Mobile body control device, mobile body control method, and program

Abstract

To provide a mobile body control device, a mobile body control method, and a program capable of appropriately setting a reference time for canceling a lane change, which is one item of setting information.SOLUTION: A mobile body control device comprises: a lane change control unit that causes a mobile body to change lanes from a first lane in which the mobile body is located to a second lane adjacent to the first lane independently of operation of an occupant; a lane change control unit that suspends control related to the lane change if a predetermined event continues for a first period of time; and a setting change unit that changes a setting of the first period of time based on setting information for the lane change.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] In recent years, efforts to provide access to sustainable transportation systems that take into consideration vulnerable traffic participants have been gaining momentum. To achieve this, efforts are being made to further improve traffic safety and convenience through research and development into automated driving and advanced driver assistance. In this technology, it is important to maintain appropriate values ​​for various setting information. For example, Patent Document 1 describes determining the lane change start zone so that lane changes can be performed while reflecting the driver's preferences. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2023-154345 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, there may be multiple pieces of setting information in automated driving and advanced driving assistance. In conventional technologies, when changing one piece of setting information, no consideration was given to reflecting the change in other setting information. As a result, there is a possibility that the setting information may not be set appropriately.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a mobile object control device, a mobile object control method, and a program that can appropriately set the reference time for canceling a lane change, which is one of the setting information, and thereby contribute to the development of a sustainable transportation system. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A mobile object control device, a mobile object control method, and a program according to the present invention employ the following configuration. (1): A mobile body control device according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a lane change control unit that causes a mobile body to change lanes from a first lane in which the mobile body is located to a second lane adjacent to the first lane without the operation of an occupant, and includes a lane change control unit that suspends control related to the lane change if a predetermined event continues for a first time period, and a setting change unit that changes the setting for the first time period based on setting information for the lane change.

[0007] (2): In the above aspect (1), the setting information is a second time from the time when the lane change control unit decides to perform control related to the lane change to the time when the moving body starts moving laterally to change lanes, and the shorter the second time, the shorter the setting change unit sets the first time.

[0008] (3) In the above aspect (1), the setting information is a lateral speed at the time of the lane change, and the setting change unit sets the first time period to be shorter as the lateral speed is higher.

[0009] (4) In the above aspect (1), the setting change unit changes the setting of the first time period depending on the destination country of the moving object.

[0010] (5): In the above aspect (1), the lane change control unit does not stop the lane change control if a predetermined part of the moving body crosses a road dividing line during the first time, even if the predetermined event continues for a first time.

[0011] (6): In the above aspect (1), the lane change control unit does not stop the lane change control if the moving body starts moving laterally to change lanes during the first time period, even if the specified event continues for the first time period.

[0012] (7) In the above aspect (1), the predetermined event is that the occupant is not gripping the steering operator.

[0013] (8): Another aspect of the mobile body control device of the present invention is a lane change control unit that causes a mobile body to change lanes from a first lane in which the mobile body is located to a second lane adjacent to the first lane without the operation of an occupant, and is equipped with a lane change control unit that suspends control related to the lane change if a predetermined event continues for a first time period, and the first time period is set to be shorter as a second time period from the time when the lane change control unit decides to perform control related to the lane change to the time when the mobile body starts moving laterally to change lanes is shorter.

[0014] (9): Another aspect of the mobile body control method of the present invention is a mobile body control method executed by a mobile body control device, which causes the mobile body to change lanes from a first lane in which the mobile body is located to a second lane adjacent to the first lane without the operation of the occupant, and includes a process of terminating the control related to the lane change if a specified event continues for a first time period, and a process of changing the setting of the first time period based on the lane change setting information.

