Travel control device, travel control method, and storage medium

Abstract

The present application provides a kind of travel control device, travel control method and storage medium for the control of vehicle corresponding to the actual state of travel of other vehicles.The travel control device has: identification part, which identifies the first front vehicle existing in the front of vehicle;And control part, which executes the trajectory following control of the vehicle following the first front vehicle based on the position of the transverse of the first front vehicle, the control part is when the distance in the transverse between the first front vehicle and the second front vehicle that travels side by side with the first front vehicle is below a specified distance, the trajectory following control is carried out.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a driving control device, driving control method, and program. Background Technology

[0002] In recent years, efforts have intensified to provide sustainable transportation systems that also take into account people in particularly vulnerable positions among traffic participants. To achieve this, research and development related to driver assistance is being undertaken to further improve traffic safety and convenience. For example, a technique is disclosed that involves detecting the relative positions of a preceding vehicle 101 traveling in the same lane as the vehicle 100 and the relative positions of a vehicle 102 traveling alongside the vehicle 102 in a different lane; calculating the respective travel trajectories of the preceding vehicle 101 and the adjacent vehicle 102 based on the detected relative positions; determining whether the calculated travel trajectories are parallel; and, if the travel trajectories are determined to be parallel, controlling the vehicle 100 to follow the travel trajectory of the preceding vehicle 101 (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] Prior technology literature

[0004] [Patent Documents]

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-322916 Summary of the Invention

[0006] [The problem the invention aims to solve]

[0007] However, regarding driving support, the aforementioned technologies sometimes cannot control vehicles that correspond to the actual driving conditions of other vehicles.

[0008] One objective of this invention is to provide a driving control device, driving control method, and program capable of controlling a vehicle in accordance with the actual driving conditions of other vehicles, thereby contributing to the development of sustainable transportation systems.

[0009] [Methods used to solve problems]

[0010] The driving control device, driving control method and program involved in this invention adopt the following structure.

[0011] (1): One aspect of the present invention relates to a driving control device, wherein the driving control device comprises: an identification unit that identifies a first preceding vehicle present in front of the vehicle; and a control unit that performs trajectory following control to cause the vehicle to follow the first preceding vehicle based on the lateral position of the first preceding vehicle, wherein the control unit performs the trajectory following control when the lateral distance between the first preceding vehicle and a second preceding vehicle traveling alongside the first preceding vehicle is less than a predetermined distance.

[0012] (2): In the above (1) scheme, the control unit performs the trajectory following control when the lateral distance between the first forward vehicle and the second forward vehicle has been less than the specified distance for a specified period or more.

[0013] (3): In the above (1) scheme, the control unit performs the trajectory following control when the number of the first forward vehicle, the second forward vehicle, and one or more third forward vehicles different from the second forward vehicle is greater than the number of lanes on the road in which the vehicle travels.

[0014] (4): In the above (1) scheme, the control unit performs the trajectory following control for the vehicle with a smaller lateral distance between itself and the first or second vehicle. Even if the vehicle is crossing the road dividing line of the road it is traveling on, the control unit performs the trajectory following control for the vehicle if the displacement of the vehicle relative to the road dividing line in the lateral distance is within a specified period or more.

[0015] (5): In the above-mentioned (1) solution, the driving control device includes a lane keeping control unit, which performs lane keeping control to make the vehicle travel along the road dividing line of the lane in which the vehicle is traveling. Even when the road dividing line is detected, if the lateral distance between the first preceding vehicle and the second preceding vehicle traveling alongside the first preceding vehicle is less than a predetermined distance, the control unit performs the trajectory following control compared to performing the lane keeping control. The lane keeping control unit performs the lane keeping control when the first preceding vehicle is not present.

[0016] (6): In the above scheme (1), the control unit obtains information about the country or region and performs the trajectory tracking control based on the obtained information.

[0017] (7): Another aspect of the present invention relates to a control method, wherein the driving control method causes a computer to perform the following processing: identify a first preceding vehicle present in front of the vehicle; and perform trajectory following control to cause the vehicle to follow the first preceding vehicle based on the lateral position of the first preceding vehicle, wherein the trajectory following control is performed when the lateral distance between the first preceding vehicle and a second preceding vehicle traveling alongside the first preceding vehicle is less than a predetermined distance.

