Method for Operating a Self-Driving Motor Vehicle

Abstract

A method for operating a self-driving motor vehicle includes changing from a self-driving mode into a manual-driving mode, monitoring a footwell of the motor vehicle with a gesture recognition device, and checking whether at least one specified gesture is present.

Claims

1.-16. (canceled)

17. A method for operating a self-driving motor vehicle, comprising: monitoring a footwell of the motor vehicle with a gesture recognition device; changing from a self-driving mode into a manual driving mode based on a driver gesture; releasing a spring-loaded dummy pedal in response to the change from the self-driving mode into the manual-driving mode; and controlling the acceleration and/or deceleration of the vehicle based on the driver's foot position on the released dummy pedal.

18. The method as claimed in claim 17, wherein the driver gesture is an indicative of initiated emergency braking.

19. The method as claimed in claim 17, wherein the driver gesture corresponds to an operating movement of a brake pedal operation and/or a gas pedal operation.

20. The method as claimed in claim 17, wherein the spring-loaded dummy pedal includes an acceleration pedal and a brake pedal and the controlling acceleration is based position of the driver's foot relative to the acceleration pedal and controlling deceleration is based on position of the driver's foot relative to the brake pedal.

21. The method as claimed in any one of claim 17, wherein, in the manual-driving mode, at least one operating variable of the motor vehicle is varied as a function of the driver gesture.

22. The method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the operating variable is a deceleration and/or an acceleration of the motor vehicle.

23. A vehicle comprising: a driver seat; a footwell vehicle-forward of the driver seat; a spring-loaded dummy pedal in the footwell; and a control unit programmed to: monitor a footwell of the motor vehicle with a gesture recognition device; change from a self-driving mode into a manual driving mode based on a driver gesture; release a spring-loaded dummy pedal from a recess in response to the change from the self-driving mode into the manual-driving mode; and control the acceleration and/or deceleration of the vehicle based on the driver's foot position on the released dummy pedal.

24. The vehicle as claimed in claim 23, wherein the driver gesture is an indicative of initiated emergency braking.

25. The vehicle as claimed in claim 23, wherein the driver gesture corresponds to an operating movement of a brake pedal operation and/or a gas pedal operation.

26. The method as claimed in claim 23, wherein the spring-loaded dummy pedal includes an acceleration pedal and a brake pedal and the control unit is programmed to control acceleration based position of the driver's foot relative to the acceleration pedal and to control deceleration based on position of the driver's foot relative to the brake pedal.

27. The method as claimed in any one of claim 23, wherein, in the manual-driving mode, at least one operating variable of the motor vehicle is varied as a function of the driver gesture.

28. The method as claimed in claim 27, wherein the operating variable is a deceleration and/or an acceleration of the motor vehicle.

Description

[0024] The invention is now described using a drawing. In the figures:

[0025] FIG. 1 shows a self-driving motor vehicle in a schematic representation.

[0026] FIG. 2 shows a footwell of the motor vehicle represented in FIG. 1 in a schematic representation.

[0027] FIG. 3 shows further details of the footwell represented in FIG. 2 in a schematic representation.

[0028] FIG. 4 shows further details of the footwell represented in FIG. 2 in a schematic representation.

[0029] Reference to first made to FIG. 1.

[0030] A motor vehicle 2 that is a passenger vehicle in the present exemplary embodiment is represented. In a different exemplary embodiment from the present exemplary embodiment, the motor vehicle can for example also be a truck or a bus.

[0031] Furthermore, in the present exemplary embodiment the motor vehicle 2 is embodied as a self-driving motor vehicle for highly automated or autonomous driving. In other words, the motor vehicle 2 can also be referred to as a robot auto that meets at least Level 3 (highly automated) of the classification of autonomous driving.

[0032] In this case, a Level 3 motor vehicle is understood to be a self-driving motor vehicle 2 that the driver does not have to constantly monitor. The motor vehicle 2 independently carries out functions such as triggering the indicators, lane changing and lane keeping. The driver can attend to other things, but when required must take over control within a warning time when required by a control unit 14.

[0033] In a difference from the present exemplary embodiment, the self-driving motor vehicle 2 can also be a Level 4 motor vehicle, for example, in which the control of the motor vehicle 2 is constantly carried out by the control unit 14. If the driving tasks are no longer being managed by the control unit 14, the driver can be requested to take over control of the motor vehicle 2.

[0034] For the described functions and tasks, in the present exemplary embodiment the control unit 14 comprises hardware and/or software components.

[0035] Reference is now made to FIG. 2.

[0036] In order to enable the driver to take over control of the motor vehicle 2, the motor vehicle 2 comprises a gesture recognition device 6 for monitoring a footwell 4 of the motor vehicle 2.

[0037] The footwell 4 is the free space for the driver in front of a driver's seat 18, in which the driver can position his feet. A passenger who controls the motor vehicle 2 when required is considered to be the driver, such as can be the case for example in self-driving motor vehicles according to Level 3 or 4.

