Vehicle control device and control method

Abstract

A vehicle control device and a control method that assist a vehicle in traveling in an appropriate area on a vehicle road even when there is no center dividing line or when a center dividing line cannot be detected. The control device (30) includes an acquisition unit (31) that acquires surrounding information of the vehicle, an identification unit (32) that identifies a surrounding situation of the vehicle based on the surrounding information acquired by the acquisition unit, and a display control unit (33) that displays a travel area in front of a travel direction of the vehicle on a MID based on an identification result of the identification unit, thereby guiding a passenger of the vehicle to the travel area. The display control unit displays a prescribed area on the own lane side between road boundary lines on the left and right of the vehicle road as the travel area and an area closer to the opposite lane side than the prescribed area as a non-travel area when the situation where there is an opposite lane on the vehicle road including the own lane and there is no center dividing line or the center dividing line cannot be detected.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a vehicle control device and control method. Background Technology

[0002] In recent years, there has been a demand to improve transportation safety in order to make cities and human settlements more inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable. From the perspective of improving transportation safety, the development of technologies such as driver assistance systems and autonomous driving technologies is being promoted.

[0003] As an example of driving assistance technology, Patent Document 1 discloses the following technology: when the space determination unit determines that there is "passage space", a vehicle front image including a virtual vehicle is generated and displayed on a monitor device, and a recommended driving route as driving assistance information is drawn in three dimensions by overlaying the virtual vehicle image on the vehicle front image.

[0004] In addition, the following technology is disclosed in Patent Document 2: acquiring information related to traffic control and instructions corresponding to the road in front of the vehicle, determining the degree of attention indicating the extent to which the user should pay attention to the road in front of the vehicle based on the information related to traffic control and instructions, generating a display image of the area representing the road with different display methods according to the degree of attention, and displaying the display image on the location of the road in the display area of ​​the windshield.

[0005] Existing technical documents

[0006] Patent documents

[0007] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2021-077227

[0008] Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2005-202787 Summary of the Invention

[0009] The problem that the invention aims to solve

[0010] It is also conceivable that there is no central dividing line separating the vehicle's lane from the oncoming lane, or that although a central dividing line exists, the vehicle cannot detect it for some reason. In the prior art, the behavior of vehicles in such situations has not been sufficiently studied, and there is room for improvement in this regard.

[0011] The present invention provides a vehicle control device and control method that can assist a vehicle in traveling in an appropriate area of ​​a road, including the vehicle's own lane and the oncoming lane, even when there is no central dividing line separating the vehicle's own lane from the oncoming lane or when the central dividing line cannot be detected.

[0012] Solution for solving the problem

[0013] One technical solution of the present invention is a vehicle control device that controls a vehicle, wherein...

[0014] The vehicle control device includes:

[0015] The acquisition unit acquires information about the vehicle's surroundings.

[0016] An identification unit identifies the surrounding conditions of the vehicle based on the surrounding information acquired by the acquisition unit; and

[0017] The display control unit, based on the recognition result of the recognition unit, displays the driving area ahead of the vehicle in the direction of travel on the vehicle's display unit, thereby guiding the occupants of the vehicle through the driving area.

[0018] In the case where there is an oncoming lane with a direction of travel opposite to the current lane on a road including the lane in which the vehicle is traveling, and there is no central dividing line separating the current lane from the oncoming lane, or the central dividing line cannot be detected.

[0019] The display control unit displays a designated area on the side of the lane as the driving area between the left and right road boundary lines of the vehicle road, and displays an area closer to the opposite lane than the designated area as a non-driving area that is not the driving area.

[0020] Another technical solution of the present invention is a vehicle control device that controls a vehicle, wherein,

[0021] The vehicle control device includes:

[0022] The acquisition unit acquires information about the vehicle's surroundings.

[0023] An identification unit identifies the surrounding conditions of the vehicle based on the surrounding information acquired by the acquisition unit; and

[0024] The first control unit performs first control based on the road boundary lines around the vehicle identified by the identification unit, including at least one of steering control and acceleration / deceleration control to make the vehicle travel along the lane.

[0025] In the case where there is an oncoming lane with a direction of travel opposite to the current lane on a road including the lane in which the vehicle is traveling, and there is no central dividing line separating the current lane from the oncoming lane, or the central dividing line cannot be detected.

[0026] The first control unit preferentially uses the road boundary line on its own lane side to perform the first control, compared with the road boundary line on the opposite lane side among the left and right road boundary lines of the vehicle road.

[0027] Another technical solution of the present invention is a control method, which is a control method executed by a computer that controls a vehicle, wherein,

[0028] The control method causes the computer to perform the following processing:

[0029] Obtain information about the vehicle's surroundings;

[0030] The surrounding conditions of the vehicle are identified based on the acquired surrounding information; and

[0031] Based on the recognition results of the surrounding conditions, the driving area ahead of the vehicle's direction of travel is displayed on the vehicle's display screen, thereby guiding the vehicle's occupants to the driving area.

[0032] In the process of guiding the driving area

[0033] In the case where there is an oncoming lane with a direction of travel opposite to the current lane on a road including the lane in which the vehicle is traveling, and there is no central dividing line separating the current lane from the oncoming lane, or the central dividing line cannot be detected.

[0034] The designated area on the side of the lane between the left and right road boundary lines of the vehicle road is displayed as the driving area, and the area closer to the opposite lane than the designated area is displayed as a non-driving area that is not the driving area.

[0035] Another technical solution of the present invention is a control method, which is a control method executed by a computer that controls a vehicle, wherein,

[0036] The control method causes the computer to perform the following processing:

[0037] Obtain information about the vehicle's surroundings;

[0038] The surrounding conditions of the vehicle are identified based on the acquired surrounding information; and

[0039] Based on the identified road boundary lines around the vehicle, a first control is executed, including at least one of steering control and acceleration / deceleration control to keep the vehicle traveling along its lane.

[0040] In the process of executing the first control,

[0041] In the event that there is an oncoming lane with a direction of travel opposite to the current lane on the vehicle road, including the current lane in which the vehicle is traveling, and there is no central dividing line separating the current lane from the oncoming lane or the central dividing line cannot be detected, the road boundary line on the current lane side shall be used preferentially to perform the first control compared with the road boundary line on the oncoming lane side among the left and right road boundary lines of the vehicle road.

[0042] Invention Effects

[0043] According to the present invention, a vehicle control device and control method are provided that can assist a vehicle in traveling in an appropriate area of ​​a road including its own lane and the opposite lane, even when there is no central dividing line separating the lane in which the vehicle is traveling from the opposite lane or when the central dividing line cannot be detected. Attached Figure Description

[0044] Figure 1 This is a block diagram showing the general configuration of a vehicle 1 equipped with the control device 30 of this embodiment.

[0045] Figure 2 This is a diagram (one of the specific examples) showing the driving area guidance screen G1 of this embodiment.

[0046] Figure 3 This is a diagram (second example) showing a specific example of the driving area guidance screen G1 in this embodiment.

[0047] Figure 4 This is a diagram illustrating a specific example of LKAS (first control) in this embodiment.

[0048] Figure 5 This is a diagram illustrating a specific example of the RDM (second control) in this embodiment.

[0049] Figure 6 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of the processing performed by the control device 30.

[0050] Figure 7 This is a flowchart illustrating another example of the processing performed by the control device 30.

[0051] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0052] 1 vehicle

[0053] 30. Control device (vehicle control device)

[0054] 31 Acquisition Department

[0055] 32 Identification Department

[0056] 33 Display Control Unit

[0057] 34 First Control Department

[0058] 35 Second Control Unit

[0059] 91 MID (Display Unit)

[0060] CL (Center Dividing Line)

[0061] DA Driving Area

[0062] DA1 First Region

[0063] DA2 Second Region

[0064] LL Left side road boundary line (road boundary line)

[0065] M partition marker

[0066] NA Non-driving area

[0067] OL opposite lane

[0068] RD vehicle road

[0069] RL Right side road boundary line (road boundary line)

[0070] SL This lane. Detailed Implementation

[0071] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the vehicle control device and control method of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Furthermore, the following embodiments do not limit the present invention, and all elements described in the following embodiments are not limited to those essential to the present invention. Additionally, two or more elements described in the following embodiments may be combined arbitrarily without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Furthermore, hereafter, the same or identical elements are sometimes labeled with the same or identical reference numerals, and their descriptions are omitted or simplified.

[0072] [vehicle]

[0073] First, a vehicle equipped with a control device 30, which is one embodiment of the vehicle control device of the present invention, will be described. Figure 1 The vehicle 1 shown is an automobile with a drive source (not shown) and wheels (not shown), the wheels including drive wheels driven by the power of the drive source and steering wheels capable of steering. As an example, vehicle 1 can be a four-wheeled automobile with a pair of front wheels on the left and right and a pair of rear wheels on the left and right.

[0074] The drive source of vehicle 1 can be an electric motor, an internal combustion engine such as a gasoline engine or a diesel engine, or a combination of an electric motor and an internal combustion engine. Furthermore, the drive source of vehicle 1 can drive the left and right front wheels, the left and right rear wheels, or all four wheels (left and right front wheels and left and right rear wheels). The front and rear wheels of vehicle 1 can be either steering wheels (either one or both).

