IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,528,514
Granted Patent B2
US 12,528,514 · App. 18/441,178 · Granted Jan 20, 2026

Autonomous vehicle having a device which evaluates driving performance

Inventors: Sho Hashimoto (Susono, JP); Satoshi Nakamura (Shizuoka-ken, JP); Tomoki Somiya (Okazaki, JP); Kazumasa Harada (Nagakute, JP); Hiroki Yabushita (Toyota, JP); Sei Miyazaki (Susono, JP); Yuki Nishikawa (Numazu, JP); Noriaki Hasegawa (Izunokuni, JP)
Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
B60W60/0027G06V20/597G06V40/174
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,528,514
App. No.
18/441,178
Granted
Jan 20, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A vehicle includes an interface unit that is configured to be able to communicate with an autonomous driving kit configured to be attachable to and detachable from the vehicle and that gives a control instruction related to autonomous driving control to each part of the vehicle based on an instruction from the autonomous driving kit, and an active safety device that implements an active safety function of the vehicle. The active safety device includes an acquisition unit that acquires at least one piece of participant information that is information related to a traffic participant present around the vehicle, and occupant information that is information related to an occupant riding in the vehicle; and a performance evaluation unit that evaluates driving performance of the autonomous driving kit based on at least one piece of the participant information and the occupant information.

Claims (22)

1 . A vehicle comprising a first processor configured to:

communicate with an autonomous driving system configured to be attachable to and detachable from the vehicle, the autonomous driving system including a second processor configured to generate a traveling route along which the vehicle performs autonomous driving;

transmit a control instruction related to autonomous driving control to actuators of the vehicle based on an instruction from the autonomous driving system;

activate an active safety function in a case where an activation condition is satisfied, the active safety function controlling the vehicle to prevent or avoid a collision between the vehicle and an object regardless of the instruction from the autonomous driving system; and

perform an evaluating process while the vehicle is traveling according to the control instruction, the evaluating process including

receiving at least one piece of participant information that is information related to a traffic participant present around the vehicle, and occupant information that is information related to an occupant of the vehicle, and

calculating a value indicating driving performance of the autonomous driving system based on the at least one piece of participant information and the occupant information,

determining whether the calculated value is smaller than a first threshold;

causing the vehicle to retreat to a shoulder of a road where the vehicle is traveling in response to a determination that the calculated value is smaller than the first threshold,

determining whether the calculated value is smaller than a second threshold that is greater than the first threshold in response to a determination that the calculated value is equal to or greater than the first threshold;

controlling a speed of the vehicle to stay within a predetermined limit in response to a determination that the calculated value is smaller than the second threshold,

determining whether the calculated value is smaller than a third threshold that is greater than the second threshold in response to a determination that the calculated value is equal to or greater than the second threshold,

changing the activate condition to make the active safety function easier to activate in response to a determination that the calculated value is smaller than the third threshold,

determining whether the calculated value is smaller than a fourth threshold that is greater than the third threshold in response to a determination that the calculated value is equal to or greater than the third threshold, and

outputting a notification that maintenance of the vehicle is necessary to outside the vehicle in response to a determination that the calculated value is smaller than the fourth threshold.

2 . The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the participant information is information regarding behavior of the traffic participant with respect to the vehicle.

3 . The vehicle according to claim 2 , wherein the behavior of the traffic participant with respect to the vehicle includes at least one of moving away from the vehicle, honking a horn at the vehicle, and flashing headlights at the vehicle.

4 . The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the occupant information is information regarding behavior of the occupant.

5 . The vehicle according to claim 4 , wherein the behavior of the occupant includes at least one of making a grim facial expression and holding onto a grip of the vehicle.

6 . The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein

the participant information and the occupant information include sender information on a person who sends the participant information or the occupant information, and

the participant information and the occupant information of which the sender information indicates the person is a police officer are weighted greater than those of which the sender information does not indicate the person is the police officer in a calculation of the value of the driving performance of the autonomous driving system.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 14, 2024
From: HASHIMOTO, SHO; NAKAMURA, SATOSHI; SOMIYA, TOMOKI; HARADA, KAZUMASA; YABUSHITA, HIROKI; MIYAZAKI, SEI; NISHIKAWA, YUKI; HASEGAWA, NORIAKI
To: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 066459/0525 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2023-029966 · Feb 28, 2023 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240286648A1 · Aug 29, 2024
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