Vehicle control device

Abstract

To provide a control device capable of determining user setting suitable for individual users when an ACC function is performed.SOLUTION: A vehicle control device includes: an ACC control part 21 that, when a preceding vehicle does not exist in a lane in which a vehicle is traveling, maintains a set vehicle speed and performs constant speed traveling, and when a preceding vehicle exists, the ACC control part 21 performs an ACC function of performing following traveling of following the preceding vehicle while maintaining a set intervehicle distance; a route storage part 22 storing a travel route in which the vehicle has traveled; an ACC history storage part 23 that stores actuation history of the ACC function including actuation information and user setting information in association with the travel route, the actuation information indicating the vehicle's turning on / off of work of the ACC function and user setting information including setting vehicle speed and setting intervehicle distance when the ACC function is actuated; and an ACC setting determination part 25 that determines user setting of the ACC function on the basis of the actuation history of the ACC function stored in the ACC history storage part 23 when the vehicle travels in the travel route stored in the route storage part 22.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle control device configured to perform an adaptive cruise control function. [Background technology]

[0002] To assist the driver in driving, an adaptive cruise control (ACC) function is known that controls the distance between vehicles so that the vehicle travels while maintaining an appropriate distance. When the ACC function is running, the vehicle's acceleration and deceleration are controlled so that it follows the vehicle ahead while maintaining the set distance set by the driver, and if there is no vehicle ahead, the vehicle is controlled to travel at a set speed set by the driver.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a vehicle control device that controls a vehicle to follow a preceding vehicle, sets a suggested set vehicle speed based on a number indicating a speed limit, a turning speed limit, and a traffic flow speed, and displays the set suggested set vehicle speed on a head-up display. This device is configured to change the set vehicle speed of the ACC function to the value indicated by the suggested set vehicle speed when an authorization signal is input from an authorization switch after the suggested set vehicle speed is displayed. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-215769 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Normally, when executing the ACC function, the driver must manually determine the set vehicle speed, set following distance, etc., by operating a switch, etc. For example, the user-set vehicle speed is determined by the driver operating a switch after accelerating to the desired vehicle speed, or by the driver setting the desired vehicle speed by operating a switch. In other words, to execute the ACC function, the driver must perform complicated manual operations to determine the set vehicle speed and set following distance.

[0006] Therefore, the vehicle control device described in Patent Document 1 sets a suggested set vehicle speed based on the speed limit indicated by a speed limit sign, the vehicle speed at which the lateral acceleration acting on the vehicle when traveling around a curve reaches a preset upper limit lateral acceleration, and the speed of the flow of vehicles traveling around the vehicle. However, the suggested set vehicle speed set by the vehicle control device in Patent Document 1 does not take into account the driver's wishes, and therefore does not necessarily match the vehicle speed desired by the driver.

[0007] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-described circumstances, and its purpose is to enable the driver to determine user settings suitable for each individual user while reducing the complicated operations required to determine user settings when executing the ACC function. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] According to one aspect of the present invention, a vehicle control device includes an ACC control unit configured to execute an ACC function in accordance with user settings including a set vehicle speed and a set following distance that can be set by a user, such that if there is no preceding vehicle in the lane in which the vehicle is traveling, the vehicle maintains the set vehicle speed and travels at a constant speed, and if there is a preceding vehicle, the vehicle maintains the set following distance and travels to follow the preceding vehicle; a route storage unit configured to store the travel route traveled by the vehicle; an ACC history storage unit configured to store, in association with the travel route, an operation history of the ACC function including operation information indicating that the vehicle has turned the ACC function on / off and user setting information including the set vehicle speed and the set following distance when the ACC function was operated; and an ACC setting determination unit configured to determine the user setting of the ACC function based on the operation history of the ACC function stored in the ACC history storage unit when the vehicle is traveling on the travel route stored in the route storage unit. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] The vehicle control device according to the present invention can determine user settings suitable for each individual user while reducing the complicated operations by the driver for determining the user settings when executing the ACC function. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a vehicle control system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating the flow of the user setting determination process. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] A vehicle control device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a vehicle control system 1 including a control device according to this embodiment. The vehicle control system 1 according to this embodiment is configured to execute an ACC function that, according to user settings, maintains a set vehicle speed and performs constant speed driving when there is no preceding vehicle in the lane in which the vehicle is traveling, and maintains a set inter-vehicle distance and performs following driving when there is a preceding vehicle in the lane.

[0012] 1, the control system 1 includes a control device 20. The control system 1 may also optionally include an imaging device 11, an obstacle detection device 12, a vehicle speed sensor 13 that detects the vehicle speed, an operation input device 14, a positioning device 15, a map information database 16, a display device 30, a braking device 40, and a driving device 50.

[0013] The imaging device 11 is configured to capture an image of the area ahead of the vehicle. The imaging device 11 is configured as a digital camera having an imaging element such as a CCD or CMOS, and is configured to output information of the area ahead of the vehicle as a still image and / or a video. The image data of the area ahead captured by the imaging device 11 is input to the control device 20.

[0014] The obstacle detection device 12 is configured to detect an obstacle (e.g., a preceding vehicle) ahead of the vehicle and measure the relative distance (inter-vehicle distance) between the vehicle and the obstacle. For example, a millimeter-wave radar, a sonar sensor, or a LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) can be used as the obstacle detection device 12. The distance measurement by the obstacle detection device 12 is dynamically performed at a predetermined measurement period. The imaging device 11 can also be used as the obstacle detection device 12. The distance between the vehicle and the obstacle detected by the obstacle detection device 12 is input to the control device 20.

