Vehicle control device, vehicle control method, and storage medium

Abstract

Provided are a vehicle control device, a vehicle control method, and a storage medium that make it possible to make a more appropriate inappropriate driving determination on the basis of the surroundings of a vehicle. A vehicle control device according to an embodiment is provided with: a recognition unit that recognizes a situation in the vicinity of a vehicle; a driving state detection unit that detects a driving state of an occupant of the vehicle; and a determination unit that determines, on the basis of the detection result of the driving state detection unit, that the occupant is driving incomfortably, the determination unit determines that the occupant is driving incomfortably if the driving state detection unit does not detect the steering operation of the occupant for a predetermined time or longer, and determines that the occupant is driving incomfortably if the steering operation of the occupant is not detected by the driving state detection unit. The predetermined time is set on the basis of a contact surplus time between an obstacle in the vicinity of the vehicle and the vehicle, and the speed of the vehicle.

Description

Technical Field

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

[0002] In recent years, efforts to provide a sustainable transportation system that takes into account vulnerable people among traffic participants have been actively pursued. To achieve this, research and development efforts are being made to further improve traffic safety and convenience through research and development related to preventive safety technologies. In this regard, a technology for detecting careless driving based on the direction of the driver's line of sight and the change data of the steering angle caused by the driver's steering operation has been disclosed in the past (for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 2008-243031). Summary of the invention

[0003] However, in the preventive safety technology, the vehicle speed, the positional relationship with the preceding vehicle, and other driving conditions are not considered in the determination of careless driving. Therefore, the problem is that appropriate careless driving determination cannot be performed in the past, and sometimes appropriate vehicle control corresponding to the surrounding conditions of the vehicle cannot be performed.

[0004] One of the purposes of the present application is to provide a vehicle control device, a vehicle control method, and a storage medium that can perform more appropriate inattentive driving determination according to the surrounding conditions of the vehicle in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, thereby contributing to the development of a sustainable transportation system.

[0005] The vehicle control device, vehicle control method, and storage medium according to the present invention employ the following configurations.

[0006] (1): One embodiment of the present invention relates to a vehicle control device, wherein the vehicle control device comprises: an identification unit that identifies the surrounding conditions of the vehicle; a driving state detection unit that detects the driving state of the occupant of the vehicle; and a determination unit that determines whether the occupant is driving carelessly based on the detection result of the driving state detection unit, wherein the determination unit determines that the occupant is driving carelessly when the driving state detection unit fails to detect the occupant's steering operation for more than a prescribed time, and the prescribed time is set based on the contact margin time between the vehicle and the surrounding obstacles of the vehicle and the speed of the vehicle.

[0007] (2) Based on the above solution (1), the prescribed time is set longer as the contact margin time is longer.

[0008] (3) In the above-mentioned aspect (2), when the contact margin time is equal to or larger than a predetermined value, the adjustment amount of the predetermined time corresponding to the contact margin time is suppressed.

[0009] (4) Based on the above solution (1), the prescribed time is set to be longer as the speed of the vehicle is lower.

[0010] (5) In the above-mentioned embodiment (4), when the speed of the vehicle is lower than a predetermined speed, the adjustment amount of the predetermined time corresponding to the speed of the vehicle is suppressed.

[0011] (6): Based on the above scheme (1), the specified time is set by multiplying a reference time by a coefficient set based on the speed of the vehicle, and the reference time is set based on the contact margin time and can be judged as the time during which the vehicle can travel without contact with the obstacle in the absence of the driving operation of the occupant.

[0012] (7): Based on the scheme of (1) above, the vehicle control device further includes a vehicle control unit, and when the determination unit determines that the occupant is driving carelessly, the vehicle control unit controls one or both of the steering and acceleration / deceleration of the vehicle based on the contact surplus time to call the attention of the occupant.

[0013] (8) Another embodiment of the present invention relates to a vehicle control method, wherein the vehicle control method causes a computer to perform the following processing: identifying the surrounding conditions of the vehicle; detecting the driving status of the occupant of the vehicle; and determining that the occupant is driving carelessly when no steering operation of the occupant is detected for more than a prescribed time based on the detected result, wherein the prescribed time is set based on the contact margin time between the vehicle and the surrounding obstacles of the vehicle and the speed of the vehicle.

[0014] (9): Another embodiment of the present invention relates to a storage medium storing a program, wherein the program causes a computer to perform the following processing: identifying the surrounding conditions of a vehicle; detecting the driving status of the occupant of the vehicle; and determining that the occupant is driving carelessly when no steering operation of the occupant is detected for more than a prescribed time based on the detected result, wherein the prescribed time is set based on the contact margin time between the vehicle and the surrounding obstacles of the vehicle and the speed of the vehicle.

[0015] According to the above aspects (1) to (9), it is possible to make a more appropriate determination of careless driving according to the surrounding conditions of the vehicle. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] Figure 1 It is a structural diagram of a vehicle equipped with the vehicle control device according to the embodiment.

[0017] Figure 2 It is a diagram for explaining the content of vehicle control according to the embodiment.

[0018] Figure 3 This is a diagram for explaining the content of attention calling control.

[0019] Figure 4 It is a diagram for explaining the content of contact warning alarm control.

[0020] Figure 5 It is a diagram for explaining the content of the automatic steering avoidance control.

[0021] Figure 6 This is a diagram for explaining steering control after a steering trigger by a driver.

[0022] Figure 7 This is a diagram for explaining the speed condition of the host vehicle M for starting control at each operation period.

[0023] Figure 8 It is a diagram for explaining the content of the determination of careless driving.

[0024] Fig. 9 This is a diagram for explaining the relationship between the contact margin time TTC and the continuation determination reference time.

[0025] Fig.10 This is a diagram for explaining the relationship between the speed of the host vehicle M and the vehicle speed coefficient.

[0026] Fig.11 This is a flowchart showing an example of processing executed by the driving support device in the embodiment.

[0027] Fig.12 This is a flowchart showing an example of carelessness determination processing. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] Hereinafter, embodiments of a vehicle control device, a vehicle control method, and a storage medium according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0029] [Overall structure]

[0030] Figure 11 is a structural diagram of a vehicle equipped with a vehicle control device according to an embodiment. The vehicle equipped with the vehicle control device (hereinafter referred to as the vehicle M) is, for example, a two-wheel, three-wheel, or four-wheel vehicle, and its driving 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 power generated by a generator connected to the internal combustion engine, or the power discharged from a secondary battery or a fuel cell.

[0031] The vehicle M is equipped with, 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 operating element 80, a driving support device 100, a driving force output device 200, a brake device 210, and a steering device 220. These devices and equipment are connected to each other via a multi-channel communication line such as a CAN (Controller Area Network) communication line, a serial communication line, a wireless communication network, and the like. Figure 1 The illustrated configuration is merely an example, and a part of the configuration may be omitted, or another configuration may be added. The driving support device 100 is an example of a “vehicle control device”.

[0032] The camera 10 is, for example, a digital camera using a solid-state imaging element such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor). The camera 10 is installed at any position of the vehicle M. For example, when photographing the front of the vehicle M, the camera 10 is installed at the upper part of the front windshield, the back of the rearview mirror in the vehicle, etc. The camera 10, for example, periodically and repeatedly photographs the surroundings of the vehicle M. The camera 10 may also be a stereo camera.

[0033] The radar device 12 radiates radio waves such as millimeter waves to the periphery of the vehicle M, and detects radio waves (reflected waves) reflected by an object to detect at least the position (distance and direction) of the object. The radar device 12 is installed at any part of the vehicle M. The radar device 12 can also detect the position and speed of the object by FM-CW (Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave) method.

