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TEXT OF THE DESCRIPTION

Field of the invention

The present invention relates in general to motor vehicles that comprise driver-assistance systems. In particular, the invention may relate to both a conventional motor vehicle (with assisted driving) and a motor vehicle with fully autonomous driving. The motor vehicle comprises an electronic control unit configured to impart driving commands to one or more driving systems of the motor vehicle, and a communication module that allows data exchange between the electronic control unit and a remote computer system (for example, a remote server).

Prior art

Known in the art, for example from documents EP 2136275 B1 and EP 3586211 B1 of the present applicant, are driver-assistance systems for motor vehicles based upon viewing systems (for example, photographic cameras or video cameras), sensor systems (for example, comprising radar and/or LiDAR sensors), automotive data networks, vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) wireless communication systems, or vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) wireless communication systems.

In particular, the two documents cited above relate to solutions for assisted or automatic execution of recurrent low-speed maneuvers, such as, for example, entry into and exit from a (private) garage. In known systems, the assisted or automatic execution of a recurrent low-speed maneuver by the motor vehicle can be facilitated by preliminarily performing a training phase, in which the driver of the vehicle repeats one or more times in manual-driving mode the maneuver to be stored, and the vehicle stores the corresponding information (for example, geolocation data, data regarding the driving commands imparted to the vehicle, data detected by the sensors of the vehicle during the maneuver, etc.) useful for subsequent assisted or automatic execution.

However, the above method of “training” or “configuration” of the vehicle for execution of recurrent maneuvers has some disadvantages. A first disadvantage is that of requiring execution of the maneuver in manual-driving mode one or more times, which may prove disadvantageous above all in the case of particularly complex maneuvers that can challenge the driving skills of the driver, with the possibility of the driver making errors, with consequent damage to the vehicle, to the surrounding environment, or to the occupants of the vehicle itself. A second disadvantage regards the fact that, in vehicles with fully autonomous driving (for example, corresponding to automation levels 4 and 5 defined by the SAE International J3016 system), it is envisaged that the driving instruments necessary for imparting commands to the vehicle, such as the steering wheel, the pedals, the gear lever, etc., are altogether absent. Consequently, in such vehicles, it would be even impossible for the user to manually carry out a maneuver in order to get the vehicle to learn to execute it and/or to improve execution thereof.

Consequently, motor vehicles equipped with assisted or autonomous driving systems equipped with a training function that solves one or more of the disadvantages listed above are desirable.

Object of the invention

The object of the present invention is to provide a motor vehicle equipped with a driver-assistance system that can be trained or configured for execution of recurrent maneuvers, without requiring the user of the vehicle to carry out the maneuver itself in manual mode. Advantageously, the vehicle may also be trained for execution of a recurrent maneuver that is carried out in a place where the vehicle has never been previously.

Summary of the invention

According to a first aspect, subject of the invention is a motor vehicle comprising a driver-assistance system. The driver-assistance system comprises an electronic control unit and a communication module operatively connected to the electronic control unit. The communication module is configured to communicate (i.e. , exchange data, for example via a connection to the Internet) with a remote computer system, for example a remote server. The remote computer system is configured to build a virtual reproduction of a region of the real world (for example, a 3D reproduction of a private garage) and a virtual reproduction of the motor vehicle. The electronic control unit of the motor vehicle is configured to carry out the following operations:

- collecting data on the environment surrounding the motor vehicle via an analysis of the virtual reproduction of the region of the real world obtained by means of connection to the remote computer system;

- enabling a function of training of the motor vehicle, where, during a training phase, the user of the motor vehicle imparts driving commands to the virtual reproduction of the motor vehicle for execution of a maneuver in the virtual reproduction of the region of the real world;

- storing the driving commands for execution of the maneuver, after prior confirmation by the user at the end of the training phase; and

- enabling a subsequent execution of the maneuver by imparting the stored driving commands to a system for driving the motor vehicle for executing the maneuver in the real world.

As will emerge in greater detail from the ensuing description, the fundamental idea underlying the present invention is to create a data connection between the motor vehicle and a remote computer system, provided in which is a virtual replica of the motor vehicle and of the environment in which a maneuver has to be learnt and must subsequently be carried out. Such a virtual replica may substantially correspond to a so- called metaverse, i.e. , a sort of virtual reality shared through the Internet, where the real world and its occupants and the objects present therein (such as motor vehicles) are represented in three dimensions through respective avatars. During the motor-vehicle training phase, the user can thus impart commands to the virtual vehicle in the metaverse so that it will perform the desired maneuver. The maneuver can be repeated even a considerable number of times, and possible errors committed by the user during execution of the maneuver do not have any negative effect insofar as the corresponding virtual training session can be cancelled; i.e., the corresponding data may not be stored. In this way, the motor vehicle can store information generated in the metaverse - in all safety, and without the risk of causing damage to people or things - for subsequent assisted or automatic execution of a maneuver in the real world. In a preferred embodiment, the electronic control unit is further configured to start again the training function in the case of absence of confirmation by the user at the end of the training phase. In this way, training of the vehicle can be immediately repeated in the event of a negative outcome of a first training session.

