JP7740939B2 - Vehicle behavior display system - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a vehicle behavior display system that displays the behavior of, for example, an autonomously driven vehicle to those around it.

For example, there is a known self-driving vehicle that displays its own behavior based on its own judgment (see Patent Document 1). Furthermore, there is also a known auto valet parking control system that determines a safe haven on the vehicle side and drives to that safe haven when a communication failure occurs between the management side and the vehicle side (see Patent Document 2).

However, in Patent Document 1, for example, the system does not make decisions on the part of the system managing the behavior of the autonomous vehicle, nor does it display information using anything other than the vehicle itself, and therefore may not provide accurate notifications in terms of making other vehicles, pedestrians, etc. in the vicinity aware of the behavior of the autonomous vehicle. Furthermore, Patent Document 2 discloses the control operations of an autonomous vehicle in auto valet parking, but does not mention displaying the behavior of the autonomous vehicle.

JP 2019-59387 A Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2019-164698

The present invention was made in consideration of the above points, and aims to provide a vehicle behavior display system that can accurately notify other vehicles, pedestrians, and others in the vicinity of an autonomously driven vehicle of the future behavior, i.e., operating mode, of the autonomously driven vehicle.

To achieve the above objective, the vehicle behavior display system includes an autonomous driving control unit that is installed in an autonomous vehicle and controls driving, a behavior display command unit that issues display commands corresponding to the behavior of autonomous vehicles located within a specified area based on control by the autonomous driving control unit, and a display device that is located within the specified area and displays based on display commands from the behavior display command unit.

The vehicle behavior display system described above can, for example, display the behavior of an autonomous vehicle on a display device located in a specified target area based on a display command from the party managing the autonomous vehicle's behavior, accurately informing other vehicles, pedestrians, etc. in the vicinity of the autonomous vehicle of the future behavior (operating mode) of the autonomous vehicle. In this way, by making the future behavior of the autonomous vehicle visible to other vehicles, pedestrians, etc. in the vicinity, it becomes possible to avoid or mitigate collisions, traffic jams, deadlocks, etc.

In a specific aspect of the present invention, the behavior display command unit causes the display device to display the direction of travel of the autonomously driven vehicle in response to a display command. In this case, the direction of travel of the autonomously driven vehicle can be notified to those around the autonomously driven vehicle.

In another aspect of the present invention, the behavior display command unit is a control center that manages behavior based on control by the autonomous driving control unit. In this case, content corresponding to the behavior management of the autonomous driving control unit in the control center can be displayed on a display device.

In yet another aspect of the present invention, the behavior display command unit is a driving route determination unit that performs parking management in the parking area of the auto valet parking lot as a predetermined area and determines the planned driving route of an autonomous vehicle that is present in the parking area. In this case, the planned driving route of an autonomous vehicle driving within the auto valet parking lot can be displayed on a display device.

In yet another aspect of the present invention, the behavior display command unit includes a travel route determination unit that includes a judgment unit that judges whether a route change is necessary for the planned travel route, and if the judgment unit determines that a route change is necessary, the planned travel route is changed and a display command corresponding to the changed travel route is output to the display device. In this case, the travel route corresponding to the route change can be displayed.

In yet another aspect of the present invention, when the determination unit determines that a route change is necessary, the behavior display command unit issues a display command to cause the display device to display a message indicating that a detour route is being searched for until the changed driving route is confirmed. In this case, by displaying the message that a search is being performed, it is possible to notify those around the autonomous vehicle of the reason why the autonomous vehicle remains stopped, for example.

In yet another aspect of the present invention, the behavior display command unit manages the travel route of a public transportation vehicle serving as an autonomous vehicle at an intersection serving as a predetermined area. In this case, for example, the upcoming direction of the public transportation vehicle passing through the intersection can be notified to other vehicles, pedestrians, etc. present around the intersection.

In yet another aspect of the present invention, the display device includes a mobile terminal present within the specified area or digital signage installed within the specified area. In this case, the display device can reliably make other vehicles, pedestrians, etc. present within the specified area aware of the autonomous vehicle's future behavior.

1 is a conceptual diagram for explaining an overview of a parking lot (auto valet parking) in which a vehicle behavior display system according to a first embodiment has been introduced. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a vehicle behavior display system; 1 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of an outline of the operation of a vehicle behavior display system; FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram illustrating an example of a display device. FIG. 10 is a conceptual diagram illustrating another example of a display device. 10A and 10B are conceptual diagrams for explaining an example of the control operation of an autonomously driven vehicle in auto valet parking. 10A and 10B are conceptual diagrams illustrating an example of the control operation of an autonomously driven vehicle in auto valet parking. 10A and 10B are conceptual diagrams illustrating an example of the operation of the vehicle behavior display system in the control operation of an autonomously driven vehicle in auto valet parking. FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram for explaining an example of the operation of the vehicle behavior display system in the control operation of an autonomously driven vehicle in auto valet parking. 3 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of a display operation by the vehicle behavior display system. FIG. 1A and 1B are conceptual diagrams showing an example of a series of image modes displayed on a display device. FIG. 2 is a block diagram for explaining the flow of operations in the vehicle behavior display system. 10A to 10D are flowcharts illustrating a series of operations in the vehicle behavior display system. FIG. 10 is a conceptual diagram for explaining another example of the operation of the vehicle behavior display system in the control operation of an autonomously driven vehicle in auto valet parking. 10A to 10D are conceptual diagrams showing an example of a series of image modes displayed on a display device. FIG. 10 is a conceptual diagram for explaining an outline of an intersection where a vehicle behavior display system according to a second embodiment is introduced. (A) and (B) are conceptual front and side views showing an example of how a public transportation vehicle displays its own behavior, and (C) and (D) are conceptual front and side views showing an example of how an autonomous vehicle displays its own behavior.

First Embodiment
An example of a vehicle behavior display system according to the first embodiment will be described below with reference to Fig. 1 etc. Fig. 1 is a conceptual diagram for providing an overview of a parking lot PA in which a vehicle behavior display system 100 according to this embodiment has been introduced.