[0015] (10): Another aspect of the present invention provides a program for causing a processor of a mobile body control device to change lanes of a mobile body from a first lane in which the mobile body is located to a second lane adjacent to the first lane without the operation of the occupant, and to execute a process of terminating the control related to the lane change if a predetermined event continues for a first time period, and a process of changing the setting of the first time period based on the setting information of the lane change. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] According to the aspects (1) to (10), the reference time for canceling a lane change, which is one of the setting information, can be set appropriately. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing a part of the configuration of a vehicle M equipped with a vehicle control device 100. FIG. [Figure 2] 2 is a functional configuration diagram of a first control unit 120 and a second control unit 160. FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a scene in which an automatic lane change is performed. [Figure 4] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of processing by a lane change control unit 142. [Figure 5] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating an example of a situation in which a driver feels uncomfortable with the timing of canceling a lane change. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a setting information change table 154. [Figure 7] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of processing executed by a setting change unit 144. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] Hereinafter, with reference to the drawings, embodiments of a mobile object control device, a mobile object control method, and a program of the present invention will be described. A mobile object is something that moves on an area such as a road with lanes, and may include not only so-called vehicles but also any autonomously movable object such as a self-propelled robot or an electric kick scooter. In the following explanation, the mobile object control device will be referred to as a vehicle control device, which is an example of a mobile object control device. The driving source of the vehicle controlled by the vehicle control device is an internal combustion engine such as a diesel engine or a gasoline engine, an electric motor, or a combination of these. The electric motor operates using power generated by a generator connected to the internal combustion engine, or discharged power from a secondary battery or a fuel cell.

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

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

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

[0022] The LIDAR 14 irradiates the surroundings of the vehicle M with light (or electromagnetic waves with wavelengths similar to light) and measures the scattered light. The LIDAR 14 detects the distance to the target based on the time between light emission and light reception. The irradiated light is, for example, pulsed laser light. The LIDAR 14 may be attached to any location on the vehicle M.

[0023] The object recognition device 16 performs sensor fusion processing on the detection results from some or all of the camera 10, the radar device 12, and the LIDAR 14 to recognize the position, type, speed, etc. of the object. The object recognition device 16 outputs the recognition results to the vehicle control device 100. The object recognition device 16 may output the detection results from the camera 10, the radar device 12, and the LIDAR 14 directly to the vehicle control device 100. The object recognition device 16 may be omitted from the vehicle system 1.

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

[0025] The HMI 30 presents various information to the occupants of the vehicle M and accepts input operations by the occupants. The HMI 30 includes various display devices, a speaker, a buzzer, a touch panel, switches, keys, and the like.

[0026] The vehicle sensor 40 includes a vehicle speed sensor that detects the speed of the vehicle M, an acceleration sensor that detects the acceleration, a yaw rate sensor that detects the angular velocity around a vertical axis, a direction sensor that detects the direction of the vehicle M, and the like.

[0027] The navigation device 50 includes, for example, a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiver 51, a navigation HMI 52, and a route determination unit 53. The navigation device 50 stores first map information 54 in a storage device such as a hard disk drive (HDD) or flash memory. The GNSS receiver 51 identifies the position of the vehicle M based on signals received from GNSS satellites. The position of the vehicle M may be identified or supplemented by an inertial navigation system (INS) that uses the output of the vehicle sensors 40. The navigation HMI 52 includes a display device, a speaker, a touch panel, keys, etc. The navigation HMI 52 may share some or all of the components with the HMI 30 described above. The route determination unit 53 determines, for example, a route (hereinafter, a route on a map) from the position of the vehicle M identified by the GNSS receiver 51 (or any input position) to a destination input by the occupant using the navigation HMI 52, with reference to the first map information 54. The first map information 54 is information that represents road shapes using, for example, links indicating roads and nodes connected by the links. The first map information 54 may also include information such as road curvature and POI (Point of Interest) information. The route on the map is output to the MPU 60. The navigation device 50 may provide route guidance using the navigation HMI 52 based on the route on the map. The navigation device 50 may be realized, for example, by the functions of a terminal device such as a smartphone or tablet device owned by the occupant. The navigation device 50 may transmit the current position and destination to a navigation server via the communication device 20 and obtain a route equivalent to the route on the map from the navigation server.