[0075] Vehicle 1 includes a sensor group 10, a navigation device 20, a control device 30 (an example of the vehicle control device of the present invention), an EPS (Electric Power Steering) system 40, a drive force control system 50, a braking force control system 60, a communication unit 70, an operation input unit 80, and a notification device 90.

[0076] The sensor group 10 includes an external sensor 11 that acquires information about the surroundings of the vehicle 1 and a vehicle sensor 12 that acquires information related to the vehicle 1. The information acquired by each sensor in the sensor group 10 (in other words, the detection values) is output to the control device 30 for the control device 30 to control the vehicle 1 (hereinafter also referred to as "vehicle control").

[0077] External sensors 11 include, for example, a camera 111, a sonar 112, and a radar 113. The camera 111 is a digital camera used to capture images of the area surrounding the vehicle 1, including the area in front of the vehicle 1, and outputs the obtained image data of the surrounding area to the control device 30. The camera 111 can be, for example, a digital camera utilizing imaging elements such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor).

[0078] Sonar 112 emits sound waves toward the periphery of vehicle 1 (e.g., in front, behind, and to the sides of vehicle 1) and receives reflected sound waves from objects present in the periphery of vehicle 1, thereby detecting the distance and orientation of the objects. Radar 113 emits radio waves toward the periphery of vehicle 1, including the front of vehicle 1, and receives reflected waves from objects present in the periphery of vehicle 1, thereby detecting the distance and orientation of the objects. For example, millimeter-wave radar can be used as radar 113.

[0079] In addition, instead of sonar 112 and radar 113, or in addition to sonar 112 and radar 113, the external sensor 11 may also include LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging). In this case, the LiDAR emits laser light into the periphery of the vehicle 1, including the area in front of the vehicle 1, and receives reflected light from objects present in the periphery of the vehicle 1, thereby detecting the distance and orientation of the objects.

[0080] Vehicle sensors 12 include, for example, wheel sensors 121, vehicle speed sensors 122, inertial measurement units (IMUs) 123, occupant cameras 124, operation detection units 125, and steering device touch sensors 126.

[0081] Wheel sensor 121 detects the rotation angle of one or more wheels of vehicle 1. For example, wheel sensor 121 detects the rotation angle of the left rear wheel and the right rear wheel respectively. As wheel sensor 121, for example, an angle sensor, a displacement sensor, etc. can be used.

[0082] Vehicle speed sensor 122 detects the vehicle speed VP (in other words, the vehicle body's moving speed). For example, vehicle speed sensor 122 detects vehicle speed VP based on the rotational speed of a secondary shaft (not shown) provided by vehicle 1.

[0083] The inertial measurement unit 123 detects the angular velocities of the vehicle 1 in the pitch, roll, and yaw directions, as well as the accelerations of the vehicle 1 in the longitudinal, lateral, and vertical directions. Alternatively, the vehicle sensor 12 may replace the inertial measurement unit 123 with an accelerometer sensor that detects the acceleration of the vehicle 1 in a specified direction, or a gyroscope sensor that detects the angular velocity of the vehicle 1 in a specified direction.

[0084] The occupant camera 124 is a digital camera used to capture images of the interior of vehicle 1 and outputs the obtained interior image data to the control device 30. For example, the occupant camera 124 can be configured as a so-called "driver monitoring camera," capable of capturing the head (in other words, capturing the face) of the occupant (hereinafter also referred to as "driver") seated in the driver's seat of vehicle 1 from the front. As the occupant camera 124, similar to the camera 111, a digital camera utilizing imaging elements such as CCD or CMOS can be used. In this embodiment, the image data of the interior obtained by capturing images of the vehicle interior through the occupant camera 124 becomes information that can determine the direction of the driver's gaze.

[0085] The operation detection unit 125 detects operations performed using the operation input unit 80, which is configured in a manner operable by the driver. In this embodiment, the operation input unit 80 may include, for example, an operation button (not shown) that receives operations to switch the LKAS (Likely LKAS) on (in other words, in operation) and off (in other words, not in operation), as described later. In this case, the operation detection unit 125 is able to detect operations that turn the LKAS on / off.

[0086] The steering system touch sensor 126 detects whether the steering system 46 of the vehicle 1 is properly held. For example, the steering system touch sensor 126 is implemented by an electrostatic capacitance sensor or the like. In this case, the electrostatic capacitance sensor is located at the part touched by the driver when the steering system 46 is properly held.

[0087] The navigation device 20 includes, for example, a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiver 21, a touch panel 22, and a speaker 23. Additionally, the navigation device 20 has a storage unit (not shown) composed of flash memory or the like. The storage unit of the navigation device 20 stores a map information database (DB) 24, etc.

[0088] The GNSS receiver 21 determines the current position of vehicle 1 (e.g., the latitude and longitude of the location of vehicle 1) based on signals received from GNSS satellites. The navigation device 20 may also acquire the detection results of vehicle sensors 12 (e.g., wheel sensors 121, vehicle speed sensors 122) via the control device 30, and determine or supplement the current position of vehicle 1 by using the INS (Inertial Navigation System) that utilizes the detection values ​​of vehicle sensors 12.

[0089] The touch panel 22 is configured, for example, by combining a display device such as a liquid crystal display or an OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) with a pointing device (e.g., a touchpad). The speaker 23 is configured to output sound to the occupants of the vehicle 1 (e.g., the driver).

[0090] For example, the navigation device 20 refers to the map information database 24 to search for a route from the current location of the vehicle 1 to the destination set by the driver using the touch panel 22. Then, based on the searched route, the navigation device 20 provides route guidance using the touch panel 22 and the speaker 23. Additionally, the navigation device 20 can also cause the touch panel 22 to display a specified information according to instructions from the control device 30. Furthermore, the navigation device 20 can output specified information to the control device 30, such as information indicating the determined current location of the vehicle 1 and information indicating operations received via the touch panel 22.

[0091] The control device 30 is, for example, a computer that controls the entire vehicle 1, and includes a processor for performing various calculations, a storage unit with a non-temporary storage medium for storing various information, and an input / output unit for inputting and outputting data to and from the internal and external systems of the control device 30 (all not shown). For example, the control device 30 may be implemented by a single ECU (Electronic Control Unit), or through the cooperation of multiple ECUs. The control device 30 will be described later, therefore its description is omitted here.

[0092] EPS system 40 includes, for example, a steering angle sensor 41, a torque sensor 42, an EPS motor 43, a rotary transformer 44, and an EPS ECU 45.

[0093] Steering angle sensor 41 detects the steering angle θst of steering device 46 and outputs information indicating the detected steering angle θst to EPS ECU 45. Torque sensor 42 detects the torque applied to steering device 46 of vehicle 1, i.e., steering torque TQ, and outputs information indicating the detected steering torque TQ to EPS ECU 45.

[0094] The EPS motor 43 assists the driver in operating the steering device 46 by applying driving or reaction force to the steering column 47 connected to the steering device 46 according to instructions from the EPS ECU 45. The rotary transformer 44 detects the rotation angle θm of the EPS motor 43 and outputs information representing the detected rotation angle θm to the EPS ECU 45.

[0095] The EPS ECU 45 is, for example, a computer that controls the EPS system 40 (e.g., the EPS motor 43). It includes a processor for performing various calculations, a storage unit with a non-temporary storage medium for storing various information, and an input / output unit for controlling the input and output of internal and external data of the EPS ECU 45 (all not shown). It is implemented by one or more ECUs. For example, the EPS ECU 45 controls the EPS system 40 (e.g., the EPS motor 43) based on the steering angle θst detected by the steering angle sensor 41, the steering torque TQ detected by the torque sensor 42, and the rotation angle θm detected by the rotary transformer 44.

[0096] Additionally, the EPS system 40 (e.g., EPS ECU 45) can also output information representing the steering angle θst detected by the steering angle sensor 41, the steering torque TQ detected by the torque sensor 42, and the rotation angle θm detected by the rotary transformer 44 to the control device 30. Furthermore, the EPS system 40 (e.g., EPS ECU 45) can also output information representing the steering speed ω of the steering device 46 to the control device 30. In this case, the steering speed ω is obtained, for example, by time differentiation of the steering angle θst.

[0097] The drive force control system 50 includes a drive ECU 51 and is configured to control the drive force of the vehicle 1. The drive ECU 51 is, for example, a computer that controls the drive force control system 50, and includes a processor for performing various calculations, a storage unit with a non-temporary storage medium for storing various information, and an input / output unit for controlling the input and output of internal and external data of the drive ECU 51 (all not shown), and is implemented by one or more ECUs. For example, the drive ECU 51 controls the power output from the drive source of the vehicle 1 based on the operation of the accelerator pedal 52 provided on the vehicle 1. Furthermore, the drive ECU 51 can also control the drive force control system 50 (e.g., the drive source) according to instructions from the control device 30.

