Vehicle control device and control method

Abstract

To provide a vehicle control device and a vehicle control method which can prevent running control of a vehicle from being resumed against an intention of a driver.SOLUTION: A control device 30 can execute running control by which a vehicle 1 is controlled so that running speed of the vehicle 1 becomes equal to target speed corresponding to an inter-vehicle distance to a vehicle ahead or to predetermined target speed set by a driver. The control device comprises a control part 32 that is configured to temporarily stop the running control in response to operation of a brake of the vehicle 1 by the driver in the vehicle 1 running by the running control and to enable the running control to be resumed in response to release of the brake by the driver, which does not resume the running control when the brake is released, in a case where a predetermined condition is satisfied when the brake is released.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle control device and a control method. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, efforts to provide access to sustainable transport systems that also take into consideration vulnerable transport participants have been gaining momentum. As part of these efforts, research and development is being conducted on driving assistance technologies and autonomous driving technologies for mobile objects (such as automobiles) in order to improve transport safety and convenience.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 listed below discloses a technology that temporarily suspends Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) when the driver depresses the brake pedal while the ACC is in use, and resumes the ACC from the paused state when the driver releases the brake pedal. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2005-001566 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, in the conventional technology, for example, there is a possibility that a driving control called ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control) may be resumed against the will of the driver, and there is room for improvement in this respect.

[0006] The present invention provides a vehicle control device and a control method that can prevent a vehicle's travel control, which controls the vehicle so that the travel speed of the vehicle is a target speed according to the distance between the vehicle and a preceding vehicle traveling in front of the vehicle, or a predetermined speed set by the driver, from being resumed against the driver's will, thereby further improving traffic safety and contributing to the development of a sustainable transportation system. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] One aspect of the present invention is A vehicle control device configured to be capable of executing a driving control for controlling a vehicle so that the traveling speed of the vehicle becomes a target speed according to a distance between the vehicle and a preceding vehicle traveling in front of the vehicle, or a predetermined speed set by a driver of the vehicle, The vehicle control device includes: The vehicle is configured to temporarily suspend the driving control in response to the driver applying a brake to the vehicle while the vehicle is traveling under the driving control, and to resume the driving control in response to the driver releasing the brake, and a control unit that does not resume the driving control when the brake is released if a predetermined condition is satisfied when the brake is released. A vehicle control device.

[0008] Another aspect of the present invention is A control method performed by a computer configured to be capable of controlling a vehicle so that the traveling speed of the vehicle becomes a target speed corresponding to a distance between the vehicle and a preceding vehicle traveling in front of the vehicle, or a predetermined speed set by a driver of the vehicle, comprising: The computer includes: The vehicle is configured to temporarily suspend the driving control in response to the driver applying a brake to the vehicle while the vehicle is traveling under the driving control, and to resume the driving control in response to the driver releasing the brake, The computer, If a predetermined condition is satisfied when the brake is released, a process is performed not to resume the driving control when the brake is released. It is a control method. Effect of the Invention

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a vehicle control device and a control method that can prevent driving control of a vehicle, which controls the vehicle's driving speed to a target speed corresponding to the distance between the vehicle and a preceding vehicle traveling in front of the vehicle, or a predetermined speed set by the driver, from being resumed against the driver's will. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a vehicle 1 controlled by a control device 30 which is an embodiment of a vehicle control device of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the operation of the vehicle 1. As shown in FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of a process executed by the control device 30. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the vehicle control device and control method of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The drawings should be viewed in the direction of the symbols. The following embodiments do not limit the invention described in the claims, and not all combinations of features described in the embodiments are necessarily essential to the invention. Two or more features of the multiple features described in the embodiments may be arbitrarily combined. In addition, in the following, the same or similar elements are given the same or similar symbols, and their descriptions may be omitted or simplified as appropriate.

[0012] [Vehicle configuration] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a vehicle 1 controlled by a control device 30 which is an embodiment of the vehicle control device of the present invention. The vehicle 1 shown in FIG. 1 is an automobile having a drive source, and wheels including drive wheels driven by the power of the drive source and steerable wheels (neither of which are shown). For example, the vehicle 1 is a four-wheel automobile having a pair of left and right front wheels and rear wheels. The drive source of the vehicle 1 may 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. In addition, the drive source of the vehicle 1 may drive a pair of left and right front wheels, a pair of left and right rear wheels, or a pair of left and right front wheels and rear wheels, i.e., four wheels. Either one of the front wheels or the rear wheels may be a steerable wheel, or both of the front wheels and the rear wheels may be steerable wheels.

[0013] As shown in FIG. 1, a vehicle 1 includes a sensor group 10, a navigation device 20, a control device 30, an EPS system (electric power steering system) 40, a communication unit 50, a driving force control system 60, a braking force control system 70, and an operation input unit 80.

[0014] The sensor group 10 acquires various detection values ​​related to the vehicle 1 or the surroundings of the vehicle 1. The detection values ​​acquired by the sensor group 10 are sent to the control device 30 and used for control of the vehicle 1 by the control device 30 (for example, ACC, which will be described later).

[0015] The sensor group 10 includes, for example, a front camera 11a, a rear camera 11b, a left side camera 11c, a right side camera 11d, a front sonar group 12a, a rear sonar group 12b, a left side sonar group 12c, and a right side sonar group 12d. These cameras and sonar groups can function as external sensors that obtain information about the surroundings of the vehicle 1.

