DE102023115901B3 - trip planning and vehicle changes - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for planning a journey along a predetermined route (10), wherein the route (10) is divided into several consecutive sections (10.1, 10.2), wherein the division of the route (10) into the sections (10.1, 10.2) is carried out depending on at least one authorization criterion for driving on a respective section (10.1, 10.2). Then, in a transition area (18) from a first section (10.1) to a section (10.2) following the first section, a waypoint (16) is planned at which a vehicle change (26) from a first vehicle (20) to a following vehicle (24) is planned, wherein the first vehicle (20) meets the authorization criterion for driving on the first section (10.1), and wherein the following vehicle (24) meets the authorization criterion for driving on the following section (10.2).

Description

The invention relates to a method for planning a journey along a predetermined route, wherein the route comprises several consecutive sections. The invention also relates to a computing device which is designed to carry out the method, as well as a computer program which comprises instructions which, when carried out by such a computing device, cause it to carry out the method mentioned at the outset.

In future urban planning, mobility will not be seen as an end in itself, but as a means to enable access to basic amenities. In the future, a livable city should be safe and clean, as well as have plenty of green spaces. Inner-city car traffic generally has a negative impact on all of these aspects. In many places around the world, work is already underway on car-free cityscapes of the future. One possible improvement to the future cityscape could be to introduce consistent parking space management in public spaces, so that fewer motor vehicles are parked in the city, freeing up space for other uses, such as parks or green spaces.

The idea is that there will be significantly fewer cars in the city than today. They should also be used efficiently, take up less space and be able to be charged everywhere with renewable electricity. The target could be a motorization rate of a maximum of 150 registered private motor vehicles (cars) per 1000 inhabitants. The area occupied by stationary motorized individual traffic on the side of the road and on residential properties should be limited to a maximum of 1.5 m ² per inhabitant. In this way, the areas that become available can be used primarily for car sharing, in addition to bicycle paths and lanes for local public transport. Unlike conventional car rental companies, car sharing allows vehicles to be rented for short periods of time, even by the minute. The use of the vehicles is billed using a time or kilometer rate that includes energy costs, or a mixture of such rates. Sharing cars between neighbors and acquaintances falls under the term private car sharing.

One disadvantage of such a redesign of inner-city space is that it will become increasingly difficult for owners of private cars to find free parking spaces in urban areas. The search for a parking space already creates a lot of traffic. It takes a driver an average of ten minutes to find a parking space and covers 4.5 kilometers. In return, there are even more freely available parking spaces for car sharing services.

Intelligent and efficient parking space management is of great relevance in times of increasing restrictions on the use of private vehicles in urban areas.

From the DE 10 2019 218 251 A1 A method for arranging a parking space is known, whereby a user of a motor vehicle leaving a parking space and a user of a motor vehicle looking for a parking space can arrange to hand over the parking space.

From the WO 2008/ 132 520 A1 A parking space management system is known, whereby users of parked vehicles can keep their parking space free for users of vehicles looking for a parking space until the latter can take it over. The waiting users can be compensated for their waiting time.

The known methods therefore deal with the handover of a user's vacant parking space to a user who is looking for a parking space and who, for example, has to run errands near the parking space.

However, a trend is emerging whereby cities of the future will be divided into different zones or areas, with different approval criteria for the operation of vehicles in each zone. The approval criteria can, for example, relate to a vehicle's emissions class, a type of drive, a type of use or even a vehicle's engine type. For example, in the future it may be planned that diesel-powered vehicles will only be permitted for delivery traffic in inner cities, while private car traffic will only be permitted for electrically powered vehicles. In the future there may also be more areas or zones in cities where no motor vehicles in the form of cars are permitted at all, but only bicycle traffic and/or small vehicles, such as e-scooters, are permitted. This makes it more difficult to reach certain areas of such a city, especially for people who have limited mobility without a car.

From the DE 10 2016 222 726 A1 , the EP 2 378 249 A1 and the DE 10 2007 026 320 A1 A method is known in each case in which a change from a motor vehicle to a means of local public transport takes place, for example by parking the motor vehicle at a park and ride car park and change to public transport. However, continuing your journey towards the city centre using public transport can be very time-consuming if there are long waiting times at the chosen stop. In addition, public transport usually does not take you to the exact destination you want to go to, but to a stop that may be more or less far away from your destination. Transporting shopping, for example, is also much more difficult using public transport than using a car, for example.

