WO2009053329A1 - Method and device for increasing the safety of a motor vehicle in a critical driving situation - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for increasing the safety of a motor vehicle (101), wherein an imminent collision of said motor vehicle (101) with an object in the environment is ascertained based on detected environmental data and an evasion direction for an evasion maneuver is determined, said motor vehicle (101) having at least one active chassis suspension element (104), which supports the vehicle body of said motor vehicle (101) in relation to at least one wheel (102; 103) of said motor vehicle (101). The method is characterized in that said chassis suspension element (104) is influenced as a function of the ascertained evasion direction. The driving stability may thus be increased during the evasion maneuver. The invention further relates to a device which is suited to perform the method.

Description

 Method and device for increasing the safety of a motor vehicle in a critical driving situation

Technical area

The invention relates to a method and a device for increasing the safety of a motor vehicle in a critical driving situation. The device is suitable for carrying out the method.

Background of the invention

An important task in the development of motor vehicles consists in the new and further development of safety and driver assistance systems to protect the safety of road users and motor vehicles. The measures to increase active safety focus on the prevention of accidents. Examples include anti-lock braking systems, brake assist, traction control or electronic stability control systems. Measures to increase passive safety, such as crumple zones, seat belts, belt tensioners or airbags are aimed in particular at reducing the consequences of accidents.

A common accident situation is the collision with another road user or with an object. For this reason, a large number of oriented safety systems to monitor the environment of the motor vehicle, to detect an imminent collision and initiate measures to protect the occupants of a motor vehicle in a collision.

The document DE 103 37 640 A1 describes a motor vehicle with a pre-safe system. The motor vehicle has a vehicle surroundings recognition device and a suspension and damping device arranged between a chassis and a body, which can be activated in response to signals which are picked up by the vehicle environment recognition device and evaluated in a data evaluation device. The data evaluation device is linked to a control unit of an active suspension control activating the suspension and damping elements, by means of which a vehicle level adjustment predefined for the respective impact situation is carried out. In the pre-crash phase, preventative protective measures are taken to better protect the occupants of collision-prone vehicles in the event of a crash. However, a collision is not prevented with these measures.

Presentation of the invention

It is an object of the present invention to increase the likelihood of a successful avoidance maneuver to avoid a collision.

This object is achieved by a method having the features of claim 1 and by a device having the features of claim 15. Embodiments of the method and apparatus are given in the dependent claims.

According to a first aspect of the invention, a method for increasing the safety of a motor vehicle is proposed in which an imminent collision of the motor vehicle with an environment object is determined on the basis of detected environmental data and determines an avoidance direction for an evasive maneuver becomes. The motor vehicle has at least one active chassis element which supports the body of the motor vehicle relative to at least one wheel of the motor vehicle. The method is characterized in that the chassis element is influenced as a function of the determined deflection direction.

According to a further aspect of the invention, an apparatus for increasing the safety of a motor vehicle is provided. The motor vehicle has at least one active chassis element which supports the body of the motor vehicle relative to at least one wheel of the motor vehicle. The device comprises a sensor device for detecting environment data and a decision device, which is designed to determine an imminent collision of the motor vehicle with an environment object based on the environment data and to determine an evasion direction for an evasive maneuver. The device further comprises a control device, which is designed to influence the chassis element as a function of the determined direction of deviation.

The invention includes the idea of influencing the chassis of a motor vehicle with regard to an evasive maneuver as a function of the direction of evasion. This can be achieved that the driving stability of the vehicle is increased in view of the evasive maneuver, so that increases the probability of a successful evasive maneuver. The suspension element, which is influenced as a function of the deflection direction, is in particular a spring and damping element.

In one embodiment of the method and the device, it is provided that the chassis element is influenced before the motor vehicle begins the evasive maneuver in the determined direction of deviation.

