Vehicle control device, vehicle control method, and program

Abstract

To provide a vehicle control device, a vehicle control method, and a program that can make a more appropriate distracted driving determination according to a surrounding situation of a vehicle.SOLUTION: A vehicle control device comprises: a recognition section that recognizes a surrounding situation of a vehicle; a driving state detection section that detects a driving state of an occupant of the vehicle; and a determination section that determines distracted driving of the occupant on the basis of a detection result of the driving state detection section. The determination section determines that the occupant is in distracted driving when steering operation of the occupant is not detected by the driving state detection section for a predetermined period of time or more, and the predetermined period of time is set on the basis of contact margin time between an obstacle near the vehicle and the vehicle, and speed of the vehicle.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

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

[0002] In recent years, efforts to provide access to sustainable transportation systems that take into consideration vulnerable traffic participants have been gaining momentum. To achieve this, efforts are being made to further improve traffic safety and convenience through research and development of preventive safety technology. In relation to this, a technology has been disclosed that detects distracted driving based on data on changes in the line of sight of the driver driving the vehicle and the steering angle caused by the driver's steering operation (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2008-243031 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, preventive safety technology does not take into account driving conditions such as the vehicle speed and the positional relationship with the preceding vehicle when determining whether the vehicle is driving aimlessly. Therefore, there was a problem that the conventional technology could not properly determine whether the vehicle is driving aimlessly, and therefore could not control the vehicle appropriately according to the surrounding conditions.

[0005] In order to solve the above problems, one of the objects of the present application is to provide a vehicle control device, a vehicle control method, and a program that can perform more appropriate distracted driving judgment according to the surrounding conditions of the vehicle, thereby contributing to the development of a sustainable transportation system. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The vehicle control device, the vehicle control method, and the program according to the present invention employ the following configuration. (1): A vehicle control device according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a recognition unit that recognizes the surrounding conditions of the vehicle, a driving state detection unit that detects the driving state of an occupant of the vehicle, and a judgment unit that judges whether the occupant is driving aimlessly based on the detection result of the driving state detection unit, wherein the judgment unit judges that the occupant is driving aimlessly when the driving state detection unit has not detected a steering operation of the occupant for a predetermined period of time or longer, and the predetermined period of time is set based on a contact margin time between the vehicle and an obstacle around the vehicle and the speed of the vehicle.

[0007] (2) In the above aspect (1), the predetermined time is set to be longer as the contact margin time is longer.

[0008] (3) In the above aspect (2), when the contact margin time is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the predetermined time is such that an adjustment amount of the time corresponding to the contact margin time is suppressed.

[0009] (4) In the above aspect (1), the predetermined time is set to be longer as the speed of the vehicle decreases.

[0010] (5) In the above aspect (4), when the speed of the vehicle is less than a predetermined speed, the amount of adjustment of the predetermined time corresponding to the speed of the vehicle is suppressed.

[0011] (6): In the above aspect (1), the predetermined time is set by multiplying a reference time for which it is determined that the vehicle can travel without contacting the obstacle without any driving operation by the occupant, which is set based on the contact margin time, by a coefficient set based on the speed of the vehicle.

[0012] (7): In the above aspect (1), the vehicle control unit is further provided with a vehicle control unit that, when the judgment unit determines that the occupant is driving aimlessly, controls one or both of the steering and acceleration / deceleration of the vehicle based on the contact margin time to warn the occupant.

[0013] (8) A vehicle control method according to another aspect of the present invention is a vehicle control method in which a computer recognizes the surrounding conditions of a vehicle, detects the driving state of an occupant of the vehicle, and, based on the detection results, determines that the occupant is driving aimlessly if no steering operation of the occupant is detected for a predetermined period of time or longer, the predetermined period of time being set based on a contact margin time between the vehicle and an obstacle around the vehicle and the speed of the vehicle.

[0014] (9) A program according to another aspect of the present invention causes a computer to recognize the situation around a vehicle, detect the driving state of an occupant of the vehicle, and, based on the detected results, determine that the occupant is driving aimlessly if no steering operation by the occupant is detected for a predetermined period of time or longer, the predetermined period of time being set based on a contact margin time between the vehicle and an obstacle around the vehicle and the speed of the vehicle. Effect of the Invention

[0015] According to the above aspects (1) to (9), it is possible to perform a more appropriate determination of absentminded driving in accordance with the surrounding conditions of the vehicle. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] 1 is a configuration diagram of a vehicle on which a vehicle control device according to an embodiment is mounted; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the contents of vehicle control according to the embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining the content of attention drawing control. [Figure 4] 11 is a diagram for explaining the content of contact warning control. FIG. [Diagram 5]FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the content of automatic steering avoidance control. [Figure 6] FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining steering control after a driver steering trigger. [Figure 7] 10 is a diagram for explaining the speed conditions of the host vehicle M under which control is started for each operation phase. FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining the determination of distracted driving. [Figure 9] 11 is a diagram for explaining the relationship between time to contact TTC and continuation determination reference time. FIG. [Figure 10] 4 is a diagram for explaining the relationship between the speed VM of the host vehicle M and a vehicle speed coefficient. FIG. [Figure 11] 4 is a flowchart showing an example of a process executed by a driving assistance device 100 in an embodiment. [Figure 12] 13 is a flowchart showing an example of a absentmindedness determination process. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0017] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of a vehicle control device, a vehicle control method, and a program according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0018] [Overall configuration] 1 is a configuration diagram of a vehicle equipped with a vehicle control device according to an embodiment. The vehicle equipped with the vehicle control device (hereinafter, referred to as the subject vehicle M) is, for example, a two-wheeled, three-wheeled, or four-wheeled vehicle, and its drive source is an internal combustion engine such as a diesel engine or a gasoline engine, an electric motor, or a combination of these. The electric motor operates using power generated by a generator connected to the internal combustion engine, or discharged power from a secondary battery or a fuel cell.

[0019] The vehicle M is equipped with, for example, a camera 10, a radar device 12, a LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) 14, an object recognition device 16, a communication device 20, an HMI (Human Machine Interface) 30, a vehicle sensor 40, a navigation device 50, an MPU (Map Positioning Unit) 60, a driver monitor camera 70, a driving operator 80, a driving support device 100, a driving force output device 200, a brake device 210, and a steering device 220. These devices and equipment are connected to each other by a multiple communication line such as a CAN (Controller Area Network) communication line, a serial communication line, a wireless communication network, etc. Note that the configuration shown in FIG. 1 is merely an example, and part of the configuration may be omitted, or another configuration may be added. The driving support device 100 is an example of a "vehicle control device".

[0020] The camera 10 is, for example, a digital camera using a solid-state imaging element such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor). The camera 10 is attached to any location of the host vehicle M. For example, when capturing an image of the area ahead of the host vehicle M, the camera 10 is attached to the top of the front windshield, the back of the rearview mirror, or the like. The camera 10, for example, periodically and repeatedly captures images of the surroundings of the host vehicle M. The camera 10 may be a stereo camera.

[0021] The radar device 12 emits radio waves such as millimeter waves around the vehicle M and detects radio waves reflected by an object (reflected waves) to detect at least the position (distance and direction) of the object. The radar device 12 is attached to an arbitrary location of the vehicle M. The radar device 12 may detect the position and speed of an object by an FM-CW (Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave) method.

[0022] The LIDAR 14 irradiates light (or electromagnetic waves with a wavelength close to that of light) around the vehicle M and measures the scattered light. The LIDAR 14 detects the distance to the target based on the time between light emission and light reception. The irradiated light is, for example, a pulsed laser light. The LIDAR 14 is attached to an arbitrary location of the vehicle M.