[0034] The LIDAR 14 irradiates light (or electromagnetic waves with a wavelength close to light) to the periphery of the vehicle M and measures 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, a pulsed laser. The LIDAR 14 is installed at any part of the vehicle M.

[0035] The object recognition device 16 performs sensor fusion processing on the detection results detected by part or all of the camera 10, the radar device 12, and the LIDAR 14 to recognize the position, type, speed, etc. of the object. The object recognition device 16 outputs the recognition result to the driving support device 100. The object recognition device 16 can directly output the detection results of the camera 10, the radar device 12, and the LIDAR 14 to the driving support device 100. The object recognition device 16 can also be omitted from the vehicle M. The camera 10, the radar device 12, the LIDAR 14, and part or all of the object recognition device 16 are examples of "external detection devices".

[0036] The communication device 20 communicates with other vehicles around the host vehicle M using, for example, a cellular network, a Wi-Fi network, Bluetooth (registered trademark), DSRC (Dedicated Short Range Communication), or the like, or communicates with various server devices via a wireless base station.

[0037] The HMI 30 presents various information to the passengers of the vehicle M and accepts input operations performed by the passengers. The HMI 30, for example, includes a display unit 32 and a speaker 34. The display unit 32 is, for example, an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), an organic EL (Electro Luminescence) display device, etc. The display unit 32 displays various images (including images) in the embodiment. The display unit 32 can also be formed as a touch panel and integrated with the input unit. The speaker 34 outputs a specified sound (such as an alarm, etc.). The HMI 30 can also be a microphone, a buzzer, a vibration generating device (vibrator), a touch panel, a switch, a button, etc. in addition to (or instead of) the display unit 32 and the speaker 34.

[0038] 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 yaw rate (for example, the rotational angular velocity around the vertical axis passing through the center of gravity of the vehicle M), an azimuth sensor for detecting the orientation of the vehicle M, and the like. The vehicle sensor 40 may also be provided with a position sensor for detecting the position of the vehicle M. The position sensor is, for example, a sensor for obtaining position information (longitude and latitude information) from a GPS (Global Positioning System) device. The position sensor may also be a sensor for obtaining position information using a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiver 51 of the navigation device 50.

[0039] The navigation device 50 includes, for example, a GNSS 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 a HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or a flash memory. The GNSS receiver 51 determines the position of the vehicle M based on signals received from GNSS satellites. The position of the vehicle M may 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, a key, etc. The navigation HMI 52 may also be partially or entirely shared with the aforementioned HMI 30. The route determination unit 53, for example, refers to the first map information 54 to determine a route (hereinafter referred to as a route on the map) from the position of the vehicle M determined by the GNSS receiver 51 (or an arbitrary position input) to the destination input by the occupant using the navigation HMi 52. The first map information 54 is information that represents the shape of a road by, for example, representing road segments and nodes connected by the road segments. The first map information 54 may also include the curvature of the road, POI (Point Of Interest) information, etc. The path on the map is output to the MPU 60. The navigation device 50 may also provide path guidance using the navigation HMI 52 based on the path on the map. The navigation device 50 may also be implemented by the function of a terminal device such as a smartphone or a tablet terminal held by the passenger. The navigation device 50 may also send the current position and destination to the navigation server via the communication device 20, and obtain a path equivalent to the path on the map from the navigation server.

[0040] The MPU 60 includes, for example, a recommended lane determination unit 61, and stores the second map information 62 in a storage device such as a HDD or a flash memory. The recommended lane determination unit 61 divides the path on the map provided by the navigation device 50 into a plurality of blocks (for example, divided into every 100 [m] in the direction of vehicle travel) and determines the recommended lane for each block with reference to the second map information 62. The recommended lane determination unit 61 determines the lane number from the left to travel on. When there is a branch in the path on the map, the recommended lane determination unit 61 determines the recommended lane in a manner that enables the host vehicle M to travel on a reasonable path for traveling to the branch destination. The second map information 62 is map information with higher accuracy than the first map information 54. The second map information 62 includes, for example, information on the center of the lane, or lane boundary information such as a road dividing line dividing the lane. The second map information 62 may include road information, traffic restriction information, address information (address, postal code), facility information, telephone number information, etc. The second map information 62 may be updated at any time by communicating with other devices through the communication device 20. The first map information 54 and the second map information 62 may be stored in a storage unit in the driving support device 100 .

[0041] The driver monitoring camera 70 is, for example, a digital camera using a solid-state imaging element such as a CCD or a CMOS. The driver monitoring camera 70 is installed at any part of the vehicle M in a position and orientation that allows it to photograph the head and upper body (including the position of the hands) of the occupant (hereinafter referred to as the driver) sitting in the driver's seat of the vehicle M from the front (in an orientation for photographing the face). For example, the driver monitoring camera 70 is installed on the upper part of a display device provided in the central part of the dashboard of the vehicle M. Therefore, the image captured by the driver monitoring camera 70 includes the driver and the steering wheel 82, so it is also possible to determine whether the driver is holding the steering wheel 82 based on the image. The driver monitoring camera 70 outputs the image obtained by photographing the interior of the vehicle M including the driver of the vehicle M from the configured position to the driving support device 100.

[0042] The driving operating member 80 includes, for example, a steering wheel 82, an accelerator pedal 84, a brake pedal 86, an operating switch for a direction indicator, a shift lever, and other operating members. A sensor for detecting an operation amount or the presence or absence of an operation is installed on the driving operating member 80, and the detection result is output to the driving support device 100, or a part or all of the driving force output device 200, the brake device 210, and the steering device 220.

[0043] For example, a steering wheel sensor (SW sensor) 82A is provided on the steering wheel 82. The SW sensor 82A detects whether the driver is holding the steering wheel 82 by means of a contact sensor, a pressure sensor, etc. The SW sensor 82A detects the operation amount (steering wheel torque (input steering torque), steering amount) of the steering wheel 82 input (operated) by the driver. The SW sensor 82A can also detect the operation change rate (torque change rate). The steering wheel 82 does not necessarily have to be annular, and can also be in the form of a special-shaped steering wheel, a joystick, a button, etc. In this case, the SW sensor 82A detects the operation amount corresponding to each form.

[0044] The accelerator pedal 84 is provided with an accelerator pedal sensor (AP sensor) 84A. The AP sensor 84A detects the operation amount (opening degree) of the accelerator pedal 84 that changes according to the operation of the accelerator pedal 84 by the driver. The brake pedal 86 is provided with a brake pedal sensor (BP sensor) 86A. The BP sensor 86A detects the operation amount (opening degree) of the brake pedal 86 that changes according to the operation of the brake pedal 86 by the driver.

[0045] The driving force output device 200 outputs the driving force (torque) used for driving the vehicle M to the driving 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-mentioned structure according to information input from the driving support device 100 or information input from the driving operating element 80.

[0046] The brake 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 an ECU. The ECU controls the electric motor according to information input from the driving support device 100 or information input from the driving operating member 80 so that a braking torque corresponding to the braking operation is output to each wheel. The brake device 210 may include a mechanism that transmits the hydraulic pressure generated by the operation of the brake pedal included in the driving operating member 80 to the hydraulic cylinder via the master hydraulic cylinder as a backup. The brake device 210 is not limited to the structure described above, and may also be an electronically controlled hydraulic brake device that controls the actuator according to information input from the driving support device 100 so that the hydraulic pressure of the master hydraulic cylinder is transmitted to the hydraulic cylinder.