One object of the present invention is to maintain or even improve the accessibility of urban areas, regardless of whether there is a restriction for a particular area with regard to the means of transport permitted there.

The object is achieved by the subject matter of the independent patent claims. Advantageous developments of the invention are described by the dependent patent claims, the following description and the figures.

The invention is based on the realization that a driver who wants to drive from an outer area to an inner area of a city zoned as described above may have to change his vehicle en route. In doing so, he may be faced with the problem that when he starts his journey he does not even know how far he is allowed to drive with the vehicle he is currently using, for example if he is driving in a city he is unfamiliar with.

The invention therefore provides a method for planning a journey along a predetermined route, for example from an outer area of a city to an inner area of the city. The route can be divided into several consecutive sections, wherein the division of the route into the sections can be carried out depending on at least one admission criterion for driving on a respective section.

The route can therefore comprise, for example, a first section and a section or subsequent section following the first section. The first section can, for example, extend from an outer city boundary to the boundary of a city center or even a city district, whereby within the first section there can be no restriction on the vehicles permitted there. The subsequent section can then extend from the boundary to the center of the city center or to the center of the city district. In the subsequent section, for example, only electrically powered vehicles and/or only car sharing vehicles can be permitted. The approval criteria can also include that there is an approval restriction only for a limited time of day and/or for certain days of the week, for example the weekend. It is also conceivable that the route passes a school, for example, in the vicinity of which certain approval criteria apply on school days, which do not apply or differ during holiday periods. The route can of course also be divided into a large number of sections, depending on how long the route is and/or how complex the approval restrictions are in the city currently being traveled through.

The method according to the invention provides for planning a waypoint in a transition area from the first section to the section following the first section. The waypoint can be specified in geo-coordinates, similar to a destination point of the journey. The waypoint can also be planned as an intersection of two specific streets based on an existing digital road map of the city currently being traveled through. The waypoint can also be planned as a route, i.e. as a two-dimensional extension that extends along the boundary between the sections described above. If the boundary runs along an inner-city ring road, for example, the circumference of the ring road can be planned as a waypoint.

The method according to the invention provides that a vehicle change from a first vehicle to a following vehicle is planned at the waypoint, the first vehicle being the vehicle with which the driver covers the first section of the journey. The following vehicle is the vehicle with which the following section is to be covered. The first vehicle can be the driver's private vehicle, for example his private car. However, the first vehicle can also be a car sharing vehicle, in particular of a certain vehicle class. The following vehicle can be another passenger car or a bicycle or an electrically powered micro-vehicle, for example an e-scooter. In other words, the first vehicle meets the approval criteria for driving on the first section, and the following vehicle meets the approval criteria for driving on the section following the first section or the following section. As described, the approval criteria can relate to a ban on entry for certain vehicle classes and/or types of use in the sections of the route.

According to the invention, the vehicles are networked via communication links. For this purpose, a communication link is operated to the first vehicle and to the following vehicle, with information regarding the respective position of the first vehicle and the following vehicle being transmitted via the communication link. The communication links can be organized centrally, for example by means of a cloud-based online server. Alternatively or additionally, communication links can be operated between the vehicles, for example by means of the known car-to-car communication methods via radio and/or Bluetooth technology.

By communicating the positions of the vehicles to each other, a relative position of the vehicles to each other can be determined. This relative position can in turn be communicated to the vehicles. For example, the selected following vehicle can learn that the first vehicle is approaching it. The following vehicle can then draw the attention of the driver of the first vehicle, for example by activating vehicle lights, hazard warning lights, lighting up a green diode, etc. Alternatively or additionally, a signal can be transmitted to a display device of the first vehicle, for example a signal that describes a display on a head-up display of the first vehicle. The position of the following vehicle or several possible following vehicles can thus be shown to the driver of the first vehicle in the form of an augmented reality display in the head-up display, so that he can easily find or select a following vehicle.

The relative position can be determined alternatively or additionally using data from a global satellite-based positioning system (GPS). Dual-frequency technology can be used in particular for this. Alternatively or additionally, the relative position can be determined using navigation data or information about the planned route, as may be available in the vehicle's navigation systems.

