Vehicle control device, vehicle control method, and storage medium

Abstract

A vehicle control device, a vehicle control method, and a storage medium are provided that enable the vehicle to automatically stop in a more appropriate manner based on the operation of the occupants. The vehicle control device includes: a recognition unit that recognizes the surrounding environment of the vehicle; an input unit that accepts input operations performed by the occupants of the vehicle; a control unit that, upon receiving the input operation at the input unit, performs automatic stop control to decelerate and stop the vehicle; and a setting unit that sets a first time from the time the input operation is received at the input unit until the control unit begins the automatic stop control, the setting unit changing the first time based on the recognition result of subsequent vehicles identified by the recognition unit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to vehicle control devices, vehicle control methods, and storage media. Background Technology

[0002] In the past, various technologies have been developed to automatically stop a moving vehicle. For example, Patent Document 1 proposes a technology that determines whether to automatically stop the vehicle based on the surrounding environment. Additionally, Patent Document 2 proposes a technology that monitors the driver's condition and, upon detecting an abnormality in the driver's physical condition, inputs an instruction to a receiver (parking indicator).

[0003] Prior technology literature

[0004] [Patent Documents]

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2021-115971

[0006] Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent No. 5288045 Summary of the Invention

[0007] The problem that the invention aims to solve

[0008] In cases where automatic vehicle stop control is initiated based on driver input, as in Patent Document 2, the driver is left to determine the appropriate conditions for operating the parking indicator. Therefore, the automatic stop function is not limited to use when the driver is in poor physical condition; it can also be used when the driver wants to stop the vehicle for other reasons. However, in conventional technology, the use of the automatic stop function for such different purposes is subject to uniform control, sometimes failing to properly stop the vehicle according to its intended purpose.

[0009] The present invention was made in consideration of such circumstances, and one of its objectives is to provide a vehicle control device, vehicle control method, and storage medium capable of automatically stopping the vehicle in a more appropriate manner based on the operation of the occupants.

[0010] Solution for solving the problem

[0011] The vehicle control device, vehicle control method, and storage medium of the present invention adopt the following structure.

[0012] (1): The vehicle control device of the embodiment includes: an identification unit that identifies the surrounding conditions of the vehicle; an input unit that accepts input operations performed by occupants of the vehicle; a control unit that performs automatic stop control to decelerate and stop the vehicle when the input unit receives the input operation; and a setting unit that sets a first time from when the input unit receives the input operation until the control unit starts the automatic stop control, and the setting unit changes the first time based on the identification result of the vehicle following the vehicle identified by the identification unit.

[0013] (2): In the above scheme (1), the identification result of the subsequent vehicle represents information indicating the presence or absence of the subsequent vehicle and / or the distance between the current vehicle and the subsequent vehicle.

[0014] (3): In the above scheme (1) or (2), when the setting unit detects the following vehicle and the distance between the following vehicle and the current vehicle is less than a threshold, compared with the case where the following vehicle is not detected or the distance between the following vehicle and the current vehicle is greater than or equal to the threshold, the first time is extended.

[0015] (4): In any of the above schemes (1) to (3), the vehicle control device further includes an occupant reporting unit, which uses a first information output device to make a first report to the occupants of the vehicle, and the control unit starts the automatic stop control after the occupant reporting unit makes the first report to the occupants during the first time period.

[0016] (5): In any of the above schemes (1) to (4), the vehicle control device further includes an external reporting unit, which, after the automatic stop control starts, uses a second information output device to make a second report on the exterior of the vehicle, and the external reporting unit changes the form of the second report based on the identification result of the subsequent vehicle.

[0017] (6): In the above (5) scheme, when the external reporting unit identifies the following vehicle and the distance between the following vehicle and the current vehicle is less than a threshold, compared with the case where the following vehicle is not identified or the distance between the following vehicle and the current vehicle is greater than or equal to the threshold, the timing of the second report is delayed.

[0018] (7): In any of the above schemes (1) to (6), the control unit changes the degree of deceleration of the vehicle in the automatic stop control based on the identification result of the subsequent vehicle.

[0019] (8): In any of the above schemes (1) to (7), when the control unit detects the following vehicle and the distance between the following vehicle and the vehicle is less than a threshold, compared with the case where the following vehicle is not detected or the distance between the following vehicle and the vehicle is greater than or equal to the threshold, the deceleration of the vehicle in the automatic stop control is made more gradual.

[0020] (9): In any of the above (1) to (8), the vehicle control device further includes an input cancellation unit that cancels the input operation when the occupant detects a predetermined action, and the control unit suppresses driving support functions that require the occupant's permission during the period from the cancellation of the input operation until a second time has elapsed.

[0021] (10): In any of the above schemes (1) to (9), the vehicle control device further includes an occupant reporting unit, which uses an information output device to report to the occupants of the vehicle. If the occupant reporting unit does not identify the subsequent vehicle after the setting unit changes the first time, or if the distance between the subsequent vehicle and the vehicle becomes a threshold or higher, the occupant reporting unit will make a third report to the occupants of the vehicle.

[0022] (11): The vehicle control method of the embodiment causes the computer to perform the following processing: identify the surrounding conditions of the vehicle; accept input operations performed by the occupants of the vehicle; perform automatic stop control to decelerate and stop the vehicle when the input operation is received; perform setting processing to set a first time from the time the input operation is received until the start of the automatic stop control; and change the first time based on the identification result of subsequent vehicles of the vehicle in the setting processing.