[0098] The braking force control system 60 includes a braking ECU 61 and is configured to control the braking force of the vehicle 1. The braking ECU 61 is, for example, a computer controlling the braking force control system 60, and includes a processor for performing various calculations, a storage unit with a non-temporary storage medium for storing various information, and an input / output unit for controlling the input and output of internal and external data of the braking ECU 61 (all not shown), implemented by one or more ECUs. For example, the braking ECU 61 controls the braking device (not shown) provided by the vehicle 1 based on the operation of the brake pedal 62 provided on the vehicle 1, thereby controlling the braking force of the vehicle 1. Here, the braking device includes, for example, a brake caliper, a hydraulic cylinder that transmits hydraulic pressure to the brake caliper, and an electric motor that generates hydraulic pressure in the hydraulic cylinder. The braking ECU 61 controls the electric motor of the braking device to generate braking force corresponding to the operation of the brake pedal 62. Furthermore, the braking ECU 61 can also control the braking force control system 60 (e.g., the braking device) according to instructions from the control device 30.

[0099] The communication unit 70 is a communication interface used to communicate with the external device 2 under the control of the control device 30. That is, the control device 30 can communicate with the external device 2 via the communication unit 70. Examples of the external device 2 include, for example, a driver's terminal device (e.g., a smartphone) or a server device managed by the manufacturer of the vehicle 1. Communication between the vehicle 1 and the external device 2 can utilize, for example, mobile communication networks such as cellular lines, Wi-Fi, or Bluetooth.

[0100] The notification device 90 is a device that notifies the driver of various information under the control of the control device 30. The notification device 90 includes, for example, a MID (Multi-Information Display) 91 and a buzzer 92. The MID 91 is composed of a display device such as a liquid crystal display or an OLED, and is located in a position that the driver can visually confirm (e.g., in the instrument panel of vehicle 1). In this embodiment, the MID 91 can display the driving area guidance screen G1, which will be described later. Furthermore, the MID 91 can also be shared with the aforementioned touch panel 22. That is, "MID 91" in the following description can also be referred to as "touch panel 22".

[0101] The buzzer 92 is configured to output a specified sound, such as an alarm. Furthermore, the buzzer 92 can also be shared with the aforementioned speaker 23. That is, "buzzer 92" in the following description can also be referred to as "speaker 23".

[0102] [Control Device]

[0103] Next, the control device 30 will be described in more detail. The control device 30 includes, for example, an acquisition unit 31, an identification unit 32, a display control unit 33, a first control unit 34, and a second control unit 35, which are functional units implemented by a processor executing a program stored in the storage unit of the control device 30.

[0104] The acquisition unit 31 acquires the surrounding information of the vehicle 1. Here, the surrounding information is information used by the control device 30 (such as the recognition unit 32 described later) to identify the surrounding conditions of the vehicle 1. For example, the acquisition unit 31 performs sensor fusion processing on some or all of the detection results of the camera 111, sonar 112 and radar 113 included in the external sensor 11, and acquires the surrounding information of the vehicle 1 based on the processing results.

[0105] The identification unit 32 identifies the surrounding conditions of the vehicle 1 based on the surrounding information acquired by the acquisition unit 31. For example, the identification unit 32 identifies the dividing lines L on the road, i.e., the road RD, in which the vehicle 1 travels, as the surrounding conditions of the vehicle 1. The dividing lines L may include the left road boundary line LL that divides the left end of the road RD from the outside of the road RD, the right road boundary line RL that divides the right end of the road RD from the outside of the road RD, and the central dividing line CL, etc.

[0106] Here, the center dividing line CL is the line on the road RD that separates the lane (lane SL) where vehicle 1 travels from the opposite lane (lane OL). It should be noted that the center dividing line CL is not necessarily located in the center of the road RD in the width direction. That is, depending on the road RD, sometimes the center dividing line CL is offset to the left compared to the center in the width direction, and sometimes it is offset to the right compared to the center in the width direction. Furthermore, depending on the road RD, sometimes although both lane SL and the opposite lane OL exist, the center dividing line CL is not provided.

[0107] In addition to recognizing actual white lines, orange lines, etc., drawn on the vehicle road RD, the recognition unit 32 can also recognize any object that can constitute the boundary of the vehicle road RD, such as side ditches, curbs, guardrails, or central dividers, as the dividing line L. That is, the dividing line L can also be referred to as the boundary between the vehicle road RD and its outside, or the boundary between lanes on the vehicle road RD.

[0108] In addition to recognizing road boundary lines L such as the left road boundary line LL, the right road boundary line RL, or the center dividing line CL, the recognition unit 32 can also recognize other traffic participants (such as other vehicles and pedestrians), road signs, road markings, and obstacles (such as objects that have fallen onto the road) that exist around the vehicle 1. As an example, in this embodiment, the recognition unit 32 can recognize vehicles traveling in the opposite lane OL (i.e., vehicles whose direction of travel is opposite to that of the vehicle 1) as oncoming vehicles.

[0109] Based on the recognition result of the recognition unit 32, the display control unit 33 displays a driving area guidance screen G1, which indicates the driving area DA ahead of the vehicle 1 in the direction of travel, on the MID91 of the vehicle 1's display unit, thereby guiding the occupants (e.g., the driver) of the vehicle 1 to the driving area DA. Here, the driving area DA is, for example, the area where the vehicle 1 should drive according to traffic rules (e.g., regulations or customs) in a region where a vehicle road RD is set. A specific example of the driving area guidance screen G1 displayed by the display control unit 33 will be used later. Figure 2 and Figure 3 Describe them, etc.

[0110] The first control unit 34 is configured to perform at least one of steering control and acceleration / deceleration control for driving the vehicle 1 along the lane SL, based on the dividing line L (e.g., the left road boundary line LL) around the vehicle 1 identified by the recognition unit 32. Hereinafter, as an example of the first control, lane keeping assist control (hereinafter referred to as LKAS (Lane Keep Assist System)) that assists steering to keep the vehicle 1 near the center of the lane SL can be performed. The first control unit 34 performs LKAS (i.e., the first control) for example, based on the operation detection unit 125 detecting an operation to activate LKAS. Specific examples of LKAS performed by the first control unit 34 will be discussed later. Figure 4 Describe them, etc.

[0111] The second control unit 35 is configured to perform at least one of the following second controls based on the dividing line L (e.g., the left road boundary line LL or the right road boundary line RL) around the vehicle 1 identified by the identification unit 32: when the vehicle 1 approaches the dividing line L (in other words, when the vehicle 1 may cross the dividing line L). This includes steering control, acceleration / deceleration control, and notification. Hereinafter, as the second control, it is capable of performing road departure mitigation (hereinafter also referred to as RDM) to suppress the vehicle 1 from deviating from the vehicle road RD.

[0112] Here, the RDM may include, for example, notification control to inform the driver that vehicle 1 may deviate from the roadway RD (hereinafter also referred to as "outside the road") and deviation suppression steering control to control the steering of vehicle 1 to prevent vehicle 1 from deviating from the roadway. In the notification control, the second control unit 35 may, for example, display a warning image indicating that vehicle 1 may deviate from the roadway on the MID 91, or output a prescribed warning sound from the buzzer 92 or vibrate the steering wheel. In addition, in the deviation suppression steering control, the second control unit 35 may, for example, control the steering of vehicle 1 to move vehicle 1 from the approaching dividing line L toward the inside of the roadway RD (e.g., the lane SL). Furthermore, in the RDM, the second control unit 35 may also perform acceleration / deceleration control, for example, to decelerate vehicle 1 that is about to deviate from the roadway or to accelerate vehicle 1 that is moving toward the inside of the roadway RD.

[0113] Furthermore, the second control unit 35 may also perform RDM based on, for example, the presence or absence of the turn indicator and TTLC (Time to Line Crossing: the time it takes for vehicle 1 to reach the dividing line). That is, the second control unit 35 may also perform RDM if, for example, TTLC is less than a threshold when the turn indicator is not illuminated. Moreover, the method for calculating TTLC is well known, so a detailed description is omitted here.

[0114] The display control unit 33, the first control unit 34, and the second control unit 35 will be described in more detail below.

[0115] Furthermore, the following description illustrates an example where the vehicle road RD on which vehicle 1 travels is located in a left-hand traffic area such as Japan, but the invention is not limited thereto. For example, when applying the invention to a right-hand traffic area such as the United States or the People's Republic of China, the term "left" can be replaced with "right" and "right" can be replaced with "left" in the following description, and the corresponding reference numerals can also be replaced. Additionally, Figures 2 to 5 You can also observe it by turning it left or right as needed.

[0116] Additionally, it should be noted that the following explanation regarding the absence of the central dividing line CL can also be applied to cases where the central dividing line CL cannot be detected. That is, the control device 30 (e.g., display control unit 33, first control unit 34, or second control unit 35) can perform the same control as described below in the case where the central dividing line CL is absent. In other words, "the case where the central dividing line CL is absent" in the following explanation can refer to "the case where the central dividing line CL is absent or the case where the central dividing line CL cannot be detected."

[0117] Here, "unable to detect the center dividing line CL" means, for example, that the recognition unit 32 cannot recognize the center dividing line CL. For example, sometimes white lines drawn on the vehicle road RD gradually fade over time and eventually become difficult to recognize. In addition, if there is snow or mud accumulated on the vehicle road RD, it may also be difficult to recognize white lines drawn on the vehicle road RD. In such cases, the recognition unit 32 may be unable to recognize the center dividing line CL.

