FR3161790A1 - Method and device for providing an alert before overtaking in a vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and device for controlling the display of an alert in a first vehicle (11), the first vehicle (11) following a second vehicle (12) on a normal traffic lane. To this end, initial data representing the remaining travel time before the next turn of the second vehicle (12) is received by a computer in the first vehicle (11). Second data representing the activation of the turn signals by the first vehicle (11) is also received by the computer. The computer controls the display of the alert in the passenger compartment of the first vehicle (11) based on the first and second data. Figure 1 (for the abstract)

Description

Method and device for providing an alert before overtaking in a vehicle

The present invention relates to methods and devices for rendering an alert in a vehicle, particularly a motor vehicle. The present invention also relates to a method and device for communicating information representing the remaining travel time before the next change of direction of a vehicle.

Technological background

The increase in the number of vehicles on the roads leads to a rise in the risk of accidents, particularly depending on the behavior of these vehicles on the roads.

For example, a vehicle traveling below the speed limit on a section of road can lead to risky behavior from the vehicle(s) following it. The driver of the vehicle behind the slower vehicle might become impatient and attempt a potentially hazardous and risky overtaking maneuver, posing a danger to all road users on that section of road. If the vehicle behind the slower vehicle is autonomous or semi-autonomous, its control system might decide to overtake even though it doesn't fully understand all the parameters, particularly the short- or medium-term intentions of the overtaking vehicle, which also presents a risk to all road users on that section of road.

Summary of the present invention

One object of the present invention is to solve at least one of the problems of the technological background described above.

One object of the present invention is, for example, to improve the safety of a vehicle.

According to a first aspect, the present invention relates to a method for controlling the rendering of an alert in a first vehicle, the first vehicle following a second vehicle on a common traffic lane, the method being implemented by at least one processor and comprising the following steps:
- receipt of initial data representing the remaining travel time before the next change of direction of the second vehicle from the current traffic lane to a destination traffic lane associated with the next change of direction;
- reception of second data representing an activation of turn signals on the first vehicle;
- checking the rendering of the alert in the passenger compartment of the first vehicle based on the first and second data points.

This system alerts the driver of the first vehicle to the potential futility, or even danger, of overtaking a second vehicle in front of them, based on information regarding a change of direction by the second vehicle. Thus, upon receiving the alert, the driver of the first vehicle, who has indicated their intention to overtake the second vehicle by activating their turn signals, can decide to cancel the overtaking maneuver, particularly if the remaining travel time before the second vehicle's turn makes the overtaking unnecessary.

According to one variant, the alert is given in the passenger compartment of the first vehicle upon receipt of the second data when the remaining travel time is less than a threshold value.

According to another variant, the threshold value is a function of a driving profile of the first vehicle.

According to an additional variant, the process further includes a step of receiving third data representative of a deactivation of the turn signals, the reception of the third data triggering a stop of the rendering.

According to yet another variant, the process further includes a step of receiving fourth data representing a maneuver of overtaking the second vehicle by the first vehicle, the reception of the fourth data triggering a stop of the rendering.

According to an additional variant, the alert corresponds to sound content intended to be played through at least one speaker in the first vehicle and/or graphic content intended to be displayed on a screen in the passenger compartment of the first vehicle.

According to another variant, the first data is received from the second vehicle via a wireless connection using a vehicle-to-vehicle communication mode, known as V2V.

According to a second aspect, the present invention relates to a device for controlling the rendering of an alert in a vehicle, the device comprising a memory associated with a processor configured for the implementation of the steps of the process according to the first aspect of the present invention.

According to a third aspect, the present invention relates to a vehicle, for example of the automobile type, comprising a device as described above according to the second aspect of the present invention.

According to a fourth aspect, the present invention relates to a computer program which includes instructions adapted for carrying out the steps of the process according to the first aspect of the present invention, in particular when the computer program is executed by at least one processor.

Such a computer program can use any programming language, and be in the form of source code, object code, or an intermediate form between source code and object code, such as in a partially compiled form, or in any other desirable form.

According to a fifth aspect, the present invention relates to a computer-readable recording medium on which is recorded a computer program comprising instructions for carrying out the steps of the process according to the first aspect of the present invention.

On the one hand, the recording medium can be any entity or device capable of storing the program. For example, the medium can include a storage means, such as a ROM, a CD-ROM or a microelectronic circuit-type ROM, or even a magnetic recording means or a hard drive.