[0018] (8): Another aspect of the present invention relates to a storage medium storing a program, wherein the program causes a computer to perform the following processing: identifying a first preceding vehicle present in front of the vehicle; and performing trajectory following control to cause the vehicle to follow the first preceding vehicle based on the lateral position of the first preceding vehicle, wherein the trajectory following control is performed when the lateral distance between the first preceding vehicle and a second preceding vehicle traveling alongside the first preceding vehicle is less than a predetermined distance.

[0019] [Invention Effects]

[0020] According to the schemes (1)-(8), the driving control device, driving control method or program can control the vehicle in accordance with the actual driving state of other vehicles. For example, when two vehicles traveling in front of each other with a close lateral distance are maintaining a side-by-side driving state, it is determined that there is a reason for them to approach each other in the lateral direction, and the control unit can achieve control in accordance with the traffic conditions by executing trajectory following control.

[0021] According to the scheme in (3), the control unit determines whether trajectory following control can be performed based on the number of lanes and the number of vehicles, thereby enabling control that is more adapted to traffic conditions. For example, in regions and countries where vehicles travel side by side in a traffic situation with more than one lane on a daily basis, appropriate control can be achieved.

[0022] According to the scheme in (4), the control unit can achieve more flexible control that is more in line with traffic conditions by performing trajectory tracking control on forward vehicles that cross the road dividing lines and meet the conditions.

[0023] According to the scheme in (5), the control unit performs trajectory following control in accordance with lane keeping control when the lateral distance between the preceding vehicles is less than a specified distance. This enables control that corresponds to the driving status of the preceding vehicles and the traffic conditions.

[0024] According to the scheme in (6), the control unit is able to achieve control in accordance with the national or regional traffic conditions. Attached Figure Description

[0025] Figure 1This is a structural diagram of vehicle system 1 that utilizes the vehicle control system involved in the implementation method.

[0026] Figure 2 This is a diagram used to illustrate the processing of the control unit 140.

[0027] Figure 3 This diagram illustrates the processing of the forward vehicle that the processing unit 120 determines as an object.

[0028] Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of the processing flow performed by the driving support device 100.

[0029] Figure 5 This diagram is used to illustrate control that takes into account the number of lanes.

[0030] Figure 6 This is a flowchart illustrating another example of the process performed by the driving support device 100.

[0031] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0032] 1. Vehicle System

[0033] 10 cameras

[0034] 80 Driving Controls

[0035] 82 Steering Wheel

[0036] 100 Driving Support Devices

[0037] 110 Identification Department

[0038] 120 Emergency Department

[0039] Lane Keeping Control Unit 130

[0040] 140 Control Department. Detailed Implementation

[0041] <Implementation Method>

[0042] [Overall Structure]

[0043] Figure 1 This is a structural diagram of vehicle system 1 utilizing the vehicle control system described in the embodiment. The vehicle equipped with vehicle system 1 is, for example, a two-wheeled, three-wheeled, or four-wheeled vehicle, and its drive source is an internal combustion engine such as a diesel engine or a gasoline engine, an electric motor, or a combination thereof. The electric motor operates using electricity generated by a generator connected to the internal combustion engine, or electricity discharged from a secondary battery or fuel cell.

[0044] Vehicle system 1 includes, for example, a camera 10, a radar device 12, a LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) system 14, an object recognition device 16, a communication device 20, an HMI (Human Machine Interface) 30, vehicle sensors 40, a navigation device 50, an MPU 60, driving controls 80, driving support devices 100, a driving force output device 200, a braking device 210, and a steering device 220. These devices and equipment are interconnected through multiple communication lines such as CAN (Controller Area Network) communication lines, serial communication lines, and wireless communication networks. Figure 1 The structure shown is just one example; a part of the structure may be omitted, or other structures may be added. The driving support device 100 is an example of a "driving control device".

[0045] Camera 10 is, for example, a digital camera utilizing a solid-state imaging element such as CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor). Camera 10 is mounted anywhere on the vehicle equipped with vehicle system 1 (hereinafter referred to as vehicle M). When taking pictures of the front, camera 10 is mounted on the upper part of the windshield, the back of the rearview mirror inside the vehicle, etc. Camera 10, for example, periodically and repeatedly takes pictures of the surroundings of vehicle M. Camera 10 can also be a stereo camera.

