Vehicle control device, vehicle control method, and storage medium

Abstract

Vehicle control device, vehicle control method, and storage medium. The vehicle control device includes: an identification unit that identifies the surrounding conditions of the vehicle; a driving control unit that controls the steering and acceleration / deceleration of the vehicle independently of the operation of the driver of the vehicle; a mode determination unit that determines any one of a plurality of driving modes including a first driving mode and a second driving mode as the driving mode of the vehicle; and a determination unit that determines whether there is an error in the map information and determines whether there is a misidentification of the road division lines included in the surrounding conditions. When the vehicle is traveling in the second driving mode, the driving control unit sets the continuous driving distance in the second driving mode to be longer when the determination unit determines that there is an error in the map information and there is a misidentification of the road division lines and the identification unit identifies a preceding vehicle within a first specified distance than when the preceding vehicle is not identified.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle control device, a vehicle control method, and a storage medium. Background Art

[0002] There is known a technology for changing the form of driving control of a vehicle. For example, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2020-050086, there is known the following technology: when it is difficult to continuously recognize the lane markings of a road, the driving control based on the lane markings is changed to another driving control method. Summary of the Invention

[0003] However, in the conventional technology, when the map information mounted on the vehicle is different from the recognized external information, it is sometimes impossible to flexibly change the driving control.

[0004] The present invention has been made in consideration of such a situation, and one of its objects is to provide a vehicle control device, a vehicle control method, and a storage medium that can flexibly change the driving control even when the map information mounted on the vehicle is different from the recognized external information.

[0005] The vehicle control device of the present invention adopts the following structure.

[0006] (1): A vehicle control device according to an aspect of the present invention includes: a recognition unit that recognizes the surrounding situation of the vehicle; a driving control unit that controls the steering and acceleration / deceleration of the vehicle based on the surrounding situation and map information without depending on the operation of the driver of the vehicle; a mode determination unit that determines the driving mode of the vehicle as any one of a plurality of driving modes including a first driving mode and a second driving mode, the second driving mode being a driving mode in which the task assigned to the driver is less severe than the first driving mode, and at least a part of the plurality of driving modes including the second driving mode is controlled by the driving control unit, and when the task involved in the determined driving mode is not executed by the driver, the driving mode of the vehicle is changed to a driving mode with a more severe task; and a determination unit that determines whether there is an error in the map information based on the surrounding situation and the map information, and determines whether there is a misrecognition of the road dividing lines included in the surrounding situation, and when the determination unit determines that there is an error in the map information and determines that there is a misrecognition of the road dividing lines during the vehicle is traveling in the second driving mode and the recognition unit recognizes a preceding vehicle within a first specified distance on the traveling direction side of the vehicle, the driving control unit sets the continuous traveling distance in the second driving mode to be longer than when no preceding vehicle is recognized.

[0007] (2): In the solution of (1) above, the determination unit compares the road division line information of the map information with the road division line, and when the road division line information is inconsistent with the road division line, it determines whether there is a misidentification of the road division line based on at least one of the parallel degree of the road division line and the driving trajectory of the preceding vehicle.

[0008] (3): In the solution of (1) or (2) above, when the determination unit determines that there is a misidentification of the road division line, it determines whether it is the road division lines on both sides of the vehicle that are misidentified or the road division line on one side of the vehicle that is misidentified.

[0009] (4): In the solution of (3) above, when the determination unit determines that there is a misidentification of the road division line and the recognition unit recognizes a preceding vehicle within a first specified distance on the traveling direction side of the vehicle, it determines whether it is the road division lines on both sides of the vehicle that are misidentified or the road division line on one side of the vehicle that is misidentified based on the parallel degree between the road division line and the driving trajectory of the preceding vehicle.

[0010] (5): In the solution of (3) or (4) above, when the determination unit determines that there is a misidentification of the road division line, it determines whether the road division lines on both sides or the road division line on one side deviate outward, inward, or in the same direction with respect to the traveling direction of the vehicle.

[0011] (6): In any of the solutions of (1) to (5) above, when the determination unit determines that there is a misidentification of the road division line and the recognition unit recognizes a preceding vehicle within a first specified distance on the traveling direction side of the vehicle, it determines whether the road division line extends from the position of the vehicle to the front side of the preceding vehicle.

[0012] (7): In any of the solutions of (1) to (5) above, when the determination unit determines that there is a misidentification of the road division line and the recognition unit does not recognize a preceding vehicle within a first specified distance on the traveling direction side of the vehicle, it determines whether the road division line has a length of more than a second specified distance from the vehicle in the traveling direction of the vehicle.

[0013] (8): In any of the solutions of (1) to (7) above, when the driving control unit determines that there is a misidentification of the road division line during the driving of the vehicle in the second driving mode and the recognition unit recognizes a preceding vehicle within a first specified distance on the traveling direction side of the vehicle, the vehicle follows the preceding vehicle based on the driving trajectory of the preceding vehicle.

[0014] (9): In the solution of (6) above, when the determination unit determines that the map information is incorrect and that the road dividing line is misrecognized, the recognition unit recognizes a preceding vehicle within a first predetermined distance on the traveling direction side of the vehicle, and the determination unit determines that the road dividing line extends from the position of the vehicle to the front side of the preceding vehicle, the driving control unit sets the continuous driving distance in the second driving mode to a first continuous distance.

[0015] (10): In the solution of (7) above, when the determination unit determines that the map information is incorrect and that the road dividing line is misrecognized, the recognition unit recognizes a preceding vehicle within a first predetermined distance on the traveling direction side of the vehicle, the determination unit determines that the road dividing line does not extend from the position of the vehicle to the front side of the preceding vehicle, and the determination unit determines that the road dividing line deviates outward, the driving control unit sets the continuous driving distance in the second driving mode to a first continuous distance.

[0016] (11): In the solution of (7) above, when the determination unit determines that the map information is incorrect and that the road dividing line is misrecognized, the recognition unit recognizes a preceding vehicle within a first predetermined distance on the traveling direction side of the vehicle, the determination unit determines that the road dividing line does not extend from the position of the vehicle to the front side of the preceding vehicle, and the determination unit determines that the road dividing line deviates inward or in the same direction, the driving control unit sets the continuous driving distance in the second driving mode to a second continuous distance.

[0017] (12): In the solution of (11) above, when the determination unit determines that the map information is incorrect and that the road dividing line is misrecognized, the recognition unit recognizes a preceding vehicle within a first predetermined distance on the traveling direction side of the vehicle, the determination unit determines that the road dividing line does not extend from the position of the vehicle to the front side of the preceding vehicle, and the determination unit determines that the road dividing line deviates inward or in the same direction, the determination unit determines whether the width of the road dividing line is wider than the width of the vehicle. When the determination unit determines that the width is wider than the width of the vehicle, the driving control unit sets the continuous driving distance in the second driving mode to a first continuous distance.

[0018] (13): In the solution of the above (7), when the determination unit determines that the map information is incorrect and the road dividing line is mis-identified, the recognition unit fails to recognize a preceding vehicle within a first specified distance on the traveling direction side of the vehicle, and the determination unit determines that the road dividing line has a length of more than the second specified distance from the vehicle in the traveling direction of the vehicle, the driving control unit sets the continuous driving distance in the second driving mode to a third continuous distance.

[0019] (14): In the solution of the above (7), when the determination unit determines that the map information is incorrect and the road dividing line is mis-identified, the recognition unit fails to recognize a preceding vehicle within a first specified distance on the traveling direction side of the vehicle, the determination unit determines that the road dividing line does not have a length of more than the second specified distance from the vehicle in the traveling direction of the vehicle, and the determination unit determines that the road dividing line deviates outward, the driving control unit sets the continuous driving distance in the second driving mode to a third continuous distance.

[0020] (15): In the solution of the above (7), when the determination unit determines that the map information is incorrect and the road dividing line is mis-identified, the recognition unit fails to recognize a preceding vehicle within a first specified distance on the traveling direction side of the vehicle, the determination unit determines that the road dividing line does not have a length of more than the second specified distance from the vehicle in the traveling direction of the vehicle, and the determination unit determines that the road dividing line deviates inward or in the same direction, the mode determination unit changes the second driving mode to the first driving mode.

