Lane change support device

Abstract

To provide a lane change support device capable of increasing a possibility that a lane change intended by an occupant of own vehicle is performed while reducing a labor of the occupant of own vehicle.SOLUTION: A lane change support device includes: a recognition part 130 that recognizes a peripheral situation of own vehicle; and a lane change execution part 170 that performs a lane change on the basis of the peripheral situation recognized by the recognition part 130. The lane change execution part 170 performs first determination of determining whether own vehicle can change a lane on the basis of the peripheral situation in response to operation of a predetermined operator included in own vehicle. When determining that the lane change is impossible by the first determination, the lane change execution part 170 makes a transition to a standby state of waiting for execution of the lane change. After the transition to the standby state, the lane change execution part 170 performs second determination of determining whether own vehicle can change a lane on the basis of the peripheral situation. When determining that the lane change is possible by the second determination, the lane change execution part 170 performs first lane change control of changing a lane.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 9

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a lane change assist device. [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. As part of these efforts, research and development is being conducted on driving assistance technologies and autonomous driving technologies for vehicles such as automobiles in order to further improve traffic safety and convenience. As an example of driving assistance technology, Patent Document 1 discloses an assistance device (driving control device) that changes a vehicle's lane from its own lane to an adjacent lane. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6451854 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in the conventional technology, there is room for improvement in terms of reducing the effort required of the vehicle occupants while increasing the likelihood that the vehicle occupants will make the lane change they intended.

[0005] The present invention provides a lane change assist device that can reduce the effort required of an occupant of a vehicle while increasing the likelihood that the occupant of the vehicle will make the lane change intended by the occupant of the vehicle. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present invention provides A lane change assist device capable of assisting a host vehicle in changing lanes from a host lane in which the host vehicle is traveling to an adjacent lane adjacent to the host lane, comprising: a recognition unit that recognizes a surrounding situation of the host vehicle; a lane change execution unit that executes the lane change based on the surrounding conditions recognized by the recognition unit, The lane change execution unit In response to an operation of a predetermined operator provided on the host vehicle, a first determination is made to determine whether or not the lane change is possible based on the surrounding situation; When it is determined that the lane change is impossible by the first determination, the vehicle transitions to a standby state in which the vehicle is waiting for the lane change to be performed; After transitioning to the standby state, a second determination is made to determine whether or not the lane change is possible based on the surrounding situation. When it is determined that the lane change is possible by the second determination, a first lane change control for carrying out the lane change is executed. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to reduce the effort required of the occupants of the vehicle while increasing the likelihood that the occupants of the vehicle will make the lane change they intend. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of a vehicle system 1 equipped with a control device 100 according to the present embodiment. [Figure 2] 1 is a diagram showing an example of a steering wheel 82, a winker lever 81, an operation switch SW1, and an approval selection switch SW2. [Figure 3] 10A and 10B are diagrams showing a specific example of the operation of a winker lever 81. FIG. [Figure 4] 2 shows an example of the configuration of a first control unit 120 and a second control unit 160. FIG. [Figure 5] 10 is a diagram showing an example of a lane change operation of the host vehicle M by the control device 100. FIG. [Figure 6] 10 is a diagram for explaining an example of thresholds α and β according to elapsed time (or movement distance) in a standby state. FIG. [Figure 7] 10A and 10B are diagrams for explaining other examples of the threshold value α and the threshold value β according to the elapsed time (or the moving distance) in the standby state. [Figure 8] 4 is a flowchart showing an example of a lane change assistance process executed by the control device 100. [Figure 9] 6 is a flowchart showing an example of a first lane change possibility determination process executed by the control device 100. [Figure 10] 4 is a flowchart showing an example of a first determination process executed by the control device 100. [Figure 11] 6 is a flowchart showing an example of a second determination process executed by the control device 100. [Figure 12] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of a second lane change possibility determination process executed by the control device 100. [Figure 13] 10 is a flowchart showing another example of the lane change assistance process executed by the control device 100. [Figure 14] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of a third lane change possibility determination process executed by the control device 100. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a vehicle change assistance device according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0010] [Overall configuration of vehicle system 1] 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of a vehicle system 1 equipped with a control device 100 that is an embodiment of a lane change assist device of the present invention. The vehicle (hereinafter referred to as "host vehicle M") on which the vehicle system 1 is installed is, for example, a two-wheeled, three-wheeled, or four-wheeled vehicle, and its driving power source 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.

[0011] The host vehicle M is capable of autonomous driving and driving assistance, which automatically controls driving operations to drive the vehicle. Autonomous driving, as defined here, refers to a system of the vehicle that 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 a system of the vehicle that performs some of the driving operations such as starting, accelerating / decelerating, steering, and stopping. In particular, the following embodiment will be described using an example in which lane change assistance is performed when the host vehicle M changes lanes from its own lane, which is the lane in which the host vehicle M is traveling, to an adjacent lane adjacent to the own lane. Note that there may be multiple levels of driving control in autonomous driving and driving assistance, as is conventionally known, and may be defined, for example, by Level 0 to Level 5 established by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) in the United States. The higher the level number of this driving control level, the lighter the operational burden on the driver (in other words, the higher the level number, the higher the degree of automation). Since the specific contents of Levels 0 to 5 are known, a description thereof will be omitted here.

[0012] The vehicle system 1 includes, for example, a camera 10, a radar device 12, a LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) 14, an object recognition device 16, a communication device 20, an HMI (Human Machine Interface) 30, vehicle sensors 40, a driver monitor camera 50, a navigation device 60, an MPU (Map Positioning Unit) 70, driving controls 80, a turn signal 83, a 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 by multiplexed communication lines such as a CAN (Controller Area Network) communication line, serial communication lines, a wireless communication network, etc.

[0013] 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), etc. The camera 10 is attached to a desired location of the host vehicle M on which the vehicle system 1 is mounted.

[0014] 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.

[0015] 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 is attached to any location on the vehicle M.

[0016] The object recognition device 16 performs sensor fusion processing on some or all of the detection results 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 control device 100. The object recognition device 16 may also output the detection results of the camera 10, the radar device 12, and the LIDAR 14 to the control device 100 as they are.

[0017] The communication device 20 communicates with other vehicles in the vicinity of the vehicle M, for example, using a cellular network, a Wi-Fi (registered trademark) network, Bluetooth (registered trademark), DSRC (Dedicated Short Range Communication), etc., or communicates with various server devices via a wireless base station.

[0018] 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, speakers, buzzers, touch panels, switches, keys, and the like.

[0019] The vehicle sensor 40 includes a vehicle speed sensor that detects the traveling speed of the host vehicle M (so-called "vehicle speed", hereinafter simply referred to as "speed"), an acceleration sensor that detects acceleration, a yaw rate sensor that detects angular velocity around a vertical axis, and a direction sensor that detects the direction of the host vehicle M.

[0020] The driver monitor camera 50 is a digital camera that uses a solid-state imaging element such as a CCD or CMOS. The driver monitor camera 50 is attached to any location on the vehicle M in a position and orientation that allows it to capture an image of the head of a passenger or other person seated in the driver's seat of the vehicle M from the front (in an orientation that captures an image of the face).

[0021] The navigation device 60 includes, for example, a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiver 61, a navigation HMI 62, and a route determination unit 63. The navigation device 60 stores first map information 64 in a storage device such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or a flash memory.

[0022] The GNSS receiver 61 determines the position of the vehicle M based on signals received from GNSS satellites. The position of the vehicle M may be determined or supplemented by an INS (Inertial Navigation System) that uses the output of the vehicle sensor 40.

[0023] The navigation HMI 62 includes a display device, a speaker, a touch panel, keys, etc. The navigation HMI 62 may share some or all of its components with the HMI 30 described above.

[0024] The route determination unit 63 determines, for example, a route (hereinafter also referred to as a "route on map") from the position of the vehicle M identified by the GNSS receiver 61 (or any input position) to a destination input by the occupant using the navigation HMI 62, by referring to the first map information 64. The first map information 64 is, for example, information that represents road shapes using links indicating roads and nodes connected by the links. The first map information 64 may also include information such as road curvature and POI (Point Of Interest) information. The route on map is output to the MPU 70.

[0025] The navigation device 60 may provide route guidance based on the route on the map using the navigation HMI 62. The navigation device 60 may transmit the current position and the 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.

[0026] The MPU 70 includes, for example, a recommended lane determination unit 71, and stores second map information 72 in a storage device such as an HDD or flash memory. The recommended lane determination unit 71 divides the route on the map provided by the navigation device 60 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 72. The recommended lane determination unit 71 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 71 determines a recommended lane so that the vehicle M can travel on a reasonable route to the branch point.

[0027] The second map information 72 is map information with higher accuracy than the first map information 64. The second map information 72 includes, for example, information on the center of lanes or information on lane boundaries. The second map information 72 may also include road information, traffic regulation information, address information, facility information, telephone number information, etc. The second map information 72 may be updated as needed by the communication device 20 communicating with other devices.

[0028] The driving operators 80 include, for example, an accelerator pedal, a brake pedal, a shift lever, and other operators in addition to a turn signal lever 81 and a steering wheel 82. The other operators include, for example, an operation switch SW1 (hereinafter also referred to as "operation switch SW1") for making a lane change request, and an approval selection switch SW2 (hereinafter also referred to as "approval selection switch SW2") that an occupant of the host vehicle M operates when agreeing to a lane change proposal from the control device 100. These driving operators 80 are equipped with sensors (not shown) that detect the amount of operation or the presence or absence of operation, and the detection results are output to the control device 100 or some or all of the traveling driving force output device 200, the braking device 210, and the steering device 220.

