Vehicle control device

Abstract

To provide a vehicle control device in which, when an ACC function is performed, while complicated operation by a driver is reduced, a setting state of the ACC function suitable for individual users can be determined.SOLUTION: A vehicle control device 20 includes: an ACC control part 21 configured to perform constant speed traveling while maintaining a setting vehicle speed when a preceding vehicle does not exist in a lane in which the vehicle is traveling, and perform an ACC function of following traveling of following the preceding vehicle while maintaining a setting intervehicle distance when a preceding vehicle exists, according to user settings including the setting vehicle speed and the setting intervehicle distance that can be set by a user; an other vehicle information acquisition part 22 configured to acquire information on setting states of ACC functions of a plurality of other vehicles transmitted from a server 16 at a remote area and / or the other vehicles existing in the periphery of the vehicle; and an ACC setting determination part 24 configured to determine the setting state of the ACC function of the vehicle upon acquiring, from the other vehicle information acquisition part 22, the setting states of the ACC functions of the plurality of other vehicles in the travel route in which the vehicle is traveling.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 operate a switch or the like to determine the set vehicle speed, set following distance, etc., with the ACC function turned on. For example, the user-set vehicle speed is determined by the driver accelerating to the desired vehicle speed and then operating a switch, 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, set following distance, etc.

[0006] However, if multiple other vehicles are using the ACC function on the route a vehicle is traveling, the route is considered to be an environment suitable for using the ACC function. However, if the driver finds the complicated manual operation required for user settings too burdensome and does not activate the ACC function, the ACC function of the vehicle cannot be effectively utilized.

[0007] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-described situation, and its purpose is to enable a driver to determine the setting state of the ACC function that is suitable for each individual user while reducing the complicated operations required 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 the user, such that if there is no preceding vehicle in the lane in which the vehicle is traveling, the set vehicle speed is maintained and the vehicle travels at a constant speed, and if there is a preceding vehicle, the vehicle travels while maintaining the set following distance; an other vehicle information acquisition unit configured to acquire information on the setting status of the ACC function of multiple other vehicles transmitted from a remote server and / or other vehicles present around the vehicle; and an ACC setting determination unit configured to determine the setting status of the ACC function of the vehicle when the setting status of the ACC function of multiple other vehicles on the traveling route in which the vehicle is traveling is acquired from the other vehicle information acquisition unit. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] The vehicle control device according to the present invention can determine the setting state of the ACC function that is suitable for each individual user while reducing the complicated operations by the driver 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 a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating the flow of the process for determining the setting state of the ACC function in the first embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating the flow of a process for determining the setting state of the ACC function in the second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] -First embodiment- A vehicle control device according to a first 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, for example, by a computer including a ROM storing programs and data, a CPU performing arithmetic processing, a RAM storing 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, an other vehicle information acquisition unit 22, a setting proposal unit 23, an ACC setting determination unit 24, etc., and to control the entire vehicle control system 1. The control device 20 can further optionally execute functions of a route storage unit 25 and an ACC history storage unit 26. The control device 20 may further optionally execute functions of a speed limit acquisition unit 27, a traffic congestion information acquisition unit 28, and a weather information acquisition unit 29. 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 also 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.

[0024] For example, the driver can determine the set vehicle speed by operating the operation input device 14 after adjusting the vehicle speed to a desired speed by operating the accelerator pedal, or by operating the operation input device 14 to select a desired vehicle speed. The driver can determine the set inter-vehicle distance by operating the operation input device 14 to select a desired inter-vehicle distance. The driver selects the desired 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 activate 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 the setting state of the ACC function suitable for each user while reducing the complicated operations by the driver when executing the ACC function. Meanwhile, if multiple other vehicles are traveling along a route on which the vehicle is traveling and are also using the ACC function, the route is considered to be an environment suitable for using the ACC function. Therefore, the control device 20 refers to the setting states of the ACC functions of the multiple other vehicles along the route on which the vehicle is traveling and suggests to the driver the setting state of the ACC function that the driver is expected to set.

[0027] When the driver approves the proposed setting state, the control device 20 determines the content as the setting state of the ACC function and executes the ACC function by the ACC control unit 21. The setting state of the ACC function includes the on / off state of the ACC function and the content of the user settings, and is information that indicates how the ACC function is set and how it operates. The determination of the setting state of the ACC function by the control device 20 will be described in detail below.

[0028] The other vehicle information acquisition unit 22 is configured to acquire information on the setting status of the ACC function of multiple other vehicles transmitted from a remote server 16 and / or other vehicles located around the vehicle. The setting status of the ACC function of the other vehicles includes the current setting status of the ACC function of other vehicles located around the vehicle and the setting status of the ACC function of other vehicles that have previously traveled the route on which the vehicle is currently traveling. The other vehicle information acquisition unit 22 can communicate with the remote server 16 via the in-vehicle communication device 22a. The server 16 stores the setting status of the ACC function of multiple vehicles in association with the travel route. The setting status of the ACC function stored in the server 16 is the ACC function operation history, i.e., information on the ACC function operation experience, for each travel route, such as when each vehicle turned the ACC function on / off and what user settings were used when the ACC function was activated.

