Method and apparatus for operating an automated vehicle

An apparatus, comprising:

• a control unit configured to operate an automated vehicle, the control unit configured to:
• acquire environmental data values using an environmental sensor system of the automated vehicle, wherein the environmental data values represent objects in an environment of the automated vehicle, wherein the environmental sensor system includes a plurality of main sensors and a plurality of redundant sensors, wherein the redundant sensors are initialized in a resource-conserving mode, wherein the environmental data values acquired using the environmental sensor system are acquired using the plurality of main sensors;
• determine a position of the automated vehicle;
• compare the environmental data values with a digital map, depending on the determined position of the automated vehicle, wherein the digital map includes environmental features, wherein a first subset of the objects are determined as static objects, when the objects are comprised as environmental features in the digital map, and a second subset of the objects are determined as dynamic objects, when these objects are not comprised as environmental feature in the digital map;
• determine whether the environmental data values acquired using the plurality of main sensors include one or more environmental data values corresponding to the second subset of objects and have an accuracy less than or equal to a threshold;
• activate, in response to determining the environmental data values acquired by the plurality of main sensors include one or more environmental data values corresponding to the second subset of objects and have an accuracy less than or equal to the threshold, the plurality of redundant sensors from the resource-conserving mode;
• acquire, by the plurality of main sensors and the plurality of redundant sensors after activating the plurality of redundant sensors, further environmental data values for the second subset of objects;
• determine a motion behavior of the second subset of objects relative to the automated vehicle based on the further environmental data values;
• determine a travel strategy for the automated vehicle depending on the determined motion behavior of the second subset of objects;
• and
• operate the automated vehicle depending on the travel strategy, wherein to operate the automated vehicle includes to perform at least one of a lateral and longitudinal control of the automated vehicle.

A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium on which is stored a computer program of operating an automated vehicle, the computer program, when executed by a computer, causing the computer to perform the following steps:

• acquiring environmental data values using an environmental sensor system of the automated vehicle, wherein the environmental data values represent objects in an environment of the automated vehicle, wherein the environmental sensor system includes a plurality of main sensors and a plurality of redundant sensors, the redundant sensors being initialized in a resource-conserving mode, wherein the environmental data values acquired using the environmental sensor system are acquired using the plurality of main sensors;
• determining a position of the automated vehicle;
• comparing the environmental data values with a digital map, depending on the determined position of the automated vehicle, wherein the digital map includes environmental features, wherein a first subset of the objects are determined as static objects, when the objects are comprised as environmental features in the digital map, and a second subset of the objects are determined as dynamic objects, when these objects are not comprised as environmental features in the digital map;
• determining whether the environmental data values acquired using the plurality of main sensors correspond to the second subset of objects and have an accuracy less than or equal to a threshold;
• activating, in response to determining the environmental data values acquired by the plurality of main sensors include one or more environmental data values corresponding to the second subset of objects and have an accuracy less than or equal to the threshold, the plurality of redundant sensors from the resource-conserving mode;
• acquiring, by the plurality of main sensors and the plurality of redundant sensors after activating the plurality of redundant sensors, further environmental data values for the second subset of objects;
• determining a motion behavior of the second subset of objects relative to the automated vehicle based on the further environmental data values;
• determining a travel strategy for the automated vehicle depending on the determined motion behavior of the second subset of objects;
• and
• operating the automated vehicle depending on the travel strategy, the operating including performing at least one of a lateral and longitudinal control of the automated vehicle.