Vehicle control device

Abstract

Provided is a vehicle control device that improves convenience for a driver when a vehicle is driven along with a traffic flow in a lane. The control device (30) is provided with: a recognition unit (31) that recognizes the surroundings of the vehicle (1); a specifying unit (32) that specifies, on the basis of the recognition result of the recognition unit (31), the lane position and / or the lane type of the own lane on the road having the own lane on which the vehicle (1) travels; an acquisition unit (33) that acquires information relating to the curvature of a curve when the curve is detected in front of the vehicle (1) in the own lane on the basis of the recognition result of the recognition unit (31); and a travel control unit (35) that controls acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle (1) on the basis of the determination result of the determination unit (32) and the information acquired by the acquisition unit (33). The travel control unit (35) controls the acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle (1) so as to reach a target speed corresponding to the lane position and / or the lane type of the own lane and the curvature of the curve.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle control device for controlling a vehicle. Background Art

[0002] In recent years, efforts to provide sustainable transportation systems that take into account the vulnerable positions of road users have intensified. As part of this effort, research and development of driver assistance and autonomous driving technologies in vehicles such as automobiles is underway to further improve traffic safety and convenience.

[0003] As an example of driving assistance technology, the following technology is disclosed in Patent Document 1: It is determined whether the lane in which the vehicle is traveling is a passing lane. If it is determined that the vehicle is traveling in the passing lane, the target acceleration is set so that the responsiveness of the vehicle speed toward the acceleration side is relatively higher than when the vehicle is traveling in a lane other than the passing lane (driving lane).

[0004] Prior art literature

[0005] Patent Literature

[0006] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-066758 Summary of the Invention

[0007] Problems to be solved by the invention

[0008] However, the conventional technology has room for improvement from the perspective of improving the driver's convenience when the host vehicle travels along the traffic flow in the host lane.

[0009] The present invention provides a vehicle control device that can improve the driver's convenience when the vehicle follows the traffic flow in the lane, thereby improving traffic safety and contributing to the development of a sustainable transportation system.

[0010] Solutions to Problems

[0011] One embodiment of the present invention is a vehicle control device that controls a vehicle, wherein:

[0012] The vehicle control device comprises:

[0013] an identification unit that identifies a surrounding condition of the vehicle;

[0014] a determining unit configured to determine a lane position and / or a lane type of a lane on a road having a lane in which the vehicle is traveling;

[0015] an acquisition unit that, when a curve is detected ahead of the vehicle in the own lane based on the recognition result of the recognition unit, acquires information on the curvature of the curve; and

[0016] a travel control unit that controls acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle based on the determination result of the determination unit and the information acquired by the acquisition unit,

[0017] The travel control unit controls acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle so as to achieve a target speed according to a lane position and / or lane type of the host lane and a curvature of the curve.

[0018] Effects of the Invention

[0019] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a vehicle control device capable of improving the driver's convenience when causing a host vehicle to travel along with the traffic flow in a host lane. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] Figure 1 This is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a vehicle 1 including a control device 30 according to the present embodiment.

[0021] Figure 2 1 is a diagram showing an example of control of the vehicle 1 by the control device 30 .

[0022] Figure 3 1 is a diagram showing another example of control of the vehicle 1 by the control device 30 .

[0023] Figure 4 1 is a diagram showing an example of the target speed table Tb1 that the control device 30 refers to.

[0024] Figure 5 2 is a diagram showing an example of the target speed correction table Tb2 that the control device 30 refers to.

[0025] Figure 6 This is a flowchart showing an example of processing executed by the control device 30 .

[0026] Description of Reference Numerals

[0027] 1: Vehicle

[0028] 30: Control device (vehicle control device)

[0029] 31: Identification Department

[0030] 32: Determine the department

[0031] 33: Acquisition

[0032] 34: Driving status recognition unit

[0033] 35: Driving control unit

[0034] LC: Center lane (driving lane)

[0035] LL: Left lane (driving lane)

[0036] LR: Right lane (overtaking lane)

[0037] RD: Road. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the vehicle control device of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following embodiments do not limit the present invention, and all elements described in the following embodiments are not necessarily essential elements of the present invention. In addition, two or more elements described in the following embodiments may be arbitrarily combined without departing from the scope of the present invention. It should be noted that, below, the same or similar elements are marked with the same or similar reference numerals, and their descriptions may be appropriately omitted or simplified.

[0039] [vehicle]

[0040] First, the vehicle according to the present embodiment will be described. Figure 1 The vehicle 1 of the present embodiment shown (hereinafter also referred to as the "present vehicle") is an automobile having a drive source and wheels (neither of which are shown), the wheels including drive wheels driven by power from the drive source and steerable wheels. As an example, the vehicle 1 may be a four-wheeled automobile having a pair of left and right front wheels and a pair of left and right rear wheels.

[0041] The driving source of vehicle 1 may be an electric motor, an internal combustion engine such as a gasoline engine or a diesel engine, or a combination of an electric motor and an internal combustion engine. Furthermore, the driving source of vehicle 1 may drive a pair of left and right front wheels, a pair of left and right rear wheels, or four wheels: a pair of left and right front wheels and a pair of left and right rear wheels. Of the front and rear wheels of vehicle 1, either one may be a steerable wheel, or both may be steerable wheels.

[0042] Vehicle 1 includes a sensor group 10 , a navigation device 20 , a control device 30 , which is an example of a vehicle control device according to the present invention, an electric power steering (EPS) system 40 , a driving force control system 50 , a braking force control system 60 , a communication unit 70 , an operation input unit 80 , and an alarm device 90 .

[0043] The sensor group 10 includes an external sensor 11 that acquires information about the surroundings of the vehicle 1 (hereinafter referred to as "surrounding information") and a vehicle sensor 12 that acquires information about the vehicle 1 (hereinafter referred to as "vehicle information"). The information acquired by each sensor included in the sensor group 10 (in other words, detection values) is output to the control device 30 and used by the control device 30 to control the vehicle 1 (hereinafter referred to as "vehicle control").

[0044] The external sensor 11 includes, for example, a camera 111, a sonar 112, and a radar 113. The camera 111 is a digital camera that captures the surroundings of the vehicle 1, including the front of the vehicle 1, and outputs the obtained image data of the surroundings to the control device 30. For example, a digital camera using an imaging element such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) can be used as the camera 111.

[0045] The sonar 112 emits sound waves around the vehicle 1 (e.g., in front of, behind, and to the sides of the vehicle 1) and receives reflected sound from objects around the vehicle 1, thereby detecting the distance, direction, and other information of the objects. The radar 113 emits radio waves around the vehicle 1, including in front of the vehicle 1, and receives reflected waves from objects around the vehicle 1, thereby detecting the distance, direction, and other information of the objects. For example, a millimeter-wave radar can be used as the radar 113.

[0046] It should be noted that the external sensor 11 may also include LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) in addition to the sonar 112 and radar 113, or may include LiDAR instead of the sonar 112 and radar 113. In this case, the LiDAR emits laser light around the vehicle 1, including the area in front of the vehicle 1, and receives reflected light from objects around the vehicle 1, thereby detecting the distance, direction, etc. of the object.

[0047] The vehicle sensor 12 includes, for example, a wheel sensor 121 , a vehicle speed sensor 122 , an inertial measurement unit (IMU) 123 , an occupant camera 124 , an operation detection unit 125 , and a steering touch sensor 126 .

[0048] The wheel sensor 121 detects the rotation angle of one or more wheels of the vehicle 1. As an example, the wheel sensor 121 detects the rotation angle of each of the left rear wheel and the right rear wheel. The wheel sensor 121 can be, for example, an angle sensor, a displacement sensor, or the like.

[0049] The vehicle speed sensor 122 detects the vehicle speed VP, which is the running speed of the vehicle 1 (in other words, the moving speed of the vehicle body). For example, the vehicle speed sensor 122 detects the vehicle speed VP based on the rotation speed of a counter shaft (not shown) included in the vehicle 1 .