[0029] The other vehicle information acquisition unit 22 can also acquire information about the setting status of the ACC function from other vehicles currently around the vehicle through vehicle-to-vehicle communication via the in-vehicle communication device 22a. Other vehicles around the vehicle are those that are within a predetermined range in the longitudinal and lateral directions of the vehicle, and in particular, are other vehicles traveling in the same direction as the vehicle. In this case, the other vehicle information acquisition unit 22 can acquire the current setting status of the ACC function, including whether the other vehicle currently has the ACC function turned on, and, if the ACC function is operating, user setting information such as the set vehicle speed and set following distance.

[0030] The setting proposal unit 23 is configured to present a proposal for the setting state of the ACC function when the vehicle's driving environment is suitable for using the ACC function. Specifically, when the setting proposal unit 23 acquires the setting states of the ACC functions of multiple other vehicles from the other vehicle information acquisition unit 22, the setting proposal unit 23 is configured to present a proposal for the setting state of the vehicle's ACC function based on the setting states of the ACC functions of the multiple other vehicles or the operation history of the ACC function of the vehicle, as will be described later. The setting proposal unit 23 determines the content of the proposed setting state based on various information, and displays the determined proposal for the setting state on the display device 30 to present it to the driver.

[0031] The ACC setting determination unit 24 is configured to determine the setting state of the ACC function of the vehicle when it acquires the setting states of the ACC function of multiple other vehicles on the travel route on which the vehicle is traveling from the other vehicle information acquisition unit 22. Specifically, when the setting state proposal by the setting proposal unit 23 is approved by the user, i.e., the driver, the ACC setting determination unit 24 determines the setting state proposal by the setting proposal unit 23 as the setting state of the ACC function. The ACC control unit 21 executes the ACC function in accordance with the setting state determined by the ACC setting determination unit 24.

[0032] When a signal indicating that the approval switch has been operated is transmitted from the operation input device 14 while a proposed setting state of the ACC function is displayed on the display device 30, the ACC setting determination unit 24 determines that the proposed setting state 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 proposed setting state was displayed, or if a signal indicating disapproval is transmitted, such as when the ACC switch is turned off, the ACC setting determination unit 24 does not determine the proposed content of the setting state proposed by the setting proposal unit 23 as the setting state of the ACC function. In other words, the system does not determine the setting state of the ACC function.

[0033] The route storage unit 25 is configured to store driving routes that the vehicle has traveled in the past. The route storage unit 25 stores the driving routes that the vehicle has traveled based on, for example, vehicle position information input from the positioning device 15 and map information input from the map information database 16. The driving routes stored in the route storage unit 25 are information on roads that the vehicle has traveled in the past, and are information that indicates the vehicle's driving experience.

[0034] The ACC history storage unit 26 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, such as the set vehicle speed and set following distance when the ACC function was activated. That is, the ACC history storage unit 26 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. Note that the ACC history storage unit 26 may also be configured to store, as the ACC function operation history, at least operation information indicating whether the vehicle has turned the ACC function on / off.

[0035] Next, the proposal of the setting state of the ACC function by the setting proposal unit 23 will be described in detail below.

[0036] The setting suggestion unit 23 determines whether the vehicle's driving environment is suitable for using the ACC function, i.e., whether the suggestion conditions for presenting a suggestion for the setting state of the ACC function are met, based on the following information: (i) The ACC function setting status of multiple other vehicles on the current driving route can be obtained. (ii) The user-specified vehicle speed is equal to or less than the speed limit. (iii) There is no traffic congestion. (iv) There is no bad weather.

[0037] When the conditions (i) to (iv) are satisfied, the setting suggestion unit 23 determines that the suggestion conditions for presenting a setting state suggestion for the ACC function are met. Note that the information on (ii) the speed limit, (iii) the traffic congestion state, and (iv) bad weather are optional conditions, and the setting suggestion unit 23 may determine whether the suggestion conditions for presenting a setting state suggestion are met without taking this information into consideration.

[0038] When the setting proposal unit 23 determines that the above proposal conditions are met, it determines the proposed content of the setting state of the ACC function and presents it to the driver. The setting proposal unit 23 can determine the proposed content of the setting state based on, for example, the following information: (a) Past ACC function setting status (b) ACC function setting status of other vehicles (c) Speed ​​limit information (d) Traffic congestion information (e) Weather information

[0039] The setting suggestion unit 23 basically determines the proposed setting state by using (a) the past setting state of the ACC function or (b) the setting state of the ACC function of another vehicle. The setting suggestion unit 23 can further determine the proposed setting state suitable for the current situation by using (c) speed limit information, taking into account the current surrounding environment of the vehicle, specifically road information.

