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DE-102016205972-B4 - Methods for the autonomous or semi-autonomous execution of a cooperative driving maneuver

DE102016205972B4DE 102016205972 B4DE102016205972 B4DE 102016205972B4DE-102016205972-B4

Abstract

Method for autonomously or semi-autonomously performing a cooperative driving maneuver, characterized in that a maneuvering vehicle (10) which plans the execution of a driving maneuver performs the following steps: - Determining a maneuvering area (12) of a road (14) in which the driving maneuver is potentially executable, - Communicate with one or more vehicles (16, 18, 20) via vehicle-to-vehicle communication to detect one or more cooperating vehicles (20) that are expected to be within the maneuver area (12) during the execution of the driving maneuver, and - Adapting its own driving behavior to the expected driving behavior of one or more cooperation vehicles (20) in order to execute the planned driving maneuver, characterized in that the maneuvering vehicle (10) performs the following steps to detect the one or more cooperation vehicles (20): - Determining the message formats of messages received via vehicle-to-vehicle communication; and - Identifying one or more potential cooperation vehicles (18, 20) based on the message format sent by these vehicles (18, 20), whereby vehicles sending Environmental Perception Messages, EPM, are considered as potential cooperation vehicles.

Inventors

  • Monique Engel
  • Bernd Rech
  • Stefan Gläser
  • Teodor Buburuzan
  • Bernd Lehmann
  • Sandra KLEINAU
  • Hendrik-Jörn Günther
  • Johannes HARTOG

Assignees

  • VOLKSWAGEN AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20160411

Claims (10)

  1. A method for the autonomous or semi-autonomous execution of a cooperative driving maneuver, characterized in that a maneuvering vehicle (10), which plans the execution of a driving maneuver, performs the following steps: - Determining a maneuvering area (12) of a road (14) in which the driving maneuver is potentially executable, - Communicating with one or more vehicles (16, 18, 20) via vehicle-to-vehicle communication in order to detect one or more cooperative vehicles (20) which are expected to be within the maneuvering area (12) during the execution of the driving maneuver, and - Adapting its own driving behavior to the expected driving behavior of the one or more cooperative vehicles (20) in order to execute the planned driving maneuver, characterized in that the maneuvering vehicle (10) performs the following steps to detect the one or more cooperative vehicles (20): - Determining the message formats of the messages received via vehicle-to-vehicle communication; and - Identifying one or more potential cooperation vehicles (18, 20) based on the message format sent by these vehicles (18, 20), whereby vehicles sending Environmental Perception Messages, EPM, are considered as potential cooperation vehicles.
  2. Procedure according to Claim 1 , characterized in that the maneuvering vessel (10) determines an approach time period in which it is expected to reach the maneuvering area (12).
  3. A method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the maneuvering vehicle (10) performs one, several, or all of the following steps to detect one or more cooperation vehicles (20): - Determining approach areas (22) of the road (14) from which the maneuvering area (12) is theoretically reachable within the approach period; - Determining one or more potential cooperation vehicles (18, 20) located in the approach areas (22) using data received via vehicle-to-vehicle communication; - Predicting the driving behavior of each potential cooperation vehicle using data received via vehicle-to-vehicle communication; - Predicting its own driving behavior; - Comparing the predicted driving behavior of one or more potential cooperation vehicles (18, 20) with its own predicted driving behavior to identify one or more cooperation vehicles (20).
  4. A method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the maneuvering vehicle (10) continuously detects and evaluates the development of free areas (24) between vehicles (16, 18, 20) and preferably performs one, several, or all of the following steps: - Determining the minimum size of a free area (24) for carrying out the driving maneuver, preferably depending on the speed at which the free area (24) is moving, the vehicle dimensions of the maneuvering vehicle (10), and/or a safety distance; - Comparing the size of the detected free areas (24) with the determined minimum size; - Selecting a suitable free area (24) which is expected to be located within the maneuvering area (12) during the planned execution of the maneuver and which will have at least the minimum size required to carry out the driving maneuver.
  5. Procedure according to Claim 4 , characterized in that the adaptation of the driving behavior of the maneuvering vehicle (10) to the expected driving behavior of one or more cooperation vehicles (20) comprises the following step: - Adapting the trajectory of the maneuvering vehicle (10) to reach the selected free area (24) when it is located within the maneuvering area (12), wherein a check regarding feasibility preferably takes place cyclically during the approach to the free area (24).
  6. A method according to one of the preceding claims, comprising the following steps: - Determining a maneuvering area (28) of a road (30) in which a driving maneuver of a vehicle can be expected, - Communicating the cooperating vehicle (26) with one or more vehicles (32, 34) via vehicle-to-vehicle communication in order to detect a maneuvering vehicle (34) that is planning to execute a driving maneuver and is during the execution of the driving maneuver, it is expected to be within the maneuver area (28), and - adapting the driving behavior of the cooperating vehicle (26) to the expected driving behavior of the maneuvering vehicle (34) in order to support the planned driving maneuver of the maneuvering vehicle (34).
  7. Procedure according to Claim 6 , characterized in that the cooperation vehicle (26) determines the maneuver area (28) and/or an approach period in which it is expected to reach the maneuver area (28).
  8. Procedure according to Claim 6 or 7 , characterized in that the cooperating vehicle (26) performs one, several or all of the following steps to detect the maneuvering vehicle: - Determining the message formats of the messages received via vehicle-to-vehicle communication; - Determining one or more potential maneuvering vehicles (34) based on the message format sent by these vehicles (34); - Determining approach areas (36) of the road (30) from which the maneuvering area (28) is theoretically reachable within the approach period; - Identifying one or more potential maneuvering vehicles (34) located in the approach areas (36) using data received via vehicle-to-vehicle communication, - Predicting the driving behavior of each potential maneuvering vehicle using data received via vehicle-to-vehicle communication, - Predicting one's own driving behavior, - Comparing the predicted driving behavior of one or more potential maneuvering vehicles (34) with the predicted own driving behavior to identify one or more maneuvering vehicles (34).
  9. Procedure according to one of the Claims 6 until 8 , characterized in that the adaptation of the driving behavior of the cooperation vehicle (26) to the expected driving behavior of the maneuvering vehicle comprises the following step: - Adapting the trajectory of the cooperation vehicle to enlarge a free area (38) in which the driving maneuver of the maneuvering vehicle can be carried out within the maneuvering area (28).
  10. Vehicle (10, 26), comprising - a communication device (40) for communicating with other vehicles via vehicle-to-vehicle communication, and - a control device (42) for autonomously or semi-autonomously performing a driving maneuver, wherein the vehicle (10, 26) is configured to perform the procedure for autonomously or semi-autonomously carrying out a cooperative driving maneuver according to one of the Claims 1 until 9 to be used as a maneuvering vessel (10) and/or a cooperation vessel (26).

