Information management device, information management method, vehicle system, and program

Abstract

To provide an information management device, an information management method, a vehicle system, and a program that can more appropriately cause a lane deviation alarm to operate on the basis of a surrounding state.SOLUTION: An information management device includes: a communication section that communicates with a plurality of vehicles with which a lane deviation alarm can operate; a position detection section that detects a position where the lane deviation alarm has operated for each vehicle on the basis of information acquired from the plurality of vehicles by the communication section; and an identification section that identifies a position where the lane deviation alarm operates frequently in the plurality of vehicles on the basis of position information detected by the position detection section.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an information management device, an information management method, a vehicle system, 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 driving support technologies. In relation to this, a safe driving support device for a vehicle is known that switches the operation of a lane keeping support device including a lane departure warning function using a vehicle speed detection means, a road type detection means, and a driver's intention detection means (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2003-141694 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, one issue with driving assistance technology is that lane departure warnings may be activated unnecessarily depending on the surrounding conditions.

[0005] In order to solve the above problems, one of the objects of the present application is to provide an information management device, an information management method, a vehicle system, and a program that can more appropriately activate a lane departure warning based on the surrounding conditions, thereby contributing to the development of a sustainable transportation system. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] An information management device, an information management method, a vehicle system, and a program according to the present invention employ the following configuration. (1): An information management device according to one embodiment of the present invention is an information management device that includes a communication unit that communicates with a plurality of vehicles capable of activating a lane departure warning; a position detection unit that detects a position at which the lane departure warning is activated for each vehicle based on information acquired from the plurality of vehicles by the communication unit; and an identification unit that identifies positions in the plurality of vehicles where the lane departure warning is frequently activated based on the position information detected by the position detection unit.

[0007] (2): In the aspect (1) above, the vehicle information system further includes a providing unit that provides information regarding the location identified by the identifying unit to at least one of the plurality of vehicles or the terminal device of each of the drivers of the plurality of vehicles.

[0008] (3): In the above aspect (2), the providing unit provides information to at least one of the plurality of vehicles or the driver's terminal device for inquiring whether or not to suppress activation of the lane departure warning for the locations identified by the identifying unit where activation of the lane departure warning is frequent.

[0009] (4): In the above aspect (3), when an instruction to suppress operation of the lane departure warning is accepted as a result of an inquiry regarding whether to suppress the lane departure warning, the providing unit provides the vehicle with information regarding the suppression of operation of the lane departure warning.

[0010] (5): In the above aspect (2), the lane departure warning includes at least one of image display, audio output, vibration of the steering wheel or driver's seat, and steering reaction force, and the providing unit provides information to the vehicle to suppress information that is likely to cause discomfort to the driver of the vehicle.

[0011] (6): In the above aspect (3), when the providing unit suppresses a lane departure warning for the location identified by the identifying unit, the providing unit makes the speed conditions for activating the lane departure warning stricter than when the lane departure warning is not suppressed.

[0012] (7): In the above aspect (2), the provision unit provides information regarding a driving assistance function that was activated by the vehicle while the driver was driving to at least one of the vehicle, the terminal device of the driver of the vehicle, and the terminal device of a user associated with the driver.

[0013] (8): An information management method according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a computer that communicates with a plurality of vehicles capable of operating a lane departure warning, detects location information at which the lane departure warning is activated for each vehicle based on information obtained from the plurality of vehicles through the communication, and identifies locations in the plurality of vehicles where the lane departure warning is frequently activated based on the detected location information.

[0014] (9): A vehicle system according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a communication device that communicates with an information management device, a recognition unit that recognizes the surrounding conditions of the vehicle, a driving control unit that activates a driving assistance function including a lane departure warning based on the surrounding conditions, and a driving information acquisition unit that acquires driving information including at least position information and time information when the lane departure warning is activated and transmits the driving information to the information management device via the communication device, and the driving control unit is a vehicle system that suppresses activation of the lane departure warning when the vehicle passes a specified point based on a lane departure warning suppression instruction from the information management device.

[0015] (10): A program according to one embodiment of the present invention causes a computer to communicate with a plurality of vehicles capable of operating a lane departure warning, detect location information for each vehicle where the lane departure warning was activated based on information obtained from the plurality of vehicles through the communication, and identify locations in the plurality of vehicles where the lane departure warning was frequently activated based on the detected location information. Effect of the Invention

[0016] According to the above aspects (1) to (10), the lane departure warning can be activated more appropriately based on the surrounding conditions. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of an information management system 1 including an information management device according to an embodiment. [Diagram 2] 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of a vehicle system installed in a vehicle M. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a functional configuration of a terminal device 200. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 illustrates an example of a functional configuration of an information management device 400. [Diagram 5] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of the contents of a driver information DB 462. [Figure 6] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of the contents of a driving support DB 464. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining an example of the operation of the RDM. [Figure 8] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of an image IM10 showing a result of driving assistance. [Figure 9] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of an image IM20 for inquiring of a driver D as to whether or not to suppress RDM. [Figure 10] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of an image IM30 for inquiring about a function to be suppressed. [Figure 11] 11 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process executed by the information management device 400 in the embodiment. [Figure 12] 4 is a flowchart showing an example of processing executed by a vehicle M (vehicle system) in the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018] Hereinafter, embodiments of an information management device, an information management method, a vehicle system, and a program according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0019] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an information management system 1 including an information management device according to an embodiment. The information management system 1 includes, for example, a plurality of vehicles M1 to Mn, terminal devices 200-1 to 200-n used by drivers D1 to Dn who drive the vehicles M1 to Mn, a terminal device 300 used by a user U of the information management system 1, and an information management device 400. Hereinafter, the vehicles M1 to Mn will be simply referred to as a vehicle M except when each of them is to be identified and described. The same applies to the driver D and the terminal device 200. The vehicle M, the terminal devices 200 and 300, and the information management device 400 communicate with each other via a network NW, for example. The network NW includes, for example, a cellular network, a Wi-Fi network, Bluetooth (registered trademark), the Internet, a Wide Area Network (WAN), a Local Area Network (LAN), a public line, a provider device, a dedicated line, a wireless base station, and the like. In addition, the vehicle M may directly communicate with the terminal devices 200 and 300 via a short-range communication network such as a Wi-Fi network or Bluetooth.

[0020] The vehicle M may be, for example, a two-wheeled, three-wheeled, four-wheeled, or other vehicle, and its drive source may be 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 electric power generated by a generator connected to the internal combustion engine, or discharged electric power from a secondary battery or a fuel cell.