[0023] The object recognition device 16 performs sensor fusion processing on the detection results from some or all of the camera 10, the radar device 12, and the LIDAR 14 to recognize the position, type, speed, etc. of the object. The object recognition device 16 outputs the recognition result to the driving assistance device 100. The object recognition device 16 may output the detection results from the camera 10, the radar device 12, and the LIDAR 14 to the driving assistance device 100 as is. The object recognition device 16 may be omitted from the host vehicle M. Some or all of the camera 10, the radar device 12, the LIDAR 14, and the object recognition device 16 are examples of "external world detection devices."

[0024] The communication device 20 communicates with other vehicles in the vicinity of the vehicle M, for example, using a cellular network, a Wi-Fi network, Bluetooth (registered trademark), DSRC (Dedicated Short Range Communication), etc., or communicates with various server devices via a wireless base station.

[0025] The HMI 30 presents various information to the occupant of the vehicle M and accepts input operations by the occupant. The HMI 30 includes, for example, a display unit 32 and a speaker 34. The display unit 32 is, for example, an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) or an organic EL (Electro Luminescence) display device. The display unit 32 displays various images (including video) in the embodiment. The display unit 32 may be integrated with the input unit as a touch panel. The speaker 34 outputs a predetermined sound (for example, an alarm, etc.). In addition to (or instead of) the display unit 32 and the speaker 34, the HMI 30 may be a microphone, a buzzer, a vibration generating device (vibrator), a touch panel, a switch, a key, etc.

[0026] The vehicle sensor 40 includes a vehicle speed sensor that detects the speed of the host vehicle M, an acceleration sensor that detects the acceleration, a yaw rate sensor that detects the yaw rate (for example, the rotational angular velocity around a vertical axis passing through the center of gravity of the host vehicle M), and a direction sensor that detects the orientation of the host vehicle M. The vehicle sensor 40 may also be provided with a position sensor that detects the position of the host vehicle M. The position sensor is, for example, a sensor that acquires position information (longitude and latitude information) from a GPS (Global Positioning System) device. The position sensor may also be a sensor that acquires position information using a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiver 51 of the navigation device 50.

[0027] The navigation device 50 includes, for example, a GNSS receiver 51, a navigation HMI 52, and a route determination unit 53. The navigation device 50 holds first map information 54 in a storage device such as a hard disk drive (HDD) or a flash memory. The GNSS receiver 51 identifies the position of the vehicle M based on a signal received from a GNSS satellite. The position of the vehicle M may be identified or supplemented by an inertial navigation system (INS) using the output of the vehicle sensor 40. The navigation HMI 52 includes a display device, a speaker, a touch panel, keys, and the like. The navigation HMI 52 may be partially or entirely shared with the HMI 30 described above. The route determination unit 53, for example, determines a route (hereinafter, a route on a map) from the position of the vehicle M identified by the GNSS receiver 51 (or an arbitrary position input) to a destination input by a driver using the navigation HMI 52, with reference to the first map information 54. The first map information 54 is, for example, information in which road shapes are expressed by links indicating roads and nodes connected by the links. The first map information 54 may include road curvature, POI (Point Of Interest) information, and the like. The route on the map is output to the MPU 60. The navigation device 50 may perform route guidance using the navigation HMI 52 based on the route on the map. The navigation device 50 may be realized by, for example, a function of a terminal device such as a smartphone or tablet terminal owned by a passenger. The navigation device 50 may transmit a current position and a destination to a navigation server via the communication device 20, and obtain a route equivalent to the route on the map from the navigation server.

[0028] The MPU 60 includes, for example, a recommended lane determination unit 61, and stores second map information 62 in a storage device such as an HDD or a flash memory. The recommended lane determination unit 61 divides the route on the map provided by the navigation device 50 into a plurality of blocks (for example, by dividing it into 100 [m] blocks in the vehicle travel direction), and determines the recommended lane for each block by referring to the second map information 62. The recommended lane determination unit 61 determines which lane from the left the vehicle should travel in. In addition, when a branch point is present on the route on the map, the recommended lane determination unit 61 determines the recommended lane so that the vehicle M can travel a reasonable route to proceed to the branch point. The second map information 62 is map information with higher accuracy than the first map information 54. The second map information 62 includes, for example, information on the center of lanes, lane boundary information such as road dividing lines dividing lanes, and the like. The second map information 62 may include road information, traffic regulation information, address information (address and postal code), facility information, telephone number information, and the like. The second map information 62 may be updated as needed by the communication device 20 communicating with other devices. The first map information 54 and the second map information 62 may be stored in a storage unit within the driving assistance device 100.

[0029] The driver monitor camera 70 is a digital camera using a solid-state imaging element such as a CCD or a CMOS. The driver monitor camera 70 is attached to an arbitrary position in the vehicle M in a position and orientation that allows the head and upper body (including the position of the hands) of an occupant (hereinafter, the driver) seated in the driver's seat of the vehicle M to be imaged from the front (in an orientation that images the face). For example, the driver monitor camera 70 is attached to the upper part of a display device provided in the center of the instrument panel of the vehicle M. Therefore, since the image captured by the driver monitor camera 70 includes the driver and the steering wheel 82, it is also possible to determine whether the driver is gripping the steering wheel 82 from the image. The driver monitor camera 70 outputs an image of the interior of the vehicle including the driver of the vehicle M captured from the position where the driver monitor camera 70 is installed to the driving assistance device 100.

[0030] The driving operators 80 include, for example, a steering wheel 82, an accelerator pedal 84, a brake pedal 86, a turn signal switch, a shift lever, and other operators. The driving operators 80 are fitted with sensors that detect the amount of operation or the presence or absence of operation, and the detection results are output to the driving assistance device 100, or some or all of the driving force output device 200, the brake device 210, and the steering device 220.

[0031] For example, the steering wheel 82 is provided with a steering wheel sensor (SW sensor) 82A. The SW sensor 82A detects whether the driver is gripping the steering wheel 82 by using a contact sensor, a pressure sensor, or the like. The SW sensor 82A also detects the amount of operation (steer torque (input steering torque), steering amount) of the steering wheel 82 input (operated) by the driver. The SW sensor 82A may also detect the operation change rate (torque change rate). The steering wheel 82 does not necessarily have to be annular, and may be in the form of an irregular steering wheel, a joystick, a button, or the like. In this case, the SW sensor 82A detects the amount of operation according to each form.

[0032] An accelerator pedal sensor (AP sensor) 84A is attached to the accelerator pedal 84. The AP sensor 84A detects the amount of operation (opening) of the accelerator pedal 84, which changes in response to the driver's operation of the accelerator pedal 84. A brake pedal sensor (BP sensor) 86A is provided to the brake pedal 86. The BP sensor 86A detects the amount of operation (opening) of the brake pedal 86, which changes in response to the driver's operation of the brake pedal 86.

[0033] The driving force output device 200 outputs a driving force (torque) for driving the host vehicle M to the driving wheels. The driving force output device 200 includes, for example, a combination of an internal combustion engine, an electric motor, a transmission, etc., and an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) that controls these. The ECU controls the above components according to information input from the driving assistance device 100 or information input from the driving operator 80.

