Driving support device of vehicle

Abstract

To recommend a driver to switch a mode to an automatic driving mode at timing more suitable for an own vehicle, without making the driver feel excessive cumbersome.SOLUTION: A driving support device of a vehicle switches operation and stoppage of automatic driving in accordance with selection by a driver; memorizes an operation history of automatic driving selected when a vehicle runs on a running section on a road, while associating the history with the running section (S109); determines a running section on which the vehicle is running currently (S104); obtains, as specific history information, an operation history memorized concerning the running section on which the vehicle is running currently (S105); and prompts the driver to select operation of automatic driving, on the basis of the specific history information, when the automatic driving is stopped on the running section on which the vehicle is running currently (S108).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a driving assistance device for a vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] There is a technology that recommends switching from a manual driving mode to an autonomous driving mode to a driver. Patent Document 1 describes a technology that recommends switching to the autonomous driving mode based on information about a switching point where multiple vehicles, including the vehicle itself, switch. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2020-165688 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The above technology takes into account information regarding switching of other vehicles other than the own vehicle when recommending switching, so the timing of the recommendation is not necessarily appropriate for the own vehicle, and there is a concern that some drivers may find the recommendation annoying.

[0005] In view of this situation, the present invention aims to provide a vehicle driving assistance device that can recommend switching to autonomous driving mode at a more appropriate time for the vehicle without causing excessive inconvenience to the driver, thereby promoting the use of autonomous driving mode. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a vehicle driving assistance device according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a driving mode switching means which switches between operating and stopping autonomous driving in accordance with a driver's selection, an operation history storage means which stores an operation history of the autonomous driving when the vehicle travels along a driving section on a road in association with the driving section, a driving section determination means which determines the driving section along which the vehicle is currently traveling, a specific history information acquisition means which acquires, as specific history information, the operation history stored in the operation history storage means for the driving section along which the vehicle is currently traveling based on the driving section determined by the driving section determination means, and an autonomous driving recommendation means which, when the autonomous driving is stopped in the driving section along which the vehicle is currently traveling, prompts the driver to select operating the autonomous driving based on the specific history information acquired by the specific history information acquisition means. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to one aspect of the present invention, when the vehicle is in a section where autonomous driving has been performed in the past but the autonomous driving has not been activated in the current drive, the driver is prompted to select whether to activate the autonomous driving, thereby promoting the use of autonomous driving. By referring to specific history information when prompting the driver to select the autonomous driving, it is possible to avoid a situation where the driver feels annoyed by excessive recommendations and to prompt the driver to select whether to activate the autonomous driving at an appropriate timing for the vehicle. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a vehicle control system according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the internal configuration of a driving assistance controller constituting the control system. [Diagram 3] 4 is a flowchart showing the contents of the automatic driving recommendation control performed by the driving assistance controller. [Figure 4] 4 is a flowchart showing the contents of a recommended section setting process performed in the control. [Diagram 5]FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing specific history information referred to in the above process. [Figure 6] 13 is a flowchart showing the contents of the automatic driving recommendation control according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the timing for prompting the driver to select whether to activate the automatic driving control. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0010] (Overall configuration of the control system) FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a vehicle control system S according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0011] The control system S includes a driving assistance controller 101 and a human-machine interface (HMI) device 1. In this embodiment, the driving assistance controller 101 cooperates with an in-vehicle navigation device 401 to configure a "vehicle driving assistance device." A touch panel display included in the in-vehicle navigation device 401 can also serve as the HMI device 1.