[0029] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a steering wheel 82, a turn signal lever 81, an operation switch SW1, and an approval selection switch SW2. The steering wheel 82 is an operator that accepts steering operations. The steering wheel 82 does not necessarily have to be annular as shown in FIG. 2, and may be in the form of an irregular steering wheel, a joystick, buttons, or the like. In addition, a steering grip sensor 84 is attached to the steering wheel 82 (shown in FIG. 1). The steering grip sensor 84 is realized by a capacitance sensor or the like, and outputs a signal to the control device 100 that can detect whether the driver is gripping the steering wheel 82.

[0030] The turn signal lever 81 is an operator for turning on or off the turn signal 83, and also functions as an operator for receiving an operation as a lane change request. As shown in Fig. 2, the turn signal lever 81 has a shape that allows the driver to blindly operate it with one hand (for example, one finger of the right hand) when gripping the steering wheel 82, and is provided in a position that allows such operation. The control device 100, which will be described later, detects a lane change request from the driver based on the driver performing a predetermined operation on the turn signal lever 81.

[0031] The operation switch SW1 is an operator for receiving a lane change request different from the turn signal lever 81, and is provided, for example, at a predetermined position on the steering wheel 82. The occupant issues a lane change request to the control device 100 by operating this operation switch SW1. Note that this operation switch SW1 is an example of an "operator different from a turn signal lever" in the present disclosure. In addition to a switch type, the operation switch SW1 may be, for example, a tilt mechanism that can be switched left and right, or may be shared with another switch, button, etc.

[0032] The approval selection switch SW2 is an operator that is operated by an occupant of the vehicle M when agreeing to a lane change suggestion from the control device 100, and is provided, for example, at a predetermined position on the steering wheel 82. For example, when the occupant agrees to a lane change suggestion from the control device 100, the occupant operates the approval selection switch SW2 as an example of an operation to indicate such agreement. The approval selection switch SW2 may be a switch type or a button type, or may be shared with other switches, buttons, etc.

[0033] The turn signals 83 are direction indicators provided on the left side (for example, the left front and left rear) and the right side (for example, the right front and right rear) of the vehicle M at positions visible from outside the vehicle M. The control device 100 turns on (including flashing) or turns off the turn signals 83 in response to operations on predetermined controls such as the turn signal lever 81, the operation switch SW1, and the approval selection switch SW2.

[0034] Here, the operation of the turn signal lever 81 will be described. Fig. 3 is a diagram showing a specific example of the operation of the turn signal lever 81. As shown in Fig. 3, the turn signal lever 81 can be rotated around a support shaft 81a. The neutral position PN, lightly depressed positions P1L and P1R, and deeply depressed positions P2L and P2R are positions to which the turn signal lever 81 can be displaced by rotation.

[0035] The neutral position PN is a position where the winker lever 81 is not operated, and when the winker lever 81 is in the neutral position PN, the winker 83 is turned off.

[0036] The shallow depression position P1L is a hollow position rotated a predetermined amount counterclockwise from the neutral position PN. The deep depression position P2L is an end position rotated a predetermined amount further counterclockwise from the shallow depression position P1L. The shallow depression position P1R is a hollow position rotated a predetermined amount clockwise from the neutral position PN. The deep depression position P2R is an end position rotated a predetermined amount further clockwise from the shallow depression position P1R.

[0037] When the driver pushes the turn signal lever 81 down to the lightly depressed positions P1L and P1R, the driver feels a click, and when the operating force on the turn signal lever 81 is released from that state, the turn signal lever 81 is mechanically returned to the neutral position PN by a return mechanism (not shown) such as a spring. Also, when the driver pushes the turn signal lever 81 down to the fully depressed positions P2L and P2R, a mechanical locking mechanism (not shown) holds the turn signal lever 81 at the fully depressed positions P2L and P2R even when the operating force is released.

[0038] The turn signal lever 81 is provided with a switch (not shown), and based on the detection results of this switch, the control device 100 can determine whether the turn signal lever 81 is in the neutral position PN, the lightly depressed positions P1L, P1R, or the deeply depressed positions P2L, P2R.

[0039] When the steering wheel 82 is rotated in the reverse direction and returned to the neutral position while the turn signal lever 81 is held in the deep depression positions P2L and P2R, or when the driver operates the turn signal lever 81 to return it toward the neutral position, the locking mechanism is released and the turn signal lever 81 is returned to the neutral position PN. In other words, when the turn signal lever 81 is operated to the deep depression positions P2L and P2R, it operates in the same manner as a conventional turn signal flashing device that is generally used.

[0040] Hereinafter, the operation of maintaining the turn signal lever 81 at the light depression position P1L or the light depression position P1R will be referred to as a "half-lock operation." The half-lock operation is an example of a "predetermined operation" in the present disclosure. For example, the control device 100 determines that a lane change request has been made when the half-lock operation of the turn signal lever 81 continues for a predetermined time or longer. Here, the predetermined time is the time required to confirm the driver's intention to change lanes, and is, for example, 1.0 [sec].

[0041] The control device 100 is a computer that performs overall control of the host vehicle M, and 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). Furthermore, some or all of these components may be realized by hardware (including circuitry) such as an LSI (Large Scale Integration), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), or a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), or may be realized by a combination of software and hardware. The program may be stored in advance in a storage device such as an HDD or flash memory of the control device 100.

[0042] [Configuration of the first control unit 120 and the second control unit 160] 4 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the first control unit 120 and the second control unit 160. The first control unit 120 includes, for example, a recognition unit 130 and an action plan generation unit 140. The first control unit 120 and the second control unit 160 execute a lane change assistance process, which is an example of a program recorded in a storage medium, for causing the host vehicle M to change lanes to an adjacent lane. When the program is executed, the first control unit 120 functions as the recognition unit 130 and the action plan generation unit 140. The second control unit 160 also functions as a lane change execution unit 170, a lane change suggestion unit 180, and a notification control unit 190, which will be described later.

[0043] The first control unit 120, for example, implements functions based on AI (Artificial Intelligence) and functions based on a pre-given model in parallel. For example, the function of "recognizing intersections" may be implemented by executing intersection recognition using deep learning or the like and recognition based on pre-given conditions (such as traffic lights and road signs that can be pattern-matched) in parallel, and then scoring and comprehensively evaluating both. This ensures the reliability of autonomous driving.

[0044] The recognition unit 130 recognizes the surrounding conditions of the host vehicle M based on information input from the camera 10, the radar device 12, and the LIDAR 14 via the object recognition device 16. Specifically, the recognition unit 130 recognizes the positions of objects around the host vehicle M and the traveling states of the objects, such as their speed and acceleration. The positions of the objects are recognized as positions on an absolute coordinate system with a representative point of the host vehicle M (such as the center of gravity or the center of the drive shaft) as the origin, and are used for control. The position of the object may be represented by a representative point such as the center of gravity or a corner of the object, or may be represented by an area. The "state" of the object may include the acceleration or jerk of the object, or its "behavior state" (for example, whether or not the vehicle is changing lanes or is about to change lanes). The objects recognized by the recognition unit 130 include another vehicle M1 traveling ahead of the host vehicle M (hereinafter also referred to as the "foreground vehicle") and another vehicle M2 traveling behind the host vehicle M (hereinafter also referred to as the "backward vehicle").

[0045] Furthermore, the recognition unit 130 recognizes, for example, the driving environment in which the host vehicle M is traveling. For example, the recognition unit 130 recognizes the driving lane of the host vehicle M by comparing the pattern of road dividing lines (e.g., an arrangement of solid lines and dashed lines) obtained from the second map information 72 with the pattern of road dividing lines around the host vehicle M recognized from an 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 host vehicle M obtained from the navigation device 60 and the processing results by the INS may be taken into consideration. The recognition unit 130 may also recognize stop lines, obstacles, red lights, toll booths, and other road phenomena.

[0046] When recognizing the driving lane, the recognition unit 130 recognizes the position and attitude of the host vehicle M with respect to the driving lane. For example, the recognition unit 130 may recognize the deviation of the reference point of the host 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 host vehicle M as the relative position and attitude of the host vehicle M with respect to the driving lane. Alternatively, the recognition unit 130 may recognize the position of the reference point of the host 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 host vehicle M with respect to the driving lane.

[0047] The action plan generation unit 140 generates a target trajectory along which the host vehicle M will automatically travel in the future (without the driver's operation) so that the host vehicle M will travel along the recommended lane determined by the recommended lane determination unit 71 and will be able to respond to the surrounding conditions of the host vehicle M. The generated target trajectory is stored in a storage medium (not shown), and the control device 100 controls a traveling driving force output device 200 (shown in FIG. 1) and a brake device 210 (shown in FIG. 1), which will be described later, by referring to the target trajectory stored in the storage medium.

[0048] The target trajectory includes, for example, a speed element. For example, the target trajectory is expressed as an ordered list of points (trajectory points) that the host vehicle M should reach. The trajectory points are points that the host vehicle M should reach at every predetermined travel distance (for example, about several meters) along a road, and separately, the target speed and target acceleration for every predetermined sampling time (for example, about a few tenths of a second) are generated as part of the target trajectory. Furthermore, the trajectory points may be positions that the host vehicle M should reach at the sampling time for each predetermined sampling time. In this case, the information on the target speed and target acceleration is expressed as the interval between the trajectory points.

