Control device, control method, and storage medium

Abstract

A control device, a control method, and a storage medium capable of improving convenience for an occupant of a moving body. The control device determines whether (a) the length in the direction of travel of a connection region where the first lane and the second lane are connected satisfies the length at which the moving body changes the lane to the second lane at a speed equal to or greater than a predetermined speed at which automatic lane change control can be performed; determining whether (b) lane change to a second lane is possible in the connection region at the speed of the moving body, and if the moving body has scheduled to change the lane to the second lane, if (a) is not satisfied, and if (a) is not satisfied, if (a) is not satisfied, before the moving body reaches the second lane, determining whether or not (b) the lane change to the second lane at the speed of the moving body; when (a) is satisfied and (b) is not satisfied, the vehicle is decelerated to a speed at which the vehicle can be changed to the second lane and at a speed equal to or higher than a predetermined speed, and the vehicle is notified to the occupant of the vehicle that the vehicle cannot be changed to the second lane by performing automatic lane change control.

Description

Technical Field

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

[0002] In recent years, efforts to provide sustainable transportation systems that take into account various situations have intensified. To achieve this, research and development efforts are focused on driving support technologies to further improve traffic safety and convenience. For example, a vehicle control device (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2023-146020) has been disclosed that sets a steering support stop (give-up) position based on driving speed and the end point of the driving lane and the adjacent branch lane. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In the conventional technology, appropriate control according to the road may not be performed, and the convenience for the occupants of the mobile vehicle may be insufficient.

[0004] The present invention was developed in consideration of such circumstances, and one of its objectives is to provide a control device, a control method, and a storage medium that can improve the convenience for passengers (e.g., drivers) of a mobile vehicle, thereby contributing to the development of sustainable transportation systems.

[0005]

Methods for solving the problem

[0006] The control device, control method, and storage medium according to the present invention employ the following structures.

[0007] (1): One embodiment of the present invention relates to a control device, wherein the control device comprises: a determination unit that determines whether automatic lane change control can be performed, the automatic lane change control being to cause a mobile body to automatically change lanes to a second lane adjacent to a first lane in which the mobile body is traveling; and a control unit that causes the mobile body to change lanes when the automatic lane change control is performed, the second lane being a lane that does not exist at a position where the mobile body is traveling and is added ahead of the position in the direction of travel of the mobile body, the determination unit determining whether (a) a length of a connection area connecting the first lane and the second lane in the direction of travel satisfies a requirement for causing the mobile body to change lanes to the second lane at a speed greater than a prescribed speed that enables the automatic lane change control to be performed. The determining unit determines whether (b) a lane change to the second lane can be performed in the connecting area at a moving body speed, the moving body speed being the current speed of the moving body or the speed assumed when the moving body reaches the second lane. When the moving body is scheduled to change lanes to the second lane, the control unit performs the following processing: if (a) is not satisfied, before the moving body reaches the second lane, notifying an occupant of the moving body that the automatic lane change control cannot be implemented to cause the moving body to change lanes to the second lane; and if (a) is satisfied and (b) is not satisfied, decelerating the moving body to a speed at which the lane change to the second lane can be performed and which is higher than the prescribed speed.

[0008] (2): In the above configuration (1), the determination unit determines that the condition (b) is not satisfied when the length of the connecting area in the traveling direction is shorter than a length that allows lane change to the second lane at the moving object speed.

[0009] (3): Based on the solution of (2) above, a release position of the automatic lane change control is set on the front side in the direction of travel with the terminal end of the connection area as a reference, and when the control unit is traveling at a speed higher than the specified speed, the automatic lane change control cannot be performed when the release position is located in front of the starting point of the connection area in the direction of travel, so the notification is performed before reaching the release position.

[0010] (4): Based on the above (1), the determination unit determines that the above (b) is satisfied when the speed of the moving body is less than or equal to an allowable speed, wherein the allowable speed is a speed at which the moving body can change lanes from the first lane to the second lane, which is set based on the length of the connecting area in the direction of travel.

[0011] (5): Based on the solution of (1) above, the determination unit determines whether the curvature of the second lane or the road near the second lane is such that the automatic lane change control cannot be performed to the second lane when the mobile body is traveling at a speed greater than the prescribed speed, and the control unit notifies the occupants of the mobile body that the automatic lane change control cannot be performed to change the lane of the mobile body to the second lane before the mobile body reaches the second lane, if the determination unit determines that the curvature of the road is such that the automatic lane change control cannot be performed to change the lane of the mobile body.

[0012] (6): Based on the scheme of (5) above, the determination unit determines whether the curvature of the road at the starting point of the connection area or near the starting point is a curvature that cannot perform the automatic lane change control to the second lane when the mobile body is traveling at a speed greater than the prescribed speed, and the control unit notifies the occupants of the mobile body that the automatic lane change control cannot be performed to cause the mobile body to change lanes to the second lane before the mobile body reaches the second lane, if the determination unit determines that the curvature of the road is a curvature that cannot perform the automatic lane change control to cause the mobile body to change lanes to the second lane.

[0013] (7): Based on the scheme of (6) above, even if the determination unit determines that the curvature of the road at the starting point of the connection area or near the starting point is such that the automatic lane change control cannot be performed to the second lane when the moving body travels at a speed greater than the prescribed speed, the determination unit determines that the automatic lane change control can be performed when it is determined that the length of the connection area in the direction of travel is greater than the prescribed length.

[0014] (8): Based on the solution of (7) above, the prescribed length is a length at which the automatic lane change control can be executed if the vehicle decelerates within a range that does not fall below the prescribed speed when the curvature of the road at the starting point of the connection area or near the starting point is below a threshold.

[0015] (9): Based on the scheme of (1) above, the determination unit determines that (a) is satisfied when the permissible speed corresponding to the length of the connecting area in the direction of travel is above the prescribed speed at which the automatic lane change control can be performed, and the determination unit determines that (b) is satisfied when the speed of the moving body is below the permissible speed, wherein the permissible speed is a speed at which the moving body can change lanes, which is set based on the length of the connecting area in the direction of travel.