[0012] In this embodiment, the subject vehicle is a vehicle that assists the driver's operation related to the vehicle's running state or automatically controls the vehicle's running state without the driver's operation (hereinafter, a driving mode that assists the driver's operation or automatically controls the vehicle's running state is referred to as "automatic driving"). Specifically, automatic driving is a driving mode that implements one or an appropriate combination of collision damage mitigation braking, adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, etc. Collision damage mitigation braking is a control that automatically generates a braking force when there is a possibility of collision with an obstacle (e.g., a preceding vehicle or a pedestrian) existing in front of or behind the vehicle. Adaptive cruise control is a control that follows the preceding vehicle while maintaining a predetermined distance from the preceding vehicle, and includes a form that implements control to maintain the vehicle speed of the vehicle at a predetermined speed when there is no preceding vehicle. Lane keep assist is a control that assists steering to maintain the center of the lane currently being traveled. Not limited to this, automatic driving may be a driving mode in which the control system S is responsible for all operations related to driving, braking, and steering under certain conditions or over the entire operation design area. Furthermore, the autonomous driving may involve issuing a so-called takeover request to request the driver to take over operations when it is difficult for the control system S to continue driving, or it may involve the control system S not issuing a takeover request but instead performing operations to ensure safety, such as pulling over to the shoulder of the road.

[0013] The control system S includes a current position sensor 201 and a camera 202 for monitoring inside the vehicle (hereinafter referred to as an "in-vehicle camera").

[0014] The current position sensor 201 detects the current position of the vehicle. The current position sensor 201 includes a satellite positioning system (GPS) receiver, and can detect the current position of the vehicle based on the position coordinates of the receiver detected by the satellite positioning system.

[0015] In-vehicle camera 202 is positioned so as to be able to capture the entire cabin of the vehicle, and captures passengers (including the driver, as well as a passenger in the passenger seat and other passengers) seated in each seat installed in the vehicle. The attributes and condition of the passengers can be determined based on the images captured by in-vehicle camera 202. In this embodiment, the attribute of the passenger is determined to be whether or not the driver is elderly, and the condition of the passenger is determined to be whether or not the driver is tired. In-vehicle camera 202 can be installed on a rearview mirror or a room mirror installed in the vehicle.

[0016] The current position sensor 201 and the in-vehicle camera 202 constitute a detection unit of the control system S.

[0017] In addition to the above, the control system S includes a driving mode changeover switch 301 and an in-vehicle navigation device 401.

[0018] The driving mode changeover switch 301 is installed in a position where it can be operated by the driver, and the driver can switch and set the driving mode of the vehicle between a normal driving mode and an automatic driving mode by operating the driving mode changeover switch 301. The normal driving mode is a driving mode in which the driver manually performs all operations related to driving, braking, and steering, and the automatic driving mode is a driving mode in which the vehicle travels by automatic driving. The driving mode changeover switch 301 can be incorporated into the HMI device 1 installed in the vehicle, for example, a touch panel display of an in-vehicle navigation device 401, and can also be installed on the dashboard close to the driver's seat.

[0019] Setting of the driving mode, that is, switching between the normal driving mode and the automatic driving mode, can be performed by the driver's physical contact with the driving mode changeover switch 301, or can be performed via voice.

[0020] The in-vehicle navigation device 401 stores road map information in advance, and displays a road map on the display, and also displays the current position of the vehicle detected by the current position sensor 201 on the road map. The in-vehicle navigation device 401 is further configured to be able to acquire road traffic information, and notifies the driver and other passengers of the acquired road traffic information by voice or displays it on the display. The road traffic information can be acquired wirelessly, and includes traffic congestion information.

[0021] The output signals from these various sensors 201-202 and the switch 301 are input to the driving assistance controller 101. The driving assistance controller 101 can cooperate with the in-vehicle navigation device 401, and obtains information on the driving section and traffic congestion information from the in-vehicle navigation device 401. In this embodiment, a road on a map is divided in its laying direction (i.e., the length or distance direction of the road) according to a predetermined condition, and a plurality of driving sections are set, and the information on the driving section obtained by the driving assistance controller 101 from the in-vehicle navigation device 401 includes section identification information for identifying the driving section. The driving assistance controller 101 grasps the current position of the vehicle on the road map, and can determine the driving section in which the vehicle is currently traveling, in other words, the driving section to which the current position of the vehicle belongs, based on the section identification information. The driving assistance controller 101 constitutes the calculation unit of the control system S, and performs predetermined calculations related to recommended autonomous driving control based on information obtained from various sensors 201-202 and the in-vehicle navigation device 401, and outputs a command signal to the HMI device 1 according to the result of the calculation.

