Vehicle driving support system and vehicle driving support method

Abstract

The present invention relates to a driving support system for a vehicle and a driving support method for a vehicle. In the driving support system, the following processes are performed: a determination process of determining a driving area in which the vehicle is traveling, that is, a traveling area, from among a plurality of the driving areas; an appropriate value setting process of setting an appropriate vehicle speed, that is, a vehicle speed appropriate value, when the vehicle travels in the traveling area; and a support process of performing at least one of a process of notifying the driver of the vehicle speed appropriate value and a process of decelerating the vehicle when the vehicle speed exceeds the vehicle speed appropriate value. In the appropriate value setting process, when the traveling direction of the vehicle does not coincide with the reference traveling direction, a value smaller than the case where the traveling direction coincides with the reference traveling direction is set as the vehicle speed appropriate value.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a driving support system for a vehicle and a driving support method for a vehicle. Background Art

[0002] An example of vehicle speed control during automatic driving of a vehicle is described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2016-78730. That is, when the vehicle is traveling on a curved road, an appropriate vehicle speed, i.e., an appropriate speed, when the vehicle travels on the curved road is derived based on the curvature of the curved road or the driving history of the curved road. Summary of the Invention

[0003] Technical Means for Solving the Problem

[0004] The appropriate vehicle speed as described above may change according to the traveling direction of the vehicle when traveling on a curved road. Such a problem is not limited to when the vehicle is traveling on a curved road, but may also occur when the vehicle is traveling on a straight road.

[0005] A driving support system for a vehicle for solving the above problem is a system that supports a driver's vehicle operation when the vehicle is traveling. The driving support system includes an execution device and a storage device. The storage device divides the road on which the vehicle travels into a plurality of driving regions and stores them, and stores a reference traveling direction for each of the plurality of driving regions, the reference traveling direction being the traveling direction of the vehicle that is used as a reference when the vehicle travels within the driving region. The execution device performs the following processes: a determination process of determining, from among the plurality of driving regions, a traveling region in which the vehicle is currently traveling; an appropriate value setting process of setting an appropriate vehicle speed value, which is an appropriate vehicle speed when the vehicle travels in the traveling region; and a support process of performing at least one of a process of notifying the driver of the appropriate vehicle speed value and a process of decelerating the vehicle when the vehicle speed exceeds the appropriate vehicle speed value. And, in the appropriate value setting process, the execution device sets a value smaller than the case where the traveling direction of the vehicle coincides with the reference traveling direction as the appropriate vehicle speed value when the traveling direction of the vehicle does not coincide with the reference traveling direction.

[0006] According to the above configuration, the region in which the vehicle is currently traveling is determined as the traveling region from among the plurality of driving regions, and the appropriate vehicle speed value for the traveling region is set. And, through the support process, the appropriate vehicle speed value is notified to the driver, or the vehicle is decelerated so that the vehicle speed does not exceed the appropriate vehicle speed value.

[0007] According to the above structure, in the appropriate value setting process, when the reference traveling direction in the traveling area is not consistent with the traveling direction of the vehicle during traveling, a value smaller than that when the reference traveling direction is consistent with the traveling direction of the vehicle is set as the appropriate vehicle speed value. That is, since the appropriate vehicle speed value is set considering the traveling direction of the vehicle, the appropriate vehicle speed value will change if the traveling directions are different.

[0008] Therefore, according to the above structure, it is possible to set the magnitude considering the traveling direction of the vehicle as the appropriate vehicle speed value.

[0009] In one mode of the above driving support system, in the appropriate value setting process, the execution device determines whether the deviation amount of the traveling direction of the vehicle from the reference traveling direction becomes larger based on at least one of the lateral acceleration and yaw rate of the vehicle. When it is determined that the deviation amount becomes larger, a value smaller than that when it is not determined that the deviation amount becomes larger is set as the appropriate vehicle speed value.

[0010] When the driver makes a turn, the lateral acceleration and yaw rate of the vehicle change. In addition, when an external disturbance is input to the vehicle, the lateral acceleration and yaw rate of the vehicle sometimes also change. And when at least one of the lateral acceleration and yaw rate of the vehicle changes, the traveling direction of the vehicle may change.

[0011] In the above structure, it is determined whether the deviation amount of the traveling direction of the vehicle from the reference traveling direction becomes larger based on at least one of the lateral acceleration and yaw rate of the vehicle. And when it is determined that the deviation amount becomes larger, a value smaller than that when it is not determined that the deviation amount becomes larger is set as the appropriate vehicle speed value. That is, it is possible to set the appropriate vehicle speed value considering the change in the traveling direction of the vehicle that can be inferred from at least one of the lateral acceleration and yaw rate of the vehicle.

[0012] In one mode of the above driving support system, in the appropriate value setting process, the execution device determines whether the deviation amount of the traveling direction of the vehicle from the reference traveling direction becomes larger based on the steering angle. When it is determined that the deviation amount becomes larger, a value smaller than that when it is not determined that the deviation amount becomes larger is set as the appropriate vehicle speed value.

[0013] When the driver makes a turn, the traveling direction of the vehicle changes. In the above structure, it is determined whether the deviation amount of the traveling direction of the vehicle from the reference traveling direction becomes larger based on the steering angle. And when it is determined that the deviation amount becomes larger, a value smaller than that when it is not determined that the deviation amount becomes larger is set as the appropriate vehicle speed value. That is, it is possible to set the appropriate vehicle speed value considering the change in the traveling direction of the vehicle that can be inferred from the driver's turn.

[0014] In one aspect of the above-described driving support system, the execution device performs the following processes: a road surface state acquisition process of acquiring the road surface state in the driving area; and a correction process of correcting the appropriate vehicle speed value set in the appropriate value setting process based on the road surface state in the driving area.

[0015] In the above configuration, the appropriate vehicle speed value can be made to be a magnitude corresponding to the road surface state in the driving area.

[0016] In one aspect of the above-described driving support system, the storage device has a map that stores a reference appropriate vehicle speed value for each of a plurality of the driving areas, and the reference appropriate vehicle speed value is a reference for the appropriate vehicle speed value. In the appropriate value setting process, the execution device acquires the reference appropriate vehicle speed value of the driving area from the map, and when the traveling direction of the vehicle coincides with the reference traveling direction, sets a value corresponding to the reference appropriate vehicle speed value as the appropriate vehicle speed value.