[0015] The operation input device 14 is configured to accept various operation inputs to the control device 20 by a user, for example, a driver. The operation input device 14 has, for example, an ACC switch operated by the driver to switch the ACC function on and off, a vehicle speed setting switch for setting the vehicle speed in the ACC function, a distance setting switch for setting the following distance in the ACC function, and an approval switch operated by the driver to approve a user setting proposal (described later). The operation input device 14 can be configured, for example, as a steering switch installed on a steering wheel. The operation input device 14 may also be configured, for example, as a touch panel integrated with the display of the display device 30 (described later). Furthermore, the operation input device 14 may be configured so that multiple functions are assigned to one switch.

[0016] The positioning device 15 is configured to acquire vehicle position information based on information from, for example, a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), etc. The vehicle position information acquired by the positioning device 15 and the map information in the map information database 16 are input to the control device 20.

[0017] The control device 20 is configured from a computer including, for example, a ROM that stores programs and data, a CPU that performs arithmetic processing, a RAM that stores dynamic data and arithmetic processing results, and an input / output interface. The control device 20 is configured to execute functions of an ACC control unit 21, a route storage unit 22, an ACC history storage unit 23, a setting suggestion unit 24, an ACC setting determination unit 25, etc., and to control the entire vehicle control system 1. The control device 20 can further optionally execute functions of a speed limit acquisition unit 26, a traffic congestion information acquisition unit 27, and a weather information acquisition unit 28. Details of the control by the control device 20 will be described later.

[0018] The display device 30 is configured to display information in response to commands from the control device 20 and provide information to the vehicle occupants. The display device 30 may have, for example, a liquid crystal display, indicator lights, etc. arranged on an instrument panel at the front of the vehicle, and can provide information to the occupants visually. The display device 30 may be configured, for example, as a display for a navigation system (not shown). As information providing means, a speaker, for example, may be used in addition to or instead of the display device 30, to provide information to the occupants auditorily.

[0019] The braking device 40 is a braking device that generates braking force according to the amount of depression of the brake pedal (not shown) by the driver, and is equipped with a brake controller and a brake actuator for generating braking force according to a braking command from the vehicle system or the control device 20.

[0020] The drive unit 50 is configured to generate a drive force for running the vehicle, and includes an engine controller (not shown) that controls the drive force in accordance with the amount of depression of an accelerator pedal (not shown) by the driver or in accordance with a control command from the control device 20. Note that the drive unit 50 of the vehicle may be, for example, an internal combustion engine, a motor, or the like.

[0021] Next, the control in the control device 20 will be described in detail. The control device 20 is configured so that the ACC control unit 21 executes the ACC function in accordance with user settings based on image data of the area ahead of the vehicle input from the imaging device 11 and the distance to an obstacle input from the obstacle detection device 12. In order to execute the ACC function, the ACC control unit 21 controls the acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle based on user settings input from the operation input device 14 while the ACC function is on. The ACC function is configured to operate within a predetermined vehicle speed range (for example, approximately 0 km / h to approximately 120 km / h). The ACC function is also configured to temporarily stop operation when the accelerator pedal is operated, and to stop operation when the brake pedal is operated.

[0022] When there is no preceding vehicle in the lane in which the vehicle is traveling, the ACC control unit 21 controls the braking unit 40 and the drive unit 50 to travel at a constant speed in accordance with a set vehicle speed (target vehicle speed) input from the operation input device 14. Furthermore, when the ACC function is on and there is a preceding vehicle in the lane in which the vehicle is traveling, the ACC control unit 21 controls the braking unit 40 and the drive unit 50 to follow the preceding vehicle while maintaining the set inter-vehicle distance input from the operation input device 14.

[0023] Here, the user settings of the ACC function are settings of the ACC function that can be set by a user, for example, a driver, and include a set vehicle speed and a set following distance. The user settings may further include vehicle acceleration for achieving the set vehicle speed and the set following distance. The driver determines the user settings, including the set vehicle speed and the set following distance, by manually operating the operation input device 14 while the ACC function is turned on. For example, the driver can determine the set vehicle speed by operating the accelerator pedal to adjust the vehicle speed to a desired speed and then operating the operation input device 14, or by operating the operation input device 14 to select a desired vehicle speed.

[0024] The driver can determine the set inter-vehicle distance by operating the operation input device 14 to select the desired inter-vehicle distance. The driver selects the desired set inter-vehicle distance from three levels of inter-vehicle distances, for example, long, medium, and short. The set inter-vehicle distance is not limited to three levels, and options such as seven levels may be provided to allow for more detailed settings, or an arbitrary inter-vehicle distance may be set.

[0025] Thus, when executing the ACC function, the driver must determine user settings, including the set vehicle speed and set following distance, by manually operating the operation input device 14 while the ACC function is on. The vehicle speed and following distance must be set by manually operating the operation input device 14, which requires the driver to perform complicated operations to execute the ACC function. If the driver finds the complicated manual operations for user settings burdensome and does not use the ACC function, the ACC function provided in the vehicle cannot be effectively utilized.