[0046] Radar device 12 radiates millimeter-wave and other radio waves around the vehicle M and detects the radio waves reflected by objects (reflected waves) to detect at least the position (distance and orientation) of the objects. Radar device 12 can be installed at any part of the vehicle M. Radar device 12 can also detect the position and speed of objects using FM-CW (Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave) method.

[0047] The LIDAR14 illuminates the periphery of vehicle M with light (or electromagnetic waves with wavelengths similar to light) and measures the scattered light. The LIDAR14 determines the distance to the object based on the time from emission to reception. The illuminating light can be, for example, a pulsed laser. The LIDAR14 can be mounted at any location on vehicle M.

[0048] The object recognition device 16 performs sensor fusion processing on the detection results from some or all of the cameras 10, radar device 12, and LIDAR 14 to identify the position, type, speed, etc. of objects. The object recognition device 16 outputs the recognition results to the driver support device 100. Alternatively, the object recognition device 16 can directly output the detection results from the cameras 10, radar device 12, and LIDAR 14 to the driver support device 100. The object recognition device 16 can also be omitted from the vehicle system 1.

[0049] The communication device 20 communicates with other vehicles in the vicinity of vehicle M, for example, using cellular networks, Wi-Fi networks, Bluetooth (registered trademark), DSRC (Dedicated Short Range Communication), etc., or communicates with various server devices via wireless base stations.

[0050] The HMI30 provides various information to the occupants of vehicle M and accepts input operations from the occupants. The HMI30 includes various display devices, speakers, buzzers, touch panels, switches, buttons, etc. The HMI30 is equipped with a display device. This display device (display unit), for example, is located in the center of the instrument panel of vehicle M, and is a display device that shows various information from vehicle M, such as a speedometer (speed gauge) indicating the vehicle M's speed or a tachometer (speed wheel) indicating the rotational speed of the internal combustion engine in vehicle M; it is a so-called multi-information display.

[0051] The vehicle sensor 40 includes a vehicle speed sensor for detecting the speed of the vehicle M, an acceleration sensor for detecting acceleration, a yaw rate sensor for detecting angular velocity about a vertical axis, and an orientation sensor for detecting the orientation of the vehicle M.

[0052] The navigation device 50 includes, for example, a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiver 51, a navigation HMI 52, and a route determination unit 53. The navigation device 50 stores first map information 54 in a storage device such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or flash memory. The GNSS receiver 51 determines the position of the vehicle M based on signals received from GNSS satellites. The position of the vehicle M can also be determined or supplemented using INS (Inertial Navigation System) output from the vehicle sensor 40. The navigation HMI 52 includes a display device, a speaker, a touch panel, buttons, etc. The navigation HMI 52 can also be partially or entirely shared with the aforementioned HMI 30. The route determination unit 53, for example, refers to the first map information 54 to determine the route (hereinafter referred to as the map path) from the position of the vehicle M determined by the GNSS receiver 51 (or any input position) to the destination input by the occupant using the navigation HMI 52. The first map information 54 is, for example, information representing the shape of a road by indicating road segments and nodes connecting the road segments. The first map information 54 may also include road curvature, POI (Point of Interest) information, etc. The path on the map is output to the MPU 60. The navigation device 50 can also provide route guidance using the navigation HMI 52 based on the path on the map. The navigation device 50 can also be implemented, for example, through the functions of a terminal device such as a smartphone or tablet held by the occupant. The navigation device 50 can also send its current location and destination to the navigation server via the communication device 20, and obtain the path equivalent to the path on the map from the navigation server.

[0053] MPU 60 includes, for example, a lane recommendation unit 61, and stores second map information 62 in a storage device such as an HDD or flash memory. The lane recommendation unit 61 divides the path on the map provided by the navigation device 50 into multiple blocks (e.g., every 100 [m] in the vehicle's direction of travel), and determines a recommended lane for each block by referring to the second map information 62. The lane recommendation unit 61 determines which lane to drive in from the left. When the path on the map has branching points, the lane recommendation unit 61 determines the recommended lane in a way that allows the vehicle M to travel on a reasonable path to the branch destination.

[0054] The second map information 62 is map information with higher accuracy than the first map information 54. The second map information 62 may include, for example, information about the center of a lane or the boundaries of a lane. The second map information 62 may include road information, traffic restriction information, residential information (address and postal code), facility information, telephone number information, etc. The second map information 62 can be updated at any time by communicating with other devices through the communication device 20.