On the other hand, this recording medium can also be a transmissible medium such as an electrical or optical signal, such a signal being able to be transmitted via an electrical or optical cable, by conventional or radio frequency, by self-directing laser beam, or by other means. The computer program according to the present invention can, in particular, be downloaded from a network such as the Internet.

Alternatively, the recording medium may be an integrated circuit in which the computer program is incorporated, the integrated circuit being adapted to execute or to be used in the execution of the process in question.

Brief description of the figures

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the description of the specific and non-limiting embodiments of the present invention below, with reference to the attached Figures 1 to 3, in which:

FIG. 1 schematically illustrates an environment of a first vehicle, according to a particular and non-limiting example of the present invention;

FIG. 2 schematically illustrates a device configured for controlling the rendering of an alert in the first vehicle of the FIG. 1 , according to a particular and non-limiting example of the present invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates a flowchart of the different stages of a process for checking the rendering of an alert in the first vehicle of the FIG. 1 , according to a particular and non-limiting example of the present invention.

Description of examples of achievements

A method and a device for controlling the rendering of an alert in a first vehicle will now be described in what follows with joint reference to figures 1 to 3. The same elements are identified with the same reference signs throughout the description that follows.

The terms "first," "second" (or "firsts," "seconds"), etc., are used in this document by arbitrary convention to identify and distinguish different elements (such as operations, means, etc.) implemented in the embodiments described below. Such elements may be distinct or correspond to a single element, depending on the embodiment.

According to a specific, non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, the control of an alert display in a first vehicle following a second vehicle on a regular traffic lane is implemented by one or more processors in one or more computers of the first vehicle. The display control includes the generation and transmission of instructions or control signals by the computer implementing the control to one or more devices of the first vehicle configured for displaying, i.e., replaying, the alert. These devices might correspond, for example, to one or more loudspeakers of the first vehicle or to a display screen of the first vehicle.

To this end, initial data is received, for example, from the second vehicle via a telematics control unit in the first vehicle. This initial data represents the remaining travel time before the second vehicle's next turn from its current lane to a destination lane associated with that turn. Secondary data, representing the activation of the first vehicle's turn signals, is also received, for example, from the first vehicle's turn signal control unit. Finally, the alert is determined based on the initial and secondary data received, either displaying or re-displaying the alert in the first vehicle's passenger compartment.

There FIG. 1 schematically illustrates an environment 1 in which a first vehicle 11 evolves, according to a particular and non-limiting embodiment of the present invention.

The first vehicle 11 corresponds, for example, to a vehicle with an internal combustion engine, an electric motor(s), or a hybrid vehicle with an internal combustion engine and one or more electric motors. The first vehicle 11 thus corresponds, for example, to a land vehicle, such as a car, a truck, or a bus.

Environment 1 further includes a second vehicle 12 preceding the first vehicle 11, i.e. a second vehicle 12 travelling in front of the first vehicle 11 in the direction of travel of the first and second vehicles 11 and 12, on the same lane of travel as the first vehicle 11.

The second vehicle 12 also corresponds to a vehicle with an internal combustion engine, an electric motor(s), or a hybrid vehicle with an internal combustion engine and one or more electric motors. The second vehicle 12 thus also corresponds to a land vehicle, for example, a car, a truck, or a bus.

The first vehicle 11 corresponds to a vehicle configured to operate under the control of the driver and/or under the control of one or more ADAS systems supplied with data by devices and sensors associated with the ADAS systems.

According to a first embodiment, the first vehicle 11 corresponds to a vehicle adapted to operate in an autonomous or semi-autonomous driving mode, that is to say under the partial or total supervision of one or more ADAS systems on board the first vehicle 11. The first vehicle 11 is for example configured to operate in environment 1 with a level of autonomy greater than or equal to 3 or 4 according to the scale defined by the American federal agency which has established 5 levels of autonomy from 1 to 5, level 0 corresponding to a vehicle with no autonomy, whose driving is under the total supervision of the driver, and level 5 corresponding to a fully autonomous vehicle.

