Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha

Denso Corporation

Toshikazu Hioki

Eisuke Ando

Fumitaka Sugimoto

Housyo Yukawa

Yusuke Yamamoto

Hirofumi Isomura

Masayuki Kaneko

Hirohumi Isomura

Takeshi Iwai

A vehicle includes a manual like a POV mode that is set when a VP is turned on, a manual with VO mode in which the VP is under the control by an operator, and an autonomy with VO mode in which the VP is under the control by an ADS. A processor of a VCIB is configured 1) to receive an operator command for transition of the vehicle from the manual like a POV mode to the manual with VO mode from the ADS and 2) to provide an autonomy ready signal indicating that autonomous driving of the VP is ready to the ADS and receive an autonomy request for transition of the vehicle from the manual with VO mode to the autonomy with VO mode from the ADS.

Vehicle control interface and vehicle including the same, autonomous driving system and vehicle including the same, and method of controlling vehicle

A VP includes a base vehicle and a VCIB. The VCIB interfaces between the VP and an ADS. The VCIB is configured to receive a power mode command that requests control of a power mode of the VP from the ADS. The power mode includes a sleep mode in which a vehicle power is in an off condition, a wake mode in which the VCIB is awake, an ignition on mode in which the vehicle is in an ignition on state, and a drive mode in which the vehicle power is in an on condition.

Vehicle platform, autonomous driving system, and vehicle control interface box

When a power status of a vehicle makes transition regardless of control by an autonomous driving system while the autonomous driving system is controlling a power mode of a vehicle platform, the autonomous driving system is notified that transition was caused by a driver input. A VP is configured such that an ADS is mountable thereon. The VP includes a base vehicle and a VCIB. The VCIB interfaces between the base vehicle and the ADS. Then, the VCIB provides a signal that indicates a driver input onto a start/stop button for switching between on and off of the base vehicle to the ADS.

Vehicle platform, vehicle control interface box, and autonomous driving system

A VCIB interfaces between an autonomous driving kit (ADK) and a vehicle platform (VP). The VP includes as vehicle modes, a manual mode in which the VP is under the control by a driver and an autonomous mode in which the VP is under the control by the ADK. When a first condition is satisfied in the manual mode, the VCIB has the vehicle mode make transition from the manual mode to the autonomous mode. The first condition includes (1) a condition that the VCIB has authenticated the ADK, (2) a condition that a power mode status signal indicates 'drive mode,' (3) a condition that a readiness-for-autonomization signal indicates “Ready for Autonomous Mode,” and (4) a condition that a vehicle mode request indicates “Request for Autonomy.”

The control system has a structure in which sensor apparatuses each having a data communication function are connected to an electronic control apparatus through a common communication line, and the sensors of the sensor apparatuses are connected to the electronic control apparatus through separate individual signal lines to transmit sensor signals to the electronic control apparatus. The electronic control apparatus is configured to, prior to transmitting communication data to one of the sensor apparatuses through the communication line, set the signal line connected to the selected sensor apparatus in a state in which the voltage of the signal line is outside a variation range corresponding to a voltage range of the sensor signal, and set the signal lines connected to the other sensor apparatuses to each of which the communication data is not addressed in a state in which the voltage of the signal line is within the variation range.

Control system including electronic control apparatus and sensor apparatuses bus-connected to electronic control apparatus

The present invention provides, as one aspect, a control system having sensor units and an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit includes a transmission controlling means which sets a signal line connected to the sensor unit, which is a destination of communication data, to a first state, sets the signal line connected to the sensor unit, which is not the destination, to a second state, and transmits the communication data to the destination via a communication line. The sensor unit includes a reception controlling means which determines a state of the signal line connecting a sensor to the electronic control unit. When determining that the signal line of the sensor unit is in the first state, the reception controlling means receives the communication data and performs a predetermined process. When determining that the signal line is in the second state, the reception controlling means discards the communication data.

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Kariya, Japan

Toshikazu Hioki