Method and System for Handling a Situation Relating to a Vehicle and/or a Third Party

Abstract

A method for handling a situation relating to a vehicle and/or a third party includes ascertaining or predicting a critical situation relating to the vehicle and/or the third party; detecting an object in the surroundings of the vehicle and/or the third party; and controlling the vehicle and/or the third party relative to the object or controlling the object relative to the vehicle and/or the third party such that in a first phase, a comparably rapid or accelerated approach is carried out between the vehicle and/or the third party and the object; in a second phase, a comparably slow or decelerated approach is carried out between the vehicle and/or the third party and the object; and in a third phase, a contact is produced between the vehicle and/or the third party and the object.

Claims

1-10. (canceled)

11. A method for handling a situation relating to a vehicle and/or at least one third party, the method comprising: ascertaining or predicting a critical situation relating to the vehicle and/or at least one third party; and detecting at least one object in surroundings of the vehicle and/or of the at least one third party; controlling the vehicle and/or the at least one third party relative to the at least one object or controlling the at least one object relative to the vehicle and/or the at least one third party, such that: in a first phase, a comparatively rapid or accelerated approach between the vehicle and/or the at least one third party and the at least one object is carried out, in a second phase, a comparatively slow or slowed down approach between the vehicle and/or the at least one third party and the at least one object, is carried out; and in a third phase, a contact between the vehicle and/or the at least one third party and the at least one object is carried out.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the critical situation relates to an imminent collision of the vehicle with a collision object and the at least one object is different from the collision object.

13. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the at least one object is a further vehicle.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the further vehicle is moving in substantially a same direction as the vehicle and/or the at least one third party.

15. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the first phase, the second phase and/or the third phase are carried out depending on an operating action of a user of the vehicle and/or a unit for carrying out at least partially automated driving of the vehicle and/or a unit for carrying out at least partially automated driving of the at least one object.

16. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the first phase, the second phase and/or the third phase are carried out depending on an interpretation of the operating action of the user of the vehicle.

17. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the operating action is a requirement for lateral guidance of the vehicle.

18. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the first phase, the second phase and/or the third phase are carried out upon detection or prediction of a mitigation of the critical situation relating to the vehicle and/or the at least one third party.

19. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein detecting the at least one object in the surroundings of the vehicle includes a determination of suitability of the at least one object for carrying out a contact and/or a selection of one of at least two objects from the surroundings of the vehicle.

20. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein in the third phase a lateral compressive force is generated on at least one contact point between the vehicle and the at least one object, and the lateral compressive force is generated according to a defined time function.

21. The method as claimed in claim 20, wherein the lateral compressive force is generated in defined pulses or in dynamically controllable pulses.

22. The method as claimed in claim 20, wherein the lateral compressive force changes once in a period of 0.1 to 0.5 seconds.

23. The method as claimed in claim 20, wherein the lateral compressive force changes once in a period of 0.51 to 1.0 seconds.

24. The method as claimed in claim 20, wherein the lateral compressive force changes once in a period of 1.1 to 3 seconds.

25. A system for handling the situation relating to the vehicle and/or the at least one third party, the system comprising: a control unit which is configured to carry out the method as claimed in claim 11.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0196] FIGS. 1a-1d show schematically partial steps of the method for handling a situation relating to a vehicle and/or a third party.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0197] FIG. 1a shows a situation possibly leading to a crash for three different vehicles 1, 1′ and 2 as well as a motorcycle 3. A guard rail is denoted by 2′.

[0198] At least vehicles 1 and 2 are automated vehicles. For automated vehicles, the method described is particularly advantageous because such vehicles can have certain effects that are otherwise difficult to control, and because the user (in certain cases) is not in the vehicle at all, is not ready to drive, or is not responsive.

[0199] In order to control the movement of the vehicle 1, in particular to reduce its speed faster than braking allows (with a maximum possible 0.9 m/s.sup.2), an object 2, 2′ is selected. This is carried out in order to reduce the damage to the motorcycle 3, which is particularly endangered in this specific situation. In doing so, a controllable, in particular regulatable, interaction with a guard rail 2′ and/or with the vehicle 2 is precalculated and automatically compared.