According to a second embodiment, the first vehicle 11 corresponds to a vehicle not adapted to circulate in an autonomous or semi-autonomous driving mode, the first vehicle 11 circulating under the total control of the driver without assistance from an ADAS system, with a level of autonomy equal to 0 (no automation, the driver of the vehicle totally controls the main functions of the vehicle (engine, accelerator, steering, brakes)).

The 5 levels of autonomy in the classification system of the federal agency responsible for road safety are:
- level 1: driver assistance, automation is active for certain vehicle functions, the driver retaining overall control over driving the vehicle; cruise control is part of this level, as are other aids such as ABS (anti-lock braking system) or ESP (electronic stability program);
- level 2: automation of combined functions, the control of at least two main functions is combined in the automation to replace the driver in certain situations; for example, adaptive cruise control combined with lane centering allows a vehicle to be classified as level 2, as does automatic parking assist;
- level 3: limited autonomous driving, the driver can cede complete control of the vehicle to the automated system which will then be in charge of critical safety functions; however, autonomous driving can only take place under certain specific environmental and traffic conditions (only on highways for example);
- level 4: fully autonomous driving under certain conditions, the vehicle is designed to independently perform all critical safety functions over a complete journey; the driver provides a destination or navigation instructions but is not required to be available to take back control of the vehicle;
- Level 5: Completely autonomous driving without driver assistance in all circumstances.

The classification of the international organization of motor vehicle manufacturers is similar to that listed above, with the difference that it has 6 levels, level 3 of the American classification being divided into 2 levels in that of the international organization of motor vehicle manufacturers.

According to the first particular embodiment, the first vehicle 11 carries one or more ADAS systems, each controlled by one or more computers. These computers form, for example, a multiplexed architecture for the implementation of various services useful for the proper functioning of the vehicle and for assisting the driver and/or passengers of the vehicle in controlling the first vehicle 11 via the control of the ADAS system(s) embedded in the first vehicle 11. The computers communicate and exchange data with each other via one or more computer buses, for example, a CAN (Controller Area Network), CAN FD (Controller Area Network Flexible Data-Rate), FlexRay (according to ISO 17458), LIN (Local Interconnect Network), or Ethernet (according to ISO/IEC 802-3) type data bus.

The ADAS system(s) installed in the first vehicle 11 correspond, for example, to one or more of the ADAS systems in the following list, this list being non-exhaustive and provided for illustrative purposes:
- navigation and geolocation system, also called GNSS system (Geolocation and Navigation by a Satellite System), for example a GPS type system (from the English "Global Positioning System" or in French "Système de géo-positionnement par satellites");
- a speed regulation system, for example an adaptive cruise control, known as ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control);
- a lane keeping assist system, called LKA (from the English "Lane Keeping Assist");
- a lane departure warning system, known as a lane departure warning system; and/or
- a traffic sign reading/recognition system, called a TSR system (from the English "Traffic Sign Recognition");
- a semi-automatic lane change system, known as the SALC system (from the English "Semi-Automatic Lane Change");
- a system for detecting and recognizing ground markings.

One or more of these systems operate on the basis of data received from a data receiving device (e.g. a GNSS system data receiver) and/or from radar, lidar and/or camera type sensors.

The sensor(s) associated with these ADAS systems correspond, for example, to one or more of the following sensors:
- one or more millimeter-wave radars arranged on the first vehicle 11, for example at the front, at the rear, on each front/rear corner of the vehicle; each radar is adapted to emit electromagnetic waves and to receive the echoes of these waves reflected by one or more objects, for the purpose of detecting obstacles and their distances from the first vehicle 11; and/or
- one or more LIDAR(s) (Light Detection and Ranging), a LIDAR sensor corresponding to an optoelectronic system composed of a laser emitter, a receiver including a light collector (to collect the portion of the light emitted by the emitter and reflected by any object located in the path of the light rays emitted by the emitter) and a photodetector that transforms the collected light into an electrical signal; a LIDAR sensor thus makes it possible to detect the presence of objects located in the emitted light beam and to measure the distance between the sensor and each detected object; and/or
- one or more cameras (with or without a depth sensor) for acquiring one or more images of the environment around the first vehicle 11 that are in the field of vision of the camera(s), for example a so-called front camera, such a front camera being arranged in the passenger compartment of the first vehicle 11 under the windshield and at the top and in the middle of this windshield and having a field of vision corresponding to the space in front of the first vehicle 11 according to the direction of travel of the first vehicle 11.