[0016] The front camera 11a, the rear camera 11b, the left side camera 11c, and the right side camera 11d output image data of surrounding images obtained by capturing images of the surroundings of the vehicle 1 to the control device 30. The surrounding images captured by the front camera 11a, the rear camera 11b, the left side camera 11c, and the right side camera 11d are also referred to as a front image, a rear image, a left side image, and a right side image, respectively. An image composed of the left side image and the right side image is also referred to as a lateral image.

[0017] The front sonar group 12a, the rear sonar group 12b, the left side sonar group 12c, and the right side sonar group 12d emit sound waves around the vehicle 1 and receive reflected sounds from other objects. The front sonar group 12a includes, for example, four sonars. The sonars constituting the front sonar group 12a are provided diagonally forward left, forward left, forward right, and diagonally forward right of the vehicle 1, respectively. The rear sonar group 12b includes, for example, four sonars. The sonars constituting the rear sonar group 12b are provided diagonally backward left, backward left, backward right, and diagonally backward right of the vehicle 1, respectively. The left side sonar group 12c includes, for example, two sonars. The sonars constituting the left side sonar group 12c are provided in the front left side and the rear left side of the vehicle 1, respectively. The right side sonar group 12d includes, for example, two sonars. The sonars constituting the right side sonar group 12d are provided at the front and rear of the right side of the vehicle 1. Instead of or in addition to the sonar groups 12a, 12b, 12c, and 12d, the vehicle 1 may be provided with a radar device that emits radio waves (for example, so-called millimeter wave radio waves) around the vehicle 1 and receives reflected waves from other objects.

[0018] Further, the sensor group 10 includes wheel sensors 13a and 13b, a vehicle speed sensor 14, and an operation detection unit 15. The wheel sensors 13a and 13b detect the rotation angles θa and θb of the wheels (not shown), respectively. The wheel sensors 13a and 13b may be configured by angle sensors or may be configured by displacement sensors. The wheel sensors 13a and 13b output a detection pulse every time the wheels rotate a predetermined angle. The detection pulses output from the wheel sensors 13a and 13b can be used to calculate the rotation angle and the rotation speed of the wheels. The travel distance of the vehicle 1 can be calculated based on the rotation angle of the wheels. The wheel sensor 13a detects, for example, the rotation angle θa of the left rear wheel. The wheel sensor 13b detects, for example, the rotation angle θb of the right rear wheel.

[0019] The vehicle speed sensor 14 detects the vehicle speed V, which is the traveling speed of the vehicle 1, and outputs the detected vehicle speed V to the control device 30. The vehicle speed sensor 14 detects the vehicle speed V based on, for example, the rotation of a countershaft of the transmission.

[0020] The operation detection unit 15 detects the operation contents performed by the driver using the operation input unit 80, and outputs the detected operation contents to the control device 30. The operation input unit 80 includes, for example, a turn signal lever 81 that receives an operation to activate a turn signal 92 as a direction indicator of the vehicle 1, and a hazard switch 82 that receives an operation to activate a hazard lamp 93 of the vehicle 1. The turn signal lever 81 is configured to be capable of receiving, for example, a "right turn signal activation operation" that is an operation to activate the right turn signal of the turn signals 92, and a "left turn signal activation operation" that is an operation to activate the left turn signal of the turn signals 92.

[0021] The operation input unit 80 may further include an operation button or an operation switch for receiving operations related to ACC, such as an operation for instructing the start / end of ACC described below, an operation for setting a target speed, etc. A part of the operation input unit 80 (for example, an operation button for receiving operations related to ACC) or the whole of the operation input unit 80 may be shared with the touch panel 21 described below.

[0022] The navigation device 20 identifies the current position of the vehicle 1 using, for example, a Global Positioning System (GPS), and provides the driver with a route from the current position of the vehicle 1 to the destination. The navigation device 20 has, for example, a storage device (not shown) equipped with a map information database.

[0023] The navigation device 20 is also equipped with a touch panel 21 and a speaker 22. The touch panel 21 is configured by integrating a display device (e.g., a liquid crystal display) capable of displaying images with an input device capable of receiving input of information, and functions as a display device controlled by the control device 30 and an input device that receives input of various information to the control device 30. In other words, the touch panel 21 can display various screens according to the control of the control device 30, and input various commands received from the driver to the control device 30. The speaker 22 outputs various guidance messages by voice according to the control of the control device 30.

[0024] The EPS system 40 has a steering angle sensor 41, a torque sensor 42, an EPS motor 43, a resolver 44, and an EPS ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 45. The steering angle sensor 41 detects a steering angle θst of a steering wheel 46. The torque sensor 42 detects a torque TQ applied to the steering wheel 46. The EPS motor 43 assists the operation of the steering wheel 46 (in other words, steering) by applying a driving force or a reaction force to a steering column 47 connected to the steering wheel 46. The resolver 44 detects a rotation angle θm of the EPS motor 43.

[0025] The EPS ECU 45 includes, for example, an input / output unit, a calculation unit, and a storage unit (none of which are shown), and is responsible for the overall control of the EPS system 40. The EPS ECU 45 also outputs information indicating the steering angle θst of the steering wheel 46 detected by the steering angle sensor 41 to the control device 30. The EPS ECU 45 may also output information indicating the steering speed ω of the steering wheel 46 to the control device 30. The steering speed ω can be obtained, for example, by differentiating the steering angle θst with respect to time.

[0026] The communication unit 50 is a communication interface that communicates with the external device 2 according to the control of the control device 30. That is, the control device 30 can communicate with the external device 2 via the communication unit 50. Examples of the external device 2 include a driver's terminal device (e.g., a smartphone) and a server device managed by the manufacturer of the vehicle 1. For communication between the vehicle 1 and the external device 2, a mobile communication network such as a cellular line, WI-FI (registered trademark), Bluetooth (registered trademark), etc. can be used.

