Vehicle control device and vehicle control method

Abstract

This system simplifies driver operation during automated control functions such as parking, allowing the vehicle to automatically move to the target position. [Solution] The system includes: an environment recognition unit that recognizes the target position and drivable area of ​​the vehicle based on environmental information acquired by external sensors; a virtual path calculation unit that determines multiple virtual paths for the vehicle starting from the target position in the drivable area; a candidate position setting unit that sets multiple candidate positions on the multiple virtual paths; a connection path calculation unit that determines connection paths that can reach the candidate positions from the current position; a driving mode switching area setting unit that generates a driving mode switching area by integrating the multiple candidate positions for which connection paths have been set; and a vehicle control unit that switches the driving mode of the vehicle from a first driving mode to a second driving mode when the vehicle reaches the driving mode switching area, and controls the vehicle on the path from the driving mode switching area to the target position.

Description

Technical Field

[0005] ,

[0004]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle control device and a vehicle control method.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, various technologies for automatically controlling vehicles such as automobiles have been developed, and among them, vehicles equipped with an automatic parking system that automatically parks the vehicle in a parking space have also been developed. In a conventional automatic parking system, for example, the vehicle needs to be once stopped near the target parking space, and then the driver has to perform operations such as setting the parking position on the in-vehicle display.

[0003] Patent Document 1 describes an automatic parking technology that calculates a range where a position that is a contact point between a path from the initial position of the host vehicle and a path from the target position exists, and uses the position selected within that range as a switching position to calculate a parking path that reaches the target position via the switching position from the initial position.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] ​ The object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle control device and a vehicle control method that can simplify user operation and automatically drive the vehicle to a target position, and that can handle various scenarios, such as when multiple reversals are required. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To solve the above problems, for example, the configuration described in the claims is adopted. This invention includes several means for solving the above-mentioned problems, but one example is a vehicle control device, An environmental recognition unit recognizes the target position and drivable area of ​​the vehicle based on environmental information acquired by external sensors mounted on the vehicle, A virtual path calculation unit that determines multiple virtual paths for the vehicle starting from the target position within the drivable area, A candidate position setting unit sets multiple candidate positions on multiple virtual paths, A connection path calculation unit that determines a connection path that can reach a candidate location from the current location of the vehicle, A driving mode switching area setting unit generates a driving mode switching area by integrating multiple candidate locations for which connection paths have been set, The system includes a vehicle control unit that, when the vehicle reaches a driving mode switching area, switches the vehicle's driving mode from the first driving mode to the second driving mode, and controls the vehicle along the path from the driving mode switching area to the target position. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, the driver can easily reach the area indicated by the system, reducing the hassle of operation, and can smoothly transition to the target position through automatic control. Other issues, configurations, and effects not mentioned above will be clarified by the following description of the embodiments. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1]This is a configuration diagram showing an example of a system for an entire vehicle equipped with a vehicle control device according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This figure shows an example of the hardware configuration of a vehicle control device according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] This flowchart shows an example of a control process executed by a vehicle control device according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] This flowchart shows an example of idle processing performed by a vehicle control device according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] This flowchart shows an example of spatial search and guidance processing performed by a vehicle control device according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] This flowchart shows an example of an automatic control process performed by a vehicle control device according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] This flowchart shows an example of a reversing process performed by a vehicle control device according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] This is a flowchart showing the stopping response process executed by a vehicle control device according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] This figure shows an example of the control state of a vehicle as executed by a vehicle control device according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] This figure shows an example of a notification by the human-machine interface management unit of a vehicle control device according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] This figure shows an example of processing (1) between the virtual path calculation unit and the candidate position setting unit of a vehicle control device according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] This figure shows an example of processing (part 2) between the virtual path calculation unit and the candidate position setting unit of a vehicle control device according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13] This figure shows an example (Example 1) of reachable candidate positions and unreachable candidate positions according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 14]The figure shows an example of reachable candidate positions and unreachable candidate positions (Example 2) according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 15] The figure shows an example of scoring of reachable candidate positions according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 16] The figure shows an example selected based on the scoring of reachable candidate positions according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 17] The figure shows an example of learning processing in a travel mode switching area setting unit of a vehicle control device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 18] The figure shows an example of notification (Example 1) by a human machine interface management unit of a vehicle control device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 19] The figure shows an example of notification (Example 2) by a human machine interface management unit of a vehicle control device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 20] The figure shows an example of notification (Example 3) by a human machine interface management unit of a vehicle control device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 21] The figure shows an example of notification (Example 4) by a human machine interface management unit of a vehicle control device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 22] The figure shows an example of notification (Example 5) by a human machine interface management unit of a vehicle control device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 23] The figure shows an example of processing (Modification Example 1) of a travel mode switching area setting unit of a vehicle control device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 24] The figure shows an example of processing (Modification Example 1) of a travel mode switching area setting unit of a vehicle control device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 25] The figure shows an example of applying the control by a vehicle control device according to an embodiment of the present invention to parallel forward parking. [Figure 26] The figure shows an example of applying the control by a vehicle control device according to an embodiment of the present invention to perpendicular parking. [Figure 27]This figure shows an example of applying control by a vehicle control device according to one embodiment of the present invention when entering a narrow alley. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] Hereinafter, with reference to the drawings, a vehicle control device and a vehicle control method according to one embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as "this example") will be described.

[0011] [Overall system configuration] Figure 1 shows an example of the overall system configuration equipped with the vehicle control device 100 in this example. The vehicle control device 100 in this example performs control to automatically move a vehicle (automobile) traveling on a road to a target location, such as a parking space adjacent to the road. While a parking space is one example of a target location, the device may also be configured to move the vehicle to other target locations, as will be explained in the modified examples below. However, this explanation focuses on the case where the vehicle is moved to a parking space.

[0012] The vehicle control device 100 is connected to an external environment recognition device 101, an automatic control execution button 102, an assistance start button 103, a vehicle status information acquisition unit 104, a steering device 111, a drive device 112, a braking device 113, a transmission device 114, a sound generator 115, and a display device 116.

[0013] The external environment recognition device 101 is an external sensor mounted on the vehicle, consisting of a camera, a LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) device, etc., and recognizes the environment around the vehicle, such as objects and people. The automatic control execution button 102 and the support start button 103 are buttons operated by the vehicle driver. These buttons 102 and 103 may be physical buttons installed in the vehicle, or they may be touch-operated buttons on the display device 116 with a built-in touch panel. In this case, the touch-operated buttons displayed by the display device 116 will appear on the screen when the respective buttons can be operated.

[0014] The vehicle status information acquisition unit 104 acquires information such as the vehicle speed (vehicle speed), the steering angle (vehicle steering angle), and the current shift position of the transmission 114 from sensors that detect these values.

[0015] The steering device 111 is, for example, a steering device that changes the direction of the vehicle's front wheels, and when the driver is operating the vehicle, it changes the direction of the front wheels based on the rotation of the steering wheel. On the other hand, the steering device 111 can also change the direction of the front wheels in response to instructions from the vehicle control device 100, whether the vehicle control device 100 is performing automatic driving control or auxiliary driving control. The vehicle control device 100 has pre-registered information such as the minimum turning radius of the vehicle driven by the steering device 111.