[0017] According to the above configuration, by acquiring the reference appropriate vehicle speed value of the driving area from the map, an appropriate vehicle speed value corresponding to the driving area can be set.

[0018] In one aspect of the above-described driving support system, the storage device has the maps differentiated according to the type of the vehicle. In the appropriate value setting process, the execution device selects the map corresponding to the type of the vehicle from among the plurality of maps that the storage device has, and acquires the reference appropriate vehicle speed value corresponding to the driving area from the map.

[0019] The appropriate vehicle speed value differs according to the vehicle type. Therefore, in the above configuration, the maps are prepared for each vehicle type. Thus, an appropriate vehicle speed value corresponding to the vehicle type can be set.

[0020] In one aspect of the above-described driving support system, the execution device includes a first execution device provided outside the vehicle and a second execution device provided in the vehicle. A part of the processes in each of the processes is executed by the second execution device, and the remaining processes are executed by the first execution device.

[0021] In the above configuration, the above-described respective processes are shared by the first execution device and the second execution device. Therefore, compared with the case where the above-described respective processes are executed by one execution device, the load on each execution device can be reduced.

[0022] A driving support method for a vehicle to solve the above problems is a method for supporting a driver's vehicle operation while the vehicle is driving. The driving support method includes: a determination process of determining a driving area in which the vehicle is currently driving from among a plurality of driving areas set by dividing the road on which the vehicle is driving; an appropriate value setting process of setting an appropriate vehicle speed value, which is an appropriate vehicle speed when the vehicle is driving in the driving area determined by the determination process; and a support process of performing at least one of a process of notifying the driver of the appropriate vehicle speed value set by the appropriate value setting process and a process of decelerating the vehicle when the vehicle speed exceeds the appropriate vehicle speed value. A reference traveling direction is set for each of the plurality of driving areas, and the reference traveling direction is the traveling direction of the vehicle as a reference when the vehicle is driving in the driving area. Further, in the appropriate value setting process, when the traveling direction of the vehicle does not coincide with the reference traveling direction, a value smaller than the case where the traveling direction of the vehicle coincides with the reference traveling direction is set as the appropriate vehicle speed value.

[0023] By executing the above respective processes, an effect equivalent to that of the above driving support system can be obtained. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] Hereinafter, features, advantages, and technical and industrial significance of exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings, in which like reference numerals denote like elements, and wherein:

[0025] Figure 1 is a schematic structural diagram showing a driving support system according to a first embodiment.

[0026] Figure 2 is a diagram showing a racetrack of a racetrack managed by a server of the driving support system.

[0027] Figure 3 is a schematic view showing a part of all driving areas.

[0028] Figure 4 is a map showing the appropriate reference vehicle speed value for each driving area.

[0029] Figure 5 is a schematic view showing the reference traveling direction of a driving area and the traveling direction of a vehicle.

[0030] Figure 6 is a flowchart illustrating a processing routine executed by a CPU of a server.

[0031] Figure 7 is a flowchart illustrating a processing routine executed by a CPU of a vehicle control device of the driving support system.

[0032] Figure 8 This is a flowchart showing a processing routine executed by the CPU of the vehicle control device in the driving support system according to the second embodiment. Detailed Embodiment

[0033] (First Embodiment)

[0034] Hereinafter, Figures 1 to 7 a first embodiment of a vehicle driving support system and a vehicle driving support method will be described.

[0035] <Overall Structure>

[0036] As Figure 1 shown, the driving support system 10 includes: a server control device 21 of a server 20 provided outside the vehicle; and a vehicle control device 40 mounted on the vehicle 30. The server 20 can perform various information transmissions and receptions with the vehicle control device 40 of the vehicle 30 traveling on the runway 101 of the racecourse 100 shown in Figure 2 the figure. That is, when multiple vehicles 30 are traveling on the runway 101, the server 20 performs various information transmissions and receptions with the vehicle control devices 40 of each vehicle 30.

[0037] <Structure of Vehicle 30>

[0038] As Figure 1 shown, in addition to the vehicle control device 40, the vehicle 30 further includes a vehicle-side communication device 31, a drive device 32, and a braking device 33. The drive device 32 adjusts the driving force of the vehicle 30. The braking device 33 adjusts the braking force of the vehicle 30.

[0039] The vehicle-side communication device 31 transmits the information output from the vehicle control device 40 to the server 20. In addition, the vehicle-side communication device 31 receives the information transmitted from the server 20 and outputs it to the vehicle control device 40.

[0040] The vehicle control device 40 includes a CPU 41, a ROM 42, a storage device 43 that is an electrically rewritable non-volatile memory, and a peripheral circuit 44. The CPU 41, ROM 42, storage device 43, and peripheral circuit 44 can communicate via a local network 45. The ROM 42 stores a control program executed by the CPU 41. The storage device 43 stores various maps and tables, etc. The peripheral circuit 44 includes a circuit for generating a clock signal that defines the internal operation, a power supply circuit, a reset circuit, etc.

[0041] The vehicle 30 is equipped with various sensors that output detection signals to the vehicle control device 40. As sensors, for example, a vehicle speed sensor 51, a longitudinal acceleration sensor 52, a lateral acceleration sensor 53, a yaw rate sensor 54, and a steering angle sensor 55 can be cited. The vehicle speed sensor 51 detects the vehicle speed V which is the moving speed of the vehicle 30, and outputs a detection signal corresponding to the detection result. The longitudinal acceleration sensor 52 detects the longitudinal acceleration Gx of the vehicle 30, and outputs a detection signal corresponding to the detection result. The lateral acceleration sensor 53 detects the lateral acceleration Gy of the vehicle 30, and outputs a detection signal corresponding to the detection result. The yaw rate sensor 54 detects the yaw rate Yr of the vehicle 30, and outputs a detection signal corresponding to the detection result. The steering angle sensor 55 detects the steering angle Str of the steering wheel of the vehicle 30, and outputs a detection signal corresponding to the detection result.