[0021] The vehicle M is a vehicle capable of operating a driving assistance function. Examples of the driving assistance function include, but are not limited to, Road Departure Mitigation (RDM), Forward Collision Warning (FCW), Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS), and Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC). The RDM is a lane departure warning that warns the driver D by displaying or warning the driver D when the vehicle M deviates from the lane (goes beyond the road dividing line that divides the lane) and warns the driver D to avoid deviation from the lane. The FCW is a function that predicts the risk of collision with a vehicle ahead of the vehicle M and outputs a warning. The CMBS warns the driver D by displaying or warning the driver D when the vehicle M is likely to collide with a surrounding obstacle (another vehicle or a pedestrian), and further, when the vehicle M approaches an obstacle, at least one of steering control and acceleration / deceleration control is executed to assist in collision avoidance and damage reduction. The ACC is a function that makes the vehicle M travel at a constant speed set in advance, and when the vehicle M approaches a preceding vehicle, measures the distance and speed difference between the vehicle M and the preceding vehicle, and automatically accelerates or decelerates. The steering and acceleration / deceleration of the vehicle M are controlled by the manual driving of the occupant (driver), but by operating the driving assistance function, one or both of the steering control and the acceleration / deceleration control of the vehicle M may be executed without the operation of the driver D.

[0022] The vehicle M acquires information (travel information) related to the travel of the vehicle M, and transmits the acquired travel information to the information management device 400. The travel information includes FCD (Floating Car Data). Specifically, the travel information includes, for example, information related to the driving operation of the vehicle M by the driver D, and information related to the operation (execution) status of the driving support function (for example, the time and position of the operation, and the type of the driving support function). The information related to the driving operation may include, for example, not only behavior information such as the speed, acceleration, yaw rate, steering angle, and position information of the vehicle M, but also the operation amount of the driving operator, the turning on of the headlights, the operation of the wipers, and other operation contents of the in-vehicle devices. The travel information may also include the recognition result by the recognition unit of the vehicle M. The vehicle M acquires information such as data and execution instructions (or suppression instructions) for executing the driving support function provided from the information management device 400, and executes the driving support function based on the acquired information.

[0023] The terminal devices 200 and 300 are, for example, smartphones or tablet terminals. The terminal device 200 may be coupled to the vehicle M and function as an in-vehicle device. The terminal device 200 acquires information on the driving support function executed by the vehicle M from the information management device 400, acquires information for inquiring whether or not to suppress the operation of a specific driving support function (for example, RDM), and provides the acquired information to the driver D by displaying an image or outputting a voice. The terminal device 200 also transmits information input by the driver D to the information management device 400. The terminal device 300 is used by a user U such as a person associated with the driver D (for example, a family member or a manager of the driver D's work), acquires information from the information management device 400, and provides the acquired information to the user U by displaying an image or outputting a voice.

[0024] The information management device 400 may be, for example, a server device or a PC (Personal Computer), or may be a cloud server configured by cloud computing consisting of one or more information processing devices. The information management device 400 acquires driving information from the vehicle M and manages the driving support functions executed for each vehicle M. The information management device 400 also transmits information about the driving support functions executed within a predetermined period to the terminal devices 200 and 300, identifies a position (point) where a specific driving support function is activated, and performs control to suppress the driving support function at that position. Below, the functions of the vehicle M, the terminal devices 200 and 300, and the information management device 400 will be specifically described. Note that the same functions can be applied to the terminal devices 200 and 300, so the description will be given using the terminal device 200, and the description of the terminal device 300 will be omitted.

[0025] [vehicle] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a functional configuration of a vehicle system mounted on a vehicle M. The vehicle system mounted on a vehicle M includes, 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 driving operator 80, a driving force output device 92, a brake device 94, a steering device 96, and a driving support device 120. These devices and equipment are connected to each other by a multiplex communication line such as a CAN (Controller Area Network) communication line, a serial communication line, a wireless communication network, or the like. The configuration shown in FIG. 2 is merely an example, and some of the configuration may be omitted, or other configuration may be added.

[0026] 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 vehicle M. When capturing an image of the front, 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 periphery of the vehicle M. The camera 10 may be a stereo camera.

[0027] 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.

[0028] 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.

[0029] The object recognition device 16 performs sensor fusion processing on some or all of the detection results from 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 120. The object recognition device 16 may output the detection results from the camera 10, the radar device 12, and the LIDAR 14 directly to the driving assistance device 120. The object recognition device 16 may be omitted from the vehicle M.

[0030] The communication device 20 includes, for example, a TCU (Telematics Control Unit). The communication device 20 communicates with the information management device 400 and other vehicles present around the vehicle M, or with various other server devices, using a network NW such as a cellular network, a Wi-Fi network, Bluetooth, or a DSRC (Dedicated Short Range Communication). The communication device 20 may also perform wireless communication with a terminal device 200 of a driver D riding in the vehicle M through a short-range communication network such as a Wi-Fi network or Bluetooth, or may perform wired communication with the terminal device 200 by being connected to a communication cable or the like.

[0031] The HMI 30 presents various information to the driver D who is in the vehicle M and accepts input operations by the driver D. The HMI 30 includes, for example, a display device 32, a speaker 34, and a vibration device 36. The HMI 30 may also include, for example, a buzzer, a touch panel, a microphone, keys, and the like. The display device 32 is, for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD) or an organic electroluminescence (EL) display. The display device 32 is, for example, provided in the center of the instrument panel of the vehicle M or in front of the driver's seat, and is a display device that displays various information on the vehicle M, such as a speedometer (speedometer) indicating the traveling speed of the vehicle M or a tachometer (tachometer) indicating the number of revolutions (rotation speed) of an internal combustion engine equipped in the vehicle M, the operating status of a driving assistance function, and the like, a so-called multi-information display. The speaker 34 outputs alarms, message sounds, voices, and the like. The vibration device 36 provides the driver D with information about the situation and instructions by applying vibrations of a predetermined intensity to the driving operation elements 80, such as the driver's seat or the steering wheel. The HMI 30 may also include a turn signal switch that receives an instruction to turn on or off a turn signal that notifies the outside of a lane change or a right or left turn of the vehicle M, a wiper switch that receives an instruction to operate or stop the wipers, and the like.

[0032] The vehicle sensor 40 includes a vehicle speed sensor that detects the speed of the vehicle M, an acceleration sensor that detects the acceleration, a yaw rate sensor that detects the angular velocity around a vertical axis, a steering angle sensor that detects the steering angle, and the like. The vehicle sensor 40 may also include a position sensor that acquires the position of the 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. Information detected by the vehicle sensor 40 is output to the driving assistance device 120.

[0033] 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 complemented 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 above-mentioned HMI 30. 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 the driver D 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 and gradient, 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, for example, by a function of the terminal device 200 of the driver D. 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.

[0034] The MPU 60 includes, for example, a recommended lane determination unit 61, and holds 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 a 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. When a branch point is present on the route on the map, the recommended lane determination unit 61 determines a 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 the lane, information on the boundary of the lane (road dividing line), and the like. The second map information 62 may include road information such as the number of lanes and road width, traffic regulation information (road signs), address information (address and postal code), facility information, telephone number information, etc. The second map information 62 may be updated at any time by the communication device 20 communicating with another device.

[0035] The driving operators 80 include, for example, a steering wheel, an accelerator pedal, a brake pedal, a shift lever, a turn signal switch, 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 support device 120, or some or all of the driving force output device 92, the brake device 94, and the steering device 96.