[0016] (10): Another embodiment of the present invention relates to a vehicle control method, wherein the control method causes a computer to perform the following processing: determining whether automatic lane change control is possible, the automatic lane change control being to cause a mobile body to automatically change lanes to a second lane adjacent to a first lane in which the mobile body is traveling; causing the mobile body to change lanes when the automatic lane change control is possible, the second lane being a lane that does not exist at the position where the mobile body is traveling and is added ahead of the position in the direction of travel of the mobile body; and determining whether (a) the length of the connection area between the first lane and the second lane in the direction of travel satisfies the requirement for causing the mobile body to change lanes to the second lane at a speed greater than a prescribed speed at which the automatic lane change control can be performed. the length of the change; and determining whether (b) a lane change to the second lane can be made at the connecting area at a moving body speed, the moving body speed being the current speed of the moving body or the speed assumed when the moving body reaches the second lane, and in a case where the moving body is scheduled to change lanes to the second lane, the control method causes the computer to perform the following processing: if (a) is not satisfied, before the moving body reaches the second lane, notifying the occupants of the moving body that the automatic lane change control cannot be implemented to cause the moving body to change lanes to the second lane; and if (a) is satisfied and (b) is not satisfied, decelerating the moving body to a speed at which the lane change to the second lane can be made and which is above the prescribed speed.

[0017] (11): Another embodiment of the present invention relates to a storage medium storing a program, wherein the program is used to cause a computer to perform the following processing: determining whether automatic lane change control is possible, the automatic lane change control being to cause a mobile body to automatically change lanes to a second lane adjacent to a first lane in which the mobile body is traveling; causing the mobile body to change lanes when the automatic lane change control is possible, the second lane being a lane that does not exist at the position where the mobile body is traveling and is added ahead of the position in the direction of travel of the mobile body; determining whether (a) the length of the connection area between the first lane and the second lane in the direction of travel satisfies the requirement for causing the mobile body to change lanes to the second lane at a speed greater than a prescribed speed that enables the automatic lane change control to be performed The length of the lane change; and determining whether (b) it is possible to change lanes to the second lane at a moving body speed in the connecting area, the moving body speed being the current speed of the moving body or the speed assumed when the moving body reaches the second lane, and when the moving body is scheduled to change lanes to the second lane, the program causes the computer to perform the following processing: if (a) is not satisfied, before the moving body reaches the second lane, notifying the occupants of the moving body that the automatic lane change control cannot be implemented to cause the moving body to change lanes to the second lane; and if (a) is satisfied and (b) is not satisfied, decelerating the moving body to a speed at which the lane change to the second lane can be performed and which is above the prescribed speed.

[0018] Effects of the invention

[0019] According to the schemes (1) to (11), the convenience for the occupants of the mobile vehicle (e.g., the driver) can be improved. For example, the control device can implement control corresponding to the shape of the branch lane or the vicinity of the branch lane. Specifically, the control device decelerates the mobile vehicle so that the automatic lane change control can be executed, or notifies the occupants of the mobile vehicle that the automatic lane change control cannot be executed even if the vehicle is decelerated in advance, thereby improving the convenience for the occupants of the mobile vehicle.

[0020] According to the aspect (2), the control device can determine whether the automatic lane change control can be executed with higher accuracy based on the length of the connecting area.

[0021] According to the aspect (3), by notifying that the automatic lane change control cannot be executed before the vehicle reaches the stop position, it is possible to support the occupant in manually changing lanes with a margin.

[0022] According to the aspect (5), the control device can more accurately determine that the automatic lane change control cannot be performed and notify the occupant in advance.

[0023] According to the solution (6), it is possible to inform the occupant in advance that the automatic lane change control cannot be performed because the curvature of the road is equal to or greater than a threshold value and it is difficult to recognize the front of the moving object.

[0024] According to the aspect (7), even if the curvature of the start position or the vicinity of the start position of the automatic lane change control is greater than the threshold value, the control device executes the automatic lane change control if the length of the connection area is a predetermined distance. This can reduce the burden on the occupants.

[0025] According to the scheme of (8), when the curvature at the starting position or near the starting position of the lane change is larger than the reference, the control device increases the length of the specified distance of (7) mentioned above compared with the case where the curvature is smaller than the reference, thereby being able to perform automatic lane change control with margin even when the curvature is larger than the reference. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] Figure 1 It is a configuration diagram of a vehicle system using the vehicle control system according to the embodiment.

[0027] Figure 2 It is a diagram for explaining a comparative example.

[0028] Figure 3 This is a diagram for explaining control in scenario A.

[0029] Figure 4 This is a diagram for explaining control in scenario B.

[0030] Figure 5 This is a diagram for explaining control in scenario C.

[0031] Figure 6 This is a diagram for explaining the control of AC in the scenario.

[0032] Figure 7 This is a diagram showing an example of correspondence information.

[0033] Figure 8 This is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of processing executed by the driving support device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] [Overall structure]

[0035] Figure 1This is a block diagram of a vehicle system 1 utilizing a vehicle control system according to an embodiment. The vehicle equipped with vehicle system 1 is, for example, a two-wheeled, three-wheeled, or four-wheeled vehicle, and its driving source is an internal combustion engine such as a diesel engine or gasoline engine, an electric motor, or a combination thereof. The electric motor operates using power generated by a generator coupled to the internal combustion engine, or power discharged from a secondary battery or fuel cell. While this embodiment describes an application to a vehicle, it can also be applied to other mobile objects instead of vehicles.

[0036] Vehicle system 1 includes, for example, a camera 10, a radar device 12, a LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) device 14, an object recognition device 16, a communication device 20, an HMI (Human Machine Interface) 30, vehicle sensors 40, a navigation device 50, an MPU 60, an operating element 80, a direction indicator 90, a driving support device 100, a driving force output device 200, a braking device 210, and a steering device 220. These devices and equipment are interconnected via multiplexed communication lines such as CAN (Controller Area Network) communication lines, serial communication lines, and wireless communication networks. Figure 1 The illustrated configuration is merely an example, and a portion of the configuration may be omitted, or another configuration may be added. The driving support device 100 is an example of a "control device."