In this embodiment, the parking lot PA is configured for parking using so-called auto valet parking. That is, communication occurs between the control center CC, which manages the parking lot PA, and the autonomous vehicle VE. In accordance with instructions from the control center CC, the autonomous vehicle VE autonomously drives to automatically enter and exit a designated parking location (vehicle compartment CR) within the parking area MA. In the illustrated example, when the occupant exits the autonomous vehicle VE parked at the exit portico AR1 within the boarding/exiting area AR, the unmanned autonomous vehicle VE begins communicating with the control center CC, which is composed of a server that handles various data, and, in accordance with instructions from the control center CC, heads toward the designated parking location CR (e.g., vehicle compartment CRa) within the parking area MA. For example, when information such as the ID of the autonomous vehicle VE is sent to the control center CC from a smartphone or other device carried by the owner of the autonomous vehicle VE (a passenger who has disembarked), unmanned autonomous driving operation for parking using the auto valet parking system described above is initiated. Furthermore, when the autonomous vehicle VE is leaving the parking lot, unmanned autonomous driving operation for moving the autonomous vehicle VE to the boarding porte-cochere AR2 is initiated when information regarding a call is sent to the control center CC from a smartphone or other device carried by the owner of the autonomous vehicle VE.

In the example shown in the figure, for ease of explanation, in auto valet parking at parking lot PA, when an autonomous vehicle VE enters, it travels from the drop-off driveway AR1 through passage PT1 to parking area MA and is parked in the designated parking space CR. Furthermore, when an autonomous vehicle VE leaves, it travels from the parking space CR where it was parked through passage PT2 to the pick-up driveway AR2. In other words, the driving route to parking area MA is one-way, and parking area MA is reserved for auto valet parking. However, this is not a limitation, and vehicle behavior display system 100 can also be applied to parking lots that do not have one-way streets, for example.

To enable the above-described operations, the communication range DD1 between the control center CC and the autonomously driven vehicle VE includes the boarding/disembarking area AR, the parking area MA, and the passages PT1 and PT2 from the boarding/disembarking area AR to the parking area MA, as shown enclosed by dashed lines.

In the above-described configuration, as already mentioned, the parking area MA is exclusively for auto valet parking. In other words, general vehicles and pedestrians that are not subject to auto valet parking are, in principle, prohibited from entering the parking area MA. However, depending on the installation mode of the parking lot PA, it is not always possible to completely exclude general vehicles and pedestrians from the parking area MA, and there is a possibility that general vehicles, pedestrians, etc. may mistakenly enter the parking area MA. In such cases, there is a risk of collisions, traffic jams, deadlocks, etc. occurring between the autonomously driven vehicle VE that is the parking target in the parking lot PA and general vehicles (vehicles other than the autonomously driven vehicle VE) or pedestrians that are not the parking target, and it is extremely important to avoid or mitigate these occurrences.

In response to this, in this embodiment, a vehicle behavior display system 100 is introduced in parking lots PA where auto valet parking is performed, which displays the behavior of the autonomously driven vehicle VE. This allows ordinary vehicles and pedestrians to be aware of the behavior of the autonomously driven vehicle VE, making it possible to avoid or mitigate such situations.

The vehicle behavior display system 100 according to this embodiment includes an autonomous driving control unit 10, an imaging device 20, a determination device 30, a behavior display command unit 50 (control center CC), and a display device 70.

The autonomous driving control unit 10 is a device installed in the autonomous driving vehicle VE for driving control (cruising control). In particular, the autonomous driving control unit 10 is capable of communicating with the behavior display command unit 50 (control center CC), thereby enabling it to support auto valet parking.

The imaging device 20 is composed of a camera (infrastructure camera) that captures images to monitor the parking lot PA. Note that while only one imaging device 20 is shown in the figure, multiple cameras can be installed within the parking lot PA (particularly the parking area MA) to monitor the entire area.

The determination device 30 analyzes image data captured by the imaging device 20 to determine whether any abnormalities, such as the presence or absence of obstacles, exist within the parking lot PA on the path of the autonomously driven vehicle VE. As a specific example, the determination device 30 determines whether there are any ordinary vehicles or pedestrians in the parking lot PA (particularly within the parking area MA), and whether any obstacles, including these, present a risk of collision with the autonomously driven vehicle VE. A typical configuration example for the determination device 30 is an electronic circuit provided for each camera that constitutes the imaging device 20. The determination device 30 is also capable of communicating with the behavior display command unit 50 and the autonomous driving control unit 10. If an abnormality or a risk of collision is detected as a result of analyzing the image data, the determination device 30 immediately transmits obstacle information, a stop command, or the like based on the confirmation and analysis results.

The behavior display command unit 50 issues display commands to the display device 70 for the behavior of the autonomously driven vehicle VE that is present within the communication range DD1, which is a predetermined area, based on the control of the autonomous driving control unit 10. As described above, in this example, the control center CC functions as the behavior display command unit 50. From another perspective, the behavior display command unit 50 also manages the autonomous driving behavior of the autonomously driven vehicle VE based on the control of the autonomous driving control unit 10 in order to issue commands regarding behavior display. Therefore, the behavior display command unit 50 first communicates with the autonomous driving control unit 10 to move the autonomous driving control unit 10 to a predetermined position (e.g., the vehicle compartment CRa), acquires position information of the autonomously driven vehicle VE from the autonomous driving control unit 10 to determine the position of the autonomously driven vehicle VE, and transmits a command signal for guidance to the autonomous driving control unit 10. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the behavior display command unit 50 determines whether to change the guidance destination of the autonomously driven vehicle VE based on obstacle information from the determination device 30. As described above, the behavior display command unit 50 performs parking management in the parking area MA, which is the parking area of the auto valet parking as a predetermined area, and also functions as a driving route determination unit (driving route determination unit RD, described below with reference to FIG. 2) that determines the planned driving route of the autonomously driven vehicle VE that is in the parking area MA.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the behavior display command unit 50 transmits a display command to the display device 70, including information regarding the guidance route, etc., to cause the display device 70 to display the course of the autonomously driven vehicle VE. In particular, when the behavior display command unit 50 determines that a course change is necessary for the autonomously driven vehicle VE, it communicates with the autonomous driving control unit 10 regarding this and transmits information regarding the change in the behavior of the autonomously driven vehicle VE as a display command to the display device 70. In other words, the behavior display command unit 50 transmits a display command to the display device 70 corresponding to the behavior of the autonomously driven vehicle VE that is located in the parking area MA based on the control by the autonomous driving control unit 10, causing the display device 70 to perform a display operation that shows the behavior of the autonomously driven vehicle VE. For example, the behavior display command unit 50 causes the display device 70 to display the direction of travel of the autonomously driven vehicle VE in accordance with the display command.

