Vehicular operation device and vehicle

Abstract

To improve operability of an in-vehicle switch capable of being operated from a driver seat of a vehicle.SOLUTION: In a vehicular operation device, an operating switch, which can issue instructions for controlling at least either a self-driving function or a driving assistance function of a vehicle by a driver's operation, is provided on a specific surface that is a surface facing the driver seat side of interior parts adjacently arranged on the lateral side of the driver seat of the vehicle.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a vehicle operation device and a vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a vehicle operation device that enables a vehicle occupant to reliably and easily operate vehicle functions. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2018-079753 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Incidentally, the vehicle operation device of Patent Document 1 has a function operation unit that controls functions such as vehicle steering operations disposed on the armrest of the seat. Therefore, the vehicle operation device has high operability of the function operation unit when the occupant places their arm on the armrest. Here, the driver as an occupant appropriately issues instructions related to the running of the vehicle, so it is desirable that the operability of the in-vehicle switch that can be operated from the driver's seat is high.

[0005] In view of the above, an object of the present disclosure is to provide a vehicle operation device and a vehicle that can improve the operability of an in-vehicle switch that can be operated from the driver's seat of the vehicle. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The vehicle operating device of claim 1 is provided with an operating switch on a specific surface of an interior part arranged adjacent to the side of the driver's seat of the vehicle, the operating switch being operable by a driver to issue an instruction to control at least one of the vehicle's automatic driving function and driving assistance function.

[0007] The vehicle operation device according to claim 1 is provided with an operation switch on a specific surface of an interior part arranged adjacent to the side of the driver's seat of the vehicle, the operation switch being operable by the driver to issue an instruction to control at least one of the vehicle's automatic driving function and driving assistance function. As a result, the vehicle operation device has an operation switch on the specific surface of the interior part arranged adjacent to the side of the driver's seat, which improves the operability of the in-vehicle switch that can be operated from the driver's seat.

[0008] The vehicle operating device according to claim 2 is the same as claim 1, in which the interior part is capable of supporting the driver's arms, and the operating switch is disposed at a position for the driver's hands in the fore-and-aft direction of the driver.

[0009] In the vehicle operation device according to claim 2, the interior part is capable of supporting the driver's arm. The operation switch is disposed at the position of the driver's hand in the front-rear direction of the driver. As a result, according to the vehicle operation device, the operation switch is provided on a specific surface of the interior part facing the driver's seat, so that the driver can easily press the operation switch with the thumb while resting his / her arm on the interior part.

[0010] A vehicle operating device according to a third aspect of the present invention is the vehicle operating device according to the first or second aspect, wherein the interior part is a center console.

[0011] In the vehicle operation device according to claim 3, the interior part is a center console. With this, the vehicle operation device can effectively utilize the space of the center console by providing the operation switch on a specific surface of the center console where in-vehicle switches are rarely provided.

[0012] The vehicle operating device of claim 4 is any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the operating switches include a first operating switch that is arranged on one side of the driver's seat in the vehicle width direction and is operated by the driver to instruct the vehicle to move to one side in the vehicle width direction, and a second operating switch that is arranged on the other side of the driver's seat in the vehicle width direction and is operated by the driver to instruct the vehicle to move to the other side in the vehicle width direction.

[0013] In the vehicle operation device according to claim 4, the direction in which the vehicle is moved corresponds to the arrangement of the first operation switch and the second operation switch in the vehicle width direction based on the driver's seat. Specifically, in the vehicle operation device, the first operation switch capable of issuing an instruction to move the vehicle to one side in the vehicle width direction is arranged on one side of the driver's seat in the vehicle width direction, and the second operation switch capable of issuing an instruction to move the vehicle to the other side in the vehicle width direction is arranged on the other side of the driver's seat in the vehicle width direction. As a result, with the vehicle operation device, the driver in a seated position can intuitively issue an instruction to move the vehicle without getting confused about one side or the other side in the vehicle width direction.

[0014] The vehicle operation device according to claim 5 is any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a protruding portion disposed around the operation switch and protruding toward the driver beyond an operation surface of the operation switch.

[0015] The vehicle operation device according to claim 5 includes a protruding portion disposed around the operation switch and protruding toward the driver from the operation surface of the operation switch. As a result, the vehicle operation device includes the protruding portion, which can prevent the operation switch from being erroneously operated by the driver's elbow, knee, or the like, compared to when the operation is performed by the driver's fingers. Also, the vehicle operation device includes the protruding portion as a guide when the driver tries to operate the operation switch by feel, allowing the driver to easily operate the operation switch without visually checking.

[0016] The vehicle of claim 6 includes the vehicle operation device of claim 4, in which the first operation switch is provided with a first lamp that can be lit in a predetermined light-emitting manner and the second operation switch is provided with a second lamp that can be lit in a predetermined light-emitting manner; a driving control unit that controls at least one of an autonomous driving function and a driving assistance function of the vehicle; and a lamp control unit that controls the first lamp to be lit when the driving control unit suggests to the driver to move to one side in the vehicle width direction, and controls the second lamp to be lit when the driving control unit suggests to the driver to move to the other side in the vehicle width direction.

[0017] In the vehicle according to claim 6, the vehicle operation device according to claim 4 is provided with a first lamp on the first operation switch and a second lamp on the second operation switch. The driving control unit controls at least one of the vehicle's automatic driving function and driving assistance function. The lamp control unit controls to turn on the first lamp arranged on one side in the vehicle width direction when the driving control unit suggests to the driver to move to one side in the vehicle width direction, and to turn on the second lamp arranged on the other side in the vehicle width direction when the driving control unit suggests to the driver to move to the other side in the vehicle width direction. This makes it possible for the vehicle to allow the driver to know the timing to operate the first operation switch or the second operation switch. Effect of the Invention

[0018] As described above, the vehicle operation device and vehicle according to the present disclosure can improve the operability of in-vehicle switches that can be operated from the driver's seat of the vehicle. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0019] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a first block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a vehicle. [Diagram 2] 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a determination ECU and a control ECU; [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a first view of the interior of the vehicle as seen from the driver's seat. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a block diagram for explaining a flow of a first pattern of an automated lane change. [Diagram 5] FIG. 11 is a block diagram for explaining a flow of a second pattern of an automated lane change. [Figure 6] FIG. 11 is a block diagram for explaining a process for canceling an ongoing automated lane change; [Figure 7] FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram for explaining an approval condition, an instruction condition, and a cancellation condition. [Figure 8] 1 is a first flowchart showing the flow of a determination process. [Figure 9] 4A and 4B are schematic diagrams for explaining the configuration of a right-side operation switch. [Figure 10A] FIG. 4 is a first schematic diagram for explaining the configuration of a protrusion. [Figure 10B] FIG. 11 is a second schematic diagram for explaining the configuration of the protrusion. [Figure 11] FIG. 2 is a second block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a vehicle. [Figure 12] 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a lamp ECU. FIG. [Figure 13] 11 is a second flowchart showing the flow of the determination process. [Figure 14] FIG. 2 is a second view of the interior of the vehicle as seen from the driver's seat. [Figure 15A] FIG. 11 is a first schematic diagram for explaining another configuration of the right-side operation switch. [Figure 15B] FIG. 11 is a second schematic diagram illustrating another configuration of the right-side operation switch. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0020] The vehicle 10 according to this embodiment will be described below. (First embodiment) First, a first embodiment of a vehicle 10 according to the present embodiment will be described.