Since the influence of the suspension element takes time, it is achieved that at the beginning of the evasive maneuver, the adjustment already was started or completed. In addition, an influence of suspension elements is usually felt by the driver of the vehicle. By adjusting the chassis before the start of the avoidance maneuver, the driver is alerted to the impending collision and a required or possible evasive maneuver. As a result, the reaction time required by the driver to detect the critical driving situation and initiate an evasive maneuver can be shortened, which also increases the probability of a successful evasive maneuver.

A further embodiment of the method and the device provides that the avoidance maneuver comprises a curve whose direction is determined by means of the avoidance direction, wherein a chassis element, which is arranged on an outside of the vehicle side, is influenced differently than a chassis element which is on a vehicle interior side of the curve is arranged.

By such a different influence of suspension elements on the outside of the curve and the inside of the curve side, the chassis can be prepared for the requirements of the curve. In addition, the driver's attention is directed to performing an evasive maneuver in a particular direction. As a result, the driver will decide more quickly to perform an evasive maneuver to avoid the impending collision, which also increases the likelihood of a successful evasive maneuver. The outside of the curve and / or the inside of the bend inside the vehicle are preferably determined on the basis of the direction of the curve or on the basis of the direction of evasion.

In another embodiment of the method and the device is provided that due to the influence of the suspension element damping of a spring movement of the chassis element is changed. By adapting the damping can advantageously be achieved an improved traction of the wheels of the motor vehicle, so that the wheels during the Dodge maneuvers keep in constant contact with the road and the motor vehicle remains controllable.

An associated embodiment of the method and the device is characterized in that the damping of a chassis element, which is arranged on the outside of the vehicle side, with respect to the damping of a suspension element, which is arranged on a curve-side vehicle side, is increased.

By adjusting the damping of the chassis, the driving characteristics of the motor vehicle when driving through the curve can be improved. In particular, the centrifugal force occurring can be better supported, which increases the driving stability and reduces the risk of tilting of the motor vehicle and a loss of traction on the inside of the vehicle on the inside of the bend.

A further embodiment of the method and the device includes that a ground clearance of the vehicle is changed due to the influence of the chassis element. By changing the ground clearance, in particular the height of the vehicle's center of gravity can be changed. By lowering the center of gravity of the vehicle, a higher driving stability is achieved. Furthermore, a change in ground clearance is usually accompanied by a change in the available spring travel of the chassis. Therefore, by changing the ground clearance also an improved traction of the wheels of the motor vehicle can be achieved.

An associated embodiment of the method and the device is characterized in that the ground clearance on the outside of the vehicle on the outside of the curve on the inside of the vehicle is increased compared to the ground clearance. As a result, it is also possible better to support the centrifugal force occurring when driving through the curves, so that the driving stability of the vehicle increases. In a further development of the method and the device, it is provided that only suspension elements which are arranged on a curve-side or a curve-side vehicle side are influenced.

An advantage of this development is that only one or more suspension elements must be influenced, which are arranged on one side of the vehicle, while a control of the suspension elements, which are arranged on the opposite side of the vehicle, can be omitted. This simplifies the adjustment of the chassis.

An alternative embodiment of the method and the device provides that chassis elements, which are arranged on a curve-side vehicle side, are influenced in opposite directions to chassis elements, which are arranged on a curve-inside vehicle sides.

In the case of an adaptation of the damping is under an opposing influence in particular understood that the damping is increased on one side of the vehicle and reduced on the other side of the vehicle. Similarly, when adjusting the ground clearance under an opposing influence in particular understood that the ground clearance is increased on one side of the vehicle and reduced on the other side of the vehicle. By such an opposite adjustment of suspension elements on the outside of the curve and the inside of the bend side the driving stability can often be further increased. In addition, the speed of the suspension adjustment can be increased if necessary, since damping and / or ground clearance must be changed to a lesser extent on each side of the vehicle.