The first vehicle 11 is advantageously configured to communicate (receive and/or transmit) data with other vehicles and/or a communication network infrastructure using a wireless communication mode, known as V2X.

For this purpose, the first vehicle 11 carries a communication device corresponding for example to a telematic control unit 112, called TCU (from the English “Telematic Control Unit”) associated with one or more antennas.

Environment 1 of the first vehicle 11 includes, for example, a mobile communication infrastructure, such as a V2X (Vehicle-to-Everything) network infrastructure, with which the first vehicle 11 is configured to communicate data. Communication infrastructure 1 implements communications using LTE (Long-Term Evolution), LTE-Avanced (Long-Term Evolution - Advanced), or C-V2X (Cellular - Vehicle to Everything) technology, which relies on 4G and/or 5G, based on LTE. The first vehicle 11 communicates advantageously using a V2X communication system, for example, based on the 3GPP LTE-V or IEEE 802.11p standards of ITS G5. In such a V2X communication system, each vehicle carries a node to enable vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V), vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) and/or vehicle-to-pedestrian (V2P) communication.

The network infrastructure includes, for example, communication devices (not shown on the FIG. 1 ) corresponding to relay antennas and/or roadside units (RSUs), each corresponding to a node in the network.

The antenna or UBR is advantageously connected to one or more remote servers 110, for example via the "cloud" 100 (or in French "nuage"), via a wired and/or wireless connection. The antenna or UBR is thus configured to act as a relay between the "cloud" 100 (and the remote server 110) and the first vehicle 11.

Thus, depending on the embodiment, the first vehicle 11 corresponds to a vehicle under the full control of the driver of the first vehicle 11, to a semi-autonomous vehicle, or to an autonomous vehicle whose control is ensured by a set of ADAS systems. The first vehicle 11 corresponds to a connected or non-connected vehicle, that is to say, a vehicle including wireless communication means for wireless data communication with one or more remote devices such as cloud servers and/or one or more other connected vehicles.

Similarly, according to different embodiments, the second vehicle 12 corresponds to a vehicle under the total control of the driver of the second vehicle 12, to a semi-autonomous vehicle or to an autonomous vehicle whose control is ensured by a set of ADAS systems, as described for the first vehicle 11. The second vehicle 12 corresponds to a connected or non-connected vehicle, that is to say a vehicle including wireless means of communication for wireless data communication with one or more remote devices such as "cloud" servers and/or one or more other connected vehicles.

These different embodiments can be combined in any number of ways. For example, environment 1 comprises a first autonomous or semi-autonomous and connected vehicle 11 and a second autonomous or semi-autonomous and connected vehicle 12. In another example, environment 1 comprises a first autonomous or semi-autonomous and connected vehicle 11 and a second unconnected vehicle 12. In yet another example, environment 1 comprises a first unconnected vehicle 11 and a second unconnected vehicle 12.

A process for rendering an alert in the passenger compartment of the first vehicle 11 is implemented by one or more processors of one or more computers 111 of the first vehicle 11.

In the first operation of the process, initial data is received, this initial data being representative of the remaining travel time before the next change of direction of the second vehicle from the current traffic lane to a destination traffic lane associated with the next change of direction.

This initial data is obtained from the second vehicle 12. According to a first embodiment, this initial data is received via a wireless connection using a vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication method, with the second vehicle 12 transmitting it via a telematics control unit 122 under the control of a computer 121 in the second vehicle 12. According to a second embodiment, this initial data is obtained by reading initial information representing the remaining travel time displayed on a display device 123 in the second vehicle 12 under the control of the computer 121. According to this second embodiment, this initial information is obtained by processing image data acquired by a camera 113 mounted in the first vehicle 11, the camera 113 being positioned so as to have the second vehicle 12 traveling in front of the first vehicle 11 in its field of vision. This camera 113 corresponds, for example, to a so-called front-facing camera (also called a windshield camera, from the English " Windshield camera"), such a front camera being arranged in the passenger compartment of the first vehicle 11 under the windshield and at the top and in the middle of this windshield.

The first information representing the remaining travel time is calculated or determined by the second vehicle 12 or by a remote device 110 of the "cloud" server type 100.

When the first piece of information is calculated or determined by the remote device 110, this first piece of information is received from the remote device 110 by the second vehicle 12 via a wireless link connecting the second vehicle 12 to the network infrastructure relaying the data communicated between the second vehicle 12 and the "cloud" 100.

