Method for controlling an ego vehicle based on safety regions

1 . A method for controlling an ego vehicle, comprising the following steps:

receiving map data of a map representation of a surrounding environment of an ego vehicle, wherein the map data of the map representation map at least one roadway traveled by the ego vehicle;

determining a safe driving corridor of the ego vehicle based on the map data of the map representation, wherein the safe driving corridor describes a spatial region that can be traveled by the ego vehicle without collision, and wherein the safe driving corridor is limited at least by boundaries of the roadway;

determining a safety region of the ego vehicle based on a state of motion of the ego vehicle, wherein the state of motion is defined at least by a speed value of the ego vehicle and an acceleration value of the ego vehicle, wherein the safety region defines a spatial region in which, in a given state of motion, the ego vehicle can be safely brought to a standstill, and wherein a length of the safety region oriented along a direction of travel of the ego vehicle and/or a width of the safety region oriented perpendicularly along the direction of travel are determined taking into account a speed of the ego vehicle and an acceleration of the ego vehicle;

checking whether the safety region is located completely within the safe driving corridor during travel of the ego vehicle along a travel trajectory; and

outputting a control signal for executing a safety maneuver when the safety region is located at least partially outside the safe driving corridor,

wherein the length and/or width of the safety region are dynamically increased or decreased during travel of the ego vehicle based on current or planned acceleration and/or deceleration.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the following steps:

determining an extended safety region based on the speed value and/or the acceleration value of the state of motion of the ego vehicle and taking into account an object movement model for dynamic objects, wherein the object movement model includes a description of an average movement of dynamic objects located in the surrounding environment of the ego vehicle, wherein the extended safety region defines a spatial region in which, in a given state of motion, the ego vehicle can be brought to a standstill without a collision with a dynamic object moving at least partially in a direction of the ego vehicle according to the object movement model, and wherein a length of the extended safety region and/or a width of the extended safety region are determined taking into account the speed value of the ego vehicle and the acceleration value of the ego vehicle;

checking whether a dynamic object located in the surrounding environment of the ego vehicle is located within the extended safety region; and

outputting the control signal for executing the safety maneuver when the safety region is located at least partially outside the safe driving corridor, and/or when at least one dynamic object is located in the extended safety region.

3 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein the length of the safety region and/or the length of the extended safety region and/or the width of the safety region and/or the width of the extended safety region are adapted during the travel of the ego vehicle based on a current speed value and/or a current acceleration value of a current state of motion of the ego vehicle.

4 . The method according to claim 3 , further comprising the following steps:

terminating and/or not executing the safety maneuver: (i) when, after adapting the length of the safety region and/or the width of the safety region, the safety region is completely located in the safe travel corridor, and/or (ii) when, after adapting the length of the extended safety region and/or the width of the extended safety region, the object is located outside the extended safety region.

5 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein a Kalman filter is used to determine a future speed value and/or a future acceleration value of a future state of motion of the ego vehicle based on the speed value and/or the acceleration value of the state of motion of the ego vehicle, and wherein the length of the safety region and/or the length of the extended safety region and/or the width of the safety region and/or the width of the extended safety region, are adapted based on the future speed and/or acceleration of the ego vehicle.

6 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein the acceleration value includes an acceleration value planned by a planning module and/or an acceleration value of the ego vehicle measured by a corresponding sensor system.

7 . The method according to claim 6 , wherein the planned acceleration value and/or the current acceleration value of the ego vehicle are taken into account in a common processing path or in two parallel processing paths for determining the safety region and/or the extended safety region.

8 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the acceleration value of the state of motion describes a speed reduction or a speed increase of the ego vehicle.

9 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the safety maneuver includes:

executing an emergency braking in which the ego vehicle is brought to a safe standstill, deviating from a planned travel trajectory; and/or

executing a speed reduction, deviating from a planned travel trajectory of the ego vehicle, wherein the speed reduction takes place in such a way that the safety region is again located completely in the safe driving corridor; and/or

executing a steering movement, deviating from the planned travel trajectory of the ego vehicle, wherein the steering movement takes place in such a way that the safety region is located completely in the safe driving corridor.