[0016] The drive unit 112 generates a driving force that propels the vehicle, either from the engine or the motor, or both, based on the driver's operation of the accelerator pedal. Furthermore, when the vehicle control device 100 performs automatic driving control, it instructs the drive unit 112 to generate driving force. The braking device 113 generates braking force that slows down or stops the vehicle in response to the driver's operation of the brake pedal. Furthermore, when the vehicle control device 100 performs automatic driving control, it instructs the braking device 113 to generate braking force.

[0017] The transmission 114 rotates the axle with the appropriate torque and performs the gear shifting process when transmitting the driving force from the drive unit 112 to the axle. The transmission 114 also performs the process of switching the direction of travel of the vehicle by shifting gears. Furthermore, when the vehicle control device 100 performs automatic driving control, it may instruct the transmission 114 to change gears or switch gears.

[0018] The sound generator 115, based on instructions from the HMI (Human-Machine Interface) management unit 6 of the vehicle control device 100, provides notification to the driver in the form of voice or warning sounds. The display device 116, based on instructions from the HMI management unit 6 of the vehicle control device 100, performs notification processing in the form of images and text for the driver. Furthermore, the notification processing performed under the control of the HMI management unit 6 may be performed for occupants other than the driver who are riding in the vehicle.

[0019] Next, the configuration of the vehicle control device 100 shown in Figure 1 will be described. Figure 1 is a functional block diagram showing the processes executed by the vehicle control device 100. In reality, the vehicle control device 100 is composed of a computer, as will be described later in Figure 2. As shown in Figure 1, the vehicle control device 100 includes an environment recognition unit 1, a virtual route calculation unit 2, a candidate position setting unit 3, a connection route calculation unit 4, a driving mode switching area setting unit 5, an HMI management unit 6, a vehicle position estimation unit 7, a control route calculation unit 8, and a vehicle control unit 9.

[0020] The environmental recognition unit 1 acquires environmental information about the vehicle's surroundings from the external environment recognition device 101 and external sensors, and recognizes the vehicle's target position and drivable area based on the acquired environmental information. In addition to the environmental information about the vehicle's surroundings obtained from the external environment recognition device 101, the environmental recognition unit 1 may also acquire map information of the vehicle's current position. The virtual route calculation unit 2 calculates multiple virtual routes for the vehicle, starting from the target position, within the target position and drivable area recognized by the environment recognition unit 1. The information of the multiple virtual routes calculated by the virtual route calculation unit 2 is supplied to the candidate position setting unit 3.

[0021] The candidate position setting unit 3 performs candidate position setting processing to set multiple candidate positions on the obtained multiple virtual paths. The information of the set candidate positions is supplied to the connection path calculation unit 4 and the driving mode switching area setting unit 5. The connection path calculation unit 4 uses information about the surrounding environment obtained from the environment recognition unit 1 and information about candidate locations obtained from the candidate location setting unit 3 to perform connection path calculation processing to calculate a connection path that can reach the candidate location from the vehicle's current location.

[0022] The driving mode switching area setting unit 5 acquires connection path information obtained by the connection path calculation unit 4 and generates a driving mode switching area by integrating multiple candidate locations for which connection paths have been set. The HMI management unit 6 performs processing to inform the occupants of information obtained by the driving mode switching area setting unit 5. An example of what the HMI management unit 6 informs the occupants of will be described later.

[0023] The vehicle position estimation unit 7 calculates the vehicle position using information such as the vehicle speed, wheel speed, steering angle, and yaw rate, employing vehicle position estimation methods such as odometry and dead reckoning. The vehicle position estimation method used here calculates the amount of vehicle movement and angle change over a small time interval, and by accumulating these, calculates the vehicle position relative to an arbitrary point, thereby calculating the amount of vehicle movement (such as distance traveled or route taken). Alternatively, the vehicle position may be estimated based on information obtained from a satellite positioning system or navigation system (not shown). The control path calculation unit 8 calculates a control path for automatically driving the vehicle based on the environment recognized by the environment recognition unit 1 and the current position, and may have the same functions as the virtual path calculation unit 2 and the connection path calculation unit 4. The vehicle control unit 9 obtains the vehicle's position estimated by the vehicle position estimation unit 7, the control path calculated by the control path calculation unit 8, and the driving mode switching area set by the driving mode switching area setting unit 5, and then executes a process to control the vehicle.

[0024] Vehicle control processing in the vehicle control device 100 includes, for example, the vehicle control unit 9, when the vehicle reaches a driving mode switching region, the process of switching the vehicle's driving mode from the first driving mode to the second driving mode, and the process of controlling the vehicle along the path from the driving mode switching region to the target position. Here, the first driving mode is, for example, a driving mode in which the driver manually controls the vehicle, and the second driving mode is a mode in which the vehicle control unit 9 automatically drives the vehicle to the target position (parking position). Alternatively, the driving mode in which the vehicle automatically drives on the road may be designated as the first driving mode. As will be described later, if a reversing maneuver is required when driving to the parking position, the reversing position is also included in the target position. The vehicle control unit 9 sends control commands to the steering unit 111, the drive unit 112, the braking unit 113, and the transmission unit 114 in order to control the vehicle.

[0025] [Vehicle control system hardware configuration] Figure 2 shows an example of the hardware configuration of the computer that makes up the vehicle control device 100. The vehicle control device 100 comprises a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 100a, memory 100b, storage 100c, input unit 100d, control information output unit 100e, and sound / display information output unit 100f, each of which is connected to the others via a bus line for data transfer.

[0026] The CPU 100a executes a program stored in memory 100b or storage 100c, thereby configuring the arithmetic processing unit in memory 100b. In other words, memory 100b contains the environment recognition unit 1 and the vehicle control unit 9, as explained in Figure 1. Storage 100c stores programs for the vehicle control device 100 and data for executing control processes.

[0027] The input unit 100d is supplied with information from the external environment recognition device 101, the automatic control execution button 102, the support start button 103, and the vehicle status information acquisition unit 104. In addition, button operation inputs are supplied to the input unit 100d, and the obtained information and button operation inputs are transmitted to the arithmetic processing unit configured in the memory 100b.

[0028] The control information output unit 100e outputs information for automatically controlling the vehicle to the steering device 111, the drive device 112, the braking device 113, and the transmission device 114. The sound and display information output unit 100f outputs sound information such as voices and warning sounds to the sound generator 115, and also outputs display information to the display device 116.

[0029] [Processing in automatic control mode] Figure 3 is a flowchart showing the process that the vehicle control device 100 performs when changing the automatic control mode. In the flowchart described below, the user refers to the occupants of the vehicle, such as the driver. First, the vehicle control device 100 changes its processing based on the current automatic control mode. That is, the vehicle control device 100 determines whether the current automatic control mode is idle, spatial search guidance, or automatic control (step S11). If the automatic control mode is idle, the vehicle control device 100 proceeds to the idle processing in step S12; if it is spatial search guidance, it proceeds to the spatial search guidance processing in step S13; and if it is automatic control, it proceeds to the automatic control processing in step S14.