[0118] Furthermore, even if the identification unit 32 cannot identify the central dividing line CL, the control device 30 can determine whether there is an oncoming lane OL on the vehicle road RD by referring to, for example, pre-prepared map information (e.g., map information database 24).

[0119] (The driving area guidance screen in this embodiment)

[0120] In this embodiment, the display control unit 33 can display the results based on the recognition result of the recognition unit 32. Figure 2 and Figure 3 The driving area guidance screen G1 shown is displayed on MID91, etc. The driving area guidance screen G1 is a display screen showing the driving area DA ahead of the direction of travel of vehicle 1. In addition, in the driving area guidance screen G1, the display control unit 33 may also display the dividing line L identified by the recognition unit 32, the icon representing vehicle 1, i.e., the vehicle icon I1, and the oncoming vehicle icon I2, etc., representing oncoming vehicles.

[0121] The display control unit 33, for example, determines the driving area DA in the driving area guidance screen G1 based on the presence or absence of the opposite lane OL, the center dividing line CL, and the presence or absence of oncoming vehicles.

[0122] Figure 2 (a) shows an example of a driving area guidance screen G1 displayed when there is no opposing lane OL on the vehicle road RD and the vehicle road RD is only a one-way lane SL. In this case, the display control unit 33 displays the area from the left road boundary line LL to the right road boundary line RL as the driving area DA in the driving area guidance screen G1.

[0123] Furthermore, based on the relative position of the dividing line L identified by the recognition unit 32 and the vehicle 1, the display control unit 33 displays the vehicle icon I1 on the driving area guidance screen G1, taking into account the relative position. For example, in Figure 2 In the example shown in (a), vehicle 1 is traveling approximately in the center of the width direction of vehicle road RD, so the display control unit 33 displays the vehicle icon I1 at a position overlapping with the dashed line C. Here, the dashed line C is an imaginary line in the driving area guidance screen G1 that represents the center of the width direction of vehicle road RD.

[0124] Furthermore, although illustrations and detailed explanations are omitted, when there are opposing lanes OL and a center dividing line CL on the vehicle road RD, the display control unit 33 can display a driving area guidance screen G1 indicating that the area corresponding to the current lane SL is the driving area DA. For example, in this case, the display control unit 33 displays the center dividing line CL instead. Figure 2 In the example shown in (a), the right road boundary line RL is displayed, and the driving area guidance screen G1 is displayed, which shows the area from the left road boundary line LL to the central dividing line CL as the driving area DA.

[0125] Figure 2 (b) and Figure 3 (c) shows an example of a driving area guidance screen G1 displayed when there is an oncoming lane OL on the vehicle road RD but no center dividing line CL and no oncoming vehicles. In this case, the display control unit 33 displays a designated area on the side of the current lane SL as the driving area DA between the left road boundary line LL and the right road boundary line RL (i.e., the left and right road boundary lines) of the vehicle road RD in the driving area guidance screen G1, and displays an area closer to the oncoming lane OL than the designated area as a non-driving area NA that is not the driving area DA. For example, in a left-hand traffic area, "the side of the current lane SL" is the left side in the width direction of the vehicle road RD, and "the side of the oncoming lane OL" is the right side in the width direction of the vehicle road RD. In addition, in a right-hand traffic area, "the side of the current lane SL" is the right side in the width direction of the vehicle road RD, and "the side of the oncoming lane OL" is the left side in the width direction of the vehicle road RD.

[0126] In other words, in this case, with Figure 2 Compared to the case shown in (a), the display control unit 33 reduces the driving area DA in the width direction of the vehicle road RD in the driving area guidance screen G1 by an amount corresponding to the setting of the non-driving area NA (see reference). Figure 2 (b) shows the hollow arrow and displays it.

[0127] More specifically, in this case, the display control unit 33 displays a designated area including the first area DA1 and the second area DA2 as the driving area DA. The first area DA1 is the area closer to the side of the lane SL (i.e., the side of the left road boundary line LL) in the width direction of the vehicle road RD represented by the dashed line C. The second area DA2 is the area closer to the side of the opposite lane OL (i.e., the right road boundary line RL) in the width direction of the vehicle road RD.

[0128] Here, the first region DA1 is a region that is wider than the second region DA2 in the width direction of the vehicle road RD in the driving area guidance screen G1, for example, having a width at least equivalent to the vehicle width W of vehicle 1. On the other hand, the width of the second region DA2 can be appropriately determined by the manufacturer of vehicle 1, for example, it can be set to a width equivalent to vehicle width W / 2 (i.e., vehicle width W÷2), or a width equivalent to 1 [m].

[0129] For example, in Figure 2 (b) and Figure 3 In the example shown in (c), the entire area closer to the center of the vehicle road RD in the width direction than the side of the lane SL is designated as the first area DA1. Furthermore, a second area DA2 with a width approximately half that of the first area DA1 is provided from the center of the vehicle road RD in the width direction toward the opposite lane OL.

[0130] Figure 3 (d) shows an example of a driving area guidance screen G1 displayed when there is an oncoming lane OL on the vehicle road RD but no center dividing line CL and oncoming vehicles are present. In this case, the display control unit 33 displays a predetermined area in the driving area guidance screen G1 that includes the aforementioned first area DA1 but does not include the second area DA2 as the driving area DA. That is, in this case, the display control unit 33 displays a driving area guidance screen G1 indicating that the area closer to the lane SL than the center of the vehicle road RD shown by the dashed line C (i.e., the first area DA1) is the driving area DA, and the area closer to the oncoming lane OL than the center of the vehicle road RD is the non-driving area NA.

[0131] Additionally, in situations where there is an oncoming lane (OL) but no center line (CL) on the RD road and oncoming vehicles are present, such as Figure 3 As shown in (d), the display control unit 33 can also display the dividing mark M that separates the current lane SL and the opposite lane OL in the width direction of the vehicle road RD. In this case, the dividing mark M is displayed, for example, in the driving area guidance screen G1 at a position overlapping with the aforementioned dashed line C.

[0132] That is, such as Figure 3 As shown in (d), when the dividing mark M is displayed, the display control unit 33 can display a specified area, including the first area DA1 which is closer to the lane SL (in other words, the left road boundary line LL) than the dividing mark M, as the driving area DA.

[0133] In this way, by displaying the dividing mark M in the presence of oncoming vehicles, the driver's awareness can be enhanced so that vehicle 1 can drive in an area closer to the left side of the road boundary line LL in the width direction of the vehicle road RD, which can assist in considering the driving of oncoming vehicles.

[0134] In addition, such as Figure 3 As shown in (d), in this case, the display control unit 33 can also display the oncoming vehicle icon I2 on the driving area guidance screen G1 based on the relative position of the oncoming vehicle and vehicle 1 identified by the recognition unit 32, taking into account the relative position. In this way, the driver's awareness of oncoming vehicles can be further improved, and the driving of oncoming vehicles can be assisted.

[0135] also, Figure 3 The dividing mark M shown in (d) is a line, but the display method of the dividing mark M is not limited to this. For example, the dividing mark M may not be a line like a dot. However, in order for the driver to be able to distinguish between the dividing line L identified by the recognition unit 32 and the dividing mark M, it is preferable to display the dividing mark M in a different way than the dividing line L identified by the recognition unit 32.

[0136] (LKAS in this embodiment)

[0137] Figure 4 (e) shows an example of LKAS (i.e., first control) performed by the first control unit 34 when there is no opposing lane OL on the vehicle road RD (in other words, the vehicle road RD is only a one-way passage of this lane SL) and the identification unit 32 identifies the left road boundary line LL and the right road boundary line RL as the dividing line L.

[0138] In this case, the first control unit 34 performs LKAS using the left road boundary line LL and the right road boundary line RL. Specifically, in this case, the first control unit 34 treats the area from the left road boundary line LL to the right road boundary line RL as the current lane SL, and controls the steering of the vehicle 1 to keep the vehicle 1 traveling near the center in the width direction of the area from the left road boundary line LL to the right road boundary line RL (see reference). Figure 4 (arrow C1 in (e)).

[0139] Furthermore, when LKAS is being executed by the first control unit 34, the display control unit 33 displays the LKAS guidance screen G2 on the MID91, etc. Here, the LKAS guidance screen G2 is a display screen that guides the driver to the dividing line L used in LKAS, the area processed as the lane SL, etc. For example, the display control unit 33 displays the aforementioned driving area guidance screen G1 when LKAS is not being executed, and displays the LKAS guidance screen G2 instead of the driving area guidance screen G1 when LKAS is being executed.

[0140] For example, in the execution Figure 4 In the LKAS case shown in example (e), the display control unit 33 displays the left road boundary line LL and the right road boundary line RL in the LKAS guidance screen G2 in a first display mode (e.g., a green display color) indicating that this situation is being used in LKAS, while simultaneously guiding the driver to treat the area from the left road boundary line LL to the right road boundary line RL as the current lane SL (in other words, the driving area DA). Alternatively, in this case, the display control unit 33 can also guide the driver to indicate that the vehicle 1 is traveling near the center in the width direction of the area from the left road boundary line LL to the right road boundary line RL by displaying the aforementioned vehicle icon I1 and arrow C1 in the LKAS guidance screen G2.

