Information, warning and braking request generation for turn assist functionality

1. A method for warning a driver of a vehicle ( 1 ) in turn maneuvers by a control unit, the method comprising the following steps:

generating (S 1 ) an adaptive monitoring area ( 2 ) for the vehicle ( 1 ) based on at least a maximum lateral acceleration ( 4 ) of the vehicle ( 1 ) at a current longitudinal velocity ( 6 ) of the vehicle ( 1 );

identifying (S 2 ) a vulnerable road user (VRU) ( 8 ) within the adaptive monitoring area ( 2 );

determining (S 3 , S 4 ) a driver's intention to turn ( 40 ) the vehicle ( 1 );

wherein the step of determining the driver's intention to turn the vehicle ( 1 ) includes:

determining (S 3 ) a probability that the driver intends to turn ( 40 ); and

determining (S 4 ) a probability that the driver is turning ( 44 );

determining (S 5 ) whether there is a collision risk between the vehicle ( 1 ) and the VRU ( 8 ); and

outputting a warning signal (SW) warning the driver ( 100 ) that the VRU ( 8 ) is in a vicinity (V) of the vehicle ( 1 ) and that a collision may occur when the driver ( 100 ) starts turning upon determining that:

the VRU ( 8 ) is identified within the adaptive monitoring area ( 2 );

the driver does not intend to turn ( 40 ) based on the determined probability that the driver intends to turn being below a first threshold; and

additionally outputting a braking signal (SB) for braking the vehicle ( 1 ) upon additionally determining that the driver ( 100 ) is turning ( 44 ) based on the determined probability that the driver is turning being above a second threshold.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the adaptive monitoring area ( 2 ) includes at least a first quadrilateral ( 10 ) in front of the vehicle ( 1 ).

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the adaptive monitoring area ( 2 ) includes at least a second quadrilateral ( 12 ) and a third quadrilateral ( 14 ) in front of the vehicle ( 1 ), wherein the first quadrilateral ( 10 ) and the second quadrilateral ( 12 ) adjoin each other at a first common side ( 11 ), and the second quadrilateral ( 12 ) and the third quadrilateral ( 14 ) adjoin each other at a second common side ( 13 ).

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the adaptive monitoring area ( 2 ) covers a predetermined time frame (t) for a movement of the vehicle ( 1 ), wherein the predetermined time frame (t) is in the range of 1.0 second to 3.0 seconds.

5. The method according to claim 4 , comprising the step of splitting the predetermined time frame (t) by a predetermined number of quadrilaterals ( 10 , 12 , 14 ) such that each quadrilateral ( 10 , 12 , 14 ) of the predetermined number of quadrilaterals covers a portion (t 0 , t 1 , t 2 ) of the predetermined time frame (t).

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein generating (S 1 ) the adaptive monitoring area ( 2 ) for the vehicle ( 1 ) is further based on a maximum road curve radius (R MAX ) and minimum road curve radius (R MIN ).

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein generating (S 1 ) the adaptive monitoring area ( 2 ) for the vehicle ( 1 ) is further based on a maximum longitudinal acceleration ( 7 ) and/or change in acceleration ( 7 ) of the vehicle ( 1 ).

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein generating (S 1 ) the adaptive monitoring area ( 2 ) for the vehicle ( 1 ) is further based on a maximum yaw rate ( 16 ) and/or change in yaw rate ( 16 ) of the vehicle ( 1 ).

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the probability that the driver intends to turn ( 40 ) is determined based on:

a steering wheel angle (φ);

a rate of change (dφ) of the steering wheel angle (φ); and

a velocity ( 6 ) of the vehicle ( 1 ).

10. The method according to claim 9 , comprising:

calculating a predicted steering wheel angle (φ) for the adaptive monitoring area ( 2 ) using the steering wheel angle (φ), the rate of change (dφ) of the steering wheel angle (φ), and the velocity ( 6 ) of the vehicle ( 1 ).

11. The method according to claim 9 , wherein, when the determined probability that the driver intends to turn ( 40 ) is 70% or more, it is assumed that it is the driver's intention to turn ( 40 ).

12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the probability that the driver is turning is determined based on:

a steering wheel angle (φ); and

a velocity ( 6 ) of the vehicle ( 1 ).

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein when the determined probability that the driver is turning ( 44 ) is 70% or more, it is assumed that the driver is turning ( 44 ).

14. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of outputting an information signal (SI) informing the driver ( 100 ) that the VRU ( 8 ) is in the vicinity (V) of the vehicle ( 1 ), upon determining that

the VRU ( 8 ) is identified within the adaptive monitoring area ( 2 );

the driver does not intend to turn ( 40 ); and

the driver is not turning ( 44 ).

15. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of outputting the warning signal (SW) warning the driver ( 100 ) that the VRU ( 8 ) is in the vicinity (V) of the vehicle ( 1 ) and that a collision may occur when the driver ( 100 ) starts turning upon determining that:

the VRU ( 8 ) is identified within the adaptive monitoring area ( 2 );

the driver intends to turn ( 40 ); and

the driver is not turning ( 44 ).

16. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of outputting the braking signal (SB) for braking the vehicle ( 1 ) upon determining that:

the VRU ( 8 ) is identified within the adaptive monitoring area ( 2 );

the driver ( 100 ) intends to turn ( 40 ); and

the driver ( 100 ) is turning ( 44 ).

17. A non-volatile computer memory storing a computer program ( 28 ) comprising instructions which, when the computer program ( 28 ) is executed by a processor ( 26 ), cause the processor ( 26 ) to carry out the steps of the method of claim 1 .

18. A turn assist system ( 20 ) for the vehicle ( 1 ) for warning the driver ( 100 ) of the vehicle ( 1 ) in turn maneuvers, comprising the control unit for the vehicle ( 1 ), the control unit ( 22 ) comprising:

the non-volatile computer memory ( 24 ) according to claim 17 ; and

the processor ( 26 ) configured to perform the computer program ( 28 ) stored on the non-volatile computer memory.

19. The turn assist system ( 20 ) of claim 18 , wherein the control unit ( 22 ) comprises an interface ( 32 ) for communicating with an internal BUS-system ( 30 ) of the vehicle ( 1 ) to provide at least the braking signal (SB) to the BUS-system ( 30 ).