Vehicle control device, vehicle control program, and vehicle control method

Abstract

An automatic driving ECU (50b), which is a vehicle control device, autonomously controls the driving of a host vehicle (Am). An automatic driving ECU (50b) is provided with an environment recognition unit (62) that recognizes environment information at a crossing point (IS). The automatic driving ECU (50b) is further provided with a vehicle orientation setting unit (76) that uses the environment information to set the angle (beta) of a steering wheel (SW) in the host vehicle (Am) when the host vehicle (Am) temporarily stops as the intersection point turns left and right.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-22998 filed in Japan on February 17, 2023, and the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] The disclosure of this specification relates to a technology for autonomously controlling the driving of a vehicle. Background Art

[0004] Patent Document 1 discloses a technology for autonomously controlling vehicle driving that recognizes environmental information surrounding an intersection. Furthermore, when the vehicle is executing a left or right turn at the intersection and traction control is activated to prepare for the turn, the vehicle is determined to be in a safe position and then waits for the turn in the safe waiting position.

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent No. 6820734

[0006] In the technology of Patent Document 1, the temporary stop position when turning left or right is set based on the environmental information of the intersection. However, it does not take into account the smoothing of the start of the vehicle after the temporary stop, so there is room for improvement in convenience. Summary of the Invention

[0007] One of the purposes of the disclosure of this specification is to provide a vehicle control device, a vehicle control program, and a vehicle control method that improve the convenience during driving.

[0008] One embodiment disclosed herein is a vehicle control device for autonomously controlling driving of a vehicle, comprising:

[0009] an environment recognition unit for recognizing environment information at the intersection; and

[0010] The setting unit uses the environmental information to set an angle of a steering wheel in the vehicle when the vehicle temporarily stops while turning left or right at the intersection.

[0011] Another aspect disclosed herein is a vehicle control program for autonomously controlling the driving of a host vehicle.

[0012] The at least one processing unit is configured to execute:

[0013] Identifying environmental information at the intersection; and

[0014] The angle of the steering wheel of the vehicle is set when the vehicle temporarily stops while turning left or right at the intersection using the environmental information.

[0015] Yet another embodiment disclosed herein is a vehicle control method for autonomously controlling driving of a host vehicle, executed by at least one processing unit, comprising:

[0016] Identifying environmental information at the intersection; and

[0017] The angle of the steering wheel of the host vehicle is set when the host vehicle temporarily stops while turning left or right at the intersection using the environmental information.

[0018] According to this embodiment, when the vehicle temporarily stops while turning left or right at an intersection, the steering wheel angle can be optimized based on the environment of the intersection and taking into account the restart after the temporary stop. Therefore, after restarting, the turn can be completed smoothly, thereby improving driving convenience.

[0019] In addition, the reference numerals in parentheses included in the claims and the like illustrate the correspondence relationship with parts of the embodiments described later and do not limit the technical scope. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] Figure 1 This is a diagram showing the overall structure of the vehicle system.

[0021] Figure 2 This diagram shows the detailed structure of the autonomous driving ECU.

[0022] Figure 3 It is a diagram explaining the angles α and β.

[0023] Figure 4 It is a diagram illustrating the angle γ.

[0024] Figure 5 It is a diagram illustrating the posture PA.

[0025] Figure 6 It is a diagram illustrating posture PB.

[0026] Figure 7 It is a diagram illustrating the posture PC.

[0027] Figure 8 It is a diagram for explaining the posture PD.

[0028] Figure 9 It is a diagram illustrating the posture PE.

[0029] Figure 10 This is a flowchart showing the processing method of the autonomous driving ECU.

[0030] Figure 11 This is a diagram illustrating a crosswalk and a continuous intersection.

[0031] Figure 12This is a flowchart showing the processing method of the autonomous driving ECU.

[0032] Figure 13 This is a flowchart showing the processing method of the autonomous driving ECU.

[0033] Figure 14 1 is a diagram showing an example of a plurality of lanes involved in a left or right turn.

[0034] Figure 15 This is a flowchart showing the processing method of the autonomous driving ECU.

[0035] Figure 16 This diagram shows an example in which an oncoming vehicle exists.

[0036] Figure 17 This is a flowchart showing the processing method of the autonomous driving ECU.

[0037] Figure 18 It is a diagram showing an example of track interference.

[0038] Figure 19 This is a flowchart showing the processing method of the autonomous driving ECU.

[0039] Figure 20 This is a flowchart showing the processing method of the autonomous driving ECU.

[0040] Figure 21 This is a flowchart showing the processing method of the autonomous driving ECU.

[0041] Figure 22 This is a diagram showing an example in which the angle α is large.

[0042] Figure 23 This is a flowchart showing the processing method of the autonomous driving ECU.

[0043] Figure 24 This is a flowchart showing the processing method of the autonomous driving ECU.

[0044] Figure 25 This is a flowchart showing the processing method of the autonomous driving ECU.

[0045] Figure 26 This is a diagram illustrating a roundabout.

[0046] Figure 27 This is a flowchart showing the processing method of the autonomous driving ECU.

[0047] Figure 28 This is a flowchart showing the processing method of the autonomous driving ECU.

[0048] Figure 29 This is a diagram illustrating the situation inside the roundabout.

[0049] Figure 30 This is a flowchart showing the processing method of the autonomous driving ECU.

[0050] Figure 31 This diagram shows an example in which an oncoming vehicle exists.

[0051] Figure 32 This is a flowchart showing the processing method of the autonomous driving ECU.

[0052] Figure 33 This is a flowchart showing the processing method of the autonomous driving ECU.

[0053] Figure 34 This is a flowchart showing the processing method of the autonomous driving ECU.

[0054] Figure 35 This diagram shows the detailed structure of the autonomous driving ECU.

[0055] Figure 36 This is a flowchart showing the processing method of the autonomous driving ECU. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0056] Hereinafter, multiple embodiments will be described based on the accompanying drawings. In addition, sometimes, by adding the same reference numerals to corresponding components in each embodiment, repeated descriptions are omitted. In the case where only a portion of the configuration is described in each embodiment, the other portions of the configuration can apply the configuration of other embodiments previously described. In addition, not only the combinations of configurations explicitly described in the description of each embodiment, but also the configurations of multiple embodiments can be partially combined with each other even if not explicitly described, as long as the combination does not particularly hinder.

[0057] (First embodiment)

[0058] The vehicle system 1 can be used in vehicles capable of autonomous driving control (hereinafter referred to as autonomous driving control), for example, at automation levels 2 to 5. The vehicle system 1 is installed in a vehicle, Am. The automation level is an indicator indicating the stage of autonomous driving of an autonomous vehicle and can exist in multiple levels, as defined by the SAE, for example. The automation level is categorized into levels 0 to 5, as shown below.

[0059] Level 0 is a level where the system does not intervene and the driver performs all driving tasks. Driving tasks can also be called dynamic driving tasks. Driving tasks include steering, acceleration and deceleration, and surrounding monitoring. Level 0 is equivalent to so-called fully manual driving. Level 1 is a level where the system assists in either steering or acceleration and deceleration. Level 1 is equivalent to so-called driving assistance. Level 2 is a level where the system assists in steering and acceleration and deceleration. Level 2 is equivalent to partial driving automation. For example, for levels 1 to 2, the driver has the obligation to monitor safe driving (hereinafter referred to as monitoring obligation). In other words, levels 1 to 2 can also be classified as manual driving in a broad sense. As a monitoring obligation, there is surrounding monitoring based on visual observation.

[0060] Level 3 is a level where the system can perform all driving tasks under specific conditions, and the driver can perform driving operations in an emergency. In level 3 autonomous driving, the driver is required to respond quickly when there is a driving replacement request from the system. This driving replacement can also be said to be a transfer of the surrounding monitoring obligation from the vehicle-side system to the driver. Level 3 is equivalent to so-called conditional driving automation. As a level 3, there is an area-limited level 3 limited to a specific area. The specific area here can be a highway. The specific area can also be a specific lane, for example. As a level 3, there is also a congestion-limited level 3 limited to times of congestion. Congestion-limited level 3 autonomous driving is equivalent to congestion-limited autonomous driving. Congestion-limited level 3 can be configured to be limited to times of congestion on a highway, for example. Highways can include dedicated lanes for cars.

[0061] Level 4 is the system's ability to perform all driving tasks, except for specific situations such as unsuitable roads and extreme environments. This corresponds to highly automated driving. Level 5 autonomous driving is the system's ability to perform all driving tasks in all environments. This corresponds to fully automated driving. Levels 4 and 5 autonomous driving can be implemented, for example, within driving areas where high-precision map data is available. High-precision map data will be discussed later.

[0062] For example, levels 4 to 5 can be classified as autonomous driving. Autonomous driving based on levels 3 to 5 can be said to be autonomous driving in which the driver has no monitoring obligation. There are cases where a second task is permitted in autonomous driving at levels 3 to 5. The second task refers to a behavior other than driving that is permitted to the driver, and is a specific behavior specified in advance. The second task can be said to be an operation other than the driving task. The second task can also be replaced by a second activity, other activities, etc. The second task will not prevent the driver from responding to the handover request for driving operations from the system (hereinafter referred to as a driving replacement request). As an example, it is assumed that watching and listening to content such as videos, operating smartphones, etc., reading, eating, etc. are the second tasks.

[0063] Among the levels 3 to 5 of autonomous driving, autonomous driving of level 4 or higher is equivalent to autonomous driving that allows the driver to sleep. In other words, it is equivalent to sleep-permitted autonomous driving. Autonomous driving of level 4 or higher can also be said to be autonomous driving that does not require the driver to switch to driving even in an emergency. Among the levels 3 to 5 of autonomous driving, autonomous driving of level 3 is equivalent to autonomous driving that does not allow the driver to sleep (hereinafter referred to as sleep-permitted autonomous driving). The autonomous driving vehicle of this embodiment is capable of switching automation levels. The automation level can also be configured to be switchable only between a part of the levels 0 to 5. The autonomous driving vehicle of this embodiment is at least capable of switching between autonomous driving without monitoring obligations and manual driving.

[0064] like Figure 1 As shown, the vehicle system 1 is configured to include a perimeter monitoring sensor 30, a positioner 35, a navigation ECU 38, an onboard communication device 39, a driving control ECU 40, a body ECU 43, a driving assistance ECU 50a, an autonomous driving ECU 50b, and an HCU 100. The perimeter monitoring sensor 30, the positioner 35, the navigation ECU 38, the onboard communication device 39, the driving control ECU 40, the body ECU 43, the driving assistance ECU 50a, the autonomous driving ECU 50b, and the HCU 100 are communicatively connected to a communication bus 99 of an onboard network installed in the vehicle Am. These nodes connected to the communication bus 99 can communicate with each other. Specific nodes within these devices and ECUs, etc., can also be directly electrically connected to each other via a wiring harness, etc., to enable communication without going through the communication bus 99.

[0065] The surrounding monitoring sensor 30 is an autonomous sensor that monitors the surrounding environment of the host vehicle Am. For example, the surrounding monitoring sensor 30 includes one or more of a camera unit 31, a millimeter-wave radar 32, a lidar 33, and a sonar 34. The surrounding monitoring sensor 30 can detect both moving and stationary objects within its detection range around the host vehicle. The surrounding monitoring sensor 30 provides detection information on objects around the host vehicle to the driving assistance ECU 50a and the autonomous driving ECU 50b. The vehicle system 1 of this embodiment is equipped with multiple surrounding monitoring sensors 30 to enable high-precision detection of objects farther in front of, to the sides of, and behind the host vehicle Am.

[0066] The positioner 35 is composed of a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiver and inertial sensors. The positioner 35 combines positioning signals received from multiple positioning satellites by the GNSS receiver, measurement results from the inertial sensors, and vehicle speed information output to the communication bus 99 to sequentially determine the vehicle's position and direction of travel. The positioner 35 sequentially outputs the position information and orientation information of the vehicle Am based on the positioning results to the communication bus 99 as positioner information.

[0067] Based on the operational information received from the HCU 100, the navigation ECU 38 obtains information about the destination specified by the driver and the passenger. The navigation ECU 38 obtains vehicle position and heading information from the locator 35 and sets a route from the current location to the destination. The navigation ECU 38 provides route information indicating the set route to the destination to the driving assistance ECU 50a, the automatic driving ECU 50b, and the HCU 100. The navigation ECU 38 collaborates with the HMI system 10 to combine screen displays and voice messages to inform the driver of the vehicle Am's travel direction TD1 at intersections IS and branch points, providing route guidance to the destination.

[0068] Here, a user terminal such as a smartphone can be connected to the in-vehicle network or the HCU 100. Such a user terminal can replace the locator 35 and provide the driving assistance ECU 50a and the autonomous driving ECU 50b with vehicle position information, direction information, map data, and the like. Furthermore, the user terminal can replace the navigation ECU 38 and provide the driving assistance ECU 50a, the autonomous driving ECU 50b, and the HCU 100 with route information to the destination.

[0069] The onboard communication device 39 is an off-board communication unit installed in the vehicle Am, functioning as a V2X (Vehicle to Everything) communication device. The onboard communication device 39 transmits and receives information to and from roadside equipment installed along the road via wireless communication. For example, the onboard communication device 39 receives information such as congestion information and road construction information about the current location of the vehicle Am and the direction of travel TD1 from the roadside equipment. This congestion and road construction information is VICS (registered trademark) information, for example. The onboard communication device 39 provides the received congestion and road construction information to the autonomous driving ECU 50b and HCU 100, among others.

[0070] The driving control ECU 40 is an electronic control unit that includes a microcontroller as its main body. The driving control ECU 40 has at least the functions of a brake control ECU, a drive control ECU, and a steering control ECU. The driving control ECU 40 activates the driving actuator 41 according to any one of the operation instructions based on the driver's driving operation, the control instructions of the driving assistance ECU 50a, and the control instructions of the automatic driving ECU 50b. Figure 2 As shown, the steering actuator 41 includes a brake actuator 41 a for controlling the braking force of each wheel, a powertrain 41 b for controlling acceleration of the vehicle, and a steering actuator 41 c for controlling steering operation.

