Driving control device, driving control method, and program product

Abstract

The invention relates to a driving control device, a driving control method, and a program product including a driving control program. A driving control device for controlling the driving of a vehicle (100) is provided with a driving control unit (334) that, when a specific object is located within a steering operation region (Rs) set in front of the vehicle, executes a separate steering control for steering so as to maintain a distance from the object. And a driving control unit that executes deceleration control for decelerating the vehicle when the specific object is located within a deceleration operation region (Rd) set in front of the vehicle. When an object enters or is about to enter the road on which the vehicle travels during execution of the split steering control, the driving control unit changes the execution mode of the split steering control or the deceleration control so that the risk of collision with the object is reduced compared to other cases. Thus, the possibility that an object in front of the vehicle collides with the vehicle can be reduced.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a driving control device, a driving control method, and a program product including a driving control program. BACKGROUND

[0002] In the past, a driving control device that performs steering, braking, or the like of a vehicle to avoid collision with an object such as a pedestrian when the object is present in front of the vehicle is known (Patent Documents 1, 2, and the like). In particular, in Patent Document 1, it is disclosed that, when a mobile body is located within a prescribed region drawn based on a stationary object present in front of a vehicle, driving assistance for reducing the likelihood of collision between the mobile body and the vehicle is performed.

[0003] PRIOR ART DOCUMENTS

[0004] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-028951

[0005] Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2015-155295 SUMMARY

[0006] PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED BY THE INVENTION

[0007] However, in the devices described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, there is room for improvement in terms of reducing the likelihood of collision between an object such as a pedestrian who has entered the travel road of the vehicle or a pedestrian who is about to (intends to) enter the travel road of the vehicle and the vehicle.

[0008] In view of the above problems, an object of the present disclosure is to reduce the likelihood of collision between a specific object who has entered the travel road of the vehicle or a specific object who is about to enter the travel road of the vehicle and the vehicle.

[0009] TECHNICAL SOLUTION FOR SOLVING THE PROBLEM

[0010] The gist of the present disclosure is as follows.

[0011] (1) A driving control device that controls driving of a vehicle, comprising a driving control section that, when a specific object is located within a steering action (activation, operation) region set in front of the vehicle, performs separation (lateral avoidance) steering control that performs steering to maintain a distance from the object, and that, when the specific object is located within a deceleration action region set in front of the vehicle, performs deceleration control that decelerates the vehicle, the driving control section changing the execution mode (pattern) of the separation steering control or the deceleration control when the object enters or is about to enter the travel road of the vehicle during execution of the separation steering control, so that the risk of collision with the object is reduced compared to other cases.

[0012] (2) The driving control device according to the above (1), in the separation steering control, the driving control section performs steering to maintain a distance from the object based on a current position of the object, when the object enters or is about to enter a travel road of the vehicle during execution of the separation steering control, and it is expected that the object will interfere with the vehicle when the vehicle is controlled by the separation steering control, the separation steering control is not performed.

[0013] (3) The driving control device according to the above (1) or (2), further comprising: an object trajectory estimation section that estimates a predicted movement trajectory of the object; and a vehicle trajectory estimation section that estimates a predetermined movement trajectory of the vehicle in a case where the separation steering control is performed and in a case where the separation steering control is not performed, when the object enters or is about to enter the travel road of the vehicle during execution of the separation steering control, and a shortest distance between the object traveling along the predicted movement trajectory and the vehicle traveling along the predetermined movement trajectory in the case where the separation steering control is performed is shorter than a shortest distance between the object traveling along the predicted movement trajectory and the vehicle traveling along the predetermined movement trajectory in the case where the separation steering control is not performed, the separation steering control is not performed.

[0014] (4) The driving control device according to the above (3), when the object enters or is about to enter the travel road of the vehicle during execution of the separation steering control, and a shortest distance between the object traveling along the predicted movement trajectory and the vehicle traveling along the predetermined movement trajectory in the case where the separation steering control is performed is longer than a shortest distance between the object traveling along the predicted movement trajectory and the vehicle traveling along the predetermined movement trajectory in the case where the separation steering control is not performed, the separation steering control is performed.

[0015] (5) The driving control device according to any one of the above (1) to (4), when the object enters the travel road of the vehicle during execution of the separation steering control, the driving control section advances a start timing of the deceleration control compared to a case where the object enters the travel road of the vehicle when the separation steering control is not performed.

[0016] (6) The drive control device according to the above (5), further comprising an object detection section that detects an object in front of the vehicle, wherein the drive control section executes the deceleration control when the object is continuously detected to be located in the deceleration action region for a certain period without executing the separate steering control, and immediately executes the deceleration control when the object is detected to be located in the deceleration action region while the separate steering control is being executed.

[0017] (7) The drive control device according to the above (6), wherein the drive control section immediately executes the deceleration control when an object recognized to be located in a steering action region different from the deceleration action region is detected to be located in the deceleration action region while the separate steering control is being executed, and executes the deceleration control when an object is continuously detected to be located in the deceleration action region for a certain period even in a case where an object different from the object recognized to be located in the steering action region is detected to be located in the deceleration action region while the separate steering control is being executed.

[0018] (8) The drive control device according to any one of the above (1) to (7), wherein the steering action region and the deceleration action region are different regions, the steering action region includes a region on a lateral side in front of the vehicle, and the deceleration action region includes a region in a center in front of the vehicle.

[0019] (9) A drive control method of controlling driving of a vehicle, comprising: executing separate steering control that performs steering to maintain a distance from a specific object when the specific object is located in a steering action region set in front of the vehicle, executing deceleration control that decelerates the vehicle when the specific object is located in a deceleration action region set in front of the vehicle, and changing a manner of execution of the separate steering control or the deceleration control so that a risk of collision with the object is reduced compared to a case other than this when the object enters or is about to enter a travel road of the vehicle during execution of the separate steering control.

[0020] (10) A drive control program is a program that controls driving of a vehicle, and causes a computer to execute: when a specific object is located within a turning action region set in front of the vehicle, performing separation turning control that performs turning to maintain a distance from the object; when the specific object is located within a deceleration action region set in front of the vehicle, performing deceleration control that decelerates the vehicle; and when the object enters or is about to enter a travel road of the vehicle during execution of the separation turning control, changing a manner of execution of the separation turning control or the deceleration control so that a risk of collision with the object is reduced compared to a case other than this.