[0055] The driving controls 80, in addition to the steering wheel 82, include a steering indicator switch, accelerator pedal, brake pedal, gear shift lever, and other controls. Sensors are installed in the driving controls 80 to detect the amount or presence of operation, and the detection results are output to some or all of the driving support device 100, the driving force output device 200, the braking device 210, and the steering device 220. The steering wheel 82 does not necessarily have to be ring-shaped; it can also be an irregularly shaped steering wheel, a lever, a button, etc. A steering wheel grip sensor 86 is installed in the steering wheel 82.

[0056] The steering wheel grip sensor 86 is implemented, for example, by a capacitance sensor, a piezoelectric element, etc. The steering wheel grip sensor 86 detects whether the driver is gripping the steering wheel 82. Gripping refers to the state in which the driver holds the steering wheel 82, the state in which the hand is in contact with the steering wheel 82 and applies a force to the steering wheel 82 that is greater than a specified degree.

[0057] The steering wheel grip sensor 86 can also detect grip based on images captured by a camera, or by using optical methods such as radar devices to detect grip (methods that do not require contact with the sensor).

[0058] The driving assistance device 100 includes, for example, a recognition unit 110, a processing unit 120, a lane keeping control unit 130, and a control unit 140. Some or all of these functional units are implemented by executing programs (software) through hardware processors such as CPUs (Central Processing Units). Some or all of these components can be implemented by hardware (including circuitry) such as LSIs (Large Scale Integration), ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits), FPGAs (Field-Programmable Gate Arrays), and GPUs (Graphics Processing Units), or through the cooperation of software and hardware. The program can be pre-stored in a storage device such as an HDD or flash memory (a storage device with a non-transitory storage medium) of the driving assistance device 100, or it can be stored in a removable storage medium such as a DVD or CD-ROM, and installed in the HDD or flash memory of the driving assistance device 100 by mounting the storage medium (non-transitory storage medium) to the drive unit.

[0059] The recognition unit 110 identifies the position, speed, acceleration, and other states of objects surrounding the vehicle M based on information input from the camera 10, radar device 12, and LIDAR 14 via the object recognition device 16. The position of an object is identified, for example, as its position on absolute coordinates with a representative point of the vehicle M (center of gravity, drive shaft center, etc.) as the origin, and is used for control. The position of an object can also be represented by representative points such as the object's center of gravity or corners, or by a region. The "state" of an object can also include its acceleration, jerk, or "action state" (e.g., whether it is currently or is about to change lanes).

[0060] The identification unit 110 identifies, for example, the lane in which vehicle M is traveling (driving lane). For instance, the identification unit 110 identifies the driving lane by comparing the pattern of road markings (e.g., the arrangement of solid and dashed lines) obtained from the second map information 62 with the pattern of road markings surrounding vehicle M identified based on images captured by camera 10. The identification unit 110 is not limited to identifying road markings; it can also identify driving lanes by identifying road markings, including driving road boundaries (road boundaries) such as shoulders, curbs, median strips, and guardrails. In this identification, the position of vehicle M obtained from navigation device 50 and INS-based processing results may also be taken into consideration. The identification unit 110 identifies temporary stop lines, obstacles, red lights, toll booths, and other road phenomena.

[0061] When identifying a driving lane, the identification unit 110 identifies the position and posture of the vehicle M relative to the driving lane. For example, the identification unit 110 may identify the deviation of the vehicle M's reference point from the center of the lane, and the angle formed by the vehicle M's direction of travel relative to the line connecting the centers of the lanes, as the relative position and posture of the vehicle M relative to the driving lane. Alternatively, the identification unit 110 may identify the position of the vehicle M's reference point relative to any side end (road dividing line or road boundary) of the driving lane as the relative position of the vehicle M relative to the driving lane.

[0062] The processing unit 120 calculates the lateral distance between the vehicles traveling in front and performs a distance-based determination. Details of the processing by the processing unit 120 will be described later.

[0063] The lane keeping control unit 130 controls the steering device 220 to prevent the vehicle M from leaving the driving lane. For example, the lane keeping control unit 130 controls the steering device 220 to keep the vehicle M in the center or near the center of the driving lane detected by the recognition unit 110. Hereinafter, this control will sometimes be referred to as "lane keeping control". The lane keeping control unit 130 performs both manual lane keeping control and non-manual lane keeping control.

