Methods and systems for controlling a vehicle having a lane support system

1 . A computer-implemented method for controlling a vehicle having a Lane Support System (LSS) configured to automatically intervene by controlling a steering of the vehicle in order to change a heading direction of the vehicle when the vehicle approaches a lane boundary of a lane of travel so that the vehicle does not traverse the lane boundary, the method comprising:

monitoring interventions performed by the LSS;

monitoring a state of a driver of the vehicle, the state of the driver comprising a driver-in-the-loop state and a driver-out-of-the-loop state;

in response to a fulfilment of a criterion dependent on a number of interventions performed by the LSS exceeding a threshold value within a defined time period:

reducing a speed of the vehicle,

wherein the criterion comprises:

that a number of interventions performed by the LSS, while the driver-out-of-the-loop state is detected, exceeds a first threshold (M) within a first time period (T3), wherein the first time period (T3) immediately follows an exceedance of a second threshold (N) of a number of interventions performed by the LSS, while the driver-in-the-loop state is detected, within a second time period (T4),

that a number of interventions performed by the LSS, while the driver-in-the-loop state is detected, exceeds a third threshold (P) within a third time period (T5), wherein the third time period (T5) immediately follows an exceedance of a fourth threshold (Q) of a number of interventions performed by the LSS, while the driver-out-of-the-loop state is detected, within a fourth time period (T6), or

that a weighted risk score exceeds a fifth threshold (R), wherein the weighted risk score is determined based on a number of interventions performed by the LSS, while the driver-out-of-the-loop state is detected, and a number of interventions performed by the LSS, while the driver-in-the-loop state is detected, during a fifth time period (T7).

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the driver-in-the-loop state comprises a state where the driver is touching a steering wheel of the vehicle and/or where the driver applies a torque on the steering wheel of the vehicle; and

wherein the driver-out-of-the-loop state is a state where the driver is not touching the steering wheel of the vehicle and/or where the driver is not applying any torque on the steering wheel of the vehicle.

3 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

outputting one or more warnings to the driver, via one or more Human-Machine-Interfaces (HMIs) of the vehicle, in response to a detection of the state of the driver being the driver-out-of-the-loop state.

4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein reducing the speed of the vehicle comprises reducing the speed of the vehicle to zero.

5 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising steering the vehicle to a centre of the lane of travel, steering the vehicle to a road shoulder adjacent to the lane of travel, or steering the vehicle to a lane adjacent to the lane of travel in response to the fulfilment of the criterion.

6 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising turning on warning indicators of the vehicle in response to the fulfilment of the criterion.

7 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising outputting one or more warnings to the driver, via one or more Human-Machine-Interfaces (HMIs) of the vehicle, in response to an intervention being performed by the LSS.

8 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the LSS is configured to automatically intervene by applying an overlay steer torque to a steering system of the vehicle when the vehicle approaches the lane boundary of the lane of travel so that the vehicle does not traverse the lane boundary.

9 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions which, when executed by a computing device of a vehicle, causes the computing device to carry out the method according to claim 1 .

10 . An apparatus for controlling a vehicle having a Lane Support System (LSS) configured to automatically intervene by controlling a steering of the vehicle in order to change a heading direction of the vehicle when the vehicle approaches a lane boundary of a lane of travel so that the vehicle does not traverse the lane boundary, the apparatus comprising control circuitry in communicative connection with the LSS, the control circuitry being configured to:

monitor interventions performed by the LSS;

monitor a state of a driver of the vehicle, the state of the driver comprising a driver-in-the-loop state and a driver-out-of-the-loop state;

in response to a fulfilment of a criterion dependent on a number of interventions performed by the LSS exceeding a threshold value within a defined time period:

reduce a speed of the vehicle,

wherein the criterion comprises:

that a number of interventions performed by the LSS, while the driver-out-of-the-loop state is detected, exceeds a first threshold (M) within a first time period (T3), wherein the first time period (T3) immediately follows an exceedance of a second threshold (N) of a number of interventions performed by the LSS, while the driver-in-the-loop state is detected, within a second time period (T4),

that a number of interventions performed by the LSS, while the driver-in-the-loop state is detected, exceeds a third threshold (P) within a third time period (T5), wherein the third time period (T5) immediately follows an exceedance of a fourth threshold (Q) of a number of interventions performed by the LSS, while the driver-out-of-the-loop state is detected, within a fourth time period (T6), or

that a weighted risk score exceeds a fifth threshold (R), wherein the weighted risk score is determined based on a number of interventions performed by the LSS, while the driver-out-of-the-loop state is detected, and a number of interventions performed by the LSS, while the driver-in-the-loop state is detected, during a fifth time period (T7).

11 . The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to reduce the speed of the vehicle to zero.

12 . A vehicle comprising:

a Lane Support System (LSS) configured to automatically intervene by controlling a steering of the vehicle in order to change a heading direction of the vehicle when the vehicle approaches a lane boundary of a lane of travel so that the vehicle does not traverse the lane boundary; and

an apparatus according to claim 11 .