Vehicle

Abstract

To provide a vehicle capable of appropriately switching to a state in which an operation on an operation element operable by a driver is not reflected in control.SOLUTION: A vehicle comprises an operator operable by a driver, a control device capable of controlling a predetermined control object in response to an operation on the operator, and a vehicle control device for controlling the control device. The control device includes a first state in which an operation on an operator is reflected in the control object in control, and a second state in which such an operation is not reflected in the control object in control, and is configured to be switchable between the first and second states. The vehicle control device comprises an acquisition part for acquiring information regarding a traveling state of the vehicle, and a control switching part for switching the control device from the first state to the second state in response to the traveling state acquired by the acquisition part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, efforts to provide access to sustainable transport systems that take into consideration vulnerable transport participants have been gaining momentum. As part of these efforts, research and development is being conducted on driver assistance technologies and autonomous driving technologies for automobiles and other vehicles in order to further improve road safety and convenience.

[0003] For example, conventionally, there is known a system that controls a vehicle without the driver's operation when an abnormality occurs in the driver. As an example of such a system, Patent Document 1 below discloses a technology in which, after a system such as Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) or Dynamic Brake Support (DBS) applies brakes, the system allows the driver to "disable the braking by the system (in other words, to override the driver)" only if it is determined that the driver's driving ability is not impaired. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] US Patent Application Publication No. 2015 / 0329091 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, in the prior art, sufficient consideration has not been given to switching to a state in which the driver's operation of an operator that can be operated by the driver is not reflected in the control (i.e., overriding the system), and there is room for improvement in this regard.

[0006] The present invention provides a vehicle that can be appropriately switched to a state in which operations on an operator operable by the driver are not reflected in control. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] One aspect of the present invention is A vehicle including an operator operable by a driver, a control device capable of controlling a predetermined control target in response to an operation of the operator, and a vehicle control device that controls the control device, The control device the control device has a first state in which an operation on the operator is reflected in the control of the control object, and a second state in which the operation on the operator is not reflected in the control of the control object, and is configured to be switchable between the first state and the second state; The vehicle control device includes: an acquisition unit that acquires information about a running state of the vehicle; and a control switching unit that switches the control device from the first state to the second state in accordance with the traveling state acquired by the acquisition unit. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a vehicle that can appropriately switch to a state in which the operation of a driver-operable control element is not reflected in the control, thereby improving traffic safety and contributing to the development of a sustainable transportation system. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a vehicle equipped with a control device according to an embodiment; [Figure 2] 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process (switching from a first state to a second state) executed by a control device according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process (switching from the second state to the first state) executed by a control device of an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] An embodiment of a vehicle control device of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The following embodiment does not limit the present invention, and not all of the elements described in the following embodiment are necessarily essential to the present invention. Furthermore, two or more elements described in the following embodiment may be arbitrarily combined without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Note that, below, identical or similar elements are denoted by identical or similar reference numerals, and their description may be omitted or simplified.

[0011] [vehicle] First, the vehicle of this embodiment will be described. The vehicle 1 of this embodiment shown in Fig. 1 is an automobile equipped with a drive source (not shown) and wheels (not shown) including drive wheels driven by the power of the drive source and steerable wheels. As an example, the vehicle 1 can be a four-wheeled automobile having a pair of front wheels and a pair of rear wheels on the left and right.

[0012] The drive source of vehicle 1 may be an electric motor, an internal combustion engine such as a gasoline engine or a diesel engine, or a combination of an electric motor and an internal combustion engine. The drive source of vehicle 1 may drive a pair of left and right front wheels, a pair of left and right rear wheels, or a pair of left and right front and rear wheels, i.e., four wheels. Either one of the front wheels or the rear wheels of vehicle 1 may be steerable wheels, or both may be steerable wheels.

[0013] The vehicle 1 is capable of autonomous driving and driving assistance, which automatically controls driving operations to drive the vehicle. Autonomous driving, as defined here, refers to autonomous driving in which the vehicle system recognizes or monitors the driving environment and surrounding conditions, as well as all driving operations such as starting, accelerating / decelerating, steering, and stopping. Driving assistance refers to driving assistance in which the vehicle system performs some of the driving operations such as starting, accelerating / decelerating, steering, and stopping. In particular, in the embodiment described below, an example will be described in which an override is performed by the system (in this embodiment, the control device 30) to stabilize the behavior of the vehicle 1 when an abnormality in the driving state of the vehicle 1 is detected. Note that an abnormality in the driving state of the vehicle 1 is assumed to occur, for example, when the acceleration of the vehicle 1 is equal to or greater than a threshold value or when the vehicle 1 deviates from its own lane (hereinafter also referred to as "own lane"), which is the lane in which the vehicle 1 is traveling. Specific details will be described later.

[0014] The vehicle 1 is configured to include a sensor group 10, a navigation device 20, a control device 30 which is an example of the "vehicle control device" of the present invention, an electric power steering (EPS: Electric Power Steering) system 40, a driving force control system 50, a braking force control system 60, and a communication unit 70.

[0015] The sensor group 10 includes an external sensor 11 that acquires information about the surroundings of the vehicle 1, and a vehicle sensor 12 that acquires information about the vehicle 1. Information acquired by each sensor included in the sensor group 10 (in other words, detected values) is output to the control device 30.

[0016] The external sensor 11 includes, for example, a camera 111, a sonar 112, and a radar 113. The camera 111 is a digital camera that captures an image of the surroundings of the vehicle 1 including the area ahead of the vehicle 1, and outputs image data of the obtained surrounding image to the control device 30. As the camera 111, for example, a digital camera using an imaging element such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) can be used.

[0017] Sonar 112 emits sound waves around vehicle 1 (for example, in front of, behind, and to the sides of vehicle 1) and receives reflected sound from objects around vehicle 1, thereby detecting the distance and direction of the objects. Radar 113 emits radio waves around vehicle 1, including in front of vehicle 1, and receives reflected waves from objects around vehicle 1, thereby detecting the distance and direction of the objects. For example, a millimeter wave radar can be used as radar 113.

[0018] The external sensor 11 may be configured to include a LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) instead of or in addition to the sonar 112 or the radar 113. In this case, the LiDAR emits laser light to the periphery of the vehicle 1 including the area ahead of the vehicle 1, and receives reflected light from an object present around the vehicle 1 to detect the distance and direction to the object.

[0019] The vehicle sensor 12 includes, for example, a wheel sensor 121, a vehicle speed sensor 122, an inertial measurement unit (IMU) 123, an occupant camera 124, and a steering touch sensor 125.