[0022] The HMI device 1 constitutes the output section of the control system S, and performs various kinds of guidance related to autonomous driving. This guidance includes guidance related to the operation status of autonomous driving, as well as guidance encouraging the driver to select to operate autonomous driving (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "autonomous driving recommendation guidance"). The autonomous driving recommendation guidance can be provided visually via a display, or can be provided by voice.

[0023] (Internal configuration of driving assistance controller) FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the internal configuration of the driving assistance controller 101.

[0024] The driving assistance controller 101 according to this embodiment is broadly equipped with a driving mode switching unit 111, a driver identification unit 112, an operation history memory unit 113, a driving section determination unit 114, a specific history information acquisition unit 115, and an autonomous driving recommendation unit 116.

[0025] The driving mode switching unit 111 switches the driving mode of the vehicle between an automatic driving mode and a manual driving mode, and switches between activating and stopping the automatic driving, based on the output signal of the driving mode switching switch 301. The driving assistance controller 101 activates the automatic driving when the automatic driving mode is set by the driving mode switching unit 111, and stops the automatic driving when the manual driving mode is set.

[0026] The driver identification unit 112 identifies the driver based on an image captured by the in-vehicle camera 202 .

[0027] The operation history storage unit 113 stores a history of the operation and stop of the automatic driving when traveling on each traveling section divided on a road map (hereinafter referred to as "operation history") in association with the traveling section. In this embodiment, the operation history is stored distinguishably for each driver identified by the driver identification unit 112. For example, potential drivers who may drive the vehicle are registered in advance as driving candidates, and the operation history is stored in association with the driver who is driving during actual traveling.

[0028] The travel section determination unit 114 determines the travel section that the vehicle is currently traveling in. As described above, in this embodiment, the travel section is determined based on section identification information acquired from the in-vehicle navigation device 401.

[0029] Based on the driving section determined by the driving section determination unit 114, the specific history information acquisition unit 115 acquires the operation history stored in the operation history storage unit 113 in association with the driving section currently being driven, which in this embodiment is the operation history for each driver, as specific history information. The specific history information is acquired by searching for the operation history for each driver based on the determined driving section, and acquiring the operation history of the driver related to the driving section currently being driven. In this embodiment, the operation history is history information indicating whether the target driving section is set as a section in which the driver is prompted to select to activate automatic driving, in other words, as a section in which automatic driving recommendation guidance is implemented (hereinafter referred to as a "recommended section"). The recommended section can be set according to the frequency or number of times automatic driving is activated when driving the driving section, and in this embodiment, a driving section that has been driven a predetermined number of times or more and for which the frequency of automatic driving activation during driving is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold is set as a recommended section.

[0030] FIG. 5(a) shows an example of the operation history, and indicates whether each of the driving sections 1 to n is set as a recommended section for each of the drivers A to D. A driving section set as a recommended section (e.g., driving section 1 for driver A) is assigned an identifier of "1", and a driving section not set as a recommended section (e.g., driving section 2 for driver C) is assigned an identifier of "0". The driving assistance controller 101 can refer to the value of this identifier to determine whether the driving section is set as a recommended section. When some of the driving candidates are not targets for the automated driving recommendation guidance (e.g., driver D), it is not necessary to assign an identifier, or the identifier may be uniformly assigned "0".

[0031] When automatic driving is stopped in the driving section currently being driven, that is, when manual driving mode is set in the driving section currently being driven, the automatic driving recommendation unit 116 implements guidance (i.e., automatic driving recommendation guidance) that encourages the driver to select to activate automatic driving based on specific history information. In this embodiment, when the driving section currently being driven is set as a recommended section, the automatic driving recommendation suggestion is displayed on the display of the HMI device 1 and notified by voice. In response to this, the driver can switch the driving mode from manual driving mode to automatic driving mode by operating the driving mode changeover switch 301, and activate automatic driving.