[0037] The camera 10 is, for example, a digital camera utilizing a solid-state imaging element such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor). The camera 10 is mounted anywhere on the vehicle (hereinafter referred to as the vehicle M) equipped with the vehicle system 1. To capture images of the forward direction, the camera 10 is mounted on the upper portion of the windshield, behind the rearview mirror, or elsewhere. For example, the camera 10 periodically and repeatedly captures images of the surroundings of the vehicle M. The camera 10 may also be a stereo camera.

[0038] The radar device 12 radiates radio waves, such as millimeter waves, around the vehicle M and detects the radio waves (reflected waves) reflected by objects to detect at least the object's position (range and direction). The radar device 12 can be mounted anywhere on the vehicle M. The radar device 12 can also detect the position and velocity of objects using the FM-CW (Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave) method.

[0039] LIDAR 14 irradiates light (or electromagnetic waves with a wavelength similar to light) around the vehicle M and measures the scattered light. LIDAR 14 detects the distance to an object based on the time between light emission and light reception. The irradiated light is, for example, pulsed laser light. LIDAR 14 can be mounted anywhere on the vehicle M.

[0040] The object recognition device 16 performs sensor fusion processing on the detection results from some or all of the camera 10, radar device 12, and LIDAR 14 to identify the position, type, speed, etc. of the object. The object recognition device 16 outputs the recognition results to the driving support device 100. The object recognition device 16 can output the detection results from the camera 10, radar device 12, and LIDAR 14 directly to the driving support device 100. The object recognition device 16 can also be omitted from the vehicle system 1.

[0041] The communication device 20 communicates with other vehicles around the vehicle M using, for example, a cellular network, Wi-Fi network, Bluetooth (registered trademark), DSRC (Dedicated Short Range Communication), or communicates with various server devices via a wireless base station.

[0042] The HMI 30 presents various information to the occupants of the vehicle M and accepts input operations from the occupants. The HMI 30 includes various display devices, speakers, a buzzer, a touch panel, switches, buttons, and the like. The HMI 30 includes a display device. For example, the display device is located in the center of the instrument panel of the vehicle M and displays various information in the vehicle M, such as a speedometer (speedometer) indicating the vehicle M's travel speed or a rotational speedometer (tachometer) indicating the rotational speed (rotational speed) of the internal combustion engine of the vehicle M. This is a so-called multi-information display.

[0043] The vehicle sensor 40 includes a vehicle speed sensor that detects the speed of the vehicle M, an acceleration sensor that detects acceleration, a yaw rate sensor that detects angular velocity about a vertical axis, an azimuth sensor that detects the orientation of the vehicle M, and the like.

[0044] The navigation device 50 includes, for example, a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiver 51, a navigation HMI 52, and a route determination unit 53. The navigation device 50 stores first map information 54 in a storage device such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or 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 can also be determined or supplemented by an INS (Inertial Navigation System) utilizing the output of the vehicle sensors 40. The navigation HMI 52 includes a display, speakers, a touch panel, keys, etc. The navigation HMI 52 may partially or entirely be shared with the HMI 30 described above. The route determination unit 53, for example, refers to the first map information 54 to determine a route (hereinafter referred to as a "mapped route") from the position of the vehicle M determined by the GNSS receiver 51 (or an input arbitrary position) to a destination input by the occupant using the navigation HMI 52. The first map information 54 represents the shape of the road, for example, by representing road links and nodes connected by the links. The first map information 54 may also include road curvature, POI (Point of Interest) information, and the like. The route on the map is output to the MPU 60. The navigation device 50 may also provide route guidance using the navigation HMI 52 based on the route on the map. The navigation device 50 may also be implemented as a function of a terminal device such as a smartphone or tablet computer held by the passenger. The navigation device 50 may also transmit the current location and destination to a navigation server via the communication device 20 and obtain a route equivalent to the route on the map from the navigation server.

[0045] The MPU 60 includes, for example, a recommended lane determination unit 61, which stores second map information 62 in a storage device such as an HDD or flash memory. The recommended lane determination unit 61 divides the route on the map provided by the navigation device 50 into multiple blocks (for example, every 100 meters in the vehicle's travel direction) and determines a recommended lane for each block by referring to the second map information 62. The recommended lane determination unit 61 determines the lane from the left to be driven on. If the route on the map branches, the recommended lane determination unit 61 determines a recommended lane so that the vehicle M can travel on a reasonable route to the branch destination. For example, when the vehicle M reaches a predetermined distance to the front of the branch road, the recommended lane determination unit 61 determines the lane connected to the branch road as the recommended lane. The recommended lane determination unit 61 and the second map information 62 may also be functional units or information included in other devices such as the driving support device 100.

[0046] The second map information 62 is more accurate than the first map information 54. The second map information 62 includes, for example, information about lane centers and lane boundaries. The second map information 62 may include road information, traffic restriction information, address information (address, postal code), facility information, and telephone number information. The second map information 62 can be updated at any time by communicating with other devices via the communication device 20.

[0047] The operating elements 80 include, for example, a steering wheel 82, an accelerator pedal, a brake pedal, a shift lever, and other operating elements. Sensors are mounted on the operating elements 80 to detect the amount of operation or the presence or absence of an operation. These sensors output the detection results to the driving support device 100, as well as some or all of the driving force output device 200, the braking device 210, and the steering device 220. The steering wheel 82 need not necessarily be annular; it may also be a specially shaped steering wheel, a joystick, or a button. The operating elements 80 include a first operating element 84. The direction indicator 90 illuminates or extinguishes in response to the operation of the first operating element 84.

[0048] The first operating element 84 is, for example, a turn signal lever switch. For example, when the driver operates the first operating element 84, the direction indicator 90 illuminates in accordance with the operation. When the driver performs a predetermined operation on the first operating element 84, the control unit 150 activates the ALC (Auto Lane Change) function, causing the vehicle M to automatically change lanes. The predetermined operation is an operation that triggers the activation of the ALC function. Examples of the predetermined operation include operating the turn signal lever switch in the desired lane change direction for a predetermined period of time, or pressing the turn signal lever switch to a predetermined position. More specifically, the predetermined operation involves maintaining the turn signal lever switch in a predetermined position in the desired lane change direction for a predetermined period of time. The first operating element 84 may also be in another form, such as a button, instead of a turn signal lever switch. The ALC function may also be activated by operating another operating element, such as a predetermined button.