[0020] The wheel sensor 121 detects the rotation angle of one or more wheels of the vehicle 1. As an example, the wheel sensor 121 detects the rotation angle of each of the left rear wheel and the right rear wheel. As the wheel sensor 121, for example, an angle sensor or a displacement sensor can be adopted.

[0021] The vehicle speed sensor 122 detects the vehicle speed VP, which is the traveling speed (in other words, the moving speed of the vehicle body) of the vehicle 1. For example, the vehicle speed sensor 122 detects the vehicle speed VP based on the number of rotations of a countershaft (not shown) provided in the vehicle 1.

[0022] The inertial measurement unit 123 detects angular velocities in the pitch, roll, and yaw directions of the vehicle 1, and accelerations in the front-to-rear, left-to-right, and up-to-down directions of the vehicle 1. Note that instead of the inertial measurement unit 123, the vehicle sensor 12 may be configured to include an acceleration sensor that detects acceleration in a predetermined direction of the vehicle 1 and a gyro sensor that detects angular velocity in a predetermined direction of the vehicle 1.

[0023] The occupant camera 124 is a digital camera that captures an image of the interior of the vehicle 1 and outputs image data of the obtained interior image to the control device 30. For example, the occupant camera 124 can be a so-called "driver monitor camera" that is provided so as to be able to capture an image of the head of the driver sitting in the driver's seat of the vehicle 1 from the front (in other words, to be able to capture an image of the face). As with the camera 111, a digital camera using an imaging element such as a CCD or CMOS can be used as the occupant camera 124. Note that in this embodiment, the image data of the interior image obtained by the occupant camera 124 capturing an image of the interior of the vehicle serves as information that can identify the direction of the driver's line of sight.

[0024] The steering touch sensor 125 detects whether the steering wheel 46 of the vehicle 1 is being properly gripped. For example, the steering touch sensor 125 is realized by a capacitance sensor or the like. In this case, the capacitance sensor is provided at a portion where the driver touches the steering wheel 46 when the steering wheel 46 is being properly gripped.

[0025] The navigation device 20 includes, for example, a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiver 21, a touch panel 22, and a speaker 23. The navigation device 20 also has a storage unit (not shown) configured with a flash memory or the like. The storage unit of the navigation device 20 stores a map information database (DB) 24 and the like.

[0026] The GNSS receiver 21 identifies the current position of the vehicle 1 (for example, the latitude and longitude of the location where the vehicle 1 is located) based on the signals received from the GNSS satellites. Note that the navigation device 20 may acquire, for example, detection results from the vehicle sensors 12 (for example, the wheel sensors 121 and the vehicle speed sensor 122) via the control device 30, and identify or complement the current position of the vehicle 1 by an INS (Inertial Navigation System) that uses the detection values ​​of the vehicle sensors 12.

[0027] The touch panel 22 is configured by combining a display device such as a liquid crystal display or an OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) with a pointing device (e.g., a touchpad). The speaker 23 is configured to be able to output audio to a passenger of the vehicle 1 (e.g., the driver).

[0028] For example, the navigation device 20 searches for a route from the current position of the vehicle 1 to a destination set by the driver using the touch panel 22 by referring to the map information database 24. Then, the navigation device 20 provides route guidance using the touch panel 22 and the speaker 23 based on the searched route. The navigation device 20 may also cause the touch panel 22 to display a predetermined display in accordance with an instruction from the control device 30. Specific displays will be described later. Furthermore, the navigation device 20 may output predetermined information to the control device 30, such as information indicating the identified current position of the vehicle 1 or information indicating an operation received via the touch panel 22.

[0029] The control device 30 is a computer that has, for example, a processor that performs various calculations, a storage unit having a non-transitory storage medium that stores various information, an input / output unit that controls input and output of data between the inside and outside of the control device 30, and the like (none of which are shown), and that performs overall control of the vehicle 1. For example, the control device 30 is realized by one ECU (Electronic Control Unit) or by multiple ECUs working together. Note that the control device 30 performs driving assistance such as controlling the vehicle on behalf of the driver, and therefore can also be called a control device in a so-called advanced driver assistance system (ADAS ECU). Specific examples of control by the control device 30 will be described later, so description thereof will be omitted here.

[0030] The EPS system 40 includes, for example, a steering angle sensor 41, a torque sensor 42, an EPS motor 43, a resolver 44, and an EPS ECU 45.

[0031] The steering angle sensor 41 detects the steering angle θst of the steering wheel 46 and outputs information indicating the detected steering angle θst to the EPS ECU 45. The torque sensor 42 detects the steering torque TQ, which is the torque applied to the steering wheel 46 of the vehicle 1, and outputs information indicating the detected steering torque TQ to the EPS ECU 45.

[0032] The EPS motor 43 applies a driving force or a reaction force to a steering column 47 connected to the steering wheel 46 in accordance with instructions from the EPS ECU 45, thereby assisting the driver in operating the steering wheel 46. The resolver 44 detects a rotation angle θm of the EPS motor 43, and outputs information indicating the detected rotation angle θm to the EPS ECU 45.

[0033] The EPS ECU 45 is a computer that includes, for example, a processor that performs various calculations, a storage unit that has a non-transitory storage medium that stores various information, and an input / output unit that controls input and output of data between the inside and outside of the EPS ECU 45 (none of which are shown), and controls the EPS system 40 (e.g., the EPS motor 43), and is realized by one or more ECUs. For example, the EPS ECU 45 controls the EPS system 40 (e.g., the EPS motor 43) based on the steering angle θst detected by the steering angle sensor 41, the steering torque TQ detected by the torque sensor 42, the rotation angle θm detected by the resolver 44, etc.

[0034] Furthermore, the EPS system 40 (for example, the EPS ECU 45) may output information indicating the steering angle θst detected by the steering angle sensor 41, the steering torque TQ detected by the torque sensor 42, the rotation angle θm detected by the resolver 44, etc. to the control device 30. Furthermore, the EPS system 40 (for example, the EPS ECU 45) may output information indicating the steering speed ω of the steering wheel 46 to the control device 30. In this case, the steering speed ω can be obtained, for example, by differentiating the steering angle θst with respect to time.