[0036] The driving force output device 92 outputs a driving force (torque) for the vehicle to travel to the driving wheels. The driving force output device 92 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 120 or information input from the driving operator 80.

[0037] The brake device 94 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 a brake ECU. The brake ECU controls the electric motor according to information input from the driving support device 120 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 94 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 94 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 120 to transmit hydraulic pressure in the master cylinder to the cylinder.

[0038] The steering device 96 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 to change the direction of the steered wheels according to information input from the driving support device 120 or information input from the driving operator 80. The steering device 96 may also be provided with a steering reaction force mechanism that, under the control of the driving support device 120, applies a predetermined reaction force to rotate the steering wheel in the opposite direction to the steering direction of the steering wheel operated by the driver D (to make it difficult to rotate in the steering direction), thereby suppressing the steering operation of the driver D.

[0039] The driving support device 120 includes, for example, a recognition unit 122, a driving control unit 124, a driving information acquisition unit 126, an HMI control unit 130, and a storage unit 140. Some or all of the recognition unit 122, the driving control unit 124, the driving information acquisition unit 126, and the HMI control unit 130 are realized by, for example, a hardware processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) executing a program (software). 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 the HDD or flash memory of the driving assistance device 120, 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 assistance device 120 by inserting the storage medium (non-transient storage medium) into a drive device.

[0040] The storage unit 140 is realized by, for example, a HDD, a flash memory, an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory), a ROM (Read Only Memory), or a RAM (Random Access Memory). For example, driving history data 142, RDM suppression data, programs, and various other information are stored in the storage unit 140. The driving history data 142 is historical information of the driving information of the vehicle M acquired by the driving information acquisition unit 126. The RDM suppression data 144 is information on a point where an RDM (lane departure warning) transmitted from the information management device 400 is suppressed. The RDM suppression data 144 may include, for example, information on the degree of activation of the lane departure warning and information on the period (time information) for suppression.

[0041] The recognition unit 122 recognizes the surrounding situation of the vehicle M based on information input from the camera 10, the radar device 12, and the LIDAR 14 via the object recognition device 16. For example, the recognition unit 122 recognizes the position (relative position with respect to the vehicle M), speed (relative speed with respect to the vehicle M), acceleration, and other states of objects (e.g., other vehicles, pedestrians, road structures) around the vehicle M (within a predetermined distance) based on the input information. The position of the object is recognized as a position on an absolute coordinate system with a representative point of the vehicle M (center of gravity, center of drive shaft, etc.) 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 122 may also recognize whether or not the road on which the vehicle is traveling is congested based on the number and speed of other vehicles around the vehicle. In addition, based on the camera images captured by the camera 10, the recognition unit 122 may recognize whether the road (or lane) on which the vehicle is traveling is under construction from signs and the like around the vehicle, whether other vehicles are parked on the road, and areas where the road environment shape is changing (for example, areas where the number of lanes on the road is decreasing).

[0042] The recognition unit 122 recognizes, for example, the lane in which the vehicle M is traveling (driving lane). For example, the recognition unit 122 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 vehicle M recognized from a camera image. The recognition unit 122 may recognize the driving lane by recognizing road boundaries (road boundaries) including not only road dividing lines but also shoulders, curbs, medians, guardrails, etc. in addition to the road dividing lines. In this recognition, the position of the vehicle M acquired from the navigation device 50 and the processing results by the INS may be taken into consideration. The recognition unit 122 recognizes stop lines, obstacles, red lights, toll booths, and other road phenomena. The recognition unit 122 may also recognize the number of lanes and road signs in the vicinity based on the analysis results of the image captured by the camera image and map information.

[0043] Furthermore, when recognizing the travel lane, the recognition unit 122 recognizes the position and attitude of the vehicle M with respect to the travel lane. For example, the recognition unit 122 may recognize the degree of deviation of a reference point (e.g., center of gravity or center) of the 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 vehicle M as the relative position and attitude of the vehicle M with respect to the travel lane. Alternatively, the recognition unit 122 may recognize the position of the reference point of the vehicle M with respect to either side end of the travel lane (road division line or road boundary) as the relative position of the vehicle M with respect to the travel lane.

[0044] The driving control unit 124 activates a driving support function that satisfies a predetermined operating condition among driving support functions that the vehicle M can operate (execute) based on, for example, the surrounding situation recognized by the recognition unit 122. For example, when the driving control unit 124 activates a driving support function corresponding to the surrounding situation, the driving control unit 124 causes the HMI control unit 130 to display an image or output a sound, or issues a predetermined warning using vibration, steering reaction force, or the like. When the driving control unit 124 performs image display or sound output due to the operation of the driving support function, the driving control unit 124 causes the HMI control unit 130 to output a predetermined image or sound from the HMI 30. When the driving control unit 124 vibrates the steering wheel or the driver's seat, the driving control unit 124 controls the vibration device 36 to output a predetermined vibration. When the driving control unit 124 performs a steering reaction force, the driving control unit 124 controls the steering reaction force mechanism of the steering device 96 to apply a steering reaction force in a predetermined direction.

[0045] Furthermore, for example, when the driving assistance function is activated, the driving control unit 124 generates a target trajectory so that the vehicle M travels along the recommended lane determined by the MPU 60 without coming into contact with surrounding objects, and controls at least one of the driving drive force output device 92, the brake device 94, and the steering device 96 so that the vehicle M travels along the generated target trajectory. As a result, one or both of the steering and the speed of the vehicle M are controlled, and automatic driving of the vehicle M according to the purpose is performed.

[0046] Further, the driving control unit 124 performs control to suppress the operation of the RDM near a position (point) where the RDM frequently operates (within a predetermined distance range from the frequent operation position) based on an instruction (suppression instruction) from the information management device 400. The suppression includes not only not operating the RDM, but also changing the degree of operation to operate the RDM. The change in the degree of operation includes, for example, reducing the number of functions that are normally operated, or reducing the image size, sound volume, vibration magnitude, and steering reaction force magnitude for each function, when an alarm is issued to the driver D using at least one function of image display, audio (alarm) output, vibration of the steering wheel or driver's seat, and steering reaction force by the reference normal RDM. Furthermore, the driving control unit 124 may control to suppress the above functions in order of those that are most likely to cause discomfort to the driver D, based on the suppression instruction from the information management device 400. In this case, the driving control unit 124 suppresses, for example, the steering reaction force, vibration of the steering wheel or the driver's seat, audio (alarm) output, and image display in that order. Furthermore, when suppressing RDM near a position where RDM frequently occurs, the driving control unit 124 may suppress a function selected by the driver D. These suppression instructions are stored in the storage unit 140 as RDM suppression data 144, and the driving control unit 124 performs suppression control at the target point by referring to the RDM suppression data 144 when the RDM operation condition is satisfied (for example, when the vehicle M deviates from the lane).