[0023] (12): The storage medium of the embodiment stores a program, wherein the program is used to cause the computer to perform the following processing: identify the surrounding conditions of the vehicle; accept input operations performed by the occupants of the vehicle; upon receiving the input operation, perform automatic stop control to decelerate and stop the vehicle; perform setting processing to set a first time from the time the input operation is received until the start of the automatic stop control; in the setting processing, the first time is changed based on the identification result of subsequent vehicles of the vehicle.

[0024] Invention Effects

[0025] According to the schemes (1) to (12) above, the vehicle can be stopped automatically in a more appropriate manner based on the operation of the occupants. Attached Figure Description

[0026] Figure 1 This is a diagram illustrating the emergency stop function in case of driver abnormality.

[0027] Figure 2 This is a structural diagram of a vehicle system utilizing a vehicle control device according to an implementation method.

[0028] Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of the process by which a vehicle control device, in an implementation of an emergency stop function in case of driver abnormality, performs a certain procedure.

[0029] Figure 4 This is the first diagram illustrating the first control example.

[0030] Figure 5 This is the second diagram illustrating the first control example.

[0031] Figure 6 This is a diagram illustrating an example of the response confirmation time in the first control example.

[0032] Figure 7 This is the third diagram illustrating the first control example.

[0033] Figure 8 This is the first diagram illustrating the second control example.

[0034] Figure 9 This is the second diagram illustrating the second control example.

[0035] Figure 10 This is the first diagram illustrating the third control example.

[0036] Figure 11 This is the second diagram illustrating the third control example.

[0037] Figure 12 This is a diagram illustrating the fourth control example.

[0038] Figure 13 This is a diagram illustrating the fifth control example.

[0039] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0040] 10…Camera, 12…Radar device, 16…Object recognition device, 20…Communication device, 30…Input device, 40…Vehicle sensor, 50…External reporter, 60…Occupant reporter, 70…Driver monitoring camera, 80…Driving control unit, 100…Vehicle control unit, 110…Operation recognition unit, 120…Control unit, 130…Setting unit, 140…External reporter, 150…Occupant reporter, 200…Driving drive force output device, 210…Braking device, 220…Steering device. Detailed Implementation

[0041] Hereinafter, embodiments of the vehicle control device, vehicle control method, and storage medium of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0042] <Summary>

[0043] Figure 1 This diagram illustrates the overview of the emergency stop function in case of driver malfunction. The emergency stop function in case of driver malfunction is a function that automatically stops the vehicle in the event of an occupant malfunction, and is one of the driving support functions. Here, as an example, the process from when an occupant of the vehicle A (here, the driver) experiences a physical malfunction until the vehicle A stops using the emergency stop function in case of driver malfunction is explained. Hereinafter, the emergency stop function in case of driver malfunction will be abbreviated as "emergency stop function".

[0044] First, the occupant experiencing an abnormal physical condition performs an operation to input an instruction to the emergency stop function on the indicator set on vehicle A (hereinafter referred to as "instruction operation") (Step S11: Time t1). Based on the input of this instruction operation, vehicle A initiates the emergency stop function and transitions to the standby state of automatic stop control. In the standby state, vehicle A calls the occupant during a predetermined response confirmation time (Step S12). This call to the occupant is an example of a "first report," and the response confirmation time is an example of a "first time."

[0045] Next, if the occupant responds to the call in step S12 within the response confirmation time, vehicle A deactivates the standby state of automatic stop control and ends the emergency stop function (step S13: emergency stop function deactivation). On the other hand, if the occupant does not respond within the response confirmation time, vehicle A initiates automatic stop control (step S14: time t2). Vehicle A gradually decelerates through automatic stop control and eventually comes to a stop (step S15: time t4).

[0046] It should be noted that before and after the vehicle A stops via automatic stop control, it performs external reporting actions to people outside the vehicle to report attention, etc. (step S16). This external reporting is an example of "second report". In addition, when the vehicle A stops, it performs external reporting actions to people outside the vehicle, hospitals, etc., to report any abnormalities of the occupants (step S17).

[0047] On the other hand, if a cancellation operation is input to the indicator during the period from the start of automatic stop control until the vehicle A stops (time t3), the vehicle A will stop the automatic stop control in progress and end the emergency stop function (step S18: emergency stop function deactivated).

[0048] It should be noted that, in standby mode, vehicle A can suppress acceleration. Alternatively, in standby mode, vehicle A can identify the occupant's state as a temporary abnormal state, gradually increasing the accuracy of the abnormal state identification over time. If the occupant does not respond during the response confirmation time, the occupant's state is confirmed as abnormal. Furthermore, in this case, in standby mode, vehicle A can also control the degree of acceleration suppression based on the accuracy of the occupant's abnormal state identification.

[0049] The emergency stop function described above assumes a situation where the occupant's (in this case, the driver's) physical condition becomes abnormal. However, as in this example, in the case of an emergency stop function that activates based on an instruction given by the occupant, the occupant decides under what circumstances the instruction should be given. Therefore, while the emergency stop function is originally designed to automatically stop the vehicle when the occupant's physical condition becomes abnormal, in reality, there are cases where it can be used at any time as a simple automatic stop unit for vehicle A.