[0035] The driving force control system 50 includes a driving ECU 51, which is an example of the "control device" of the present invention, and is configured to control the driving force of the vehicle 1. The driving ECU 51 is a computer that controls the driving force control system 50 and includes, for example, a processor that performs various calculations, a memory unit having a non-transitory memory medium that stores various information, and an input / output unit that controls input and output of data between the inside and outside of the driving ECU 51 (all of which are not shown). The driving ECU 51 is implemented by one or more ECUs. For example, the driving ECU 51 controls the driving force output from a driving source of the vehicle 1 based on the detection value of an accelerator position sensor 53 that detects an accelerator position AP, which is the amount of operation of an accelerator pedal 52 provided on the vehicle 1, and the detection value of a shift position sensor 54 that detects a shift position Ps of a shift device (e.g., a shift lever or a shift switch), not shown. The driving source is an internal combustion engine or a motor, as described above, and the driving ECU controls the output of the internal combustion engine or the motor based on the accelerator position AP and the shift position Ps. The drive ECU 51 can also control the drive force control system 50 (e.g., the drive source) in accordance with instructions from the control device 30. The accelerator pedal 52 is an example of the "operator that can be operated by the driver" and the "acceleration operator" in the present invention.

[0036] The braking force control system 60 includes a braking ECU 61 and is configured to be able to control the braking force of the vehicle 1. The braking ECU 61 is a computer that controls the braking force control system 60 and includes, for example, a processor that performs various calculations, a storage unit having a non-transitory storage medium that stores various information, and an input / output unit that controls input and output of data between the inside and outside of the braking ECU 61 (all of which are not shown). The braking ECU 61 is realized by one or more ECUs. For example, the braking ECU 61 controls the braking force of the vehicle 1 by controlling a brake device (not shown) provided in the vehicle 1 based on operation of a brake pedal 62 provided in the vehicle 1. Here, the brake device includes, for example, a brake caliper, a cylinder that transmits hydraulic pressure to the brake caliper, and an electric motor that generates hydraulic pressure in the cylinder. The braking ECU 61 controls the electric motor of the brake device so as to generate a braking force corresponding to operation of the brake pedal 62. The braking ECU 61 can also control the braking force control system 60 according to instructions from the control device 30. The brake ECU 61 is an example of a "brake control device" in the present invention, the brake device is an example of a "brake device" in the present invention, and the brake pedal 62 is an example of a "brake operator" in the present invention.

[0037] The communication unit 70 is a communication interface that communicates with the external device 2 under the control of the control device 30. That is, the control device 30 can communicate with the external device 2 via the communication unit 70. Examples of the external device 2 include a driver's terminal device (e.g., a smartphone) and a server device managed by the manufacturer of the vehicle 1. Note that communication between the vehicle 1 and the external device 2 can be performed using, for example, a mobile communication network such as a cellular line, Wi-Fi (registered trademark), or Bluetooth (registered trademark).

[0038] [Control device] Next, the control device 30 will be described in detail. The control device 30 executes, for example, various programs stored in a storage unit of the control device 30. In this embodiment, the control device 30 acquires the running state of the vehicle 1 at predetermined intervals, and when an abnormality in the running state is detected, the control device 30 executes an override by the control device 30 to stabilize the behavior of the vehicle 1. Note that possible causes of an abnormality in the running state of the vehicle 1 include, for example, when the behavior of the vehicle 1 becomes unstable due to the physical condition of the driver, such as when the driver suddenly falls ill (including physical and mental illness), or when the behavior of the vehicle 1 becomes unstable due to an abnormality in equipment or devices mounted on the vehicle 1. However, in this embodiment, a case is assumed in which an abnormality in the running state of the vehicle 1 occurs due to the physical condition of the driver, such as when the driver suddenly falls ill.

[0039] Specifically, the control device 30 executes, as an example of a program recorded in the storage unit, a program that detects an abnormality in the running state of the vehicle 1 and, when the abnormality is detected, switches the control state of a control device (e.g., drive ECU 51) of a control target (e.g., a drive source) (switching from a first state to a second state, which will be described later). The control device 30 includes an acquisition unit 31, a control switching unit 32, and a notification control unit 33 as functional units realized by executing the program. Note that, hereinafter, processes described as being performed by the acquisition unit 31, the control switching unit 32, and the notification control unit 33 are processes realized by the control device 30.

[0040] The acquisition unit 31 acquires information relating to the running state (hereinafter also referred to as the "running state") of the vehicle 1. For example, the acquisition unit 31 acquires the running state of the vehicle 1 based on the detection values ​​(acceleration, angular acceleration) of at least the inertial measurement unit 123 out of various sensors included in the vehicle sensor 12, such as the wheel sensor 121, the vehicle speed sensor 122, and the inertial measurement unit 123.

[0041] The acquisition unit 31 also acquires the surrounding conditions of the vehicle 1. For example, the acquisition unit 31 performs sensor fusion processing on detection values ​​from some or all of the camera 111, sonar 112, and radar 113 included in the external sensor 11, and acquires the surrounding conditions of the vehicle 1 based on the processing results. More specifically, the acquisition unit 31 recognizes the position, type, speed, acceleration, etc. of objects present around the vehicle 1. At this time, the acquisition unit 31 recognizes the position of the object as a position on absolute coordinates with a representative point of the vehicle 1 (for example, the center of gravity or the center of the drive shaft) as the origin. This makes it possible to recognize the relative positions of the vehicle 1 and the objects present around it. Furthermore, on the absolute coordinates, the position of the object may be represented using a representative point such as the center of gravity or a corner of the object, or may be represented as an area.

[0042] The acquisition unit 31 can also acquire surrounding conditions including the shape of the lane in which the vehicle 1 is traveling. For example, the acquisition unit 31 can recognize the shape of the lane based on lane boundaries recognized from surrounding images captured by the camera 111. Here, lane boundaries may include, for example, lane dividing lines, road shoulders, curbs, medians, and guardrails.

[0043] The acquisition unit 31 can also acquire the position of the vehicle 1 relative to the own lane (for example, the distance from the vehicle 1 to the lane boundary of the own lane, or the time it takes for the vehicle 1 to reach the lane boundary of the own lane). The acquisition unit 31 may also acquire surrounding conditions including other road phenomena such as stop lines, traffic lights, and road signs.

[0044] The acquisition unit 31 can also acquire surrounding conditions including, for example, obstacles present around the vehicle 1. Here, the obstacles may be, for example, other traffic participants (e.g., other vehicles or pedestrians) present around the vehicle 1, objects fallen on the road, and the like.

[0045] The control switching unit 32 switches the control state of an ECU (e.g., drive ECU 51) that is a control device of a controlled object (e.g., a drive source) from a first state to a second state in accordance with the running state of the vehicle 1 acquired by the acquisition unit 31. In the following description, the controlled object will be referred to as the "drive source" and the ECU that is a control device will be referred to as the "drive ECU 51" unless otherwise specified.