[0047] The steering device 220 includes, for example, a steering ECU and an electric motor. The electric motor, for example, applies force to a rack-and-pinion mechanism to change the direction of the steering wheel. The steering ECU drives the electric motor to change the direction of the steering wheel according to information input from the driving support device 100 or information input from the driving operating member 80.

[0048] [Driving support device]

[0049] The driving support device 100 includes, for example, a recognition unit 110, a contact possibility determination unit 120, a driving state detection unit 130, a careless driving determination unit 140, a vehicle control unit 150, an HMI control unit 160, and a storage unit 170. The recognition unit 110, the contact possibility determination unit 120, the driving state detection unit 130, the careless driving determination unit 140, the vehicle control unit 150, and the HMI control unit 160 are implemented by, for example, a hardware processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) executing a program (software). Some or all of these components may be implemented by hardware (including a circuit unit: circuitry) such as an LSI (Large Scale Integration), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), and a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), or may be implemented by the cooperation of software and hardware. The program may be stored in advance in a storage device such as an HDD or flash memory of the driving support device 100 (a storage device having a non-transitory storage medium), or may be stored in a removable storage medium such as a DVD or CD-ROM, and installed in the HDD or flash memory of the driving support device 100 by mounting the storage medium (non-transitory storage medium) in a drive device. The inattentive driving determination unit 140 is an example of a “determination unit”. The HMI control unit 160 is an example of a “notification control unit”.

[0050] For example, instructions from the driving support device 100 to the driving force output device 200, the braking device 210, and the steering device 220 are set inside the driving force output device 200, the braking device 210, and the steering device 220 in a manner that is executed with priority over the detection result from the driving operation member 80. Regarding braking, it can also be set in a manner that is executed with priority when the braking force based on the operation amount of the brake pedal 86 is larger than the instruction from the driving support device 100. As a structure for giving priority to the instruction from the driving support device 100, the communication priority in the in-vehicle LAN (Local Area Network) can also be used. Regarding steering, it can also be set in a manner that is executed by adding the steering force based on the instruction from the driving support device 100 to the steering force based on the operation amount of the driver's steering wheel 82.

[0051] The storage unit 170 may be implemented by the above-mentioned various storage devices, or SSD (Solid State Drive), EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory), ROM (Read Only Memory), or RAM (Random Access Memory). The storage unit 170 stores, for example, programs, information used in components within the driving support device 100, and other various information. The storage unit 170 may also store the above-mentioned map information (the first map information 54, the second map information 62).

[0052] The recognition unit 110 recognizes the surrounding conditions of the vehicle M based on the information input from the external detection device. For example, the recognition unit 110 recognizes the position (relative position, vehicle distance), speed (relative speed), acceleration and other states of objects existing in the surroundings (for example, within a specified distance from the vehicle M). Objects are, for example, other vehicles, bicycles, pedestrians, etc. The position of the object is, for example, recognized as a position on an absolute coordinate with a representative point (center of gravity, drive shaft center, etc.) of the vehicle M as the origin, and is used for control. The position of the object can also be represented by representative points such as the center of gravity and corners of the object, or by an area. The so-called "state" of an object can also include the acceleration, jerk, or "action state" of the object (for example, whether a lane change is in progress or about to be made). The recognition unit 110 recognizes the relative position and relative speed with respect to the object.

[0053] The recognition unit 110, for example, recognizes the lane in which the vehicle M is traveling (driving lane). For example, the recognition unit 110 recognizes the driving lane by comparing the pattern of the road dividing lines obtained from the second map information 62 (for example, the arrangement of solid lines and dotted lines) with the pattern of the road dividing lines around the vehicle M recognized based on the image captured by the camera 10. The recognition unit 110 is not limited to recognizing road dividing lines, but can also recognize the driving lane by recognizing road dividing lines, driving road boundaries (road boundaries) including shoulders, curbs, central isolation strips, guardrails, etc. In this recognition, the position of the vehicle M obtained from the navigation device 50 and the processing results based on the INS can also be taken into consideration. The recognition unit 110 recognizes obstacles, temporary stop lines, red lights, toll booths, and other road phenomena based on the recognition results of the objects. Obstacles are objects that the vehicle M needs to avoid contact with, such as other vehicles.

[0054] When recognizing the driving lane, the recognition unit 110 recognizes the position and posture of the host vehicle M relative to the driving lane. For example, the recognition unit 110 may 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 centers of the lanes as the relative position and posture of the host vehicle M with respect to the driving lane. Alternatively, the recognition unit 110 may recognize the position of the reference point of the host vehicle M with respect to either side end (road dividing line or road boundary) of the driving lane as the relative position of the host vehicle M with respect to the driving lane.

[0055] The contact possibility determination unit 120 determines whether there is a possibility that an obstacle (for example, another vehicle) contacts the vehicle M based on the surrounding conditions (external information) identified by the identification unit 110. For example, the contact possibility determination unit 120 determines whether there is a possibility that the vehicle M contacts other vehicles based on the contact margin value between the vehicle M and other vehicles (preceding vehicles) in front of the vehicle M based on the surrounding conditions. The so-called contact margin value is, for example, a value set based on the contact margin time TTC (Time To Collision), but it can also be a value set based on the headway time THW (Time Headway). The contact margin time TTC is derived, for example, by dividing the relative distance by the relative speed in the relationship between the vehicle M and other vehicles. The headway time THW is derived, for example, by dividing the relative distance (headway distance) by the speed of the vehicle M. The contact margin time TTC can also be derived, for example, using a learned model that outputs the contact margin time TTC when the position and speed of the vehicle M and other vehicles are input, a specified function, etc., or it can be derived using a correspondence table that establishes a correspondence between the relative speed and relative position and the contact margin time TTC. The above-mentioned derivation method is also the same for the inter-vehicle time THW. For example, the shorter the contact margin time TTC (or inter-vehicle time THW), the smaller the contact margin value (in other words, the longer the contact margin time, the larger the contact margin value). For example, the contact possibility determination unit 120 determines that there is a possibility of contact between the vehicle M and other vehicles when the contact margin value is less than a threshold value, and determines that there is no possibility of contact when the contact margin value is greater than the threshold value.

[0056] The driving state detection unit 130 detects the driving state of the occupant (driver) of the vehicle M. The so-called driving state refers to, for example, the grip of the steering wheel 82 or the steering operation (steering wheel torque, steering amount). The so-called driving state may also be, in addition to the above (or instead of the above), at least one of the throttle operation or operation amount (opening) performed by the accelerator pedal 84, and the brake operation and operation amount (opening) performed by the brake pedal 86. The driving state is obtained based on the detection results of, for example, the SW sensor 82A, the AP sensor 84A, and the BP sensor 86A. The driving state detection unit 130 can also detect a state in which the driver is not performing a driving operation (for example, at least one of a steering operation, a throttle operation, and a brake operation) based on the detection results of each sensor.

[0057] The driving state detection unit 130 may also detect that the driver's state is not suitable for driving based on the analysis result of the image captured by the driver monitoring camera 70. For example, the driving state detection unit 130 detects that the driver's state is not suitable for driving when the driver does not monitor the surroundings (particularly, the front) of the host vehicle M due to looking to the side or the like based on the analysis result of the above-mentioned image, or when it is predicted that the driver's concentration is reduced based on a predetermined facial expression (a sleepy face, a face in pain), etc.