The first information is thus received by the second vehicle 12 by means of a wireless communication interface corresponding for example to a telematic control unit 122, called TCU (from the English “Telematic Control Unit” or in French “Unité de contrôle télématique”), on board the second vehicle 12.

When the first information is calculated or determined by the second vehicle 12, the first information is determined or calculated by a device on board the second vehicle 12 such as a computer 121 of the second vehicle 12.

The first piece of information is determined or calculated from:
- data from a route followed by the second vehicle 12 and calculated by a navigation system, for example the navigation and geolocation system on board the second vehicle 12, based on a destination for a journey to be made with the second vehicle 12; and
- of a speed of the second vehicle 12, this speed corresponding for example to a set speed of a speed control system of the second vehicle 12, to a current instantaneous speed obtained from an odometer or the navigation system of the second vehicle 12 or to an average speed (for example calculated over the last kilometer or kilometers traveled) obtained from the odometer or the navigation system of the second vehicle 12.

Route data includes, in particular, a second piece of information representing a distance (for example, expressed in meters) between the current position of the second vehicle 12 (at the time the first piece of information was determined) and the intersection associated with the next planned turn in the route between the current lane of the second vehicle 12 and the destination lane associated with the turn. This distance is calculated automatically by the navigation and geolocation system as the second vehicle 12 moves along the current lane.

The change of direction thus corresponds to the next (from a temporal and spatial point of view, considering the current moment) change of traffic lane or road calculated by the navigation system when determining the route to reach the desired destination by the user of the second vehicle 12.

When the determination of the first information is implemented by the remote device 110, the route data, current geographical position and speed data are for example transmitted by the second vehicle 12 to the remote device 110 via the wireless network infrastructure linking the second vehicle 12 to the "cloud" 100.

The remaining travel time, denoted ‘T’, is calculated according to the following equation:

T = D / V, with D the distance to the next change of direction (in m) and V the speed of the second vehicle 12 (in m/s), T then being expressed in s.

According to a particular embodiment, the first piece of information is expressed as a distance (in m) corresponding to the distance separating the current position of the second vehicle 12 from the next intersection associated with the next change of direction.

According to the first embodiment, the first information is communicated by the second vehicle 12 to the first vehicle 11 traveling behind the second vehicle 12 on the current traffic lane of the first vehicle 11 via a wireless connection according to a vehicle-to-vehicle communication mode, known as V2V, the first vehicle 11 and the second vehicle 12 corresponding to so-called connected vehicles.

The first information is thus transmitted via the TCU 122 of the second vehicle 12 and received by the first vehicle 11 via the TCU 112 of the first vehicle 11.

According to one variant, the first piece of information is communicated via a wireless communication infrastructure using a vehicle-to-infrastructure communication mode, known as V2I.

According to the second embodiment, the first information is displayed on the display device 123 of the second vehicle 12 arranged on a rear area of the second vehicle 12 in such a way that the content displayed on the display device 123 is visible from the first vehicle 11, in particular from the camera 113.

The display device 123 corresponds, for example, to an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), TFT (Thin-Film Transistor), or OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diode) type screen. Such a screen is, for example, installed in the passenger compartment and visible from the rear window of the second vehicle 12. In another example, the screen is integrated into the body of the second vehicle 12.

According to another example, the display device 123 corresponds to a projection system projecting the content to be displayed, in particular the first information, onto a support such as the rear window or a bodywork element of the second vehicle 12.

A display control of graphic content (including the first information) or of any graphic object (text, pictogram, icon, etc.) includes a rendering of the graphic content or graphic object, such rendering corresponding to a set of operations performed by one or more processors, for example of the computer 121, on the pixels of one or more images of the graphic content to be displayed on the display device 123. For example, the rendering consists of associating to a set of pixels of an image pixel data (for example color data expressed in an RGB (Red, Green, Blue) type space) associated with each graphic object.

The display control of the first information thus includes the transmission of control signals to the display device 123 to modify the values associated with the pixels of the display device 123 or the pixel matrix of the content to be projected at the location intended to display the first information.

