Method for verifying a digital map of a more highly automated vehicle (HAV), especially of a highly automated vehicle

1. A method for a highly automated vehicle (HAV), the method comprising:

providing a digital map in a driver assistance system of the HAV;

determining a present vehicle position and locating the vehicle position in the digital map;

selecting one or more of a predefined plurality of features, wherein the selecting is performed based on:

a sensor-requirement model that defines for each of the predefined plurality of features, a respective sensor required for detection of the respective feature and a respective type of use of the respective sensor required for the detection of the respective feature;

a sensor-availability model that indicates, for each of one or more of the respective sensors of the sensor-requirement model, a respective current availability of the respective sensor, which indicates for the respective predefined plurality of features whether the respective sensors identified in the model for the respective features are available for the respective types of uses of the sensors identified in the model for the respective features; and

an environment model that identifies for each of the predefined plurality of features, whether the feature is expected to be currently blocked from view by one or more static and/or dynamic objects in surroundings of the HAV, wherein the selecting is performed so that the one or more of the predefined plurality of features includes only those respective features of the predefined plurality of features for which both (a) the sensor and type of use defined in the sensor-requirement model for the respective feature are indicated to be available by the sensor-availability model and (b) the environment model does not identify an expectation to be currently blocked;

based on the selection, selectively for each respective one of the selected one or more of the predefined plurality of features:

detecting at least one actual feature property of the respective feature in the environment of the HAV using the respective sensor the sensor-requirement model defines for the respective feature according to the respective type of use the sensor-requirement model defines for the respective feature;

comparing the detected at least one actual feature property of the respective feature to a respective setpoint feature property; and

determining at least one difference value as a result of the comparison; and

verifying the digital map at least in part based on the one or more difference values, the digital map being classified as not up-to-date if the one or more difference values reach or exceed respective specified threshold deviation values in which case the driver assistance system requests an update of the digital map from a central server, and being classified as up-to-date if the one or more difference values remain below the respective specified threshold deviation values.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

passing on information regarding the vehicle position and the difference values to a central server.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the setpoint feature properties are stored in the digital map.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein a plurality of the sensors are used for the detecting.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein, for the environment model, information regarding the static objects is taken from the digital map, while the dynamic objects are ascertained from processed sensor data of the sensors.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of features include at least one of a road marking, a reflector post, a guardrail, a traffic light, a traffic sign, a passable area, a traffic density, a 3-D world model and/or a speed profile.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the detected at least one actual feature property includes at least one property of the following properties: a geographic position, dimensions, a color, and a location relative to the HAV.

8. A driver assistance system for controlling a highly automated vehicle (HAV), comprising:

a plurality of sensors;

a storage module for storing a digital map, the storage module being integrated into the HAV or a central server;

a position module for determining a present vehicle position of the HAV, the position module including a global positioning system (GPS) module; and

a control device to exchange data with the storage module, the sensors, and the position module and to locate the vehicle position, determined by the position module, in the digital map;

wherein the control device is configured for verifying the digital map of the HAV by performing the following:

selecting one or more of a predefined plurality of features, wherein the selecting is performed based on:

a sensor-requirement model that defines for each of the predefined plurality of features, a respective one of the sensors required for detection of the respective feature and a respective type of use of the respective sensor required for the detection of the respective feature;

a sensor-availability model that indicates, for each of one or more of the respective sensors of the sensor-requirement model, a respective current availability of the respective sensor, which indicates for the respective predefined plurality of features whether the respective sensors identified in the model for the respective features are available for the respective types of uses of the sensors identified in the model for the respective features; and

an environment model that identifies for each of the predefined plurality of features, whether the feature is expected to be currently blocked from view by one or more static and/or dynamic objects in surroundings of the HAV, wherein the selecting is performed so that the one or more of the predefined plurality of features includes only those respective features of the predefined plurality of features for which both (a) the sensor and type of use defined in the sensor-requirement model for the respective feature are indicated to be available by the sensor-availability model and (b) the environment model does not identify an expectation to be currently blocked;

based on the selection, selectively for each respective one of the selected one or more of the predefined plurality of features:

detecting at least one actual feature property of the respective feature in the environment of the HAV using the respective sensor the sensor-requirement model defines for the respective feature according to the respective type of use the sensor-requirement model defines for the respective feature;

comparing the detected at least one actual feature property of the respective feature to a respective setpoint feature property; and

determining at least one difference value as a result of the comparison; and

verifying the digital map at least in part based on the one or more difference values, the digital map being classified as not up-to-date if the one or more difference values reach or exceed respective specified threshold deviation values in which case the driver assistance system is configured to request an update of the digital map from the central server, and being classified as up-to-date if the one or more difference values remain below the respective specified threshold deviation values.

9. A non-transitory computer readable medium on which is stored a computer program that includes program code that is is executable by a processor and that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform a method for a highly automated vehicle (HAV), the method comprising:

providing a digital map in a driver assistance system of the HAV;

determining a present vehicle position and locating the vehicle position in the digital map;

selecting one or more of a predefined plurality of features, wherein the selecting is performed based on:

a sensor-requirement model that defines for each of the predefined plurality of features, a respective sensor required for detection of the respective feature and a respective type of use of the respective sensor required for the detection of the respective feature;

a sensor-availability model that indicates, for each of one or more of the respective sensors of the sensor-requirement model, a respective current availability of the respective sensor, which indicates for the respective predefined plurality of features whether the respective sensors identified in the model for the respective features are available for the respective types of uses of the sensors identified in the model for the respective features; and

an environment model that identifies for each of the predefined plurality of features, whether the feature is expected to be currently blocked from view by one or more static and/or dynamic objects in surroundings of the HAV, wherein the selecting is performed so that the one or more of the predefined plurality of features includes only those respective features of the predefined plurality of features for which both (a) the sensor and type of use defined in the sensor-requirement model for the respective feature are indicated to be available by the sensor-availability model and (b) the environment model does not identify an expectation to be currently blocked;

based on the selection, selectively for each respective one of the selected one or more of the predefined plurality of features:

detecting at least one actual feature property of the respective feature in the environment of the HAV using the respective sensor the sensor-requirement model defines for the respective feature according to the respective type of use the sensor-requirement model defines for the respective feature;

comparing the detected at least one actual feature property of the respective feature to a respective setpoint feature property; and

determining at least one difference value as a result of the comparison; and

verifying the digital map at least in part based on the one or more difference values, the digital map being classified as not up-to-date if the one or more difference values reach or exceed respective specified threshold deviation values in which case the driver assistance system requests an update of the digital map from a central server, and being classified as up-to-date if the one or more difference values remain below the respective specified threshold deviation values.