[0042] The vehicle 30 is equipped with a GPS receiver 60. The GPS receiver 60 receives a signal related to the current position coordinates CP of the vehicle 30, that is, a GPS signal, from GPS satellites, and outputs this GPS signal to the vehicle control device 40. The vehicle control device 40 obtains the current position coordinates CP of the vehicle 30 based on the GPS signal, and transmits information related to the position coordinates CP, that is, position information, to the server 20 via the vehicle-side communication device 31.

[0043] In the present embodiment, when the vehicle 30 is traveling on Figure 2 the runway 101 shown, the vehicle control device 40 supports the driver's vehicle operation based on the appropriate vehicle speed value VL in the driving area where the vehicle 30 is currently traveling, that is, the in-motion area. For example, the vehicle control device 40 notifies the driver of the appropriate vehicle speed value VL, or decelerates the vehicle 30 when the vehicle speed V exceeds the appropriate vehicle speed value VL. The so-called appropriate vehicle speed value VL is the appropriate vehicle speed when the vehicle 30 is traveling in the in-motion area. Details will be described later, and if the in-motion area changes, the appropriate vehicle speed value VL may change. In addition, the so-called vehicle operation includes at least steering among steering, acceleration operation, and braking operation.

[0044] <Structure of the server 20>

[0045] As Figure 1 shown, in addition to the server control device 21, the server 20 is also equipped with a server-side communication device 28. The server-side communication device 28 transmits the information output from the server control device 21 to the vehicle 30. In addition, the server-side communication device 28 receives the information transmitted from the vehicle 30 and outputs it to the server control device 21.

[0046] The server control device 21 includes a CPU 22, a ROM 23, a storage device 24 which is an electrically rewritable non-volatile memory, and a peripheral circuit 25. The CPU 22, the ROM 23, the storage device 24, and the peripheral circuit 25 can communicate via a local network 26. The ROM 23 stores a control program executed by the CPU 22. The storage device 24 stores various information required for setting the appropriate vehicle speed value VL. The peripheral circuit 25 includes a circuit for generating a clock signal for defining the internal operation, a power supply circuit, a reset circuit, and the like.

[0047] The storage device 24 stores Figure 2 the runway 101 shown in divided into a plurality of driving areas AR. Figure 3 A part of the runway 101 is schematically shown. As Figure 3 shown, a plurality of driving areas AR(1, 1), …, (1, N), (2, 1), …, (2, N), (3, 1), …, (3, N), (4, 1), …, (4, N) are stored in the storage device 24. In addition, "N" is the number of divisions of the runway 101 in the traveling direction X1 of the vehicle 30. In the present embodiment, "N" is set to an integer of "5" or more.

[0048] In the present embodiment, a plurality of driving areas AR are set at the same position in the traveling direction X1. For example, four driving areas AR(1, 1), AR(2, 1), AR(3, 1), AR(4, 1) are located at the same position in the traveling direction X1. Among these driving areas AR(1, 1), AR(2, 1), AR(3, 1), AR(4, 1), the driving area AR(1, 1) is located at the outermost side Y1, and the driving area AR(2, 1) is located at the second outermost side Y1. In addition, the driving area AR(3, 1) is located at the third outermost side Y1, and the driving area AR(4, 1) is located at the innermost side Y2. In addition, the driving area AR(1, 2) is located closer to the traveling direction X1 than the driving area AR(1, 1), and the driving area AR(2, 2) is located closer to the traveling direction X1 than the driving area AR(2, 1).

[0049] In addition, the storage device 24 has a map MP that stores, for each of the plurality of driving areas AR, a reference appropriate vehicle speed value VLb that is a reference for the appropriate vehicle speed value VL. Figure 4 An example of the map MP is shown. For example, as Figure 4As shown, "110 km / h" is set as the appropriate reference vehicle speed VLb for the driving area AR(1, 1). "110 km / h" is set as the appropriate reference vehicle speed VLb for the driving area AR(1, 2). "100 km / h" is set as the appropriate reference vehicle speed VLb for the driving area AR(1, 3). "130 km / h" is set as the appropriate reference vehicle speed VLb for the driving area AR(2, 1). "130 km / h" is set as the appropriate reference vehicle speed VLb for the driving area AR(3, 1).

[0050] In the present embodiment, as Figure 1 shown, the above-mentioned mapping MP is prepared for each vehicle model. That is, the mapping MP1 is prepared as the mapping for the first vehicle model, the mapping MP2 is prepared as the mapping for the second vehicle model. In addition, the mapping MP3 is prepared as the mapping for the third vehicle model. And the storage device 24 has the respective mappings MP1, MP2, and MP3 described above.

[0051] In addition, the storage device 24 stores for each of the plurality of driving areas AR Figure 5 the reference traveling direction DTb indicated by the solid arrow in

[0052] <Process flow for setting the appropriate vehicle speed value VL to support the driver's vehicle operation>

[0053] Before the vehicle 30 travels on the runway 101, the vehicle control device 40 sends the information related to the vehicle model of the vehicle 30 to the server 20 via the vehicle-side communication device 31. In addition, when the vehicle 30 is traveling on the runway 101, the vehicle control device 40 successively sends the position information related to the current position coordinates CP of the vehicle 30 to the server 20 via the vehicle-side communication device 31. Then, the server control device 21 of the server 20 sets the appropriate vehicle speed value VLa based on the position coordinates CP of the vehicle 30 and sends the appropriate vehicle speed value VLa to the vehicle 30.

[0054] Figure 6The figure illustrates a processing routine executed by the CPU 22 of the server control device 21. The CPU 22 repeatedly executes this processing routine.

[0055] In this processing routine, in the initial step S11, the CPU 22 determines whether the current position coordinates CP of the vehicle 30 have been acquired. If the position coordinates CP have not been acquired (S11: No), the CPU 22 repeatedly executes the determination in step S11 until the position coordinates CP are acquired. On the other hand, if the position coordinates CP have been acquired (S11: Yes), the CPU 22 transfers the processing to step S13. In step S13, based on the acquired position coordinates CP, the CPU 22 determines the driving area in which the vehicle 30 is driving at the current time, that is, the driving area ARD, from among all the driving areas AR. For example, the CPU 22 selects the driving area AR that includes the acquired position coordinates CP as the driving area ARD.