Because the route is planned using waypoints, the driver does not have to go to the trouble of finding out up to which point along the route he is allowed to drive with which vehicle. The waypoints can be conveniently incorporated directly into route planning and displayed to the driver in the generally familiar way, for example on a display of the vehicle he is currently driving or on his smartphone.

Planning the trip with the waypoints can preferably take place in a navigation system. The navigation system can, for example, be integrated into a central computing device, for example in the form of a cloud-based online server. The navigation system can be operated via an interface in a respective vehicle, for example via a touchscreen. Alternatively or additionally, the navigation system can be operated in the form of online route planning using a software application or an app. In other words, the driver can plan the trip online and independently of the vehicle, with the waypoints in the transition areas also being planned. The driver can save the information about the trip planned in this way on his smartphone, for example. In other words, the driver can take the information about the planned trip and the waypoints with him into each of the vehicles with which he will travel along the planned route. It can also be provided that a pool of available vehicles receives the information about the planned route directly from the cloud-based online server. The following vehicle can be selected from the pool, whereby the information is directly available in the following vehicle or can be activated when changing vehicles.

Preferably, the driver can log into the software application with his user profile. Additional data can be stored in the user profile, for example in relation to the driver's driving license class. This can then be taken into account in the planning of the waypoints and/or in the selection of the following vehicles. For example, if there is no vehicle available at a possible waypoint for the vehicle change that the driver is allowed to drive, another waypoint can be planned at which vehicles that the driver is allowed to drive are also available.

The invention also includes further embodiments which provide additional advantages.

One embodiment provides that the waypoint for the vehicle change is planned depending on whether a parking area for the first vehicle is available in the transition area. In particular, a planned arrival time of the first vehicle in the transition area and/or a planned stay time of the first vehicle in the transition area can be taken into account. In other words, when planning the journey, it can be taken into account at which waypoints there is also a parking possibility for the first vehicle. For example, known parking areas, preferably parking garages or Parking lots with a large number of parking spaces are taken into account. An entry and exit control can be used to check whether all available parking spaces are occupied or whether there is still a parking space available for the first vehicle at the planned arrival time. Alternatively or additionally, a parking space can be reserved for the first vehicle in the transition area.

When checking the available parking space, vehicle-specific data from the first vehicle is preferably taken into account. This includes, for example, dimensions, model year or the presence of special equipment, such as a roof box or a trailer. The vehicle-specific data can be automatically transmitted to the navigation system mentioned as an identifier when planning the route. The vehicle-specific data can also be stored in the driver's user profile mentioned and taken into account in the planning.

Preferably, the waypoint for the vehicle change is planned not only depending on whether the driver can find a parking space there for the currently used vehicle, but also depending on the availability of suitable following vehicles.

According to a further embodiment, the waypoint for the vehicle change is determined taking into account at least one driver-specific interest. The driver-specific interest can relate to which type of vehicle the driver would like to drive as the following vehicle. For example, the driver can state whether he would like to drive a sports car, a convertible, or a minibus. A so-called point of interest of the driver near the planned waypoint can also be taken into account as a driver-specific interest. If the driver is traveling in the city as a tourist, for example, a point near which there is a sight of interest for tourists can be selected as the waypoint for the vehicle change. This information can, for example, be stored in the aforementioned map data.

Preferably, the planned route is made available to a navigation system of a respective vehicle, in particular each of the vehicles. As described, it can be provided that a pool of available vehicles, or their navigation systems, receives the information about the planned route directly from a cloud-based online server. The following vehicle can be selected from the pool, whereby the information is directly available in the following vehicle or can be activated during the vehicle change. In other words, all following vehicles of the journey can be booked from the start, whereby the route information is immediately available to the driver again after each vehicle change.

The vehicles are preferably fully or partially autonomously operated vehicles. In other words, the first vehicle and/or the following vehicle are preferably operated at least partially autonomously. The vehicles can therefore have at least partially autonomously operating electronic vehicle guidance systems that are designed to steer the vehicles at least partially autonomously to the planned waypoints based on the information about the planned route. This can include, among other things, autonomously carried out parking and reversing maneuvers of the vehicles. The at least partially autonomous control can also involve autonomous driving at levels 3 or 4.