[0141] Figure 4 (f) shows an example of LKAS performed by the first control unit 34 when there are opposing lanes OL and central dividing line CL on the vehicle road RD and the recognition unit 32 recognizes the left road boundary line LL, the central dividing line CL and the right road boundary line RL as dividing line L.

[0142] In this case, the first control unit 34 uses the left road boundary line LL and the center dividing line CL to perform LKAS. Specifically, in this case, the first control unit 34 treats the area from the left road boundary line LL to the center dividing line CL as the current lane SL, and controls the steering of the vehicle 1 to keep the vehicle 1 traveling near the center in the width direction of the area from the left road boundary line LL to the center dividing line CL (see reference). Figure 4 (See arrow C2 in (f)). That is, in this case, the right road boundary line RL is not used for LKAS executed by the first control unit 34.

[0143] In addition, in the execution Figure 4In the LKAS case shown in example (f), the display control unit 33 displays the left road boundary line LL and the center dividing line CL in a first display mode on the LKAS guidance screen G2, indicating that LKAS is being used. Simultaneously, it guides the driver to treat the area from the left road boundary line LL to the center dividing line CL as the current lane SL (in other words, the driving area DA). On the other hand, in this case, the display control unit 33 displays the right road boundary line RL in a second display mode (e.g., a white display color), different from the first display mode. Thus, the driver can easily understand from the LKAS guidance screen G2 the left road boundary line LL and the center dividing line CL used in LKAS, as well as the right road boundary line RL which is not used in LKAS.

[0144] In addition, in this case, the display control unit 33 can also guide the driver to indicate that the vehicle 1 is driving near the center in the width direction of the area from the left road boundary line LL to the center dividing line CL by displaying the aforementioned vehicle icon I1 and arrow C2 in the LKAS guidance screen G2.

[0145] Figure 4 (g) shows an example of LKAS performed by the first control unit 34 when there is an opposing lane OL on the vehicle road RD but no central dividing line CL, and the identification unit 32 identifies the left road boundary line LL and the right road boundary line RL as dividing line L.

[0146] In this case, the first control unit 34 prioritizes using the left road boundary line LL over the right road boundary line RL to perform LKAS. For example, in this case, the first control unit 34 performs LKAS using only the left road boundary line LL and the right road boundary line RL. Specifically, in this case, the first control unit 34 controls the steering of the vehicle 1 so that the vehicle 1 remains near a line offset from the left road boundary line LL towards the right road boundary line RL in the width direction of the vehicle road RD by vehicle width W / 2 (i.e., vehicle width W÷2). Figure 4 (C3 in (g)).

[0147] However, the offset in this case is not limited to vehicle width W / 2; for example, it could be vehicle width W / 2 plus a specified margin (e.g., 50 cm). Furthermore, the offset in this case can vary depending on the width of the vehicle's road RD or the presence or absence of oncoming vehicles. For example, the offset can be larger when the vehicle's road RD is relatively wide than when it is relatively narrow. Similarly, the offset can be larger when there are no oncoming vehicles than when there are.

[0148] In addition, in the execution Figure 4 In the case of LKAS shown in example (g), the display control unit 33 displays the left road boundary line LL in the LKAS guidance screen G2 in a first display mode indicating that this situation is being used in LKAS, and simultaneously guides the driver to... Figure 3 In the example shown in (c), the driving area DA is treated as lane SL. On the other hand, in the LKAS guidance screen G2 in this case, the display control unit 33 and... Figure 4 The example shown in (f) also displays the right-hand road boundary line RL in the second display mode. Thus, the driver can easily grasp the left-hand road boundary line LL, which is used in LKAS, and the right-hand road boundary line RL, which is not used in LKAS, from the LKAS guidance screen G2.

[0149] In addition, in this case, the display control unit 33 can also guide the driver that the vehicle 1 is staying near the aforementioned line by displaying the aforementioned vehicle icon I1 and arrow C3 in the LKAS guidance screen G2.

[0150] Additionally, although the illustration is omitted, it is still valid when executing... Figure 4 In the example shown in (g) of LKAS, when the identification unit 32 identifies an oncoming vehicle, the display control unit 33 can also display the corresponding information on the LKAS guidance screen G2. Figure 3 The example shown in (d) uses the same dividing mark M. Furthermore, with the dividing mark M displayed, the first control unit 34 can, for example, use the left road boundary line LL and the dividing mark M to perform LKAS. Specifically, in this case, the first control unit 34 can also treat the area between the left road boundary line LL and the dividing mark M as the lane SL, controlling the steering of the vehicle 1 to keep the vehicle 1 traveling near the center in the width direction within that area.

[0151] (RDM in this embodiment)

[0152] Next, refer to Figure 5 A specific example of the RDM in this embodiment will be described. Figure 5 In the example shown, vehicle 1 is traveling on vehicle road RD, which has an oncoming lane OL and no center dividing line CL. In such a situation, as... Figure 3 As shown in (d), the division mark M can be displayed in the driving area guidance screen G1.

[0153] exist Figure 5In the example shown, the second control unit 35 uses the left road boundary line LL and the right road boundary line RL in the RDM. Specifically, the second control unit 35 activates the RDM when the vehicle 1 approaches the left road boundary line LL (i.e., when it is possible to cross the left road boundary line LL and deviate from the road) and when the vehicle 1 approaches the right road boundary line RL (i.e., when it is possible to cross the right road boundary line RL and deviate from the road).

[0154] On the other hand, even if the aforementioned dividing mark M is displayed, the second control unit 35 will not use the dividing mark M for the RDM. This is because the dividing mark M is not the dividing line L recognized by the recognition unit 32, but is only imaginary, and therefore may not be suitable as a dividing mark for use in the RDM.

[0155] [Processing performed by the control device (Part 1)]

[0156] Next, refer to Figure 6 An example of the processing performed by the control device 30 will be described. For example, when the ignition power of the vehicle 1 is turned on, the control device 30 repeatedly performs the processing at a predetermined cycle. Figure 6 The series of processes shown.

[0157] like Figure 6 As shown, the control device 30 acquires surrounding information (step S1), identifies the surrounding conditions of vehicle 1 based on the surrounding information (step S2), and proceeds to step S3. Furthermore, through the processing in step S2, at least the left road boundary line LL and the right road boundary line RL are identified.

[0158] Next, the control device 30 determines whether LKAS is on (operating) (step S3). If it is determined that LKAS is off (not operating) (step S3: No), the control device 30 directly proceeds to the processing in step S12 described later. In addition, in this case, the control device 30 may also display the aforementioned driving area guidance screen G1 on MID91, etc.

[0159] On the other hand, if it is determined that LKAS is open (step S3: Yes), the control device 30 determines whether there is an oncoming lane OL (step S4). Then, if it is determined that there is an oncoming lane OL (step S4: Yes), the control device 30 determines whether there is no center dividing line CL that separates the current lane SL and the oncoming lane OL (step S5).

[0160] If it is determined that there is no center dividing line CL (step S5: Yes), the control device 30 displays the designated area on the side of lane SL as the driving area DA (i.e., lane SL) between the left road boundary line LL and the right road boundary line RL of the vehicle road RD in the LKAS guidance screen G2 (step S6), and uses the left road boundary line LL to perform LKAS (step S7). In addition, the control device 30 displays the left road boundary line LL in green (i.e., the first display mode) and the right road boundary line RL in white (i.e., the second display mode) (step S8), and proceeds to the processing of step S12 described later.

[0161] On the other hand, if it is determined in step S4 that there is no oncoming lane OL (step S4: No), or if it is determined in step S5 that there is a center dividing line CL (step S5: No), the control device 30 will display the area corresponding to the current lane SL as the driving area DA (step S9).

[0162] Then, the control device 30 performs LKAS (step S10) using the dividing lines L that separate the left and right sides of the lane SL, and displays the dividing lines L that separate the left and right sides of the lane SL in green (step S11), proceeding to step S12 described later. Here, the dividing lines L that separate the left and right sides of the lane SL can be set as the left road boundary line LL and the right road boundary line RL when there is no opposing lane OL, and as the left road boundary line LL and the central dividing line CL when there is a central dividing line CL.

[0163] Next, the control device 30 determines whether vehicle 1 is likely to deviate from the road (i.e., beyond the vehicle road RD) (step S12). If it is determined that vehicle 1 is likely to deviate from the road (step S12: Yes), the control device 30 activates the RDM (step S13), ending the series of processes. On the other hand, if it is determined that vehicle 1 is not likely to deviate from the road (step S12: No), the control device 30 directly ends the series of processes.

[0164] [Processing performed by the control device (Part 2)]

[0165] Next, refer to Figure 7 Another example of the processing performed by the control device 30 will be described. That is, the control device 30 can also perform... Figure 7 The series of processes shown are used to replace Figure 6 The series of processes shown. Furthermore, the following... Figure 7 The series of processes shown are related to Figure 6 The common processes shown are labeled with the same reference numerals in the accompanying drawings, and their descriptions are omitted or simplified as appropriate.

