Method and device for assisting in returning a vehicle after leaving a roadway

A device in a driver assistance system of a vehicle for assisting in returning the vehicle to a roadway after the vehicle has at least partially left the roadway and is driving at least partially on a roadway periphery laterally adjacent to the roadway, comprising an analyzation unit configured and adapted to:

• receive data from one or more driving environment sensors of the vehicle that monitor a region ahead of the vehicle,
• analyze the data to detect a transition between the roadway and the roadway periphery,
• analyze the data to detect a free space ahead of the vehicle,
• check whether the transition is suitable for returning the vehicle to the roadway, which includes checking whether a detected height difference or a detected width of the transition is smaller than a respective pre-defined threshold value, and issue a corresponding first signal,
• check whether the free space is sufficient for returning the vehicle to the roadway, and issue a corresponding second signal, and
• generate a feedback signal if the first signal indicates that the transition is suitable and the second signal indicates that the free space is sufficient.

A method of operating a driver assistance system of a vehicle to assist in returning the vehicle onto a roadway after the vehicle has at least partially left the roadway and is driving at least partially on a roadway periphery laterally adjacent to the roadway, comprising the following steps performed by the driver assistance system:

• receiving data from an environment sensor of the vehicle that monitors a region of the roadway and the roadway periphery ahead of the vehicle;
• analyzing the data to detect a transition between the roadway and the roadway periphery by detecting at least one of a height difference, a surface structure variation, a step formation, or a color variation, between the roadway and the roadway periphery;
• evaluating the data to determine whether at least one first area along the transition is suitable for driving the vehicle over the transition onto the roadway at the first area, and based on the evaluating making a determination that the first area is suitable issuing a first signal indicating that the transition is suitable at the first area;
• in response to and dependent on at least the first signal indicating that the transition is suitable at the first area, with the driver assistance system performing at least one assistance function selected from the group consisting of:
• issuing to a driver of the vehicle an alert indicating that the transition is suitable for driving the vehicle over the transition onto the roadway at the first area,
• performing a semi-autonomous control assistance to assist the driver in controlling the vehicle to drive the vehicle over the transition onto the roadway at the first area, or
• performing an autonomous control of a control system of the vehicle to drive the vehicle over the transition onto the roadway at the first area.