Driver Assistance System for an Autonomously Driving Vehicle, and Method for Guiding an Autonomously Driving Vehicle

Abstract

A driving assistance system for an autonomously driving vehicle includes environment sensors in the vehicle, which are configured to detect environment data of the vehicle; a computing unit, which is configured to determine the position of a target person in a surrounding area of the vehicle on the basis of the environment data; and a device for autonomous driving, which is configured to move the vehicle to a position which is located at a predetermined distance or less from the position of the target person and to stop the vehicle there.

Claims

1.-10. (canceled)

11. A driving assistance system for an autonomously driven vehicle, the driving assistance system comprising: an environment sensor system which is configured to collect environment data of the vehicle; a computing unit which is configured to determine a position of a target person in a surrounding area of the vehicle based on the environment data; and a device for automated driving, which is designed to move the vehicle to a position that is a predetermined distance or less from the position of the target person.

12. The driving assistance system according to claim 11, wherein the environment sensor system is selected from the group consisting of the following: at least one LiDAR system; at least one radar system; at least one camera; and at least one ultrasound system.

13. The driving assistance system according to claim 11, further comprising a system for localizing mobile external devices, which is configured to determine a position of a mobile identification transmitter in the surrounding area of the vehicle.

14. The driving assistance system according to claim 13, wherein the computing unit is configured to determine the position of the target person based on the environment data and the determined position of the mobile identification transmitter.

15. The driving assistance system according to claim 13, wherein the mobile identification transmitter is integrated in a key unit of the vehicle, or wherein the mobile identification transmitter is contained in a mobile terminal device.

16. The driving assistance system according to claim 15, wherein the mobile terminal device is a smartphone.

17. The driving assistance system according to claim 11, wherein the predetermined distance is two meters or less.

18. The driving assistance system according to claim 17, wherein the predetermined distance is one meter or less.

19. The driving assistance system according to claim 11, wherein the device for automated driving is configured to guide the vehicle partially automatically or fully automatically.

20. A vehicle comprising a driving assistance system comprising: an environment sensor system which is configured to collect environment data of the vehicle; a computing unit which is configured to determine a position of a target person in a surrounding area of the vehicle based on the environment data; and a device for automated driving, which is designed to move the vehicle to a position that is a predetermined distance or less from the position of the target person.

21. The vehicle according to claim 20, wherein the vehicle is a motor vehicle.

22. A method for guiding an autonomously driven vehicle, the method comprising: collecting environment data of the vehicle by an environment sensor system of the vehicle; determining a position of a target person in a surrounding area of the vehicle based on the environment data; and autonomously moving the vehicle to a position that is a predetermined distance or less from the position of the target person.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a driving assistance system for an autonomously driven vehicle according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0027] FIG. 2 shows an operating principle of the driving assistance system according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0028] FIG. 3 shows different distance ranges for the distance-dependent localization of the target person according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0029] FIG. 4 shows a flowchart of a method for driving an autonomously driven vehicle according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] In the following, unless otherwise noted, the same reference signs are used for identical and equivalent elements.

[0031] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a driving assistance system 100 for an autonomously driven vehicle according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0032] The driving assistance system 100 comprises an environment sensor system 110 which is configured to collect environment data, a computing unit 120 which is configured to determine a position of a target person in the surrounding area of the vehicle based on the environment data, and a device for automated driving which is configured to move the vehicle to a position that is located at a predetermined distance or less from the position of the target person. The environment data can specify an area surrounding the vehicle, or characteristics of the area surrounding the vehicle.

[0033] The device for automated driving is configured to drive the vehicle partially or fully automatically (autonomously). In such an automated driving mode, the longitudinal and lateral guidance of the vehicle are performed automatically. The driving assistance system 100 thus takes control of the vehicle guidance, for example until the vehicle is brought to a standstill next to the target person. For this purpose, the driving assistance system 100 controls the drive unit 20, the transmission 22, the (e.g. hydraulic) foot brake 24, and the steering 26 via intermediate units, not shown.

[0034] The environment sensor system 110 is configured to localize the target person in an area surrounding the vehicle. The localization can include, for example, direct localization and/or indirect localization of the target person.

[0035] The direct localization detects the target person directly, for example by use of a LiDAR system, a radar system, one or more cameras, and/or an ultrasound system. Indirect localization detects the person indirectly, for example, via a mobile identification transmitter or a mobile terminal device that is located with the target person and can be localized by the vehicle.

[0036] Typically, for indirect localization the system for localizing mobile external devices is used. The system for localizing mobile external devices can determine the position of the mobile identification transmitter or mobile terminal device, for example, using Bluetooth and/or Ultra Wide Band (UWB).

[0037] Preferably, the direct localization is used in combination with the indirect localization to steer the vehicle to the exact position of the passenger to be collected. In particular, the indirect localization with long range can be used in a larger distance range. In a near range, the direct localization using the near-range environment sensor system of the vehicle can be used.

