IP Library Granted Patent US 12,479,478
Granted Patent B2
US 12,479,478 · App. 18/157,617 · Granted Nov 25, 2025

Method and apparatus for controlling vehicle driving mode switching

Inventor: Lingfeng Xu (Chengdu, CN)
Assignee: SHENZHEN YINWANG INTELLIGENT TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
B60W60/0059B60W40/06B60W50/14B60W60/0053
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,479,478
App. No.
18/157,617
Granted
Nov 25, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method includes: obtaining environment information detected by a second vehicle, where the second vehicle is a vehicle traveling in a target road section, and the target road section is a road section located in front of a traveling direction of a first vehicle; predicting, based on the environment information detected by the second vehicle, whether the target road section is suitable for automated driving; and if the target road section is unsuitable for automated driving and the first vehicle is currently in an automated driving mode, reminding a driver of the first vehicle to take over a driving control right of the first vehicle, so that the first vehicle is switched from the automated driving mode to a manual driving mode.

Claims (35)

1 . A method for controlling vehicle driving mode switching, comprising:

obtaining environment information detected by a second vehicle, wherein the second vehicle is a vehicle traveling in a target road section located in front of a traveling direction of a first vehicle;

obtaining driving mode change information of the second vehicle, wherein the driving mode change information comprises a changed driving mode and a change reason;

determining at least one of a weight or an effective time period of the change reason;

predicting, based on the environment information, the driving mode change information of the second vehicle, and the at least one of the weight or the effective time period of the change reason, whether the target road section is suitable for automated driving; and

in response to the target road section being unsuitable for automated driving and the first vehicle being currently in an automated driving mode, reminding a driver of the first vehicle to take over a driving control right of the first vehicle, so that the first vehicle is switched from the automated driving mode to a manual driving mode.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein in response to the target road section being unsuitable for automated driving and the first vehicle being currently in the manual driving mode, the method further comprises:

reminding the driver of the first vehicle not to switch to the automated driving mode; or

notifying the first vehicle that switching from the manual driving mode to the automated driving mode is prohibited.

3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:

generating an automated driving environment map, wherein the automated driving environment map is used to indicate whether a plurality of road sections located in front of the traveling direction of the first vehicle are suitable for automated driving, and the plurality of road sections comprise the target road section.

4 . An apparatus for controlling vehicle driving mode switching, comprising;

at least one processor; and

a memory coupled to the at least one processor and storing programming instructions, which when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform operations, the operations comprising:

obtaining environment information detected by a second vehicle, wherein the second vehicle is a vehicle traveling in a target road section located in front of a traveling direction of a first vehicle;

obtaining driving mode change information of the second vehicle, wherein the driving mode change information comprises a changed driving mode and a change reason;

determining at least one of a weight or an effective time period of the change reason;

predicting, based on the environment information, the driving mode change information of the second vehicle, and the at least one of the weight or the effective time period of the change reason, whether the target road section is suitable for automated driving; and

in response to the target road section being unsuitable for automated driving and the first vehicle being currently in an automated driving mode, reminding a driver of the first vehicle to take over a driving control right of the first vehicle, so that the first vehicle is switched from the automated driving mode to a manual driving mode.

5 . The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the operations further comprise:

reminding the driver of the first vehicle not to switch to the automated driving mode; or

notifying the first vehicle that switching from the manual driving mode to the automated driving mode is prohibited.

6 . The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the operations further comprise:

generating an automated driving environment map, wherein the automated driving environment map is used to indicate whether a plurality of road sections located in front of the traveling direction of the first vehicle are suitable for automated driving, and the plurality of road sections comprise the target road section.

7 . A non-transitory machine-readable medium having instructions stored therein, which when executed by a processor of an apparatus, cause the apparatus to perform operations comprising:

obtaining environment information detected by a second vehicle, wherein the second vehicle is a vehicle traveling in a target road section located in front of a traveling direction of a first vehicle;

obtaining driving mode change information of the second vehicle, wherein the driving mode change information comprises a changed driving mode and a change reason;

determining at least one of a weight or an effective time period of the change reason;

predicting, based on the environment information, the driving mode change information of the second vehicle, and the at least one of the weight or the effective time period of the change reason, whether the target road section is suitable for automated driving; and

in response to the target road section being unsuitable for automated driving and the first vehicle being currently in an automated driving mode, reminding a driver of the first vehicle to take over a driving control right of the first vehicle, so that the first vehicle is switched from the automated driving mode to a manual driving mode.

8 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium according to claim 7 , wherein in response to the target road section being unsuitable for automated driving and the first vehicle being currently in the manual driving mode, the operations further comprise:

reminding the driver of the first vehicle not to switch to the automated driving mode; or

notifying the first vehicle that switching from the manual driving mode to the automated driving mode is prohibited.

9 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium according to claim 7 , wherein the operations further comprise:

generating an automated driving environment map, wherein the automated driving environment map is used to indicate whether a plurality of road sections located in front of the traveling direction of the first vehicle are suitable for automated driving, and the plurality of road sections comprise the target road section.

Assignments (3)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Apr 28, 2026
From: SHENZHEN YINWANG INTELLIGENT TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
To: YINWANG INTELLIGENT TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 075485/0524 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 12, 2024
From: HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
To: SHENZHEN YINWANG INTELLIGENT TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 069336/0026 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 28, 2023
From: XU, LINGFENG
To: HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 063127/0178 →