In addition, a further development of the method and the device includes that a suspension element which is assigned to a front wheel of the motor vehicle is influenced differently than a suspension element which is assigned to a rear wheel of the motor vehicle. In particular, in this embodiment, a different difference of ground clearance and / or damping on a front and rear axle of the motor vehicle is set. As a result, a possibly present understeer or oversteering tendency of the motor vehicle can be counteracted and thus the driving behavior during the execution of the avoidance maneuver can be further improved.

Further, an embodiment of the method and the device that damping a spring movement of a suspension member, which is assigned to a front wheel of the vehicle, is increased compared to the damping of a spring movement of a suspension member, which is associated with a rear wheel.

In particular, this increases the difference in damping on a front axle relative to the difference in damping on a rear axle of the motor vehicle. By such a suspension adjustment can be counteracted understeer of the vehicle, in which the vehicle does not follow the desired curve.

A further embodiment of the method and the device is characterized in that a damping of a spring movement of a suspension element, which is assigned to a rear wheel of the vehicle, is increased in relation to the damping of a spring movement of a suspension element which is assigned to a front wheel.

In particular, this reduces the difference in damping on a front axle relative to the difference in damping on a rear axle of the motor vehicle. By means of such a chassis adaptation, oversteering can be avoided, in which the motor vehicle tends to turn too much into the curve so that the rear can break away. Furthermore, it is provided in one embodiment of the method and the device that a ground clearance in the region of a front wheel is increased compared to the ground clearance in the region of a rear wheel.

In particular, this increases the difference in ground clearance on a front axle relative to the difference in ground clearance on a rear axle of the motor vehicle. By such a chassis adaptation can also be counteracted understeer of the vehicle.

In a further embodiment of the method and the device it is provided that a ground clearance in the region of a rear wheel is increased compared to the ground clearance in the region of a front wheel.

In particular, this reduces the difference in ground clearance on a front axle compared with the difference in ground clearance on a rear axle of the motor vehicle. By means of such a chassis adaptation, oversteer can also be avoided.

The above and other advantages, features and expedient developments of the invention will become apparent from the embodiments, which are described below with reference to the figures.

Brief description of the figures

From the figures shows:

1 is a schematic representation of a motor vehicle with active chassis elements and a driver assistance system for collision avoidance, FIG. FIG. 2 shows a schematic illustration of a chassis of the motor vehicle comprising the active chassis elements, FIG.

3 shows a schematic representation of an active chassis element in an embodiment,

Fig. 4 is a schematic block diagram of the driver assistance system for accident prevention in one embodiment and

Fig. 5 is a schematic representation of an avoidance path of an evasive maneuver in one embodiment.

Description of exemplary embodiments

FIG. 1 shows by way of example a two-axle motor vehicle 101 with two front wheels 102 and two rear wheels 103. The front wheels 102 are designed steerable in one embodiment. The wheel steering angle can be adjusted by the driver of the vehicle 101 by means of a steering wheel or other steering handle, which is connected to the front wheel 102 via a steering line.

The front wheels 102 and rear wheels 103 are each assigned a chassis element 104. As illustrated in FIG. 2 for the front wheels 102, the chassis elements 104 are arranged between the body 201 and the wheel suspensions 202 of the front wheels 102 and support the body 201 with respect to the front wheels 102. The rear wheels 103 associated chassis elements 104 are arranged in the same manner between the body 201 and the wheel suspensions of the rear wheels 103, as shown in Figure 2.

The chassis elements 104 include per se known suspension and damping elements. The available travel determines the height or the ground clearance between the vehicle body 201 and the roadway on which the vehicle 101 moves. The damping characteristic determines to what extent the spring movements of the chassis element 104 are damped. The chassis elements 104 are in the present case designed as active elements that allow a change in the suspension travel and / or a change in the damping. Examples of such chassis elements 104, which can be used here, are air spring element and hydropneumatic spring elements, which are known per se to the person skilled in the art.

FIG. 3 shows by way of example a basic structure of a suitable active chassis element 104. The chassis element 104 comprises a helical steel spring 308 which is arranged between the body 201 of the motor vehicle 101 and the corresponding wheel 102, 103.