10 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the state of motion further includes an item of steering information relating to a possible steering inaccuracy of the ego vehicle, and wherein the width of the safety region is determined taking into account the steering inaccuracy of the ego vehicle.

11 . A method for controlling an ego vehicle, comprising the following steps:

receiving map data of a map representation of a surrounding environment of an ego vehicle, wherein the map data of the map representation map at least one roadway traveled by the ego vehicle;

determining a safe driving corridor of the ego vehicle based on the map data of the map representation, wherein the safe driving corridor describes a spatial region that can be traveled by the ego vehicle without collision, and wherein the safe driving corridor is limited at least by boundaries of the roadway;

determining a safety region of the ego vehicle based on a state of motion of the ego vehicle, wherein the state of motion is defined at least by a speed value of the ego vehicle and an acceleration value of the ego vehicle, wherein the safety region defines a spatial region in which, in a given state of motion, the ego vehicle can be safely brought to a standstill, and wherein a length of the safety region oriented along a direction of travel of the ego vehicle and/or a width of the safety region oriented perpendicularly along the direction of travel are determined taking into account a speed of the ego vehicle and an acceleration of the ego vehicle;

checking whether the safety region is located completely within the safe driving corridor during travel of the ego vehicle along a travel trajectory;

outputting a control signal for executing a safety maneuver when the safety region is located at least partially outside the safe driving corridor,

determining an extended safety region based on the speed value and/or the acceleration value of the state of motion of the ego vehicle and taking into account an object movement model for dynamic objects, wherein the object movement model includes a description of an average movement of dynamic objects located in the surrounding environment of the ego vehicle, wherein the extended safety region defines a spatial region in which, in a given state of motion, the ego vehicle can be brought to a standstill without a collision with a dynamic object moving at least partially in a direction of the ego vehicle according to the object movement model, and wherein a length of the extended safety region and/or a width of the extended safety region are determined taking into account the speed value of the ego vehicle and the acceleration value of the ego vehicle;

checking whether a dynamic object located in the surrounding environment of the ego vehicle is located within the extended safety region; and

outputting the control signal for executing the safety maneuver when the safety region is located at least partially outside the safe driving corridor, and/or when at least one dynamic object is located in the extended safety region,

wherein the length of the safety region and/or the length of the extended safety region is given by a latency length and a deceleration length, wherein the deceleration length describes a distance required to brake the ego vehicle to a complete stop, and wherein the latency length describes a distance which the ego vehicle continues to travel without deceleration between an initiation time at which an event occurs that is intended to trigger a deceleration of the ego vehicle and a deceleration time at which the deceleration is actually effected, and wherein a speed of the ego vehicle during a latency period is determined taking into account the acceleration value.

12 . A method for controlling an ego vehicle, comprising the following steps:

receiving map data of a map representation of a surrounding environment of an ego vehicle, wherein the map data of the map representation map at least one roadway traveled by the ego vehicle;

determining a safe driving corridor of the ego vehicle based on the map data of the map representation, wherein the safe driving corridor describes a spatial region that can be traveled by the ego vehicle without collision, and wherein the safe driving corridor is limited at least by boundaries of the roadway;

determining a safety region of the ego vehicle based on a state of motion of the ego vehicle, wherein the state of motion is defined at least by a speed value of the ego vehicle and an acceleration value of the ego vehicle, wherein the safety region defines a spatial region in which, in a given state of motion, the ego vehicle can be safely brought to a standstill, and wherein a length of the safety region oriented along a direction of travel of the ego vehicle and/or a width of the safety region oriented perpendicularly along the direction of travel are determined taking into account a speed of the ego vehicle and an acceleration of the ego vehicle;

checking whether the safety region is located completely within the safe driving corridor during travel of the ego vehicle along a travel trajectory;

outputting a control signal for executing a safety maneuver when the safety region is located at least partially outside the safe driving corridor,

