Drive Assistance System for the Automated Longitudinal Guidance of a Motor Vehicle

Abstract

A driver assistance system for the automated longitudinal guidance of a motor vehicle detects a desired turning maneuver of the driver of the motor vehicle when the vehicle is in motion with automated longitudinal guidance, and reduces the speed of the motor vehicle in accordance with the detected turning maneuver.

Claims

1-10. (canceled)

11. A driver assistance system for automated longitudinal guidance of a motor vehicle, wherein the driver assistance system is configured to: detect a turning-off request of a driver of the motor vehicle during operation of the motor vehicle with automated longitudinal guidance; and reduce a speed of the motor vehicle in accordance with the detected turning-off request.

12. The driver assistance system according to claim 11, wherein the driver assistance system is configured to: detect an activation of a direction of travel indicator of the motor vehicle; and detect the turning-off request of the driver in accordance with the activation of the direction of travel indicator.

13. The driver assistance system according to claim 11, wherein the driver assistance system is configured to: determine a number of traffic lanes on a directional roadway driven on by the motor vehicle; and detect the turning-off request of the driver in accordance with the number of determined traffic lanes.

14. The driver assistance system according to claim 13, wherein the directional roadway driven on by the motor vehicle comprises one traffic lane, and wherein the driver assistance system is configured to: detect an activation of a direction of travel indicator of the motor vehicle; and detect the turning-off request of the driver in accordance with the activation of the direction of travel indicator.

15. The driver assistance system according to claim 13, wherein the directional roadway driven on by the motor vehicle comprises more than one traffic lane, and wherein the driver assistance system is configured to: determine a traffic lane driven on by the motor vehicle of the more than one traffic lane; and determine the turning-off request of the driver in accordance with the traffic lane driven on by the motor vehicle.

16. The driver assistance system according to claim 13, wherein the directional roadway driven on by the motor vehicle comprises more than one traffic lane, and wherein the driver assistance system is configured to: determine that the driver assistance system is not capable of determining a traffic lane driven on by the motor vehicle of the more than one traffic lane; detect an activation of a direction of travel indicator of the motor vehicle; and determine the turning-off request of the driver in response to the direction of travel indicator being activated for longer than a predefined period of time.

17. The driver assistance system according to claim 11, wherein the driver assistance system is configured to: detect an activation of a direction of travel indicator of the motor vehicle; detect a traffic lane change of the motor vehicle following the activation of the direction of travel indicator; and after the traffic lane change, detect the turning-off request of the driver in accordance with the activation of the direction of travel indicator.

18. The driver assistance system according to claim 17, wherein the driver assistance system is configured to: detect the turning-off request of the driver in response to the direction of travel indicator, after the traffic lane change, remaining activated for longer than a predefined period of time.

19. The driver assistance system according to claim 17, wherein the driver assistance system is configured to: detect the turning-off request of the driver in response to the direction of travel indicator being deactivated after the traffic lane change and then being activated again.

20. A method for automated longitudinal guidance of a motor vehicle, the method comprising: detecting a turning-off request of a driver of the motor vehicle during operation of the motor vehicle with automated longitudinal guidance; and reducing a speed of the motor vehicle when a turning-off request is detected.

21. The method according to claim 20, further comprising: detecting an activation of a direction of travel indicator of the motor vehicle; and detecting the turning-off request of the driver in accordance with the activation of the direction of travel indicator.

22. The method according to claim 20, further comprising: determining a number of traffic lanes on a directional roadway driven on by the motor vehicle; and detecting the turning-off request of the driver in accordance with the number of determined traffic lanes.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein the directional roadway driven on by the motor vehicle comprises one traffic lane, the method further comprising: detecting an activation of a direction of travel indicator of the motor vehicle; and detecting the turning-off request of the driver in accordance with the activation of the direction of travel indicator.

24. The method according to claim 22, wherein the directional roadway driven on by the motor vehicle comprises more than one traffic lane, the method further comprising: determining a traffic lane driven on by the motor vehicle of the more than one traffic lane; and determine the turning-off request of the driver in accordance with the traffic lane driven on by the motor vehicle.