[0021] FIG. 1 is a first block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a vehicle 10. As shown in FIG. 1, a vehicle 10 includes a sensor group 20, an output device 30, various switches 40, a determination ECU (Electrical Control Unit) 50, and a control ECU 60. The sensor group 20, the output device 30, the various switches 40, the determination ECU 50, and the control ECU 60 are connected to each other via an external bus (communication bus) 15.

[0022] The sensor group 20 includes sensors for detecting the state of the vehicle 10 and the surrounding conditions, such as a 3D-LiDAR, a millimeter wave sensor, an infrared sensor, a turn signal sensor, an accelerator position sensor, a vehicle speed sensor, a steering angle sensor, an angular velocity sensor, a GPS (Global Positioning System) sensor, a gyro sensor, and an acceleration sensor. The sensor group 20 outputs the detection results of each sensor to the determination ECU 50 and the control ECU 60.

[0023] The output device 30 includes a display 32 and a speaker 34 . The display 32 is a HUD (Head Up Display) that displays operation suggestions related to functions of the vehicle 10, images explaining the functions, and the like.

[0024] The speaker 34 is provided on the instrument panel 14 (see FIG. 3), the center console 80 (see FIG. 3), the dashboard, etc., and is a device for outputting suggestions for operation related to functions of the vehicle 10 and audio related to explanations of the functions.

[0025] The various switches 40 include an automatic driving switch 42, a right side operation switch 44, and a left side operation switch 46.

[0026] The autonomous driving switch 42 is an in-vehicle switch that can switch on and off autonomous driving of the vehicle 10. The autonomous driving switch 42 is provided on the steering wheel 70 (see FIG. 3).

[0027] The right side operation switch 44 is provided on the door trim 92 (see FIG. 3). The right side operation switch 44 is an in-vehicle switch capable of issuing an instruction to change lanes of the autonomously driven vehicle 10 to the right lane. The right side operation switch 44 is an example of the "operation switch and first operation switch."

[0028] The left side operation switch 46 is provided on the center console 80. The left side operation switch 46 is an in-vehicle switch capable of issuing an instruction to change lanes of the autonomously driven vehicle 10 to the left lane. The left side operation switch 46 is an example of the "operation switch and second operation switch".

[0029] The determination ECU 50 is an ECU that determines whether or not the vehicle 10 undergoes lane change during autonomous driving.

[0030] The control ECU 60 is an ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance System)-ECU that controls the automatic driving function of the vehicle 10. As an example, the vehicle 10 has an automatic driving function of automatic driving level 2 as the automatic driving function. The control ECU 60 automatically drives the vehicle 10 without the driver's driving operation by the automatic driving function based on the automatic driving switch 42 being turned on. In addition, the vehicle 10 has an automatic lane change function as the automatic driving function that automatically changes lanes of the vehicle 10 without the driver's driving operation. The control ECU 60 automatically changes lanes of the vehicle 10 without the driver's driving operation by the automatic lane change function based on the acquisition of approval information or start instruction information from the determination ECU 50, which will be described later. The control ECU 60 is an example of a "driving control unit".

[0031] 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the determination ECU 50 and the control ECU 60. Since the determination ECU 50 and the control ECU 60 basically have the same configuration, the determination ECU 50 will be described as a representative.

[0032] 2, the determination ECU 50 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 51, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 52, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 53, a storage 54, a communication I / F (Interface) 55, and an input / output I / F 56. The CPU 51, the ROM 52, the RAM 53, the storage 54, the communication I / F 55, and the input / output I / F 56 are connected to each other via an internal bus 57 so as to be able to communicate with each other.

[0033] The CPU 51 is a central processing unit that executes various programs and controls each part. That is, the CPU 51 reads out a program from the ROM 52 and executes the program using the RAM 53 as a working area. In this embodiment, an information processing program 52A is stored in the ROM 52.

[0034] The ROM 52 stores various programs and various data. The RAM 53 serves as a working area for temporarily storing programs or data.

[0035] The storage 54 is a NAND memory configured by an embedded multi media card (eMMC) or a universal flash storage (UFS), etc. The storage 54 and the CPU 51 are connected via an eMMC or UFS interface.

[0036] Moreover, each component included in the determination ECU 50, such as the ROM 52 and the storage 54, is preferably a tamper-resistant medium such as an HSM (Hardware Security Module).

[0037] The communication I / F 55 is an interface for connecting to the control ECU 60 etc. This interface uses a communication standard based on Ethernet (registered trademark).

[0038] The input / output I / F 56 is an interface for communicating with on-board devices such as the sensor group 20, the output device 30, and various switches 40 mounted on the vehicle 10.

[0039] The functions of the CPU 61, ROM 62, RAM 63, storage 64, communication I / F 65, input / output I / F 66, and internal bus 67 of the control ECU 60 are similar to the functions of the CPU 51, ROM 52, RAM 53, storage 54, communication I / F 55, input / output I / F 56, and internal bus 57 of the determination ECU 50 described above. Also, the ROM 62 of the control ECU 60 stores an information processing program 62A.

[0040] Fig. 3 is a first diagram of the interior of vehicle 10 as seen from the driver's seat. In Fig. 3, the vehicle width direction of vehicle 10 is indicated by X, the vehicle up-down direction by Y, and the vehicle front-rear direction by Z. Also, in Fig. 3, the right side in the vehicle width direction is indicated by +X, the left side by -X, the upper side in the vehicle up-down direction by +Y, the lower side by -Y, the front side in the vehicle front-rear direction by +Z, and the rear side by -Z. The vehicle front-rear direction is an example of "the front-rear direction of the driver", the right side in the vehicle width direction is an example of "one side in the vehicle width direction", and the left side in the vehicle width direction is an example of "the other side in the vehicle width direction".

[0041] 3, the vehicle 10 is, for example, a right-hand drive vehicle, so the vehicle seat 12 on the right side in the figure is the driver's seat 12A, and the vehicle seat 12 on the left side in the figure is the passenger seat 12B.

[0042] A steering wheel 70 is disposed in front of the driver's seat 12A. The steering wheel 70 is supported via a steering column (not shown) that supports a wheel pad 72, and is disposed rearward of the instrument panel 14.

[0043] A door trim 92 that covers the driver's door 90 from the inside of the vehicle compartment is disposed adjacent to the right side of the driver's seat 12A. Here, it can be said that the door trim 92 disposed adjacent to the right side of the driver's seat 12A is disposed close enough to the driver's seat 12A that the driver who is seated in the driver's seat 12A can touch it with his / her fingers, specifically, the fingers of his / her right hand. A protruding portion 94 that protrudes to the left from the driver's door 90 is provided at the center portion of the door trim 92 in the vertical direction of the vehicle. The protruding portion 94 is formed on a substantially horizontal surface, and can also be used as a door armrest on which the driver's right arm can be placed.

[0044] Further, a surface of the door trim 92 extending in the vehicle front-rear direction and in the vehicle up-down direction below the overhanging portion 94 is referred to as a "door trim side surface 96." The door trim side surface 96 is a surface of the door trim 92 facing the driver's seat 12A side, specifically, facing the left side. The door trim 92 is an example of an "interior part," and the door trim side surface 96 is an example of a "specific surface."

[0045] Here, a rectangular right side operation switch 44 with its longitudinal direction in the vehicle longitudinal direction is disposed at the position of the driver's right hand in the vehicle longitudinal direction on the door trim side surface 96. The position of the right hand includes the position of the right hand of a person having a height within a predetermined range. In the first embodiment, the right side operation switch 44 is disposed at the position of the thumb of a person of AM50 (50th percentile of American adult males) sitting in the driver's seat 12A in the driving position and lowering the thumb of the right hand with the right palm resting on the overhanging portion 94 together with the right arm on the door trim side surface 96. The right side operation switch 44 is disposed below the lower end of the steering wheel 70.

