Vehicle control apparatus, vehicle control method, and program thereof

Abstract

To provide a vehicle control apparatus, a vehicle control method, and a program thereof which are able to more appropriately control an own vehicle for a specific situation.SOLUTION: A vehicle control apparatus (DS) includes: a first control system (11) which executes first operation for reducing a possibility of a collision with an obstacle present in a predicted traveling area of an own vehicle; and a second control system (12) which executes second control for automatically stopping the own vehicle when a driver is in an abnormal condition where the driver cannot drive the own vehicle normally. The apparatus is configured in such a manner that "first operation start condition during non-execution of the second control" which needs to be satisfied for starting execution of the first operation when the second control is not being executed, and "first operation start condition during execution of the second control" which needs to be satisfied for starting execution of the first operation when the second control is being executed, are different from each other.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle control device, a vehicle control method, and a program thereof, which execute first control (for example, collision avoidance support control) for avoiding a collision between the host vehicle and an obstacle, and second control (for example, emergency stop control) for decelerating and stopping the host vehicle when the driver is in a state where the driver cannot drive the host vehicle normally (hereinafter referred to as an "abnormal state").

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, there has been known a vehicle control device that detects an obstacle in front of the host vehicle and executes automatic braking, which is one of the collision avoidance support operations, when it is predicted that the host vehicle will collide with the obstacle. One such vehicle control device (hereinafter referred to as a "conventional device") determines whether driving operations such as an accelerator operation and / or a steering operation by the driver are detected when it is predicted that the host vehicle will collide with an obstacle, and whether those driving operations are incorrect operations. Then, when it determines that those driving operations are not incorrect operations, the conventional device does not execute automatic braking and gives priority to the driving operations by the driver. That is, the conventional device permits override control. On the other hand, when it determines that those driving operations are incorrect operations, the conventional device prohibits override control and executes automatic braking (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] Furthermore, there has been developed a device (driver abnormality response system: EDSS) that determines whether the driver is in an abnormal state including a "sudden change in physical condition that is difficult for the driver to predict in advance", and performs control (hereinafter referred to as "emergency stop control") to decelerate the host vehicle and stop it at a safe location when such a determination is made (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

[0005] However, when a situation is predicted in which the host vehicle will collide with an obstacle and the driver abnormal situation response system is operating at that time (that is, when emergency stop control is being executed), there has been insufficient consideration of how the host vehicle should be controlled. Therefore, there are cases where the host vehicle cannot be appropriately controlled in such special situations.

[0006] The present invention has been made to solve the above problems. That is, one of the objects of the present invention is to provide a vehicle control device, a vehicle control method, and a program thereof that can more appropriately control the host vehicle in the above-described special situations.

[0007] One aspect (DS) of the vehicle control device of the present invention is a first control system (first control device 11) that performs a first operation for reducing the possibility of collision between the host vehicle and an obstacle existing in the predicted traveling area of the host vehicle; a second control system (second control device 12) that executes second control for automatically stopping the host vehicle when information is obtained that the driver of the host vehicle has fallen into an abnormal state in which the host vehicle cannot be normally driven; and includes.

[0008] And the vehicle control device (DS) is a "first operation start condition during non-execution of the second control" that needs to be satisfied for the first control system to start executing the first operation when the second control system is not executing the second control, and a "first operation start condition during execution of the second control" that needs to be satisfied for the first control system to start executing the first operation when the second control system is executing the second control, are configured to be different from each other (step 230, step 240).

[0009] According to this aspect, the "first operation start condition when the second control is not being executed" and the "first operation start condition when the second control is being executed" are set to be different from each other. Therefore, as described below, depending on whether or not the second control for automatically stopping the host vehicle is being executed, the first operation for reducing the possibility of collision can be appropriately started.

[0010] In one aspect of the present invention, the first operation start condition when the second control is not being executed is a condition that is satisfied when a collision index value that correlates with the possibility of the host vehicle colliding with the obstacle reaches a first collision determination threshold (steps 440 and 450), the first operation start condition when the second control is being executed is a condition that is satisfied when the collision index value reaches a second collision determination threshold (steps 470 and 450), the second collision determination threshold is set to a value at which the collision index value reaches at a point in time earlier than the point in time when the collision index value reaches the first collision determination threshold.

[0011] For example, the collision index value is a collision margin time (TTC) which is the time until the point in time when the host vehicle is expected to collide with the obstacle, an early collision determination threshold (TthLarge) set as the second collision determination threshold is set to a value larger than a standard collision determination threshold (TthNormal) set as the first collision determination threshold.

[0012] According to this aspect, when the second control for automatically stopping the host vehicle because the driver has fallen into an abnormal state is being executed, the "first operation for reducing the possibility of collision between the host vehicle and an obstacle" is started at an earlier timing compared to the case where the second control is not being executed. Therefore, according to this aspect, the collision between the host vehicle and an obstacle can be more reliably avoided. Further, when the first operation is an automatic brake, since the automatic brake as the first operation is executed from an earlier point in time during the execution of the second control, the necessity of rapidly decelerating the vehicle by the automatic brake for avoiding a collision is reduced. Therefore, since the host vehicle is not rapidly decelerated by the automatic brake, the "possibility that a following vehicle suddenly approaches the host vehicle" can be reduced during the execution of the second control.

[0013] In one aspect of the present invention, The first operation start condition when the second control is not being executed (step 530: No) is that when the operation determination condition that is satisfied when the driver is operating the driving operator of the host vehicle is not satisfied (step 540: No), the condition is satisfied when a collision index value that has a correlation with the possibility that the host vehicle collides with the obstacle reaches a first collision determination threshold value (step 580, step 560: Yes), and when the operation determination condition is satisfied (step 540: Yes), the condition is satisfied when the collision index value reaches a third collision determination threshold value (step 550, step 560: Yes), The first operation start condition when the second control is being executed (step 530: Yes) is that regardless of whether the operation determination condition is satisfied, the condition is satisfied when the collision index value reaches the first collision determination threshold value (step 580, step 560: Yes), The third collision determination threshold value is set to a value at which the collision index value reaches at a time point later than the time point at which the collision index value reaches the first collision determination threshold value.

[0014] For example, the collision index value is a collision margin time (TTC) that is the time until the point in time when the host vehicle is predicted to collide with the obstacle, The delay collision determination threshold value (TthSmall) set as the third collision determination threshold value is set to a value smaller than the standard collision determination threshold value (TthNormal) set as the first collision determination threshold value.

[0015] According to this aspect, when the second control for automatically stopping the host vehicle is not being executed, when the operation determination condition that holds when the driver is operating the driving operator of the host vehicle holds, the start of the first operation is delayed compared to when the operation determination condition does not hold. When the second control is not being executed, there is a possibility that the driver is trying to avoid a collision by operating the driving operator. Therefore, this aspect can prevent a situation where "the avoidance action of a collision by such a driving operation is inhibited by the early intervention of the first operation" from occurring.

[0016] On the other hand, when the second control for automatically stopping the host vehicle is being executed, it is less likely that the driving operation by the driver is being performed correctly. Therefore, according to the above aspect, such a driving operation is ignored, and the first operation is started at an early timing (the same timing as when the operation determination condition does not hold when the second control is not being executed). Therefore, according to the above aspect, the collision between the host vehicle and an obstacle can be more reliably avoided. In addition, when the first operation is an automatic brake, since the automatic brake is executed earlier during the execution of the second control, the necessity of rapidly decelerating the host vehicle by the automatic brake is small. Therefore, during the execution of the second control, the "possibility that a following vehicle suddenly approaches the host vehicle" can be reduced by the automatic brake.

[0017] In one aspect of the present invention, The first operation start condition when the second control is not being executed (step 615: No) is a condition that is satisfied when a predetermined operation determination condition for non-execution of the second control, which is satisfied when the driver is operating the driving operator of the host vehicle, is not satisfied (step 625: No) and a collision index value that correlates with the possibility of the host vehicle colliding with the obstacle reaches a first collision determination threshold value (steps 645, step 635). When the predetermined operation determination condition for non-execution of the second control is satisfied (step 625: Yes), it is a condition that is satisfied when the collision index value reaches a third collision determination threshold value (steps 630: step 635: Yes). The first operation start condition when the second control is being executed (step 615: Yes) is a condition that is satisfied when a predetermined operation determination condition for execution of the second control, which is satisfied when the driver is operating the driving operator, is not satisfied (step 625: No) and the collision index value reaches the first collision determination threshold value (steps 645, step 635: Yes). When the predetermined operation determination condition for execution of the second control is satisfied (step 625: Yes), it is a condition that is satisfied when the collision index value reaches the third collision determination threshold value (steps 630, step 635: Yes). The operation determination condition for execution of the second control is set so as to be satisfied when the driver operates the driving operator faster or more greatly than the operation determination condition for non-execution of the second control (steps 615, step 620, step 650). The third collision determination threshold value is set to a value at which the collision index value reaches at a time point later than the time point at which the collision index value reaches the first collision determination threshold value (steps 630, step 645).

[0018] For example, the collision index value is a collision margin time (TTC) that is the time until the time point when the host vehicle is expected to collide with the obstacle. A delayed collision determination threshold value (TthSmall) set as the third collision determination threshold value is set to a value smaller than a standard collision determination threshold value (TthNormal) set as the first collision determination threshold value.

[0019] According to this aspect, when the second control for automatically stopping the host vehicle is being executed, the operation determination condition (i.e., the operation determination condition during the execution of the second control) is set such that it is satisfied when the driver operates the driving operation element faster or more greatly than when the second control is not being executed (i.e., the operation determination condition when the second control is not being executed). Therefore, when there is a high possibility that the driver has fallen into an abnormal state (during the execution of the second control), the collision avoidance operation by the driving operation is allowed only when a clearer (more reliable) driving operation is detected.

[0020] In one aspect of the present invention, The first operation start condition when the second control is not being executed (step 770: No) is a condition that is satisfied when the collision index value, which has a correlation with the possibility of the host vehicle colliding with the obstacle, reaches the first collision determination threshold when a predetermined operation determination condition when the second control is not being executed is not satisfied when the driver is operating the driving operation element of the host vehicle (step 730: No) (step 740, step 750: Yes), and is a condition that is satisfied when the collision index value reaches the third collision determination threshold when the operation determination condition when the second control is not being executed is satisfied (step 730: Yes) (step 780, step 750: Yes). The first operation start condition when the second control is being executed (step 770: Yes) is a condition that is satisfied when the collision index value reaches the first collision determination threshold when a predetermined operation determination condition when the second control is being executed is not satisfied when the driver is operating the driving operation element (step 730: No) (step 740, step 750: Yes), and is a condition that is satisfied when the collision index value reaches the fourth collision determination threshold when the operation determination condition when the second control is being executed is satisfied (step 730: Yes) (step 790, step 750: Yes). That is, in this aspect, the second control non-executing operation determination condition and the second control executing operation determination condition are determined as operation determination conditions in step 730 of FIG. 7. Therefore, when the operation determination condition is not satisfied (step 730: No), regardless of whether the second control is being executed or not, the first operation start condition is a condition that is satisfied when the collision index value reaches the first collision determination threshold (step 740, step 750).

[0021] Furthermore, the second control executing operation determination condition is the same condition as the second control non-executing operation determination condition (step 730), or is set to a condition that is satisfied when the driver operates the driving operator faster or more strongly than in the case of the second control non-executing operation determination condition (see steps similar to steps 615, 620, and 650).

[0022] In addition, the third collision determination threshold is set to a value at which the collision index value reaches at a time later than the time when the collision index value reaches the first collision determination threshold (step 780), and the fourth collision determination threshold is set to a value at which the collision index value reaches at a time later than the time when the collision index value reaches the first collision determination threshold and earlier than the time when the collision index value reaches the third collision determination threshold (step 790).

[0023] For example, the collision index value is the time to collision (TTC), which is the time until the host vehicle is expected to collide with the obstacle, the delayed collision determination threshold (TthSmall) set as the third collision determination threshold is set to a value smaller than the standard collision determination threshold (TthNormal) set as the first collision determination threshold, and the intermediate delayed collision determination threshold (TthMidSmall) set as the fourth collision determination threshold is set to a value smaller than the standard collision determination threshold (TthNormal) and larger than the delayed collision determination threshold (TthSmall).

[0024] According to this aspect, when the operation determination condition is satisfied, the execution start timing of the first operation is earlier when the second control is being executed than when the second control is not being executed.

[0025] Therefore, when an operation of the operation operator is performed while the second control is being executed, although a collision avoidance operation based on the operation of the operation operator is once allowed, the first operation is relatively started earlier than when an operation of the operation operator is performed while the second control is not being executed. Therefore, the possibility of a collision between the host vehicle and an obstacle can be reduced while the second control is being executed.