In a preferred embodiment, the motor vehicle comprises a humanmachine interface associated to the electronic control unit and to the communication module. The interface includes a screen for displaying the virtual reproduction of the region of the real world and the virtual reproduction of the motor vehicle, and input means for imparting the driving commands to the virtual reproduction of the motor vehicle to get it to perform a maneuver in the virtual reproduction of the region of the real world.

In a preferred embodiment, the motor vehicle comprises one or more sensors configured to detect data indicating the geometrical conformation of the environment surrounding the motor vehicle. The electronic control unit is configured to receive the data indicating the geometrical conformation of the environment surrounding the motor vehicle from the sensors, and transmit the data to the remote computer system via the communication module. The remote computer system is configured to process the data indicating the geometrical conformation of the environment surrounding the motor vehicle in order to create the virtual reproduction of the region of the real world surrounding the motor vehicle.

In a preferred embodiment, the motor vehicle comprises one or more sensors configured to detect data indicating the geometrical conformation of the environment surrounding the motor vehicle. The electronic control unit is configured to receive the data indicating the geometrical conformation of the environment surrounding the motor vehicle from the sensors during execution of the maneuver in the real world, and modify, as a function of the data received from the sensors, the driving commands stored for execution of the maneuver.

According to another aspect, subject of the invention is a driverassistance apparatus for a motor vehicle. The driver-assistance apparatus comprises a motor vehicle according to one or more embodiments, and a remote computer system. The remote computer system is configured to build a virtual reproduction of a region of the real world and a virtual reproduction of the motor vehicle.

In a preferred embodiment, the remote computer system is accessible via the Internet to a plurality of motor vehicles and is configured to build a plurality of virtual reproductions of a respective plurality of regions of the real world.

In a preferred embodiment, the driver-assistance apparatus for a motor vehicle comprises an augmented-reality or virtual-reality headset that can be worn by the user of the motor vehicle and can be interfaced with the motor vehicle, and/or haptic gloves that can be worn by the user of the motor vehicle and can be interfaced with the motor vehicle. The headset is configured to display the virtual reproduction of a region of the real world and the virtual reproduction of the motor vehicle during the motor-vehicle training phase. During the motor-vehicle training phase, the user of the motor vehicle imparts driving commands to the virtual reproduction of the motor vehicle by means of the augmented-reality or virtual-reality headset and/or by means of the haptic gloves.

In a preferred embodiment, the driver-assistance apparatus for a motor vehicle comprises a mobile electronic device that can be interfaced with the motor vehicle and is configured for displaying the virtual reproduction of a region of the real world and the virtual reproduction of the motor vehicle during the motor-vehicle training phase.

According to another aspect, subject of the invention is a driverassistance method for a motor vehicle. The method comprises the steps of:

- providing an electronic control unit of the motor vehicle;

- providing a communication module operatively connected to the electronic control unit and configured to communicate with a remote computer system, wherein the remote computer system is configured to build a virtual reproduction of a region of the real world and a virtual reproduction of the motor vehicle;

- carrying out, via the electronic control unit of the motor vehicle, the following operations:

- collecting data on the environment surrounding the motor vehicle via an analysis of the virtual reproduction of the region of the real world;

- enabling a function of training of the motor vehicle, where, during a training phase, the user of the motor vehicle imparts driving commands to the virtual reproduction of the motor vehicle for execution of a maneuver in the virtual reproduction of a region of the real world;

- storing the driving commands for execution of a maneuver, after prior confirmation by the user at the end of the training phase; and

- enabling execution of the maneuver by imparting the stored driving commands to a system for driving the motor vehicle for executing the maneuver in the real world.

Detailed description of the invention

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge from the ensuing description with reference to the annexed drawings, which are provided purely by way of non-limiting example and in which:

- Figure 1 is a block diagram of a motor vehicle comprising a motor-vehicle assisted or autonomous driving system; and

- Figures 2 and 3 are top plan views that show a possible scenario of application of the present invention, in which a vehicle is taught or trained to carry out a maneuver using a virtual reproduction of the environment of interest and of the vehicle itself.

In the figures annexed hereto, corresponding parts are designated by the same reference numbers.