[0200] The selection of the object 2, 2′ depends on whether there is a suitable data connection and/or whether an automatic agreement with the automated vehicle 2 is successful.

[0201] The method can alternatively be carried out without a predicted collision, for example if the automated vehicle 1 gets a technical problem and/or the driver does not take over control of the vehicle and/or an important sensor fails.

[0202] FIG. 1b describes a possibility of how a critical situation of the vehicle 1 and/or a possible danger to a third party 3 from the vehicle 1 can be detected or predicted by way of the vehicle 2. In other words, the vehicle 2 may detect and/or predict a problem of vehicles 1 and/or 3. The planning of the movement or the movement of the vehicle 2 is modified(for example controlled or regulated) in order to mitigate the situation, in particular to reduce an extent of damage and/or to increase the extent of the advantage (for example the chance of survival and/or the freedom of action for the third party).

[0203] In the situation shown in FIG. 1b, vehicle 2 changes lanes to drive or to cut in in front of vehicle 1, in particular between vehicle 1 and the motorcycle 3. For example, vehicle 2 accelerates to overtake vehicle 1. Then vehicle 2 cuts in to drive in front of vehicle 1. Then vehicle 2 brakes, in particular in such a way that the distance to vehicle 1 is changed first rapidly and then slowly to prevent a crash. This is followed by in particular regulated braking of vehicle 2, during which vehicle 1 is also “rescued”, so to speak.

[0204] Particularly preferably, the braking performance of vehicle 2 is controlled or regulated in such a way, in particular divided across at least two of the wheels of vehicle 2, so that the movement of vehicle 1 can be held within certain limits. In other words, the object 2 can balance the “docked” vehicle 1, so to speak. Its movement (instead of uncontrolled) can be at least partially controlled or co-controlled by vehicle 2.

[0205] FIG. 1c describes the situation in which vehicle 1 and/or the motorcycle 3 are detected or predicted. Subsequently, (in particular only) vehicle 2 is caused to stop, orient and/or control vehicle 1. In this case, vehicle 2 may be caused to stop, orient and/or control vehicle 1, in particular by way of a corresponding signal from vehicle 1, from the motorcycle 3, from an infrastructure device (for example from a motorway bridge), and/or by its own devices (sensors, computing unit). Alternatively or additionally, this may be used to protect the motorcycle 3 (as a “bodyguard”, so to speak).

[0206] In particular, vehicle 2 may be a vehicle without occupants or an empty moving vehicle. Thus, human casualties can be avoided.

[0207] In a further example (not shown), vehicle 2 can push vehicle 1, in particular in a controlled or regulated manner, to the guard rail 2′.

[0208] In the situations described in FIGS. 1b and 1c, vehicle 1, effectively the vehicle that has the problem or has caused the problem or is about to cause a problem, does not in itself have to be an automated vehicle. It can be a normal manually drivable vehicle, a currently non-automated vehicle or a vehicle affected by a problem (for example an out of control automated vehicle). For example, vehicle 2 can be used to control (solve, mitigate, reduce consequences of) a problem of other road users, for example of vehicle 1 and/or the motorcycle 3, in particular a problem between these road users. In particular, vehicle 2 is not directly affected by the detected or predicted situation.

[0209] In the situation presented in FIG. 1d, vehicles 1 and 2 can be brought into an in particular essentially lateral contact. In this case, vehicle 1 can be stopped, oriented and/or controlled particularly quickly. In other words, vehicles 1 and 2 may perform a snow plough figure, in particular in a coordinated manner (with each other and/or by way of an infrastructure device).

[0210] This may also be the case in the event of at least partial inability to drive of the human driver (if any), failure of the sensors, processing unit and/or other devices of vehicle 1. For example, control of vehicle 1 by vehicle 2, control of vehicle 2 by vehicle 1, and/or control of vehicle 1 and/or vehicle 2 by an infrastructure device (for example the backend and/or a device comprising a sensor on a highway bridge, etc.) can be carried out.