IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,735,079
Granted Patent B2
US 12,735,079 · App. 18/387,363 · Granted Sep 15, 2026

Apparatus and method for controlling autonomous driving

Inventor: Dong Hoon Kang (Seoul, KR)
Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY; KIA CORPORATION
B60W60/007G08G1/166B60W2540/00B60W2554/4041B60W2554/802B60W2554/804B60W2720/106
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,735,079
App. No.
18/387,363
Granted
Sep 15, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

An apparatus and method for controlling autonomous driving of a host vehicle are disclosed. The apparatus identifies other vehicle driving information including at least one of a relative speed between the host vehicle and a front vehicle, a relative distance between the host vehicle and the front vehicle, an acceleration of the front vehicle, an average deceleration amount of a rear vehicle of the host vehicle, an instantaneous maximum deceleration amount of the rear vehicle, and/or a deceleration timing of the rear vehicle by using a sensor device. The apparatus also identifies unresponsive state duration of a user within the host vehicle. When the unresponsive state duration is greater than or equal to a specified time duration, the apparatus performs emergency stop control on the host vehicle by using at least a part of the other vehicle driving information.

Claims (83)

1 . An apparatus for controlling autonomous driving of a host vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

a sensor device;

a memory configured to store instructions; and

a controller operatively connected to the sensor device and the memory,

wherein the instructions, when executed by the controller, cause the controller to

identify other vehicle driving information including at least one of a relative speed between the host vehicle and a front vehicle, a relative distance between the host vehicle and the front vehicle, an acceleration of the front vehicle, an average deceleration amount of a rear vehicle driving behind the host vehicle, an instantaneous maximum deceleration amount of the rear vehicle, a deceleration timing of the rear vehicle, or a combination thereof, wherein:

the front vehicle is a vehicle driving in front of the host vehicle and the rear vehicle is a vehicle driving behind the host vehicle, and

the instructions, when executed by the controller, cause the controller to

identify front vehicle driving information including at least one of the relative speed between the host vehicle and the front vehicle, the relative distance between the host vehicle and the front vehicle, the acceleration of the front vehicle, or a combination thereof, and

identify rear vehicle driving information including at least one of the average deceleration amount of the rear vehicle, the instantaneous maximum deceleration amount of the rear vehicle, the deceleration timing of the rear vehicle, or a combination thereof,

identify unresponsive state duration of a user within the host vehicle, and

when the unresponsive state duration is greater than or equal to a specified time duration, perform emergency stop control on the host vehicle by using at least a part of the other vehicle driving information,

wherein the instructions, when executed by the controller, further cause the controller to:

identify first identification information corresponding to the rear vehicle,

in response to identifying that the first identification information is changed to second identification information corresponding to another vehicle different from the rear vehicle, apply aging to reliability of the rear vehicle driving information obtained until a point in time when the first identification information is changed, and

when the first identification information is identified again before the reliability is reduced based on the aging such that the reliability is smaller than or equal to a specified value, perform the emergency stop control by using the rear vehicle driving information obtained until the point in time.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the controller, cause the controller to:

when the unresponsive state duration is greater than or equal to the specified time duration, perform the emergency stop control by using the front vehicle driving information and the rear vehicle driving information.

3 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the controller, cause the controller to:

when the first identification information is identified again after the reliability is reduced based on the aging such that the reliability is smaller than or equal to the specified value, identify further information about the rear vehicle, the further information having a specified amount determined based on a level of reliability; and

when the further information about the rear vehicle satisfies a specified condition, perform the emergency stop control by using the further information about the rear vehicle.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the controller, cause the controller to:

perform the emergency stop control on the host vehicle when one or both of i) a hands-off state of the host vehicle is identified for a first time duration or longer or ii) a direction in which the user faces as identified by using the sensor device is not included in a specified direction for a second time duration or longer while the host vehicle is controlled based on an in-cabin-camera (ICC).

5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the controller, cause the controller to:

when it is identified that both the front vehicle and the rear vehicle are not present, perform the emergency stop control on the host vehicle based on a predetermined basic deceleration; and

while performing the emergency stop control, control driving of the host vehicle by repeatedly and periodically using a first jerk deceleration having a value that is greater than the predetermined basic deceleration.

6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the controller, cause the controller to:

when it is identified that the front vehicle is present and the rear vehicle is not present, identify a first required deceleration for the emergency stop control by using at least one of the relative speed between the host vehicle and the front vehicle, the relative distance between the host vehicle and the front vehicle, the acceleration of the front vehicle, or a combination thereof;

perform the emergency stop control on the host vehicle based on a smaller value of a predetermined basic deceleration and the first required deceleration; and

while performing the emergency stop control, control driving of the host vehicle by repeatedly and periodically using a second jerk deceleration having a value that is greater than the smaller value.

