Travel control device, travel control method, and storage medium

Abstract

The present application relates to a travel control device, a travel control method, and a storage medium that appropriately perform driving support control in an intersection. The travel control device includes an identification unit that identifies at least a lane mark and an intersection, and a control unit that performs lateral control, which is driving support control related to the lateral direction of a vehicle, based on the fact that the lane mark is identified. The driving support control unit sets the lateral control performed based on the fact that the lane mark is identified in the intersection to be different from the lateral control performed based on the fact that the lane mark is identified outside the intersection.

Description

Technical Field

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

[0002] In recent years, efforts to provide access to sustainable transportation systems that also take into account vulnerable groups among transportation participants have become increasingly active. To achieve this goal, research and development related to autonomous driving technologies are being conducted to further improve the safety and convenience of transportation.

[0003] For example, there are known technologies that, when there are lane markings with complex shapes near an intersection, select lane markings for lane keeping by referring to map information and image information (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Additionally, there are known technologies that, when lane markings extend uninterruptedly to the left and right of the road outside the intersection, and the road also extends uninterruptedly, continue LKAS (Lane Keeping Assistance System) and RDM (Road Departure Mitigation) within the intersection (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

[0004] Existing technical documents

[0005] Patent documents

[0006] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-172052

[0007] Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2014-159249 Summary of the Invention

[0008] The problem that the invention aims to solve

[0009] However, while previous technologies have studied maintaining lane stability before entering an intersection or maintaining lane position when passing through an intersection straight (passing straight without lane changes), driver support control for driving other than passing through an intersection (turning left or right, especially right) has not been adequately studied.

[0010] To address the aforementioned issues, the present invention aims to provide appropriate driver support control within intersections. Furthermore, this contributes to the development of sustainable transportation systems.

[0011] Methods for solving problems

[0012] The driving control device, driving control method and storage medium of the present invention adopt the following structure.

[0013] (1) The first aspect of the present invention relates to a driving control device comprising: an identification unit that identifies at least a lane sign and an intersection; and a control unit that performs lateral control, i.e., lateral control, in relation to the lateral movement of the vehicle based on the identification of the lane sign, wherein the driving support control unit sets the lateral control performed based on the identification of the lane sign within the intersection to be different from the lateral control performed based on the identification of the lane sign outside the intersection.

[0014] (2) The second aspect of the present invention, based on the first aspect, suppresses the lateral control performed when the lane sign is detected outside the intersection, compared with the lateral control performed when the lane sign is detected inside the intersection.

[0015] (3) The third aspect of the present invention is based on the second aspect, wherein the lateral control includes at least a first lateral control and a second lateral control, and the driving support control unit suppresses the second lateral control or only suppresses the second lateral control compared with the first lateral control.

[0016] (4) The fourth aspect of the present invention, based on the first aspect, allows the driving support control unit to easily deactivate the lateral control performed based on the detection of the lane sign within the intersection, compared to the lateral control performed based on the detection of the lane sign outside the intersection, through the operation of the vehicle occupants.

[0017] (5) The fifth aspect of the present invention is based on the fourth aspect, wherein the lateral control includes at least a first lateral control and a second lateral control, and the driving support control unit is more likely to release the second lateral control by the operation of the occupant than the first lateral control, or is more likely to release only the second lateral control by the operation of the occupant.

[0018] (6) The sixth embodiment of the present invention is based on the fourth embodiment, wherein the lateral control includes at least a first lateral control and a second lateral control, and the driving support control unit can easily release the first lateral control and suppress the second lateral control through the operation of the occupant.

[0019] (7) The seventh embodiment of the present invention is based on the first embodiment, wherein the lane marking is an auxiliary line for right or left turn within the intersection, and the driving support control unit changes the lateral control based on the situation where the auxiliary line within the intersection is identified as the lane marking.

[0020] (8) The eighth embodiment of the present invention is based on the third embodiment, wherein one of the first lateral control and the second lateral control is driving control accompanied by lane keeping support, and the other of the first lateral control and the second lateral control is driving control accompanied by off-road departure suppression.

