JP2016016762A - Vehicle control system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a vehicle control system capable of recognizing a feature of a distant road in controlling a vehicular travel.SOLUTION: A vehicle control part 1, for use in controlling a vehicle V, includes: a road recognition part 6 for recognizing a feature of a road on the basis of a pickup image; a driver state detection part 2 for detecting whether abnormality occurs to a driver; an emergency-time travel control part 4 for controlling a travel of the vehicle V on the basis of the feature of the road recognized by the road recognition part 6 in the case of occurrence of abnormality of the driver being detected; and a light control part 5 for controlling a headlight 13 incorporated in the vehicle V so as to control under a high-beam before the emergency-time travel control part 4 starts to control travelling of the vehicle V.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle control system.

  Conventionally, various systems for controlling a vehicle have been proposed, such as a system for controlling steering so that the vehicle does not deviate from the lane, and a system for automatically stopping the vehicle. In addition, a system for stopping the vehicle by reducing the speed of the vehicle in an emergency is considered. The emergency here includes a case where an abnormality occurs in the driver, for example, when the driver's consciousness level is lowered.

  Moreover, as another system for controlling the vehicle, for example, there is one described in Patent Document 1. This Patent Document 1 describes a system that controls lighting of a headlight of a vehicle.

JP 2012-48643 A

  In recent years, it has been considered to automatically control the traveling of a vehicle in an emergency in which an abnormality occurs in the driver of the vehicle. In order to appropriately control the vehicle, it is necessary to grasp the shape of a distant road and control the vehicle according to the grasped shape of the road.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle control system that can recognize the shape of a distant road when controlling the traveling of the vehicle.

  A vehicle control system according to one aspect of the present invention is a vehicle control system that controls a vehicle, and recognizes whether or not an abnormality has occurred in a road recognition unit that recognizes the shape of a road based on a captured image. An abnormality detection unit that detects whether or not an abnormality has occurred in the driver by the abnormality detection unit, and a travel control unit that controls the traveling of the vehicle based on the shape of the road recognized by the road recognition unit; And a light control unit that controls the headlight so that the headlight mounted on the vehicle becomes a high beam before the control unit starts controlling the traveling of the vehicle.

  In this vehicle control system device, an abnormality occurs in the driver, and the headlight becomes a high beam before the control unit starts controlling the vehicle. Thereby, it becomes bright to the far position in front of the vehicle, and the road recognition unit can recognize the shape of the far road. In addition, the travel control unit can control the travel of the vehicle with high accuracy based on the shape of the road far away recognized by the road recognition unit.

  The light control unit may switch the headlight to a high beam when the headlight is in a low beam state. Here, the state in which the headlight is a low beam is a state in which the driver lights the headlight because the surroundings of the vehicle are dark. Therefore, when the headlight is a low beam, the headlight can be switched to a high beam when the surroundings of the vehicle are dark by switching the headlight to a high beam. Thereby, even when the surroundings of the vehicle are dark, the road recognition unit can recognize the shape of a distant road.

  The road recognition unit may recognize the shape of the road based on the white line of the road or the boundary line of the road. In this case, the road recognition unit can easily recognize the shape of the road based on the white line or the boundary line of the road.

  The travel control unit may control the steering and the brake so that the vehicle travels while decelerating along the shape of the road recognized by the road recognition unit. In this case, since the steering is controlled along the shape of the road in a state where the shape of the far road is recognized by the road recognition unit, the vehicle can be accurately driven along the change in the shape of the road.

  When the lane change of the road is possible, the travel control unit may control the steering and the brake so that the vehicle stops on the road shoulder. In this case, each part is controlled so that the vehicle stops on the road shoulder while the road recognition unit recognizes the shape of a distant road, so the vehicle V is stopped on the road shoulder which is unlikely to obstruct other vehicles. Can be made.

  According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide a vehicle control system capable of recognizing the shape of a distant road when controlling the traveling of the vehicle.

It is a figure showing a schematic structure of a vehicle carrying a vehicle control part concerning one embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the process performed in a vehicle control part.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the description of the drawings, the same elements are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description is omitted.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a vehicle control unit (vehicle control system) 1 that controls traveling of the vehicle V in an emergency is mounted on the vehicle V. In this embodiment, the emergency means that an abnormality such as a decrease in the driver's consciousness level occurs while the vehicle V is traveling (for example, drowsiness, poor physical condition, etc.), and it is difficult for the driver to perform an appropriate driving operation. Refers to cases. The vehicle control unit 1 includes a front camera 11, a side camera 12, a headlight 13, a hazard lamp 14, a switch 15, a speaker 16, a steering control unit 21, a brake control unit 22, an engine control unit 23, a GPS (Global Positioning System). ) 24 and the communication unit 25 are connected.