[0026] Therefore, the vehicle control system 1 according to this embodiment is configured to determine user settings suitable for each individual user when executing the ACC function, while reducing the complicated operations by the driver to determine the user settings. Specifically, the control device 20 proposes to the driver user settings of the ACC function that the driver is expected to set, based on the driver's past operation history of the ACC function. When the driver approves the proposed user settings, the control device 20 determines the proposed settings as the user settings and executes the ACC function by the ACC control unit 21. The proposal of user settings by the control device 20 will be described in detail below.

[0027] First, the route storage unit 22 is configured to store the travel route traveled by the vehicle. The route storage unit 22 stores the travel route traveled by the vehicle based on, for example, vehicle position information input from the positioning device 15 and map information input from the map information database 16. The travel route stored in the route storage unit 22 is information on roads on which the vehicle has traveled in the past, and is information indicating the travel experience of the vehicle.

[0028] The ACC history storage unit 23 is configured to store, in association with a travel route, an ACC function operation history, including operation information indicating whether the vehicle has turned the ACC function on / off and user setting information, including the set vehicle speed and set following distance when the ACC function was activated. That is, the ACC history storage unit 23 stores, for each travel route traveled by the vehicle in the past, an ACC function operation history, such as whether the ACC function was used and, if so, what user settings were used. The ACC function operation history is information on the ACC function operation experience, indicating how the vehicle has operated the ACC function.

[0029] The setting suggestion unit 24 is configured to present suggested user settings for the ACC function when the vehicle's driving environment is suitable for using the ACC function. Specifically, when the vehicle is currently traveling along a driving route stored in the route storage unit 22, the setting suggestion unit 24 presents suggested user settings for the ACC function based on the operation history of the ACC function stored in the ACC history storage unit 23. In other words, when the vehicle is traveling along a driving route that has been traveled using the ACC function in the past, the setting suggestion unit 24 suggests user settings to the driver to improve the convenience of the ACC function. The setting suggestion unit 24 determines the content of the suggested user settings based on various information and displays the determined suggested user settings on the display device 30 to present to the driver.

[0030] The setting suggestion unit 24 determines whether the vehicle's driving environment is suitable for using the ACC function, i.e., whether the suggestion conditions for presenting user setting suggestions for the ACC function are met, based on the following information: (i) The current route is a route that you have previously traveled. (ii) The operation history of the ACC function is stored in association with the driving route. (iii) The user-specified vehicle speed is equal to or less than the speed limit. (iv) There is no traffic congestion. (v) No bad weather

[0031] The setting suggestion unit 24 determines that the suggestion conditions for presenting user setting suggestions are met when the conditions (i) to (v) are met. Note that the information on (iii) the speed limit, (iv) the traffic congestion state, and (v) bad weather are optional conditions, and the setting suggestion unit 24 may determine whether the suggestion conditions for presenting user setting suggestions are met without taking this information into consideration.

[0032] When the setting suggestion unit 24 determines that the above suggestion conditions are met, it determines the content of the user setting suggestion and presents it to the driver. The setting suggestion unit 24 can determine the content of the user setting suggestion based on, for example, the following information: (a) User setting information for past ACC functions (b) Speed ​​limit information (c) Traffic congestion information (d) Weather information

[0033] The setting suggestion unit 24 basically determines the content of the user setting suggestion by (a) using past user setting information of the ACC function. The setting suggestion unit 24 can further determine the content of the user setting suggestion that is suitable for the current situation by using (b) speed limit information, taking into account the current surrounding environment of the vehicle, specifically road information.

[0034] The setting suggestion unit 24 can further consider (c) traffic congestion information and (d) weather information when determining the content of the user setting suggestion. These pieces of environmental information, i.e., (b) speed limit information, (c) traffic congestion information, and (d) weather information, are also the suggestion conditions for presenting the user setting suggestion, as described above. The following describes in detail how the setting suggestion unit 24 determines whether the suggestion conditions for the user setting suggestion are met and how it determines the content of the suggestion.

[0035] (a) User setting information for past ACC functions When the vehicle is traveling on a route that has been traveled in the past using the ACC function, the setting suggestion unit 24 determines, as a user setting suggestion, user settings similar to the past user settings of the ACC function, i.e., a set vehicle speed and a set inter-vehicle distance, based on the user setting information stored in the ACC history storage unit 23. This user setting suggestion is determined on the assumption that, when traveling on a route that has been traveled in the past using the ACC function, the driver expects to operate the ACC function in the same way as in the past experience.

[0036] When the vehicle has traveled using the ACC function a predetermined number of times or more on the same travel route, the setting suggestion unit 24 may determine, as suggested user settings, user settings similar to the past user settings of the ACC function, i.e., the set vehicle speed and set following distance, based on the user setting information stored in the ACC history storage unit 23. Here, the predetermined number of times may be an appropriate number of times, such as 3 to 4 times. The setting suggestion unit 24 may calculate a mode from the distribution of the set vehicle speed when the ACC function was used multiple times in the past, and determine the calculated mode as the suggested user setting for the set vehicle speed. Similarly, the setting suggestion unit 24 may calculate a mode from the distribution of the set following distance when the ACC function was used multiple times in the past, and determine the calculated mode as the suggested user setting for the set following distance.