[0046] Here, the first state and the second state will be described. In this embodiment, the first state refers to a state in which the operation of the accelerator pedal 52 operated by the driver is reflected in the control of the drive source. Furthermore, the second state refers to a state in which the operation of the accelerator pedal 52 operated by the driver is not reflected in the control of the drive source. The first state and the second state will be specifically described using the driving patterns of the vehicle 1 described below. In a vehicle 1 capable of driving assistance as in this embodiment, the following three patterns are included as possible driving patterns. (Driving pattern 1): The vehicle is driven solely by human (driver) operation. In this case, for example, a switch (not shown) that intervenes in driving assistance is in an off state, and the driving assistance is not intervened. Note that the driving assistance referred to here refers to, for example, known advanced driving systems such as AEB (Automatic Emergency Braking), CC (Cruise Control), ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control), and LKAS (Lane Keep Assist System). In this way, driving pattern 1 is a state in which the operation of accelerator pedal 52 operated by the driver is reflected in the control of the drive source, and therefore is included in the first state but not the second state. (Driving pattern 2): Driving assistance intervenes in response to human operation, but the human has priority for operation. In this case, for example, if human operation intervenes while driving assistance is intervening, the human operation has priority. In this way, driving pattern 2 is a state in which operation of accelerator pedal 52 operated by the driver is reflected in the control of the drive source, and therefore is included in the first state but not the second state. (Driving pattern 3): The driving assistance system intervenes in response to human operation, but the control device 30 takes priority for operation. In this case, even if human operation intervenes while the driving assistance system is intervening, the operation based on the instruction from the control device 30 takes priority. Note that in this driving pattern 3, it is possible to reflect only operations based on the instruction from the control device 30 without reflecting any human intervention. However, in this embodiment, as described above, the control target is the drive ECU 51, and therefore, operations related to driving (i.e., operations related to starting and acceleration) are controlled. Specifically, the reflection of operations related to driving by the driver is prohibited, and the operations related to driving are automatically performed based on instructions from the control device 30. In other words, even if the driver is operating the accelerator pedal 52, the operation is invalidated, and the driving force based on the operation is set to "0." Note that in this driving pattern 3, the reflection of operations related to driving by the driver is prohibited. In other words, operations related to braking, such as the operation of the brake pedal 62, by the driver are reflected. This is because the processing executed in this embodiment (the control switching processing described below) is processing for ensuring the safety of the vehicle 1 and other areas around the vehicle 1, and the driver's braking operation can be said to be an operation for ensuring the safety of the vehicle 1. In this way, driving pattern 3 is a state in which the operation of the accelerator pedal 52 operated by the driver is not reflected in the control of the drive source, and therefore is included in the second state but not the first state.

[0047] In the following description, the first state, in which the operation of accelerator pedal 52 operated by the driver is reflected in the control of the drive source, as explained above, will be simply referred to as the "first state," and the second state, in which the operation of accelerator pedal 52 operated by the driver is not reflected in the control of the drive source, will be simply referred to as the "second state." Furthermore, as the above-mentioned driving pattern, other driving patterns may be envisioned, in which no human intervention is required and only control device 30 performs all driving operations (so-called fully automated driving). However, in this embodiment, such driving patterns are excluded because the processing is performed when an abnormality in the driving state of vehicle 1 is detected due to sudden illness of the driver, etc.

[0048] The control switching unit 32 switches the drive ECU 51 from the first state to the second state described above depending on the running state of the vehicle 1. The control unit 32 performs this switching, for example, when the acceleration of the vehicle 1 is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. Here, acceleration is an example of the running state of the vehicle 1. That is, when the control device 30 determines that the acceleration of the vehicle 1 acquired by the function of the acquisition unit 31 is equal to or greater than a threshold, the control device 30 switches the drive ECU 51 from the first state to the second state. Here, the "threshold" is, for example, an indicator of a possible abnormality in the behavior of the vehicle 1, such as the magnitude of acceleration acquired when the vehicle 1 runs over a curb or the magnitude of acceleration acquired when the vehicle 1 suddenly accelerates. In particular, when the vehicle 1 runs over a curb, the acceleration may change abruptly. The threshold may be preset by the manufacturer of the vehicle 1, and is, for example, 0.2 to 0.3 [G]. In this way, when the control switching unit 32 determines that the acceleration of the vehicle 1 is equal to or greater than the threshold, it determines that the running state of the vehicle 1 is abnormal, and switches the drive ECU 51 from the first state to the second state. That is, an override by the control device 30 is executed. As a result, when the running state of the vehicle 1 is abnormal, the control device 30 can take the initiative to decelerate or stop the vehicle 1, or to evacuate the vehicle to a safe place. Note that the process of switching the drive ECU 51 from the first state to the second state is executed, as a prerequisite, when the driver operates the accelerator pedal 52 to a predetermined value or more (i.e., the accelerator opening AP is equal to or greater than a predetermined value), when the vehicle is running with a cruise control function such as ACC or CC turned on, or when the vehicle speed VP is equal to or greater than a predetermined vehicle speed (including when coasting, etc.).

[0049] On the other hand, even if acceleration equal to or greater than the threshold is acquired, the driving condition of the vehicle 1 may not be abnormal. For example, when the vehicle 1 passes through a location where a speed bump, which is a convex structure installed in a parking lot or the like to encourage the vehicle 1 to decelerate, or a hump, which is a convex structure installed in front of a crosswalk or the like to encourage the vehicle 1 to decelerate, the acceleration may exceed the threshold. Furthermore, the acceleration may exceed the threshold when the vehicle 1 decelerates before passing through such a location. In such a case, if the driving condition of the vehicle 1 is determined to be abnormal and the drive ECU 51 is switched from the first state to the second state, it may cause discomfort or annoyance to the occupants, including the driver. Therefore, the control switching unit 32 switches the drive ECU 51 from the first state to the second state when the above-mentioned acceleration is continuously acquired for a predetermined time. The predetermined time may be predetermined by the manufacturer of the vehicle 1, and is assumed to be, for example, 1 [second]. On the other hand, if the acceleration is not acquired continuously for a predetermined time, the control device 30 maintains the first state by the function of the control switching unit 32. That is, it determines that the acceleration equal to or greater than the threshold value detected by the vehicle 1 is due to the vehicle passing through a location where a structure such as a speed bump or a hump that temporarily causes the vehicle 1 to decelerate is installed, or due to the deceleration that occurs when passing through such a structure, and determines that the running state of the vehicle 1 is not abnormal (in other words, normal).