[0050] However, even when used in various scenarios, conventional emergency stop functions, which operate with a uniform control regardless of the situation, may not always bring vehicle A to a complete stop at the appropriate time. Specifically, conventional emergency stop functions are designed for scenarios requiring rapid stopping, such as when an occupant experiences a medical emergency. Therefore, they may not provide adequate deceleration in scenarios requiring a more gradual stop, such as when following vehicles are present. Conversely, conventional emergency stop functions may also fail to provide adequate deceleration in scenarios requiring a stop even faster than when an occupant experiences a medical emergency. Therefore, using conventional emergency stop functions may disrupt the surrounding traffic environment.

[0051] The vehicle control device described below can solve the problem of automatically stopping the vehicle in a more appropriate manner based on the operation of the occupants.

[0052] <Implementation Method>

[0053] [Overall Structure]

[0054] Figure 1 This is a structural diagram centered on the vehicle control device 100 mounted on the vehicle M according to the embodiment. The vehicle M 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 electricity generated by a generator connected to the internal combustion engine, or electricity discharged from a secondary battery or fuel cell.

[0055] This vehicle M, for example, includes a camera 10, a radar device 12, an object recognition device 16, a communication device 20, an input device 30, a vehicle sensor 40, an external reporting device 50, an occupant reporting device 60, a driver monitoring camera 70, driving controls 80, a vehicle 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 CAN (Controller Area Network) communication lines, serial communication lines, wireless communication networks, etc. It should be noted that... Figure 1 The structure shown is just one example; you can omit part of the structure or add other structures.

[0056] Camera 10 is, for example, a digital camera utilizing a solid-state imaging element such as CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor). Camera 10 can be mounted anywhere on the vehicle M. When taking pictures of the front, camera 10 can be mounted on the upper part of the windshield, behind the rearview mirror inside the vehicle, etc. Camera 10 can, for example, periodically and repeatedly take pictures of the surroundings of the vehicle M. Camera 10 can also be a stereo camera.

[0057] Radar device 12 radiates millimeter-wave or other radio waves around the vehicle M and detects the radio waves reflected by objects (reflected waves) to at least detect the position (distance and orientation) of the objects. Radar device 12 can be installed at any location on the vehicle M. Radar device 12 can also detect the position and speed of objects using FM-CW (Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave) method.

[0058] The object recognition device 16 identifies the surrounding conditions of the vehicle M based on the detection results detected by the camera 10 or the radar device 12. The object recognition device 16 at least identifies the distance between the vehicle M and subsequent vehicles. The object recognition device 16 can also identify the position, type, etc., of objects based on the detection results detected by the camera 10 or the radar device 12. The object recognition device 16 outputs the recognition results to the vehicle control device 100. It should be noted that the function of the object recognition device 16 can also be implemented within the vehicle control device 100. In this case, the object recognition device 16 can directly output the detection results from the camera 10 and the radar device 12 to the vehicle control device 100, or the object recognition device 16 can be omitted from the vehicle M.

[0059] The communication device 20 communicates with other vehicles in the vicinity of the vehicle M, for example, using cellular networks, Wi-Fi networks, Bluetooth (registered trademark), DSRC (Dedicated Short Range Communication), etc., or communicates with various server devices via wireless base stations.

[0060] The input device 30 accepts operations performed by the occupants of the vehicle M. The input device 30 includes a touch panel, buttons, switches, keypads, etc. The input device 30 outputs a signal corresponding to the input operation to the vehicle control device 100.

[0061] The vehicle sensor 40 includes a vehicle speed sensor for detecting the speed of the vehicle M, an acceleration sensor for detecting acceleration, a yaw rate sensor for detecting angular velocity about the vertical axis, and an orientation sensor for detecting the orientation of the vehicle M.

[0062] The external reporting device 50 performs prescribed reporting actions to the exterior of the vehicle M. The external reporting device 50 may include, for example, indicator lights, speakers, etc. Alternatively, a turn indicator may be used as the external reporting device 50. Furthermore, the external reporting device 50 may include a communication interface for transmitting reporting information to external communication devices. The timing of the external reporting device 50's reporting actions is controlled by the vehicle control unit 100. Additionally, if the external reporting device 50 is capable of performing multiple reporting actions, the type of reporting action may also be controlled by the vehicle control unit 100. The external reporting device 50 is an example of a "second information output device".

[0063] The occupant reporting device 60 performs prescribed reporting actions to the occupants of the vehicle M. The occupant reporting device 60 includes, for example, a touch panel, indicator lights, and a speaker. The touch panel may also be used as the touch panel of the input device 30. The timing of the reporting actions performed by the occupant reporting device 60 is controlled by the vehicle control device 100. Furthermore, if the occupant reporting device 60 is capable of performing multiple reporting actions, the type of reporting action may also be controlled by the vehicle control device 100. The occupant reporting device 60 is an example of a "first information output device".

[0064] The driver monitoring camera 70 is, for example, a digital camera utilizing a solid-state imaging element such as a CCD or CMOS. The driver monitoring camera 70 is installed anywhere in the vehicle M, positioned and facing the driver's seat from the front (with the orientation for capturing the face). For example, the driver monitoring camera 70 is installed above a display device located in the center of the dashboard of the vehicle M.