[0026] In one aspect of the present invention, the first control system when the second control is not being executed (step 810: No), in a state where a collision index value correlated with the possibility of the host vehicle colliding with the obstacle has reached a non-execution-of-second-control collision determination threshold (step 815: Yes), when a predetermined operation determination condition during non-execution of the second control that is satisfied when the driver operates the operation operator of the host vehicle is not satisfied (step 910: No), it is determined that the first operation start condition during non-execution of the second control is satisfied, and the execution of the first operation is started (steps 920, step 825: Yes, step 830), and when the operation determination condition during non-execution of the second control is satisfied (step 910: Yes), the first operation is not executed (steps 930, step 825: No, step 835). It can be said that the meaning of "not executing the first operation" is the meaning of "prohibiting the first operation" or "canceling the first operation".

[0027] Furthermore, when the second control is being executed (step 810: Yes), In a state where the collision index value has reached the second control execution-time collision determination threshold (step 840: Yes), when the driver is operating the driving operator, if a predetermined second control execution operation determination condition that is satisfied is not satisfied (step 1010: No), it is determined that the first operation start condition during the second control is satisfied, and the execution of the first operation is started (steps 1020, step 850: Yes, step 855). When the second control execution operation determination condition is satisfied (step 1010: Yes), the first operation is not executed (steps 1030, step 850: No, step 860).

[0028] In addition, the second control execution-time collision determination threshold is set to a value at which the collision index value reaches at a point in time earlier than the point in time when the collision index value reaches the non-second control execution-time collision determination threshold (steps 810, step 815). The second control execution operation determination condition is set to a condition different from the non-second control execution operation determination condition (steps 820, FIG. 9, step 845, FIG. 10, FIG. 11).

[0029] According to this aspect, during the execution of the second control, it is determined from an earlier point in time (the point in time when the collision index value reaches the second control execution-time collision determination threshold) whether or not the second control execution operation determination condition is satisfied, and based on the determination result, the first operation can be started from an earlier point in time. Therefore, it is possible to more reliably avoid a collision between the host vehicle and an obstacle. Further, when the first operation is an automatic brake, since the automatic brake is started relatively early during the execution of the second control, the necessity of rapidly decelerating the host vehicle by the automatic brake is small. As a result, during the execution of the second control, it is possible to reduce "the possibility that a following vehicle suddenly approaches the host vehicle due to the automatic brake which is the first operation".

[0030] In the above aspect, the second control execution operation determination condition is set so as to be satisfied when the driver operates the driving operator faster or more greatly than in the non-second control execution operation determination condition (step 910 in FIG. 9 and step 1010 in FIG. 10).

[0031] Therefore, when the driver is highly likely to be in an abnormal state (during the execution of the second control), the collision avoidance operation by the driving operation is permitted only when a clearer (more reliable) driving operation is detected.

[0032] In the above aspect, the operation determination condition during non-execution of the second control is set to be satisfied regardless of the traveling direction of the host vehicle by the steering when the steering of the host vehicle is performed (step 820, FIG. 9), the operation determination condition during execution of the second control is set to be satisfied when the steering of the host vehicle is performed and the traveling direction of the host vehicle is changed by the steering in a direction to avoid a collision with the obstacle (step 845, FIG. 11).

[0033] In the above aspect, the operation determination condition during non-execution of the second control is set to be satisfied when an operation is performed on the accelerator pedal, the brake pedal, and the steering wheel of the host vehicle (step 910), the operation determination condition during execution of the second control is set to be satisfied when an operation is performed on the steering wheel and a steering collision avoidance state in which the traveling direction of the host vehicle is changed by the operation on the steering wheel in a direction to avoid a collision with the obstacle has occurred, but is not satisfied when an operation is performed on either the accelerator pedal or the brake pedal of the host vehicle and the steering collision avoidance state has not occurred (step 1110 and step 1130).

[0034] According to these aspects, during the execution of the second control, the operation determination condition is set to hold when the steering of the host vehicle is performed and the traveling direction of the host vehicle changed by the steering is a "direction to avoid a collision with an obstacle". Therefore, when the second control is being executed, when there is a steering that is clearly being performed to avoid a collision, the first operation is not executed, and the collision avoidance operation by the driving operation (the collision avoidance operation by the driver's steering) is prioritized.

[0035] In these aspects, the collision index value is the time to collision (TTC), which is the time until the host vehicle is predicted to collide with the obstacle, and the collision determination threshold value (TTCthL) during the execution of the second control is set to a value larger than the collision determination threshold value (TTCthS) when the second control is not executed.

[0036] According to this, during the execution of the second control, from an earlier point in time (the point in time when the collision index value reaches the collision determination threshold value during the execution of the second control), it is determined whether the operation determination condition during the execution of the second control holds, and based on the determination result, the first operation can be started from an earlier point in time. Therefore, when the first operation is an automatic brake, the automatic brake is executed from an earlier point in time during the execution of the second control, so the necessity to rapidly decelerate the host vehicle by the automatic brake is small. Therefore, during the execution of the second control, the "possibility that a following vehicle suddenly approaches the host vehicle" can be reduced by the automatic brake.

[0037] In the above description, for the sake of helping the understanding of the present invention, the names and / or symbols used in the embodiments are attached in parentheses to the configurations of the invention corresponding to the embodiments described later. However, each component of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments defined by the above names and / or symbols. Note that the present invention also extends to the vehicle control method and its program executed by the above vehicle control device.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0038]

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Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0039] The vehicle control device according to each embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as "the present device DS") is applied (mounted) to a vehicle. The vehicle to which the present device DS is applied may be referred to as "the host vehicle" in order to distinguish it from other vehicles. The host vehicle may be any of a vehicle having an internal combustion engine as a power source, a vehicle having an electric motor as a power source (i.e., an electric vehicle), and a hybrid vehicle, etc.

[0040] <Configuration> As shown in FIG. 1, the present device DS includes a vehicle control (driving support) ECU 10, a camera device 20, a radar device 30, a driver monitor device (driver monitoring device) 40, a power train ECU 50, a brake ECU 60, a steering ECU 70, and a meter ECU 80.

[0041] In this specification, "ECU" is an electronic control device (control unit) including a microcomputer including a CPU (processor), a ROM, a RAM, a writable non-volatile memory for data, and an interface (I / F), etc. The ECU is also referred to as a controller or a computer. The above "plurality of ECUs" are connected to each other through a CAN so as to be able to exchange information. Some or all of these "plurality of ECUs" may be integrated into one ECU. Further, one of these "plurality of ECUs" may be constituted by a plurality of ECUs.

[0042] The vehicle control ECU 10 executes collision avoidance support control which is a first control for avoiding a collision between the host vehicle and an obstacle, and emergency stop control which is a second control for decelerating and stopping the host vehicle when the driver has fallen into an abnormal state. An operation (a collision avoidance support operation, for example, an automatic brake) performed to change the behavior of the host vehicle in the first control is also referred to as a first operation.

[0043] The vehicle control ECU 10 may be composed of a driving support ECU (pre-crash safety ECU = PCS ECU) that executes collision avoidance support control and a driver abnormality response ECU (emergency driver stopping system ECU = EDSS ECU) that executes emergency stop control. In other words, the vehicle control ECU 10 is an ECU having functions that constitute two systems, namely, a PCS system (for convenience, may be referred to as the "first control system" or "first control device") 11 and an EDSS system (for convenience, may be referred to as the "second control system" or "second control device") 12.

[0044] The camera device 20 includes a camera 21 and an image ECU 22. The camera 21 captures an image of a scene in front of the host vehicle to acquire image data. The image ECU 22 generates camera information at every elapse of a predetermined time by analyzing the image data from the camera 21, and transmits the camera information to the vehicle control ECU 10. The camera information includes the image data itself, camera target information, and lane information. The camera target information is information including "the position, relative longitudinal speed, relative lateral speed, and type" of a target (i.e., the captured target) included in the image data. The lane information is information including "the position (lateral position) and angle in the lane width direction of the host vehicle" with respect to the left and right dividing lines (i.e., white lines, yellow lines, etc. that are lane markers) of the lane (i.e., the host lane) in which the host vehicle is traveling.

[0045] The radar device 30 is a well-known device that acquires information about a target existing in front of the host vehicle using radio waves in the millimeter wave band, and includes a radar 31 and a radar ECU 32. The radar 31 transmits millimeter waves within a predetermined detection range in front of the host vehicle, and receives reflected waves generated by reflection of the transmitted millimeter waves by the target. The radar 31 transmits information about the transmitted and received millimeter waves to the radar ECU 32. The radar ECU 32 acquires radar information at every elapse of a predetermined time based on the information from the radar 31, and transmits the radar information to the vehicle control ECU 10. The radar information includes the distance to the target, the azimuth of the target, and the relative speed of the target, etc.

[0046] Note that the vehicle control ECU 10 integrates camera object information and radar information, and generates "fusion object information (integrated object information)" including the position of the object (longitudinal distance to the object, lateral position of the object, object azimuth), the relative speed of the object, and the type of the object. Therefore, the vehicle control ECU 10, the camera device 20, and the radar device 30 constitute an "obstacle detection device that acquires information about obstacles existing in front of the host vehicle".

[0047] The driver monitor device 40 is a device that acquires information (driver information) representing the state of the driver of the host vehicle (including the line-of-sight direction of the driver and the face orientation direction of the driver). The driver monitor device 40 includes a driver monitor camera 41 and a driver monitor ECU 42. The driver monitor device 40 itself is well-known and is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2019-87143, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2019-87029, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2016-38866, and Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2013-152700.

[0048] The driver monitor camera 41 is disposed at an appropriate position in front of the driver's seat of the host vehicle (for example, the upper part of the steering column), and captures the face of the driver every time a predetermined time elapses to generate face image data. The driver monitor ECU 42 acquires the above driver information based on the face image data transmitted from the driver monitor camera 41 and transmits it to the vehicle control ECU 10.

[0049] The power train ECU 50 is connected to a power train actuator 51. The power train actuator 51 is an actuator for controlling a power train (a driving force generation device such as an internal combustion engine and an electric motor, and a power transmission device) of the host vehicle not shown in the figure to change the driving force transmitted to the drive wheels of the host vehicle. The power train ECU 50 can change the driving force of the host vehicle by controlling the power train actuator 51.

[0050] The brake ECU 60 is connected to the brake actuator 61. The brake actuator 61 is an actuator for controlling the braking device of the host vehicle (for example, a friction braking device (not shown) provided on each wheel) to change the braking force (friction braking force) applied to the host vehicle. The brake ECU 60 can automatically apply a braking force for stopping the host vehicle to the host vehicle based on an instruction from the vehicle control ECU 10. That is, the vehicle control ECU 10 and the brake ECU 60 can execute "automatic brake and vehicle deceleration stop control (emergency stop control)" described later.

[0051] The steering ECU 70 is a control device for a well-known electric power steering system and is connected to the steering motor 71. The steering motor 71 is incorporated in a "steering mechanism including a steering wheel (steering handle) SW, a steering shaft US connected to the steering wheel SW, and a steering gear mechanism or the like". The steering angle of the steered wheels of the host vehicle (that is, the steering angle of the host vehicle) can be changed by the steering motor 71 under the control of the steering ECU 70.

[0052] The meter ECU 80 is connected to a buzzer (in-vehicle warning sound generating device) 81, a warning display device 82 incorporated in the meter display, etc., and can control these.

[0053] The vehicle control ECU 10 is connected to the following listed sensors, buttons, etc., and is configured to receive their detection signals or output signals. Note that each sensor may be connected to an ECU other than the vehicle control ECU 10. In that case, the vehicle control ECU 10 receives the detection signal or output signal of the sensor from the ECU to which the sensor is connected via CAN.

[0054] The accelerator pedal operation amount sensor 91 detects the operation amount (accelerator opening) of the accelerator pedal 91a of the host vehicle, which is an operation element, and outputs a signal representing the accelerator pedal operation amount AP. The brake pedal operation amount sensor 92 detects the operation amount of the brake pedal 92a of the host vehicle, which is an operation device, and outputs a signal representing the brake pedal operation amount BP.

[0055] The touch sensor 93 outputs a high-level signal when the driver touches the steering wheel SW of the host vehicle, which is an operation device, and outputs a low-level signal when the driver does not touch the steering wheel SW. The steering angle sensor 94 detects the steering angle of the steering wheel SW and outputs a signal representing the steering angle θ. The steering torque sensor 95 detects the steering torque applied to the steering shaft US of the host vehicle by the operation of the steering wheel SW and outputs a signal representing the steering torque Tra. The vehicle speed sensor 96 detects the traveling speed (vehicle speed) of the host vehicle and outputs a signal representing the host vehicle speed Vh.