[0046] A center console 80 is disposed adjacent to the left side of the driver's seat 12A, specifically between the driver's seat 12A and the passenger seat 12B. Here, it can be said that the center console 80 disposed adjacent to the left side of the driver's seat 12A is disposed close enough to the driver's seat 12A that the driver can touch it with his / her fingers, specifically, the fingers of his / her left hand, while seated. A shift lever 82 is disposed in the front portion of the center console 80. A console box 84 is disposed in the rear portion of the center console 80. An upper surface 84A of the console box 84 is formed in a substantially horizontal plane, and can also be used as a center armrest on which the driver's left arm can be placed.

[0047] Here, the surface of the center console 80 from the front to the rear facing the driver's seat 12A, specifically, the surface facing the right side, is referred to as the "center console side surface 86." The center console 80 is an example of an "interior part," and the center console side surface 86 is an example of a "specific surface."

[0048] Also, on the center console side surface 86, a rectangular left side operation switch 46 with its longitudinal direction being the vehicle longitudinal direction is disposed at the position of the driver's left hand in the vehicle longitudinal direction. The position of the left hand includes the position of the left hand of a person having a height within a predetermined range. In the first embodiment, the left side operation switch 46 is disposed on the center console side surface 86 at the position of the thumb of a person of AM50 (50th percentile of American adult males) sitting in the driver's seat 12A in the driving position, placing the left palm together with the left arm on the upper surface 84A of the console box 84 and lowering the thumb of the left hand. Also, the left side operation switch 46 is disposed below the lower end of the steering wheel 70.

[0049] Here, the shapes of the door trim side surface 96 and the center console side surface 86 are not particularly limited as long as they are not substantially horizontal surfaces. For example, the door trim side surface 96 and the center console side surface 86 may be vertical surfaces perpendicular to the vehicle width direction. Furthermore, the door trim side surface 96 may be a curved surface that is curved to the left from a plane perpendicular to the vehicle width direction in the door trim 92, and the center console side surface 86 may be a curved surface that is curved to the right from a plane perpendicular to the vehicle width direction in the center console 80.

[0050] As described above, in this embodiment, the right side operation switch 44 is disposed on the door trim side surface 96, and the left side operation switch 46 is disposed on the center console side surface 86, and the door trim 92 and the center console 80 constitute a vehicle operation device 100.

[0051] Next, a flow of lane change by the automatic lane change function (hereinafter, "automatic lane change") will be described with reference to Figures 4 and 5. The automatic lane change has a first pattern that is performed based on the driver's approval of a proposal from the control ECU 60, and a second pattern that is performed based on the driver's instruction.

[0052] FIG. 4 is a block diagram for explaining the flow of the first pattern of an automated lane change. As shown by arrows A1 and A2 in FIG. 4, the control ECU 60 inputs proposal information that proposes an automatic lane change to the display 32 and the determination ECU 50 when the first condition or the second condition is satisfied. In the first embodiment, the control ECU 60 inputs first proposal information that proposes an automatic lane change to the right lane when the first condition is satisfied, and inputs second proposal information that proposes an automatic lane change to the left lane when the second condition is satisfied. For example, when the vehicle 10 is traveling in a central lane of a three-lane expressway, the control ECU 60 determines that the first condition is satisfied when the distance to a preceding vehicle traveling in the lane becomes a predetermined value or less and the vehicle speed of the vehicle 10 becomes a predetermined value or less. In addition, when the vehicle 10 is traveling in a central lane of a three-lane expressway, the control ECU 60 determines that the second condition is satisfied when the distance to an exit of the expressway based on the navigation route becomes a predetermined value or less.

[0053] The display 32 that has acquired the proposal information displays a predetermined text message. For example, when the display 32 acquires the first proposal information, it displays "System proposal: Change lane to the right?", and when the display 32 acquires the second proposal information, it displays "System proposal: Change lane to the left?". Then, as shown by the arrow A3, display information indicating the text message being displayed on the display 32 is input to the determination ECU 50.

[0054] As indicated by arrows A4 and A5, the operation details of the right operation switch 44 or the left operation switch 46 by the driver are input as operation information to the determination ECU 50. As indicated by arrow A6, when an approval condition described later is satisfied, the determination ECU 50 inputs approval information for approving the proposal for an automated lane change to the control ECU 60. The control ECU 60, which has acquired the approval information, starts an automated lane change to the proposed lane.

[0055] FIG. 5 is a block diagram for explaining the flow of the second pattern of automated lane changing. 5, as indicated by arrows A7 and A8, the determination ECU 50 acquires operation information input from the right operation switch 44 or the left operation switch 46 in a state in which it has not acquired proposal information from the control ECU 60, unlike in FIG 4. As indicated by arrow A9, the determination ECU 50 inputs start instruction information instructing the control ECU 60 to start an automated lane change when an instruction condition described below is satisfied. Also, as indicated by arrow A10, the determination ECU 50 inputs display instruction information instructing the display 32 to display information relating to the start of an automated lane change when the instruction condition is satisfied.

[0056] The display 32 that has acquired the display instruction information displays a predetermined text message. For example, when the display 32 acquires display instruction information related to the start of an automatic lane change to the right lane, the display 32 displays "System received. Changing lanes to the right," and when the display 32 acquires display instruction information related to the start of an automatic lane change to the left lane, the display 32 displays "System received. Changing lanes to the left."

[0057] Moreover, the control ECU 60 that has acquired the start instruction information starts an automatic lane change to the instructed lane.

[0058] Next, a flow of canceling an active lane change will be described with reference to Fig. 6. In the following, it is assumed that the control ECU 60 has started an active lane change to the right lane, and the display 32 is displaying a text message related to the active lane change (e.g., "changing lane to the right").

[0059] As shown by arrows A11 and A12 in Fig. 6, the determination ECU 50 acquires operation information indicating that the right operation switch 44 or the left operation switch 46 has been pressed a predetermined number of times or more or pressed and held for a predetermined period of time or more. Although details will be described later, the operation content by the driver indicated by the operation information is different from the operation content acquired when the determination ECU 50 inputs approval information or start instruction information to the control ECU 60. As shown by arrow A13, when a cancellation condition described later is satisfied, the determination ECU 50 inputs cancellation information instructing the control ECU 60 to cancel the automated lane change. Also, as shown by arrow A14, when the cancellation condition is satisfied, the determination ECU 50 inputs cancellation display information instructing the display relating to the cancellation of the automated lane change to the display 32.

[0060] The display 32 that has received the cancellation display information displays a predetermined text message. For example, the display 32 displays "Cancellation received. Lane change will be cancelled."

[0061] Furthermore, the control ECU 60 that has acquired the cancellation information cancels the automated lane change and causes the vehicle 10 to travel in the driving lane before the automated lane change was started.

[0062] Next, the approval condition, instruction condition, and cancellation condition that are determined by the determination ECU 50 will be described with reference to FIG.

[0063] FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the approval condition, the instruction condition, and the cancellation condition. When both the precondition and the operation of the right operation switch 44 or the left operation switch 46 by the driver are satisfied, the determination ECU 50 determines that one of the above conditions is satisfied, and inputs predetermined information to the control ECU 60.