[0071] The steering actuator 41c is configured to change the angle β of the steering wheel SW of the vehicle Am. For example, in this embodiment, by controlling the angles of the two front wheels serving as the steering wheels SW among the four wheels of the vehicle Am, the traveling directions TD0 and TD1 of the vehicle Am can be controlled. Figure 3 As shown, the angle β in this embodiment may mean the direction of the steered wheel SW relative to the reference angle when the steered wheel SW is in the front direction (straight travel direction) of the vehicle body CB as the reference angle.

[0072] Furthermore, the annular steering control unit, operable by the driver of the vehicle Am, is configured to rotate in conjunction with the steering actuator 41c, which operates the steering wheel SW. The ratio between the amount of rotation of the steering control unit and the amount of angular change in the steering wheel SW is set to be substantially the same as the ratio when the driver manually operates the steering control unit. This configuration allows passengers to visually understand how the vehicle Am is being steered, even during autonomous driving control.

[0073] The body ECU 43 is an electronic control unit that includes a microcontroller as its main body. The body ECU 43 has functions such as controlling the operation of the lighting devices installed in the vehicle Am. The lighting devices are, for example, the direction indicator 44 and the hazard light. Based on the inspection of the user operation input to the direction indicator switch (turn signal lever) provided on the steering column, etc., the body ECU 43 starts flashing either the left or right direction indicator 44 corresponding to the operation direction. In addition, during autonomous driving control, the body ECU 43 can flash the direction indicator 44 as the vehicle turns left or right at the intersection IS based on the control instructions from the automatic driving ECU 50b.

[0074] like Figure 1As shown, the HCU 100 is electrically connected to a display device 21, a speaker 22, and other reporting devices, and an operating device 26. The HCU 100, the display device 21, the speaker 22, and the operating device 26 constitute the HMI system 10 of the vehicle Am. A plurality of display devices 21, speakers 22, and operating devices 26 may be provided.

[0075] The display device 21 reports information to the driver or other passengers through image display and the like. The display device 21 may include an instrument display, a central information display (hereinafter referred to as CID), and a head-up display (hereinafter referred to as HUD). The CID has a touch panel function and detects touch operations on the display screen by the driver or other passengers. In other words, the CID is also equivalent to the operating device 26. The HUD can display a virtual image floating outside the vehicle. The speaker 22 is set in the vehicle cabin and plays reporting sounds or voice messages in the vehicle cabin.

[0076] The operating device 26 is an input unit that receives user operations from the driver or other passengers. For example, user operations related to activating and deactivating the autonomous driving function and setting the route guidance destination are input to the operating device 26. The operating device 26 includes the aforementioned turn signal switch, hazard light switch, and CID. Furthermore, the operating device 26 includes a steering switch located on the spoke portion of the steering operation unit, as well as a voice input device that recognizes the voices of the driver or other passengers.

[0077] The HCU 100 is an information presentation device that comprehensively controls announcements using multiple display devices 21 and speakers 22. The HCU 100 controls the presentation of information related to autonomous driving by cooperating with the autonomous driving system 50. The HCU 100 is a computer primarily comprised of a control circuit including a processing unit 11, RAM 12, storage unit 13, input / output interface 14, and a bus connecting these. The processing unit 11 accesses the RAM 12 to execute various processes for announcement control. The RAM 12 can be configured to include video RAM for generating image data. The storage unit 13 stores various programs executed by the processing unit 11.

[0078] The processing unit 11 may include at least one processor. For example, the processor may include at least one of a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), and a RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computer)-CPU as its core. The storage unit 13 may include at least one non-transferable physical storage medium, such as semiconductor memory, magnetic media, and optical media, that non-temporarily stores programs and data readable by the processor.

[0079] The driving assistance ECU 50a and the automatic driving ECU 50b constitute the automatic driving system 50 of the host vehicle Am. The driving assistance ECU 50a implements a driving assistance function that assists the driver's driving operation in the automatic driving system 50. The driving assistance ECU 50a can implement approximately level 2 driving assistance or partial automatic driving.

[0080] The automatic driving ECU 50b can substitute for the driver's driving operations and can implement automatic driving of level 3 or higher, where the system is the main controller. The automatic driving implemented by the automatic driving ECU 50b is an automatic driving without the need to monitor the surroundings of the vehicle, that is, the driver has no obligation to monitor the surroundings.

[0081] In the above automatic driving system 50, the driving control state of the automatic driving function is switched among multiple controls including at least driving assistance control with a surrounding monitoring obligation based on the driving assistance ECU 50a and automatic driving control without a surrounding monitoring obligation based on the automatic driving ECU 50b.

[0082] The driving assistance ECU 50a is a computer primarily comprised of a processing unit, RAM (Random Access Memory), a storage unit, input / output interfaces, and a bus connecting these components. The driving assistance ECU 50a implements driving assistance functions such as ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control), LTC (Lane Trace Control), and LCA (Lane Change Assist) by executing programs in the processing unit. ACC, LTC, and LCA are collectively referred to as driving assistance applications. The driving assistance ECU 50a provides control status information indicating the status of the driving assistance control functions to the autonomous driving ECU 50b.

[0083] The processing unit may include at least one processor. For example, the processor may include at least one of a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), and a RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computer)-CPU as its core. The storage unit may include at least one non-transferable physical storage medium such as semiconductor memory, magnetic media, and optical media, which non-temporarily stores programs and data readable by the processor.

[0084] The autonomous driving ECU 50b has higher computing power than the driving assistance ECU 50a and can implement driving control equivalent to at least ACC and LTC. In situations where the driving assistance ECU 50a's control is temporarily interrupted, the autonomous driving ECU 50b can replace the driving assistance ECU 50a and implement driving assistance control, which requires the driver to monitor the surrounding area.

[0085] The autonomous driving ECU 50b is a computer primarily composed of a control circuit comprising a processing unit 51, RAM 52, a storage unit 53, an input / output interface 54, and a bus connecting these. The processing unit 51 accesses the RAM 52 to execute various processes for implementing the autonomous driving control method disclosed herein. The storage unit 53 stores various programs executed by the processing unit 51. These programs include a vehicle control program for autonomous vehicle driving control.

[0086] The processing unit 51 may include at least one processor. For example, the processor may include at least one of a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), and a RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computer)-CPU as its core. The storage unit 53 may include at least one non-transferable physical storage medium such as semiconductor memory, magnetic media, and optical media, which non-temporarily stores programs and data readable by the processor.

[0087] By executing the program in the processing unit 51, the automatic driving ECU 50b is constructed with an information cooperation unit 61, an environment recognition unit 62, an action determination unit 63, and a control execution unit 64 as a plurality of functional units for realizing the automatic driving function (see Figure 2 ).

[0088] The information coordination unit 61 provides information to the HCU 10 and retrieves information from the HCU 100. Through this coordination, the autonomous driving ECU 50b and the HCU 100 share the information they have acquired. The information coordination unit 61 generates control state information indicating the operating status of the autonomous driving function and provides this control state information to the HCU 100.

[0089] The information coordination unit 61 outputs control status information to the information coordination unit 82, enabling HCU 100 to report the operating status of the autonomous driving function in sync. Furthermore, the information coordination unit 61 obtains operational information from the driver or other passengers from the information coordination unit 82, thereby understanding the content of user operations input to the HMI system 10 and the like.

[0090] The environment recognition unit 62 recognizes environmental information surrounding the vehicle Am. Environmental information can be obtained from the vehicle-mounted communication device 39, the positioner 35, the surrounding monitoring sensor 30, and the like. Alternatively, environmental information can be recognized by fusing (synthesizing) information obtained from the vehicle-mounted communication device 39, the positioner 35, the surrounding monitoring sensor 30, and the like.

[0091] The environment recognition unit 62 includes an other vehicle recognition unit 72 and a road information recognition unit 73 as sub-functional units for recognizing the driving environment. The other vehicle recognition unit 72 recognizes the relative positions and relative speeds of dynamic objects around the host vehicle Am, such as other vehicles traveling around the host vehicle Am. The other vehicle recognition unit 72 recognizes at least the preceding and following vehicles traveling in the same lane (hereinafter referred to as the host lane) as the host vehicle Am, and the lateral vehicles traveling in the adjacent lane adjacent to the host lane. When the host vehicle Am is traveling on a road with three or more lanes, the other vehicle recognition unit 72 recognizes the lateral vehicles traveling in the separated lane on the opposite side of the host lane across the adjacent lane.

[0092] The other vehicle grasping unit 72 also grasps other vehicles in the intersection IS that the host vehicle Am is about to enter or has entered, and other vehicles outside the intersection IS and around the intersection IS. Information on these other vehicles is included in the environment information of the intersection IS.

[0093] The road information acquisition unit 73 acquires information related to the road on which the host vehicle Am is traveling. Upon receiving route information from the navigation ECU 38, the road information acquisition unit 73 extracts specific locations on the road on which the host vehicle Am is scheduled to travel. Specifically, it extracts intersections IS, freeway branch points (intersections, etc.), merging points, and exit points. Furthermore, the road information acquisition unit 73 acquires information on congested sections of the road on which the host vehicle Am is scheduled to travel, as well as restricted sections due to road construction, etc.

[0094] The road information acquisition unit 73 acquires at least a portion of the environmental information at the intersection IS as more detailed road information. The environmental information at the intersection IS includes at least one of information related to the shape of the intersection IS, information related to the roads connected to the intersection IS, information related to the traffic lights CTS at the intersection IS, and information related to road signs at the intersection IS.

[0095] The information related to the shape of the intersection IS may include at least one of the size of the intersection IS, the number of roads connected to the intersection IS, and the directions of the roads connected to the intersection IS.

[0096] The information on the roads connected to the intersection IS may include at least one of the number of lanes on the connected roads, the role of each lane on the connected roads (left-turn lane, right-turn lane, etc.), and the like.

[0097] The information related to the traffic light CTS at the intersection IS may include at least one of the presence or absence of the traffic light CTS, the position and display direction of the traffic light CTS, the presence or absence of the arrow signal ATS in the traffic light CTS, and control information of the traffic light CTS.

[0098] The information related to the road surface markings at the intersection IS may include at least one of the presence and location of a crosswalk, the presence and location of a stop line SL, the presence and location of a guide strip, the presence and location of a safety island, and the presence and location of a restriction arrow.

[0099] The action determination unit 63 cooperates with the driving assistance ECU 50a and the HCU 100 to control the transfer of driving between the automatic driving system 50 and the driver. If the automatic driving ECU 50b has control over driving operations, the action determination unit 63 generates a predetermined driving trajectory for the host vehicle Am based on the driving environment recognition results of the environment recognition unit 62 and outputs the generated driving trajectory to the control execution unit 64. The action determination unit 63 includes a control switching unit 75 and a vehicle posture setting unit 76 as sub-functional units for controlling the operating state of the automatic driving function.

[0100] The control switching unit 75 cooperates with the driving assistance ECU 50a to switch between Level 2 driving control, in which the driver is obligated to monitor the surrounding area, and Level 4 driving control, in which the driver is not obligated to monitor the surrounding area. Furthermore, the control switching unit 75 switches between Level 3 autonomous driving and Level 4 autonomous driving. Furthermore, the control switching unit 75 switches the control state of Level 3 autonomous driving among multiple control modes, including area-limited control (hereinafter referred to as Area Level 3) for driving within a specific area and congestion-limited control (hereinafter referred to as Congestion Level 3) for driving in congestion. Level 3 and higher autonomous driving corresponds to the autonomous driving control described in this embodiment.

[0101] The vehicle posture setting unit 76 sets the vehicle posture when the host vehicle Am is temporarily stopped during autonomous driving control. The vehicle posture includes the direction of the vehicle body CB and the angle β of the steering wheel SW. The vehicle posture setting unit 76 can directly set numerical values ​​representing the direction of the vehicle body CB and the angle β of the steering wheel SW. Alternatively, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 can set the vehicle posture by selecting a posture to be adopted from a plurality of predefined vehicle postures.

[0102] Here, based on the premise of left-hand traffic according to Japan's Road Traffic Law, consider the scenario where the vehicle Am performs a left-turn at the intersection IS. The left-turn here refers to the concept of turning right and turning left. In fact, since it is impossible to turn right and turn left at the same time, the left-turn refers to either a right turn or a left turn. In the following, it is assumed that the vehicle Am performs a right turn at the intersection IS. Figure 4 As shown, the left-right turn angle γ (here, the angle at which the vehicle Am turns when turning right) is based on the orientation of the road leading to the intersection IS. The left-right turn angle γ can be described as the angle formed by the travel direction TD1 in the vehicle lane EL1 after the right turn relative to the travel direction TD0 in the vehicle lane EL0 before the right turn (i.e., before entering the intersection IS).

[0103] For example, when the traffic light CTS displays a stop signal (e.g., red), or when giving priority to oncoming vehicles, other vehicles, or pedestrians, the vehicle Am needs to stop temporarily before turning right. This temporary stop can occur within the intersection IS or before entering the intersection IS. Here, the following five vehicle postures are assumed for a temporary stop within the intersection IS: PA, PB, PC, PD, and PE.

[0104] Posture PA as Figure 5In the posture PA, the direction of the vehicle body CB when temporarily stopped is tilted toward the direction of travel after turning right relative to the own lane EL0 before entering the intersection IS. Here, the tilt angle α of the vehicle body CB relative to the own lane EL0 (refer to Figure 3 ) is set to be smaller than the left-right turn angle γ. Furthermore, the steering wheel SW is tilted relative to the vehicle body CB toward the direction of travel TD0 after the right turn. The sum of the tilt angle α and the steering wheel SW angle β is set to be smaller than the left-right turn angle γ. Posture PA is suitable for use at a relatively large intersection IS, for example, when the stop line SL, a road marking within the intersection IS, is tilted relative to the host lane EL0 before entering the intersection IS.