[0034] The brake device 210 includes, for example, a brake caliper, a cylinder that transmits hydraulic pressure to the brake caliper, an electric motor that generates hydraulic pressure in the cylinder, and an ECU. The ECU controls the electric motor according to information input from the driving support device 100 or information input from the driving operation element 80, so that a brake torque corresponding to a braking operation is output to each wheel. The brake device 210 may include a backup mechanism that transmits hydraulic pressure generated by operation of a brake pedal included in the driving operation element 80 to the cylinder via a master cylinder. Note that the brake device 210 is not limited to the configuration described above, and may be an electronically controlled hydraulic brake device that controls an actuator according to information input from the driving support device 100 to transmit hydraulic pressure in the master cylinder to the cylinder.

[0035] The steering device 220 includes, for example, a steering ECU and an electric motor. The electric motor changes the direction of the steered wheels by applying a force to, for example, a rack and pinion mechanism. The steering ECU drives the electric motor according to information input from the driving support device 100 or information input from the driving operator 80 to change the direction of the steered wheels.

[0036] [Driving assistance device] The driving support device 100 includes, for example, a recognition unit 110, a contact possibility determination unit 120, a driving state detection unit 130, a distracted driving determination unit 140, a vehicle control unit 150, an HMI control unit 160, and a storage unit 170. The recognition unit 110, the contact possibility determination unit 120, the driving state detection unit 130, the distracted driving determination unit 140, the vehicle control unit 150, and the HMI control unit 160 are realized by, for example, a hardware processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) executing a program (software). In addition, some or all of these components may be realized by hardware (including circuitry) such as an LSI (Large Scale Integration), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), or a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), or may be realized by cooperation between software and hardware. The program may be stored in advance in a storage device (a storage device having a non-transient storage medium) such as an HDD or flash memory of the driving support device 100, or may be stored in a removable storage medium such as a DVD or CD-ROM, and installed in the HDD or flash memory of the driving support device 100 by mounting the storage medium (non-transient storage medium) in a drive device. The absentminded driving determination unit 140 is an example of a "determination unit." The HMI control unit 160 is an example of a "notification control unit."

[0037] For example, the driving force output device 200, the brake device 210, and the steering device 220 are set so that instructions from the driving support device 100 to the driving drive force output device 200, the brake device 210, and the steering device 220 are executed with priority over the detection result from the driving operator 80. Regarding braking, if the braking force based on the operation amount of the brake pedal 86 is greater than the instruction from the driving support device 100, the latter may be set to be executed with priority. Furthermore, communication priority in an in-vehicle LAN (Local Area Network) may be used as a mechanism for executing the instruction from the driving support device 100 with priority. Regarding steering, the steering force based on the instruction from the driving support device 100 and the steering force based on the operation amount of the steering wheel 82 by the driver may be added together and executed.

[0038] The storage unit 170 may be realized by the above-mentioned various storage devices, or an SSD (Solid State Drive), an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), or the like. The storage unit 170 stores, for example, a program, information used by components in the driving assistance device 100, and various other information. The storage unit 170 may also store the above-mentioned map information (first map information 54, second map information 62).

[0039] The recognition unit 110 recognizes the surrounding situation of the vehicle M based on information input from an external environment detection device. For example, the recognition unit 110 recognizes the position (relative position, inter-vehicle distance), speed (relative speed), acceleration, and other states of objects present in the vicinity (for example, within a predetermined distance from the vehicle M). The objects are, for example, other vehicles, bicycles, pedestrians, and the like. The position of the object is recognized as a position on an absolute coordinate system with a representative point (center of gravity, center of drive shaft, etc.) of the vehicle M as the origin, and is used for control. The position of the object may be represented by a representative point such as the center of gravity or a corner of the object, or may be represented by an area. The "state" of the object may include the acceleration or jerk of the object, or the "action state" (for example, whether or not the vehicle is changing lanes or is about to change lanes). The recognition unit 110 also recognizes the relative position and relative speed of the object.

[0040] Further, the recognition unit 110 recognizes, for example, the lane in which the host vehicle M is traveling (driving lane). For example, the recognition unit 110 recognizes the driving lane by comparing a pattern of road dividing lines (for example, an arrangement of solid lines and dashed lines) obtained from the second map information 62 with a pattern of road dividing lines around the host vehicle M recognized from an image captured by the camera 10. The recognition unit 110 may recognize the driving lane by recognizing road boundaries (road boundaries) including not only road dividing lines but also road dividing lines, shoulders, curbs, median strips, guard rails, etc. In this recognition, the position of the host vehicle M obtained from the navigation device 50 and the processing results by the INS may be taken into consideration. The recognition unit 110 recognizes obstacles, stop lines, red lights, toll booths, and other road phenomena from the object recognition results. Obstacles are objects that the host vehicle M needs to avoid contacting, and include, for example, other vehicles, etc.

[0041] When recognizing the driving lane, the recognition unit 110 recognizes the position and attitude of the host vehicle M with respect to the driving lane. For example, the recognition unit 110 may recognize the deviation of the reference point of the host vehicle M from the center of the lane and the angle with respect to a line connecting the centers of the lanes in the traveling direction of the host vehicle M as the relative position and attitude of the host vehicle M with respect to the driving lane. Alternatively, the recognition unit 110 may recognize the position of the reference point of the host vehicle M with respect to either side end of the driving lane (a road dividing line or a road boundary) as the relative position of the host vehicle M with respect to the driving lane.

[0042] The contact possibility determination unit 120 determines whether or not there is a possibility of contact between the host vehicle M and an obstacle (e.g., another vehicle) based on the surrounding situation (external environment information) recognized by the recognition unit 110. For example, the contact possibility determination unit 120 determines whether or not there is a possibility of contact between the host vehicle M and another vehicle based on a contact margin value with another vehicle (preceding vehicle) existing in front of the host vehicle M based on the surrounding situation. The contact margin value is, for example, a value set based on a contact margin time TTC (Time To Collision), but may also be a value set based on a headway time THW (Time Headway). The contact margin time TTC is derived, for example, by dividing the relative distance by the relative speed in the relationship between the host vehicle M and the other vehicle. Also, the headway time THW is derived, for example, by dividing the relative distance (headway distance) by the speed of the host vehicle M. The contact margin time TTC may be derived, for example, using a learned model or a predetermined function that outputs the contact margin time TTC when the positions and speeds of the vehicle M and the other vehicle are input, or may be derived using a correspondence table in which the relative speed and relative position are associated with the contact margin time TTC. The above derivation method is similar to that for the headway time THW. For example, the shorter the contact margin time TTC (or the headway time THW), the smaller the contact margin value (in other words, the longer the contact margin time, the larger the contact margin value). For example, the contact possibility determination unit 120 determines that there is a possibility of contact between the vehicle M and the other vehicle when the contact margin value is less than a threshold value, and determines that there is no possibility of contact when the contact margin value is equal to or greater than the threshold value.

[0043] The driving state detection unit 130 detects the driving state of the occupant (driver) of the vehicle M. The driving state is, for example, gripping of the steering wheel 82 or steering operation (steer torque, steering amount). In addition to (or instead of) the above, the driving state may be at least one of an accelerator operation or operation amount (opening) by the accelerator pedal 84 and a brake operation or operation amount (opening) by the brake pedal 86. The driving state is acquired based on, for example, the detection results of the SW sensor 82A, the AP sensor 84A, and the BP sensor 86A. The driving state detection unit 130 may also detect a state in which the driver is not performing a driving operation (for example, at least one of a steering operation, an accelerator operation, and a brake operation) based on the detection results of each sensor.

[0044] Furthermore, the driving state detection unit 130 may detect that the driver's state is not suitable for driving based on the analysis result of the image captured by the driver monitor camera 70. For example, the driving state detection unit 130 detects that the driver's state is not suitable for driving when the driver is not monitoring the surroundings (particularly the front) of the vehicle M due to looking away based on the analysis result of the image, or when it is predicted that the driver's concentration is reduced based on a predetermined facial expression (a face that looks sleepy, a face that looks pained), etc.