[0047] The travel information acquisition unit 126 acquires travel information of the vehicle M. For example, the travel information acquisition unit 126 acquires travel information based on information input by the HMI 30, the detection result of the vehicle sensor 40, the detection result (operation amount) of the sensor provided on the driving operator 80, the recognition result by the recognition unit 122, the control content (operation result of the driving support function) by the travel control unit 124, and the like. These are stored in the storage unit 140 as travel history data 142 together with time information of input, detection, or control. In addition, the travel information acquisition unit 126 transmits the acquired information (travel history data 142) to the information management device 400 at a predetermined timing (for example, at the end of driving or at a predetermined interval). In addition, the travel information acquisition unit 126 may add identification information (for example, a vehicle ID) for identifying the vehicle M or identification information (for example, a driver ID) for identifying the driver D to the information to be transmitted.

[0048] The HMI control unit 130 notifies the driver D of the vehicle M of predetermined information by the HMI 30, and acquires the operation contents of the driver D accepted via the HMI 30. The predetermined information includes, for example, information related to the driving of the vehicle M, such as information related to the state of the vehicle M and information related to the driving support function in operation. The information related to the state of the vehicle M includes, for example, information such as the speed of the vehicle M, engine speed, and shift position. The information related to the driving control may include, for example, information indicating which driving support function is in operation, and information inquiring whether or not to suppress a specific driving support function. The predetermined information may also include information unrelated to the driving control of the vehicle M, such as television programs, content (for example, movies) stored in a storage medium such as a DVD.

[0049] For example, the HMI control unit 130 may generate an image (which may be a still image or a video) containing the above-mentioned specified information and display the generated image on the display device of the HMI 30, or may generate sound indicating the specified information and output the generated sound to a speaker of the HMI 30.

[0050] [Terminal Device] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a functional configuration of the terminal device 200. The terminal device 200 includes, for example, a terminal-side communication unit 210, an input unit 220, an output unit 230, a control unit 240, an application execution unit 250, and a terminal-side storage unit 260. A part or all of the control unit 240 and the application execution unit 250 are realized by, for example, a hardware processor such as a CPU executing a program (software). In addition, a part or all of these components may be realized by hardware (including a circuit unit; circuitry) such as an LSI, ASIC, FPGA, or GPU, or may be realized by cooperation between software and hardware. The program may be stored in a storage device such as an HDD or flash memory in advance (a storage device having a non-transient storage medium), or may be stored in a removable storage medium such as a DVD or CD-ROM (a non-transient storage medium), and may be installed in the storage device by mounting the storage medium in a drive device or a card slot of the terminal device 200.

[0051] The terminal-side storage unit 260 may be realized by the above-mentioned various storage devices, or an EEPROM, a ROM, a RAM, etc. The terminal-side storage unit 260 stores, for example, a driving assistance application 262, programs, and various other information.

[0052] The terminal side communication unit 210 communicates with the information management device 400 and other external devices via, for example, a network NW. The terminal side communication unit 210 may also communicate with the vehicle M via a short-range communication network or the network NW.

[0053] The input unit 220 accepts input from the driver D by operating various keys, buttons, etc. The input unit 220 may also include a microphone that accepts voice input from the driver D. The input unit 220 accepts input of, for example, a request to use a service provided by the information management device 400, driver information, and answer information regarding an inquiry as to whether or not to suppress a driving support function.

[0054] The output unit 230 includes, for example, a display unit 232 and a speaker 234. The output unit 230 outputs predetermined information to the display unit 232 and the speaker 234. The display unit 232 is, for example, an LCD or an organic EL display. The input unit 220 may be integrated with the display unit 232 as a touch panel. The display unit 232 displays various information in the embodiment. The speaker 234 outputs predetermined sound. For example, the output unit 230 outputs an image or sound corresponding to information provided by the information management device 400, or outputs information input by the input unit 220.

[0055] The control unit 240 controls the overall functions of the terminal device 200. For example, the control unit 240 controls communication by the terminal side communication unit 210, input / output by the input unit 220 and the output unit 230, and controls the execution of the driving support application 262 by the application execution unit 250.

[0056] The application execution unit 250 is realized by executing the driving support application 262 stored in the terminal side storage unit 260. For example, the driving support application 262 is downloaded from an external device via the network NW and installed in the terminal device 200. The driving support application 262 is application software that acquires information on driving support functions operated by the vehicle M during a predetermined period from the information management device 400 and outputs the acquired information to the output unit 230. In addition, the driving support application 262 acquires and outputs images and sounds for inquiring whether or not to suppress a specific driving support function, and transmits information input by the input unit 220 to the information management device 400. Note that the transmitted information may be assigned with identification information (for example, a terminal ID) for identifying the terminal device 200 or a driver ID for identifying the driver D.

[0057] In the case of the functional configuration of the terminal device 300, in the explanation of the functional configuration of the terminal device 200 described above, "terminal device 200" is read as "terminal device 300", and information provided to "driver D" is provided to "user U". Furthermore, the driving assistance application 262 of the terminal device 300 displays information regarding driving assistance information operated by the vehicle M during a predetermined period to the driver D, but does not need to display inquiry information regarding whether or not to suppress a specific driving assistance function.

[0058] [Information management device] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the information management device 400. The information management device 400 includes, for example, a communication unit 410, an acquisition unit 420, a position detection unit 430, a specification unit 440, a provision unit 450, and a device-side storage unit 460. A part or all of the acquisition unit 420, the position detection unit 430, the specification unit 440, and the provision unit 450 are realized by, for example, a hardware processor such as a CPU executing a program (software). In addition, a part or all of these components may be realized by hardware (including a circuit unit; circuitry) such as an LSI, ASIC, FPGA, or GPU, or may be realized by cooperation between software and hardware. The program may be stored in a storage device (non-transient storage medium) such as an HDD or flash memory in advance, or may be stored in a removable storage medium (non-transient storage medium) such as a DVD or CD-ROM, and may be installed by mounting the storage medium in a drive device of the information management device 400. The information management device 400 may be realized by an operator of a driving assistance function provision service installing a program on a cloud server, in which case the owner of the hardware of the information management device 400 may be different from the operator of the service.

[0059] The device-side storage unit 460 may be realized by the above-mentioned various storage devices, or EEPROM, ROM, RAM, etc. For example, a driver information DB (Database) 462, a driving assistance DB 464, map information 466, programs, and various other information are stored in the device-side storage unit 460. The map information 466 may be the same map information as the above-mentioned map information (the first map information 54 and the second map information 62), or may be map information with higher resolution and a wider range. At least a part of the information included in the device-side storage unit 460 may be stored in an external device (for example, a DB server) that can communicate with the information management device 400.