[0028] The MPU 60 includes, for example, a recommended lane determination unit 61, and stores second map information 62 in a storage device such as an HDD or flash memory. The recommended lane determination unit 61 divides the route on the map provided by the navigation device 50 into a plurality of blocks (for example, into 100-m intervals in the vehicle travel direction), and determines a recommended lane for each block by referring to the second map information 62. The recommended lane determination unit 61 determines, for example, which lane from the left the vehicle should travel in. When there is a branch point on the route on the map, the recommended lane determination unit 61 determines a recommended lane so that the vehicle M can travel on a reasonable route to the branch point.

[0029] The second map information 62 is map information with higher accuracy than the first map information 54. The second map information 62 includes, for example, information on the center of lanes or information on lane boundaries. The second map information 62 may also include road information, traffic regulation information, address information (address and postal code), facility information, telephone number information, and the like. The second map information 62 may be updated as needed by the communication device 20 communicating with other devices.

[0030] The driving operators 80 include, for example, a steering wheel 82, an accelerator pedal, a brake pedal, a shift lever, and other operators. The driving operators 80 are equipped with sensors that detect the amount of operation or the presence or absence of operation, and the detection results are output to the vehicle control device 100 or some or all of the driving force output device 200, the brake device 210, and the steering device 220. The steering wheel 82 is an example of an "operator that accepts steering operation by the driver." The operator does not necessarily have to be annular, and may be in the form of an irregular steering wheel, a joystick, a button, or the like. A steering grip sensor 84 is attached to the steering wheel 82. The steering grip sensor 84 is realized by a capacitance sensor or the like, and outputs a signal to the vehicle control device 100 that can detect whether the driver is gripping the steering wheel 82 (meaning that the driver is in contact with the steering wheel in a state where force can be applied).

[0031] The vehicle control device 100 includes, for example, a first control unit 120 and a second control unit 160. The first control unit 120 and the second control unit 160 are each realized by, for example, a hardware processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) executing a program (software). Some or all of these components may be realized by hardware (including circuitry) such as an LSI (Large Scale Integration), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), or an SOC (System On Chip), or may be realized by a combination of software and hardware. The program may be stored in advance in a storage device (storage device having a non-transitory storage medium) such as an HDD or flash memory of the vehicle control device 100, or may be stored in a removable storage medium such as a DVD or CD-ROM, and installed in the HDD or flash memory of the vehicle control device 100 by inserting the storage medium (non-transitory storage medium) into a drive device.

[0032] FIG. 2 is a functional configuration diagram of the first control unit 120 and the second control unit 160. The first control unit 120 includes, for example, a recognition unit 130, a behavior plan generation unit 140, and a storage unit 150. The behavior plan generation unit 140 includes a lane change control unit 142 and a setting change unit 144. The storage unit 150 is, for example, a random access memory (RAM), a hard disk drive (HDD), or a flash memory. The recognition unit 130 and the behavior plan generation unit 140 implement, in parallel, functions based on AI (artificial intelligence) and functions based on a predefined model. For example, the "intersection recognition" function may be implemented by concurrently executing intersection recognition using deep learning or the like and recognition based on predefined conditions (such as traffic lights and road markings that can be pattern-matched), and then scoring and comprehensively evaluating both. This ensures the reliability of autonomous driving.

[0033] The recognition unit 130 recognizes the position, speed, acceleration, and other states of objects around the vehicle M based on information input from the camera 10, the radar device 12, and the LIDAR 14 via the object recognition device 16. The position of an object is recognized as a position on an absolute coordinate system with a representative point of the vehicle M (such as the center of gravity or the center of the drive shaft) as the origin, and is used for control. The position of an object may be represented by a representative point such as the center of gravity or a corner of the object, or may be represented by an area. The "state" of an object may include the acceleration or jerk of the object, or the "behavioral state" (for example, whether or not the object is changing lanes or is about to change lanes).