[0050] Furthermore, a possible cause of an abnormality in the driving state of the vehicle 1 is when the vehicle 1 deviates from its current lane (in other words, deviates) and travels off the road. For example, the vehicle 1 may deviate from its lane, drive over a curb, travel on a sidewalk, or run into an oncoming lane. Even in such cases, it is preferable not to reflect control related to the driver's driving. Therefore, the control switching unit 32 switches the drive ECU 51 from the first state to the second state when it is determined, based on the surrounding conditions acquired by the function of the acquisition unit 31, that the vehicle 1 has deviated from its current lane and traveled off the road. That is, the camera 111 or the like that recognizes the surrounding conditions of the vehicle 1 recognizes the position of the vehicle 1 relative to the vehicle's lane and curbs and the like that exist around the vehicle 1, and if it is determined based on this recognition that the vehicle 1 is traveling outside the lane, the control switching unit 32 disables the driver's operation of the accelerator pedal 52 and switches the drive ECU 51 from the first state to the second state so that the control device 30 takes the initiative in controlling the vehicle 1. That is, an override by the control device 30 is executed.

[0051] Note that the above-mentioned acceleration is acquired even when the vehicle 1 is traveling off the lane, but the acceleration threshold at that time may be a smaller value than when the vehicle is not traveling off the lane. That is, since it is determined that the vehicle is traveling off the lane, the possibility that the traveling state of the vehicle 1 is abnormal becomes higher than when the vehicle is not traveling off the lane, and therefore the threshold is made smaller to ensure the safety of the vehicle 1. Note that the acceleration threshold when the vehicle is not traveling off the lane (for example, the above-mentioned 0.2 to 0.3 [G]) corresponds to the "threshold value α" described later, and the acceleration threshold when the vehicle is traveling off the lane corresponds to the "threshold value β" described later.

[0052] Furthermore, if the acceleration of the vehicle 1 when traveling off the road is less than the threshold, the control switching unit 32 determines that the traveling state of the vehicle 1 is not abnormal and maintains the first state, even if the vehicle 1 is traveling off the road. An example of such a situation is when the vehicle 1 changes lanes from its own lane to an adjacent lane. In this case, the vehicle 1 will be traveling off the road, but the acquired acceleration is likely to be less than the threshold. Similarly, the control switching unit 32 maintains the first state even if the acceleration of the vehicle 1 when traveling off the road is not acquired continuously for a predetermined period of time. An example of such a situation is when the vehicle 1 deviates from its own lane and goes over a step to enter a parking lot. In this case, depending on the height of the step and the traveling speed when entering the parking lot, an acceleration greater than the threshold may be acquired when going over the step, but the likelihood of such acceleration being acquired continuously for a predetermined period of time is low.

[0053] Furthermore, after switching the drive ECU 51 from the first state to the second state as described above, the control switching unit 32 switches the drive ECU 51 from the second state to the first state when a predetermined operation is performed by the driver, such as turning off the ignition power (IG) or setting the shift position Ps of the shift device to parking (P). That is, after detecting an abnormality in the running state of the vehicle 1 and setting the state of the drive ECU 51 to the second state, if the driver requests to run the vehicle 1 by his or her own operation, the control switching unit 32 controls the drive ECU 51 to the first state (i.e., a state in which the vehicle 1 can be run by an operation by the driver) using as a trigger an operation to reset the state of the vehicle 1, such as turning off the ignition power of the vehicle 1 or setting the shift position Ps to parking. This is because, since the vehicle is restarted after an abnormality has occurred in the running state, it is preferable to consider safety.

[0054] The notification control unit 33 provides notification regarding a predetermined operation for switching from the second state to the first state. For example, the notification control unit 33 provides notification to display information on a display device such as the touch panel 22 regarding a predetermined operation for switching the state of the drive ECU 51 from the second state to the first state (i.e., an operation for turning off the ignition power or an operation for putting the shift position into park). This allows, for example, the driver to understand, by looking at the display, how to put the vehicle 1 into a state in which it can be driven by the driver's own operation (i.e., the first state). Note that the notification means by the notification control unit 33 may not only display information on a display device such as the touch panel 22, but also provide notification via the speaker 23 of the navigation device 20. The display device may be the touch panel 22 of the navigation device 20 or a mobile terminal of the driver such as a smartphone.

[0055] Furthermore, the notification control unit 33 may display other information as information to be displayed on the touch panel 22, etc., in addition to information about a predetermined operation for switching from the second state to the first state. Examples of other information include information about switching the state of the drive ECU 51 (e.g., information about switching from the first state to the second state or information about switching from the second state to the first state), information indicating the current state of the drive ECU 51 (the first state or the second state), etc.

[0056] [Example of processing performed by the control device] Next, a flowchart will be used to explain an example of the control switching process executed by the control device 30. Fig. 2 is a flowchart showing an example of the process, and the process is repeatedly executed at a predetermined interval, for example, when the ignition power of the vehicle 1 is on.

[0057] 2, the control device 30 first determines whether the accelerator opening degree AP of the accelerator pedal 52 operated by the driver is equal to or greater than a predetermined value (step S1). That is, the control device 30 determines whether the accelerator opening degree AP acquired from the accelerator opening degree sensor 53 is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. If the control device 30 determines that the accelerator opening degree AP is less than the predetermined value, it ends the processing of the flowchart shown in FIG. 2.

[0058] On the other hand, if it is determined that the accelerator opening AP is equal to or greater than the predetermined value, the control device 30 acquires the traveling state of the vehicle 1 (step S2). That is, the control device 30 acquires the acceleration of the vehicle 1 using the function of the acquisition unit 31.

[0059] Next, the control device 30 determines whether the vehicle 1 is traveling outside the lane (step S3). That is, the control device 30 determines whether the vehicle 1 has deviated from its own lane and is traveling outside the lane, based on the surrounding conditions of the vehicle 1 acquired by the acquisition unit 31, using the function of the control switching unit 32. If it is determined in step S3 that the vehicle 1 is not traveling outside the lane (No in step S3), the control device 30 sets the acceleration threshold to α (hereinafter also referred to as "threshold α") (step S4), and the process proceeds to step S6.

[0060] On the other hand, if it is determined in step S3 that the vehicle 1 is traveling off the lane (Yes in step S3), the control device 30 sets the acceleration threshold to β (hereinafter also referred to as "threshold β") (step S5), and the process proceeds to step S6. As described above, the threshold β set when the vehicle is traveling off the lane is set to a value smaller than the threshold α set when the vehicle is not traveling off the lane (α>β), in consideration of the high possibility that an abnormality is occurring due to traveling off the lane.