[0065] The driving control unit 80 includes, for example, a steering wheel, accelerator pedal, brake pedal, gear shift lever, and other control components. Sensors are installed on the driving control unit 80 to detect the amount of operation or whether operation has occurred, and the detection results are output to some or all of the vehicle control unit 100, the driving force output device 200, the braking device 210, and the steering device 220.

[0066] The vehicle control unit 100 includes, for example, an operation recognition unit 110, a control unit 120, a setting unit 130, an external reporting unit 140, and an occupant reporting unit 150. These components are implemented by executing programs (software) using hardware processors such as CPUs (Central Processing Units). Alternatively, some or all of these components can be implemented using hardware (including circuitry) such as LSIs (Large Scale Integration), ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits), FPGAs (Field-Programmable Gate Arrays), and GPUs (Graphics Processing Units), or through a combination of software and hardware. The program can be pre-stored in a storage device such as an HDD or flash memory (a storage device with a non-transitory storage medium) of the vehicle control unit 100, or stored in a removable storage medium such as a DVD or CD-ROM, and installed in the HDD or flash memory of the vehicle control unit 100 by mounting the storage medium (a non-transitory storage medium) to the drive unit.

[0067] The operation recognition unit 110 identifies the content of the operation performed on the input device 30 based on the output signal of the input device 30. The input device 30 includes a touch panel, a switch, buttons, etc. For example, the operation recognition unit 110 recognizes the operation of inputting an instruction to execute the emergency stop function (hereinafter referred to as "instruction operation"), and the operation of ending or canceling the execution instruction of the emergency stop function (hereinafter referred to as "cancellation operation"). As described above, the emergency stop function is a function that automatically slows down and stops the vehicle M when the occupant makes a call and the occupant does not respond to the call. The instruction operation and the cancellation operation can be any operation as long as they can be identified by the operation performed on the input device 30. For example, the operation recognition unit 110 can also identify the operation of turning on the switch as an instruction operation and the operation of turning off the switch as a cancellation operation. The operation recognition unit 110 is an example of an "input unit" and an "input cancellation unit", and the instruction operation is an example of an "input operation".

[0068] The control unit 120 implements control processing to realize various support functions related to driving the vehicle M based on the recognition results of the surroundings of the vehicle M identified by the object recognition device 16, the detection results related to the vehicle M detected by the vehicle sensor 40, and the image of the driver captured by the driver monitoring camera 70. For example, in addition to driving support functions such as lane keeping and lane changing, the control unit 120 also has an emergency stop function. Specifically, when the control unit 120 receives an instruction to perform an emergency stop function, it performs control to automatically stop the vehicle M (hereinafter referred to as "automatic stop control"). Specifically, the control unit 120 first calls the occupant, and if the occupant does not respond to the call within a specified time, it begins automatic stop control. In addition, the control unit 120 ends automatic stop control if a cancellation operation is input during the execution of automatic stop control.

[0069] When the setting unit 130 receives an instruction to activate the emergency stop function, it sets a response confirmation time for the control unit 120 that corresponds to the status of the vehicles following the vehicle M. The response confirmation time is the time during which the control unit 120 waits for a response from the occupants after making a call to them in response to the emergency stop function. In other words, if no response from the occupants is received within the response confirmation time set by the setting unit 130, the control unit 120 initiates automatic stop control.

[0070] In addition to setting the response confirmation time, the setting unit 130 also has the function of setting the execution timing of external reports. As described above, external reports accompanying the emergency stop function include: reports made after parking, such as contacting a hospital, and reports made before parking, such as reports from outside the vehicle. The setting unit 130 has the function of setting the execution timing of external reports, at least those made before parking. For example, the setting unit 130 sets a standby time for the external reporting unit 140 from the start of automatic stop control until the execution of an external report.

[0071] The external reporting unit 140 causes the external reporter 50 to perform a predetermined reporting action at a predetermined time. The external reporting unit 140 may also cause the external reporter 50 to perform different reporting actions depending on the phenomenon to be reported and the timing of the report, provided that the external reporter 50 is capable of performing multiple reporting actions.

[0072] The occupant reporting unit 150 causes the occupant reporting device 60 to perform a predetermined reporting action at a predetermined time. The occupant reporting unit 150 may also cause the occupant reporting device 60 to perform different reporting actions depending on the phenomenon to be reported and the timing of the report, even when the occupant reporting device 60 is capable of performing multiple reporting actions.

[0073] The driving force output device 200 outputs driving force (torque) for vehicle movement 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, as well as an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) that controls them. The ECU controls the above-mentioned structure according to information input from the control unit 120 or from the driving operation device 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 information input from the control unit 120 or from the driving operation unit 80, so that braking torque corresponding to the braking operation is output to each wheel. The braking device 210 may have a backup mechanism for transmitting hydraulic pressure generated by the operation of the brake pedal included in the driving operation unit 80 via the master hydraulic cylinder to the hydraulic cylinder. It should be noted that the braking device 210 is not limited to the structure described above, and may also be an electronically controlled hydraulic braking device that transmits hydraulic pressure from the master hydraulic cylinder to the hydraulic cylinder by controlling the actuator according to information input from the control unit 120.

