Vehicle notification control device and vehicle notification control method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024042928-A1
Application number	US-202318489413-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 18, 2023
Priority date	Apr 27, 2021
Publication date	Feb 8, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

By a vehicle notification control device or a vehicle notification control method, an automated driving-related state is identified, a vehicle exterior notification device is controlled for performing vehicle exterior notification that is notification of information related to the automated driving toward an outside of the vehicle; and an execution timing of the vehicle exterior notification is changed according to the identified automated driving-related state.

First claim

1 . A vehicle notification control device for a vehicle capable of: performing automated driving at a plurality of automation levels; and switching the plurality of automation levels each indicating a degree of the automated driving, the vehicle notification control device comprising:
a state identification unit configured to identify an automated driving-related state that is a state of the vehicle, the state being related to the automated driving; and a vehicle exterior notification controller configured to control a vehicle exterior notification device that performs vehicle exterior notification that is notification of information related to the automated driving toward an outside of the vehicle, wherein the vehicle exterior notification controller changes an execution timing of the vehicle exterior notification according to the automated driving-related state identified by the state identification unit.

2 . The vehicle notification control device according to claim 1 , wherein
the state identification unit is configured to identify, as the automated driving-related state, at least whether an advance approval has been given, the advance approval is an approval for an increase in the automation level from a driver of the vehicle before the increase becomes possible, the vehicle notification control device changes the execution timing of the vehicle exterior notification according to whether the advance approval has been given, when the increase in the automation level becomes possible using the automated driving-related state identified by the state identification unit.

3 . The vehicle notification control device according to claim 2 , wherein
the automated driving includes area limit automated driving that permits automated driving without a monitoring obligation of the driver and is performed in a limited area, and the vehicle notification control device causes the vehicle exterior notification indicating, advance, a possibility that the automated driving without the monitoring obligation of the driver starts, before the vehicle enters the limited area when the vehicle enters the limited area from an outside of the limited area in a case where the advance approval has been given using the automated driving-related state identified by the state identification unit.

4 . The vehicle notification control device according to claim 3 , wherein
when the vehicle enters the limited area and the area limit automated driving starts, the vehicle exterior notification controller performs switching to the vehicle exterior notification indicating that the automated driving without the monitoring obligation is being performed.

5 . The vehicle notification control device according to claim 2 , wherein
the automated driving includes specific situation limit automated driving that permits automated driving without a monitoring obligation of the driver and is performed in a specific situation that is a specific peripheral situation, and the vehicle notification control device causes the vehicle exterior notification indicating, in advance, a possibility that the automated driving without the monitoring obligation of the driver starts, when a part of condition of the specific situation is satisfied in a case where the advance approval has been given using the automated driving-related state identified by the state identification unit.

6 . The vehicle notification control device according to claim 5 , wherein
when all of the condition is satisfied and the specific situation limit automated driving starts, the vehicle exterior notification controller performs switching to the vehicle exterior notification indicating that the automated driving without the monitoring obligation is being performed.

7 . The vehicle notification control device according to claim 2 , wherein
the automated driving includes automated driving without a monitoring obligation of the driver, the vehicle notification control device is capable of performing the automated driving without the monitoring obligation, in a case where the advance approval has not been given for the automated driving without the monitoring obligation using the automated driving-related state identified by the state identification unit, when, in a state where the automated driving without the monitoring obligation is possible, the approval has been given from the driver of the vehicle and the automated driving without the monitoring obligation has started, the vehicle exterior notification controller causes the vehicle exterior notification indicating that the automated driving without the monitoring obligation is being performed.

8 . The vehicle notification control device according to claim 2 , wherein
the automated driving includes automated driving without a monitoring obligation of the driver, in the automated driving without the monitoring obligation, the driver is permitted not to perform monitoring, the vehicle notification control device is capable of performing the automated driving without the monitoring obligation, in a case where the advance approval has not been given for the automated driving without the monitoring obligation using the automated driving-related state identified by the state identification unit, after, in a state where the automated driving without the monitoring obligation is possible, the approval is given from the driver of the vehicle and before the automated driving without the monitoring obligation starts, the vehicle exterior notification controller causes the vehicle exterior notification indicating that the automated driving without the monitoring obligation is being performed.

9 . The vehicle notification control device according to claim 1 , wherein
the state identification unit is configured to identify, as the automated driving-related state, at least a factor causing a decrease in the automation level, and the vehicle notification control device changes the execution timing of the vehicle exterior notification according to the factor causing the decrease using the automated driving-related state identified by the state identification unit, when the automation level decreases.

10 . The vehicle notification control device according to claim 9 , wherein
the vehicle notification control device is usable for a vehicle in which the automation level decreases after an assistance period in which a system of the vehicle performs a more traveling assistance than a traveling assistance of the decreased automation level, when an override that is an operation intervention by a driver of the vehicle causes the automation level to decrease, and in a case where the automation level decreases, when a factor causing the decrease in the automation level is the override, the vehicle exterior notification controller performs switching from the vehicle exterior notification at a time of the decrease to a different vehicle exterior notification, using the automated driving-related state identified by the state identification unit after the assistance period has elapsed and the automation level has decreased.

11 . The vehicle notification control device according to claim 9 , wherein
the vehicle notification control device is usable for a vehicle in which the automation level deceases after providing a driving change request that requests a driving change to a driver of the vehicle, when the automation level decreases due to the driving change caused by determination of a system of the vehicle, and in a case where the automation level decreases, when the factor causing the decrease in the automation level is the driving change that is scheduled, the vehicle exterior notification controller performs switching from th

Assignees

• Denso Corp

Inventors

• Nojiri Shota
• MANEYAMA Shiori
• Izumi Kazuki
• Kume Takuya

Classifications

• B60Q1/543 Primary

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

• B60Q1/507

  specific to autonomous vehicles · CPC title

• B60W50/14

  Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention · CPC title

• B60W30/18154

  Approaching an intersection · CPC title

• B60W30/18163

  Lane change; Overtaking manoeuvres · CPC title