[0105] Posture PB such as Figure 6 As shown. In posture PB, the orientation of vehicle body CB during the temporary stop is tilted relative to the host lane EL0 before entering the intersection IS, toward the direction of travel after the right turn. Here, the tilt angle α of vehicle body CB relative to host lane EL is set to be smaller than the angle γ for left and right turns. Furthermore, the steering wheel SW is oriented substantially in the same direction as vehicle body CB. In other words, angle β is substantially 0 degrees. Posture PB is suitable for use at a relatively large intersection IS, for example, when the stop line SL, a road marking within the intersection IS, is tilted relative to the host lane EL0 before entering the intersection IS.

[0106] Posture PC as Figure 7 As shown in Figure 1, in posture PC, the vehicle body CB is oriented along the lane EL0 before entering the intersection IS during the temporary stop. Furthermore, the steering wheel SW is tilted relative to the vehicle body CB toward the right-turning direction TD1. The steering wheel SW angle β is set smaller than the left-turn angle γ. Posture PC is suitable for relatively small intersections IS, for example, where a stop line SL is not provided as a road marking within the intersection IS.

[0107] Posture PD Figure 8 As shown in Figure 3 , in posture PD, the vehicle body CB, while temporarily stopped, is oriented along the lane EL0 before entering the intersection IS. Furthermore, the steering wheel SW is oriented substantially in the same direction as the vehicle body CB. In other words, the angle β of the steering wheel SW is substantially 0 degrees. Posture PC is suitable for relatively small intersections IS, for example, where a stop line SL is not provided as a road marking within the intersection IS.

[0108] Posture PE as Figure 9As shown in Figure 1, in posture PE, the direction of vehicle body CB during the temporary stop is tilted relative to the lane EL0 before entering intersection IS, in the direction opposite to the direction of travel after the right turn. Furthermore, the steering wheel SW is oriented substantially in the same direction as vehicle body CB. That is, the angle β of the steering wheel SW is substantially 0 degrees.

[0109] The vehicle posture setting unit 76 of this embodiment determines the vehicle posture during temporary stop based on the size of the intersection IS. Specifically, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 selects the most appropriate vehicle posture from among the postures PA, PB, and PD described above.

[0110] Here, in posture PA, the angle β of the steering wheel SW is set so that it is tilted relative to the vehicle body CB in the direction of travel after the right turn. In postures PB and PD, the steering wheel SW is oriented substantially in the same direction as the vehicle body CB. Furthermore, posture PA is selected when the intersection IS is larger than a predetermined threshold. In other words, when the intersection IS is larger than the predetermined threshold, angle β is set so that it is tilted relative to the vehicle body CB in the direction of travel after the right turn. Conversely, at a smaller intersection IS, applying angle β could cause the extension of the steering wheel SW to become an obstruction and hinder traffic flow, so angle β is set to zero.

[0111] The size of the intersection IS mentioned here can be simply defined by the area of ​​the entire intersection IS. The size of the intersection IS can also be defined by the distance between the end of the road that the vehicle Am is traveling on before turning left or right (in other words, the portion connected to the intersection IS) and the end of the road on the opposite side of the road.

[0112] When the automatic driving ECU 50b has control authority over driving operations, the control execution unit 64, in cooperation with the driving control ECU 40, executes acceleration and deceleration control, steering control, and other functions of the host vehicle Am based on the driving trajectory generated by the behavior determination unit 63. Specifically, the control execution unit 64 generates control commands for each driving actuator based on the predetermined driving trajectory and sequentially outputs the generated control commands to the driving control ECU 40.

[0113] When the vehicle posture setting unit 76 sets the aforementioned vehicle posture for a temporary stop, the control execution unit 64 generates a control command to complete the operation from the driving state to the temporary stop in that posture. Specifically, the angle β of the steering wheel SW in the vehicle posture can be changed during a temporary stop. However, changing the angle β during a temporary stop causes the steering wheel SW to rub against the road surface, causing wear on both the steering wheel SW and the road surface. Furthermore, if the vehicle Am enters a restart state during the angle change operation, there is a possibility that the vehicle Am may not be able to restart smoothly.

[0114] Thus, the control execution unit 64 calculates outputs to each driving actuator 41 such that the angle β of the steering wheel SW gradually approaches the set position from the driving state to the temporary stop, and when the movement to the temporary stop is completed, the angle β reaches the set angle. Each driving actuator 41 operates according to the control command based on this calculation, thereby smoothing the series of driving movements before and after the temporary stop at the intersection IS.

[0115] Next, use Figure 10 The flowchart in FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a processing method performed by the automatic driving ECU 50b. At least one processor of the automatic driving ECU 50b executes a program, thereby executing the series of processes shown in steps S111 to S118 based on a predetermined trigger. This series of processes is performed when the vehicle Am is autonomously controlled and is scheduled to make a left or right turn at the intersection IS.

[0116] In S111, the environment recognition unit 62 recognizes the environment information of the intersection IS. After the processing of S111, the process proceeds to S112.

[0117] In S112, the environment recognition unit 62 determines whether the size of the intersection IS is greater than or equal to a preset threshold value Ts1. If yes, the process proceeds to S114. If not, the process proceeds to S113.

[0118] In S113, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 determines whether the size of the intersection IS is greater than a preset threshold value Ts2. Here, threshold value Ts2 is a value smaller than Ts1. If yes, the process proceeds to S115. If no, the process proceeds to S116.

[0119] In S114, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 sets the vehicle posture during the temporary stop at the intersection IS to the posture PA (see Figure 5 ). That is, the angle β of the steering wheel SW relative to the vehicle body CB is set. After the processing of S114, the process proceeds to S117.

[0120] In S115, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 sets the vehicle posture during the temporary stop at the intersection IS to the posture PB (see Figure 6 ). That is, the setting is performed without applying the angle β. After the processing of S115, the process proceeds to S118.

[0121] In S116, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 sets the vehicle posture during the temporary stop at the intersection IS to the posture PD (see Figure 8 ). That is, the setting is performed without applying the angle β. After the processing of S115, the process proceeds to S118.

[0122] In S117 when the angle β is applied, the control execution unit 64 calculates a value of the output to the steering actuator 41 so that the set angle β is achieved when the temporary stop operation is completed. After the processing of S117, the process proceeds to S119.

[0123] In S118, when angle β is not applied, control execution unit 64 calculates the output value to driving actuator 41 in the same manner as during a normal temporary stop. Specifically, the output value to driving actuator 41 is calculated so that angle β is substantially zero upon completion of the temporary stop. After S118, the process proceeds to S119.

[0124] In S119, the control execution unit 64 executes control by outputting a control command based on the calculations in S117 and S118 to the travel control ECU 40. The series of processing ends in S119.

[0125] Alternatively, the size of the intersection IS may be the area of ​​the intersection IS, and the thresholds Ts1 and Ts2 may be values ​​corresponding to the area. Furthermore, the size of the intersection IS may be represented in map DB 36 or the like as data categorized as "large," "medium," or "small." In this case, in S112, the judgment condition corresponding to the judgment based on threshold Ts1 is set to "yes" for "large" and "no" for "medium" and "small." In S113, the judgment condition corresponding to the judgment based on threshold Ts2 is set to "yes" for "medium" and "no" for "small."

[0126] According to the first embodiment described above, when the vehicle Am temporarily stops while turning left or right at the intersection IS, the angle β of the steering wheel SW can be optimized based on the environment at the intersection IS and taking into account the vehicle's starting position after the temporary stop. Therefore, after the vehicle restarts, the left or right turn can be completed smoothly. This improves driving convenience.

[0127] Furthermore, the control of the host vehicle Am from traveling to temporarily stopping is performed so that the temporary stopping operation is completed at the set angle β of the steering wheel SW. This can avoid the steering wheel SW from rubbing against the road surface during the temporary stop and improve the smoothness of the restart.

[0128] Furthermore, when the size of the intersection IS is greater than a predetermined threshold, the angle β of the steering wheel SW is set so that the steering wheel SW is directed toward the direction of travel TD1 after the left or right turn relative to the body CB of the host vehicle Am. If it is determined that applying the angle β will not hinder traffic flow, the angle β is applied, thereby facilitating smoother traffic flow at the intersection IS.

[0129] Furthermore, if the size of the intersection IS is smaller than a predetermined threshold, the angle β of the steering wheel SW is set so that the direction of the steering wheel SW is aligned with the direction of the vehicle body CB of the host vehicle Am. If it is considered that applying the angle β would hinder traffic flow, applying the angle β is avoided, thereby promoting smoother traffic flow at the intersection IS.

[0130] The direction of the vehicle body CB of the host vehicle Am relative to the lane EL0 in which the host vehicle Am is traveling before turning left or right is set together with the angle β of the steering wheel SW. By comprehensively setting the vehicle posture, the smoothness of restarting can be improved.

[0131] In addition, the automatic driving ECU 40b in the first embodiment corresponds to the “vehicle control device.” The vehicle posture setting unit 76 corresponds to the “setting unit.”

[0132] (Second embodiment)

[0133] like Figure 11 、 12 As shown, the second embodiment is a modified example of the first embodiment. The second embodiment will be described focusing on the differences from the first embodiment.

[0134] In the second embodiment, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 sets the vehicle posture when temporarily stopping based on information indicating the presence or absence of a crosswalk PCW at the intersection IS and intersection continuity information as environmental information of the intersection IS (see Figure 11 The pedestrian crossing PCW referred to here is a pedestrian crossing located in the direction of travel TD1 after turning left or right, with the center of the intersection IS as a reference.

[0135] Furthermore, the intersection continuity information indicates that the next intersection NIS exists continuously in the travel direction TD1 after the next scheduled left or right turn at the intersection IS. The continuous information here may refer to the presence of multiple intersections IS within a distance at which the surrounding monitoring sensor 30 of the vehicle Am can detect objects ahead.

[0136] Here, use Figure 12 The flowchart in FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a processing method performed by the automatic driving ECU 50b in the second embodiment. At least one processor of the automatic driving ECU 50b executes a program, and the series of processes shown in steps S211 to S217 are performed based on a predetermined trigger. This series of processes is performed when the vehicle Am is autonomously controlled and is scheduled to make a left or right turn at the intersection IS.

[0137] In S211, the environment recognition unit 62 recognizes the environment information of the intersection IS. That is, S211 is the same as S111 of the first embodiment. After the processing of S211, the process proceeds to S212.

[0138] In S212, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 determines whether a crosswalk PCW exists at the intersection IS or whether intersection continuity information exists. If yes, the process proceeds to S213. If not, the process proceeds to S214.

[0139] In S213, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 determines whether the left or right turn angle γ is greater than a preset threshold value Ta. For example, the threshold value Ta can be set to a value greater than 90°. Specifically, the threshold value Ta is set to 100°, 110°, 120°, etc. In other words, if the amount of turning of the host vehicle Am during a left or right turn is large, by applying the angle β of the steering wheel SW during the temporary stop, the host vehicle Am can turn left or right with the smallest possible turning radius after restarting. If so, the process proceeds to S215. If not, the process proceeds to S216.

[0140] In S214, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 sets the vehicle posture during the temporary stop at the intersection IS to the posture PD (see Figure 8 ). That is, the setting is performed without applying the angle β. After the processing of S214, the process proceeds to S217.

[0141] In S215, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 sets the vehicle posture during the temporary stop at the intersection IS to the posture PA (see Figure 5 ). That is, the setting of the applied angle β is performed. After the processing of S215, the process proceeds to S217.

[0142] In S216, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 sets the vehicle posture during the temporary stop at the intersection IS to the posture PB (see Figure 6 ). That is, the setting is performed without applying the angle β. After the processing of S216, the process proceeds to S217.

[0143] S217 is the same as S117 to S119 of the first embodiment. A series of processes are completed in S217.

[0144] According to the second embodiment described above, when a crosswalk PCW is present, the direction of the vehicle body CB during a temporary stop is set so that the vehicle body CB of the host vehicle Am is oriented toward the direction of travel after the turn relative to the lane EL0 in which the host vehicle Am was traveling before the turn. This orientation of the vehicle body CB makes it easier for the surrounding monitoring sensor 30 to detect pedestrians and the like on the crosswalk PCW, thereby improving driving convenience.

[0145] Furthermore, if there is a crosswalk PCW, the angle β of the steering wheel SW is set so that the steering wheel SW is further oriented toward the travel direction TD1 after turning left or right relative to the vehicle body CB. This allows the vehicle Am to turn immediately after restarting, making it easier for the surrounding monitoring sensor 30 to detect pedestrians and the like on the crosswalk PCW at an early stage after restarting.

[0146] Furthermore, if there is intersection continuity information, the direction of the vehicle body CB during the temporary stop is set so that the vehicle body CB of the host vehicle Am is directed toward the travel direction TD1 after the turn relative to the lane EL0 in which the host vehicle Am was traveling before the turn. This orientation of the vehicle body CB makes it easier for the perimeter monitoring sensor 30 to detect the conditions at the next intersection NIS, thereby improving driving convenience.

[0147] Furthermore, if there is intersection continuity information, the angle β of the steering wheel SW is set so that the steering wheel SW is further oriented toward the direction of travel TD1 after the left or right turn relative to the vehicle body CB. This allows the vehicle Am to turn immediately after restarting, making it easier for the surrounding monitoring sensor 30 to begin monitoring the situation at the next intersection NIS at an early stage after restarting.

[0148] (Third embodiment)

[0149] like Figure 13 As shown, the third embodiment is a modified example of the first embodiment. The third embodiment will be described focusing on the differences from the first embodiment.

[0150] In the third embodiment, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 sets the vehicle posture during a temporary stop based on the number of lanes of the road on which the host vehicle Am is traveling after turning left or right, as environmental information at the intersection IS. If the road has a lane EL1 in the travel direction TD1 of the host vehicle Am and a lane in the opposite direction, the number of lanes referred to here may be the number of lanes EL1 in the travel direction TD1, that is, the number of lanes on one side.

