Vehicle control device and program

Abstract

The invention relates to a vehicle control device and a program. This vehicle control device is provided with a control unit that executes following travel control for causing a vehicle traveling in a lane to follow another vehicle traveling ahead of the vehicle, and constant-speed travel control for causing the vehicle to travel at a constant speed in the lane. The control unit executes following travel control for causing the vehicle to travel following the other vehicle on the basis of a detection value for detecting the other vehicle. The control unit determines that the other vehicle is departing from the lane when recognizing a departing action of the other vehicle departing from the lane on the basis of the detection value. In this case, the following travel control is stopped, and the constant-speed travel control is executed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle control device and a program for causing a vehicle to follow another vehicle ahead (ahead) (following vehicle travel). Background Art

[0002] In recent years, a driver assistance technology called ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control) has been introduced to vehicles, enabling them to maintain a set speed and distance between vehicles. ACC is used on high-speed roads, such as expressways. It is also used to slow vehicles on high-speed roads in congested traffic. ACC is also sometimes used on ordinary roads.

[0003] When using ACC on ordinary roads, sometimes other vehicles traveling ahead of the vehicle in the lane turn left (corner) or right and the other vehicles leave the lane. In this case, the vehicle can no longer catch the other vehicle and switches to constant speed control to travel at a constant speed.

[0004] For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-067423 describes a control method for switching to constant speed control when a preceding vehicle can no longer be tracked during following travel. The control method described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-067423 tracks a preceding vehicle in the lane in which the vehicle is traveling and executes following travel control. This control method determines that the preceding vehicle has left the lane and switches to constant speed control if a predetermined condition is met after a predetermined time has passed since the preceding vehicle can no longer be tracked. Summary of the Invention

[0005] According to the technology described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-067423, when the vehicle switches from following travel control to constant speed travel control and re-accelerates to a set speed, the driver may feel a delay in the timing of the re-acceleration.

[0006] The present invention can provide a vehicle control device and a vehicle program that can execute speed recovery at an appropriate timing when switching from follow-up travel control to constant speed travel control.

[0007] A technical solution of the present invention relates to a vehicle control device, which includes a control unit that executes following travel control for causing a vehicle traveling in a lane to follow another vehicle traveling ahead of the vehicle, and constant speed travel control for causing the vehicle to travel at a constant speed in the lane. The control unit executes the following travel control for causing the vehicle to follow the other vehicle based on a detection value for detecting the other vehicle. When a departure action of the other vehicle from the lane is identified based on the detection value, the control unit determines that the other vehicle has departed from the lane, stops the following travel control, and executes the constant speed travel control.

[0008] According to the present invention, speed recovery can be performed at an appropriate timing when switching from follow-up travel control to constant speed travel control. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] Features, advantages, and technical and industrial significance of exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals represent like elements, and wherein:

[0010] Figure 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a vehicle control device according to an embodiment;

[0011] Figure 2 is a diagram illustrating follow-up driving control;

[0012] Figure 3 FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a disengagement action of another vehicle;

[0013] Figure 4 FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a disengagement action of another vehicle;

[0014] Figure 5 is a graph illustrating the overlap ratio of other vehicles with the vehicle;

[0015] Figure 6 is a diagram illustrating a state in which other vehicles and a vehicle are changing lanes to an adjacent lane;

[0016] Figure 7 This is a flowchart showing the flow of processing of the vehicle control method executed in the vehicle control device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0017] like Figure 1As shown, vehicle 1 includes, for example, a vehicle control device 10 that performs driving-related controls. Vehicle control device 10 controls the driving of vehicle 1 based on driver operations. Vehicle control device 10 performs driving assistance controls such as ACC based on detection values from a detection unit 2 that detects the vehicle's surrounding environment. Vehicle control device 10 performs following driving control, causing vehicle 1 to follow another vehicle traveling ahead in the lane. Vehicle control device 10 switches from following driving control to constant speed driving control, causing vehicle 1 to travel at a constant speed.

[0018] The detection unit 2 is configured to detect the environment around the vehicle 1 and output a detection value. For example, the detection unit 2 includes a camera 2A that captures images of the environment around the vehicle 1. The detection unit 2 may also include one or more cameras 2A that capture images of a predetermined range around the vehicle 1. The camera 2A generates image data of the environment around the vehicle 1 and outputs the captured data to the vehicle control device 10.

