Automated driving enabled vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11603039-B2
Application number	US-202016985953-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 5, 2020
Priority date	Sep 26, 2019
Publication date	Mar 14, 2023
Grant date	Mar 14, 2023

Abstract

An automated driving enabled vehicle includes a travel controller, an automated driving indicator lamp, and a lamp controller. The automated driving indicator lamp is switched on perceptibly from outside the vehicle on the occasion of automated driving. On the occasion of switching of a driving state of the vehicle from the automated driving to manual driving, the lamp controller switches off the automated driving indicator lamp after changing a lighting state of the automated driving indicator lamp from a first lighting state during the execution of the automated driving to a second lighting state different from the first lighting state.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An automated driving enabled vehicle, comprising:
a travel controller configured to switch a driving state of the vehicle between automated driving and manual driving;
an automated driving indicator lamp configured to be switched on and off perceptibly from outside the vehicle; and
a lamp controller configured to switch a lighting state of the automated driving indicator lamp among a first lighting state, a second lighting state, and a third lighting state based on the driving state of the automated driving,
wherein, during execution of the automated driving in which the travel controller controls the travel of the vehicle by the automated driving, the lamp controller switches the lighting state of the automated driving indicator lamp to the first lighting state in which the automated driving indicator is turned on for continuous illumination,
wherein, when the travel controller switches the driving state of the vehicle from the automated driving to the manual driving in response to detection of a driving operation by an occupant of the vehicle, the lamp controller switches the lighting state of the automated driving indicator lamp from the first lighting state to the second lighting state in which the automated driving indicator lamp flickers,
wherein, after switching to the second lighting state, the lamp controller determines whether the automated driving indicator lamp flickered for a prescribed period of time,
wherein, when the lamp controller determines that the automated driving indicator lamp has flickered for the prescribed period of time, the lamp controller switches the lighting state of the automated driving indicator lamp from the second lighting state to the third lighting state in which the automated driving indicator lamp is turned off.

2. An automated driving enabled vehicle, comprising:
a travel controller configured to switch a driving state of the vehicle between automated driving and manual driving;
an automated driving indicator lamp configured to be switched on and off perceptibly from outside the vehicle; and
a lamp controller configured to switch a lighting state of the automated driving indicator lamp among a first lighting state, a second lighting state, and a third lighting state based on the driving state is the automated driving,
wherein, during execution of the automated driving in which the travel controller controls the travel of the vehicle by the automated driving, the lamp controller switches the lighting state of the automated driving indicator lamp to the first lighting state in which the automated driving indicator is turned on for continuous illumination,
wherein, when the travel controller switches the driving state of the vehicle from the automated driving to the manual driving, the lamp controller switches the lighting state of the automated driving indicator lamp from the first lighting state to the second lighting state in which the automated driving indicator lamp flickers,
wherein, after switching to the second lighting state, the lamp controller determines whether the automated driving indicator lamp flickered for a prescribed period of time,
wherein, when the lamp controller determines that the automated driving indicator lamp has not flickered for the prescribed period of time, the lamp controller maintains the lighting state of the automated driving indicator lamp to the second lighting state, and
wherein, when the lamp controller determines that the automated driving indicator lamp has flickered for the prescribed period of time, the lamp controller switches the lighting state of the automated driving indicator lamp from the second lighting state to the third lighting state in which the automated driving indicator lamp is turned off.

3. The automated driving enabled vehicle according to claim 1 , further comprising a lamp device provided separately from the automated driving indicator lamp and configured to be switched on perceptibly from outside the vehicle, wherein
the lamp controller is configured to change a lighting state of the lamp device together with the lighting state of the automated driving indicator lamp when switching the driving state of the vehicle from the automated driving to the manual driving.

4. The automated driving enabled vehicle according to claim 2 , further comprising a lamp device provided separately from the automated driving indicator lamp and configured to be switched on perceptibly from outside the vehicle, wherein
the lamp controller is configured to change a lighting state of the lamp device together with the lighting state of the automated driving indicator lamp, on the occasion of the when switching the driving state of the vehicle from the automated driving to the manual driving.

5. The automated driving enabled vehicle according to claim 3 , wherein
the lamp device comprises an emergency flickering indicator lamp of the vehicle, and
the lamp controller is configured to cause flicker of both the automated driving indicator lamp and the emergency flickering indicator lamp when switching the driving state of the vehicle from the automated driving to the manual driving.

6. The automated driving enabled vehicle according to claim 4 , wherein
the lamp device comprises an emergency flickering indicator lamp of the vehicle, and
the lamp controller is configured to cause flicker of both the automated driving indicator lamp and the emergency flickering indicator lamp when switching the driving state of the vehicle from the automated driving to the manual driving.

7. The automated driving enabled vehicle according to claim 2 , wherein the travel controller switches from the automated driving to the manual driving in response to detection of a driving operation by an occupant of the vehicle.

Assignees

• Subaru Corp

Inventors

• Yamasaki Kentarou
• Kinoshita Makoto
• Takayama Keisuke
• Muramatsu Yuta

Classifications

• B60Q1/52 Primary

  for indicating emergencies · CPC title

• B60Q1/543

  for indicating other states or conditions of the vehicle (indicating taxis' state of hire or fare G07B13/045) · CPC title

• B60Q1/507 Primary

  specific to autonomous vehicles · CPC title

• B60Q1/46

  for giving flashing caution signals during drive, other than signalling change of direction, e.g. flashing the headlights {or hazard lights} · CPC title

• B60W60/0053

  from vehicle to occupant · CPC title