[0040] The setting suggestion unit 23 can further consider (d) traffic congestion information and (e) weather information when determining the proposed setting state. These pieces of environmental information, namely (c) speed limit information, (d) traffic congestion information, and (e) weather information, are also the suggestion conditions for presenting proposed setting states for the ACC function, as described above. Below, we will explain in detail how the setting suggestion unit 23 determines whether the suggestion conditions for the setting state of the ACC function are met and how it determines the proposed setting state.

[0041] (a) The vehicle's past ACC function setting status When the vehicle is traveling on a route where the ACC function has been used in the past, the setting suggestion unit 23 determines, as the suggestion content, a setting state similar to the past setting state of the ACC function based on the operation history stored in the ACC history storage unit 26. Specifically, when the vehicle is currently traveling on a route where the driver has previously used the ACC function, the setting suggestion unit 23 suggests that the ACC function be turned on as the setting state of the ACC function, assuming that the driver expects the ACC function to be activated as in the past experience.

[0042] Regarding the user settings of the ACC function, the setting suggestion unit 23 determines, as suggested contents, user settings similar to past user settings of the ACC function, i.e., set vehicle speed and set following distance, based on the user setting information stored in the ACC history storage unit 26. These suggested contents are determined on the assumption that, when traveling on a route where the driver has previously traveled using the ACC function, the driver expects to operate the ACC function in the same way as in the past.

[0043] When the vehicle has traveled the same travel route using the ACC function a predetermined number of times or more, the setting suggestion unit 23 may determine, as suggested content, 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 26. Here, the predetermined number of times may be an appropriate number of times, such as 3 to 4 times. The setting suggestion unit 23 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 content of the set vehicle speed. Similarly, the setting suggestion unit 23 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 content of the set following distance.

[0044] The setting suggestion unit 23 may also identify trends in user settings from past operation history of the ACC function and determine the proposed content. 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 25 and the operation history of the ACC function stored in the ACC history storage unit 26, the setting suggestion unit 23 determines the proposed content based on the user setting information stored in the ACC history storage unit 26 in association with the same driving route.

[0045] 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 cannot be determined 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 can be determined. In this case, the setting suggestion unit 23 can also determine the most frequent set vehicle speed and the most frequent set vehicle distance as the proposal content.

[0046] 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 trend in user settings on the same driving route can be identified, and if the driver does not accept the proposed setting states consecutively after presenting the proposed user settings as described above, the setting suggestion unit 23 may reset the number of times the ACC function has been activated on the same driving route and the trend in user settings.If the driver consecutively does not accept the proposed setting states based on the trend in past user settings, it is considered that the driver's preferences regarding user settings have changed, and the operation history of the ACC function is reset so as not to present proposed setting states that are undesirable to the driver.

[0047] (b) ACC function setting status of other vehicles When the setting states of the ACC functions of multiple other vehicles on the travel route on which the vehicle is traveling can be acquired from the other vehicle information acquisition unit 22, the setting proposal unit 23 determines the same setting state as the setting state of the ACC function of the multiple other vehicles as the proposal content. Specifically, when multiple other vehicles are using the ACC function, the setting proposal unit 23 proposes that the ACC function be turned on as the setting state based on the assumption that the state is suitable for using the ACC function.

[0048] The setting suggestion unit 23 determines, as the proposed user settings for the ACC function, user settings, i.e., set vehicle speed and set inter-vehicle distance, that are the same as the user settings for the ACC function of other vehicles acquired from the other vehicle information acquisition unit 22. The proposed contents are determined in the hope that, on a travel route where multiple other vehicles are using the ACC function, the ACC function will be activated in the same way as multiple other vehicles, thereby activating the ACC function without disrupting traffic flow.

[0049] The setting suggestion unit 23 can, for example, calculate a mode from the distribution of the set vehicle speeds of the ACC functions of multiple other vehicles and determine the calculated mode as the proposed set vehicle speed. Similarly, the setting suggestion unit 23 can, for example, calculate a mode from the distribution of the set inter-vehicle distances when the ACC functions of multiple other vehicles are in use and determine the calculated mode as the proposed set inter-vehicle distance.

[0050] When the driving route on which the vehicle is currently traveling differs from the past driving routes stored in the route storage unit 25, the setting proposal unit 23 can determine the proposed setting state of the ACC function based on the setting state of the ACC function of other vehicles on the relevant driving route. For example, the setting proposal unit 23 can determine the most frequent value among the set vehicle speeds of multiple other vehicles on the driving route acquired by the other vehicle information acquisition unit 22 as the proposed setting state of the ACC function. That is, for example, when a past ACC function operation history is stored in the ACC history storage unit 26 for the driving route on which the vehicle is currently traveling, the setting proposal unit 23 (a) determines the proposed setting state based on the past ACC function setting state of the vehicle, and when a past ACC function operation history is not stored in the ACC history storage unit 26, the setting proposal unit 23 (b) determines the proposed setting state based on the setting state of the ACC function of other vehicles.

[0051] (c) Speed ​​limit information The setting suggestion unit 23 may determine the content of the suggested user settings by taking into account information about the speed limit of the road on which the vehicle is traveling. The speed limit acquisition unit 27 is configured to acquire the speed limit designated for the road on the travel route. The speed limit acquisition unit 27 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 27 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.