[0060] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the contents of the driver information DB 462. The driver information DB 462 is information in which, for example, a driver ID is associated with personal information, terminal information, vehicle information, driving support function information, and driving history data. The personal information includes, for example, information such as name, age, sex, address, and contact information. The terminal information is identification information (for example, a terminal ID) for identifying the terminal device 200 used by the driver D. The terminal information may also include address information and the like for the information management device 400 to communicate with the terminal device 200. The terminal information may also include address information for communicating with the terminal device 300 of a user U (for example, a family member or a work manager of the driver D) associated with the driver D in addition to the above-mentioned information. The vehicle information is, for example, identification information (vehicle ID) of the vehicle driven by the driver D. The vehicle information may also include address information and the like for the information management device 400 to communicate with the vehicle M. The driving history data is, for example, history data of driving information of the vehicle M. Furthermore, the driver information DB 462 may store authentication information (e.g., a password, etc.) for the information management device 400 to authenticate the driver D. Such information may be registered by a registration process from the terminal device 200, or may be acquired from data transmitted from the vehicle M at a predetermined timing.

[0061] 6 is a diagram showing an example of the contents of the driving assistance DB 464. The driving assistance DB 464 is information in which, for example, time information, position information, an activated driving assistance type, and a vehicle ID are associated with each other. The time information stores date and time information when the driving assistance function was activated. The position information stores information on the position of the vehicle M when the driving assistance function was activated. The driving assistance type stores information on the type of the activated driving assistance function. The vehicle ID stores identification information of the vehicle M on which the driving assistance function was activated.

[0062] Returning to FIG. 4, the communication unit 410 communicates with various devices via a network NW or the like. The communication unit 410 includes, for example, a first communication unit 412 and a second communication unit 414. The first communication unit 412 communicates with the terminal device 200 of the driver D and the terminal device 300 of the user U, which are connected via the network NW or a communication cable. The second communication unit 414 communicates with the vehicle M via the network NW. For example, the second communication unit 414 communicates with a plurality of vehicles M that have a driving assistance function and can acquire driving information. The first communication unit 412 and the second communication unit 414 may be implemented by different hardware or different software. The communication unit 410 may also communicate with other external devices via the network NW.

[0063] The acquisition unit 420 acquires various information from the terminal device 200, the vehicle M, an external device connected via the network NW, and the like, based on the information received by the communication unit 410. For example, the acquisition unit 420 acquires driving history data (driving information) of the vehicle M and information on the driver D from the vehicle M. The acquisition unit 420 stores the acquired information in the driver information DB 462 in association with the vehicle ID and the like. In addition, the acquisition unit 420 extracts information on the driving assistance function from the information included in the driving history data, and stores the information in the driving assistance DB 464 in association with time information, position information, driving assistance type, and vehicle ID. In addition, the acquisition unit 420 may acquire information from the terminal device 300.

[0064] The position detection unit 430 detects the position where a specific driving support function (e.g., RDM) is activated for each vehicle M based on information (travel information, etc.) acquired by the second communication unit 414 from the multiple vehicles M. The position detection unit 430 may also detect the position or section where other driving support functions (e.g., FCW, CMBS, ACC, etc.) are activated.

[0065] The identification unit 440 identifies positions in the multiple vehicles M where RDM operation frequently occurs, based on the position information detected by the position detection unit 430.

[0066] The providing unit 450 refers to the driver information DB 462, generates information (images, sounds, etc.) regarding the driving support function activated while the driver D is driving for each vehicle M, and provides the generated information to at least one of the target vehicle M, the terminal device 200 of the driver D of the vehicle M, and the terminal device 300 of the user U associated with the driver D. The providing unit 450 may also provide information regarding the positions where the RDM is frequently activated, identified by the identifying unit 440, to the terminal devices 200 of multiple vehicles M or drivers D. The providing unit 450 may also generate information for inquiring whether or not to suppress the activation of the RDM for the positions where the RDM is frequently activated, and transmit the generated information to the vehicle M or the terminal device 200.

[0067] [About the operation of RDM] Next, an example of the operation of the RDM in the embodiment will be described. FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining an example of the operation of the RDM. In the example of FIG. 7, a lane L1 that can be traveled in the X-axis direction and an oncoming lane L2 of the lane L1 are shown. The lane L1 is divided by road dividing lines LN1 and LN2, and the lane L2 is divided by road dividing lines LN2 and LN3. In the example of FIG. 7, the lane L1 is a driving lane in which a vehicle M1 (hereinafter referred to as the host vehicle M1) is traveling. In the following description, the reference position (for example, the center of gravity position) of the host vehicle M1 at time t* is represented as M1(t*), and the speed of the host vehicle M1 is represented as VM1(t*). In the example of FIG. 7, the time t1 is the earliest, followed by the times t2 and t3 in that order. Also, in the example of Figure 7, another vehicle M2 is located behind the host vehicle M1 and is traveling in the same lane as the host vehicle M1 at a speed VM2, and another vehicle M3 is a parked vehicle (an example of an obstacle) located on the lane L1 ahead of the host vehicle M1 at time t1.

[0068] At time t1, the recognition unit 122 of the host vehicle M1 recognizes the surrounding conditions of the host vehicle M1 and recognizes the road dividing lines LN1 and LN2 that divide the lane L1 on which the host vehicle M1 is traveling. The recognition unit 122 may also recognize that another vehicle M3 is present on the lane L1 (parked on the road). In order to avoid the other vehicle M3 ahead, the driver D of the host vehicle M1 performs a steering operation that causes the position of the host vehicle M1 to deviate from the road dividing line LN2 and deviate from the lane L1. The driving control unit 124 activates the RDM when the host vehicle M1 deviates from the road dividing line LN2 (in other words, when the host vehicle M1 enters the lane L2). The driving control unit 124 may activate the RDM when at least a part of the host vehicle M1 deviates from the road dividing line LN2, or may activate the RDM when the center of gravity or center of the host vehicle M1 deviates from the road dividing line LN2. Furthermore, the driving control unit 124 may include in the conditions for activating the RDM that the speed VM1 of the host vehicle M1 is equal to or greater than a predetermined speed. Also, the driving control unit 124 may activate the RDM when it is determined that the host vehicle M1 is likely to deviate from the road dividing line LN2 in the near future based on the traveling direction and speed VM1 of the host vehicle M1 based on the traveling trajectory K1 after time t1.

[0069] At time t2 in Fig. 7, due to the operation of the RDM, an image is displayed on the display device 32 to alert the driver D to lane departure, and a predetermined vibration is output to the steering wheel operated by the driver D (steer vibration). Note that, due to the operation of the RDM, the driving control unit 124 executes at least one of preset controls among image display, audio output, vibration of the steering wheel or driver's seat, and steering reaction force. This makes it possible to more clearly notify the driver D that the vehicle M has deviated from the lane, and to urge him / her to perform driving operations to eliminate the departure.

[0070] Furthermore, when the driver D steers the host vehicle M1 back into the lane L1 after overtaking the other vehicle M3 (for example, when the host vehicle M1 is not straying from the lane L2), the driving control unit 124 stops the RDM. At time t3 in FIG. 7, the host vehicle M1 is not straying from the road dividing line LN2, so the RDM is stopped. Note that the driving control unit 124 does not need to operate the RDM when, for example, the driver D operates the turn signal switch to turn on the direction indicator for the direction of travel of the host vehicle M1.