[0030] Figure 4 is a flowchart of the idle process in step S12 of the flowchart in Figure 3. First, the vehicle control device 100 determines whether or not the support start button 103 has been pressed (step S21). The idle process is the process of checking in step S21 whether or not the support start button has been pressed by the user. If it is determined in step S21 that the support start button 103 has not been pressed (NO in step S21), the idle process ends.

[0031] Then, if it is determined in step S21 that the support start button 103 has been pressed (YES in step S21), the vehicle control device 100 changes the automatic control mode to "Spatial Search Guidance in Progress" (step S22). At this point, the HMI management unit 6 of the vehicle control device 100 causes the sound generator 115 or display device 116 to execute a notification process to the user that "Spatial Search Guidance in Progress" is being performed (step S23).

[0032] Figure 5 is a flowchart showing the spatial search guidance process in step S13 of the flowchart in Figure 3. First, the environment recognition unit 1 of the vehicle control device 100 performs the process of acquiring external environment recognition results (step S31), and then performs the process of recognizing the surrounding environment of the vehicle from the acquired external environment recognition results (step S32). Then, in step S32, the surrounding environment recognition process determines whether or not the target location that will be the parking position (target position) has been detected (step S33). The target position here is detected, for example, by recognizing a parking-friendly location automatically from the external environment recognition results using image analysis. Previously, the use of ultrasonic sensors with short detection ranges or cameras that capture images at close range was the mainstream, making it difficult to recognize the parking position unless one was very close to the parking position. However, in recent years, with the development of higher resolution cameras and machine learning, it has become possible to recognize the parking position from a distance.

[0033] If the target position is not detected in step S33 (NO in step S33), the vehicle control device 100 terminates the spatial search guidance process. If a target position is detected in step S33 (YES in step S33), the virtual path calculation unit 2 performs a virtual path calculation process to calculate multiple virtual paths for the vehicle starting from the target position within the drivable area, and the candidate position setting unit 3 sets multiple candidate positions on the multiple virtual paths (step S34). The virtual path calculated here is the exit path from the parking position if the target position is a parking position. Once multiple candidate locations are set in step S34, the connection path calculation unit 4 calculates connection paths that can reach the candidate locations from the vehicle's current position (step S35). Furthermore, the driving mode switching area setting unit 5 generates a driving mode switching area by integrating multiple candidate locations for which connection paths have been set (step S36).

[0034] Subsequently, the vehicle control unit 9 determines whether the setting of the driving mode switching area was properly performed in the process up to step S36 (step S37). If the setting of the driving mode switching area in step S37 is not performed correctly (NO in step S37), the vehicle control device 100 terminates the spatial search guidance process. If the driving mode switching area is set correctly in step S37 (YES in step S37), the HMI management unit 6 of the vehicle control device 100 notifies the user that the target location has been found using the sound generator 115 or the display device 116. That is, the HMI management unit 6 displays the found area on the display device 116 to notify the user of the area such as the target location (step S38). An example of the display at this time will be described later.

[0035] Subsequently, the vehicle control unit 9 determines whether or not the vehicle has entered the driving mode switching area (step S39). If the vehicle does not reach the driving mode switching area in step S39 (NO in step S39), the vehicle control device 100 terminates the spatial search guidance process. In step S39, if the vehicle reaches the driving mode switching region (YES in step S39), the control path calculation unit 8 of the vehicle control device 100 performs control path calculation processing (step S40).

[0036] Subsequently, the vehicle control unit 9 determines whether or not the control path calculation was successfully performed in step S40 (step S41). If the control path calculation was successful in step S41 (YES in step S41), the vehicle control device 100 determines whether or not the automatic control execution button 102 was pressed by the driver (step S42). If it is determined in step S42 that the automatic control execution button 102 has been pressed (YES in step S42), the vehicle control device 100 changes the automatic control mode to the "automatic control in progress" mode (step 43).

[0037] Furthermore, if the control path calculation cannot be performed in step S41 (NO in step S41), and if it cannot be determined in step S42 that the automatic control execution button 102 has been pressed (NO in step S42), the vehicle control device 100 terminates the spatial search guidance process.

[0038] Figure 6 is a flowchart showing the automatic control process in step S14 of the flowchart in Figure 3. First, the environmental recognition unit 1 of the vehicle control device 100 performs the process of acquiring external environment recognition results (step S51), and then performs environmental recognition processing of the area around the vehicle based on the acquired external environment recognition results (step S52). Then, the vehicle control unit 9 performs collision prediction processing between the vehicle and surrounding objects based on the environmental recognition results of the environmental recognition unit 1 and the control path calculated by the control path calculation unit 8 (step S53). Here, the vehicle control unit 9 calculates whether or not there is a possibility of collision with surrounding objects when the vehicle moves along the control path.

[0039] Next, the vehicle control unit 9 calculates the target steering angle and target speed based on the control path and collision prediction results (step S54). Next, the vehicle control unit 9 calculates control parameters for automatically controlling the vehicle based on the target steering angle and target speed information calculated in step S54 (step S55). Then, the vehicle control unit 9 outputs vehicle control signals based on the calculated control parameters to the steering device 111, drive device 112, etc., and executes automatic control of the vehicle (step S56).

[0040] Next, the vehicle control unit 9 determines whether or not the vehicle has reached the target position (step S57). When the vehicle determines in step S57 that it has reached the target position (YES in step S57), the vehicle control unit 9 determines whether the target position is a target position such as a parking position (step S58). When the vehicle determines in step S58 that it has reached the target position (YES in step S58), the vehicle control unit 9 changes the automatic control mode to "idling" (step S59). At this time, the HMI management unit 6 notifies the user that automatic control is complete via the sound generator 115 or display device 116 (step S60).

[0041] Furthermore, if it is determined in step S57 that the vehicle has not reached the target position (NO in step S57), the vehicle control unit 9 determines whether or not the vehicle stopped before reaching the target position (step S61). If, in step S61, it is determined that the vehicle has stopped before reaching the target position (YES in step S61), the vehicle control unit 9 executes a stop response process (step S62). The stop response process will be described later in Figure 8.

[0042] If, in step S61, it is determined that the vehicle has not stopped before reaching the target position (NO in step S61), automatic control is continued. Furthermore, if the vehicle determines that the target position reached in step S58 is not the target position (NO in step S58), the vehicle control unit 9 proceeds to the reversal process (step S63).

[0043] Figure 7 is a flowchart showing the control process during the reversal process. First, the vehicle control unit 9 performs an automatic control continuation determination process based on the current external environment recognition status (step S71). In this automatic control continuation determination process, the vehicle control unit 9 determines whether or not it is possible to continue driving along the set route (step S72). If it is determined in step S72 that it is possible to continue driving along the route (YES in step S72), the vehicle control unit 9 sends an instruction to the transmission 114 to perform a shift switching process to switch the direction of travel of the vehicle (step S73). Then, the HMI management unit 6 notifies the user that the shift switching process is being performed via the sound generator 115 or the display device 116 (step S74).

