Method and device for detecting a rule infringement

1. A method for adapting at least one of a driving function of a host vehicle and a safety function of the host vehicle, the method comprising the following steps:

acquiring environmental data using an environmental sensor system of the host vehicle, the step of acquiring includes using: (i) a camera of the host vehicle, or (ii) a lidar sensor of the host vehicle, or (iii) an ultrasonic sensor of the host vehicle, or (iv) a radar system of the host vehicle;

ascertaining, by the host vehicle, based on the acquired environmental data, an operation of the second vehicle or a state of the second vehicle, wherein the second vehicle is separate from the host vehicle;

detecting, by the host vehicle and based on the ascertained operation of the second vehicle or the ascertained state of the second vehicle, an atypical state of the second vehicle and a traffic law violation by the second vehicle;

adapting, automatically by the host vehicle, the at least one of the driving function of the host vehicle and the safety function of the host vehicle, as a function of the detected atypical vehicle state of the second vehicle;

wherein the step of adapting further includes lowering a trigger threshold, as a function of the detected traffic law violation by the second vehicle, wherein the safety function deploys an occupant-protection device of the host vehicle when the trigger threshold is exceeded; and

wherein the atypical vehicle state of the second vehicle includes at least one of the following: (i) the second vehicle is on fire, (ii) a tire of the second vehicle is low on air and/or is flat, (iii) the second vehicle is emitting smoke, (iv) the second vehicle is weaving side to side, (v) a cumulative change in a lateral position of the second vehicle in relation to a traffic lane boundary exceeds a first predefined threshold within a first predefined time period, (vi) repeated braking or repeated acceleration, by the second vehicle within a second predefined time period, exceeds a second predefined threshold.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising the following step:

performing, by the driving function, a driving task in an automated manner, the driving task including controlling, by the driving function, transverse guidance of the host vehicle and linear guidance of the host vehicle;

wherein the step of adapting includes returning the driving task to a driver of the host vehicle, as a function of the detected traffic law violation by the second vehicle.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising the following step:

performing, by the driving function, a driving task in an automated manner, the driving task including controlling, by the driving function, transverse guidance of the vehicle and linear guidance of the vehicle;

wherein the step of adapting includes selecting a safety distance to the second vehicle, and using the selected safety distance by the driving function, in performing the driving task.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising the following steps:

detecting, after the detecting of the traffic law violation by the second vehicle, a position of the traffic law violation by the second vehicle using a position-determination unit of the host vehicle; and

(i) storing the detected position in an internal memory of the host vehicle, and/or (ii) transmitting the detected position to an external cloud server using a communications unit of the host vehicle.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the step of adapting is performed as a function of a number of detected traffic law violations by the second vehicle.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising the following step:

transmitting, by the host vehicle to an external cloud server, an item of information pertaining to the detected traffic law violation by the second vehicle.

7. The method as recited in 1 , further comprising the following step:

performing, by the driving function, a driving task in an automated manner, the driving task including controlling, by the driving function, transverse guidance of the host vehicle and linear guidance of the host vehicle;

wherein the step of adapting includes returning the driving task to a driver of the host vehicle, as a function of the detected atypical vehicle state of the second vehicle.

8. A processor in a host vehicle configured to adapt at least one of a driving function of the host vehicle and a safety function of the host vehicle, the processor configured to:

acquire environmental data using an environmental sensor system of the host vehicle, the step of acquiring includes using: (i) a camera of the host vehicle, or (ii) a lidar sensor of the host vehicle, or (iii) an ultrasonic sensor of the host vehicle, or (iv) a radar system of the host vehicle;

ascertain, based on the acquired environmental data, an operation of the second vehicle or a state of the second vehicle, wherein the second vehicle is separate from the host vehicle;

detecting, based on the ascertained operation of the second vehicle or the ascertained state of the second vehicle, an atypical state of the second vehicle and a traffic law violation by the second vehicle;

adapt, automatically by the host vehicle, the at least one of the driving function of the host vehicle and the safety function of the host vehicle, as a function of the detected atypical vehicle state of the second vehicle;

wherein the automatic adaption further includes lowering a trigger threshold, as a function of the detected traffic law violation by the second vehicle, wherein the safety function deploys an occupant-protection device of the host vehicle when the trigger threshold is exceeded; and

wherein the atypical vehicle state of the second vehicle includes at least one of the following: (i) the second vehicle is on fire, (ii) a tire of the second vehicle is low on air and/or is flat, (iii) the second vehicle is emitting smoke, (iv) the second vehicle is weaving side to side, (v) a cumulative change in a lateral position of the second vehicle in relation to a traffic lane boundary exceeds a first predefined threshold within a first predefined time period, (vi) repeated braking or repeated acceleration, by the second vehicle within a second predefined time period, exceeds a second predefined threshold.

9. The processor as recited in claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

perform a driving task in an automated manner, the driving task including controlling transverse guidance of the host vehicle and linear guidance of the host vehicle;

wherein the automatic adaption includes the processor returning the driving task to a driver of the host vehicle, as a function of the detected traffic law violation by the second vehicle.