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EP-4737216-A1 - AUTOMATIC TURN SIGNAL CANCELLATION FOR VEHICLE LANE CHANGES BASED ON MONITORED VEHICLE POSITION IN DRIVING LANES

EP4737216A1EP 4737216 A1EP4737216 A1EP 4737216A1EP-4737216-A1

Abstract

Automatic turn signal cancellation for vehicle lane changes based on monitored vehicle position in driving lanes. The automatic turn signal cancellation system includes a computer system configured to cancel turn signaling for completed vehicle lane changes based on rate of change of vehicle position from a current driving lane (302) to a new driving lane (304) (i.e., lane change rate 524) using monitoring vehicle position relative to driving lanes. The automatic turn signal cancellation system determines start of vehicle lane change rate (524) based on monitoring vehicle position relative to the current driving lane (302). The automatic turn signal cancellation system then determines vehicle lane change rate (524) to the new driving lane (304) based on monitoring vehicle position relative to the new driving lane (304). As the lane change is completed, the lane change rate (524) to the new driving lane stabilizes, which is then used to detect lane change completion to cancel turn signaling.

Inventors

  • DE BRITO, David
  • BARRELLON, Remi
  • GONZALEZ MOSQUERA, Oriana

Assignees

  • Volvo Truck Corporation

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20241105

Claims (15)