[0064] First, the approval conditions for inputting the approval information to the control ECU 60 will be described. 7, in the case of an automatic lane change to the right lane, a precondition for satisfying the approval condition is that the determination ECU 50 has acquired the first proposal information. Then, when the precondition is satisfied and operation information indicating that the right operation switch 44 has been pressed once is acquired, the determination ECU 50 determines that the approval condition is satisfied. As a result, the determination ECU 50 inputs the approval information to the control ECU 60.

[0065] In addition, in the case of an automatic lane change to the left lane, a precondition for satisfying the approval condition is that the judgment ECU 50 has acquired the second proposal information. Then, when the precondition is satisfied and operation information indicating that the left operation switch 46 has been pressed once is acquired, the judgment ECU 50 judges that the approval condition is satisfied. As a result, the judgment ECU 50 inputs the approval information to the control ECU 60.

[0066] Next, the instruction conditions for inputting the start instruction information to the control ECU 60 will be described. In the case of an automatic lane change to the right lane, a precondition for satisfying the instruction condition is that the judgment ECU 50 has not acquired any proposal information. Then, when the judgment ECU 50 acquires operation information indicating that the right operation switch 44 has been pressed once in a state in which the precondition is satisfied, the judgment ECU 50 judges that the instruction condition is satisfied. As a result, the judgment ECU 50 inputs start instruction information to the control ECU 60 to instruct the start of an automatic lane change to the right lane.

[0067] In addition, in the case of an automated lane change to the left lane, a precondition for satisfying the instruction condition is that the judgment ECU 50 has not acquired any proposed information. Then, when the judgment ECU 50 acquires operation information indicating that the left operation switch 46 has been pressed once in a state in which the precondition is satisfied, the judgment ECU 50 judges that the instruction condition is satisfied. As a result, the judgment ECU 50 inputs start instruction information to the control ECU 60 to instruct the start of an automated lane change to the left lane.

[0068] Next, the cancellation conditions for inputting the cancellation information to the control ECU 60 will be described. The precondition for satisfying the cancellation condition is the same for both the case of an automatic lane change to the right lane and the case of an automatic lane change to the left lane, that is, the case where an automatic lane change is being performed. For example, the determination ECU 50 determines that an automatic lane change is being performed when approval information or start instruction information is input to the control ECU 60. Then, when the determination ECU 50 obtains operation information indicating that the right operation switch 44 or the left operation switch 46 has been pressed a predetermined number of times or longer or pressed for a predetermined period of time or longer in a state where the precondition is satisfied, the determination ECU 50 determines that the cancellation condition is satisfied. As a result, the determination ECU 50 inputs cancellation information to the control ECU 60.

[0069] Next, the flow of processing by the determination ECU 50 will be described with reference to FIG. 8 is a first flowchart showing the flow of a determination process in which the determination ECU 50 determines whether or not to input approval information or start instruction information to the control ECU 60. The determination process is performed by the CPU 51 of the determination ECU 50 reading out the information processing program 52A from the ROM 52, and expanding and executing the program in the RAM 53. The determination process is automatically and repeatedly executed at regular intervals when the automatic driving switch 42 is turned on, for example.

[0070] 8, the CPU 51 determines whether or not the proposed information has been acquired. If the CPU 51 determines that the proposed information has been acquired (step S10: YES), the process proceeds to step S11. On the other hand, if the CPU 51 determines that the proposed information has not been acquired (step S10: NO), the process proceeds to step S13.

[0071] In step S11, the CPU 51 judges whether or not it has acquired operation information corresponding to the proposal information acquired in step S10. Here, when the CPU 51 judges that it has acquired the corresponding operation information (step S11: YES), it proceeds to step S12 as satisfying the approval condition. On the other hand, when the CPU 51 judges that it has not acquired the corresponding operation information (step S11: NO), it ends the judgment process. For example, when the proposal information acquired in step S10 is the first proposal information and it acquires operation information indicating that the right operation switch 44 has been pressed once, the CPU 51 judges that it has acquired the corresponding operation information. Also, when the proposal information acquired in step S10 is the second proposal information and it acquires operation information indicating that the left operation switch 46 has been pressed once, the CPU 51 judges that it has acquired the corresponding operation information.

[0072] In step S12, the CPU 51 inputs approval information to the control ECU 60. In response to this, the control ECU 60, which has acquired the approval information, starts an automobile lane change to the proposed lane. Then, the CPU 51 proceeds to step S15.

[0073] In step S13, the CPU 51 determines whether or not the corresponding operation information has been acquired. If the CPU 51 determines that the corresponding operation information has been acquired (step S13: YES), the instruction condition is satisfied and the process proceeds to step S14. On the other hand, if the CPU 51 determines that the corresponding operation information has not been acquired (step S13: NO), the determination process ends. For example, if the CPU 51 acquires operation information indicating that the right operation switch 44 or the left operation switch 46 has been pressed once, the CPU 51 determines that the corresponding operation information has been acquired.

[0074] In step S14, the CPU 51 inputs start instruction information to the control ECU 60. As a result, for example, the control ECU 60 that has acquired start instruction information instructing the start of an automatic lane change to the right lane starts an automatic lane change to the right lane. Also, the control ECU 60 that has acquired start instruction information instructing the start of an automatic lane change to the left lane starts an automatic lane change to the left lane. Then, the CPU 51 proceeds to step S15.

[0075] In step S15, the CPU 51 determines whether or not the cancellation condition is not satisfied. If the CPU 51 determines that the cancellation condition is not satisfied (step S15: YES), the CPU 51 ends the determination process. On the other hand, if the CPU 51 determines that the cancellation condition is satisfied (step S15: NO), the CPU 51 proceeds to step S16.

[0076] In step S16, the CPU 51 inputs cancellation information to the control ECU 60. As a result, the control ECU 60, which has acquired the cancellation information, cancels the automated lane change and causes the vehicle 10 to travel in the driving lane before the automated lane change was started. Then, the CPU 51 ends the determination process.

[0077] Next, the configuration of the right operation switch 44 will be described with reference to FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram for explaining the configuration of the right-side operation switch 44. Note that the directions indicated by +Z, -Z, +X, and -X in FIG. 9 are the same as those in FIG.

[0078] 9, the right-side operation switch 44 is attached to an opening 98 formed in a door trim side surface 96 of the door trim 92. The right-side operation switch 44 is a known automatic reset push button switch, and is configured to be pushed to the right when the driver presses the operation surface 44A. As an example, the right-side operation switch 44 is a contact a push button switch.

[0079] 9 shows a non-conductive state in which there is no electrical continuity between the connection terminals of the movable contact 44B and the fixed contact 44C of the right-side operation switch 44. In the non-conductive state, the right-side operation switch 44 is configured such that the operation surface 44A does not protrude from the door trim side surface 96. Specifically, in the first embodiment, in the non-conductive state, the operation surface 44A of the right-side operation switch 44 is flush with the door trim side surface 96 in the vehicle front-rear direction.

[0080] With the above-described configuration, according to the door trim 92 constituting the vehicle operating device 100, in the non-conductive state, the operating surface 44A of the right-side operating switch 44 does not protrude from the door trim side surface 96, thereby preventing the right-side operating switch 44 from being erroneously operated by the driver's right elbow, right knee, etc.

[0081] Although the configuration of the right-side operation switch 44 has been described above, the left-side operation switch 46 is configured in the same manner as the right-side operation switch 44. That is, although not shown in the drawings, the operation surface of the left-side operation switch 46 that is pressed by the driver does not protrude from the center console side surface 86 in the non-conductive state. Specifically, in the first embodiment, the operation surface of the left-side operation switch 46 in the non-conductive state is flush with the center console side surface 86 in the vehicle front-rear direction.