[0049] Note that 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, and the like. As an example, the behavior plan generation unit 140 may set a lane change event in response to a lane change request from the driver. When setting such an event, the behavior plan generation unit 140 generates a target trajectory according to the set event.

[0050] The second control unit 160 controls the host vehicle M so that it passes through the target trajectory generated by the action plan generation unit 140 at the scheduled time. As described above, the second control unit 160 includes the lane change execution unit 170, the lane change suggestion unit 180, and the notification control unit 190.

[0051] The lane change execution unit 170 performs a lane change based on the surrounding conditions recognized by the recognition unit 130. Specifically, for example, when another vehicle traveling in an adjacent lane (hereinafter referred to as an "adjacent lane") adjacent to the lane in which the host vehicle M is traveling is detected, the lane change execution unit 170 determines whether or not a lane change is possible based on the inter-vehicle distance L between a leading vehicle M1 traveling ahead of the host vehicle M and a trailing vehicle M2 traveling behind the host vehicle M in the adjacent lane. Then, when the lane change execution unit 170 makes a positive determination in the determination of whether or not the lane change is possible (i.e., when it is determined that a lane change is possible), the lane change execution unit 170 performs a lane change. When another vehicle traveling in an adjacent lane is detected, the determination of whether or not a lane change is possible may be made based on the inter-vehicle distance L between the vehicle M and the rear vehicle M2 traveling behind the vehicle M, as well as the relative speed between the vehicle M and the other vehicles (front vehicle M1, rear vehicle M2) and the inter-vehicle distance between the vehicle M and the other vehicles (front vehicle M1, rear vehicle M2). In this embodiment, an example will be described in which the determination of whether or not a lane change is possible is made based on the inter-vehicle distance L between the front vehicle M1 and the rear vehicle M2.

[0052] The lane change execution unit 170 also selects a lane change assist processing program to be executed depending on whether the lane change trigger by the occupant of the vehicle M is a half-lock operation of the turn signal lever 81 or an operation of the operation switch SW1. For example, if the lane change trigger by the occupant is an operation of the operation switch SW1, the lane change execution unit 170 executes the first lane change control as a lane change assist processing program. For example, if the lane change trigger by the occupant is a half-lock operation of the turn signal lever 81, the lane change execution unit 170 executes the second lane change control as a lane change assist processing program. Furthermore, if a lane change suggestion unit 180 (described later) suggests a lane change to the occupant and the occupant performs an operation to agree to the suggestion, the lane change execution unit 170 may execute the third lane change control as a lane change assist processing program. Specific contents of the various lane change assist processing by the control device 100 realized by the functions of the lane change execution unit 170 will be described later, and therefore will not be described here.

[0053] When the lane change execution unit 170 determines that a lane change is possible, the action plan generation unit 140 sets a lane change event and generates a target trajectory corresponding to the lane change event. The lane change execution unit 170 controls the driving force output device 200 (see FIG. 1) or the brake device 210 (see FIG. 1) based on a speed element associated with the target trajectory. The lane change execution unit 170 also controls the steering device 220 and the turn signals 83 (see FIG. 1) according to the degree of curvature of the target trajectory recorded in the storage medium. These processes are realized, for example, by a combination of feedforward control and feedback control.

[0054] The lane change proposing unit 180 proposes a lane change to the occupant of the host vehicle M. Specifically, the lane change proposing unit 180 proposes a lane change to the occupant of the host vehicle M based on the surrounding conditions recognized by the recognition unit 130, or the target trajectory generated by the action plan generation unit 140 (or the target trajectory recorded in a storage medium by the action plan generation unit 140), etc. As an example, the lane change proposing unit 180 may propose a lane change to the occupant of the host vehicle M when a preceding vehicle M1 traveling at a slower speed than the host vehicle M is present ahead of the host vehicle M in the host lane. As another example, the lane change proposing unit 180 may propose a lane change to the occupant of the host vehicle M when the host vehicle M is traveling in a lane different from the recommended lane determined by the recommended lane determination unit 71, i.e., when the host lane is different from the recommended lane.

[0055] Then, when the occupant of the vehicle M agrees to the lane change proposal made by the lane change proposing unit 180 by operating the approval selection switch SW2 or the like, the lane change is executed by the lane change executing unit 170. The lane change program executed at this time is the third lane change control as described above. The specific content of the lane change by this third lane change control will be described later, so a description thereof will be omitted here. Note that the trigger for the lane change based on the lane change proposing unit 180 is not the half-lock operation of the turn signal lever 81 or the operation of the operation switch SW1 as described above, but the operation of the approval selection switch SW2 by the occupant in response to the lane change proposal (i.e., agreement).

[0056] The notification control unit 190 controls the HMI 30, the navigation HMI 62, etc., to notify the occupants (e.g., the driver) of the host vehicle M of various information. For example, when the control device 100 cancels a lane change, the notification control unit 190 performs the notification by displaying on the HMI 30, the navigation HMI 62, etc., a message indicating that the lane change has been canceled (for example, a message indicating "Lane change canceled"). Also, for example, when the control device 100 is waiting to change a lane, the notification control unit 190 performs the notification by displaying on the HMI 30, the navigation HMI 62, etc., a message indicating that the lane change is waiting (for example, a message indicating "Waiting to change lane"). Also, for example, when the control device 100 has completed the lane change, the notification control unit 190 performs the notification by displaying on the HMI 30, the navigation HMI 62, etc., a message indicating that the lane change has been completed (for example, a message indicating "Lane change completed"). Furthermore, for example, when the control device 100 suggests a lane change to the occupant using the function of the lane change suggestion unit 180, the notification control unit 190 notifies the occupant by displaying a message suggesting a lane change on the HMI 30, navigation HMI 62, etc. (for example, displaying "Do you want to change lanes?").

[0057] Returning to Fig. 1, driving force output device 200 outputs driving force (torque) to drive wheels for driving the vehicle. 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 (all not shown). The ECU controls each device according to information input from second control unit 160 or information input from driving operator 80.

[0058] Brake device 210 includes, for example, a brake caliper, a cylinder that transmits hydraulic pressure to the brake caliper, an electric motor that generates hydraulic pressure in the cylinder, and a brake ECU (none of which are shown). The brake ECU controls the electric motor in accordance with information input from second control unit 160 or information input from driving operator 80, so that a brake torque corresponding to the braking operation is output to each wheel.

[0059] The steering device 220 includes, for example, a steering ECU and an electric motor (both not shown). The electric motor changes the direction of the steered wheels by, for example, applying a force to a rack and pinion mechanism. 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.

[0060] [Lane change assistance processing] Next, an example of a lane change assist process for executing a lane change of the host vehicle M will be specifically described. As described above, the control device 100 executes a lane change of the host vehicle M when a lane change request is received and the lane change execution unit 170 determines that a lane change is possible. The lane change request is triggered by the occupant half-locking the turn signal lever 81 or operating the operation switch SW1. In response to such a lane change request, there have been recent technologies for assisting the occupant in executing a lane change using automated driving or driving assistance. However, there is room for improvement in terms of reducing the burden on the occupant of the host vehicle M while increasing the likelihood that the lane change intended by the occupant will be executed. Therefore, in this embodiment, the control device 100 executes the following process to increase the likelihood that a lane change intended by the occupant will be executed. Specifically, when the lane change request is triggered by the operation switch SW1, the control device 100 executes a first lane change control. When the lane change request is triggered by the half-locking operation of the turn signal lever 81, the control device 100 executes a second lane change control.

[0061] [Lane change behavior] Here, an example of lane change operation in this embodiment will be described. Fig. 5 is a diagram showing an example of lane change operation of the host vehicle M by the control device 100. A road (e.g., a highway) 110 shown in Fig. 5 has a right lane 111 and a left lane 112, with the direction from bottom to top in Fig. 5 being the traveling direction. A dividing line C is provided at the boundary between the right lane 111 and the left lane 112 as a road dividing line.

[0062] In the example shown in Fig. 5, the host vehicle M is traveling in the left lane 112 of the road 110. That is, in the example shown in Fig. 5, the left lane 112 corresponds to the host vehicle M's own lane, and the right lane 111 corresponds to the adjacent lane to the host vehicle M. In addition, in the right lane 111, there are a leading vehicle M1 located in front of the host vehicle M, and a trailing vehicle M2 located behind the host vehicle M. The inter-vehicle distance L between the leading vehicle M1 and the trailing vehicle M2 is relatively short when viewed from the perspective of their relative positions to the host vehicle M.

[0063] 5, it is assumed that the operation of the operation switch SW1 is triggered to change lanes of the host vehicle M from the left lane 112 to the right lane 111. Below, the first lane change control and the second lane change control when the host vehicle M changes lanes from this state will be described.

[0064] [First lane change control] In the first lane change control, the control device 100 recognizes (or acquires) the surrounding conditions of the host vehicle M in response to operation of the operation switch SW1, using the function of the recognition unit 130. That is, the recognition unit 130 recognizes the surrounding conditions of the host vehicle (e.g., the traveling state of other vehicles) based on information input from the camera 10, the radar device 12, the LIDAR 14, etc. via the object recognition device 16, and on the second map information 72. The other vehicles referred to here are, for example, the front vehicle M1 and the rear vehicle M2 traveling in an adjacent lane. The recognition unit 130 then acquires the inter-vehicle distance L between the front vehicle M1 and the rear vehicle M2 from the positions and traveling states of the other vehicles, such as speed and acceleration. The recognition unit 130 may also acquire the relative speed between the host vehicle M and the other vehicles and the relative distance between the host vehicle M and the other vehicles.