  The front camera 11 is attached to the front part of the vehicle, for example. The front camera 11 captures the front of the vehicle V and inputs the captured image to the vehicle control unit 1. In the present embodiment, the front camera 11 performs imaging in the visible light region. The side camera 12 is attached to the left side of the front portion of the vehicle V. The side camera 12 captures an area on the left side of the vehicle V and inputs the captured image to the vehicle control unit 1. Note that the side cameras 12 may be attached to the left and right sides of the vehicle V, respectively.

  The headlight 13 irradiates the front of the vehicle V, and can be switched to a high beam or a low beam when turned on. The hazard lamp 14 is constituted by a blinker lamp or the like, and notifies the vehicle V that it is an emergency or the like by lighting. The switch 15 is operated when the driver inputs to the vehicle control unit 1 that no abnormality has occurred when the vehicle control unit 1 outputs an alarm sound to the driver through the speaker 16. The switch 15 is attached at a position where the driver can easily operate. The timing at which the switch 15 is operated will be described in detail later. The speaker 16 outputs an alarm sound to the driver.

  The steering control unit 21 controls the steering device of the vehicle V. The traveling direction of the vehicle V can be changed by the steering control unit 21 controlling the steering device. The brake control unit 22 controls the brake device of the vehicle V. The vehicle V can be stopped by the brake control unit 22 controlling the brake device. The engine control unit 23 controls the output (rotation speed) of the engine of the vehicle V. The engine V can be accelerated or decelerated by the engine control unit 23 controlling the engine.

  Each of the steering control unit 21, the brake control unit 22, and the engine control unit 23 is physically configured by a computer including a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), and a RAM (Random Access Memory). Yes.

  The GPS 24 receives a signal from an artificial satellite and acquires the current position of the vehicle V. Based on an instruction from the vehicle control unit 1, the communication unit 25 notifies a predetermined communication center or the like that the vehicle V is in an emergency.

  The vehicle control unit 1 functionally includes a driver state detection unit (abnormality detection unit) 2, a notification unit 3, an emergency travel control unit (travel control unit) 4, a light control unit 5, and a road recognition unit 6. It is configured. The vehicle control unit 1 is physically configured by a computer including a CPU, a ROM, and a RAM.

  The driver state detection unit 2 detects whether or not an abnormality has occurred in the driver of the vehicle V. The driver state detection unit 2 detects that an abnormality has occurred in the driver, for example, when there is no steering operation, brake pedal operation, accelerator pedal operation, or when there is no change for a long time. Information regarding the presence / absence of steering operation, brake pedal operation, and accelerator pedal operation can be acquired from the steering control unit 21, the brake control unit 22, and the engine control unit 23, for example.

  When the vehicle V is a bus, a passenger on the bus may notice a driver's abnormality. In this case, a switch that can be operated by a passenger may be provided in the vehicle V, and the occurrence of a driver abnormality may be detected by a signal from a switch operated by the passenger.

  In addition, when the switch 15 is operated by the driver after the notification unit 3 outputs an alarm sound through the speaker 16, the driver state detection unit 2 determines that no abnormality has occurred in the driver.

  The notification unit 3 outputs an alarm sound through the speaker 16 when the driver state detection unit 2 detects that an abnormality has occurred in the driver. More specifically, the notification unit 3 first outputs a first warning sound through the speaker 16 when the driver state detection unit 2 detects that an abnormality has occurred in the driver. When the switch 15 is not operated after the first alarm sound is output, the notification unit 3 outputs the second alarm sound through the speaker 16. The second warning sound is assumed to be easier for the driver to recognize than the first warning sound. For example, the second warning sound can be made larger than the first warning sound. In addition to the alarm sound, an alarm using light or the like may be used.

  Further, when the switch 15 is not operated after the first alarm sound is output, the notification unit 3 blinks the hazard lamp 14 and issues an alarm around the vehicle V. Thereby, the driver of the vehicle around the vehicle V can grasp that some abnormality has occurred in the vehicle V in which the hazard lamp 14 is blinking on the road. Note that the notification unit 3 may cause the stop lamp of the vehicle V to blink in addition to the hazard lamp 14.

  The emergency travel control unit 4 instructs the engine control unit 23 to limit the engine output when the switch 15 is not operated after the first alarm sound is output by the notification unit 3. For example, the emergency travel control unit 4 can instruct the engine control unit 23 so that the vehicle V does not accelerate any more. In this case, even if the accelerator of the vehicle V is continuously stepped on by the driver, the acceleration of the vehicle is limited.