[0082] As described above, the door trim 92, which is disposed adjacent to the right side of the driver's seat 12A and constitutes the vehicle operation device 100, is provided with the right-side operation switch 44 capable of issuing an instruction to change lanes of the vehicle 10 to the right lane, on the driver's seat 12A side, specifically, on the door trim side surface 96 facing left. Also, the center console 80, which is disposed adjacent to the left side of the driver's seat 12A and constitutes the vehicle operation device 100, is provided with the left-side operation switch 46, which is capable of issuing an instruction to change lanes of the vehicle 10 to the left lane, on the driver's seat 12A side, specifically, on the center console side surface 86 facing right.

[0083] With the above-described configuration, the vehicle operation device 100 provides the right operation switch 44 on the door trim side surface 96 and the left operation switch 46 on the center console side surface 86, thereby improving the operability of the in-vehicle switches that can be operated from the driver's seat 12A. Specifically, the vehicle operation device 100 provides the right operation switch 44 on the door trim side surface 96, which allows the driver in a seated position to easily press the switch with the thumb of the right hand, improving the operability. Also, the vehicle operation device 100 provides the left operation switch 46 on the center console side surface 86, which allows the driver in a seated position to easily press the switch with the thumb of the left hand, improving the operability.

[0084] Furthermore, according to the vehicle operation device 100, by providing the left operation switch 46 on the center console side surface 86 where no in-vehicle switches are provided in the center console 80, the space of the center console 80 can be utilized effectively.

[0085] In addition, in the vehicle operation device 100, the direction in which the vehicle 10 is to change lanes corresponds to the left-right arrangement of the right operation switch 44 and the left operation switch 46 with respect to the driver's seat 12A. Specifically, in the vehicle operation device 100, the right operation switch 44 capable of issuing an instruction to change lanes of the vehicle 10 to the right lane is disposed on the right side of the driver's seat 12A, and the left operation switch 46 capable of issuing an instruction to change lanes of the vehicle 10 to the left lane is disposed on the left side of the driver's seat 12A. As a result, the vehicle operation device 100 allows the driver in a seated position to intuitively issue an instruction to change lanes without getting confused about left and right.

[0086] The door trim 92 and the center console 80 constituting the vehicle operation device 100 are capable of supporting the driver's arms. Specifically, the overhanging portion 94 of the door trim 92 serves as a door armrest on which the driver's right arm can be supported, and the upper surface 84A of the center console 80 serves as a center armrest on which the driver's left arm can be supported. On the door trim side surface 96, the right side operation switch 44 is disposed at the position of the driver's right hand in the vehicle longitudinal direction. On the center console side surface 86, the left side operation switch 46 is disposed at the position of the driver's left hand in the vehicle longitudinal direction. As a result, according to the vehicle operation device 100, the right side operation switch 44 is provided on the driver's seat 12A side of the door trim 92, specifically, on the door trim side surface 96 facing left, so that the driver can easily press the right side operation switch 44 with the thumb of his / her right hand while resting his / her right arm on the overhanging portion 94. Furthermore, according to the vehicle operation device 100, the left side operation switch 46 is provided on the driver's seat 12A side of the center console 80, specifically, on the center console side surface 86 facing to the right, so that the driver can easily press the left side operation switch 46 with the thumb of his / her left hand while resting his / her left arm on the upper surface 84A.

[0087] Second embodiment Next, a second embodiment of the vehicle 10 according to the present invention will be described while omitting or simplifying parts that overlap with the above embodiment.

[0088] The door trim 92 in the second embodiment is disposed around the right side operation switch 44, and includes a protruding portion 95 (see FIGS. 10A and 10B) that protrudes toward the driver's side, specifically, toward the left side, relative to the operation surface 44A.

[0089] Fig. 10A is a first schematic diagram for explaining the configuration of the protrusion 95, and Fig. 10B is a second schematic diagram for explaining the configuration of the protrusion 95. Note that the directions indicated by +Z, -Z, +X, and -X in Fig. 10A are the same as those in Fig. 3, and the directions indicated by +Z, -Z, +Y, and -Y in Fig. 10B are the same as those in Fig. 3.

[0090] 10A and 10B, the protrusion 95 is a rectangular frame member surrounding the periphery of the right-side operation switch 44. As shown in Fig. 10A, the protrusion 95 protrudes to the left of the operation surface 44A of the right-side operation switch 44 in the non-conductive state.

[0091] The dimensions of the operation surface 44A of the right side operation switch 44 are set to be, for example, such that a person of AM50 (50th percentile of adult males in the United States) can press the right side operation switch 44 with his / her fingers, but cannot press the right side operation switch 44 with his / her right elbow or right knee. According to the door trim 92 constituting the vehicle operation device 100, the protrusion 95 prevents the operation surface 44A from being pressed down by the right elbow or right knee even if the driver's right elbow or right knee approaches the right side operation switch 44. Therefore, according to the door trim 92, the protrusion 95 can prevent the right side operation switch 44 from being erroneously operated by the driver's right elbow, right knee, etc., compared to when the right side operation switch 44 is operated with the driver's fingers. Furthermore, according to the door trim 92, when the driver tries to press the right side operation switch 44 by feeling around, the protrusion 95 serves as a guide, and the driver can easily press the right side operation switch 44 without looking.

[0092] In the above, the configuration of the door trim 92 has been described, but the center console 80 is also configured in the same manner as the door trim 92. That is, although not shown in the drawings, the center console 80 is disposed around the left side operation switch 46 and has a protruding portion that protrudes toward the driver's side, specifically, to the right, relative to the operation surface of the left side operation switch 46.

[0093] (Third embodiment) Next, a third embodiment of the vehicle 10 according to the present invention will be described while omitting or simplifying parts that overlap with the above-described embodiments.

[0094] FIG. 11 is a second block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the vehicle 10. As shown in FIG. 11, the vehicle 10 includes a sensor group 20, an output device 30, various switches 40, a determination ECU 50, a control ECU 60, and a lamp ECU 110. The sensor group 20, the output device 30, the various switches 40, the determination ECU 50, the control ECU 60, and the lamp ECU 110 are connected to each other via an external bus (communication bus) 15.

[0095] In the third embodiment, a right lamp 45 that can be turned on in a predetermined light emission mode is provided on the right operation switch 44. Also, in the third embodiment, a left lamp 47 that can be turned on in a predetermined light emission mode is provided on the left operation switch 46. As an example, the right lamp 45 and the left lamp 47 are full-color LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes). The right lamp 45 is an example of a "first lamp," and the left lamp 47 is an example of a "second lamp."

[0096] The lamp ECU 110 is an ECU that performs lighting control of the right lamp 45 and the left lamp 47 based on an instruction from the determination ECU 50. For example, the lamp ECU 110 controls the lighting timing, lighting color, lighting time, etc. as the lighting control. The lamp ECU 110 is an example of a "lamp control unit."

[0097] Here, the lamp ECU 110 controls so that the right lamp 45 is turned on when the control ECU 60 suggests to the driver that the vehicle should change to the right lane, and the left lamp 47 is turned on when the control ECU 60 suggests to the driver that the vehicle should change to the left lane. This will be described in detail later.

[0098] FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the lamp ECU 110. As shown in FIG. 12, the lamp ECU 110 includes a CPU 111, a ROM 112, a RAM 113, a storage 114, a communication I / F 115, and an input / output I / F 116. The CPU 111, the ROM 112, the RAM 113, the storage 114, the communication I / F 115, and the input / output I / F 116 are connected to each other via an internal bus 117 so as to be able to communicate with each other.

