Driving assistance devices

Abstract

The present invention provides a driving assistance device that can avoid collisions between not only the vehicle itself and obstacles but also other vehicles. The driving assistance device 11 includes: a surrounding information acquisition unit 40 for acquiring surrounding information of a vehicle 1; a collision determination unit 201 for determining the likelihood of collision between an obstacle surrounding the vehicle 1 and the vehicle 1 based on the surrounding information acquired by the surrounding information acquisition unit 40; a brake control unit 203 for braking the vehicle 1 if the collision determination unit 201 determines the likelihood of collision between the obstacle and the vehicle 1; and a brake notification unit 205 for transmitting a brake notification signal to the other vehicles traveling in the same direction as the vehicle 1, notifying the vehicle 1 to brake and to braking other vehicles surrounding the vehicle 1.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a driving assistance device. Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, there is known a technology for applying a braking action to reduce collision damage when it is determined that there is a possibility of a collision between a vehicle and an obstacle at an intersection with poor visibility (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] Prior art literature

[0004] [Patent Document]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2020-154698 Summary of the Invention

[0006] Technical problems to be solved by the present invention

[0007] However, when the ego vehicle performs collision damage reduction braking to avoid a collision between the vehicle and an obstacle, other vehicles around the ego vehicle are unable to detect the obstacle due to the presence of the ego vehicle, and thus cannot avoid a collision between the vehicle and the obstacle.

[0008] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a driving assistance device that can avoid not only a collision between a vehicle itself and an obstacle but also a collision between other vehicles and obstacles.

[0009] Solutions to the Problem

[0010] A driving assistance device according to one embodiment of the present invention (e.g., the driving assistance device 11 described below) comprises: a peripheral information acquisition unit (e.g., the peripheral information acquisition unit 40 described below) for acquiring peripheral information of a vehicle (e.g., the vehicle 1 described below); a collision determination unit (e.g., the collision determination unit 201 described below) for determining the possibility of a collision between an obstacle (e.g., the pedestrian 500, bicycle 600, and bicycle 700 described below) surrounding the vehicle and the vehicle based on the peripheral information acquired by the peripheral information acquisition unit; a braking control unit (e.g., the braking control unit 203 described below) for braking the vehicle when the collision determination unit determines that there is a possibility of a collision between the obstacle and the vehicle; and a braking notification unit (e.g., the braking notification unit 205 described below) for notifying the vehicle to brake and sending a braking notification signal to other vehicles (e.g., the motorcycle 300 described below) surrounding the vehicle that are traveling in the same direction as the vehicle.

[0011] Furthermore, the braking notification signal causes the braking of the other vehicle to be performed in a step-by-step manner.

[0012] Moreover, the driving assistance device further includes an other vehicle detection unit (for example, the other vehicle detection unit 204 described below) that detects the other vehicle traveling on the side or rear side of the vehicle and in the same direction of travel as the vehicle based on the surrounding information obtained by the surrounding information acquisition unit, and the braking notification unit sends the braking notification signal to the other vehicle detected by the other vehicle detection unit.

[0013] Effects of the Invention

[0014] According to the present invention, a driving assistance device can be provided that can avoid not only a collision between a vehicle itself and an obstacle but also a collision between other vehicles and obstacles. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] Figure 1 This is a block diagram showing the configuration of a vehicle according to this embodiment.

[0016] Figure 2 This is a diagram showing the functional configuration of the vehicle driving assistance device according to the present embodiment.

[0017] Figure 3 This is a diagram showing the functional configuration of the motorcycle driving assistance device according to the present embodiment.

[0018] Figure 4 This diagram shows a situation in which a vehicle or motorcycle may collide with a pedestrian while traveling.

[0019] Figure 5 This diagram shows a situation in which a vehicle or a motorcycle may collide with a bicycle while traveling.

[0020] Figure 6 This diagram shows a situation in which a vehicle or a motorcycle may collide with a bicycle while traveling.

[0021] Figure 7 This is a flowchart showing the processing of the driving assistance device for the vehicle according to the present embodiment.