[0045] The absentminded driving determination unit 140 determines whether the driver is driving absentmindedly based on the detection result of the driving state detection unit 130. The absentminded driving is, for example, a state in which the driver's driving operation of the vehicle M becomes slow (or does not operate) due to a decrease in the driver's attention or the like. For example, based on the detection result of the SW sensor 82A, the driving state detection unit 130 determines that the driver is driving absentmindedly when the state in which the steering operation of the steering wheel 82 by the driver is less than a threshold value (a determination threshold value TH1 described later) continues for a predetermined time (first predetermined time) or more, and determines that the driver is not driving absentmindedly when the state does not continue for the predetermined time or more.

[0046] Further, the absentminded driving determination unit 140 may detect that the driver is absentmindedly driving when the state in which the change in the opening degree of the accelerator pedal 84 and the brake pedal 86 is less than the threshold continues for a predetermined time (second predetermined time) or more based on the detection results of the AP sensor 84A and the BP sensor 86A instead of (or in addition to) the driver's steering operation. Further, the absentminded driving determination unit 140 may determine that the driver is absentmindedly driving when the state in which the driving state detection unit 130 detects that the driver's state is not suitable for driving continues for a predetermined time (third predetermined time) or more instead of (or in addition to) the above determination, and may determine that the driver is not absentmindedly driving when the state does not continue for the predetermined time or more. Note that the first predetermined time, the second predetermined time, and the third predetermined time may be the same time or different times.

[0047] Further, the absentminded driving determination unit 140 includes, for example, a time setting unit 142. The time setting unit 142 sets the above-mentioned predetermined time (first predetermined time, second predetermined time, third predetermined time) according to the surrounding situation of the host vehicle M, etc. For example, the time setting unit 142 sets the predetermined time based on the contact margin time TTC between the host vehicle M and an obstacle (for example, a preceding vehicle) around the host vehicle M and the speed of the host vehicle M. Specifically, the time setting unit 142 sets the predetermined time to be shorter as the speed of the host vehicle M increases, or sets the predetermined time to be shorter as the contact margin time TTC decreases. This makes it possible to more appropriately determine absentminded driving based on the situation of the host vehicle M and the surrounding situation based on the speed of the host vehicle M and the positional relationship between the host vehicle M and the obstacle.

[0048] The vehicle control unit 150 controls either or both of the steering and acceleration / deceleration of the host vehicle M based on the surrounding conditions recognized by the recognition unit 110. Furthermore, the vehicle control unit 150 may control either or both of the steering and acceleration / deceleration of the host vehicle M based on the processing results of at least one of the contact possibility determination unit 120, the driving state detection unit 130, and the absentminded driving determination unit 140. The vehicle control unit 150 includes, for example, a braking control unit 152 and a steering control unit 154.

[0049] The braking control unit 152 performs braking control of the host vehicle M in response to a driving operation by the driver of the host vehicle M (hereinafter, driver operation) or regardless of the driver operation based on the recognition result of the recognition unit 110. For example, when it is determined that an obstacle exists ahead of the host vehicle M, the braking control unit 152 performs at least deceleration control of the host vehicle M based on a target deceleration of the host vehicle M. In addition, the braking control unit 152 sets a deceleration state based on a contact margin value between the host vehicle M and the obstacle, and executes deceleration control based on the set deceleration state. The braking control unit 152 includes, for example, a gradual deceleration control and a contact avoidance braking control.

[0050] The braking control unit 152 performs a slow deceleration control of the host vehicle M when the recognition unit 110 determines that an obstacle (e.g., another vehicle) is present ahead of the host vehicle M. The slow deceleration control is a control (attention calling control) for making the driver aware of the approach of an obstacle by the vehicle behavior of deceleration and for calling attention, and is different from the contact avoidance control for avoiding contact with the obstacle (however, there may be cases where the driver ends up avoiding contact with the obstacle). In addition, the slow deceleration control is executed, for example, when the absentminded driving determination unit 140 determines that the driver is absentmindedly driving and the contact margin value satisfies the operating condition of the slow deceleration control.

[0051] In addition, the braking control unit 152 may stop the slow deceleration control when the driving state detection unit 130 detects an accelerator operation (operation of the accelerator pedal 84) of the driver that is equal to or greater than a predetermined value (for example, a predetermined amount) during the slow deceleration control. In this way, by determining the driver's intention based on the accelerator operation, a more appropriate override control (switching to manual driving by the driver) can be executed for the slow deceleration control. The predetermined value (predetermined amount) may be changed based on the operation speed of the accelerator operation by the driver. For example, when the operation speed is equal to or greater than the predetermined speed, the braking control unit 152 sets the predetermined value smaller than when the operation speed is less than the predetermined speed (conversely, when the operation speed is less than the predetermined speed, the predetermined value is set larger than when the operation speed is equal to or greater than the predetermined speed). In addition, the braking control unit 152 may change the predetermined value according to the target deceleration, for example, and set the predetermined value larger as the target deceleration increases. This makes it possible to realize a more appropriate override determination according to the driving situation of the driver and the surrounding situation of the host vehicle M.

[0052] Furthermore, the braking control unit 152 performs emergency brake control as contact avoidance braking control to avoid contact between the host vehicle M and an obstacle. The contact avoidance braking control is braking control (deceleration control) to avoid contact when it is determined that the host vehicle M may come into contact with an obstacle based on the surrounding situation recognized by the recognition unit 110. The contact avoidance braking control includes, for example, a Collision Mitigation Brake System (CMBS) control that assists in contact avoidance or damage reduction. The contact avoidance braking control may be performed, for example, after gradual deceleration control, or may be performed when a contact margin value satisfies an operating condition for the contact avoidance braking control.

[0053] The steering control unit 154 controls the steering of the host vehicle M. The steering control unit 154 includes, for example, centering steering control and contact avoidance steering control. The centering steering control is a steering control (centering steering control) that moves the host vehicle M toward the center of the driving lane when the recognition unit 110 determines that an obstacle exists in front of the host vehicle M. This steering control is not for avoiding contact with the obstacle, but is a control for making the driver aware of the obstacle in front and for encouraging attention by the vehicle behavior that moves laterally near the center (however, there may be cases where the driver ends up avoiding contact with the obstacle). This steering control can make the driver aware of the obstacle in front at an early stage, and can contribute to the driver's driving to avoid contact. The centering steering control may be executed when the absentminded driving determination unit 140 determines that the driver is driving absentmindedly, and may be executed when the contact margin value satisfies the operating condition of the steering control. The above-mentioned gentle deceleration control and centering steering control may be executed separately, or may be executed simultaneously at the same timing (for example, during the attention calling control stage).

[0054] In addition, the steering control unit 154 performs steering control of the host vehicle M to avoid contact between the host vehicle M and an obstacle as contact avoidance steering control. In the contact avoidance steering control, when avoidance within the driving lane of the host vehicle M is possible, the host vehicle M moves to a space where it will not come into contact with the obstacle within a range that does not deviate from the same lane without the driver's steering operation. In addition, the contact avoidance steering control may perform steering control of the host vehicle M so that the behavior of the host vehicle M after the avoidance operation is stabilized after the host vehicle M crosses a dividing line that divides the driving lane by the driver's steering operation to avoid an obstacle. The contact avoidance steering control may be performed, for example, after the centering steering control, or when the contact margin value satisfies the operating condition of the contact avoidance steering control.