[0056] Note that the accelerator pedal operation amount sensor 91, the brake pedal operation amount sensor 92, the steering angle sensor 94, the steering torque sensor 95, etc. are also operation device state acquisition devices that acquire operation device state parameters representing the state of the operation devices of the host vehicle. The accelerator pedal operation amount sensor 91, the brake pedal operation amount sensor 92, the touch sensor 93, the steering angle sensor 94, the steering torque sensor 95, and the driver monitor device 40 are also driver state acquisition devices that acquire driver state parameters representing the state of the driver of the host vehicle.

[0057] Furthermore, the vehicle control ECU 10 is connected to the emergency stop button 97 and the confirmation button 98.

[0058] The emergency stop button 97 is disposed at a position operable by the driver himself or a passenger of the host vehicle other than the driver. The emergency stop button 97 is a button that is pushed by the driver himself or a passenger of the host vehicle other than the driver when the driver of the host vehicle falls into an abnormal state. The emergency stop button 97 is configured to output an emergency stop signal when pushed. The emergency stop signal is one of the signals representing the driver state parameter.

[0059] The confirmation button 98 is disposed at a position operable by the driver. The confirmation button 98 is configured to output a confirmation signal when pushed. The confirmation signal is one of the signals representing the driver state parameter.

[0060] (Outline of operation) As will be described later, the present implementation device DS acquires information indicating whether the driver of the host vehicle has fallen into a state where it is impossible to normally drive the host vehicle (i.e., an abnormal state) based on the driver state parameter. When the present implementation device DS acquires information that the driver has fallen into an abnormal state, it executes an emergency stop control (emergency stop control by EDSS), which is a vehicle deceleration stop control for decelerating and stopping the host vehicle relatively gently.

[0061] As shown in the conceptual flowchart of FIG. 2, the present implementation device DS determines whether a collision prediction condition that holds when it is predicted that the host vehicle is highly likely to collide with an obstacle is satisfied based on the information obtained from the obstacle detection device (i.e., the fusion target information) (step 210).

[0062] When this implementation device DS determines that the collision prediction condition is satisfied (step 210: Yes), it determines whether the emergency stop control (second control) by the EDSS is being executed (step 220). When the emergency stop control is not being executed, this implementation device DS sets the conditions that need to be satisfied to execute the collision avoidance support operation (hereinafter also referred to as the "first operation start conditions") to the "first operation start conditions during non-operation of the EDSS (normal first operation start conditions)" (step 230). On the other hand, when the emergency stop control is being executed, this implementation device DS sets the conditions that need to be satisfied to execute the collision avoidance support operation (first operation start conditions) to the "first operation start conditions during operation of the EDSS (first operation start conditions during execution of the emergency stop control)" (step 240).

[0063] This implementation device DS determines whether the first operation start conditions of the collision avoidance support operation set as described above are satisfied (step 250). Then, when the first operation start conditions of the collision avoidance support operation are satisfied (step 250: Yes), this implementation device DS starts the execution of the automatic brake as the collision avoidance support operation (step 260). On the other hand, when the first operation start conditions of the collision avoidance support operation are not satisfied (step 250: No), it prioritizes the execution of the emergency stop control without starting the execution of the automatic brake (step 270).

[0064] The automatic brake is a control that automatically applies braking force to the host vehicle by a braking device so as to avoid the host vehicle from colliding with an obstacle or reducing the damage caused by the collision without requiring a brake operation by the driver. The automatic brake may be referred to as a collision avoidance brake or a collision damage reduction brake. The automatic brake itself is well-known. Note that this implementation device DS controls the power train actuator 51 so that the driving force transmitted to the drive wheels of the host vehicle becomes equal to or less than the creep force even if the accelerator pedal operation amount AP changes during the execution of the automatic brake.

[0065] Thus, the present implementation device DS changes the "first operation start condition of the collision avoidance support operation" for starting the execution of the automatic brake according to whether the emergency stop control by the EDSS is being executed or not.

[0066] <First Embodiment> When it is determined that the collision prediction condition is satisfied, the vehicle control device according to the first embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as the "first device") changes the execution condition of the collision avoidance support operation to a condition that is more likely to be satisfied when the emergency stop control by the EDSS is being executed than when the emergency stop control by the EDSS is not being executed, so as to start the collision avoidance support operation earlier.

[0067] (Specific operation) The CPU of the vehicle control ECU 10 of the first device is configured to execute each of the routines shown in the flowcharts of FIGS. 3 and 4 every time a predetermined time elapses. Note that the routine shown in FIG. 3 is an "EDSS control routine" that is also executed by the vehicle control ECU 10 according to other embodiments and modifications.

[0068] <<EDSS Control>> At an appropriate timing, the CPU starts processing from step 300 in FIG. 3 and proceeds to step 310, and determines whether the emergency stop control by the EDSS is not being executed at the current time (that is, in a state where it is not being executed).

[0069] More specifically, the CPU determines whether the value of the EDSS flag XEDSS is "0". The EDSS flag XEDSS indicates that the emergency stop control by the EDSS is being executed when its value is "1", and indicates that the emergency stop control by the EDSS is not being executed when its value is "0". Note that the value of the EDSS flag XEDSS and the values of other flags described later are set to "0" by an initialization routine (not shown) executed by the CPU when the activation switch (for example, ignition key switch and ready switch, etc.) of the host vehicle not shown is changed from the off position to the on position.

[0070] When the emergency stop control by EDSS is not being executed at the current time (i.e., when the value of the EDSS flag XEDSS is "0"), the CPU determines "Yes" at step 310 and proceeds to step 320 to determine whether the driver has fallen into an abnormal state (whether a driver abnormal state has occurred). As described above, for the driver to have fallen into an abnormal state means that the driver has fallen into a "sudden change in physical condition that is difficult for the driver himself / herself to predict in advance" or a "drowsy state", and the driver has fallen into a state where it is difficult to drive the own vehicle normally (safely).

[0071] More specifically, the CPU determines that a driver abnormal state has occurred when at least one of the following "first abnormal determination condition and second abnormal determination condition" is satisfied (i.e., the CPU acquires information that the driver has fallen into an abnormal state). Note that the CPU determines whether only one of the first abnormal determination condition and the second abnormal determination condition is satisfied, and if it determines that one of the conditions is satisfied, it may determine that a driver abnormal state has occurred.

[0072] (First abnormal determination condition) This condition is a condition that is satisfied when, based on the driver information transmitted from the driver monitor device 40, the direction of the driver's line of sight or the orientation of the face continues to face in a direction "that is not a direction that would be faced for a long time during normal driving of the own vehicle" for a predetermined abnormal determination time threshold or more.

[0073] (Second abnormal determination condition) This condition is a condition that is satisfied when it is determined that an emergency stop signal has been generated by the pressing operation of the emergency stop button 97.

[0074] When at least one of the "first abnormal determination condition and second abnormal determination condition" is satisfied, the CPU determines that a driver abnormal state has occurred. In this case, the CPU determines "Yes" at step 320 and proceeds to step 330 to set the value of the EDSS flag XEDSS to "1".

[0075] Next, the CPU proceeds to step 340 and starts the emergency stop control by the above-described EDSS. After that, the CPU proceeds to step 395 and temporarily ends this routine. As a result, until the host vehicle stops, it is basically decelerated gently (at a constant deceleration rate). Note that if it is predicted that the host vehicle will stop at a place where it is not preferable for the host vehicle to stop, the CPU causes the host vehicle to travel at a constant speed, and after the host vehicle has moved to a safe place even if it stops, the CPU decelerates and stops the host vehicle.

[0076] Such emergency stop control by EDSS is well-known and is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent No. 7318595, Japanese Patent No. 7315904, Japanese Patent No. 7256475, Japanese Patent No. 7226160, Japanese Patent No. 7188212, Japanese Patent No. 6772654, Japanese Patent No. 6583183, Japanese Patent No. 6489080, Japanese Patent No. 6586930, Japanese Patent No. 6516888, Japanese Patent No. 6443406, Japanese Patent No. 6508137, Japanese Patent No. 6497349, Japanese Patent No. 6460349, and Japanese Patent No. 6455456, etc.

[0077] On the other hand, when the CPU proceeds to step 310, if the emergency stop control by EDSS is being executed at the current time (that is, if the value of the EDSS flag XEDSS is "1"), the CPU determines "No" at step 310 and proceeds to step 340 to continue the emergency stop control by EDSS. After that, the CPU proceeds to step 395 and temporarily ends this routine.

[0078] Furthermore, when the CPU proceeds to step 320, if neither the "first abnormality determination condition" nor the "second abnormality determination condition" is satisfied, the CPU determines that no driver abnormal state has occurred. In this case, the CPU determines "No" at step 320 and directly proceeds to step 395 to temporarily end this routine.

[0079] <<Collision Avoidance Support Control of the First Device>> When the appropriate timing arrives, the CPU starts processing from step 400 in FIG. 4 and proceeds to step 410 to determine whether there is an obstacle in the predicted travel area of the host vehicle. More specifically, first, the CPU obtains the predicted vehicle travel path. The predicted vehicle travel path is the future path of the host vehicle predicted to be passed by the center position in the vehicle width direction of the tip of the host vehicle within a predetermined prediction period, assuming that the host vehicle maintains the "steering angle θ and vehicle speed Vh" at the current time.

[0080] Next, the CPU obtains a line obtained by moving the predicted vehicle travel path to the left side in the vehicle width direction by a distance "d longer than half of the vehicle width" as the left front end movement path, and obtains a line obtained by moving the predicted vehicle travel path to the right side in the vehicle width direction by the distance d as the right front end movement path. Thus, the belt-shaped area defined by the left front end movement path and the right front end movement path is estimated as the predicted travel area of the host vehicle. Then, the CPU determines whether there is a target (i.e., an obstacle) in the predicted travel area of the host vehicle based on the fusion target information. If there is no target in the predicted travel area of the host vehicle, the CPU determines "No" in step 410 and directly proceeds to step 495 to temporarily end this routine.

[0081] When an object (i.e., an obstacle) exists within the predicted travel area of the host vehicle, the CPU determines "Yes" in step 410 and proceeds to step 420, and determines whether the collision prediction condition that holds when it is predicted that the host vehicle will collide with the obstacle is satisfied based on the fused object information. More specifically, the CPU calculates the time until the point in time when the host vehicle is predicted to collide with the obstacle as the collision margin time TTC by dividing the distance between the obstacle and the host vehicle by the relative speed of the obstacle. Then, the CPU determines whether the collision prediction condition is satisfied by determining whether the collision margin time TTC is less than or equal to the "maximum collision determination threshold value TthMax". The collision margin time TTC is a collision index value (or, a collision possibility index value) that has a correlation with the possibility of the host vehicle colliding with the obstacle. The collision index value may be a value that monotonically decreases or monotonically increases as the possibility of the host vehicle colliding with the obstacle increases. For example, it may be the reciprocal of the collision margin time TTC. The maximum collision determination threshold value TthMax is the "maximum value of the collision determination threshold" determined so that the timing when the collision margin time TTC becomes equal to the maximum collision determination threshold value TthMax does not become earlier than the timing when a normal driver starts a driving operation with respect to the obstacle.

[0082] When the collision prediction condition is not satisfied, the CPU determines "No" in step 420, proceeds directly to step 495, and once terminates this routine.

[0083] On the other hand, when the collision margin time TTC is less than or equal to the "maximum collision determination threshold value TthMax" and the collision prediction condition is satisfied, the CPU determines "Yes" in step 420 and proceeds to step 430. In step 430, the CPU determines whether the emergency stop control by the EDSS is being executed. That is, in step 430, the CPU determines whether the value of the EDSS flag XEDSS is "1".

[0084] When the emergency stop control by EDSS is not being executed (when the value of the EDSS flag XEDSS is not "1"), the CPU determines "No" at step 430 and proceeds to step 440. At step 440, the CPU sets the collision determination threshold TTCth to the "standard collision determination threshold TthNormal which is smaller than the maximum collision determination threshold TthMax". The standard collision determination threshold TthNormal is also referred to as the "first collision determination threshold" for convenience.

[0085] Next, the CPU proceeds to step 450 and determines whether the collision margin time TTC is less than or equal to the collision determination threshold TTCth (in this case, the standard collision determination threshold TthNormal). That is, at this step 450, the CPU determines whether the execution condition of the collision avoidance support operation (the first operation start condition during non-operation of EDSS) is satisfied.

[0086] When the collision margin time TTC is greater than the collision determination threshold TTCth (when the execution condition of the collision avoidance support operation is not satisfied), the CPU determines "No" at step 450 and proceeds directly to step 495 to temporarily end this routine. Therefore, in this case, the automatic brake is not started.