  Further, the emergency travel control unit 4 travels while decelerating the vehicle based on the current position of the vehicle V, the shape of the road, and the like when the switch 15 is not operated after the second alarm sound is output by the notification unit 3. The vehicle is controlled in an emergency that is stopped while being stopped. Specifically, the emergency travel control unit 4 acquires the current position of the vehicle V using the GPS 24. Then, the emergency travel control unit 4 determines whether or not the vehicle V is a place where the vehicle V can be stopped based on the acquired current position and preset map information or the like. When the vehicle can stop, the emergency travel control unit 4 controls the steering control unit 4 so that the vehicle V travels according to the shape of the road recognized by the road recognition unit 6 so that the vehicle V does not deviate from the road lane. Instructing the brake control unit 22 and the engine control unit 23 while instructing the vehicle 21 stops the vehicle V on the travel lane.

  When it is not a place where the vehicle can be stopped, the emergency travel control unit 4 causes the steering control unit 21 and the brake control unit so that the vehicle V travels according to the shape of the road recognized by the road recognition unit 6 until the vehicle can be stopped. 22 and the engine control unit 23 are instructed. Here, the place where stop is not possible includes, for example, a junction of roads, an intersection, the vicinity of a railroad crossing, and the like.

  Further, the emergency travel control unit 4 determines whether or not the vehicle V can move to the road shoulder by performing a lane change. This determination can be made based on, for example, the presence or absence of a vehicle traveling in an adjacent lane based on an image captured by the side camera 12. When the vehicle travels to the shoulder of the road after a lane change, the emergency traveling control unit 4 causes the vehicle V to travel toward the shoulder and the vehicle V to stop on the shoulder. And instructing the engine control unit 23 and the like.

  Further, the emergency travel control unit 4 notifies a predetermined communication center or the like that the vehicle V is in an emergency when the switch 15 is not operated after the second alarm sound is output by the notification unit 3. Thus, the communication unit 25 is instructed.

  The road recognition unit 6 recognizes the shape of the road ahead of the vehicle V based on the image captured by the front camera 11. For example, the road recognition unit 6 can grasp the shape of the road based on the white line or the road boundary line in the image captured by the front camera 11. Information on the shape of the road grasped by the road recognition unit 6 is input to the emergency travel control unit 4.

  The light control unit 5 switches the headlight 13 to a high beam before the emergency travel control unit 4 starts to control the travel of the vehicle V. In the present embodiment, the light control unit 5 switches to a high beam when the headlight 13 is a low beam. The headlight 13 is switched to the high beam so that the road far from the vehicle V is illuminated. Thus, the road recognition unit 6 can recognize the shape of a distant road away from the vehicle V. The emergency travel control unit 4 can control the travel of the vehicle V based on the shape of a distant road recognized by the road recognition unit 6.

  Next, the flow of processing performed by the vehicle control unit 1 will be described. The process described below is started while the vehicle V is traveling. As shown in FIG. 2, the driver state detection unit 2 detects whether or not an abnormality has occurred in the driver (step S101). If no driver abnormality is detected (step S101: NO), the process of step S101 is repeated until a driver abnormality is detected.

  When an abnormality of the driver is detected (step S101: YES), the notification unit 3 outputs a first warning sound to the driver through the speaker 16 (step S102). After outputting the alarm sound, the driver state detection unit 2 determines whether or not the switch 15 is operated by the driver (step S103). When the switch 15 is operated (step S103: YES), the driver state detection unit 2 returns to the process of step S101 described above, assuming that no abnormality has occurred in the driver.

  On the other hand, when the switch 15 is not operated (step S103: NO), the notification unit 3 blinks the hazard lamp 14 and issues an alarm around the vehicle V (step S104). The hazard lamp 14 continues to blink until it is released by a rescuer or the like who came to confirm the state of the driver of the vehicle V, for example. The emergency travel control unit 4 instructs the engine control unit 23 to limit the engine output (step S105). And the alerting | reporting part 3 outputs the 2nd warning sound larger than the 1st time through the speaker 16 (step S106).

  After the second warning sound is output, the driver state detection unit 2 determines whether or not the switch 15 has been operated by the driver (step S107). When the switch 15 is operated (step S107: YES), the driver state detection unit 2 returns to the process of step S101 described above, assuming that no abnormality has occurred in the driver.

  On the other hand, when the switch 15 is not operated (step S107: NO), the emergency travel control unit 4 acquires the current position of the vehicle V using the communication unit 25 (step S108). The light control unit 5 switches the headlight 13 to a high beam (step S109). The road recognition unit 6 recognizes the shape of the road based on the image captured by the front camera 11 (step S110).

  The emergency travel control unit 4 controls the vehicle in an emergency in which the vehicle is stopped while being decelerated based on the current position of the vehicle V, the shape of the road, and the like (step S111). The emergency travel control unit 4 notifies that the vehicle V is in an emergency through the communication unit 25 together with the emergency vehicle control. Further, the emergency travel control unit 4 determines whether or not the vehicle V can move to the road shoulder by performing a lane change (step S112). When it is possible to move to the road shoulder by performing a lane change (step S112: YES), the emergency travel control unit 4 makes the steering control unit so that the vehicle V travels toward the road shoulder and the vehicle V stops at the road shoulder. 21, instructions are given to the brake control unit 22, the engine control unit 23, and the like (step S113). Thereby, the vehicle V stops on the road shoulder.