[0166] like Figure 7 As shown, the control device 30 acquires surrounding information (step S1), identifies the surrounding conditions of vehicle 1 (step S2), and determines whether LKAS is turned on (working) (step S3). If it is determined that LKAS is turned off (not working) (step S3: No), the control device 30 directly proceeds to the processing in step S12 described later. In addition, in this case, the control device 30 may also display the aforementioned driving area guidance screen G1 on MID91, etc.

[0167] On the other hand, if it is determined that LKAS is open (step S3: Yes), the control device 30 determines whether there is an oncoming lane OL (step S4). Then, if it is determined that there is an oncoming lane OL (step S4: Yes), the control device 30 determines whether there is no center dividing line CL that separates the current lane SL and the oncoming lane OL (step S5).

[0168] If it is determined that there is no center dividing line CL (step S5: Yes), the control device 30 displays the designated area on the side of lane SL as the driving area DA (i.e., lane SL) between the left road boundary line LL and the right road boundary line RL of the vehicle road RD in the LKAS guidance screen G2 (step S6), and uses the left road boundary line LL to execute LKAS (step S7). In addition, the control device 30 displays the left road boundary line LL in green and the right road boundary line RL in white (step S8).

[0169] Next, the control device 30 determines whether there is an oncoming vehicle (step S21). If it is determined that there is no oncoming vehicle (step S21: no), the control device 30 directly proceeds to the processing of step S12 described later.

[0170] If an oncoming vehicle is detected (step S21: Yes), the control device 30 displays the dividing marker M (step S22), performs LKAS using the left road boundary line LL and the dividing marker M (step S23), and proceeds to step S12. Alternatively, when LKAS is being performed using the left road boundary line LL and the dividing marker M, in addition to the left road boundary line LL, the control device 30 may also display the dividing marker M in a manner that indicates this situation is being used in LKAS (in other words, a different display manner than the usual one not used in LKAS).

[0171] On the other hand, if it is determined in step S4 that there is no oncoming lane OL (step S4: No), or if it is determined in step S5 that there is a center dividing line CL (step S5: No), the control device 30 will display the area corresponding to the current lane SL as the driving area DA (step S9).

[0172] Then, the control device 30 uses the dividing line L that divides the left and right sides of the lane SL to perform LKAS (step S10), and displays the dividing line L that divides the left and right sides of the lane SL in green (step S11), and proceeds to the processing in step S12.

[0173] Next, the control device 30 determines whether vehicle 1 is likely to deviate from the road (i.e., beyond the vehicle road RD) (step S12). If it is determined that vehicle 1 is likely to deviate from the road (step S12: Yes), the control device 30 activates the RDM (step S13), ending the series of processes. On the other hand, if it is determined that vehicle 1 is not likely to deviate from the road (step S12: No), the control device 30 directly ends the series of processes.

[0174] [Effects of this implementation method]

[0175] As explained above, the control device 30 includes a display control unit 33. Based on the recognition result of the recognition unit 32, which identifies the surrounding conditions of the vehicle 1, the display control unit 33 displays the driving area DA in front of the vehicle 1 in the direction of travel on a display unit such as the MID 91, thereby guiding the occupants (e.g., the driver) of the vehicle 1 to the driving area DA. Furthermore, in the case where there is an oncoming lane OL on the vehicle road RD and there is no center dividing line CL separating the current lane SL from the oncoming lane OL (or the center dividing line CL cannot be detected), the display control unit 33 displays a specified area on the side of the current lane SL as the driving area DA between the left road boundary line LL and the right road boundary line RL of the vehicle road RD, and displays the area closer to the oncoming lane OL than the specified area as the non-driving area NA (e.g., refer to...). Figure 2 (b) and Figure 3 (c) Therefore, even when there is no center dividing line CL on the vehicle road RD (or the center dividing line CL cannot be detected), it is possible to guide occupants to an appropriate area DA that conforms to the traffic rules (e.g., regulations, customs) of the area where the vehicle road RD is located, thus assisting vehicle 1 in driving within the appropriate area. This, in turn, improves traffic safety and contributes to the development of a sustainable transportation system.

[0176] Furthermore, under the aforementioned conditions, compared to the case where there is no oncoming lane OL on the vehicle road RD, the display control unit 33 can reduce the driving area DA in the width direction of the vehicle road RD and display it (for example, refer to...). Figure 2 (b)). Thus, even when there is no center dividing line CL on the vehicle road RD (or the center dividing line CL cannot be detected), the presence of an oncoming lane OL can be intuitively guided to the occupants by reducing the displayed driving area DA in the width direction of the vehicle road RD.

[0177] Furthermore, under the aforementioned conditions, the display control unit 33 can display a specified area, including the first region DA1 and the second region DA2, as the driving area DA (for example, refer to...). Figure 2 (b) and Figure 3 In (c) of the diagram, the first area DA1 is an area closer to the center of the vehicle road RD in the width direction than the side of the lane SL, and the second area DA2 is an area closer to the center of the vehicle road RD in the width direction than the side of the opposite lane OL. Therefore, even when the vehicle road RD does not have a center dividing line CL (or the center dividing line CL cannot be detected), it is possible to guide occupants to an appropriate area as the driving area DA that conforms to the traffic rules of the area where the vehicle road RD is located, thus assisting the vehicle 1 in driving within the appropriate area.

[0178] Furthermore, the first region DA1 mentioned above is wider than the second region DA2 in the width direction of the vehicle road RD (for example, referring to...). Figure 2 (b) and Figure 3 (c)). Thus, it is possible to guide occupants to a driving area DA that aligns with their sense of comfort while considering traffic rules for areas where vehicle roads (RD) are located.

[0179] Furthermore, the display control unit 33 can display a predetermined area, including the first area DA1 and the second area DA2, as the driving area DA when the aforementioned conditions are in place and there are no oncoming vehicles. On the other hand, when the aforementioned conditions are in place and there are oncoming vehicles, it can display a predetermined area, including the first area DA1 but not including the second area DA2, as the driving area DA (for example, refer to...). Figure 3 (c) and Figure 3 (d)). Thus, in the absence of oncoming vehicles, it is possible to guide the occupants to a driving area DA that conforms to their senses. On the other hand, in the presence of oncoming vehicles, it is possible to enhance the driver's awareness so that the vehicle 1 can drive in an area close to the side of its own lane SL, thus assisting in driving with consideration for oncoming vehicles.

[0180] Furthermore, the control device 30 includes a first control unit 34, which is capable of performing a first control (e.g., LKAS) based on the road boundary lines surrounding the vehicle 1 identified by the recognition unit 32, including at least one of steering control and acceleration / deceleration control for causing the vehicle 1 to travel along its lane SL. Moreover, under the aforementioned conditions, the first control unit 34 can preferentially use the road boundary line on the side of its lane SL (e.g., the left road boundary line LL) to perform the first control (e.g., referring to the road boundary line on the right side of the opposing lane OL, between the left road boundary line LL and the right road boundary line RL of the vehicle road RD (e.g., the right road boundary line RL) compared to the road boundary line on the side of the opposing lane OL. Figure 4 (g) In other words, under the specified conditions, the road boundary line on the opposite lane OL side may not be the same as the road boundary line used to delineate the lane SL, and therefore may not be suitable for first control. Therefore, under the specified conditions, the road boundary line on the lane SL side is used preferentially over the road boundary line on the opposite lane OL side to perform first control, thereby enabling proper execution of first control.

[0181] Furthermore, when the first control is executed by the first control unit 34, the display control unit 33 can display the road boundary lines around the vehicle 1 on the display unit such as the MID91. When executing the first control that prioritizes the use of the road boundary lines of the current lane SL side compared to the road boundary lines of the opposite lane OL side, the display control unit 33 can display the road boundary lines of the current lane SL side in a different display mode than the road boundary lines of the opposite lane OL side (for example, referring to...). Figure 4 (g) In this way, when performing the first control that prioritizes the use of the road boundary line of the lane SL side compared to the road boundary line of the opposing lane OL side, the road boundary line of the lane SL side is displayed in a different display mode than the road boundary line of the opposing lane OL side, thereby guiding the occupants to the road boundary line used for the first control in an intuitive and easy-to-understand manner.

[0182] Furthermore, the control device 30 includes a second control unit 35, which is capable of performing second control (e.g., RDM) based on the road boundary lines surrounding the vehicle 1 identified by the recognition unit 32, when the vehicle 1 approaches the road boundary lines. Moreover, in the aforementioned specified conditions, the second control unit 35 can use the left and right road boundary lines of the vehicle's road RD to perform the second control (e.g., referring to...). Figure 5 Therefore, even if the aforementioned conditions occur, the second control can suppress vehicle 1 from deviating from the vehicle road RD.

[0183] Furthermore, in the aforementioned condition and when oncoming vehicles are present, the display control unit 33 can display the dividing mark M that separates the current lane SL from the oncoming lane OL in the width direction of the vehicle road RD on a display unit such as MID91 (for example, see reference). Figure 3 (d) In this way, by displaying the dividing mark M in the presence of oncoming vehicles, it is possible to enhance the driver's awareness so that vehicle 1 can drive in the area on the vehicle road RD close to its own lane SL (e.g., the left road boundary line LL), which can assist in driving with consideration of oncoming vehicles.

