Apparatus and method for providing a safety strategy to a vehicle

<u>CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION</u>

0001This application claims the benefit of and priority to <patcit id="pcit0001" dnum="KR1020180143881"><text>Korean Patent Application No. 10-2018-0143881, filed on November 20, 2018</text></patcit>, which claims priority to and the benefit of <patcit id="pcit0002" dnum="US62655831" dnum-type="L"><text>United States Provisional Patent Application No. 62/655,831, filed on April 11, 2018</text></patcit>.

<u>FIELD</u>

0002The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for providing a strategy for the maintenance of safety depending on a state of a driver of a vehicle.

<u>BACKGROUND</u>

0003The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present invention and may not constitute prior art.

0004With the development of the auto industry, an autonomous system and a driving assistance system which facilitates partially autonomous driving (hereinafter, for convenience of description, both of autonomous driving and driving assistance are referred to as "autonomous driving") have been developed. The autonomous system may provide a variety of functions, for example, setting speed keeping, vehicle-to-vehicle distance keeping, lane keeping, and a lane change. The autonomous system may perform autonomous driving using various devices such as a sensor for sensing environments outside the vehicle, a sensor for sensing information about the vehicle, a global positioning system (GPS), a detailed map, a driver state monitoring system, a steering actuator, an acceleration/deceleration actuator, a communication circuit, and a control circuit (e.g., an electronic control unit (ECU)). The autonomous system may monitor a state of a driver and may provide a suitable minimum risk maneuver (MRM) depending on the state of the driver.

0005It may be difficult to provide for the safety of the driver, when an MRM is provided, when speed and lane keeping control is performed in a lane where the vehicle is traveling, or when deceleration or stopping is controlled. Thus, a system capable of providing an automatic lane change function may provide a strategy capable of increasing the safety of the driver through a lane change. To perform an automatic lane change, a specified operational condition (e.g., a speed of the vehicle and a distance between the vehicle and a following vehicle) should be satisfied. However, it may be difficult to meet the specified operational condition in a critical situation.

0006<patcit id="pcit0003" dnum="US8521352B1"><text>US 8 521 352 B1</text></patcit> relates to controlling a vehicle having inadequate map data.

0007The vehicle can be controlled in a first autonomous mode of operation by at least navigating the vehicle based on map data. Sensor data can be obtained using one or more sensors of the vehicle. The sensor data can be indicative of an environment of the vehicle.

0008<patcit id="pcit0004" dnum="US2018029604A1"><text>US 2018/029604 A1</text></patcit> relates to an evacuation control apparatus including a decrease detecting unit, a rear monitoring unit, and an evacuation control unit. The decrease detecting unit detects decrease in a consciousness level of a driver of an own vehicle. The rear monitoring unit monitors a state behind the own vehicle. The evacuation control unit outputs control information for making the own vehicle perform an emergency evacuation based on monitoring results of the rear monitoring unit.

0009<patcit id="pcit0005" dnum="DE102015205131A1"><text>DE 10 2015 205 131 A1</text></patcit> relates to a method for operating an at least partly automated driving vehicle within a driving path.

0010<patcit id="pcit0006" dnum="US2017108865A1"><text>US 2017/108865 A1</text></patcit> relates to a method for selecting an optimized trajectory. Hereby, a signal is generated for transferring a partly or highly automated vehicle into safety system state at a target site.

0011<patcit id="pcit0007" dnum="US2006009910A1"><text>US 2006/009910 A1</text></patcit> relates to a lane changing assistant for motor vehicles.

<u>SUMMARY</u>

0012An aspect of the present invention provides an apparatus and method for providing a safety strategy for providing for the safety of a driver by suitably adjusting an operational condition of an automatic lane change.