[0027] The driving force control system 60 includes a driving ECU 61 and is configured to be able to control the driving force of the vehicle 1. The driving ECU 61 includes, for example, an input / output unit, a calculation unit, and a storage unit (none of which are shown), and controls the driving force of the vehicle 1 by controlling an internal combustion engine, an electric motor, etc., which are the driving sources of the vehicle 1, based on an operation of an accelerator pedal 62 provided on the vehicle 1 by the driver (hereinafter also referred to as an "accelerator operation") or instructions from the control device 30.

[0028] The braking force control system 70 includes a braking ECU 71 and is configured to be able to control the braking force of the vehicle 1. The braking ECU 71 includes, for example, an input / output unit, a calculation unit, and a storage unit (none of which are shown), and controls the braking force of the vehicle 1 by controlling a brake device (not shown) of the vehicle 1 based on the driver's operation of a brake pedal 72 provided on the vehicle 1 (hereinafter also referred to as a "brake operation") or an instruction from the control device 30. Here, the brake device includes, for example, a brake caliper, a cylinder that transmits hydraulic pressure to the brake caliper, and an electric motor that generates hydraulic pressure in the cylinder. The braking ECU 71 generates a braking force corresponding to the brake operation by controlling the electric motor of the brake device based on the brake operation or an instruction from the control device 30.

[0029] The driver monitor camera 91 is provided in the vehicle 1 at a position and orientation that allows it to capture an image of the driver, who is an occupant seated in the driver's seat of the vehicle 1. The driver monitor camera 91 outputs image data of an interior image obtained by capturing an image of the interior of the vehicle 1 to the control device 30.

[0030] The turn signals 92 are direction indicators constituted by lamps (lamp bodies) and the like provided on the left side (e.g., the left front and left rear) and the right side (e.g., the right front and right rear) of the vehicle 1 so as to be visible from outside the vehicle 1. The turn signals 92 are turned on or off in response to the operation of the turn signal lever 81 described above. In addition, the lamps constituting the turn signals 92, i.e., the lamps provided on the left and right sides of the vehicle 1, can also function as hazard lamps 93 by flashing in unison. Note that, in this embodiment, the hazard lamps 93 are realized by the turn signals 92, but the hazard lamps 93 may be realized by lamps different from the turn signals 92.

[0031] [Control device] The control device 30 is a device (computer) that generally controls the entire vehicle 1 based on information input from the sensor group 10, the navigation device 20, the EPS system 40, the communication unit 50, the driving force control system 60, the braking force control system 70, and the like.

[0032] The control device 30 includes, for example, an input / output unit 31, a control unit 32, and a storage unit 35. The input / output unit 31 is an interface that inputs and outputs data between the inside and outside of the control device 30 in accordance with the control of the control unit 32. The storage unit 35 includes a non-volatile storage medium such as a flash memory, and stores various information (for example, data and programs) for controlling the operation of the vehicle 1. The control unit 32 is configured by a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), and controls each component of the vehicle 1 by executing a program stored in the storage unit 35 or the like.

[0033] In this embodiment, the control unit 32 is configured to be capable of executing "constant speed traveling / vehicle distance control" as an example of the cruise control in the present invention. The constant speed traveling / vehicle distance control is also generally called "ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control)". In this embodiment, the constant speed traveling / vehicle distance control will also be referred to as "ACC" hereinafter.

[0034] In the ACC, the vehicle 1 is controlled so that the traveling speed of the vehicle 1 becomes a target speed according to the distance between the vehicle 1 and another vehicle (hereinafter, also referred to as a "preceding vehicle") traveling in front of the vehicle 1, or a predetermined target speed set by the driver of the vehicle 1. More specifically, the ACC includes a "constant speed traveling control" that controls the vehicle 1 so that the traveling speed of the vehicle 1 (i.e., the vehicle speed V) becomes a predetermined target speed set by the driver, and a "vehicle distance control" that controls the vehicle 1 so that the distance between the preceding vehicle and the vehicle 1 becomes approximately constant. That is, during the ACC, the vehicle 1 is controlled so that the speed becomes the target speed set by the driver if there is no preceding vehicle, and is controlled so that the vehicle 1 follows the preceding vehicle while keeping the distance between the preceding vehicle and the preceding vehicle approximately constant if there is a preceding vehicle. In addition, the target speed in the ACC may be set to a speed according to the road on which the vehicle 1 is traveling. As an example, the control device 30 may recognize a speed sign of the road on which the vehicle 1 is traveling from an image of the surroundings of the vehicle 1, and set the speed limit indicated by the speed sign as the target speed of the ACC.

[0035] For example, the control unit 32 starts ACC in response to the driver performing an operation to instruct the start of ACC (i.e., receiving an operation to instruct the start of ACC). Then, when the driver operates the brakes of the vehicle 1 while the vehicle 1 is traveling with ACC (for example, when the brake device of the vehicle 1 is operated by performing the above-mentioned brake operation), the control unit 32 temporarily suspends ACC and decelerates the vehicle 1. Furthermore, when the brakes of the vehicle 1 (for example, the above-mentioned brake operation) are released while ACC is temporarily suspended, the control unit 32 may resume ACC.