[0021] (16): In the solution of the above (15), when the determination unit determines that the map information is incorrect and the road dividing line is mis-identified, the recognition unit fails to recognize a preceding vehicle within a first specified distance on the traveling direction side of the vehicle, the determination unit determines that the road dividing line does not have a length of more than the second specified distance from the vehicle in the traveling direction of the vehicle, and the determination unit determines that the road dividing line deviates inward or in the same direction, the determination unit determines whether the width of the road dividing line is wider than the width of the vehicle. When the determination unit determines that the width is wider than the vehicle width, the driving control unit sets the continuous driving distance in the second driving mode to a third continuous distance.

[0022] (17): Another vehicle control method of the present invention causes a computer to perform the following processes: recognizing the surrounding conditions of the vehicle; controlling the steering and acceleration / deceleration of the vehicle based on the surrounding conditions and map information without relying on the operation of the driver of the vehicle; determining the driving mode of the vehicle as any one of a plurality of driving modes including a first driving mode and a second driving mode, the second driving mode being a driving mode in which the tasks assigned to the driver are milder than those in the first driving mode, at least a part of the plurality of driving modes including the second driving mode being controlled, and when the tasks involved in the determined driving mode are not performed by the driver, changing the driving mode of the vehicle to a driving mode with more severe tasks; determining whether there is an error in the map information based on the surrounding conditions and the map information, and determining whether there is a misidentification of the road dividing lines included in the surrounding conditions; and when it is determined that there is an error in the map information and there is an error in the road dividing lines during the driving of the vehicle in the second driving mode and a preceding vehicle is recognized within a first specified distance on the traveling direction side of the vehicle, setting the continuous driving distance in the second driving mode to be longer than the case where the preceding vehicle is not recognized.

[0023] (18): A storage medium of another aspect of the present invention stores a program that causes a computer to perform the following processes: recognizing the surrounding conditions of the vehicle; controlling the steering and acceleration / deceleration of the vehicle based on the surrounding conditions and map information without relying on the operation of the driver of the vehicle; determining the driving mode of the vehicle as any one of a plurality of driving modes including a first driving mode and a second driving mode, the second driving mode being a driving mode in which the tasks assigned to the driver are milder than those in the first driving mode, at least a part of the plurality of driving modes including the second driving mode being controlled, and when the tasks involved in the determined driving mode are not performed by the driver, changing the driving mode of the vehicle to a driving mode with more severe tasks; determining whether there is an error in the map information based on the surrounding conditions and the map information, and determining whether there is a misidentification of the road dividing lines included in the surrounding conditions; and when it is determined that there is an error in the map information and there is an error in the road dividing lines during the driving of the vehicle in the second driving mode and a preceding vehicle is recognized within a first specified distance on the traveling direction side of the vehicle, setting the continuous driving distance in the second driving mode to be longer than the case where the preceding vehicle is not recognized.

[0024] According to (1) to (18), even when the map information carried by the vehicle is different from the recognized external information, the driving control can be flexibly changed. Description of the Drawings

[0025] Figure 1 It is a structural diagram of a vehicle system using the vehicle control device of the embodiment.

[0026] Figure 2 It is a functional structural diagram of the first control unit and the second control unit.

[0027] Figure 3 It is a diagram showing an example of the correspondence between the driving mode and the control state and tasks of the present vehicle.

[0028] Figure 4 It is a diagram showing an example of a scene where the operation of the vehicle control device of the embodiment is performed.

[0029] Figure 5 It is a diagram showing an example of a scene where the determination unit determines whether there is a misrecognition of the road division lines on both sides or a misrecognition of the road division lines on one side.

[0030] Figure 6 It is a diagram showing an example of a scene where the determination unit determines whether the road division line has a length of a second specified distance or more from the present vehicle on the traveling direction side of the present vehicle.

[0031] Figure 7 It is a diagram for explaining a method of setting the continuous driving distance in the driving mode of mode B by the action plan generation unit when the recognition unit recognizes a preceding vehicle.

[0032] Figure 8 It is a diagram for explaining a method of setting the continuous driving distance in the driving mode of mode B by the action plan generation unit when the recognition unit does not recognize a preceding vehicle.

[0033] Figure 9 It is a flowchart showing an example of the process of the operation performed by the vehicle control device of the present embodiment.

[0034] Figure 10 It is a flowchart showing an example of the process of the operation performed by the vehicle control device when the recognition unit recognizes a preceding vehicle within a first specified distance on the traveling direction side of the present vehicle.

[0035] Figure 11 It is a flowchart showing an example of the process of the operation performed by the vehicle control device when the recognition unit does not recognize a preceding vehicle within a first specified distance on the traveling direction side of the present vehicle. Detailed Embodiments

[0036] Hereinafter, embodiments of the vehicle control device, vehicle control method, and storage medium of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0037] [Overall Structure]

[0038] Figure 1 FIG. 1 is a structural diagram of a vehicle system 1 that utilizes the vehicle control device according to the embodiment. The vehicle equipped with the vehicle system 1 is, for example, a two-wheeled, three-wheeled, or four-wheeled vehicle, and its drive source is an internal combustion engine such as a diesel engine or a gasoline engine, an electric motor, or a combination thereof. The electric motor operates using the electric power generated by a generator connected to the internal combustion engine, or the discharge power of a secondary battery or a fuel cell.

[0039] The vehicle system 1 includes, for example, a camera 10, a radar device 12, a LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) 14, an object recognition device 16, a communication device 20, an HMI (Human Machine Interface) 30, a vehicle sensor 40, a navigation device 50, an MPU (Map Positioning Unit) 60, a driver monitoring camera 70, a driving operation member 80, an autonomous driving control device 100, a driving force output device 200, a braking device 210, and a steering device 220. These devices and equipment are interconnected via a multi-channel communication line such as a CAN (Controller Area Network) communication line, a serial communication line, a wireless communication network, etc. It should be noted that Figure 1 The structure shown is only an example, and a part of the structure can be omitted, or other structures can be further added.

[0040] The camera 10 is, for example, a digital camera that utilizes a solid-state imaging element such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor). The camera 10 is installed at an arbitrary position of the vehicle (hereinafter referred to as the host vehicle M) equipped with the vehicle system 1. When photographing the front, the camera 10 is installed at the upper part of the front windshield, the back of the in-vehicle rearview mirror, etc. The camera 10 periodically and repeatedly photographs the periphery of the host vehicle M. The camera 10 can also be a stereo camera.

[0041] The radar device 12 emits radio waves such as millimeter waves to the periphery of the host vehicle M, and detects the radio waves (reflected waves) reflected by an object to detect at least the position (distance and azimuth) of the object. The radar device 12 is installed at an arbitrary position of the host vehicle M. The radar device 12 can also detect the position and speed of an object by the FM-CW (Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave) method.

[0042] The LIDAR 14 irradiates light (or an electromagnetic wave with a wavelength close to light) to the periphery of the host vehicle M and measures the scattered light. The LIDAR 14 detects the distance to the object based on the time from light emission to light reception. The irradiated light is, for example, pulsed laser light. The LIDAR 14 is installed at an arbitrary position of the host vehicle M.

[0043] The object recognition device 16 performs sensor fusion processing on the detection results of some or all of the camera 10, the radar device 12, and the LIDAR 14, and recognizes the position, type, speed, etc. of the object. The object recognition device 16 outputs the recognition result to the autonomous driving control device 100. The object recognition device 16 may directly output the detection results of the camera 10, the radar device 12, and the LIDAR 14 to the autonomous driving control device 100. The object recognition device 16 may also be omitted from the vehicle system 1.

[0044] The communication device 20 communicates with other vehicles existing in the periphery of the host vehicle M, for example, using a cellular network, a Wi-Fi network, Bluetooth (registered trademark), DSRC (Dedicated Short Range Communication), etc., or communicates with various server devices via a wireless base station.

[0045] The HMI 30 presents various information to the occupants of the host vehicle M and accepts input operations from the occupants. The HMI 30 includes various display devices, speakers, buzzers, touch panels, switches, buttons, etc.

[0046] The vehicle sensor 40 includes a vehicle speed sensor that detects the speed of the host vehicle M, an acceleration sensor that detects acceleration, a yaw rate sensor that detects the angular velocity about the vertical axis, an azimuth sensor that detects the orientation of the host vehicle M, etc.