[0021] Effects of Invention

[0022] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to reduce the likelihood of a specific object that has entered a travel road of a vehicle or a specific object that is about to enter a travel road of a vehicle colliding with the vehicle. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0023] Figure 1 is a configuration diagram that schematically shows a drive control system in which a drive control device according to one embodiment is implemented.

[0024] Figure 2 is a functional block diagram of a processor of the ECU 30.

[0025] Figure 3 is a diagram that schematically shows a situation in which separation turning control is performed.

[0026] Figure 4 is a diagram that schematically shows a situation in which deceleration control is performed.

[0027] Figure 5 is a diagram that shows a situation in which separation turning control is performed, and is the same as Figure 3 .

[0028] Figure 6 is a diagram that shows a situation in which deceleration control is performed, and is the same as Figure 4 .

[0029] Figure 7 is a diagram that shows a situation in which separation turning control is performed, and is the same as Figure 3 and Figure 5 .

[0030] Figure 8 is a diagram that shows a situation in which deceleration control is performed, and is the same as Figure 4 .

[0031] Figure 9 is a flowchart that shows a flow of separation turning processing that determines whether or not to perform separation turning control.

[0032] Figure 10 This is a flowchart illustrating the process of determining whether deceleration control needs to be implemented.

[0033] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0034] 1: Driving control system

[0035] 11: Exterior vehicle camera

[0036] 12: Distance sensor

[0037] 16: HMI (Human Machine Interface)

[0038] 30: ECU (Electronic Control Unit)

[0039] 33: Processor

[0040] 100: Vehicles Detailed Implementation

[0041] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Furthermore, in the following description, the same reference numerals will be used for the same constituent elements.

[0042] <Structure of the driving control system>

[0043] Figure 1 This is a schematic structural diagram illustrating a driving control system 1 implemented according to one embodiment of the driving control device. The driving control system 1 is mounted on a vehicle 100 and performs steering control to steer the vehicle 100 and deceleration control to decelerate the vehicle 100. In this embodiment, the driving control system 1 includes an external camera 11, a distance sensor 12, a positioning sensor 13, a driving status sensor 14, a human-machine interface (hereinafter referred to as "HMI") 16, a vehicle actuator 21, and an electronic control unit (hereinafter referred to as "ECU") 30.

[0044] However, the driving control system 1 may not necessarily have all of these. For example, the vehicle 100 may not have a distance sensor 12 as long as it has an exterior camera 11.

[0045] The outside camera 11, the distance measuring sensor 12, the position detecting sensor 13, the running state sensor 14, the HMI 16, and the ECU 30 are communicably connected via an in-vehicle network 25. The in-vehicle network 25 is a network that complies with a standard such as CAN (Controller Area Network). In addition, the ECU 30 is connected to the vehicle actuator 21 via a signal line. Further, the ECU 30 can also be connected to the vehicle actuator 21 via the in-vehicle network 25, and can also be connected to the distance measuring sensor 12, the position detecting sensor 13, the running state sensor 14, or the HMI 16 via a signal line.

[0046] The outside camera 11 is an example of a surrounding sensor that generates surrounding data representing the situation of the periphery of the vehicle. The outside camera 11 captures the surroundings of the vehicle 100, in this embodiment, the front of the vehicle 100. The outside camera 11 is, for example, a CMOS camera (photographing camera) or a CCD camera that has sensitivity to visible light. The outside camera 11 captures the front region of the vehicle 100 at a prescribed capturing cycle, and generates image data that represents the front region. The outside camera 11 outputs the generated image data to the ECU 30 via the in-vehicle network 25 each time the image data is generated. Further, the outside camera 11 can be a monocular camera, or can be a stereo camera. In the case where a stereo camera is used as the outside camera 11, the outside camera 11 also functions as the distance measuring sensor 12. The vehicle 100 can also be provided with a plurality of outside cameras having different capturing directions or focal lengths.

[0047] The distance measuring sensor 12 is an example of a surrounding sensor that generates surrounding data representing the situation of the periphery of the vehicle. The distance measuring sensor 12 measures (measures) the distance to an object existing in the periphery of the vehicle 100, in this embodiment, an object existing in the front of the vehicle 100. The distance measuring sensor 12 can also measure the direction and the relative speed of the object existing in the periphery (front) of the vehicle 100 together. The distance measuring sensor 12 is, for example, a radar such as a millimeter wave radar, a laser radar (LiDAR), or a sonar. The distance measuring sensor 12 outputs the measurement data of the distance to the object existing in the periphery to the ECU 30 via the in-vehicle network 25 at a prescribed cycle.

[0048] The positioning sensor 13 is an example of a vehicle sensor for generating vehicle data representing a state of the vehicle. The positioning sensor 13 measures a self position of the vehicle 100. The positioning sensor 13 is, for example, a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiver. The GNSS receiver receives GNSS signals from a plurality of GNSS satellites, and measures a self position of the vehicle 100 on the basis of the received GNSS signals. The positioning sensor 13 generates self position data representing the self position of the vehicle 100 at a prescribed cycle, and outputs the self position data to the ECU 30 via the in-vehicle network 25. Further, the positioning sensor 13 can be a receiver according to other satellite positioning systems, as long as it can measure the self position of the vehicle 100.

[0049] The running state sensor 14 is an example of a vehicle sensor for generating vehicle data representing a state of the vehicle. The running state sensor 14 detects a running state of the vehicle 100. The running state sensor 14, for example, detects a speed of the vehicle 100, an acceleration of the vehicle 100, a change speed of a yaw angle at the time of rotation of the vehicle 100 (yaw rate), and the like. The running state sensor 14 outputs detection data of the running state of the vehicle to the ECU 30 via the in-vehicle network 25.