[0071] The travel information acquisition unit 126 acquires travel information including information related to the operation of the driving assistance function described above, and transmits the acquired information to the information management device 400. In the example of FIG. 7, when the other vehicle M2 has the same function as the host vehicle M1, the RDM of the other vehicle M2 also operates at the same position as the host vehicle M1, and travel information including the operation of the RDM is transmitted to the information management device 400.

[0072] [Location detection unit, identification unit, and provision unit] Next, the processing of the position detection unit 430, the identification unit 440, and the provision unit 450 in the information management device 400 will be specifically described. The position detection unit 430 detects the position where the RDM is activated for each of a plurality of vehicles including the host vehicle M1 and the other vehicle M2, based on the driving history acquired by the acquisition unit 420 and the driving support DB 464. The position where the RDM is activated may be the position where the RDM operation is started, or may be information regarding the section where the RDM is being activated.

[0073] Next, the identification unit 440 identifies locations where RDM frequently occurs in multiple vehicles including the host vehicle M1 and the other vehicle M2. For example, the identification unit 440 identifies a location where the number of vehicles in which RDM has been activated in a predetermined period (e.g., 1 to 3 hours or 1 day) is a predetermined number or more as a location where RDM activation frequently occurs. Furthermore, the identification unit 440 may identify a location where RDM activation frequently occurs as a location where the ratio of vehicles in which RDM has been activated among multiple vehicles M that have passed the same point (including within a predetermined distance range) in a predetermined period is a threshold value or more. Furthermore, the identification unit 440 may identify a point (position) as a location where RDM frequently occurs when multiple vehicles passing the same point have continuously activated RDM a predetermined number of times or more.

[0074] When RDM occurs frequently in the same vicinity in multiple vehicles, it is assumed that RDM is operating unnecessarily (RDM that is not due to driver inattention) depending on surrounding conditions such as road conditions in the vicinity. Such RDM operation may cause the driver to feel uncomfortable. Therefore, such a location is identified, information about the location is provided to the driver D, and control is executed to suppress the operation of RDM in the vicinity of the location.

[0075] The providing unit 450 refers to the driving assistance DB 464, generates information on the operation result of the driving assistance (driving assistance function operated while the driver D was driving) for each vehicle (for each driver), and provides the generated information to at least one of the vehicle M, the terminal device 200 of the driver D of the vehicle M who operated the driving assistance, and the terminal device 300 of the user U associated with the driver D. The information indicating the operation result of the driving assistance includes, for example, information on the date and time and the place when the driving assistance was operated, and the type of driving assistance that was operated.

[0076] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of an image IM10 showing the result of driving assistance. The display mode of the image IM10, such as the layout and display contents, is not limited to the example of FIG. 8. The same applies to images IM20 and IM30 described later. The image IM10 has, for example, a driving assistance result display area AR11 and a switch display area AR12. The driving assistance result display area AR11 displays information about the driving assistance function that the vehicle M has operated (executed) during driving in a predetermined time (for example, one day or one week). In the example of FIG. 8, the driving assistance result display area AR11 displays information about the date and time, place (location), and driving assistance type when the driving assistance function was operated. The driving assistance result display area AR11 may also display a camera image of the camera 10 corresponding to the date and time and place of operation.

[0077] The switch display area AR12 includes, for example, an icon IC11 that accepts closing (ending the display) of the image IM10 displayed on the terminal device 200 or 300. The icon IC is, for example, a GUI (Graphical User Interface) switch. For example, when it is accepted that the driver D has selected the icon IC11 displayed on the terminal device 200, the terminal device 200 ends the display of the image IM10. Also, when it is accepted that the user U has selected the icon IC11 displayed on the terminal device 300, the terminal device 300 ends the display of the image IM10.

[0078] The providing unit 450 also provides information on the location where RDM operation frequently occurs in the multiple vehicles identified by the identifying unit 440 to at least one of the multiple vehicles M or the terminal device 200 of the driver D. The providing unit 450 may also refer to the driving history data of the driver information DB 462, for example, and provide information on the location where RDM operation frequently occurs to a vehicle that has passed the location where RDM operation frequently occurs in the past and the terminal device 200 of the driver of that vehicle. The providing unit 450 may also provide information on the location where RDM operation frequently occurs to a vehicle M that has not passed the location where RDM operation frequently occurs but is traveling within a predetermined distance from the location based on the driving history data, and the terminal device 200 of the driver D of that vehicle. This allows drivers D who have passed through locations where RDM activation frequently occurs in the past, as well as drivers D who may pass through those locations in the future, to be notified of the locations where RDM activation frequently occurs in advance, allowing drivers D to prepare in advance and perform driving operations at that location more carefully.

[0079] In addition, the providing unit 450 may generate information to inquire of a vehicle that has provided a location where RDM activation frequently occurs whether or not to suppress RDM, and provide the generated information to the terminal device 200 of the vehicle M and the driver D.

[0080] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of an image IM20 for inquiring of the driver D as to whether or not to suppress RDM. The image IM20 has, for example, an inquiry screen regarding RDM, an inquiry content display area AR21 and a switch display area AR22. The inquiry content display area AR21 displays information for inquiring as to whether or not to suppress future operations at the point (position) where RDM was activated. In the example of FIG. 9, text information such as "Today, at 3:10 p.m., RDM was activated near point C, but it appears that the activation was caused by the surrounding conditions (and not due to driver inattention)? Would you like to suppress RDM when passing this point from tomorrow onwards?" is displayed.

[0081] Furthermore, in the switch display area AR22, for example, icons IC21 and IC22 for responding to inquiries are displayed. Icon IC21 accepts permission to suppress the operation of RDM from the driver D. Icon IC22 accepts permission not to suppress the operation of RDM (refusal) from the driver D. The vehicle M or the terminal device 200 transmits the information accepted by icons IC21 and IC22 to the providing unit 450. The providing unit 450 acquires these instructions from the vehicle M or the terminal device 200, and when the acquired information is an instruction to permit the suppression of the operation of RDM, it is possible to operate RDM in accordance with the intention of the driver D by suppressing RDM.

[0082] When an instruction to suppress the RDM is received as a result of the inquiry, the providing unit 450 provides the vehicle M of the driver D with information on the position where the operation of the RDM is suppressed. The RDM includes, for example, at least one of image display, audio output, vibration of the steering wheel or the driver's seat, and steering reaction force. In this case, the providing unit 450 provides the vehicle M with a suppression instruction to suppress the one that is most likely to cause discomfort to the driver D of the vehicle M. In this case, the providing unit 450 suppresses the steering reaction force when an alarm is issued by the steering reaction force of the vehicle M in the normal RDM, and suppresses the vibration of the steering wheel when an alarm is not issued by the steering reaction force and the vibration of the steering wheel is being performed. In addition, the providing unit 450 suppresses the output of the sound when an alarm is not issued by the steering reaction force or vibration in the normal RDM and the output of the sound and the display of the image are being performed. Since the functions executed by the operation of the RDM differ depending on the vehicle model and performance (grade) of the vehicle M, by suppressing functions executed by the normal operation of the RDM starting with those most likely to cause discomfort to the driver D of the vehicle M, it is possible to more reliably reduce the discomfort felt by the driver D due to unnecessary operation of the RDM. Furthermore, when suppressing the operation of the RDM, the providing unit 450 may adjust the degree of operation of each function depending on the vehicle model and performance of the vehicle M, or may not operate all functions.

