METHOD FOR OPERATING A MOTOR VEHICLE, AND MOTOR VEHICLE

Abstract

Technologies and techniques for operating a motor vehicle, in which the vehicle driver is monitored by at least one monitoring device of the motor vehicle, and a check is carried out as to whether, according to a predefined criterion, the vehicle driver is distracted by an operator control intention or an operator control action which has already taken place. The at least one monitoring device monitors manual operation of at least one operator control unit and, if the vehicle driver is distracted according to the predefined criterion, the vehicle driver or another occupant is offered or forced to use an alternative operator control type by the motor vehicle.

Claims

1-10. (canceled)

11. A method for operating a motor vehicle, comprising: monitoring a vehicle driver by at least one monitoring device of the motor vehicle; determining whether the monitored vehicle driver is distracted by an operating intention or operating action that is already in progress according to a predetermined criterion; monitoring, via the at least one monitoring device, a manual actuation of at least one operating unit; presenting an alternative operating type selection for the motor vehicle to the vehicle driver or occupant if the vehicle driver is distracted according to the predetermined criterion; and implementing the alternative operating type selection for the motor vehicle.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the presenting of the alternative operating type selection comprises presenting a voice control instead of the manual actuation.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the predetermined criterion comprises activities from a predetermined group of activities of the vehicle driver that are not directly related to movement and/or directional control of the motor vehicle.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the predetermined group of activities comprise one or more of (i) operating an infotainment system, (ii) operating a navigation device, (iii) operating an on-board computer and/or (iv) carrying out switching processes on a dashboard of the motor vehicle.

15. The method according to claim 13, further comprising determining a numerical value based on each of the activities from the predetermined group, wherein the predetermined criterion includes that a numerical value beyond a threshold value of the determined numerical value.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the threshold value comprises a function of a degree of semi-autonomous driving of the motor vehicle.

17. The method according to claim 15, further comprising monitoring a traffic situation by at least one observation device of the motor vehicle, and wherein the threshold value comprises a function of at least a degree of attention of the vehicle driver and the monitored traffic situation.

18. The method according to claim 15, further comprising applying different weightings to the different activities to determine the numerical value.

19. An apparatus for operating a motor vehicle, comprising: an operating unit; at least one monitoring device, configured to monitor a vehicle driver utilizing one or more of a gaze of the vehicle driver and/or of a front-seat passenger, a movement of at least one hand of the vehicle driver and/or of the front-seat passenger, and a movement of at least one finger of the vehicle driver and/or of the front-seat passenger; and a processing apparatus configured to determine whether the monitored vehicle driver is distracted by an operating intention or operating action that is already in progress according to a predetermined criterion; present an alternative operating type selection for the motor vehicle to the vehicle driver or occupant if the vehicle driver is distracted according to the predetermined criterion; and implement the alternative operating type selection for the motor vehicle.

20. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the processing apparatus is configured to present the alternative operating type selection by presenting a voice control or a manual actuation.

21. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the predetermined criterion comprises activities from a predetermined group of activities of the vehicle driver that are not directly related to movement and/or directional control of the motor vehicle.

22. The apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the predetermined group of activities comprise one or more of (i) operating an infotainment system, (ii) operating a navigation device, (iii) operating an on-board computer and/or (iv) carrying out switching processes on a dashboard of the motor vehicle.

23. The apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the processing apparatus is configured to determine a numerical value based on each of the activities from the predetermined group, wherein the predetermined criterion includes that a numerical value beyond a threshold value of the determined numerical value.

24. The apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the threshold value comprises a function of a degree of semi-autonomous driving of the motor vehicle.

25. The apparatus according to claim 23, further comprising a monitoring device for monitoring a traffic situation, and wherein the threshold value comprises a function of at least a degree of attention of the vehicle driver and the monitored traffic situation.

26. The apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the processing apparatus is configured to apply different weightings to the different activities to determine the numerical value.

27. An apparatus for operating a motor vehicle, comprising: an operating unit; at least one monitoring device, configured to monitor a vehicle driver utilizing one or more of a gaze of the vehicle driver and/or of a front-seat passenger, a movement of at least one hand of the vehicle driver and/or of the front-seat passenger, and a movement of at least one finger of the vehicle driver and/or of the front-seat passenger; and a processing apparatus configured to determine whether the monitored vehicle driver is distracted by an operating intention or operating action that is already in progress according to a predetermined criterion, the operating intention or operating action comprising activities from a predetermined group of activities of the vehicle driver that are not directly related to movement and/or directional control of the motor vehicle; present an alternative operating type selection for the motor vehicle to the vehicle driver or occupant if the vehicle driver is distracted according to the predetermined criterion; and implement the alternative operating type selection for the motor vehicle.