[0044] Furthermore, if it is determined in step S72 that it is impossible to continue driving along the route (NO in step S72), the vehicle control unit 9 causes the control route calculation unit 8 to recalculate the control route (step S75). After that, the vehicle control unit 9 determines whether or not the control route has been calculated (step S76). When it is determined in step S76 that the control path has been calculated (YES in step S76), the vehicle control unit 9 performs the shift switching process in step S73 and simultaneously executes the user notification process in step S74.

[0045] Furthermore, if it is determined in step S76 that a control path cannot be calculated (NO in step S76), the vehicle control unit 9 changes the automatic control mode to "idling" (step S77). At this time, the HMI management unit 6 notifies the user that automatic control has been discontinued via the sound generator 115 or the display device 116 (step S78).

[0046] Figure 8 is a flowchart showing the stop-and-go processing performed in step S62 of Figure 6. When the vehicle comes to a stop, the vehicle control unit 9 causes the control path calculation unit 8 to recalculate the control path (step 81). The vehicle control unit 9 then determines whether or not a control path has been generated by the calculation performed by the control path calculation unit 8 (step S82). When the control path is determined to have been calculated in step S82 (YES in step S82), the vehicle control unit 9 sends an instruction to the transmission 114 to execute a shift switching process to switch the direction of travel of the vehicle (step S83). Then, the HMI management unit 6 notifies the user that the shift switching process is being executed via the sound generator 115 or the display device 116 (step S84).

[0047] Furthermore, if a control path could not be generated in step S82, meaning that it is determined that it is impossible to continue driving along the path (NO in step S82), the vehicle control unit 9 changes the automatic control mode to "idling" (step S85). At this time, the HMI management unit 6 notifies the user that automatic control has been discontinued via the sound generator 115 or the display device 116 (step S86).

[0048] [Example of driving to a target position in automatic control mode] Next, we will describe an example of control using the vehicle control device 100 in this example to move the vehicle to a target position. Figure 9 shows an example of parallel parking, where a vehicle traveling on a road (initial position M1) is automatically parked at a target position TG1, which is approximately perpendicular to the road. In this example in Figure 9, the vehicle is reversed to the target position TG1 to perform parallel parking.

[0049] In the example shown in Figure 9, when the support start button 103 is pressed during idle processing (Figure 4), spatial search guidance processing (Figure 5) is executed and the target position TG1 is detected. The vehicle control device 100 then calculates multiple candidate connection positions on the exit route from the target position TG and sets a region A1 by integrating the surrounding connectable candidate positions based on the candidate position that is easiest to connect to from the current position. The vehicle control device 100 then displays the set region A1 on the display device 116 and guides the user to proceed to region A1. Region A1 is a driving mode switching region, and the driving mode is switched within this region, and in the case of parallel parking, it is the position where the vehicle reverses.

[0050] When the vehicle travels along route R1 and reaches the driving mode switching area A1, the user presses the automatic control execution button 102. The vehicle control device 100 then enters automatic control mode, and through automatic control, the vehicle can be driven backward from the turning position M2 in area A1 to the target position TG1. Therefore, in this example, it is not necessary to temporarily stop the vehicle next to the parking position (parking space) TG1.

[0051] Figure 10 shows the display screen 116a of the display device 116 inside the vehicle when it is stopped at position M2 within the driving mode switching region A1. When the support start button 103 is pressed and the vehicle reaches the driving mode switching area A1 and calculations such as the control path are completed, the vehicle control device 100 displays an image from the vehicle's rear camera on the display screen 116a. This rear camera image shows a parking target a1 indicating the target position TG1, and a path display r2 corresponding to the driving path R2 to the parking target a1.

[0052] Additionally, the display screen 116a shows a text notification stating, "Press the button and release the brake to start automatic control." Note that the display screen 116a shown in Figure 10 is an example of the display when the vehicle has reached the driving mode switching area A1. When the vehicle is driving along the route R1 from the initial position M1 to the turning position M2 in the first driving mode, the display screen 116a shows area A1 and the target position TG1, but examples of these displays will be explained in Figure 18 and onward.

[0053] In the examples shown in Figures 9 and 10, the turning point M2 is set approximately in the center of the driving mode switching area A1. However, the turning point M2 can be any position within the driving mode switching area A1. Therefore, once the vehicle is driven to any point within the driving mode switching area A1 by the user (driver), automatic control driving becomes possible thereafter. In this case, it is preferable to set a wide area for the driving mode switching area A1 based on connection candidate positions that are easily reachable by the driver on the exit route from the target position TG1.

[0054] Figures 11 and 12 show specific examples of the virtual path calculation process in the virtual path calculation unit 2 and the candidate position setting process in the candidate position setting unit 3. When calculating a virtual route, which is the exit route from the target position TG1, as shown in Figure 11, the virtual route calculation unit 2 determines the exit route from parallel parking by gradually advancing the position at predetermined conditions such as predetermined distances or predetermined angles from the target position TG1, and the candidate position setting unit 3 determines the candidate route Ra. As shown in Figure 11, the position of the vehicle as it is gradually advanced is the candidate connection position.

[0055] When determining the outbound route using virtual route calculation processing, the virtual route calculation unit 2 can calculate multiple virtual routes by changing the initial straight-line distance from the target position TG1 and the radius of the arc section. Furthermore, the virtual path calculation unit 2 can also calculate multiple virtual paths as the exit path by setting the angle (e.g., 90 degrees) to which the vehicle will turn from the target position TG1, and setting the transition sections before and after the circular arc section. For example, a clothoid curve can be applied as the transition section. The virtual path calculation unit 2 can increase the number of candidate locations through these processes.

[0056] Figure 12 shows an example where there is a wall W as an obstacle at a position opposite the target position TG1, which is a parallel parking position. In the example shown in Figure 12, the distance between the target position TG1 and the wall W is narrow, and the outbound route requires multiple reversal processes at reversal positions Ma, Mb, and Mc. The virtual path calculation process in the virtual path calculation unit 2 and the candidate position setting process in the candidate position setting unit 3 can also perform calculations that require multiple turns, as shown in Figure 12. The number of turns required to exit the parking lot can be calculated from the minimum turning radius information of the vehicle, which is pre-set in the vehicle control device 100, and the distance between the target position TG1 recognized by external sensors and the wall W.

[0057] Note that in the example in Figure 12, there is an obstacle, a wall W. In contrast, if the target position TG1, which is a parallel parking position, is directly adjacent to the road and the road has multiple lanes, the boundary line between the lane adjacent to the target position TG1 and the adjacent lane may be treated in the same way as the wall W. This allows the vehicle to be parked at the target position by making multiple maneuvers to avoid encroaching on the adjacent lane or the oncoming lane.

[0058] Figures 13 and 14 show examples of changing the size of the driving mode switching area depending on the distance from the vehicle's current position to the driving mode switching area or target position. When setting a driving mode switching area, it is preferable for the driving mode switching area setting unit 5 to set the driving mode switching area to be narrower as the distance between the set driving mode switching area or target position and the current position of the vehicle decreases.