[0022] Figure 8 1 is a flowchart showing the processing of the motorcycle driving support device according to the present embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] Hereinafter, embodiments of the driving assistance device according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0024] Figure 1 It is a block diagram showing the configuration of the vehicle 1 according to the present embodiment. Figure 1 1 is a combined plan view and side view schematically showing a vehicle 1. The vehicle 1 is, for example, a sedan-type four-wheeled passenger vehicle.

[0025] Vehicle 1 includes a control device 2. Control device 2 includes multiple ECUs (autonomous driving ECU 20 to stop control ECU 29) that can be connected via an in-vehicle network. Each ECU functions as a computer and includes a processor, typically a CPU, storage devices such as semiconductor memory, and interfaces with external devices. The storage device stores programs executed by the processor and data used by the processor. Each ECU can include multiple processors, storage devices, and interfaces.

[0026] The following describes the functions of each of the automatic driving ECU 20 to the stop control ECU 29. Furthermore, the number of ECUs and the functions they are responsible for can be designed appropriately, and the ECUs shown in this embodiment can be subdivided or integrated.

[0027] The automatic driving ECU 20 executes control related to automatic driving of the vehicle 1. During automatic driving, the automatic driving ECU 20 automatically controls at least one of the steering and acceleration / deceleration of the vehicle 1.

[0028] The steering ECU 21 controls the electric power steering system 3. The electric power steering system 3 includes a mechanism for steering the front wheels based on the driver's steering operation (steering operation) of the steering wheel 31. Furthermore, the electric power steering system 3 includes a motor for applying driving force to assist with steering operation or automatically steer the front wheels, as well as a sensor for detecting the steering angle. When the vehicle 1 is in autonomous driving mode, the steering ECU 21 automatically controls the electric power steering system 3 in response to instructions from the autonomous driving ECU 20, thereby controlling the vehicle 1's forward direction.

[0029] The driving assistance ECUs 22 and 23 control the camera 41, LIDAR 42, and millimeter-wave radar 43, which detect the vehicle's surroundings, and process the detection results. The camera 41 captures images of the front, sides, and rear of the vehicle 1. In this embodiment, two cameras 41 are installed on the front of the vehicle 1, with one each on the side and rear. The driving assistance ECUs 22 and 23 analyze the images captured by the cameras 41 to extract the outlines of landmarks or lane markings (such as white lines) on the road.

[0030] The LIDAR 42 is a Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) that detects objects around the vehicle 1 and measures the distance to the objects. In this embodiment, five LIDARs 42 are installed: one at each front corner of the vehicle 1, one at the center of the rear, and one on each side of the rear.

[0031] The millimeter-wave radar 43 detects objects around the vehicle 1 and measures the distance to the objects. In this embodiment, five millimeter-wave radars 43 are provided: one in the center of the front of the vehicle 1, one in each front corner, and one in each rear corner.

[0032] The driving assistance ECU 22 controls the camera 41 and LIDARs 42 on one side of the front of the vehicle 1, and processes the information generated by their detection results. The driving assistance ECU 23 controls the camera 41 and millimeter-wave radars 43 on the other side of the front of the vehicle 1, and processes the information generated by their detection results. Having two sets of ECUs to detect the surrounding conditions of the vehicle 1 improves the reliability of detection results. Furthermore, having different types of detection units, namely the camera 41, LIDAR 42, and millimeter-wave radar 43, allows for multifaceted analysis of the surrounding environment of the vehicle 1.

[0033] The position recognition ECU 24 controls the gyro sensor 5, GPS sensor 24b, and communication device 24c, and processes information related to detection and communication results. The gyro sensor 5 detects the rotational motion of the vehicle 1. The position recognition ECU 24 can determine the detection results of the gyro sensor 5 or the vehicle's heading based on, for example, wheel speed.

[0034] The GPS sensor 24b detects the current location of the vehicle 1. The communication device 24c wirelessly communicates with a server that provides map information, traffic information, and other information to obtain this information. The location recognition ECU 24 can access a map information database 24a stored in a storage device and perform tasks such as route search from the current location to the destination.

[0035] The communication control ECU 25 includes a communication device 25a for inter-vehicle communication. The communication device 25a performs wireless communication with other surrounding vehicles and exchanges information between the vehicles.