Description

The invention relates to a method for the autonomous or semi-autonomous execution of a cooperative driving maneuver and a vehicle. A cooperative driving maneuver typically involves at least two vehicles: a maneuvering vehicle that plans the execution of a driving maneuver, and at least one cooperation vehicle with which the maneuvering vehicle cooperates to realize the planned driving maneuver. In principle, both the maneuvering vehicle and the cooperating vehicle can adjust their driving behavior so that the planned driving maneuver of the maneuvering vehicle can be implemented. Adaptive cruise control systems are already in use in current technology, assisting the driver in maintaining a suitable distance to the vehicle in front. Such systems are known, for example, as Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) and Automatic Distance Control (ADR). These systems continuously monitor the distance to the vehicle ahead, and this distance is used as a control variable when adjusting the vehicle's speed. Vehicles will increasingly be equipped with communication systems or services. One type of service establishes a communication link between vehicles or from a vehicle to infrastructure, such as a traffic light. These concepts are referred to as Car-to-Car systems, Car-to-Infrastructure systems, or Car-to-X systems, where X is a placeholder for any infrastructure facilities, other vehicles, and other road users. Other common terms include Car2C, Car2X, C2C, and C2X systems, Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) systems, Vehicle-to-Infrastructure (V2I) systems, and Vehicle-to-X (V2X) systems. This communication between vehicles or between vehicles and infrastructure is also fundamentally suitable for supporting cooperative driving maneuvers. However, during the journey, a vehicle will communicate with a large number of different vehicles, at least some of which are not suitable for jointly carrying out a cooperative driving maneuver. DE102013013867A1 describes a motor vehicle with a driver assistance system that uses ego and environment data to predict future driving situations for a time interval and, if a dependent switching condition is met, temporarily switches from the driver-controlled first mode to a second, autonomously controlling mode without the possibility of intervention by the driver, in which driving operation continues. DE102014216257A1 The invention describes a method for determining a driving strategy in which a neighboring vehicle and its surrounding data are recorded. From this data, an impending change in the neighboring vehicle's movement is predicted, whereupon the invention adjusts the vehicle's own driving strategy accordingly. The invention also includes a corresponding driver assistance system and a motor vehicle equipped with this system. DE102007015032A1 This describes a method and a device for assessing the criticality of traffic situations for collision avoidance or mitigation. An object on a crossing collision course is detected from environmental data, and the collision zone is determined. Several possible acceleration and deceleration values are assumed for the vehicle and/or the object; for each combination, the overlap period during which both are simultaneously in the collision zone is calculated. The totality of these predicted time overlaps forms the basis of the criticality assessment; a control unit executes the method. DE102014215980A1 This describes a method for operating a driver assistance system in automatic driving mode that takes over longitudinal and lateral control of a vehicle. The goal is cooperative behavior towards a neighboring vehicle: An impending lane change into the vehicle's own lane is detected, the expected time gap after the lane change (tpred) is calculated, and compared with a minimum time gap (t). If tpred is less than t, the system executes a longitudinal control maneuver in the vehicle's own lane to increase the time gap to at least t. DE102015214689A1 This describes a system for vehicles that uses position data and environmental data received from other vehicles (especially regarding a first lane) to calculate the vehicle's own trajectory and check whether it intersects the trajectory of an object or another vehicle. When planning a lane change or lane crossing, a collision probability is determined for a future period and checked against a defined threshold. The invention is based on the objective of providing a means which, by means of vehicle-to-vehicle communication, allows vehicles to be identified for the joint execution of a cooperative driving maneuver and then the cooperative driving maneuver to be carried out. This problem is solved by a method according to claim 1, a method according to claim 6 or a vehicle according to claim 10. In the inventive method of claim 1, a maneuvering vehicle planning to execute a driving maneuver identifies a maneuvering area on a road in which the maneuver is potentially feasible. The maneuvering vehicle then communicates with on