Driver assistance apparatus and method for operating the same

1. A driver assistance apparatus comprising:

a user interface configured to generate a user input;

a controller configured to verify whether a user's intention is a remote control intention or a remote control termination intention based on the user input and a user's action and to switch a starting mode when the user's intention is the remote control intention or the remote control termination intention,

wherein the user's action includes getting-on/off a vehicle of the user.

2. The driver assistance apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a getting-on/off sensor configured to sense the getting-on/off the vehicle of the user.

3. The driver assistance apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to:

receive the user input for instructing an activation of a remote control function from the user interface; and

determine that the user's intention is the remote control intention when the getting-off the vehicle of the user is sensed by the getting-on/off sensor.

4. The driver assistance apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the controller is configured to:

receive the user input for setting one of a target parking space and a target vehicle entrance space from the user interface; and

determine that the user's intention is the remote control intention when the getting-off the vehicle of the user is sensed by the getting-on/off sensor.

5. The driver assistance apparatus of claim 2 , further comprising a surroundings sensor configured to obtain surrounding information of the vehicle,

wherein the controller is configured to:

recognize a stop of the vehicle in the vicinity of the target parking space or the target vehicle entrance space sensed by a navigation terminal or the surroundings sensor; and

determine that the user's intention is the remote control intention when the getting-off the vehicle of the user is sensed by the getting-on/off sensor.

6. The driver assistance apparatus of claim 2 , further comprising a communicator configured to wireless communicate with a remote control terminal.

7. The driver assistance apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to:

receive an engine start instruction from the user interface; and

determine that the user's intention is the remote control intention when a remote control signal is received from the remote control terminal within a predetermined time after the getting-off the vehicle of the user is sensed by the getting-on/off sensor.

8. The driver assistance apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the controller is configured to determine that the user's intention is not the remote control intention in a case that the remote control signal is not received within the predetermined time.

9. The driver assistance apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to determine that the user's intention is the remote control termination intention in a case that an engine of the vehicle starts and the vehicle completely exits in response to a remote control signal provided from the remote control terminal.

10. The driver assistance apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to determine that the user's intention is the remote control termination intention in a case that the remote control terminal is located inside the vehicle after an engine of the vehicle starts and the vehicle completely exits in response to a remote control signal provided from the remote control terminal.

11. The driver assistance apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to determine that the user's intention is the remote control termination intention in a case that the user interface is operated after an exit of the vehicle is remotely completed.

12. The driver assistance apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the starting mode comprises a normal starting mode and a remote starting mode.

13. A method of operating a driver assistance apparatus, the method comprising steps of:

verifying a user's intention based on at least one of a user input and a user's action; and

switching a starting mode in a case that the user's intention is a remote control intention or a remote control termination intention

wherein the user's action includes getting-on/off a vehicle of the user.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the step of verifying comprises verifying whether the user's intention is the remote control intention or the remote control termination intention.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the step of verifying comprises determining that the user's intention is the remote control intention in a case that a remote control function is activated in response to the user input and a getting-off a vehicle of the user is sensed by a getting-on/off sensor.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the step of verifying comprises determining that the user's intention is the remote control intention in a case that one of a target parking space and a target vehicle entrance space is set by the user input and a getting-off a vehicle of the user is sensed by a getting-on/off sensor.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the step of verifying comprises determining that the user's intention is the remote control intention in a case that a stop of a vehicle in the vicinity of a target parking space or a target vehicle entrance space is sensed by a navigation terminal or a surroundings sensor and a getting-off a vehicle of the user is sensed by a getting-on/off sensor.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the step of verifying comprises determining that the user's intention is the remote control intention in a case that an engine starts in response to the user input, a getting-off a vehicle of the user is sensed by a getting-on/off sensor, and a remote control signal is received from a remote control terminal within a predetermined time.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the step of verifying comprises determining that the user's intention is not the remote control intention in a case that the remote control signal is not received within the predetermined time.

20. The method of claim 14 , wherein the step of verifying comprises determining that the user's intention is the remote control termination intention in a case that a getting-on a vehicle of the user is sensed by a getting-on/off sensor after an exit of the vehicle is remotely completed.