[0050] The HMI 16 is a user interface for exchanging information between the ECU 30 of the vehicle 100 and an occupant of the vehicle 100. The HMI 16 has an input device 161 that receives an input from the occupant of the vehicle 100, and an output device 162 that notifies the occupant of the vehicle 100. The input device 161 is a device that receives a physical operation or a voice operation of the occupant as an input, and includes at least any one of a touch panel, a switch, a button, a microphone, and the like, for example. On the other hand, the output device 162 is a device that notifies the occupant through the five senses (for example, vision, hearing, touch, and the like) of the occupant, and includes at least any one of a display device (for example, a liquid crystal display, a head-up display, a warning lamp, and the like), a speaker, a vibration unit, and the like, for example.

[0051] The HMI 16 transmits input data received from the occupant via the input device 161 to the ECU 30 via the in-vehicle network 25. In addition, the HMI 16 notifies the occupant of information corresponding to a signal received from the ECU 30 via the in-vehicle network 25 via the output device 162.

[0052] The vehicle actuator 21 is an actuator used to control driving of the vehicle 100. Specifically, the vehicle actuator 21 has, for example, a drive actuator that controls an internal combustion engine or an electric motor used to drive the vehicle 100, a brake actuator that controls a brake that brakes the vehicle 100, and a steering actuator that controls steering of the vehicle 100. The vehicle actuator 21 controls acceleration, braking, and steering of the vehicle 100 in accordance with a control signal transmitted from the ECU 30 via a signal line.

[0053] <Outline of the driving control device>

[0054] The ECU 30 functions as a driving control device that controls driving of the vehicle 100. In the present embodiment, the ECU 30 performs steering control that steers the vehicle 100 and deceleration control that decelerates the vehicle 100, on the basis of data transmitted from the outside camera 11 and the distance measuring sensor 12. In the present embodiment, the ECU 30 also performs control that controls the vehicle 100 to travel straight ahead, on the basis of data transmitted from the positioning sensor 13 and the travel state sensor 14. Figure 1 In the example shown in FIG. 1, the driving control system 1 is provided with one ECU 30, but can be provided with a plurality of ECUs 30 divided by function. The ECU 30 has a communication interface 31, a storage 32, and a processor 33. In addition, the communication interface 31, the storage 32, and the processor 33 can be separate circuits, or can be configured as one integrated circuit.

[0055] The communication interface 31 has a communication interface circuit and a device interface circuit. The communication interface circuit is a circuit for connecting the ECU 30 to the in-vehicle network 25. The device interface circuit is a circuit for outputting a control signal to the vehicle actuator 21. The communication interface 31 transmits signals received from the outside camera 11, the distance measuring sensor 12, the positioning sensor 13, the travel state sensor 14, and the input device 161 of the HMI 16 to the processor 33. In addition, the communication interface 31 transmits signals output from the processor 33 to the output device 162 of the HMI 16 and the vehicle actuator 21.

[0056] The storage 32 stores data. The storage 32 has, for example, at least any one of a volatile semiconductor memory, a non-volatile semiconductor memory, a hard disk drive (HDD), and a solid state drive (SSD). The storage 32 stores a program executed by the processor 33 of the ECU 30. In addition, the storage 32 stores data transmitted from the outside camera 11 and the like.

[0057] The processor 33 has one or a plurality of CPUs (Central Processing Units) and peripheral circuits thereof. The processor 33 can also have other arithmetic circuits such as a logic arithmetic unit or a numerical arithmetic unit. The processor 33 executes a computer program stored in the storage 32.

[0058] Figure 2is a functional block diagram of the processor 33 of the ECU 30. As shown in Figure 2 The processor 33 has an object detection section 331, an object trajectory estimation section 332, a vehicle trajectory estimation section 333, and a driving control section 334. These sections of the processor 33 are functional modules realized by a computer program operating on the processor 33, for example. Alternatively, each section of the processor 33 can be installed as an independent integrated circuit, microprocessor, or firmware in the ECU 30.

[0059] The object detection section 331 detects objects in front of the vehicle 100 on the basis of image data received from the outside camera 11 and ranging data received from the ranging sensor 12. The object detection section 331 detects, for example, the kind of object (e.g., pedestrian, bicycle, motorcycle, automobile, building, plant, etc.) appearing in the image of each image data and the region within the image in which the object appears, by sequentially inputting the image data to a discriminator. The discriminator is a convolutional neural network (CNN) having a plurality of convolution layers connected in series from the input side to the output side, for example. Further, the object detection section 331 detects the distance to each object and the speed of each object on the basis of the region of the object appearing in the image of each image data and the ranging data received from the ranging sensor 12. As a result, the object detection section 331 detects the kind of object (e.g., pedestrian, bicycle, motorcycle, automobile, building, plant, etc.) present in front of the vehicle 100, the relative position (hereinafter, also simply referred to as "relative position") with respect to the vehicle 100, and the relative speed (hereinafter, also simply referred to as "relative speed") with respect to the vehicle 100. Note that the detection of the object in front of the vehicle 100 is not limited to the method described above, but can be performed using other known methods.

[0060] The object trajectory estimation section 332 estimates the trajectory of the expected future movement, i.e., the expected movement trajectory, of the object detected by the object detection section 331, i.e., the object in front of the vehicle 100. In the present embodiment, the expected movement trajectory is a set of combinations of the position and time of the future of the object. Thus, the expected movement trajectory includes not only the path through which the object is expected to pass in the future, but also the time at which each point of the path is expected to be reached.

[0061] In the present embodiment, the object trajectory estimation section 332 estimates a predicted movement trajectory of a specific object (e.g., a pedestrian, a bicycle, a motorcycle, a car, etc.) that is movable among the objects detected by the object detection section 331. In the present embodiment, the object trajectory estimation section 332 estimates a predicted movement trajectory of a specific object located in front of the vehicle 100 based on a relative position and a relative speed of the object detected by the object detection section 331. For example, in a case where the specific object detected by the object detection section 331 is stationary, the object trajectory estimation section 332 estimates that the object stays at its position, and thus the predicted movement trajectory is one point at which the object is currently located. On the other hand, in a case where the specific object detected by the object detection section 331 moves at a prescribed speed, the object trajectory estimation section 332 estimates the predicted movement trajectory by assuming that the object continues to move at the current speed in the direction in which it is currently traveling. In particular, in the present embodiment, the object trajectory estimation section 332 estimates a predicted movement trajectory of an object located in front of the vehicle 100 in a case where the object is moving. Furthermore, the object trajectory estimation section 332 can estimate a predicted movement trajectory of a specific object detected by the object detection section 331 in a different manner from the above-described manner as long as it can estimate the predicted movement trajectory.