[0036] The drive control ECU 26 controls the power device 6. The power device 6 is a mechanism that outputs driving force to rotate the drive wheels of the vehicle 1 and includes, for example, an engine and a transmission. For example, the drive control ECU 26 controls the engine output in response to the driver's driving operation (accelerator operation or acceleration operation) detected by the operation detection sensor 7D provided on the accelerator pedal 7A. Furthermore, the drive control ECU 26 switches the transmission gear stage based on information such as the vehicle speed detected by the vehicle speed sensor 7C. When the vehicle 1 is in the automatic driving mode, the drive control ECU 26 automatically controls the power device 6 in response to instructions from the automatic driving ECU 20 to control the acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle 1.

[0037] The vehicle exterior notification control ECU 27 controls the lighting devices 8 (see below) such as the direction indicator (turn signal) 8a, the headlight 8b, and the taillight 8c. Figure 3 ).exist Figure 1 In the example of FIG. 1 , the direction indicator 8a is provided at the front, door mirrors, and rear of the vehicle 1. The headlight 8b is provided at the front of the vehicle 1, and the taillight 8c is provided at the front of the vehicle 1. The exterior notification control ECU 27 further controls the sound device 12 that generates sound toward the exterior of the vehicle. The sound device 12 includes, for example, a horn 12a for sounding a horn (see below). Figure 3 ).

[0038] The in-vehicle notification control ECU 28 controls the input / output device 9. The input / output device 9 outputs information to the driver and receives information from the driver. The input / output device 9 includes a sound output device 91, a display device 92, and an input device 93.

[0039] The sound output device 91 notifies the driver of information by sound.

[0040] The display device 92 reports information to the driver by displaying images. The display device 92 is, for example, located in front of the driver's seat, forming part of an instrument panel. While sound and display are illustrated here, information reporting can also be performed using vibration or light. Furthermore, the input / output device 9 can report information using a combination of sound, display, vibration, or light. Furthermore, the input / output device 9 can use different combinations or different reporting formats depending on the level of information to be reported (e.g., urgency).

[0041] The input device 93 is a group of switches arranged at a position operable by the driver to give instructions to the vehicle 1 , and may include a voice input device.

[0042] The stop control ECU 29 controls the brake device 10 or a parking brake (not shown), etc. The brake device 10 is, for example, a disc brake device, provided on each wheel of the vehicle 1, and decelerates or stops the vehicle 1 by applying resistance to the rotation of the wheel.

[0043] The stop control ECU 29 controls the operation of the brake device 10 in response to the driver's driving operation (brake operation) detected by the operation detection sensor 7E provided on the brake pedal 7B, for example. When the driving state of the vehicle 1 is automatic driving, the stop control ECU 29 automatically controls the brake device 10 in response to instructions from the ECU 20 to control the deceleration and stopping of the vehicle 1. The brake device 10 or parking brake can also be operated to maintain the vehicle 1 in the stopped state. Furthermore, if the transmission of the power device 6 is equipped with a parking lock mechanism, the parking lock mechanism can also be operated to maintain the vehicle 1 in the stopped state.

[0044] Vehicle 1 further includes an interior detection sensor 50 for detecting the interior status of the vehicle. Here, interior detection sensor 50 may be comprised of a camera as an imaging unit, a weight sensor, a temperature sensor, or the like, and its type is not particularly limited. Furthermore, interior detection sensor 50 may be provided for each seat in vehicle 1, or may be provided as a single unit to provide a bird's-eye view and monitor the entire interior of the vehicle.

[0045] [Example of control function]

[0046] The control functions of the vehicle 1 in this embodiment include a driving-related function related to control of driving, braking, and steering of the vehicle 1 , and a reporting function related to reporting information to the driver.

[0047] Lane keeping control refers to a type of control of the vehicle's position relative to the lane line, which allows the vehicle to automatically (without relying on the driver's driving operation) travel on a set driving trajectory within the lane line.

[0048] Lane departure mitigation control refers to a method of controlling the vehicle's lane position by detecting the white lines or median strip and automatically steering the vehicle within the lane. Lane departure mitigation control differs from lane keeping control in this way.

[0049] Lane change control is a control that automatically moves a vehicle from the lane it is traveling in to the adjacent lane.