[0075] The steering system 220 includes, for example, a steering ECU and an electric motor. The electric motor applies force to a rack and pinion mechanism to change the direction of the steering wheels. The steering ECU drives the electric motor to change the direction of the steering wheels according to information input from the control unit 120 or from the driving control unit 80.

[0076] Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of the process by which the vehicle control device 100 implements the emergency stop function. First, the operation recognition unit 110 determines whether an instruction operation has been input to the input device 30 based on the output signal of the input device 30 (step S201). If no instruction operation is determined to have been input, the operation recognition unit 110 repeatedly executes step S201 until an instruction operation is input. On the other hand, if an instruction operation is determined to have been input in step S201, the setting unit 130 then obtains subsequent vehicle information based on the recognition result of the object recognition device 16 (step S202). The subsequent vehicle information includes at least the presence or absence of a subsequent vehicle, and, if a subsequent vehicle is present, the distance between the current vehicle M and the subsequent vehicle.

[0077] Next, the setting unit 130 determines whether a following vehicle exists within the reference area based on the acquired following vehicle information (step S203). The reference area refers to the area extending from the position of the current vehicle M to a position behind the current vehicle M at a predetermined distance. That is, if the setting unit 130 detects a following vehicle and the distance between the following vehicle and the current vehicle M is less than a threshold, it determines that a following vehicle exists within the reference area; if no following vehicle is detected or the distance between the following vehicle and the current vehicle M is greater than or equal to the threshold, it determines that no following vehicle exists within the reference area. Here, if it is determined that a following vehicle exists within the reference area, the setting unit 130 changes the response confirmation time to a longer time (step S204) and proceeds to step S205. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S203 that no following vehicle exists within the reference area, the setting unit 130 does not change the response confirmation time and proceeds to step S205.

[0078] Next, in step S205, the occupant reporting unit 150 uses the occupant reporting device 60 to begin reporting to the occupants (step S205). After the occupant reporting unit 150 begins reporting to the occupants, the control unit 120 determines whether the end conditions of the emergency stop function are met (step S206). For example, the end conditions of the emergency stop function include (1) the occupant responds to the call within the response confirmation time, (2) a cancellation operation is entered during the execution of automatic stop control, (3) the vehicle M has stopped, and (4) the automatic stop control has ended. Here, if it is determined that the end conditions of the emergency stop function are not met, the control unit 120 starts automatic stop control (step S207) and returns to step S206. It should be noted that if automatic stop control has already started during the execution of step S206, the control unit 120 skips step S207 and proceeds to step S206. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S206 that the end conditions of the emergency stop function are met, the control unit 120 ends the emergency stop function (step S208).

[0079] Based on this series of processes, the vehicle control device 100 of the embodiment can make the response confirmation time longer when there is a following vehicle within the reference area than when there is no following vehicle within the reference area. This means that a longer acceleration suppression period is set before the vehicle M begins automatic stop control. Therefore, when the vehicle control device 100 of the embodiment performs automatic stop control when there is a following vehicle within the reference area, it can make the vehicle M stop more smoothly compared to the case where there is no following vehicle within the reference area.

[0080] The following describes a control example of the emergency stop function performed by the vehicle control device 100 according to the embodiment.

[0081] [First Control Example]

[0082] Figures 4-7 This diagram illustrates the first control example. The first control example shortens the response confirmation time to advance the start of automatic stop control when the following vehicle B is far from the current vehicle M, and lengthens the response confirmation time to delay the start of automatic stop control when the following vehicle B is close to the current vehicle M. Figure 4 This indicates that when the inter-vehicle distance x between vehicle M and subsequent vehicle B is above the upper limit xmax, the response confirmation time tw is set to the specified minimum value tmin. Figure 5 This indicates that when the workshop distance x is less than the lower limit xmin, the response confirmation time tw is set to the specified maximum value tmax. Figure 4 and Figure 7 In the example, region A1 represents the maximum range of the reference region. Figure 5 In the example, region A2 represents the minimum range of the reference region.

[0083] in addition, Figure 6 This represents the case where the length of the response confirmation time tw varies linearly from the minimum value tmin to the maximum value tmax for a shop distance x that is less than the upper limit xmax and greater than the lower limit xmin. In this case, the response confirmation time tw can be expressed as a function of the shop distance x as shown in equation (1) below.

[0084]

[0085] Here, xmin is the inter-vehicle distance for which the maximum response confirmation time tmax is assigned, and xmax is the inter-vehicle distance for which the minimum response confirmation time tmin is assigned. For example, in a scenario where an occupant experiencing provocative driving uses automatic stop control to avoid danger and wants to bring vehicle M to a stop, a smoother stop is desired. Therefore, in assuming such a scenario, the minimum value xmin is considered to be a sufficiently short inter-vehicle distance at which it can be determined that a following vehicle B is provoking vehicle M. Conversely, in a scenario where an occupant using automatic stop control to bring vehicle M to a stop due to a physical ailment, a faster stop is desired. Therefore, in assuming such a scenario, the maximum value xmax is considered to be a sufficiently long inter-vehicle distance at which it can be determined that automatic stop control can be initiated after the shortest response confirmation time. Furthermore, by increasing (or decreasing) the inter-vehicle distance within the range from the minimum xmin to the maximum xmax, the response confirmation time is shortened (or lengthened) according to the inter-vehicle distance, thereby enabling the emergency stop function to adapt to different usage scenarios. It should be noted that the degree of increase or decrease in response confirmation time relative to the workshop distance can be adjusted by the gain G (fixed value) in equation (1).