[0052] The setting suggestion unit 23 determines, as the proposed set vehicle speed, the most frequent value that is equal to or lower than the speed limit of the travel route on which the vehicle is traveling, among the set vehicle speeds set by the users of the multiple other vehicles acquired by the other vehicle information acquisition unit 22. The setting suggestion unit 23 may determine, as the proposed set vehicle speed, the smaller speed of the most frequent value among the set vehicle speeds set by the users of the multiple other vehicles acquired by the other vehicle information acquisition unit 22, or the speed limit of the travel route on which the vehicle is traveling.

[0053] When the vehicle is traveling along a travel route stored in the route storage unit 25, the setting suggestion unit 23 may determine, as the proposed set vehicle speed, the smaller of the set vehicle speed included in the user setting information stored in the ACC history storage unit 26 and the speed limit of the travel route. When the vehicle has traveled the same travel route multiple times using the ACC function, the setting suggestion unit 23 may determine, for example, as the proposed set vehicle speed, the smaller of the most frequent set vehicle speed in the user setting information stored in the ACC history storage unit 26 and the speed limit of the travel route.

[0054] (d) Traffic congestion information The setting suggestion unit 23 can determine whether to present a setting state suggestion, taking into account information about traffic congestion on the road on which the vehicle is traveling. The traffic congestion information acquisition unit 28 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 28 can acquire traffic congestion information ahead of the vehicle by receiving traffic congestion information distributed from a VICS (registered trademark) center, for example. The traffic congestion information acquisition unit 28 may recognize whether traffic congestion has occurred based on image data of the area ahead of the vehicle captured by the imaging device 11.

[0055] When a traffic jam occurs ahead of the vehicle, the setting suggestion unit 23 determines that the suggestion conditions for suggesting a setting state are not met, and does not suggest a setting state of the ACC function. 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 achieved. When there is no traffic jam ahead of the vehicle, the setting suggestion unit 23 determines that the suggestion conditions for suggesting a setting state are met, and suggests a setting state. In other words, the setting suggestion unit 23 is configured to determine whether the suggestion conditions for suggesting a setting state are met depending on whether there is a traffic jam, and to determine whether to suggest a setting state.

[0056] The setting proposal unit 23 may determine whether the proposed conditions are met by taking into account the length of the traffic jam acquired by the traffic jam information acquisition unit 28. For example, the setting proposal unit 23 calculates an ACC operation section where the ACC function was previously activated on the driving route on which the vehicle is currently traveling. The ACC operation 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 proposal unit 23 further acquires, from the traffic jam information acquisition unit 28, the section (length) of traffic jam that occurs on the driving route on which the vehicle is currently traveling, regarding the traffic jam ahead of the vehicle.

[0057] If the ratio of congested sections to ACC operating sections is equal to or less than a predetermined ratio, the setting suggestion unit 23 determines that the suggestion conditions for suggesting a setting state are met and suggests a setting state. On the other hand, if the ratio of congested sections to ACC operating sections exceeds a predetermined ratio, the setting suggestion unit 23 determines that a congested state has occurred and that the suggestion conditions for suggesting a setting state are not met, and does not suggest a setting state. If, on the driving route on which the vehicle is traveling, the number of congested sections among the ACC operating sections that have been traveled in the past using the ACC function is equal to or less than a predetermined ratio, the congested sections are relatively short compared to the ACC operating sections, so it is considered that the vehicle speed and inter-vehicle distance suggested by the setting state suggestion can be achieved.

[0058] 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 proposed by the setting state will not be achieved. Therefore, the setting suggestion unit 23 is configured to determine whether to present a setting state suggestion 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%.

[0059] (e) Weather information The setting suggestion unit 23 can determine whether to present a setting suggestion by taking into account information about the weather around the vehicle. The weather information acquisition unit 29 is configured to acquire weather information about the vehicle's surroundings. The weather information acquisition unit 29 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 29 may also acquire information about whether it is raining or snowing, for example, from the operating state of windshield wipers (not shown).

[0060] When the weather information indicates bad weather, the setting suggestion unit 23 determines that the suggestion conditions for suggesting a setting state are not met, and does not present a suggestion for the setting state of the ACC function. In bad weather, drivers generally tend to select a "long" following distance. This may differ from the following distance set in the user setting information stored in the ACC history storage unit 26. Therefore, in order to avoid proposing a user setting that differs from the driver's desire, the setting suggestion unit 23 does not present a suggestion for the setting state in bad weather. When the weather information indicates not bad weather, the setting suggestion unit 23 determines that the suggestion conditions for suggesting a setting state are met, and presents a suggestion for the setting state. In other words, the setting suggestion unit 23 is configured to determine whether to present a suggestion for the setting state depending on whether the weather is bad.