  On the other hand, if it is not possible to move to the road shoulder by performing a lane change (step S112: NO), the emergency travel control unit 4 continues to control the vehicle in an emergency, so that the vehicle V stops on the road travel lane. .

  The present embodiment is configured as described above, and in the vehicle control unit 1, the headlight 13 is turned on before an abnormality occurs in the driver and the emergency travel control unit 4 starts to control the travel of the vehicle V in an emergency. Become a high beam. Thereby, it will become bright to the far position ahead of the vehicle V, and the road recognition part 6 can recognize to the shape of a far road. Further, the emergency travel control unit 4 can accurately control the travel of the vehicle V in an emergency based on the shape of the far road recognized by the road recognition unit 6.

  Normally, when there is an oncoming vehicle, the headlight 13 is not switched to the high beam. However, when the emergency traveling control unit 4 controls the vehicle in an emergency, it is easy for the driver of the oncoming vehicle to know that something abnormal has occurred in the driver of the vehicle V by switching the headlight 13 to the high beam. Become.

  The headlight 13 is usually mounted on the vehicle V. Therefore, the shape of a distant road can be grasped only by switching the headlight 13 to a high beam without providing a separate device for recognizing the shape of a distant road.

  The light control unit 5 switches the headlight 13 to a high beam when the headlight 13 is in a low beam state. Here, the state in which the headlight 13 is in a low beam is a state in which the driver lights the headlight 13 because the surroundings of the vehicle V are dark. Therefore, when the headlight 13 is a low beam, the headlight 13 can be switched to a high beam when the surroundings of the vehicle V are dark by switching the headlight 13 to a high beam. Thereby, even when the surroundings of the vehicle V are dark, it is possible to recognize the shape of a distant road.

  The road recognition unit 6 grasps the shape of the road based on the white line or the road boundary line in the image taken by the front camera 11. In this case, the shape of the road can be easily recognized based on the white line or the boundary line of the road.

  The emergency travel control unit 4, when controlling the travel of the vehicle V in an emergency, the steering control unit so that the vehicle V travels while decelerating along the shape of the road recognized by the road recognition unit 6. 21 is instructed. In this case, since the steering is controlled along the shape of the road while the road recognition unit 6 recognizes the shape of the far road, the vehicle V is decelerated accurately along the change in the shape of the road. The vehicle can be stopped while traveling.

  When the lane change is possible, the emergency travel control unit 4 instructs the steering control unit 21 and the brake control unit 22 so that the vehicle V moves to the road shoulder and stops on the road shoulder. In this case, each part is controlled so that the vehicle stops on the road shoulder while the road recognition unit recognizes the shape of a distant road, so the vehicle V is stopped on the road shoulder which is unlikely to obstruct other vehicles. Can be made.

  Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, the vehicle V may be various vehicles such as a large vehicle, a vehicle other than a large vehicle, and a bus. The method for detecting a driver abnormality is not limited to the method described above.

  In the embodiment, the light control unit 5 switches to the high beam when the headlight 13 is in the low beam state. However, the light control unit 5 may switch to the high beam even when the headlight 13 is in the off state. Good.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Vehicle control part (vehicle control system), 2 ... Driver state detection part (abnormality detection part), 3 ... Notification part, 4 ... Emergency travel control part (travel control part), 5 ... Light control part, 6 ... Road Recognizing unit, 13: headlight, V: vehicle.

Claims (5)

A vehicle control system for controlling a vehicle,
A road recognition unit that recognizes the shape of the road based on the captured image;
An anomaly detector that detects whether an anomaly has occurred in the driver;
A travel control unit that controls travel of the vehicle based on the shape of the road recognized by the road recognition unit when the abnormality detection unit detects that an abnormality has occurred in the driver;
A light control unit that controls the headlight so that a headlight mounted on the vehicle becomes a high beam before the travel control unit starts controlling the travel of the vehicle;
A vehicle control system comprising:   The vehicle control system according to claim 1, wherein the light control unit switches the headlight to a high beam when the headlight is in a low beam state.   The vehicle control system according to claim 1, wherein the road recognition unit recognizes the shape of the road based on a white line of the road or a boundary line of the road.   The steering control unit controls the steering and the brake so that the vehicle travels while decelerating along the shape of the road recognized by the road recognition unit. The vehicle control system according to item.   The vehicle control system according to claim 4, wherein when the lane change of the road is possible, the traveling control unit controls the steering and the brake so that the vehicle stops on a shoulder of the road.

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