The display device 70 is located within the specified area (communication range DD1), particularly within the parking area MA, and, as described above, performs display operations based on display commands from the behavior display command unit 50. This allows other vehicles and pedestrians, etc., other than the intended parking area, who accidentally enter the parking area MA, to be aware of the behavior of the autonomously driven vehicle VE. The display device 70 is a display component (hereinafter referred to as digital signage) composed of an LCD panel, an organic EL panel, etc., and is installed and fixed in a location within the parking lot PA that does not interfere with the progress of the autonomously driven vehicle VE. An example configuration of the display device 70 will be described later with reference to Figures 4 and 5, etc. In the example shown in Figure 1, the display device 70 is shown in two locations within the parking area MA. However, this is not limiting and the display device 70 can be installed in various locations within the parking lot PA (particularly the parking area MA) as long as it does not interfere with traffic. In addition to displaying information regarding the behavior of the autonomously driven vehicle VE, the display device 70 can also be configured to display information, for example, encouraging other vehicles and pedestrians to exit.

Below, with reference to the block diagram shown in Figure 2, an example configuration of the vehicle behavior display system 100 described above will be explained in more detail. In particular, an example configuration in which the control center CC functions as the behavior display command unit 50 will be explained.

As shown in the figure, the behavior display command unit 50 includes an external input unit 51, a judgment unit 52, a route generation unit 53, and an external output unit 54 to issue display commands to the display device 70 corresponding to behaviors based on control by the autonomous driving control unit 10.

The external input unit 51 is an interface unit for acquiring various information from the autonomous driving control unit 10 and the determination device 30. In other words, the behavior display command unit 50 acquires various information, such as image data captured by the imaging device 20 and obstacle information obtained as a result of analyzing this data in the determination device 30, via the external input unit 51.

The determination unit 52 makes various determinations based on various data acquired from the external input unit. For example, the determination unit 52 determines the location (compartment CRa) where the autonomously driven vehicle VE should be parked based on position information about the autonomously driven vehicle VE transmitted from the autonomous driving control unit 10 and the parking situation within the parking area MA. That is, the determination unit 52 determines the optimal compartment CRa for parking the autonomously driven vehicle VE from among multiple compartments CR. The determination unit 52 also causes the route generation unit 53 to create a route for the autonomously driven vehicle VE as needed. The determination unit 52 also determines whether the route of the autonomously driven vehicle VE needs to be changed based on obstacle information from the determination device 30. That is, the determination unit 52 determines whether the route and compartment CRa of the autonomously driven vehicle VE that have already been determined should be changed based on changes in the situation ascertained from the various information transmitted from the determination device 30.

The route generation unit 53 creates a route to the parking position (vehicle compartment CRa) of the autonomously driven vehicle VE. For example, for an autonomously driven vehicle VE that has been recognized by the determination unit 52 after communication with the autonomous driving control unit 10 has newly begun, the route generation unit 53 generates route data (driving route) to the parking position (vehicle compartment CRa) determined by the determination unit 52.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, if the determination unit 52 determines that a route change is necessary based on obstacle information, etc. from the determination device 30, the route generation unit 53 performs a reroute, i.e., regenerates the route data (driving route), in response to a request from the determination unit 52.

As described above, in the behavior display command unit 50, the judgment unit 52 works in cooperation with the route generation unit 53 to determine whether a route change is necessary for the planned driving route, and if it is determined that a route change is necessary, functions as a driving route determination unit RD that changes the planned driving route and outputs a display command corresponding to the changed driving route to the display device 70 via the external output unit 54, which will be described later.

As described above, the external output unit 54 is an interface unit for outputting various instructions and commands to the outside based on the determination results of the determination unit 52. It outputs information output from the behavior display command unit 50. Specifically, the external output unit 54 of the behavior display command unit 50 transmits route data (driving route) of the autonomously driven vehicle VE to the autonomous driving control unit 10, and if a route change is required, new route data (driving route) is transmitted. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the display command transmitted from the external output unit 54 to the display device 70 includes information related to the autonomously driven vehicle VE's driving route. In particular, if a route change is required and new route data (driving route) is transmitted, the display device 70 displays a message that the autonomously driven vehicle VE is stopped for the route change and a message about the new route (reroute).

Here, with reference to the conceptual diagram shown in Figure 3, an example of the operation of the above-mentioned vehicle behavior display system 100 will be summarized. First, as a premise, communication is established between the autonomous driving control unit 10 and the behavior display command unit 50, and processing for auto valet parking is performed. That is, the autonomous driving control unit 10 controls the autonomously driven vehicle VE in accordance with command signals received from the behavior display command unit 50, which serves as the control center CC. Furthermore, the behavior display command unit 50, a component of the vehicle behavior display system 100, sends display commands to the display device 70 as necessary, causing the display device 70 to display the behavior of the autonomously driven vehicle VE. As a result, the vehicle behavior display system 100 is able to display the behavior of the autonomously driven vehicle VE on the display device 70 located within the target parking area MA, based on display commands from the control center CC (behavior display command unit 50), which manages the behavior of the autonomously driven vehicle VE. Therefore, for example, other vehicles, pedestrians, etc. that have mistakenly entered the parking area MA and are now in the vicinity of the autonomously driven vehicle VE can be accurately notified of the autonomously driven vehicle VE's future behavior (operating mode). This makes it possible to avoid or mitigate collisions, traffic jams, deadlocks, etc. between the autonomously driven vehicle VE and other vehicles, pedestrians, etc.