0013According to the present invention, an apparatus for providing a safety strategy to a vehicle includes: a sensor configured to sense information about the outside of the vehicle, a memory storing road information, and a control circuit configured to be electrically connected with the sensor and the memory. The control circuit may be configured to generate a route which is toward a shoulder included in a road where the vehicle is traveling, when a transition demand of the vehicle is ignored, wherein the transition demand is output to hand over control authority to a driver of the vehicle, calculate an expected time taken to enter the shoulder, adjust an operational condition of an automatic lane change based on at least a portion of a speed of the vehicle, a speed of a following vehicle which is traveling in a target lane of the route, or a distance between the vehicle and the following vehicle, when the expected time is longer than a specified time, and perform the automatic lane change toward the shoulder along the route, when the adjusted operational condition is satisfied.

0014According to an embodiment, the control circuit may be configured to generate the route, when a driver of the vehicle does not respond to the transition demand during a specified time interval after the transition demand occurs.

0015According to an embodiment, the control circuit may be configured to determine whether the shoulder is included in the road where the vehicle is traveling, based on the road information and generate the route, when the shoulder is included in the road where the vehicle is traveling.

0016According to an embodiment, the control circuit may be configured to control stopping in a lane where the vehicle is traveling, when the shoulder is not included in the road where the vehicle is traveling.

0017According to an embodiment, the control circuit may be configured to control stopping in the shoulder, when the vehicle enters the shoulder.

0018According to an embodiment, the operational condition may include a sensor sensing distance condition, an operational distance condition, and an operational speed condition.

0019According to an embodiment, the control circuit may be configured to adjust the operational condition to determine that the sensor sensing distance condition is satisfied when the following vehicle is sensed by the sensor.

0020According to an embodiment, the operational distance condition may be adjusted based on a speed of the vehicle and a relative speed between the vehicle and the following vehicle.

0021According to an embodiment, the operational speed condition may be adjusted based on a speed of the following vehicle and a distance between the vehicle and the following vehicle.

0022According to an embodiment, the control circuit may be configured to adjust the operational condition, when a predetermined operational condition is not satisfied.

0023According to the invention, the control circuit is configured to calculate an expected time taken to enter the shoulder and adjust the operational condition, when the expected time is longer than a specified time.

0024According to another aspect of the present invention, a method for providing a safety strategy to a vehicle includes: generating a route which is toward a shoulder included in a road where the vehicle is traveling, when a transition demand of the vehicle is ignored, wherein the transition demand is output to hand over control authority to a driver of the vehicle, calculating, by the control circuit, an expected time taken to enter the shoulder, adjusting an operational condition of an automatic lane change based on at least a portion of a speed of the vehicle, a speed of a following vehicle which is traveling in a target lane of the route, or a distance between the vehicle and the following vehicle, when the expected time is longer than a specified time, and performing the automatic lane change toward the shoulder along the route, when the adjusted operational condition is satisfied.

0025According to an embodiment, the generating may include generating the route, when a driver of the vehicle does not respond to the transition demand during a specified time interval after the transition demand occurs.

0026According to an embodiment, the generating may include determining whether the shoulder is included in the road where the vehicle is traveling, based on the road information and generating the route, when the shoulder is included in the road where the vehicle is traveling.

0027According to an embodiment, the method may further include controlling stopping in a lane where the vehicle is traveling, when the shoulder is not included in the road where the vehicle is traveling.

0028According to an embodiment, the method may further include controlling stopping in the shoulder, when the vehicle enters the shoulder.

0029According to an embodiment, the operational condition may include a sensor sensing distance condition, an operational distance condition, and an operational speed condition.

0030According to an embodiment, the adjusting may include adjusting the operational condition to determine that the sensor sensing distance condition is satisfied when the following vehicle is sensed by a sensor of the vehicle.

0031According to an embodiment, the operational distance condition may be adjusted based on a speed of the vehicle and a relative speed between the vehicle and the following vehicle.

0032According to an embodiment, the operational speed condition may be adjusted based on a speed of the following vehicle and a distance between the vehicle and the following vehicle.

0033According to an embodiment, the adjusting may include adjusting the operational condition, when a predetermined operational condition is not satisfied.

0034According to the invention, the adjusting includes calculating an expected time taken to enter the shoulder and adjusting the operational condition, when the expected time is longer than a specified time.

