Driver assistance method and system
A method and system are disclosed for assisting the driver of a motor vehicle while driving through an intersection or road junction where at least three roads converge in a transition area. A future motion of an own or ego vehicle is estimated, and a future motion of a second vehicle is estimated. The probability of a collision between the own vehicle and the second vehicle is estimated based on the respective future motions. A search for a roadway marking arranged in the transition area is executed. If a roadway marking is found, the future motion of at least one of the own vehicle and second vehicle is estimated based on the detected roadway marking. A risk-reducing manuever is executed when the estimated collision probability exceeds a limiting value.
1. A method for assisting the driver of an ego vehicle traversing a road junction having at least three roads converging in a transition area, the ego vehicle being equipped with an on-board computer and an on-board sensor, wherein the method comprises:
evaluating, in the on-board computer, a first path of travel estimated from a future motion of the ego vehicle through the transition area;
evaluating, in the on-board computer, a second path of travel estimated from on a future motion of a second vehicle through the transition area;
detecting, with the on-board sensor, at least one roadway marking arranged in the transition area;
re-evaluating, in the on-board computer, at least one of the first and second paths of travel based on the detected roadway marking;
estimating, in the on-board computer, a collision probability for the first path of travel intersecting the second path of travel;
executing a risk-reducing maneuver when the collision probability exceeds a threshold value.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the risk-reducing maneuver is selected from a group of potential maneuvers based on the collision probability.
3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the group of potential maneuvers consists of a warning signal in the ego vehicle, an active intervention in the vehicle motion, or a combination thereof.
4. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising interpreting a structure in the transition area as roadway marking when the structure continuously follows a lane for one of the at least three roads.
5. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising determining a relevance of the roadway marking with respect to the ego vehicle and the second vehicle, and re-evaluating, in the on-board computer, at least one of the first and second paths of travel when the relevance of the roadway marking is above a threshold relevance.
6. The method according to claim 5 , further comprising disregarding the roadway marking for re-evaluating the at least one of the first and second paths of travel when the relevance is below a threshold relevance.
7. The method according to claim 5 , further comprising determining if a previous moving direction of the ego vehicle or the second vehicle corresponds to a direction of the roadway marking when determining the relevance of the roadway marking.
8. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising making a selection between discrete driving directions based on a previous motion of the ego vehicle or the second vehicle when estimating the future motion thereof.
9. A driver assistance system for an ego vehicle comprising:
at least one sensor configured to detect a motion of the ego vehicle, a motion of a second vehicle and a roadway boundary; and
a computer unit onboard the ego vehicle in communication with the at least one sensor and configured to:
evaluate a first path of travel estimated from a future motion of the ego vehicle through the transition area;
evaluate a second path of travel estimated from on a future motion of a second vehicle through the transition area;
detect at least one roadway marking arranged in the transition area;
re-evaluate at least one of the first and second paths of travel based on the detected roadway marking;
estimate a collision probability for the first path of travel intersecting the second path of travel; and
execute a risk-reducing maneuver when the collision probability exceeds a threshold value.
10. The driver assistance system according to claim 9 , wherein the risk-reducing maneuver is selected from a group of potential maneuvers based on the collision probability.
11. The driver assistance system according to claim 10 , wherein the group of potential maneuvers consists of a warning signal in the ego vehicle, an active intervention in the vehicle motion, or a combination thereof.
12. The driver assistance system according to claim 9 , wherein the computer unit is further configured to interpret a structure in the transition area as roadway marking when the structure continuously follows a lane for one of the at least three roads.
13. The driver assistance system according to claim 9 , wherein the computer unit is further configured to determine a relevance of the roadway marking with respect to the ego vehicle and the second vehicle, and re-evaluate at least one of the first and second paths of travel when the relevance of the roadway marking is above a threshold relevance.
14. The driver assistance system according to claim 13 , wherein the computer unit is further configured to disregard the roadway marking for re-evaluating the at least one of the first and second paths of travel when the relevance is below a threshold relevance.
15. The driver assistance system according to claim 13 , wherein the computer unit is further configured to determine if a previous moving direction of the ego vehicle or the second vehicle corresponds to a direction of the roadway marking when determining the relevance of the roadway structure.
16. The driver assistance system according to claim 9 , wherein the computer unit is further configured to make a selection between discrete driving directions based on a previous motion of the ego vehicle or the second vehicle when estimating the future motion thereof.