Once the journey has been planned and a waypoint has been found where a suitable follower vehicle is available for the driver, the vehicle change can be carried out. This is preferably carried out depending on a fulfilled release criterion in order to avoid manipulation. In other words, the aim is to prevent an unauthorized person from accessing and activating the follower vehicle. The release criterion can be considered fulfilled, for example, if a key phrase or passphrase is received by the follower vehicle. This passphrase can be transmitted by the first vehicle, which can also be referred to as the master. If the selected follower vehicle or the slave receives the passphrase, the release criterion can be considered fulfilled.

Alternatively or additionally, the fulfilled release criterion can be that at least in the first vehicle and in the following vehicle, matching initiation commands for carrying out the vehicle change are recorded. In the context of the embodiment of the invention described here, communication and action by the driver with the following vehicle is only required if the driver decides on a following vehicle ("slave"). This can be done in the navigation system by means of a query and based on a blockchain started with it. In the sense of cyber security, a blockchain on the platform (or the cloud-based online server) and in the vehicles can ensure that the "slave" is activated at the right time.

By connecting the backend, for example the navigation system of each of the vehicles, to a central server (the cloud-based online server), a blockchain-secured function of conditional key allocation (temporary contactless sharing of vehicle access codes) is enabled. If the temporary release of the access codes is granted by the owner of the code, the blockchain of the entire system is extended to include the conditional permission. This process is called a transaction. Later transactions build on earlier transactions and confirm them as correct by proving knowledge of the earlier transactions. This makes it impossible to manipulate or delete the existence or content of the earlier transactions without simultaneously changing all later transactions. Other participants in this process, also known as decentralized accounting, can then recognize manipulation of the blockchain by the inconsistency of the blocks.

Preferably, a communication connection is established between the first vehicle and the following vehicle and operated at least for the duration of the vehicle change. In particular, the communication connection can only be operated for the duration of the vehicle change, for example from the point in time at which the driver has decided on a following vehicle and/or selected it. The communication connection can also be established and/or broken at the driver's instigation, for example via an operating action by the driver in one of the vehicles.

If the first vehicle or the driver is authenticated by the following vehicle, i.e. if the release criterion is met, the vehicle change can be carried out. The vehicle change can involve parking the first vehicle within a parking area left by the following vehicle during the vehicle change. In other words, the following vehicle and the first vehicle can swap places. This advantageously reserves the parking space of the following vehicle for the first vehicle until the latter alerts the following vehicle to its approach and requests it to leave the parking space.

• Zunächst kann ein Eintreffen des ersten Fahrzeugs in dem Übergangsbereich erfasst werden. Wie beschrieben, kann dies beispielsweise dadurch erfolgen, dass eine Kommunikationsverbindung zwischen den Fahrzeugen zustande kommt oder hergestellt wird und sich das erste Fahrzeug bei dem Folgefahrzeug mit der passphrase anmeldet.

The vehicle change can proceed as follows:

• First, the arrival of the first vehicle in the transition area can be detected. As described, this can be done, for example, by a communication connection being established between the vehicles and the first vehicle registering with the following vehicle using the passphrase.

As soon as the first vehicle has arrived at the following vehicle, a first command for carrying out a parking maneuver from the parking area can be generated and transmitted to the following vehicle. This parking command can, for example, be generated centrally by a computing device of the cloud-based online server and transmitted to the following vehicle. The parking command can include instructions for a vehicle guidance system of the following vehicle and cause it to control a drive device, a braking device, a longitudinal guidance device and/or a lateral guidance device of the following vehicle to carry out the parking maneuver. The following vehicle preferably has an environment sensor system which includes at least one distance sensor and/or a camera sensor.

The environment sensor system preferably comprises a radar sensor and/or a lidar sensor to determine the current distances of the following vehicle to surrounding objects and to enable an accident-free parking maneuver. If the following vehicle is parked in a parking garage or a parking house, the parking maneuver can also be a trained parking maneuver that can be initiated by the parking command. In other words, the following vehicle can have a parking assistant or a parking assistance system that can train and carry out autonomous parking maneuvers.