[0087] On the other hand, when the collision margin time TTC is less than or equal to the collision determination threshold TTCth (when the execution condition of the collision avoidance support operation is satisfied), the CPU determines "Yes" at step 450 and proceeds to step 460 to start the execution of the automatic brake as the collision avoidance support operation. Then, the CPU proceeds to step 495 to temporarily end this routine.

[0088] Incidentally, when the CPU proceeds to step 430, if the emergency stop control by EDSS is being executed (when the value of the EDSS flag XEDSS is "1"), the CPU determines "Yes" at step 430 and proceeds to step 470. At step 470, the CPU sets the collision determination threshold value TTCth to the early collision determination threshold value TthLarge. In this embodiment, the early collision determination threshold value TthLarge is a value that is less than or equal to the maximum collision determination threshold value TthMax and greater than the standard collision determination threshold value TthNormal (i.e., TthNormal < TthLarge ≤ TthMax). As a result, the execution conditions for the collision avoidance support operation determined in the next step 450 are changed to conditions that are more likely to be satisfied (conditions that are satisfied earlier) compared to the case where the emergency stop control by EDSS is not being executed. That is, by the process of step 470, the "first operation start condition during EDSS operation" is set to a condition that is satisfied earlier than the "first operation start condition during non-EDSS operation".

[0089] Incidentally, the early collision determination threshold value TthLarge is also referred to as the "second collision determination threshold value" for convenience. Therefore, the second collision determination threshold value (early collision determination threshold value TthLarge) is set to a value at which the collision index value (collision margin time TTC) reaches earlier than the time when the collision index value reaches the first collision determination threshold value (standard collision determination threshold value TthNormal).

[0090] Next, the CPU proceeds to step 450 and determines whether the collision margin time TTC is less than or equal to the collision determination threshold value TTCth (in this case, the early collision determination threshold value TthLarge). If the collision margin time TTC is greater than the collision determination threshold value TTCth, the CPU proceeds directly from step 450 to step 495. Therefore, in this case, the automatic brake is not started.

[0091] On the other hand, when the time to collision (TTC) is less than or equal to the collision determination threshold value TTCth (when the execution condition of the collision avoidance support operation is satisfied), the CPU determines "Yes" in step 450 and proceeds to step 460, where it starts executing the automatic brake as the collision avoidance support operation. After that, the CPU proceeds to step 495 and temporarily ends this routine.

[0092] As described above, when the "emergency stop control", which is the second control for automatically stopping the host vehicle executed due to the driver of the host vehicle falling into an abnormal state, is being executed, the first device starts the "first operation (automatic brake)" for reducing the possibility of collision between the host vehicle and an obstacle at an earlier timing (the timing when TTC reaches TthLarge) compared to when the second control is not being executed. Therefore, the collision between the host vehicle and the obstacle can be more reliably avoided, and since the automatic brake is executed earlier during the execution of the second control, the necessity for the host vehicle to decelerate rapidly by the automatic brake is small. Accordingly, during the execution of the emergency stop control, which is the second control, the "possibility of a following vehicle approaching the host vehicle suddenly" can be reduced by the automatic brake.

[0093] <Second Embodiment> When the vehicle control device according to the second embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as the "second device") determines that the collision prediction condition is satisfied and the emergency stop control by the EDSS is not being executed, if the operation determination condition that is satisfied when a driving operation is performed by the driver is satisfied, it gives priority to the driving of the host vehicle based on the driving operation by delaying the start of the execution of the collision avoidance support operation (that is, it gives priority to the so-called override). Further, when the second device determines that the collision prediction condition is satisfied and the emergency stop control by the EDSS is being executed, regardless of whether the operation determination condition is satisfied (that is, regardless of the presence or absence of a driving operation), it prohibits override and starts the execution of the collision avoidance support operation without delaying it. The operation determination condition is also referred to as an override condition or an override control permission condition.

[0094] (Specific Operation) The CPU of the vehicle control ECU 10 of the second device is different from the CPU of the first device only in that, instead of the routine shown in FIG. 4, it executes the routine shown in the flowchart of FIG. 5 every time a predetermined time elapses. Hereinafter, this difference will be described.

[0095] <<Collision Avoidance Support Control of the Second Device>> At an appropriate timing, the CPU starts processing from step 500 in FIG. 5 and proceeds to step 510 to determine whether there is an obstacle in the predicted travel area of the host vehicle. The processing of this step is the same as the processing of step 410.

[0096] If there is no obstacle in the predicted travel area of the host vehicle, the CPU determines "No" at step 510 and directly proceeds to step 595 to temporarily end this routine.

[0097] If there is an obstacle in the predicted travel area of the host vehicle, the CPU determines "Yes" at step 510 and proceeds to step 520 to determine whether the collision prediction condition is satisfied based on the fused target information. The processing of this step is the same as the processing of step 420. That is, the CPU determines whether the time to collision TTC is less than or equal to the maximum collision determination threshold TthMax.

[0098] If the collision prediction condition is not satisfied, the CPU determines "No" at step 520 and directly proceeds to step 595 to temporarily end this routine.

[0099] On the other hand, when the time to collision TTC is less than or equal to the maximum collision determination threshold TthMax and the collision prediction condition is satisfied, the CPU determines "Yes" at step 520 and proceeds to step 530. At step 530, the CPU determines whether the emergency stop control by the EDSS is being executed. The processing of this step is the same as the processing of step 430. That is, at step 530, the CPU determines whether the value of the EDSS flag XEDSS is "1".

[0100] When the emergency stop control by EDSS is not being executed (when the value of the EDSS flag XEDSS is not "1"), the CPU determines "No" in step 530 and proceeds to step 540. In step 540, the CPU determines whether the operation determination conditions (override condition, override control permission condition) are satisfied.

[0101] The operation determination conditions are conditions that take at least one of "Condition A1 to Condition A3" described below as the establishment condition. That is, when at least one of Condition A1 to Condition A3 is satisfied, the CPU determines that the operation determination conditions are satisfied.

[0102] Condition A1: Accelerator pedal operation amount AP ≥ accelerator pedal operation amount threshold APth or Accelerator pedal change rate dAP ≥ accelerator pedal change rate threshold dAPth Condition A2: Brake pedal operation amount BP ≥ brake pedal operation amount threshold BPth or Brake pedal change rate dBP ≥ brake pedal change rate threshold dBPth Condition A3: Magnitude of steering angle |θ| ≥ steering angle threshold θth or Magnitude of steering angle change rate |dθ| ≥ steering angle change rate threshold dθth Note that the accelerator pedal change rate dAP is the increase amount of the accelerator pedal operation amount AP per unit time. The brake pedal change rate dBP is the increase amount of the brake pedal operation amount BP per unit time. The magnitude of the steering angle change rate |dθ| is the magnitude (absolute value) of the change amount dθ of the steering angle per unit time.

[0103] When the operation determination condition is satisfied (that is, when at least one of condition A1 to condition A3 is satisfied), the CPU determines "Yes" in step 540 and proceeds to step 550. In step 550, the CPU sets the collision determination threshold value TTCth to "the delayed collision determination threshold value TthSmall smaller than the maximum collision determination threshold value TthMax". In addition, when the "operation determination condition" as described in step 540 is satisfied and the collision determination threshold value is set to "a certain value" as described in step 550, the collision determination threshold value may not be changed until the collision determination threshold value clear condition is satisfied. In this case, the collision determination threshold value clear condition is a condition that is satisfied when the obstacle disappears and when the execution of the automatic brake is started, etc. This point is the same in other embodiments described later.

[0104] Next, the CPU proceeds to step 560 and determines whether the time to collision TTC is less than or equal to the collision determination threshold value TTCth (in this case, the delayed collision determination threshold value TthSmall). That is, in this step 560, the CPU determines whether the execution condition (the first operation start condition) of the collision avoidance support operation is satisfied. The processing of this step is the same as the processing of step 450.

[0105] When the time to collision TTC is greater than the collision determination threshold value TTCth (when the execution condition of the collision avoidance support operation is not satisfied), the CPU determines "No" in step 560 and directly proceeds to step 595 to temporarily end this routine. Therefore, in this case, the automatic brake is not started.

[0106] On the other hand, when the time to collision TTC is less than or equal to the collision determination threshold value TTCth (when the execution condition of the collision avoidance support operation is satisfied), the CPU determines "Yes" in step 560 and proceeds to step 570 to start the execution of the automatic brake as the collision avoidance support operation. The processing of this step is the same as the processing of step 460. Then, the CPU proceeds to step 595 to temporarily end this routine.

[0107] Incidentally, when the CPU proceeds to step 540 and the operation determination condition is not satisfied (that is, when none of conditions A1 to A3 are satisfied), the CPU determines "No" at step 540 and proceeds to step 580. At step 580, the CPU sets the collision determination threshold value TTCth to the standard collision determination threshold value TthNormal. In this embodiment, the standard collision determination threshold value TthNormal is a value greater than the delayed collision determination threshold value TthSmall and less than or equal to the maximum collision determination threshold value TthMax (that is, TthSmall < TthNormal ≤ TthMax).

[0108] Thereafter, the CPU proceeds to step 560 and determines whether the collision margin time TTC is less than or equal to the collision determination threshold value TTCth (in this case, the standard collision determination threshold value TthNormal). If the collision margin time TTC is greater than the collision determination threshold value TTCth, the CPU determines "No" at step 560 and directly proceeds to step 595 to temporarily end this routine. Therefore, in this case, the automatic brake is not started.

[0109] On the other hand, when the collision margin time TTC is less than or equal to the collision determination threshold value TTCth (when the execution condition of the collision avoidance support operation is satisfied), the CPU determines "Yes" at step 560 and proceeds to step 570 to start the execution of the automatic brake as the collision avoidance support operation. Thereafter, the CPU proceeds to step 595 to temporarily end this routine.

[0110] Furthermore, when the CPU proceeds to step 530, if the emergency stop control by EDSS is being executed (when the value of the EDSS flag XEDSS is "1"), the CPU determines "Yes" at step 530 and proceeds directly to step 580. Then, at step 580, the CPU sets the collision determination threshold value TTCth to the standard collision determination threshold value TthNormal and proceeds to step 560. Therefore, when the collision margin time TTC is less than or equal to the "maximum collision determination threshold value TthMax" and the collision prediction condition is satisfied, if the emergency stop control by EDSS is being executed, regardless of whether the operation determination condition is satisfied, the automatic brake is started at the normal timing (i.e., the timing when the collision margin time TTC becomes less than or equal to the collision determination threshold value TTCth set to the standard collision determination threshold value TthNormal).

[0111] As described above, when the second device is not executing the emergency stop control, which is the second control for automatically stopping the host vehicle, when the operation determination condition that holds when the driver is operating the driving operator of the host vehicle is satisfied, compared to when the operation determination condition is not satisfied, the start of the execution of the automatic brake, which is the first operation, is delayed. When the second control, the emergency stop control, is not being executed, there is a possibility that the driver is trying to avoid a collision by operating the driving operator. Therefore, as described above, the second device can prevent a situation where "the first operation intervenes too early and inhibits the collision avoidance behavior by such a driving operation" by delaying the start of the execution of the automatic brake, which is the first operation.

[0112] On the other hand, when the second control (emergency stop control) for automatically stopping the host vehicle is being executed, it is less likely that the driver's driving operation is correctly performed. Therefore, the second device ignores the presence or absence of such a driving operation and starts the first operation at an early timing (the same timing as the timing when the second control is not being executed and the operation determination condition is not satisfied). Thus, according to the second device, it is possible to more reliably avoid a collision between the host vehicle and an obstacle. In addition, since the first operation is an automatic brake, the automatic brake is executed at an early point in time during the execution of the second control. Therefore, there is little need to rapidly decelerate the host vehicle by the automatic brake. Accordingly, during the execution of the emergency stop control which is the second control, the "possibility that a following vehicle suddenly approaches the host vehicle" can be reduced by the automatic brake which is the first operation.

[0113] <Third Embodiment> When determining that the collision prediction condition is satisfied, the vehicle control device according to the third embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as the "third device") sets the operation determination condition when the emergency stop control by the EDSS is being executed to a condition that is less likely to be satisfied than the operation determination condition when the emergency stop control by the EDSS is not being executed. As a result, when determining that the collision prediction condition is satisfied, the condition that needs to be satisfied to execute the collision avoidance support operation when the emergency stop control by the EDSS is being executed (that is, the first operation start condition during EDSS operation) is set to a different condition from the condition that needs to be satisfied to execute the collision avoidance support operation when the emergency stop control by the EDSS is not being executed (that is, the first operation start condition during non-EDSS operation).

[0114] (Specific Operation) The CPU of the vehicle control ECU 10 of the third device is different from the CPU of the first device only in that it executes the routine shown in the flowchart of FIG. 6 instead of the routine shown in FIG. 4 every time a predetermined time elapses. Hereinafter, this difference will be described.