[0151] Here, use Figure 13 The flowchart of FIG3 illustrates an example of the processing method of the automatic driving ECU 50b in the third embodiment. S311 is the same as S111. After the processing of S311, the process proceeds to S312.

[0152] In S312, the environment recognition unit 62 determines whether the number of lanes on the road after the left or right turn is greater than or equal to a preset threshold value Tn1. For example, Tn1 may be 3. If so, the process proceeds to S314. If not, the process proceeds to S313.

[0153] In S313, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 determines whether the number of lanes on the road after the left or right turn is greater than or equal to a preset threshold value Tn2. Here, threshold value Tn2 is a value smaller than Tn1. For example, Tn2 may be 2. If so, the process proceeds to S315. If not, the process proceeds to S316.

[0154] S314 to S316 are the same as S114 to S116. After the processing of S314 to S316, the process proceeds to S317. S317 is the same as S217. The series of processing ends at S317.

[0155] According to the third embodiment described above, when the number of lanes after the host vehicle Am turns left or right exceeds a predetermined threshold, the angle β of the steering wheel SW is set so that the steering wheel SW, relative to the direction of the vehicle body CB of the host vehicle Am, faces the direction of travel TD1 after the turn. At a large intersection IS connected to a road with multiple lanes, applying the angle β is highly likely to not hinder traffic flow. Therefore, applying the angle β allows for smooth left or right turns, thereby promoting smoother traffic flow at the intersection IS.

[0156] (Fourth embodiment)

[0157] like Figure 14 、 15 As shown in FIG, the fourth embodiment is a modified example of the first embodiment. The fourth embodiment will be described focusing on the differences from the first embodiment.

[0158] In the fourth embodiment, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 is as follows Figure 14 As shown in FIG, the vehicle posture when temporarily stopping at the intersection IS where there are multiple lanes for the vehicle Am to advance in the direction of travel TD1 after turning left or right is set. The multiple lanes mentioned here can be as follows: Figure 13 In this way, there are two right-turn lanes EL0a and EL0b. Alternatively, one of the multiple lanes may be a right-turn lane and the other a lane for both going straight and turning right.

[0159] Among multiple lanes, there is an inner lane EL0a, which serves as the inner side of a turn when turning left or right, and an outer lane EL0b, which serves as the outer side of a turn. In such a scenario, for example, it is necessary to avoid a vehicle in the inner lane EL0a and a vehicle in the outer lane EL0b from colliding when turning left or right simultaneously. Therefore, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 sets a vehicle posture in the inner lane EL0a that allows the host vehicle Am to navigate a tighter turn. The vehicle posture setting unit 76 sets a vehicle posture in the outer lane EL0b that allows the host vehicle Am to navigate a wider turn. In other words, the closer the lane used by the host vehicle Am is to the inner side, the larger the angle β of the steering wheel SW.

[0160] Here, use Figure 15 The flowchart of FIG. 5 illustrates an example of the processing method of the automatic driving ECU 50b in the fourth embodiment. Figure 13 There are two lanes, the inner lane EL0a and the outer lane EL0b. S411 is the same as S111. After the processing of S411, the process proceeds to S412.

[0161] In S412, the behavior determination unit 63 selectively selects a lane to be used for turning left or right from among the generated travel trajectory planned for the vehicle Am. After the processing of S412, the process proceeds to S413.

[0162] In S413, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 determines whether the lane used for the left or right turn is the inner lane EL0a. If so, the process proceeds to S414. If not, the process proceeds to S415.

[0163] S414 is the same as S114. After the processing of S414, the process proceeds to S416. S415 is the same as S115. After the processing of S415, the process proceeds to S416. S416 is the same as S217. The series of processes ends at S416.

[0164] According to the fourth embodiment described above, the angle β of the steering wheel SW is set differently depending on which of the multiple lanes EL0a and EL0b is used at the intersection IS where the vehicle Am travels in the direction of travel TD1 after turning left or right. By using the settings optimized for each lane EL0a and EL0b, the possibility of contact with other vehicles at the intersection IS can be reduced.

[0165] (Fifth embodiment)

[0166] like Figure 16 、 17 As shown in FIG, the fifth embodiment is a modified example of the first embodiment. The fifth embodiment will be described focusing on the differences from the first embodiment.

[0167] In the fifth embodiment, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 sets the vehicle posture when temporarily stopping based on the presence or absence of an oncoming vehicle Bm as another vehicle as environmental information of the intersection IS. Figure 16 As shown, the oncoming vehicle Bm mentioned here is an oncoming vehicle that is about to turn left or right at the intersection IS. When the host vehicle Am is about to turn right, for example, the oncoming vehicle Bm enters the intersection IS from the opposite side of the host vehicle Am and is about to turn right.

[0168] Here, use Figure 17The flowchart of FIG5 illustrates an example of the processing method of the automatic driving ECU 50b in the fifth embodiment. S511 is the same as S111. After the processing of S511, the process proceeds to S512.

[0169] In S512, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 determines whether the oncoming vehicle Bm is present. If yes, the process proceeds to S513. If not, the process proceeds to S514.

[0170] S513 is the same as S114. After the processing of S513, the process proceeds to S515. S514 is the same as S115. After the processing of S514, the process proceeds to S515. S515 is the same as S217. The series of processing ends at S515.

[0171] According to the fifth embodiment described above, when an oncoming vehicle Bm is present, the angle β of the steering wheel SW is set so that the steering wheel SW is oriented toward the direction of travel TD1 after the left or right turn relative to the body CB of the host vehicle Am. By applying the angle β, the host vehicle Am can turn immediately after restarting, allowing it to adopt a trajectory with a smaller turning radius. Consequently, the possibility of contact with the oncoming vehicle Bm can be reduced.

[0172] (Sixth embodiment)

[0173] like Figure 18 、 19 As shown in FIG, the sixth embodiment is a modified example of the fifth embodiment. The sixth embodiment will be described focusing on the differences from the fifth embodiment.

[0174] In the sixth embodiment, the behavior determination unit 63 assumes that an oncoming vehicle Bm is about to turn left or right at the intersection IS, and assumes that the predicted travel trajectory TBm of the oncoming vehicle Bm (see Figure 18 This prediction may be performed only when the oncoming vehicle Bm actually exists. This prediction may be performed based on the assumption that the oncoming vehicle Bm appears even when the oncoming vehicle Bm actually does not exist.

[0175] The vehicle posture setting unit 76 determines whether the planned travel trajectory TAm of the host vehicle Am may interfere with the travel trajectory TBm predicted for the oncoming vehicle Bm. Based on this determination, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 sets the vehicle posture during temporary stop.

[0176] Here, use Figure 19 The flowchart of FIG6 illustrates an example of the processing method of the automatic driving ECU 50b in the sixth embodiment. S611 is the same as S111. After the processing of S611, the process proceeds to S612.

[0177] In S612, the behavior determination unit 63 predicts the travel trajectory TBm of the oncoming vehicle Bm. After the processing of S612, the process proceeds to S613.

[0178] In S613, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 determines whether the planned travel track TAm of the host vehicle Am may interfere with the travel track TBm. If yes, the process proceeds to S614. If not, the process proceeds to S615.

[0179] S614 is the same as S114. After the processing of S614, the process proceeds to S616. S615 is the same as S115. After the processing of S614, the process proceeds to S616. S616 is the same as S217. The series of processing ends at S616.

[0180] In addition, in S614, the posture PC may be set instead of the posture PA (see Figure 7 ) In S615, the posture PD may be set instead of the posture PB.

[0181] According to the sixth embodiment described above, if the travel track Tamm is likely to interfere with the travel track TBm, the angle β of the steering wheel SW is set so that the steering wheel SW is oriented toward the travel direction TD1 after turning left or right, relative to the body CB of the host vehicle Am. By applying the angle β, the host vehicle Am can turn immediately after restarting, and can correct to a trajectory with a smaller turning radius. This reduces the possibility of contact with other vehicles at the intersection IS.

[0182] (Seventh embodiment)

[0183] like Figure 20 As shown, the seventh embodiment is a modified example of the first embodiment. The seventh embodiment will be described focusing on the differences from the first embodiment.

[0184] In the seventh embodiment, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 sets the vehicle posture during a temporary stop based on information about the traffic lights at the intersection IS. Specifically, information about whether the traffic light CTS at the intersection IS includes an arrow signal ATS indicating a left or right turn of the vehicle Am is used.

[0185] Here, use Figure 20 The flowchart of FIG. 5 illustrates an example of the processing method of the automatic driving ECU 50b in the seventh embodiment. S711 is the same as S111. After the processing of S711, the process proceeds to S712.

[0186] In S712, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 determines whether the traffic light CTS includes an arrow signal ATS related to the left or right turn of the host vehicle Am. If yes, the process proceeds to S713. If not, the process proceeds to S714.

[0187] In S713, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 sets the vehicle posture during the temporary stop at the intersection IS to the posture PD (see Figure 8 That is, the direction of the vehicle body CB is set along the lane EL0 in which the host vehicle Am was traveling before turning left or right. After the processing of S713, the process proceeds to S715.

[0188] In S714, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 sets the vehicle posture during the temporary stop at the intersection IS to the posture PA (see Figure 5 That is, the direction of the vehicle body CB is set to be tilted relative to the lane EL0 in which the vehicle Am is traveling before turning left or right, toward the direction of travel TD1 after turning left or right. After the processing of S714, the process proceeds to S715.

[0189] S715 is the same as S217. A series of processing ends at S715.

[0190] In addition, in S713, the posture PC may be set instead of the posture PD. In S615, the posture PB may be set instead of the posture PA.

[0191] According to the seventh embodiment described above, when the traffic light CTS includes the arrow signal ATS related to the left or right turn of the host vehicle Am, the direction of the vehicle body CB during the temporary stop is set to be along the lane EL0 in which the host vehicle Am was traveling before the left or right turn. When making a left or right turn based on the arrow signal ATS, there is less need to rush the turn at the timing of the signal switching, so the turn can be performed calmly even in such a direction.

[0192] (Eighth Embodiment)

[0193] like Figure 21 As shown in FIG, the eighth embodiment is a modified example of the seventh embodiment. The eighth embodiment will be described focusing on the differences from the seventh embodiment.

[0194] In the eighth embodiment, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 determines whether to temporarily stop at the intersection IS based on whether the traffic light CTS at the intersection IS includes an arrow signal ATS related to the left or right turn of the host vehicle Am.

[0195] Here, use Figure 21The flowchart of FIG. 1 illustrates an example of the processing method of the automatic driving ECU 50b in the eighth embodiment. S811 to S812 are the same as S711 to S712. If the answer is yes in S712, the process proceeds to S813. If not, the process proceeds to S814.

[0196] In S813, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 determines not to temporarily stop at the intersection IS. In other words, since there is no need to set the vehicle posture itself, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 omits the vehicle posture setting process. After the process of S813, the process proceeds to S815.

[0197] In S814, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 determines to temporarily stop at the intersection IS and sets the vehicle posture for the temporary stop. The vehicle posture here can be set to any of postures PA through PE. The vehicle posture setting can be performed based on environmental information, etc. In other words, the processes of other embodiments, such as the first through sixth embodiments, can be used. After S814, the process proceeds to S815.

[0198] S815 is the same as S217. A series of processing ends at S815.

[0199] According to the eighth embodiment described above, when the traffic light CTS includes the arrow signal ATS related to the right or left turn of the host vehicle Am, the temporary stop within the intersection IS accompanying the right or left turn is omitted. By omitting the temporary stop, the time the host vehicle Am stays within the intersection IS can be shortened, thereby reducing the possibility of contact with other vehicles at the intersection IS.

[0200] (Ninth embodiment)

[0201] like Figure 22 、 23 As shown, the ninth embodiment is a modified example of the first embodiment. The ninth embodiment will be described focusing on the differences from the first embodiment.

[0202] In the ninth embodiment, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 sets the vehicle posture when temporarily stopping based on the shape of the intersection IS as environmental information of the intersection IS. Specifically, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 calculates the turning angle of the vehicle Am when turning left or right, that is, the angle γ of the left or right turn, based on the orientation of the road connected to the intersection IS. The vehicle posture setting unit 76 sets the vehicle posture when temporarily stopping based on the angle γ. For example, Figure 22 When the angle γ of such a five-way road exceeds 90°, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 may set the angle β of the steering wheel SW to face the right-turned traveling direction TD1 side relative to the vehicle body CB.

[0203] The vehicle posture setting unit 76 adjusts the angle β so that the amount of rotation of the steering control unit of the host vehicle Am is less than one revolution after the host vehicle Am is restarted from a temporary stop until the left or right turn is completed. The angle β is set so that it gradually increases as the left or right turn angle γ increases.

[0204] Here, use Figure 23 The flowchart of FIG. 1 illustrates an example of the processing method of the automatic driving ECU 50b in the ninth embodiment. S911 is the same as S111. After the processing of S911, the process proceeds to S912.

[0205] In S912, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 calculates the angle γ of the left and right turn. After the processing of S912, the process proceeds to S913.

[0206] In S913, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 determines whether the angle γ is greater than a preset threshold value Ta1. If so, the process proceeds to S915. If not, the process proceeds to S914.

[0207] In S914, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 determines whether the angle γ is greater than a predetermined threshold value Ta2 and the size of the intersection IS is smaller than a predetermined threshold value Ts. Here, threshold value Ta2 is smaller than threshold value Ta1. If yes, the process proceeds to S916. If no, the process proceeds to S917.

[0208] In S915, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 sets the vehicle posture during the temporary stop at the intersection IS to the posture PA (see Figure 5 ). After the processing of S915, the process proceeds to S918.

[0209] In S916, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 sets the vehicle posture during the temporary stop at the intersection IS to the posture PC (see Figure 7 ). After the processing of S916, enter S918.

[0210] In S917, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 sets the vehicle posture during the temporary stop at the intersection IS to the posture PD (see Figure 8 ). After processing S917, proceed to S919.