[0064] Manual lane keeping control is a control that is performed when the driver is holding the steering wheel 82 (the steering wheel holding sensor 86 detects the holding state of the steering wheel 82). The conditions for performing manual lane keeping control are less stringent than the conditions for performing non-manual lane keeping control. For example, manual lane keeping control is performed when the vehicle speed M is above a predetermined speed and the driver is monitoring the road ahead.

[0065] Non-hands-on lane keeping control is a control that is performed when the driver is not holding the steering wheel 82 (the steering wheel holding sensor 86 does not detect the steering wheel 82 being held). Non-hands-on lane keeping control can be performed, for example, when the following conditions are met: the vehicle M is traveling at a speed above a specified speed, the vehicle M is traveling on a specified road (e.g., a road or road category pre-set to enable non-hands-on lane keeping control), and the driver is monitoring the road ahead. Non-hands-on lane keeping control is performed when the driver is monitoring the road ahead, and is not performed or is stopped when the driver is not monitoring the road ahead.

[0066] The conditions for enabling manual and non-manual lane keeping control described above are just one example. Other conditions may also be included (e.g., vehicle M follows the preceding vehicle), or some conditions may be omitted. The conditions for enabling manual lane keeping control should be less stringent than the conditions for enabling non-manual lane keeping control (the conditions for enabling non-manual lane keeping control should be more stringent than the conditions for enabling manual lane keeping control).

[0067] When the lateral distance between the vehicles in front is less than a predetermined distance, the control unit 140 performs trajectory following control. Trajectory following control is the control by which the vehicle M travels at a predetermined distance behind the vehicle in front by following its trajectory.

[0068] The driving force output device 200 outputs driving force (torque) for driving the vehicle M to the drive wheels. The driving force output device 200 includes, for example, a combination of an internal combustion engine, an electric motor, and a transmission, as well as an ECU that controls them. The ECU controls the above-mentioned structure according to information input from the control unit 140 or from the driving operation unit 80.

[0069] The braking device 210 includes, for example, a brake caliper, a hydraulic cylinder that transmits hydraulic pressure to the brake caliper, an electric motor that generates hydraulic pressure in the hydraulic cylinder, and a brake ECU. The brake ECU controls the electric motor according to information input from the control unit 140 or from the driving operation unit 80, so that braking torque corresponding to the braking operation is output to each wheel.

[0070] The steering system 220 includes, for example, a steering ECU and an electric motor. The electric motor, for example, applies force to a rack and pinion mechanism to change the direction of the steering wheels. The steering ECU drives the electric motor to change the direction of the steering wheels based on information input from the lane keeping control unit 130 or the lane changing control unit 160, or information input from the driving control unit 80.

[0071] [Details on trajectory following control]

[0072] The control unit 140 performs trajectory following control to make the vehicle M follow the first preceding vehicle based on the lateral position of the first preceding vehicle located in front of the vehicle. The control unit 140 performs trajectory following control when the lateral distance between the first preceding vehicle and the second preceding vehicle traveling alongside the first preceding vehicle is less than a predetermined distance.

[0073] Figure 2 This diagram illustrates the processing of the control unit 140. Vehicle M, the first forward vehicle m1, and the second forward vehicle m2 travel in the same direction. The processing unit 120 calculates the distance L between the first forward vehicle m1 and the second forward vehicle m2. When the distance L is less than or equal to a predetermined distance, the processing unit 120 performs trajectory following control using the trajectory of the preceding vehicle. The predetermined distance is, for example, a pre-set distance such as 30cm or 50cm.

[0074] Figure 3This diagram illustrates the processing of the forward-moving vehicle identified by the processing unit 120. The processing unit 120 generates an imaginary line IM, a first imaginary line IM1, and a second imaginary line IM2. The imaginary line IM is a line extending from a reference position of vehicle M along the direction of travel of vehicle M. The first imaginary line IM1 is a line extending from a reference position of the first forward-moving vehicle m1 in the opposite direction to the direction of travel of the first forward-moving vehicle. The second imaginary line IM2 is a line extending from a reference position of the second forward-moving vehicle m2 in the opposite direction to the direction of travel of the second forward-moving vehicle m2.