Further, a vibration damper 301 is provided which includes an oil-filled cylinder 302 in which a piston 303 moves. The piston 303 includes valves 304 through which the oil can flow. The oil is in two oil chambers 305 and 306, which are separated from each other via the piston 303. When the piston 303 is moved in the direction of the oil chamber 305, that is sprung, the oil flows from the oil chamber 305 through the valves 304 in the oil chamber 306. In an opposite movement of the piston 303 in the direction of the oil chamber 306, therefore during rebound, is the oil from the oil chamber 306 is pressed through the valves 304 into the oil chamber 305. During the movement of the piston 303, the oil is resisted by the valves 304. To overcome this resistance energy is needed, which is available as vibration energy of the motor vehicle 101. The vibration energy is converted in particular into heat in the vibration damper, whereby a damping is achieved.

To change the damping, the opening cross section of the valves 304 can be changed, the influence on the damping behavior of the vibration damper 301 has. A large opening of the valves 304 allows a fast flow of the oil through a low resistance. The damping of the piston 303 is low, the damping does not seem so hard. With small opening cross-sections of the valves 304, the resistance increases and the oil can flow only slowly. The movement of the piston 303 is more damped, the damping appears harder.

In addition to the steel spring 308, an air spring 311 is provided, the air connection 309 and the gas volume 310. If a change in the ground clearance of the motor vehicle 101 is required, air is passed through valves directly through the air port 309 in the gas volume 310 of the air spring 311 To increase the available travel or drained from it to reduce the travel.

The invention is in no way limited to the illustrated embodiment of the chassis elements 104, but can also be performed with other chassis elements 104, which allow a change in the ground clearance of the vehicle 101 and / or the damping behavior. In particular, instead of the additional air spring 311, a hydraulic auxiliary spring can be used, which contains oil instead of air as the compression medium. In a further exemplary embodiment, the steel spring 308 is dispensed with and an adjustable air or oil spring is provided, which takes over the suspension task alone. With regard to the damping, it is also possible, for example, to provide a mechanical damping system in which the vibration energy is converted via friction surfaces, in particular into friction energy.

As shown in FIG. 1, the motor vehicle 101 is furthermore equipped with an environmental sensor system 105, with which objects 106 in the surroundings of the motor vehicle 101 can be detected, which are also referred to here as environmental objects 106. By way of example, FIG. 1 shows an environment sensor system 105 with a detection system. shown 107, which surrounds a solid angle in front of the vehicle 101, in the example of an environment object 106 is shown. The environmental sensor 105 may in various embodiments include a LIDAR sensor (Light Detection and Ranging) or a radar sensor embodied in a manner known per se to a person skilled in the art. In addition, the environmental sensor system 105 may include a video sensor whose detection range at least partially corresponds to the forward detection range 107 and whose signals enable a more accurate detection or classification of objects 106 in the environment of the vehicle 101. Likewise, other environment sensors as well as combinations of several identical or different environment sensors can be used.

The environment sensor system 105 is in one embodiment part of a driver assistance system for collision avoidance and serves in this embodiment for detecting environmental objects 106 in the environment of the motor vehicle 101, which are in particular other motor vehicles or persons moving in the vicinity of the motor vehicle 101 , In the driver assistance system, the signals of the environmental sensor system 105 are used, on the one hand, to determine objects 106 with which the vehicle 101 is on a collision course. On the other hand, by means of the environmental sensor system 105, a free space monitoring is carried out, in which it is checked whether an evasive maneuver can be carried out without collision in order to avoid accidents. In addition to the preferably forward-looking detection area 107, further detection areas in the lateral and / or rear surroundings of the vehicle 101 can also be covered by suitable environmental sensors for carrying out a free-space monitoring in order to carry out the free space monitoring.