[0062] The vehicle trajectory estimation section 333 estimates a trajectory in which the vehicle 100 is scheduled (planned) to move in the future, i.e., a scheduled movement trajectory. In the present embodiment, the scheduled movement trajectory is a set of combinations of positions and times of the vehicle 100 in the future. Thus, the scheduled movement trajectory includes not only a path through which the vehicle 100 is scheduled to pass in the future but also times at which each point of the path is expected to be reached. In addition, in the present embodiment, the vehicle trajectory estimation section 333 estimates a scheduled movement trajectory of the vehicle 100 in a case where the separate steering control (described later) is performed by the driving control section 334, and a scheduled movement trajectory of the vehicle 100 in a case where the separate steering control is not performed.

[0063] The driving control section 334 performs driving control of the vehicle 100 to reduce the possibility of collision with a specific object (e.g., a pedestrian, a bicycle, a motorcycle, a car, etc.) when the object is located in a region set in advance in front of the vehicle 100. More specifically, the driving control section 334 performs separate steering control that performs steering to maintain a distance from the object when the specific object is located in a steering action region set in front of the vehicle 100. Furthermore, the driving control section 334 performs deceleration control that decelerates the vehicle when the specific object is located in a deceleration action region set in front of the vehicle 100.

[0064] <Basic Driving Control>

[0065] Next, the driving control performed by the driving control section 334 will be described in more detail with reference to Figure 3 and Figure 4 .

[0066] First, referring to Figure 3 , the separation steering control will be described. Figure 3 is a diagram schematically showing a situation in which the separation steering control is performed. In particular, Figure 3 , a case in which a pedestrian P as a specific object exists on the front side of the vehicle 100 is shown. Figure 3 The left side of Figure 3 is a diagram showing the activity (movement, action) of the vehicle 100 on the road, and The right side of

[0067] is a time chart of the positions of the vehicle 100 and the pedestrian P in the longitudinal direction (the traveling direction of the vehicle 100) and the lateral direction (the direction perpendicular to the traveling direction of the vehicle 100). Figure 3 As shown in Figure 3 , a steering action region Rs is set in the front of the vehicle 100. In the example shown in , the steering action region Rs is set only on the left side of the vehicle 100 in order to prevent the complication of the diagram, but the steering action region Rs can be set also on the right side of the vehicle 100.

[0068] In the present embodiment, the steering action region Rs is a region in the front and side of the vehicle 100, that is, a region in which some moving body that can suddenly rush out in front of the vehicle 100 can exist. In the present embodiment, when a specific object, that is, a pedestrian P, a bicycle, a motorcycle, an automobile, or the like exists in this steering action region Rs, the separation steering control is executed in order to prevent the collision of the vehicle 100 with the specific object. In particular, in the separation steering control of the present embodiment, the steering is performed so that the distance between the vehicle 100 and the object is maintained based on the current position of the object. Specifically, in the separation steering control, the vehicle 100 is steered so that the vehicle 100 is apart from the object by a predetermined reference distance when the vehicle 100 passes by the object.

[0069] In the example shown in Figure 3 , when it is recognized at time tl that the pedestrian P is located in the steering action region Rs, the separation steering control is executed from time tl in order to prevent the collision of the vehicle 100 with the pedestrian P. In the separation steering control, the vehicle 100 is steered so that the distance between the pedestrian P and the vehicle 100 is maintained, that is, so that the vehicle 100 is apart from the pedestrian P in the lateral direction (the vehicle width direction). As a result, the vehicle 100 moves in the lateral direction to the direction away from the pedestrian P (the direction of the opposite lane side) within the range of the lane. As a result, at time t2, when the vehicle 100 passes by the pedestrian P, the vehicle 100 is apart from the pedestrian P in the lateral direction, and thus the collision of the vehicle 100 with the pedestrian P is suppressed.

[0070] Further, in Figure 3In the example shown, the pedestrian P is detected to have entered the turning action region Rs before time t1. Also, if the pedestrian P is detected to be in the turning action region Rs throughout a predetermined accuracy guarantee period after the pedestrian P has entered the turning action region Rs, the pedestrian P is recognized to be in the turning action region Rs. Here, as described above, the detection of the object such as the pedestrian P is performed based on the image data received from the outside camera 11 and the distance measurement data received from the distance measurement sensor 12. However, the image data and the distance measurement data sometimes have noise, and thus sometimes cause a false detection with respect to the kind, distance, and the like of the object. In the present embodiment, only the object that is detected throughout the accuracy guarantee period is recognized as the object, and thus the object in the turning action region Rs is suppressed from being falsely recognized.

[0071] Next, the description will be made with reference to Figure 4 , regarding the deceleration control. Figure 4 is a diagram schematically showing a situation in which the deceleration control is performed. In particular, Figure 4 shows a case where the pedestrian P as a specific object exists in the front center of the vehicle 100. Figure 4 The left side of Figure 4 is a time chart showing the behavior of the vehicle 100 on the road, The right side of

[0072] is a time chart of the positions of the vehicle 100 and the pedestrian P in the longitudinal direction (the traveling direction of the vehicle 100) and the lateral direction (the direction perpendicular to the traveling direction of the vehicle 100). Figure 4 As shown in , the deceleration action region Rd is set in the front of the vehicle 100. In the present embodiment, the deceleration action region Rd is a region in the front and the center of the vehicle 100, that is, a region in which an object in the region will come into contact with the vehicle 100 if the vehicle 100 just proceeds as it is. Thus, in the present embodiment, the turning action region Rs and the deceleration action region Rd are different regions, the turning action region Rs includes a region on the side of the front of the vehicle 100, and the deceleration action region Rd includes a region in the front center of the vehicle 100. In addition, in the present embodiment, the turning action region Rs and the deceleration action region Rd are regions that do not overlap each other, but can be regions that partially overlap each other. Further, the turning action region Rs and the deceleration action region Rd can be the same region.