[0055] The vehicle control unit 150 may execute controls other than the above-mentioned vehicle controls. For example, the vehicle control unit 150 may perform steering control to keep the host vehicle M within the driving lane as LKAS (Lane Keeping Assistance System) control (lane maintenance control). In this case, the vehicle control unit 150 assists the driver in steering the host vehicle M by controlling the steering device 220 so that the host vehicle M does not deviate from the driving lane.

[0056] The HMI control unit 160 notifies the occupants (including the driver) of predetermined information through the HMI 30. The predetermined information includes, for example, information related to the traveling of the vehicle M, such as information related to the state of the vehicle M and information related to driving control. The information related to the state of the vehicle M includes, for example, the speed of the vehicle M, the engine speed, the shift position, and the like. The information related to the driving control includes, for example, the type of driving control being executed (for example, gentle deceleration, centering steering control, contact avoidance braking control, contact avoidance steering control), the reason for operating the driving control, the status of the driving control, and the like. The information related to the driving control may include information about a warning to the driver and a contact attention warning. The predetermined information may include, for example, information related to the current position and destination of the vehicle M, information about the remaining amount of fuel, and the like, and may include information unrelated to the traveling control of the vehicle M, such as television programs, content (for example, movies) stored in a storage medium such as a DVD, and the like.

[0057] For example, the HMI control unit 160 may generate an image including the above-mentioned predetermined information and display the generated image on the display unit 32 of the HMI 30, or may generate a sound indicating the predetermined information and output the generated sound from the speaker 34 of the HMI 30. The timing at which the sound is output is, for example, when driving control is started or stopped, when the image to be displayed is switched, when the host vehicle M is in a predetermined state, etc. Furthermore, the HMI control unit 160 may output the information received by the HMI 30 to the vehicle control unit 150, etc.

[0058] [Vehicle control unit] Next, the contents of the vehicle control by the vehicle control unit 150 of the embodiment will be specifically described. Fig. 2 is a diagram for explaining the contents of the vehicle control of the embodiment. The example of Fig. 2 shows the contents of the vehicle control when it is determined that there is a possibility of contact based on the contact margin time TTC, which is an example of a contact margin value. In the example of Fig. 2, it is assumed that time T1 is the earliest, followed by times T2, T3, T4, and T5 in that order.

[0059] First, it is assumed that at time T1, the contact possibility determination unit 120 determines that there is a possibility of contact between the vehicle M and an obstacle. The absentminded driving determination unit 140 may continue to determine whether the driver is driving absentmindedly from a point in time before time T1. Details of the absentminded driving determination will be described later. When it is determined that there is a possibility of contact, the vehicle control unit 150 performs attention calling control ((1) in the figure) to call the driver's attention to the surroundings (particularly the traveling direction) based on the contact margin time TTC and the determination result of the absentminded driving determination unit 140.

[0060] FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the contents of the attention calling control. In the example of FIG. 3, lanes L1 and L2 that can be traveled in the same direction (X-axis direction in the figure) are shown. Lane L1 is divided by road dividing lines LN1 and LN2, and lane L2 is divided by road dividing lines LN2 and LN3. In the example of FIG. 3, the host vehicle M travels on lane L1 at a speed VM, and another vehicle (preceding vehicle) m1 is present in front of the host vehicle M and travels on lane L1 at a speed Vm1. The other vehicle m1 is an example of an "obstacle."

[0061] 3, the vehicle control unit 150 performs the attention calling control when the time to contact TTC based on the relative position and relative speed between the vehicle M and the other vehicle m1 reaches a first predetermined value (predetermined time) or more at time T2 and the driver is determined to be driving aimlessly. Time T2 is, for example, the time when the time to contact TTC is about 3 to 4 seconds.

[0062] The attention calling control includes, for example, at least one of the slow deceleration control and the centering steering control. The slow deceleration control executed in the attention calling control is a control in the first deceleration state. The braking control unit 152 sets a target deceleration (first target deceleration) so that a load (longitudinal G) of a first upper limit deceleration (about 0.1 [G]) is applied to the driver in the traveling direction (longitudinal direction). In addition, in the attention calling control (first deceleration state), the braking control unit 152 may first perform the slow deceleration control at a first deceleration rate (for example, longitudinal G of 0.05 [G]), and then perform the deceleration control at a second deceleration rate (for example, longitudinal G of 0.1 [G]) that is greater than the first deceleration rate. By controlling the deceleration rate to be increased in a stepwise manner in this way, it is possible to reduce the load on the occupants such as the driver at the start of execution of the slow deceleration control, and to prevent the occupants from being surprised by the slow deceleration control.

[0063] In the attention calling control shown in Fig. 3, the steering control unit 154 performs centering steering control to steer the host vehicle M so that a reference point such as the center of gravity or center of the host vehicle M is positioned in the center of the driving lane (lane L1). In the example of Fig. 3, the vehicle control unit 150 generates a future target trajectory K1 of the host vehicle M corresponding to the gradual deceleration control and centering steering control, and controls the steering and speed of the host vehicle M so that the host vehicle M travels along the target trajectory K1.

[0064] At time T2, the HMI control unit 160 may generate an image indicating the reason for the operation of the driver's attention-calling control (gentle deceleration control, centering steering control) and notify the driver by displaying the generated image on the display unit 32. In this case, however, audio output is not required. This makes it possible to simply inform the driver of the approach of an obstacle and prompt the driver to take early avoidance action.

[0065] Returning to Fig. 2, when the time to contact TTC (contact margin value) becomes less than a predetermined value (predetermined time) at time T3 while the driver does not call attention to the surroundings (or performs override control) even if the above-mentioned attention calling control is performed, and the driver is determined to be driving absentmindedly, the contact attention warning control ((2) in the figure) is performed. Time T3 is the time when the time to contact TTC becomes about 2 seconds, for example.

[0066] FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the contents of the contact attention warning control. FIG. 4 shows a situation in which the contact margin time TTC becomes 2 [seconds] in a situation where the driver does not operate the accelerator from the situation shown in FIG. 3. In the contact attention warning control stage, the gradual deceleration control unit 142A sets a target deceleration (second target deceleration), executes gradual deceleration control according to the set second target deceleration, generates a target trajectory K2, and controls the host vehicle M to travel along the generated target trajectory K2. The gradual deceleration control executed in the contact attention warning control is a control in the second deceleration state. In the second deceleration state, the braking control unit 152 sets a target deceleration (second target deceleration) so that a load (longitudinal G) larger than the first upper limit deceleration is applied to the driver in the traveling direction (longitudinal direction) at or below the second upper limit deceleration (about 0.2 [G]). This makes it possible to make the driver more clearly aware that the host vehicle M is approaching another vehicle m1. In this way, deceleration control is performed while increasing the deceleration rate as necessary, so that more time is created to make the driver aware of the other vehicle m1, and the driver can drive in a way that allows him or her to avoid contact with the other vehicle m1 with ease.

[0067] During the contact warning control, the above-mentioned centering steering control may be executed in addition to (or instead of) the gradual deceleration control. During the contact warning control, the HMI control unit 160 may execute control (alarm escalation control) to highlight the image of the attention-calling information displayed on the display unit 32 or to output an alarm to the speaker 34. This allows the driver to be strongly notified of the high possibility of contact by images and sounds while decelerating, and the driver can be more clearly prompted to pay attention and to perform contact avoidance control.