0035Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. It should be understood that the description and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

<u>DRAWINGS</u>

0036In order that the invention may be well understood, there will now be described various forms thereof, given by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which: <ul id="ul0001" list-style="none"><li><figref idref="f0001">FIG. 1</figref> is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an apparatus for providing a safety strategy in a vehicle according to one aspect of the present invention;</li><li><figref idref="f0002">FIG. 2</figref> is a drawing illustrating an exemplary operation of an apparatus for providing a safety strategy in a vehicle according to one aspect of the present invention;</li><li><figref idref="f0003">FIG. 3</figref> is a drawing illustrating an exemplary operation of an apparatus for providing a safety strategy in a vehicle according to one aspect of the present invention;</li><li><figref idref="f0004">FIG. 4</figref> is a drawing illustrating an exemplary operation of an apparatus for providing a safety strategy in a vehicle according to one aspect of the present invention;</li><li><figref idref="f0005">FIG. 5</figref> is a drawing illustrating an exemplary operation of an apparatus for providing a safety strategy in a vehicle according to one aspect of the present invention;</li><li><figref idref="f0006">FIG. 6</figref> is a flowchart illustrating a method for providing a safety strategy in a vehicle according to one aspect of the present invention;</li><li><figref idref="f0007">FIG. 7</figref> is a flowchart illustrating a method for providing a safety strategy in a vehicle according to one aspect of the present invention;</li><li><figref idref="f0008">FIG. 8</figref> is a flowchart illustrating a method for providing a safety strategy in a vehicle according to one aspect of the present invention; and</li><li><figref idref="f0009">FIG. 9</figref> is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a computing system according to one aspect of the present invention.</li></ul>

0037The drawings described herein are for illustration purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention in any way.

<u>DETAILED DESCRIPTION</u>

0038The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present invention. It should be understood that throughout the drawings, corresponding reference numerals indicate like or corresponding parts and features.

0039Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In adding reference denotations to elements of each drawing, although the same elements are displayed on a different drawing, it should be noted that the same elements have the same denotations.

0040In describing elements of the present disclosure, the terms 1^st, 2^nd, first, second, A, B, (a), (b), and the like may be used herein. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another element, but do not limit the corresponding elements irrespective of the nature, turn, or order of the corresponding elements. Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meanings as those generally understood by those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure pertains. Such terms as those defined in a generally used dictionary are to be interpreted as having meanings equal to the contextual meanings in the relevant field of art, and are not to be interpreted as having ideal or excessively formal meanings unless clearly defined as having such in the present invention.

0041<figref idref="f0001">FIG. 1</figref> is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an apparatus for providing a safety strategy in a vehicle according to one aspect of the present invention.

0042Referring to <figref idref="f0001">FIG. 1</figref>, an apparatus 100 for providing a safety strategy according to one aspect may include a sensor 110, a memory 120, and a control circuit 130. The apparatus 100 for providing the safety strategy in <figref idref="f0001">FIG. 1</figref> may be a portion of an autonomous system and may be loaded into the vehicle.

0043The sensor 110 may sense information about the outside of the vehicle. For example, the sensor 110 may sense information (e.g., a location, a speed, acceleration, and the like) associated with a following vehicle which is traveling on a lane neighboring to a lane where the vehicle is traveling. The sensor 110 may sense a speed of the vehicle.

0044The memory 120 may store road information. The road information may include, for example, a map or the like. The road information may include information about whether the road where the vehicle is traveling includes a shoulder.

0045The control circuit 140 may be electrically connected with the sensor 110 and the memory 120. The control circuit 140 may control the sensor 110 and the memory 120 and may perform a variety of data processing and various arithmetic operations. The control circuit 140 may be, for example, an electronic control unit (ECU), a micro controller unit (MCU), or a sub-controller, which is loaded into the vehicle.

0046According to one aspect, the control circuit 140 may provide a transition demand of the vehicle to a driver of the vehicle. For example, the control circuit 140 may output the transition demand using an output device (not shown).