[0047] The navigation device 50 includes, for example, a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiver 51, a navigation HMI 52, and a route determination unit 53. The navigation device 50 stores first map information 54 in a storage device such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or a flash memory. The GNSS receiver 51 determines the position of the host vehicle M based on signals received from GNSS satellites. The position of the host vehicle M can also be determined or supplemented by an INS (Inertial Navigation System) using the output of the vehicle sensor 40. The navigation HMI 52 includes a display device, a speaker, a touch panel, keys, etc. Part or all of the navigation HMI 52 can also be shared with the aforementioned HMI 30. The route determination unit 53 determines, for example, a route (hereinafter referred to as a map route) from the position of the host vehicle M determined by the GNSS receiver 51 (or an arbitrary input position) to a destination input by the occupant using the navigation HMI 52 with reference to the first map information 54. The first map information 54 is, for example, information expressing the shape of a road by representing road segments and nodes connected by the road segments. The first map information 54 may also include information such as the curvature of the road and POI (Point Of Interest) information.

[0048] The map route is output to the MPU 60. The navigation device 50 can also perform route guidance using the navigation HMI 52 based on the map route. The navigation device 50 can be implemented, for example, by the functions of a terminal device such as a smartphone or a tablet terminal held by the occupant. The navigation device 50 can also send the current position and the destination to the navigation server via the communication device 20 and obtain a route equivalent to the map route from the navigation server.

[0049] The MPU 60 includes, for example, a recommended lane determination unit 61 and stores second map information 62 in a storage device such as an HDD or a flash memory. The recommended lane determination unit 61 divides the map route provided from the navigation device 50 into a plurality of blocks (for example, divided every 100 [m] in the vehicle traveling direction) and determines a recommended lane for each block with reference to the second map information 62. The recommended lane determination unit 61 makes a determination as to which lane from the left to drive in.

[0050] When there is a branch point in the map route, the recommended lane determination unit 61 determines the recommended lane so that the host vehicle M can travel on a reasonable route for traveling to the branch destination.

[0051] The second map information 62 is map information with a higher accuracy than the first map information 54. The second map information 62 includes, for example, information on the center of a lane or information on the boundary of a lane. In addition, the second map information 62 may include road information, traffic restriction information, residence information (address, postal code), facility information, telephone number information, information on a prohibited section where the following mode A or mode B is prohibited, and the like. The second map information 62 can be updated at any time by causing the communication device 20 to communicate with other devices.

[0052] The driver monitoring camera 70 is, for example, a digital camera that uses a solid-state imaging device such as a CCD or a CMOS. The driver monitoring camera 70 is installed at an arbitrary position in the vehicle M at a position and orientation that can photograph the head of an occupant (hereinafter referred to as the driver) sitting in the driver's seat of the vehicle M from the front (in the direction of photographing the face). For example, the driver monitoring camera 70 is installed above a display device provided at the center of the instrument panel of the vehicle M.

[0053] The driving operation member 80 includes, for example, an accelerator pedal, a brake pedal, a shift lever, and other operation members in addition to the steering wheel 82. Sensors for detecting the amount of operation or the presence or absence of an operation are installed on the driving operation member 80, and the detection results are output to a part or all of the automatic driving control device 100, the driving force output device 200, the braking device 210, and the steering device 220. The steering wheel 82 is an example of an "operation member that receives a steering operation". The operation member does not necessarily have to be ring-shaped, and may be in the form of a non-circular steering wheel, a joystick, a button, or the like. A steering wheel grip sensor 84 is installed on the steering wheel 82. The steering wheel grip sensor 84 is realized by a capacitance sensor or the like, and outputs a signal to the automatic driving control device 100 that can detect whether the driver is gripping the steering wheel 82 (which means contacting in a state where a force is applied).

[0054] The automatic driving control device 100 includes, for example, a first control unit 120 and a second control unit 160. The first control unit 120 and the second control unit 160 are realized, for example, by causing a hardware processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) to execute a program (software). In addition, some or all of these components can be realized by hardware (including a circuitry unit) such as an LSI (Large Scale Integration), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), or a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), or can be realized by the cooperation of software and hardware. The program can be pre-stored in a storage device (a storage device having a non-transitory storage medium) such as an HDD or a flash memory of the automatic driving control device 100, or can be stored in a removable storage medium such as a DVD or a CD-ROM, and can be installed in the HDD or flash memory of the automatic driving control device 100 by attaching the storage medium (non-transitory storage medium) to a driving device. The automatic driving control device 100 is an example of a "vehicle control device", and the combination of the action plan generation unit 140 and the second control unit 160 is an example of a "driving control unit".

[0055] Figure 2 It is a functional structure diagram of the first control unit 120 and the second control unit 160. The first control unit 120 includes, for example, an identification unit 130, an action plan generation unit 140, and a mode determination unit 150. The first control unit 120 realizes functions based on AI (Artificial Intelligence) and functions based on a pre-given model in parallel. For example, the function of "identifying an intersection" can be realized by parallelly executing the identification of an intersection based on deep learning, etc., and the identification based on pre-given conditions (the presence of signals, road signs, etc. capable of pattern matching), scoring both, and comprehensively evaluating them. Thereby, the reliability of automatic driving is ensured.

[0056] The recognition unit 130 recognizes the position, speed, acceleration, and other states of an object located around the host vehicle M based on the information input via the object recognition device 16 from the camera 10, the radar device 12, and the LIDAR 14. The position of the object is, for example, recognized as a position on the absolute coordinates with the representative point (such as the center of gravity, the center of the drive shaft, etc.) of the host vehicle M as the origin and is used in the control. The position of the object can be represented by the representative point such as the center of gravity or the corner of the object, or can be represented by a region. The "state" of the object can also include the acceleration, jerk, or "behavior state" of the object (for example, whether it is currently changing lanes or intends to change lanes).

[0057] In addition, the recognition unit 130 recognizes, for example, the lane (travel lane) in which the host vehicle M is traveling. For example, the recognition unit 130 compares the pattern of the road markings obtained from the second map information 62 (for example, the arrangement of solid lines and dashed lines) with the pattern of the road markings around the host vehicle M recognized from the image captured by the camera 10, thereby recognizing the travel lane. It should be noted that the recognition unit 130 is not limited to road markings and can also recognize the travel lane by recognizing the boundary of the travel road (road boundary) including road markings, shoulders, curbs, median strips, guardrails, etc. In this recognition, the position of the host vehicle M obtained from the navigation device 50 and the processing result based on the INS can also be considered together. In addition, the recognition unit 130 recognizes the stop line, obstacles, red lights, toll booths, and other road matters.

[0058] When recognizing the travel lane, the recognition unit 130 recognizes the position and posture of the host vehicle M relative to the travel lane. For example, the recognition unit 130 can also recognize the deviation of the reference point of the host vehicle M from the center of the lane and the angle formed by the traveling direction of the host vehicle M with respect to the line connecting the center of the lane as the relative position and posture of the host vehicle M relative to the travel lane. Instead of this, the recognition unit 130 can also recognize the position of the reference point of the host vehicle M relative to either end of the travel lane (road markings or road boundary) as the relative position of the host vehicle M relative to the travel lane. The recognition unit 130 also includes a determination unit 132, but the details of the determination unit 132 will be described later.

[0059] The action plan generation unit 140 automatically (without relying on the driver's operation) generates a target trajectory for the future travel of the host vehicle M in such a way that the host vehicle M travels on the recommended lane determined by the recommended lane determination unit 61 in principle and can respond to the surrounding conditions of the host vehicle M. The target trajectory includes, for example, a speed element. For example, the target trajectory is expressed as a trajectory formed by arranging in sequence the points (trajectory points) that the host vehicle M should reach. The trajectory points are the points that the host vehicle M should reach at each specified travel distance (for example, about several [m]) in the travel distance along the way. Differently, the target speed and target acceleration at each specified sampling time (for example, about zero point several [sec]) are generated as part of the target trajectory. In addition, the trajectory points may also be the positions that the host vehicle M should reach at each specified sampling time at that sampling moment. In this case, the information on the target speed and target acceleration is expressed at the intervals of the trajectory points.

[0060] The action plan generation unit 140 can set an event of autonomous driving when generating the target trajectory. The events of autonomous driving include a constant speed driving event, a low-speed following driving event, a lane change event, a branch event, a merging event, a takeover event, and the like. The action plan generation unit 140 generates a target trajectory corresponding to the started event.

[0061] The mode determination unit 150 determines the driving mode of the host vehicle M as one of a plurality of driving modes different from the tasks assigned to the driver. The mode determination unit 150 includes, for example, a driver state determination unit 152 and a mode change processing unit 154. Their individual functions will be described later.