FIG. 2 shows by way of example a schematic block diagram of the driver assistance system in one embodiment. In the driver assistance system illustrated by way of example, the measurement signals of the environment sensor system 105 are transmitted to a processing device 401. In the processing facility 401, an environment object 106, which has been detected by means of the environmental sensor system 105, is identified or classified on the basis of pattern recognition. Due to the pattern recognition and classification, an environment object 106 is recognized, for example, as a stationary object or as another vehicle. The environmental object data determined in the processing device 401, which indicate in particular the position and the dimensions of the surrounding objects 106 and their speed and direction of movement, are fed to a decision device 402 and evaluated there.

Furthermore, with the aid of a driving state sensor 403, information about the driving-dynamic state of the motor vehicle 101 is acquired and likewise supplied to the decision device 402. The information about the driving dynamic state of the motor vehicle 101 includes, for example, the vehicle speed, which can be determined using wheel speed sensors, furthermore the steering angle of the motor vehicle 101 detected by means of a steering angle sensor, the yaw rate of the motor vehicle 101, which is detected by means of a yaw rate sensor, and Longitudinal and lateral acceleration sig- nals that can be detected using appropriate acceleration sensors.

In the decision device 402, it is checked whether the motor vehicle 101 and the surrounding object 106 are on a collision course. If such a collision course is detected, in the decision facility

402 the collision time (TTC, Time to Collision), i. the time until the determined collision between the motor vehicle 101 and the surrounding object 106 are determined.

Furthermore, in the event of an imminent collision, it is checked on the basis of the environment data determined by means of the surroundings sensor system 105 whether an evasive maneuver can be carried out to avoid the collision. For this purpose, it is checked, in particular, whether there is sufficient time until a collision and whether there is sufficient free space for evading the environment object 106 to the left or to on the right. During the check, it is determined whether the evasion space required for evading to the left or to the right is occupied by stationary objects, or whether a moving object is in the required evasion space during a predetermined period of time required for the avoidance procedure Evasion space moved in. If the decision device 402 determines that an evasive maneuver is possible, this is signaled to the controller 404. Furthermore, in the decision device 402, the direction in which the motor vehicle 101 can escape is determined, which is also referred to below as the direction of deviation. The avoidance direction is also reported to the controller 404.

If a potential evasive maneuver has been detected and the direction of evasion has been reported to the controller 404, the controller 404 alters the settings of the active chassis members 104 to adapt the chassis of the vehicle 101 to the evasive maneuver. The control of the chassis elements 104 is carried out in dependence on the direction of avoidance, which has been determined in the decision device 402.

During the avoidance maneuver, the vehicle 101 moves on an avoidance path 501, as illustrated by way of example in FIG. 5, in order to avoid a collision with an environment object 106. The width 502 of the avoidance path 501 is determined, in particular, by the track width of the motor vehicle 101, which describes, for example, the distance of the front wheels 102 from one another. The illustrated avoidance path 501 is divided into two sections A and B, in each of which a curve is traversed in different directions. The transition between the first section A and the second section B results from a change in the Radeinschlagwinkels the steerable vehicle wheels, ie the front wheels 102 of the vehicle 101. In particular, the Radeinschlagwinkel changed during the transition from the first section A in the second section the sign indicating whether the front wheels 102 are turned to the right or to the left. The control of the chassis elements 104 is oriented initially on the in the first section A of the avoidance path 501 traversed curve. The vehicle side lying on the outer track radius 504 in this curve is also referred to as the outside of the vehicle on the other side. Accordingly, the vehicle side lying in the first section A on the inner track radius 503 is referred to as the inside of the vehicle turn.

In one embodiment, the changes made to the suspension settings are withdrawn and the influence of the suspension by the control device 404 is terminated until the vehicle 101 has passed through the first section A. This can be achieved by reversing the changed suspension settings after a sufficiently short period of time. In a further embodiment, the Radein- impact angle of the steerable front wheels 102 of the vehicle 101 detected by a steering angle sensor and monitored by the control device 404. The influence of the chassis elements 104 by the control device 404 is terminated in this embodiment, when the Radeinschlagwinkel decreases in magnitude, or the sign changes or already after it is determined based on the Radeinschlagswinkelsignals that the evasive maneuver has been initiated.

