Device and method for selectively operating a motor vehicle in a user-controlled or an automatic driving operation mode

1. A system for a vehicle operable in a user-controlled driving mode and an automatic driving mode, the system comprising:

a control element other than a steering wheel, the control element having a contact sensor, the contact sensor configured to detect whether a driver of the vehicle is holding the control element;

a controller in communication with the contact sensor and configured to switch operation of the vehicle from the user-controlled driving mode to the automatic driving mode upon the driver holding the control element after having not held the control element and to switch operation of the vehicle from the automatic driving mode to the user-controlled driving mode upon the driver releasing the control element after having held the control element;

wherein: the control element is a drive stick;

the system further including a steering wheel sensor configured to detect whether the driver is holding a steering wheel of the vehicle; and

the controller is in communication with the steering wheel sensor and is further configured to switch operation of the vehicle between the user-controlled driving mode and the automatic driving mode depending on whether the driver is holding the drive stick and on whether the driver is holding the steering wheel.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the control element is configured to enable the driver to move the control element to input commands for longitudinal and transverse guidance of the vehicle while the vehicle is in the automatic driving mode.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein: the controller is further configured to switch operation of the vehicle to the user-controlled driving mode while the driver is holding the steering wheel and is not holding the drive stick.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein:

the controller is further configured to switch operation from the user-controlled driving mode to the automatic driving mode upon the driver holding the drive stick for a predetermined period of time after not having held the drive stick.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein: the controller is further configured to switch operation of the vehicle to the automatic driving mode while the driver is holding the drive stick and is not holding the steering wheel.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein:

the controller is further configured to switch operation of the vehicle from the automatic driving mode to the user-controlled driving mode upon the driver releasing the drive stick for a predetermined period of time after holding the drive stick.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the controller is further configured to deem the driver to be alert when the driver is holding the control element while the vehicle is in the automatic driving mode.

8. A method for a vehicle operable in a user-controlled driving mode and an automatic driving mode, the method comprising:

detecting whether a driver of the vehicle is holding a control element provided in the vehicle, the control element being an element other than a steering wheel;

switching operation of the vehicle from the user-controlled driving mode to the automatic driving mode upon the driver holding the control element after having not held the control element;

switching operation of the vehicle from the automatic driving mode to the user-controlled driving mode upon the driver releasing the control element after having held the control element;

wherein: the control element is a drive stick; and

the method further including detecting whether the driver is holding a steering wheel of the vehicle and switching operation of the vehicle between the user-controlled driving mode and the automatic driving mode depending on whether the driver is holding the drive stick and on whether the driver is holding the steering wheel.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

the driver moving the control element to input commands for longitudinal and transverse guidance of the vehicle while the vehicle is in the automatic driving mode.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising: switching operation of the vehicle to the user-controlled driving mode while the driver is holding the steering wheel and is not holding the drive stick; and switching operation of the vehicle to the automatic driving mode while the driver is holding the drive stick and is not holding the steering wheel.

11. The method of claim 8 further comprising: switching operation of the vehicle to the user-controlled driving mode upon the driver rotating the steering wheel.

12. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

deeming the driver to be alert when the driver is holding the control element while the vehicle is in the automatic driving mode.

13. A system for a vehicle including a steering wheel and that is operable in (i) a user-controlled driving mode in which a driver of the vehicle handles the steering wheel to manually drive the vehicle and (ii) an automatic driving mode in which the vehicle drives automatically without the driver handling the steering wheel, the system comprising:

a control element other than the steering wheel, the control element having a contact sensor, the contact sensor configured to detect whether the driver of the vehicle is holding the control element; and

a controller in communication with the contact sensor and configured to switch operation of the vehicle from the user-controlled driving mode to the automatic driving mode upon the driver holding the control element after having not held the control element and to switch operation of the vehicle from the automatic driving mode to the user-controlled driving mode upon the driver releasing the control element after having held the control element.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein:

the controller is further configured to deem the driver to be alert when the driver is holding the control element while the vehicle is in the automatic driving mode.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein:

the control element is a drive stick.