METHOD FOR OPERATING A MOTOR VEHICLE IN A COLLISION SITUATION AND MOTOR VEHICLE

Abstract

A method for operating a motor vehicle in the event of an unavoidable collision with a collision object, in particular another vehicle. Environment data relating to the collision object are determined by an environment sensor device including at least one environment sensor and are evaluated to determine at least one driving intervention information for reducing the consequences of a collision. The motor vehicle is automatically guided in accordance with the driving intervention information, and the evaluation of the environment data is carried out together with structural information of the own motor vehicle describing the vehicle structure, in particular including elements absorbing collision energy of the motor vehicle, in such a way that a changed collision point maximizing the deformation energy absorbed by the vehicle structure and to be produced by the driving intervention information is determined when the driving intervention information is determined.

Claims

1-10. (canceled)

11. A method for operating a motor vehicle in the event of an unavoidable collision with a collision object, in particular a further vehicle, comprising: environment data relating to the collision object are determined by an environment sensor device comprising at least one environment sensor and are evaluated to determine at least one driving intervention information for collision consequence reduction, wherein the motor vehicle is automatically guided in accordance with the driving intervention information, wherein the evaluation of the environment data is carried out together with structural information of the own motor vehicle describing the vehicle structure, in particular comprising elements absorbing collision energy of the motor vehicle, in such a way that a changed collision point maximizing the deformation energy absorbed by the vehicle structure and to be produced by the driving intervention information is determined when the driving intervention information is determined.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein at least one communication information describing at least one property of the collision object is received via a communication device designed for motor vehicle-to-motor vehicle communication, in particular transmitted by the collision object, and is taken into account in determining the changed collision point.

13. The method according to claim 11, Wherein structural information of the collision object is determined from the environment data and/or the communication information, and the determination of the changed collision point is carried out taking into account the structural information of both the own motor vehicle and the collision object.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein a vehicle type of the collision object is determined from the environment data and/or the communication information, wherein the structure information is retrieved from a database using the vehicle type.

15. The method according to claim 11, wherein in addition to maximizing the deformation energy, the aim is also to minimize the penetration depth and/or a maximum permissible penetration depth when determining the changed collision point.

16. The method according to claim 11, wherein the determination of the deformation energy from a deformation path is carried out in an energy grid method.

17. The method according to claim 11, wherein occupant information describing the position of occupants within the motor vehicle, in particular determined by an occupancy detection device, and/or vital information describing acceleration forces which should act maximally on the occupants is also used in determining the changed collision point.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the occupant information is used to detect clearances of the passenger cell of the motor vehicle which are available for deformations during the collision.

19. The method according to claim 11, wherein the motor vehicle is guided completely automatically by a vehicle system.

20. A motor vehicle, comprising an environment sensor device and a control unit wherein environment data relating to the collision object are determined by the environment sensor device comprising at least one environment sensor and are evaluated to determine at least one driving intervention information for collision consequence reduction, wherein the motor vehicle is automatically guided in accordance with the driving intervention information, wherein the evaluation of the environment data is carried out together with structural information of the own motor vehicle describing the vehicle structure, in particular comprising elements absorbing collision energy of the motor vehicle, in such a way that a changed collision point maximizing the deformation energy absorbed by the vehicle structure and to be produced by the driving intervention information is determined when the driving intervention information is determined.

21. The method according to claim 12, Wherein structural information of the collision object is determined from the environment data and/or the communication information, and the determination of the changed collision point is carried out taking into account the structural information of both the own motor vehicle and the collision object.

22. The method according to claim 12, wherein in addition to maximizing the deformation energy, the aim is also to minimize the penetration depth and/or a maximum permissible penetration depth when determining the changed collision point.

23. The method according to claim 13, wherein in addition to maximizing the deformation energy, the aim is also to minimize the penetration depth and/or a maximum permissible penetration depth when determining the changed collision point.

24. The method according to claim 14, wherein in addition to maximizing the deformation energy, the aim is also to minimize the penetration depth and/or a maximum permissible penetration depth when determining the changed collision point.

25. The method according to claim 12, wherein the determination of the deformation energy from a deformation path is carried out in an energy grid method.

26. The method according to claim 13, wherein the determination of the deformation energy from a deformation path is carried out in an energy grid method.