[0073] In the present embodiment, when it is recognized that a specific object, i.e., a pedestrian, a bicycle, a motorcycle, a car, or the like is located in the deceleration action region Rd, deceleration control is executed in order to prevent a collision between the vehicle 100 and the specific object. In particular, in the present embodiment, when it is continuously detected that the specific object is located in the deceleration action region Rd throughout a prescribed accuracy guarantee period, deceleration control is executed. Thus, even if the specific object is detected within the deceleration action region Rd, deceleration control is not executed unless it is continuously detected throughout the accuracy guarantee period.

[0074] In Figure 4 the example shown, the pedestrian P is detected as being located within the deceleration action region Rd at time tl. Also, at time t2, the pedestrian P is continuously detected as being located within the deceleration action region Rd from time tl throughout a prescribed accuracy guarantee period, whereby it is recognized at time t2 that the pedestrian P is located within the deceleration action region Rd. When it is recognized at time t2 that the pedestrian P is located within the deceleration action region Rd, deceleration control is executed from time t2 in order to prevent a collision between the vehicle 100 and the pedestrian P. In the deceleration control, the vehicle 100 is subjected to a deceleration operation so as to be delayed (slow) in reaching the position of the pedestrian P. In the deceleration control, specifically, the shorter the distance between the vehicle 100 and the position of the pedestrian P, for example, the slower the target speed is set, and the speed of the vehicle 100 is controlled so as to become the target speed. As a result, after time t2, the speed of the vehicle 100 gradually slows down, and a collision between the vehicle 100 and the pedestrian P is suppressed.

[0075] Next, problems that arise when the separate steering control and the deceleration control as described above are performed will be described with reference to Figure 5 and Figure 6 .

[0076] First, problems that arise when the separate steering control is performed will be described with reference to Figure 5 . Figure 5 is the same as Figure 3 , and shows a situation when the separate steering control is performed. In the example of Figure 5 , the vehicle 100 is not decelerated by deceleration control for the sake of simplicity of explanation. In the example shown in Figure 5 , a situation is shown where the pedestrian P is about to enter the travel lane L in which the vehicle 100 travels (i.e., the travel road of the vehicle 100) at time t2.

[0077] In Figure 5 the example shown, the pedestrian P is recognized as being located within the steering action region Rs at time tl, as in the example shown in Figure 3 . Thus, in the vehicle 100, the separate steering control is executed. Also, in Figure 5In the example shown, the pedestrian P is advancing in the same direction as the traveling direction of the vehicle 100 at time tl, and changes direction at time t2 to advance in a direction crossing the traveling lane L. At this time, as described above, in the separate steering control, the vehicle 100 is steered to maintain the distance between the vehicle 100 and the object based on the current position of the object. Therefore, from time t2, the vehicle 100 is steered by the separate steering control to move away from the pedestrian P that is about to cross the traveling lane L, and thus move more quickly to the opposite lane side.

[0078] However, in the separate steering control, the vehicle 100 is steered within the range of the traveling lane L, so when the vehicle 100 reaches the end of the traveling lane L in the lateral direction at time t3, the vehicle 100 no longer moves further in the lateral direction (in the direction of the opposite lane side). As a result, the vehicle 100 is unable to avoid the pedestrian P that is about to cross the traveling lane L, and thus a collision occurs at time t4. Figure 5 In the example shown, the pedestrian P and the vehicle 100 will collide at time t4.

[0079] Next, the problem when deceleration control is performed will be described with reference to Figure 6 , which is the same as Figure 6 , but in which the deceleration control is performed. In the example of Figure 4 , the separate steering control is not performed to steer the vehicle 100. In particular, Figure 6 , the situation when the pedestrian P enters the traveling lane L at time t2 is shown. Figure 6

[0080] In the example shown in Figure 6 , at time tl, the pedestrian P is not located in the deceleration action region Rd. In addition, the pedestrian P is advancing in the direction of travel of the vehicle 100 and in the direction toward the traveling lane L from time tl, and enters the deceleration action region Rd at time t2. When the pedestrian P enters the deceleration action region Rd at time t2, the pedestrian P is detected as being located in the deceleration action region Rd. Furthermore, at time t3, the pedestrian P is detected as being located in the deceleration action region Rd from time t2 through the accuracy guarantee period, and thus the pedestrian P is recognized as being located in the deceleration action region Rd at time t3. Therefore, the deceleration control is executed from time t3.

[0081] However, during the period from when the pedestrian P is detected as being located in the deceleration action region Rd at time t2 to when the accuracy guarantee period elapses, the vehicle 100 is not decelerated and travels. Therefore, between time t2 and time t3, the vehicle 100 approaches the pedestrian P, and even when the deceleration control is started at time t3, the deceleration cannot be completed in time and a collision occurs as shown in Figure 6 , or a sharp deceleration occurs in the deceleration control.

[0082] ​Control in the present embodiment

[0083] Thus, in the present embodiment, the drive control portion 334, when the specific object enters or is about to enter the travel road of the vehicle 100 during the execution of the separation steering control, changes the execution mode of the separation steering control or the deceleration control so that the risk of collision with the object is reduced compared to the case other than this. Hereinafter, the change in the execution mode will be described with reference to Figure 7 and Figure 8 .

[0084] Figure 7 is the same as Figure 3 and Figure 5 . In the example of Figure 7 , the vehicle 100 is not decelerated by the deceleration control either for the sake of simplicity of the description. In the example shown in Figure 7 , the case where the pedestrian P is about to enter the travel lane L at time t2 is also shown.

[0085] In the example shown in Figure 7 , the pedestrian P is recognized to be located in the steering action region Rs at time t1, and the separation steering control is executed, as in the examples shown in Figure 3 and Figure 5 . Also in the example shown in Figure 7 , the pedestrian P changes the direction at time t2 and advances in the direction of crossing the travel lane L, as in the example shown in Figure 5 .

[0086] Here, in the present embodiment, the object trajectory estimation portion 332 estimates the expected movement trajectory of the object. In particular, in the example shown in Figure 7 , the pedestrian P advances in the direction of crossing the travel lane L at time t2. The object trajectory estimation portion 332 estimates the expected movement trajectory of the pedestrian P at time t2 based on the relative position and the relative speed of the pedestrian P at time t2. In the example shown in Figure 7 , it is assumed that the pedestrian P moves at the movement speed thereof at time t2 in the movement direction thereof at time t2, and the expected movement trajectory of the pedestrian P at time t2 is estimated.