Preferably, the progress of the parking maneuver is recorded. In other words, the parking maneuver can be observed, for example by a control device of the following vehicle and/or by sensors of the first vehicle. As soon as the parking maneuver is completed and the parking space or parking space of the following vehicle has been cleared, the first vehicle can park there or be parked there. In other words, the first vehicle can also have the environment sensor system described above and/or the parking assistance system described above and can carry out a parking process that is carried out at least partially autonomously.

Preferably, depending on the progress of the parking maneuver, a second command for carrying out a parking maneuver in the parking area is generated and transmitted to the first vehicle. The parking command can also be generated centrally by the computing device of the cloud-based online server and transmitted to the first vehicle. The parking command can include instructions for a vehicle guidance system of the first vehicle and cause it to activate a drive device, a braking device, a longitudinal guidance device and/or to control a transverse guidance device of the first vehicle to carry out the parking maneuver. Preferably, the first vehicle also has an environment sensor system which comprises at least one distance sensor and/or a camera sensor. Preferably, the environment sensor system comprises a radar sensor and/or a lidar sensor in order to determine the current distances of the first vehicle to surrounding objects and to enable an accident-free parking maneuver. If the first vehicle is to park in a parking garage or a multi-storey car park, the parking maneuver can also be a trained parking maneuver which can be initiated by the parking command. In other words, the first vehicle can also have a parking assistant or a parking assistance system which can train and carry out autonomously executable parking maneuvers.

Preferably, the second command is used to control a vehicle guidance system of the first vehicle to carry out the parking maneuver. In addition, the progress of the parking maneuver can also be recorded and, depending on the progress, a third command to continue driving can be generated and transmitted to the following vehicle. In other words, after the parking maneuver has been completed or even started, the following vehicle can continue driving. The vehicle guidance system of the following vehicle can be controlled accordingly for this purpose. Alternatively, the driver who has got into the following vehicle that has left the parking space can of course initiate or carry out the continuation of the journey.

Preferably, the driver's personal belongings can be reloaded before continuing the journey. This can take place before or after the manoeuvre to leave a parking space or before or after the manoeuvre to park.

Preferably, the first vehicle is positioned in relation to the following vehicle after its arrival in such a way that the first vehicle creates a traffic-calmed area for the following vehicle to simplify the parking maneuver. The described reloading process of personal items can also take place in a secure manner in this way. In other words, blocking the traffic and the (visual) diversion by the first vehicle enables the following vehicle to park safely, which is also digitally secured by the continuous blockchain.

In principle, the invention can be used to optimize the travel experience to inner-city locations that are difficult to reach by private car, as it offers the possibility of reserving parking spaces in urban areas and effortless on-the-fly switching between different cars with different usage purposes.

For the flying occupancy change between two cars in a parking space parallel to the roadside, for example, the approaching vehicle ("master") can initiate the manoeuvre of the vehicle occupying the parking space ("slave") at the given time via an internet-enabled backend based on precise position data (GPS with dual-frequency technology).

The slave's parking maneuver can be achieved through coordinated control of steering angle and driving speed, which takes the situation of the environment into account to ensure collision-free movement within the available space. By blocking the traffic by the master, the parking maneuver takes place under simplified boundary conditions.

To take the surrounding situation into account, different methods can be used to detect objects around the vehicle. Sensors installed on the front and rear bumpers can act as both transmitters and receivers. These sensors can emit a signal that is reflected when it encounters an obstacle near the respective vehicle. The vehicle then uses the time of flight to determine the position of the obstacle. Other systems use cameras, such as Omniview technology, or radars to detect obstacles and measure the size of the parking space and the distance to the edge of the road.

A further aspect of the invention relates to a computing device that is designed to plan a route according to the methods described above. The computing device can be designed, for example, as part of a cloud-based online server environment.

A further aspect of the invention relates to a computer program comprising instructions which, if executed by such a computing device, cause it to carry out a method according to one of the embodiments described above.

A further aspect of the invention relates to a computer-readable storage medium on which such a computer program is stored.

For applications or application situations that may arise from the procedure and which are not explicitly described here, it may be provided that, in accordance with the procedure, a An error message and/or a request for user feedback is issued and/or a default setting and/or a predetermined initial state is set.