[0036] In this way, by configuring the ACC to be temporarily stopped and the vehicle 1 to decelerate in response to the driver applying the brakes, when slowing down the vehicle 1 traveling with ACC, the driver can decelerate the vehicle 1 to a desired speed (for example, 0 [km / h]) simply by applying the brakes. Then, by configuring the ACC to be resumed in response to the release of the brakes, the driver can resume ACC simply by releasing the brakes, which reduces the driver's efforts and improves convenience compared to when other operations are required to resume ACC.

[0037] However, if ACC were always restarted when the brakes were released, it is possible that ACC would be restarted against the driver's will. For example, the driver may temporarily stop the vehicle 1, which has been running with ACC, on the shoulder of the road or the like, and then take his / her foot off the brake pedal 72 while trying to retrieve luggage placed in the rear seat, which may result in the brake being released. If ACC is restarted in such a case, ACC will be restarted and the vehicle 1 will continue to run against the will of the driver who stopped the vehicle 1. It is not desirable from the viewpoint of the safety and convenience of the vehicle 1 that ACC be restarted against the driver's will in this way.

[0038] Therefore, if a predetermined condition (hereinafter also referred to as a "restart prohibition condition") is satisfied when the brake is released, the control unit 32 prevents ACC from being restarted when the brake is released. This makes it possible to prevent ACC from being restarted in situations where it is desired not to restart ACC, while allowing ACC to be restarted in other situations. This makes it possible to appropriately execute ACC, thereby improving the safety and convenience of the vehicle 1. The restart prohibition condition is, for example, preset in the control device 30 by the manufacturer of the vehicle 1. The restart prohibition condition may also be made changeable by the driver as appropriate.

[0039] [Vehicle operation] Here, an example of the operation of the vehicle 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 2. Note that the example shown in Fig. 2 is an example in which the ACC resumption prohibition conditions are that the vehicle 1 is stopped (i.e., the vehicle speed V is 0) when the brake of the vehicle 1 is released, and the driver has turned on the hazard lamps 93 of the vehicle 1.

[0040] In (a) of FIG. 2, the vertical axis represents vehicle speed V, and the horizontal axis represents time. In (b) of FIG. 2, the vertical axis represents the amount of operation of accelerator pedal 62 (i.e., accelerator operation), and the horizontal axis represents time. In (c) of FIG. 2, the vertical axis represents the amount of operation of brake pedal 72 (i.e., brake operation), and the horizontal axis represents time. Also, (d) of FIG. 2 represents the operation (e.g., on or off) / non-operation (e.g., off) of hazard lamps 93 at each time. And (f) of FIG. 2 represents the on / off of ACC at each time.

[0041] 2, assume that a brake operation is performed at time t1 while the vehicle 1 is running using the ACC. In this case, the control device 30 temporarily suspends the ACC from time t1, and generates a braking force according to the brake operation (more specifically, the amount of operation of the brake pedal 72) via the braking force control system 70, thereby decelerating the vehicle 1.

[0042] Then, at time t2 after time t1, the brake operation is released (i.e., the amount of operation of the brake pedal 72 becomes 0). At time t2, the vehicle 1 is not stopped (i.e., the vehicle speed V>0), and the hazard lamps 93 are not activated. In such a case, the ACC resumption prohibition condition is not satisfied at time t2. Therefore, in such a case, the control device 30 resumes ACC from time t2. That is, the control device 30 accelerates the vehicle 1 from time t2, for example, so that the vehicle speed V becomes a predetermined target speed. Then, in the example shown in FIG. 2, the vehicle speed V reaches the target speed at time t3 after time t2.

[0043] Then, suppose that the vehicle 1 is driven by the ACC and the brakes are applied again at time t4. In this case, the control device 30 temporarily stops the ACC from time t4 and generates a braking force according to the brake operation via the braking force control system 70, thereby decelerating the vehicle 1.

[0044] Then, assume that the brake operation is released at time t5 after time t4. At time t5, unlike the above-mentioned time t2, the vehicle 1 is stopped (i.e., the vehicle speed V is 0) and the hazard lamps 93 are also activated. In such a case, the ACC resumption prohibition condition is satisfied at time t5. Therefore, in such a case, the control device 30 does not resume ACC even if the brake operation is released.

[0045] Then, at time t6 after time t5, when the accelerator is operated, the control device 30 generates a driving force according to the accelerator operation (more specifically, the amount of operation of the accelerator pedal 62) via the driving force control system 60, thereby accelerating the vehicle 1.

[0046] As described above, the ACC resumption prohibition condition is that the vehicle 1 is stopped and the hazard lights 93 are activated when the brakes are released. By not allowing ACC to be resumed if such a resumption prohibition condition is met, it is possible to prevent ACC from being resumed against the driver's wishes to park or stop the vehicle 1.

[0047] In other words, the control device 30 can resume ACC, for example, when the brake is released and the hazard lamps 93 are not activated even if the vehicle 1 is stopped. This makes it possible to resume ACC when the vehicle 1, which has been stopped at an intersection or the like, starts moving, improving the convenience of the vehicle 1. Also, in order to prevent sudden acceleration or the like unintended by the driver from occurring when ACC is resumed in this manner, how the vehicle 1 is accelerated when ACC is resumed (for example, the acceleration when ACC is resumed) is preset in the control device 30 by, for example, the manufacturer of the vehicle 1.

[0048] In addition, the control device 30 can resume ACC even if the vehicle 1 is not stopped when the brake is released, even if the hazard lights 93 are activated. This makes it possible to resume ACC even if the hazard lights 93 are turned on to show gratitude to the following vehicle that has given way to the driver when changing lanes or merging, which is customary in Japan, and improves the convenience of the vehicle 1.