The first piece of information transmitted via V2V and/or displayed on the display device 123 corresponds, for example, to:
- a value of the remaining travel time at the current moment, this value being for example expressed in seconds with an explanatory text, for example "change of direction in XX s", with XX the value of the remaining travel time;
- an estimate of the remaining travel time at the current moment, the first information transmitted and/or displayed being for example of the form "change of direction in about XX s" or "change of direction in less than XX s";
- a dynamic graphical representation representing a variation of the remaining travel time as a function of the time until reaching the intersection, this graphical representation corresponding for example to an hourglass or a progress bar whose representation varies over time as the remaining travel time decreases.

According to a particular embodiment, the determination of the first piece of information, and consequently the communication of this first piece of information, is/are conditioned on the result of a comparison between the speed of the second vehicle 12 (used to determine the first piece of information) and a threshold value representative of a determined speed value.

According to this particular embodiment, the determination of the first piece of information is only implemented when the result of the comparison indicates that the speed of the second vehicle 12 is less than or equal to the threshold value.

This threshold value is determined, for example, based on a maximum authorized speed limit on the section of road including the current traffic lane of the second vehicle 12.

According to another example, this threshold value depends on the type of road (urban road, expressway, motorway, etc.) on which the second vehicle is traveling 12.

This threshold value is, for example, determined to be equal to 50%, 60%, 70%, or 75% of the maximum authorized speed limit. The maximum authorized speed limit is obtained, for example, from mapping data from the navigation system of the second vehicle 12 or from a traffic sign recognition system of the second vehicle 12.

According to another example, this threshold value is obtained from a look-up table, called a LUT (from the English "Look-Up Table") stored in a memory of the computer 121. This LU associates, for example, for each maximum authorized speed value, a corresponding threshold value, for example, a threshold value of 30 km/h for a maximum authorized speed of 50 km/h, a threshold value of 50 or 60 km/h for a maximum authorized speed of 80 km/h, a threshold value of 70 or 80 km/h for a maximum authorized speed of 110 km/h and a threshold value of 90 or 100 km/h for a maximum authorized speed of 130 km/h.

In a second operation of the process, second data representing an activation of turn signals of the first vehicle 11 are received, for example via one or more data buses linking the computer controlling the turn signals of the first vehicle 11 to the computer 111 implementing the process.

The second data representing the activation or the activation command are for example generated by the computer controlling the turn signals following an action by the driver of the first vehicle 11 wishing to signal a change of traffic lane to overtake the second vehicle 12. The action of the driver corresponds for example to the actuation of a control device, for example located at the steering wheel of the first vehicle 11, intended to activate the turn signals on the side of the change of traffic lane.

In a third operation of the process, the rendering of the alert is controlled by the computer 111 according to the first and second data received in the first and second operations so as to render the alert in the passenger compartment of the first vehicle 11.

The control unit 111 triggers the alert upon receiving the second set of data, based on the first set of data. The alert is then issued automatically and immediately upon activation of the turn signals of the first vehicle 11, indicating the driver's intention to overtake the second vehicle 12.

For example, the computer triggers the warning display in the passenger compartment of the first vehicle 11 when the initial data indicates a remaining travel time below a threshold value. In this example, the warning is only displayed when the remaining travel time is below the threshold value. Otherwise, the warning is not displayed.

Such a threshold value corresponds, for example, to:
- a parameter of the warning rendering control system whose value is set by default, for example by the manufacturer of the first vehicle 11, such a threshold value being, for example, equal to 30 or 60 s; or
- a parameter of the alert rendering control system whose value is set and chosen by a user of the first vehicle 11, via a Human-Machine Interface (HMI) of the system, for example displayed on a display screen installed in the first vehicle 11; or
- a parameter of the warning rendering control system whose value is a function of a driving profile of the driver of the first vehicle 11, the driving profile being for example selected by the driver from a set of available driving profiles (for example standard profile, economy profile, sport profile, personalized profile), a specific threshold value being associated with each profile (for example 45 s for the standard profile, 60 s for the economy profile and 30 s for the sport profile).

In another example, the intensity of the alert (for example, the volume when the alert corresponds to audio or sound content played through one or more speakers in the first vehicle 11) is a function of the remaining travel time. In this example, the intensity is higher when the remaining travel time is shorter.

The alert corresponds to an audio content intended to be played through at least one speaker in the first vehicle 11 and/or a graphic content intended to be displayed on a screen in the passenger compartment of the first vehicle 11.