[0058] The careless driving determination unit 140 determines the careless driving of the driver based on the detection result of the driving state detection unit 130. The so-called careless driving refers to driving in a state where the driving operation of the host vehicle M becomes slow (or not operated) due to the decrease in the driver's attention, etc. For example, based on the detection result of the SW sensor 82A, the driving state detection unit 130 determines that the driver is driving carelessly when the state in which the steering operation of the steering wheel 82 by the driver becomes less than a threshold value (determination threshold value TH1 described later) continues for a predetermined time (first predetermined time) or more, and determines that the driver is not driving carelessly when it does not continue for more than the predetermined time.

[0059] The careless driving determination unit 140 may detect that the driver is driving carelessly when the change in the opening amount of the accelerator pedal 84 and the brake pedal 86 is less than the threshold value for a predetermined time (a second predetermined time) or more, based on the detection results of the AP sensor 84A and the BP sensor 86A instead of (or in addition to) the driver's steering operation. The careless driving determination unit 140 may detect that the driver is driving carelessly when the state detected by the driving state detection unit 130 that the driver's state is not suitable for driving continues for a predetermined time (a third predetermined time) or more, instead of (or in addition to) the above determination, and may determine that the driver is not driving carelessly when the state does not continue for more than the predetermined time. The first predetermined time, the second predetermined time, and the third predetermined time may be the same time or different times.

[0060] The careless driving determination unit 140 includes, for example, a time setting unit 142. The time setting unit 142 sets the above-mentioned prescribed time (first prescribed time, second prescribed time, third prescribed time) according to the surrounding conditions of the host vehicle M, etc. For example, the time setting unit 142 sets the prescribed time based on the contact margin time TTC between the host vehicle M and the surrounding obstacles (for example, the preceding vehicle) of the host vehicle M, and the speed of the host vehicle M. Specifically, the greater the speed of the host vehicle M, the shorter the prescribed time is set by the time setting unit 142, and the shorter the contact margin time TTC is, the shorter the time setting unit 142 sets the prescribed time. Thus, careless driving can be determined more appropriately based on the condition of the host vehicle M and the surrounding conditions obtained based on the speed of the host vehicle M and the positional relationship between the host vehicle M and the obstacle.

[0061] The vehicle control unit 150 controls one or both of the steering and the acceleration / deceleration of the host vehicle M based on the surrounding conditions recognized by the recognition unit 110. Furthermore, the vehicle control unit 150 may control one or both of the steering and the acceleration / deceleration of the host vehicle M based on at least one processing result of the contact possibility determination unit 120, the driving state detection unit 130, and the careless driving determination unit 140. The vehicle control unit 150 includes, for example, a braking control unit 152 and a steering control unit 154.

[0062] The brake control unit 152 performs brake control of the host vehicle M based on the recognition result of the recognition unit 110 according to the driving operation performed by the driver of the host vehicle M (hereinafter referred to as the driver operation) or regardless of the driver operation. For example, when the brake control unit 152 determines that there is an obstacle in front of the host vehicle M, it at least performs deceleration control of the host vehicle M based on the target deceleration of the host vehicle M. For example, the brake control unit 152 sets the deceleration state based on the contact margin value between the host vehicle M and the obstacle, and the brake control unit 152 performs deceleration control based on the set deceleration state. The brake control unit 152 includes, for example, slow deceleration control and contact avoidance braking control.

[0063] The brake control unit 152 performs a slow deceleration control of the vehicle M when the recognition unit 110 determines that there is an obstacle (for example, another vehicle) in front of the vehicle M. The slow deceleration control is a control for making the driver aware of the approach of an obstacle through a vehicle behavior called deceleration and urging attention (attention calling control), which is different from the contact avoidance control for avoiding contact with an obstacle (however, there may be a case where the result is to avoid contact with an obstacle). The slow deceleration control is performed, for example, when the careless driving determination unit 140 determines that the driver is driving carelessly and the contact margin value satisfies the operating conditions of the slow deceleration control.

[0064] The brake control unit 152 may also stop the slow deceleration control when the driving state detection unit 130 detects the driver's accelerator operation (operation of the accelerator pedal 84) exceeding a prescribed value (e.g., prescribed amount) during the slow deceleration control. In this way, the intention of the driver is determined based on the accelerator operation, thereby enabling more appropriate override (switching to the driver's manual driving) control to be performed for the slow deceleration control. The prescribed value (prescribed amount) may also vary based on the operating speed of the driver's accelerator operation. For example, when the operating speed is above the prescribed speed, the brake control unit 152 sets the prescribed value to be smaller than when the operating speed is less than the prescribed speed (conversely, when the operating speed is less than the prescribed speed, the brake control unit 152 sets the prescribed value to be larger than when the operating speed is above the prescribed speed). The brake control unit 152 may also vary the prescribed value, for example, based on the target deceleration, and the brake control unit 152 sets the prescribed value to be larger as the target deceleration increases. Thus, more appropriate override determination may be achieved based on the driver's driving condition and the surrounding conditions of the vehicle M.

[0065] The brake control unit 152 performs emergency braking control for avoiding contact between the vehicle M and an obstacle as a contact avoidance braking control. The contact avoidance braking control is a braking control (deceleration control) for avoiding contact when it is determined that there is a possibility of contact between the vehicle M and an obstacle based on the surrounding conditions identified by the identification unit 110. The contact avoidance braking control includes, for example, CMBS (Collision Mitigation Brake System) control for supporting contact avoidance or reducing damage. The contact avoidance braking control may also be performed, for example, after the slow deceleration control, or may be further performed when the contact margin value satisfies the working conditions of the contact avoidance braking control.

[0066] The steering control unit 154 controls the steering of the vehicle M. The steering control unit 154 includes, for example, centering steering control and contact avoidance steering control. Centering steering control is a steering control (centering steering control) for moving the vehicle M toward the center of the driving lane when the recognition unit 110 determines that there is an obstacle in front of the vehicle M. This steering control is not a control for avoiding contact with an obstacle, but a control for making the driver aware of the obstacle in front by the vehicle behavior of moving laterally near the center, and urging attention to be called (however, there may be a case where the result is to avoid contact with the obstacle). Through this steering control, the driver can be aware of the obstacle in front at an early stage, which can help the driver to drive to avoid contact. The centering steering control can also be executed when the careless driving determination unit 140 determines that the driver is driving carelessly, and can also be executed when the contact margin value satisfies the working conditions of the steering control. The above-mentioned slow deceleration control and centering steering control can be executed separately, or they can be executed simultaneously at the same time (for example, the attention calling control stage).

[0067] The steering control unit 154 performs steering control of the vehicle M for avoiding contact between the vehicle M and an obstacle as a contact avoidance steering control. The contact avoidance steering control moves the vehicle M to a space that does not contact an obstacle without leaving the same lane, independent of the driver's steering operation, when the vehicle M is able to avoid the obstacle within the driving lane. The contact avoidance steering control may also be performed in a manner that stabilizes the behavior of the vehicle M after the avoidance operation, after the vehicle M has performed an avoidance operation with an obstacle across a dividing line that divides the driving lanes through the driver's steering operation. The contact avoidance steering control may be performed, for example, after the centering steering control, or when the contact margin value satisfies the working conditions of the contact avoidance steering control.

[0068] The vehicle control unit 150 may also perform controls other than the above-mentioned vehicle control. For example, the vehicle control unit 150 may also perform steering control in a manner to maintain the host vehicle M in the driving lane as LKAS (Lane Keeping Assistance System) control (lane keeping control). In this case, the vehicle control unit 150 controls the steering device 220 to support the driver's steering operation so that the host vehicle M does not leave the driving lane.