[0087] Further, in the present embodiment, the vehicle trajectory estimation portion 333 estimates the predetermined movement trajectory of the vehicle 100 in the case where the separation steering control is executed and the predetermined movement trajectory of the vehicle 100 in the case where the separation steering control is not executed. In the example shown in Figure 7In the example shown, at time t2, the intended movement trajectory of the vehicle 100 is estimated. Specifically, in the present embodiment, it is assumed that the pedestrian P remains at the position at time t2 after time t2 to estimate the intended movement trajectory of the vehicle 100 in the case where the separate steering control is executed. Further, it is also possible to assume that the pedestrian P moves along the expected movement trajectory to estimate the intended movement trajectory of the vehicle 100 in the case where the separate steering control is executed.

[0088] Further, in the present embodiment, it is assumed that the lateral position on the lane does not change after time t2 to estimate the intended movement trajectory of the vehicle 100 in the case where the separate steering control is not executed. Therefore, for example, in the case where the vehicle 100 travels on a straight road, it is assumed that the vehicle 100 straightly travels as it is to estimate the intended movement trajectory of the vehicle 100 in the case where the separate steering control is not executed. On the other hand, in the case where the vehicle 100 travels on a curved road, it is assumed that the vehicle 100 turns according to the curvature of the curved road to estimate the intended movement trajectory of the vehicle 100 in the case where the separate steering control is not executed. Further, in the case where the normal steering control different from the separate steering control is executed when the separate steering control cannot be executed, it is also possible to assume that the normal steering control is executed to estimate the intended movement trajectory of the vehicle 100 in the case where the separate steering control is not executed.

[0089] Then, in the present embodiment, the drive control portion 334 calculates the shortest distance (hereinafter, also referred to as "shortest distance at the time of execution of the separate steering control") Ds between the object traveling along the expected movement trajectory and the vehicle 100 traveling along the intended movement trajectory in the case where the separate steering control is executed. Further, the drive control portion 334 calculates the shortest distance (hereinafter, also referred to as "shortest distance at the time of non-execution of the separate steering control") Dn between the object traveling along the expected movement trajectory and the vehicle 100 traveling along the intended movement trajectory in the case where the separate steering control is not executed. Moreover, the drive control portion 334 continues the separate steering control in the case where the shortest distance at the time of execution of the separate steering control Ds is longer than the shortest distance at the time of non-execution of the separate steering control Dn. On the other hand, the drive control portion 334 suspends the separate steering control without executing the control in the case where the shortest distance at the time of execution of the separate steering control Ds is shorter than the shortest distance at the time of non-execution of the separate steering control Dn. In Figure 7 In the example shown, the shortest distance at the time of execution of the separate steering control Ds is shorter than the shortest distance at the time of non-execution of the separate steering control Dn. Therefore, the separate steering control is not executed after time t2.

[0090] Further, in the present embodiment, it is assumed that the pedestrian P remains at the position at time t2 after time t2 to estimate the intended movement trajectory of the vehicle 100 in the case where the separate steering control is executed. Further, it is also possible to assume that the pedestrian P moves along the expected movement trajectory to estimate the intended movement trajectory of the vehicle 100 in the case where the separate steering control is executed. Figure 7In the example shown, the pedestrian P is located outside the travel lane L and within the turning action region Rs and is about to enter the travel lane L (time t2), and when the vehicle 100 is controlled by the separate turning control, the pedestrian P is expected to interfere with the vehicle 100. Also, in this case, the drive control section 334 does not execute the separate turning control. Similarly, in a case where the pedestrian P is located within the travel lane L and within the turning action region Rs and is about to cross the travel lane L, and the pedestrian P is expected to interfere with the vehicle 100 when the vehicle 100 is controlled by the separate turning control, the drive control section 334 can also not execute the separate turning control. Thus, the drive control section 334 does not execute the separate turning control in a case where an object enters or is about to enter the travel road of the vehicle 100 during execution of the separate turning control, and the object is expected to interfere with the vehicle 100 when the vehicle 100 is controlled by the separate turning control. By such control by the drive control section 334, the possibility of a collision between a specific object (pedestrian or the like) that enters or is about to enter the travel road of the vehicle 100 and the vehicle 100 can be reduced.

[0091] Figure 8 is a case where deceleration control is performed, and Figure 4 the same figure. In the example shown, Figure 8 when a specific object enters the travel road of the vehicle 100 during execution of the separate turning control, the execution mode of the deceleration control is changed. Also, in the example of Figure 8 , the vehicle 100 is not turned by the separate turning control for simplicity of explanation.

[0092] In the example shown, Figure 8 the same as the example shown in Figure 6 , the pedestrian P advances from time tl in the direction of travel of the vehicle 100 and in the direction toward the travel lane L, and enters the deceleration action region Rd at time t2. Also, in the example shown, Figure 8 the separate turning control is executed from before time tl in recognition that the pedestrian P is located within the turning action region Rs (however, for simplicity of explanation, the movement of the vehicle 100 in the lateral direction caused by the separate turning control is not depicted). Also, in the example shown, Figure 8 the same as the example shown in Figure 6 , enters the deceleration action region Rd at time t2. If the pedestrian P enters the deceleration action region Rd at time t2, it is detected that the pedestrian P is located within the deceleration action region Rd.

[0093] In this case, in the present embodiment, the drive control portion 334, in a case where the separate steering control is being executed, immediately executes the deceleration control if it detects that the specific object is located within the deceleration action region Rd. In particular, in the present embodiment, the drive control portion 334, in a case where the separate steering control is being executed, immediately executes the deceleration control if it recognizes that the object recognized as being located within the steering action region Rs is located within the deceleration action region Rd.

[0094] In Figure 8 In the example shown, in a state where the separate steering control is being executed, the pedestrian P recognized as being located within the steering action region Rs enters within the deceleration action region Rd at time t2. Therefore, the drive control portion 334, if it detects that the pedestrian P is located within the deceleration action region Rd, immediately starts to perform the deceleration control without waiting for the accuracy guarantee period to elapse. In the deceleration control, the vehicle 100 is subjected to a deceleration operation so as to be delayed in reaching the current position of the pedestrian P.