[0049] 2(e), the restart prohibition condition may further include that the shift position of the vehicle 1 is "parking" (shown as "SHIFT P ON" in FIG. 2) or that the parking brake (not shown) of the vehicle 1 is activated (shown as "PARKING BRK ON" in FIG. 2). In this way, it becomes possible to control the vehicle 1 in a way that more accurately reflects the driver's intention to park the vehicle 1.

[0050] [Processing by the control device] Next, an example of the process executed by the control device 30 will be described with reference to Fig. 3. Note that the control device 30 executes the process shown in Fig. 3, for example, when starting ACC in response to receiving an operation instructing the start of ACC, or when resuming ACC that has been paused.

[0051] 3, the control device 30 first determines whether or not the driver has applied the brakes (step S1). If it is determined that the driver has not applied the brakes (step S1: NO), the control device 30 repeats the process of step S1 until the driver applies the brakes. If it is determined that the driver has applied the brakes (step S1: YES), the control device 30 temporarily stops the ACC (step S2) and causes the brake device to generate a braking force corresponding to the brake operation, thereby decelerating the vehicle 1.

[0052] When ACC is temporarily stopped, the control device 30 may notify the driver that ACC is temporarily stopped or that ACC may be resumed, for example, via the touch panel 21 or the speaker 22. In this way, it is possible to prevent the driver from performing unnecessary operations and reduce the burden on the driver.

[0053] Next, the control device 30 judges whether the driver's brake operation has been released (step S3). If it is judged that the brake operation has not been released (step S3: NO), the control device 30 repeats the process of step S3 until the brake operation is released. Then, if it is judged that the brake operation has been released (step S3: YES), the control device 30 judges whether the vehicle speed V is 0 or not, that is, whether the vehicle 1 is stopped or not (step S4).

[0054] When it is determined that the vehicle speed V is not 0, that is, the vehicle 1 is not stopped (step S4: NO), the control device 30 determines that the ACC restart prohibition condition is not satisfied, and restarts ACC (step S10). Note that when the control device 30 restarts ACC by the process of step S10, it executes the process shown in FIG. 3 again.

[0055] If the vehicle speed V is 0, that is, if the vehicle 1 is determined to be stopped (step S4: YES), the control device 30 determines whether the hazard lamps 93 are activated (step S5). If the hazard lamps 93 are determined to be not activated (step S5: NO), the control device 30 determines whether the turn signals 92 are activated (step S6).

[0056] When it is determined that the winker 92 is activated (step S6: YES), the control device 30 determines whether the current stop time is equal to or longer than a predetermined time (e.g., 5 minutes) (step S7). Here, the current stop time may be, for example, the elapsed time from when the vehicle 1 was most recently stopped to the present.

[0057] In performing the processing of step S7, the control device 30 may, for example, acquire as the stopping time the time during which the surrounding image captured by the camera (such as the front camera 11a) constituting the sensor group 10 remains substantially unchanged, or may acquire as the stopping time the time during which the vehicle speed V detected by the vehicle speed sensor 14 is 0.

[0058] If it is determined that the stop time is less than the predetermined time (step S7: NO), the control device 30 determines that the ACC restart prohibition condition is not satisfied, proceeds to the process of step S10 described above, and restarts ACC. That is, if the turn signal 92 is activated and the stop time is less than the predetermined time, it is considered that the vehicle 1 is simply stopped waiting to turn right or left and the driver has no intention of parking or stopping the vehicle. Therefore, in such a case, by restarting ACC in response to the release of the brake operation, the driver does not need to perform a separate operation to instruct the start of ACC, thereby improving convenience.

[0059] Furthermore, when it is determined that the turn signal 92 is not operating (step S6: NO), the control device 30 determines whether the driver's posture is normal or not (step S8). In the process of step S8, the control device 30 determines that the driver's posture is not normal when, for example, it is detected from the analysis result of the in-vehicle image captured by the driver monitor camera 91 that the driver is not facing the traveling direction of the vehicle 1 or the driver is not gripping the steering wheel 46. On the other hand, when it is detected that the driver is facing the traveling direction of the vehicle 1 and gripping the steering wheel 46, the control device 30 determines that the driver's posture is normal.

[0060] When it is determined that the driver's posture is normal (step S7: YES), the control device 30 determines that the ACC restart prohibition condition is not satisfied, proceeds to the process of step S10 described above, and restarts ACC. That is, when the driver's posture is normal, in other words, when the driver is in a posture suitable for driving the vehicle 1, it is considered that the driver has no intention of parking or stopping the vehicle. Therefore, in such a case, by restarting ACC in response to the release of the brake operation, it becomes possible to restart ACC when the vehicle 1 that has been stopped at an intersection or the like starts moving, and the driver does not need to perform a separate operation to instruct the start of ACC, thereby improving convenience.

[0061] On the other hand, if it is determined that the hazard lamps 93 are activated (step S5: YES), if it is determined that the turn signals 92 are activated and the vehicle has been stopped for a predetermined time or longer (step S6: YES, step S7: YES), or if it is determined that the driver's posture is not normal (step S8: NO), the control device 30 determines that the ACC resumption prohibition condition is satisfied and does not resume ACC. Then, the control device 30 proceeds to the process of step S9.

[0062] Next, the control device 30 judges whether or not a restart operation has been performed to instruct restart of the ACC (step S9). Here, the restart operation may be at least one operation that may be performed when starting the vehicle 1, such as an operation to deactivate the hazard lamps 93, an operation to deactivate the turn signals 92, an operation to activate the turn signals 92 on the opposite side of the road shoulder, or an accelerator operation.