[0115] <<Collision Avoidance Support Control of the Third Device>> When the appropriate timing arrives, the CPU starts processing from step 600 in FIG. 6 and proceeds to step 605 to determine whether there is an obstacle in the predicted travel area of the host vehicle. The processing of this step is the same as the processing of step 410.

[0116] If there is no obstacle in the predicted travel area of the host vehicle, the CPU determines "No" at step 605 and directly proceeds to step 695 to temporarily end this routine.

[0117] If there is an obstacle in the predicted travel area of the host vehicle, the CPU determines "Yes" at step 605 and proceeds to step 610 to determine whether the collision prediction condition is satisfied based on the fused target information. The processing of this step is the same as the processing of step 420. That is, the CPU determines whether the time to collision TTC is less than or equal to the "maximum collision determination threshold value TthMax".

[0118] If the time to collision TTC is greater than the "maximum collision determination threshold value TthMax", the CPU determines "No" at step 610 and directly proceeds to step 695 to temporarily end this routine.

[0119] On the other hand, if the time to collision TTC is less than or equal to the "maximum collision determination threshold value TthMax" and the collision prediction condition is satisfied, the CPU determines "Yes" at step 610 and proceeds to step 615. At step 615, the CPU determines whether the emergency stop control by EDSS is being executed. The processing of this step is the same as the processing of step 430. That is, the CPU determines whether the value of the EDSS flag XEDSS is "1" at step 615.

[0120] If the emergency stop control by EDSS is not being executed (if the value of the EDSS flag XEDSS is not "1"), the CPU determines "No" at step 615 and proceeds to step 620.

[0121] At step 620, the CPU performs the following processing. The CPU sets the accelerator pedal operation amount threshold APth to the normal-time (when EDSS is not operating and the second control is not being executed) accelerator pedal operation amount threshold APthNormal. The CPU sets the accelerator pedal change speed threshold dAPth to the normal-time accelerator pedal change speed threshold dAPthNormal. The CPU sets the brake pedal operation amount threshold BPth to the normal-time brake pedal operation amount threshold BPthNormal. The CPU sets the brake pedal change speed threshold dBPth to the normal-time brake pedal change speed threshold dBPthNormal. The CPU sets the steering angle threshold θth to the normal-time steering angle threshold θthNormal. The CPU sets the steering angle change speed threshold dθth to the normal-time steering angle change speed threshold dθthNormal.

[0122] The operation determination conditions (refer to step 625) using each threshold value set in this step 620 are referred to as "operation determination conditions during non-execution of the second control" or "operation determination conditions during non-operation of EDSS".

[0123] Next, the CPU proceeds to step 625 and determines whether the above-described operation determination conditions (override conditions, override control permission conditions) are satisfied. That is, it determines whether at least one of the above-described "condition A1 to condition A3" is satisfied. The processing of this step is the same as the processing of step 540.

[0124] When the operation determination conditions are satisfied (that is, when at least one of condition A1 to condition A3 is satisfied), the CPU determines "Yes" at step 625 and proceeds to step 630. The CPU sets the collision determination threshold TTCth to the "delayed collision determination threshold TthSmall smaller than the maximum collision determination threshold TthMax" at step 630. The processing of this step is the same as the processing of step 550. The delayed collision determination threshold TthSmall is also referred to as the third collision determination threshold.

[0125] Next, the CPU proceeds to step 635 and determines whether the time to collision (TTC) is less than or equal to the collision determination threshold value TTCth (in this case, the delayed collision determination threshold value TthSmall). That is, in this step 635, the CPU determines whether the execution condition (the first operation start condition) of the collision avoidance support operation is satisfied. The processing of this step is the same as the processing of step 450.

[0126] When the time to collision (TTC) is greater than the collision determination threshold value TTCth (when the execution condition of the collision avoidance support operation is not satisfied), the CPU determines "No" in step 635 and directly proceeds to step 695 to temporarily end this routine. Therefore, in this case, the automatic brake is not started.

[0127] On the other hand, when the time to collision (TTC) is less than or equal to the collision determination threshold value TTCth (when the execution condition of the collision avoidance support operation is satisfied), the CPU determines "Yes" in step 635 and proceeds to step 640 to start the execution of the automatic brake as the collision avoidance support operation. The processing of this step is the same as the processing of step 460. Then, the CPU proceeds to step 695 to temporarily end this routine.

[0128] When the CPU proceeds to step 625 and the operation determination condition is not satisfied (that is, when none of the conditions A1 to A3 are satisfied), the CPU determines "No" in step 625 and proceeds to step 645. The CPU sets the collision determination threshold value TTCth to the standard collision determination threshold value TthNormal described above. The standard collision determination threshold value TthNormal is a value that is greater than the delayed collision determination threshold value TthSmall and less than the maximum collision determination threshold value TthMax (that is, TthSmall < TthNormal < TthMax). The standard collision determination threshold value TthNormal is also referred to as the first collision determination threshold value.

[0129] Thereafter, the CPU proceeds to step 635 and determines whether the time to collision (TTC) is less than or equal to a collision determination threshold value TTCth (in this case, the standard collision determination threshold value TthNormal). If the time to collision (TTC) is greater than the collision determination threshold value TTCth, the CPU determines "No" at step 635 and directly proceeds to step 695 to temporarily end this routine. Therefore, in this case, the automatic brake is not started.

[0130] On the other hand, if the time to collision (TTC) is less than or equal to the collision determination threshold value TTCth (when the execution condition for the collision avoidance support operation is satisfied), the CPU determines "Yes" at step 635 and proceeds to step 640 to start the execution of the automatic brake as a collision avoidance support operation. Thereafter, the CPU proceeds to step 695 to temporarily end this routine.

[0131] Furthermore, when the CPU proceeds to step 615, if the emergency stop control by the EDSS is being executed (when the value of the EDSS flag XEDSS is "1"), the CPU determines "Yes" at step 615 and proceeds to step 650.

[0132] At step 650, the CPU performs the following processing. The CPU sets the accelerator pedal operation amount threshold value APth to "the accelerator pedal operation amount threshold value APthLarge during EDSS operation, which is larger than the normal accelerator pedal operation amount threshold value APthNormal". The CPU sets the accelerator pedal change speed threshold value dAPth to "the accelerator pedal change speed threshold value dAPthLarge during EDSS operation, which is larger than the normal accelerator pedal change speed threshold value dAPthNormal". The CPU sets the brake pedal operation amount threshold value BPth to "the brake pedal operation amount threshold value BPthLarge during EDSS operation, which is larger than the normal brake pedal operation amount threshold value BPthNormal". The CPU sets the brake pedal change speed threshold value dBPth to "the brake pedal change speed threshold value dBPthLarge during EDSS operation, which is larger than the normal brake pedal change speed threshold value dBPthNormal". The CPU sets the steering angle threshold θth to "the steering angle threshold θthLarge during EDSS operation, which is larger than the normal steering angle threshold θthNormal". The CPU sets the steering angle change rate threshold dθth to "the steering angle change rate threshold dθthLarge during EDSS operation, which is larger than the normal steering angle change rate threshold dθthNormal".

[0133] The operation determination conditions (refer to step 625) using each threshold set in this step 650 are referred to as "operation determination conditions during the execution of the second control" or "operation determination conditions during EDSS operation". Thus, compared with the "operation determination conditions during non - execution of the second control using the thresholds set in step 620", the operation determination conditions during the execution of the second control are set to be satisfied when the driver operates the driving operation device faster or more largely.

[0134] Thereafter, the CPU proceeds to step 625. Therefore, the operation determination conditions when the emergency stop control by EDSS is being executed are conditions that are less likely to be satisfied than the operation determination conditions when the emergency stop control by EDSS is not being executed. As a result, when it is determined that the collision prediction condition is satisfied, the conditions (i.e., the first operation start condition during EDSS operation) that need to be satisfied to execute the collision avoidance support operation when the emergency stop control by EDSS is being executed are different from the conditions (i.e., the first operation start condition during non - EDSS operation) that need to be satisfied to execute the collision avoidance support operation when the emergency stop control by EDSS is not being executed.

[0135] As described above, in the third device, the operation determination condition (i.e., the operation determination condition during the execution of the second control) when the second control (emergency stop control) for automatically stopping the host vehicle is being executed is set so as to be satisfied when the driver operates the operation device faster or more strongly than the operation determination condition (i.e., the operation determination condition when the second control is not being executed) when the second control is not being executed. Therefore, when there is a high possibility that the driver has fallen into an abnormal state (during the execution of the second control), the collision avoidance operation (i.e., override control) by the driving operation is permitted only when a clearer (more reliable) driving operation is detected. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the possibility that the host vehicle will be driven based on an erroneous operation of the operation device.

[0136] <Fourth Embodiment> When the vehicle control device according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as the "fourth device") determines that the collision prediction condition is satisfied, the execution condition of the collision avoidance support operation when the emergency stop control by the EDSS is being executed is set to a condition that is satisfied earlier than the execution condition of the collision avoidance support operation when the emergency stop control by the EDSS is not being executed. As a result, when it is determined that the collision prediction condition is satisfied, the condition (i.e., the first operation start condition during EDSS operation) that needs to be satisfied in order to execute the collision avoidance support operation when the emergency stop control by the EDSS is being executed is different from the condition (i.e., the first operation start condition when EDSS is not operating) that needs to be satisfied in order to execute the collision avoidance support operation when the emergency stop control by the EDSS is not being executed.

[0137] (Specific operation) The CPU of the vehicle control ECU 10 of the fourth device is different from the CPU of the first device only in that it executes the routine shown by the flowchart in FIG. 7 instead of the routine shown in FIG. 4 every time a predetermined time elapses. Hereinafter, this difference will be described.

[0138] <<Collision Avoidance Support Control of the Fourth Device>> When the appropriate timing arrives, the CPU starts processing from step 700 in FIG. 7 and proceeds to step 710 to determine whether there is an obstacle in the predicted travel area of the host vehicle. The processing of this step is the same as the processing of step 410.

[0139] If there is no obstacle in the predicted travel area of the host vehicle, the CPU determines "No" in step 710 and directly proceeds to step 795 to temporarily end this routine.

[0140] If there is an obstacle in the predicted travel area of the host vehicle, the CPU determines "Yes" in step 710 and proceeds to step 720 to determine whether the collision prediction condition is satisfied based on the fused target information. The processing of this step is the same as the processing of step 420. That is, the CPU determines whether the time to collision TTC is less than or equal to the "maximum collision determination threshold value TthMax".

[0141] If the time to collision TTC is greater than the "maximum collision determination threshold value TthMax", the CPU determines "No" in step 720 and directly proceeds to step 795 to temporarily end this routine.

[0142] On the other hand, when the time to collision TTC is less than or equal to the "maximum collision determination threshold value TthMax" and the collision prediction condition is satisfied, the CPU determines "Yes" in step 720 and proceeds to step 730. The CPU determines whether the above-described operation determination condition (override control permission condition) is satisfied in step 730. That is, the CPU determines whether at least one of the above-described "condition A1 to condition A3" is satisfied. The processing of this step is the same as the processing of step 540.

[0143] When the operation determination condition is not satisfied (that is, when none of the conditions A1 to A3 are satisfied), the CPU determines "No" in step 730 and proceeds to step 740. In step 740, the CPU sets the collision determination threshold value TTCth to the standard collision determination threshold value TthNormal described above. The standard collision determination threshold value TthNormal is a value smaller than the maximum collision determination threshold value TthMax (that is, TthNormal < TthMax). The standard collision determination threshold value TthNormal is also referred to as the first collision determination threshold value.

[0144] Thus, in this embodiment, the operation determination condition (the second control non-execution operation determination condition) when the emergency stop control by the EDSS is not being executed and the operation determination condition (the second control execution operation determination condition) when the emergency stop control by the EDSS is being executed are determined in step 730 of FIG. 7. When the operation determination condition is not satisfied (step 730: No), regardless of whether the emergency stop control by the EDSS (the second control) is being executed or not, the first operation start condition is a condition that is satisfied when the collision index value reaches the first collision determination threshold value (steps 740, 750). In other words, the CPU may execute the process of "determining whether the emergency stop control by the EDSS is being executed" between step 730 and step 740. In that case, the CPU proceeds to step 740 whether the emergency stop control by the EDSS is being executed or not.

[0145] Next, the CPU proceeds to step 750 and determines whether the time to collision TTC is less than or equal to the collision determination threshold value TTCth (in this case, the standard collision determination threshold value TthNormal). That is, in this step 750, the CPU determines whether the execution condition (the first operation start condition) of the collision avoidance support operation is satisfied. The process of this step is the same as the process of step 450.