[0056] Next, in step S15, the CPU 22 acquires the reference vehicle speed appropriate value VLb and the reference traveling direction DTb based on the driving area ARD. That is, the CPU 22 acquires the reference vehicle speed appropriate value VLb of the driving area AR determined to be the driving area ARD from the map MP of the storage device 24. For example, the CPU 22 selects the map corresponding to the vehicle type of the vehicle 30 from among the multiple maps MP possessed by the storage device 24, and acquires the reference vehicle speed appropriate value VLb from this map. In addition, the CPU 22 acquires the reference traveling direction DTb of the driving area AR determined to be the driving area ARD from the storage device 24.

[0057] In the next step S17, the CPU 22 derives the traveling direction DTs of the vehicle 30. For example, the CPU 22 can derive the traveling direction DTs based on the change in the position coordinates CP received by the server 20.

[0058] Then, in step S19, the CPU 22 derives the vehicle speed appropriate value VLa based on the reference vehicle speed appropriate value VLb, the reference traveling direction DTb, and the traveling direction DTs of the vehicle 30. For example, the CPU 22 determines whether the reference traveling direction DTb and the traveling direction DTs are the same. When the CPU 22 does not make a determination that the reference traveling direction DTb and the traveling direction DTs are the same, the CPU 22 derives a value larger than the case where a determination that the reference traveling direction DTb and the traveling direction DTs are the same is made as the correction value H1. Then, the CPU 22 derives the value obtained by subtracting the correction value H1 from the reference vehicle speed appropriate value VLb as the vehicle speed appropriate value VLa. Thus, when the traveling direction DTs and the reference traveling direction DTb are not the same, a value smaller than the case where the traveling direction DTs and the reference traveling direction DTb are the same can be set as the vehicle speed appropriate value VLa.

[0059] In addition, the CPU 22 makes the correction value H1 variable according to the deviation amount between the reference traveling direction DTb and the traveling direction DTs. Specifically, the CPU 22 derives a value that becomes larger as the deviation amount becomes larger as the correction value H1. Thus, the CPU 22 can derive a value that becomes smaller as the deviation amount becomes larger as the appropriate vehicle speed value VLa.

[0060] For example, as Figure 5 shown, the CPU 22 derives the angle formed by the reference traveling direction DTb and the traveling direction DTs as the deviation amount Δθ. The deviation amount Δθ when the traveling direction DTs is the first direction DTs1 is set as the first deviation amount Δθ1, and the deviation amount Δθ when the traveling direction DTs is the second direction DTs2 is set as the second deviation amount Δθ2, and the second deviation amount Δθ2 is made larger than the first deviation amount Δθ1. In this case, the CPU 22 derives a larger value as the correction value H1 when the traveling direction DTs is the second direction DTs2 than when the traveling direction DTs is the first direction DTs1.

[0061] Return Figure 6 , when the appropriate vehicle speed value VLa is derived in step S19, the CPU 22 transfers the process to step S21. In step S21, the CPU 22 transmits the appropriate vehicle speed value VLa and the reference traveling direction DTb from the server-side communication device 28 to the vehicle 30. After that, the CPU 22 temporarily ends this processing routine.

[0062] When the vehicle control device 40 receives the appropriate vehicle speed value VLa and the reference traveling direction DTb from the server 20, it determines the appropriate vehicle speed value VL and executes support processing based on this appropriate vehicle speed value VL. Figure 7 The figure shows a processing routine executed by the CPU 41 of the vehicle control device 40. The CPU 41 repeatedly executes this processing routine.

[0063] In this processing routine, in the initial step S31, the CPU 41 determines whether it has received the appropriate vehicle speed value VLa and the reference traveling direction DTb from the server 20. If the reception of the appropriate vehicle speed value VLa and the reference traveling direction DTb is not completed (S31: No), the CPU 41 repeatedly executes the determination in step S31 until the reception is completed. On the other hand, if the reception of the appropriate vehicle speed value VLa and the reference traveling direction DTb is completed (S31: Yes), the CPU 41 transfers the process to step S33.

[0064] In step S33, the CPU 41 executes a first determination process. In the first determination process, the CPU 41 determines whether the traveling direction DTs of the vehicle 30 deviates from the reference traveling direction DTb based on the lateral acceleration Gy and the yaw rate Yr of the vehicle 30. That is, the CPU 41 predicts how the traveling direction DTs changes based on the lateral acceleration Gy and the yaw rate Yr. And, when it is predicted that the traveling direction DTs changes in a manner that the deviation between the traveling direction DTs and the reference traveling direction DTb increases, the CPU 41 makes a determination that the traveling direction DTs deviates from the reference traveling direction DTb. On the other hand, when it cannot be predicted that the traveling direction DTs changes in a manner that the deviation between the traveling direction DTs and the reference traveling direction DTb increases, the CPU 41 does not make a determination that the traveling direction DTs deviates from the reference traveling direction DTb. When the CPU 41 makes a determination that the traveling direction DTs deviates from the reference traveling direction DTb, the first determination flag is set to ON, and on the other hand, when the CPU 41 does not make a determination that the traveling direction DTs deviates from the reference traveling direction DTb, the first determination flag is set to OFF. Then, the CPU 41 ends the first determination process.

[0065] Next, in step S35, the CPU 41 executes a second determination process. In the second determination process, the CPU 41 determines whether the traveling direction DTs of the vehicle 30 deviates from the reference traveling direction DTb based on the steering angle Str. That is, the CPU 41 predicts how the traveling direction DTs changes based on the steering angle Str. And, when it is predicted that the traveling direction DTs changes in a manner that the deviation between the traveling direction DTs and the reference traveling direction DTb increases, the CPU 41 makes a determination that the traveling direction DTs deviates from the reference traveling direction DTb. On the other hand, when it cannot be predicted that the traveling direction DTs changes in a manner that the deviation between the traveling direction DTs and the reference traveling direction DTb increases, the CPU 41 does not make a determination that the traveling direction DTs deviates from the reference traveling direction DTb. When the CPU 41 makes a determination that the traveling direction DTs deviates from the reference traveling direction DTb, the second determination flag is set to ON, and on the other hand, when the CPU 41 does not make a determination that the traveling direction DTs deviates from the reference traveling direction DTb, the second determination flag is set to OFF. Then, the CPU 41 ends the second determination process.