[0086] It should be noted that, as Figure 7 As shown, if there is no following vehicle B in the case of vehicle M, the inter-vehicle distance x can be considered sufficiently large (x ≥ xmax), and the response confirmation time can be set to tmin. Here, "the inter-vehicle distance between vehicle M and following vehicle B is above the threshold" or "the case where there is no following vehicle B in vehicle M" is synonymous with "the case where there is no following vehicle B within the reference area". Therefore, Figure 4 and Figure 7 The control example can be described as "the case where there is no subsequent vehicle B within the reference area", which shortens the response confirmation time compared to the case where there is a subsequent vehicle B within the reference area.

[0087] Here, we have described the case where the response confirmation time is represented as a linear function of the shop distance. However, the function representing the response confirmation time can also be represented by a higher-order function of the shop distance. Furthermore, here the response confirmation time is set to a value that varies continuously with respect to the shop distance, but it can also be set to a value that varies discretely with respect to the shop distance. For example, we can set a threshold xth with respect to the shop distance, and set the response confirmation time to t11 for shop distances above xth and t12 (>t11) for shop distances below xth. This can be described in other words as belonging to... Figure 6 This refers to the situation where xmin and xmax are infinitely close.

[0088] [Second Control Example]

[0089] Figure 8 and Figure 9 This is a diagram illustrating the second control example. The second control example involves adjusting the timing of external reports based on the status of the following vehicle B during the execution of automatic stop control. As explained in the first control example, the vehicle control device 100 adjusts the timing of external reports based on the status of the following vehicle B. Figure 4 In the case where the distance between sample vehicle M and subsequent vehicle B is sufficiently large, such as... Figure 7 In the absence of a following vehicle B, if vehicle M is the primary target vehicle, the automatic stop control should be initiated earlier by quickly bringing vehicle M to a stop. From the perspective of occupant rescue, it is desirable to promptly report to external authorities in conjunction with the execution of the automatic stop control.

[0090] On the other hand, the vehicle control device 100 in such Figure 5 If the distance between sample vehicle M and following vehicle B is less than a threshold, priority is given to safely stopping vehicle M, thus delaying the initiation of automatic stop control. In this case, from the perspective of the impact on following vehicle B, it is sometimes advisable to suppress the rapid external reporting. For example, this is because if an external report is rapidly issued in a scenario where following vehicle B is driving provocatively towards vehicle M, it may stimulate the driver of following vehicle B and increase the level of danger.

[0091] Therefore, the vehicle control device 100 of the embodiment is configured to advance the timing of external reporting when the inter-vehicle distance between the current vehicle M and the following vehicle B is greater than a threshold or when the current vehicle M does not have a following vehicle B (i.e., when there is no following vehicle B within the reference area), compared to the case where the inter-vehicle distance between the current vehicle M and the following vehicle B is less than the threshold (i.e., when there is a following vehicle B within the reference area). Furthermore, the vehicle control device 100 is configured to delay the timing of external reporting when the following vehicle B is within the reference area compared to the case where there is no following vehicle B within the reference area.

[0092] Furthermore, by controlling the timing of such external reports, it is possible to more safely stop vehicle M via automatic stop control when a following vehicle B is nearby. Additionally, when a following vehicle B is not nearby, it is possible to quickly report any abnormalities involving the occupants of vehicle M to the outside of vehicle M.

[0093] It should be noted that, Figure 8 and Figure 9 The example illustrates the situation where an external report is made after the response confirmation time has elapsed, but it is not limited to this example. An external report can also be made before the response confirmation time has elapsed, as long as the occupant has entered the instruction.

[0094] [Third Control Example]

[0095] Figure 10 and Figure 11 This is a diagram illustrating the third control example. The third control example involves adjusting the deceleration of the current vehicle M based on the status of the following vehicle B during the execution of automatic stop control. As explained in the first control example, the vehicle control device 100 adjusts the deceleration of the current vehicle M based on the status of the following vehicle B. Figure 4 In the case where the distance between sample vehicle M and subsequent vehicle B is sufficiently large, such as... Figure 7 In the absence of a following vehicle B, the automatic stop control is initiated earlier for the sample vehicle M. This is because, from the perspective of occupant rescue, priority is given to the rapid stopping of vehicle M, but in order to achieve the goal of stopping vehicle M quickly, it is also desirable to have a greater deceleration during the execution of the automatic stop control.

[0096] On the other hand, the vehicle control device 100 in such Figure 5 When the distance between sample vehicle M and subsequent vehicle B is less than a threshold, the start of automatic stop control is delayed. This is because, from the perspective of safely stopping vehicle M, the response confirmation time is lengthened to allow vehicle M to decelerate smoothly, but for the purpose of bringing vehicle M to a smooth stop, it is also desirable to make the deceleration during the execution of automatic stop control even smaller.

[0097] Therefore, the vehicle control device 100 of the embodiment is configured to increase the deceleration of the vehicle M executing automatic stop control when there is no subsequent vehicle B within the reference area, compared to the case where there is a subsequent vehicle B within the reference area. Furthermore, the vehicle control device 100 is configured to decrease the deceleration of the vehicle M executing automatic stop control when there is a subsequent vehicle B within the reference area, compared to the case where there is no subsequent vehicle B within the reference area.