0047The transition demand may be ignored by the driver. For example, when the driver of the vehicle does not respond to the transition demand during a specified time interval after the transition demand occurs, the control circuit 130 may determine that the transition demand is ignored.

0048According to one aspect, when the transition demand is ignored, the control circuit 130 may generate a route which is toward a shoulder included in the road where the vehicle is traveling. When the transition demand is ignored, the control circuit 130 may execute a minimum risk maneuver (MRM) for the safety of the driver. As one of the MRMs, the control circuit 130 may execute a strategy for stopping the vehicle or a strategy for moving the vehicle to a shoulder. When the strategy for moving the vehicle to the shoulder is executed, the control circuit 130 may generate a route which is toward the shoulder.

0049According to one aspect, the control circuit 130 may determine whether a shoulder is included in a road where the vehicle is traveling, based on road information. When the shoulder is included in the road where the vehicle is traveling, the control circuit 130 may generate a route which is toward the shoulder. The control circuit 130 may determine whether there is a shoulder using the road information stored in the memory 120 and may execute a strategy for moving the vehicle to the shoulder. According to one aspect, when the shoulder is not included in the road where the vehicle is traveling, the control circuit 130 may control stopping in the road where the vehicle is traveling.

0050According to one aspect, the control circuit 130 may adjust an operational condition of an automatic lane change at least a portion of a speed of the vehicle, a speed of a following vehicle which is traveling in a target lane of a route, or a distance between the vehicle and the following vehicle. The operational condition may include, for example, a sensor sensing distance condition, an operational distance condition, and an operational speed condition. The operational condition may be preset. The predetermined operational condition may be difficult to be satisfied in an MRM situation. Thus, the control circuit 130 may move the vehicle to the shoulder using an automatic lane change in the MRM situation by adjusting the operational condition. For example, when a distance sensible by the sensor 110 is greater than or equal to 55 m, the predetermined sensor sensing distance condition may be satisfied. For example, the control circuit 130 may determine that the sensor sensing distance condition is met when a following vehicle is sensed by the sensor 110 by adjusting the predetermined sensor sensing distance condition. The operational distance condition may be adjusted based on, for example, a speed of the vehicle and a relative speed between the vehicle and the following vehicle. The operational speed condition may be adjusted based on, for example, a speed of the following vehicle and a distance between the vehicle and the following vehicle. A description will be given in detail of the adjustment of the operational distance condition and the operational speed condition with reference to <figref idref="f0004">FIGS. 4</figref> and <figref idref="f0005">5</figref>. The control circuit 130 may adjust the operational condition based on the information collected by the sensor 110.

0051According to one aspect, when the predetermined operational condition is not satisfied, the control circuit 130 may adjust an operational condition. When the strategy for moving the vehicle to the shoulder is selected, but when the predetermined operational condition is not satisfied, the control circuit 130 may mitigate the operational condition to execute the strategy.

0052According to the invention, the control circuit 130 calculates an expected time taken to enter the shoulder and adjusts an operational condition when the expected time is longer than a specified time. The control circuit 130 may calculate an expected time taken to enter the shoulder, based on the generated route and the information collected by the sensor 110. When the expected time is longer than the specified time due to a speed of the vehicle, a speed of the following vehicle, and/or the approaching following vehicle, the control circuit 130 may shorten a time taken to enter the shoulder, by mitigating the operational condition.

0053According to one aspect, when the adjusted operational condition is satisfied, the control circuit 130 may perform an automatic lane change toward the shoulder along the route. When the vehicle enters the shoulder, the control circuit 130 may control stopping in the shoulder.

0054As described above, the apparatus for providing the safety strategy in the vehicle may effectively execute the MRM by mitigating the operational condition of the automatic lane change when executing the MRM.

0055<figref idref="f0002">FIG. 2</figref> is a drawing illustrating an exemplary operation of an apparatus for providing a safety strategy in a vehicle according to one aspect of the present invention.