[0066] In the next step S37, the CPU 41 determines whether the deviation amount Δθ between the traveling direction DTs of the vehicle 30 and the reference traveling direction DTb has increased. The CPU 41 makes a determination that the deviation amount Δθ has increased when at least one of the first determination flag and the second determination flag is set to ON. On the other hand, the CPU 41 does not make a determination that the deviation amount Δθ has increased when both the first determination flag and the second determination flag are set to OFF. Then, when a determination is made that the deviation amount Δθ has increased (S37: YES), the CPU 41 transfers the process to step S39. On the other hand, when a determination that the deviation amount Δθ has not increased is made (S37: NO), the CPU 41 transfers the process to step S41.

[0067] In step S39, the CPU 41 corrects the appropriate vehicle speed value VLa. The CPU 41 derives the value obtained by subtracting the correction value H2 from the appropriate vehicle speed value VLa as the corrected appropriate vehicle speed value VLa. The CPU 41, for example, derives a larger value as the correction value H2 as the predicted increase rate of the deviation amount Δθ becomes larger. That is, in the present embodiment, when the CPU 41 makes a determination that the deviation amount Δθ has increased, it derives a smaller value as the appropriate vehicle speed value VLa than when it does not make a determination that the deviation amount Δθ has increased. Then, the CPU 41 transfers the process to step S41.

[0068] In step S41, the CPU 41 obtains the road surface state of the traveling area ARD. In the present embodiment, the CPU 41 obtains the estimated value of the road surface μ as the road surface state. For example, when a driving force is input to the wheels of the vehicle 30, the CPU 41 can derive the estimated value of the road surface μ based on the driving force and the slip amount of the wheels.

[0069] Then, in step S43, the CPU 41 derives the appropriate vehicle speed value VL based on the appropriate vehicle speed value VLa and the road surface state. When the estimated value of the road surface μ is obtained as the road surface state, for example, the CPU 41 determines whether the estimated value of the road surface μ is equal to or greater than the μ determination value. As the μ determination value, a judgment criterion for whether the road surface is a low-μ road is set. When the estimated value of the road surface μ is less than the μ determination value, the road surface is regarded as a low-μ road. When the estimated value of the road surface μ is equal to or greater than the μ determination value, the road surface is not regarded as a low-μ road. The CPU 41 sets a positive value as the adjustment value H3 when the estimated value of the road surface μ is less than the μ determination value. On the other hand, the CPU 41 sets "0" as the adjustment value H3 when the estimated value of the road surface μ is equal to or greater than the μ determination value. Then, the CPU 41 derives the value obtained by subtracting the adjustment value H3 from the appropriate vehicle speed value VLa as the appropriate vehicle speed value VL.

[0070] As described above, when the traveling direction DTs of the vehicle 30 does not match the reference traveling direction DTb, a value smaller than that when the traveling direction DTs matches the reference traveling direction DTb is set as the appropriate vehicle speed value VLa. Further, when it is determined that the deviation amount Δθ has increased, a value smaller than that when it is not determined that the deviation amount Δθ has increased is derived as the appropriate vehicle speed value VLa. Therefore, in the present embodiment, when the traveling direction DTs does not match the reference traveling direction DTb, a value smaller than that when the traveling direction DTs matches the reference traveling direction DTb is set as the appropriate vehicle speed value VL. Further, when it is determined that the deviation amount Δθ has increased, a value smaller than that when it is not determined that the deviation amount Δθ has increased is set as the appropriate vehicle speed value VL.

[0071] When the appropriate vehicle speed value VL is derived in step S43, the CPU 41 transfers the process to step S45. In step S45, the CPU 41 executes support processing. In the present embodiment, the CPU 41 notifies the driver of the appropriate vehicle speed value VL. Further, when the vehicle speed V exceeds the appropriate vehicle speed value VL, the CPU 41 decelerates the vehicle 30 by controlling at least one of the drive device 32 and the brake device 33. After that, the CPU 41 temporarily ends this processing routine.

[0072] <Correspondence>

[0073] The correspondence between the matters in the present embodiment and the matters described in the above Summary of the Invention is as follows.

[0074] Step S13 corresponds to the "determination process" of determining the traveling area ARD from among the plurality of traveling areas AR. Steps S19, S33, S35, S37, and S39 correspond to the "appropriate value setting process" of setting the appropriate vehicle speed value VLa. Step S45 corresponds to the "support process" of performing at least one of the process of notifying the driver of the appropriate vehicle speed value VL and the process of decelerating the vehicle 30 when the vehicle speed V exceeds the appropriate vehicle speed value VL. Step S41 corresponds to the "road surface state acquisition process" of acquiring the road surface state of the traveling area ARD. Step S43 corresponds to the "correction process" of correcting the appropriate vehicle speed value VLa set in the appropriate value setting process based on the road surface state of the traveling area ARD.

[0075] In addition, the storage device 24 of the server control device 21 corresponds to the "storage device" that stores a plurality of driving areas AR, the reference traveling direction DTb of each driving area AR, and the appropriate value VLb of the reference vehicle speed of each driving area AR. In addition, the CPU 22 of the server control device 21 and the CPU 41 of the vehicle control device 40 correspond to the "execution device" that executes the above-mentioned various processes. In addition, the CPU 41 of the vehicle control device 40 corresponds to the "second execution device" that executes a part of the above-mentioned various processes, and the CPU 22 of the server control device 21 corresponds to the "first execution device" that executes the remaining processes.

[0076] <Function and effect>

[0077] The function and effect of the present embodiment will be described.

[0078] (1-1) When the vehicle 30 is traveling on Figure 2 the runway 101 shown in the figure, the driving area ARD in which the vehicle is traveling is determined from among a plurality of driving areas AR set by dividing the runway 101. Then, an appropriate vehicle speed value VL is set based on the driving area ARD in which the vehicle is traveling. Thus, through the support process, the appropriate vehicle speed value VL is notified to the driver, or the vehicle 30 is decelerated so that the vehicle speed V does not exceed the appropriate vehicle speed value VL.