[0211] In S918, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 adjusts the angle β of the steering wheel SW within the range of the vehicle posture set in S915 or S916. Specifically, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 adjusts the angle β so that the steering wheel rotation amount is less than one rotation after the vehicle Am, which has been temporarily stopped, is restarted until the left or right turn is completed. When the posture PA is set, the tilt angle α of the vehicle body CB may also be adjusted in addition to the angle β. After processing in S918, the process proceeds to S919.

[0212] S919 is the same as S217. A series of processing ends in S919.

[0213] According to the ninth embodiment described above, when the left or right turn angle γ is greater than a predetermined threshold, the angle β of the steering wheel SW is set so that the steering wheel SW is oriented toward the direction of travel TD1 after the left or right turn relative to the body CB of the host vehicle Am. This angle β allows the host vehicle Am to turn immediately after restarting, enabling smooth left or right turns with a large angle γ. Furthermore, the angle β is set so that the steering unit of the host vehicle Am rotates less than one full turn from the moment the vehicle Am is restarted after a temporary stop until the left or right turn is completed. This suppresses rotation of the steering unit, reducing the driver's discomfort caused by rotation during left or right turns.

[0214] (Tenth embodiment)

[0215] like Figure 24 As shown, the tenth embodiment is a modification of the first embodiment. The tenth embodiment will be described focusing on the differences from the first embodiment.

[0216] In the tenth embodiment, the vehicle Am is a large vehicle. The large vehicle mentioned here refers to, for example, a bus, a truck, a trailer, etc. Buses, trucks, and trailers are equivalent to types of vehicles. In addition, the types of vehicles may also include small passenger cars, ordinary passenger cars, etc. Based on such types, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 can select the posture PE (refer to Figure 9 ) as the vehicle posture.

[0217] In the case of large vehicles, the inner wheel difference increases when turning left or right. Therefore, when a large vehicle negotiates a tight curve, it may become entangled with other vehicles, objects, buildings, and the like located on the inner side of the curve. In such cases, the host vehicle Am temporarily steers in the direction opposite to the direction of travel TD1 after the left or right turn, then steers in the direction of travel to avoid entanglement in the tight curve. Posture PE is suitable for the host vehicle Am negotiating a tight curve.

[0218] Here, use Figure 24 The flowchart of FIG. 10 illustrates an example of the processing method of the automatic driving ECU 50b in the tenth embodiment. S1011 is the same as S111. After the processing of S1011, the process proceeds to S1012.

[0219] In S1012, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 determines whether a wide curve is required in the left or right turn. This determination can be performed based on, for example, the size of the intersection IS. If yes, the process proceeds to S1013. If not, the process proceeds to S1014.

[0220] In S1013, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 sets the vehicle posture during the temporary stop at the intersection IS to posture PE. Specifically, the vehicle body CB is oriented so that the vehicle body CB faces the opposite side of the lane EL0 in which the host vehicle Am was traveling before the turn, toward the direction TD1 after the turn. After S1013, the process proceeds to S1015.

[0221] In S1014, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 sets the vehicle posture at the time of temporary stop at the intersection IS to posture PD. That is, the direction of the vehicle body CB is set to follow the lane EL0 in which the host vehicle Am was traveling before turning left or right. After the processing of S1014, the process proceeds to S1015.

[0222] S1015 is the same as S217. A series of processing ends in S1015.

[0223] According to the tenth embodiment described above, based on the type of the host vehicle Am, the direction of the vehicle body CB during a temporary stop is set so that the vehicle body CB of the host vehicle Am is oriented opposite to the lane EL0 in which the host vehicle Am was traveling before the turn, toward the direction of travel TD1 after the turn. Thus, even for large vehicles, by making the host vehicle Am make a sharp turn, the occurrence of entanglement can be suppressed.

[0224] (Eleventh embodiment)

[0225] like Figure 25 As shown, the eleventh embodiment is a modification of the first embodiment. The eleventh embodiment will be described focusing on the differences from the first embodiment.

[0226] In the tenth embodiment, the control switching unit 75 switches driving modes in addition to switching the automation level. For example, driving modes include an energy-saving mode and a comfort mode. The driving mode can be switched according to the driver's intention by operating the operating device 26. Furthermore, the automatic driving system 50 can also switch the driving mode according to predetermined conditions.

[0227] Comfort mode is a mode for comfortable driving, enabling smooth starting after a temporary stop. For example, in Comfort mode, constraints on driving performance, such as engine speed and acceleration, are removed. Furthermore, the electric power steering function (power assist for steering) can also be activated. Therefore, even during autonomous driving control, driving can be performed to maximize the performance of the vehicle Am.

[0228] Energy saving mode prioritizes energy costs such as fuel consumption and electricity costs. It sets restrictions on engine speed and acceleration. The upper limit of engine speed is, for example, 1000 rpm. Furthermore, the electric power steering function can be disabled.

[0229] Furthermore, if the vehicle Am temporarily stops at the intersection IS during autonomous driving control, the control switching unit 75 checks the current driving mode and, if the driving mode is the energy-saving mode, switches it to the comfort mode before restarting. This allows for smooth restarting at the intersection IS. Even if, for example, control is suddenly transferred from the system to the driver during a temporary stop, the driver can quickly restart and turn left or right.

[0230] Here, use Figure 25 The flowchart of illustrates an example of the processing method of the automatic driving ECU 50b in the eleventh embodiment. S1111 is the same as S111. After the processing of S1111, the process proceeds to S1112. In S1112, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 sets the vehicle posture using environmental information. S1112 is equivalent to the processing of S112 to S116 in the first embodiment. After the processing of S1112, the process proceeds to S1113. S1113 is the same as S217. After the processing of S1113, the process proceeds to S1114.

[0231] In S1114, the control switching unit 75 determines whether the driving mode is the comfort mode. If yes, a series of processes are terminated and the vehicle Am restarts at a time when it can restart. If no, the process proceeds to S1115.

[0232] In S1115, the control switching unit 75 switches the driving mode to the comfort mode. A series of processes are completed in S1115, and the host vehicle Am restarts at a time when it can restart.

[0233] According to the eleventh embodiment described above, when temporarily stopping, the vehicle's driving mode is switched to a mode that allows for smooth starting. Therefore, the time that the host vehicle Am is located within the intersection IS can be shortened, so the possibility of contact with other vehicles at the intersection IS can be reduced.

[0234] (Twelfth embodiment)

[0235] like Figures 26-28 As shown, the twelfth embodiment is a modification of the first embodiment. The twelfth embodiment will be described focusing on the differences from the first embodiment.

[0236] In the twelfth embodiment, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 determines whether the intersection IS is a roundabout ISR based on the environmental information and sets the posture of the host vehicle Am suitable for the roundabout ISR. Figure 26 In this way, a situation is also considered in which the vehicle Am sets a route to pass through the roundabout ISR and then pass through a normal intersection (hereinafter referred to as the next intersection) ISN that intersects the plane at one point.

[0237] The roundabout ISR has a shape in which a plurality of straight roads are connected radially on a circular road. The roundabout ISR can have one lane or multiple lanes on the circular road. Figure 23 When multiple lanes are arranged in this manner, the roundabout (ISR) has an outer lane (OSL) and an inner lane (ISL) running parallel to each other. The outer lane (OSL) is a circular lane connected to other roads via the entrance (ENT) and exits (PEX) and (OEX). The inner lane (ISL) is a circular lane located radially inward of the outer lane (OSL). Typically, the outer lane (OSL) and the inner lane (ISL) can change lanes across the entire circumference.

[0238] The vehicle posture setting unit 76 sets the angle β of the steering wheel SW when the host vehicle Am temporarily stops upon entering the roundabout ISR, based on the size of the roundabout ISR. For example, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 sets the angle β so that the smaller the size of the roundabout ISR, the more the steering wheel SW is oriented toward the direction of travel after turning left or right relative to the direction of the vehicle body CB of the host vehicle Am. For example, the size of the roundabout ISR can be represented by a numerical value representing the radius of the outermost periphery of the roundabout ISR. In this case, the angle β can be calculated by a function of continuous numerical values ​​representing the size. For example, the angle β can also have a negative correlation with the numerical value representing the radius, such as being inversely proportional. On the other hand, the size of the roundabout ISR can also be represented by the number of lanes in the roundabout. In this case, the angle β is calculated based on a discrete numerical value representing the size.

[0239] The scale of a roundabout ISR can also be categorized as large or small, based on a combination of factors such as radius and number of lanes. In this case, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 can be configured to substantially change the angle β by switching between postures PC and PD based on the scale of the roundabout ISR. Alternatively, postures PA and PB can be switched instead of postures PC and PD. Here, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 can also set the direction of the vehicle body CB to be substantially perpendicular to the stop line SL present when entering the roundabout ISR.

[0240] Alternatively, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 may set the direction of the steerable wheel SW, ie, the angle β, to be substantially perpendicular to the stop line SL existing when entering the roundabout ISR, regardless of the scale of the roundabout as described above.

[0241] In addition, the road connecting the roundabout ISR and the next intersection ISN is also considered to be one-way multi-lane. Figure 26 In this way, there may be two lanes L1 and L2 heading from the roundabout ISR to the next intersection ISN.

[0242] Furthermore, when the intended travel direction at the next intersection ISN is determined, it is preferred that the vehicle enter a dedicated lane for the intended travel direction among the multiple lanes L1 and L2 as it exits the roundabout ISR. Therefore, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 sets the angle β at the time of exiting the roundabout ISR to the angle at which the vehicle enters the dedicated lane from the lane currently being traveled (e.g., the outer lane OSL).

[0243] Here, use Figure 27 、 28 The flowchart of FIG. 1 illustrates an example of the processing method of the automatic driving ECU 50b in the twelfth embodiment. Figure 27 S1211 is the same as S111. After S1211, the process proceeds to S1212.

[0244] In S1212, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 determines whether the intersection IS is a roundabout ISR. If so, the process proceeds to S1213. If not, the process proceeds to S1216.

[0245] In S1213, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 determines whether the scale of the roundabout ISR is large. If so, the process proceeds to S1214. If not, the process proceeds to S1215.

[0246] In the case of a large-scale roundabout, at S1214, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 sets the vehicle's posture when temporarily stopped upon entering the roundabout ISR to posture PD. Specifically, the vehicle's posture is such that the steering wheel SW is aligned with the vehicle body CB of the vehicle Am, and the angle β is substantially zero. After S1214, the process proceeds to S1217.

[0247] In the case of a small roundabout, at S1215, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 sets the vehicle's posture when it temporarily stops upon entering the roundabout ISR to posture PC. Specifically, the vehicle's posture is set such that the steering wheel SW is further toward the traveling direction relative to the vehicle body CB of the host vehicle Am. After S1215, the process proceeds to S1217.

[0248] If the intersection IS is not a roundabout, in S1216, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 performs posture setting for a normal intersection. For example, the processing of S112 to S116 may be performed. After the processing of S1216, the process proceeds to S1217.

[0249] S1217 is the same as S217. A series of processing is completed in S1217, and the vehicle Am moves to the actual entry action of the intersection IS.

[0250] Execute before the vehicle Am exits the roundabout ISR Figure 27 This process can also be performed before the vehicle Am enters the roundabout ISR. In S1231, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 determines whether there is intersection continuity information. In other words, it determines whether the next intersection ISN exists after exiting the roundabout ISR. If so, the process proceeds to S1232. If not, the process proceeds to S1235.

[0251] In S1232, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 determines whether there are multiple lanes L1 and L2 on the road connecting the roundabout ISR and the next intersection ISN in the direction of travel of the vehicle Am. If yes, the process proceeds to S1233. If not, the process proceeds to S1235.

[0252] In S1233, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 determines whether a lane through which the host vehicle Am passes has been determined among the plurality of lanes L1 and L2. If so, the process proceeds to S1234. If not, the process proceeds to S1235.

[0253] In S1234, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 sets the posture for exiting the roundabout ISR based on the determined lane position and extension direction. This posture also includes the angle β of the steering wheel SW. The series of processes ends in S1234.

[0254] On the other hand, in S1235, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 sets an appropriate posture according to each situation. A series of processes ends in S1235.

[0255] According to the twelfth embodiment described above, when the intersection IS is a roundabout ISR, the angle β of the steering wheel SW at which the host vehicle Am temporarily stops upon entering the roundabout ISR is set according to the size of the roundabout ISR. This allows the host vehicle Am to perform an appropriate entry maneuver appropriate for the size of the roundabout, thereby promoting smoother traffic flow through the roundabout ISR.

[0256] Furthermore, according to the twelfth embodiment, the angle β of the steering wheel SW is set so that the smaller the size of the roundabout ISR, the more the steering wheel SW is directed toward the direction of travel after the left or right turn relative to the direction of the vehicle body CB of the host vehicle Am. As a result, merging into lanes within a small and less curvatured roundabout ISR can be smoothed.

[0257] Furthermore, according to the twelfth embodiment, a case where the intersection IS is a roundabout ISR and the road connecting the roundabout ISR and the next intersection ISN has multiple lanes L1 and L2 is considered. In this case, the angle β of the steering wheel SW when exiting the roundabout ISR is set based on the lane among the multiple lanes L1 and L2 corresponding to the intended travel direction at the next intersection ISN. This allows the vehicle Am to travel appropriately from the roundabout ISR to the next intersection ISN, thereby promoting smoother traffic flow.

[0258] (Thirteenth embodiment)

[0259] like Figure 29 、 30 As shown in FIG, the thirteenth embodiment is a modified example of the twelfth embodiment. The thirteenth embodiment will be described focusing on the differences from the twelfth embodiment.

[0260] In the thirteenth embodiment, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 sets the vehicle posture of the host vehicle Am in the roundabout ISR in addition to the processing in the twelfth embodiment. Figure 29 As shown, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 can set the vehicle posture according to the presence of a moving object traveling within the same roundabout ISR.

[0261] For example, consider a case where a roundabout ISR has multiple lanes OSL and ISL, and the host vehicle Am is traveling in any of these lanes. Furthermore, there is a parallel vehicle Cm in a lane adjacent to the lane in which the host vehicle Am is traveling. In this case, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 adjusts the angle β of the steering wheel SW so as to maintain a distance from the parallel vehicle Cm.