[0032] (Operation of driving assistance controller) The operation of the driving assistance controller 101 will be described below with reference to a flowchart.

[0033] 3 is a flowchart showing the contents of the autonomous driving recommended control. In this embodiment, the autonomous driving recommended control is repeatedly executed by the driving assistance controller 101 after the power supply to the vehicle is turned on.

[0034] In S101, the driver is identified.

[0035] In S102, it is determined whether the currently driving driver is a target driver who is encouraged to select automatic driving, that is, a target driver for which automatic driving recommendation guidance is to be provided (hereinafter referred to as "target driver"). If the driver is a target driver, the process proceeds to S103, and if the driver is not a target driver, the current control is terminated.

[0036] In S103, the current position of the vehicle is detected.

[0037] In S104, the travel section in which the vehicle is currently traveling is determined.

[0038] In S105, it is determined whether the section in which the vehicle is currently traveling is a recommended section. If it is a recommended section, the process proceeds to S106, and if it is not a recommended section, the process proceeds to S109.

[0039] In S106, it is determined whether the autonomous driving mode is set as the driving mode of the vehicle, that is, whether the vehicle is traveling by autonomous driving. If the autonomous driving mode is set, the process proceeds to S109, and if the autonomous driving mode is not set, the process proceeds to S107.

[0040] In S107, it is determined whether a predetermined time has elapsed since starting travel in the travel section currently being traveled, that is, since passing the starting point of the travel section currently being traveled. If the predetermined time has elapsed, the process proceeds to S108, and if not, the process returns to S106 and the determination is repeated until the predetermined time has elapsed.

[0041] In S108, the autonomous driving recommendation guidance is provided to the driver. Specifically, a guidance for encouraging the driver to set the autonomous driving mode is displayed on the display of the HMI device 1, and the following voice guidance is given. "This is a section where automatic driving is recommended. We recommend setting the automatic driving mode."

[0042] In this embodiment, when the driver is prompted to set the autonomous driving mode, the autonomous driving recommendation guidance is provided before the vehicle reaches the midpoint of the driving section.

[0043] In S109, a recommended section setting process is executed. The recommended section setting process is a process for determining whether or not to set the currently traveling section as a recommended section, and, if the currently traveling section is already set as a recommended section, whether or not to continue to set the currently traveling section as a recommended section, and for setting or canceling the setting of the recommended section according to the determination result, according to the procedure shown in the flowchart of FIG.

[0044] 4 is a flowchart showing the contents of the recommended section setting process. In this embodiment, the recommended section setting process is executed as the process of S109 in the control routine of the autonomous driving recommended control.

[0045] In S201, the number of times N that the vehicle has traveled the currently traveled section is updated. n-1 As, N n-1 Add 1 this time to (N=N n-1 +1).

[0046] In S202, the frequency of operation of the automatic driving in the driving section currently being driven, in other words, the frequency F of the automatic driving operation when driving the driving section currently being driven, is updated. Specifically, the frequency up to the immediately preceding time is updated to F n-1 If autonomous driving is activated during this journey, the calculation is made using the following formula (1); if autonomous driving is not activated, the calculation is made using the following formula (2). F=(F n-1 ×N n-1 +1) / N …(1) F=(F n-1 ×N n-1 ) / N …(2)

[0047] In S203, it is determined whether the number of times N traveled is equal to or greater than a predetermined number N1. If it is equal to or greater than the predetermined number N1, the process proceeds to S204, and if it is less than the predetermined number N1, the process proceeds to S206.

[0048] In S204, it is determined whether the operation frequency F is equal to or greater than a predetermined frequency F1. If it is equal to or greater than the predetermined frequency F1, the process proceeds to S205, and if it is less than the predetermined frequency F1, the process proceeds to S206.

[0049] In S205, the currently traveling section is set as a recommended section, or if the currently traveling section has already been set as a recommended section, the setting is maintained. In this embodiment, the identifier "1" is assigned to the corresponding traveling section.