Here, various configurations of the display device 70 are possible depending on the installation environment. For example, as shown in the conceptual example of FIG. 4, the display device 70 may be installed in a parking lot PA (within the parking area MA) suspended from above so as not to obstruct the passage of the autonomously driven vehicle VE. Alternatively, as shown in the conceptual example of FIG. 5, the display device 70 may be configured by installing and fixing a display device such as digital signage on the ground in an area MAe of the parking lot PA (within the parking area MA) that is outside the passage range of the autonomously driven vehicle VE. By adopting such a configuration, the behavior of the autonomously driven vehicle VE can be displayed to, for example, ordinary vehicles or pedestrians who have mistakenly entered the parking lot PA (within the parking area MA), thereby avoiding or reducing collisions, traffic jams, deadlocks, and the like. Furthermore, by installing the determination device 30 and the imaging device 20 so that they can monitor the entire parking lot PA, the vehicle behavior display system 100 can determine whether any abnormalities have occurred, such as the presence or absence of obstacles on the path of the autonomously driven vehicle VE. In this manner, the system can be used in parking lots where autonomously driven vehicles VE and general vehicles are mixed, for example.

Below, with reference to Figure 6 and other figures, an example of the control operation of an autonomously driven vehicle VE in auto valet parking will be described. Here, as shown in Figures 6(A) and 6(B), an example of the behavior display performed for an autonomously driven vehicle VEa, which is one autonomously driven vehicle VE, when a general vehicle VEx mistakenly enters the parking area MA of a parking lot PA will be described.

First, as illustrated in Figure 6(A), autonomous vehicle VEa is assumed to be traveling autonomously under control of the autonomous driving control unit 10 in accordance with instructions from control center CC, which also serves as behavior display command unit 50, with a predetermined one of multiple compartments CR, compartment CRa, set as its parking position (destination), and arrow AA1 as its planned driving route. More specifically, in the illustrated example, autonomous vehicle VEa is traveling along passage PT1, and as indicated by arrow AA1, the route is set to take it through central passage MS1 of parking area MA in parking lot PA toward the destination compartment CRa.

In contrast, as shown in FIG. 6(B), if the determination device 30, which monitors the central passage MS1, detects the presence of a general vehicle VEx on the central passage MS1 while the autonomous vehicle VEa is still traveling on passage PT1 and before it reaches the central passage MS1, the control center CC is notified of this. In this case, the control center CC determines that the planned route (arrow AA1) of the autonomous vehicle VEa is unusable and first issues a stop command to the autonomous driving control unit 10. Furthermore, the control center CC searches for a new route candidate, as shown in FIG. 7(A). That is, taking into account the parking situation in the parking lot PA, it again searches among the multiple vehicle compartments CR for a candidate destination CRp and a driving route to the candidate CRp (arrows CP1 and CP2). As shown in Figure 7(B), when the control center CC determines one of the candidate compartments CRp as the new parking location (destination) as a result of the search, it notifies the autonomous driving control unit 10 installed in the autonomous vehicle VEa of the planned driving route (arrow AA2) toward the newly determined destination compartment CRa. As a result, the autonomous vehicle VEa resumes autonomous driving along the newly set planned driving route indicated by arrow AA2.

In the above aspect, the control center CC, as the behavior display command unit 50, may issue a display command to the display device 70 in the situation shown in FIG. 6(B), for example, to display a notification to the general vehicle VEx to continue straight down the central passage MS1 and quickly exit the parking area MA. Furthermore, in the situation shown in FIG. 7(A) or 7(B), for example, the control center CC, as the behavior display command unit 50, may also display on the display device 70 the driving route of the autonomously driven vehicle VEa (arrow AA2, which is the changed driving route), thereby clearly indicating to the general vehicle VEx that the autonomously driven vehicle VEa will not interfere with the general vehicle VEx's continued driving (straight ahead).

Next, with reference to Figure 8 and other figures, we will explain another example of the control operation of an autonomously driven vehicle VE in auto valet parking. In particular, we will explain an example in which the control center CC, which controls the autonomously driven vehicle VE, operates as the behavior display command unit 50.

In the example shown in Figure 8(A), unlike the previous example, the determination device 30 detects the presence of a general vehicle VEx on the central passage MS1 after the autonomous vehicle VEa reaches the central passage MS1. That is, Figure 8(A) shows a case where the autonomous vehicle VEa is autonomously traveling along the initially planned route indicated by arrow AA1 and has already traveled along the central passage MS1 when the general vehicle VEx is detected. In this case, the analysis result by the determination device 30 indicates the possibility of a collision, and this is notified to the control center CC, which serves as the behavior display command unit 50, and the analysis result is also notified to the autonomous vehicle VEa (autonomous driving control unit 10). Specifically, the determination device 30 issues a stop command to the autonomous vehicle VEa to avoid a collision with the general vehicle VEx.

In response to the above, as shown in FIG. 8(B), the control center CC, while confirming that the autonomously driven vehicle VEa has stopped, searches for another new route candidate, that is, searches for a candidate destination CRp from among the multiple vehicle compartments CR, taking into account the parking situation in the parking lot PA, and for a route to the candidate CRp (arrows CP1 and CP2). Furthermore, at this time, the control center CC, as the vehicle behavior display system 50, outputs a corresponding display command to the display device 70 to display on the display device 70 that a new driving route is being searched for to avoid a collision with the autonomously driven vehicle VEa. If the determination unit 52 (see FIG. 2) determines that a route change is necessary, the behavior display command unit 50 can use the above display command to cause the display device 70 to display the fact that a detour route is being searched for, and maintain this state, until the changed driving route is confirmed.