[0049] The driving support device 100 includes, for example, a recognition unit 110 and a control unit 150. The recognition unit 110 and the control unit 150 are implemented, for example, by a hardware processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) executing a program (software). Some or all of these components may also be implemented using hardware (including circuitry) such as an LSI (Large Scale Integration), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), or a System on Chip (SOC), or through a combination of software and hardware. The program may be pre-stored in a storage device (including a non-transitory storage medium) such as a HDD or flash memory in the driving support device 100, 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 attaching the storage medium (non-transitory storage medium) to a drive device.

[0050] The recognition unit 110 identifies the position, velocity, acceleration, and other states of objects surrounding the vehicle M based on information input from the camera 10, radar device 12, and LIDAR 14 via the object recognition device 16. The object's position is identified, for example, as an absolute coordinate position with a representative point of the vehicle M (such as the center of gravity or the center of the drive shaft) as the origin, and used for control. The object's position can also be represented by a representative point such as the object's center of gravity or a corner, or by an area. The object's "state" can also include its acceleration, jerk, or "behavior" (e.g., whether it is currently changing lanes or about to change).

[0051] The recognition unit 110, for example, identifies the lane in which the vehicle M is traveling (driving lane). For example, the recognition unit 110 identifies the driving lane by comparing the road dividing line pattern (e.g., an arrangement of solid and dashed lines) obtained from the second map information 62 with the road dividing line pattern surrounding the vehicle M identified from the image captured by the camera 10. The recognition unit 110 is not limited to road dividing lines; it can also identify the driving lane by identifying road dividing lines or road boundaries (road boundaries) such as shoulders, curbs, medians, and guardrails. This recognition may also incorporate the vehicle M's position obtained from the navigation device 50 and the results of processing by the INS. The recognition unit 110 identifies stop signs, obstacles, red lights, toll booths, and other road features.

[0052] When identifying a driving lane, the recognition unit 110 identifies the position and posture of the vehicle M relative to the driving lane. For example, the recognition unit 110 may identify the deviation of the vehicle M's reference point from the lane center and the angle formed by the vehicle M's travel direction with respect to a line connecting the lane centers as the relative position and posture of the vehicle M relative to the driving lane. Alternatively, the recognition unit 110 may identify the position of the vehicle M's reference point relative to either side of the driving lane (a road dividing line or a road boundary) as the relative position of the vehicle M relative to the driving lane.

[0053] The control unit 150 performs driving support control. For example, the control unit 150 automatically controls the driving force output device 200 and the braking device 210, independently of the driver's operation, to automatically control the speed of the vehicle M. The control unit 150 performs so-called Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC). The control unit 150 controls the vehicle M so that it travels at a set speed or follows the preceding vehicle at a predetermined distance.

[0054] The control unit 150 controls the steering device 220 to prevent the vehicle M from leaving the driving lane. For example, the control unit 150 controls the steering device 220 so that the vehicle M travels in the center or near the center of the driving lane identified by the recognition unit 110. This control is sometimes referred to as "lane keeping control" below. The control unit 150 performs both hands-on lane keeping control and hands-off lane keeping control.

[0055] Hands-on lane keeping control is executed when the driver is holding the steering wheel (a steering wheel grip sensor (not shown) detects the driver's grip). The conditions for executing hands-on lane keeping control are less stringent than those for executing hands-off lane keeping control.

[0056] Hands-off lane keeping control is executed when the driver is not gripping the steering wheel (when the steering wheel grip sensor (not shown) is not detecting the steering wheel grip). For example, hands-off lane keeping control can be executed when the following conditions are met: the vehicle M's speed is above a predetermined speed, the vehicle M is traveling on a predetermined road (e.g., a road or road type pre-defined as one capable of hands-off lane keeping control), and the driver is monitoring the road ahead. Hands-off lane keeping control is executed when the driver is monitoring the road ahead; otherwise, it is not executed or is stopped.

[0057] The above-mentioned conditions for enabling hands-on lane keeping control and hands-off lane keeping control are merely examples and may include other conditions (e.g., vehicle M following a preceding vehicle) or omit some conditions. The conditions for enabling hands-on lane keeping control may be less stringent than those for enabling hands-off lane keeping control (or more stringent than those for enabling hands-off lane keeping control). The driving support device 100 determines whether the driver is monitoring the road ahead based on images captured by a camera (not shown) that captures the driver's image.

[0058] The control unit 150 includes a determination unit 152 and a lane change control unit 154. The control unit 150 causes the vehicle M to automatically change lanes. Details of these will be described later. Automatic lane change control, which automatically changes lanes, may be conditional on the execution of hands-free lane keeping control or hands-on lane keeping control.

[0059] The driving force output device 200 outputs the driving force (torque) for driving the vehicle M to the drive wheels. The driving force output device 200 includes, for example, a combination of an internal combustion engine, an electric motor, and a transmission, and an ECU that controls these components. The ECU controls the aforementioned components based on information input from the driving support device 100 or information input from the operating element 80.

[0060] The brake system 210 includes, for example, a brake caliper, a hydraulic cylinder that transmits hydraulic pressure to the brake caliper, an electric motor that generates hydraulic pressure in the hydraulic cylinder, and a brake ECU. The brake ECU controls the electric motor based on information input from the driving support device 100 or information input from the operating element 80 to output a braking torque to each wheel in response to the braking operation.

[0061] The steering system 220 includes, for example, a steering ECU and an electric motor. The electric motor applies force to, for example, a rack-and-pinion mechanism to change the direction of the steering wheel. The steering ECU drives the electric motor based on information input from the driving support device 100 or information input from the operating element 80 to change the direction of the steering wheel.