[0050] The inertial measurement unit 123 detects the angular velocities in the pitch, roll, and yaw directions of the vehicle 1, and the accelerations in the front-back, left-right, and up-down directions of the vehicle 1. It should be noted that the vehicle sensor 12 may be configured to include an acceleration sensor that detects the acceleration of the vehicle 1 in a predetermined direction, or a gyroscopic sensor that detects the angular velocity of the vehicle 1 in a predetermined direction, in place of the inertial measurement unit 123.

[0051] The passenger camera 124 is a digital camera that captures the interior of the vehicle 1 and outputs the resulting image data to the control device 30. For example, the passenger camera 124 can be a so-called "driver monitoring camera" that captures the head (in other words, the face) of the passenger seated in the driver's seat of the vehicle 1 (hereinafter also referred to as the "driver") from the front. Similar to the camera 111, a digital camera utilizing an imaging element such as a CCD or CMOS can be employed as the passenger camera 124. It should be noted that in this embodiment, the image data captured by the passenger camera 124 serves as information that can be used to identify the driver's line of sight.

[0052] The operation detection unit 125 detects operations performed using the operation input unit 80, which is provided so that the driver can operate it. In this embodiment, the operation input unit 80 may include, for example, an operation button (not shown) that accepts an operation to switch the ACC (described later) between on (in other words, operating) and off (in other words, inactive). In this case, the operation detection unit 125 can detect the operation of turning the ACC on / off.

[0053] The steering device touch sensor 126 detects whether the steering device 46 of the vehicle 1 is properly gripped. For example, the steering device touch sensor 126 is implemented by an electrostatic capacitance sensor or the like. In this case, the electrostatic capacitance sensor is provided at the portion that the driver touches when the steering device 46 is properly gripped.

[0054] The navigation device 20 is configured to include, for example, a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiver 21, a touch panel 22, and a speaker 23. The navigation device 20 also includes a storage unit (not shown) such as a flash memory. The storage unit of the navigation device 20 stores, for example, a map information database (DB) 24. The map information database 24 contains, for example, road network information representing each road using a combination of nodes and links connecting the nodes.

[0055] The GNSS receiver 21 determines the current position of the vehicle 1 (e.g., the latitude and longitude of the location of the vehicle 1) based on signals received from GNSS satellites. It should be noted that the navigation device 20 may also obtain detection results from the vehicle sensors 12 (e.g., the wheel sensors 121 and the vehicle speed sensor 122) via the control device 30, and determine or supplement the current position of the vehicle 1 using an inertial navigation system (INS) that utilizes the detection values ​​of the vehicle sensors 12.

[0056] The touch panel 22 is formed by combining a display device such as a liquid crystal display or an OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) and a pointing device (such as a touchpad). The speaker 23 is configured to output sound to an occupant of the vehicle 1 (such as the driver).

[0057] For example, the navigation device 20 searches for a route from the current location of the vehicle 1 to a destination set by the driver using the touch panel 22, referring to the map information database 24. The navigation device 20 then provides route guidance based on the searched route using the touch panel 22 and the speaker 23. Furthermore, the navigation device 20 may cause the touch panel 22 to display a specified display in accordance with instructions from the control device 30. Furthermore, the navigation device 20 may output specified information to the control device 30, such as information indicating the determined current location of the vehicle 1 and information indicating operations received via the touch panel 22.

[0058] The control device 30 is, for example, a computer that centrally controls the entire vehicle 1. It includes a processor that performs various calculations, a storage unit with a non-transitory storage medium for storing various information, and an input / output unit that controls the input and output of data within and outside the control device 30 (none of which are shown). For example, the control device 30 may be implemented by a single ECU (Electronic Control Unit) or by the collaboration of multiple ECUs. A specific example of the control of the control device 30 will be described later, and therefore its description is omitted here.

[0059] The EPS system 40 is configured to include, for example, a steering angle sensor 41 , a torque sensor 42 , an EPS motor 43 , a resolver 44 , and an EPS ECU 45 .

[0060] The steering angle sensor 41 detects the steering angle θst of the steering device 46 and outputs information indicating the detected steering angle θst to the EPS ECU 45. The torque sensor 42 detects the steering torque TQ applied to the steering device 46 of the vehicle 1 and outputs information indicating the detected steering torque TQ to the EPS ECU 45.

[0061] EPS motor 43 assists the driver in operating steering system 46 by applying driving force or reaction force to steering column 47 connected to steering system 46 in accordance with instructions from EPS ECU 45. Resolver 44 detects rotation angle θm of EPS motor 43 and outputs information indicating the detected rotation angle θm to EPS ECU 45.

[0062] The EPS ECU 45 is a computer that controls the EPS system 40 (e.g., the EPS motor 43). It includes a processor that performs various calculations, a storage unit with a non-transitory storage medium that stores various information, and an input / output unit that controls the input and output of data within and outside the EPS ECU 45 (none of which are shown). The EPS ECU 45 is implemented as one or more ECUs. For example, the EPS ECU 45 controls the EPS system 40 (e.g., the EPS motor 43) based on the steering angle θst detected by the steering angle sensor 41, the steering torque TQ detected by the torque sensor 42, and the rotation angle θm detected by the resolver 44.

[0063] Furthermore, the EPS system 40 (e.g., the EPS ECU 45) may output information indicating the steering angle θst detected by the steering angle sensor 41, the steering torque TQ detected by the torque sensor 42, the rotation angle θm detected by the resolver 44, and the like to the control device 30. Furthermore, the EPS system 40 (e.g., the EPS ECU 45) may output information indicating the steering speed ω of the steering device 46 to the control device 30. In this case, the steering speed ω is obtained, for example, by performing a time differentiation on the steering angle θst.

[0064] The driving force control system 50 includes a drive ECU 51 and is configured to control the driving force of the vehicle 1. The drive ECU 51 is, for example, a computer that controls the driving force control system 50. It includes a processor that performs various calculations, a memory unit with a non-transitory storage medium for storing various information, and an input / output unit that controls the input and output of data within and outside the drive ECU 51 (none of which are shown). This unit is implemented as one or more ECUs. For example, the drive ECU 51 controls the power output from the vehicle 1's drive source based on operation of an accelerator pedal 52 provided on the vehicle 1. Furthermore, the drive ECU 51 can also control the driving force control system 50 (e.g., the drive source) in accordance with instructions from the control device 30.

[0065] The braking force control system 60 includes a brake ECU 61 and is configured to control the braking force of the vehicle 1. The brake ECU 61 is, for example, a computer that controls the braking force control system 60. It includes a processor that performs various calculations, a memory unit with a non-transitory storage medium for storing various information, and an input / output unit that controls the input and output of data within and outside the brake ECU 61 (none of which are shown). This unit is implemented as one or more ECUs. For example, the brake ECU 61 controls the braking force of the vehicle 1 by controlling a brake device (not shown) provided in the vehicle 1 based on operation of a brake pedal 62 provided in the vehicle 1. The brake device, for example, includes a brake caliper, a hydraulic cylinder that transmits hydraulic pressure to the caliper, and an electric motor that generates hydraulic pressure in the hydraulic cylinder. The brake ECU 61 controls the electric motor of the brake device to generate braking force corresponding to the operation of the brake pedal 62. Furthermore, the brake ECU 61 can also control the braking force control system 60 (e.g., the brake device) in accordance with instructions from the control device 30.

[0066] The communication unit 70 is a communication interface for communicating with the external device 2 under the control of the control device 30. Specifically, the control device 30 can communicate with the external device 2 via the communication unit 70. Examples of the external device 2 include a driver's terminal device (e.g., a smartphone) and a server managed by the manufacturer of the vehicle 1. Communication between the vehicle 1 and the external device 2 can employ, for example, mobile communication networks such as cellular lines, Wi-Fi (registered trademark), and Bluetooth (registered trademark).