  1. An automatic turn signal cancellation system (208; 508; 708) comprising processing circuitry (504; 704) configured to, in response to activation of a turn signal (104A, 108A; 104B, 108B) in a vehicle (100) in a current driving lane (302): monitor a position of the vehicle relative to the current driving lane (302); detect the vehicle entering into a new driving lane (304) adjacent to the current driving lane (302) based on the monitored position of the vehicle; and in response to detecting the vehicle entering into the new driving lane: determine a vehicle lane change rate (524) indicating a rate of change in position of the vehicle entering into the new driving lane; and cancel the turn signal (104A, 108A; 104B, 108B) based on the vehicle lane change rate (524) of the vehicle entering into the new driving lane (304).
  2. The automatic turn signal cancellation system of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry (504; 704) is configured to cancel the turn signal (104A, 108A; 104B, 108B) by being configured to: cancel the turn signal based on the vehicle lane change rate (524) of the vehicle entering into the new driving lane being below a lane change rate threshold (526).
  3. The automatic turn signal cancellation system of any one of claim 1-2, wherein the processing circuitry (504; 704) is configured to detect the vehicle entering into the new driving lane by being configured to: detect a designated area of the vehicle crossing a lane marker between the current driving lane (302) and the new driving lane (304) based on the monitored position of the vehicle.
  4. The automatic turn signal cancellation system of claim 3, wherein the processing circuitry (504; 704) is configured to detect the designated area of the vehicle crossing the lane marker between the current driving lane and the new driving lane by being configured to: determine a distance between the designated area of the vehicle and the lane marker based on the monitored position of the vehicle; and detect a change between a maximum distance between the designated area of the vehicle and the lane marker and a minimum distance between the designated area of the vehicle and the lane marker.
  5. The automatic turn signal cancellation system of claim 2, wherein in response to detecting the vehicle entering into the new driving lane, the processing circuitry (504; 704) is further configured to: determine an initial vehicle lane change rate (524I) of the vehicle entering into the new driving lane over a first time period after detecting the vehicle entering the new driving lane; and set the lane change rate threshold (526) based on the determined initial vehicle lane change rate (524I).
  6. The automatic turn signal cancellation system of claim 5, wherein: the processing circuitry (504; 704) is further configured to, in response to detecting the vehicle (100) entering into the new driving lane: sample a plurality of second positions of the vehicle relative to the new driving lane over the first time period; and the processing circuity (504; 704) is configured to determine the initial vehicle lane change rate by being configured to: determine the initial vehicle lane change rate (524I) of the vehicle entering into the new driving lane based on the sampled plurality of second positions of the vehicle over the first time period.
  7. The automatic turn signal cancellation system of claim 5, wherein the processing circuitry (504; 704) is configured to determine the vehicle lane change rate of the vehicle entering into the new driving lane by being configured to: sample a plurality of third positions of the vehicle relative to the new driving lane over a second time period following the first time period; and determine the vehicle lane change rate of the vehicle entering into the new driving lane based on the sampled plurality of third positions of the vehicle over the second time period.
  8. The automatic turn signal cancellation system of claim 7, wherein the processing circuitry (504; 704) is configured to cancel the turn signal by being configured to: cancel the turn signal based on the vehicle lane change rate of the vehicle entering into the new driving lane being below the lane change rate threshold.
  9. The automatic turn signal cancellation system of any preceding claims, wherein the processing circuitry (504; 704) is further configured to: receive a distance indicator from a distance sensor on the vehicle indicative of distance of a designated area of the vehicle relative to a lane marker line of a driving lane of the vehicle; and monitor the position of the vehicle relative to the current driving lane by being configured to: determine the position as a distance of the designated area of the vehicle relative to the current driving lane based on the distance indicator from the distance sensor.
  10. The automatic turn signal cancellation system of claim 9, wherein the processing circuitry (504; 704) is further configured to: receive a distance indicator from a left distance sensor (212L) on the vehicle indicative of distance of the vehicle relative to a left-side lane marker line of a driving lane of the vehicle; receive a right distance indicator from a right distance sensor (212R) on the vehicle indicative of distance of the vehicle relative to a right-side lane marker line of the driving lane of the vehicle; and monitor the position of the vehicle relative to the current driving lane by being configured to: determine a left distance of the designated area of the vehicle relative to the left-side lane marker line of the current driving lane based on the left distance indicator from the left distance sensor; determine a right distance of the designated area of the vehicle relative to a right-side lane marker line of the current driving lane based on the right distance indicator from the right distance sensor; and determine the position of the vehicle relative to the current driving lane as the closest distance among the left distance and the right distance.
  11. The automatic turn signal cancellation system of claim 10, wherein the processing circuitry (504; 704) is further configured to: detect a failed distance sensor among the left distance sensor based on the left distance indicator indicating a failure and the right distance sensor based on the right distance indicator indicating a failure; and determine the position of the vehicle relative to the current driving lane as a distance among the left distance and the right distance from a distance sensor not detected as the failed distance sensor.
  12. A vehicle (100) comprising the automatic turn signal cancellation system of any of claims 1-11.
  13. A computer-implemented method of automatically canceling a turn signal in a vehicle, comprising, in a processing circuitry: monitoring (602), by the processing circuitry, a position of the vehicle (100) relative to a current driving lane (302); detecting (604), by the processing circuitry, the vehicle entering into a new driving lane (404) adjacent to the current driving lane (302) based on the monitored position (D, 520) of the vehicle; and in response (606) to detecting the vehicle entering into the new driving lane: determining (608), by the processing circuitry, a vehicle lane change rate (524) indicating a rate of change in position (D, 520) of the vehicle entering into the new driving lane; and canceling (610), by the processing circuitry, the turn signal based on the vehicle lane change rate of the vehicle entering into the new driving lane.
  14. A computer program product comprising program code for performing, when executed by the processing circuitry, the method of claim 13.
  15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions, which, when executed by the processing circuitry, cause the processing circuitry to perform the method of claim 13.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The disclosure relates generally to turn signal operation in vehicles. In particular aspects, the disclosure relates to a dynamically-controlled automatic turn signal cancellation in a vehicle in response to a lane change completion, including highway lane changes. The disclosure can be applied to heavy-duty vehicles, such as trucks, buses, and construction equipment, among other vehicle types. Although the disclosure may be described with respect to a particular vehicle, the disclosure is not restricted to any particular vehicle. BACKGROUND A vehicle is equipped with a turn signal indicator that can be activated by a driver to activate turn signaling on the vehicle to provide a visual indication of intention of the driver. The driver can manually cancel a turn signal activation, but the vehicle is also equipped with an automatic turn signal cancellation system configured to automatically cancel previously-activated turn signaling (e.g., activated through a turn signal stalk) in response to detecting a vehicle turn is completed. In response to activation of a turn signal, an automatic turn signal cancellation system can be configured to determine if the turn is completed, to in turn cancel the turn signal based on changes in steering wheel angle. However, it may be difficult for an automatic turn signal cancellation system to distinguish between a normal turn and a lane change for controlling the cancellation of a turn signal. For example, at higher vehicle speeds, the steering wheel angle may not change as significantly in a lane change, such as a highway lane change, as in a normal turn or highway exit. Thus, it may be difficult for an automatic turn signal cancellation system to detect the difference between a normal turn and a highway lane change based on a smaller steering wheel angle change that typically occurs in a highway lane change. However, it is still desired to support automatic turn signal cancellation in response to a driver activating a turn signal for a lane change and then completing the lane change. SUMMARY Exemplary aspects disclosed herein include automatic turn signal cancellation for vehicle lane changes based on monitored vehicle position in driving lanes. A vehicle is equipped with a turn signal indicator that can be activated by a driver (e.g., by activating a turn signal stalk) to activate turn signaling on the vehicle to provide a visual indication of intention of the driver. The driver can manually cancel a turn signal activation. The vehicle is also equipped with an automatic turn signal cancellation system configured to automatically cancel previously activated turn signaling in response to detecting a vehicle turn is completed. In exemplary aspects, the automatic turn signal cancellation system includes a computer system that is configured to cancel turn signaling for completed vehicle lane changes (e.g., highway lane changes) based on the rate of change of the vehicle relative to a current and new driving lane (i.e., lane change rate) by monitoring a position of the vehicle relative to the driving lanes. The automatic turn signal cancellation system determines the vehicle lane change rate based on monitoring the position of the vehicle relative to a new driving lane. As the lane change is completed, the lane change rate to the new driving lane will reduce and become more stable, which can be used as an indication that the lane change is completed to in turn cancel turn signaling for the lane change. Using a monitored vehicle position to detect a vehicle lane change and its completion is more accurate than using steering wheel angle / wheel angle, for example. This is because rate of change of a steering wheel angle / wheel angle is an indirect method of determining change in vehicle position. Also, steering wheel angle / wheel angle also varies significantly for the exact same lane change rate when a vehicle is moving at a faster speed versus a slower speed, thus making it difficult or not possible to accurately correlate angle change to vehicle position and lane change rate. However, monitoring vehicle position relative to a driving lane is a direct way to determine lane change rate. Thus, monitoring vehicle position relative to a driving lane to determine vehicle lane change rate can be used as a direct and more accurate method of detecting vehicle lane change and its completion. Monitoring vehicle position relative to a driving lane to determine lane change rate for detecting vehicle lane change and its completion may also be safer as well as being more accurate. In this regard, in an exemplary aspect, for the automatic turn signal cancellation system to detect completion of a vehicle lane change to cancel turn signaling, the automatic turn signal cancellation system is configured to monitor vehicle position relative to a current driving lane. The automatic turn signal cancellation system monitors vehicle position relative to a current driving lane to det