The invention also includes the control device for a respective vehicle. The control device can have a data processing device or a processor device that is set up to carry out an embodiment of the method according to the invention. For this purpose, the processor device can have at least one microprocessor and/or at least one microcontroller and/or at least one FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) and/or at least one DSP (Digital Signal Processor). Furthermore, the processor device can have program code that is set up to carry out the embodiment of the method according to the invention when executed by the processor device. The program code can be stored in a data memory of the processor device. The processor device can be based, for example, on at least one circuit board and/or on at least one SoC (System on Chip).

The vehicles may be motor vehicles, in particular passenger cars or lorries, or buses or motorcycles.

As a further solution, the invention also includes a computer-readable storage medium, comprising program code which, when executed by a computer or a computer network, causes it to carry out an embodiment of the method according to the invention. The storage medium can be provided at least partially as a non-volatile data memory (e.g. as a flash memory and/or as an SSD - solid state drive) and/or at least partially as a volatile data memory (e.g. as a RAM - random access memory). The storage medium can be arranged in the computer or computer network. However, the storage medium can also be operated, for example, as a so-called app store server and/or cloud server on the Internet. The computer or computer network can provide a processor circuit with, for example, at least one microprocessor. The program code can be provided as binary code and/or as assembler code and/or as source code of a programming language (e.g. C) and/or as a program script (e.g. Python).

The invention also includes combinations of the features of the described embodiments. The invention therefore also includes implementations that each have a combination of the features of several of the described embodiments, provided that the embodiments have not been described as mutually exclusive.

• 1 eine schematische Darstellung einer in mehrere Abschnitte unterteilten Fahrtstrecke,
• 2 eine schematische Darstellung einer beispielhaften Ankunftssituation eines ersten Fahrzeugs an einem Wegpunkt mit mehreren möglichen Folgefahrzeugen;
• 3 eine schematische Darstellung eines Fahrzeugwechsels zwischen dem ersten Fahrzeug und einem Folgefahrzeug; und
• 4 eine schematische Darstellung eines Verfahrens zum Durchführen eines Fahrzeugwechsels an einem Wegpunkt einer erfindungsgemäß geplanten Fahrtstrecke mit mehreren Abschnitten.

Embodiments of the invention are described below.

• 1 a schematic representation of a route divided into several sections,
• 2 a schematic representation of an exemplary arrival situation of a first vehicle at a waypoint with several possible following vehicles;
• 3 a schematic representation of a vehicle change between the first vehicle and a following vehicle; and
• 4 a schematic representation of a method for carrying out a vehicle change at a waypoint of a route planned according to the invention with several sections.

The exemplary embodiments explained below are preferred embodiments of the invention. In the exemplary embodiments, the components of the embodiments described each represent individual features of the invention that are to be considered independently of one another and which also develop the invention independently of one another. Therefore, the disclosure should also include combinations of the features of the embodiments other than those shown. Furthermore, the described embodiments can also be supplemented by other features of the invention already described.

In the figures, identical reference symbols designate functionally identical elements.

1 shows a schematic representation of a route 10 that is divided into several sections 10.1, 10.2. The route 10 leads from a starting point 12 to a destination point 14. In the illustrated embodiment, the route 10 is divided by a waypoint 16 that is located in a transition area 18 that separates the two sections 10.1, 10.2 from each other. In other words, the route 10 is divided by the waypoint 16 into the sections 10.1, 10.2.

In the embodiment of the 1 For example, no specific admission criteria apply to section 10.1 of route 10. This means that all vehicles may drive within section 10.1, regardless of whether they correspond to a certain emission class or meet other requirements. For section 10.2 of the example explained However, this does not apply. The admission criterion here is that vehicles wishing to travel on section 10.2 must have a purely electric drive. This is intended to improve air quality within section 10.2.

In section 10.1, vehicle 20, which has a combustion engine, may be operated. If a driver with vehicle 20 reaches section boundary 22, he must park vehicle 20 there, as he is not permitted to continue driving towards section 10.2. The driver can, for example, change to local public transport at boundary 22.

Alternatively, the driver can also change to the following vehicle 24, which in the example shown here has an electric drive and can therefore be operated in section 10.2. In other words, the driver can drive to the waypoint 16, where the following vehicle 24 can be parked, and carry out a vehicle change 26 there. The driver can be guided along the corresponding planned route 10 to the waypoint 16 in order to carry out the vehicle change 26 there.