[0069] The HMI control unit 160 notifies the occupants (including the driver) of the prescribed information through the HMI 30. The prescribed information includes, for example, information related to the state of the vehicle M, information related to driving control, and other information related to the driving of the vehicle M. The information related to the state of the vehicle M includes, for example, the speed of the vehicle M, the engine speed, the gear position, etc. The information related to driving control includes, for example, the type of driving control being executed (for example, slow deceleration, center steering control, avoidance contact braking control, avoidance contact steering control), the working reason of driving control, the status of driving control, etc. The information related to driving control may include information related to the attention call to the driver and the contact attention alarm. The prescribed information may include information related to the current position, destination, and remaining fuel of the vehicle M, and may also include information unrelated to the driving control of the vehicle M, such as television programs, items stored in storage media such as DVDs (for example, movies), etc.

[0070] For example, the HMI control unit 160 may generate an image including the above-mentioned prescribed information and display the generated image on the display unit 32 of the HMI 30, or may generate a sound indicating prescribed information and output the generated sound from the speaker 34 of the HMI 30. The timing of outputting the sound is, for example, the timing of starting or stopping the driving control, the timing of switching the displayed image, the timing of the host vehicle M becoming a prescribed state, etc. The HMI control unit 160 may also output the information received by the HMI 30 to the vehicle control unit 150, etc.

[0071] [Vehicle Control Department]

[0072] Next, the content of the vehicle control performed by the vehicle control unit 150 according to the embodiment will be described in detail. Figure 2 FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the contents of vehicle control according to an embodiment. Figure 2 In the example of FIG. 1 , the content of vehicle control is shown when it is determined that there is a possibility of contact based on the contact margin time TTC as an example of a contact margin value. Figure 2 In the example, time T1 is the earliest, and time T2, T3, T4, and T5 are later in sequence.

[0073] First, at time T1, the contact possibility determination unit 120 determines that there is a possibility of contact between the vehicle M and the obstacle. The careless driving determination unit 140 may also continue to determine whether the driver is driving carelessly from a time point before time T1. Details of the careless driving determination will be described later. When it is determined that there is a possibility of contact, the vehicle control unit 150 performs attention calling control ((1) in the figure) for urging the driver to pay attention to the surroundings (especially the direction of travel) based on the contact margin time TTC and the determination result of the careless driving determination unit 140.

[0074] Figure 3 2 is a diagram for explaining the content of attention-calling control. Figure 3 In the example of FIG. 1 , lanes L1 and L2 are shown that can travel in the same direction (the X-axis direction in the figure). Lane L1 is divided by road dividing lines LN1 and LN2, and lane L2 is divided by road dividing lines LN2 and LN3. Figure 3 In the example, the host vehicle M is traveling at a speed VM in the lane L1, and another vehicle (preceding vehicle) ml is present in front of the host vehicle M and is traveling at a speed Vml in the lane L1. The other vehicle ml is an example of an "obstacle".

[0075] exist Figure 3 In the example of FIG. 1 , the vehicle control unit 150 performs attention calling control at time T2 when the contact margin time TTC obtained based on the relative position and relative speed between the host vehicle M and the other vehicle m1 becomes greater than the first predetermined value (predetermined time) and it is determined that the driver is driving carelessly. Time T2 is, for example, the time when the contact margin time TTC becomes about 3 to 4 [seconds].

[0076] The attention-calling control includes, for example, at least one of a slow deceleration control and a centering steering control. The slow deceleration control performed by the attention-calling control is a control in the first deceleration state. The brake control unit 152 sets the target deceleration (first target deceleration) in a manner that applies a load (longitudinal G) of a first upper limit deceleration (about 0.1 [G]) to the driver in the direction of travel (longitudinal direction). In the attention-calling control (first deceleration state), the brake control unit 152 may initially perform the slow deceleration control at a first deceleration level (for example, 0.05 [G] of longitudinal G), and then perform the deceleration control at a second deceleration level (for example, 0.1 [G] of longitudinal G) that is larger than the first deceleration level. By controlling in such a manner that the deceleration level increases in stages, the load on the driver and other passengers at the start of the slow deceleration control can be reduced, and the passengers can be prevented from being surprised during the slow deceleration control.

[0077] exist Figure 3In the attention calling control shown in FIG. 1 , the steering control unit 154 performs centering steering control to steer the vehicle M so that a reference point such as the center of gravity or the center is located in the center of the driving lane (lane L1). Figure 3 In the example of FIG. 1 , the vehicle control unit 150 generates a future target trajectory K1 of the host vehicle M corresponding to the slow deceleration control and the center steering control, and controls the steering and speed of the host vehicle M so that the host vehicle M travels along the target trajectory K1 .

[0078] At time T2, the HMI control unit 160 may also generate an image to show the driver the reason for the operation of the attention-calling control (slow deceleration control, centering steering control), and display the generated image on the display unit 32 to notify the driver. However, in this case, the sound output may not be performed. Thus, the approach to the obstacle can be easily conveyed to the driver to urge attention, and the driver can be urged to perform an early avoidance operation.

[0079] return Figure 2 When the driver does not call attention to the surroundings (override control) even after the above-mentioned attention call control is performed, the contact margin time TTC (contact margin value) becomes less than the prescribed value (predetermined time) at time T3, and it is determined that the driver is driving carelessly, the contact attention warning control ((2) in the figure) is performed. Time T3 is, for example, the time when the contact margin time TTC becomes about 2 [seconds].

[0080] Figure 4 FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the content of the contact warning alarm control. Figure 4 In the figure, it is shown that Figure 3 The situation shown in the figure is a scene in which the contact margin time TTC becomes 2 [seconds] in the absence of the driver's accelerator operation. In the contact warning alarm control stage, the slow deceleration control unit 142A sets the target deceleration (second target deceleration), performs the slow deceleration control corresponding to the set second target deceleration, and generates the target track K2, so as to control the vehicle M to travel along the generated target track K2. The slow deceleration control performed in the contact warning alarm control is the control in the second deceleration state. In the second deceleration state, the brake control unit 152 sets the target deceleration (second target deceleration) in a manner that applies a load (longitudinal G) less than the second upper limit deceleration (about 0.2 [G]) and greater than the first upper limit deceleration in the direction of travel (longitudinal direction). As a result, the driver can more clearly perceive that the vehicle M is approaching the other vehicle m1. In this way, the deceleration control is performed while increasing the deceleration as needed, so that more time can be created for the other vehicle m1 to be perceived, and the driver can drive with a margin to avoid contact with the other vehicle m1.

[0081] During the contact warning control, the above-mentioned centering steering control may be performed in addition to (or instead of) the slow deceleration control. During the contact warning control, the HMI control unit 160 may also perform control (alarm escalation control) of highlighting the image of the attention-calling information displayed on the display unit 32 and outputting an alarm from the speaker 34. In this way, the driver can be strongly informed of the high possibility of contact despite deceleration in the form of images and sounds, and the driver can be further clearly urged to pay attention and avoid contact control.