[0019] The detection unit 2 includes a laser radar (LiDAR) device 2B for detecting objects around the vehicle 1. The laser radar device 2B obtains three-dimensional data of objects around the vehicle 1 by, for example, irradiating a laser within a scanning range and receiving reflected light from the laser reflected by the object. The laser radar device 2B obtains three-dimensional data of the environment around the vehicle 1 within the scanning range of the laser. The detection unit 2 includes a radar device 2C for detecting objects around the vehicle 1. The radar device 2C detects objects around the vehicle 1 by, for example, irradiating a millimeter-wave radar wave within a scanning range and measuring the reflected wave. The radar device 2C is configured to measure the distance, speed, and angle to objects such as pedestrians and vehicles.

[0020] The detection unit 2 is provided with a position sensor 2D that measures the current position of the vehicle 1. The position sensor 2D is composed of, for example, a GPS (Global Positioning System) sensor. The position sensor 2D can also be used in a navigation system, for example. The position sensor 2D outputs the measured value to the vehicle control device 10.

[0021] Vehicle 1 includes a display unit 3 that outputs a display image. Display unit 3 is comprised of, for example, a liquid crystal display, an organic EL (electroluminescence) display device, or the like. Display unit 3 displays an image representing notification content, for example, when driving assistance is being performed. Display unit 3 may also be configured to display content from a navigation device installed in vehicle 1. Display unit 3 may also be comprised of a touch panel.

[0022] The display unit 3 may also be configured as an input unit for receiving input operations performed by the user. In this case, the display unit 3 may also display a display image for receiving input operations. The display unit 3 may also be implemented by communicating with a portable terminal device such as a smartphone held by the user.

[0023] Vehicle 1 includes a communication unit 4 capable of connecting to a network W. Communication unit 4 is comprised of, for example, a communication device capable of wireless communication. Communication unit 4 may also be configured to enable direct communication with other vehicles Mn (n is an arbitrary natural number). Data acquired through communication with other vehicles Mn surrounding vehicle 1 is included in the detected values. Data related to other vehicles Mn surrounding vehicle 1 acquired from network W may also be included in the detected values.

[0024] Vehicle 1 includes a drive unit 5 that serves as a driving source for driving. Drive unit 5 may be composed of either an internal combustion engine or an electric motor. Drive unit 5 may also be composed of a hybrid device combining an internal combustion engine and an electric motor. If vehicle 1 is a manually driven vehicle, drive unit 5 is controlled based on the driver's operation. Under predetermined conditions, vehicle control device 10 performs driving assistance control to assist the driver's operation. If vehicle 1 is an autonomous vehicle, drive unit 5 is controlled solely by vehicle control device 10.

[0025] The vehicle 1 includes a braking unit 6 for decelerating the vehicle 1. The braking unit 6 is composed of, for example, a brake device. In the case where the drive unit 5 is composed of an electric motor, the braking unit 6 may also be composed of the drive unit 5. In this case, the drive unit 5 may also be configured to decelerate by regenerating power based on the deceleration energy of the vehicle 1. The vehicle 1 includes an operating unit 7 for accepting operations by the driver. The operating unit 7 is composed of operating system devices such as an accelerator pedal for adjusting the output of the drive unit 5 and a brake pedal for adjusting the braking degree of the braking unit 6. The operating unit 7 outputs a signal corresponding to the operation degree of each operating system device to the vehicle control device 10, for example.

[0026] The vehicle control device 10 includes a control unit 11 that performs control related to the driving of the vehicle 1, and a storage unit 12 that stores data and programs required for control. The control unit 11 is composed of at least one hardware processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The storage unit 12 is composed of a non-transitory storage medium such as a hard disk drive (HDD) or a solid-state drive (SSD). The storage unit 12 may also store map data for the navigation system.

[0027] The storage unit 12 stores the detection value data output by the detection unit 2. The detection value data may be updated with new detection value data after being stored for a predetermined period. The control unit 11 executes cruise control (including ACC) to maintain the vehicle 1 at a set speed based on the detection values of the environment surrounding the vehicle 1. The control unit 11 switches from normal mode to cruise mode based on the driver's input operation and executes cruise control. As described later, cruise control includes following travel control and constant speed travel control.