[0067] The alarm device 90 is a device that issues an alarm to the driver under the control of the control device 30. The alarm device 90 is configured to include, for example, an MID (Multi-Information Display) 91 and a buzzer 92. The MID 91 is configured by a display device such as a liquid crystal display or an OLED, and is located in a position where the driver can visually recognize it (for example, in the instrument panel of the vehicle 1). It displays a predetermined alarm image in accordance with instructions from the control device 30. The buzzer 92 is configured to output a predetermined alarm sound and outputs the alarm sound in accordance with instructions from the control device 30. It should be noted that the MID 91 can also be shared with the touch panel 22 described above, and the buzzer 92 can be shared with the speaker 23 described above.

[0068] [Control device]

[0069] Next, the control device 30 will be described in more detail. The control device 30 includes a recognition unit 31, a determination unit 32, an acquisition unit 33, a driving state recognition unit 34, and a travel control unit 35, as functional units implemented by, for example, a processor executing a program stored in a storage unit of the control device 30.

[0070] The recognition unit 31 recognizes the surrounding conditions of the vehicle 1. For example, the recognition unit 31 performs sensor fusion processing on some or all of the detection results of the camera 111, sonar 112, and radar 113 included in the external sensor 11, and recognizes the surrounding conditions of the vehicle 1 based on the processing results.

[0071] More specifically, the recognition unit 31 identifies the position, type, speed, acceleration, and other information of objects surrounding the vehicle 1. For example, the recognition unit 31 identifies the object's position as a position in absolute coordinates with a representative point of the vehicle 1 (e.g., the center of gravity, the center of the drive shaft, etc.) as the origin. This allows the relative positions of the vehicle 1 and surrounding objects to be identified. Furthermore, the object's position can be represented in these absolute coordinates using a representative point such as the object's center of gravity or a corner, or as a region.

[0072] Examples of objects that can be identified by the recognition unit 31 include other vehicles, pedestrians, other traffic participants, lane dividing lines, road boundaries such as curbs and medians, road shoulders, guardrails, road structures such as traffic cones, and road markings such as speed signs, construction signs, and lane classification signs. Other vehicles that can be identified by the recognition unit 31 include not only so-called "ordinary vehicles" but also emergency vehicles such as patrol cars, fire trucks, and ambulances. The recognition unit 31 can, for example, distinguish emergency vehicles from ordinary vehicles. Furthermore, the recognition unit 31 can identify various road events, such as stop lines, traffic lights, merges, branches, interchanges, intersections, and toll booths on toll roads.

[0073] The recognition unit 31 can identify the shape and width of the lane in which the vehicle 1 is traveling, i.e., the lane itself, as well as road structures near the lane. If a road having a lane other than the lane itself (in other words, the road on which the vehicle 1 is traveling) has lanes other than the lane itself, the recognition unit 31 can also identify these lanes. It should be noted that the road having a lane other than the lane itself (i.e., the road on which the vehicle 1 is traveling) will be referred to as the "travel road" hereinafter.

[0074] Furthermore, the recognition unit 31 can also, for example, recognize the legal speed limit for the vehicle's lane based on the recognition results of road signs corresponding to the road being traveled, or recognize a construction section existing around the vehicle 1 on the road being traveled. Furthermore, the recognition unit 31 can also recognize emergency vehicles existing around the vehicle 1 on the road being traveled, or recognize road events such as merges, divergences, interchanges, intersections, and toll booths existing around the vehicle 1 on the road being traveled.

[0075] The recognition unit 31 can also recognize the weather around the vehicle 1 and the road conditions in the vehicle's lane. For example, the recognition unit 31 can recognize the weather around the vehicle 1 (e.g., whether it is raining) and the road conditions in the vehicle's lane (e.g., whether the road surface is wet) based on the surrounding image captured by the camera 111.

[0076] It should be noted that when the control device 30 is configured to be able to refer to high-precision map information (so-called "HD (High Definition) map"), the recognition unit 31 can also recognize part or all of the shape and width of the lane, road structures existing near the lane, other lanes on the travel road, road events existing around the vehicle 1 on the travel road, and the legal speed of the lane based on the high-precision map information. In this case, the high-precision map information can be included in the map information database 24 or in a database different from the map information database 24. It should be noted that high-precision map information, also known as HD map, is well known, and therefore a detailed description thereof is omitted here.

[0077] The determination unit 32 determines the lane position and / or lane type of the vehicle 1's lane on a road (i.e., the driving road) having the lane in which the vehicle 1 is traveling. For example, the determination unit 32 determines, as the lane position of the vehicle 1, the lane number (i.e., the lane number) of the vehicle 1's lane from one side or the other side in the width direction of the driving road based on the positional relationship between the lane identified by the recognition unit 31 and other lanes on the driving road. Alternatively, the determination unit 32 may determine, as the lane type of the vehicle 1's lane, whether the vehicle 1 is traveling in the lane in question or a passing lane based on the recognition result of the lane type identifier identified by the recognition unit 31. It should be noted that if the control device 30 is configured to reference high-precision map information, the determination unit 32 may also reference the high-precision map information to determine the lane position and lane type of the vehicle 1's lane on the driving road.

[0078] When a curve is detected ahead of the vehicle 1 in the host lane based on the recognition result of the recognition unit 31, the acquisition unit 33 acquires information related to the curvature of the curve ahead of the vehicle 1. For example, the acquisition unit 33 derives the curvature of the curve ahead of the vehicle 1 based on the curvature of the travel road boundary of the host lane recognized from the surrounding image captured by the camera 111, and acquires information indicating the derived curvature or the reciprocal of the curvature radius as the information related to the curvature.

[0079] In addition, when the control device 30 is configured to be able to refer to high-precision map information, the acquisition unit 33 can also obtain information related to the curvature of the curve existing in front of the vehicle 1 based on the current position of the vehicle 1 determined by the navigation device 20 (e.g., the GNSS receiver 21) and the high-precision map information.

[0080] The driving condition recognition unit 34 recognizes the driving condition of the driver of the vehicle 1. For example, the driving condition recognition unit 34 recognizes whether the steering wheel 46 of the vehicle 1 is properly gripped as the driver's driving condition based on the detection results of the steering touch sensor 126. Alternatively, the driving condition recognition unit 34 may determine the driver's gaze direction from the in-vehicle image obtained by the passenger camera 124 to recognize whether the driver is looking to the side as the driver's driving condition.

[0081] The driving control unit 35 controls the acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle 1 based on the determination result of the determination unit 32 and the information acquired by the acquisition unit 33. More specifically, when a curve is detected ahead of the vehicle 1 in its own lane, the driving control unit 35 controls the acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle 1 so as to achieve a target speed corresponding to the lane position and / or lane type of the own lane determined by the determination unit 32 and the curvature of the curve indicated by the information acquired by the acquisition unit 33.

[0082] The control device 30 of this embodiment, having such a configuration, can automatically drive the vehicle 1 at an appropriate speed that takes into account not only the curvature of the curve in the lane ahead of the vehicle 1 but also the lane position and / or lane type of the lane. This eliminates the need for the driver to perform operations to cause the vehicle 1 to follow the traffic flow in the lane, improving driver convenience when causing the vehicle 1 to follow the traffic flow in the lane. This, in turn, improves traffic safety and contributes to the development of a sustainable transportation system.

[0083] For example, on a road with a driving lane and a passing lane, traffic flow in the passing lane is generally faster than traffic flow in the driving lane. Therefore, when the lane type of the vehicle's own lane is determined to be a passing lane, the control device 30 (e.g., the driving control unit 35) increases the target speed compared to when the lane type of the vehicle's own lane is determined to be a driving lane. This allows the vehicle 1 to automatically travel at an appropriate driving speed that also takes into account the characteristic that traffic flow in the passing lane is faster than that in the driving lane.

[0084] Furthermore, on a road with one or more driving lanes on one side in the width direction and one or more passing lanes on the other side in the width direction, traffic flow in each lane generally increases as the lane is closer to the passing lane. Therefore, the control device 30 (e.g., the driving control unit 35) may set a higher target speed for the lane closer to the other lane (i.e., the passing lane). This allows the vehicle 1 to automatically travel at an appropriate driving speed that also takes into account the characteristic that traffic flow increases as the lane is closer to the passing lane.