[0146] When the time to collision (TTC) of the collision margin time is greater than the collision determination threshold value TTCth (when the execution condition of the collision avoidance support operation is not satisfied), the CPU determines "No" in step 750 and directly proceeds to step 795 to temporarily end this routine. Therefore, in this case, the automatic brake is not started.

[0147] On the other hand, when the time to collision (TTC) of the collision margin time is less than or equal to the collision determination threshold value TTCth (when the execution condition of the collision avoidance support operation is satisfied), the CPU determines "Yes" in step 750 and proceeds to step 760 to start the execution of the automatic brake as the collision avoidance support operation. The processing of this step is the same as the processing of step 460. Then, the CPU proceeds to step 795 to temporarily end this routine.

[0148] When the CPU proceeds to step 730 and the operation determination condition is satisfied (that is, when at least one of conditions A1 to A3 is satisfied), the CPU determines "Yes" in step 730 and proceeds to step 770. The CPU determines whether the emergency stop control by the EDSS is being executed in step 770. The processing of this step is the same as the processing of step 430. That is, the CPU determines whether the value of the EDSS flag XEDSS is "1" in step 770.

[0149] When the emergency stop control by the EDSS is not being executed (when the value of the EDSS flag XEDSS is not "1"), the CPU determines "No" in step 770 and proceeds to step 780. The CPU sets the collision determination threshold value TTCth to the delayed collision determination threshold value TthSmall that is smaller than the above-mentioned "standard collision determination threshold value TthNormal" in step 780. The processing of this step is the same as the processing of step 550. The delayed collision determination threshold value TthSmall is also referred to as the third collision determination threshold value. In this embodiment, the standard collision determination threshold value TthNormal is a value less than or equal to the maximum collision determination threshold value TthMax (that is, TthNormal ≦ TthMax).

[0150] Thereafter, the CPU proceeds to step 750. If the time to collision (TTC) is less than or equal to the collision determination threshold value TTCth (in this case, the delayed collision determination threshold value TthSmall), the CPU proceeds to step 760. The CPU starts executing automatic braking as a collision avoidance support operation at step 760. Thereafter, the CPU proceeds to step 795 and temporarily ends this routine.

[0151] On the other hand, when the CPU proceeds to step 770 and the emergency stop control by the EDSS is being executed (when the value of the EDSS flag XEDSS is "1"), the CPU determines "Yes" at step 770 and proceeds to step 790. The CPU sets the collision determination threshold value TTCth to the intermediate delayed collision determination threshold value TthMidSmall at step 790. The intermediate delayed collision determination threshold value TthMidSmall is a value smaller than the standard collision determination threshold value TthNormal and larger than the delayed collision determination threshold value TthSmall. The intermediate delayed collision determination threshold value TthMidSmall is also referred to as the fourth collision determination threshold value.

[0152] Thereafter, the CPU proceeds to step 750. If the time to collision (TTC) is less than or equal to the collision determination threshold value TTCth (in this case, the intermediate delayed collision determination threshold value TthMidSmall), the CPU proceeds to step 760. The CPU starts executing automatic braking as a collision avoidance support operation at step 760. Thereafter, the CPU proceeds to step 795 and temporarily ends this routine.

[0153] As described above, according to the fourth device, when the operation determination condition is satisfied, the execution start timing of the first operation becomes earlier when the second control is being executed (when the emergency stop control is being executed) than when the second control is not being executed. However, according to the fourth device, the execution start timing of the first operation is later when the operation determination condition is satisfied than when the operation determination condition is not satisfied, whether the second control is being executed or not.

[0154] Therefore, when an operation of the driving operator is performed while the second control is being executed, once the collision avoidance operation based on the operation of the driving operator is allowed, but the first operation is started relatively earlier than when the operation of the driving operator is performed while the second control is not being executed. Therefore, the possibility of a collision between the host vehicle and an obstacle can be reduced while the second control is being executed. Further, since the automatic brake, which is the first operation, is started relatively early while the second control is being executed, the necessity of rapidly decelerating the vehicle by the automatic brake for avoiding a collision is reduced. Therefore, since the host vehicle is not rapidly decelerated by the automatic brake, the possibility that "the following vehicle suddenly approaches the host vehicle" can be reduced while the second control is being executed.

[0155] Note that when the CPU of the fourth device determines "Yes" in step 720, it may perform the same processing as step 615 in FIG. 6, and when it determines "Yes" in step 615, it may perform the processing of step 650 in FIG. 6 and then proceed to step 730 in FIG. 7. When it determines "No" in step 615, it may perform the processing of step 620 in FIG. 6 and then proceed to step 730 in FIG. 7. In this way, also in the fourth device, the operation determination condition during the operation of EDSS may be set such that it is satisfied when the driver operates the driving operator faster or more greatly than the operation determination condition during the non-operation of EDSS.

[0156] <Fifth Embodiment> When it is determined that the collision prediction condition is satisfied, the vehicle control device according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as the "fifth device") sets the override determination condition (operation determination condition) when the emergency stop control by the EDSS is being executed to a condition that is less likely to be satisfied than the override condition when the emergency stop control by the EDSS is not being executed. As a result, when it is determined that the collision prediction condition is satisfied, the condition that needs to be satisfied to execute the collision avoidance support operation when the emergency stop control by the EDSS is being executed (that is, the first operation start condition during EDSS operation) is different from the condition that needs to be satisfied to execute the collision avoidance support operation when the emergency stop control by the EDSS is not being executed (that is, the first operation start condition during non-EDSS operation). Note that the fifth device prohibits (cancels) the automatic brake when the override condition is satisfied.

[0157] (Specific operation) The CPU of the vehicle control ECU 10 of the fifth device is different from the CPU of the first device only in that it executes the routine shown in the flowchart of FIG. 8 every time a predetermined time elapses, instead of the routine shown in FIG. 4. Hereinafter, this difference will be described.

[0158] <<Collision avoidance support control of the fifth device>> At an appropriate timing, the CPU starts processing from step 800 in FIG. 8 and proceeds to step 805 to determine whether there is an obstacle in the predicted travel area of the host vehicle. The processing of this step is the same as the processing of step 410.

[0159] If there is no obstacle in the predicted travel area of the host vehicle, the CPU determines "No" in step 805 and directly proceeds to step 895 to temporarily end this routine.

[0160] When an obstacle exists within the predicted travel area of the host vehicle, the CPU determines "Yes" at step 805 and proceeds to step 810 to determine whether the emergency stop control by EDSS is being executed. The processing of this step is the same as the processing of step 430. That is, the CPU determines whether the value of the EDSS flag XEDSS is "1" at step 810.

[0161] When the emergency stop control by EDSS is not being executed (when the value of the EDSS flag XEDSS is not "1"), the CPU determines "No" at step 810 and proceeds to step 815. At step 815, the CPU determines whether the "collision prediction condition during non-operation of EDSS (normal time)" is satisfied based on the fused target information. That is, the CPU determines whether the time to collision TTC is less than or equal to the "collision determination threshold TTCthS during non-operation of EDSS (normal time)". The collision determination threshold TTCthS is also referred to as the collision determination threshold during non-execution of the second control.

[0162] When the time to collision TTC is greater than the "collision determination threshold TTCthS during non-operation of EDSS (normal time)", the CPU determines "No" at step 815 and directly proceeds to step 895 to temporarily end this routine.

[0163] On the other hand, when the time to collision TTC is less than or equal to the "collision determination threshold TTCthS during non-operation of EDSS (normal time)" and the "collision prediction condition during non-operation of EDSS (normal time)" is satisfied, the CPU determines "Yes" at step 815 and proceeds to step 820. At step 820, the CPU performs an "override determination during non-operation of EDSS (normal time)". In this step 820, it is determined whether the override condition (operation determination condition) set for non-operation of EDSS (normal time) is satisfied according to the subroutine shown in FIG. 9.

[0164] More specifically, when the CPU proceeds to step 820, it starts processing from step 900 of the routine shown by the flowchart in FIG. 9 and proceeds to step 910. At step 910, the CPU determines whether the override condition during EDSS inactivity (also referred to as the "normal override condition" or the "operation determination condition during EDSS inactivity") is satisfied.

[0165] The override condition during EDSS inactivity is a condition that has at least one of the following "Condition B1 to Condition B3" as a satisfaction condition. That is, when at least one of Condition B1 to Condition B3 is satisfied, the CPU determines that the override condition during EDSS inactivity is satisfied.

[0166] Condition B1: The accelerator pedal operation amount AP ≥ the normal accelerator pedal operation amount threshold APthS, or The accelerator pedal change speed dAP ≥ the normal accelerator pedal change speed threshold dAPthS Condition B2: The brake pedal operation amount BP ≥ the normal brake pedal operation amount threshold BPthS, or The brake pedal change speed dBP ≥ the normal brake pedal change speed threshold dBPthS Condition B3: The magnitude of the steering angle |θ| ≥ the normal steering angle threshold θthS, or The magnitude of the steering angle change speed |dθ| ≥ the normal steering angle change speed threshold dθthS

[0167] Note that the relationship between each threshold used in Conditions B1 to B3 and each threshold used in step 620 is as follows. However, the following relationship does not have to hold. The normal accelerator pedal operation amount threshold APthS = APthNormal The normal accelerator pedal change speed threshold dAPthS = dAPthNormal The normal brake pedal operation amount threshold BPthS = BPthNormal The normal brake pedal change speed threshold dBPthS = dBPthNormal The normal steering angle threshold θthS = θthNormal Normal steering angle change rate threshold dθthS = dθthNormal

[0168] When the override condition during non - operation of EDSS is not satisfied (that is, when none of conditions B1 to B3 is satisfied), the CPU determines "No" in step 910 and proceeds to step 920. In step 920, the CPU sets the value of the normal OR flag (override flag during non - operation of EDSS) XNOR to "0". Then, the CPU proceeds to step 995, temporarily ends this routine, and proceeds to step 825 in FIG. 8.

[0169] On the contrary, when the override condition during non - operation of EDSS is satisfied (that is, when at least one of conditions B1 to B3 is satisfied), the CPU determines "Yes" in step 910 and proceeds to step 930. In step 930, the CPU sets the value of the normal OR flag (override flag during non - operation of EDSS) XNOR to "1". Then, the CPU proceeds to step 995, temporarily ends this routine, and proceeds to step 825 in FIG. 8.

[0170] The CPU determines whether the value of the normal OR flag XNOR is "0" in step 825.

[0171] When the value of the normal OR flag XNOR is "0", the CPU determines "Yes" in step 825 and proceeds to step 830, starting the execution of the automatic brake as a collision avoidance support operation. Then, the CPU proceeds to step 895 and temporarily ends this routine.

[0172] On the contrary, when the value of the normal OR flag XNOR is "1", the CPU determines "No" in step 825 and proceeds to step 835, prohibiting (canceling) the automatic brake control and allowing the override. That is, the CPU controls the host vehicle according to the driver's driving operation. Then, the CPU proceeds to step 895 and temporarily ends this routine.

[0173] Incidentally, when the CPU proceeds to step 810, if the emergency stop control by the EDSS is being executed (when the value of the EDSS flag XEDSS is "1"), the CPU determines "Yes" at step 810 and proceeds to step 840. At step 840, the CPU determines whether or not the "collision prediction condition during EDSS operation" is satisfied based on the fusion target information. That is, the CPU determines whether or not the collision margin time TTC is less than or equal to the "collision determination threshold TTCthL during EDSS operation". The collision determination threshold TTCthL is set to a value larger than the collision determination threshold TTCthS. However, the collision determination threshold TTCthL may be equal to the collision determination threshold TTCthS. The collision determination threshold TTCthL is also referred to as the collision determination threshold during the execution of the second control.

[0174] When the collision margin time TTC is greater than the "collision determination threshold TTCthL during EDSS operation", the CPU determines "No" at step 840, directly proceeds to step 895, and temporarily ends this routine.

[0175] On the other hand, when the collision margin time TTC is less than or equal to the "collision determination threshold TTCthL during EDSS operation" and the "collision prediction condition during EDSS operation" is satisfied, the CPU determines "Yes" at step 840 and proceeds to step 845. At step 845, the CPU performs the "override determination during EDSS operation". In this step 845, it is determined whether or not the override condition (operation determination condition) set for the operation during EDSS operation is satisfied according to the subroutine shown in FIG. 10.

[0176] More specifically, when the CPU proceeds to step 820, it starts processing from step 1000 of the routine shown by the flowchart in FIG. 10 and proceeds to step 1010. At step 1010, the CPU determines whether or not the override condition during EDSS operation (also referred to as the "override condition during emergency stop control" or the "operation determination condition during EDSS operation") is satisfied.

