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EP-4092589-B1 - CONTROLLER AND CONTROL METHOD FOR RIDE-SHARING VEHICLE

EP4092589B1EP 4092589 B1EP4092589 B1EP 4092589B1EP-4092589-B1

Inventors

  • UEKI, NOBUKAZU

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20220506

Claims (8)

  1. A controller (19) for a ride-sharing vehicle (VH), the controller (19) comprising: a memory (19b) that stores drop-off data (DRP) regarding a first user who gets off the ride-sharing vehicle (VH) and pick-up data (PIC) regarding a second user who gets on the ride-sharing vehicle (VH), the drop-off data (DRP) including data of a first scheduled position where drop-off is performed, and the pick-up data (PIC) including data of a second scheduled position where pick-up is performed; and a processor (19a) configured to execute vehicle control including at least one of the drop-off of the first user and the pick-up of the second user based on at least one of the drop-off data (DRP) and the pick-up data (PIC), wherein the vehicle control includes executing at least one of first zone setting processing and second zone setting processing based on at least one of the first scheduled position and the second scheduled position, the first zone setting processing being processing of setting a first zone where the drop-off is executed, on a road in front of the ride-sharing vehicle (VH), and the second zone setting processing being processing of setting a second zone where the pick-up is executed, on the road in front of the ride-sharing vehicle (VH), characterized in that the vehicle control further includes determining whether or not the first zone and the second zone overlap when both the first zone setting processing and the second zone setting processing are executed, setting, when determination is made that the first zone and the second zone do not overlap, a first target stop position of the ride-sharing vehicle (VH) within the first zone and setting a second target stop position of the ride-sharing vehicle (VH) within the second zone, and setting, when determination is made that the first zone and the second zone overlap, the second target stop position within the second zone, executing first zone resetting processing of resetting the first zone in a space not overlapping the second zone, and setting the first target stop position within the reset first zone.
  2. The controller (19) according to claim 1, wherein: the processor (19a) is configured to execute the second zone setting processing when a second distance between a current position of the ride-sharing vehicle (VH) and the second scheduled position is shorter than a second threshold value; and the second zone setting processing includes setting, when there is a plurality of the second scheduled positions each having the second distance shorter than the second threshold value, a candidate of the second zone for each of the second scheduled positions, determining whether or not the candidates of the second zone include a nearest second zone candidate having the second distance that is shortest and a second alternative candidate that is another candidate overlapping the nearest second zone candidate, setting the nearest second zone candidate as the second zone when determination is made that the candidates of the second zone include the nearest second zone candidate alone, and combining, when determination is made that the candidates of the second zone include the nearest second zone candidate and the second alternative candidate, the nearest second zone candidate and the second alternative candidate to set the second zone.
  3. The controller (19) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: the drop-off data (DRP) includes data of an attribute of the first user; the processor (19a) is configured to execute the first zone setting processing when a first distance between a current position of the ride-sharing vehicle (VH) and the first scheduled position is shorter than a first threshold value; and the first zone setting processing includes setting, when there is a plurality of the first scheduled positions each having the first distance shorter than the first threshold value, a candidate of the first zone for each of the first scheduled positions, determining whether or not the candidates of the first zone include a nearest first zone candidate having the first distance that is shortest and a first alternative candidate that is another candidate overlapping the nearest first zone candidate, setting the nearest first zone candidate as the first zone when determination is made that the candidates of the first zone include the nearest first zone candidate alone, and setting, when determination is made that the candidates of the first zone include the nearest first zone candidate and the first alternative candidate, the first zone based on the data of the attribute included in the same drop-off data (DRP) as the data of the first scheduled position used in the setting of the nearest first zone candidate and the first alternative candidate.
  4. The controller (19) according to claim 3, wherein: the ride-sharing vehicle (VH) includes a slope board configured to help drop-off of a vulnerable pedestrian; the attribute includes classifications of the vulnerable pedestrian; and the first zone setting processing includes determining, when determination is made that the candidates of the first zone include the nearest first zone candidate and the first alternative candidate, whether or not the data of the attribute included in the same drop-off data (DRP) as the data of the first scheduled position used in the setting of the nearest first zone candidate and the first alternative candidate includes data of the vulnerable pedestrian, and setting the first zone in a space where the slope board is expandable when determination is made that the data of the attribute includes the data of the vulnerable pedestrian.
  5. The controller (19) according to claim 4, wherein: the attribute further includes classifications of a quasi-vulnerable pedestrian; and the first zone setting processing includes determining whether or not the data of the attribute includes data of the quasi-vulnerable pedestrian when determination is made that the data of the attribute does not include the data of the vulnerable pedestrian, and setting the first zone in at least a flat space when determination is made that the data of the attribute includes the data of the quasi-vulnerable pedestrian.
  6. The controller (19) according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein the first zone resetting processing includes processing of resetting the first zone based on the data of the attribute included in the same drop-off data (DRP) as the data of the first scheduled position used in the setting of the nearest first zone candidate or the first alternative candidate in the first zone setting processing.