0056Referring to <figref idref="f0002">FIG. 2</figref>, when it is difficult to normally operate an autonomous system due to a failure of the autonomous system while the autonomous system is operated, the vehicle may generate a transition demand such that a driver of the vehicle controls the vehicle. When the driver does not respond to the transition demand during a specified time interval, the vehicle may activate an MRM. The vehicle may search for a shoulder on a road where it is traveling.

0057The vehicle may first activate a normal MRM. When the shoulder is not found on the road where the vehicle is traveling, the vehicle may control its stopping. For example, the vehicle may calculate a distance required until stopping and may calculate deceleration, thus controlling its stopping based on the calculated results.

0058When the shoulder is found on the road where the vehicle is traveling, the vehicle may control its stopping in the shoulder. For example, the vehicle may calculate an expected time T_LC taken. For example, the expected time T_LC taken may be calculated by multiplying the number of lanes from the lane where the vehicle is currently traveling to the shoulder by 6 seconds and may adding a time margin of 3 seconds to the multiplied value. When the expected time T_LC taken is shorter than a specified time T_NormalMRM, the vehicle may initiate lane change control.

0059When the expected time T_LC taken is longer than or equal to the specified time T_NormalMRM, the vehicle may activate an emergency MRM. The vehicle may change an operational condition of a lane change. The vehicle may calculate an expected time T_LC taken again based on the changed operational condition. When the expected time T_LC taken is shorter than a specified time T_EmergencyMRM, the vehicle may initiate lane change control. When the expected time T_LC taken is longer than or equal to the specified time T_EmergencyMRM, the vehicle may control its stopping.

0060<figref idref="f0003">FIG. 3</figref> is a drawing illustrating an exemplary operation of an apparatus for providing a safety strategy in a vehicle according to one aspect of the present invention.

0061Referring to <figref idref="f0003">FIG. 3</figref>, when an MRM is initiated, a vehicle 310 may generate a route 330 which is toward a shoulder. The vehicle 310 may generate a driver warning and may turn on/off emergency lights. In an MRM situation, the vehicle 310 may adjust an operational condition of an automatic lane change.

0062For example, when a following vehicle 320 is sensed by a sensor of the vehicle 310, the vehicle 310 may determine that a sensor sensing distance condition is satisfied. When a critical distance calculated based on a speed of the vehicle 310 and a relative distance between the vehicle 310 and the following vehicle 320 is less than a distance between the vehicle 310 and the following vehicle 320, the vehicle 310 may determine that an operational distance condition is satisfied. When an operational speed calculated based on a speed of the following vehicle 320 and a distance between the vehicle 310 and the following vehicle 320 is slower than a speed of the vehicle 310, the vehicle 310 may determine that an operational speed condition is satisfied.

0063When the above-mentioned conditions are satisfied and when an expected time taken is shorter than a specified time, the vehicle 310 may perform lane change control toward the shoulder. When the vehicle 310 is moved to the shoulder, the vehicle 310 may control its stopping.

0064<figref idref="f0004">FIG. 4</figref> is a drawing illustrating an exemplary operation of an apparatus for providing a safety strategy in a vehicle according to one aspect of the present invention.

0065Referring to <figref idref="f0004">FIG. 4</figref>, a critical distance (an operational distance condition) may be adjusted based on a speed of the vehicle and a relative speed between the vehicle and a following vehicle. As shown in <figref idref="f0004">FIG. 4</figref>, the critical distance may be adjusted to increase as a speed of the vehicle increases and increase as a relative speed between the vehicle and the following vehicle increases. For example, when the speed of the vehicle is less than or equal to 60 kph, when the relative speed is less than or equal to 30 kph, and when the distance between the vehicle and the following vehicle is greater than or equal to 40 m, the operational distance condition may be satisfied.

0066<figref idref="f0005">FIG. 5</figref> is a drawing illustrating an exemplary operation of an apparatus for providing a safety strategy in a vehicle according to one aspect of the present invention.