[0068] Returning to FIG. 2, after the execution of the contact attention warning control, at time T4 when the vehicle control unit 150 determines that automatic avoidance is possible within the driving lane based on the surrounding situation recognized by the recognition unit 110, the steering control unit 154 executes the automatic steering avoidance control ((3) shown in FIG. 2). FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the contents of the automatic steering avoidance control. In the example of FIG. 5, for example, the control is performed when the driver does not operate the accelerator after the execution of the contact attention warning control. In this case, the steering control unit 154 performs steering control based on the positional relationship between the area of ​​the driving lane and the other vehicle m1, and when an avoidance space exists in the driving lane, generates a target trajectory K3 for traveling through the avoidance space, and executes steering control so that the host vehicle M travels along the generated target trajectory K3. The steering control unit 154 may also perform acceleration / deceleration control in addition to the steering control. During the automatic steering avoidance control, the HMI control unit 160 may continue to execute the above-mentioned warning escalation control. As a result, when steering avoidance is possible with highly safe control, automatic steering control can be executed, thereby realizing more appropriate vehicle control.

[0069] At this timing, the vehicle control unit 150 may execute the CMBS control in parallel by the contact avoidance braking control unit 152B. When the CMBS control is executed, the above-mentioned automatic steering avoidance control and the contact avoidance steering control described later may not be executed.

[0070] Returning to FIG. 2, at time T5 when the driver operates the steering wheel 82 (detects the driver steering trigger) and performs a steering operation in a direction to avoid the other vehicle m1, the contact avoidance steering control unit 154B performs contact avoidance steering control so as not to deviate further into the adjacent lane (lane L2) adjacent to the driving lane (lane L1) ((4) in FIG. 2). The driver steering trigger is, for example, when the amount of steering operation by the driver to avoid the other vehicle m1 becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined amount. The contact avoidance steering control may be performed after the automatic steering avoidance control or after the contact attention warning control.

[0071] FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining steering control after a driver steering trigger. In the example of FIG. 6, when there is no space on the lane L1 to avoid contact of the host vehicle M with another vehicle m1 and when a driver steering trigger is detected, the steering control unit 154 allows the host vehicle M to move from the lane L1 to the adjacent lane L2 and performs steering control of the host vehicle M so that the host vehicle M does not further deviate from the adjacent lane L2. For example, a target trajectory K4 for changing lanes to the lane L2 is generated, and steering assistance is performed so that the position of the host vehicle M approaches the target trajectory K4 by the steering operation by the driver. In addition, during contact avoidance steering control, the HMI control unit 160 may continue to perform the above-mentioned alarm escalation control. This allows more appropriate vehicle control to be realized even when emergency avoidance steering is performed by the steering operation of the driver.

[0072] Furthermore, when the contact time to collision TTC approaches the limit value after the attention drawing control shown in (1) of Fig. 2 and the driver performs a steering operation, the vehicle control unit 150 executes contact avoidance steering control (driver steering assist control) so as not to cross further into the adjacent lane, similar to the control in (4) of Fig. 2 ((5) of Fig. 2). In this case, the HMI control unit 160 may perform notification control such as a notification that the contact avoidance steering control is operating or an alarm.

[0073] In each of the operation phases of the attention call, the contact attention warning, the automatic steering avoidance, and the contact avoidance steering shown in FIG. 2, a condition related to the speed of the host vehicle M may be added to the judgment conditions for operation. FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining the speed condition of the host vehicle M for starting control for each operation phase. For example, in the contact avoidance steering control in the automatic steering avoidance and the contact avoidance steering (steering assistance), one of the operation start conditions is that the speed VM of the host vehicle M is 40 [km / h] or more. Since this control is a control after the attention call, if the contact margin time TTC is about 2 [seconds], the contact can be sufficiently avoided by the driver's brake operation. In addition, the centering steering control in the attention call and the contact attention warning is controlled to be executed when the speed VM of the host vehicle M is 30 [km / h] or more. In addition, in the case of the accelerator operation (AP operation), the gradual deceleration control in the attention call and the contact attention warning is controlled to be executed when the speed VM of the host vehicle M is 30 [km / h] or more. This speed is below the steering avoidance limit speed and is within the range where there is a performance margin of the CMBS control, so that more appropriate driving control can be realized by setting this condition. In addition, when there is no AP operation, the control is performed when the speed VM of the vehicle M is 5 [km / h] or more. In other words, the speed is set lower when the AP operation of the driver is not detected than when the AP operation is detected. This relaxes the start condition of the gradual deceleration control in a situation where there is no AP operation, so that the gradual deceleration control can be performed in various situations, including a mindless driving state in a traffic jam, and contact between the vehicle M and another vehicle m1 can be avoided more safely.

[0074] [Distracted driving judgment unit] Next, the content of the determination of the absentminded driving by the absentminded driving determination unit 140 will be described. FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining the content of the determination of the absentminded driving. In the example of FIG. 8, the horizontal axis indicates time [seconds], and the vertical axis indicates the steering torque [Nm] of the vehicle M, the torque change rate, the steering state flag, and the absentminded determination flag. In the example of FIG. 8, the steering state flag indicates whether or not the driver is performing a steering operation, and is set to "1" when the torque change rate is equal to or greater than the determination threshold TH1, indicating that the driver is performing a steering operation, and is set to "0" when the torque change rate is less than the determination threshold TH1, indicating that the driver is not performing a steering operation. In addition, the absentminded determination flag indicates whether or not the driver is performing a absentminded driving, and is set to "0" when it is determined that the driver is performing absentminded driving, and is set to "1" when it is determined that the driver is not performing absentminded driving.

[0075] For example, the absentminded driving determination unit 140 determines that the driver is driving absentmindedly when the state where the amount of driving operation is less than the determination threshold continues for a predetermined time or more. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 8, the absentminded driving determination unit 140 calculates a torque change rate from the steering torque of the driver obtained from the SW sensor 82A, and determines whether the calculated torque change rate is equal to or greater than the determination threshold TH1. In addition, the absentminded driving determination unit 140 determines that the driver is driving absentmindedly when the state where the torque change rate is less than the determination threshold TH1 continues for a predetermined time or more ΔT1. For example, when performing attention calling control or contact attention warning control on the condition that the driver is driving absentmindedly, if the determination whether the driver is driving absentmindedly or not is frequently switched, the above control is also frequently executed, so by adding the continuation for a predetermined time or more ΔT1 to the determination condition for driving absentmindedly, it is possible to suppress the driver from feeling bothered by the control switching.

[0076] [Time setting section] Next, the contents of the setting of the predetermined time by the time setting unit 142 will be described. For example, the time setting unit 142 sets the predetermined time ΔT1 by multiplying the continuation judgment reference time, which is set based on the contact margin time TTC between the vehicle M and an obstacle (for example, another vehicle m1), by a vehicle speed coefficient, which is set based on the speed VM of the vehicle M. The continuation judgment reference time is, for example, a time (reference time) that can be determined to be able to run the vehicle M without contacting an obstacle in a state where there is no driving operation by the driver (a state where the operation amount is less than a threshold value). FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining the relationship between the contact margin time TTC and the continuation judgment reference time. In the example of FIG. 9, the horizontal axis indicates the contact margin time TTC [seconds], and the vertical axis indicates the continuation judgment reference time [seconds]. In the example of FIG. 9, the continuation judgment reference time [seconds] is set to be smaller as the contact margin time TTC becomes smaller.