[0065] Next, the control device 100 performs a first determination using the function of the lane change execution unit 170 to determine whether or not a vehicle change is possible. Here, the first determination is, for example, a determination as to whether a condition regarding the relative distance between the host vehicle M and other vehicles (foreground vehicle M1, background vehicle M2) traveling in an adjacent lane is satisfied. As an example, a predetermined threshold is set for each of the following parameters acquired by the recognition unit 130: the inter-vehicle distance L between the front vehicle M1 and the background vehicle M2, the relative speed between the host vehicle M and the other vehicles, and the relative distance between the host vehicle M and the other vehicles; and the determination by the first determination is affirmative when the value of each parameter is equal to or greater than the threshold. Note that at least one parameter may be used as the parameter indicating the condition regarding the relative distance. In the following description, the inter-vehicle distance L between the front vehicle M1 and the background vehicle M2 is representatively used as the parameter.

[0066] The threshold value for the inter-vehicle distance L between the leading vehicle M1 and the trailing vehicle M2 is set to a length that allows the host vehicle M to change lanes safely when changing lanes into the space between the leading vehicle M1 and the trailing vehicle M2, and is at least a value that is greater than the overall length of the host vehicle M. The threshold value may be determined, for example, according to the target speed of the host vehicle, and the higher the target speed, the larger the threshold value. Alternatively, a predetermined safety factor (for example, a value greater than "1") may be multiplied to the value determined according to the target speed.

[0067] When the control device 100 determines, through the function of the lane change execution unit 170, that the inter-vehicle distance L between the leading vehicle M1 and the trailing vehicle M2 is less than the threshold value α, it determines by a first determination that a lane change is impossible and transitions the control device 100 to a standby state in which the control device 100 is waiting for the execution of the lane change of the host vehicle M. For example, when the host vehicle M is to change lanes from the state shown in FIG. 5, as described above, the inter-vehicle distance L between the leading vehicle M1 and the trailing vehicle M2 is relatively short, making it difficult to operate the operation switch SW1 and change lanes quickly (for example, in 3.0 to 10.0 seconds). In such a case, the control device 100 transitions to a standby state in which the control device 100 temporarily waits for the host vehicle M to change lanes, and after transitioning to the standby state, it performs a second determination to determine whether or not the host vehicle M is able to change lanes.

[0068] Here, "transitioning to a standby state and determining whether or not a lane change is possible after transitioning to the standby state" means that, in normal control, if it is determined that a lane change is impossible, the lane change is canceled. However, in this embodiment, even if it is determined that a lane change is impossible based on the first determination, the lane change is not immediately canceled, but the vehicle waits for a predetermined time while maintaining travel in the current driving lane, and during this waiting period, it is determined whether or not a lane change is possible. Then, if it is determined by the second determination during this waiting period that a lane change is possible, the control device 100 executes the lane change. In other words, if it is determined by the second determination that a lane change is possible, the standby state is canceled and the lane change is executed.

[0069] The waiting time in the waiting state is variable because if it is determined by the second determination that a lane change is possible during waiting, the lane change is executed. On the other hand, if the waiting time is too long, it may cause discomfort to the occupants, so the waiting time may be set to a maximum of 1.0 [min], for example. The maximum value of the waiting time (corresponding to the predetermined time described below) may be arbitrarily set in advance by the manufacturer of the vehicle M, etc. That is, in this embodiment, the second determination process is repeatedly executed at a predetermined cycle (maximum 1.0 [sec]) during the waiting state, and if it is determined that a lane change is possible during that time, the lane change is executed.

[0070] The second determination may be a determination with the same gist as the first determination described above. That is, the control device 100 determines whether the inter-vehicle distance L between the leading vehicle M1 and the trailing vehicle M2 is equal to or greater than a threshold value (e.g., threshold value β). Here, threshold value β is preferably greater than threshold value α. Because the second determination is a determination of whether a lane change is possible after transitioning to a standby state, it is expected that the occupant will monitor the surrounding situation less than in the first determination, which is performed immediately after the operation switch SW1 is operated. In other words, since the first determination is expected to be performed immediately after monitoring the surrounding situation of the occupant, the monitoring of the surrounding situation in the first determination can be said to be a determination based on the occupant and the function of the recognition unit 130. In contrast, since the second determination is performed during transition to a standby state, it is expected that the occupant will monitor the surrounding situation less than in the first determination. In other words, it can be said that the dependence of monitoring the surrounding situation on the function of the recognition unit 130 is higher. In consideration of these circumstances, in this embodiment, threshold value β in the second determination is set to a value greater than threshold value α in the first determination. The above-described conditions regarding the relative distance correspond to the "first condition and second condition" in this disclosure. The first and second conditions are determined by the above-described thresholds, and therefore the second condition used in the second determination is stricter than the first condition used in the first determination. In other words, in this embodiment, the threshold β is a larger value than the threshold α, and therefore the condition is stricter for the inter-vehicle distance L.

[0071] Furthermore, the threshold value β in the second determination (i.e., β in the second condition) is set to gradually increase in accordance with the elapsed time or traveled distance. As described above, the second determination process is repeatedly executed at a predetermined cycle while the host vehicle M is in a waiting state for a lane change. Furthermore, it is assumed that the occupant's monitoring of the surrounding situation will decrease as the host vehicle M enters a waiting state. In other words, it can be said that the occupant's monitoring of the surrounding situation will decrease as the waiting state time increases. In other words, the shorter the waiting time, the more the occupant monitors the surrounding situation. If a lane change is executed while the occupant's monitoring of the surrounding situation is high, the lane change will be possible at a timing close to the occupant's intended timing. Therefore, it is preferable to set the threshold value β in accordance with the elapsed time based on the waiting state. Furthermore, since the elapsed time can be converted into traveled distance, the determination may be made using the traveled distance instead of the elapsed time.

[0072] FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining the inter-vehicle distance required for a lane change depending on the elapsed time (or traveled distance) in the waiting state. The horizontal axis represents the elapsed time (or traveled distance), and the vertical axis represents the inter-vehicle distance indicated by thresholds α and β. In this embodiment, the threshold α in the first determination is a default value, and the threshold β in the second determination is set to gradually increase as the elapsed time (or traveled distance) increases. Then, when a certain elapsed time (or traveled distance) is reached, the threshold β reaches its maximum value (βmax). The means for increasing the threshold β to the maximum value βmax may be set to increase it proportionally or, for example, in a stepwise manner as shown in FIG. 7.

[0073] Then, the control device 100, using the function of the lane change execution unit 170, executes a lane change of the host vehicle M when it is determined by the second determination that a lane change is possible. Specifically, using the function of the lane change execution unit 170, the control device 100 controls the turn signals 83, the driving force output device 200, the brake device 210, and the steering device 220 to change the lane of the host vehicle M to an adjacent lane. In this way, by temporarily putting the lane change on hold and then executing the lane change based on the determination by the second determination that the lane change is possible, control according to the occupant's intention to change the lane is possible. In other words, if the lane change is canceled without transitioning to a standby state when it is determined by the first determination that a lane change is impossible, control according to the occupant's intention to change the lane cannot be performed. However, by temporarily transitioning to a standby state and then executing the lane change based on the result of a second determination, the occupant's intention to change the lane can be met. When a lane change is executed based on the second determination that a lane change is possible, the control device 100 starts turning on the blinkers 83 after the second determination that a lane change is possible. If the blinkers 83 are turned on before the second determination that a lane change is possible, the timing of starting to turn on the blinkers may be too early, which may cause discomfort to the occupants of the vehicle and occupants of other vehicles.

[0074] In addition, when the control device 100 determines, through the function of the lane change execution unit 170, that the inter-vehicle distance L between the front vehicle M1 and the rear vehicle M2 is equal to or greater than the threshold value α, it changes lanes of the host vehicle M to an adjacent lane without transitioning to the above-mentioned waiting state.

[0075] [Second lane change control] Next, the second lane change control will be described. The second lane change control differs from the first lane change control in that the trigger for a lane change request is a half-lock operation of the turn signal lever 81, and in that the second lane change control does not transition to a standby state for waiting for a lane change. The logic for determining whether or not a lane change is possible is the same as that of the first lane change control. Therefore, the description of the same content as that of the first lane change control will be omitted or simplified.

[0076] In the second lane change control, the control device 100 recognizes (or acquires) the surrounding conditions of the vehicle M in response to a half-lock operation of the turn signal lever 81, using the function of the recognition unit 130. That is, the recognition unit 130 recognizes the surrounding conditions of the vehicle M (here, the traveling conditions of the other vehicles, i.e., the leading vehicle M1 and the trailing vehicle M2) based on information input from the camera 10, the radar device 12, the LIDAR 14, etc. via the object recognition device 16, and on the basis of the second map information 72. Then, the recognition unit 130 acquires the inter-vehicle distance L between the leading vehicle M1 and the trailing vehicle M2 from the positions and traveling conditions, such as the speed and acceleration, of the other vehicles.