[0037] The setting suggestion unit 24 may also identify trends in user settings from past operation history of the ACC function and determine the content of user setting suggestions. For example, when it is possible to identify trends in user settings of the ACC function for the same driving route based on the driving route stored in the route storage unit 22 and the operation history of the ACC function stored in the ACC history storage unit 23, the setting suggestion unit 24 determines user setting suggestions based on the user setting information stored in the ACC history storage unit 23 in association with the same driving route.

[0038] Here, the tendency of the user settings is determined to be identifiable if similar user settings were selected multiple times in the past when the ACC function was used, but it is determined that the tendency of the user settings is not identifiable if the user settings selected multiple times in the past when the ACC function was used vary greatly. For example, for the set vehicle speed, the standard deviation is calculated from the distribution of set vehicle speeds when the ACC function was used in the past, and if the calculated standard deviation is smaller than a predetermined value and the variation in set vehicle speeds is small, it can be determined that the tendency of the user settings is identifiable. In this case, too, the setting suggestion unit 24 can determine the most frequent set vehicle speed and the most frequent set vehicle distance as the user setting suggestions.

[0039] If the number of times the ACC function has been activated on the same driving route is equal to or greater than a predetermined value and / or if a user setting trend on the same driving route can be identified, and if the user setting suggestions are not accepted by the driver consecutively after the user setting suggestions are presented as described above, the setting suggestion unit 24 may reset the number of times the ACC function has been activated on the same driving route and the user setting trend.If the driver consecutively does not accept user setting suggestions based on past user setting trends, it is considered that the driver's preferences regarding user settings have changed, and the ACC function operation history is reset so as not to present user setting suggestions that are undesirable to the driver.

[0040] (b) Speed ​​limit information The setting suggestion unit 24 may determine the content of the user setting suggestion taking into account information about the speed limit of the road on which the vehicle is traveling. The speed limit acquisition unit 26 is configured to acquire the speed limit designated for the road on the traveling route. The speed limit acquisition unit 26 can recognize road signs specifying the speed limit from, for example, image data of the area ahead of the vehicle captured by the imaging device 11, and acquire the speed limit of the road on which the vehicle is traveling. If speed limit information is also stored in the map information database 16, the speed limit acquisition unit 26 may acquire the speed limit of the road on which the vehicle is traveling based on the vehicle's position information acquired by the positioning device 15 and the map information in the map information database 16.

[0041] When the vehicle is traveling along a travel route stored in the route storage unit 22, if the set vehicle speed included in the user setting information stored in the ACC history storage unit 23 is equal to or lower than the speed limit of the currently traveling route, the setting suggestion unit 24 determines a user setting suggestion based on the user setting information stored in the ACC history storage unit 23. Specifically, the setting suggestion unit 24 determines, as the user setting suggestion, a vehicle speed similar to the set vehicle speed in the user setting information stored in the ACC history storage unit 23. When the vehicle has traveled the same travel route multiple times using the ACC function, the setting suggestion unit 24 can, for example, determine the most frequent set vehicle speed as the user setting suggestion.

[0042] When the set vehicle speed included in the user setting information stored in the ACC history storage unit 23 is equal to or less than the speed limit, the setting suggestion unit 24 determines that the suggestion condition for presenting a user setting suggestion is met, and presents the user setting suggestion. However, when the set vehicle speed included in the user setting information stored in the ACC history storage unit 23 is not equal to or less than the speed limit, the setting suggestion unit 24 may determine the speed limit as the user setting suggestion. In other words, the setting suggestion unit 24 may determine the smaller speed of the set vehicle speed based on the user setting information or the speed limit of the traveling route as the user setting suggestion.

[0043] (c) Traffic congestion information The setting suggestion unit 24 may determine the content of the user setting suggestion taking into consideration information about traffic congestion on the road on which the vehicle is traveling. The traffic congestion information acquisition unit 27 is configured to acquire information about traffic congestion occurring ahead of the vehicle. The traffic congestion information includes whether or not traffic congestion has occurred ahead of the vehicle and, if traffic congestion has occurred, the length of the traffic congestion. The traffic congestion information acquisition unit 27 can acquire information about traffic congestion ahead of the vehicle by receiving traffic congestion information distributed from, for example, a VICS (registered trademark) center. The traffic congestion information acquisition unit 27 may recognize whether traffic congestion has occurred based on image data of the area ahead of the vehicle captured by the imaging device 11.

[0044] When a traffic jam occurs ahead of the vehicle, the setting suggestion unit 24 determines that the suggestion conditions for making a user setting suggestion are not met, and does not present the user setting suggestion. This is because, when a traffic jam occurs, even if the ACC function is activated, it is considered that the set vehicle speed and set inter-vehicle distance set when the ACC function was used in the past when there was no traffic jam cannot be realized. When there is no traffic jam ahead of the vehicle, the setting suggestion unit 24 determines that the suggestion conditions for making a user setting suggestion are met, and presents the user setting suggestion. In other words, the setting suggestion unit 24 is configured to determine whether the suggestion conditions for presenting a user setting suggestion are met depending on whether there is a traffic jam, and to determine whether to present the user setting suggestion.