[0061] The setting suggestion unit 23 may be configured to determine whether to present a setting state suggestion based on the set inter-vehicle distance included in the user setting information stored in the ACC history storage unit 26 when the weather information indicates bad weather. Specifically, in the case of bad weather, if the set inter-vehicle distance included in the user setting information stored in the ACC history storage unit 26 is equal to or greater than a predetermined distance, the setting suggestion unit 23 determines that the suggestion condition for presenting a setting state suggestion is met, and presents a setting state suggestion based on the user setting information stored in the ACC history storage unit 26. On the other hand, if the set inter-vehicle distance included in the user setting information is less than the predetermined distance, the setting suggestion unit 23 determines that the suggestion condition for presenting a setting state suggestion is not met, and does not present a setting state suggestion based on the user setting information. Here, the predetermined distance is a distance corresponding to "long" when three levels of set inter-vehicle distance, long, medium, and short, are provided.

[0062] 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 23 determines that the suggestion condition is met and presents the set following distance ("long") based on the user setting information as a setting state 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 23 determines that the suggestion condition is not met and does not present a setting state suggestion.

[0063] The setting suggestion unit 23 may (a) determine the content of the proposed setting state based only on the past setting state of the ACC function of the vehicle, or (b) determine the content of the proposed setting state based only on the setting state of the ACC function of other vehicles. Furthermore, the setting suggestion unit 23 may determine the content of the proposed setting state of the ACC function by combining (a) the past setting state of the ACC function of the vehicle or (b) the setting state of the ACC function of other vehicles with at least one of (b) speed limit information, (c) traffic congestion information, and (d) weather information.

[0064] The flow of the setting state 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 setting state determination process, which is periodically executed by the control device 20. This process is repeatedly executed until the user settings are determined by the system or the driver and the ACC function starts to be executed.

[0065] In step S101, the setting suggestion unit 23 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 27, information about traffic congestion occurring ahead of the vehicle acquired by the traffic congestion information acquisition unit 28, and weather information about the surroundings of the vehicle acquired by the weather information acquisition unit 29.

[0066] In step S102, the setting proposal unit 23 determines whether or not the setting states of the ACC functions of multiple other vehicles on the driving route on which the vehicle is traveling can be acquired from the other vehicle information acquisition unit 22. If the setting states of the ACC functions of multiple other vehicles on the current driving route can be acquired from the other vehicle information acquisition unit 22, the process proceeds to step S103. On the other hand, if the setting states of the ACC functions of multiple other vehicles on the current driving route cannot be acquired, the process determines that the proposal condition for presenting a proposal of the setting state of the ACC function is not met, and ends this process without presenting a proposal of the setting state.

[0067] In step S103, the setting suggestion unit 23 determines whether the suggestion conditions for presenting a suggestion of the setting state of the ACC function 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 S104. On the other hand, if it is determined that the suggestion conditions for presenting a suggestion of the setting state are not met based on at least one of the speed limit, traffic congestion information, and weather information, the process ends without presenting a suggestion of the setting state.

[0068] In step S104, the setting suggestion unit 23 determines the proposed setting state of the ACC function as described above based on the setting states of the ACC function of past vehicles related to the route the vehicle is currently traveling, the setting states of the ACC function of other vehicles, information on speed limits, etc. In step S105, the proposed setting state of the ACC function determined in step S104 is displayed on the display device 30 and presented to the driver.

[0069] In step S106, the ACC setting determination unit 24 determines whether the proposed setting state of the ACC function presented in step S105 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 24 determines that the proposed setting state has been approved, and proceeds to step S107. 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 setting state of the ACC function, and this process ends.

[0070] In step S107, the ACC setting determination unit 24 determines the proposed setting state of the ACC function presented in step S105 as the setting state of the ACC function. As a result, the ACC control unit 21 executes the ACC function in accordance with the determined setting state. The determined setting state of the ACC function can be displayed on the display device 30, for example.

[0071] The vehicle control device 20 according to the present embodiment described above can achieve the following effects.

[0072] (1) The vehicle control device 20 includes an ACC control unit 21 configured to execute an ACC function that, according to user settings including a set vehicle speed and a set inter-vehicle distance that can be set by the user, maintains a set vehicle speed and travels at a constant speed when there is no preceding vehicle in the lane in which the vehicle is traveling, and maintains a set inter-vehicle distance and travels to follow the preceding vehicle when there is a preceding vehicle, an other vehicle information acquisition unit 22 configured to acquire information on the setting states of the ACC functions of multiple other vehicles transmitted from a remote server 16 and / or other vehicles present around the vehicle, and an ACC setting determination unit 24 configured to determine the setting state of the ACC function of the vehicle when the setting states of the ACC functions of multiple other vehicles on the traveling route on which the vehicle is traveling are acquired from the other vehicle information acquisition unit 22. When the ACC setting determination unit 24 acquires the setting states of the ACC functions of the multiple other vehicles from the other vehicle information acquisition unit 22, the ACC setting determination unit 24 determines that the above-mentioned condition (i) (the setting states of the ACC functions of multiple other vehicles on the current traveling route can be acquired) is satisfied, and proposes the setting state of the ACC function to the driver and determines the setting state of the ACC function. A driving route where multiple other vehicles are using the ACC function is considered to be an environment suitable for using the ACC function, so by proposing and determining the setting state of the ACC function to the driver, the driver does not need to perform the cumbersome operation of manually operating the operation input device 14 to determine the setting state of the ACC function, thereby improving the convenience of the ACC function.