[0095] On the other hand, in the present embodiment, in a case where the separate steering control is not being executed, even if a specific object is detected as being located within the deceleration action region Rd, the deceleration control is not implemented until after the accuracy guarantee period elapses. Therefore, in this case, even if a specific object is detected as being located within the deceleration action region Rd, the deceleration control is not immediately executed. Therefore, in the present embodiment, when a specific object enters within the travel road of the vehicle 100 during the execution of the separate steering control, the start timing of the deceleration control is advanced compared to when a specific object enters within the travel road of the vehicle 100 without the separate steering control being executed.

[0096] Further, it is also possible that, even in a case where the separate steering control is being executed, when a specific object different from the object recognized as being located within the steering action region Rs is detected as being located within the deceleration action region Rd, the deceleration control is implemented when the specific object is continuously detected as being located within the deceleration action region Rd throughout the accuracy guarantee period (when the specific object is recognized as being located within the deceleration action region Rd). Therefore, at this time as well, even if a specific object is detected as being located within the deceleration action region Rd, the deceleration control is not immediately executed.

[0097] In the present embodiment, in a case where the deceleration control is being executed, if it is detected that the specific object (pedestrian or the like) is located within the deceleration action region Rd, the deceleration control is immediately executed. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, as compared to a case where the deceleration control is started after the elapse of the accuracy guarantee period, the possibility of collision between the specific object (pedestrian or the like) and the vehicle 100 can be reduced. In particular, in a case where the separate steering control is being executed, since the specific object is detected to be located within the steering action region Rs throughout the accuracy guarantee period when the separate steering control is started, the possibility of false detection of the specific object is low. In particular, in a case where the object recognized to be located within the steering action region Rs is detected to be located within the deceleration action region Rd, the possibility of false detection of the specific object is low. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the possibility of false detection of the specific object can be reduced while the possibility of collision between the specific object and the vehicle 100 can be reduced.

[0098] As described above, in the present embodiment, the drive control portion 334 does not execute the separate steering control when the specific object enters or is about to enter the travel road (lane in a case where there is a lane divided by a lane division line) of the vehicle 100 during the execution of the separate steering control, and it is expected that the object will interfere with the vehicle 100 when the vehicle 100 is controlled by the separate steering control. Further, the drive control portion 334 advances the start timing of the deceleration control in a case where the specific object enters the travel road of the vehicle 100 during the execution of the separate steering control, as compared to a case where the specific object enters the travel road of the vehicle 100 without executing the separate steering control. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the drive control portion 334 changes the execution mode of the separate steering control or the deceleration control in a case where the specific object enters or is about to enter the travel road of the vehicle 100 during the execution of the separate steering control, so that the risk of collision with the object is reduced as compared to other cases. Thereby, the possibility of collision between the specific object and the vehicle 100 can be reduced.

[0099] <Specific Control Example>

[0100] Next, a specific control example will be described with reference to Figure 9 and Figure 10 . Figure 9 is a flowchart showing the flow of the separate steering processing that judges whether or not the separate steering control needs to be executed. The separate steering processing is executed by the drive control portion 334 of the processor 33 at a certain time interval.

[0101] When the separate steering processing is executed, as shown in Figure 9As shown, first, the drive control portion 334 determines whether or not the specific object is located within the steering action region Rs (step Sll). Specifically, the drive control portion 334 determines whether or not the object detected by the object detection portion 331 is a specific object (e.g., a pedestrian, a bicycle, a motorcycle, an automobile, or the like). Further, the drive control portion 334 determines whether or not the specific object is located within the steering action region Rs in the case where the detected object is a specific object.

[0102] When it is determined in step Sll that no specific object is located within the steering action region Rs, the drive control portion 334 does not perform the separate steering control (step S12). Thus, the steering of the vehicle 100 is manually controlled by the driver. Alternatively, in the case where the steering control of the vehicle 100 is automatically performed, the normal steering control is performed instead of the separate steering control. In the normal steering control, the drive control portion 334 performs the steering so as to cause the vehicle 100 to travel along the center of the travel lane L, for example, on the basis of the outputs of the outside camera 11, the distance measuring sensor 12, the positioning sensor 13, and the travel state sensor 14, or the like.

[0103] When it is determined in step Sll that the specific object is located within the steering action region Rs, the object trajectory estimation portion 332 estimates the expected movement trajectory of the specific object (step S13). Next, the vehicle trajectory estimation portion 333 estimates the predetermined movement trajectory of the vehicle 100 (step S14). At this time, the vehicle trajectory estimation portion 333 estimates the predetermined movement trajectory of the vehicle 100 in the case where the separate steering control is performed, and the predetermined movement trajectory of the vehicle 100 in the case where the separate steering control is not performed.

[0104] Next, the drive control portion 334 calculates the shortest distance Ds in the case where the separate steering control is performed and the shortest distance Dn in the case where the separate steering control is not performed, on the basis of the expected movement trajectory estimated through step S13 and the predetermined movement trajectory estimated through step S14 (step S15).

[0105] Then, the drive control portion 334 determines whether or not the shortest distance Ds in the case where the separate steering control is performed is longer than the shortest distance Dn in the case where the separate steering control is not performed (step S16). When it is determined in step S16 that the shortest distance Ds in the case where the separate steering control is performed is equal to or shorter than the shortest distance Dn in the case where the separate steering control is not performed, the drive control portion 334 does not perform the separate steering control (step S12). On the other hand, when it is determined in step S16 that the shortest distance Ds in the case where the separate steering control is performed is longer than the shortest distance Dn in the case where the separate steering control is not performed, the drive control portion 334 performs the separate steering control (step S17).

[0106] Figure 10is a flowchart showing a flow of deceleration processing indicating whether or not deceleration control needs to be executed. The deceleration processing is executed by the processor 33 of the ECU 30 at a certain time interval.