[0021] (9) The ninth aspect of the present invention relates to a driving control method that uses a computer mounted on a vehicle, wherein the driving control method includes: at least identifying a lane sign and an intersection; performing lateral driving support control, i.e., lateral control, related to the lateral direction of the vehicle based on the identification of the lane sign; and setting the lateral control performed based on the identification of the lane sign within the intersection to be different from the lateral control performed based on the identification of the lane sign outside the intersection.

[0022] (10) The tenth aspect of the present invention relates to a storage medium storing a program for causing a computer mounted in a vehicle to perform the following processing: at least identifying a lane sign and an intersection; performing lateral-related driving support control, i.e., lateral control, based on the identification of the lane sign; and setting the lateral control performed based on the identification of the lane sign within the intersection to be different from the lateral control performed based on the identification of the lane sign outside the intersection.

[0023] Invention Effects

[0024] According to the above scheme, appropriate driving support control can be implemented within intersections. Attached Figure Description

[0025] Figure 1 This is a structural diagram of vehicle system 1 utilizing the driving control device of the embodiment.

[0026] Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of a series of processes performed by the automatic driving control device 100 of the embodiment.

[0027] Figure 3 This is an example of a lane marking present at an intersection.

[0028] Figure 4 This diagram illustrates an example of lateral control when a lane marking is detected within an intersection.

[0029] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0030] 1…Vehicle system, 10…Camera, 12…Radar device, 14…Detector, 16…Object recognition device, 20…Communication device, 30…HMI, 40…Vehicle sensor, 50…Navigation device, 60…MPU, 80…Driver control unit, 85…Direction indicator lever, 90…In-vehicle camera, 100…Automatic driving control unit, 110…Identification unit, 120…Driver support control unit, 130…Storage unit, 200…Driving drive force output device, 210…Braking device, 220…Steering device. Detailed Implementation

[0031] Hereinafter, embodiments of the driving control device, driving control method, and storage medium of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The vehicle control device of the embodiments is applied, for example, to an autonomous vehicle. Autonomous driving refers to controlling the driving of a vehicle by controlling one or both of its speed and steering.

[0032] The driving controls for the aforementioned vehicles include various systems such as ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control System), TJP (Traffic Jam Pilot), ALC (Auto Lane Changing), CMBS (Collision Mitigation Brake System), LKAS (Lane Keeping Assistance System), and RDM (Road Departure Mitigation). Autonomous vehicles can also be controlled manually by the occupant (driver). The following explanation addresses situations where left-hand traffic regulations apply; however, in cases where right-hand traffic regulations apply, simply reverse the left and right directions.

[0033] [Overall Structure]

[0034] Figure 1 This is a structural diagram of a vehicle system 1 utilizing the driving control device of the embodiment. The vehicle mounted on the vehicle system 1 (hereinafter referred to as the vehicle M) is, for example, a two-wheeled, three-wheeled, or four-wheeled vehicle, and its drive source includes 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.

[0035] 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 (Map Positioning Unit) 60, driving controls 80, a direction indicator stalk 85, an in-vehicle camera 90, an automatic driving control device 100, a driving force output device 200, a braking device 210, and a steering device 220. These devices and equipment are interconnected via multiple communication lines such as CAN (Controller Area Network) communication lines, serial communication lines, and wireless communication networks. It should be noted that... Figure 1 The structure shown is merely an example; a part of the structure may be omitted, or other structures may be added. The automatic driving control device 100 is an example of a "driving control device".

[0036] 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 can be mounted anywhere on the vehicle M. When photographing the front of the vehicle M, camera 10 can be mounted on the upper part of the windshield, the back of the interior rearview mirror, etc. Similarly, when photographing the rear of the vehicle M, camera 10 can be mounted on the upper part of the rear windshield, etc. Furthermore, when photographing the right or left side of the vehicle M, camera 10 can be mounted on the body, the right or left side of the rearview mirror on the door, etc. Camera 10 can periodically and repeatedly photograph the perimeter of the vehicle M. Camera 10 can also be a stereo camera.

[0037] Radar device 12 radiates millimeter-wave or other radio waves around the vehicle M and detects the radio waves (reflected waves) reflected by objects to at least detect 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.