[0050] The front sports car following control is a control for automatically following another vehicle traveling in front of the own vehicle.

[0051] Collision mitigation braking control is a control that automatically applies the brakes to assist in avoiding a collision when the possibility of a collision with an obstacle in front of the vehicle increases.

[0052] The erroneous start suppression control is a control that limits the acceleration of the vehicle when the driver's accelerator operation is greater than a predetermined amount while the vehicle is stopped, thereby suppressing a sudden start.

[0053] The adjacent vehicle reporting control is a control for the driver to report the presence of another vehicle traveling in an adjacent lane adjacent to the lane of the own vehicle, for example, reporting the presence of another vehicle traveling to the side or rear of the own vehicle.

[0054] The so-called front running vehicle start reporting control is a control for reporting that the vehicle and the other vehicle in front of it are in a stopped state and that the other vehicle in front of it has started. Such reporting can be performed by the above-mentioned in-vehicle reporting device.

[0055] Next, the processing of the driving assistance device 11 of the vehicle 1 according to the present embodiment will be described.

[0056] Figure 2 FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the functional configuration of the driving assistance device 11 of the vehicle 1 according to the present embodiment. Figure 2 As shown, the driving assistance device 11 includes a control device 2 , a communication device 25 a , and a peripheral information acquisition unit 40 .

[0057] The control device 2 includes a collision determination unit 201 , a notification control unit 202 , a brake control unit 203 , an other vehicle detection unit 204 , and a brake notification unit 205 . The surrounding information acquisition unit 40 includes the aforementioned camera 41 , LIDAR 42 , and millimeter wave radar 43 .

[0058] The surrounding information acquisition unit 40 acquires information about the surroundings of the vehicle 1. For example, the surrounding information acquisition unit 40 acquires information about the surroundings in front of, to the sides of, and behind the vehicle 1. The surrounding information may be, for example, images of the surroundings in front of, to the sides of, and behind the vehicle 1 acquired by the camera 41. Furthermore, the surrounding information may be data about the surroundings in front of, to the sides of, and behind the vehicle 1 acquired by, for example, the LIDAR 42 or the millimeter-wave radar 43.

[0059] The collision determination unit 201 determines the possibility of a collision between the vehicle 1 and an obstacle around the vehicle 1 based on the surrounding information acquired by the surrounding information acquisition unit 40. Specifically, the collision determination unit 201 determines that there is a possibility of a collision between the vehicle 1 and the obstacle if the distance between the vehicle 1 and the obstacle is less than a specified distance or the estimated time until the vehicle 1 reaches the obstacle is less than a specified threshold based on the surrounding information.

[0060] When the collision determination unit 201 determines that there is a possibility of a collision between the obstacle and the vehicle 1, the notification control unit 202 displays warning information indicating the possibility of a collision between the obstacle and the vehicle 1 on the display device 92 and / or outputs it to the sound output device 91. In this way, the notification control unit 202 notifies the driver of the vehicle 1 of the possibility of a collision between the obstacle and the vehicle 1.

[0061] If the collision determination unit 201 determines that there is a possibility of a collision between the obstacle and the vehicle 1, the brake control unit 203 causes the stop control ECU 29 to brake the vehicle 1. Specifically, if the collision determination unit 201 determines that there is a possibility of a collision between the obstacle and the vehicle 1, the brake control unit 203 causes the stop control ECU 29 to perform collision mitigation braking control to avoid or reduce damage caused by the collision between the vehicle 1 and the obstacle.

[0062] The other vehicle detection unit 204 detects other vehicles (eg, motorcycles 300 ) traveling to the side or rear of the vehicle 1 and in the same direction as the vehicle 1 based on the surrounding information acquired by the surrounding information acquisition unit 40 .

[0063] The brake notification unit 205 transmits a brake notification signal to other vehicles (eg, motorcycle 300) traveling in the same direction as the vehicle 1 via the communication device 25a. The brake notification signal notifies the vehicle 1 to brake and causes other vehicles (eg, motorcycle 300) around the vehicle 1 to brake.