[0062] [Comparative Example]

[0063] Figure 2 This is a diagram for explaining a comparative example. In the comparative example, when a vehicle M is scheduled to change lanes to the second lane L2, which is a branch lane, using automatic lane change control, if the second lane L2 does not meet the conditions for implementing the automatic lane change control, a notification indicating that the automatic lane change control cannot be performed may be given after the vehicle M reaches the second lane L2. Figure 2In the example, there is a second lane L2 that branches off from the first lane. Vehicle M can change lanes from the first lane L1 to the second lane L2 in a connecting area AR1 (the area adjacent to the first lane L1 and the second lane L2) where the first lane L1 and the second lane L2 connect. The starting point of the connecting area AR1 is position P1. Position P1 is the starting point of the second lane L2. The end point of the connecting area AR1 is position P2. Position P2 is where the first lane L1 and the second lane L2 separate.

[0064] At time T, when the occupant of vehicle M performs an operation to instruct automatic lane change control to the second lane L2 at a predetermined distance ahead of position P1, the driving support device of the comparative example determines whether the length L1 from position P1 to position P2 satisfies a condition. The condition is that the length L1 is a length that allows for lane change at the speed of vehicle M with a margin. For example, when the length L1 does not satisfy the condition, there may be a case where Figure 2 As indicated by the arrow, vehicle M cannot move laterally to the second lane L2. Instead, vehicle M enters the zebra zone (or traffic flow strip) located in front of position P2, for example, and changes lanes. To mitigate this, the comparative example provides a notification of impossibility when the conditions are not met. However, this notification may occur after vehicle M passes position P1. In this case, the driver of vehicle M must manually change lanes to the second lane L2. When the driver takes control, vehicle M is already halfway to the connecting area AR1 in its direction of travel, requiring the driver to quickly change lanes. This can create unfavorable conditions for the driver in the comparative example.

[0065] In this embodiment, the convenience for the user is improved by performing determination and control as follows.

[0066] [Controls related to lane changes]

[0067] Determination unit 152 determines whether automatic lane change control (ALC) is available. This automatic lane change control (ALC) automatically changes vehicle M to a second lane adjacent to the first lane in which vehicle M is traveling. Lane change control unit 154 causes vehicle M to change lanes if ALC is available. ALC is executed when the speed of vehicle M is above a predetermined speed. For example, if the speed of vehicle M is below the predetermined speed, ALC is not executed, requiring the driver of vehicle M to manually change lanes. The second lane is a lane that does not already exist at the location where vehicle M is traveling and is added ahead of the aforementioned location in the direction of travel of vehicle M. This added lane is, for example, a branch lane.

[0068] Determination unit 152 determines whether (a) the length of connecting area AR1 connecting the first lane and the second lane in the traveling direction of vehicle M satisfies a length required for vehicle M to change lanes to the second lane at a speed greater than or equal to a predetermined speed at which automatic lane change control can be executed. The length required for vehicle M to change lanes to the second lane at a speed greater than or equal to the predetermined speed is a predetermined length. Determination unit 152 may also determine that condition (a) is satisfied if the permissible speed associated with the length of the connecting area in the traveling direction is greater than or equal to the predetermined speed at which automatic lane change control can be executed.

[0069] The determination unit 152 determines whether (b) a lane change to the second lane is possible in the connecting area at the current speed of the vehicle M or the speed at which the vehicle M is assumed to reach the second lane. The determination unit 152 determines that (b) is not satisfied if the length of the vehicle M in the traveling direction of the connecting area is shorter than the length at which a lane change to the second lane is possible at the vehicle's speed. More specifically, the determination unit 152 determines that (b) is not satisfied if the vehicle speed exceeds the permissible speed, and determines that (b) is satisfied if the vehicle speed is below the permissible speed. The permissible speed is a speed at which the vehicle M can change lanes from the first lane to the second lane, which is set based on the length of the vehicle M in the traveling direction of the connecting area.

[0070] If the vehicle M is scheduled to change lanes to the second lane, the lane change control unit 154, if condition (a) above is not satisfied, notifies the occupants of the vehicle M that automatic lane change control cannot be implemented to change the vehicle M to the second lane before the vehicle M reaches the second lane. If the vehicle M is scheduled to change lanes to the second lane, the lane change control unit 154, if condition (a) above is satisfied and condition (b) above is not satisfied, decelerates the vehicle M to a speed that allows the lane change to the second lane and is at least a predetermined speed.

[0071] The length of the vehicle M in the travel direction of the connected area is obtained from the map information or based on the recognition result of the recognition unit 110. The determination unit 152 refers to the first map information 54 or the second map information 62 to obtain the length of the vehicle M in the travel direction of the connected area, or obtains the length of the vehicle M in the travel direction of the connected area based on the recognition result of the recognition unit 110.

[0072] The processing of this embodiment is executed, for example, when vehicle M plans to change lanes from the first lane L1 to a branch road (the second lane L2). Automatic lane change control to the branch road can be initiated by the occupant operating the first operating element 84 to instruct a lane change to the branch road, or it can be initiated when a lane change to the branch road is previously scheduled. A scheduled lane change refers to, for example, a route that vehicle M plans to travel on the branch road, following a predetermined operation performed by the occupant of vehicle M, or a route to a set destination. While this embodiment is described as being applied when a lane change is scheduled as described above, the driving support device 100 may also notify the driver of the decision to change lanes to the branch road if automatic lane change control cannot be executed, even if the aforementioned operation or reservation is not performed.

[0073] (Scenario A)

[0074] Figure 3 This is a diagram for explaining the control in case A. Figure 2 The following description will focus on the differences. At time T, when a passenger of vehicle M instructs automatic lane change control to the second lane L2 at a predetermined distance ahead of position P1, determination unit 152 determines whether condition (a) above is satisfied. If condition (a) above is not satisfied, lane change control unit 154 notifies the passenger that automatic lane change control cannot be executed and changes lanes to the second lane L2. This notification is made ahead of position P1. For example, the notification may be made a predetermined distance ahead of position P1.

[0075] For example, the automatic lane change control release position is set ahead in the direction of travel, with the end point of the connection area (position P2) as a reference. If the vehicle M is traveling at a predetermined speed (predetermined speed) or higher, and the release position is located ahead of the starting point of the connection area (position P1) in the direction of vehicle M's entry, automatic lane change control cannot be performed. Therefore, the lane change control unit 154 notifies the vehicle M before reaching the release position. The release position is the position where the lane change must be initiated in order to complete the lane change before position P2, while the vehicle M is traveling at a predetermined speed or higher. The driving support device 100 determines the release position and notifies the vehicle M before it reaches the release position.