[0082] return Figure 2 After the contact warning control is executed, at time T4 when the vehicle control unit 150 determines that automatic avoidance can be performed within the driving lane based on the surrounding conditions recognized by the recognition unit 110, the steering control unit 154 executes the automatic steering avoidance control ( Figure 2 (3)) shown. Figure 5 FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining the content of the automatic steering avoidance control. Figure 5 In the example, for example, it is control in the case where there is no throttle operation performed by the driver after the execution of the contact attention alarm control. In this case, the steering control unit 154 performs steering control based on the positional relationship between the area of ​​the driving lane and the other vehicle m1, and generates a target trajectory K3 for driving in the avoidance space when there is an avoidance space in the driving lane, and performs steering control in a manner that causes the vehicle M to travel along the generated target trajectory K3. The steering control unit 154 may also perform acceleration and deceleration control in addition to steering control. During automatic steering avoidance control, the HMI control unit 160 may also continue to execute the above-mentioned alarm escalation control. Thus, automatic steering control is performed in a case where steering avoidance can be performed with high safety control, thereby enabling more appropriate vehicle control.

[0083] The vehicle control unit 150 may also cause the contact avoiding brake control unit 152B to execute the CMBS control in parallel at this timing. When the CMBS control is executed, the above-mentioned automatic steering avoiding control and the contact avoiding steering control described later may not be executed.

[0084] return Figure 2 At time T5 when the driver operates the steering wheel 82 (driver steering trigger is detected) and performs a steering operation in the direction of avoiding the other vehicle m1, the avoiding contact steering control unit 154B performs the avoiding contact steering control ( Figure 2(4)) to avoid further departure from the adjacent lane (lane L2) adjacent to the driving lane (lane L1). The so-called driver steering trigger, for example, means that the steering operation amount of the driver for avoiding the other vehicle m1 becomes greater than a prescribed amount. The avoidance contact steering control can also be executed after the automatic steering avoidance control, and can also be executed after the contact warning alarm control.

[0085] Figure 6 is a diagram for explaining the steering control after the driver's steering trigger. Figure 6 In the example, when there is no space on the lane L1 to avoid contact with another vehicle m1 of the vehicle M and a driver's steering trigger is detected, the steering control unit 154 performs steering control of the vehicle M to allow the vehicle M to move from the lane L1 to the adjacent lane L2 and avoid further leaving the adjacent lane L2. For example, a target track K4 is generated for lane change to the lane L2, and steering assistance is performed in a manner such that the position of the vehicle M approaches the target track K4 due to the steering operation performed by the driver. During the avoidance contact steering control, the HMI control unit 160 may also continue to perform the above-mentioned alarm escalation control. Thus, even in the case of emergency avoidance steering due to the driver's steering operation, more appropriate vehicle control can be achieved.

[0086] The vehicle control unit 150 Figure 2 When the contact margin time TTC after the attention calling control shown in (1) is close to the limit value and the driver performs a steering operation, Figure 2 The control of (4) similarly performs the avoidance steering control (driver steering support control) ( Figure 2 (5)) to avoid crossing the adjacent lane. In this case, the HMI control unit 160 can perform notification control such as notification and alarm that the avoidance steering control is working.

[0087] exist Figure 2 In each of the operation periods of the attention calling, contact warning alarm, automatic steering avoidance, and contact avoidance steering shown, a condition related to the speed of the host vehicle M may be added to the determination conditions for the operation. Figure 7This is a diagram for explaining the speed condition of the vehicle M for starting control at each operation period. For example, in the contact avoidance steering control in the automatic steering avoidance and contact avoidance steering (steering assistance), the speed VM of the vehicle M is 40 [km / h] or more, which is set as one of the conditions for starting the operation. This control is a control after the attention is called, so as long as the contact margin time TTC is about 2 [seconds], the contact can be fully avoided by the driver's braking operation. Regarding the centering steering control in the attention call and the contact warning alarm, the control is performed in a manner that is executed when the speed VM of the vehicle M is 30 [km / h] or more. Regarding the slow deceleration control in the attention call and the contact warning alarm, in the case of the accelerator operation (AP operation), the control is performed in a manner that is executed when the speed VM of the vehicle M is 30 [km / h] or more. This speed is lower than the steering avoidance limit speed and there is a performance margin for the CMBS control, so by setting this condition, more appropriate driving control can be achieved. In the absence of AP operation, the control is performed in a manner that is executed when the speed VM of the vehicle M is 5 [km / h] or more. That is, when the driver's AP operation is not detected, a lower speed is set than when the AP operation is detected. Thus, by relaxing the start condition of the slow deceleration control in the absence of AP operation, the slow deceleration control can be performed in various situations including careless driving in congestion, and the contact between the host vehicle M and the other vehicle m1 can be avoided more safely.

[0088] [Careless Driving Judgment Department]

[0089] Next, the content of the determination of careless driving by the careless driving determination unit 140 will be described. Figure 8 FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the content of the judgment of careless driving. Figure 8 In the example, the horizontal axis represents time [seconds], and the vertical axis represents the steering wheel torque [Nm], torque change rate, steering state flag, and carelessness determination flag of the vehicle M. Figure 8 In the example of , the steering state flag indicates whether the driver is performing a steering operation by a flag. When the torque change rate is greater than the determination threshold TH1, the steering state flag becomes "1" indicating that the steering operation is being performed, and when the torque change rate is less than the determination threshold TH1, the steering state flag becomes "0" indicating that the steering operation is not being performed. The carelessness determination flag indicates whether the driver is driving carelessly by a flag. When the driver is determined to be driving carelessly, the carelessness determination flag becomes "0", and when the driver is determined not to be driving carelessly, the carelessness determination flag becomes "1".

[0090] For example, the careless driving determination unit 140 determines that the driver is driving carelessly when the state of the operation amount being less than the determination threshold of the driving operation continues for more than a predetermined time. Figure 8 As shown in FIG. 1 , the torque change rate is calculated based on the driver's steering wheel torque obtained from the SW sensor 82A, and it is determined whether the calculated torque change rate is greater than the determination threshold value TH1. The careless driving determination unit 140 determines that the driver is inattentive driving when the torque change rate is less than the determination threshold value TH1 for a predetermined time ΔT1 or more. For example, when the attention calling control and the contact attention warning control are performed based on the inattentive driving condition, if the inattentive driving is frequently switched, the above control is also frequently performed. Therefore, by adding the predetermined time ΔT1 or more to the judgment condition of the inattentive driving, it is possible to suppress the driver from getting annoyed by the switching of the control.

[0091] [Time Setting Department]

[0092] Next, the setting content of the prescribed time by the time setting unit 142 is described. For example, the time setting unit 142 sets the prescribed time ΔT1 by multiplying the continuation determination reference time, which is set based on the contact margin time TTC between the host vehicle M and the obstacle (e.g., the other vehicle m1), by the vehicle speed coefficient, which is set based on the speed VM of the host vehicle M. The so-called continuation determination reference time is, for example, a time (reference time) that can be determined as the host vehicle M being able to travel without contacting the obstacle in a state where there is no driving operation by the driver (a state where the operation amount is less than a threshold value). Fig. 9 2 is a diagram for explaining the relationship between the contact margin time TTC and the continuation judgment reference time. Fig. 9 In the example, the horizontal axis represents the contact margin time TTC [seconds], and the vertical axis represents the continuation judgment reference time [seconds]. Fig. 9 In the example of , the smaller the contact margin time TTC is, the smaller the continuation determination reference time [seconds] is set.