[0045] The setting suggestion unit 24 may determine whether or not a suggestion condition for making a user setting suggestion is satisfied, taking into account the length of the traffic jam acquired by the traffic jam information acquisition unit 27. For example, the setting suggestion unit 24 calculates an ACC activation section where the ACC function was previously activated on the driving route on which the vehicle is currently traveling. The ACC activation section is a range from a point where the ACC function was turned on to a point where it was turned off on a driving route on which the vehicle has previously traveled. The setting suggestion unit 24 further acquires, from the traffic jam information acquisition unit 27, a section (length) of traffic jam occurring on the driving route on which the vehicle is currently traveling, regarding traffic jams ahead of the vehicle.

[0046] If the ratio of congested sections to ACC operating sections is equal to or less than a predetermined ratio, the setting suggestion unit 24 determines that the suggestion conditions for presenting user setting suggestions are met, and presents the user setting suggestions. On the other hand, if the ratio of congested sections to ACC operating sections exceeds a predetermined ratio, the setting suggestion unit 24 determines that a congestion state has occurred and the suggestion conditions for making user setting suggestions are not met, and does not present the user setting suggestions. If the ratio of congested sections among ACC operating sections that have been traveled in the past using the ACC function on the travel route on which the vehicle is traveling is equal to or less than a predetermined ratio, the congested sections are relatively short compared to the ACC operating sections, and it is therefore considered that the vehicle speed and inter-vehicle distance proposed by the user setting suggestions can be achieved.

[0047] On the other hand, if the proportion of congested sections in the ACC operating section exceeds a predetermined proportion, the congested section is relatively long compared to the ACC operating section, and the vehicle will soon enter the congested section, making it highly likely that the vehicle speed and following distance suggested by the user setting will not be achieved. Therefore, the setting suggestion unit 24 is configured to determine whether to present user setting suggestions based on the proportion of congested sections in the ACC operating section. Here, the predetermined proportion can be, for example, approximately 30% to approximately 70%, and can be, for example, approximately 50%.

[0048] (d) Weather information The setting suggestion unit 24 may determine the content of the user setting suggestion taking into consideration information about the weather around the vehicle. The weather information acquisition unit 28 is configured to acquire weather information about the weather around the vehicle. The weather information acquisition unit 28 can acquire information about bad weather with poor visibility, such as rain, snow, or fog, based on image data about the vehicle's surroundings acquired by the imaging device 11, for example. The weather information acquisition unit 28 may acquire information about whether it is raining or snowing, for example, from the operating state of windshield wipers (not shown).

[0049] When the weather information indicates bad weather, the setting suggestion unit 24 determines that the suggestion conditions for making a user setting suggestion are not met, and does not present a user setting suggestion. In bad weather, drivers generally tend to select a "long" set following distance. This may differ from the set following distance in the user setting information stored in the ACC history storage unit 23, so in order to avoid proposing a user setting that differs from the driver's desire, the setting suggestion unit 24 does not present a user setting suggestion in bad weather. When the weather information indicates not bad weather, the setting suggestion unit 24 determines that the suggestion conditions for making a user setting suggestion are met, and presents a user setting suggestion. In other words, the setting suggestion unit 24 is configured to determine whether to present a user setting suggestion depending on whether the weather is bad.

[0050] The setting suggestion unit 24 may be configured to determine whether to present a user setting suggestion based on the set following distance included in the user setting information stored in the ACC history storage unit 23 when the weather information indicates bad weather. Specifically, in the case of bad weather, if the set following distance included in the user setting information stored in the ACC history storage unit 23 is equal to or greater than a predetermined distance, the setting suggestion unit 24 determines that the suggestion condition for presenting a user setting suggestion is met, and presents a user setting suggestion based on the user setting information stored in the ACC history storage unit 23. On the other hand, if the set following distance included in the user setting information is less than the predetermined distance, the suggestion condition for presenting a user setting suggestion is not met, and the user setting suggestion based on the user setting information is not presented. Here, the predetermined distance is a distance corresponding to "long" when three levels of set following distances, long, medium, and short, are provided.

[0051] For example, if the set following distance included in the user setting information is "long," there is a high possibility that "long" will be selected as the set following distance even in bad weather, so the setting suggestion unit 24 presents the set following distance ("long") based on the user setting information as a user setting suggestion. If the set following distance included in the user setting information is "medium" or "short," this differs from the general tendency of drivers in bad weather ("long"), so the setting suggestion unit 24 does not present a user setting suggestion.

[0052] The setting suggestion unit 24 may determine the content of the user setting suggestion based only on (a) past user setting information of the ACC function, or may determine the content of the user setting suggestion by combining (a) past user setting information of the ACC function with at least one of (b) speed limit information, (c) traffic congestion information, and (d) weather information.

[0053] The ACC setting determination unit 25 is configured to determine user settings for the ACC function based on the operation history of the ACC function stored in the ACC history storage unit 23 when the vehicle is traveling along a travel route stored in the route storage unit 22. Specifically, when the user setting proposal by the setting proposal unit 24 is accepted by the user, i.e., the driver, the ACC setting determination unit 25 determines the user setting proposal by the setting proposal unit 24 as the user setting. As a result, the ACC function is executed in accordance with the determined user setting.

[0054] When a signal indicating that the approval switch has been operated is transmitted from the operation input device 14 while the user setting proposal is displayed on the display device 30, the ACC setting determination unit 25 determines that the user setting proposal has been approved by the driver. On the other hand, if a signal indicating that the approval switch has been operated is not transmitted from the operation input device 14 even after a predetermined time has elapsed since the user setting proposal was displayed, or if a signal indicating disapproval is transmitted, such as when the ACC switch is turned off, the ACC setting determination unit 25 does not determine the user setting proposal proposed by the setting proposal unit 24 as the user setting. In other words, the system does not determine the user setting.