[0262] That is, if Figure 29 In this manner, if the parallel vehicle Cm is traveling in a lane radially outside the host vehicle Am, the steering wheel SW is angled so that the front portion thereof faces radially inward compared to when turning along the curvature of the host vehicle Am's lane. Conversely, if the parallel vehicle Cm is traveling in a lane radially inside the host vehicle Am, the steering wheel SW is angled so that the front portion thereof faces radially outward compared to when turning along the curvature of the host vehicle Am's lane. This angle setting can be performed within the range in which the host vehicle Am is currently traveling.

[0263] In addition, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 may also change the angle β of the steering wheel SW for maintaining the distance according to the size of the parallel vehicle Cm. For example, the angle may be set so that the larger the size of the parallel vehicle Cm, the easier it is to maintain the distance from the parallel vehicle Cm. Figure 29In this situation, for the large parallel vehicle Cm, the angle is set so that the front portion is more radially outward compared to the case of turning along the curvature of the driving lane of the vehicle Am, and the angle difference from the case of turning along the curvature is larger than that of the small parallel vehicle Cm.

[0264] Furthermore, if a motorcycle MS is near the host vehicle Am, the control execution unit 64 may search for a safe parking space within the roundabout ISR and execute control to park the host vehicle Am in that space. During the period until the host vehicle Am is parked through this control, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 sets the steering wheel SW angle β to prevent the motorcycle MS from cutting in on the host vehicle Am. The presence of the motorcycle MS near the host vehicle Am may mean that the motorcycle MS is following behind the host vehicle Am. In this case, the motorcycle MS may be traveling in the same lane as the host vehicle Am or in an adjacent lane.

[0265] Specifically, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 estimates the probability of the motorcycle MS cutting in radially inward and radially outward from the host vehicle Am based on the environmental information, and compares the probability. If the probability of cutting in radially inward is greater than the probability of cutting in radially outward, the steering wheel SW is angled so that the front portion faces radially outward compared to when turning along the curvature of the lane in which the host vehicle Am is traveling. This can reduce the likelihood of contact between the host vehicle Am and the motorcycle MS.

[0266] Here, use Figure 30 The flowchart of FIG. 13 illustrates an example of the processing method of the automatic driving ECU 50b in the thirteenth embodiment. Figure 30 In step S1311, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 determines whether the roundabout ISR has multiple lanes. If yes, the process proceeds to step S1312. If no, the process proceeds to step S1314.

[0267] In S1312, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 determines whether there is a parallel vehicle Cm running parallel to the host vehicle Am. If so, the process proceeds to S1313. If not, the process proceeds to S1314. In S1313, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 sets a posture that maintains a distance from the parallel vehicle Cm. After S1313, the process proceeds to S1318.

[0268] In S1314, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 determines whether there is a motorcycle MS near the host vehicle Am. If yes, the process proceeds to S1315. If not, the process proceeds to S1317.

[0269] In S1315, the control execution unit 64 begins searching for a space within the roundabout ISR where the host vehicle Am can safely park. In S1316, following the process of S1317, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 sets a posture to prevent motorcycles MS from cutting in line until the host vehicle Am parks in the searched space. After S1315, the process proceeds to S1318.

[0270] In S1317, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 sets the posture for turning along the curvature of the lane in which the host vehicle Am is traveling as the normal posture. After the processing of S1317, the process proceeds to S1318. S1318 is the same as S1236. The series of processing ends in S1318.

[0271] According to the thirteenth embodiment described above, when the intersection IS is a roundabout ISR having multiple lanes OSL and ISL, and the host vehicle Am is traveling in any of the lanes, and a parallel vehicle Cm is present in a lane adjacent to the lane, the angle β of the steerable wheel SW is adjusted to maintain a distance from the parallel vehicle Cm. This reduces the possibility of contact with the parallel vehicle Cm.

[0272] According to the thirteenth embodiment, the larger the size of the parallel parallel vehicle Cm, the more easily the angle β of the steerable wheel SW is set to maintain a distance from the parallel parallel vehicle Cm. Therefore, the possibility of contact with a large parallel parallel vehicle Cm can be reduced.

[0273] Furthermore, according to the thirteenth embodiment, when the intersection IS is a roundabout ISR and the host vehicle Am is traveling in a lane within the roundabout ISR, if a motorcycle MS is present near the host vehicle Am, the host vehicle Am is stopped in a parking space suitable for the host vehicle Am. Therefore, it is easy to avoid the occurrence of entanglement or contact with the motorcycle MS within the roundabout ISR.

[0274] Furthermore, according to the thirteenth embodiment, during the control period until the host vehicle Am is stopped, the angle β of the steering wheel SW is set to prevent the motorcycle MS from cutting in on the host vehicle Am. Therefore, even if the motorcycle MS cuts in on the host vehicle Am, the possibility of contact can be reduced.

[0275] (Fourteenth embodiment)

[0276] like Figure 31 、 32 As shown, the fourteenth embodiment is a modified example of the fifth embodiment. The fourteenth embodiment will be described focusing on the differences from the fifth embodiment.

[0277] The fifteenth embodiment is particularly effective when the travel direction TD0X of the vehicle Am in the lane EL0A before turning right and the travel direction TD0Y of the oncoming vehicle Bm in the opposite lane EL0B before turning right are approximately in opposite directions (approximately 180 degrees apart), and the left and right turn angles γ of the vehicle Am and the oncoming vehicle Bm at the intersection IS are approximately equal.

[0278] In the fifth embodiment, the steering wheel angle is varied depending on the presence or absence of the oncoming vehicle Bm. However, in the fourteenth embodiment, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 acquires information indicating the posture of the oncoming vehicle Bm as environmental information. The other vehicle detection unit 72 recognizes the posture of the oncoming vehicle Bm using the surrounding monitoring sensor 30, generates information indicating the posture, and provides it to the vehicle posture setting unit 76.

[0279] The information indicating the posture includes the direction of vehicle body CB and steering wheel angle β of oncoming vehicle Bm when temporarily stopped at intersection IS. The direction of vehicle body CB can be represented by angle α relative to direction TD0Y, and steering wheel angle β can be represented by an angle relative to the direction of vehicle body CB.

[0280] The vehicle posture setting unit 76 aligns the posture of the host vehicle Am with that of the oncoming vehicle Bm. Specifically, by mimicking the recognized posture of the oncoming vehicle Bm, the host vehicle Am's posture becomes similar to that of the oncoming vehicle Bm. More specifically, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 replaces the reference used to represent the direction of the oncoming vehicle Bm's body CB and the steering wheel angle β from the direction TD0Y to the direction TD0X, and then applies the direction of the oncoming vehicle Bm's body CB and the steering wheel angle β to the posture of the host vehicle Am. At this point, if the direction of the oncoming vehicle Bm's body CB and the steering wheel angle β are within a tolerance range of plus or minus 10 degrees, the host vehicle Am's posture is considered to be consistent with that of the oncoming vehicle Bm.

[0281] Here, use Figure 32 The flowchart of FIG. 14 illustrates an example of the processing method of the automatic driving ECU 50b in the fourteenth embodiment. S1411 and S1412 are the same as S511 and S512. If the answer is yes in S1412, the process proceeds to S1413. If not, the process proceeds to S1415.

[0282] In S1413, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 determines the posture of the oncoming vehicle Bm based on the environmental information. After S1413, in S1414, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 makes the posture of the host vehicle Am consistent with the posture of the oncoming vehicle Bm. After S1414, the process proceeds to S1416.

[0283] S1415 is the same as S514. After the processing of S1415, the process proceeds to S1416. S1416 is the same as S515. The series of processing ends at S1416.

[0284] According to the fourteenth embodiment described above, the environmental information includes information indicating the presence and posture of an oncoming vehicle Bm about to turn left or right at the intersection IS. Furthermore, if the oncoming vehicle Bm is present, the posture of the host vehicle Am is set based on the posture of the oncoming vehicle Bm. This method allows for an appropriate posture to be set if the oncoming vehicle Bm is recognized, thus enabling appropriate responses even in situations where road recognition is poor.

[0285] (Fifteenth embodiment)

[0286] like Figure 33 As shown, the fifteenth embodiment is a modified example of the fifth embodiment. The fifteenth embodiment will be described focusing on the differences from the fifth embodiment. While the fifth embodiment varies the steering wheel angle depending on the presence or absence of an oncoming vehicle Bm, the fifteenth embodiment varies the direction of the vehicle body CB to reduce the likelihood of contact with the oncoming vehicle Bm.

[0287] Here, use Figure 33 The flowchart of FIG5 illustrates an example of the processing method of the automatic driving ECU 50b in the fifth embodiment. S1511 and S1512 are the same as S511 and S1512. If the answer is yes in S1512, the process proceeds to S1513. If not, the process proceeds to S1514.

[0288] In S1513, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 sets the vehicle posture during the temporary stop at the intersection IS to the posture PB (see Figure 6 That is, the direction of the vehicle body CB during the temporary stop is set to be inclined toward the direction of travel after turning right relative to the own lane EL0 before entering the intersection IS. After the processing of S1513, the process proceeds to S1515.

[0289] In S1514, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 sets the vehicle posture during the temporary stop at the intersection IS to the posture PC (see Figure 7 ). That is, the direction of the vehicle body CB during the temporary stop is set to be along the direction of the host lane EL0 before entering the intersection IS. After the processing of S1514, the process proceeds to S1515. S1515 is the same as S515. The series of processing ends at S1515.

[0290] According to the fifteenth embodiment described above, the environmental information includes information indicating the presence or absence of an oncoming vehicle Bm that is about to make a left or right turn at the intersection IS. Furthermore, if the oncoming vehicle Bm is present, the angle of the vehicle body CB of the host vehicle Am relative to the host lane EL0 before entering the intersection IS is set so that the vehicle body CB is tilted toward the direction of travel after the left or right turn, compared to a situation in which the oncoming vehicle Bm is absent. This facilitates making a left or right turn at the intersection IS without colliding with the oncoming vehicle Bm.

[0291] (Sixteenth embodiment)

[0292] like Figure 34 As shown, the sixteenth embodiment is a modification of the first embodiment. The sixteenth embodiment will be described focusing on the differences from the first embodiment.

[0293] In the sixteenth embodiment, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 obtains information about the driver of the host vehicle Am. The driver's information can be registered in the HCU 100 and obtained by the information coordination unit 61. For example, when the power switch of the host vehicle Am is turned on, the HCU 100 performs personal authentication, thereby identifying the current driver.

[0294] The driver's information may include the driver's age, gender, and attributes. The driver's attributes may include manual driving experience, driving ratings, and personality. Furthermore, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 sets the angle β of the steering wheel SW during a temporary stop at the intersection IS based on the driver's information.

[0295] For example, if the driver is determined to have a low accelerator control skill level based on the aforementioned attributes, the angle β of the steering wheel SW during a temporary stop at the intersection IS is set to an angle aligned with the body of the vehicle Am. In other words, if an emergency driving change occurs during a temporary stop at the intersection IS, if the steering wheel SW is in a turning position, a driver with a low accelerator control skill level is likely to make a mistake in the restarting driving operation. Therefore, the angle setting is used to prevent this. The driving skill level can be a driving score or a parameter calculated based on age, driving score, and experience. Furthermore, it is also possible to extract inexperienced drivers instead of drivers with a low accelerator control skill level.

[0296] Here, use Figure 34 The flowchart of FIG16 illustrates an example of the processing method of the automatic driving ECU 50b in the sixteenth embodiment. In S1611, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 obtains the driver's information. After the processing of S1611, the process proceeds to S1612.

[0297] In S1612, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 determines whether the driver of the host vehicle Am is an inexperienced driver. If yes, the process proceeds to S1613. If not, the process proceeds to S1614.

[0298] In S1613, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 sets the vehicle posture during the temporary stop at the intersection IS to the posture PB or the posture PD (see Figure 6 、 8 ). That is, the setting is performed without applying the angle β. After the processing of S1613, the process proceeds to S1615.

[0299] In S1614, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 sets the vehicle posture during the temporary stop at the intersection IS to the posture PA or the posture PC (see Figure 5 、 7 ). That is, the setting of the applied angle β is performed. After the processing of S1614, the process proceeds to S1615. The processing of S1615 is the same as that of S217. The series of processing ends at S1615.

[0300] According to the sixteenth embodiment described above, the vehicle Am is configured to allow for a change of control with the driver of the vehicle Am if autonomous control of the vehicle Am is no longer possible. Furthermore, the angle β of the steering wheel SW during a temporary stop at the intersection IS is set based on acquired driver information. This allows for a driver's posture to be set appropriately in preparation for a change of control in an emergency, etc.

[0301] Furthermore, according to the sixteenth embodiment, when the driver is an inexperienced driver, the angle β of the steering wheel SW during a temporary stop at the intersection IS is an angle along the direction of the vehicle body CB of the host vehicle Am. This reduces the possibility that the inexperienced driver will misunderstand the driving operation immediately after the change of control when switching control at the intersection IS.

[0302] (Seventeenth embodiment)

[0303] Figure 35 、 36 As shown, the seventeenth embodiment is a modification of the first embodiment. The seventeenth embodiment will be described focusing on the differences from the first embodiment.

[0304] In the seventeenth embodiment, the vehicle system 1 is as follows Figure 35As shown, the automatic driving ECU 50b further includes a braking force measuring device 3M for measuring the braking force of the host vehicle Am. The braking force measuring device 3M monitors the operating state of the brake actuator 41a and the actual braking distance of the host vehicle Am corresponding to the operating state. Furthermore, the braking force measuring device 3M measures the sensitivity of the brakes of the host vehicle Am based on the relationship between the operating state and the braking distance. The braking force measuring device 3M sequentially provides the measurement results to the action determination unit 63 of the automatic driving ECU 50b. This allows the vehicle posture setting unit 76 to grasp the normal brake sensitivity of the host vehicle Am.