[0038] The LIDAR 14 illuminates the periphery of the vehicle M and measures the scattered light. The LIDAR 14 detects the distance to an object based on the time from the emission of light to the reception of light. The illuminated light can be, for example, a pulsed laser. The LIDAR 14 can be mounted at any location on the vehicle M.

[0039] 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 autonomous driving control 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 autonomous driving control device 100. The object recognition device 16 can also be omitted from the vehicle system 1.

[0040] The communication device 20 communicates with other vehicles in the vicinity of the vehicle M, for example, using cellular networks, Wi-Fi networks, Bluetooth (registered trademark, hereinafter omitted), DSRC (Dedicated Short Range Communication), etc., or communicates with various server devices via wireless base stations.

[0041] 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 display devices. These display devices (display units) are, for example, multi-information displays, such as those located in the center of the instrument panel of vehicle M, displaying various information about vehicle M, including speedometers (speed indicators) indicating the vehicle's speed or tachometers (speed gauges) indicating the revolutions (rpm) of the internal combustion engine in vehicle M.

[0042] 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 the vertical axis, and an orientation sensor for detecting the orientation of the vehicle M.

[0043] The navigation device 50 includes, for example, a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiver 51, a navigation HMI 52, and a path 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.

[0044] The GNSS receiver 51 determines the position of the vehicle M based on signals received from GNSS satellites. The position of the vehicle M can also be determined or supplemented by using the INS (Inertial Navigation System) output from the vehicle sensor 40.

[0045] The navigation HMI 52 includes a display, speakers, a touch panel, buttons, etc. The navigation HMI 52 can also be partially or entirely shared with the aforementioned HMI 30. For example, occupants can input the destination of vehicle M into the HMI 30, or, based on this, input the destination of vehicle M into the navigation HMI 52.

[0046] The route determination unit 53, for example, refers to the first map information 54 to determine the route (hereinafter also referred to as the map route) from the position of the vehicle M determined by the GNSS receiver 51 (or any input position) to the destination input by the occupants using the HM30 and navigation HMI52.

[0047] The first map information 54 represents road shape information, for example, by displaying road routes and nodes connected by those routes. The first map information 54 may also include road curvature, POI (Point of Interest) information, etc. The paths on the map are output to the MPU 60.

[0048] 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 using 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 a path from the navigation server that corresponds to the path on the map.

[0049] MPU 60 includes, for example, a lane recommendation unit 61 that stores the 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 with reference 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 manner that allows the vehicle M to travel on a reasonable path to the branch destination.

[0050] The second map information 62 is map information with higher precision compared to 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. Furthermore, the second map information 62 may include road information, traffic restriction information, residential information (address, postal code), facility information, telephone number information, etc. The second map information 62 can be updated in real time by communicating with other devices through the communication device 20.

[0051] The driving controls 80 include, for example, an accelerator pedal, a brake pedal, a gear shift lever, a steering wheel, a joystick, and other controls. Sensors are installed on the driving controls 80 to detect the amount of operation or whether operation has occurred. The detection results are output to some or all of the following: the automatic driving control unit 100, the driving force output device 200, the braking device 210, and the steering device 220. The steering wheel does not necessarily have to be circular; it can also be an irregularly shaped steering wheel, a joystick, a button, or other similar form.

[0052] For example, a sensor mounted on the steering wheel (hereinafter, the steering sensor) detects the weak current (e.g., a change in electrostatic capacitance) generated when the occupant touches the steering wheel. Additionally, the steering sensor can also detect the steering torque generated around the rotation axis (shaft) of the steering wheel. When detecting current and steering torque, the steering sensor outputs a signal indicating its detection result to the automatic driving control unit 100.

[0053] When operated by an occupant, the turn signal stalk 85 (also called a pole or switch) illuminates the lights mounted at the front and rear of the vehicle M. Additionally, the turn signal stalk 85 is operated to indicate a lane change to the vehicle M. Operating the turn signal stalk 85 to indicate a lane change is also called a one-touch function. Hereinafter, operating the turn signal stalk 85 to indicate a lane change will be referred to as "lane change instruction operation."

[0054] It should be noted that, in addition to operating the direction indicator lever 85, lane change instructions can also be given by inputting voice into the microphone, or by operating other switches or buttons.