After the end of the suspension control by the control device 404, in particular, a conventional suspension control can be made in order to improve the driving characteristics of the vehicle 101 during the evasive maneuver. The chassis control can be performed in a manner known to those skilled in the art. In contrast to such a regulation, the control of the chassis elements 104 by the control device 404, which is performed before the actual beginning of the evasive maneuver, corresponds to a precontrol which has the aim of preparing the vehicle 101 for the avoidance maneuver. The change in the setting of individual or all chassis elements 104 by the control device 404 preferably takes place after a possible evasive maneuver has been signaled by the decision device 402 and the avoidance direction has been determined. By an appropriate control of the chassis elements 104, the ground clearance on the outside of the vehicle on the outside of the bend on the inside of the vehicle on the inside of the bend is then increased in one embodiment. Alternatively or additionally, the damping of the chassis can be increased on the outside of the vehicle outside the damping on the inside of the vehicle on the inside of the curve. The outside and the inside of the bend are determined on the basis of the direction of evasion. If evasion to the left is possible, the outside of the vehicle on the outside of the bend is the right side of the vehicle. If an escape to the right is possible, the outside of the vehicle on the outside of the bend is the left side of the vehicle.

The above-described adaptation of the ground clearance and the described adaptation of the damping improve the driving characteristics of the vehicle 101 with regard to the first section A of the escape path 501. In particular, the centrifugal force occurring in section A of the escape path 501 can be better supported due to the described adaptations. thereby increasing the driving stability and reducing the risk of tipping of the vehicle 101. In addition, the change in ground clearance and / or damping for the driver is noticeable, making him aware of the impending collision. Due to the intended side-selective driving factory adjustment, the driver's attention is also directed to the execution of an evasive maneuver in a certain direction. As a result, the driver will decide more quickly to perform an evasive maneuver to avoid the impending collision, which also increases the likelihood of a successful evasive maneuver.

In order to increase the ground clearance on the outside of the vehicle on the curve side of the vehicle on the inside of the curve, takes place in a Embodiment of the invention, an adaptation of the chassis elements 104 on a vehicle side. Here, the ground clearance on the outside of the vehicle side can be increased by the length of the chassis elements 104, which are arranged on the outside of the vehicle side, is increased by a corresponding control. Likewise, it may be provided to reduce the ground clearance on the inside of the vehicle side by the length of the chassis elements 104, which are arranged on the inside of the vehicle side, is reduced by a corresponding control. The decision as to which chassis elements 104 are actuated also depends, in particular, on the design of the active chassis elements 104 present in the motor vehicle 101. If the chassis elements 104 can be lowered faster than set up, the adaptation takes place on the inside of the vehicle side of the motor vehicle 101. If the chassis elements 104 can be set up rather than lowered, the adaptation accordingly takes place on the outside vehicle side of the motor vehicle 101.

In a further embodiment, it is provided to adapt the chassis elements 104 on both sides of the vehicle in order to increase the ground clearance on the curve-outer side of the vehicle relative to the ground clearance on the inside of the vehicle on the inside of the curve. In this case, the ground clearance on the outside of the vehicle is increased by the length of the chassis elements 104, which are arranged on the outside of the vehicle side, is increased by a corresponding control. The chassis elements 104 on the inside of the vehicle turn side are driven in opposite directions. This means that the length of the chassis elements 104, which are arranged on the inside of the vehicle inside the turn, is reduced by a corresponding control. By such an opposite control of the chassis elements 104 on both sides of the vehicle, an even better driving behavior can be achieved in the rule. However, it has to be taken into consideration that the installation of the chassis elements 104 on one side of the vehicle on the one hand and the lowering of the chassis elements 104 on the other side of the vehicle on the other hand if can run at different speeds, the adjustment of the landing gear is only completed when the time-consuming process is completed. However, the ground clearance on each side of the vehicle must be modified to a lesser extent, so that, if necessary, a faster suspension adjustment is possible.