[0305] The road information grasping unit 73 further grasps the condition and inclination of the road on which the host vehicle Am is traveling. The vehicle posture setting unit 76 sets the angle β of the steering wheel SW when temporarily stopping at the intersection IS based on at least one of the road condition or inclination.

[0306] Specifically, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 determines whether the vehicle is in a condition prone to slipping on the road. If so, the angle β of the steering wheel SW is set to a direction that is less likely to slip relative to the slope. Conditions prone to slip include, for example, snow-covered or frozen road conditions. For example, when parking, the steering wheel SW tends to have greater lateral grip (less likely to slip), so the angle β of the steering wheel SW can be set so that it is in a different direction, preferably substantially perpendicular, relative to the direction of the road's steepest gradient. Of course, as long as the vehicle can turn left or right smoothly, the direction that is less likely to slip relative to the slope can be selected.

[0307] The vehicle posture setting unit 76 may also use information on the grip of the steerable wheel SW, such as the measurement result of the braking force measuring device 3M, to determine the direction in which slip is less likely to occur. This determination may be made regardless of whether the situation is prone to slip.

[0308] For example, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 estimates the likelihood of slipping at each angle of the steering wheel SW through calculation based on information about road conditions and grip. This calculation can be performed at angle intervals of, for example, 10 degrees or 15 degrees. Furthermore, this calculation can also utilize information about the inclination. The vehicle posture setting unit 76 then sets the final steering wheel SW angle β to the angle with the lowest (e.g., the lowest) likelihood of slipping among the calculated angles.

[0309] Here, use Figure 36 The flowchart of FIG17 illustrates an example of the processing method of the automatic driving ECU 50b in the seventeenth embodiment. S1711 is the same as S111. After the processing of S1711, the process proceeds to S1712.

[0310] In S1712, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 determines whether the road surface is snow-covered or frozen based on the environmental information. If yes, the process proceeds to S1713. If not, the process proceeds to S1717.

[0311] In S1713, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 obtains information on the road inclination. After the processing of S1713, in S1714, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 obtains information related to the grip of the host vehicle Am. After the processing of S1714, the process proceeds to S1715.

[0312] In S1715, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 calculates the probability of slipping at each angle. Following S1715, in S1716, based on the calculation result, the angle β of the steering wheel SW is set to a direction that is less likely to cause slipping. Following S1716, the process proceeds to S1718.

[0313] On the other hand, when the road condition is good, in S1717, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 sets the vehicle posture to the standard posture PA (see Figure 5 After the processing of S1717, the process proceeds to S1718. S1718 is the same as S217. A series of processing ends at S1718.

[0314] According to the seventeenth embodiment described above, the environmental information includes information related to the road conditions. Furthermore, the angle β of the steering wheel SW during a temporary stop at the intersection IS is set according to the conditions. This can prevent problems caused by the road conditions from occurring.

[0315] Furthermore, according to the seventeenth embodiment, the environmental information further includes information related to the road inclination. Furthermore, if the situation is such that slipping is likely to occur on the road, the angle β of the steering wheel SW is set to a direction that is less likely to cause slipping relative to the inclination. The occurrence of slipping can be suppressed by adjusting the steering wheel SW angle to the inclination.

[0316] Furthermore, according to the seventeenth embodiment, the possibility of slipping is estimated for the temporary angle setting of the steerable wheels SW based on information regarding road conditions and the grip of the steerable wheels SW, and the final angle of the steerable wheels SW is set based on this possibility. Thus, the occurrence of slipping can be suppressed.

[0317] (Other Embodiments)

[0318] Although a plurality of embodiments have been described above, the present disclosure is not to be construed as being limited to these embodiments, and can be applied to various embodiments and combinations within a scope not departing from the gist of the present disclosure.

[0319] In other embodiments, various conditions can be used as judgment conditions for setting the vehicle posture. For example, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 may set the vehicle posture based on a combination of judgment conditions such as the shape of the intersection IS, the presence of oncoming vehicles Bm, and information related to the traffic light CTS. Alternatively, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 may set the vehicle posture based on judgment using a learned model such as a neural network.

[0320] As another embodiment, the vehicle control of the automatic driving ECU 50b can be appropriately optimized based on the road traffic laws and customs of each country and region. For example, while the first to eleventh embodiments are based on the Japanese road traffic laws and are based on left-hand traffic, the vehicle control can be optimized based on right-hand traffic.

[0321] As another embodiment, the vehicle posture setting during a temporary stop at an intersection IS can be applied by an application used for driving assistance at automation level 2. For example, in an application that assists with left or right turns at an intersection IS under the premise that the driver accelerates or decelerates, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 can set the vehicle posture as the driver performs a temporary stop.

[0322] As another embodiment, the intersection IS for setting the vehicle posture may be any of various intersections. For example, the vehicle posture setting unit 76 may set the vehicle posture when temporarily stopping at a complex intersection including a grade separation or a roundabout.

[0323] As another embodiment, the vehicle equipped with the above-mentioned vehicle system 1 is not limited to a general family passenger car, but may also be a rental vehicle, a taxi, a carpooling vehicle, etc. In addition, the steering wheels SW in the vehicle may be the rear wheels or all four wheels.

[0324] The control unit and method described in the present disclosure may also be implemented by a dedicated computer comprising a processor programmed to execute one or more functions embodied by a computer program. Alternatively, the apparatus and method described in the present disclosure may be implemented by a dedicated hardware logic circuit. Alternatively, the apparatus and method described in the present disclosure may be implemented by one or more dedicated computers comprising a combination of a processor that executes a computer program and one or more hardware logic circuits. In addition, the computer program may be stored as instructions executed by a computer on a non-migratable tangible recording medium that can be read by a computer.

[0325] (Disclosure of technical ideas)

[0326] This specification discloses multiple technical concepts described in the following multiple items. Some items are described in a multiple dependent form by selectively citing the preceding item in a subsequent item. These items described in multiple dependent forms define multiple technical concepts.

[0327] Technical Concept 1

[0328] A vehicle control device is a vehicle control device that autonomously controls the driving of a host vehicle (Am), comprising:

[0329] An environment recognition unit (62) that recognizes environment information at an intersection (IS); and

[0330] A setting unit (76) uses the environmental information to set an angle (β) of a steering wheel (SW) in the vehicle when the vehicle temporarily stops while turning left or right at the intersection.

[0331] Technical Thought 2

[0332] According to the vehicle control device described in the technical idea 1, further comprising:

[0333] A control execution unit (64) executes control of the vehicle from traveling to the temporary stop so that the temporary stop is completed at the angle of the steering wheel set by the setting unit.

[0334] Technical Thought 3

[0335] According to the vehicle control device described in technical idea 1 or 2,

[0336] The above-mentioned environment information includes the size of the above-mentioned intersection,

[0337] When the size of the intersection is greater than a preset threshold, the setting unit sets the angle of the steering wheel so that the steering wheel faces the traveling direction (TD1) after the left or right turn relative to the direction of the vehicle body (CB) of the host vehicle.

[0338] Technical Concept 4

[0339] According to the vehicle control device described in Technical Idea 3,

[0340] When the size of the intersection is smaller than a preset threshold value, the setting unit sets the angle of the steering wheel so that the direction of the steering wheel is along the direction of the vehicle body.

[0341] Technical Thought 5

[0342] The vehicle control device according to any one of technical ideas 1 to 4, wherein:

[0343] The environmental information includes information indicating whether there is a pedestrian crossing (PCW) at the intersection.

[0344] When there is a crosswalk, the setting unit sets the direction of the vehicle body during the temporary stop so that the vehicle body faces the direction after the left or right turn relative to the lane (EL0) in which the vehicle traveled before the left or right turn.

[0345] Technical Thought 6

[0346] According to the vehicle control device described in technical idea 5,

[0347] When the crosswalk exists, the setting unit sets the angle of the steering wheel so that the direction of the steering wheel relative to the vehicle body is further toward the traveling direction after the left or right turn.

[0348] Technical Thought 7

[0349] The vehicle control device according to any one of technical ideas 1 to 6, wherein:

[0350] The environmental information includes intersection continuity information indicating that there is a next intersection (NIS) continuous with the above-mentioned intersection in the direction of travel after the above-mentioned left or right turn.

[0351] If the intersection continuity information exists, the setting unit sets the direction of the vehicle body during the temporary stop so that the vehicle body faces the traveling direction after the left or right turn relative to the lane in which the vehicle traveled before the left or right turn.

[0352] Technical Thought 8

[0353] According to the vehicle control device described in Technical Idea 7,

[0354] When the intersection continuity information exists, the setting unit sets the angle of the steering wheel so that the direction of the steering wheel relative to the vehicle body is further toward the traveling direction after the left or right turn.

[0355] Technical Thought 9

[0356] The vehicle control device according to any one of technical ideas 1 to 8, wherein:

[0357] The above-mentioned environmental information includes the number of lanes of the road on which the above-mentioned vehicle is traveling after the above-mentioned left or right turn.

[0358] When the number of lanes is equal to or greater than a preset threshold, the setting unit sets the angle of the steering wheel so that the steering wheel faces the traveling direction after the left or right turn relative to the direction of the vehicle body.

[0359] Technical Thought 10

[0360] The vehicle control device according to any one of technical ideas 1 to 9, wherein:

[0361] The setting unit is configured to set the angle of the steering wheel differently depending on which lane is used at the intersection where there are multiple lanes (EL0a, EL0b) for the vehicle to advance in the direction after the left or right turn.

[0362] Technical Thought 11

[0363] The vehicle control device according to any one of technical ideas 1 to 10, wherein:

[0364] The environmental information includes information indicating whether there is an oncoming vehicle (Bm) that is about to turn left or right at the intersection.

[0365] When the oncoming vehicle is present, the setting unit sets the angle of the steering wheel so that the steering wheel faces the traveling direction after the left or right turn relative to the direction of the vehicle body.

[0366] Technical Thought 12

[0367] The vehicle control device according to any one of technical ideas 1 to 11, wherein:

[0368] If there is a possibility that the planned driving trajectory (TAm) of the own vehicle may interfere with the predicted driving trajectory (TBm) of the oncoming vehicle that will turn left or right at the intersection,

[0369] The setting unit sets the angle of the steering wheel so that the steering wheel faces the traveling direction after the left or right turn relative to the direction of the vehicle body.

[0370] Technical Thought 13

[0371] The vehicle control device according to any one of technical ideas 1 to 12, wherein:

[0372] The above-mentioned environmental information includes information related to the traffic light (CTS) at the above-mentioned intersection,

[0373] When the traffic light includes an arrow signal (ATS) related to the left or right turn of the host vehicle, the setting unit sets the direction of the vehicle body during the temporary stop to follow the lane in which the host vehicle was traveling before the left or right turn.

[0374] Technical Thought 14

[0375] The vehicle control device according to any one of technical ideas 1 to 12, wherein:

[0376] The above-mentioned environmental information includes information related to the traffic lights at the above-mentioned intersection.

[0377] When the traffic light includes an arrow signal related to the left or right turn of the host vehicle, the setting unit determines to omit the temporary stop at the intersection accompanying the left or right turn.

[0378] Technical Thought 15

[0379] The vehicle control device according to any one of technical ideas 1 to 14, wherein:

[0380] When the left or right turn angle (γ) of the vehicle is greater than a predetermined threshold value, the setting unit sets the angle of the steering wheel so that the direction of the steering wheel relative to the body of the vehicle is toward the direction of travel after the left or right turn.

[0381] Technical Thought 16

[0382] The vehicle control device according to any one of technical ideas 1 to 15, wherein:

[0383] The setting unit sets the angle of the steering wheel so that the rotation amount of the steering operation unit of the host vehicle is less than one turn after the host vehicle restarts from the temporary stop until the left or right turn is completed.

[0384] Technical Thought 17

[0385] According to the vehicle control device described in technical idea 1 or 2,

[0386] The above-mentioned environment information includes the size of the above-mentioned intersection,

[0387] When the size of the above-mentioned intersection is smaller than a pre-set threshold value and the turning angle of the above-mentioned vehicle during the above-mentioned left or right turn is above a specified threshold value, the above-mentioned setting unit sets the direction of the vehicle body during the above-mentioned temporary stop to be along the lane in which the above-mentioned vehicle was traveling before the above-mentioned left or right turn, and sets the angle of the above-mentioned steering wheel to be the side of the steering wheel relative to the direction of the vehicle body toward the direction of travel after the above-mentioned left or right turn.

[0388] Technical Thought 18

[0389] According to the vehicle control device described in technical idea 1 or 2,

[0390] The setting unit sets the direction of the vehicle body during the temporary stop so that the vehicle body faces a side opposite to the travel direction after the turn relative to the lane in which the vehicle traveled before the turn, based on the type of the vehicle.

[0391] Technical Thought 19

[0392] The vehicle control device according to any one of technical concepts 1 to 18, further comprising:

[0393] The control switching unit (75) switches the vehicle's driving mode to a mode that enables smooth starting during the temporary stop.

[0394] Technical Thought 20

[0395] The vehicle control device according to any one of technical ideas 1 to 19, wherein:

[0396] The setting unit sets the direction of the vehicle body of the host vehicle relative to the lane in which the host vehicle is traveling before the left or right turn, together with the angle of the steering wheel.

[0397] Technical Thought 21

[0398] According to the vehicle control device described in technical idea 1,

[0399] When the intersection is a roundabout (ISR), the setting unit sets the angle of the steering wheel when the host vehicle temporarily stops as it enters the roundabout, according to the size of the roundabout.

[0400] Technical Thought 22

[0401] According to the vehicle control device described in Technical Idea 21,

[0402] The setting unit sets the angle of the steering wheel so that the smaller the scale of the roundabout, the more the steering wheel is directed toward the traveling direction after the left or right turn relative to the direction of the vehicle body.