[0055] The in-vehicle camera 90 is a camera used to photograph the interior of the vehicle M. The in-vehicle camera 90 is, for example, a digital camera using a solid-state imaging element such as a CCD or CMOS sensor. When photographing the interior of the vehicle M, the in-vehicle camera 90 outputs the image data to the automatic driving control device 100.

[0056] The automatic driving control device 100 includes, for example, an identification unit 110, a driving support control unit 120, and a storage unit 130.

[0057] The identification unit 110 and the driving support control unit 120 are implemented by executing programs (software) through hardware processors such as CPUs (Central Processing Units) and GPUs (Graphics Processing Units). Some or all of these components can be implemented using hardware (including circuitry) such as LSIs (Large Scale Integration), ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits), FPGAs (Field-Programmable Gate Arrays), and SOCs (System on Chips), or through the coordinated use of software and hardware.

[0058] The program can be pre-saved in the HDD, flash memory or other storage device (a storage device with a non-temporary storage medium) of the automatic driving control device 100, or it can be saved in a removable storage medium such as a DVD or CD-ROM, and installed in the HDD or flash memory of the automatic driving control device 100 by assembling the storage medium (non-temporary storage medium) into the drive device.

[0059] The storage unit 130 is implemented using the various storage devices described above. The storage unit 130 may be implemented using, for example, an HDD, flash memory, EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory), ROM (Read Only Memory), or RAM (Random Access Memory). The storage unit 130 stores, for example, programs (commands) read and executed by the processor.

[0060] The identification unit 110 identifies the surrounding conditions or environment of the vehicle M. For example, the identification unit 110 identifies objects existing around the vehicle M based on information input from the camera 10, radar device 12, and LIDAR 14 via the object recognition device 16.

[0061] Objects identified by the recognition unit 110 include, for example, bicycles, motorcycles, four-wheeled vehicles, pedestrians, road signs, road markings, dividing lines, utility poles, guardrails, and fallen objects. Furthermore, the recognition unit 110 identifies the object's position, speed, acceleration, and other states. The object's position is identified, for example, as its position on a relative coordinate system with a representative point of the vehicle M (center of gravity, drive shaft center, etc.) as the origin (i.e., its relative position relative to the vehicle M), for control purposes. The object's position can be represented by representative points such as its center of gravity or corners, or by a represented area. The object's "state" may also include its acceleration, jerk, or "action state" (e.g., whether it is currently changing lanes or is about to change lanes).

[0062] Furthermore, the identification unit 110 identifies, for example, the lane in which the vehicle M is currently traveling (hereinafter referred to as the "lane"), and adjacent lanes. For instance, the identification unit 110 identifies the lane, adjacent lanes, etc., by comparing the patterns of lane markings (road dividing lines) obtained from the second map information 62 with the patterns of lane markings around the vehicle M identified from images captured by the camera 10. The patterns of the lane markings may, for example, be an arrangement of solid and dashed lines.

[0063] Furthermore, the identification unit 110 is not limited to identifying lane markings; it can also identify lanes such as the current lane and adjacent lanes by identifying driving road boundaries (road boundaries) including lane markings, shoulders, curbs, median strips, guardrails, etc. In this identification, the position of the vehicle M obtained from the navigation device 50 and INS-based processing results may also be considered.

[0064] Furthermore, the recognition unit 110 can identify intersections based on identified lane markings, road signs, first map information 54 provided by the navigation device 50, and second map information 62 provided by the MPU 60. Additionally, the recognition unit 110 can identify temporary stop lines, obstacles, red lights, toll booths, and other road features.

[0065] When identifying the lane, the identification unit 110 identifies the relative position and posture of the vehicle M relative to the 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 center of the lane, as the relative position and posture of the vehicle M relative to the lane. Alternatively, the identification unit 110 may identify the position of the vehicle M's reference point relative to any end of the lane (lane marker or road boundary) as the relative position of the vehicle M relative to the lane.

[0066] The driving support control unit 120 performs driving support driving control (hereinafter referred to as lateral control) related to the lateral direction of the vehicle M based on the lane markings identified by the identification unit 110. "Lateral" refers to the width direction of the vehicle M, and can also be replaced by "width direction" or "left and right direction".