If, in addition to or as an alternative to adjusting the ground clearance, an adaptation of the damping is provided, only the chassis elements 104 on a vehicle side can likewise be activated in order to increase the damping of the chassis on the outside of the vehicle compared with the damping on the inside of the vehicle , In one embodiment, while the damping of the chassis elements 104 is increased, which are arranged on the outside of the vehicle side. Likewise, it may be provided to reduce the damping of the chassis elements 104, which are arranged on the inside of the bend vehicle, by a corresponding control.

Likewise, the damping of the chassis on the outside of the vehicle on the outside can also be increased in relation to the damping on the inside of the vehicle on the inside of the curve such that the damping is adapted to the chassis elements 104 on both sides of the vehicle. The damping on the outside of the vehicle is increased. The chassis elements 104 on the inside of the vehicle turn side are driven in opposite directions. This means that the damping of the chassis elements 104, which are arranged on the inside of the vehicle inside the turn, is reduced by a corresponding control. Also in terms of damping can be achieved by such an opposite control of the chassis elements 104 on both sides of the vehicle usually an even better handling. In addition, the speed of the suspension adjustment can be increased if necessary, since the damping must be changed to a lesser extent, as in a one-sided suspension adjustment. As already described above, the adaptation of the damping can be carried out additionally or alternatively to the adaptation of the ground clearance. If both an adjustment of the ground clearance and the damping provided, in each case either a two-sided or a one-sided adjustment of the suspension elements 104 can be made with respect to both sizes. The type of adaptation may be the same or different for the adaptation of the ground clearance and the damping.

When adjusting the chassis, the control device 404 can adjust the driving works elements 104 on the front axle of the vehicle 101 and on the rear axle of the vehicle 101 in the same way. That is, the ground clearance and / or the damping is changed in both chassis elements 104 of a vehicle side in the same way. Likewise, however, it can also be provided that ground clearance and / or damping of the chassis elements 104 of a vehicle side are changed in different ways. In addition to the intended increase in ground clearance or the damping on the outside of the vehicle side with respect to the ground clearance or the damping of the inside of the vehicle side, this results in a difference in ground clearance and damping on the front and rear axles.

In one embodiment, a greater difference between the ground clearance and / or the damping on the outside of the bend and the inside of the bend inside the vehicle is set at the front axle than at the rear axle. In particular, it can also be provided that only one or both suspension elements 104 are actuated on the front axle. Such a suspension adaptation can counteract the understeer of the vehicle 101, in which the vehicle 101 does not follow the desired curve but "pushes over the front wheels 102." Preferably, such a chassis adjustment is made when the motor vehicle 101 exhibits a tendency to understeer due to its design Depending on the extent of Untersteuertendenz, while the difference between the ground clearance and / or Damping on the front axle and the rear axle selected. A suitable value is preferably determined in driving tests.

Furthermore, a greater difference between the ground clearance and / or the damping on the outside of the curve and the inside of the curve on the rear axle can also be set on the rear axle than on the front axle. In particular, it may also be provided that only one or both suspension elements 104 are actuated on the rear axle. By means of such a chassis adaptation, an oversteering of the vehicle 101 can be counteracted, in which the vehicle 101 tends to turn too much into the curve, so that the rear can break away. Preferably, such a suspension adjustment is made when the motor vehicle 101 shows a design for a tendency to oversteer. Again, depending on the extent of the oversteer tendency, the difference between the ground clearance and / or damping at the front axle and the rear axle can be suitably selected. A suitable value is preferably again determined in driving tests.

The suspension adaptation described above makes it possible to prepare the chassis of the vehicle 101 for the evasive maneuver even before the start of an evasive maneuver to avoid collision.