25. The method according to claim 22, wherein the directional roadway driven on by the motor vehicle comprises more than one traffic lane, the method further comprising: determining that the driver assistance system is not capable of determining a traffic lane driven on by the motor vehicle of the more than one traffic lane; detecting an activation of a direction of travel indicator of the motor vehicle; and determining the turning-off request of the driver in response to the direction of travel indicator being activated for longer than a predefined period of time.

26. The method according to claim 20, further comprising: detecting an activation of a direction of travel indicator of the motor vehicle; detecting a traffic lane change of the motor vehicle following the activation of the direction of travel indicator; and after the traffic lane change, detecting the turning-off request of the driver in accordance with the activation of the direction of travel indicator.

27. The method according to claim 26, further comprising: detecting the turning-off request of the driver in response to the direction of travel indicator, after the traffic lane change, remaining activated for longer than a predefined period of time.

28. The method according to claim 26, further comprising: detecting the turning-off request of the driver in response to the direction of travel indicator being deactivated after the traffic lane change and then being activated again.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0068] FIG. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of the invention,

[0069] FIG. 2 shows a further exemplary embodiment of the invention,

[0070] FIG. 3 shows a further exemplary embodiment of the invention, and

[0071] FIG. 4 shows a further exemplary embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0072] FIG. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of a driver assistance system for the automated longitudinal guidance of a motor vehicle KFZ.

[0073] The driver assistance system is designed here to detect a turning-off request of the driver of the motor vehicle KFZ during operation of the motor vehicle KFZ with automated longitudinal guidance.

[0074] The turning-off request of the driver of the motor vehicle KFZ describes a request of the driver of the motor vehicle KFZ at a position which provides the driver with two or more possibilities M1, M2 for further travel, one thereof, e.g. M2, indicating remaining in the current traffic lane FS1 and the other, e.g. M1, indicating turning off from the current traffic lane FS1 at a turning-off possibility A1.

[0075] In addition, the driver assistance system is designed to reduce the speed of the motor vehicle KFZ in accordance with the detected turning-off request.

[0076] In particular, for this purpose, the driver assistance system is designed to detect an activation of a direction of travel indicator of the motor vehicle KFZ and to determine a number of traffic lanes FS1 on a directional roadway FB driven on by the motor vehicle KFZ.

[0077] If the directional roadway FB driven on by the motor vehicle KFZ, as shown in FIG. 1, comprises only one traffic lane FS1, the driver assistance system is designed to detect the turning-off request of the driver in accordance with the activation of the direction of travel indicator.

[0078] FIG. 2 shows a further exemplary embodiment of a driver assistance system for the automated longitudinal guidance of a motor vehicle KFZ.

[0079] The driver assistance system is designed here to detect a turning-off request of the driver of the motor vehicle KFZ during operation of the motor vehicle KFZ with automated longitudinal guidance, wherein, in the present example, the directional roadway FB driven on by the motor vehicle comprises more than one traffic lane FS1, FS2, namely two traffic lanes.

[0080] Traffic lane FS1 provides two possibilities M1, M2 here for further travel, of which M1 indicates turning off from the traffic lane FS1 at the turning-off possibility A1.

[0081] Traffic lane FS2 provides only one possibility M3 for further travel, namely remaining on the directional roadway FB.

[0082] The driver assistance system is designed to determine a traffic lane FS1 driven on by the motor vehicle KFZ, and to determine the turning-off request of the driver in accordance with the traffic lane FS1 driven on by the motor vehicle KFZ.

[0083] If, for example, the driver of the motor vehicle KFZ actuates an operating element, e.g. an indicator lever, in a manner such that the indicator lever could suggest, inter alia, a turning-off request to the left, in this case the driver assistance system will determine or establish the turning-off request of the driver since turning off to the left at the turning-off possibility A1 is possible in the current traffic lane FS1 of the motor vehicle KFZ.