[0184] Furthermore, when the aforementioned dividing mark M is displayed, the display control unit 33 can display a designated area, including a first area DA1 that is closer to the lane SL side than the dividing mark M, as the driving area DA (for example, refer to...). Figure 3 (d)). Thus, when the dividing mark M is displayed, the occupants can be guided to the same area as when the central dividing line CL exists, which is the driving area DA.

[0185] Furthermore, when the aforementioned dividing mark M is displayed, the first control unit 34 can perform the first control using the road boundary line on the lane SL side and the dividing mark M. Thus, the area between the road boundary line on the lane SL side and the dividing mark M can be treated as the lane SL, assisting the vehicle 1 in traveling along that area.

[0186] Furthermore, the second control unit 35 can avoid using the demarcation mark M for the second control. Therefore, it is possible to avoid using the ultimately hypothetical demarcation mark M for the second control, and to appropriately perform the second control using only the actual road boundary lines.

[0187] Furthermore, the control method described in the foregoing embodiments can be implemented by a computer executing a pre-prepared program. For example, the program is stored in a computer-readable storage medium and executed by reading it from the storage medium. Alternatively, the program can be provided in the form of storage on a non-volatile (non-transitory) storage medium such as flash memory, or via a network such as the Internet.

[0188] The present invention has been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, but the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. It is obvious that those skilled in the art will conceive of various modifications or alterations within the scope of the technical solution described, and it should be understood that these modifications and alterations also fall within the technical scope of the present invention. Furthermore, the constituent elements of the above-described embodiments can be combined arbitrarily without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0189] This specification and other materials describe at least the following: Additionally, the constituent elements corresponding to the foregoing embodiments are shown in parentheses, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0190] (1) A vehicle control device (control device 30) for controlling a vehicle (vehicle 1), wherein,

[0191] The vehicle control device includes:

[0192] Acquisition unit (acquisition unit 31) acquires surrounding information of the vehicle;

[0193] The identification unit (identification unit 32) identifies the surrounding conditions of the vehicle based on the surrounding information acquired by the acquisition unit; and

[0194] The display control unit (display control unit 33) displays the driving area (driving area DA) in front of the vehicle's direction of travel on the vehicle's display unit (MID 91) based on the recognition result of the recognition unit, thereby guiding the occupants of the vehicle to the driving area.

[0195] In the case where there is an oncoming lane (oncoming lane OL) on a vehicle road (vehicle road RD) including the lane in which the vehicle is traveling (lane SL), and there is no center dividing line (center dividing line CL) separating the lane from the oncoming lane, or the center dividing line cannot be detected, the following conditions apply.

[0196] The display control unit displays a designated area on the side of the lane as the driving area between the left and right road boundary lines (left road boundary line LL and right road boundary line RL) of the vehicle road, and displays an area closer to the opposite lane than the designated area as a non-driving area (non-driving area NA).

[0197] According to (1), even in the absence of a central dividing line on the road or where a central dividing line cannot be detected, occupants can be guided to an appropriate area that conforms to the traffic rules (e.g., regulations, customs) of the area where the road is located, thus assisting the vehicle in driving within the appropriate area. This, in turn, improves traffic safety and contributes to the development of a sustainable transportation system.

[0198] (2) The vehicle control device according to (1), wherein,

[0199] Under the specified conditions, compared to a situation where there is no oncoming lane on the vehicle road, the display control unit reduces the driving area in the width direction of the vehicle road and displays it.

[0200] According to (2), even if there is no center line on the vehicle road or the center line cannot be detected, the presence of an oncoming lane can be intuitively guided to the occupants by narrowing the displayed driving area in the width direction of the vehicle road.

[0201] (3) The vehicle control device according to (1), wherein,

[0202] Under the specified conditions, the display control unit displays the specified area, including a first area (first area DA1) and a second area (second area DA2), as the driving area. The first area is the area closer to the lane side than the center in the width direction of the vehicle road, and the second area is the area closer to the opposite lane side than the center.

[0203] According to (3), even if there is no central dividing line on the vehicle road or the central dividing line cannot be detected, the occupants can be guided to an appropriate area that conforms to the traffic rules of the area where the vehicle road is set up as the driving area, which can assist the vehicle to drive in the appropriate area.

[0204] (4) The vehicle control device according to (3), wherein,

[0205] The first region is wider than the second region in the width direction.

[0206] According to (4), it is possible to guide passengers to a driving area that is in line with their sense of comfort while taking into account the traffic rules of the area where there are roads for vehicles.

[0207] (5) The vehicle control device according to (3), wherein,

[0208] When the specified conditions are met and there are no oncoming vehicles traveling in the opposite direction to the vehicle, the display control unit will display the specified area, including the first area and the second area, as the driving area.

[0209] When the specified conditions are met and the oncoming vehicle is present, the display control unit displays the specified area, which includes the first area but does not include the second area, as the driving area.

[0210] According to (5), when there are no oncoming vehicles, it can guide the occupants to a driving area that matches their senses. On the other hand, when there are oncoming vehicles, it can raise the driver's awareness so that the vehicle can drive in an area close to the side of its own lane, and can assist in driving with consideration of oncoming vehicles.

[0211] (6) A vehicle control device (control device 30) for controlling a vehicle (vehicle 1), wherein,

[0212] The vehicle control device includes:

[0213] Acquisition unit (acquisition unit 31) acquires surrounding information of the vehicle;

[0214] The identification unit (identification unit 32) identifies the surrounding conditions of the vehicle based on the surrounding information acquired by the acquisition unit; and

[0215] The first control unit (first control unit 34) performs a first control based on the road boundary lines (left road boundary line LL, right road boundary line RL) around the vehicle identified by the identification unit, including at least one of steering control and acceleration / deceleration control to make the vehicle travel along the lane (lane SL).

[0216] In the case where there is an oncoming lane (oncoming lane OL) on the roadway including the lane in which the vehicle is traveling, and there is no center dividing line (center dividing line CL) separating the lane from the oncoming lane, or the center dividing line cannot be detected, the following conditions apply.

[0217] Among the left and right road boundary lines of the vehicle road, the first control unit preferentially uses the road boundary line of its own lane to perform the first control, compared with the road boundary line of the opposite lane.

[0218] According to (6), under specified conditions, the road boundary line on the lane side is used preferentially over the road boundary line on the opposite lane side to perform the first control, thereby enabling the first control to be performed appropriately.

[0219] (7) The vehicle control device according to (6), wherein,

[0220] The vehicle control device also includes:

[0221] The display control unit (display control unit 33) displays the road boundary line on the display unit when the first control is executed by the first control unit.

[0222] When performing the first control that prioritizes the use of the road boundary line on the current lane side compared to the road boundary line on the opposite lane side, the display control unit displays the road boundary line on the current lane side in a display mode different from that of the road boundary line on the opposite lane side.

[0223] According to (7), when performing the first control that prioritizes the use of the road boundary line of the lane side compared to the road boundary line of the opposite lane side, the road boundary line of the lane side is displayed in a different display mode than the road boundary line of the opposite lane side, thereby guiding the occupant to the road boundary line used by the first control in an intuitive and easy-to-understand manner.

[0224] (8) The vehicle control device according to (1), wherein,

[0225] The vehicle control device also includes:

[0226] The second control unit (second control unit 35) is capable of performing second control, including at least one of the following, when the vehicle approaches the road boundary line, based on the road boundary line identified by the identification unit: steering control, acceleration / deceleration control, and notification.

[0227] Under the specified conditions, the second control unit uses the left and right road boundary lines to perform the second control.

[0228] According to (8), even if the specified conditions occur, the vehicle can be prevented from deviating from the vehicle road by the second control.

[0229] (9) The vehicle control device according to any one of (1) to (5), wherein,

[0230] When the vehicle is in the specified condition and there is an oncoming vehicle traveling in the opposite direction, the display control unit displays a dividing mark (dividing mark M) that separates the lane from the oncoming lane in the width direction of the vehicle road on the display unit.

[0231] According to (9), by displaying the dividing marks in the presence of oncoming vehicles, it is possible to enhance the driver's awareness so that the vehicle can drive in an area closer to the side of its own lane than the center in the width direction of the road, and to assist in driving with consideration of oncoming vehicles.

[0232] (10) The vehicle control device according to (9), wherein,

[0233] When the division mark is displayed, the display control unit displays the designated area, which includes a first area closer to the lane side than the division mark, as the driving area.

[0234] According to (10), when the dividing marks are displayed, the occupants can be guided to the same area as when there is a central dividing line as the driving area.

[0235] (11) The vehicle control device according to (9), wherein,

[0236] The vehicle control device further includes a first control unit, which is capable of performing at least one of steering control and acceleration / deceleration control for causing the vehicle to travel along the lane, based on the road boundary lines or demarcation marks around the vehicle identified by the identification unit.

[0237] When the dividing marker is displayed, the first control unit performs the first control using the road boundary line on the lane side of the left and right road boundary lines and the dividing marker.

[0238] According to (11), the area between the road boundary line and the dividing mark of one side can be treated as the lane, assisting the vehicle to travel along the area.