Furthermore, when the vehicle behavior display system 50 (control center CC) determines one of the candidate compartments CRp as the new parking location (destination) as a result of the above search, it notifies the autonomous driving control unit 10 mounted on the autonomous vehicle VEa of the planned driving route (arrow AA2) toward the newly determined destination compartment CRa, as shown in FIG. 9, and outputs a corresponding display command to the display device 70 to display the newly set planned driving route on the display device 70. This allows the driver of the general vehicle VEx to understand the behavior of the opposing autonomous vehicle VEa from the display device 70, as shown in FIG. 10, for example.

In the above embodiment, as shown in FIG. 11, the display device 70 will sequentially display a display indicating that the autonomously driven vehicle VEa will be stopped to avoid a collision (state α1), a display indicating that a search for a reroute, i.e., that the vehicle will continue to be stopped (state α2), and a display indicating the driving direction after the reroute (state α3). In other words, the behavior of the autonomously driven vehicle VEa relative to the general vehicle VEx can be clearly displayed.

An example of the operational flow of the vehicle behavior display system 100 configured as described above will be explained below with reference to the block diagram shown in Figure 12. As already described and as shown in the figure, the vehicle behavior display system 100 is composed of an autonomous driving control unit 10, an imaging device 20, a determination device 30, a behavior display command unit 50 (control center CC), and a display device 70.

First, regarding the imaging device 20 and the determination device 30, which are infrastructure-side equipment, the imaging device 20, which is composed of an infrastructure camera, continuously captures images of the monitored area, extracts obstacles such as ordinary vehicles VEx from the image data acquired through the imaging, and further extracts their positions and speeds, outputting the extraction results to the determination device 30. The determination device 30 provides information from the infrastructure to the vehicle (I2V), i.e., provides information from the infrastructure to the vehicle. As an I2V, the determination device 30 transmits the results of its determination based on information acquired from the imaging device 20, etc., to the autonomously driven vehicle VEa, i.e., the autonomous driving control unit 10. Note that the determination device 30 receives information on the position and speed of the autonomously driven vehicle VEa in advance from the autonomous driving control unit 10 via short-range wireless communication. This enables the determination device 30 to predict a collision between an obstacle such as an ordinary vehicle VEx and the autonomously driven vehicle VEa based on information from the imaging device 20 and the autonomous driving control unit 10. Furthermore, if the determination device 30 determines that there is a possibility of a collision based on the collision prediction result, it issues a command to the autonomously driven vehicle VEa to stop in order to avoid the collision.

In addition, the determination device 30 outputs various information acquired from the imaging device 20 and the determination results made by the determination device 30 as obstacle information, etc. to the behavior display command unit 50 (control center CC).

Meanwhile, the behavior display command unit 50, serving as the control center CC, provides the autonomous driving control unit 10 with information for parking (guiding) the autonomous vehicle VEa at a predetermined position, i.e., notifies the autonomous driving control unit 10 of the driving route. At this time, the behavior display command unit 50 changes the guidance content as necessary based on various information, such as obstacle information, transmitted from the determination device 30 described above, and provides the autonomous driving control unit 10 with information about new guidance based on the results of the changes (a newly set driving route). Furthermore, the behavior display command unit 50 outputs a display command to the display device 70 to cause the display device 70 to display, as necessary, the guidance of the autonomous vehicle VEa, i.e., the behavior of the autonomous vehicle VEa. In addition to the display by the display device 70, the autonomous vehicle VEa may directly display its behavior to the general vehicle VEx as a behavior display by the autonomous vehicle VEa to the general vehicle VEx. For example, while it is common to display turn signals for the left and right directions, this is not limiting and it is also possible to configure the autonomously driven vehicle VEa to have a display unit or the like (an example will be described later with reference to Figure 17).

An example of the operations of each unit in the vehicle behavior display system 100 and their associated series of operations will be described below with reference to the flowcharts in Figures 13(A) to 13(D). Of the figures, Figure 13(A) is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the behavior display command unit 50 (control center CC), Figure 13(B) is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the display device 70, Figure 13(C) is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the autonomous driving control unit 10 (autonomously driven vehicles VE, VEa), and Figure 13(D) is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the determination device 30.

As shown in FIG. 13(A), when the behavior display command unit 50 (control center CC) starts operation, it first detects a vehicle to be guided to a parking position (step S101). That is, as the control center CC that manages parking, the behavior display command unit 50 communicates with the autonomous driving control unit 10 of the autonomous vehicle VEa (VE) that is to be guided to park, and confirms the presence of that vehicle. In step S101, upon detecting the autonomous vehicle VEa of the autonomous driving control unit 10 (step S101: Yes), the behavior display command unit 50 determines the parking position (vehicle compartment CRa) of the autonomous vehicle VEa and sets a driving route to that parking position (step S102), and instructs the autonomous driving control unit 10 to drive the autonomous vehicle VEa autonomously along the set driving route (step S103).

After receiving the instruction in step S103, the behavior display command unit 50 checks whether the autonomously driven vehicle VEa has reached the parking position (vehicle compartment CRa), which is the destination position (step S104). That is, the behavior display command unit 50 checks whether a signal indicating arrival at the destination position, such as completion of parking, has been received from the autonomous driving control unit 10. If arrival at the destination position is confirmed in step S104 (step S104: Yes), the behavior display command unit 50 ends the series of processes and repeats the operations from step S101 again to provide guidance to a new autonomously driven vehicle VE.

On the other hand, if it is not confirmed in step S104 that the destination position has been reached (step S104: No), the behavior display command unit 50 checks whether it is necessary to stop (temporarily stop) the autonomously driven vehicle VEa (step S105).

If it is determined in step S105 that stopping is necessary (step S105: Yes), the behavior display command unit 50 further determines whether a change in the driving route is necessary (step S106).