[0075] The processing unit 120 calculates distances L1 and L2. Distance L1 is the lateral distance between imaginary line IM and the first imaginary line IM1. Distance L2 is the lateral distance between imaginary line IM and the second imaginary line IM2. The processing unit 120 identifies the forward vehicle corresponding to the imaginary line with the shorter distance between distances L1 and L2 as the target forward vehicle. Figure 3 In the case of the first forward vehicle m1, the control unit 140 identifies the first forward vehicle m1 as the target forward vehicle and performs trajectory following control based on the trajectory of the first forward vehicle m1.

[0076] In the above processing, the control unit 140 may also perform trajectory following control if the lateral distance between the first forward vehicle m1 and the second forward vehicle m2 is less than a predetermined distance for a predetermined period of time or more. The predetermined period is not a temporary period such as avoiding obstacles, but is presumed to be a period of 5 seconds, 10 seconds, or other duration in which the first forward vehicle m1 and the second forward vehicle m2 are side by side.

[0077] [Flowchart (1)]

[0078] Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of the processing flow performed by the driving support device 100. The processing unit 120 determines whether there are multiple vehicles traveling ahead of the vehicle M (step S100). If there are multiple vehicles traveling ahead of the vehicle M, the processing unit 120 calculates the distance between the multiple vehicles traveling ahead (step S102).

[0079] Next, the processing unit 120 determines whether the derived distance is below a predetermined distance (step S104). If the derived distance is not below the predetermined distance, the process proceeds to step S102. If the derived distance is below the predetermined distance, the processing unit 120 determines whether a predetermined period has elapsed for the state where the distance is below the predetermined distance (step S106). If the predetermined period has not elapsed for the state where the distance is below the predetermined distance, the process returns to step S102.

[0080] If a predetermined period has elapsed since the distance to the target is below a specified distance, the processing unit 120 determines the preceding vehicle of the target (step S108). The processing unit 120 then follows the preceding vehicle of the target (step S110). Thus, the processing of step 1 of this flowchart ends. It should be noted that the processing of this flowchart ends when there are no longer multiple preceding vehicles in the above processing (in...). Figure 6 The same applies to China.

[0081] For example, if trajectory following control is being performed before the processing in step S106, trajectory following control continues to be performed in step S106; if lane keeping control is being performed before the processing in step S106, trajectory following control is switched to and performed in step S106.

[0082] As described above, the control unit 140 performs trajectory following control based on the distance between preceding vehicles, enabling control of vehicles that correspond to the actual driving state of other vehicles.

[0083] [Consideration of the number of lanes]

[0084] The control unit 140 can also perform trajectory following control when the number of the first preceding vehicle, the second preceding vehicle, and one or more third preceding vehicles different from the second preceding vehicle is greater than the number of lanes on the road in which the vehicle is traveling.

[0085] Figure 5 This diagram illustrates control taking into account the number of lanes. Vehicle M is traveling in lane RL2 out of lanes RL1, RL2, and RL3. The road dividing line between lanes RL1 and RL2 is road dividing line RD1. The road dividing line between lanes RL2 and RL3 is road dividing line RD2. In front of vehicle M, first preceding vehicle m11, second preceding vehicle m12, third preceding vehicle m13, and fourth preceding vehicle m14 are traveling side by side. Side by side travel means that the defined areas for lateral traveling vehicles overlap.

[0086] As described above, when the number of vehicles traveling in lanes RL1 to RL3 is greater than the number of lanes "3", the control unit 140 performs trajectory following control. In this process, trajectory following control may also be performed on the target vehicle without considering the distance between vehicles traveling in front, for example, when there are more vehicles traveling in front than the number of lanes (or when a predetermined time has elapsed in this state).

[0087] like Figure 5As shown, the control unit 140 can also perform trajectory tracking control for the vehicle with a smaller lateral distance between itself and the first or second vehicle. Even if a vehicle has crossed the road markings of the road it is traveling on, the control unit 140 will still perform trajectory tracking control for the vehicle if the lateral displacement of the vehicle relative to the road markings has remained within a predetermined range for a predetermined period or more.

[0088] For example, when the control unit 140 sets the second forward vehicle m12 as the target vehicle, even if the second forward vehicle m12 is crossing the road dividing line RD1, if the displacement of the second forward vehicle m12 in the lateral distance relative to the road dividing line is within a specified period or more, the control unit 140 will perform trajectory following control for the second forward vehicle m12.

[0089] As described above, when the number of vehicles ahead exceeds the number of lanes, and the vehicle ahead of the target vehicle crosses the road markings, vehicle M follows the vehicle ahead of the target vehicle to adapt to the traffic situation. In this case, vehicle M may sometimes be forced to cross the road markings, but control is achieved in accordance with the traffic situation as described above.