[0239] (12) The vehicle control device according to (9), wherein,

[0240] The vehicle control device further includes a second control unit, which is capable of performing at least one of the following second controls—including steering control, acceleration / deceleration control, and notification—based on the road boundary lines around the vehicle identified by the identification unit when the vehicle approaches the road boundary lines.

[0241] The second control unit does not use the division mark in the second control.

[0242] According to (12), it is possible not to use the ultimately hypothetical dividing marks for the second control, but to properly implement the second control using only the actual road boundary lines.

[0243] (13) A control method executed by a computer (control device 30) that controls a vehicle (vehicle 1), wherein,

[0244] The control method causes the computer to perform the following processing:

[0245] Obtain the surrounding information of the vehicle (step S1);

[0246] Based on the acquired surrounding information, the surrounding conditions of the vehicle are identified (step S2); and

[0247] Based on the recognition results of the surrounding conditions, the driving area (driving area DA) in front of the vehicle's direction of travel is displayed on the vehicle's display unit (MID91), thereby guiding the occupants of the vehicle to the driving area (steps S6 and S9).

[0248] In the process of guiding the driving area

[0249] In the case where there is an oncoming lane (oncoming lane OL) on a vehicle road (vehicle road RD) including the lane in which the vehicle is traveling (lane SL), and there is no center dividing line (center dividing line CL) separating the lane from the oncoming lane, or the center dividing line cannot be detected, the following conditions apply.

[0250] Between the left and right road boundary lines (left road boundary line LL, right road boundary line RL) of the vehicle road, the designated area on the side of the lane is displayed as the driving area, and the area closer to the opposite lane than the designated area is displayed as a non-driving area (non-driving area NA) that is not the driving area (step S6).

[0251] According to (13), even in situations where there is no central dividing line on the road or the central dividing line cannot be detected, occupants can be guided to an appropriate area that conforms to the traffic rules (e.g., regulations, customs) of the area where the road is located, thus assisting vehicles in driving within the appropriate area. This, in turn, improves traffic safety and contributes to the development of a sustainable transportation system.

[0252] (14) A control method executed by a computer (control device 30) that controls a vehicle (vehicle 1), wherein,

[0253] The control method causes the computer to perform the following processing:

[0254] Obtain the surrounding information of the vehicle (step S1);

[0255] Based on the acquired surrounding information, the surrounding conditions of the vehicle are identified (step S2); and

[0256] Based on the identified road boundary lines around the vehicle, a first control is performed, including at least one of steering control and acceleration / deceleration control to make the vehicle travel along the lane (step S7).

[0257] In the process of executing the first control,

[0258] In the case where there is an oncoming lane (oncoming lane OL) on the vehicle road (vehicle road RD) including the lane in which the vehicle is traveling (lane SL), and there is no center dividing line (center dividing line CL) separating the lane from the oncoming lane, or the center dividing line cannot be detected, the following conditions apply.

[0259] Among the left and right road boundary lines (left road boundary line LL, right road boundary line RL) of the vehicle road, the road boundary line of the current lane is preferentially used to perform the first control compared with the road boundary line of the opposite lane.

[0260] According to (14), under specified conditions, the road boundary line of this lane is used preferentially over the road boundary line of the opposite lane to perform the first control, thereby enabling the first control to be performed appropriately.

Claims

1. A vehicle control device for controlling a vehicle, wherein, The vehicle control device includes: The acquisition unit acquires information about the vehicle's surroundings. The identification unit identifies the surrounding conditions of the vehicle based on the surrounding information acquired by the acquisition unit. as well as The display control unit, based on the recognition result of the recognition unit, displays the driving area ahead of the vehicle in the direction of travel on the vehicle's display unit, thereby guiding the occupants of the vehicle through the driving area. In the case where there is an oncoming lane with a direction of travel opposite to the current lane on a road including the lane in which the vehicle is traveling, and there is no central dividing line separating the current lane from the oncoming lane, or the central dividing line cannot be detected. The display control unit displays a designated area on the side of the lane as the driving area between the left and right road boundary lines of the vehicle road, and displays an area closer to the opposite lane than the designated area as a non-driving area that is not the driving area.

2. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein, Under the specified conditions, compared to a situation where there is no oncoming lane on the vehicle road, the display control unit displays the driving area in a reduced manner in the width direction of the vehicle road.

3. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein, Under the specified conditions, the display control unit displays the specified area, including a first area and a second area, as the driving area. The first area is the area closer to the lane side than the center in the width direction of the vehicle road, and the second area is the area closer to the opposite lane side than the center.

4. The vehicle control device according to claim 3, wherein, The first region is wider than the second region in the width direction.

5. The vehicle control device according to claim 3, wherein, When the specified conditions are met and there are no oncoming vehicles traveling in the opposite lane, the display control unit will display the specified area, including the first area and the second area, as the driving area. When the specified conditions are met and the oncoming vehicle is present, the display control unit displays the specified area, which includes the first area but does not include the second area, as the driving area.

6. A vehicle control device for controlling a vehicle, wherein, The vehicle control device includes: The acquisition unit acquires information about the vehicle's surroundings. The identification unit identifies the surrounding conditions of the vehicle based on the surrounding information acquired by the acquisition unit. as well as The first control unit performs first control based on the road boundary lines around the vehicle identified by the identification unit, including at least one of steering control and acceleration / deceleration control to make the vehicle travel along the lane. In the case where there is an oncoming lane with a direction of travel opposite to the current lane on a road including the lane in which the vehicle is traveling, and there is no central dividing line separating the current lane from the oncoming lane, or the central dividing line cannot be detected. Among the left and right road boundary lines of the vehicle road, the first control unit preferentially uses the road boundary line of its own lane to perform the first control, compared with the road boundary line of the opposite lane.

7. The vehicle control device according to claim 6, wherein, The vehicle control device further includes a display control unit, which displays the road boundary line on the display unit when the first control unit performs the first control. When performing the first control that prioritizes the use of the road boundary line on the current lane side compared to the road boundary line on the opposite lane side, the display control unit displays the road boundary line on the current lane side in a display mode different from that of the road boundary line on the opposite lane side.

8. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein, The vehicle control device further includes a second control unit, which is capable of performing at least one of the following second controls—including steering control, acceleration / deceleration control, and notification—based on the road boundary lines around the vehicle identified by the identification unit when the vehicle approaches the road boundary lines. Under the specified conditions, the second control unit uses the left and right road boundary lines to perform the second control.

9. The vehicle control device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein, When the specified conditions are met and there is an oncoming vehicle traveling in the opposite lane, the display control unit displays a dividing mark that separates the current lane from the oncoming lane in the width direction of the vehicle road on the display unit.

10. The vehicle control device according to claim 9, wherein, When the division mark is displayed, the display control unit displays the designated area, which includes a first area closer to the lane side than the division mark, as the driving area.

11. The vehicle control device according to claim 9, wherein, The vehicle control device further includes a first control unit, which is capable of performing first control, including at least one of steering control and acceleration / deceleration control, based on the road boundary lines or the demarcation marks around the vehicle identified by the identification unit. When the dividing markers are displayed, the first control unit uses the road boundary line on the lane side of the left and right road boundary lines and the dividing markers to perform the first control.

12. The vehicle control device according to claim 9, wherein, The vehicle control device further includes a second control unit, which is capable of performing at least one of the following second controls—including steering control, acceleration / deceleration control, and notification—based on the road boundary lines around the vehicle identified by the identification unit when the vehicle approaches the road boundary lines. The second control unit does not use the division mark in the second control.

13. A control method, which is executed by a computer that controls a vehicle, wherein, The control method causes the computer to perform the following processing: Obtain information about the vehicle's surroundings; The surrounding conditions of the vehicle are identified based on the acquired surrounding information; as well as Based on the recognition results of the surrounding conditions, the driving area ahead of the vehicle's direction of travel is displayed on the vehicle's display screen, thereby guiding the vehicle's occupants to the driving area. In the process of guiding the driving area In the case where there is an oncoming lane with a direction of travel opposite to the current lane on a road including the lane in which the vehicle is traveling, and there is no central dividing line separating the current lane from the oncoming lane, or the central dividing line cannot be detected. The designated area on the side of the lane between the left and right road boundary lines of the vehicle road is displayed as the driving area, and the area closer to the opposite lane than the designated area is displayed as a non-driving area that is not the driving area.

14. A control method executed by a computer that controls a vehicle, wherein, The control method causes the computer to perform the following processing: Obtain information about the vehicle's surroundings; The surrounding conditions of the vehicle are identified based on the acquired surrounding information; and Based on the identified road boundary lines around the vehicle, a first control is executed, including at least one of steering control and acceleration / deceleration control to keep the vehicle traveling along its lane. In the process of executing the first control, In the case where there is an oncoming lane with a direction of travel opposite to the current lane on a road including the lane in which the vehicle is traveling, and there is no central dividing line separating the current lane from the oncoming lane, or the central dividing line cannot be detected. Of the left and right road boundary lines of the vehicle road, the road boundary line of the current lane is preferentially used to perform the first control compared to the road boundary line of the opposite lane.

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