Vehicle control apparatus and vehicle control method
The present technology relates to a vehicle control apparatus and a vehicle control method that allow safer automated driving. The vehicle control apparatus includes a driver monitoring section and a penalty application section. The driver monitoring section detects a driving intervention level indicating an extent to which the driver intervenes in driving of a vehicle. The penalty application section applies a penalty disadvantageous to the driver in the case where the driving intervention level is insufficient. The present technology is applicable, for example, to a vehicle control apparatus that controls automated driving.
1. A vehicle control apparatus, comprising:
a set of sensors configured to detect a driving intervention level wherein
the driving intervention level is based on a plurality of automated driving levels of a vehicle and the driving intervention level indicates an extent of driver intervention in at least one driving task that controls the vehicle; and
a processor configured to:
determine a number of occurrences of the driving intervention level is less than a first threshold value for a specific period of time, wherein the first threshold value is different for each automated driving level of the plurality of automated driving levels;
control an output device to output an alert signal based on the determination that the number of occurrences of the driving intervention level is less than the first threshold value;
determine the driving intervention level remains less than a second threshold value; and
control the output device to apply a penalty based on the determination that the driving intervention level remains less than the second threshold value, wherein the penalty is applied after the output of the alert signal.
2. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to apply the penalty based on the driving intervention level that remains less than the second threshold value at a transition of a specific automated driving level from a first automated driving level of the plurality of automated driving levels to a second automated driving level of the plurality of automated driving levels.
3. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the processor is further configured to restrict the at least one driving task for a specific time period based on the application of the penalty.
4. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to apply the penalty based on a frequency of occurrences of the application of the penalty.
5. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
determine repetition of the application of the penalty; and
control the output device to change the penalty based on the determination of the repetition of the application of the penalty.
6. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the application of the penalty corresponds to control of movement of a backrest of a driver seat of the vehicle towards a vertical direction relative to a seating surface of the vehicle.
7. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the application of the penalty corresponds to restriction of a specific speed limit of the vehicle.
8. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the application of the penalty corresponds to restriction of a plurality of automated driving functions of the vehicle.
9. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the application of the penalty corresponds to change of a traveling route of the vehicle.
10. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the penalty is applied based on one of arrival of the vehicle at a destination or a halt condition of the vehicle.
11. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the processor is further configured to restrict a start operation of the vehicle for a specific time period.
12. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the processor is further configured to record, in a log, information associated with the penalty based on one of the arrival of the vehicle at the destination or the halt condition of the vehicle.
13. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine that the driving intervention level remains less than the second threshold value based on a specific condition associated with the specific automated driving level of the plurality of automated driving levels.
14. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
detect the driving intervention level based on the application of the penalty; and
control the output device to stop the application of the penalty based on the driving intervention level that is more than the second threshold value.
15. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the processor is further configured to detect at least one of a driver responsiveness or a driver awakening level, and
the set of sensors is further configured to detect the driving intervention level based on at least one of the driver responsiveness or the driver awakening level.
16. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein the processor is further configured to detect at least one of the driver responsiveness or the driver awakening level based on one of a stimulus signal or an instruction signal.
17. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein the processor is further configured to output the instruction signal to an information processing apparatus.
18. A vehicle control method, comprising:
in a vehicle control apparatus:
detecting, by a set of sensors, a driving intervention level wherein
the driving intervention level is based on a plurality of automated driving levels and the driving intervention level indicates an extent of driver intervention in at least one driving task that controls the vehicle;
determining, by a processor, a number of occurrences of the driving intervention level is less than a first threshold value for a specific period of time, wherein the first threshold value is different for each automated driving level of the plurality of automated driving levels;
outputting, by an output device, an alert signal based on the determination that the number of occurrences of the driving intervention level is less than the first threshold value;
determining the driving intervention level remains less than a second threshold value; and
applying, by the output device, a penalty based on the determination that the driving intervention level remains less than the second threshold value, wherein the penalty is applied after the output of the alert signal.