[0077] In the example of FIG. 9, the continuation judgment reference time is set to a certain value (for example, about 0.3 [seconds]) when the contact margin time TTC is 0 (zero), and the continuation judgment reference time is set to increase (become longer) linearly as the contact margin time TTC increases (becomes longer). The increasing tendency is not limited to the above example, and may increase nonlinearly (on a curve or in stages). In addition, the continuation judgment reference time may be suppressed by an adjustment amount corresponding to the contact margin time TTC when the contact margin time TTC is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. Suppressing the adjustment amount may include reducing the amount of correction of the time caused by the contact margin time TTC, or not correcting more than the current state (keeping the adjustment amount constant). In the example of FIG. 9, the continuation judgment reference time is set to a constant value (for example, about 1.8 [seconds]) after a sufficient time (for example, about 24 [seconds]) until the host vehicle M and the other vehicle m1 come into contact. In this way, by setting the continuation judgment reference time based on the contact margin time TTC, the predetermined time ΔT1 is set to be short when the driver is in danger, making it possible to judge whether the driver is driving aimlessly in a short time. Also, when the danger is low, it is possible to take a certain amount of time to judge whether the driver is driving aimlessly, thereby improving the judgment accuracy.

[0078] FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining the relationship between the speed VM of the vehicle M and the vehicle speed coefficient. In the example of FIG. 10, the horizontal axis indicates the speed VM [km / h] of the vehicle M, and the vertical axis indicates the vehicle speed coefficient. It is considered that where the speed VM of the vehicle M is low, the speed at which the traffic situation changes is also slow, and contact between the vehicle M and another vehicle m1 can be sufficiently avoided by CMBS control or the like. Therefore, in the example of FIG. 10, the coefficient is increased as the speed VM decreases (becomes smaller) so that the predetermined time ΔT1 becomes longer. However, in reality, there are some cases of contact due to the driver looking away in traffic jams, etc. Therefore, the vehicle speed coefficient may be suppressed in the adjustment amount (increase amount) of the vehicle speed coefficient corresponding to the speed VM when the speed VM is less than the predetermined speed. Suppressing the adjustment amount may include reducing the correction amount of the vehicle speed coefficient caused by the speed VM, or not correcting it more than the current situation (keeping the adjustment amount constant). In the example of FIG. 10, when the speed VM is less than a predetermined speed (for example, around 30 [km / h]), the coefficient is not increased any more and is kept constant. This can reduce collisions caused by looking away during traffic jams, etc. In the example of Fig. 10, the vehicle speed coefficient is set to increase (increase) nonlinearly (on a curve) as the speed V decreases (becomes smaller) until the speed VM becomes approximately 30 [km / h] or less, but it may be set to increase linearly or in a stepwise manner.

[0079] 9 and 10 may be stored in, for example, the storage unit 170. When setting the predetermined time ΔT1, the time setting unit 142 refers to the storage unit 170, acquires the continuation judgment reference time and the vehicle speed coefficient based on the current time to contact TTC and the speed VM of the host vehicle M from the corresponding information shown in Fig. 9 and Fig. 10, and variably sets the predetermined time ΔT1. This allows the absentminded driving judgment unit 140 to make an absentminded driving judgment at an appropriate time, and can perform more appropriate vehicle control according to the surrounding conditions of the vehicle based on the judgment result.

[0080] The time setting unit 142 may set the predetermined time according to the driver's driving behavior and driving behavior. For example, before the driver becomes distracted or careless, the driver performs a preparatory action to stabilize the state of the vehicle M. The preparatory action is, for example, a driving operation to increase the distance between the vehicle M and an obstacle (vehicle ahead) or to move the vehicle M to a direction or position (for example, the center of the lane) that makes it difficult to deviate from the lane. Therefore, when the time setting unit 142 recognizes the above-mentioned preparatory action based on the recognition result of the recognition unit 110, the time setting unit 142 may set the predetermined time ΔT1 based on the speed VM of the vehicle M. For example, when the vehicle M is traveling at a speed of 60 to 70 km / h and a safety area is secured around the vehicle M by the preparatory action, the time that the vehicle M is predicted to stay in the lane without changing the steering is about 5 seconds. Therefore, the time setting unit 142 sets the predetermined time ΔT1 to be equal to or less than the time (about 5 seconds) corresponding to the safety area secured by the preparatory action. This makes it possible to determine whether the vehicle is driving aimlessly within an area that is predicted to be safe.

[0081] In addition, in normal driving, for example, when the driver operates an in-vehicle device such as the navigation device 50 or an audio device (not shown), there is a certain amount of time that is permissible for looking away. In this case, the permissible time is about 2 seconds. Therefore, the time setting unit 142 may set the predetermined time ΔT1 to be equal to or greater than the permissible time (about 2 seconds) corresponding to the operation of the in-vehicle device of the vehicle M. This makes it possible to prevent the generally permissible operation time of the in-vehicle device from being determined as mindless driving, and to detect a mindless driving state that is likely to lead to an accident.

[0082] [Processing flow] Fig. 11 is a flowchart showing an example of the process executed by the driving support device 100 in the embodiment. In the example of Fig. 11, a vehicle control process including a distracted driving determination among the processes executed by the driving support device 100 will be described.

[0083] In the example of FIG. 11, the recognition unit 110 recognizes the surrounding conditions of the host vehicle M (step S100). Next, the contact possibility determination unit 120 derives a contact margin time TTC between the host vehicle M and an obstacle based on the recognized surrounding conditions (step S120). Next, the driving state detection unit 130 detects the driving state of the driver of the host vehicle M (step S140). Next, the absentminded driving determination unit 140 determines whether the driver is driving absentmindedly or not based on the detection result of the driving state by the driving state detection unit 130 (step S160). If it is determined that the driver is driving absentmindedly, the vehicle control unit 150 determines whether the contact margin time TTC satisfies the operating condition of the deceleration control or the steering control (step S180). If it is determined that the contact margin time TTC satisfies the operating condition of the deceleration control or the steering control, the vehicle control unit 150 executes a vehicle control that satisfies the operating condition (step S200). This vehicle control includes, for example, the above-mentioned attention calling control, contact attention warning control, automatic steering avoidance control, and contact avoidance steering control. This ends the process of this flowchart. Also, if it is determined in the process of step S160 that the vehicle is not driving aimlessly, or if it is determined in the process of step S180 that the contact margin time TTC does not satisfy the operating condition of the deceleration control or the steering control, the process of this flowchart ends.

[0084] Fig. 12 is a flowchart showing an example of the absentmindedness determination process. The process shown in Fig. 12 is a specific example of the process of step S160 described above. In the example of Fig. 12, the time setting unit 142 acquires a continuation determination reference time from the contact margin time TTC (step S161). Next, the time setting unit 142 acquires a vehicle speed coefficient from the speed VM of the host vehicle M (step S162). Next, the time setting unit 142 multiplies the continuation determination reference time by the vehicle speed coefficient to set a predetermined time ΔT1 (step S163).

[0085] Next, the absentminded driving determination unit 140 determines whether or not the driver's steering operation has not been detected continuously for a predetermined time ΔT1 or more (step S164). If it is determined that the steering operation has not been detected continuously for the predetermined time ΔT1 or more, the absentminded driving determination unit 140 determines that the driver is driving absentmindedly (step S165). If it is determined that the steering operation has not been detected continuously for the predetermined time or more (i.e., the driver's steering operation has been detected), it determines that the driver is not driving absentmindedly (step S166). This ends the processing of this flowchart.

[0086] As described above, according to the embodiment, the vehicle includes a recognition unit 110 that recognizes the surrounding conditions of the vehicle M, a driving state detection unit 130 that detects the driving state of the occupant of the vehicle M, and a mindless driving determination unit (one example of a determination unit) 140 that determines the mindless driving of the occupant based on the detection result of the driving state detection unit 130. When the driving state detection unit 130 does not detect the steering operation of the occupant for a predetermined time or more, the mindless driving determination unit 140 determines that the occupant is mindless driving, and the predetermined time is set based on the contact margin time between the obstacle around the vehicle and the vehicle and the speed of the vehicle, so that the driver can be more appropriately determined to be mindless driving according to the surrounding conditions of the vehicle M. Therefore, the vehicle can be more appropriately controlled for the occupant according to the surrounding conditions of the vehicle M.