[0062] Figure 3 It is a diagram showing an example of the correspondence relationship between the driving mode and the control state and tasks of the host vehicle M. The driving modes of the host vehicle M are, for example, five modes from mode A to mode E. Regarding the control state, that is, the degree of automation of the driving control of the host vehicle M, mode A is the highest, and then, in the order of mode B, mode C, and mode D, they gradually become lower, and mode E is the lowest. Conversely, regarding the tasks assigned to the driver, mode A is the mildest, and then, in the order of mode B, mode C, and mode D, they gradually become more severe, and mode E is the most severe. It should be noted that since the control state becomes non-autonomous driving in modes D and E, the autonomous driving control device 100 performs its duties before ending the control related to autonomous driving and transferring to driving support or manual driving. Hereinafter, the contents of each driving mode will be exemplified.

[0063] In mode A, it enters the autonomous driving state, and neither the forward monitoring nor the holding of the steering wheel 82 (steering wheel holding in the figure) is assigned to the driver. However, even in mode A, the driver is required to be in a body posture that enables a quick transition to manual driving according to the requirements from the system centered around the autonomous driving control device 100. It should be noted that the autonomous driving mentioned here means controlling either steering or acceleration / deceleration without relying on the driver's operation. The front refers to the space in the traveling direction of the host vehicle M visually recognized through the windshield. Mode A is, for example, a driving mode that can be executed when the host vehicle M is traveling on a motor vehicle-only road such as a highway at a speed below the upper limit speed (e.g., around 50 [km / h]) and there is a preceding vehicle to follow. Sometimes it is also called TJP (Traffic Jam Pilot). When these conditions are no longer met, the mode determination unit 150 changes the driving mode of the host vehicle M to mode B.

[0064] In mode B, it enters the driving support state, and the task of monitoring the front of the host vehicle M (hereinafter referred to as forward monitoring) is assigned to the driver, but the task of holding the steering wheel 82 is not assigned. Mode B is particularly executed in the case where the host vehicle M is traveling at a speed above the upper limit speed at which the above-mentioned TJP is executed. In mode C, it enters the driving support state, and the tasks of monitoring the front and holding the steering wheel 82 are assigned to the driver. Mode D is a driving mode in which at least one of the steering and acceleration / deceleration of the host vehicle M requires a certain degree of driving operation by the driver. For example, in mode D, driving support such as ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control) and LKAS (Lane Keeping Assist System) is performed. In mode E, it enters the manual driving state where both steering and acceleration / deceleration require the driver's driving operation. Of course, in both mode D and mode E, the task of monitoring the front of the host vehicle M is assigned to the driver.

[0065] The autonomous driving control device 100 (and the driving support device (not shown)) performs an automatic lane change corresponding to the driving mode. In the automatic lane change, there is an automatic lane change (1) based on the system requirements and an automatic lane change (2) based on the driver's requirements. In the automatic lane change (1), there is an automatic lane change for overtaking, which is performed when the speed of the preceding vehicle is smaller than the reference value compared to the speed of the host vehicle, and an automatic lane change for traveling towards the destination (automatic lane change due to the recommended lane being changed). In the automatic lane change (2), when the conditions related to speed, the position relationship with surrounding vehicles, etc. are met and the driver operates the direction indicator, the host vehicle M changes lanes in the operation direction.

[0066] The automatic driving control device 100 does not execute either of the automatic lane changes (1) and (2) in mode A. The automatic driving control device 100 executes either of the automatic lane changes (1) and (2) in modes B and C. The driving support device (not shown) does not execute the automatic lane change (1) but executes the automatic lane change (2) in mode D. In mode E, neither of the automatic lane changes (1) and (2) is executed.

[0067] When the task related to the determined driving mode (hereinafter referred to as the current driving mode) is not performed by the driver, the mode determination unit 150 changes the driving mode of the own vehicle M to a driving mode with a higher task severity.

[0068] For example, in mode A, the following control is performed: When the driver is in a body posture that cannot shift to manual driving according to the system's request (for example, when constantly looking around outside the allowable area or when a sign of difficult driving is detected), the mode determination unit 150 uses the HMI 30 to prompt the driver to shift to manual driving. If the driver does not respond, the own vehicle M is made to approach the road shoulder and gradually stop, and the automatic driving is stopped. After stopping the automatic driving, the own vehicle enters the state of mode D or E, and the own vehicle M can be started by the driver's manual operation. The same applies to "stopping the automatic driving" hereinafter. In mode B, the following control is performed: When the driver does not monitor the front, the mode determination unit 150 uses the HMI 30 to prompt the driver to monitor the front. If the driver does not respond, the own vehicle M is made to approach the road shoulder and gradually stop, and the automatic driving is stopped. In mode C, the following control is performed: When the driver does not monitor the front or does not hold the steering wheel 82, the mode determination unit 150 uses the HMI 30 to prompt the driver to monitor the front and / or hold the steering wheel 82. If the driver does not respond, the own vehicle M is made to approach the road shoulder and gradually stop, and the automatic driving is stopped.

[0069] The driver state determination unit 152 monitors the state of the driver in order to perform the above-described mode change, and determines whether the state of the driver is a state corresponding to the task. For example, the driver state determination unit 152 analyzes the image captured by the driver monitoring camera 70 and performs a posture estimation process, and determines whether the driver is in a body posture that cannot shift to manual driving according to the system's request. In addition, the driver state determination unit 152 analyzes the image captured by the driver monitoring camera 70 and performs a gaze estimation process, and determines whether the driver monitors the front.

[0070] The mode change processing unit 154 performs various processes for mode change. For example, the mode change processing unit 154 instructs the action plan generation unit 140 to generate a target trajectory for shoulder stop, or gives an operation instruction to a driving support device (not shown), or controls the HMI 30 to prompt the driver to act.

[0071] The second control unit 160 controls the driving force output device 200, the braking device 210, and the steering device 220 so that the host vehicle M passes through the target trajectory generated by the action plan generation unit 140 at a predetermined time.

[0072] Return to Figure 2 , for example, the second control unit 160 includes an acquisition unit 162, a speed control unit 164, and a steering control unit 166. The acquisition unit 162 acquires information on the target trajectory (trajectory points) generated by the action plan generation unit 140 and stores it in a memory (not shown). The speed control unit 164 controls the driving force output device 200 or the braking device 210 based on the speed element attached to the target trajectory stored in the memory. The steering control unit 166 controls the steering device 220 according to the curvature of the target trajectory stored in the memory. The processing of the speed control unit 164 and the steering control unit 166 is realized, for example, by a combination of feedforward control and feedback control. As an example, the steering control unit 166 combines and executes feedforward control corresponding to the curvature of the road ahead of the host vehicle M and feedback control based on the deviation from the target trajectory.

[0073] The driving force output device 200 outputs a driving force (torque) for driving the vehicle to the drive wheels. The driving force output device 200 includes, for example, a combination of an internal combustion engine, an electric motor, and a transmission, and an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) that controls them. The ECU controls the above structure according to the information input from the second control unit 160 or the information input from the driving operation member 80.

[0074] The braking device 210 includes, for example, a brake caliper, a hydraulic cylinder that transmits hydraulic pressure to the brake caliper, an electric motor that generates hydraulic pressure in the hydraulic cylinder, and a brake ECU. The brake ECU controls the electric motor according to the information input from the second control unit 160 or the information input from the driving operation member 80, and outputs a braking torque corresponding to the braking operation to each wheel. The braking device 210 may include a mechanism that transmits the hydraulic pressure generated by the operation of the brake pedal included in the driving operation member 80 to the hydraulic cylinder via a master hydraulic cylinder as a backup. It should be noted that the braking device 210 is not limited to the above-described structure, and may also be an electronically controlled hydraulic braking device that controls an actuator according to the information input from the second control unit 160 and transmits the hydraulic pressure of the master hydraulic cylinder to the hydraulic cylinder.

[0075] The steering device 220 includes, for example, a steering ECU and an electric motor. The electric motor, for example, applies a force to a rack-pinion mechanism and changes the orientation of the steering wheel. The steering ECU drives the electric motor in accordance with the information input from the second control unit 160 or the information input from the driving operation member 80, and changes the orientation of the steering wheel.