[0067] Lateral control can include, for example, LKAS (Lane Keeping Assist System) and RDM (Road Departure Mitigation). LKAS is an example of "first lateral control," and RDM is an example of "second lateral control." Alternatively, LKAS can also be another example of "second lateral control," and RDM can also be another example of "first lateral control."

[0068] LKAS, for example, supports the driver's operation of the steering wheel in a way that keeps the vehicle M near the center of the lane.

[0069] For example, when the vehicle M is about to deviate from its lane, the RDM uses the HMI30's display and speaker to output an alarm, or applies a counterforce to the driver's steering wheel as they move out of the lane.

[0070] The driving force output device 200 outputs driving force (torque) for vehicle movement to the drive wheels. The driving force output device 200 may include, for example, a combination of an internal combustion engine, an electric motor, and a transmission, and a power ECU (Electronic Control Unit) that controls them. The power ECU controls the above-mentioned structure based on information input from the driving support control unit 120 or from the driving operation unit 80.

[0071] 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 based on information input from the driver support control unit 120 or from the driver operating unit 80, outputting braking torque corresponding to the braking operation to each wheel. The braking device 210 may include, as a backup, a mechanism for transmitting hydraulic pressure generated by the operation of the brake pedal included in the driver operating unit 80 via a master hydraulic cylinder to the hydraulic cylinder. It should be noted that the braking device 210 is not limited to the structure described above; it may also be an electronically controlled hydraulic braking device that controls the actuator based on information input from the driver support control unit 120 and transmits hydraulic pressure from the master hydraulic cylinder to the hydraulic cylinder.

[0072] 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 driving support control unit 120 or from the driving operation unit 80.

[0073] [Processing Flow]

[0074] The following describes the process of a series of processes performed by the automatic driving control device 100 according to the embodiment using flowcharts. Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of a series of processes performed by the automatic driving control device 100 of the embodiment.

[0075] This flowchart can be executed repeatedly at a predetermined cycle when the vehicle M arrives at an intersection, for example, with lateral control (driving support control) such as LKAS and RDM enabled.

[0076] First, the driving support control unit 120 determines whether the identification unit 110 has identified a lane marking at the intersection (step S100).

[0077] Next, when a lane sign is detected inside the intersection, the driver support control unit 120 changes the lateral control content compared to when a lane sign is detected outside the intersection (step S102).

[0078] Figure 3 This diagram illustrates an example of lane markings present at an intersection. In countries or regions where right-hand traffic is permitted, auxiliary lines (LM in the diagram) are sometimes drawn on the road at intersections to guide vehicles turning right to the position where they should wait.

[0079] If lane markings are present at such intersections, it may interfere with lateral control (driving assistance control) mechanisms such as LKAS and RDM. For example, even if an occupant wants to operate the steering wheel to turn the vehicle M to the right, the steering control may sometimes be affected by the lane markings at the intersection. Therefore, in this embodiment, even under the same condition of recognizing lane markings, the lateral control is modified both inside and outside the intersection.

[0080] Figure 4 This is a diagram illustrating an example of lateral control when a lane sign is detected at an intersection. As shown, the driver support control unit 120 can change the lateral control to any one of the following (1) to (3) depending on the situation where a lane sign is detected at an intersection.

[0081] (1) Both LKAS and RDM are suppressed.

[0082] (2) Both LKAS and RDM can be easily deactivated by crew operation.

[0083] (3) Both LKAS and RDM are turned off.

[0084] Suppression can be achieved by reducing the amount of assistance (torque) applied to the steering wheel shaft, or by reducing the level of warnings (volume, frequency, etc.). Specifically, compared to the steering assist force and warning level of lateral control performed when a lane sign is detected outside an intersection, the driver support control unit 120 reduces the steering assist force and warning level of lateral control performed when a lane sign is detected inside an intersection. As a result, although lateral control continues after the vehicle M enters the intersection, the assist force and warning level of this lateral control are reduced.

[0085] "Deactivation" refers to, for example, when lateral control is activated, deactivating it when the amount of occupant's operation relative to the steering wheel exceeds a certain threshold. This is also known as overtaking. That is, compared to the overtaking threshold for lateral control performed when a lane sign is detected outside the intersection, the driver support control unit 120 lowers the overtaking threshold for lateral control performed when a lane sign is detected inside the intersection. As a result, after the vehicle M enters the intersection, the occupant can more easily (with less force) perform overtaking compared to before the vehicle M enters the intersection.