[0079] In the present embodiment, the appropriate vehicle speed value VL is set as follows. That is, when the reference traveling direction DTb of the driving area ARD in which the vehicle is traveling does not match the traveling direction DTs of the vehicle 30, a value smaller than the case where the reference traveling direction DTb matches the traveling direction DTs is set as the appropriate vehicle speed value VL. That is, the appropriate vehicle speed value VL is set considering not only the driving area ARD in which the vehicle is traveling but also the traveling direction DTs of the vehicle 30. Therefore, if the traveling direction DTs is different, the appropriate vehicle speed value VL also changes.

[0080] Therefore, according to the present embodiment, the magnitude considering the traveling direction DTs of the vehicle 30 can be set as the appropriate vehicle speed value VL. Therefore, it is possible to support the vehicle operation of the driver by considering the driving area ARD in which the vehicle is traveling and the traveling route of the vehicle 30 within the driving area ARD.

[0081] (1-2) When the driver performs a steering operation, the lateral acceleration Gy and the yaw rate Yr of the vehicle 30 change. In addition, when an external disturbance is input to the vehicle 30, the lateral acceleration Gy and the yaw rate Yr of the vehicle 30 may also change. The external disturbance here refers to the case where the vehicle 30 is affected by a crosswind, and the case where the wheels of the vehicle 30 cross the unevenness on the road. When at least one of the lateral acceleration Gy and the yaw rate Yr changes, the traveling direction DTs of the vehicle 30 may change.

[0082] Therefore, in the present embodiment, based on the lateral acceleration Gy and yaw rate Yr of the vehicle 30, it is determined whether the deviation amount Δθ between the traveling direction DTs of the vehicle 30 and the reference traveling direction DTb becomes larger. And, in the case where it is determined that the deviation amount Δθ has become larger, a value smaller than the case where it is not determined that the deviation amount Δθ has become larger can be set as the appropriate vehicle speed value VL. That is, the appropriate vehicle speed value VL can be set in consideration of the change in the traveling direction DTs that can be estimated based on the lateral acceleration Gy and yaw rate Yr of the vehicle 30.

[0083] (1-3) Consider the case where the server control device 21 corrects the appropriate vehicle speed value VLa based on the determination result generated by the first determination process. In this case, the lateral acceleration Gy and yaw rate Yr, which are the information required for executing the first determination process, are sent to the server 20. However, since a time delay occurs due to the transmission and reception of the lateral acceleration Gy and yaw rate Yr, the correction of the appropriate vehicle speed value VLa is likely to be delayed. Regarding this point, in the present embodiment, the vehicle control device 40 corrects the appropriate vehicle speed value VLa based on the determination result generated by the first determination process. Therefore, the delay in the correction of the appropriate vehicle speed value VLa as described above can be suppressed.

[0084] (1-4) Based on the steering angle Str, it is determined whether the deviation amount Δθ between the traveling direction DTs of the vehicle 30 and the reference traveling direction DTb becomes larger. And, in the case where it is determined that the deviation amount Δθ has become larger, a value smaller than the case where it is not determined that the deviation amount Δθ has become larger can be set as the appropriate vehicle speed value VL. That is, the appropriate vehicle speed value VL can be set in consideration of the change in the traveling direction DTs that can be estimated based on the driver's steering.

[0085] (1-5) Consider the case where the server control device 21 corrects the appropriate vehicle speed value VLa based on the determination result of the second determination process. In this case, the steering angle Str, which is the information required for executing the second determination process, is sent to the server 20. However, since a time delay occurs due to the transmission and reception of the steering angle Str, the correction of the appropriate vehicle speed value VLa is likely to be delayed. Regarding this point, in the present embodiment, the vehicle control device 40 corrects the appropriate vehicle speed value VLa based on the determination result of the second determination process. Therefore, the delay in the correction of the appropriate vehicle speed value VLa as described above can be suppressed.

[0086] (1-6)When the vehicle 30 is traveling on a road with a small μ value, the vehicle behavior is likely to be disordered. In other words, in order to ensure the stability of the vehicle behavior, it is preferable that the vehicle speed V is not too high when the μ value of the road surface on which the vehicle is traveling is small. Therefore, in the present embodiment, when the road surface μ is small, a value smaller than the case where the road surface μ is not small can be set as the appropriate vehicle speed value VL. Therefore, it is also possible to support the vehicle operation of the driver in consideration of the road surface μ.

[0087] (1-7)In the present embodiment, the map MP is prepared for each vehicle model. Therefore, the appropriate vehicle speed value VL can be made to be a size corresponding to the vehicle model. That is, it is possible to support the vehicle operation of the driver according to the vehicle model.

[0088] (1-8)In the present embodiment, the appropriate vehicle speed value VL is set through the cooperation of the server control device 21 and the vehicle control device 40. Therefore, compared with the case where each process for setting the appropriate vehicle speed value VL is executed by one control device, the control load on each of the control devices 21 and 40 can be reduced.

[0089] (Second Embodiment)

[0090] According to Figure 8 The second embodiment of the vehicle driving support system and the vehicle driving support method will be described. In the following description, mainly the parts different from the first embodiment will be described, and the same or corresponding component structures as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and repeated descriptions are omitted.

[0091] <Flow of the process for setting the appropriate vehicle speed value VL to support the vehicle operation of the driver>

[0092] When the vehicle 30 is traveling on the runway 101, the vehicle control device 40 sequentially transmits the information required for setting the appropriate vehicle speed value VL to the server 20 via the vehicle-side communication device 31. As the information required for deriving the appropriate vehicle speed value VL, for example, the position coordinate CP, the steering angle Str, the lateral acceleration Gy, the yaw rate Yr, and the estimated value of the road surface μ can be cited.

[0093] Figure 8 An example of the processing routine executed by the CPU 22 of the server control device 21 is illustrated. The CPU 22 repeatedly executes this processing routine.

[0094] In this processing routine, in the initial step S61, the CPU 22 determines whether various information has been received from the vehicle 30. The various information here is the information required to derive the appropriate vehicle speed value VL. When the reception of the various information is not completed (S61: No), the CPU 22 repeatedly executes the determination in step S61 until the reception is completed. On the other hand, when the reception of the various information is completed (S61: Yes), the CPU 22 transfers the processing to step S63.