[0099] The functions of the CPU 111, ROM 112, RAM 113, storage 114, communication I / F 115, input / output I / F 116, and internal bus 117 of the lamp ECU 110 are similar to the functions of the CPU 51, ROM 52, RAM 53, storage 54, communication I / F 55, input / output I / F 56, and internal bus 57 of the above-mentioned determination ECU 50. Also, an information processing program 112A is stored in the ROM 112 of the lamp ECU 110.

[0100] Next, the flow of processing by the determination ECU 50 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 13 is a second flowchart showing the flow of the determination process in which the determination ECU 50 determines whether to input the approval information or the start instruction information to the control ECU 60.

[0101] 13, the CPU 51 determines whether or not the proposed information has been acquired. If the CPU 51 determines that the proposed information has been acquired (step S20: YES), the process proceeds to step S21. On the other hand, if the CPU 51 determines that the proposed information has not been acquired (step S20: NO), the process proceeds to step S25.

[0102] In step S21, the CPU 51 instructs the lamp ECU 110 to turn on a lamp corresponding to the proposal information acquired in step S20. Then, the CPU 51 proceeds to step S22. For example, when the proposal information acquired in step S20 is the first proposal information, the CPU 51 instructs the lamp ECU 110 to turn on the right lamp 45 as the corresponding lamp. Also, when the proposal information acquired in step S20 is the second proposal information, the CPU 51 instructs the lamp ECU 110 to turn on the left lamp 47 as the corresponding lamp.

[0103] In step S22, the CPU 51 determines whether or not operation information corresponding to the proposal information acquired in step S20 has been acquired. If the CPU 51 determines that the corresponding operation information has been acquired (step S22: YES), the CPU 51 proceeds to step S23 as the approval condition is satisfied. On the other hand, if the CPU 51 determines that the corresponding operation information has not been acquired (step S22: NO), the CPU 51 ends the determination process.

[0104] In step S23, the CPU 51 inputs the approval information to the control ECU 60. Then, the CPU 51 proceeds to step S24.

[0105] In step S24, the CPU 51 issues an instruction to turn off the lamp that was instructed to be turned on in step S21 to the lamp ECU 110. Then, the CPU 51 proceeds to step S27.

[0106] In step S25, the CPU 51 determines whether or not the corresponding operation information has been acquired. If the CPU 51 determines that the corresponding operation information has been acquired (step S25: YES), the CPU 51 proceeds to step S26 as the instruction condition is satisfied. On the other hand, if the CPU 51 determines that the corresponding operation information has not been acquired (step S25: NO), the CPU 51 ends the determination process.

[0107] In step S26, the CPU 51 inputs start instruction information to the control ECU 60. Then, the CPU 51 proceeds to step S27.

[0108] In step S27, the CPU 51 judges whether or not the cancellation condition is not satisfied. If the CPU 51 judges that the cancellation condition is not satisfied (step S27: YES), the CPU 51 ends the judgment process. On the other hand, if the CPU 51 judges that the cancellation condition is satisfied (step S27: NO), the CPU 51 proceeds to step S28.

[0109] In step S28, the CPU 51 inputs cancellation information to the control ECU 60. Then, the CPU 51 ends the determination process.

[0110] As described above, in the vehicle 10, the lamp ECU 110 controls the right lamp 45 to be turned on when the control ECU 60 suggests to the driver to change lanes to the right lane, and the left lamp 47 to be turned on when the control ECU 60 suggests to the driver to change lanes to the left lane. This allows the vehicle 10 to allow the driver to know the timing to press the right operation switch 44 or the left operation switch 46.

[0111] (others) In the above embodiment, the right side operation switch 44 and the left side operation switch 46 are in-vehicle switches that can be operated by the driver to give an instruction to control the automatic lane change function as the automatic driving function of the vehicle 10, but are not limited to this. For example, the right side operation switch 44 and the left side operation switch 46 may be in-vehicle switches that can be operated by the driver to give an instruction to control the driving assistance function of the vehicle 10, or may be in-vehicle switches that can be operated by the driver to give an instruction to control the automatic driving function and the driving assistance function of the vehicle 10. In this case, the control ECU 60 controls at least one of the automatic driving function and the driving assistance function of the vehicle 10.

[0112] In the above embodiment, the automatic driving function of the vehicle 10 is an automatic lane change function, but is not limited thereto. For example, the automatic driving function may be an automatic parking function that automatically parks the vehicle 10 without the driver's driving operation. In this case, the right operation switch 44 may be an in-vehicle switch that can instruct the vehicle 10 to be parked in a parking space at the right rear, and the left operation switch 46 may be an in-vehicle switch that can instruct the vehicle 10 to be parked in a parking space at the left rear.

[0113] Similarly, the driving assistance function is not particularly limited. For example, the driving assistance function may be ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control). In this case, the right operation switch 44 may be an in-vehicle switch capable of instructing to increase the set vehicle speed in ACC, and the left operation switch 46 may be an in-vehicle switch capable of instructing to decrease the set vehicle speed in ACC. Also, the right operation switch 44 may be an in-vehicle switch capable of instructing to increase the set vehicle distance in ACC, and the left operation switch 46 may be an in-vehicle switch capable of instructing to shorten the set vehicle distance in ACC. Also, the right operation switch 44 may be an in-vehicle switch capable of instructing to move the driving position to the right in the same driving lane in ACC, and the left operation switch 46 may be an in-vehicle switch capable of instructing to move the driving position to the left in the same driving lane in ACC. Also, the functions of the right operation switch 44 and the left operation switch 46 may be assigned in the reverse order.

[0114] In the above embodiment, the vehicle operation device 100 is configured with the door trim 92 and the center console 80, but the vehicle operation device 100 is not limited to this. For example, the vehicle operation device 100 may be either the door trim 92 or the center console 80. In this case, the vehicle operation device 100 may be configured to include only the right side operation switch 44, which can be operated by the driver to instruct the vehicle 10 to change lanes to the right lane, on the door trim side surface 96 of the door trim 92. Also, the vehicle operation device 100 may be configured to include only the left side operation switch 46, which can be operated by the driver to instruct the vehicle 10 to change lanes to the left lane, on the center console side surface 86 of the center console 80.

[0115] In the above embodiment, the vehicle 10 is a right-hand drive vehicle, but is not limited thereto. For example, the vehicle 10 may be a left-hand drive vehicle. In this case, the vehicle 10 is provided with a left-side operation switch 46 that can be operated by the driver to instruct the vehicle 10 to change lanes to the left lane on the driver's side, specifically, on the surface facing the right side, of the door trim that is disposed adjacent to the left side of the driver's seat and that constitutes the vehicle operation device 100. In addition, the vehicle 10 is provided with a right-side operation switch 44 that can instruct the vehicle 10 to change lanes to the right lane on the driver's side, specifically, on the surface facing the left side, of the center console 80 that is disposed adjacent to the right side of the driver's seat and that constitutes the vehicle operation device 100.

[0116] In the above embodiment, the display 32 is an HUD, but is not limited to this. For example, the display 32 may be a liquid crystal monitor provided on the instrument panel 14 or the meter panel 16 (see FIG. 3 ).

[0117] In the above embodiment, the right side operation switch 44 and the left side operation switch 46 are rectangular in shape with the longitudinal direction of the vehicle as the long side, but are not limited thereto. For example, the right side operation switch 44 and the left side operation switch 46 may be circular or elliptical.