[0034] Furthermore, the recognition unit 130 recognizes, for example, the lane in which the vehicle M is traveling (driving lane). For example, the recognition unit 130 recognizes the driving lane by comparing the pattern of road dividing lines (e.g., an arrangement of solid lines and dashed lines) obtained from the second map information 62 with the pattern of road dividing lines around the vehicle M recognized from the image captured by the camera 10. Note that the recognition unit 130 may recognize the driving lane by recognizing road boundaries (road boundaries) including not only road dividing lines but also road dividing lines, shoulders, curbs, medians, guardrails, etc. In this recognition, the position of the vehicle M obtained from the navigation device 50 and the processing results by the INS may be taken into consideration. The recognition unit 130 also recognizes stop lines, obstacles, red lights, toll booths, and other road phenomena.

[0035] When recognizing the driving lane, the recognition unit 130 recognizes the position and orientation of the vehicle M with respect to the driving lane. For example, the recognition unit 130 may recognize the deviation of the reference point of the vehicle M from the center of the lane and the angle it forms with a line connecting the centers of the lanes in the traveling direction of the vehicle M as the relative position and orientation of the vehicle M with respect to the driving lane. Alternatively, the recognition unit 130 may recognize the position of the reference point of the vehicle M with respect to either side edge of the driving lane (a road dividing line or a road boundary) as the relative position of the vehicle M with respect to the driving lane.

[0036] The behavior plan generation unit 140 automatically (without the driver's input) generates a target trajectory for the vehicle M to travel in the future so that, in principle, the vehicle M will travel in the recommended lane determined by the recommended lane determination unit 61 and avoid approaching any objects recognized by the recognition unit 130 (excluding objects that can be overcome, such as road dividing lines, road markings, and manholes). For example, the recognition unit 130 sets a risk area centered on the object whose status has been output, and within the risk area, the recognition unit 130 sets a risk as an index value indicating the degree to which the vehicle M should not approach. The behavior plan generation unit 140 generates a target trajectory so that the vehicle M does not pass through points where the risk is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. Because some objects are moving, the risk distribution is not one per control cycle, but is set for multiple future points in time, taking into account the future position of the object predicted based on the object's speed. The target trajectory includes, for example, a speed element. For example, the target trajectory is expressed as a sequential list of points (trajectory points) that the vehicle M should reach. A trajectory point is a location where the vehicle M should reach at every predetermined travel distance (for example, about several meters) along a road, and separately, a target speed and a target acceleration are generated for every predetermined sampling time (for example, about a few tenths of a second) as part of the target trajectory. Alternatively, a trajectory point may be a position where the vehicle M should reach at each predetermined sampling time. In this case, the information on the target speed and target acceleration is expressed as the interval between trajectory points.

[0037] The behavior plan generation unit 140 may set an autonomous driving event when generating the target trajectory. The autonomous driving events include a constant speed driving event, a low-speed following driving event, a lane change event, a branching event, a merging event, a takeover event, etc. The behavior plan generation unit 140 generates a target trajectory according to the activated event.

[0038] The vehicle control device 100 (action plan generation unit 140) executes automated lane changes classified as follows. Automated lane changes include automated lane changes (1) at the system request and automated lane changes (2) at the driver request. Automated lane changes (1) include automated lane changes for overtaking, which are performed when the speed of the vehicle ahead is slower than the vehicle's speed by a standard or more, and automated lane changes for proceeding toward the destination (automated lane changes due to a change in the recommended lane). Automated lane changes (2) are performed when the driver operates a turn signal and conditions related to the speed and the positional relationship with surrounding vehicles are met, causing the vehicle M to change lanes in the direction of the operation.

[0039] The second control unit 160 controls the traveling driving force output device 200, the braking device 210, and the steering device 220 so that the vehicle M passes through the target trajectory generated by the behavior plan generation unit 140 at the scheduled time.