[0084] If, on the other hand, the driver assistance system were not capable of determining the traffic lane FS1 driven on by the motor vehicle KFZ, the driver assistance system could nevertheless determine the turning-off request of the driver by the driver assistance system being designed to detect an activation of a direction of travel indicator of the motor vehicle KFZ and to determine the turning-off request of the driver if the direction of travel indicator is activated for longer than a predefined period of time.

[0085] FIG. 3 shows a further exemplary embodiment of a driver assistance system for the automated longitudinal guidance of a motor vehicle KFZ.

[0086] The driver assistance system is designed here to detect a turning-off request of the driver of the motor vehicle KFZ during operation of the motor vehicle KFZ with automated longitudinal guidance, wherein, in the present example, the directional roadway FB driven on by the motor vehicle comprises more than one traffic lane FS1, FS2, namely two traffic lanes.

[0087] Traffic lane FS2 provides two possibilities M1, M2 here for further travel, of which M1 indicates turning off from the traffic lane FS2 at the turning-off possibility A1.

[0088] Traffic lane FS1 provides only one possibility M3 for further travel, namely remaining on the directional roadway FB.

[0089] The driver assistance system is designed to determine a traffic lane FS1 driven on by the motor vehicle KFZ, and to determine the turning-off request of the driver in accordance with the traffic lane FS1 driven on by the motor vehicle KFZ.

[0090] If, for example, the driver of the motor vehicle KFZ actuates an operating element, e.g. an indicator lever, in a manner such that the indicator lever could suggest, inter alia, a turning-off request to the left, in this case the driver assistance system will not determine or establish a turning-off request of the driver since turning off to the left is not possible in the current traffic lane FS1 of the motor vehicle KFZ.

[0091] If, however, the motor vehicle KFZ in this case were to change from traffic lane FS1 to traffic lane FS2, turning off to the left would be possible.

[0092] For this case, the driver assistance system is designed in particular to detect an activation of a direction of travel indicator of the motor vehicle KFZ, to detect a traffic lane change of the motor vehicle KFZ following the activation of the direction of travel indicator, and, after the traffic lane change, to detect the turning-off request of the driver in accordance with the activation of the direction of travel indicator, for example by the driver assistance system being designed to detect the turning-off request of the driver if the direction of travel indicator after the traffic lane change is still activated for longer than a predefined period of time.

[0093] FIG. 4 shows a further exemplary embodiment of a driver assistance system for the automated longitudinal guidance of a motor vehicle KFZ.

[0094] The driver assistance system is designed here to detect at least one turning-off possibility A1 - A4 for the motor vehicle KFZ, and to reduce the speed of the motor vehicle KFZ depending on the at least one detected turning-off possibility A1 - A4.

[0095] In particular, the driver assistance system is designed to detect an activation of a direction of travel indicator of the motor vehicle KFZ, to detect a turning-off request of the driver depending on the activation of the direction of travel indicator, and then to detect the at least one turning-off possibility A1 - A4 for the motor vehicle KFZ.

[0096] In an advantageous manner, the driver assistance system is designed to determine a partial region of the driving route lying in front of the motor vehicle KFZ in the direction of travel, wherein the driver assistance system is designed to determine a first end E1 of the partial region in accordance with a first predefined deceleration of the vehicle and a second end E2 of the partial region in accordance with a second predefined deceleration of the vehicle.

[0097] In addition, the driver assistance system is designed to detect at least one turning-off possibility A2, A3 for the motor vehicle KFZ in the partial region of the driving route lying in front of the motor vehicle KFZ in the direction of travel, and to reduce the speed of the motor vehicle KFZ in accordance with the at least one detected turning-off possibility A2, A3.

[0098] In order to reduce the speed of the motor vehicle KFZ, the driver assistance system is designed to select one of the at least two turning-off possibilities A2, A3 in the partial region, and to reduce the speed of the motor vehicle KFZ in accordance with the selected turning-off possibility.

[0099] The selection can be undertaken, for example, by a type of road being determined for each of the at least two turning-off possibilities A2, A3 for the motor vehicle KFZ, and one of the at least two turning-off possibilities A2, A3 being selected in accordance with their respective types of road.