[0064] Furthermore, the brake notification unit 205 transmits a brake notification signal to another vehicle (for example, the motorcycle 300 ) detected by the other vehicle detection unit 204 .

[0065] The brake notification signal causes the motorcycle 300 to brake in stages. For example, the brake notification signal causes the motorcycle 300 to brake in stages according to the time until the motorcycle reaches the obstacle.

[0066] Specifically, when the estimated time until the motorcycle 300 reaches the obstacle is 3 seconds, that is, when the motorcycle 300 receives the brake notification signal 3 seconds before the motorcycle 300 collides with the obstacle, the brake notification signal notifies the motorcycle 300 of the possibility of collision with the obstacle 3 seconds before the collision.

[0067] Furthermore, the braking notification signal causes motorcycle 300 to perform minor collision mitigation braking control two seconds before colliding with the obstacle. This allows motorcycle 300 to decelerate before colliding with the obstacle. Furthermore, the braking notification signal causes motorcycle 300 to perform mandatory collision mitigation braking control one second before colliding with the obstacle. This mandatory collision mitigation braking control provides a higher braking force than the minor collision mitigation braking control. This allows motorcycle 300 to rapidly decelerate and stop before colliding with the obstacle.

[0068] Figure 3 This figure shows the functional configuration of a driving assistance device 310 of a motorcycle 300 according to this embodiment. The motorcycle 300 according to this embodiment includes a driving assistance device 310 having a driving assistance function (e.g., an Advanced Rider Assistant System). Controls such as collision mitigation braking are performed by the driving assistance device 310.

[0069] like Figure 3 As shown, the driving assistance device 310 includes a control device 320 , a camera 330 , a LIDAR 340 , a millimeter-wave radar 350 , a communication device 360 ​​, an HMI (Human Machine Interface) 370 , and a vehicle sensor 380 .

[0070] Control device 320 includes multiple ECUs that can be connected via an in-vehicle network. Each ECU functions as a computer and includes a processor, typically a CPU, storage devices such as semiconductor memory, and interfaces for external devices. The storage devices store programs executed by the processors and data processed by the processors. Each ECU can have multiple processors, storage devices, and interfaces. Furthermore, control device 320 includes a driving assistance unit 321 and a brake control unit 322.

[0071] The camera 330 is, for example, a digital camera using a solid-state imaging element such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor).

[0072] Camera 330 is mounted anywhere on motorcycle 300. To capture the front view, camera 330 is mounted on the front of the vehicle body, for example. Camera 330 can also be mounted on steering components or exterior components on the vehicle body that support the steering components. Camera 330 can, for example, periodically capture the surroundings of motorcycle 300.

[0073] The LIDAR 340 is a Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) that detects objects around the motorcycle 300 and measures the distance to the objects. The LIDAR 340 can be installed anywhere on the motorcycle 300.

[0074] The millimeter wave radar 350 detects objects around the motorcycle 300 and measures the distance to the objects. The millimeter wave radar 350 can be installed at any position of the motorcycle 300.

[0075] The communication device 360 ​​utilizes, for example, a cellular network, a Wi-Fi network, Bluetooth (a registered trademark), or DSRC (Dedicated Short Range Communication) to perform wireless communication with other vehicles in the surrounding area and exchange information between vehicles.

[0076] The HMI 370 presents various information to the rider of the motorcycle 300 and accepts input operations from the rider. The HMI 370 includes various display devices, speakers, buzzers, touch panels, switches, keyboards, and the like.

[0077] The vehicle sensor 380 includes a vehicle speed sensor for detecting the speed of the motorcycle 300 , an acceleration sensor for detecting acceleration, a yaw rate sensor for detecting angular velocity around a vertical axis, and an azimuth sensor for detecting the orientation of the motorcycle 300 .

[0078] The driving assistance unit 321 controls the camera 330, LIDAR 340, and millimeter-wave radar 350 that detect the surrounding conditions of the motorcycle 300, and processes the detection results. The driving assistance unit 321 analyzes images captured by the camera 330 to extract the outlines of landmarks and lane markings (such as white lines) on the road.