As anticipated, one or more embodiments find application in the field of assisted-driving or autonomous-driving vehicles. In this context, Figure 1 illustrates a motor vehicle 2 comprising an assisted-driving or autonomous-driving system designated as a whole by the number 1 and here represented as block diagram. The assisted-driving or autonomous- driving system 1 is designed for getting the motor vehicle 2 to perform maneuvers in assisted (for example, semi-autonomous) driving mode or autonomous driving mode. As illustrated in Figure 1 , the motor-vehicle assisted-driving system 1 comprises: - on-board automotive systems 3 (in particular, systems for driving the vehicle 2) comprising, for example, a propulsion system, a braking system, a steering system, an infotainment system, and a sensor system designed to detect quantities that regard the motor vehicle 2, such as, wheel angle, steering-wheel angle, yaw, longitudinal and lateral acceleration, position, etc.;

- an HMI (Human-Machine Interface) 4, through which the occupants of the motor vehicle 2 can interact with the motor-vehicle assisted-driving system 1 ;

- an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 5, operatively connected to the on-board automotive systems 3 and to the HMI 4 through an automotive on-board communication network 6, for example CAN, FlexRay, or others; and

- a wireless communication module 7, which is itself also operatively connected to the electronic control unit 5 or integrated therein, and is configured to connect up to a remote computer system 8 by means of a connection 9 of a known type (for example, by means of a mobile Internet connection of a 4G or 5G type) for exchanging data therewith.

The invention described herein may be applied in the case where the vehicle 2 is configured to carry out in assisted-driving or autonomous- driving mode one or more complex, recurrent, and low-speed maneuvers, as described in document EP 3586211 B1 cited previously. In these cases, the control unit 5 of the vehicle 2 is configured to: identify what are the complex, recurrent, and low-speed maneuvers; locate the vehicle 2 within the environment in which such recurrent maneuvers are performed; and repeat the maneuvers in assisted-driving or autonomous-driving mode. In particular, location of the vehicle 2 in the environment (which may be a private area or in any case a controlled area) may be performed using algorithms of a SLAM (Simultaneous Location And Mapping) type in themselves known, which enable the vehicle to create and store a virtual representation of the environment, i.e., a sort of map of an area that may possibly not be covered by digital road maps.

As anticipated, the object of the present invention is to enable the user of the motor vehicle 2 to carry out one or more times a maneuver in a completely virtual environment (for example, the one identified as “metaverse”), thus producing a set of descriptive data of the maneuver, which can subsequently be used by the motor vehicle 2 to repeat the maneuver in the real world.

For this purpose, the remote computer system 8 is configured to build a virtual reproduction R’ of a region R of the real world (for example, a 3D reproduction of a private garage) and a virtual reproduction 2’ of the motor vehicle 2, as exemplified in Figures 2 and 3. Figures 2 and 3 represent a top plan view of a virtual reproduction R’ of a certain environment, such as a private garage A that gives out onto a road S. The electronic control unit 5 of the motor vehicle 2 is configured for collecting data on the real environment R surrounding the motor vehicle 2 via an analysis of the corresponding virtual reproduction R’ obtained via connection to the remote computer system 8. The electronic control unit 5 is moreover configured to enable a function of training of the motor vehicle 2, where, during a training phase, the user of the motor vehicle 2 imparts driving commands to the virtual reproduction 2’ of the motor vehicle for execution of a maneuver in the virtual world R’. For instance, as illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, the maneuver may consist in entry of the vehicle 2 into the garage A. Once the maneuver has been performed manually in the virtual world R’, the user can decide whether to save or not the corresponding maneuver data for use by the motor vehicle 2. For instance, if the user confirms that the virtual maneuver has been carried out correctly, the data are stored by the electronic control unit 5. Otherwise, if the user does not confirm storing of the data (for example, because he has committed an error during execution of the maneuver), the training function can be started again.

Once the motor vehicle has been trained by means of one or more manual, but virtual, executions of the desired maneuver, the electronic control unit 5 can enable subsequent execution of the maneuver by imparting the driving commands stored to the driving system 3 of the motor vehicle 2 for execution of the maneuver in the real world R.

In addition, in one or more embodiments, the electronic control unit 5 may be configured to improve or optimize execution of a maneuver, already stored following upon the training carried out in the virtual world, on the basis of data gathered subsequently during execution of the same maneuver in the real world.

For instance, it may happen that the virtual reproduction R’ of a certain region R of the real world is not sufficiently adherent to reality (i.e., it may happen that there are discrepancies or differences between the real world R and the corresponding virtual representation R’ used for training the vehicle 2). In this case, the electronic control unit 5 can modify (for example, overwrite partially or completely) the descriptive data of the maneuver already stored in order to improve execution of the maneuver and render it more concordant with the constraints imposed by the geometrical conformation of the real world.