[0087] Specifically, according to an embodiment, for example, if steering torque input is not detected for a predetermined period of time, it is determined that the vehicle is driving aimlessly, and the predetermined period of time is changed depending on the contact margin time TTC with an obstacle (e.g., a vehicle ahead) and the speed VM of the vehicle M, thereby making it possible to make a more appropriate determination of aimless driving depending on the driving conditions and surrounding conditions of the vehicle M.

[0088] For example, the shorter the distance to the obstacle ahead, the higher the possibility of contact. Therefore, in the embodiment, by setting the margin time to be shorter as the distance to the obstacle becomes shorter, it is possible to detect absent-minded driving early, and vehicle control (driving assistance) can be performed so that the driver notices the obstacle ahead or avoids contact. In addition, since there are cases where absent-minded driving cannot be detected if the margin time to the obstacle is set too long, in the embodiment, when the distance to the obstacle is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the margin time is set constant so that absent-minded driving can be appropriately determined, and it is possible to detect absent-minded driving due to distraction, etc., while reducing excessive determinations.

[0089] For example, as the speed VM of the vehicle M increases, the speed difference between the vehicle and an obstacle ahead becomes more likely to occur, and the time required to approach the obstacle ahead becomes shorter due to the speed difference. Therefore, in the embodiment, the reference time for the distraction determination is set to be shorter as the speed of the vehicle M increases, so that distraction can be detected early. Therefore, vehicle control that makes the driver aware of the obstacle ahead can be performed early, and driving assistance can be performed to avoid contact. In addition, since the driver tends to be distracted more often as the speed decreases, in the embodiment, the change in the predetermined time due to the speed is kept constant and the predetermined time is not made longer than necessary, so that the occurrence of the distraction determination more than necessary at low speeds and the detection of distraction due to distraction can be achieved at the same time, thereby realizing more appropriate vehicle control.

[0090] [Variations] In the above embodiment, the slow deceleration control and centering steering control are performed in the attention calling control and the contact warning control when the driver is determined to be driving absentmindedly as one of the operation conditions. However, the slow deceleration control and the centering steering control may be selected and performed depending on whether the driver is driving absentmindedly or not. For example, the vehicle control unit 150 may perform the slow deceleration control and the centering steering control in the attention calling control and the contact warning control when the driver is determined to be driving absentmindedly, and may perform either the slow deceleration control or the centering steering control when the driver is determined not to be driving absentmindedly. In addition, the vehicle control unit 150 may not perform the centering steering control (for example, when the vehicle is driven along a road dividing line) or may perform the slow deceleration control when the host vehicle M moves in a direction approaching the other vehicle m1 by performing the centering steering control. Furthermore, the vehicle control unit 150 may perform the slow deceleration control when the lane dividing line of the driving lane cannot be recognized, since the centering steering control cannot be performed. In the above-described embodiment, the gentle deceleration control and the centering steering control may be performed without determining whether or not the driver is driving absentmindedly.

[0091] In addition, in the distracted driving judgment unit 140, the judgment threshold value TH1 regarding the driver's distracted driving may be variably set, for example, depending on the road conditions on which the vehicle M is traveling (e.g., curved road, straight road, etc.), and may be variably set depending on the vehicle model of the vehicle M (steering characteristics for each vehicle model), etc.

[0092] In the above-described embodiment, the obstacle is not limited to the preceding vehicle, but may be another vehicle approaching the vehicle M. The obstacle may be a pedestrian, a bicycle, or other object (not necessarily a moving object). The numerical values ​​shown in the above-described embodiment are merely examples, and may be appropriately adjusted according to the road conditions (shape, number of lanes, road type), the driver's driving conditions (degree of absentmindedness), the vehicle conditions (speed, vehicle type, shape, number of passengers), etc.

[0093] The above-described embodiment can be expressed as follows. a storage medium for storing computer-readable instructions; a processor coupled to the storage medium; The processor executes the computer-readable instructions to: Recognize the vehicle's surroundings, Detecting a driving state of an occupant of the vehicle; Based on the detection result, if a steering operation by the occupant is not detected for a predetermined period of time or more, it is determined that the occupant is driving absentmindedly; The predetermined time is set based on a contact margin time between the vehicle and an obstacle in the vicinity of the vehicle and the speed of the vehicle. Vehicle control device.

[0094] The above describes the form for carrying out the present invention using an embodiment, but the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment, and various modifications and substitutions can be made within the scope that does not deviate from the gist of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0095] 10...camera, 12...radar device, 14...LIDAR, 16...object recognition device, 20...communication device, 30...HMI, 40...vehicle sensor, 50...navigation device, 60...MPU, 70...driver monitor camera, 80...driving operator, 82...steering wheel, 84...accelerator pedal, 86...brake pedal, 100...driving support device, 110...recognition unit, 120...contact possibility determination unit, 130...driving state detection unit, 140...distracted driving determination unit, 150...vehicle control unit, 152...braking control unit, 154...steering control unit, 160...HMI control unit, 170...memory unit, 200...driving force output device, 210...brake device, 220...steering device, M...own vehicle

Claims

1. A recognition unit that recognizes a surrounding situation of the vehicle; A driving state detection unit that detects a driving state of an occupant of the vehicle; A determination unit that determines whether the occupant is driving aimlessly based on a detection result of the driving state detection unit, The determination unit determines that the occupant is driving absentmindedly when the driving state detection unit has not detected a steering operation by the occupant for a predetermined period of time or more, The predetermined time is set based on a contact margin time between the vehicle and an obstacle around the vehicle and a speed of the vehicle. Vehicle control device.

2. The predetermined time is set to be longer as the contact margin time is longer. The vehicle control device according to claim 1 .

3. When the contact margin time is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, an adjustment amount of the time corresponding to the contact margin time is suppressed. The vehicle control device according to claim 2 .

4. The predetermined time is set to be longer as the speed of the vehicle decreases. The vehicle control device according to claim 1 .

5. When the speed of the vehicle is less than a predetermined speed, an adjustment amount of the predetermined time corresponding to the speed of the vehicle is suppressed. The vehicle control device according to claim 4.

6. the predetermined time is set by multiplying a reference time for determining that the vehicle can travel without contacting the obstacle without any driving operation by the occupant, which is set based on the contact margin time, by a coefficient set based on a speed of the vehicle. The vehicle control device according to claim 1 .

7. A vehicle control unit controls one or both of steering and acceleration / deceleration of the vehicle based on the contact margin time when the determination unit determines that the occupant is driving aimlessly, to alert the occupant. The vehicle control device according to claim 1 .

8. The computer Recognize the vehicle's surroundings, Detecting a driving state of an occupant of the vehicle; Based on the detection result, if a steering operation by the occupant is not detected for a predetermined period of time or more, it is determined that the occupant is driving absentmindedly; The predetermined time is set based on a contact margin time between the vehicle and an obstacle around the vehicle and a speed of the vehicle. A vehicle control method.

9. On the computer, Recognize the vehicle's surroundings, Detecting a driving state of an occupant of the vehicle; Based on the detection result, when a steering operation by the occupant is not detected for a predetermined period of time or more, it is determined that the occupant is driving absentmindedly; The predetermined time is set based on a contact margin time between the vehicle and an obstacle around the vehicle and a speed of the vehicle. program.

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