[0063] When it is determined that there is no restart operation (step S9: NO), the control device 30 does not restart ACC and ends the process shown in Fig. 3. On the other hand, when it is determined that there is a restart operation (step S9: YES), the control device 30 proceeds to the process of step S10 described above and restarts ACC.

[0064] As described above, when the vehicle 1 is traveling using ACC, the control device 30 (e.g., the control unit 32) temporarily suspends ACC in response to the driver applying the brakes of the vehicle 1, and then does not resume ACC if the ACC resumption prohibition condition is satisfied when the brakes are released. This makes it possible to prevent ACC from being resumed against the driver's intention to park or stop the vehicle 1.

[0065] More specifically, for example, when the vehicle 1 is stopped and the hazard lamps 93 are activated when the brake operation is released, the control device 30 does not resume ACC as it satisfies the ACC resumption prohibition condition. That is, when the vehicle 1 is stopped and the hazard lamps 93 are activated, it is considered that the driver has the intention to park the vehicle 1. Therefore, by not resuming ACC if the vehicle 1 is stopped and the hazard lamps 93 are activated when the brake operation is released, the control device 30 can prevent ACC from being resumed against the driver's intention to park the vehicle 1.

[0066] Furthermore, for example, when the brake operation is released, if the vehicle 1 is stopped and the driver's posture is not normal, the control device 30 does not restart ACC as it satisfies the ACC restart prohibition condition. In other words, it is not preferable from the viewpoint of safety to start driving the vehicle 1 even if the driver's posture is not normal. Therefore, by not restarting ACC when the vehicle 1 is stopped and the driver's posture of the vehicle 1 is not normal, the control device 30 can prevent ACC from being restarted when the driver is not ready to drive the vehicle 1.

[0067] In addition, for example, when the brake operation is released, if the vehicle 1 is stopped, the turn signal 92 is activated, and the current stop time is equal to or longer than a predetermined time, the control device 30 does not resume ACC as it satisfies the ACC resumption prohibition condition. That is, if the vehicle 1 is stopped for equal to or longer than a predetermined time with the turn signal 92 activated, it is highly likely that the vehicle 1 is parked on the roadside or the like. Therefore, the control device 30 can prevent ACC from being resumed against the driver's will in the parked vehicle 1 by not resuming ACC when the vehicle 1 is stopped, the turn signal 92 is activated, and the current stop time is equal to or longer than a predetermined time. On the other hand, if the vehicle 1 is stopped for only a short time (in other words, less than a predetermined time) with the turn signal 92 activated, it is highly likely that the vehicle 1 is temporarily stopped while waiting to turn right or left at an intersection. In such a case, the control device 30 can automatically resume ACC, thereby improving convenience.

[0068] Furthermore, the control device 30 acquires the stopping time based on, for example, the detection result of the vehicle speed sensor 14 and / or images captured by cameras capable of capturing images of the periphery of the vehicle 1 (for example, the front camera 11a, the rear camera 11b, the left side camera 11c, and the right side camera 11d), and determines whether the stopping time is equal to or longer than a predetermined time. This makes it possible to acquire the stopping time with high accuracy even when the vehicle 1 is stopped without the hazard lamps 93 or the turn signals 92 being activated.

[0069] Furthermore, even if it is possible to prevent the resumption of ACC, for example, the control device 30 resumes ACC when the brake operation is released and a resumption operation is performed to start the vehicle 1. This allows the ACC to be resumed when the driver performs an operation to start the vehicle 1, making it possible to resume ACC while reducing the driver's efforts compared to a case in which a dedicated operation is required to resume ACC.

[0070] Furthermore, for example, when ACC is temporarily stopped, the control device 30 notifies the driver that ACC is temporarily stopped or that ACC may be resumed. This makes it possible to reduce the driver's effort by suppressing unnecessary operations to resume ACC when ACC is temporarily stopped.

[0071] The control method described in this embodiment can be realized by executing a prepared program on a computer. The program is stored in a computer-readable storage medium and is executed by reading it from the storage medium. The program may be provided in a form stored in a non-volatile (non-transient) storage medium such as a flash memory, or may be provided via a network such as the Internet. The computer that executes the program may be included in the vehicle 1, or may be included in an external device 2 (e.g., a server device) that can communicate with the vehicle 1.

[0072] Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. It is clear that a person skilled in the art can come up with various modified or revised examples within the scope of the claims, and it is understood that these also naturally belong to the technical scope of the present invention. In addition, the components in the above-mentioned embodiment may be arbitrarily combined within the scope of the invention.

[0073] For example, in the above embodiment, if the turn signal 92 is activated when the brake is released and the vehicle is stopped for a predetermined time or longer, the ACC is not restarted, but this is not limited to the above. For example, even if the turn signal 92 or the hazard lamp 93 is not activated when the brake is released, the ACC may not be restarted if the vehicle is stopped for a predetermined time or longer.

[0074] That is, when the vehicle 1 is stopped for a long time, there is a high possibility that the vehicle 1 is parked. For this reason, when the vehicle 1 is stopped for a predetermined time or longer without releasing the brake operation, the ACC may not be resumed regardless of whether the turn signals 92 and the hazard lamps 93 are operating. Even in this way, the ACC can be prevented from being resumed against the driver's will in the parked vehicle 1.