[0055] The flow of the user setting determination process for the ACC function in this embodiment will be described below with reference to the flowchart in Fig. 2. Fig. 2 shows an example of the user setting determination process, which is periodically executed by the control device 20. The process in Fig. 2 starts when, for example, the ACC switch of the operation input device 14 is operated to turn on the ACC function. This process is repeatedly executed until the user setting is determined by the system or the driver and the ACC function starts to be executed.

[0056] In step S101, the setting suggestion unit 24 acquires environmental information about the surroundings of the vehicle. Specifically, the environmental information acquired includes current vehicle position information input from the positioning device 15, the speed limit specified for the road on which the vehicle is currently traveling acquired by the speed limit acquisition unit 26, information about traffic congestion occurring ahead of the vehicle acquired by the traffic congestion information acquisition unit 27, and weather information about the surroundings of the vehicle acquired by the weather information acquisition unit 28.

[0057] In step S102, the setting suggestion unit 24 determines whether the driving route the vehicle is currently traveling is a driving route that the vehicle has traveled in the past, based on the current vehicle position information and the driving route stored in the route storage unit 22. If the vehicle is traveling on a driving route that the vehicle has traveled in the past, the process proceeds to step S103. On the other hand, if the vehicle is traveling on a driving route that the vehicle has not traveled in the past, the process determines that the suggestion condition for presenting a user setting suggestion is not met, and the process ends without presenting a user setting suggestion.

[0058] In step S103, the setting suggestion unit 24 determines whether or not an operation history of the ACC function is stored in the ACC history storage unit 23 in relation to the route the vehicle is currently traveling. If an operation history of the ACC function is stored, the process proceeds to step S104. On the other hand, if an operation history of the ACC function is not stored, the process determines that the suggestion condition for presenting a user setting suggestion is not met, and ends this process without presenting a user setting suggestion.

[0059] In step S104, the setting suggestion unit 24 determines whether the suggestion conditions for presenting user setting suggestions are met based on the speed limit, traffic congestion information, and weather information acquired in step S101. If it is determined that the suggestion conditions based on the speed limit, traffic congestion information, and weather information are met, the process proceeds to step S105. On the other hand, if it is determined that the suggestion conditions for presenting user setting suggestions are not met based on at least one of the speed limit, traffic congestion information, and weather information, the process ends without presenting user setting suggestions.

[0060] In step S105, the setting suggestion unit 24 determines the content of the user setting suggestion as described above based on the operation history of the ACC function related to the route on which the vehicle is currently traveling, speed limit information, etc. In step S106, the user setting suggestion determined in step S105 is displayed on the display device 30 to present to the driver.

[0061] In step S107, the ACC setting determination unit 25 determines whether the user setting proposal presented in step S106 has been approved by the driver. When a signal indicating that the approval switch has been operated is transmitted from the operation input device 14, the ACC setting determination unit 25 determines that the user setting proposal has been approved, and proceeds to step S108. On the other hand, if a signal indicating that the approval switch has been operated is not transmitted, or if a signal indicating disapproval is transmitted, the system does not determine the user setting, and this process ends.

[0062] In step S108, the ACC setting determination unit 25 determines the user setting proposal presented in step S106 as the user setting. As a result, the ACC control unit 21 executes the ACC function according to the determined user setting. The determined user setting can be displayed on the display device 30, for example.

[0063] The vehicle control device 20 according to the present embodiment described above can achieve the following effects.

[0064] (1) The vehicle control device 20 includes an ACC control unit 21 configured to execute an ACC function that, in accordance with user settings including a set vehicle speed and a set following distance that can be set by the user, maintains a set vehicle speed and drives at a constant speed when there is no preceding vehicle in the lane in which the vehicle is traveling, and maintains a set following distance and drives to follow the preceding vehicle when there is a preceding vehicle; a route storage unit 22 configured to store the driving route traveled by the vehicle; an ACC history storage unit 23 configured to store, in association with the driving route, an operation history of the ACC function that includes operation information indicating whether the vehicle has turned the ACC function on / off and user setting information including the set vehicle speed and set following distance when the ACC function was operated; and an ACC setting determination unit 25 configured to determine the user setting of the ACC function based on the operation history of the ACC function stored in the ACC history storage unit 23 when the vehicle is traveling along the driving route stored in the route storage unit 22. When a vehicle is traveling on a route that has been traveled in the past using the ACC function, it is likely that the driver will want to use the ACC function as in the past. Therefore, by determining the user settings for the ACC function based on the operation history of the ACC function, it is possible to determine user settings that are suitable for each individual user while reducing the complicated operations that the driver must perform to determine the user settings.

[0065] (2) The control device 20 further includes a setting suggestion unit 24 configured to present suggested user settings for the ACC function based on the user setting information stored in the ACC history storage unit 23 when the vehicle is traveling along a travel route stored in the route storage unit 22. When the user setting suggestions made by the setting suggestion unit 24 are approved by a user, for example, the driver, the ACC setting determination unit 25 determines the user setting suggestions made by the setting suggestion unit 24 as the user settings. By presenting the suggested user settings for the ACC function to the driver, the driver can confirm whether the suggested content is appropriate and can determine appropriate user settings that suit the driver's preferences.