[0050] In S206, the setting of the recommended section is suspended, or the setting of the recommended section that has already been set for the currently traveling section is cancelled. In this embodiment, the identifier "0" is assigned to the relevant traveling section.

[0051] After the process of S205 or S206 is executed, the process returns to the flowchart shown in FIG. 3, and the current control ends.

[0052] (Explanation of action and effect) The actions and effects obtained by this embodiment will be described below.

[0053] In this embodiment, in a vehicle in which the operation and stop of automatic driving can be switched according to the driver's selection, the operation history of automatic driving when the vehicle travels on a road section is stored in association with the travel section. Then, when traveling on the same travel section from the next time onwards, the stored operation history is acquired as specific history information, and if automatic driving is stopped during the current travel, the driver is prompted to select to activate automatic driving based on the specific history information. In other words, even if there is a history of traveling on the same travel section in the past using automatic driving, if automatic driving is not activated during the current travel, the driver is prompted to select to activate automatic driving, which makes it possible to promote the use of automatic driving. At that time, by referring to the specific history information, it is possible to prompt the driver to select to activate automatic driving at an appropriate timing for the vehicle without making the driver feel excessively bothered.

[0054] Here, by making it possible to store the operation history of the automated driving for each driver in association with the driving section, and by acquiring the specific history information of the driver stored in relation to the driving section when driving next time onwards, it becomes possible to encourage the choice to activate the automated driving based on the specific history information of each driver. This makes it possible to reflect the different preferences of each driver and encourage the choice to activate the automated driving at a more appropriate time.

[0055] The operation history of autonomous driving is a history of the frequency F at which autonomous driving was activated when traveling along a travel section, and if the operation frequency F is equal to or greater than a predetermined frequency F1, in other words, if there is a history of autonomous driving being activated at a reasonable frequency when traveling along a travel section, then the driver is prompted to choose to activate autonomous driving. This makes it possible to select drivers who have a high preference for autonomous driving and encourage them to choose to activate autonomous driving, thereby more reliably preventing situations that cause the driver to feel inconvenienced.

[0056] The operation history of the autonomous driving is not limited to this, and may be a history of the number of times the autonomous driving was activated when traveling in a travel section. In this case, if the number of times the autonomous driving was activated in the currently traveling travel section is a predetermined number or more, and there is a history of the autonomous driving being activated a corresponding number of times when traveling in the travel section, the selection to activate the autonomous driving is prompted.

[0057] Furthermore, the decision as to whether or not to provide guidance to the driver is made not simply based on frequency or number of times, but also based on the number of times N the driving section has been driven and the frequency F at which automatic driving was activated while driving, and if the driving section has been driven a predetermined number of times N1 or more and the frequency F at which automatic driving was activated while driving is equal to or greater than a predetermined frequency F1, the driver is prompted to choose to activate automatic driving.This makes it possible to target drivers who activate automatic driving relatively frequently, in other words, drivers who have a high preference for automatic driving, as the target of guidance.On the other hand, it is possible to avoid situations in which drivers who have a low preference for automatic driving and tend to choose manual driving feel inconvenienced by being prompted to choose to activate automatic driving.

[0058] By adopting historical information indicating whether or not a section has been set as a recommended section as the operation history, and determining whether or not the section currently being traveled is set as a recommended section when traveling from the next time onwards, it becomes possible to make a simple and easy decision as to whether or not to provide guidance to the driver.

[0059] The operation history is not limited to this, and can also be the number of times and frequency that automatic driving was activated when traveling in a travel section. Fig. 5(b) shows, as an example of the operation history in this case, the number of times N and frequency F that automatic driving was activated for each of travel sections 1 to n for each driver A to D. For example, when driver A is traveling in travel section 1, if the number of times N is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value N1 and the frequency F is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value F1, the travel section 1 is targeted for automatic driving recommendation guidance, and if automatic driving is not activated, guidance is provided to encourage the setting of automatic driving mode.