[0083] Furthermore, when suppressing the operation of the RDM, the providing unit 450 may generate an image for inquiring the driver D as to which of the functions executed by the operation of the RDM should be suppressed, and may display the generated image on the terminal device 200 of the vehicle M or the driver D. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of an image IM30 for inquiring as to which function to suppress. The image IM30 has, for example, an inquiry information display area AR31, a selection display area AR32, and a switch display area AR33. The inquiry information display area AR31 displays information for allowing the driver D to select which function to suppress when suppressing the lane departure warning. The selection display area AR32 displays buttons (on / off switches) for turning on or off the execution of each function of image display, steering vibration (steering wheel vibration), audio output, and steering reaction force when the lane departure warning is activated. Note that instead of (or in addition to) the steering vibration, there may be a button corresponding to seat (driver's seat) vibration. Each time the button is selected (each time the button is pressed), the function is switched between suppressed (ON) and not suppressed (OFF). Note that the selection display area AR32 may be provided with a switch or the like that accepts settings for the degree of suppression (degree of operation) of each function.

[0084] The switch display area AR33 includes, for example, an icon IC31 that accepts the decision of the content selected in the selection display area AR32. When the icon IC31 is selected, the content selected in the selection display area AR32 is transmitted to the information management device 400, and a suppression instruction for performing the suppression instructed by the driver D is transmitted to the vehicle M by the providing unit 450. This allows the vehicle M to perform the suppression intended by the driver D, and further reduces the discomfort felt by the driver D due to the operation of unnecessary RDM.

[0085] Furthermore, when suppressing the RDM for the position identified by the identification unit 440, the providing unit 450 may make the speed condition for the RDM to operate stricter than when the warning is not suppressed. For example, when the speed VM of the vehicle M is 60 [km / h] or more, which is set as the condition for the RDM to operate, the providing unit 450 may change the speed to 70 [km / h] or more. This makes it possible to suppress the operation of the RDM at the same speed. However, in this case, all functions included in the RDM will be suppressed.

[0086] The driving control unit 124 of the vehicle M acquires the suppression instruction information (RDM suppression data 144) provided by the providing unit 450 and stores it in the memory unit 140. Then, when the RDM operation conditions are satisfied while the vehicle M is traveling, the driving control unit 124 refers to the RDM suppression data, and when the RDM operation conditions are satisfied near the position information included in the RDM suppression data 144, suppresses the operation of the RDM based on the suppression instruction. Therefore, the driving control unit 124 suppresses the operation of the RDM near the specified target point (within a predetermined distance from the target point), and when the RDM operation conditions are satisfied at other points, normal RDM is executed.

[0087] In addition, the driving control unit 124 may limit the period during which the operation of the RDM is suppressed to a predetermined time after the suppression instruction is received. This allows the RDM to be appropriately operated after the road conditions improve within a predetermined time (period) due to on-street parking, road construction, etc. The predetermined time may be a fixed period (for example, 2 to 3 days or 1 week, etc.) or may be a period set in the RDM suppression data 144 provided by the providing unit 450. In addition, when the identifying unit 440 no longer identifies a location as a location where the RDM is frequently activated, the providing unit 450 may generate instruction information for ending the suppression of the operation of the RDM at that location and provide it to the target vehicle. The driving control unit 124 of the vehicle M releases the suppression of the operation of the RDM according to the instruction information from the providing unit 450. In addition, the providing unit 450 may transmit information indicating that the suppression of the operation of the RDM is released to the terminal device 200 of the vehicle M or the driver D to notify the driver D.

[0088] [Processing flow] Fig. 11 is a flowchart showing an example of processing executed by the information management device 400 in the embodiment. In the example of Fig. 11, among various processing executed by the information management device 400, the lane departure warning suppression processing will be mainly described.

[0089] In the example of FIG. 11, the acquisition unit 420 acquires driving information from a plurality of vehicles M (step S100). The acquisition unit 420 also acquires information related to the operation of the driving support function at a predetermined time for each driver from the acquired driving information (step S110). Next, the provision unit 450 provides the information related to the operation of the driving support function to at least one of the vehicle M of the target driver D, the terminal device 200, and the terminal device 300 of the user U associated with the driver D (step S120).

[0090] Next, the position detection unit 430 detects the position where the RDM was activated from the driving information obtained from the multiple vehicles (step S130). Next, the provision unit 450 judges whether the identification unit 440 has identified a position where the RDM is frequently activated from the detected position (step S140). If it is determined that the position of the RDM has been identified, the provision unit 450 generates inquiry information for inquiring of the driver D whether or not to suppress the RDM at that position (step S150), and provides the generated inquiry information to the terminal device 200 of the vehicle M or the driver D to obtain a response from the driver D (step S160). Next, the provision unit 450 generates RDM suppression instruction information (RDM suppression data) based on the response result, and transmits the generated information to the vehicle M (step S170). As a result, the driving control unit 124 of the vehicle M suppresses the lane departure warning at the target point. This ends the processing of this flowchart. Furthermore, if it is determined in the process of step S140 that a position where RDM operation occurs frequently has not been identified, the process of this flowchart ends.

[0091] Fig. 12 is a flowchart showing an example of a process executed by the vehicle M (vehicle system) in the embodiment. In the example of Fig. 12, the RDM suppression process will be mainly described among various processes executed by the vehicle system.

[0092] In the example of FIG. 12, the recognition unit 122 recognizes the surrounding conditions of the vehicle M (step S200). Next, the driving control unit 124 activates a predetermined driving support function based on the surrounding conditions (step S210). The driving support function in this case may include RDM. Next, the driving information acquisition unit 126 acquires driving information including the position and time information at which the driving support function was activated (step S220), and transmits the acquired driving information to the information management device 400 via the communication device 20 (step S230).

[0093] Next, the driving control unit 124 acquires an RDM suppression instruction included in the suppression instruction information transmitted from the information management device 400 (step S240), and when the vehicle M passes the point specified by the suppression instruction, suppresses the operation of the RDM even if the vehicle M deviates from the lane by going beyond the road dividing line (step S250). This ends the processing of this flowchart.

[0094] [Variations] In the embodiment, at least a part of the functions of the information management device 400 may be provided on the vehicle M or the terminal device 200 side. For example, in the vehicle M or the terminal device 200, the inquiry information regarding the suppression of RDM may be generated by the HMI control unit 130 of the vehicle M or the application execution unit 250 of the terminal device 200.