[0076] [Operation]

[0077] Next, the operation of the vehicle control device according to the embodiment will be described. In the following description, it is assumed that the driving mode of the vehicle M is mode B. Figure 4 It is a diagram showing an example of a scene in which the operation of the vehicle control device according to the embodiment is executed. In Figure 4 this, the vehicle M is traveling on the lane L1, and the preceding vehicle M1 is traveling in front of the vehicle M. While the vehicle M is traveling on the lane L1, the recognition unit 130 recognizes the surrounding conditions of the vehicle M, particularly the road dividing lines RL on both sides of the vehicle M. AL represents the actual road dividing line of the lane L1.

[0078] The determination unit 132 determines whether there is an error in the second map information 62 based on the surrounding conditions recognized by the recognition unit 130 and the second map information 62. For example, the determination unit 132 determines that there is an error in the second map information 62 when the surrounding conditions recognized by the recognition unit 130 indicate a lane and the position of the vehicle M shown by the second map information 62 indicates a non-lane and there is a deviation.

[0079] Moreover, the determination unit 132 determines whether there is a misrecognition of the road dividing line RL included in the surrounding conditions recognized by the recognition unit 130. For example, the determination unit 132 determines whether the recognized road dividing lines RL on both sides are parallel (that is, whether the angle formed by the extension lines of the road dividing lines RL on both sides is equal to or less than a threshold value). If the road dividing lines RL are not parallel, it is determined that there is a misrecognition of the road dividing line RL. In addition, for example, the determination unit 132 may also determine that there is a misrecognition of the road dividing line RL when the trajectory vector of the center position of the preceding vehicle M1 is not parallel to the road dividing line RL.

[0080] When the determination unit 132 determines that there is a misidentification of the road division line RL, it determines whether there is a misidentification of the road division lines RL on both sides of the own vehicle M or a misidentification of the road division line RL on one side of the own vehicle M. Specifically, when the determination unit 132 determines that there is a misidentification of the road division line RL and the recognition unit 130 recognizes a preceding vehicle M1 within a first specified distance D1 (for example, several meters to several tens of meters) in the traveling direction of the own vehicle M, the determination unit 132 obtains the traveling trajectory MT of the preceding vehicle M1 from the recognition unit 130, and based on the degree of parallelism between the road division line RL and the traveling trajectory MT, determines whether there is a misidentification of the road division lines RL on both sides of the own vehicle M or a misidentification of the road division line RL on one side of the own vehicle M.

[0081] Figure 5 It is a diagram showing an example of a scenario in which the determination unit 132 determines whether there is a misidentification of the road division lines RL on both sides or a misidentification of the road division line RL on one side. As Figure 5 shown, the determination unit 132 compares the traveling trajectory MT obtained from the recognition unit 130 with the road division line RL on the left side and the road division line RL on the right side in the traveling direction of the own vehicle M. In Figure 5 this case, the traveling trajectory MT is parallel to the road division line RL on the right side, while the traveling trajectory MT is not parallel to the road division line RL on the left side. Therefore, the determination unit 132 determines that the road division line RL on the left side, that is, the road division line RL on one side, has a misidentification.

[0082] In addition, when the determination unit 132 determines that there is a misidentification of the road division line RL, it determines whether the road division lines RL on both sides or the road division line RL on one side deviate outward, inward, or in the same direction with respect to the traveling direction of the own vehicle M. Specifically, for example, the determination unit 132 obtains the width between the road division lines RL on both sides recognized by the recognition unit 130, determines that it deviates outward when the width increases, determines that it deviates inward when the width decreases, and determines that it deviates in the same direction when the width remains constant.

[0083] Moreover, when the determination unit 132 determines that there is a misidentification of the road division line RL and the recognition unit 130 recognizes a preceding vehicle M1 within the first specified distance D1 in the traveling direction of the own vehicle M, the determination unit 132 determines whether the road division line RL recognized by the recognition unit 130 extends from the position of the own vehicle M to the front side of the preceding vehicle M1. For example, in Figure 5In the case where the road division line RL recognized by the recognition unit 130 extends beyond the front end of the preceding vehicle M1 from the position of the host vehicle M. Accordingly, the determination unit 132 determines that the road division line RL recognized by the recognition unit 130 extends to the front side of the preceding vehicle M1 from the position of the host vehicle M. Thereafter, the action plan generation unit 140 generates a target trajectory for the host vehicle M to follow the preceding vehicle M1 in the driving mode of mode B based on the travel trajectory MT of the preceding vehicle M1, and the second control unit 160 causes the host vehicle M to travel along the generated target trajectory. It should be noted that at this time, the continuous travel distance for causing the host vehicle M to travel in the driving mode of mode B is set to different values according to whether the road division line RL deviates outward, inward, or in the same direction with respect to the traveling direction of the host vehicle M, and whether the road division line RL extends to the front side of the preceding vehicle M1 from the position of the host vehicle M. The detailed situation will be described later.

[0084] On the other hand, when the determination unit 132 determines that there is a misrecognition of the road division line RL and the recognition unit 130 does not recognize the preceding vehicle M1 within the first specified distance D1 on the traveling direction side of the host vehicle M, the determination unit 132 determines whether the road division line RL has a length of not less than a second specified distance D2 from the host vehicle M on the traveling direction side of the host vehicle M. The second specified distance D2 is, for example, a distance corresponding to the inter-vehicle time for several seconds, and is a distance required for the recognition unit 130 to accurately recognize the road division line RL existing around the host vehicle M. Here, the inter-vehicle time refers to the time required for the host vehicle M to reach the current position of the preceding vehicle M1 from the current position assuming that the host vehicle M travels at the current speed. In other words, the determination unit 132 determines whether the road division line RL has a length of not less than a distance corresponding to the inter-vehicle time on the traveling direction side of the host vehicle M.

[0085] Figure 6 is a diagram showing an example of a scene in which the determination unit 132 determines whether the road division line RL has a length of not less than a second specified distance D2 from the host vehicle M on the traveling direction side of the host vehicle M. In Figure 6 DL represents a line segment extending by the second specified distance D2 from the center O of the front end of the host vehicle M toward the traveling direction, PL represents a perpendicular line drawn from the front end of the road division line RL recognized by the recognition unit 130 toward the line segment DL, and P represents the intersection point between the line segment DL and the line segment PL. At this time, as Figure 6 shown, the length of the line segment OP is smaller than the length D2 of the line segment DL. Accordingly, the determination unit 132 determines that the road division line RL does not have a length of not less than the second specified distance D2 from the host vehicle M on the traveling direction side of the host vehicle M.

[0086] [Setting of continuous travel distance]

[0087] When the traveling determination unit 132 determines that there is an error in the second map information 62 and there is a misidentification of the road division line RL during the travel of the vehicle M in the driving mode of mode B, the action plan generation unit 140 determines the continuous travel distance of the vehicle M in the driving mode of mode B based on the recognition result of the recognition unit 130 and the determination result of the determination unit 132, and generates a target trajectory corresponding to the continuous travel distance. At this time, in particular, when the recognition unit 130 recognizes the preceding vehicle M1 within the first specified distance D1 on the traveling direction side of the vehicle M, the continuous travel distance in the driving mode of mode B is set longer than the case where the recognition unit 130 does not recognize the preceding vehicle M1. Hereinafter, referring to Figure 7 and Figure 8 , the method for setting the continuous travel distance in the driving mode of mode B will be described.

[0088] Figure 7 is a diagram for explaining the method by which the action plan generation unit 140 sets the continuous travel distance in the driving mode of mode B when the recognition unit 130 recognizes the preceding vehicle M1.

[0089] As Figure 7 shown, when the recognition unit 130 recognizes the preceding vehicle M1, according to the determination result of the determination unit 132, the method for setting the continuous travel distance is classified into four styles. In addition, in each style, since the continuous travel distance is uniquely set regardless of whether there is a misidentification of the road division lines RL on both sides or a misidentification of the road division line RL on one side, the case where there is a misidentification of the road division lines RL on both sides and the case where there is a misidentification of the road division line RL on one side are summarized and described.

[0090] [Style (a)]

[0091] In Figure 7 the style (a), when the action plan generation unit 140 determines that there is an error in the second map information 62 and determines that there is a misidentification of the road division line RL, the recognition unit 130 recognizes the preceding vehicle within the first specified distance D1 on the traveling direction side of the vehicle M, and the determination unit 132 determines that the road division line RL extends from the position of the vehicle M to the front side of the preceding vehicle M1, the action plan generation unit 140 sets the continuous travel distance of the vehicle M in mode B to the first continuous distance. The first continuous distance is the maximum value for setting the continuous travel distance, for example, several hundred meters.