[0077] Next, the control device 100 determines whether or not the vehicle can change lanes using the function of the lane change execution unit 170. The determination here of whether or not the lane can be changed may be the same as the first determination in the first lane change control described above. That is, when the control device 100 determines using the function of the lane change execution unit 170 that the inter-vehicle distance L between the leading vehicle M1 and the trailing vehicle M2 is equal to or greater than the threshold value α, it determines that a lane change is possible and performs a lane change of the host vehicle M to the adjacent lane.

[0078] On the other hand, when the control device 100 determines, through the function of the lane change execution unit 170, that the inter-vehicle distance L between the front vehicle M1 and the rear vehicle M2 is less than the threshold value α, it determines that a lane change is impossible and does not execute a lane change of the host vehicle M to an adjacent lane.

[0079] [Example of processing executed by the control device 100] Next, a flowchart will be used to explain an example of the processing (lane change assistance processing) executed by the control device 100. Fig. 8 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing, and the processing is repeatedly executed at a predetermined interval, for example, when the ignition power of the host vehicle M is on.

[0080] As shown in Fig. 8, first, the control device 100 determines whether or not a lane change request has been made using the function of the lane change execution unit 170 (step S1). As described above, a lane change request is triggered by the occupant half-locking the turn signal lever 81 or operating the operation switch SW1. Therefore, if it is determined that there is no lane change request (No in step S1), the control device 100 ends the execution of the lane change assistance process shown in Fig. 8. Conversely, if it is determined that there is a lane change request (Yes in step S1), the control device 100 proceeds to step S2.

[0081] In step S2, the control device 100 determines whether the operation switch SW1 has been operated as a trigger for a lane change request. The detection results of the operation of the operation switch SW1 and the half-lock operation are input to the control device 100. Therefore, the control device 100 determines by which method the lane change request has been made. In this step S2, if it is determined that the operation switch SW1 has not been operated (in other words, the half-lock operation has been performed) (No in step S2), the control device 100 proceeds to the processing in step S11, which will be described later, and executes a second lane change feasibility determination process. Conversely, in this step S2, if it is determined that the operation switch SW1 has been operated (Yes in step S2), the control device 100 executes a first lane change feasibility determination process (step S3).

[0082] 9 is a flowchart (subroutine) showing an example of the first lane change possibility determination process. In the first lane change possibility determination process, the control device 100 executes the above-mentioned first determination process (hereinafter referred to as "first determination process") or the first determination process and second determination process (hereinafter referred to as "second determination process") to determine whether or not the host vehicle M is able to change lanes.

[0083] In the first lane change possibility determination process, the control device 100 first performs the first determination process (step S30). As described above, this first determination process is a process for determining whether the inter-vehicle distance L between the leading vehicle M1 and the trailing vehicle M2 traveling in the adjacent lane is equal to or greater than the threshold value α.

[0084] 10 is a flowchart (subroutine) showing an example of the first determination process. In step S300, the control device 100 determines whether a leading vehicle M1 and a trailing vehicle M2 are present in the adjacent lane. That is, the control device 100 recognizes the surrounding conditions of the host vehicle M using the function of the recognition unit 130, and determines whether a leading vehicle M1 and a trailing vehicle M2 are present in the adjacent lane. If it is determined that a leading vehicle M1 and a trailing vehicle M2 are present in the adjacent lane (Yes in step S300), the control device 100 proceeds to step S301.

[0085] In step S301, the control device 100 acquires the inter-vehicle distance L between the leading vehicle M1 and the trailing vehicle M2. That is, the control device 100 uses the function of the recognition unit 130 to identify the positions, speeds, accelerations, etc. of the leading vehicle M1 and the trailing vehicle M2, and acquires the inter-vehicle distance L.

[0086] Next, the control device 100, using the function of the lane change execution unit 170, determines whether the inter-vehicle distance L acquired in step S301 is equal to or greater than the threshold value α (step S302). As described above, the threshold value α is determined in advance based on the position and target speed of the host vehicle M, the positions and speeds of other vehicles, etc. The control device 100 compares the inter-vehicle distance L acquired in step S301 with the threshold value α, and when it determines that the inter-vehicle distance L is less than the threshold value α (No in step S302), it determines that the first determination is impossible (step S303) and ends the execution of the first determination process in FIG. 10.

[0087] On the other hand, if it is determined that the inter-vehicle distance L is equal to or greater than the threshold value α (Yes in step S302), and if it is determined in the above-mentioned step S300 that there is no leading vehicle M1 or trailing vehicle M2 in the adjacent lane (No in step S300), the control device 100 determines that the first determination is possible (step S304) and terminates the execution of the first determination process in Figure 10.

[0088] Returning to Fig. 9, the control device 100 executes the process of step S31. In step S31, the control device 100 determines the result of the first determination process described in Fig. 10. If the determination is negative (first determination is not possible), the control device 100 transitions the host vehicle M to a standby state in which the host vehicle M is waiting to change lanes (step S32). Note that, when transitioning to the standby state, the control device 100 may use the function of the notification control unit 190 to notify the HMI 30, navigation HMI 62, etc. that the host vehicle is waiting to change lanes.

[0089] Next, the control device 100 performs a second determination process (step S33). FIG. 11 is a flowchart (subroutine) showing an example of the second determination process. In step S330, the control device 100 determines whether a leading vehicle M1 and a trailing vehicle M2 are present in the adjacent lane. That is, the control device 100 recognizes the surrounding conditions of the host vehicle M using the function of the recognition unit 130, and determines whether a leading vehicle M1 and a trailing vehicle M2 are present in the adjacent lane. If it is determined that a leading vehicle M1 and a trailing vehicle M2 are present in the adjacent lane (Yes in step S330), the control device 100 proceeds to step S331.

[0090] In step S331, the control device 100 acquires the inter-vehicle distance L between the leading vehicle M1 and the trailing vehicle M2. That is, the control device 100 uses the function of the recognition unit 130 to identify the positions, speeds, accelerations, etc. of the leading vehicle M1 and the trailing vehicle M2, and acquires the inter-vehicle distance L.

[0091] Next, the control device 100, using the function of the lane change execution unit 170, determines whether the inter-vehicle distance L acquired in step S331 is equal to or greater than a threshold value β (step S332). Here, the threshold value β is greater than the threshold value α. That is, since it is assumed that the occupants of the host vehicle M are less vigilant about the surrounding situation when the host vehicle M is in a standby state, the value of the threshold value β is set to be greater than the threshold value α. When the control device 100 compares the inter-vehicle distance L acquired in step S331 with the threshold value β and determines that the inter-vehicle distance L is less than the threshold value β (No in step S332), it determines that the second determination is impossible (step S333) and ends the execution of the second determination process in FIG. 11.

[0092] On the other hand, if it is determined that the inter-vehicle distance L is equal to or greater than the threshold value β (Yes in step S332), and if it is determined in the above-mentioned step S330 that there is no leading vehicle M1 or trailing vehicle M2 in the adjacent lane (No in step S330), the control device 100 determines that the second determination is possible (step S334) and terminates the execution of the second determination process in Figure 11.

[0093] Returning to Fig. 9, the control device 100 executes the process of step S34. In step S34, the control device 100 determines the result of the second determination process described in Fig. 11. If the determination is negative (second determination is not possible), the control device 100 determines that the host vehicle M cannot change lanes to the adjacent lane (step S35). If the control device 100 determines that the lane change is not possible, the process proceeds to step S36.

[0094] In step S36, the control device 100 determines whether a predetermined time has elapsed. The predetermined time here may be, for example, the time since the standby state of step S32 was entered (or the time since the lane change assist process was executed, etc.), and may be, for example, 1.0 [min] as described above. If the predetermined time has not elapsed (No in step S36), the process returns to step S33 and is repeatedly executed until the predetermined time has elapsed or until the result of the second determination process is determined to be affirmative (second determination possible) within the predetermined time. If it is determined in step S36 that the predetermined time has elapsed (Yes in step S36), the control device 100 ends the execution of the first lane change feasibility determination process in FIG. 9. That is, the control device 100 ends the first lane change feasibility determination process with the determination that a lane change is not possible.

[0095] On the other hand, if the result of the first judgment process is judged to be positive (first judgment possible) in the above-mentioned step S31, or if the result of the second judgment process is judged to be positive (second judgment possible) in step S34, the control device 100 judges that the host vehicle M can change lanes to an adjacent lane (step S37).

[0096] Returning to Fig. 8, the control device 100 determines whether or not it has been determined that the lane change is possible based on the result of the first lane change possibility determination process (step S4). If it has been determined that the lane change is not possible (No in step S4), the control device 100 ends the execution of the lane change assistance process in Fig. 8. That is, the control device 100 cancels the lane change of the host vehicle M to the adjacent lane. At this time, the control device 100 may use the function of the notification control unit 190 to notify the HMI 30, the navigation HMI 62, etc. that the lane change has been canceled.

[0097] On the other hand, if it is determined that the lane change is possible based on the result of the first lane change possibility determination process (Yes in step S4), the control device 100 turns on the lane change in progress flag (step S5) and starts turning on the blinker 83 (step S6). Note that the process of turning on the lane change in progress flag in step S5 is a trigger for starting to turn on the blinker 83.

[0098] Next, the control device 100 starts the lane change (step S7). That is, the control device 100 starts the lateral movement of the host vehicle M to change lanes to an adjacent lane by the function of the lane change execution unit 170. The lateral movement here refers to the movement of the host vehicle M from the current driving lane to the adjacent lane, and in actual behavior, if the host vehicle M changes lanes from the left lane to the right lane, the host vehicle M is moved diagonally forward and to the right.

