Automated driving apparatus and automated driving system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9796416-B2
Application number	US-201615274135-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 23, 2016
Priority date	Sep 28, 2015
Publication date	Oct 24, 2017
Grant date	Oct 24, 2017

Abstract

A steering wheel control unit executes control such that a steering wheel rotates in accordance with a first target steering angle and the steering wheel rotates in accordance with a second target steering angle when a steering operation is detected. A target steering angle setting unit sets the second target steering angle that asymptotically approaches an actual steering angle from the first target steering angle with the lapse of time, during a period from when the steering operation is detected during the automated driving until when an end of the steering operation is detected, and sets the second target steering angle that asymptotically approaches the first target steering angle with the lapse of time after the end of the steering operation is detected. After the steering operation takes place, the reaction force gradually decreases. After the steering operation ends, the reaction force gradually increases.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An automated driving apparatus configured to execute automated driving of a host vehicle in accordance with a first target steering angle while controlling rotation of a steering wheel such that the steering wheel rotates by a rotation angle corresponding to the first target steering angle, and the automated driving apparatus configured to cause the host vehicle to temporarily travel in accordance with an actual steering angle corresponding to a rotation angle of the steering wheel when a steering operation of the steering wheel by a driver of the host vehicle takes place during the automated driving, the automated driving apparatus comprising:
a steering operation detection unit configured to detect the steering operation;
a target steering angle setting unit configured to set the first target steering angle corresponding to a traveling environment around the host vehicle and a traveling state of the host vehicle during the automated driving, and target steering angle setting unit configured to set the first target steering angle and a second target steering angle based on the first target steering angle and the actual steering angle when the steering operation is detected by the steering operation detection unit during the automated driving;
a steering control unit configured to execute steering control of the host vehicle in accordance with the first target steering angle during the automated driving, and the steering control unit configured to execute the steering control of the host vehicle in accordance with the actual steering angle when the steering operation is detected by the steering operation detection unit during the automated driving; and
a steering wheel control unit configured to control the rotation of the steering wheel such that the steering wheel rotates by the rotation angle corresponding to the first target steering angle during the automated driving, and the steering wheel control unit configured to control the rotation of the steering wheel such that the steering wheel rotates by a rotation angle corresponding to the second target steering angle when the steering operation is detected by the steering operation detection unit during the automated driving, wherein
the target steering angle setting unit is configured to set the second target steering angle that asymptotically approaches the actual steering angle from the first target steering angle with a lapse of time, within a period from when the steering operation is detected by the steering operation detection unit during the automated driving until when an end of the steering operation is detected by the steering operation detection unit, and
the target steering angle setting unit is configured to set the second target steering angle that asymptotically approaches the first target steering angle with the lapse of time, after the steering operation detection unit detects the end of the steering operation detected by the steering operation detection unit during the automated driving.

2. The automated driving apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising
an indication control unit configured to cause an indicator of the host vehicle to indicate a steering operation non-detection indication for notifying the driver of the host vehicle that the steering operation is not detected, when the steering operation is not detected by the steering operation detection unit and when the end of the steering operation is detected by the steering operation detection unit, and the indication control unit configured to cause the indicator to indicate a steering operation detection indication for notifying the driver of the host vehicle that the steering operation is detected, when the steering operation is detected by the steering operation detection unit.

3. An automated driving system configured to execute automated driving of a host vehicle in accordance with a first target steering angle while controlling rotation of a steering wheel such that the steering wheel rotates by a rotation angle corresponding to the first target steering angle, and the automated driving system configured to cause the host vehicle to temporarily travel in accordance with an actual steering angle corresponding to a rotation angle of the steering wheel when a steering operation of the steering wheel by a driver of the host vehicle takes place during the automated driving, the automated driving system comprising:
a steering sensor that detects and outputs an amount of the steering operation of the steering wheel;
a steering actuator that controls a steering angle of the host vehicle;
a steering wheel actuator that controls a torque to be applied to the steering wheel; and
an electronic controller configured to:
detect the steering operation;
set the first target steering angle corresponding to a traveling environment around the host vehicle and a traveling state of the host vehicle during the automated driving, and set the first target steering angle and a second target steering angle based on the first target steering angle and the actual steering angle when the steering operation is detected during the automated driving;
control the steering actuator based on the first target steering angle during the automated driving, and control the steering actuator based on the actual steering angle when the steering operation is detected during the automated driving; and
control the steering wheel actuator such that the steering wheel rotates by the rotation angle corresponding to the first target steering angle during the automated driving, and control the steering wheel actuator such that the steering wheel rotates by a rotation angle corresponding to the second target steering angle when the steering operation is detected during the automated driving, wherein

the electronic controller is configured to set the second target steering angle that asymptotically approaches the actual steering angle from the first target steering angle with a lapse of time, within a period from when the steering operation is detected during the automated driving until when an end of the steering operation is detected, and
the electronic controller is configured to set the second target steering angle that asymptotically approaches the first target steering angle with the lapse of time, after the end of the steering operation detected during the automated driving is detected.

4. The automated driving system according to claim 3 , further comprising
an indicator, wherein:
the electronic controller is configured to cause the indicator to indicate a first indication for notifying the driver of the host vehicle that the steering operation is not detected, when the steering operation is not detected; and
the electronic controller is configured to cause the indicator to indicate a second indication for notifying the driver of the host vehicle that the steering operation is detected, when the steering operation is detected.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Fujii Shota
• Niki Keitaro

Classifications

• B60W2520/28

  Wheel speed · CPC title

• B62D6/00

  Arrangements for automatically controlling steering depending on driving conditions sensed and responded to, e.g. control circuits (means for initiating a change in direction B62D1/00; steering valves B62D5/06; combined with means for inclining the vehicle body or wheels on bends B62D9/00) · CPC title

• B62D15/025

  Active steering aids, e.g. helping the driver by actively influencing the steering system after environment evaluation (B62D1/28 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B62D1/286

  Systems for interrupting non-mechanical steering due to driver intervention · CPC title

• B60W2710/18

  Braking system · CPC title