[0038] The gesture recognition device 6 is embodied for camera-based gesture recognition in the present exemplary embodiment. For this purpose, the gesture recognition device 6 in the present exemplary embodiment comprises hardware and/or software components. Furthermore, the gesture recognition device 6 in the present exemplary embodiment comprises a number of cameras 16 that provide the 3D data. The cameras 16 can be time-of-flight cameras or so-called structured light cameras.

[0039] A gesture to be detected can be a rapid or abrupt forward movement of the driver's right foot in order to operate a brake pedal or a gas pedal. Furthermore, the gesture can also be a specified position of part of the driver's body, such as for example the position of his right foot.

[0040] The gesture recognition device 6 checks whether the gesture to be detected is present and causes a change from a self-driving mode into a manual driving mode if the specified gesture is present.

[0041] Reference is now additionally made to FIGS. 3 and 4.

[0042] A dummy pedal 8 with two pedals in the present exemplary embodiment is represented, a first pedal 10a for a brake pedal and a second pedal 10b for a gas pedal. The first pedal 10a can be disposed on the center-left side in the footwell 4, whereas the second pedal 10b can be disposed on the right side in the footwell 4.

[0043] The first pedal 10a as well as the second pedal 10b in the present exemplary embodiment are each linked to the floor 22 in the footwell 4 with a link 20, such as for example a hinged joint.

[0044] In other words, in the present exemplary embodiment there is an upright pedal arrangement. As a difference from the present exemplary embodiment, there can also be a suspended pedal arrangement, in which the respective rotation points of the pedals 10a, 10b are at the top.

[0045] A spring 12 is disposed between the first pedal 10a or the second pedal 10b and the floor 22.

[0046] In the normal state, i.e., during the self-driving mode, the first pedal 10a and the second pedal 10b are lying flat on the floor 22, so that the respective spring 12 is compressed. In other words, the first pedal 10a and the second pedal 10b of the dummy pedal 8 are each spring-biased.

[0047] Alternatively, the first pedal 10a and the second pedal 10b can also be accom-modated in respective recesses in the floor 22.

[0048] In operation, the gesture recognition device 6 continuously monitors the footwell 4 of the motor vehicle 2 and checks whether the specified gesture is present, i.e., whether a brake pedal operation and/or a gas pedal operation is present. For example, the specified gesture can be indicative of initiated emergency braking. In particular, braking maneuvers that start with a high brake pedal speed but then reduce in intensity before reaching the necessary braking pressure (negative brake pedal acceleration) are characteristic of emergency braking.

[0049] If a brake pedal operation and/or a gas pedal operation are present, a change from the self-driving mode into the manual driving mode is carried out in a first sub-step. In other words, an initial brake pedal operation and/or a gas pedal operation triggers the change from the self-driving mode into the manual driving mode.

[0050] With the change from the self-driving mode into the manual driving mode, the dummy pedal 8 is activated, i.e., the spring-biased pedal 10a and the second pedal 10b of the dummy pedal 8 are enabled. The respective springs 12 expand, so that the first pedal 10a and the second pedal 10b rise up from the floor 22 and the position represented in FIG. 3 is achieved.

[0051] In a second sub-step, in the manual driving mode at least one operating variable of the motor vehicle 2, in the present exemplary embodiment a deceleration of the motor vehicle 2, is now changed as a function of the position of the driver's right foot or the position of the first pedal 10a and/or an acceleration of the motor vehicle 2 is now changed as a function of the position of the driver's right foot or the position of the second pedal 10b.

[0052] The gesture recognition device 6 detects the position of the driver's right foot or the position of the first pedal 10a and/or the position of the second pedal 10b for this purpose and determines therefrom control signals for actuating the service brake system and/or the traction engine of the motor vehicle 2.

[0053] Thus, in the manual driving mode the driver can control or influence the motor vehicle 2 by means of gesture control. In this case, the gesture that causes the change from the self-driving mode into the manual driving mode is a movement indicative for example of emergency braking, whereas the gesture during the second sub-step is a position.

[0054] As a difference from the present exemplary embodiment, it can also be provided that the control unit 14 has requested the driver to take over control of the motor vehicle 2. In this case, as with the above second sub-step, in the manual driving mode at least one operating variable of the motor vehicle 2 is changed, for example a deceleration of the motor vehicle 2 as a function of the position of the driver's right foot or the position of the first pedal 10a and/or an acceleration of the motor vehicle 2 is changed as a function of the position of the driver's right foot or the position of the second pedal 10b.

[0055] Thus, when required a driver can take over control of the motor vehicle 2 in order to ensure road safety.

[0056] The disclosure has been described in an illustrative manner, and it is to be understood that the terminology which has been used is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation. Many modifications and variations of the present disclosure are possible in light of the above teachings, and the disclosure may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

REFERENCE CHARACTER LIST

[0057] 2 motor vehicle [0058] 4 footwell [0059] 6 gesture recognition device [0060] 8 dummy pedal [0061] 10a pedal [0062] 10b pedal [0063] 12 spring [0064] 14 control unit [0065] 16 camera [0066] 18 driver's seat [0067] 20 link [0068] 22 floor