[0061] In step S6, the control device 30 determines whether the acceleration is equal to or greater than a threshold value. That is, the control device 30 determines whether the acceleration of the vehicle 1 acquired in step S2 is equal to or greater than a threshold value. Here, if it is determined in step S3 that the vehicle 1 is not traveling off the road, the control device 30 determines whether the acceleration of the vehicle 1 acquired in step S2 is equal to or greater than a threshold value α. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S3 that the vehicle 1 is traveling off the road, the control device 30 determines whether the acceleration of the vehicle 1 acquired in step S2 is equal to or greater than a threshold value β. In the following description, when there is no need to distinguish between the threshold value α and the threshold value β, they will simply be referred to as "threshold values."

[0062] If it is determined in step S6 that the acceleration of the vehicle 1 is less than the threshold value (No in step S6), the control device 30 ends the processing of the flowchart in Fig. 2. That is, regardless of whether the vehicle 1 is traveling off the road, if it is determined that the acceleration of the vehicle 1 is less than the threshold value, the control device 30 ends the series of processing in Fig. 2. In this embodiment, even if the vehicle 1 is traveling off the road, if the acceleration is less than the threshold value β, as described above, it is considered to be traveling off the road, for example, when changing lanes or entering a parking lot, and it is determined that no abnormality has occurred.

[0063] On the other hand, if it is determined in step S6 that the acceleration of the vehicle 1 is equal to or greater than the threshold (Yes in step S6), the control device 30 determines, through the function of the control switching unit 32, whether acceleration equal to or greater than the threshold has been acquired continuously for a predetermined time (step S7). As described above, even if the acquired acceleration is equal to or greater than the threshold, this may be acceleration resulting from the vehicle 1 passing through a location where a speed bump or a hump is installed, and this processing is performed to eliminate such an event. In other words, if acceleration equal to or greater than the threshold has been acquired continuously for a predetermined time (in other words, acceleration equal to or greater than the threshold is continuously acquired), the control device 30 determines that the traveling state of the vehicle 1 is abnormal. Therefore, if it is determined in step S7 that acceleration equal to or greater than the threshold has not been acquired continuously for the predetermined time (No in step S7), the control device 30 ends the processing of the flowchart shown in FIG. 2.

[0064] On the other hand, if it is determined in step S7 that acceleration equal to or greater than the threshold value has been acquired continuously for a predetermined period of time (No in step S7), the control device 30 advances the process to step S8.

[0065] In step S8, the control device 30 switches the drive ECU 51, which is the ECU of the drive source, from the first state to the second state. That is, the control device 30, using the function of the control switching unit 32, disables the acceleration operation by the driver, such as operation of the accelerator pedal 52, and switches the state of the drive ECU 51 from the first state to the second state so that the control device 30 takes the initiative in controlling the vehicle 1. That is, since the acceleration of the vehicle 1 is equal to or greater than the threshold, it can be assumed that an abnormality has occurred, and therefore an override is performed by the control device 30.

[0066] Then, since an abnormality has occurred in the vehicle 1, the control device 30 controls the brake ECU 61 to stop the vehicle 1, or, if the current position of the vehicle 1 is in a place that obstructs the passage of other vehicles or people, controls the drive ECU 51 as well to move the vehicle 1 to a safe place such as the shoulder of the road. As described above, the braking force applied by the driver (i.e., the brake operation) is reflected without being nullified. Therefore, the control device 30 outputs a braking force that is insufficient to the braking force required to decelerate or stop the vehicle 1 at a predetermined deceleration from the current vehicle speed of the vehicle 1, for example.

[0067] Next, a process for switching the state of the drive ECU 51 from the second state back to the first state after the control device 30 has switched the state from the first state to the second state will be described. In other words, this process is a return process that enables control related to driving by the driver. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of this process. This process is executed when the state of the drive ECU 51 is the second state. Therefore, the control device 30 first determines whether the state of the drive ECU 51 is the second state (step S10). If the state of the drive ECU 51 is not the second state, in other words, if it is the first state (No in step S10), the control device 30 ends the process of the flowchart shown in FIG. 3.

[0068] On the other hand, if the state of the drive ECU 51 is the second state (Yes in step S10), the control device 30 notifies the driver of a predetermined condition for switching the state of the drive ECU 51 from the second state to the first state (step S11). That is, the control device 30, using the function of the notification control unit 33, displays on a display device such as the touch panel 22 of the navigation device 20 that the operation of shifting the shift position Ps to park or turning off the ignition power is a condition for switching to the first state. Alternatively, the driver may be notified of the predetermined condition via the speaker 23.

[0069] Next, the control device 30 determines whether the shift position Ps is in parking (P) or the ignition power supply (IG) is off (step S12). If the driver sets the shift position Ps to parking or turns off the ignition power supply, a positive determination is made in step S12. Conversely, if the driver sets the shift position Ps to a position other than parking or turns on the ignition power supply, a negative determination is made in step S12.

[0070] If the shift position Ps is not in parking and the ignition power is not turned off (No in step S12), the control device 30 waits until the shift position Ps is in parking or the ignition power is turned off. Conversely, if the shift position Ps is in parking or the ignition power is turned off, the control device 30 switches the state of the drive ECU 51, which is the ECU for the drive source, from the second state to the first state. Note that if the driver turns off the ignition power, the drive ECU 51 will be in the first state when the driver turns the ignition power on again.

[0071] As described above, in this embodiment, depending on the traveling state of the vehicle 1, the vehicle is switched from a first state in which operation of the accelerator pedal 52, which can be operated by the driver, is reflected in the control to a second state in which operation of the accelerator pedal 52 is not reflected in the control (in other words, an override is executed by the control device 30). This allows the vehicle to be appropriately switched to the second state in which operation of the accelerator pedal 52 is not reflected in the control, and makes it possible to control the vehicle 1 (stop or evacuate the vehicle 1) under the initiative of the control device 30, even if, for example, the driver's physical condition becomes abnormal and the vehicle 1 cannot be driven stably. Executing such an override by the control device 30 can ultimately improve traffic safety and contribute to the development of a sustainable transportation system.

[0072] In this embodiment, acceleration is used as a parameter for detecting an abnormality in the driving state. By using acceleration, an abnormal driving state can be detected based on the behavior of the vehicle 1, for example, when the vehicle 1 runs over a curb or suddenly accelerates.

