Method of switching vehicle drive mode from automatic drive mode to manual drive mode depending on accuracy of detecting object

A method for use by a vehicle configured to operate in an automatic drive mode, in which the vehicle is automatically driven, and a manual drive mode, in which the vehicle is driven manually by a driver, comprising:

• detecting an object included in a captured image of a scene seen in a running direction of a vehicle;
• determining whether the detected object is outside an object occurrence area of an object occurrence map representing a predefined area of the scene of predetermined dimensions
• i) outside the vehicle path when viewed from the vehicle in a running direction of the vehicle,
• ii) smaller than the entire area of the scene outside the vehicle path when viewed from the vehicle in the running direction of the vehicle, and
• iii) based on data of past detections of the object in the area of the scene outside the vehicle path, where there is a higher probability that the object will exist in the scene than in other areas outside the vehicle and detectable by a sensor of the vehicle;
• determining that the detecting of the object is unreliable when it is determined that the object is outside the object occurrence area;
• switching a vehicle drive mode from the automatic drive mode to the manual drive mode in response to determining that the detecting of the object is unreliable as a result of the detected object being detected to be outside the object occurrence area;
• maintaining the vehicle in the automatic drive mode in response to determining that the detected object is not outside the object occurrence area;
• and
• controlling driving of the vehicle in the switched manual drive mode when the drive mode is switched and controlling the driving of vehicle in the automatic drive mode when the drive mode is not switched.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program, the program causing a computer to execute a method when the program is executed by the computer, the method for use by a vehicle configured to operate in an automatic drive mode, in which the vehicle is automatically driven, and a manual drive mode, in which the vehicle is driven manually by a driver, including:

• detecting an object included in a captured image of a scene seen in a running direction of a vehicle,
• determining whether the detected object is outside an object occurrence area of an object occurrence map representing a predefined area of the scene of predetermined dimensions
• i) outside the vehicle path when viewed from the vehicle in a running direction of the vehicle,
• ii) smaller than the entire area of the scene outside the vehicle path when viewed from the vehicle in the running direction of the vehicle, and
• iii) based on data of past detections of the object in the area of the scene outside the vehicle path, where there is a higher probability that the object will exist in the scene than in other areas outside the vehicle and detectable by a sensor of the vehicle;
• determining that the detecting of the object is unreliable when it is determined that the object is outside the object occurrence area;
• switching a vehicle drive mode from the automatic drive mode to the manual drive mode in response to determining that the detecting of the object is unreliable as a result of the detected object being detected to be outside the object occurrence area;
• maintaining the vehicle in the automatic drive mode in response to determining that the detected object is not outside the object occurrence area;
• and
• controlling driving of the vehicle in the switched manual drive mode when the drive mode is switched and controlling the driving of vehicle in the automatic drive mode when the drive mode is not switched.

An apparatus for use in a vehicle, configured to operate in an automatic drive mode, in which the vehicle is automatically driven, and a manual drive mode, in which the vehicle is driven manually by a driver, comprising:

• a first memory;
• and
• circuitry that, in operation, performs operations including
• storing, in the first memory, an object occurrence map defining an object occurrence area of a captured image of a scene seen in a running direction of a vehicle, and representing a predefined area of predetermined dimensions of the scene
• i) outside the vehicle path when viewed from the vehicle in a running direction of the vehicle,
• ii) smaller than the entire area of the scene outside the vehicle path when viewed from the vehicle in the running direction of the vehicle, and
• iii) in which where there is a higher probability that the object exists than in another area of the captured image of the scene;
• detecting the object included in the captured image of the scene seen in the running direction of the vehicle;
• determining whether the detected object is outside the occurrence area;
• determining that the detecting of the object is unreliable when it is determined that the object is outside the object occurrence area;
• switching a vehicle drive mode from the automatic drive mode to the manual drive mode in response to determining that detecting of the object is unreliable as a result of the detected object being detected to be outside the object occurrence area;
• maintaining the vehicle in the automatic drive mode in response to determining that the detected object is not outside the object occurrence area;
• and
• controlling driving of the vehicle in the switched manual drive mode when the drive mode is switched and controlling the driving of vehicle in the automatic drive mode when the drive mode is not switched.

An apparatus for use by a vehicle configured to operate in an automatic drive mode, in which the vehicle is automatically driven, and a manual drive mode, in which the vehicle is driven manually by a driver, comprising:

• a first memory;
• and
• circuitry that, in operation, performs operations including
• storing, in the first memory, an object occurrence map defining an object occurrence area of a captured image of a scene seen in a running direction of a vehicle, and representing a predefined area of predetermined dimensions of the scene
• i) outside the vehicle path when viewed from the vehicle in a running direction of the vehicle,
• ii) smaller than the entire area of the scene outside the vehicle path when viewed from the vehicle in the running direction of the vehicle, and
• iii) where an object is to be expected to exist when the vehicle travels in the running direction through the scene;
• detecting the object included in the captured image of the scene seen in the running direction of the vehicle;
• determining the location of the detected object in relation to the stored occurrence area;
• determining that the detecting of the object is unreliable when it is determined that the object is outside the object occurrence area;
• switching a vehicle drive mode from the automatic drive mode to the manual drive mode in response to determining that the detecting of the object is unreliable as a result of the detected object being detected to be outside the object occurrence area;
• maintaining the vehicle in the automatic drive mode in response to determining that the detected object is not outside the object occurrence area;
• and
• controlling driving of the vehicle in the switched manual drive mode when the drive mode is switched and controlling the driving of vehicle in the automatic drive mode when the drive mode is not switched.