7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the controller, cause the controller to:

when it is identified that the front vehicle is not present and the rear vehicle is present, identify an average deceleration of the rear vehicle and an instantaneous maximum deceleration of the rear vehicle by using at least one of the average deceleration amount of the rear vehicle, the instantaneous maximum deceleration amount of the rear vehicle, the deceleration timing of the rear vehicle, or a combination thereof;

perform the emergency stop control on the host vehicle based on a second required deceleration having a value smaller than the average deceleration; and

while performing the emergency stop control, control driving of the host vehicle by repeatedly and periodically using a third jerk deceleration having a value that is less than the instantaneous maximum deceleration and greater than the second required deceleration.

8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the controller, cause the controller to:

when both the front vehicle and the rear vehicle are identified, identify a first required deceleration for the emergency stop control by using at least one of the relative speed between the host vehicle and the front vehicle, the relative distance between the host vehicle and the front vehicle, the acceleration of the front vehicle, or a combination thereof;

identify an average deceleration of the rear vehicle and an instantaneous maximum deceleration of the rear vehicle by using at least one of the average deceleration amount of the rear vehicle, the instantaneous maximum deceleration amount of the rear vehicle, the deceleration timing of the rear vehicle, or a combination thereof;

perform the emergency stop control on the host vehicle based on a second required deceleration having a value smaller than the average deceleration; and

while performing the emergency stop control, control driving of the host vehicle by repeatedly and periodically using a third jerk deceleration having a value that is less than the instantaneous maximum deceleration and greater than the second required deceleration.

9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the controller, cause the controller to:

when both the front vehicle and the rear vehicle are identified, identify a first required deceleration for the emergency stop control by using at least one of the relative speed between the host vehicle and the front vehicle, the relative distance between the host vehicle and the front vehicle, the acceleration of the front vehicle, or a combination thereof;

when the first required deceleration is greater than a predetermined basic deceleration and less than an average deceleration of the rear vehicle, perform the emergency stop control on the host vehicle based on the predetermined basic deceleration; and

while performing the emergency stop control, control driving of the host vehicle by repeatedly and periodically using a fourth jerk deceleration having a value that is less than an instantaneous maximum deceleration of the rear vehicle and greater than the predetermined basic deceleration.

10 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the controller, cause the controller to:

when both the front vehicle and the rear vehicle are identified, identify a first required deceleration for the emergency stop control by using at least one of the relative speed between the host vehicle and the front vehicle, the relative distance between the host vehicle and the front vehicle, the acceleration of the front vehicle, or a combination thereof;

when the first required deceleration is greater than a predetermined basic deceleration and an instantaneous maximum deceleration of the rear vehicle, identify a control time based on at least one of the relative distance between the host vehicle and the front vehicle, the relative speed between the host vehicle and the front vehicle, a relative distance between the host vehicle and the rear vehicle, or a combination thereof; and

perform the emergency stop control during the control time based on the instantaneous maximum deceleration of the rear vehicle.

11 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the controller, cause the controller to:

identify a fifth jerk deceleration based on the relative distance between the host vehicle and the front vehicle and the instantaneous maximum deceleration; and

while performing the emergency stop control, control driving of the host vehicle by repeatedly and periodically using the fifth jerk deceleration during the control time.

12 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the controller, cause the controller to:

in response to identifying at least one other vehicle cutting into a driving lane of the host vehicle from at least one of a left lane that is to the left of the driving lane of the host vehicle, a right lane that is to the right of the driving lane, or a combination thereof, perform the emergency stop control on the host vehicle by using at least one of an average deceleration amount of the at least one other vehicle, an instantaneous maximum deceleration of the at least one other vehicle, a deceleration reaction speed of the at least one other vehicle, or a combination of the average deceleration amount of the at least one other vehicle, the instantaneous maximum deceleration of the at least one other vehicle, the deceleration reaction speed of the at least one other vehicle, or a combination thereof.

13 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the controller, cause the controller to:

further identify vehicle model information of one or both of the front vehicle and the rear vehicle by using the sensor device; and

perform the emergency stop control on the host vehicle based on a deceleration identified by further using the vehicle model information.