[0038] FIG. 2 shows the operating principle of the driving assistance system according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0039] The device for automated driving is configured to move the vehicle 1 to a position that is a predetermined distance or less from the position 201 of the target person. The predetermined distance can be, for example, two meters or less, or one meter or less.

[0040] For example, the vehicle 1 can be positioned in such a way that a door of the vehicle is positioned directly next to the target person, so that the target person can enter the vehicle 1 directly without having to walk a few steps. In another example, the vehicle 1 can be positioned in such a way that the trunk of the vehicle 1 is positioned directly next to the target person, so that the target person can, for example, load luggage directly into the vehicle 1 without having to walk a few steps. For this purpose, for example, the target person can send a corresponding request to the vehicle 1 using his/her mobile terminal device, such as an app on his/her smartphone.

[0041] In some embodiments, the near-range environment sensor system of the vehicle 1 can be used to localize the person directly. The near-range environment sensor system can be configured to directly detect subjects and objects in a specific surrounding area 200 of the vehicle. The surrounding area 200 can be, in particular, a near range of the vehicle 1. For example, the near range can be defined by a distance or radius of 20 m or less, 10 m or less, or 5 m or less around the vehicle 1.

[0042] FIG. 3 shows different distance ranges around the vehicle 1 for the distance-dependent localization of the target person according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0043] According to the present disclosure, two or more types or techniques for localizing the target person may be used, sequentially and/or simultaneously, based on the distance between the vehicle 1 and the target person.

[0044] As illustrated in the example of FIG. 3, a first type of localization can be used in a first distance range (or surrounding area) 301, a second type of localization can be used in a second distance range (or surrounding area) 303, and optionally a third type of localization can be used in a third distance range (or surrounding area) 305. The first distance range 301, the second distance range 303 and the third distance range 305 can be defined adjacent to each other around the vehicle. In particular, the third distance range 305 can be a region directly surrounding the vehicle 1. The second distance range 303 can be arranged between the first distance range 301 and the third distance range 305.

[0045] Although FIG. 3 shows three distance ranges as an example, the present disclosure is not limited to these. In particular, there may be two or more than three distance ranges present, in which respective sensors are used to localize the target person.

[0046] In some embodiments, the first distance range 301 can be a range between 100 m and 50 m (or 100 m and 30 m) around the vehicle 1. The second distance range 303 can be a range between 50 m (or 30 m) and 10 m around the vehicle 1. The third distance range 305 can be a range between 10 m and 0 m around the vehicle 1.

[0047] The first type of localization in the first distance range 301 can be performed using Bluetooth, for example. For example, the system for localizing mobile external devices of the environment sensor system can be used to locate a mobile terminal device of the target person using Bluetooth.

[0048] The second type of localization in the second distance range 303 can be implemented, for example, using an Ultra Wide Band (UWB) technology. For example, the system for localizing mobile external devices can be used to localize a mobile identification transmitter, which may be integrated in the mobile terminal device of the target person, for example, or may be in the form of a radio key.

[0049] The third type of localization in the third distance range 305 can be carried out, for example, by the near-range environment sensor system of the vehicle 1, using e.g. a LiDAR system, a radar system, a camera, and/or an ultrasonic system.

[0050] Typically, a mobile external device of the target person is localized outside the near range of the vehicle 1, for example outside the third distance range 305. The mobile external device can be, for example, the mobile identification transmitter. The mobile identification transmitter can be designed as a separate unit (e.g. as a radio key), or can be integrated into a mobile terminal device belonging to the target person. The mobile terminal device may be, in particular, a smartphone.

[0051] Therefore, a plurality of localization techniques can be used successively and/or simultaneously to determine the position of the target person and to bring the vehicle to a stop directly in front of the target person. For example, the vehicle can be positioned in such a way that a door of the vehicle is directly in front of the target person.

[0052] FIG. 4 shows a flowchart of a method 400 for guiding an autonomously driven vehicle according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0053] The method comprises in block 410 collecting environment data by an environment sensor system of the vehicle, in block 420 determining a position of a target person in the surrounding area of the vehicle based on the environment data, and in block 430 automatically moving the vehicle to a position that is a predetermined distance or less from the determined position of the target person.

[0054] According to embodiments of the invention, a target person is localized by the environment sensors of the vehicle and the vehicle is automatically driven to the target person and brought to a stop there. The target person in this case is a person who intends to enter the vehicle. For example, the target person is a passenger to be picked up at a specific location. The vehicle can drive autonomously, i.e. without a driver, to the target person's location and pick up the target person there. The environment sensors allow an exact localization of the target person that goes beyond a simple GPS localization, so that the target person does not first have to walk a few steps to enter the vehicle. For example, the vehicle can be positioned in such a way that a door of the vehicle is positioned directly next to the target person, so that the target person can enter the vehicle directly.