[0099] Furthermore, when executing this lane change, the control device 100 controls the driving force output device 200, the braking device 210, and the steering device 220 by the function of the lane change execution unit 170 to change the lane of the host vehicle M to an adjacent lane so that the target trajectory is achieved.

[0100] Next, the control device 100 determines whether the host vehicle M has completed changing lanes to the adjacent lane (step S8). Specifically, the control device 100 identifies the position and posture of the host vehicle M using the function of the recognition unit 130, and determines that the lane change has been completed when, for example, the posture of the host vehicle M in the adjacent lane is parallel to the traveling direction. In this step S8, if it is determined that the host vehicle M has not yet completed changing lanes (No in step S8), the control device 100 waits until the lane change is completed.

[0101] On the other hand, if it is determined in step S8 that the lane change of the host vehicle M has been completed, the control device 100 turns off the blinker 83 (step S9). That is, the control device 100 turns off the blinker 83 that was turned on in step S6 as the lane change of the host vehicle M is completed. Then, after turning off the blinker 83, the control device 100 turns off the lane change in progress flag (step S10) and ends the execution of the lane change assistance process in FIG. 8. After the lane change is completed (for example, at any timing of steps S8 to S10), the control device 100 may notify the HMI 30, the navigation HMI 62, etc., that the lane change has been completed, using the function of the notification control unit 190. The processes shown in FIGS. 8 to 11 described above are an example of the "first lane change control."

[0102] Next, step S11 will be described. Step S11 is a process performed when the operation switch SW1 is not operated as a trigger for a lane change request in step S2 (in other words, when the blinker lever 81 is half-locked), and the control device 100 executes a second lane change possibility determination process.

[0103] 12 is a flowchart (subroutine) showing an example of the second lane change possibility determination process. The second lane change possibility determination process is almost the same as the first determination process in the above-mentioned first lane change possibility determination process. Therefore, the description of the same processes as the first determination process will be omitted or simplified.

[0104] In step S1100, the control device 100 determines whether a leading vehicle M1 and a trailing vehicle M2 are present in the adjacent lane. That is, the control device 100 recognizes the surrounding conditions of the host vehicle M using the function of the recognition unit 130, and determines whether a leading vehicle M1 and a trailing vehicle M2 are present in the adjacent lane. If it is determined that a leading vehicle M1 and a trailing vehicle M2 are present in the adjacent lane (Yes in step S1100), the control device 100 proceeds to step S1101.

[0105] In step S1101, the control device 100 acquires the inter-vehicle distance L between the leading vehicle M1 and the trailing vehicle M2. That is, the control device 100 uses the function of the recognition unit 130 to identify the positions, speeds, accelerations, etc. of the leading vehicle M1 and the trailing vehicle M2, and acquires the inter-vehicle distance L.

[0106] Next, the control device 100, using the function of the lane change execution unit 170, determines whether the inter-vehicle distance L acquired in step S1101 is equal to or greater than the threshold value α (step S1102). Note that the threshold value in step S1101 is set to a value that indicates a lane change request based on the occupant's operation of the turn signal lever 81, and therefore, the occupant's monitoring of the surrounding situation is higher than, for example, when changing lanes from a standby state in the first lane change feasibility determination process described above. Therefore, the magnitude of the threshold value may be the same as the threshold value α described above, or may be a value smaller than the threshold value α in consideration of safety. In the example shown in FIG. 12, for convenience, the threshold value α is described as being the same as the threshold value in the first determination process.

[0107] The control device 100 compares the inter-vehicle distance L acquired in step S1101 with the threshold value α, and if it determines that the inter-vehicle distance L is less than the threshold value α (No in step S1102), it determines that a lane change is not permitted, terminates execution of the second lane change feasibility determination process in FIG. 12, and proceeds to step S4 in FIG. 8. On the other hand, if it determines that the inter-vehicle distance L is equal to or greater than the threshold value α (Yes in step S1102), and if it determines in the above-mentioned step S1100 that the leading vehicle M1 and the trailing vehicle M2 are not present in the adjacent lane (No in step S1100), the control device 100 determines that a lane change is permitted (step S1104), terminates execution of the second lane change feasibility determination process in FIG. 12, and proceeds to step S4 in FIG. 8. The process from step S4 in FIG. 8 onwards is as described above, and therefore will not be described here. The process shown in the above-mentioned FIGS. 8 and 12 is an example of the "second lane change control."

[0108] As described above, in this embodiment, if it is determined that a lane change is impossible through the first determination process, the vehicle transitions to a standby state. From the standby state, a second determination is performed, and if it is determined that a lane change is possible, a lane change is executed. That is, even if it is determined that a lane change is impossible through the first determination, there is a possibility that a lane change will be executed based on the result of the subsequent second determination. This makes it possible to execute the lane change intended by the occupant of the vehicle M while reducing the effort required by the occupant of the vehicle M, compared to a system that, for example, determines that a lane change is impossible through the first determination and immediately cancels the lane change. In other words, after it is once determined that a lane change is impossible in response to a lane change operation by the occupant, it is possible to re-determine whether or not a lane change is possible even if the lane change operation is not performed again. This reduces the effort required by the occupant of the vehicle M, and increases the likelihood that the lane change intended by the occupant of the vehicle M will be executed.

[0109] Furthermore, if the first judgment determines that a lane change is possible, the vehicle M will execute the lane change without transitioning to a standby state, thereby enabling a lane change that best reflects the occupant's lane change intention (timing).

[0110] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the condition for determining whether a lane change is possible from a standby state (second condition) is stricter than the condition for determining whether a lane change is possible without a standby state (first condition). Under the first condition, a lane change is triggered immediately by the occupant's lane change operation, so the occupant's monitoring of surrounding conditions, such as the distance between vehicles traveling in adjacent lanes, is more likely to be reflected. On the other hand, a lane change from a standby state is triggered by the occupant's lane change operation, but it is expected that the occupant's monitoring of surrounding conditions will be reduced due to the transition to the standby state. In other words, under the second condition, compared to the first condition, the occupant's monitoring of surrounding conditions will be reduced and the control device 100 will be more dependent on monitoring the surrounding conditions. Therefore, the condition for determining whether a lane change is possible is stricter, taking safety into consideration. In this way, by changing the lane change conditions depending on whether the lane change is from a standby state or not, when a lane change is performed based on the first condition, which is relatively lenient, the threshold for the distance between vehicles becomes smaller, increasing the possibility of the lane change being successful, and as a result, increasing the possibility of responding to the occupant's lane change request.On the other hand, when a lane change is performed based on the second condition, which is relatively stricter, the lane change can be performed with greater consideration given to safety.

[0111] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the relative distance (inter-vehicle distance L) in the second determination gradually increases depending on the elapsed time and the traveled distance. That is, the second condition in the second determination for determining a vehicle change gradually becomes stricter. Therefore, compared to, for example, a uniform inter-vehicle distance L in the second determination, a lane change is possible closer to the timing when the occupant indicates their intention to change lanes. That is, if the inter-vehicle distance L in the second determination is uniform, the value of the threshold β described in FIG. 6, for example, is uniformly set to βmax. However, by gradually increasing the threshold β depending on the elapsed time and the traveled distance as in this embodiment, the time during which the inter-vehicle distance is shorter than at least the threshold βmax is long, and therefore, the opportunities for determining that a lane change is possible increase. As a result, the opportunities for responding to the occupant's intention to change lanes increase.

[0112] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a lane change request from an occupant is triggered by a half-lock operation of the operation switch SW1 or the turn signal lever 81. The process of transitioning to the standby state and determining whether or not a lane change is possible (first lane change control) is executed when a lane change request is made using the operation switch SW1, but is not executed when a lane change request is made by a half-lock operation. The turn signals 83 normally start to light up when the turn signal lever 81 is operated. Therefore, for example, if the first lane change control is executed when a lane change request is made by a half-lock operation of the turn signal lever 81, there is a possibility that the turn signals 83 will continue to light up during the standby state, which may cause discomfort to the occupants of the host vehicle M and the occupants of other vehicles. On the other hand, when a lane change request is made by the operating switch SW1, the turn signal 83 starts to light up after the second judgment process after transitioning to the standby state determines that a lane change is possible, so there is no inconvenience such as the turn signal 83 turning on too early (in other words, it can be turned on at the appropriate timing), and as a result, the possibility of causing discomfort to the occupants of the vehicle M or the occupants of other vehicles is reduced.

[0113] Furthermore, when a lane change request is made by half-lock operation and the first lane change control is executed, as described above, even if the turn signal 83 does not remain on during the standby state, the turn signal 83 will turn on once at the timing of the half-lock operation. However, in the case of a lane change request made by the operation switch SW1, it is determined that a lane change is possible and the turn signal 83 will start to turn on (in other words, it is not impossible to change lanes after the turn signal 83 has been turned on), so it is possible to accurately notify surrounding vehicles, etc. that a lane change is to be made.

[0114] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when a lane change request is made by half-locking the turn signal lever 81, the second lane change control is executed. That is, if it is determined that a lane change is not possible when the half-lock operation is performed, the vehicle does not transition to a standby state and does not change lanes. This prevents the turn signals 83 from being turned on in a standby state when the half-lock operation is performed, for example. Furthermore, it can be said that the half-lock operation is interpreted as the occupant's intention to change lanes at that timing, and the vehicle does not transition to the standby state. Therefore, it is possible to prevent a lane change from being performed when the occupant recognizes that the lane change control (second lane change control) has been temporarily terminated.