If it is determined in step S106 that a change in the driving route is necessary (step S106: Yes), the behavior display command unit 50 resets the driving route (step S107).

Here, typical examples of when it is necessary to stop the autonomously driven vehicle VEa in step S105 or when it is necessary to change the driving route in step S106 include, as described above, when a general vehicle VEx is detected and this affects the driving route of the autonomously driven vehicle VEa.

Once the driving route is reset in step S107, the behavior display command unit 50 notifies the autonomous driving control unit 10 of the autonomously driven vehicle VEa of information about the newly set driving route. In other words, the behavior display command unit 50 instructs the autonomous driving control unit 10 to perform autonomous driving along the newly set driving route (step S108).

After the instruction in step S108, or if it is determined in step S105 that stopping is not necessary (step S105: No), the behavior display command unit 50 returns to step S104 to check whether the autonomously driven vehicle VEa has reached the destination parking position (vehicle compartment CRa). Furthermore, if it is determined in step S106 that a change in the driving route is not necessary (step S106: No), the behavior display command unit 50 waits until the stop is released (step S109) and then returns to step S104.

During the series of operations performed by the behavior display command unit 50 as described above, if it is determined in step S105 that the autonomously driven vehicle VEa needs to be stopped (step S105: Yes), the behavior display command unit 50 as the control center CC will issue a stop command to the autonomous driving control unit 10. At this time, the behavior display command unit 50 will also notify the display device 70 of this, as necessary. In other words, it issues a display command to cause the display device 70 to display that the autonomously driven vehicle VEa will be stopped.

Furthermore, for example, in step S107, when re-setting of the driving route begins, the behavior display command unit 50 issues a display command to the display device 70 to display that a new route is being searched for. Furthermore, in step S108, when the behavior display command unit 50, acting as the control center CC, issues an instruction to the autonomous driving control unit 10 to perform autonomous driving along the newly set driving route, the behavior display command unit 50 also issues a display command to the display device 70 to display information about the new driving route.

Next, as shown in FIG. 13(B), when the display device 70 starts operation, it first continues to check whether a display command has been received from the behavior display command unit 50 (step S201). If a display command is received (step S201: Yes), it performs a display operation in accordance with the command (step S202) and then returns to step S201 to check whether a new display command has been received. The display device 70 repeats the above operations. Note that the specific content of the display command received in step S201 is as described with reference to FIG. 13(A).

Next, as shown in Figure 13 (C), in order to qualify for valet parking, the autonomous driving control unit 10 first transmits information to the behavior display command unit 50 (control center CC) to obtain parking guidance (driving route information), and continues this process until it is confirmed that communication has begun (step S301).

In step S301, when it is confirmed that communication with the behavior display command unit 50 (control center CC) has been established (step S301: Yes), the autonomous driving control unit 10 continues to do so until it confirms whether it has received information from the behavior display command unit 50 about the driving route to the parking position (vehicle compartment CRa) for the autonomous driving vehicle VEa in which it is installed (step S302).

In step S302, when the driving route is received (step S302: Yes), the autonomous driving control unit 10 performs autonomous driving (automated driving) along the driving route (step S303). Note that here, if a determination device 30 is present within the range where short-range communication is possible, the autonomous driving control unit 10 provides information about the driving route along with its own position, etc.

Next, the autonomous driving control unit 10 checks whether the autonomous vehicle VEa has reached the parking position (vehicle compartment CRa), which is the destination position, as a result of the driving in step S303 (step S304). If it is confirmed in step S304 that the destination position has been reached (step S304: Yes), the autonomous driving control unit 10 ends the series of processes. At this time, the autonomous driving control unit 10 sends a signal (completion signal) to the behavior display command unit 50 indicating that the destination position has been reached, such as parking completion.

On the other hand, if it is not confirmed in step S304 that the destination position has been reached (step S304: No), i.e., if the destination position has not yet been reached, the autonomous driving control unit 10 checks whether a stop command has been received from the parking lot (step S305).

Here, the stop command may be issued, for example, when step S105 of the behavior display command unit 50 determines that a stop is necessary, or when the command is issued by the determination device 30 (described below) based on the possibility of a collision (typically, as shown with reference to Figure 8, etc.).

If it is determined in step S305 that a stop command has been issued (step S305: Yes), the autonomous driving control unit 10 stops (temporarily stops) the autonomously driven vehicle VEa (step S306). Furthermore, the autonomous driving control unit 10 checks whether the driving route has been changed (step S307). A case in which the driving route is changed could be, for example, as described above, when the behavior display command unit 50 as the control center CC issues an instruction to the autonomous driving control unit 10 to perform autonomous driving along a newly set driving route in step S108.

If it is determined in step S307 that the driving route has been changed (step S307: Yes), the autonomous driving control unit 10 changes the driving route, resumes autonomous driving (automated driving) on the changed route (step S308), and returns to processing from step S303.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S305 that there is no stop command (step S305: No), the autonomous driving control unit 10 returns to the process from step S303 without performing any special processing. In other words, the autonomous driving control unit 10 continues autonomous driving (automated driving) along the same route.

Next, as shown in FIG. 13(D), when the determination device 30 starts operation, it first checks whether an object such as a vehicle is present in the monitoring range (or simply the monitoring range) of the linked image capture device 20 (step S401). Note that, as previously described, the presence of a vehicle such as a general vehicle VEx or an autonomous vehicle VE (VEa) can be detected by analyzing image data.

The determination device 30 continues to check for the presence of an object in step S401, and when the presence of an object is confirmed (step S401: Yes), it transmits the confirmed information as obstacle information to the behavior display command unit 50, which serves as the control center CC (step S402). At the same time, the determination device 30 also checks whether or not driving route information has been provided by the autonomous driving control unit 10 (step S403). That is, as described above, for example, if an autonomously driven vehicle VEa is present within the range where short-range communication is possible, the autonomous driving control unit 10 installed in this vehicle will provide information on the driving route along with information on the position of the autonomously driven vehicle VEa.