[0075] In addition, when the vehicle 1 is stopped when the brake of the vehicle 1 is released and the control device 30 recognizes that the driver of the vehicle 1 is performing an action unrelated to the driving of the vehicle 1 based on the image captured by the driver monitor camera 91, the control device 30 may not resume the ACC when the brake is released. For example, it is not preferable from the viewpoint of safety to start the driving of the vehicle 1 even if the driver is performing an action unrelated to the driving of the vehicle 1, such as operating a smartphone. Therefore, when the control device 30 recognizes that the vehicle 1 is stopped and the driver is performing an action unrelated to the driving of the vehicle 1, the control device 30 may not resume the ACC when the brake is released, thereby preventing the ACC from being resumed when the driver is not ready to drive the vehicle 1. Furthermore, in combination with the above-mentioned determination using the stopping time, when the control device 30 recognizes that the vehicle 1 has been stopped for a predetermined time or more and that the driver is performing an action unrelated to the driving of the vehicle 1, the control device 30 may determine that the driver has the intention to park the vehicle 1 and may not resume the ACC even if the brake of the vehicle 1 is released.

[0076] In the above-described embodiment, a four-wheeled automobile is exemplified as a vehicle, but the vehicle is not limited to this. A vehicle to which the technology of the present disclosure can be applied may be a two-wheeled automobile (a so-called motorcycle).

[0077] In addition, in the above-described embodiment, an example was described in which the driving control in the present invention was ACC, but this is not limited to this. For example, the driving control in the present invention may be constant speed driving control (cruise control) that does not include inter-vehicle distance control.

[0078] This specification describes at least the following items. Note that, in parentheses, components corresponding to those in the above-mentioned embodiment are shown, but the present invention is not limited to these.

[0079] (1) A vehicle control device (control device 30) configured to execute driving control for controlling a vehicle (vehicle 1) so that the driving speed of the vehicle becomes a target speed corresponding to a distance between the vehicle and a preceding vehicle traveling in front of the vehicle, or a predetermined speed set by a driver of the vehicle, The vehicle control device includes: The vehicle is configured to temporarily suspend the driving control in response to the driver operating a brake (braking force control system 70) of the vehicle while the vehicle is traveling under the driving control, and to resume the driving control in response to the driver releasing the brake, A control unit (control unit 32) that does not resume the driving control when the brake is released if a predetermined condition is satisfied when the brake is released. Vehicle control device.

[0080] According to (1), if a certain condition is satisfied when the brake is released, the driving control is not resumed, so that the driving control is not resumed in situations where it is desired not to resume the driving control, while the driving control can be resumed in other situations. Therefore, it is possible to appropriately execute the driving control, and to improve the safety and convenience of the vehicle. This in turn can further improve the safety of traffic and contribute to the development of a sustainable transportation system.

[0081] (2) A vehicle control device according to (1), The control unit is If the vehicle is stopped when the brake is released and the driver has activated the hazard lamps (hazard lamps 93) of the vehicle, the driving control is not resumed when the brake is released. Vehicle control device.

[0082] When the vehicle is stopped and the hazard lamps are activated (e.g., turned on), it is considered that the driver intends to park the vehicle. According to (2), if the vehicle is stopped when the brakes of the vehicle are released and the driver has activated the hazard lamps of the vehicle, the driving control is not resumed, so that the driving control is not resumed against the driver's intention to park the vehicle.

[0083] (3) A vehicle control device according to (1), The control unit is If the vehicle is stopped when the brake is released and the driver's posture is not normal, the driving control is not resumed when the brake is released. Vehicle control device.

[0084] From the viewpoint of safety, it is undesirable to start driving the vehicle even if the driver's posture is not normal. According to (3), if the vehicle is stopped when the brakes of the vehicle are released and the driver's posture is not normal, driving control is not resumed, so that driving control is not resumed when the driver is not prepared to drive the vehicle.

[0085] (4) A vehicle control device according to (1), The vehicle is A driver monitor camera (driver monitor camera 91) capable of imaging the driver is provided, The control unit is When the vehicle is stopped when the brake is released and it is recognized that the driver is performing an action unrelated to driving the vehicle based on an image captured by the driver monitor camera, the driving control is not resumed when the brake is released. Vehicle control device.

[0086] From the viewpoint of safety, it is undesirable to start the vehicle moving even if the driver is performing an action unrelated to the driving of the vehicle. According to (4), if the vehicle is stopped when the brakes of the vehicle are released and it is recognized that the driver is performing an action unrelated to the driving of the vehicle, the driving control is not resumed, so that the driving control is not resumed when the driver is not ready to drive the vehicle.

[0087] (5) A vehicle control device according to (1), The control unit is When the vehicle is stopped when the brake is released, and the driver has activated the turn signal of the vehicle, and the current stop time is equal to or longer than a predetermined time, the driving control is not resumed when the brake is released. Vehicle control device.

[0088] When a vehicle is stopped for a predetermined time or more with the turn signal activated (e.g., turned on), there is a high possibility that the vehicle is parked on the roadside or the like. According to (5), if the vehicle is stopped when the vehicle brake is released, the driver activates the turn signal, and the stopping time is a predetermined time or more, the driving control is not resumed, so that the driving control is not resumed against the driver's will in a parked vehicle. On the other hand, when the vehicle is stopped for only a short time (in other words, for less than a predetermined time) with the driver activating the turn signal, there is a high possibility that the vehicle is temporarily stopped while waiting to turn right or left at an intersection, etc. According to (5), in such a case, the driving control can be automatically resumed in response to the release of the vehicle brake, thereby improving convenience.