[0115] Furthermore, the ability to perform lane change assistance as described above can contribute to the development of sustainable transportation systems that take into consideration vulnerable traffic participants.

[0116] <Other embodiments> Next, other embodiments will be described. In the above-described embodiments, the lane change assistance process based on the operation of the operation switch SW1 or the operation of the turn signal lever 81 (half-lock operation) by the occupant has been described. Meanwhile, as described above, the control device 100 has the function of the lane change proposing unit 180, which may propose a lane change to the occupant of the host vehicle M. When the occupant of the host vehicle M agrees to the lane change proposal by operating the approval selection switch SW2 or the like, the lane change execution unit 170 executes the lane change using the third lane change control.

[0117] [Third Lane Change Control] The third lane change control differs from the first lane change control described above in that a lane change is triggered by consent to a proposal from the lane change proposing unit 180 by operating the approval selection switch SW2, but the logic for determining whether to change lanes and for executing the lane change is the same as that of the first lane change control. Therefore, a detailed description of the process will be omitted here, and an example of the process will be described using the flowchart shown in FIG. 13.

[0118] [Another example of processing executed by the control device 100] 13 is a flowchart showing another example of the processing (lane change assistance processing) executed by the control device 100. This processing is executed repeatedly at a predetermined interval, for example, when the ignition power of the host vehicle M is on. As described above, this processing includes the same processing as the first lane change control (processing in FIG. 8). Therefore, the same processing is assigned the same step number, and the description thereof will be omitted or simplified.

[0119] First, the control device 100 executes a third lane change possibility determination process (step S400). Fig. 14 is a flowchart (subroutine) showing an example of the third lane change possibility determination process. The third lane change possibility determination process is substantially the same as the first determination process in the above-described first lane change possibility determination process. Therefore, the description of processes similar to the first determination process will be omitted or simplified.

[0120] In step S4000, the control device 100 determines whether a leading vehicle M1 and a trailing vehicle M2 are present in the adjacent lane. That is, the control device 100 recognizes the surrounding conditions of the host vehicle M using the function of the recognition unit 130, and determines whether a leading vehicle M1 and a trailing vehicle M2 are present in the adjacent lane. If it is determined that a leading vehicle M1 and a trailing vehicle M2 are present in the adjacent lane (Yes in step S4000), the control device 100 proceeds to step S4001.

[0121] In step S4001, the control device 100 acquires the inter-vehicle distance L between the leading vehicle M1 and the trailing vehicle M2. That is, the control device 100 uses the function of the recognition unit 130 to identify the positions, speeds, accelerations, etc. of the leading vehicle M1 and the trailing vehicle M2, and acquires the inter-vehicle distance L.

[0122] Next, the control device 100, using the function of the lane change execution unit 170, determines whether the inter-vehicle distance L acquired in step S4001 is equal to or greater than the threshold value γ (step S4002). Note that in the example of FIGS. 13 and 14, the threshold value γ in step S4002 is set so that the lane change is triggered by a suggestion from the lane change suggestion unit 180, and therefore the occupant's monitoring of the surrounding situation is less intense than, for example, the operation of the turn signal lever 81 or the operation of the operation switch SW1. Therefore, it is preferable that the threshold value γ be set to a value that takes safety into consideration more than the above-mentioned threshold values ​​α and β. Therefore, the threshold value γ is greater than the threshold value β.

[0123] The control device 100 compares the inter-vehicle distance L acquired in step S4001 with a threshold value γ, and if it determines that the inter-vehicle distance L is less than the threshold value γ (No in step S4002), it determines that a lane change is not permitted (step S4003), terminates execution of the third lane change feasibility determination process in Fig. 14, and proceeds to step S410 in Fig. 13. On the other hand, if it determines that the inter-vehicle distance L is equal to or greater than the threshold value γ (Yes in step S4002), or if it determines in the above-mentioned step S4000 that the leading vehicle M1 and the trailing vehicle M2 are not present in the adjacent lane (No in step S4000), the control device 100 determines that a lane change is permitted (step S4004), terminates execution of the third lane change feasibility determination process in Fig. 14, and proceeds to step S410 in Fig. 13.

[0124] 13, in step S410, the control device 100 determines whether or not it has been determined that the lane change is possible based on the result of the third lane change possibility determination process (step S410). If it has been determined that the lane change is not possible (No in step S410), the control device 100 ends the execution of the lane change assistance process in FIG.

[0125] On the other hand, if it is determined that a lane change is possible based on the result of the third lane change possibility determination process (Yes in step S410), the control device 100 uses the function of the lane change suggestion unit 180 to suggest a lane change (step S420). Specifically, the lane change suggestion unit 180 suggests a lane change to the occupants of the host vehicle M based on the surrounding situation recognized by the recognition unit 130 and the target trajectory generated by the action plan generation unit 140. The suggestion is executed, for example, by using the function of the notification control unit 190 to notify the HMI 30, the navigation HMI 62, etc., that a lane change should be suggested.

[0126] Next, the control device 100 determines whether the lane change proposal made in step S420 has been approved (step S430). If the occupant agrees to the lane change proposal made in step S420, the occupant operates the approval selection switch SW2 to give consent. Also, even if the occupant does not agree to the lane change proposal, the occupant operates the approval selection switch SW2. The control device 100 detects the operation of the approval selection switch SW2 and determines whether the lane change has been approved. Then, if it is determined that the lane change has not been approved (No in step S430), the control device 100 ends the execution of the lane change assistance process in FIG. 13.

[0127] On the other hand, if it is determined that the lane change is approved (Yes in step S430), the control device 100 proceeds to step S5, turns on the lane change in progress flag (step S5), and starts turning on the blinker 83 (step S6). The processing from step S6 onwards in FIG. 13 is the same as that in FIG. 8 and has been described above, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted here. The processing shown in FIGS. 13 and 14 is an example of the "third lane change control."

[0128] In this way, when the lane change suggestion unit 180 suggests a lane change, the lane change is triggered by the occupant's consent, thereby making it possible to change the lane in accordance with the occupant's intention.

[0129] In step S430, the timing at which the approval selection switch SW2 is operated in response to the lane change proposal may vary depending on the occupant. For example, if there is a time lag of a predetermined time or more from the lane change proposal in step S420, even if the third lane change feasibility determination process determines that the lane change is possible, it may determine that the lane change is not possible during the time lag. Therefore, if it is determined in step S430 that the lane change is approved, the control device 100 may perform the process of determining whether the lane change is possible again. Then, if the second lane change feasibility determination determines that the lane change is possible, the control device 100 may proceed to step S5.

[0130] [others] Although the embodiments have been described above with reference to the drawings, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to such embodiments. It is clear that a person skilled in the art can conceive of various modifications and alterations within the scope of the claims, and it is understood that these also naturally fall within the technical scope of the present invention. Furthermore, the components of the above-described embodiments may be combined in any manner without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0131] In the above-described embodiment, the inter-vehicle distance L between the leading vehicle M1 and the trailing vehicle M2 traveling in adjacent lanes has been described as an example of a parameter indicating a condition related to the relative distance. However, as described above, the parameter may be, for example, the relative speed between the host vehicle M and the other vehicle (the leading vehicle M1 and the trailing vehicle M2) or the relative distance between the host vehicle M and the other vehicle (the leading vehicle M1 and the trailing vehicle M2). In such a case, the control device 100 acquires the relative speed (or relative distance) between the host vehicle M and the other vehicle based on the current speed and target speed of the host vehicle, as well as the speed, acceleration, etc. of the other vehicle, using the function of the recognition unit 130, and determines whether or not to change vehicles based on the acquired relative speed (or relative distance), and executes a lane change. Note that at least one parameter indicating a condition related to the relative distance may be used, but multiple parameters may also be used. By employing a plurality of parameters, even if the inter-vehicle distance between the leading vehicle M1 and the trailing vehicle M2 is relatively large, it may be determined that a lane change is not permitted if the trailing vehicle M2 is traveling at a large speed difference, such as 30 km / h, relative to the vehicle M. On the other hand, even if the inter-vehicle distance between the leading vehicle M1 and the trailing vehicle M2 is relatively small, it may be determined that a lane change is permitted if the trailing vehicle M2 is traveling at a large speed, such as -30 km / h, relative to the vehicle M.

[0132] In this way, by determining whether or not a lane change is possible based on multiple parameters and then executing a lane change, it is possible to perform a lane change with greater consideration given to safety. On the other hand, if fewer parameters are used, the determination of whether or not a lane change is possible is more lenient compared to when multiple parameters are used, while still ensuring safety, and therefore the possibility of executing a lane change is increased. As a result, it is more likely that the occupant's intention to change lanes can be met. Note that the selection of parameters to be used and the number of parameters may be customized as appropriate by the manufacturer of the vehicle M, etc. For example, the parameters to be used may be changed depending on the vehicle model in which the system is used.

[0133] Furthermore, although the above-described control device 100 includes two control units, the first control unit 120 and the second control unit 160, the control unit may be one or may be divided into more control units. Furthermore, for example, at least some of the functional units (recognition unit 130, action plan generation unit 140, lane change executor 170, lane change suggestor 180, notification control unit 190) constituting the first control unit 120 or the second control unit 160 may be realized by a server or may exist as separate units in multiple devices.