[0028] The control unit 11 executes cruise control based on the detection values of the detection unit 2. The detection values of the detection unit 2 include, for example, image data obtained by the camera 2A, data measured by the laser radar device 2B, and data measured by the radar device 2C. The control unit 11 executes cruise control based on a combination of one or more detection values from any of the devices included in the detection unit 2. The combination of one or more detection values is set according to the model of the vehicle 1.

[0029] The control unit 11 preliminarily executes machine learning, such as deep learning, using, for example, captured data of the environment surrounding the vehicle 1, including other vehicles Mn, as training data. The control unit 11 is configured to recognize the behavior of other vehicles Mn traveling in the lane L in which the vehicle 1 is traveling, based on the captured data captured by the camera 2A. The control unit 11 may also be configured to recognize the relative speed and relative distance of other vehicles Mn traveling in front of the vehicle 1, based on the captured data captured by the camera 2A.

[0030] The control unit 11 is configured to identify the relative speed and relative distance of other vehicles Mn traveling ahead of the vehicle 1 based on data from the laser radar device 2B and radar device 2C, which detect the environment surrounding the vehicle 1, including the other vehicles Mn. The control unit 11 may also identify the relative speed and relative distance of other vehicles Mn based on a combination of one or more of any detected values, including data from camera 2A, data from the laser radar device 2B, and data from the radar device 2C.

[0031] exist Figure 2, the following driving control of the vehicle 1 is schematically shown. In the following driving control, the control unit 11 causes the vehicle 1 traveling in the lane L to follow another vehicle Mn traveling in front of the vehicle 1. The control unit 11 obtains the detection value of the detection unit 2. The control unit 11 obtains the detection value of the detection unit 2, including the image data obtained by the camera 2A, the measurement value data of the laser radar device 2B, and the measurement value data of the radar device 2C. Based on the detection value, the control unit 11 determines whether there is another vehicle Mn within a predetermined distance P in front of the vehicle 1. The predetermined distance P is set according to the speed of the vehicle 1. The predetermined distance P is set so that the distance becomes longer in proportion to the speed of the vehicle 1.

[0032] If the control unit 11 determines that there are no other vehicles Mn within a predetermined distance P ahead of the vehicle 1, it executes constant speed travel control to cause the vehicle 1 to travel at a constant speed within the lane. During the constant speed travel control, the control unit 1 controls the drive unit 5 and the brake unit 6 to maintain the vehicle 1 at a constant speed setting value. The constant speed setting value is set based on user input.

[0033] When the control unit 11 determines that there is another vehicle Mn within a predetermined distance P in front of the vehicle 1 based on the detection value of the other vehicle Mn, it performs following driving control to cause the vehicle 1 to follow the other vehicle Mn. The control unit 11 controls the drive unit 5 and the brake unit 6 to adjust the inter-vehicle distance between the vehicle 1 and the other vehicle Mn so that the inter-vehicle distance between the vehicle 1 and the other vehicle Mn becomes an inter-vehicle setting value. The inter-vehicle setting value is set to, for example, multiple distance values in stages. The inter-vehicle setting value increases or decreases in stages according to the user's selection operation. The inter-vehicle setting value can also be set to an arbitrary distance value. The inter-vehicle setting value can also be automatically adjusted by the control unit 11 according to the speed of the vehicle 1.

[0034] If the speed of the preceding other vehicle Mn decreases, the control unit 11 decelerates the vehicle 1 and maintains the inter-vehicle distance between the vehicle 1 and the other vehicle Mn at a set value. If the speed of the preceding other vehicle Mn increases, the control unit 11 accelerates the vehicle 1 and maintains the inter-vehicle distance between the vehicle 1 and the other vehicle Mn at a set value. If the speed of the preceding other vehicle Mn decreases, the control unit 11 decelerates the vehicle 1 and maintains the inter-vehicle distance between the vehicle 1 and the other vehicle Mn at a set value. If the speed of the preceding other vehicle Mn increases by more than a reference value, the control unit 1 accelerates the vehicle 1 to the upper limit of the speed and executes constant speed travel control to cause the vehicle 1 to travel at a constant speed within the lane L.