[0059] For example, as shown in Figure 13, when a vehicle traveling from the initial position M1-1 reaches a position relatively far from the target position TG1, the driving mode switching area setting unit 5 sets the driving mode switching area A11 to a relatively wide area. The driving mode switching area A11 shown in Figure 13 is a candidate position reachable from the initial position M1-1, but the candidate position B11 that is not reachable among the candidate exit routes from the target position TG1 is excluded from the driving mode switching area A11.

[0060] On the other hand, as shown in Figure 14, when a vehicle traveling from the initial position M1-2 reaches a position relatively close to the target position TG1, the driving mode switching area setting unit 5 sets the driving mode switching area A12 to a relatively narrow area. The driving mode switching area A12 shown in Figure 14 is also a candidate position reachable from the initial position M1-2, but the candidate position B12 that is not reachable among the candidate exit routes from the target position TG1 is excluded from the driving mode switching area A12. The reachable candidate locations and unreachable candidate locations shown in Figures 13 and 14 are calculated by the connection path calculation unit 4. The greater the distance between the vehicle and the candidate locations, the easier it is to calculate the connection path, and consequently, the number of reachable candidate locations will be greater than the number of unreachable candidate locations, allowing for a wider range to be set for the driving mode switching.

[0061] Figures 15 and 16 show examples of how the driving mode switching area setting unit 5 appropriately selects a driving mode switching area. The driving mode switching area setting unit 5 assigns higher scores to multiple candidate positions determined to be reachable by the connection path calculation unit 4, based on conditions such as fewer turns required for the vehicle to reach the target position from the candidate position and a shorter connection path distance. It is preferable to superimpose multiple candidate positions with a predetermined score or higher and designate the overlapping area as the driving mode switching area. In other words, the driving mode switching area setting unit 5 assigns points to multiple candidate positions based on the evaluation results of the multiple candidate positions determined to be reachable by the connection path calculation unit 4, and generates a driving mode switching area by integrating the multiple candidate positions according to their scores.

[0062] For example, Figure 15 shows a case where each candidate position within the driving mode switching region from the initial position M1 is assigned a score from 1 to 10 based on the distance from the vehicle's position and the target position, as well as the number of turns required. In the example shown in Figure 15, all candidate positions require only one U-turn, but those with shorter connection paths from the vehicle's current position and appropriate turning angles receive higher scores. It is not necessary to assign points to all candidate positions; for example, as shown in Figure 15, points may not be assigned to the unreachable candidate position B21, and points may only be assigned to the reachable candidate position A21.

[0063] The example in Figure 16 shows a case where points are assigned to each candidate position in Figure 15, and then the driving mode switching area is set. In the example shown in Figure 16, candidate positions with a score of 4 points or more are designated as the driving mode switching area A31, while positions that are too far from the vehicle's position or the target position are excluded. In this Figure 16 example as well, the unreachable candidate position B31 is a candidate position that cannot be reached from the vehicle's position in a single turn, and is not included in the driving mode switching area A31. Additionally, areas with a score of 3 points or less are excluded from the driving mode switching area A31.

[0064] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 17, the driving mode switching area setting unit 5 may assign higher scores to candidate positions that are closer to the candidate positions learned during manual driving by the driver, for each of the multiple candidate positions determined to be reachable by the connection path calculation unit 4. In this case as well, the driving mode switching area setting unit 5 superimposes multiple candidate positions with a predetermined number of points or more, and designates the overlapping area as the driving mode switching area.

[0065] In other words, as shown in the upper left of Figure 17, the candidate positions set by the driving mode switching area setting unit 5 before learning are assigned higher scores the closer they are to the target position TG1. Here, if the driving mode switching area setting unit 5 learns the actual driving by the driver (driving from the initial position M1 during parallel parking to the first turning position) and determines that the driver often stops and turns around at a position relatively far from the target position TG1, then, as shown in the upper right of Figure 17, it assigns higher scores to candidate positions that are further from the target position TG1 compared to the upper left. In other words, candidate positions that are closer to the learned positions during the driver's driving are assigned higher scores. When this learning is performed, the driving mode switching area setting unit 5 superimposes multiple candidate positions that are equal to or greater than a predetermined number (in this case, 4 points or more), as shown in the lower part of Figure 17, and designates the overlapping area as the driving mode switching area.

[0066] Next, examples of images that the HMI management unit 6 notifies the user via the display device 116 will be explained with reference to Figures 18 to 22. Figure 18 shows an example of the display on the display screen 116a when the vehicle is traveling in the first driving mode along the route from the initial position M1 to the driving mode switching area A51. As shown in Figure 18, the display screen 116a shows a relatively wide-angle image from the front camera mounted on the vehicle. Specifically, the display screen 116a shows the guidance range a51 corresponding to the driving mode switching area A51 and the parking location tg1 corresponding to the target position TG1. However, as the vehicle approaches the guidance range a51, the parking location tg1 will move out of the display range.

[0067] Regarding parking location tg1, it is displayed on the display screen 116a in step S38 of the flowchart in Figure 5, and its location has already been set as the target location (parking location). As a display for the guidance range a51 corresponding to the driving mode switching area A51, for example, the position where the most preferable action for switching the driving mode is performed is displayed in green, and the intensity of the green color gradually decreases as the distance from that position increases, creating a stepped display (gradient display). The range where the green color is displayed most intensely is, for example, the location with the highest score (the most appropriate position) as explained in Figure 15, and the color gradually changes to a lighter shade as the distance from that location decreases (as the score decreases). Changing the intensity of the color is just one example; the color itself may also be changed. In other words, the HMI management unit 6 can notify the occupant by gradually changing the display color or tone of the driving mode switching area A51, starting from the candidate position with the highest score (the score set by the driving mode switching area setting unit 5). Furthermore, the display screen 116a will show text such as "Please stop in the green area," guiding the driver to the green area whenever possible.

[0068] Figure 19 shows a different display example from the gradient display in Figure 18. In this example, when the display screen 116a displays the guidance range a61 corresponding to the driving mode switching area A61, the recommended position display a62, which is the most recommended position, is indicated by a dashed line or the like. The recommended position display a62 is, for example, the candidate position with the highest score as explained in Figure 15 (the most appropriate candidate position). The guidance range a61 itself is displayed, for example, with a uniform density of green. In other words, the HMI management unit 6 can superimpose the area with the highest score for candidate positions (the score set by the driving mode switching area setting unit 5) onto the driving mode switching area A51 and notify the occupant. Alternatively, the recommended position display shown in Figure 19 and the gradient display shown in Figure 18 may be combined. In the example shown in Figure 19, the display screen 116a should also display text such as "Please stop in the green area."

[0069] Figure 20 shows an example where, when the display screen 116a displays the guidance range a71 (green area) corresponding to the driving mode switching area A71, an arrow a72 indicating the recommended vehicle's stationary position is simultaneously displayed. In this example of Figure 20, arrow a72 is shown as an arrow within the guidance range a71. The display of arrow a72 may be combined with the gradient display shown in Figure 18 or the recommended position display shown in Figure 19. Preferably, arrow a72 represents information about the connection route to the candidate position assigned the highest score by the driving mode switching area setting unit 5. In other words, the HMI management unit 6 can inform the occupant of the azimuth information of the candidate position assigned the highest score by the driving mode switching area setting unit 5 as the recommended direction. In the example shown in Figure 20, the display screen 116a also shows text such as "Please stop in the green area."