[0085] It should be noted that the control device 30 (e.g., the driving control unit 35 ) performs vehicle control based on the target speed described above, for example, in a predetermined driving assistance control operation called ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control). ACC operates, for example, in response to detection of an ACC-on operation by the operation detection unit 125 . ACC is well known, and therefore a detailed description thereof will be omitted here.

[0086] [An example of vehicle control]

[0087] Next, use Figures 2 to 5An example of control of the vehicle 1 by the control device 30 (e.g., the travel control unit 35) will be described. Hereinafter, the curvature radius is represented by "R." For example, a curvature radius of 500 [m] is represented as "R500," a curvature radius of 505 [m] is represented as "R505," and a curvature radius of 510 [m] is represented as "R510."

[0088] exist Figure 2 and Figure 3 , a curved portion of a road RD is illustrated, which includes a left lane LL whose lane category is "first driving lane" and is located on the far left (in other words, furthest to one side in the width direction), a center lane LC whose lane category is "second driving lane" and is adjacent to the left side of the left lane LL, and a right lane LR whose lane category is "overtaking lane" and is located on the far right (in other words, furthest to the other side in the width direction).

[0089] In addition, Figure 2 In the curve shown, the curvature radius of the left lane LL is R500, the curvature radius of the center lane LC is R505, and the curvature radius of the right lane LR is R510. Figure 3 In the curved portion shown, the curvature radius of the left lane LL is R505, the curvature radius of the center lane LC is R510, and the curvature radius of the right lane LR is R515.

[0090] Figure 4 : is a diagram showing an example of the target speed table Tb1 referred to by the control device 30. Figure 4 As shown, the target speed table Tb1 is information that defines the target speed for each lane corresponding to each curvature radius. Note that the target speed table Tb1 is pre-stored in the storage unit of the control device 30 by, for example, the manufacturer of the vehicle 1 .

[0091] exist Figure 4 In the target speed table Tb1 shown, for example, when the curvature radius is R500, the target speed for the first driving lane (e.g., the left lane located at the far left) is Vp11, the target speed for the second driving lane (e.g., the center lane adjacent to the left side of the left lane) is Vp12 (where Vp12>Vp11), and the target speed for the overtaking lane (e.g., the right lane located at the far right) is Vp13 (where Vp13>Vp12).

[0092] In addition, when the curvature radius is R505, the target speed of the first driving lane is Vp21 (where Vp21>Vp11), the target speed of the second driving lane is Vp22 (where Vp22>Vp21 and Vp22>Vp12), and the target speed of the overtaking lane is Vp23 (where Vp23>Vp22 and Vp23>Vp13).

[0093] Moreover, when the curvature radius is R510, the target speed of the first driving lane is Vp31 (where Vp31>Vp21), the target speed of the second driving lane is Vp32 (where Vp32>Vp31 and Vp32>Vp22), and the target speed of the overtaking lane is Vp33 (where Vp33>Vp32 and Vp33>Vp23).

[0094] In addition, when the curvature radius is R515, the target speed of the first driving lane is Vp41 (where Vp41>Vp31), the target speed of the second driving lane is Vp42 (where Vp42>Vp41 and Vp42>Vp32), and the target speed of the overtaking lane is Vp43 (where Vp43>Vp42 and Vp43>Vp33).

[0095] The control device 30 refers to the target speed table Tb1 and determines the target speed when the vehicle 1 travels on the curved portion of the road RD. Figure 2 In the case shown in FIG. 1 and the host lane is the left lane LL (ie, the first driving lane), the control device 30 can set the target speed to Vp11. Figure 2 In the case shown in FIG. 1 and the host lane is the center lane LC (ie, the second driving lane), the control device 30 can set the target speed to Vp22. Figure 2 In the case shown, when the host lane is the right lane LR (ie, the overtaking lane), the control device 30 can set the target speed to Vp33.

[0096] On the other hand, Figure 3 In the case shown in FIG. 1 and the host lane is the left lane LL (ie, the first driving lane), the control device 30 can set the target speed to Vp21. Figure 3 In the case shown in FIG. 1 and the host lane is the center lane LC (ie, the second driving lane), the control device 30 can set the target speed to Vp32. Figure 3 In the case shown, when the host lane is the right lane LR (ie, the overtaking lane), the control device 30 can set the target speed to Vp43.

[0097] That is, the control device 30 can increase the target speed as the curvature radius increases (in other words, as the curvature decreases) when the lane type and lane position of the host lane remain the same. In addition, the control device 30 can set the target speed to a higher value for lanes closer to the overtaking lane when the curvature remains the same. For example, when the curvature radius is R505 and the host lane is the left lane LL, the control device 30 sets the target speed to Vp21 (see Figure 3 If the host lane is the center lane LC, the control device 30 can set the target speed to Vp22 (refer to Vp21) which is higher than Vp22. Figure 2 Center lane LC).

[0098] Figure 5 The target speed correction table Tb2 referred to by the control device 30 is shown as an example. The control device 30 may also derive the target speed of the vehicle 1 based on the target speed table Tb1 described above, and Figure 5 The target speed is corrected by using the target speed correction table Tb2.

[0099] As an example, the control device 30 may also correct the target speed derived from the target speed table Tb1 to a target speed corresponding to the width of the own lane based on the target speed correction table Tb2. Figure 5 As shown, when the width of the own lane is greater than a predetermined value (e.g., 3 m), the control device 30 sets the correction value to ±0 and uses the speed derived from the target speed table Tb1 as the target speed. In contrast, when the width of the own lane is less than the predetermined value, the control device 30 sets the correction value to -α and uses the speed derived from the target speed table Tb1 minus α as the target speed.

[0100] In other words, it is assumed that when the width of the own lane is greater than a predetermined value, traffic flow in the own lane will be faster than when the width of the own lane is less than the predetermined value. Therefore, based on the determination result of the determination unit 32, the information acquired by the acquisition unit 33, and the recognition result of the recognition unit 31, the control device 30 (e.g., the driving control unit 35) may control the acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle 1 to achieve a target speed corresponding to the lane position and / or lane type of the own lane, the curvature of the curve ahead of the vehicle 1, and the width of the own lane. This allows the vehicle 1 to automatically travel at an appropriate driving speed that takes into account not only the lane position and / or lane type of the own lane, the curvature of the curve ahead of the vehicle 1, but also the width of the own lane.

[0101] As another example, the control device 30 may also correct the target speed derived from the target speed table Tb1 to a target speed corresponding to a road structure existing near the own lane based on the target speed correction table Tb2. Figure 5 As shown, when there are no guardrails or traffic cones near the host lane (more specifically, near the boundary of the lane's travel path), the control device 30 sets the correction value to ±0 and uses the speed derived from the target speed table Tb1 as the target speed. In contrast, when there are guardrails or traffic cones near the host lane, the control device 30 sets the correction value to -α and uses the speed derived from the target speed table Tb1 minus α as the target speed.

[0102] Specifically, if a road structure such as a guardrail or traffic cone that could collide with vehicle 1 is located near the vehicle's lane, traffic flow in the vehicle's lane will slow compared to when no such structure is present. Therefore, based on the determination result of determination unit 32, information acquired by acquisition unit 33, and recognition result of recognition unit 31, control device 30 (e.g., driving control unit 35) may control the acceleration and deceleration of vehicle 1 to achieve a target speed corresponding to the lane position and / or lane type of the vehicle's lane, the curvature of the curve ahead of vehicle 1, and the road structures near the vehicle's lane. This allows vehicle 1 to automatically travel at an appropriate speed that takes into account not only the lane position and / or lane type of the vehicle's lane, the curvature of the curve ahead of vehicle 1, but also the road structures near the vehicle's lane.

[0103] As another example, the control device 30 may also correct the target speed derived from the target speed table Tb1 to a target speed corresponding to the weather around the vehicle 1 and / or the road conditions of the own lane based on the target speed correction table Tb2. Figure 5 As shown, when the weather around vehicle 1 and the road conditions in the vehicle's lane are good (for example, when it is not raining and the road surface is not wet), control device 30 sets the correction value to ±0 and uses the speed derived from target speed table Tb1 as the target speed. In contrast, when the weather around vehicle 1 or the road conditions in the vehicle's lane are poor (for example, when it is raining and the road surface is wet), control device 30 sets the correction value to -α and uses the speed derived from target speed table Tb1 minus α as the target speed.