[0092] This is because, when the road division line RL extends to the front side of the preceding vehicle M1, there is a surplus in the length of the road division line RL used for generating the target trajectory, and the action plan generation unit 140 can generate the target trajectory based on both the traveling trajectory MT of the preceding vehicle M1 and the road division line RL.

[0093] [Style (b)]

[0094] In Figure 7 In the style (b), when the action plan generation unit 140 determines that the second map information 62 is incorrect and that the road division line RL is misrecognized, the recognition unit 130 recognizes a preceding vehicle M1 within a first specified distance D1 on the traveling direction side of the own vehicle M, the determination unit 132 determines that the road division line RL does not extend from the position of the own vehicle M to the front side of the preceding vehicle M1, and the determination unit 132 determines that the road division line RL deviates outward, the continuous traveling distance of the own vehicle M in mode B is set to a first continuous distance. This is because, when the road division line RL deviates outward, even if the recognized length of the road division line RL is short, it can be assumed that the traveling of the own vehicle M in the driving mode of mode B is not a problem, and a target track can be generated based on the traveling track MT of the preceding vehicle M1.

[0095] [Style (c)]

[0096] In Figure 7 In the style (c), when the action plan generation unit 140 determines that the second map information 62 is incorrect and that the road division line RL is misrecognized, the recognition unit 130 recognizes a preceding vehicle M1 within a first specified distance D1 on the traveling direction side of the own vehicle M, the determination unit 132 determines that the road division line RL does not extend from the position of the own vehicle M to the front side of the preceding vehicle M1, and the determination unit 132 determines that the road division line RL deviates inward or in the same direction, the continuous traveling distance of the own vehicle M in mode B is set to a second continuous distance. At this time, the second continuous distance is a value smaller than the first continuous distance, for example, several tens of meters to several hundreds of meters. In the case of style (c), since the recognized length of the road division line RL is short and its width becomes smaller or remains unchanged, there may be a problem if the traveling of the own vehicle M in the driving mode of mode B continues for a long time. Therefore, the action plan generation unit 140 generates a target track in such a way that the own vehicle M travels a second continuous distance shorter than the first continuous distance in the driving mode of mode B.

[0097] [Style (d)]

[0098] In Figure 7In style (d), when the determination unit 132 determines that there is an error in the second map information 62 and that there is a misidentification of the road division line RL, the recognition unit 130 recognizes a preceding vehicle M1 within a first specified distance D1 on the traveling direction side of the own vehicle M, the determination unit 132 determines that the road division line RL does not extend from the position of the own vehicle M to the front side of the preceding vehicle M1, and the determination unit 132 determines that the road division line RL deviates inward or in the same direction, the determination unit 132 determines whether the width of the road division line RL is larger than the vehicle width of the own vehicle M. When the determination unit 132 determines that the width is larger than the vehicle width of the own vehicle M, the action plan generation unit 140 sets the continuous traveling distance of the own vehicle M in mode B to the first continuous distance. This is because, even if the length of the recognized road division line RL is short, its width is larger than the vehicle width of the own vehicle M. Therefore, it can be assumed that there will be no problem during the period when the own vehicle M travels continuously for a certain distance in the driving mode of mode B. Instead, the action plan generation unit 140 may also consider the situation where the road division line RL does not extend from the position of the own vehicle M to the front side of the preceding vehicle M1, and set the continuous traveling distance to a value smaller than the first continuous distance and larger than the second continuous distance. Thereby, the continuous traveling distance can be set more carefully according to the condition of the own vehicle M.

[0099] It should be noted that in any of the above styles, the action plan generation unit 140 generates a target trajectory for the own vehicle M to follow the preceding vehicle M1, and the second control unit 160 causes the own vehicle M to travel along the generated target trajectory. At this time, when the determination unit 132 determines that there is a misidentification of only the road division line RL on one side of the own vehicle M, the action plan generation unit 140 generates a target trajectory for the own vehicle M to follow the preceding vehicle M1 based on the road division line RL on the other side where no misidentification has occurred. More specifically, the action plan generation unit 140 generates a target trajectory for the own vehicle M to follow the preceding vehicle M1 along the road division line RL on the side where no misidentification has occurred.

[0100] Figure 8 It is a diagram for explaining a method for the action plan generation unit 140 to set the continuous traveling distance in the driving mode of mode B when the recognition unit 130 does not recognize the preceding vehicle M1. As Figure 8 shown, when the recognition unit 130 does not recognize the preceding vehicle M1, according to the determination result of the determination unit 132, the method for setting the continuous traveling distance is classified into four styles. It should be noted that Figure 7Similarly, in each pattern, since the continuous driving distance is uniquely set regardless of whether there is a misidentification of the road division lines RL on both sides or a misidentification of the road division line RL on one side, the cases of misidentification of the road division lines RL on both sides and the cases of misidentification of the road division line RL on one side are summarized and described.

[0101] In Figure 8 pattern (e), when the action plan generation unit 140 determines that the second map information 62 is incorrect and determines that there is a misidentification of the road division line RL, the recognition unit 130 does not recognize the preceding vehicle M1 within the first specified distance D1 on the traveling direction side of the own vehicle M, and the determination unit 132 determines that the recognized road division line RL has a length of more than the second specified distance D2 from the own vehicle M in the traveling direction of the own vehicle M, the continuous driving distance of the own vehicle M in mode B is set to the third continuous distance. At this time, the third continuous distance is a value smaller than the first continuous distance and is equal to or smaller than the second continuous distance. That is, in Figure 8 pattern (e), since the preceding vehicle M1 is not recognized within the first specified distance D1 on the traveling direction side of the own vehicle M, even if the road division line RL has a length of more than the second specified distance D2 and can be accurately recognized, the continuous driving distance of the own vehicle M in mode B is set to be shorter.

[0102] In Figure 8 pattern (f), when the action plan generation unit 140 determines that the second map information 62 is incorrect and determines that there is a misidentification of the road division line RL, the recognition unit 130 does not recognize the preceding vehicle M1 within the first specified distance D1 on the traveling direction side of the own vehicle M, the determination unit 132 determines that the recognized road division line RL does not have a length of more than the second specified distance D2 from the own vehicle M in the traveling direction of the own vehicle M, and the determination unit 132 determines that the road division line RL deviates outward, the continuous driving distance of the own vehicle M in mode B is set to the third continuous distance. Similar to Figure 7 pattern (b), this is because, when the road division line RL deviates outward, even if the length of the recognized road division line RL is short, it can be assumed that there will be no problem during the period when the own vehicle M travels continuously for a certain distance in the driving mode of mode B.

[0103] In Figure 8In the style (g), when the pattern determination unit 150 determines that there is an error in the second map information 62 and that there is a misidentification of the road division line RL, the recognition unit 130 does not recognize a preceding vehicle M1 within a first specified distance D1 on the traveling direction side of the own vehicle M, the determination unit 132 determines that the recognized road division line RL does not have a length of at least a second specified distance D2 from the own vehicle M in the traveling direction of the own vehicle M, and the determination unit 132 determines that the road division line RL deviates inward or in the same direction, the driving mode of mode B is terminated. This is because, in the case of style (g), since no preceding vehicle M1 is recognized within the first specified distance D1, the length of the recognized road division line RL becomes shorter, and its width becomes smaller or remains unchanged. Therefore, there may be a problem if the driving of the own vehicle M continues in the driving mode of mode B.

[0104] In Figure 8 the style (h), when the determination unit 132 determines that there is an error in the second map information 62 and that there is a misidentification of the road division line RL, the recognition unit 130 does not recognize a preceding vehicle M1 within a first specified distance D1 on the traveling direction side of the own vehicle M, the determination unit 132 determines that the road division line RL does not have a length of at least a second specified distance D2 from the own vehicle M in the traveling direction of the own vehicle M, and the determination unit 132 determines that the road division line RL deviates inward or in the same direction, the determination unit 132 determines whether the width of the road division line RL is larger than the vehicle width of the own vehicle M. When the determination unit 132 determines that the width is larger than the vehicle width of the own vehicle M, the action plan generation unit 140 sets the continuous driving distance in the driving mode of mode B to a third continuous distance. Similar to Figure 7 the style (d), this is because, even if the length of the recognized road division line RL becomes shorter, since its width is larger than the vehicle width of the own vehicle M, it can be assumed that there will be no problem during the period when the driving of the own vehicle M in the driving mode of mode B continues for a certain distance.