[0070] Figure 21 shows an example where, when the display screen 116a displays the guidance range a81 (green area) corresponding to the driving mode switching area A81, a dashed arrow route display r81 corresponding to the connection route R81 from the vehicle's current position (initial position M1) is performed. In other words, the driving mode switching area setting unit 5 obtains driving support information to assist driving from the vehicle's current position (M1) to the driving mode switching area A81, and the HMI management unit 6 can inform the occupant of the driving support information and the driving mode switching area A81. Figure 22 shows an example where the display screen 116a displays the guidance range a91 (green area) corresponding to the driving mode switching area A91, and displays two dashed lines r91 corresponding to the innermost and outermost connecting paths R91. The driver will operate the vehicle to travel between these two displayed paths r91. In other words, in this example, the display provides a route to assist in driving from the vehicle's current position to the driving mode switching area A91. The two displayed paths r91 here virtually calculate and display the routes to the left and right ends of the vehicle. In the display examples shown in Figures 21 and 22, the display screen 116a also shows text such as "Please stop in the green area." In Figures 18 to 22, the HMI management unit 6 is shown as displaying an image from the front camera on the display screen 116a. However, it may also display an overhead image acquired by a camera that captures images of the entire surroundings of the vehicle, or it may generate and display a simulated image or an animated image instead of an actual image.

[0071] As explained above, with the vehicle control device 100 in this example, the driver can easily reach the area indicated (displayed) by the vehicle control device 100, reducing driver inconvenience and enabling a smooth transition to automatic parking control. Furthermore, as explained in Figures 13 and 14, the driving mode switching area setting unit 5 narrows the driving mode switching area as the distance between the set driving mode switching area or target position and the current position decreases, thereby suppressing azimuth deviation at the turning position and enabling a smooth transition to parking control.

[0072] Furthermore, as explained in Figures 15 and 16, the driving mode switching area setting unit 5 scores each candidate position and selects the position with the highest score as the area, thereby enabling smooth maneuvering and presenting an area that is a good representation of a typical driver's maneuvering position. Furthermore, as explained in Figure 17, the driving mode switching area setting unit 5 learns the driver's driving style and selects an area, thereby enabling the presentation of areas that reduce driver discomfort.

[0073] Furthermore, by including an HMI management unit 6 that notifies the occupants of the driving mode switching area, the driver and other occupants can accurately determine the driving mode switching area. In this case, as explained in Figure 18, by displaying the driving mode switching area in stages, the most efficient position can be clearly presented to the driver. Furthermore, as explained in Figure 19, displaying the recommended position within the driving mode switching area makes it easier for the driver to understand the most efficient position.

[0074] Furthermore, as explained in Figure 20, displaying the recommended direction towards the driving mode switching area suppresses directional deviations at the turning point, enabling a smooth transition to parking control. Furthermore, as explained in Figures 21 and 22, displaying support information such as the route to the driving mode switching area and the routes to the left and right edges of the vehicle also helps to suppress azimuth deviations at the turning point, enabling a smoother transition to parking control.

[0075] Furthermore, the vehicle control device 100 includes a vehicle position estimation unit 7 that estimates the position of the vehicle itself and a control path calculation unit 8 that calculates the path to the target position, enabling the vehicle to reach the target position appropriately through automatic control.

[0076] [Another example of area setting processing by the driving mode switching area setting unit (modification example 1)] Next, a modified example 1 of the driving mode switching area setting process by the driving mode switching area setting unit 5 will be described with reference to Figures 23 and 24. To explain the process of the modified example 1 shown in Figures 23 and 24, first, the driving mode switching area setting unit 5 searches for connectable candidate positions in order of proximity to the current position of the vehicle, and detects the candidate position C101a which it first determines to be connectable.

[0077] The driving mode switching area setting unit 5 then sets a provisional setting range A103 of a specific size that includes the candidate position C101a. This provisional setting range A103 is, for example, set to have a width of [vehicle width × 3] and a depth of [vehicle length × 3]. Here, since the candidate position C101a is closest to the target position TG1, both the width and depth are set to move away from the target position TG1. The provisional setting range A103 may be set in advance according to the size of the vehicle, or it may be determined based on the settings received by the HMI management unit 6, which receives settings regarding the size of the driving mode switching area 5 from the occupant. By determining the provisional setting range A103 based on the settings received by the HMI management unit 6, the driving mode switching area 5 can be set according to the occupant's preference.

[0078] As shown in Figure 23, after setting a provisional setting range A103, the driving mode switching area setting unit 5 performs a process to determine whether or not a candidate position within the provisional setting range A103 is a candidate position that can be connected to from the vehicle's current position (M1). That is, the driving mode switching area setting unit 5 assigns the attribute of "unconfirmed candidate position A101" to candidate positions for which it has not determined whether or not a connection is possible from the vehicle's current position (M1). Next, it determines whether or not a connection is possible from the vehicle's current position (M1) to the candidate positions included in the provisional setting range A103. The driving mode switching area setting unit 5 assigns the attribute of "connectable candidate position C101" to candidate positions for which it has determined that a connection is possible from the vehicle's current position (M1). Furthermore, the driving mode switching area setting unit 5 assigns the attribute of "unconnectable candidate position B101" to candidate positions for which it has determined that a connection is impossible from the vehicle's current position (M1). Note that candidate position C101a, which was initially determined to be connectable, is included in "connectable candidate position C101". Furthermore, whether a candidate position is within the provisional setting range A103 can be determined, for example, by checking whether the center position of the rear axle of the candidate position is within the provisional setting range A103. Then, as shown in Figure 24, the driving mode switching area setting unit 5 sets the driving mode switching area A102 based on the connectable candidate positions C101 within the provisional setting range A103. Here, in Figure 24, the attributes of the unconfirmed candidate positions A101 are maintained because the possibility of connection from the vehicle's current position (M1) has not been determined for candidate positions not included in the provisional setting range A103. In other words, the driving mode switching area setting unit 5 can change the attributes by determining whether or not connection from the vehicle's current position (M1) is possible only for candidate positions included in the provisional setting range A103 among the unconfirmed candidate positions A101, and can choose not to determine whether or not connection from the vehicle's current position (M1) is possible for candidate positions not included in the provisional setting range A103. In other words, the driving mode switching area setting unit 5 can select candidate positions for which it is possible or not to connect from the vehicle's current position (M1) based on a provisional setting range A103 that is predetermined or determined by settings received from the occupant by the HMI management unit 6.

[0079] As shown in Figures 23 and 24, when setting the driving mode switching region, the amount of processing required for candidate positions within the vehicle control device 100 is reduced, thereby reducing the use of hardware resources and improving processing speed. In other words, while scoring each candidate position as explained in Figure 16 requires evaluation processing for all candidate positions, determining whether or not a connection is possible for candidate positions included in the provisional setting range A103 narrows the range of connectable candidate positions, thereby reducing the amount of calculation processing required.