Before starting the journey, the driver can enter his destination 14 into a navigation environment, for example into an application software or an app that can access a cloud-based online server. Information about the approval criteria in sections 10.1 and 10.2 can be stored in the online server. At the same time, the driver can provide information about his vehicle 20, whereupon the online server can check whether the vehicle 20 is permitted to travel the entire desired route 10. In the present case, it is not permitted to do so because it does not meet the approval criterion of section 10.2, the electric drive. Therefore, the waypoint 16 can be included in the route planning, provided that a suitable following vehicle 24 is available there at the planned arrival time. After changing vehicles 26 to the following vehicle 24, the driver can continue his journey along the route 10 to the destination 14.

2 shows a schematic representation of an exemplary arrival situation of a first vehicle 20 at a waypoint 16 with several possible following vehicles 24, wherein the first vehicle 20 travels from left to right along the 2 shown road (arrow). By positioning itself diagonally behind the selected following vehicle 24, the first vehicle 20 advantageously blocks the following traffic. The blockage consists on the one hand in blocking the side of the road so that the following traffic has to wait behind the first vehicle 20. This creates a traffic-calmed parking area for the following vehicle 24. On the other hand, the first vehicle 20 forms a visual blockade for the following traffic so that a driver of a following vehicle recognizes well in advance that he has to brake in order not to drive into the first vehicle 20.

In in 2 In the example shown, the available following vehicles 24 indicate their availability by means of lighting devices 28 as soon as the first vehicle 20 is within their range. The driver of the first vehicle 20 can now select one of the available following vehicles 24 and carry out or initiate the vehicle change 26.

In order to prevent unauthorized access to one of the following vehicles 24, it can be checked whether the first vehicle 20 has an approval criterion. This can be, for example, a digital identifier that the vehicle 20 can transmit to the following vehicle 24 directly or to the cloud-based online server. As soon as the identifier has been checked and approved, the vehicle change 26 can be initiated.

3 now shows a schematic representation of a vehicle change 26 between the first vehicle 20 and a following vehicle 24 in three steps.

In the top view of the 3 shows how the first vehicle 20 registers with the selected following vehicle 24. This happens when the first vehicle 20 activates its right turn signal (not shown). This can be detected, for example, by means of a camera sensor of the following vehicle 24. Alternatively or additionally, the following vehicle 24 can receive a corresponding selection signal, which can be transmitted by the first vehicle 20 or by the online server.

The following vehicle 24 will then perform a parking maneuver to free up a parking space for the first vehicle 20 ( 3 , middle). Meanwhile, the first vehicle 20 can be positioned behind the following vehicle 24 in such a way that it creates a traffic-calmed area for easier execution of the parking maneuver. As soon as the following vehicle 24 has left the parking space, it can activate its hazard warning lights to signal to the following traffic that it is waiting for the driver of the first vehicle 20 while he parks the first vehicle 20 in the now free parking space or until the first Vehicle 20 has parked in the parking space at least partially autonomously.

If the parking space is free, the first vehicle 20 can be parked there manually or can perform an automated parking process or a parking maneuver ( 3 , below).

4 shows a schematic representation of a method for carrying out a vehicle change 26 at a waypoint 16 of a planned route 10 with several sections 10.1, 10.2.

First, the route 10 is planned. For this purpose, a starting point 12 and a destination point 14 of the route 10 are recorded (step S1). Then it is checked whether the route 10 passes through several sections 10.1, 10.2 in which different approval criteria apply. If this is the case, the route 10 is divided into several consecutive sections 10.1, 10.2, with the division being made depending on at least one approval criterion for driving a respective section 10.1, 10.2 (step S2). Then a transition area 18 is defined between the sections 10.1, 10.2, in which a waypoint 16 is then planned (step S3). At the waypoint 16, a vehicle change 26 from a first vehicle 20 to a following vehicle 24 is then planned, wherein the first vehicle 20 fulfills the admission criterion for driving on the first section 10.1, and wherein the following vehicle 24 fulfills the admission criterion for driving on the following section 10.2 (step S4).