[0118] In the above embodiment, the right-side operation switch 44 was disposed on the door trim side surface 96 at a position operable with the thumb of the right hand when the driver sits in the driver's seat 12A in the driving position and places his / her right palm together with his / her right arm on the protruding portion 94. The left-side operation switch 46 was disposed on the center console side surface 86 at a position operable with the thumb of the left hand when the driver sits in the driver's seat 12A in the driving position and places his / her left palm together with his / her left arm on the upper surface 84A of the console box 84.

[0119] However, the arrangement of the right side operation switch 44 and the left side operation switch 46 on the door trim side surface 96 and the center console side surface 86 is not limited to the above positions. For example, the right side operation switch 44 may be arranged on the door trim side surface 96 at a position operable by the thumb of the right hand when the driver is seated in the driver's seat 12A in a relaxed position where the driver's seat 12A is lowered rearward from the driving position. Similarly, the left side operation switch 46 may be arranged on the center console side surface 86 at a position operable by the thumb of the left hand when the driver is seated in the driver's seat 12A in a relaxed position. By arranging the right side operation switch 44 and the left side operation switch 46 at the above positions, the operability of the right side operation switch 44 and the left side operation switch 46 can be improved when the vehicle 10 is in an automatic driving state and the driver has his / her hands off the vehicle.

[0120] The right-side operation switch 44 may be disposed on the door trim side surface 96 at a position where the driver seated in the driver's seat 12A can operate it with the thumb of his right hand, regardless of whether the driver's seat 12A is in the driving position or the relaxing position. Similarly, the left-side operation switch 46 may be disposed on the center console side surface 86 at a position where the driver seated in the driver's seat 12A can operate it with the thumb of his left hand, regardless of whether the driver's seat 12A is in the driving position or the relaxing position. This configuration will be described with reference to FIG. 14.

[0121] FIG. 14 is a second view of the interior of the vehicle 10 as seen from the driver's seat. As shown in Fig. 14, a right side operation switch 440, which is longer in the vehicle longitudinal direction than the right side operation switch 44 shown in Fig. 3, is disposed on the door trim side surface 96 at the position of the driver's right hand in the vehicle longitudinal direction. For example, the right side operation switch 440 is disposed at a position where it can be touched by the thumb of the right hand when a person of AM50 (50th percentile of American adult males) sits in the driver's seat 12A in either the driving position or the relaxed position. The right side operation switch 440 is an example of the "operation switch and first operation switch".

[0122] Further, on the center console side surface 86, a left side operation switch 460, which is longer in the vehicle longitudinal direction than the left side operation switch 46 shown in Fig. 3, is disposed at the position of the driver's left hand in the vehicle longitudinal direction. For example, the left side operation switch 460 is disposed at a position where it can be touched by the thumb of the left hand when a person of AM50 (50th percentile of American adult males) sits in the driver's seat 12A in either the driving position or the relaxed position. The left side operation switch 460 is an example of the "operation switch and second operation switch".

[0123] Here, the right operation switch 440 and the left operation switch 460 shown in FIG. 14 are known touch switches equipped with a fingerprint authentication function. For example, the driver registers the fingerprint of the thumb of his / her right hand in advance so that the right operation switch 440 can be operated, and registers the fingerprint of the thumb of his / her left hand in advance so that the left operation switch 460 can be operated. The determination ECU 50 accepts the operation by the driver when the fingerprint at the time of operating each switch matches the registered fingerprint. This makes it possible to improve the operability of the right operation switch 440 and the left operation switch 460 regardless of whether the driver's seat 12A is in the driving position or the relaxing position, while suppressing the erroneous operation of the right operation switch 440 and the left operation switch 460 by the driver's elbow, knee, etc.

[0124] The fingerprint authentication function is not limited to being provided only to the right operation switch 440 and the left operation switch 460 shown in FIG. 14, but may also be provided to the right operation switch 44 and the left operation switch 46 in the above embodiment.

[0125] In the above embodiment, the feel of the operation surface 44A of the right side operation switch 44 and the feel of the operation surface of the left side operation switch 46 may be different from that of the door trim side surface 96 and the center console side surface 86. This allows the driver to easily press the right side operation switch 44 or the left side operation switch 46 by feeling around, without visually checking, due to the difference in feel. In this case, the method of processing the operation surface 44A and the operation surfaces, the door trim side surface 96 and the center console side surface 86 can be appropriately selected from known methods.

[0126] In the above embodiment, the precondition for satisfying the cancellation condition is the case where an automated lane change is being performed, but is not limited thereto. For example, the precondition may include the case where an automated lane change is being proposed. In this case, the determination ECU 50 determines that an automated lane change is being proposed when proposal information is acquired. In a state where the precondition that an automated lane change is being proposed is satisfied, the determination ECU 50 determines that the cancellation condition is satisfied when operation information indicating that the right operation switch 44 or the left operation switch 46 has been pressed a predetermined number of times or more or pressed and held for a predetermined period or more is not acquired for a predetermined period or more.

[0127] In the above embodiment, the operation of the right operation switch 44 or the left operation switch 46 by the driver to satisfy the cancellation condition is a predetermined number of times or more of continuous pressing or a predetermined time or more, but is not limited thereto. For example, the operation may be a single press of a switch capable of instructing a lane change to the lane opposite to the lane in which the lane change is to be performed. Specifically, when the operation information indicating that the left operation switch 46 has been pressed once when the lane in which the lane change is to be performed is the right lane, the determination ECU 50 may determine that the operation is satisfied and that the cancellation condition is satisfied. In addition, the determination ECU 50 may determine that the cancellation condition is satisfied based on the operation of the right operation switch 44 or the left operation switch 46, not limited to the operation of the right operation switch 44 or the left operation switch 46, but based on the operation of other in-vehicle devices. For example, when the driver performs a predetermined operation on the steering wheel 70 or the turn signal indicating an intention to move the vehicle 10 to the lane opposite to the lane in which the lane change is to be performed, the determination ECU 50 may determine that the operation is satisfied and that the cancellation condition is satisfied.

[0128] In the above embodiment, a known body pressure distribution sensor may be provided in the driver's seat 12A. In this case, the determination ECU 50 may determine whether or not to accept the operation of the right side operation switch 44 or the left side operation switch 46 based on the body pressure distribution of the driver measured by the body pressure distribution sensor. For example, when there is a predetermined bias in the body pressure distribution of the driver, the determination ECU 50 may not accept the operation of the right side operation switch 44 or the left side operation switch 46. As a result, when there is a predetermined bias in the body pressure distribution of the driver, for example, even if the right side operation switch 44 or the left side operation switch 46 is erroneously operated by the driver's knee, it is possible to suppress the start of lane changing in a vehicle.

[0129] In the above embodiment, the display 32 that has acquired the suggestion information may display supplemental information indicating an in-vehicle switch that the driver is prompted to operate. For example, the display 32 may display an image of the in-vehicle switch and its location in the vehicle as the supplemental information.

[0130] In the above embodiment, the right operation switch 44 or the left operation switch 46 may be prevented from being erroneously operated by lengthening the pressing stroke for conducting the right operation switch 44 and the left operation switch 46. For example, the pressing stroke is desirably set to be longer than the stroke that can be pressed with the driver's elbow or knee.

[0131] In the above embodiment, the right side operation switch 44 is disposed on the door trim side surface 96, and the left side operation switch 46 is disposed on the center console side surface 86. That is, in the above embodiment, only one operation switch capable of issuing instructions to control at least one of the automatic driving function and the driving assistance function of the vehicle 10 is disposed on the door trim side surface 96 and the center console side surface 86. However, this is not limited to this, and a plurality of such operation switches may be disposed on at least one of the door trim side surface 96 and the center console side surface 86. This configuration will be described with reference to Figures 15A and 15B.