[0035] While following driving control is being executed, the control unit 11 determines whether another vehicle has departed from its lane. If, based on a detection value of the other vehicle Mn, the control unit 11 detects a departure maneuver by the other vehicle Mn from lane L during following driving control, the control unit 11 determines that the other vehicle Mn has departed from lane L. Departure maneuvers include a state where the other vehicle Mn is estimated to have begun departing from lane L and a state where the other vehicle Mn is estimated to be in the process of departing from lane L. Based on the detection value, the control unit 11 determines whether the other vehicle Mn is in the process of departing from lane L.

[0036] The control unit 11 determines that the other vehicle Mn has left the lane if it recognizes any one or more of the following departure actions. The control unit 11 determines that the other vehicle Mn has left the lane based on a combination of the recognized one or more departure actions. If the control unit 11 determines that the other vehicle Mn has left the lane L, it stops following travel control and executes constant speed travel control.

[0037] exist Figure 3 , another vehicle Mn is shown changing lanes from lane L to the adjacent lane L1. In the example shown, the adjacent lane L1 is adjacent to the right side of lane L. The adjacent lane L1 may also be adjacent to the left side of lane L. When determining whether the other vehicle Mn has left its lane, the control unit 11 determines whether the direction indicator provided on the vehicle 1 is not illuminated.

[0038] When the direction indicator provided on the vehicle 1 is illuminated, the control unit 11 continues the following driving control because the vehicle 1 itself may be leaving the lane L. When the direction indicator provided on the vehicle 1 is not illuminated and the relative lateral speed Vx of the other vehicle Mn with respect to the vehicle 1 is greater than or equal to a threshold value, the control unit 11 determines that the other vehicle Mn is in the process of leaving the lane L.

[0039] The lateral velocity Vx is the velocity component of vehicle 1 in a direction perpendicular to the direction of travel of lane L (the Y-axis in the figure). The threshold value for the lateral velocity Vx is pre-set to a predetermined value. In this case, there is a possibility that the relative lateral velocity Vx of another vehicle Mn relative to vehicle 1 is greater than the threshold value, and the control unit 11 recognizes that the direction indicator of the other vehicle Mn is illuminated. In this case, it can also be determined that the other vehicle Mn is in the process of leaving lane L. This is because when the direction indicator of the other vehicle Mn is illuminated, the possibility of the other vehicle Mn leaving lane L increases.

[0040] If the control unit 11 determines that the other vehicle Mn is in the process of leaving lane L, it determines that the other vehicle has left the lane. In this case, the control unit 11 does not need to detect until the other vehicle Mn completely leaves lane L and moves to the adjacent lane L1; it only needs to detect the process of leaving lane L. Thereafter, if the control unit 11 detects that the other vehicle Mn has left the lane based on the detection value, it stops following travel control and executes constant speed travel control. If the control unit 11 detects that the other vehicle Mn has returned to the lane based on the detection value, it resumes following travel control.

[0041] At this time, if the vehicle 1 is traveling at a speed lower than the set speed, the control unit 1 re-accelerates the vehicle 1 to the set speed and maintains the set speed. Thus, the control unit 1 can re-accelerate to the set speed when switching from follow-up travel control to constant speed travel control without the driver noticing a delay in the timing of the re-acceleration.

[0042] exist Figure 4 , shows a state where another vehicle Mn is turning left from lane L toward the intersecting lane Lx. When the other vehicle Mn turns left from lane L, the relative yaw angle θ of the other vehicle Mn relative to the vehicle 1 increases. The control unit 11 calculates the relative yaw angle θ of the other vehicle Mn relative to the vehicle 1 based on the image of the other vehicle Mn captured in the image data. If the relative yaw angle θ of the other vehicle Mn relative to the vehicle 1 tends to increase, the control unit 11 recognizes that the other vehicle Mn is performing a departure maneuver to depart from lane L.

[0043] At this time, the control unit 11 may determine that the other vehicle Mn is in the process of leaving the lane L if the relative yaw angle θ of the other vehicle Mn relative to the vehicle 1 is increasing and the direction indicator of the other vehicle Mn is illuminated. When the direction indicator provided on the vehicle 1 is not illuminated, the control unit 11 compares the relative yaw angle θ of the other vehicle Mn relative to the vehicle 1 with a pre-set threshold value for the yaw angle θ. If the relative yaw angle θ of the other vehicle Mn relative to the vehicle 1 is greater than the threshold value, the control unit 11 determines that the other vehicle Mn has left the lane L.