[0079] The driving assistance unit 321 recognizes the position, speed, acceleration, and other states of objects (other vehicles, etc.) around the motorcycle 300 based on information input from the camera 330, LIDAR 340, and millimeter wave radar 350. In addition, the driving assistance unit 321 receives a braking notification signal transmitted from the vehicle 1.

[0080] The brake control unit 322 controls the operation of a brake device (not shown) in response to a brake operation detected by a sensor provided on a brake operator (not shown), such as a brake lever or pedal. Furthermore, the brake control unit 322 automatically controls the brake device in response to instructions from the control unit 320, thereby controlling the deceleration and stopping of the motorcycle 300.

[0081] Furthermore, when the driving assistance unit 321 receives the braking notification signal, the braking control unit 322 applies the brakes in stages to the motorcycle 300. For example, if the braking control unit 322 receives the braking notification signal three seconds before the motorcycle 300 collides with an obstacle, the possibility of a collision with the obstacle is reported to the HMI 370 three seconds before the collision.

[0082] Furthermore, the brake control unit 322 performs a mild collision reduction brake control 2 seconds before the collision with the obstacle. Furthermore, the brake control unit 322 performs a forced collision reduction brake control 1 second before the collision with the obstacle.

[0083] Thus, the motorcycle 300 of this embodiment has the same control functions as the vehicle 1. These control functions include driving-related functions related to driving, braking, and steering of the vehicle 1, as well as reporting functions for reporting information to the driver. Examples of these control functions include lane keeping control, lane departure prevention control, lane change control, leading vehicle following control, collision mitigation braking control, false start prevention control, adjacent vehicle notification control, and leading vehicle start notification control.

[0084] Figures 4 to 6 1 and 2 are diagrams showing situations in which the vehicle 1 and the motorcycle 300 according to the present embodiment may collide with an obstacle while traveling. Figure 4 This diagram shows a situation in which the vehicle 1 , the motorcycle 300 a , and the motorcycle 300 b may collide with a pedestrian (obstacle) 500 while traveling.

[0085] Figure 4In the example shown in FIG1 , the vehicle 1 , the motorcycle 300 a , and the motorcycle 300 b are traveling straight ahead in the same direction on the road A1 . A pedestrian 500 is crossing the road A1 from behind the parked vehicle 400 .

[0086] In this situation, vehicle 1 can obtain surrounding information including pedestrian 500 using surrounding information acquisition unit 40. However, due to the presence of vehicle 1, motorcycles 300a and 300b cannot obtain surrounding information including pedestrian 500 using camera 330, LIDAR 340, and millimeter-wave radar 350, and thus cannot detect the presence of pedestrian 500. Furthermore, due to the presence of vehicle 1, the riders of motorcycles 300a and 300b cannot detect pedestrian 500.

[0087] In this case, vehicle 1 determines that there is a possibility of a collision with pedestrian 500, and performs collision mitigation braking control, sending a brake notification signal to motorcycle 300a and motorcycle 300b. Upon receiving the brake notification signal, motorcycle 300a and motorcycle 300b apply the brakes of motorcycle 300 in stages. This allows motorcycle 300a and motorcycle 300b to mitigate or avoid a collision with pedestrian 500.

[0088] Figure 5 1 is a diagram showing a situation in which the vehicle 1 and the motorcycle 300 may collide with the bicycle 600 while traveling. Figure 5 In the example of FIG, on road A2, vehicle 1 and motorcycle 300 are about to turn right at an intersection. A bicycle (obstacle) 600 is crossing the intersection.

[0089] In this situation, vehicle 1 can obtain surrounding information including bicycle 600 using surrounding information acquisition unit 40. However, due to the presence of vehicle 1, motorcycle 300 cannot obtain surrounding information including bicycle 600 using camera 330, LIDAR 340, and millimeter-wave radar 350, and thus cannot detect the presence of bicycle 600. Furthermore, due to the presence of vehicle 1, the rider of motorcycle 300 cannot detect bicycle 600.

[0090] In this case, vehicle 1 determines that there is a possibility of a collision with bicycle 600, and performs collision mitigation braking control, sending a brake notification signal to motorcycle 300. Upon receiving the brake notification signal, motorcycle 300 applies the brakes in a step-by-step manner. This allows motorcycle 300 to mitigate or avoid a collision with bicycle 600.