[0040] The driving force output device 200 outputs a driving force (torque) for the vehicle to travel to the drive wheels. The driving force output device 200 includes, for example, a combination of an internal combustion engine, an electric motor, a transmission, etc., and an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) that controls these. The ECU controls the above components according to information input from the second control unit 160 or information input from the driving operator 80.

[0041] Braking device 210 may include, for example, a brake caliper, a cylinder that transmits hydraulic pressure to the brake caliper, an electric motor that generates hydraulic pressure in the cylinder, and a brake ECU. The brake ECU controls the electric motor according to information input from second control unit 160 or information input from driving operation device 80, so that a brake torque corresponding to the braking operation is output to each wheel. Braking device 210 may include a backup mechanism that transmits hydraulic pressure generated by operation of a brake pedal included in driving operation device 80 to the cylinder via a master cylinder. Note that braking device 210 is not limited to the configuration described above, and may also be an electronically controlled hydraulic brake device that controls an actuator according to information input from second control unit 160 to transmit hydraulic pressure from a master cylinder to the cylinder.

[0042] The steering device 220 includes, for example, a steering ECU and an electric motor. The electric motor applies a force to a rack and pinion mechanism to change the direction of the steered wheels. The steering ECU drives the electric motor in accordance with information input from the second control unit 160 or information input from the driving operator 80 to change the direction of the steered wheels.

[0043] [Auto lane change] The following describes the operation and setting change related to the automated lane change. The following description is focused on "an automated lane change for proceeding toward a destination (an automated lane change due to a change in the recommended lane)." The storage unit 150 stores information for the automated lane change, such as setting information 152 and a setting information change table 154.

[0044] The lane change control unit 142 changes the lane of the vehicle M from the first lane L1 in which the vehicle M is located to the second lane L2 adjacent to the first lane L1 without the driver's operation. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a situation in which an automated lane change is performed. Ahead of the second lane L2 is a branch road BL leading to a destination set by the driver, and the recommended lane RL is switched from the first lane L1 to the second lane L2 in order to enter the branch road. In the diagram, K is the path of the vehicle M during the lane change. The timing of the recommended lane RL change is set to match the length of the second time T2, becoming earlier as the second time T2 is longer.

[0045] At this time, the lane change control unit 142 suspends lane change control if the predetermined event continues for a first time T1. Here, the lane change control unit 142 performs processing such as recognizing the relative position of a vehicle in the second lane and confirming the safety of the lane change from when a trigger for a lane change occurs (for example, when the recommended lane is changed, as described above) until the second time T2 has elapsed, and controls the steering device 220 to start lateral movement of the vehicle M when the second time T2 has elapsed. The first time T1 and the second time T2 are each stored in the storage unit 150 as setting information 152. The predetermined event is, for example, when the occupant is not gripping the steering wheel 82, which is an example of a steering operator, i.e., when the occupant is in a hands-off state or is only lightly touching the steering wheel 82. Furthermore, even if the specified event continues for the first time, if a specified location of the vehicle M (for example, the center of gravity or tip of the front wheel on the second lane side of the left and right front wheels) crosses a road dividing line between the first lane and the second lane during the first time T1, the lane change control unit 142 will not discontinue the lane change control.

[0046] FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of processing by the lane change control unit 142. The processing of this flowchart starts when a lane change trigger occurs. First, the lane change control unit 142 starts measuring a second time T2 (step S1), and starts checking the surrounding conditions of the vehicle M (step S2). Next, the lane change control unit 142 determines whether a predetermined event has occurred (step S3). If the predetermined event has not occurred, the lane change control unit 142 determines whether the second time T2 has elapsed (step S4). The processing of steps S3 and S4 is repeated until the second time T2 has elapsed.