If the driver now starts with the first vehicle 20 at the starting point 12, he is first guided by a navigation system into the transition area 18. To carry out the vehicle change 26, the arrival of the first vehicle 20 in the transition area 18 is detected (step S5). Then, depending on the arrival, a first command for carrying out a parking maneuver out of the parking area or parking space is generated and transmitted to the following vehicle 24, wherein a vehicle guidance system of the following vehicle 24 is controlled based on the first command to carry out the parking maneuver (step S6). Then, the progress of the parking maneuver is recorded, wherein, depending on the progress, a second command for carrying out a parking maneuver into the parking area is generated and transmitted to the first vehicle 20, wherein a vehicle guidance system of the first vehicle 20 is controlled based on the second command to carry out the parking maneuver (step S7). Then, a progress of the parking maneuver is detected, wherein depending on the progress, a third command to continue the journey is generated and transmitted to the following vehicle 24, wherein the vehicle guidance system of the following vehicle 24 is controlled to continue the journey based on the third command (step S8).

Overall, the examples show how a flying change can be provided as an additional system for (private) car sharing in the cities of the future.

Claims (14)

Method for planning a journey along a predetermined route (10), wherein - the route (10) is divided into several consecutive sections (10.1, 10.2), wherein the division of the route (10) into the sections (10.1, 10.2) is carried out depending on at least one authorization criterion for driving a respective section (10.1, 10.2), - a waypoint (16) is planned in a transition area (18) from a first section (10.1) to a section (10.2) following the first section, and - a vehicle change (26) from a first vehicle (20) to a following vehicle (24) is planned at the waypoint (16), wherein the first vehicle (20) meets the authorization criterion for driving the first section (10.1), and wherein the following vehicle (24) meets the authorization criterion for driving the following section (10.2), characterized that the vehicles (20, 24) are networked via communication connections, wherein for this purpose a communication connection to the first vehicle (20) and to the following vehicle (24) is operated, wherein information regarding a respective position of the first vehicle (20) and the following vehicle (24) is transmitted by means of the communication connection. procedure according to Claim 1 , wherein the waypoint (16) for the vehicle change (26) is planned depending on whether a parking area for the first vehicle (20) is available in the transition area (18), in particular during the planned arrival period of the first vehicle (20) in the transition area (18) and/or for a planned duration of stay of the first vehicle (20) in the transition area (18). Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the waypoint (16) for the vehicle change (26) is determined taking into account at least one driver-specific interest of a driver of the first vehicle (20). Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the planned route (10) is made available to a navigation system of a respective vehicle (20, 24), in particular each of the vehicles (20, 24). Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the first vehicle (20) and/or the following vehicle (24) are operated at least partially autonomously. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the vehicle change (25) is carried out depending on a fulfilled release criterion. procedure according to claim 6 , wherein the fulfilled release criterion comprises that at least in the first vehicle (20) and in the following vehicle (24) matching initiation commands for carrying out the vehicle change (26) are detected. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a communication connection is established between the first vehicle (20) and the following vehicle (24) and is operated at least for the duration of the vehicle change (26). Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the vehicle change (26) comprises parking the first vehicle (20) in a parking area left by the following vehicle (24) during the vehicle change (26). procedure according to claim 9 , wherein, in order to carry out the vehicle change (26), - an arrival of the first vehicle (20) in the transition area (18) is detected, - depending on the arrival, a first command for carrying out a parking maneuver from the parking area is generated and transmitted to the following vehicle (24), and - based on the first command, a vehicle guidance system of the following vehicle (24) is controlled to carry out the parking maneuver, - a progress of the parking maneuver is detected, - depending on the progress, a second command for carrying out a parking maneuver into the parking area is generated and transmitted to the first vehicle (20), and - based on the second command, a vehicle guidance system of the first vehicle (20) is controlled to carry out the parking maneuver, - a progress of the parking maneuver is detected, - depending on the progress, a third command for continuing the journey is generated and transmitted to the following vehicle (24), and - based on the third command, the vehicle guidance system of the following vehicle (24) to continue the journey. procedure according to claim 10 , wherein the first vehicle (20) is positioned in relation to the following vehicle (24) after its arrival in such a way that a traffic-calmed area is created by the first vehicle (20) for the following vehicle (24) to simplify the parking manoeuvre. Computing device designed to plan a route (10) according to a method according to one of the preceding claims. Computer program comprising instructions which, when executed by a computing device according to claim 12 cause them to initiate a procedure in accordance with one of the Claims 1 until 11 to carry out. Computer-readable storage medium on which a computer program is claim 13 is stored.

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