[0132] 15A is a first schematic diagram for explaining another configuration of the right-side operation switch, in which the directions indicated by +Z, -Z, +Y, and -Y in FIG. 15A are the same as those in FIG.

[0133] 15A, the right-side operation switch 440 is attached to an opening 98 formed in a door trim side surface 96 (see FIG. 3) in the door trim 92. The right-side operation switch 440 is a known touch switch equipped with a fingerprint authentication function.

[0134] Here, the right side operation switch 440 includes an operation surface 440A provided in front of a center line L indicated by a dashed line, and an operation surface 440B provided behind the center line L. As an example, the right side operation switch 440 allows the driver to instruct the vehicle 10 during automatic driving to change lanes to the right lane by operating the operation surface 440A, and allows the driver to instruct the vehicle 10 during automatic driving to change lanes to the left lane by operating the operation surface 440B. Note that the instructions executed by operating the operation surfaces 440A and 440B may be reversed from the above.

[0135] Further, a protruding portion 95 that protrudes toward the driver, specifically, toward the left side, from operation surfaces 440A and 440B is disposed around the right operation switch 440. Note that in FIG. 15A, the protruding portion 95 does not necessarily have to be disposed.

[0136] 15B is a second schematic diagram for explaining another configuration of the right-side operation switch, in which the directions indicated by +Z, -Z, +Y, and -Y in FIG. 15B are the same as those in FIG.

[0137] As shown in FIG. 15B, in the door trim 92, a first right side operation switch 500 is attached to an opening 98A formed in the door trim side surface 96 (see FIG. 3). In addition, in the door trim 92, a second right side operation switch 600 is attached to an opening 98B formed adjacent to the opening 98A in the door trim side surface 96. The first right side operation switch 500 and the second right side operation switch 600 are known push button switches of an automatic return type. The first right side operation switch 500 is structured to be pushed to the right when the driver presses the operation surface 500A, and the second right side operation switch 600 is structured to be pushed to the right when the driver presses the operation surface 600A. As an example, the first right side operation switch 500 and the second right side operation switch 600 are push button switches of a contact.

[0138] Here, the first right side operation switch 500 is an in-vehicle switch capable of instructing the vehicle 10 in autonomous driving to change lanes to the right lane. The second right side operation switch 600 is an in-vehicle switch capable of instructing the vehicle 10 in autonomous driving to change lanes to the left lane. Note that the instructions executed by operating the first right side operation switch 500 and the second right side operation switch 600 may be reversed from the above.

[0139] Further, a protruding portion 95 that protrudes toward the driver's side, specifically, toward the left side, from the operation surface 500A and the operation surface 600A is disposed around the first right side operation switch 500 and the second right side operation switch 600. Note that in FIG. 15B, the protruding portion 95 does not necessarily have to be disposed.

[0140] In the above description, an example has been described in which a plurality of operation switches capable of issuing instructions to control at least one of the automatic driving function and the driving assistance function of the vehicle 10 are arranged on the door trim side surface 96. In this case, a plurality of the operation switches may be arranged on the center console side surface 86 instead of or in addition to the door trim side surface 96. When a plurality of the operation switches are arranged on the door trim side surface 96 and the center console side surface 86, the same function may be assigned to the operation switches on the door trim side surface 96 and the center console side surface 86, or different functions may be assigned to each of the operation switches on the door trim side surface 96 and the center console side surface 86.

[0141] In addition, when a plurality of the above-mentioned operation switches are arranged on at least one of the door trim side surface 96 and the center console side surface 86, the function assigned to the operation switch is not limited to the automatic lane change function. For example, instead of the automatic lane change function, the above-mentioned automatic parking function or driving assistance function (e.g., ACC) may be assigned to the operation switch. Furthermore, when the vehicle 10 has a plurality of automatic driving functions and driving assistance functions, the driver may be able to arbitrarily select the function to be assigned to the operation switch. For example, the driver can assign an arbitrary function to the operation switch by operating the various switches 40 of the vehicle 10 or by instructing an external device capable of communicating with the vehicle 10.

[0142] In the above embodiment, the determination process executed by the CPU 51 by reading the software (program) may be executed by various processors other than the CPU. In this case, examples of the processor include a PLD (Programmable Logic Device) such as an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) whose circuit configuration can be changed after manufacture, and a dedicated electric circuit such as an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) which is a processor having a circuit configuration designed exclusively for executing a specific process. The determination process may be executed by one of these various processors, or may be executed by a combination of two or more processors of the same or different types (for example, a plurality of FPGAs, and a combination of a CPU and an FPGA). The hardware structure of these various processors is, more specifically, an electric circuit that combines circuit elements such as semiconductor elements.

[0143] In the above embodiment, the information processing program 52A is stored (installed) in advance in the ROM 52, the information processing program 62A is stored (installed) in the ROM 62, and the information processing program 112A is stored (installed) in advance in the ROM 112, but the present invention is not limited to this. The information processing program 52A, the information processing program 62A, and the information processing program 112A may be provided in a form recorded on a recording medium such as a CD-ROM (Compact Disk Read Only Memory), a DVD-ROM (Digital Versatile Disk Read Only Memory), or a USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory. The information processing program 52A, the information processing program 62A, and the information processing program 112A may be downloaded from an external device via a network. [Explanation of symbols]

[0144] 10 Vehicles 12A Driver's seat 44 Right side operation switch (operation switch and first operation switch) 44A Operation surface 45 Right side lamp (first lamp) 46 Left side operation switch (operation switch and second operation switch) 47 Left side lamp (second lamp) 60 Control ECU (driving control unit) 80 Center console (interior parts) 86 Center console side (specific surface) 92 Door trim (interior parts) 95 Protrusion 96 Door trim side (specific surface) 100 Vehicle operation device 110 Lamp ECU (lamp control unit) 440 Right side operation switch (operation switch and first operation switch) 460 Left side operation switch (operation switch and second operation switch)

Claims

1. An operation switch that can be operated by a driver to give an instruction to control at least one of an automatic driving function and a driving assistance function of the vehicle is provided on a specific surface facing the driver's seat of an interior part arranged adjacent to the side of the driver's seat of the vehicle. Vehicle operating device.

2. The interior part is capable of supporting the driver's arms, The operation switch is disposed at a position of the driver's hand in a front-rear direction of the driver. The vehicle operating device according to claim 1 .

3. The interior part is a center console. The vehicle operating device according to claim 1 .

4. The operation switch is a first operation switch that is disposed on one side of the driver's seat in a vehicle width direction and that is operated by the driver to give an instruction to move the vehicle to the one side in the vehicle width direction; a second operation switch that is disposed on the other side of the driver's seat in a vehicle width direction and that is operated by the driver to give an instruction to move the vehicle to the other side in the vehicle width direction; Including, The vehicle operating device according to claim 1 .

5. a protruding portion disposed around the operation switch and protruding toward the driver side from an operation surface of the operation switch; The vehicle operating device according to claim 1 .

6. 5. The vehicle operation device according to claim 4, wherein the first operation switch is provided with a first lamp that can be turned on in a predetermined light emission mode, and the second operation switch is provided with a second lamp that can be turned on in a predetermined light emission mode; A driving control unit that controls at least one of an automatic driving function and a driving assistance function of the vehicle; a lamp control unit that controls the first lamp to be turned on when the driving control unit recommends the driver to move to one side in the vehicle width direction, and controls the second lamp to be turned on when the driving control unit recommends the driver to move to the other side in the vehicle width direction; Equipped with vehicle.

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