[0093] exist Fig. 9In the example, when the contact margin time TTC is 0 (zero), a continuation judgment reference time having a certain value (for example, about 0.3 [seconds]) is set, and then a continuation judgment reference time is set that increases linearly (becomes longer) as the contact margin time TTC increases (becomes longer). The increase tendency is not limited to the above example, and may also increase nonlinearly (on a curve or in stages). The continuation judgment reference time may also suppress the adjustment amount corresponding to the contact margin time TTC when the contact margin time TTC is greater than a specified value. The so-called suppression of the adjustment amount may include reducing the correction amount caused by the contact margin time TTC, or not making corrections above the current state (setting the adjustment amount to be constant). In Fig. 9 In the example, after the self-vehicle M has sufficient time (e.g., about 24 [seconds]) until it contacts the other vehicle m1, the continuation judgment reference time is set to be constant (e.g., about 1.8 [seconds]). In this way, the continuation judgment reference time is set based on the contact margin time TTC, and thus the prescribed time ΔT1 is set to be shorter when the driver is approaching danger, so that the judgment of careless driving in a short time can be performed. When the danger is small, it is possible to spend a certain amount of time to perform the judgment of careless driving, so that the judgment accuracy can be improved.

[0094] Fig.10 : is a diagram for explaining the relationship between the speed VM of the host vehicle M and the vehicle speed coefficient. Fig.10 In the example, the horizontal axis represents the speed VM [km / h] of the host vehicle M, and the vertical axis represents the vehicle speed coefficient. At a location where the speed VM of the host vehicle M is low, the speed of traffic conditions changes slowly, and it is considered that the contact between the host vehicle M and other vehicles m1 can be sufficiently avoided by CMBS control, etc. Therefore, Fig.10 In the example, the more the speed VM decreases (becomes smaller), the more the coefficient is increased and the prescribed time ΔT1 becomes larger. However, in reality, there are also contact events caused to some extent by the driver looking to the side due to congestion, etc. Therefore, regarding the vehicle speed coefficient, when the speed VM is less than the prescribed speed, the adjustment amount (increase amount) of the vehicle speed coefficient corresponding to the speed VM can be suppressed. The so-called suppressed adjustment amount may include reducing the correction amount of the vehicle speed coefficient caused by the speed VM, or not making corrections above the current status (setting the adjustment amount to be constant). Fig.10 In the example, when the speed VM is below a predetermined speed (for example, around 30 [km / h]), the coefficient is not further increased but is set constant. This can reduce contact events caused by looking aside due to congestion, etc. Fig.10In the example, before the speed VM becomes below approximately 30 [km / h], the vehicle speed coefficient is set to increase (become larger) nonlinearly (on a curve) as the speed V decreases (becomes smaller), but the vehicle speed coefficient can be set to increase linearly or in stages.

[0095] Fig. 9 and Fig.10 The information shown in the example can be stored in the storage unit 170. When setting the predetermined time ΔT1, the time setting unit 142 refers to the storage unit 170 and calculates the time according to the predetermined time ΔT1. Fig. 9 , Fig.10 The corresponding information shown acquires the continuation determination reference time and the vehicle speed coefficient based on the current contact margin time TTC and the speed VM of the host vehicle M, and variably sets the predetermined time ΔT1. Thus, the careless driving determination unit 140 can make a careless driving determination at an appropriate time, and based on the determination result, can perform more appropriate vehicle control according to the surrounding conditions of the vehicle.

[0096] The time setting unit 142 may also set the prescribed time according to the driver's driving content and actions during driving. For example, before the driver enters the state of looking away or driving carelessly, there is a preparatory action performed by the driver to stabilize the state of the vehicle M. The so-called preparatory action, for example, refers to a driving operation of clearing the space between the vehicle M and the obstacle (the vehicle in front) and moving the vehicle M to a direction or position (for example, the center of the lane) that is not easy to leave the lane. Therefore, the time setting unit 142 may also set the prescribed time ΔT1 based on the speed VM of the vehicle M when the above-mentioned preparatory action is recognized based on the recognition result of the recognition unit 110. For example, when the vehicle M is traveling at a speed of 60 to 70 [km / h] and a safety area is ensured around the vehicle M by the preparatory action, it is predicted that the time for the vehicle M to stay in the lane without changing the steering is about 5 [seconds]. Therefore, the time setting unit 142 sets the prescribed time ΔT1 in a manner that is less than the time corresponding to the safety area ensured by the preparatory action (about 5 [seconds]). This makes it possible to make a careless driving determination in an area predicted to be safe.

[0097] Under normal driving conditions, for example, when the driver operates the navigation device 50, the audio device (not shown) and other in-vehicle devices, there is a certain degree of permissible time to look to the side. The permissible time in this case is about 2 [seconds]. Therefore, the time setting unit 142 may also set the prescribed time ΔT1 to be equal to or longer than the permissible time (about 2 [seconds]) corresponding to the operation of the in-vehicle device of the vehicle M. In this way, it is possible to suppress the situation where the operation time of the in-vehicle device that is generally permissible is judged as careless driving, and detect a careless driving state with a high possibility of causing an accident.

[0098] [Processing Flow]

[0099] Fig.11 FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing an example of processing executed by the driving support device 100 in the embodiment. Fig.11 In the example of FIG. 1 , a vehicle control process including, in particular, the inattentive driving determination process among the processes executed by the driving support device 100 will be described.

[0100] exist Fig.11 In the example, the recognition unit 110 recognizes the surrounding conditions of the vehicle M (step S100). Next, the contact possibility determination unit 120 derives the contact margin time TTC between the vehicle M and the obstacle based on the recognized surrounding conditions (step S120). Next, the driving state detection unit 130 detects the driving state of the driver of the vehicle M (step S140). Next, the careless driving determination unit 140 determines whether the driver is driving carelessly based on the detection result of the driving state detected by the driving state detection unit 130 (step S160). In the case where it is determined to be careless driving, the vehicle control unit 150 determines whether the contact margin time TTC satisfies the working conditions of slow deceleration control or steering control (step S180). In the case where it is determined that the contact margin time TTC satisfies the working conditions of deceleration control or steering control, the vehicle control that satisfies the working conditions is executed (step S200). The vehicle control includes, for example, the above-mentioned attention calling control, contact attention alarm control, automatic steering avoidance control, contact avoidance steering control, etc. Thus, the processing of this flowchart ends. If it is determined in the process of step S160 that the driving is not careless, or if it is determined in the process of step S180 that the contact margin time TTC does not satisfy the activation condition of the deceleration control or the steering control, the process of this flowchart ends.

[0101] Fig.12 This is a flowchart showing an example of carelessness determination processing. Fig.12 The processing shown is an example of the processing of step S160 described above in a concrete manner. Fig.12 In the example of FIG. 1 , the time setting unit 142 obtains the continuation determination reference time based on the contact margin time TTC (step S161). Next, the time setting unit 142 obtains the vehicle speed coefficient based on the speed VM of the host vehicle M (step S162). Next, the time setting unit 142 multiplies the continuation determination reference time by the vehicle speed coefficient to set the prescribed time ΔT1 (step S163).

[0102] Next, the inattentive driving determination unit 140 determines whether the driver's steering operation has not been detected for a predetermined time ΔT1 or more (step S164). If it is determined that the steering operation has not been detected for a predetermined time ΔT1 or more, the inattentive driving determination unit 140 determines that the driver is driving inattentively (step S165). If it is determined that the steering operation has not been detected for a predetermined time or more (i.e., the driver's steering operation has been detected), it is determined that the driver is not driving inattentively (step S166). Thus, the processing of this flowchart ends.