0067Referring to <figref idref="f0005">FIG. 5</figref>, a reduced or minimum speed (an operational speed condition) may be adjusted based on a speed of a following speed and a distance between the vehicle and the following speed. As shown in <figref idref="f0005">FIG. 5</figref>, the reduced or minimum speed may be adjusted to increase as the following vehicle increases in speed and decrease as a distance between the vehicle and the following vehicle increases. For example, when the speed of the following vehicle is less than or equal to 40 kph, when the distance between the vehicle and the following vehicle is greater than or equal to 20 m, and when the speed of the vehicle is greater than or equal to 10 kph, the operational speed condition may be satisfied.

0068<figref idref="f0006">FIG. 6</figref> is a flowchart illustrating a method for providing a safety strategy in a vehicle according to one aspect of the present invention.

0069Hereinafter, it is assumed that a vehicle including an apparatus 100 for providing a safety strategy in <figref idref="f0001">FIG. 1</figref> performs a process of <figref idref="f0006">FIG. 6</figref>. Furthermore, in a description of <figref idref="f0006">FIG. 6</figref>, an operation described as being performed by the vehicle may be understood as being controlled by a control circuit 130 of the apparatus 100 for providing the safety strategy.

0070Referring to <figref idref="f0006">FIG. 6</figref>, in operation 610, according to the invention, the vehicle provides a transition demand of the vehicle to its driver. According to the invention, the vehicle outputs the transition demand to hand over control authority to the driver.

0071In operation 620, the vehicle may determine whether the transition demand is ignored. For example, when the driver does not approve the transition demand during a specified time, the vehicle may determine that the transition demand is ignored.

0072When the transition demand is approved, in operation 630, the vehicle may hand over control authority to the driver. For example, the vehicle may release the control by an autonomous system.

0073When the transition demand is ignored, in operation 640, the vehicle may generate a route which is toward a shoulder included in a road where it is traveling. For example, the vehicle may execute a strategy, as one of MRMs, for moving the vehicle to the shoulder.

0074In operation 650, the vehicle may adjust an operational condition of an automatic lane change based on at least a portion of a speed of the vehicle, a speed of a following vehicle, or a distance between the vehicle and the following vehicle. For example, a predetermined sensor sensing distance condition may be satisfied when a distance sensible by a sensor of the vehicle is greater than a specified distance. After the vehicle changes the predetermined sensor sensing distance condition, when the following vehicle is sensed by the sensor, the vehicle may determine that the sensor sensing distance condition is satisfied. An operational distance condition may be calculated based on a speed of the vehicle and a relative speed between the vehicle and the following vehicle. The operational speed condition may be calculated based on a speed of the following vehicle and a distance between the vehicle and the following vehicle.

0075In operation 660, the vehicle may determine whether the adjusted operational condition is satisfied. When the adjusted operational condition is satisfied, in operation 670, the vehicle may perform an automatic lane change toward the shoulder along the generated route. When the adjusted operational condition is not satisfied, in operation 680, the vehicle may control its stopping in the lane where the vehicle is traveling.

0076<figref idref="f0007">FIG. 7</figref> is a flowchart illustrating a method for providing a safety strategy in a vehicle according to one aspect of the invention.

0077Hereinafter, it is assumed that a vehicle including an apparatus 100 for providing a safety strategy in <figref idref="f0001">FIG. 1</figref> performs a process of <figref idref="f0007">FIG. 7</figref>. Furthermore, in a description of <figref idref="f0007">FIG. 7</figref>, an operation described as being performed by the vehicle may be understood as being controlled by a control circuit 130 of the apparatus 100 for providing the safety strategy.

0078Referring to <figref idref="f0007">FIG. 7</figref>, in operation 705, the vehicle may perform autonomous driving. In operation 710, the vehicle may determine whether its driver looks ahead of the vehicle. When the driver does not look ahead of the vehicle, in operation 715, the vehicle may generate a warning. In operation 720, the vehicle may determine whether the driver intervenes. When control authority is handed over to the driver after the driver intervenes, in operation 725, the vehicle may release the autonomous control.