[0105] [Flow of actions]

[0106] Next, with reference to Figures 9 - 11 , the flow of actions performed by the vehicle control device of the present embodiment will be described. Figure 9 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of actions performed by the vehicle control device of the present embodiment. The processing of this flowchart is processing that is executed at a prescribed control cycle during the driving of the own vehicle M in the driving mode of mode B.

[0107] First, the recognition unit 130 recognizes the surrounding conditions of the host vehicle M including the road division line RL (step S100). Next, the determination unit 132 determines, based on the recognized surrounding conditions and the second map information 62, whether there is an error in the second map information 62 and whether there is a misrecognition of the road division line RL included in the surrounding conditions (step S101). When it is not determined that there is a misrecognition of the road division line RL, the vehicle control device ends the processing of this flowchart.

[0108] On the other hand, when it is determined that there is an error in the second map information 62 and there is a misrecognition of the road division line RL, the determination unit 132 determines whether the recognition unit 130 has recognized a preceding vehicle M1 within a first specified distance D1 on the traveling direction side of the host vehicle M (step S102). When the determination unit 132 determines that the recognition unit 130 has recognized a preceding vehicle M1 within the first specified distance D1 on the traveling direction side of the host vehicle M, the process proceeds to step S103, and the vehicle control device executes the process of step S201 described later (step S103). On the other hand, when the determination unit 132 determines that the recognition unit 130 has not recognized a preceding vehicle M1 within the first specified distance D1 on the traveling direction side of the host vehicle M, the process proceeds to step S104, and the vehicle control device executes the process of step S301 described later (step S104).

[0109] Figure 10 FIG. is an example of a flowchart showing the operation process executed by the vehicle control device when the recognition unit 130 has recognized a preceding vehicle M1 within the first specified distance D1 on the traveling direction side of the host vehicle M. First, the determination unit 132 determines whether the road division line RL extends from the position of the host vehicle M to the front side of the preceding vehicle M1 (step S201). When it is determined that the road division line RL extends from the position of the host vehicle M to the front side of the preceding vehicle M1, the action plan generation unit 140 sets the continuous traveling distance of the host vehicle M in mode B to the first continuous distance (step S202).

[0110] On the other hand, when it is determined that the road division line RL does not extend from the position of the host vehicle M to the front side of the preceding vehicle M1, the determination unit 132 then determines whether the road division line RL deviates outward (step S203). When it is determined that the road division line RL deviates outward, the action plan generation unit 140 sets the continuous traveling distance of the host vehicle M in mode B to the first continuous distance.

[0111] On the other hand, in the case where it is not determined that the road division line RL deviates outward, that is, in the case where it is determined that the road division line RL deviates inward or in the same direction, the determination unit 132 then determines whether the width of the road division line RL is larger than the width of the own vehicle M (step S204). In the case where it is determined that the width of the road division line RL is larger than the width of the own vehicle M, the action plan generation unit 140 sets the continuous driving distance of the own vehicle M in mode B to the first continuous distance.

[0112] On the other hand, in the case where it is not determined that the width of the road division line RL is larger than the width of the own vehicle M, the action plan generation unit 140 sets the continuous driving distance of the own vehicle M in mode B to the second continuous distance (step S205). Thus, the processing of this flowchart ends.

[0113] Figure 11 This is a flowchart showing an example of the process of the actions performed by the vehicle control device when the recognition unit 130 does not recognize a preceding vehicle M1 within a first specified distance D1 on the traveling direction side of the own vehicle M. First, the determination unit 132 determines whether the road division line RL has a length of a second specified distance D2 or more from the own vehicle M (step S301). In the case where it is determined that the road division line RL has a length of a second specified distance D2 or more from the own vehicle M, the action plan generation unit 140 sets the continuous driving distance of the own vehicle M in mode B to the third continuous distance (step S302).

[0114] On the other hand, in the case where it is not determined that the road division line RL has a length of a second specified distance D2 or more from the own vehicle M, the determination unit 132 then determines whether the road division line RL deviates outward (step S303). In the case where it is determined that the road division line RL deviates outward, the action plan generation unit 140 sets the continuous driving distance of the own vehicle M in mode B to the third continuous distance.

[0115] On the other hand, in the case where it is not determined that the road division line RL deviates outward, that is, in the case where it is determined that the road division line RL deviates inward or in the same direction, the determination unit 132 then determines whether the width of the road division line RL is larger than the width of the own vehicle M (step S304). In the case where it is determined that the width of the road division line RL is larger than the width of the own vehicle M, the action plan generation unit 140 sets the continuous driving distance of the own vehicle M in mode B to the third continuous distance.

[0116] On the other hand, in the case where it is not determined that the width of the road division line RL is larger than the width of the own vehicle M, the mode determination unit 150 ends the driving mode of mode B (step 305). Thus, the processing of this flowchart ends.

[0117] According to the embodiment of the present invention described above, when the driving control unit determines that there is a misidentification of the road division line RL during the travel of the own vehicle M in mode B and the recognition unit 130 recognizes a preceding vehicle within a first predetermined distance D1 on the traveling direction side of the own vehicle M, the continuous travel distance in mode B is set to be longer than the case where no preceding vehicle D1 is recognized. Thus, even when the map information carried by the vehicle is different from the recognized external information, the driving control can be flexibly changed.

[0118] The above-described embodiment can be expressed as follows.

[0119] A vehicle control device configured to include:

[0120] A storage device that stores a program; and

[0121] A hardware processor,

[0122] By causing the hardware processor to execute the program stored in the storage device, the following processing is performed:

[0123] Recognize the surrounding conditions of the vehicle;

[0124] Control the steering and acceleration / deceleration of the vehicle based on the surrounding conditions and map information without relying on the operation of the driver of the vehicle;

[0125] Determine the driving mode of the vehicle as any one of a plurality of driving modes including a first driving mode and a second driving mode, the second driving mode being a driving mode with a lighter task for the driver than the first driving mode, and at least a part of the plurality of driving modes including the second driving mode is controlled. When the task related to the determined driving mode is not executed by the driver, change the driving mode of the vehicle to a driving mode with a heavier task.

[0126] Based on the surrounding conditions and the map information, determine whether there is an error in the map information, and determine whether there is a misidentification of the road division line included in the surrounding conditions; and

[0127] When it is determined that there is an error in the map information and there is a misidentification of the road division line during the travel of the vehicle in the second driving mode and a preceding vehicle is recognized within a first predetermined distance on the traveling direction side of the vehicle, set the continuous travel distance in the second driving mode to be longer than the case where no preceding vehicle is recognized.

[0128] The above-described usage embodiments illustrate specific embodiments of the present invention, but the present invention is in no way limited by such embodiments, and various modifications and substitutions can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.

Claims

1. A vehicle control device, wherein, the vehicle control device includes: an identification unit that identifies the surrounding conditions of the vehicle; a driving control unit that controls the steering, acceleration, and deceleration of the vehicle based on the surrounding conditions and map information without relying on the operation of the driver of the vehicle; a mode determination unit that determines the driving mode of the vehicle as any one of a plurality of driving modes including a first driving mode and a second driving mode, the second driving mode being a driving mode with a lighter task for the driver compared to the first driving mode, and at least a part of the plurality of driving modes including the second driving mode is controlled by the driving control unit. When the task involved in the determined driving mode is not executed by the driver, the driving mode of the vehicle is changed to a driving mode with a heavier task; and a determination unit that determines whether there is an error in the map information based on the surrounding conditions and the map information, and determines whether there is a misidentification of the road division lines included in the surrounding conditions; when the determination unit determines that there is an error in the map information, determines that there is a misidentification of the road division lines, and the identification unit identifies a preceding vehicle within a first specified distance on the traveling direction side of the vehicle during the vehicle's travel in the second driving mode, the driving control unit sets the continuous driving distance in the second driving mode to be longer compared to the case where no preceding vehicle is identified; the determination unit compares the road division line information of the map information with the road division lines, and when the road division line information does not match the road division lines, determines whether there is a misidentification of the road division lines based on at least one of the parallel degree of the road division lines and the traveling trajectory of the preceding vehicle.

2. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein, when the determination unit determines that there is a misidentification of the road division lines, it determines whether there is a misidentification of the road division lines on both sides of the vehicle or a misidentification of the road division lines on one side of the vehicle.

3. The vehicle control device according to claim 2, wherein, when the determination unit determines that there is a misidentification of the road division lines and the identification unit identifies a preceding vehicle within a first specified distance on the traveling direction side of the vehicle, it determines whether there is a misidentification of the road division lines on both sides of the vehicle or a misidentification of the road division lines on one side of the vehicle based on the parallel degree of the road division lines and the traveling trajectory of the preceding vehicle.

4. The vehicle control device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein, when the determination unit determines that there is a misidentification of the road division lines, it determines whether the road division lines on both sides or on one side deviate outward, inward, or in the same direction with respect to the traveling direction of the vehicle.

5. The vehicle control device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, When the determination unit determines that there is a mis-identification of the road division line and the recognition unit recognizes a preceding vehicle within a first predetermined distance on the traveling direction side of the vehicle, the determination unit determines whether the road division line extends from the position of the vehicle to the front side of the preceding vehicle.

6. The vehicle control device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein When the determination unit determines that there is a mis-identification of the road division line and the recognition unit does not recognize a preceding vehicle within a first predetermined distance on the traveling direction side of the vehicle, the determination unit determines whether the road division line has a length of a second predetermined distance or more from the vehicle in the traveling direction of the vehicle.

7. The vehicle control device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein During the travel of the vehicle in the second driving mode, when the determination unit determines that there is a mis-identification of the road division line and the recognition unit recognizes a preceding vehicle within a first predetermined distance on the traveling direction side of the vehicle, the driving control unit causes the vehicle to follow the preceding vehicle based on the traveling trajectory of the preceding vehicle.

8. The vehicle control device according to claim 5, wherein When the determination unit determines that there is an error in the map information and determines that there is a mis-identification of the road division line, the recognition unit recognizes a preceding vehicle within a first predetermined distance on the traveling direction side of the vehicle, and the determination unit determines that the road division line extends from the position of the vehicle to the front side of the preceding vehicle, the driving control unit sets the continuous travel distance in the second driving mode to a first continuous distance.

9. The vehicle control device according to claim 5, wherein When the determination unit determines that there is an error in the map information and determines that there is a mis-identification of the road division line, the recognition unit recognizes a preceding vehicle within a first predetermined distance on the traveling direction side of the vehicle, the determination unit determines that the road division line does not extend from the position of the vehicle to the front side of the preceding vehicle, and the determination unit determines that the road division line deviates outward, the driving control unit sets the continuous travel distance in the second driving mode to a first continuous distance.

10. The vehicle control device according to claim 5, wherein When the determination unit determines that there is an error in the map information and determines that there is a mis-identification of the road division line, the recognition unit recognizes a preceding vehicle within a first predetermined distance on the traveling direction side of the vehicle, the determination unit determines that the road division line does not extend from the position of the vehicle to the front side of the preceding vehicle, and the determination unit determines that the road division line deviates inward or in the same direction, the driving control unit sets the continuous travel distance in the second driving mode to a second continuous distance.

11. The vehicle control device according to claim 10, wherein When the determination unit determines that there is an error in the map information and that there is a misidentification of the road division line, the recognition unit recognizes a preceding vehicle within a first predetermined distance on the traveling direction side of the vehicle, the determination unit determines that the road division line does not extend from the position of the vehicle to the front side of the preceding vehicle, and the determination unit determines that the road division line deviates inward or in the same direction, the determination unit determines whether the width of the road division line is wider than the width of the vehicle. When the determination unit determines that the width is wider than the vehicle width, the driving control unit sets the continuous traveling distance in the second driving mode to a first continuous distance.

12. The vehicle control device according to claim 6, wherein When the determination unit determines that there is an error in the map information and that there is a misidentification of the road division line, the recognition unit does not recognize a preceding vehicle within a first predetermined distance on the traveling direction side of the vehicle, and the determination unit determines that the road division line has a length of not less than a second predetermined distance from the vehicle in the traveling direction of the vehicle, the driving control unit sets the continuous traveling distance in the second driving mode to a third continuous distance.

13. The vehicle control device according to claim 6, wherein When the determination unit determines that there is an error in the map information and that there is a misidentification of the road division line, the recognition unit does not recognize a preceding vehicle within a first predetermined distance on the traveling direction side of the vehicle, the determination unit determines that the road division line does not have a length of not less than a second predetermined distance from the vehicle in the traveling direction of the vehicle, and the determination unit determines that the road division line deviates outward, the driving control unit sets the continuous traveling distance in the second driving mode to a third continuous distance.

14. The vehicle control device according to claim 6, wherein When the determination unit determines that there is an error in the map information and that there is a misidentification of the road division line, the recognition unit does not recognize a preceding vehicle within a first predetermined distance on the traveling direction side of the vehicle, the determination unit determines that the road division line does not have a length of not less than a second predetermined distance from the vehicle in the traveling direction of the vehicle, and the determination unit determines that the road division line deviates inward or in the same direction, the mode determination unit changes the second driving mode to the first driving mode.

15. The vehicle control device according to claim 14, wherein When the determination unit determines that there is an error in the map information and that there is a mis-identification of the road division line, the recognition unit does not recognize a preceding vehicle within a first predetermined distance on the traveling direction side of the vehicle, the determination unit determines that the road division line does not have a length of more than the second predetermined distance from the vehicle in the traveling direction of the vehicle, and the determination unit determines that the road division line deviates inward or in the same direction, the determination unit determines whether the width of the road division line is wider than the width of the vehicle. When the determination unit determines that the width is wider than the vehicle width, the driving control unit sets the continuous driving distance in the second driving mode to a third continuous distance.

16. A vehicle control method, wherein the vehicle control method causes a computer to perform the following processing: Recognize the surrounding conditions of the vehicle; Control the steering and acceleration / deceleration of the vehicle based on the surrounding conditions and map information without relying on the operation of the driver of the vehicle; Determine the driving mode of the vehicle as any one of a plurality of driving modes including a first driving mode and a second driving mode, the second driving mode being a driving mode with a lighter task for the driver compared to the first driving mode, and at least a part of the plurality of driving modes including the second driving mode is controlled, and when the task involved in the determined driving mode is not executed by the driver, change the driving mode of the vehicle to a driving mode with a heavier task; Determine whether there is an error in the map information based on the surrounding conditions and the map information, and determine whether there is a mis-identification of the road division line included in the surrounding conditions; When it is determined that there is an error in the map information and the road division line is in error during the driving of the vehicle in the second driving mode, and a preceding vehicle is recognized within a first predetermined distance on the traveling direction side of the vehicle, set the continuous driving distance in the second driving mode to be longer than when the preceding vehicle is not recognized; and Compare the road division line information of the map information with the road division line, and when the road division line information and the road division line do not match, determine whether there is a mis-identification of the road division line based on at least one of the parallel degree of the road division line and the traveling trajectory of the preceding vehicle.

17. A storage medium storing a program, wherein the program causes a computer to perform the following processing: Recognize the surrounding conditions of the vehicle; Control the steering and acceleration / deceleration of the vehicle based on the surrounding conditions and map information without relying on the operation of the driver of the vehicle; Determine the driving mode of the vehicle to be any one of a plurality of driving modes including a first driving mode and a second driving mode, where the second driving mode is a driving mode that is less intensive than the first driving mode for the tasks assigned to the driver. At least a part of the plurality of driving modes, including the second driving mode, is controlled. When the tasks involved in the determined driving mode are not executed by the driver, change the driving mode of the vehicle to a more intensive driving mode; Based on the surrounding conditions and the map information, determine whether there is an error in the map information and whether there is a mis-identification of the road dividing lines included in the surrounding conditions; When it is determined that there is an error in the map information and an error in the road dividing lines during the driving of the vehicle in the second driving mode, and a preceding vehicle is recognized within a first specified distance on the traveling direction side of the vehicle, set the continuous driving distance in the second driving mode to be longer than when no preceding vehicle is recognized; And Compare the road dividing line information of the map information with the road dividing lines. When the road dividing line information and the road dividing lines do not match, determine whether there is a mis-identification of the road dividing lines based on at least one of the parallel degree of the road dividing lines and the traveling trajectory of the preceding vehicle.

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