[0060] By timing the implementation of the autonomous driving recommendation guidance before the vehicle reaches the midpoint of the driving section, it is possible to ensure the distance or time traveled by autonomous driving and ensure the effectiveness of the control.

[0061] (Description of Other Embodiments) In the previous embodiment, the timing for providing the guidance to encourage the driver to select to activate the autonomous driving, that is, the autonomous driving recommendation guidance, was set to a point in time when a predetermined time has elapsed after starting to travel in the currently traveled section. This predetermined time may be fixed, or may be changeable according to various conditions. In the present embodiment, the predetermined time is changeable according to the driver's preferences, the driver's state, or the situation of the travel section, so that the autonomous driving recommendation guidance can be provided at a more appropriate timing.

[0062] Referring to FIG. 2, the driving assistance controller 101 of this embodiment includes a driver preference determination unit 117, a traffic jam detection unit 118, and a driver fatigue detection unit 119, in addition to the driving mode switching unit 111, the driver identification unit 112, the operation history memory unit 113, the driving section determination unit 114, the specific history information acquisition unit 115, and the autonomous driving recommendation unit 116 in the previous embodiment.

[0063] The driver preference determination unit 117 determines the driver's preference for automatic driving. The driver's preference can be said to be the degree of the driver's dependence on automatic driving, and can be determined for each driver based on the operation history of automatic driving across multiple driving sections. In this embodiment, the operation history is evaluated for the entire driving section in which the driver has traveled in the past, and a driver who tends to operate automatic driving overall is determined to have a high preference for automatic driving. For example, a driver in which the proportion of driving sections set as recommended sections among the driving sections in which the driver has traveled in the past is equal to or greater than a predetermined proportion is determined to have a high preference for automatic driving.

[0064] The traffic jam detection unit 118 detects the occurrence of traffic jam in the travel section that the vehicle is currently traveling in. The occurrence of traffic jam can be detected based on traffic jam information acquired by the in-vehicle navigation device 401.

[0065] The driver fatigue detection unit 119 detects whether the driver is fatigued. Whether the driver is fatigued can be detected based on an image of the driver captured by the in-vehicle camera 202. For example, if the skin color of the driver's face shows a change that is characteristic of fatigue, or the driver exhibits behavior that is characteristic of fatigue, such as an unsteady gaze, it is determined that the driver is fatigued.

[0066] The autonomous driving recommendation unit 116 provides autonomous driving recommendation guidance earlier for a driver with a higher preference for autonomous driving, and provides autonomous driving recommendation guidance earlier for the same driver if traffic congestion occurs in the driving section currently being driven or if the driver is fatigued. In this embodiment, the autonomous driving recommendation guidance is provided before the vehicle reaches the midpoint of the driving section currently being driven, and the guidance is provided earlier after starting driving in the driving section, in other words, closer to the starting point of the driving section, if the driver has a high preference for autonomous driving, traffic congestion occurs in the driving section, or the driver is fatigued.

[0067] FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the contents of the autonomous driving recommendation control according to this embodiment.

[0068] The autonomous driving recommendation control according to this embodiment follows a procedure in which the steps enclosed by the double-dashed line in box A in Fig. 3 are replaced with those shown in Fig. 6. After the processes from S101 to S105 are performed, in S301, traffic congestion information is acquired and it is determined whether or not traffic congestion is occurring in the travel section currently being traveled.

[0069] In S302, it is determined whether the driver is fatigued.

[0070] In S303, it is determined whether the driver has a high preference for automated driving.

[0071] Then, if it is determined in S106 that autonomous driving is not operating in the currently traveled section, if the driver has a high preference for autonomous driving, if there is traffic congestion in the travel section, or if the driver is fatigued, the predetermined time is shortened (S107), and autonomous driving recommended guidance is provided earlier after starting travel in the travel section (S108).

[0072] Fig. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing the timing for implementing automated driving recommendation guidance. Fig. 7(a) shows multiple travel sections 1 to n that are continuous in the direction of laying the road, and Fig. 7(b) shows the timing for implementing automated driving recommendation guidance when automated driving is not activated while traveling in travel section i.