[0095] In addition, in an embodiment, the providing unit 450 may acquire image information of locations where RDM operation frequently occurs, identified by the identifying unit 440, from driving information of multiple vehicles, and identify locations with a lot of on-street parking, locations where road construction is underway, changes in road shape, etc. based on the acquired image information, and provide information regarding these locations to the vehicle M and the terminal devices 200, 300.

[0096] As described above, according to the embodiment, information management device 400 is equipped with a communication unit 410 that communicates with multiple vehicles in which a lane departure warning can be activated, a position detection unit 430 that detects the position where the lane departure warning has been activated for each vehicle based on information acquired from the multiple vehicles by communication unit 410, and an identification unit 440 that identifies positions in the multiple vehicles where the lane departure warning is frequently activated based on the position information detected by position detection unit 430, thereby making it possible to more appropriately activate the lane departure warning based on the surrounding conditions.

[0097] In addition, according to the embodiment, the vehicle system includes a communication device 20 that communicates with the information management device 400, a recognition unit 122 that recognizes the surrounding conditions of the vehicle M, a driving control unit 124 that activates driving assistance functions including a lane departure warning based on the surrounding conditions, and a driving information acquisition unit 126 that acquires driving information including at least the position and time information when the lane departure warning was activated and transmits it to the information management device 400 via the communication device 20, and the driving control unit 124 can more appropriately activate the lane departure warning based on the surrounding conditions by suppressing the activation of the lane departure warning when the vehicle M passes through the specified point based on a lane departure warning suppression instruction from the information management device 400.

[0098] For example, in a situation where there is a lot of on-street parking, the RDM is likely to be activated in multiple vehicles, which is likely to cause discomfort to the driver. In addition, even in cases other than on-street parking, a similar event occurs when part of the road is under construction or the road environment is such that the vehicle M is likely to go beyond the road dividing line due to a reduction in the number of lanes. The RDM is intended to output an alarm when the driver D deviates from the lane due to an operation error, and the driver often does not expect the lane departure alarm to be activated in the same place in multiple vehicles, that is, to be activated due to environmental factors. Therefore, in this embodiment, the driving information of multiple vehicles is collected, a place where RDM frequently occurs is identified, and the activation of RDM in that place is suppressed, thereby reducing the discomfort of the driver D and enabling the RDM to be activated more appropriately.

[0099] Also, according to the embodiment, for example, by providing information on the driving assistance function activated by the vehicle M to a user U other than the driver D, a third party (such as the driver's family member or work manager) can monitor the driving status of the driver D. By providing such a monitoring service, a third party can give driving advice or caution to the driver D, and the driver D can be made aware of safer driving.

[0100] 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: Communicating with multiple vehicles capable of lane departure warning, Detecting position information at which the lane departure warning was activated for each vehicle based on the information acquired from the plurality of vehicles through the communication; identifying a location in the plurality of vehicles where the lane departure warning system is frequently activated based on the detected location information; Information management device.

[0101] The above-described embodiment can also 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: Communicating with the information management device; Recognize the vehicle's surroundings, Activating a driving assistance function including a lane departure warning based on the surrounding conditions; Acquire driving information including at least position information and time information when a lane departure warning was activated, and transmit the driving information to the information management device; suppressing activation of the lane departure warning when the vehicle passes through a designated point based on a lane departure warning suppression instruction from the information management device; Vehicle systems.

[0102] 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]

[0103] 1...information management system, 10...camera, 12...radar device, 14...LIDAR, 16...object recognition device, 20...communication device, 30...HMI, 40...vehicle sensor, 50...navigation device, 60...MPU, 80...driving operator, 120...driving support device, 122...recognition unit, 124...driving control unit, 126...driving information acquisition unit, 130...HMI control unit, 140...storage unit, 200...terminal device, 210...terminal side communication unit, 220...input unit, 230...output unit, 240...control unit, 250...application execution unit, 260...terminal side memory unit, 400...information management device, 410...communication unit, 420...acquisition unit, 430...position detection unit, 440...identification unit, 450...provision unit, 460...device side memory unit

Claims

1. A communication unit that communicates with a plurality of vehicles capable of operating a lane departure warning; a position detection unit that detects a position where the lane departure warning is activated for each vehicle based on information acquired from the plurality of vehicles by the communication unit; an identification unit that identifies a location where the lane departure warning is frequently activated in the plurality of vehicles based on the location information detected by the location detection unit; An information management device comprising:

2. A providing unit that provides information regarding the position identified by the identifying unit to at least one of the plurality of vehicles or a terminal device of each driver of the plurality of vehicles. The information management device according to claim 1 .

3. The providing unit provides, to at least one of the plurality of vehicles or the driver's terminal device, information for inquiring whether or not to suppress activation of the lane departure warning for the location identified by the identifying unit where activation of the lane departure warning frequently occurs. The information management device according to claim 2 .

4. The providing unit provides information regarding suppression of activation of the lane departure warning to the vehicle when an instruction to suppress activation of the lane departure warning is accepted based on a result of an inquiry regarding whether or not to suppress the lane departure warning. The information management device according to claim 3.

5. The lane departure warning includes at least one of an image display, an audio output, a vibration of a steering wheel or a driver's seat, and a steering reaction force, The provision unit provides the vehicle with information to suppress information that is likely to cause discomfort to a driver of the vehicle. The information management device according to claim 2 .

6. When suppressing a lane departure warning for the position identified by the identification unit, the providing unit sets a stricter speed condition for activating the lane departure warning than when the lane departure warning is not suppressed. The information management device according to claim 3 .

7. The providing unit provides information regarding a driving assistance function that has been activated by the vehicle while the driver is driving to at least one of the vehicle, a terminal device of a driver of the vehicle, and a terminal device of a user associated with the driver. The information management device according to claim 2 .

8. The computer Communicating with multiple vehicles capable of lane departure warning, Detecting position information at which the lane departure warning was activated for each vehicle based on the information acquired from the plurality of vehicles through the communication; identifying a location in the plurality of vehicles where the lane departure warning system is frequently activated based on the detected location information; Information management method.

9. A communication device that communicates with the information management device; A recognition unit that recognizes a surrounding situation of the vehicle; A driving control unit that activates a driving assistance function including a lane departure warning based on the surrounding conditions; A travel information acquisition unit that acquires travel information including at least position information and time information when a lane departure warning is activated, and transmits the travel information to the information management device via the communication device, The driving control unit suppresses activation of the lane departure warning when the vehicle passes through a specified point based on a lane departure warning suppression instruction from the information management device. Vehicle systems.

10. On the computer, Communicating with a plurality of vehicles capable of lane departure warning, Detecting position information at which the lane departure warning was activated for each vehicle based on the information acquired from the plurality of vehicles through the communication; identifying locations in the plurality of vehicles where activation of the lane departure warning system occurs frequently based on the detected location information; program.

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