[0089] (6) A vehicle control device according to (1), The control unit is If the vehicle is stopped when the brake is released and the current stop time is equal to or longer than a predetermined time, the driving control is not resumed when the brake is released, determining whether the stop time is equal to or longer than the predetermined time based on a detection result of a vehicle speed sensor capable of detecting a traveling speed of the vehicle and / or an image captured by a camera capable of capturing an image of the periphery of the vehicle; Vehicle control device.

[0090] According to (6), it is possible to accurately obtain the stopping time even when the vehicle is stopped without activating the hazard lights or turn signals.

[0091] (7) A vehicle control device according to any one of (1) to (6), The control unit is Furthermore, when the driving control is temporarily stopped, the driver is notified that the driving control is temporarily stopped or that the driving control may be resumed. Vehicle control device.

[0092] According to (7), when driving control is temporarily suspended, it is possible to prevent the driver from performing unnecessary operations to resume driving control, thereby reducing the burden on the driver.

[0093] (8) A vehicle control device according to any one of (1) to (6), The control unit is The driving control is resumed in response to the brake being released and the driver performing a predetermined restart operation. The restart operation is an operation for starting the vehicle. Vehicle control device.

[0094] According to (8), when the driver performs an operation to start the vehicle, driving control can be resumed. Therefore, it is possible to resume driving control while reducing the effort required by the driver compared to a case in which a dedicated operation is required to resume driving control.

[0095] (9) A control method performed by a computer (control device 30) configured to be capable of executing driving control for controlling a vehicle (vehicle 1) so that the traveling speed of the vehicle becomes a target speed corresponding to a distance between the vehicle and a preceding vehicle traveling in front of the vehicle, or a predetermined speed set by a driver of the vehicle, The computer includes: The vehicle is configured to temporarily suspend the driving control in response to the driver operating a brake (braking force control system 70) of the vehicle while the vehicle is traveling under the driving control, and to resume the driving control in response to the driver releasing the brake, The computer, If a predetermined condition is satisfied when the brake is released, a process is performed not to resume the driving control when the brake is released. Control methods.

[0096] According to (9), if a certain condition is satisfied when the brake is released, the driving control is not resumed, so that the driving control is not resumed in a situation where it is desired not to resume the driving control, while the driving control can be resumed in other situations. Therefore, it is possible to appropriately execute the driving control, and to improve the safety and convenience of the vehicle. This in turn can further improve the safety of traffic and contribute to the development of a sustainable transportation system. [Explanation of symbols]

[0097] 1 vehicle 11a Front camera (camera) 11b Rear camera (camera) 11c Left side camera (camera) 11d Right side camera (camera) 14 Vehicle speed sensor 30 Control device (vehicle control device) 32 Control section 70 Braking force control system (brake) 91 Driver Monitor Camera 92 Turn signal 93 Hazard lights

Claims

1. A vehicle control device configured to be capable of executing a driving control for controlling a vehicle so that the traveling speed of the vehicle becomes a target speed according to a distance between the vehicle and a preceding vehicle traveling in front of the vehicle, or a predetermined speed set by a driver of the vehicle, The vehicle control device includes: The vehicle is configured to temporarily suspend the driving control in response to the driver applying a brake to the vehicle while the vehicle is traveling under the driving control, and to resume the driving control in response to the driver releasing the brake, and a control unit that does not resume the driving control when the brake is released if a predetermined condition is satisfied when the brake is released. Vehicle control device.

2. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, The control unit is If the vehicle is stopped when the brake is released and the driver has activated a hazard lamp of the vehicle, the driving control is not resumed when the brake is released. Vehicle control device.

3. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, The control unit is If the vehicle is stopped when the brake is released and the driver's posture is not normal, the driving control is not resumed when the brake is released. Vehicle control device.

4. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, The vehicle is A driver monitor camera capable of capturing an image of the driver is provided, The control unit is When the vehicle is stopped when the brake is released and it is recognized that the driver is performing an action unrelated to driving the vehicle based on an image captured by the driver monitor camera, the driving control is not resumed when the brake is released. Vehicle control device.

5. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, The control unit is When the vehicle is stopped when the brake is released, and the driver has activated the turn signal of the vehicle, and the current stop time is equal to or longer than a predetermined time, the driving control is not resumed when the brake is released. Vehicle control device.

6. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, The control unit is If the vehicle is stopped when the brake is released and the current stop time is equal to or longer than a predetermined time, the driving control is not resumed when the brake is released, determining whether the stop time is equal to or longer than the predetermined time based on a detection result of a vehicle speed sensor capable of detecting a traveling speed of the vehicle and / or an image captured by a camera capable of capturing an image of the periphery of the vehicle; Vehicle control device.

7. A vehicle control device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, The control unit is Furthermore, when the driving control is temporarily stopped, the driver is notified that the driving control is temporarily stopped or that the driving control may be resumed. Vehicle control device.

8. A vehicle control device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, The control unit is The driving control is resumed in response to the brake being released and the driver performing a predetermined restart operation. The restart operation is an operation for starting the vehicle. Vehicle control device.

9. A control method performed by a computer configured to be able to execute a driving control for controlling a vehicle so that the traveling speed of the vehicle becomes a target speed corresponding to a distance between the vehicle and a preceding vehicle traveling in front of the vehicle, or a predetermined speed set by a driver of the vehicle, comprising: The computer includes: The vehicle is configured to temporarily suspend the driving control in response to the driver applying a brake to the vehicle while the vehicle is traveling under the driving control, and to resume the driving control in response to the driver releasing the brake, The computer, If a predetermined condition is satisfied when the brake is released, a process is performed not to resume the driving control when the brake is released. Control methods.

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