[0073] Assume that the vehicle is currently in a travel section i while traveling on a road or route continuing from travel section 1 to travel section n. For example, when a route to a target point is set by the in-vehicle navigation device 401, the start point ps of travel section 1 is the starting point of the set route (i.e., the current location of the vehicle at the time of departure), and the end point pd of travel section n is the end point of the set route (i.e., the target point). In FIG. 7(b), the start point of travel section i is indicated by symbol p1, the end point of travel section i is indicated by symbol p5, and the midpoint between the start point p1 and the end point p5 is indicated by symbol p4, relative to the traveling direction of the vehicle.

[0074] The timing for implementing the automated driving recommendation guidance in the travel section i is usually set to a timing at point p3 between the starting point p1 and the intermediate point p4. This point p3 is closer to the starting point p1 than the intermediate point p4. In contrast, if the driver has a high preference for automated driving, if there is traffic congestion in the travel section i, or if the driver is fatigued, the timing is set to a timing at point p2, which is closer to the starting point p1 than the normal point p3.

[0075] In this way, by determining the driver's preference for autonomous driving and providing the autonomous driving recommendation guidance earlier to drivers with a higher preference for autonomous driving, it is possible to encourage drivers with a high preference for autonomous driving to actively choose autonomous driving and promote the use of autonomous driving, while by delaying the timing of providing the autonomous driving recommendation guidance to drivers with a low preference for autonomous driving and encouraging them to choose to activate autonomous driving even if they have no intention of using it, it is possible to prevent annoying situations.

[0076] In sections where traffic congestion occurs, autonomous driving is effective. Therefore, by providing autonomous driving recommendation guidance at an early stage when traffic congestion is detected in a section, the timing of guidance can be optimized, preventing accidents in traffic jams and encouraging the early resolution of traffic jams.

[0077] When the driver is fatigued, autonomous driving is an effective option. By providing early autonomous driving recommendations when it is detected that the driver is fatigued, it is possible to optimize the timing of guidance and prevent accidents caused by driver fatigue.

[0078] In the above description, the thresholds for setting the recommended section (for example, the frequency F1 and the number of times N1 in the flowchart shown in FIG. 4) are fixed. These thresholds may be changeable or adjustable. As an example, when the automatic driving is stopped due to the driver's intervention while traveling in a travel section (for example, the travel section i shown in FIG. 7) and then resumed by operating the driving mode changeover switch 301, the thresholds may be changed to smaller values ​​than those before the resumption. Since the resumption by operating the driving mode selection switch 301 depends on the driver's own choice to start or resume the automatic driving, it is possible to presume that the driver has the intention to actively use the automatic driving. Therefore, by reducing the thresholds for setting the recommended section for such drivers, it is possible to actively encourage the choice to operate the automatic driving and effectively promote the use of the automatic driving.

[0079] Furthermore, the selection of whether to activate autonomous driving may be limited to drivers with certain attributes, and autonomous driving recommendation guidance may be implemented if the driver has such attributes by analyzing images captured by the in-vehicle camera 202. For example, if the driver is elderly, autonomous driving recommendation guidance may be implemented. This makes it possible to proactively encourage elderly people to drive autonomously by the autonomous driving recommendation guidance, while not implementing the autonomous driving recommendation guidance for other drivers, thereby avoiding a situation in which excessive guidance causes annoyance.

[0080] Roads on a map are divided into multiple travel sections, and operation history is stored for each of the multiple travel sections. Based on the operation history (i.e., specific history information) stored for the currently traveled travel section, the automated driving recommendation guidance is implemented. In this manner, in the above explanation, the travel section is set in advance, but this is not limiting, and the travel section can also be set according to the route actually traveled.