[0066] (3) The setting suggestion unit 24 presents user setting suggestions based on the user setting information stored in the ACC history storage unit 23 in association with the same driving route when the number of times the ACC function has been activated on the same driving route is equal to or greater than a predetermined value and / or when a user setting trend on the same driving route can be identified based on the driving route stored in the route storage unit 22 and the ACC function operation history stored in the ACC history storage unit 23. If the user does not accept the user setting suggestions consecutively, the setting suggestion unit 24 resets the number of times the ACC function has been activated and the user setting trend. If the vehicle has traveled the same driving route multiple times using the ACC function, it is likely that the driver tends to use the ACC function on that driving route. Therefore, by presenting user setting suggestions based on the ACC function operation history, it is possible to propose user settings that suit the driver's preferences. If the driver does not accept the user setting suggestions consecutively, it is likely that the driver's preferences have changed. Therefore, by resetting the number of times the ACC function has been activated and the user setting trend, it is possible to present user setting suggestions based on new information the next time.

[0067] (4) The control device 20 further includes a speed limit acquisition unit 26 configured to acquire speed limits specified for roads on the travel route. When the vehicle is traveling on the travel route, the setting suggestion unit 24 presents a user setting suggestion if the set vehicle speed included in the user setting information stored in the ACC history storage unit 23 is equal to or lower than the speed limit of the travel route. This makes it possible to suggest a set vehicle speed that complies with the speed limit of the travel route.

[0068] (5) The control device 20 further includes a traffic congestion information acquisition unit 27 configured to acquire information about traffic congestion occurring ahead of the vehicle. The setting suggestion unit 24 does not present user setting suggestions when traffic congestion occurs ahead of the vehicle. When traffic congestion occurs ahead of the vehicle, even if a set vehicle speed and set inter-vehicle distance are proposed based on past user setting information when there is no traffic congestion, these set vehicle speed and set inter-vehicle distance are likely to be impossible to achieve. Therefore, by not presenting user setting suggestions when there is traffic congestion, it is possible to avoid proposing user settings that may not be possible to achieve.

[0069] (6) The setting suggestion unit 24 presents user setting suggestions when the ratio of congested sections to ACC-activated sections where the ACC function was activated on the driving route is equal to or less than a predetermined ratio, and does not present user setting suggestions when the ratio exceeds the predetermined ratio. Even if a traffic jam occurs ahead of the vehicle, if the ratio of congested sections to ACC-activated sections is relatively small, the set vehicle speed and set inter-vehicle distance based on the past user setting information of the ACC function can be realized in the sections before the congestion occurred and in the sections after the congestion has cleared. Therefore, presenting user setting suggestions can reduce driver operation and improve the convenience of the ACC function. On the other hand, if the ratio of congested sections to ACC-activated sections is relatively large, it is determined that a traffic jam exists and user setting suggestions are not presented.

[0070] (7) The control device 20 further includes a weather information acquisition unit 28 configured to acquire weather information about the surroundings of the vehicle. When the weather information indicates bad weather, the setting suggestion unit 24 does not present a user setting suggestion. In bad weather with poor visibility, drivers generally tend to select a "long" set following distance, which may differ from the set following distance selected in weather with good visibility. Therefore, by not presenting a user setting suggestion, it is possible to avoid making a suggestion that differs from the driver's preferences.

[0071] (8) When the weather information indicates bad weather, the setting suggestion unit 24 presents a user setting suggestion if the set following distance included in the user setting information stored in the ACC history storage unit 23 is equal to or greater than a predetermined distance, and does not present a user setting suggestion if it is less than the predetermined distance. In bad weather with poor visibility, drivers generally tend to select a "long" set following distance. For drivers who tend to select a "long" set following distance even in weather with good visibility, a suggested set following distance based on past user setting information for the ACC function in bad weather will not cause discomfort. Therefore, presenting a user setting suggestion can reduce driver operation and improve the convenience of the ACC function. On the other hand, for drivers who tend to select a "medium" or "short" set following distance in weather with good visibility, not presenting a user setting suggestion based on past user setting information for the ACC function can avoid making suggestions that differ from the driver's preferences.

[0072] -Variations- (1) In the above-described embodiment, the ACC setting determination unit 25 is configured to determine the user setting proposed by the setting proposal unit 24 as the user setting when the driver approves the user setting proposed by the setting proposal unit 24. However, this is not limited to this. After the user setting proposal is determined by the setting proposal unit 24, the user setting proposed by the setting proposal unit 24 may be determined as the user setting regardless of whether the driver approves it. That is, the ACC setting determination unit 25 may be configured to automatically determine the user setting based on the user setting information stored in the ACC history storage unit 23. In this case, for example, when the vehicle is traveling along a route stored in the route storage unit 22, the ACC setting determination unit 25 can determine the user setting of the ACC function based on the operation history of the ACC function stored in the ACC history storage unit 23. For example, the ACC setting determination unit 25 can determine, as the user setting, a set vehicle speed and a set following distance that are the same as the user setting information stored in the ACC history storage unit 23 in association with the currently traveling route. In this case, the setting proposal unit 24 may be omitted.