  7. The controller (19) according to claim 6, wherein: driving environment data of the ride-sharing vehicle (VH) is further stored in the memory (19b); the attribute includes classifications of a vulnerable pedestrian and a quasi-vulnerable pedestrian; and the first zone resetting processing includes determining whether or not the data of the attribute included in the same drop-off data (DRP) as the data of the first scheduled position used in the setting of the nearest first zone candidate or the first alternative candidate in the setting processing of the first zone includes data of the vulnerable pedestrian or the quasi-vulnerable pedestrian, and setting the first zone based on the driving environment data when determination is made that the data of the attribute does not include the data of the vulnerable pedestrian or the quasi-vulnerable pedestrian.
  8. A control method by a controller (19) for a ride-sharing vehicle (VH), the controller (19) including a memory (19b) and a processor (19a), the memory (19b) storing drop-off data (DRP) regarding a first user who gets off the ride-sharing vehicle (VH) and pick-up data (PIC) regarding a second user who gets on the ride-sharing vehicle (VH), the drop-off data (DRP) including data of a first scheduled position where drop-off is performed, the pick-up data (PIC) including data of a second scheduled position where pick-up is performed, and the processor (19a) being configured to execute vehicle control including at least one of the drop-off of the first user and the pick-up of the second user based on at least one of the drop-off data (DRP) and the pick-up data (PIC), the control method comprising: setting at least one of a first zone where the drop-off is executed and a second zone where the pick-up is executed, on a road in front of the ride-sharing vehicle (VH) based on at least one of the first scheduled position and the second scheduled position; characterized in that the control method further comprises: determining whether or not the first zone and the second zone overlap when both the first zone and the second zone are set; setting, when determination is made that the first zone and the second zone do not overlap, a first target stop position of the ride-sharing vehicle (VH) within the first zone and setting a second target stop position of the ride-sharing vehicle (VH) within the second zone; and setting, when determination is made that the first zone and the second zone overlap, the second target stop position within the second zone, resetting the first zone in a space not overlapping the second zone and setting the first target stop position within the reset first zone.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a controller and a method for controlling a vehicle that provides a ride-sharing service. 2. Description of Related Art Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication (Translation of PCT Application) No. 2020-531337 (JP 2020-531337 A) discloses a method for deciding a stop position of a vehicle that provides a pick-up service of a user. In the method, when a vehicle arrives around a destination, a set of candidates of the stop position is extracted. Based on information regarding a user who wants to get on a vehicle, a time needed for a user to get on the vehicle is estimated. Alternatively, based on information regarding a user who wants to get off a vehicle, a time needed for the user to get off the vehicle is estimated. The estimated time is compared with the set of extracted candidates. A specific candidate is selected as the stop position based on a result of the comparison. US 2021/0097452 A1 discloses an on-demand transport selection process based on pick-up/drop-off zone utilization. US 2020/0126419 A1 discloses an event vehicle dispatch, an event vehicle dispatch method, and a management system capable of dispatching vehicles in accordance with events US 2020/104770 A1 relates to a transportation management service for a number of passengers, including passengers with special needs, between various locations. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A vehicle (hereinafter, also referred to as a "ride-sharing vehicle") that provides a ride-sharing service is considered. In the ride-sharing service, it is assumed that, at the same time a first user gets off the ride-sharing vehicle, a second user gets on the ride-sharing vehicle. For this reason, the above method cannot be applied to a method of deciding a stop position of the ride-sharing vehicle directly. This is because the above method needs as a prerequisite a service based on on-demand pick-up of a user and does not assume pick-up of an unspecified large number of users. When the drop-off of the first user and the pick-up of the second user by the ride-sharing vehicle are performed at the same position, a getting-off operation of a first user to get off the vehicle is likely to interfere with a getting-on operation of the second user. The interference of the getting-on and getting-off operations of the first and second users is undesirable because of causing degradation of the safety of the first and second users. When the getting-on operation is performed before the getting-off operation, the completion of the getting-off operation is likely to be delayed. Such a delay is undesirable because of causing degradation of the convenience of the ride-sharing service. Accordingly, it is desired to develop a new technique focusing on the safety of the user and the convenience of the ride-sharing service. The invention provides a technique capable of securing the safety of a first user who gets off a ride-sharing vehicle and the safety of a second user who gets on the ride-sharing vehicle to improve the convenience of a ride-sharing service. A first aspect of the invention relates to a controller for a ride-sharing vehicle. The controller includes a memory and a processor. The memory stores drop-off data regarding a first user who gets off the ride-sharing vehicle and pick-up data regarding a second user who gets on the ride-sharing vehicle. The drop-off data includes data of a first scheduled position where drop-off is performed, and the pick-up data includes data of a second scheduled position where pick-up is performed. The processor is configured to execute vehicle control including at least one of the drop-off of the first user and the pick-up of the second user based on at least one of the drop-off data and the pick-up data. The vehicle control includes executing at least one of first zone setting processing and second zone setting processing based on at least one of the first scheduled position and the second scheduled position. The first zone setting processing is processing of setting a first zone where the drop-off is executed, on a road in front of the ride-sharing vehicle. The second zone setting processing is processing of setting a second zone where the pick-up is executed, on the road in front of the ride-sharing vehicle. The vehicle control includes determining whether or not the first zone and the second zone overlap when both the first zone setting processing and the second zone setting processing are executed. The vehicle control includes setting, when determination is made that the first zone and the second zone do not overlap, a first target stop position of the ride-sharing vehicle within the first zone and setting a second target stop position of the ride-sharing vehicle within the second zone. The vehicle control includes setting, when determination is made that the first zone and the second zone overlap, the second target stop position within the second