[0081] For example, if there is a section on a route that has been actually driven where autonomous driving has been activated many times or frequently, that section is extracted and set as a recommended section. Then, if the autonomous driving is not activated the next time the driver travels through that section, and the driver is a target driver for whom autonomous driving recommendation guidance is provided, the autonomous driving recommendation guidance is provided, and the driver is prompted to set the autonomous driving mode.

[0082] In a vehicle navigation device 41 that sets a route from a starting point to an end point or a destination point and provides guidance along the set route, if a recommended section exists along the set route, the autonomous driving recommendation guidance may be provided only for the recommended section, or the recommended section may be expanded to a longer section including both before and after the recommended section, and the expanded section may be provided. In this case, the recommended section may be expanded to the entire set route. For example, if the set route includes a recommended section, when starting travel at the starting point, guidance is provided that the route includes a recommended section, or that the route is a route for which selection of the autonomous driving mode is recommended. [Explanation of symbols]

[0083] S...vehicle control system, 1...human machine interface (HMI) device, 101...driving assistance controller, 201...current position sensor, 202...in-vehicle camera, 301...driving mode changeover switch, 401...in-vehicle navigation device.

Claims

1. A driving mode switching means for switching between activation and deactivation of the automatic driving mode in accordance with a driver's selection; an operation history storage means for storing an operation history of the autonomous driving when the vehicle travels along a travel section on a road in association with the travel section; a travel section determination means for determining a travel section in which the vehicle is currently traveling; a specific history information acquisition means for acquiring, as specific history information, the operation history stored in the operation history storage means for the currently traveling section based on the traveling section determined by the traveling section determination means; and an automated driving recommendation means for encouraging the driver to select to activate the automated driving based on the specific history information acquired by the specific history information acquisition means when the automated driving is stopped in the currently traveling section.

2. A driver identification means for identifying the driver is further provided, The operation history storage means stores the operation history in association with the travel section for each of the drivers identified by the driver identification means, The vehicle driving assistance device according to claim 1 , wherein the specific history information acquisition means acquires the specific history information of the driver stored in relation to a driving section currently being driven.

3. The operation history is a history regarding the frequency or number of times the autonomous driving was activated when traveling along the travel section, The vehicle driving assistance device according to claim 2 , wherein the autonomous driving recommendation means prompts the selection when the frequency is equal to or greater than a predetermined first threshold or when the number of times is equal to or greater than a predetermined second threshold.

4. The vehicle driving assistance device of claim 3, wherein the autonomous driving recommendation means prompts the selection when the driving section has been driven a predetermined number of times or more and the frequency of activating the autonomous driving when driving the driving section is equal to or greater than the first threshold value.

5. 4. The vehicle driving assistance device according to claim 3, wherein when the autonomous driving is resumed by the driving mode switching means after the autonomous driving is stopped while traveling along the driving section, the first threshold value or the second threshold value is reduced to a value lower than that before the autonomous driving is resumed.

6. The vehicle driving assistance device according to claim 1 , wherein the autonomous driving recommendation means prompts the user to make the selection before the user reaches a midpoint of the travel section.

7. A traffic congestion detection means is further provided for detecting the occurrence of traffic congestion in the travel section, 6. A vehicle driving assistance device according to claim 1, wherein the autonomous driving recommendation means, when the congestion detection means detects that a traffic congestion has occurred in the driving section, prompts the driver to make the selection at an earlier timing than when the congestion detection means does not detect the traffic congestion.

8. Further comprising a driver fatigue detection means for detecting that the driver is fatigued, 6. The vehicle driving assistance device according to claim 1, wherein the autonomous driving recommendation means, when the driver fatigue detection means detects that the driver is fatigued, prompts the driver to make the selection at an earlier timing than when the driver fatigue detection means does not detect the fatigue.

9. The vehicle further includes a driver preference determination means for determining a preference of the driver for the automated driving based on an operation history of the automated driving over a plurality of the travel sections, The vehicle driving assistance device according to claim 1 , wherein the autonomous driving recommendation means prompts the driver to make the selection at an earlier timing for a driver who has a higher preference for the autonomous driving as determined by the driver preference determination means.

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