[0090] [Flowchart (2)]

[0091] Figure 6 This is a flowchart illustrating another example of the process performed by the driving support device 100. (To be continued) Figure 4 The flowchart will be explained focusing on different processing steps. In step S100, if there are multiple vehicles ahead of vehicle M, the processing unit 120 determines whether there are vehicles traveling in parallel that exceed the number of lanes (step S101). If there are vehicles traveling in parallel that exceed the number of lanes, the processing unit 120 calculates the distance between the multiple vehicles (step S102). If there are no vehicles traveling in parallel that exceed the number of lanes, the process returns to step S100.

[0092] Next, the processing unit 120 determines whether each of the derived distances is below a specified distance (step S104#). If each of the derived distances is not below a specified distance, the process proceeds to step S102. If each of the derived distances is below a specified distance, the processing unit 120 determines whether a specified period has elapsed since the state of each distance being below a specified distance (step S106). If the specified period has not elapsed since the state of each distance being below a specified distance, the process returns to step S102. While the determination above considers whether each of the "distances" is below a specified distance, it is also possible to determine, instead, whether a specified number or more of the multiple distances are below a specified distance. The specified number is 1 or more.

[0093] If a predetermined period has elapsed since the distance to each vehicle has been less than a predetermined distance, the processing unit 120 determines the preceding vehicle of the target (step S108). For example, the preceding vehicle that is closest to vehicle M in the lateral direction is determined to be the preceding vehicle of the target. The processing unit 120 follows the preceding vehicle of the target (step S110). Thus, the processing of the first routine of this flowchart ends.

[0094] As described above, the control unit 140 performs trajectory following control based on the number of vehicles ahead, the number of lanes, and the distance between vehicles ahead, enabling it to control vehicles in accordance with the actual driving state of other vehicles.

[0095] [Relationship with Lane Keeping Control]

[0096] Even when road markings are detected, if the lateral distance between the first preceding vehicle and the second preceding vehicle traveling alongside the first preceding vehicle is less than a predetermined distance, the control unit 140 prioritizes trajectory following control over lane keeping control.

[0097] For example, when vehicle M is performing lane keeping control, under the condition that... Figures 2-6 Under the various conditions described above, lane keeping control is stopped and trajectory following control is executed. For example, when vehicle M is traveling behind a preceding vehicle in a designated lane, and the distance between the preceding vehicle and other preceding vehicles becomes less than a designated distance, lane keeping control is stopped and trajectory following control is executed. Lane keeping control unit 130 executes lane keeping control when there is no first preceding vehicle and the various conditions described above are no longer met.

[0098] As described above, even when the vehicle ahead enters a congested road environment, the control unit 140 can achieve control corresponding to the road environment by executing trajectory tracking control.

[0099] [Continuation of trajectory following control]

[0100] The above example illustrates the implementation of trajectory following control from lane keeping control. However, it could also be that, while implementing trajectory following control, the following conditions are met... Figures 2-6 The trajectory following control continues under various conditions described herein. For example, vehicle M performs trajectory following control relative to the preceding vehicle. Both vehicle M and the preceding vehicle are traveling in designated lanes. If the preceding vehicle enters a congested road environment, the control unit 140 performs trajectory following control. Figures 2-6 The process described in the document identifies the preceding vehicle of the target and performs trajectory tracking control for the identified preceding vehicle, thereby enabling control that is appropriate to the road environment.

[0101] [Utilization of national or regional information]

[0102] The processing unit 120 acquires specific information about the country or region. The control unit 140 performs trajectory following control based on the acquired information. For example, corresponding information is stored in the storage unit (not shown) of the driver support device 100. The corresponding information is information that establishes a correspondence between specific information and a flag indicating whether trajectory following control is performed. In the corresponding information, for example, a flag indicating the performance of trajectory following control is specified in region A, but no flag indicating the performance of trajectory following control is specified in region B. For example, if vehicle M is traveling in region B, the control unit 140 does not perform trajectory following control; if vehicle M is traveling in region A, the control unit 140 performs trajectory following control. It should be noted that the driving position of vehicle M is determined using location information such as the navigation device 50. It should be noted that, as described above, the flag indicates whether trajectory following control is performed, but the flag can also change the priority between trajectory following control and lane keeping control based on lane markings. Specifically, trajectory following control can be prioritized when a flag is specified, and lane keeping control can be prioritized when no flag is specified. It can also be managed through lane keeping control signs instead of trajectory following control signs.