If it is determined in step S403 that no information about the driving route has been provided (step S403: No), the determination device 30 returns to step S401 and begins checking for the presence of a new object.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S403 that driving route information has been provided (step S403: Yes), the determination device 30 performs collision prediction (step S404) and determines whether there is a possibility of a collision (step S405). That is, the determination device 30 determines whether there is a possibility of a collision between the vehicle (e.g., autonomous vehicle VEa) for which driving route information has been provided and another object (such as a general vehicle VEx) and the vehicle.

If it is determined in step S405 that there is a possibility of a collision occurring (step S405: Yes), the determination device 30 sends a stop command to the autonomous driving control unit 10 (step S406).

In addition, the determination device 30 also transmits the notification of the stop command as obstacle information to the behavior display command unit 50 (control center CC) (step S407), and returns to step S401. In this case, the behavior display command unit 50, which has received the notification of the obstacle information, recognizes that the autonomous vehicle VEa is in a state that requires it to stop, and performs processing such as changing the driving route depending on the situation.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S405 that there is no possibility of a collision occurring (step S405: No), the determination device 30 returns to step S401 without performing any special processing.

The determination device 30 repeats the above series of operations as long as monitoring is required in the parking lot PA.

In this way, each part of the vehicle behavior display system 100 operates independently while also coordinating with each other, enabling management within the parking lot and display of the desired vehicle behavior.

Hereinafter, with reference to the conceptual diagram shown in Figure 14, another example of the operation of the vehicle behavior display system 100 in the control operation of an autonomously driven vehicle in auto valet parking will be described. Note that Figure 14 corresponds to, for example, Figure 8(A), etc.

In the example described above with reference to Figure 8(A) etc., the target of monitoring using the imaging device 20 was primarily vehicles, but as already mentioned, pedestrians and the like can also be targets to be detected. The example shown in Figure 14 illustrates a case where a pedestrian PE who should not be in the parking lot PA (parking area MA) is mistakenly present in the parking lot PA (parking area MA).

As with the example shown in Figure 8(A), the illustrated case shows a case where the presence of a pedestrian PE is detected on the central passage MS1 after the autonomous vehicle VEa reaches the central passage MS1. In this case, too, the determination device 30 indicates the possibility of a collision, and under the control of the behavior display command unit 50 (control center CC), the autonomous vehicle VEa changes from the originally planned driving route indicated by arrow AA1 to another route.

In this case, too, when the route is changed, the vehicle behavior display system 50 displays a series of displays regarding the behavior of the autonomously driven vehicle VEa on the display device 70. In this case, the display device 70 may be a device that is pre-installed and fixed within the venue, or a portable terminal TI carried by a pedestrian PE present within the venue. That is, as shown in FIG. 15(A) of FIGS. 15(A) to 15(D), the behavior of the autonomously driven vehicle VEa may be displayed as an image GG on the display unit DS of the portable terminal TI. More specifically, the image GG may display a series of movements as shown in FIGS. 15(B) to 15(D), thereby allowing the pedestrian PE to recognize the behavior of the autonomously driven vehicle VEa and avoid a collision, etc.

Note that notifications to the mobile terminal TI can take various forms, but it is envisioned that, for example, the behavior display command unit 50 (control center CC) will send the above-mentioned notifications via wireless communication to a mobile terminal TI, such as a smartphone, on which an app for the parking lot PA and various facilities associated with the parking lot PA has been installed.

As described above, the vehicle behavior display system 100 according to this embodiment includes an autonomous driving control unit 10 mounted on an autonomous vehicle VE to control its operation; a behavior display command unit 50 that issues display commands corresponding to the behavior of the autonomous vehicle VE located in a parking lot PA (an example of a predetermined area) based on control by the autonomous driving control unit 10; and a display device 70 located in the parking lot PA that displays information based on display commands from the behavior display command unit 50. The vehicle behavior display system 100 can, for example, display the behavior of the autonomous vehicle VE on the display device 70 located in the target parking lot PA based on a display command from a party managing the behavior of the autonomous vehicle VE, thereby accurately informing other vehicles (general vehicles VEx) and pedestrians PE, etc., located near the autonomous vehicle VE, of the autonomous vehicle VE's future behavior (operational state). In this way, by making the autonomous vehicle VE's future behavior known to other vehicles, pedestrians, etc. in the vicinity, it becomes possible to avoid or mitigate collisions, traffic jams, deadlocks, etc.

Second Embodiment
An example of a vehicle behavior display system according to the second embodiment will be described below with reference to Fig. 16. Note that the vehicle behavior display system 100 according to this embodiment differs from the first embodiment, which is installed in a parking lot PA (see Fig. 1, etc.), in that it is installed at an intersection CS. Note that the same components as those in the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals, and detailed explanations thereof will be omitted.

Figure 16 is a conceptual diagram showing an example configuration of a vehicle behavior display system 100 according to this embodiment, and corresponds to Figure 1 and other figures. In this embodiment, the behavior of an autonomously driven vehicle VE passing through an intersection CS is displayed on a display device 70 or the like installed at the intersection CS, which is an example of a predetermined area. In this case, the behavior display command unit 50 displays the driving path (direction of travel) of the autonomously driven vehicle VE as a display of the behavior of the autonomously driven vehicle VE at the intersection CS, which is the predetermined area.

As a more specific example, the autonomous vehicle VE is assumed to be a bus (routed bus), a form of public transportation. In this case, the autonomous vehicle VE is assumed to be either manned or unmanned (unmanned in the sense of having no driver). However, this is not limited to this, and the invention can also be applied to autonomous vehicles VE other than buses.