[0134] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the operation switch SW1 and the approval selection switch SW2 are described as different switches, but the operation switch SW1 and the approval selection switch SW2 may be the same switch. One switch may have both the functions of the operation switch SW1 and the approval selection switch SW2. In this case, a single switch enables lane change and consent to a lane change proposal. Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the threshold value γ in step S4002 is described as being greater than the threshold value β, but the threshold value γ may be the same value as the threshold value β.

[0135] 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.

[0136] This specification describes at least the following: In parentheses, components corresponding to those in the above-described embodiments are shown as examples, but the present invention is not limited to these.

[0137] (1) A lane change assist device (control device 100) capable of assisting a host vehicle (host vehicle M) in changing lanes from a host lane (left lane 112) in which the host vehicle is traveling to an adjacent lane (right lane 111) adjacent to the host lane, a recognition unit (recognition unit 130) that recognizes the surrounding conditions of the host vehicle; a lane change execution unit (lane change execution unit 170) that executes the lane change based on the surrounding conditions recognized by the recognition unit, The lane change execution unit In response to an operation of a predetermined operator provided on the host vehicle, a first determination is made to determine whether or not the lane change is possible based on the surrounding situation; When it is determined that the lane change is impossible by the first determination, the vehicle transitions to a standby state in which the vehicle is waiting for the lane change to be performed; After transitioning to the standby state, a second determination is made to determine whether or not the lane change is possible based on the surrounding situation. When it is determined that the lane change is possible by the second determination, a first lane change control is executed to perform the lane change. Lane change assist device.

[0138] According to (1), compared to a system that determines that a lane change is impossible based on the first determination and immediately cancels the lane change, the system makes it possible for the occupant of the vehicle to execute the lane change that they intended while reducing the effort of the occupant of the vehicle. In other words, after it is determined that a lane change is impossible in response to a lane change operation by the occupant, it is possible to re-determine whether or not the lane change is possible even if the lane change operation is not performed again. This reduces the effort of the occupant of the vehicle and increases the likelihood that the lane change that they intended will be executed.

[0139] (2) The lane change assist device according to (1), the lane change execution unit, when determining that the lane change is possible based on the first determination, performs the lane change without transitioning to the standby state. Lane change assist device.

[0140] According to (2), if the first judgment determines that a lane change is possible, the vehicle will change lanes without transitioning to a standby state, thereby enabling a lane change that best reflects the occupant's lane change intentions (timing).

[0141] (3) The lane change assist device according to (1), The lane change execution unit In the first determination, it is determined that the lane change is possible when the surrounding situation satisfies a first condition; In the second determination, it is determined that the lane change is possible when the surrounding circumstances satisfy a second condition that is stricter than the first condition. Lane change assist device.

[0142] According to (3), by making the second condition for determining whether or not a lane change is possible while waiting stricter than the first condition, even if the occupants of the vehicle are less vigilant about the surrounding situation while waiting, for example, the stricter conditions for whether or not a lane change is possible make it possible to change lanes while taking safety into consideration.

[0143] (4) The lane change assist device according to (3), the first condition and the second condition each include a condition regarding a relative distance (inter-vehicle distance L) between the host vehicle and another vehicle (a leading vehicle M1, a trailing vehicle M2) traveling in the adjacent lane, The relative distance in the second determination is longer than the relative distance in the first determination. Lane change assist device.

[0144] According to (4), since the inter-vehicle distance under the second condition is longer than the inter-vehicle distance under the first condition, even if the occupants of the vehicle are less vigilant about the surrounding situation, for example, while waiting, the strict conditions for whether or not to change lanes (inter-vehicle distance) make it possible to change lanes while taking safety into consideration.

[0145] (5) The lane change assist device according to (4), The relative distance under the second condition gradually increases in accordance with the elapsed time or the moving distance. Lane change assist device.

[0146] According to (5), by gradually increasing the inter-vehicle distance under the second condition, the inter-vehicle distance will be shorter than the inter-vehicle distance until the inter-vehicle distance reaches the fixed value, compared to when the inter-vehicle distance under the second condition is set to a fixed value, which increases the opportunities for determining that a lane change is possible and makes it possible to change lanes at a timing similar to the timing at which the occupant indicates their intention to change lanes.

[0147] (6) The lane change assist device according to (1), The operation element is an operation element (operation switch SW1) different from the winker lever (winker lever 81). Lane change assist device.

[0148] According to (6), the first lane change control is executed when a lane change request is made using an operation switch, but the first lane change control is not executed when a lane change request is made using a turn signal lever. Therefore, if the first lane change control is executed when a lane change request is made using a turn signal lever, the turn signal would be turned on during standby, but this does not occur. As a result, it is possible to avoid causing discomfort to occupants of the vehicle and occupants of other vehicles, etc., due to the turn signal being turned on during standby.

[0149] (7) The lane change assist device according to (6), The lane change execution unit In response to a predetermined operation of the turn signal lever, a second lane change control is executed to change the lane when it is determined that the lane change is possible based on the surrounding conditions, and not to change the lane when it is determined that the lane change is impossible based on the surrounding conditions. Lane change assist device.

[0150] According to (7), for example, when a half-lock operation is performed, the system does not transition to the standby state, so that the turn signals can be prevented from turning on in the standby state.

[0151] (8) The lane change assist device according to (6), The lane change execution unit The turn signal lamp (winker 83) is not turned on simply by operating the operating element. When the first determination determines that the lane change is possible, or when the first determination determines that the lane change is impossible and the second determination determines that the lane change is possible, turning on the turn signal light. Lane change assist device.

[0152] According to (8), when a lane change request is made using the operating switch, the turn signal starts to turn on after the second judgment process after transitioning to the standby state determines that a lane change is possible, so there is no inconvenience such as the turn signal turning on too early, and in other words, the turn signal can be turned on at the appropriate timing.

[0153] (9) The lane change assist device according to (1), The vehicle further includes a lane change suggestion unit (lane change suggestion unit 180) that suggests a lane change to an occupant of the vehicle, The lane change execution unit executes a third lane change control to change the lane in response to an operation to agree to the proposal by the lane change proposing unit; and executing the first lane change control in response to the operation of the operating element when the suggestion is not being made. Lane change assist device.

[0154] According to (9), when the lane change suggestion unit suggests a lane change, the lane change is triggered by the occupant's consent, thereby making it possible to change lanes according to the occupant's intentions. [Explanation of symbols]

[0155] 81 Turn signal lever 83 Turn signal 100 Control device (lane change assist device) 111 Right lane (adjacent lane) 112 Left lane (own lane) 130 Recognition part 170 Lane Change Execution Department 180 Lane Change Suggestion Section L Inter-vehicle distance (relative distance) M Vehicle M1 Front vehicle (other vehicle) M2 Rear vehicle (other vehicle) SW1 Operation switch

Claims

1. A lane change assist device capable of assisting a host vehicle in changing lanes from a host lane in which the host vehicle is traveling to an adjacent lane adjacent to the host lane, comprising: a recognition unit that recognizes a surrounding situation of the host vehicle; a lane change execution unit that executes the lane change based on the surrounding conditions recognized by the recognition unit, The lane change execution unit In response to an operation of a predetermined operator provided on the host vehicle, a first determination is made to determine whether or not the lane change is possible based on the surrounding circumstances; When it is determined that the lane change is impossible by the first determination, the vehicle transitions to a standby state in which the vehicle waits for the lane change to be performed; After transitioning to the standby state, a second determination is made to determine whether or not the lane change is possible based on the surrounding situation. When it is determined that the lane change is possible based on the second determination, a first lane change control is executed to perform the lane change. Lane change assist device.

2. 2. The lane change assist device according to claim 1, the lane change execution unit, when determining that the lane change is possible based on the first determination, performs the lane change without transitioning to the standby state. Lane change assist device.

3. 2. The lane change assist device according to claim 1, The lane change execution unit In the first determination, it is determined that the lane change is possible when the surrounding situation satisfies a first condition; In the second determination, it is determined that the lane change is possible when the surrounding circumstances satisfy a second condition that is stricter than the first condition. Lane change assist device.

4. 4. The lane change assist device according to claim 3, the first condition and the second condition each include a condition regarding a relative distance between the host vehicle and another vehicle traveling in the adjacent lane, the relative distance in the second determination is longer than the relative distance in the first determination; Lane change assist device.

5. 5. The lane change assist device according to claim 4, the relative distance under the second condition gradually increases in accordance with the elapsed time or the moving distance; Lane change assist device.

6. 2. The lane change assist device according to claim 1, The operator is a different operator from a turn signal lever. Lane change assist device.

7. 7. The lane change assist device according to claim 6, The lane change execution unit In response to a predetermined operation of the turn signal lever, a second lane change control is executed to change the lane when it is determined that the lane change is possible based on the surrounding conditions, and not to change the lane when it is determined that the lane change is impossible based on the surrounding conditions. Lane change assist device.

8. 7. The lane change assist device according to claim 6, The lane change execution unit The turn signal lamp is not turned on simply by operating the operator. turning on the turn signal light when it is determined in the first determination that the lane change is possible, or when it is determined in the first determination that the lane change is impossible and when it is determined in the second determination that the lane change is possible; Lane change assist device.

9. 2. The lane change assist device according to claim 1, a lane change suggestion unit that suggests a lane change to an occupant of the vehicle; The lane change execution unit executes a third lane change control to change the lane in response to an operation to agree to the proposal by the lane change proposing unit; and executing the first lane change control in response to the operation of the operating element when the suggestion is not being made. Lane change assist device.

Images