[0076] For example, if the length L2 from position P1 to position P2 is short, when vehicle M changes lanes while traveling at a speed exceeding a specified speed, the lateral movement associated with the lane change may be abrupt. Therefore, for a lane length of L2, vehicle M must change lanes at a speed below the specified speed. However, automatic lane change control is executed at speeds exceeding the specified speed, so lane changes to length L2 must be performed manually.

[0077] In case A, the lane change control unit 154 notifies the occupant that automatic lane change control is not possible before position P1, thereby allowing the occupant to manually prepare for lane change with some time. Automatic lane change control is thus executed, improving user convenience.

[0078] (Scenario B)

[0079] Figure 4 This is a diagram for explaining the control in case B. Figure 2 、 Figure 3 The following explanation will focus on the differences between Figure 4 In the example of , the above-mentioned condition (a) is satisfied. For example, the driving support device 100 controls the speed of the vehicle M.

[0080] At time T, when the occupant of vehicle M performs an automatic lane change control operation to instruct the vehicle to change to the second lane L2 at a predetermined distance ahead of position P1, determination unit 152 determines whether condition (b) above is satisfied based on length L3 from position P1 to position P2 and the speed of vehicle M. If condition (b) above is not satisfied, lane change control unit 154 decelerates vehicle M. For example, lane change control unit 154 controls the speed of vehicle M so that vehicle M reaches position P1 at a speed below the permitted speed.

[0081] For example, when vehicle M performs a lane change, the required connecting area length varies depending on speed. Depending on the current speed or the speed at which vehicle M reaches the connecting area, vehicle M may not be able to use the connecting area of ​​length L3 to perform a lane change. In this case, if automatic lane change control is stopped after vehicle M reaches the connecting area or a notification is given that automatic lane change control is disabled, the driver may need to quickly manually change lanes.

[0082] In case B, the lane change control unit 154 adjusts the speed of the vehicle M to a speed corresponding to the length of the connecting area so that automatic lane change control can be performed before position P1. Automatic lane change control is thus performed, improving user convenience.

[0083] (Scenario C)

[0084] The determination unit 152 determines whether the curvature of the road in or near the second lane is such that automatic lane change control cannot be performed to the second lane when the vehicle M is traveling at a speed exceeding a predetermined speed. The curvature, like the length of the connection area, is obtained by referring to the first map information 54 or the second map information 62 or from the recognition results of the recognition unit 110. If the determination unit 152 determines that the curvature of the road is such that automatic lane change control cannot be performed to the second lane (e.g., a curvature exceeding a threshold), the lane change control unit 154 notifies the occupants of the vehicle M that automatic lane change control cannot be performed, and causes the vehicle M to change lanes to the second lane, before the vehicle M reaches the second lane.

[0085] Figure 5 This is a diagram for explaining the control in case C. Figure 2-Figure 4 The following description will focus on the differences between the two. At time T, when the occupant of the vehicle M performs an operation to instruct the automatic lane change control to the second lane L2 at a predetermined distance ahead of the position P1, the determination unit 152 obtains the curvature of the target area. The target area is the second lane L2, the vicinity of the second lane L2, the starting point of the connecting area, the road near the starting point (for example, the first lane L1), etc. The target area is, for example, Figure 5 The area included in the area AR2 or the area near the area AR2. Figure 5 The arrow of R1 is an example of a curvature calculation target.

[0086] At time T+1, when the curvature is such that automatic lane change control cannot be performed to the second lane, the lane change control unit 154 notifies the occupant of the vehicle M, for example, closer to the position P1, that automatic lane change control cannot be performed to change the lane of the vehicle M to the second lane.

[0087] For example, lane changes may not be permitted by automatic lane change control in areas with a curvature greater than a threshold value. In this case, if automatic lane change control is stopped or a notification indicating that automatic lane change control is not possible is given upon reaching position P1, the driver must quickly change lanes manually.

[0088] In case C, the lane change control unit 154 notifies the occupant that automatic lane change control is not possible before position P1, thereby allowing the occupant to manually prepare for lane change with some time. Automatic lane change control is thus executed, improving user convenience.

[0089] Summary of the past

[0090] Figure 6This figure illustrates control in scenarios AC. As described in scenario A, when the length of the connecting area is less than the length corresponding to the speed at which automatic lane change control is possible, the driving support device 100 notifies the driver that automatic lane change control is not possible at a predetermined distance before the starting point of the connecting area. As described in scenario B, when the length of the connecting area is greater than the length corresponding to the speed at which automatic lane change control is possible and the speed of vehicle M exceeds the permissible speed of the connecting area, the driving support device 100 reduces the speed of vehicle M to below the permissible speed before reaching the starting point of the connecting area. As described in scenario C, when the curvature of the lanes, roads, etc. included in the target area exceeds a threshold value, the driving support device 100 notifies the driver that automatic lane change control is not possible at a predetermined distance before the starting point of the connecting area.

[0091] As described above, the driving support device 100 can realize control according to the shape of the connection area or the vicinity of the connection area, thereby improving the convenience of the user.

[0092] Here, the allowable speed will be described. The determination unit 152 refers to the corresponding information 160 to obtain the allowable speed. Figure 7 This figure shows an example of correspondence information 160. Correspondence information 160 is information stored in the storage unit of the driving support device 100. Correspondence information 160, for example, is information that associates the length range of the connection area with the permissible speed. For example, when the length is La, the permissible speed is X1 km / h. The determination unit 152 refers to the correspondence information 160 to obtain the permissible speed for the target connection area AR.

[0093] For example, when traveling on a road (first lane L1 or second lane L2) with a curvature less than a threshold and capable of automatic lane change control, determination unit 152 determines the permissible speed corresponding to the curvature. The permissible speed corresponding to the curvature is a speed obtained by applying a pre-set curvature index to the permissible speed corresponding to a length range. For example, when the curvature is less than the threshold and the length of the connecting area is La, the permissible speed is calculated by multiplying the permissible speed x1 km / h by a coefficient corresponding to the curvature that is less than 1.