14 . A method for autonomous driving control of a host vehicle, the method comprising:

identifying, by a controller using a sensor device, other vehicle driving information including at least one of a relative speed between the host vehicle and a front vehicle, a relative distance between the host vehicle and the front vehicle, an acceleration of the front vehicle, an average deceleration amount of a rear vehicle of the host vehicle, an instantaneous maximum deceleration amount of the rear vehicle, a deceleration timing of the rear vehicle, or a combination thereof, wherein the front vehicle is a vehicle driving in front of the host vehicle and the rear vehicle is a vehicle driving behind the host vehicle, wherein identifying the other vehicle driving information includes:

identifying front vehicle driving information including at least one of the relative speed between the host vehicle and the front vehicle, the relative distance between the host vehicle and the front vehicle, the acceleration of the front vehicle, or a combination thereof, and

identifying rear vehicle driving information including at least one of the average deceleration amount of the rear vehicle, the instantaneous maximum deceleration amount of the rear vehicle, the deceleration timing of the rear vehicle, or a combination thereof;

identifying, by the controller, unresponsive state duration of a user within the host vehicle; and

when the unresponsive state duration is greater than or equal to a specified time duration, performing, by the controller, emergency stop control on the host vehicle by using at least a part of the other vehicle driving information,

wherein the method further comprises:

identifying first identification information corresponding to the rear vehicle,

in response to identifying that the first identification information is changed to second identification information corresponding to another vehicle different from the rear vehicle, applying aging to reliability of the rear vehicle driving information obtained until a point in time when the first identification information is changed, and

when the first identification information is identified again before the reliability is reduced based on the aging such that the reliability is smaller than or equal to a specified value, performing the emergency stop control by using the rear vehicle driving information obtained until the point in time.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein performing the emergency stop control on the host vehicle includes:

performing, by the controller, the emergency stop control on the host vehicle when one or both of i) a hands-off state of the host vehicle is identified for a first time duration or longer or ii) a direction in which the user faces as identified by using the sensor device is not included in a specified direction for a second time or longer while the host vehicle is controlled based on an ICC.

16 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

when it is identified that both the front vehicle and the rear vehicle are not present, performing, by the controller, the emergency stop control on the host vehicle based on a predetermined basic deceleration; and

while performing the emergency stop control, controlling, by the controller, driving of the host vehicle by repeatedly and periodically using a first jerk deceleration having a value that is greater than the predetermined basic deceleration.

17 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

when it is identified that the front vehicle is present and the rear vehicle is not present, identifying, by the controller, a first required deceleration for the emergency stop control by using at least one of the relative speed between the host vehicle and the front vehicle, the relative distance between the host vehicle and the front vehicle, the acceleration of the front vehicle, or a combination of the relative speed, the relative distance, the acceleration, or a combination thereof;

performing, by the controller, the emergency stop control on the host vehicle based on a smaller value of a predetermined basic deceleration and the first required deceleration; and

while performing the emergency stop control, controlling, by the controller, driving of the host vehicle by repeatedly and periodically using a second jerk deceleration having a value that is greater than the smaller value.

18 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

when it is identified that the front vehicle is not present and the rear vehicle is present, identifying, by the controller, an average deceleration of the rear vehicle and an instantaneous maximum deceleration of the rear vehicle by using at least one of the average deceleration amount of the rear vehicle, the instantaneous maximum deceleration amount of the rear vehicle, the deceleration timing of the rear vehicle, or a combination thereof;

performing, by the controller, the emergency stop control on the host vehicle based on a second required deceleration having a value smaller than the average deceleration; and

while performing the emergency stop control, controlling, by the controller, driving of the host vehicle by repeatedly and periodically using a third jerk deceleration having a value that is less than the instantaneous maximum deceleration and greater than the second required deceleration.

19 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

when both the front vehicle and the rear vehicle are identified, identifying, by the controller, a first required deceleration for the emergency stop control by using at least one of the relative speed between the host vehicle and the front vehicle, the relative distance between the host vehicle and the front vehicle, the acceleration of the front vehicle, or a combination thereof;

identifying, by the controller, an average deceleration of the rear vehicle and an instantaneous maximum deceleration of the rear vehicle by using at least one of the average deceleration amount of the rear vehicle, the instantaneous maximum deceleration amount of the rear vehicle, the deceleration timing of the rear vehicle, or a combination thereof;

performing, by the controller, the emergency stop control on the host vehicle based on a second required deceleration having a value smaller than the average deceleration; and

while performing the emergency stop control, controlling, by the controller, driving of the host vehicle by repeatedly and periodically using a third jerk deceleration having a value that is less than the instantaneous maximum deceleration and greater than the second required deceleration.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 6, 2023
From: KANG, DONG HOON
To: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY; KIA CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 065472/0669 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2023-0104996 · Aug 10, 2023 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20250050917A1 · Feb 13, 2025
References Cited (9)
US 20080174451A1 · Harrington · 2008 [cited by examiner]
US 20180148045A1 · Lee · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 20190126917A1 · You · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20200339157A1 · Yurdana · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20210290134A1 · Talamonti · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20210300306A1 · Costin · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20240208468A1 · Gomez · 2024 [cited by examiner]
US 20240208522A1 · Verma · 2024 [cited by examiner]
US 20240308501A1 · Qureshi · 2024 [cited by examiner]