0079When the control authority is not handed over to the driver because the driver does not intervene, in operation 730, the vehicle may activate an MRM. In operation 735, the vehicle may determine whether an operational condition of a lane change is satisfied. When the condition is not satisfied, in operation 740, the vehicle may control its stopping. When the condition is satisfied, in operation 745, the vehicle may determine whether it is able to perform a normal MRM. When it is able to perform the normal MRM, in operation 750, the vehicle may perform a lane change under a defined condition.

0080When it is unable to perform the normal MRM, in operation 755, the vehicle may change the operational condition of the lane change and may perform a lane change under the changed operational condition. In operation 760, the vehicle may control its stopping in a shoulder.

0081<figref idref="f0008">FIG. 8</figref> is a flowchart illustrating a method for providing a safety strategy in a vehicle according to one aspect of the present invention.

0082Hereinafter, it is assumed that a vehicle including an apparatus 100 for providing a safety strategy in <figref idref="f0001">FIG. 1</figref> performs a process of <figref idref="f0008">FIG. 8</figref>. Furthermore, in a description of <figref idref="f0008">FIG. 8</figref>, an operation described as being performed by the vehicle may be understood as being controlled by a control circuit 130 of the apparatus 100 for providing the safety strategy.

0083Referring to <figref idref="f0008">FIG. 8</figref>, in operation 810, the vehicle may provide a transition demand to its driver. When the driver does not respond to the transition demand during a specified time interval, in operation 820, the vehicle may activate an MRM. In operation 830, the vehicle may determine whether there is a shoulder, based on map information. When there is the shoulder, in operation 840, the vehicle may determine whether an expected time T_LC taken to move to the shoulder is shorter than a specified time T_MRM. When the expected time T_LC is shorter than the specified time T_MRM, in operation 850, the vehicle may determine whether a lane change condition is satisfied. When the lane change condition is satisfied, in operation 860, the vehicle may perform lane change control. In operation 870, the vehicle may control its stopping in the shoulder. When there is no the shoulder, when the expected time T_LC is longer than or equal to the specified time T_MRM, or when the lane change condition is not satisfied, in operation 880, the vehicle may control its stopping without a lane change.

0084<figref idref="f0009">FIG. 9</figref> is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a computing system according to one aspect of the present invention.

0085Referring to <figref idref="f0009">FIG. 9</figref>, a computing system 1000 may include at least one processor 1100, a memory 1300, a user interface input device 1400, a user interface output device 1500, a storage 1600, and a network interface 1700, which are connected with each other via a bus 1200.

0086The processor 1100 may be a central processing unit (CPU) or a semiconductor device for performing processing of instructions stored in the memory 1300 and/or the storage 1600. Each of the memory 1300 and the storage 1600 may include various types of volatile or non-volatile storage media. For example, the memory 1300 may include a read only memory (ROM) and a random access memory (RAM).

0087Thus, the operations of the methods or algorithms described in connection with the specification may be directly implemented with a hardware module, a software module, or combinations thereof, executed by the processor 1100. The software module may reside on a storage medium (i.e., the memory 1300 and/or the storage 1600) such as a RAM, a flash memory, a ROM, an erasable and programmable ROM (EPROM), an electrically EPROM (EEPROM), a register, a hard disc, a removable disc, or a compact disc-ROM (CD-ROM). An exemplary storage medium may be coupled to the processor 1100. The processor 1100 may read out information from the storage medium and may write information in the storage medium. Alternatively, the storage medium may be integrated with the processor 1100. The processor and storage medium may reside in an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC). The ASIC may reside in a user terminal. Alternatively, the processor and storage medium may reside as a separate component of the user terminal.

0088The apparatus for providing the safety strategy in the vehicle according to one aspect of the present invention may provide a safety strategy capable of providing for the safety of the driver in a situation where a predetermined operational condition is not satisfied, by adjusting an operational condition of an automatic lane change in a critical situation.

0089Hereinabove, although the present invention has been described with reference to examples and the accompanying drawings, the present invention is not limited thereto, but defined by the independent claims.