[0103] As described above, the control unit 140 can take into account factors such as region, country, culture, and environment when performing trajectory tracking control.

[0104] The aforementioned trajectory following control can also be performed when other vehicles are present laterally to vehicle M. In this case, the driving support device 100 performs trajectory following control while maintaining the distance between itself and other vehicles at or above a set distance. Alternatively, if the distance between itself and other vehicles cannot be maintained at or above the set distance, the driving support device 100 may cancel the execution of trajectory following control.

[0105] According to the embodiments described above, the driving support device 100 performs trajectory following control to make the vehicle follow the first preceding vehicle based on the lateral position of the first preceding vehicle, and performs trajectory following control when the lateral distance between the first preceding vehicle and the second preceding vehicle traveling alongside the first preceding vehicle is less than a predetermined distance, thereby enabling vehicle control that corresponds to the actual driving state of other vehicles.

[0106] The implementation methods described above can be performed as follows.

[0107] A driving control device, comprising:

[0108] A storage device containing a program; and

[0109] Hardware processor,

[0110] The hardware processor performs the following processing by executing a program stored in the storage device:

[0111] Identify the first preceding vehicle located in front of the vehicle;

[0112] Based on the lateral position of the first preceding vehicle, trajectory following control is performed to make the vehicle follow the trajectory of the first preceding vehicle; and

[0113] The trajectory following control is performed when the lateral distance between the first preceding vehicle and the second preceding vehicle traveling alongside the first preceding vehicle is less than a predetermined distance.

[0114] The above description illustrates specific embodiments of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to such embodiments in any way, and various modifications and substitutions can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

Claims

1. A driving control device, wherein, The driving control device includes: The identification unit identifies the first preceding vehicle located in front of the vehicle. as well as The control unit performs trajectory following control to make the vehicle follow the first preceding vehicle based on the lateral position of the first preceding vehicle. The trajectory following control is performed when the lateral distance between the first preceding vehicle and a second preceding vehicle traveling alongside the first preceding vehicle is less than a predetermined distance.

2. The driving control device according to claim 1, wherein, The control unit performs the trajectory following control if the lateral distance between the first forward vehicle and the second forward vehicle is less than the predetermined distance for a predetermined period of time or more.

3. The driving control device according to claim 1, wherein, The control unit performs trajectory following control when the number of the first preceding vehicle, the second preceding vehicle, and one or more third preceding vehicles different from the second preceding vehicle exceeds the number of lanes on the road in which the vehicle is traveling.

4. The driving control device according to claim 1, wherein, The control unit performs the trajectory following control for the vehicle with the smaller lateral distance between itself and the first or second forward vehicle. Even if a vehicle is traveling across the road markings of the road it is traveling on, if the lateral displacement of the vehicle relative to the road markings remains within a specified period for a specified time or more, the control unit will perform trajectory following control on the vehicle.

5. The driving control device according to claim 1, wherein, The driving control device includes a lane keeping control unit that performs lane keeping control to ensure that the vehicle travels along the road markings of the lane in which it is traveling. Even when the control unit detects the road markings, if the lateral distance between the first preceding vehicle and the second preceding vehicle traveling alongside it is less than a predetermined distance, it will perform trajectory following control compared to performing lane keeping control. The lane keeping control unit performs lane keeping control when the first preceding vehicle is not present.

6. The driving control device according to claim 1, wherein, The control unit acquires information about the country or region, and performs the trajectory following control based on the acquired information.

7. A driving control method, wherein, The driving control method causes the computer to perform the following processing: Identify the first preceding vehicle located in front of the vehicle; as well as The trajectory following control is performed based on the lateral position of the first preceding vehicle, and is performed when the lateral distance between the first preceding vehicle and the second preceding vehicle traveling alongside the first preceding vehicle is less than a predetermined distance.

8. A storage medium storing a program, wherein, The program causes the computer to perform the following processing: Identify the first preceding vehicle located in front of the vehicle; as well as The trajectory following control is performed based on the lateral position of the first preceding vehicle, and is performed when the lateral distance between the first preceding vehicle and the second preceding vehicle traveling alongside the first preceding vehicle is less than a predetermined distance.

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