[0094] As described above, the driving support device 100 acquires the permissible speed according to the shape of the road or the connection area, thereby realizing the above-mentioned control according to the shape.

[0095] In the above example, even if the curvature of the target area (e.g., the road at or near the starting point of the connecting area) is such that automatic lane change control to the second lane L2 is impossible when the vehicle M is traveling at a speed exceeding a predetermined speed, the determination unit 152 may determine that automatic lane change control is executable if the length of the connecting area in the traveling direction is determined to be greater than a predetermined length. For example, the determination unit 152 may determine that automatic lane change control is executable if the recognition unit 110 recognizes that the length of the connecting area in the traveling direction is the predetermined length as described above. Thus, even if the curvature of the starting position or the road near the starting position of the automatic lane change control is greater than a threshold value, the driving support device 100 executes automatic lane change control if the length of the connecting area is the predetermined distance. As a result, the burden on vehicle occupants can be reduced.

[0096] The predetermined length is a length that allows automatic lane change control to be executed if the curvature of the target area (the road at or near the starting point of the connection area) is below a threshold value, provided the vehicle decelerates within a range that does not fall below a predetermined speed. For example, the predetermined length is set longer as the curvature increases. When the curvature at or near the starting point of the lane change is greater than the first curvature, the driving support device 100 increases the predetermined length compared to when the curvature is less than the first curvature. This allows automatic lane change control to be executed with a margin even when the curvature is greater than the first curvature.

[0097] [flow chart]

[0098] Figure 8 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of the process flow performed by the driving support device 100. First, the determination unit 152 determines whether an instruction to execute automatic lane change control (ALC instruction) has been received (step S100). If an instruction to execute automatic lane change control has been received, the determination unit 152 determines whether the instruction is an instruction to change lanes to a branch lane (step S102). For example, if the driver operates the first operating element 84 to illuminate the direction indicator 90 to indicate a lane change to a branch lane, and the operation is for executing automatic lane change control, the determination unit 152 determines that the instruction is an instruction to change lanes to a branch lane.

[0099] Next, the determination unit 152 obtains the curvature of the target area (step S104) and determines whether the curvature is greater than a threshold value (step S106). If the curvature is greater than the threshold value, the lane change control unit 154 notifies the driver that automatic lane change control cannot be executed at a predetermined distance ahead of the starting point of the connecting area (step S114).

[0100] If the curvature is not greater than the threshold (if the curvature is less than the threshold), the determination unit 152 obtains the permissible speed corresponding to the connection area (step S108). Next, the determination unit 152 determines whether the permissible speed is below a predetermined speed at which automatic lane change control can be executed (step S110). If the permissible speed is below the predetermined speed at which automatic lane change control can be executed, automatic lane change control cannot be executed. Therefore, the lane change control unit 154 notifies the driver that automatic lane change control cannot be executed at a predetermined distance ahead from the starting point of the connection area (step S114).

[0101] If the permissible speed is not less than the predetermined speed at which automatic lane change control can be executed (if the permissible speed exceeds the predetermined speed at which automatic lane change control can be executed), the lane change control unit 154 determines whether the vehicle speed exceeds the permissible speed (step S112). If the vehicle speed exceeds the permissible speed, the lane change control unit 154 reduces the speed of the vehicle M to below the permissible speed (step S116). This allows the vehicle M to execute automatic lane change control in the connection area.

[0102] As described above, the driving support device 100 can improve the convenience of the occupants by notifying in advance when automatic lane change control cannot be executed due to the length of the connecting area or the shape of the road, or controlling the speed of the vehicle M so that automatic lane change control can be executed.

[0103] The above-described embodiment can be expressed as follows.

[0104] A control device comprising:

[0105] a storage device storing a program; and

[0106] Hardware processor,

[0107] The hardware processor performs the following processing by executing the program stored in the storage device:

[0108] determining whether automatic lane change control can be performed, wherein the automatic lane change control causes a mobile body to automatically change lanes to a second lane adjacent to a first lane in which the mobile body is traveling;

[0109] causing the mobile object to change lanes when the automatic lane change control is possible;

[0110] The second lane is a lane that does not exist at the position where the moving body is traveling and is added ahead of the position in the direction of travel of the moving body;

[0111] determining whether (a) a length of a connection area connecting the first lane and the second lane in the traveling direction satisfies a length for the mobile vehicle to change lanes to the second lane at a speed greater than or equal to a predetermined speed at which the automatic lane change control can be performed; and

[0112] determining whether (b) a lane change to the second lane is possible in the connecting area at a vehicle speed, the vehicle speed being a current speed of the vehicle or a speed assumed to be when the vehicle reaches the second lane;

[0113] When the mobile object plans to change lanes to the second lane, the following processing is performed:

[0114] If the condition (a) is not satisfied, before the mobile body reaches the second lane, notifying an occupant of the mobile body that automatic lane change control cannot be performed to cause the mobile body to change lanes to the second lane; and

[0115] When the above-mentioned (a) is satisfied and the above-mentioned (b) is not satisfied, the above-mentioned moving object is decelerated to a speed at which a lane change to the second lane is possible and which is equal to or higher than the above-mentioned predetermined speed.

[0116] While specific embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments at all, and various modifications and substitutions can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

Claims

1. A control device, wherein: The control device comprises: a determination unit that determines whether automatic lane change control can be performed, wherein the automatic lane change control causes a mobile body to automatically change lanes to a second lane adjacent to a first lane in which the mobile body is traveling; as well as a control unit configured to cause the mobile object to change lanes when the automatic lane change control is possible, The second lane is a lane that does not exist at the position where the moving body is traveling and is added ahead of the position in the traveling direction of the moving body. The determination unit determines whether (a) a length of a connection area connecting the first lane and the second lane in the travel direction satisfies a length for the mobile vehicle to change lanes to the second lane at a speed greater than or equal to a predetermined speed at which the automatic lane change control can be executed; The determination unit determines whether (b) a lane change to the second lane is possible in the connecting area at a vehicle speed, the vehicle speed being a current speed of the vehicle or a speed assumed when the vehicle reaches the second lane. When the mobile object plans to change lanes to the second lane, the control unit performs the following processing: If the condition (a) is not satisfied, before the mobile body reaches the second lane, notifying an occupant of the mobile body that the automatic lane change control cannot be performed to cause the mobile body to change lanes to the second lane; as well as When the above-mentioned (a) is satisfied and the above-mentioned (b) is not satisfied, the above-mentioned moving object is decelerated to a speed at which a lane change to the second lane is possible and which is equal to or higher than the above-mentioned predetermined speed.