[0091] Figure 6 1 is a diagram showing a situation in which the vehicle 1 and the motorcycle 300 may collide with the bicycle 700 while traveling. Figure 6In the example of FIG, on road A3, vehicle 1 intends to turn right at the intersection, motorcycle 300 and another vehicle 800 intend to turn left at the intersection, and bicycle (obstacle) 700 crosses the intersection.

[0092] In this situation, vehicle 1 can obtain surrounding information including bicycle 600 using surrounding information acquisition unit 40. However, due to the presence of vehicle 1 and other vehicles 800, motorcycle 300 cannot obtain surrounding information including bicycle 700 using camera 330, LIDAR 340, and millimeter-wave radar 350, and thus cannot detect the presence of bicycle 700. Furthermore, due to the presence of vehicle 1 and other vehicles 800, the rider of motorcycle 300 cannot detect bicycle 700.

[0093] In this case, vehicle 1 determines that there is a possibility of collision with bicycle 700, and performs collision mitigation braking control, sending a brake notification signal to motorcycle 300. Upon receiving the brake notification signal, motorcycle 300 applies brakes in a stepwise manner. This allows motorcycle 300 to mitigate or avoid a collision with bicycle 700.

[0094] Figure 7 and Figure 8 This is a flowchart showing the processing of the vehicle 1 and the motorcycle 300 according to the present embodiment. Figure 7 This is a flowchart showing the processing of the driving assistance device 11 of the vehicle 1 according to the present embodiment.

[0095] In step S1 , the surrounding information acquisition unit 40 acquires surrounding information of the vehicle 1 .

[0096] In step S2, the collision determination unit 201 determines the possibility of a collision between the vehicle 1 and an obstacle around the vehicle 1 based on the surrounding information acquired by the surrounding information acquisition unit 40. If there is a possibility of a collision between the obstacle and the vehicle 1 (YES), the process proceeds to step S3. On the other hand, if there is no possibility of a collision between the obstacle and the vehicle 1 (NO), the process returns to step S1.

[0097] In step S3 , the notification control unit 202 displays warning information indicating the possibility of collision between the obstacle and the vehicle 1 on the display device 92 and / or outputs it to the sound output device 91 .

[0098] In step S4 , the brake control unit 203 brakes the vehicle 1 by using the stop control ECU 29 .

[0099] In step S5, the braking notification unit 205 and the other vehicle detection unit 204 determine whether a motorcycle 300 traveling to the side or rear of the vehicle 1 and in the same direction as the vehicle 1 is detected based on the surrounding information acquired by the surrounding information acquisition unit 40. If the motorcycle 300 is detected (YES), the process proceeds to step S6. On the other hand, if the motorcycle 300 is not detected (NO), the process then terminates.

[0100] In step S6 , the brake notification unit 205 transmits a brake notification signal to the motorcycle 300 detected by the other vehicle detection unit 204 .

[0101] Figure 8 This is a flowchart showing the processing of the driving support device 310 of the motorcycle 300 according to the present embodiment.

[0102] In step S11 , the driving assistance unit 321 of the driving assistance device 310 receives a braking notification signal from the vehicle 1 .

[0103] In step S12, the brake control unit 322 of the driving assistance device 310 brakes the motorcycle 300 in stages. This can reduce or avoid a collision between the motorcycle 300 and an obstacle.

[0104] According to this embodiment, for example, the following effects are achieved.

[0105] The driving assistance device 11 includes: a surrounding information acquisition unit 40 for acquiring surrounding information of the vehicle 1, a collision determination unit 201 for determining the possibility of a collision between an obstacle around the vehicle 1 and the vehicle 1 based on the surrounding information acquired by the surrounding information acquisition unit 40, a braking control unit 203 for braking the vehicle 1 when the collision determination unit 201 determines that there is a possibility of a collision between the obstacle and the vehicle 1, and a braking notification unit 205 for notifying the vehicle 1 to brake and sending a braking notification signal to other vehicles around the vehicle 1 that are traveling in the same direction as the vehicle 1.

[0106] Thus, the driving assistance device 11 can avoid not only the collision between the vehicle itself and the obstacle but also the collision between the other vehicles and the obstacle by braking the vehicle 1 and transmitting a braking notification signal to the other vehicles.