[0047] When the second time T2 has elapsed, the lane change control unit 142 determines whether or not a lane change is possible (step S5). For example, the lane change control unit 142 makes the determination in step S5 based on the size of the space ahead of the lane change on the second lane. If a lane change is possible, the lane change control unit 142 starts lateral movement of the vehicle M (step S6). Thereafter, the lane change control unit 142 moves the vehicle M at a predetermined lateral movement speed until the lane change is completed.

[0048] If it is determined in step S3 that a predetermined event has occurred, the lane change control unit 142 executes the processes of steps S10 to S13 in parallel with the processes of steps S4 to S6. The lane change control unit 142 starts measuring a first time T1 (step S10). Next, the lane change control unit 142 determines whether the first time T1 has elapsed while the predetermined event is continuing (step S11). If the first time T1 has elapsed while the predetermined event is continuing, the lane change control unit 142 determines whether the vehicle M has started to move laterally and whether a predetermined location of the vehicle M has crossed a road dividing line (step S12). If a negative determination result is obtained in step S12, the lane change control unit 142 halts lane change control. Note that the lane change control unit 142 also halts the automated lane change if it is determined in step S5 that a lane change is not possible. At this time, if the lane change trigger has not been cancelled, the lane change control unit 142 starts the process again from step S1.

[0049] If a positive determination result is obtained in step S12, the lane change control unit 142 continues the automated lane change without halting it. Furthermore, if the predetermined event disappears after starting to measure the first time T1 (if the occupant grips the steering wheel 82), the lane change control unit 142 resets the measurement of the first time T1 and continues the automated lane change.

[0050] [Change Settings] Here, the second time T2 is set variably depending on the destination of the vehicle M (the country to which the vehicle M is exported (domestically if it is domestic)) before export. The optimal second time T2 differs depending on the legal system and national characteristics of the destination, and doing so can increase user satisfaction. In other words, there are countries where you should change lanes well in advance to reach a fork in the road, and countries where you should change lanes relatively soon before the fork in the road, and it is preferable to switch the control timing to suit these situations.

[0051] However, if only the second time T2 is variable, there may be situations where the occupant feels uncomfortable about the timing of the lane change cancellation. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a situation where the occupant feels uncomfortable about the timing of the lane change cancellation. In this example, the second time T2 is set relatively short, and accordingly, the recommended lane RL changes relatively close to the branch road BL. If the first time T1 is set long in this situation, as shown in the figure, the lane change may be canceled after the vehicle M starts moving laterally, when a predetermined event occurs and the first time T1 has elapsed. This may cause the behavior of the vehicle M to become inconsistent, which may cause the occupant to feel uncomfortable. Therefore, if the second time T2 is short, it is desirable to also shorten the corresponding first time.

[0052] Therefore, the setting change unit 144 of the vehicle control device 100 changes the setting of the first time T1 based on the second time T2, which is one of the setting information for lane change. The setting change unit 144 sets the first time T1 to be shorter as the second time T2 is shorter.

[0053] 6 is a diagram showing an example of the setting information change table 154. The setting information change table 154 is, for example, information in which a set of a first time T1 and a second time T2 is defined for each destination of the vehicle M. The set of the first time T1 and the second time T2 in the setting information change table 154 is defined such that the shorter the second time T2, the shorter the first time T1. The setting change unit 144 changes the second time T2 so that the relationship between the first time T1 and the second time T2 defined in the setting information change table 154 is maintained.

[0054] 7 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of processing executed by the setting change unit 144. The processing of this flowchart is started, for example, when a specified external device is connected to the vehicle control device 100. The specified external device is a computer device such as a tablet terminal, a personal computer, or a smartphone.

[0055] First, the setting change unit 144 communicates with the external device and performs authentication processing for the external device and the operator (step S20). The setting change unit 144 displays destination candidates defined in the setting information change table 154 on the external device and accepts the operator's selection of a destination from among them (step S21). The setting change unit 144 sets a first time T1 and a second time T2 according to the selected destination and stores them in the storage unit 150 as setting information 152 (step S22).