[0098] Furthermore, by controlling deceleration in this way during the execution of automatic stop control, it is possible to more safely stop vehicle M when a following vehicle B is nearby. Additionally, it is possible to stop vehicle M more quickly when a following vehicle B is not nearby.

[0099] [Fourth Control Example]

[0100] Figure 12 This is a diagram illustrating the fourth control example. The fourth control example is a control that suppresses the execution of some driving support functions when a cancellation operation is input during the execution of automatic stop control. For example, in... Figure 1As explained, if an occupant inputs a cancellation operation during the execution of automatic stop control via the emergency stop function, the vehicle control unit 100 releases the emergency stop function. However, even if the occupant successfully inputs a cancellation operation, it may not be possible to perform all the actions required for driving. Furthermore, it is possible that the occupant inputs a cancellation operation unintentionally.

[0101] Therefore, the vehicle control device 100 of the embodiment is configured to suppress the execution of a portion of the driving support functions during a predetermined function suppression time ts when a cancellation operation is input during the execution of automatic stop control. The driving support function that is subject to suppression can be any function that requires occupant permission. Figure 12 As an example, we illustrate the situation where lane change functionality is suppressed. Figure 12 In the case of the example, when the operation recognition unit 110 recognizes the input of cancel operation, the control unit 120 starts to suppress the lane change function at the time when the cancel operation is input, and releases the suppression of the lane change function at the time when the function suppression time ts has elapsed from that time.

[0102] Thus, when a cancellation operation is entered, the driving support functions requiring occupant consent are suppressed during the function suppression time ts, thereby improving the driving safety of the vehicle M when the emergency stop function is released. Here, the function suppression time ts is an example of a "second time".

[0103] [Fifth Control Example]

[0104] Figure 13 This is a diagram illustrating the fifth control example. The fifth control example is a control used to report to the occupants of vehicle M when the identification status of the subsequent vehicle B changes after a change in the confirmation response time. Hereinafter, this report will be referred to as the "third report". As described above, when the vehicle control device 100 of the embodiment identifies the subsequent vehicle B within the reference area at the start of the emergency stop function, it extends the response confirmation time compared to the case where the subsequent vehicle B is not identified within the reference area. However, the case where the subsequent vehicle B, which was near vehicle M at the start of the emergency stop function, is no longer near vehicle M afterward is also considered. In this case, although the subsequent vehicle B is not near vehicle M, the stopping of vehicle M is delayed due to the delay in the start of the automatic stop control and the gradual deceleration.

[0105] Therefore, the vehicle control device 100 of the embodiment is configured to, after changing the response confirmation time based on the situation where the following vehicle B is identified within the reference area at the start of the emergency stop function, change to a situation where the following vehicle B is not identified within the reference area, to issue a third report to the occupants of the vehicle M. For example, the third report could also be a message display or sound output stating "The dangerous vehicle (following vehicle B) no longer exists".

[0106] By issuing such a third report to the occupants, they can determine whether to continue the emergency stop function based on the identified status of the following vehicle B. For example, if the third report is issued within the response confirmation time, the occupants can learn that the following vehicle B no longer exists and respond to the call, thereby deactivating the emergency stop function. Alternatively, for example, if the third report is issued after the response confirmation time has elapsed and automatic stop control has commenced, the occupants can learn that the following vehicle B no longer exists and input a cancellation operation, thereby deactivating the emergency stop function.

[0107] The vehicle control device 100 described above can automatically stop the vehicle in a more appropriate manner based on the operation of the occupants.

[0108] (Modified Example)

[0109] The above embodiments describe the case where the vehicle control device 100 controls the driving support function of the vehicle M, but the vehicle control device 100 may also have an autonomous driving function. In this case, the driving support function, including the emergency stop function, may be configured as part of the autonomous driving control, or it may be configured to be used as a standalone driving support function. In addition, the emergency stop function may be configured to operate in parallel or in coordination with other driving support functions such as lane keeping control.

[0110] In the above embodiments, the example of automatic stop control envisions a situation where the vehicle is stopped on a road. However, the vehicle control device 100 can also be configured to stop the vehicle M by moving it toward the curb after the vehicle M has sufficiently decelerated. In this case, the vehicle control device 100 can also be configured to cooperate with a vehicle navigation system or the like to determine the stop position.

[0111] In the vehicle control device 100 of the above embodiment, the emergency stop function of the first control example is installed as a necessary function, and the emergency stop functions of the second to fifth control examples can also be installed as optional functions in a selectable form.

[0112] The implementation methods described above can be performed as follows.

[0113] A vehicle control device comprising:

[0114] Storage device, which stores a program; and

[0115] Hardware processor,

[0116] The hardware processor executes the program to perform the following processing:

[0117] Identify the surrounding environment of this vehicle;

[0118] Accept input operations performed by the occupants of the vehicle;

[0119] Upon receiving the input operation, automatic stop control is performed to decelerate and stop the vehicle.

[0120] The setting process is performed from the moment the input operation is received until the automatic stop control begins, which is the first time of setting.

[0121] In the setting process, the first time is changed based on the identification results of subsequent vehicles of the current vehicle.