[0403] Technical Thought 23

[0404] According to the vehicle control device described in technical idea 21 or 22,

[0405] When the road connecting the roundabout and the next intersection (ISN) has multiple lanes (L1, L2), the setting unit sets the angle of the steering wheel when exiting the roundabout based on the lane corresponding to the predetermined travel direction at the next intersection among the multiple lanes.

[0406] Technical Thought 24

[0407] The vehicle control device according to any one of technical ideas 1 and 21 to 23, wherein:

[0408] When the intersection is a roundabout (ISR) having multiple lanes (OSL, ISL), the vehicle is traveling in any one of the multiple lanes, and there is a parallel vehicle (Cm) in a lane adjacent to the lane, the setting unit adjusts the angle of the steering wheel so as to maintain a distance from the parallel vehicle.

[0409] Technical Thought 25

[0410] According to the vehicle control device described in Technical Idea 24,

[0411] The setting unit sets the angle of the steering wheel so that it is easier to quickly maintain a distance from the parallel parallel vehicle as the size of the parallel parallel vehicle increases.

[0412] Technical Thought 26

[0413] The vehicle control device according to any one of technical concepts 1 and 21 to 25, further comprising:

[0414] A control execution unit (64) stops the vehicle in a parking space when the intersection is a roundabout (ISR), the vehicle is traveling on a lane within the roundabout, and a motorcycle is present near the vehicle.

[0415] Technical Thought 27

[0416] According to the vehicle control device described in Technical Idea 26,

[0417] The setting unit sets the angle of the steering wheel to prevent the motorcycle from cutting in on the host vehicle until the host vehicle stops.

[0418] Technical Thought 28

[0419] According to the vehicle control device described in technical idea 1 or 2,

[0420] The environmental information includes information indicating the presence and posture of an oncoming vehicle (Bm) that is about to turn left or right at the intersection.

[0421] When the oncoming vehicle exists, the setting unit sets the posture of the host vehicle based on the posture of the oncoming vehicle.

[0422] Technical Thought 29

[0423] According to the vehicle control device described in technical idea 1 or 2,

[0424] The environmental information includes information indicating whether there is an oncoming vehicle (Bm) that is about to turn left or right at the intersection.

[0425] When the oncoming vehicle exists, the setting unit sets the angle (α) of the vehicle body of the vehicle relative to the lane (EL0A) before entering the intersection to an angle at which the vehicle body is tilted toward the direction of travel after turning left or right, compared to a case where the oncoming vehicle does not exist.

[0426] Technical Thought 30

[0427] According to the vehicle control device described in technical idea 1 or 2,

[0428] The vehicle is configured to be capable of taking over driving control from the driver of the vehicle when the vehicle cannot continue to be driven autonomously.

[0429] The setting unit acquires the driver's information and sets the angle of the steering wheel when the vehicle temporarily stops at the intersection based on the driver's information.

[0430] Technical Thought 31

[0431] According to the vehicle control device described in technical idea 30,

[0432] When the driver has a low level of accelerator operation, the setting unit sets the angle of the steering wheel to an angle along the direction of the vehicle body during the temporary stop at the intersection.

[0433] Technical Thought 32

[0434] According to the vehicle control device described in technical idea 1 or 2,

[0435] The above environmental information includes information related to road conditions.

[0436] The setting unit sets the angle of the steering wheel when temporarily stopping at the intersection according to the situation.

[0437] Technical Thought 33

[0438] According to the vehicle control device described in Technical Idea 32,

[0439] The above environmental information also includes information related to the slope of the road.

[0440] When the condition is a condition in which slipping is likely to occur on the road, the setting unit sets the angle of the steering wheel so as to be in a direction in which slipping is unlikely to occur with respect to the inclination.

[0441] Technical Thought 34

[0442] According to the vehicle control device described in technical idea 32 or 33,

[0443] The setting unit obtains information related to the grip of the steering wheel, estimates the possibility of slipping in the temporary angle setting of the steering wheel based on the above-mentioned situation and the information related to the grip, and sets the final angle of the steering wheel based on the above-mentioned possibility.

[0444] Technical Thought 35

[0445] A vehicle control method is a vehicle control method for autonomously controlling the driving of a host vehicle (Am) executed by at least one processor, comprising:

[0446] Identify environmental information at an intersection (IS); and

[0447] The environmental information is used to set an angle (β) of the steering wheel (SW) of the host vehicle when the host vehicle temporarily stops while turning left or right at the intersection.

Claims

1. A vehicle control device that autonomously controls the driving of a vehicle (Am), wherein: have: An environment recognition unit (62) that recognizes environment information at an intersection (IS); and A setting unit (76) uses the environmental information to set an angle (β) of a steering wheel (SW) in the vehicle when the vehicle temporarily stops while turning left or right at the intersection.

2. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein: Also features: A control execution unit (64) executes control of the vehicle from traveling to the temporary stop so that the temporary stop is completed at the angle of the steering wheel set by the setting unit.

3. The vehicle control device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The above-mentioned environment information includes the size of the above-mentioned intersection, When the size of the intersection is greater than a preset threshold, the setting unit sets the angle of the steering wheel so that the steering wheel faces the traveling direction (TD1) after the left or right turn relative to the direction of the vehicle body (CB) of the host vehicle.

4. The vehicle control device according to claim 3, wherein: When the size of the intersection is smaller than a preset threshold value, the setting unit sets the angle of the steering wheel so that the direction of the steering wheel is along the direction of the vehicle body.

5. The vehicle control device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The environmental information includes information indicating whether there is a pedestrian crossing (PCW) at the intersection. When there is a crosswalk, the setting unit sets the direction of the vehicle body during the temporary stop so that the vehicle body faces the direction after the left or right turn relative to the lane (EL0) in which the vehicle traveled before the left or right turn.

6. The vehicle control device according to claim 5, wherein: When the crosswalk exists, the setting unit sets the angle of the steering wheel so that the direction of the steering wheel relative to the vehicle body is further toward the traveling direction after the left or right turn.

7. The vehicle control device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The environmental information includes intersection continuity information indicating that there is a next intersection (NIS) continuous with the above-mentioned intersection in the direction of travel after the above-mentioned left or right turn. If the intersection continuity information exists, the setting unit sets the direction of the vehicle body during the temporary stop so that the vehicle body faces the traveling direction after the left or right turn relative to the lane in which the vehicle traveled before the left or right turn.

8. The vehicle control device according to claim 7, wherein: When the intersection continuity information exists, the setting unit sets the angle of the steering wheel so that the direction of the steering wheel relative to the vehicle body is further toward the traveling direction after the left or right turn.

9. The vehicle control device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The above-mentioned environmental information includes the number of lanes of the road on which the above-mentioned vehicle is traveling after the above-mentioned left or right turn. When the number of lanes is equal to or greater than a preset threshold, the setting unit sets the angle of the steering wheel so that the steering wheel faces the traveling direction after the left or right turn relative to the direction of the vehicle body.

10. The vehicle control device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The setting unit is configured to set the angle of the steering wheel differently depending on which lane is used at the intersection where there are multiple lanes (EL0a, EL0b) for the host vehicle to advance in the direction after the left or right turn.

11. The vehicle control device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The above-mentioned environmental information includes information indicating whether there is an oncoming vehicle (Bm) that is about to turn left or right at the above-mentioned intersection. When the oncoming vehicle is present, the setting unit sets the angle of the steering wheel so that the steering wheel faces the traveling direction after the left or right turn relative to the direction of the vehicle body.

12. The vehicle control device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: If there is a possibility that the planned driving trajectory (TAm) of the own vehicle may interfere with the predicted driving trajectory (TBm) of the oncoming vehicle that will turn left or right at the intersection, The setting unit sets the angle of the steering wheel so that the steering wheel faces the traveling direction after the left or right turn relative to the direction of the vehicle body.

13. The vehicle control device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The above-mentioned environmental information includes information related to the traffic light (CTS) at the above-mentioned intersection, When the traffic light includes an arrow signal (ATS) related to the left or right turn of the host vehicle, the setting unit sets the direction of the vehicle body during the temporary stop to follow the lane in which the host vehicle was traveling before the left or right turn.

14. The vehicle control device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The above-mentioned environmental information includes information related to the traffic lights at the above-mentioned intersection. When the traffic light includes an arrow signal related to the left or right turn of the host vehicle, the setting unit determines to omit the temporary stop at the intersection accompanying the left or right turn.

15. The vehicle control device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: When the left or right turn angle (γ) of the vehicle is greater than a predetermined threshold value, the setting unit sets the angle of the steering wheel so that the direction of the steering wheel relative to the body of the vehicle is toward the direction of travel after the left or right turn.

16. The vehicle control device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The setting unit sets the angle of the steering wheel so that the rotation amount of the steering operation unit of the host vehicle is less than one turn after the host vehicle restarts from the temporary stop until the left or right turn is completed.

17. The vehicle control device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The above-mentioned environment information includes the size of the above-mentioned intersection, When the size of the above-mentioned intersection is smaller than a pre-set threshold value and the turning angle of the above-mentioned vehicle during the above-mentioned left or right turn is above a specified threshold value, the above-mentioned setting unit sets the direction of the vehicle body during the above-mentioned temporary stop to be along the lane in which the above-mentioned vehicle was traveling before the above-mentioned left or right turn, and sets the angle of the above-mentioned steering wheel to be the side of the steering wheel relative to the direction of the vehicle body toward the direction of travel after the above-mentioned left or right turn.

18. The vehicle control device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The setting unit sets the direction of the vehicle body during the temporary stop so that the vehicle body faces a side opposite to the travel direction after the turn relative to the lane in which the vehicle traveled before the turn, based on the type of the vehicle.

19. The vehicle control device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: Also features: The control switching unit (75) switches the vehicle's driving mode to a mode that enables smooth starting during the temporary stop.

20. The vehicle control device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The setting unit sets the direction of the vehicle body of the host vehicle relative to the lane in which the host vehicle is traveling before the left or right turn, together with the angle of the steering wheel.

21. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein: When the intersection is a roundabout (ISR), the setting unit sets the angle of the steering wheel when the host vehicle temporarily stops as it enters the roundabout, according to the size of the roundabout.

22. The vehicle control device according to claim 21, wherein: The setting unit sets the angle of the steering wheel so that the smaller the scale of the roundabout, the more the steering wheel is directed toward the traveling direction after the left or right turn relative to the direction of the vehicle body.

23. The vehicle control device according to claim 21, wherein: When the road connecting the roundabout and the next intersection (ISN) has multiple lanes (L1, L2), the setting unit sets the angle of the steering wheel when exiting the roundabout based on the lane corresponding to the predetermined travel direction at the next intersection among the multiple lanes.

24. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein: When the intersection is a roundabout (ISR) having multiple lanes (OSL, ISL), the host vehicle is traveling in any one of the multiple lanes, and there is a parallel vehicle (Cm) in a lane adjacent to the lane, the setting unit adjusts the angle of the steering wheel so as to maintain a distance from the parallel vehicle.

25. The vehicle control device according to claim 24, wherein: The setting unit sets the angle of the steering wheel so that it is easier to quickly maintain a distance from the parallel parallel vehicle as the size of the parallel parallel vehicle increases.

26. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein: Also features: A control execution unit (64) stops the vehicle in a parking space when the intersection is a roundabout (ISR), the vehicle is traveling on a lane within the roundabout, and a motorcycle is present near the vehicle.

27. The vehicle control device according to claim 26, wherein: The setting unit sets the angle of the steering wheel to prevent the motorcycle from cutting in on the host vehicle until the host vehicle stops.

28. The vehicle control device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The environmental information includes information indicating the presence and posture of an oncoming vehicle (Bm) that is about to turn left or right at the intersection. When the oncoming vehicle exists, the setting unit sets the posture of the host vehicle based on the posture of the oncoming vehicle.

29. The vehicle control device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The above-mentioned environmental information includes information indicating whether there is an oncoming vehicle (Bm) that is about to turn left or right at the above-mentioned intersection. When the oncoming vehicle exists, the setting unit sets the angle (α) of the vehicle body of the vehicle relative to the lane (EL0A) before entering the intersection to an angle at which the vehicle body is tilted toward the direction of travel after turning left or right, compared to a case where the oncoming vehicle does not exist.

30. The vehicle control device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The vehicle is configured to be capable of taking over driving control from the driver of the vehicle when the vehicle cannot continue to be driven autonomously. The setting unit acquires the driver's information and sets the angle of the steering wheel when the vehicle temporarily stops at the intersection based on the driver's information.

31. The vehicle control device according to claim 30, wherein: When the driver is a driver with a low level of accelerator operation, the setting unit sets the angle of the steering wheel to an angle along the direction of the vehicle body during the temporary stop at the intersection.

32. The vehicle control device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The above environmental information includes information related to road conditions. The setting unit sets the angle of the steering wheel when temporarily stopping at the intersection according to the situation.

33. The vehicle control device according to claim 32, wherein: The above environmental information also includes information related to the slope of the road. When the condition is a condition in which slipping is likely to occur on the road, the setting unit sets the angle of the steering wheel so as to be in a direction in which slipping is unlikely to occur with respect to the inclination.

34. The vehicle control device according to claim 32, wherein: The setting unit obtains information related to the grip of the steering wheel, estimates the possibility of slipping in the temporary angle setting of the steering wheel based on the above-mentioned situation and the information related to the grip, and sets the final angle of the steering wheel based on the above-mentioned possibility.

35. A vehicle control program for autonomously controlling the driving of a vehicle (Am), wherein: The device is configured to cause at least one processing unit (51) to execute: Identify environmental information at an intersection (IS); and The environmental information is used to set an angle (β) of the steering wheel (SW) of the host vehicle when the host vehicle temporarily stops while turning left or right at the intersection.

36. A vehicle control method, which is a vehicle control method for autonomously controlling the driving of a host vehicle (Am) executed by at least one processing unit (51), wherein: Include: Identify environmental information at an intersection (IS); and The environmental information is used to set an angle (β) of the steering wheel (SW) of the host vehicle when the host vehicle temporarily stops while turning left or right at the intersection.

Images