[0107] When the deceleration processing is executed, as shown in Figure 10 , first, the drive control section 334 determines whether or not a specific object is located within the deceleration action region Rd (step S21). Specifically, the drive control section 334 determines whether or not the object detected by the object detection section 331 is a specific object (e.g., a pedestrian, a bicycle, a motorcycle, an automobile, or the like). Further, in the case where the detected object is a specific object, the drive control section 334 determines whether or not the specific object is located within the deceleration action region Rd.

[0108] When it is determined in step S21 that no specific object is located within the deceleration action region Rd, the drive control section 334 does not execute deceleration control (step S22). Thus, the acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle 100 is manually controlled by the driver. Alternatively, in the case where the acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle 100 is automatically performed, the acceleration and deceleration control other than the deceleration control is performed on the basis of the outputs of the outside camera 11, the distance measuring sensor 12, the positioning sensor 13, and the running state sensor 14. In the acceleration and deceleration control, the drive control section 334, for example, performs acceleration and deceleration so that the distance to another vehicle becomes a predetermined certain distance in the case where the other vehicle is running in front of the vehicle 100. Further, the drive control section 334, for example, performs acceleration and deceleration so that the vehicle 100 runs at a predetermined certain speed in the case where no other vehicle is running in front of the vehicle 100.

[0109] When it is determined in step S21 that a specific object is located within the deceleration action region Rd, the drive control section 334 determines whether or not the separation steering control has been executed before the object is located within the deceleration action region Rd (step S23). When it is determined in step S23 that the separation steering control has been executed, the drive control section 334 executes deceleration control (step S24). On the other hand, when it is determined in step S23 that the separation steering control has not been executed, the drive control section 334 determines whether or not a predetermined accuracy guarantee time has elapsed after the specific object enters the deceleration action region Rd (step S25). When it is determined in step S25 that the predetermined accuracy guarantee time has elapsed, the drive control section 334 executes deceleration control (step S24). On the other hand, when it is determined in step S25 that the predetermined accuracy guarantee time has not elapsed, the drive control section 334 does not execute deceleration control (step S22).

[0110] The above describes the preferred embodiments to which the present disclosure relates, but the present disclosure is not limited to these embodiments, and various modifications and changes can be made within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A driving control device, which is a device for controlling the driving of a vehicle. The vehicle is equipped with a driving control unit that, when a specific object is located within a steering action area defined in front of the vehicle, performs separation steering control to maintain a distance from the object; and when a specific object is located within a deceleration action area defined in front of the vehicle, the driving control unit performs deceleration control to slow down the vehicle. When an object enters or is about to enter the vehicle's driving path during the execution of the separation steering control, the driving control unit changes the execution mode of the separation steering control or the deceleration control to reduce the risk of collision with the object compared to other situations.

2. The driving control device according to claim 1, In the separation steering control, the driving control unit steers based on the object's current position to maintain a distance from the object. If an object enters or is about to enter the vehicle's driving path during the execution of the separation steering control, and it is anticipated that the object will interfere with the vehicle when the vehicle is controlled by the separation steering control, the separation steering control will not be executed.

3. The driving control device according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising: An object trajectory estimation unit that estimates the intended trajectory of the object; and The vehicle trajectory estimation unit estimates the predetermined movement trajectory of the vehicle when the separation steering control is executed and when the separation steering control is not executed. If, during the execution of the separation steering control, the object enters or is about to enter the vehicle's driving path, and the shortest distance between the object traveling along the intended trajectory and the vehicle traveling along the predetermined trajectory when the separation steering control is executed is shorter than the shortest distance between the object traveling along the intended trajectory and the vehicle traveling along the predetermined trajectory when the separation steering control is not executed, then the separation steering control is not executed.

4. The driving control device according to claim 3, The separation steering control is executed when the object enters or is about to enter the vehicle's driving path during the execution of the separation steering control, and the shortest distance between the object traveling along the intended trajectory and the vehicle traveling along the predetermined trajectory when the separation steering control is executed is longer than the shortest distance between the object traveling along the intended trajectory and the vehicle traveling along the predetermined trajectory when the separation steering control is not executed.

5. The driving control device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, When an object enters the vehicle's driving path during the execution of the separation steering control, the driving control unit advances the start timing of the deceleration control compared to when the object enters the vehicle's driving path without the separation steering control being executed.

6. The driving control device according to claim 5, It also includes an object detection unit that detects objects in front of the vehicle. If the separation steering control is not executed, the driving control unit executes the deceleration control while continuously detecting that the object is within the deceleration action area for a certain period of time, and does not execute the deceleration control until the certain period of time has elapsed. When the separation steering control is being executed, the driving control unit immediately executes the deceleration control when the object is detected to be within the deceleration action area.

7. The driving control device according to claim 6, When the separation steering control is being executed, if an object identified as being located within a steering action area different from the deceleration action area is detected within the deceleration action area, the driving control unit immediately executes the deceleration control. Even when the separation steering control is being executed, if an object different from the object identified as being located in the steering action area is detected in the deceleration action area, the driving control unit will continue to detect that the object is located in the deceleration action area for a certain period of time and then execute the deceleration control.

8. The driving control device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, The steering action area and the deceleration action area are different areas. The steering action area includes the area on the front side of the vehicle, and the deceleration action area includes the area in the front center of the vehicle.

9. A driving control method, a method for controlling the driving of a vehicle, comprising: When a specific object is located within a predetermined steering action area in front of the vehicle, separation steering control is executed to maintain distance from the object; when a specific object is located within a predetermined deceleration action area in front of the vehicle, deceleration control is executed to slow down the vehicle. If an object enters or is about to enter the vehicle's driving path during the execution of the separation steering control, the execution mode of the separation steering control or the deceleration control is changed to reduce the risk of collision with the object compared to other situations.

10. A program product, including a driving control program, the driving control program being a program for controlling the driving of a vehicle. The driving control program causes the computer to execute: When a specific object is located within a predetermined steering action area in front of the vehicle, separation steering control is executed to maintain distance from the object; when a specific object is located within a predetermined deceleration action area in front of the vehicle, deceleration control is executed to slow down the vehicle. If an object enters or is about to enter the vehicle's driving path during the execution of the separation steering control, the execution mode of the separation steering control or the deceleration control is changed to reduce the risk of collision with the object compared to other situations.

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