[0103] According to the embodiment as described above, the recognition unit 110 recognizes the surrounding conditions of the host vehicle M, the driving state detection unit 130 detects the driving state of the occupant of the host vehicle M, and the careless driving determination unit (an example of the determination unit) 140 determines the careless driving of the occupant based on the detection result of the driving state detection unit 130. The careless driving determination unit 140 determines that the occupant is driving carelessly when the driving state detection unit 130 does not detect the steering operation of the occupant for more than a predetermined time. The predetermined time is set based on the contact margin time between the obstacle around the host vehicle and the host vehicle and the speed of the host vehicle. Thus, the careless driving determination of the driver can be more appropriately performed according to the surrounding conditions of the host vehicle M. Therefore, the vehicle control can be more appropriately performed according to the surrounding conditions of the host vehicle M.

[0104] Specifically, according to the implementation mode, for example, careless driving is determined when no input of the steering wheel torque is detected for a continuous period of time, and the prescribed time is varied according to the contact margin time TTC with an obstacle (e.g., a preceding vehicle) and the speed VM of the host vehicle M. This enables a more appropriate careless driving determination to be made based on the driving condition of the host vehicle M and the surrounding conditions.

[0105] For example, the shorter the distance to the obstacle ahead, the higher the possibility of contact. Therefore, in the embodiment, the margin time is set so that the shorter the distance to the obstacle, the shorter the margin time is, thereby enabling early detection of inattentive driving, and enabling vehicle control (driving support) in a manner such that the driver is aware of the obstacle ahead or avoids contact. When the margin time to the obstacle is too long, inattentive driving may not be detected. Therefore, in the embodiment, the margin period is set to be constant when the distance to the obstacle is greater than a specified value, thereby enabling appropriate determination of inattentive driving, thereby enabling detection of inattentive driving based on looking elsewhere, etc. while reducing excessive determinations.

[0106] For example, the greater the speed VM of the host vehicle M, the easier it is to generate a speed difference with the obstacle ahead, and the time to approach the obstacle ahead due to the speed difference becomes shorter. Therefore, in the embodiment, the reference time for inattentive driving determination is set so that the greater the speed of the host vehicle M, the shorter it is, thereby enabling early detection of inattentive driving. Therefore, vehicle control that allows the driver to be aware of the obstacle ahead can be performed early, and driving support can be provided in a contact-avoiding manner. There is a tendency that the lower the speed, the more the driver looks away, etc., so in the embodiment, the change in the prescribed time caused by the speed is set to be constant so that the prescribed time is not longer than necessary, thereby enabling both the occurrence of inattentive driving determinations that are more than necessary at low speeds and the detection of inattentive driving based on looking away, etc. to achieve more appropriate vehicle control.

[0107] [Modifications]

[0108] In the above-mentioned embodiment, the case where the driver is determined to be driving carelessly is set as one of the working conditions, and the attention calling control, the slow deceleration control in the contact attention warning control, and the centering steering control are performed, but the slow deceleration control and the centering steering control may also be selected and performed according to whether the driver is driving carelessly. For example, the vehicle control unit 150 may also perform the slow deceleration control and the centering steering control in the case where it is determined that the driver is driving carelessly, and perform either the slow deceleration control or the centering steering control in the case where it is determined that the driver is not driving carelessly. The vehicle control unit 150 may also perform the slow deceleration control when the centering steering control is not performed (for example, when driving along the road dividing line) or when the vehicle M moves in the direction close to the other vehicle m1 by performing the centering steering control. Furthermore, the vehicle control unit 150 may also perform the slow deceleration control when the dividing line of the driving lane cannot be identified because the centering steering control cannot be performed. In the above-mentioned embodiment, the slow deceleration control and the center steering control may be performed without determining whether the driver is driving carelessly.

[0109] In the careless driving determination unit 140, the determination threshold TH1 related to the driver's careless driving can be variably set according to, for example, the road conditions on which the vehicle M is traveling (for example, a curved road, a straight road, etc.), or can be variably set according to the vehicle type of the vehicle M (the steering characteristics of each vehicle type), etc.

[0110] In the above-mentioned embodiment, the obstacle is not limited to the preceding vehicle, but may be another vehicle approaching the host vehicle M. The obstacle may also be a pedestrian, a bicycle, or another object (which may not be a moving object). The numerical values ​​shown in the above-mentioned embodiment are only examples, and may be appropriately adjusted according to the road conditions (shape, number of lanes, road type), the driving conditions of the driver (degree of carelessness), the vehicle conditions (speed, vehicle type, shape, number of passengers), etc.

[0111] The above-described embodiment can be expressed as follows.

[0112] A vehicle control device comprising:

[0113] a storage medium storing computer-readable instructions; and

[0114] a processor connected to the storage medium,

[0115] The processor executes the computer-readable instructions to perform the following processing:

[0116] Identify the surrounding conditions of the vehicle;

[0117] detecting a driving state of an occupant of the vehicle; and

[0118] Based on the detection result, if the steering operation of the occupant is not detected for a predetermined period of time or longer, it is determined that the occupant is driving carelessly.

[0119] The predetermined time is set based on a contact margin time between an obstacle around the vehicle and the vehicle and a speed of the vehicle.

[0120] Although specific embodiments of the present invention have been described above using the embodiments, the present invention is not limited to such embodiments at all, 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 comprises: an identification unit that identifies a surrounding condition of the vehicle; a driving state detection unit that detects a driving state of an occupant of the vehicle; as well as a determination unit that determines whether the occupant is driving carelessly based on the detection result of the driving state detection unit, The determination unit determines that the occupant is driving carelessly when the driving state detection unit fails to detect the steering operation of the occupant for a period of time or longer. The predetermined time is set based on a contact margin time between an obstacle around the vehicle and the vehicle and a speed of the vehicle.

2. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein: The longer the contact margin time is, the longer the prescribed time is set.

3. The vehicle control device according to claim 2, wherein: When the contact margin time is equal to or larger than a predetermined value, an adjustment amount of the predetermined time corresponding to the contact margin time is suppressed.

4. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein: The prescribed time is set to be longer as the speed of the vehicle is lower.

5. The vehicle control device according to claim 4, wherein: When the speed of the vehicle is lower than a predetermined speed, an adjustment amount of the predetermined time corresponding to the speed of the vehicle is suppressed.

6. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein: The specified time is set by multiplying a base time by a coefficient set based on the speed of the vehicle, wherein the base time is set based on the contact margin time and is a time that can be judged as a time during which the vehicle can travel without contact with the obstacle in the absence of the occupant's driving operation.

7. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein: The vehicle control device further includes a vehicle control unit, which, when the determination unit determines that the occupant is driving carelessly, controls one or both of the steering and acceleration / deceleration of the vehicle based on the contact margin time to call the occupant's attention.

8. A vehicle control method, wherein: The vehicle control method enables the computer to perform the following processing: Identify the surrounding conditions of the vehicle; detecting a driving state of an occupant of the vehicle; and If the steering operation of the occupant is not detected for a predetermined period of time or longer based on the detection result, it is determined that the occupant is driving carelessly, The predetermined time is set based on a contact margin time between an obstacle around the vehicle and the vehicle and a speed of the vehicle.

9. A storage medium storing a program, wherein: The program causes the computer to perform the following processing: Identify the surrounding conditions of the vehicle; detecting a driving state of an occupant of the vehicle; and If the steering operation of the occupant is not detected for a predetermined period of time or longer based on the detection result, it is determined that the occupant is driving carelessly, The predetermined time is set based on a contact margin time between an obstacle around the vehicle and the vehicle and a speed of the vehicle.

Images