Method, system and vehicle for assisting an operator of the vehicle in assessing a traffic situation with shared traffic space

1. A method for assisting operation of an ego-vehicle in the traffic situation with shared traffic space, the method comprising:

determining a future path for the ego-vehicle and a future path for another traffic participant;

determining a relevant path corridor that is assigned to the each determined future path, wherein the relevant path corridor indicates a width of the respective traffic participant;

determining a shared traffic space as an overlap of the path corridors;

calculating individual distance measures between the ego-vehicle and the shared traffic space and between the other traffic participant and the shared traffic space;

evaluating the individual distance measures to determine an asymmetry;

determining an intended passing order based on the asymmetry;

determining a future trajectory for the ego-vehicle based on the intended passing order and generating control signals for executing automated or partially automated driving in accordance with the determined future trajectory; and

controlling the ego-vehicle to drive in accordance with the determined future trajectory based on the generated control signals.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein

the individual distance measures are calculated as distances between the ego-vehicle and the ego-vehicle's entry point to the shared traffic space and the other traffic participant and the other participant's entry point to the shared traffic space.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein

the determination of the asymmetry is constantly repeated.

4. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

storing the determined asymmetries of a situation relative to a shared traffic space;

analyzing a change over time from the stored asymmetries;

determining a degree of mutual agreement on the intended passing order based on the change over time from the stored asymmetries; and

adapting the future trajectory determination based on the degree of mutual agreement.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein

the determination of the shared traffic space is based on information obtained by sensing the environment of the ego-vehicle.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein

the sensing of the environment is performed by vehicle-to-vehicle or vehicle-to-infrastructure communication.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein

at least the determined intended passing order or the respectively intended behavior is signaled by the ego-vehicle to the other traffic participant.

8. A system for assisting operation of an ego-vehicle in the traffic situation with shared traffic space, comprising a processor configured to:

determine a future path for the ego-vehicle and a future path for another traffic participant;

determine a relevant path corridor that is assigned to the each determined future path, wherein the relevant path corridor indicates a width of the respective traffic participant;

determine a shared traffic space as an overlap of the path corridors;

calculate individual distance measures between the ego-vehicle and the shared traffic space and between the other traffic participant and the shared traffic space;

evaluate the individual distance measures to determine an asymmetry;

determine an intended passing order based on the asymmetry; and

determine a future trajectory for the ego-vehicle based on the intended passing order and generate control signals for executing automated or partially automated driving in accordance with the determined future trajectory;

wherein the system further comprises

at least actuators for controlling the ego-vehicle to drive in accordance with the determined future trajectory based on the generated control signals.

9. The system according to claim 8 , wherein

the processor is configured to calculate individual distance measures as distances between the ego-vehicle and the ego-vehicle's entry point to the shared traffic space and the other traffic participant and the other participant's entry point to the shared traffic space.

10. The system according to claim 8 , wherein

the processor is configured to constantly repeat the determination of the asymmetry.

11. The system according to claim 8 , wherein

the system comprises a memory, and

the processor is further configured to:

store determined asymmetries of a situation relative to a shared traffic space;

analyze a change over time all the stored asymmetries;

determine a degree of mutual agreement on the intended passing order based on the change over time from the stored asymmetries; and

adapt the future trajectory determination based on the degree of mutual agreement.

12. The system according to claim 8 , wherein

the system comprises sensors for sensing the environment of the ego-vehicle.

13. The system according to claim 12 , wherein

the sensors comprise communication interfaces for performing vehicle-to-vehicle or vehicle-to-infrastructure communication.

14. A vehicle equipped with the system according to claim 8 .

15. A method for assisting operation of an ego-vehicle in the traffic situation with shared traffic space, the method comprising:

determining a future path for the ego-vehicle and a future path for another traffic participant;

determining a relevant path corridor that is assigned to the each determined future path;

determining a shared traffic space as an overlap of the path corridors;

calculating individual distance measures between the ego-vehicle and the shared traffic space and between the other traffic participant and the shared traffic space;

evaluating the individual distance measures to determine an asymmetry;

determining an intended passing order based on the asymmetry; and

controlling to output signals that provide information on the intended passing order to the ego-vehicle driver.

16. A system for assisting operation of an ego-vehicle in the traffic situation with shared traffic space, comprising a processor configured to:

determine a future path for the ego-vehicle and a future path for another traffic participant;

determine a relevant path corridor that is assigned to the each determined future path;

determine an overlap of the path corridors to define a shared traffic space;

calculate individual distance measures between the ego-vehicle and the shared traffic space and between the other traffic participant and the shared traffic space;

evaluate the individual distance measures to determine an asymmetry;

determine an intended passing order based on the asymmetry;

determine a future trajectory for the ego-vehicle based on the intended passing order and generate control signals for executing automated or partially automated driving in accordance with the determined future trajectory; and

control to output signals that provide information on the intended passing order to the ego-vehicle driver.

17. A vehicle equipped with the system according to claim 16 .