[0044] Thereafter, if the control unit 11 recognizes, based on the detection value, that the other vehicle Mn has turned left and left lane L, it stops following control and executes constant speed control. If the control unit 11 recognizes, based on the detection value, that the other vehicle Mn has returned to its lane, it resumes following control. The above processing illustrates a situation where the other vehicle Mn has turned left, but it can also be applied to a situation where the other vehicle Mn has turned right. If the control unit 11 recognizes, based on the detection value of the relative yaw angle θ of the other vehicle Mn relative to the vehicle 1, that the other vehicle Mn has turned right and left lane L, it stops following control and executes constant speed control.

[0045] The control unit 11 may also recognize the departure action of the other vehicle Mn from the lane L based not only on the relative yaw angle of the other vehicle Mn with respect to the vehicle 1 but also on the relative lateral acceleration of the other vehicle Mn with respect to the vehicle 1. After the other vehicle Mn turns left or right from the lane L into the intersecting lane Lx, it is estimated that the other vehicle Mn is in an accelerating state within a predetermined distance from the point where the lanes connect.

[0046] If the relative lateral acceleration of the other vehicle Mn with respect to the vehicle 1 is greater than or equal to a threshold value within a predetermined lateral distance range relative to the vehicle 1, the control unit 11 recognizes that the other vehicle Mn is turning left or right and is in the process of leaving the lane L. If the control unit 11 recognizes, based on the detected value of the relative lateral acceleration of the other vehicle Mn with respect to the vehicle 1, that the other vehicle Mn has turned right and left the lane L, it stops following travel control and executes constant speed travel control.

[0047] exist Figure 5 , the relative lateral positional relationship between the other vehicle Mn and the vehicle 1 is represented. The control unit 11 can also identify the disengagement action of the other vehicle Mn based on the relative lateral positional relationship between the other vehicle Mn and the vehicle 1. The control unit 11 calculates, for example, an overlap ratio representing the relative lateral positional relationship between the other vehicle Mn and the vehicle 1. For example, in the lateral positional relationship in the lane L, when there is an overlap distance Rx where the body width Px of the vehicle 1 overlaps (overlaps) with the body width Qx of the other vehicle Mn, the overlap ratio is calculated based on the value (Rx / Px) obtained by dividing the overlap distance Rx by the body width Px of the vehicle 1. When there is no overlap distance Rx, the overlap ratio is set to 0.

[0048] The control unit 11 compares the calculated overlap ratio with a threshold value. If the overlap ratio is less than the threshold value, the control unit 11 determines that the other vehicle Mn is in the process of leaving the lane L. If the overlap ratio decreases to 0, the control unit 11 determines that the other vehicle Mn has left the lane L, stops the following driving control, and executes the constant speed driving control.

[0049] If the other vehicle Mn stops near the roadside without leaving lane L, the control unit 11 may also deem the other vehicle Mn to have left lane L, stop following control, and execute constant speed control. If the control unit 11 recognizes that the other vehicle Mn's deceleration light display is illuminated and that the other vehicle Mn has stopped, it stops following control and executes constant speed control. The deceleration light display includes the illumination of the brake lights and the flashing of the hazard lights.

[0050] If the control unit 11 identifies a stopping factor indicating that another vehicle Mn has stopped in lane L based on the detection value, the control unit 11 continues to perform following driving control, causing the vehicle to decelerate and stop following the other vehicle. Stopping factors include the presence of a light display indicating deceleration, a reduction in the speed of the other vehicle Mn, the presence of a signal indicating a stop, the presence of a sign indicating a stop, and the presence of a vehicle stopped at the end of the congestion line, thereby inferring that the other vehicle Mn may be stopped.

[0051] exist Figure 6 , the state in which another vehicle Mn and vehicle 1 are changing lanes to lane L1 adjacent to lane L is shown. For example, even if another vehicle changes its route and a diverging maneuver is detected, following driving control can be continued if vehicle 1 is traveling along the same route as other vehicle Mn and continues to travel behind it. If the control unit 11 detects a diverging maneuver by another vehicle Mn from lane L and determines that the direction indicator light of vehicle 1 is illuminated and that vehicle 1 is following the route of other vehicle Mn, following driving control is continued.

