Method and system for assisting a driver of a motor vehicle in clearing a path for emergency vehicles
AssigneeBayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
InventorJohannes Echtler
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for assisting a driver of a motor vehicle in clearing a path for emergency vehicles includes detecting a traffic jam situation for the motor vehicle, determining a need to clear a path for emergency vehicles on the basis of the detected traffic jam situation, detecting the driver's viewing direction, and semi-automatically or fully automatically controlling the motor vehicle according to the determined need to clear a path for emergency vehicles and the driver's detected viewing direction.
Claims4
A method for assisting a driver of a motor vehicle in clearing an emergency path on a road for an emergency vehicle, the method comprising:
- detecting a congestion situation on the road in front of the motor vehicle,
- ascertaining a need for clearing the emergency path on the road for the emergency vehicle based on the detected congestion situation,
- detecting a viewing direction of the driver,
- detecting at least one obstacle in a region to a left-hand side or a right-hand side of the motor vehicle, and
- performing partially automated or fully automated controlling of the motor vehicle in dependence on the ascertained need for clearing the emergency path, on the detected viewing direction of the driver, and on the detected at least one obstacle, wherein:
- the partially automated or fully automated controlling of the motor vehicle comprises partially automated or fully automated controlling of lateral and/or longitudinal guidance of the motor vehicle to clear the emergency path on the road for the emergency vehicle,
- the partially automated or fully automated controlling of the motor vehicle is performed upon determining that the driver is looking in a direction of the detected congestion situation, and
- the partially automated or fully automated controlling of the motor vehicle comprises partially automated or fully automated crossing of a road boundary.
A driving assistance apparatus for a motor vehicle configured to assist a driver of the motor vehicle in clearing an emergency path on a road for an emergency vehicle, the driving assistance apparatus comprising:
- a first sensor apparatus for detecting a congestion situation on the road in front of the motor vehicle,
- a computational apparatus, connected to the first sensor apparatus, for ascertaining a need for clearing an emergency path on the road for the emergency vehicle based on the congestion situation detected by the first sensor apparatus,
- a second sensor apparatus, connected to the computational apparatus, for detecting a viewing direction of the driver, and
- a third sensor apparatus, connected to the computational apparatus, for detecting at least one obstacle in a region to a left-hand side or a right-hand side of the motor vehicle, wherein:
- the computational apparatus is configured to perform partially automated or fully automated controlling of the motor vehicle in dependence on the ascertained need for clearing the emergency path, on the detected viewing direction of the driver, and on the detected at least one obstacle,
- the partially automated or fully automated controlling of the motor vehicle comprises partially automated or fully automated controlling of lateral and/or longitudinal guidance of the motor vehicle to clear the emergency path on the road for the emergency vehicle,
- the computational apparatus is further configured to perform the partially automated or fully automated controlling of the motor vehicle upon determining that the driver is looking in a direction of the detected congestion situation, and
- the partially automated or fully automated controlling of the motor vehicle comprises partially automated or fully automated crossing of a road boundary.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.