[0073] (2) The control device 20 further includes a route storage unit 25 configured to store driving routes traveled by the vehicle in the past, an ACC history storage unit 26 configured to store an operation history of the ACC function, including operation information indicating whether the vehicle has turned the ACC function on or off, in association with the driving route, and a setting proposal unit 23 configured to present a proposal for the setting state of the ACC function of the vehicle when the setting states of the ACC function of multiple other vehicles are acquired from the other vehicle information acquisition unit 22 while the vehicle is traveling on a driving route stored in the route storage unit 25 and associated with the ACC function operation history. If the setting state proposal by the setting proposal unit 23 is approved by the user, the ACC setting determination unit 24 determines the setting state proposal by the setting proposal unit 23 as the setting state of the ACC function of the vehicle. If the vehicle is traveling on a driving route on which the vehicle has previously traveled using the ACC function, the setting proposal unit 23 presents a proposal for the setting state of the ACC function of the vehicle when the setting states of the ACC function of multiple other vehicles are acquired. A driving route on which multiple other vehicles are using the ACC function can be assumed to be an environment suitable for using the ACC function. Furthermore, if the vehicle has used the ACC function in the past, it is assumed that the route is one that the driver would like to use the ACC function on. Therefore, by presenting the driver with suggested ACC function settings, it is possible to determine the ACC function settings that are suitable for each individual user while reducing the complicated operations required for the driver to determine user settings when executing the ACC function.

[0074] (3) The setting state of the ACC function includes the on / off state of the ACC function. When multiple other vehicles have the ACC function turned on, the setting suggestion unit 23 suggests turning on the ACC function of the vehicle as the setting state of the ACC function. That is, when the setting suggestion unit 23 acquires the setting states of the ACC function of multiple other vehicles, it presents a suggestion of the setting state of the ACC function of the vehicle. A driving route on which multiple other vehicles are using the ACC function is considered to be an environment suitable for using the ACC function, so by suggesting to the driver that the ACC function be turned on, it is possible to encourage the use of the ACC function in an environment suitable for using the ACC function. This improves the convenience of the ACC function.

[0075] (4) The setting state of the ACC function includes the user-set vehicle speed of the ACC function. The set vehicle speed determined by the ACC setting determination unit 24 is the most frequent value among the set vehicle speeds of multiple other vehicles acquired by the other vehicle information acquisition unit 22. By proposing the set vehicle speed set by many other vehicles as the set vehicle speed of the ACC function of the vehicle, the ACC function can be operated at a set vehicle speed that suits the environment around the vehicle. This reduces the complicated operations by the driver to determine the user setting, and makes it possible to determine an appropriate setting state of the ACC function that does not disrupt traffic flow around the vehicle.

[0076] (5) The control device 20 further includes a speed limit acquisition unit 27 configured to acquire the speed limit specified for the roads on the driving route along which the vehicle is traveling. The setting state of the ACC function includes a user-set vehicle speed for the ACC function. The set vehicle speed determined by the ACC setting determination unit 24 is the most frequent value below the speed limit among the set vehicle speeds of multiple other vehicles acquired by the other vehicle information acquisition unit 22 while the vehicle is traveling along the driving route. By proposing the most frequent value below the speed limit among the set vehicle speeds of the multiple other vehicles as the set vehicle speed for the ACC function of the vehicle, the ACC function can be operated at a set vehicle speed that suits the environment around the vehicle.

[0077] (6) The set vehicle speed determined by the ACC setting determination unit 24 is the smaller of the most frequent set vehicle speeds of the multiple other vehicles acquired by the other vehicle information acquisition unit 22 while the vehicle is traveling along the travel route, or the speed limit of the travel route. By proposing the smaller of the most frequent set vehicle speeds of the multiple other vehicles or the speed limit of the travel route as the set vehicle speed for the ACC function of the vehicle, it is possible to operate the ACC function at a set vehicle speed that suits the environment around the vehicle.

[0078] (7) If the driving route on which the vehicle is traveling differs from the past driving routes stored in the route storage unit 25, the setting suggestion unit 23 suggests the most frequent value among the set vehicle speeds of multiple other vehicles on the driving route acquired by the other vehicle information acquisition unit 22 as the set vehicle speed of the ACC function. If the driver is traveling on a driving route that the driver has not traveled before, the driver may not be able to immediately decide what speed the set vehicle speed of the ACC function should be. Therefore, by suggesting to the driver the set vehicle speed that is frequently set by multiple other vehicles on that driving route as the set vehicle speed of the ACC function, it is possible to present to the driver an appropriate setting state of the ACC function according to the environment around the vehicle while reducing the complicated operations by the driver to determine the user setting.

[0079] -Second embodiment- A vehicle control system 1 according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described below. The basic configuration of the vehicle control system 1 according to the second embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment described above. Differences from the first embodiment will be mainly described below.