[0122] The above description illustrates specific embodiments of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to such embodiments in any way, and various modifications and substitutions can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

Claims

1. A vehicle control device, wherein, The vehicle control device includes: The identification unit identifies the vehicle's surroundings. An input unit that accepts input operations performed by the occupants of the vehicle; The control unit, upon receiving the input operation from the input unit, performs automatic stop control to decelerate and stop the vehicle. The setting unit sets the first time from when the input unit receives the input operation to when the control unit starts the automatic stop control; as well as The occupant reporting unit uses a first information output device to make a first report to the occupants of the vehicle. After the occupant reporting unit makes the first report to the occupant during the first time period, the control unit initiates the automatic stop control. The setting unit changes the first time based on the identification result of the subsequent vehicles of the current vehicle identified by the identification unit. The vehicle is identified as having a vehicle-to-vehicle distance between it and the following vehicle as the identification result. The setting unit assigns the first time to a maximum value when the vehicle-to-vehicle distance is below a lower limit value. The setting unit assigns the first time to a minimum value when the vehicle-to-vehicle distance is above an upper limit value. When the vehicle-to-vehicle distance is between the lower limit value and the upper limit value, the setting unit determines the first time using a first or higher-order function that monotonically decreases the first time from the maximum value to the minimum value.

2. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein, The identification result of the subsequent vehicle indicates the presence or absence of the subsequent vehicle and / or the distance between the current vehicle and the subsequent vehicle.

3. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein, When the setting unit detects the following vehicle and the distance between the following vehicle and the current vehicle is less than a threshold, it extends the first time compared to the case where the following vehicle is not detected or the distance between the following vehicle and the current vehicle is greater than or equal to the threshold.

4. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein, The vehicle control device also includes an external reporting unit, which, after the automatic stop control begins, uses a second information output device to send a second report to the exterior of the vehicle. The external reporting unit changes the form of the second report based on the identification results of the subsequent vehicles.

5. The vehicle control device according to claim 4, wherein, When the external reporting unit identifies the following vehicle and the distance between the following vehicle and the current vehicle is less than a threshold, it delays the timing of the second report compared to the case where the following vehicle is not identified or the distance between the following vehicle and the current vehicle is greater than or equal to the threshold.

6. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein, The control unit adjusts the degree of deceleration of the current vehicle in the automatic stop control based on the identification result of the subsequent vehicle.

7. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein, When the control unit detects the following vehicle and the distance between the following vehicle and the current vehicle is less than a threshold, compared to the case where the following vehicle is not detected or the distance between the following vehicle and the current vehicle is greater than or equal to the threshold, the deceleration of the current vehicle in the automatic stop control is made more gradual.

8. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein, The vehicle control device also includes an input cancellation unit that cancels the input operation when the occupant detects a predetermined action. The control unit suppresses driving support functions that require the occupant's permission during the period from the cancellation of the input operation until the second time has elapsed.

9. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein, The vehicle control device also includes an occupant reporting unit, which uses an information output device to report on the occupants of the vehicle. If, after the setting unit changes the first time, the occupant reporting unit no longer identifies the following vehicle or the distance between the following vehicle and the current vehicle becomes a threshold or higher, the occupant reporting unit shall issue a third report to the occupants of the current vehicle.

10. A vehicle control method, wherein, The vehicle control method causes the computer to perform the following processing: Identify the surrounding environment of this vehicle; Accept input operations performed by the occupants of the vehicle; Upon receiving the input operation, automatic stop control is performed to decelerate and stop the vehicle. Perform setting processing from the time the input operation is received until the automatic stop control begins, for a first period of time; The first information output device is used to make a first report to the occupants of the vehicle. After the first report is made to the occupants during the first time period, the automatic stop control is initiated. In the setting process, the first time is changed based on the identification results of subsequent vehicles of the current vehicle. The vehicle is identified as having a vehicle-to-vehicle distance between it and the following vehicle as the identification result. When the vehicle-to-vehicle distance is below the lower limit, the first time is assigned a maximum value. When the vehicle-to-vehicle distance is above the upper limit, the first time is assigned a minimum value. When the vehicle-to-vehicle distance is between the lower limit and the upper limit, the first time is determined by a first or higher-order function that monotonically decreases the first time from the maximum value to the minimum value.

11. A storage medium storing a program, wherein, The program is used to enable the computer to perform the following processes: Identify the surrounding environment of this vehicle; Accept input operations performed by the occupants of the vehicle; Upon receiving the input operation, automatic stop control is performed to decelerate and stop the vehicle. Perform setting processing from the time the input operation is received until the automatic stop control begins, for a first period of time; The first information output device is used to make a first report to the occupants of the vehicle. After the first report is made to the occupants during the first time period, the automatic stop control is initiated. In the setting process, the first time is changed based on the identification results of subsequent vehicles of the current vehicle. The vehicle is identified as having a vehicle-to-vehicle distance between it and the following vehicle as the identification result. When the vehicle-to-vehicle distance is below the lower limit, the first time is assigned a maximum value. When the vehicle-to-vehicle distance is above the upper limit, the first time is assigned a minimum value. When the vehicle-to-vehicle distance is between the lower limit and the upper limit, the first time is determined by a first or higher-order function that monotonically decreases the first time from the maximum value to the minimum value.

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