[0104] Specifically, it is assumed that when the weather around vehicle 1 is bad or the road surface conditions in the host lane are bad, traffic flow in the host lane will be slower than when the weather around vehicle 1 is good or the road surface conditions in the host lane are good. Therefore, based on the determination result of determination unit 32, information acquired by acquisition unit 33, and recognition result of recognition unit 31, control device 30 (e.g., driving control unit 35) may control the acceleration and deceleration of vehicle 1 to achieve a target speed corresponding to the lane position and / or lane type of the host lane, the curvature of the curve ahead of vehicle 1, and the weather around vehicle 1 and / or the road surface conditions in the host lane. This allows vehicle 1 to automatically travel at an appropriate speed that takes into account not only the lane position and / or lane type of the host lane, the curvature of the curve ahead of vehicle 1, but also the weather around vehicle 1 and / or the road surface conditions in the host lane.

[0105] As another example, the control device 30 may also correct the target speed derived from the target speed table Tb1 to a target speed corresponding to the presence or absence of a construction section around the vehicle 1 based on the target speed correction table Tb2. Figure 5 As shown, when there is no construction section around the vehicle 1 on the travel road, the control device 30 sets the correction value to ±0 and uses the speed derived from the target speed table Tb1 as the target speed. In contrast, when there is a construction section around the vehicle 1 on the travel road, the control device 30 sets the correction value to -α and uses the speed derived from the target speed table Tb1 minus α as the target speed.

[0106] Specifically, it is assumed that if a construction zone exists around vehicle 1 on the travel road, traffic flow in the vehicle's lane will slow down compared to if no such zone exists. Therefore, based on the determination result of determination unit 32, information acquired by acquisition unit 33, and recognition result of recognition unit 31, control device 30 (e.g., travel control unit 35) may control the acceleration and deceleration of vehicle 1 to achieve a target speed that corresponds to the lane position and / or lane type of the vehicle's lane, the curvature of the curve ahead of vehicle 1, and the presence or absence of a construction zone around vehicle 1 on the travel road. This allows vehicle 1 to automatically travel at an appropriate travel speed that takes into account not only the lane position and / or lane type of the vehicle's lane, the curvature of the curve ahead of vehicle 1 in the vehicle's lane, but also the presence or absence of a construction zone around vehicle 1 on the travel road containing the vehicle's lane.

[0107] As another example, the control device 30 may also correct the target speed derived from the target speed table Tb1 to a target speed corresponding to the presence or absence of an emergency vehicle around the vehicle 1 based on the target speed correction table Tb2. Figure 5As shown, when there is no emergency vehicle around the vehicle 1 on the travel road, the control device 30 sets the correction value to ±0 and uses the speed derived from the target speed table Tb1 as the target speed. In contrast, when there is an emergency vehicle around the vehicle 1 on the travel road, the control device 30 sets the correction value to -α and uses the speed obtained by subtracting α from the speed derived from the target speed table Tb1 as the target speed.

[0108] Specifically, it is assumed that if an emergency vehicle is present around vehicle 1 on the road, traffic flow in the vehicle's lane will slow down compared to if no such emergency vehicle is present. Therefore, based on the determination result of determination unit 32, information acquired by acquisition unit 33, and recognition result of recognition unit 31, control device 30 (e.g., driving control unit 35) may control the acceleration and deceleration of vehicle 1 to achieve a target speed that corresponds to the lane position and / or lane type of the vehicle's lane, the curvature of the curve ahead of vehicle 1, and the presence or absence of emergency vehicles around vehicle 1. This allows vehicle 1 to automatically travel at an appropriate speed that takes into account not only the lane position and / or lane type of the vehicle's lane, the curvature of the curve ahead of vehicle 1, but also the presence or absence of emergency vehicles around vehicle 1.

[0109] As another example, the control device 30 may also correct the target speed derived from the target speed table Tb1 to a target speed corresponding to the presence or absence of a merge, branch, interchange, intersection, or toll booth around the vehicle 1 based on the target speed correction table Tb2. Figure 5 As shown, when there are no merges, diverging roads, interchanges, intersections, or toll booths around vehicle 1, control device 30 sets the correction value to ±0 and uses the speed derived from target speed table Tb1 as the target speed. In contrast, when there are merges, diverging roads, interchanges, intersections, or toll booths around vehicle 1, control device 30 sets the correction value to -α and uses the speed derived from target speed table Tb1 minus α as the target speed.

[0110] Specifically, it is assumed that if there is a merge, divergence, interchange, intersection, or toll booth around vehicle 1, traffic flow in the vehicle's lane will be slower than if such a merge, divergence, interchange, intersection, or toll booth is not present. Therefore, based on the determination result of determination unit 32, information acquired by acquisition unit 33, and recognition result of recognition unit 31, control device 30 (e.g., driving control unit 35) may control the acceleration and deceleration of vehicle 1 to achieve a target speed corresponding to the lane position and / or lane type of the vehicle's lane, the curvature of the curve ahead of vehicle 1, and the presence or absence of a merge, divergence, interchange, intersection, or toll booth. This allows vehicle 1 to automatically travel at an appropriate speed that takes into account not only the lane position and / or lane type of the vehicle's lane, the curvature of the curve ahead of vehicle 1, but also the presence or absence of a merge, divergence, interchange, intersection, or toll booth on the road around vehicle 1.

[0111] As another example, the control device 30 may also correct the target speed derived from the target speed table Tb1 to a target speed corresponding to the driving condition of the driver of the vehicle 1 based on the target speed correction table Tb2. Figure 5 As shown, when the driver of vehicle 1 is not performing sideways driving, in other words, when the driver's line of sight is aligned with the direction of travel of vehicle 1, control device 30 sets the correction value to ±0 and uses the speed derived from target speed table Tb1 as the target speed. In contrast, when the driver of vehicle 1 is performing sideways driving, in other words, when the driver's line of sight is not aligned with the direction of travel of vehicle 1, control device 30 sets the correction value to -α and uses the speed derived from target speed table Tb1 minus α as the target speed.

[0112] Specifically, when the driver's driving condition is poor, such as when the driver is engaging in sideways driving, it is desirable to reduce the vehicle 1's travel speed compared to when the driver's driving condition is good, for safety reasons. Therefore, the control device 30 (e.g., the travel control unit 35) may control the acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle 1 based on the determination result of the determination unit 32, the information acquired by the acquisition unit 33, and the recognition result of the driving condition recognition unit 34, so as to achieve a target speed that corresponds to the lane position and / or lane type of the host lane, the curvature of the curve ahead of the vehicle 1, and the driver's driving condition. This allows the vehicle 1 to be automatically driven at an appropriate travel speed that takes into account not only the lane position and / or lane type of the host lane, the curvature of the curve ahead of the vehicle 1, but also the driver's driving condition.

[0113] Note that, here, the target speed is set to be different depending on whether the driver is looking aside or not, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the target speed may be set to be different depending on whether the steering device 46 is being properly gripped or not.

[0114] As another example, the control device 30 may correct the target speed derived from the target speed table Tb1 to a target speed based on the elapsed time from the start of the driving assistance control specified by ACC, etc., based on the target speed correction table Tb2. Figure 5 As shown, when the elapsed time from the start of the prescribed driving assistance control is greater than or equal to a prescribed value, control device 30 sets the correction value to ±0 and uses the speed derived from target speed table Tb1 as the target speed. Conversely, when the elapsed time from the start of the prescribed driving assistance control is less than the prescribed value, control device 30 sets the correction value to -α and uses the speed obtained by subtracting α from the speed derived from target speed table Tb1 as the target speed.