[0073] (2) In the above-described embodiment, the user setting determination process shown in the flowchart of Fig. 2 has been described as starting when the ACC switch of the operation input device 14 is operated to turn on the ACC function. However, this is not limited to this, and the user setting determination process shown in Fig. 2 may be configured to be executed regardless of whether the ACC function is turned on by operation of the operation input device 14. In this case, the control device 20 repeatedly executes the user setting determination process shown in Fig. 2 while the vehicle is traveling without executing the ACC function.

[0074] (3) In the above-described embodiment, when a vehicle is traveling on a route that has been traveled multiple times in the past using the ACC function, the calculated most frequent value is determined as the user's suggested set vehicle speed and set inter-vehicle distance. However, this is not limited to this, and the set vehicle speed and set inter-vehicle distance from the previous time the vehicle was traveled using the ACC function may be determined as the user's suggested set vehicle speed and set inter-vehicle distance. Alternatively, the most frequent value may be used for one of the set vehicle speed and set inter-vehicle distance, and the previous value (most recent value) may be used for the other.

[0075] (4) In the above-described embodiment, the setting suggestion unit 24 acquires (b) speed limit information, (c) traffic congestion information, and (d) weather information to determine the content of the user setting suggestion. However, this is not limited to this, and the content of the user setting suggestion may be determined using (a) past user setting information of the ACC function without acquiring (b) speed limit information, (c) traffic congestion information, and (d) weather information. Alternatively, the setting suggestion unit 24 may acquire at least one of (b) speed limit information, (c) traffic congestion information, and (d) weather information.

[0076] Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described above, it should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications and variations are possible within the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0077] 20 Control device 21 ACC control unit 22 Route Storage 23 ACC history storage unit 24 Setting Proposal Section 25 ACC setting determination section 26 Speed ​​limit acquisition unit 27 Traffic congestion information acquisition unit 28 Weather information acquisition department

Claims

1. an ACC control unit configured to execute an ACC function in accordance with user settings including a set vehicle speed and a set inter-vehicle distance that can be set by a user, whereby if there is no preceding vehicle in the lane in which the vehicle is traveling, the vehicle travels at a constant speed while maintaining the set vehicle speed, and if there is a preceding vehicle, the vehicle travels at a constant speed while maintaining the set inter-vehicle distance, a route storage unit configured to store a travel route traveled by the vehicle; an ACC history storage unit configured to store, in association with the travel route, an operation history of the ACC function, the operation history including operation information indicating that the vehicle has turned on / off the operation of the ACC function and user setting information including the set vehicle speed and the set inter-vehicle distance when the ACC function was activated; an ACC setting determination unit configured to determine a user setting of the ACC function based on the operation history of the ACC function stored in the ACC history storage unit when the vehicle is traveling along the traveling route stored in the route storage unit; A vehicle control device comprising:

2. a setting suggestion unit configured to, when the vehicle is traveling along the travel route stored in the route storage unit, present user setting suggestions for the ACC function based on the user setting information stored in the ACC history storage unit; The vehicle control device according to claim 1 , wherein the ACC setting determination unit determines the user setting proposal by the setting proposal unit as the user setting when the user approves the user setting proposal by the setting proposal unit.

3. the setting suggestion unit presents a user setting suggestion based on the user setting information stored in the ACC history storage unit in association with the same traveling route when the number of times the ACC function has been activated on the same traveling route is equal to or greater than a predetermined value and / or when a tendency of the user setting on the same traveling route can be identified based on the traveling route stored in the route storage unit and the operation history of the ACC function stored in the ACC history storage unit; The vehicle control device according to claim 2 , wherein the setting suggestion unit resets the number of times the ACC function has been activated and the user setting tendency when the user does not accept the user setting suggestion consecutively.

4. a speed limit acquisition unit configured to acquire speed limits designated for roads on the travel route; 3. The vehicle control device according to claim 2, wherein, when the vehicle is traveling on the travel route, the setting suggestion unit presents the user setting suggestion if the set vehicle speed included in the user setting information stored in the ACC history storage unit is equal to or less than the speed limit of the travel route.

5. A traffic congestion information acquisition unit configured to acquire information about traffic congestion occurring ahead of the vehicle, The vehicle control device according to claim 2 , wherein the setting suggestion unit does not present the user setting suggestion when a traffic jam occurs ahead of the vehicle.

6. A traffic congestion information acquisition unit configured to acquire information about traffic congestion occurring ahead of the vehicle, 3. The vehicle control device according to claim 2, wherein the setting suggestion unit presents the user setting suggestion when a ratio of the congestion occurrence sections to the ACC activation sections where the ACC function was activated on the travel route is equal to or less than a predetermined ratio, and does not present the user setting suggestion when the ratio exceeds the predetermined ratio.

7. a weather information acquisition unit configured to acquire weather information around the vehicle; The vehicle control device according to claim 2 , wherein the setting suggestion unit does not present the user setting suggestion when the weather information indicates bad weather.

8. a weather information acquisition unit that acquires weather information around the vehicle; 3. The vehicle control device according to claim 2, wherein, when the weather information indicates bad weather, the setting suggestion unit presents the user setting suggestion if the set inter-vehicle distance included in the user setting information stored in the ACC history storage unit is equal to or greater than a predetermined distance, and does not present the user setting suggestion if the set inter-vehicle distance is less than the predetermined distance.

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