In the illustrated example, the display devices 70 are provided at each corner of the intersection CS, i.e., in locations close to the crosswalk, making them easily visible to pedestrians and others at and around the intersection CS. A more specific configuration example of the display device 70 could be a fixedly installed display device such as the digital signage described with reference to FIG. 5. Even in this case, it is possible to use a portable terminal TI carried by a pedestrian PE at the intersection CS as the display device 70. As a display format, a possible display format is one in which an image showing the current situation is displayed with arrows, text, etc. indicating the future behavior of the autonomous vehicle VE, as shown in an enlarged partial view of the display unit DS of the display device 70 or portable terminal TI in the illustration.

In addition, in the above case, in addition to notifying the autonomous vehicle VE of right/left turns and straight ahead, it is also possible to provide information regarding stopping at a bus stop near the intersection CS (for example, whether or not the vehicle will stay overnight at that bus stop).

Furthermore, with regard to the mobile terminal TI, it is conceivable that the above notification is sent to, for example, a smartphone or the like that has an app installed from a company that operates a bus (routed bus). One example of an operational mode in this case is that, in response to a command from the behavior display command unit 50 that detects that the autonomous vehicle (bus) VE is approaching an intersection CS, a simultaneous transmission is sent to all mobile terminals TI of the above mode that are present at and near the intersection CS via short-range wireless communication that is pre-installed at the intersection CS. This type of mode allows for quick and reliable notification.

In this embodiment, too, accurate notification of the future behavior (operational state) of the autonomous vehicle VE makes it possible to avoid or mitigate collisions with nearby pedestrians and other vehicles. In particular, this embodiment makes it possible to avoid or mitigate collisions at key traffic points such as intersections.

〔others〕
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be embodied in various forms without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

First, in addition to the above, the autonomous vehicle VE itself may also display its future behavior (operational state). Specifically, as shown in FIG. 17, a display unit DSa may be provided on the front or side of the autonomous vehicle VE. More specifically, FIGS. 17(A) and 17(B) are conceptual front and side views illustrating an example of how a bus, as an example of public transportation, displays its own behavior. In this case, the autonomous vehicle VE, which is a bus, has a display unit DSa for displaying its own behavior by using a destination display board or by providing a panel member on its side. For example, in the example shown as the second embodiment, in addition to displays on display devices 70 installed at each corner of the intersection CS and on the mobile device TI carried by the pedestrian PE, the autonomous vehicle VE itself may also display a display unit DSa indicating its behavior as it passes through the intersection CS, as shown in the figure. Furthermore, Figures 17(C) and 17(D) are conceptual front and side views showing an example of how a normal autonomous vehicle VE that is not a public transportation system or the like displays its own behavior. In this case, for example, it is conceivable to provide the display unit DSa in a location within the autonomous vehicle VE that will not interfere with human driving. Furthermore, in addition to the above, as in the example shown in the first embodiment, it is also conceivable to use a window portion of the autonomous vehicle VE as the display unit DSb using a liquid crystal panel, projection, or the like, taking into account the possibility of unmanned driving.

Furthermore, the shape of the parking lot PA in the first embodiment is merely an example, and the invention is not limited to this and can be applied to parking lots of various shapes and structures. Furthermore, various configurations of the intersection in the second embodiment can be envisioned. It is also conceivable that the invention can be applied to locations other than intersections, such as railroad crossings and their surrounding areas.

In addition, in the first embodiment described above, the autonomous vehicle VE (VEa) is brought to a temporary stop and then the route is changed as necessary, but this is not limited to this, and the present invention may also include a mode in which the route is changed while the autonomous vehicle is traveling without stopping.

Furthermore, while the above describes notification by display, it is also possible to provide notification (alert) by sound in addition to this.

10...Autonomous driving control unit, 20...Image capture device, 30...Determination device, 50...Behavior display command unit, 51...External input unit, 52...Determination unit, 53...Route generation unit, 54...External output unit, 70...Display device, 100...Vehicle behavior display system, AA1, AA2...Arrow, AR...Pick-up/drop-off area, CC...Control center, CP1, CP2...Arrow, CR, CRa...Vehicle compartment (parking position), CRp...Candidate, CS...Intersection, DD1...Communication range, DS...Display unit, DSa, DSb...Display unit, GG...Image, MA...Parking area, MAe...Area, MS1...Central aisle, PA...Parking lot, PE...Pedestrian, PT1, PT2...Aisle, RD...Driving route determination unit, TI...Mobile terminal, VE, VEa...Autonomous driving vehicle, VEx...General vehicle, α1-α3...State

Claims (8)

an autonomous driving control unit that is mounted on the autonomous driving vehicle and controls driving;
a behavior display command unit that issues a display command corresponding to the behavior of the autonomously driven vehicle that is present within a predetermined area based on the control by the autonomous driving control unit; and
A vehicle behavior display system comprising: a display element that is installed and fixed within the specified area, that receives the display command from the behavior display command unit, and that performs a display on the display element based on the display command . The vehicle behavior display system of claim 1, wherein the behavior display command unit causes the display device to display the direction of travel of the autonomously driven vehicle in response to the display command. The vehicle behavior display system described in any one of claims 1 and 2, wherein the behavior display command unit is a control center that manages behavior based on control by the autonomous driving control unit. The vehicle behavior display system described in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the behavior display command unit is a driving route determination unit that performs parking management in the parking area of an auto valet parking system as the predetermined area and determines a planned driving route for the autonomous vehicle that is present in the parking area. The vehicle behavior display system of claim 4, wherein the behavior display command unit includes, as the driving route determination unit, a determination unit that determines whether a route change is necessary for the planned driving route, and when the determination unit determines that a route change is necessary, the planned driving route is changed and the display command corresponding to the changed driving route is output to the display device. The vehicle behavior display system of claim 5, wherein, when the determination unit determines that a route change is required, the behavior display command unit causes the display device to display, in response to the display command, a message indicating that a detour route is being searched for until the changed driving route is confirmed. The vehicle behavior display system described in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the behavior display command unit manages the travel route of the public transportation system serving as the autonomous vehicle at an intersection serving as the specified area. The vehicle behavior display system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the display device includes a mobile terminal present within the predetermined area in addition to a digital signage as the display member .