[0095] In step S63, the CPU 22 determines the driving area ARD based on the position coordinates CP in the same manner as in step S13 above. Next, in step S65, the CPU 22 obtains the reference appropriate vehicle speed value VLb and the reference traveling direction DTb based on the driving area ARD in the same manner as in step S15 above. In the next step S67, the CPU 22 derives the traveling direction DTs of the vehicle 30 in the same manner as in step S17 above. Then, in step S69, the CPU 22 derives the appropriate vehicle speed value VLa based on the reference appropriate vehicle speed value VLb, the reference traveling direction DTb, and the traveling direction DTs of the vehicle 30 in the same manner as in step S19 above.

[0096] In the next step S71, the CPU 22 executes the first determination process in the same manner as in step S33 above. In the present embodiment, the first determination process is not executed by the vehicle control device 40, but by the server control device 21.

[0097] Next, in step S73, the CPU 22 executes the second determination process in the same manner as in step S35 above. In the present embodiment, the second determination process is not executed by the vehicle control device 40, but by the server control device 21.

[0098] Then, in step S75, the CPU 22 determines whether the deviation amount Δθ between the traveling direction of the vehicle 30 and the reference traveling direction DTb has increased in the same manner as in step S37 above. When it is determined that the deviation amount Δθ has increased (S75: Yes), the CPU 22 transfers the processing to step S77. On the other hand, when it is not determined that the deviation amount Δθ has increased (S75: No), the CPU 22 transfers the processing to step S79.

[0099] In step S77, the CPU 22 corrects the appropriate vehicle speed value VLa in the same manner as in step S39 above. When the appropriate vehicle speed value VLa is corrected, the CPU 22 transfers the processing to step S79.

[0100] In step S79, the CPU 22 derives the appropriate vehicle speed value VL based on the appropriate vehicle speed value VLa derived in step S77 and the road surface state received in step S61, in the same manner as in step S43 described above. Next, in step S81, the CPU 22 causes the appropriate vehicle speed value VL to be transmitted from the server-side communication device 28 to the vehicle 30. After that, the CPU 22 temporarily ends this processing routine.

[0101] The CPU 41 of the vehicle control device 40 performs support processing based on the appropriate vehicle speed value VL received from the server 20. The content of the support processing is the same as that of the first embodiment described above.

[0102] <Correspondence>

[0103] The correspondence between the matters in this embodiment and the matters described in the column of "Technical Means for Solving the Problem" above is as follows.

[0104] Step S63 corresponds to "Determination Processing". Steps S69, S71, S73, S75, and S77 correspond to "Appropriate Value Setting Processing". Step S79 corresponds to "Calibration Processing".

[0105] In addition, the storage device 24 of the server control device 21 corresponds to the "storage device" that stores a plurality of driving areas AR, the reference traveling direction DTb of each driving area AR, and the reference appropriate vehicle speed value VLb of each driving area AR. In addition, the CPU 22 of the server control device 21 and the CPU 41 of the vehicle control device 40 correspond to the "execution device" that executes the above-described various processes. In addition, the CPU 41 of the vehicle control device 40 corresponds to the "second execution device" that executes a part of the above-described various processes, and the CPU 22 of the server control device 21 corresponds to the "first execution device" that executes the remaining processes.

[0106] <Function and Effect>

[0107] In this embodiment, in addition to the effects equivalent to the effects (1-1), (1-2), (1-4), (1-6), and (1-7) of the first embodiment described above, the following effects can also be obtained.

[0108] (2-1) In this embodiment, the processing until the appropriate vehicle speed value VL is set is performed by the server control device 21. Therefore, compared with the case of the first embodiment described above, the control load on the CPU 41 of the vehicle control device 40 can be reduced.

[0109] (Modification Example)

[0110] In addition, the above-mentioned embodiments can be implemented by modifying them as follows: The above-mentioned embodiments and the following modified examples can be implemented in combination with each other within the scope of no technical contradiction.

[0111] In the above embodiments, the processes constituting the driving support method are shared between the CPU 22 of the server control device 21 and the CPU 41 of the vehicle control device 40. However, the CPU 41 of the vehicle control device 40 may execute all the processes constituting the driving support method.

[0112] In this case, when the vehicle 30 travels on the course 101 managed by the server 20, before the travel starts, the server 20 sends a Figure 3 All the travel areas AR, the reference vehicle speed appropriate value VLb of each travel area AR, and the reference travel direction DTb of each travel area AR are shown. Then, the received various information is stored in the storage device 43 of the vehicle control device 40.

[0113] When the vehicle 30 is traveling on the track 101 in this state, the CPU 41 can set the appropriate vehicle speed value VL in the same manner as in the above-described embodiments.

[0114] In this modified example, the CPU 41 of the vehicle control device 40 corresponds to the “execution device”, and the storage device 43 corresponds to the “storage device”.

[0115] In each of the above-mentioned embodiments, a map MP is prepared for each vehicle type. However, it is not essential to prepare a map MP for each vehicle type.

[0116] If the appropriate vehicle speed value VL is corrected according to the road surface condition, the appropriate vehicle speed value VL may be corrected according to the road surface condition using a method different from that described in the above embodiments. For example, the appropriate vehicle speed value VL may be corrected so that the lower the road surface μ, the larger the correction amount.

[0117] The appropriate vehicle speed value VL may be derived without taking the road surface condition into consideration. In other words, the correction process may be omitted. In this case, the road surface condition acquisition process may be omitted.

[0118] In the first determination process, it is also possible to determine whether the deviation amount Δθ is increasing by using only one of the lateral acceleration Gy and the yaw rate Yr.

[0119] If the second determination process is executed, the first determination process may be omitted.

[0120] If the first determination process is executed, the second determination process may be omitted.

[0121] ·In each of the above-described embodiments, when it can be predicted that the deviation amount Δθ between the traveling direction DTs of the vehicle 30 and the reference traveling direction DTb increases, the appropriate vehicle speed value VL is decreased. However, when deriving the appropriate vehicle speed value VL, it is also possible not to consider whether it can be predicted that the deviation amount Δθ increases. In this case, both the first determination process and the second determination process may not be executed.