28. The apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the processing apparatus is configured to determine a numerical value based on each of the activities from the predetermined group, wherein the predetermined criterion includes that a numerical value beyond a threshold value of the determined numerical value.

29. The apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the threshold value comprises a function of a degree of semi-autonomous driving of the motor vehicle.

30. The apparatus according to claim 27, further comprising a monitoring device for monitoring a traffic situation, and wherein the threshold value comprises a function of at least a degree of attention of the vehicle driver and the monitored traffic situation.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] Aspects of the present disclosure will be described in more detail hereafter based on preferred exemplary embodiments with reference to the figures. In the drawings:

[0031] FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of the units of a motor vehicle according to one embodiment of the disclosure, which is able to carry out the method according to the disclosure; and

[0032] FIG. 2 shows a flow chart to illustrate one embodiment of the method according to the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] Like or functionally equivalent elements are denoted by like reference numerals in the figures.

[0034] A motor vehicle shown schematically in FIG. 1 and denoted overall by reference numeral 1 comprises the driver's seat 10 and the front passenger seat 12 as well as further seats 14. A camera system, illustrated symbolically here by a single camera 16, includes one or more cameras for observing the vehicle cockpit. Based on the camera images, it is derived which of the seats 10, 12 and 14 in the motor vehicle are occupied. An operating unit 18 can be manually operated by the vehicle driver on the driver's seat 10. In addition to the seat occupancy, it is now detected, by means of the images acquired by the camera system 16, where the driver on the driver's seat 10 is looking, that is, at the road or at the operating device 18, and in which direction his or her hand is moving or his or her individual fingers are moving. It is also possible to derive from the camera images acquired by means of the camera system 16 when a front-seat passenger sitting on the front passenger seat 12 is present and plans or carries out operating actions.

[0035] In a control device 20, software is stored in the form of suitable algorithms, which accordingly evaluates the camera images. The aforementioned information is represented as numerical values, which are utilized together by means of the software 22 for deriving a numerical value. For example, the numerical value can be defined in such a way that the numerical value increases as the vehicle driver on the driver's seat 10 becomes increasingly distracted. In this case, a threshold value would then have to be defined, which, when reached or exceeded, means that the vehicle driver is regarded as being distracted.

[0036] The threshold value can be variable and, for example, be dependent on the information acquired by means of an observation device 24 for detecting the traffic situation, or on a function 26 that is implemented by the control device 20 and relates to the degree of autonomy with which the motor vehicle is being driven. It is possible in this regard that a gradation from purely autonomous driving, use of a so-called traffic jam pilot, highway pilot and the like is carried out.

[0037] In the event that it is established, by means of the threshold value criterion, that the vehicle driver is too distracted to safely drive the vehicle, a warning or a suggestion is optically output on the manually actuatable operating unit. This can be configured in such a way that the vehicle driver can follow or must follow the warning and suggestion. The driver can utilize microphones 28 as an alternative operating type, which are installed in the motor vehicle 1 in order to carry out the operating actions by way of speech, that is, to issue voice commands. In general, any kind of “digital assistance” may be activated here.

[0038] An exemplary method is disclosed in FIG. 2, where, in step S10, the situation in the cockpit is detected, as described above, and, in step S12, the traffic situation is observed, and that, in step S14, it is checked by means of the algorithm 22 in the control device 20 whether the driver, in light of the traffic situation, is too distracted according to a predetermined threshold value criterion. If this is not the case, the method returns to step S10, or alternatively to step S12. If this is the case, in contrast, the method transitions to step S16, in which an operating action, such as is in the process of being carried out or is to be carried out, is suppressed or at least advised against, and an alternative operating type is shown (recommended), and in particular made possible, if this did not previously exist.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0039] 1 motor vehicle [0040] 10 driver's seat [0041] 12 front passenger seat [0042] 14 further seats [0043] 16 monitoring device [0044] 18 operating unit [0045] 20 control device [0046] 22 software [0047] 24 observation device [0048] 26 function of the control device 20 [0049] 28 microphone [0050] S10-S16 method steps