[0177] The override condition during EDSS operation is a condition that sets at least one of the following "Condition C1 to Condition C3" as a fulfillment condition. That is, when at least one of Condition C1 to Condition C3 is fulfilled, the CPU determines that the override condition during EDSS operation is fulfilled.

[0178] Condition C1: The accelerator pedal operation amount AP ≥ the accelerator pedal operation amount threshold value APthL during EDSS operation, or The accelerator pedal change rate dAP ≥ the accelerator pedal change rate threshold value dAPthL during EDSS operation Condition C2: The brake pedal operation amount BP ≥ the brake pedal operation amount threshold value BPthL during EDSS operation, or The brake pedal change rate dBP ≥ the brake pedal change rate threshold value dBPthL during EDSS operation Condition C3: The magnitude of the steering angle |θ| ≥ the steering angle threshold value θthL during EDSS operation, or The magnitude of the steering angle change rate |dθ| ≥ the steering angle change rate threshold value dθthL during EDSS operation

[0179] The following relationships hold between the respective threshold values used in Condition C1 to Condition C3 and the respective threshold values used in Condition B1 to Condition B3. The accelerator pedal operation amount threshold value APthL during EDSS operation > the normal accelerator pedal operation amount threshold value APthS The accelerator pedal change rate threshold value dAPthL during EDSS operation > the normal accelerator pedal change rate threshold value dAPthS The brake pedal operation amount threshold value BPthL during EDSS operation > the normal brake pedal operation amount threshold value BPthS The brake pedal change rate threshold value dBPthL during EDSS operation > the normal brake pedal change rate threshold value dBPthS The steering angle threshold value θthL during EDSS operation > the normal steering angle threshold value θthS The steering angle change rate threshold value dθthL during EDSS operation > the normal steering angle change rate threshold value dθthS

[0180] The relationships between the respective threshold values used in conditions C1 to C3 and the respective threshold values used in step 650 are as follows. However, the following relationships do not necessarily have to hold. Accelerator pedal operation amount threshold value APthL during EDSS operation = APthLarge Accelerator pedal change rate threshold value dAPthL during EDSS operation = dAPthLarge Brake pedal operation amount threshold value BPthL during EDSS operation = BPthLarge Brake pedal change rate threshold value dBPthL during EDSS operation = dBPthLarge Steering angle threshold value θthL during EDSS operation = θthLarge Steering angle change rate threshold value dθthL during EDSS operation = dθthLarge

[0181] When the override condition during EDSS operation is not satisfied (i.e., when none of conditions C1 to C3 are satisfied), the CPU determines "No" in step 1010 and proceeds to step 1020. In step 1020, the CPU sets the value of the EDSS·OR flag (override flag during EDSS operation) XEOR to "0". Thereafter, the CPU proceeds to step 1095, temporarily ends this routine, and proceeds to step 850 in FIG. 8.

[0182] On the other hand, when the override condition during EDSS operation is satisfied (i.e., when at least one of conditions C1 to C3 is satisfied), the CPU determines "Yes" in step 1010 and proceeds to step 1030. In step 1030, the CPU sets the value of the EDSS·OR flag (override flag during EDSS operation) XEOR to "1". Thereafter, the CPU proceeds to step 1095, temporarily ends this routine, and proceeds to step 850 in FIG. 8.

[0183] The CPU determines whether the value of the EDSS·OR flag XEOR is "0" in step 850.

[0184] When the value of the EDSS·OR flag XEOR is "0", the CPU determines "Yes" at step 850, proceeds to step 855, and starts executing the automatic brake as a collision avoidance support operation. Thereafter, the CPU proceeds to step 895 and temporarily ends this routine.

[0185] On the other hand, when the value of the EDSS·OR flag XEOR is "1", the CPU determines "No" at step 850, proceeds to step 860, prohibits (cancels) the automatic brake control, and allows override. That is, the CPU controls the host vehicle according to the driver's driving operation. Thereafter, the CPU proceeds to step 895 and temporarily ends this routine.

[0186] As described above, during the execution of the second control (during the execution of the emergency stop control), the fifth device determines whether the operation determination condition during the execution of the second control is satisfied from an earlier point in time (the point in time when the collision index value reaches the collision determination threshold value TTCthL at the time of execution of the second control), and based on the determination result, the first operation can be started from an earlier point in time. Therefore, the collision between the host vehicle and the obstacle can be more reliably avoided. Furthermore, since the first operation is the automatic brake and the automatic brake is started relatively early during the execution of the second control, the necessity of rapidly decelerating the host vehicle by the automatic brake is small. As a result, the "possibility that a following vehicle suddenly approaches the host vehicle" can be reduced by the automatic brake which is the first operation.

[0187] In addition, in the fifth device, the operation determination condition during the execution of the second control (override condition during EDSS operation) is set to be satisfied when the driver operates the driving operation device faster or more greatly than the operation determination condition during non-execution of the second control (override condition during non-EDSS operation). Therefore, when there is a high possibility that the driver has fallen into an abnormal state (during the execution of the second control), the collision avoidance operation by the driving operation is allowed only when a clearer (more reliable) driving operation is detected.

[0188] <Sixth Embodiment> The vehicle control device according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as the "sixth device") sets the override determination condition (operation determination condition) when the emergency stop control by the EDSS is in execution to a condition different from the override condition when the emergency stop control by the EDSS is not in execution, when it is determined that the collision prediction condition is satisfied. More specifically, when it is determined that the collision prediction condition is satisfied, the sixth device changes the override determination condition (operation determination condition) when the emergency stop control by the EDSS is in execution to a condition that is satisfied when it is more likely that the driving operation is for avoiding a collision. As a result, when it is determined that the collision prediction condition is satisfied, the condition that needs to be satisfied for executing the collision avoidance support operation when the emergency stop control by the EDSS is in execution (that is, the first operation start condition during EDSS operation) becomes different from the condition that needs to be satisfied for executing the collision avoidance support operation when the emergency stop control by the EDSS is not in execution (that is, the first operation start condition during non-EDSS operation). Note that, similar to the fifth device, the sixth device prohibits (cancels) the automatic brake when the override condition is satisfied.

[0189] (Specific operation) The CPU of the vehicle control ECU 10 of the sixth device executes the routine shown in the flowchart in FIG. 8 every time a predetermined time elapses, similar to the fifth device. However, the CPU of the sixth device is different from the fifth device only in that in step 845 of FIG. 8, it executes the subroutine shown in the flowchart in FIG. 11 instead of the subroutine shown in FIG. 10. Hereinafter, this difference will be described.

[0190] When the CPU proceeds to step 845 in FIG. 8, it performs "override determination during EDSS operation". In this step 845, it is determined whether or not the override condition (operation determination condition) set for during EDSS operation is satisfied, according to the subroutine shown in FIG. 11.

[0191] More specifically, when the CPU proceeds to step 845, it starts processing from step 1100 of the routine shown by the flowchart in FIG. 11 and proceeds to step 1110. At step 1110, the CPU determines whether the magnitude |dθ| of the change rate of the steering angle is greater than or equal to the steering angle change rate threshold dθth. That is, at step 1110, the CPU determines whether the steering wheel has been suddenly operated.

[0192] When the magnitude |dθ| of the change rate of the steering angle is less than the steering angle change rate threshold dθth, the CP determines "No" at step 1110 and proceeds to step 1120. At step 1120, the CPU sets the value of the EDSS·OR flag (EDSS operation override flag) XEOR to "0". Then, the CPU proceeds to step 1195 to temporarily end this routine and proceeds to step 850 of FIG. 8. Therefore, in this case, the automatic brake is executed at step 855 of FIG. 8.

[0193] On the other hand, when the magnitude |dθ| of the change rate of the steering angle is greater than or equal to the steering angle change rate threshold dθth, the CP determines "Yes" at step 1110 and proceeds to step 1130. At step 1130, the CPU determines whether the steering direction is a direction to avoid a collision with an obstacle.

[0194] More specifically, as shown in FIG. 12(A), after the CPU determines that an obstacle exists at step 805, the CPU repeatedly calculates the overlap amount R between the host vehicle HV and the obstacle OB when it is assumed that the host vehicle HV has collided with the obstacle OB based on the predicted vehicle travel path. The overlap amount is the length of the overlapping portion between the collision portion of the host vehicle HV and the obstacle OB when it is assumed that the host vehicle HV has collided with the obstacle OB.

[0195] When the CPU determines that there is an obstacle in the predicted travel area of the host vehicle (or when the collision prediction condition during EDSS operation is satisfied), the wrap amount R at that time (hereinafter referred to as the "first wrap amount"), and the wrap amount R at the time when the magnitude |dθ| of the change rate of the steering angle becomes equal to or greater than the steering angle change rate threshold dθth after the time when the collision prediction condition during EDSS operation is satisfied (or after the time when the CPU determines that there is an obstacle in the predicted travel area of the host vehicle) (hereinafter referred to as the "second wrap amount") are compared.

[0196] At this time, as shown in FIG. 12(B), when the second wrap amount is smaller than the first wrap amount, the CPU determines that the steering direction is a direction to avoid a collision with the obstacle. Note that, as shown in FIG. 12(B), the CPU may determine that the steering direction is a direction to avoid a collision with the obstacle when the second wrap amount is a negative value.

[0197] On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 12(C), when the second wrap amount (R2) is equal to or greater than the first wrap amount (R1), the CPU determines that the steering direction is not a direction to avoid a collision with the obstacle.

[0198] Note that the CPU may determine that the steering direction is a direction to avoid a collision with the obstacle when the following post-steering distance is greater than the following pre-steering distance. Here, the post-steering distance is the distance between the center of the host vehicle HV in the vehicle width direction and the center of the obstacle OB in the vehicle width direction of the host vehicle HV when it is assumed that the host vehicle HV collides with the obstacle OB based on the predicted travel path of the vehicle at the time when the magnitude |dθ| of the change rate of the steering angle becomes equal to or greater than the steering angle change rate threshold dθth (the time when it is determined that steering has been performed). The pre-steering distance is the distance between the center of the host vehicle HV in the vehicle width direction and the center of the obstacle OB in the vehicle width direction of the host vehicle HV when it is assumed that the host vehicle HV collides with the obstacle OB based on the predicted travel path of the vehicle at the time when the CPU determines that there is an obstacle in the predicted travel area of the host vehicle or when the collision prediction condition during EDSS operation is satisfied.

[0199] If the steered direction is not the direction to avoid a collision with an obstacle, the CPU proceeds from step 1130 to step 1120 and sets the value of the EDSS·OR flag XEOR to "0". Then, the CPU proceeds to step 1195, temporarily ends this routine, and proceeds to step 850 in FIG. 8. Therefore, in this case, the automatic brake is executed at step 855 in FIG. 8.

[0200] On the contrary, if the steered direction is the direction to avoid a collision with an obstacle, the CPU proceeds from step 1130 to step 1140 in FIG. 11 and sets the value of the EDSS·OR flag XEOR to "1". Then, the CPU proceeds to step 1195, temporarily ends this routine, and proceeds to step 850 in FIG. 8. Therefore, in this case, the CPU determines "No" at step 850 in FIG. 8 and proceeds to step 860. Thus, the automatic brake control is prohibited (cancelled) and override is permitted. That is, the CPU controls the host vehicle according to the driver's driving operation.

[0201] In this way, when the CPU determines, based on "both step 1110 and step 1120" in FIG. 11, that an operation is performed on the steering wheel and the traveling direction of the host vehicle is changed to the direction to avoid a collision with the obstacle by the operation on the steering wheel, resulting in a steering collision avoidance state, the CPU determines that the override condition during EDSS operation is satisfied.

[0202] As described above, similar to the fifth device, when the sixth device is executing the second control (during the execution of the emergency stop control), it is determined earlier (when the collision index value reaches the second control execution time collision determination threshold value TTCthL) whether the operation determination condition during the execution of the second control is satisfied, and based on the determination result, the first operation can be started earlier.

[0203] In addition, according to the sixth device, the override condition during EDSS operation is set to hold when the steering of the host vehicle is performed and the traveling direction of the host vehicle changed by the steering is "a direction to avoid a collision with an obstacle". Therefore, when the second control is being executed, if there is a steering operation that clearly aims to avoid a collision, the execution of the automatic brake, which is the first operation, is not performed, and the collision avoidance operation by the driving operation (the collision avoidance operation by the driver's steering) is prioritized. Thus, the possibility of a collision avoidance operation based on a misoperation can be reduced.

