the autonomous motor vehicle 12, which covers, for example, a side of the road in front of the autonomous motor vehicle 12 and can be dynamically adapted to the speed of the autonomous motor vehicle 12. If it is ascertained by the sensor unit 16 of the autonomous motor vehicle or by the vehicle-external sensor 22 that an object, for example another vehicle, is located inside the safety area in front of the autonomous motor vehicle, the control unit 18 can adapt the vehicle speed to an object speed, for example to a speed of the vehicle driving ahead, in that it reduces the speed in particular in the case of a slowly driving vehicle.

[0056] In addition to the safety area 26, an observation area 28 can be provided, which expands the safety area 26. Objects, for example a pedestrian 30, can be monitored in the observation area 28 as to whether they move into the safety area 26. A speed of the pedestrian 30 in the direction of the safety area 26 can be established, for example, in that a position changing over time of the pedestrian is extrapolated. If it is established that this speed and position of the pedestrian correspond to a predefined condition, the control unit 18 can cause the autonomous motor vehicle 12 to reduce the vehicle speed and in case of a sudden entry of the pedestrian into the safety area 26, can cause emergency braking.

[0057] The predefined condition can occur, for example, if the pedestrian 30 exceeds a predefined speed in the direction of the safety area 26. In particular, however, it can be provided that upon the reduction of the vehicle speed, the autonomous motor vehicle 12 remains on the predefined roadway marking 20. This means that even in the event of emergency braking, no evasion maneuver is to be carried out, due to which other road users could be endangered. The behavior of the autonomous motor vehicle on the predefined roadway marking 20 is thus predictable for every road user due to the provision of the roadway marking which is comprehensible and visible to other road users. The boundary conditions for creating legal requirements in the case of accidents of autonomous motor vehicles can thus also be created.

[0058] FIG. 2 shows a schematic illustration of a passing process of the autonomous motor vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment. In this embodiment, an object 32, which can be a parking vehicle, for example, can block the predefined roadway marking 20 on the road 14. The autonomous motor vehicle 12 can approach this object 32 and upon entry of the object 32 into the safety area of the autonomous motor vehicle, the autonomous motor vehicle 12 can reduce its speed and come to a standstill behind the object 32, for example. In order that the autonomous motor vehicle 12 can nonetheless continue the journey, it can be provided that the autonomous motor vehicle 12 leaves the predefined roadway marking 20 to pass the object 32. For this purpose, it can be checked whether a speed of the autonomous motor vehicle is below the predefined safety value, for example, the walking speed. If this is the case, the autonomous motor vehicle 12 can leave the predefined roadway marking 20 and drive past the object 32.

[0059] So as not to obstruct or endanger oncoming vehicles, in addition the vehicle-external sensor 22, which can be located on the side of the road, can send an item of information about oncoming traffic to the autonomous motor vehicle 12. Alternatively or additionally, oncoming vehicles (not shown) can send position data via a vehicle-to-vehicle communication to the autonomous motor vehicle 12.

[0060] When leaving the predefined roadway marking 20 to pass the object 32, the autonomous motor vehicle can briefly drive on the opposite roadway, where a roadway marking (not shown) can also be provided, for example. In order that the autonomously driving motor vehicle 12 does not detect this as its own and thus releases the speed to the permitted speed value, it can be provided that a radio frequency identification chip (RFID) is provided within the predefined roadway marking 20, which identifies a lane for the autonomous motor vehicle, whereby confusing the lane can be avoided.

[0061] Alternatively to passing the object 32, for example, leaving the predefined roadway marking 20 can also be carried out to drive to a parking area beyond the predefined roadway marking.

[0062] FIG. 3 shows a road intersection and a turnoff process of the autonomous motor vehicle 12 according to an exemplary embodiment of the track guidance system 10. For example, the predefined roadway marking 20 can extend in different directions at a road intersection. In particular, the predefined roadway marking 20 can divide at an intersection point 34. The intersection point 34 can be embodied in such a way that a continuous, differentiable, and unambiguous movement sequence of the autonomous motor vehicle 12 results. For this purpose, in addition an optical signal can be provided on and/or in the roadway marking, which indicates a travel route of the autonomous motor vehicle. In particular, the optical signal can be induced by a light band 36, which can indicate the course of the travel route of the autonomous motor vehicle at the intersection point 34. Therefore, in addition to a signal indication of the autonomous motor vehicle, the predefined roadway marking 20 can also indicate the travel route of the motor vehicle and thus increase a level of traffic safety, since other road users can be made aware of the path of the motor vehicle.

[0063] Guiding of the motor vehicle along the roadway marking 20 is also provided during the turnoff process of the autonomous motor vehicle 12. For this purpose, the vehicle center point or center of gravity of the vehicle can be guided as precisely as possible on the roadway marking 20. For example, permissible tolerances can be defined in the transverse direction in legal boundary conditions. In particular, a deviation of the vehicle center point from the roadway marking 20 can be at most 50 cm.

[0064] FIG. 4 shows a schematic method diagram according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0065] In S10 it is determined whether the autonomous motor vehicle 12 is located on a predefined roadway marking 20. If this is answered in the negative, in S12, a vehicle speed is limited to a predefined safety value.

[0066] If it is determined that the autonomous motor vehicle 12 is located on the predefined roadway marking 20, in S14, the autonomous motor vehicle 12 can be controlled on the predefined roadway marking 20, wherein the vehicle speed is limited to a predefined speed value.

[0067] If the vehicle is controlled on the predefined roadway marking 20, it can be ascertained in S16 whether an object is located within a safety area in front of the autonomous motor vehicle and/or whether a movement of the object from an observation area in the direction of the safety area corresponds to a predefined condition and if this is the case, the vehicle speed can be reduced, wherein the autonomous motor vehicle 12 remains on the predefined roadway marking 20 during the reduction of the vehicle speed if the vehicle speed is above the predefined safety value.

[0068] Overall, the examples show how a lane marking for autonomous motor vehicles can be provided for use by the method described herein.

[0069] A description has been provided with particular reference to preferred embodiments thereof and examples, but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the claims which may include the phrase “at least one of A, B and C” as an alternative expression that means one or more of A, B and C may be used, contrary to the holding in Superguide v. DIRECTV, 358 F3d 870, 69 USPQ2d 1865 (Fed. Cir. 2004).