27. The method according to claim 14, wherein the determination of the deformation energy from a deformation path is carried out in an energy grid method.

28. The method according to claim 15, wherein the determination of the deformation energy from a deformation path is carried out in an energy grid method.

29. The method according to claim 12, wherein occupant information describing the position of occupants within the motor vehicle, in particular determined by an occupancy detection device, and/or vital information describing acceleration forces which should act maximally on the occupants is also used in determining the changed collision point.

30. The method according to claim 13, wherein occupant information describing the position of occupants within the motor vehicle, in particular determined by an occupancy detection device, and/or vital information describing acceleration forces which should act maximally on the occupants is also used in determining the changed collision point.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0039] Further advantages and details of the present invention will be apparent from the exemplary embodiments described below and from the drawing. Showing:

[0040] FIG. 1 a flow chart of an exemplary embodiment of the method according to the invention,

[0041] FIG. 2 a side view of a motor vehicle with collision energy absorbing elements,

[0042] FIG. 3 a front view of the motor vehicle of FIG. 2,

[0043] FIG. 4 a sketch explaining the choice of a collision point, and

[0044] FIG. 5 a schematic sketch of a motor vehicle according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0045] FIG. 1 shows a flow diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a method according to the invention. In the present case, a collision situation between a motor vehicle and another vehicle is assumed as the collision object. The collision is unavoidable in this case.

[0046] In this case, the unavoidability of the impending collision is determined in a step S1. Accordingly, preparatory information is determined in steps S2 and S3, specifically collision information in step S2 and structural information concerning the further vehicle in step S3. In both step S2 and step S3, both environment data 1 of an environment sensor device of the motor vehicle and communication information 2 sent from the further vehicle and received by means of a communication device of the motor vehicle are evaluated. The collision information determined in step S2 comprises, for example, a time to collision (TTC), i.e. collision time, a collision speed and/or a collision angle, wherein a collision position at which the other vehicle and the motor vehicle first make contact during the collision is also determined as the original collision point.

[0047] Since structural information is already available for the vehicle, corresponding structural information is also determined for the other vehicle in step S3. The structural information for the own vehicle and the other vehicle describes, in general terms, the collision properties of the own vehicle and the other vehicle, in particular which deformations occur and how much deformation energy is absorbed, i.e. how much collision energy is consumed for the corresponding deformations. The structural information describes the structural design of the respective vehicles, i.e. the vehicle body itself. The structural information thus includes, for example, information on the vehicle body, in particular on specific elements of the same and/or on other elements stabilizing the motor vehicle, such as cross members and/or side members. Furthermore, the structural information also includes relevant other components of the vehicle body, for example information on the engine, which can also absorb collision energy in the form of deformations. At least some of the elements described by the structural information are associated with energy data describing how the elements are able to absorb collision energy and convert it into deformation. Of course, the structural information also describes how the elements it contains are mechanically coupled. Energy data can describe mechanical and/or design properties of the respective elements, for example their stiffness and/or material.

[0048] In particular, a model for calculating the collision for a specific collision point can be derived from the structural information and/or this model can already be directly contained in the structural information.

[0049] In order to determine structural information also for the further vehicle in step S3, two main ways are conceivable, which can also be used in combination. On the one hand, after the environment sensor device contains at least one camera and at least one radar sensor as environment sensors, it is possible to evaluate optical environment data in order to draw conclusions about relevant elements of the vehicle body, for example to detect doors, flaps, windows, a radiator grille, mudguards and the like, also with regard to their shape and relative position. However, it is preferred to determine a vehicle type from the communication information 2 or also from the optical environment data 1, specifically vehicle type information describing the vehicle type, in order to use it to retrieve the structural information for the further vehicle from a database, which may be available within the motor vehicle, for example, or may also be accessed via a communication link, for example on a back-end facility on the Internet.

[0050] FIG. 2 shows an example of a schematic side view of a motor vehicle 1 with a body 4, wherein the motor vehicle has a plurality of collision-relevant elements 5 that can be described by the structural information. For example, the elements 5 can be made of high-strength steel and/or solid steel and/or be side and cross members. FIG. 3 shows a corresponding front view, in which the motor 6 is also shown as a collision-relevant element.

