Adaptive notifications in automated driving

A system for providing notifications and vehicle control within a subject vehicle in response to detected traffic situations, comprising:

• a system controller,
• a plurality of onboard sensors in communication with the system controller and adapted to collect real-time data related to a traffic situation located ahead of the subject vehicle and operating conditions of the vehicle;
• the system controller adapted to:
• determine that display of an informational notification is appropriate, wherein the informational notification is adapted to provide information to a driver of the subject vehicle related to the traffic situation;
• display, via a human machine interface, the informational notification;
• determine that display of an action notification is appropriate, wherein the action notification is adapted to at least one of:
• inform the driver of autonomous action that will be taken in response to the traffic situation;
• and
• direct the driver to take action in response to the traffic situation;
• and
• display, via the human machine interface, the action notification.

An autonomous vehicle having a system for providing notifications and vehicle control within a subject vehicle in response to detected traffic situations, comprising:

• a system controller,
• a plurality of onboard sensors in communication with the system controller and adapted to collect real-time data related to a traffic situation located ahead of the subject vehicle and operating conditions of the vehicle;
• the system controller adapted to:
• access a machine learning model based on driver preferences and data collected from past instances of detection of traffic situations, display of informational notifications, display of action notifications and driver responses to displayed informational notifications and action notifications;
• predict, with the machine learning model within the system controller, that an informational notification is appropriate based on the real-time data related to the traffic situation located ahead of the subject vehicle and operating conditions of the subject vehicle, wherein the informational notification is adapted to provide information to a driver of the subject vehicle related to the traffic situation;
• calculate a probabilistic confidence level that the traffic situation will require a responsive maneuver by the subject vehicle;
• display, via a human machine interface, the informational notification including color coding and graphics within the informational notification based on the calculated probabilistic confidence level that the traffic situation will require a responsive maneuver by the subject vehicle and including a description of the traffic situation and a distance to the traffic situation;
• monitor, with a driver monitoring system in communication with the system controller, acknowledgment, by the driver of the subject vehicle, of the displayed informational notification including head movements and hand gestures by the driver of the subject vehicle, verbal acknowledgment by the driver of the subject vehicle, and alterations, by the driver of the subject vehicle, to vehicle operating conditions including, but not limited to, steering angle, braking and acceleration, and if the driver of the subject vehicle does not acknowledge the displayed informational notification, augment the displayed informational notification;
• access the machine learning model;
• predict, with the machine learning model that an action notification is appropriate based on the real-time data related to the traffic situation located ahead of the subject vehicle and operating conditions of the subject vehicle;
• calculate a probabilistic confidence level that an immediate responsive maneuver by the subject vehicle in response to the traffic situation is required;
• display, via the human machine interface, an action notification including color coding and graphics within the action notification based on the calculated probabilistic confidence level that an immediate responsive maneuver by the subject vehicle in response to the traffic situation is required and including a textual and graphical description of the required responsive maneuver, wherein the action notification is adapted to at least one of:
• inform the driver of autonomous action that will be taken in response to the traffic situation;
• and
• direct the driver to take action in response to the traffic situation;
• monitor, with the driver monitoring system and the plurality of sensors within the subject vehicle, action taken in response to the displayed action notification including head movements and hand gestures by the driver of the subject vehicle, verbal acknowledgment by the driver of the subject vehicle, and alterations, by the driver of the subject vehicle, to vehicle operating conditions including, but not limited to, steering angle, braking and acceleration, and if the driver of the subject vehicle does not take action in response to the displayed action notification, augment the displayed action notification;
• wherein, when the driver of the subject vehicle does not take action in response to the displayed action notification and the subject vehicle is being operated in a manual mode of operation the system controller is further adapted to initiate, via an automatic driving assistance system, autonomous take-over of the subject vehicle, and perform, via the automatic driving assistance system, a responsive maneuver in response to the traffic situation;
• and
• when the driver of the subject vehicle does not take action in response to the displayed action notification and the subject vehicle is being operated in an autonomous mode of operation the system controller is further adapted to perform, via the automatic driving assistance system, a responsive maneuver in response to the traffic situation.