[0080] The control device 20 according to this embodiment is configured such that, after the setting proposal unit 23 determines the proposed content of the setting state of the ACC function, the setting proposal by the setting proposal unit 23 is determined as the setting state of the ACC function, regardless of whether or not the driver approves it. In other words, when the setting states of the ACC function of multiple other vehicles on the driving route on which the vehicle is traveling are acquired from the other vehicle information acquisition unit 22, the ACC setting determination unit 24 automatically determines the setting state of the ACC function of the vehicle.

[0081] The flow of the setting state determination process for the ACC function in this embodiment will be described using the flowchart in Fig. 3. Fig. 3 shows an example of the setting state determination process, which is periodically executed by the control device 20. This process is repeatedly executed until the user settings are determined by the system or the driver and the ACC function starts to be executed.

[0082] In step S201, the setting suggestion unit 23 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 27, information about traffic congestion occurring ahead of the vehicle acquired by the traffic congestion information acquisition unit 28, and weather information about the surroundings of the vehicle acquired by the weather information acquisition unit 29.

[0083] In step S202, the setting proposal unit 23 determines whether or not the setting states of the ACC functions of multiple other vehicles on the driving route on which the vehicle is traveling can be acquired from the other vehicle information acquisition unit 22. If the setting states of the ACC functions of multiple other vehicles on the current driving route can be acquired from the other vehicle information acquisition unit 22, the process proceeds to step S203. On the other hand, if the setting states of the ACC functions of multiple other vehicles on the current driving route cannot be acquired, the process determines that the proposal condition for presenting a proposal for the setting state of the ACC function is not met, and ends this process without presenting a proposal for the setting state.

[0084] In step S203, the setting suggestion unit 23 determines whether the suggestion conditions for presenting a proposal for the setting state of the ACC function are met based on the speed limit, traffic congestion information, and weather information acquired in step S201, as in the first embodiment described above. 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 S204. On the other hand, if it is determined that the suggestion conditions for presenting a proposal for the setting state are not met based on at least one of the speed limit, traffic congestion information, and weather information, the process ends without presenting a proposal for the setting state.

[0085] In step S204, the setting suggestion unit 23 determines the proposed setting state of the ACC function, similar to the first embodiment described above, based on the setting states of the ACC function of past vehicles related to the driving route the vehicle is currently traveling, the setting states of the ACC function of other vehicles, and information on speed limits, etc.

[0086] In step S205, the ACC setting determination unit 24 determines the proposed setting state of the ACC function determined in step S204 as the setting state of the ACC function. That is, the ACC setting determination unit 24 automatically determines the setting state of the ACC function without presenting the proposed setting state of the ACC function determined by the setting proposal unit 23 to the driver. As a result, the ACC control unit 21 executes the ACC function in accordance with the determined setting state. The determined setting state of the ACC function can be displayed on the display device 30, for example.

[0087] In the vehicle control device 20 according to the present embodiment described above, in addition to the effects of the first embodiment described above, the following effects can be achieved.

[0088] (1) The vehicle control device 20 includes an ACC control unit 21 configured to execute an ACC function that, according to user settings including a set vehicle speed and a set inter-vehicle distance that can be set by the user, maintains a set vehicle speed and travels at a constant speed when there is no preceding vehicle in the lane in which the vehicle is traveling, and maintains a set inter-vehicle distance and travels to follow the preceding vehicle when there is a preceding vehicle, an other vehicle information acquisition unit 22 configured to acquire information on the setting states of the ACC functions of multiple other vehicles transmitted from a remote server 16 and / or other vehicles present around the vehicle, and an ACC setting determination unit 24 configured to determine the setting state of the ACC function of the vehicle when the setting states of the ACC functions of multiple other vehicles on the traveling route on which the vehicle is traveling are acquired from the other vehicle information acquisition unit 22. When the ACC setting states of the multiple other vehicles are acquired from the other vehicle information acquisition unit 22, the ACC setting determination unit 24 determines that the above-mentioned condition (i) (the setting states of the ACC functions of multiple other vehicles on the current traveling route can be acquired) is satisfied, and determines the setting state of the ACC function. A driving route where multiple other vehicles are using the ACC function is considered to be an environment suitable for using the ACC function, so by having the system automatically determine the setting state of the ACC function, the driver does not need to manually operate the operation input device 14 to perform the cumbersome operation of determining the setting state of the ACC function, thereby improving the convenience of the ACC function.

[0089] (2) The setting state of the ACC function includes the on / off state of the ACC function. When multiple other vehicles have the ACC function turned on, the ACC setting determination unit 24 determines that the vehicle's ACC function is turned on as the setting state of the ACC function. A driving route on which multiple other vehicles are using the ACC function is considered to be an environment suitable for using the ACC function. Therefore, by having the system determine that the ACC function is turned on, the ACC function can be automatically activated in an environment suitable for using the ACC function. This eliminates the need for the driver to manually set the ACC function, which is expected to improve the convenience of the ACC function.