[0204] In the fifth and sixth embodiments, the CPU may perform a determination similar to that in step 420 (i.e., a determination as to whether the collision margin time TTC is less than or equal to the "maximum collision determination threshold value TthMax") in steps 815 and 840. In this case, if the collision margin time TTC is less than or equal to the "maximum collision determination threshold value TthMax", the CPU proceeds from step 810 to step 840, or proceeds from step 815 to step 820. Further, in this case, between steps 850 and 855, the CPU determines whether the collision margin time TTC is less than or equal to the "collision determination threshold value TTCthL during EDSS operation", and proceeds to step 855 when the collision margin time TTC is less than or equal to the "collision determination threshold value TTCthL during EDSS operation", and proceeds to step 860 when the collision margin time TTC is greater than the "collision determination threshold value TTCthL during EDSS operation". In addition, in this case, between steps 825 and 830, the CPU determines whether the collision margin time TTC is less than or equal to the "collision determination threshold value TTCthS when EDSS is not operating", and proceeds to step 830 when the collision margin time TTC is less than or equal to the "collision determination threshold value TTCthS when EDSS is not operating", and proceeds to step 835 when the collision margin time TTC is greater than the "collision determination threshold value TTCthS when EDSS is not operating".

[0205] The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications including the following modification examples can be adopted within the scope of the present invention.

[0206] (First Modification Example) When the driving no-operation state continues for a period equal to or longer than the no-operation determination time threshold, the CPU may acquire information indicating that a driver abnormal state has occurred. The driving no-operation state refers to a state in which none of the parameters composed of one or more combinations of “the accelerator pedal operation amount AP, the brake pedal operation amount BP, the steering torque Tra, and the signal level of the touch sensor 93” by the driver changes from “the time point a predetermined sampling time before the current time point” to “the current time point” (or a state in which each parameter does not change by more than the threshold value corresponding to each parameter).

[0207] (Second Modification Example) The CPU may acquire information indicating that a driver abnormal state has occurred using the confirmation button 98. For example, when the driving no-operation state continues for a period equal to or longer than “a confirmation required time threshold shorter than the no-operation determination time threshold”, the CPU causes the warning display device 82 to display “a warning message prompting the driver to operate the confirmation button 98”. Then, when the CPU cannot receive a confirmation signal from the confirmation button 98 by the time a time corresponding to the confirmation time threshold has elapsed since such a display was made, the CPU determines that a driver abnormal state has occurred and acquires information indicating that a driver abnormal state has occurred.

[0208] (Third Modification Example) In steps 540 of FIG. 5, step 730 of FIG. 7, etc., the CPU may determine that the operation determination condition is satisfied when the brake pedal 92a is depressed (when the brake pedal 92a changes from off (released state) to on (depressed state)) or when the brake pedal 92a is being depressed. In this case, a brake switch that generates a signal indicating off and on of the brake pedal 92a may be used.

[0209] (Fourth Modification Example) The CPU may determine that the operation determination condition is satisfied when the accelerator pedal 91a is depressed (when the accelerator pedal 91a changes from off (released state) to on (depressed state)) or when the accelerator pedal 91a is being depressed, such as in step 540 of FIG. 5 and step 730 of FIG. 7. In this case, an accelerator switch that generates a signal indicating off and on of the accelerator pedal 91a may be used.

[0210] (Fifth Modification Example) The device DS is applicable to the host vehicle in a state where the driving mode has transitioned from automatic driving to driving by the driver in an autonomous vehicle.

Description of Reference Numerals

[0211] 10… Vehicle control (driving support) ECU, 20… Camera device, 30… Radar device, 40… Driver monitor device (driver monitoring device), 60… Brake ECU, 70… Steering ECU, 71… Steering motor.

Claims

1. A first control system that performs a first operation to reduce the possibility of collision between the host vehicle and an obstacle existing in the predicted travel area of the host vehicle, and a second control system that executes second control to automatically stop the host vehicle when information indicating that the driver of the host vehicle has entered an abnormal state in which the host vehicle cannot be driven normally is acquired, wherein the first control system includes: a first operation start condition during non-execution of the second control, which needs to be satisfied for the first control system to start executing the first operation when the second control system is not executing the second control; and a first operation start condition during execution of the second control, which needs to be satisfied for the first control system to start executing the first operation when the second control system is executing the second control, are configured to be different from each other, a vehicle control device.

2. In the vehicle control device according to Claim 1, the first operation start condition during non-execution of the second control is a condition that is satisfied when a collision index value that correlates with the possibility of the host vehicle colliding with the obstacle reaches a first collision determination threshold value, the first operation start condition during execution of the second control is a condition that is satisfied when the collision index value reaches a second collision determination threshold value, and the second collision determination threshold value is set to a value at which the collision index value reaches at a point in time earlier than the point in time when the collision index value reaches the first collision determination threshold value. a vehicle control device.

3. In the vehicle control device according to Claim 2, the collision index value is a collision margin time that is the time until the host vehicle is predicted to collide with the obstacle, and an early collision determination threshold value set as the second collision determination threshold value is set to a value larger than a standard collision determination threshold value set as the first collision determination threshold value. a vehicle control device.

4. In the vehicle control device according to Claim 1, the first operation start condition during non-execution of the second control is a condition that is satisfied when the collision index value that correlates with the possibility of the host vehicle colliding with the obstacle reaches a first collision determination threshold value when an operation determination condition that is satisfied when the driver operates an operation element of the host vehicle is not satisfied; and is a condition that is satisfied when the collision index value reaches a third collision determination threshold value when the operation determination condition is satisfied. The first operation start condition during the execution of the second control is a condition that is established when the collision index value reaches the first collision determination threshold regardless of whether the operation determination condition is satisfied. The third collision determination threshold is set to a value at which the collision index value reaches at a time point later than the time point at which the collision index value reaches the first collision determination threshold. Vehicle control device.

5. In the vehicle control device according to claim 4, The collision index value is a collision margin time that is the time until the time when the host vehicle is expected to collide with the obstacle. The delay collision determination threshold set as the third collision determination threshold is set to a value smaller than the standard collision determination threshold set as the first collision determination threshold. Vehicle control device.

6. In the vehicle control device according to claim 1, The first operation start condition during non-execution of the second control is a condition that is established when a predetermined non-execution operation determination condition for the second control that is established when the driver operates the driving operation element of the host vehicle is not satisfied and the collision index value that correlates with the possibility of the host vehicle colliding with the obstacle reaches the first collision determination threshold, and is a condition that is established when the collision index value reaches the third collision determination threshold when the non-execution operation determination condition for the second control is satisfied. The first operation start condition during the execution of the second control is a condition that is established when a predetermined operation determination condition during the execution of the second control that is established when the driver operates the driving operation element is not satisfied and the collision index value reaches the first collision determination threshold, and is a condition that is established when the collision index value reaches the third collision determination threshold when the operation determination condition during the execution of the second control is satisfied. The operation determination condition during the execution of the second control is set so as to be established when the driver operates the driving operation element faster or more greatly than the operation determination condition during non-execution of the second control. The third collision determination threshold is set to a value at which the collision index value reaches at a time point later than the time point at which the collision index value reaches the first collision determination threshold. Vehicle control device.

7. In the vehicle control device according to claim 6, The collision index value is a collision margin time that is the time until the time when the host vehicle is expected to collide with the obstacle. The delay collision determination threshold value set as the third collision determination threshold value is set to a value smaller than the standard collision determination threshold value set as the first collision determination threshold value. Vehicle control device.

8. In the vehicle control device according to claim 1, The first operation start condition during the non-execution of the second control is a condition that is satisfied when a collision index value having a correlation with the possibility of the host vehicle colliding with the obstacle reaches the first collision determination threshold value when a predetermined second control non-execution operation determination condition that is satisfied when the driver operates the driving operator of the host vehicle is not satisfied. When the second control non-execution operation determination condition is satisfied, it is a condition that is satisfied when the collision index value reaches the third collision determination threshold value. The first operation start condition during the execution of the second control is a condition that is satisfied when a collision index value reaches the first collision determination threshold value when a predetermined second control execution operation determination condition that is satisfied when the driver operates the driving operator is not satisfied. When the second control execution operation determination condition is satisfied, it is a condition that is satisfied when the collision index value reaches the fourth collision determination threshold value. The second control execution operation determination condition is the same condition as the second control non-execution operation determination condition, or is set to a condition that is satisfied when the driver operates the driving operator faster or more strongly than in the second control non-execution operation determination condition. The third collision determination threshold value is set to a value at which the collision index value reaches at a time later than the time when the collision index value reaches the first collision determination threshold value. The fourth collision determination threshold value is set to a value at which the collision index value reaches at a time later than the time when the collision index value reaches the first collision determination threshold value and earlier than the time when the collision index value reaches the third collision determination threshold value. Vehicle control device.

9. In the vehicle control device according to claim 8, The collision index value is a collision margin time that is the time until the point in time when the host vehicle is predicted to collide with the obstacle. The delay collision determination threshold value set as the third collision determination threshold value is set to a value smaller than the standard collision determination threshold value set as the first collision determination threshold value. The intermediate delay collision determination threshold value set as the fourth collision determination threshold value is set to a value smaller than the standard collision determination threshold value and larger than the delay collision determination threshold value. Vehicle control device.

10. In the vehicle control device according to claim 1, the first control system: when the second control is not being executed, in a state where a collision index value correlated with the possibility of the host vehicle colliding with the obstacle has reached a non-execution-of-second-control collision determination threshold, if a predetermined non-execution-of-second-control operation determination condition that holds when the driver is operating the driving operator of the host vehicle is not satisfied, it is determined that the first operation start condition during non-execution of the second control is satisfied, and the execution of the first operation is started, and when the non-execution-of-second-control operation determination condition is satisfied, the first operation is not executed. Further, when the second control is being executed, in a state where the collision index value has reached a second-control execution collision determination threshold, if a predetermined second-control execution operation determination condition that holds when the driver is operating the driving operator is not satisfied, it is determined that the first operation start condition during execution of the second control is satisfied, and the execution of the first operation is started, and when the second-control execution operation determination condition is satisfied, the first operation is not executed. The second-control execution collision determination threshold is set to a value at which the collision index value reaches at a point in time earlier than the point in time when the collision index value reaches the non-execution-of-second-control collision determination threshold. The second-control execution operation determination condition is set to a condition different from the non-execution-of-second-control operation determination condition. Vehicle control device

11. In the vehicle control device according to claim 10, the second-control execution operation determination condition is set so as to hold when the driver operates the driving operator faster or more greatly than in the non-execution-of-second-control operation determination condition. Vehicle control device.

12. In the vehicle control device according to claim 10, the non-execution-of-second-control operation determination condition is set so as to hold regardless of the traveling direction of the host vehicle due to the steering when the host vehicle is steered. The second-control execution operation determination condition is set so as to hold when the host vehicle is steered and the traveling direction of the host vehicle is changed in a direction to avoid a collision with the obstacle by the steering. Vehicle control device.

13. In the vehicle control device according to claim 10, The second non-execution operation determination condition is set to be satisfied when operations are performed on the accelerator pedal of the host vehicle, the brake pedal of the host vehicle, and the steering wheel of the host vehicle. The second execution operation determination condition is satisfied when an operation is performed on the steering wheel and a steering collision avoidance state occurs in which the traveling direction of the host vehicle is changed in a direction to avoid a collision with the obstacle by the operation on the steering wheel. However, it is not satisfied when an operation is performed on either the accelerator pedal of the host vehicle or the brake pedal of the host vehicle and the steering collision avoidance state does not occur. Vehicle control device.

14. In the vehicle control device according to any one of Claims 10 to 13, The collision index value is a collision margin time that is the time until the host vehicle is predicted to collide with the obstacle. The second execution collision determination threshold is set to a value larger than the second non-execution collision determination threshold. Vehicle control device.

15. A first step of performing a first operation for reducing the possibility of collision between the host vehicle and an obstacle existing in the predicted traveling area of the host vehicle; A second step of executing second control for automatically stopping the host vehicle when information indicating that the driver of the host vehicle has entered an abnormal state in which the host vehicle cannot be normally driven is acquired; including A first operation start condition during non-execution of the second control, which needs to be satisfied to start the execution of the first operation when the second control is not executed, and a first operation start condition during execution of the second control, which needs to be satisfied to start the execution of the first operation when the second control is executed, are different from each other. Vehicle control method.

16. A program for causing a computer mounted on a host vehicle to execute, The program causes the computer to perform a first step of performing a first operation for reducing the possibility of collision between the host vehicle and an obstacle existing in the predicted traveling area of the host vehicle; perform a second step of executing second control for automatically stopping the host vehicle when information indicating that the driver of the host vehicle has entered an abnormal state in which the host vehicle cannot be normally driven is acquired; and execute A first operation start condition during non-execution of the second control, which needs to be satisfied to start the execution of the first operation when the second control is not being executed, and a first operation start condition during execution of the second control, which needs to be satisfied to start the execution of the first operation when the second control is being executed, are different from each other. Program.

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