[0073] Furthermore, by determining an abnormality in the driving condition based on the behavior of vehicle 1 in this manner, the cost of detecting the abnormality can be reduced compared to, for example, determining an abnormality in the driving condition of vehicle 1 using the driver's biological information.

[0074] Furthermore, in this embodiment, an abnormality in the driving state is determined based on the acceleration of the vehicle 1, and if acceleration equal to or greater than a threshold is continuously acquired for a predetermined period of time, an override is executed by the control device 30. This makes it possible to avoid the control device 30 from executing an override based on acceleration equal to or greater than a threshold acquired due to, for example, passing over a location where a speed bump or a hump is installed.

[0075] Furthermore, in this embodiment, in addition to the acceleration of the vehicle 1, if the vehicle 1 is off the road under certain conditions, an override is executed by the control device 30. This makes it possible to determine the running state of the vehicle 1 based not only on the acceleration but also on the surrounding conditions of the vehicle 1, thereby making it possible to more accurately determine the running state.

[0076] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the vehicle 1 is traveling off the road, the acceleration threshold is set smaller than when the vehicle 1 is normally not traveling off the road. This is because when the vehicle 1 is traveling off the road, there is a higher possibility that an abnormality has occurred. In this way, by setting the acceleration threshold smaller than when normal, the possibility of determining that the traveling state of the vehicle 1 is abnormal increases, and as a result, it is possible to increase the possibility that the control device 30 can take the lead in controlling the vehicle 1.

[0077] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the accelerator opening AP based on the driver's operation of the accelerator pedal 52 is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the above-described override by the control device 30 can be executed. That is, when the accelerator opening is at a level that the driver is operating the vehicle himself, the override can be executed. As a result, when the driver is in a dangerous operating state due to sudden illness or the like, the override by the control device 30 can be executed, thereby ensuring the safety of the vehicle 1 and the safety of those around the vehicle 1.

[0078] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when an override is performed by the control device 30, the driver's operation related to driving is not reflected, but the driver's operation related to braking is reflected regardless of the driving state. As a result, the driver's braking operation is reflected in the behavior of the vehicle 1, and therefore the safety of the vehicle 1 can be improved compared to, for example, when the vehicle 1 is braked only by the control device 30.

[0079] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the drive ECU 51 is switched from the second state to the first state, the driver is required to turn off the ignition power or to set the shift position Ps to park. By requiring the driver to temporarily reset the state of the vehicle 1 in this way, it is possible to prevent a driver who may be unable to make normal decisions or perform normal driving operations from continuing to drive the vehicle. In other words, by providing this reset operation, it is possible to increase the likelihood that the driver will be able to resume driving the vehicle 1 in a state where they can make normal decisions and perform normal driving operations.

[0080] In this embodiment, the driver is notified of the above-mentioned reset operation via a display device such as the touch panel 22 of the navigation device 20 or the speaker 23. This allows the driver to easily understand how to return from the second state to the first state.

[0081] <Other embodiments> Next, other embodiments will be described. In the above-described embodiments, acceleration has been used as a parameter for acquiring the running state of the vehicle 1, but the parameter may be one that at least indicates the behavior of the vehicle 1. This is because a parameter that indicates the behavior of the vehicle 1 can be used to determine whether the running state of the vehicle 1 is abnormal. Another example of the parameter may be, for example, the angular velocity (or angular acceleration) of the vehicle 1. That is, the control device 30 acquires the angular velocity of the vehicle 1, and when each of the speeds is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, the control device 30 executes an override.

[0082] In the above embodiment, the control device 30 is configured not to reflect the driver's driving operation when performing an override, but in order to more safely stop the vehicle or evacuate it to a safe place, it is preferable that the control device 30 also controls the steering of the steering wheel 46. Therefore, the control device 30 may control the steering of the vehicle 1 via the EPS system 40 when an abnormality occurs in the driving state of the vehicle 1.

[0083] In the above embodiment, the control device 30 is configured to reflect braking-related operations but not driving-related operations by the driver when executing an override, but the control device 30 may not reflect braking-related operations in addition to driving-related operations. By having the control device 30 take the lead in braking-related operations in addition to driving-related operations, it is possible to increase the likelihood that the entire vehicle will be easier to control compared to when only driving-related operations are taken the lead.

[0084] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, when the vehicle 1 is traveling off-road, if the acceleration of the vehicle 1 is less than a threshold, the control device 30 is configured not to execute an override, but the override may be executed uniformly when the vehicle 1 is traveling off-road. Not taking acceleration into account reduces the accuracy of determining whether the traveling state is abnormal, but since the threshold for this determination is relaxed to the extent that acceleration is not taken into account, the possibility of safely stopping the vehicle 1 can be increased.

[0085] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the acceleration β set when the vehicle 1 is traveling off the lane is set to a value smaller than the threshold value α set when the vehicle 1 is not traveling off the lane, but the threshold value β may be the same magnitude as the threshold value α.

[0086] [Application example] The process of executing an override by the control device 30 as described above may be applied to the following example. Since the vehicle 1 is capable of so-called fully automated driving, for example, the vehicle 1 may be equipped with two systems including the control device 30 and each ECU. One of the two systems functions as a main system, and the other system functions as a backup (redundant system). In such a case, if an abnormality occurs in one system and the behavior of the vehicle 1 becomes unstable, an override by the other system may be executed to stop the vehicle 1 in a safe place or to evacuate it.

[0087] [others] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the drawings, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments. It is clear that a person skilled in the art can conceive of various modifications or alterations within the scope of the claims, and it is understood that these modifications also fall within the technical scope of the present invention.

[0088] The control method described in the above-described embodiment can be realized by executing a prepared control program on a computer. The control program is recorded on a computer-readable storage medium and executed by being read from the storage medium. The control program may be provided in a form stored on a non-transitory storage medium such as a flash memory, or may be provided via a network such as the Internet. The computer that executes the control program may be included in a control device, or may be included in an electronic device such as a smartphone, tablet, or personal computer that can communicate with the control device, or may be included in a server device that can communicate with these control devices and electronic devices.

[0089] This specification describes at least the following: Note that the components in parentheses correspond to those in the above-described embodiments, but are not limited to these.

[0090] (1) A vehicle (vehicle 1) including an operator (accelerator pedal 52) that can be operated by a driver, a control device (drive ECU 51) that can control a predetermined control target in response to an operation of the operator, and a vehicle control device (control device 30) that controls the control device, The control device the control device has a first state in which an operation on the operator is reflected in the control of the control object, and a second state in which the operation on the operator is not reflected in the control of the control object, and is configured to be switchable between the first state and the second state; The vehicle control device includes: an acquisition unit (acquisition unit 31) that acquires information about the running state of the vehicle; A control switching unit (control switching unit 32) that switches the control device from the first state to the second state in accordance with the traveling state acquired by the acquisition unit, vehicle.