[0090] In the second embodiment described above, the setting proposal unit 23 determines whether the proposal conditions for presenting a proposal for the setting state of the ACC function are met, and if the proposal conditions are met, the proposed content of the setting state of the ACC function is determined. However, since this embodiment is configured so that the setting state of the ACC function is determined on the system side without proposing the setting state of the ACC function to the driver, the setting proposal unit 23 may be omitted. In this case, for example, the ACC setting determination unit 24 determines whether the determination conditions for determining the setting state of the ACC function are met, and if the determination conditions are met, the setting state of the ACC function can be determined. The determination conditions for the ACC function are equivalent to the proposal conditions for the ACC function described above, and the determined setting state of the ACC function can be the same as the proposed content of the setting state of the ACC function described above.

[0091] -Variations- (1) In the above-described embodiment, the setting state of the ACC function includes the on / off state of the ACC function, and when multiple other vehicles have the ACC function turned on, the setting state of the ACC function is suggested or determined to be on for the vehicle. However, this is not limited to this, and the on / off state of the ACC function may be determined by the user's operation of the operation input device 14, and the setting suggestion unit 23 may suggest user settings including a set vehicle speed and a set following distance as suggested settings of the ACC function. In this case, the processing of FIGS. 2 and 3 described above may be configured to start when, for example, the ACC switch of the operation input device 14 is operated and the ACC function is turned on.

[0092] (2) 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 suggested user setting for the 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 suggested user setting. 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.

[0093] 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]

[0094] 20 Control device 21 ACC control unit 22 Other vehicle information acquisition section 23 Setting Proposal Section 24 ACC setting determination section 25 Route Storage 26 ACC history storage unit 27 Speed ​​limit acquisition unit 28 Traffic congestion information acquisition unit 29 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, an other vehicle information acquisition unit configured to acquire information on the setting states of ACC functions of a plurality of other vehicles transmitted from a remote server and / or other vehicles present around the vehicle; an ACC setting determination unit configured to determine a setting state of the ACC function of the vehicle when setting states of ACC functions of a plurality of other vehicles on a travel route on which the vehicle is traveling are acquired from the other vehicle information acquisition unit; A vehicle control device comprising:

2. a route storage unit configured to store a travel route traveled by the vehicle in the past; an ACC history storage unit configured to store an operation history of the ACC function, including operation information indicating whether the operation of the ACC function of the vehicle has been turned on / off, in association with the travel route; a setting suggestion unit configured to, when acquiring setting states of the ACC function of the plurality of other vehicles from the other vehicle information acquisition unit, present a suggestion of the setting state of the ACC function of the vehicle while the vehicle is traveling on the traveling route stored in the route storage unit and associated with the operation history of the ACC function, 2. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein when the setting state proposal by the setting proposal unit is approved by the user, the ACC setting determination unit determines the setting state proposal by the setting proposal unit as the setting state of the ACC function of the vehicle.

3. the setting state of the ACC function includes an on / off state of operation of the ACC function, 2. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein, when the plurality of other vehicles have an ACC function activated, the ACC setting determination unit determines to activate the ACC function of the vehicle as the setting state of the ACC function.

4. the setting state of the ACC function includes an on / off state of operation of the ACC function, 3. The vehicle control device according to claim 2, wherein the setting suggestion unit suggests turning on the ACC function of the vehicle as the setting state of the ACC function when the other vehicles have turned on the ACC function.

5. the setting state of the ACC function includes the user-set set vehicle speed of the ACC function, The vehicle control device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the set vehicle speed determined by the ACC setting determination unit is a mode value among set vehicle speeds of the plurality of other vehicles acquired by the other vehicle information acquisition unit.

6. a speed limit acquisition unit configured to acquire a speed limit designated for a road on a travel route on which the vehicle is traveling; the setting state of the ACC function includes the user-set set vehicle speed of the ACC function, 3. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein the set vehicle speed determined by the ACC setting determination unit is a most frequent value that is equal to or lower than the speed limit among the set vehicle speeds of the plurality of other vehicles acquired by the other vehicle information acquisition unit when the vehicle is traveling on the travel route.

7. a speed limit acquisition unit configured to acquire a speed limit designated for a road on a travel route on which the vehicle is traveling; the setting state of the ACC function includes the user-set set vehicle speed of the ACC function, 3. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein the set vehicle speed determined by the ACC setting determination unit is a smaller speed of either a mode value among the set vehicle speeds of the plurality of other vehicles acquired by the other vehicle information acquisition unit while the vehicle is traveling on the travel route, or the speed limit of the travel route.

8. the setting state of the ACC function includes the user-set set vehicle speed of the ACC function, 3. The vehicle control device according to claim 2, wherein, when a driving route on which the vehicle is traveling differs from a past driving route stored in the route storage unit, the setting suggestion unit suggests, as the set vehicle speed of the ACC function, a most frequent value among the set vehicle speeds of the plurality of other vehicles on the driving route acquired by the other vehicle information acquisition unit.

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