[0086] In addition, the driving support control unit 120 may change the lateral control to any of the following (4) to (9) based on the situation that the driving lane sign is recognized in the intersection.

[0087] (4) Keep either LKAS or RDM on and suppress the other.

[0088] (5) Keep either LKAS or RDM on and easily deactivate the other by occupant operation.

[0089] (6) Keep either LKAS or RDM on and the other off.

[0090] (7) Suppress either LKAS or RDM and easily release the other through crew operation.

[0091] (8) Suppress either LKAS or RDM and shut down the other.

[0092] (9) The LKAS and RDM can be easily deactivated by the crew and the other can be deactivated.

[0093] In this way, the driver support control unit 120 uses combinations such as "maintain", "suppress", "simple release" and "close" to make the control content different when a lane sign is recognized at the intersection and when it is not.

[0094] According to the embodiments described above, the automatic driving control device 100 includes: a recognition unit 110 that recognizes at least lane markings and intersections; and a driving support control unit 120 that performs lateral control (driving support control) such as LKAS and RDM based on the recognition of lane markings. The driving support control unit 120 sets the lateral control performed based on the recognition of lane markings within an intersection to be different from the lateral control performed based on the recognition of lane markings outside an intersection. With this structure, driving support control can be appropriately performed within intersections.

[0095] The above describes 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, which at least identifies lane markings and intersections; and The driving support control unit, upon recognizing the lane markings, performs lateral control, a type of driving support control related to the vehicle's lateral direction. The driving support control unit sets the lateral control performed based on the detection of the lane sign within the intersection to be different from the lateral control performed based on the detection of the lane sign outside the intersection.

2. The driving control device according to claim 1, wherein, Compared to the lateral control performed based on the detection of the lane sign outside the intersection, the driving support control unit suppresses the lateral control performed based on the detection of the lane sign inside the intersection.

3. The driving control device according to claim 2, wherein, The lateral control includes at least a first lateral control and a second lateral control. The driving support control unit suppresses the second lateral control compared to the first lateral control, or only suppresses the second lateral control.

4. The driving control device according to claim 1, wherein, Compared to the lateral control performed based on the detection of the lane sign outside the intersection, the driving support control unit can easily disengage the lateral control performed based on the detection of the lane sign within the intersection through the operation of the vehicle occupants.

5. The driving control device according to claim 4, wherein, The lateral control includes at least a first lateral control and a second lateral control. Compared to the first lateral control, the driving support control unit can more easily deactivate the second lateral control through the operation of the occupant, or can more easily deactivate only the second lateral control through the operation of the occupant.

6. The driving control device according to claim 4, wherein, The lateral control includes at least a first lateral control and a second lateral control. The driving support control unit can easily deactivate the first lateral control and suppress the second lateral control through the operation of the occupant.

7. The driving control device according to claim 1, wherein, The lane markings are auxiliary lines for right turns or left turns within the intersection. The driving support control unit changes the lateral control based on the situation where the auxiliary line is identified as the driving lane sign within the intersection.

8. The driving control device according to claim 3, wherein, One of the first lateral control and the second lateral control is a steering control accompanied by lane keeping support, and the other of the first lateral control and the second lateral control is a steering control accompanied by off-road departure suppression.

9. A driving control method, which utilizes a computer mounted on a vehicle, wherein, The driving control method includes: At least recognize lane markings and intersections; Based on the recognition of the lane markings, lateral control, a driving assistance control related to the vehicle's lateral direction, is executed; and The lateral control performed based on the detection of the lane sign within the intersection is set to be different from the lateral control performed based on the detection of the lane sign outside the intersection.

10. A storage medium storing a program for causing a computer mounted in a vehicle to perform the following processes: At least recognize lane markings and intersections; Based on the recognition of the lane markings, lateral control, a driving assistance control related to the vehicle's lateral direction, is executed; and The lateral control performed based on the detection of the lane sign within the intersection is set to be different from the lateral control performed based on the detection of the lane sign outside the intersection.

Images