[0115] Specifically, from a safety perspective, the driver may become unaccustomed to the driving assistance control within a certain period of time after the start of the driving assistance control and may therefore wish to reduce the driving speed of the vehicle 1. Therefore, the control device 30 (e.g., the driving control unit 35) may control the acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle 1 to achieve a target speed based on the lane position and / or lane type of the host lane, the curvature of the curve ahead of the vehicle 1, and the elapsed time since the start of the driving assistance control, based on the determination result of the determination unit 32, the information acquired by the acquisition unit 33, and the elapsed time since the start of the driving assistance control. This allows the vehicle 1 to be automatically driven at an appropriate driving speed that takes into account not only the lane position and / or lane type of the host lane, the curvature of the curve ahead of the vehicle 1, but also the elapsed time since the start of the driving assistance control.

[0116] As another example, the control device 30 may also correct the target speed derived from the target speed table Tb1 to a target speed based on the future vehicle control plan based on the target speed correction table Tb2. Figure 5 As shown, if there is no plan to lower the driving assistance level during the aforementioned curve speed adjustment (i.e., when controlling the acceleration and deceleration of vehicle 1 based on a target speed determined by the lane position of the host lane, the curvature of the curve, and so on), control device 30 sets the correction value to ±0 and uses the speed derived from target speed table Tb1 as the target speed. In contrast, if there is a plan to lower the driving assistance level during curve speed adjustment (e.g., by having the driver take over driving control), control device 30 sets the correction value to -α and uses the speed derived from target speed table Tb1 minus α as the target speed. This allows vehicle 1 to automatically travel at an appropriate speed that takes into account not only the lane position and / or lane type of the host lane, the curvature of the curve ahead of vehicle 1, but also future vehicle control plans.

[0117] Furthermore, setting a target speed that exceeds the legal speed for the host lane may cause vehicle 1 to travel at a speed exceeding the legal speed for the host lane, which is undesirable from a safety perspective. Therefore, the control device 30 (e.g., the travel control unit 35) may control the acceleration and deceleration of vehicle 1 based on the determination result of the determination unit 32, the information acquired by the acquisition unit 33, and the recognition result of the recognition unit 31 to achieve a target speed that corresponds to the lane position and / or lane type of the host lane, the curvature of the curve ahead of vehicle 1, and the legal speed for the host lane. This allows vehicle 1 to automatically travel at an appropriate travel speed that takes into account not only the lane position and / or lane type of the host lane, the curvature of the curve ahead of vehicle 1, but also the legal speed for the host lane.

[0118] [Processing performed by the control device]

[0119] Next, refer to Figure 6 An example of the processing executed by the control device 30 will be described. For example, when the ignition power of the vehicle 1 is on, the control device 30 repeatedly executes the processing in a predetermined cycle. Figure 6 A series of processing shown.

[0120] like Figure 6 As shown, first, the control device 30 recognizes the surrounding conditions of the vehicle 1 (step S1 ), and recognizes the lane position and lane type of the vehicle 1 (step S2 ).

[0121] Next, the control device 30 determines whether a curve is detected in front of the vehicle 1 in the own lane based on the recognition result of the process of step S1 (step S3). If a curve is not detected in front of the vehicle 1 (step S3: No), the control device 30 directly ends the process. Figure 6 On the other hand, if a curve is detected in front of the vehicle 1 (step S3 : YES), the control device 30 acquires information on the curvature of the curve (step S4 ).

[0122] Next, the control device 30 performs the following operations based on, for example, Figure 4 The target speed table Tb1 shown in the figure derives a target speed according to the lane position and lane type of the own lane and the curvature of the curve (step S5 ).

[0123] Next, the control device 30 performs the following operations based on, for example, Figure 5 The target speed correction table Tb2 shown in FIG. 2 is used to correct the target speed derived by the process of step S5 according to the surrounding conditions of the vehicle 1, the legal speed of the lane, or the driving conditions of the driver (step S6). Then, the control device 30 controls the acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle 1 based on the target speed corrected by the process of step S6 (step S7), and ends. Figure 6A series of processing shown.

[0124] As described above, according to the control device 30, it is possible to control the acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle 1 by considering not only the curvature of the curve in the lane in front of the vehicle 1, but also the lane position and / or lane type of the lane, the surrounding conditions of the vehicle 1, the legal speed of the lane, the driving condition of the driver, etc., and the vehicle 1 can be automatically driven at an appropriate driving speed.

[0125] While one embodiment of the present invention has been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, the present invention is not limited to the aforementioned embodiment. It is apparent that those skilled in the art will be able to devise various variations or modifications within the scope of the technical solution, and it should be understood that such variations and modifications also fall within the technical scope of the present invention.

[0126] For example, in the above embodiment, Figure 5 While the correction values ​​for all items in the target speed correction table Tb2 are shown as constant (±0 or -α), the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the correction value may be different for each item. More specifically, if the width of the own lane is less than a predetermined value, the target speed may be reduced by α, and if there is a guardrail or traffic cone near the own lane, the target speed may be reduced by β (where β ≠ α).

[0127] This specification includes at least the following items: In addition, corresponding components in the above-mentioned embodiment are shown in parentheses, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0128] (1) A vehicle control device (control device 30) that controls a vehicle (vehicle 1), wherein:

[0129] The vehicle control device comprises:

[0130] an identification unit (identification unit 31 ) for identifying a surrounding condition of the vehicle;

[0131] a determination unit (determination unit 32 ) that determines a lane position and / or a lane type of a host lane on a road (road RD) having the host lane in which the vehicle is traveling;

[0132] an acquisition unit (acquisition unit 33 ) that acquires information on the curvature of a curve when a curve is detected ahead of the vehicle in the own lane based on the recognition result of the recognition unit; and

[0133] a travel control unit (travel control unit 35 ) that controls acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle based on the determination result of the determination unit and the information acquired by the acquisition unit,

[0134] The travel control unit controls acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle so as to achieve a target speed according to a lane position and / or lane type of the host lane and a curvature of the curve.

[0135] The traffic flow of each lane on any road may differ not only due to the curvature of the curve existing in each lane, but also due to the position and / or lane type of each lane. According to (1), the acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle is controlled in a manner that becomes a target speed corresponding to the lane position and / or lane type of the lane in which the vehicle is traveling and the curvature of the curve existing in front of the vehicle in the lane. As a result, the vehicle can be automatically driven at an appropriate driving speed that takes into account not only the curvature of the curve existing in front of the vehicle in the lane but also the lane position and / or lane type of the lane. Therefore, the driver does not need to perform operations for making the vehicle follow the traffic flow of the lane, but can make the vehicle follow the traffic flow of the lane, which can improve the convenience of the driver when making the vehicle follow the traffic flow of the lane. In turn, it can improve traffic safety and contribute to the development of a sustainable transportation system.

[0136] (2) The vehicle control device according to (1), wherein:

[0137] The determination unit determines whether the own lane is a driving lane (left lane LL, center lane LC) or a passing lane (right lane LR) as the lane type of the own lane.

[0138] When the lane type of the host lane is determined to be a passing lane, the travel control unit increases the target speed compared to when the lane type of the host lane is determined to be a traveling lane.

[0139] On a road having a driving lane and an overtaking lane, the traffic flow in the overtaking lane is generally faster than the traffic flow in the driving lane. According to (2), when the lane type of the host lane is determined to be the overtaking lane, the target speed is increased compared to when the lane type of the host lane is determined to be the driving lane. This allows the host vehicle to automatically travel at an appropriate travel speed that also takes into account the characteristic that the traffic flow in the overtaking lane is faster than the traffic flow in the driving lane, thereby improving the convenience for the driver when the host vehicle travels in accordance with the traffic flow in the host lane.

[0140] (3) The vehicle control device according to (1), wherein:

[0141] The road has one or more driving lanes on one side in a width direction and one or more overtaking lanes on the other side in the width direction,

[0142] The determining unit determines, as the lane position of the own lane, which lane the own lane is from the one side or the other side.

[0143] The travel control unit increases the target speed as the own lane is closer to the other lane.