[0056] In this way, the second time T2, which is the reference time for canceling a lane change, can be set appropriately.

[0057] In the above embodiment, the setting change unit 144 changes the setting of the first time T1 based on the second time T2, which is one of the setting information for lane change. However, instead of this (or in addition), the first time T1 may be set to be shorter as the lateral speed during lane change, which is one of the setting information for lane change, increases.

[0058] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the lane change control unit 142 does not discontinue lane change control if a predetermined location of the vehicle M crosses a road dividing line between the first lane and the second lane during the first time T1, even if the predetermined event continues for the first time T1. However, instead, the lane change control unit 142 may not discontinue lane change control if the vehicle M starts to move laterally to change lanes during the first time T1, even if the predetermined event continues for the first time T1.

[0059] The above-described embodiment can be expressed as follows. a storage medium for storing computer-readable instructions; a processor connected to the storage medium; The processor executes the computer-readable instructions to: changing lanes of the moving object from a first lane in which the moving object is present to a second lane adjacent to the first lane without the operation of a driver; If the predetermined event continues for a first time, the lane change control is stopped; changing the setting of the first time based on the setting information of the lane change; Mobile control device.

[0060] The above describes the form for carrying out the present invention using an embodiment, but the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment, and various modifications and substitutions can be made within the scope that does not deviate from the gist of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0061] 100 Vehicle control device 120 First Control Section 130 Recognition part 140 Action Plan Generation Unit 142 Lane change control unit 144 Setting change section 150 Storage section 152 Setting Information 154 Setting Information Change Table

Claims

1. a lane change control unit that causes a moving object to change lanes from a first lane in which the moving object is present to a second lane adjacent to the first lane without an operation by an occupant, and that suspends control related to the lane change when a predetermined event continues for a first period of time; a setting change unit that changes the setting of the first time based on the setting information of the lane change; A mobile object control device comprising:

2. the setting information is a second time period from a time point when the lane change control unit determines to perform control related to the lane change to a time point when the moving object starts to move laterally for the lane change, the setting change unit sets the first time to be shorter as the second time is shorter, The mobile object control device according to claim 1.

3. the setting information is a lateral speed at the time of the lane change, the setting change unit sets the first time period to be shorter as the lateral speed is greater; The mobile object control device according to claim 1.

4. the setting change unit changes the setting of the first time in accordance with a destination country of the moving object. The mobile object control device according to claim 1.

5. the lane change control unit does not stop the lane change control if a predetermined location of the moving object crosses a road dividing line during the first time period, even if the predetermined event continues for a first time period. The mobile object control device according to claim 1.

6. the lane change control unit does not stop the lane change control if the moving object starts to move laterally for the lane change during the first time period, even if the predetermined event continues for a first time period. The mobile object control device according to claim 1.

7. the predetermined event is that the occupant is not gripping a steering operator; The mobile object control device according to claim 1.

8. a lane change control unit that causes a moving object to change lanes from a first lane in which the moving object is present to a second lane adjacent to the first lane without an operation by an occupant, and that suspends control related to the lane change when a predetermined event continues for a first time period; The first time period is set to be shorter as a second time period from a time point when the lane change control unit determines to perform control related to the lane change to a time point when the moving object starts to move laterally for the lane change is shorter. Mobile control device.

9. A mobile object control method executed by a mobile object control device, a process of changing lanes of a moving object from a first lane in which the moving object is present to a second lane adjacent to the first lane without an operation by an occupant, and terminating control of the lane change when a predetermined event continues for a first period of time; A process of changing the setting of the first time based on the setting information of the lane change; A mobile object control method comprising:

10. A processor of the mobile control device a process of changing lanes of a moving object from a first lane in which the moving object is present to a second lane adjacent to the first lane without an operation by an occupant, and terminating control of the lane change when a predetermined event continues for a first period of time; A process of changing the setting of the first time based on the setting information of the lane change; A program to execute.

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