[0080] [Example applied to parallel forward parking] In the explanation so far, we have described the control of the vehicle to the target position (parking position) as performing parallel parking by reversing, but it may also be applied to parallel parking by moving forward. Figure 25 shows an example of control when performing parallel parking in this forward motion. As shown in Figure 25, when the target position TG201 for parallel forward parking is detected at the vehicle's initial position M201, the virtual path calculation unit 2 determines multiple paths R201-1, R201-2, ... that travel in reverse from the target position TG201 towards the initial position M201. Then, the candidate position setting unit 3 sets multiple candidate positions on the multiple paths R201-1, R201-2, ...

[0081] Next, the connection path calculation unit 4 determines whether it is possible to connect from the vehicle's initial position (M201) to multiple candidate positions, and the driving mode switching area setting unit 5 sets the driving mode switching area A201 based on the connectable candidate positions. Then, when the vehicle enters the driving mode switching area A201, the vehicle control unit 9 changes the driving mode from the first driving mode (manual operation mode) to the second driving mode (automatic driving mode) and parks the vehicle at the target position TG201 while keeping the direction of travel forward. In the case of parallel forward parking, the process for obtaining candidate areas for setting the driving mode switching area can be directly applied to obtaining candidate areas for parallel reverse parking. However, in the case of parallel forward parking, the driving mode switching area A201 is set in front of the target position TG201, relative to the vehicle's initial position M201.

[0082] Because this can also be applied to parallel forward parking, the automatic control process in this example can park the vehicle at the target position regardless of the direction of travel.

[0083] [Example applied to parallel parking] Furthermore, this method can be applied to control the vehicle's position towards a target location (parking position), such as when performing parallel parking. Figure 26 shows an example of control when parallel parking on the left side of the road. Note that when parallel parking on the right side of the road, the control example is the same as in Figure 26, but with the left and right sides reversed. As shown in Figure 26, when the vehicle's initial position M301 detects the target position TG301 where parallel parking will be performed, the virtual path calculation unit 2 determines multiple paths R302-1, R302-2, ... to exit the target position TG301 onto the road. In this state, other parked vehicles X1 and X2 are present before and after the target position TG301, and parking at the target position TG301 is possible by reversing from the front right.

[0084] In the example shown in Figure 26, each of the paths R302-1, R302-2, ... is a route in which the vehicle moves forward to the right from a position where it is reversing from the target position TG301, within a range that does not cause contact with the following vehicle X2. Therefore, the candidate position setting unit 3 sets multiple candidate positions on the paths R302-1, R302-2, ... located to the right and in front of the target position TG301. The connection path calculation unit 4 then determines whether the multiple candidate positions can be connected, and the driving mode switching area setting unit 5 sets the driving mode switching area setting A301 based on the connectable candidate positions.

[0085] When the vehicle enters the driving mode switching area A301, the driver can switch from the first driving mode to the second driving mode, and the vehicle control unit 9 will then perform automatic driving along one of the routes R302-1, R302-2, ... In this automatic driving, the vehicle will first move in reverse, and finally move slightly forward.

[0086] Furthermore, if there is sufficient distance between the target position TG301 and the parked vehicle X1 in front, the vehicle may be parked at the target position TG301 by only reversing from the driving mode switching area setting A301. Alternatively, if there is sufficient distance between the target position TG301 and the parked vehicle X2 behind, the driving mode switching area setting A301 may be set to the right front of the target position TG301, and the vehicle may be parked at the target position TG301 by driving forward or a combination of driving forward and reversing. As this method can also be applied to parallel parking, the automatic control process in this example can handle not only parallel parking but also parallel parking.

[0087] [Examples of using a target location other than for parking] Figure 27 shows the case where the target location is the entrance to a narrow alley. Specifically, as shown in Figure 27, the target position TG401 is the entrance to a narrow alley 902 that intersects the relatively wide road 901 currently being traveled on at almost a right angle. From the vehicle's initial position M401, the target position TG401 is located to the left and slightly ahead.

[0088] At this time, the virtual path calculation unit 2 determines multiple paths R402-1, R402-2, ... to get from the target position TG401 to the road 901. The candidate position setting unit 3 then sets multiple candidate positions on the multiple paths R401-1, R401-2, ... Next, the connection path calculation unit 4 determines whether it is possible to connect from the vehicle's initial position (M401) to the multiple candidate positions, and the driving mode switching area setting unit 5 sets the driving mode switching area A401 based on the candidate positions that are determined to be connectable. Then, the vehicle is driven from the initial position M401 to the driving mode switching area A401 along path R401, and when the driving mode is switched in the driving mode switching area A401, the vehicle control unit 9 automatically drives the vehicle to the target position TG401 by driving forward along one of the paths R402-1, R402-2, ... Thus, the automatic control process in this example has the effect of being able to handle not only parking but also automatic driving to various target locations such as narrow alleys.

[0089] [Other variations] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described herein, and includes various modifications. For example, the embodiments described above are explained in detail for the purpose of clearly illustrating the present invention, and are not necessarily limited to those having all the configurations described.

[0090] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the first driving mode was a driving mode operated manually by the driver, and the second driving mode was an automatic driving mode. However, the first driving mode may be a mode in which the vehicle drives automatically on the road, and the second driving mode may be a mode in which the vehicle automatically stops at a target location such as a parking spot. The first driving mode, which is a mode in which the vehicle drives automatically on the road, also includes so-called driver assistance modes that perform lane departure control and collision avoidance control.

[0091] Furthermore, the HMI management unit 6 may also accept settings from the occupant (driver) regarding the size of the driving mode switching area. In this case, the driving mode switching area setting unit 5 sets the driving mode switching area based on the size setting received by the HMI management unit 6. This allows the driver to pre-set their driving preferences.

[0092] Furthermore, the driving mode switching area setting unit 5 may automatically set the size of the area based on the driver's driving skill. For example, the driving mode switching area setting unit 5 calculates the degree of variation in the driving trajectory to the candidate position learned during the driver's manual driving and / or to the candidate position. The driving mode switching area setting unit 5 then estimates that the driver's driving skill is higher the smaller the calculated degree of variation, and sets the driving mode switching area narrower the higher the driver's driving skill is estimated to be. In other words, the driving mode switching area setting unit 5 can calculate the degree of variation in the driving trajectory to the candidate position learned during the driver's manual driving and / or to the candidate position, and set the driving mode switching area narrower the smaller the degree of variation. This allows for the automatic configuration of appropriate settings for each individual driver.

[0093] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, an automatic control execution button 102 and an assistance start button 103 are provided, and automatic control is executed or assistance is started by operating these buttons 102 and 103. Alternatively, the execution of automatic control may be instructed by voice command from an occupant such as a driver. Or, the operation of the automatic control execution button 102 may be changed to the same automatic control state as when the automatic control execution button 102 is operated, upon detection of some trigger operation during driving. For example, the operation may be changed to the same automatic control state as when the automatic control execution button 102 is operated, upon detection of an operation such as shifting gears or releasing the brakes by the driver.