As explained above, this is particularly advantageous when the driver of the vehicle 101 controls the execution of the evasive maneuver. Likewise, however, the described chassis adaptation can also be provided in the case of an automatically controlled evasive maneuver. In this case, the avoidance maneuver is controlled by a control unit which calculates the avoidance path 501 as a function of the detected environment data and controls the vehicle 101 along the calculated avoidance path. For this purpose, the vehicle 101 comprises a steering actuator that can be controlled by the control unit, which makes it possible to set or change the wheel steering angle on the steerable vehicle wheels independently of the driver's specifications. Although the invention has been described in detail in the drawings and the foregoing description, the illustrations are to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive; In particular, the invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiments. Other variants of the invention and their execution will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing disclosure, the drawings and the claims.

Terms used in the claims, such as "comprising," "comprising," "including," "containing," and the like, do not exclude other elements or steps. The use of the indefinite article does not exclude a majority. A single device can perform the functions of several units or devices mentioned in the claims.

Reference signs indicated in the claims should not be regarded as limitations on the means and steps employed.

Claims

claims 1. A method for increasing the safety of a motor vehicle (101), in which an imminent collision of the motor vehicle (101) with an environment object (106) determined on the basis of detected environmental data and an avoidance direction for an evasive maneuver is determined, the motor vehicle (101) at least an active chassis element (104), which supports the bodywork (201) of the motor vehicle (101) with respect to at least one wheel (102, 103) of the motor vehicle (101), characterized in that the chassis element (104) as a function of the determined deflection direction being affected. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the chassis element (104) is affected before the motor vehicle (101) begins the evasive maneuver in the determined direction of evasion. 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the avoidance maneuver comprises a curve whose direction is determined on the basis of the avoidance direction, wherein a chassis element (104) arranged on an outside of the vehicle is influenced differently than a chassis element (104), which is arranged on a curve-inside vehicle side. 4. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein in the due to the influence of the chassis element (104) damping of a spring movement of the chassis element (104) is changed. 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the damping of a chassis member (104), which is arranged on the outside of the vehicle side, with respect to the damping of a chassis member (104), which is arranged on a curve-inside vehicle side is increased. 6. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein due to the influence of the chassis element (104) a ground clearance of the motor vehicle (101) is changed. 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the ground clearance on the outside of the vehicle side relative to the ground clearance on the inside of the vehicle is increased. 8. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, in which only suspension elements (104) are influenced, which are arranged on a curve outside or inside the vehicle side. 9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the chassis elements (104), which are arranged on an outside of the vehicle side, are influenced in opposite directions to chassis elements (104), which are arranged on a curve-side vehicle sides. 10. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, in which a chassis element (104), which is associated with a front wheel (102) of the motor vehicle (101) is influenced differently than a suspension element (104), the rear wheel (103) of the motor vehicle ( 101) is assigned. 11. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein an attenuation of a spring movement of a suspension member (104) which is associated with a front wheel (102) of the vehicle (101) is increased with respect to the damping of a spring movement of a suspension element (104), the one Rear wheel (103) is assigned. 12. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein an attenuation of a spring movement of a suspension element (104) which is associated with a rear wheel (103) of the vehicle (101) is increased relative to the Damping a spring movement of a suspension element (104) associated with a front wheel (102). 13. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, in which a ground clearance in the region of a front wheel (102) is increased relative to the ground clearance in the region of a rear wheel (103). 14. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein a ground clearance in the region of a rear wheel (103) is increased relative to the ground clearance in the region of a front wheel (102). 15. Device for increasing the safety of a motor vehicle (101) having at least one active chassis element (104) which supports the body (201) of the motor vehicle (101) with respect to at least one wheel (102, 103) of the motor vehicle (101), comprising one Sensor device (105) for detecting environmental data and a decision device (402), which is designed to determine an imminent collision of the motor vehicle (101) with an environment object (106) and to determine an avoidance direction for an evasive maneuver on the basis of the environment data, characterized in that it contains a control device (404) which is designed to influence the chassis element (104) as a function of the determined direction of deviation.