[0144] On a road with multiple lanes including a driving lane and an overtaking lane arranged along the width direction, the traffic flow of each lane is generally faster as the lane is closer to the overtaking lane. According to (3), the target speed of the lane is set higher as the lane is closer to the other lane (i.e., the overtaking lane). As a result, the vehicle can be automatically driven at an appropriate driving speed that also takes into account the characteristic that the traffic flow is faster as the lane is closer to the overtaking lane, which can improve the convenience of the driver when the vehicle is driven in accordance with the traffic flow of the lane.

[0145] (4) The vehicle control device according to (2) or (3), wherein:

[0146] The recognition unit recognizes the surrounding conditions including the width of the own lane,

[0147] The driving control unit controls the acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle based on the determination result of the determination unit, the information obtained by the acquisition unit, and the recognition result of the recognition unit so as to achieve the target speed corresponding to the lane position and / or lane type of the own lane, the curvature of the curve, and the width of the own lane.

[0148] For example, it is considered that when the width of the own lane is greater than or equal to a predetermined value, the traffic flow in the own lane will be faster than when the width of the own lane is less than the predetermined value. According to (4), the acceleration and deceleration of the own vehicle is controlled in such a manner as to become a target speed corresponding to the lane position and / or lane type of the own lane in which the own vehicle is traveling, the curvature of the curve in the own lane that exists in front of the own vehicle, and the width of the own lane. In this way, the own vehicle can be automatically driven at an appropriate driving speed that takes into account not only the lane position and / or lane type of the own lane, the curvature of the curve in the own lane that exists in front of the own vehicle, but also the width of the own lane, thereby improving the convenience of the driver when the own vehicle is driven along the traffic flow in the own lane.

[0149] (5) The vehicle control device according to (2) or (3), wherein:

[0150] The recognition unit recognizes the surrounding conditions including road structures existing near the host lane,

[0151] The driving control unit controls the acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle based on the determination result of the determination unit, the information obtained by the acquisition unit, and the recognition result of the recognition unit so as to achieve the target speed corresponding to the lane position and / or lane type of the own lane, the curvature of the curve, and the road structure existing near the own lane.

[0152] For example, it is considered that when a road structure such as a guardrail or a traffic cone that may collide with the vehicle is present near the host lane, the traffic flow in the host lane will be slower than when such a road structure that may collide does not exist. According to (5), the acceleration and deceleration of the host vehicle is controlled in such a manner as to become a target speed corresponding to the lane position and / or lane type of the host lane in which the host vehicle is traveling, the curvature of the curve in the host lane that exists in front of the host vehicle, and the road structure that exists near the host lane. As a result, the host vehicle can be automatically driven at an appropriate driving speed that takes into account not only the lane position and / or lane type of the host lane, the curvature of the curve in the host lane that exists in front of the host vehicle, but also the road structure that exists near the host lane, thereby improving the convenience of the driver when the host vehicle is driven along the traffic flow in the host lane.

[0153] (6) The vehicle control device according to (2) or (3), wherein:

[0154] The recognition unit recognizes the surrounding conditions including the weather around the vehicle and / or the road surface conditions of the own lane,

[0155] The driving control unit controls the acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle based on the determination result of the determination unit, the information obtained by the acquisition unit, and the recognition result of the recognition unit so as to achieve the target speed corresponding to the lane position and / or lane type of the own lane, the curvature of the curve, and the weather around the vehicle and / or the road surface condition of the own lane.

[0156] For example, it is assumed that when the weather around the vehicle is bad or the road surface condition of the lane is bad, the traffic flow in the lane will be slower than when the weather around the vehicle is good or the road surface condition of the lane is good. According to (6), the acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle is controlled in such a manner as to become a target speed corresponding to the lane position and / or lane type of the lane in which the vehicle is traveling, the curvature of the curve in the lane in front of the vehicle, and the weather around the vehicle and / or the road surface condition of the lane. As a result, the vehicle can be automatically driven at an appropriate driving speed that takes into account not only the lane position and / or lane type of the lane, the curvature of the curve in the lane in front of the vehicle, but also the weather around the vehicle and / or the road surface condition of the lane, thereby improving the convenience of the driver when the vehicle is driven along the traffic flow in the lane.

[0157] (7) The vehicle control device according to (2) or (3), wherein:

[0158] The recognition unit recognizes the surrounding conditions including a construction section existing around the vehicle on the road,

[0159] The driving control unit controls the acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle based on the determination result of the determination unit, the information obtained by the acquisition unit, and the recognition result of the recognition unit so as to achieve the target speed corresponding to the lane position and / or lane type of the lane, the curvature of the curve, and the presence or absence of the construction section.

[0160] It is considered that when a construction section exists around the vehicle on a road having a lane, the traffic flow in the lane will be slower than when such a construction section does not exist. According to (7), the acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle are controlled in a manner that becomes a target speed corresponding to the lane position and / or lane type of the lane in which the vehicle is traveling, the curvature of the curve in the lane that exists in front of the vehicle, and the presence or absence of a construction section around the vehicle on the road having the lane. As a result, the vehicle can be automatically driven at an appropriate driving speed that takes into account not only the lane position and / or lane type of the lane, the curvature of the curve in the lane that exists in front of the vehicle, but also the presence or absence of a construction section around the vehicle on the road having the lane, thereby improving the convenience of the driver when the vehicle is driven along the traffic flow in the lane.

[0161] (8) The vehicle control device according to (2) or (3), wherein:

[0162] The recognition unit recognizes the surrounding conditions including an emergency vehicle present around the vehicle on the road,

[0163] The driving control unit controls the acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle based on the determination result of the determination unit, the information obtained by the acquisition unit, and the recognition result of the recognition unit so as to achieve the target speed corresponding to the lane position and / or lane type of the own lane, the curvature of the curve, and the presence or absence of the emergency vehicle.

[0164] For example, it is considered that when an emergency vehicle exists around the vehicle on a road having a lane, the traffic flow in the lane will be slower than when there is no such emergency vehicle. According to (8), the acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle is controlled in a manner that becomes a target speed corresponding to the lane position and / or lane type of the lane in which the vehicle is traveling, the curvature of the curve in the lane that exists in front of the vehicle, and the presence or absence of an emergency vehicle around the vehicle on the road having the lane. As a result, the vehicle can be automatically driven at an appropriate driving speed that takes into account not only the lane position and / or lane type of the lane, the curvature of the curve in the lane that exists in front of the vehicle, but also the presence or absence of an emergency vehicle around the vehicle on the road having the lane, thereby improving the convenience of the driver when the vehicle is driven along the traffic flow in the lane.

[0165] (9) The vehicle control device according to (2) or (3), wherein:

[0166] The recognition unit recognizes the surrounding conditions including a merge, a branch, an interchange, an intersection, or a toll booth existing around the vehicle on the road,

[0167] The driving control unit controls the acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle based on the determination result of the determination unit, the information obtained by the acquisition unit, and the recognition result of the recognition unit so as to achieve the target speed corresponding to the lane position and / or lane type of the lane, the curvature of the curve, and the presence or absence of the merge, the branch, the interchange, the intersection, or the toll booth.

[0168] For example, it is considered that when there is a merge, branch, interchange, intersection, or toll booth around the vehicle on a road having a lane, the traffic flow in the lane will be slower than when there is no such merge. According to (9), the acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle is controlled in a manner that becomes a target speed corresponding to the lane position and / or lane type of the lane in which the vehicle is traveling, the curvature of the curve in the lane that exists in front of the vehicle, and the presence or absence of a merge, branch, interchange, intersection, or toll booth around the vehicle on the road having the lane. As a result, the vehicle can be automatically driven at an appropriate driving speed that takes into account not only the lane position and / or lane type of the lane, the curvature of the curve in the lane that exists in front of the vehicle, but also the presence or absence of a merge, branch, interchange, intersection, or toll booth around the vehicle on the road having the lane, thereby improving the convenience of the driver when the vehicle is driven along the traffic flow in the lane.

[0169] (10) The vehicle control device according to (2) or (3), wherein:

[0170] The recognition unit recognizes the surrounding conditions including the legal speed of the lane.