[0091] According to (1), depending on the vehicle's driving state, the system switches from a first state, in which the driver's operation of an operator is reflected in the control, to a second state, in which the operation of the operator is not reflected in the control (in other words, an override is performed by the control device). This allows the system to appropriately switch to the second state, in which the operation of the operator is not reflected in the control, and makes it possible to control the vehicle (stop or evacuate the vehicle) under the initiative of the control device, even if, for example, the driver's physical condition becomes abnormal and the vehicle cannot be driven stably. This in turn improves traffic safety and contributes to the development of sustainable transportation systems.

[0092] (2) The vehicle according to (1), The acquired running state is based on the acceleration of the vehicle, The control switching unit When the acceleration is equal to or greater than a threshold value (threshold value α), the first state is switched to the second state. vehicle.

[0093] According to (2), by determining the driving state using acceleration, it is possible to detect abnormal driving states based on the behavior of the vehicle, for example, when the vehicle runs over a curb or suddenly accelerates.

[0094] (3) The vehicle according to (2), The control switching unit When the acceleration is continuously acquired for a predetermined time, the first state is switched to the second state; When the acceleration is not continuously acquired for the predetermined time, the first state is maintained. vehicle.

[0095] According to (3), it is possible to prevent the control device from executing an override based on acceleration equal to or greater than a threshold value obtained as a result of passing through an area where a speed bump, a hump, or the like is installed.

[0096] (4) A vehicle as described in (1), The acquisition unit acquires a surrounding situation of the vehicle, The control switching unit switching from the first state to the second state when it is determined that the vehicle has deviated from the lane in which it is currently traveling and is traveling outside the road based on the acquired surrounding conditions; vehicle.

[0097] According to (4), the running state of the vehicle can be determined based on not only the acceleration but also the surrounding conditions of the vehicle, and the running state can be determined more accurately.

[0098] (5) A vehicle as described in (2), The control switching unit When it is determined that the vehicle is traveling outside the lane, the acceleration threshold is set to a smaller value than when the vehicle is not traveling outside the lane (threshold value β). vehicle.

[0099] According to (5), by reducing the threshold value when the vehicle is traveling off-road, the possibility of determining that the vehicle's driving condition is abnormal increases, and as a result, the possibility that the control device can take the lead in controlling the vehicle increases.

[0100] (6) A vehicle as described in (1), The control switching unit After switching from the first state to the second state, when a predetermined operation (IG off or operation of a shift position (parking P)) is performed by the driver, the second state is switched to the first state. vehicle.

[0101] According to (6), it is possible to prevent a driver who may be unable to make normal judgments or perform normal driving operations from continuing to drive.

[0102] (7) A vehicle as described in (6), The vehicle control device further includes a notification control unit (notification control unit 33) that performs a notification regarding the predetermined operation for switching from the second state to the first state. vehicle.

[0103] According to (7), the driver can easily understand how to return from the second state to the first state.

[0104] (8) A vehicle as described in (1), The operator is an acceleration operator (accelerator pedal 52) that accelerates the vehicle, The control switching unit When the acceleration operator is operated for a predetermined period or more, the first state is switched to the second state. vehicle.

[0105] According to (8), when the driver is in a dangerous operating state due to sudden illness or the like, the control device executes an override, thereby ensuring the safety of the vehicle and the surrounding area of ​​the vehicle.

[0106] (9) A vehicle as described in (1), The vehicle is The vehicle further includes a brake operator (brake pedal 62), a braking device, and a braking control device (brake ECU 61) that controls the braking device, the brake control device reflects the operation of the brake operating element in the control of the brake device regardless of the running state; vehicle.

[0107] According to (9), the driver's braking operation is reflected in the vehicle's behavior, so that the safety of the vehicle can be improved compared to when the vehicle is braked only by the control device, for example. [Explanation of symbols]

[0108] 1 vehicle 30 Control device (vehicle control device) 31 Acquisition Department 32 Control switching unit 33 Notification control section 51 Drive ECU 52 Accelerator pedal 61 Braking ECU 62 Brake pedal

Claims

1. A vehicle including an operator operable by a driver, a control device capable of controlling a predetermined control target in response to an operation of the operator, and a vehicle control device that controls the control device, The control device the control device has a first state in which an operation on the operator is reflected in the control of the control object, and a second state in which the operation on the operator is not reflected in the control of the control object, and is configured to be switchable between the first state and the second state; The vehicle control device includes: an acquisition unit that acquires information about a running state of the vehicle; a control switching unit that switches the control device from the first state to the second state in accordance with the traveling state acquired by the acquisition unit, vehicle.

2. 2. The vehicle according to claim 1, The acquired running state is based on the acceleration of the vehicle, The control switching unit When the acceleration is equal to or greater than a threshold, the first state is switched to the second state. vehicle.

3. 3. The vehicle according to claim 2, The control switching unit When the acceleration is continuously acquired for a predetermined time, the first state is switched to the second state, and maintaining the first state when the acceleration is not continuously acquired for the predetermined time period; vehicle.

4. 2. The vehicle according to claim 1, The acquisition unit acquires a surrounding situation of the vehicle, The control switching unit switching from the first state to the second state when it is determined that the vehicle has deviated from the lane in which it is currently traveling and is traveling outside the road based on the acquired surrounding conditions; vehicle.

5. 3. The vehicle according to claim 2, The control switching unit When it is determined that the vehicle is traveling outside the lane, the acceleration threshold is set to be smaller than when the vehicle is not traveling outside the lane. vehicle.

6. 2. The vehicle according to claim 1, The control switching unit After switching from the first state to the second state, when a predetermined operation is performed by the driver, switching from the second state to the first state. vehicle.

7. 7. A vehicle according to claim 6, The vehicle control device further includes a notification control unit that performs a notification regarding the predetermined operation for switching from the second state to the first state. vehicle.

8. 2. The vehicle according to claim 1, the operator is an acceleration operator that accelerates the vehicle, The control switching unit When the acceleration operator is operated for a predetermined period or more, the first state is switched to the second state. vehicle.

9. 2. The vehicle according to claim 1, The vehicle is The vehicle further includes a brake operator, a brake device, and a brake control device that controls the brake device, the brake control device reflects the operation of the brake operating element in the control of the brake device regardless of the running state; vehicle.

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