[0122] ·In each of the above-described embodiments, a value that becomes smaller as the increasing speed of the deviation amount Δθ between the traveling direction DTs of the vehicle 30 and the reference traveling direction DTb increases is set as the appropriate vehicle speed value VL, but it is not limited thereto. For example, when the increasing speed of the deviation amount Δθ is equal to or greater than a threshold value, the same value may be set as the appropriate vehicle speed value VL regardless of the magnitude of the increasing speed. Even in this case, when the traveling direction DTs and the reference traveling direction DTb do not match, a value smaller than the case where the traveling direction DTs and the reference traveling direction DTb match can be set as the appropriate vehicle speed value VL.

[0123] ·If the appropriate vehicle speed value VL is notified to the driver as a support process, the process of decelerating the vehicle 30 when the vehicle speed V exceeds the appropriate vehicle speed value VL may not be executed.

[0124] ·If the process of decelerating the vehicle 30 when the vehicle speed V exceeds the appropriate vehicle speed value VL is executed as a support process, the process of notifying the appropriate vehicle speed value VL to the driver may not be executed.

[0125] ·In the above-described embodiment, the case of traveling on the track 101 of the racecourse 100 has been described, but it is not limited thereto. For example, the driving support system may be applied to the case where the vehicle 30 travels on a public road.

[0126] When the vehicle 30 travels on a road having a plurality of lanes, the road is divided into a driving lane and an overtaking lane. That is, the driving lane and the overtaking lane are set as driving areas. The appropriate reference vehicle speed value VLb for the driving lane and the appropriate reference vehicle speed value VLb for the overtaking lane are set respectively. In addition, the reference traveling direction DTb for the driving lane and the reference traveling direction DTb for the overtaking lane are set respectively. In this case, it is preferable to set a value larger than the appropriate reference vehicle speed value VLb for the overtaking lane as the appropriate reference vehicle speed value VLb for the driving lane. In addition, as the reference traveling direction DTb for the driving lane, it is preferable to set the direction along the driving lane, and as the reference traveling direction DTb for the overtaking lane, it is preferable to set the direction along the overtaking lane.

[0127] For example, when the vehicle 30 is traveling in a driving lane, the appropriate vehicle speed value VL is set based on the determination result of whether the reference appropriate vehicle speed value VLb for the driving lane and the reference travel direction DTb for the driving lane coincide with the actual travel direction DTs of the vehicle 30. Therefore, when the vehicle 30 is traveling in the driving lane toward an adjacent lane, the determination of whether the travel direction DTs coincides with the reference travel direction DTb for the driving lane is not made, and a value smaller than the reference appropriate vehicle speed value VLb is set as the appropriate vehicle speed value VL.

[0128] The driving support system 10 is not limited to a system that includes a CPU and a memory storing programs and executes software processing. In other words, the driving support system 10 may be any one of the following configurations (a) to (c).

[0129] (a) The driving support system 10 includes one or more processors that execute various processes according to computer programs. The processors include a CPU and memory such as RAM and ROM. The memory stores program code or instructions that cause the CPU to execute the processes. Memory, or computer-readable media, includes any available media that can be accessed by a general-purpose or special-purpose computer.

[0130] (b) The driving support system 10 includes one or more dedicated hardware circuits that execute various processes. Examples of dedicated hardware circuits include application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) or FPGAs. ASIC stands for "Application Specific Integrated Circuit," and FPGA stands for "Field Programmable Gate Array."

[0131] (c) The driving support system 10 includes a processor that executes a part of various processes according to a computer program, and a dedicated hardware circuit that executes the remaining processes among the various processes.

Claims

1. A driving support system for a vehicle that supports a driver's vehicle operation while the vehicle is traveling. Among them, the driving support system of the vehicle includes an execution device and a storage device. The execution device includes a first execution device provided outside the vehicle and a second execution device provided in the vehicle. The storage device divides the road on which the vehicle travels into a plurality of driving areas and stores them, and stores a reference traveling direction for each of the plurality of driving areas. The reference traveling direction is the traveling direction of the vehicle as a reference when the vehicle travels in the driving area. The execution device performs the following processing: Determination processing: Determine the driving area in which the vehicle is currently traveling from among the plurality of driving areas. Appropriate value setting processing: Set an appropriate vehicle speed value, which is an appropriate vehicle speed when the vehicle travels in the driving area in which it is currently traveling. And Support processing: Perform at least one of the processing of notifying the driver of the appropriate vehicle speed value and the processing of decelerating the vehicle when the vehicle speed exceeds the appropriate vehicle speed value. In the appropriate value setting processing, the execution device sets a value smaller than the case where the traveling direction of the vehicle coincides with the reference traveling direction as the appropriate vehicle speed value when the traveling direction of the vehicle does not coincide with the reference traveling direction. In the appropriate value setting processing, the second execution device determines whether the deviation amount between the traveling direction of the vehicle and the reference traveling direction becomes larger based on at least one of the lateral acceleration and yaw rate of the vehicle or based on the steering angle. When it is determined that the deviation amount has become larger, a value smaller than the case where it is not determined that the deviation amount has become larger is set as the appropriate vehicle speed value. The execution device performs the following processing: Road surface state acquisition processing: Acquire the road surface state in the driving area in which the vehicle is currently traveling. And Correction processing: Correct the appropriate vehicle speed value set in the appropriate value setting processing based on the road surface state in the driving area in which the vehicle is currently traveling. A part of the processing in each of the above-mentioned processes is executed by the second execution device, and the remaining processing is executed by the first execution device.

2. The driving support system for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the storage device has a mapping that stores a reference appropriate vehicle speed value as a reference for the appropriate vehicle speed value for each of the plurality of driving areas. In the appropriate value setting processing, the execution device acquires the reference appropriate vehicle speed value of the driving area in which the vehicle is currently traveling from the mapping, and when the traveling direction of the vehicle coincides with the reference traveling direction, a value corresponding to the reference appropriate vehicle speed value is set as the appropriate vehicle speed value.

3. The driving support system for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the storage device has the mapping differentiated according to the type of the vehicle. In the appropriate value setting process, the execution device selects the map corresponding to the type of the vehicle from among the plurality of maps possessed by the storage device, and obtains the appropriate reference vehicle speed value corresponding to the traveling area from the map.

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