[0171] The driving control unit controls the acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle based on the determination result of the determination unit, the information obtained by the acquisition unit, and the recognition result of the recognition unit so as to achieve the target speed corresponding to the lane position and / or lane type of the own lane, the curvature of the curve, and the legal speed of the own lane.

[0172] According to (10), the acceleration and deceleration of the host vehicle are controlled so as to achieve a target speed corresponding to the lane position and / or lane type of the host lane, the curvature of the curve in the host lane that exists in front of the host vehicle, and the legal speed of the host lane. As a result, the host vehicle can be automatically driven at an appropriate driving speed that takes into account not only the lane position and / or lane type of the host lane, the curvature of the curve in the host lane that exists in front of the host vehicle, but also the legal speed of the host lane, thereby improving the convenience of the driver when the host vehicle is driven along the traffic flow in the host lane.

[0173] (11) The vehicle control device according to (2) or (3), wherein:

[0174] The vehicle control device further includes a driving condition recognition unit (driving condition recognition unit 34 ) configured to recognize a driving condition of a driver of the vehicle.

[0175] The driving control unit controls the acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle based on the determination result of the determination unit, the information obtained by the acquisition unit, and the recognition result of the driving condition recognition unit so as to achieve the target speed corresponding to the lane position and / or lane type of the lane, the curvature of the curve, and the driving condition of the driver.

[0176] For example, when the driver of the vehicle is in a bad driving condition, such as when the driver is performing sideways driving, it is desirable to reduce the driving speed of the vehicle compared to when the driver of the vehicle is in a good driving condition, from the perspective of safety. According to (11), the acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle are controlled in such a manner as to become a target speed corresponding to the lane position and / or lane type of the lane, the curvature of the curve in the lane that exists in front of the vehicle, and the driving condition of the driver of the vehicle. As a result, the vehicle can be automatically driven at an appropriate driving speed that takes into account not only the lane position and / or lane type of the lane, the curvature of the curve in the lane that exists in front of the vehicle, but also the driving condition of the driver, thereby improving the safety of the vehicle.

[0177] (12) The vehicle control device according to (2) or (3), wherein:

[0178] The vehicle control device is capable of executing driving assistance control for assisting a driver of the vehicle in driving.

[0179] The driving control unit controls the acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle based on the determination result of the determination unit, the information obtained by the acquisition unit, and the elapsed time from the start of the driving assistance control so as to achieve the target speed corresponding to the lane position and / or lane type of the own lane, the curvature of the curve, and the elapsed time.

[0180] For example, it is considered that when driving assistance control is started in the vehicle, it takes a certain period of time for the driver to get used to the driving assistance control. Therefore, from the perspective of safety, it is desirable to reduce the driving speed of the vehicle during a certain period from the start of driving assistance control compared to after the period. According to (12), the acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle are controlled in such a manner as to become a target speed corresponding to the lane position and / or lane type of the lane, the curvature of the curve in the lane that exists in front of the vehicle, and the time elapsed since the start of driving assistance control in the vehicle. As a result, the vehicle can be automatically driven at an appropriate driving speed that takes into account not only the lane position and / or lane type of the lane, the curvature of the curve in the lane that exists in front of the vehicle, but also the time elapsed since the start of driving assistance control, thereby improving the safety of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle control device for controlling a vehicle, wherein: The vehicle control device comprises: an identification unit that identifies a surrounding condition of the vehicle; a determining unit configured to determine a lane position and / or a lane type of a lane on a road having a lane in which the vehicle is traveling; an acquisition unit that, when a curve is detected ahead of the vehicle in the own lane based on the recognition result of the recognition unit, acquires information related to the curvature of the curve; as well as a travel control unit that controls acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle based on the determination result of the determination unit and the information acquired by the acquisition unit, The travel control unit controls acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle so as to achieve a target speed according to a lane position and / or lane type of the host lane and a curvature of the curve.

2. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein: The determination unit determines whether the host lane is a driving lane or a passing lane as the lane type of the host lane. When the lane type of the host lane is determined to be a passing lane, the travel control unit increases the target speed compared to when the lane type of the host lane is determined to be a traveling lane.

3. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein: The road has one or more driving lanes on one side in a width direction and one or more overtaking lanes on the other side in the width direction, The determining unit determines, as the lane position of the own lane, which lane the own lane is from the one side or the other side. The travel control unit increases the target speed as the own lane is closer to the other lane.

4. The vehicle control device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein: The recognition unit recognizes the surrounding conditions including the width of the own lane, The driving control unit controls the acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle based on the determination result of the determination unit, the information obtained by the acquisition unit, and the recognition result of the recognition unit so as to achieve the target speed corresponding to the lane position and / or lane type of the own lane, the curvature of the curve, and the width of the own lane.

5. The vehicle control device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein: The recognition unit recognizes the surrounding conditions including road structures existing near the host lane, The driving control unit controls the acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle based on the determination result of the determination unit, the information obtained by the acquisition unit, and the recognition result of the recognition unit so as to achieve the target speed corresponding to the lane position and / or lane type of the own lane, the curvature of the curve, and the road structure existing near the own lane.

6. The vehicle control device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein: The recognition unit recognizes the surrounding conditions including the weather around the vehicle and / or the road surface conditions of the own lane, The driving control unit controls the acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle based on the determination result of the determination unit, the information obtained by the acquisition unit, and the recognition result of the recognition unit so as to achieve the target speed corresponding to the lane position and / or lane type of the own lane, the curvature of the curve, and the weather around the vehicle and / or the road surface condition of the own lane.

7. The vehicle control device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein: The recognition unit recognizes the surrounding conditions including a construction section existing around the vehicle on the road, The driving control unit controls the acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle based on the determination result of the determination unit, the information obtained by the acquisition unit, and the recognition result of the recognition unit so as to achieve the target speed corresponding to the lane position and / or lane type of the lane, the curvature of the curve, and the presence or absence of the construction section.

8. The vehicle control device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein: The recognition unit recognizes the surrounding conditions including an emergency vehicle present around the vehicle on the road, The driving control unit controls the acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle based on the determination result of the determination unit, the information obtained by the acquisition unit, and the recognition result of the recognition unit so as to achieve the target speed corresponding to the lane position and / or lane type of the own lane, the curvature of the curve, and the presence or absence of the emergency vehicle.

9. The vehicle control device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein: The recognition unit recognizes the surrounding conditions including a merge, a branch, an interchange, an intersection, or a toll booth existing around the vehicle on the road, The driving control unit controls the acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle based on the determination result of the determination unit, the information obtained by the acquisition unit, and the recognition result of the recognition unit so as to achieve the target speed corresponding to the lane position and / or lane type of the lane, the curvature of the curve, and the presence or absence of the merge, the branch, the interchange, the intersection, or the toll booth.

10. The vehicle control device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein: The recognition unit recognizes the surrounding conditions including the legal speed of the lane. The driving control unit controls the acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle based on the determination result of the determination unit, the information obtained by the acquisition unit, and the recognition result of the recognition unit so as to achieve the target speed corresponding to the lane position and / or lane type of the own lane, the curvature of the curve, and the legal speed of the own lane.

11. The vehicle control device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein: The vehicle control device further includes a driving condition recognition unit configured to recognize a driving condition of a driver of the vehicle. The driving control unit controls the acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle based on the determination result of the determination unit, the information obtained by the acquisition unit, and the recognition result of the driving condition recognition unit so as to achieve the target speed corresponding to the lane position and / or lane type of the lane, the curvature of the curve, and the driving condition of the driver.

12. The vehicle control device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein: The vehicle control device is capable of executing driving assistance control for assisting a driver of the vehicle in driving. The driving control unit controls the acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle based on the determination result of the determination unit, the information obtained by the acquisition unit, and the elapsed time from the start of the driving assistance control so as to achieve the target speed corresponding to the lane position and / or lane type of the own lane, the curvature of the curve, and the elapsed time.

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