According to another example, the aforesaid possibility of modifying the data stored to improve execution of the maneuver may be exploited also in the case where the maneuver performed virtually by the user of the vehicle is not efficient. For instance, once again considering the case of a parking maneuver, it may happen that the user has trained the vehicle (in the virtual world) to carry out the maneuver in four successive steps, i.e., making four changes of direction and/or sense of movement of the vehicle. When the maneuver is performed in assisted-driving or autonomous- driving mode in the real world, the control unit 5 of the vehicle 2 can determine, on the basis of the data collected by the sensors, that the maneuver can be performed in fewer steps, for example three or two steps. In this case, the descriptive data of the maneuver may be updated in order to improve execution thereof.

In general, then, in one or more embodiments the control unit 5 of the vehicle 2 may be configured to receive data from the sensors of the vehicle 2 (for example, from the radar sensors, LiDAR sensors, ultrasonic sensors, or image data from one or more video cameras) during execution of the maneuver in the real world, and to update the descriptive data of the maneuver (i.e., the driving commands that result in execution of the maneuver by the vehicle 2) as a function of the above data received from the sensors to improve execution of the maneuver itself.

In one or more embodiments, if the virtual reproduction R’ of a given area of interest R of the real world is not available in the remote computer system 8, the control unit 5 of the vehicle 2 can collect data supplied by one or more sensors of the vehicle 2 in the real world (for example, radar sensors, LiDAR sensors, ultrasonic sensors, video cameras, etc.) and transmit them to the remote computer system 8, which in turn processes them to build the corresponding virtual reproduction R’, thus carrying out an exchange of data from the real world to the virtual world or metaverse. If, instead, the virtual region R’ of interest is already available in the remote computer system 8 (e.g., because it has been created previously by the same user or by another user who has shared it in the remote computer system 8), there is an exchange of data from the virtual world (where the vehicle 2 is trained, and the maneuver to be caried out is defined) to the real world (where the vehicle 2 effectively carries out the maneuver).

In one or more embodiments, the remote computer system 8 may be configured to provide virtual reproductions of a plurality of regions of the real world, possibly enabling access to virtual local areas created by other vehicles and shared online (possibly after confirmation by the user) in a global metaverse. In this way, the user can train his own vehicle to carry out a maneuver in an area in which the vehicle has never been before. Advantageously, this approach enables saving in time for training the vehicle to carry out new maneuvers insofar as it is not necessary to move physically with the vehicle into the area in which the maneuver has to be carried out: if a virtual reproduction of this area is already available in the metaverse 8, it can be used by the user to create his own maneuver.

In order to carry out the operations described herein, the motor vehicle 2 may comprise a human-machine interface 4 associated to the electronic control unit 5 and to the communication module 7. For instance, the interface 4 includes a screen for displaying the virtual reproduction R’ of the region of the real world and the virtual reproduction 2’ of the motor vehicle 2, and input means for imparting the driving commands to the virtual reproduction 2’ of the motor vehicle 2 to get it to carry out the maneuver of interest in the virtual world R’ that corresponds to a certain portion of the real world.

In addition or as an alternative, the user can interface with the vehicle 2 to carry out the operations described herein by using further devices such as augmented-reality or virtual-reality headsets, haptic gloves, and the like. For instance, in the case where the user is on board the vehicle and realizes he has to carry out a complex maneuver, he can stop the vehicle, put on an augmented-reality or virtual-reality headset that interfaces with the control unit 5 of the vehicle 2 to exchange data with the remote computer system 8, and thus display in the headset the scenario of the real world and the virtual representation 2’ of the vehicle 2. In this way, the user can “drive” the virtual representation 2’ of the vehicle 2, carrying out a form of training of the vehicle 2 that is hybrid between the real world and the virtual representation. For instance, the user can make use of haptic gloves, which themselves also interface with the control unit 5 of the vehicle 2 to exchange data with the remote computer system 8. As an alternative, the augmented-reality or virtual-reality headset may be equipped - in a way known in itself - with video cameras that detect automatically and transmit to the remote computer system 8 the position and movements of the hands of the user.

In addition or as an alternative, in one or more embodiments, the operations of training of the vehicle 2 described herein may be performed by the user also when the latter is not inside the vehicle, for example using a software application installed on a smart phone, a tablet, a personal computer or some other electronic device. In this case, the electronic device includes a screen for displaying the virtual reproduction R’ of the region of the real world and the virtual reproduction 2’ of the motor vehicle 2, and input means for imparting the driving commands to the virtual reproduction 2’ of the motor vehicle 2 to get it to carry out the maneuver of interest in the virtual world R’. The device connects up to the remote computer system 8 to display one or more virtual areas in which to carry out a step of training of the vehicle. For instance, these virtual areas may be local areas present in an area of interest (e.g., in the vicinity of the position of the user, identified via location of the user’s smartphone, or else in the vicinity of a desired specific point indicated by the user on a map).

Of course, without prejudice to the principle of the invention, the details of construction and the embodiments may vary widely with respect to what has been described and illustrated herein purely by way of example, without thereby departing from the scope of the present invention, as defined in the annexed claims.