The alert thus corresponds to an audible and/or visual alert.

When the alert includes audio content, this audio content may be a predefined sound. Alternatively, the audio content may be a text-to-speech message specifying the type of alert, such as a message indicating the remaining travel time. For example, the message might be something like: "Attention, the vehicle in front of you will change direction in XX seconds," where 'XX' is the remaining travel time.

When the alert includes graphic content, this graphic content corresponds, for example, to predefined content including an alert pictogram accompanied by explanatory text. In one variant, the explanatory text specifies the remaining travel time.

The control of the rendering of the alert includes the generation and transmission of command or control data to the speakers and/or display screen (or the computers controlling these speakers and/or display screen) by computer 111 so that the rendering of the alert is implemented by these speakers and/or display screen.

This alert, possibly enhanced with information on the time remaining before the second vehicle 12 changes direction, aims to allow the driver of the first vehicle 11 to reconsider their intention to overtake (relationship between time saved and risk taken), and thus help to reduce the occurrence of such dangerous behavior.

According to a particular embodiment, the control unit 111 controls the completion of the alert rendering, while the alert is emitted by the loudspeakers and/or the display screen of the first vehicle 11, when:
- Third data points representing a deactivation of the turn signals (or a deactivation command) are received from the control unit controlling the turn signals of the first vehicle 11, the receipt of the third data point triggering a halt in the rendering; the third data points are generated following an action by the driver of the first vehicle commanding the deactivation of the turn signals via the actuation of the appropriate control device, the driver thus indicating their intention not to carry out the overtaking maneuver or the overtaking maneuver of the second vehicle 12 having been initiated; and/or
- fourth data representing an overtaking maneuver of the second vehicle initiated by the first vehicle 11, the reception of the fourth data triggering a stop of the rendering; the fourth data are for example representative of an acceleration value of the first vehicle 11 greater than a threshold value, indicating that the overtaking maneuver has been initiated, or the fourth data are representative of a crossing of the demarcation line between the current traffic lane and the adjacent traffic lane, such fourth data being received from a lane crossing alert system of the first vehicle 11.

According to a particular embodiment, the reception of the third and/or fourth data automatically triggers the cessation of the rendering of the alert while the alert is being rendered in the passenger compartment of the first vehicle 11.

There FIG. 2 Figure 1 schematically illustrates a device 2 configured to control the rendering of an alert in a first vehicle, for example the first vehicle 11, according to a particular and non-limiting embodiment of the present invention. The device 2 corresponds, for example, to a device embedded in the first vehicle 11, for example a computer.

Device 2, for example, is configured to implement the operations described opposite the FIG. 1 and/or steps of the process described in relation to the FIG. 3 Examples of such a device 2 include, but are not limited to, embedded electronic equipment such as a vehicle's on-board computer, an electronic control unit such as an ECU (Electronic Control Unit), a smartphone, a tablet, a laptop computer, and a TCU (Telematic Control Unit). The elements of device 2, individually or in combination, may be integrated into a single integrated circuit, into several integrated circuits, and/or into discrete components. Device 2 may be implemented as electronic circuits, software (or computer) modules, or a combination of electronic circuits and software modules.

Device 2 includes one (or more) processor(s) 20 configured to execute instructions for carrying out the steps of the process and/or for executing instructions from the software embedded in Device 2. The processor 20 may include integrated memory, an input/output interface, and various circuits known to those skilled in the art. Device 2 further includes at least one memory 21, for example, volatile and/or non-volatile memory, and/or includes a memory storage device that may include volatile and/or non-volatile memory, such as EEPROM, ROM, PROM, RAM, DRAM, SRAM, flash, magnetic disk, or optical disk.

The computer code of the embedded software(s) including the instructions to be loaded and executed by the processor is, for example, stored on memory 21.

According to various specific and non-limiting embodiment examples, device 2 is coupled in communication with other similar devices or systems and/or with communication devices, for example a TCU (Telematic Control Unit), for example via a communication bus or through dedicated input/output ports.