determining an extended safety region based on the speed value and/or the acceleration value of the state of motion of the ego vehicle and taking into account an object movement model for dynamic objects, wherein the object movement model includes a description of an average movement of dynamic objects located in the surrounding environment of the ego vehicle, wherein the extended safety region defines a spatial region in which, in a given state of motion, the ego vehicle can be brought to a standstill without a collision with a dynamic object moving at least partially in a direction of the ego vehicle according to the object movement model, and wherein a length of the extended safety region and/or a width of the extended safety region are determined taking into account the speed value of the ego vehicle and the acceleration value of the ego vehicle;

checking whether a dynamic object located in the surrounding environment of the ego vehicle is located within the extended safety region; and

outputting the control signal for executing the safety maneuver when the safety region is located at least partially outside the safe driving corridor, and/or when at least one dynamic object is located in the extended safety region,

wherein a Kalman filter is used to determine a future speed value and/or a future acceleration value of a future state of motion of the ego vehicle based on the speed value and/or the acceleration value of the state of motion of the ego vehicle, and wherein the length of the safety region and/or the length of the extended safety region and/or the width of the safety region and/or the width of the extended safety region, are adapted based on the future speed and/or acceleration of the ego vehicle,

wherein the length of the extended safety region oriented in the direction of travel of the ego vehicle and/or the width of the extended safety region oriented perpendicularly to the direction of travel of the ego vehicle corresponds to a path distance within which the ego vehicle, in the given state of motion, can be brought to a standstill with maximum deceleration power without colliding with an object moving towards the ego vehicle at least partially in an opposite direction of travel or in a direction perpendicular to the direction of travel, according to the movement model.

13 . A computing unit configured to control an ego vehicle, the computing unit configured to:

receive map data of a map representation of a surrounding environment of an ego vehicle, wherein the map data of the map representation map at least one roadway traveled by the ego vehicle;

determine a safe driving corridor of the ego vehicle based on the map data of the map representation, wherein the safe driving corridor describes a spatial region that can be traveled by the ego vehicle without collision, and wherein the safe driving corridor is limited at least by boundaries of the roadway;

determine a safety region of the ego vehicle based on a state of motion of the ego vehicle, wherein the state of motion is defined at least by a speed value of the ego vehicle and an acceleration value of the ego vehicle, wherein the safety region defines a spatial region in which, in a given state of motion, the ego vehicle can be safely brought to a standstill, and wherein a length of the safety region oriented along a direction of travel of the ego vehicle and/or a width of the safety region oriented perpendicularly along the direction of travel are determined taking into account a speed of the ego vehicle and an acceleration of the ego vehicle;

check whether the safety region is located completely within the safe driving corridor during travel of the ego vehicle along a travel trajectory; and

output a control signal for executing a safety maneuver when the safety region is located at least partially outside the safe driving corridor,

wherein the length and/or width of the safety region are dynamically increased or decreased during travel of the ego vehicle based on current or planned acceleration and/or deceleration.

14 . A non-transitory computer readable medium on which is stored a computer program for controlling an ego vehicle, the computer program, when executed by a data processor, causing the data processor to perform the following steps:

receiving map data of a map representation of a surrounding environment of an ego vehicle, wherein the map data of the map representation map at least one roadway traveled by the ego vehicle;

determining a safe driving corridor of the ego vehicle based on the map data of the map representation, wherein the safe driving corridor describes a spatial region that can be traveled by the ego vehicle without collision, and wherein the safe driving corridor is limited at least by boundaries of the roadway;

determining a safety region of the ego vehicle based on a state of motion of the ego vehicle, wherein the state of motion is defined at least by a speed value of the ego vehicle and an acceleration value of the ego vehicle, wherein the safety region defines a spatial region in which, in a given state of motion, the ego vehicle can be safely brought to a standstill, and wherein a length of the safety region oriented along a direction of travel of the ego vehicle and/or a width of the safety region oriented perpendicularly along the direction of travel are determined taking into account a speed of the ego vehicle and an acceleration of the ego vehicle;

checking whether the safety region is located completely within the safe driving corridor during travel of the ego vehicle along a travel trajectory; and

outputting a control signal for executing a safety maneuver when the safety region is located at least partially outside the safe driving corridor,

wherein the length and/or width of the safety region are dynamically increased or decreased during travel of the ego vehicle based on current or planned acceleration and/or deceleration.