2. The control device according to claim 1, wherein: The determination unit determines that the condition (b) is not satisfied when the length of the connection area in the traveling direction is shorter than a length that allows lane change to the second lane at the moving object speed.

3. The control device according to claim 2, wherein: The automatic lane change control release position is set on the front side in the traveling direction with reference to the terminal end of the connection area. When the moving body is traveling at a speed greater than or equal to the predetermined speed, the control unit cannot perform the automatic lane change control if the release position is located before the starting point of the connection area in the traveling direction, and therefore performs the notification before reaching the release position.

4. The control device according to claim 1, wherein: The determination unit determines that the above (b) is satisfied when the speed of the moving object is equal to or lower than the permissible speed. The permissible speed is a speed at which the moving object can change lanes from the first lane to the second lane, and is set according to the length of the connecting area in the traveling direction.

5. The control device according to claim 1, wherein: The determination unit determines whether the curvature of the second lane or the road near the second lane is such that the automatic lane change control cannot be performed to the second lane when the vehicle is traveling at a speed greater than or equal to the predetermined speed. When the determination unit determines that the curvature of the road is such that the automatic lane change control cannot be performed to change the lane of the second lane, the control unit notifies an occupant of the mobile body that the automatic lane change control cannot be performed to change the lane of the mobile body to the second lane before the mobile body reaches the second lane.

6. The control device according to claim 5, wherein: The determination unit determines whether the curvature of the road at the starting point of the connection area or near the starting point is such a curvature that the automatic lane change control cannot be performed to the second lane when the moving object is traveling at a speed greater than or equal to the predetermined speed. When the determination unit determines that the curvature of the road is such that the automatic lane change control cannot be performed to change the lane of the second lane, the control unit notifies an occupant of the mobile body that the automatic lane change control cannot be performed to change the lane of the mobile body to the second lane before the mobile body reaches the second lane.

7. The control device according to claim 6, wherein: Even if the determination unit determines that the curvature of the road at the starting point of the connecting area or near the starting point is such that the automatic lane change control cannot be performed to the second lane when the mobile body travels at a speed greater than the prescribed speed, the determination unit determines that the automatic lane change control can be performed if it determines that the length of the connecting area in the traveling direction is greater than the prescribed length.

8. The control device according to claim 7, wherein: The predetermined length is a length at which the automatic lane change control can be executed if the vehicle decelerates within a range that does not fall below the predetermined speed when the curvature of the road at or near the starting point of the connection area is equal to or smaller than a threshold value.

9. The control device according to claim 1, wherein: The determination unit determines that the condition (a) is satisfied when the permissible speed associated with the length of the connecting area in the traveling direction is equal to or greater than a predetermined speed at which the automatic lane change control can be executed. The determination unit determines that the condition (b) is satisfied when the speed of the moving object is equal to or lower than the permissible speed. The permissible speed is a speed at which the moving object can change lanes and is set according to the length of the connecting area in the traveling direction.

10. A control method, wherein: The control method causes the computer to execute the following processing: determining whether automatic lane change control can be performed, wherein the automatic lane change control causes a mobile body to automatically change lanes to a second lane adjacent to a first lane in which the mobile body is traveling; causing the mobile object to change lanes when the automatic lane change control is possible; The second lane is a lane that does not exist at the position where the moving body is traveling and is added ahead of the position in the direction of travel of the moving body; determining whether (a) a length of a connection area connecting the first lane and the second lane in the travel direction satisfies a length for the mobile vehicle to change lanes to the second lane at a speed greater than or equal to a predetermined speed at which the automatic lane change control can be performed; as well as determining whether (b) a lane change to the second lane is possible in the connecting area at a vehicle speed, the vehicle speed being a current speed of the vehicle or a speed assumed to be when the vehicle reaches the second lane; When the mobile object plans to change lanes to the second lane, the control method causes the computer to execute the following processing: If the condition (a) is not satisfied, before the mobile body reaches the second lane, notifying an occupant of the mobile body that the automatic lane change control cannot be performed to cause the mobile body to change lanes to the second lane; as well as When the above-mentioned (a) is satisfied and the above-mentioned (b) is not satisfied, the above-mentioned moving object is decelerated to a speed at which a lane change to the second lane is possible and which is equal to or higher than the above-mentioned predetermined speed.

11. A storage medium storing a program, wherein: The program is used to cause a computer to execute the following processing: determining whether automatic lane change control can be performed, wherein the automatic lane change control causes a mobile body to automatically change lanes to a second lane adjacent to a first lane in which the mobile body is traveling; causing the mobile object to change lanes when the automatic lane change control is possible; The second lane is a lane that does not exist at the position where the moving body is traveling and is added ahead of the position in the direction of travel of the moving body; determining whether (a) a length of a connection area connecting the first lane and the second lane in the travel direction satisfies a length for the mobile vehicle to change lanes to the second lane at a speed greater than or equal to a predetermined speed at which the automatic lane change control can be performed; as well as determining whether (b) a lane change to the second lane is possible in the connecting area at a vehicle speed, the vehicle speed being a current speed of the vehicle or a speed assumed to be when the vehicle reaches the second lane; When the mobile object plans to change lanes to the second lane, the program causes the computer to execute the following processing: If the condition (a) is not satisfied, before the mobile body reaches the second lane, notifying an occupant of the mobile body that the automatic lane change control cannot be performed to cause the mobile body to change lanes to the second lane; as well as When the above-mentioned (a) is satisfied and the above-mentioned (b) is not satisfied, the above-mentioned moving object is decelerated to a speed at which a lane change to the second lane is possible and which is equal to or higher than the above-mentioned predetermined speed.

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