METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR SWITCHING FROM AUTONOMOUS TO DRIVER'S MODE IN A MOTOR VEHICLE

1 . An autonomous driving arrangement for a motor vehicle having wheels, the arrangement comprising:

an autonomous driving system;

at least one sensor configured to detect a condition of a human driver of the motor vehicle;

at least one driving control device configured to be engaged by a hand or foot of the human driver to thereby enable the human driver to control the wheels of the motor vehicle by engaging the driving control device; and

an electronic processor communicatively coupled to each of the autonomous driving system, the at least one sensor, and the at least one driving control device, the electronic processor being configured to:

receive signals from the at least one sensor;

in response to the signals indicating that the human driver is ready to drive the motor vehicle, enable the at least one driving control device and disable the autonomous driving system; and

in response to the signals indicating that the human driver is unready to drive the motor vehicle, refrain from enabling the at least one driving control device and continue to enable the autonomous driving system to control the wheels of the motor vehicle.

2 . The arrangement of claim 1 wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one of a camera, a steering wheel hand sensor, and a microphone.

3 . The arrangement of claim 1 wherein the at least one driving control device comprises at least one of a steering wheel, an acceleration foot pedal, and a brake foot pedal.

4 . The arrangement of claim 1 wherein the electronic processor is configured to, in response to the signals indicating that the human driver is unready to drive the motor vehicle, continue to enable the autonomous driving system to control a steering direction, speed of rotation, and direction of rotation of the wheels of the motor vehicle.

5 . The arrangement of claim 1 further comprising

a heating ventilation and air conditioning system; and

a loudspeaker, wherein the electronic processor is configured to, in response to the signals indicating that the human driver is unready to drive the motor vehicle, cause the heating ventilation and air conditioning system to increase the flow of air being blown toward the human driver, and cause the loudspeaker to increase the volume of sounds being emitted from the loudspeaker.

6 . The arrangement of claim 1 wherein the electronic processor is configured to receive a request from the human driver to switch from an autonomous driving mode to a manual driving mode, the request being received a predetermined time period before the signals from the at least one sensor are received, the predetermined time period being at least three seconds.

7 . The arrangement of claim 6 wherein the electronic processor is configured to audibly count down the seconds during the predetermined time period via a loudspeaker.

8 . A method for autonomously driving a motor vehicle having wheels, the method comprising:

providing an autonomous driving system;

detecting a condition of a human driver of the motor vehicle;

providing at least one driving control device configured to be engaged by a hand or foot of the human driver to thereby enable the human driver to control the wheels of the motor vehicle by engaging the driving control device;

in response to the detecting step detecting that the human driver is ready to drive the motor vehicle, enabling the at least one driving control device and disabling the autonomous driving system; and

in response to the detecting step detecting that the human driver is unready to drive the motor vehicle, refraining from enabling the at least one driving control device and continuing to enable the autonomous driving system to control the wheels of the motor vehicle.

9 . The method of claim 8 wherein the detecting step is performed using a camera, a steering wheel hand sensor, and/or a microphone.

10 . The method of claim 8 wherein the at least one driving control device comprises at least one of a steering wheel, an acceleration foot pedal, and a brake foot pedal.

11 . The method of claim 8 wherein, in response to the detecting step detecting that the human driver is unready to drive the motor vehicle, the autonomous driving system is continued to be enabled to control a steering direction, speed of rotation, and direction of rotation of the wheels of the motor vehicle.

12 . The method of claim 8 wherein, in response to the detecting step detecting that the human driver is unready to drive the motor vehicle, a heating ventilation and air conditioning system is caused to increase a flow of air being blown toward the human driver, and a volume of sounds being emitted from a loudspeaker is increased.

13 . The method of claim 8 further comprising receiving a request from the human driver to switch from an autonomous driving mode to a manual driving mode, the request being received at least three seconds before the detecting step is performed.

14 . The method of claim 13 further comprising audibly counting down the seconds after the request is received and before the detecting step is performed, the counting down being performed via a loudspeaker.

15 . An autonomous driving arrangement for a motor vehicle having wheels, the arrangement comprising:

an autonomous driving system;

at least one readiness sensor configured to detect whether a human driver is ready to take over driving tasks of the motor vehicle;

at least one driving control device configured to be engaged by a hand or foot of the human driver to thereby enable the human driver to control the wheels of the motor vehicle by engaging the driving control device;

at least one driver body sensor configured to detect whether the human driver is having a health emergency; and

an electronic processor communicatively coupled to each of the autonomous driving system, the at least one readiness sensor, the at least one driving control device, and the at least one driver body sensor, the electronic processor being configured to:

receive readiness signals from the at least one readiness sensor;

in response to the readiness signals indicating that the human driver is ready to drive the motor vehicle, enable the at least one driving control device and disable the autonomous driving system;

in response to the readiness signals indicating that the human driver is unready to drive the motor vehicle, refrain from enabling the at least one driving control device and continue to enable the autonomous driving system to control the wheels of the motor vehicle;

receive health signals from the at least one driver body sensor; and

in response to the health signals indicating that the human driver is having a health emergency, use the autonomous driving system to drive the motor vehicle to a location where the human driver can be accessed by a human emergency responder.

16 . The arrangement of claim 16 wherein the at least one driver body sensor comprises at least one of a pulse sensor and a body temperature sensor.

17 . The arrangement of claim 15 wherein the electronic processor is configured to, in response to the signals indicating that the human driver is unready to drive the motor vehicle, continue to enable the autonomous driving system to control a steering direction, speed of rotation, and direction of rotation of the wheels of the motor vehicle.

18 . The arrangement of claim 15 further comprising

a heating ventilation and air conditioning system; and

a loudspeaker, wherein the electronic processor is configured to, in response to the signals indicating that the human driver is unready to drive the motor vehicle, cause the heating ventilation and air conditioning system to increase the flow of air being blown toward the human driver, and cause the loudspeaker to increase the volume of sounds being emitted from the loudspeaker.

19 . The arrangement of claim 15 wherein the electronic processor is configured to receive a request from the human driver to switch from an autonomous driving mode to a manual driving mode, the request being received a predetermined time period before the signals from the at least one sensor are received, the predetermined time period being at least three seconds.

20 . The arrangement of claim 19 wherein the electronic processor is configured to audibly count down the seconds during the predetermined time period via a loudspeaker.