[0094] Furthermore, the configuration diagrams shown in Figures 1 and 2 only show control lines and information lines that are deemed necessary for explanation, and do not necessarily show all control lines and information lines in the actual product. In reality, it is reasonable to assume that almost all components are interconnected. Furthermore, the flowcharts shown in Figures 3 to 8 are just examples; if the processing results are the same, some processing orders may be changed, or multiple processes may be executed simultaneously. Furthermore, the vehicle control device shown in the above-described embodiment may be configured as a single device as shown in Figure 3, or it may be configured as a system in which each processing unit and memory unit are configured as separate devices connected by a network.

[0095] Furthermore, since the vehicle control device is configured as a computer as explained in Figure 2, an existing vehicle control device may be made to function as the vehicle control device 100 shown in Figure 1 by implementing a program that executes the processing method described in the embodiment of the present invention. In this case, the program may be stored on an external recording medium such as memory, an IC card, an SD card, or an optical disc and transferred to the computer that will function as the vehicle control device. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0096] 1…Environment Recognition Unit, 2…Virtual Path Calculation Unit, 3…Candidate Position Setting Unit, 4…Connection Path Calculation Unit, 5…Driving Mode Switching Area Setting Unit, 6…Human-Machine Interface Management Unit (HMI Management Unit), 7…Vehicle Position Estimation Unit, 8…Control Path Calculation Unit, 9…Vehicle Control Unit, 100…Vehicle Control Device, 100a…CPU, 100b…Memory, 100c…Storage, 100d…Input Unit, 100e…Control Information Output Unit, 100f…Sound / Display Information Output Unit, 101…External Environment Recognition Device, 102…Automatic Control Execution Button, 103…Support Start Button, 104…Vehicle Status Information Acquisition Unit, 111…Steering Device, 112…Drive Device, 113…Braking Device, 114…Transmission Device, 115…Sound Generator, 116…Display Device, 116a…Display Screen

Claims

1. An environmental recognition unit recognizes the target position and drivable area of ​​the vehicle based on environmental information acquired by external sensors mounted on the vehicle, A virtual path calculation unit that determines multiple virtual paths for the vehicle starting from the target position in the drivable area, A candidate position setting unit sets multiple candidate positions on multiple virtual paths, A connection path calculation unit that determines a connection path that can reach the candidate location from the current position of the vehicle, A driving mode switching area setting unit generates a driving mode switching area by integrating a plurality of candidate positions for which the connection path has been set, The vehicle includes a vehicle control unit that, when the vehicle reaches the driving mode switching region, switches the driving mode of the vehicle from the first driving mode to the second driving mode, and controls the vehicle along the path from the driving mode switching region to the target position. Vehicle control system.

2. The driving mode switching area setting unit narrows the driving mode switching area as the distance between the set driving mode switching area or the target position and the current position of the vehicle decreases. The vehicle control device according to claim 1.

3. The aforementioned driving mode switching area setting unit is: Based on the evaluation results of the multiple candidate locations determined to be reachable by the aforementioned connection path calculation unit, points are assigned to the multiple candidate locations. A driving mode switching region is generated by integrating multiple candidate positions according to the aforementioned score. The vehicle control device according to claim 1.

4. The driving mode switching area setting unit assigns higher scores to multiple candidate positions determined to be reachable by the connection path calculation unit, based on the number of turns required for the vehicle to reach the target position from the candidate position and the distance of the connection path. Multiple candidate positions with a predetermined score or higher are superimposed, and the overlapping area is designated as the driving mode switching area. The vehicle control device according to claim 3.

5. The aforementioned driving mode switching area setting unit assigns higher scores to multiple candidate locations determined to be reachable by the connection path calculation unit, with the closer they are to the candidate locations learned during manual driving by the driver. Multiple candidate locations with a predetermined score or higher are superimposed, and the overlapping area is designated as the driving mode switching area. The vehicle control device according to claim 3.

6. The system further includes a human-machine interface management unit that notifies the occupant of the aforementioned driving mode switching range. The vehicle control device according to claim 1.

7. The aforementioned driving mode switching area setting unit assigns points to multiple candidate locations based on the evaluation results of multiple candidate locations determined to be reachable by the connection path calculation unit. The Human-Machine Interface Management Unit notifies the occupant by gradually changing the display color or tone of the driving mode switching area, starting from the candidate position with the highest score among the candidate positions. The vehicle control device according to claim 6.

8. The aforementioned driving mode switching area setting unit assigns points to multiple candidate locations based on the evaluation results of multiple candidate locations determined to be reachable by the connection path calculation unit. The Human-Machine Interface Management Unit superimposes the area with the highest number of candidate position points onto the driving mode switching area and notifies the occupant. The vehicle control device according to claim 6.

9. The aforementioned driving mode switching area setting unit assigns points to multiple candidate locations based on the evaluation results of multiple candidate locations determined to be reachable by the connection path calculation unit. The Human-Machine Interface Management Unit notifies the occupant of the directional information of the candidate position assigned the highest score by the Driving Mode Switching Area Setting Unit as the recommended direction. The vehicle control device according to claim 6.

10. The aforementioned driving mode switching area setting unit obtains driving support information to assist in driving the route from the current position of the vehicle to the aforementioned driving mode switching area, The Human-Machine Interface Management Unit notifies the occupant of the driving assistance information and the driving mode switching area. The vehicle control device according to claim 6.

11. The aforementioned driving mode switching area setting unit assigns points to multiple candidate locations based on the evaluation results of multiple candidate locations determined to be reachable by the connection path calculation unit. The aforementioned driving assistance information is information about the connection path to the candidate position assigned the highest score by the driving mode switching area setting unit, or information obtained by virtually determining the path to the left and right ends of the driving mode switching area on the vehicle side. The vehicle control device according to claim 10.

12. The Human-Machine Interface Management Unit receives settings from the occupant regarding the size of the driving mode switching area, The aforementioned driving mode switching area setting unit sets the driving mode switching area based on the size setting received by the human-machine interface management unit. The vehicle control device according to claim 6.

13. The aforementioned driving mode switching area setting unit calculates the degree of variation in the driving trajectory leading to the candidate positions learned during manual driving by the driver, and / or the candidate positions, and sets the driving mode switching area to be narrower the smaller the degree of variation. The vehicle control device according to claim 1.

14. A vehicle position estimation unit that estimates the position of the vehicle, The system further includes a control path calculation unit that calculates a path from the position of the vehicle to the target position. The vehicle control unit controls the vehicle to follow the control path calculated by the control path calculation unit based on the vehicle's position estimated by the vehicle position estimation unit. The vehicle control device according to claim 1.

15. A vehicle control method performed by a computer, Environmental recognition processing that recognizes the target position and drivable area of ​​the vehicle based on environmental information acquired by external sensors mounted on the vehicle, A virtual path calculation process that determines multiple virtual paths for the vehicle starting from the target position in the drivable area, A candidate position setting process that sets multiple candidate positions on multiple virtual paths, A connection path calculation process that determines a connection path that can reach the candidate location from the current position of the vehicle, A driving mode switching area setting process generates a driving mode switching area by integrating a plurality of candidate locations for which the connection path has been set, The vehicle control process includes, when the vehicle reaches the driving mode switching region, switching the vehicle's driving mode from the first driving mode to the second driving mode, and controlling the vehicle along the path from the driving mode switching region to the target position. Vehicle control method.

Images