[0052] exist Figure 7 , shows the process flow of the vehicle control method executed by the vehicle control device 10. The vehicle control method includes following travel control for causing vehicle 1 traveling in lane L to follow another vehicle Mn traveling ahead of vehicle 1, and constant speed travel control for causing vehicle 1 to travel at a constant speed within lane L. The vehicle control method is executed by a computer program installed in a computer mounted on the vehicle control device 10. The computer program causes the vehicle control device 10 to execute the following processes.

[0053] Based on the detection value of the other vehicle Mn, the control unit 11 executes following control to cause the vehicle 1 to follow the other vehicle Mn (S100). Based on the detection value, the control unit 11 determines whether the direction indicator of the other vehicle Mn is illuminated (S102). If the direction indicator of the other vehicle Mn is not illuminated, the control unit 1 proceeds to S106. If the direction indicator of the other vehicle Mn is illuminated, the control unit 11 determines whether the direction indicator of the vehicle 1 is illuminated (S104).

[0054] If the direction indicator of vehicle 1 is on, the control unit 11 returns the process to S100. If the direction indicator of vehicle 1 is not on, the control unit 11 determines whether the other vehicle Mn has left lane L (S106). If the control unit 11 recognizes that the other vehicle has left the lane, it determines that the other vehicle has left the lane and stops the following driving control (S108). The control unit 11 executes constant speed driving control to cause vehicle 1 to travel at a constant speed in lane L (S110).

[0055] As described above, the vehicle control device 10 can execute speed recovery at appropriate timing when switching from following travel control to constant speed travel control. The vehicle control device 10 can also identify the disengagement of another vehicle Mn, thereby suppressing the driver's perception of a delay in re-acceleration caused by switching from following travel control to constant speed travel control. The vehicle control device 10 can also identify the cause of the stop of another vehicle Mn, allowing the continuation of following travel control.

[0056] In the above embodiment, the computer program executed in the configuration of the vehicle control device 10 may be provided in the form of a portable non-transitory computer-readable recording medium, such as a semiconductor memory, a magnetic recording medium, or an optical recording medium.

Claims

1. A vehicle control device, A control unit is provided for executing a following driving control for causing a vehicle traveling in a lane to follow another vehicle traveling ahead of the vehicle, and a constant speed driving control for causing the vehicle to travel at a constant speed in the lane. The control unit, executing the following travel control for causing the vehicle to follow the other vehicle based on a detection value of the other vehicle, When a departure action of the other vehicle from the lane is recognized based on the detection value, it is determined that the other vehicle has left the lane, The following travel control is stopped, and the constant speed travel control is executed.

2. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, The control unit determines that the other vehicle has left the lane when recognizing any one or more of the plurality of departure actions while a direction indicator provided on the vehicle is not illuminated, The plurality of disengagement actions include: a state in which the direction indicator of the other vehicle is lit, a state in which the relative lateral movement speed of the other vehicle relative to the vehicle is greater than a threshold value, a state in which the relative lateral movement acceleration of the other vehicle relative to the vehicle is greater than a threshold value, a state in which the relative yaw angle of the other vehicle relative to the vehicle is greater than a threshold value, and a state in which the relative lateral overlap rate between the other vehicle and the vehicle is less than a threshold value.

3. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, When the control unit recognizes a stopping factor of the other vehicle in the lane based on the detection value, the control unit continues the following travel control to decelerate and stop the vehicle following the other vehicle.

4. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, When the other vehicle changes its route and recognizes the separation action, the control unit continues the following travel control if it is determined that the direction indicator light of the vehicle is on and the vehicle is following the other vehicle and traveling along the route.

5. A program installed in a vehicle control device that executes following travel control for causing a vehicle traveling in a lane to follow another vehicle traveling ahead of the vehicle, and constant speed travel control for causing the vehicle to travel at a constant speed in the lane, the program causing a computer to execute the following processing: executing the following travel control for causing the vehicle to follow the other vehicle based on a detection value of the other vehicle, When a departure action of the other vehicle from the lane is recognized based on the detection value, it is determined that the other vehicle has left the lane, The following travel control is stopped, and the constant speed travel control is executed.

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