[0107] Furthermore, the braking notification signal causes the braking of the other vehicle to be performed in stages. Thus, the driving assistance device 11 can notify the other vehicle of the possibility of collision between the other vehicle and the obstacle according to the degree of danger of the other vehicle, thereby avoiding the collision between the other vehicle and the obstacle.

[0108] Moreover, the driving assistance device 11 further includes an other vehicle detection unit 204 that detects other vehicles traveling to the side or rear of the vehicle 1 and in the same direction of travel as the vehicle 1 based on the surrounding information obtained by the surrounding information acquisition unit 40, and a braking notification unit 205 sends a braking notification signal to the other vehicles detected by the other vehicle detection unit 204.

[0109] Thus, the driving assistance device 11 can notify other vehicles traveling to the side or rear of the vehicle 1 and in the same direction as the vehicle 1 of the possibility of collision with an obstacle, thereby avoiding collision between the other vehicles and the obstacle.

[0110] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the vehicle 1 including the driving assistance device 11 is described as a four-wheeled vehicle. However, the driving assistance device 11 of the present embodiment may also be applied to a two-wheeled vehicle or the like.

[0111] While the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the driving assistance device 11 can be implemented using hardware, software, or a combination thereof. Furthermore, the control method performed by the driving assistance device 11 can also be implemented using hardware, software, or a combination thereof. Here, "implemented by software" means implemented by a computer reading a program and executing it.

[0112] The program can be stored and provided to a computer using various types of non-transitory computer-readable media. Non-transitory computer-readable media include various types of tangible storage media. Examples of non-transitory computer-readable media include magnetic recording media (e.g., hard disk drives), magneto-optical recording media (e.g., magneto-optical disks), CD-ROMs (Read Only Memory), CD-Rs, CD-R / Ws, semiconductor memories (e.g., mask ROMs, PROMs (Programmable ROMs), EPROMs (Erasable PROMs), flash ROMs, and RAMs (random access memory)).

[0113] While one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited thereto and the detailed configuration may be modified as appropriate within the scope of the present invention.

[0114] Reference numerals

[0115] 1: Vehicle

[0116] 11: Driving assistance devices

[0117] 40: Peripheral information acquisition unit

[0118] 201: Collision Detection Unit

[0119] 202: Report Control Department

[0120] 203: Brake control unit

[0121] 204: Other Vehicle Inspection Department

[0122] 205: Brake notification unit

Claims

1. A driving assistance device comprising: a surrounding information acquisition unit that acquires surrounding information of the vehicle, a collision determination unit that determines the possibility of a collision between an obstacle around the vehicle and the vehicle based on the surrounding information acquired by the surrounding information acquisition unit; a brake control unit for braking the vehicle when the collision determination unit determines that there is a possibility of a collision between the obstacle and the vehicle; and transmitting a braking notification signal for notifying the vehicle to brake and for braking other vehicles around the vehicle to the braking notification unit of the other vehicles traveling in the same direction as the vehicle, and a vehicle detecting unit for detecting the other vehicle traveling to the side or rear of the vehicle and in the same direction as the vehicle based on the surrounding information acquired by the surrounding information acquiring unit; wherein the braking notification unit transmits the braking notification signal to the other vehicle detected by the other vehicle detection unit, The vehicle intends to turn right at the intersection, the other vehicle and another vehicle relative to the other vehicle intend to turn left at the intersection, and the bicycle serving as the obstacle crosses the intersection. Due to the presence of the vehicle and the other vehicle, the other vehicle cannot obtain the surrounding information of the other vehicle including the obstacle. In the case where the rider of the other vehicle cannot detect the obstacle due to the presence of the vehicle and the other vehicle, The braking notification signal causes the braking of the other vehicle to be performed in stages.

2. The driving assistance device according to claim 1, further comprising a vehicle detecting unit for detecting the other vehicle traveling to the side or rear of the vehicle and in the same direction as the vehicle based on the surrounding information acquired by the surrounding information acquiring unit. The brake notification unit transmits the brake notification signal to the other vehicle detected by the other vehicle detection unit.

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