According to a specific and non-limiting embodiment, device 2 includes a block 22 of interface elements for communicating with external devices. The interface elements of block 22 include one or more of the following interfaces:
- radio frequency RF interface, for example of the Wi-Fi® type (according to IEEE 802.11), for example in the 2.4 or 5 GHz frequency bands, or of the Bluetooth® type (according to IEEE 802.15.1), in the 2.4 GHz frequency band, or of the Sigfox type using UBN (Ultra Narrow Band) radio technology, or LoRa in the 868 MHz frequency band, LTE (Long-Term Evolution), LTE-Advanced;
- USB interface (from the English "Universal Serial Bus" or "Universal Serial Bus" in French);
- HDMI interface (from the English "High Definition Multimedia Interface", or "High Definition Multimedia Interface" in French);
- LIN interface (from the English "Local Interconnect Network", or in French "Réseau interconnecté local").

According to another particular and non-limiting embodiment, the device 2 includes a communication interface 23 which enables communication with other devices (such as other computers in the embedded system) via a communication channel 230. The communication interface 23 corresponds, for example, to a transmitter configured to transmit and receive information and/or data via the communication channel 230. The communication interface 23 corresponds, for example, to a wired network of the type CAN (Controller Area Network), CAN FD (Controller Area Network Flexible Data-Rate), FlexRay (standardized by ISO 17458) or Ethernet (standardized by ISO/IEC 802-3).

According to a particular and non-limiting embodiment, device 2 can provide output signals to one or more external devices, such as a display screen 240, touch or not, one or more speakers 250 and/or other peripherals 260 (projection system) via output interfaces 24, 25 and 26 respectively. According to a variant, one or more of the external devices is integrated into device 2.

There FIG. 3 illustrates a flowchart of the different stages of a process for monitoring the rendering of an alert in a first vehicle, for example the first vehicle 11, according to a particular and non-limiting embodiment of the present invention. The process is implemented, for example, by a device embedded in the first vehicle 11, for example a computer or the device 2 of the FIG. 2 The first vehicle follows a second vehicle travelling in the same lane as the first vehicle.

In a first step 31, initial data representing the remaining travel time before the next change of direction of the second vehicle from the current traffic lane to a destination traffic lane associated with the next change of direction are received.

In a second step 32, second data representing an activation of turn signals of the first vehicle are received.

In a third step 33, the rendering of the alert in the passenger compartment of the first vehicle is checked according to the first and second data

According to one variant, the variants and examples of the operations described in relation to the FIG. 1 apply to the steps of the process of the FIG. 3 .

Of course, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above but extends to a method for communicating travel time data for vehicles that would include secondary steps without falling outside the scope of the present invention. The same would apply to a device configured for implementing such a method.

The present invention also relates to a vehicle, for example a motor vehicle or more generally an autonomous land-powered vehicle, comprising device 2 of the FIG. 2 .

Claims (10)

Method for controlling the rendering of an alert in a first vehicle (11), said first vehicle (11) following a second vehicle (12) on a current traffic lane, said method being implemented by at least one processor and comprising the following steps:
- receipt (31) of initial data representing initial information representing a travel time remaining before a next change of direction of said second vehicle (12) from said current traffic lane to a destination traffic lane associated with said next change of direction;
- reception (32) of second data representative of an activation of turn signals of said first vehicle (11);
- control of the rendering (33) of said alert in a passenger compartment of said first vehicle (11) according to said first and second data. Method according to claim 1, wherein said alert is rendered in said passenger compartment of said first vehicle (11) upon receipt of said second data when the remaining travel time is less than a threshold value. Method according to claim 2, wherein said threshold value is a function of a driving profile of said first vehicle (11). A method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a step of receiving third data representing a deactivation of said flashers, the reception of said third data triggering a stop of said rendering. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a step of receiving fourth data representing an overtaking maneuver of said second vehicle (12) by said first vehicle (11), the receipt of said fourth data triggering a stop of said rendering. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein said alert corresponds to sound content intended to be rendered by at least one loudspeaker of said first vehicle (11) and/or graphic content intended to be displayed on a screen in said passenger compartment of the first vehicle (11). A method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein said first data are received from said second vehicle (12) via a wireless connection according to a vehicle-to-vehicle communication mode, known as V2V. Computer program comprising instructions for implementing the method according to any one of the preceding claims, when these instructions are executed by a processor. Device (2) for controlling the rendering of an alert in a vehicle, said device (2) comprising a memory (21) associated with at least one processor (20) configured for carrying out the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 7. Vehicle (11) comprising the device (2) according to claim 9.