[0051] In a step S4, the respective structural information is used to find, starting from the original collision point, an improved, changed collision point in the space still reachable by driving interventions, for which the deformation energy absorbed by the vehicle structure is maximized. This means that an optimization method is used to find a collision point for which as much collision energy as possible is converted into deformation energy. In this case, the penetration depth of the other vehicle into the own vehicle 3 is also limited or, secondarily, minimized, in this case with a lower weighting. Finally, occupant information and vital information provided from an occupancy detection device, for example, for detecting seat occupancy, also enter step S4. In this way, further free spaces available for deformation that are not occupied by occupants can be determined and optimization can be performed with regard to the positions of the occupants. Furthermore, due to the vital information, too strong accelerations at the occupants' positions can be avoided.

[0052] For example, the models of the motor vehicle 3 and the other vehicle contained in or derivable from the structural information can be used to initially determine deformation paths by simulation and/or analytical calculation. With the help of the energy grid method, corresponding deformation energies can be derived from these deformation paths. Corresponding methodologies have already been proposed in the field of accident analysis and can also be used in the context of the present invention.

[0053] In summary, in step S4 an energetic consideration is carried out in order to maximize the deformation energy while limiting the penetration depth of the further vehicle, i.e. to select an impact position in such a way that a large part of the collision energy is converted into deformation energy and the occupants and the own motor vehicle 3 are optimally protected. This will be explained again in more detail with reference to FIG. 4, which again indicates the motor vehicle 3 and some relevant elements 5, in particular also the motor 6. Furthermore, two conceivable positions 8, 9 of the further vehicle 7 as collision object with the respective collision points 10, 11 are indicated once with a solid line and once dashed. If, for example, the position 8 of the further vehicle 7 is assumed to be the same as the original position point 10, it should be noted that the original collision point 10 is not located on an element 5 or the motor 6, but only on chassis parts, as a result of which only a small proportion of the collision energy can be absorbed and a higher penetration depth of the further vehicle 7 into the vehicle structure of the own motor vehicle 3 results. However, in contrast, the dashed position 9 has a changed collision point 11, which is located on a structural point that can absorb a lot of collision energy. In this way, the harmful influences on the occupants are reduced.

[0054] Advantageously, in step S4 the structural information of both the own motor vehicle 3 and the further vehicle 7 is taken into account, so that the vehicle structure of both vehicles 3, 7, which can also be referred to as the crash structure in its collision-relevant portion, can be optimally utilized.

[0055] In a step S5 of FIG. 1, driving intervention information for which the driving interventions described herein bring about the optimum changed collision point 11 determined in step S4 is determined accordingly. By means of a vehicle system designed for fully automatic guidance of the motor vehicle 3, the driving interventions described by the driving intervention information, in particular comprising lateral and/or longitudinal interventions, are implemented in a step S6.

[0056] It should also be noted that a continuous update, in particular by further tracking of the collision object in the environment data 1, is expediently carried out in order to also be able to react to maneuvers of the further vehicle 7. Coordination can also take place via the aforementioned motor vehicle-to-motor vehicle communication. Especially with such a coordination, the optimization in step S4 can also be performed in such a way that an optimal, changed collision point 11 results for the further vehicle 7 as well.

[0057] The method described here is ideally used when the own motor vehicle 3 is operated partially or completely automatically, wherein it is also possible to use it during manual operation, in which case the manual control options can be blocked for a short time before the collision.

[0058] FIG. 5 shows ultimately a functional principle sketch of a vehicle motor 3 according to the invention. As already mentioned, this firstly has the environment sensor device 12, which in this case has at least one radar sensor 13 and at least one camera 14 as environment sensors. The environment data of the environment sensor device 12, just like the communication information of a communication device 15 and an occupant information of an occupancy detection device 16, are provided to a control unit 17 of a safety system 18 which is designed to carry out the method according to the invention. The control unit 17 may also store the structural information of the own motor vehicle 3. A database containing structural information of various vehicle types is preferably addressable via the Internet by means of a corresponding interface of the communication device 15.

[0059] To implement the driving intervention information, the control unit 17 can control a vehicle system 19 designed for fully automatic vehicle guidance of the motor vehicle 3.